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The MAJesty presents a big “what if” scenario: Drew McIntyre vs. Nick Aldis at WrestleMania, plus why mainstream media suddenly seems interested in wrestling again. They also break down why Oba Femi's squash matches don't actually feel like squash matches.Plus, Blake Monroe joins the show to talk about her upcoming street fight with Jaida Parker, what she learned wrestling in Japan, and why this is the most complete version of “The Glamour” in WWE's WWE NXT.And Dip explains why he doesn't like going to the gym. Listen to Cheap Heat Live Fridays 12pm- 2pm EST on Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 on Channel 156.Call in at 844-344-4893Wanna stay MAJ?Join our PateronFollow @cheapheatpod on Instagram and TikTok @cheapheatpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jen Psaki looks at Donald Trump's oddly casual answers to questions about the hardships his war on Iran is imposing on Americans, as well as Defense secretary Pete Hegseth's embarrassing chest pounding and the juvenile propaganda being released on government social media accounts, and questions whether Trump understands or is even capable of being a wartime president. Barbara Starr, former CNN Pentagon correspondent, and Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton (Ret.), talk with Jen about the Trump administration's bizarre treatment of war. Kristi Noem's job as secretary of homeland security may be over, but accountability for her time in office did not simply going away when she was fired. Not only is she facing investigations in states where ICE ran amok on her watch, but massive, taxpayer-funded promotional media contracts she arranged are still the subject of intense inquiry on both sides of the aisle. Rep. Joe Neguse, whose tenacious questioning of Kristi Noem in a House Judiciary Committee hearing almost certainly contributed to her eventually being fired by Donald Trump, talks with Jen Psaki about what comes next in holding Noem accountable for her transgressions while in office. And Senator Sheldon Whitehouse joins to talk with Jen about the release of yet more Jeffrey Epstein documents, including ones that mention Donald Trump, and the bigger picture of what Epstein was involved in. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Maj. Gen. Lance A. Okamura discusses the military's partnership with Oʻahu officials to ensure Kolekole Pass can serve as an evacuation route; Hawaiʻi's new state poet laureate Lee Tonouchi says he plans to use his role to uplift marginalized voices

Kristine Altwies, former head of Hawaiʻi's lead international adoption agency, shares concerns about protections for adoptees without U.S. citizenship; Maj. Gen. Kelly K. McKeague discusses efforts to retrieve a sunken Japanese ship that carried hundreds of American prisoners of war

What does courage look like under fire? In captivity? In command? In service? This edition of Long Blue Leadership was recorded on location at the U.S. Air Force Academy's 33rd National Character and Leadership Symposium. We've explored these questions with our guests and captured the conversations for you. Ted Robertson, Multimedia and Podcast Specialist for the Air Force Academy Association and Foundation, hosts this special episode featuring voices shaped by combat, crises and lifelong service. Their message to cadets is clear: Leadership is earned through character, and character is forged in hard moments. - Seg. 1: Lt. Col. Mark George and C1C Jaime Snyder, officer and NCLS cadet director, respectively, set the stage for this year's NCLS and for the podcast. - Seg. 2: Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Israel "DT" Del Toro on courage in times of crisis. - Seg. 3: Task Force Hope developer and facilitator Maj. Tara Holmes on preparing future leaders to handle crisis before it happens. - Seg. 4: Former POW Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier '64, on leading in circumstances out of your control. - Seg. 5: Annapolis grad and Vietnam-era aviator, Capt. (Ret.) J. Charles Plumb on how character breeds courage. All of our guest's lives and careers reflect the reality of this year's theme through combat, crisis and service.     CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org   Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org      ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT OUR SPEAKERS:  - Host, Ted Robertson, Multimedia and Podcast Specialist, United States Air Force Academy Association and Foundation  - Seg. 1: C1C Jaime Snyder, NCLS Cadet Director; Lt. Col. Mark George, NCLS Officer  - Seg. 2: Senior Master Sargent Israel Del Toro  - Seg. 3: Maj. Tara Holmes, Task Force Hope  - Seg. 4: Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier '64  - Seg. 5: Capt. (Ret.) J. Charles Plumb   Ted Robertson 0:00 Welcome to Long Blue Line Podcast Network coverage of the 33rd annual National Character and Leadership Symposium. I'm Ted Robertson, multimedia and podcast specialist for the Air Force Academy Association & Foundation, coming to you from Polaris Hall located here at the United States Air Force Academy. This year's symposium centers on the theme Courage to Lead in the Profession of Arms: Combat and Crisis-tested Character, where attendees and cadets will explore how courage in all its forms shapes leaders when uncertainty, fear and consequence are real. Our coverage will start with the Center for Character and Leadership Development's Lt. Col. Mark George and NCLS director, Cadet 1st Class Jaime Snyder. They'll set the stage not only for NCLS, but for today's coverage. Then we'll talk with four key leaders speaking at the symposium, including Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Israel Del Torro on keeping courageous during times of crisis. We'll also talk with Task Force Hope developer and facilitator, Maj. Tara Holmes, on preparing leaders to handle crisis before it happens. Then, former POW, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier, USAFA Class of '64, on leading in circumstances out of your control. And finally, Annapolis grad and Vietnam-era aviator, Capt. (Ret.) J. Charles Plumb, on how character breeds courage. All of our guests' lives and careers reflect the reality of this year's theme through combat, crisis and service. So I want to bring in our first two guests to help, as I said, frame the discussion today. We're going to dig in to learn what this is all about and sort of the “why” behind it. Cadet Jaime Snyder, 2026 NCLS director. Cadet Snyder, you've helped lead the organizing of the National Character and Leadership Symposium — 33rd year for this, as you know, and part of that work, you've trained cadets and permanent party. I'm going to ask you to explain permanent party, all of which helps strengthen your own public speaking and leadership communication skills. You want to kind of expound on that a bit? C1C Jaime Snyder 2:20 Yes, sir. So a part of my role being in NCLS is to, one, provide the guidance, the support and resources on the cadet side to succeed. But what really makes NCLS special is that we integrate permanent party with cadets. So oftentimes me, in supporting and training permanent party, is giving them cadet perspective, because while they're over here and the Center for Character and Leadership Development, we're over there in the Cadet Wing, and I can be the mediator between both parties. Ted Robertson 2:46 Let's talk a little bit about permanent party. What does that term mean? Who does that describe? C1C Jaime Snyder 2:52 Oh yes. Permanent party describes the civilian and military faculty that works in the Center for Character and Leadership Development that assists with the execution of NCLS — the National Character and Leadership Symposium. Ted Robertson 3:05 How big is the team behind this event every year? C1C Jaime Snyder 3:08 It's kind of complex where we'll get search cadets. We'll get a large number of volunteers, approximately around 300 from the Cadet Wing. Internal staff consists of 50 cadets who work it throughout the entire year, and around 50 staff members who are permanent party who work in the Center for Character and Leadership Development. Ted Robertson 3:29 I want to bring in next Lt. Col. Mark George, who is the experiential and training division chief and NCLS program director, the very fortunate man that gets to work for some incredibly talented cadets. Col. Mark George 3:43 That is absolutely true. Thanks to for having us on. Cadet Snyder has done an outstanding job leading this team. I came into this a little bit late. You know, we've had some reorganization here at the Academy, and after some shuffling, I got the honor and the privilege to take over NCLS while the planning was well underway. So my job was to just make sure this train kept rolling, that people had the resources that they needed, the top cover they needed. And as Jamie said, he was training me as a permanent party member to make sure that I had the cadet perspective. And then, you know, we were moving this ball forward as we got to this event. Ted Robertson 4:23 So coming up in the podcast we'll get to the sort of “why” and what's at the core of NCLS. Colonel, let's start with you. What is National Character and Leadership Symposium designed to do for cadets?   Col. Mark George 4:38 Sure. The National Character and Leadership Symposium — NCLS — is designed to bring exemplars that embody the core values and the traits that we want cadets to have when they become leaders on Day 1 and inspire them to a lifetime of service.   Ted Robertson 4:57 Cadet Snyder?   C1C Jaime Snyder 4:59 We definitely see at USAFA, there is a clear correlation with NCLS and character development. One thing we want cadets to get out of NCLS is to further develop leaders of character who are going to join the fight in the Air Force and Space Force, and that's why I see the epitome of NCLS as it's an opportunity to hear people's perspectives as well as learn from it and apply it to their daily lives. Ted Robertson 5:24 Gentlemen, this year's theme focuses on the courage to lead in the profession of arms. Cadet Snyder, we'll start with you. How did that theme come together, and why is it especially relevant for cadets right now? C1C Jaime Snyder 5:40 With our current structure at USAFA, we've had some implement of change. We recognize that the future war conflict is more prevalent than ever, and that it's important for the cadets to understand that we're changing the way we approach training, as well as what we're learning in curriculum. So this NCLS was an incredible opportunity to discuss courage when leading in the profession of arms, but furthermore, courage and crises-tested character. Which is what we're trying to further push along with what we do in training as well as what we teach in leadership. Ted Robertson 6:15 You make good decisions when your character is strong. You make those decisions with integrity when your character is intact and it's strong. Would you agree with that, Colonel? Col. Mark George 6:25 Absolutely. And I think Cadet Snyder hit the nail on the head that we really want the cadets to understand that the environments that they're stepping into are going to require that courage to do hard things. In my day, like we didn't necessarily think about the fight in that way. You know, we were kind of stovepiped in. And these cadets, whatever environment they may be stepping into, the next conflict is going to require a lot, a high demand of them, and their character is their foundation for that. Ted Robertson 6:59 One of the things you can say about this event is that it brings together voices from combat, crisis, athletics, academia and industry. How intentional is that mix, Cadet Snyder, and what do cadets gain from hearing such different perspectives on leadership and character? C1C Jaime Snyder 7:18 I think by hearing different perspectives, you get to see how universal courage is. When we say courage, it's not just one thing, it's also moral, social, spiritual. And by looking at different versions of courage, you can understand that there's different ways to actually apply courage. Understanding that courage is not the absence of fear, also knowing that courage is not simply being a confident individual. That it's more complex than you may define courage, and so you can then apply it that way — by looking at different perspectives. Ted Robertson 7:53 Colonel, I'll address this one to you as well. Col. Mark George 7:56 Sure. Courage — we're talking about courage here, and there's a heavy focus on the combat side with this year's speakers. The thing that sticks out to me is that courage always involves a decision to do the hard thing. And that's what all of our speakers brought this year. They're showing how in different environments, whether it's in a prison cell in Hanoi or up on the Space Station or — there's a hard decision and the right thing is sometimes pretty obvious, but it doesn't mean it's easy. It does not mean it's easy to do. And so courage always involves a decision to do the right thing. Ted Robertson 8:39 Cadet Snyder? C1C Jaime Snyder 8:40 What he said I find to be very true — understanding that courage is not simply doing something physical, but also in a leadership role, especially — we're talking to cadets who are going to soon be commissioned officers. It's important to know that you need to make the right decision on and off the battlefield. Ted Robertson 8:58 So from your perspective as a cadet — and this one is just for you, Cadet Snyder — what does it mean to help shape an event like NCLS while you're still developing as a leader yourself? C1C Jaime Snyder 9:10 What I've seen through NCLS is taking the time to relax. Don't focus on the future and focus where you're at right now, and that's character development. So don't let the pursuit of tomorrow diminish the joy today. We all have this aspiration to graduate, throw our hats in the air, Thunderbirds fly over. But right now it's important to focus on character development as that's going to be important as future officers. Ted Robertson 9:35 That makes 1,000% very clear sense. But I do want to ask you, less than 100 days from the day you toss your hat — you're giving me a big smile right now — talk about how that feels right now for you. C1C Jaime Snyder 9:47 It's incredible, and a part of it is less daunting, because I can say this institution has really prepared me to commission, and so it's more liberating than daunting for me. Ted Robertson 9:58 Col. George, I'm going to direct this one straight to you, and this is an ask of you from the leadership perspective: How do we events Like NCLS fit into the broader effort to intentionally develop leaders of character here at the Academy. Col. Mark George 10:14 So I get the honor of leading the experiential and training division in the Center for Character and Leadership Development. So we're all about creating experiences and those opportunities for cadets to have different types of environments where they'll learn about character. And right now, NCLS is an opportunity to listen to where people's character was tested, how they overcame it. And then we also have different events that we try to put the cadets in where we'll actually test their character. And that could be on the challenge tower, it could be through our character labs where we're having discussions. NCLS is a huge part of that, because the planning cycle is so long. Ted Robertson 10:59 Cadet Snyder? C1C Jaime Snyder 11:00 Yes, sir. One thing I wanted to add on to that is with NCLS, one thing that makes this event the most unique experience that I've had is the fact that we get to engage in meaningful dialog. This isn't a brief. This is an experience for everyone who attends. I've had the opportunity to talk to Col. George's son, who aspires to possibly come to the Air Force Academy. So I don't want to say this is just for cadets, but it's also a promotion tool. And understand that what we do at NCLS is very important. And anyone who wants to attend can come and see what we're doing and how important it is.   Col. Mark George 11:33 I want to thank you for that, by the way. He looks up to you, and that meant a lot.   Ted Robertson 11:37 That's pretty visionary stuff. That's touching the next generation. That's fantastic. All right, this is for you both. When cadets look back on NCLS years from now, what do you hope they're going to remember feeling or being challenged to do differently?   C1C Jaime Snyder 11:56 There is a very strong human component to NCLS, and with that, there's a human experience. Understanding that we're getting speakers and we'll see their bios that they're incredible. They have incredible stories of making the right decision when tensions were high, and getting to hear their stories and understand that they ultimately were no different than we are. Some of them were Air Force Academy graduates. Some graduated from the Naval Academy, West Point, other colleges, but they were young, 20-year-old people like we were as cadets. And so getting to understand where they're coming from, human experience is vital to NCLS, and how do we grow and understand where they're coming from? Ted Robertson 12:38 Col. George? Col. Mark George 12:39 Yeah, I think what I would want the cadets to remember is how these speakers made them feel. You're right, you won't remember every nugget of wisdom that was said. I just had the opportunity to talk with Gen. Scott Miller, and he was an incredible leader. And I feel like everything he was saying was gold. I wish I'd been able to write it down. But he really makes you feel like you understand just how important your role is going to be as a young leader. And when you come away as second lieutenants from this place, you've had incredible opportunities and now you're stepping out in the real world. I would think I want the cadets to remember that like, “Hey, what I do matters, and how I lead is very important to getting this mission done.”   Ted Robertson 13:24 Lt. Col. Mark George and C1C Jaime Snyder, officer and cadet in charge of the 33rd NCLS. Congratulations on the event. Well done, and thank you for spending time here with us on the podcast today. Hearing from both the cadet perspective and the senior leadership behind NCLS makes one thing very clear: This symposium is intentionally designed not just to inspire but to prepare future leaders for moments when character will be tested. And that brings me to my first featured guest, a man whose life story embodies what combat and crisis-tested character truly means. Israel “DT” Del Toro, welcome to the podcast. It's an honor to be with you here at the National Character and Leadership Symposium. Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Israel Del Toro 14:18 Thank you, Ted. Thanks for having me. Good to see you again.   Ted Robertson 14:21 Yes, it's not the first time we've gotten to spend some time together. Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 14:24 It's always great to talk to people, try and spread the word of the whole spark and the promise of my dad. Ted Robertson 14:30 The spark and the promises are the two things that really stood out to me about that interview — your heart and your soul man, from a very, very early age. Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 14:39 You know, losing my dad at 12, and then a year and a half later, losing my mom to a drunk driver, and being the oldest, you know, having to now kind of step up to be, like, the parent figure to my younger siblings. It was challenging.   Ted Robertson 14:55 Out of all of that, you wound up as a retired — you are currently a retired senior master sergeant. You took responsibility for your siblings, as you say, after you were orphaned as a teenager, and ultimately in the service combat-wounded airmen, and you survived catastrophic injuries against incredible odds, and that did not keep you down. One of the things that you did was you became an Invictus Games gold medalist. You're now a national speaker, and you talk a lot about resilience and purpose.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 15:27 Yes, sir. Yeah, Invictus, I won gold in shot put. It was pretty awesome. You know, everyone was just going nuts. Ted Robertson 15:37 You kind of make me feel like that was a soul-feeding, motivating time for you.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 15:42 It was. At that time, I was probably one of the senior guys, kind of. Obviously, I was one of the senior guys, wounded guys on the team, and so a lot of people looked up to me. And sometimes I wish — people would say, “Man, it's great. You're such trailblazer.” You're sometimes like, “Man, I just want to be one of the guys. I just, I just want to be No. 10.” You know, everything's all done, and no one's focusing everything on me. But it's a burden that I'm willing to carry on to try and continue to help people.   Ted Robertson 16:19 I want to linger here in your background a bit, because it's more than just impressive. I think impressive is pretty trite to describe what your background is. Let's start with before the Air Force and before combat, and just how your life demanded responsibility at such a young age. And what I want to ask is, how did stepping up for your family shape the leader that you became? Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 16:40 Well, I contribute that totally to my dad. I truly do. My dad was there. My dad, you know, I went everywhere with my dad. My dad — you know, he came from Mexico to this country, and he gave up a lot. You know, my family in Mexico is very wealthy, their ranchers and all that. He came here with nothing. And he always used to tell me, he's like, “Don't ever be envious of someone that's successful. Learn from them. Ask them questions.” He also used to tell me, “If you don't succeed, it's no one else's fault by yourself. Don't blame where you came from, where you grew up from, the situation. It is only your fault.” So my dad always had told me these little lessons and obviously the last lesson he gave me the night before he passed: Always take care of your family. And that just stayed with me, that kind of continued to shape me all throughout my life, all through my journey, at a young age to teenager to young adult to the military and to now, to this day, that really guided me to who I am. Now, it's like, I always hear people say, “Oh, man, I don't know if I can do it.” I was like, “Yeah, you can. You Just never know. You weren't ever put in that situation” I always believe — you always hear the fight or flight. “What are you gonna do?” I just fight, and I continue to fight. I just don't see the flight in me. And, you know, being the promise of take care of your family. Yes, I tell people, that originated with my family — my brothers and sisters. But throughout time it has evolved to now anyone I see that's having a hard time that needs maybe to hear a story or read a book or hear a journey to help them find that spark, because I see them now as my family. I see that as my family, as my mission now.   Ted Robertson 18:50 Let's stay with spark for a minute. It's just one of my favorite things that you've ever talked about. You're down, you've been badly burned, you're worried about whether you're going to survive, and a medic is helping you out, and he does something for you. He says something to you.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 19:07 Yeah, you know, the medic — I always like to say, you know, yes, I'm Air Force. Those guys were Army, and we bust each other's chops. But, we're all brothers and sisters, and we're down range, you know? We take care of each other, we tell stories, we talk about our family. So these guys knew what had happened in my past with my family. So when I'm, you know, laying there, after I coordinate getting air, and I started the adrenaline going down, I started getting scared. I was having a hard time breathing, and I just wanted to lay down and sleep. The medic came and reminded me, “DT, remember what you promised your son, that you'll never let him grow without his dad. Fight for your son. You got to fight for your son.” And he's just making me yell it. You use anything you can to keep your guy motivated, to help that spark go, keep going. And that's what he did. He found that spark to keep me going, to keep me fighting until that medevac came and to get me on that helicopter, to the FOB, to the hospital, and then to eventually San Antonio. Ted Robertson 20:24 After that injury, that's when the fight shifted. You had to get off the battlefield. You had to get that out of your head. You had to start battling for your recovery. So what did courage look like when progress seemed like it was slow and at one point nothing was guaranteed? Israel Del Toro 20:46 Yeah, it, you know, when he had a shift from now being on the battlefield to now a different kind of battle and your recovery, your way of life — it's difficult because you have people telling you this is what your life's going to be. You know, being told that you're never going to walk again. You got to be in a hospital for another year and a half, respirator for the rest of your life and your military career is pretty much over. You know, I like to say there's two choices again: Who you're going to be? Are you going to take the easy path, which is, I'm going to sit in a chair, accept what they say, hate life, you know, curse the world. Are you going to take the hard path where I want to fight? I'm going to show you I can do this. I'm going to prove that I still have value, and I want to come out of this ahead and show not only my son but the rest of the world. You stay positive, you find that spark, you will come out ahead. Ted Robertson 21:48 All right, last question on your background, because we're going to roll all this into why you're here and what messages you want to share with the cadets and the attendees that are here. You did something I don't think most human beings would even think about after that ordeal that you had been through all those years, everything. You reenlisted, and it wasn't just a medical milestone. It wasn't because you could, it was a conscious decision. So what internal commitment had to come first for you to make that decision. Israel Del Toro 22:22 You know, I guess it was, for me it was I loved my job. I knew I could teach, I could be prepare these next guys to [be] the next generation operators. Ted Robertson 22:38 You've never stopped being committed. You've never stopped. So it brings you to NCLS. This is the 33rd year for NCLS, and when you speak to cadets here, what message do you want them to take away with them? Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 22:53 I guess my message more is about that when you're in the military, no matter whatever happens to you, you still have a role to play. Even when I got hurt, did I miss being with my teammates? Yes, but now refocusing, OK, I'm here in this hospital, and I see all these wounded guys here as I guess I'm wounded also, but in my head is like I was still NCO in the Air Force. I still have a job to do. Yes, I'm hurt, I'm wounded, but the job of a leader is, no matter where you're at, is you try and take care of your troops. You try and make things better for them, even if you never see any of the benefits — that is your role. And so that's kind of what I want to leave with these guys that, you know, you're going to always have  challenges throughout your career, but you've always got to remember it's not about you, it's about the guys under you to take care of you. You know, I had a group of cadets yesterday and they were just asking me about leadership. So you know what? The best way to be a great leader is to earn the respect of yourtroops. If you demand it, you're not a leader, but when you earned the respect and they'll die for you, that is the greatest feeling. You know, I gave an example of one of the best moments I had after my injury, is after I got hurt, they sent my replacement, and he comes in and obviously introduce him to the scout team, to the Army company, individuals in leadership, and then the SF team, and all these guys I'm supporting. And the guy comes in like, “Hey, I'm here to replace DT.” And all of them, “You can't replace DT.” And I told that was the best moment that that's the best moment of respect, because I had Army guys saying, “He's our guy.” And that's the thing I told them, it's like, when you get to that moment when your guys say, “Nah, he's our guy,” I was like, “He can't replace him.” That is where you've truly earned the respect of your troops.   Ted Robertson 25:21 Israel, the only word that I can pull out of myself right now for your journey to describe it as “remarkable,” and you continue to give of yourself, and that's a wonderful thing. Your opportunity for a couple of final thoughts here, before we close out.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 25:38 Final thoughts, man, putting me on the spot, aren't you. I guess my final thoughts would be, you can't do it on your own. I'm not here right now, because I did it my own. I did it. I'm never gonna say that I did. I had friends, I had family, I had my wife that were by my side all throughout my journey to medical individuals. And I had those dark times, and I'm going down that spot, that rabbit hole, they were there to pull me out of it. So I think it's like, you know, don't try and do it on your own. We all need help. You know, the goal is, don't be prideful. There's a reason pride is one of the seven deadly sins. But, you know, ask for help, ask for advice. It's not going to hurt you. If anything, it will make you stronger and better. That's parting thoughts for the individuals listening to this. Ted Robertson 26:53 Perfect. Israel “DT” Del Toro, what a privilege to sit with you again. Want to say thank you from all of us for your service and continuing to lead by the example, which is a very rich and broad and deep example. Your story reminds us, and should remind us, that courage doesn't end with just survival. It always continues in service to others. Israel, thank you for being here.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 27:18 Thanks, Ted. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me again.   Ted Robertson 27:21 Israel's story reminds us that crisis and moral injury don't always arrive on a schedule, and that leaders are often expected to navigate those moments without ever having been taught how. That's where our next conversation takes us: into the intentional work of preparing leaders before crisis arrives. Maj. Tara Holmes, welcome to the podcast. It's great to have you with us as part of the National Character and Leadership Symposium.   Maj. Tara Holmes  27:46 Thanks for having me; glad to be here.   Ted Robertson 27:48 You are currently deputy chief of staff here at Headquarters USAFA. You are formerly chief of cadet development for CCLD, the Center for Character and Leadership development. By way of background, you flew.   Maj. Tara Holmes  28:01 So I am a B-52 electronic warfare officer by trade, and then moved over into white jets. So instructed in the in the T-1 and I've kind of been in education and training for, I'd say, since about 2017.   Ted Robertson  28:19 You also hold a Doctorate in Business and Management, and you are an AETC master instructor. I will let you explain AETC.   Maj. Tara Holmes  28:27 Air Education Training Command, that's one of the that's our majcom that's responsible for education and training, and they have a pathway to become a master instructor. So I finished the qualifications for that while I was in white jets and working over at Squadron Officer School.   Ted Robertson  28:46 So let's talk about your work with Task Force Hope. We'll talk about what Task Force Hope is, but you are and have been a developer and facilitator of Task Force Hope, which is a crisis and moral injury leadership workshop.   Maj. Tara Holmes  29:01 Task Force Hope is about providing immediately useful tools to our workshop participants to prepare them to lead through crisis, whether that is no-kidding combat related, or whether that's crisis on the home front, going through stuff in life that's really hard. We work through a series of key concepts and exercises, through storytelling and participant engagement that hopefully provides our participants some self-awareness and some tools to recover as it deals with their relationships.   Ted Robertson  29:39 We talked about this. There's a lot of nuance in what you're teaching these people. There's discernment in it. Who should you talk to, who you should trust with information that you want to share? Because ultimately, some of this becomes a pressure release valve, right?   Maj. Tara Holmes  29:52 Yeah, so one of the key concepts that we talk about is worthiness, right? I think often people feel pressure to not share what they're going through because they don't think their problems are worthy of attention, whether theirs or someone else's. That's one thing that we spend a lot of time on. And like you said, you know, who to who to share with, and at what level, some people are more free with sharing than others, and that's OK. So we work through some frameworks that help illustrate how people can kind of work through those levels, or gain some self-awareness and some clarity around where they fall. Something that is a, you know, deep seated secret for you, maybe something that somebody else is willing to openly share, they just don't see it as that big of a deal. So it's definitely about self-awareness and learning some tools to help relieve some of the pressure and drain on our batteries, as it were, that comes from holding these things in.   Ted Robertson  30:52 People who are attending the workshop are going to learn some things that they may not realize are draining their batteries. You're teaching them to discern what those are, and to be careful to try to avoid those. It sounds like an example to me of things that we don't realize we do, that drains us, right, instead of energizes us.   Maj. Tara Holmes  31:10 So we use the kind of metaphor of a smartphone, right? So there are things that drain us, that are big, that we're taking a lot of energy to conceal the hard things that we're dealing with in our life. But then there's, like, the pesky background apps, there's the things that are always running in the background of our lives that drain our energy without us really even noticing it. You know, so for me as an officer, but also as a mom and a spouse, some of the things that are always draining my batteries are my to-do list, the laundry app, maybe social media apps. Sometimes I've probably spend way too much time reading the news these days. That's kind of always on for me. We have these big things that are draining our batteries, but then we have these like small things that are constantly going on, right? So Task Force Hope is about recognizing what those things are for us and then making a commitment to ourselves to make this space and time to recover.   Ted Robertson  32:09 So that brings us to a really unique place. You kind of function at the intersection of character, leadership and development pretty much every day. So how do you define character when you're responsible for shaping it across an entire Cadet Wing.   Maj. Tara Holmes  32:24 To me, character is the essence of who they are. It is how you show up day after day. It's the habits that you have. That's why, when you do something out of character, people are able to say that. You know, we talk about building character strengths as building blocks towards certain virtues. And virtues is really excellence of character. So it's easy to talk about how to be an excellent athlete, or how to be an excellent academic, right? And that's one of our core values, is being excellent. Well, how do you have excellent character? It's really about leveraging your character strengths in a way that can lead you to be more virtuous, and that's the goal.   Ted Robertson  33:05 You've served, both operationally and as an instructor. Tell me how those things shape the way you think about preparing leaders not just to perform but to endure.   Maj. Tara Holmes  33:19 What comes to mind is the importance of training and building those habits. We're, you know, in the previous question, we talked about it in terms of character. You know, you can, you can use any kind of training. It's about building readiness, right? And being able to build those habits so that when you are faced with a challenge, you have a way to work through the challenge, right? That really came out for me, both operationally and as an instructor. So operationally, you rely on your training to get your job done, and then as an instructor, you're helping others build those habits so that one day when your students are faced with challenges, they can rely on their training as well.   Ted Robertson  34:01 We've talked a bit about your experiences and how they shape the way you think about preparing leaders, not just to perform but to endure. And now let's bring it right down to the direct connection between Task Force Hope and why you are here talking about this program to attendees at NCLS. When we talk about Task Force Hope, it's a program that is really designed to prepare leaders to navigate crisis and recover from both emotional and moral injury. What can you tell me about a gap that a workshop like this fills, that traditional leadership education sometimes or often misses?   Maj. Tara Holmes  34:38 Task Force Hope is preventative in nature. It's training to prevent people from letting their burdens get the best of them so that they can show up. They have the tools to show up fully charged when stuff hits the van. And not only that they do that for themselves, but then they can help their teammates or their subordinates also get there. It's self-awareness, because we all perform self-care differently, and what you need to recharge your batteries is different from the way that I would do it. So it's being intentional and having some tools to be able to identify what works for you and then how to make space in your life, and building that commitment to yourself, to make that space so that the next time that you face a crisis, you're not facing it at 10%, you're full up, you're ready to go. So it's that sustained self-care, if that's what you want to call it. And it's important to say that you know, in a 75-minute session, we're really doing our best to provide exposure to key concepts and these tools. What we hope is that people walk out with the start of something. It's not it's not the end of their work to be done.   Ted Robertson  35:54 How often do you hear the question, “Why didn't I hear this earlier in my career?”   Maj. Tara Holmes  36:00 Every workshop. Last year, after the workshop, we had a 1970-something graduate say that exact thing. For me personally, I had four people say something, you know, “Hey, I was a cadet here in '90-something, '80-something, 2000-something. And, you know, I really wish that I would have had this earlier.” So that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to bring it as early as we can.   Ted Robertson  36:26 OK, so our last question of our visit, if cadets take just one lesson from Task Force Hope and NCLs this year, what is your hope for that lesson to be?   Maj. Tara Holmes  36:39 My hope is that they're worth it. No problem is too big or too small to be dealt with, and like we talked about earlier, I think often people keep things to themselves because they feel like they shouldn't bother others, or there's their supervisors or their teammates with what's going on in their lives. And that's a drain. Like, that's a drain on the system. It eats up your energy, right? But our cadets are worth it. Whatever they're dealing with, big or small, is worthy of being addressed. I hope that's the takeaway, and that we all deal with things, right? We don't always know what other people are dealing with.   Ted Robertson  37:22 Maj. Holmes. Thank you for the work you're doing to prepare future leaders, not just to lead in moments of clarity, but to stand firm in moments of crisis. We appreciate you being here.   Maj. Tara Holmes  37:32 Thanks, Ted.   Ted Robertson  37:33 That focus on preservation, resilience and moral courage brings us to our next conversation, one shaped by combat, captivity and a life of service under the most demanding conditions. Coming up next, my conversation with Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier. Gen. Mechenbier, welcome to the podcast. It is a huge honor having you here, sir.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier 37:56 I hope you feel that way in a half hour so well,   Ted Robertson  37:59 Well, the conversation does promise to be interesting, because your life is… interesting. That was a pregnant pause, sir.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier 38:07 Yeah, I've enjoyed it. It's different.   Ted Robertson  38:11 Just to sort of frame things, you retired as a major general, and what year was that, sir,   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier 38:15 2004   Ted Robertson  38:16 And you were USAFA Class of '64. You're a Vietnam-era pilot, having flown F-4s, you were shot down on your 113th combat mission, but that was you also your 80th over North Vietnam. OK, prisoner of war. Then for almost those entire six years following that, being shot down. You come with 3,600 flying hours across lots of different aircraft.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  38:42 I was privileged fly either for primary capability or for familiarization with 43 different airplanes.   Ted Robertson  38:49 And now you describe yourself as a lifelong advocate for veterans and public service.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  38:56 Well, yeah, I mean, I go to a couple prisons in Ohio, and “work with” is probably overstating my role. Veterans who are incarcerated for long periods of time. But my role is just to go there, spend some time, shoot the breeze with them, no agenda, no desired learning objective and let them know that somebody outside knows that they're there.   Ted Robertson  39:19 What I want to do is spend some time in your background. All right, I want to start with combat and captivity and how that tests leadership in its most extreme forms. And this is in course in keeping with the theme of NCLS here, what did character mean to you when circumstances were entirely beyond your control?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  39:38 The Vietnamese kept us in small groups of one and two or three guys. I mean, we never really until near the end and later on when we got a little organization. But it got very down, very personal, when at one time, I was in a cell with four guys, three Class of 1964 Air Force Academy graduates and one poor Oklahoma State University graduate, and amongst the four of us, we had a senior ranking officer. And of course, you got the same rank, you go alphabetical. And so we made Ron Bliss the senior ranking officer in our room. We had a communication system. We had guidelines that, you know, which were basically consistent with the code of conduct. You know, name, rank, serial number, date of birth, don't answer further questions. Keep faith with your fellow positions. That was the key. Keep faith. Never do anything that you'd be embarrassed to tell somebody you did.   Ted Robertson  40:34 What you're explaining is how different leadership looks, and even how you describe it, how different it is from command. So now it comes down to trust and accountability and courage, and how do those show up in those conditions?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  40:51 It was really a matter of, we always knew we were still in the fight. That was one thing that was with us, and so you just kind of conducted yourself with, OK, I'm not going to let myself be used. Now, we also knew that the more you resisted pushed back, the less likely they were to make you go meet an antiwar delegation or write a confession or do something else like that. So they tend to pick on, if you will, the low-hanging fruit or the easier guy to get to. So we always wanted to set the bar just a little bit out of their reach.   Ted Robertson  41:25 All right, having gone through all of that, it really can change people quite profoundly. So when you look back at it, what leadership lessons stayed with you long after you got out of captivity?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  41:39 In the movie Return of Honor. Capt. Mike McGrath, Navy guy, describes the guys in their ability to resist torture and do things. And that's what you learn. Everybody's got a breaking point. If mine's here and somebody else's is there, that doesn't make me better or worse than them. So you learn to appreciate the talents and the weaknesses. If you know the foibles, the cracks in everybody around you and not to exploit them, but to understand them, and then to be the kind of leader that that they need.   Ted Robertson  42:12 Sir, one of the recurring themes when you're discussing leadership with leaders right is knowing something about each of your people so that you can relate to them in a way that that works for them and motivates them.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  42:23 Yeah. Mark Welch, who's also a graduate and he is a chief of staff of the Air Force, always had a saying: “If you don't know what's going on, it's because you didn't ask.”   Ted Robertson  42:32 Now we're going to roll all that into your long journey between captivity and your visit here to NCLS this year. When you're speaking to the cadets at this year's event, what's your main hope? What do you hope they understand about courage before they even ever face combat?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  42:54 Well, courage is a reaction to a clear and present threat. Nobody knows how they're gonna — know he's gonna say, OK, I'm gonna go to Vietnam and I want to get shot down, and when the Vietnamese capture me, I'm going to give them a middle finger and I'm going to be the meanest bad ass and hardest-to-break prisoner. Yeah, it's how you respond to the to the immediate perception of bodily harm or being used or something else like that. So courage is, yeah, it just happens. It's not something that you can put in a package and say, “OK, I've got courage.” It's how you respond to the situation, because you might respond quite differently than what you think.   Ted Robertson  43:35 And I have to say, you presented your story and you delivered your message in kind of a unique way. You drew from some contemporary references, specifically three clips from a movie that you like, that I was curious. How did you sum up your entire life in three movie clips from Madagascar? How did you do that?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  43:57 Well, the three movie clips — when I watched the movie, I was looking at it, I have got two favorite movies. Madagascar is one, and the other is a Kelsey Grammer movie, Down Periscope. I mean, I think that is a perfect study in in leadership. But in the movie Madagascar, the premise was penguins can't fly, but yet it opens up with them applying resource, innovation imagination, and they eventually get this airplane to fly. OK, great. Success. Well, like everything else in life, things go wrong, and you got to have, No. 1, a backup plan, an exit ramp or a control mechanism for the disaster that's pending. So that's the second movie clip we saw. And then the third one was towards the end of the movie, when the crash landing has happened and the skipper asks for an accounting, and he's told that all passengers are accounted for, except two. And he says, that's the number I can live with. And the message there is, you go through life — you're going to have successes, but you're going to have failures, and failure has a cost, and it's not always pleasant, but that's OK, because that's life.   Ted Robertson  45:15 How do you explain how leaders can prepare themselves morally and mentally for moments they can't predict or control.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  45:25 Watch movies like Madagascar and Down Periscope. You know, there's a breadth of unintentional, if you will, guidance on how to be a leader, if you know where to look or if you're looking for it. I mean, that's part of the whole progress program at the Academy. Nobody's going to say, OK, here's a scenario, lead these resources to a proper conclusion. It's kind of like, OK, here's the situation. What do we do? What can we do? What can't we do? It's like, in my presentation, I talk about being able to run across a pasture in nine seconds, in 10 seconds, but if the bull can do it, you're in trouble. So you got to realign your thinking, you got to realign your goals and you got to realign the application of resources. So that's the leadership part, right there. It's a realization of what you can and what you can't do. It's a realization of what you, your people, your resources, can and can't do. It's a realization of what the technology you have at your disposal to do your mission can and can't do. So it's all about workarounds and being flexible. And then the other thing is, we live in a world that just seems to be everything's got a prescription and a protocol on exactly how to do everything. Doesn't work that way. You got to be able to go left and right. You got to be able to be a little imaginative.   Ted Robertson  46:42 What parting thought did you leave the cadets with?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  46:45 That failure is part of life. It's not death. And I'm part of an organization called American 300 — we go around and talk to young enlisted people and all the services to get them to understand that failure is a learning opportunity. It's not a dagger in the heart, and don't be afraid or ashamed to try, because if you don't, you'll never know what your true potential is. So with the cadets, we close with that last part from the movie Madagascar that basically said, OK, success comes with a price. Be aware and accept it.   Ted Robertson  47:23 All right, we've got to close it out here, but recap, if you would one more time that message that you want cadets to leave here with from having heard you speak.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  47:32 You are now a living, breathing, viable, productive part of our United States Air Force. You bring talents that are unique. Apply them, but understand that they're all very transitory, and you have part of a larger community. If you stick with a community rather than the “I did,” “I want,” I have,” you'll go a long way.   Ted Robertson  47:54 All right, and stepping outside of that very briefly for your final thoughts, what would you like to leave listeners with today.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  48:01 Be proud of the young men and women who are in our military now, not just those at the Air Force Academy. You know, our whole military structure has changed over the years. You know, it's a dynamic world. You got to be flexible and embrace change. We're so reluctant to change. Change is fine, except when you try to change me, is the old saying, but we all have to change. We have to be part of the world in which we live.     Ted Robertson  48:26 Gen. Mechenbier, I want to thank you from all of us for being here sharing those leadership lessons of yours and a lifetime of service that will continue to shape others — future leaders — for a very, very long time to come. We appreciate you very much.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  48:43 Thank you much.   Ted Robertson  48:44 Our final conversation brings us to leadership at the strategic level, where decisions affect institutions, alliances and the nation itself. Capt. Charles Plumb, welcome to the podcast today, sir.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  48:56 Thanks, Ted. Appreciate being here.   Ted Robertson  48:59 It is a privilege to have you. You retired as a Navy captain in 1991 and you have not slowed down, not one inch since. We're going to talk a little bit about the work that you're doing in some very interesting spaces. And what informs all of that. Naval Academy, Class of '64.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:15 Yep, the Great Class of '64.     Ted Robertson  49:17 The great —that's how you express class pride?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:20 Everybody knows the Great Class of '64.   Ted Robertson  49:23 So you are an Annapolis man.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:25 I am, in fact.   Ted Robertson  49:26 No doubt. And a pilot. You flew F-4 Phantoms, and you are a Vietnam-era pilot. You spent most of your time over North Vietnam. Sometimes you got sent to South Vietnam, depending on what was going on. But you said that you have flown 74 combat missions.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:45 Actually 74 and a half, Ted. I have one more takeoff and I have landings.   Ted Robertson  49:50 We should remember that, because it's a very important part of your life we haven't talked about yet. Since you got out of captivity, and then you retired a few years later, you became a published author and a speaker, and as such, you have been to every state, several countries, 5,000 presentations you've delivered in the leadership and character development space. Is there any reason you should not be here at NCLS?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  50:24 Well, I appreciate that. You know, this is a great symposium, and I'm really proud to contribute to it.   Ted Robertson  50:32 Captain, you are a former POW.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  50:36 Yes, I was shot down on my 75th mission and captured, tortured and spent the next 2,103 days in communist prison camps.   Ted Robertson  50:49 You said you got moved around a lot.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  50:52 We did. I was in six different camps, and some of those camps more than once. We never really understood why. We kind of suspected that they wanted to try to deny any fraternization with their guards, and they wanted to keep us on our toes, because they recognized that being military guys, we were going to have leadership, and we were going to have organization and community and we were going to organize, to fight them, and they didn't want that. So they moved us around and kind of shuffled us up, which didn't work. We always had a military organization in every camp that I ever went to.   Ted Robertson  51:31 You found ways to support each other. You found ways to have a leadership structure, even in captivity.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  51:39 We were all fighter pilots or air crews and most of us were we, you know, we had 10 Air Force Academy grads from '64 in five Naval Academy grads from '64 and so we had in a lot of other academy grads. I don't remember how many, but probably 70 total academy grads. And so, you know, we were, we were dedicated. We were lifers. We were, you know, we were very focused guys, which helped out a lot that we knew a lot about military leadership.   Ted Robertson  52:11 You grew up in the Midwest, and you married a Midwestern girl.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  52:15 I did, my high school sweetheart the day after I graduated from Annapolis, we got married in the chapel, and my buddies were holding up their swords as we came out of the chapel. So it was a beautiful day.   Ted Robertson  52:27 Let's go back to how you found your way to the Naval Academy.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  52:32 I was a farm kid from Kansas. Never seen the ocean, never been out of the four states of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri. Never been in an airplane, and I needed an education. Found that the Naval Academy offered me an education.   Ted Robertson  52:50 Outside of Air Force Academy circles, you probably already know that we think of, you know, salty sea dog sailors when we think of people going in the Navy, but you chose aviation.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  53:02 I did. As a kid, I would see these Piper Cubs fly over and I was fascinated by flight, and wondered if I'd ever be able to ride in an airplane. That was my thought when I was a kid. I didn't have any hopes of ever being a pilot, you know, let alone a fighter pilot. That was, I was out of the realm. Nobody, as I grew up, ever told me that I could do that, or I should do that, or, you know, it would be a hope of mine to ever pilot an airplane. But I went to the Naval Academy and found out that was one of the options, and I took advantage of that option.   Ted Robertson  53:43 Yeah, and it led you, of course, to over North Vietnam, and the rest is that part of your history   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  53:51 Launched on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk on my wife's birthday, the 5th of November, wave goodbye to her, and promised her I'd be back in eight months. I didn't make it.   Ted Robertson  54:04 Hard. Very hard story to hear. Let's talk about all of that informing your presentation now, again, 5,000 of these delivered in the leadership and character development space, but you talk a lot about, in your presentation — and you keynoted here at NCLS — the mental game side of this, the integrity, the choices that you have to make, and character that sort of frames all of that.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  54:38 My message to the cadets, and really to most of my audiences, is around challenge and adversity. And I tell the cadets that they work awfully hard trying to get a degree. They study, they go to computers, they read books all to get a degree. And what I point out to them is that more important than the degree that they will get from the Air Force Academy is a character that they build while they are here. That the integrity first, you know, is part of their motto. And if, in fact, they can learn and live that integrity, if they can learn and live the commitment that they have, if they can learn in and live these kind of ethereal things, the things that you can't measure, things you can't define, the things that, you know, that crop up in your in your mind, in the back of your mind, are more important than the lessons they learn from a computer. And so that's kind of my message.   Ted Robertson  55:49 You know, we're in a leadership laboratory here. The art and the science is character development. And you're talking about a kind of character that leads people to make good decisions and make those decisions with integrity in mind. How did that play into your captivity and getting you through that?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  56:09 You know, of course, I studied leadership at the Naval Academy, and I think that my period of experience more than teaching me anything, it validated what I had learned. And the whole idea — and I love the fact that this is called, you know, the Character and Leadership Symposium, because lots of times you see leadership without character, that's a negative kind of leadership. And if a leader does not have character, he doesn't last very long, and he's not very effective. And so if you can keep your character up front, the leadership can follow easily. And that's pretty much what we had in the prison camps. Several of the qualities of leadership that I promote are the things that almost came natural in a prison camp. First of all, we had to find a focus, a reason. We had to find, you know — and that was developed by our leadership in the prison camp. Return with honor — that was our motto, return with honor. And we all rallied around that.   Ted Robertson  57:22 So all of that said, you're standing here in front of a really big group of people as a keynote speaker, lot of cadets, mostly cadets, yeah.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  57:31 Now there were cadets. I'm speaking on a panel with Ed Mechenbier, my good buddy, and we're on a panel with mostly cadets. The first presentation, the keynote was by invitation only. So there were a number of civilians in the audience, number of cadets. There were Naval Academy midshipmen in my audience today. And we had ROTC people, and, you know, from all over the country. So it was quite a wide audience.   Ted Robertson  58:04 Quite a wide audience. And so if we were just focusing on what you leave with cadets, what do you want them to take away from their experience today?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  58:15 I hope they understand my message, that more important than the degree that they graduate with, is the character that they graduate with, and the importance of the integrity that that they learned here, because that was vital in the prison camp, is integrity. We had to have each other's back, and when we when we finally were released, we refused to be released until all the sick, injured and enlisted men had gone home, and it was a question of integrity, is a question that this is the right thing to do. It's not the easy thing to do. Largely, the integrity thing to do is not the easiest thing to do, and that's what I wanted to leave with the cadets. In addition, I want them to know that regardless of what situation they're in, they still have a choice, and their choice is the way they respond to the surrounding adversity situation that they're in.   Ted Robertson  59:21 An Annapolis grad of '64, Midwest kid from Kansas who makes it into the cockpit, and like you said, 74 and a half flights, then some time in captivity, then to a published author with thousands of presentations all over the country, and some in in other countries. What final thoughts would you like to leave today, sir?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  59:47 Well, you know, I think I've already told you, you know, you're a great interviewer, Ted, and I appreciate your questions. I think, finally, this whole idea of self-determination and I think that we all, and not just the cadets, but graduates and families and business people, families. You know that we all have choices, and sometimes when we deny the choice and give up that ability to make our life better for ourselves. And you know, we do it sometimes even when we're not even thinking about it. It's just automatic to blame somebody else for the problem, and in doing so, we give away that choice.   Ted Robertson  1:00:34 Don't give away the choice. Yeah, build that character and stick by your integrity all the time. Capt. J. Charles Plumb, what a privilege it is to meet you, sir. Glad that you're here at NCLs and keynoting like you are, and I do hope that our paths cross again.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  1:00:52 Ted, thank you very much. I appreciate your willingness to tell my story. Thanks for that.   Ted Robertson  1:00:57 You're welcome, sir. Thank you. Ted Robertson Close As we've heard throughout these conversations, courage isn't a single moment. It's a lifelong practice, from cadets just beginning their journey to leaders shaped by combat and crisis to senior commanders responsible for forces and futures. Character is tested when certainty disappears and it's revealed by how we choose to lead. That's the challenge of the National Character and Leadership Symposium, and it's a challenge that extends far beyond these walls. I'm Ted Robertson, thank you for joining me for our Long Blue Line Podcast Network coverage of the 33rd National Character and Leadership Symposium. This podcast was recorded on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.         The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation      

Orki to jedyne dzikie zwierzęta, u których stwierdzono miażdżycę. Mają kulturę, język, dialekty i babcie, bez których młode mają pięciokrotnie mniejsze szanse na przeżycie. W tym filmie opowiadam o najbardziej fascynujących ssakach w oceanie – i o tym, dlaczego są znacznie bliższe ludziom, niż ktokolwiek podejrzewa.Orki (Orcinus orca) potrafią przeprowadzić echolokacyjne „USG" i rozróżnić gęstość tkanek ofiary. Ich biosonar jest tak precyzyjny, że pozwala im namierzyć konkretny gatunek łososia po kształcie pęcherza pławnego. Są jedynymi społecznymi ssakami poza człowiekiem, u których występuje menopauza – starsze samice pełnią rolę „babć", przekazując tradycje łowieckie kolejnym pokoleniom. Każda populacja ma własne techniki polowania, własny dialekt, a nawet własne zabawy. Różne ekotypy orek różnią się od siebie tak bardzo, że naukowcy rozważają podział na osobne gatunki.W tym odcinku dowiesz się między innymi:– jak orki zmywają foki z kier lodowych techniką wave wash,– dlaczego tylko 20 orek na świecie potrafi polować na plaży,– w jaki sposób orki potrafią w niecałe dwie minuty precyzyjnie obrabiać swoją zdobycz,– czemu rybożerne orki nie tkną foki, nawet gdy głodują,– jak działa ich niesamowity biosonar i czemu porównuje się go do aparatu USG,– co łączy orkę z 60-letnim człowiekiem z problemami z cholesterolem,– ile ekotypów orek żyje na świecie i czym się od siebie różnią.To pierwsza część – w drugiej części opowiem o relacjach społecznych, emocjach i mroczniejszej stronie orek.Wybrane źródła: 1. https://i0.wp.com/whalescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Lagenorhynchus_albirostris_-_skeleton-scaled.jpeg2. https://www.calacademy.org/blogs/birds-and-mammals-research/the-articulation-of-orca-o319-flipper-assembly3. https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/whales-are-killing-huge-great-white-sharks-harvesting-their-livers-near-south-africa-16207594. https://www.newsweek.com/orcas-killing-great-white-sharks-eating-livers-6070025. https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/711028/view/great-hammerhead-shark-skin-sem6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S00219975183048457. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/comparing-killer-whale-cuisine8. https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms116939. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.23136810. https://www.bbcearth.com/news/the-loudest-voice-in-the-animal-kingdom11. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00450-612. Foster, E. A., Franks, D. W., Mazzi, S., Darden, S. K., Balcomb, K. C., Ford, J. K. B., & Croft, D. P. (2012). Adaptive prolonged postreproductive life span in killer whales. Science, 337(6100), 1313–1313.

Operacja przeciwko Iranowi rozpoczęła się w cyberprzestrzeni – zanim wystartowały samoloty i spadły pierwsze bomby. Jak podkreślał na antenie Radia Wnet Mirosław Maj z Fundacji Bezpieczna Cyberprzestrzeń, atak kinetyczny był poprzedzony skoordynowanymi działaniami w domenie cyber i kosmicznej.„Zanim rozpoczął się atak kinetyczny, do dzieła przystąpiło US Cyber Command i US Space Command”– wskazał ekspert.„Przygotowuje się to tygodnie, jeśli nie miesiące wcześniej”– dodał.

Send a textIn this third season, I am sharing chapters from my short novel “Zunzuncito's Adventure”. This week is chapter 6! Zunzuncito is a tiny hummingbird. His friend, Monty, is an even smaller frog. The two animals are searching for a magic flower. Zunzuncito hopes that the magic flower will grant his wish to be big. Majá is a Cuban boa. According to Monty, she knows everything. There is just one problem - Zunzuncito is incredibly afraid of snakes and Majá is the biggest snake on the island of Cuba.This story is told in the the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include scared, forest, lake, snails, near and far. No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2026/03/02/simple-stories-in-english-zunzuncitos-adventure-chapter-6/ Thank you for listening, and a HUGE thank you for your support. I really enjoy creating and sharing simple, comprehensible stories. If you would like to help me in that endeavor, consider donating to @Small Town Spanish Teacher on Venmo, PayPal, or Buy Me A Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SpanishTeacher .

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

Med indutrialiseringen steg koldioxidhalten i atmosfären, men det var efter andra världskriget det verkligen tog fart. Ann-Sofi Ljung Svensson funderar över sin del. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radios app. ESSÄ: Detta är en text där skribenten reflekterar över ett ämne eller ett verk. Åsikter som uttrycks är skribentens egna.Mars 1958.Charles Keeling gör sin första mätning av koldioxidhalten i atmosfären på Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Mätvärdet är 315 ppm/parts per million. Värdet ligger 35 enheter högre än under förindustriell tid, då halten beräknats ligga runt 280. Kurvan stiger svagt under hela 1800-talet, men efter andra världskriget går lutningen skarpt uppåt.Några månader efter Keelings första mätning – i mitten av juli 1958 – lämnar en liten cell bland miljontals andra explosivt min pappas kropp för att målmedvetet leta sig fram till den väntande värmen i min mammas mage. Det är en het sommar. Kanske var det en tidig, lite sval morgon i vindsrummet på Brunnsgatan i Nyköping precis innan pappa skulle ta bussen till flygflottiljen där han just blivit stamanställd. Mamma skulle kanske strax därefter promenera till dispensären på lasarettet där hon arbetade. Eller så var det semester och de var på besök ute hos det som skulle bli min farmor och farfar i torpet och sov över i utdragssoffan av trä under älgbonaden och oljetrycken med skyddsänglar.Torsdagen den 16 april 1959 föds jag på barnbördshuset på Nyköpings lasarett. Mamma har haft havandeskapsförgiftning – stor, svullen – med en vikt lika hög som tungviktaren Ingemar Johansson. Några månader senare skulle han gå sin berömda match mot Floyd Patterson.Maj 1959, Mauna Loa, koldioxidhalten har stigit till 316 ppm under mammas graviditet.Nu börjar mitt liv på den allt brantare Keelingkurvan. Vi flyttar. Först från rummet med kokplatta, till enrummaren med sovalkov. Sen till tvårummaren med balkong i tvåvåningshuset från 1940-talet. Min bror anländer. Mamma tar oss varje förmiddag till det nyöppnade snabbköpet. En tetrapack med mjölk, havregryn, lite blandfärs, några morötter. Allt får plats i nätkassen. Plastkassar tillhandahålls inte i butikerna förrän i mitten av 1960-talet.1963. Pappa köper familjens första bil, en Vauxhall Victor. Röd och vit. Begagnad såklart, mer räcker inte pengarna till.Pappa gör som alla andra. Bilköp ligger i tiden. Under 1950-talet ökade antalet bilar i Sverige från 250 000 till en miljon. Tio år senare har antalet fördubblats. Och pappa har bytt till en Ford Zephyr. I de sörmländska skogarna ligger de uttjänta bilarna redan tätt.April 1965, Mauna Loa, 320 ppm.Vi flyttar igen. Nybyggt miljonprogram. Fjärde våningen i ett höghus i utkanten av stan. Nu tre rum. Pappa har just sålt insatslägenheten. Det kändes alldeles för osäkert. Tänk om man inte får sina pengar tillbaka? Under höststormen natten den 17 oktober 1967 ligger vi alla i pappas och mammas säng och tittar ut mot himlen. Strömmen har gått, vi har ett värmeljus i fönstret. Dagen efter ligger höghusens takplåtar på marken.På somrarna åker vi och badar i Stavsjön, spelar dart och plockar blåbär. Eller så fiskar vi i Brobyån. Vi har sommarhus nu, hyr en gammal uttjänt statarlänga. Sommarstugeägandet ökar. Ödetorpen är många där ute på landsbygden. Allt fler har ju flyttat till stan.Sjuttiotalet. Mamma läser Tyst vår av Rachel Carson, röstar på Fälldin och talar om 'glada grisar'. Men pappa skakar på huvudet och skrattar när mamma inte vill dricka vattnet i sommarhuset. Pumpen står mitt ute på åkern och godsägaren har just låtit flygbespruta fältet med bekämpningsmedel.Nu bor vi i en fyrarummare, ovanpå ett konditori där man köper lördagsgodis genom att peka genom glasdisken. En sån. Och en sån.1975. 331 ppm. Jag gör min första flygresa. Åker till Lindau am Bodensee med ett gäng svenska ungdomar. Det kallas språkresa och alla vill göra det. ”Det är så bra för språkutvecklingen”, säger Ingegerds mamma. Min mamma nickar instämmande. Det är klart flickan ska få en god utbildning. I den tyska småstadens gränder lär jag mig nattetid en hel del tyska, men också att dricka Jägermeister och dansa bump. I hemstaden öppnar Hennes & Mauritz butik. De expanderar nationellt efter börsintroduktionen 1974. Jag köper en beige täckjacka. Alla andra har likadana.Åttiotalet. Det är nu det händer. Jag har flyttat hemifrån. Min konsumtion ökar drastiskt: resor till London och Italien, linneklänningar och Allessobryggare. Yuppivännerna omkring mig börja inreda sina hem medvetet och metodiskt. Jag hänger inte riktigt med, fattar inte att vi gått in i en samhällelig situation, som släppt pengarna loss. Jag missbedömer allt och tror att det handlar om en individuell utvecklingsfas. Fast jobb, bostadsrätt. Bäbis på väg.Men alla gör likadant. 1987. Nu går det fort. 350 ppm.Det blir äldre villa utanför Malmö, två barn, flytt, tre barn, flytt. Bil, ny större bil, ny bil igen. Nittiotalet och millenieskiftet rusar förbi. Resor till Medelhavet, New York, San Fransisco. Familjen studsar med flyg mellan Paris och Malmö, maken flygpendlar till Stockholm ett par gånger i veckan.Jag planerar mina pensionsfonder. Alla andra gör ju det. Rysslandsfonderna rusar, jag hänger på. Naivt, omedvetet. Stöder Gazprom med mina placeringar, men besinnar mig så småningom, och känner en lättnad när det sent omsider visar sig att värdet är noll och fonderna kraschat.2013: koldioxidhalten passerar 400 ppm. 2016: 403 ppm.Jag står bland uttjänta möbler och flyttkartonger och sorterar efter 23 år i samma lägenhet ett avvecklat familjeliv. Barnen har flyttat. Ett helt liv ska sorteras, säljas, skänkas bort, slängas. En lägenhet, ett vindsförråd, tre källarförråd. När auktionsfirmorna och secondhandorganisationerna fått sitt kommer ett företag som specialiserat sig på att forsla bort det ingen vill ha. 1,1 ton går till tippen. En och en halv lastbil.Jag rannsakar mig själv. Biktar mig. Gråter en del. Räkningen på de 1,1 tonnen är 10 000 kronor. Jag ser det som en rättmätig skuldsedel.Är jag skyldig?Självklart är jag skyldig.Jag tillhör den del av jordens befolkning som levt hela sina liv i en ständigt accelererande välståndsökning som passerat rimlighetens gräns och landat i en förgörande överkonsumtion. Min skuld kan jag inte skaka av mig. Skuld handlar om verifierbara fakta. Har jag medverkat till de stigande utsläppen av växthusgaser – eller har jag inte medverkat till dom?Men skammen då? Ska jag skämmas nu när eftertankens kranka blekhet inträtt.Nej, jag kan inte skämmas över det jag gjort. Jag visste inte bättre. Jag var en kugge i ett samhällsmaskineri. Jag kan givetvis skämmas över min aningslöshet. Jag borde nog vetat bättre.Men jag gjorde som alla andra. Så jag blir villkorligt frigiven.Villkoret, då? Jag måste skämmas för det jag gör idag. Jag kan inte med rent samvete låtsas som att jag inte är med om att bära skulden. Jag kan inte med rent samvete fortsätta som att ingenting har hänt, eller som att ingenting kommer att hända. Jag har en individuell skyldighet – som en liten del av mänskligheten – att ta mitt ansvar. Allt annat är bortförklaringar.Våren 2025, då jag fyllde 66 år, passerade koldioxidhalten i atmosfären för första gången 430 ppm. Under mina år på jorden hade halten då ökat med 114 enheter.Det är ingen slump.Det är jag som är Keelingkurvan.Säg det högt för dig själv:Det är jag som är Keelingkurvan.Ann-Sofi Ljung Svenssonlitteraturforskare

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu. Všechny díly podcastu Výlety můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro Android a iOS nebo na webu mujRozhlas.cz.

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

Čtyři české komiksové postavičky, kamarádi známí jako Čtyřlístek, jsou opravdu slavní. Mají dokonce i své muzeum. Fifinka, Bobík, Myšpulín a Pinďa, kterým vdechnul život ilustrátor Jaroslav Němeček, se narodili roku 1969. Jejich rodné Třeskoprsky jsou ve skutečnosti Doksy u Máchova jezera na severu Čech. A právě tam vzniklo v roce 2011, na půdě místní knihovny, první Muzeum Čtyřlístku. Po osmi letech se přestěhovalo na zámek a teď má novou, rozšířenou podobu.

March is Time Traveler Awareness Month and we swear that wasn't already in mind when we decided to finally review the copy of The Treacherous Time Machine that Seb acquired last year. Written by Maj. Donald G Carpenter (under the fantastic pseudonym Merlin Mesmer Merlino), the book comes across as one part fan-fiction, one part pilot for a 60s era family comedy. It's interesting, to say the least! And we also go into why Major Carpenter has a set at the table of the history of UFOlogy.

Ma nouvelle invitée sur le podcast est Sabine Valens, l'autrice de « Aimer sans posséder », un essai qui vient de sortir aux Éditions Textuel. J'ai découvert ce livre par hasard et je l'ai dévoré d'une traite. Ce livre a bousculé toutes mes idées reçues sur le couple et la fidélité. Et c'est justement ça que je trouve intéressant : quand une œuvre arrive à nous faire bouger dans une nouvelle direction. Pourquoi sommes-nous si attaché·e·s au concept de fidélité dans le couple ?Est-ce parce que nous souhaitons réellement nous couper de toute les rencontres et connexions que nous pourrions faire dans une vie ? Ou ne serait-ce pas plutôt pour essayer de contrôler le corps et les désirs de notre partenaire ? Pourquoi avons-nous tant de mal à nous défaire de cet idéal d'amour exclusif ? Ne devrions-nous pas plutôt pouvoir être toutes et tous souverain·e·s de notre corps, que l'on soit en couple ou célibataire ? En quoi la question de la fidélité est-elle un enjeu féministe ? Est-ce vrai que seuls les hommes bénéficieraient d'ouvrir une relation ?Dans ce 1er essai, Sabine Valens explore ces questions avec lucidité et pertinence.Bonne écoute !Sources :Livres« Aimer sans posséder », de Sabine Valens, Éditions Textuel« Ne plus tomber (en amour) », de Majé, Éditions iXe« Enfin seule », de Lauren Bastide, Éditions AllarySéries« En thérapie » de Toledano et Nakache, ArteHébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

March is Time Traveler Awareness Month and we swear that wasn't already in mind when we decided to finally review the copy of The Treacherous Time Machine that Seb acquired last year. Written by Maj. Donald G Carpenter (under the fantastic pseudonym Merlin Mesmer Merlino), the book comes across as one part fan-fiction, one part pilot for a 60s era family comedy. It's interesting, to say the least! And we also go into why Major Carpenter has a set at the table of the history of UFOlogy.

Alena a František Maryškovi jsou spolu deset let. Období zamilovanosti vystřídalo rozčarování, František totiž propadl patologickému hráčství. Alena tomu dlouho nemohla uvěřit i proto, že o téhle nemoci do té doby nic nevěděla. Co se dělo, když to na Františka prasklo? Kolik peněz a co dalšího prohrál? Vnímala to Alena, jako velké ublížení a požádala o rozvod? Čím si František získal zpět důvěru Aleny? Mají se dnes rádi a věří si navzájem?

The MAJesty breaks down all things Elimination Chamber and makes some bold predictions.Could this be the true breakout moment for Jevon Evans? The Chamber is unforgiving, career altering, and built for chaos but it's also where stars are made. Is Evans ready to level up under that pressure?They also debate whether LA Knight can punch his ticket to WrestleMania with a massive win or is WWE running back Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre?Plus, Rosenberg TOLD YOU SO!!!! AJ Styles officially announced his retirement last Monday on RAW. We breakdown the The Phenomenal One's send off.And of course… what's in the box? Is it Danhausen? Is it macaroni salad? We speculate responsibly and irresponsibly.Listen to Cheap Heat Live Fridays 12pm- 2pm EST on Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 on Channel 156.Call in at 844-344-4893Wanna stay MAJ?Join our PateronFollow @cheapheatpod on Instagram and TikTok @cheapheatpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today Matt & Todd ride into town with the 1981 Western‑adventure The Legend of the Lone Ranger, directed by William A. Fraker.This movie famously flopped at the box office; partly because of its flaws, but just as much because of the deeply questionable studio decisions surrounding its production. Among them:They alienated one of the original Lone Ranger actors.They cast someone who simply “looked good in the mask.”They then dubbed him entirely.They tinkered with the character's legacy.They gave a such a silly explanation for the Ranger's iconic silver bullets.Add all that up and you'd expect a disaster……but what you actually get is a pretty fun Western adventure.Not perfect: there's some cheese, some studio weirdness, and some choices that don't quite work; but what's on screen is still a rollicking, pulpy good time in the spirit of The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. or The Mummy (1999). There's some out‑of‑place balladeering, it takes a while for the masked man to actually mask up, and it's definitely not the definitive telling of the Lone Ranger mythos. But taken on its own terms, it's a lively, earnest, slightly goofy Western that probably got hit harder by critics than it deserved. Probably fair to say that even in its best life it didn't live up to the hype meant to surround it. It was a bust for sure.Is it “good” though? We think so, but that's for you to decide.The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) stars:Klinton Spilsbury (James Keach, voice) as John Reid / The Lone RangerMichael Horse as TontoChristopher Lloyd as Maj. Bartholomew “Butch” CavendishWhit Bissell Award Winner: Matt Clark as Sheriff WiattJuanin Clay as Amy StrikerWhit Bissell Award Winner: Jason Robards as Ulysses S. GrantJohn Bennett Perry as Ranger Captain Dan ReidMerle Haggard as the BalladeerMatt has over 100+ lists for movie suggestions on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠You can reach out on Bluesky: @MovieMattSirois Terrible movies often find him, even under under the alias Marcus at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Movie Asylum of the Weird, Bad and Wonderful⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow who we follow:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Once Upon a Geek⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Fade Out Podcast⁠⁠

Politické strany sú združenia občanov. Reprezentujú záujmy rôznych skupín, odrážajú momentálne nálady v krajine a, samozrejme, snažia sa získať voličov. Majú program, ktorým sa riadia a ich cieľom je získanie politickej moci. Politické strany môžeme rozdeliť podľa štyroch kritérií a vedel si, že ak si chceš založiť politickú stranu, musíš vyzbierať dostatok podpisov? Všetky podrobnejšie informácie a dôležité fakty sa dozvieš vo videu. Kľúčové slová: Politológia, Schooltag, maturita, Občianska náuka Tento podcast ti prináša 4ka. Jediná štvorka, ktorá ťa nebude v škole mrzieť.

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Proč se odkládá spuštění nových rámcových vzdělávacích programů pro základní a mateřské školy? Mají ředitelé národních parků po dnešní schůzce s ministrem jasno, s kolika penězi budou hospodařit? A je možné, že lidé dokázali psát už v době kamenné?

Proč se odkládá spuštění nových rámcových vzdělávacích programů pro základní a mateřské školy? Mají ředitelé národních parků po dnešní schůzce s ministrem jasno, s kolika penězi budou hospodařit? A je možné, že lidé dokázali psát už v době kamenné?Všechny díly podcastu Hlavní zprávy - rozhovory a komentáře můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro Android a iOS nebo na webu mujRozhlas.cz.

Poseł PiS Marek Gróbarczyk przestrzega przed łatwymi do przewidzenia skutkami przejmowania zarządów nad polskimi portami przez niemieckie firmy. Mają wskazania od Niemiec, co robić - uważa.

The military does many things with precision and honor, but for families left behind, the hardest journey often begins after the ceremony ends. Grief does not follow a timeline, and loss does not end with the rifle volley as the final notes of “Taps” play. In this deeply personal episode of Army Matters, hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with two nationally recognized advocates for military survivors: Maj. (Ret.) Bonnie Carroll, U.S. Air Force, and founder of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Jennie Taylor, Gold Star spouse, mother of seven, and founder of the Major Brent Taylor Foundation. Both women share how the loss of their husbands reshaped their lives, and how survivor community, purpose, and service can coexist with grief. Together, they explore what military families truly need after loss, what civilians often misunderstand about grief, and why connection is the most powerful form of support. Guests: Maj. Bonnie Carroll, U.S. Air Force Retired, Gold Star Spouse and Founder, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Jennie Taylor, Gold Star Spouse and Founder, Major Brent Taylor Foundation Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA's Army Matters podcast! AUSA's Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.  Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA's educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate. Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org. Disclaimer: AUSA's Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.

Send a textIn this third season, I am sharing chapters from my short novel “Zunzuncito's Adventure”. This week is chapter 5! Zunzuncito is done dealing with the small life. He wants to be big. Luckily, his new frog friend Monty knows about a special magic flower that might be able to grant his wish. He just doesn't know where it is. So, the hummingbird and frog head to the woods in search of the all-knowing Majá. On the way, Zunzuncito learns a few things about his small amphibious friend.This story is told in the the present tense. Repeated words and phrases include frog, forest, trees, ground, jump and fly. No matter where you are in your language journey, stories will help you on your way. You can find a transcript of the story and read along at https://smalltownspanishteacher.com/2026/02/23/simple-stories-in-english-zunzuncitos-adventure-chapter-5/ Thank you for listening, and a HUGE thank you for your support. I really enjoy creating and sharing simple, comprehensible stories. If you would like to help me in that endeavor, consider donating to @Small Town Spanish Teacher on Venmo, PayPal, or Buy Me A Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SpanishTeacher .

Mají typický tvar, chuť i vůni. Řeč není o ničem jiném, než o olomouckých tvarůžcích. Letos uplyne 150 let od zahájení jejich průmyslové výroby v Lošticích. Na Hané si na nich ovšem pochutnávají mnohem déle. Loštické Muzeum Olomouckých tvarůžků přibližuje jejich cestu od středověkých venkovských chalup přes věhlas na olomouckých trzích v 19. století až k dnešní moderní výrobě.

Mají typický tvar, chuť i vůni. Řeč není o ničem jiném, než o olomouckých tvarůžcích. Letos uplyne 150 let od zahájení jejich průmyslové výroby v Lošticích. Na Hané si na nich ovšem pochutnávají mnohem déle. Loštické Muzeum Olomouckých tvarůžků přibližuje jejich cestu od středověkých venkovských chalup přes věhlas na olomouckých trzích v 19. století až k dnešní moderní výrobě.

This episode argues that the decline of Sikh participation in the Indian Army after 1984 was not accidental but the result of state discrimination, betrayal, and institutional mistrust both pre-and-post-84. Following the 1984 Sikh genocide and Operation Blue Star, Sikh soldiers and officers faced surveillance, sidelining, and humiliation despite generations of unmatched military service. The episode examines how even highly decorated Sikh commanders such as Brigadier Pritam Singh, Lt. Gen. Harbaksh Singh, Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh, Maj. Gen. Shabeg Singh, and Major Baldev Singh Ghuman were mistreated, marginalised, or erased once they no longer fit the state narrative. Through historical evidence and lived reality, this episode explains why many Punjabi Sikh youth consciously withdrew from military service and why the rupture between Sikh faujis and the Indian state remains unresolved.

Is AJ Lee's character actually a heel? The Majesty breaks down the nuance and explains why perception might not match reality. They also show major love to Brody King and ask the big question if he ever signs with WWE, what does that run look like? And while we are fantasy booking, is it time to let Rob Stone step into the ultimate weasel NXT GM role?Plus, is there a real way to spice up Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes? SGG gets into a heated debate on X about where Seth Rollins ranks among the top 200 WWE Superstars of all time, and the crew questions what is inside the mysterious box set to be opened at WWE Elimination Chamber.Listen to Cheap Heat Live Fridays 12pm- 2pm EST on Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 on Channel 156.Call in at 844-344-4893Wanna stay MAJ?Join our PateronFollow @cheapheatpod on Instagram and TikTok @cheapheatpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rząd zrezygnował z kolejnego zamkniętego posiedzenia sejmu w sprawie kryptowalut. Wyborcza informuje, że zamiast tego planuje publiczne przedstawienie raportu służb i relacji środowiska Karola Nawrockiego oraz części prawicy z branżą krypto. Mając być zarzuty prokuratorskie! Czy uda się ograniczyć rosyjskie wpływy w Polsce? Dziś także o kolejnym mocnym uderzeniu marszałka Czarzastego, o Elitarnym Europejskim klubie 6 największych gospodarek, w którym znalazła się Polska, o grupie wagnera w Bułgarii oraz o reparacjach od Rosji. #nawrocki #Batyr #krypto ----------------------------------------------------

Ta powieść nie mieści się w żadnej pojedynczej szufladce.Przewrotna, zabawna, dezorientująca i zaskakująca jest gatunkowym patchworkiem kryminału, satyry, horroru ekologicznego i rozprawki nad sensem literackiego przekładu.Jennifer Croft, znana w Polsce przede wszystkim jako autorka angielskich przekładów prozy Olgi Tokarczuk, pisze o tym, jak ośmioro tłumaczy przyjeżdża z różnych stron świata do położonego w sercu Puszczy Białowieskiej domu należącego do słynnej pisarki Ireny Rey. Mają wspólnie pracować nad przekładem jej nowego, wyczekiwanego dzieła. Ale wkrótce okazuje się, że ich głównym zadaniem będzie nie praca nad tekstem, lecz śledztwo w sprawie zaginięcia ich ukochanej autorki.„Wymieranie Ireny Rey” to literacko porywająca opowieść o skomplikowanej, niejednoznacznej, pełnej napięć relacji tłumacza z autorem, w której niczym w gabinecie luster odbijają się pytania o sens władzy autorytetu i poszukiwanie wolności.To tylko kilka propozycji pytań, które mogą pojawić się w czasie lektury powieści Jennifer Croft, bo każdy czytelnik odnajdzie w niej coś własnego.Prowadzenie: Agata KasprolewiczGość: Kaja Gucio---------------------------------------------Raport o stanie świata to audycja, która istnieje dzięki naszym Patronom, dołącz się do zbiórki ➡️ ⁠https://patronite.pl/DariuszRosiak⁠Subskrybuj newsletter Raportu o stanie świata ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠➡️ ⁠https://dariuszrosiak.substack.com⁠Koszulki i kubki Raportu ➡️ ⁠https://patronite-sklep.pl/kolekcja/raport-o-stanie-swiata/⁠ [Autopromocja]

The National Guard can be found in every state. They play a unique role in being both a federal and state government asset. In this podcast you will learn about the role of the National Guard in our national defense and also when disasters strike. Our guest represents not only the Washington National Guard, but also emergency management for the State of Washington. Therefore, we'll also examine the anticipated challenges moving forward as FEMA reduces their support of states and local governments before, during and after disasters.  Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh is The Adjutant General, Washington National Guard, at Camp Murray, Wash. Maj. Gen. Welsh was appointed as The Adjutant General of Washington on 29 June 2024. General Welsh is the commanding general of all Washington Army and Air National Guard forces and oversees the State's Emergency Management and Enhanced 911 programs. He also serves as Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor of Washington and as State Administrative Agent for all United States Department of Homeland Security grants awarded to Washington's state, local, tribal and non-profit agencies and organizations.  General Welsh enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1988. He transferred to the Air National Guard in 1992 and was commissioned as a 2d Lieutenant in 1994. He has held a variety of positions in air support operations and combat communications units, including command positions at the squadron, group, and wing levels. He is a resident graduate of the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, commanded the 242d Combat Communications Squadron and the 252d Combat Communications Group, served as the Chief Information Officer, J6, and Chief of Staff for the Washington National Guard, and commanded the 194th Wing and the Washington Air National Guard.Please visit our sponsors!L3Harris Technologies' BeOn PPT App. Learn more about this amazing product here: www.l3harris.com Visit The Readiness Lab and learn about our Next Level Emergency Management training! https://www.thereadinesslab.com/Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by professionals for professionals: www.dobermanemg.com/impulseDoberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.comCheck out how you can use digital twins in your training, exercising, and planning using RSET https://rset.com/ For sponsorship requests, check out our Sponsorship Portfolio here or email us at contact@thereadinesslab.com

Více než 20 procent dětí v Česku má nadváhu nebo obezitu, ukazuje mezinárodní studie HBSC, která je u nás zaštítěná Univerzitou Palackého. Mají české děti dostatek možností sportovat? Mohla by právě probíhající olympiáda zvýšit jejich zájem o sport? A jaké zásadní systémové chyby v podpoře profesionálních a amatérských klubů je třeba napravit? Poslechněte si Kulatý stůl Karolíny Koubové.

CM Punk finally gets his WrestleMania moment, headlining Night 2 against Roman Reigns in a main event that delivers everything Punk fans have been waiting for. Rosenberg and SGG break down what this match means for Punk's legacy and the potential impact on WWE moving forward. Plus, could AJ Styles wrestle elsewhere, or is the Phenomenal One truly retired? Listen to Cheap Heat Live Fridays 12pm- 2pm EST on Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 on Channel 156.Call in at 844-344-4893Wanna stay MAJ?Join our PateronFollow @cheapheatpod on Instagram and TikTok @cheapheatpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Minnesota Military Radio, host Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Doug Wortham welcomes back Staff Sergeant Joe Hance, a recruiter with the Minnesota Army National Guard. In this anniversary revisit from his previous appearance, SSG Hance shares his full story—from enlisting as a high school junior through the split-option program, serving as an infantryman […] The post Serving Here, Living Here: SSG Joe Hance Shares His Path with the Minnesota National Guard appeared first on Minnesota Military Radio.

Majątek Australijskich Sił Obronnych wart miliardy dolarów idzie sprzedaż. Krytycy zastanawiają się jednak, dlaczego i czy warto te aktywa sprzedawać .

Ahead of the Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Rosenberg sits down with Je'Von Evans, who is hyped about competing in his first-ever Royal Rumble. Rosenberg then catches up with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods as The New Day look back on everything from the split with Big E to KofiMania, losing the WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar, and what it means to be long-tenured WWE superstars.Listen to Cheap Heat Live Fridays 12pm- 2pm EST on Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 on Channel 156.Call in at 844-344-4893Wanna stay MAJ?Join our PateronFollow @cheapheatpod on Instagram and TikTok @cheapheatpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Call for March Heartland Experience Trip https://israelguys.link/israel-trip-86ew4cj2t Tensions remain high across Israel.  The U.S. continues to ramp up its military presence in the region amid internet blackouts and mass casualties inside Iran. We also look at new threats facing Israel, including IDF  preparations for extreme scenarios such as a possible Houthi infiltration through the Jordanian border and coordinated terror attacks in Judea & Samaria. We also cover major developments in Gaza, where the IDF has launched a sensitive and dangerous operation to recover the body of Israel's last remaining hostage, Staff Sgt. Maj. Ran Gvili — a mission that reflects Israel's commitment to bring every soldier home. *UPDATE* The IDF has confirmed that they have successfully recovered the body of Staff Sgt. Maj. Ran Gvili. Ran Gvili was the final hostage from Oct 7 who remained in Gaza. Finally, we discuss Israel's controversial decision to partially reopen the Rafah Crossing in accordance with President Trump's 20-point peace plan, and why many Israelis fear this could strengthen Hamas once again. Follow us on Telegram: https://t.me/theisraelguys      Follow Us On X: https://x.com/theisraelguys    Follow Us On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theisraelguys  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theisraelguys  Heartland Tumbler: https://theisraelguys.store/products/heartland-tumbler  "Israel" Leather Patch Hat: https://theisraelguys.store/products/israel-1948-cap  

Bill's guests are Sen. John Kennedy, Kasie Hunt, Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton (Originally aired 1/23/26) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture The EU/Germans are starting to see that the direction of the world has changed, they are now trapped in destroying the power infrastructure. Trump placed tariffs on EU, the EU thinks they can fight back, they already lost. The Fed is panicking, they keep repeating independence, in the end there will be no Fed. The [DS] is trying to keep their agenda on track and they are trying to maintain the old guard power structure. Trump is the process of dismantling the old guard power structure and the [DS] cannot stop it. Everything is at stake, the people must take back the power. Trump is leading the [DS] down the path to have an insurrection against the people of this country, trap set. Hold the line justice is coming, Trump is getting all the leverage.   Economy German Chancellor Merz Admits Shutting Down Nuclear Energy Production Was a “Severe Strategic Mistake” Germany has a severe electricity shortage and cost problem, and it's getting worse. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently made the admission that shutting down the German nuclear power reactors was a “severe strategic mistake.” “To have acceptable market prices for energy production again, we would have to permanently subsidize energy prices from the federal budget,” Merz said, adding: “We can't do this in the long run.” “So, we are now undertaking the most expensive energy transition in the entire world,” Merz said with pronounced frustration. “I know of no other country that makes things so expensive and difficult as Germany.” Keep in mind, Germany represents the largest contributing economy in the European Union.  The German industrial sector is the backbone of the European economic model. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");    very successfully, at that! Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake. On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown. This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet. These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question. Starting on February 1st, 2026, all of the above mentioned Countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland), will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America. On June 1st, 2026, the Tariff will be increased to 25%. This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland. The United States has been trying to do this transaction for over 150 years. Many Presidents have tried, and for good reason, but Denmark has always refused. Now, because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important. Hundreds of Billions of Dollars are currently being spent on Security Programs having to do with “The Dome,” including for the possible protection of Canada, and this very brilliant, but highly complex system can only work at its maximum potential and efficiency, because of angles, metes, and bounds, if this Land is included in it. The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades. Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2012565207730545125?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2012634968556523924?s=20   https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2012875286702899711?s=20  restrict US access to the EU market, potentially blocking US banks from EU procurement and targeting US tech giants. This trade weapon has never been used before. In short, yes—a potential trade war triggered by these actions would likely inflict more economic pain on the EU than the U.S., though both sides would suffer. The asymmetry stems from trade dependencies, market sizes, and broader leverage. Trump will counter the EU Raise the threatened tariffs beyond 25% (e.g., to 50-60% on key EU goods like autos, steel, or agriculture) to force concessions. He’s already signaled willingness to go higher if no Greenland deal materializes. Impose sanctions on specific EU sectors or companies, such as luxury goods (hurting France) or tech imports, while exempting allies who break ranks (e.g., if Italy or Eastern Europe hesitate on ACI). Broader Leverage: Link trade to NATO or security, threatening to reduce U.S. troop presence in Europe or cut funding unless EU backs off. He could also accelerate “Buy American” policies to boost domestic alternatives. Publicly dismiss the ACI as “weak” or “all talk” via X or statements, then push for bilateral deals with individual EU countries to divide the bloc (e.g., deals with the UK post-Brexit).  If ACI activates, pursue WTO challenges or rally non-EU allies (e.g., Canada, Japan) against EU measures, while advancing U.S. Arctic strategy independently.   https://twitter.com/FUDdaily/status/2012668421612183897?s=20  on stolen IP with fraudulent certification, and made with slave labour, while plundering the world’s oceans and polluting the planet like no other. Then as Europe deindustrialises and offshores its manufacturing to China (along with the knowledge economy that goes with it), it passively allows China to subvert its customs enforcement and tariff regime, and rolls out the red carpet for industrial scale data theft. Make no mistake. China IS at war with the West. This is an economic war that’s been going on for thirty years or more. But Western liberals would rather align with China because Orange man bad. That’s the mentality we’re dealing with here. For sure, China isn’t planning on invading the West, but they don’t need to – because we’re already handing over everything of value without a fight. https://twitter.com/OpenSourceZone/status/2012615143331352606?s=20   https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2012140279965401446?s=20 U.S. Economy Best Served by Independent Federal Reserve, Fed's Kashkari Says Kashkari says that the Fed's policy committee is focused on its economic goals as it deals with a complex scenario of a cooling labor market and inflation The U.S. economy is best served by having an independent Federal Reserve that executes monetary-policy decisions based only on data and analysis, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said in a virtual conversation with the Wisconsin Bankers Association. With a new Fed chair on the horizon, and increased pressure on the committee after it received subpoenas from the Justice Department late last week relating to Chair Jerome Powell's testimony about renovations of the central bank's headquarters in Washington, Kashkari said Wednesday that the Fed's policy committee is focused on its economic goals as it deals with a complex scenario of a cooling labor market and inflation that has remained above its 2% target. Source: wsj.com   Journal call me to ask whether or not such an offer was made? I would have very quickly told them, “NO,” and that would have been the end of the story. Also, one was led to believe that I offered Jamie Dimon the job of Secretary of the Treasury, but that would be one that he would be very interested in. The problem is, I have Scott Bessent doing a fantastic job, A SUPERSTAR — Why would I give it to Jamie? No such offer was made there, or even thought of, either. The Wall Street Journal ought to do better “fact checking,” or its already strained credibility will continue to DIVE. Thank you for your attention to this matter! Political/Rights      Order securing an EXCLUSIVE 4 hour Broadcast window, so this National Event stands above Commercial Postseason Games. No other Game or Team can violate this Time Slot!!!   On the field, they are rivals, but on the battlefield they are America's unstoppable Patriots, defending our Country with tremendous Strength and Heart. We must protect the Tradition, and the Players, who protect us. Please let this serve as Notice to ALL Television Networks, Stations, and Outlets. God Bless America, and God Bless our great Army-Navy Game!!! President Donald J. Trump https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2012590105265947114?s=20  enforcement are not only dangerous but also serious crimes. By putting law enforcement in danger and creating a conflagration of chaos, you are also risking your own life. https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/2012635139839520983?s=20  before protesters tried ripping him from the car to get him back on the street. “I just got stabbed by a crazie white commie leftist rioter today in Minnesota…” Lang said on X. “Plate carrier blocked it…” Horrific. https://twitter.com/JakeLang/status/2012691764251861167?s=20 https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2012583407557959872?s=20       of attention off the 18 Billion Dollar, Plus, FRAUD, that has taken place in the State! Don't worry, we're on it!  DOGE https://twitter.com/RedWave_Press/status/2012640651855233169?s=20   below) Leavitt: “[Trump] said, ‘Make sure you guys don't cut the tape, make sure the interview is out in full.” Tony Dokoupil: “Yeah, we're doing it, yeah.” Leavitt: “He said, ‘If it's not out in full, we'll sue your a$$ off.'”   https://twitter.com/VigilantFox/status/2012692074336829815?s=20 Thread   that reaffirm facts and separate facts from opinion. We want diversity of opinion. We don't want diversity of facts. That, I think, is one of the big tasks of social media. By the way, it will require some government regulatory constraints… Geopolitical https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2012865218641277321?s=20   can therefore not, even symbolically, be passed on or further distributed,” they add.    very successfully, at that! Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake. On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown. This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet. These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question. Starting on February 1st, 2026, all of the above mentioned Countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland), will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America. On June 1st, 2026, the Tariff will be increased to 25%. This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland. The United States has been trying to do this transaction for over 150 years. Many Presidents have tried, and for good reason, but Denmark has always refused. Now, because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important. Hundreds of Billions of Dollars are currently being spent on Security Programs having to do with “The Dome,” including for the possible protection of Canada, and this very brilliant, but highly complex system can only work at its maximum potential and efficiency, because of angles, metes, and bounds, if this Land is included in it. The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades. Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2012627390527045862?s=20  no place in this context. Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated manner if they are confirmed. We will ensure respect for European sovereignty. It is in this spirit that I will speak with our European partner. https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2012879305936621840?s=20 President Trump Announces New Tariffs Against “EU Leadership” Nations Attempting to Interfere in North American Strategic Defense and Greenland Negotiations Trump is telling the EU to quit talking and start actively being responsible for their own security.  In the background Trump has bigger plans. Hans Mahncke has a solid take on the bigger picture: “The notion that America wants Greenland for its raw materials is either insanely ignorant or just engagement bait. Extracting anything in the Arctic is prohibitively expensive, and often physically impossible, with extreme cold, thick ice, equipment that won't function, and no roads, rail or ports to move anything once you have it. The real reason America needs Greenland is its immense geostrategic military value, which should be obvious to anyone with a functioning brain, especially anyone who has ever looked at a map from above, with the North Pole at the center. Sure, some tasks could be outsourced to NATO, but that alliance is on its last legs, burdened by too many countries with conflicting priorities, and has mainly served as a way for Europe to freeload on US security guarantees. Relying on it for American national security is reckless. It's far smarter to cut out the endless middlemen and take direct control.” (source) As also noted by Jim Ferguson: “Ursula von der Leyen just went on camera and declared that Greenland “belongs to Denmark and NATO” — directly rebuking President Trump. Let's translate that. This isn't about the Greenlandic people. This is about Brussels panicking because Trump is exposing the Arctic power game. Greenland controls: • the northern missile corridor • Arctic shipping lanes • and the gateway to North America That makes it one of the most important strategic territories on Earth. And Trump said the quiet part out loud: If the U.S. doesn't secure it, China or Russia will. Von der Leyen's response wasn't to protect the West, it was to protect EU control. She wrapped it in pretty words about “NATO unity” — but what she really meant was: Brussels gets a veto over American security. That's what this is about. Trump isn't breaking the alliance. he's breaking the illusion that unelected EU bureaucrats get to decide the future of the Arctic. Greenland is not a Brussels bargaining chip; it is the northern shield of the United States, and for the first time in decades, America has a president willing to say it. Ursula doesn't hate Trump because he's reckless, she hates him because he won't let Europe freeload on American security while selling the future to Beijing.” Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/kadmitriev/status/2012621940402368862?s=20   War/Peace Iraq takes full control of air base after US withdrawal, defence ministry says  U.S. forces have withdrawn from Iraq’s Ain al-Asad Airbase, which housed U.S.-led forces in Western Iraq, and the Iraqi army has assumed full control, the Iraqi defence ministry said on Saturday. In 2024, Washington and Baghdad reached an understanding, opens new tab on plans for the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces from Iraq and a move towards a bilateral security relationship. Source: reuters.com      As Chairman of the Board of Peace, I am backing a newly appointed Palestinian Technocratic Government, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, supported by the Board’s High Representative, to govern Gaza during its transition. These Palestinian leaders are unwaveringly committed to a PEACEFUL future!   With the support of Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar, we will secure a COMPREHENSIVE Demilitarization Agreement with Hamas, including the surrender of ALL weapons, and the dismantling of EVERY tunnel. Hamas must IMMEDIATELY honor its commitments, including the return of the final body to Israel, and proceed without delay to full Demilitarization. As I have said before, they can do this the easy way, or the hard way. The people of Gaza have suffered long enough. The time is NOW.   PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. https://twitter.com/UnderSecE/status/2012860595121295443?s=20 the Union's project was unstoppable. Today, we are seeing that same spirit here: a relentless drive to push ahead with AI-scale growth and supply chain integration and investment. This is what Trump Time looks like. NONE of this would be possible without President Trump and Secretary Rubio's leadership! The work continues.   Trump Appoints Rubio, Witkoff, Kushner, And Blair To Gaza ‘Board Of Peace’ The White House announced on Jan. 16 the names of members appointed to the Gaza Board of Peace, which President Donald Trump created as part of phase two of a U.S.-backed plan to end the war in Gaza. Among the “founding executive board” members are U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The board also includes private equity executive Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and U.S. national security adviser Robert Gabriel, according to a White House statement. The board, to be chaired by Trump, will oversee the Palestinian technocratic committee—also known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG)—which will be led by former Palestinian Authority official Ali Abdel Hamid Shaath. The White House said each of the members will be tasked with managing Gaza's “governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization,” which it said are vital to the enclave's stability and long-term success. The administration also named Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum as senior advisers to manage the board's daily strategy and operations, and appointed Nickolay Mladenov, a Bulgarian diplomat and former United Nations envoy to the Middle East, as the high representative for Gaza. Trump also tapped Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers to lead the International Stabilization Force, which will oversee security operations and the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials to Gaza. The administration also announced a separate 11-member executive board, comprising some of the founding members, which will support both the technocratic committee and Mladenov's office. In announcing the board's formation on Jan. 15, Trump said the United States will work with Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar to secure an agreement that will require Hamas to surrender all weapons and dismantle its tunnel network. “Hamas must immediately honor its commitments, including the return of the final body to Israel, and proceed without delay to full Demilitarization,” the president said.  Source: zerohedge.com   https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/2012227016418816311?s=20    https://twitter.com/RyanSaavedra/status/2012568999738163323?s=20  the slaughter of its people. His country is the worst place in the world to live because of failed leadership.” “The crime he has committed as the leader of a country is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence on a scale that has never been seen before. To maintain the functioning of a country, even if that functioning is at the lowest possible level, a leader must focus on properly administering his country, as I do in the United States, rather than killing thousands of people to maintain control.” https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/2012703384986382564?s=20   Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2012657028783628755?s=20 Minnesota Governor Activates National Guard According to the Minnesota Dept of Public Safety, Governor Tim Walz has activated the national guard. However, in a statement on their X account the officials note, the guard “are not deployed to city streets at this time, but are ready to help support public safety, including protection of life, preservation of property and supporting the rights of all who assemble peacefully.” This is likely a proactive move to block President Trump from invoking the ‘insurrection act' to stop the chaos being fueled by the governor himself as well as professional leftists in the region. [SOURCE]  . The Minnesota national guard are being called to duty as a chaos management operation.  They are not being called up to stop the violence, merely facilitate the ongoing violent street protests.  The national noticing, along with the riots and violence, continues…. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com President Trump's Plan US Ends Aid to Somalia After Locals Torch and Loot Warehouse Filled with 76 Tons of US-Donated Food The United States ended taxpayer-funded food aid to Somalia after local officials torched and looted the stockpiles of food stored in a local warehouse. The US State Department released a statement after the warehouse was destroyed. https://twitter.com/USForeignAssist/status/2008980437591355644?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2008980437591355644%7Ctwgr%5E31d6d49d23e10c7438fba10706fbb66143259707%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Fus-ends-aid-somalia-after-locals-torch-loot%2F policy for waste, theft, and diversion of life-saving assistance. Source: thegatewaypundit.com DOJ Launches a CRIMINAL Investigation into Renee Good's Widow for Her Alleged Role in ICE Self-Defense Shooting: Report The widow of Renee Good is now reportedly in legal trouble following her actions in this month's ICE self-defense shooting in Minneapolis.  Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into Becca Good for allegedly impeding an ICE agent in the moments before her wife's death. The probe will focus on Becca's ties to far-left activist groups and her actions leading up to her wife's fatal shooting.  n. NBC News reported:   Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2011987701113786455?s=20 Trump Reportedly Puts OVER 1,000 Active Duty Soldiers on Standby For Deployment to Minnesota After Threatening to Invoke Insurrection Act – White House Responds   As The Washington Post reported, the Trump Administration has ordered roughly 1,500 active-duty soldiers to be on standby for deployment to Minnesota following the massive anti-ICE riots over the past several days. These riots have reached a new and dangerous level following the ICE self-defense shooting of leftist protester Renee Good. Here are more details on the possible deployment from The Post: Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2012873723376799902?s=20 https://twitter.com/TheStormRedux/status/2012887587396927854?s=20  of the United States. Foreign illegal aliens who broke into this country who then raped children, who committed human trafficking, sex trafficking, drug trafficking – protected, shielded, sheltered, coddled, defended at every level by the leadership in Minnesota… Willfully aiding and abetting this violence.” Stephen Miller continued on to explain that it's all to protect their “mass migration scheme” because the illegal aliens are “the heart of the Democrat party's political power.” Deport the criminals and the D party loses their voting base. To @realDonaldTrump , pull the trigger. The American people stand behind you! https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2012272658780434598?s=20  . The Military would be assisting in the deportation operation, and serving as both a physical and psychological deterrent for would-be rioters. And given that the Dems are using illegals to steal elections, this operation is literally a matter of NATSEC, so the usage of US MIL to expedite the process is more than justified. Trump will strike when the time is right. https://twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll/status/2012878860732228047?s=20   Presidency but, when you think of it, neither did Joe Biden. The whole thing was RIGGED. There must be a price to pay, and it has got to be a BIG ONE! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP   https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2012897466685763881?s=20   backing her challenge to Bill Cassidy and formalizing a long-simmering rift with RINO leadership in the Senate. The endorsement underscores Trump's push to remake the Senate with loyal America First fighters. The move could reshape multiple races, including in Texas, where Trump has signaled support for Ken Paxton as Sen. John Cornyn's campaign continues to falter. https://twitter.com/mattvanswol/status/2012586397442416715?s=20   https://twitter.com/AwakenedOutlaw/status/2011915642543525943?s=20   understand why he has to do what he’s doing, you will.  Everyone will. https://twitter.com/Pat_Stedman/status/2012152603468034264?s=20 The emotionally incontinent on this website were screaming all year that Trump had to arrest people Day 1, not understanding this was a siege, and the route to long term political dominance lay in not only attriting the enemy before battle but developing the moral high ground to fight in the first place. The left’s choices now are lose slowly and get picked off one by one or throw it all on one last dice roll while you still have some assets to deploy. They are the ones who are desperate not Trump. And they are about to give him the political capital to deploy the military against them and destroy them utterly and completely – not just their networks, but their entire narrative. By the time it’s all over