Podcasts about fifty

Pentagon officials are meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to discuss a Russia-US peace proposal Ukraine had no part in writing. That merely adds pressure as a giant corruption crisis is already embroiling top officials. Fifty years on from the death of Franco, our correspondent assesses how much Spain has changed. And should you date your boss? Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pentagon officials are meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to discuss a Russia-US peace proposal Ukraine had no part in writing. That merely adds pressure as a giant corruption crisis is already embroiling top officials. Fifty years on from the death of Franco, our correspondent assesses how much Spain has changed. And should you date your boss? Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Come Follow Church History, host Lynne Hilton Wilson sits down with historian Janiece Johnson to explore one of the most pivotal and tragic moments in Latter-day Saint history—the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Together, they uncover the remarkable and turbulent events leading up to June 27, 1844, when Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed at Carthage Jail. From Joseph Smith's unprecedented run for President of the United States to the formation of the Council of Fifty, Lynne and Janiece trace how faith, politics, and power collided in Nauvoo. They also examine William Law's rebellion and infidelity, the publication of the Nauvoo Expositor, and the rising tensions that set the stage for Joseph's final days.

What happens when a 17-year-old's dive into the Chesapeake Bay changes everything—and the healing never comes? ⁠Watch the full conversation on YouTube⁠. Fifty-seven years later, Joni Eareckson Tada sits across from me with an answer that might undo everything you think you know about strength, suffering, and the strange mercy of God. In this conversation marking the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we go where few dare: into the raw, daily reality of quadriplegia, chronic pain that would break most of us by breakfast, and a two-time battle with breast cancer. But this isn't inspiration porn. This is Joni—unflinching, funny, and fiercely honest about what it means when "I can do all things through Christ" meets 4 a.m. despair. We talk about the crushing loneliness of being the only wheelchair in a room full of chairs. The rage when well-meaning Christians promise healing that doesn't come. The particular exhaustion of advocating for your own existence. And why she tells God some mornings, "I have no strength for today. Can I borrow yours?" But we also discover something unexpected: how limitation becomes liberation. Why the disabled community might be the most honest place in America. And what happens when churches stop trying to "fix" people and start making room for them. Fair warning: Joni doesn't do platitudes. She'll tell you exactly what not to say to someone in chronic pain (spoiler: "everything happens for a reason" isn't it). She'll explain why she's terrified of a world that's editing out Down syndrome. And she'll make you rethink whether your church's "all are welcome" sign means anything if there's no ramp to the door. This is for anyone who's ever wondered where God is when the miracle doesn't come. For those caring for someone who's suffering and don't know what to say. For all of us who suspect our obsession with optimization and control might be making us miss the point entirely. Come for the practical wisdom. Stay for the kind of hope that only comes from someone who's been asking "How long, O Lord?" for nearly six decades—and still believes the answer matters. Keep up with Joni's work through Joni and Friends, here. Keep up with Russell: Sign up for the weekly newsletter where Russell shares thoughtful takes on big questions, offers a Christian perspective on life, and recommends books and music he's enjoying. Submit a question for the show at questions@russellmoore.com  Subscribe to the Christianity Today Magazine: Special offer for listeners of The Russell Moore Show: Click here for 25% off a subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fifty years ago, USC established what would later become known as the Arnold School of Public Health, the state's only accredited public health college. It's mission, then and now, is to improve the health of all South Carolinians and help fill the pipeline of the public health workforce. 

Fifty years ago, I bought my first vinyl album. I still have it. Any guess who the band was and the name of the album? Too many to choose from, right?

In August 1970, 26-year-old schoolteacher Linda Jane Phillips, daughter of Kaufman County School Superintendent Jimmy Phillips, vanished while driving home from a Dallas wedding party. Two days later, her mutilated body was discovered in a hedgerow near Post Oak, Texas.The case shocked Kaufman County—a quiet, rural community east of booming Dallas—and became one of North Texas's most haunting unsolved murders. Investigators found her car abandoned along Farm Road 1641, its window shattered, her clothing scattered along the roadside for nearly a mile. Despite hundreds of volunteers searching and an intensive investigation led by Sheriff Roy Brockway, no suspect was found.Over the following decade, a wave of similarly brutal killings of women swept across North and East Texas. Lawmen speculated about a single “lust killer” operating around Dallas, connecting Linda's death to others in Garland, Irving, Plano, and Grapevine. Yet no pattern held.Then, in 1984, serial confessor Henry Lee Lucas—already infamous for hundreds of claimed murders—pleaded guilty to Linda's killing. Kaufman County briefly marked the case “cleared.” But Lucas's confession later fell apart. Records showed he was still in Michigan at the time of her death.Fifty-five years later, Linda's murder remains officially unsolved. What endures is the picture of a kind, capable young woman caught between the growing city and the fading quiet of small-town Texas—and a reminder of how easily a search for closure can bury the truth.If you have information about the murder of Linda Jane Phillips, please contact the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office at (972) 932-4337.Sources: The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Tyler Morning Telegraph, The San Antonio Express-News, The Odessa American, The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, The Longview Daily News, The McKinney Courier-Gazette, The Austin American-Statesman, The Brownsville Herald, The Mesquite Daily News, and Henry Lee Lucas filesYou can support gone cold and listen to the show ad-free at https://patreon.com/gonecoldpodcastFind us at https://www.gonecold.comFor Gone Cold merch, visit https://gonecold.dashery.comFollow gone cold on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, and X. Search @gonecoldpodcast at all or just click https://linknbio.com/gonecoldpodcast#JusticeForLindaJanePhillips #Kaufman #Dallas #TX #Texas #HenryLeeLucas #ConfessionKiller #TrueCrime #TexasTrueCrime #ColdCase #TrueCrimePodcast #Podcast #ColdCase #Unsolved #Murder #UnsolvedMurder #UnsolvedMysteries #Homicide #CrimeStories #PodcastRecommendations #CrimeJunkie #MysteryPodcast #TrueCrimeObsessed #CrimeDocs #InvestigationDiscovery #PodcastAddict #TrueCrimeFan #CriminalJustice #ForensicFilesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/gone-cold-texas-true-crime--3203003/support.

Five years after Peter Sutcliffe's death, his crimes continue to cast a long shadow over Northern England. In this remastered episode, I revisit a two-part series from my archives, now presented as one seamless story.This episode focuses on the thirteen women whose names are too often forgotten. I look at who they were, the lives they were building, and how systemic failings left them at risk. I also revisit the investigation's major missteps, the Wearside Jack hoax, and the eventual arrest and trial.Fifty years on from the first confirmed murder - and five years since Sutcliffe's death - their stories remain as important as ever.Exclusive content:Patreon - Ad Free, Early Access, Exclusive EpisodesFollow the show:YouTubeInstagramFacebookTikTokWebsiteDisclaimer:The case discussed in this podcast episode is real and represents the worst day in many people's lives. I aim to cover such stories with a victim-focused approach, using information from publicly available sources. While I strive for accuracy, some details may vary depending on the sources used. You can find the sources for each episode on my website. Due to the nature of the content, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for your understanding and support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jacob Vidrine tells how authority transferred from Benjamin F Johnson in Nauvoo to Alma Dayer LeBaron and the LeBaron groups. Check out our conversation... The LeBaron authority line, originating from Benjamin F. Johnson, is like a secret royal charter given directly by the king (Joseph Smith) to a trusted advisor, authorizing him to establish a new subsidiary branch of the kingdom. While other fundamentalist lines (Woolleyites) claim authority based on a later, more public decree (John Taylor's revelation), the LeBaron claim bypasses that decree entirely, asserting that they hold the direct, foundational keys passed down in private, reserved councils from the original founder, allowing them to continue the highest work of the kingdom regardless of later organizational changes. 0:00 Succession Crisis 11:15 End of Council of 50 19:45 Ben Johnson Ordains Grandsons 25:56 Ervil, Joel, Ross, & Dayer LeBaron 37:38 Woolley-ite Split Don't miss our other conversations with Jacob: https://gospeltangents.com/people/jacob-vidrine Copyright © 2025 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission When most people, particularly those familiar with the history of the Latter-day Saint (LDS) Church, think of Mormon fundamentalism, their minds often drift immediately to groups like the FLDS or the AUB, tracing their origins back to the Lorin Woolley story. These groups represent 80 to 90% of fundamentalists who trace their authority back to the story of John Taylor receiving an 1886 revelation to keep plural marriage alive. However, the history of fundamentalism is far more complex, encompassing groups like the Kingstons and the LeBarons, who assert a distinct and separate line of authority. The LeBaron family lineage, from which the Church of the Firstborn descends, presents one of the most peculiar and historically rich claims in fundamentalist Mormonism, tracing its authority back to the Nauvoo period of Joseph Smith's ministry. The LeBaron name often carries stigma due to Ervil LeBaron, who led the Church of the Lamb of God and was a convicted murderer. This historical exploration focuses on the lineage claimed by the Ross LeBaron line, or "Firstborners," who are not associated with Ervil's violence. Roots of LeBaron Authority: Nauvoo Priesthood To understand the LeBaron claim, one must examine the higher orders of priesthood introduced by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo. This era saw the introduction of new temple rituals, doctrines pertaining to godhood, and work for the dead. Central to this was the concept of the "fullness of the priesthood" or "highest order of the Melchizedek Priesthood," associated with making men and women kings and priests and queens and priestesses. Joseph Smith taught that this authority derived from keys restored in the Kirtland Temple by Moses, Elias, and Elijah. Statements from the time suggest that those who received this highest authority—such as the second anointing—held the potential to restore the entire church and kingdom, possessing power to officiate in any office from the lowest to the highest. This higher authority was sometimes referred to as patriarchal priesthood. This higher order was perceived as priesthood above the church. During the trial of Sidney Rigdon, for example, Heber C. Kimball stated that Rigdon, despite being a member of the First Presidency, did not hold the same "higher authority" possessed by more than 30 other men. This higher authority may have referred to members of the Anointed Quorum or the Council of Fifty. Council of Fifty & Sealing Power The Council of Fifty, established in the last months before Joseph Smith's death, was intended to be the political kingdom of God on earth, functioning as a literal government. However, historical sources suggest it was viewed by many, including Lyman Wight and critical "Brewster-ites," as a presiding priesthood body that held authori...

Mrs. Bateman's Cougar Club: Part 2 The Women of '77 Changed My Life. Based on a post by Sel Wync Dog. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Discrete Services. "Wait; Mrs. Bateman; she paid to have sex with me?" "Yes, Todd." "I don't believe it; She's beautiful, I'd have fucked her for free! Any guy would!" "True, but she's married and discretion is of vital importance. That is half of what she's paying for. A great fuck is the other half. And she said it was worth every penny. In fact she wants to come back next Friday, same time." As I stood there trying to come to grips with this revelation, Mrs. Bateman knelt on the bed, her face pressed into the wet sheets. She inhaled the scent and moaned. I glanced over and saw far enough under her skirt to see she was wearing thigh high stockings rather than pantyhose. I stepped closer and lifted her skirt. She was panty-less. I touched her pussy and found she was very wet. Management Appreciation. "God, Mrs. Bateman, your pussy is soaking wet! Would you like me to fuck it?" I said playfully. "Would you, Todd? That would be so nice." I fucked her from behind as she cooed encouragement. "Oh, that's so good Todd. You have such a big cock. You really are such a nice boy. Yes, just like that. Fuck me, Todd, fuck me good. Oh yes." Despite the vigorous sex with Diane, I had no trouble getting stiff for my mentor, which is what I realized she was. And I was thoroughly enjoying fucking her. Holding her hips and thrusting into her was nice and I could watch my cock sliding in and out. I could see her pussy stretching to accept my cock and when I pulled back, it was covered in her wetness. "Spank me, Todd." "What?" "Spank me!" she said more forcefully. "Spank my ass with your palm." I did and she swore. "Harder!" I smacked her and she yelped. "Yes! That's it! Again! Yes! Not too hard and not too often, okay? You start with a small, light smack and wait to see if she likes it. God, you feel good. Okay, slow it down a bit. That's it, that's it; Yes; Now, I want you to pull out and then press it in slowly. Oh yes, just like that. No, don't shove it in, just ease the tip in; and out; and in...Oh yes, that good. Keep that up for a bit." This felt incredible! The sensation of repeated penetration was amazing but the stimulation was going to make me cum. "I'm going to cum, Mrs. Bateman!" She turned and faced me, grabbing my cock and thrusting it into her mouth and her hands stroked and caressed me. I shot my load into her mouth as she locked her eyes with mine. It was wild, cumming as I stared into her eyes. This time when she'd drained me, she leaned back a bit lifting and cradling her tits. She opened her mouth. Cum flowed over her lips, down her chin, and dripped onto her tits. As I watched she played with it. She ran her fingers through it and then rubbed it into her skin like lotion. And she was smiling wickedly the whole time. We showered, put on robes, and had dinner. Later I changed and went home to await Mom's nightly check-in. After that, I returned to Mrs. Bateman's and we slept in her bed. No sex, just cuddling, kissing, and talking. And it was wonderful. The next morning I awoke with my typical morning woodie and my first thought was to try and fuck the woman sleeping next to me. However she had other ideas and gave me my first titty-fuck. She sucked my cock a bit, licked it up and down, then wrapped her titties around it and stroked. It was fun. Then she laid down and I straddled her, placing my cock between her tits which she then pressed together. As I thrust back and forth she giggled and encouraged me. In a few minutes I came. She grasped my cock, closed her eyes, and directed my spurts of cum to completely cover her face. She then rubbed it around and even licked and swallowed some. She forced her eyes open and stumbled to the dresser mirror. Looking at her image she laughed. "God, that's a lot of cum!" she giggled. "It's weird I know, but I love it so!" She washed her face and shooed me off. A little later as we ate breakfast she said, "You and I are not fucking today. You need to rest up for this evening." "Why?" Sue's Asian Erotics. "You have another client coming over." "Oh?" I said, my eyebrows raising. That afternoon I went to service the Caddy and when I returned there was another car there. I went in, they were again sitting in the living room. "Good! You're here, come on in," she gestured at the other woman, "This is Sue." I noticed she did not elaborate, no last name given. "Sue, this is Todd." Sue looked at me and smiled, "Hello Todd." I smiled, "Hello." Sue was Japanese and it was difficult to guess her age but she had to be in her late thirties or early forties. She was pretty and wore her black hair long and gathered in the back. She had a nice smile and her dark eyes were obviously sizing me up. It felt awkward. Finally she stood and approached me. I stood still as she circled me, one hand gently gliding across my chest, then my back. Sue was probably 5'3". She had a rather petite figure but possessed an air of sophistication and authority. She was wearing a dark blue dress. "Yes, I believe he'll do." she said, then paused and looked at me again. "He understands what; is required? This is all discrete of course;" "Of course," Mrs. Bateman replied and fixed me with an icy stare. "He has far too much to lose." Sue nodded and headed for the stairs. Mrs. Bateman put her arm around me and kissed my neck. "Okay Todd, this is going to be a little different. Sue has fantasies. Many women do. Her's is being taken. Not raped, but you must use a little force to overcome her reluctance. Nothing brutal or violent. She will resist a little and you press on, ignoring it. But if she says 'No' or 'Stop', by god you'd better stop immediately. Do you understand?" "Yeah, I think so. She wants to pretend to resist but really wants it." "Yes." Nervously I went upstairs and knocked on the guest room door. It opened and I stepped in. Sue closed the door behind me and I heard it lock. She had removed the dress and draped it across the chair. Now she wore a small silky white camisole and panties (I would later learn they were called tap panties and resembled running shorts). She said nothing but walked slowly around and climbed onto the bed. Nervously, I began to strip. It wasn't until I was naked and turned to face that she spoke. "Olivia was right! You are big!" she said as she reached out to grasp my swelling cock. I moaned as she squeezed and tugged gently. She rose onto her knees and we kissed. She moved her head from side to side and her kisses grew more intense. I slipped my hands under her camisole but she pushed them away. "Not yet!" "Okay, no rush." I said and she backed away. "You know what to do? What I want?" "Yes, Mrs. Bateman explained." She closed her eyes and was quiet for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, begin." I rose from the bed and walked towards her. Sue turned and faced the wall. I reached out and gripped her shoulders, she flinched and said something in Japanese. I pulled her to me and she resisted. I wrapped my arms about her and kissed her neck. Sue repeated the word, it sounded like 'bango', but short and harsh. I began to slide my hands down and around her waist, she kept her arms clenched tightly over her chest. I kissed the other side of her neck and my kisses slowly climbed up into her hair, behind her ear. I whispered. "I want you; you are so beautiful; give yourself to me, please;" Sue muttered something I couldn't understand. I slid my hands around, onto her belly, my left moved up, under her camisole until her arms stopped me just below her breasts. My right then slid down into her panties. She said something like "Shinaide kudasai;" and tried to pull away. I leaned into her and pressed her against the wall. My hand had reached her mound and I felt her fur. Sue dropped one hand to grasp my wrist. My left hand slid up until it cupped her right breast. It was small but firm and she gasped. I pushed further with my right hand and my fingers found and explored her folds. She whimpered and mumbled words I couldn't make out. I continued to kiss her neck and ear. I continued to gently rub her pussy but didn't try to penetrate her for another minute or two. Slipping my hands free I grasped her shoulders and spun her around. I held her head in both hands and kissed her. She resisted, but only after a moment, turning her head. I then kissed that side of her face, her neck and shoulder. Her chin rose as she mumbled something at the ceiling. I kissed her exposed throat and she seemed to tremble a little. I kissed further down her throat to her chest, as far as the camisole . My hand sliding down to her waist, over her hips and onto her thighs.     Then, very slowly, my kisses rose upwards to her throat and mouth. This time when I kissed her lips she didn't resist. She didn't participate in the kiss, she merely allowed it. My hands, as they rose from her hips slid under her camisole and it lifted. She tried to back away but was against the wall. As my hands reached her armpits I lifted her arms over her head, the camisole following, her breasts exposed as the silk covered her face. Sue was petite and her breasts were small but firm. Her nipples seemed abnormally large in comparison and were stiff and erect in the center of small, dark red areola. I lowered my head and covered them in kisses. Sue continued to mutter in Japanese as I held her arms up. My kisses then roamed higher, up her throat. I kissed her mouth again, shielded by the silk. This time she hesitated then participated in the kiss, her lips moving with mine. I began to slide my hands higher carrying the camisole over her head ever so slowly. I stopped with the silk covering her eyes but our lips met. The kiss was longer and deeper and ever so slowly she seemed to yield more and more. I now had a raging hard on and wanted her badly. I lifted the camisole higher and she pulled her arms free, immediately covering her breasts. I scooped her up and spun, dropping her on the bed. Before she could react, I grabbed her panties and pulled them down and off. She clamped her legs together with one hand over her pussy, the other arm over her breasts. Sue was pleading in Japanese as I grasped her knees and forced her legs open. I peeled her hand away and kissed her dark furred mound, then nuzzled my way down to her wet folds. And Sue was wet. Very wet. As my tongue worked its way in between her lips to lap her juices, Sue moaned loudly. I forced myself to slow down and remember my lessons. I focused on exploring her pussy, ignoring her clitoris. I licked her slit from bottom to top and teased her by trying to thrust my tongue into her. Sue had one hand on my head as if to push me away, though she didn't try very hard. She continued to mutter and mumble and even squeeze with her legs as I caressed her thighs and hips. Finally she ceased altogether as I brought her clitoris into play. Her moans grew louder and her hips started rocking. I waited until she seemed really close and then started sucking on her clit, and flicking it rapidly with the tip of my tongue. Sue started babbling and pawing at my head with both hands. Then her legs began to tremble and quiver, she thrust her hips upwards and cried out. "Hai! Hai! Hai! Ah!" She tensed up, her body rigid yet her muscles trembling, then collapsed. Seizing the opportunity I grabbed my cock and pressed the tip between her lips. Sue's eyes flew open. "Dame, dame, dame!" she begged. I thrust into her and we both cried out. Damn she was tight. Soaking wet but tight. I pulled back and thrust again. Again Sue cried out, I pulled back and thrust again and again and again as she cried and squeezed her breasts. As I thrust faster and faster she panted, the first words in English since we started. "Too much! Oh god! Too much, too much! Oh god!" I was afraid she was about to stop me but she didn't. Instead she grasped my right hand and placed it on her throat. I didn't expect this and, confused, I slowed down. Sure reached up and grabbed me by the throat with both hands. "Fuck me!" she whispered then uttered a stream of harsh sounding Japanese. Okay, well if this is what she wants; I thrust harder and faster and her grip weakened and then failed. I forcibly kissed her without any reaction from her. I was pounding her pussy and she was wailing and crying. She didn't say anything but suddenly I felt her body stiffen and her pussy spasmed around my cock. It was like a fist was squeezing it. I exploded, my cum spurting out and filling her. After what seemed ages, she went limp. I sat up and as I pulled out, a flood of cum flowed out and down. I watched it for a moment then lay down next to her. After a few minutes she stirred. Her hands explored her body, down to her pussy. She rolled to face me. Scooting close she whispered in my ear. "That was incredible; But I have one more favor to ask." "What's that?" "To conclude my fantasy, I need you to bathe with me." Okay... The guest bedroom we were using had its own full bath which included a big tub. Sue and I bathed together and even fucked again, albeit nice and slow. She dressed and then paused at the door. Turning she cupped my face in her hand. "This; was very important to me. I cannot explain why. Just know you have pleased me. Greatly. I will not be back; but I am happy to have had this; affair. Goodbye Todd." She handed me a thick envelope and left. I waited a minute and then dressed and went downstairs. Mrs. Bateman was sitting at the kitchen table. "She said you were perfect. She said she was happy, satisfied and sore." "What was all that about?" I asked. "I believe she was exorcising a demon from her past." Mrs. Bateman replied. "Something she wanted to revisit." "Well it sure was different." "Tell me everything, Todd, and while you do I'll fix you some dinner." Later I dashed home for Mom's 9PM call and then went back to Mrs. Bateman's. We slept together but didn't fuck. She did end up giving me a great blow job before I fell asleep. Mammary Mary. The next couple of days were spent working on her rent house for a few hours and then after dinner, fucking. She showed me new positions and taught me different techniques. We also worked on my foreplay and oral skills. My next client came on Wednesday. I was introduced to an older woman named Mary. She looked me over and, nodding, handed an envelope to Mrs. Bateman. Instead of preceding me up to the room, she took me by the hand and led me upstairs. Mary was older than anyone I had considered having sex with. She was easily fifty or fifty five. But when she dropped her dress I saw only a very sexy woman. Mary stood 5'7" in her high heels, had dark brown hair and brown eyes and an amazing figure. She stood there facing me in black stockings, panties, garter belt and bra. As she strutted across the room to me her eyes never left mine. I felt like she was stalking me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me. The first kiss was about five or six seconds, the second was much longer and open mouthed. Then came tongue, but not closed mouthed French kissing. Rather it was open mouthed, her tongue teasing and enticing, dancing just out of reach. She laughed and reached down to rub my crotch. Grabbing my belt she pulled me to the bed. Mary sat and unfastened my belt and jeans then tugged them down, along with my underwear. She toyed with my swelling cock, looked up at me and smiled. She paused to remove her bra. Her tits were probably D cups but sagged, her nipples pointing downward more. Her areola were so pale they were almost invisible but her nipples were nice and long. She still said nothing at all but started stroking my cock. She had magic hands. I'd never felt anyone milk my cock like she was. Mary had a technique that was incredible and in no time I was ready to cum. I warned her that I was close, but she just smiled. "Come on then! Give it to me! Give it to me!" I grunted and came, spurting rope after rope of cum onto her chest and tits. Mary continued to milk my cock until the last drop was deposited on her skin. She stood up and stepped over to the mirror on the dresser. She stood there, admiring her image and smiling for a moment then did something totally surprising. She reached into her bag and pulled out a camera. I recognized it as a Rolleiflex. "Do you know what this is?" she asked. "Yes, my Dad has one." "Do you know how to use it?" "Sure;" "Good," she handed it to me. "Take a few pictures of my spunk covered titties." I opened the camera, took a couple, then suggested she lie on the bed and adjusted the lamp to a better angle and took a few more. She then began to run her fingers through the cum, and told me to take more pictures as she played with it. Finally she pulled her panties off and had me take a couple of photos of her pussy. Now her pussy was crowned with short, dark hair but her pussy itself was almost bare, covered only by a little fuzz and her lips were long and dark. I took a few photos and tried to get really close, but the camera wouldn't focus really close. She sat up and took the camera and placed it back in her bag. She turned and pointed to the bed. I laid down and she squatted and sat on my face, gripping the headboard. I tasted her, she wasn't as sweet as Diane but okay. I went to work and as I did she proceeded to hum. Soon she was rocking her hips a bit, then more and more. She was at last producing a fair quantity of fluids and paused to finger herself.     Satisfied, she scooted down until she was over my cock, grasped it and inserted it. She short-stroked a few times until everything was good and wet and then started taking it all the way in long, slow strokes. She seemed to really like it slow and, well, what the heck? It was sex after all. So what if she was older with weird habits and tastes? I relaxed and savored the feeling of her slow ride as I caressed and squeezed her tits. "You have such a nice cock, Todd," she said and sighed as she took it all. "So nice. You like my titties? Everyone does. Go ahead and suck on them, suck hard, I don't mind. In fact I want you to suck on them till it hurts. Yes; now the other one; oh; yes; Would it shock you to know that I like it rough? That I like a little pain?" As I sucked on her tit I spanked her. Mary yelped then grinned. "Yes, please!" "Harder;" Smack. "Harder!" Whack! "Yes!" Whack! "More! Please!" Whack! Acting on impulse I grabbed her hips and rocked her forward onto her knees. With her weight off of me I started driving my cock in and out of her faster and faster. Mary's voice rose an octave or two. "Ah!" As I fucked her, my hands were squeezing her ass and I felt her puckered asshole beneath my middle finger. I pushed on it. "Oh My God! Yes! Yes! Do It!" she cried out. I pushed harder and the tip of my finger penetrated her to my first knuckle. "Oh! Oh god, oh god, oh god;" she moaned. "Spank me! Bite me! Fuck me!" I sucked as much of her tit into my mouth as possible and bit down, albeit lightly, just enough for her to feel my teeth, as I spanked her with my left hand. She yelped and jerked and my finger slid in up to the second knuckle. I could feel my dick sliding in and out I pressed down towards it. ""Oh God! Gah!" she screamed and climaxed. Her body shook and tears filled her eyes. Soon she collapsed on top of me and sobbed. A few minutes passed and she regained her composure. My cock had slipped from her and slowly she rolled off and lay next to me. I rose on one elbow and brushed the hair from her face. "Are you okay?" I asked. Her mascara was streaked and her eyes were red. She sniffed and smiled. "Yes." She sighed and then took a deep breath. "I suppose I owe you an explanation;" "No. Not at all." I answered. "I want to please you and that means doing whatever you want." Mary stared at me as if I had grown horns or turned blue. She blinked a few times and shook her head. "I don't believe it. I-I thought you wanted to fuck and cum like all young guys. No one has ever been focused on me, on my wants. That's why I decided to hire a lover. But I still expected you to want to finish;" "Oh, I do. If you want to, that is. But if you get dressed and leave right now, that's okay too. I won't starve for sex." Mary smiled and touched my cock. "No, I don't suppose you would." She snuggled in close and was quiet for a minute. "Todd, if you're really telling the truth about pleasing me; Well, there is something I want to do." "Okay; What is it?" Mary got up and rummaged in her bag. She came back to the bed with her camera and a bottle of lube. "I want you to take a photo of my pussy with your cock in it." "Um; okay." "I have my own darkroom and develop all my photos myself. These photos allow me to uh; pleasure myself when I'm without a lover." Mary laid down and I played with her pussy. She encouraged me to use some lube and it did help. Then after fucking her for a minute or two, I sat up and took the photos as she'd instructed. A few with my cock all the way in, a few with it barely in, and a few with it out, just touching her lips. Mary took the camera and set it aside. She caressed and squeezed her breasts, smiling at me. "Okay, dear boy, you've been so patient and understanding. I owe you a good time. I want you to fuck me, any way you want, just as long as you cum. I want to feel you cum deep inside me, filling me with your hot spunk!" I grinned and leaned forward and picked up speed. Mary was kissing me and encouraging me. "Oh that's so good! Yes! Oh god, what a good fuck! Go on Todd, fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!" I kissed her then whispered in her ear, "Do you like it? Is it good?" "Yes!" she responded. "Are you going to climax again?" "I; I don't know;" "I want you to climax again. I want to feel you climax as I fuck you." She was quiet for a moment. "Mary, you said everyone loves your titties;" "Yes!" "Do you?" "Yes!" "Show me. Suck on them!" I rose up as she gathered her titties and began to suck on first one and then the other. I grabbed her ankles and held them up as I thrust in and out. I watched her suck and squeeze them and felt myself getting close. I drove my cock in deep and hard and held it as I came. Confined as it was, my cock struggled to spurt forth its load. With the thrust and first spurt Mary gasped. "Oh god! I'm cumming!" We stared into each other's eyes as we climaxed. It was amazing. When I'd finished and got up, Mary lay there for a minute. When she finally sat up she was smiling. "That was great, Todd." she touched my cheek gently. "You are really an amazing young man and a great lover." She stood and walked into the bathroom. "Can I see you again?" she asked, turning to face me. I looked her over. "Maybe;" I said grinning. "Answer a few questions first." Mary stepped into the bedroom and stood facing me. "Okay." "How old are you?" "Fifty-six." "What is your bra size?" "Thirty-six double D." "Did you really like it when I fingered your ass?" "Yes, absolutely. It was wild, out of bounds, scary and exciting all at once." "Mrs. Bateman says that some women like to have anal sex, especially when on their monthly; Have you tried it?" Mary bit her lip. "No; but I've thought about it." "You want to try?" "Now?" "Sure! Why not?" Mary bit her lip and shook her head. "No; I don't think I could take it. Maybe someday, but not right now." "Okay, fair enough. One last question." "Really? Oh, okay." "What do you want to do next time?" "Oh! You!" she exclaimed and threw herself on me. Mary held me down and smothered me with kisses and smashed her big titties in my face. Then she got up and went into the bathroom. I really, really needed to pee and decided to slip on my clothes and go to the master bedroom and bath. When I'd finished, Mary had gone. Mrs. Bateman handed me the envelope. I tore it open. Two hundred and fifty dollars. Holy cow! "She said you were incredible. She wants to come back in two weeks and said you'd earned a tip." Mrs. Bateman handed me another one-hundred dollar bill and kissed me. "I am proud of you Todd. You are becoming a great lover for one so new at it all. Now, I'll bet you have worked up an appetite. Come to the kitchen and tell me all about it while I fix you a steak." Sadly though, my parents returned from their vacation and although I was able to find ways to meet my clients, it became very awkward at home. Dad was clueless but I think Mom suspected something was going on. But by the end of that summer I had been able to make love to seven different women, five of them multiple times. I reluctantly packed my bags and went off to college. I settled into the dorm life and tried to focus on adjusting to this new life and new challenges. Classes were not as bad as I'd feared and the only real issue was my roommate. I just didn't like having a roommate at all. Due to my wild summer, I didn't feel the need to chase girls, and that allowed me to relax. For a while. One evening in early December, as I was walking from the Library to my dorm, I saw a brown '73 Caddie, Coupe de Ville idling in the parking lot. As I neared, the door opened and Mrs. Bateman got out. I met her and she hugged and kissed me. "What are you doing here?" I asked. "Well two things, first my bed is empty and my pussy is lonely. I want you, Todd. I want you to fuck me all night long; and leave me exhausted, and sore." "I would love that, but I can't take you into my dorm;" "That's why I rented a hotel room." she replied. "Okay, let's go!" I said eagerly. We got in her car; and as she drove, I asked, "What was the second reason for your coming out here?" Mrs. Bateman grinned. "Well, I am trading my home for a nice big house out here. I haven't moved yet, but when I do, I was wondering if you would like to set up a room there?" I smiled. "Well, I might set up a room to entertain guests, but I'd rather spend most of my time in the Master Bedroom." Mrs. Bateman grinned evilly at me. "I was hoping you'd say that. I'd also like for you to call me Olivia." Based on a post by Sel Wync Dog, for Literotica

Mrs. Bateman's Cougar Club: Part 2 The Women of '77 Changed My Life. Based on a post by Sel Wync Dog. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Discrete Services. "Wait; Mrs. Bateman; she paid to have sex with me?" "Yes, Todd." "I don't believe it; She's beautiful, I'd have fucked her for free! Any guy would!" "True, but she's married and discretion is of vital importance. That is half of what she's paying for. A great fuck is the other half. And she said it was worth every penny. In fact she wants to come back next Friday, same time." As I stood there trying to come to grips with this revelation, Mrs. Bateman knelt on the bed, her face pressed into the wet sheets. She inhaled the scent and moaned. I glanced over and saw far enough under her skirt to see she was wearing thigh high stockings rather than pantyhose. I stepped closer and lifted her skirt. She was panty-less. I touched her pussy and found she was very wet. Management Appreciation. "God, Mrs. Bateman, your pussy is soaking wet! Would you like me to fuck it?" I said playfully. "Would you, Todd? That would be so nice." I fucked her from behind as she cooed encouragement. "Oh, that's so good Todd. You have such a big cock. You really are such a nice boy. Yes, just like that. Fuck me, Todd, fuck me good. Oh yes." Despite the vigorous sex with Diane, I had no trouble getting stiff for my mentor, which is what I realized she was. And I was thoroughly enjoying fucking her. Holding her hips and thrusting into her was nice and I could watch my cock sliding in and out. I could see her pussy stretching to accept my cock and when I pulled back, it was covered in her wetness. "Spank me, Todd." "What?" "Spank me!" she said more forcefully. "Spank my ass with your palm." I did and she swore. "Harder!" I smacked her and she yelped. "Yes! That's it! Again! Yes! Not too hard and not too often, okay? You start with a small, light smack and wait to see if she likes it. God, you feel good. Okay, slow it down a bit. That's it, that's it; Yes; Now, I want you to pull out and then press it in slowly. Oh yes, just like that. No, don't shove it in, just ease the tip in; and out; and in...Oh yes, that good. Keep that up for a bit." This felt incredible! The sensation of repeated penetration was amazing but the stimulation was going to make me cum. "I'm going to cum, Mrs. Bateman!" She turned and faced me, grabbing my cock and thrusting it into her mouth and her hands stroked and caressed me. I shot my load into her mouth as she locked her eyes with mine. It was wild, cumming as I stared into her eyes. This time when she'd drained me, she leaned back a bit lifting and cradling her tits. She opened her mouth. Cum flowed over her lips, down her chin, and dripped onto her tits. As I watched she played with it. She ran her fingers through it and then rubbed it into her skin like lotion. And she was smiling wickedly the whole time. We showered, put on robes, and had dinner. Later I changed and went home to await Mom's nightly check-in. After that, I returned to Mrs. Bateman's and we slept in her bed. No sex, just cuddling, kissing, and talking. And it was wonderful. The next morning I awoke with my typical morning woodie and my first thought was to try and fuck the woman sleeping next to me. However she had other ideas and gave me my first titty-fuck. She sucked my cock a bit, licked it up and down, then wrapped her titties around it and stroked. It was fun. Then she laid down and I straddled her, placing my cock between her tits which she then pressed together. As I thrust back and forth she giggled and encouraged me. In a few minutes I came. She grasped my cock, closed her eyes, and directed my spurts of cum to completely cover her face. She then rubbed it around and even licked and swallowed some. She forced her eyes open and stumbled to the dresser mirror. Looking at her image she laughed. "God, that's a lot of cum!" she giggled. "It's weird I know, but I love it so!" She washed her face and shooed me off. A little later as we ate breakfast she said, "You and I are not fucking today. You need to rest up for this evening." "Why?" Sue's Asian Erotics. "You have another client coming over." "Oh?" I said, my eyebrows raising. That afternoon I went to service the Caddy and when I returned there was another car there. I went in, they were again sitting in the living room. "Good! You're here, come on in," she gestured at the other woman, "This is Sue." I noticed she did not elaborate, no last name given. "Sue, this is Todd." Sue looked at me and smiled, "Hello Todd." I smiled, "Hello." Sue was Japanese and it was difficult to guess her age but she had to be in her late thirties or early forties. She was pretty and wore her black hair long and gathered in the back. She had a nice smile and her dark eyes were obviously sizing me up. It felt awkward. Finally she stood and approached me. I stood still as she circled me, one hand gently gliding across my chest, then my back. Sue was probably 5'3". She had a rather petite figure but possessed an air of sophistication and authority. She was wearing a dark blue dress. "Yes, I believe he'll do." she said, then paused and looked at me again. "He understands what; is required? This is all discrete of course;" "Of course," Mrs. Bateman replied and fixed me with an icy stare. "He has far too much to lose." Sue nodded and headed for the stairs. Mrs. Bateman put her arm around me and kissed my neck. "Okay Todd, this is going to be a little different. Sue has fantasies. Many women do. Her's is being taken. Not raped, but you must use a little force to overcome her reluctance. Nothing brutal or violent. She will resist a little and you press on, ignoring it. But if she says 'No' or 'Stop', by god you'd better stop immediately. Do you understand?" "Yeah, I think so. She wants to pretend to resist but really wants it." "Yes." Nervously I went upstairs and knocked on the guest room door. It opened and I stepped in. Sue closed the door behind me and I heard it lock. She had removed the dress and draped it across the chair. Now she wore a small silky white camisole and panties (I would later learn they were called tap panties and resembled running shorts). She said nothing but walked slowly around and climbed onto the bed. Nervously, I began to strip. It wasn't until I was naked and turned to face that she spoke. "Olivia was right! You are big!" she said as she reached out to grasp my swelling cock. I moaned as she squeezed and tugged gently. She rose onto her knees and we kissed. She moved her head from side to side and her kisses grew more intense. I slipped my hands under her camisole but she pushed them away. "Not yet!" "Okay, no rush." I said and she backed away. "You know what to do? What I want?" "Yes, Mrs. Bateman explained." She closed her eyes and was quiet for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, begin." I rose from the bed and walked towards her. Sue turned and faced the wall. I reached out and gripped her shoulders, she flinched and said something in Japanese. I pulled her to me and she resisted. I wrapped my arms about her and kissed her neck. Sue repeated the word, it sounded like 'bango', but short and harsh. I began to slide my hands down and around her waist, she kept her arms clenched tightly over her chest. I kissed the other side of her neck and my kisses slowly climbed up into her hair, behind her ear. I whispered. "I want you; you are so beautiful; give yourself to me, please;" Sue muttered something I couldn't understand. I slid my hands around, onto her belly, my left moved up, under her camisole until her arms stopped me just below her breasts. My right then slid down into her panties. She said something like "Shinaide kudasai;" and tried to pull away. I leaned into her and pressed her against the wall. My hand had reached her mound and I felt her fur. Sue dropped one hand to grasp my wrist. My left hand slid up until it cupped her right breast. It was small but firm and she gasped. I pushed further with my right hand and my fingers found and explored her folds. She whimpered and mumbled words I couldn't make out. I continued to kiss her neck and ear. I continued to gently rub her pussy but didn't try to penetrate her for another minute or two. Slipping my hands free I grasped her shoulders and spun her around. I held her head in both hands and kissed her. She resisted, but only after a moment, turning her head. I then kissed that side of her face, her neck and shoulder. Her chin rose as she mumbled something at the ceiling. I kissed her exposed throat and she seemed to tremble a little. I kissed further down her throat to her chest, as far as the camisole . My hand sliding down to her waist, over her hips and onto her thighs.     Then, very slowly, my kisses rose upwards to her throat and mouth. This time when I kissed her lips she didn't resist. She didn't participate in the kiss, she merely allowed it. My hands, as they rose from her hips slid under her camisole and it lifted. She tried to back away but was against the wall. As my hands reached her armpits I lifted her arms over her head, the camisole following, her breasts exposed as the silk covered her face. Sue was petite and her breasts were small but firm. Her nipples seemed abnormally large in comparison and were stiff and erect in the center of small, dark red areola. I lowered my head and covered them in kisses. Sue continued to mutter in Japanese as I held her arms up. My kisses then roamed higher, up her throat. I kissed her mouth again, shielded by the silk. This time she hesitated then participated in the kiss, her lips moving with mine. I began to slide my hands higher carrying the camisole over her head ever so slowly. I stopped with the silk covering her eyes but our lips met. The kiss was longer and deeper and ever so slowly she seemed to yield more and more. I now had a raging hard on and wanted her badly. I lifted the camisole higher and she pulled her arms free, immediately covering her breasts. I scooped her up and spun, dropping her on the bed. Before she could react, I grabbed her panties and pulled them down and off. She clamped her legs together with one hand over her pussy, the other arm over her breasts. Sue was pleading in Japanese as I grasped her knees and forced her legs open. I peeled her hand away and kissed her dark furred mound, then nuzzled my way down to her wet folds. And Sue was wet. Very wet. As my tongue worked its way in between her lips to lap her juices, Sue moaned loudly. I forced myself to slow down and remember my lessons. I focused on exploring her pussy, ignoring her clitoris. I licked her slit from bottom to top and teased her by trying to thrust my tongue into her. Sue had one hand on my head as if to push me away, though she didn't try very hard. She continued to mutter and mumble and even squeeze with her legs as I caressed her thighs and hips. Finally she ceased altogether as I brought her clitoris into play. Her moans grew louder and her hips started rocking. I waited until she seemed really close and then started sucking on her clit, and flicking it rapidly with the tip of my tongue. Sue started babbling and pawing at my head with both hands. Then her legs began to tremble and quiver, she thrust her hips upwards and cried out. "Hai! Hai! Hai! Ah!" She tensed up, her body rigid yet her muscles trembling, then collapsed. Seizing the opportunity I grabbed my cock and pressed the tip between her lips. Sue's eyes flew open. "Dame, dame, dame!" she begged. I thrust into her and we both cried out. Damn she was tight. Soaking wet but tight. I pulled back and thrust again. Again Sue cried out, I pulled back and thrust again and again and again as she cried and squeezed her breasts. As I thrust faster and faster she panted, the first words in English since we started. "Too much! Oh god! Too much, too much! Oh god!" I was afraid she was about to stop me but she didn't. Instead she grasped my right hand and placed it on her throat. I didn't expect this and, confused, I slowed down. Sure reached up and grabbed me by the throat with both hands. "Fuck me!" she whispered then uttered a stream of harsh sounding Japanese. Okay, well if this is what she wants; I thrust harder and faster and her grip weakened and then failed. I forcibly kissed her without any reaction from her. I was pounding her pussy and she was wailing and crying. She didn't say anything but suddenly I felt her body stiffen and her pussy spasmed around my cock. It was like a fist was squeezing it. I exploded, my cum spurting out and filling her. After what seemed ages, she went limp. I sat up and as I pulled out, a flood of cum flowed out and down. I watched it for a moment then lay down next to her. After a few minutes she stirred. Her hands explored her body, down to her pussy. She rolled to face me. Scooting close she whispered in my ear. "That was incredible; But I have one more favor to ask." "What's that?" "To conclude my fantasy, I need you to bathe with me." Okay... The guest bedroom we were using had its own full bath which included a big tub. Sue and I bathed together and even fucked again, albeit nice and slow. She dressed and then paused at the door. Turning she cupped my face in her hand. "This; was very important to me. I cannot explain why. Just know you have pleased me. Greatly. I will not be back; but I am happy to have had this; affair. Goodbye Todd." She handed me a thick envelope and left. I waited a minute and then dressed and went downstairs. Mrs. Bateman was sitting at the kitchen table. "She said you were perfect. She said she was happy, satisfied and sore." "What was all that about?" I asked. "I believe she was exorcising a demon from her past." Mrs. Bateman replied. "Something she wanted to revisit." "Well it sure was different." "Tell me everything, Todd, and while you do I'll fix you some dinner." Later I dashed home for Mom's 9PM call and then went back to Mrs. Bateman's. We slept together but didn't fuck. She did end up giving me a great blow job before I fell asleep. Mammary Mary. The next couple of days were spent working on her rent house for a few hours and then after dinner, fucking. She showed me new positions and taught me different techniques. We also worked on my foreplay and oral skills. My next client came on Wednesday. I was introduced to an older woman named Mary. She looked me over and, nodding, handed an envelope to Mrs. Bateman. Instead of preceding me up to the room, she took me by the hand and led me upstairs. Mary was older than anyone I had considered having sex with. She was easily fifty or fifty five. But when she dropped her dress I saw only a very sexy woman. Mary stood 5'7" in her high heels, had dark brown hair and brown eyes and an amazing figure. She stood there facing me in black stockings, panties, garter belt and bra. As she strutted across the room to me her eyes never left mine. I felt like she was stalking me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me. The first kiss was about five or six seconds, the second was much longer and open mouthed. Then came tongue, but not closed mouthed French kissing. Rather it was open mouthed, her tongue teasing and enticing, dancing just out of reach. She laughed and reached down to rub my crotch. Grabbing my belt she pulled me to the bed. Mary sat and unfastened my belt and jeans then tugged them down, along with my underwear. She toyed with my swelling cock, looked up at me and smiled. She paused to remove her bra. Her tits were probably D cups but sagged, her nipples pointing downward more. Her areola were so pale they were almost invisible but her nipples were nice and long. She still said nothing at all but started stroking my cock. She had magic hands. I'd never felt anyone milk my cock like she was. Mary had a technique that was incredible and in no time I was ready to cum. I warned her that I was close, but she just smiled. "Come on then! Give it to me! Give it to me!" I grunted and came, spurting rope after rope of cum onto her chest and tits. Mary continued to milk my cock until the last drop was deposited on her skin. She stood up and stepped over to the mirror on the dresser. She stood there, admiring her image and smiling for a moment then did something totally surprising. She reached into her bag and pulled out a camera. I recognized it as a Rolleiflex. "Do you know what this is?" she asked. "Yes, my Dad has one." "Do you know how to use it?" "Sure;" "Good," she handed it to me. "Take a few pictures of my spunk covered titties." I opened the camera, took a couple, then suggested she lie on the bed and adjusted the lamp to a better angle and took a few more. She then began to run her fingers through the cum, and told me to take more pictures as she played with it. Finally she pulled her panties off and had me take a couple of photos of her pussy. Now her pussy was crowned with short, dark hair but her pussy itself was almost bare, covered only by a little fuzz and her lips were long and dark. I took a few photos and tried to get really close, but the camera wouldn't focus really close. She sat up and took the camera and placed it back in her bag. She turned and pointed to the bed. I laid down and she squatted and sat on my face, gripping the headboard. I tasted her, she wasn't as sweet as Diane but okay. I went to work and as I did she proceeded to hum. Soon she was rocking her hips a bit, then more and more. She was at last producing a fair quantity of fluids and paused to finger herself.     Satisfied, she scooted down until she was over my cock, grasped it and inserted it. She short-stroked a few times until everything was good and wet and then started taking it all the way in long, slow strokes. She seemed to really like it slow and, well, what the heck? It was sex after all. So what if she was older with weird habits and tastes? I relaxed and savored the feeling of her slow ride as I caressed and squeezed her tits. "You have such a nice cock, Todd," she said and sighed as she took it all. "So nice. You like my titties? Everyone does. Go ahead and suck on them, suck hard, I don't mind. In fact I want you to suck on them till it hurts. Yes; now the other one; oh; yes; Would it shock you to know that I like it rough? That I like a little pain?" As I sucked on her tit I spanked her. Mary yelped then grinned. "Yes, please!" "Harder;" Smack. "Harder!" Whack! "Yes!" Whack! "More! Please!" Whack! Acting on impulse I grabbed her hips and rocked her forward onto her knees. With her weight off of me I started driving my cock in and out of her faster and faster. Mary's voice rose an octave or two. "Ah!" As I fucked her, my hands were squeezing her ass and I felt her puckered asshole beneath my middle finger. I pushed on it. "Oh My God! Yes! Yes! Do It!" she cried out. I pushed harder and the tip of my finger penetrated her to my first knuckle. "Oh! Oh god, oh god, oh god;" she moaned. "Spank me! Bite me! Fuck me!" I sucked as much of her tit into my mouth as possible and bit down, albeit lightly, just enough for her to feel my teeth, as I spanked her with my left hand. She yelped and jerked and my finger slid in up to the second knuckle. I could feel my dick sliding in and out I pressed down towards it. ""Oh God! Gah!" she screamed and climaxed. Her body shook and tears filled her eyes. Soon she collapsed on top of me and sobbed. A few minutes passed and she regained her composure. My cock had slipped from her and slowly she rolled off and lay next to me. I rose on one elbow and brushed the hair from her face. "Are you okay?" I asked. Her mascara was streaked and her eyes were red. She sniffed and smiled. "Yes." She sighed and then took a deep breath. "I suppose I owe you an explanation;" "No. Not at all." I answered. "I want to please you and that means doing whatever you want." Mary stared at me as if I had grown horns or turned blue. She blinked a few times and shook her head. "I don't believe it. I-I thought you wanted to fuck and cum like all young guys. No one has ever been focused on me, on my wants. That's why I decided to hire a lover. But I still expected you to want to finish;" "Oh, I do. If you want to, that is. But if you get dressed and leave right now, that's okay too. I won't starve for sex." Mary smiled and touched my cock. "No, I don't suppose you would." She snuggled in close and was quiet for a minute. "Todd, if you're really telling the truth about pleasing me; Well, there is something I want to do." "Okay; What is it?" Mary got up and rummaged in her bag. She came back to the bed with her camera and a bottle of lube. "I want you to take a photo of my pussy with your cock in it." "Um; okay." "I have my own darkroom and develop all my photos myself. These photos allow me to uh; pleasure myself when I'm without a lover." Mary laid down and I played with her pussy. She encouraged me to use some lube and it did help. Then after fucking her for a minute or two, I sat up and took the photos as she'd instructed. A few with my cock all the way in, a few with it barely in, and a few with it out, just touching her lips. Mary took the camera and set it aside. She caressed and squeezed her breasts, smiling at me. "Okay, dear boy, you've been so patient and understanding. I owe you a good time. I want you to fuck me, any way you want, just as long as you cum. I want to feel you cum deep inside me, filling me with your hot spunk!" I grinned and leaned forward and picked up speed. Mary was kissing me and encouraging me. "Oh that's so good! Yes! Oh god, what a good fuck! Go on Todd, fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!" I kissed her then whispered in her ear, "Do you like it? Is it good?" "Yes!" she responded. "Are you going to climax again?" "I; I don't know;" "I want you to climax again. I want to feel you climax as I fuck you." She was quiet for a moment. "Mary, you said everyone loves your titties;" "Yes!" "Do you?" "Yes!" "Show me. Suck on them!" I rose up as she gathered her titties and began to suck on first one and then the other. I grabbed her ankles and held them up as I thrust in and out. I watched her suck and squeeze them and felt myself getting close. I drove my cock in deep and hard and held it as I came. Confined as it was, my cock struggled to spurt forth its load. With the thrust and first spurt Mary gasped. "Oh god! I'm cumming!" We stared into each other's eyes as we climaxed. It was amazing. When I'd finished and got up, Mary lay there for a minute. When she finally sat up she was smiling. "That was great, Todd." she touched my cheek gently. "You are really an amazing young man and a great lover." She stood and walked into the bathroom. "Can I see you again?" she asked, turning to face me. I looked her over. "Maybe;" I said grinning. "Answer a few questions first." Mary stepped into the bedroom and stood facing me. "Okay." "How old are you?" "Fifty-six." "What is your bra size?" "Thirty-six double D." "Did you really like it when I fingered your ass?" "Yes, absolutely. It was wild, out of bounds, scary and exciting all at once." "Mrs. Bateman says that some women like to have anal sex, especially when on their monthly; Have you tried it?" Mary bit her lip. "No; but I've thought about it." "You want to try?" "Now?" "Sure! Why not?" Mary bit her lip and shook her head. "No; I don't think I could take it. Maybe someday, but not right now." "Okay, fair enough. One last question." "Really? Oh, okay." "What do you want to do next time?" "Oh! You!" she exclaimed and threw herself on me. Mary held me down and smothered me with kisses and smashed her big titties in my face. Then she got up and went into the bathroom. I really, really needed to pee and decided to slip on my clothes and go to the master bedroom and bath. When I'd finished, Mary had gone. Mrs. Bateman handed me the envelope. I tore it open. Two hundred and fifty dollars. Holy cow! "She said you were incredible. She wants to come back in two weeks and said you'd earned a tip." Mrs. Bateman handed me another one-hundred dollar bill and kissed me. "I am proud of you Todd. You are becoming a great lover for one so new at it all. Now, I'll bet you have worked up an appetite. Come to the kitchen and tell me all about it while I fix you a steak." Sadly though, my parents returned from their vacation and although I was able to find ways to meet my clients, it became very awkward at home. Dad was clueless but I think Mom suspected something was going on. But by the end of that summer I had been able to make love to seven different women, five of them multiple times. I reluctantly packed my bags and went off to college. I settled into the dorm life and tried to focus on adjusting to this new life and new challenges. Classes were not as bad as I'd feared and the only real issue was my roommate. I just didn't like having a roommate at all. Due to my wild summer, I didn't feel the need to chase girls, and that allowed me to relax. For a while. One evening in early December, as I was walking from the Library to my dorm, I saw a brown '73 Caddie, Coupe de Ville idling in the parking lot. As I neared, the door opened and Mrs. Bateman got out. I met her and she hugged and kissed me. "What are you doing here?" I asked. "Well two things, first my bed is empty and my pussy is lonely. I want you, Todd. I want you to fuck me all night long; and leave me exhausted, and sore." "I would love that, but I can't take you into my dorm;" "That's why I rented a hotel room." she replied. "Okay, let's go!" I said eagerly. We got in her car; and as she drove, I asked, "What was the second reason for your coming out here?" Mrs. Bateman grinned. "Well, I am trading my home for a nice big house out here. I haven't moved yet, but when I do, I was wondering if you would like to set up a room there?" I smiled. "Well, I might set up a room to entertain guests, but I'd rather spend most of my time in the Master Bedroom." Mrs. Bateman grinned evilly at me. "I was hoping you'd say that. I'd also like for you to call me Olivia." Based on a post by Sel Wync Dog, for Literotica

The crew dives right into a questionable choice as Tony is excited for Mike and Chris to eat an old corn dog fished out of the freezer that is “just a few days expired.” Meanwhile, Amin's in a battle of wills with AI video generators that refuse to cooperate, Tony's fallen deep into a TikTok-fueled obsession with Brutalist architecture, and somehow we end up with Tony and Chris admitting to sneaking forbidden photos inside the Sistine Chapel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The crew dives right into a questionable choice as Tony is excited for Mike and Chris to eat an old corn dog fished out of the freezer that is “just a few days expired.” Meanwhile, Amin's in a battle of wills with AI video generators that refuse to cooperate, Tony's fallen deep into a TikTok-fueled obsession with Brutalist architecture, and somehow we end up with Tony and Chris admitting to sneaking forbidden photos inside the Sistine Chapel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's our end-of-year membership drive! Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount. Donate today.  Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203.  And thanks!  On this week's show: The Trump administration is looking to boost coal production, and one company is planning to expand its coal mine in Western Pennsylvania. But some neighbors aren't on board. Energy efficiency tax credits that help the climate and people's budgets are expiring. But there's still a little time for consumers to act. The Pennsylvania budget deal meant getting rid of a major climate initiative. Environmentalists have filed a lawsuit to stop the expansion of a major natural gas pipeline system in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Fifty years ago, the pride of the Great Lakes, the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, sank with its crew. Sign up for our newsletter! Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story. 

In addition to wanting to know where their food comes from and where it's grown, thirty three million Americans have a diagnosed food allergy. Fifty million have an intolerance that is not technically allergic but certain foods disagree with them in some way. For a variety of reasons over seventy million follow life style diets. That means over half of the country needs to know what is in their food.  Dylan McDonnell is the Founder and CEO of Foodini, a company that strives to make it easy for Restaurants to help consumers and consumers to help themselves. It will soon be the law in California as it is already in Europe for restaurants to make this critical information available to their customers.  https://foodini.co/ Foodini - AI-Powered Dietary Intelligence

In Episode 509, Patrick, Jeffrey, and Craig talk about Craigermetrics and riding in cars with children and live podcasts (not this one) and then discuss five mostly baseball topics.  1. What's got into the cat?: Are the Pirates pre-frisky? Are the Pirates going to sign free agents? Are the Pirates going to keep Paul Skenes? Ask Betterridge.2. Awards SZN: Patrick breaks down his AL Rookie of the Year ballot, sort of. 3. Fifty is Nifty: We chat about the free agent 50.4. Around the Horn: The Jank is still here, as are Scott Boras's puns.5. Let's see how good Craig's team Hall of Fame instincts are.Five and Dive is listener-supported, you can join our Patreon at patreon.com/fiveanddive. If you want to get in contact with the show, the e-mail address is fiveanddive@baseballprospectus.com.                                           Our theme tune is by Andy Matthews, who you can follow on Bluesky @andymatthewsmusic. You can listen to him on Spotify and Apple Music. It was produced by Barrie Maguire and Tim Ferguson.

Connect with us via text! Fifty years in professional skin care isn't an accident; it's the result of community, clear standards, and the courage to evolve without losing the human element. Today's episode features DERMASCOPE's publisher and CEO, Amanda Strunk, and managing editor and podcast producer, Dorian Reyes, to share the story behind our golden year—how a pandemic-era 45th reset set the stage for a black-tie Golden Gala in Las Vegas, why the November anniversary issue felt like a love letter to aestheticians who built this field, and how a simple “globe” lesson reshaped our approach to conflict and collaboration. We get honest about the editorial and sales tightrope of sponsored covers, the origin of our Icon Awards, and the decision to protect print because hands-on professionals still value deep, distraction-free learning. If this conversation resonates, follow DERMASCOPE on your favorite platform, subscribe to the magazine, and leave a review. Share this with an esty bestie who shaped your career, and tell us what you want to learn next! Follow DERMASCOPE:Instagram: @dermascopeFacebook: facebook.com/dermascopePinterest: @dermascopeTikTok: @dermascopeFollow Amanda:Instagram: @imamandamillerAdditional Links:Visit our website.Learn more about this podcast.Subscribe to the magazine.Read the November 2025 issue. Vote in the 2026 ACAs. 

Tara exposes the shocking new reality of the U.S. housing market — where the average homebuyer is now fifty-nine years old. From Realtor Magazine changing its cover to feature retirees instead of young couples, to Trump's floated “fifty-year mortgage,” this episode dives deep into how runaway federal spending, immigration pressures, and stagnant wages have shattered homeownership dreams for Gen Z and Millennials. Tara connects the dots between reckless fiscal policies, rising housing costs, and the economic future of the country — a wake-up call to what happens when America follows the same path as overextended nations abroad.

Fifty-year mortgages are being pushed by President Trump in the US. Could this be the fix for housing affordability, or a ticking time bomb for long-term financial stability?We also tackle a community question about the hidden dangers of ETF overlap and what it really means for your portfolio's diversification. To go even deeper, check out our Get Started Investing episode on the topic here

️ The Baller Lifestyle Podcast – Episode 600 Hosts: Brian Beckner & Ed DalyDuration: ~1 hour 15 minutesSupport the show: patreon.com/theballerlifestyle Episode 600: “Six Hundred and Still Ballin'” The boys celebrate 600 episodes of The Baller Lifestyle Podcast — twelve years of dumb jokes, hard truths, and heartfelt community moments. Brian and Ed reflect on their long-running friendship, the wild ride of podcasting, and the listeners who've made it all worthwhile. They kick things off with love for their audience and special shoutouts to longtime listener David Bray, then dive headfirst into their signature mix of dark humor, sports takes, RIPs, and ridiculousness. RIP Segment Another week, another grim roundup: Marshawn Neyland – Promising Cowboys defensive end, gone too soon. Lenny Wilkens – NBA Hall of Famer, player, and coach, passes at 88. Paul Tagliabue – Former NFL commissioner; Brian thought he'd been dead for decades. Young Bleed – No Limit rapper dies at 51 of a brain aneurysm (yes, Young Bleed). Charles Coste – 101-year-old French Olympic cyclist; the guys debate flopping dicks and old bike seats. “Human Barbie” Influencer – Yet another social media casualty. Dick Cheney – Finally gone; Ed and Brian unload a well-earned verbal obituary for the war criminal of war criminals. Sports Section Antonio Brown arrested (again) — this time for attempted murder. Amon-Ra St. Brown gets punched after doing the Trump dance — the guys break down his “fake” saint name and his dad's NFL eugenics project. Guardians Pitchers Scandal: Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz caught “pitch-fixing” for a $12k bet despite multimillion contracts. Kickers Are Too Good: Listener email sparks a rant about banning kickers and making goalposts narrower. BYU vs. Texas Tech: Listeners report signs reading “Alcoholics vs. Soakers.” The guys are delighted. Listener Mail Super Lee congratulates the show on 600 episodes. Drew in Phoenix demands the NFL “ban the kicker.” Matthew Richards checks in from Lubbock with BYU/Tech game tales. All Text No Tweet asks about Trump getting booed at a Commanders game. Super Lee surprises Brian & Ed with a cameo from Emmanuel Lewis (Webster!), who requests a Daily's Choice: Webster vs. Ricky Schroeder. The guys hilariously deliver. Not Sports Segment Father and son killed by giant hornets while ziplining in Laos — the guys roast the idea of “adventure tourism.” 79-year-old British millionaire seeks a “good breeder” on Tinder. The hosts volunteer in horrifying detail. The Louvre Robbery: Hot French thieves, a lift, and the world's dumbest password — “Louvre.” Brian recalls a wild art theft documentary where retirees lived with a $160M stolen painting behind a door. Quotes of the Week “If you call yourself Young Bleed, you're bleeding out one way or another.”“Dick Cheney should be mentioned in the same breath as Pol Pot — except with worse aim.”“If you're 51, you're not ‘Young' anything. You're Middle-Aged Hemorrhage.”“Fifty rooms? That's too many rooms. Just give me the money and the lube.” ️ Community & Closing Brian thanks Ed for twelve years of showing up and the listeners for sticking around through six hundred episodes of nonsense, insight, and friendship. The show wraps with a toast to the community and to David Bray — “We love you, man.” Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | PatreonFollow: @ballerlifestylepodcastEmail: mailbag@theballerlifestyle.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With breathtaking complexity and haunting beauty, the songs of whales have long fascinated scientists. Whales are the only mammals that can sing continuously for ten hours or more, changing the unique songs they sing every year. In Why Whales Sing (JHU Press, 2025), bioacoustician and cognitive scientist Eduardo Mercado transforms our understanding of these enigmatic sounds and proposes a groundbreaking theory that challenges decades of established science. Fifty years of field research have led most scientists to conclude that humpback whales sing for the same reason that birds do: to advertise their sexual fitness. But if whale songs are nothing more than tools of attraction, why do whales sing even when they're alone and there are no listeners nearby? In light of modern advances in neuroscience and ocean acoustics, Mercado reaches the surprising conclusion that whales may not actually be "singing," but rather engaging in an activity more commonly associated with dolphins and bats--echolocating--which enables them to see their world with sound. By incessantly streaming sounds while listening closely to the returning echoes, whales may be actively tuning their brains in ways that allow them to monitor the movements of silent whales located miles away. Sophisticated, long-range sonar can enable whales to perceive their vast underwater worlds in unimaginable ways. From the military origins of whale song recordings to the persistent mysteries of cetacean communication, this book displays the wonder of whales and reshapes how we view their intelligence, behavior, and acoustic mastery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

With breathtaking complexity and haunting beauty, the songs of whales have long fascinated scientists. Whales are the only mammals that can sing continuously for ten hours or more, changing the unique songs they sing every year. In Why Whales Sing (JHU Press, 2025), bioacoustician and cognitive scientist Eduardo Mercado transforms our understanding of these enigmatic sounds and proposes a groundbreaking theory that challenges decades of established science. Fifty years of field research have led most scientists to conclude that humpback whales sing for the same reason that birds do: to advertise their sexual fitness. But if whale songs are nothing more than tools of attraction, why do whales sing even when they're alone and there are no listeners nearby? In light of modern advances in neuroscience and ocean acoustics, Mercado reaches the surprising conclusion that whales may not actually be "singing," but rather engaging in an activity more commonly associated with dolphins and bats--echolocating--which enables them to see their world with sound. By incessantly streaming sounds while listening closely to the returning echoes, whales may be actively tuning their brains in ways that allow them to monitor the movements of silent whales located miles away. Sophisticated, long-range sonar can enable whales to perceive their vast underwater worlds in unimaginable ways. From the military origins of whale song recordings to the persistent mysteries of cetacean communication, this book displays the wonder of whales and reshapes how we view their intelligence, behavior, and acoustic mastery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science

With breathtaking complexity and haunting beauty, the songs of whales have long fascinated scientists. Whales are the only mammals that can sing continuously for ten hours or more, changing the unique songs they sing every year. In Why Whales Sing (JHU Press, 2025), bioacoustician and cognitive scientist Eduardo Mercado transforms our understanding of these enigmatic sounds and proposes a groundbreaking theory that challenges decades of established science. Fifty years of field research have led most scientists to conclude that humpback whales sing for the same reason that birds do: to advertise their sexual fitness. But if whale songs are nothing more than tools of attraction, why do whales sing even when they're alone and there are no listeners nearby? In light of modern advances in neuroscience and ocean acoustics, Mercado reaches the surprising conclusion that whales may not actually be "singing," but rather engaging in an activity more commonly associated with dolphins and bats--echolocating--which enables them to see their world with sound. By incessantly streaming sounds while listening closely to the returning echoes, whales may be actively tuning their brains in ways that allow them to monitor the movements of silent whales located miles away. Sophisticated, long-range sonar can enable whales to perceive their vast underwater worlds in unimaginable ways. From the military origins of whale song recordings to the persistent mysteries of cetacean communication, this book displays the wonder of whales and reshapes how we view their intelligence, behavior, and acoustic mastery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sound-studies

With breathtaking complexity and haunting beauty, the songs of whales have long fascinated scientists. Whales are the only mammals that can sing continuously for ten hours or more, changing the unique songs they sing every year. In Why Whales Sing (JHU Press, 2025), bioacoustician and cognitive scientist Eduardo Mercado transforms our understanding of these enigmatic sounds and proposes a groundbreaking theory that challenges decades of established science. Fifty years of field research have led most scientists to conclude that humpback whales sing for the same reason that birds do: to advertise their sexual fitness. But if whale songs are nothing more than tools of attraction, why do whales sing even when they're alone and there are no listeners nearby? In light of modern advances in neuroscience and ocean acoustics, Mercado reaches the surprising conclusion that whales may not actually be "singing," but rather engaging in an activity more commonly associated with dolphins and bats--echolocating--which enables them to see their world with sound. By incessantly streaming sounds while listening closely to the returning echoes, whales may be actively tuning their brains in ways that allow them to monitor the movements of silent whales located miles away. Sophisticated, long-range sonar can enable whales to perceive their vast underwater worlds in unimaginable ways. From the military origins of whale song recordings to the persistent mysteries of cetacean communication, this book displays the wonder of whales and reshapes how we view their intelligence, behavior, and acoustic mastery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/neuroscience

For Veterans Day, my guest is Enrique “Ric” Prado. He is, at the time of this post, the highest-ranking covert warrior to offer a glimpse into the covert wars that America has fought since the Vietnam Era in his memoir Black Ops: Life Of A Shadow Warrior.About Enrique “Ric” Prado:Enrique Prado found himself in his first firefight at age seven. The son of a middle-class Cuban family caught in the midst of the Castro Revolution, his family fled their war-torn home for the hope of a better life in America. Fifty years later, the Cuban refugee retired from the Central Intelligence Agency as the CIA equivalent of a two-star general. Black Ops is the story of Ric's legendary career that spanned two eras, the Cold War and the Age of Terrorism. Operating in the shadows, Ric and his fellow CIA officers fought a little-seen and virtually unknown war to keep USA safe from those who would do it harm.After duty stations in Central, South America, and the Philippines, Black Ops follows Ric into the highest echelons of the CIA's headquarters at Langley, Virginia. In late 1995, he became Deputy Chief of Station and co-founding member of the Bin Laden Task Force. Three years later, after serving as head of Korean Operations, Ric took on one of the most dangerous missions of his career: re-establish a once-abandoned CIA station inside a hostile nation long since considered a front line of the fight against Islamic terrorism. He and his team carried out covert operations and developed assets that proved pivotal in the coming War on Terror.https://ricprado.com/*****Across The Socials @TheAndresSegovia & Twitter/X @_AndresSegoviahttps://TheAndresSegovia.comBuy Coffee: https://rangercandycoffee.com/theandressegovia/Use Promo Code THEANDRESSEGOVIA for free shipping on your order!Buy Gainful Protein: http://gainful.com/ANDRESSEGOVIABuy From BUBS Naturals Wellness Products: https://shop.bubsnaturals.com/TheAndresSegoviaBuy The Goat Farm Skin Care: https://thegoatfarm.idevaffiliate.com/25.htmlBuy Vegan Skin Care From Vibey Soap Company:https://loox.io/z/HAu__cQPT?s=rafAll Affiliate Links: https://theandressegovia.start.page To hear more, visit theandressegovia.substack.com

Fifty year mortgages, tariff dividends, Chicago lies, and BBC chief fired. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, on those who root for President Trump to fail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Nicole hears about another attack eerily like hers, she sounds the alarm. Fifty miles away, celebrated cold case detective Paul Holes discovers two more cases no one knew were connected. Binge all episodes of Hunting the Bogeyman ad-free today by subscribing to The Binge. Visit The Binge Crimes on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘subscribe' or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access. From serial killer nurses to psychic scammers – The Binge is your home for true crime stories that pull you in and never let go. The Binge – feed your true crime obsession. Hunting the Bogeyman is brought to you by Sony Music Entertainment and Perfect Cadence Productions. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump Touts FIFTY YEAR Mortgage | You'll Own NothingMinistry Sponsors:Saga Metals CorpThanks to Saga Metals Corp for sponsoring today's video. You can get their latest presentation here on their website:https://sagametals.com/corporate-presentation/Tickers: OTCQB: SAGMF | TSX-V: SAGADISCLAIMER: This video was conducted on behalf of Saga Metals Corp, and was funded by CAPITALIZ ON IT. I have been compensated for this video. I only express my opinion based on my experience. Your experience may be different. These videos are for educational and inspirational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. While it is possible to minimize risk, your investments are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research. There is no guarantee of gains or losses on investments. Please do your own due diligence. I am not a financial advisor, and this is not a financial advice channel. All information is provided strictly for educational purposes. It does not take into account anybody's specific circumstances or situation. If you are making investment or other financial management decisions and require advice, please consult a suitably qualified licensed professional.The securities of Saga Metals Corp are speculative, and the company has not yet achieved consistent positive cash flow from operations. As a growth-stage company, it anticipates negative cash flow for the foreseeable future as it focuses on development and commercialization efforts. Parties viewing this video should thoroughly review the company's public disclosure and documents available on sedarplus.ca.See full disclaimer here: https://capitalizonit.com/saga/Reece Fund. Christian Capital. Boldly Deployedhttps://www.reecefund.com/Backwards Planning FinancialWant to build a financial legacy for your family with a plan that starts at the end goal? Connect with Joe Garrisi at https://backwardsplanningfinancial.nm.com/ to get help with a legacy-driven strategy for your future.Genesis Gold GroupFaith-Based Gold IRA: Genesis Gold Group helps Christians protect their retirement with physical precious metals aligned with scriptural stewardship principles.https://www.RightResponseBibleGold.comGray Toad TallowGray Toad Tallow's handcrafted balms made from grass-fed, grass-finished tallow help heal real skin issues like dryness and psoriasis. Explore their sample pack and save 15% with code RIGHT15 at https://www.graytoadtallow.com/Freddy MediaUnlock exclusive access to a highly engaged audience and elevate your brand through impactful sponsorship opportunities with Right Response Ministries. Simply click the link below to provide some basic information and Freddy Media will reach out to discuss how to tailor a partnership that drives real results.https://91znn6hr1aa.typeform.com/joelwebbon

Last time we spoke about the Changsha fire. Chiang Kai-shek faced a brutal choice: defend Wuhan to the last man or flood the land to slow the invaders. He chose both, pushing rivers and rallying a fractured army as Japanese forces pressed along the Yangtze. Fortresses at Madang held long, but the cost was high—troops lost, civilians displaced, a city's heart burning in the night. Wuhan fell after months of brutal fighting, yet the battle did not break China's will. Mao Zedong urged strategy over martyrdom, preferring to drain the enemy and buy time for a broader struggle. The Japanese, though victorious tactically, found their strength ebbing, resource strains, supply gaps, and a war that felt endless. In the wake of Wuhan, Changsha stood next in the Japanese crosshairs, its evacuation and a devastating fire leaving ash and memory in its wake. Behind these prices, political currents swirled. Wang Jingwei defected again, seeking power beyond Chiang's grasp, while Chongqing rose as a western bastion of resistance. The war hardened into a protracted stalemate, turning Japan from an aggressive assailant into a wary occupier, and leaving China to endure, persist, and fight on.   #175  The Soviet-Japanese Border Conflicts Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. So based on the title of this one, you probably can see we are taking a bit of a detour. For quite some time we have focused on the Japanese campaigns into China proper 1937-1938. Now the way the second sino-japanese war is traditionally broken down is in phases. 1937-1938, 1939-1942 and 1942-1945. However there is actually even more going on in China aside from the war with Japan. In Xinjiang province a large full blown Islamic revolution breaks out in 1937. We will be covering that story at a later date, but another significant event is escalating border skirmishes in Manchukuo. Now these border skirmishes had been raging ever since the USSR consolidated its hold over the far east. We talked about some of those skirmishes prior to the Sino-Soviet war in 1929. However when Japan created the puppet government of Manchukuo, this was a significant escalation in tensions with the reds. Today we are going to talk about the escalating border conflicts between the Soviets and Japan. A tongue of poorly demarcated land extends southeast from Hunchun, hugging the east bank of the Tumen River between Lake Khasan to the east and Korea to the west. Within this tongue stands Changkufeng Hill, one of a long chain of highlands sweeping from upstream along the rivers and moors toward the sea. The twin-peaked hill sits at the confluence area several miles northwest of the point where Manchuria, Korea, and the Russian Far East meet. The hill's shape reminded Koreans of their changgo, which is a long snare drum constricted at the center and tapped with the hands at each end. When the Manchus came to the Tumen, they rendered the phonetic sounds into three ideographic characters meaning "taut drum peaks" or Chang-ku-feng. The Japanese admired the imagery and preserved the Chinese readings, which they pronounce Cho-ko-ho. From their eastern vantage, the Russians called it Zaozernaya, "hill behind the lake." Soviet troops referred to it as a sugar-loaf hill. For many years, natives and a handful of officials in the region cultivated a relaxed attitude toward borders and sovereignty. Even after the Japanese seized Manchuria in 1931, the issue did not immediately come to a head. With the expansion of Manchukuo and the Soviet Far East under Stalin's Five-Year plans, both sides began to attend more closely to frontier delimitation. Whenever either party acted aggressively, force majeure was invoked to justify the unexpected and disruptive events recognized in international law. Most often, these incidents erupted along the eastern Manchurian borders with the USSR or along the 350-mile frontier south of Lake Khanka, each skirmish carrying the seeds of all-out warfare. Now we need to talk a little bit about border history. The borders in question essentially dated to pacts concluded by the Qing dynasty and the Tsardom. Between the first Sino-Russian Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689 and the Mukden Agreement of 1924, there were over a dozen accords governing the borders. Relevant to Changkufeng were the basic 15-article Convention of Peking, supplementing the Tientsin Treaties of November 1860, some maps made in 1861, and the eight-article Hunchun Border Protocol of 1886. By the 1860 treaty, the Qing ceded to Tsarist Russia the entire maritime province of Siberia, but the meaning of "lands south of Lake Khanka" remained rather vague. Consequently, a further border agreement was negotiated in June 1861 known as "the Lake Khanka Border Pact", by which demarcations were drawn on maps and eight wooden markers erected. The border was to run from Khanka along ridgelines between the Hunchun River and the sea, past Suifenho and Tungning, terminating about 6 miles from the mouth of the Tumen. Then a Russo-Chinese commission established in 1886 drew up the Hunchun Border Pact, proposing new or modified markers along the 1860–1861 lines and arranging a Russian resurvey. However, for the Japanese, in 1938, the Chinese or Manchu texts of the 1886 Hunchun agreement were considered controlling. The Soviets argued the border ran along every summit west of Khasan, thereby granting them jurisdiction over at least the eastern slopes of all elevations, including Changkufeng and Shachaofeng.  Since the Qing dynasty and the house of Romanov were already defunct, the new sovereignties publicly appealed to opposing texts, and the Soviet side would not concede that the Russian-language version had never been deemed binding by the Qing commissioners. Yet, even in 1938, the Japanese knew that only the Chinese text had survived or could be located.    Now both the Chinese and Russian military maps generally drew the frontier along the watershed east of Khasan; this aligned with the 1861 readings based on the Khanka agreement. The Chinese Republican Army conducted new surveys sometime between 1915 and 1920. The latest Chinese military map of the Changkufeng area drew the border considerably closer to the old "red line" of 1886, running west of Khasan but near the shore rather than traversing the highland crests. None of the military delimitations of the border was sanctified by an official agreement. Hence, the Hunchun Protocol, whether well known or not, invaluable or worthless, remained the only government-to-government pact dealing with the frontiers.  Before we jump into it, how about a little summary of what became known as the Soviet-Japanese border conflicts. The first major conflict would obviously be the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905. Following years of conflict between the Russian Empire and Japan culminating in the costly Battle of Tsushima, Tsar Nicholas II's government sought peace, recognizing Japan's claims to Korea and agreeing to evacuate Manchuria.  From 1918 to 1920, the Imperial Japanese Army, under Emperor Taishō after the death of Meiji, assisted the White Army and Alexander Kerensky against the Bolshevik Red Army. They also aided the Czechoslovak Legion in Siberia to facilitate its return to Europe after an Austrian-Hungarian armoured train purportedly went astray. By 1920, with Austria-Hungary dissolved and Czechoslovakia established two years earlier, the Czechoslovak Legion reached Europe. Japan withdrew from the Russian Revolution and the Civil War in 1922. Following Japan's 1919-1920 occupations and the Soviet intervention in Mongolia in 1921, the Republic of China also withdrew from Outer Mongolia in 1921. In 1922, after capturing Vladivostok in 1918 to halt Bolshevik advances, Japanese forces retreated to Japan as Bolshevik power grew and the postwar fatigue among combatants increased. After Hirohito's invasion of Manchuria in 1931–1932, following Taishō's death in 1926, border disputes between Manchukuo, the Mongolian People's Republic, and the Soviet Union increased. Many clashes stemmed from poorly defined borders, though some involved espionage. Between 1932 and 1934, the Imperial Japanese Army reported 152 border disputes, largely tied to Soviet intelligence activity in Manchuria, while the Soviets accused Japan of 15 border violations, six air intrusions, and 20 cases of "spy smuggling" in 1933 alone. Numerous additional violations followed in the ensuing years. By the mid-1930s, Soviet-Japanese diplomacy and trust had deteriorated further, with the Japanese being openly labeled "fascist enemies" at the Seventh Comintern Congress in July 1935. Beginning in 1935, conflicts significantly escalated. On 8 January 1935, the first armed clash, known as the Halhamiao incident, took place on the border between Mongolia and Manchukuo. Several dozen cavalrymen of the Mongolian People's Army crossed into Manchuria near disputed fishing grounds and engaged an 11‑man Manchukuo Imperial Army patrol near the Buddhist temple at Halhamiao, led by a Japanese military advisor. The Manchukuo Army sustained 6 wounded and 2 dead, including the Japanese officer; the Mongols suffered no casualties and withdrew after the Japanese sent a punitive expedition to reclaim the area. Two motorized cavalry companies, a machine‑gun company, and a tankette platoon occupied the position for three weeks without resistance. In June 1935, the first direct exchange of fire between the Japanese and Soviets occurred when an 11‑man Japanese patrol west of Lake Khanka was attacked by six Soviet horsemen, reportedly inside Manchukuo territory. In the firefight, one Soviet soldier was killed and two horses were captured. The Japanese requested a joint investigation, but the Soviets rejected the proposal. In October 1935, nine Japanese and 32 Manchukuoan border guards were establishing a post about 20 kilometers north of Suifenho when they were attacked by 50 Soviet soldiers. The Soviets opened fire with rifles and five heavy machine guns. Two Japanese and four Manchukuoan soldiers were killed, and another five were wounded. The Manchukuoan foreign affairs representative lodged a verbal protest with the Soviet consul at Suifenho. The Kwantung Army of Japan also sent an intelligence officer to investigate the clash. On 19 December 1935, a Manchukuoan unit reconnoitering southwest of Buir Lake clashed with a Mongolian party, reportedly capturing 10 soldiers. Five days later, 60 truck‑borne Mongolian troops assaulted the Manchukuoans and were repulsed, at the cost of three Manchukuoan dead. On the same day, at Brunders, Mongolian forces attempted three times to drive out Manchukuoan outposts, and again at night, but all attempts failed. Further small attempts occurred in January, with Mongolians using airplanes for reconnaissance. The arrival of a small Japanese force in three trucks helped foil these attempts; casualties occurred on both sides, though Mongolian casualties are unknown aside from 10 prisoners taken. In February 1936, Lieutenant-Colonel Sugimoto Yasuo was ordered to form a detachment from the 14th Cavalry Regiment to "drive the Outer Mongol intruders from the Olankhuduk region," a directive attributed to Lieutenant-General Kasai Heijuro. Sugimoto's detachment included cavalry guns, heavy machine guns, and tankettes. They faced a force of about 140 Mongolians equipped with heavy machine guns and light artillery. On February 12, Sugimoto's men drove the Mongolians south, at the cost of eight Japanese killed, four wounded, and one tankette destroyed. The Japanese began to withdraw, but were attacked by 5–6 Mongolian armored cars and two bombers, which briefly disrupted the column. The situation was stabilized when the Japanese unit received artillery support, allowing them to destroy or repel the armored cars. In March 1936, the Tauran incident occurred. In this clash, both the Japanese Army and the Mongolian Army deployed a small number of armored fighting vehicles and aircraft. The incident began when 100 Mongolian and six Soviet troops attacked and occupied the disputed village of Tauran, Mongolia, driving off the small Manchurian garrison. They were supported by light bombers and armored cars, though the bombing sorties failed to inflict damage on the Japanese, and three bombers were shot down by Japanese heavy machine guns. Local Japanese forces counter-attacked, conducting dozens of bombing sorties and finally assaulting Tauran with 400 men and 10 tankettes. The result was a Mongolian rout, with 56 Mongolian soldiers killed, including three Soviet advisors, and an unknown number wounded. Japanese losses were 27 killed and 9 wounded. Later in March 1936, another border clash occurred between Japanese and Soviet forces. Reports of border violations prompted the Japanese Korean Army to send ten men by truck to investigate, but the patrol was ambushed by 20 Soviet NKVD soldiers deployed about 300 meters inside territory claimed by Japan. After suffering several casualties, the Japanese patrol withdrew and was reinforced with 100 men, who then drove off the Soviets. Fighting resumed later that day when the NKVD brought reinforcements. By nightfall, the fighting had ceased and both sides had pulled back. The Soviets agreed to return the bodies of two Japanese soldiers who had died in the fighting, a development viewed by the Japanese government as encouraging. In early April 1936, three Japanese soldiers were killed near Suifenho in another minor affray. This incident was notable because the Soviets again returned the bodies of the fallen servicemen. In June 1937, the Kanchazu Island incident occurred on the Amur River along the Soviet–Manchukuo border. Three Soviet gunboats crossed the river's center line, disembarked troops, and occupied Kanchazu Island. Japanese forces from the IJA 1st Division, equipped with two horse-drawn 37 mm artillery pieces, quickly established improvised firing positions and loaded their guns with both high-explosive and armor-piercing shells. They shelled the Soviet vessels, sinking the lead gunboat, crippling the second, and driving off the third. Japanese troops subsequently fired on the swimming crewmen from the sunken ships using machine guns. Thirty-seven Soviet soldiers were killed, while Japanese casualties were zero. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested and demanded the Soviet forces withdraw from the island. The Soviet leadership, apparently shocked by the incident and reluctant to escalate, agreed to evacuate their troops. By 1938 the border situation had deteriorated. The tangled terrain features, mountain, bog, stream, forest, and valley, would have complicated even careful observers' discernment of the old red line drawn in 1886. Fifty years later, the markers themselves had undergone a metamorphosis. Japanese investigators could find, at most, only 14 to 17 markers standing fairly intact between the Tumen estuary and Khanka—roughly one every 25 miles at best. The remainder were missing or ruined; five were found in new locations. Marker "K," for example, was 40 meters deeper inside Manchuria, away from Khanka. Japanese military experts noted that of the 20 markers originally set along the boundaries of Hunchun Prefecture alone, only four could be found by the summer of 1938. The rest had either been wrecked or arbitrarily moved and discarded by Russian or Chinese officials and inhabitants. It is even said that one missing marker could be seen on display in Khabarovsk. The Chinese had generally interpreted the boundary as the road line just west of Khasan, at least in practice. Free road movement, however, had become a problem even 20 years before the Japanese overran Manchuria in 1931–1932 during the so-called Manchurian Incident. The Japanese adopted, or inherited, the Chinese interpretation, which was based on the 1886 agreement on border roads; the key clause held that the frontier west of Khasan would be the road along the lake. Japanese sources emphasize that local residents' anger toward gradual Soviet oppression and penetrations westward into Manchurian territory fueled the conflict. Many natives believed the original boundaries lay east of the lake, but the Soviets adjusted the situation to suit their own convenience. In practice, the Russians were restricting road use just west of Khasan by Manchurian and Korean residents. There was speculation that this was a prelude to taking over the ridgelines, depending on the reaction of the Manchukuoan–Japanese side. Villagers who went to streams or the lake to launder clothing found themselves subjected to sniper fire. Along a 25-mile stretch of road near Shachaofeng, farmers reported coming under fire from new Soviet positions as early as November 1935. Nevertheless, Japanese and Koreans familiar with the Tumen area noted agrarian, seasonal Korean religious rites atop Changkufeng Hill, including fattened pigs sacrificed and changgo drums beaten. Village elders told Japanese visitors in 1938 that, until early the preceding year, no Russians had come as far as Changkufeng Hill. Looking only at the border sector around Changkufeng, the easy days were clearly behind us. In the summer of 1938, Gaimusho "Foreign Ministry" observers described the explosive situation along the Korea–Manchuria–USSR borders as a matter of de facto frontiers. Both sides pressed against each other, and their trigger-happy posture was summed up in the colloquial refrain: "Take another step and we'll let you have it." Near dawn on 13 June 1938, a Manchurian patrol detected a suspicious figure in the fog swirling over Changlingtzu Hill on the Siberian–Manchurian frontier. Challenged at 15 feet, the suspect hurled two pistols to the ground and raised his hands in surrender. At headquarters, the police soon realized this was no routine border-trespassing case. The man was a defector and he was a Russian general, in fact he was the director of all NKVD forces in the Soviet Far East. Beneath a mufti of spring coat and hunting cap, he wore a full uniform with medals. His identification card No. 83 designated him as G. S. Lyushkov, Commissar 3rd Class, countersigned by Nikolai Yezhov, NKVD head in Moscow. Lyushkov was promptly turned over to the Japanese military authorities, who transferred him to Seoul and then to Tokyo under close escort. On 1 July, the Japanese press was permitted to disclose that Lyushkov had sought refuge in Japan. Ten days later, to capitalize on the commissar's notoriety and to confound skeptics, the Japanese produced Lyushkov at a press conference in Tokyo. For the Japanese and foreign correspondents, who met separately with him, Lyushkov described Soviet Far East strength and the turmoil wracking the USSR, because for those of you unfamiliar this was during the Stalinist purges. Clearly, the Japanese had gained a unique reservoir of high-level intelligence and a wealth of materials, including notes scratched in blood by suspects incarcerated at Khabarovsk. A general tightening of Russian frontier security had recently been reported. Natives of Fangchuanting asserted that a Soviet cavalry patrol appeared in June, seemingly for the first time. Contact with Yangkuanping, northwest of Khasan, was severed. More importantly, Japanese Army Signal Corps intelligence detected a surge of Soviet message traffic from the Posyet Bay district. After Lyushkov's defection, a drastic reshuffle in the local Russian command apparently occurred, and responsibility for border surveillance seems to have been reallocated. Japanese records indicate that the Novokievsk security force commander was relieved and the sector garrison replaced by troops from Vladivostok. Gaimusho intelligence also received reports that a border garrison unit had been transferred from Khabarovsk or Chita to the Tumen sector. The Kwantung Army signal monitors also intercepted two significant frontline messages on 6 July from the new Russian local commander in the Posyet region, addressed to Lieutenant General Sokolov in Khabarovsk. Decoded, the messages suggested (1) that ammunition for infantry mortars amounted to less than half the required supply; and  (2) a recommendation that higher headquarters authorize Russian elements to secure certain unoccupied high ground west of Khasan.  The commander noted terrain advantages and the contemplated construction of emplacements that would command Najin and the Korean railway. As a start, at least one Russian platoon should be authorized to dig in on the highest ground (presumably Changkufeng) and deploy four tons of entanglements to stake out the Soviet claim. Korea Army Headquarters received a telegram from the Kwantung Army on 7 July conveying the deciphered messages. On the same day, the 19th Division in North Korea telephoned Seoul that, on 6 July, three or four Soviet horsemen had been observed reconnoitering Manchurian territory from atop a hill called Changkufeng. The alarming intelligence from the Kwantung Army and the front warranted immediate attention by the Korea Army. Some Kwantung Army officers doubted the significance of the developments, with one intelligence official even suggesting the Russian messages might be a deliberate ploy designed to entrap the Japanese at Changkufeng. On 7–8 July, all staff officers in Seoul convened at army headquarters. The name of Changkufeng Hill was not well known, but maps and other data suggested that neither the Japanese nor the Russians had previously stationed border units in the ridge complex west of Khasan. As early as March 1936, Army Commander Koiso Kuniaki had distributed maps to subordinate units, indicating which sectors were in dispute. No patrol was to enter zones lacking definitive demarcation. Until then, the only Japanese element east of the Tumen was a Manchurian policeman at Fangchuanting. Ownership of the high ground emerged as an early issue. A number of other points were raised by  the Kwantung Army: At present, Soviet elements in the area were negligible. The intrusion must not be overlooked. The Russians could be expected to exploit any weakness, and half-measures would not suffice, especially regarding the Japanese defense mission along a 125-mile frontier. In Japanese hands, Changkufeng Hill would be useful, but two excellent observation posts already existed in the neighboring sector of the Manchurian tongue. With dissidence and purges underway, the Russians may have judged it necessary to seal border gaps, particularly after Lyushkov's defection. They may also have sought to control Changkufeng to offset Japanese dominance of the high ground to the north. Soviet seizure of Changkufeng would upset the delicate status quo and could provoke a contest for equivalent observation posts. In broader terms, it mattered little whether the Russians sought a permanent observation post on Changkufeng Hill, which was of relatively minor strategic value. Japan's primary concern lay in the China theater; Changkufeng was peripheral. The Japanese should not expend limited resources or become distracted. The matter required consultation with the high command in Tokyo. In the absence of more comprehensive intelligence, the assembled staff officers concluded that the Korea Army should, at a minimum, ignore or disregard Soviet actions for the time being, while maintaining vigilant observation of the area. The consensus was communicated to Major General Kitano Kenzo, the Korea Army chief of staff, who concurred, and to Koiso. Upon learning that the recommendation advocated a low posture, Koiso inquired only whether the opinion reflected the unanimous view of the staff. Having been assured that it did, he approved the policy. Koiso, then 58, was at the threshold of the routine personnel changes occurring around 15 July. He had just been informed that he would retire and that General Nakamura Kotaro would succeed him. Those acquainted with Koiso perceived him as treating the border difficulties as a minor anticlimax in the course of his command tour. He appeared unemphatic or relaxed as he prepared to depart from a post he had held for twenty-one years. Although neither Koiso nor his staff welcomed the Soviet activities that appeared under way, his reaction likely reflected a reluctance to make decisions that could constrain his soon-to-arrive successor. On 8 July Koiso authorized the dispatch of warnings to the 19th Division at Nanam, to the Hunchun garrison, and to the intelligence branch at Hunchun. These units were instructed to exercise maximum precautions and to tighten frontier security north of Shuiliufeng. In response to the initial appearance of Soviet horsemen at Changkufeng, the Kucheng Border Garrison Unit of the 76th Infantry Regiment maintained close surveillance across the Tumen. By about noon on 9 July, patrols detected approximately a dozen Russian troops commencing construction atop Changkufeng. Between 11 and 13 July, the number of soldiers on the slopes increased to forty; there were also thirty horses and eleven camouflaged tents. Operating in shifts on the western side, thirty meters from the crest, the Russians erected barbed wire and firing trenches; fifty meters forward, they excavated observation trenches. In addition to existing telephone lines between Changkufeng, Lake Khasan, and Kozando, the Russians installed a portable telephone net. Logistical support was provided by three boats on the lake. Approximately twenty kilometers to the east, well within Soviet territory, large forces were being mobilized, and steamship traffic into Posyet Bay intensified. Upon learning of the "intrusion" at Changkufeng on 9 July, Lt. General Suetaka Kamezo, the commander of the 19th Division, dispatched staff officers to the front and prepared to send elements to reinforce border units.  The special significance of Suetaka and his division stemmed from a series of unusual circumstances. Chientao Province, the same zone into which Lyushkov had fled and the sector where Soviet horsemen had appeared, fell within Manchukuo geographically and administratively. Yet, in terms of defense, the configuration of the frontier, the terrain, and the transportation network more closely connected the region with North Korea than with southeastern Manchuria. Approximately 80% of the population was of Korean origin, which implied Japanese rather than Manchukuoan allegiance. Consequently, the Korea Army had been made operationally responsible for the defense of Chientao and controlled not only the three-battalion garrison at Hunchun but also the intelligence detachment located there. In the event of war, the Korea Army's mission was defined as mobilization and execution of subsidiary operational tasks against the USSR, under the control and in support of the Kwantung Army.  The Korea Army ordinarily possessed two infantry divisions, the 19th in North Korea and the 20th stationed at Seoul, but the 20th Division had already departed for China, leaving only the 20th Depot Division in the capital. Beyond sparse ground units, devoid of armor and with weak heavy artillery, there were only two air regiments in Korea, the nearest being the unit at Hoeryong. The Korea Army was designed to maintain public security within Korea as well as fulfill minimal defensive responsibilities. Such an army did not require a full-time operations officer, and none was maintained. When needed, as in mid-1938, the task fell to the senior staff officer, in this case Colonel Iwasaki Tamio. In peacetime, training constituted the primary focus.  Thus, the 19th Division was entrusted with defending northeastern Korea. Its commander, Suetaka, a seasoned infantryman, resented the fact that his elite force had never engaged in combat in China. He intensified training with zeal, emphasizing strict discipline, bravery, aggressiveness, and thorough preparation. Japanese veterans characterized him as severe, bullish, short-tempered, hot-blooded, highly strung, unbending, and stubborn. Nonetheless, there was widespread respect for his realistic training program, maintained under firm, even violent, personal supervision. His men regarded Suetaka as a professional, a modern samurai who forged the division into superb condition. Privately, he was reputed for sensitivity and warmth; a Japanese phrase "yakamashii oyaji" captures the dual sense of stern father and martinet in his character. At the outset, however, Suetaka displayed little aggression. Although not widely known, he did not welcome the orders from army headquarters to deploy to the Tumen. Until late July, he remained somewhat opposed to the notion of dislodging the Soviets from the crest, a proposition arising from neither the division staff nor, initially, Suetaka himself. Colonel Sato noted that, for a week after reports of Soviet excavation at Changkufeng, the division's response was limited to preparations for a possible emergency, as they perceived the matter as a local issue best settled through diplomacy. Korea Army officers acknowledged that, around the time the Soviets consolidated their outpost strength at Changkufeng, an informal and personal telegram arrived in Seoul from a Kwantung Army Intelligence field-grade officer who specialized in Soviet affairs. If the Korea Army hesitated, the Kwantung Army would be obliged to eject the Russians; the matter could not be ignored. While the telegram did not demand a reply and struck several officers as presumptuous and implausible, the message was promptly shown to Koiso. Koiso was driven to immediate action, he wired Tokyo asserting that only the Korea Army could and would handle the incident. One staff officer recalled "We felt we had to act, out of a sense of responsibility. But we resented the Kwantung Army's interference." The Korea Army staff convened shortly after receipt of the unofficial telegram from Hsinking. Based on the latest intelligence from the division dated 13 July, the officers prepared an assessment for submission to the army commander. The hypotheses were distilled into three scenarios: The USSR, or the Far East authorities, desires hostilities. Conclusion: Slightly possible. The USSR seeks to restrain Japan on the eve of the pivotal operations in China: the major Japanese offensive to seize Hankow. Conclusion: Highly probable. The Posyet district commander is new in his post; by occupying the Changkufeng ridges, he would demonstrate loyalty, impress superiors, and seek glory. Conclusion: Possible. Late on 13 July or early on 14 July, Koiso approved the dispatch of a message to the vice minister of war, and the Kwantung Army chief of staff:  "Lake Khasan area lies in troublesome sector USSR has been claiming . . . in accordance with treaties [said Secret Message No. 913], but we interpret it to be Manchukuoan territory, evident even from maps published by Soviet side. Russian actions are patently illegal, but, considering that area does not exert major or immediate influence on operations [Japan] is intending and that China Incident is in full swing, we are not going to conduct counterattack measures immediately. This army is thinking of reasoning with Soviets and requesting pullback, directly on spot. . . . In case Russians do not accede in long run, we have intention to drive Soviet soldiers out of area east of Khasan firmly by use of force."  The message concluded with a request that the Tokyo authorities lodge a formal protest with the USSR, on behalf of Manchukuo and Japan, and guide matters so that the Russians would withdraw quickly. Dominant in Japanese high command thinking in 1938 was the China theater; the Changkufeng episode constituted a mere digression. A sequence of Japanese tactical victories had preceded the summer: Tsingtao fell in January; the Yellow River was reached in March; a "reformed government of the Republic of China" was installed at Nanking several weeks later; Amoy fell in early May; Suchow fell on the 20th. With these gains, northern and central fronts could be linked by the Japanese. Yet Chinese resistance persisted, and while public statements anticipated imminent Chinese dissension, private admissions acknowledged that the partial effects of Suchow's fall were ominous: control might pass from Chiang Kai-shek to the Communists, Chinese defiance might intensify, and Soviet involvement could ensue. A Hankow drive appeared desirable to symbolize the conclusion of the military phase of hostilities. The Japanese and their adversaries were in accord regarding the importance of the summer and autumn campaigns. Even after Suchow's fall, the government discouraged public insinuations that enemy resistance was collapsing; when Chiang addressed the nation on the first anniversary of hostilities, Premier Konoe prophetically proclaimed, "The war has just begun." Colonel Inada Masazum served as the Army General Staff's principal figure for the Changkufeng affair, occupying the position of chief of the 2nd Operations Section within the Operations Bureau in March 1938. A distinguished graduate of the Military Academy, Inada completed the War College program and held a combination of line, instructional, and staff assignments at the War College, the Army General Staff, and the War Ministry. He was recognized as a sharp, highly capable, and driveful personality, though some regarded him as enigmatic. Following the capture of Suchow, Imperial General Headquarters on 18 June ordered field forces to undertake operational preparations for a drive to seize the Wuhan complex. Inada favored a decisive move aimed at achieving a rapid political settlement. He acknowledged that Soviet intervention in 1938, during Japan's involvement in China, would have been critical. Although Japanese forces could still defeat the Chinese, an overextended Japanese Army might be fatally compromised against the Russians. Soviet assistance to China was already pronouncedly unwelcome. The Soviets were reported to possess roughly 20 rifle divisions, four to five cavalry divisions, 1,500 tanks, and 1,560 aircraft, including 300 bombers with a range of approximately 3,000 kilometers, enabling reach from Vladivostok to Tokyo. Soviet manpower in Siberia was likely near 370,000. In response, Japanese central authorities stressed a no-trouble policy toward the USSR while seeking to "wall off" the border and bolster the Kwantung Army as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, the envisaged correction of the strategic imbalance could not occur before 1943, given shortages in ammunition, manpower, and materiel across existing theaters in China. By the end of 1937 Japan had committed 16 of its 24 divisions to China, bringing the standing force to roughly 700,000. Army General Staff planners reallocated three ground divisions, intended for a northern contingency, from north to central China, even as the Kwantung Army operated from a less favorable posture. Attitudes toward the northern problem varied within senior military circles. While concern persisted, it was not universal. As campaigns in China widened, planning at the high command level deteriorated, propagating confusion and anxiety to field armies in China. The Japanese Navy suspected that the Army general staff was invoking the USSR as a pretext for broader strategic aims—namely, to provoke a more consequential confrontation with the USSR while the Navy contended with its own strategic rivalries with the Army, centered on the United States and Britain. Army leaders, however, denied aggressive intent against the USSR at that time. The Hankow plan encountered substantial internal opposition at high levels. Private assessments among army planners suggested that a two-front war would be premature given operational readiness and troop strength. Not only were new War Ministry officials cautious, but many high-ranking Army general staff officers and court circles shared doubts.  Aggressive tendencies, influenced by subordinates and the Kwantung Army, were evident in Inada, who repeatedly pressed Tada Shun, the deputy army chief of staff, to endorse the Wuhan drive as both necessary and feasible, arguing that the USSR would gain from Japan's weakening without incurring substantial losses. Inada contended that Stalin was rational and that time favored the USSR in the Far East, where industrial buildup and military modernization were ongoing. He argued that the Soviet purges impeded opportunistic ventures with Japan. He posited that Nazi Germany posed a growing threat on the western front, and thus the USSR should be avoided by both Japan, due to China and Russia, due to Germany. While most of the army remained engaged in China, Tada did not initially share Inada's views; only after inspecting the Manchurian borders in April 1938 did he finally align with Inada's broader vision, which encompassed both northern and Chinese considerations. During this period, Inada studied daily intelligence from the Kwantung Army, and after Lyushkov's defection in June, reports suggested the Soviets were following their sector commander's recommendations. Russian troops appeared at Changkufeng, seemingly prepared to dig in. Inada recollects his reaction: "That's nice, my chance has come." I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The simmering Soviet–Japanese border clashes centered on Changkufeng Hill near Lake Khanka, set within a broader history of contested frontiers dating to Qing and Tsarist treaties. Japan, prioritizing China, considered Changkufeng peripheral but ready to confront Soviet encroachment; Moscow aimed to consolidate border gains, with high-level war planning overlaying regional skirmishes. Conflict loomed over Manchuria.

In a storm that blew hurricane force winds on Nov. 10, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald — a massive ore carrier longer than two football fields — disappeared into the dark, frigid waters of Lake Superior. All 29 crew members were lost. Fifty years later, the sinking of the Fitzgerald remains one of the most haunting and mysterious maritime disasters in American history. MPR News guest host Dan Kraker talks with a Great Lakes historian about the ship's final, fateful voyage and why the tragedy holds meaning for many Minnesotans.Guest:Frederick Stonehouse is a Great Lakes historian, lecturer and the author of more than 30 books on maritime history, including “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

Your Bandits shall be returning again soon! Until then, enjoy! Easiest question ever. RIght? You get any animal to be your walking. talking. companion. Who wins this insane bracket?! We love you folks! For real life!!  Find Everything 2BWB Here! Patreon, Cameo and more! http://linktr.ee/watchingbluey   The Bandit Burner is up and kickin' like Winton! Leave us a voicemail and let us know your takes, your feels, your favorite character on the show!   +1-315-715-8551   Twitter: @WatchingBluey Email: WatchingBluey@gmail.com    Check out our Merch here! http://bit.ly/2BWBSwag      

This week on the podcast, Ryan and Patrick are joined by acting legend and longtime friend of Jimmy Buffett, Don Johnson! Don joins the boys to talk about his close relationship with Jimmy and Jane and his recording of the "A Pirate Looks at Fifty" audiobook - now available wherever you get your audiobooks. Fins Up!

Bienvenue à New York City !!!!OH YEAAAAAAAAHLa ville la plus peuplée des États-Unis La ville la plus connue des États-UnisLa ville la plus CRAZY des États-Unis (disons AU MOINS qu'elle est dans le Top Ten...)New York, c'est aussi une ville AU COEUR de l'actu depuis qu'elle a élue son nouveau maire : Zohran MamdaniC'était le 4 novembre Mamdani : un maire de 34 ans, jeune, musulman, socialiste : bref, un cauchemar pour Donald TrumpDans cet épisode, vous pourrez croiser des écureuils, un parc superbe, des gens qui parlent 700 langues différentes, des voitures du NYPD, une équipe de basket légendaire et aussi des gratte-cielsPour en savoir plus, une seule adresse, le podcast FIFTY STATES !Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Beloved, Most people spend their entire lives trying to accomplish something impossible: locking down security in a physical world. Meanwhile, the real power—the power you cannot see and the words that you speak—is running your life. It's time to attunee that - for liberation.The physical plane of your life will never reflect abundance until you become aware and in love with your spiritual identity.Heaven on earth is a matter of a axis point - of revelation.To give it a visual…..I explain the power of language and our use of our words - is much like a PRISM OF LIGHT:* its vertical axis reveals divine light (origins vibrational truth), * while its horizontal axis reflects human agendas (distorted narratives through looking back at history in linear time).It's only when you sit in stillness with yourself that you begin to transmute the lower frequencies of lack and stagnation into clarity and conviction that crossed the threshold of the unknown.BE STILLThat stillness clears space in your field, allowing you to go deeper and reconnect with the divine energy you've always had access to.This process of dismantling the tower allows you to do one essential thing:Redefine your relationship to the inner soul.If reality is a mirror, then the way you define it… is through the words you use.Language dictates your reality.This is where it starts to get mind-bending.The specific set of definitions and verbiage you use to describe:-who you are, -what you've experienced, and -what you're experiencing right now… are dictating the results you're living.It's similar to what Earl Nightingale said:“A man is what he thinks about all day long.”But to take it deeper, you don't actually know what reality is. No one does.Humans are meaning-making machines.We assign meaning to every experience as we try to understand what's going on so that we can survive.And here's where it gets hypnotic (from a real hypnotherapist).The language you use isn't even yours, it was programmed into you. FOR EXAMPLE. Take a phone and it's mechanics.The word “phone” is just a made-up term we all use to describe a device that makes calls, scrolls social media, sends texts, and so on.Instead of describing all that every time, we shortcut it by labeling it “phone.”It's a collective agreement.We all know what you mean, but make no mistake, it's just a label.Someone, somewhere, decided that was the word, and we all went along with it.Now take this deeper: words actually limit your understanding of reality.Humans are telepathic, energetic beings, just like the universe is energetic in nature.But because we adopted words as our main method of communication, our multidimensionality has atrophied over time.You think in words.You read and write in words.You speak in words.And that limitation shrinks the universe you can experience, because the universe itself can't be fully comprehended through words alone.It's far more expansive and infinite than words could ever capture.Go back to the phone example.You now see it's just a label.Now extrapolate that to everything you know.“The sky” isn't sky, it's a word.“Blue” isn't blue, it's a label for a frequency of light.All just labels.Why does this matter for spiritual mastery?Because you only know something in relation to something else.You only know who you are because you're not someone else.You only know the sky is blue because blue isn't red, or green, or black.At the highest levels of spiritual understanding, everything is made up.Every label, every definition, every story is created through collective agreement.So what does that mean, practically?It means reality only contains the meaning you decide to give it.By reclaiming sovereignty over your language, and therefore over your definitions and stories, you start playing your own game of reality instead of the one you inherited.You begin to control the experiences you derive from this game by walking away from the old definitions.Your subconscious mind controls 99% of your perception of reality.Your conscious mind controls just 1%.Right now, you're being bombarded with 11 million bits of information per second.But your conscious mind, what you can presently focus on, can only process about 40–50 bits per second.Masive difference.Think about it, the difference between $50 and $11 million.Fifty bucks barely gets you dinner… but $11 million could retire you for life.The window of perception your conscious mind sees is determined entirely by your subconscious programming.Until you redefine your past experiences, until you change the definitions, stories, and meanings you've attached to them, your conscious mind will keep locking onto those 40–50 bits that confirm your limitations.That's how deep this goes.The real work of spiritual alignment is reprogramming your subconscious mind to feel, believe, and know that reality is supporting you at the highest level, even in moments that once felt painful.Because somewhere inside those 11 million bits per second, there's a positive meaning waiting to be discovered, one that will help you build a tower far greater and more expansive than you can currently imagine.This is where everything shifts.When you start assigning meanings and lessons learned to everything you've experienced. Every trauma, every failure, every heartbreak, you rewrite the code of your life.You literally rewrite history itself.This is how you change the past.Redefine your definitions.It becomes impossible to lose when you're playing your own game.xo KassandraPS: If you're seeking deeper guidance in moments of uncertainty….upgrade to the monthly subscription to receive a weekly word we use in everyday language - that can either give or steal our power for just $7/mo. IN ADDITION, Receive

Grace & Truth: The Best is Yet to ComePastor Kent LandhuisTHEME - Jesus brings hope through scandal.TEXT - Mark 14:27-311. Embrace the scandal of Jesus. * Mark 14:27 “All of you will fall away.” * Mark 6:3 “And they took offense at him.” * Matthew 15:12 “(They) were offended when they heard this.”2. Embrace the scandal of our weakness. * Mark 14:29 “Even if all fall away, I will not.” * 1 Corinthians 1:23. “...a stumbling block to the Jews, foolishness to the Gentiles.”3. Embrace the hope of this scandal. * 1 Corinthians 1:24 “Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”  * Mark 14:28 “BUT after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” * Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…”NEXT STEPS: Embrace the truth: the best is yet to come!GO DEEPER: Real people. Need Jesus.2025 Congregational Bright Spots:* Real people coming to faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.* Revival in our community and around the world.* Reading the whole Bible. (The Bible Recap.)* Intergenerational disciples making disciples.* Real people stepping up to teach and lead small groups.* Renewed commitment to hospitality that welcomes all.* Men and women engaging in new Sunday classes.* Real people engaged in reaching our community. (Thank you for loving and serving real people in need.)* Growth in the Alliance of Reformed Churches. (ARC)* Faithful giving that met (and exceeded) our needs.* Fifty-two weeks of God-centered worship, gospel-centered preaching, and relational discipleship.* Reaching 100's of families weekly in need of food.* Leaders who love the Lord and love the church.* And more…2026 Congregational Goals:* Real people coming to faith in Jesus.* Real people growing as disciples. (beyond Sunday)* Reaching the next generation of disciples.* New small groups and small group new leaders. * Launching dinner church as a successful outreach.* Real people engaged in spiritual disciplines/pathways. (Nine practices coming in January)* Next generation mentored/discipled by adults. (more intergenerational connections with children and youth.)* Successful “Building Our Future Fund.” (Parking Lot resurfacing in 2026.)* Develop a strategic plan for the next season of our congregational impact.* Strengthen ARC partnerships.* And more… We know that God has plans for Cedar Hills Community Church. God is NOT done with us. The best days are ahead!

The crew kicks things off by sharing their go-to breakfast orders — from elite diner pancakes to the underrated glory of a bacon-egg-and-cheese. Then it's on to the mysterious science of freezers and how food disappears once it enters Chris Cote's. Somehow that leads to Tom Brady allegedly cloning his dog (because of course he does), and a wild conversation about how Sora AI videos are starting to blur the line between real and ridiculous. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The crew kicks things off by sharing their go-to breakfast orders — from elite diner pancakes to the underrated glory of a bacon-egg-and-cheese. Then it's on to the mysterious science of freezers and how food disappears once it enters Chris Cote's. Somehow that leads to Tom Brady allegedly cloning his dog (because of course he does), and a wild conversation about how Sora AI videos are starting to blur the line between real and ridiculous. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Nov. 10, 1975, during a calamitous storm, the Edmund Fitzgerald sunk below the waves of Lake Superior. All 29 men aboard went down with the vessel. With no survivors and no eyewitnesses, there's always been a sense of mystery to what is arguably the most famous shipwreck in American history. The story itself was almost immediately immortalized in Gordon Lightfoot's surprise hit ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”Fifty years on, John U. Bacon has written a new account of the disaster. In “The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” he humanizes the story, telling stories of each man on the ship as well as several of the families left behind. (Readers will also learn a good deal about the history of industry and shipping on the Great Lakes.). In this week's episode of the Book Review podcast, Bacon spoke with the host Gilbert Cruz about his new book. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that it will reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets beginning Friday morning to maintain safety during the ongoing government shutdown. In other news, almost a month after a theft caused the historic Freedman's Cemetery in Dallas to implement a curfew, Dallas police have arrested a man accused of taking eight bronze plaques from the cemetery. Fifty-one year old Troy Springer was arrested on Oct. 23 after investigators accused him of stealing the cemetery markers; almost 3 million Texans cast ballots in Tuesday's constitutional amendment election, which would be the most votes cast in an odd-number year election in recent history; and Quinnen Williams, a talented defensive tackle that the Cowboys acquired in a trade with the New York Jets this week, is happy to be in Dallas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Minnesota loses daylight and inches closer to winter, there's a chance the week could end in snow. MPR Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner joined Minnesota Now with the forecast and some weather history. Fifty years ago next week, a storm on Lake Superior sunk the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Fifty-seven percent of Republicans who responded say if the primary were held today, they would cast their vote for Marty Jackley. SDPB's Dakota Political Junkies offer analysis on the limitations of those numbers.

Silke Schwarzkopf is the creator and host of 2ndAct TV, a YouTube channel focused on recreating and living your life to the fullest after 50! A seasoned producer, Silke owned and operated an award-winning production company for nearly 20 years. Shortly after her 50th birthday, she took a huge leap of faith, left an unfulfilled 25-year marriage, and returned to her hometown in SoCal to pursue the development of original programming most pertinent to her evolving reality–starting over after 50–and 2ndAct TV was born! As Executive Producer and Host, Silke is living her motto: "It's never too late to be the person you always wanted to be."

Society & Culture - Talk Fifty To Me LLC

The film Nuremberg, to be released November 7th, 2025 is an American drama written, co-produced and edited by James Vanderbilt. It is based on the 2013 book, THE NAZI AND THE PSYCHIATRIST by Jack El Hai..In 1945, after his capture at the end of the Second World War, Hermann Göring arrived at an American-run detention center in war-torn Luxembourg, accompanied by sixteen suitcases and a red hatbox. The suitcases contained all manner of paraphernalia: medals, gems, two cigar cutters, silk underwear, a hot water bottle, and the equivalent of 1 million in cash. Hidden in a coffee can, a set of brass vials housed glass capsules containing a clear liquid and a white precipitate: potassium cyanide. Joining Göring in the detention center were the elite of the captured Nazi regime. Grand Admiral Dönitz; armed forces commander Wilhelm Keitel and his deputy Alfred Jodl; the mentally unstable Robert Ley; the suicidal Hans Frank; the pornographic propagandist Julius Streicher. Fifty-two senior Nazis in all, of whom the dominant figure was Göring.To ensure that the villainous captives were fit for trial at Nuremberg, the US army sent an ambitious army psychiatrist, Captain Douglas M. Kelley, to supervise their mental well-being during their detention. Kelley realized he was being offered the professional opportunity of a lifetime: to discover a distinguishing trait among these arch-criminals that would mark them as psychologically different from the rest of humanity. So began a remarkable relationship between Kelley and his captors, told here for the first time with unique access to Kelley's long-hidden papers and medical records.Kelley's was a hazardous quest, dangerous because against all his expectations he began to appreciate and understand some of the Nazi captives, none more so than the former Reichsmarshall, Hermann Göring. Evil had its charms.Joining me to discuss, NUREMBERG and the book the film is based on THE NAZI AND THE PSYCHIATRIST: Hermann Goring, Dr. Douglas M. Kelley, and a Fatal Meeting of Minds at the End of WWll—Jack El-Hai

Bienvenue à Boston !!La capitale du Massachusetts (mot impossible à écrire correctement - mais là on a vérifié 3 fois)Boston, c'est une ville CAPITALE dans l'histoire américaineUne ville qui compte, une ville qui porte A FOND les valeurs USUne ville connue pour ses universités super mega prestigieuses : Harvard et le MITUne ville connue, aussi, pour son équipe NBA : les Boston Celtics !Dans cet épisode, vous allez croiser des bateaux, des sachets de thé, des briques rouges, des chevaux qui courent vite et la coupe du monde de football.Pour en savoir plus, une seule adresse, le podcast Fifty States !Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Fifty years after publication, Salem's Lot stands as a pinnacle of modern vampire fare and a shining example of literary small town life. In the latest episode of Bloody FM's The Losers' Club podcast, co-hosts Jenn Adams, Rachel Reeves, and Dan Pfleegor return to this infamous town to uncover its many dark secrets. Does Ben Mears stand as an early proxy for King or does teacher Matt Burke more successfully fit the bill? Would they prefer Jimmy Cody's originally planned death and is young Mark Petrie too good to be true? They'll answer these questions and more while discussing the novel's many nerve-shattering moments and exploring one of King's most frightening towns. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The Brave Enough Show, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt and Cy Wakeman discuss:  The power of re-remembering  Finding your voice in your 50s  Reinventing yourself and leaving past versions behind   "At some point I started to realize I had lived a dream life. I am just not sure it was my dream." - Cy Wakeman    Cy Wakeman: Drama Researcher, NY-Times Bestselling Author and Leadership Consultant   I am a drama researcher, a career I discovered accidentally and have since quantified how much drama there is in the workplace. Our research has shown that the average employee spends nearly 2.5 hours per day in drama – gossiping, tattling, withholding buy-in, resisting change and stepping down from accountability.  Drama is emotional waste – any unproductive thought or behavior – and like any other waste in the workplace, I believe drama can be eliminated through great mental processes. My work is focused on giving leaders tools to recapture that emotional waste and upcycle it into results.  I started Reality-Based Leadership in order to teach leaders and individual contributors ways to lead in reality that diffuses drama in the workplace. We have formed that into an organization that does leadership development, speaking and training, and publishes unconventional tools and leadership programs to use to diffuse drama in the workplace.     Join our online community! The Table is a private, safe society for women physicians to gain work-life control. Sasha's community is off social media, a protected place for women to find out how to manage things like time management, gender bias, and navigating egos in the workplace. It's private, confidential, and the mentoring you have always wanted in a safe, closed environment. Join our community created for women physicians like you today! Invite Dr. Sasha to Speak at Your Next Event! Dr. Sasha Shillcutt is a top empowerment keynote speaker and Vice Chair of Strategy in the Department of Anesthesiology at the UNMC. In 2016, Sasha was awarded the national American Medical Association's Women Physicians' Inspiring Physician Award by her peers. Sasha's greatest passion is empowering and encouraging others to achieve well-being in their professional and personal lives. She speaks frequently to executives and leaders on the topics of professional burnout, resilience, and gender equity.   Follow Brave Enough:   WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | LINKEDIN Join The Table, Brave Enough's community. The ONLY professional membership group that meets both the professional and personal needs of high-achieving women.

It's no secret that young men are sort of unwell. They are four times more likely to kill themselves, three times more likely to struggle with addiction, and 12 times more likely to be incarcerated than women. If that weren't enough, record numbers of men are not getting married, not dating, not enrolling in school or working, and struggling with serious mental health issues. In response, a cottage industry has emerged—full of influencers and paid courses claiming to teach young men how to become “high value.” But there seems to be a deeper intractable challenge: Young people lack meaning. Fifty-eight percent of young adults say they've experienced little or no sense of purpose in their lives over the past month. Shilo Brooks has a simple idea for all of it. He's telling young men—and really, all young people—to read. Yes, read. The idea is simple: Reading great books can make stronger and better men. He knows he's facing an uphill battle: Reading for pleasure among American adults has dropped 40 percent in the past 20 years. In 2022, only 28 percent of men read a fiction book, compared to 47 percent of women—a 19-point gap.  Shilo doesn't have the stereotypical profile for a “lit boy,” as Gen Z might describe him. He's from a small town in Texas and has a thick Southern drawl. When he was a baby, his stepfather stole his mother's savings, leaving them with nothing. And he almost didn't go to college because he couldn't afford it.  But today, Shilo is president and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center and Professor of Practice in the Department of Political Science at Southern Methodist University. He has also taught at Princeton, the University of Virginia, the University of Colorado, and Bowdoin College.  His prescription is simple. Shilo says: “Great works of literature are entertaining, but they are not mere entertainment. A great book induces self-examination and spiritual expansion. When a man is starved for love, work, purpose, money, or vitality, a novel wrestling with these themes can be metabolized as energy for the heart. When a man suffers from addiction, divorce, self-loathing, or vanity, his local bookstore can become his pharmacy.” This is the driving vision of the new podcast he just launched with The Free Press, called Old School, where he talks to guests about the books that shaped their lives: Fareed Zakaria on The Great Gatsby, Nick Cave on The Adventures of Pinocchio, Richard Dawkins on P.G. Wodehouse novels. Then there's Coleman Hughes, Ryan Holiday, Rob Henderson, and so much more. Think of it like a boy's book club that anyone can enjoy. So, here's what you'll hear today: a conversation between Bari and Shilo about this project, and how it fulfills the desperate needs of a lost generation. Subscribe to Old School with Shilo Brooks. The Free Press earns a commission from any purchases made through all book links in this article. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since Zadie Smith published her début novel, “White Teeth,” twenty-five years ago, she has been a bold and original voice in literature. But those who aren't familiar with Smith's work outside of fiction are missing out. As an essayist, in The New Yorker and other publications, Smith writes with great nuance about culture, technology, gentrification, politics; “There's really not a topic that wouldn't benefit from her insight,” David Remnick says. He spoke with Smith about her new collection of essays, “Dead and Alive.” “The one thing about talking about essays,” she notes, ruefully, “is you find yourself saying the same thing, but worse—without the commas.” One of the concerns in the book is the role of our devices, and social media in particular, in shaping our thoughts and our political discourse. “Everybody has a different emphasis on [Donald] Trump and what's going on. My emphasis has been on, to put it baldly, mind control. I think what's been interesting about the manipulations of a digital age is that it is absolutely natural and normal for people to be offended at the idea that they are being manipulated. None of us like to feel that way. And I think we wasted about—whatever it's been since the invention of the Iphone—trying to bat away that idea, calling it a moral panic, blaming each other, [and] talking about it as if it were an individual act of will.” In fact, she notes, “we are all being manipulated. Me, too. . . . Once we can all admit that, on the left and the right, then we can direct our attention to who's been doing this and to what advantage.” New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Since Zadie Smith published her début novel, “White Teeth,” twenty-five years ago, she has been a bold and original voice in literature. But those who aren't familiar with Smith's work outside of fiction are missing out. As an essayist, in The New Yorker and other publications, Smith writes with great nuance about culture, technology, gentrification, politics; “There's really not a topic that wouldn't benefit from her insight,” David Remnick says. He spoke with Smith about her new collection of essays, “Dead and Alive.” “The one thing about talking about essays,” she notes, ruefully, “is you find yourself saying the same thing, but worse—without the commas.” One of the concerns in the book is the role of our devices, and social media in particular, in shaping our thoughts and our political discourse. “Everybody has a different emphasis on [Donald] Trump and what's going on. My emphasis has been on, to put it baldly, mind control. I think what's been interesting about the manipulations of a digital age is that it is absolutely natural and normal for people to be offended at the idea that they are being manipulated. None of us like to feel that way. And I think we wasted about—whatever it's been since the invention of the Iphone—trying to bat away that idea, calling it a moral panic, blaming each other, [and] talking about it as if it were an individual act of will.” In fact, she notes, “we are all being manipulated. Me, too. . . . Once we can all admit that, on the left and the right, then we can direct our attention to who's been doing this and to what advantage.”New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.