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Ambulance corps covers about half of town The Town of Fishkill is exploring a contract with Empress Emergency Medical Services to provide ambulances to residents in Chelsea, Dutchess Junction and Glenham because it will be cheaper than the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Brett Lesniak, the deputy chief for BVAC, said it has been covering Chelsea, Dutchess Junction and Glenham without funding from Fishkill and when it has an ambulance available. But rising expenses, unchanged reimbursements from Medicaid, Medicare and other insurers and treating uninsured residents mean "the cost of operations is drastically different" for BVAC, he said. To guarantee dedicated coverage to the three areas — Chelsea is north of Beacon, Dutchess to the south and Glenham, northeast — would cost $1.1 million annually, with $500,000 paid by the town and the rest covered by insurance reimbursements, said Lesniak. Empress Emergency Medical Services, whose ambulances serve Fishkill residents in the Rombout fire district, estimates that it could cover the town for about $100,000 less. During its meeting on June 3, the Town Board agreed to work with Empress on expanding its coverage. Although BVAC's leaders say they "have no intention of not covering" the Beacon fire district, Supervisor Ozzy Albra said the corps told him it would discontinue service at the end of this year without an agreement. "I don't like being threatened that we're going to be abandoned," said Albra. "I'm not going to take public safety into risk, and I'm not going to let somebody have a heart attack or medical issue because an alleged not-for-profit is not going to service our three districts." In December, BVAC announced it had resumed advanced life support, which had been discontinued in 2018. Advanced life support is a higher level of service provided by full-time paid paramedics, compared to basic life support provided by part-time volunteer emergency medical technicians. BVAC officials met with Albra to discuss charging the town for covering Chelsea, Dutchess Junction and Glenham. They also discussed having BVAC cover Rombout, but since Empress provides ambulances there, getting a "certificate of need" from New York State would be difficult for the corps, Lesniak said. Albra said the bottom line is money. "BVAC priced themselves out of this," he said. Empress covers Rombout from a station at Fishkill Town Hall on Route 52. Robert Stuck, the company's executive director, said during the June 3 meeting that its ambulances received 2,325 requests from the district in 2025 and responded to 2,098 of the calls at a cost of about $187,000 to Fishkill. Most of the remaining calls were handled by an ambulance crew funded by Dutchess County as part of an initiative to fill service gaps. The county ambulance is stationed in Wappingers Falls, said Stuck. Empress would need an additional ambulance, costing another $200,000, to expand to Chelsea, Dutchess Junction and Glenham, where BVAC covered 1,327 calls in 2025, he said. Of those calls, 865 ended at a hospital. Billing for those transports is how ambulance providers generate revenue, he said. Both Empress ambulances would be staffed with paramedics skilled in advanced life support, said Stuck. The easiest way to fund the expansion would be to extend the Rombout ambulance district to the entire town, said Stuck. Doing so, said Albra, will require research, and finalizing the expansion may not be possible before the town completes its 2026-27 budget. But Stuck said Empress would be able to step in even if BVAC ended its service immediately. "We will work with you to make sure that if they turn off the spigot tomorrow, you have coverage for those three areas," he said.

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Are you feeling stuck, burnt out, or like you're living life on autopilot? In this powerful episode, transformational coach Karen Bartholomew shares her signature Pause Method framework for helping women break free from limiting beliefs and step into their full potential.Discover how to:Recognize when you're triggered and use it as an opportunity for growthUncover the root stories and messages holding you backChoose a new truth and embody it dailyBuild a supportive community on your own termsGive yourself permission to rest and recharge without guiltIf you're ready to trade hustle for intention, fear for clarity, and old stories for empowered truth, this episode is a must-listen. Karen's no-nonsense approach and real-world wisdom will leave you inspired to reclaim your vitality and start designing the life you truly desire.Karen also shares details on her upcoming retreats, group coaching programs, and the free Sanctum Community where you can connect with like-minded women and access bonus teachings and live coaching.Mentioned in this episode:Karen's Website: https://karenbartholomew.comThe Pause Method Free Webinar1:1 and Group Coaching with KarenSanctum Online CommunityKaren Bartholomew is the founder of the Pause Method, a transformational coaching approach that helps women and leaders break free from autopilot living. After her own awakening 14 years ago, Karen dedicated herself to helping others release limiting beliefs and step into their full potential.Drawing on 20 years of corporate experience and certifications in personal development and sales coaching, Karen guides her clients to trade hustle for intention, fear for clarity, and old stories for empowered truth using her signature Pause, Realign and Rise framework.Karen is passionate about women's empowerment and helping clients confidently design their next chapter through 1:1 coaching, group programs, retreats, and her online Sanctum Community.✨ The deeper work lives on Substack and in my book.Rose Wippich — weekly essays on Remembering, Returning, and Reclaiming the energy, voice, and years that are yours.If you're ready to stop fading and start reigning, meet me there. Substack LinkRose Wippich is an Energy Alchemist, Reiki Master Teacher, qigong and yoga instructor, and author of Empress Rising. She's here for the woman who knows she's ready for something more — the one who feels the pull of her next chapter but isn't quite sure how to step into it.Through her book, podcast, and teaching, Rose inspires and guides women in midlife to reclaim their energy, identity, and voice — and step boldly into their Empress years.

Elena Poniatowska, Mexico's most celebrated journalist and one of the most significant literary voices in the Spanish-speaking world, argues in this conversation that the crisis of contemporary journalism is inseparable from the collapse of critical reading—and that both are symptoms of a deeper cultural abandonment. Born in Paris in 1932 to a French-Polish father and Mexican mother, Poniatowska contends that her formation as a writer was shaped by displacement, by learning to listen to those rendered voiceless by history, and by understanding that journalism must be an act of solidarity before it is anything else. Widely credited with helping to establish the genre of testimonio in Latin American letters, she transformed the voices of the marginalised into literature that forced an entire nation to confront its own silence. She maintains that her landmark work La Noche de Tlatelolco was not a journalistic achievement but a moral obligation, and reflects on her decision to refuse the Xavier Villaurrutia Prize, asking who would award the dead. Poniatowska insists that the greatest threat to literature and journalism today is not artificial intelligence but the disappearance of patience—the willingness to sit with a text, a story, or a life long enough for meaning to emerge. At 94, she affirms her belief in the innate goodness of human beings as not a sentiment but a necessity.Elena Poniatowska, la periodista más célebre de México y una de las voces literarias más significativas del mundo hispanohablante, sostiene en esta conversación que la crisis del periodismo contemporáneo es inseparable del colapso de la lectura crítica—y que ambos son síntomas de un abandono cultural más profundo. Nacida en París en 1932 de padre franco-polaco y madre mexicana, Poniatowska afirma que su formación como escritora estuvo marcada por el desplazamiento, por aprender a escuchar a quienes la historia había silenciado, y por comprender que el periodismo debe ser ante todo un acto de solidaridad. Ampliamente reconocida por haber contribuido a establecer el género del testimonio en las letras latinoamericanas, transformó las voces de los marginados en literatura que obligó a una nación entera a confrontar su propio silencio. Sostiene que su obra emblemática La Noche de Tlatelolco no fue un logro periodístico sino una obligación moral, y reflexiona sobre su decisión de rechazar el Premio Xavier Villaurrutia, preguntando quién iba a premiar a los muertos. Poniatowska insiste en que la mayor amenaza para la literatura y el periodismo hoy no es la inteligencia artificial sino la desaparición de la paciencia—la disposición a permanecer con un texto, una historia o una vida el tiempo suficiente para que emerja el significado. A los 94 años, reafirma su creencia en la bondad innata de los seres humanos no como un sentimiento sino como una necesidad.English transcript:SAVAGE MINDS — Elena PoniatowskaJulian Vigo (00:00:15):Welcome to Savage Minds.Julian Vigo (00:00:26):I am your host, Julian Vigo.Julian Vigo (00:00:30):Today's guest is Elena Poniatowska Amor,Julian Vigo (00:00:33):daughter of a French father of Polish origin, Jean E.Julian Vigo (00:00:37):Poniatowski, and Mexican mother Paula Amor.Julian Vigo (00:00:41):She was born in Paris in 1932.Julian Vigo (00:00:46):She has practiced journalism since 1953 at the newspapers El Día, Excélsior, Novedades, and La Jornada.Julian Vigo (00:00:57):She is the first woman to receive the National Journalism Prize.Julian Vigo (00:01:02):Among her works is La Noche de Tlatelolco,Julian Vigo (00:01:05):a classic since its publication, for which she was awarded the Xavier Villaurrutia Prize,Julian Vigo (00:01:12):which she refused, asking who was going to award the dead.Julian Vigo (00:01:17):Her novels and stories include La Flor de Lis,Julian Vigo (00:01:20):De Noche Vienes and Tlapalería,Julian Vigo (00:01:24):Paseo de la Reforma,Julian Vigo (00:01:26):Hasta No Verte Jesús Mío,Julian Vigo (00:01:28):The Life of a Mexican Soldadera,Julian Vigo (00:01:31):Querido Diego Te Abraza Quiela, Tinísima, winner of the Mazatlán Prize in 1992, La Piel del Cielo,Julian Vigo (00:01:40):winner of the Alfaguara Novel Prize in 2001, and El Tren Pasa Primero,Julian Vigo (00:01:48):about the lives of Mexican railway workers,Julian Vigo (00:01:52):winner of the Rómulo Gallegos International Novel Prize in 2007. Leonora won the Premio Biblioteca Breve Seix Barral in 2011. El Universo o Nada (2013) is the biography ofJulian Vigo (00:02:07):astrophysicist Guillermo Haro. Ondas de la Niña Mala is her first poetry collection, andJulian Vigo (00:02:14):her children's books include Boda en Chimalistac, La Vendedora de Nubes,Julian Vigo (00:02:20):El Burro que Metió la Pata, Sansimonsi, illustrated by Rafael Barajas el Fisgón, and ElJulian Vigo (00:02:27):Niño Estrellero by Fernando Robles, and El Charito Cantor by Osvaldo Hernández.Julian Vigo (00:02:34):Her most recent novel, El Amante Polaco, portrays the last king of Poland, Stanisław AugustJulian Vigo (00:02:41):Poniatowski. Translated into 20 languages. Gabi Brimmer and Las Mil y Una, the story ofJulian Vigo (00:02:48):Paulina,Julian Vigo (00:02:49):address social issues.Julian Vigo (00:02:52):After receiving honorary doctorates from UNAM and UAM,Julian Vigo (00:02:57):she was awarded them from the University of Puebla,Julian Vigo (00:03:01):Sonora, Estado de México,Julian Vigo (00:03:04):Guerrero,Julian Vigo (00:03:06):Chiapas, and Puerto Rico.Julian Vigo (00:03:09):She also received honorary degrees from the New School for Social Research in New York,Julian Vigo (00:03:13):Manhattanville College, and Florida Atlantic University in the United States, and fromJulian Vigo (00:03:19):Paris 8,Julian Vigo (00:03:19):La Sorbonne, and Pau-Pyrénées, as well as the Maria Moors Cabot Prize for Journalism atJulian Vigo (00:03:27):Columbia University, New York, in 2004, and from the Universidad Complutense, Madrid, inJulian Vigo (00:03:32):2015.Julian Vigo (00:03:34):She received the French Legion of Honour at the rank of Officer, the Gabriela Mistral Prize from Chile, and inJulian Vigo (00:03:41):2006, the Courage Award from the International Women's Media Foundation.Julian Vigo (00:03:43):In 2013 she was awardedJulian Vigo (00:03:49):the Miguel de Cervantes Prize for literature in the Spanish language, and she received theJulian Vigo (00:03:55):Belisario Domínguez Medal in 2022.Julian Vigo (00:03:58):This is the highest honour granted by the Senate of the Mexican Republic, along with theJulian Vigo (00:04:05):Carlos Fuentes International Prize for Literary Creation in the Spanish Language in 2023.(00:04:12):I welcome Elena Poniatowska to Savage Minds.Julian Vigo (00:04:19):I wanted to begin with a memory I have of you.Julian Vigo (00:04:22):In 1993,Julian Vigo (00:04:25):I think,Julian Vigo (00:04:27):or 94 —Julian Vigo (00:04:28):one of those two years —Julian Vigo (00:04:29):I was in Puebla,Julian Vigo (00:04:31):Cholula,Julian Vigo (00:04:32):teaching at the Universidad de las Américas.Julian Vigo (00:04:35):Yes.Julian Vigo (00:04:36):And you came to give a talk at an observatory — I believe it was Tonantzintla.Elena Poniatowska (00:04:44):Yes, of course.Elena Poniatowska (00:04:46):Yes, I remember it, andJulian Vigo (00:04:49):you made a great impression on me that day. But I must confess that your entire life's work made a great impression on me — not only on me. I wanted to begin with your formation, your life, because you were born in France andJulian Vigo (00:05:12):how do you remember your childhood in France, and what elements of that world did you bring with you when you arrived in Mexico in 1942?Elena Poniatowska (00:05:21):Well, thank you very much for your interest.Elena Poniatowska (00:05:29):I can tell you that I was born in 1932 in Paris, France, because my mother Paula Amor marriedElena Poniatowska (00:05:42):Juan Poniatowski, who held a noble title — that of prince —Elena Poniatowska (00:05:54):because the last king of Poland was Stanisław Poniatowski, who was, I believe, one ofElena Poniatowska (00:06:07):the lovers —Elena Poniatowska (00:06:09):one of the younger lovers of the Empress of Russia, Catherine the Great.Elena Poniatowska (00:06:21):My mother was a woman born also in Paris, of Mexican origin, who leftElena Poniatowska (00:06:32):France because of the Mexican RevolutionElena Poniatowska (00:06:36):and went to live with her parents — Pablo Amor and Elena Iturbe de Amor — inElena Poniatowska (00:06:49):Biarritz, and they later moved to Paris. My mother always spoke Spanish with a French accent. She had two sisters who also lived in France for a long time,Elena Poniatowska (00:07:07):and they were rather Frenchified. She met my father Jean Poniatowski in Paris andElena Poniatowska (00:07:20):married him, and I was born in 1932 in Paris.Elena Poniatowska (00:07:25):I would like to knowJulian Vigo (00:07:31):more about this experience, because as you probably know — especially Americans and Canadians — they think everyone wants to come to their countries. But something they don't know until they travel is that in Mexico, Honduras, and all of Latin America there is a great deal of immigration, people from every country in the world. Why not?Elena Poniatowska (00:08:01):Her mother was in France; my mother was Mexican, born in France. Her family — she had a grandmother, my mother's great-grandmother, who was Russian, and in general her father was educated in England, so they wereElena Poniatowska (00:08:29):Mexicans — Amor is a Mexican surname — but they were very closely tied to Europe. For my mother, living in Europe was very natural becauseElena Poniatowska (00:08:49):she first attended a boarding school in Switzerland, in Lausanne,Elena Poniatowska (00:08:56):and then was in Paris. At a Rothschild ball she met my father JuanElena Poniatowska (00:09:07):Poniatowski and married him in 1931,Elena Poniatowska (00:09:17):or perhaps at the beginning of 1932, because I was born on the 19th of May 1932.Elena Poniatowska (00:09:29):My sister was born in 1933.Julian Vigo (00:09:34):As a child who spoke French and had to learn Spanish, in what way did language become your first tool for survival?Elena Poniatowska (00:09:47):Well, I also know English and French. Language, for me — learning Spanish in Mexico — was obviously about communicating with people in the streetElena Poniatowska (00:09:56):and with friends at school. But French remained my mother tongue, andElena Poniatowska (00:10:03):later I dedicated myself to speaking Spanish with the people at home, with the MexicansElena Poniatowska (00:10:14):I met at school.Elena Poniatowska (00:10:23):Curiously, I attended an English school called the Windsor School, but I learned SpanishJulian Vigo (00:10:38):in the street — one always learns Spanish better in the street. You learn so much from people in Mexico. I found people very warm and open. On the other hand, for Mexicans in my country, it's not the same at all.Julian Vigo (00:10:59):What was the first moment you felt that writing was the only possible way to understand the Mexico around you?Elena Poniatowska (00:11:11):Well, I would never say it was the only possible way.Elena Poniatowska (00:11:17):I think that at twenty,Elena Poniatowska (00:11:22):twenty-one years old, returning from studying at a convent of nuns, I had theElena Poniatowska (00:11:30):good fortune to be able to start writing at a newspaper called, at that time,Elena Poniatowska (00:11:42):Excelsior.Elena Poniatowska (00:11:43):They asked me to submit a daily article,Elena Poniatowska (00:11:48):an interview,Elena Poniatowska (00:11:51):a chronicle, and I did so with enormous enthusiasm and great pleasure, because it allowed meElena Poniatowska (00:12:00):to know Mexico much better, and also to meet great figures of Mexico such asElena Poniatowska (00:12:09):Diego Rivera,Elena Poniatowska (00:12:11):José Clemente Orozco, actresses like Dolores del Río and María Félix, architects likeElena Poniatowska (00:12:20):Luis Barragán, and writers — even writers of my own generation, or slightlyElena Poniatowska (00:12:31):older than me — such as Juan Rulfo,Elena Poniatowska (00:12:38):Rosario Castellanos, Carlos Fuentes, and of course Octavio Paz.Julian Vigo (00:12:46):What a rich life! María Félix — what a figure!Julian Vigo (00:12:52):How was your experience beginning in journalism in the early 1950s in a predominantly male environment?Elena Poniatowska (00:13:05):Well, I was truly very lucky, because people were very kind andElena Poniatowska (00:13:14):even affectionate towards me. No one ever refused me an interview. I was able to reach Alfonso Reyes, Octavio Paz,Elena Poniatowska (00:13:25):the great architect Luis Barragán, José Vasconcelos the philosopher, and all were veryElena Poniatowska (00:13:40):kind and cordial with me, as were important actors like Ignacio LópezElena Poniatowska (00:13:51):Tarso,Elena Poniatowska (00:13:52):and of course those I already mentioned — Dolores del Río, María Félix — and singers, and also many visitors who came from Europe, the United States, or Latin America to perform in Mexico.Elena Poniatowska (00:14:20):Did you know El Indio Fernández?Elena Poniatowska (00:14:23):Yes,Elena Poniatowska (00:14:24):of course —Elena Poniatowska (00:14:25):I interviewed him,Elena Poniatowska (00:14:26):I knew El Indio Fernández, who by ten in the morning was already offering me a tequila, whichElena Poniatowska (00:14:35):I did not drink, as I'm not accustomed to drinking. And also many otherElena Poniatowska (00:14:47):famous actors of that era, like the comedian Cantinflas, whoseJulian Vigo (00:14:56):real name was Mario Moreno. Cantinflas — I know his work. Wow. And you were in Mexico during the same period as Luis Buñuel?Elena Poniatowska (00:15:06):Yes, I ended up with Luis Buñuel — yes, we had a great friendshipElena Poniatowska (00:15:15):because out of affection he came to have lunch at my house several times, so I saw him on manyElena Poniatowska (00:15:24):occasions. We even went together to the prison of Lecumberri to visit, for example, aElena Poniatowska (00:15:33):Colombian who had committed an offence and was imprisoned — his name wasElena Poniatowska (00:15:42):Álvaro Mutis.Julian Vigo (00:15:45):And you have lived through and narrated great social transformations.Julian Vigo (00:15:51):Do you think that today's digital democratisation of public opinion helps social justice, or does it rather dilute real struggles into mere narratives of identity and likes?Elena Poniatowska (00:16:08):Well, I think the Mexican Revolution,Elena Poniatowska (00:16:15):led by a man like Emiliano Zapata, was extraordinary in redistributing the lands and haciendas of Mexico and in giving all MexicansElena Poniatowska (00:16:32):access to better education, better formation, a better life. I consider thatElena Poniatowska (00:16:46):Emiliano Zapata was one of the great heroes of Mexico, even though he personally took away the haciendas of my grandparents, the Amors and the Iturbes.Julian Vigo (00:17:06):What did you learn from the great intellectuals of your youth?Julian Vigo (00:17:08):You mentioned Juan Rulfo, Alfonso Reyes, and many others.Julian Vigo (00:17:15):What influenced your decision to dedicate your life to letters?Elena Poniatowska (00:17:20):No, they did not influence my decision to dedicate myself to letters.Elena Poniatowska (00:17:26):I met them later.Elena Poniatowska (00:17:30):I began as a journalist, a modest journalist, at the newspaper Excelsior in 1953 —Elena Poniatowska (00:17:42):I think 1952 or 1953. Very young. I had come from an education at a convent of nuns inElena Poniatowska (00:17:53):Philadelphia, and I decidedElena Poniatowska (00:17:57):to write chronicles and interviews to get to know Mexico better. I came to know those figures through my work as a journalist, and because I could question themElena Poniatowska (00:18:14):in the language I knew and had learned as a child — at ten years old — which is Spanish. My other languages until then had beenElena Poniatowska (00:18:22):English,Elena Poniatowska (00:18:27):and French, which is my mother tongue.Julian Vigo (00:18:32):You are known for the testimonio.Julian Vigo (00:18:36):At what exact point did you feel that traditional fiction was not sufficient to capture Mexican reality?Elena Poniatowska (00:18:47):As I mentioned, I began by engaging with many valuable MexicansElena Poniatowska (00:18:54):who received me in their homes, gave me their opinions. At the same time as I received what they wished to give me,Elena Poniatowska (00:19:04):I observed how their homes were, how they treated the people around them — their wives, their children, their servants — and all of that helped meElena Poniatowska (00:19:22):to know Mexico better. I also spent a great deal of time in the streets — that is, with the poorest people, whom I was able to reachElena Poniatowska (00:19:34):through my own nature and also with the help of a great Mexican illustrator, Alberto Beltrán. In the street he made sketches of everything the Mexicans did — the newspaper vendors,Elena Poniatowska (00:19:59):the taco sellers,Elena Poniatowska (00:20:03):the women making corn tortillas by hand,Elena Poniatowska (00:20:12):the bakeries, and then the hardware stores where everything was sold — from nails toElena Poniatowska (00:20:22):cleaning cloths — and all of that was a very vital andElena Poniatowska (00:20:32):generous apprenticeship in learning to see the lives of working Mexicans.Julian Vigo (00:20:40):But it is an art — to be able to listen to people, to their voices.Julian Vigo (00:20:53):How did you learn to listen to the voice of the other?Elena Poniatowska (00:20:58):Well, I think it is a natural inclination.Elena Poniatowska (00:21:03):It is not learned.Elena Poniatowska (00:21:05):It is not forced.Elena Poniatowska (00:21:06):It is a way of being.Elena Poniatowska (00:21:10):I am far more interestedElena Poniatowska (00:21:11):in speaking of what others do, how they do it, and who they are, than in speaking of myself, my sensations, my emotions. And I have done this from a very young age, so it has become a habit — it is part of my daily life.Julian Vigo (00:21:36):Do you believe that the testimonio is essentially an act of political resistance?Elena Poniatowska (00:21:44):I think so.Elena Poniatowska (00:21:45):It helps enormously to know the thinking of those who have no power, who are not in power, who do not consider themselves political, who are not leaders — although I did have the great privilege of interviewing leaders and very important figures in Mexico,Elena Poniatowska (00:22:14):such as, for example, the Spanish refugee of the Civil War, Luis Buñuel.Julian Vigo (00:22:26):And how was the process of gathering the voice of Jesusa Palancares?Julian Vigo (00:22:32):How long did it take you to absorb her story?Elena Poniatowska (00:22:38):Well, it was a privilege. I heard her — she was doing laundry in a popular building, a building where many Mexicans lived who had noElena Poniatowska (00:22:56):economic resources. Everything she said caught my attention enormously. I approached her and asked if I could visit her at her home,Elena Poniatowska (00:23:13):which was a very poor house, obviously far from the area where I lived. And so I went toElena Poniatowska (00:23:26):see her once a week. We became friends, and she began telling me her life. And that is howElena Poniatowska (00:23:36):the novel Hasta No Verte Jesús Mío came about. When it was published,Elena Poniatowska (00:23:43):she asked me to give her ten copies to give to her friends —Elena Poniatowska (00:23:52):the bricklayers or the people she had worked with.Julian Vigo (00:24:00):And why did she choose the testimonial genre for Hasta No Verte Jesús Mío?Julian Vigo (00:24:09):It is one of the testimonial novels because —Elena Poniatowska (00:24:16):She didn't really choose it — she didn't. It was I who gathered her words andElena Poniatowska (00:24:27):assembled them in the best way I could. But she did not choose it.Elena Poniatowska (00:24:34):She could not read or write. She did not know how to read or write. But she asked for the books, and I — the cover of the book, what goes on the outside, is the Santo Niño de Atocha, a small Christ child that she liked.Julian Vigo (00:25:08):And I saw it in the street, and so I put it there so she would be happy. But I was asking you about the testimonial genre — in 1969 it was not a common thing in literature.Julian Vigo (00:25:26):How was this novel received?Julian Vigo (00:25:30):I wonder if people were confused.Julian Vigo (00:25:32):Is it a true story or is it fiction?Elena Poniatowska (00:25:35):No, it was very well received. The book was greatly liked.Elena Poniatowska (00:25:41):Immediately many editions came out and it was translated into English and French.Julian Vigo (00:25:51):And I wonder if at that time — less so today — people were confused because they did not know if it was a completely real story or partly real. Because the novel Hasta No Verte Jesús Mío was categorised as a novel.Elena Poniatowska (00:26:16):Yes, that's right, that is what it was.Elena Poniatowska (00:26:19):It is a novel based on a character — a woman who was in the Mexican Revolution, the life of a soldadera. To what extent is Jesusa an invented character or a real woman? I have said it, I have written it many times: Jesusa is a real character. After that I wroteElena Poniatowska (00:26:49):other books about other women who were also real characters. I had the joy of knowing Jesusa in person, but for example Tina Modotti, the main character ofElena Poniatowska (00:27:08):the novel Tinísima, I did not know. And other novels about other women and other characters I also did not know.Julian Vigo (00:27:22):What lessons about the resilience of Mexican women did you learn from Jesusa that remain relevant today?Elena Poniatowska (00:27:31):All the women in Mexico whom I see and engage with and encounter in the streetElena Poniatowska (00:27:41):and who come to my house — they are women who have known how to struggle and continue to struggle. For example, one woman, Rosario Ibarra de Piedra, whose son was disappeared, and who searched all of Mexico — she is obviously one of the heroines who has most caught my attention.Julian Vigo (00:28:10):And especially in recent years — almost thirty years — the femicides and the disappearances of men and women. You are still fighting for your society, and I think literary words have the power to carry reality forward. I am thinking of La Noche de Tlatelolco — that was the first book of yours I read. It is incredible. I have no words. Thank you. It is one of the best books of the twentieth century, and I teach it. It is astonishing. Can you speak about why you began that work, and also for those listening now who do not know the history of what happened in Mexico?Elena Poniatowska (00:29:03):Well, in general I can tell you that I received letters from a prisoner in the jail — Jesús Sánchez García — and I began going to Lecumberri, which was called the Black Palace of Lecumberri. It was no palace — it was a prison with bars and cells. I asked permission from the prison director — I believe his name was Martín del Campo — and he gave it to me. That is how I went to gather life stories from men, and later, at the women's prison, from women who had nothing to do with my own life, who bore no resemblance to what I hadElena Poniatowska (00:30:03):lived or what I would go on to live.Elena Poniatowska (00:30:16):That was an enormous enrichment for me, and a knowledge of an unknown Mexico that also helped me understand MexicoElena Poniatowska (00:30:31):— a Mexico to which I owe a great deal.Elena Poniatowska (00:30:35):I think that everything I am I owe to the voice, and to the gift of their voice, that the poorest Mexicans gave me — those I was able to approach over years and years,Elena Poniatowska (00:30:52):going to the prison and sometimes going to their own very poor homes, called vecindades, which were located in the very neighbourhoods where the prisons were.Julian Vigo (00:31:11):How did you manage the pain and trauma of the testimonies you heard while assembling the book?Elena Poniatowska (00:31:22):Pain is not managed. To manage something is to seek something. Pain is simply assumed and lived. So the pain is in the words written in the book.Julian Vigo (00:31:46):And why did you choose the technique of a collage of voices rather than a linear, chronological narrative for this book?Elena Poniatowska (00:31:57):I have many other books that speak even of personal stories — books that contain much of biography.Julian Vigo (00:32:13):Yes, but it is very interesting how you wove those narratives together in this book. It is very beautiful, in fact.Julian Vigo (00:32:24):Was there any moment during the writing of La Noche de Tlatelolco when you felt fear or censorship?Elena Poniatowska (00:32:33):Well, there was always the dread of entering terrain unknown to me.Elena Poniatowska (00:32:40):Ultimately, I was educated —Elena Poniatowska (00:32:45):I spent time in the United States at a convent to be educated, not to become a nun — it was called the Sacred Heart Convent.Elena Poniatowska (00:33:03):When I came out I was speaking English. My mother tongue is French. And when I left there, my strongest desire was truly to know Mexico — the country I had arrived in at the age of ten, but in which I had received an educationElena Poniatowska (00:33:30):in both English and French, not in Spanish.Julian Vigo (00:33:36):More than fifty years later, what impact do you think that book has on the collective memory of young Mexicans today?Elena Poniatowska (00:33:48):Well, I think that is a question that should be put to them.Elena Poniatowska (00:33:55):What I can say is that I have receivedElena Poniatowska (00:33:59):a great deal of affection from young people — many come to find me at my home, and I give lectures and talks with some frequency. Remember that I am already 94 years old and have lost the use of my left eye, which prevents me from seeing well. So within my limitations,Elena Poniatowska (00:34:27):I remain in contact with the people who want to see me, which for me produces great enthusiasm and which I experience as great support.Julian Vigo (00:34:42):The book you wrote is something very specific — evidently about Mexico — but it is still a book with which everyone can identify. If we look around today, where there are acts of political repression in almost every country in the world in one form or another — and I know your books are translated into many languages — I wonder whether the power of La Noche de Tlatelolco came from the form of the narration itself, not only from the fact that you confronted the government, the police, and justice. You narrated a story of the people seeking justice, yes, but literature itself was also seeking truth within its pages. There are wars everywhere, there is too much sadness. After the lockdown — which was less bad in Mexico than here in Italy — we are living through a very difficult moment. Do you sometimes think of this book as a model for dialogue, for collaboration, for moving forward together, the people united?Elena Poniatowska (00:36:09):Well, what I love about this book is that it has so many voices — many voices gathered from mothers of families, from children of political prisoners. For me it was a great learning experience to go to the prison in Mexico and see a world I did not know, to be accepted in that world, to go frequently to hear and gather the voices of political prisoners and of young people whoElena Poniatowska (00:36:52):didn't even have strong political ideas but were imprisoned because they had stolen something in a market. It meant entering a world I was completely unfamiliar with,Elena Poniatowska (00:37:13):to which I did not belong. And it was an enormous lesson — a very generous lesson — in how the lives of others can be. That is what I have dedicated myself to over many years, because I remain a journalist and continue writing about disasters such asElena Poniatowska (00:37:39):not only the massacre of the 2nd of October, but what the earthquake of 1985 meant for Mexico and the loss, for many Mexicans, of their families and their homes.Julian Vigo (00:37:59):Yes. You documented the earthquake of ‘85 — a moment when the Mexican government was completely paralysed and it was civil society that took control to rescue the city.Julian Vigo (00:38:15):Do you believe that peoples are still alone in the face of tragedy, or is that organic solidarity you described an invincible force?Elena Poniatowska (00:38:29):Yes,Elena Poniatowska (00:38:29):of course.Elena Poniatowska (00:38:30):I believe — that is why I believe in the invincible force of Mexicans, who help and support each other, who run to answer a cry for help. They are the ones who save themselves by saving others. I believe in that truth. It is a truth I lived, that I witnessed,Elena Poniatowska (00:38:57):and for me it is a lesson, a way of life.Julian Vigo (00:39:03):Does it reflect the structural abandonment of the seamstresses, the inhabitants, those who live in vecindades, and the poorest?Julian Vigo (00:39:13):How did you manage, in the midst of the chaos, the dust, and the mourning of those days, to earn the trust of people so that they would share their most painful and raw testimonies?Elena Poniatowska (00:39:30):Well, I have two physical advantages.Elena Poniatowska (00:39:32):I am small in stature. I frighten no one. No one is afraid of me. I can go anywhere. I am not someone who imposes anything at all, and I know how to listen. So by listening to others' voices, I gather them, I keep them, I memorise them,Elena Poniatowska (00:40:03):and then I put them on paper.Elena Poniatowska (00:40:06):That is the most solitary and difficult moment — writing about what happens to others,Elena Poniatowska (00:40:21):their sorrows,Elena Poniatowska (00:40:22):their joys,Elena Poniatowska (00:40:24):their defeats and also their triumphs —Elena Poniatowska (00:40:28):and making books and articles from them. Because I am also a journalist sinceElena Poniatowska (00:40:38):1953. I am now 94 years old.Julian Vigo (00:40:47):You're listening to Savage Minds.Julian Vigo (00:40:49):If you're enjoying the show, take a second to subscribe at savageminds.co.Julian Vigo (00:40:54):Feel free to comment below or drop us a line to share your thoughts.Julian Vigo (00:40:59):Support independent media today.Julian Vigo (00:41:01):Now, let's get back to it.Julian Vigo (00:41:15):Many consider that the earthquake of ‘85 not only brought down buildings but also toppled the myth of the Mexican State's absolute control — marking the true birth of modern citizenship in the country.Julian Vigo (00:41:33):From your perspective as a chronicler —Elena Poniatowska (00:41:40):I think Mexicans have always had enormous character and enormous capacity to defend themselvesElena Poniatowska (00:41:49):in spite of their own poverty, or in spite of the total absence of outside help.Elena Poniatowska (00:42:02):There was in Mexico a Mexican Revolution,Elena Poniatowska (00:42:08):a country conquered by very cruel conquerors, and yet the country has continued to forge ahead and has continued to demonstrate its bravery and courage in allElena Poniatowska (00:42:28):circumstances — one of which was, for example, the earthquake, in which the neighbours themselvesElena Poniatowska (00:42:37):helped each other before the State or the so-called government did anything.Elena Poniatowska (00:42:46):So I think it is a country with many very brave men, women, and children who save themselves, who know how to look after themselves.Elena Poniatowska (00:43:03):Of course there are people who don't know how to do it, and there are people who sometimes end upElena Poniatowska (00:43:12):in prison or in hospital. But in general Mexico is a country of very solidary people, people who help each other and defend themselves.Julian Vigo (00:43:31):What I love about your books in general is that you give voice — you shed light on the lives that are forgotten.Julian Vigo (00:43:42):Do you feel that in this book, for example, or in Nadie Me Verá Llorar, the author's voice becomes more present or closer to her characters than in your earlier works?Elena Poniatowska (00:43:56):No,Elena Poniatowska (00:43:57):I think that element is present in all my works — in Hasta No Verte Jesús Mío, in the book about the 2nd of October, in the earthquake — and it is always present in everything I still do at the newspaper where I work. I am in a certain way a chronicler and aElena Poniatowska (00:44:21):participant in the lives of other Mexicans.Julian Vigo (00:44:27):And I also notice that many of your works are about women — Tinísima, the life of Tina Modotti, a woman who lived so many lives in one. Leonora. And I wanted to ask — before we get to those books — about Querido Diego Te Abraza Quiela. Why did you choose that subject? Not only Diego Rivera but his first wife.Elena Poniatowska (00:44:59):I was moved to learn that in Paris, Angelina Beloff had gone to Mexico to seeElena Poniatowska (00:45:12):Diego Rivera, whom she had supported in Paris. He had lived with her and had livedElena Poniatowska (00:45:22):off her, because she was the one with a salary. He was a very young painter withoutElena Poniatowska (00:45:33):money, without resources. She helped him. And when she went to Mexico, she had also hadElena Poniatowska (00:45:42):the only male child that Diego Rivera ever had, who died of cold in Paris. And when she decided to go to Mexico — in a sense, to get to know the country of her lover — she decided to go to the Palacio de Bellas Artes because she knew that heElena Poniatowska (00:46:11):would be there. And he walked right past her — past the seat, one of those red velvet seats in the Palacio de Bellas Artes, called butacas, in which she was sitting — he walked past and did not even recognise her.Elena Poniatowska (00:46:40):That story struck me deeply, and that is why I decided to write the small book —Elena Poniatowska (00:46:55):it is not a very long book —Elena Poniatowska (00:46:58):called Querido Diego, Te Abraza Quiela.Julian Vigo (00:47:00):In Tinísima, what was it that drew you to the life of Tina Modotti?Elena Poniatowska (00:47:08):In reality it came from a request to make a film. The cinematographerElena Poniatowska (00:47:17):Gabriel Figueroa told me that a film was going to be made about Tina Modotti, the Italian woman who had been in Mexico. So I began interviewing all the people who had knownElena Poniatowska (00:47:38):Tina Modotti. And even when I was invited to France for a conference, I had theElena Poniatowska (00:47:47):opportunity to go to Udine in Italy to meet and get to know the siblings of Tina Modotti —Elena Poniatowska (00:48:00):to see them, interview them, speak with them.Elena Poniatowska (00:48:05):Then when I was told that the film about Tina Modotti in Mexico was no longer going to be made because there was no money, I — who had gone at my own expense to that conference in France and another writers' conference inElena Poniatowska (00:48:37):Italy — decided to launch into writing the novel called Tinísima, because I hadElena Poniatowska (00:48:48):interviewed many old communists whom I had gone to visitElena Poniatowska (00:48:56):in their various homes — generally very modest, very poor homes.Elena Poniatowska (00:49:03):I did not want to let them down, and so the novel Tinísima was published.Julian Vigo (00:49:10):And to what extent does Tina Modotti represent the struggle of the woman artist in the twentieth century?Elena Poniatowska (00:49:19):To the extent that she commits herself —Elena Poniatowska (00:49:23):she takes photographs of Mexico alongside Edward Weston, and then goes alongsideElena Poniatowska (00:49:33):Commander Carlos of the Fifth Regiment to Spain — she goes to the Spanish Civil War and becomes a nurse, caring evenElena Poniatowska (00:49:52):on the ground for the bodies that had fallen on the earth before taking them to the Red Cross — giving them first aid and dedicating herself to saving lives,Elena Poniatowska (00:50:08):or helping to save lives. I believe that many soldiers did not die thanks to the care of this womanElena Poniatowska (00:50:19):who was in the trench following the doctors.Julian Vigo (00:50:25):You have said that the writer must be a bridge.Julian Vigo (00:50:29):Between what worlds do you think it is most necessary to build bridges — or should we be breaking bridges today?Elena Poniatowska (00:50:38):No, I think one should never break a bridge, for anything.Elena Poniatowska (00:50:42):I think one mustElena Poniatowska (00:50:45):communicate — that the most important thing in the life of any human being is dialogue. Peoples too must dialogue with others in order to know each other. I think Mexico must have a dialogue with the United States, and that many Mexicans who have returned fromElena Poniatowska (00:51:09):the United States because TrumpElena Poniatowska (00:51:12):did not want to receive them, has rejected them — well, they nevertheless had, with another nation or with the inhabitants of another nation, knowledge and dialogue.Elena Poniatowska (00:51:28):And that I believe is what is called,Elena Poniatowska (00:51:34):within Catholicism if you like, or within any religion by whatever name it may be called — that is human fraternity. The otherElena Poniatowska (00:51:50):is the one who exists and who awaits you and whom you must help, because perhapsElena Poniatowska (00:51:58):one day you will need him to extend a hand to you.Julian Vigo (00:52:05):Trump is certainly a character, but I see the situation as too tragic for Americans — the United States, still my country — because the reality is that a large part of the Western world has absolutely no idea of the immense cultural, intellectual, and spiritual richness of Mexico.Julian Vigo (00:52:30):For me, it's not only Trump —Julian Vigo (00:52:32):but Americans, Canadians, etc.Julian Vigo (00:52:35):know nothing about the sharpest chroniclers of this country. If you had to open the eyes of an international audience completely unaware of Mexico's depth, what would you say is the most valuable treasure of Mexican identity that the rest of the world is missing?Elena Poniatowska (00:53:01):Well, I must say that many North Americans have come and written about Mexico — anthropologists and sociologists. We have Oscar LewisElena Poniatowska (00:53:17):and many others who have written about the poorest Mexicans, starting in Tepoztlán, a city near Mexico City, following them to the vecindades in the city where they took refuge and found very modest work. So yes, there have been North AmericansElena Poniatowska (00:53:44):who have written about the richness and beauty of Mexico, and their books areElena Poniatowska (00:53:53):translated into Spanish and are admired and appreciated by Mexicans who are grateful that attention is paid to them. So one cannot say that no one who has come from outside has cared about Mexico — in archaeology, in anthropology, as well as figures like Frances Toor, who was a North American woman who created a magazineElena Poniatowska (00:54:39):called Mexico Today and wrote extensively about Mexican customs and lived in Taxco.Elena Poniatowska (00:54:41):For example, a certain William Spratling enriched himself personally but helped many Mexicans inElena Poniatowska (00:54:51):Taxco to learn how to work silver and sell silver. And still today many foreigners and tourists go to buy silver objectsElena Poniatowska (00:55:10):that come from a mine discovered by foreigners — and clearly alsoElena Poniatowska (00:55:20):plundered, one might say, by foreigners.Julian Vigo (00:55:30):Because not everything is entirely good or entirely bad. But I was referring to the fact that — as you know, having been in the United States and many other countries — Trump and far too many people insufficiently educated about Mexico think that all Mexicans want to invade the United States. But the reality is otherwise. In Mexico there was a great cinematic tradition, for example. Mexican cinema has greatly influenced Hollywood — not only today but throughout history. The Oscar statuette itself was modelled on the body of El Indio Fernández. People do not know the depth of Mexican philosophy. I am thinking of Sor Juana, who contributed so much to poetry, theatre, even science — if we think of her letter to Sor Filotea, who was actually Manuel Fernández de Puebla. That dialogue was very important. Western feminists know nothing of these exchanges between those two figures. But for me Mexico has an enormous and very important force in the history of philosophy, science, and feminism. And I am thinking of Octavio Paz's book on Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, called Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, or The Traps of Faith. You knew Paz closely. Did you have conversations with him about his perspective on this book — especially regarding the power dynamics of the Church and the silencing she suffered as an intellectual woman?Elena Poniatowska (00:58:09):No, but I think you are mixing very many topics into one question, and it isElena Poniatowska (00:58:18):difficult to answer you because you are speaking of very diverse things that evenElena Poniatowska (00:58:27):happened in different centuries.Elena Poniatowska (00:58:30):Sor Juana — there have always been in Mexico,Elena Poniatowska (00:58:34):before Octavio Paz, people who dedicated themselves to reading,Elena Poniatowska (00:58:40):studying, and getting to know Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.Elena Poniatowska (00:58:45):I will not add more names to those you mentioned, but there are many studies and many Sor Juana scholars in Mexico, as well as at the University of SantaElena Poniatowska (00:59:01):Barbara, California, in Paris, in France —Elena Poniatowska (00:59:04):there are many studies on the great figures of Mexico — not only The Traps of Faith by the Mexican poet Octavio Paz. So these are studies that will continue and do continue. In California, for example, Sara Poot HerreraElena Poniatowska (00:59:32):is dedicated to studying Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, along with many other scholars — I don't know if she is still living — whose name was Rivers. All of these are studies that have been carried out in Mexico and outside Mexico.Julian Vigo (00:59:55):No, I was asking specifically about Paz's book because you knew him and —Elena Poniatowska (01:00:03):I knew him,Elena Poniatowska (01:00:04):I admired him, and I also wrote about him. I have a book about him. I admired him,Elena Poniatowska (01:00:12):I knew him, his poetry dazzled me. And he is a man whom I have admired since getting to know him, and whom I also hold with affection.Julian Vigo (01:00:29):I asked about your relationship with him because sometimes it happens to me too — with other writers — one asks or someone asks me, “Why did you do that?” It is a dialogue. Because that book, The Traps of Faith, had something very important — not only for Mexico but it placed the image of Sor Juana before the world. Many people began to ask who this nun was because it is very important. I was asking about the presentation Paz gave of her — whether you had any dialogues with Paz from your own perspective.Elena Poniatowska (01:01:20):Well, yes, of course. But there were others who also spoke at great length about Sor Juana de la Cruz — other Mexicans before Octavio Paz, other Mexicans who, for example, also concerned themselves with indigenous peoples, such as a priest — Ángel María Garibay — who was also a Sor Juana scholar. So there are many studies on Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and there are Sor Juana scholars in Santa Bárbara, for example, such as Doctor Sara Poot Herrera and others — a woman by the name of Rivers and many more.Julian Vigo (01:02:16):You have dedicated your life to listening and giving voice to those who have none, through the chronicle and literature.Julian Vigo (01:02:26):Today,Julian Vigo (01:02:27):with social media,Julian Vigo (01:02:28):it seems that everyone has a platform for opinions.Julian Vigo (01:02:32):But are we really listening?Julian Vigo (01:02:36):What happens to the power of the word when it becomes a constant noise, as in social media?Elena Poniatowska (01:02:45):I don't know.Elena Poniatowska (01:02:46):I suppose it loses efficacy.Elena Poniatowska (01:02:49):But that depends on the activity of each human being.Elena Poniatowska (01:02:58):There are people — elderly people, for example, people already old — for whom life,Elena Poniatowska (01:03:08):even in institutions, in care homes, means turning the television on from morning until night and being entertained — that is, entertained without making the least effort of criticism or thought in front ofElena Poniatowska (01:03:29):the television.Elena Poniatowska (01:03:31):I have seen that this has been very important in keeping the elderly calm andElena Poniatowska (01:03:41):allowing them to die little by little in institutions called health facilities, where they have thisElena Poniatowska (01:03:52):constant and rather sad entertainment. ButElena Poniatowska (01:03:59):as they say in Mexico: no hay de otra — there is no other option, or no other option has been found, or there are not enough people willing to dedicate themselves to attending to and caring for others. So I see it as an end of lifeElena Poniatowska (01:04:28):for an individual who was once a thinking individual, who knew how to act,Elena Poniatowska (01:04:37):who knew how to elevate himself,Elena Poniatowska (01:04:41):to become a better human being. And I find it sad.Julian Vigo (01:04:46):Today, and for twenty years now, I have noticed as a university professor that students are reading less and less. Today, with so-called artificial intelligence — so-called because intelligence it is not — students are not reading. How can literature or journalism restore the true value and depth of words when we are in a world full of social media, opinions, and videos of a cat doing something funny?Elena Poniatowska (01:05:31):Your question is very difficult because I don't have the answer.Elena Poniatowska (01:05:37):What I can say is that ultimately it depends on the teachers.Elena Poniatowska (01:05:44):It depends on students having a good teacher,Elena Poniatowska (01:05:49):because even I have seen in classes —Elena Poniatowska (01:05:54):in different classes —Elena Poniatowska (01:05:57):that many young people continue looking at their phones while the teacher is writing onElena Poniatowska (01:06:07):the board, or speaking, or giving a class.Elena Poniatowska (01:06:13):So we shall see whether the destiny of young people will depend on what theyElena Poniatowska (01:06:21):learn from their phone. I don't have a phone —Elena Poniatowska (01:06:27):I never bought one,Elena Poniatowska (01:06:28):never got one. Or whether they will be able to go beyond themselvesElena Poniatowska (01:06:37):and beyond above all what the phone wants to give you or teach you or not teach youElena Poniatowska (01:06:46):or distract you from — because ultimately it is a distraction. Yes.Julian Vigo (01:06:53):Writing something to share — in quotation marks — they are sharing nothing in the end. I have noticed that many people are sharing articles they have not read. Young people are embracing identity politics and cancel cultureJulian Vigo (01:07:16):in the absence of any engagement with material reality today.Julian Vigo (01:07:21):That is my fear —Julian Vigo (01:07:23):that the millennials,Julian Vigo (01:07:26):this generation of thirty-year-olds,Julian Vigo (01:07:31):are fixated on pronounsJulian Vigo (01:07:36):but do nothing to help their neighbour.Julian Vigo (01:07:41):They do nothing to fight for living wages.Elena Poniatowska (01:07:46):Well, not all of them.Elena Poniatowska (01:07:49):It's a generalisation, of course.Elena Poniatowska (01:07:54):But I think you are right.Elena Poniatowska (01:07:58):It is a generalisation, because in any case there are human beings who live for others.Julian Vigo (01:08:08):We are in two camps today, because during the lockdown I noticed that many people — even on the right — were fighting for the poor in the United States, where I published. I could not publish a single article questioning the lockdown. That is when I started Savage Minds, because I was asking: what is happening? I no longer recognise this world in which the left is pushing people not to speak. We weren't talking about the lockdown, and the right was speaking very openly. And I see that politically, left and right — there is no longer that dichotomy, so to speak.Elena Poniatowska (01:09:02):Yes,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:03):I thank you greatly for your interest and I thank you enormously for this conversation. I feel animated,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:11):I feel glad to hear what you are saying.Elena Poniatowska (01:09:19):But I do feel that,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:22):as you say,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:23):the speed,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:26):the pace of all events,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:29):the television —Elena Poniatowska (01:09:32):it sets critical thinking and reflection on events to one side,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:41):because everything must be immediate, mustn't it?Elena Poniatowska (01:09:46):That is to say, everything ends in a second. Even the deepest interests sometimes last onlyElena Poniatowska (01:09:56):a few — one might even think, as we say in Mexico,Elena Poniatowska (01:10:01):un ratito — just a little while. There is no continuity in ideas orElena Poniatowska (01:10:12):even in purposes. There is something we all know called habit, and each personElena Poniatowska (01:10:21):lives according to the habits they have established in order to keep going —Elena Poniatowska (01:10:28):to keep existing, if you will. To make it to night, fall asleep, and know that you will wake the following day. Or perhaps you won't wake, because — well, for example, IElena Poniatowska (01:10:45):am a person of 94 years old and I have no certainty that I will see the following morning. ButElena Poniatowska (01:10:55):what I do believe is thatElena Poniatowska (01:10:58):I believe in the innate goodness of every human being.Elena Poniatowska (01:11:03):I have to believe in it, because I need that hope.(01:12:02): Get full access to Savage Minds at www.savageminds.co/subscribe

Today on the Christian History Almanac, we remember the Empress who inaugurated the "Triumph of Orthodoxy." Show Notes: Germany / Switzerland - Study Tour Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on YouTube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: By Water and the Word by Brian Thomas: https://shop.1517.org/products/9781967920013-by-water-and-the-word?srsltid=AfmBOopBUXbtbkYK0o6UHbWQm8_6UA7hG6B4RXYSeMxos6wbtbxX3Hnk Being Family by Dr. Scott Keith https://shop.1517.org/products/9781964419961-being-family?srsltid=AfmBOooZqqK-X8KqD64jZn1qUUrqiRwO-l3S4Z_WtIcfayMLAlTyHgoN A Reasoned Defense of the Faith by Adam Francisco https://shop.1517.org/collections/coming-soon/products/9781964419879-a-reasoned-defense-of-the-faith Stretched: A Study for Lent and the Entire Christian Life by Dr. Christopher Richmannhttps://shop.1517.org/products/9781964419381-stretched The Essential Nestingen: Essays on Preaching, Catechism, and the Reformationhttps://shop.1517.org/products/9781964419121-the-essential-nestingen More from the hosts: Dan van Voorhis SHOW TRANSCRIPTS are available: https://www.1517.org/podcasts/the-christian-history-almanac CONTACT: CHA@1517.org SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Overcast Google Play FOLLOW US: Facebook Twitter Audio production by Christopher Gillespie (outerrimterritories.com).

Welcome to book three of Mage the Victorian Age! In this episode, the Doves go shopping and Josephine gets tatted out!Thank you to Bookwyrm Games for sponsoring Dork Tales this month! Use code DORKTALES to save 15% at https://www.bookwyrmgames.com! Orders over $100 also enjoy free shipping!#magetheascension #victorianage #magevictorianage #onyxpath #actualplay #worldofdarkness #mage***Kelly Clark as StorytellerStarringAmy Godfrey as Chastity Prudence GoodwinRobin Holford as Darcie HarknessJen Peters as Josephine CarringtonChristine Rattray as Evelyn Taylor ***Visit our website ► https://dorktales.caWatch us LIVE on Twitch ► https://twitch.tv/dorktalesJoin our Discord ► https://discord.gg/zVtE9AbFollow our Twitter ► https://twitter.com/dork_tales/Follow our Instagram ► https://instagram.com/dorktaleschannel/Find us on Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/dorktalescha...Listen to our Podcast ► https://dorktales.podbean.comSupport the show on Patreon ► https://www.patreon.com/dorktales/Buy official Dork Tales Merch ► https://teepublic.com/user/dorktales ► https://dorktalesstore.redbubble.com!***Music credits:Tracks from Joel Steudler Heartwarming Magic Adventure Licensed under a Humble Bundle Collection Music From Dark Fantasy Studio Hidden in the Dark Haunting BridesThese songs are Licensed under a Premium Licensehttp://www.darkfantasystudio.comMusic from Monument Studios: Vision of the Ancients ConsumedThese songs are licensed as part of the All in One Bundlehttps://www.monumentstudios.netLike what you heard? For background ambiance, we used sounds from Tabletop Audio for this session, just like we have for off-camera games for years! Tabletop Audio is a site with a full toolkit of songs, special effects, and soundboards to bring your adventures to life! https://www.tabletopaudio.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the Season 9 finale of Queens, we're back in Russia with Alexandra Feodorovna, the last Tsarina of the Russian Empire. When we last left Alexandra, she had married Tsar Nicholas II and stepped into one of the most powerful—and unforgiving—courts in Europe. Now, the pressure to produce an heir, her son Alexei's devastating hemophilia diagnosis, and the arrival of Grigori Rasputin will change the course of Russian history forever. As Russia faces war, political unrest, and revolution, Alexandra becomes one of the most controversial women of her era. But was she truly the villain history remembers, or a devoted wife and mother caught in an impossible situation? Join us as we explore Rasputin, the Romanovs, the Russian Revolution, and the tragic final chapter of the last Empress of Russia. Time stamps: 00:00 Intro & Patreon shout outs! 03:37 All Daughters No Heir 05:32 Stress and Phantom Pregnancy 08:52 Faith Healer Philippe de Lyon 09:53 IT'S A BOY! Then... uh oh 13:59 Rasputin Enters 21:05 Russo Japanese War 23:43 Bloody Sunday 29:25 War Sparks Suspicion 31:15 Alexandra as Regent 36:02 Rasputin's Murdered... probably not as dramatic as you've heard 38:55 Russia Collapses Into Revolution 41:14 Pulling up to the Abdication Station 44:13 House Arrest 49:53 Execution Night 52:59 Legacy and Remains Found 55:06 Final Toast and Farewell Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Trekking Through Time and Space... Hoai-Tran and Jacob tug at the "Tapestry" of their existence on Star Trek: The Next Generation and find the results moving and powerful. Less moving and powerful: Doctor Who's "Empress of Mars." Star Trek: The Next Generation: Aquiel - 1:08 Doctor Who: The Pyramid at the End of the World - 47:18 Episode Rankings - 1:25:05 Logo by David Scaliatine. Send all questions, comments, concerns, suggestions, and complaints to trekkingtimepodcast@gmail.com Support us on Patreon for early access to new episodes, weekly bonus episodes, and more.

*Welcome to Asgard! I upload my live streams from the main channel as podcasts so that if you miss an episode you can listen on your favorite podcast app! Check out my older episodes and please leave me some feedback with other things you may want to see in the future!Channel Links:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://lnk.bio/ombreviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Become a member today:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmKtlNiv6ht63DpTJN4B88g/join  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USE PROMO CODE: odin for 15% off at Displate!Displate:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://displate.com/odinsmovieblog?art=5d3bb7e9629af ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mail Me Stuff!OMB ReviewsPO Box 4432Chattanooga, TN 37405

Första gången Monolord var med i den här podden var våren 2014, samma år och månad som podden startade, strax innan debuten "Empress rising" släpptes. Sedan har bandet återkommit regelbundet och pratat om tunga riff, turnéliv och allt det som Monolord handlar om. Men det här är första gången alla tre medlemmar är med samtidigt. Thomas, Esben och Mika gör Magnus sällskap och pratar mer om det vi redan nämnt men också om soloprojekt, pauser, kreativitet, låtskrivande och mycket annat.  I samtalet nämns ett soundcheck i Royal Albert Hall. Det kan ni se här: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AYiABYs2a8w  Skivan "Neverending" släpps den 29 maj.

What does it feel like to lose your voice — literally — right before you're about to claim it?That's exactly what happened to me.I recently returned from the Azores — a volcanic archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic that sits on the St. Michael Ley Line, one of the most energetically potent lines on the planet. I went to rest. To restore. To breathe.The island had other plans.Within days, I lost my voice. And in the stillness that followed, something came through clear and undeniable:This isn't just losing my voice. This is an upgrade.What This Episode Is Really AboutI talk about:The woman I saw in a café in Portugal who stopped the entire room just by walking in — and what she taught me without saying a wordSix years behind this mic amplifying other voices while quietly dimming my ownThe visibility wound — what it is, why so many of us carry it, and why it shows up as perfectionism, waiting, and performing invisibility before anyone else can make us feel itWhy losing my voice in the Azores was the old energy leaving — literally, physically, cellularlyMy "fuck it" moment — the quiet internal shift that changed everythingWhat the Empress archetype actually looks like when you stop waiting for permission and start reigningAnd the thing I know now with absolute certainty:My age is not my liability. It is my greatest credential.IF YOU'VE EVER FELT INVISIBLE, THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU.You're in your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond. You feel the shift happening inside you. You don't want to light a candle and say a mantra — you want to shed your previous skin, reconnect with what got buried, and step into something bigger than what you've allowed yourself to be.This isn't decline. This is initiation.It's not just a returning. It's a becoming.And your reign? It begins internally.Grab the BookIf this episode resonated, Empress Rising is where we go deeper.This is the book I channeled when I woke up one morning and knew that the years ahead — the Empress Years — are not years of diminishing. They are years of expansion. Of invincibility. Of finally owning the wisdom you've spent a lifetime earning.

SUMMER OF SOCA TRACKLIST Knock It - Vghn Inch by Inch (Muv Short Edit) - Yung Bredda Addicted To Bad Gyal - Kimba Sorzano, MadLypso Bad Gyal (A.will Soca Remix) - 450 Masterpiece [Hill & Gully Riddim] - Kes No Sweetness - Kes Good Spirits - Full Blown The Truth - Machel Montano Eskimo - Trinidad Killa The Greatest Bend Over (Jap Intro) - Yung Bredda Kaya (Soundboy Ryan intro) - Freetown Collective X Soundboy Ryan Same Time - Lyrikal x MadLypso Last Train Muv Short Edit - Mical Teja Access Granted x One Piece (DJ Ste Transition) - Th3rd ft. Deli Banger x GBM Nutron Doux Doux Darlin (DM On The Edit) - Christo Rum & Coca-Cola (DM On The Edit) - Kes The Band Take Me Home - Freetown Collective Lost In Trinbago - Sherman de Vries, DJ Private Ryan, Zebee, Mela Caribe Compromise - Machel Montano, Tano Carnival Friend - Kes X Benjai Big Truck (Muv Short Edit) - Imani Ray Big Truck (A.Will Remix) - Machel Montano Sweet Music (Rizen Music Intro) - Voice x Trini Bab Action (D Ninja Edit) - Kimi Wet (A.Will Remix) - Bomani Rock So - Patrice Roberts x MadLypso Wedding Band (DM On The Edit V2) - Coutain Gimme Wuk - Darlin Sucre Pieces - Nadia Batson Body Tea - Adam O La Pli Si Tol - Mikado Trouble (She Hate Men) - Drej Weatherman 3style - Jordan English Not Yors - Motto Attack - Jagwa De Champ No Man Problems - Jagwa De Champ Banana (Clean) - Marzville Dansa (D Ninja Roadmix) - Klassik Frescobar Shots - DJ Cheem ft. Jagwa De Champ Shake It To The Max (Riddim Master Edit) - Moilly Ft Skillibeng BIANCA - PUMPA Go Crazy - Jougo Ringtone -Pumpa Call Pamela - Big Shaw Melissa Im Outside (Soca remix) Tempa Wine - Tempa x Machel Montano So D Badness Go - Sackie x Selectah Gas Best Friend - 1t1 In Di Corner - 1t1 ft. Miimii KDS Ouba - 1t1 & Theomaa Brave - Dynamite x DJ RyanFlossy The A List - Pumpa x DJ RyanFlossy High Beam (D Ninja Remix) - Lady Lava Tiger Baby (D Ninja Edit) - Salty x Militant x Travis World Waistilne Killa - Lyrikal Bamcie (Ninja Edit) - Yung Bredda x Added Rankin Tek Charge - Leadpipe Respectfully Yours - Full Blown Cyah Behave - D Ninja X Muv Roadmix - Voice Cyah Behave -Voice Who Badda - Lyrikal, Yung Bredda No Horn (Dj A.Will intro) - Lady Lava Tet La Freestyle (Raw) - Klassik Frescobar x Motto Gregoire -Twinsizz Tes Puni Pas De Kiki -Yoso Cornege Sé Miimii -Miimii Ft Dj Skycee Fair Excahnge - Mr Ridge x Problem Child x Nelly Cottoy 1T1 - Bouwey (Feat Théomaa) - 1T1 She Know The Way To My Home (Take The Bus Baby) (Mahaut Live) - Triple Kay International West Gyul - PNDRN Cry Me A River - Real Reel Up To - Gwada G ft. Niice, Savage, Freddy Vicks - Keeks Mafia Nouveau La - BRG Hollywood ft. Jixels Do Baby - Ridge & 1T1 Speedy da Bur! - Ridge Why Should I? - Redpunchdrip x Strosey x Devon Wiggle Jiggle - Dj Quest, Kaution Band, Empress, Soca Villan, Island Prince Still A Road Man - Bunji Garlin, XplicitMevon Encore - Machel Montano Move Out D Way - Paris Coutain, Machel Montano, Travis World Thousand - Bunji Galrin Mash Pit - Lyrikal Find Out (Raw) -Skinny Fabulous Look Something To Talk About - Ricky T Pull D Pin - Machel Montano, Skinny Fabulous, Lil Natty & Thunda Jab Payroll -Muddy NGF (No Good Friends) - Lavaman x Kay Frass Do For Do (Muv Short Edit) - Tallpree And Smokey Jab Decisions (Soundboy Ryan CLAP) - Vghn Explore - V'ghn Hotspot - Lyrikal Skeg Out - Lady Lava Stink Waist - Lyrikal x Travis World Can You Bend - Skinny Fabulous x Suhrawh x Travis World Bury All (D Ninja Edit) - Lil Kerry Grease It Down (DM On The Edit) - Dread Lion

“You stare at him, and he just stares right back…” Our rebels, plus two, make their way to the secret entrance to the shrine of Sarenrae under the Silver Star, but must first get past the Empress of Slime and her minions! Support us on Patreon to access our actual play of the Tyrant's Grasp [...] The post Hell's Rebels Episode 161: Erubdiya appeared first on Find the Path Ventures.

Kail and Becky still in sunny California with podcast reviews, tour updates, and plenty of chaos. From audiobook narration and listener feedback to relationship independence, personal space, trust, and keeping your own identity in a partnership, they get into what it really looks like to balance love and autonomy.Plus, they react to wild stories about phrogging, a controversial surrogacy story involving a late son's sperm, child support debates, Ted Lasso, movies that make them feel not smart enough, Brianna Chickenfry lore, and one Karma or Chaos submission about raising a troubled teen after a complicated family history.Get your Fatherless Behaviour Tour Tickets hereFor full videos head to patreon.com/kaillowry Follow Becky at Hayter25 and subscribe to For The HaytersThank you for supporting the show by checking out our sponsors! Veracity: For up to 65% off your order, head to VeracityHealth.co and use code KARMA.Tempo: Tempo is offering our listeners 60% your first box! Go to tempomeals.com/karmaShopify: to sign up for your one dollar a month trial period head to shopify.com/karma Progressive: Try Progressive's AutoQuote Explorer® today at progressive.comBooking.com: Head over to Booking.com and start your listing today. Get Seen. Get Booked on Booking.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We would love to hear from you. Send us your thoughts or suggestions. Eric and Andrea are reviewing The Way Home Season 4 Episode 4, and they are not on the same page. Eric calls this his favorite episode of the season so far, while Andrea is still only halfway into the pond. Nick time travels to the 1920s, someone wants Kat dead, and the tarot cards Tessa steals might actually mean something.What you'll hear:• Why Nick singing with the Augustine brothers at the speakeasy might be the best Nick moment of the entire series• Eric's take on why Kat and Elliott's relationship feels more like siblings or toxic friends than romantic partners• The tarot card breakdown: Knight of Cups and the Empress, and what they could actually mean for Tessa's future• Del's concussion visions of Colton, and whether she and Jacob were both running parallel delusions• Andrea's standout scene: Evelyn showing real compassion when Colton tells her about the miscarriage• The drowning scene cliffhanger: Kat was the target the Augustine brothers were told to "get rid of" — but by who?• Grayson Goodwin: good guy or bad guy? Eric and Andrea don't agree• Why Elliott stealing Kat's keys is giving "like mother, like son" energyChapters:0:00 – Intro: Eric's Favorite Episode, Andrea's Dipping Her Toe2:15 – Nick Time Travels & Golden Retriever Energy5:30 – Elliott and Kat: Crazed People Belong Together8:45 – The Tarot Cards Tessa Stole (Knight of Cups & Empress)11:20 – Standout Scene: Evelyn's Compassion for Del14:10 – The Drowning: Who Wants Kat Dead in the 1920s?17:30 – What We're Hoping Happens Next18:52 – OutroDid you catch that Hallmark actually showed smoking in the speakeasy scene? Drop your reaction in the comments

We return to Nghi Vo's Singing Hills series and discuss the three next most wizlez-adjacent books in it (to date.) Covered in this episode: The Empress of Salt and Fortune, The Brides of High Hill, and A Mouthful of Dust.

The Suame Constituency Women's Wing of the NDC publicly appealed to regional and national executives to resolve mounting grassroots apathy and neglect. Led by Women's Organizer Asmawu Bello (alias Empress), the group accused the Suame Municipal Chief Executive, Frank Owusu Ansah, of nepotism and sidelining active party members.

We talk about the famous Wu Zetian, as well as Kings Munmu, Sinmun, and Hyoso in Silla.  These were the rulers at the same time that Uno no Sarara was overseeing things in Yamato.  Here we see a bit of tit for tat politics between Yamato and Silla.  We also get a tale of personal sacrifice from veterans of the Silla-Tang war against Baekje. For more notes and references, check out our blogpost page:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-149 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 149: Kings, Queen, and an Empress   Uno no Sarara and her son, Crown Prince Kusakabe, sat in court.  The trappings of the recent mourning period had been put aside with the recent burial of Uno's husband, Ohoama, and they were now preparing for Crown Prince Kusakabe's coronation.  However, the matter in front of them had nothing to do with that.  Instead, they listened to an official recounting of what had transpired on the peninsula.  The court had explicitly sent an envoy to Silla to inform them of Ohoama's death, but it took much longer than it should have for Norimaro and his party to return.  There had even been an envoy mission from Silla while they were away. As Uno no Sarara listened intently, she found it harder and harder to keep her emotions in check.  She listened as the story of the Yamato mission was told, and as she heard of how her messengers were treated—how they weren't even allowed to tell the Silla court their news all because someone in Silla had decided that they weren't appropriate ambassadors. Silla had finally come to learn of Ohoama's death, and the mission returned home, but this treatment was inexcusable.  These were not just Yamato's messengers, they were carrying the royal word of Queen Uno no Sarara, head of the state and de facto ruler as they mourned the loss of her husband and predecessor.  To have them kept waiting because of some invented protocol was an affront to the nation, but it was also an affront to her. This. Would. Not. Do...     Greetings, everyone!  Thank you once again for tuning in.  As you may recall, last episode we covered the ceremonies around the death and burial of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, as well as the unceremonious death of Crown Prince Kusakabe, leading to the throne being taken by his mother, Queen Uno no Sarara, aka Jitou Tennou.  One aspect of everything that was going on was the relations with the continent.  This included missions from Yamato to the continent—especially those involved with communicating information about the changes in the Yamato court.  So this episode I thought we could look at some of the things we see in the record and go over where things sat with regards to the continent. First things first, let's brush up on where we left off.  Back in episode 140 we talked about how the Silla-Tang alliance had broken down.  With Baekje and Goguryeo both defeated, the Tang had set up commanderies to oversea captured territory in both kingdoms, and even though Emperor Tang Taizong had promised Silla suzerainty over Baekje, his successor, Gaozong, had not adhered to that agreement.  In response, and with the help of Goguryeo rebels, Kind Munmu of Silla had fought back against the Tang forces, eventually consolidating everything south of the Taedong river, approximating the extent of the modern country of South Korea. Meanwhile, Goguryeo rebels continued to trouble the Tang, and King Bojang set up by the Tang dynasty would eventually betray them, allying with the northern Malgal people.  They would continue to fight to restore their sovereignty.  With pressure from Silla and Goguryeo, the Tang commandery pulled back from Pyongyang to Liaoyang—effectively putting the mountainous regions at the head of the Korean peninsula between them and their enemies.  Silla control was de facto, but would not be recognized formally by the Tang dynasty until the early 8th century.  That didn't meant they were completely at odds, however.  Silla would resume diplomatic mission to the Tang, despite their territorial disagreements. Silla's King Munmu, who had pushed back against the Tang, was succeed by his son, known as King Sinmun.  Sinmun had been Crown Prince during the wars against Baekje and Goguryeo.  Much as Ohoama and Uno no Sarara had been doing on the archipelago, he was working to centralize royal authority in Silla. In 681, as Silla was still mourning the death of King Munmu, a rebellion broke out.  It was led by a high ranking Silla official, and father-in-law to Sinmun, Kim Humdol.  It was quickly put down, and Kim Humdol and other officials who were implicated were executed.  This was actually a golden opportunity for the new King Sinmun to help purge the court of any rivals or ministers with less than absolute dedication to his plan to centralize authority. I kind of get the feeling that, for all of the past conflicts between their nations, Sinmun, Ohoama, and Uno might have gotten along quite well.  However, that didn't stop the fact that they were rulers of rival nations, and while they may have had similar concepts of leadership, they also were focused on their own rule and authority. To that end, Sinmun also reached out to the Tang court with tribute missions, and in so doing was at least recognized by the Tang court, who enfeoffed him as King of Silla.  This appears to have been a bit of polite fiction, but that was how a lot of this operated, ultimately.  King Sinmun would have held power in Silla regardless of the Tang court's approval, but the fiction that the court had bestowed his authority no doubt provided some diplomatic benefits, and a context within which to operate on the international stage.  It also no doubt allowed for increased trade, bringing in exotic and high status items, which would have been useful for boosting approval ratings back home. King Sinmun ruled until his death in 691.  He was succeeded by his son, known as King Hyoso.  However, Hyoso was young—about 5 years old when he took the throne.  And so his mother, Queen Sinmok, acted as regent for much of his reign—right up until her death in 700.  Hyoso ended up reigning for a decade, until 702, meaning that he and his mother reigned throughout Uno no Sarara's period as sovereign in Yamato. Hyoso's reign saw continued progress towards centralization of authority, as well as improved relationships with the Tang court.  Silla maintained diplomatic ties and tribute missions, and the Tang court conferred recognition on Hyoso as the King of Silla, in return. Speaking of the Tang Court, Emperor Tang Gaozong passed away before Ohoama had, departing this world in 683.  However, for all that he was the emperor, he had not really been the one running things for some time.  Gaozong came to the throne at roughly 21 years of age, and throughout most of his reign he had to share power with others in the court.  Originally this meant high ranking minister, but there was also his wife, Wu Zhao, aka Wu Zetian.  Wu had been a consort under Tang Taizong, and then continued as a consort for Gaozong as well.  Then, in 655, she was officially made empress. In 660, Gaozong began to suffer from an unknown illness, characterized by headaches, dizziness, , and occasional seizures and loss of vision.  Some have suggested it was a stroke or some form of hypertension.  Either way, these symptoms would plague him for the rest of his reign, and so he began to delegate more and more authority to Wu Zhao, who would handle things on his behalf. Thus, Wu was effectively already running things by the time of Gaozong's death in 683.  At that point, she became the Empress Dowager, and her third son became emperor Zhongzong—at least in name.  Because Wu Zhao maintained all of the power and authority at court.  She was, in fact, the regent, and a mere six weeks after Zhongzong took the throne he was removed by his own mother.  It seems that Zhongzong, who came to the throne at the age of 28, was showing signs of being a little too much under the influence of his wife, Empress Wei.  In fact, he is said to have considered giving her the Empire.  And so Wu had him deposed and exiled.  She then had his younger brother made Emperor Ruizong, though still under Wu Zhao's term as regent. Ruizong was about 22 when he took the throne under his mother in 684.  He would continue to reign until 690, when he abdicated the throne in favor of his mother.  From that point on, Wu Zhao ruled as the sovereign for another 15 years, until the year 705, declaring it a return of the ancient Zhou dynasty.  In other words, for all of Uno no Sarara's reign in Yamato, another woman, Wu Zhao, sat atop the traditionally patriarchal seat of power in the Tang—and later Zhou—court. Wu Zhao is more commonly known to us, today, as Wu Zetian.  This comes from her final title as reigning monarch:  Zetian Dasheng Huangdi, or Heaven-following Great Holy Emperor.  She is often depicted as a ruthless and politically savvy ruler who usurped the throne through her feminine wiles and violence.  We see how she dethroned her own son to avoid him giving up the throne to his wife.  She is also said to have had another son killed because of her ambitions, and is even accused of killing her own daughter just to blame a rival at court.  She is also depicted performing plenty of other unflattering acts. Of course, it is worth noting that she was not the one to write her own history.  After her reign, her epitaph was inscribed by her own political rivals.   It is notable that she is the only Empress to be recognized as ruling in her own right in the entire history of China.  Certainly there were others who reigned as regents, and women with tremendous power and influence, but none of them really held the throne uncontested. Given the animosity of the authors who wrote about her reign, we have to take anything we hear about Wu Zhao with a bit of salt.  On the other hand, Tang dynasty imperial politics were ruthless, and you didn't get to the top because you had a charming demeanor.   While there is no doubt more than a little slander written into the history books, one only has to look at the men who ruled before and after her to wonder whether she really did anything that was so much better or worse than what they did.  Just keep that in mind as we go through some of what she was accused of. Now what we are told is that with her younger son, Emperor Ruizong, she was only nominally pretending to be regent.  She didn't bother to hide behind a screen with him out front and we are told she openly whispered answers and commands that Ruizong would immediately parrot.  Ruizong never moved into the imperial suites of the palace, which his mother maintained.  Ruizong didn't even attend imperial functions, and officials were not allowed to meet with him privately.  An uprising in Yang state was said to be in part because of her rule, and it was suggested that she should step aside and let her son truly rule to restore confidence, but she was having none of it and had those who suggested it arrested.  Later, she would institute post boxes around government buildings for people to snitch on those around them who might be disloyal, and she instituted secret police, who investigated various rumors and false accusations with torture, leading to numerous executions. In 685 she is said to have had an affair with a Buddhst monk, Huaiyi, who was then conferred with various honors.  Then, in 686, she offered to return the throne to Ruizong, but Ruizong, realizing that there was no way she would let go of power, saw it as a test of his obedience, and declined.  In 688 she summoned senior members of the Li Family, the family of the Tang emperors, under the pretense of making sacrifices to the spirit of the Luo river, which flowed through the Eastern Capital of Luoyang.  Several of the Princes of the Li house were worried that she was going to slaughter them all, Red Wedding style, if they showed up, in order to secure the throne to herself, and so they plotted to rebel, but coordination was not the greatest back then, and two princes rose up before the others were ready.  They were crushed, and many other members of the Li family were implicated, arrested, and forced to commit suicide.  In 690, she completely did away with any dissembling and declared a new dynasty—the Zhou dynasty—declaring herself Shengshen Huangdi, or Holy Divine Emperor of the Zhou dynasty.  And yes, this is the same Zhou as the ancient Zhou dynasty—she was apparently claiming descent from the ancient rulers of Zhou. Her son was thus deposed and she ruled uncontested from 690 until her death in705.  She would go by various names.  Three years in and she would add "Jinlun", or "Golden Wheel" to her title, referring to the Buddhist concept of a Chakravartin, or Golden Wheel Turning Monarch. This latter title came in part as she is said to have elevated the foreign religion of Buddhism over the native Taoist religion.  She is also said to have built numerous temples around the capital cities and elsewhere.  In 692, the rising power of the secret police appeared to have been halted.  One of the officials in charge, Lai Junchen, attempted to have a handful of officials executed for false accusastions.  He told them that if they confessed to the accusations, their lives would be spared, and so many of them confessed to the false accusations, but Junchen conspired to have them executed anyway.  One of the officials was none other than the famous Di Renjie.  Renjie wrote a petition on his blanket and then hid that with the laundry that he sent to his family when it was time to change from winter to summer robes.  His family found it and submitted the petition to Wu Zhao, who became suspicious of Junchen.  For his part, Junchen has submitted forged petitions from the prisoners, thanking Empress Wu for preparing to execute them. Other accusations against Junchen's methods came to light, and so Empress Wu interrogated the prisoners personally.  They all disavowed their confessions, and so Wu commuted their sentences from death to exile.  Junchen continued to operate until 697, but there seems to have been a notable decrease in the number of executions after that point.  He would eventually go too far, and planning to accuse the Li and Wu princes and princesses of treason, but they acted first and he ended up being executed.  Without Lai Junchen, the secret police seem to have largely fallen apart. As for Di Renjie, he eventually worked his way back into the good graces of Wu and the court, eventually being recalled to Luoyang to serve.  Di Renjie's own legend grew, and in the 18th or 19th century he was recast as a kind of Tang dynasty detective in the historical crime drama genre popular at the time.  The book, "Di Gong An", or "Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee", was found by a Dutch Ambassador to China, Robert van Gulik, in a used bookstore in Tokyo, of all places.  Van Gulik would go on to translate the stories and penned a number of others using the style and characters of the original.  Judge Dee was cast as the "Sherlock Holmes of China" and has since become popular in both China and the West.  The first novel in the series was actually set in the time of Empress Wu. Robert van Gulik also had several scholarly works, including a translation of the Tang Yin Pi Shih, a 13th century manual for magistrates with examples of cases spanning approximately 1400 years, from the Qin to Song dynasty.  This work really helps to illuminate how the ancient justice system worked back then.  Fictional detectives aside, Empress Wu would continue to reign over an impressive period in history.  There were plenty of deadly politics, various attacks by outside forces, and more. Overall, it was a fairly prosperous time for the empires. When Wu passed away in 705, her son, Emperor Zhongzong, resumed the throne, ending the Zhou dynasty and resuming the Tang dynasty of the Li family.  Still, Wu Zhao, aka Wu Zetian, would be well remembered.  She was buried in the Qianling Mausoleum, near Chang'an, alongside her late husband, Emperor Gaozong.  Various other members of the Royal Li family were also buried there, and many of their tombs have been opened.  The paintings, statues, and artwork and funerary goods provide a tremendously detailed look at Tang court culture and society at this time.  Statues outside indicate officials and ambassadors from across the Tang courts sphere of influence.  There are depictions of court dress and the elaborate hairstyles, fabrics, and more, as the tombs generally include court men and women.  The famous mural of the Ambassadors is shown with Korean, western, and possibly even a Japanese envoy.  The murals also show architectural elements of ancient Chang'an and more. The tombs of Gaozong and Zetian clearly known, but currently have not undergone excavation.  Much like with the tomb of Qin Shihuangdi, the government has put a moratorium on opening the tombs until they can be sure that everything can be properly protected as they do so.  There is a huge concern that the tombs could be robbed or that priceless works could be damaged if they are opened improperly or without sufficient techniques to adequately preserve them. As noted above, although Empress Wu is often demonized by historians, we have to ask if her reign was truly so much different from others.  She was certainly a woman taking power in a male-dominated system.  Where a man projecting power was seen as normal, Empress Wu was seen as perverting the natural order.  An emperor taking to bed numerous consorts and concubines was considered only natural.  However, Empress Wu taking to bed various men for her own enjoyment was seen as licentious and indecent.  The double-standard seems pretty clear. I even have to wonder about things like the secret police.  While it certainly is alarming to see a government sending people out to arrest and charge people on the barest of evidence, often with little or no accountability or transparency, one should consider what justice looked like at the time, more generally.  Tang dynasty justice was often harsh, and torture was considered a standard practice to elicit a confession.  Once someone was accused of a crime, their guilt was assumed, and it was on them to prove their innocence.  This was a tall order, as the thinking of the day was often that if you hadn't done anything wrong, why would anyone risk falsely accusing you?  So clearly you had done *something* to disrupt the social order, even if it wasn't what you were actually accused of. Furthermore, there is a fine line between rooting out disloyalty to the regime and rooting out corruption.  Anonymous tips can be used to call SWAT to someone's house, but it can also be a way for a whistleblower to alert those in authority that something untoward is going on.  And something begun with the best of intentions, can easily be corrupted, especially in the wrong hands. And so I think we can give Empress Wu at least the benefit of the doubt that she seems to have tried to do right by the people and her country.  The Tang court, by all accounts, was a nest of vipers, and I don't think she was a saint, but neither was she the devil incarnate. In fact, a lot of the accusations against Empress Wu would appear to be paralleled, years later, in the archipelago—possibly being parroted by men who were aware of the anti-Wu propaganda.  Kouken Tennou—who would also reign a second time as Shoutoku Tennou, was embroiled in conflict. Like Wu, she came to power in a court embroiled in familial politics.  She was known to be a supporter of Buddhism, and she was also said to have had an affair with a monk, Doukyou, upon whom she is said to have lavished power and authority.  She is also said to have modeled her nengo, the auspicious names for the year, off of Empress Wu.  After her death, her reign was used as a reason why there was not another regnant female sovereign on the throne until the Edo period, and she is often seen as the Last Female Sovereign, much as there was never another Empress regnant amongst the various Sinic dynasties. However, returning ourselves back to the 7th century, those histories had yet to be written.  Instead, one has to wonder how much communication there was between the continent and the archipelago.  Did Uno no Sarara realize that she was not the only woman taking charge at that time?  Was Empress Wu considered a model for her?  Or was she seen as more of a rival?  Or was it neither?  Did either one regard the other at all, embroiled as they were in their own, local and domestic pursuits? If they did, there isn't much, if anything, in the record. There is plenty to be said about relations with both Silla and the Tang dynasty in general, however.  Most of the focus was actually on Silla, to be honest—not surprising given Silla's place in the international arena in relation to Yamato. Last episode we mentioned that an embassy was sent to Silla to announce the death of Ohoama.  It was only several months after he had passed away, on the 19th day of 687.  The chief and assistant envoys were Tanaka no Ason no Norimaro and Mori no Kimi no Karita.  Norimaro is listed as Jikikwoshi rank—the lowest of the Jiki category, which was the 3rd of 6.  This put him about 24 ranks down in the 48 rank system.  Karita, on the other hand, was Tsuidaini, putting him at about 43 of 48 court ranks.  Normally, I don't pay too much attention to the ranks that are given in the Chronicles, mainly for two reasons.  First off is that you aren't always sure that the rank given in the Chronicle corresponds with the rank at the time of the event—sometimes we see ranks that are clearly anachronistic—typically later in their life.  Since people don't typically drop in rank, unless they are demoted, this usually gives you some information, but not always. The second reason I often don't pay attention is because it usually isn't germane to the story.  It is why I'll also drop the uji and the kabane, once we establish a particular person.  Otherwise it feels like word salad. Every once in a while I do like to look at the ranks, however, because they do give us information about things like the individual's general position in the court hierarchy.  In this case we see that, of the officials selected for this assignment, one was near the bottom of the upper half of the court, while the other was really in a much more junior position.  I believe this may also be important later on, because there was a certain expectation that the person representing a sovereign in diplomatic situations would have sufficient rank to indicate some amount of pull, back home. The mission of Norimaro and Karita to Silla may have been ordered in the first month of the year, but it seems it likely took time before it actually left—or something happened.  I say this because in the 9th month we see an embassy from Silla arrive, and they are apparently unaware of any changes in the archipelago.  The embassy was headed by the Prince Gim Sangnim.  We are also told that there were two other officials, Gim Salmo and Gim Insyul, both of Geupson rank.  Then there was So Yangsin of Daesa rank.  That was two of vice ministerial rank and one of lower official rank.  These ranks were connected both to their office and to their family, as Silla still used a fairly rigid system based on the rank of one's family, similar to the way that the old Kabane system worked before it was reformed under Ohoama in the previous reign. The embassy from Silla also included a student-priest, Chiryu.  Presumably Chiryu was from Yamato and had gone abroad to study, and was now making his way back home. It appears as though the embassy had no idea that Ohoama had passed away as we are told that they had to be informed by the Dazai—the Viceroy of Tsukushi.  Once they were informed, they all put on mourning clothing, turned towards the east—towards the capital of Yamato—and they bowed three times and then cried out lamentations three times. I would note that there is another record in the first month of the following year, which states that Gim Sangnim and his colleagues were informed of Ohoama's death and lamented three times.   That could just be a misplaced duplicate of the previous entry, about the embassy—possibly it got recorded multiple times and different ways and on different dates.  It isn't exactly clear.  Either way, it seems that this was not meant to be an official condolence envoy, but just a regular embassy bringing trade goods disguised as tribute.  In fact, in the 2nd month of 688 we are told that the Viceroy of Tsukushi presented the tribute from Silla to the capital.  It is said to have included gold and silver, thin silks, cloth, skins, copper, and iron.  There were also images of the Buddha, all kinds of coloured fine silks, birds, and horses.  Sangnim himself had presents of gold and silver, colored stuffs, and various rarieties—80 items all told.  Sangnim and his crew probably didn't travel to Asuka, because we are told that as of the 10th day of the 2nd month of 688 they were being entertained in the Tsukushi government house, where they were given various gifts by the court, and then they headed out on the 29th day of that month. A year after that, in the first month of 689, Norimaro and Karita returned from Silla, suggesting that the two embassies really had just passed each other—such were the issues with international travel back in the day. Now, normally, we don't hear much about what happened during these embassies.  The Nihon Shoki doesn't typically record anything, possibly because they just didn't have any records.  And the records in the Samguk Sagi often don't mention anything, either.  It is possible that it was just considered too routine to mention the ins and outs.  However, in this instance, we may have some insight, because it is mentioned later in the narrative. You see, four months behind Norimaro and Karita came the formal Silla condolence envoy.  It was headed by Gim Dona, of Geupson rank—so a vice minister instead of a prince heading up the embassy.  Silla also sent student-priests Meiso, Kwanchi, and others, along with a gold-copper image of Amida Buddha and a gold-copper image of Kannon and an image of Daiseishi Boddhisatva, along with colored silks and brocades. A month after they arrived, the condolence envoy received a message from none other than Queen Uno no Sarara herself, but this was not necessarily a good thing.  In fact, she appears to be dressing down the Silla envoys and the Silla court more generally, because of how things had gone with Norimaro and Karita—and this possibly also explains why it took so long for them to get to Silla and back. According to the Yamato court, Norimaro and Karita were sent to Silla to announce the death of Ohoama.  However, Silla protocol stated that persons charged to deliver a royal message had always had the rank of Sopan. This appears to be equivalent to the rank of Japchan, and indicates the third rank in Silla's system.  Because of this, Queen Uno's message goes on to state, Norimaro and Karita were not allowed to deliver their message about Ohoama's passing to the court.  However, back when Karu—Koutoku Tennou—had passed away in 654, Kose no Inamochi went to announce the funerals dates, and he was received by Gim Shunshun listened to the report.  So saying that it is someone of the third rank that is needed goes against precedent. Furthermore, when Naka no Oe passed away in 671, Silla sent Gim Salyu, who was of 7th rank, but now they send someone of 9th rank.  So if precedent was to be followed, wouldn't that also be a problem? This whole thing is really fascinating in that it demonstrates the kind of delicate balance and back and forth that was going on—and I suspect that it was growing even more specific as each country was adopting more rules and laws, and compiling them into codes.  It is notable that the Chronicles make sure to state the rank of each ambassador from Silla, at least in the last several reigns.  That suggests that the government was tracking such things, and that it was important. The rest of the screed by the Yamato court seems a little more about setting out Yamato's position on Silla-Yamato relations.  Here Yamato puts words into the mouths of former Silla officials, claiming that they always addressed Yamato's sovereign with deference.  Yamato claimed Silla had promised service to Yamato since the remote royal ancestors, promising that the oars of the ships bringing tribute to the archipelago would "never become dry", and yet this time, there was only one ship that came to offer condolences.  Furthermore, the Silla kings were to serve the sovereigns of Yamato faithfully, but they had now broken the faith. Therefore their tribute goods were sealed up and returned back. That said, they weren't completely breaking off communications.  This was a rebuke, certainly, but they were willing to keep channels open with hopes that relations might improve in the future. My read on all of this is that the Yamato envoys to Silla had been snubbed by that court for not being of appropriate station by Silla's rules.  Therefore, in a tit-for-tat move, Yamato was treating the condolence envoy similarly. That doesn't mean they didn't show them any hospitality, though.  Queen Uno no Sarara had the Viceroy, Awada no Mabito no Ason, give the student-priests Meiso and Kanchi, who had just come back with the condolence envoy, 140 kin of floss silk for their teachers back in Silla, in apparent gratitude.  And then a few days later they were entertaining the condolence envoys in Wogohori in Tsukushi, and giving them various presents for their trouble. This is likely the kind of "don't shoot the messenger".  Sure, they were returning the tribute and sending a message to Silla, but that wasn't the fault of Gim Dona and his colleagues.  And they were now taking a rather disappointing message back with them—I doubt anyone wanted to be in Gim Dona's shoes as he told the court what had transpired. Gim Dona and crew left shortly after that.  From there, we don't have a lot of information on what happened.  The Silla annals of the Samguk Sagi don't record Gim Dona's embassy, let alone what happened when they came back.  However, Silla  would send future envoys, and diplomatic relations between the two countries continued throughout the reign.  The Silla embassies from that point on are largely, for our purposes, unremarkable.  I may mention them if they relate to other items of note, but for the most part there is really only two other embassies of note, and they were in the year 693.  The first was from Silla, led by Gim Gangnam of Sasan rank, along with Gim Yangweon of Hannama rank—so 8th and 11th rank in the Silla hierarchy, apparently.  They had come to announce the death of King Sinmun, who had passed away the previous year.    And so, on the 16th day of the 3rd month, an embassy was prepared to depart for Silla.  It was headed up by Okinaga no Mabito no Oyu, of Jikikwoshi rank—much as Norimaro had been.  He and his proposed vice envoy, Ohotomo no Sukune no Kogimi, who was Gondaini rank—27th of 48—were both given gifts prior to their election as ambassadors, and were sent as condolence envoys, themselves. Meanwhile, let's take a look at Yamato's interactions with the Tang dynasty. First of all, we see a note in the 6th month of 689 that presents of rice were given to Xu Shouyen, Sa Hungko, and others from the land of the Great Tang.  So was this an embassy?  Not quite. Remember that little scuffle back in the 660s on the Korean Peninsula?  That special military operation by Silla and Tang forces against Baekje, where Yamato had tried to assist, only to have their navy bested by Tang forces? Well during the fighting , there had been numerous prisoners taken, on both sides.  Xu Shouyen and Sa Hungko were two such prisoners.  Except that "prison" in this case was largely being sent to live off the land.  They were probably forced to do labor, though if they had special skills, such as reading and writing, they may have been put to work in another way.  Indeed, we later see these two mentioned not as prisoners or even slaves, but as teachers of "pronunciation".  They were even given rice-land and stipends of their own.  Granted, this is decades after they first came to  Yamato, so this wasn't exactly a smooth ride. But it wasn't just Tang prisoners in Yamato.  Yamato soldiers had also been captured and taken prisoner by Tang forces.  And so, in the 9th month of 690, we see three priests who had gone to the land of Tang to study returned in the company of a Silla escort envoy, and they brought back with them a soldier, Ohotomobe no Hakama, from the Upper Yame district in Tsukushi. The three priests, Chishiu, Gitoku, and Jougwan all made their way to the capital, arriving several weeks after they first made landfall in Tsukushi.  At this point, Prince Kawachi was the Dazai in charge of affairs out there, and soon after the priests arrived at Naniwa and made their way to the capital, in Asuka, messengers going the other way made it out to Tsukushi with orders to give presents and gifts to the Gim Gohun, the escort envoy who had shuttled them all back from the continent. But even more impressive was the royal edict that was dated a week later for Ohotomobe no Hakama.  It lays out the circumstances of his capture and what happened to him that he stayed in the land of the Tang for so long.  You see, Hakama was one of many soldiers who was captured during the war to defend Baekje.  But three years after that conflict, the Tang dynasty was no longer trying to keep them prisoner.  This was a time when you didn't necessarily need to have buildings with walls to keep people prisoner—you just moved them to a new area where they could farm or otherwise set up a livelihood, or starve.  Travel was dangerous and expensive, especially if you didn't speak the language.  Nonetheless, if you did wish to return, there wasn't a lot stopping you, beyond just having the means to do so. And so this group of Wa soldiers got together and debated what to do.  We are told that it was four men—Hashi no Hoto, Kohori no Oyu, Tsukuhi no Satsuyama, and Yuge no Gen Jitsuni—the last one apparently having taken a local name on the continent.  Amongst themselves, they wanted to return to the archipelago not just to see their families and friends, but also to let people back home know about the changing conditions on the mainland.  As you may recall, around this time, Yamato was fiercely building up forces and defenses because they were convinced that there was going to be an attack by the Tang and Silla forces at any moment. The only problem that these four had in getting back was that they had, well, nothing.  They had neither the clothing nor provisions to make such a journey.  What would they eat and how would they pay for passage?  As such, they were unable to get back.  Hearing this, Ohotomobe no Hakama spoke up.  He declared that, as much as he also wished to return, he could at least help them out.  He offered to be sold into slavery so that his companions could obtain money with which to buy food and clothing. And so they did.  Hakama was sold, and he probably had no idea what happened to the four after that. It turns out, however, that they did make it back and were able to give the Yamato court some idea of what had happened.  Meanwhile, Hakama remained in a foreign land as a slave for some 30 years, until he was finally able to make it back to Yamato, apparently with the help of the three monks. This whole story was relayed to the court, and when the Queen heard it, she decided to act.  And thus the edict.  Not only did she recount his story and praise him for his loyalty, but he was granted certain honors.  First off, he was granted the rank of Mudaishi—the 39th rank in the court hierarchy, which gave him not a small amount of status, especially if he stayed in Tsukushi.  He was also granted5 pieses of coarse silk, 10 bundles of floss silk, 30 tan of cloth, and 1000 sheaves of rice.  On top of that, though, he received four chou of rice-land, which was given to him and his descendants, until at least his great-grandchildren.  Finally, his parents, siblings, and children, were also exempted from having to ever provide corvee labor. Now, nobody could give him back his 30 years, but this was quite the consolation prize, at the time.  To basically get rank and status, a stipend down four generations, and exemption from forced labor for him and his relatives, that was pretty incredible, if you think about it. Hakama wasn't the only one who had suffered in the country of the Great Tang and was rewarded for it.  Mononobe no Kusuri, from Iyo, and Mibu no Moroshi, in Higo, were also paid out handsomely in consolation for their sufferings,  though we aren't given details on their stories, or even when they came back. There are also other descriptions of Tang men, but it seems that these were individuals in a similar position to Xu Shouyen and Sa Hungko—they had been captured and were now living in Yamato.  That they were integrating into Yamato society seems clear from the fact that they were given rank and similarly treated like vassals of the throne. What we don't see, however, are any further diplomatic missions.  Those wouldn't start up for a while, and so even if Queen Uno no Sarara had wanted to confer with another female monarch, it would have to have been done through the auspices of Silla, who at t his point seem to have largely controlled the flow of goods, people, and thus information between the straits. And with that, I think we can close out this episode.  Moving forward, we have more details about a lot of different things, and yet others are still lacking.  It is my goal to try and be a little more selective about the passages we pull from the Chronicles.  We don't need to go over every natural disaster or prayer to the wind-gods.  We will take a look at things like the completion of the Fujiwara capital, as well as the 22 volumes of the Asuka-Kiyomihara law codes.  And then there are a few persons of note that we should probably mention as well, such as the appearance of Fujiwara no Fubito.  We should also talk about some of the other royal edicts that were made. All of that for later.  For now, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Has Askuka said goodbye forever? Backlash wasn't backing. Wrestling is an appropriate use for a golf course. Bianca Belair's finger is wild. Black Republicans at wrestling shows. Wrap up The Vision. All this and not much more on this chaotic episode of Powerbomb Jutsu. youtube.com/@PowerbombJutsu https://www.instagram.com/powerbombjutsu/https://x.com/powerbombjutsu History with Darrrell on YouTube: YouTube.com/@UltrxBlxck [Play/Download]  

This isn't the first book we've covered about an attractive young woman who gets implanted with a dark matter / alien / ancient lifeform by a visiting fox, survives an assassination attempt (via atomic bomb) by the president of the United States, is rescued by UK sailors, befriends Prime Minster Blair, goes hat shopping with … Continue reading "372 Pages #207 – Empress Theresa Ep 2 – Emperor Steve"

When Russia's Dowager Empress was pregnant with the future Tsar Nicholas II in 1868, she dreamed that a peasant would one day kill her son. The idea terrified her, and for the rest of her days she lived under the fear of this prophecy. It may have come true with the arrival at court of a mysterious, barely literate wandering monk from Siberia, Grigori Rasputin. He had a pale face, long hair and penetrating eyes gave him an almost hypnotic quality. Though he had no official position at court, Rasputin’s hold over the Romanovs became the stuff of legend. Exaggerated accounts of political and financial corruption swirled around him, to say nothing of the stories of his debauchery with the Empress and even her daughters. The consequences of the rumor and conspiracy theories were devastating—when the February revolution broke out in 1917, hardly a sword was raised in the Tsar’s defense. Today's guest is Antony Beevor, author of Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs. We look at how Rasputin was able to wield such power, mostly by tricking the Royal Family into thinking he could heal Tsarevich Alexei’s hemorrhages. We also look at his legendary assassination, in which conspirators allegedly fed him cyanide-laced cakes, shooting him twice, and throwing him into the freezing Neva. Despite his death, nothing changed, as the Romanov dynasty collapsed three months later in the February Revolution and the entire family was murdered by Bolsheviks a year after that. We see that Rasputin was less the cause of the Romanov collapse than its most visible symptom, explaining that when a government is ruled by an isolated royal family, it creates a vacuum that only a swindler or visionary can fill.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trap KaraokeMortal Kombat II ReviewNBA Playoffs Backlash ReviewAsuka's LegacyTwitter:https://x.com/301kingvaughnjrhttps://www.x.com/VictoryPod1IG:https://www.instagram.com/mrkingvaughnjrhttps://www.instagram.com/victoriousonespodcastMerch:https://www.victoriousones.bigcartel.com

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah follows two sisters in Nazi-occupied France as they navigate love, loss, resistance, and survival during World War II. Through their very different paths, the novel explores the courage of ordinary women and the sacrifices made in the face of war.My guest this week is Kara Infante, a mom, wife and host of the Bookish Flights Podcast At Bookish Flights, Kara Infante and her guests tell their stories through the books they love. Each episode features a book flight - three thoughtfully paired books connected by a theme, topic, or genre. Think of it like a wine flight…but for books. Kara and I are both on each other's shows this week, so head over there to hear me talk about 3 books I love by Xochitl GonzalezDrink Options:Lyre's Classico NA Sparkling WineLavender French 75Ingredients1 ½ oz Empress gin ¾ oz fresh lemon juice½ oz lavender simple syrup3 oz chilled champagne or proseccoIceOptional garnish:Lemon twistDried culinary lavenderDirectionsAdd gin, lemon juice, and lavender simple syrup to cocktail shaker with ice.Shake well until chilled.Strain into a champagne flute or coupe.Top with sparkling wineGarnish with a lemon twist or a pinch of dried lavender. In this episodeBookish Flight Episode with Kristin HannahBooks by Tracy LangeThe Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna  JohnstonThe Road to Tender Hearts by Annie HartnettThe Vanishing Half by Britt BennettBooks by Kate QuinnBooks by Marie Benedict

“Fiction is a wonderful arena for dealing with some really complex topics and some difficult issues in a safe space.” - Alex KingsleyIn the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode titled, “Alex Kingsley: Writing Speculative Futures,” host Beth Barany chats with Alex Kingsley, a science fiction writer, playwright, game designer, and more exciting roles that inform their fiction writing.Together they talk about AI cognition, the importance of human intelligence in creating for the future, how speculative fiction can help readers cope with complex issues, and why compassion matters in sci-fi.ABOUT ALEX KINGSLEYAlex Kingsley (they/them) is a writer, comedian, game designer, and playwright. They are a co-founder of the new media company Strong Branch Productions. They are the author of Empress of Dust, Relic of Haven and The Strange Garden and Other Weird Tales, as well as short fiction appearing in Translunar Travelers Lounge, Radon Journal, Sci-Fi Lampoon, and more. Alex's sci-fi plays have been produced in LA, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Alex's SFF-related non-fiction has appeared in Interstellar Flight Magazine and Ancillary Review of Books. Their games can be downloaded pay-what-you-will at alexyquest.itch.io. Alex is currently a graduate student studying speculative fiction at the University of Illinois, Chicago.Website: http://alexkingsley.orgInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hitchhikersguidetothealexyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-kingsley-56342a139/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@alexyquestBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alexyquest.bsky.socialNewsletter: Newsletter: https://alexkingsley.substack.comSHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadeEDITORIAL SUPPORT by Iman Llompartc. 2026 BETH BARANYQuestions? Comments? Send us a text!Support the show---♦︎ JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP: For fiction writers! You've finished your first draft! Congrats! Now what?Join the Edit the Future: Sci‑Fi/Fantasy Revision Lab. Get premium weekly lessons and a monthly Q&A on Zoom. Subscribe: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061/subscribe♥︎ FREE: Sign up here for the Edit Your Novel ChecklistHelps writers revise faster with less overwhelm by focusing first on diagnosis, not fixing. Get yours at http://edityournovelchecklist.com.♡ SHOP: Sci‑Fi & Fantasy 24 Writing Prompts: https://ko-fi.com/s/4ac9160a74❤️ Want to be interviewed on the podcast? => Email us!CONNECT WITH BETHvia emailvia LinkedInCREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT (Affiliate link)MUSIC: Uppbeat.ioDISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

What if your fertility journey is actually a spiritual initiation - and your future baby is already trying to communicate with you?In this episode of Chat Off the Mat, I sit down with Lindsay Goodwin - a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, spirit baby medium, and fertility specialist - to explore the profound intersection of reproductive medicine and energetic wisdom.We cover:What spirit babies are and how they communicateHow unresolved trauma shows up as fertility blocksNew earth kids and the age of AquariusChinese medicine, chakras, human design and astrology as a fertility blueprintSimple steps to shift your consciousness and clear stagnant energyI also share my own spirit baby story — complete with a Reiki vision, a message from my late mother, and a set of twins. ✨Whether you're on a fertility journey, spiritually curious, or simply ready to deepen your connection to your own energy and inner knowing, this episode is for you.Connect with Lindsay: garnetmoonlove.com and fertilefrequencies.com Podcasts: Intuitive Mind Lab Radio and Fertile FrequenciesGuest Bio:Lindsay Goodwin is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, licensed herbalist, and board-certified fellow of the Acupuncture and TCM Board for Reproductive Medicine. She is also a certified hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner, trauma healing specialist, and trained medical intuitive. Lindsay is one of a rare few practitioners working as a spirit baby medium - receiving energetic messages from souls preparing to enter the world. She works with women and couples globally to uncover the emotional, ancestral, and energetic roots of fertility challenges, blending science and spirit into a one-of-a-kind fertility blueprint. Find her at garnetmoonlove.com and fertilefrequencies.com.✨ The deeper work lives on Substack and in my book.Rose Wippich — weekly essays on Remembering, Returning, and Reclaiming the energy, voice, and years that are yours.If you're ready to stop fading and start reigning, meet me there. Substack LinkRose Wippich is an Energy Alchemist, Reiki Master Teacher, qigong and yoga instructor, and author of Empress Rising. She's here for the woman who knows she's ready for something more — the one who feels the pull of her next chapter but isn't quite sure how to step into it.Through her book, podcast, and teaching, Rose inspires and guides women in midlife to reclaim their energy, identity, and voice — and step boldly into their Empress years.Connect with Rose:

1 And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.Erat autem homo ex pharisaeis, Nicodemus nomine, princeps Judaeorum. 2 This man came to Jesus by night, and said to him: Rabbi, we know that thou art come a teacher from God; for no man can do these signs which thou dost, unless God be with him.Hic venit ad Jesum nocte, et dixit ei : Rabbi, scimus quia a Deo venisti magister, nemo enim potest haec signa facere, quae tu facis, nisi fuerit Deus cum eo. 3 Jesus answered, and said to him: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.Respondit Jesus, et dixit ei : Amen, amen dico tibi, nisi quis renatus fuerit denuo, non potest videre regnum Dei. 4 Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born again?Dicit ad eum Nicodemus : Quomodo potest homo nasci, cum sit senex? numquid potest in ventrem matris suae iterato introire et renasci? 5 Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.Respondit Jesus : Amen, amen dico tibi, nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua, et Spiritu Sancto, non potest introire in regnum Dei. 6 That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.Quod natum est ex carne, caro est : et quod natum est ex spiritu, spiritus est. 7 Wonder not, that I said to thee, you must be born again.Non mireris quia dixi tibi : oportet vos nasci denuo. 8 The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, and whither he goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.Spiritus ubi vult spirat, et vocem ejus audis, sed nescis unde veniat, aut quo vadat : sic est omnis qui natus est ex spiritu. 9 Nicodemus answered, and said to him: How can these things be done?Respondit Nicodemus, et dixit ei : Quomodo possunt haec fieri? 10 Jesus answered, and said to him: Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things?Respondit Jesus, et dixit ei : Tu es magister in Israel, et haec ignoras? 11 Amen, amen I say to thee, that we speak what we know, and we testify what we have seen, and you receive not our testimony.amen, amen dico tibi, quia quod scimus loquimur, et quod vidimus testamur, et testimonium nostrum non accipitis. 12 If I have spoken to you earthly things, and you believe not; how will you believe, if I shall speak to you heavenly things?Si terrena dixi vobis, et non creditis : quomodo, si dixero vobis caelestia, credetis? 13 And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.Et nemo ascendit in caelum, nisi qui descendit de caelo, Filius hominis, qui est in caelo. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up:Et sicut Moyses exaltavit serpentem in deserto, ita exaltari oportet Filium hominis : 15 That whosoever believeth in him, may not perish; but may have life everlasting.ut omnis qui credit in ipsum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam aeternam.[5] "Unless a man be born again": By these words our Saviour hath declared the necessity of baptism; and by the word water it is evident that the application of it is necessary with the words. Matt. 28. 19.After the victory gained by Constantine by virtue of the cross which appeared to him in the skies, and whose sign he reproduced in the Labarum, St Helena, his mother, went to Jerusalem to try to find the true Cross. At the beginning of the second century, Hadrian had covered Calvary and the Holy Sepulchre under of terrace of 300 feet in length, on which had been erected a statue of Jupiter and and temple of Venus. The Empress razed them to the ground, and, in digging up the soil, they discovered the nails and the glorious trophy of which we owe "life salvation and resurrection". The miraculous cure of a woman authenticated the sacred tree.

Hello voices from the bench community, John Wilson here and I wanted to share some news about the evolution of the Programill lineup. Most importantly, Ivoclar's new PrograMill 7. What stands out right away is the reduced air consumption this mill requires, but what you'll notice first is that impressive new touchscreen. For us, the biggest advantage has been increased spindle power. My laboratory's known for these larger cases with complex geometries, and I can tell you that extra power really makes a difference. Next time you see your Ivoclar representative, be sure to ask about the PrograMill 7 and tell them John Wilson sent you. Thank you. At exocad Insights in beautiful Mallorca, we finally caught up with Felix from Imagine USA—and the timing couldn't have been better. As an exocad dealer on the front lines of digital dentistry, Felix shared his excitement about the strong turnout, the familiar faces, and most importantly, the innovation coming from exocad. What stood out most? The new exocad Hub and its cloud-based capabilities, along with powerful AI-driven tools inside DentalDB designed for efficient batch processing. For Felix and the Imagine team, it's not just about seeing what's new—it's about putting it to the test. By running new features through their own production facility first, they ensure real-world performance before bringing solutions to their customers. Beyond the technology, Felix emphasized the value of being there in person—connecting face-to-face with partners, having meaningful conversations, and stepping back to see where the industry is headed. And of course, doing it all in Mallorca doesn't hurt either. This episode finally brings a long-awaited conversation to life with Kent Kohli, a name many in the industry recognize—but maybe don't fully know the story behind. From an unexpected entry into dentistry (thanks to marrying his orthodontist's daughter) to becoming a lifelong student of ceramics and education, Kent's journey is anything but typical. What starts as a pre-dental path quickly shifts once Kent discovers the lab side of dentistry—and more importantly, where his passion truly lives. From pouring models and grinding metal to studying under legends like John Archibald, Kent shares how mentorship, curiosity, and relentless work ethic shaped his career. Along the way, he opens up about the early struggles—working 100-hour weeks, barely making ends meet, and choosing quality over the “race to the bottom” that burned out many of his peers. Kent dives deep into the evolution of dental technology, from the early days of PFMs and Empress to today's digital workflows and liquid ceramics. But at the heart of it all is a consistent theme: education. Whether it's learning from the “giants” of the industry or now helping guide the next generation through his role at Ivoclar, Kent sees it as a responsibility to pass on what was given to him. He also shares insights into his current mission—bringing hands-on education back to the forefront, blending traditional techniques with modern materials, and helping technicians elevate their craft beyond just production. Rising costs, tighter deadlines, and greater demands are challenging labs everywhere. When efficiency matters, you need tools that deliver—every day. Roland DGShape milling solutions are reliable and easy to use. Just turn them on and let them run—no babysitting required. Fewer remakes and less wasted material mean your team can focus on getting cases out the door. With the Elevate Denture solution, step into digital dentures without disrupting your workflow. Validated CAM strategies and Ivoclar compatibility mean you're building on a system you already trust. Ready to boost efficiency? Explore DG Shape DWX Milling Solutions and the Elevate Dental Solution at RolandDental.com.Special Guest: Kent Kohli.

Nanyce Hayes (Mary Poppins, Annie) stars as the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (Princess Anastasia's Grandmother) and Joshua Robson (Phantom Of The Opera, A Little Night Music) star as Gleb (General for the Bolsheviks, who now control Russia after the revolution) in the Australian premiere production of ANASTASIA [Crossroads Live Australia]. The musical is currently playing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, I was thrilled to speak to them and find out how they approached the character development, especially as Gleb is a new addition to the book differing from the film. Find out more what this musical means to them and also shaping original characters, enjoy! Watch performances: ~ video interview ~ 'Journey To The Past' - Georgina Hopson ~ 'My Petersburg' - Robert Tripolino ~ 'Curtain Call' - Sydney Lyric Theatre Let Me Entertain You- Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | TikTok | Youtube

Have you ever wished you could go inside of a book? You could travel to a new place, see new sights, potentially live a different life altogether — all from the page. From New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn comes Astral Library, a fantastical novel where books are not merely objects, but doors to different worlds, different adventures, and different futures. After growing up in the foster care system, protagonist Alix Watson came to believe one thing: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three dead-end jobs to make ends meet and letting her dreams of higher education fall to the wayside, Alix takes refuge in the reading room at the Boston Public Library, reading her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of faraway lands night after night. One day, she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless guardian of the Astral Library, where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives inside their favorite books. All seems well until a shadowy enemy emerges and threatens everyone inside. As danger draws closer, Alix and the Librarian try to escape, fleeing places like the back alleys of the Sherlock Holmes series, the Regency-era drawing rooms of Jane Austen, and the decadent parties of The Great Gatsby, to name a few. In journeying through books, Quinn may offer insight into where readers truly belong. Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of Southern California, she attended Boston University, where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees in classical voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books set in the Italian Renaissance before turning to the 20th century with The Alice Network, The Huntress, The Rose Code, The Diamond Eye, and The Briar Club. The Astral Library is her first foray into magic realism. She and her husband now live in Maryland with their rescue dogs. Elise Hooper spent several years writing for television and online news outlets before getting a MA and teaching high-school literature and history. Her debut novel The Other Alcott was a nominee for the 2017 Washington Book Award. Three more novels—Learning to See, Fast Girls, and Angels of the Pacific—followed, all centered on the lives of extraordinary but overlooked historical women. Her newest book, The Library of Lost Dollhouses, was inspired by a dollhouse that's been in her family for five generations. Elise lives in Seattle with her husband and two daughters. Buy the Book The Astral Library (Deluxe Limited Edition): A Novel Third Place Books

Queen Victoria was Empress of India. She was also godmother to the children of the man whose kingdom she helped destroy. Victoria called him “your affectionate friend.”But as Polly Putnam tells me, it was a strange relationship between conqueror and conquered.Polly is the Collections Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, the historian behind Netflix's Bridgerton, and the curator of The Last Princesses of Punjab — her 31st exhibition, and the hardest one she has ever done. She did not want to tell this story from above. She wanted South Asian voices in the room.In this episode, we cover why Sophia sold suffragette newspapers outside Hampton Court, why Bamba had snowballs thrown at her on the way to medical school, why Catherine told a Jewish refugee fleeing the Nazis, “I'll be that person,” why Duleep Singh died with a Bible at his bedside despite taking Sikh initiation, and the revelation that almost everything in this family's London history happened in Kensington, including the birth of the women's suffrage movement itself.

By Alma Alexander, from Issue #456 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineNarrated by Dominick Rabrun.He brought the Empress there to show the now-bejeweled tree when the leaves turned bronze in the autumn.More info »

Discover how a cocoon in an Empress's tea sparked a 4,700-year industry. From ancient monopolies to modern biomedical breakthroughs, we unravel the secrets of luxury silk production and its surprising global impact today. Learn more at https://mayfairsilk.com/blogs/general/the-history-of-silk-the-story-of-the-luxurious-fabric Mayfairsilk City: London Address: 13 Hanover Square Website: https://www.mayfairsilk.com

Talk to KimThis week, Kim and Rose Wippich explore the transformational journey through midlife—focusing on courage, self-reinvention, boundaries, and authentic visibility. They share practical insights and personal stories that empower women to live fully, boldly, and with intention.Key Topics Covered:The importance of questioning and evolving our identity in midlife, moving beyond old roles like mother, partner, and professional.How to embrace change and repurpose skills and experiences as opportunities for growth.Navigating the fears and courage needed to step into new ventures and express yourself authentically.The significance of setting boundaries and protecting your energy, including digital detox and energetic boundaries with others.Redefining success based on inner fulfillment rather than societal or external expectations.The power of visibility: embracing your voice, sharing your story, and radiating confidence.The evolving dynamics of friendship and connection, and the importance of creating a tribe that supports your growth.The role of joy, contentment, and following what lights you up as a foundation for living a fulfilling life.Dreaming anew—how long-held aspirations can come full circle at any age.Rose Wippich is an Energy Alchemist, Reiki Master Teacher, qigong and yoga instructor, and author of Empress Rising. Through her book, podcast, and teaching, Rose inspires and guides women in midlife to reclaim their energy, identity, and voice — and step boldly into their Empress years.Connect with Rose:  Website: rosewippich.com  Chat Off The Mat  Looking for a health care provider who really listens and isn't constrained by insurance requirements? You need to check out the Centered Care Directory-a curated, national resource to help you find the right provider for you. Whether it's functional medicine, physical therapy or hormone help, you'll find it here.Check out how.healthcare to get started.  Support the showKim Benoy is a retired RN, Certified Aromatherapist, wife and mom who is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women over 40. She wants you to see your own beauty, value and worth through sharing stories of other women just like you.****************************************************If you are looking for deeper connection, encouragement, and support, you should join my free online community. It's a safe, uplifting space to be inspired, share honestly, and grow alongside women who truly get this season of life.Midlife with Courage™ Community*****************************************************Want to be a guest on Midlife with Courage™-Flourishing After Forty with Kim Benoy? Send Kim Benoy a message on PodMatch, here: Podmatch Link NEWSLETTER WEBSITEFACEBOOK

To get live links to the music we play and resources we offer, visit www.WOSPodcast.comThis show includes the following songs:Bearniez - Make a Move FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYKelsi Mayne - For The Record FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYErina McLaren - Last Goodbye FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYFelicia Berrier - GPS FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYBlack Tapestry - Nightshade FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYMaria Alvebro - Snowflake FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYEmpress Achka - Broken Soul FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYJaclyn Bradley - Chicago FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYMinni Verse - Say It Again FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYRickia - EX FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYBriar Banks - Panic Attack FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYOn The Edge - The Measure Of Life FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYMariana Bernardes - Treat Me Better FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYJill Ann Brooks - Gone FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYWengie - Mood FOLLOW ON SPOTIFYFor Music Biz Resources Visit www.FEMusician.com and www.ProfitableMusician.comTry our Sponsor Songtools for 50% off with code PM50 at http://profitablemusician.com/SongTools Visit our Sponsor Ellie Grace at instagram.com/ellie.grace.music Visit our Sponsor CME2! at open.spotify.com/track/17rwancStgcmXnh6y32wLu?si=5a01ec691d3c4e49 Visit our Sponsor Nick & Ashley at nickandashleysanders.comVisit www.wosradio.com for more details and to submit music to our review board for consideration.Visit our resources for Indie Artists: https://www.wosradio.com/resourcesBecome more Profitable in just 3 minutes per day. http://profitablemusician.com/join

Licinius was co-emperor with Constantine the Great. At his accession, he had agreed to tolerate Christianity in his territories, but soon turned to persecuting the Christians, and to a variety of carnal sins. He conceived a passion for Glaphyra, a Christian virgin handmaid of the Empress Constantia. When Glaphyra told Constantia of this, the Empress sent her away to Amasia in the East for her protection. There she was received and protected by Bishop Basil of that city. Licinius learned where Glaphyra was hiding and ordered that both she and the bishop be brought to him as prisoners. The soldiers who came for her found that she had already died, so they returned with only Bishop Basil, who was subjected to cruel tortures, then beheaded. His body was cast into the sea, but, with the help of an angel of God, his people found his body, retrieved it from the sea, and returned it to Amasia.   The Prologue adds, "The Emperor Constantine raised an army against Licinius, overcame him, arrested him and sent him into exile in Gaul, where he ended his God-hating days."

This week's podcast guest is my beautiful sister Syma Kharal who is a globally celebrated Divine Feminine Mentor, High Priestess, and #1 bestselling author of Goddess Reclaimed and Manifest Soulmate Love. She is the visionary founder of Flourishing Goddess®—a temple and movement that has supported women around the world in awakening, rising, and embodying the Goddess within.Through her transformational books, Divine Feminine journeys, international retreats, Goddess ceremonies, and High Priestess trainings, Syma leads women to reclaim their Divine Feminine power, manifest their boldest dreams, and flourish in every way into the Goddesses they truly are.Devoted to the Goddess path since age thirteen, Syma has spent over three decades immersed in ancient feminine wisdom and healing traditions. Her life's work is a living transmission of Divine Feminine embodiment.In Syma's world, women get to be and have it all—from their feminine, with and as Goddess.She has been featured on Gaia's Discovering the Divine Feminine, CNBC, the Huffington Post, Soul & Spirit Magazine, and more.Visit Syma:Websitewww.FlourishingGoddess.com YouTubewww.youtube.com/@FlourishingGoddess  Instagramwww.instagram.com/FlourishingGoddess Facebookwww.facebook.com/FlourishingGoddess Visit Law of Positivism:https://www.instagram.com/lawofpositivism/Website: https://www.lawofpositivism.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawofpositivism/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lawofpositivismTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@lawofpositivism

In this special collaborative episode, Kim Benoy, host of Midlife with Courage, and Rose Wippich, host of Chat Off The Mat come together for an honest and empowering conversation about what it truly means to navigate midlife with courage, sovereignty, and self-trust.Together, they explore the identity shifts that many women experience in midlife—when traditional roles begin to change and new possibilities emerge. This conversation invites women to reflect on their purpose, reclaim their energy, and step into greater visibility with confidence and authenticity.In This Episode, We Discuss:Identity shifts and reinvention in midlifeReturning to yourself after years of caregiving and responsibilityThe importance of energetic boundaries and self-careFinding purpose and meaningful work in your next chapterVisibility, voice, and being seen in midlife and beyond, and more!Midlife is a turning point—not a decline.It is a time to reassess priorities, rediscover passions, and reconnect with your inner wisdom.You are allowed to redefine success.Success may look like meaningful connections, personal fulfillment, creative expression, or simply living in alignment with your values.Your voice matters.Many women feel invisible in midlife, yet this stage of life holds immense wisdom and leadership potential.Boundaries protect your energy.Learning when to say no—and how to care for yourself—is essential for long-term well-being and vitality.It's never too late to begin again.Dreams can evolve, resurface, or be reimagined at any stage of life.Connect with Kimhttps://www.midlifewithcourage.com/Midlife with Courage™ CommunityA welcoming place to build meaningful connections, gain confidence, and navigate midlife with courage and clarity.Kim Benoy is a retired Registered Nurse turned podcast host, speaker, and passionate connector of midlife women. Through her Midlife with Courage™ Podcast, she inspires and motivates women over 40 to embrace change, rediscover their strength, and live their next chapter with purpose, confidence, and courage.✨ The deeper work lives on Substack and in my book.Rose Wippich — weekly essays on Remembering, Returning, and Reclaiming the energy, voice, and years that are yours.If you're ready to stop fading and start reigning, meet me there. Substack LinkRose Wippich is an Energy Alchemist, Reiki Master Teacher, qigong and yoga instructor, and author of Empress Rising. She's here for the woman who knows she's ready for something more — the one who feels the pull of her next chapter but isn't quite sure how to step into it.Through her book, podcast, and teaching, Rose inspires and guides women in midlife to reclaim their energy, identity, and voice — and step boldly into their Empress years.Connect with Rose:

Support the podcast on Patreon to get every episode a week early and hear extra stuff you can't get anywhere else! https://patreon.com/372pages Get the book here It's finally here: a book that's not Mayor of Noobtown! This is the inaugural episode of our new book Empress Theresa by Norman Boutin, and as such, Mike is … Continue reading "372 Pages #206 – Empress Theresa Ep 1 – Grandpa, no, No, NO, NOOO!"

Narrator: Jessika Downes-Gössl

How did a woman rise to power, and keep it, in the fiercely male-dominated Habsburg Empire?From her distrust of the Enlightenment to her religious intolerance, and from family strategy to imperial power, Maria Theresa was a remarkable ruler driven by discipline, faith, dynastic ambition, and political will.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger to discover how Maria Theresa held together a fractured empire, confronted war and court politics, and reshaped Europe.MOREHabsburg Women: Matriarchs of PowerListen on AppleListen on SpotifyWhen Women Ruled the Low CountriesListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, Mom and Me continue our monthly series on the high arcana and discuss the High Priestess & Empress.

Time Artist Title Duration Album Year 0:00:00 ProgPhonic ProgPhonic -201 Intro 0:41 2026 0:00:40 Unitopia Bittersweet 7:18 Seven Chambers 2023 0:09:22 Pendragon Paintbox 8:08 Masquerade 20 (1) 2017 0:17:30 Big Big Train Dead Point 5:22 Woodcut 2026 0:24:39 Robert Reed Interview Interview Pt 1 16:50 Tarot 2026 0:41:28 Robert Reed Interview Pt -2 The Lovers Intro w Rob Reed Magenta 1:22 ProgPhonic Interview 2026 0:42:50 Magenta The Lovers 8:54 Tarot 2026 0:51:44 Robert Reed Interview Pt 3 The Magician – Magenta w Rob Reed 2:19 ProgPhonic Interview 2026 0:54:03 Magenta The Magician 8:16 Tarot 2026 1:02:18 Robert Reed Interview Pt 4 The Empress – Magenta w Rob Reed 1:51 ProgPhonic Interview 2026 1:04:10 Magenta The Empress 10:01 Tarot 2026 1:14:11 Robert Reed Interview Pt 5 Tarot – Magenta w Rob Reed 3:25 ProgPhonic Interview 2026 1:17:36 Magenta Tarot 4:29 Tarot 2026 1:22:06 Robert Reed Interview Pt 6- Closing Magenta w Rob Reed 5:52 ProgPhonic Interview 2026 1:31:15 Cyan Don’t Turn Away 7:34 For King And Country 2021 1:38:49 Kompendium Exordium 8:46 Beneath The Waves 2012 1:47:34 Kiama Cold Black Heart 4:37 Sign Of IV 2016 1:52:06 Chimpan A Wolves 5:53 M.I.A. Vol. 1 2025 2:02:16 Trippa Where Are You 3:13 Trippa : Sorry 2017 2:05:28 Christina Booth Bar Stool Prophet 3:57 Bar Stool Prophet 2023 2:09:25 D’Virgilio, Morse & Jennings Everything I Am 5:32 Troika 2022 2:19:14 IQ Far from Here 12:39 Dominion 2025 2:32:02 Panic Room Start The Sound 5:01 Incarnate 2014 2:37:04 Landmarq Mountains of Anglia 8:50 Entertaining Angels 2012 2:45:53 IO Earth Sanctuary 6:15 Sanctuary 2023 2:55:41 Tiger Moth Tales Feels Alright 5:37 Try It… You Might Like It (comp) 2020

Time Artist Title Duration Album 0:00:00 Robert Reed Interview Interview Pt 1 16:50 Tarot 0:16:49 Robert Reed Interview Pt -2 The Lovers Intro w Rob Reed Magenta 1:22 ProgPhonic Interview 0:18:11 Magenta The Lovers 8:54 Tarot 0:27:05 Robert Reed Interview Pt 3 The Magician – Magenta w Rob Reed 2:19 ProgPhonic Interview 0:29:24 Magenta The Magician 8:16 Tarot 0:37:39 Robert Reed Interview Pt 4 The Empress – Magenta w Rob Reed 1:51 ProgPhonic Interview 0:39:31 Magenta The Empress 10:01 Tarot 0:49:32 Robert Reed Interview Pt 5 Tarot – Magenta w Rob Reed 3:25 ProgPhonic Interview 0:52:57 Magenta Tarot 4:29 Tarot 0:57:27 Robert Reed Interview Pt 6- Closing Magenta w Rob Reed 5:52 ProgPhonic Interview

Support the podcast on Patreon where you get every episode a week early and have access to a whole bunch of other stuff you can't get anywhere else! patreon.com/372pages Before we get to the meat and potatoes of it, Conor is challenged with a quiz from Mike. It's quite a turnaround and is utterly un-skippable! … Continue reading "372 Pages – #205 – Book 38: Empress Theresa"

Slips. Cicadas. Science-Fantasy. Welcome to the world of Cloud Empress, an ecological far-future fantasy TTRPG. DMs Rob and Matt love Mothership's PANIC Engine, and this game applies it a weird world of far-future environmental change, magic, and hyper-intelligent wizard giant bugs. Oh, and the rules are free!  https://cloudempress.com/  Follow Dungeon Master of None on Blue Sky:  https://bsky.app/profile/dmofnone.bsky.social  https://www.patreon.com/DungeonMasterOfNone  Join the DMofNone Discord! Music: Pac Div - Roll the Dice

By any measure, Julius Caesar is one of the most significant and famous figures in Roman history. Self-identified as a "popular" politician, he advocated for effective government to better the lives of average Romans,but believed such a government could not be based upon the existing democracy. Only through his personal authority and the massive organization he built to overthrow the government could the prosperity of all Rome's citizens be ensured. Through a careful analysis of the ancient sources, especially Caesar's own writings, David Potter offers us a stunning and original portrait of this great general and statesman. Master of Rome: A Life of Julius Caesar (Oxford UP, 2025) reveals Caesar as a highly organized manager with an extraordinary ability to adjust to circumstances while maintaining the ancient equivalent of a positive "media presence." After his death, Caesar's followers put forward a narrative of his life that made his rise to power seem inevitable, but Caesar's own writing tells us a different story—one of a detail-oriented general who demanded a high degree of accountability from his subordinates.A critical aspect of Caesar's philosophy of command was the need to find room for former enemies to serve in his organization. While this philosophy catapulted Caesar to great fame as a general during the wars in Gaul, when he attempted to put this method into effect in the wake of the civil war that established him as the master of Rome, it led to his brutal assassination in 44 BCE.Master of Rome tells the dramatic story of one of history's most intriguing figures, who rose from the fringes of Roman political society to unprecedented heights. Along the way, Potter identifies the extraordinary qualities that enabled Caesar to dominate the world in which he lived. David Potter is Francis W. Kelsey Collegiate Professor of Greek and Roman History and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Michigan. His previous books include The Origin of Empire: Rome from the Republic to Hadrian, Constantine the Emperor, The Victor's Crown: A History of Ancient Sport from Homer to Byzantium, and Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

By any measure, Julius Caesar is one of the most significant and famous figures in Roman history. Self-identified as a "popular" politician, he advocated for effective government to better the lives of average Romans,but believed such a government could not be based upon the existing democracy. Only through his personal authority and the massive organization he built to overthrow the government could the prosperity of all Rome's citizens be ensured. Through a careful analysis of the ancient sources, especially Caesar's own writings, David Potter offers us a stunning and original portrait of this great general and statesman. Master of Rome: A Life of Julius Caesar (Oxford UP, 2025) reveals Caesar as a highly organized manager with an extraordinary ability to adjust to circumstances while maintaining the ancient equivalent of a positive "media presence." After his death, Caesar's followers put forward a narrative of his life that made his rise to power seem inevitable, but Caesar's own writing tells us a different story—one of a detail-oriented general who demanded a high degree of accountability from his subordinates.A critical aspect of Caesar's philosophy of command was the need to find room for former enemies to serve in his organization. While this philosophy catapulted Caesar to great fame as a general during the wars in Gaul, when he attempted to put this method into effect in the wake of the civil war that established him as the master of Rome, it led to his brutal assassination in 44 BCE.Master of Rome tells the dramatic story of one of history's most intriguing figures, who rose from the fringes of Roman political society to unprecedented heights. Along the way, Potter identifies the extraordinary qualities that enabled Caesar to dominate the world in which he lived. David Potter is Francis W. Kelsey Collegiate Professor of Greek and Roman History and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Michigan. His previous books include The Origin of Empire: Rome from the Republic to Hadrian, Constantine the Emperor, The Victor's Crown: A History of Ancient Sport from Homer to Byzantium, and Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

It feels safe to say that when Russians recall a leader's reign as a “dark era,” we're into some deeply, deeply dark events. Empress Anna, a niece of Peter the (Not So) Great, had survived many humiliations before Russia's Supreme Privy Council elevated her to Empress; they thought she would be easy to control, but instead, her decade-long reign was characterized by Anna's cruelty and capriciousness. A career of personal vendettas was fueled by her limitless power and a secret police system she stood up to discover and end plots against her. Listen ad-free at ⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/trashyroyalspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠. To advertise on this podcast, reach out to ⁠⁠⁠⁠info@amplitudemediapartners.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In light of the ongoing crisis and the profound resilience of the Iranian people, we are revisiting this timely conversation with Princess Noor Pahlavi. Born into the Iranian royal family as the eldest child of the Crown Prince, Princess Noor heard the call to civic duty from an early age. Inspired by the legacy of her grandfather, the last Shah of Iran, and her grandmother, the Empress Farah Pahlavi, she has chosen a path defined not by title, but by action. Refusing to sit on the sidelines, she leverages her platform to amplify the voices of those fighting for a free and democratic future. In this episode, Princess Noor joins host Jay Ruderman to discuss her mission to bridge her family's history with modern activism. She provides a passionate look at the "dire" state of affairs for women under the current regime and explores the global resonance of the #WomanLifeFreedom movement. From her advocacy for gender equality and healthcare access to her work with organizations like Acumen and the Persian American Women's Conference, Princess Noor offers a vital perspective on what it means to stand in solidarity with a nation reclaiming its autonomy. Episode Chapters (00:00) Intro to Princess Noor Pahlavi (01:16) Stories of the Shah and The Empress of Iran (06:54) The Current Islamic Regime in Iran (10:33) Life for Iranians Under the Regime (15:25) Women's Rights and Health in Iran (22:40) Advocacy for Iranian Women Abroad (25:04) Noor's Work at Acumen (27:52) Leveraging Her Platform for Change (29:04) Conclusion and Credits For video episodes, watch on www.youtube.com/@therudermanfamilyfoundation Stay in touch: X: @JayRuderman | @RudermanFdn LinkedIn: Jay Ruderman | Ruderman Family Foundation Instagram: All About Change Podcast | Ruderman Family Foundation To learn more about the podcast, visit https://allaboutchangepodcast.com/