Podcasts about fortified

Shop my all-natural skincare products at Arvoti.com.The version of milk most people grew up with is not the version nature made, and the difference matters more than people think.I've been drinking raw milk for five or six years, starting with a weekly drop-off from a farm four hours away, then driving 90 minutes each week to get it, then raising my own Jersey cow, and now milking my own dairy goats and sheep.Most people only know the gallon jug version of milk. Standardized. Pasteurized. Homogenized. Fortified.They've never watched cream rise on its own. They've never tasted milk from an animal foraging on pasture. They've never questioned why the cream gets stripped out and sold back to them as ice cream, while the milk gets refortified with synthetic vitamins.In this episode, I go over what raw milk contains, what processing does to it, and how I grew up drinking skim milk during a generation now dealing with skyrocketing hormone issues.If anyone has ever pushed back on you about raw milk, this is the episode that helps you stand your ground.You'll Learn:[0:00] Introduction[4:03] Why generations valued raw milk and what the headlines never tell you[8:36] How skim milk, fortification, and the ice cream industry profit off the same gallon twice[11:31] All 22 essential minerals, complete amino acids, and why one food can do it all[13:56] What pasteurization destroys and why filthy dairies were the real problem[15:59] Homogenization, fat globules, and why convenience changed milk forever[17:30] Why fat-free milk strips the very delivery system your hormones depend on[20:48] Soil, happy animals, and the connection that makes milk worth drinkingRelated Gubba Homestead Episodes:5 Things Women Aren't Told About Healthcare Products & ScreeningsResources Mentioned:Root Revival Hair Serum | ShopFind more from Gubba:Gubba Homestead | X | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | WebsiteGubba Homestead Products | Shop

Hear the message from Ps Ashley Evans from our 10:30am service on Sunday June 21! We stream our services live every Sunday at 10:30am ET on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠so make sure you subscribe and get notifications to join us live.

Courtney is a Certified Christian Financial Counselor, Founder of the Center for Financial Discipleship, speaker, author, and the host of the Idle Treasure podcast. Her days are full of helping stewards grow in generosity and step into their God-given gifts. She specializes in working with leaders who want to avoid the dangers of wealth and pursue a higher kingdom calling. The desire of her heart is to see Christians fall more deeply in love with Jesus, pick up their cross and follow him with everything they have.

There's still time to sign up for the fortified roofs lottery…and some New Orleans residents could get extra help. We'll get the details from William Stoudt, executive director of Rebuilding Together New Orleans.

Alethea Felton shares on this episode of the Vibrant Living Podcast about obedience, uncertainty, leadership, and what happens when God asks you to move before you fully understand where He is taking you. Alethea talks about fear, transition, trust, mentorship, and learning that authority does not come from having everything figured out. It grows through obedience, often long before confidence shows up. This is an honest conversation for anyone who has ever felt stretched between what feels safe and what they sense God calling them toward. This conversation was originally recorded during FORTIFIED: Women Rising in Authority, Ease, and Joy.In this episode, we talk about:Obedience and spiritual authorityFear, uncertainty, and trustLeadership and growthMentorship and supportMoving before you feel fully readyLearning to discern God's direction

rWotD Episode 3330: Fortified Area of Silesia Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Tuesday, 16 June 2026, is Fortified Area of Silesia.The Fortified Area of Silesia (Polish: Obszar Warowny Śląsk) was a set of Polish fortifications, constructed along the interbellum border of Poland and Germany in the area of then-divided Upper Silesia and in the Dąbrowa Basin that is part of Lesser Poland. It spreads from the village of Przeczyce (part of the Dąbrowa Basin) in the north to the town of Wyry in the south, along the line of sixty kilometers. Headquarters of the area was placed in Chorzów and its commandant was General Jan Jagmin-Sadowski.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:11 UTC on Tuesday, 16 June 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Fortified Area of Silesia on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Brian.

This week we sat down with Hunter Barrett of Fortified Cotton Seed to break down one of the most talked-about shifts in modern whitetail management—moving away from traditional corn piles and high-cost protein feeds toward a more natural, cost-effective alternative.Hunter walks us through how cottonseed-based supplementation is being used by land managers and hunters across the South to support body condition, antler growth, and herd health without the drawbacks that often come with heavy corn feeding. We dig into when and how to use cottonseed, how it compares nutritionally to corn and pelleted protein, and what role it can realistically play in year-round deer management strategies.Whether you manage a small food plot or thousands of acres, this conversation challenges the way we think about supplemental feeding for whitetail deer and offers practical insight you can apply right away heading into the season.https://fortifiedcottonseed.com/DAYTONA 55 TICKETS!!!- https://daytonaarchersinc.com/event/daytona-55/#tribe-tickets__tickets-formHangFree- https://hangfree.co/ Use code UPO10 at checkout for 10% off your next order!Dayton Archers Club- https://daytonaarchersinc.com/ Mention UPO and get 10% off your membershipBecome a Patron- https://www.patreon.com/user?u=45295718UPO Gear & Such- https://uponation.co/ UPO Social Media- https://linktr.ee/underpressureoutdoors

New Orleans will be helping some homeowners cover the costs of getting a fortified roof. We get the details from Councilmember Matthew Willard.

* The Louisiana Public Health Institute is hosting an event on Monday to address one of the most pressing health issues in the state: youth vaping. * New Orleans will be helping some homeowners cover the costs of getting a fortified roof. We'll get the details from Councilmember Matthew Willard.

Amanda Hietter shares on this episode of the Vibrant Living Podcast about surviving, abuse, surrender, and what happens when you realize you have spent years carrying life in survival mode. Not thriving. Not truly living. Just surviving. Amanda speaks honestly about fear, control, healing, and learning to trust God again in places where life had taught her to brace for impact. There is something steady and grounding about this conversation. No pretending. Just authentic truth. Just a woman who has been there and is finding her way back. This conversation was originally recorded during FORTIFIED: Women Rising in Authority, Ease, and Joy.In this episode, we talk about:Survival mode and emotional exhaustionAbuse and healingFear, surrender, and trustLearning to receive supportLiving differently instead of just copingWhat real freedom begins to look like

There's a difference between knowing about God and learning how to stay connected to Him in the middle of real life. In this conversation from FORTIFIED: Women Rising in Authority, Ease, and Joy, Laurie Cavanaugh shares her journey through burnout, breast cancer, striving, healing, and rediscovering a personal relationship with God through the practice of praise. What makes Laurie's story powerful is not perfection. It's honesty. She talks about the slow drift so many women experience while carrying responsibility, performing, pushing through, and quietly losing connection to themselves and to God. And she shares how praise became more than worship for her. It became healing. Alignment. Activation. A way of living.In this episode, we talk about:✨ The difference between performing and truly connecting with God✨ Burnout, striving, and emotional exhaustion✨ How praise shifts your internal atmosphere✨ Healing after difficult seasons✨ Why support and accountability matter✨ Learning to receive help before everything falls apartLaurie's message from FORTIFIED is called: The Power of Praise to Heal, Transform, and Activate

A UGA honors graduate, serial entrepreneur, podcast host, and author living out a passionate pursuit of purpose in faith, family, and business.

Promises Fulfilled and Fortified (Joshua 20-21) Rivertown Church is a Christ-centered community that exists to worship God and make disciples of Jesus for the glory of God and the joy of all peoples. For more about our church, please visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or join us Sundays at 10:30am at 28 Birge Street in Brattleboro, VT for our worship gathering.

It's #335st for 4nd June, 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: - Bloom 6/4427 -> 431 Systems, Controlling 130 -> 1322 wars plus 2 elections of mild interestExpansion pending out of IC 2602 Sector XL-I a11-0 - Probably to nowhereBooms in 7A, Qama and V2151 CygniBoom and Public Holiday in NLTT 2969 an LYR mining stronghold - Platinum 234K/T, Osmium 181K/T, LTD 583,800/TBust and Civil Unrest in Cephei Sector QS-U b2-5Droughts in Miola and Howard - Bring water!Infrastructure Failure in BD+44 4389 - But sadly we do not control Vinogradov City so no sweet gold washingGroundbreaking occurred at Brick Memorial Station's construction site in IC 2602 Sector ZU-Y d103 (ABC 3 Ring A) - We have need of Titanium, Aluminium, Steel and CMM Composites!Short PP Report: Bloom 6/4Cycle 83(The Bloomentary in the event Kruger is too busy to editorialize)Another big week for Antal with 6 Exploited, 1 Fortified and 3 StrongoldsDuval 2nd with 9 Exploited, including Alpha Centauri, 0 Forts and 2 StrongholdsKaine, in 3rd, continues to play Risk like a noob with 14 exploited, 1 fortified, and 1 stronghold. Psi Kappa Omega brother Li Yong Rui is 4th with 2 exploited and 4 fortifiedMahon rounding out the top 5 with 5 exploited and 3 fortifiedRough week for the Emperor losing 8 exploited, 2 fortified but creating 2 strongholdsRougher week for Archer the only net negative by Kruger Reckoning this week with -7 exploited, -2 fortified for -0.178 points. The only power with a negative trajectory of late. https://www.k5elite.com/Dev News: Bloom 6/46/2 - Discover the Nomadhttps://www.elitedangerous.com/news/discover-nomadPanther Clipper and T8 paint jobs and kits on saleGalnet News: Galnet News | Elite Dangerous Community Site  Bloom 6/46/4 Frontline Solutions announces expansion of servicesNew Vessel for Operations TransportCG - 1 Ton of Aluminium, Polymers or semiconductors for 2 paint jobs (PCII and T-8). 6/1 New Reports of Criminal Fleet Raises QuestionsDiscussion : New Crap. The Role of Roleplay in the gameBloominwind's Power Play Rank List ⚫ - None of the below! (Are you listening FDEV!) 

Frankie Capparelli is the Director of People Strategy & Brand at Rushton, a CPA firm in Gainesville, GA. He specializes in leadership development, workplace culture, and business growth, with experience across retail, nonprofit, technology, and professional services industries.

The legislature is giving the fortified roof program more money. We check in with Representative Paul Sawyer about what his bill will do.

Louisiana is expanding the fortified roof program, and the next lottery opens on June 1. We get all the details from Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple

Louisiana is expanding the fortified roof program thanks to a new bill signed by Governor Landry, and the next lottery opens on June 1. We get all the details from State Rep. Paul Sawyer and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple.

* The fortified roof lottery is opening back up. Here's what to know * "Email incivility" is a big problem. How to avoid it, how to handle it * Beef prices are up, up, up. How long will they stay that way? * How fortified roofs can lower insurance costs * Congress has another bill on college sports. Does it stand a chance?

BioConsumer Investigator Dale Cardwell is a six-time Emmy award-winning journalist and TV and radio host based in Atlanta. In 2009, he founded TrustDALE, a free online research and referral site for consumers. His website certifies companies based on a seven-point investigative standard that Dale developed from 30-plus years of analyzing how consumers got burned. He realized that identifying companies that weren't engaging in those negative practices would proactively protect consumers. When consumers choose companies certified by the TrustDALE team, they are further protected by the TrustDALE $10,000 Make It Right Guarantee™.

Josh Ireland details how, in Mexico, Trotsky faced constant threats from Stalin's assassins. Despite the fortified walls of his compound, the NKVD relentlessly monitored his correspondence and successfully infiltrated his inner circle with undercover agents. (4/16)1906

BioRick Meekins is a battle-tested strategic growth leader and business operations architect with over 30 years of entrepreneurial experience. Known for his direct, resilient leadership style, Rick works alongside founders to inspire relentless pursuit, drive strategic execution, and build companies that create lasting impact within the communities they serve.Through decades in the trenches of entrepreneurship—leading teams, scaling businesses, navigating crises, and forging resilient operations—Rick understands the real challenges entrepreneurs face. His mission is clear: to equip builders with the insights, frameworks, and discipline needed to pursue excellence without compromise, endure hard seasons, and build companies that outlast them.

864.Does putting spinach in your smoothie cancel out the calcium? Will your morning cup of tea prevent you from absorbing iron? In this episode, Monica looks into the science of mineral absorption and explores the truth behind "anti-nutrients" like oxalates, tannins, and fiber.While certain compounds in food can bind to minerals—like the oxalates in spinach or tannins in tea—the body has built-in buffers to keep you healthy. In this episode, we discuss:The Spinach paradox: Why the calcium in greens isn't always bioavailable.Iron inhibitors: How coffee and tea affect iron levels (and how Vitamin C can help).The fiber myth: Why a high-fiber diet won't lead to mineral deficiencies.Fortified foods vs. supplements: Is calcium-fortified orange juice or soymilk better than a pill?The good news is the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) already accounts for these interactions. Tune in to learn why a varied diet is your best defense and why you probably don't need to micromanage your meals to get the minerals you need.Nutrition Diva is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast, hosted by Monica Reinegal.New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best episodes curated by our team and Monica herself! We've also curated some great playlists on specific episode topics including Staying Strong as We Age, Diabetes, Weight Loss That Lasts and Gut Health! Also, find a playlist of our bone health series, Stronger Bones at Every Age. Have a question for Nutrition Diva? Email: nutrition@quickanddirtytips.comFind Monica at wellnessworkshere.comDiscover more from Nutrition Diva:Facebook LinkedInNewsletterTranscripts available at QuickandDirtyTips.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jayme Shiarla is a human behavior expert who helps people understand themselves on a deeper level. Specializing in working with high-achievers, Jayme empowers successful professionals to move beyond career accomplishments and create greater fulfillment, balance, and purpose in their personal lives.

Parenting can feel overwhelming in today's world, but God's Word provides clear guidance for raising children. Children are precious gifts from God, not burdens or interruptions to our plans. As parents, we serve as stewards of God's children, responsible for modeling faith and depositing truth into their lives. We must protect them from harmful influences while creating a home culture of love and respect. The opportunity to shape young lives for God's kingdom is incredible, yet the time we have is shockingly brief - by age 12, we've spent 75% of our in-person time with our children. This reality should motivate us to cherish each season and be intentional about pointing our children toward their heavenly Father.

The financial sector didn't just enable Jeffrey Epstein—they fortified him. For decades, elite institutions like JPMorgan Chase continued to do business with Epstein long after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor, ignoring internal warnings, compliance red flags, and credible allegations of abuse. High-ranking executives maintained close relationships, funneled vast sums through opaque accounts, and even joked about his grotesque proclivities in internal emails. Bankers helped him move millions across borders, granted him access to ultra-wealthy clients, and never asked the kind of questions they would demand from an average customer depositing a suspicious $10,000. These weren't oversights—they were decisions. Deliberate, profitable, and saturated with moral rot.At every turn, the financial institutions chose profit over principle. They ignored the trail of victims, the mountain of press coverage, and the glaring signs of criminality, all in exchange for Epstein's connections and capital. Even as civil suits piled up and survivors came forward, these firms were more concerned with protecting their reputations than cutting ties with a known predator. The result wasn't just a financial scandal—it was systemic complicity. The banks didn't just launder his money. They laundered his legitimacy, allowing him to continue operating as a global financier, when in truth he was running an empire built on exploitation and secrecy.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

The financial sector didn't just enable Jeffrey Epstein—they fortified him. For decades, elite institutions like JPMorgan Chase continued to do business with Epstein long after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor, ignoring internal warnings, compliance red flags, and credible allegations of abuse. High-ranking executives maintained close relationships, funneled vast sums through opaque accounts, and even joked about his grotesque proclivities in internal emails. Bankers helped him move millions across borders, granted him access to ultra-wealthy clients, and never asked the kind of questions they would demand from an average customer depositing a suspicious $10,000. These weren't oversights—they were decisions. Deliberate, profitable, and saturated with moral rot.At every turn, the financial institutions chose profit over principle. They ignored the trail of victims, the mountain of press coverage, and the glaring signs of criminality, all in exchange for Epstein's connections and capital. Even as civil suits piled up and survivors came forward, these firms were more concerned with protecting their reputations than cutting ties with a known predator. The result wasn't just a financial scandal—it was systemic complicity. The banks didn't just launder his money. They laundered his legitimacy, allowing him to continue operating as a global financier, when in truth he was running an empire built on exploitation and secrecy.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

In less than 100 years, plastic has gone from a novel invention to a ubiquitous feature across the globe. Plastic is now found in everything from household objects to industrial mechanisms to inside human bodies themselves. Once a marvel of modern science, plastic has become so inextricably woven into our lives that imagining a world without it can seem impossible. Backed by years of research and reflections taking place in real time with changing technology and environmental awareness, The Problem with Plastic critically examines the paradox of this material and how swiftly its integration has affected public health and the planet as a whole. The book explores how, despite being first celebrated for its innovations, plastic is now broadly recognized as a leading contributor to environmental pollution at every level, the climate crisis, and building waste levels that disproportionately impact marginalized communities that bear the brunt of petrochemical pollution. Author and environmental policy expert Judith Enck, in collaboration with co-author Adam Mahoney and the Beyond Plastics project, strives to draw attention to the alarming extent that microplastics have infiltrated society and the ways consumers can challenge what they think about the roles they can play. Unpacking illusions about recycling, mechanisms of environmental racism, and deceptive greenwashing strategies, the authors emphasize the urgency of calling for real, actionable measures to push against the effects of the plastics industry. The Problem with Plastic highlights powerful stories of frontline resistance in places like Louisiana, Texas, and Appalachia, and seeks to equip readers with practical tools– including a "Household Waste Audit" to track and reduce plastic consumption and model policy guides for driving legislative change. Fortified with calls for individual responsibility, citizen action, and governmental regulations, The Problem with Plastic aims to show that while plastic is a formidable problem, coordinated efforts can lead to solutions. Judith Enck is the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, whose goal is eliminating plastic pollution everywhere. She was appointed by President Obama to serve as regional administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2009 and served as deputy secretary for the environment in the New York Governor's Office. She is the co-author of The Problem With Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late (The New Press; 2025). She is currently a professor at Bennington College and lives in upstate New York. Bellamy Pailthorp covers the KNKX environment beat with an emphasis on climate justice, human health and food sovereignty. Bellamy likes reporting stories about how we will power our future while maintaining healthy cultures and livable cities. Fluent in German, Bellamy worked in Berlin and has a masters in journalism from Columbia University. She joined KNKX (then KPLU) in 1999. From 2000-2012, she covered the business and labor beat for KNKX. Outside work, she practices yoga, enjoys tasting new foods and is frequently on the water with her rowing team.

Research shows that couples who attend church together are 78% more likely to describe themselves as very happy and 47% less likely to divorce. This reflects the biblical truth found in Ecclesiastes about the strength of a triple-braided cord - two people clinging to each other while being held together by God's presence. Building a shared spiritual life requires fearing and serving God faithfully, throwing away modern idols that compete for our attention, and choosing daily to focus on what matters most. For couples committed to following Christ, this means praying together, worshipping together, having meaningful conversations, holding each other accountable, and encouraging one another daily.

You've heard of the gold at Fort Knox, and while we can't go inside the vault, we do know much about the beginnings of that...

There's a difference between visiting… and living somewhere.You can be welcomed, comfortable, even at peace for a moment…and still feel that subtle sense that you don't belong there. And then there's home. In this episode, I share a quiet but honest question: Where do you actually live with God?Jesus didn't invite us to visit His love.He invited us to make our home there.Not occasionally.Not when things feel hard.Not just to be filled up so we can go back to carrying everything on our own.To live there. If you've been feeling tired, this isn't a call to try harder. It may be an invitation to stop leaving. No pressure.Just a return.If you feel that pull to go deeper, I am hosting Fortified on May 16.A gathering for those ready to stop visiting and start inhabiting.Find out more information and get your seat right here: https://vibrantliving-fortified.carrd.co/

Michael Phillips is an author, entrepreneur, IT industry leader, father, husband, and Christian. His business success and personal faith journey have helped him build a distinguished career focused on making a positive impact on people and organizations.

In our busy culture, marriage often takes a backseat to packed schedules and endless commitments. Even biblical heroes like Moses struggled with overwhelming busyness that wasn't necessarily good. Busyness cuts us off from meaningful connections and robs us of the ability to be truly present with our spouse. The solution isn't eliminating all activities, but establishing clear priorities. Marriage should be viewed as a gift from God, not a chore. We must choose what we want to be great at and make being an excellent spouse one of those priorities. This requires continually pursuing your spouse, enjoying life together, and practicing the art of attention - really looking at and learning about the person you married.

Leadership isn't built on titles, charisma, or quick-fix strategies—it's built from within.On this special episode, Jason welcomes Dr. Matt Paden, co-author of the powerful new book The Core: 8 Principles for Building Strong, Authentic Leadership, which releases on April 21, 2026.In a world filled with noise, pressure, and uncertainty, this timely conversation reveals what truly sustains leaders when it matters most: character, integrity, humility, and purpose.Blending a compelling story with practical leadership wisdom, The Core follows the journey of a young leader whose life is changed through mentorship and timeless principles. Dr. Paden shares how anyone—whether a business professional, parent, educator, entrepreneur, or emerging leader—can develop authentic influence by strengthening their foundation. This is leadership that transforms teams, families, organizations, and communities.If you're ready to grow as a leader and make a greater impact, don't miss this inspiring discussion. Discover the eight core principles that can help you lead with grace, embrace truth, remain coachable, and stay focused on your purpose.This episode will challenge, equip, and encourage you to lead stronger from the inside out.

Marriage inevitably involves conflict, but how we handle disagreements determines whether we build bridges or walls. Relationships deteriorate through predictable stages from devotion to distance, often fueled by comparing, concealing, controlling, criticizing, condemning, crushing, and contempt. The Bible calls us to be reconcilers, following Christ's example of taking responsibility even for what isn't our fault. Resolving marital conflict requires taking action against major threats, owning your part, forgiving debts, and focusing on winning back your spouse's heart rather than winning arguments. The goal is building covenant relationships rooted in grace rather than contract relationships based on scorekeeping.

Mike speaks and teaches business, growth, and sales development for sales professionals and orthodontic teams so they can develop, sell, and grow with purpose.

* Exploring Vrontok* This is our second go at this topic* Located in the shadow of Sky Point* Desperate, lawless, crowded town built on the slave trade* Not a vacation spot!* Like Bartertown... but darker* Combination of town, slave market, and military base.* Stealing slaves is the most serious crime.* Only punishments for crime are enslavement or death.* Fortified by a high wall and dry moat with sharpened stakes.* Three gates: Empire Gate (SE), Vivane Gate (NE), Outlaw Gate (NW)* Theran citizens are not subject to laws in Vrontok* Mayor T'rask, former slaver with large force of thugs.* Taxes: House Tax, Guest Tax, Exit Tax* T'rask focused on keeping the Therans from getting upset.* Lots of business that serve the slave merchants: taverns, gambling halls, brothels.* Result of imperialism; empires thrive on exploited labor.* Reflections on Thera and Vrontok in light of present-day economic and political systems.* "Keep politics out of rpgs!" is a crock.* Contrast of Sky Point's wealth and power to Vrontok's "wretched hive"* Fourth Edition changes and updatesFind and Follow:Email: edsgpodcast@gmail.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcastFind and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchantGet product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.comFASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesincOfficial Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawnFASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9uEarthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

Marriage was God's idea, not a human invention, and He has the right to define it. According to Hebrews 13:4, marriage should be honored by all as something precious and valuable. Like a priceless work of art that needs restoration, your marriage is God's masterpiece worth fighting for. Jesus taught that marriage creates a mysterious one flesh union that reflects God's own nature. Rather than treating marriage as a breakable contract, God designed it as a permanent covenant. The key to a thriving marriage is pursuing God together through prayer, biblical thinking, praise, mutual purification, and perseverance through difficult times.

John Shackelford currently serves as the Executive Director of Eagle Ranch, succeedingEddie Staub, Eagle Ranch's Founder, in July 2021. In his role, John is ultimatelyresponsible for leading the Staff in accomplishing the Ranch's mission to restore andrenew children and families in relational crisis.Originally from Orlando, Florida, John graduated from Wheaton College (Illinois) in2011 with degrees in Business/Economics and Theological Studies. John also playedbasketball at Wheaton and served as team captain his senior year.Prior to Eagle Ranch, John and his wife and children lived in Atlanta as he worked for10 years at Chick-fil-A Inc. in the corporate Marketing department. In his most recentrole, he led Chick-fil-A's Brand Planning team, responsible for the communicationsplanning and marketing of new products, among other duties. He was previously TeamLeader for the Sponsorships and Events marketing team, leading national partnershipswith ESPN, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall ofFame. Additionally, John helped start the national Chick-fil-A Leader Academyprogram and Chick-fil-A's fleet of food trucks.John and his wife, Stephanie, have three children and live with a portion of EagleRanch's staff on the ministry's almost 500-acre campus.About Eagle RanchEagle Ranch is a Christ-centered nonprofit organization that takes a whole familyapproach to restoring and renewing relationships for children and families. Our aim isto provide renewal through restored relationships, practical resources and hope for amore flourishing future. From humble beginnings as a residential children's program, Eagle Ranch's serviceshave expanded to include family assessments, a day school program, outpatientcounseling, parenting resources and other offerings to help families heal brokennessand gain tools for long-term success.For more information, visit EagleRanch.org.

Marcylle Combs is a seasoned leader whose journey through healthcare, real estate, and leadership development has been guided by faith, perseverance, and a heart for people. For more than 30 years, she has worked to grow organizations with integrity, compassion, and a commitment to excellence — always recognizing that every achievement is ultimately a gift from God.

Bio: Heather Trumpfheller serves as Chief Growth Officer at Switchboard, a nonprofit tech startup mobilizing Christians around the world. She lives in Austin, TX and is heavily involved in the faith and work space, sitting on boards such as Austin Women in Technology and Austin Bridge Builders Alliance.

Last time we spoke about the end of the battle of khalkin gol. In the summer of 1939, the Nomonhan Incident escalated into a major border conflict between Soviet-Mongolian forces and Japan's Kwantung Army along the Halha River. Despite Japanese successes in July, Zhukov launched a decisive offensive on August 20. Under cover of darkness, Soviet troops crossed the river, unleashing over 200 bombers and intense artillery barrages that devastated Japanese positions. Zhukov's northern, central, and southern forces encircled General Komatsubara's 23rd Division, supported by Manchukuoan units. Fierce fighting ensued: the southern flank collapsed under Colonel Potapov's armor, while the northern Fui Heights held briefly before falling to relentless assaults, including flame-throwing tanks. Failed Japanese counterattacks on August 24 resulted in heavy losses, with regiments shattered by superior Soviet firepower and tactics. By August 25, encircled pockets were systematically eliminated, leading to the annihilation of the Japanese 6th Army. The defeat, coinciding with the Hitler-Stalin Pact, forced Japan to negotiate a ceasefire on September 15-16, redrawing borders. Zhukov's victory exposed Japanese weaknesses in mechanized warfare, influencing future strategies and deterring further northern expansion.   #192 The Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact 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. Despite the fact this technically will go into future events, I thought it was important we talk about a key moment in Sino history. Even though the battle of changkufeng and khalkin gol were not part of the second sino-Japanese war, their outcomes certainly would affect it.  Policymaking by the Soviet Union alone was not the primary factor in ending Moscow's diplomatic isolation in the late 1930s. After the Munich Conference signaled the failure of the popular front/united front approach, Neville Chamberlain, Adolf Hitler, and Poland's Józef Beck unintentionally strengthened Joseph Stalin's position in early 1939. Once the strategic cards were in his hands, Stalin capitalized on them. His handling of negotiations with Britain and France, as well as with Germany, from April to August was deft and effective. The spring and summer negotiations among the European powers are well documented and have been examined from many angles. In May 1939, while Stalin seemed to have the upper hand in Europe, yet before Hitler had signaled that a German–Soviet agreement might be possible, the Nomonhan incident erupted, a conflict initiated and escalated by the Kwantung Army. For a few months, the prospect of a Soviet–Japanese war revived concerns in Moscow about a two-front conflict. Reviewing Soviet talks with Britain, France, and Germany in the spring and summer of 1939 from an East Asian perspective sheds fresh light on the events that led to the German–Soviet Nonaggression Pact and, more broadly, to the outbreak of World War II. The second week of May marked the start of fighting at Nomonhan, during which negotiations between Germany and the USSR barely advanced beyond mutual scrutiny. Moscow signaled that an understanding with Nazi Germany might be possible. Notably, on May 4, the removal of Maksim Litvinov as foreign commissar and his replacement by Vyacheslav Molotov suggested a shift in approach. Litvinov, an urbane diplomat of Jewish origin and married to an Englishwoman, had been the leading Soviet proponent of the united-front policy and a steadfast critic of Nazi Germany. If a settlement with Hitler was sought, Litvinov was an unsuitable figure to lead the effort. Molotov, though with limited international experience, carried weight as chairman of the Council of Ministers and, more importantly, as one of Stalin's closest lieutenants. This personnel change seemed to accomplish its aim in Berlin, where the press was instructed on May 5 to halt polemical attacks on the Soviet Union and Bolshevism. On the same day, Karl Schnurre, head of the German Foreign Ministry's East European trade section, told Soviet chargé d'affaires Georgi Astakhov that Skoda, the German-controlled Czech arms manufacturer, would honor existing arms contracts with Russia. Astakhov asked whether, with Litvinov's departure, Germany might resume negotiations for a trade treaty Berlin had halted months earlier. By May 17, during discussions with Schnurre, Astakhov asserted that "there were no conflicts in foreign policy between Germany and the Soviet Union and that there was no reason for enmity between the two countries," and that Britain and France's negotiations appeared unpromising. The next day, Ribbentrop personally instructed Schulenburg to green-light trade talks. Molotov, however, insisted that a "political basis" for economic negotiations had to be established first. Suspicion remained high on both sides. Stalin feared Berlin might use reports of German–Soviet talks to destabilize a potential triple alliance with Britain and France; Hitler feared Stalin might use such reports to entice Tokyo away from an anti-German pact. The attempt to form a tripartite military alliance among Germany, Italy, and Japan foundered over divergent aims: Berlin targeted Britain and France; Tokyo aimed at the Soviet Union. Yet talks persisted through August 1939, with Japanese efforts to draw Germany into an anti-Soviet alignment continually reported to Moscow by Richard Sorge. Hitler and Mussolini, frustrated by Japanese objections, first concluded the bilateral Pact of Steel on May 22. The next day, Hitler, addressing his generals, stressed the inevitability of war with Poland and warned that opposition from Britain would be crushed militarily. He then hinted that Russia might "prove disinterested in the destruction of Poland," suggesting closer ties with Japan if Moscow opposed Germany. The exchange was quickly leaked to the press. Five days later, the first pitched battle of the Nomonhan campaign began. Although Hitler's timing with the Yamagata detachment's foray was coincidental, Moscow may have found the coincidence ominous. Despite the inducement of Molotov's call for a political basis before economic talks, Hitler and Ribbentrop did not immediately respond. On June 14, Astakhov signaled to Parvan Draganov, Bulgaria's ambassador in Berlin, that the USSR faced three options: ally with Britain and France, continue inconclusive talks with them, or align with Germany, the latter being closest to Soviet desires. Draganov relayed to the German Foreign Ministry that Moscow preferred a non-aggression agreement if Germany would pledge not to attack the Soviet Union. Two days later, Schulenburg told Astakhov that Germany recognized the link between economic and political relations and was prepared for far-reaching talks, a view echoed by Ribbentrop. The situation remained tangled: the Soviets pursued overt talks with Britain and France, while Stalin sought to maximize Soviet leverage. Chamberlain's stance toward Moscow remained wary but recognized a "psychological value" to an Anglo–Soviet rapprochement, tempered by his insistence on a hard bargain. American ambassador William C. Bullitt urged London to avoid the appearance of pursuing the Soviets, a view that resonated with Chamberlain's own distrust. Public confidence in a real Anglo–Soviet alliance remained low. By July 19, cabinet minutes show Chamberlain could not quite believe a genuine Russia–Germany alliance was possible, though he recognized the necessity of negotiations with Moscow to deter Hitler and to mollify an increasingly skeptical British public. Despite reservations, both sides kept the talks alive. Stalin's own bargaining style, with swift Soviet replies but frequent questions and demands, often produced delays. Molotov pressed on questions such as whether Britain and France would pledge to defend the Baltic states, intervene if Japan attacked the USSR, or join in opposing Germany if Hitler pressured Poland or Romania. These considerations were not trivial; they produced extended deliberations. On July 23, Molotov demanded that plans for coordinated military action among the three powers be fleshed out before a political pact. Britain and France accepted most political terms, and an Anglo-French military mission arrived in Moscow on August 11. The British commander, Admiral Sir Reginald Plunket-Ernle-Erle-Drax, conducted staff talks but could not conclude a military agreement. The French counterpart, General Joseph Doumenc, could sign but not bind his government. By then, Hitler had set August 26 as the date for war with Poland. With that looming, Hitler pressed for Soviet neutrality, or closer cooperation. In July and August, secret German–Soviet negotiations favored the Germans, who pressed for a rapid settlement and made most concessions. Yet Stalin benefited from keeping the British and French engaged, creating leverage against Hitler and safeguarding a potential Anglo–Soviet option as a fallback. To lengthen the talks and avoid immediate resolution, Moscow emphasized the Polish issue. Voroshilov demanded the Red Army be allowed to operate through Polish territory to defend Poland, a demand Warsaw would never accept. Moscow even floated a provocative plan: if Britain and France could compel Poland to permit Baltic State naval operations, the Western fleets would occupy Baltic ports, an idea that would have been militarily perilous and diplomatically explosive. Despite this, Stalin sought an agreement with Germany. Through Richard Sorge's intelligence, Moscow knew Tokyo aimed to avoid large-scale war with the USSR, and Moscow pressed for a German–Soviet settlement, including a nonaggression pact and measures to influence Japan to ease Sino–Japanese tensions. On August 16, Ribbentrop instructed Schulenburg to urge Molotov and Stalin toward a nonaggression pact and to coordinate with Japan. Stalin signaled willingness, and August 23–24 saw the drafting of the pact and the collapse of the Soviet and Japanese resistance elsewhere. That night, in a memorandum of Ribbentrop's staff, seven topics were summarized, with Soviet–Japanese relations and Molotov's insistence that Berlin demonstrate good faith standing out. Ribbentrop reiterated his willingness to influence Japan for a more favorable Soviet–Japanese relationship, and Stalin's reply indicated a path toward a détente in the East alongside the European agreement: "M. Stalin replied that the Soviet Union indeed desired an improvement in its relations with Japan, but that there were limits to its patience with regard to Japanese provocations. If Japan desired war she could have it. The Soviet Union was not afraid of it and was prepared for it. If Japan desired peace—so much the better! M. Stalin considered the assistance of Germany in bringing about an improvement in Soviet-Japanese relations as useful, but he did not want the Japanese to get the impression that the initiative in this direction had been taken by the Soviet Union."  Second, the assertion that the Soviet Union was prepared for and unafraid of war with Japan is an overstatement, though Stalin certainly had grounds for optimism regarding the battlefield situation and the broader East Asian strategic balance. It is notable that, despite the USSR's immediate diplomatic and military gains against Japan, Stalin remained anxious to conceal from Tokyo any peace initiative that originated in Moscow. That stance suggests that Tokyo or Hsinking might read such openness as a sign of Soviet weakness or confidence overextended. The Japanese danger, it would seem, did not disappear from Stalin's mind. Even at the height of his diplomatic coup, Stalin was determined not to burn bridges prematurely. On August 21, while he urged Hitler to send Ribbentrop to Moscow, he did not sever talks with Britain and France. Voroshilov requested a temporary postponement on the grounds that Soviet delegation officers were needed for autumn maneuvers. It was not until August 25, after Britain reiterated its resolve to stand by Poland despite the German–Soviet pact, that Stalin sent the Anglo–French military mission home. Fortified by the nonaggression pact, which he hoped would deter Britain and France from action, Hitler unleashed his army on Poland on September 1. Two days later, as Zhukov's First Army Group was completing its operations at Nomonhan, Hitler faced a setback when Britain and France declared war. Hitler had hoped to finish Poland quickly in 1939 and avoid fighting Britain and France until 1940. World War II in Europe had begun. The Soviet–Japanese conflict at Nomonhan was not the sole, nor even the principal, factor prompting Stalin to conclude an alliance with Hitler. Standing aside from a European war that could fracture the major capitalist powers might have been reason enough. Yet the conflict with Japan in the East was also a factor in Stalin's calculations, a dimension that has received relatively little attention in standard accounts of the outbreak of the war. This East Asian focus seeks to clarify the record without proposing a revolutionary reinterpretation of Soviet foreign policy; rather, it adds an important piece often overlooked in the "origins of the Second World War" puzzle, helping to reduce the overall confusion. The German–Soviet agreement provided for the Soviet occupation of the eastern half of Poland soon after Germany's invasion. On September 3, just forty-eight hours after the invasion and on the day Britain and France declared war, Ribbentrop urged Moscow to invade Poland from the east. Yet, for two more weeks, Poland's eastern frontier remained inviolate; Soviet divisions waited at the border, as most Polish forces were engaged against Germany. The German inquiries about the timing of the Soviet invasion continued, but the Red Army did not move. This inactivity is often attributed to Stalin's caution and suspicion, but that caution extended beyond Europe. Throughout early September, sporadic ground and air combat continued at Nomonhan, including significant activity by Kwantung Army forces on September 8–9, and large-scale air engagements on September 1–2, 4–5, and 14–15. Not until September 15 was the Molotov–Togo cease-fire arrangement finalized, to take effect on September 16. The very next morning, September 17, the Red Army crossed the Polish frontier into a country collapsed at its feet. It appears that Stalin wanted to ensure that fighting on his eastern flank had concluded before engaging in Western battles, avoiding a two-front war. Through such policies, Stalin avoided the disaster of a two-front war. Each principal in the 1939 diplomatic maneuvering pursued distinct objectives. The British sought an arrangement with the USSR that would deter Hitler from attacking Poland and, if deterred, bind Moscow to the Anglo–French alliance. Hitler sought an alliance with the USSR to deter Britain and France from aiding Poland and, if they did aid Poland, to secure Soviet neutrality. Japan sought a military alliance with Germany against the USSR, or failing that, stronger Anti-Comintern ties. Stalin aimed for an outcome in which Germany would fight the Western democracies, leaving him freedom to operate in both the West and East; failing that, he sought military reassurance from Britain and France in case he had to confront Germany. Of the four, only Stalin achieved his primary objective. Hitler secured his secondary objective; the British and Japanese failed to realize theirs. Stalin won the diplomatic contest in 1939. Yet, as diplomats gave way to generals, the display of German military power in Poland and in Western Europe soon eclipsed Stalin's diplomatic triumph. By playing Germany against Britain and France, Stalin gained leverage and a potential fallback, but at the cost of unleashing a devastating European war. As with the aftermath of the Portsmouth Treaty in 1905, Russo-Japanese relations improved rapidly after hostilities ceased at Nomonhan. The Molotov–Togo agreement of September 15 and the local truces arranged around Nomonhan on September 19 were observed scrupulously by both sides. On October 27, the two nations settled another long-standing dispute by agreeing to mutual release of fishing boats detained on charges of illegal fishing in each other's territorial waters. On November 6, the USSR appointed Konstantin Smetanin as ambassador to Tokyo, replacing the previous fourteen-month tenure of a chargé d'affaires. Smetanin's first meeting with the new Japanese foreign minister, Nomura Kichisaburö, in November 1939 attracted broad, favorable coverage in the Japanese press. In a break with routine diplomatic practice, Nomura delivered a draft proposal for a new fisheries agreement and a memo outlining the functioning of the joint border commission to be established in the Nomonhan area before Smetanin presented his credentials. On December 31, an agreement finalizing Manchukuo's payment to the USSR for the sale of the Chinese Eastern Railway was reached, and the Soviet–Japanese Fisheries Convention was renewed for 1940. In due course, the boundary near Nomonhan was formally redefined. A November 1939 agreement between Molotov and Togo established a mixed border commission representing the four parties to the dispute. After protracted negotiations, the border commission completed its redemarcation on June 14, 1941, with new border markers erected in August 1941. The resulting boundary largely followed the Soviet–MPR position, lying ten to twelve miles east of the Halha River. With that, the Nomonhan incident was officially closed.  Kwantung Army and Red Army leaders alike sought to "teach a lesson" to their foe at Nomonhan. The refrain recurs in documents and memoirs from both sides, "we must teach them a lesson." The incident provided lessons for both sides, but not all were well learned. For the Red Army, the lessons of Nomonhan intertwined with the laurels of victory, gratifying but sometimes distracting. Georgy Zhukov grasped the experience of modern warfare that summer, gaining more than a raised profile: command experience, confidence, and a set of hallmarks he would employ later. He demonstrated the ability to grasp complex strategic problems quickly, decisive crisis leadership, meticulous attention to logistics and deception, patience in building superior strength before striking at the enemy's weakest point, and the coordination of massed artillery, tanks, mechanized infantry, and tactical air power in large-scale double envelopment. These capabilities informed his actions at Moscow, Stalingrad, Kursk, and ultimately Berlin. It is tempting to wonder how Zhukov might have fared in the crucial autumn and winter of 1941 without Nomonhan, or whether he would have been entrusted with the Moscow front in 1941 had he not distinguished himself at Nomonhan. Yet the Soviet High Command overlooked an important lesson. Despite Zhukov's successes with independent tank formations and mechanized infantry, the command misapplied Spanish Civil War-era experience by disbanding armored divisions and redistributing tanks to infantry units to serve as support. It was not until after Germany demonstrated tank warfare in 1940 that the Soviets began reconstituting armored divisions and corps, a process still incomplete when the 1941 invasion began. The Red Army's performance at Nomonhan went largely unseen in the West. Western intelligence and military establishments largely believed the Red Army was fundamentally rotten, a view reinforced by the battlefield's remoteness and by both sides' reluctance to publicize the defeat. The Polish crisis and the outbreak of war in Europe drew attention away from Nomonhan, and the later Finnish Winter War reinforced negative Western judgments of Soviet military capability. U.S. military attaché Raymond Faymonville observed that the Soviets, anticipating a quick victory over Finland, relied on hastily summoned reserves ill-suited for winter fighting—an assessment that led some to judge the Red Army by its performance at Nomonhan. Even in Washington, this view persisted; Hitler reportedly called the Red Army "a paralytic on crutches" after Finland and then ordered invasion planning in 1941. Defeat can be a stronger teacher than victory. Because Nomonhan was a limited war, Japan's defeat was likewise limited, and its impact on Tokyo did not immediately recalibrate Japanese assessments. Yet Nomonhan did force Japan to revise its estimation of Soviet strength: the Imperial Army abandoned its strategic Plan Eight-B and adopted a more defensive posture toward the Soviet Union. An official inquiry into the debacle, submitted November 29, 1939, recognized Soviet superiority in materiel and firepower and urged Japan to bolster its own capabilities. The Kwantung Army's leadership, chastened, returned to the frontier with a more realistic sense of capability, even as the Army Ministry and AGS failed to translate lessons into policy. The enduring tendency toward gekokujo, the dominance of local and mid-level officers over central authority, remained persistent, and Tokyo did not fully purge it after Nomonhan. The Kwantung Army's operatives who helped drive the Nomonhan episode resurfaced in key posts at Imperial General Headquarters, contributing to Japan's 1941 decision to go to war. The defeat of the Kwantung Army at Nomonhan, together with the Stalin–Hitler pact and the outbreak of war in Europe, triggered a reorientation of Japanese strategy and foreign policy. The new government, led by the politically inexperienced and cautious General Abe Nobuyuki, pursued a conservative foreign policy. Chiang Kai-shek's retreat to Chongqing left the Chinese war at a stalemate: the Japanese Expeditionary Army could still inflict defeats on Chinese nationalist forces, but it had no viable path to a decisive victory. China remained Japan's principal focus. Still, the option of cutting Soviet aid to China and of moving north into Outer Mongolia and Siberia was discredited in Tokyo by the August 1939 double defeat. Northward expansion never again regained its ascendancy, though it briefly resurfaced in mid-1941 after Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union. Germany's alliance with the USSR during Nomonhan was viewed by Tokyo as a betrayal, cooling German–Japanese relations. Japan also stepped back from its confrontation with Britain over Tientsin. Tokyo recognized that the European war represented a momentous development that could reshape East Asia, as World War I had reshaped it before. The short-lived Abe government (September–December 1939) and its successor under Admiral Yonai Mitsumasa (December 1939–July 1940) adopted a cautious wait-and-see attitude toward the European war. That stance shifted in the summer of 1940, however, after Germany's successes in the West. With Germany's conquest of France and the Low Countries and Britain's fight for survival, Tokyo reassessed the global balance of power. Less than a year after Zhukov had effectively blocked further Japanese expansion northward, Hitler's victories seemed to open a southern expansion path. The prospect of seizing the resource-rich colonies in Southeast Asia, Dutch, French, and British and, more importantly, resolving the China problem in Japan's favor, tempted many in Tokyo. If Western aid to Chiang Kai-shek, channeled through Hong Kong, French Indochina, and Burma could be cut off, some in Tokyo believed Chiang might abandon resistance. If not, Japan could launch new operations against Chiang from Indochina and Burma, effectively turning China's southern flank. To facilitate a southward advance, Japan sought closer alignment with Germany and the USSR. Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka brought Japan into the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy, in the hope of neutralizing the United States, and concluded a neutrality pact with the Soviet Union to secure calm in the north. Because of the European military situation, only the United States could check Japan's southward expansion. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appeared determined to do so and confident that he could. If the Manchurian incident and the Stimson Doctrine strained U.S.–Japanese relations, and the China War and U.S. aid to Chiang Kai-shek deepened mutual resentment, it was Japan's decision to press south against French, British, and Dutch colonies, and Roosevelt's resolve to prevent such a move, that put the two nations on a collision course. The dust had barely settled on the Mongolian plains following the Nomonhan ceasefire when the ripples of that distant conflict began to reshape the broader theater of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The defeat at Nomonhan in August 1939, coupled with the shocking revelation of the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact, delivered a profound strategic blow to Japan's imperial ambitions. No longer could Tokyo entertain serious notions of a "northern advance" into Soviet territory, a strategy that had long tantalized military planners as a means to secure resources and buffer against communism. Instead, the Kwantung Army's humiliation exposed glaring deficiencies in Japanese mechanized warfare, logistics, and intelligence, forcing a pivot southward. This reorientation not only cooled tensions with the Soviet Union but also allowed Japan to redirect its military focus toward the protracted stalemate in China. As we transition from the border clashes of the north to the heartland tensions in central China, it's essential to trace how these events propelled Japan toward the brink of a major offensive in Hunan Province, setting the stage for what would become a critical confrontation. In the immediate aftermath of Nomonhan, Japan's military high command grappled with the implications of their setback. The Kwantung Army, once a symbol of unchecked aggression, was compelled to adopt a defensive posture along the Manchurian-Soviet border. The ceasefire agreement, formalized on September 15-16, 1939, effectively neutralized the northern front, freeing up significant resources and manpower that had been tied down in the escalating border skirmishes. This was no small relief; the Nomonhan campaign had drained Japanese forces, with estimates of over 18,000 casualties and the near-total annihilation of the 23rd Division. The psychological impact was equally severe, shattering the myth of Japanese invincibility against a modern, mechanized opponent. Georgy Zhukov's masterful use of combined arms—tanks, artillery, and air power—highlighted Japan's vulnerabilities, prompting internal reviews that urged reforms in tank production, artillery doctrine, and supply chains. Yet, these lessons were slow to implement, and in the short term, the primary benefit was the opportunity to consolidate efforts elsewhere. For Japan, "elsewhere" meant China, where the war had devolved into a grinding attrition since the fall of Wuhan in October 1938. The capture of Wuhan, a major transportation hub and temporary capital of the Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek, had been hailed as a turning point. Japanese forces, under the command of General Shunroku Hata, had pushed deep into central China, aiming to decapitate Chinese resistance. However, Chiang's strategic retreat to Chongqing transformed the conflict into a war of endurance. Nationalist forces, bolstered by guerrilla tactics and international aid, harassed Japanese supply lines and prevented a decisive knockout blow. By mid-1939, Japan controlled vast swaths of eastern and northern China, including key cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing, but the cost was immense: stretched logistics, mounting casualties, and an inability to fully pacify occupied territories. The Nomonhan defeat exacerbated these issues by underscoring the limits of Japan's military overextension. With the northern threat abated, Tokyo's Army General Staff saw an opening to intensify operations in China, hoping to force Chiang to the negotiating table before global events further complicated the picture. The diplomatic fallout from Nomonhan and the Hitler-Stalin Pact further influenced this shift. Japan's betrayal by Germany, its nominal ally under the Anti-Comintern Pact—fostered distrust and isolation. Tokyo's flirtations with a full Axis alliance stalled, as the pact with Moscow revealed Hitler's willingness to prioritize European gains over Asian solidarity. This isolation prompted Japan to reassess its priorities, emphasizing self-reliance in China while eyeing opportunistic expansions elsewhere. Domestically, the Hiranuma cabinet collapsed in August 1939 amid the diplomatic shock, paving the way for the more cautious Abe Nobuyuki government. Abe's administration, though short-lived, signaled a temporary de-escalation in aggressive posturing, but the underlying imperative to resolve the "China Incident" persisted. Japanese strategists believed that capturing additional strategic points in central China could sever Chiang's lifelines, particularly the routes funneling aid from the Soviet Union and the West via Burma and Indochina. The seismic shifts triggered by Nomonhan compelled Japan to fundamentally readjust its China policy and war plans, marking a pivotal transition from overambitious northern dreams to a more focused, albeit desperate, campaign in the south. With the Kwantung Army's defeat fresh in mind, Tokyo's Imperial General Headquarters initiated a comprehensive strategic review in late August 1939. The once-dominant "Northern Advance" doctrine, which envisioned rapid conquests into Siberia for resources like oil and minerals, was officially shelved. In its place emerged a "Southern Advance" framework, prioritizing the consolidation of gains in China and potential expansions into Southeast Asia. This pivot was not merely tactical; it reflected a profound policy recalibration aimed at ending the quagmire in China, where two years of war had yielded territorial control but no decisive victory over Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists. Central to this readjustment was a renewed emphasis on economic and military self-sufficiency. The Nomonhan debacle had exposed Japan's vulnerabilities in mechanized warfare, leading to urgent reforms in industrial production. Tank manufacturing was ramped up, with designs influenced by observed Soviet models, and artillery stockpiles were bolstered to match the firepower discrepancies seen on the Mongolian steppes. Logistically, the Army General Staff prioritized streamlining supply lines in China, recognizing that prolonged engagements demanded better resource allocation. Politically, the Abe Nobuyuki cabinet, installed in September 1939, adopted a "wait-and-see" approach toward Europe but aggressively pursued diplomatic maneuvers to isolate China. Efforts to negotiate with Wang Jingwei's puppet regime in Nanjing intensified, aiming to undermine Chiang's legitimacy and splinter Chinese resistance. Japan also pressured Vichy France for concessions in Indochina, seeking to choke off aid routes to Chongqing. War plans evolved accordingly, shifting from broad-front offensives to targeted strikes designed to disrupt Chinese command and supply networks. The China Expeditionary Army, under General Yasuji Okamura, was restructured to emphasize mobility and combined arms operations, drawing partial lessons from Zhukov's tactics. Intelligence operations were enhanced, with greater focus on infiltrating Nationalist strongholds in central provinces. By early September, plans coalesced around a major push into Hunan Province, a vital crossroads linking northern and southern China. Hunan's river systems and rail lines made it a linchpin for Chinese logistics, funneling men and materiel to the front lines. Japanese strategists identified key urban centers in the region as critical objectives, believing their capture could sever Chiang's western supply corridors and force a strategic retreat. This readjustment was not without internal friction. Hardliners in the military lamented the abandonment of northern ambitions, but the reality of Soviet strength—and the neutrality pacts that followed—left little room for debate. Economically, Japan ramped up exploitation of occupied Chinese territories, extracting coal, iron, and rice to fuel the war machine. Diplomatically, Tokyo sought to mend fences with the Soviets through the 1941 Neutrality Pact, ensuring northern security while eyes turned south. Yet, these changes brewed tension with the United States, whose embargoes on scrap metal and oil threatened to cripple Japan's ambitions. As autumn approached, the stage was set for a bold gambit in central China. Japanese divisions massed along the Yangtze River, poised to strike at the heart of Hunan's defenses. Intelligence reports hinted at Chinese preparations, with Xue Yue's forces fortifying positions around a major provincial hub. The air thickened with anticipation of a clash that could tip the balance in the interminable war—a test of Japan's revamped strategies against a resilient foe determined to hold the line. What unfolded would reveal whether Tokyo's post-Nomonhan pivot could deliver the breakthrough so desperately needed, or if it would merely prolong the bloody stalemate. 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 1939, the Nomonhan Incident saw Soviet forces under Georgy Zhukov decisively defeat Japan's Kwantung Army at Khalkin Gol, exposing Japanese weaknesses in mechanized warfare. This setback, coupled with the Hitler-Stalin Nonaggression Pact, shattered Japan's northern expansion plans and prompted a strategic pivot southward. Diplomatic maneuvers involving Stalin, Hitler, Britain, France, and Japan reshaped alliances, leading to the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact in 1941. Japan refocused on China, intensifying operations in Hunan Province to isolate Chiang Kai-shek.   

"An Egyptian by birth, Abba Bessarion was initiated into the angelic life by Saint Anthony the Great. He later became a disciple of Saint Macarius, the founder of Scetis (19 Jan.), and then set out to lead the life of a wanderer, borne hither and thither by Providence like a bird by the wind. All his wealth lay in the Gospel, which he always had in his hand. Living in the open air, he patiently endured all weathers, untroubled by care for a dwelling or for clothing. Fortified by the strength of the faith, he thus remained untouched by all the passions of the flesh.   "On coming to a monastery where the brethren led the common life, he would sit weeping at the gate. A brother once offered him hospitality and asked why he was distressed. 'I cannot live under a roof, until I have regained the wealth of my house,' he replied, meaning the heavenly inheritance lost since Adam. 'I am afflicted, in danger of death every day, and without rest because of my huge misfortunes, which oblige me ever to travel on in order to finish my course.'   "He wandered for forty years without ever lying down to sleep, and he spent all of forty days and forty nights standing wide awake in a thorn bush. One winter's day, he was walking through a village when he came upon a dead man. Without hesitation, he took off his own coat and covered the body. A little further on, he gave his tunic to a poor man who was shivering in the cold. An army officer, who happened to be passing, saw the naked ascetic and wanted to know who had stripped him of his clothing. 'He did!' replied Bessarion, holding up the Gospel Book. On another occasion, he met with a poor man and, having nothing to give him in alms, he hurried to the market in order to sell his Gospel Book. On his disciple's asking him where the Book was, he replied cheerfully, 'I have sold it in obedience to the words which I never cease to hear: Go, sell what you possess and give to the poor' (Matt. 19:21).   "Through this evangelic way of life he became a chosen vessel of Grace, and God wrought many miracles through him. One day, for example, he made sea water sweet through the sign of the Cross, to quench his disciple's thirst. When the latter wanted to keep some for the remainder of the journey, he prevented him, saying, 'God is here, God is everywhere!' At another time, having stood for two weeks in prayer with hands raised to heaven, he brought about rain enough to fill a thirsty brother's coat. Then there was the time when he stopped the sun from setting until he reached the cell of an elder whom he wished to meet; and the time when he walked across the waters of a river. Through these and many other wonders wrought by the Saint, God showed, as He did with Moses, Joshua and Elias, that He grants His servants mastery even over natural phenomena. Through the power of Christ, he raised a paralytic, drove out demons and showed himself truly to be a 'god' upon the earth.   "When, having reached his goal, he was at the point of regaining that dwelling in heaven which he had sought throughout his wanderings, he said to those about him, 'The monk ought, like the cherubim, to be all eye.'   "In answer to a brother who asked what a monk living in community ought to do, he replied: 'Keep silence and do not measure yourself.' Indeed, this is how even in the midst of people one can obtain the grace of the great anchorites." (Synaxarion)

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureChina & Canada are trying to bypass Trump trade tariffs. This has already failed, and Trump calls out Carney.EU economy is weak and it is getting weaker, there are two paths, one that follows the [CB] agenda the other is Trump economic agenda. Inflation declines again, Gold and Silver are up, Trump’s plan is working, its time to end the endless.The [DS] is now calling for the insurgency to accelerate. Clinton and Obama are now calling on their foot soldiers to push the insurrection against Trump. Trump has put a message to all D’s, lets work together, the optics are very good, the D’s will do this for a short period of time but in the end they will push the insurrection. Once they do this, they lost the people. Timing and optics are very important.   Economy  Carney Cracks: Canada Has ‘No Intention’ Of Pursuing Free Trade Deal With China After Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs To review: right before Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney returned from a trip to Beijing and announced a new 5-point ‘strategic partnership’ to ‘diversify our trade partnerships.’ The agreements included slashing tariffs on Chinese EV imports from 100 percent to 6.1 percent for the first 49,000 units, in exchange for China cutting tariffs on Canadian canola from 85 percent to 15 percent until at least the end of the year. Other exports, including Canadian canola meal, lobsters, crabs, and peas will also not be subject to Chinese anti-discrimination tariffs until at least the end of 2026. A week later, Carney told the global elite at Davos resort that the “rules-based order” established by the United States and its allies following WW2 was fraying amid the current rivalry between China and America, so the “middle powers must act together because if we’re not on the table, we’re on the menu.”  Carney said that for their survival, nations should no longer “go along to get along” with Trump.   Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada has “no intention” of pursuing a free trade deal with China, after Donald Trump threatened to slap a 100% tariff on Canadian exports if Ottawa “makes a deal” with Beijing.   Source: zerohedge.com Trump Is Right About Europe's Weak Economy: U.S. vs. EU Compared  President Trump argued that Europe's economic stagnation is the result of a self-inflicted “civilizational erasure” driven by reliance on what he calls the “Green New Scam,” which he says has replaced affordable energy with costly and unreliable wind power. He further asserted that unchecked mass migration has strained social infrastructure and altered the continent's cultural identity, while a stifling regulatory environment and excessive government spending have suppressed the innovation needed to compete with the United States. Finally, he accused European nations of freeloading on American security, arguing that their failure to meet NATO defense spending targets over the past 70 years has allowed them to avoid the true costs of national sovereignty at the expense of the American taxpayer. Based on current economic data as of January 2026, the comparison supports Trump's critique. While the United States is experiencing aggressive growth alongside widespread deregulation, Europe remains mired in what can best be described as stabilized stagnation. The United States enters 2026 with inflation at 2.7%, steadily returning toward the 2% target. As in President Trump's first term, strong GDP growth has been paired with relatively modest inflation. Fourth-quarter GDP growth is projected at 5.4%, dwarfing Europe's stagnant 0.2%. For the full year, U.S. growth is expected to reach between 4.3% and 5%, while Europe is projected to manage only about 1.3% to 1.6%. On the labor front, the United States maintains its historical advantage, with unemployment at 4.4% compared to 6.3% in the Eurozone. This low level of unemployment has been achieved despite deep government job cuts that reduced taxpayer costs. While the United States reduced federal spending by $100 billion, European fiscal policy has moved in the opposite direction. The U.S. has moved 1.2 million people off food stamps, while European social safety nets are coming under increased strain from rising living costs. In 2024, the most recent data available, EU social protection spending rose by 7%, far outpacing nominal GDP growth. This imbalance pushed the social expenditure-to-GDP ratio to 27.3% across the bloc, with countries such as France and Austria exceeding 31%, reinforcing the strain caused by rising demand for social welfare. Energy remains far cheaper in the United States, particularly electricity and natural gas, due to abundant domestic production, lower taxes and levies, and reduced reliance on imports, with overall prices about half of Europe's and industrial electricity often as little as one-third. Source: thegatewaypundit.com (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2015764155580756471?s=20 https://twitter.com/truflation/status/2015770236105138602?s=20 https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/2015647917441183786?s=20 spending problems. Gold is at record highs against every currency, not just the dollar Political/Rights DOGE https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/2015553600106164548?s=20 Geopolitical https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2015729194270154997?s=20   supply before then. More LNG, more U.S. gas, more renewables… Higher costs baked in. For Brussels this is an irreversible line. After 2027, there's no “going back to normal.” The EU has indeed been importing refined petroleum products from India that originate from Russian crude oil, creating an indirect pathway for Russian oil to enter the European market despite sanctions on direct imports from Russia since December 2022.  This circumvention became prominent after the EU and G7 imposed a price cap on Russian oil, prompting Russia to redirect exports to countries like India and China, where the crude is refined and then resold.    EU officials and analysts have long acknowledged the loophole, which is why recent sanctions packages have targeted it directly. For instance, the EU’s 18th sanctions package in July 2025 banned the import of petroleum products derived from Russian crude processed in third countries, and specifically sanctioned Nayara Energy, an Indian refinery partly owned by Russia’s Rosneft.  The 19th package in October 2025 further tightened measures by sanctioning additional third-country entities, including three in India, for supporting Russia’s circumvention efforts. As a result, major Indian refiners like Reliance Industries have stopped importing Russian crude for certain facilities to comply with these rules and maintain access to EU markets. Russia, meanwhile, continues to adapt by using new middlemen exporters to supply India, aiming to sustain the flow despite the crackdown.  India has not fully stopped importing Russian oil since then, but imports have significantly declined. In 2025, Russia’s share of India’s crude oil imports fell to 33.3% from 36% the previous year, while OPEC’s share rose slightly to 50%.  By December 2025, India dropped to the third-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels overall, importing €2.3 billion worth that month, with major refiners like Reliance Industries scaling back or halting purchases.    This reduction appears driven by a mix of U.S. tariff pressures, steeper discounts on Russian crude drawing buyers back selectively, and India’s strategic diversification to ensure energy security without fully alienating Russia—a key defense and trade partner. https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2015527595975033161?s=20   the CMC Joint Staff Dept: Under investigation for violations 5. Director of CMC Political Work Dept: Removed in 2025 over corruption The US-China rivalry has gone well beyond trade.   The purges depicted in the image of China’s Central Military Commission (CMC) stem from an escalating anti-corruption campaign under Xi Jinping, which has targeted the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) extensively since 2023. This drive is officially framed as rooting out graft, bribery, and disciplinary violations, but analysts widely interpret it as a mechanism for Xi to consolidate power, enforce unwavering loyalty among military leaders, and address systemic issues like incompetence or factional rivalries that could undermine PLA readiness.  The campaign has intensified in 2025-2026, affecting nearly the entire top echelon of the CMC—China’s highest military decision-making body, chaired by Xi himself—leaving it in significant disarray  War/Peace Report: Iran's Khamenei Flees to ‘Fortified' Bunker, Fearing U.S. Strike Following rising concerns over a possible U.S. military strike, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has relocated to a heavily fortified underground compound in Tehran, according to reports, which cited sources close to the regime who revealed his son now oversees day-to-day operations. Source: breitbart.com https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2015828196273303756?s=20 calling it a dream disconnected from reality. The US covers about 68% of NATO defense spending while Europe still misses its 2% commitments. Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2015559098847428717?s=20 https://twitter.com/JoeConchaTV/status/2015519543846703552?s=20 If you are preparing a city for an insurrection is this what you do to lower morale, have police quit and this way there is no one to stop the insurgency     In 2024 Minnesota AG Keith Ellison Argued No Right to Carry a Gun at ‘Political Rallies and Protests' In 2024, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) was among 17 AGs who contended there is no right to carry a gun at “political rallies and protests.” The AGs did this in a January 26, 2024, filing in support of upholding California's gun controls for “sensitive places” in a Ninth Circuit case. In the filing, Ellison and the other AGs expressed support for banning the possession of firearms “in crowded places.” The AGs wrote: “Without the power to institute such restrictions, California and other states would be left unable effectively to prevent gun violence in crowded places, around vulnerable populations, or where individuals are exercising other constitutionally protected rights, putting the public at risk.” They emphasized, “Even the perceived risk of gun violence could cause repercussions, as individuals may be discouraged from visiting crowded or confined locations where they know others may be armed.” Source: breitbart.com https://twitter.com/BillClinton/status/2015562744993350135?s=20 Didn’t Bill and Hiliary Violate a Supeona to testify in front of congress, they broke the law, shouldn’t he be in jail. Barack Obama Urges More Street Protests, Blames Trump for Minneapolis Shooting https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/2015479691147149747?s=20 4700 Q !!Hs1Jq13jV6 ID: a54ff9 No.10644532 Sep 14 2020 11:34:31 (EST) Worth remembering [think what you see today]. https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/119629.pdf