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Let us know what you think of this episode with a text!First up: A massive corndog recall rocks Scott to the core, and we discuss what's behind the battered betrayal. Then we tiptoe into terrifying territory: The US is inching ever closer to civil war, and no, this isn't just social media drama—it's actual experts considering its potential. And finally, we head to Eastern Europe where Poland has suddenly become the Promised Land. Unfortunately, they aren't accepting many applications.Email: 3copstalk@gmail.comWebsite: https://www.3copstalk.comYoutube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCFWKMerhChCE6_s5yFqc4awFacebook: 3 Cops Talk | FacebookInstagram: https://instagram.com/3copstalk?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
In this episode, I discuss my new book, "Going Solo," a comprehensive guide for men planning their first solo international trip. I cover finding cheap flights, overcoming travel anxiety, and why shoulder season beats summer. This is an overview of what's in my book. If you want a blueprint on how to take your first trip, my book will help you. Find it anywhere books are sold.Book Here -> Going Solo
Interview recorded - 29th of September, 2025On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Gilbert Doctorow. Gilbert is a author and geopolitical analyst with decades of experience.During our conversation we spoke about the geopolitical sphere, war parties shifting, trump impact, Ukraine vs Russia conflict, US pivoting to China, return of the Monroe doctrine and more. I hope you enjoy!0:00 - Introduction1:17 - Geopolitical sphere3:51 - War parties shifting?9:48 - Trump impact14:43 - Common enemy16:19 - Ukraine - Russia conflict27:13 - Peace deal?31:24 - US pivoting to China?36:07 - Return to Monroe doctrine37:11 - Multiple spheres39:11 - One message to takeaway?Gilbert Doctorow is a professional Russia watcher and actor in Russian affairs going back to 1965. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College (1967), a past Fulbright scholar, and holder of a Ph.D. with honors in history from Columbia University (1975).After completing his studies, Mr. Doctorow pursued a business career focused on the USSR and Eastern Europe. For twenty-five years he worked for US and European multinationals in marketing and general management with regional responsibility.From 1998-2002, Doctorow served as the Chairman of the Russian Booker Literary Prize in Moscow. During the 2010-2011 academic year, he was a Visiting scholar of the Harriman Institute, Columbia University.Mr. Doctorow is a long-time resident of Brussels.Gilbert Doctorow:Substack - https://gilbertdoctorow.substack.com/Books - https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B0048RTGTMWTFinance - Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfniTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseasThumbnail image from - https://crescent.icit-digital.org/articles/will-trump-become-the-gorbachev-of-us-imperialism
It's October already, and this episode is going up a little late (the evening instead of the morning) but this month was Ian's pick and he chose James Michener's: The Bridge at Andau which details the events of the Hungarian student revolution of 1956. Ian chose this book because of a familial interest, but both Ian and Ronnie found something to chew on in this text. The Bridge at Andau discusses the siege at Radio Budapest, the Battle at Killian barracks, and of course, the titular Bridge at Andau. In the this episode, we summarize the book, discuss the composite characters, and discuss how little of Eastern Europe is taught in US schools. Next month's book is Ronnie's and she chose: Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews. A perfect read for spooky month!
Peter Herbeck is the Vice President and Director of Missions for Renewal Ministries. Peter oversees the work of lay mission teams throughout the world who work to equip Catholic lay people, bishops, priests, and religious to respond to Blessed Pope John Paul II's call for a new evangelization. He has traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, Africa, and Eastern Europe for the past thirty years, assisting and training local churches in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and ministering through the exercise of spiritual gifts. In this episode, Peter speaks about the role of the prophet.Fire On the Earth Airs weekdays at 5am and 2pm Pacific Time go to Spiritfilledevents.com you can also get our free app for your Android and Apple devices. Search Spirit Filled Radio to access our radio app. Support the show
Peter Herbeck is the Vice President and Director of Missions for Renewal Ministries. Peter oversees the work of lay mission teams throughout the world who work to equip Catholic lay people, bishops, priests, and religious to respond to Blessed Pope John Paul II's call for a new evangelization. He has traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, Africa, and Eastern Europe for the past thirty years, assisting and training local churches in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and ministering through the exercise of spiritual gifts. He speaks about understanding the role of the prophet.Fire On the Earth Airs weekdays at 5am and 2pm Pacific Time go to Spiritfilledevents.com you can also get our free app for your Android and Apple devices. Search Spirit Filled Radio to access our radio app. Support the show
What does a new era of security-first economics mean for investors? Julia Hermann and Michael LoGalbo break down this element of a broader geopolitical regime shift – diving into current events in Eastern Europe as a prime example.
It's one of the oldest producers of wine, some call it the birthplace of wine: Georgia. And a group of Minnesota brothers are working to spread the word about their homeland on the coast of the Black Sea, where Eastern Europe and Western Asia come together. The Lanchava Collection is seeing sales increase three-fold, through a combination of hustle, passion, and quality production. Luka, Konstantin and Saba Lanchava join Jason to talk about their partnership with Total Wine & More, why they've named their wines after their 9 Georgian-born brothers and sisters, and how Minnesota fits into their success.
Update on Ministry in Romania and MoldovaHosts:J. Kent EdwardsNathan Norman The CrossTalk Podcast is a production of CrossTalk Global, equipping biblical communicators, so every culture hears God's voice. To find out more, or to support the work of this ministry please visit www.crosstalkglobal.orgDonateProduced by Nathan James Norman/Untold Podcast Production© 2025 CrossTalk Global
Here is the link for more information and to sign up for the exclusive Hardiness workshop and 6-week program - and here is a link to the research paper on the details and benefits of the program.. In today's episode, I’m joined by Dr. Alia Bojilova, a renowned psychologist and resilience expert, as we explore the complex and multifaceted nature of resilience. Drawing from her extensive experience wotking with the SAS in New Zealand and her new book, "The Resilience Toolkit," Dr. Bojilova shares her profound insights on resilience as a dynamic, necessary process rather than a fixed trait. We delve into the critical concepts of awareness, belonging, curiosity, and drive, while recounting gripping personal anecdotes, including Dr. Bojilova's intense experience of being taken hostage during her service in Syria. This discussion offers practical tools and rich perspectives on cultivating resilience in everyday life. What You'll Learn: Understanding Resilience: Dr. Bojilova debunks the notion that resilience is a fixed trait, describing it instead as an essential, ever-evolving process that must be nurtured. Awareness and Attention: Discover the importance of being grounded in the present moment and having a clear direction. Learn to differentiate between alertness and awareness and how mindful attention can enhance resilience. Belonging and Community: Understand the pivotal role of belonging, both to oneself and a larger community, in fostering resilience. Explore how shared values and connections with a tribe strengthen our ability to cope with stress. Facing Challenges: Hear about Dr. Bojilova’s life-defining experience in Syria, which underscores the significance of staying composed and responsive under pressure. Responding vs. Reacting: Learn strategies for developing the ability to respond to life’s challenges with intentionality rather than merely reacting. Key Takeaways: Resilience is a Process: It's essential to view resilience as an ongoing journey that involves nurturing and developing through life experiences. Awareness is Key: Being present and clear about our goals is crucial. It requires intentionality in our responses to the challenges we face. Belonging Matters: A strong sense of belonging and shared purpose can significantly impact our ability to handle stress and adversity. Engage with Challenges: Embrace life's difficulties as opportunities for growth and development. Practical Tools for Resilience: Developing awareness and attention control, understanding your triggers, and building community connections are all practical steps toward resilience. Resources For more on resilience and to purchase Dr. Bojilova's book, "The Resilience Toolkit," check your favourite local bookstore. Connect with Dr. Alia Bojilova on LinkedIn for updates and potential speaking engagements. Corporate inquiries can be directed to B2B Speakers, a speaking bureau in New Zealand. Support the Podcast By changing the narrative around resilience from a static attribute to a dynamic process, this conversation aims to empower listeners to better navigate their personal and professional lives. Share this episode with those who might benefit from a renewed perspective on resilience. Your engagement could inspire and spark meaningful change. 00:50 Parallels in Our Journeys 01:19 Growing Up in Eastern Europe 02:45 Discovering Viktor Frankl 03:33 Defining Resilience 07:34 A Life-Changing Experience in Syria 08:33 Surviving Hostage Situation 22:12 Lessons from the Ordeal 23:37 Writing the Resilience Toolkit 26:06 Veteran Mental Health and Debriefing 28:13 Reflecting on a Shared Experience 31:37 The Importance of Awareness 35:54 Mindful Attention and Cognitive Fitness 40:51 Responding vs. Reacting 45:52 Embracing Challenges and Building Resilience 51:09 The Role of Belonging in Resilience See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There has been a renewed conversation regarding sex after childbirth following a recent episode of the CBeebies Parenting Helpline podcast which tackled the topic of libido in the time after having a baby. It can be a very confusing time when it comes to your relationship with your body, so how do you navigate those ‘blurred lines' between your roles as mother, partner, and sexual being. Nuala McGovern is joined by journalist and author Nell Frizzell, who's written about her own experiences, and consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Karen Joash.Ruby Tui was the star of the last Women's Rugby World Cup, held in her native New Zealand in 2021. She's now regarded by many to be the star of the BBC's coverage of this year's World Cup, held in England. The tournament has broken records, from viewership to ticket sales and reflects the rapidly rising profile of the women's game. Ruby Tui reflects on the tournament and her own journey to the top of the sport.A form of family violence which receives minimal attention and is arguably the most hidden form of abuse within the home is known as CAPVA. This stands for child and adolescent to parent violence and abuse. Today the charity Action for Children has released a report with insights from their parenting support services, which suggests there has been a marked uptake in need for support on this issue. Nuala hears from Martha Hampson, Senior Policy Advisor on Early Help with Action for Children, and Dr Nikki Rutter, assistant professor in the department of sociology at Durham University and child parent violence researcher.Award-winning actor Juliet Stevenson takes the lead in a new play at the National Theatre, The Land of the Living. She plays Ruth, a UN relief worker in post-war Germany, trying to reunite children stolen by the Nazis from Eastern Europe, with their families. With one particular child it becomes a very personal mission. Juliet tells Nuala why she wanted to play this part.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey
In recent weeks, Estonia, Poland, and Romania have reported breaches of their airspace by Russian aircraft. Just this week, Norway revealed that Russian aircraft have violated its airspace three times this year after more than a decade without such intrusions. Last week, three Russian fighter jets reportedly violated Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, flying miles deep into Estonian territory with their transponders off. The most extreme incident was in Poland, where NATO allies shot down four of roughly 19 Russian drones that wandered in from Belarus. Warsaw vows to shoot down any more Russian aircraft that violate its airspace, setting the stage for an incident similar to what happened nearly 10 years ago, when the Turkish Air Force downed a Russian bomber near the Syrian–Turkish border. The Naked Pravda spoke to Dr. Olga Oliker, the program director for Europe and Central Asia at Crisis Group, about the escalating tensions in Eastern Europe and how the situation compares to the downed bomber in Syria in November 2015. Timestamps for this episode: (4:31) The dynamics of Russia's airspace incursions and NATO's response(9:22) Escalation risks and strategic implications(15:07) Comparing past and present: Lessons from 2015(20:27) NATO's preparedness and future strategiesКак поддержать нашу редакцию — даже если вы в России и вам очень страшно
What if you built your own global football education—by leaving home, traveling across multiple continents, and going straight to the source? That's exactly what fellow footy traveler Andrew Baggaley, founder of Because Football Media did, as he spent more than a year exploring the globe, visiting football clubs, academies, and fan groups across Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe. Whether you're a traditional Premier League fan, a lover of fan culture, or curious about how the global game shapes lives off the pitch, this episode is for you. 03:55 | Prototyping Because Football in Paris at PSG 07:26 | Heading to Ivory Coast for AFCON 10:32 | Connecting with Independiente, River Plate, & Racing Club 15:44 | Why Port Vale? And... who...is Port Vale exactly? 17:48 | Eastern Europe on the way to the Far East 20:23 | Comparing footy cultures across Southeast Asia 25:33 | What the world taught Andrew about American soccer 32:27 | The first ever soccer game in the US 35:49 | Coming Soon: The "Road Trip to the World Cup" Series Check out our new YouTube channel! Don't miss our monthly newsletter for footy // travel news from every corner of the globe Follow us on Instagram: @footytravelers Join us on one of our trips (our next one is to Mexico City)!
Our Head of India Research Ridham Desai and leaders from Morgan Stanley Investment Management Arjun Saigal and Jitania Kandhari discuss how India's promising macroeconomic trajectory and robust capital markets are attracting more interest from global investors. Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript ----- Ridham Desai: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Ridham Desai, Morgan Stanley's Head of India Equity Research and Chief India Equity Strategist. Today, the once in a generation investment opportunities Morgan Stanley sees in India. Joining me in the studio, Arjun Saigal, Co-Head of Morgan Stanley Investment Management at India Private Equity, and Jitania Khandari, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Head of Macros and Thematic Research for EM Public Equity. It's Tuesday, September 23rd at 4pm in Mumbai. Jitania Kandhari: And 6:30am in New York. Ridham Desai: Right now, India is already the world's fourth largest economy, and we believe it's on track to becoming the third largest by the end of this decade. If you've been following our coverage, you know, Morgan Stanley has been optimistic about India's future for quite some time. It's really a perfect storm – in a good way. India has got a growing young workforce, steady inflation, and is benefiting from some big shifts in the global landscape. When you put all of that together, you get a country that's set up for long-term growth. Of course, India is also facing pressure from escalating tariffs with the U.S., which makes this conversation even more timely. Jitania, Arjun, what are the biggest public and private investment opportunities in India that you'd highlight. Jitania Kandhari: I'd say in public equities there are five broad thematic opportunities in India. Financialization of savings and structurally lower credit costs; consumption with an aspirational consumer and a growing middle-class; localization and supply chain benefits as a China +1 destination; digitization with the India stack that is helping to revolutionize digital services across industries; and CapEx revivals in real estate and industrials, especially defense and electrification. Arjun Saigal: I will just break down the private markets into three segments. The first being the venture capital segment. Here, it's generally been a bit of hit or miss; some great success stories, but there've also been a lot of challenges with scale and liquidity. Coming to the large cap segment, this is the hundred million dollars plus ticket size, which attracts the large U.S. buyout funds and sovereign wealth funds. Here target companies tend to be market leaders with scale, deep management strength, and can be pretty easily IPO-ed. And we have seen a host of successful PE-backed IPOs in the space. However, it has become extremely crowded given the number of new entrants into the space and the fact that regional Asia funds are allocating more of their dollars towards India as they shift away from China. The third space, which is the mid-market segment, the $50- to $100 million ticket size is where we believe lies the best risk reward. Here you're able to find mid-size assets that are profitable and have achieved market leadership in a region or product. These companies have obvious growth drivers, so it's pretty clear that your capital's able to help accelerate a company's growth path. In addition, the sourcing for these deals tends to be less process driven, creating the ability to have extended engagement periods, and not having to compete only on price. In general, it's not overly competitive, especially when it comes to control transactions. Overall, valuations are more reasonable versus the public markets and the large cap segment. There are multiple exit routes available through IPO or sale to large cap funds. We're obviously a bit biased given our mid-market strategy, but this is where we feel you find the best risk reward. Ridham Desai: Jitania, how do these India specific opportunities compare to other Emerging Markets and the developed world? Jitania Kandhari: I will answer this question from two perspectives. The macro and the markets. From a macro perspective, India, as you said, has better demographics, low GDP per capita with catchup potential, low external vulnerability, and relatively better fiscal dynamics than many other parts of the world.It is a domestic driven story with a domestic liquidity cycle to support that growth story. India has less export dependency compared to many other parts of the emerging and developed world, and is a net oil importer, which has been under pressure actually positively impacting commodity importers. Reforms beginning in 2017 from demonetization, GST, RERA and other measures to formalize the economy is another big difference. From a market standpoint, it is a sectorally diversified market. The top three sectors constitute 50 percent in India versus around 90 percent in Taiwan, 66 percent in Brazil, and 57 percent overall in EM. Aided by a long tail of sectors, India screens as a less concentrated market when compared to many emerging and developed markets. Ridham Desai: And how do tariffs play into all this? Jitania Kandhari: About 50 percent of exports to the U.S. are under the 50 percent tariff rate. Net-net, this could impact 30 to 80 basis points of GDP growth.Most impacted are labor intensive sectors like apparel, leather, gems and jewelry. And through tax cuts like GST and monetary policy, government is going to be able to counter the first order impacts. But having said that, India and U.S. are natural partners, and hence this could drag on and have second order impacts. So can't see how this really eases in the short term because neither party is too impacted by the first order impacts. U.S. can easily replace Indian imports, and India can take that 30 basis point to 50 basis points GDP impact. So, this is very unlike other trade deals where one party would have been severely impacted and thus parts were created for reversals. Ridham Desai: What other global themes are resonating strongly for India? And conversely, are there themes that are not relevant for investing in India? Jitania Kandhari: I think broadly three themes globally are resonating in India. One is demographics with the growing cohort of millennials and Gen Z, leading to their aspirations and consumption patterns. India is a large, young urbanizing population with a large share in these demographic cohorts. Supply chain diversification, friend-shoring, especially in areas like electronics, technology, defense, India is an integral part of that ecosystem. And industrials globally are seeing a revival, especially in areas like electrification with the increased usage of renewables. And India is also part of that story given its own energy demands. What are the themes not relevant for investing in India is the aging population, which is one of the key themes in markets like North Asia and Eastern Europe, where a lot of the aging population drivers are leading to investment and consumption patterns. And with the AI tech revolution, India has not really been part of the AI picks and shovels theme like other markets in North Asia, like Korea, Taiwan, and even the Chinese hardware and internet names. Globally, in selected markets, utilities are doing well, especially those that are linked to the AI data center energy demand; whereas in India, this sector is overregulated and under-indexed to growth. Ridham Desai: Arjun, how does India's macro backdrop impact the private equity market in particular? Arjun Saigal: So, today India has scale, growth, attractive return on capital and robust capital markets. And frankly, all of these are required for a conducive investment environment. I also note that from a risk lens, given India being a large, stable democracy with a reform-oriented government, this provides extra comfort of the country being an attractive place to invest. You know, we have about $3 billion of domestic money coming into the stock market each month through systematic investment plans. This tends to be very stable money, versus previously where we relied on foreign flows, which were a lot more volatile in nature. This, in turn, makes for some very attractive PE exits into the public markets. Ridham Desai: Are there some significant intersections between the public and private equity markets? Arjun Saigal: You know, it tends to be quite limited, but we do see two areas. The first being pre-IPO rounds, which have been taking place recently in India, where we do see listed public funds coming into these pre-IPO rounds in order to ensure a certain minimum allocation in a company. And secondly, we do see that in certain cases, PE investors have been selectively making pipe investments in sectors like financial services, which have multiple decade tailwinds and require regular capital for growth. Unlike developed markets, we've not seen too many take private deals being executed in India due to the complex regulatory framework. This is perhaps an area which can open up more in the future if the process is simplified. Ridham Desai: Finally, as a wrap up, what do you both think are the key developments and catalysts in India that investors should watch closely? Arjun Saigal: We believe there are a couple of factors, one being repeat depreciation. Historically this has been at 2.5 to 3 percent, and unfortunately, it's been quite expensive to hedge the repeat. So, the way to address this is to sort of price it in. The second is full valuations. India has never been a cheap market, but in certain pockets, valuations of listed players are becoming quite concerning and those valuations in turn immediately push up prices in the large ticket private market space. And lastly, I would just mention tariffs, which is an evolving situation. Jitania Kandhari: I would add a couple more things. Macro equilibrium in India should be sustained – as India has been in one of the best positions from a macroeconomic standpoint. Private sector CapEx is key to drive the next leg of growth higher. Opportunities for the youth to get productively employed is critical in development of an economy. And India has always been in a geopolitical sweet spot in the last few years, and with the tariff situation that needs some resolution and close monitoring. All of this is important for nominal growth, which ultimately drives nominal earnings growth in India that are needed to justify the high valuations. Ridham Desai: Arjun, Jitania, thank you both for your insights. Arjun Saigal: Great speaking with you Ridham. Jitania Kandhari: Thank you for having us on the show. Ridham Desai: And thanks for listening. If you enjoy Thoughts on the Market, please leave us a review wherever you listen and share the podcast with a friend or colleague today.
Fraudology is presented by Sardine. Get your tickets to Sardine[Con] and end the scamedmicIn this episode of Fraudology Podcast, host Karisse Hendrick explores a disturbing trend in cybercrime the dramatic shift in who is perpetrating large scale fraud and scams targeting Western countries. Karisse reveals how fraud originating from Eastern Europe and Nigeria has declined in recent years, while schemes tied to Chinese organized crime groups have exploded. She details the rise of sophisticated scams like "pig butchering" and gift card fraud that are funneling billions of dollars from US consumers and businesses to criminal syndicates with potential ties to the Chinese government.She shares insights from recent conversations with fraud fighters across industries about this growing threat. She cites alarming examples, including a New York Times report on the massive "Salt Typhoon" cyber attack linked to China that may have compromised data on nearly every American. Fraudology is hosted by Karisse Hendrick, a fraud fighter with decades of experience advising hundreds of the biggest ecommerce companies in the world on fraud, chargebacks, and other forms of abuse impacting a company's bottom line. Connect with her on LinkedIn She brings her experience, expertise, and extensive network of experts to this podcast weekly, on Tuesdays.Mentioned in this episode:2023-q4-postroll sardine 1
Peter Herbeck is the Vice President and Director of Missions for Renewal Ministries. Peter oversees the work of lay mission teams throughout the world who work to equip Catholic lay people, bishops, priests, and religious to respond to Blessed Pope John Paul II's call for a new evangelization. He has traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, Africa, and Eastern Europe for the past thirty years, assisting and training local churches in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and ministering through the exercise of spiritual gifts. In this episode, Peter talks with Albert Faraj about his evangelization work through Acts XXIX.Fire On the Earth Airs weekdays at 5am and 2pm Pacific Time go to Spiritfilledevents.com you can also get our free app for your Android and Apple devices. Search Spirit Filled Radio to access our radio app. Support the show
Today on America in the Morning Trump At UN General Assembly President Trump will be at the United Nations today where he will be one of the prime speakers during the General Assembly. The President will also be meeting with a number of Arab nations regarding the Israel-Hamas war and the situation in Gaza. Correspondent Julie Walker reports that this comes as a number of nations, including the UK, France, and Canada, all announced they would recognize a Palestinian state, a move that both Israel and the US are against claiming that recognition benefits terrorists who are still holding Israeli hostages. Trump Talks Autism At the White House Monday, President Trump along with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the FDA would begin urging doctors to tell pregnant women to avoid using Tylenol for fear it could be a cause of autism in children. John Stolnis has more from Washington. Kimmel's Return The suspension is over. After being taken off the air following comments he made regarding the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, correspondent Ed Donahue reports on the return of "Jimmy Kimmel Live". Spirit Cuts Coming There's severe turbulence in the labor force for Spirit Airlines. Correspondent Lisa Dwyer reports that more furloughs are in the works at the low-cost carrier that filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time this year. Trump's Antifa Order President Trump signed an executive order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. Turning Point Returns The organization founded by conservative activist Charlie Kirk is resuming its college tours less than two weeks after Kirk was shot and killed during a university event in Utah. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports. UNGA's Russia Focus While the United Nations General Assembly will have a large focus on the situation in Gaza and calls for a Palestinian State, there will also be speeches including the one to be given by President Trump today, climate discussions tomorrow, and artificial intelligence on Thursday. Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports there is renewed focus on Eastern Europe following a series of Russian drone and fighter plane incursions into Romanian, Estonian, and Polish airspace. Latest On Routh Trial The man accused of lying in wait in trees outside President Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida last year with a rifle took very little time to present his defense. More on the trial from correspondent Rich Johnson. NJ Governor's Debate One of only two gubernatorial elections this year is taking center stage after a contentious debate in New Jersey. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports. Army Investigates Helicopter Crash The Army has released the names of the victims of last week's helicopter crash in Washington State. Correspondent Mike Hempen reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Last time we spoke about the battle of Nanjing. In December 1937, as the battle for Nanjing unfolded, terror inundated its residents, seeking safety amid the turmoil. General Tang Shengzhi rallied the Chinese forces, determined to defend against the advancing Japanese army. Fierce fighting erupted at the Gate of Enlightenment, where the determined Chinese soldiers resisted merciless assaults while tragedy loomed. By mid-December, the Japanese made substantial advances, employing relentless artillery fire to breach Nanjing's defenses. Leaders called for strategic retreats, yet amid chaos and despair, many young Chinese soldiers, driven by nationalism, continued to resist. By December 13, Nanjing succumbed to the invaders, marking a tragic chapter in history. As destruction enveloped the city, the resilience of its defenders became a poignant tale of courage amidst the horrors of war, forever marking Nanjing as a symbol of enduring hope in the face of despair. #168 The Nanjing Massacre Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. So obvious disclaimer, today we will be talking about, arguably one of if not the most horrific war atrocities ever committed. To be blunt, it may have been worse than some of the things we talked about back during the fall of the Ming Dynasty, when bandit armies raped and pillaged cities. The Nanjing Massacre as its become known is well documented by both Chinese and foreign sources. There is an abundance of primary sources, many well verified. Its going to be extremely graphic, I am going to try and tell it to the fullest. So if you got a weak stomach perhaps sit this one out, you have been warned. Chen Yiding began evacuating his troops from the area surrounding the Gate of Enlightenment before dawn on December 13. En route to Xiaguan, he took the time to visit a dozen of his soldiers housed in a makeshift hospital located in an old cemetery. These men were too severely injured to participate in the evacuation, and Chen had to leave them with only a few words of encouragement. Little did he know, within days, they would all perish in their beds, victims of the Japanese forces. Upon arriving in Xiaguan later that morning, Chen was met with grim news: his divisional commander had crossed the Yangtze River with his chief of staff the previous afternoon. Now, he was on his own. He didn't linger near the riverside chaos, quickly realizing there was nothing he could do there. Instead, he chose to move downstream, hoping to find a secure spot for himself and his soldiers to wait out the next few days before devising an escape from the war zone. He was fortunate, for soon the Japanese would live up to their notorious reputation developed during their advance from Shanghai; they were not inclined to take prisoners. That afternoon, several hundred Chinese soldiers arrived at the northern end of the Safety Zone. The committee responsible for the area stated that they could offer no assistance. In a misguided attempt to boost morale, they suggested that if the soldiers surrendered and promised not to engage in combat, the Japanese would likely show them "merciful treatment." This optimism was woefully misplaced. Later that same day, Japanese troops entered the zone, dragging out 200 Chinese men, the majority of them soldiers, for execution just outside the city. On December 13, Japanese soldiers started patrolling the riverbank, shooting at anything and anyone floating downstream. Their comrades aboard naval vessels in the river cheered them on, applauding each time they struck another helpless victim in the water. Civilians were not spared either. While traveling through downtown Nanjing as the battle concluded, Rabe observed dead men and women every 100 to 200 yards, most of them shot in the back. A long line of Chinese men marched down the street, numbering in the hundreds, all destined for death. In a cruel twist, they were compelled to carry a large Japanese flag. They were herded into a vacant lot by a couple of Japanese soldiers and as recalled by American correspondent Archibald Steele "There, they were brutally shot dead in small groups. One Japanese soldier stood over the growing pile of corpses, firing into any bodies that showed movement." The killings commenced almost immediately after the fall of Nanjing. The victorious Japanese spread out into the city streets, seeking victims. Those unfortunate enough to be captured faced instant execution or were taken to larger killing fields to meet a grim fate alongside other Chinese prisoners. Initially, the Japanese targeted former soldiers, whether real or imagined, but within hours, the scope of victims expanded to include individuals of all age groups and genders. By the end of the first day of occupation, civilian bodies littered the streets of downtown Nanjing at a rate of roughly one per block. The defenseless and innocent were subjected to murder, torture, and humiliation in a relentless spree of violence that persisted for six harrowing weeks. At the time of the attack, Nanjing felt eerily abandoned, houses stood boarded up, vehicles lay toppled in the streets, and the once-ubiquitous rickshaws had vanished. However, hundreds of thousands remained hidden indoors, seeking refuge. The most visible sign of the city's new rulers was the display of the Japanese flag. On the morning of December 14, the Rising Sun flag was hoisted across the city, seen in front of private homes, businesses, and public buildings. Many of these flags were hastily made, often a simple white sheet with a red rag affixed, hoping to be spared. As the days progressed, horrifying accounts of violence began to emerge. A barber, the sole survivor among eight people in his shop when the Japanese arrived, was admitted to a hospital with a stab wound that had nearly severed his head from his body, damaging all muscles at the back of his neck down to his spinal canal. A woman suffered a brutal throat wound, while another pregnant woman was bayoneted in the abdomen, resulting in the death of her unborn child. A man witnessed his wife being stabbed through the heart and then saw his child hurled from a window to the street several floors below. These are but a few stories of individual atrocities committed. Alongside this there were mass executions, predominantly targeting young able-bodied men, in an effort to weaken Nanjing and deprive it of any potential resistance in the future. American professor, Lewis Smythe recalled “The disarmed soldier problem was our most serious one for the first three days, but it was soon resolved, as the Japanese shot all of them.” On the evening of December 15, the Japanese rounded up 1,300 former soldiers from the Safety Zone, binding them in groups of about 100 and marching them away in silence. A group of foreigners, permitted to leave Nanjing on a Japanese gunboat, accidentally became witnesses to the ensuing slaughter. While waiting for their vessel, they took a brief walk along the riverbank and stumbled upon a scene of mass execution, observing the Japanese shooting the men one by one in the back of the neck. “We observed about 100 such executions until the Japanese officer in charge noticed us and ordered us to leave immediately”. Not all killings were premeditated; many occurred impulsively. A common example was when Japanese soldiers led lines of Chinese POWs to holding points, tightly bound together with ropes. Every few yards, a Japanese soldier would stand guard with a fixed bayonet aimed at the prisoners as they trudged forward. Suddenly, one of the prisoners slipped, causing a domino effect as he fell, dragging down the men in front of and behind him. The entire group soon found themselves collapsed on the ground, struggling to stand. The Japanese guards lost their patience, jabbing their bayonets into the writhing bodies until none remained alive. In one of the largest massacres, Japanese troops from the Yamada Detachment, including the 65th Infantry Regiment, systematically executed between 17,000 and 20,000 Chinese prisoners from December 15 to 17. These prisoners were taken to the banks of the Yangtze River near Mufushan, where they were machine-gunned to death. The bodies were then disposed of by either burning or flushing them downstream. Recent research by Ono Kenji has revealed that these mass killings were premeditated and carried out systematically, in accordance with orders issued directly by Prince Asaka. A soldier from the IJA's 13th Division described killing wounded survivors of the Mufushan massacre in his diary “I figured that I'd never get another chance like this, so I stabbed thirty of the damned Chinks. Climbing atop the mountain of corpses, I felt like a real devil-slayer, stabbing again and again, with all my might. 'Ugh, ugh,' the Chinks groaned. There were old folks as well as kids, but we killed them lock, stock, and barrel. I also borrowed a buddy's sword and tried to decapitate some. I've never experienced anything so unusual”. Frequently, the Japanese just left their victims wherever they fell. Corpses began to accumulate in the streets, exposed to the elements and onlookers. Cars constantly were forced to run over corpses. Corpses were scavenged by stray dogs, which, in turn, were consumed by starving people. The water became toxic; workers in the Safety Zone discovered ponds clogged with human remains. In other instances, the Japanese gathered their machine-gunned or bayoneted victims into large heaps, doused them in kerosene, and set them ablaze. Archibald Steele wrote for the Chicago Daily News on December 17th “I saw a grisly scene at the north gate, where what was once a group of 200 men had become a smoldering mass of flesh and bones, so severely burned around the neck and head that it was difficult to believe he was still human.” During the chaos in the beginning, whereupon the Japanese had not yet fully conquered the city, its defenders scrambled desperately to escape before it was too late. Individually or in small groups, they sought vulnerabilities in the enemy lines, acutely aware that their survival hinged on their success. Months of conflict had trained them to expect no mercy if captured; previous experiences had instilled in them the belief that a swift death at the hands of the Japanese would be a fortunate outcome. On December 12, amid intense artillery fire and aerial bombardment, General Tang Sheng-chi issued the order for his troops to retreat. However, conflicting directives and a breakdown in discipline transformed the ensuing events into a disaster. While some Chinese units successfully crossed the river, a far greater number were ensnared in the widespread chaos that engulfed the city. In their desperation to evade capture, some Chinese soldiers resorted to stripping civilians of their clothing to disguise themselves, while many others were shot by their own supervisory units as they attempted to flee.Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of individual escape stories emerged from this period. In some rare instances, entire units, even up to divisional strength, successfully infiltrated Japanese lines to reach safety. For others, such as the 156th Division, there were detailed plans outlining escape routes from Nanjing. Several soldiers and officers adhered to this three-day trek, skillfully evading Japanese patrols until they reached Ningguo, located south of the capital. Nonetheless, these cases were exceptions. The vast majority of soldiers from China's defeated army faced significant risk and were more likely to be captured than to escape. Some of Chiang Kai-shek's most elite units suffered near total annihilation. Only about a thousand soldiers from the 88th Division managed to cross the Yangtze safely, as did another thousand from the Training Division, while a mere 300 from the 87th Division survived. Even for units like the 156th Division, the escape plans were only effective for those who learned of them. These plans were hurriedly disseminated through the ranks as defeat loomed, leaving mere chance to determine who received the information. Many stayed trapped in Nanjing, which had become a fatal snare. One day, Japanese soldiers visited schools within Nanjing's Safety Zone, aware that these locations sheltered many refugees. They called for all former soldiers to step forward, promising safety in exchange for labor. Many believed that the long days of hiding were finally coming to an end and complied with the request. However, they were led to an abandoned house, where they were stripped naked and bound together in groups of five. Outside, a large bonfire had been ignited. They were then bayoneted and, while still alive, thrown onto the flames. Only a few managed to escape and share the horrifying tale. The Japanese were of course well aware that numerous soldiers were hiding in Nanjing, disguised as locals, evidenced by the piles of military uniforms and equipment accumulating in the streets. Consequently, they initiated a systematic search for soldiers within hours of taking control. The Safety Zone was not spared, as the Japanese Army suspected that Chinese soldiers had sought refuge there. On December 16, they raided Ginling College, despite a policy prohibiting the admission of men, except for elderly residents in a designated dining room. The soldiers brought axes to force open doors that were not immediately complied with and positioned six machine guns on the campus, prepared to fire at anyone attempting to escape. Ultimately, they found nothing. In cases where they did encounter young men of military age, the soldiers lined them up, scrutinizing for distinct telltale features such as close-cropped hair, helmet marks, or shoulder blisters from carrying a rifle. Many men, who had never served in the military but bore callouses from hard manual labor, were captured based on the assumption that such marks indicated military experience. As noted by Goerge Fitch the head of Nanjing's YMCA “Rickshaw coolies, carpenters, and other laborers are frequently taken”. The Japanese employed additional, more cunning tactics to root out soldiers. During an inspection of a camp within the Safety Zone, they struggled to get the approximately 6,000 men and women to surrender. Before leaving, they resorted to one last trick. “Attention!” a voice commanded in flawless Chinese. Many young men, conditioned by months or years of military training, instinctively responded. Even though most realized their mistake almost immediately, it was too late; the Japanese herded them away. Given the scale of the slaughter, efforts were soon organized to facilitate the killing and disposal of as many individuals as possible in the shortest time. Rows of prisoners were mowed down by machine-gun fire, while those injured were finished off with single bullets or bayonets. Much of the mass murder occurred near the Yangtze River, where victims could be disposed of easily by being pushed into the water, hoping the current would carry them away.As the weeks progressed and the Japanese grew increasingly concerned about the possibility of former soldiers still at large, the dragnet tightened. Beginning in late December, Japanese authorities implemented a registration system for all residents of Nanjing. At Ginling College, this process lasted about a week and resulted in scenes of almost indescribable chaos, as the Japanese also decided to register residents from the surrounding areas on campus. First, the men were registered, followed by the women. Often, women attended the registration to help save their husbands and sons, who would otherwise have been taken as suspected former soldiers. Despite these efforts, a total of 28 men were ultimately seized during the registration process at Ginling College. Each individual who registered received a document from the authorities. However, it soon became clear that this paper provided little protection against the caprices of the Japanese military. That winter in Nanjing, everyone was a potential victim. While systematic mass killings primarily targeted young men of military age, every category of people faced death in the days and weeks following the Japanese conquest of Nanjing. Reports indicated that fifty police officers from the Safety Zone were executed for permitting Chinese soldiers to enter the area. The city's firefighters were taken away to meet an uncertain fate, and six street sweepers were killed inside their dwelling. Like an uncontrollable epidemic, the victors' bloodlust seemed to escalate continuously, seeking out new victims. When the Japanese ordered the Safety Zone committee to supply workers for the electricity plant in Xiaguan to restore its operations, they provided 54 individuals. Within days, 43 of them were dead. Although young men were especially targeted, the Japanese made no distinctions based on age or sex. American missionary John G. Magee documented numerous instances of indiscriminate killings, including the chilling account of two families nearly exterminated. Stabbings, shootings, and rapes marked the slaughter of three generations of innocents, including toddlers aged four and two; the older child was bayoneted, while the younger was struck in the head with a sword. The only survivors were a badly injured eight-year-old girl and her four-year-old sister, who spent the following fortnight beside their mother's decaying body. The violence was often accompanied by various forms of humiliation, as if to utterly break the spirit of the conquered people. One woman lost her parents and three children. When she purchased a coffin for her father, a Japanese soldier tore the lid off and discarded the old man's body in the street. Another soldier, in a drunken stupor, raped a Chinese woman and then vomited on her. In yet another incident, a soldier encountered a family of six huddled over a pot of thin rice soup; he stepped over them and urinated into their pot before continuing on his way, laughing heartlessly. The atrocities committed at Nanjing were not akin to something like the Holocaust. Within places like Auschwitz killings became industrialized and often took on an impersonal, unemotional character. The murders in Nanjing had an almost intimate quality, with each individual perpetrator bearing the blood of their victims on their hands, sometimes literally. In this sense, the Nanjing atrocities resemble the early Holocaust killings executed by German Einsatzgruppen in Eastern Europe, prior to the implementation of gas chambers. How many died during the Nanjing Massacre? Eyewitnesses at the time recognized that the Japanese behavior had few immediate precedents. Missionary John Magee compared the situation to the Turkish genocide of the Armenians during World War I, which was still fresh in memory. Despite this, no consensus emerged regarding the exact number of fatalities, a state of affairs that would persist for nearly eight decades. In his first comprehensive account of the atrocities following the conquest of the capital, New York Times correspondent Tillman Durdin reported that 33,000 Chinese soldiers lost their lives in Nanjing, including 20,000 who were executed. Foreign correspondent Frank Oliver claimed in a 1939 publication that 24,000 men, women, and children were put to death during the first month of the city's occupation. As time progressed, much larger figures began to circulate. After returning to Germany in 1938, John Rabe held a lecture where he cited European estimates that between 50,000 and 60,000 people had died. In February 1942, Chiang Kai-shek stated that 200,000 were slaughtered within one week. The Nanjing tribunal established by Chiang's government to try Japanese war criminals in 1946 and 1947 reported that more than 300,000 lives had been lost following the city's fall. The highest estimate recorded comes from a Chinese military expert, who put the death toll at 430,000. Currently, the figure most commonly accepted in official Chinese media is 300,000, a number also cited by various authors sympathetic to China's contemporary regime. The debate over the Nanjing death toll has been a complex and extensive discussion, likely to remain unresolved to everyone's satisfaction. As missionary and Nanjing University teacher Miner Searle Bates remarked when he testified before the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in July 1946, “The scope of this killing was so extensive that no one can provide a complete picture of it.” On December 16, American missionary Minnie Vautrin witnessed a truck passing by Ginling College, loaded with eight to ten girls. When they saw the Western woman, they cried out, "Jiu ming! Jiu ming!" which means “Help! Help!” Vautrin felt powerless, fully aware of the fate that awaited them. As early as Tuesday of that week, she had documented rumors of girls being raped. The following night, women were taken in large numbers from their homes. Another missionary, John Magee wrote to his wife “The most horrible thing now is the raping of the women, which has been going on in the most shameless way I have ever known”. A tentative list compiled by Lewis Smythe detailed instances of rape occurring soon after the Japanese Army entered Nanjing: four girls at noon on December 14; four more women that evening; three female refugees on December 15; and a young wife around the same time. The accounts revealed chilling individual horrors. A 15-year-old girl was taken to a barracks housing 200 to 300 Japanese soldiers and locked in a room, where she was raped multiple times daily. Victims ranged from as young as 11 to over 80. American correspondent Edgar Snow recalled “Discards were often bayoneted by drunken soldiers,. Frequently, mothers had to witness their babies being beheaded, only to then be raped themselves.” Y.M.C.A. head George Fitch reported the case of a woman whose five-month-old infant was deliberately smothered by a soldier to silence its cries while he raped her. Such acts were a gruesome form of humiliation, designed to demonstrate that the vanquished were powerless to protect their own families. Japanese soldier Takokoro Kozo recalled “Women suffered most. No matter how young or old, they all could not escape the fate of being raped. We sent out coal trucks to the city streets and villages to seize a lot of women. And then each of them was allocated to fifteen to twenty soldiers for sexual intercourse and abuse. After raping we would also kill them”. Women were frequently killed immediately after being raped, often through horrific mutilations, such as being penetrated with bayonets, long bamboo sticks, or other objects. For instance, one six-months-pregnant woman was stabbed sixteen times in the face and body, with one stab penetrating her abdomen and killing her unborn child. In another case, a young woman had a beer bottle forcibly inserted into her vagina after being raped, and was subsequently shot. On December 19, 1937, the Reverend James M. McCallum wrote in his diary “I know not where to end. Never I have heard or read such brutality. Rape! Rape! Rape! We estimate at least 1,000 cases a night and many by day. In case of resistance or anything that seems like disapproval, there is a bayonet stab or a bullet... People are hysterical... Women are being carried off every morning, afternoon and evening. The whole Japanese army seems to be free to go and come as it pleases, and to do whatever it pleases”. Rabe wrote in his diary dated December 17 “wo Japanese soldiers have climbed over the garden wall and are about to break into our house. When I appear they give the excuse that they saw two Chinese soldiers climb over the wall. When I show them my party badge, they return the same way. In one of the houses in the narrow street behind my garden wall, a woman was raped, and then wounded in the neck with a bayonet. I managed to get an ambulance so we can take her to Kulou Hospital... Last night up to 1,000 women and girls are said to have been raped, about 100 girls at Ginling College...alone. You hear nothing but rape. If husbands or brothers intervene, they're shot. What you hear and see on all sides is the brutality and bestiality of the Japanese soldiers”. In a documentary film about the Nanjing Massacre, In the Name of the Emperor, a former Japanese soldier named Shiro Azuma spoke candidly about the process of rape and murder in Nanjing. “At first we used some kinky words like Pikankan. Pi means "hip", kankan means "look". Pikankan means, "Let's see a woman open up her legs." Chinese women didn't wear under-pants. Instead, they wore trousers tied with a string. There was no belt. As we pulled the string, the buttocks were exposed. We "pikankan". We looked. After a while we would say something like, "It's my day to take a bath," and we took turns raping them. It would be all right if we only raped them. I shouldn't say all right. But we always stabbed and killed them. Because dead bodies don't talk”. Without anyone to defend them, the women of Nanjing resorted to desperate measures for their safety. The young and attractive cut their hair and smeared soot on their faces to diminish their allure. Others donned boys' clothes or the garments of elderly women. However, the Japanese were well aware of these tactics and were not easily deceived. As American correspondent Snow described, it was an orgy of unprecedented debauchery, involving not only the lower ranks of the Japanese military but also officers who turned their quarters into harems, bedding a new captive each night. Open-air sexual assaults were common. During the first ten days of occupation, groups of Japanese soldiers entered the Ginling campus ten to twenty times daily, brandishing fixed bayonets stained with fresh blood. So overwhelmed, Vautrin decided to prioritize saving lives over salvaging possessions, spending those early days frantically moving across campus to prevent marauding soldiers from taking away women. A particularly tense situation unfolded on the evening of December 17, when Vautrin and other staff members at Ginling College were called to the front of the campus to confront a group of Japanese soldiers. Earlier, Vautrin had received documentation from another officer affirming that the area was a legitimate refugee camp. The soldiers torn up the document in front of her. For hours, with armed Japanese soldiers encircling them, Vautrin and her colleagues were left standing or kneeling, uncertain of what awaited them. Gradually, it became clear that they had been lured to the front gate so that other soldiers could enter through a side entrance and abduct twelve women. As Vautrin recalled “Never shall I forget the scene. The dried leaves rattling, the moaning of the wind, the cries of women being led away.” The staff remained at the entrance until 11:00 pm, fearing that hiding soldiers might fire on them if they moved. This was the only time that Vautrin was unable to prevent rape, a failure that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Some Japanese soldiers, seeking young girls, ordered a middle-aged Chinese woman to assist them in finding targets. When she either could not or would not comply, they shot a rifle across her abdomen, narrowly missing and taking away “three handbreadths of flesh.” When the Japanese Army entered Nanjing, little damage had been inflicted on the buildings, as noted by U.S. missionary James McCallum at the end of December. On the first day of their occupation, Japanese soldiers immediately dispersed into Nanjing in small groups, breaking shop windows and looting the goods within. They carried away their spoils in crates and stolen rickshaws. Initially, the looting was partly a makeshift response to the poor logistics of the Japanese Army. Combat soldiers had arrived well ahead of their supply lines and faced severe food shortages until the roads reopened and the Yangtze River became navigable. Every building in Nanjing was looted and turned upside down. Everything not nailed down was stolen: doors and window frames were removed, safes opened with rifle shots or grenades. Japanese soldiers often pillaged property while the owners were present, threatening them with bayonets. Abandoned cars littered the streets, typically overturned and stripped of useful items, including batteries. Like Russian soldiers in Berlin seven and a half years later, the rank-and-file soldiers displayed a particular interest in watches. As the scale of plunder grew, transportation became scarce. By the end of December, looting was being conducted using trucks. When vehicles were unavailable, Japanese soldiers resorted to wheelbarrows and even children's prams. Mules, donkeys, and people were also commandeered. Just as during their advance from Shanghai to Nanjing, the Chinese were forced to assist in looting their own homes. A common sight was a Japanese soldier leading a group of Chinese down the street, laden with stolen goods. While Chinese soldiers had also engaged in some looting during their evacuation of Nanjing, it was nothing compared to the scale of the Japanese victors' plunder. The Chinese forces had deliberately avoided breaking into foreign buildings, a distinction that the Japanese disregarded. The American, British, and German embassies, along with the ambassadors' residences, were ransacked, stripped of everything from bedding and money to watches, rugs, and artwork. The American School was looted, and its wall breached to remove the piano. As the Japanese stripped the city, they also began to burn it. While the winter sky could have been sparkling, it was instead filled with smoke from thousands of fires across the city. Some fires resulted from carelessness, such as when soldiers cooked meat from a stolen cow over a bonfire, accidentally igniting an ancient building. Others were acts of mindless vandalism. The Nanking Music Shop saw all its instruments and sheets piled in the street and set ablaze. The extent of the massacre can, to some degree, be linked to a breakdown in discipline among Japanese soldiers. Released from weeks or months of hardship on the battlefield, many soldiers experienced an intoxicating sense of freedom, resembling misbehaving boys. The deterioration of order among Japanese soldiers astonished those familiar with the stories of the stringent discipline within Japan's armed forces. Observers commented on soldiers laughing at proclamations from their own officers or tearing up orders and tossing them to the ground. Some foreign witnesses speculated that this lack of discipline was exacerbated by the absence of visible individual numbers on soldiers, making it challenging to identify wrongdoers. The issue also stemmed from the quality of the Japanese officer corps and their ability to manage a large army of young men, many of whom were experiencing freedom from societal constraints for the first time. Not all officers rose to the occasion; Vautrin witnessed an officer almost fail to prevent a soldier from raping a girl. Even worse, some officers transitioned from passive bystanders, guilty by inaction, to active participants in prolonged rape sessions. While a few attempted to instill discipline among their troops, their efforts often fell short. A Japanese colonel, for instance, slapped a soldier attempting to rape a Chinese woman. Another general was seen striking a private who had bayoneted a Chinese man and threatened two Germans, raising questions about how much of this discipline was merely performative for the benefit of foreign observers. Ultimately, disciplinary measures had little impact. As Rabe noted in his diary dated December 18th “The soldiers have almost no regard for their officers”. The absence of effective higher leadership during this critical period likely exacerbated the problem. General Matsui had been suffering from malaria since November 3, which left him largely incapacitated from December 5 to 15. A subordinate later testified that he had been informed of "incidents of stealing, killing, assault, and rape and had become quite enraged.” Although Matsui may have been displeased by the unruly behavior of his soldiers, it is conceivable that his inaction led to even greater levels of atrocity than might have occurred otherwise. He insisted on holding a victory parade on December 17, immediately after recovering from his illness, which likely triggered a security frenzy among Japanese officers concerned about the safety of Prince Asaka, uncle to Emperor Hirohito. This reaction likely prompted a surge in searches for, and executions of, suspected former Chinese soldiers. The Japanese high command in Tokyo was also aware of the unraveling discipline. On January 4, 1938, Army Headquarters sent Matsui an unusually direct message ordering him to restore control among his troops: Our old friend Ishiwara Kanji bitterly criticized the situation and placed the blame on Matsui “We earnestly request enhancement of military discipline and public morals. The morale of the Japanese had never been at a lower level.” A detachment of military police eventually arrived in Nanjing, leading to some improvements, though their presence was mixed. Some officers stationed outside the Safety Zone ignored atrocities occurring before them and, in some cases, participated directly. At Ginling College, the experience with military police was decidedly uneven. The first group of about 25 men tasked with guarding the college ended up committing rape themselves. Despite frequent visits from Japanese soldiers in search of loot and victims to assault, the Safety Zone was perceived as successful. Many believed that both the zone and the work of its managing committee were responsible for saving countless lives. W. Plumer Mills, vice chairman of the committee, noted that the zone “did give some protection during the fighting…but the chief usefulness of the Zone has been the measure of protection it has afforded to the people since the occupation.” Shortly after the Japanese conquest, the population of the Safety Zone swelled to a quarter million people. Around 70,000 of these were organized into 25 pre-arranged camps, while the majority sought accommodation wherever possible. Makeshift “mat-shed villages” sprang up in vacant areas throughout the zone. Nanjing quickly became informally divided into two distinct cities. Outside the Safety Zone, the atmosphere was ghostly, with a population dwindling to around 10,000, while within the zone, bustling activity thrived. Shanghai Road, which ran through the center of the zone and had once been a wide boulevard, transformed into a hub of barter and trade, resembling a festive market during Chinese New Year, overflowing with makeshift stalls, tea shops, and restaurants, making it nearly impossible to traverse by vehicle. The Japanese held a degree of respect for Westerners, although this sentiment was not universal and did not always offer protection. Many foreigners tried to safeguard their homes by displaying their national flags outside, but they often found that Japanese soldiers would break in regardless. To protect Ginling College, American flags were displayed at eight locations around the compound, and a large 30-foot American flag was spread out in the center. However, this proved to be “of absolutely no use” in preventing Japanese soldiers from entering the area. Despite this, there was some limited outright hostility towards Americans. Stronger negative sentiments were directed towards the Russians and the British, who were viewed as representatives of nations with competing interests against the Japanese Empire. The Japanese displayed particular reverence for one nationality, the Germans. Rabe would shout “Deutsch” or “Hitler” to command respect from unruly Japanese soldiers or show them his swastika armband, indicating his allegiance to the Nazi Party. Germany was seen as a rising power and rapidly becoming one of Japan's closest allies, a fellow outcast in global politics. However, as time passed, the limits of this respect became evident; individual soldiers began searching for women within the German embassy compound, and eventually, nearly all German buildings were broken into. Despite all the challenges, there was no doubting that foreigners offered a form of protection unavailable elsewhere. Within days of the Japanese conquest, women and children began appearing in large numbers outside Rabe's home, kneeling and knocking their heads on the ground as they begged to be let into his already overcrowded garden. At 1:00 pm on January 1, the Chinese were proclaimed rulers of their own city, or at least this is what Japanese propaganda sought to convey. On the first day of the new year, a puppet government was established in a ceremony held just north of the Safety Zone. A new five-bar flag, the one associated with the early Chinese republic was raised, signaling a patriotic spirit in a gesture that felt unconvincing. As the new leaders took office, vowing to resurrect their city, buildings burned all around them. The ceremony marked the culmination of two weeks of preparatory work. As early as December 15, General Matsui met with a local Chinese leader, referred to in the Japanese commander's diary only as Chen, who had been selected to assist in forming this new puppet government. Chen had been present in the northern port city of Tianjin two years earlier when Matsui helped establish the Chinese chapter of the Greater Asia Association. He subscribed to Matsui's concepts of “Asia for Asians,” but cautioned that Chinese fears of the Japanese would complicate the governance of the conquered territories. The new government aligned with the Japanese army to implement a system of indoctrination centered on conservatism, primarily targeting the youth, who were perceived as most likely to resist. The indoctrination included messages like, “You must follow the old custom in marriage, letting your parents make arrangements for you. You must not go to theaters or study English, etc. China and Japan must become one, and then the nation will be strong.” Few were deceived by these attempts to win hearts and minds. The government-sanctioned newspaper, the Xinshengbao, or New Life Journal, was immediately dismissed as a crude vehicle for propaganda. Additionally, the government made minimal progress in more urgent tasks, such as restoring peacetime conditions and revitalizing Nanjing's economy, a challenge made formidable by Japanese brutality. Given the fate of the first group of volunteers at the electricity plant after the conquest, no one could be found to fill the needed 40 to 45 worker slots. The same was true for firefighters. The predictable outcomes followed. Water and limited power were restored to parts of the city by January 2, but within two days, the city was plunged back into darkness. By January 13, the waterworks were still non-operational, and the power supply remained intermittent while fires continued to blaze well into January. The government was not taken seriously, struggling even with the Japanese. It quickly built a reputation for being venal and corrupt. One of its names was the Nanjing Autonomous Government, which a clever member of the foreign community humorously rebranded as the “Automatic Government,” reflecting its actual role as a puppet regime devoid of autonomy. While Nanjing endured its own nightmarish reality, the city's inhabitants had little understanding of the events transpiring beyond its walls. The first radio news that reached foreign residents came on January 7, reporting Japanese air raids on Wuhan. There were also unconfirmed rumors suggesting that Hangzhou was experiencing similar horrors to those in Nanjing, but details were scarce. It was perhaps expected that reports from afar would be limited in wartime, yet information about situations closer to Nanjing was similarly scarce, and the horrific truth gradually dawned on the city's populace. A Westerner who managed to escape east from Nanjing in early January reported that all villages within a 20-mile radius had been burned to the ground. Outside the city, Japanese soldiers were randomly shooting civilians, including children. A German who drove an hour from Nanjing encountered no living souls. After the conquest, Chinese who managed to leave Nanjing reported that every pond between the city and Juyong was filled with the decaying corpses of people and animals. Many of the atrocities committed during this time appeared to stem from boredom and a search for cheap thrills. American missionary Magee witnessed a young farmer who had sustained severe burns on his upper body. After the soldiers demanded money from him and he failed to comply, they doused him in kerosene and set him ablaze. Similarly, a young boy suffered horrific burns after he failed to lead a group of soldiers to his “mama.” People in the rural areas surrounding Nanjing faced danger from numerous directions. Not only were they potential targets for marauding Japanese soldiers, but they were also at risk from bands of Chinese outlaws, who preyed on the large influx of refugees on the roads and the few souls who remained at home despite the fierce conflict raging nearby. Magee encountered a 49-year-old woman whose home was invaded by bandits looking for money. “When she and her husband said they had none they battered her head and breast with a stool and burned her feet until she revealed their savings of between four and five dollars.” In the absence of a formal government, informal authority was often wielded by secret societies. For instance, the “Big Sword Society” reportedly offered protection not only against Japanese soldiers and local bandits but also against small groups of Chinese troops seeking to escape back to their lines and resorting to theft for survival. What a blast from the past eh? Rumors began to circulate in early January 1938 that the Chinese Army was preparing to retake Nanjing and that Chiang Kai-shek's soldiers had already been spotted inside the city walls. Many of the small makeshift Japanese flags that had appeared outside private homes in mid-December suddenly vanished, and some Chinese residents who had been wearing Japanese armbands hastily removed them. There was even talk of launching an attack on the Japanese embassy. Word spread that the Japanese were becoming frightened and were searching for Chinese clothing to disguise themselves as civilians in the event of a retreat. In reality, none of this was true. The Chinese Army was still reorganizing after the costly campaign that had forced it from Shanghai to Nanjing and then further into the interior. However, this did not imply that the Japanese had achieved complete control over the city. After six weeks of terror, Nanjing began to reassert itself. Japanese soldiers faced fatalities and injuries in skirmishes with members of secret organizations like the “Yellow Spears” and the “Big Sword Society.” After the New Year, the population within the Safety Zone began to dwindle. A week into 1938, the number of refugees at Ginling College, which had peaked at more than 10,000, fell to around 5,000. Less than a month after the conquest, many former residents started returning to their homes during the day and then coming back to the college at night. Still, the city was far from safe, and even for those whose homes were located within the Safety Zone, Vautrin believed it was unwise to stray too far from her refugee camp. One month after Japanese forces had surged through its gates, Nanjing was a thoroughly devastated city, with fires still being set every day and night. By mid-January, estimates suggested that more than half the city had been burned down, with the main shopping district completely gone, as well as the entertainment area surrounding the Confucius Temple. Nevertheless, slowly but surely, the shell-shocked city began to pull itself together and started the long process of renewal. Vautrin considered opening an industrial school offering four-month courses for women to help compensate for the loss of labor resulting from the indiscriminate killing of men. Chinese New Year fell on January 31, 1938. Celebrated throughout Asia, it was also recognized by the Japanese. It was a “dismal, muddy” day, and as many feared, soldiers who appeared “too happy” from excessive drinking attempted to enter the Safety Zone in search of women but were stopped. The sound of thousands of firecrackers filled the air, fulfilling the age-old purpose of scaring away evil spirits. Refugees in Rabe's compound presented him with a large red silk banner adorned with a gold Chinese inscription. His Chinese friends translated the message for him “You are the living Buddha For a hundred thousand people”. 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 1937, the battle for Nanjing left its residents in terror as the Japanese army advanced. Following the invasion, a horrific massacre began, with thousands targeted in brutal killings, torture, and humiliation. Civilians and soldiers alike were indiscriminately slain, and the Japanese military showed no mercy. To this day the Nanjing Massacre stands as a testament to the unbelievable evil man holds within him.
In this episode, Robby Dawkins sits down with Polish evangelist Marcin Zielinski to unpack his inspiring journey of faith. From his roots as a layman in the Catholic Church to stepping boldly into a life marked by miracles, healings, and the power of the Holy Spirit, Marcin's story is one of courage and obedience. Together, Robby and Marcin explore how God is moving in Poland, the challenges of stepping into ministry without a title, and the unstoppable reality of the Kingdom breaking out through ordinary people.If you've ever wondered how God can use you right where you are — in your church, workplace, or community — this conversation will both inspire and challenge you to believe for more.Stay Radical ❤️
Timothy David Snyder is an American historian specializing in the history of Central and Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and the Holocaust. He is on leave from his position as the Richard C. Levin Professor of History at Yale University with plans (as of 1 July 2025 to transfer to the University of Toronto for an indefinite time.He is a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. Snyder serves on the Committee on Conscience of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds the inaugural Chair in Modern European History, supported by the Temerty Endowment for Ukrainian Studies, at the Munk School at the University of Toronto; he will teach at the school during the 2025–26 academic year.Snyder has written many books, including Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin (2010), On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century (2017), The Road to Unfreedom (2018), and Our Malady (2020). Several of these have been described as best-sellers.
Become a Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Get our free Weekly Rundown newsletter and be the first to hear about breaking news and offers: https://nomadcapitalist.com/email Join us for the next Nomad Capitalist Live event: https://nomadcapitalist.com/live/ From Nomad Capitalist Live 2025, Mr Henderson sits down with global relationship expert Sadia Khan to discuss loyalty, attraction, and the challenges of modern relationships across cultures. In this candid interview, Sadia addresses the rumours surrounding her, discusses why dating in the West often feels like a war, and contrasts it with how relationships are approached in places like Eastern Europe, Asia, and Dubai. Nomad Capitalist helps clients "go where you're treated best." We are the world's most sought-after firm for offshore tax planning, dual citizenship, international diversification, and asset protection. We use legal and ethical strategies and work exclusively with seven- and eight-figure entrepreneurs and investors. We create and execute holistic, multi-jurisdictional Plans that help clients keep more of their wealth, increase their personal freedom, and protect their families and wealth against threats in their home country. No other firm offers clients access to more potential options to relocate to, bank in, or become a citizen of. Because we do not focus only on one or a handful of countries, we can offer unbiased advice where others can't. Become Our Client: https://nomadcapitalist.com/apply/ Our Website: http://www.nomadcapitalist.com/ About Our Company: https://nomadcapitalist.com/about/ Buy Mr. Henderson's Book: https://nomadcapitalist.com/book/ Disclaimer: Neither Nomad Capitalist LTD nor its affiliates are licensed legal, financial, or tax advisors. All content published on YouTube and other platforms is intended solely for general informational and educational purposes and should not be construed as legal, tax, or financial advice. Nomad Capitalist does not offer or sell legal, financial, or tax advisory services.
We sit down with Adela Hîncu, historian and editor of the volume Texts and Contexts from the History of Feminism and Women's Rights East Central Europe, Second Half of the Twentieth Century (2024) to discuss feminist thought in post World War 2 socialist East Central Europe.Book description:A compendium of one hundred sources, preceded by a short author's bio and an introduction, this volume offers an English language selection of the most representative texts on feminism and women's rights from East Central Europe between the end of the Second World War and the early 1990s. While communist era is the primary focus, the interwar years and the post-1989 transition period also receive attention. All texts are new translations from the original.The book is organised around themes instead of countries; the similarities and differences between nations are nevertheless pointed out. The editors consider women not only in their local context, but also in conjunction with other systems of thought—including shared agendas with socialism, liberalism, nationalism, and even eugenics.The choice of texts seeks to demonstrate how feminism as political thought was shaped and organised in the region. They vary in type and format from political treatises, philosophy to literary works, even films and the visual arts, with the necessary inclusion of the personal and the private. Women's political rights, right to education, their role in nation-building, women, and war (and especially women and peace) are part of the anthology, alongside the gendered division of labour, violence against women, the body, and reproduction.https://www.aup.nl/en/book/9789633864548/texts-and-contexts-from-the-history-of-feminism-and-womens-rightsopen access pdf: https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/98220/9789633864548.pdfAdela Hîncu is an intellectual historian who focuses on the history of social sciences, Marxist social theory, and women's political thought in Romania and East Central Europe after the Second World War. Currently a Marie Curie fellow at the Institute of Contemporary History in Ljubljana, she researches the transnational history of social expertize from Eastern Europe from the 1970s to the early 2000s.
Peter Herbeck is the Vice President and Director of Missions for Renewal Ministries. Peter oversees the work of lay mission teams throughout the world who work to equip Catholic lay people, bishops, priests, and religious to respond to Blessed Pope John Paul II's call for a new evangelization. He has traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, Africa, and Eastern Europe for the past thirty years, assisting and training local churches in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and ministering through the exercise of spiritual gifts. His guest is Albert Faraj of Acts XXIX.Fire On the Earth Airs weekdays at 5am and 2pm Pacific Time go to Spiritfilledevents.com you can also get our free app for your Android and Apple devices. Search Spirit Filled Radio to access our radio app. Support the show
From Eastern Europe's Jewish Underground To NYC Real Estate And The Underworld: A Story of Survival, Business, And FamilyIt's a personal story from Martin Hausvater that begs to be made into a movie or documentary!What happens when old-world survival meets the New York construction underworld? In this powerful video, we unpack Martin Hausvater's incredible memoir, 'Hausvater: From the Jewish Underground to NYC's Underworld'This is a multigenerational story of grit, risk, and resilience. We explore how family stories of survival and Jewish resistance in Eastern Europe fighting against antisemitism during the 1940s shaped later generations' approach to life and business in New York City.The video delves into the toughest challenges a family faced when first entering New York's construction world. You'll learn about the "gatekeepers and fixers" who controlled projects and how navigating informal rules was just as important as skill and hard work.Discover the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by the family, where "savvy" could often be mistaken for "crooked”. We discuss the tension between assimilation into NYC's business culture and maintaining Jewish identity and ethics. The video explores how generational memory, from scarcity and trauma to resilience, influences business decisions even decades later. This is a raw look at how antisemitism and other challenges were navigated by one family.This story offers powerful lessons for today's entrepreneurs and anyone navigating industries dominated by informal networks. It's a raw and honest look at how one family built a legacy from a past of resistance and how transparency and modernization have changed the construction world.This is a must-watch for anyone interested in real estate, construction, Jewish history, and business ethics.Key Takeaways:• The connection between a Jewish resistance movement and the NYC construction world.• How three generations navigated ethical dilemmas in business.• Timeless lessons on survival and resilience for modern entrepreneurs.___________________________________________________Please subscribe to Do You Ever Wonder using the two links below, and don't be shy about sharing the podcast with your friends.Subscribe to Do You Ever Wonder on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@DoYouEverWonder943?sub_confirmation=1Subscribe on your favorite streaming platform here: https://areyouwondering.buzzsprout.com/shareDo you have a great story to tell?Are you interested in appearing as a guest on the Do You Ever Wonder podcast? Let Mike Haltman know at mhaltman@hallmarkabstractllc.com.The Do You Ever Wonder podcast is brought to you by New York title insurance provider Hallmark Abstract Service and hosted by its CEO, Mike Haltman._______________________________________________Hallmark Abstract Service...You Buy Real Estate, We Protect It!Questions about the podcast, NY title insurance, or the RE transaction process? Let Hallmark Abstract Service know at (646) 741-6101 or at info@hallmarkabstractllc.com.#JewishUnderground #NYCUnderworld #Memoir #BusinessLessons #OrganizedCrime #JewishResistance #SurvivalStory #RealEstate #BusinessEthics #History #NYC #MartinHausvater #Antisemitism #OrganizedCrime
Today, I want to shine a light on a fascinating, little-known peptide called Pancragen. And if you want to support what we do, head over to our Partners Page. You'll find some amazing brands we trust—and by checking them out, you're helping us keep the podcast going. https://pepties.com/partners/ Now, if you've been following the world of anti-aging and metabolic optimization, you probably know about GLP-1 medications, metformin, and other mainstream therapies—but Pancragen is something a bit different. It's a tiny peptide with a big mission. That is rejuvenating your pancreas and restoring metabolic function. And trust me, the science behind it is pretty remarkable. What is Pancragen? So here's the story—Pancragen was developed by a team of Russian researchers led by Professor Vladimir Khavinson in St. Petersburg. These are the same minds behind legendary peptides like Epitalon and Thymalin. What they discovered was pretty fascinating. In the bovine pancreas, they found a tiny tetrapeptide—just four amino acids—that acts like a molecular switch for keeping your pancreas youthful. The full sequence is Lysine, Glutamic acid, Aspartic acid, and Tryptophan. Now, in biochemistry, we usually shorten these with a one-letter code, so Lysine becomes K, Glutamic acid is E, Aspartic acid is D, and Tryptophan is W—which is why this peptide is known as KEDW. Pancragen was created to mimic that exact peptide. And over decades of studies in both animals and humans, the results have been honestly amazing. How Pancragen Works Here's where it gets really exciting. Unlike most medicaitons that act broadly and non-specifically in the body, Pancragen is precise. When you inject it under the skin, it travels through your bloodstream straight to the pancreas. And get this—it can even enter the nucleus of pancreatic cells and interact with the DNA that controls key genes for insulin and enzyme production, like Pdx1, Ptf1a, and Pax6. Pdx1 is essential for insulin production, Ptf1a helps pancreatic cells make digestive enzymes, and Pax6 keeps the insulin-producing cells functioning properly. Basically, Pancragen flips these genes back on, helping pancreatic cells survive, grow, and work efficiently. The result? Better insulin regulation, improved enzyme production, and a pancreas that behaves years younger—think of it like updating your pancreas's software to the latest version. What the Studies Show Let's talk numbers. In aging patients with type 2 diabetes, Pancragen reduced fasting blood glucose by 20–25% and improved post-meal glucose even more. Even better, patients needed up to 35% less insulin for the same level of glucose control—meaning their cells became more sensitive to insulin rather than being forced to overwork. In primate studies, old monkeys treated with Pancragen actually outperformed those on glimepiride, a standard diabetes medication. Pancragen restored normal insulin and C-peptide rhythms without forcing the pancreas into burnout—and these effects lasted for weeks after treatment ended. And here's a bonus: Pancragen also normalizes melatonin secretion, which helps improve sleep, circadian rhythm, and overall metabolic health. So it's not just about blood sugar—it's a full-spectrum metabolic reset. Safety and Benefits Pancragen has been on the market in Eastern Europe for over a decade with no reported toxicity or adverse interactions. It simply breaks down into regular amino acids when its job is done. Users report: More stable blood sugar and fewer hypoglycemic events Reduced insulin requirements Better digestion and enzyme function Increased energy and fewer “hangry” moments A general feeling of metabolic youthfulness/health And because it works at the gene-expression level, these benefits can last for weeks or months after a cycle of Pancragen. Who Should Consider Pancragen? So, who is Pancragen for? People with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes: Pancragen helps restore normal pancreatic function, improving insulin production and glucose control instead of just masking symptoms. Those with chronic pancreatitis or enzyme insufficiency: By supporting pancreatic cells and enzyme production, it can help the pancreas work more efficiently, which may ease digestive issues. Older adults looking for metabolic anti-aging support: Pancragen can rejuvenate pancreatic function, improve insulin sensitivity, and support overall metabolic health—essentially helping the body act younger. Athletes or high-performers wanting optimal metabolic efficiency: Better pancreatic function means more precise insulin and enzyme regulation, supporting energy, recovery, and performance. People looking to prevent a plateau from GLP-1 therapy: Over time, some GLP-1 users hit a point where their progress stalls. Pancragen may help “reset” the pancreas so therapy stays effective. But keep in mind, if you're just after a quick appetite suppressant, Pancragen isn't for you. But if your goal is true pancreatic rejuvenation and long-term metabolic health, it can help. How to Use Pancragen The typical approach is to take 2 mg of Pancragen per day—either under the skin or into the muscle—for about 30 to 60 days (1 cycle). Most people repeat this course two to three times a year to keep the pancreas functioning at its best. Which brings me to a good point. If you stop taking Pancragen, nothing dangerous happens—it's not like suddenly quitting a medication. What you'll likely notice is that your pancreas gradually returns to its baseline function over time. The improvements in insulin regulation, enzyme production, and overall metabolic efficiency may slowly taper off, which is why most people do repeat courses a couple of times per year to keep those benefits going. Think of it like hitting “pause” on a fitness program—your gains won't vanish overnight, but staying consistent helps maintain them. You also don't need any complicated stacks to see results, though Pancragen can work well alongside GLP-1s and other anti-inflammatory peptides like BPC-157 or thymosin beta-4, if you're already using them. Thanks for listening to The Peptide Podcast. If today's episode resonated, share it with a friend. Until next time, be well, and as always, have a happy, healthy week.
Founder and CEO of Hilltop Capital Partners. Paul has been at the forefront of starting successful real estate businesses; an investment professional with a core expertise and 30-year track record in property development, asset management and financial structuring; transacting as an independent over £1 billion in the UK and Continental European real estate markets. Paul's career spans working as a floor trader on Wall Street in the 1980s to building one of the preeminent fully integrated property firms across CEE. In 1991 he took a trip to Eastern Europe where he ended up building the credit department of a major eastern European bank. In 1993 he built his first apartment; that single transaction grew to be one the largest fully integrated real estate advisory and investment businesses in Central and Eastern Europe called Ober-Haus working across 7 countries with a team of 350 professionals. Until 2010, he was Chairman of Hauser-Oberschneider; a developer and operating partner working with international and private equity real estate firms building housing, grocery anchored retail centres and a boutique hotel chain across CEE. Paul was famously known for selling his real estate portfolios and business pre GFC in 2008. Coming out of retirement, Paul founded Hilltop Capital Partners in the UK four years ago, a private markets specialist residential development financing partner for established residential developers and house builders across the U.K. Paul has also recently founded Hilltop Property Partners with Michela Hancock, former Greystar MD to deliver new build attainable multifamily housing across the UK and Europe.
For this week's very special episode on Rational Security's 10th anniversary, Scott sat down with a slew of co-hosts emeritus, each of whom brought their own topic to discuss.Shane Harris flagged the connections between online radicalization and the young men behind many recent public acts of gun violence, including the alleged perpetrator of the Charlie Kirk killing;Benjamin Wittes insisted we are STILL not talking enough about Russian drone incursions and other forms of gray zone warfare in Eastern Europe;Quinta Jurecic brought some statistics about the success (or not) of the Trump administration's federalization of law enforcement in D.C. (and elsewhere) that are worth contemplating; andAlan Rozenshtein asked how it can still be true that no one but him seems to care about the Trump administration blatantly disregarding the TikTok ban.In object lessons, Shane is basking in the glory of HBO's “Somebody Somewhere”—partly because his buddy Jeff Hiller just won an Emmy for his role in it. Ben praises Adam Boehler—and even Donald Trump—for helping secure Elizabeth Tsurkov's release. Alan is definitely not using this opportunity to use Pacific Rim for his object lesson—really—instead recommending fantasy mystery “The Tainted Cup,” by Robert Jackson Bennett. Scott takes us into orbit with Samantha Harvey's “Orbital,” a lyrical meditation on life and reflection in space. And Quinta dives into the future with “Empire of AI,” by Karen Hao, a deeply reported look at OpenAI and its role in shaping the technology's trajectoryLast call to help us celebrate Lawfare's 15th anniversary! Get your tickets now to join us this Friday, 9/19, to hear from some of your favorite Lawfare people past and present, take a look back on the key moments that have shaped our first 15 years, and get a sneak peek into what's coming next.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For this week's very special episode on Rational Security's 10th anniversary, Scott sat down with a slew of co-hosts emeritus, each of whom brought their own topic to discuss.Shane Harris flagged the connections between online radicalization and the young men behind many recent public acts of gun violence, including the alleged perpetrator of the Charlie Kirk killing;Benjamin Wittes insisted we are STILL not talking enough about Russian drone incursions and other forms of gray zone warfare in Eastern Europe;Quinta Jurecic brought some statistics about the success (or not) of the Trump administration's federalization of law enforcement in D.C. (and elsewhere) that are worth contemplating; andAlan Rozenshtein asked how it can still be true that no one but him seems to care about the Trump administration blatantly disregarding the TikTok ban.In object lessons, Shane is basking in the glory of HBO's “Somebody Somewhere”—partly because his buddy Jeff Hiller just won an Emmy for his role in it. Ben praises Adam Boehler—and even Donald Trump—for helping secure Elizabeth Tsurkov's release. Alan is definitely not using this opportunity to use Pacific Rim for his object lesson—really—instead recommending fantasy mystery “The Tainted Cup,” by Robert Jackson Bennett. Scott takes us into orbit with Samantha Harvey's “Orbital,” a lyrical meditation on life and reflection in space. And Quinta dives into the future with “Empire of AI,” by Karen Hao, a deeply reported look at OpenAI and its role in shaping the technology's trajectoryLast call to help us celebrate Lawfare's 15th anniversary! Get your tickets now to join us this Friday, 9/19, to hear from some of your favorite Lawfare people past and present, take a look back on the key moments that have shaped our first 15 years, and get a sneak peek into what's coming next.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Allied Intervention into the Russian Civil War remains one of the most ambitious yet least talked about military ventures of the 20th century. Coinciding with the end of the first World War, some 180,000 troops from several countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Italy, Greece, Poland, and Romania, among others, were sent to fight alongside Russian “Whites” against the Red Army. Despite one victory for the Allied troops – independence for the Latvians and the Estonians – the two-year long attempt at reversing the 1917 Russian Revolution ended in humiliating defeat. To explore this crucial event of the early 20th century is today’s guest, Anna Reid, author of “A Nasty Little War: The Western Intervention into the Russian Civil War.” What was originally aimed to prevent Germany from exploiting the power vacuum in Eastern Europe left by the Russian Revolution ultimately morphed into the Allies’ gamble to destroy Communist ideology. It was a mixture of good intentions and self-delusion, flag-waving and empty promises, cover-ups, exaggerations, and downright lies from politicians.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's episode, Dr. Mark Costes welcomes Vladimir Vukicevic, a serial tech entrepreneur turned wellness founder and the CEO of Better & Better, a sustainable, fluoride-free toothpaste and oral care brand. Vlad shares his incredible backstory—from surviving childhood bone cancer in Eastern Europe to launching and selling multiple startups before founding Better & Better. He explains how his personal health journey sparked a passion for clean living and preventative wellness, and why toothpaste became his next big mission. The two dive deep into the fluoride vs. hydroxyapatite debate, the surprising risks of fluoride exposure, and why the dental industry is slow to evolve despite emerging science. Vlad also breaks down his company's unique, plastic-free oral care product line and how consumer awareness—fueled by cultural and political shifts—is driving the demand for safer, more conscious options. Be sure to check out the full episode from the Dentalpreneur Podcast! EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.betterandbetter.com https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dental Success Network Subscribe to The Dentalpreneur Podcast
In this episode, I share a previous conversation I had with my mom. She asked, "Is there any country you haven't been to that you want to see?" You'll hear about the 24 or so countries I've been to, why I went there, and when. I also share some observations that came to mind. This episode is about destinations, not "How to. " My book "Going Solo" is a how-to book. Please get it here: Amazon: Going Solo
Jacob Shapiro sits down with Jacek Bartosiak, founder of Strategy&Future, to discuss Russia's drone incursions into Polish airspace and their broader implications. From Warsaw's perspective, deterrence has failed, pushing debate toward a “politics of punishment.” Bartosiak outlines the fracturing of NATO credibility, the rise of an Intermarium bloc from the Baltics to Turkey, and Ukraine's surprising military innovations. Together, they explore how Poland, Ukraine, and regional allies may reshape Europe's security landscape amid U.S. retreat.--Timestamps:(00:00) - Introduction and Guest Introduction(00:22) - Current Geopolitical Tensions in Poland(01:07) - Historical Context: The Intermarium Concept(02:04) - Polish Perspective on Western Media(02:58) - Russian Drone Incursion into Poland(05:41) - Poland's Strategic Debate and NATO's Role(10:40) - Ukraine's Military and Strategic Position(14:21 US-European Relations and Trump's Policies(24:55) - Future of NATO and Eastern European Alliances(27:43) - Geopolitical Tensions in Eastern Europe(28:35) - NATO's Role and Perceived Weakness(29:43) - Poland's Strategic Position and Military Capabilities(31:42) - Putin's Miscalculations and Regional Dynamics(33:48) - Historical Context and Turkey's Role(36:48) - China's Influence and Future Scenarios(48:06) - Belarus and the Future of Eastern Europe(51:39) - Concluding Thoughts on Regional Stability--Referenced in the Show:Strategy and Future - https://patronite.pl/p/strategy-and-future/ --Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com --Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today's volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.--This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
In this episode, we sit down with Kathleen E. Judge, an accomplished Edward Jones financial advisor, community leader, and advocate for meaningful wealth management. With nearly three decades of experience in the financial services industry, Kathleen specializes in helping successful professionals, retirees, and business owners make smart decisions about their money—aligning their financial strategies with their values, goals, and life's greater purpose. Kathleen's holistic approach focuses on five key areas: investing wisely, enhancing wealth through tax-efficient strategies, protecting assets, planning for wealth transfer, and maximizing charitable giving. By collaborating with her clients' CPAs, attorneys, and other trusted advisors, she ensures that every plan is tailored to the individual story behind the numbers. Her personal journey is just as inspiring. After beginning her career with Edward Jones in 1996, Kathleen briefly stepped away to adopt her children from Ukraine, homeschool them, and co-found a nonprofit serving orphans in Eastern Europe. Returning to Edward Jones in 2011, she has since become a limited partner and a trusted advisor to countless families and businesses. Beyond finance, Kathleen is deeply engaged in community service—currently serving as an executive board member and treasurer for Lydia's House, a grant committee member for Youthbridge Community Foundation, and an active volunteer across multiple organizations. Her dedication to both her profession and her community reflects her core belief: that true wealth lies not only in financial security but also in uplifting families, causes, and communities. Join us as Kathleen shares her insights on wealth with purpose, legacy planning, and the power of connecting financial success to what matters most in life. Episode Highlights Wealth management strategies 2025 Financial advisor for professionals and retirees Legacy planning and wealth transfer Purpose-driven investing 2025 Tax-efficient wealth strategies Holistic financial planning Wealth and philanthropy connection Financial planning for business owners Building meaningful financial legacies Women in finance leadership 2025 Wealth protection and estate planning Community-focused financial advisor Edward Jones financial advisor insights Giving back through wealth planning Aligning money with purpose Purpose-driven wealth management Financial empowerment for families The future of philanthropy in financial planning Holistic approaches to money and meaning Redefining wealth beyond money Women leading in financial services Social impact through strategic giving The intersection of finance and community service Wealth planning for the next generation Financial literacy and empowerment in 2025 Know Kathleen E Judge Website : https://www.edwardjones.com/us-en/financial-advisor/kathleen-judge Did you enjoy today's episode? Welcome to New Ways Barre. We are so glad you are here. Get ready to transform your body, mind and life. At New Ways Barre, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where individuals can achieve holistic well-being. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon Apple Spotify Audacy Deezer Podcast Addict Pandora Rephonic Tune In Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways Facebook:@ susan.ways Email @susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Let me hear your thoughts!
Meet MAJ(P) Promotable Jacob Myers, currently serving at the Military Advising Training Academy (MATA) at Fort Benning, Georgia. Our discussion covers the purpose and function of MATA, the development and training of military advisors, and the history and evolution of Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs). Myers elaborates on his experience in Latvia, the challenges of building rapport and training in a foreign country, and the rapidly changing dynamics in Eastern Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. We also touch on FAO professional development, the importance of language skills, and the valuable interactions and learning opportunities throughout a FAO's career. Books Discussed: Between Two Giants, Brit Batar The Russians, Hedrick Smith Kiril Yaskov, The Last Ring Bearer 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimers 00:45 Meet Major Promotable Jacob Myers 01:11 Understanding the Military Advising Training Academy (MATA) 02:29 History and Evolution of Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs) 06:53 Training and Deployment of Military Advisors 10:22 Challenges and Realities of Military Advising 14:05 Combat Advisor Training Course (CATC) Overview 19:14 Practical Training and Exercises 28:50 Expanding Training to Joint Forces and Foreign Partners 35:25 The Role of FAOs in SFABs 39:52 Personal Experience and Future Aspirations 43:51 Understanding the FAO Roles and Responsibilities 46:02 Navigating Challenges in Latvia During COVID-19 47:20 Impact of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine on Latvia 51:02 Strengthening US-Latvia Defense Relations 01:10:07 Language and Cultural Dynamics in Latvia 01:20:21 Jacob's Journey: From Basic Training to FAO Program 01:21:35 Joining the National Guard and Pursuing Active Duty 01:21:58 Transition to Active Duty and Deployment to Afghanistan 01:23:02 Experiences in Afghanistan and Promotion to Captain 01:25:20 Pentagon Assignment and Introduction to FAO 01:26:14 Discovering the FAO Program and Early Influences 01:29:58 Training and Assignments as a FAO 01:30:42 Language Training and Family Experiences 01:32:27 Marshall Center and Regional Travels 01:42:35 Importance of Building Relationships and Staying Informed 01:47:49 Final Thoughts and Advice for FAOs
Encountering Race in Albania: An Ethnography of the Communist Afterlife (Cornell University Press, 2025) is the first book to interrogate race and racial logics in Albania. Chelsi West Ohueri examines how race is made, remade, produced, and reproduced through constructions of whiteness, blackness, and otherness. She argues that while race is often limited to Western processes of modernity that exclude Eastern Europe, racialization processes are global, and the ethnography of everyday Albanian socialities makes visible how race operates. Historical and political science frameworks prevail in the study of post-Cold War East European societies, yet as West Ohueri shows, anthropological and ethnographic knowledge can equip scholars to ask questions that they might otherwise not consider, illustrating how racialization is ongoing and enduring in a period that she terms the communist afterlife. Encountering Race in Albania, through the unexpected optic of Albania, a small, formerly communist country in Southeast Europe, offers significant insights into into broader understandings of race in a global context. Chelsi West Ohueri is Assistant Professor of Slavic and Eurasian Studies at University of Texas, Austin. Her work focuses on ethnographic studies of race and racialization, belonging, marginalization, and medical anthropology, primarily in Albania and Southeast Europe. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
At the EUVC Summit 2025, the Firm of the Year award didn't go to a household name—or a partner of the presenter. It went to a firm that's quietly built one of the most impactful portfolios in European venture over the past decade:Credo Ventures – winner of this year's Firm of the Year Award.And the irony? They didn't see it coming.“I never really liked awards like this… but maybe I'm ready to reconsider.”Credo Ventures' rise hasn't always been center stage. Based in Central and Eastern Europe, they've long bet on founders and ecosystems that many in mainstream venture overlooked.But the results speak for themselves—category-defining companies, global expansion stories, and a consistent track record of backing ambitious founders early.“Maybe having such an award can be a new KPI for us—right next to DPI.”The Credo team kept the moment light, thanking not just their founders and LPs—but even the investors who didn't back them.“Thank you, Thomas, for not investing in us. Maybe that pushed us forward even more.”This self-awareness is part of what's made Credo so beloved in the ecosystem: no arrogance, no buzzwords—just clear conviction, strong founder relationships, and outcomes that speak louder than headlines.This award wasn't just about Credo—it was a signal to every fund building off the beaten path:That it's possible to build world-class performance from anywhereThat recognition follows consistencyAnd that humility and humor are strengths, not liabilities“The real credit goes to the founders we've backed. Their success is why we're here today.”Congratulations to Credo Ventures—EUVC Firm of the Year 2025.May DPI stay high, and KPIs stay fun.Building Beyond the SpotlightA Touch of Humility. A Lot of Performance.A Win for the Underdogs
Encountering Race in Albania: An Ethnography of the Communist Afterlife (Cornell University Press, 2025) is the first book to interrogate race and racial logics in Albania. Chelsi West Ohueri examines how race is made, remade, produced, and reproduced through constructions of whiteness, blackness, and otherness. She argues that while race is often limited to Western processes of modernity that exclude Eastern Europe, racialization processes are global, and the ethnography of everyday Albanian socialities makes visible how race operates. Historical and political science frameworks prevail in the study of post-Cold War East European societies, yet as West Ohueri shows, anthropological and ethnographic knowledge can equip scholars to ask questions that they might otherwise not consider, illustrating how racialization is ongoing and enduring in a period that she terms the communist afterlife. Encountering Race in Albania, through the unexpected optic of Albania, a small, formerly communist country in Southeast Europe, offers significant insights into into broader understandings of race in a global context. Chelsi West Ohueri is Assistant Professor of Slavic and Eurasian Studies at University of Texas, Austin. Her work focuses on ethnographic studies of race and racialization, belonging, marginalization, and medical anthropology, primarily in Albania and Southeast Europe. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies
Encountering Race in Albania: An Ethnography of the Communist Afterlife (Cornell University Press, 2025) is the first book to interrogate race and racial logics in Albania. Chelsi West Ohueri examines how race is made, remade, produced, and reproduced through constructions of whiteness, blackness, and otherness. She argues that while race is often limited to Western processes of modernity that exclude Eastern Europe, racialization processes are global, and the ethnography of everyday Albanian socialities makes visible how race operates. Historical and political science frameworks prevail in the study of post-Cold War East European societies, yet as West Ohueri shows, anthropological and ethnographic knowledge can equip scholars to ask questions that they might otherwise not consider, illustrating how racialization is ongoing and enduring in a period that she terms the communist afterlife. Encountering Race in Albania, through the unexpected optic of Albania, a small, formerly communist country in Southeast Europe, offers significant insights into into broader understandings of race in a global context. Chelsi West Ohueri is Assistant Professor of Slavic and Eurasian Studies at University of Texas, Austin. Her work focuses on ethnographic studies of race and racialization, belonging, marginalization, and medical anthropology, primarily in Albania and Southeast Europe. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology
Liam Nolan, Eastern Europe reporter in Warsaw, reports as Poland shoots down drones over its territory amid a Russian attack on Ukraine. Dr Patrick Bury, Senior Lecturer in Warfare and Counter-terrorism at the University of Bath and former Nato analyst, highlights the significance of the overnight Russian invasion of Polish airspace.
NATO, the 76 year old defence pact of 32 countries that has weathered the Cold War, the Fall of the Berlin Wall, collapse of the USSR and liberation of Eastern Europe without firing a shot, faces new challenges: the Third Age. Renewed super power rivalry, the rise of populism and political disarray among liberal democracies, as well as European fears about US defense commitments, are angst inducing developments for Western security built around Atlanticism.
Are you ready to finally break free from emotional debt and escape the patterns that are keeping you stuck? Josh Trent welcomes Jonny Miller, Nervous System Expert, to the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast, episode 769, to share why nervous system mastery is the missing key to true healing, how to rewire vagal tone capacity, how trauma gets stored in the body, why emotions travel across generations, and how breathwork and collective healing spaces help you reconnect with your true Self. Nervous System Mastery A 5-week live bootcamp to build calm, clarity, and resilience from the inside out. Most people think stress, burnout, and emotional patterns are “just the way life is.” But what if those patterns were actually shaping your biology and you had the tools to rewrite them? This training unpacks the science of how emotions, beliefs, and environment can switch genes on or off and shows you practical ways to reprogram them for peace, resilience, and lasting vitality. It's not about piling on more self-help. It's about learning how to create real inner safety, release stored trauma, and finally experience freedom in your body, mind, and spirit. Master Your Nervous System Today Enjoy $250 off the next cohort by using the link above or the code LIVEWELL In This Episode, Jonny Miller Uncovers: [01:15] Nervous System Mastery How the nervous system impacts our predictions. What made Jonny realize he was numb in his body. Why mastery takes at least 10,000 hours. How nervous system mastery means reducing reactivity. Why moments of crisis humble us and get us to start learning new ways of being. Resources: Jonny Miller Nervous System Mastery: $250 off using this link or with code LIVEWELL [06:20] Is Your Therapist Trauma-Informed? What it means when a practitioner is trauma-informed. How certain healing methods don't consider trauma. Why the wrong therapy can perpetuate trauma. How a good practitioner may take several years to become truly skilled at holding space. [07:55] Allow Yourself to Grieve What it was like for Jonny to grieve the loss of his partner. Why many people don't know how to grieve. How we resist the waves of grief. Why grief became the catalyst for Jonny's healing. Resources: [15:15] Do Emotions Get Stuck in The Body? The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk How anxiety is a defence strategy against feeling certain emotions. Anxiety: The Anxiety Cure for the Anxious Mind by Michael Johnson Vasocomputation Why the body constricts when it doesn't feel safe. How the body keeps the score. Resources: The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk Anxiety: The Anxiety Cure for the Anxious Mind by Michael Johnson Vasocomputation [18:45] How to Create Safety in The Body How the body makes prediction about the world. Why emotional releases create looseness and range of motion in the body. What it means to be safe in the body. Why nervous system mastery is about having a secure attachment with reality. [21:35] What's Blocking You from Joy How the one thing that all Blue Zones have in common is connection to a higher power. Why breathwork and plant medicine changed Jonny's view on life. How moving our beliefs out of the way allows us to experience pure joy. Why joy doesn't have to be earned. [26:30] Don't Let Fear Stop You from Healing How we can feel the emotions of our ancestors. What stops us from doing the deep healing work. Why protective mechanisms have a purpose in our lives. Resources: Parental olfactory experience influences behavior and neural structure in subsequent generations [30:20] Improving Your Vagal Tone Capacity Why the modes of reactivity are based on our vagal tone. How we can relax the hyperarousal state. Why vagal tone capacity allows us to stay grounded. How each of us has different capacity levels for each emotion. Why culture influences our capacity to feel and express our emotions. The difference between feeling and projecting emotions. [36:50] Is Your Relationship Toxic? Why people pleasing is a reflection of repressed anger. How relationships mirror how far we've come in the healing work. Why conflict has a purpose in a relationship. How intimate relationships are a fast track to nervous system mastery. When relationships become toxic. Resources: 738 How To Heal Generational Wounds Blocking Your Success + Self-Worth | John Wang 744 Debra Silverman | Your Pain Has a Pattern… and Astrology Reveals It All (This Isn't Random) 736 Silvy Khoucasian | Stop Confusing Chemistry for Trauma: Why You're Attracted to the Wrong People + How to Finally Break the Pattern [45:40] Outgrowing Your Partner What a relaxed nervous system feels like. Why we worship self-development. What happens when we outgrow our partner. [50:40] The Power of Breath Why most people breathe into the chest. How our breathing can cause a panic attack. Why we need to breathe into the lower diaphragm to feel more relaxed. How jaw tension is linked to lower body tension. Why we can change our state through our physiology. How we get out of tune as humans. Resources: Breath by James Nestor [56:55] How to Create a Space for Mastery How we can create an intentional space for mastery. Why we should avoid blue light in our space. Creativity is a blend of the ventral state and sympathetic state. How we can create a flow state. [01:00:25] Release Your Emotional Debt How Jonny helps his clients open their breathing. Why we need a dynamic range of breathing. How we can let emotions out through breathwork. Why emotional debt can kill us. How it becomes inefficient for the body to have many protective systems. Resources: 410 Mark Divine | Positive Neurodiversity: Kokoro Spirit, The 5 Mountains For Inner Peace, & How To Fulfill Your Potential [01:06:25] Collective Spaces for Healing How we're living in a sick culture that requires us to work towards health. Why we need collective spaces for emotional and ancestral healing. How men in Eastern Europe used to process their emotions in a sauna. [01:10:15] Your Money Starts with Your Body How tuning into our body helps us improve our relationship with our body. Why money is a mirror to our inner state. How we create stories around money. Why we can be scared to receive. [01:15:20] Are You Ready to Go on an Inner Adventure? How we're just understanding how our body work. Why the healing journey is an inner adventure. How we can achieve altered states through meditation. Why nervous system mastery is helping us remember and feel alive. Leave Wellness + Wisdom a Review on Apple Podcasts All Resources From This Episode Jonny Miller Nervous System Mastery: $250 off using this link or with code LIVEWELL The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk Anxiety: The Anxiety Cure for the Anxious Mind by Michael Johnson Vasocomputation Parental olfactory experience influences behavior and neural structure in subsequent generations 738 How To Heal Generational Wounds Blocking Your Success + Self-Worth | John Wang 744 Debra Silverman | Your Pain Has a Pattern… and Astrology Reveals It All (This Isn't Random) 736 Silvy Khoucasian | Stop Confusing Chemistry for Trauma: Why You're Attracted to the Wrong People + How to Finally Break the Pattern Breath by James Nestor 410 Mark Divine | Positive Neurodiversity: Kokoro Spirit, The 5 Mountains For Inner Peace, & How To Fulfill Your Potential Power Quotes From Jonny Miller "The nervous system is the lens through which we experience our life. The state of our nervous system impacts the predictions that we're making about the people and the world around us. And the work lies in identifying all of the ways in which we don't trust in ourselves or trust in life and then bring courageous curiosity towards those areas" — Jonny Miller "Any conflict is a potential edge to grow from. There's always going to be rupture in relationships. It's about how lovingly can you repair? How quickly can you go from conflict back to connection?" — Jonny Miller "We are in a world which worships self development. But there's a great distinction in self-development and self-unfoldment. When you're approaching inner work through the lens of self-developemnt, it often has this premise of part of me is broken and I need to fix it. Self-unfoldment, ot the other hand, starts with the premise of I am already whole and worthy of love." — Jonny Miller
Steve Pearlman: Today on actual intelligence, we have a very important and timely discussion with Dr. Robert Neber of a SU, whose recent opinion piece in inside higher education is titled AI and Higher Ed, and an impending collapse. Robert is a teaching professor and honors faculty fellow at the Barrett Honors College at a SU.And the reason that I invited him to speak with us today on actual intelligence is his perspective on artificial intelligence and education. And his contention roughly that higher Ed's rush to embrace artificial intelligence is going to lead us to some rather troubling places. So let's get to it with Dr.Robert Niebuhr.Robert. We talked a little bit about this on our pre-call, and I don't usually start a podcast like this, but what you said to me was so striking, so, uh, nauseating. So infuriating that I think it's a good place to begin and maybe some of [00:01:00] our listeners who value actual intelligence will also find it as appalling as I do, or at least a point of interest that needs to be talked about.You were in a meeting and we're not gonna talk about exactly, necessarily what that meeting was, but you're in a meeting with a number of other. Faculty members and something interesting arose, and I'll allow you to share that experience with us and we'll use that as a springboard for this discussion.Robert Neibuhr: Yeah, sure. Uh, so obviously, as you can imagine, right, I mean, faculty are trying to cope with, um, a perceived notion that students are using AI to create essays. And, and, uh, you know, in, in the, where I'm at, you know, one of the backbones, um, in my unit to. Um, assessed work is looking at argumentative essays.So the, the sort of, the idea that, that this argumentative essay is a backbone of a, of a grade and assessment. Um, and if we're, if we're suspecting that they're, they're using ai, um, you [00:02:00] know, faculty said, well, why should we bother grading essays if they're written by bots? Um, and, and you know, I mean, there's a lot, there's a lot to unpack there and a lot of things that are problematic with that.Um, but yeah, the, the, the idea that, you know, we, we don't have to, to combat a, to combat the perceived threat of, of student misuse of ai, we just will forego critical assessment. Um, that, that was, you know, not a lone voice in the room. That that seemed to be something that was, that was reasonably popular.Steve Pearlman: Was there any recognition of what might be being sacrificed by not ever having students write another essay just to avoid them using ai, which of course we don't want them to just have essays write, uh, so of course we don't want them to just have AI write their essays. That's not getting us anywhere.But was there any conception that there might be some loss in terms of that policy? [00:03:00]Robert Neibuhr: I mean, I, I think, I think so. I mean, I, I imagine, uh, you know, I think. My colleagues come from, from a place where, where they're, they're trying to figure out and, and cope with a change in reality. Right? But, um, there, there is also a subtext, I think across, across faculties in the United States of being overworked.And, and especially with the mantra among, you know, administration of, you know, AI will help us ramp up or scale up our, our class sizes and we can do more and we can. All this sort of extra stuff that it would seem like faculty would be, um, you know, more of their time and, and more of their effort, you know, as an ask here that I think that's, that, that may be, that may have been part of it.Um, I, I, I don't know that the idea of like the logical implication of this, that, you know, if we no longer. Exercise students' brains if we no longer have them go through a process that encourages critical [00:04:00] thinking and art, you know, articulating that through writing, like what that means. I, I don't know that they sort of thought it beyond like, well, you know, this could be, we could try it and see was kind of the mentality that I, I sort of gauged from, from the room.But, uh, it's, I mean, it's a bigger problem, right? I think the, the, the larger aspect of. What do we, what do we do? What can we do as faculty in this sort of broad push for AI all over the place? And then the idea of the mixed messages. Students get right. Students get this idea, well, this is the future. If you don't learn how to, how to use it, if you don't, you know, understand it, you're gonna be left behind.And then at the same time, it's like, well, don't use it from my class. Right? Learn it, but don't use it here. And that's. That's super unclear for students and it's, it's unclear for faculty too, right? So, um, it, it's one of those things that it's not, um, I don't think in the short term it works. And as you, as you, as you implied, right, the long term solution here of getting rid of essay [00:05:00] assignments in, in a discussion based seminar that relies on essays as a critical, I mean, this is not a viable solution, right?We, we got the entire purpose of, of the program in this case.Steve Pearlman (2): And yet a lot of faculty from what you described and a lot of what I've read as well, is also moving towards having AI be able to grade. The students work not just on simple tests, but on essays. And as you point out in your article, that's potentially moving us to a place where kids are using AI to write the essays, and then faculty are using AI to grade the essays.And who, when did the human being get involved in between, in terms of any intellectual growth?Robert Neibuhr: Yeah. No, it, it's, I think it's a, it's, it's really, it's a, it's a really big, it's a really big problem because, um. Again, those long-term implications, uh, are, are clear as, as, as you laid out. But, um, it's also, I mean, like, again, like this notion that [00:06:00] there's, there's a tool that obviously can help us, you know, multiple avenues where AI can be, can be something that's, that's helps us be more efficient and all this, those sort of stuff that, that's, that's, that's true.Um, so it's, it's there. So we should gauge and understand it. Um, but it doesn't mean you just use it everywhere. You know, you, you can buy, I don't know, you can buy alcohol at the grocery store. It doesn't mean you have it with your Cheerios, right? I mean, there's a, there's a time and place polite society says, you know, you can consume this at these times with these meals or in this company, right?It's not all, all of this. So things, so, you know, the message that I think it's a level of respect, right? If we, we don't respect the students, if we don't lay out clear guidelines and. We don't show them respect, we don't ask for respect back if, if we use bots to grade and the whole thing just becomes a charade.And, and I, I think the, again, the system [00:07:00] begins to, to break down and I think people wind up losing the point of what the exercise is all about anyway. And I, I may not just the assignment or the class, but like higher education. Right. I mean, the, the, the point is to. Teach us how to be better thinkers to, to gauge, evaluate information, uh, you know, use evidence, uh, apply it in our lives as, as we see fit.And, and if it's, and if we're not prepped for that, then, then what did they prep us for? If, if, you know, the student's perspective, it's like, well, what did I just do? What did I pay for? That's, that's a, that's a huge long term problemSteve Pearlman (2): it seems like. Uh. That, what did I pay for? Question is gonna come to bear heavily on higher education in the near future because if students are able to use AI to accomplish some of their work, and if faculty are using AI to grade some of their [00:08:00] work and so on, and then the, you know, the, these degrees are costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.And it's an effectual piece of paper that maybe that loses value in essence also because the students didn't really get anything from that process or get as much as they used to because they're using ai. You know, is this moving towards some kind of gross reassessment of the value of higher education or its role in our society entirely?Robert Neibuhr: I mean, it it, I think it certainly. It certainly has the potential, right? I mean, I would, I would even look back and, and think of a, a steady decline, right? That this is, this is one of, of many pieces that have gone, gone down. And I, you know, I mean mentioning in, in your, in your question just now, right? That the sense of, you know, students as client or customer, uh, how that has changed the sort of the, the interface and, and [00:09:00] how, you know.Uh, we, we think of this, uh, this whole, this whole endeavor, right? I mean, um, and, you know, and this leads to things like, oh, retention numbers and, and all these sort of things that the mental gymnastics that happens to, um, you know, do all these things and, and the truth be told, right? Different paths for different people, right?There's not, you know, there's not a single, like, you don't have to get the degree in physics to be as successful, but the, the student as, as, as customer, I think also has, um. Solidified this, this notion, um, that we can le list the student feedback, right? And, and student feedback is important. So I'll qualify that that standards were, were low.I, I know for my own example, you know, even 20 years ago, right, that that undergraduates would have to produce a capstone thesis as part of their bachelor's degree. And I know firsthand that at from the time that, you know, [00:10:00] the history department had looked at, um, exit surveys of people who didn't finish their history degree.And they said, well, why didn't you finish your history degree? I said, oh, well, you know, I, whatever the program was, psychology, sociology, doesn't matter, whatever the other degree was. That degree program didn't require a thesis. So that was. That was easier, right? That was the student saying, you know what, I'm gonna opt out of the hard work and I'm gonna take, take this other one.And so the history department's answer kind of like the we'll stop grading essays was, we won't, we won't require a thesis anymore that'll stem the tide of our losses. Of course it didn't. Right? 'cause they're larger things going on and, and you know, some of it's internal, some of it's external and out of, out of, you know, history departments, you know, control.Um. But I, I think part of, part of this also then sort of, you know, cuts this, this notion of the rhetoric in the last, at least two decades of [00:11:00] college is your ticket to a successful career. Like, and it's just quantifiable, right? I mean, there's no doubt that, you know, if you have a college degree, your lifetime earnings will be such and such amount higher than, right?So there's, there's clear evidence there. There's, there's, there's tangible things, but that's become degraded, I think. To, to a, a simple binary like, oh, my piece of paper gets me this. And, and I think that mentality has been sort of seeping in. And I think this is kind of where, um, some of these things are, are coming from.Like it is just a piece of paper. I don't have to worry about, you know, what skillset I get in higher ed because I'm gonna learn on the job anyway. Uh, or I don't, like, students will say, I don't see this as valuable to what I'm gonna do. So it's, it's as kind of said the reckoning long term, like upending, the higher ed.I mean, I, I think as some of these questions linger and, and, and simmer and, and costs get higher and, you know, [00:12:00] parents get more, you know, upset and, and, and students with their loans. I mean, I, I, I can't see going in, in perpetuity in the direction that it's, it's going with or without ai, but I think AI maybe speeds this up.Steve Pearlman (2): In a sense, I see this as an extension of Goodheart's Law, which is that if we just focus on the measurement, then the thing that we're measuring becomes inval or valueless to us, uh, because the measurement becomes the value. And I see that happening with ai, right? The goal is to create a paper that gets an a, it doesn't matter if I use AI to do it, because I've achieved the goal, right?The, the, the outcome that I want. I've satisfied Good Heart's law. I have produced the outcome and the measurement has been achieved. I haven't learned to write a paper or think for myself or put a sentence together, but I've nevertheless achieved the outcome, and that seems true from both perspectives.There's the student perspective, which is that I've produced the paper, I've gone through a series of [00:13:00] steps that have made the paper happen. I didn't write it, but I used AI to do it in a worst case scenario and presented it, and then it happens from the teacher's perspective, which is that whether or not AI grades it.They have, in fact, nevertheless produced the artifact that I need to assess and achieve the assessment and everybody's happy. Uh, except you know that this is utterly undermining the fundamental premise of education itself, which is the development of the individual. Yeah. Do you think down the road. I know this is purely speculative and maybe it's overly hopeful in fact, but does the reckoning in higher education, and maybe even in secondary education and primary education come down to saying, look, um, you know, AI is something that students are gonna be able to use and be proficient in regardless of whether or not we exist.The only way that we're gonna carve out a meaningful existence for ourself is an essentially, almost a reversion to [00:14:00] what higher education was. Years ago, maybe it is not as much for everybody. Maybe it is more for those people who really want to become intellectuals, use their minds, develop the mindsets and the skills of the intellectual in the positive sense of that, and in whatever way they're contributing to society.Maybe there are fewer institutions, but they are holding the line further on the cultivation of the individual and those individuals. Maybe because there are fewer of them and because they are more specialized in certain critical thinking skills become, again, more valuable to society. Is that possible, do you think?Or is, am I pipe dreaming here? Because I just hope education doesn't implode entirely though. I think a reckoning is gonna be healthy.Robert Neibuhr: Yeah.Steve Pearlman (2): What do you think?Robert Neibuhr: Yeah, no, I mean, um, the, the, the first bit that crossed my mind as as you were talking was this sort of the, the saying. Something about, you know, some of [00:15:00] us can pretend all the time and get away with it.All of us can pretend some of the time, but we all can't pretend all the time. Right? Like this sort of sense of, of, you know, like there, there has to be, someone has to tell the truth, right? Like the emperor with no clothes, it's like, well, clearly there's something wrong here. Um, but I to to the, to the future and where this, where this sort of looks and where you, where you went towards the, the end of the question.Um. I mean, I, I don't, I don't know, but if, if the rhetoric about AI reshaping the workforce, if, if part of that comes true and, and if it's, if it's about, you know, um, one skilled, let's call 'em a critical thinker, because ideally that's what's, what's going on. But one skilled, critical thinker at a desk can, can, you know, enter in the, the correct.Keystrokes to enable a machine to do the work of what 10 people would've done. I, I don't know. Right. Let's assume the, sort of, the productivity is there across [00:16:00] white collar, um, professions. I, I don't think, I think if you give everyone a college degree and the, the act, the, the possibility for a meaningful job is so slim.You create a society that that is. Seething with despair and resentment. Right? And, and you know, I'm scholar of primarily the Cold War. And you look at, you know, across Eastern Europe, the, the, the correlation between high unemployment, yet high levels of degrees of, of bachelor's degrees and sort of resentment and the political, the search, right?Like there, you see, especially in the 1970s and eighties, there's this sort of lost. Um, there's a sense of hopelessness, like, I can't survive here in Poland or Yugoslavia or Bulgaria, or whatever it was. Um, and, and if I don't fit, then, then that's like the society has failed me. And if, if we have this scenario where everyone just gets pushed through and gets a degree, [00:17:00] but you know, they're, they're, they're doing something that they don't, they haven't been trained in or they don't enjoy, or it doesn't fit with anything, it doesn't realize their personal goals.It has to, the system has to collapse. We have to reshape it into something that's trade school, uh, or, or what, you know, various levels. Right. And, and I get the idea of maybe a liberal arts, uh, uh, you know, system that, you know, people who want to enter in and, and, you know, be the sort of intellectual, the philosopher kings, I suppose, right.But, um, but that there, there probably should be some sort of system that would, that would recognize that because it, it, it doesn't, it doesn't seem like society, we'd be playing too many games and, and fi you know, playing with fire if, if society is just sort of running on the status quo.Steve Pearlman (2): I wanna bounce your article in inside Higher Ed against another one that was fairly [00:18:00] contemporaneous and I'll put it in the show notes.And the title was, effectively, AI is changing. Higher education, and it was very neutral in its assessment. But within that was a survey, uh, that was conducted of thousands of college students, two thirds of whom reported that the use of AI was probably degrading their critical thinking skills. And the, the author build this as neutrally changing higher education and I.I think there's a prevailing attitude in among many faculty members, at least the literature that's coming out is so much rah rah about artificial intelligence that if anything, that neutrality of the author was conservative relative to I think a lot of how educators are viewing it, but I was very disturbed by that characterization.If two thirds of students report that [00:19:00] using AI is probably degrading their critical thinking skills. How, how the hell are we describing that as neutrally changing or having positive and negative effects? It seems to me that that has, uh, at least for the time being, should raise enough alarms for us to say, wait a second.That's not having a neutral effect at all. That's a terrible degradation of higher education, especially given that it wasn't really cultivating critical thinking skills to begin with, and now that students themselves. Are reporting that it's harming it, especially when students tend to overestimate their critical thinking skills in most research surveys about it.This seems like it, it's a pretty clear indictment of artificial intelligence's role so far in education.Robert Neibuhr: Yeah, no, I, I think, and, and this sort of, um, I'm not surprised that I, as you said, like this, I, I think seeing that as neutral or, or. Um, continuing [00:20:00] to just cheerlead the, a notion among administration faculty that, you know, this is the new direction no matter what.Right? Those people who think they're critical thinking, those students must be misguided somehow they don't understand, right? I mean, we get this sort of disconnected, um, mentality. Um, but that's, that's, um, that, that does it, it creates a, a, a serious issue for, for the whole system because then again, it's, um.How willing are, are those, how willing are those two thirds, uh, who responded that way? How willing are they to follow the rules? How willing are they to, to not say, well, you know, this is all kind of a sham, so I, you know, I'll bend a little bit. I'll, I'll sort of have more ai, do more of my work. Like who's gonna catch me mentality?And that's, I mean, that's. Not to say they're bad people for student for doing that. That's kind of a natural reaction. We've encouraged people to take this sort of approach, [00:21:00] um, and, and 'cause students increasingly, I've witnessed, anecdotally, I've witnessed the, the decline in punishing students for academic offenses, right?I mean, I remember 20 years ago, uh, as a, as a grad ta. Um, I, I caught two students that I, I was pretty sure that they, they copied each other and they, they had essays that were, they changed some words, but I was convinced, and it, and the, the dean's office concur, concurred. It does seem that way, but you understand that one student has a serious problem right now and his mother's very ill, and, you know, we can give him a break.And I'm not out to, you know, obviously if someone's. Circumstances or circumstances, those are real, right? I mean, I'm not some sort of, you know, like we have to always, but you have a heart, but you, you know, what does that, what message does that send? Uh, that it's, oh, but if I have a sad story or something's going on in my life, [00:22:00] it's okay.And, and I think this AI use and, and the, in the lack of clarity. Um, and this sort of, all this sort of push is, is simply en encouraging the kind of behavior that we o overall don't want. Um, so maybe it's neutral now, let's say give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Um, maybe it's neutral today. I don't think it's neutral in a year from now, or six months, right?I don't, I don't think that can be, it's a sustainable thing.Steve Pearlman (2): Let me touch on that. Uh, because I was around, I'm old enough to have been around when the internet hit higher education. And I remember at that time two things that fascinated me that I thought were very odd, uh, for, and the faculty were as they are now with ai, think racing to embrace the internet, uh, Google searches, uh, HTML, and you know, so forth.And one of the things that struck me as very odd was the push they felt [00:23:00] to incorporate the internet into their classes and teach students how to use it and so forth. Which I didn't understand because it was very clear that the students were far more adept at it than any of the faculty were, and they were becoming the digital natives that they are now.And so I don't know why anyone felt as though we were needing to teach them how to use the internet when they were far ahead of us, obviously, in all of that. And the second thing was that emerged at the same time, was. An argument that, that it was a lateral shift, that reading short little webpages and clicking on different links, and as things got shorter and shorter, uh, and webpages got more desperate and so forth, we would, it was just a neutral shift in how people thought, and it was not a degradation of the ability to focus long term to go deeper.And so on, and I said, well, how can it not be? If we look at the two formats, you have a book on one hand that is a contiguous [00:24:00] set of ideas developed more deeply, and then you have a number of different web pages that are skirting across many different HTML links to different short paragraphs about things.And I sort of tried to scream at the wind a little bit about it back then, but it was, it was obvious that it was blowing in the wrong direction. And it seems to me AI is that only times about a thousand in terms of what's happening. Once again, we see a clamor to teach students how to use AI and incorporate it into their lives when they're already far ahead of us in terms of what AI is doing and how to use it.And the second thing is this notion that, again, it's lateral if not beneficial when the evidence suggests otherwise. Can you, in your insight where, given your position, I'm wondering if you can help me appreciate. Why are what is behind the faculty rush in education to embrace this? Is it, I get a sense and I'll, and then I'll be quiet because I'm trying to ask you a question.I've only asked four [00:25:00] so far. But, uh, I get a sense that, in a sense I think the faculty kind of feel helpless. That, that there's a, there's a sense that if we can't beat this and we have no idea how we could possibly beat this, then we might as well just go with it. Uh, do you feel like that's accurate?Robert Neibuhr: I think, I think, um, yes.I, I, you know, maybe a little more, some nuance to the, yes. Um, I, I suppose on the one side, um, again, faculty coming, generally coming from, from a good place, right? I wanna, I wanna help my students and I think that's, you know, um, you know, rather, rather ubiquitous, uh, among, among faculty, I wanna help, I wanna help the students, uh, do better and, and succeed.I, I think if, if there's this, this huge push to say that AI is the future, AI is if we don't, if we don't talk about it, if we don't introduce it to students, if we [00:26:00] don't sort of teach them things about it, that we're doing the students a disservice. So I, I think there's this reflective, like, we don't have much time.We have to teach them something. Let's chisel together, you know, some sort of idea and, and you know, then I can feel good about, um, having passed on some sort of, you know, knowledge to my students and help me better prepare them. I think that's perhaps, um, part of it. Um. Yeah, I think a helplessness in terms too of, you know, I, I feedback or things I hear from faculty in my unit and, and, and elsewhere is, is this sort of helplessness that administration is, has a tremendous amount of power and is sort of pushing an agenda that faculty don't have the ability to push back against as well.Right? So like. Again, a [00:27:00] perfect world. Let's think about this. Let's figure out what's actually necessary, how we can, how we can prepare students. Let's, let's think about this and, and be, be reasonable about it versus the sort of top down push. And I think faculties across the country have, have lost an ability to, to be self-governing as they would've been, you know, 20 years ago or something like this.Uh, and, and you know, the sort of administrative superstructure that has has dominated. You know, universities, uh, in, in the recent years, um, just simply says, this is what we do. And, and part of this is I thinklike, like before, right? So my university is, I think, the biggest in the country. Um, uh, or certainly one of the top three or something like this. Um, and, and the notion of scaling up is kind of always on sort of the, the talking points of the, this, right? We, let's scale up, let's do something else to have a even bigger, or let's grow by this much.Or [00:28:00] that, that pressure then doesn't come with let's hire X number of faculty to take care of that, right? Let's hire this many more people to, to get. So it's asking more, but without giving more support. Um. And I think too, what you, what you mentioned with in the beginning, uh, of your question with sort of the way the internet was, I haven't thought this through.This is just sort of, you know, just on the spot here. Um, maybe this is, maybe this is not necessarily the, the best analysis, but my own sort of thought there is, you know, we don't, we don't, we no longer have a robust research librarian. Network at universities anymore, in my opinion. So in other words, like folks who would've been in charge of, um, perusing, you know, the, the publications and, and journals and being in touch with faculty, doing research to say, Hey, I know you're [00:29:00] a specialist in this.Here are the newest titles. Do you want me to buy this database? Or whatever the, the thing might be, right? Like those, the intermediaries between the material and then the faculty. Those, those folks have been largely eliminated and they're not rep being replaced as they retire. There's only a few, a handful of programs that could do library science as a, as a master graduate degree anymore in this country.So with the idea that, that the internet just equalizes us, I'm just as equipped as you would be or the research librarian would be to just go online and find whatever I need. And that's, that's also not. Necessarily true, right? I mean, I, I may be in touch with the things going on in my field, but there's so much going on that I don't have time to, to, you know, and in a sense of research, I am overburdened in a way, and, and letting me fend for myself.Um, you know, maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. [00:30:00] But we've hollowed out the level of specialists who would be that point of reference to go in and, and look at all of those things. Sort of filter a bit and help in the process. And I think that's, you know, that's something I think the internet may have, may have helped, uh, do.And the way that so much became online in the last 20 years in terms of, of, you know, research materials, primary sources, all this sort of stuff. And, and the down, the downfall I would say of, of that profess.Steve Pearlman (2): That seems to me indicative that issue with librarians seems indicative to me of a larger issue.And it's one that you mentioned as well earlier of, um, this, the value of AI to the administration in terms of economizing further economizing further, further economizing instruction. Uh, so what risk do you see or do you hear on the ground? The tremblings of AI [00:31:00] replacing faculty members for certain tasks.I mean, we went from faculty members to adjuncts to teaching assistants doing most of the work. And I, I, I have to think, and there's already publication about it, of administration seeing AI as the next great cost saving measure.Robert Neibuhr: A hundred percent. Yeah. No, I, I think I, I think that's exactly right. I mean, the, the notion that you'd have sort of like.Sort of like at the grocery store, you have two or three checkouts that are open that has a person there checking you out versus the one person loading over 15 self checkouts. I, I, I think that's certainly, and it, especially thinking about economizing and scale and, and saving money. I mean, this has to be, I see it now with, with the, the way that, um, you know, students that used to be.A hundred students, 150, 200 maybe in a class was really big and you had a faculty member with three or four or five TAs or whatever the [00:32:00] breakdown would be. I, I have, I know people at, at my university have six, 700 students in the class. That's, I, I, I don't, how do you, you lose, I mean, that's, I mean, that's just incomprehensible to me in terms of the point of higher ed.Right? I mean, like, you don't, you're not fostering any. Any connectivity, you're not, I mean, it may as well be a bot because you, the student will never interact, you know? Right. Maybe the faculties of noble laureate, you'll never interact with that person. There's, there's very little, um, so that's, that's, that's I think, uh, you know, a, a huge piece of, of where this will go.And I, yeah, I think faculty are vulnerable, that they've been made more vulnerable over the last decades and, and, and Yeah. I don't see it voting well, my advice to the. Faculty. I began the podcast, right? This notion of let's stop grading, you know? I said, well, you know, I mean, we should think of ways that we remain [00:33:00] relevant, right?I mean, if, if we, if we propose that, well, we just won't grade essays. We won't assign essays, then for sure they can get someone, the administration can hire someone at lower pay to do what we're doing in the classroom. That's not. That's not a far stretch of anyone's imagination. Um, so I, I mean, I don't want to be a part of the, you know, the, the group that nullifies myself by taking away the prime thing that I can give.Right. Um, but not to ramble, but I, you know, part of the, this fear too is, is a student yesterday had sent me, um, uh, something that was really interesting. So, uh, we're a Cold War class. Cold War seminar. He read a book by, uh, John Lewis Gatis, and, and he, he read it. He, he had some notes. He understood a lot and really, really bright guy.And, and then he, he said, you know, I put into ai, I forget which, which program, but he put into AI created a [00:34:00] podcast that talks about this book. Holy cow. It was, I listened to 10 or 15 minutes of it. It was two people talking. They, they, it mimicked. It mimicked. I mean, it was, it could have been real had I been in the car listening, I would've thought this was a, a, you know, a book talk about Candice's last book on the call.It was, it was insane how good it sounded. And, uh, you know, uh, that's, that would be easy for, uh, you know, recreate, you know, Dr. Nebo in a, in a discussion seminar. So, you know, my, they can get my image and they can get my voice, and who knows? I mean, that, that can't be that thing.Steve Pearlman (2): No, and you know, it, you raised the point about chatting with bots and it, I'll piggyback on what you're saying right now.I can understand if we're gonna have an interaction with bots as an, as a tutor, and potentially valuably. So I'm not against all usages of ai, where if we're learning, say, the layers [00:35:00] of the earth's crust. Uh, as a very simplistic example, but nevertheless, we can rely on the AI to be relatively accurate in coaching us about the layers of the earth crust.But now there are also ais who will interact with you as Hamlet. Well, you could pull out any 50 Shakespeare scholars and have them respond to prompts and that you'll get different responses. All of them thoughtful. But this bot who is deciding, uh, but based on what algorithms are we deciding its responses as Hamlet to prompts that are not within Hamlet, that now we're crossing quite the Rubicon in terms of where we're putting trust in bots to educate our students or coach our students.In ways that I don't think are reliable, and it's not, even if the, even if the bot gives what might be very thoughtful hamlet responses and very reasonable ones, they are a selection of, of an [00:36:00] interpretation of Hamlet based on certain people. I guess that it's searching across the internet as opposed to others, and now that's equally dangerous to me as far as I can conceive.Robert Neibuhr: Yeah, I think, you know, that I've, I've. The same, the same sort of idea of the sort of book, book summary. And, and, and I mean, I, I, I think it's so even a fact, even just fact as you said, like just scientific facts that we know that can be provable. If, if we wind up having queries to the AI and say, okay, what is this?And it gives us the right answer and we check it, we know it, but at at a point, right? I mean, we have to say, okay, you know, it's been right 52 times. I trust it now, and who's to, and if I stop and check like, you know what, I verified, this is good, and now down the road it lies to me. Or, or again, this other, you know, avatar, other sort of per ai sort of driven personality or, or, or, [00:37:00] you know, this comes in and, and now I don't realize that I'm taking an information at face value.And again, I lose that critical thinking. I, I lose that ability. That's also reasonable, right? If I checked it so many times, what, what else can I do? I'm a busy person, right? We're all busy people. How can I keep referring back and verifying? Um, and that's gonna, I think that's gonna be a huge problem. If, if we wind up at some point saying, yep, that's good.And then, and thenSteve Pearlman (2): we're, we're duped down the road. It reminds me of an old Steve Martin joke. He would say that, um, he thought it would be a great practical joke to play on kids. Uh, if you raise them to speak wrong when they get to school, so all their words are incorrect and they have no idea. Yeah, it sort of seems like the same problem, right?A certain point. The AI might be telling us everything that's wrong. We have no idea that it's wrong, and we're living in that world where everything is distorted and we don't know what we don't even know. That's a terrifying prospect. Thanks for [00:38:00] bringing that up. I try to bring up the hide behind. So as, as we wrap this up, where, what didn't I ask you about?Where, what's the thing that you think we also need to talk about here that I didn't shed enough light on for this conversation?Robert Neibuhr: Oh, I don't, I mean, I, I guess I, I, my, my own sense is that, that the conversation. Any conversation about higher ed um, needs to be grounded in the basic principle of, of the point, like the, the value that, that we get from it, the, the goals that it, it it brings us.Um, and, and, um, you know, that if, if that's at the center, if, if the idea of, you know, instilling, uh, you know, students with the tools to. Actually survive in a dynamic world. You know, [00:39:00] my degree today might totally change into the reality. It might totally change in 10 years, whatever, if I'm still equipped to respond to that change.That's been a successful education. Right. And, and, and the, the point of the, the critical thought, the reflection, um, the, you know, preparing for, um. Really the, for our context in the United States, I mean, I think it's, it's also part of the, the whole experience with, or experiment with, with democracy, right?Inform citizenship. I mean, this is all part of it. If, if it's just, um, if the narrative about higher ed is simply the paper mill or green mill for a job to get some sort of, you know, a higher number of, of a wage, or if it's about, you know. Finishing just tick boxes and hitting goals without being ever checked or questioned.I mean, that's, that's, um. That's not the right, that's not the point. I, I don't think. Right. I mean, the, the, you know, what are, what are, how are we growing, how are we building ourselves? [00:40:00] How are we preparing for uncertain futures? And if the conversation they should always be, be, be centered on, on that, uh, whether it's AI or whether it's, you know, any other stuff.But that, that would be the only thing I would sort of stress. But I, we've talked about that already, but I think that's, I try to think of that in, in terms of any of these,Steve Pearlman (2): um, sort of conversations. I wanna ask you one last question that just came to mind. What if, I'm sure we have a lot, we have a lot of parents listening.I'm curious as to what message you would send to them if they have either students, children in college or children headed to college in the somewhat near future. What's the message for them at this point with respect to all of that? Because I don't exactly know what it is.Robert Neibuhr: Yeah, I mean, I, it's, I, it, it seems, what, what I think is, is, is is not gonna be a popular [00:41:00] or not gonna be, you know, what folks, you know, necessarily can, can even, you know, want to hear or, or, you know, could even act on it.But I, I, I guess part of it is, is to, can. Ensure you're involved and, and understand, you know, ask, what's the syllabus? I mean, I'll digress for a second, right? I mean, I, I, this is one of those things that I've had a critique about for, for a while. Um, sort of my grumpy old man coming out. But I mean like the, the sort of sense of like universities.Let's build a really luxurious dorm facility. Let's build up the sports center. Let's have, when, when the TV crew comes for the game day, we'll have brand new flowers. The, the sort of superficial wowing that happens. And parents, the, the, the tours are a big part of this, right? I mean, the tours show all the goodies.And not to say that that's a bad thing, right? I mean, you know, dorms were substandard 30 years ago in large, right? I mean, there's, there's an argument for why these things [00:42:00] are good. Um, but, but I think a lot of the, the, there's been a, a, a cleavage between what parents are told the experience is gonna be and what they're actually sort of shown and informed.And then of course, students want independence. Students want, you know, they're, they're on their own now, their decision makers and in large part, and there's a sort of disconnection there. And I, I think it's, it's hard, it's a big ask, but if parents can, can remain. Ask the tough questions. Like how many books in a library, how many, you know, how many, uh, you know, full-time faculty, how many, you know, go down the list of academic credentials.Um, and then look at the syllabi. Look at the assignments from from your students, right? Or, or think about, uh, if they're already in there or if they're going right. Think about that as something you would, you would do. Um. And, and, you know, keep people's feet to the fire, right? I mean, to use of a tired metaphor, but I [00:43:00] mean, keep, keep that as much as you can and, and, you know, try to push back because if, if students are customers, um, parents are the, are the ones paying for it ultimately.So they're detached their, the true customer. I, I suppose. And if they start calling up the deans and saying things like, what is, what's going on here? Um, maybe things will, will change. Maybe there'll be a, a response. Um, but stay informed, I guess, as, as much as I possibly can, I think wouldSteve Pearlman (2): be the, well, that seems Sage elite to me.Robert, thanks so much for being on actual intelligence. I appreciate it and, and, uh, as you're thinking evolves on this, maybe we can have you back in the future sometime and continue the discussion.Robert Neibuhr: Sounds great. Thank you.Steve Pearlman (2): Thank you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pearlmanactualintelligence.substack.com
On episode 1179 of Daytime Confidential Luke Kerr, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels dish the latest Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless, including: Luna wants to be pregnant on The Bold and the Beautiful. Thomas is back, but his relationship is over. Leslie and Hayley crash the Dupree family's crisis on Beyond the Gates. One of the two had a better reason to be there. Should BTG pursue a Jacob and Kat pairing? Who had canabalism on their 2025 Soap Opera Bingo Card? Not us. Kristen is sentenced on Days of Our Lives, but not before Brady interrupts and tells the judge to throw the book at Kristen. Did the DAYS writers forget that at their previous child Brady and Kristen were told Rachel would be taken away if anything more happened? Why isn't Rachel being taken away? Gabi is threading the needle between Xander and Philip. DAYS casts a new Theo Carver. Who Shot Drew is General Hospital's big storyline and the ABC soap has been building to this moment for close to a year. There are so many motives. There are so many suspects. Luke speculates who the shooter might be based on the shadow standing over Drew. We will not be happy if the shooter ends up being a day player like the Jacinda character. Josh needs the Eastern Europe spy storyline to return to Port Charles ASAP. How much longer should Jason, Britt, Josslyn and Vaughan be kept that the nightmairish resort? Where is The Young and the Restless getting the money to bring on four new actors, two of which are big names like Roger Howarth and Tamara Braun? Who will get cut to make room in the budget for them and Matt Cohen and Lucas Adams? If Y&R had all this money, why didn't they bring Tricia Cast and Jess Walton back for the Chance funeral? Is Y&R laying the groundwork for a Who Shot Cane? We hope not. Cane hasn't been back long enough. Is Y&R trying to take the lesbian out of their lesbian couple? All this and more on the latest Daytime Confidential podcast! Bluesky: @DCConfidential, LukeKerr, JillianBowe, Josh Baldwin, and Melodie Aikels. Facebook: Daytime Confidential Subscribe to Daytime Confidential on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify.
The guys talk about their recent trip to Eastern Europe and how the Holy Spirit is moving around the globe to reignite the flame of evangelism.
Jeffrey Epstein's empire was not only built on money and connections but on silence. Alongside Jean-Luc Brunel, he deliberately targeted vulnerable girls from Eastern Europe and South America, knowing cultural shame, disbelief, and poverty would keep them voiceless. Promised modeling careers, housekeeping jobs, or education, these young women instead found themselves trapped, their passports taken, their dignity stolen, and their futures erased. Epstein weaponized entire societies against them, understanding that in many cultures, speaking out meant exile, ridicule, or dishonor. Their silence was not incidental—it was the very architecture of his abuse.Even in death, Epstein's greatest weapon endures. While some survivors bravely stepped forward, countless nameless victims remain erased from the story, still carrying the silence he engineered. Their absence is not a void—it is evidence of crimes too vast to ever be fully told. Justice has been partial, selective, sanitized, and until the world acknowledges the invisible victims, Epstein's legacy of silence still shields him. The loudest scream in this story is the one we cannot hear, and if we forget it, then Epstein wins again.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com
Jeffrey Epstein's empire was not only built on money and connections but on silence. Alongside Jean-Luc Brunel, he deliberately targeted vulnerable girls from Eastern Europe and South America, knowing cultural shame, disbelief, and poverty would keep them voiceless. Promised modeling careers, housekeeping jobs, or education, these young women instead found themselves trapped, their passports taken, their dignity stolen, and their futures erased. Epstein weaponized entire societies against them, understanding that in many cultures, speaking out meant exile, ridicule, or dishonor. Their silence was not incidental—it was the very architecture of his abuse.Even in death, Epstein's greatest weapon endures. While some survivors bravely stepped forward, countless nameless victims remain erased from the story, still carrying the silence he engineered. Their absence is not a void—it is evidence of crimes too vast to ever be fully told. Justice has been partial, selective, sanitized, and until the world acknowledges the invisible victims, Epstein's legacy of silence still shields him. The loudest scream in this story is the one we cannot hear, and if we forget it, then Epstein wins again.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com
Jeffrey Epstein's empire was not only built on money and connections but on silence. Alongside Jean-Luc Brunel, he deliberately targeted vulnerable girls from Eastern Europe and South America, knowing cultural shame, disbelief, and poverty would keep them voiceless. Promised modeling careers, housekeeping jobs, or education, these young women instead found themselves trapped, their passports taken, their dignity stolen, and their futures erased. Epstein weaponized entire societies against them, understanding that in many cultures, speaking out meant exile, ridicule, or dishonor. Their silence was not incidental—it was the very architecture of his abuse.Even in death, Epstein's greatest weapon endures. While some survivors bravely stepped forward, countless nameless victims remain erased from the story, still carrying the silence he engineered. Their absence is not a void—it is evidence of crimes too vast to ever be fully told. Justice has been partial, selective, sanitized, and until the world acknowledges the invisible victims, Epstein's legacy of silence still shields him. The loudest scream in this story is the one we cannot hear, and if we forget it, then Epstein wins again.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com
It's 1938. In Eastern Europe, life is bustling for three young Jews growing up in their vibrant Jewish community. Miriam Kabacznik, Leon Kahn, and Zvi Michaeli. But soon, the Nazi threat emerges on the horizon. View Episode Transcript Thank you for listening. What did you think of the show? Take a quick survey, send your comments via email to podcast@ushmm.org.
Mixergy - Startup Stories with 1000+ entrepreneurs and businesses
Pavel Doležal built Keboola to $15 million per year. How he did it: 1. Start with consulting, so clients tell you what they need 2. Build software that makes companies’ chaotic data accessible. NO agents yet. 3. Create agents that take action. That’s the hardest part. At the end of this interview, Pavel tells you how YOU should start an AI company and about the three successful companies that followed his advice. Pavel Doležal is the co-founder and CEO of Keboola, a cloud-based data platform used by over 21,000 companies worldwide. Before Keboola, he helped build Atlas, one of Eastern Europe's leading internet portals, and went on to found several data-focused companies. Today, Pavel leads a global team making it easier for businesses to integrate, analyze, and automate their data—with clients ranging from fast-growing startups to global enterprises. More interviews -> https://mixergy.com/moreint Rate this interview -> https://mixergy.com/rateint
Leaked audio from Israel's former chief of military intelligence, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, reveals him saying “50,000 dead in Gaza is necessary” and that Palestinians “need a Nakba” to learn the cost of resistance. In this conversation, genocide scholar Omer Bartov unpacks the implications: the blurred line between war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and genocide; the whataboutisms comparing Gaza to WWII bombings; and U.S. complicity through its weapons pipeline. We also explore how Holocaust memory has been wielded as shield and sword, whether Zionism can be salvaged, and the paradox of a state born from genocide now accused of committing one. Guest bio: Omer Bartov is a historian and genocide scholar at Brown University, specializing in Holocaust studies, genocide, and modern warfare. Born in Israel, he has written extensively on the Holocaust in Eastern Europe and ethnic violence, and is widely recognized as one of the world's leading experts on genocide. To gain access to The Zach Show full episodes as soon as they drop, plus exclusive AMAs, the ability to suggest questions to future guests, The Zarchives (super secret beginnings of The Zach Show), and more, subscribe to The Zach Show 2.0 today: https://thezachshow.supercast.com/ OMER BARTOV LINKS:Twitter (X): https://x.com/bartov_omer Genocide, the Holocaust, and Israel-Palestine: https://bit.ly/4n502EyIsrael: What Went Wrong? (Pre-Order): https://amzn.to/47QaITdProfessor Page: https://history.brown.edu/people/omer-bartovNew York Times article: https://nyti.ms/3JGCWG4 THE ZACH SHOW LINKS: The Zach Show 2.0: https://thezachshow.supercast.com/Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3zaS6sPYouTube: https://bit.ly/3lTpJdjWebsite: https://www.auxoro.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auxoroTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thezachshowpod If you're not ready to subscribe to The Zach Show 2.0, rating the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts is free and massively helpful. It boosts visibility, helps new listeners discover the show, and keeps this chaos alive. Thank you: Rate The Zach Show on Spotify: https://bit.ly/43ZLrAtRate The Zach Show on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/458nbha