Podcasts about Extensive

You may have heard of a text editor called Emacs, which has been around for a long time. This is your chance to hear how Matt has used it to create a GTD list manager. He talks about how he got into GTD, and goes into plenty of detail about the system he has developed, through many iterations, using Emacs. You can watch the entire conversation from December 2023 at GTD Connect®. -- This audio is one of many available at GTD Connect, a learning space and community hub for all things GTD. Join GTD practitioners from around the world in learning, sharing, and developing the skills for stress-free productivity. Sign up for a free guest pass Learn about membership options Knowing how to get the right things done is a key to success. It's easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. Stay focused and increase productivity with GTD Connect—a subscription-based online learning center from the David Allen Company. GTD Connect gives you access to a wealth of multimedia content designed to help you stay on track and deepen your awareness of principles you can also learn in GTD courses, coaching, and by reading the Getting Things Done book. You'll also get the support and encouragement of a thriving global community of people you won't find anywhere else. If you already know you'd like to join, click here to choose from monthly or annual options. If you'd like to try GTD Connect free for 14 days, read on for what's included and how to get your free trial. During your 14-day free trial, you will have access to: Recorded webinars with David Allen & the certified coaches and trainers on a wide range of productivity topics GTD Getting Started & Refresher Series to reinforce the fundamentals you may have learned in a GTD course, coaching, or book Extensive audio, video, and document library Slice of GTD Life series to see how others are making GTD stick David Allen's exclusive interviews with people in his network all over the world Lively members-only discussion forums sharing ideas, tips, and tricks Note: GTD Connect is designed to reinforce your learning, and we also recommend that you take a course, get individual coaching, or read the Getting Things Done book. Ready to start your free trial?

Guest Names: Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio Summary: Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio discuss Al-Sharaa, the self-named president of Syria, who was appointed by militia leaders. His loyalist-drafted constitution grants him extensive powers, with key ministries held by former HTScommanders, and minority representatives serving as mere tokens. Formal Name: Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies april 1959

PREVIEW. Guest Names: Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio Summary: Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio discuss Al-Sharaa, the self-named president of Syria, who was appointed by militia leaders. His loyalist-drafted constitution grants him extensive powers, with key ministries held by former HTScommanders, and minority representatives serving as mere tokens. Formal Name: Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies 1914 DAMASCUS

PREVIEW. Guest Name: Jonathan Schanzer Summary: Jonathan Schanzer details an Israeli strike on Hamas leadership in Doha, revealing Qatar's extensive history of state-sponsored terrorism, including support for Hamas and the Taliban. 1904 DOHA

In ancient times, a blood moon was considered an omen, its copper glow instilling a sense of foreboding in people who felt it signaled an impending disaster. Today, however, huge advancements in the study of astronomy have meant the occurrence of the celestial event is eagerly awaited by astronomy enthusiasts and ordinary people alike, all keen to witness and document its rare beauty.在古代，“血月”被视为一种不祥之兆，其铜红色的光辉让人们心生不安，认为这预示着灾难即将来临。然而如今，天文学研究的巨大进步使得这一天象备受天文爱好者和普通民众的热切期待，人们都渴望亲眼见证并记录下这一罕见的美景。From 11:30 pm on Sunday to 5 am on Monday, this year's first and only blood moon visible in China captivated stargazers across the country. Some leaned out of windows to stare at the sky, while others set up professional equipment to capture the spectacle.从周日晚上11点30分到周一凌晨5点，中国境内今年首次也是唯一一次可见的“血月”吸引了全国各地的观星者。有人探出窗外仰望天空，也有人架设专业设备捕捉这一壮观景象。Tang Haiming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, said that a blood moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse when Earth aligns between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow over the moon. Colors with longer wavelengths make it through Earth's atmosphere and make the moon appear orangish or reddish. The moon displays different shades of red depending on atmospheric conditions, he added.中国科学院上海天文台研究员、上海市天文学会秘书长汤海明表示，“血月”出现在月全食期间，此时地球运行至太阳与月球之间，将阴影投射到月球上。波长较长的光线能够穿透地球大气层，使得月球呈现出橘红色或红色。他补充道，月球具体呈现出何种红色调，会因大气条件的不同而有所差异。Tang, who is also secretary-general of the Shanghai Astronomical Society, said the blood moon was observed not only in Asia, but also in the Eastern Atlantic, Oceania, the Indian Ocean, Europe, Africa, the Western Pacific and Antarctica.汤海明还指出，此次“血月”不仅在亚洲可见，在东大西洋、大洋洲、印度洋、欧洲、非洲、西太平洋以及南极洲地区也能观测到。“The blood moon is a normal astronomical phenomenon. During a total lunar eclipse, the gravitational forces of the moon and the sun combine and can lead to astronomical tides. However, there is no need to panic. Many people from Shanghai went to the Qiantang River to see the tide,” Tang said.汤海明表示：“‘血月'是一种正常的天文现象。月全食期间，月球和太阳的引力共同作用，可能会引发天文大潮，但无需恐慌。上海就有不少民众前往钱塘江观潮。”According to him, the probability of a lunar eclipse occurring is relatively low, even more so for a total lunar eclipse, the last of which occurred in 2022.他介绍，月食发生的概率本身就较低，月全食的概率更低，上一次中国境内可见的月全食发生在2022年。“Since this total lunar eclipse occurred at midnight, the observatory employed a six-hour slow live broadcast format. Extensive astronomical explanations and introductions to lunar exploration projects were prepared beforehand, with the hope of using this opportunity to encourage people to look more at the sky,” he added.他补充道：“由于此次月全食发生在午夜时段，天文台采用了长达6小时的慢直播形式。我们提前准备了详尽的天文知识讲解以及月球探测项目介绍，希望借此机会鼓励人们多抬头看看天空。”When 37-year-old Beijing resident and astronomy enthusiast Zhang Yanliang first heard about the latest blood moon occurrence, he immediately began making preparations to see and photograph the celestial event.37岁的北京市民、天文爱好者张延亮在得知此次“血月”天象消息后，立刻开始为观测和拍摄做准备。Zhang said he has witnessed numerous astronomical phenomena such as the passing of Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997, the Leonid meteor shower, and solar and lunar eclipses. Although a total lunar eclipse was nothing new for him, he still did not want to miss it.张延亮表示，他曾亲眼见过1997年海尔-波普彗星过境、狮子座流星雨、日食和月食等诸多天文现象。尽管月全食对他而言并不新鲜，但他仍不愿错过此次观测机会。Setting up two cameras with 800-millimeter telephoto lenses — one for time-lapse videos and the other for still photos — Zhang took hundreds of shots, capturing the fine details of the moon.他架设了两台配备800毫米长焦镜头的相机，一台用于拍摄延时视频，另一台用于拍摄静态照片，共拍摄了数百张照片，捕捉到了月球的细微细节。“It's worth mentioning that the weather in Beijing early this morning was excellent, with high atmospheric transparency, making it very suitable for viewing and photography,” he said, adding that with the development of smartphones, capturing celestial events has become easier, and many high-quality photos shared on social media had actually been taken with phones.他说：“值得一提的是，今天凌晨北京的天气非常好，大气透明度高，非常适合观测和拍摄。”他还补充道，随着智能手机的发展，捕捉天象变得更加容易，社交媒体上分享的许多高质量天象照片实际上都是用手机拍摄的。According to Tang from the CAS, the next total lunar eclipse visible in some parts of China is expected next year on March 3, right after sunset, and more activities are anticipated due to the favorable timing.中国科学院的汤海明表示，下一次中国部分地区可见的月全食预计将在明年3月3日日落之后出现，由于观测时间更为适宜，预计届时会举办更多相关观测活动。 blood moonn.血月/blʌd muːn/total lunar eclipsen.月全食/ˈtəʊtl ˈluːnə ɪˈklɪps/

In this episode of LIGHT TALK, The Lumen Brothers and Sister talk about everything from Rising  Vectorworks Prices to Dennis' Lighting Injustices. Join Ellen, Dennis, Steve, and David as they pontificate about: Dancing in the Dark; The new Sphere Wizard of Oz show; Extensive uses of Gobos; Creating a stained glass look on a window; Paying attention to the playwrights' lighting notes; Designing the black before you design the light; Our most powerful blackouts; The new inflation barometer; Dennis' strange Dunkin Donuts encounter at LDI; Are software subscriptions here to stay?; Vectorworks' new pricing strategy; Kit fees; and Wasting time at technical rehearsals. Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and Very Little Makes Sense.

fWotD Episode 3046: Hurricane Ophelia (2005) Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Saturday, 6 September 2025, is Hurricane Ophelia (2005).Hurricane Ophelia was a long-lived tropical cyclone in September 2005 that moved along an erratic path off the East Coast of the United States for much of its existence. The fifteenth named storm and the eighth hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, Ophelia originated from a complex set of systems across the Atlantic in early September. An area of low pressure consolidated near the Bahamas and was classified as Tropical Depression Sixteen on September 6. Stuck in a region of meager steering currents, largely dominated by a lull between two ridges to the north and east, this system moved along a looping course with a general northward trajectory. The following day it organized into Tropical Storm Ophelia and soon reached hurricane status on September 8. Over the next week, Ophelia's intensity oscillated between tropical storm and hurricane levels due to intrusions of dry air, varying levels of wind shear, and gradual upwelling of cooler waters along its meandering path. Gradually growing in size, the system reached hurricane strength for the fourth time and its peak strength on September 14, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h). By this time Ophelia had completed a second loop and was moving northwest toward North Carolina. Changing direction once again, the system turned away from the state though its eyewall scraped the coastline for two days. The system degraded to tropical storm strength for a final time on September 16 as it began accelerating northeast. Becoming embedded within the westerlies, Ophelia transitioned into an extratropical cyclone the next day. Remaining on a steady east-northeast to northeast path for the next week, Ophelia traversed Atlantic Canada and the northern Atlantic Ocean before dissipating on September 23 over the Norwegian Sea.Ophelia's erratic track prompted warnings and watches for a large swath of the Eastern Seaboard, ultimately a greater area than necessary. With the storm occurring on the heels of Hurricane Katrina, state governments were quick to prepare shelters out of an abundance of caution. National Guard servicemen were deployed to North Carolina while thousands more were on standby there and in South Carolina. More than 2,000 people used public shelters as Ophelia approached land. As the hurricane's core remained largely offshore, its impacts were significantly less than feared. Some coastal locales saw heavy rain, notably more than 15 in (380 mm) in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The greatest impacts were felt in North Carolina, where more than 240,000 people lost power and more than 1,500 homes were damaged. Total monetary losses in the state were estimated at $70 million. Extensive beach erosion occurred due to the hurricane's prolonged effects. Tropical storm-force wind gusts and heavy rain caused minor damage in Florida, Massachusetts, and South Carolina. Rough seas led to one fatality in Florida and left another person missing in South Carolina while rain-slicked roads contributed to a fatal accident in North Carolina. Atlantic Canada saw negligible effects as Ophelia's remnants traversed the region; one person died after falling from his roof while preparing for the storm. In the storm's wake, 37 of North Carolina's counties were declared disaster areas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provided roughly $5.2 million in public assistance and the National Guard assisted with distribution of relief supplies.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:54 UTC on Saturday, 6 September 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Hurricane Ophelia (2005) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Danielle.

On May 5, 2024, Roy Whited did not show up to preach his Sunday service at DeRossett Church of Christ in Sparta, Tennessee. When church members went to his house to check on the 64-year-old, they found his truck parked in the driveway. His sermon had been prepared and his phone was in the charger, but there was no sign of Roy. Investigators soon learned no one had seen or heard from the popular pastor since two days earlier. Extensive searches failed to uncover a single trace of Roy, and there has been no activity on his bank accounts. Dateline's Josh Mankiewicz talks with Roy's brother, Lynn Whited, his close friends Doug Watts and Barb Witzigman, and close friend White County Sheriff Steve Page. Roy Whited is 5'11” and 175 lbs., with brown eyes and auburn hair that is graying. At the time of his disappearance he's believed to have been wearing a beige shirt and either cowboy boots or tennis shoes. He would be 65 years old today. If you have any information on Roy's whereabouts, please contact the White County Sheriff's Office at 931-836-2700. Get more information and see pictures of Roy Whited here: https://www.nbcnews.com/datelinemissing. This episode was originally published on June 24, 2025.

This webinar recording will assist you in developing a current, complete, accurate, and clear inventory of all your projects -- the outcomes you are committed to finish within the next 12 months. To watch the entire webinar from July 2025, please visit GTD Connect. -- This audio is one of many available at GTD Connect, a learning space and community hub for all things GTD. Join GTD practitioners from around the world in learning, sharing, and developing the skills for stress-free productivity. Sign up for a free guest pass Learn about membership options Knowing how to get the right things done is a key to success. It's easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. Stay focused and increase productivity with GTD Connect—a subscription-based online learning center from the David Allen Company. GTD Connect gives you access to a wealth of multimedia content designed to help you stay on track and deepen your awareness of principles you can also learn in GTD courses, coaching, and by reading the Getting Things Done book. You'll also get the support and encouragement of a thriving global community of people you won't find anywhere else. If you already know you'd like to join, click here to choose from monthly or annual options. If you'd like to try GTD Connect free for 14 days, read on for what's included and how to get your free trial. During your 14-day free trial, you will have access to: Recorded webinars with David Allen & the certified coaches and trainers on a wide range of productivity topics GTD Getting Started & Refresher Series to reinforce the fundamentals you may have learned in a GTD course, coaching, or book Extensive audio, video, and document library Slice of GTD Life series to see how others are making GTD stick David Allen's exclusive interviews with people in his network all over the world Lively members-only discussion forums sharing ideas, tips, and tricks Note: GTD Connect is designed to reinforce your learning, and we also recommend that you take a course, get individual coaching, or read the Getting Things Done book. Ready to start your free trial?

Brendan Walsh, Chief Operations Officer with the Road Safety Authority, on the latest waiting times for driving tests.

Rabbi Meir Posner of Danzig (1725-1807), one of the leading poskim of the entire 18th century. R Akiva Eger used to send him his questions! A classic אב"ד of the "Old School" https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

How can you tell an alien from a madman?   ULTIMATUM By ROGER DEE In a dingy little Indiana hotel room the fate of three worlds suddenly hung in precarious balance! [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Planet Stories Spring 1950. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] Winant followed the lanky sheriff down the jail corridor past rows of empty, plank-walled cells and drew a sharp breath of relief when they found the last cubicle still tenanted. "That's Uncle Ivor, all right," Winant said. "Sorry he caused you so much trouble, sheriff, but I'll be glad to pay his fine. What's the charge against him?" The sheriff rubbed a palm across his drooping mustaches and looked doubtfully at the old man who sat on the edge of the cell bunk, the bald dome of his head cradled dejectedly in his hands. "You couldn't rightly say there is a charge, mister," he admitted. "Your uncle popped into Ben Stuart's Drop Inn restaurant night before last with a little black box under his arm, naked as a jaybird and talking like a crazy man. "'I'm a visitor from Mars,' he says. 'Take me to your president, and quick!' Ben thought he was crazy, or drunk, and ran him out with a meat cleaver, and the old duck went down to the Warner Hotel and pulled the same goofy act. Pop Warner called me, and I went down and threw the old coot into the cooler. I knew right off that he was cracked, because I even had to show him how to put on the clothes I brought him. And the wingding he pitched when I took that black box away from him—wow!" Winant shook his head. "Poor Uncle Ivor," he said commiseratingly. "The last time he got away from us he thought he was Mahatma Ghandi, and tried to buy a bus ticket from Cincinnati to New Delhi, India. I found him, finally, in Evansville, Indiana. It's amazing how he got this far south, but then a mentally-unbalanced person can do surprising things, sometimes." The sheriff snorted. "Unbalanced, hell," he said. "The old coot's crazy as a bed-bug. Just got in from Mars, he says, and he wants the president of the United States—on the double!" He unlocked the door and Winant went inside. "It's all right now, Uncle Ivor," he said gently. The old man raised a wrinkled, leathery face and stared at him uncomprehendingly. "Let's go over to my hotel and get a good meal and a hot bath," Winant urged. "Then we'll go home again. Ready, now?" A few minutes later in the jail office the sheriff pocketed the bill Winant gave him and handed over a small lacquered metal box that was surprisingly heavy for its size. "Here's your uncle's radio," he said. "New-fangled model, I reckon. I couldn't make head nor tail of it, so I just left it alone." Winant lifted the hinged cover and looked inside the box at the neat array of tiny meters and knobs that covered the control panel. "A wise decision, sheriff," he said dryly. "Wiser, perhaps, than you'll ever know." The old man stood in the center of Winant's hotel room, the sheriff's ill-fitting denims hanging on his slight frame like the castoff clothing of a scare-crow. "The box," he said. His voice, after talking for so long, was a hoarse, rasping croak. "Give me the box." Winant sat in a decrepit wicker chair, holding the box in his lap, his eyes missing no detail of the old man's shrunken figure with its bald dome-like head and wrinkled parchment face. "I'll give you the box when you tell me something that makes sense," he said. "What you've just told me is nothing but a rehash of the story you told the sheriff—that your name is Yardana and that you are an envoy from Mars, sent to Earth to help scientific authorities develop safe atomic power. Look—I'm a news writer, down here to investigate the rumors of a blue meteorite landing in the hills just north of here and to check up on the comic accounts I read of your appearance. I went to a lot of trouble and some risk to get you out of jail, and I want a reasonable story for my trouble. What about it, now?" The old man wrung his hands. "Give me the box. Give me the box!" "Later," Winant promised. "When you give me the real story behind this thing I'll not only give you back your box, I'll give you a lift out of this burg as well." He looked at the old man sharply. "How could a Martian speak the kind of English you've been using? Why should a Martian look so much like an ordinary human being? It doesn't add up." "We are of the same root stock," Yardana said. "Intelligent life follows the same evolutionary pattern, no matter where it develops, so long as conditions are the same. As for the language, my people have followed your experiments with electro-magnetics since their beginning. We know every language of Earth intimately, through long study of your radio programs." Winant laughed. "Maybe the sheriff was right, at that," he said. "It's a goofy story, too fantastic for belief." He shrugged and handed the old man the black box. "Here's your toy," he said resignedly. "I guess that's all I'm going to get for my trouble; just enough misinformation for another tongue-in-cheek article for Sunday supplements." He picked up his brief-case from the floor and laid it on the corner of the writing table at his elbow. "The lift I promised you still goes, if you want it, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow." The old man took the black box eagerly and threw back the cover. His fingers flickered over the controls with practised familiarity. "I shall not need your assistance—now," he said. His pale eyes met Winant's triumphantly. "Now that I have the Bubble again I have a means of return to my ship better than any Earthly conveyance could offer. Watch!" From the black box swelled a pulsing radiance, a misty rose-tinted sphere that grew swiftly until it enveloped Yardana in a six-foot bubble of iridescent light. Through its wavering envelope the old man's face showed taut and purposeful, its pleading replaced by grim determination. "Print your story," he said. "Tell your people about Yardana and his mission. Tell them too that their days are numbered from this minute, for in their savage perversion of natural principles to warlike uses they have forged a menace that threatens the peace of the Solar System and, eventually, of the universe itself." He moved toward the window, the rosy Bubble glowing about him. Winant turned his chair slightly, watching, but he did not rise. "My people knew the secrets of the atom," Yardana said, "before your own learned the use of fire. We built great cities and telescopes when your ancestors were troglodytes, living in caves and eating uncooked meat. We expected no dangerous intelligence to arise on your planet for thousands of years as yet, and we paid little attention to your progress until recently, when we learned through your radio broadcasts that you had cracked the atom. We knew then that something was dangerously wrong, and that we must investigate quickly before your sudden wisdom put you upon equal footing with us. "Today, when you should be only learning to compound gunpowder, we find you applying electromagnetic principles which you cannot possibly understand, and harnessing the atom for the sole purpose of killing greater numbers of your fellow beings. I came here, not to aid your scientists in developing the rudiments of the atomic power they have discovered, but to find the reason behind the sudden freakish intelligence they are displaying. I have discovered that reason—the scientific and political powers of Earth are under the domination and guidance of alien intelligences, entities bent upon developing a race of Earthmen so warlike and so technically proficient in the waging of war that it must endanger our own Martian culture." Winant sat unmoving, his eyes not leaving the Martian's wrinkled face. The Bubble hissed audibly, its tiny sussuration suddenly loud in the room. "Therefore I shall recommend in my report that the human race be completely destroyed," Yardana said. "Alone it could not offer a serious threat against us for ages, but led and instructed by these outside intelligences it must soon surpass our own scientific development. And we must destroy you before you learn the secret of space travel, or we shall be too late to save ourselves. "We fought with the peoples of Venus once in ages past for the same reason, and reduced them to inconsequence if not to extinction, for no sign of intelligent life has been detected upon their world since we blasted it three thousand years ago. When I have made my report the council of Elders will recommend the blasting of Earth, and the solar system will be safe again for our superior Martian civilization—this time forever." "When you have made your report," Winant said. His smile was edged with a sudden secret amusement. "But suppose these 'alien entities' prevent your return?" He opened the brief-case on the table and put a hand inside it. The Martian laughed harshly. "No missile can penetrate a Bubble, you fool," he said contemptuously. "It is impervious to any Earthly weapon." Winant laughed in turn, his lips pressed back flat against his teeth. The repressed hatred of three thousand years spoke in his voice, added pressure to the thrust of his thumb on the stud of the little silver tube in his hand. "Of course it is," he said, as the sullen crimson ray from the tube disintegrated Martian, box and Bubble alike in a breath. "That's why I came prepared—with a Venusian weapon!"

In this milestone 400th episode, I reflect on the journey of this podcast, from its inception rooted in personal loss and mental health advocacy to its evolution into a platform for meaningful discussions.  - Timestamps:  00:00 Celebrating 400 Episodes 02:14 From Wrestling to Podcasting 06:40 Mental Health and Podcast Evolution 10:57 Rebranding and Growth 17:15 The Future: Expanding Content and Purpose - See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://everybodyspod.com/deals/ - Shop For Everybody  Use code SFE10 for 10% OFF

This whole podcast was only a dream a couple years ago, and here we are now with 100 episodes. Thank you for being here, for listening, and for sharing these conversations with your friends.In this episode, I share some life updates and talk intensely about the Wheel of Connection (view this visual diagram!), which is a foundational concept to my work. I give an overview about each of the categories, and at the end of the episode, I talk about how to do a basic Wheel of Connection audit. You deserve Level 10 support, and hopefully this helps you to take more intentional action to develop the connections you need for this season of life. Want to go even deeper? Sign up for my newsletter to receive more information, including announcements about my forthcoming book and the Wheel of Connection audio guide.In this episode you'll hear about:Life updates regarding my health, two Taylor Swift concerts, and the major milestone of this episodeThe Wheel of Connection: why I made it, why it's round, why it looks different for everyoneHow your own Wheel of Connection is constantly changing: people move between categories, and different categories grow and shrink depending on your needsWheel of Connection components: family of origin; family of choice; formal community; acquaintance; and familiar/defined/present/historic friendHow the Wheel of Connection and Roots Framework work together, and how to conduct a Wheel of Connection auditResources & Links:Here are some visuals of the Wheel of Connection and my Roots framework. Want more? Sign up for my newsletter to receive more information, including announcements about my forthcoming book and the Wheel of Connection audio guide.Like what you hear? Visit my website, leave me a voicemail, and follow me on Instagram and TikTok!Want to take this conversation a step further? Send this episode to a friend. Tell them you found it interesting and use what we just talked about as a conversation starter the next time you and your friend hang out!

Pascal Reischl is a certified GTD trainer in Austria. He will tell you that he has always been interested in technology. Naturally our discussion about his journey with GTD involves plenty of tech talk. But especially when working with people who are new to GTD, he doesn't push for feature-laden applications. Instead, he says "Start with what you are already using." He also shares an inspiring story about how putting GTD fully into practice has helped him to be more present with his family, and in every aspect of his life. -- This audio is one of many available at GTD Connect, a learning space and community hub for all things GTD. Join GTD practitioners from around the world in learning, sharing, and developing the skills for stress-free productivity. Sign up for a free guest pass Learn about membership options Knowing how to get the right things done is a key to success. It's easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. Stay focused and increase productivity with GTD Connect—a subscription-based online learning center from the David Allen Company. GTD Connect gives you access to a wealth of multimedia content designed to help you stay on track and deepen your awareness of principles you can also learn in GTD courses, coaching, and by reading the Getting Things Done book. You'll also get the support and encouragement of a thriving global community of people you won't find anywhere else. If you already know you'd like to join, click here to choose from monthly or annual options. If you'd like to try GTD Connect free for 14 days, read on for what's included and how to get your free trial. During your 14-day free trial, you will have access to: Recorded webinars with David Allen & the certified coaches and trainers on a wide range of productivity topics GTD Getting Started & Refresher Series to reinforce the fundamentals you may have learned in a GTD course, coaching, or book Extensive audio, video, and document library Slice of GTD Life series to see how others are making GTD stick David Allen's exclusive interviews with people in his network all over the world Lively members-only discussion forums sharing ideas, tips, and tricks Note: GTD Connect is designed to reinforce your learning, and we also recommend that you take a course, get individual coaching, or read the Getting Things Done book. Ready to start your free trial?

Astros Get Blown Out In The First Game vs Tigers, Should We Worry? Extensive 53 Man Roster Breakdown.

Astros Get Blown Out In The First Game vs Tigers, Should We Worry? Extensive 53 Man Roster Breakdown.

Extensive flooding has left thousands of Milwaukee area residents with property damage. Gov. Tony Evers has requested help from FEMA, but for now, many are wondering if insurance will help pay for repairs.

It's Hollow Earth, UFOs, the birth of Sci-Fi, and more wierdshit than you can believe as we present a super-cut of our 2-part interview with Jerry Drake and Jeb Card about one of the foundational stories of "weirdshitology" in a new ginormous single episode. And there's a little bit of reading if you want to follow us down the rabbit hole... EXTENSIVE show notes freely viewable at Patreon.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/monstertalk--6267523/support.

Even alien observers might reach a point where they give up.   original text:   THE WATCHERS By ROGER DEE It had taken him ten years to find them—to even convince himself that they existed. Now Manson was ready to kill! [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Planet Stories September 1951. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] He left his gyro on the dark lawn and circled the villa, carefully avoiding the wash of light from open windows. The blast gun lay snug and cold in his hand, and his thought ran bleakly: Here am I, Peter Manson, pacifist, idealist, reformer, preacher in print of tolerance and amity—about to kidnap a man whom I shall almost certainly kill before morning. Tomorrow the telecast would list his madness with other insanities: sex murders, suicides, political drumbeatings for the coming holocaust of the inevitable Fourth War.... War. "They're going too far," he said, half aloud. "Their routine meddlings were bad enough, but another war now might mean the end of everything." He found the alien who called himself Leonard Havlik in a bright, book-lined study, packing a miscellany of papers into a brief case that bore his name in gold lettering. A secretary was helping, a slim girl with crisp, copper-colored hair and clear green eyes. Manson waited, tense with unaccustomed strain. Somewhere a bird trilled sleepily, and the night-wind, fragrant with the smell of trampled clover, blew cool against his damp face. Irrelevantly, the scene inside reminded him of his own quiet study where he had labored for ten years over the scant gleanings of his search. In that time he had written four books, fighting with a reformer's apostolic zeal to open the eyes of men to their own possibilities, and he had failed. He had not awakened his kind, but he had found the Watchers. The failure was not his fault. It was Theirs.... The girl left the room. Manson straightened at his window, bringing up the blast gun. "Come out, Havlik," he ordered. "Quickly, or I'll blow you to dust where you stand—Watcher!" His quarry looked up, startled—a small, dark man with a thin, tired face and sparse gray hair, a perfect replica of the million ordinary businessmen his camouflage of humanity aped. Manson snicked off the safety catch of his weapon, and Havlik came through the window quickly, without protest. Manson prodded him into the gyro and manacled his wrists together. "We Earthmen have a time-tested proverb," Manson said, "to the effect that you can't fool all the people all the time. I've spent ten years searching for you, Havlik—and here I am." He set the autopilot for his cabin on Green River, holding his blast gun warily, and sent the gyro slanting upward into the night. Havlik smiled faintly, dark eyes gleaming in the light of the instrument panel. "Laugh while you can," Manson said grimly. "I've learned something of you Watchers already. I'll know more by morning." "Force was unnecessary," Havlik said unexpectedly. "I would have given you information willingly, since our mission here is ended. The Kha Niish, who are our masters, have ordered us to leave Earth. Tonight." Manson stared, the alien's assurance fanning his anger. "You're lying—you Watchers have mingled with us for centuries, using our own ignorance to set us against each other. You've kept us in perpetual confusion, deafening us with our own bickering while you tightened your hold on us. Now you're fomenting a Fourth War that may wipe us out completely, to save yourselves the trouble of liquidating us directly. You'd never go now, with success almost in your hands." "Perhaps you mistake our intention," Havlik said. "How do you know you're right?" "Because men of themselves would not do the brutal, idiotic things that fill the telecasts every day," Manson said. "We are a gregarious people, craving affection—why should we lie and steal and murder each other by the millions? Man is a rational animal, yet he does not behave in a rational manner. By simple induction, the basic cause of his social idiocy stems from outside himself. Someone, or Something, is setting us against each other. I suspected as much ten years ago, and tonight I have proved it." Havlik shrugged. "You've wasted your time. We leave Earth tonight." Manson laughed shortly. "You're not going anywhere, my friend. I need you for information." "What else would you know? Our reason for quitting Earth?" "You're not leaving at all," Manson said, nettled. "You may have planned a routine jump to your base on Pluto, but you're not giving up a juicy plum like Earth. Not after all these years!" He peered through the gyro's side glass searching for the white peak of Green Mountain to check his position. The skyglow of Denver shimmered in the east, but the peak was lost in darkness. "You misunderstand our motive," the alien said. "But you're quite right about our base on Pluto. Induction again?" "On a different level, yes," Manson said. "Pluto is a solar anomaly—a small, heavy planet where there should be nothing but a larger and lighter world. Pluto was never born to Sol—it's an alien planet, brought in from Outside by you Watchers." A red light winked on the control panel, and the gyro swerved fractionally. A fiery streak of crimson rocket exhaust flared ahead and vanished, explaining the deviation. "Seattle-Miami express," Manson muttered. Then the unnatural angle of the exhaust-trail registered, troubling him. "But it shouldn't cross my course—and it should be going up, not down!" "Your crusade is based on a false premise," Havlik said. "We came to Earth less than fifty years ago, not to destroy humanity but to guide it. The Kha Niish sent us as missionaries, to sow the seed of Their benign culture among men as we have sowed it among a thousand other infant races born into Their galaxy." The gyro tilted, spiraling down for a landing. A farmhouse, lighted windows cheerful against the dark countryside, rose to meet it. Beside the house, standing on end like a giant cartridge case, Manson saw a sleek, shining bulk—a ship. He raised incredulous eyes to meet the alien's dark stare. Comprehension stunned him. "You fiend," he breathed. "You've tricked me somehow—you've played cat-and-mouse with me from the first!" He remembered the gun in his hand and swung it up. "Let your weapon drop," Havlik said. "You set the autopilot at my direction. This is our evacuation point." The gun slid from Manson's fingers. He tried to retrieve it from the floor and cried out, startled, when his body refused to obey. The alien removed his manacles. "You will be free again as soon as we lift." "Lies," Manson grated. He fought to break the stasis that held him, veins knotting in his forehead with the effort. "I might have known!" The gyro landed gently, a hundred yards from the cylinder. Figures swarmed about the great ship, pouring up a wide ramp in orderly embarkation. The girl Manson had seen at the villa came running toward the gyro, copper hair blowing in the night-wind. "You were almost late," she called to Havlik. "We're ready to—" She caught sight of the Earthman and broke off. In the dark depth of her eyes Manson saw understanding and a great pity, and for the first time it came to him that Havlik had not lied. Aliens they might be, but not destroyers—in this girl burned the same ideals, the same transcendent zeal that drove him. She was as human, basically, as he. The same will to raise up the helpless is in us both, he thought. The compulsion to carry the saving light of reason to those in darkness.... "Wait," he begged. "Your master wouldn't have ordered you away if Earth needed you—and if men can work out their own salvation, then they don't need me, either! Take me with you out there—let me help you, let me see the Outside galaxy of the Kha Niish for myself!" He spoke to Havlik, but his eyes clung to the girl as to a magnet. She met his gaze fully, the compassion in her own eyes deeper than grief. Havlik shook his head. "Your sanity would not bear the presence of the Kha Niish, nor of the other races Outside. You are drawn to this girl as to another of your own kind—but do you suppose that the Kha Niish would shape her in Their image? She is like the rest of us, an android creature, refashioned by the Masters to suit the environment of each new world we visit." The last of the swarming figures vanished into the great cylinder. A muted gong-sound thrummed through the night. A voice called, urgently. "The Kha Niish did not order us away because men are solving their own problems," the alien said. "We leave you to destroy yourselves, as you will, because man is one of the rare failures of the Galactic Urge. You are a race of incorrigibles." Later Manson sat woodenly in his gyro, waiting for volition to return, the scent of scorched earth and ozone and trampled clover strong in his nostrils. We Earthmen have another inerrant old saw, he thought bitterly. An excruciatingly funny one dealing with silk purses and sows' ears.... For a long time he sat quietly, straining his eyes to follow the last faint rocket-streak that arced upward against the stars. Then the stasis that held him fell away, and he reached for the blast gun that lay under his feet.

You need to control commitments, projects, and actions in two ways--horizontally and vertically. Horizontal control maintains coherence across all the activities in which you are involved. Vertical control, in contrast, manages thinking, development, and coordination of individual topics and projects. In this webinar recording, Ana Maria Gonzalez talks about the relationship between these two levels of control and how you can leverage them both for your productivity. -- This audio is one of many available at GTD Connect, a learning space and community hub for all things GTD. Join GTD practitioners from around the world in learning, sharing, and developing the skills for stress-free productivity. Sign up for a free guest pass Learn about membership options Knowing how to get the right things done is a key to success. It's easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. Stay focused and increase productivity with GTD Connect—a subscription-based online learning center from the David Allen Company. GTD Connect gives you access to a wealth of multimedia content designed to help you stay on track and deepen your awareness of principles you can also learn in GTD courses, coaching, and by reading the Getting Things Done book. You'll also get the support and encouragement of a thriving global community of people you won't find anywhere else. If you already know you'd like to join, click here to choose from monthly or annual options. If you'd like to try GTD Connect free for 14 days, read on for what's included and how to get your free trial. During your 14-day free trial, you will have access to: Recorded webinars with David Allen & the certified coaches and trainers on a wide range of productivity topics GTD Getting Started & Refresher Series to reinforce the fundamentals you may have learned in a GTD course, coaching, or book Extensive audio, video, and document library Slice of GTD Life series to see how others are making GTD stick David Allen's exclusive interviews with people in his network all over the world Lively members-only discussion forums sharing ideas, tips, and tricks Note: GTD Connect is designed to reinforce your learning, and we also recommend that you take a course, get individual coaching, or read the Getting Things Done book. Ready to start your free trial?

Some travel isn't back and forth in TIME, but rather sort of horizontal...   original text:   PLACEBO By DAVID MASON Each 1955 was worse than the last! [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Infinity Science Fiction, November 1955. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] The object appeared in the middle of Main Way, about fifty feet from the statue of Vachel Lindsay, and at least a hundred from anything else. It was much too big and complicated to have been hidden anywhere, and it hadn't any wheels, tracks, wings, or other visible means of movement. Corrigan, looking the object over, decided that it could not have come from any logical place in the world. Not being prejudiced, he then thought a little about the illogical places, and the places that weren't in the world. Corrigan decided that it must be another attempt at time travel, and he clucked his tongue sympathetically. Well, someone had to break the news. Corrigan arose from the grass and walked toward the object. There was a young man sitting in the object, on a sort of high saddle. He looked a little wild-eyed, and he seemed to be talking to himself, as he pulled and twisted at the rows of controls in front of him. Corrigan, looking up at him, decided that he couldn't be very healthy, and that the stiff gray garments he wore must be extremely uncomfortable. "Greetings, traveler," Corrigan called. "You're speaking Anglish!" the young man exclaimed. "Good! Maybe I can get some help here. What year is this?" "1955, by most systems." The young man turned a little paler. "I've just left 1955," he said unhappily. "Four times, in fact. Four different 1955's. And each one's a bit worse. Now the machine won't work." "Your theory's wrong," Corrigan said calmly. "Hasn't it occurred to you yet that time travel might be impossible?" The young man made a choked sound. He began to climb down from his perch, keeping his eyes fixed suspiciously on Corrigan as he did so. He saw Corrigan as a small brown man, dressed in loose blue trousers, barefooted, and with a puff of white hair that seemed never to have been properly cut. The lawns and grassy roads, the bright and impermanent-looking buildings, and Corrigan himself, all added up to one thing in the young man's mind. "You're wrong," Corrigan said. "I'm not a lunatic, and this isn't an asylum. We don't have them." The young man, on the ground now, stared at Corrigan in evident horror. "Mind reading?" "More or less," Corrigan said. "It saves time. For instance, you're Darwin Lenner, and you'd like very much to get back to wherever you started from. In fact, you have to, or something unpleasant might happen to you, by your standards." "I'd be absent without permission," Lenner admitted. "I ... I wish you wouldn't do that." "Only when absolutely necessary," Corrigan smiled. "I'm a philosopher by trade, myself, not a mind reader. My name's Philip Corrigan, and I'd be very glad to help you on your way ... but I think it might be a little difficult. We aren't really a very mechanically-minded people here." Lenner ran his hands through his hair. "I've got to get back. Isn't there anybody who knows something about time machines?" Corrigan had been thinking swiftly. He had also been carrying on a conversation which Lenner could not possibly hear, with a man who was several miles away. "Burwell, he wants to go home." "Fine. He ought to. Why doesn't he?" "He lost his confidence. He thinks his machine's broken down." "That kind, eh? I suppose the thing never really did work very well." "Most of them don't. They go traveling around hit-or-miss through probability under the operator's own mental steam—but this fellow probably comes from a world where an idea like that's illegal." "Sounds like it. Corrigan, take him on a guided tour or something, and keep him busy. I'll be over as soon as I can. I'm going to do something for his self-confidence. Here's the story to give him...." Corrigan had always enjoyed conducting guided tours, and he was enjoying this one especially well. He had a slightly wicked taste for complicated teasing, and Lenner was a perfect object. He had evidently come from one of the more unpleasant probabilities, a world full of complex rules and harshly restrictive; everything that he saw bothered him. The handsome girls, wearing unstrategically placed flowers and very little else; the flocks of children, as plentiful as pigeons and apparently as free of supervision; the almost total absence of anybody actually performing useful work ... all of it contributed to Lenner's increasing nervousness. The guided tour went in a wide circle, and Lenner and Corrigan wound up sitting in a tavern facing on Main Way. Lenner ignored the green drink before him and peered unhappily out the big window toward his machine. "Where is that friend of yours?" he asked, for the fifth time. "He'll be here," Corrigan assured him. "Why hurry? Don't you like it here?" Lenner's mouth hardened. He looked around him, and shook his head. "No." He spoke almost apologetically, "I'm sorry ... well, look, old fellow, no hard feelings, I hope. But this world of yours is primitive. Degenerate, I'd say." "Primitive?" "No laws—not even morals! Those girls ... and of course, you don't have any civilized advantages. Not even ground transportation. That man you spoke of has to walk here. And that's something else I don't understand. You say he's another time traveler...." "Probability traveler, actually," Corrigan corrected. "All right, probability. Why does he stay here? Why would a really intelligent man give up civilization?" "Well, you know how it is. He's gone native, you might say. Life among the lotus eaters, and all that. Might happen to anybody, even yourself." Lenner shuddered. "It's all right, though." Corrigan continued. "He'll be here any minute, and I'm sure he'll be able to help. Knows all there is to know about these machines. In fact, here he comes now." Burwell entered, and Corrigan could hardly suppress a small chuckle. Burwell had picked up Lenner's ideas about what a man of intelligence and authority ought to look like, and had gone to some trouble to look the part. He was wearing a uniform of some sort, spectacles, and an expression of extreme wisdom. "I'm sure I can repair what's wrong," Burwell told Lenner. "Let's go and look at your machine." Arriving, Burwell climbed over the mechanism with an air of bored ability, occasionally thumping at something, adjusting something else, or hitting a part with a tool until it rang. He muttered to himself as he worked, allowing the sound of his musings to drift in Lenner's direction. "Umm ... badly twisted impeller ... the varish is more or less waffled ... let's see if ... ah, there we are." He climbed down and solemnly shook hands with Lenner. "Fine machine you've got there, my boy. It'll take you back to your own place quite easily now. There wasn't a thing wrong except the drift crotch. However, I wouldn't use it again if I were you. There's no real control on these things. A man could end up anywhere. And of course, you'd never find your way back here, without control." "Well, thanks..." Lenner said doubtfully. He glanced around. "It's a shame there's no way we could regularly communicate between our worlds. There's a lot we could do for this one." "I'm sure of that," Burwell said, hastily looking away. "But it isn't worth the danger and difficulty of reaching us. For myself, it doesn't matter any more." He assumed a nobly tragic expression. "But you are young; you've got your life ahead of you; your State and your society need you. I'm glad to help you on your way." Lenner mounted the machine, and Burwell beamed a thought at Corrigan. "I've convinced him that the thing works, and that it would not be easy to come back. Actually, that machine of his is a real work of art. It doesn't do a damn thing. This boy comes from a place where they have to have a mechanical crutch for everything. His gadgets are pink pill stuff ... something to convince him he can do things he could do anyway. All we have to do now is give him a small mental shove to help him along, and he'll be home in no time. All right, now—SHOVE!" Corrigan and Burwell shoved. Lenner and his machine faded and were gone, leaving only a flattened place on the grass. "Brrr," Burwell said. "Am I glad that worked! If he'd stayed another week or so we would have had our first lunatic of the century." "Or worse," Corrigan said, stirring the grass with his toes. "Did you get what he was thinking about when he talked about his world and ours getting into touch, and civilizing us?" "I got it, all right." Burwell said. "The fellow's mind was a swamp. A real primitive. And just like any other primitive, all he needed was a placebo from a witch doctor. Me, in my savage regalia. Just let me get this thing with the glass in it off my nose, and these button things opened up a bit, and we can get on with that chess game. I hope the next traveler picks somewhere else to land, though—I've never felt so silly in my life!"

Cities and Memory is one of the largest collaborative sound projects in the world with the inclusion of 130 countries. 

Shoot us a Text.Episode #1115: Ford's ready for its “Model T moment,” the Cybertruck heads to military testing, and Rivian turns EV charging into a Hamptons-style retreat.Show Notes with links:Ford is gearing up for a major EV push with plans to build a new generation of affordable electric vehicles, kicking off a pivotal new chapter that CEO Jim Farley has dubbed the company's “Model T moment.”The EV line will include a midsize pickup, set to launch in 2027 from Ford's Louisville Assembly Plant.Batteries will be supplied by Ford's upcoming $3B LFP (lithium ion phosphate) battery plant in Marshall, MI, creating 1,700 jobs.The Marshall project has faced controversy, construction pauses, and political scrutiny due to its partnership with Chinese battery giant CATL, but will move forward after securing tax credits.It will be the first U.S. EV battery plant to use LFP chemistry at scale—offering lower costs and better sustainability than traditional NMC batteries, though with less power and range.“Model e continues to make targeted investments where we have breakthrough innovation (next gen EVs), and a distinct advantage (LFP batteries)” said CEO Jim Farley.Elon Musk once pitched the Tesla Cybertruck as a military-ready, apocalypse-proof beast. Now, the U.S. Air Force has plans for it—just not quite the way he envisioned.The Air Force Test Center is requesting two Cybertrucks as part of a 33-vehicle target fleet at White Sands Missile Range.A military doc suggests adversaries might use Cybertrucks, which “have been found not to receive the normal extent of damage expected upon major impact.”The goal is to test precision-guided weapons against realistic, resilient targets.The government documents left a glowing review of the Cybertruck saying “Extensive internet searches and industry outreach by [REDACTED] found no vehicles with features comparable to those of the Cybertruck.”Charging your EV in the Hamptons just got a whole lot cozier. Rivian's new Southampton Charging Outpost swaps the gas station vibes for beachside boutique charm—and locals are noticing.The cedar-shingled lounge features six DC fast chargers, a kids' play area, 24/7 restrooms, and complimentary Hampton Coffee.From August 7–10, drivers can plug in for free, enjoy curated snacks, and even test drive a Rivian.Every mile charged is powered by renewable energy—solar and wind included.This marks Rivian's 121st Adventure Network site and 15th in the Northeast, reinforcing its strategy of building fewer but friendlier charging stops.0:00 Intro with Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier0:37 Kyle is at Beaver Mazda today1:42 Announcements3:10 Ford's Next-Gen EVs Are Coming5:37 US Orders Cybertrucks for Target PracticeJoin Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

Nick Aguilar of Frankie and the Witch Fingers and Slaughterhouse is a vinyl maniac! Today we discuss his collection, his obsession, the rarities and a life of music & record collecting. Topics Include: Nick Aguilar plays drums in multiple bands including Frankie and the Witch Fingers Currently focusing mainly on Frankie due to busy touring schedule ahead Extensive tour dates planned through end of year across US and Europe Considers himself a music fan first, musician second since childhood Dad played tapes during Nick's colic as baby, introducing classic rock Father went to San Pedro High School with future Minutemen members Dad chose commercial fishing over music after graduation in 1976 San Pedro's shipping port culture shaped the local music scene Nick has surpassed his dad's music knowledge over the years Started collecting at age 11 when neighbor gave away record collection First records included Rolling Stones "Some Girls" and Led Zeppelin "Physical Graffiti" Still regrets not taking Buzzcocks "Singles Going Steady" from that collection Casual collecting through school, seriously ramped up after high school graduation Pandemic period 2020-2022 massively accelerated his collecting and cataloging habits Taught himself DJing during lockdown to play records for people Discovered new genres like soul, funk, kraut rock through deep diving Got lucky buying expensive records cheap before current inflated market Focuses on 45s and 12-inches that work well for DJing Extreme organization needed to juggle multiple bands, touring, collecting, DJing Record store strategy: always hit new arrivals section first Holy grail wants include The Litter and James Knight records Uses both Discogs hunting and in-person digging at stores Thrift store finds getting much rarer as market knowledge spreads Appreciates reissue labels like Numero Group for discovering rare music Limited record shopping time while touring due to tight schedules Favorite shops include Breakaway in Austin and Academy in NYC Most expensive purchase: Helen Smith soul record for $2,900 on credit Most sentimental record: The Frighteners, reminds him of deceased friend Keeps multiple copies of key records for DJing versus home listening Band creates multiple vinyl variants through their Greenway Records label See Frankie and the Witch Fingers and order their vinyl here. High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Andrea MacDonald CPA will lead the conversation on why a LLC setup is important for real estate investments, especially when the purchase is made through a non-real estate business. For more information about the episode visit us at prontotaxschool.com or email us to support@prontotaxschool.com

Jon covers the Sydney Sweeny controversy and offers his opinions on why there's so much online reaction. Jon celebrates Trump's EU trade deal.

In this episode of Product Confidential, join host Evie Brockwell and seasoned product management leader Beks Yelland as they explore the evolution of product management roles over the past two decades. From the early days of extensive documentation to the agile revolution and the rise of data-driven decision-making, Beks shares her insights on how the role has transformed. Discover how AI is reshaping the landscape and why embracing these changes is crucial for future success. Tune in for a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities facing today's product managers.Timestamp:Introduction to Product Management Evolution:Beks Yelland shares her experience over 25 years in product management, highlighting significant changes in the role.Transition from Documentation to Agile:Early 2000s: Extensive documentation was the norm.Shift to Agile methodologies introduced more collaboration and communication with development teams.Impact of Data Accessibility:The role evolved with the accessibility of data, allowing for more informed decision-making and customer insights.AI and Future of Product Management:Discussion on the role of AI in product management and the importance of adapting to technological advancements.Addressing Fear and Imposter Syndrome:Beks and Evie discuss the fear of AI replacing jobs and how product managers can overcome imposter syndrome.Job Market and Career Advice:Insights into the current job market challenges and strategies for navigating job searches.Ready to transform your product management career? Tune in to our latest episode with Beks Yelland and discover how to navigate the evolving landscape of product management. Don't miss out on expert insights and actionable advice. Listen now and subscribe for more episodes that keep you ahead of the curve!Follow Beks on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyyelland/

Fun new podcast episode is up!  The latest From the Fabricator features two individuals whose Fathers were in the business, and they have applied the lessons learned from them to make significant strides in their own careers.  I start with Brady Nails of MT Contracting in Montana.  Extensive conversation that had a ton of interesting nuggets, including training and recruitment, along with insight on AI in the industry.  Then Mike DeFrank joined me.  Mike just landed at Country Glass in Dallas, and it was great to get his perspective on various aspects of the business, including business development in a softer market and working in all aspects of our business.  Two talented individuals who will be players in our space for a long time —and who knows, maybe their kids will follow in their footsteps too!  Thank you, as always, for checking it out.  I appreciate it!Thank you to FHC-Frameless Hardware Company for sponsoring this episode. While others raise prices and scale back, FHC is investing forward.As vendor memos roll out with sweeping increases and vague “market conditions,” FHC is choosing a different path: expanding product lines, opening new Service Centers, and growing support and production teams.Instead of passing the pressure downstream, FHC is absorbing as much as possible — staying committed to competitive pricing, innovative products, and top-tier service.FHC isn't just here to sell to the industry — they're here to support it, grow with it, and lead it forward.FHC is committed to standing with their customers.From the Fabricator- #Glass and #Glazing hosted by Max Perilstein, Managing Partner of Sole Source Consultants. Connect with Max on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-perilstein-409ba111/

The Tour de France is reaching its final legs, with drama, gruelling climbs, and triumphant podiums all playing out across the world. Craig Geater is up close and personal with the professional cycling world, a bike mechanic with over 20 years of experience working with the Tour de France. He's worked with some of the sport's greatest riders and most successful team, and his currently the head mechanic for Australian outfit Team Jayco AlUla. Geater joined Jack Tame to break down what it's like working on something as grand as the Tour de France, his time as Lance Armstrong's personal mechanic, and the unique nature of the competition. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Story at-a-glance Chronic respiratory diseases remain profitable but poorly treated, subjecting patients to expensive healthcare, impaired stamina, and painful decline DMSO is an "umbrella remedy" treating diverse ailments through therapeutic properties including reducing inflammation, improving circulation, and reviving dying cells These properties uniquely address underlying causes of chronic respiratory diseases by reducing fibrosis and inflammation, restoring damaged organs, and improving circulation DMSO addresses respiratory infections through antimicrobial activity, reduced lung inflammation, and potentiation of antimicrobial therapies Extensive published data and user reports demonstrate DMSO's remarkable results for asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and pneumonia, including cases in which transplant was no longer necessary due to significant organ recovery

Max talks with Cole Crawford from ForeFlight about the company's latest innovation: Dynamic Procedures. Built to replace the static, legacy approach chart paradigm, Dynamic Procedures enables pilots to access IFR approach information dynamically, contextually, and interactively—right from the ForeFlight map screen. Cole explains that most pilots spend their time in ForeFlight's moving map, but approach procedures often pulled them out of that environment into static “plates.” Dynamic Procedures changes that by embedding approach information into the map itself, using a smart sidebar that adjusts to what's relevant—no more scanning through unnecessary minimums or ambiguous notes. Max and Cole walk through an ILS approach into Austin, Texas, highlighting features like: A dynamic sidebar showing stepdowns, minimums, and missed instructions Color-coded segments that reflect which part of the procedure is active Integrated 3D lighting views showing actual approach light systems Compatibility with both FAA and Jeppesen charts One-tap toggling between chart and chartless views Cole also introduces the revamped “Approach Mode” in Profile View. It declutters the horizontal profile to focus solely on the approach, making threshold crossing height, descent angles, and fix altitudes easier to interpret. The profile also includes range tick marks so pilots can visualize their distance from the runway—helpful when sequencing into an uncontrolled field or estimating when to descend. The conversation explores how this feature enhances safety—particularly by minimizing the chance of referencing incorrect minimums or missing key notes during busy phases of flight. Cole shares how the sidebar automatically selects the applicable minimum for the aircraft category, based on user input. And the system can handle complex logic, such as adjusting minimums for altimeter source changes—automatically, without the pilot having to do the math. They demonstrate several unique procedures, including RNAV approaches with course reversals and circling minimums. In circling scenarios, the system visually depicts the circling area boundary on the map, helping pilots better visualize protected airspace—especially when flying at non-standard pattern altitudes. The discussion wraps up with insights into how ForeFlight builds this feature using raw procedural data from global ANSPs (Air Navigation Service Providers). Instead of pre-composed charts, Dynamic Procedures generates visuals on-the-fly using Jeppesen data, allowing more flexibility, better legibility, and real-time filtering. The app dynamically renders labels, declutters unnecessary data, and tailors the view to your position and approach segment. Cole offers practical advice for pilots transitioning to this new paradigm. He encourages users not to discard traditional charts immediately, but to use Dynamic Procedures alongside plates at first, eventually growing comfortable with the new tool as a primary briefing method—similar to how many pilots gradually adopted ForeFlight's aeronautical map over VFR sectionals and low-altitude charts. The feature will roll out with a preview to all ForeFlight subscribers in supported regions (U.S., Canada, Pacific Islands), after which it will be available to Essential-tier and above subscribers. Extensive documentation, webinars, and in-app support will help pilots get up to speed. This episode is essential listening for IFR pilots interested in the future of digital flight planning and safety—especially those ready to reimagine how they brief and fly approaches. If you're getting value from this show, please support the show via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Patreon. Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let's you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk. Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset $1299 NEW - Lightspeed Zulu 4 Headset $1099 Lightspeed Zulu 3 Headset $949Lightspeed Sierra Headset $749 My Review on the Lightspeed Delta Zulu Send us your feedback or comments via email If you have a question you'd like answered on the show, let listeners hear you ask the question, by recording your listener question using your phone. Mentioned on the Show Buy Max Trescott's G3000 Book Call 800-247-6553 Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset Giveaway NTSB News Talk Podcast UAV News Talk Podcast Rotary Wing Show Podcast BONUS Video of this Episode! Free access to this Patreon video Free Index to the first 282 episodes of Aviation New Talk So You Want To Learn to Fly or Buy a Cirrus seminars Online Version of the Seminar Coming Soon – Register for Notification Check out our recommended ADS-B receivers, and order one for yourself. Yes, we'll make a couple of dollars if you do. Get the Free Aviation News Talk app for iOS or Android. Check out Max's Online Courses: G1000 VFR, G1000 IFR, and Flying WAAS & GPS Approaches. Find them all at: https://www.pilotlearning.com/ Social Media Like Aviation News Talk podcast on Facebook Follow Max on Instagram Follow Max on Twitter Listen to all Aviation News Talk podcasts on YouTube or YouTube Premium "Go Around" song used by permission of Ken Dravis; you can buy his music at kendravis.com If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

China has been described as the “most prolific,” “sophisticated, far-reaching, and comprehensive” perpetrator of transnational repression in the world. It has targeted many religious communities in diaspora, including Uyghur Muslims, Protestant Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and members of the Church of Almighty God. Specific transnational repression tactics used by the Chinese government include stalking, harassment, intimidation or threats, assault, kidnapping, forcing or coercing the victim to return to China, and threatening or detaining family members in China. In its 2025 annual report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate China as a Country of Particular Concern.  On today's episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler joins Supervisory Policy Advisor Mingzhi Chen to discuss the impact of China's transnational repression on religious freedom.  Read USCIRF's 2025 Annual Report Chapter on China and USCIRF's most recent factsheet on Sinicization of Religion: China's Coercive Religious Policy. With Contributions from:Mingzhi Chen, Supervisory Policy Advisor, USCIRFVeronica McCarthy, Public Affairs Specialist, USCIRF

Send us a textNathan Caplin, candidate for St. George City Council, shares his background in economics, law, and education while discussing his vision for balancing growth with preserving the city's unique character and addressing key challenges facing the community.• Extensive background includes being an economics professor, attorney, and director of America's leading higher education program for incarcerated youth• Views proper role of local government as operating within constitutional boundaries while remaining responsive to residents' needs• Emphasizes direct resident engagement over social media for genuine community input• Identifies traffic safety as an ongoing concern despite St. George having better commutes than many cities• Advocates for attainable housing solutions for local working residents who struggle to afford homesVisit vote.stg.com to learn about all candidates in the municipal elections.[00:00:00] Introduction to Nate Kaplan.[00:04:54] Higher Education for Incarcerated Youth.[00:09:06] Local Government's Proper Role.[00:14:31] Leadership and Community Input.[00:22:15] Traffic Safety and Infrastructure.[00:29:20] Balancing Economic Growth and Heritage.[00:35:20] Protecting Environment vs Development.[00:45:56] Affordable Housing Solutions.[00:51:08] Term Limits and Contact Information.

Our discussion focused on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in your GTD practice. We talked about apps and how much intelligence they have, and how much of the thinking is still up to you. We also considered ways to give AI models more information so they can assist us better with various parts of the GTD implementation. Sign up for the GTD Newsletter -- This audio is one of many available at GTD Connect, a learning space and community hub for all things GTD. Join GTD practitioners from around the world in learning, sharing, and developing the skills for stress-free productivity. Sign up for a free guest pass Learn about membership options Knowing how to get the right things done is a key to success. It's easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. Stay focused and increase productivity with GTD Connect—a subscription-based online learning center from the David Allen Company. GTD Connect gives you access to a wealth of multimedia content designed to help you stay on track and deepen your awareness of principles you can also learn in GTD courses, coaching, and by reading the Getting Things Done book. You'll also get the support and encouragement of a thriving global community of people you won't find anywhere else. If you already know you'd like to join, click here to choose from monthly or annual options. If you'd like to try GTD Connect free for 14 days, read on for what's included and how to get your free trial. During your 14-day free trial, you will have access to: Recorded webinars with David Allen & the certified coaches and trainers on a wide range of productivity topics GTD Getting Started & Refresher Series to reinforce the fundamentals you may have learned in a GTD course, coaching, or book Extensive audio, video, and document library Slice of GTD Life series to see how others are making GTD stick David Allen's exclusive interviews with people in his network all over the world Lively members-only discussion forums sharing ideas, tips, and tricks Note: GTD Connect is designed to reinforce your learning, and we also recommend that you take a course, get individual coaching, or read the Getting Things Done book. Ready to start your free trial?

Mark A. Socinski, MD and Joshua Sabari, MD review new data from ASCO 2025 that have a substantial impact on how oncologists treat patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

Story of the Week (DR):‘Merica:Elon Musk says he'll form the 'America Party' if Trump's 'insane' spending bill passesTrump says he'll 'look' at deporting Musk as feud reignitesBuffett donates $6B in Berkshire stock to 5 foundations: Lifetime giving tops $60B MM9.43 million shares to the Gates Foundation943,384 shares to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation;660,366 shares to each of three charities led respectively by his children Howard, Susie, and Peter: the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Sherwood Foundation and NoVo FoundationMark Zuckerberg sees 'the beginning of a new era' for humanity in superintelligenceTech Workers Say They're Rapidly Being Replaced by AIBurger King to roll out 1,900-calorie 'yokozuna' burger in sumo collabThe 2,590-yen ($18) Baby Body Burger features five flame-grilled beef patties, four slices of bacon and four slices of cheddar cheeseJeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's Extravagant Wedding Sparks Global Debate on Wealth InequalityThe reportedly $50m affair booked all nine of Venice's yacht ports, closed parts of the city to the public and forced the relocation of hotel guests to make room for the happy couple.Though Sánchez claims to be “dedicated to fighting climate change”, and Bezos has called the issue “the biggest threat to our planet”, their guests arrived in the City of Bridges via 96 private jets, the most carbon-intensive mode of transportation.If Caitlin Clark's worth a ‘billion' to WNBA, why is she paid only a fraction of that?$78,066Average annual salary for NBA players during the 2024-25 season: approximately $12MGoodliest of the Week (MM/DR):DR: Zohran Mamdani's victory in NYC mayoral primary leaves Wall Street 'alarmed' and 'depressed' MMMM: EU Regulators Propose Integrating ESG Risks into Stress Tests for Banks, Insurers DRThis might be the realest use of ESG data everAssholiest of the Week (MM): Jeff BezosJeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's lavish Venetian wedding by the numbersJeff Bezos Planned $5.4 Billion Amazon Stock Sale on Wedding DayAmazon deploys its 1 millionth robot in a sign of more job automationDisabled Amazon workers in corporate jobs allege ‘systemic discrimination'Proxy seasonBetter than expected, but uncertainty remains: The 2025 US proxy seasonHere's the summary:The number of shareholder proposals are down in the USBut investor support for the non anti-woke proposals remains steady at around 20% in favor, which is greatNo actions by the SEC have increased in number, but not percentage holding steady at 69% rejected, but companies are still listening to investors through engagementNot in the summary:NOT SINGLE MENTION OF A DIRECTOR VOTEDirector votes make up 98% of global voting - 98%! And proxy season is only shareholder proposals and the anti woke? Are you fucking joking?No mention of the average approval for directors?No mention of the rise of activists - this is the most active year for activist investors in recent memory? Mike Levin has been cataloguing it on the Shareholder Primacy podcast - more activism, larger slates, more wins?Isn't the story how ISS and Glass Lewis ignore directors unless there's an activist involved? Or that views on how to measure director performance are shifting?No, the constant story we hear is about the 500 or so shareholder proposals that happen - not the 80,000 active directors that get a voteInvestors are racistPhilippine corporate governance hindered by highly concentrated ownership, OECD saysCONCENTRATED corporate ownership, particularly among family owned listed firms, undermines corporate governance, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said.“These ownership structures often blur the lines between ownership and management, which can lead to the appointment of successors based on family ties or loyalty rather than qualifications, increasing the risk of poor leadership and weak oversight,It said such controlling shareholders may choose to benefit themselves at the expense of minority shareholders through related-party transactions, asset transfers or the appropriation of company resources for personal or familial use.The OECD said corporate governance weaknesses and concentrated ownership structures continue to weigh on investor confidence in some Asian marketsI read the Sweden report - Sweden is majority dual class shareholders held by foundations, with power concentrated amongst white men even though they mandate 40% women on boardsMinority shareholders basically have no real rights, as the companies are owned by a web of family and foundation interests - but OECD said:… a shareholder with practical majority control of the votes in the company can exert significant control, but also that efficient governance requires there to be a shareholder, or a coalition of shareholders, that monitors the company, engages with the board, and proposes and votes on important matters such as the election of board directors. Dual class share structures have been allowed in Swedish law for over a century to facilitate such engagement.Extensive individual shareholder rights, allowing any shareholder (regardless of the size of their holdings) to add items to the agenda of the general shareholder meeting, to ask the board questions at the general shareholder meeting, and to challenge a decision by the general shareholder meeting in court (with the court being able to invalidate a decision and even replace it with another).So it's ok in Sweden for the majority of the market to be controlled because shareholders can go to the annual meeting and complain without power, but in Asia where they don't bother pretending it's bad?Companies are fucking with your votesPress Release: Deirdre Stanley to Join PayPal's Board of Directors - Jun 24, 2025Increase board size, add person… 19 days after the AGMNo mention of expansion in the proxy, no mention of Deidre StanleyData I have on executive searches suggests it takes an average of about 220 days to find a CEO - assume that it takes 50% of that to place a directorThat would mean PayPal likely started searching for Deidre to join the board at the beginning of March this yearThe proxy came out April 21, 2025 - for nearly two months, PayPal knew it would expand the board and add this person, but it never mentioned it in the proxy or allowed investors to vote on their own representation?I ran numbers on how often this happens - companies fucking with the timelines to add directors to their boards without votes less than 30 days after the AGM. If you want the full numbers, go download our Proxy Countdown show, but here are the highlights:In the last 5 years, it's happened 247 times - at more than a dozen companies, it's happened more than onceAt Rockwell Automation, this happened EVERY YEAR for THREE YEARS - they paid a person without a voteHeadliniest of the WeekDR: People Are Being Involuntarily Committed, Jailed After Spiraling Into "ChatGPT Psychosis"MM: Elon Musk Says He Is So Sorry for His Horrible BehaviorWho Won the Week?DR: Charlize Theron: “I think we might be the only people who did not get an invite to the Bezos wedding. But that's OK because they suck…”MM: As we barrel towards a country that throws the elderly, disabled, and children off of healthcare and denies food access, there can be only one winner. Bacon. Like, real bacon. Kraft Heinz recalls more than 367,000 pounds of Oscar Mayer turkey bacon over listeria concernsPredictionsDR: Charlize Theron is forced to marry Kimbal Musk in order to maintain her American citizenshipMM: Joe Gebbia, who is now on both DOGE AND the Tesla board, resigns from BOTH simultaneously, saying, “I can't be bought”, right after he sells the 4,000 shares of Tesla he got as part of the board at a nice price of $64/share and nets $1.1m

Last time we spoke about liberation of Luzon.. American forces, led by General Eichelberger and supported by General Krueger's armies, relentlessly advanced against the entrenched Japanese defenders of General Yamashita's 14th Area Army. Amid thick jungle and treacherous terrain, battles raged through the northern mountain ranges, as American troops aimed to restore the Filipino government. Facing overwhelming odds, the Japanese forces displayed extraordinary resilience, temporarily halting American progress. Remarkable efforts from General Swift's 1st Corps across Routes 9 and 11 led to significant breakthroughs as American forces captured critical positions, including Sablan and Baguio. However, the Japanese command, complacent and misjudging the American strategy, fell into disarray. As the tide turned with relentless American assaults, key Japanese positions were systematically dismantled. By late April, most of Luzon was liberated, restoring hope and autonomy to the Filipino people.  This episode is Invasion of Balikpapan Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  The battles for Okinawa and Luzon just closed up, and today we are going to be venturing back to the Dutch East Indies. As we left off in mid-May, the tides of war were shifting dramatically on the island of Luzon, with General Krueger's 6th Army celebrating significant victories across the region. In the north, General Swift's 1st Corps had successfully secured the scenic Baguio area, known for its lush mountains and cool climate, a stark contrast to the tropical heat that engulfed much of the Philippines. Yet, the fighting was far from over, as fierce battles continued on three major fronts. Colonel Volckmann's guerrilla 121st Regiment was making strides, snagging much of the strategically vital Bessang Pass, a crucial artery connecting northern Luzon to the central regions. However, their success came at a cost, leaving them overextended amidst fierce Japanese resistance. Meanwhile, General Gill's weary 32nd Division managed to claim dominance over the rugged terrain of Salacsac Pass along the historic Villa Verde Trail, known for its breathtaking views and treacherous paths that had challenged both soldiers and their supply lines. General Mullins' 25th Division achieved a remarkable breakthrough by capturing the key Balete Pass, opening the way for further advances. Not stopping there, the 25th Division pressed onward, quickly redirecting their focus northward towards the town of Santa Fe. By May 24, the 27th Regiment had cleared the Sawmill River valley, an area teeming with dense foliage and rugged hills, a significant accomplishment that paved the way for the next objectives. From there, the 1st Battalion expertly maneuvered eastward against the imposing Kanami Ridge. On May 22, the 161st Regiment dealt a heavy blow to Japanese positions in a stronghold on Mount Haruna, a location known for its steep, challenging slopes. Following this triumph, they began their descent down the northern slopes of Haruna Ridge, gearing up for a critical junction with the Villa Verde Trail by May 27. Meanwhile, the 35th Regiment launched a vigorous assault from Balete Pass, systematically clearing out the remaining Japanese caves and fortifications by May 26, culminating in the capture of Santa Fe the very next day. At Salacsac, the Japanese forces, led by General Iwanaka, initiated a limited counteroffensive, presumably to buy time for a strategic evacuation of their increasingly tenuous positions. If delay was indeed Iwanaka's intention, he executed it well; it wasn't until May 19 that the American supply line was finally deemed secure again. The 2nd Battalion of the 128th Regiment resumed its push east from Hill 525, but the progress was slow. By May 22, the 1st Battalion had only managed to advance a mere 500 yards east from Hill 508, while the 3rd Battalion commenced a southward and southeastward advance from Hill 516 on May 16. It was not until May 24 that the relentless fighting in the region bore fruit, leading to the eventual clearing of the area, and Salacsac Pass was officially declared secured. On that pivotal day, General Iwanaka began the difficult task of withdrawing the remnants of his battered forces northward, retreating up the winding valley of the Imugan River. This river, which flows through a lush, verdant landscape, would serve as a vital sanctuary, albeit one fraught with danger for the disheartened Japanese troops. Meanwhile, the American forces were gaining ground. The 2nd Battalion aggressively seized control of Hill 527, a position that provided a commanding view of the surrounding area, crucial for planning further advances. The 126th Regiment took decisive action, utilizing trucks to transport troops swiftly along Route 5 to Balete Pass before launching an assault toward Imugan from the east and southeast. Concurrently, the guerrilla 1st Battalion of the Buena Vista Regiment embarked on a northward push from Valdez, culminating in the hard-fought capture of Hill 528 on May 28. This hill, commanding and steep, presented a formidable challenge but also promised a vantage point critical for any further operations in the region. The very next day, Imugan finally succumbed to the relentless pressure of the advancing American forces, marking a significant milestone as the Villa Verde Trail came firmly under American control. This development effectively concluded the arduous operations of the 32nd Division. It was a costly campaign for General Gill; the division suffered approximately 825 men killed, 2,160 wounded, with an alarming 6,000 classified as non-battle casualties. In stark contrast, the Japanese defense was decimated, with at least 5,750 of the 8,750 troops they had deployed to defend the trail lying dead. As we gaze northward, we find Colonel Volckmann's guerrillas, who had extended themselves too thinly across Bessang Pass and into the challenging terrain of Yubo Ridge. The aftermath of their overreach saw them facing fierce Japanese counterattacks that swiftly pushed them back across Lamagan Ridge in the latter part of May. However, a small contingent managed to hold tenaciously onto the eastern slopes of Langiatan Hill, a strategic position that allowed them to maintain some level of influence in the region. Additionally, a robust force from the Japanese 76th Regiment assembled south of Butac, planning an offensive northward. However, this advance was met with fierce resistance from the guerrilla 15th Regiment, who successfully repelled the attack. Seizing the momentum, Volckmann directed the 15th Regiment into a new offensive eastward, and by the end of May, they had successfully re-secured their foothold up to Lamagan Ridge. Meanwhile, elements of the 121st Regiment executed a remarkable retaking of both Langiatan Hill and Yubo Ridge, gradually restoring control over this strategically vital area. Looking south, we find General Hall's 11th Corps vigorously engaged in two crucial offensives aimed at capturing Ipo Dam and Wawa Dam, both essential water reservoirs located east of Manila. The strategic importance of these dams cannot be overstated; they were vital not only for securing fresh water but also for controlling the flow of operations in the region. However, the relentless heavy downpours that characterized the season rendered air support missions impractical, exacerbating an already challenging supply situation for the advancing troops. As a result, General Wing's 43rd Division was forced to pause its offensive late on May 14 to reassess and devise new attack plans.  As of late May 14, the 43rd Division found itself in a precarious situation, necessitating a halt to operations to devise new attack plans. To this point, the division had made limited progress toward securing Route 52, a crucial supply line vital for their mission to capture Ipo Dam. Recognizing the urgency, General Wing decided it was essential to commit the 169th Regiment to a targeted attack to clear this road, as it would serve as a critical route for both supply and evacuation in the coming days. The adverse weather conditions had created a significant operational hindrance. For nearly the entire duration of their offensive, intermittent rains had severely disrupted ground and aerial supply chains, as well as evacuation and the crucial air support operations necessary for a successful advance. Ground conditions had become challenging, and division engineers struggled to construct and maintain supply roads at a pace even close to that of the infantry's advances. Consequently, supply drops and hand-carried provisions were just sufficient to keep combat units barely above the minimum required levels, but the evacuation of sick and wounded soldiers remained a pressing issue that plagued the division. By May 14, the situation worsened significantly. For the first time since May 6, the 5th Air Force was completely grounded, unable to conduct any air support or supply missions due to the worsening weather conditions. This represented a troubling turning point for the 43rd Division. Moreover, intelligence reports indicated that sizable groups from the Japanese Tomono and Hanabusa Detachments had shifted their focus away from their defenses along Route 52, moving instead to confront the 103rd and 172nd Regiments attacking from the south. General Wing recognized that this presented a timely opportunity for the 169th Regiment. Striking directly along Route 52 would likely be far easier and less costly than it would have been just a week prior. Furthermore, a successful offensive by the 169th could not only expedite the capture of Ipo Dam but also prevent further eastward redeployments of Japanese forces. This would be a vital maneuver, potentially relieving pressure from Fork Ridge, where the left flank of the 172nd Regiment was currently bogged down in fierce fighting. Time was of the essence, and decisive action was required to turn the tide in favor of the 43rd Division. The situation was critical; delay would allow Japanese forces to fortify their defenses further. In response, Wing mapped out a robust plan: he directed the 103rd Regiment to capture the Route 52 terminus at Ipo Dam itself, which was crucial for any further advances. Their orders included not only taking control of the dam but also clearing the high ground north of the road and west of the dam to ensure a secure position against any possible counterattacks. Additionally, he tasked the 172nd Regiment with seizing Hill 804, a vantage point that could provide vital intelligence and support to the offensive, while the 169th Regiment was directed to eliminate the last Japanese defenders in the Bigti area before advancing eastward along Route 52 to connect with the 172nd. A break in the weather finally came on May 17, allowing the 43rd Division to launch their offensive with much-needed air support. Aircraft successfully dropped napalm and strafed Japanese defensive positions, a strategy that proved devastatingly effective. General Kawashima, facing mounting losses, ultimately ordered the remnants of his command to withdraw to an assembly point on the western slopes of Mount Maranat, a retreat that revealed their deteriorating ability to hold the line. With the air support providing a critical advantage, the 103rd Regiment advanced boldly and swiftly cleared the last Japanese holdouts from Hill 860, securing an essential position. However, it was the guerrilla forces, under the command of Colonel Augustin, from the Marking Regiment who achieved a historic victory by capturing Ipo Dam shortly after noon. His patrols descended the slopes of Hill 803, crossed the Angat River at the dam, and triumphantly raised the American flag over the powerhouse on the south bank, a potent symbol of liberation and resistance. Simultaneously, the 172nd Regiment seized control of Fork Ridge, further tightening the noose around Japanese forces, while the 169th Regiment secured strategic ground from Hill 535 to Osboy Ridge, pushing forward with relentless determination. In the following four days, the 43rd Division, supported by the fearless Marking guerrillas, meticulously mopped up the area west of Ipo Dam. Their efforts culminated in the successful opening of Route 52 from Bigti to Ipo on May 19, a critical milestone that allowed for the unhindered movement of troops and supplies. By May 21, they completed the operation by clearing out the last pockets of organized resistance in the region west of the dam and south of the Angat River, a crucial waterway that would play a significant role in sustaining American operations. With the capture of Ipo Dam intact, General Wing achieved his primary objective, making a significant contribution to addressing Manila's pressing water supply problems. This success would have lasting implications for the civilians and military alike, as the dam was key to ensuring a reliable water supply in the region. The 43rd Division maintained its momentum, continuing mopping-up operations through May 31. They patrolled eastward across the Ipo River, pressed northeast up the Angat from the dam, and scoured the areas that had witnessed some of the most intense fighting during the campaign. The cost of these operations was notable; Wing's forces suffered losses of 120 killed and 515 wounded, while the Kawashima Force endured devastating casualties, with over 2,700 men killed and approximately 115 captured during the grueling battle. Meanwhile, General Chase's 38th Division pressed forward with its offensive against Wawa Dam, following the failure of General Yokoyama's most recent counteroffensive. The 145th Regiment found itself holding a precariously exposed salient at Mount Binicayan, which severely hampered their ability to launch an effective attack toward Wawa Dam. Japanese positions on the high ground to the north of the dam dominated the narrow, winding road with artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire, making any advance perilous. In response to this daunting challenge, General Chase decided to launch an offensive with the 151st Regiment in the area north of the Marikina River, targeting the formidable Mounts Pamitinan and Hapanong-Banoy. This bold maneuver was contingent upon the 152nd Regiment gaining momentum in its attack to clear Woodpecker Ridge. As such, on May 19 and 20, the 152nd Regiment executed enveloping maneuvers centered on Woodpecker Ridge, ultimately breaking through enemy lines on May 21. The breakthrough was dramatically supported by the introduction of medium tanks and flamethrower tanks, powerful assets that helped turn the tide of battle. The following day, what began as a breakthrough rapidly escalated into a rout of Japanese defenders. By May 25, the 152nd Regiment had established control over the strategic junction of the Marikina and Bosoboso Rivers, a key position that not only bolstered their operational capabilities but also positioned them for further advances in the ongoing campaign. As Japanese resistance began to dissipate under the relentless pressure from the advancing American forces, the 149th Regiment, which had successfully relieved the 145th at Mount Binicayan, launched a bold strike toward Wawa Dam on May 27. Encountering little to no opposition, they secured the dam intact the following morning, marking a significant victory. It was on May 27 that General Yokoyama ordered a general retreat, recognizing the untenable position of his forces. Acting on these instructions, General Kobayashi's remaining troops fell back, pursued by vigilant patrols from the 38th Division. With Wawa Dam secured, General Chase shifted his strategy; rather than launching direct assaults against organized Japanese lines, he opted to focus on mopping up operations and pursuing the retreating enemy. The human cost of the campaign was significant. Chase's forces sustained losses of 160 killed and 590 wounded, while the Kobayashi Force suffered catastrophic losses, with over 10,000 men killed since the onset of the offensive.  Shifting focus southeast, the 7th Cavalry and Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Anderson's guerrillas converged on the coastal town of Infanta in late May. Faced with overwhelming pressure, the Japanese naval garrison retreated westward into the Sierra Madre mountains, a rugged and dense area that posed challenges for both sides. Infanta ultimately fell on May 25, and by the evening of the following day, the reinforced 7th Cavalry had successfully cleared the entire flat, rice-rich region surrounding the town, encountering only scattered and ineffective resistance. In a strategic move bolstered by overwater supply movements, the 7th Cavalry implemented an aggressive patrolling program to the southwest, seeking out any remaining enemy forces. Meanwhile, the 8th Cavalry focused its efforts on clearing the northern section of Santa Maria Valley, advancing northward into the Sierra Madre. By the end of May, the Shimbu Group, once a significant Japanese fighting force, was rendered ineffective. Its main units began to disband, breaking into small groups in a desperate bid to forage for food or to navigate their way to safety in northern Luzon. At the end of May, the Shimbu Group still boasted a strength of nearly 26,000 men, over half of its total personnel as of February 20. However, the remaining survivors were not the elite forces they once were. The relentless campaigns by the 11th and 14th Corps had decimated the best-trained and most well-equipped units, leaving behind a shell of what had once been a formidable fighting force. Of the approximately 13,000 survivors still organized into units, their combat effectiveness had deteriorated so significantly that it's worthy of mention only in passing. Meanwhile, about 13,000 others were struggling to survive without proper organization; roughly 5,000 of these were receiving whatever limited medical treatment the Shimbu Group could provide. The remaining 8,000 men had essentially lost all structure, scattering into small groups to forage for food or attempting to make their way north to Luzon, where they hoped to find safety and sustenance. The supply situation faced by the Shimbu Group at the end of May was even more dire than its personnel situation. They had been unable to transport significant portions of their vast stockpiles of supplies into the Sierra Madre mountains, a shortfall that would prove catastrophic for their survival. The only supplies they still possessed in any quantity were ammunition for small arms and machine guns, alongside medical materials for treating combat wounds. The most pressing issue, however, was a critical lack of food. The early loss of several key agricultural regions, including the Bosoboso Valley, the shores of Laguna de Bay, the Santa Maria Valley, and the fertile Infanta region, had deprived the Shimbu Group of expected food stocks. Most of the supplies brought out of Manila had already been consumed. For instance, the organized remnant of the Noguchi Force could currently allocate a meager two ounces of rice per day for each man—a portion that would undoubtedly vanish by mid-June. The Kobayashi Force fared little better, while the Kawashima Force managed to issue slightly more, around six to eight ounces of rice daily. The troops were gradually reduced to scavenging for survival, resorting to eating roots, bark, grass, and whatever food they could find in long-abandoned Filipino gardens. It's worth noting that after just a few days in June, there wasn't a single pig, carabao, or dog left alive within sight of the remnants of the Shimbu Group. Recognizing that mere existence was the overarching challenge, General Yokoyama hoped to regroup his organized units and move them into areas where they might have some chance to cultivate food, scattering them through the challenging terrain of the Sierra Madre. This desperate strategy highlighted the dire straits faced by the Shimbu Group as their chances for survival dwindled. Meanwhile, the Noguchi Force received orders to transfer its main strength to the mountainous region along the eastern shore of Laguna de Bay, where some of its elements were already positioned. This shift aimed to gather their forces in a more favorable terrain, potentially allowing for better access to resources. The Kobayashi Force was tasked with establishing a defensive sector in the area north of Mount Purro and east of Wawa. In a coordinated effort, the 31st Infantry, minus its 3rd Battalion, along with various miscellaneous troops from the 8th Division, were ordered to occupy positions north of the Lenatin River, enhancing their defensive capabilities in a strategic location. The remnants of the Kawashima Force, already in the process of withdrawing from the Ipo Dam area, were instructed to relocate to the mountains east of San Miguel, approximately 22 miles northwest of Ipo. This area was believed to have more abundant food supplies, crucial for the survival of their forces. However, as circumstances unfolded, this transfer later proved impossible. Unable to move effectively, the bulk of the Kawashima Force remained entrenched in the area surrounding Mount Inuman, where they faced mounting challenges in sustaining their troops. In the following month, General Hall directed the 38th Division and Major Edwin Ramsey's 2nd Provisional Regiment to pursue the remnants of Yokoyama's forces as they moved eastward toward Santa Iñez. Meanwhile, the 112th Cavalry employed various mountain and river valley trails to mount a converging attack from the south. They encountered light opposition and successfully captured the town on June 9, further consolidating their gains in the region. At the same time, patrols from the 43rd Division reported no signs of organized resistance north and east of Ipo Dam. The 2nd Cavalry Brigade, alongside Anderson's guerrillas, effectively dispersed the last organized remnants of the Kogure Detachment and the remaining Japanese naval units at Lamon Bay. By the end of June, the only indication of organized Japanese resistance in an area extending five miles north and ten miles east of Wawa Dam was found in the Lenatin River valley, approximately three miles north of Santa Iñez. This development forced the remnants of Yokoyama's forces into trackless and only partially explored wilderness, significantly complicating their ability to regroup or launch further operations. The operations throughout June were costly for Hall, resulting in approximately 110 men killed and 370 wounded. In contrast, Japanese losses during the month were staggering, amounting to 7,540 killed or found dead, alongside 1,105 captured.  Looking back north, General Yamashita aimed to avoid a similar fate for his northern forces. Ever since the fall of Baguio, he had been meticulously planning for the ultimate withdrawal of the Shobu Group deep into the Cordillera Central.  On May 5, less than two weeks following the fall of Baguio, General Yamashita disseminated an outline plan for future operations to the major components of the Shobu Group throughout northern Luzon. His strategy was built on three fundamental premises: Estimation of Enemy Actions: Yamashita assessed that the 6th Army would concentrate its main effort on a northward drive along Route 5, anticipating that General Krueger would only launch secondary attacks toward Bontoc via Routes 4 and 11. This understanding allowed him to anticipate the flow of enemy movements and allocate his resources more effectively. Timing for Resource Stripping: He calculated that the Shobu Group would have approximately three months during which it could strip the Cagayan and Magat Valleys of the essential food and military supplies needed for a protracted stand in the mountains. During this period, the group aimed to transport this matériel into the Cordillera Central through the junction of Routes 4 and 5, located near Bagabag, 25 miles north on Route 5 from Bambang. Control of Key Routes: Yamashita recognized that the success of his planned withdrawal and future delaying actions hinged on maintaining control over the Routes 4-5 junction for as long as possible. He estimated that his defenses south of Santa Fe would be robust enough to hold until mid-June. Additionally, he planned to construct new defensive positions across Route 5 between Santa Fe and Bambang, enabling him to contain the 1st Corps south of Bambang until the end of June. Most crucially, he believed that he would be able to retain control of the Junction of Routes 4 and 5 until the end of July, which was essential for his operational strategy. His initial perimeter encompassed the vital Route 11 terminus of the Baguio-Aritao supply road, as well as key locations such as Bessang Pass, Bontoc, Banaue, Oriung Pass, and Santa Fe In his May 5 plan, Yamashita outlined the necessity of holding the Salacsac Pass-Balete Pass line until mid-June while constructing additional defenses between Santa Fe and Bambang. After mid-June, the Japanese forces were to withdraw to a second perimeter, extending through Ambuclao, Mankayan, Sabangan, Bontoc, Oriung Pass, and Bambang, strategically positioning themselves for potential future engagements. Yamashita understood that these defenses would need to hold until July, when the defenders would be expected to retreat to his last-stand positions centered around Bokod, Mankayan, Polis Pass, the Rayambugan Farm School, and Bambang. He anticipated that the Shobu Group would be compelled to hold their ground until annihilation at these key locations. On April 27, the 103rd Division received orders from the Area Army to transfer its main strength to the Cauayan-Cabagan area, leaving behind only the Yuguchi Detachment 80th Brigade Headquarters in Aparri, which comprised a meager two battalions of nuclear infantry. Yamashita's plans called for virtually abandoning the Cagayan Valley, temporarily retaining only the 103rd Division, which was significantly outnumbered and equated to less than two American Regimental Combat Teams (RCTs), particularly since the Araki Force was stationed in the Cervantes area. The primary duty of the 103rd Division would be to gather all available resources in the valley, including rice and livestock such as carabaos, and dispatch these supplies into the Cordillera Central through Bagabag. Once this crucial task was completed, the division would also withdraw into the mountains, aligning with Yamashita's broader strategic objectives. Yamashita's decision to abandon the Cagayan Valley made logical sense. He realized that the forces he had remaining could not hold the valley for much longer. Additionally, there seemed little necessity to maintain a strong presence there any further. Initially, he had kept units in the valley to harvest and gather food, deny the Allied Air Forces of the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) the use of airfields for strikes against Formosa and Okinawa, and hold onto Aparri in the hope that supplies and reinforcements might still reach Luzon. However, by early May, Yamashita concluded that the situation at Okinawa was largely resolved, negating any strategic purpose behind holding the valley airfields. The hope for reinforcements had long since faded, and crucially, his troops had already gathered the early rice harvest from the valley. With no new crop expected to come in until late September, Yamashita recognized that he would not be able to harvest this future crop, further solidifying his decision to withdraw. Yamashita also ordered the 79th Brigade to take over the defense of Banaue, while directing the 105th Division to defend both the Magat Valley and the Bato Bridge area against potential airborne attacks. However, by the end of May, the situation deteriorated significantly: Santa Fe had fallen, and the retreat of the 10th Division had devolved into a chaotic rout. This development put the defenders at risk of allowing the enemy to reach Bambang before they could establish any strong delaying positions south of the town. In response, Yamashita ordered the 10th Division and the 2nd Tank Division to assemble for a defensive stand across Route 5 at Bato Bridge. He also repositioned the 105th Division to the Rayambugan Farm School and directed the 103rd Division to occupy the vacated defenses at Oriung Pass. Despite these strategic maneuvers, time was not on their side. General Krueger wasted no time launching an aggressive pursuit northward, immediately sending the relatively fresh 37th Division to drive straight up Route 5 from Santa Fe to Bagabag. This force was then to swing east through Oriung Pass into the Cagayan Valley, continuing its advance north along Route 5 toward Aparri. To prepare for a larger offensive, Krueger also intended to use the 25th and 33rd Divisions in the initial assault against the Japanese home islands. To this end, he directed the 32nd Division to take over operations in the Baguio area, while the 6th Division was tasked with relieving the 25th at Santa Fe before striking northwest up Route 4 into the deep Cordillera Central, pursuing the Japanese forces further into the mountainous terrain. Finally, Swift was ordered to execute limited attacks up Route 11 from Baguio, maintain the guerrilla offensive against Cervantes, and deploy the Connolly Task Force to follow Route 3 around the northwest tip of Luzon to secure the Aparri region. Leading the charge, the 129th Regiment of the 37th Division advanced north from Santa Fe on May 31, quickly encountering a reinforced provisional anti-tank unit just south of Aritao. This unit managed to delay the town's capture until June 5. However, the following day, Bambang fell without resistance, and the 129th faced only token opposition at Bato Bridge before ultimately reaching Bayombong on June 7. On June 8, the 145th Regiment took over the lead, and by nightfall, they had seized the crucial junction of Routes 4 and 5 near Bagabag without a fight. Advancing further, the 145th crossed the Magat River on June 9 and pressed toward Oriung Pass, where they rapidly engaged the reinforced 179th Independent Battalion. Although the outgunned and outnumbered defenders valiantly delayed the advance, the 145th pushed through the pass along Route 5 and secured it late on June 12. This breakthrough prompted the bulk of the 103rd Division to decide on a strategic retreat toward the Bontoc-Natonin area, while the remnants of the 4th Air Division abandoned Echague to join this withdrawal. By the evening of June 13, the 145th finally halted its advance at Santiago, while the 148th Regiment worked to neutralize the remaining Japanese positions at Oriung Pass. With these positions secured, the offensive resumed, resulting in the fall of the Echague airbase on June 14, followed by the occupation of Cauayan two days later. As we can see, neither the 10th Division nor the 2nd Tank Division managed to reach Bagabag in time to impede the American advance; the latter was assembling along the Bambang-Pingkian road. On June 12, the 20th Regiment initiated a southwest drive along this road from Bambang. Two days later, elements of the 126th Regiment began pushing west toward Pingkian from Aritao, thereby applying significant pressure on Iwanaka's beleaguered troops. Meanwhile, the 10th Division had become hopelessly cut off east of Route 5 and had retreated to the Old Spanish Trail south of Aritao. On June 11, the 25th Division launched a two-pronged attack against this isolated group, forcing General Okamoto's remnants to retreat eastward deep into the Sierra Madre. In the meantime, General Clarkson dispatched the 130th Regiment up Route 11, where they encountered the 58th Independent Mixed Brigade, which was only capable of weak resistance. Poor weather conditions hindered the 33rd Division's operations in the following days, but by June 15, elements of the 130th Regiment had swung east along the Baguio-Aritao supply road and reached Ambuclao on the Agno River. To the north, Volckmann continued his offensive throughout June, deploying the 121st Regiment to clear Route 4 and secure the northern half of Lamagan Ridge. The 15th Regiment was tasked with advancing to seize Upper Cadsu Ridge and then moving generally northeast along the south side of Route 4. Additionally, the still-arriving 66th Regiment aimed to secure the area south of Butac and swing to the east on the 15th's right flank. As a result, both Lamagan Ridge and Lower Cadsu Ridge were cleared by June 5, with the 15th Regiment then turning its focus toward Upper Cadsu while the 121st Regiment advanced directly toward Bessang Pass. Volckmann's Provisional Battalion launched an attack on Magun Hill and, after a series of minor setbacks, succeeded in clearing much of the area by June 10. On that day, the 121st Regiment initiated a final assault toward Bessang Pass, advancing from the west and southwest. The following day, the Provisional Battalion began pressing in from the north and northeast. Meanwhile, the 15th Regiment overran the last organized resistance on Upper Cadsu on June 12, just as the 66th Regiment was reaching the southwestern corner of the ridge. Supported by artillery, the 121st finally overcame the last organized defenses at Bessang Pass on June 14, establishing contact with the Provisional Battalion east of the pass. On the same day, the final pockets of opposition crumbled before the 15th and 66th Regiments south of the pass. Consequently, the remnants of Japanese forces fled east along Route 4 toward Cervantes, pursued by elements of the 15th and 121st Regiments, which successfully secured the town before dark on June 15. During this final offensive, the guerrillas suffered losses of 119 men killed and 120 wounded, while exaggerated estimates placed Japanese losses at around 2,600 killed. At the same time, by mid-June, the guerrilla 11th and 14th Regiments had cleared almost all the valley west of the Cagayan River, stretching from Cauayan north to Aparri. They also gained complete control over Route 11 from Bontoc to the valley, effectively preventing the 103rd Division from joining Yamashita's last-stand positions. Meanwhile, the Connolly Task Force, after a largely uneventful march, approached Aparri and began an attack on June 11 to clear the last Japanese forces from the area. The last event forcing Yamashita to alter his plans came on 13 June, when the 6th Division's 63d Infantry began probing northwest up Route 4 from Bagabag. The reconnaissance foreshadowed a push that Yamashita especially feared, since Route 4 provided direct access to the deep Cordillera Central. The 105th Division, with defenses across Route 4 at the Rayambugan Farm School, did not have sufficient strength to hold the highway, Yamashita knew. Recognizing that he could not hope to maintain control along any of the three perimeters he had established in May, Yamashita issued new orders for a strategic withdrawal to a last-stand area. This new perimeter would be set up along the inhospitable valley of the Asin River, positioned between Routes 4 and 11. Accordingly, the orders were as follows: The 105th Division was to retreat from Route 4 to the Pacdan-Antipolo line. The 2nd Tank Division was to move north and hold the line from Tubliao to Antipolo. The 23rd Division was tasked with defending along the Adaoay-Bokod line. The 58th Independent Mixed Brigade was to hold the Agno Valley from Buguias south to Adaoay. The 19th Division was to consolidate the bulk of its forces into the Agno Valley, defending the river line from the Loo Valley south to Buguias. The 79th Brigade was assigned to defend Route 390 at Hapao. Once this last-stand perimeter collapsed, Yamashita planned for all remaining forces to retreat into the barren Asin Valley between Toccucan and Kiangkiang, prepared to fight to the death. The area behind this new last-stand perimeter boasted excellent defensive terrain, and Yamashita estimated that most of his units had sufficient ammunition for machine guns, mortars, and small arms to hold their positions for an extended period. However, the Shobu Group faced dire challenges: they were virtually out of medical supplies, had no clothing stocks, and their food reserves would be completely exhausted by mid-September. If they were not annihilated by the advancing Filipino-American forces, the Shobu Group could only anticipate a slow death by starvation and disease. Now, it's time to shift focus from the Philippines and head to Borneo to cover the preparations for the invasion of Balikpapan, codenamed Operation Oboe II. As the 9th Australian Division completed its tasks in North Borneo, General Milford's 7th Australian Division was assembling at Morotai for the upcoming invasion scheduled for July 1. Milford's plan entailed an amphibious assault on a two-brigade front between the Klandasan Besar River and Klandasan town, where the Japanese had established their strongest defenses.  In June, it was estimated that approximately 3,900 troops were stationed around Balikpapan, composed of: 1,500 in mobile units. 2,400 in anti-aircraft, air force, and base units. Additionally, there were 1,100 Japanese workers, 2,400 Indonesians, and 1,000 Formosans present. Near Samarinda, it was believed there were about 1,500 troops, plus possibly a battalion that had recently arrived from Tarakan. Experience had demonstrated that when estimating the strength of the enemy's resistance, every Japanese and Formosan, whether part of a fighting unit, base unit, or civilian labor group, had to be regarded as a combatant. Key defensive features included: At least 18 coast-defense guns, primarily located on ridges overlooking the sea. 26 heavy dual-purpose guns and 78 medium and light anti-aircraft guns. Offshore, between Klandasan and Manggar, rows of stout poles were driven into the seabed, horizontally braced with timber, and protected with barbed wire. An almost continuous anti-tank ditch, from 12 to 14 feet wide, extended above the beach from Stalkudo to Sepinggang. Extensive trench systems, with many tunnel openings, were detected on the ridges overlooking Klandasan. Numerous concrete strongpoints and a continuous line of bunkers lined the beach's fringe. This area was among the most strongly fortified that the Australians had encountered during the war. Indeed, Air Vice-Marshal Bostock, responsible for air support of the landing, cautioned the Prime Minister in a letter that these meticulously prepared defenses might result in Australian casualties comparable to those experienced during the landing at Gallipoli. It appeared that the Japanese had established their main defenses on the slopes overlooking the beaches from Klandasan to Stalkudo. The Australian staff believed the Japanese would attempt to contain the invaders within their beachhead area for as long as possible, before withdrawing inland, either south to Bandjermasin or overland to Bintulu in Sarawak. Additionally, it was anticipated that the enemy would direct burning oil onto the beach unless the oil tanks were destroyed during the preliminary bombardment. Brigadier Ivan Dougherty's 21st Brigade was to land with one battalion on Green Beach, while Brigadier Frederick Chilton's 18th Brigade would go ashore with two battalions on the Yellow and Red Beaches. Once a beachhead was secured, the 18th Brigade would seize the high ground dominating the town and clear the harbor for use, while the 21st Brigade would advance along the coast to capture the airstrips. Additionally, Brigadier Kenneth Eather's 25th Brigade, held in reserve, was set to land on July 2 with the likely objective of thrusting inland along the Milford Highway. Although Admiral Barbey favored a landing site farther east, possibly at Sepinggang, where their ships could be positioned more safely and further from Japanese coastal defense guns, Milford countered with sound reasoning: “Why land up the coast and have to fight miles through jungle, which suits the enemy, when you can go straight in under heavy supporting fire, which the enemy can't withstand, in comparatively open and favorable country?” Supported by General Morshead, this plan received approval, and by June 16, the 7th Division was successfully assembled at Morotai. Admiral Noble's Task Force 78 would once again transport the Australian troops to the landing area, supported by Rear-Admiral Ralph Riggs' cruiser group and Rear-Admiral William Sample's escort carriers. Against the Japanese defenses, Admiral Kamada's 22nd Special Base Force consisted of approximately 3,900 troops, with 1,500 in mobile units and 2,400 in anti-aircraft, air force, and base units, in addition to an estimated 4,500 laborers. In preparation for the invasion, aircraft from the Royal Australian Air Force and the 5th and 13th Air Forces began bombarding enemy defenses and storage tanks on June 4. These attacks intensified a week later as they specifically targeted Japanese gun positions. On June 15, Noble's minesweepers arrived to clear the sea around Balikpapan of magnetic mines, but faced losses, with three ships sunk and three damaged during the operation. Ten days later, American underwater demolition teams began working to locate and breach the underwater obstacles, often under heavy gunfire. To further confuse the enemy, efforts were made to create the impression that the landing would occur at Manggar. This included spreading rumors, landing a reconnaissance party in that area, and demolishing underwater obstacles at both Manggar and Sepinggang. Finally, on June 26, Noble's convoy set sail from Morotai. After an uneventful voyage, they reached Balikpapan unmolested just before dawn on July 1. During the morning, Riggs' cruisers and Noble's destroyers shelled the landing beaches and the defenses behind them, continuing the bombardment until the first waves of landing craft were within 1,300 yards of the shore, at which point the fire shifted to the flanks and rear of the enemy positions. About an hour before the landing, a combined rocket barrage and low-level airstrike were executed, followed by a second rocket barrage just ten minutes before the troops hit the beaches. In total, during the 20 days leading up to the assault, the Balikpapan-Manggar area received 3,000 tons of bombs, 7,361 rockets, 38,052 shells, and 114,000 rounds from automatic weapons, all aimed at crippling the formidable Japanese defenses. Covered by a successful bombardment, the assault waves finally hit the beaches just before 09:00. However, due to navigation errors, the troops were put ashore at the wrong locations. The 2/27th Battalion landed on Yellow Beach instead of Green Beach and quickly captured the Ration, Romilly, Rottnest, and Charlie's Spur positions. The 2/12th Battalion landed on Red Beach instead of Yellow, necessitating a northeast swing to take over Ration and reduce the remaining Japanese defenses in the area. A platoon was also detached to push inland along Vasey Road to seize Portee, while other elements secured Parkes, Plug, and Blyth's Junction. The 2/10th Battalion, correctly landing on Red Beach, rapidly seized the high ground in front of them. Patrols found Prudent and Petersham Junction to be unoccupied. The 2/10th then assembled at Petersham Junction and captured the lower slopes of Hill 87, successfully taking the hill under assault by noon. Meanwhile, Dougherty landed his reserve units, which also came ashore further west than expected on Yellow Beach. The 2/16th Battalion quickly assembled at Ravenshoe and captured Record, Pigeon, and Mount Malang. By 11 a.m. the battalion was on Ravenshoe, whence Malang and Pigeon were visible. Advancing under sharp fire Captain Madigan's company on the left took Record about 4 p.m., killing 46 Japanese. At 4.5 Captain R. H. Christian's company launched a concerted attack on Malang, sup-ported by the fire of artillery, mortars and machine-guns, and using a flame-thrower. The hill was taken and 40 Japanese were killed. The Australians lost four killed, including the leading platoon commander, Lieutenant Armstrong, and 14 wounded. By nightfall the 2/16th held a line through Malang, Pigeon and Record. It had lost 6 killed or died of wounds in the day and 24 wounded; 86 Japanese dead had been counted.  The 2/14th Battalion advanced swiftly to secure a bridgehead over the Klandasan Besar and seized the Stalkudo ridge. The 2/5th Commando Squadron passed through this bridgehead and attacked northeast but encountered heavy opposition. Returning to Hill 87, the 2/10th Battalion assaulted and captured Parramatta in the afternoon, aided by artillery and tanks, while patrols further secured Newcastle and the Cracking Plant by dusk. A patrol led by Sergeant A. A. Evans was sent out from Davey's platoon towards Newcastle. They silenced a bunker with a flame-thrower, and came to a house from which Japanese were firing. They overcame this position with grenades and small arms fire and then moved on to New-castle. As Evans reached Newcastle he saw the surviving Japanese making off towards Portee. Davey's platoon now occupied Newcastle and the other platoon took up positions on Parramatta. The seizure of Parramatta gave the 2/10th observation over the low ground to the north and the northern end of the town, and tied the battalion in with the 2/12th on Portee; the Japanese were now in a very poor position to counter-attack from the western end of the beach-head. Lieutenant Russack of Sanderson's company led a patrol to the Cracking Plant where it silenced a Japanese pill-box. This patrol was strafed by American aircraft, but worse was to follow. At 4.55 American carrier-borne aircraft made a run over Parramatta from the west and dropped bombs and fired rockets across Hill 87, which had then been in the hands of the 2/10th for four hours and a half. Much of this fire landed in the area into which Captain Brocksopp's" company ("D") had moved and where Daly's command post was established. Three were killed, including Lance-Sergeant Hackett, a veteran of several cam-paigns, and 14 wounded, including Major G. R. Miethke and two other officers. Air panels were displayed in all platoon areas after this. Daly decided to hold that night as far forward as Newcastle, on which he placed two platoons plus a platoon of the 2/1st Machine Gun Bat-talion, all under Captain Bowie. In the day the battalion had lost 13 killed and 30 wounded, but 216 Japanese dead were counted. That night 24 more Japanese were killed while trying to penetrate the Australians' positions and no Australian was hit. All night there were fires round about where houses were burning, and the blazing oil tanks on the Tank Plateau 600 yards to the west of the Parramatta ridge lit up the landscape. Finally, Brigadier Chilton also landed the reserve 2/9th Battalion on Red Beach and sent it west in the afternoon to occupy Klandasan town, leading to the capture of Santosa Hill by nightfall. Thus, the Australians successfully landed at Balikpapan and secured a sizable beachhead, marking the beginning of what would become a fierce and challenging battle. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In June 1945, American forces, led by Generals Eichelberger and Krueger, fought fiercely against Japanese troops in Luzon, achieving significant victories despite heavy resistance. The tide turned as they captured key positions, restoring hope to Filipinos. Meanwhile, preparations for the Balikpapan invasion intensified. The 7th Australian Division readied for an amphibious assault on July 1 against well-fortified Japanese defenses. Despite facing strong opposition, the Australians successfully landed at various beaches, seizing vital ground.

Welcome to Credit Union Conversations. Host and CEO of MBFS, Mark Ritter, dives into the world of business lending with Chief Administrative Officer Ellen Thorn. In this episode, they reflect on MBFS's impressive growth from $750 million to nearly $3 billion in assets and explore Ellen's professional journey to her pivotal role at MBFS. You'll gain insights into building strong third-party relationships through effective communication, respect, and trust, as well as strategies for successful portfolio management. Additionally, Ellen shares her perspective on navigating regulatory challenges, including risk management and cybersecurity, offering a glimpse into the future of the credit union industry.IN THIS EPISODE:(00:00) Intro: Meet Ellen Thorn(01:35) Ellen's career journey and her current role at MBFS(03:22) MBFS has grown from $750 million to nearly $3 billion in assets(06:49) The importance of communication, respect, and shared goals for successful partnerships(09:19) Communication breakdown and loss of trust are common issues in third-party relationships(15:51) Ellen highlights the importance of relying on MBFS and constant communication for smooth portfolio management(23:27) Ellen outlines regulatory focus on risk management, compliance, and cybersecurity and gives her thoughts on the futureKEY TAKEAWAYS: MBFS has grown significantly from $750 million to nearly $3 billion in assets under management, with staff increasing from 16 to over 50, reflecting substantial organizational and geographic expansion.Successful third-party relationships rely on communication, mutual respect, and shared goals, with proactive engagement and trust being critical to smooth operations.Effective portfolio management requires constant communication and customization. Credit unions that actively engage with MBFS experience smoother operations compared to those that don't.RESOURCE LINKSMark Ritter - WebsiteMark Ritter - LinkedInEllen Thorn - LinkedInBIOGRAPHY:Ellen Thorn is a finance and accounting professional with over 10 years of achievement within the commercial real estate finance and funds management industries. Extensive experience working in middle and back office operations, including risk management, legal, treasury, budgeting, trade support, investor services, IT, finance, and accounting. Excellent communicator with emphasis on building strong client relationships. Recognized as a resourceful colleague who engineers change and is committed to achieving corporate objectives.KEYWORDS: Credit Union, MBFS, Business Lending, Chief Administrative Officer, Communication, Commercial Real Estate, Asset Under Management, Growth, PPP Era, Communication, Trust, Third-Party Relationships, Portfolio Management, Due Diligence, Regulatory Environment, Risk Management, Cybersecurity, Loan Servicing, Client Reporting

David Allen, Eric Mack, and John Forrister continue their discussion about their software journey, from early years to their current use of the Microsoft 365 suite of tools. If you haven't heard the first part, you may want to watch or listen to that first, but it's not required. In this recording, they talk about the evolution of eProductivity and how much of its functionality is available in the Microsoft tools. Beyond that, it's a wide-ranging discussion of how to think about productivity, and how getting organized is an ongoing process, not a one-time destination. And of course there are some software details, such as how David is tracking Waiting For items. You can watch to the entire conversation from December 2021 at GTD Connect®. Sign up for the GTD Newsletter -- This audio is one of many available at GTD Connect, a learning space and community hub for all things GTD. Join GTD practitioners from around the world in learning, sharing, and developing the skills for stress-free productivity. Sign up for a free guest pass Learn about membership options Knowing how to get the right things done is a key to success. It's easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. Stay focused and increase productivity with GTD Connect—a subscription-based online learning center from the David Allen Company. GTD Connect gives you access to a wealth of multimedia content designed to help you stay on track and deepen your awareness of principles you can also learn in GTD courses, coaching, and by reading the Getting Things Done book. You'll also get the support and encouragement of a thriving global community of people you won't find anywhere else. If you already know you'd like to join, click here to choose from monthly or annual options. If you'd like to try GTD Connect free for 14 days, read on for what's included and how to get your free trial. During your 14-day free trial, you will have access to: Recorded webinars with David Allen & the certified coaches and trainers on a wide range of productivity topics GTD Getting Started & Refresher Series to reinforce the fundamentals you may have learned in a GTD course, coaching, or book Extensive audio, video, and document library Slice of GTD Life series to see how others are making GTD stick David Allen's exclusive interviews with people in his network all over the world Lively members-only discussion forums sharing ideas, tips, and tricks Note: GTD Connect is designed to reinforce your learning, and we also recommend that you take a course, get individual coaching, or read the Getting Things Done book. Ready to start your free trial?

On May 5, 2024, Roy Whited did not show up to preach his Sunday service at DeRossett Church of Christ in Sparta, Tennessee. When church members went to his house to check on the 64-year-old, they found his truck parked in the driveway. His sermon had been prepared and his phone was in the charger, but there was no sign of Roy. Investigators soon learned no one had seen or heard from the popular pastor since two days earlier. Extensive searches failed to uncover a single trace of Roy, and there has been no activity on his bank accounts. Dateline's Josh Mankiewicz talks with Roy's brother, Lynn Whited, his close friends Doug Watts and Barb Witzigman, and close friend White County Sheriff Steve Page. Roy Whited is 5'11” and 175 lbs., with brown eyes and auburn hair that is graying. At the time of his disappearance he's believed to have been wearing a beige shirt and either cowboy boots or tennis shoes. He would be 65 years old today. If you have any information on Roy's whereabouts, please contact the White County Sheriff's Office at 931-836-2700.Get more information and see pictures of Roy Whited here: https://www.nbcnews.com/datelinemissing 

Are we working too much? “Time is a vital resource for us to connect with each other, to connect with the earth and …to come together in solidarity, to try and fix what's wrong.” We have accepted the 5 day work week as the status quo—caught in a cycle of working more so we can spend more, just to keep up with the Jones'. But what if there's a better way to live: For our own happiness, the economy, and our planet?  Economist and Sociologist Juliet Schor, has spent decades researching the way we work, and her new book - The Four Day Week - invites all of us to imagine a future where work is restructured to serve human needs, not the other way around. Show Notes Resources: “Four Days A Week” by Juliet Schor “The Overworked American” by Juliet Schor Similar Episodes: Oliver Burkeman Ben Cohen Jay Jakub Transcript Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community comes with bonus content, ad-free listening, and early access to tickets for our live shows. Great Feeling Studios, the team behind No Small Endeavor and other award-winning podcasts, helps nonprofits and brands tell stories that inspire action. Start your podcast at helpmemakeapodcast.com. Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Kaelin tells us about the extensive dress code reminder she received because going out to eat. Find out why Willow got ghosted on an all new Waiting by the Phone. And, do you think Shelly can continue her 11 game win streak? Find out!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

https://www.patreon.com/AdeptusRidiculoushttps://www.adeptusridiculous.com/https://twitter.com/AdRidiculoushttps://shop.orchideight.com/collections/adeptus-ridiculousCanids are a breed of dog in the 41st Millennium, that was developed by the Imperium after finding DNA of an ancient war-beast on Terra. According to ancient historical manuals, the species were superb for morale and had a wide variety of combat uses. This is still true and the Imperium has countless strains of Canids that are bred or vat-grown to fulfil hunting, attack or intimidation roles. Extensive testing has also shown that they thrive on discipline and constant exertion, such as walking, which they enjoy, and retrieving thrown objects, which they rarely tire of doing. Canids also do not respond well to threats of violence, insults to their honor or accusations of heresy. Experiments have shown that they are best dealt with through firm encouragement instead.Support the show

Fluoride has been in the news recently with some people questioning the worth of adding this vital mineral to the water supplies in the United States.  Fluoride repairs and prevents damage to teeth caused by bacteria in the mouth. Bacteria in the mouth produce acid when a person eats or drinks. The acid dissolves minerals in a tooth's surface, making the tooth weaker and open to cavities.1 Fluoride replaces the minerals lost from a tooth due to acid breakdown. Some fluoride can replace minerals in the tooth surface, making the outer enamel layer harder to dissolve. Fluoride also may reduce the amount of acid that cavity-causing bacteria produce, as well as making it harder for these bacteria to stick to the teeth.1 Protecting teeth requires consistent, low levels of fluoride in the mouth (in the saliva and on tooth surfaces). Fluoride can also be incorporated into developing dental enamel before a tooth erupts into the mouth, enhancing the tooth's resistance to acid breakdown and preventing cavities later in life. (credits) Some public figures have made false claims that adding fluoride to drinking water poses health risks, such as reduced intelligence in children and cancer. When used at recommended levels, fluoride in drinking water is safe and effective for preventing tooth decay, which also provides benefits for people's overall health. Extensive research has consistently demonstrated that optimal fluoridation does not pose a detectable risk of cancer or other serious health issues.  (credits) The discovery of Fluoride as a preventative for tooth decay. 

Former Husker LB Chris Kolarevic was on The Ticket on Sunday night for his show, “6pm in Lincoln,” and said that losing drains your love of football (or any sport) considerably, and other teammates would feel the same, he said We know that losing wears on fans, but a big part of any sport is actually having fun and loving what you're doing…do we think about how much that weighs on a team and players when we see the constant losing? Show Sponsored by MIDWEST BANKOur Sponsors:* Check out Hims: https://hims.com/EARLYBREAKAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  This is part 1 of our 2-part coverage of The Mothman Prophecies movie. This is in lieu of S04E21 (see below) but we hope you enjoy the content and after part 2, we return to our regularly scheduled episodes list. "So... Air Disasters Predictions, Jeb? What do you think we'll get?" Well it turned out to be more than we expected. During our research for this episode we ran into a bit of a puzzle. It turns out that one of the key figures in the episode is still alive and has become an important figure in the world of conspiracy and out of an abundance of caution for our own sanity (as regards potential litigiousness) we've decided to shelve this one for a while. Will we come back and fill in the gap when we think the coast is clear? I don't know - but we didn't want to leave a hole in your listening so we decided to do something... more ambitious. So what we did instead was we recorded a 4+ hour deep dive into the 2002 film The Mothman Prophecies.   Extensive show notes available (for free) at our Patreon page. https://www.patreon.com/posts/s4-bonus-mothman-126932315

David talks with Skippy Mesirow, a GTD enthusiast who is passionate about making a difference in public service, by starting with "the human in the mirror." You can hear Skippy's podcast and find out more on his website. You can watch the entire conversation from March 2025 at GTD Connect®. -- This audio is one of many available at GTD Connect, a learning space and community hub for all things GTD. Join GTD practitioners from around the world in learning, sharing, and developing the skills for stress-free productivity. Sign up for a free guest pass Learn about membership options Knowing how to get the right things done is a key to success. It's easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. Stay focused and increase productivity with GTD Connect—a subscription-based online learning center from the David Allen Company. GTD Connect gives you access to a wealth of multimedia content designed to help you stay on track and deepen your awareness of principles you can also learn in GTD courses, coaching, and by reading the Getting Things Done book. You'll also get the support and encouragement of a thriving global community of people you won't find anywhere else. If you already know you'd like to join, click here to choose from monthly or annual options. If you'd like to try GTD Connect free for 14 days, read on for what's included and how to get your free trial. During your 14-day free trial, you will have access to: Recorded webinars with David Allen & the certified coaches and trainers on a wide range of productivity topics GTD Getting Started & Refresher Series to reinforce the fundamentals you may have learned in a GTD course, coaching, or book Extensive audio, video, and document library Slice of GTD Life series to see how others are making GTD stick David Allen's exclusive interviews with people in his network all over the world Lively members-only discussion forums sharing ideas, tips, and tricks Note: GTD Connect is designed to reinforce your learning, and we also recommend that you take a course, get individual coaching, or read the Getting Things Done book. Ready to start your free trial?