Podcasts about dissatisfied

This episode explores whether the modern millennial's embrace of stoicism, rigorous health routines, and padel reflects a genuine search for meaning or a set of coping mechanisms that ultimately fall short. Has the rise of self-discipline and structured lifestyles created a more resilient generation, or has it led to a quiet sense of emptiness masked by routine?We examine the social and psychological roots of these trends, asking whether the appeal of ancient philosophy, physical optimisation, and curated leisure is a response to instability or a retreat from vulnerability and connection.

In this moving sermon, Richard Boonstra from Prison Fellowship shares stories of hope, redemption, and the radical love of Jesus for those society often overlooks. Reflecting on John 4 and his own experiences in prisons across Australia, Richard challenges us to stay weird by following Jesus into uncomfortable places, where the harvest is ripe and lives are being transformed. Tune in to hear how God is working in prisons, and how were all invited to partner in the Kingdom work of rescue, restoration, and redemption. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting. Read the transcript Our Bible reading today comes from John chapter 4, verses 3442, just after Jesus has been speaking with the Samaritan woman. My food said, Jesus, is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.Don't you have a saying? It's still four months until harvest?I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields.They are ripe for harvest.Even now, the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.Thus the saying one sows and another reaps is true.I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you've reaped the benefits of their labor.Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.He told me everything I ever did.So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with him.And he stayed two days.And because of his words, many more became believers.They said to the woman, we no longer believe just because of what you said.Now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world. This is the word of the Lord. Introduction Good morning. Thank you for having me here this morning. my name is Richard Boonstra, and I'm the, the state manager for Victoria for Prison Fellowship. apologies to those who are here at the 8 a.m. service. You're going to hear the same things again, but, it's how it goes. I didn't come to the Ministry of Prison fellowship to work. it hasn't been part of my career. My career is, teaching. So I'm a school teacher and a school principal by trade, and I spent many years teaching and leading in Christian schools. However, in 2016 2017 we moved to Melbourne and I felt the need to just get out of Christian school, out of schooling and do something different. But my my passion for Christian ministry started when I was very young, newly married in in the 1980s, and it all started when I was at a small group, and it was a small group for newly married couples, and our small group leader said, hey, I'm a volunteer with Christian Fellowship, and we've got a workshop at Canning Vale Prison in a couple of months. We need some more volunteers. Who's interested? And I felt something in me just thought, yeah, let's do that. So I put my hand up, said, yeah, I'm interested. And my friend next to me, he said, yep, we'll do it. So we had to wait for a little while until the training day comes, because you don't go into a prison without training. By the time the training day came around and I could get the training done, my friend had dropped off. So it was just me. I still went ahead and did the training and, we completed the training. The day arrived of the workshop. I got in my car, drove down to Canning Vale Prison, which is about a half an hour of where I lived. Got out of the car in the car park, looked at the walls, the razor wire and I thought, what am I doing here? I had that moment where you sometimes have where you think if someone told me that they had to cancel it, I'd be okay with that? No worries. But they didn't. They still went ahead, so I thought. Stop it. Swallow it. Come on. So I went ahead. Went through the doors. Bang! No. Two doors in a prison opened at the same time. And they didn't just bang, bang, lock. Click. That was it. I was in, I couldn't get out if I wanted to. Anyway, I went through to the room where we had the workshop, and I'm sitting here thinking, oh, what am I doing? And, the guys came in and started coming in from the different units of the prison for the seminar, and it was like a fog that just the sun came out and disappeared. All that fear and apprehension just went and I thought, huh, I think this is where I should be. This is my happy place. And I just thought I had the greatest time. I had a great day just sharing with the guys. You know, one of the best things is to talk to them and treat them as people. Not to look at the greens that they were wearing, but to think of them as people and to treat them as people. From there, I straight away signed up to join a team and we went in to, Fremantle Prison. Fremantle Prison, if you don't know it, some of you may have been to Perth, may have been for a tour of Fremantle prison because now a museum and now that it's a museum, probably gives you an idea of what it was like. It was built in 1850s and nothing had changed. There were no toilets in the cell. There was just a bucket. And the cells were made for one two people per cell. It was pretty rough and spartan. We were a team of about 6 or 7 of us. There was myself and my friend from the Reform church. There was a Catholic nun who was with us as well, two salvo guys who probably looked like they came off the ark with Noah, a charismatic Baptist lady and a couple of Anglicans. And we worked so well together. And I thought, this is also what God wants to see people from different denominations working together, sharing the gospel. And that's what we did every Saturday afternoon for about five years. We ran a little chapel service in the prison. So that's my story. And that's why I became passionate about prison fellowship and reaching people in prison. So when we moved to Melbourne, the opportunity came up to work for it. I thought, yes, that would be good. So I did that. A Broken World: The Bad News First I'm going to start off with some bad news. There's good news and bad news. I'll start off with the bad news. We live in a broken world. That's the bad news that we know. And I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you already don't know. Both in and out of prisons, people are broken, and they don't treat each other as they should. They've lost sight of what it means to be truly human. To be living in peace with God and with themselves and with each other and with creation, to find that shalom. People have lost sight of it. But there is now I'm feeling, and we feel that in prisons too, the beginnings of a yearning. Dissatisfied with what the Western cultural mindset has led them to believe or has promised them, is not happening. And so they're looking for something different, looking for a different way of living. But first, I'll just show you some statistics from our prisons. As a slice, as a snapshot of the brokenness in our world, you can see that in the prisons at the moment, there are 6551 people in prison. A little bit up from what it was about a year ago. At the end of December last year, we were below 6000, which was really exciting. And I track these numbers, so I'm keen to see the numbers go down. And that's really because of the Victorian Government, the Department of Justice and Corrections Victoria and the prisons have a much more progressive attitude towards the people in prison. I just went on a tour of Western Plains Correctional Centre, which is a new one, opened up, and constantly the staff are talking about the people in our care. People in our care. They adopt a trauma informed and trauma based approach to caring for the people in prison. They're still there. They need to be there. They know that. But while they're there, let's see if we can help them. So that's really the attitude. But they're competing with the government policy. So the numbers are going up a little bit because of the recent controversies around bail and toughening the laws, the bail laws. So it means more people go to prison instead of go out on bail. So that's where we're at 6500 people in prison. 95% are men, a small proportion of women. But for a woman in prison, it's a lot harder. There's a lot more at stake for families and for kids when mum is in prison. So it's a very different kind of situation and scenario for volunteers going there. 40% are unsentenced. Now this is really interesting because we often think, oh, they're on remand. But when you're on remand, there's so much uncertainty and so much anxiety. What's going to happen? Where am I going to go? Because the remand centre that you're in won't be where you'll stay. You'll be shifted to another prison. Will I have a job when I finish my sentence? What's happening to my family? What about my kids and all this stuff? I've sat with a guy in Melbourne Assessment Prison and just I didn't have to say anything. I just sat with him and let him talk, because he needed to get a lot of stuff off his chest, stuff that was swirling around his mind. And just to have someone listen, who empathetically listened, was important for him. 14% of people in prison are Aboriginal. It's still an imbalance when you measure that against what the percentage of the Victorian population is 1% yet 14% of the prison population. So there's a big difference there. And that's multiplied when you look at places like Northern Territory and Western Australia and Queensland; there's a higher proportion of Aboriginal people. The prison I was visiting in Perth, Fremantle Prison, at one stage we were told there were 80% Aboriginal, and so many of them were Aboriginal people who came from way up north in the more cultural tribal areas, and they were in there for driving offences, which was crazy. But because of mandatory sentencing and things like that, they straightaway went to prison and it was nuts. So it was really great to minister to them, because they were lovely people to minister to and share with, and especially when we got Aboriginal volunteers to come in with us as well. That was fantastic. 60% that's gone up now 60% of people will return to prison within two years. So that's a statistic we want to hopefully drive down. If you measure that over ten years, it goes to 80%. 80% of people will return to prison. That's how hard it is, once you've been in prison, to shake that experience off and to make a life outside of prison. I met a guy in prison in Perth who was released, and about six months later he was back again. His name was Hynes. It was a long time ago, so it won't matter. But I said, Hynes, what happened? Why are you back? He said, where else can I go? He said, here I have a bed and three meals; out there, he had nothing. And that was sad that he could the only place he could go was just commit a crime and go back in again. A statistic that's not up there, but is 25% of people in prison come from 2% of Victorian postcodes. So there's a correlation. And the prison staff and the police call them prison collection areas. That's what they colloquially call them because they get so many people there. 66% of people in prison were in care or were adopted as kids. So that's where this whole idea of being trauma informed comes in. A high proportion of people and that's the same percentage of people have a mental health issue in prison as well, whether it be ADHD or all sorts of different stuff happening in their life. So there's trauma. Now, we say that doesn't absolve them of the responsibility for their actions. They still need to suffer the consequences for their crime and for what they've done. But at the same time, we help to understand them and help helps to understand their background, to help them to rehabilitate. So in all of this brokenness, we sense a yearning. We're sensing that more so now a yearning for something different. My life isn't going well the way it is. I want something different. And in a sense, it's the yearning for that shalom a yearning to be truly human again. To find that place where I'm free of guilt and maybe free of that endless cycle of offending and re-offending, offending and re-offending. But now for the good news. The Bible tells us that God was not happy with this situation. Back in Genesis 3, he already started that plan he took God took the initiative to sort it out, to fix it. He took the initiative and promised to restore all things. To restore our relationships with him. To restore our relationship with each other, and to restore our relationship with creation. This is the Kingdom of God. He stepped into our world himself in the person of Jesus. He entered our world, and through Jesus he initiated the Kingdom of God. Jesus initiated it. And at the end of Matthew you can read where he said, I'm going back, but I want you to keep going. I want you to keep growing it. The Kingdom of God was initiated by Jesus. Jesus entered our world and demonstrated showed us what a citizen of this new kingdom looked like. He deliberately reached out to the marginalized, the downtrodden, the oppressed and the imprisoned, the forgotten or invisible people. And then, through his death and resurrection, he opened up the way to restored relationships with God, with each other, and with creation. Jesus reached out to the ones that everyone else thought were weird. He went places where people thought, that's not it's weird to go there. He came to rescue, restore and redeem and then to call us to put our faith in him, to discover freedom the freedom of being released from sin and guilt and to find our true selves as God's children. One of the key things I say to people when I go into prison, when I sit down with guys in prison, is I am just as much a sinner as you are. Just because you're in prison and I'm not doesn't make me any worse or better than you. In fact, I don't use the word prisoner, because I don't define you by where you are. You're a person someone who God created. And so I see that. I see you that way. And I want you to know that I was in darkness, and I needed to find the light, and I did, and I found hope, and I found love, and I found what it means to be truly human. And I want to share that with you. So we approach people in prison with a sense of humility not coming in as the great white savior, but coming in as a humble person who has found hope and wants to share it. And so we see a little example of Jesus modeling that kind of way of reaching people. In John 4, we read from John 4 verses 34 to 42. But just a little bit of background about it where this happened was in Samaria. Wait, what is a good Jewish rabbi doing in Samaria? That was weird. He, Jesus led the way of being weird. He showed what it meant to be to be going to weird places. He and he deliberately did that. He chose to go that way. Now he's on his way from Jerusalem to go back to Galilee the place where he based his ministry in Galilee was strategic for him, but that's another story. But he diverted, and he went through Samaria. Wow. I'm sure his disciples must have thought, what are you doing? Why are we going this way? Do you know where you are? This is Samaria. But Jesus knew what he was doing. Jesus never did anything by accident nothing was a coincidence in Jesus' ministry. So he had a plan. He had an appointment. This was no coincidence. All along he planned to meet this woman at the well. That's just before this passage that we read it's the woman at the well passage. Who was she? A Samaritan that black mark; a woman black mark for the Jewish rabbis at least. Anyway, also she was regarded as a woman of ill repute. We don't know exactly what her story was, but chances are that a lot of that wasn't her own fault that she was a victim of a very patriarchal society where she was passed from man to man through no fault of her own, just because of that patriarchal mentality. Regardless of that, we know that she was one of the people that nobody wanted she was one of the weird ones, if you like, because she could only get water at midday. No one else was allowed to be with she wasn't allowed to be with anyone else. She could only get water from the well at midday. And so what does Jesus do? I love this. He comes up to this well. She probably sees him, but she just knows she better keep her head down and get on with what she's doing. And he speaks to her. And what does he say? Can I could you get me a drink of water? Whoa! She stops and looks said, did you just speak to me? What men don't talk to her, let alone Jewish men. And she just can't deal with it what's going on here? He asked for a drink of water. In one sentence, in a beautiful way, he reached out to her, treated her like a human being treated her normally and said, can you get me a drink of water? Well, it it worked, because it arrested her attention. She got him a drink of water, and then she engages in this long conversation with him during which he, in a beautiful way, teases out her life and gets down to the nitty-gritty of what's going on in her life. You can read the story for yourself later, but there's so much stuff that he's dealing with there. But needless short story short long story short, he loved her and she couldn't escape from it. She didn't want to escape from it. And he restores her gently so much so that she drops her water bottle and runs back to tell everyone in the town where she lives what has just happened. It's like suddenly she's been made new and she's been loved and cared for, and she sees a glimpse of what it means to be truly human. Why didn't she run away from him? I told the story in the first service in Brazil, in South America, and a few other countries now too, there are these prisons called humane prisons they're run on Christian principles. They're run by Christians. These prisons have no walls or fences. The inmates look after the keys and lock up the gates at night. It's amazing it's astounding. They have regularly Christian courses like Alpha running throughout the prison all different things happening. They have families come in families can come and visit and stay for the weekend with their loved one, like a conjugal visit. And they were interviewing one guy who was there, and he had been a notorious inmate he had escaped from lots of different prisons. And they got this guy and said we'll call him John John, you've escaped from all these other prisons. This one would be easy to escape from there's no walls, no fences. Why don't you escape? And you know what he said? Nobody escapes from love. Why would I want to leave there, he says. Here, in this prison, I'm loved. I'm cared for. Someone took the time to love me. And so why he's willing wants to stay there. Above the door going into one of the main prisons is, here enters the man; the crime stays outside. And I love that thought. So she, like this man, doesn't want to escape from him. She sits down and talks to Jesus, and then he opens her eyes. And incredibly, he does something towards the end of his conversation and I think this is significant. Here is this Samaritan woman so-to-say ill repute woman and Jesus says she says, who are you? He says, I am the Messiah. He discloses to her. And I believe for me, it's one of the first times he actually honestly, clearly says I am the Messiah I am he. And who does he do that to? A woman a Samaritan woman a woman who has a bad reputation. I think that's significant. That's weird in the eyes of the world that's weird. You know, if the Messiah was coming, you'd think he'd announce it to all the important rabbis and bishops or whatever. But no he chooses this woman, because many other times people sort of work it out are you the one? he says, don't tell anyone. But here he says it openly to her. Anyway, the disciples of which they come he's gone ahead, and they come and find him. And the disciples you've got to imagine, the disciples are just young; many of them are still in their teenage years and they come up to Jesus and Jesus, can we keep going? This is not a place for a good Jewish boy to be this is Samaria. They were thinking, if our parents saw us here right now, we'd be in so much trouble. But instead, they mutter amongst themselves and they finally work up the courage to go to Jesus and said, Jesus, you need some lunch. Should we go into the town and get you some food? I'm sure many times Jesus rolls his eyes. And then he says, my food is to do the will of him who sent me. And he says this sort of sort of a almost a bit of a cryptic way: my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Food the word food in Hebrew can also mean calling in life. So is he saying my calling in life? You're worried about food and bread and stuff like that, but I'm thinking, what is your calling in life? What are you here to do? He says, I'm here to do the will of my Father who sent me sent me to finish his work. And then he goes on and says, don't you have a saying, it's still four months until harvest? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the harvest. Look at the fields it's there, ripe for the harvest. Even now, the one who who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying, one sows and another reaps is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you've reaped the benefits of their labor. What's he saying here? He's saying to his disciples, that's what we're here for we're here we're called to bring in the kingdom, to share the good news, to share hope, to rescue. Open your eyes, guys it's time for the harvest, it's right now, it's right in front of you. So he teaches his disciples, as a good rabbi would. Rabbis didn't have classrooms they wandered around the country and they looked at something and they said, see that tree over there? Let me tell you something about that, and then they drew a lesson from that. So now the disciples are saying, you want some food? Sit down I'm going to teach you about what this food thing is all about. And I'm going to teach you why we're here today. We came here for a reason I want you to see something. So he says, open your eyes I've come here because there is a harvest here; people are really keen to hear the good news, and we'll find that out in a minute. The time to get harvesting is now. But then the really cool bit of this bit I like as well is towards the end remember, it's not just up to you; it's a partnership. One sows, another reaps, another packs the harvest up, another fertilizes, another waters it's a teamwork thing. And that's very much so for the ministry that we have at Prison Fellowship it's a team thing, it's a partnership. Deep Creek Anglican is very much one of our partners we are incredibly thankful, incredibly thankful for this church, for the way that you partner with us and walk alongside us and help us to do the work the kingdom work of sharing the gospel in prisons. So thank you for the amazing work that you partner with us in doing. It's like you're going in with us even though you're not physically there, you're going with us into prison and we thank you for that. Jesus looked at this woman and saw someone who was ready to hear the gospel and to be redeemed and restored. The impact of her story and I think this is amazing if you look at verses 39 to 42, this woman has gone back and dropped her water bottle and ran into town. And that's no small thing I said to someone, and I said to the group in the earlier congregation, it's like leaving your phone at home and realizing you've got it it's that essential; it's like an important object. But she this was so important, she just forgot everything else and went and told the people in her village. Let's read the passage again. Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.He told me everything I ever did.So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them. And he stayed two days.And because of his words, many more became believers.They said to the woman, we no longer believe just because of what you said. Now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man is really, really is the Savior of the world. What a testimony. Have a think about what that would have been like she, being the woman she was, had to go back to her village. Now, that wouldn't have been easy to tell people about what has just happened to her. They've got a they've got an attitude towards her; they judge her. So she has persisted she's pushed through all of that attitude to finally get some to hear. And so they said, okay, we'll come and have a look. And when they come there, they're just amazed they're touched by him by Jesus as well. And Jesus stays for two days, and there's a two-day-long Bible college Bible study. They sit down wow that's like the first church planted in Samaria. That's weird that's weird. Think about it you grow up thinking that Samaria is one of those people, and that's where Jesus goes. I love it, I think it's amazing. And that's exactly what Jesus models for us to do to get out there into places where people think is weird. Jesus came to rescue, restore and and redeem the rejected, the marginalized, and the invisible people prisoners. To many in society, this is weird. I've gone a little bit behind here we are. Mark 2 verse 17 is one of my favorite verses in prison ministries as well. We use this in one of our programs. Here, Jesus clearly says who he's come for. He's talking to the Pharisees. He says he didn't come to those who think they're right.I've come for those who know that they're wrong.People that know they need to be restored and they need to be healed. But look at the word the favorite word in that passage for me, and I'll share this with the guys in prison when I share this passage with them is the word call. It doesn't say I have not come to force the righteous, but sinners, or I have not come to push the righteous, but sinners, or I have not come to drag all these words he says I've come to call a gentle but honest word, I've come to call the sinners. Jesus comes to call. And I say to the guys in prison, he came to call you. And what does call mean? That means a response is needed. So you need to think what you need to do with this are you going to respond to this call when Jesus calls you? Are you going to say, yes, I'm going to come in here because he's not going to force he's not going to push you or twist your arm or anything. He comes to gently but persistently call, and he'll keep calling. And we keep having an opportunity a choice to make a decision. Can you hear that call today? Many of us here today have have heard that call and have come to Jesus, experiencing his love and being constantly restored. Are you ready to go out and bring in the harvest? Remember the three points. The harvest is right in front of us. The harvest time is now. It's a partnership. We believe with Augustine, who first said, every saint has a past. Sorry every saint has a past; every sinner has a future. I read that again. Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future. We want to share that the call of Jesus that we first responded to, the love that conquered us. We want others to hear that call and to discover God's love, joy, hope, and his rest. We have a harvest field in our prisons it's right here. It's not overseas; it's right here in our town and our city, and it's calling for people to come to join the harvest. Caring for Prisoners: Ministry in Action I'm going to show you a little video now. It'll give you a bit of an idea of our ministry. In this cell. Your biggest enemy is time you drown in a sea of it. And you think? And think. In those first days, my mind drifted to what was happening outside. It's Wednesday. You know. I wonder what my wife is doing. What projects are the guys working on? Is anyone talking about me? Or have they all just moved on? Their remorse and regret are constant companions. Over and over again, you remember that you've stuffed your life up. Reputation, family, friends, colleagues all lost in the blink of an eye, and the guilt of the hurt you've caused is like a heavy weight that stays on your shoulders. I'll admit, there were days when I felt that all hope all reason to continue had gone. I'll never forget the first time I was visited by Greg. I remember thinking it was strange that someone I'd never met wanted to come and talk to me. Up until then, I'd gotten pretty used to people wanting to distance themselves from me. In prison, you do everything you can not to draw attention to yourself. Don't tell jokes. Don't tell your story. Don't look people in the eye. But here in these chairs I could talk, I could laugh. I could share my regrets and talk openly about my failures. And it was met with kindness and friendship. Greg told me about himself. And in doing so, he told me about Jesus. I later learned that close to a thousand volunteers men and women are visiting prisoners, running programs, playing sports, and leading Bible studies through Prison Fellowship. Prisoners like me have been profoundly impacted by this ministry. Through it, we've grown in character. We've taken responsibility. We've built self-control, and we've expressed repentance. We've come to understand grace and forgiveness. And hope is powerful it brings life and light to your soul. I found hope here, and it grew within me. I learned dependence. I learned to pray really pray. I found myself with a peace that was totally at odds with my harsh and miserable situation. The gap between prison and the real world beyond the gates can be very daunting. You're asking the big questions again: how can I stay out for good this time? Is there anyone who can help me? Will I get a job? Can I restore those relationships? To have Greg and the others from Prison Fellowship to be there to help me bridge that gap was everything. All. Inmates are just like everyone else. They need purpose. They need grace. They need healing. They need someone to offer hope. That gives you a bit of an idea of what we do as a ministry. (It) covers most of the activities that our volunteers do in prison. The prison itself is not an active prison anymore the one in the film but it's a little bit like Fremantle Prison was like, very rough; lots of sandstone walls and barbed wire and bars. It wasn't a very pleasant place. This year has been going well for us as a ministry, in that we've had lots of good opportunities to get into prisons. There's still some prisons we've struggled to get into, but we're working on that. We've been able to serve, sharing love and friendship and ultimately the good news of the gospel and God's gracious love with people in prison. We also serve families who have a parent in prison or children who have a parent in prison, and often the families serve a social sentence themselves, which is very hard for them. So our key thing is visiting in prison. We have our volunteers go in and just be a presence we call it sometimes a ministry of presence just sitting there with guys and being prepared to share the hope that they have with people in prison when that opportunity comes up. But many times it's just someone to chat to to develop a friendship with. We have The Prisoner's Journey, which is an eight-week gospel course based on Christianity Explored but written from a prison perspective. So it's very successful and very well received by the prisons and by the men themselves. We have another course called Change on the Inside, which is not Christian-based, but it's on developing positive character. We also have our annual Easter Biscuit Bake, which I'm I'm told Deep Creek is a part of as well. So thank you for sharing in that and enabling people in prison to get a bag of home-baked biscuits with a gospel card at Easter, telling them the true meaning of Easter. And the impact of a biscuit on a person's life is amazing I've given them out to people in prison, and I've looked a guy in the eye who said, are these for me? I said, yeah. He said, I can't believe people would do this for me. So it has such a deep impact you'd think, just a biscuit but it certainly has a deep impact. A little thing goes a long way. We have a children's ministry or families ministry we call it Extraordinary Lives and in Victoria we do three things. We engage in one-on-one mentoring. Children with a parent in prison are six times more likely to go to prison themselves. So if we can have a mentor for them a younger person, a young adult who could walk with them, commit to spending time with them and share with them then we hope to change that statistic. I spoke with a grandmother on the phone who said, it's really hard she's a grandma, she's looking after the kids because mum can't have them and dad's in jail (or sometimes it's both mum and dad are in jail). He can't talk to anyone at school about it. He can't talk to his teachers about it. Just me. He needs someone to talk to. And so that's where a mentor comes in and can be that person he can talk to. We also have camps. We're running one residential camp, but also we have some day camps some day-outs. Churches host families, and the kids have a day together just doing some fun things like a Lego day, or we've taken them to Bounce or to the zoo or something like that and just help them have a good time and hope. The idea is to develop relationships and ultimately to get a mentor relationship happening. And then we do the Angel Tree campaign, which I'm told Deep Creek was a part of a few years ago. But you're more than welcome to join us this year in our Angel Tree campaign. This is a program where we facilitate the giving of Christmas gifts to children who have a parent in prison on behalf of their parent. So the person in prison fills a form in, writes down the name of their child and what they like and their age. We then send it out to churches who purchase the gifts and deliver them to the families. And again, like the biscuits, it's the little thing it's not so much about the gift, but it's all about connecting keeping families connected. So we get every year messages back saying, I can't believe my dad didn't forget about me that's great! Or my mum still remembered me and got me a present for Christmas and that's significant, that's special. So Angel Tree is a really good program it's a big program; it takes a lot of work, but we look for lots of churches to support us in that. We do a little bit of work in post-release as well. As people come out of prison I'd love to develop that further we do pick up people on the day of release and walk with them a little bit just in that first day, but we'd like to expand that if we can. People coming out of jail need at least two years of mentoring, and a home. They need a job, and they need mentoring. God is very active in our prisons and wants us to join him in furthering the work that he has started. But we can't do this on our own we know that. And just like Jesus shared in that passage we read, it is a partnership. We walk together with others with individuals and with churches. Churches like Deep Creek Anglican that walk with us in this journey and help us to achieve the things we can to spread the kingdom into prisons. Partnering in the Harvest So my challenge to you is, will you partner with us in that individually as well? And there's three things that you can do for that. Pray. Prayer is foundational for us. We have a prayer meeting every Monday morning on Zoom, and I put out a weekly prayer diary. We need people to pray for the ministry on a regular basis. Someone said to me once, Richard, the kingdom of God moves at the speed of prayer. And so please sign up if you want to get a prayer diary. There's a sheet on the back table there that I've got there that you can sign up to get a prayer door if you'd like to join us. Each week we put some prayer needs in there. Support Us Financially. Perhaps you're willing to support us financially. Maybe you're willing to make that sacrifice and to give as Deep Creek Anglican do that so well support us. But maybe as an individual, you want to support us by providing financial support. We offer everything we offer to the prisoners for free. We don't get any money back from our government funding it's all based on donations. Go as a Volunteer. To go and see that harvest field, to go and be one of the harvesters, to bring in that harvest in partnership with with many people from other different churches. One of the things we're initiating as well, in Victoria and across the country, is to have restoration hubs. We often have people come out of prison who have become Christians in prison, but need to be discipled when they come out. When they come out, one of the many challenges they face besides getting into society is to find a church that will be open and receptive. So we're looking to establish a network of churches across the country who would be willing to take in and look after someone from prison. It's a challenge, and it takes a lot of extra work. There's a lot of thinking that needs to go around that how do we handle that, with all the policies and child-safe policies and everything that goes with that? But it's still a commitment for a church to commit to us and to join with us as one of our restoration hub churches to support us. Deep Creek are already an amazing supporter for us. And so in many senses of the word, there is a restoration hub here already and we are thankful to Deep Creek for that. I'll be available at the end of the service, and if you want to come and chat with me more about the ministry, please feel free to ask any questions there. Prison Fellowship is a faith-based, for-impact organization seeking to grow the Kingdom of God that Jesus initiated 2000 years ago. Thanks for having me today.

Dissatisfied with your life? Unhappy with the state of politics? Buy things! Also: Do you know what a natural conspiracy is? You probably believe in a hundred of them without even knowing it.    www.charlesbursell.com

Welcome to Lunacy; where we discern the sacred from the insane and admit that whether we like it or not, we are all profoundly affected by the cycles of the moon.Today on LUNACY, I interview my friend Greg, or as I like to call him, Grandalf.  Greg has the unfortunate moniker of contracting Ulcerative Colitis, an "Incurable" disease that leaves one constantly on the crapper with a perpetual prescription, and a lifetime of pain and discomfort.Dissatisfied and unaccepting of this diagnosis, Greg went on a search for alternative healing modalities which led him to "Rick Simpson Oil" - a highly concentrated cannabis oil that one can make at home.  This concoction literally cured the incurable, and Greg no longer has this life-long affliction.  We go in deep about why it is that science seems to be so natue-phobic, this cure that is born of nature, and how you too can cure Ulcerative Colitis or other "incurable" diseases if you are willing to walk this path.  Additionally, we begin by discussing the benefits of dieting trees and tobacco, as crazy as that sounds.  Enjoy Part 1 of this 2-Part episode.***********************I'm Geoff Eido. Join me each week for interviews and insights intended to shine a light on the darkness, like the full moon in the forest.*****************Explore our other video content here on YouTube, where you'll find more insights into Keys To Self Mastery, along with relevant social media links.YouTube:    / @geoffeido3155  website: www.geoffeido.comSoundCloud:   / geoff-eido  Spotify: https://open.spotify.c...Bandcamp: https://geoffeido.band...Instagram: @geoffeido   Facebook:   / geoffeido   info@geoffeido.comGeoff Eido. Join me each week for interviews and insights intended to shine a light on the darkness, like the full moon in the forest.Support the show

THIS WEEK'S MESSAGE: Today's Fireside Friday was a little different. I reached out to some of our regular attendees and asked them to send me something that they'd like specific wisdom or insight around and I pulled a card and unpacked what came through. There's MUCH to be gleaned from the wisdom that was shared today. Maybe you'll find yourself in some of the questions asked! (6:38) "I'm asking about the overall success of my business through the summer. New opportunities are on the horizon and I'm wanting to know if they will be aligned." (12:13) "I've had a lot of cycles end for me lately; relationship, work, big project... feeling a little lost in waiting for what's next this morning..." (19:34) "I am particularly looking for shifts from chaos to presence and asking: What is getting in the way of being present?" (25:23) "How can I show up as a mom for two young kids at the same time and still find time for myself? (31:13) "I need to make a big decision today for my business... insight into taking a leap into something..."(38:00) "How can I be the best version of myself? Especially when my marriage feels shaky and I'm seeking to come home to myself?" (45:08) "I'm stressed. Underwhelmed. Overwhelmed. Dissatisfied." ABOUT: Welcome to a Fireside Friday Recording. Every Friday morning I tap in and pour out messages and words meant to fuel your fire, Fire Starter! These messages are to encourage, empower and activate you deeper in your calling and initiatives that you want to see through. grounding and encouragement every Friday morning.Want to add this to your calendar?⁠⁠ ⁠Sign-up here⁠⁠⁠ and I'll send you an invite!More of what to expect from these calls if you want to join live:• Our room opens at 8am, broadcast starts at 8:11am. It's okay if you can't make it live, I'll be posting an audio replay here to the podcast the following week and I trust that it will meet you right when it should.• This isn't a call you need to prepare for or that you'll even be interacting with others through… it's meant to nourish you.• Come as you are and as you can. Invite who you want.

Send us a textRaise your hand if you've ever silently asked, “Is this all there is?” at work.

This book is the book I wish I had 3 years ago in the depths of grief. Radically Content gave me the purpose, joy, and contentment that I have been craving.✨ 14 Rage Calming Tools Here (free) ✨Get them Here: https://learn.slowishparenting.com/calming-tools

Chuck Rocha welcomes CBS News' political journalist Fin Gómez to unpack latest polls revealing Latinos dissatisfaction with Donald Trump's policies after 100-days in office. They break down the fear, anger, and disappointment felt by many due to rising inflation and unkept promises.Chuck and Fin also celebrate Latino excellence in journalism, reflecting on the 3rd annual Brown and Bougie Brunch and the trailblazing reporters making waves in D.C. And yes—there's laughter too, as Chuck channels his inner Baby Billy from The Righteous Gemstones and explains why we all need more joy in our political lives.Tune in for data, culture, and real talk on what's working—and what's not—in the battle for the Latino vote.-Recorded April 30, 2025.-Learn more about Fin Daniel Gómez:https://www.cbsnews.com/team/fin-gomez/https://x.com/finnygohttps://www.instagram.com/finnygo-Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcastFollow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_VoteVisit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.voteIf you want more of our discussions and behind the scenes please join our Patreon (www.patreon.com/thelatinovote) for exclusive content and opportunities!

Discontentment often grows when we seek validation from things outside of Christ. In this devotional, I share how God exposed the root of my own need for approval—and how His "no" became an unexpected blessing that shifted my entire perspective. True contentment doesn't come from getting everything we want. It comes from trusting that God knows exactly what we need. Supported by 1 Timothy 6:6–10 and Philippians 4:9–12, this message will encourage you to find lasting peace, gratitude, and confidence in Christ alone.

Should we feel dissatisfied that we are not growing spiritually as fast as we should? by Exploring mindfulness, yoga and spirituality

Dana Cornell is a Forbes-recognized financial advisor and former executive director at Morgan Stanley, where he managed $1.4 billion in assets. Dissatisfied with the traditional wealth management model, Dana left to found Cornell Capital Holdings, where he now advises another billion dollars and specializes in helping business owners with exit planning and wealth creation. Dana's unique perspective comes from both building and buying businesses, and he's passionate about showing others how to use business acquisitions as a powerful path to financial freedom. On this episode we talk about: Why Dana left Wall Street to build his own wealth management firm The biggest misconceptions about buying small businesses How to identify a business that's the right size for acquisition Creative financing strategies to buy businesses with little or no money down Why income streams and asset classes matter more than stocks and bonds for real wealth How to scale a business and prepare for a profitable exit Top 3 Takeaways Buying a business that's already cash-flowing and has systems in place is often less risky and more profitable than starting from scratch or buying too small. Creative financing—like SBA loans, seller financing, or partnering with investors—can allow you to acquire businesses with little or no money out of pocket. True wealth comes from diversifying income streams and owning assets that generate passive income, not just from traditional stock and bond portfolios. Connect with Dana Cornell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danacornell https://www.cornellcapitalholdings.com/ SHOW SPONSOR: Check out FranBridge Consulting for premier non-food franchise opportunities: travischappell.com/franbridge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PopaHALLics #138 "I'm Still Standing"As the Who said: "People try to put us d-down" ... whether the "us" is Elton John, British gangsters, or a smartypants movie critic. But guess what: We're still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah!Streaming:"Elton John: Never Too Late," Disney +. As his final American concert approaches at Dodger Stadium, Elton John looks back at his meteoric rise to success in the 1970s and his 50-year career in this warts-and-all documentary."A Thousand Blows," Hulu. Two best friends from Jamaica (Malachi Kirby and Francis Lovehall) fight for survival in the melting pot of Victorian London. This crime drama series comes from the creator of "Peaky Blinders." "Freud's Last Session," Netflix. On the eve of World War II, Sigmund Freud (Anthony Hopkins) and C.S. Lewis (Matthew Goode) have a charged conversation about family, love and God. Based on a stage play.Books:The David Blake crime fiction series, by Howard Linskey. Blake, a smooth, intelligent white-collar criminal working for a British gangster, tells himself he's not really a bad guy. Until he is. Gripping crime fiction."Movie Freak: My Life Watching Movies," by Owen Gleiberman. The longtime movie critic for Entertainment Weekly explores the movies that shaped him and the ups and downs of his personal and professional lives."Blood in the Tracks: The Minnesota Musicians Behind Dylan's Masterpiece," by Paul Metsa and Rick Shefchik. Dissatisfied with the New York session recordings of five songs on his "Blood on the Tracks" album, Bob Dylan went back to Minnesota to have local musicians re-record them."I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself: One Woman's Pursuit of Pleasure in Paris," by Glynnis MacNicol. After a hermit-like existence in NYC during the pandemic, MacNicol journeys to Paris for friendship, sex, food, sex, etc.Music:Our PopaHALLics #138 Playlist includes Elton John, Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks" songs recorded in Minnesota, and "Vegetable Soul," catchy, soulful songs about produce by Louie Zong.

fWotD Episode 2860: James Madison Welcome to Featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia’s finest articles.The featured article for Tuesday, 4 March 2025 is James Madison.James Madison (March 16, 1751 [O. S. March 5, 1750] – June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison was popularly acclaimed the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.Madison was born into a prominent slave-owning planter family in Virginia. In 1774, strongly opposed to British taxation, Madison joined with the Patriots. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and the Continental Congress during and after the American Revolutionary War. Dissatisfied with the weak national government established by the Articles of Confederation, he helped organize the Constitutional Convention, which produced a new constitution designed to strengthen republican government against democratic assembly. Madison's Virginia Plan was the basis for the convention's deliberations. He became one of the leaders in the movement to ratify the Constitution and joined Alexander Hamilton and John Jay in writing The Federalist Papers, a series of pro-ratification essays that remain prominent among works of political science in American history. Madison emerged as an important leader in the House of Representatives and was a close adviser to President George Washington. During the early 1790s, Madison opposed the economic program and the accompanying centralization of power favored by Secretary of the Treasury Hamilton. Alongside Thomas Jefferson, he organized the Democratic–Republican Party in opposition to Hamilton's Federalist Party. Madison served as Jefferson's Secretary of State from 1801 to 1809, during which time he helped convince Jefferson to submit the Louisiana Purchase Treaty for approval by the Senate.Madison was elected president in 1808. Motivated by a desire to acquire land held by Britain, Spain, and Native Americans, and after diplomatic protests with a trade embargo failed to end British seizures of American-shipped goods, Madison led the United States into the War of 1812. Although the war ended inconclusively, many Americans viewed it as a successful "second war of independence" against Britain. Madison was re-elected in 1812. The war convinced Madison of the necessity of a stronger federal government. He presided over the creation of the Second Bank of the United States and the enactment of the protective Tariff of 1816. By treaty or through war, Native American tribes ceded 26 million acres (11 million ha) of land to the United States during Madison's presidency.Retiring from public office at the end of his presidency in 1817, Madison returned to his plantation, Montpelier, where he died in 1836. Madison was a slave owner; he freed one slave in 1783 to prevent a slave rebellion at Montpelier but did not free any in his will. Historians regard Madison as one of the most significant Founding Fathers of the United States, and have generally ranked him as an above-average president, although they are critical of his endorsement of slavery and his leadership during the War of 1812. Madison's name is commemorated in many landmarks across the nation, with prominent examples including Madison Square Garden, James Madison University, the James Madison Memorial Building, the capitol city of Wisconsin, and the USS James Madison.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:07 UTC on Tuesday, 4 March 2025.For the full current version of the article, see James Madison on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Kendra.

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – The American public education system is failing, with low proficiency rates and high dissatisfaction despite massive spending. Generations of students are left without essential skills or knowledge of their rights. How long will Americans endure this broken system before reclaiming responsibility for education? The time to demand real change is now.

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – The American public education system is failing, with low proficiency rates and high dissatisfaction despite massive spending. Generations of students are left without essential skills or knowledge of their rights. How long will Americans endure this broken system before reclaiming responsibility for education? The time to demand real change is now.

Ep 17 Founder Series Pt 2: A 20-Year Journey to Make Motion Preservation the New Standard in Spine, Scott Hodges, DO   In Part 2 of our Founder Series, co-hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf sit down with fellowship-trained, orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Scott Hodges. Well known by several titles, including Medical Director at 3Spine, co-inventor of MOTUS, and leading advocate for motion preservation in spine surgery, Dr. Hodges shares his behind-the-scenes journey to bringing motion preservation to the forefront of spine care. His enthralling story includes the more than 20-year process of bringing a novel spine implant to market- from initial sketch drawings and early prototypes to clinical trials in South Africa and the U.S.    Dr. Hodges' journey began at Southern Adventist University in his current hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee, followed by medical school at Kansas City University, residency at Ohio University, and his fellowship in spine surgery at Loyola University Chicago School of Medicine. He went on to build a thriving surgical practice in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and it was here that the idea to improve upon the current standard of care for spine patients was formed and flourished.   Dissatisfied with the available technologies and long-term patient outcomes in spine, Dr. Hodges dedicated his career to creating a solution. With an aim for creating a better treatment for spine surgery patients, Dr. Hodges partnered with Dr. Craig Humphreys to co-develop MOTUS, the first total joint replacement for the lumbar spine. Their goal was to create an implant that restored function in the lumbar spine and the entire kinetic chain, without sacrificing the body's natural motion. With this new endeavor, Dr. Hodges shifted his focus entirely to bringing these solutions to patients, navigating the complex world of medical device development, and leading surgeon education for this novel approach to spine care.   In this episode, you'll learn: The road to innovation: What it takes to develop, refine, and clinically validate a motion-preserving device. What's next for spine surgery: How motion preservation, total joint replacement, facet replacements, and endoscopic techniques are shaping the future of spine care for patients struggling with chronic leg and/or back pain. The origins of MOTUS: How a simple concept became the first lumbar total joint replacement. Patient demand as a driver of care: How patient demand is driving new technologies to the forefront of surgical care. The importance of the kinetic chain: Why motion in all areas of the body is important and how the different joints in the body - knees, hips, ankles, and spine - work together to allow the body to properly function. Why training & education matter: How surgeon training and patient education play a pivotal role in the adoption and access of new technologies for spine care.   This episode, recorded between the 3Spine headquarters in Chattanooga, TN and the world-renowned MERI Lab in Memphis, takes you inside the decades-long journey of bringing a new spine device to market, from the first clinical cases in South Africa to FDA trials in the U.S. As a pioneer, innovator, teacher, and leader, Dr. Hodges shares his compelling story of how data, surgeon training, and patient demand for motion preserving devices are driving the future of spine surgery.   This episode is a must-watch for spine surgeons, medical innovators, and anyone interested in the future of spine surgery and the journey of bringing a new device to the market.   Missed Part 1? Watch our interview with Dr. Craig Humphreys for the full Founder Series!    Note: The MOTUS device is currently in the data collection phase of a US IDE FDA Trial and is not available for commercial use at the time of recording. To keep up with the progress of the trial, you can visit www.3Spine.com.   Learn more about Dr. Hodges:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-hodges-b7b036122/   You can find The Spine Pod on all Podcast Streaming Platforms, including: YouTube:    / @thespinepod   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DBzWfV... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/98f... iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-th...   Follow The Spine Pod on Facebook to learn more about the latest episodes and happenings in the world of motion preservation: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?..⁠.   The information in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or treatment.  

Have you ever felt stuck between striving for success and feeling unsatisfied with where you are? What if the key to breaking free isn't about pushing harder—but shifting your energy entirely?Entrepreneurs often fall into the trap of chasing success only to find themselves drained, anxious, and misaligned. This episode dives into the paradox of success—how to stay patient yet dissatisfied in a way that fuels growth instead of frustration. If you've ever felt like you're forcing results or stuck in a cycle of stress, this conversation is for you.- Discover the fastest way to get results without forcing or burning out.- Learn two game-changing perspectives to reframe where you currently stand.- Uncover why the energy of "wanting" might be the very thing holding you back from true success.If you're ready to align your energy, dissolve anxiety, and grow your business without breaking down, hit play on this episode now!New episodes out every Monday and Thursday at 10 AM Eastern Time Apply for your premium, personalized breakthrough session:https://calendly.com/egliskiscapital/gameplanbreakthrough⚡︎ Grab Your Free Personalized Gift. The Psychological Journaling Prompts. 3 prompts. 5 minutes. https://thegentlewarrior.co/#promptsEmail justinegliskis@justinegliskis.com to get in contact with JustinDiscover a podcast designed for entrepreneurs and solopreneurs navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, offering insights on stress management, health and wellness, and overcoming imposter syndrome, while emphasizing work-life balance, energy alignment, and inner peace; explore topics like burnout recovery, business automation, scaling a business, business growth strategies, client management, mental resilience, overcoming anxiety, and achieving clearer thinking for sustainable success599dbb6d1442b92a8050080e4dc9ba4e677613c1

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Stacy Ritter, President and CEO of Visit Lauderdale, about the importance of serving your community and residents first. We discuss how she approached the realities of the cultural divisions in her state and how her organization has helped her community stay true to who they are and share that message with others. We also discuss Visit Lauderdale's upcoming exciting new projects and creative collaborations. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How Stacy approached Visit Lauderdale's rebrand by focusing on inclusivity and service to the community Why she believes in speaking out against the cultural wars in Florida, and how it reflects the values of her community Strategies Visit Lauderdale uses to stand out in a crowded travel and tourism marketplace Exciting collaborations that Visit Lauderdale has with destinations like Provincetown and Palm Springs What exciting new developments are on the horizon for Visit Lauderdale, including the convention center expansion and partnerships Stacy's perspective on representing and reflecting community values in destination marketing Rethinking the Brand We dig into the rebranding process for Visit Lauderdale. Dissatisfied with the previous tagline, “Hello Sunny,” Stacy led a brand overhaul to better reflect the vibrant diversity of the area. The new tagline, “Everyone Under the Sun,” focuses on inclusivity and much better represents the multicultural population of Broward County, which includes 170 nationalities and 148 languages. Stacy shares the importance of understanding residents first and genuinely believes that when the community is happy they are positive ambassadors for a destination. Values-Led Leadership Throughout our discussion, Stacy shares her perspective on the importance of values-led leadership. Visit Lauderdale is committed to inclusivity, economic growth, and resident welfare. This values-centric approach improves community relations and helps craft genuinely magnetic marketing campaigns that have an impact. Exciting Developments on the Horizon Visit Lauderdale has some exciting projects on the horizon, including the $1 billion expansion of the Broward County Convention Center and the new 801-room Omni Hotel, expected to open in September 2025. These new projects will significantly improve Fort Lauderdale's ability to host larger conventions and attract international attention. The renovation of Pier 66, a historical site and iconic building, is just one example of how Fort Lauderdale is preserving its heritage while integrating all the attractions that contemporary travelers are looking for. Stacy is looking forward to these future developments drawing in more visitors and improving the overall experience of the area. Resources: Website: https://www.visitlauderdale.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-ritter-10454917/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gflcvb/ We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Are you waking up dreading work? Do you feel disgruntled, unappreciated, or just plain tired of your job? You're not alone. Many professionals experience these feelings, especially in today's ever-changing work environment. In this episode, we discuss what to do when you hate your job, but before you make any rash decisions like revenge quitting or quiet quitting.

Last time we spoke about the return to Bataan. In late January, the 43rd Division secured the Rosario region, while the 25th and 6th Divisions eliminated enemy detachments and advanced towards Manila. General Krueger received reinforcements and planned a coordinated attack. On January 28, an assault began, with guerrillas aiding American forces in capturing strategic locations. A daring raid freed 522 POWs, while MacArthur planned further landings to cut off Japanese retreat. By January's end, American forces were poised for a final offensive, pushing closer to victory in Luzon. The ZigZag Pass became a fierce battleground, where Colonel Nagayoshi's well-camouflaged defenses faced relentless assaults from American forces. Despite challenges, the 129th and 20th Regiments made strategic gains, while the 35th Regiment maneuvered through treacherous terrain. Meanwhile, paratroopers from the 511th struggled with scattered landings but secured key positions. As the fighting intensified, the Allies prepared for a decisive invasion of Iwo Jima, aiming to establish a stronghold for future operations against Japan. This episode is the Battle of Manila Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, 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 world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two 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 you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  As we last observed, by February 3, General Iwanaka's 2nd Tank Division was fending off assaults from the 6th and 25th Divisions in the San Jose area but was on the verge of being encircled. Meanwhile, General Griswold's 14th Corps had successfully taken control of Clark Field and was reorganizing for a final offensive against the Kembu Group. General Hall's 11th Corps had landed on the Bataan Peninsula and was engaged in combat with the Nagayoshi Detachment at ZigZag Pass. Additionally, General Swing's 11th Airborne Division had landed at Nasugbu and had successfully captured Tagaytay Ridge in preparation for an advance toward Manila from the south. The 37th and 1st Cavalry Divisions were advancing on Manila from the north, with the latter's two Flying Columns reaching the outskirts of the Filipino capital. At this stage, the capital was defended by Admiral Iwabuchi's Manila Naval Defense Force, which had consolidated its forces into three primary operational sectors: the Northern Force, led by Colonel Noguchi Katsuzo, responsible for Intramuros on the south bank and all areas of the city north of the Pasig; the Central Force, commanded by Iwabuchi himself, encompassing all of metropolitan Manila south of the Pasig River and extending inland to Guadalupe; and the Southern Force, under Captain Furuse Takesue, covering the Nichols Field and Fort McKinley sectors, as well as the Hagonoy Isthmus. Iwabuchi intended for the Noguchi Force to retreat to Intramuros after disabling the Pasig bridges, while other units carried out extensive demolitions of military infrastructure, including the port area, bridges, transportation systems, water supply, and electrical installations. However, since the Japanese did not anticipate the Americans' arrival for another two weeks, they were ill-prepared to execute these missions or launch any significant counterattacks. Recognizing that the cavalry units were twelve hours ahead of the 148th Regiment, Griswold authorized General Mudge to enter the city. Consequently, late in the afternoon, the 8th Cavalry's Flying Column encountered minimal resistance as it crossed the city limits and advanced towards the gates of Santo Tomas University, where nearly 4,000 American and Allied civilian internees were being held, facing severe shortages of food and medical supplies. Upon their arrival at Santo Tomas, the advance elements of the 8th Cavalry, a medium of the 44th Tank Battalion serving as a battering ram, broke through the gates of the campus wall. Inside, the Japanese Army guards--most of them Formosans--put up little fight and within a few minutes some 3500 internees were liberated amid scenes of pathos and joy none of the participating American troops will ever forget. But in another building away from the internees' main quarters some sixty Japanese under Lt. Col. Hayashi Toshio, the camp commander, held as hostages another 275 internees, mostly women and children. Hayashi demanded a guarantee for safe conduct from the ground for himself and his men before he would release the internees. General Chase, who had come into the university campus about an hour after the 8th Cavalry entered, had to accept the Japanese conditions. In the end, Hayashi obtained permission to lead his unit out with what arms they could carry in exchange for the release of the Allied internees held as hostages. They were then taken by the Americans to the outskirts of Manila early on February 5 and released. Meanwhile, Hayashi was subsequently killed in action. While General Chase worked to secure the release of the internees, Troop G of the 8th Cavalry continued its march south towards the Pasig River but was ultimately compelled to retreat due to heavy fire from the Far Eastern University. Meanwhile, frustrated with the slow progress of General Jones' 38th Division, Hall ordered the 34th Regiment to move past the 152nd and press the attack eastward. Unfortunately, Colonel William Jenna's enveloping assault with the 1st Battalion also failed to penetrate Colonel Nagayoshi's robust defenses. As a result, Jenna opted to deploy his entire regiment in a coordinated three-pronged attack, which commenced on February 4. Initially, the attack, supported by the 1st Battalion of the 152nd Regiment, showed promise; however, due to ongoing strong resistance, including intense mortar and artillery fire, the 34th Regiment had to relinquish much of the territory it had captured by dusk. To the north, the 149th Regiment resumed its advance along the bypass trail and successfully made contact with patrols from the 40th Division near Dinalupihan by the end of February 4, having already reached the town. Looking northeast, with enemy armored units at Muñoz and Lupao effectively contained, the 161st Regiment successfully established roadblocks on Route 8 southeast of San Isidro. Most notably, the 1st Regiment entered San Jose in the morning with little resistance and quickly secured the area, thereby completely isolating the majority of the 2nd Tank Division before it could receive orders to withdraw. As a result, the 6th and 25th Divisions were able to methodically eliminate the enemy's isolated strongholds at their convenience. Further south, by the end of the day, the 8th Cavalry liberated 4,000 internees at Santo Tomas; Troop F also secured Malacañan Palace; the 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry advanced toward Quezon Bridge but faced strong resistance at Far Eastern University, where the enemy successfully destroyed the bridge before retreating; and the 148th Regiment entered Manila, moving south through the Tondo and Santa Cruz Districts to reach the northwest corner of Old Bilibid Prison, where they freed 800 prisoners of war and 530 civilian internees. Finally, to the south, the 2nd Battalion, 511th Parachute Regiment departed from Tagaytay Ridge along Route 17, swiftly passing through Imus and Zapote to secure the Las Piñas River bridge. The 1st Battalion followed in the late afternoon but was ultimately halted by mortar and artillery fire at Parañaque. On February 5, the paratroopers managed to cross the Parañaque and began advancing north along Route 1, engaging in house-to-house and pillbox-to-pillbox combat as they moved 2,000 yards north over the next two days. Simultaneously, the majority of the 145th Regiment commenced operations in the densely populated Tondo District along the bay, while other units advanced into the San Nicolas and Binondo Districts to combat the fires ignited by Noguchi's demolitions. Throughout February 5 the 37th Division's men had heard and observed Japanese demolitions in the area along and just north of the Pasig in the Binondo and San Nicolas Districts as well as in the North Port Area, on the 145th's right front. The Northern Force was firing and blowing up military stores and installations all through the area and, as these tasks were completed, was withdrawing south across the river. Insofar as 14th Corps observers could ascertain, there was no wanton destruction, and in all probability the fires resulting from the demolitions would have been confined to the North Port Area and the river banks had not an unseasonable change in the wind about 20:30 driven the flames north and west. The 37th Division, fearing that the flames would spread into residential districts, gathered all available demolitions and started destroying frame buildings in the path of the fire. The extent of these demolitions cannot be ascertained--although it is known that the work of destruction continued for nearly 24 hours--and is an academic point at best since the demolitions proved largely ineffectual in stopping the spread of the flames. The conflagration ran north from the river to Azcarraga Street and across that thoroughfare into the North Port Area and Tondo District. The flames were finally brought under control late on February 6 along the general line of Azcarraga Street, but only after the wind again changed direction. The 148th Regiment fought its way to the Santa Cruz District but was unable to reach the bridges before they were destroyed. The 5th and 8th Cavalry Regiments cleared the eastern part of the city north of the Pasig with minimal resistance, and the 7th Cavalry secured the Novaliches Dam and the Balara Water Filters, which were found intact but rigged for demolition. To the northwest, the battle for ZigZag Pass continued. Dissatisfied with his progress, Hall had previously informed Jones that the exhibition of his division was the worst he had ever seen--a rather severe indictment of an entire division, as only the 152nd Regiment had yet seen any real action on Luzon. Furthermore, the 152nd was a green unit that had been in combat scarcely 48 hours by February 2. Nevertheless, as he believed that the 152nd had at most encountered only an outpost line of resistance, that the principal Japanese defenses lay a mile or so east of the horseshoe, and that the 152nd had found "nothing that an outfit ready to go forward could not overcome quickly", Hall assumed direct control over the 34th Regiment for the main assault and left only the 152nd under Jones' command, which was to follow the 34th through the ZigZag to mop up bypassed pockets of Japanese resistance. Yet the fighting at the horseshoe on February 3 and 4 was equally disappointing, costing the 34th some 41 men killed, 131 wounded, and 6 missing while on the same days the 152nd lost 4 men killed, 48 wounded, and 1 missing. The 34th had extended the front a little to the north of the horseshoe and a bit east of the eastern leg, but neither the 34th nor the 152nd had made any substantial gains beyond the point the 152nd had reached on February 2. The Japanese still held strong positions north of the horseshoe and they still controlled the northeastern corner and about half the eastern leg. The 34th's greatest contribution during the two days, perhaps, was to have helped convince Hall that the Japanese had strong defenses throughout the ZigZag area and that the regiment had indeed reached a Japanese main line of resistance. It had not been until evening on February 4 that Hall was convinced that the 34th and 152nd Regiments had encountered a well-defended Japanese line. Hall instructed Jones to launch an eastward attack with all available forces. Although the initial phase of the attack was promising, the 2nd Battalion of the 34th Regiment became trapped and had to retreat. After sustaining significant casualties, Jenna ordered the 1st Battalion to fall back as well and halted the 3rd Battalion's advance. This left the 152nd Regiment, which achieved considerable progress and cleared much of the northern and central sections of the ridge; however, its 1st Battalion was ultimately ambushed at close range and forced to retreat in chaos during the night. The following day, due to heavy losses, the 34th Regiment was withdrawn from combat, and the reserve 151st Regiment was deployed to support the 152nd. The 2nd Battalion of the latter was also pulled back from the southeastern corner of the horseshoe as artillery focused on Nagayoshi's defenses. Nevertheless, at noon, Hall called for another assault, prompting Jones to reluctantly advance the 152nd Regiment, with only its 3rd Battalion making significant headway against the northeast corner of the horseshoe. Hall had already made his decision; he relieved Jones and appointed Brigadier-General Roy Easley to take temporary command, with General Chase scheduled to arrive on February 7 to lead the 38th Division. Looking westward, after a week of securing previously held areas, General Brush had positioned the 185th Regiment in the north and the 108th Regiment in the south, while the 160th Regiment maintained its positions at Storm King Mountain in preparation for a renewed assault on the Kembu Group. However, before the divisional attack could resume, the 160th Regiment became engaged in a fierce battle for McSevney Point, which was finally secured by dusk on February 8. After fending off several banzai-style counterattacks, the Americans learned on February 10 that the Takaya Detachment had retreated. Meanwhile, the 185th began its advance toward Snake Hill North on February 7, taking three days of intense fighting to capture half the ground leading to this objective. The 108th also moved westward on February 8, making slow progress as it cleared the paths to the Japanese hill strongholds. Further northwest, the 6th and 25th Divisions were conducting mop-up operations in the San Jose sector. By February 6, the 20th Regiment's pressure on Muñoz had resulted in the destruction of nearly 35 tanks, although another 20 remained operational. The next morning, Colonel Ida finally attempted to escape via Route 5; however, the entire Japanese column was successfully destroyed while the 20th Regiment secured Muñoz. At Lupao, the 35th Regiment continued to push the Japanese garrison into an increasingly confined area. As a result, on the night of February 7, the defenders attempted to flee, with five tanks successfully breaking through the 35th's perimeter. The dismounted Japanese forces in the town dispersed, and by noon on February 8, the 35th had taken control of Lupao with minimal resistance. Meanwhile, the Japanese garrison at San Isidro had retreated before the 161st Regiment could capture the town on February 6. The 63rd Regiment successfully took Rizal on February 7, while the 20th Regiment secured Bongabon and cleared the route to Cabanatuan on February 8. Strong patrols were then dispatched toward Dingalen and Baler Bays, which were found deserted by February 12. Back in Manila on February 7, the 37th Division assumed control of the eastern part of the city, while cavalry units advanced beyond the city limits to clear the suburbs east of the San Juan River, with the 8th Cavalry pushing toward San Juan del Monte despite heavy resistance. Most notably, under a strong artillery barrage, the 148th Regiment crossed the Pasig River in assault boats, facing intense machine-gun, mortar, and artillery fire. Despite this fierce opposition, two battalions managed to assemble in the Malacañan Gardens area by the end of the day. Further south, the 511th Parachute and the reinforced 188th Glider Regiment launched an unsuccessful coordinated attack on Nichols Field. Over the next two days, the 511th secured a narrow strip of land between the Parañaque River and the western runway of the airfield, overrunning some defenses at the northwest corner, while the 188th struggled to gain ground in the south and southeast. On ZigZag, Chase managed to deploy three regiments for his initial assaults, with the 151st and 152nd Regiments attacking from the west, while the 149th Regiment advanced from the east. The 5th Air Force initiated an extensive bombing and strafing campaign against the pass, and corps and division artillery increased their support fire. Despite this, the Japanese stubbornly held their ground, and it wasn't until the evening of February 8 that the 151st and 152nd Regiments overcame the last significant defenses near the horseshoe area. On that day, the 7th Cavalry captured San Juan Reservoir, and the 8th Cavalry successfully attacked San Juan del Monte, completing the area's reduction as the defenders retreated toward Montalban. The 145th Regiment launched a final assault on the Tondo District pocket, which would be completely eliminated the following day, while the 148th Regiment cleared the Pandacan District with minimal resistance. The 129th Regiment crossed the Pasig River in the afternoon and moved west toward Provisor Island but was halted by heavy fire at the Estero de Tonque. On February 9, the 8th Cavalry secured El Deposito, an underground reservoir supplied by artesian wells, and advanced south to reach the north bank of the Pasig River. The 148th Regiment began clearing the Paco District but failed to eliminate a strongpoint at Paco Railroad Station and the nearby Concordia College and Paco School buildings. Meanwhile, Company G of the 129th Regiment managed to cross to Provisor and entered the boiler plant, only to be quickly repelled by a Japanese counterattack. After an improvised evacuation overnight, tith close support--so close that the fifteen survivors had to keep prone--from the 2nd Battalion's mortars, Company G's isolated group hung on for the rest of the day while the battalion made plans to evacuate them so that artillery could again strike the island. After dark Company G's commander, Captain George West, swam across the Estero de Tonque dragging an engineer assault boat behind him. Although wounded, he shuttled his troops back to the east bank in the dim light of flames from burning buildings on and south of the island. When a count was taken about midnight, Company G totaled 17 casualties--6 men killed, 5 wounded, and 6 missing--among the 18 men, including Captain West, who had reached Provisor Island during the previous eighteen hours. Despite facing strong resistance, Company E successfully crossed and captured the eastern half of the boiler plant. The Americans gradually cleared the remainder of the boiler house, but every attempt to venture outside drew fire from all available Japanese weapons in range of Provisor Island. At the same time, the 148th Regiment finally secured the Paco District after the enemy abandoned their stronghold during the night, allowing the Americans to gain control of the east bank of the Estero de Paco. The 1st Battalion of the 129th Regiment advanced to both this estero and the Estero de Tonque. The 8th Cavalry crossed the Pasig, establishing a bridgehead about 1,000 yards deep in the Philippine Racing Club area, while the 5th Cavalry moved south alongside the 8th, encountering only scattered resistance as they also crossed the Pasig at Makati. Swing's forces consolidated their gains and established a solid line from the northwest corner to the southwest corner of Nichols Field, eliminating the last Japanese resistance on the western side, while elements of the 511th Parachute Regiment advanced along Route 1 nearly a mile beyond the field's northwest corner. On this day, the 11th Airborne Division came under the control of the 14th Corps, with Griswold ordering Swing to maintain pressure on Nichols Field without launching a general assault toward Manila. Now, however, it was time to leave the Philippines and shift focus to Bougainville to cover the ongoing Australian offensive. Following the capture of Pearl Ridge, Brigadier Stevenson's 11th Brigade assumed control of the central and northern sectors, while General Bridgeford's 3rd Division focused its efforts in the Jaba River region to prepare for an offensive southward. By the end of December, the 15th Battalion had landed in the Tavera River area, and the 47th Battalion launched an attack up the Jaba River to disrupt enemy forces. In the first week of January, Brigadier Monaghan redeployed his troops, with the 42nd Battalion and 2/8th Commando Squadron taking over from the 47th to enable its movement down the coast to support the 15th Battalion. As a result, the Australians swiftly occupied the mouth of the Adele River and secured the Tavera area. By January 12, the 47th Battalion had advanced to the mouth of the Hupai River; however, with the Japanese seemingly reinforcing the Kupon-Nigitan-Mendai area on the Australian flank, Monaghan decided to slow his advance while the 2/8th Commandos conducted reconnaissance toward the Pagana River. With no threats emerging, the 42nd Battalion relieved the 47th on January 17 and advanced unopposed to Mawaraka. In the subsequent days, a long-range patrol from the New Guinea Battalion landed by sea and moved forward to Motupena Point, where they caught a Japanese listening post by surprise. While Monaghan awaited relief from Brigadier Field's 7th Brigade in late January, patrols ventured deep into the Sisiruai area and continued to scout beyond Mawaraka. Meanwhile, the 2/8th Commandos moved to Sovele Mission and patrolled the mountains toward Kieta, occasionally assisting the Kapikavi people in their guerrilla warfare against the Japanese. While the 11th Brigade concentrated in its northern operations, patrols generally guided by native police were sent out for from 1 day to 6 days to probe forward through the bush. The 11th Battery relieved the 10th and it replaced its short 25-pounders with long 25-pounders, with their greater range, in order to support these deep patrols more effectively; from posts on Pearl Ridge and Keenan's Ridge observers directed the bombardment of the Japanese positions on the slopes beyond. The firing of the guns, far below at the foot of the Laruma escarpment, could not be heard at Pearl Ridge and the only warning that the Japanese had was the brief whistle of the approaching shells. Partly as a result of the skilful guidance of the native police the patrols killed many Japanese and suffered relatively small losses. The 26th Battalion, the first to do a tour of duty here, suffered its first death in action on January 7 when a patrol led by Lieutenant Davis met an enemy patrol. Private Smith died of wounds and three corporals were wounded as a result, so the hill where the clash occurred was then named Smith's Hill. As the 26th Battalion advanced toward Smith's Hill, Stevenson had assembled Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Kelly's 31st/51st Battalion at Sipaai by January 7. The strategy involved moving towards Soraken Harbour through extensive inland patrols designed to drive the enemy back to the coastal area, where they could be decisively defeated. Consequently, the main contingent of the 31st/51st began its advance along the coastal route, while a long-range patrol headed inland via Totokei towards Lalum. By January 16, the Australians reached Rakussia without any issues; however, in the following days, they would need to fight their way to Puto, as the flanking force was also advancing towards Kunamatoro. On January 21, the 31st/51st launched an assault on Tsimba Ridge, where the Japanese had set up their primary defensive positions. The determined defenders successfully repelled several attacks over the next few days, prompting the Australians to attempt an outflanking maneuver on January 25, with a company moving inland to cross the Genga River and attack Tsimba from the north. For the next six days, the Japanese launched strong counterattacks against this bridgehead but suffered significant losses. Ultimately, after a heavy artillery bombardment on February 6, the Australians were able to advance to the western end of the northern side of Tsimba, completely encircling the Japanese forces. The following day, the defenders counterattacked but were pushed back, yet they stubbornly held onto their remaining position at the western tip of the ridge. After an air and mortar assault, Tsimba was finally cleared on February 9, as the Japanese retreated towards the harbour during the night. In the subsequent two weeks, the Australians secured Lalum and the Gillman River, while another flanking force took control of Kunamatoro. On February 22, the 31st/51st Battalion was relieved by the 26th Battalion. Subsequently, the 55th/53rd Battalion took over at Pearl Ridge, where it continued to advance along the Numa Numa trail to engage the majority of the 81st Regiment. The nature of the deep patrols may be illustrated by drawing on the report of the one which killed the largest number of Japanese (26 confirmed kills). Lieutenant Goodwin and 10 infantrymen of the 55th/53rd, with an artillery observer (Lieutenant Ford) and his team, a native police boy and 2 native scouts, set out on March 2 to gain topographical information and information about the enemy, and find suitable supply-dropping points. They were out for 5 days. On the first morning they saw signs of a Japanese patrol of 3 some 45 minutes ahead of them and traced their movements. The Australians moved 5400 yards that day. Next morning near the Numa Numa trail one of the natives reported that Japanese were nearby. Goodwin detailed 3 men to block the track and led 3 others in from the side to deal with the enemy. They crept stealthily forward and found 6 Japanese in a lean-to. Goodwin gave each man a target and all 6 of the enemy were killed. While Goodwin was examining the bodies there was a burst of fire from a ridge overlooking them. The Australians withdrew to dead ground, circled the enemy and marched on into his territory, the Japanese fire continuing for 15 minutes after they had gone. They travelled 7600 yards that day. The 4th was spent reconnoitring the area they had then reached. Next day they had moved some 5000 yards on the return journey when scouts reported Japanese round the junction of their native pad and a creek that lay ahead. Goodwin moved the patrol to a ridge overlooking the Japanese and sent 3 men to cover the track to the west. After killing 15 Japanese and throwing 15 grenades into the area, the patrol then moved 700 yards and bivouacked for the night. Next day—the 6th—6 hours of marching brought them back to their starting point.  Meanwhile, in the south, Field initiated his own offensive by deploying the 61st Battalion to capture the Kupon-Nigitan-Mosina area, which was successfully taken by February 9. Concurrently, the 25th Battalion advanced along the Tavera despite facing strong resistance, eventually connecting with the 61st Battalion in the Mendai-Sisiruai area. The 9th Battalion also progressed along the Hupai, successfully occupying Makotowa by the end of January and then embarking on a challenging march toward Mosigetta, which was captured on February 16. The following day, a company from the 61st Battalion linked up with the 9th Battalion from the north. Additionally, after quickly securing the Sovele area, the 2/8th Commandos began reconnoitering the Sisiruai-Birosi area on February 2. By February 13, they had established a new base at Opai and discovered that the gardens north of the Puriata River were free of enemy forces. Furthermore, a detached company of the 25th Battalion traveled by barge from Motupena Point to Toko and began pushing inland toward Barara, with the remainder of the battalion expected to arrive shortly to support this advance. However, it is now time to shift focus from Bougainville to the ongoing Burma offensives. Initially, in the north, General Matsuyama's 56th Division began its retreat towards Hsenwi and Lashio, successfully breaching the roadblocks established by the 114th Regiment in late January. Meanwhile, the Mars Task Force struggled to dislodge the determined defenders at Namhpakka. Despite capturing Hpa-pen and executing a clever encirclement against Loikang in early February, they managed to take the ridge only after the Japanese had already completed their withdrawal to Hsenwi on February 4. The 56th Division then focused its efforts on the Lashio region, while the 4th, 55th, and 168th Regiments returned to their original divisions, with the 168th specifically tasked with defending Meiktila. On that same day, the first official convoy from the India-Burma Theater reached Kunming via the Ledo Road, which would later be renamed the Stilwell Road in honor of the individual who initiated this ambitious endeavor. Meanwhile, on February 1, General Festing's 36th Division attempted to cross the Shweli River at Myitson but was met with heavy small arms fire from the Japanese. As a result, the British opted to mislead the enemy, stationing the 72nd Brigade, which included the 114th Regiment, on a small island while the 26th Brigade crossed downstream on February 8, successfully capturing Myitson two days later. In the following days, the 26th Brigade fortified its positions; however, General Naka decided to go on the offensive, deploying his 56th Regiment in increments as it advanced north from Mongmit. Consequently, the 114th and 56th Regiments launched a series of intense counterattacks against the 26th Brigade's foothold, effectively containing the British-Indian forces, although they were unable to push them back across the river. Simultaneously, the Chinese 1st Provisional Tank Group, leading the 30th Chinese Division southward, fought its way to Hsenwi on February 19. The 50th Chinese Division, which crossed the Shweli River without opposition, reached the significant nonferrous Bawdwin mines on February 20. Meanwhile, General Slim continued his Extended Capital offensive, with General Stopford's 33rd Corps advancing towards Mandalay, while General Messervy's 4th Corps quietly maneuvered through the Myittha valley toward the Irrawaddy River in the Chauk-Pakokku region. In early February, Stopford made persistent and determined attempts from the north to seize Mandalay, reinforcing the perception that this was Slim's primary focus. By February 12, General Gracey's 20th Indian Division had also arrived at Allagappa, where the 80th Brigade promptly began crossing the Irrawaddy. In the following days, the British-Indian forces would need to defend this bridgehead against fierce counterattacks from the 33rd Division. Additionally, negotiations began to persuade General Aung San's Burma National Army to join the Allies.  In Burma, one man above all others could see the writing on the wall for the Japanese. The Allies received news on January 1 that the Burmese military leader General Aung San and his Burma National Army (BNA) would be prepared to switch sides. An operation by Special Operations Executive (SOE) – codenamed Nation – was launched to liaise with the BNA and the leadership of another group, the Anti-Fascist Organization (AFO), and so facilitate this delicate transfer of loyalties. The first parachute drop of agents was to Toungoo on January 27 and comprised an all-Burma force. It reported that the BNA – or significant parts of it – was ready to turn, but that the AFO needed arming. A team parachuted into Burma on March 20 reported that action by the BNA would begin in a week.  At the same time, General Evans' 7th Indian Division was advancing toward the Irrawaddy, aiming to cross the river at Nyaungu. Comprehensive deception tactics, known as Operation Cloak, were implemented to disguise the Nyaungu crossings. The 28th East African Brigade feigned a southward movement to reclaim the Chauk and Yenangyaung oilfields, and dummy parachute drops were carried out east of Chauk to support this ruse. The 114th Indian Brigade also exerted significant pressure on Pakokku to create the impression that crossings were planned there as well. While the 33rd Indian Brigade stealthily approached Nyaungu via Kanhla, the 48th and 63rd Brigades of the 17th Indian Division, reorganized as motorized units, departed from Imphal and began their descent down the Myitha valley. Worried about the enemy buildup near Nyaungu and Pakokkku, General Tanaka opted to send one battalion from the 215th Regiment to bolster defenses in Nyaungu and Pagan. From February 10 to 12, the 114th Brigade successfully captured Pakokku, while the 28th Brigade took control of Seikpyu. Although the 114th Brigade managed to fend off strong enemy counterattacks, elements of the 153rd Regiment recaptured Seikpyu after several days of intense fighting. On the morning of February 14, the 2nd Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment crossed the Irrawaddy, landing on a beach a mile northeast of Nyaungu and quickly securing the high ground above, followed shortly by the rest of the 33rd Brigade. The next day, the 89th Indian Brigade began crossing the river, with Evans' forces advancing outward and successfully clearing the Nyaungu area by the end of February 16. Meanwhile, to the south, General Christison's 15th Corps continued its offensive in Arakan in early February. General Wood's 25th Indian Division repelled fierce counterattacks from the 154th Regiment, while General Stockwell's 82nd West African Division pursued the retreating Japanese forces. General Lomax's 26th Indian Division chose to bypass the enemy stronghold at Yanbauk Chaung to the northeast, moving swiftly through Sane and engaging some delaying forces at Namudwe. Additionally, due to the perceived weakness in the boundary between the 28th and 15th Armies, General Sakurai had to send the Kanjo Force, centered around the 112th Regiment, to reinforce Yenangyaung. At this point, most of the 2nd Division had also been dispatched to Saigon to stage a coup against the French government in Indochina, leaving Sakurai with only the depleted 49th Division and 16th Regiment in reserve. By 1944, with the war going against the Japanese after defeats in Burma and the Philippines, they then feared an Allied offensive in French Indochina. The Japanese were already suspicious of the French; the liberation of Paris in August 1944 raised further doubts as to where the loyalties of the colonial administration lay. The Vichy regime by this time had ceased to exist, but its colonial administration was still in place in Indochina, though Admiral Jean Decoux had recognized and contacted the Provisional Government of the French Republic led by Charles de Gaulle. Decoux got a cold response from de Gaulle and was stripped of his powers as governor general but was ordered to maintain his post with orders to deceive the Japanese. Instead Decoux's army commander General Eugène Mordant secretly became the Provisional Government's delegate and the head of all resistance and underground activities in Indochina. Following the South China Sea Raid in January 1945, six US navy pilots were shot down but were picked up by French military authorities and housed in the central prison of Saigon for safe keeping. The French refused to give the Americans up and when the Japanese prepared to storm the prison the men were smuggled out. The Japanese then demanded their surrender but Decoux refused, so Lieutenant-General Tsuchihashi Yuitsu, the Japanese commander of the 38th Army, decided to begin preparations for a coup against the French colonial administration in Indochina. As a result, he chose to send the Kamui Detachment, centered around the 55th Cavalry Regiment, to Letpadan to bolster his reserve forces, which also welcomed the arrival of the Sakura Detachment in Prome. Meanwhile, Lomax's troops successfully captured Ramree village on February 8, forcing the Japanese defenders to retreat chaotically to the mainland. The remainder of the month was spent clearing the rest of the island. Consequently, Stockwell was instructed to bypass Kangaw and initiate an advance toward An. However, by February 15, the 154th Regiment had started to withdraw to positions west and north of the Dalet River, while the Matsu Detachment hurried toward Tamandu, the next target for an amphibious assault. 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. The battle for Manila was just kicking up. Over 4000 internees at Santo Tomas had been rescued and hard earned victories were being won over the formidable ZigZag Pass. Meanwhile the efforts on Bougainville continued against fierce and stubborn Japanese resistance.

The Outer Realm welcomes the return of Kevin Dermot O'Doherty Hosts: Michelle Desrochers, Amelia Pisano Date: January 29th, 2025 Episode: 517 Discussion: Kevin returns to talk about his book " Secrets of the Egyptian Nag Hammadi" - The Nag Hammadi texts were found in the Upper Nile town of the same name by a farmer in 1945. They date from the 2nd Century AD but may be even older in their original form. Kevin claims to have discovered within them the lost ‘Book of Great Secrets', and that the Major Arcana suit of the tarot deck has its origins in ancient Egypt and is actually an account of the world's creation. Contact for the show - theouterrealmcontact@gmail.com Rumble: TheOuterRealm X - MicheleDerocher Website: www.theouterrealmradio.com Please support us by Liking, Subscribing, Sharing and Commenting. Thank you all!! About Our Guest: Kevin was the church president of Waterloo Spiritualist Church, Liverpool, UK, for many years but is no longer attached to any religion or organisation. He is also a multi-award-winning filmmaker with many hours of production and broadcast credits to his name, including managing a TV studio for the Uk's ITV network. He was a regular on Liverpool's City Talk FM as an esoteric pundit and guest with Lady Snake on the Psychic Surgery lunchtime phone-in. Kevin is currently engaged in searching out the Faery Folk following his life-changing encounter with them in September 2023 when he returned to his ancestral home on Valentia Island, County Kerry, Ireland, follwing te death of his father. Dissatisfied with his current publisher, Kevin has set up his own imprint called Valentia Press, name after the Irish island from which his family hail. He holds two black belts with the World Ju-Jitsu Federation. About The Book: Secrets of the Egyptian Nag Hammadi The Nag Hammadi texts were found in the Upper Nile town of the same name by a farmer in 1945. They date from the 2ndCentury AD but may be even older in their original form. Kevin claims to have discovered within them the lost ‘Book of Great Secrets', and that the Major Arcana suit of the tarot deck has its origins in ancient Egypt and is actually anaccount of the world's creation. They offer a plausible answer to the really big questions of who, what, why, when, where and how we are, through ‘the revealing', ‘the psychic' and the ‘spiritual science of God'! These texts are the teachings of masters and exponents immersed in the disciplines of understanding energies, auras, spirits, demons and other classes of interdimensional entities that move through our world, and the realms they occupy and control. And of the latter, the texts seek to give to us the gravest warning of ‘archon' intrusion, their universal threat to us, and how these creatures emerged as a supra phantastic, super intelligent anomaly from the bile of the original womb in the predominant form of so-called ETs and can move through ether and matter like fishes through water. They are delineated as the supreme, sabotaging influence on that which created us. These texts make a promise to you. If you persevere you will be greatly rewarded, and your understanding of life made fuller. They will slowly reveal to you their ‘great secrets'. But you are warned that this may come at a price! The interdimensional ‘powers' that have conspired to keep mankind blind and locked in slavery may well visit upon you prior to, during, or just after your sleep state. They dread the human being becoming alive to their evil. They exist in a state of fear of being discovered any minute now. Should you come under their attack, do not fear because they texts tell you how to deal with it

The Indiana House Speaker has introduced a plan to create a bi-state commission to look at bringing some Illinois counties into his state.

MUSICWhile most of itsGrammy-related events have been canceled in light of the California wildfires,the Recording Academy says its MusiCares Person of the Year gala honoringthe Grateful Dead will go on as planned for January 31st.Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Dave Grohl, ChrisMartin of Coldplay and Slash have all donated autographeditems to MusiCares Charity Relief AuctionDave Grohl spent his 56th birthday on Tuesday helping feedthose affected by the Los Angeles firesDrake / Kendrick Lamar beef isn't overyet. Drake filed a defamation lawsuit against his ownlabel, Universal Music. It's all about Kendrick's diss track "NotLike Us", in which he calls Drake a PEDOPHILE. Kenny Chesney has been teasing a big announcement for awhile . . . and now people think that he's about to announce a residency at TheSphere in Las Vegas. Is Jelly Roll comingto a big screen near you? Maybe. Dissatisfied with the way the South isportrayed on film, Jelly would like to correct that.A new 'Bon Jovi:Forever' anthology book will arrive this June, authored and narrated by frontman Jon Bon Jovi.  Coldplay has announced anew project called A Film For The Future, the 44-minute visualcompanion to their worldwide No. 1 album, Moon Music.      TVThe second season ofSeverance comes to AppleTV+ tomorrow, and to promote, Ben Stiller and the cast of "Severance" madea surprise appearance at Grand Central Station. Yellowstone fans are raving about the new 6666 (pronounced"Four Sixes") Ranch Steakhouse in Las Vegas  AND FINALLYEveryone loved Betty White, except for a lot ofpeople who actually knew her.  Sally Struthers is one of those that says Betty had a reputation for not being nice behind the scenes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

MUSIC While most of its Grammy-related events have been canceled in light of the California wildfires, the Recording Academy says its MusiCares Person of the Year gala honoring the Grateful Dead will go on as planned for January 31st. Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Dave Grohl, Chris Martin of Coldplay and Slash have all donated autographed items to MusiCares Charity Relief Auction Dave Grohl spent his 56th birthday on Tuesday helping feed those affected by the Los Angeles fires Drake / Kendrick Lamar beef isn't over yet. Drake filed a defamation lawsuit against his own label, Universal Music. It's all about Kendrick's diss track "Not Like Us", in which he calls Drake a PEDOPHILE. Kenny Chesney has been teasing a big announcement for a while . . . and now people think that he's about to announce a residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Is Jelly Roll coming to a big screen near you? Maybe. Dissatisfied with the way the South is portrayed on film, Jelly would like to correct that. A new 'Bon Jovi: Forever' anthology book will arrive this June, authored and narrated by front man Jon Bon Jovi.   Coldplay has announced a new project called A Film For The Future, the 44-minute visual companion to their worldwide No. 1 album, Moon Music.        TV The second season of Severance comes to AppleTV+ tomorrow, and to promote, Ben Stiller and the cast of "Severance" made a surprise appearance at Grand Central Station. Yellowstone fans are raving about the new 6666 (pronounced "Four Sixes") Ranch Steakhouse in Las Vegas    AND FINALLY Everyone loved Betty White, except for a lot of people who actually knew her.  Sally Struthers is one of those that says Betty had a reputation for not being nice behind the scenes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EPISODE 6: In Des Moines, we get a peek at Guy Gardner's life as GL. It's vastly different from John's. Guy is a total asshole, gambling and getting drunk and paying hookers and using his ring to make money doing parlor tricks in bars. He's a loose cannon with a penchant for unrestrained violence, who loves being famous, and who has no sense of responsibility. John and Hal drop in on him at his trashed hotel room. The mood of their scenes in this episode is honestly really fun, as it's clear that by now Hal and John have really bonded as bros. They make fun of Guy for being such a dickhead with his powers, clearly trying to egg him on into doing something stupid. John takes advantage of Gardner's love of gambling by proposing a wager – Gardner and Hal arm wrestle, and if Hal wins, he gets his old ring back for a day. Gardner accepts, and promptly beats Hal by cheating with his ring. Dissatisfied, Hal goes double or nothing – they play a game of chicken, and the winner gets the ring for a week. Gardner cockily accepts. Meanwhile, back in Hope Springs, Sheriff Kerrie keeps an eye on William Macon and the Hand of God's Mercy. Digging through old town records, she learns of Macon's family background – they began as owners of a humble funeral parlor before expanding to own half the property in Hope Springs. She also digs up some sinister facts about Macon's parents' deaths, and their tangential connection with several brutal murders in the town's past. Kerrie arrives at Macon's estate, and has a cold interaction with Macon's wife Zoe. In frustration, the sheriff wonders where the Green Lanterns are. Back in Des Moines, Guy and Hal face off in a game of chicken on a pair of motorcycles. This time, Hal is the one to win. Furious, Gardner proposes a final contest – a full-on fistfight with no rings. The winner gets to be Green Lantern of Earth permanently. John is anxious about the proposal, having already seen Gardner's penchant for violence. Hal, however, accepts. Guy makes a big show of the ordeal, hosting the event at a local boxing gym in full view of a large audience. The fight gets off to a rough start, with Guy pummeling his older opponent. Hal, however, refuses to stay down, outlasting Gardner through sheer endurance and will. In the aftermath, Hal accepts his old ring back from a reluctant Gardner. Elated, he and John take to the skies together for the first time as superpowered partners. While continuing to snoop, Sheriff Kerrie uncovers a bizarre ritual occurring amongst the religious zealots of the Hand of God's Mercy. She witnesses Alan Scott's son, Todd Rice, willingly use himself as a human sacrifice to the cult, who burn him alive with the Starheart in an effort to summon an extraterrestrial entity they call “the Centre.” William Macon appears, with his followers referring to him as “The Black Hand.” They apprehend the sheriff before she can escape. END EPISODE 6 

"Even if it's a dumb idea or just a pipe dream, the more you put it out into the world, the more it starts to shape into something real and create opportunities." So says Steve Perkins, a former engineer turned career coach. Dissatisfied with his career, Perkins desired to find a more fulfilling path while maintaining financial stability. Discover how he navigated the transition from particle accelerators to leadership and coaching, and how he now helps others find their unique strengths and passions. This conversation offers practical insights into the financial aspects of career reinvention, emphasizing the importance of creating a financial runway and setting realistic milestones. Listen in to learn how to overcome fear, embrace your unique talents, and turn your dreams into reality. Bio: Steve is familiar with the feeling of untapped potential. He spent 12 years searching for his career calling while building superconducting particle accelerators and launching a culture transformation within a Fortune 500 company, yet he always had the nagging feeling he wasn't making his full impact. Born out of his own experience that people often sense new levels of growth waiting for them – in life or career – but lack the clarity or confidence to obtain them, Steve earned his certification as an Executive Leadership Coach and founded Greenhouse in 2017. As a coach, he brings a unique value based on diverse experiences across 14 industries and 17 different role types, including extensive knowledge in leadership, corporate culture, Agile and design thinking, work methodologies, and human behavior. Steve's experience allows him to relate to almost any situation as well as balance the "coaching mind" and "business mind" that are too frequently compartmentalized. A seasoned podcast host, TEDx facilitator, and keynote speaker, Steve energizes a room with his inspirational messaging and authentic, engaging personality.   Connect with Steve: Website Podcast TikTok Instagram Facebook YouTube LinkedIn   Timestamps: 02:36 - What to do when your work isn't fulfilling 07:03 - How Perkins shifted through different roles before starting his own business 11:48 - Leaving corporate voluntarily  13:54 - How creating a timeline with milestones makes starting a business much more manageable 21:15 - Introducing Greenhouse Coaching 26:00 - "What are the kinds of niches that you find work very well today?" 30:15 - Perkins offers three tips for people trying to transition from paycheck into coaching   Connect with Lesley Jane Seymour: Website Instagram LinkedIn Substack If you found this episode insightful, please follow the podcast and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. For more resources and community support, join me on Substack. Until next time, keep reinventing!  

From government policy advisor to pioneering founder, shares his journey in building a global safety net for the digital workforce. Growing up in Norway, his entrepreneurial spirit led him from web hosting to government policy, where he gained valuable insights into social systems. Frustrated by bureaucracy, he founded SafetyWing to create the first comprehensive social safety net for remote workers worldwide.InSondre reveals how he raised millions in venture capital and is transforming health insurance and income protection for remote workers in over 60 countries. His mission: to build "the first country on the internet"—a global system offering social benefits traditionally tied to national governments.This conversation dives into Sondre's unconventional path, key lessons, and his vision for supporting the growing remote workforce. Whether you're interested in entrepreneurship, remote work, or reimagining social systems, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of work and social protection.CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro00:14 - Growing Up in Norway03:45 - Entrepreneurial Ventures09:46 - Attraction to Policy Making12:18 - Family Influence on Politics13:44 - Political Involvement18:10 - Reasons for Leaving Politics22:24 - Founding Superside23:34 - Raising Funds for Startups26:10 - Departure from First Company29:23 - Understanding Global Social Safety Net30:17 - Current Company Overview33:01 - Remote Work Statistics38:10 - Future Aspirations40:33 - Next Steps for SafetyWingLINKS:Become a SafetyWing Ambassador: https://safetywing.com/ambassador/signupSafetyWing website: https://safetywing.com/Sondre Rasch LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sraschABOUT OUR HOST:Ken Eslick is an Entrepreneur, Author, Podcaster, Tony Robbins Trainer, and Life Coach. As the President & Founder of The Leaders Lab, he focuses on Leadership Talent Acquisition, helping companies scale from the Inc. 5000 to $100M+ in revenue. Learn more at theleaderslab.coSondre Rasch is co-founder and CEO of SafetyWing, an all-remote company that is building a global social safety net. Sondre studied economics and computer science then worked as a social policy advisor for the government of Norway. Dissatisfied with the slow pace of change, he founded the SuperSide platform (YC 2016) for freelance designers and discovered the lack of social safety net for people working on the internet.This inspired the creation of SafetyWing (YC 2018), which has so far raised $50 million in venture capital and whose globally-distributed team consists of 150 people from 60+ countries. In 2020, Sondre and the SafetyWing team founded the Plumia mission to build a country on the internet for digital nomads and remote workers.You can learn more about Ken and his team attheleaderslab.coListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/ken-eslick/

Get my nutrition and supplement programs for the best results. PLUS Get 20% off when you buy from my shop! https://hayliepomroy.com/podcast   In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Nancy Klimas, the Director of the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine at Nova Southeastern University, and Cort Johnson, founder of Health Rising.   Dr. Klimas shares insights on how early outbreaks shaped the study of ME/CFS, while Cort discusses the role of advocacy and research in bringing these conditions to light. Together, they emphasize the need for effective self-advocacy and the critical role of knowledgeable healthcare providers in managing these complex illnesses.   Tune in to the Fast Metabolism Matters Podcast – The Power of Championing For Your Own Health. Enjoy this episode? Follow us and don't forget to leave a 5-star review! Join us in our future Cleanse Challenges here. https://hayliepomroy.com/cleanse   Get a FREE hard copy of the Fast Metabolism Diet book! https://hayliepomroy.com/freebook   Become a member, FREE for 30 days. https://hayliepomroy.com/member Nancy Klimas, M.D., is the Director of the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine where she directs a group of remarkable interdisciplinary scientists and clinicians. They collaborate to discover innovative strategies for treating and preventing chronic illnesses, while also focusing on training the next generation of clinicians and scientists. With 40 years of professional experience, Dr. Nancy Klimas is internationally recognized for her work in multi-symptom disorders, including ME/CFS, GWI, fibromyalgia, and Long COVID.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-klimas-49255178/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancyklimas X: https://x.com/ngklimas   Cort Johnson is the founder of Health Rising, a leading website covering chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) research and treatment. Despite battling ME/CFS/FM since the 1980s, Cort earned degrees in Philosophy and Environmental Studies. Dissatisfied with online ME/CFS resources, he launched Phoenix Rising in 2004, and later founding Health Rising in 2012 to expand to FM. Cort has authored over a thousand blogs, earning recognition from patients, supporters, doctors, and researchers. He's been honored by Prohealth and IACFS/ME. Cort currently travels the western U.S. with his dogs while advocating for ME/CFS and FM awareness.    Website: https://www.healthrising.org/about-us/cort-johnson/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cort-johnson-53097213/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cort.johnson.9/ X: https://x.com/CortJohnson #Health #SelfAdvocacy #PatientEmpowerment #TakeControlOfYourHealth #ChronicIllness #LongCOVID #GulfWarIllness #MECFS #ChronicFatigue #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #HealthPodcast  

Get my nutrition and supplement programs for the best results. PLUS Get 20% off when you buy from my shop! https://hayliepomroy.com/podcast   In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Nancy Klimas, the Director of the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine at Nova Southeastern University, and Cort Johnson, founder of Health Rising.   Dr. Klimas shares insights on how early outbreaks shaped the study of ME/CFS, while Cort discusses the role of advocacy and research in bringing these conditions to light. Together, they emphasize the need for effective self-advocacy and the critical role of knowledgeable healthcare providers in managing these complex illnesses.   Tune in to the Fast Metabolism Matters Podcast – The Power of Championing For Your Own Health. Enjoy this episode? Follow us and don't forget to leave a 5-star review! Join us in our future Cleanse Challenges here. https://hayliepomroy.com/cleanse   Get a FREE hard copy of the Fast Metabolism Diet book! https://hayliepomroy.com/freebook   Become a member, FREE for 30 days. https://hayliepomroy.com/member Nancy Klimas, M.D., is the Director of the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine where she directs a group of remarkable interdisciplinary scientists and clinicians. They collaborate to discover innovative strategies for treating and preventing chronic illnesses, while also focusing on training the next generation of clinicians and scientists. With 40 years of professional experience, Dr. Nancy Klimas is internationally recognized for her work in multi-symptom disorders, including ME/CFS, GWI, fibromyalgia, and Long COVID.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-klimas-49255178/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancyklimas X: https://x.com/ngklimas   Cort Johnson is the founder of Health Rising, a leading website covering chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) research and treatment. Despite battling ME/CFS/FM since the 1980s, Cort earned degrees in Philosophy and Environmental Studies. Dissatisfied with online ME/CFS resources, he launched Phoenix Rising in 2004, and later founding Health Rising in 2012 to expand to FM. Cort has authored over a thousand blogs, earning recognition from patients, supporters, doctors, and researchers. He's been honored by Prohealth and IACFS/ME. Cort currently travels the western U.S. with his dogs while advocating for ME/CFS and FM awareness.    Website: https://www.healthrising.org/about-us/cort-johnson/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cort-johnson-53097213/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cort.johnson.9/ X: https://x.com/CortJohnson #Health #SelfAdvocacy #PatientEmpowerment #TakeControlOfYourHealth #ChronicIllness #LongCOVID #GulfWarIllness #MECFS #ChronicFatigue #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #HealthPodcast  

In this episode of the Embellish Pod, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jose Valdez, the Maestro Tequilero and guardian of quality at Tequila Partida. This episode is a deep dive into the world of tequila, exploring everything from the cultivation of agave plants to the intricate details of the distillation and aging processes. Introduction The episode kicks off with a brief introduction about the podcast and where listeners can find it. I then introduce Jose Valdez, who provides a fascinating overview of his role at Tequila Partida and his journey into the tequila industry. Jose Valdez's Journey Jose shares his background, starting from his studies in industrial engineering to his initial work in the manufacturing electronic industry. Dissatisfied with his career, he sought a more fulfilling path and found his way into the tequila industry. He recounts meeting Gary Shasby, an American investor looking to create a new tequila brand that would compete with the likes of Patron and Don Julio but with a more authentic and natural approach. The Essence of Authentic Tequila Jose explains the concept of "additive-free" tequila, a cornerstone of Tequila Partida's philosophy. He elaborates on the Mexican laws that allow up to 1% of additives in tequila and how Tequila Partida chooses to go beyond these regulations to create a more natural product. The Tequila-Making Process We delve into the detailed process of making tequila, starting with the cultivation of the Blue Tequilana Weber agave plant. Jose explains the importance of the plant's maturity, the harvesting process, and the subsequent steps of cooking, milling, fermentation, and distillation. He emphasizes the significance of using fresh agave and the unique volcanic water from Tequila Valley, which contributes to the distinct flavor profile of Tequila Partida. Fermentation and Distillation Jose provides insights into the fermentation process, highlighting the use of natural yeast and the importance of fermentation time in developing the tequila's flavor. He also discusses the distillation process using pot stills, which helps in maintaining the quality and consistency of the final product. Aging and Barrel Selection We explore the aging process of tequila, where Jose explains the use of ex-bourbon barrels and the meticulous selection process for creating their aged products. He shares the challenges and intricacies of barrel aging, including the impact of climate and barrel position on the final flavor. Single Barrel Añejo Project Jose introduces Tequila Partida's Single Barrel Añejo project, a special initiative to celebrate their 20th anniversary. He describes the rigorous selection process for these unique barrels and the opportunity for consumers to experience a one-of-a-kind tequila. Personal Connection to Tequila Towards the end of the episode, Jose shares his personal connection to tequila, recounting memories of his father enjoying tequila on Sundays and how this influenced his respect and passion for the spirit. Conclusion We wrap up the episode with a heartfelt thank you to Jose for sharing his extensive knowledge and passion for tequila. This episode offers a comprehensive look into the world of Tequila Partida and the dedication to quality that sets them apart in the industry. Tune in to this episode to gain a deeper appreciation for tequila and the artistry behind Tequila Partida. Whether you're a tequila aficionado or a curious newcomer, this episode is packed with valuable insights and fascinating stories.   00:00:00 - Introduction and Subscription Request 00:00:32 - Guest Introduction: Jose from Tequila Partida 00:01:16 - Jose's Role and Title: Maestro Tequilero 00:02:17 - Jose's Background and Journey to Tequila Partida 00:05:10 - Authenticity and Additive-Free Tequila 00:07:09 - Overview of Tequila Production Process 00:12:07 - Challenges of Agave Cultivation and Sourcing 00:16:16 - Changes in the Tequila Industry and Consumer Trends 00:19:29 - Focus on Quality and Freshness in Agave Selection 00:21:03 - Cooking and Milling Process 00:25:20 - Importance of Water in Tequila Production 00:28:01 - Fermentation Process and Yeast Management 00:32:01 - Distillation Process and Consistency 00:36:03 - Deciding Between Blanco and Aged Tequila 00:38:14 - Aging Process and Barrel Selection 00:41:04 - Single Barrel Añejo Project 00:45:02 - Batching and Blending for Consistency 00:49:59 - Jose's Personal Connection to Tequila 00:53:41 - Conclusion and Appreciation

Send us a textThis week on Church at the Bar: Meeting People Where They Are, we're exploring a topic that many couples face but few openly discuss: “Saving It for Marriage but Being Dissatisfied When the Dream Doesn't Match the Reality.”We'll examine how expectations of marital intimacy can sometimes collide with real-life challenges, leaving couples feeling disappointed or unsure about their next steps. To shed light on this topic, we're joined by Pastor William J. Scott III (@eway_productions on Instagram), Lady Catera Scott (@cee_are on Instagram), and relationship therapist Cheryl Sparks (@banansamich on Instagram).Through the lens of Hebrews 13:4 and Ecclesiastes 9:9, we'll discuss honoring the covenant of marriage, embracing God's design for intimacy, and finding joy even when the reality doesn't match the dream.This episode is a must-listen for couples, singles, and anyone navigating relationships in today's world! Tune in and be encouraged.4oSupport the show

Chapter 1: Summary of Hector and the Search for Happiness"Hector and the Search for Happiness" by François Lelord is a philosophical novel that follows the journey of a young psychiatrist named Hector. Dissatisfied with his life and the limited happiness of his patients, Hector embarks on a quest to discover what makes people truly happy.Throughout his journey, Hector travels to various locations around the world, including China, Africa, and the United States. Along the way, he encounters a diverse array of people and learns valuable lessons about happiness. He gathers insights and observations, documenting them in a notebook as he goes. Key themes explored in the book include the importance of love, the impact of material wealth on happiness, and the significance of self-acceptance and understanding.As Hector meets different individuals and hears their stories, he realizes that happiness can be both simple and complex, influenced by various factors including relationships, experiences, and personal perspectives. Ultimately, Hector's adventure leads him to a deeper understanding of himself and the nature of happiness, allowing him to return home with newfound wisdom to share with his patients.The novel blends humor, warmth, and philosophical reflection, making it an engaging read about the universal pursuit of happiness.Chapter 2: The Theme of Hector and the Search for Happiness"Hector and the Search for Happiness" by François Lelord is a philosophical novel that follows the journey of Hector, a psychiatrist who embarks on a quest to understand the nature of happiness. Here are key plot points, character development aspects, and thematic ideas from the novel: Key Plot Points:1. Hector's Dissatisfaction: The story begins with Hector feeling unfulfilled in his life and work as a psychiatrist, realizing that he does not fully understand what makes people happy.2. The Decision to Travel: After a conversation with a patient who is unhappy despite having everything, Hector decides to travel the world in search of the secrets of happiness.3. Encounters Around the World: Throughout his journey, Hector visits various countries, including China, Africa, and America. He meets diverse characters who share their perspectives on happiness, each providing insights and anecdotes that challenge his thinking.4. List of Happiness: As he learns, Hector starts compiling a list of key factors that contribute to happiness. This list evolves as he gathers more experiences and insights from the people he meets.5. Personal Growth: Over the course of his travels, Hector undergoes significant personal development. He confronts his own beliefs and attitudes towards happiness and reflects on his relationship with his girlfriend, Clara.6. Return Home: Hector eventually returns from his journey, armed with new wisdom about happiness, which he brings back to his practice and his personal life. Character Development:- Hector: The protagonist undergoes a transformation from a somewhat naive psychiatrist to a more self-aware individual who gains a deeper understanding of happiness. His experiences force him to reflect on his own life, relationships, and the complexities of human emotions.- Clara: Hector's girlfriend represents stability and a facet of happiness that Hector takes for granted. Through his journey and the reflections that arise from it, their relationship evolves, illustrating the importance of communication and understanding in love.- Supporting Characters: Each character Hector meets along the way serves as a mirror to different aspects of happiness (e.g., devotion, material wealth, cultural perspectives). These interactions help Hector challenge his notions and expand his worldview. Thematic Ideas:1. The Nature of Happiness: Central to the novel is the...

There is a disconnect between seemingly solid economic numbers and the way people feel about this economy. Voters clearly were upset about the cost of living and that helped elect Donald Trump to a second term. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports from Ohio on how Americans see this in the wake of the election. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Today is a continuation of last week's question and answer episode, and I am so thankful for all the courageous couples who reached out with their questions. Here's what we discuss in this episode: A husband wondering about using dildos and double penetration and getting some guidance there. A wife whose husband has been experiencing erectile dysfunction and navigating her own lack of satisfaction in bed. A husband reaching looking for some advice after he reacted poorly to discovering some erotic reading that his wife was doing and navigating the aftermath of what happened. A husband wondering if he is being selfish for wanting sex because his wife is showing a low level of interest, or none at all. You can submit your anonymous questions on our website here. And don't forget to check out last week's episode (#215) for more answers to your questions. Resources: December's "Get it On-a-thon" Fundraiser: Get Frisky for Fertility! Intimately Us App 2025 Couples Retreat You can find links to all these and more at our website: getyourmarriageon.com 

Jeremiah 29:4-7

Last time we continued speaking about the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Admiral Toyoda's Operation Sho-Go aimed to eliminate American naval forces but faced setbacks with the loss of key ships. As Japanese forces advanced, miscommunications led to disorganized attacks. Rear-Admiral Clifton Sprague's Taffy groups used smoke and air assaults to delay the Japanese, ultimately leading to Kurita's retreat after sustaining heavy damage from American air strikes. On October 25, a series of intense naval engagements unfolded, featuring airstrikes and kamikaze attacks. U.S. forces launched multiple strikes against Japanese carriers, inflicting significant damage but facing challenges from anti-aircraft fire and pilot fatigue. The day ended with the sinking of several Japanese vessels, including Zuikaku and Chitose, resulting in substantial casualties. Admiral Halsey attempted to intercept Kurita's forces but was too late. Despite heavy losses, including the cruiser Abukuma and numerous aircraft, Kurita's forces managed to reach safety. The battle marked a significant defeat for the Japanese, severely weakening their naval capabilities, though Kamikaze attacks prolonged the war. This episode is the Advance to Ormoc Valley  Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, 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 world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two 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 you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  Last we we covered the climax of the battle of Leyte Gulf seeing the IJN basically annihilated in the waters surrounding the philippines. As the confrontation drew to a close, General Krueger's offensive was ongoing at Leyte. By October 26, General Sibert's 10th Corps and General Hodge's 24th Corps had successfully established two beachhead areas, gradually expanding their perimeter inland and pushing General Makino's 16th Division further into the island's interior. Following the failure of his earlier repositioning after the loss of Hindang and Burauen, Makino acknowledged that he could not prevent the loss of the eastern coastal plain. He decided to retreat his units to rear positions in the mountains west of Dagami and Burauen. Concurrently, as part of Operation TA, Admiral Mikawa successfully delivered the first reinforcements to Ormoc. Consequently, General Suzuki promptly ordered Colonel Sumitani Takayoshi's 41st Regiment to move towards Carigara and then to Jaro, where the remnants of the 33rd Regiment had fallen back to maintain the division's left flank. After capturing Hills B and C, the 24th Division resumed its westward assault on October 26. With General Mudge's 1st Cavalry Division protecting General Irving's northern flank, the 34th Regiment advanced along Highway 2, reaching Santa Fe, while the 19th Regiment attempted to attack Pastrana but was halted short of its objective by heavy enemy fire. To the south, the 383rd Regiment patrolled towards San Vicente Hill amidst fierce resistance, as the 382nd Regiment attacked Tabontabon but was forced back to the Guinarona River by determined defenders. In addition, the reserve 3rd Battalion, 381st Regiment, embarked on a long march north along Highway 1 towards Tanauan but encountered enemy fire near Vigia Point. Further south, the 17th Regiment successfully advanced to a position about 600 yards south of Guinarona, while the 32nd Regiment fought persistently to reach the edge of the Buri airstrip. The following day, after fending off several light counterattacks, the 32nd finally secured the airstrip with minimal resistance. Additionally, the 17th pushed forward to a point approximately 2,200 yards south of Dagami, although they faced increased opposition from the retreating enemy. To the east, following an extensive artillery bombardment, the 382nd captured a majority of Tabontabon in a coordinated attack, with Colonel Dill's 1st and 3rd Battalions then moving northeast toward Kapahuan. Colonel Michael Halloran's 3rd Battalion pressed northward and ultimately took Tanauan without opposition before heading towards Kiling. Meanwhile, in the Catmon Hill area, after General Krueger released the remainder of the 381st Regiment to the control of the 24th Corps, General Bradley decided to deploy his reserve regiment to take control of the Labiranan Head position in preparation for an assault against Catmon hill. Catmon Hill had been under steady naval and artillery fire since A Day, October 20. The 96th Division artillery had constantly fired on targets of opportunity by day and harassed enemy positions in the area during the night. Starting at 21:00 on October 27, the 105-mm howitzers of the 361st Field Artillery Battalion, the 155-mm howitzers of the 198th Field Artillery Battalion, a battery of 155-mm howitzers from the 363d Field Artillery Battalion, and the 75-mm howitzers from the 780th Amphibian Tank Battalion were to deliver harassing fires on the hill until 10:30 the following day. At that time all of the artillery units were to commence firing successive concentrations beginning at the bottom of the hill and working to the top in 50-yard bounds. After the 381st Regiment, less the 3rd Battalion, attacked at 12:00 on October 28, the artillery was to fire concentrations in front of the troops as they advanced. In making his plans for the capture of Catmon Hill, Colonel Michael E. Halloran, commander of the 381st Regiment, decided to have the 1st Battalion make an enveloping movement from the northeast while the 2nd Battalion pushed west along the main ridge. The 1st Battalion, 383rd Regiment, from its position on Labiranan Head, would support the attack by fire. Further north, Irving's push westward continued as the 34th Regiment advanced unopposed to the Mudburon River, while the 19th Regiment captured Pastrana following another heavy artillery barrage. On that day, the 171st Independent Battalion arrived after a week-long voyage from Panay, preparing to join the 41st Regiment and its sister battalion towards Carigara and Jaro. On October 28, as the 41st Regiment passed through Carigara and approached Jaro, Mikawa launched his second Operation TA convoy, consisting of three echelons. The first echelon left Manila immediately without cover, transporting the 20th Antitank Battalion. Simultaneously, preparations were underway to send the 12th Independent Regiment and the recently arrived 1st Division to Leyte. Meanwhile, the 34th Regiment swiftly moved through Alangalang and advanced to the Mainit River, where they were ultimately halted by fierce Japanese resistance. Nevertheless, two companies successfully crossed the river unnoticed during a heavy rainstorm. After launching a surprise assault against the defenders, they captured a bridge over the river. At the same time, the 19th Regiment progressed to Tingib, where it established a patrol base. General Hoffman also directed his 2nd Cavalry Brigade to advance toward Carigara, with the 2nd Squadron, 8th Cavalry making an overland move to San Miguel, while Troop C of the 7th Cavalry conducted an amphibious landing at Barugo, later engaging in skirmishes with Japanese forces at Carigara. To the south, after successfully fending off a vigorous counterattack, Colonel Dill's 2nd Battalion secured the Tabontabon area, enabling it to move north toward Kiling. In spite of determined opposition, the Japanese supply center of Tabontabon had at last been taken and approximately 350 Japanese killed in the area. During the three days of fighting, the 2d Battalion had thirty-four men killed and eighty wounded. The remainder of the 382nd fought their way to Digahongan before turning towards Kiling, eventually halting at Kansamada. Meanwhile, while the 383rd conducted reconnaissance toward San Vicente and the 9th Regiment began its retreat to Dagami, the 381st Regiment finally launched its assault on Catmon Hill. However, Halloran's two battalions were met with heavy gunfire from the surrounding foothills. Lastly, as the 184th Regiment patrolled toward Santa Ana, the 17th Regiment attacked toward Dagami. Despite facing strong opposition and difficult swamp conditions, they managed to push 300 yards beyond the enemy stronghold by nightfall, rolling up the defenders' eastern flank. Since the 2d Battalion had borne the brunt of the fighting on 28 October and had suffered numerous casualties, the regimental commander decided to have the battalion drop back into reserve. Although the drive to Dagami was to continue, the north-south line of enemy pillboxes on the left flank of the regiment could not be ignored. At 0800 on 29 October the regimental lines were to be reorganized so that the 3d and 1st Battalions, less Company B, would pass through the 2d Battalion, which would become the regimental reserve. Company B with a platoon of M8's would attack the flank and rear of the enemy in the left line of pillboxes. At 0800, under cover of a heavy artillery concentration from the 49th Field Artillery Battalion, the 1st and 3d Battalions, 17th Infantry, passed through the 2d Battalion without incident. Company B, reinforced by the platoon from the Cannon Company, moved out to destroy the enemy force on the regiment's left flank. The company fought the Japanese from pillbox to pillbox, catching the enemy on his flanks and rear by rifle and machine gun fire, together with time-burst fire from the self-propelled howitzers. This completely demoralized the Japanese, some of whom threw down their arms and tried unsuccessfully to escape. More than 120 enemy dead were counted in the area. The 1st Battalion entered the southern part of Dagami without encountering serious resistance. It then came under artillery fire from the hills west of the town. The 3d Battalion proceeded east of the road in a column of companies in the order L, K, and I, and met no serious opposition until it reached a cemetery south of Dagami. Overgrown with weeds seven to ten feet high and containing stone crypts built off the ground, the cemetery was divided by a path running east to west. As Company L moved into the burial ground, Company I swung around the right (east) side to come into position for the night. The leading elements of Company L passed through the cemetery and Company I moved into position without incident, but as the 1st Platoon of Company L, the reserve platoon, crossed the path, a headstone tilted back and from the open grave four Japanese opened fire with an American Browning automatic rifle and other small arms. The small arms of the 1st Platoon had no effect and it became necessary to bring forward a flame thrower to burn the enemy out. At the same time the platoon received fire from other open graves, from which the Japanese had removed the bodies. By punching holes through the stone they used the crypts as individual foxholes. The platoon broke into small units and pushed through the cemetery, destroying the enemy forces wherever they could be located. Company K, which followed Company I, placed two platoons abreast behind Company L. As it came through the weeds past the cemetery path a Japanese officer charged on the right flank with his saber and wounded one man before he could be brought down. Since the platoons were also receiving heavy fire from the tombs, the commander of Company K drew his men back to the path where they reorganized. Preceded by a battery of six flame throwers, the men then marched shoulder to shoulder through the cemetery and burnt out the enemy. About 1900 the regiment completed the action and formed its night perimeter. During the fighting, the regimental operations officer, hearing the heavy fire and not being able to communicate with the 3d Battalion headquarters, called Company K direct to ascertain if the Japanese had broken through the American lines. "Hell no," was the reported reply, "we're breaking through theirs and fighting for our bivouac." During the night small infiltration parties of Japanese tried unsuccessfully to penetrate the regiment's defenses, and sporadic artillery fire was received from the hills west of Dagami. The following day, the 3rd and 1st Battalions advanced through the 2nd Battalion to continue their northern push, successfully entering Dagami without facing significant opposition. After securing the previous headquarters of the 16th Division, the 17th Battalion spent the next two days conducting mopping-up operations and patrolling the Dagami area, effectively establishing contact with the 19th Regiment across the Binahaan River and the 382nd Regiment to the east. Simultaneously, the 32nd Regiment dispatched its 2nd Battalion toward Abuyog, which was successfully captured by midday. By October 31, Company G had further taken control of Baybay, and the 1st Battalion had landed at Panaon to support the 21st Regiment stationed there. As a result, General Arnold's 7th Division accomplished its objective of capturing the Burauen airstrips and Dagami while linking up with the 96th Division and 10th Corps. This operation resulted in an estimated 4,211 Japanese casualties, with 19 soldiers taken prisoner, while the division incurred 322 killed, 1,064 wounded, and 21 missing. Meanwhile, on October 29, the 381st Regiment executed a tank-supported offensive and ultimately captured Catmon Hill, which would be thoroughly cleared in the following two days. At the same time, Halloran's 3rd Battalion stormed and secured Kiling, with Dill's 2nd Battalion arriving shortly thereafter. On the outskirts of the barrio the battalion met stubborn and determined resistance where the Japanese, with machine guns, mortars, and rifles, fought "to the last man." The resistance was overcome, and by 1500 the Americans occupied the town, which was honeycombed with emplacements and entrenchments. At 1600 the 3d Battalion, 381st Infantry, was relieved by the 2d Battalion, 382d Infantry, which had come up from Tabontabon by truck. At 1800 the 3d Battalion, 381st Infantry, returned by truck to the area north of San Roque. However, the remainder of the 382nd Battalion was unable to penetrate the retreating 9th Regiment towards Kiling, allowing some Japanese forces to evade complete destruction. Nevertheless, Bradley's 96th Division successfully took control of the Catmon Hill mass and the key towns of Tabontabon and Tanauan, resulting in an estimated 2,769 Japanese casualties and 6 prisoners captured, at the cost of 145 men killed, 564 wounded, and 90 missing. On October 29, Colonel Newman's 3rd Battalion advanced northward, leading the charge toward Jaro. They gradually battled through Galotan and quickly captured Jaro without much resistance. The American forces moved so swiftly that Suzuki was unable to implement his strategy of using Jaro as the gathering point for the reinforcements of the 35th Army, compelling him to designate Carigara as the new rendezvous site. Due to the evident Japanese strength in the region, Hoffman ordered his units to bolster defenses in Barugo, with the remaining units of the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry arriving by nightfall, followed by the 2nd Squadron, 8th Cavalry on October 31, and the 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry on November 1.  At 08:00 on October 30 Colonel Newman ordered the 3rd Battalion of the 34th Regiment to start for Carigara down the highway. As the battalion left the outskirts of Jaro, with Company L in the lead, it came under fire from Japanese who were dug in under shacks along the road. Upon a call from the commanding officer of Company L, the tanks came up in a column, fired under the shacks, and then retired. The leading platoon was drawn back so that artillery fire might be placed on the Japanese, but the enemy could not be located precisely enough to use the artillery. Newman then ordered a cautious movement forward without artillery support, a squad placed on each side of the road and two tanks in the center. The squads had advanced only fifty yards when Japanese fire again pinned them down. When Newman came forward and discovered why the advance was held up he declared, "I'll get the men going okay." Upon hearing that the regimental commander was to lead them, the men started to move forward. The Japanese at once opened fire with artillery and mortars, and Colonel Newman was hit in the stomach. Although badly wounded he tried to devise some means of clearing the situation. After sending a runner back with orders to have the 3rd Battalion fire on the Japanese position, he said, "Leave me here and get mortar fire on that enemy position." As soon as possible Colonel Newman was put on a poncho and dragged back to safety. The following morning, while the 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment moved toward Jaro, the 34th Battalion launched another attack and managed to reach the Yapan River. Despite their fierce assault, the heavy Japanese artillery and flanking fire once again stalled the Americans on their journey to Carigara, allowing the 41st Regiment to withdraw. At this stage, the 5th Air Force had officially set up its forward units on Leyte, tasked with achieving air superiority and attacking Japanese convoys and troop concentrations. However, as the 13th Air Force focused its primary efforts on airfields in bypassed areas. Poor weather had taken its toll on General Krueger's advance. Rainy, monsoon-like conditions confounded his engineers, and airfield construction at Tacloban and Dulag floundered. Landing conditions were still poor. Naval carrier aircraft, from damaged escort carriers, headed to both airfields instead of ditching at sea. As the Navy pilots attempted to land on Leyte, 25 out of 72 planes ended up damaged. Without suitable land-based US air power, the Japanese could continue to launch air attacks. Limited American air power did contest the skies against the Japanese, but could still only provide a minimum of close air support to the American troops. While Japanese aircraft continued to reach targets throughout Leyte, Kinkaid and Halsey's forces had to depart the Leyte region to resupply, so Kenney had to take over with his limited forces. MacArthur did persuade Halsey to maintain Task Group 38.2 in the area when he withdrew most of his fleet on October 29. Kinkaid also left ten escort carriers only by redistributing fleet supplies, but he also had to refit. Nonetheless, Ground commanders criticized Kenney's continued failure to provide close air support. During the early invasion period, naval carrier aviators had delivered direct support. For example, out of the 121 troop support missions from October 20 to 25, pilots flew 33 sorties in direct support of soldiers. With Kinkaid and Halsey's forces departed, Kenney's focus was on air superiority. He had eliminated most close air support missions until later in the campaign. As a result, the infantry had to rely on artillery. The escort carriers of the 7th Fleet, significantly diminished following the Battle of Leyte Gulf, were unable to provide support. Although Admiral Mitscher's carriers did conduct numerous strikes against Japanese shipping in the Visayas and Manila Bay in the last days of October, Task Force 38 had mostly been withdrawn by the end of the month. During the final week of October, the 4th Air Army and the newly-formed 1st Combined Base Air Force maintained a persistent campaign to support ground operations, gradually redirecting their attacks from amphibious shipping and carriers to the enemy-occupied airfields at Tacloban and Dulag.  Though Kenney's airfields still had minimal capacity, he had 34 P-38s from the 49th Fighter Group based at Morotai deployed to Tacloban Airfield on October 27. Three days later, only 20 P-38s remained, as Japanese air attacks destroyed or damaged several of the twin-tailed aircraft. In response, Kenney deployed more P-38s from the 475th Fighter Group. He also assigned six P-61s from the 421st Night Fighter Squadron to counter night attacks. Kenney later replaced them with F6Fs from VMF (N)-541, which improved night patrol and interception missions to include strikes on Japanese night convoys. Thus, Kenney's pilots, led by the elite aces Richard Bong and Thomas McGuire, started to make a difference. Additionally, bombing attacks disrupted airfield construction and caused aircraft losses since they were parked close together due to space limitations. Still, Army engineers with Filipino labor made inroads towards rendering the airfields fully operational. Pilots could now use an expanded 5,000ft runway at Tacloban on October 31. With a growing 5th Air Force presence, the Americans improved their ability to intercept bombers; as a consequence, the Japanese relied more on night attacks. This shift inflicted substantial damage and compelled the Americans to reinforce their positions. Alongside the primary air offensive targeting enemy supply shipping and airfields, Kamikaze units executed suicide attacks against enemy carriers operating off the east coast of the Philippines. Pilots, as well as aircraft of various types, were drawn from the 153d, 601st and 761st Air Groups. The initial corps used only bomb-equipped fighters. However, after the reorganizations of the Kamikaze corps, all types of aircraft were used.  A kamikaze suicide aircraft hit Intrepid on one of her port side gun positions; ten men were killed and another six were wounded, but damage was minimal. The USS Franklin had just refueled and returned to the Leyte action on 27 October, her planes concentrating on a heavy cruiser and two destroyers south of Mindoro. She was under way about 100 miles (160 km) off Samar on 30 October, when enemy bombers appeared bent on a suicide mission. Navy fighters shot down most of the Japanese planes, but six broke through the combat air patrol into Franklin's task group of four carriers defensively surrounded by a circle of about twenty escorting cruisers and destroyers. Shipboard anti-aircraft guns shot down three of the four kamikazes independently diving toward each of the four carriers; but the one targeting Franklin hit the flight deck and crashed through to the gallery deck, killing 56 men and wounding 60. As the remaining two kamikazes attacked, one was shot down by anti-aircraft guns and the second missed Franklin with two bombs before flying into the stern of Belleau Wood. Franklin was able to extinguish fires and patch the flight deck so planes could be recovered 76 minutes after the kamikaze hit. Both carriers retired to Ulithi Atoll for temporary repairs, and then Franklin proceeded to the Puget Sound Navy Yard, arriving on 28 November 1944 for repairs of her battle damage.  Meanwhile, on October 30, the 20th Antitank Battalion was successfully landed at Ormoc. The following day, Mikawa dispatched his remaining two echelons: the second comprised three transports carrying the Imahori Detachment, primarily made up of Colonel Imahori Tetsusaku's 12th Independent Regiment. The third included four transports and four frigates carrying most of Lieutenant-General Kataoka Tadasu's 1st Division along with around 9,000 tons of supplies and ammunition, all under the protection of Rear-Admiral Kimura Masatomi's screen of six destroyers. This would be Mikawa's last convoy, as he would soon be replaced in command of the Southwest Area Fleet by Vice-Admiral Okawachi Denshichi due to his deteriorating health. Following a smooth journey, the Imahori Detachment was quickly disembarked at Ormoc on November 1, with the remainder of the convoy arriving later that night to commence the unloading for the 1st Division. During the day, one of the transports was sent to Cebu to pick up the 35th Army Headquarters, which landed the next morning alongside Kataoka's troops. By noon on November 2, a total of 13,000 soldiers had successfully arrived, culminating in the most effective reinforcement operation of the Leyte campaign, with just one transport lost and another slightly damaged. Turning to the primary action, on November 1, two companies from the 34th Regiment were ordered to execute a broad flanking maneuver and then attack Tunga from the northeast, facing no resistance. This enabled Newman's 1st and 2nd Battalions to advance swiftly down the highway to a point approximately 1,000 yards from Sagkanan. Concerned about the enemy's considerable presence at Carigara, Sibert planned for his two divisions to launch a coordinated assault on the town the following day; however, unbeknownst to him, the disorganized Japanese forces chose to abandon the town and retreat to the mountains southwest of Capoocan. Thus, following a heavy artillery bombardment, the Americans captured Carigara without opposition and promptly established a perimeter, while the 34th Regiment advanced further to Balud, where they encountered intense enemy fire. On that same day, the 382nd Regiment took control of Dagami, from which they would engage the positions of the 16th Division on Bloody Ridge over the coming days. The capture of Carigara marked the completion of the second phase of General Krueger's plan for liberating Leyte. Irving's 24th Division successfully achieved its objectives, resulting in the deaths of approximately 2,970 Japanese soldiers and the capture of 13 prisoners, with their own losses totaling 210 killed, 859 wounded, and 6 missing. Additionally, by October 27, Mudge's 1st Cavalry Division had killed an estimated 739 Japanese and taken 7 prisoners, incurring a loss of 40 men killed, 199 wounded, and 8 missing. The next phase of Krueger's strategy involved two offensives converging on Ormoc: one moving south through Ormoc Valley led by Sibert's 10th Corps and the other advancing north from Baybay under Hodge's 24th Corps. Initially, while certain units of the 24th Corps continued pushing west to bolster troops along Ormoc Bay and clean up in southern Leyte Valley, Sibert's forces aimed to secure control of the Carigara Bay coastline from Carigara to Pinamopoan. Simultaneously, Suzuki sent the experienced 1st Division to Carigara to launch an offensive toward Tacloban. The 1st Division, which had been activated in Tokyo, had served in Manchuria during the "China Incident" and had been transferred to Shanghai in August 1944. Though it had no combat experience, this division was considered by Major-General Tomochika Yoshiharu, deputy chief of staff of the 35th Army, to be the best equipped division of the Japanese Army. Under the command of Lieutenant-General Kataoka Tadasu, it had been held in reserve by Imperial General Headquarters for the decisive battle, and it was sent to Manila with great expectations. Meanwhile the Imahori Detachment moved to the northeastern base of the heights southwest of Jaro to facilitate the assembly of the 26th Division for an impending attack on Jaro. After securing Carigara, the 68th Brigade was set to land in the north as part of the 35th Army reserve, while the 30th Division would land at Albuera on Ormoc Bay and negotiate mountainous trails to Burauen to eliminate all enemy resistance in the Dulag region. As other units of the 102nd Division were moved forward using powered schooners, a reinforced company from the 364th Independent Battalion was also deployed to Albuera to secure the landing site for the 30th Division. On the morning of November 3, the 34th Regiment moved west once again and quickly seized Capoocan, just as Kataoka's vanguard was getting close. Suzuki immediately approved the emergency dispositions already taken and issued orders temporarily attaching the various reinforcement units to the 1st Division. It was impossible, however, to notify Lt. Gen. Kataoka immediately of the changed situation, and the division advance guard moved into the vicinity west of Capoocan at 0900 on 3 November to find itself unexpectedly engaged by the enemy. Badly surprised, the advance guard fell back toward Colasian with the enemy in pursuit. Meanwhile, at 1000, Lt. Gen. Kataoka reached the high ground south of Managasnas. Finding his advance guard engaged, he immediately ordered the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment and the 20th Antitank Battalion to check the enemy advance. At the same time he dispatch ed an order to the division main body to close up at forced march. Although the defenders were initially taken by surprise, they managed to halt the enemy's progress with fierce resistance, ultimately compelling them to withdraw. It was only after artillery bombardment of the ridge parallel to the road that the 34th finally dismantled the Japanese stronghold, establishing their position for the night. Additionally, earlier in the day, Company K had conducted a reconnaissance mission using amphibian tractors from Capoocan to a location just west of Pinamopoan. However, due to heavy enemy fire, the company withdrew and returned to Capoocan. Unbeknownst to the Americans, Kataoka mistakenly perceived this as a battalion-sized enemy assault, prompting him to retreat southwest and position his forces on the eastern end of a long ridge overlooking the coast, referred to as Breakneck Ridge.  Breakneck Ridge, over which Highway 2 corkscrewed its way between Pinamopoan and Limon for about 7200 yards, was actually a hill mass with many spurs branching off from an irregularly shaped crest line toward the shores of Carigara Bay to the north and the Levte River valley to the south. Shoulder-high cogon grass was thick on the low ground, and the pockets between the hills were heavily forested. The valleys were deep, with precipitous sides. The 1st Division had heavily fortified the area, taking advantage of the innumerable thickly wooded pockets that served as natural forts. The Japanese had also built an elaborate system of trenches and other defensive positions and had honeycombed the area with spider holes. Many of the latter were on reverse slopes some distance below the crests and were protected from direct fire. In front of each spider hole the enemy had cut fire lanes through the cogon grass, which was left so short that even a crawling soldier would be exposed to fire. The constant rainfall made the hills slippery and treacherous, and, more important, provided a protective curtain in the day and covered movements of the enemy at night. Following the Japanese withdrawal, the 34th quickly secured Colasian and captured Pinamopoan without opposition the next day. Newman's 3rd Battalion advanced through the town, continuing west along the highway for about 1,700 yards, stopping just short of the ridge. Anticipating a potential enemy amphibious assault via Carigara Bay, Krueger ordered Sibert to defend the Carigara area against any seaborne attack before proceeding southward. Meanwhile, as the divisions of the 10th Corps prepared defensive measures against a possible sea invasion, Colonel Miyauchi Yoshio's 57th Regiment was ordered to get ready to launch an attack from the ridge, as Kataoka believed that the enemy force could be easily cut off. As the newly-arrived 21st Regiment took over from the 34th at the Pinamopoan defenses, the Japanese forces launched an attack on a party of artillery forward observers conducting reconnaissance on OP Hill on November 5. With the artillerymen pinned down, Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Weber's 3rd Battalion moved in to assist them by the afternoon, successfully securing the northern approaches to OP Hill and the undefended Corkscrew Ridge on the left. Although the Americans were able to fend off the enemy's counterattacks, intense mortar fire on November 6 ultimately compelled them to withdraw. Despite suffering heavy casualties during the battle for Breakneck Ridge, the 1st Division had nearly completed its concentration in the Cananga area and was ready to initiate a broad four-pronged assault. However, the Japanese advance through the mountainous terrain remained exceedingly slow, leaving the 57th Regiment to conduct the attack on its own. Concurrently, Irving attached the 3rd Battalion of the 19th Regiment to the 21st Regiment and ordered the combined force to advance towards Breakneck Ridge. Consequently, Weber's troops launched an assault on Miyauchi's positions, but were completely unsuccessful in breaking through. Dissatisfied with the 21st Regiment's progress and feeling that Weber was insufficiently aggressive, Sibert replaced him with Lieutenant-Colonel William Verbeck, a seasoned veteran of the Alaska Campaign. Verbeck then made an unsuccessful attempt at a wide flanking maneuver to the east but ultimately had to entrench at the edge of Breakneck Ridge by nightfall. On the same day, Colonel Chapman dispatched Company G to Hill 1525, but it lost its way and ended up considerably further east. Thats all we have for today on the Philippines front as we now need to shift over to New Britain. In October, a decision was made to deploy the 40th Division for combat in the Philippines, transferring control of the island to the Australians. This change aligned with the Australian government's intention to utilize their own troops to reclaim territory previously occupied by the Japanese during the war. As a result, General Ramsay's 5th Division began relocating to New Britain, tasked with containing and isolating the Japanese garrison on the Gazelle Peninsula. Ramsay was instructed to maintain pressure on the Japanese forces while avoiding large-scale deployments, permitted only to conduct patrols and minor raids as limited offensive actions. By late October, the 36th Battalion had assumed control at Cape Hoskins, with the remainder of the 6th Brigade slated to land at Jacquinot Bay in early November.  At this time the Japanese had posts at intervals along the south coast as far west as Awul near Cape Dampier. It was decided that the Australian southern guerilla force would be based at Lakiri, a village in the hills two days' march inland from Waterfall Bay, and in an area into which the enemy had not ventured. It possessed a good site for dropping stores from the air and, as a preliminary, some 25,000 pounds of supplies were dropped there. To give added security to the base the Australian-led native guerillas, commanded at this stage by Captain R. I. Skinner, overcame the enemy's coastwatching posts at Palmalmal and Baien, to the south-west and south-east, respectively, killing 23 and taking three prisoners. None survived at Palmalmal, but two escaped from Baien, and it was learnt later that they reached an enemy post at Milim bearing news of what had happened. The south coast group was now placed under the command of Captain Basil Fairfax-Ross, who counted with five officers, 10 Australian N.C.O's, about 140 native troops, and such native allies as could be maintained on an air delivery of 5,000 pounds of supplies a month. After the loss of Baien the Japanese reinforced their post at Milim at the south end of Wide Bay until it was 400 strong. Far to the west they retained posts at Massau and Awul and round Cape Beechey. Fairfax-Ross decided to move discreetly into the strongly-held Wide Bay area, advancing through the hills, concentrating first on winning over the natives , and using the air power available from Bougainville as his trump card . At the same time spies would be sent into the Gazelle Peninsula. In the western area also the first task was to gain information. On 5th June an American patrol from the west led by Lieutenant White of Angau attacked the Awul garrison, which withdrew inland. An Australian platoon under Lieutenant Black thereupon marched from Jacquinot Bay to Lau and Atu. In this area they found that native guerillas about 80 strong had killed 14 Japanese and 14 of their native allies. At Awul they met White and his party. It now seemed that the Japanese from the Atu-Awul area were retreating to the north coast. Guerillas were organized and at Kensina on 18th June, "after pretending to entertain a party of about 50 enemy" , the natives attacked and killed 28, losing 5 of their own men. Black's patrol, in pursuit, found the remainder of the enemy about Rang and i n an attack on 24th June killed nine, but had to withdraw after losing one native N.C.O . As they moved north and east through hostile territory other Japanese were killed. In the eastern section in this period Lieutenant Johnson was winning the support of influential natives in the mountains south-west of Wide Bay. A heavy air attack was made on the main Milim positions on the night of 17th-18th July and as a result the Japanese with- drew some men to a new position away to the west and some men right back to Lemingi in the Gazelle Peninsula. By early September the last of the Japanese stragglers on the south coast west of Wide Bay had been killed; the Japanese had heard many reports of a strong Australian base at Jacquinot Bay-reports circulated by the Australians to dissuade the enemy from advancing westward. This base, although non-existent as yet, was soon to become a reality, and from 5th to 7th September a reconnaissance party, including officers from New Guinea Force and the 5th Division, landed from the corvette Kiama and, guided by Black, examined the area. The two-platoon force reached Milim unnoticed on 12th August, and found the enemy about 150 strong. At dawn they opened an attack in three groups, one to fire on the houses in the Japanese camp, another to fire from the flank, and the third to intercept any reinforcements from the Yaret position 500 yards to the north. Unfortunately a native fired his rifle during the approach, the enemy manned his defenses, and, after a short exchange of fire, the attackers withdrew and placed ambushes across the tracks. The same day the Swan bombarded Milim. After three days of inaction on the part of the Japanese four native soldiers crawled into the enemy's position and killed three, whereafter the Japanese fired into the bush at intervals for 36 hours. This fire ceased on the 18th and soon afterwards the position was found to be abandoned; there was much booty including boats and numerous machine-guns. It was discovered that the enemy had withdrawn to Waitavalo. Fairfax-Ross now moved his forward base to the coast at the Mu River only 6 hours' march from Waitavalo. On 17th and 18th September Fairfax-Ross, Sampson and a platoon, reconnoitring Kamandran, became involved in a fight with a Japanese force about 100 strong. Anticipating that the enemy would retaliate in force the Australians prepared defensive positions and one platoon under Sergeant-Major Josep, an outstanding N.C.O. who had come from the New Guinea Constabulary, was placed on the hillside above Milim to give warning of an enemy advance. On the night of 28th September the Japanese did in fact advance on Milim and on towards the Australian defensive position at the Mu River. Here, however, largely because of Sergeant Ranken's cool handling of his Bren gun, they were repulsed, losing 17 killed. Next day about 200 Japanese reinforcements arrived and, in a firefight with Josep's men whose presence they had not discovered, 16 Japanese and a native ally were killed. The Australians now withdrew inland. Soon the Japanese, about 700 strong, were in their original positions round Milim, where they remained until heavy air attacks on 6th, 7th and 8th October forced them out again. By 10th October the guerilla force was again concentrated at Lakiri. Consequently, on November 4, a small convoy landed the reinforced 14th/32nd Battalion at Jacquinot Bay without  encountering any resistance. In the days following the landing, ground forces secured the Jacquinot Bay area, while a New Guinean company executed an amphibious operation to Pomio on November 6.  The 6th Brigade was gradually transferred to Cutarp, with the final units arriving on December 16. Due to shipping shortages and the low priority for reinforcing forces on New Britain, all components of the 5th Division would not advance to Jacquinot Bay until April 1945. The first echelon of the 13th Brigade arrived on November 26, while the remaining units followed by the end of December. Meanwhile, in the north, the 36th Battalion dispatched patrols to connect with Australian guerrillas at Ulamona, Ubili, and Ea Ea, aiding them in fending off an enemy advance on the Balima River by the end of November.  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. The Americans were making tremendous progress in the Philippines, advancing through the Ormoc Valley. Despite the terrible odds, it seems the Japanese would not give up an inch of territory without a fight, digging their heels to the very end. Meanwhile the Australians were dealt mop up duty on New Britain and it was going equally as well.

In this episode of the Life Leadership podcast, I discuss –  The actions that you can take to move forward from feeling stuck and dissatisfied How you can shift from focusing on external factors to focusing on what you can influence and control Identifying what judgments or opinions it's time to let go of Determining who you want to become - in your career and life, and how you can start showing up as that version of yourself today! Creating change: experiencing clarity, calm and overall fulfilment. The Life Leadership Podcast with Leila Singh is your go-to for all things Leadership Development, Career Mastery, and Personal Branding. This podcast is for ambitious professionals, especially aspiring executives in the tech industry, looking to uncover their real potential, lead with confidence, and build a future-ready career. We explore strategies for leadership development, mindset shifts, and advancing your career, while also interviewing high-achieving leaders who share their insights and success stories. Ready to step up and play a bigger game? Let's dive in! Please SUBSCRIBE to this podcast, leave a REVIEW and SHARE with those that may benefit from this content. If you would like to learn more about working with me, Direct Message me on LinkedIn or email me at hello@leilasingh.com Connect directly with me here - www.linkedin.com/in/leila-singh/ Register here to receive your copy of The mi-brand Personal Brand Playbook - www.leilasingh.com/go/playbook And check out - >>> This article by https://BestPodcasts.co.uk, who curated a list of the Best Career Podcasts of 2023, offering unique and actionable insights to help you achieve your career goals - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.bestpodcasts.co.uk/best-career-podcasts/⁠ with our podcast ‘Life Leadership' featuring in the Top 5! >>> https://blog.Feedspot.com whose editorial team extensively researched and curated a list of the Top 15 Life Leadership Podcasts across all platforms, featuring 'Life Leadership' in the Top 3! With ranking based on factors including - Podcast content quality - Episode consistency - Age of podcast - Engagement & shares of the podcast across social platforms. ⁠15 Best Life Leadership Podcasts You Must Follow in 2023 (feedspot.com)  >>> Top Career Podcasts of 2024 from Mac's List: A curated selection of the best shows focused on career growth and job searching. The ‘Life Leadership Podcast' is featured in the 2024 edition of my Top Career Podcast Guide. Check out the link here: https://www.macslist.org/career-happiness/your-guide-to-the-top-career-podcasts-of-2024

Welcome back to the kitchen table. Do you ever feel overwhelmed and on edge, like your reactions set off a chain of frustration that you wish you could stop? At the end of the day, it leaves you filled with regret, wondering why you couldn't just snap out of it. What you might really need is some quiet time with the Lord. Think back to when you had a little baby—precious, helpless, and restless until their needs were met. Like that baby, we need to be filled. But what we're seeking for satisfaction often comes from the wrong sources—work, accomplishments, or designing a "perfect" life. The truth is, none of these will satisfy us. When we take time to sit in his word, his love overflows from us and touches everyone around us. True satisfaction comes only from Jesus, and we were designed to be filled by him. Seek him, and watch how it changes everything.   Connect with Bethany hereFollow her on Instagram @bethanykimsey Stop feeling defeated in your motherhood. Join the Reset:Anchoring Your Motherhood in Gospel Truths course and transform your story in just 6 weeks. Grab your spot here.  Purchase the Warrior Mama's Prayer Journal https://bethanykimsey.co/products/a-warrior-mamas-prayer-journal

This episode may feel like tough love, but some of you may need to hear it. If you're not where you want to be, not loving what you're doing or the way you're doing it, listen to this week's episode. I'll explain how perfection and high standards can backfire, the role of self-kindness, and what happens if a mismatch isn't corrected. My book on healing burnout will be out in 2025 (editing now!!); if you're interested in being on my advanced reader team, or would like a few sneak peeks beforehand, shoot me an email, hope.cook@gmail.com or sign up for any of my free resources (including my mini-book) on my ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠ If you want to have me as a speaker, podcast guest, or collaborate with me, use the email above to connect! My next PA Masterclass Series will start in January, let me know if you'd like to be a part of it! Here's a link to learn more.

A Regnum Christi Daily Meditation. Sign up to receive the text in your email daily at RegnumChristi.com 

How To  Deal With Dissatisfied Customers, Overcoming Selling High Ticket Offers Over Zoom, & How To Build Trust With Clients…   It's Q&AF time ladies and gents, aka Question and Answer Format!   You guys asked some great questions and we delivered our raw and best answers for you!   Make sure you have your note pads or apps out and listen to the full episode.    Keep taking action, pursuing personal excellence, and impacting lives!   In This Episode, we discuss: How To  Deal With Dissatisfied Customers Overcoming Selling High Ticket Offers Over Zoom How To Build Trust With Clients   Follow Us: Instagram YouTube Attention: Icon Meals is offering 40% off your first order for Dynamic Lifestyle Podcast Listeners!   See all the delicious Meals and Goodies they have HERE  and use the Code: FITPROS when you checkout.     Attention Health Professionals & Coaches: "FREE Online Health Coaching Biz Scan + a 15 Min Business Consult”  See HERE   Free Online Workshop:   How driven health pro's/coaches break the chains of the brick and mortar and build an online health coaching business so they can create more impact, time freedom, and income   Watch Here   See the full Show Notes to this episode here: https://www.liveadynamiclifestyle.com/podcast/qaf-dealing-with-dissatisfied-customers-overcoming-selling-over-zoom-building-trust-with-clients/  

What is driving many people. Most of us. Is a lack of resolving. It's politically correct to validate everyone's pain and call it trauma. So on one hand you have an adult who suffered from severe abuse as a child, and on the other hand an adult who is still suffering from not making the football team. One was life threatening and the other was ego threatening. Making that statement will sound minimizing and likely gain me some criticism, but my point is to elevate the issue of resolution. The difference we find between the two is only the individuals ability to resolve the hurt. I know a lot of grown adults, me included, who have not had what they feel are big traumas, but they exist in an unsettled spirit. Often frustrated. Dissatisfied. Angry or sad. And they don't know why. I posit that the issue is not what happened to us and judging it's validity, but simply, have we, can we, resolve it? Drive with me a moment… Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevin Go to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to sign up for your FREE 60-day trial. Sign up for AromaTru's Insider Club and today you'll receive a FREE Waterless Oil Diffuser and a FREE lemon eucalyptus oil - that's over $200 in savings. Head to aromatruorganics.com/kevin to take advantage of this exclusive offer.   Kajabi is offering a free 30-day trial to start your business if you go to Kajabi.com/kevin Get 20% off any AquaTru purifier today! Visit AquaTru.com and enter code "KEVIN" at checkout. Go to Quince.com/drives for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns Go to cozyearth.com/driven and use code DRIVEN for an exclusive 40% discount Join thousands of parents who trust Fabric to protect their family. Apply in minutes at meetfabric.com/WHATDRIVESYOU. If you're concerned about OCD, visit NOCD.com to schedule a free 15-minute call with their team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking about the latest Oregon state kicker tax credit predictions, our new state economist, and U.S. Bank's departure from Portland's iconic Big Pink skyscraper. Plus, we're breaking down some survey results highlighting the contrast between what Portlanders think we should prioritize as a city and what City Hall actually does best. Joining executive producer John Notarianni on this week's Friday news roundup are City Cast's director of digital strategy, Bryan Vance, and our very own producer, Giulia Fiaoni. Discussed in Today's Episode: There's a Gulf Between the Tasks That Portlanders Value Highest and the Ones They Think the City Does Best [Willamette Week] Oregon Hires Wall Street Pro As New State Economist, Filling the Job That Forecasts the Kicker [Oregonian

Al Gordon hosts "John and Jane Doe," who shared their journey of leaving their past behind for a fresh start in the U.S. Seeking a better financial path, they quickly transitioned from conventional investments into real estate. Dissatisfied with traditional options like 401(k)s, they found real estate to offer more control, predictability, and tax advantages. and successfully investing in 16 different deals. Click to Listen Now

Are you ready to revolutionize your business with digital transformation?In this episode of The Business Ownership Podcast I interviewed Steve Russell. Steve, the visionary CEO of Upstart 13, embarked on a transformative journey that reshaped the outsourcing industry. Dissatisfied with the status quo, he boldly left his prestigious role at McKesson (NYSE: MCK).Before founding Upstart 13, Steve oversaw the Patient Services Business Unit at CoverMyMeds, a healthcare unicorn within the McKesson technology ecosystem. His expertise extended to managing Business Operations and Services Teams at PROS Inc. (NYSE: PRO).Determined to create an outsourcing company unlike any other, Steve scoured for top-tier talent, cultivating a culture and ethos rivalling the most esteemed US companies. His approach centered on empowering individuals, creating a lasting impact, and prioritizing a "People First" mentality. As a Berkeley Executive Leader with over two decades in the software industry, Steve's academic prowess, including a Master's of Science in Information Systems Management from The University of Liverpool and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Design Engineering.Today, Upstart 13 is a testament to Steve's bold vision and unwavering dedication. Curious how custom software can skyrocket your business growth? Check this out!Show Links:Upstart 13 Website: https://upstart13.com/contact-us/Steve Russel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve--russell/Book a call with Michelle: https://go.appointmentcore.com/book/IcFD4cGJoin our Facebook group for business owners to get help or help other business owners!The Business Ownership Group - Secrets to Scaling: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessownershipsecretstoscalingLooking to scale your business? Get free gifts here to help you on your way: https://www.awarenessstrategies.com/

Learn more about Health Rising here. https://www.healthrising.org   Chronic illnesses like Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and fibromyalgia remain misunderstood and misdiagnosed, leaving many patients without proper care and support.    In this week's episode, Haylie Pomroy is joined by Dr. Nancy Klimas, Director of the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine at NSU, and Cort Johnson, founder of Health Rising. They explore the challenges and progress in understanding and managing ME/CFS and fibromyalgia.   With decades of research and personal experience, Dr. Klimas and Cort Johnson share their insights and advice on these complex conditions.   Dr. Klimas and Cort Johnson share their valuable experiences and advice, pushing for better, more understanding ways to manage chronic illnesses that bring hope and empowerment to both patients and healthcare providers.   Learn more about the link between ME/CFS and long COVID in this episode with Prof. Anthony Komaroff. https://youtu.be/Wi7y1vCvays   International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: https://www.iacfsme.org   Unraveled: Understanding Complex Illness (podcast): https://patreon.com/user?u=83009367   Solve ME/CFS Initiative: https://solvecfs.org   Donate to ME/CFS Research: https://givecampus.com/b3yrwb   If you are interested in joining a Gulf War Illness (GWI) trial, please complete the Recruitment Registry Form. https://redcap.nova.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=Y9YF8JJWJRK8HEKL%20&_gl=1*1fipp18*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MDc5MTgwMzIuRUFJYUlRb2JDaE1JeWNyUXVfcXFoQU1WU1pCYUJSM3AyQWRBRUFBWUFTQUFFZ0s1NWZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*MTg2NjgwMDQ4Ni4xNzA3MTQwNzgx   Learn more about INIM's Research Studies: https://www.nova.edu/nim/research-studies/index.html   Sign up for the COVID-UPP Study: https://redcap.nova.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=RMEDJ7LKCX&_gl=1*1h830h7*_gcl_au*MTM2NDA0MTQyOS4xNzE1MDA0ODAy Dr. Nancy Klimas, M.D., is the Director of the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine where she directs a group of remarkable interdisciplinary scientists and clinicians. They collaborate to discover innovative strategies for treating and preventing chronic illnesses, while also focusing on training the next generation of clinicians and scientists. With 40 years of professional experience, Dr. Nancy Klimas is internationally recognized for her work in multi-symptom disorders, including ME/CFS, GWI, fibromyalgia, and Long COVID.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-klimas-49255178/   Cort Johnson is the founder of Health Rising, a leading website covering chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) research and treatment. Despite battling ME/CFS/FM since the 1980s, Cort earned degrees in Philosophy and Environmental Studies. Dissatisfied with online ME/CFS resources, he launched Phoenix Rising in 2004, and later founding Health Rising in 2012 to expand to FM. Cort has authored over a thousand blogs, earning recognition from patients, supporters, doctors, and researchers. He's been honored by Prohealth and IACFS/ME. Cort currently travels the western U.S. with his dogs while advocating for ME/CFS and FM awareness.    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cort-johnson-53097213/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cort.johnson.9/   —---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Enjoy our show? Please leave us a 5-star review on the following platforms so we can bring hope and help to others.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hope-and-help-for-fatigue-chronic-illness/id1724900423   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/154isuc02GnkPEPlWfdXMT   Sign up today for our newsletter. https://nova.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=419072c88a85f355f15ab1257&id=5e03a4de7d   This podcast is brought to you by the Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine. Learn more about us here.    Website: https://www.nova.edu/nim/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InstituteForNeuroImmuneMedicine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/NSU_INIM/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NSU_INIM #MECFS #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #ChronicFatigue #ChronicIllness #Fibromyalgia #ChronicIllnessTreatment #HealthRising #HealthPodcast #ClinicalResearch #MedicalResearch #LongCOVID

Anjan Katta and Tristan Scott, founders of Daylight Computer, join me to discuss the adverse effects of blue light exposure, our growing dependency on technology, the critical need for grounding in an increasingly virtual world, and how the innovative Daylight Computer is designed to address these challenges. Anjan and Tristan will discuss the science behind blue light and its impact on health, the principles of the inverse square law as it relates to radiation exposure, and the practical solution for integrating technology into our lives responsibly - Daylight Computer. This episode is perfect for anyone interested in understanding the hidden costs of modern technology and finding ways to use it without compromising their health. =========== OUR GUESTS =========== Daylight Computer is a public-benefit technology company on a mission to create healthier, more human-friendly computers, creating the world's first calm and blue-light-free computer designed for deep focus and wellbeing. Founded by Anjan Katta, Daylight aims to reshape our relationship with technology, moving away from the addictive and exhausting status quo and towards a more optimistic and energizing future. Daylight Computer is a computer you can take outside! With a fully sunlight-readable display, the Daylight Tablet encourages users to get outside, reconnect with nature, and experience the cognitive benefits of time spent in natural environments. Anjan Katta, founder of Daylight, has spent nearly six years developing technology for a calmer, distraction-free digital experience. Dissatisfied with existing e-ink products, he tested all available models and explored new printing methods, leading to intense R&D and the first prototype. In 2023, Daylight focused on scaling for production, preparing consumer-ready tablets. Motivated by negative experiences with conventional computers, Anjan aims to create devices that enhance well-being, respect our health, and support a balanced life. =================== DAYLIGHT COMPUTER ===================

When Vernā Myers started her law degree at Harvard Law School, there were more people of color than she had ever gone to school with. So, it was disheartening when she became the first and only Black person at the corporate law firm that hired her. Dissatisfied with the status quo, she joined forces with others who wanted to increase representation for people of color. Since the '80s, she has been promoting diversity and inclusion, becoming a cultural thought leader and catalyst. In this episode of YAPClassic, she breaks down the importance of diversity and inclusion for both businesses and individuals. She also shares her wisdom about overcoming the intrinsic, unconscious biases present in all of us. Vernā Myers is the VP of Inclusion Strategy at Netflix. She is the founder of The Vernā Myers Company, which helps organizations embrace and advance a culture of inclusion. She is the bestselling author of Moving Diversity Forward and What if I Say the Wrong Thing? In this episode, Hala and Vernā will discuss: - Her career transition from law to inclusion and diversity - Her definition of diversity and inclusion - Systemic barriers to success - The counter to imposter syndrome  - Systemic bias as the root cause of unconscious bias - How to improve our unconscious bias - The true meaning of equity - Her one-up and one-down framework for understanding social hierarchy - The difference between sympathy and empathy - How to support marginalized groups with empathy - How to raise empathetic children - Taking action with micro-affirmations  - Counteracting microaggression with humility - The impact of diversity and inclusion on a business's bottom line - And other topics…   Vernā Myers is a Harvard-trained lawyer who transitioned from a decade-long legal career to become a cultural thought leader in diversity and inclusion. As the founder of The Vernā Myers Company, she is known for her impactful consulting work and bestselling books like Moving Diversity Forward and What if I Say the Wrong Thing? In 2018, she became the VP of Inclusion Strategy at Netflix. Vernā has been featured on CNN and referenced in publications such as The Atlantic, Bloomberg BNA, Business Insider, Forbes, Fortune, Harvard Business Review, Refinery29, and TED NPR Radio. LinkedIn Secrets Masterclass, Have Job Security For Life: Use code ‘podcast' for 30% off at yapmedia.io/course. Resources Mentioned: Vernā's Website: https://www.vernamyers.com/ Vernā's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vernamyers/ Vernā's Twitter: https://twitter.com/VernaMyers Vernā's Book, What if I Say the Wrong Thing?: 25 Habits for Culturally Effective People: https://www.amazon.com/What-Say-Wrong-Thing-Culturally/dp/  Sponsored By:  Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at youngandprofiting.co/shopify Justworks - Start your free month now at justworks.com/profiting Indeed - Get a $75 job credit at indeed.com/profiting Economist Education - Go to education.economist.com/PROFITING and enter my promo code PROFITING at registration to get 15% off any course from Economist Education. This offer ends on March 31st – don't wait! Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com/host Pipedrive - Go to youngandprofiting.co/pipedrive and get 20% off Pipedrive for 1 year! Rakuten - Start all your shopping at rakuten.com or get the Rakuten app to start saving today. More About Young and Profiting Download Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com   Get Sponsorship Deals - youngandprofiting.com/sponsorships Leave a Review - ratethispodcast.com/yap Watch Videos - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting Follow Hala Taha LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ TikTok - tiktok.com/@yapwithhala Twitter - twitter.com/yapwithhala Learn more about YAP Media Agency Services - yapmedia.io/