Podcasts about Fleet

This week on Permission to Speak Freely, Damon and Damo sit down with NC1 Corey Brennan for a conversation that starts with Navy recruiting and ends up going way beyond it. Corey breaks down what life is really like on recruiting duty, from competing for contracts and managing Future Sailors to MEPS, waivers, Genesis, recruiting ethics, and the things recruiters deal with that the Fleet rarely sees. He also opens up about his transition from QM to career recruiter, his aspirations to make Chief, and the uncertainty surrounding his future in the Navy as he navigates the service's beard and PFB policies. But somewhere along the way, the conversation leaves recruiting behind. The crew gets into social media, burnout, learning to take care of yourself when everyone depends on you, marriage, fatherhood, separation, and the challenge of finding space for yourself when life never seems to stop. Corey also turns the tables on Damo and Damon with a few questions of his own, leading to conversations about what the anchors actually give a Chief, leadership as access and influence, and what people really mean when they tell Sailors to “drink the Kool-Aid.” Plus: recruiting house calls gone wrong, a 47-pound applicant, Equinox refusing to leave Damo alone, expensive one-year-old birthday parties, and Damon reveals the veteran husband strategy of simply standing up when your wife starts cleaning. Another conversation that went exactly where it was supposed to go.   Do you have “Do Better” that you want us to review on a future episode? Reach out at ptstpodcast@gmail.com       Stay connected with us: https://linktr.ee/Ptsfpodcast       PTSF Theme music: Produced by Lim0

1636 NEW AMSTERDAMEnglish Fleet Threatens Dutch New AmsterdamRussell Shorto, Part One: Shorto explores the 1664 confrontation between English forces and Dutch New Netherland. Royalist officer Richard Nicolls was dispatched with four warships by James, Duke of York, to capture the colony and assert royal authority over New England Puritans. Shorto highlights the diverse, polyglot population of New Amsterdam, including freed African landowner Dorothea Angola and early French settlers Catalina Trico and Joris Rapalje. Director-General Peter Stuyvesant rushed back to defend Manhattan upon learning of the approaching English fleet, setting the stage for a tense standoff framed by the legacy of the English Civil War. (1)

What happens when predictive AI, cross-border trucking disruptions, cargo theft and hidden supply-chain taxes collide? We're breaking it all down on this Friday edition of WHAT THE TRUCK?!? Malcolm Harris and Michael Vincent cover the biggest stories impacting trucking, freight and logistics, including a sudden disruption at the U.S.-Mexico border, a bizarre cargo theft case in Nebraska, and the technology changing fleet safety. On this episode: Empiric Earth brings Nexar and Netradyne technology togetherZach Greenberger and Dr. Stefan Heck join the show to discuss the new company and how massive amounts of real-world driving data can help fleets measure, predict and prevent collisions. The conversation explores predictive safety, near-miss data, driver behavior, AI models, road hazards and how fleet managers can identify dangerous routes and driving patterns. Mexico lifts empty-truck restriction at Eagle PassA five-day disruption at the U.S.-Mexico border reportedly stranded hundreds of tractors after Mexican customs authorities restricted empty commercial trucks from crossing southbound at Eagle Pass. Malcolm and Mike examine what the disruption meant for cross-border trucking, capacity and freight flows. $250,000 in stolen speakers found inside a semiNebraska troopers discovered high-end commercial speakers and other merchandise inside a truck allegedly moving with fraudulent paperwork. The case raises plenty of questions about cargo theft, freight fraud and stolen loads. What is a “tax pyramid”?Gregg Berry of Numeral explains the lesser-known sales and use tax exposure that can accumulate at different stages of the supply chain. We break down how taxes can become embedded in the price of goods, why exemptions matter and how technology and AI can help companies identify potential tax liabilities. Plus: trucking banter, freight tech, supply chain insights, a look ahead to FreightTech 100, and plenty of the usual WHAT THE TRUCK?!? chaos. Subscribe to WHAT THE TRUCK?!? for daily trucking, freight, logistics, supply chain and transportation news. #WhatTheTruck #Trucking #Freight #Logistics #SupplyChain #Truckers #FreightTech #CargoTheft #FleetSafety #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #AutonomousDriving #CrossBorderTrucking #Mexico #EaglePass #Transportation #TruckDriver #FreightWaves ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor - KOONER FLEET MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amtrak's new 300-passenger Airo trains launch on the Cascades intercity route September 30, replacing aging coaches dating to the 1970s. The fleet adds seat capacity and modern amenities but will not increase speed or frequency on the Pacific Northwest corridor. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/northwest-rail-fans-eager-for-sept-30-debut-of-amtraks-airo-fleet/ #AmtrakCascades #PacificNorthwest #RailTravel #WashingtonState #Transportation #Amtrak #PassengerRail #TrainTravel #Oregon #Seattle

Cameron Pechia is back to talk about the heavy-hitting legal realities shaking up the trucking industry right now, including the recent C.H. Robinson lawsuit and what it actually means for freight broker liability and shipper responsibility when a load goes completely sideways! We're keeping it frank about the absolute nightmare of double brokering, why you need strict, documented guardrails for vetting carriers, and the massive legal fallout if your brokerage gets caught slipping.  We also tackle the growing threat of AI hackers in the supply chain and why having a rock-solid cyber liability insurance policy is completely non-negotiable in today's market. If you want to protect your freight business from catastrophic risk, insulate your customers, and operate like a true professional, you cannot afford to miss these insights!   About Cameron Pechia Cameron is the founder of Valley Trucking Insurance, a leading Trucking Insurance Agency based in Spokane, Washington. With a deep passion for the trucking industry and a commitment to excellence, Cameron has become a trusted figure in the field. Cameron also is the host of Get A Load Of This Trucking Podcast and brings a ton of value to the Trucking Industry. Cameron is also a dedicated husband and father to his two beautiful girls…His daughters are his "WHY" and what makes him get up in the morning and try to win each and every day.  At Valley Trucking Insurance, Cameron oversees the provision of specialized insurance solutions tailored to the unique needs of trucking companies. The agency serves a diverse clientele, including local trucking companies, long-haul trucking companies, aggregate haulers, tow truck companies, hot shots, freight brokers, and other related risks. Cameron ensures that clients receive the highest level of customer service and comprehensive coverage through the agency's proven process known as the "VTI Difference." Under Cameron's leadership, Valley Trucking Insurance has achieved significant growth and expansion across the county. The agency has built strong partnerships with renowned insurance providers such as Great West Casualty Company, Lancer Insurance Company, Progressive Insurance, Berkshire, and Canal. Additionally, Cameron also focuses on placing fleet-sized trucking companies into captive insurance programs, enhancing their risk management and financial stability. Looking ahead, Cameron is focused on an ambitious goal of expanding the agency's reach by looking to help over 10,000 Trucking Companies and Freight Brokerage operations within the next seven years. Adhering to the principles outlined in the book Traction by Geno Wickman, he is dedicated to creating world-class onboarding and customer service experience for his trucking clients. This initiative aims to foster a culture of excellence and continuous improvement, ensuring Valley Trucking Insurance remains at the forefront of the industry.   Connect with Cameron Website: https://www.valleytruckinginsurance.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-pechia-49903072/  Email: Cameron@alllinesinsure.com  

The answer can have significant implications for vehicle replacement planning, residual value, total cost of ownership, warranty coverage, fleet availability, and long-term capital planning.Marc Canton is joined by Sara Burnam, Scott Conlon, Drew Morrow, and Jake Johnson to examine the issue from public-sector, consulting, heavy-duty, emergency-management, and fleet-operations perspectives.The group explores why low-utilization vehicles can be just as important to identify as high-utilization assets; when reassigning vehicles can protect lifecycle economics; and why simply having two identical vehicles does not necessarily mean they belong in the same lifecycle or utilization class.They also examine the human side of utilization management. Drivers and departments can develop a sense of ownership over assigned vehicles, creating what the group calls “switching friction.” That means the mathematically optimal fleet decision may not always be the most practical one. Fleet leaders have to consider the time, political capital, operational disruption, and organizational culture required to make a change.The discussion gets especially interesting with specialized assets. Is it financially responsible to move a former patrol vehicle into an administrative role? When does the cost of removing specialized upfits outweigh the savings? Could cycling a heavy-duty truck from high-mileage highway service into lower-mileage city service extend its useful life? And should fleets deliberately maximize vehicle use while an asset is under warranty?The central takeaway is not that every fleet should constantly rotate vehicles. It's that fleet utilization should be actively managed with data rather than allowed to become a blind spot.High-performing fleet leaders understand their expected utilization, identify meaningful outliers, evaluate the lifecycle and replacement implications, and then choose the intervention that produces the best outcome for their organization.Sometimes that means reassigning an asset. Sometimes it means creating a different utilization class or replacement cycle. And sometimes the operational friction means another strategy makes more sense.The important thing is being able to defend the decision with data.In This Episode, You'll LearnWhen vehicle reassignment can improve fleet utilizationHow utilization affects replacement timing and total cost of ownershipWhy high-mileage assets can negatively affect residual valueHow to identify and manage high- and low-utilization outliersWhen identical vehicles may require different lifecycle strategiesWhy organizational culture affects asset reassignmentHow “switching friction” should factor into utilization decisionsWhen specialized vehicles should—or shouldn't—be repurposedHow warranty periods can influence utilization strategyWhy replacement scoring can help prioritize assets within the same classHow better utilization data helps fleet leaders make defensible capital decisions Speaker BiosMarc Canton — VP of Fleet Strategy, RTAMarc Canton serves as VP of Fleet Strategy at RTA and hosts this episode of The Fleet Success Show. He works with RTA's fleet professionals to help fleet leaders examine the operational and financial decisions that affect fleet performance. In this discussion, Marc challenges the panel to move beyond “it depends” and address the economics of utilization, replacement timing, residual value, and total cost of ownership.Sara Burnam — Fleet Success Manager, RTASara is a Fleet Success Manager at RTA with approximately 27 years of fleet industry experience. Her perspective on utilization management is informed by firsthand experience identifying underutilized vehicles, repurposing assets, and avoiding unnecessary replacements. In this episode, she also explores the unique challenges associated with reassigning specialized vehicles such as marked police units.Scott Conlon — Fleet Consultant, RTAScott Conlon works on RTA's fleet consulting team and brings approximately 25 years of fleet industry experience to the discussion. He challenges fleets to consider not only the economics of vehicle utilization but also lifecycle classifications, replacement scoring, organizational culture, and the time and effort required to move assets between users.Drew Morrow — Fleet Success Manager, RTADrew Morrow is a Fleet Success Manager at RTA with 15 years of experience leading fleets. Drawing on his background in fleet operations and emergency management, Drew examines vehicle reassignment through the lenses of asset use case, operational requirements, remarketing, and the data fleet leaders need to justify utilization decisions.Jake Johnson — Fleet Success Manager, RTAJake Johnson is a Fleet Success Manager at RTA with more than 20 years of experience on the heavy-duty commercial side of the fleet industry. His perspective highlights how utilization strategies can differ dramatically by asset type, including situations where heavy-duty vehicles move from high-mileage applications to lower-mileage duty cycles later in their lives.CTAFleet leaders shouldn't have to make lifecycle and utilization decisions in the dark.RTA Fleet360 helps public fleet leaders bring asset, maintenance, utilization, lifecycle, and cost information together so they can identify fleet blind spots, make better decisions, and confidently stand behind those decisions.Build the fleet you're proud to lead.Learn more about RTA Fleet360 at rtafleet.com or explore RTA Fleet Consulting at fleetconsulting.com. Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=episode_213 Control fleet chaos with RTA Fleet360, proven software designed by fleet managers for fleet managers: https://rtafleet.com/book-a-demo?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=episode_213

In this episode, we kick things off by examining the brutal earnings warning that triggered a sharp sell-off in one of the country's largest logistics providers. J.B. Hunt's shares sank twelve percent after executives disclosed severe third-quarter cost pressures, driven by a sharp runup in diesel fuel prices and twenty-five million dollars in incremental driver-related expenses. The company's third-quarter EPS guidance came in roughly sixteen percent below Wall Street's consensus estimate, despite management characterizing the inflation as more cyclical than structural. Next, we explore how the persistent driver shortage is fundamentally reshaping safety strategies across the private fleet sector. Private fleets are increasingly focused on developing struggling drivers rather than dismissing them, as qualified replacements remain difficult to find and accident litigation costs continue to climb. Dot Foods has shifted from a reactive safety model to one driven by data and behavior patterns, targeting the bottom ten to twenty percent of its nearly two thousand two hundred driver population with mandatory professional development plans. Finally, we shift over to the rails to discuss a troubling bottleneck developing at the nation's busiest port complex. Rail-destined cargo dwell at Los Angeles-Long Beach climbed to six point seven five days in August, even as local truck dwell remained remarkably fluid at sub-three-day levels. The divergence underscores the critical importance of intermodal rail performance to overall cargo fluidity, especially as a significant share of containers arriving at the gateway is destined for inland U.S. markets. Follow the FreightWaves Today Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It opens with Strange Brew flashbacks and Marshall explaining why he laughs at Canadians — then Shawn takes everyone to Asian Fest and comes home with a masterclass hiding in the festival's failures. Dealership cars parked with nobody there to sell. A sticky food tent while families sat on curbs in an empty blocked-off lot. Every festival has the same holes — and every hole is an opening.The picnic table play is the crown jewel: donate branded tables where families actually need to sit, partner with a local retailer, and suddenly you're not an ad — you're the business that made the day better. Email your customer list a heads-up about the event with zero sales pitch (seating courtesy of your shop), then follow up after: "did your car survive the weekend?" And per Marshall — feather flags at eye level, banners up high. Movement grabs eyes, height carries them.Then the raptor logic: raptors hunt in packs. Don't approach an event organizer as one shop — show up with three or four local businesses and a plan, and you're not asking for a favor. You're the reason their festival gets better.The RevRaptor receipts keep stacking: a skeptic dropped $130 in to test it and booked two lost customers within 30 minutes of sending the campaign — because Rev filters 89 maybes down to the six guaranteed closers and hands you the exact message. Shawn's shop got a full Oktoberfest plan he'd never have thought of. It's James Bond marketing: the envelope arrives, the mission's spelled out, go hunt.The back half is the winter survival kit: FLEETS. Not the $10-a-van Amazon scam kind — the electricians, plumbers, HVAC and mechanics in the industrial plazas everyone drives past. One plaza = 20-50 businesses at one address. Branded vans that earn all day, so after-hours service is your pitch, not your problem. Ceramic coat them with Stack — whole van in 15 minutes, glass first — and stack consistency all winter. One address, one invoice, dozens of vehicles. While you're there, knock on the other 19 doors with donuts.Plus Marshall calls his shot — guessing which coating brand is on a struggling member's website, sight unseen, and nailing it. Brands that market to installers instead of customers box you into their model, their messaging, their warranty theater.And the challenge: first 10 people who execute a RevRaptor hunt and send proof get 100 credits each. Push a couple buttons. Let Rev hunt.⚡ Key TakeawaysEvery Festival Fails Somewhere: Find the hole, be the solution, and you're a hero instead of an ad.The Picnic Table Play: Solve a real problem, tell your list with zero pitch, follow up after. Seeds now, harvest later.Hunt in Packs: A pack with a plan beats a solo shop asking for booth space.Flags Sell: Movement grabs the eye for half a second — that's all you need.Fleets Are the Winter Plan: Industrial plazas, after-hours service, one invoice, dozens of vehicles.Rev Filters, You Execute: 89 maybes become 6 closers with the exact message. Stop blanketing. Start hunting.

ROMANS EXEGESIS | EPISODE 36 | APOSTLESHIP, DISCIPLESHIP & THE GREAT COMMISSION| CHIMDI & ADEFUNKE OHAHUNA What does it truly mean to be sent by Christ? In this compelling episode of Romans Exegesis, Chimdi and Funke Ohahuna continue their study of Romans 1:5, focusing on the meaning of grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name. Building on the previous discussion about commissioning, discipleship, spiritual activation, and the responsibility to represent Christ, this episode explores a powerful truth: we were sent as a fleet, not as isolated individuals. Through a closer examination of apostleship, the hosts challenge the mentality of spiritual competition, denominational division, and the desire to prove that one person or ministry is the only one carrying the truth. Drawing lessons from the early disciples, Paul and Barnabas, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the Great Commission, they emphasize the importance of unity, cooperation, and the complementary roles of believers in spreading the gospel. The conversation also examines how God uses different people, backgrounds, and spiritual assignments to reach diverse audiences. Rather than competing with one another, the body of Christ is called to work together, keeping Jesus Christ as the central message and allowing the fullness of His revelation to reach the world. The episode further reflects on the significance of spiritual order, the strength of united believers, and the need for the church to recover the harmony and togetherness that characterized the early Christian community. As the hosts discuss the church's longing for revival, they highlight the importance of addressing division and embracing the fleet mentality before expecting the beauty and power of Christ's body to be fully manifested. The episode also includes a time of prayer for healing, miracles, breakthroughs, open doors, and divine opportunities. In this episode, you will be encouraged to: • Understand the biblical meaning and significance of apostleship. • Recognize that Christ sends His people to work together, not in isolation. • Appreciate the different assignments and gifts within the body of Christ. • Examine the dangers of denominational rivalry, spiritual pride, and competition. • Keep Jesus Christ at the center of the gospel and Christian ministry. • Embrace unity, cooperation, and spiritual order as essential to the church's mission. • Reflect on your own calling and how you can contribute to reaching the nations.The harvest is plentiful, and the laborers are needed. The question is not simply whether you have been sent, but whether you are willing to go together with others for the glory of Christ. If this teaching blesses you, share it with other believers, subscribe to the podcast, and join the conversation as we continue studying the book of Romans and discovering the riches of God's Word. Scripture focus: Romans 1:5 — “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name.” (KJV) Jesus is Lord.

Reading take the lead on the road at Cambridge United but can't hold on, leading to quite the debate between your usual podcast hosts Ben and Ross. Do performances matter at this stage of the season, and what was there to enjoy on Saturday? Plus, Ross talks to Peter Matthews about the return of the women's team to the SCL Stadium, with Reading running out 7-2 winners over Fleet town. Thank you to The Amazons for providing the theme song. Thank you to Siren Brewing - Get 10% off your next Siren order. Use code TILEHURST10 at the checkout on a minimum spend of £30.  Follow The Tilehurst End on Twitter @thetilehurstend  Follow Ross on Bluesky @webberross.bsky.social Follow Ben on Twitter @mrblthomas

Could the key to lowering your fleet's total cost of ownership already be sitting in your parking lot? Watch the full webinar, “Fleet Strategy 2026: How to Navigate Uncertainty Without Adding Cost”: https://www.automotive-fleet.com/webinars/fleet-strategy-2026-how-to-navigate-uncertainty-without-adding-cost?sti=podcast  With vehicle acquisition, fuel, maintenance, and operating costs remaining unpredictable, fleet managers need more than a traditional approach to TCO. In this episode, we explore why utilization should play a bigger role in fleet strategy and how right-sizing the vehicles already in service can create meaningful savings. Featuring insights from Landon McKay, senior fleet consultant at Merchants Fleet, and Joe Coffey, manager of FleetShare Operations at Merchants Fleet, this episode covers: • The hidden costs of underutilized and aging vehicles • How over-fleeting can drive up total cost of ownership • When vehicle pools, reassignment, and short-term rentals make sense • How one fleet reduced rental spending by $300,000 • How technology, telematics, and automation improve fleet visibility • Practical first steps for building a utilization strategy • How right-sizing can help fleets absorb market volatility without sacrificing productivity This episode highlights some of the webinar's biggest takeaways and includes clips from the original conversation. Watch the complete presentation for additional examples, utilization models, FleetShare insights, and the full audience Q&A. Learn more about Merchants Fleet: https://www.merchantsfleet.com/ Check out AF: Automotive Fleet

Last time we spoke about the fall of Hong Kong. As dawn broke on December 20, 1941, Japanese battalions tightened their grip on Hong Kong Island. While the defenders fought desperately at Repulse Bay Hotel, Wongneichong Gap, and the heights around Mount Nicholson and Mount Cameron, piecemeal counter-attacks by exhausted Canadians, Royal Scots, Rajputs, and Hong Kong Volunteers were shattered by rain, darkness, and poor coordination.Resistance stiffened at Stanley Peninsula, but ammunition ran low and hope faded. On Christmas Eve, the Japanese stormed St Stephen's College hospital. They bayoneted wounded soldiers in their beds, murdered doctors, and raped nurses in an orgy of horror that became known as the St Stephen's Massacre.On Christmas morning—forever "Black Christmas"—Governor Young surrendered the colony after seventeen days of fighting. As white flags rose, Rear-Admiral Chan Chak and a small party made a daring escape by sea under fire, eventually rescued by Chinese Communist guerrillas of the East River Column who would save hundreds more lives in the months ahead.   #219 The Malayan Campaign Part 1: Bicycle Blitzkrieg   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. Now in the last episode we spoke about the battle of Hong Kong, which of course was fought on Chinese territory and did involve Chinese participation. I took some time to think about what aspects of the early Pacific War should be covered in depth here, ie: what pertains the most to the Chinese experience. We are not going to talk about the Philippines or Dutch East Indies, but the Malayan campaign and fall of Singapore I would argue need to be dived into. There was a lot of ethnic Chinese participation in this campaign. No worries after this brief series on the Malayan Campaign we will be jumping back to China. Following World War One, Britain sought to counter growing Japanese ambitions by establishing a major naval base in Singapore during the 1920s. The location offered strategic advantages, particularly its exemption from the Washington Naval Treaty's non-fortification clause, making it ideal for housing a powerful deterrent fleet. The plan was straightforward: maintain overwhelming naval superiority to discourage Japanese expansion. Yet this calculation proved dangerously optimistic. Japanese aggression accelerated throughout the 1930s, while the European war's outbreak in 1939 drained Britain's resources, leaving its Far Eastern colonies—Malaya, Burma, and Hong Kong—dangerously exposed. Churchill remained convinced that Japan would not strike in 1941, prompting him to channel reinforcements toward the Mediterranean theater. The defensive strategy hinged on buying time; should Japan attack, British forces would delay the enemy while holding Singapore as a fortress until relief arrived. This plan contained a fatal flaw: Britain lacked the capacity to actually send reinforcements to the region. Commander-in-Chief Robert Brooke-Popham led Britain's Far Eastern Command from Malaysia, acutely aware of the challenge ahead. Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival commanded ground forces comprising 31 poorly trained infantry battalions—approximately 88,600 personnel total—largely untrained for jungle warfare. These troops were distributed across three divisions. Air defense proved equally problematic. With only fourteen squadrons flying outdated aircraft, the RAF faced a critical shortfall. Squadrons were scattered across multiple airfields: Vickers Vildebeest and PBY Catalina aircraft at Seletar; Bristol Blenheims at Tengah; Brewster Buffalos at Sembawang and Kallang; further Buffalos and Blenheims at Sungei Patani; Lockheed Hudsons at Kota Bharu; and additional Blenheims at Kuantan and Alor Setar. Allied units occupied three strategic zones. The Indian 11th Infantry Division under Major General David Murray-Lyon held northern Malaya, defending airfields and the Thai frontier from positions near Kota Bharu, Jitra, and Alor Setar. These installations remained lightly garrisoned and vulnerable. The Indian 9th Infantry Division occupied central Malaya, tasked with holding delaying positions at Jitra and Gurun—positions themselves poorly constructed and uncoordinated. Australia's 8th Division under Gordon Bennett anchored the south near Mersing and Johor, forming the last line before Singapore's fortress. Singapore itself bristled with coastal defenses and commanded a substantial naval garrison, expected to repel any Japanese approach. A week before Japan's offensive erupted, Churchill sent Force Z to Singapore—the battleship Prince of Wales, battlecruiser Repulse, and four destroyers. Despite vigorous objections from admirals, particularly Captain William Davis, who warned the Prince of Wales without air cover would be "a hostage to fortune," Churchill overruled them, seeking to project confidence and maintain American goodwill. Admiral Sir Tom Phillips commanded Force Z. Known as "Tom Thumb" for his diminutive stature, Phillips sparked controversy—critics labeled him a "desk admiral"—yet Field Marshal Smuts called him "an admirable choice" and American Admiral Thomas Hart praised his administrative acumen. Phillips' record was mixed. He advocated astutely for tank deployment in Malaya and correctly questioned the Brewster Buffalo's effectiveness, urging Hurricanes instead. Yet he fatally underestimated the threat aircraft posed to capital ships, believing the Prince of Wales' anti-aircraft batteries could defend a maneuvering vessel. An unnoticed handicap compounded this: tropical humidity had disabled the Prince of Wales' fire-control computer before she ever fired. Force Z reached Singapore on December 2, 1941, amid misplaced confidence. Nineteen-year-old Richard Smith recalled: "Everyone believed the Japanese fleet was made of rice paper and string. We assumed we would crush them effortlessly." Churchill's public declaration seemed to goad Japan into action. Admiral Yamamoto responded decisively, dispatching thirty-six Mitsubishi bombers to reinforce existing aircraft and ordering intensive training for "ship-killing"—specialized torpedo and bombing attacks. Three air groups, led by Miyauchi, Nakanishi, and Shoji, trained relentlessly in low-level runs and ocean navigation. Phillips, stripped of air cover, commanded only aging destroyers alongside his capital ships. The stage was set for disaster. In November 1940, the German raider Atlantis captured the British steamer Automedon in the Indian Ocean, seizing documents destined for Air Marshal Brooke-Popham that exposed Singapore's vulnerabilities. The Germans shared this intelligence with Japan in December. By January 1941, the Japanese had also broken British Army codes, revealing the weakness of Singapore's defenses and enabling them to plan an invasion accordingly. The invasion of Malaya followed an audacious strategy devised by Colonel Tsuji Masanobu. Japanese forces would conduct amphibious landings in southern Thailand and northern Malaya, then push 400 miles through jungle terrain toward Singapore. The 25th Army, commanded by Lieutenant-General Yamashita Tomoyuki and initially comprising two divisions, led this operation, supported by Admiral Kondō Nobutake's 2nd Fleet, which provided convoy escort. Thailand's strategic position was crucial; the British could not defend it, offering Japan a favorable staging ground. Marshal Plaek Phibun, Thailand's leader, had informally agreed to allow Japanese passage but simultaneously negotiated with British and American diplomats, creating uncertainty. A second force, the 15th Army under Lieutenant-General Iida Shōjirō, was preparing to invade Burma through Thailand. If the Thai withheld passage by December 7, these forces would advance directly from Indochina. Brooke-Popham devised Operation Matador to counter the Japanese threat. This ambitious plan called for the 11th Indian Division to preemptively seize Singora and Patani—critical Thai ports essential to Japanese invasion plans. The operation's centerpiece was capturing the Ledge, a key terrain feature south of Patani. Control of the Ledge would allow British forces to block roads from Patani, securing retreat routes for the 11th Division and denying the Japanese access to rear areas. Failure would expose the British to encirclement and force withdrawal from Perak and Kedah. However, Matador faced insurmountable obstacles. Britain was uncertain whether Thailand would resist or accommodate Japan, and invading neutral Thai territory risked driving the Thai government into Japanese arms. Command hesitation, combined with poor intelligence, created fatal delays. Matador was never approved. Instead, authorities authorized Operation Krohcol, a scaled-down alternative named after the town of Kroh. This operation tasked a small British-Indian force with advancing into southern Thailand to capture the Ledge, destroy bridges and roads, and delay Japanese movements. Though far less ambitious than Matador, Krohcol represented Britain's final attempt at preemptive action. It would be activated only after Japan opened hostilities, but by then, opportunity had already slipped away.   On December 4, Japanese transport ships escorted by Admiral Kondō's fleet departed Hainan Island toward their objectives. Two days later, British reconnaissance spotted the fleet, but Brooke-Popham lacked authorization to intervene—he could only alert his forces. At 23:00 on December 7, Japan issued an ultimatum to Thailand, demanding passage and giving a two-hour response window. Unable to locate Prime Minister Phibun until late morning, Thailand was invaded hours later. From Indochina, Japanese Imperial Guards and the 55th Division landed at Phra Tabong and pushed northwest toward Aranyaprathet. The 5th Division's regiment landed at Patani while the division's main force seized Singora, quickly overwhelming Thai defenders. From Saigon, elements of the 15th Army conducted additional naval landings across Thailand but encountered unexpectedly fierce Thai resistance that stalled their progress. Just before Pearl Harbor came under attack, the Japanese 18th Division landed at Kota Bharu. The defenders—the 8th Indian Infantry Brigade under Brigadier B.W. Key, supported by artillery from the 21st Mountain Battery and the 73rd Field Battery—faced a daunting task. The 3/17th Dogra Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Preston, held a 10-mile coastal stretch fortified with mines, barbed wire, and pillboxes overlooking the narrow beaches of Badang and Sabak, separated by estuaries and surrounded by creeks, lagoons, and swamp islands. The Dogras unleashed devastating fire as Japanese landing craft approached at midnight. Colonel Masanobu Tsuji observed that enemy pillboxes "responded with such overwhelming force that our men lying on the beach, partially submerged in water, could not lift their heads." The first waves were pinned down, with casualties mounting from artillery, machine gun fire, and Allied aircraft from nearby airfields. British Hudsons bombed the invasion fleet and stranded soldiers, sinking one Japanese transport and destroying seven of their own aircraft in the process. The defenders inflicted heavy casualties, but intense hand-to-hand combat eventually breached the line's center by 03:45, threatening the nearby airfield. Simultaneously, 17 Japanese bombers attacked Singapore with minimal damage and 61 casualties, surprising the British with evidence of enemy long-range aircraft. Japanese fighters and bombers dominated the skies over Kota Bharu and northern Malaysian airfields, demonstrating clear air superiority. Amid the chaos, counterattacks by Malayan battalions failed, forcing the British to destroy northern airfields to prevent capture. The defenders retreated from the beaches to Kota Bharu itself that night. As confusion engulfed British headquarters, Operation Krohcol commenced at 15:00. This scaled-down preemptive operation aimed to delay the Japanese invasion by securing and destroying the Ledge—a six-mile road carved through steep hillside with a sheer drop into a river. Blowing this section would severely impede enemy advance. The force consisted primarily of the 3/16th Punjab Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Henry Moorhead, supplemented by engineers, traveling in Marmon-Herrington trucks provided by the Australian Motor Transport Company. Krohcol was undermanned from the start; the 5/14th Punjab Regiment and artillery battery failed to arrive on schedule, forcing the column to proceed without them. Crossing the border at Kroh, Indian troops encountered determined resistance from Thai police under Major Prayoon Rattanakit in Betong. These roadblocks delayed the Indian advance for two full days while Prayoon's officers simultaneously engaged Japanese forces at Patani. After several hours of combat, Japan and Thailand reached an armistice by midday, with Phibun granting Japan passage, though Thai forces remained neutral. Japanese forces at Patani, navigating poor roads but facing no opposition, began their advance toward the Ledge—approximately 60 miles distant—initiating a critical race against Krohcol to determine who would occupy this vital position first. Meanwhile, renewed fighting erupted at Kota Bharu as Japanese forces infiltrated around British strongpoints, causing alarm among commanders. By December 10, with the situation deteriorating, defenders received authorization to abandon Kota Bharu and withdraw south to Machang.   Just hours after the Pearl Harbor attack, Admiral Phillips ordered Force Z to intercept Japanese invasion forces in the South China Sea without air support. Phillips believed he could "finish quickly and escape to the east before the Japanese could organize a significant attack." Ten Brewster Buffaloes were assigned to support the fleet, but he departed without requesting their cover. Force Z failed to locate the Japanese fleet, which had moved northwest into the Gulf of Siam. By afternoon on December 9, Japanese submarine I-65 detected Force Z, followed by reconnaissance aircraft. When Phillips altered course toward Kuantan, crews grew complacent. Bert Wynn recalled shipboard conversation centered on sinking Japanese warships. A flag officer remarked to CBS correspondent Cecil Brown, "Oh, but they are Japanese. There's nothing to worry about." That evening, Brown questioned whether the British were overconfident given Pearl Harbor. Officers conceded theoretically but remained dismissive. One replied, "We just don't think the enemy is much good. They could not beat China for five years." At 11:00 AM on December 10, Japanese aircraft struck. Three waves of Nell and Betty bombers from Indochina, after more than five hours aloft, approached from the horizon. With no air support—Phillips had maintained radio silence—defense rested entirely on anti-aircraft batteries. Nells attacked at 12,000 feet, dropping 250 kg bombs. Repulse twisted violently, evading most, but one struck her seaplane deck, killing two dozen men instantly. At 11:30, seventeen Nells attacked at wave-top level, focusing on Prince of Wales. Nine aircraft divided their approach, flying below 100 feet from both bows. The ship's inexperienced anti-aircraft crews, hampered by inoperable radar from tropical humidity, struggled to track targets. Once torpedoes were released, the planes sped away, losing only one aircraft.   A single torpedo struck Prince of Wales near the outer propeller shaft. When restarted, water flooded engine room B. Auxiliary power failed, halting drainage and causing an 11.5-degree list to port. Her 5-inch guns became powerless; she slowed to 15 knots, severely crippled. At 12:20, twenty-six Bettys attacked in coordinated "anvil" assaults with simultaneous torpedo drops on both bows. Repulse evaded initially but two or three torpedoes found their mark. One crew member recalled, "Suddenly there was a massive explosion. I immediately knew we'd lost Repulse, for within seconds she took on a frightening list to port, so rapid no amount of counter flooding would save her." Captain's last order: "You've put up a good show, now save yourselves." At 12:23 PM, Repulse rolled over and sank stern-first, her enormous hull protruding vertically from the water. Men jumped into oil-blackened water; many drowned during hours of waiting while destroyer escorts frantically retrieved survivors. Cecil Brown described it as "a confusing, macabre game"—orange flames, white tracers, and gray aircraft "astonishingly close, like butterflies pinned on blue cardboard." With Repulse gone, bombers concentrated on the damaged Prince of Wales. At 12:44, a 500 kg bomb struck between her stacks where wounded crew sheltered, causing devastating casualties. Men ordered to abandon ship faced drowning if trapped below deck. Destroyers rushed in to save swimmers, though HMS Express nearly capsized in rescue efforts. Ten Buffaloes arrived as Prince of Wales sank—too late. One pilot recalled, "After an hour, lack of petrol forced me to leave, but during that hour I had seen many men in dire danger waving, cheering and joking, as if they were holiday-makers waving at a low-flying aircraft. It shook me, for here was something above human nature." In just over an hour, the battleship era ended: 47 British officers and 793 men perished, including Admiral Phillips. Repulse's captain later acknowledged, "The enemy's attacks were undoubtedly carried out magnificently and pressed home effectively. The high-level bombers maintained tight formation and did not veer off course." By December 10, Krohcol reached Betong, just 26 miles from the Ledge. However, a Japanese ambush caught them off-guard near the target, forcing retreat when they were only a mile away. The 5th Division's regiment reached the Ledge by midday, dealing the Indians significant casualties. By December 13, Krohcol was pushed back to Kroh, the operation failed. Meanwhile, the 5th Division advanced south from Singora toward Jitra. Major-General David Murray-Lyon commanded the 11th Indian Division's weak defensive positions at Jitra's road junction, unaware that the critical Alor Setar airfield had already been abandoned. His forces—6th Indian Brigade holding a 10-mile coastal sector, 15th Brigade covering the road, and 28th Brigade in reserve—had sent two delaying detachments on December 9. On December 11, Japanese tanks overwhelmed these covering battalions, inflicting heavy casualties. Murray-Lyon committed his reserves prematurely, leaving Alor Setar lightly defended. That night, Japanese tanks reached the main position north of Jitra, with the 5th Division following. Heavy fighting ensued between Japanese armor and demoralized Indian troops. British defenses penetrated around 06:00, forcing successive Indian units to be overrun. Murray-Lyon repeatedly requested withdrawal permission. At 19:30 on December 12, General Percival finally approved. Due to poor communication and confusion, the 11th Indian Division suffered heavy casualties but disengaged by December 13, withdrawing to Gurun. The primary British defenses in northern Malaya had been breached, the 11th Division severely weakened, and the Japanese advance down the peninsula had begun unstoppably. Percival's first significant defense occurred at Jitra on December 11th, intended to push the Japanese as far north as possible and protect remaining Allied airfields. The Japanese quickly overwhelmed the Indian defenders, and Colonel Tsuji observed the engagement firsthand: "Our tanks were ready on the road, and the twenty or so enemy armored cars ahead were literally trampled underfoot. The enemy armored cars could not escape by running away, and were sandwiched between our medium tanks. It was speed and weight of armor that decided the issue." Major General Murray-Lyon commanded the 11th Indian Division. A World War I veteran, he had served with distinction in the Highland Light Infantry, earning the Military Cross for bravery in Flanders and the Distinguished Service Order for his actions at Moeuvres. The citation stated: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When the enemy attacked and penetrated the line after intense fighting and continual bombing attacks, by his courage and personal example he succeeded in driving them out and held his position against further heavy attacks with splendid coolness and determination." This was no desk officer, but a frontline commander faced with an impossible task. Murray-Lyon's division appeared formidable on paper but was severely compromised. It contained only two regular British battalions—the Leicestershire and East Surrey Regiments—with the remainder consisting of four newly raised Indian Army battalions and three inexperienced Gurkha battalions. The Gurkhas, though renowned as elite soldiers, were primarily composed of 18-year-old recruits fresh from deployment. Like all Allied forces in Malaya, the division lacked tanks while facing an enemy flush with armor. After only days of intense combat, Murray-Lyon sought permission to withdraw, convinced the Japanese forces greatly outnumbered him. Ironically, Yamashita's army was outnumbered two to one. The Japanese commander employed Blitzkrieg tactics inspired by his time as a military attaché in Berlin, coordinating air and ground forces with remarkable precision. His approach involved fast-moving tanks, bomber aircraft deployed as mobile artillery, and—most unusually—bicycle-mounted infantry. Prior to the invasion, Japanese planners decided bicycles were ideal for the tropical jungle terrain. Rather than shipping thousands, they seized bicycles from the local population. The offensive typically began with bombing raids on Allied defensive positions, followed by tanks smashing through. As defenders retreated, bicycle infantry continuously harassed and attacked, while coastal amphibious assaults flanked positions along the shore. Colonel Alfred Harrison of the 11th Indian Division reflected on the psychological toll: "Fatigue had stretched the men's mind to the limit and the moral ascendancy which the Japanese achieved in these few weeks included a psychic side. The troops were beginning to attribute almost supernatural powers to the Japanese." Yamashita had rehearsed these tactics extensively on Hainan Island, conducting exercises in amphibious landings, bridge destruction and repair, and jungle operations. The bicycle innovation proved revolutionary—troops covered greater distances more quickly with less fatigue, repeatedly outflanking British forces who found themselves pushed off roads and encircled. The rapid movements created a psychological multiplier effect; British commanders, mistaken about enemy numbers, believed they faced far larger forces than actually present. This "Bicycle Blitzkrieg," as it became known, echoed Mongol tactics—a single swift force striking multiple targets so quickly that enemies believed they faced several armies. Tanks were crucial to this success. The British had deployed no tanks to Malaya before the war, a fatal omission. Combined with bicycle infantry, Japanese armor allowed them to engage British forces before defensive positions could be established. Percival authorized withdrawal from Jitra, directing troops south to Gurun, but those defenses remained unfinished and the Japanese advance was too rapid. Percival later reflected in his memoir, War in Malaya: "This withdrawal would have been difficult under the most favorable conditions. With the troops tired, units mixed as the result of the fighting, communications broken and the night dark, it was inevitable that orders should be delayed and that in some cases they should never reach the addressees. This is what in fact occurred. The withdrawal, necessary as it may have been, was too fast and too complicated for disorganized and exhausted troops, whose disorganization and exhaustion it only increased." From the start, British forces stretched too thinly across a 14-mile front in challenging terrain—dense jungle on the right flank, monsoon-soaked rice fields and rubber plantations in the center, mangrove swamps to the left. Yamashita's concentrated attacks breached the line. Repeated retreats cost both personnel and equipment, as overrun positions offered no opportunity for evacuation and bicycle infantry prevented orderly withdrawal. The Jitra defeat exposed a fundamental strategic error: deploying under-resourced troops across Malaya's entire breadth rather than establishing a shorter, more defensible line further south, which could have shortened British supply lines while lengthening Japan's—a disadvantage the Japanese could not exploit. The Allied retreat continued southward to the Gurun area, though the chaotic withdrawal from Jitra itself inflicted more casualties than the fighting had—many frontline units never received withdrawal orders, while others became lost crossing the Bata River. Murray eventually fell back to the Muda River, establishing defensive positions along the Krian River some thirty miles south. Percival, increasingly desperate, realized his entire strategy had depended on holding the Japanese as far north as possible to minimize air threats to Singapore. The rapid Japanese advance made this impossible. Reluctantly, he ordered a general withdrawal south of the Perak River, while his field commanders pleaded for reinforcements they would never receive. Though Percival had an Australian division in Johor, he refused to commit them north, fearing a Japanese naval invasion further south could threaten Singapore itself.   As Yamashita's 25th Army advanced westward toward Penang, Japanese bombers subjected the island to daily raids. British command, recognizing the island as indefensible, evacuated European residents on December 17th—leaving the local Malay population to face the Japanese. Mrs Muriel Reilly's recollection captures the moment's bitter legacy: "it still hurts to think how the white race 'let down hundreds of similarly faithful servants who trusted in us, and looked to us for protection from the hated Japanese." The abandonment had strategic consequences. In their haste, the British left massive stockpiles of arms and supplies in Penang that fell directly into Yamashita's hands. More profoundly, local Malays turned against their former colonial rulers. Some historians now argue "the moral collapse of British rule in Southeast Asia occurred not at Singapore, but at Penang." Under subsequent Japanese occupation, Penang endured three years and eight months of hardship—food shortages, rampant hyperinflation from the "banana dollar," and systematic repression including comfort women camps and the Sook Ching massacres targeting Chinese communities the Japanese feared might become guerrillas.  The Japanese occupiers' fears about Chinese resistance were prescient. Among the Chinese communities of Malaya and Singapore, anti-Japanese sentiment had been building for over a decade. Since Japan's 1937 invasion of China, ethnic Chinese populations had viewed Tokyo with deep hostility. The Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, followed by the escalating horrors of the Second Sino-Japanese War, had created a reservoir of determination to resist Japanese expansion wherever it might emerge. As British colonial authority crumbled, this sentiment transformed from passive resentment into active organization. The Battle of Jitra exposed a fundamental miscalculation: attempting to defend all of Malaya with an undersized army. A more strategic withdrawal to Johore would have shortened British supply lines while extending Japan's. As December ended, Murray-Lyon was dismissed from command—a casualty of circumstance. He had spent weeks preparing for the cancelled Operation Matador while neglecting proper defenses at Jitra and Gurun. At fifty-one, this decorated soldier, who had earned the Military Cross and Distinguished Service Order in the Great War, became a civilian during Britain's darkest hour. He was replaced by Brigadier Archibald Paris, equally inexperienced in jungle warfare, who paradoxically proved more effective by facilitating the retreat of Murray's division while inflicting unexpected casualties on overconfident Japanese units. By December 26th, the Japanese 5th Division and 4th Guards Regiment crossed the Perak River, preparing an assault on Kampar. This position was crucial—located halfway between Penang and Kuala Lumpur, its terrain was unsuitable for tanks and difficult to outflank, offering a rare opportunity to make a stand. Paris gathered infantry battalions, many composed of Jitra and Gurun survivors: British battalions from the Leicesters and East Surreys, along with Jat and Punjabi units including Sikhs. The 12th Brigade hastily dug trenches, strung wire, and cleared fields around Kampar's ridges to improve visibility. After three weeks of continuous fighting and retreat, the defenders' morale had collapsed. Colonel Alfred Harrison observed on Christmas Day: "fatigue had stretched the men's mind to the limit and the moral ascendancy which the Japanese had achieved in these few weeks included a 'psychic' side. The troops were beginning to attribute almost supernatural powers to the Japanese." The Japanese, by contrast, had grown accustomed to victory and approached each engagement with unshakeable confidence. Yamashita employed German-inspired tactics using aircraft as mobile artillery—vital in terrain where conventional gun placement was impossible. Engagements began with bombing raids on Allied positions, followed by frontal assaults to establish a line, then flanking maneuvers through jungle to encircle defenders. When the assault came from the western coastal roads, Japanese tanks struck the 12th Brigade along a three-mile rural stretch near Gopeng. Small arms and heavy machine gun fire erupted as infantry dismounted from trucks and spread into the brush. Some tanks advanced alone onto a bridge near Dipang, where they encountered defenders with Lanchester submachine guns and Bren gun carriers equipped with anti-tank rifles. Lt Colonel Ian Stewart noted the grim reality: "the anti-tank rifle made no impression against the Jap mediums, while their 37 mm guns went through our armour like paper." The Japanese tankers, closing their hatches in the oppressive subtropical heat—what they described as a "Turkish bath"—approached cautiously, aware of potential counterattacks. British defenders fired desperately at vision slits, their bullets ricocheting uselessly. A 2-pounder anti-tank gun destroyed a single tank, prompting Japanese armor to withdraw and wait for infantry support. Meanwhile, two hundred defenders on the opposite side prepared to destroy the bridge. Fortunately, Kampar's shallow water allowed most to wade across a mile downstream. Stewart's 12th Brigade had purchased time. The British established a strong perimeter around Kampar Hill, resembling a "goose egg" on the map. Their artillery, better supplied than the Japanese equivalent, was concealed in the jungle with two hundred rounds stacked beside each gun. The 15th/6th Brigades occupied the low ground where the road and railway ran through town. Unlike earlier battles where Japanese forces kept defenders pinned with close contact, Kampar's expansive fields of fire and terrain offered space to maneuver—a rare advantage the British would finally exploit. Major General Saburo Kawamura led the attack on Kampar with his 9th Brigade. On December 31st, he probed the 28th Gurkha Brigade entrenched on the hill. Japanese howitzer fire drew return artillery that effectively repelled their advances. At midnight on New Year's Eve, Lt. Colonel Augustus Murdoch ordered a 12-gun salute fired at the Japanese—perhaps a cheeky gesture. Seven hours later, Kawamura launched his main assault on the western side targeting the trunk road. The brunt fell on a newly formed British battalion, the Leicesters and East Surreys, under Lt. Colonel Esmond Morrison. The 48-year-old, though some dismissed him as a "polo-playing playboy," proved a serious soldier despite his peacetime reputation, frequently sharing front-line dangers with his men. Japanese infantry emerged from the mist carrying mortars. Mortar fire became intense—one casualty was a company commander whose jaw was shattered by a splinter. However, observation officers from the 88th Field Regiment pinpointed Japanese advances, unleashing devastating artillery fire. Colonel Masanobu Tsuji observed "a continuous stream of casualties coming back down the hill to safety, either carried on stretchers or supported on the shoulders of comrades who were themselves wounded." Japanese artillery pieces were covertly moved through secondary jungle to hide their positions. During the fighting, one of Morrison's lieutenants encountered Japanese soldiers in a trench, fired his revolver, and retreated. A gunnery driver named Walker, noticing a nearby Bren position overrun, exited his vehicle armed with a Thompson submachine gun and launched a surprise attack, forcing the Japanese to retreat—earning him a medal. Troop Sergeant Major Hugill, commanding an outlying observation post connected by field telephone, received a distinguished conduct medal for calmly calling in protective artillery fire while cut off. When the attack subsided, he encountered isolated Japanese soldiers who had captured a Vickers-Berthier machine gun. Hugill gathered five infantrymen and led a bayonet charge to reclaim it. Emergency commissioned officer Lt. Edgar Newland commanded a platoon of 30 men in one of the most forward positions. His platoon was surrounded for much of the battle yet successfully repelled numerous assaults over two consecutive days. General Percival specifically praised Newland and his men. Newland received a Military Cross; his platoon sergeant, Euan McDonald, received a distinguished conduct medal. After two days, Japanese forces captured part of Thompson's Ridge. Morrison ordered two platoons of Sikhs and Gujars to bayonet charge under mortar fire. Tragically, 34 soldiers died, including their 21-year-old commander, Charles Lamb, killed in the initial charge. Captain John Graham lost both legs to a grenade but continued encouraging his men, throwing grenades at Japanese trenches before bleeding to death—but they had retaken the position. Courage, artillery, and terrain proved insufficient. Yamashita decided to outflank Percival with seaborne landings on the Malayan west coast. He transported 40 small craft by rail to Alor Star and ordered landings near Telok Anson, 30 miles southeast of Kampar. If successful, he would cut off Percival's 11th Indian Division defending Kampar. Yamashita devised a three-pronged attack: the Imperial Guards Division would paddle down the Perak River into town; another force would approach from the west on landing craft entering from the opposite direction; a third would move up the Bernam River and march north toward Telok Anson. Lt. General Takuro Matsui commanded the landings. While Kampar held, 1,500 of Matsui's men crowded onto landing craft. One steamer towing ten craft went too far south, attempting the Selangor River defended by a Jat battalion with artillery. The Japanese were repelled, losing one to three craft before moving north. In Perak, four landing rafts ran aground on a sandbar and required rescue. A British patrol boat spotted them but left to report—no action followed. Percival later remarked: "unfortunately neither the navy nor the air force were able to take advantage of this unique opportunity." Despite setbacks, Japanese forces landed and advanced on Telok Anson. On January 2nd, they encountered the 3rd Indian Cavalry and 1st Independent Company under Stewart, equipped with armored cars and Thompson and Bren guns. They inflicted significant casualties but with only 250 men couldn't hold. Stewart ordered delaying actions instead. Telok Anson fell, leaving Kampar defenders at risk of encirclement. Although Kawamura's forces showed no signs of breaking after four days of fighting, Paris feared his main supply route had been cut. He requested permission from Percival to withdraw to the Slim River defensive line. Paris prioritized preserving troops over territory: "With no reserves in hand, we were still in a position of being unable to accept major losses." The 12th Brigade held while Paris organized the division's withdrawal. An unusual discovery emerged during delaying actions: Brigadier Stewart found the body of a dead European cyclist in British uniform. Earlier, a Punjabi sentry had shot a man on a bridge attempting to grab his Thompson. Both were likely German deserters from Vichy Indo-China's Foreign Legion, in contact with the Nazi embassy. The British Legation in Bangkok had warned of such infiltrators offering sabotage and espionage assistance. Percival was particularly struck by the German who tried single-handedly to disarm a sentry and seize a bridge. The 12th Brigade discovered another European body—a German political refugee and former mining engineer who had disappeared weeks earlier. Exhausted after three weeks of near-constant combat, the 12th Brigade continued delaying actions. Japanese air forces wreaked havoc on vehicles; Stewart estimated half his casualties—around 90 killed and wounded from 4,000 troops—resulted from aerial attacks. Stewart expressed satisfaction: "It had been an eminently successful battle," though it was more a series of brief skirmishes than traditional battle. Kampar fell when Telok Anson was captured. Percival might have committed Australian brigades from Johore or garrison battalions from Singapore, but concentrating forces at Kampar risked prompting Yamashita to attack elsewhere. The Kampar defenders retreated 30 miles to the Slim River. Tsuji reluctantly acknowledged Yamashita's breakthrough was impressive, if risky. On the east coast, defenders faced more resistance at Kuantan. Percival clung to the airfield, determined to deny the Japanese RAF facilities and limit their ability to strike at reinforcement convoys approaching Singapore. The first convoy from Bombay, carrying the half-trained 45th Brigade under Brigadier Horatio Duncan, was 24 hours away. The 22nd Indian Brigade, led by Brigadier George Painter, defended Kuantan against the Takumi detachment of the 18th Division. One battalion, commanded by a veteran of Kota Bharu, fortified the airfield with barbed wire and trenches. When Takumi's forces approached, the Japanese encountered 4.5-inch howitzer fire inflicting significant casualties. The defenders fought fiercely, each equipped with six grenades instead of two, creating deadly chaos. Tsuji noted the airfield "was obstinately defended," particularly at night when grenades rolled into confined trenches with devastating effect. Word reached the defenders that General Barstow's entire 9th Indian Division was retreating through Kuala Lipis-Jerantut-Raub. The 22nd Brigade demolished installations and prepared to withdraw, though their rearguard risked encirclement. One night, investigating his southern flank with Captain Ian Grimwood, battalion commander Cumming spotted Japanese soldiers climbing barbed wire meters away. Armed with a .455 Webley revolver, Cumming and Grimwood faced seven Japanese soldiers charging with bayonets. They fired as they were knocked down, killing all attackers, but Cumming suffered two bayonet wounds to his stomach. Grimwood dragged him to battalion HQ for first aid. As the airfield was overrun, Cumming ordered withdrawal. A grenade or mortar round knocked him unconscious. He regained consciousness in a vehicle where Private Albel Singh reported a Japanese roadblock ahead. Spotting a fallen tree creating passage, Cumming ordered Singh to charge through. Machine gun fire rained down; Cumming was hit again with a shattered arm, possibly from an anti-personnel mine, while Singh endured a .256 armor-piercing bullet through both thighs yet maintained control, driving 30 miles per hour. The vehicle arrived at brigade HQ covered in blood from six occupants. Cumming would receive the Victoria Cross for his heroism. Painter held the airfield long enough for reinforcements to approach, though it cost much of one of the best Indian battalions. Painter, fixated on flanking fears, believed it "better to lose half a battalion than an entire brigade." The 22nd Indian Brigade lost a third of its strength but retreated by January 3rd. While this unfolded eastward, Yamashita's forces advanced south. Defenders prepared a new defensive line at Trolak, five miles north of Slim River. Reinforcements had arrived; the 45th Brigade was immediately dispatched to repel the enemy's advance on Kuala Selangor, which held another crucial airfield. Whether defenders could withstand Yamashita's onslaught remained to be seen.   While British forces retreated in disarray toward Singapore, another chapter was quietly beginning in the shadows of the collapsing colonial order. On December 25, 1941—Christmas morning, even as Governor Young raised the white flag over Hong Kong—Chinese volunteers in Singapore formalized their resistance. That day, the Singapore Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army, officially known as Dalforce, was established under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Dalley. Dalforce emerged from urgent necessity. As the Japanese invasion accelerated and British defenses crumbled, recruitment of local Chinese volunteers escalated dramatically. What had begun as an informal volunteer effort in 1939 now crystallized into organized military structure. The initial cadre of 200 volunteers swelled to 4,000 members as the invasion reached Singapore's doorstep. These were not professional soldiers—Dalforce members came from the Chinese civilian population, motivated by the knowledge that Japanese occupation would target them specifically. Many lacked military training; some were armed only with sporting firearms due to critical shortages of military weapons. Supply ships intended for Dalforce, such as the SS Empress of Asia, were sunk before their cargo could reach Singapore. Yet the volunteers pressed forward, organizing themselves despite severe handicaps: makeshift uniforms, inadequate equipment, and internal divisions between Communist and Kuomintang factions, each trained separately by British officers. Dalforce would soon earn the nickname "Dalley's Desperadoes" from British forces—a name reflecting both affection for their fierce combat effectiveness and incredulity that such a hastily assembled, poorly equipped force could fight with such determination. Unlike the demoralized British and Indian troops retreating southward, these Chinese volunteers were not defending a colonial order they had experienced as oppressive. They were fighting for their homes, their families, and their survival against an enemy they had every reason to fear and oppose. As the Malayan Campaign entered its final phase and the focus shifted to Singapore itself, Dalforce would play a role that British military historians had largely overlooked but that Chinese participants would never forget. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me.   In December 1941, Japan invaded Malaya. British commanders placed their faith in "impregnable" Singapore, but disaster struck immediately. On December 10, Japanese bombers sank Force Z—battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse—in a stunning air attack.Using tanks and bicycles in a lightning "Bicycle Blitzkrieg," Japanese troops shattered Allied lines at Kota Bharu and Jitra, sending exhausted British, Indian, and Australian forces reeling southward in chaos.  

In this extraordinary interview of Just Tap In with Emilio Ortiz, UFO contactee, experiencer, and spiritual teacher Lily Nova shares the story of how her life changed after a series of unexplained encounters began in 2020 and eventually led her to photograph and film UFOs, glowing orbs, unusual craft, and what she believes are extraterrestrial contact phenomena. Lily takes Emilio inside some of her most compelling experiences in Sedona, Arizona, including footage of a fleet she says appeared after she received a telepathic message telling her to get her camera ready. She explains why she believes there are extraterrestrial bases and energetic portals around Sedona and Cathedral Rock, describes visions of a Stargate associated with Pleiadian beings, and recounts meeting Talia, an otherworldly being who Lily later came to understand as a version of herself from the future. The conversation goes far beyond UFO sightings as Lily shares what she believes these experiences reveal about the future of humanity and human consciousness. She discusses the recent arrival of 3I/ATLAS, major solar flares and solar activity, shifts in Earth's electromagnetic field, and her belief that humanity is entering a period in which dormant intuitive and extrasensory abilities may become increasingly accessible. Lily and Emilio explore telepathic communication, multidimensional DNA, manifestation and the power of belief, contact experiences becoming more widespread, and Lily's prediction that more direct face-to-face extraterrestrial contact could unfold during the 2030s depending on humanity's level of consciousness and readiness. She also recounts profound experiences at Mount Shasta and Telos, inner-Earth beings, missing time, voice healing, parallel realities, and why she believes contact is ultimately less about proving that UFOs exist and more about awakening humanity to a much larger understanding of who and what we are. This podcast is an exploration of UFO evidence, UAP footage, alien and extraterrestrial contact, Pleiadians, Sedona UFO activity, telepathy, consciousness, 3I/ATLAS, human potential, spiritual awakening, and the extraordinary possibilities surrounding humanity's next chapter.___________________PODCAST CHAPTERS00:00 – Lily Nova Intro03:07 - What Triggered This Massive Energetic Shift?07:46 - How Lily Nova's UFO Encounters Began16:17 - The Frequency Required for ET Contact21:20 - Lily's First Memory Beyond This Lifetime24:07 - Meeting Talia, Her Future Self28:35 - Activating Multidimensional DNA30:47 - How Your Words Program Reality38:17 - Why Lily Stopped Chasing UFO Evidence41:30 - Lily Reveals Her UFO Footage46:43 - Blue-Skinned Beings & Galactic Civilizations52:44 - The UFO Fleet Lily Filmed in Sedona01:00:11 - Are Extraterrestrials Studying Us Too?01:05:08 - Why Sedona & Mount Shasta Are UFO Hotspots01:06:57 - Ant People, Inner Earth & Hidden Portals01:16:15 - The Most Important Message From Her Future Self01:18:24 - Time Capsule: A Message for the New Earth01:20:27 - The One Belief That Could Change Your Life___________________Guest: Lily Nova, Starseed & UFO Contactee✦ Website | https://www.lilynovacontact.com/✦ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/lilynova.official✦ Workshops & Activations | https://www.lilynovacontact.com/storeHost: Emilio Ortiz✦ IG | https://www.instagram.com/iamemilioortiz/✦ Subscribe to Channel | https://www.youtube.com/EmilioOrtiz___________________© 2026 Emilio Ortiz. All rights reserved. Content from Just Tap In Podcast is protected under copyright law.Legal Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by guests on Just Tap In are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Emilio Ortiz or the Just Tap In Podcast. All content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.

Are you treating safety as just another expense, or do you actually understand the real cost of safety in your fleet? Are you ignoring DOT compliance and E-log violations until a massive lawsuit wipes you out?  Let's discuss motor carrier safety with Sam Watts from Ten Four Truck Insurance and the author of The Cost of Safety. We are breaking down the dirty little secrets of the trucking industry, from how small fleets dodge regulations to the massive financial fallout of neglecting basic fleet management and vehicle maintenance.  Safety isn't just a money pit; it's the absolute foundation of your business, and ignoring your trucking insurance policies or driver coaching is going to cost you big time when the defense lawyers come knocking over a crash.  It's time to stop being reactive, set a hard line in the sand, and protect your trucking company from the top down by tuning into this conversation!   Connect with Sam Website: https://wattsmen.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamsamwatts/  

In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, RTA Fleet's Marc Canton and Marc Knight break down fleet cost allocation, chargebacks, and billing, and explain why these financial practices are about much more than moving money between accounts.A properly structured fleet chargeback system helps recover the full cost of operating the fleet, including costs that are easy to overlook. Fuel, for example, costs more than the price paid at the pump. Managing fuel sites, ordering fuel, maintaining infrastructure, and administering the program all contribute to its true cost. The same principle applies to parts, labor, administration, vehicle replacement, and other fleet services.But cost recovery is only part of the equation.Marc and Marc explain how chargebacks can create greater cost visibility, transparency, and accountability across an organization. When departments can see the financial impact of underutilized vehicles, preventable accidents, missed maintenance, and other operating decisions, fleet costs become a tool for changing behavior, not simply an accounting exercise.The conversation also explores the critical difference between cost allocation, chargebacks, and billing. You'll hear why traditional monthly reports can create financial blind spots, how a structured billing workflow creates a more traceable process, and why fleet and finance teams need to agree on customers, account structures, rates, transaction rules, and cost-recovery methodology.In this episode, you'll learn:What fleet cost allocation is and how it supports chargeback rate developmentWhy fleets need to understand both direct and indirect operating costsHow a chargeback system helps fleets recover the true cost of servicesWhy chargebacks can improve vehicle utilization and influence stakeholder behaviorHow to determine which costs should be fixed versus directly chargedWhy fleet billing requires more than running a month-end reportHow billing workflows can improve financial visibility and transaction traceabilityWhy fleet and finance teams should work together when designing a chargeback programWhat to consider when determining customers, account structures, rates, and billing frequencyHow stronger fleet financial data can help leaders make better decisions and confidently explain their operationWhether you're operating an internal service fund, enterprise fund, public-sector fleet, or another organization that needs to accurately recover fleet costs, this episode provides a practical framework for building a more transparent and defensible approach to fleet finance.About the SpeakersMarc Canton — VP of Fleet Strategy, RTA FleetMarc Canton is Vice President of Fleet Strategy at RTA Fleet and host of The Fleet Success Show. He helps fleet professionals apply proven fleet-management principles to improve operations, make better decisions, and build safe, reliable, and accountable fleets.Marc Knight — RTA FleetMarc Knight brings extensive experience in fleet cost allocation, chargeback methodology, billing, and fleet financial management. His work includes helping organizations translate fleet operating costs into practical rates and billing processes that support cost recovery, accountability, and better financial visibility.Build a Fleet You're Proud to LeadFleet leaders shouldn't have to operate with financial blind spots. Clear, defensible fleet data makes it easier to understand where money is going, explain costs to stakeholders, make better budgeting decisions, and confidently stand behind your operation.RTA Fleet360 brings fleet operations, maintenance, budgeting, lifecycle planning, reporting, and accountability into a purpose-built fleet management system designed for public-sector and in-house fleets.Learn more about RTA Fleet360 at rtafleet.com. Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=episode_213 Control fleet chaos with RTA Fleet360, proven software designed by fleet managers for fleet managers: https://rtafleet.com/book-a-demo?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=episode_213

From handling thermal extremes in Northern Ontario underground mines to managing huge autonomous fleets in the Alberta Oil Sands, Guillaume and Andrew break down the exact strategies used to optimize heavy equipment fleets. Learn how new lubricant formulations like Ultra Low Zinc (ULZ) gear oils and all-season mining greases are helping operators meet strict environmental regulations, extend drain intervals, and eliminate the trade-offs between extreme cold start-ups and high-operating-temperature protection.

A telematics system will not make your fleet safe. Andrew Hutson has spent 25 years in theindustry, and he says the fleets that actually improve are the ones where the executive ownssafety, not the ones with the best kit.In this episode:- Why safety has to be endorsed at executive level rather than owned by one department, and how the Awards judges reached the same conclusion reading the nominations.- Why data only counts when it is accurate and actionable, and why a driver covering 50km a week cannot be fairly compared to one covering a thousand until the data is normalised.- Why sustainability starts with how a fleet operates rather than what it buys, and how route optimisation cuts vehicles, congestion and idling before a single EV is ordered.(0:00) Intro(1:32) Why Geosecure backed the Awards(2:54) What Geosecure does(3:57) How telematics changed in a decade(5:18) The award categories(5:57) What a genuinely safe fleet looks like(7:19) What the judges saw in the nominations(7:46) Where local government fleets are constrained(9:01) Fleet Technology: data you can act on(10:29) Data for something, not for its own sake(12:33) Fleet Sustainability: more than EVs(14:19) A finalist that changed its operations(15:23) Fleet of the Year: doing everything right(17:00) Why strategy is what wins(18:19) Awards night and how to voteAndrew Hutson is a Director at Geosecure, a telematics and fleet management safety provider. Hehas worked in telematics across the UK, North America and Australia. Your host is Marc Sibbald,Editor at Fleet News Group.Voting for the 2026 Fleet News Group Awards is open now at fleetnewsgroup.com.au. Awards night is14 October.Subscribe to Fleet News Group: https://bit.ly/fleet-news-subscribeGeosecure is a Foundation Sponsor of the 2026 Fleet News Group Awards. This episode includesdiscussion of Geosecure's business and its Awards sponsorship.

No Agenda Episode 1901 - "Neighbor Narcs" Neighbor Narcs Executive Producers: Baron No. Protector of the Rhine estuary. Associate Executive Producers: John Whiddon Sir Mainframe Manuka Gold Eli The Coffee Guy Linda Lupatkin - Imagemakers Ink, Duchess of Jobs Knights and Dames: Joshua Caraballo > Sir real human being Title Changes: Sir Mainframe > Sir Mainframe, Barronette of the 7th Fleet, defender of the arch duke and duchess of Japan and the disputed islands Order of the Ant: Baron No. Protector of the Rhine estuary. End of Show Mixes: Craig Weinberg (Conspiracy to Reality) Jus Baker (Just Dew It III) Jus Baker (Small Potatoes) Art By: Blue Acorn Mark van Dijk - Systems Master Ryan Bemrose - Program Director Back Office Jae Dvorak Chapters: Dreb Scott Clip Custodian: Neal Jones Clip Collectors: Steve Jones & Dave Ackerman No Agenda Peerage RSS Podcast Feed Last Modified 09/06/2026 16:18:58 by Freedom Controller

Jeremy McCool is back on Inside Startup Investing, and a lot has changed since his last appearance. HEVO builds wireless charging for electric vehicles — hardware and software — and it's chasing that market from an unusual angle. Rather than selling a charging pad direct to consumers, HEVO is working to become a tier one supplier to the automakers themselves, so the receiving technology comes built into the vehicle straight off the production line. Get that right, and the automaker becomes the distribution channel. In this conversation, Chris Lustrino and Jeremy dig into what the last year actually produced: roughly $2 million raised, five to six live automaker programs, and signed agreements with fleet partners including Autolane and STEER Tech. Jeremy also lays out the fleet math that makes wireless charging compelling — roughly $40,000 in ten-year per-vehicle operating cost for wireless versus $150,000–$175,000 for plug-in — and explains why the company's licensed polyphase technology, co-developed with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, may put HEVO in the lead position if the German automakers converge on a single universal design. Chris also gets put on the spot — by his own guest — to explain why Kingscrowd Capital invested in the first place. In this episode: • What HEVO does, and why it sells to automakers instead of consumers • Chris's investment thesis: founder alignment, market timing, and the de-risking power of an OEM partnership • The last twelve months: $2M raised, strategic investor interest, and why institutional clean tech capital went quiet • Fleet economics — 3–5x savings per vehicle over ten years for last mile logistics • Autolane and STEER Tech: autonomous vehicles that dock and charge themselves • Why warranty validation is the gate that only an automaker can open • Hardware pricing: ~$250 on the vehicle side, ~$1,200 for the grid-side charger, 11–22 kW, bidirectional • The revenue ramp: a couple hundred thousand this year, high six figures next, tens of millions by the end of the decade • Stellantis, its 13 brands, its EV rollback — and why HEVO says it's still in the saddle • The Oak Ridge polyphase license and the German standards play • Jeremy's message to investors weighing a 15-year overnight success Guest: Jeremy McCool, Founder & CEO, HEVO Host: Chris Lustrino, Founder & CEO, Kingscrowd HEVO is currently raising on Wefunder. Learn more at wefunder.com/hevo. Research HEVO and other startup investment opportunities at kingscrowd.com. Inside Startup Investing is the only podcast where you can invest in every guest. If you like what you hear, subscribe so you never miss a portfolio founder interview. Disclosure: Kingscrowd Capital is an investor in HEVO. This episode is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice. Investing in early-stage companies is risky and you may lose your entire investment.

It's the middle of the night in April 2023 in the East China Sea.A North Korean-linked oil tanker sailing under another country's flag suddenly goes dark. It stops transmitting its location and simply vanishes from the map.Ten days later, the New Konk reappears on global tracking screens. It's signal places it off the coast of southern China.Except it's not. It's actually in a bay hundreds of kilometres away.Commonly known as a “shadow fleet”, the New Konk is part of a clandestine network of vessels which are used to evade international sanctions.See pictures of the ship and track its journey in a visual feature Justin Hastings and his team have written for us here.This episode was written and produced by Isabella Podwinsk and Justin Bergman. Sound mixing is by Lloyd Barrett and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Ashlynne McGhee is our Head of Editorial Innovation and Misha Ketchell and Stephen Khan are our editors in chief. You can sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit news organisation.

What happens when a guy who wanted to be a city planner ends up running a food distributor's delivery trucks, gets mentored by two of the most influential minds in fleet consulting, and spends the next three decades building the software that public fleets run on? You get this episode. Marc Canton sits down with Marc Knight, who works on RTA's product, roadmap, and enterprise team, for a career-spanning conversation that covers how AI is closing the fleet analyst gap, why dashboards only tell you what already happened, what managed competition actually means for public fleets, and how RTA's new billing module is taking manual ERP reconciliation off fleet managers' plates. In this episode: How Marc Knight backed into fleet through a food distributor's delivery routing problem Getting mentored by fleet legends Paul Lauria and Chip Taggart at the start of managed competition consulting What "managed competition" means and why public fleets still use it today Why AI may finally solve the industry's toughest staffing gap: skilled fleet analysts Why dashboards are a rearview mirror and what a forward-looking alternative looks like The parallels between building RTA Fleet360 today and building the first web-based fleet system 20 years ago Why AI should be a tool that helps you decide, not the thing that decides for you A first look at how RTA's new billing module automates ERP chargebacks with an AI-supported rules engine Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=episode_213 Control fleet chaos with RTA Fleet360, proven software designed by fleet managers for fleet managers: https://rtafleet.com/book-a-demo?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=episode_213

//The Wire//2100Z September 2, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: SABOTAGE ATTACK TARGETS SECOND GERMAN ELECTRICAL SUBSTATION. SHOOTING REPORTED BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN UKRAINE. IRANIAN ATTACKS CONTINUE OVERNIGHT, TARGETING AMERICAN BASES.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----  -International Events-Middle East: Last night's attacks by Iran were somewhat successful, with strikes being reported at the airport in Erbil. An Iranian Shahed-type drone also took out the Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS) balloon at this location, in addition to striking the fuel point. In Bahrain, several Shahed-type drones targeted the former headquarters of 5th Fleet in Manama and Sheikh Isa Airbase to the south. Several locations were also targeted in Kuwait, with unknown success. As of this report, the United States has not yet responded to the round of Iranian targeting conducted overnight.Ukraine: Overnight a small arms skirmish was reported in Kiev, which reportedly involved two different Ukrainian governmental agencies engaging each other in the street. Allegedly, the Security Service of Ukraine (the SBU, which is like a uniformed and militarized version of the FBI) detained Stepan Kaplunov who was the deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, a unit of ethnic Russians fighting on Ukraine's side during the war. Kaplunov was staying at a residential building in Kiev for Independence Day celebrations last week, when he was reportedly abducted for unknown reasons. After this kidnapping, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (the GUR, or the main military intelligence unit) launched an investigation into why the SBU took him, which resulted in a scuffle and subsequent shootout at the scene of the earlier abduction. One GUR officer is dead, and several others were wounded during the initial engagement.Analyst Comment: As one might expect, Ukrainian sources are downplaying this incident, and Russian sources are trying to amplify it, so determining the truth is challenging. However the incident did take place, and the small arms engagement in the street between these two agencies was captured on film.As it stands, video evidence from the time of the shooting indicates that tensions were high between the SBU and the GUR right before shots were fired. Both agencies were arguing with each other, with the SBU refusing to allow the GUR into the crime scene, and a standoff situation emerged. As the agencies continued arguing and fighting with each other, eventually the altercation became physical, and devolved into a shooting. After the shooting, the standoff situation continued throughout the night and the next morning. Eventually, the SBU ended up releasing Kaplunov, ending the incident. Several prominent Ukrainian leaders have called for an investigation into what happened, and for more details to be made public.Germany: Yesterday afternoon, another electrical substation was targeted by malign actors conducting sabotage operations. Locals observed an explosion and arcing at the Bergheim Power Station in western Germany, shortly before the power went out. Local authorities state that 6x rocket launch sites were located in a field near the second substation that was attacked, continuing the same attack vector as witnessed at a different power station yesterday.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: In Germany, the attacks on electrical substations over the past two days have been substantial. In short, these attacks were probably not carried out by amateurs. Locals report that upwards of twenty separate rockets were launched over the top of the substation near Berlin. These rockets were not fireworks, but specifically constructed devices built for the task. These rockets were also trailing thin copper wire, which was intended to cause electrical shorts.This is not entirely a new tactic, after all the United States pioneered this tactic of taking out enemy substations with "blackout bombs" that operate very similarly. Cruise missiles were used to deploy such devices over Baghdad during the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003, with thin graphite wires being trailed over the top of exposed substation transformers and electrical connectors. More recently, an unidentified malign actor also attempted to target an electrical substation in Pennsylvania back in 2020, which resulted in widespread media coverage at the time.Malign actors using almost thirty rockets to achieve the same effect in Germany is a substantial escalation that is not likely to have been undertaken by non-state actors. Germany is infamous for having some of the more serious ecoterrorists around the world, who have conducted IED attacks, train derailings, and other similar attacks on electrical infrastructure. However, since no ecoterrorist organization has claimed credit yet, right now the leading theory is that these sabotage operations could be sleeper cells conducting attacks around the German countryside.Analyst: S2A1 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269 Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report. //END REPORT//

A woman stops for a quick errand and returns to her car to find an abandoned old man in the front seat. Another woman fights to stay herself while the world around her turns cruel and unpredictable. Those are the sparks behind Saverio and XY, two LADFF short films that hit with humor, heartbreak, and the kind of specificity that makes a story feel uncomfortably universal.We sit down with writer-director Ellen Ancui to talk about her winding path from New York theater to TV writing, the “golden handcuffs” of stable work, and what finally pushed her to direct her debut film. She shares how a real encounter with elder abandonment led to Saverio, why “granny dumping” is more common than people think, and how you write a short film where every line earns its place. We also get practical about indie production: letting locations reshape the script, collaborating early with an editor, and making the set move faster through better communication.Then we're joined by director and director/co-writer Stephen Fleet and co-writer and star JL Perkell to unpack XY, authenticity in queer and trans storytelling, and the creative trust it takes to build a film together from page to edit. They break down a devastating one-take phone monologue, discuss the theme of how America fails its queer communities, and offer hard-won directing advice for anyone sitting on a script and waiting for permission.Subscribe for more filmmaker conversations, share this with a friend heading to a film festival, and leave a review with the moment that stayed with you.❗️SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE ❗️Support the showSign up for our Patreon for exclusive Bonus Content.Follow the podcast on Instagram @gimmethreepodcastYou can  keep up with Bella on Instagram @portraitofacinephile or Letterboxd You can keep up with Nick: on Instagram @nicholasybarra, on Twitter (X) @nicholaspybarra, or on LetterboxdShout out to contributor and producer Sonja Mereu. A special thanks to Anselm Kennedy for creating Gimme Three's theme music. And another special thanks to Zoe Baumann for creating our exceptional cover art.

How do you scale innovation in a fragmented system you don't fully control? That is the challenge Highland Electric Fleets faced as it worked to replace diesel school buses with electric vehicles across the United States. In this episode from 2025, Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Highland Electric founder and CEO Duncan McIntyre join host Brian Kenny to discuss the Harvard Business School case, “'The Wheels on the Bus' Go Electric: Highland Electric Fleets and Partners,” and what it takes to scale a climate solution while sustaining momentum and coordinating across public and private sectors.

Fleet safety has always been important, but the way leading fleets approach it is changing. Rather than simply responding to accidents after they occur or focusing on compliance, many are using data, technology, and AI to identify risk earlier, improve driver performance, and prevent incidents before they happen. What separates these fleets from the rest, ... Read more The post [Video] Predictive Safety: What Sets the Best Fleets Apart appeared first on Talking Logistics with Adrian Gonzalez.

It's #346rd for the 27st of August, 2026 or 3312! (33-Oh-twelven) You can find us at our website: http://loosescrewsed.com Discord https://discord.gg/3Vfap47ReaSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LooseScrewsEDSquadron Briefing:  BGS highlights: Only Bloomingwind cares (Lark cares too…) Boom and Expansion out of 7A, Boom in V2151 CygniIn 455 star systems, still controlling 140, we lost a solar systemNo wars or elections of importShort PP Report: Cycle 95:Relics Rush part 2, Perfect pawed princess boogaloo! The Soontil Relic Rush bled into this cycle The Prismatic Princess won the week with 7 strongholds, 5 forts and 73 new systems. Frat boy Yong Rui was 2nd with 4 Strongholds, 7 forts and 29 new systems. Kaine, Emperor and Mahon round out the top 5Friend of the Podcast Archon Delaine, the power several of our squad defected to was 9th this week 7 forts an a stronghold, despite losing 5 exploited systems.Archer had it's first positive week in some time, coming in 10th with 9 new systems, a fort and a strongholdPatreus came in last but with a positive showingPowerplay rankingsDev News: Ship sale Fleet carrier stuff, Trailblazers stuff, new and old ship stuff and on foot stuff. Too much stuff to discuss. Get it while it is hot.Dev Blog - Rhino and New OperationPrepare to be under Siege - On Ground opsGalnet News: Galnet News | Elite Dangerous Community Site  Research sheds new light on Industrial Mining (Surface mining)Colonia Celebrations conclude with opening of MegamarketDiscussion Topic: Discussion - Rhino: New Career, New Grind, or New Frontier?

Are claims about the Dark Fleet real? We examine the evidence behind space fleet launches and alleged activity at Eglin AFB.This breakdown analyzes the origins and theories surrounding the Dark Fleet, including historical connections to WWII operations. We explore specific reports regarding the abandonment of bases on the Moon and Mars, and investigate the curious claims linking celebrity cloning to covert military projects.Whether you are researching ancient alien structures or tracking modern aerospace rumors, this video provides a clear overview of these controversial topics. We synthesize the available information so you can understand the core arguments presented by proponents of these theories without the speculation.Subscribe for weekly investigative breakdowns, and comment below on which theory you want us to examine next.Topics: Exopolitics Institute's Certificate Program starts on Sept 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHhlN8sRPRcArea 51 Cleared, Then the Moon Was Attacked? Gene Decode Reveals an Earth Alliance War https://exopolitics.org/area-51-cleared-then-the-moon-was-attacked-gene-decode-reveals-an-earth-alliance-war/Analysis of Dark Fleet attacks on Lunar Operations Command, Antarctica and Ceres https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2091906087771357267 Space Fleet Launches from Eglin AFB DUMB in Emergency Military Operation—Dark Fleet Attack? https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2092201818478575838GFL Station has produced another masterpiece of wisdom on how to prepare for a post-disclosure world with advanced tech & open contact while establishing human sovereignty. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2092442860071026734 JP's launches a website with information about his covert missions, many of which took place while serving in the US Army's elite 7th Special Forces Group at Eglin AFB, Florida. https://www.jpmissions.com/ Was Dolly Parton a clone? https://x.com/JourneytoTruth5/status/2092384449254355139 Multiple sources discuss recent military activities at Area 51, Antarctica, the Moon, and Ceres involving battles between White Hats/Space Force and the German-led Dark Fleet. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/2092610780344545489 Join Dr. Salla on Patreon for Early Releases, Webinar Perks and More. Visit https://Patreon.com/MichaelSalla/

Qantas Airways will retire its Airbus A380s from 2028 and phase out its A330 fleet, replacing them with more fuel-efficient aircraft. Vanessa Hudson, Qantas Group CEO, speaks to host Guy Johnson about the challenges and opportunities facing the business and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Admiral Foggo sits down with the Honorable Ben Kohlmann, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, for a wide-ranging conversation on recruiting, retention, and readiness and to discuss the work he does every day to modernize the Department of the Navy's workforce. The two talk recruiting, retention, and readiness across the active and reserve force, and Kohlmann shares how he's excited to draw on his experience in the private sector to drive change inside the military.Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Johnson Group Defense.

Alan Morrissey was joined by James Lafferty, Honorary Treasurer of the Irish Red Cross Clare Branch, at a particularly challenging time for the organisation.  Following a road accident earlier this month, the branch has lost a 15-seater Community Support vehicle and is now facing a fleet replacement bill of more than €500,000 over the coming years.  With major fundraising events, two parachute jumps and a recruitment open night all coming up, James is appealing to the people of Clare for their support. Photo (c) Clare FM

Why would a truck driver spend thousands of dollars .... and an entire weekend ..... making a WORKING truck look better than some people's houses? Because this isn't really about chrome. And it damn sure isn't vanity. On this episode of Brake Check, Charles  sits down with Evan Steger of Evan's Detailing & Polishing / Time2Shine and David Lowry of Bennett Motor Express to uncover what truck pride is actually worth .... to the driver, the trucking company, the value of the equipment, and something much bigger than any trophy. We're going inside Stars, Stripes & White Lines, where working trucks aren't treated like trailer queens. Some competitors must prove tens of thousands of working miles, drive into the show under their own power, and then face serious judging to see who's really earned the shine. But that's only half the story. The weekend supports the mission of placing wreaths on veterans' graves at Andersonville National Cemetery through Wreaths Across America. We dig into the real business behind truck appearance and driver pride: Does keeping a truck show-clean increase resale value? Can pride in equipment improve driver retention? What does it actually cost an owner-operator to maintain that shine? Why do carriers invest in truck shows? And what can a fleet owner learn from drivers willing to spend their own money taking care of company equipment? Then we get to the reason this weekend exists in the first place: Remembering the Americans who served long after the trucks leave the speedway. Show trucks. Working trucks. Heavy haul. Owner-operators. Truck polishing. Driver pride. Fleet culture. Wreaths Across America. Veterans.It all comes together here. Because sometimes chrome isn't about showing off. Sometimes it reflects something worth remembering. #Trucking #TruckShow #ShowTrucks #OwnerOperator #WreathsAcrossAmerica #TruckDrivers #HeavyHaul #TruckingIndustry ⁠Follow the Brake Check Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many leaders during World War II were shaped by their service in World War I. Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King was no exception. During World War II, King held the unprecedented dual role of Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, and Chief of Naval Operations. As the U.S. Navy's senior operational leader, King directed U.S. Navy planning, operations, and administration during that war. But what do we know about his World War I service? And how did those early experiences influence his leadership and strategic vision decades later? To help explore these questions, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. David Kohnen, author of King's Navy: Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King and the Rise of American Sea Power, 1897–1947. Have a comment about this episode? Send us a text message! (Note: we can read texts, but we cannot respond.) Follow us:Twitter: @MacArthur1880 Amanda Williams on Twitter:  @AEWilliamsClarkFacebook/Instagram: @MacArthurMemorialwww.macarthurmemorial.org 

In this episode, we're diving into the critical world of freight cyber security with my guests from the NMFTA, Joe Ohr and Ben Wilkins!  Joe and Ben share the upcoming NMFTA Cybersecurity Conference happening in Long Beach from September 29th through October 1st, which is an invaluable event for anyone serious about protecting their business.  Cargo theft in the transportation industry is becoming incredibly sophisticated, with bad actors executing targeted hits on high-value technology shipments that push the average value of stolen freight to over half a million dollars per incident.  We break down exactly how these cyber criminals are breaching our systems through social engineering, unauthorized access, and exploiting new hires, emphasizing why we must share both our wins and our losses to harden our defenses across the board.  Tune in to get the actionable insights you need to secure your supply chain, combat cyber crime, and keep your customers' freight moving safely! To register for the 2026 NMFTA Cybersecurity Conference, visit https://cyber.nmfta.org/cybersecurity-conference/register!  

Today, a logistics veteran and Making Safety Happen author, Brian Fielkow, gets down to the bottom line of trucking safety and why it is a massive competitive advantage in today's market! We dive into the realities of the post-Montgomery logistics landscape, breaking down exactly why freight brokers and shippers can no longer afford to skimp on carrier vetting if they want to protect their supply chain from nuclear verdicts. Brian shares how to shatter the silos between operations and safety, build a bulletproof safety culture where frontline drivers can report hazards without fear of retaliation, and turn proactive risk management into a heavy-hitting sales tool.  It is time to stop treating safety like a compliance checkbox and start using it to win better freight, so tune in, and let's get after it!   About Brian Fielkow Brian L. Fielkow is a recognized business leader, board director, and advisor known for transforming how organizations manage safety, risk, and performance. Previously, as CEO of Jetco Delivery, he built one of North America's most admired logistics companies, earning national recognition for its safety culture. Brian recently released his book Making Safety Happen.   Connect with Brian Website: https://brianfielkow.com/  Making Safety Happen on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Safety-Happen-Productive-Profitable-ebook/dp/B0GX2ZXGFY   

New evidence regarding government awareness of non-human intelligence suggests active extraterrestrial sites exist on Earth. Learn the truth about space arks and undersea bases.Dr. Michael Salla examines reports concerning the AUTEC undersea base and its potential connection to larger, global anomalies. This discussion provides a detailed analysis of how these operations relate to current claims of non-human intelligence interactions. If you follow developments in UAP research or official government awareness programs, this breakdown clarifies the alleged timeline of these events.Beyond underwater activity, we look at reports involving the Space Force and a reported conflict on the moon. By reviewing patient testimonies and recent intelligence updates, you will gain a clearer picture of the unusual phenomena currently being investigated. This overview connects the dots between space arks and the broader narrative of extraterrestrial presence within our solar system.Subscribe for weekly intelligence briefings on UAP developments and extraterrestrial research, and comment below with your questions on the AUTEC findings.Join Dr. Salla on Patreon for Early Releases, Webinar Perks and More. Visit https://Patreon.com/MichaelSalla/

Tyler Sentman, vice president of finance at Voltera, a company founded in 2022 that builds and operates charging stations that serves fleets of robotaxis and other electric vehicles, joins the program to explain its promise and impediments of the charging station buildout. (08/2026)

Tyler Sentman, vice president of finance at Voltera, a company founded in 2022 that builds and operates charging stations that serves fleets of robotaxis and other electric vehicles, joins the program to explain its promise and impediments of the charging station buildout. (08/2026)

The first of Russia and Iran's aging shadow fleet is sinking. The tanker is carrying ~1 million barrels of crude bound for India, but that oil is already leaking into the water off the Omani coast. Join the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PeterZeihan Full Newsletter: https://bit.ly/4fSbqTM

The Fleet Indian Stakes is DRF's Friday Race of the Day for August 21. David Aragona and Mike Beer offer their picks and analysis.

On this second consecutive self-steering episode of Quick Charge, we take a look at how Tesla increased its national self-driving Robotaxi fleet by half with the stroke of a pen, and see how the company's autonomous deployments compare to the rest of the world's.

GENERAL MANAGER PANEL (CAM NEELY BRUINS, CRAIG BRESLOW SOX, CURT ONALFO REVS, DOME GUASCH LEGACY, DANIELLE MARMER FLEET)

This hour, Ian drops the 2 O'clock News bomb and talks about the President once again blaming vandals for damage done to the White House lawn after the 250 event, the current staff of the USS Abraham Lincoln, and more. Then, Matthew, the offical SOTA Ukraine Correspondent, joins the show to talk about how drones are evolving, how Ukraine's drone fleet absolutely smoked the U.S. Army in a recent war game, and what the deteriorating situation inside Russia means for the future of the war.

#597 The independent alternative to the partisan voices you're used to

What really happened on the Moon on July 27?Dr. Katharine Milano returns to Exopolitics Today with an extraordinary account of what she says was a surprise Dark Fleet attack on Lunar Operations Command on the far side of the Moon.According to Milano, three waves of Dark Fleet spacecraft entered Earth's vicinity through temporal “time bubbles” and launched a coordinated assault against Space Force forces stationed around the Moon. She says the attack caused devastating losses before other extraterrestrial groups intervened.But the story gets even bigger.Milano says the Dark Fleet may have made a catastrophic mistake. By launching the attack after a major galactic peace agreement had already been reached, they allegedly violated the treaty without realizing it. That miscalculation, she says, may now have opened the door for positive extraterrestrial civilizations to move against remaining Dark Fleet forces throughout the galaxy.Dr. Michael Salla and Katharine also discuss Lunar Operations Command, Space Force communications, Ceres, Antarctica, the Ashtar Command, the Irma, Solar Warden, mysterious observations near the Moon, and several unusual events that occurred shortly after the alleged attack.If Katharine's information is accurate, July 27 may have marked far more than a battle around the Moon. It may have been a turning point in a much larger conflict.Watch the full interview and decide for yourself what these extraordinary claims could mean for Earth and the future of our solar system.Join Dr. Salla on Patreon for Early Releases, Webinar Perks and More. Visit https://Patreon.com/MichaelSalla/

Operation Midnight Hammer through the eyes of the people who flew it. SSgt Dray was a weapons technician responsible for the munitions and countermeasure systems on the F-16s, arming the Wild Weasels who flew Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses ahead of the B-2 strike on Iran. Watch the three-part documentary series on Afterburn Defense: Part I: https://youtu.be/MgQ_X3Td8a4 Part II: https://youtu.be/GzdL6NMYDso Part III: https://youtu.be/Xc22-2RaGSY This is the full interview. He is one of the airmen who put the weapons on the jets. In this conversation he explains what it actually takes to reconfigure a fleet of F-16s from one mission to another, the failure he chased down that nobody could explain, what changed for him when he realized this was not training, and the night the loading told him something was about to happen. Before Iran, the 55th Fighter Squadron fought over Yemen in Operation Rough Rider, a sustained air campaign against Houthi surface-to-air threats. What they learned there is the reason the F-16 Block 50 and the AGM-88 HARM were part of the strike package on June 21st, 2025. These interviews were recorded between December 2025 and January 2026 and preserve firsthand accounts from pilots, maintainers, intelligence officers, and logistics airmen who were there. 0:00 What a Weapons Technician Actually Does 2:10 Spinning Up Before the Deployment 8:30 Reconfiguring a Fleet of F-16s 12:35 Arriving in Theater During Rough Rider 14:42 The Failure Nobody Could Explain 19:24 This Wasn't Training Anymore 20:48 The Night Something Was About to Happen Have a story? Want to Connect? Advertise? https://theafterburnpodcast.com/contact/

*Originally Uploaded as Doug & Andy Go Down Deep Into Mexico to Patreon and Youtube Members with footage of the guys getting dentistry down in Mexico Doug, Chad Shank and Andy Andrist reminisce about prank calls, petty scams and abandoned hidden-camera ideas before turning the FunHouse into a writers' room for an elaborate new prank. Plus: frivolous lawsuits, Killer Termites, AI, Ridiculousness and why it's always handy to have a fleet of lawyers. For free shipping on your order & 365-day returns go to https://www.Quince.com/stanhope  If you're 21 or older, get 30% OFF your first order @ IndaCloud with code STANHOPE at https://inda.shop/STANHOPE #indacloudpod 

What can a group of Salt Lakers get from the developer of the Fleet Block on 800 South? Host Ali Vallarta asks Central Ninth resident Kerri Nakamura what's on the table for the city's first ever community benefits agreement. Learn more about the Fleet Block project.  Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more.  Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (801) 203-0137 Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:  Magnify Utah Steelcoated Epoxy Floors Utah Presents at Kingsbury Hall

“WHO GETS THE LAST DANCE? STEVE & NAN RANK THE ASTAIRE & ROGERS FILMS” - 8/10/2026 (152) This week on From Beneath The Hollywood Sign, we're putting on our dancing shoes for one of classic Hollywood's greatest screen pairings: FRED ASTAIRE & GINGER ROGERS. From dazzling Art Deco ballrooms to unforgettable musical numbers, we're attempting the impossible—ranking every Astaire & Rogers film from least favorite to absolute masterpiece. Which classics soar to the top? Which ones deserve another look? And just how heated can a debate about Golden Age musicals get? Whether you're a lifelong fan of classic cinema or just discovering why Astaire and Rogers remain the gold standard for movie musicals, this episode is packed with lively discussion, hot takes, and plenty of love for Hollywood's most iconic dance duo. SHOW NOTES:  Sources: Fred & Ginger: The Astaire/Rogers Partnership 1934-1939 (2007), by Hannah Hyam; “Shall We Dance?Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire's On-Screen Romance,” August 27, 2023, by Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair; “85 Years of Fred and Ginger,” October 15, 2019, by Aurora, Once Upon a Screen Blog; Wikipedia.com TCM.com; IMDBPro.com; Movies Mentioned: Flying Down to Rio (1933) – staring Delores Del Rio, Gene Raymond, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Eric Blore & Franklin Pangborn The Gay Divorcee (1934) – Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes, Betty Grable, Eric Blore, & Alice Brady; Roberta (1935) – starring Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott, Helen Westley, Claire Dodd & Luis Alberni; Top Hat (1935) – starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes, Eric Blore, Helen Broderick & Lucille Ball: Follow the Fleet (1936) – Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott, Betty Grable, Harriet Hilliard, Lucille Ball, & Astrid Allwyn;  Swing Time (1936) – starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Victor Moore, Helen Broderick, Eric Blore, Betty Furness, & Georges Mataxa Shall We Dance (1937) – Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore, Jerome Cowan, & Ketti Gallian;  Carefree (1938) - starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Ralph Bellamy, Jack Carson, Luella Gear, & Franklin Pangborn; The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) – Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver, Walter Brennan, & Janet Beecher, & Lew Fields; The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) – Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Billie Burke, Oscar Levant, Gale Robbins, Jacques Francois & George Zucco; --------------------------------- http://www.airwavemedia.com Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Holmes and Gordon Chang address the critical lack of frigates in the U.S. Navy, which Holmes describes as essential low-cost platforms for monitoring adversaries. The current fleet is "top-heavy," relying on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers that are overworked. Holmes explains that the new Constellation-class frigate program has been delayed because the Navy continues to "monkey with the designs," resulting in vessels that are destroyer-sized but under-armed. Meanwhile, China and Russia have conducted joint naval exercises since 2005 to improve interoperability and provide military options in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Holmes suggests the U.S. should consider leveraging the superior shipbuilding capacity of allies like South Korea, which claims it could produce five Arleigh Burkes annually, whereas the U.S. struggles to build two. The focus remains on regaining the ability to build plentiful, cost-effective combatants. (3)

00:00:00 – Solo-show setup and missing cohosts 00:04:54 – Giant UFOs cross the moon 00:14:14 – Bigelow urges Trump to confirm nonhuman presence 00:23:57 – Corporate gatekeepers control alien technology 00:28:53 – Skinwalker Ranch guards face spirit attacks 00:33:51 – Remote viewer explains alien space travel 00:41:30 – Congress backs Morocco's Spanish territorial claims 00:41:30 – Hebrew searches deepen Charlie Kirk suspicions 00:46:31 – Andrew Wilson challenges Candace Owens to debate 00:51:10 – Saudi-led investors buy Electronic Arts 00:51:10 – GPS jamming blamed for a fatal crash 00:55:53 – Earth's magnetic field may bias decisions 01:05:37 – Callers debate the Project Anchor gravity hoax 01:14:45 – Callers trade alternative-history channels 01:19:33 – Star Nation News maps galactic power shifts 01:24:20 – Alien-species sourcing faces scrutiny 01:28:19 – Show wrap and live-band plans Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Phone: 614-388-9109 ► Skype: ourbigdumbmouth ► Website: http://obdmpod.com ► Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/obdmpod ► Full Videos at Odysee: https://odysee.com/@obdm:0 ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/obdmpod ► Instagram: obdmpod ► Email: ourbigdumbmouth at gmail ► RSS: http://ourbigdumbmouth.libsyn.com/rss ► iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/our-big-dumb-mouth/id261189509?mt=2