Podcasts about Italy

Episode Description:Nancy Cartwright is best known as the voice of Bart Simpson. But in this archive conversation, James is interested in the artist behind the voice.Nancy joins the show to talk about In Search of Fellini, the film she co-wrote with Peter Kjenaas based on her own trip to Italy in the 1980s. At the time, Nancy was already working as an actress and voiceover performer, but she became obsessed with Federico Fellini's La Strada. She studied scenes from the film in acting class, felt deeply connected to Giulietta Masina's performance, and eventually decided she wanted to get the rights to adapt La Strada for the stage.So she wrote Fellini letters. When she finally got a response telling her not to come because Fellini would be working, Nancy heard something else: he would be there.She went anyway.That decision becomes the central metaphor of the episode. Nancy describes the trip not as a business errand, but as an immersion into life, art, culture, language, risk, chance encounters, and personal transformation. The film's line—sometimes you have to travel far, far away to find what is closest to you—comes from one of those real encounters.James and Nancy also talk about her earlier career. Nancy explains how she found her way from speech competitions in Ohio to radio work, to studying with Daws Butler, to acting classes with Milton Katselas. She shares stories about auditioning for Cheers, getting a part after walking straight out of the casting room, and learning that if you surprise yourself, you can surprise everyone else.That lesson also applies to The Simpsons. Nancy originally went in to audition for Lisa, but when she saw Bart's description—“a 10-year-old school-hating underachiever and proud of it”—she knew instantly that was the part. She trusted the instinct.The conversation becomes a meditation on creativity. Mentorship matters. Preparation matters. But at some point, the artist has to do the work, throw it away, walk into the room, and trust what happens.Nancy's story is about voice acting, Fellini, and Bart Simpson. But it is also about making the leap from talent to authorship, from performing other people's words to finding the story only you can tell.Editorial Note:This is a From the Archive episode. References to In Search of Fellini as a new or limited-release film, The Simpsons at that point in its run, Nancy's projects, and release timing reflect the original recording period.What You'll Learn:Why Nancy Cartwright calls herself one of the most recognizable voices attached to an unrecognizable face.How Bart Simpson's voice fits into Nancy's own personality and childhood mischief.Why La Strada affected Nancy so deeply as a young actress.How Nancy's trip to Italy became the foundation for In Search of Fellini.Why “sometimes you have to travel far, far away to find what is closest to you” became the emotional center of the film.How Nancy learned voice acting from Daws Butler.What Milton Katselas taught her about surprising herself.Why walking out of a Cheers audition helped her get the role.How to create an effect without making it feel calculated.Why auditions are not just competitions, but opportunities to fulfill a decision.How Nancy knew Bart was the right role even though she had been called in for Lisa.Why artists need preparation, mentorship, instinct, immersion, and commitment.How The Simpsons has lasted through writing, love, improv, and a giant universe of relatable characters.Why Nancy believes artists have a responsibility to connect with people on a deeper wavelength.How making In Search of Fellini took more than 20 years of persistence, revision, and collaboration.Timestamped Chapters:[02:00] The Most Unknown Famous Person in the WorldJames introduces Nancy Cartwright and asks what it is like to be instantly recognizable by voice but not by face.[02:43] Bart Simpson Enters the RoomNancy demonstrates why millions of people know her even if they do not know what she looks like.[03:04] Bart on an AirplaneNancy tells the story of using Bart's voice on a flight to the UK and entertaining the cockpit crew before landing.[04:55] Beyond Bart SimpsonJames introduces Nancy's broader creative life and her film In Search of Fellini.[06:37] The Pearl Is the Autobiography of the OysterJames connects Fellini's idea of autobiography and art to Nancy's film.[06:54] Traveling Far Away to Find What Is ClosestNancy explains the line from the movie and how it came from her real trip to Italy.[07:47] Studying La StradaNancy describes discovering Fellini's La Strada in acting class and becoming captivated by Giulietta Masina's performance.[10:43] Mentors, Acting Class, and Early RolesJames connects Nancy's early acting work, voiceover success, Daws Butler, Milton Katselas, and her growing artistic identity.[10:47] The Cheers AuditionNancy tells the story of walking out of an audition and discovering that the casting team loved it.[11:39] Surprise Yourself, Surprise Everyone ElseNancy shares Milton Katselas's advice and James identifies the broader lesson behind the audition.[13:18] Authenticity vs. CalculationNancy explains why an effect only works when it is sincere, not staged.[13:52] The Lobster Hat AuditionNancy tells the story of Marian Rose White, a strange hat, thick glasses, and how she was already auditioning before she entered the room.[17:47] You Are On Before You Walk InJames and Nancy turn the audition story into a larger lesson about authenticity and preparation.[18:24] Twenty Years of Writing In Search of FelliniNancy explains how the film evolved through many versions before becoming the final story.[21:05] Finding the Authentic Artistic SelfJames connects Lucy's journey in the film to Nancy's own search for her artistic identity.[21:47] Why Nancy Went to ItalyNancy explains how studying La Strada turned into a real-life mission to find Fellini and ask for the rights.[22:14] Storytelling, Speech Competitions, and Childhood MischiefNancy talks about growing up as one of six kids, discovering performance, and realizing there was a little Bart in her from the beginning.[25:23] Finding Daws ButlerNancy explains how a Warner Brothers contact led her to Daws Butler and how that mentorship changed her career.[27:14] Learning the Professional CraftEven with natural talent, Nancy spent years studying before Daws felt she was ready to record a proper voiceover tape.[30:23] Ride the Horse in the Direction It's GoingNancy reflects on seizing the moment and following the career openings that appear.[31:00] Make a Decision and Back It FullyNancy explains how artists can overcome comparison and negative voices by committing to the choice they make.[33:34] Trust the Work, Then Throw It AwayNancy describes the balance between preparation and presence: do the work, then go in and trust yourself.[33:57] Auditioning for Lisa, Choosing BartNancy remembers seeing Bart's character description next to Lisa's and immediately knowing where her instinct pointed.[35:21] Art as a WavelengthNancy explains why art can reach people beyond logic and pull something out of them emotionally.[37:04] Letters to FelliniNancy describes writing Fellini repeatedly, finally getting a response, and deciding to go to Italy anyway.[39:07] Immersing Herself in ItalyThe trip becomes more than a meeting. Nancy wants to eat, drink, fall in love, learn the culture, and live inside the experience.[41:18] The Line That Became the MovieNancy explains how a chance encounter in Milan gave her the line about traveling far away to find what is closest.[43:19] Real Life Becomes FilmJames and Nancy connect the people and moments from her trip to the characters and scenes in In Search of Fellini.[44:34] Why Nancy Didn't Play ClaireNancy explains why she realized acting in the film as the mother would distract from the story.[46:02] Maria Bello, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and the CastNancy talks about the actors who brought the film to life and the commitment they brought to the work.[48:00] Returning to Italy After DecadesNancy and her collaborators retrace her old journey, draw from diaries and letters, and rebuild the story.[49:31] Art After FearNancy tells the story of finding a sculpture after a frightening encounter in Venice and how that moment stayed with her.[53:47] Yes, AndJames identifies the improvisational quality in Nancy's life: saying yes to the moment and letting the next connection appear.[56:46] Writing the Script in a WeekAfter years of drafts, the final version comes together quickly because the deeper material had been building for decades.[58:11] Everyone Has an Artist InsideJames and Nancy discuss Fellini's belief that people carry artistic potential that often gets shut down by ordinary life.[01:00:38] Fellini, Bart, and Surreal TruthJames connects Fellini's surreal realism to The Simpsons and Nancy's attraction to Bart.[01:03:50] From One-Woman Show to Feature FilmNancy explains how In Search of Fellini began as a monologue and one-woman show before becoming a movie.[01:07:08] Why The Simpsons LastedNancy credits Springfield's huge cast of relatable characters, the writers, the performers, and the love behind the work.[01:08:42] Nancy's Code for SuccessDo what you love, surround yourself with supporters, be professional, find a mentor, surprise yourself, and seize the moment.[01:10:43] Why the Movie Still Works Without Knowing FelliniJames says viewers do not need to know Fellini to connect with the story of finding the artist inside yourself.[01:12:00] James's Reaction to the FilmJames says the movie made him cry and describes it as a story about finding your authentic self.Additional Resources:Nancy Cartwright Official WebsiteIn Search of Fellini — NetflixNancy Cartwright BiographyNancy Cartwright — Fox / The Simpsons BioNancy Cartwright — Television Academy InterviewIn Search of Fellini — Spotted Cow EntertainmentNancy Cartwright on the Personal Inspiration Behind In Search of FelliniMy Life as a 10-Year-Old BoyLa Strada — The Criterion CollectionFederico Fellini — The Criterion CollectionDaws Butler — Television Academy InterviewsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Neil the Seal has captured the hearts - and laughs - of people across the world with his mischievous antics. The elephant seal keeps returning to the Australian island of Tasmania to chew traffic cones, attack street signs, and block traffic with his 1,000 kg body. His hijinks have made him a local icon and an internet celebrity. We find out why Neil keeps venturing to Tasmania's suburban streets to cause a ruckus.Also: How a group of Afghan women defied the odds to return to international football. Despite opposition from the Taliban, the players -- now scattered across the globe -- reunited to form Afghanistan's new national team.The woman who accidentally threw away a million dollar lottery ticket - and the incredible way she found it again.Scientists say they've created the first ever truly biodegradeable party balloons. They say existing options kill tens of thousands of marine animals a year.Plus: how an ordinary man in Italy made one of the most important archaeological discoveries in decades; and a world surfing championship - for dogs.(Photo: Neil the Seal in Tasmania, Australia. Credit: @neiltheseal22)Presenter: Helena Burke. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

Lorenzo Fiori describes a "disaster" situation in Europe caused by severe drought and record heat, with water restrictions implemented in Swiss towns and critically low levels in northern Italy's Po River. The drought has turned the normally green Alps brown and disrupted lake navigation. Simultaneously, Sicily's Mount Etna has entered a prolonged eruption phase, spewing ash for seven days and forcing the cancellation of 700 flights at Catania airport during the peak tourist season. Fiori notes the chaos caused by tourists seeking "eruption selfies" in dangerous areas. For a cultural reprieve, he recommends the Bernina Express rail journey, which reaches the highest railway point in Europe. He also shares a traditional recipe for polenta with Gorgonzola cheese, paired with local Valtellina wine, though he expresses concern that the drought may soon impact milk production from Alpine cows. (4)

TABLE OF CONTENTS THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW 8-14-2026.Jeff Bliss discusses the severe threats posed by a potential "super El Niño," which could lead to massive coastal erosion, mudslides, and heavy rains in Los Angeles, similar to the damage seen in previous severe weather years. He also reports on active wildfires in California, such as the Timber Fire in Monterey County and the Bug Fire near the Nevada border, noting that humans cause roughly 90 to 95% of these blazes. Shifting to entertainment, Bliss describes the highly anticipated opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which features the "Skywalker Grill"—a restaurant causing excitement among Los Angeles foodies for its Michelin-star potential. Additionally, Bliss covers the landmark $12.8 billion purchase of the Los Angeles Lakers by a group involving Jared Kushner and Bob Iger. Finally, he touches on the legal controversy surrounding the Paramount-Skydance merger and David Ellison's threat to move production out of Hollywood. (1)Gene Marks shares insights from White House advisor Kevin Hassett regarding the validity of government economic data, with Hassett favoring durable goods orders and unemployment claims over revised surveys. Marks reports a generally positive outlook for small businesses, citing an uptick in optimism and a four-year high in manufacturing activity driven by the AI and data center explosion. He notes that while tariffs and $4 gasoline remain concerns, many businesses are absorbing costs without significant impact on sales. Marks characterizes the United States as an "entrepreneur's paradise" because of the ease of starting a business and the high availability of capital. He highlights that nearly half a million new business applications are filed monthly, supported by record levels of private debt and venture capital. Marks concludes that despite various uncertainties, the small business sector remains resilient and is continuing to hire. (2)Jim McTague provides a report on the "mixed" economy of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, observing that retail activity is picking up due to back-to-school shopping despite inflationary pressures. He notes that discount giants like Costco are packed as shoppers seek relief from high prices, while tourism traffic at local hotels and amusement parks has lightened midweek. McTague also highlights local opposition to data centers, making them a contentious political issue for upcoming elections. A central focus is the "Heritage Paris" patisserie at Park City Mall, where a French chef sells premium handcrafted pastries. McTague describes high-end offerings like the "Popcorn Illusion" pastry priced at $17.95, illustrating a market for luxury food even in a cautious economy. He humorously recounts his own difficulty resisting these treats while on a low-carb diet, emphasizing that the shop is a significant draw for local residents. (3)Lorenzo Fiori describes a "disaster" situation in Europe caused by severe drought and record heat, with water restrictions implemented in Swiss towns and critically low levels in northern Italy's Po River. The drought has turned the normally green Alps brown and disrupted lake navigation. Simultaneously, Sicily's Mount Etna has entered a prolonged eruption phase, spewing ash for seven days and forcing the cancellation of 700 flights at Catania airport during the peak tourist season. Fiori notes the chaos caused by tourists seeking "eruption selfies" in dangerous areas. For a cultural reprieve, he recommends the Bernina Express rail journey, which reaches the highest railway point in Europe. He also shares a traditional recipe for polenta with Gorgonzola cheese, paired with local Valtellina wine, though he expresses concern that the drought may soon impact milk production from Alpine cows. (4)Bob Zimmerman details the robotic mission by startup Catalyst to rescue NASA's Swift Space Telescope, utilizing innovative software to maneuver a servicing craft despite thruster failures. He highlights SpaceX's massive Starshipproduction line in Boca Chica, noting that four prototypes are ready for monthly launches and upcoming orbital refueling tests. Zimmerman also discusses Lockheed Martin's strategic investments in rocket startups like Firefly to secure launch capabilities. On the international front, he reports on Poland's successful protest against Starlink roaming restrictions and Vietnam's first satellite contract with an American company, SpaceX, signaling a shift toward U.S. ties. Additionally, Zimmerman covers the State Department's efforts to pull India away from Russian space partnerships and NASA's collaboration with the Department of Energy on nuclear propulsion for Mars. He concludes with breathtaking imagery of stars orbiting the Milky Way's central black hole. (5)Alex Wright, author of Empire of Ink: The Printers, Rogues, and Radicals Who Invented the American Newspaper, Part Two: Wright recounts the history of American newspapers, focusing on the Civil War's impact on journalism. He highlights George Smalley's groundbreaking combat reporting at Antietam, where Smalley wrote a vivid account on a night train to secure the "scoop of all scoops" for the Tribune. Wright also explores "soldier-published" newspapers that provided a slice of camp life and the origins of Stars and Stripes. Moving west, he describes the dangerous life of frontier editors, such as Mark Twain, who carried revolvers to defend against aggrieved readers and occasionally fled town to avoid duels. Wright explains how newspapers became "gold mines" by discovering the revenue potential of patent medicine advertising, which once accounted for half of all ads. He concludes by drawing parallels between the fragmented, anything-goes media landscape of the 19th century and today's digital era of content creators and AI. (6)Henry Sokolski examines the "Golden Dome," a proposed $185 billion space-based missile defense project that mirrors the Cold War-era SDI. He warns that the program's lack of transparency is "suicidal" for its funding, as Congress remains in the dark about its primary mission. Sokolski notes that while technology is closer to practicality than 40 years ago, current threats are often low-cost drones rather than intercontinental missiles. In the energy sector, he highlights Elon Musk's $10 billion "Project Crystal Sun" solar factory in Texas, which Musk frames as capturing the "fusion reactor" of the sun. Sokolski observes that even conservative states are voting with their pocketbooks for renewables as battery storage investments double. Finally, he touches on a mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, suggesting a "Sunni NATO" is emerging due to a lack of confidence in U.S. security guarantees. (7)Angela DiFulvio explains a theoretical method for detecting nuclear weapons in low Earth orbit to prevent catastrophes like the 1962 Starfish Prime experiment, which destroyed a third of existing satellites. She describes an "inspector" satellite designed to induce a unique radioactive signature from fissile material using high-energy protons. DiFulvio details technical challenges, such as "pulse shape discrimination," to distinguish weapon-related neutrons from background cosmic radiation in the harsh space environment. She suggests that an international agency like the IAEAmight oversee these inspectors to ensure space remains weapon-free. DiFulvio emphasizes that while tests can occur in classified environments, more research is needed on the survivability of sensing electronics. She warns that a modern orbital nuclear detonation would be catastrophic for global infrastructure, specifically mentioning the vulnerability of massive constellations like Starlink. (8)

Fun Time Friday brings Dr. Luke Thompson to the progrum to break down Democratic Party infighting, Abdul El-Sayed's resurfaced videos, the media's reaction to an Iranian assassination plot against President Trump, an SPLC fraud case, Karoline Leavitt's White House departure, and plenty of Variety—from Italy's cheese banks to college chaos and Hard Pivot fallout. #RuthlessPodcast #Politics #FunTimeFriday00:04:00 Democrats Turn on Each Other After Primary Chaos 00:04:39 Peggy Flanagan Dodges Minnesota Fraud Responsibility 00:07:40 Flanagan Refuses to Set an Age Limit on Gender-Affirming Care 00:10:31 Jamie Raskin Downplays the Democratic Socialists' Agenda 00:12:06 Hakeem Jeffries Faces the DSA Takeover of the Democratic Party 00:15:00 How Democratic Party Elites Lost Control of Their Voters 00:20:44 Abdul El-Sayed's Deleted Videos Reveal His Anti-Fireworks Agenda 00:24:21 El-Sayed Wants to Rewrite the Second Amendment 00:31:23 Journalists Melt Down Over Trump's Escape From an Iranian Assassination Plot 00:39:25 Former SPLC Executive Charged in Federal Fraud Case 00:43:39 Karoline Leavitt Leaves the White House Press Secretary Role 00:48:25 Italy's Billion-Dollar Cheese Banks Face a Melting Problem 00:53:27 The Economist Targets Paw Patrol as Authoritarian Capitalism 00:55:43 University of Michigan Drops First-Semester Grades 00:59:40 $20,000 SEC Dorm Rooms Are Apparently a Thing Advertise on the Progrum: Ads@RuthlessPodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our Global Head of Fixed Income Research Andrew Sheets examines why investors might be overlooking the stability and performance of UK assets, despite persistent negative sentiment.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Andrew Sheets: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Andrew Sheets, Global Head of Fixed Income Research at Morgan Stanley. Today, why the UK may need better PR. It's Friday, August 14th at 2pm in London. The last decade has been rough for the United Kingdom. Brexit was a true economic earthquake, and the subsequent weakening of economic ties to mainland Europe, the UK's largest trading partner, made economic activity weaker and more complicated.Then COVID hit the economy hard. So did spiking energy prices when Russia invaded Ukraine. Political volatility has been high, with seven prime ministers in the last 10 years. And at present, UK growth is weak, inflation is too high, and debt to GDP is rising. Moreover, in a post-COVID world that's increasingly driven by the profit and power of technology, including AI, the UK market seems almost stuck in another era. Of the 10 largest companies in the U.S. stock market, eight are in technology. In the UK, none of the 20 largest companies are in tech. Safe to say, being downbeat on the prospects for the UK is one of the most consensus views that I encounter. But it can also be deceiving. Simple stories in the market rarely are.Let's start with the argument that UK markets are boring, stagnant, and being left behind by their lack of technology. It's just not true. Through early August, the S&P 500 has returned 85 percent over the prior five years. The UK market? It's returned 82 percent. And over the last twelve months, the performance of the UK and U.S. markets are also similar. In short, don't judge a book by its cover. The UK's currency, meanwhile, shows no sign of global investors shunning the island. Over the last 10 years, the UK pound has actually gained value against the U.S. dollar. Notable given how strong the performance of the U.S. economy and markets have been over that time. And that's also pretty impressive relative to its peers. Over this same timeframe, the value of the Japanese yen, the Brazilian real, the Indian rupee, and the Korean won have all fallen significantly. The UK's currency, on a relative basis, has outperformed.Now, the UK's growth is weak. Morgan Stanley forecasts growth of just 1 percent this year versus a bit over 2 percent for the United States. But it's notable just what sort of headwind the country has been dealing with. The UK household and corporate sectors are both increasing their savings rates and doing so at the same time; and more savings means less spending and economic activity. To put some context around this, U.S. households are currently saving only about 3 percent of their disposable income. In the UK, it's over 9 percent. And so, if that UK savings rate can just simply stop moving higher – or even fall – well, it would represent a big support to growth going forward. But aren't we avoiding the big question, the fiscal question? After all, we at Morgan Stanley forecast that general UK government debt to GDP will be about 96 percent this year, some of the highest levels since World War II. But this is a global market, and I do think that the relative picture matters. So, when thinking about the UK's 96 percent debt to GDP ratio, let's consider what the numbers are elsewhere. That ratio is 120 percent in China. It's 120 percent in France. It's 125 percent in the U.S. It's 138 percent in Italy, and it's 208 percent in Japan. And out of all of these countries, the UK is the only one where we think the government deficit is materially smaller in 2027 than it was in 2025. Also, year-to-date, 10-year bond yields in the UK have risen less than yields in the U.S. or Japan.A new UK Prime Minister does raise the potential for new policy, something investors will need to watch closely. The country remains sensitive to swings in global energy prices. Yet we think the underlying story is more nuanced and positive than often gets discussed. Market performance has been bearing this out, and in many cases, the bar is low. Thank you, as always, for your time. If you find Thoughts on the Market useful, let us know by leaving a review wherever you listen. And also tell a friend or colleague about us today.

The federal budget picture for 2026 is not looking too hot. Just in July, the government borrowed $432 billion — that's $14 billion a day. We explain what's behind the record-breaking national debt, and what it would take to pay it back. Then, we explore how relentless heat waves in Italy are creating dire conditions for the country's cheese banks — yes, literal banks, where wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano are held as collateral.Stories featured in today's episode:This year's budget deficit has almost reached $2 trillion. It's not over yet.Climate change is causing trouble for Italy's cheese banksEvery story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace Morning Report is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

The federal budget picture for 2026 is not looking too hot. Just in July, the government borrowed $432 billion — that's $14 billion a day. We explain what's behind the record-breaking national debt, and what it would take to pay it back. Then, we explore how relentless heat waves in Italy are creating dire conditions for the country's cheese banks — yes, literal banks, where wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano are held as collateral.Stories featured in today's episode:This year's budget deficit has almost reached $2 trillion. It's not over yet.Climate change is causing trouble for Italy's cheese banksEvery story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace Morning Report is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Wherever you're listening to this right now you're probably feeling the changes this summer in a big way. It's not only us here in the Mediterranean region of Europe who are experiencing record heat waves, droughts, and wildfires. I've been watching news reports from all over the world and the other day my Mom in Spokane Washington even told me that fires had nearly reached their home. I have no desire to go into the doom and gloom of climate reality, but we also can't ignore two very important things. The first being that massive action needs to be taken to restore the damaged ecosystems of the world, and two, governments and industries just aren't going to act fast enough. It falls to all of us to inform ourselves and get to work. This episode today is meant to help you do just that. Today I spoke with Lorenzo Costa who has been on the show a couple times already, but now that I'm in Italy and have been observing the effects of this severe summer weather, I knew I had to get in touch with him again and get his perspective as someone who travels the country working with growers of all types to restore the hydrological function and cycling of their land to build resilience in their operations. While it's worth going back to his previous episodes where he talks about his own vegetable operation in the Chianti region of Tuscany, as well as the water projects he was doing a few years ago, in this episode we get an update on the patterns and learnings from all the new projects he's seen and worked on recently.  Now that we've covered a lot about the concepts and theory behind watercycles and how they interact and are affected by landscape management, as well as how my colleague Nick Steiner and I assess and read a landscape ahead of a project, we're going to be focusing increasingly on practical restoration options and case studies from innovative farmers and restoration workers from around Europe. So let's jump right into this exploration of the current challenges and potential in Italy from Lorenzo

The Atlantic's Charlie Warzel joins the podcast to help break down the small-potato scenarios of AI run amok. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (7:15) Low-stakes AI scenarios (40:21) Trump's catering truck escape (43:57) AI viruses (47:22) The missing Nicolas Cage movie (54:18) Ancient Chinese civilization (57:02) Italy's cheese banks (59:21) Flock stalking (1:03:26) Iranian money laundering Hosts: Jason Concepcion and Tyler Parker Guest: Charlie Warzel Producers: Donnie Beacham Jr. and Justin Sayles Art direction: David Shoemaker Motion graphics and animations: Chris Calleton Engineering: Sarah Reddy Set design: Hannah Leiken and Jonathan Ratliff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

United States President Abraham Lincoln and his assassin John Wilkes Booth were both deeply immersed in Shakespeare's works. And yet, the conclusions they reached about how best to end tyranny--a feature of both Macbeth and Julius Caesar--could not have been more different. As James Shapiro (Shakespeare in a Divided America) explained to Jacke in a conversation they had in 2023, reading Shakespeare from opposing vantage points is not unusual in American history. What does this mean for our understanding of the past--and our hopes for the future? On Sale Now! For more information and to order ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Great Detective! An Adventure for Two People [2-Book Boxed Set]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Jacke Wilson, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press.historyofliterature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. SPECIAL OFFER! For a limited time, enter promotion code SHIP26 to get free domestic or international shipping! (Available in the U.S., Canada, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Iceland, Estonia, Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand.) The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gabrielruizbernal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Help support the show at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/literature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Step into the shadowed skies of Fascist Italy with My Dark Path as we uncover a cascade of unexplained aerial encounters that predate Roswell by more than a decade. Host MF Thomas begins on a twilight street in Milan in 1944, where a young Decima naval commando watches a copper-colored disk hang motionless above Piazzale Loreto—silent, luminous, and gone in an instant—while air-raid sirens wail and anti-aircraft crews stare in disbelief.From there the episode travels back to the morning of August 22, 1936, over the Venice Lagoon and Mestre. Italian Regia Aeronautica pilots scramble Fiat CR.32 biplanes against a ten-to-twelve-meter metallic disk that accelerates away without sound or exhaust. Later that same day, pilot Marinelli and his flight encounter a long gray “aerial torpedo” accompanied by two domed, hat-shaped craft trailing perfect white smoke plumes and flying in flawless formation. A ground observer named Faustino then watches the same cylindrical craft release smaller disc-shaped objects. Photographs and urgent reports race straight to Galeazzo Ciano's desk—Mussolini's son-in-law and Foreign Minister—under the same absolute-secrecy orders first issued after the alleged 1933 Magenta crash and the creation of the secret RS/33 scientific cabinet.Drawing on the Fascist UFO files brought to light by Roberto Pinotti and Alfredo Lissoni (including the anonymous “Mister X” documents later forensically examined), this episode explores how Mussolini's regime imposed total silence, redirected stories as “meteors,” and kept trained military observers quiet for the rest of their lives. What emerges is a portrait of Italy's forgotten pre-Roswell UFO wave—sightings that trained pilots and soldiers could neither identify nor forget.This episode blends immersive historical narration, primary-document context, skeptical analysis of the contested Fascist files, and the enduring power of eyewitness testimony from men who understood the cost of speaking. Perfect for fans of classic UFO cases, Italian ufology, wartime secrecy, and the unexplained.

New York Times bestselling author Gillian McAllister spoke with us about how to deal with rejection, deleting full drafts, the business side of adaptations, and her latest US release, the thriller THAT NIGHT. Gillian McAllister is the internationally bestselling author of Wrong Place Wrong Time, Just Another Missing Person, Famous Last Words, and others. Her novels have been selected by both Read with Jenna and Reese's Book Club, and she has become one of today's most celebrated voices in psychological suspense. Her latest US release is That Night (already adapted into a Netflix series), a novel that follows a family's dream vacation in Italy that spirals into a nightmare.  New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry said of Gillian, “McAllister is the best at putting her characters in impossible situations and making her readers not only contemplate but feel what it would be like to find themselves in those situations.” Gillian graduated with an English degree before working as a lawyer. She is also the creator and co-host of the popular Honest Authors podcast. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Gillian McAllister, Milena, and I discussed: Her law background and path to publication How she wrote close to 400K words before breaking through Why she plans novels via synopsis and keeps her early drafts private Business advice on how to talk to publishers once you've sold a book The real reason so many lawyers become crime writers And a lot more! Show Notes: ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web gillianmcallister.com The Honest Authors' Podcast That Night: A Novel by Gillian McAllister (Amazon) Gillian McAllister Amazon Author Page Gillian McAllister Facebook Gillian McAllister on Instagram Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us Fan MailI have at times brought up adventures and screw-ups that have occurred during some of my overseas travels. The usual things all of us have experienced like delayed and canceled  flights and lost luggage. But I've never heard anyone have a series of travesties quite like Tina Weiss had on what should have been a dream trip of a lifetime to Italy that she had carefully planned. This was a trip that was badly needed to heal herself following a drawn-out ordeal with her dad's gravely declining health, COVID, and then a botched dental surgery that left her in severe pain and unable to speak properly for three years. The trip from hell started from the time she first arrived at the airport to depart and found out she couldn't leave. Then once in Italy, she got robbed not once, but twice, leaving her without money or her passport, and essentially stranded with very limited means to find her way out, much less get around or even feed herself. While trying to extricate herself from her predicament, it seemed like one catastrophe would pile on after another, often bringing back memories of past traumas in her life, including a sexual assault, and experiencing anti-semitism while growing up in Mississippi. Through each step of her surreal Italian ordeal, Tina learned profound lessons that she shares throughout her book, “Fear to Faith,” which is a riveting read not only because you want to keep turning the pages to see how she is going to escape her ongoing nightmare trip, but because of what knowledge she acquired about self-strength, problem-solving in the most challenging conditions, and human nature. Tina had already built several businesses and a great charity called the Hugs and Smiles Children's Foundation, but this trip turned her into a puddle of frustration and emotions. Yet I found out while reading her book and in talking with her that she has developed a fierce strength, resilience, and determination to be able to battle anything that life will dish out. So it's great that she is sharing these lessons in faith, survival, and self-discovery with others through her book and a workbook she has developed that will help anyone to keep moving forward.Tina Weisstinaweiss.comtina@tinaweiss.comFacebook and LinkedIn Tina WeissInstagram @tinaweiss_authorYouTube @tinaweiss2744Fear to Faith is available on AmazonBill Stahlsilly_billy@msn.comFacebook and LinkedIn Bill StahlInstagram and Threads @stahlor and @coachstahlYouTube We Are Superman PodcastSubscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8Register for the American Heroes Run: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=133138

St. Francis of Assisi—one of the most influential saints of the last millennium—is introduced in this first of a two-part series, as Bishop Wack explores the historical context of his life, his conversion from wealthy merchant's son to penniless disciple, and the early growth of the Franciscan movement. He also highlights Francis's love for the Church and the Eucharist, his call to reform through poverty and humility, and the enduring impact that led to his rapid canonization and an 800-year legacy of inspiration.

For 14 August 2026, Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest, Martyr , based on Matthew 19:3-12, sent in from Rome, Italy. (Photo by Lawrence Lew OP of a relic of hairs from the saint's beard from the the Maximilian Kolbe centre in Lourdes)

On the eve of D-Day, the fate of the world hangs not on the beaches of Normandy, but deep within a secret Nazi facility in occupied France. Here, in a claustrophobic, slave-driven mine codenamed Noball 109, German scientists are racing to perfect a terror weapon that would render the Allied invasion obsolete: atomic-tipped V-2 rockets aimed at the heart of London Enter Miriam Maduro, a ghost haunted by her past. A brilliant and courageous Dutch-Jewish SOE agent, she has already been captured, tortured, and escaped the Nazis once. Now, the British pull her from the shadows for an offer she can't refuse: undertake a suicide mission to infiltrate and destroy the rocket facility, and they will guarantee safe passage for her young son and sister from Palestine to England. John Winn Miller is an award-winning investigative reporter, foreign correspondent, editor, newspaper publisher, screenwriter, movie producer, and novelist. The Lexington, Ky., native was a foreign correspondent for The Associated Press and Wall Street Journal/Europe based in Rome, Italy; a reporter and editor at the Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader; executive editor of the Centre Daily Times (State College, Pa.) and the Tallahassee Democrat; and was publisher of The Olympian in Olympia, WA., and The Concord (N.H.) Monitor. He also helped produce four independent feature films: “Hitting the Cycle” with Bruce Dern; “Armed Response”; “Band of Robbers,” written and directed by Adam and Aaron Nee, and “Ghost in the Family.” Miller and his wife Margo live in Lexington Their daughter Allison Miller is an actress-screenwriter-director who most recently starred on the ABC series “A Million Little Things.”

His recent pilgrimage to Italy + his work as rector of the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Sioux Falls, SD

In this episode of Denatured, you'll hear from Diana Saraceni, founder and managing partner at Panakès Partners and Fabrizio Calisti, medical director at Angelini Ventures. We explore how Italy's life sciences ecosystem has evolved over the last decade—from stronger tech transfer and growing venture capital to the gaps that still keep it from matching the UK, Germany or France in company creation and scale.HostJennifer C. Smith-Parker, Director of Insights, BioSpaceGuestsDiana Saraceni, Founder and Managing Partner, Panakès PartnersFabrizio Calisti, Medical Director, Angelini VenturesDisclaimer: The views expressed in this discussion by guests are their own and do not represent those of their organizations.

Click to Subscribe: https://bit.ly/Youtube-Subscribe-SoapDirt Young and the Restless early spoilers for August 17-21, 2026 indicate that Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) comes to Nick Newman's (Joshua Morrow) aid as he spirals out of control. Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) remains a cause for concern, as his obsession leads to escalating tension. Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) return from Italy to be greeted by a host of challenges. Devon Winters (Bryton James) and Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway) share an uplifting moment, while Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) reveals hiring Billy to an unsuspecting Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman).  Y&R spoilers hint that Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters) and Jack's conversation reveals Nick's troubling situation and their concerns about Nikki and Victor's reconciliation. Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic) shares his medical aspirations with Lily Winters (Christel Khalil), who gives her support. Lily takes over the reins at Winters, leaving Chancellor in Cane's hands. A shocking incident leads Nick to call on Sharon for help. Spoilers for Young and Restless see Billy sharing a secret with Jack and Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor), Nikki and Victor's concern for Nick heightening, and Sharon stepping in to help Nick. The drama continues to unfold with Billy causing trouble for Lily and Cane, causing Cane to question his decision to hire Billy. Sharon, Nikki, and Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) come together over Nick's situation.  More Y&R spoilers reveal that Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) and Chelsea Lawson Newman (Melissa Claire Egan) struggle with Newman family drama. The week wraps up with Billy's reckless actions threatening his relationship with Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope) and his unborn child, and Chelsea and Adam contemplate breaking away from Victor's influence. A potential romantic spark between Victoria and Kyle is also hinted at the week of 8/17 - 8/21/2026. You are listening to Belynda from Soap Dirt. The most listened to soap opera podcaster. Visit our Young and the Restless section of Soap Dirt: https://soapdirt.com/category/young-and-the-restless/ Listen to our Podcasts: https://soapdirt.podbean.com/ And Check out our always up-to-date Young and the Restless Spoilers page at: https://soapdirt.com/young-and-the-restless-spoilers/ Check Out our Social Media... Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoapDirtTV Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoapDirt Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/soapdirt/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soapdirt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soapdirt/

People across the world are eagerly awaiting a solar eclipse, with the Moon set to block out our view of the Sun. The BBC's science correspondent reports from northern Spain - one of the areas expecting a rare total eclipse. Also: rescue efforts continue after the earthquake in Colombia; a Syrian court sentences the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad, to death for crimes against humanity; Donald Trump defends swapping planes due to a reported security threat, despite anger from journalists left on Air Force One; the Winter Olympics sport of curling finds new fans in sunny Italy; and the American TV channel Hallmark celebrates its 25th anniversary.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.ukPhoto: Solar eclipse viewing preparations in the Netherlands. A woman wears eclipse glasses in Almelo. 11 August 2026. Credit: Vincent Jannink. EPA/Shutterstock

Ste is here with all the latest Liverpool news. According to reports, midfielder Curtis Jones wants to join Inter Milan this summer and has "already said yes" ahead of a move to Italy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special DanceSpeak x No Starving Artists crossover episode, we sit down with Moncell Durden for a candid conversation about the International Dance League and some of the bigger questions its inception brings to the dance community. Through Moncell's perspective, we dig into what dancers can consider when new professional opportunities emerge, from sustainability and understanding contracts to asking better questions before signing on the dotted line. This isn't legal advice, but rather an invitation for dancers to think critically, stay curious, and better understand the opportunities in front of them. A thoughtful conversation about IDL that ultimately asks a bigger question: how can dancers become more informed participants in their own careers? Stay tuned and subscribe, as this is the first in a series! Learn more about the No Starving Artists Podcast https://nsadance.com/ Learn more about Moncell https://www.moncelldurden.com/

Selinunte is home to one of the most important archaeological sites from the Greek period in Italy. Located on the west coast of Sicily, it was the most westerly of ancient Greek colonies and one of the most important. Its ancient public spaces, temples, fortifications, and houses are remarkably well preserved and date as far back as far as the middle of the 6th century BCE. 

A Disney World wedding with EPCOT fireworks, a 7:30 p.m. ceremony, a reception at Italy Isola, and a dance party featuring High School Musical, Hannah Montana AND Taylor Swift? Yes, please! ✨

Pipe Dreams Podcast returns with a special episode featuring one of the most naturally talented and versatile young riders in American motorcycle racing, Rocco Landers. From growing up around racing in Southern California to dominating MotoAmerica as a teenager, racing in Europe with the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, and eventually earning his first factory opportunity with Indian Motorcycle, Rocco's career has taken a path few could have predicted.In this episode, Rocco reflects on growing up with his father Stoney Landers as his coach, mechanic, crew chief and biggest supporter, spending his formative years racing in Italy and Spain, and returning to America to become one of the most dominant young riders in MotoAmerica history. He discusses winning two Junior Cup championships and a Twins Cup title, making the jump to Supersport and 1000cc machinery, and experiencing the pressure that came with being labeled a potential future American MotoGP star.Rocco also opens up about the twists and turns of his career, from the Red Bull Rookies Cup and the European development system to opportunities in Twins Cup, Supersport, Stock 1000 and King of the Baggers. He shares what it was like adapting to a 600-pound motorcycle, winning his first Bagger race at COTA, and ultimately landing a factory ride with Indian Motorcycle and Vance & Hines alongside Troy Herfoss and Hayden Gillim. From the MotoGP dream that never followed a straight path to finally getting a true OEM opportunity, this conversation offers a closer look at the talent, adaptability and mentality behind one of America's most intriguing young racers. This is Rocco Landers.Follow ⁠@pipedreams_pod⁠ on social media!____________________________________________________________________________________Please support our partners: Yuasa Battery: Setting the standard for powersports batteries since 1979. Each and every day, it starts with us.- Find Your Battery: https://www.yuasabatteries.com/#batterysearch- Find Your Local Yuasa Dealer: https://www.yuasabatteries.com/how-to-buy/find-a-dealer/- Purchase Online: https://www.yuasabatteries.com/how-to-buy/where-to-buy/For more info visit https://www.yuasabatteries.com____________________________________________________________________________________Gulf Point Advisors: A Forward Thinking Wealth Advisory FirmHave financial questions or want to learn more about the benefits of professional money management? Call our good friend Tris at 603-731-3230, email tris@gulfpointadvisors.com or visit gulfpointadvisors.com

Today on Too Opinionated, we're joined by acclaimed folk/pop singer-songwriter Caroline Cotter to talk about her brand-new single "Grounded In Love," arriving August 14, and the new music on the horizon. Recorded in Nashville and co-produced by Caroline and Zack Berkman (Ron Pope, The District), "Grounded In Love" draws directly from Caroline's extraordinary life on the road. Having performed more than 1,000 shows across 46 states and 19 countries, Caroline knows what it's like to live without permanent roots. The song explores how we can still find stability, connection, love, and a sense of home wherever life takes us. It's the latest chapter in a career built around deeply human songwriting. With her warm voice and honest lyrics, Caroline writes about connection, nostalgia, gratitude, loss, wanderlust, and the countless ways we experience life. Following acclaimed albums Dreaming as I Do, Home on the River, and Gently as I Go, Caroline released A Quiet Song of Hope in June 2026 and is now moving into another exciting stretch of new music. Her journey has been just as remarkable as her songs. Caroline has toured internationally, won the Maine Songwriters Association Contest, was a finalist at FreshGrass and the Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, and served as an artist-in-residence at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan. She also traveled through Italy on an "End of War Peace Tour" carrying a WWII-era Gibson guitar. We talk new music, songwriting, Nashville, life on the road, finding home in unexpected places, and the experiences that continue shaping Caroline's music.

There is a lot of Hallmark news to get to before we get to our review, but once we get there, there's so much to explore. For more Dear Hallmark:Say hello: dearhallmark@gmail.com Youtube:https://youtube.com/@dearhallmark?si=o_vx3T2kEjMoqK7YI wrote a book!  "Chasing Wind": https://amzn.to/3IGUI6gDear Hallmark's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearhallmark/

Send us Fan MailThe Cape Cod time capsule that is One Crazy Summer. Some of the movies shot on the Cape and Islands. The creation of the cellular telephone.Episode 256 is a bit of a throwback for the podcast as it is loaded with Cape Cod topics.We start by going back 40 years ago this week. One Crazy Summer is among the best mindlessly fun comedies of the 1980s. It wasn't a major box office or critical hit, but it did have one thing that made it special, and that was a deep connection to Cape Cod. Watching it today is like opening up an old photo album for Cape Codders who grew up during that time. We celebrate the 40th anniversary of One Crazy Summer this week.Today it can feel as though cell phone technology has been around forever. In some ways that is true, but in other ways it's still relatively new. We go way back to the beginning and trace the evolution of cellular telephone technology. From World War II to Y2K and all of the bumps and detours, we look at just how cell phones became the indispensable part of life that they are today. Cape Cod dominates this week's Top 5. We look at some of the films that were shot on Cape Cod or the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. There are a few obvious ones, and some that might surprise you. We'll go over them all, good, bad, and very bad.As always, there is a brand-new This Week In History and Time Capsule, looking at the creation of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy.To support me and the show, become a member on Patreon. Or you can support my work and Buy Me A Coffee!Helpful Links from this EpisodeBuy My New Book, In Their Footsteps!Searching For the Lady of the Dunes True Crime BookHooked By Kiwi - Etsy.comDJ Williams MusicKeeKee's Cape Cod KitchenMSFTS CommunityKingfisher Hotels Cape CodChristopher Setterlund.comCape Cod Living - Zazzle StoreSubscribe on YouTube!Initial Impressions 2.0 BlogCJSetterlundPhotos on EtsyListen to Episode 255 hereSupport the show

“Learning Italian is about more than memorizing vocabulary. It is an invitation to experience a way of life” - Margherita Berti, Italian History & Culture Through LanguageGet prepared for your next Italian Journey with this wonderful book and guide - Italian History & Culture Through Language by Italian Linguistics Teacher and Podcast host Margherita Berti PhD.Today Margherita shares the release of her new book 'Italian History & Culture Through Language' and the story behind creating her Italian Matters Language courses for seekers of Italy. Enjoy this conversation...About the Author: Margherita Berti is the founder of Italian Matters, an online Italian language hub with 5 million followers across platforms. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics and creates digital courses and resources to help learners build real-world Italian fluency. Margherita also hosts the Italian Matters podcast and shares language tips through engaging videos and social content.This book is:"Perfect for travelers, language learners, Italophiles, and anyone reconnecting with their heritage, Speak the World: Italian is both an entertaining cultural keepsake and a practical introduction to the language. Whether paired with travel plans, family traditions, or dreams of Italian cafés and gondola rides, the book makes an ideal gift for lovers of Italy and its timeless charm".Book: Italian History & Culture Through Language by Margherita BertiVisit Margherita Berti at Italian Matters Follow Marghertia Berti on Instagram @ItalianMattersShownotes A Writer in Italy InstagramSubstack - At My TableMichelle's BooksMusical Scores by Richard JohnstonA Writer in Italy is about travel and life. A place to share the beautiful travel journeys and the discoveries along the way. Italy has many attractions - art, design, architecture, history and the wonderful food culture. Michelle shares her love of books on Italy and the places and regions that have inspired her along the way.Michelle started 'A Writer in Italy Podcast' to share personal stories and the love of books on Italy that would lead to beautiful conversations with people and like minded souls who share a deep love affair with Italian Culture and the country as a place of beauty and spiritual renewal.Michelle Johnston lives in Australia with her family.© 2026  A Writer In Italy - travel, books, art and lifeMusic Composed by Richard Johnston © 2026A White Chalk ProductionSupport the show

We're excited to welcome Orit Krug back to the show to talk about anxious attachment from a somatic perspective! We'll be discussing relationship anxiety, the research there is on body-based intervention, and a demo on what addressing these anxieties looks like.Find more about Orit and her work on her website, follow her on Instagram, access free somatic meditations there, and visit multiamory.com/retreat to learn more about the somatic retreat in Italy that Orit and Dedeker will be co-hosting in September 2026!Join our amazing community of listeners at multiamory.supercast.com. We offer sliding scale subscriptions so everyone can also get access to ad-free episodes, group video discussions, and our amazing Discord community.FREE TOYS OR GIFT CARDS FOR TOYS! Everyone who signs up to our giveaway with @bellesacowins something! bbvibes.com/multiamory,Get 10% off sexual health supplements at vb.health with promo code MULTI.Whatever you want to learn, MasterClass has something for you, taught by experts in their fields. Support the show and get an exclusive 15% offer at multiamory.link/masterclass.Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes for creators. Everything from graphic design and video editing to photography, writing, and business. Get a free month of Skilllshare at multiamory.link/skillshare.Multiamory was created by Dedeker Winston, Jase Lindgren, and Emily Matlack.Our theme music is Forms I Know I Did by Josh and Anand.Follow us on Instagram @Multiamory_Podcast and visit our website Multiamory.com. We are a proud member of the Pleasure Podcasts network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Stanley is back from an incredible European vacation across Italy and Croatia, complete with a wild story about eating breakfast right next to Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei!Once the travel stories wrap, Chris Faga and Chris Stanley dive into a massive pop culture breakdown. The guys deliver their unfiltered reviews of the latest Spider-Man release, dissect how studio licensing deals altered Marvel's Multiverse storyline, and take aim at cinema royalty as Chris Stanley explains why he thinks Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy and Inception are completely overratedOn the geopolitical and tech front, Chris Faga showcases his newest obsession: satellite geography and cartography. The guys use Google Gemini AI to generate realistic mockups for a hypothetical shipping canal, analyzing the economic, demographic, and international trade impacts of massive infrastructure projects. Plus, they react to cringe viral dating advice podcasts, review the downfall of actor Jonathan Majors, and break down the historical context of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.Did Chris Stanley go too far with his Dark Knight hot take? Drop your thoughts in the comments below! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more episodes from the GaS Digital Network!Air Date 8/6/26DON'T FORGET TO WATCH FAGA'S NEW SPECIAL "BURN AFTER SAYING" ON THE HSR YOUTUBE PAGE!⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxIHJU2LotU⁠⁠Support Our Sponsors!Body Brain Coffee: https://bodybraincoffee.com/ - Grab A Bag of Body Brain Coffee with Promo Code HSR20 to get 20% off!3rd Mic Harrington: https://3rdmicharrington.com/High Society Radio is 2 native New Yorkers who started from the bottom and didn't raise up much. That's not the point, if you enjoy a sideways view on technology, current events, or just an in depth analysis of action movies from 2006 this is the show for you.Chris Stanley is the on air producer for Bennington on Sirius XM.Chris Faga is a lifelong street urchin, a former head chef, county comitteman and supposed comedian. Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisFromBklynInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisfrombklynEngineer: DomExecutive Producer: JorgeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/themharrington/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMHarringtonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please follow us on: Instagram or Facebook. Grazie Mille!In this episode, Kimberly and Tommaso share their latest experiences settling into life in Italy, including a humorous misunderstanding that spiraled into a “spaghetti western” drama and four fantastic community dinners! Key Points:The Spaghetti Western Incident:Tommaso attempts to help a neighbor with parking, only to have the gesture misinterpreted as a confrontation.The situation leads to an “international incident” involving high-drama phone calls and neighborhood tension.Kimberly plays the role of diplomatic emissary, eventually cooling the situation by speaking with the neighbors at their home.The incident is resolved when the neighbors realize the space is indeed problematic, mirroring the original warning.Cena Insieme (Dining Together):We explore the local tradition of village-organized community dinners that happen all summer long.These events, ranging from rice festivals to Roman-themed nights, showcase incredible volunteer spirit and high-quality food.Kimberly Holcomb and Tommaso highlight the efficiency, environmental consciousness, and community pride involved in these gatherings.Episode Highlight: The Power of Community:During a church-sponsored fundraiser dinner, we observe local children volunteering to serve, highlighting the strong sense of family and social responsibility in the village.Notably, at a dinner with thousands of attendees, we notice a distinct lack of mobile phone use, focusing instead on shared conversation and community connection.Travel Updates and Heatwave Realities:We discuss the surge in Italian tourism this year and the shift toward popular regions like Calabria.Insights from local hospitality professionals suggest tourists are prioritizing base expenses, which affects secondary services like private tours.We share our experience with record-breaking temperatures in Italy and offer suggestions for planning future visits during the off-season.Reflections and Future Plans:Kimberly and Tommaso express their desire to continue exploring new corners of Italy while maintaining a realistic perspective on travel.We look forward to more community events and eventually participating as volunteers ourselves.Join us as we navigate the life of expats in Italy, sharing our stories of cultural adaptation, local connections, and the beautiful realities of daily life in a small village.

Why This Episode MattersItalian food isn't one cuisine. Vincenzo Prosperi explains why Italy's regional traditions matter—and what gets lost when everything is reduced to pizza, pasta and red sauce.Authenticity and innovation can coexist. The question isn't whether chefs should create new dishes, but whether classics should be changed beyond recognition and still carry the old name.Social media is changing restaurants. Vincenzo, Mark and Francis dig into influencer culture, food designed for photographs and the pressure on restaurants to pay for attention.Preserving tradition means supporting the people still cooking it. Vincenzo is shifting his platform toward regional chefs, family restaurants and food traditions that might otherwise disappear.BanterMark Pascal and Francis Schott talk about why their restaurant events have never come from a marketing plan. They come from things they, their staff, and their guests can all get excited about.They look ahead to their annual Big Night dinner and revisit the early days of their table-to-farm dinners, including one memorable attempt that involved hauling restaurant tables and a wood-burning grill to a farm... just in time for the rain.The ConversationVincenzo Prosperi grew up in Abruzzo surrounded by his grandparents, great-grandparents and the food traditions that came with them. After moving to Australia, he saw the distance between the Italian cooking he knew and much of the “Italian” food being served around the world. His wife suggested he turn that frustration—and his passion—into what became Vincenzo's Plate.Vincenzo talks with Mark and Francis about the reaction videos that helped build his audience, from cream-laden carbonara to celebrity chefs taking liberties with Italian classics. But as reaction content became increasingly negative and crowded, he changed direction. Today, his focus is on teaching, ranking Italian products and using his audience to introduce viewers to regional Italian chefs and traditions.The conversation expands into a bigger question: What happens to traditional food in a culture built around clicks, trends and influencers?Vincenzo worries that regional Italian cooking is being replaced by a more standardized version of fine dining while small family restaurants struggle for attention. Mark and Francis see a similar problem in restaurants designed around what photographs well rather than what tastes good.They also tackle the line between preservation and creativity. Vincenzo isn't against innovation—quite the opposite. But before you riff on a cuisine, you should understand what you're riffing on. A new dish can be anything you want it to be. Carbonara, however, has a history.And yes, peas remain under suspicion.Guest BioVincenzo Prosperi is the creator of Vincenzo's Plate, devoted to authentic Italian cooking and the traditions behind it. Born in Pescara in Italy's Abruzzo region and now based in Australia, Vincenzo has built a worldwide audience through recipes, food education, product rankings and collaborations with chefs throughout Italy.Timestamps00:00 Great restaurant events are about creating memorable experiences09:30 Meet Vincenzo Prosperi of Vincenzo's Plate11:30 Growing up with Italian food traditions in Abruzzo18:00 Celebrity chefs, reaction videos and crimes against carbonara25:00 Why Vincenzo moved beyond reaction content28:00 Trust, sponsorships and building an audience without selling out35:00 Is fine dining erasing Italy's regional food traditions?38:00 Influencers, restaurant economics and food made for Instagram43:00 Innovation vs. tradition: when should a classic be left alone?47:00 Mark and Francis remember an old-school trattoria in Italy InfoVincenzo's Plate https://www.vincenzosplate.com/Vincenzo's Plate on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@vincenzosplateEvents @ The Guys' Places https://www.stageleft.com/events/Subscribe: Restaurant Guys' Regularhttps://restaurantguysregulars.buzzsprout.com/Magyar Bankhttps://www.magbank.com/Stage Left Wine Shophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Our PlacesStage Left Steakhttps://www.stageleft.com/Catherine Lombardi Restauranthttps://www.catherinelombardi.com/Stage Left Wineshophttps://www.stageleftwineshop.com/Reach Out to The Guys!TheGuys@restaurantguyspodcast.com

12 - Ron Johnson is hot on Fauci's tail! 1210 - Side - associated with the farm 1215 - Welcome to Woke 2.0! 1220 - Your calls. 1230 - When did Corey become the School Choice Evangelist? Corey DeAngelis joins us today as we find out more about COVID behind the scenes. How much of a farce were the CDC guidelines after the Teachers Unions got after them? Are people going to donate once people hear about the benefits of school choice credits? Who is Corey going to be debating in PA? 1250 - The University of Michigan is lowering the standard to the ground for incoming freshman. 1 - Does Trump need three Air Force Ones? 105 - Your calls. 115 - Will self-driving buses come to SEPTA? 120 - More of your calls. 150 - Senator Jarrett Coleman has a proposal that would benefit cyclists in Pennsylvania. Do you like it? 2 - Whoops! Went long on that last segment. 210 - Your calls. 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 220 - Chairman of Do No Harm, Dr. Stanley Goldfarb joins us here today. What does he think about the development of de-transitioning centers for kids? Will this lead to less states performing the gender changing operation and procedures? What does he think of CHOP's decision to keep performing these procedures? Has woke been beaten down enough on this issue? 225 - Who is feeling like they're in a chokehold? 240 - What's the latest crisis in Italy? Would Frank in South Philly know anything about it? 250 - The Lightning Round!

2 - Whoops! Went long on that last segment. 210 - Your calls. 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 220 - Chairman of Do No Harm, Dr. Stanley Goldfarb joins us here today. What does he think about the development of de-transitioning centers for kids? Will this lead to less states performing the gender changing operation and procedures? What does he think of CHOP's decision to keep performing these procedures? Has woke been beaten down enough on this issue? 225 - Who is feeling like they're in a chokehold? 240 - What's the latest crisis in Italy? Would Frank in South Philly know anything about it? 250 - The Lightning Round!

There comes a point when you're learning Italian when knowing the translation of a word simply isn't enough. Understanding Italian language and culture means going beyond the dictionary. You can know that tavola means table. You can learn that magari sometimes means maybe. You can be told that pronto means ready. And you can dutifully memorize that in bocca al lupo is what Italians say when they want to wish someone good luck. But none of that necessarily tells you what those words actually mean when you hear Italians use them. BUT: Margherita Berti, language teacher and creator of Italian Matters, has a BRAND NEW book that just came out TODAY August 11:  Italian History & Culture Through Language that takes you deeper and explores 200 Italian words and expressions that look  at the culture, history, habits, and ways of thinking behind them. Join the episode today to find out all the details through our fun and engaging Italian language chat! AND be the first to grab the book: link in the show notes that accompany this episode.

Julie Hardridge, founder of Architexture Interiors, brings a lifelong passion for history, craftsmanship, and design to every project. She began her academic journey at the Savannah College of Art and Design on scholarship before transferring to New York University, where she studied Architectural History and Decorative Arts with a minor in Urban Planning. Her studies, combined with time spent abroad in Italy and France learning from master artisans, shaped her distinctive design philosophy rooted in tradition, artistry, and innovation. While the design world often prioritizes the “perfect” visual, this conversation dives into the structural and psychological foundations of creating a home. From the early stages of a career in Savannah and New York to the intricate details of a Miami penthouse, we explore how historical preservation, material intelligence, and even “imposter syndrome” shape the spaces where we live. The Designer's Identity Crisis: Even with decades of experience and degrees from institutions like SCAD and NYU, established professionals still grapple with imposter syndrome. The feeling of “not being there yet” is often exacerbated by the inflated realities presented on social media. Archaeology in Design: Modern design is frequently an exercise in archaeology—digging into the history of a structure and the personal backstories of its inhabitants to create a cohesive narrative. The Invisible Value Proposition: A significant portion of a project’s success lies in managing what the client doesn’t see: logistical pivots, fixing manufacturer errors (like ruined leather on a custom chair), and mediating between contractors and vision. The “Jewelry” of the Room: Lighting is framed as the ultimate emotional regulator. The transition from harsh recessed lighting to personalized, AI-driven scenes and art-deco fixtures can fundamentally change how a person experiences their own home. AI and Hyper-Personalization: The future of custom environments lies in “recognition technology,” where a home's lighting, sound, and temperature automatically adjust based on which specific family member enters the room. SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design): A foundational influence on the technical training for historic preservation and architectural drafting. NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study: Where the “forced reading culture” and study of great books helped bridge the gap between architectural history and philosophical design. Lutron Lighting Systems: A cornerstone for creating “scenes” that allow homeowners to transition their environment from high-energy productivity to soft, elegant “candlelight” modes. CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association): The go-to resource for understanding how smart home technology and integrators work alongside designers to build proactive environments. Pinterest as a Sourcing Tool: Not just for “inspo,” but a legitimate deep-dive tool for finding global artisans, unique hardware, and vendors that aren’t found in traditional design centers.

Italian Wines in Sonoma County with Mark Orsi | Festa Italia di Healdsburg Wine When and Where Podcast Guest: Mark Orsi, Orsi Family Vineyards What Italian grape varieties grow in Sonoma County? Why are grapes like Sangiovese, Barbera, Aglianico, Negroamaro and Sagrantino finding a home in Northern California? And where can wine lovers taste Italian varietal wines from dozens of California producers in one place? In this episode of the Wine When and Where Podcast, we sit down with Mark Orsi of Orsi Family Vineyards in Healdsburg, California, to explore Italian wine in Sonoma County, the region's Italian-American wine heritage and the story behind Festa Italia di Healdsburg, an annual celebration of Italian grape varieties, wine, food and culture. In This Episode Mark shares why Sonoma County is particularly well suited to Italian grape varieties and how his own Italian heritage inspired the wines grown at Orsi Family Vineyards. We talk about: Why Sonoma County has become an unexpected home for Italian grape varieties The Italian immigrant families who helped shape Healdsburg and Sonoma County wine history The 13 Italian grape varieties grown by Orsi Family Vineyards Familiar Italian wines including Sangiovese and Barbera Lesser-known grapes including Biancolella, Schioppettino, Negroamaro and Aglianico Why Italian wines are so naturally suited to food Which Italian wines might appeal to Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers Why Mark believes Aglianico deserves more attention The story behind Festa Italia di Healdsburg and Mark's goal of introducing more wine lovers to Italian varietal wines grown in California What Is Festa Italia di Healdsburg? Festa Italia di Healdsburg is an Italian wine festival held at Orsi Family Vineyards in Healdsburg, Sonoma County. Founded by Mark Orsi, the event brings together California wineries producing Italian grape varieties for an afternoon of wine tasting, Italian food, music and wine education. The third annual Festa Italia di Healdsburg takes place: Date: Sunday, August 16, 2026 Time: 11:00 AM–3:30 PM VIP Access: Begins at 10:00 AM Location: Orsi Family Vineyards in Healdsburg, California, approximately half a mile from downtown Healdsburg Tickets: $75-$85 Guests can taste Italian varietal wines from approximately 25–30 wineries, enjoy live music, pizza from Shelley Lindgren of A16 San Francisco, Gio Gelato and additional Italian food vendors. The event also includes a wine panel hosted by wine expert Chris Sawyer, with Mick Unti and Shelley Lindgren, focusing on Italian white wines. Participating wineries include Orsi Family Vineyards, Kokomo, Ramazzotti, Colagrassi, Seghesio, Unti Vineyards, Jupiter Wine Co, Benessere, Saini, Graziano, Buonguido, Solo Nostro, Muscardini Cellars, Idlewild, Martha Stoumen, Massican, Hawley Winery, Tansy and other California producers working with Italian grape varieties.   Festa Italia tickets and information: festaitaliahbg.com Orsi Family Vineyards: orsifamilyvineyards.com   Italian Wine Rapid Fire with Mark Orsi Pineapple on pizza? Hard pass. Favorite pasta pairing? Cacio e pepe with...anything. Most underrated Italian grape? Aglianico. What Italian wine could convert a Cabernet drinker? Sagrantino. Most overrated wine trend? Orange wines — the hype, not necessarily the wine itself. Dream celebrity spokesperson for Italian wine? George Clooney. Consider this his official invitation.   Mark Orsi's Cacio e Pepe Recipe Looking for a simple pasta to pair with Italian wine? Mark shares his recipe for cacio e pepe, the classic Roman pasta made with Parmigiano-Reggiano and black pepper. Ingredients 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns 4 1/2 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving 1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 pound dried tonnarelli   Directions1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (Do not add salt)  2) Meanwhile, in a very large nonstick skillet or pot set over high heat, toast the peppercorns just until fragrant. Let cool, then grind or crush very coarsely. Reserve 1 teaspoon for serving. 3) In the same skillet or pot, combine the cheeses and remaining pepper. Add 1 ½ cups warm water and stir to make a thick pecorino cream. 4) Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir. Keep the heat very high until the water returns to a boil, then stir again and adjust the heat as needed to keep the water bubbling. Set a timer for 8 minutes. 5) Set the pecorino cream over very low heat. 6) When the timer goes off, scoop out about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Taste the pasta and continue cooking until the pasta is done to your liking. 7) Drain pasta very well (this is important, as adding too much hot water can cause the cheese to clump) and add to the pecorino cream. Use tongs or two forks to stir, turn and toss the pasta in the sauce over low heat until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes sticky. Don't add any water yet, just keep tossing. To test, squeeze a drop of sauce between your thumb and finger. When the sauce is thick and forms strings like glue, it is ready. 8) If it starts to dry out, add cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and toss thoroughly before adding more. Twist the pasta into a nest, if desired. 9) Dust with additional pecorino and the reserved pepper. 10) Serve immediately with a glass of Italian wine, preferably Orsi   Hugo Spritz Recipe For another taste of Italy at home, make a refreshing Hugo Spritz with Prosecco, elderflower liqueur and fresh mint. Ingredients 4–5 fresh mint leaves ½–1 ounce elderflower liqueur, such as St-Germain 4 ounces chilled Prosecco 1 ounce club soda or sparkling water Ice Lime wheel or lemon slice for garnish Instructions Place the mint leaves in a large wine glass. Gently press the mint with a muddler or spoon to release its aroma. Fill the glass with ice. Add elderflower liqueur, followed by Prosecco and club soda. Stir gently. Garnish with lime or lemon and serve. About Orsi Family Vineyards Orsi Family Vineyards is a Healdsburg winery specializing in Italian grape varieties grown in Sonoma County. Its estate vineyards feature 13 Italian varieties, offering visitors an opportunity to explore both familiar and lesser-known Italian wines without leaving California wine country. Learn more at orsifamilyvineyards.com.   Listen to Wine When and Where Wine When and Where is the podcast of Wine Road Northern Sonoma County, exploring the wineries, winemakers, food, people and experiences of Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, California. Follow along for more conversations about Sonoma County wineries, wine tasting, food, events and things to do in Northern Sonoma County.

Swanny examines Clemson's quarterback battle and asks whether Tate Reynolds should start at LSU if he narrowly outplays Christopher Vizzina in fall camp. William Qualk weighs in on why experience could still give Vizzina the edge in Death Valley and shares what he learned traveling through Italy with Clemson basketball.Plus, Lane Kiffin provides an update on LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, Swanny predicts Florida and BYU's 2026 seasons, and listeners reveal their biggest villains and arch-nemeses in college football.

THE BEST PIZZA IS IN LA explores filmmaker Pete Ferriero's journey to prove that the world's best pizza isn't found in New York, Chicago, or Italy, but right in Los Angeles. Alongside interviews of celebrity chefs (Nancy Silverton, Brooke Williamson, Joe Sasto, Stephanie Izard, Joe D'Amore and more) and special guests (Tori Spelling, Ray Romano, Brian Austin Green), Ferriero dives into the history and explosion of red-sauce, cheese-filled, and uniquely topped pizza joints across Los Angeles.Themed Cocktails:If Pizza Were a Cocktail (vinepair.com):Ingredients1 cup white wine½ cup Aperol½ cup Campari½ cup lemon¼ sugar syrupStrawberries (quartered)BasilMineral waterDirectionsAdd the syrup, 4 strawberries cut in quarters, and a small handful of basil leaves to the French press.Using a wooden spoon, or muddler, muddle the ingredients together until the juice from the strawberries is released and the mix is fragrant.Add the rest of the ingredients to the French press, let the mix rest for 1 minute, then press and strain to separate the liquid from the solids.To serve, strain into a glass over ice, top with a splash of mineral water, and garnish with a basil leaf.Spicy Mango Jalapeño Margarita (or sub pineapple) (freutcake.com):Ingredients2 oz Blanco Tequila1 oz Cointreau1-2 oz Fresh Lime Juice (the juice of one lime)4 oz fresh mango juicefresh mango, diced large2 small jalapeñosTajinlimes for garnishDirectionsChar jalapeños on the grill or over a flame until blackened. Reserve one for garnish and slice the second removing the stem.Rim a cocktail glass with lime and dip in Tajin seasoning, set aside.In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add a few slices of charred jalapeño and a few chunks of fresh mango. Muddle well.Add in tequila, lime juice, mango juice and shake until well chilled.Pour into prepared cocktail glass filled with crushed ice.Garnish with a skewer of mango sprinkled with Tajin, your second charred jalapeño and a wheel of lime.Old Fashioned (liquor.com):Ingredients1 teaspoon sugar3 dashes Angostura bitters1 teaspoon water2 ounces bourbon (or rye whiskey, if preferred)Garnish: orange twistDirectionsAdd the sugar and bitters into a mixing glass, then add the water, and stir until the sugar is nearly dissolved.Fill the mixing glass with ice, add the bourbon, and stir until well-chilled.Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube.Express the oil of an orange twist over the glass, then drop into the glass to garnish.Negroni (liquor.com):Ingredients1 ounce gin1 ounce Campari1 ounce sweet vermouthGarnish: orange peelDirectionsAdd the gin, Campari and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir until well-chilled.Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.Garnish with an orange peel.The Best Pizza Is In LA Official Drinking GameDrink when…When “BAM” is saidSomeone takes a bite of pizzaA style of pizza is mentionedA restaurant is namedSomeone says New YorkSomeone talks about the water in New YorkPick LA or NYC for the water challenge, take a drink for every time your city gets a pointAs always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow and subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.

This week, we're talking: NYC apartment drama, Enough starring Jennifer Lopez, the reflecting pool, and much much more! Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here.  Catch Getting Better & The Monday Edit, now on YouTube!  Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  Executive Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More bad news from last week's jobs report: Wage growth slowed to 3.2%, the lowest yearly rate in five years. Combine that with high inflation, and consumers are losing purchasing power. In this episode, where did the wage growth go? Plus: Temp firms report increased demand, Bed, Bath & Beyond's parent company wants to expand into services, and Pringles implements AI on the production line. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today's episode:U.S. consumers' real earnings have been fallingWhy Bed Bath & Beyond's parent company is pivoting to mortgages and flooringShould we ditch paper checks? You probably write more than you thinkShe chose rural South Carolina over Italy and EnglandOne bright spot in an otherwise-meh labor market? Temp jobsA new kind of AI chip: Pringle-making gets optimized by artificial intelligence

Today we try the third in the series of Kellogg's Wednesday cereals...this one is Strawberry Snap! Then some fruity granola from Seven Sundays, and a chocolate cereal featuring a dopey bear that Andy brought back from Italy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More bad news from last week's jobs report: Wage growth slowed to 3.2%, the lowest yearly rate in five years. Combine that with high inflation, and consumers are losing purchasing power. In this episode, where did the wage growth go? Plus: Temp firms report increased demand, Bed, Bath & Beyond's parent company wants to expand into services, and Pringles implements AI on the production line. Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today's episode:U.S. consumers' real earnings have been fallingWhy Bed Bath & Beyond's parent company is pivoting to mortgages and flooringShould we ditch paper checks? You probably write more than you thinkShe chose rural South Carolina over Italy and EnglandOne bright spot in an otherwise-meh labor market? Temp jobsA new kind of AI chip: Pringle-making gets optimized by artificial intelligence

Henry David Thoreau was not a traditional Christian, and yet he was a deeply, profoundly religious man. In this episode, Jacke talks to Lydia Willsky-Ciollo about her book Wildness: Henry David Thoreau and the Making of an American Theology, which describes how Thoreau's experiences in nature helped him imagine and develop a distinctly American theology of the wild. PLUS Douglas Clark (The Will in English Renaissance Drama) stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he will ever read. On Sale Now! For more information and to order ⁠⁠⁠⁠Great Detective! An Adventure for Two People [2-Book Boxed Set]⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Jacke Wilson, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠press.historyofliterature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. SPECIAL OFFER! For a limited time, enter promotion code SHIP26 to get free domestic or international shipping! (Available in the U.S., Canada, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Iceland, Estonia, Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand.) The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gabrielruizbernal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Help support the show at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/literature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grant brought some beers back from his recent trip to Italy! Pairs with uncomfortable rideshares, back alley honey, and turning the screws on this poor manager at Macaroni Grill. Birra Follina Birra Botanica Orange Wheat East Side Old Jorge Legnone MILF Passion Birrifico Sorrento Elea Theme Music by Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas End Credits Music: AFRD by Particle House Additional music licensed through Epidemic Sound And we have shirts! Get them at the Hello Crawlers store! The Beerists are John Rubio, Grant Davis, Pam Catoe, and Mark Raup. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or point your podcatcher to our RSS feed. You should also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Support us by making a per-episode pledge at patreon.com/thebeerists and get some sweet rewards! Follow us on twitter, facebook, and instagram. Want to send us beer? Check our beer donation guidelines, and then shoot us and email at info@thebeerists.com

Today we try the third in the series of Kellogg's Wednesday cereals...this one is Strawberry Snap! Then some fruity granola from Seven Sundays, and a chocolate cereal featuring a dopey bear that Andy brought back from Italy. Support the show: https://www.cerealkillerspc.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last time we spoke about the ending of the Second Battle of Changsha. In late September and early October 1941, Chinese commander Chen Cheng planned an operation to retake Yichang, a strategic Yangtze River city whose control was essential for protecting the approach to Chongqing. Japanese forces were pulling back from Changsha, weakened by supply problems and casualties, which created an opportunity for Chen to intensify his campaign. Yichang had been captured by Japan in 1940, a defeat that Chen carried as a personal and political burden. He therefore moved to encircle the Japanese 13th Division inside Yichang and drive it to collapse. Although the Chinese held a clear manpower advantage—fourteen divisions against the encircled Japanese—progress was slowed by stubborn fighting from prepared, entrenched positions. The battle inside the city produced desperate close-quarters combat and heavy casualties, showing how the fate of Yichang and the wider defense of Chongqing were tightly linked.    #214 War hits the Pacific 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.   The guns fell silent on October 9, 1941, as the Ninth War Zone's forces restored their pre-battle positions, marking the end of the Second Battle of Changsha. The balance sheet was grim on both sides, but it was China that bore the heavier cost. The Ninth Military Front suffered 70,672 killed, wounded, or missing. The concurrent Yichang offensive added a further 21,368 casualties to the Sixth Military Front, a force that outnumbered its Japanese opponents ten to one yet still failed to retake the city. By the time the dust settled, the Chinese army had lost nearly 100,000 men across both theatres. The Chinese command was frank, at least in private, about what had gone wrong. The Japanese had moved with a speed that recalled Blitzkrieg, advancing 130 kilometres in eleven days and withdrawing at twelve kilometres a day, catching the defenders perpetually off-balance. The 26th, 37th, 10th, and 74th Corps had been picked apart piecemeal rather than fighting in concert, the original plan to destroy the Japanese south of the Miluo River coming to nothing. Elite formations had paid a disproportionate price: the 74th Corps suffered 14,521 casualties, the 37th Corps 14,015, and the 58th Division alone lost 6,192 of its 11,907 men, nearly its entire fighting strength.   Yet none of this was the story the public would hear. On October 10th, China's National Day, radio stations announced the "Second Great Victory in Northern Hunan", the annihilation of over 40,000 enemy troops. Newspapers rushed out special editions. Congratulatory telegrams flooded in from government ministries and civic organizations. Senior officials seized on the moment: Sun Ke, Premier of the Executive Yuan, declared that the victory "laid the foundation for the counter-offensive and the recapture of Hankou and Guangzhou," while General Bai Chongxi called it "the pivotal moment for us to turn defeat into victory." Chiang Kai-shek, reading through the pages of triumphant commentary produced overnight by his propagandists, was reportedly impressed by their industry, if not convinced by their content. He had not wanted to call it a victory at all, but the political calculus was unavoidable: after four years of war, an exhausted nation needed the psychological sustenance that only "victory" could provide.   The gap between public performance and private reality was nowhere more visible than in the arrival of a twenty-two-member international press delegation on October 13th. Journalists from Britain, the United States, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Hong Kong, and major Chinese newspapers were flown to Changsha and carefully guided through selected battlefields, where they inspected mountains of war trophies and heard testimony from soldiers and civilians. They left satisfied, presenting their war souvenirs—swords, binoculars, Japanese military flags—to their audiences back home as proof of Chinese heroism and Japanese defeat. Both China and Japan were claiming victory simultaneously. The only conclusion the foreign press could draw was that one side was lying, and it was not the side that had shown them the evidence.   Chiang Kai-shek's real verdict came at the Third Nanyue Military Conference, held from October 16 to 21. His anger was withering. He condemned his generals for their obsession with defending sprawling outer perimeter lines while leaving city centres barely fortified, a mentality so rigid, he said, that the Japanese could announce the exact time of their advance and withdrawal in advance and still execute it on schedule without interference. "Generals, what a disgrace this is!" On the failure to capture prisoners, only 263 prisoners were claimed across the entire front, of whom only 16 names were actually published, he was almost incredulous: "We can definitely defeat the enemy, capture many enemy prisoners, and seize countless enemy weapons! Even if we cannot capture ten thousand prisoners, we should at least capture a thousand! If not a thousand, then at least a hundred! But now, you don't even have ten!" The conference handed down punishments to match the rhetoric. Liao Lingqi, commander of the shattered 58th Division, was sentenced to death for desertion and shot on October 22nd. His men were so outraged that three regimental commanders resigned in protest; the division was pulled from the order of battle entirely and given three months to rebuild. Li Yutang, commander of the 10th Corps, was dismissed—though the Third Battle of Changsha would begin before his replacement could take post, and he would be reinstated to play a key role in the city's defence.   On the Japanese side, the 11th Army acknowledged 1,670 killed, 5,184 wounded, and 14 missing, far fewer than Chinese claims, though post-war regimental histories suggest the true figure was higher. Lieutenant General Anami, who had championed the operation, found himself stung by the charge that the battle had served mainly as material for Chinese propaganda. On November 23rd, he reportedly reacted with visible displeasure when someone in his headquarters said as much aloud.  Anami's annoyance was easy enough to understand, but the accusation carried a troubling degree of accuracy. The Second Battle of Changsha had yielded no decisive strategic gain and no substantial alteration in the military balance. What it did generate, rather effectively, was a story and by the autumn of 1941, stories were one of the few things China still had in plentiful supply. The most consequential struggles were taking place not along the Miluo River, but in foreign ministries and embassies, in Washington and Moscow, in the messages passing between Chongqing and London, and in the increasingly strained calculations of statesmen trying to determine, amid rapidly changing circumstances, whom to support and for how long.   For Chiang Kai-shek, the challenge was never merely military. It was structural, and had been so from the outset. He had always seen clearly, precisely because he understood China's weakness, that Japan could not be defeated by China alone. The country lacked the industrial base, the logistical reach, and after four years of relentless attrition more and more the manpower needed to force a decisive result on the battlefield. China's survival depended on making its war inseparable from the wars of other powers. Since 1937, Chiang's diplomacy had pursued that single objective: convincing enough great powers that their interests were aligned with China's, and holding that coalition together long enough for Japan to be subdued. That effort turned out to be vastly more difficult than it ought to have been.   The problem started with the international order in which the war emerged. Chiang had hoped to assemble a concert of allies willing to help defend China against Japanese aggression. He was blocked not just by the reluctance of neutral states to aid China, but by the speed with which alliances shifted in the opening years of the Second World War. He had never welcomed the prospect of a general European conflict, correctly fearing that it would push China even further to the margins of world attention. Even so, he recognized that once the lines had hardened between the imperial democracies and fascism, new alignments might become possible. From his perspective, the growing amity between Berlin and Moscow was therefore disastrous. He had been eager to draw the USSR into war against Japan. Instead, the Soviets were now effectively aligned with the Nazis, who were themselves allied with Tokyo.   The world created after Versailles had already enraged many Chinese. After all, the May Fourth demonstrations of 1919 had arisen directly from the settlement reached at the Paris Peace Conference. Yet that older order had at least possessed recognizable anchors, especially the dominance of the two great European empires and the United States. Now those empires were weakening, and no one could say with confidence what the new geopolitical order would be. For all Chiang knew, Germany might emerge as Europe's new dominant power. The early years of the European war produced a bewildering spectacle of diplomatic realignment.   The Nationalist government had previously enjoyed a short-lived flirtation with Nazi Germany. In fact, Hitler's regime continued supplying Chiang with munitions in the first months of China's war against Japan. The Anti-Comintern Pact of 1936 had theoretically joined Germany, Italy, and Japan into the Axis, but mutual distrust prevented them from forming anything like a fully coherent alliance. Chiang found it useful to imply to Western powers that he might be pushed into closer alignment with Germany, a particularly disturbing possibility for the USSR, which faced enemies in both Europe and Asia. But eventually the contradictions in German policy toward East Asia became too severe. In April 1938, Germany yielded to Japanese pressure and ended its support for China.   Britain offered little meaningful help. Neville Chamberlain became prime minister in May 1937 at the head of a Conservative-led National Government, and was quickly overwhelmed by the deteriorating European situation. If Czechoslovakia was for him a "far-off country of which we know nothing," China's fate was even more distant and obscure to many,  perhaps most  policymakers in London. The Nationalists had more success in cultivating the United States. At the Nine-Power Conference in Brussels in November 1937, the Chinese delegation failed to persuade Washington to impose sanctions on Japan and confront it directly. By the middle of 1938, however, American views were beginning to shift. As Japan pushed deeper into southern China, it became increasingly obvious that the occupied territory would be closed to foreign trade. In December 1938, Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau arranged a private American loan of $25 million to China, to be repaid through shipments of tung oil, a varnish product whose real importance lay not in itself, but in what the arrangement signified: a quiet American expression of faith that Chongqing would survive. Chiang also held on to the hope of an even less likely partnership. He had become fiercely anti-Communist during the 1920s, yet in the early years of the anti-Japanese war his greatest hope still rested on Soviet entry into the conflict. Soviet advisers and pilots had aided China from 1937 to 1939, but the USSR never formally declared war on Japan. Still, as Japanese aggression in northern Asia intensified, it remained possible that the Soviets would eventually be drawn in.   Then, as so often happened whenever Chiang tried to impose some control over the course of the war, events beyond China's borders altered the struggle in fundamental ways. While Western attention remained fixed on Europe's darkening horizon, a battle with major consequences for East Asia unfolded on the frontiers of Outer Mongolia, Manchukuo, and the eastern Soviet Union. Throughout much of 1938 and early 1939, one faction within the Japanese Imperial Army sought to pressure the Soviets along their eastern frontier. The USSR appeared vulnerable; Stalin's paranoid purges had executed or exiled many of the Red Army's best officers. In May 1939, fighting broke out near Nomonhan between forces from Soviet-backed Mongolia and Japanese troops from Manchukuo. Within days, both sides had reinforced heavily, until nearly 60,000 Soviet troops faced about 40,000 soldiers from the Kwantung Army. Over the next four months, until mid-September, they fought a major battle ending in a decisive Japanese defeat and establishing the reputation of General Georgi Zhukov, who would later become one of Stalin's most celebrated wartime commanders. The much-derided Soviet Army had fought with formidable effectiveness, and the result was not only a ceasefire but also a nonaggression pact between the two sides, extinguishing, in one stroke, Chiang's hopes for a Chinese-Soviet military alliance. The final blow came after developments in northern Europe. In the Winter War of 1939–1940, the Soviet invasion of Finland led Britain and France to back a motion expelling the USSR from the League of Nations. China, then a member of the League Council, declined to use its veto to block the resolution. Stalin was enraged by Chiang's failure to prevent Soviet expulsion, and mutual suspicion thereafter poisoned relations between the two leaders for the rest of the war against Japan. China would now have to continue without further major Soviet backing.   By the spring of 1940, China's position had become deeply precarious. In March, senior Japanese negotiators sought an agreement with Chiang in Chongqing, while Wang Jingwei was trying to formalize his rival Nationalist government in Nanjing. This effort, known in Chinese as the Tong Operation, and in Japanese as Operation Kiri, led to talks in Hong Kong from March 7 to 10, 1940. Militarily, the Nationalists were in grave danger: the United States remained neutral, and Europe was in chaos. Indeed, that same spring, with France seemingly near collapse, the British government also sent out discreet feelers to explore the possibility of a negotiated peace with Germany. For China, Western assistance was nowhere in sight. The Japanese judged the moment favorable for pressing Chiang toward concessions. Faced with serious danger to his regime, Chiang allowed the door to negotiation to open just slightly.   As a consequence, the Japanese delayed full recognition of Wang Jingwei's new government. Through the summer and autumn of 1940, Tokyo remained uncertain about the defector. Prominent Japanese figures such as Count Arima Yoriyasu of the Privy Council said Wang's conduct demonstrated his untrustworthiness, and Foreign Minister Matsuoka Yōsuke continued to express interest in an agreement with Chongqing. Zhou Fohai captured the defectors' frustration, men who believed they had made the highest patriotic sacrifice when he wrote: "Chongqing sees us as collaborators, we see ourselves as heroes. We think only peace can save the country — that's why we think of ourselves as heroes. If we end up classed as heroes, then China and Japan will be at peace. If we end up classed as collaborators, then China and Japan will never be at peace."That formulation conveyed something genuine about the moral dizziness of the period. Most of the defectors were not men devoid of principles; they were men whose principles had carried them to a place that history would find exceptionally hard to pardon.   The "New Fourth Army Incident" brought to a close one of the most consequential years in modern Chinese political history. The battle of ideas unfolding in 1940 was already visible to informed contemporaries. Early in 1941, US Ambassador Nelson Johnson sent Washington a detailed assessment of the Chinese political situation in reply to another report passed along by Major Evans Carlson, an American officer who had made an extensive journey through the Chinese interior. The contrast between the two documents revealed a widening split in American views of China. Carlson, together with his travelling companion, the New Zealander Rewi Alley, had become increasingly sympathetic to the Communists after visiting their territories in 1938 and admiring their discipline. Carlson described the Nationalists as moving toward "fascism," and argued that American aid should be conditioned on Chiang's government being compelled to adopt more "democratic" institutions.   Johnson strongly disagreed. It was "only normal and natural," he wrote, that the Nationalists wanted to retain power, but during the war they had established the National Political Consultative Council, in which multiple parties, including the Communists, were represented. He also noted that the CCP could publish its own newspaper in Chongqing in a way that would have been impossible before the war. One might have expected the Nationalists to use the war as a justification "to extinguish . . . all political opposition," yet instead they had chosen to "muddle along." Johnson further thought that the influence of competing cliques inside the Nationalist Party had been overstated. Chiang Kai-shek, by contrast, had "grown in stature, as he has come to be recognized as the symbol of united resistance to Japanese encroachment"; ultimately, "it is he who makes the final decisions." Johnson did agree with Carlson that Chiang's regime was hesitant to encourage a broad-based popular movement animated by anything beyond anti-Japanese feeling, though he also pointed to Nationalist cooperative programs and county-level reforms. But he rejected the idea that American support should depend on sweeping political transformation. Chiang was committed to continuing the war against Japan, and Washington should back him in that effort. In a notably farsighted passage, Johnson wrote: "It is my view that since the fall of the Manchu dynasty and the collapse of the traditional Chinese concept of government the Chinese people have been feeling their way along toward a new evolving form of government. A definitive form of government has not yet been established and may not be established for decades; it may or may not be in the form of a democracy, but it will be a type of government that will be adapted to the needs of China and its people." The tension between these two American interpretations,  Carlson's idealized belief in the Communists and Johnson's pragmatic support for Chiang was more than a minor bureaucratic dispute. It foreshadowed a debate that would dominate American foreign policy for the next decade, and would still echo when the People's Republic was proclaimed in 1949.   The disastrous experience of 1940 seemed to cast doubt on whether any future for China existed outside the Japanese Empire. As 1941 wore on, another dreadful event shook the exhausted wartime capital. On June 5, Chongqing endured roughly five hours of bombing, driving the population into air-raid shelters. In one tunnel in the Shibati district, the conditions were even worse than usual. The large shelter was supposed to have lights and electric fans, but the generators had never been connected. Inside, the air was dark, hot, and suffocating. Around ten that evening, people began emerging from the tunnel when rumors spread that the Japanese were returning with poison-gas bombs. Air-raid wardens forced people back inside, even as others were still trying to come out. Bodies toppled over one another, and panic spread as people realized they could not breathe. Over the next few hours, hundreds died underground in the darkness. The exact number was never definitively established: the official figure was 461, though a contemporary police report placed it far higher, at 1,527. What rescuers remembered most vividly were the tortured expressions of the dead, people tangled together in each other's arms as they lost consciousness, clothing ripped to shreds by desperate hands clawing at one another, and bodies so drenched in sweat that they looked as though they had been soaked in water. One survivor, Tang Zhengchang, remembered a hand reaching out from a pile of corpses and pleading, "Sir, please help me . . ." The grip on Tang's shorts was so tight that it pulled them off; he escaped the tunnel naked from the waist down. Official descriptions of the disaster were softened. Even so, the tragedy deepened the city's gloom and in a place already saturated with grief, an added layer of darkness mattered a great deal.   Yet events elsewhere would soon offer the National Government a narrow margin of hope. Late in 1940, Franklin D. Roosevelt won re-election as president of the United States. "I am not going to send your boys into any foreign wars," he had proclaimed during the campaign against Wendell Willkie. But Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull both understood that Nazi domination of Europe posed a grave challenge to American influence there. And with China's "Open Door" to trade effectively shut by Japanese occupation, it was becoming increasingly clear that strict neutrality might not remain viable. In a 1941 report on China's domestic and foreign situation, Ambassador Johnson noted that during Germany's sweeping victories across Europe in mid-1940, the Chinese had become anxious about whether the Allies would remain committed to their cause. Britain's refusal to surrender, however, together with continuing Soviet goodwill, lifted public morale in China. People now looked toward the United States and Britain for support and felt that "victory" was "virtually theirs."   Then, on June 22, 1941, the world awoke to news that roughly three million German soldiers were advancing into the Soviet Union. Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's invasion of the USSR, dramatically overturned the nonaggression that had governed relations between the two major European dictatorships for the previous two years. It transformed the war in Europe entirely. Less obviously, it also transformed the war in Asia. Thanks to intelligence leaks, Chiang Kai-shek had already realized that war between Germany and the USSR was likely. After the neutrality treaty between the USSR and Japan was signed on April 13, 1941, Chiang predicted that the United States would be drawn into the Asian war, and even that Japan might eventually reverse course and strike the Soviet Union. If that happened, China would become the critical Asian ally of both Washington and Moscow. Stalin had been caught off guard by the German assault — largely because he ignored increasingly urgent warnings from senior colleagues receiving intelligence from well-placed spies in Germany and the Comintern, eager to preserve its alliances, now pressed the Chinese Communists to cooperate more closely with the Nationalists. On June 23, 1941, the CCP Central Committee responded with a declaration that it would "persevere in the Anti-Japanese United Front, persevere in Nationalist-Communist cooperation," and would align itself with the British, the Americans, and others resisting the "fascist rulers" of the Axis.   In Chongqing and Yan'an, the German attack on the Soviet Union was interpreted as a hopeful sign that Japan's fortunes might be beginning to turn. In Nanjing, the reaction was different. On June 22, Zhou Fohai recorded in his diary that, although the outcome "cannot be predicted," members of the Nanjing regime "all believe Germany will win and will take Moscow within two months." Zhou speculated that Japan could not easily reconcile its neutrality treaty with the USSR and its membership in the Anti-Comintern Pact, which was supposed to unite the Axis against Soviet expansionism. Still, because Germany had struck first, Japan was under no formal obligation to help. Zhou also continued to view events through a lens he had never abandoned: that of Chinese nationalism. "If Chongqing joins the Allies and they win," he wrote, "then this is good for China." If they lost, it would be disastrous for Chiang Kai-shek; but because Wang Jingwei had established a government in Nanjing under Japanese sponsorship, China now had "a foot in both boats." It was a ruthless calculation, but not a wholly dishonorable one. Zhou was not merely advancing Japanese interests. He was hedging, wagering on multiple futures in the name of a China he believed would endure beyond whatever constellation of powers happened to dominate at the moment. Whether posterity would judge that conduct prudent or collaborative was a question he could neither settle nor live to see resolved to his satisfaction.   The summer of 1941 marked a major geopolitical turning point in the war. Until then, the conflicts in China and Europe had remained separate, if desperate, struggles on the Eurasian continent. Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union now forced Japan to decide whether it too would enter war against the USSR. Debate in Tokyo was brief. Although some officials, including Foreign Minister Matsuoka, favored striking north before moving south, both the Kwantung Army and the Navy advised against helping Germany at least until Germany had succeeded in drawing substantial Soviet forces away from Siberia and into Europe. Konoye, once again prime minister, agreed. With the northern option set aside, Japanese leaders turned toward another great power instead: the United States. Japan's failure to gain further decisive momentum in China had fueled demands for broader regional expansion, especially into Southeast Asia, with its abundant oil, rubber, and other strategic resources. From 1940 onward, measures such as the pressure to close the Burma Road made it increasingly obvious that Tokyo had adopted a more aggressive posture in Asia. Unable to subdue China, Japanese policymakers chose instead to escalate the conflict still further.   Japanese political life had become ever more dominated by the unresolved war in China. As early as 1938, military expenditures consumed about 70 percent of the national budget, and that same year a National Mobilization Bill granted the government "total war control" over the zaibatsu, Japan's major industrial conglomerates. By 1940, the New Order was making itself felt throughout everyday life, with campaigns against luxury and extravagant consumption taking on new prominence. In February 1940, a parliamentarian was expelled from the Diet simply for daring to criticize the "holy war" in China. In such an atmosphere, retreat from imperial ambitions became increasingly unthinkable. That figure, 70 percent of the national budget devoted to the military is worth dwelling on, because it reveals something essential about the trap in which Japanese strategists had placed themselves. The war in China had not been won, yet abandoning it would have meant admitting a failure so severe that it would have shaken the ideological and institutional foundations of military supremacy in Japanese politics. The only apparent ways out required pushing further in: more conquest, more extraction, more expansion. The logic was brutally clear, and profoundly destructive.   The Roosevelt administration watched these developments with growing alarm. Though still formally neutral, the United States was already using Lend-Lease to provide major assistance to Britain and the Soviet Union in their struggles against Germany. It now expanded aid to China as well. On February 10, Roosevelt's representative Lauchlin Currie visited Chongqing to inform Chiang Kai-shek that the United States would soon provide $45 million in military equipment. General John Magruder, head of the small AMMISCA mission,  the American Military Mission in China had been sent to Chongqing in September 1941, as part of quiet preparation for possible Chinese entry into an alliance against Japan. The China branch of the OSS, precursor to the CIA, was led by General William "Wild Bill" Donovan, whom Roosevelt had dispatched to China in early 1941.   The Americans repeatedly tried to discourage Japan from moving south into Southeast Asia, but relations only grew more confrontational. Japan occupied the southern part of French Indochina, and in response the United States imposed an oil embargo in July 1941. The consequences were immense. Japan imported around 80 percent of its oil from the United States. Without that supply, its navy, the essential instrument for southern expansion  had reserves for perhaps eighteen months. The real question facing Tokyo, then, was not whether it must act, but how soon. Unable any longer to resist mounting military pressure for war, Konoye resigned on October 16 and was replaced as premier by General Tōjō Hideki. Tokyo accelerated its preparations for conflict with the Western powers. Planned targets included Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaya, the Netherlands East Indies, and the Philippines. I should note, if you want to learn about all of this history in more detail, you can go check out the pacific war channel on youtube. I have a chronological series that is just now talking about events like the Japanese invasion of french indochina and the road to pearl harbor.   Throughout the autumn of 1941, increasingly desperate negotiations took place between Japan and the United States. Washington insisted that Japan withdraw from China; Tokyo was equally firm that it would do no such thing. From the Japanese point of view, the demand to leave China was not a serious negotiating position but a demand for national humiliation a call to repudiate four years of war, vast casualties, and the ideological basis of Japanese militarism in a single diplomatic act. In the end, the gulf between the two positions could not be bridged.   While civilian and military leaders in Tokyo argued over the pace at which they should move toward war, few among Japan's rulers doubted that war was coming. At the imperial conference of November 5, it was formally agreed that if no satisfactory diplomatic solution had been reached by December 1, war would follow soon after. Talks in Washington between Ambassador Nomura Kichisaburō, diplomat Kurusu Saburō, and Secretary of State Cordell Hull led nowhere. On November 26, Hull delivered a note repeating the American position that Japan must withdraw from both China and Indochina. On December 1, the imperial conference resolved to go to war; the following day, the date of attack was fixed as December 8, December 7 by American time. In one sense, this was the culmination toward which the entire previous decade had been moving. The war in China had started as a localized conflict, then expanded into a continental one, and was now about to become something larger still: a truly global war, stretching from the North Atlantic to the western Pacific. China's long, lonely resistance would suddenly gain new dimensions and new allies,  though not the ones Chiang had spent four years trying to cultivate, and not under circumstances he would have chosen.   In the early morning of December 7, 1941, the US Pacific Fleet lay anchored at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, its sailors and officers still largely asleep as dawn crept across the Pacific. The attack did not come without warning signs,  American and Japanese diplomats had been locked in increasingly desperate negotiations throughout the autumn, each side hardening its position until no room remained to maneuver. Washington had demanded that Japan withdraw from China, a condition Tokyo viewed not as a serious opening offer but as a demand for national humiliation: a call to repudiate four years of brutal war, hundreds of thousands of casualties, and the entire ideological foundation upon which Japanese militarism rested. No agreement was possible on those terms, and both sides privately knew it.   The strike force assembled in secret was formidable. Six aircraft carriers,  the Akagi, Kaga, Sōryū, Hiryū, Shōkaku, and Zuikaku had sailed under strict radio silence across the North Pacific, launching their aircraft in two successive waves before the American base had any meaningful chance to respond. The first wave of approximately 183 planes swept in just before 8 a.m., targeting the rows of battleships moored along Battleship Row and the military airfields at Wheeler, Hickam, and Ford Island simultaneously, ensuring that American aircraft could not scramble in time to mount an effective defense. A second wave of roughly 170 planes followed less than an hour later, pressing the attack on damaged ships and harbor installations.   The destruction was staggering. The battleship Arizona suffered a catastrophic magazine explosion after a armor-piercing bomb penetrated her forward decks, killing nearly 1,177 of her crew in minutes, almost half of the total American dead from the entire attack. The Oklahoma capsized after being struck by multiple torpedoes. The West Virginia and California sank at their moorings. In total, seventeen vessels were damaged or destroyed, and the vast majority of military aircraft at the nearby airfields were caught on the ground and obliterated before they could take flight. Around 2,400 Americans were killed and another 1,100 wounded, making it the deadliest single attack on American soil or territory in the nation's history to that point.   Yet the attack was not a complete strategic success for Japan. The US Pacific Fleet's aircraft carriers, the vessels that would ultimately decide the naval war in the Pacific happened to be at sea that morning and escaped unharmed. The harbor's fuel storage and repair facilities were also left largely intact, allowing the fleet to reconstitute faster than Japanese planners had anticipated. What Japan achieved in tactical devastation, it partly squandered in strategic miscalculation. The attack ended American neutrality instantly and irrevocably. The following day, President Roosevelt addressed Congress, calling December 7 "a date which will live in infamy," and within hours the United States declared war on Japan. For China, after more than four years of fighting alone, the blow that devastated Pearl Harbor paradoxically carried a thread of desperate hope at last, the great power Chiang Kai-shek had spent years trying to draw into the conflict had arrived, not under circumstances he would have chosen, but arrived nonetheless. 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. After years of fighting, China's situation darkened in 1941 with intense bombing of Chongqing and fears of poison-gas attacks. Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in June shifted alliances and pressured Japan toward wider war. Japan escalated plans for Southeast Asia, suffered an oil embargo, and negotiations with the United States broke down over withdrawing from China and Indochina. Then the Pearl Harbor attack began the Pacific War.

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