Podcasts about Nearby

You're in China and you want some tea. Where do you go? A tea house, of course. But what happens if you can't find one? Perhaps you'll have to settle for another kind of caffeinated beverage... Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1420

Can a giant asteroid knock the Moon from its orbit? How good does a telescope need to be to see the Oort cloud? What are the odds of a rogue planet hiding nearby in our Solar system? And in our extended Q&A+ version, can we be sure that we're alone in the Universe? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

Revolutionizing Salary Benchmarks: A Fair Approach in Hiring In this episode of 'Woice with Warikoo,' we discuss a notable hiring case from my previous startup, Nearby.com, where we made a significant salary offer based on our innovative compensation benchmarking process. We explore the flaws of traditional salary practices reliant on past pay slips and argue for a more objective approach in determining salaries. Discover how this method led to a win-win situation for both the company and the candidate, and learn about the importance of fair compensation in attracting top-notch professionals. Tune in for insightful discussions on career growth and market standards. 00:00 Introduction to Woice with Warikoo 00:29 The Salary Benchmarking Dilemma 01:53 Implementing a Fair Compensation Process 02:43 A Success Story and Its Impact 03:36 Conclusion and Podcast Promotion

Revolutionizing Salary Benchmarks: A Fair Approach in Hiring In this episode of 'Woice with Warikoo,' we discuss a notable hiring case from my previous startup, Nearby.com, where we made a significant salary offer based on our innovative compensation benchmarking process. We explore the flaws of traditional salary practices reliant on past pay slips and argue for a more objective approach in determining salaries. Discover how this method led to a win-win situation for both the company and the candidate, and learn about the importance of fair compensation in attracting top-notch professionals. Tune in for insightful discussions on career growth and market standards. 00:00 Introduction to Woice with Warikoo 00:29 The Salary Benchmarking Dilemma 01:53 Implementing a Fair Compensation Process 02:43 A Success Story and Its Impact 03:36 Conclusion and Podcast Promotion

Nestled in the heart of the forest, a secluded metal-roofed hut becomes your peaceful retreat as a gentle rain drizzle softly taps against its surface. The rhythmic patter of raindrops blends seamlessly with the earthy hum of green noise, a natural symphony of low, calming frequencies that evoke the sounds of rustling leaves and distant wildlife. Nearby, a gentle stream babbles over smooth stones, adding a melodic flow to the tranquil atmosphere. The combination of rain, green noise, and the soothing stream creates a perfect harmony, enveloping you in a serene, nature-infused embrace. Inside the hut, the air is cool and fresh, carrying the scent of wet soil and pine, while the sounds of the forest outside provide a calming lullaby, inviting deep relaxation and peaceful reflection.---Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ & ⁠TikTok⁠ & ⁠YouTube⁠ @12hourwhitenoiseFollow us on ⁠X (formerly known as Twitter)⁠ @sleepwithnoiseFollow us on ⁠Facebook⁠ @whitenoiseandsleepsounds---Have a sound you'd like to hear? Email support@12hourwhitenoise.com⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠12hourwhitenoise.com⁠⁠⁠

In a quiet town in Georgia, a white oak tree stands at the edge of a small rise, surrounded by stone posts and legend. According to local lore, this tree legally owns itself – a gift from a man who once loved it so deeply, he signed over the land it stood on. Nearby, a plaque still carries his words: “For and in consideration of the great love I bear this tree…” This episode reflects on that love, and what it means to care for nature not out of duty, but from something deeper. We explore the story of the tree, the growing movement for nature's legal personhood, and the quiet truth that when we protect the earth, we are also protecting ourselves. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am using the YouVersion 49 Week Bible Challenge for these devotions. Today's readings are Matthew 8:1-11; Psalm 107; Jeremiah 30; Malachi 1.

This episode continues our series on the Cinque Ports, an ancient confederation of towns in southeast England that provided ships and men to the crown in return for special powers and privileges. They have since become rightly dubbed as the cradle of the Royal Navy. This episode brings us to the lovely town of Tenterden, which joined the Cinque Ports confederation in 1449 supplying ships and men against French raiders. Nearby was the important port of Small Hythe, once a bustling and thriving shipbuilding centre before environmental change dramatically altered the landscape. Recent archaeological investigation has hinted at the scale of maritime industry that was once here, and a visit to Tenterden shows just how wealthy and significant this town once was. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spark Bridge Media is celebrating the launch of its new Near Me searches service online by giving 20% of all our services. Further information can be found at https://www.sparkbridgemedia.com/NearMeSearch. sparkbridgemedia City: Melbourne Address: 470 Saint Kilda Road Website: https://www.sparkbridgemedia.com Email: support@sparkbridgemedia.com

AP correspondent Jennifer King reports on seaweed suffocating shores in the Caribbean.

On the HAT Podcast Eric Pfeiffer and C.J. Miller have the news including the new planting weather forecast and Indiana has achieved freedom from HPAI or bird flu. We will explore what that designation means. HAT Chief Meteorologist Ryan Martin says there is moisture in parts of the state and clouds in other parts but a good weekend is coming. Nearby soybean futures turned around to join the wheat market in the black Thursday, and corn traded lower again. Andy Eubank has the numbers and he is joined by analyst Karl Setzer for market insights. It's all part of the #HATPodcast, made possible by First Farmers Bank & Trust - proudly serving local farms, families, and agribusiness for 140 years. Visit them online at FFBT.com to learn more.

Charlotte, the Sage of Abby HillBased on the work of BradentonLarry, in 6 parts.  Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.The Sage and  a Kind of Good-Bye"The Sage is ready to see you now," said Wei, the tall Asian man who they had learned was the Abbot of the brown-robed monks – or the Order of Record Keepers, as they called themselves.Don gently urged Nicole to release his cock from her mouth and promised they would get back to playing soon. As he tied his grey robe about himself, Don saw that Toshia, who had been riding up and down on Alan's lap only a moment before was also hurrying to make herself "presentable". After waking up hours ago, and the following, almost routine, morning sex (Well, that's definitely the right way to start the day, particularly when you wake up sandwiched between two naked, sexy women! Don thought to himself with a happy smile), they had had a bite of breakfast and been asked to wait until they were called for. While they learned a little bit more about the Order, most of the morning was spent in lazy sexual play. It was now shortly after midday, and at least two of them were quite eager to meet this person whom they had been awaiting, and had gone to such lengths to find.They followed Wei to the foot of a winding staircase and proceeded up. At the top, behind a modest door, they were admitted to a good sized study, complete with shelves filled with row upon row of books. Windows all around the room let bright sunlight in. There were a few comfortable chairs, and a nice desk, behind which, in a brown robe, sat a middle aged woman with thick, dark brown hair falling down around her shoulders. She was apparently reading the last page of a stack of typed material.Wei gestured to a set of chairs that had been drawn into a circle of four, and said, "Please, make yourself comfortable, she will be right with you."Sure enough, right after he had closed the door behind himself but before they could get comfortable in their chairs, the woman looked up at them and smiled. "Hello," she said as she stood up and came around the desk. "You're obviously Don, and I'm guessing you're Toshia and you're Nicole.""That's right, and you're 'the Sage'?" Toshia asked."That's what they call me," she smiled as she sat down in a high-backed chair."I admit, I was expecting someone a bit ... more wizened," Don smiled."Well, it's really just a title, like 'the Crone', though I suspect the similarities end about there. You can call me Charlotte if you prefer.""Pleased to meet you, Charlotte," Toshia said."Likewise," Charlotte smiled again. "I know you must have many questions, but let me just say, I've just finished reading your various reports, and I've enjoyed them very much. Our scribes are chosen for their skill at asking the right sorts of questions and their ability to flesh out the stories they're given, but in this case they've had very good material to work with. The three of you have had some very interesting adventures. I particularly enjoyed reading about your encounter with the Bull, Toshia.""So, everyone who comes here looking for you tells their story and you read it?" Nicole asked."Yes, that's right. I confess, my personal 'kink' is to get off reading about, and sometimes watching, the exploits of others. I would have finished reading your reports earlier, but I had to keep stopping to masturbate.""Wouldn't it have been more efficient for us to just tell you directly?" Nicole asked with a twinkle in her eye that the Sage seemed to miss."Well, yes, but there are two problems with that," Charlotte answered. "One, we keep all the stories, as a record and a source of study...""You could just have someone type it up as we told you," Toshia pointed out.Charlotte nodded, "That's quite true, but then the narrator would be bristling with questions for me, which would slow things down and cause all kinds of complications.""Is that the second problem?" Don asked."No, the second one is that there seems to be some benefit to having each person tell his or her own story, and then comparing them.""How have our stories diverged?" Don wanted to know."Well, I've only just read the three of them, and haven't had hardly any time to think about them, but Don's way of looking at your time here in Eros involves a lot of digressions and interconnections, while Toshia's is more straight-forward. Nicole's is actually rather journalistic."Don could see that Nicole had half a mind to object to this, but he cut in with, "OK, but what's the point of all this anyway?"Charlotte the Sage frowned slightly and said, "I assume you mean the record-keeping?""Well, for now, yes.""At some point, long ago, the first Sage decided that one way of trying to make sense of the whys and wherefores of Eros was to start recording the experiences of people who, like him, remembered their lives before waking up here.""And, has it helped?" Toshia asked."Well, it certainly makes for some stimulating reading," Charlotte laughed. Then she added, "It definitely has served to build up some generalizations that seem to be helpful.""Such as?" Don prodded."Every single person who has come here, to this Abbey, and this goes back for 450 Erosian years, has spoken English rather fluently. Now, the only people who we interview are those who remember their lives prior to waking up here, but none of them has ever reported meeting anyone who doesn't speak English. This suggests that either the people who don't remember spoke English before they arrived here, were somehow rewired to speak English upon being brought over, or are native Erosians. This all seems to strongly suggest that whomever or whatever is responsible for selecting people for Eros speaks English, and that seems quite surprising and noteworthy to me.""So, which is it, were they brought here or are they natives?" Nicole asked."They were brought," Don said quietly, remembering his and Toshia's visit to the Library in the Manor."Well, the evidence does suggest that," Charlotte nodded. "They seem to have various personality traits and interests that wouldn't make sense for native Erosians, for one thing.""That's what I was thinking," Don added."Also, some people have actually met people they recognized or even knew quite well from Earth, but who seemed to have no memory of that other life.""That must have been bizarre," Toshia said."It has sometimes been ... awkward, to say the least," nodded Charlotte."All of this is very interesting, but you mentioned whomever, or whatever, is selecting people from Earth – English speaking people from Earth," Don said as he leaned forward. "Who or what is doing this, and why? What's the point of it all?"Charlotte smiled again, "I honestly can't say. I admit that the question puts me in a philosophical frame of mind. Imagine if I asked you what the point of it all was on Earth. Anyway, there are theories, of course. Some Sages have thought that we were being held prisoner here as lab rats, running countless experiments on human sexuality, others that there is some power, or powers, who feed off human eroticism, or who have lost the ability to generate it for themselves – the ultimate voyeurs. There seems no question that there's some intelligence behind it, though.""Why do you think so?" Toshia asked."Well, it only selects people who are quite dissatisfied with their Earthly sex lives." Charlotte held up her hand to forestall Toshia's objection. "The fact that it is very hard to sort out exactly what counts as such dissatisfaction seems to lend weight to this consideration. No doubt, Toshia would hesitate to say that she was dissatisfied in any way with Sarah, but it seems clear from reading her story that she would hardly think of the sex life she was having before as being satisfying now. Almost every single person who has found his or her way here has thought that being brought to Eros was a wonderful gift, which has led some to speculate that this was some kind of heaven."Don couldn't resist scowling at this notion, and Charlotte noticed. "I don't buy that either," she said with a smile. "On the other hand, it's the best afterlife I've ever heard of. Going back to the question of intelligence, one of the most telling bits of evidence is the two of you, Don and Toshia."After taking a moment to scowl thoughtfully at this suggestion, Toshia asked, "What do you mean?""As far as our records indicate, the two of you are unique. No pair of friends has ever woken up together like you have. Before you ask, I have absolutely no idea what that might mean. Perhaps it's for the purposes of one of those psycho-sexual experiments."There was a moment of silence before Don decided to ask, "What's up with the black robed figures?""The Watchers," Charlotte nodded. "Another indication that there is some kind of intelligent process going on. After 450 years of accumulating data, there has never been anyone – anyone recorded, anyway – who has managed to talk to, or even catch hold of, one of those bastards. They watch for a bit; then, when you think you're going to get your hands on one, they're gone.""Is it science or magic?" Toshia asked."I'm inclined to follow Arthur C. Clarke on this one and say I don't really know that there's a difference in this context.""There are so many questions," Don muttered, shaking his head. "How many people remember their lives? What's the distribution of their wheres and whens? Is there anything they all have in common besides being sexually frustrated?""Is there a way to get home again?" Toshia asked resolutely.Charlotte, knowing this was the issue that had motivated them in seeking her out, turned to Toshia with a serious expression and said, "Yes, or so it would seem anyway. There are apparently at least two ways. The first is to become bored with life in Eros. It seems that when that happens you will simply go missing, and it's presumed that you return to your Earthly life. As to the other, more proactive, way, the lake outside is the headwater of a river that runs several hundred kilometers to an ocean or a sea – we haven't been able to get anyone to engage in any kind of systematic exploration. Along the coastline to the left of mouth of river...""To the left facing the sea?" Don asked."Yes," Charlotte smiled again. "Go down the river, then turn left, and proceed along the coast, until you find a place called the Grotto of Ishtar, or just the Grotto. There, according to two people who have accompanied others seeking to leave, you'll find a way to return home."Toshia looked like she was ready to head off immediately, but a couple of concerns occurred to Don. He said, "I'm troubled by something: how can anyone here know that people return home safely? And, now that I'm saying that, how did the Scholar know that time moves differently here in Eros? It doesn't seem to make sense that we could know these things unless someone has been able to return home and then come back.""Very good, Don," Charlotte nodded, and Don found himself thinking that she must have been a teacher back on Earth. She explained, "There seems to be a way to go back and forth between Eros and Earth more or less at will. One of the more enterprising people who have visited the Abbey several times, a Stephanie Ayers, found someone with this ability and talked to him at great length. She then tracked down two more people, and in doing so was able to confirm these rumors and suppositions.""How are they able to do it?" Don asked intently."Stephanie says they have 'magic rings' that allow them to 'decide' to wake up in either Eros or Earth; or, should that be 'on'?""Where do they get those rings, and what do they look like?""I cannot answer the first, Don, but apparently they are simple rings of a shiny black material, something like hematite."Don sat back in his chair. That sounds familiar! After a moment of reflection, he smiled broadly and said, "I think I've seen someone with one of those, and I'm pretty sure I can find her again."Charlotte gave Don a long look and said, "I can guess what you have in mind, Don, but I should warn you that these ring people are not only very possessive of their rings, but also very evasive about how they came to acquire them. Stephanie hasn't been able to get any useful information so far, and she's been at this a while."Toshia brought the discussion back to the main topic with, "I wanted to ask another question – our flying carpet stopped working and several hundred kilometers is a long way – do you know of any way to make the trip quicker?""Well, yes," Charlotte answered, "I would take the riverboat.""The riverboat?""Yes, there's a riverboat that goes from the Resort down to the city on the coast, Rendezvous, and back. You might have to wait for it sometime, it doesn't keep to a schedule very well, but it docks just outside of the Resort, through the gate opposite the one you used to come here.""Wait," Don cut in, "there's a city?""Well, it's a town, really, but it's the biggest one in Eros as far as I know."This prompted what felt like a dozen questions in Don's mind, starting with those of economics. He was still having a hard time coming to grips with the weirdness of how Eros worked."Thank you for your time, Charlotte," Toshia was saying.Although Don wanted to interject with, "Are we leaving already?" he realized how important it was for Toshia to stay on the task of returning to Sarah, so he set aside the questions he was dying to ask and stood, saying, "Thank you very much." Nicole followed suit.The Sage stood up as well, and said, "If you decide to stay longer in Eros, please feel welcome to return to the Abbey anytime."Don smiled warmly at this suggestion, and thought it was a bit odd that he was leaving this attractive, intelligent woman without having had the pleasure of, well, pleasuring her. Eros had definitely altered his way of thinking.At the foot of the winding staircase, Wei met them with one of his smiles and their clothing. Once they had changed, Wei led them back to the entrance-exit. The other "monks" seemed particularly scarce. Similarly, the huge guardian of the bridge was nowhere to be seen as they crossed it.Toshia set the pace down the trail for the Resort. She was clearly in a hurry to get on the road, or river, as the case may be, to this Grotto of Ishtar. Don kept up with her easily, but also kept an eye on Nicole, who didn't walk as fast as Don and Toshia even when they weren't hurrying. He could tell that something was troubling the pretty young woman, but his own mind was still bustling with too many questions for him to ask her what was on her mind. Still, he wasn't surprised when, as they came around the last corner and saw the Resort's gate ahead, Nicole asked them to stop for a moment."I thought I should tell you this before we found the others," Nicole said, taking a moment to sit down on a nearby rock."What is it?" Toshia said with obvious and honest concern."I'm not going back," Nicole said. "Well, not yet. I'm going to wait until I'm tired of this place. I don't really have anybody back home to hurry back to, Toshia, and I fucking love it here. I'd come along to make sure you get to the Grotto safely, but it sounds like you and Don will be able to do that without me. I don't think you'll be able to shake Shelonda anyway, but you might want to consider leaving Victor and Amy here at the Resort. You know the rest of Eros isn't so nice and friendly, and this place is safe."Don smiled at Nicole and said, "It's been great having you along with us for this long.""If they're right about time, we'll all wake up 'tomorrow' and email each other," Nicole smiled with a bit of sadness. "Well, allowing for the date difference, that is. You better come visit me, Professor."Don laughed, and said, "Of course! I'm already looking forward to it.""You can come stay with us in Florida," Toshia smiled. Don could see a tear in her eye.He decided to make things a bit easier on them all by changing the subject, "You know, she has a good point about the others."Toshia seemed to fasten upon this line of thought, saying, "Well, Shelonda's going to be very hurt if we don't allow her to come with us, I think.""I'm not sure we're in any position to allow or disallow her, actually," Don said."True," Toshia nodded. "So, the most we can do is encourage her to stay here. Probably that's the most we can do for all of them.""We could suggest that they need to stay here to keep an eye on Nicole," Don mused.Nicole laughed, and said, "Oh, I'm sure I'll be quite alright here.""And, what happens if Nicole does eventually get tired of this place and goes missing?" Don nodded. "Do people who don't remember their past lives do that? Damn, I should have thought of asking that earlier."

The House has passed a bill mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms. If the Senate signs off, Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to make it law. A 2023 law expanded polling place requirements – but many small counties couldn't keep up. Now a new bill that rolls back those mandates […] The post Corpus Christi's water future looks uncertain as Tesla builds nearby refinery appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Clubbing & SwingingBased on the work of BradentonLarry, in 6 parts.  Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.Shelonda was next and explained that she had been Toshia's counterpart, picking up discarded towels from a different part of the Temple. "I was bending over all the time, and people kept squeezing my butt and playing with me. I liked it at first, but I got really horny very quickly. Fortunately, a guy stopped and started fucking me. I was really getting into it, and soon a bunch of guys and a woman were all over me." Shelonda provided all the details requested, but by now it was clear that everyone was getting frisky enough that they would need to go find a room to enjoy or start playing right there in the banquet room.Fortunately, Nicole didn't have anything much different to report than the others. She had been assigned the job of masseuse's assistant: fetching miscellaneous supplies, helping guests off the table after they were thoroughly relaxed, assisting with making sure everyone had a happy ending, etc. Of course, she'd had a wonderful time, and seemed to have actually done less work than anyone else.Then they had to decide where to start their free exploration of the Temple of Venus and Aphrodite. "I have to admit," Toshia volunteered, "that I'd like to see what an orgy that's been going on for seven years looks like.""And I'd like to check out that 'dark room' whatever that is," Don added."A bit of an orgy sounds good to me," Amy said with a grin.Toshia took Don's hand as they headed for the door, and said, "Then we'll check out the dark room."The main orgy room was easy to find. It took up almost the entire fourth floor. There were copious cushions scattered all over the floor, which had soft, luxurious carpeting anyway. Chairs, couches, loveseats, chaise lounges, day beds, and ottomans were abundantly available. Here and there steps led up or down to slightly different levels. Everywhere, though, there were naked bodies pleasuring each other."Fun!" Amy declared. Everyone agreed with her and immediately started looking for places to join in. Amy took Victor by the big hand and led him into the orgy. From where she was Toshia saw Amy dropping to her knees in front of Victor, eagerly taking his big cock into her mouth.Toshia grabbed Don by the arm, pulled him in the direction of Amy and Victor, and pulled him with her down to the floor. The knelt facing each other as they kissed. Don's hands moved greedily over her back, finding their way down to her ass and squeezing it tightly. Toshia laughed happily as Don's mouth descended on her neck and her hand wrapped around his already stiff cock. Then Shelonda and Nicole joined them, one on either side, Shelonda on Toshia's right, and Nicole on her left. The two black girls proceeded to kiss and caress Don and Toshia everywhere they could reach. Shelonda's right hand slipped in between Toshia and Don and found its way down to Toshia's crotch. Soon Toshia felt fingers slipping up inside her and brushing over her clit. Don was still kissing, sucking and biting at her neck, Nicole was pinching her nipple, Don was squeezing her ass, and Shelonda was fucking her fingers in and out, pressing her hand against Toshia's clit, and Toshia... Then Toshia was coming hard, gasping, shaking and moaning between her friends.Those friends gently laid her down on the floor, and then Don was between her legs, slipping his hard cock up inside her ready pussy. Toshia smiled up at him and pulled him deeper into her best embrace. "Fuck me, love," she said. "Fill me up with your cum."Don leaned down and kissed her. It was just a peck at first, but became a long, passionate, fiery kiss as he moved in and out of her there among the other naked bodies. For a while it was just the two of them, alone on the edge of a sea of writhing, gasping, grunting people. They were part of the orgy that had gone on for seven years, but for now it was just the two of them making quiet intense love. Don gave her another sweet, slow orgasm before she felt him pressing more urgently into her. Then he was thrusting hard as he pumped and pumped his cum into her pussy just as she'd asked. He trembled in her arms and buried his face in her shoulder. Toshia held him close to her and caressed his back and held his head to her. They lay like that for several long, sweet moments sharing their loving intimacy.Then, they became aware of their surroundings. First there were the now familiar sounds of Shelonda and Nicole enjoying themselves fully, and then there were the hands that were moving over their bodies. Toshia felt a hand slipping up along the length of her leg and another that brushed against her hand where it lay on Don's back.Don raised his head to look around, only to have a young woman with straight brown hair and startling white teeth pull his head back so she could lean over his shoulder and give him a long, passionate kiss. When she finally let him go, Don laughed and said, "Well, it's nice to meet you too.""Hi, I'm Brandi," the woman grinned back at Don and then down at Toshia. "Mind if I cut in?"Neither Toshia nor Don were sure who she was asking, but when they didn't object, Brandi assumed they didn't mind, and said, "Great!" She then wormed her way in front of Don to lower her mouth to Toshia's. Suddenly Toshia was kissing this beautiful, aggressive new woman, whose hand was already moving across to cup Toshia's tit firmly. Toshia found herself reaching up to hold Brandi's head in place so she would keep kissing her. As Don pulled away, Toshia murmured her disappointment but continued to kiss Brandi. She was happy to feel Brandi's fingers moving down over her belly and then slipping between Toshia's legs where they found Don and Toshia's mingled juices spilling out. Without hesitating, Brandi pushed her fingers and a healthy helping of those juices up into Toshia, who arched her back and moaned into her new lover's mouth.Toshia was still lying on her back, with Brandi kneeling over her almost perpendicularly to Toshia's left, kissing her Toshia and reaching down to finger Toshia's pussy. This left Toshia's right breast exposed, and someone got his or her mouth in there and fastened upon Toshia's erect nipple. As this mysterious new mouth sucked and pulled on Toshia's tit, Toshia felt this person, who she was now sure was a woman, caressing her ass, and then sliding her hand around to join Brandi's in playing with her. Two more fingers pushed up into Toshia's pussy, and Toshia began to moan around Brandi's tongue. When those second two fingers pulled out of her Brandi worked a third of her fingers into Toshia, and then the mystery woman pushed her slippery two fingers slowly up Toshia's ass. This pushed Toshia over the edge, and she began to shake and cry out with an intense, long orgasm.Brandi finally broke their kiss and Toshia realized from the gentle swaying of the girl over her that Brandi had been getting fucked from behind almost all the time she had been fingering Toshia. Toshia smiled back up at the pretty woman's face and noticed that she also had beautiful full breasts, and Toshia couldn't resist reaching out with her left hand to catch one of Brandi's tits in her hand. Then, she looked down to see the lovely, dusky hued woman or Iranian or Indian descent who was still fingering Toshia's ass. Toshia grinned at this woman, who smiled back. Toshia began to work her body around clockwise, taking a moment to carefully throw her right leg over the dark-eyed beauty, and being careful not to dislodge those probing fingers, until she was able to scoot under Brandi's body to play with those beautiful firm tits of hers. The beautiful brown woman fingering her ass moved in between Toshia's legs and began to lick and suck at her pussy and clit, while Brandi lowered herself so Toshia could get her mouth on Brandi's nipples, one at a time. All while someone steadily fucked Brandi.Toshia could tell from the way Brandi was moving over her that the man behind her was fucking her harder and harder, and then knew he was coming inside her. When Brandi began to shift and threatened to pull away, Toshia reached up to grab her waist and pulled her closer. Brandi got the hint, smiled down at Toshia and carefully moved into position with her pussy over Toshia's mouth. With her hands still on Brandi's hips, Toshia pulled the pretty woman down until she could get her tongue up inside Brandi's cum-filled pussy. Toshia drank down the thick, sweet jizz and promptly began to lick at Brandi's clit. Meanwhile, the woman licking Toshia's clit and fingering her ass had pushed her thumb up into Toshia's pussy, and was flexing her wrist so that Toshia's pussy and ass were being steadily fucked by her digits. Soon Toshia's back was arching up off the carpet as she came long and hard between the two women. She didn't stop licking at Brandi, though, and was soon also rewarded with feeling the pretty woman sitting on her face trembling and shaking as Toshia brought her off.This seemed to be the signal for their little threesome to dissolve. As soon as she caught her breath, Brandi carefully got off Toshia's face and without another word moved off to find fun elsewhere. Toshia also felt the woman between her legs pulling away, but Toshia sat up and caught the woman's head in her hands and pulled her up toward her. They met with a long, playful kiss, mingling the tastes of Toshia's and Brandi's pussies as well as traces of Don's cum and that of whoever had fucked Brandi."I'm Toshia," she said as she leaned back, pulling the other woman back and over her."I'm Nadja," said the other woman with a smile. Her fingers and thumb slipped out of Toshia's ass and pussy, but she immediately pushed her fingers up into Toshia's wet and grasping pussy, pressing the heel of her hand against Toshia's clit, as she lay down on top of Toshia and continued to kiss her.Toshia moved her hands over Nadja's petite frame, over her back and down to her tight little ass. She was unsurprised to feel a man's hands also exploring Nadja's backside. Then, whoever the man was, his hands moved up to Nadja's narrow waist and pulled her up a bit. Nadja stopped kissing long enough to say, "I believe I'm about to be violated.""Mind if I watch?" Toshia grinned."As long as you do it while you kiss me," Nadja said, lowering her mouth to Toshia's again.Sure enough, Nadja's motions on top of Toshia indicated that she was being slowly and steadily fucked. Toshia worked her left hand up between them until she could feel the hard cock sliding in and out of Nadja's pussy, and then began to stroke Nadja's clit with her fingers. Nadja kept working her fingers in and out of Toshia pussy while kissing Toshia and being fucked from behind. Toshia found the whole scene incredibly erotic, particularly as Nadja began to come without taking her mouth off Toshia's. The tiny woman moaned and trembled between Toshia and the man behind her without pausing in her passionate kissing and fingering.Toshia thought she might come again, but the man fucking Nadja beat her to it. Nadja murmured approval into Toshia's mouth, and Toshia felt warm cum on her fingers. As the man pulled out of Nadja, spilling more cum over Toshia's hand, Nadja looked down at Toshia and said, "Now that was delightful."Toshia grinned and said, "I'm not done with you, yet. Sit on my face.""If you insist," Nadja laughed. With almost startling enthusiasm, she pulled her fingers from Toshia and crawled up until she was kneeling over Toshia's face.Holding the tiny girl's ass in her hands, Toshia pulled her down to her mouth, where she began to lick up the man's cum and then to lavish her oral attention on Nadja's hard clit. Nadja pressed down on Toshia's mouth, and leaned back a bit, squeezing her small tits tightly. As Toshia sucked on Nadja's clit and then went back to tonguing it firmly, she thought, This must be what people really mean when they talk about Heaven.As Don pulled away to let the new girl, Brandi, get acquainted with Toshia, he decided to have a look around to see what everyone else was up to. He carefully stood up and took a couple of steps to get out of the actual orgy.He spotted Amy on her back, her head on a good-sized pillow. Straddling her chest with his hands on her head and his cock sliding in and out of her mouth and throat was a trim East Asian guy with his black hair buzzed almost down to his scalp. Amy's legs were parted and ready for someone to get between them. Nearby, Victor was standing over an athletic white guy with short, curly reddish hair, who was sitting facing the same way as Victor and who was sucking on Victor's big cock and fondling his balls, all while Victor flexed his knees, pushing that schlong of his in and out of the other fellow's mouth.Don noticed that an adorable woman was now joining in on Brandi and Toshia's little session, and that a man had begun to fuck Brandi from behind. Near this scene, Shelonda had secured the services of a tall, fit black guy with short hair, who seemed as young as the Nymphets to Don. The young man was sitting on the floor, leaning back on his arms and with his knees slightly bent. Shelonda was sitting on his cock, leaning back, supporting herself with her arms and riding up and down on the cock inside her. Meanwhile, an athletic woman, with large tits, long legs, a tight ass and long straight black hair, had her mouth on one of Shelonda's tits and seemed to have a hand down playing with Shelonda's clit.Before he could locate Nicole, Don felt a warm hand slide up his arm and then squeeze his shoulder. He turned to look into the face of a very pretty woman, who he would guess to be Chinese. She had short black hair, an impishly coy expression and surprisingly blue eyes. Before Don could ask her name or even properly appreciate her slender frame and long legs, this beauty smiled and sank to her knees in front of him. She stroked his cock with her long fingers and kissed the head before sucking it into her mouth. Don gently reached down to caress her hair and watched as she began to bob her head up and down on his quickly hardening shaft.Looking up from this perfect vision for a moment, Don spotted Nicole. The petite young woman was on her back, basically in a missionary position, a muscular white guy with long, curly, brown hair fucking her steadily. However, Nicole's legs were extended out straight, in a V aimed at the ceiling, and there was a tall, caramel skinned woman with a spectacular ass and long, wavy black hair with a bit of gray in it sitting on Nicole's face. In front of this second woman, making out with her, was an athletic Polynesian-looking woman with large breasts and long, wild hair who was in turn sitting on someone's face.By now the mysterious woman in front of him was sucking Don's cock with enthusiasm, and he was again rock hard. He noticed that Toshia was moving around to get under Brandi's body, while the other woman kept her hand between Toshia's legs. Don realized there was too much going on in this huge sex-filled room, and he would simply have to focus his attention. He didn't have to deliberate long to decide where to direct that focus first.Pushing her gently back from his sex, Don bent down, took the Asian woman's face in his hands and kissed her. She responded warmly. After taking the time to really enjoy the sensations of kissing a new and very friendly woman, he said, "I'm Don.""And I'm Liu," she smiled."I'm very pleased to meet you, Liu," Don smiled. "Now, why don't we lie down so I can give as good as I'm getting?""That sounds wonderful," Liu grinned and backed away a bit to let Don lie down on his back. She wasted no time then in getting into position over him. Don felt her mouth on his prick again, as he reached up to pull Liu down so he could get his mouth and tongue on her moist, delicious sex. He ran his tongue from her clit up along between her lips, tasting her sweet pussy. She was short enough that his arms were behind her legs, so Don had to lean up a bit to get his mouth on her, but it also meant that he could easily use his hands to caress her ass and spread her cheeks a bit as he pushed his long, strong tongue up inside her. He was aware of her mouth and hands on his cock and balls, but Don concentrated on what he was doing. When he began to focus on her clit, sucking and licking on it, he pushed two fingers up into her pussy. Apparently Liu loved this because she promptly pushed back on Don. He obliged her by pushing his fingers deeper, and then adding a third finger, fucking them in and out of her as he continued to tongue her clit. Soon Don was working his fingers in and out of Liu vigorously and she was shaking and gasping on top of him as a long orgasm wracked her slender body.As she came down, Don slipped his fingers out of her vagina and gave her clit and pussy lips tender kisses. He felt Liu sighing happily, and then she decided to change positions. She pushed herself up so that she was kneeling over him, and quickly moved down, so that she was straddling his pelvis. Don basically lay back and watched as Liu took his rigid cock, wet with her saliva, in her hand, raised it until it was pointing straight up, and then pushed the fat head into her tiny pussy. He reached up and held on to her hips as she slowly sank down on him. Don found himself admiring the muscles of her back as Liu began to move on him. He caressed her lovely ass as she rode slowly up and down on his cock. Once she was comfortable with him in her, Liu began, very slowly, to lean forward, pushing Don's cock "down" further than it was used to. It was uncomfortable at first, and a bit painful for a moment at times, but Liu eventually worked herself down so that her feet were up by Don's shoulders, she was supporting herself with her hands between his legs, and she was leaning low while she worked her body back and forth getting Don's hard shaft to move inside her pussy in an unusual and delightful way. Don was able to squeeze and caress her ass as she rode him. He slowly pushed his thumb into her exposed asshole which made Liu cry out happily.Don was so intent on fucking Liu that he was actually surprised when Amy's face appeared over his. He barely had time to notice that the pretty blonde's face was, as was so often the case, covered with pearly cum before she was kissing him deeply. Don found himself laughing as he returned Amy's enthusiastic, playful, and rather sloppy kiss. When she finally pulled away, Amy said, "Who's your friend, Professor?""Liu," he grinned as he wiped his face with his forearm. "Why don't you introduce yourself?""Good idea!"Looking down over Liu's backside as she continued to writhe back on his cock and thumb, Don watched Amy kneel down in front of Liu and just lean forward and kiss the pretty Chinese girl.Then, as if he'd followed Amy, or been carried along in her sexual wake, Victor came over and knelt down by Amy, who noticed him right away. Don could tell there were introductions made and a brief discussion, but since it all took place down near his feet he couldn't make out any of the details. He later found out that what happened next was all Amy's idea. With Amy's help, Liu pushed herself up, relieving the interesting downward pressure on Don's cock. With a brief, luminous smile over her slender shoulder at him, Liu slowly pushed herself up off Don's thick shaft. Amy's hand wrapped around Don and kept him pointing straight up for Liu. The two girls quickly positioned woman and cock so that Liu could lower herself slowly so that Don pushed up into her exquisitely tight, hot ass."Oh, that feels so good!" Don heard Liu say."It sure does!" he agreed as he slipped his hands around her thin waist.Liu leaned back then, and Amy coaxed Don to bring his legs together. Don helped support Liu as Victor straddled Don's legs and pushed his big cock down so the fat head could press against Liu's waiting pussy. Don felt Liu tense as Victor slowly eased his thick organ into her.Amy leaned over Victor's shoulder with a grin and said, "How's that feel, Liu?""So good!" was the answer.Don felt Liu shuddering as Victor kept filling her with that large prick of his. Liu wrapped her long legs around Victor's hips and her arms around his neck, while Don supported her from below and Victor began to fuck in and out of her, simultaneously working her up and down on Don's cock.It was now Shelonda's turn to make an appearance. She crawled up next to Don, kissed him on the cheek and said, "That looks like fun.""It is!" he grinned. "I hope you've been having a good time.""Of course I have," she smiled. "I can't help but notice you're not really doing any work here, Don."He laughed and said, "What did you have in mind?"She gave him another quick kiss, this time on the lips, and then promptly moved around to back in and kneel over his face. With practiced ease, Shelonda lowered her pussy down to Don's face. He happily and greedily began to lap at her sweet pussy and clit, careless of the fact that at least one man had obviously come inside her before now. Don focused on giving Shelonda the tongue lashing she so richly deserved while also enjoying the sensations of having his cock inside the tight embrace of Liu's ass while Victor gave her pussy a vigorous fucking. The first one to come was Liu; Don felt her ass clenching on him as she shook and trembled in his grasp. Victor was next; feeling the big cock inside Liu swelling and pumping cum into her pussy was an interesting feeling for Don. By this time, a man had come up in front of Shelonda as she knelt over Don and she was giving him a nice, deep blowjob, but this didn't keep her from having a long, loud orgasm as Don turned his head a bit from side to side and tongued her clit firmly.Shelonda was still squatting over Don's mouth and well on her way to another orgasm, when Victor slowly pulled out of Liu's pussy. A small flood of warm fluid ran down over Don's balls. Don couldn't see what was going on down there, but in only a moment his legs were nudged apart and he felt an undeniably feminine tongue licking and sucking the cum from him and Liu. After several delicious moments, the mouth shifted from Don to Liu.Don was vaguely aware that Shelonda had managed to coax an orgasm from the man in front of her, and then Don succeeded in making her come again with his tongue. As Shelonda carefully extricated herself from the little foursome that had Don and Liu as the nucleus, Liu began to come again, crying out and shaking. Don let her fall back on him as she whimpered with delight.Don had assumed that the woman who had been licking Liu was Amy, so he was surprised to see a new woman kneeling between their legs. This was a beautiful, middle aged black woman with gray eyes and a lovely bald head. She smiled at both Liu and Don and then started to stand up, but Liu stopped her."Don't go. I need a little break and I can tell Don here isn't ready to stop playing just yet," Liu said."Well, OK then," said the other woman with a warm smile and the barest hint of a Southern accent.Liu managed to gently pull herself off Don's hard cock and then twisted around to kiss him goodbye before crawling out of the action.Soon Don was looking down into the beautiful bald woman's smiling face as he steadily fucked in and out of her pussy. Her pelvis was rolled back and her legs were up, resting on Don's thighs which were spread out. One of her hands squeezed and pinched at her breast while the other reached down to stroke her clit. Don was leaning forward on his outstretched arms."I really should get your name," Don said."I don't see why," she laughed. "Now shush; I'm about to come."Don kept going without coming through three more encounters. Liu caught up with him as a cute little blonde, who had just rode him to three intense orgasms as he knelt holding her in his arms, kissed him goodbye and crawled off to find another lover or two. Liu bent down and kissed him, saying, "You don't ever stop, do you?""Why stop?" he grinned back. "Are you ready for more?""Uh-hum," she said. "Do you want me all to yourself or find some more playmates?"As Don pondered this dilemma, he caught sight of Toshia for the first time in about an hour. Off to the side of the orgy, a tall, fit white guy with short brown hair was laying on his back and his head on a thick pillow. His legs were spread so Toshia could lie on her belly between them and, supporting herself on his thighs, give him what looked like an intense blowjob. Her feet were up in the air, which Don thought was just adorable. Don stood up and said, "I definitely want to get you to myself, but let's go play with those two for now."Hand-in-hand, they crossed to Toshia and the object of her oral attentions. Don gestured Liu to the man on his back, and he knelt down by Toshia and the man's legs. He ran his hand over Toshia's back, and, as he reached her ass, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "There you are. I hope you've been a very naughty girl."She took her mouth off what Don now realized was a surprisingly long cock, swallowed, took a breath and said, "I certainly have. We weren't supposed to be keeping count were we?"

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Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of the UK monarch, represents centuries of British heritage while offering visitors a glimpse into the royal lifestyle through its magnificent State Rooms and gardens. We share comprehensive insights for planning your visit, from ticket options and tour experiences to practical tips and fascinating palace facts.• Palace has 750 rooms, including 78 bathrooms, its own post office, and a cinema• Built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham, became a royal residence in 1761• Royal Standard flag indicates the monarch is in residence; Union Jack means they're away• State Rooms open July-September with standard, small group, and exclusive tour options• Essential to book tickets months in advance as tours sell out quickly• Exclusive small group tours are available at other times throughout the year• New for 2025: opportunity to enter through the iconic front gates• Highlights include the State Rooms, Throne Room, Picture Gallery, and Grand Staircase• Gardens open in summer, featuring 39 acres with a lake, rose garden, and tennis court• Green Park tube station is closest at a 6-minute walk• Photography is not permitted inside the palace, but is allowed in the gardens• Convert your ticket to a one-year pass by signing it and getting it stamped• Nearby attractions include Changing of the Guard, St. James's Park, and Westminster AbbeyIf you're planning a visit to Buckingham Palace or have questions, leave us a voice message via the SpeakPipe link in our show notes.

Dr. Eliot explains how the AI of self-driving cars copes with nearby motorcyclists. See his Forbes column for further info: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanceeliot/

The asteroid Vesta may be a fragment of a much larger protoplanet, and astronomers examine old data to discover a large molecular cloud lurking right in the solar system's backyard. Get all the details, plus habitable exoplanets get another look, space news, and trivial matters with your friendly neighborhood astroquarks.

Sponsor Details:Insta360 X5 Camera. To bag a free invisible selfie stick worth US$24.99 with your purchase, head to store.insta360.com and use the promo code "spacetime", available for the first 30 standard package purchases only.This episode of SpaceTime explores fascinating new discoveries and urgent updates from the cosmos.First, astronomers have identified a vast molecular gas and dust cloud named Eos, located just 300 light years away from Earth. This remarkable finding, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, marks the first detection of a molecular cloud using far ultraviolet emissions of molecular hydrogen. Eos, which is composed primarily of hydrogen, presents unique opportunities for studying the interstellar medium and the processes of star formation. We discuss the implications of this discovery and how it could reshape our understanding of molecular clouds across the galaxy.Jupiter's Polar Cyclones Under the MicroscopeNext, we delve into the latest revelations from NASA's Juno mission, which is providing new insights into Jupiter's ferocious polar cyclones and the volcanic activity on its moon Io. With fresh observations, scientists are uncovering the dynamics of Jupiter's atmosphere and the subsurface temperature profile of Io, shedding light on the gas giant's extreme weather patterns and the moon's geological activity.Out of Control Russian SpacecraftFinally, we discuss the impending re-entry of the Venera 8 spacecraft, a remnant of the Soviet era, which is expected to crash back to Earth on May 10. Launched in 1972, this spacecraft has been tumbling in low Earth orbit for over five decades. We examine the risks associated with its uncontrolled descent and the potential impact it may have upon re-entry.www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com✍️ Episode ReferencesNature Astronomyhttps://www.nature.com/natureastronomy/NASA Juno Missionhttps://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/main/index.htmlBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/spacetime-space-astronomy--2458531/support.00:00 This is space Time Series 28, episode 54 for broadcast on the 5th May, 202500:48 Astronomers have discovered a vast invisible molecular, gas and dust cloud near Earth12:40 Two key experiments are needed to help us understand the origin of Jupiter15:42 A failed Soviet spacecraft designed to land on Venus is about to crash on Earth19:00 New study claims people who use cannabis have higher risk of heart attack21:12 New study claims ghost lanterns in South Carolina may be caused by earthquakes

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Nearby military chopper causes planes to abort landings at Reagan Airport; Strong jobs report amid tariff uncertainty; TEMU halting shipments from China to U.S. customers; and more on tonight's broadcast.

My Neighbor Made a Creepy Confession and Now I Don't Feel Safe in My Own Bedroom - Dear Man Who Tried to Talk to Two Teenage Girls, Let's Not Meet Again - Security Guard at the Gym This Morning - Running Story - I Found a Body Featuring narrations by: Kim Andrews Terra Ashe Katie Atkinson Adam C. Alderson Jhas Williams Submit your true, horrifying experience to hear it on the podcast: disturbedpodcast.com/submit Voicemail: hotline.disturbedpodcast.com Listen ad-free, unlock bonus episodes, and more: ⁠patreon.com/disturbedpodcast Merch: https://www.disturbedpodcast.com/p/merch/ Disturbed is a production of Killer Podcasts, a part of the Evergreen network. For more paranormal and true crime shows, visit KillerPodcasts.com. Follow us @disturbedpodcast on Instagram. If you enjoyed the show, please consider subscribing and reviewing on your favorite listening platform. Music by epidemic sound and by Carl Casey at white bat audio. Our Host is Doug Bailey. Our Producer is Elizabeth Flood. Our audio engineers are Nathan Corson and Will Pritts. Executive Producers are Noah Foutz and Brigid Coyne. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Toshia finds herself in a predicament. By BradentonLarry – Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. NOTE: The events of this series (as a whole) follow immediately after Lost in Eros Book 1: The Manor. It is strongly suggested to complete that book first. Chapter 1 Toshia strained against the cords that held her fast. Her arms and legs were stretched out against an X-shaped cross, tied securely at the wrists and ankles. The muscles in her thin, strong arms and her bare legs pulled and struggled as her lithe, naked torso twisted against the cross. She had been trying to pull herself loose for what must be an hour now, and was convinced there was no actual hope that she would free herself. Only fierce stubbornness drove her to struggle again and again. At first, her captors had been gathered around Toshia, laughing at her as she fought futilely against her restraints. They had pinched and fondled her naked body, not as if they were trying to arouse her, but out of amusement at her defiant helplessness. They had squeezed and twisted her nipples, not playfully but cruelly, until tears were rolling down her cheeks. Hands had crushed her breasts roughly and slapped her face and thighs until her skin was burning and bright pink. Rude, unloving fingers had been shoved into her pussy, without intending to excite her, only to violate her. It was infuriating to her that her body had responded to this intrusion with grasping, hungry wetness. Although her mind was rebelling against her situation, and the rest of her body was being so badly mistreated, her vagina – and the damned XYZ in her veins – was ready for sex. Toshia didn't give in, though, and wouldn't. That had been the problem. Toshia wouldn't play along, so they tied her up and put her on display in the middle of this broken down old castle. They had good fun with that, hauling the kicking and fighting naked young woman off and holding her down on the cross while they bound her and then raised the framework to fit into its base. Toshia particularly remembered one of her tormentors, a big redhead with freckles over her cheeks and nose, who laughed in Toshia's face and then licked her cheek with a broad, wet tongue. After a while though, they got tired of abusing her and wandered off to find other things to do. Now and then someone would pass her by. Sometimes they would prod, pinch or fondle her body, but more and more they would just walk by, laughing. At first she had been happy to realize she'd been taken by the warrior women. Given her previous experience in Eros, Toshia expected to find herself in a Sapphic harem, surrounded by playful, horny women. After what she'd gone through, particularly since being separated from Don and the girls, the thought of some girl-on-girl action was quite welcome indeed! As soon as she was dumped out into the courtyard of the castle and looked around, though, Toshia realized this wasn't going to be any nice little harem situation. The stones of the courtyard were rough and cold on her bare skin. The women who stood around her were anything but welcoming. They looked down at her with various expressions of contempt and amusement. Each of these warriors was clearly very strong, with well-defined muscles on her arms, legs and abdomen. Odd pieces of armor were combined with tattered garments to barely clothe their athletic bodies. Each one held a weapon of some kind, mostly spears. "She's a scrawny one," said one of the women with a sneer. "No tits to speak of," said another derisively. Toshia was crouching there in front of them, trying to cover her nudity for the first time since she and Don had awoken in the Manor. "I'll bet she didn't put up any fight," one of the women scowled with distaste. "What about it, little pup? Did you put up any fight or did you just let them fuck you until they were done with you?" Toshia had twisted to get a look at the woman who had asked her those questions. She saw a tall woman with long jet-black hair and icy blue eyes looking down at her. The woman's expression gave the impression that she smelled something particularly rank. Toshia tried to think of what to say, but was distracted when she felt the butt of a spear shoved under her behind, and a voice saying, "I'll bet they screwed her ass too." The blue-eyed woman kept watching Toshia, as the woman behind her shoved the spear harder, pushing Toshia up to a kneeling position. Another woman asked, "Well, what is it, girl, did the goats fuck your ass?" "She's blushing," laughed one of them. "I'll bet she liked getting fucked in the ass by the goats." The blue-eyed woman smiled wryly and said, "As if you don't like a good ass-fucking, Wanda." "Well, yeah, but not from a goat!" Wanda protested. They all laughed at this, but Toshia didn't feel any more comfortable. The woman with the black hair and blue eyes was still looking down at her contemptuously. "What are we going to do with the scrawny little bitch, then," one of the women asked. "Give her to the men?" "It doesn't look like she can fight, so what else is she good for? She's too skinny to be any fun." "I don't know," said the blue-eyed woman haughtily. She reached out and caught Toshia's chin in a strong grip. She turned Toshia's head to the right and left, looking at her face coldly. "She's kind of cute." Cute!? Toshia suddenly realized how incredibly pissed she was. Things hadn't been going exactly well for days but she'd put up with it, thinking that Don and the others would turn up and get her out of this mess. Toshia was nothing if not a good sport; she hadn't actually been hurt and she'd managed to have fun in the process, but somehow a line had been crossed. This bunch of obnoxious women was too much to put up with nicely. A simmering rage welled up in Toshia's breast. The cold woman in front of her seemed to see the fury in Toshia's eyes. She smiled cruelly and said, "What do you say, little pup, will you be a good little pet for me?" "Fuck you!" Toshia spat. The smack came from somewhere off to the right and batted Toshia's head to the left. A spear shaft came down hard across her bare back, stinging like fire and knocking her forward onto her hands and knees. "Show respect, you skinny bitch!" said an angry voice. Toshia glowered at the gray stone in front of her, thinking furiously,I'll be damned if I'm going to be anyone's fucking cute little pet! Then she saw a sandaled foot extended under her face. It moved upward and Toshia lifted her head to avoid making contact. "There, there," said the blue-eyed woman. "I'm sure she'll behave now that she understands that she'll be punished if she doesn't. Right, little pup?" Toshia glared up at the woman and said nothing. "She's a wild one," a blonde woman with braids on both sides of her head, and who looked more than a little like a valkyrie to Toshia, said cheerfully. "Better watch yourself, Daphne." The blue-eyed woman, Daphne, sneered coldly and said, "Don't be ridiculous, Brigit. She'll be a good little pet for me, won't you, pup? Show the girls you'll play nice and kiss my foot." Toshia was keenly aware of the fact that she was surrounded by a gang of big bullies with sticks and worse, but she was past caring. She pushed herself up so that she was kneeling on her haunches and said, "I'll tell you what, I'll kiss your foot right after you kiss my ass." The blonde, Brigit, thought this was very funny, and Toshia thought some of the others laughed a little too, but again she was smacked – this time so hard that she tasted blood. Daphne, who wasn't laughing at all, then said, "It looks like the pup needs to be house-broken, ladies. Let's see how she likes being tied to the cross." So, Toshia was woman-handled until and after she was tied up and put on display in the middle of what seemed to be an ancient, decrepit hall. Fortunately, the women had tired of tormenting her, but they made no move to release her. Toshia pulled again, straining all the muscles in her lithe body against the bonds restraining her left wrist, trying to pull her hand through. She felt the wood of the cross against her back and butt. It seemed as if she would pull her hand off the end of her arm, or at the very least dislocate her shoulder, but nothing gave. She sagged, breathless, against the big X, hanging from her restraints. Toshia resigned herself to waiting until they untied her. In the meantime, she thought back to her adventures since she and Don had come to Eros, both in the Manor and since that day, about a week ago, when they had left the Manor and headed out into the forest. She knew reliving some of those events would make her horny, in spite of her situation, but thoughts of her life before coming to Eros would only depress her further. In any case, there was little doubt that the XYZ would have her horny soon anyway. Chapter 2 The Rite: centaurs & witches & crones (oh my!) Right after leaving the Manor Don found himself in strange company. It wasn't the fact that he was accompanied by four sexy women (each of whom he had slept with, sometimes with the active assistance of the others), including the love of his life and best friend Toshia. Nor was it the fact that two of those women had no memory beyond when they had awakened here in this strange place. Rather it was the presence of the amiable centaur, Ralph, who made the situation so surreal. They had gathered around Ralph in the shade of the first trees on the edge of the lawn spread out in front of the Manor. "Well, we call this the forest," Ralph answered Toshia's question. "No," she insisted, "what do you call everything -- the place where the forest is?" "The world? Oh, you mean Eros," Ralph laughed. "People call the world Eros sometimes." "Naturally," Don shrugged, smiling across to Toshia. "OK," Toshia tried to resume her explanation, "Don, Nicole and I aren't from Eros. We come from a place called Earth, and we would like to get home." Ralph frowned and scratched under his long, dark beard. His equine tail swished a bit too. Then, he said, "I can't say that I've ever heard of this 'Earth' place, and I've traveled extensively throughout the world -- Eros. Oh, would you mind scratching right there, dear?" Amy, who had utterly failed to resist the urge to caress Ralph's strong flanks, obliged him by scratching at his brown hindquarter where her hand had been. "Well," Don tried, "if you wanted to find a way to Earth, is there someone you would ask for help?" "Hmm," Ralph said as his forehead creased with his thought. "I suppose the first place one could try is the Witches of the Glen. Perhaps they could summon the Crone. She is very wise. If anyone knows anything about this 'Earth' it's likely to be... That's very distracting, my dear." "It certainly is!" Shelonda said. She had knelt down next to Ralph and was caressing his prodigious sex organ, which was, naturally enough, responding to the attention. Don wondered if the native fauna responded to the XYZ in the same way the human transplants did. He apologized to Ralph, saying, "I'm sorry. My friends have never encountered one of your kind." "I appreciate that," Ralph said. "It's just that it's been a while since I've been with a mare." "There aren't many centaurs around?" Don asked. "No... not too many..." By now Amy and Nicole had joined Shelonda in caressing and stroking Ralph's large phallus. Toshia was watching them with an expression that seemed a violent mixture of curiosity, shock and titillation. Don almost laughed at her reddening face. He saw that Amy was now kneeling on the ground with both her hands on the column of horse flesh pointing at her face, pumping her hands back and forth on it. Meanwhile, Shelonda and Nicole were similarly stroking Ralph's cock. Don thought it was fortunate for everyone concerned that they hadn't come across an actual horse. "Oh my!" Ralph breathed. Then a deluge of white cum erupted from him, virtually covering Amy's face and front. Pearly droplets splattered everywhere. Shelonda was able to say "Wow!" in the moment before a second bucket full of cum shot out of Ralph and onto Amy's face, and then there was a third much smaller one, followed by a stream that drizzled out. Nicole reached out and caught some of this in her cupped palm, and brought it up to her mouth, only to pronounce it "Yummy!" The girls on the ground proceeded to giggle and laugh as they scooped centaur cum off Amy and slurped it down. Toshia watched this for a moment, until she saw Don watching her with amusement, and then said, "Oh, what the hell?" and got down to join in the fun. "I hope that wasn't too rude of them," Don said to Ralph. "Oh, no -- not at all!" Ralph laughed. "It was a bit kinky, you know. I've never been pleasured by such tiny females, but I'm certainly not complaining." "Well, good," Don smiled. "Now, I was wondering if you could help us find these Witches of the Glen that you mentioned." Once the women managed to finish playing with Ralph's cum and to clean Amy up a bit, the centaur led them through the forest at a pretty brisk pace. Don was happy that he was a good hiker. The women took turns getting rides on Ralph's back, and took the opportunity to bring themselves to loud orgasms along the way. At first Toshia seemed shocked by the fact that Amy and then Shelonda were so openly grinding themselves against Ralph's spine and then so obviously coming, but, after Nicole took her turn, Toshia climbed up and enjoyed the ride for all it was worth. Don watched her bowing her head against Ralph's shoulder blades as she gasped and sighed with her orgasm, and smiled to himself. It was good to see her enjoying herself so thoroughly. For his part, Ralph said he was happy to return the favor done him as much as possible. Amy, however, insisted that she was unconvinced that there wasn't some further way in which Ralph could be of service to the ladies. Don found himself a bit happy when they came upon the glade they were seeking before Amy could put any of her ideas to the test. He sensed that Ralph was a bit relieved too. They were on a cleared hilltop high over the rest of the forest, sloping dark green all around them. The sun was sinking toward the horizon. In the center of the glade were a large stone altar and a large arrangement of wood, ready to become a bonfire. Off to the side, against the tree line, was a large tent of crimson cloth. Ralph led them toward this tent. Before they got there, though, or even called out, a flap was tossed aside and a beautiful woman in a dark red robe stepped out and said, "Hello, and welcome." She had a thick mane of yellow and gold hair falling to her shoulders in an unruly tumult. She looked the party over with eyes of light blue-gray and a knowing smile. "My name is Cassandra, how may we help you?" "Hello Cassandra, I'm Don, and this is Toshia, Nicole, Shelonda, Amy and Ralph." "It's good to see you again, Ralph," Cassandra smiled. Her voice was musical, friendly and confident -- in short, extremely sexy. "Thank you for guiding our new friends here." "It was an honor, mistress," Ralph bowed. "More than that," she winked, "judging from the smell of things." "An honor and a pleasure," he smiled back at her. "I am glad," she nodded. Then, turning to Don, she asked, "How may we help you, Don?" "Toshia, Nicole and I seek a way to leave Eros and return to our home, Earth," Don explained. "Ralph suggested that you could help us find someone who could tell us how to do that." "The Crone," Ralph added. "Ah, yes," Cassandra nodded, taking all of this in with apparent simple acceptance. "I see. We could perform the summoning rite, though you will have to help. We will need a fresh offering for the guardian of the portal, and then there will be a price to be paid to the Crone as well." "What sort of offering and price?" Toshia asked. She had dismounted from Ralph's back and stood next to Don. "Oh nothing quite so dire as you might imagine," Cassandra smiled enigmatically. "Any of you young ladies will do, though I suggest you or Nicole would be most fitting." "Fine," Toshia said firmly, "as long as it's nothing life-threatening, I'll do it." "Wonderful," Cassandra nodded. "And you, Don, will have to pay the Crone's price. Surely you will be as brave as your companion." "Of course," Don nodded, very much conscious of the fact that he was nowhere near as sure of himself as Toshia seemed to be. Cassandra smiled at them both and then turned to the tent behind her and called, "Come on everyone, we have to get ready to summon the Crone!" There were excited exclamations from the tent, followed by a dozen men and women all wearing robes just like Cassandra's. They busied themselves immediately around the firewood and the altar. Don would have paid more attention to what they were doing, but Ralph took this moment to say, "Well, I will leave you in Cassandra's capable hands, then." "You won't stay to see what the Crone says?" Don asked. "No," Ralph shook his head. "I want to find myself a mare as soon as possible, and, to be honest, these magical rites are a bit too intense for me." "Are we safe here?" Don asked in a hushed voice. "Oh, yes!" Ralph laughed. "Cassandra's a sweet, kind person. She won't let any harm come to you, but ... well, it's just going to be intense, that's all. It all gives me the willies. Anyway, good luck!" The girls all bid Ralph goodbye, and then he trotted off into the forest, which was already quite dark in the dusk. "Please, Toshia, come with me," Cassandra said. While they went into the tent, a pair of red-robed women came up to Nicole and Shelonda and led them off toward the fire area. A tall young man approached Don and said, "Sir, if you will accompany me." Don followed the man to a wooden chair that had been set off to the side, with a clear view of the altar without actually being close to it. The young man said, "During the rite, you will sit here until the Crone summons you. Do not participate in the ritual at all until that time. It is very important that you save yourself for the Crone. If you do not, she will know and be displeased." "Okay," Don nodded. "Sit in the chair and don't have any fun -- got it." "Oh, and remove your clothing." "Um, all right," Don said. After disrobing and putting his few items of clothing, and his staff, on the ground next to the chair, Don sat down and tried to make himself comfortable, watching the robed witches go about their preparations. He wasn't surprised to note that everyone in what he was thinking of as the coven was in good shape, even though they seemed to represent a spectrum of different ages, from quite young -- like Nicole or Shelonda -- to as old as in their sixties, if Don was any judge of such things. Knowing what he now knew about Eros, though, Don realized that each of these people could be much older than their appearance would indicate, thanks to the rejuvenating powers of the XYZ they drank as water. After the sun set Don was left alone in the clearing, as the others all disappeared into the big tent. Eventually, the group came out in a solemn procession -- one by one -- with Cassandra in the lead. Toshia came second and was wearing a white robe. The entire group made a circle around the pile of firewood, and most of them began to sing some sort of hymn the words of which Don couldn't make out. This went on for several minutes, until, abruptly, Cassandra raised her hands high over her head, and the wood in front of her burst into flame. Well, that was certainly a neat trick, Don thought to himself. He caught himself, though, and tried to make a point of not being quite so skeptical as usual. After all, we're trying to play along with this world's rules here. Maybe things won't work if I've got the wrong attitude. The witches had stopped singing now, and Cassandra took Toshia by the hand and walked her over to stand with her back to the stone altar; the other witches, along with Nicole, Shelonda and Amy, closed the gap in the circle. Facing Toshia, Cassandra raised her arms, with her palms up to the sky, and called out, "O wise mother who guides us and watches over us, we beseech thee to join us this night that the travelers among us may share in the gift of your knowledge and beauty." The witches around the bonfire repeated Cassandra's words, and four of the men lit torches in the fire and placed them in holes Don hadn't noticed before. These torches were positioned about a meter from each corner of the altar. When the men returned to the circle, Cassandra reached out to caress Toshia's face lovingly. She called out, "O guardian of the portal, we offer you this supplicant who comes seeking knowledge and will give you that which you most desire." Then, Cassandra untied the simple knot at the base of Toshia's throat that held the white robe closed. Toshia shrugged the robe off her shoulders and stood there naked in the firelight. If she was frightened or anxious Don could not see it in her expression or posture. Instead, she stood proudly, with her shoulders back and head high. To Don it seemed that it was Toshia, not Cassandra, who was the high priestess of this affair. As the witches around the fire began a low chant, Cassandra took Toshia by the hand and led her to the foot of the altar, and up a set of steps Don hadn't seen earlier. Toshia gently knelt down on the altar and then turned around and lied down upon her back on the cold stone. Don was fascinated to see her bare, pale flesh in the flickering orange and yellow light. He experienced a strong desire to go to the altar then and ravish Toshia even if it did mess up the rite. Instead, he forced himself to sit still in his wooden chair, and kept watching intently. Cassandra moved around to the opposite side of the altar, away from the bonfire, and produced a large pitcher that seemed to be made of clay. The witch proceeded to pour water over Toshia's naked body. From the sharp gasp and sudden tightening of her muscles, Don could tell Toshia had not expected this, but she lay still on the altar. When she'd emptied the pitcher over Toshia, Cassandra set the pitcher out of the way on the ground somewhere behind the altar, and then leaned over the naked, wet offering and kissed her on the lips. Cassandra came around the altar and joined the circle of chanting witches. Once she was there, the group slowly began to move around the fire. The chanting became a bit more rhythmic, and the witches started to move almost as if they were dancing. One by one, each of the participants broke away from the circle to approach the altar and kiss Toshia on the lips. When they had kissed her, each one dropped his or her robe to the ground in front of the altar before returning to the circle. Nicole, Shelonda and Amy each took their turn in this kissing and disrobing ritual, as if they had done this kind of thing many times. As this went on, with an increasing number of naked chanting, dancing celebrants, the rhythm and pace of the chant very slowly rose. The dancers were now holding hands or had their arms around each other's waists. Finally, only Cassandra still wore her robe, so she returned to the altar, kissed Toshia again and exposed her own naked body to the fire-lit night. This seemed to be a signal to the others, for the chanting shifted to a much more rhythmic cant, and Don swore there were now deep, distant drums keeping the beat. As soon as Cassandra returned to the circle, the dancing around the fire became more playful. Now sweaty bodies glistened in the orangey light. Don saw Amy moving along between two men, in each hand a stiff cock, while their hands groped her body. Shelonda passed by with a lovely young woman trying to get her mouth on Shelonda's beautiful heaving bosom. Nicole had allowed a man to catch her from behind and the two of them managed to move around the circle while he kissed the back of her neck and reached around to run his hands over her front. Cassandra danced past with the wanton sensuality of a belly dancer and a certain regal bearing, somehow both reveling in the energy of the rite and aloof from the playfulness rapidly spreading around the circle. The air seemed to be throbbing with the rhythm of the ritual chant, and the heat of the fire and rising eroticism flooded the night. Don looked over to the altar and saw that Toshia had begun to writhe on the stone. Her hands moved over her upper body and her legs rubbed against each other as she felt the aura of lust pulsing from the fire and the dancers. Don watched as she moved her left hand down between her legs, and he had little doubt what she was doing there. As for himself, Don's cock was lying thick on his thigh, growing harder as the rite progressed. Looking back to the fire, Don saw that the dancing had now stopped, though the chanting and the unseen drums continued on. The witches and company were giving in to their desires. Nearby, backlit by the fire, Nicole, had fallen to her hands and knees, and the man who had been following her so closely was now even closer -- fucking her from behind. Don was unsurprised to see that Amy was kneeling between her two men sucking one cock while stroking the other, and then switching. He couldn't see Shelonda, but figured she must be on the other side of the fire. He could see Cassandra, though, straddling a muscular young man, her head thrown back and her breasts thrust up in the night air as she rode him. When he turned his attention back to the altar, Don was surprised to see that a strange dark figure was standing there at Toshia's feet. Don almost sprang from his chair, but somehow managed to remember what he had been told, and resolved to sit still and wait. The figure, which Don presumed must be the guardian of the portal, was hard to discern at first, only a darker shadow in the night, but as Don concentrated it resolved into a tall, distinctly masculine form. Don was sure the shadowy "man" had long horns springing out of its forehead and sweeping back over its head. Toshia didn't seem to notice the creature's presence until it reached out to touch her ankle; the jet black hand seemed more like a talon at first, but then just a hand with long fingers. Toshia looked down to see the figure at her feet, but didn't seem frightened or even surprised. Don could see that she said something, but if there was any reply he could not tell -- he couldn't make out any features of the guardian's face, though he had the distinct impression that there were two fiery eyes of dark red in the shadows. Toshia parted her legs for the darkness and Don watched the claw-like hands moving over her relatively pale skin. As the shadow rose up and lowered itself over her, Toshia's hands left her own body and reached out for the dark shape. Her back arched as the shadows enveloped her. Don found it hard to focus on what was going on atop the altar. At one moment he saw Toshia with her head thrown back and a black creature with its mouth on her neck, and the next there was an almost billowing shadow enveloping her. Then there was a glimpse of her thighs and butt as they flexed while she was fucking the shadow enthusiastically. Her torso strained and tensed, and a mouth with sharp teeth was on her white breast. And then darkness swirled around her. Don was aware that all around the fire the orgy had become general, even though the chanting and the sound of drums went on. He knew that Nicole was now on her back while a new man was between her legs, thrusting with nearly crazed lust. He knew that Amy was being fucked from behind while she took a cock in her mouth. He knew that Cassandra was passionately kissing one of her female subordinates, while another suckled at her tits and reached down to play with her, all while still riding her initial partner. Don could feel his untouched cock, straining painfully in its excited, engorged state. However, he could not seem to look away from the altar. Though he couldn't hear anything but chanting, drums and the moaning of the witches, he was sure Toshia was crying out in a long, hard orgasm. He could tell the shadowy creature on top of her was not finished, though. "No," said a voice next to him, "he will not be finished anytime soon. His need is ... special." Don looked up to see a woman with long white hair swept away from her face and down her back. She was watching the altar with a smile on her thin, red lips. Her dark eyes sparkled in the firelight as she went on, saying, "His phallus is so very hard, like a thing of steel wrapped in a tight sheath of leather. Not as big as one might imagine, but so, so hard, almost painful to touch, until it fills you and you feel his need becoming your own." She was thin, but tautly muscular, and stood confidently and comfortably next to Don. She wore a black sleeveless shift, bound around her narrow waist with a silver cord. "What is his need?" Don finally managed to ask. Her features were sharp and aristocratic, but her smile was friendly as she looked down at him and said, "Sex, obviously, but not like you or them, or her. The guardian feeds off the carnal pleasure of others, particularly the woman with whom he is engaged -- but especially if she's new to him. The energy he draws from her orgasm makes it possible for me to come to you. He will couple with her as long as she can take it, drawing sustenance from her orgasms, and the lust of the others. He does not couple for release, though, but for the reverse. If he comes, which is quite rare, it will be a fiery jet of liquid ecstasy filling up her body -- every fiber." "A fiery jet?" She looked down at him again and smiled warmly, "Don't fear; I was being poetic." Don smiled back, "And your need?" She held out her hand, and Don took it and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm. She laughed and said, "Come with me, Don." A Covin of Witches Desire Toshia. Don stood and moved around his chair, following the white haired woman toward the large red tent. He stole one more glance over his shoulder and saw that Toshia had been pulled to the foot of the altar; her legs were wrapped around the column of deep shadow that stood over her there, her hands were on her breasts and her head lolled to the side with eyes tightly closed. Don imagined that the guardian of the portal was fucking her vigorously with his steely cock. He looked back to the woman leading him, who was looking back at him with an amused smile. Don said, "I didn't see a portal." "The portal is somewhat metaphorical. Cassandra called to me and the guardian, the guardian came, then Toshia came in the other sense, which made it possible for me to come to you." "So he's really not a guardian, but more of a conductor." She laughed as she drew aside the flap of the tent and pulled him inside. "Yes, that is perhaps a more apt description." The tent was lit by a number of candles, and was sumptuously appointed with large, soft carpets and many pillows. "And you are hardly what I would call a 'crone'," Don smiled, admiring the cool beauty of her face and the lithe sexuality of her form. "It's a title, not a description," she answered as she untied the silver cord cinching her gown about her narrow waist. "However, if you would prefer a different appearance..." She changed abruptly into an ancient, toothless hag, straight out of a stereotypical fairy-tale, or Macbeth. She laughed harshly and said, "Perhaps not, though. What about this? Something more befitting the images conjured up in your mind by the rite you witnessed so patiently." She was now a pale woman in a white nightgown. Thick dark hair fell in a tumult down around her shoulders. Her eyes were dark and glowing with a feral lust. Her full lips parted to show long, sharp canines, and were red with blood -- blood that covered her chin and had splattered all over her generous cleavage. Don immediately recalled his fevered teenage fantasies and felt his cock strain despite the obvious danger of the situation. "Or maybe you would prefer I took the appearance of someone more familiar," she said with Toshia's mouth. Don watched as Toshia shrugged out of the black shift the Crone was wearing, to reveal the slim body he had lately come to know so well. Don was both taken aback by these sudden transformations and now completely convinced that there was more to all of the evening's events that clever tricks. He swallowed and managed to say, "No, your original appearance was more than satisfactory." "Ah, thank you," she smiled, and stood before him as she was before, though now naked. Her breasts were not large, but firm for a woman of her apparent age, and the rest of her body was obviously fit and trim. She reached out to take his hand again and drew him to her. As Don's arms slipped around her unusually cool body, her hand took his straining cock in a strong grip. When their lips met and his tongue slipped into her mouth, Don found himself suddenly remembering his first kiss with remarkable clarity. Then he was reliving the moment he lost his virginity (in the basement of his teenage home), the time he had had sex with his girlfriend while another couple were doing it only feet away (in a cheap motel), the time he had slept with a certifiably unhinged woman who was also a completely uninhibited wildcat in bed, the first and second of the threesomes he had enjoyed, and every other memorable sexual moment from his life before the Manor. The memories flooded through his mind in vivid detail, as the Crone kissed him passionately, sucking on his tongue and stroking his cock in her tight grasp. He felt himself being pulled down to the sea of soft pillows as scenes from his time in the Manor played out in his mind. He remembered waking up next to Toshia in that strange bedroom, the wild, unexpected encounter with the Nymphets (including the first time he'd seen Toshia come), the sexual escapades involved in that dodge ball game (including seeing Toshia fucking the Player), the orgiastic ball, the night with the Lady, the first time he and Toshia had sex, watching and participating in Toshia's little gangbang in the second floor corridor, the wild night in the Disco, and the orgy in the steam room, and many other intense erotic memories swept through his mind. Don felt himself entering the Crone's surprisingly hot and wet vagina. The strong grip was no surprise. Still reliving his wilder sexual memories in exceptionally vivid detail, Don held on to the strong but slender woman beneath him and fucked. He fucked her both as if it was the only thing he could imagine doing and as if his life depended upon it. He felt as if his cock was penetrating deeper into the Crone than was physically possible. Her muscles squeezed and pulled at him with incredible dexterity and strength. The vision of Toshia being taken on top of the stone altar was in his mind when Don began to come. To say this was the most intense orgasm of Don's life would be a severe understatement. The cum boiled out of his balls and shot out of him into the Crone in a gushing torrent. He shoved into her and continued to pump jet after jet of cum. He felt her arms and legs wrap around him, pulling him tighter to him, even as her pussy squeezed and pulled at his cock. He thought for a moment that it felt that there were more than just two arms and two legs holding him to her. He opened his eyes and saw the Crone looking at him with a cool, happy smile on her lips. Don felt the orgasm slowly subsiding but then that preternaturally skilled pussy pulled him on, and he was squirting still more cum into her. When he could no longer pump any cum, it seemed that her pussy went on sucking it from him. The ecstasy of coming became a frightening overdose of pleasure and then a painful ordeal as what seemed like minutes passed and he was drained of cum. He groaned wordlessly, and surrendered to the blackness of unconsciousness. Don had no idea how long he was out before he felt the Crone caressing his face with her cool fingers and kissing his lips lightly. When he opened his eyes, she was smiling down at him. "You seek the Sage of the Tower," she said. "Go down into the valley and follow the river there to its source, and you will find the Tower." "Oh, but wha-?" he tried. "Shush," she smiled, "that is all you need to know. Thank you for your gift, Don." Don thought he should say "my pleasure" but he wasn't sure if that was true, and in any case he was already falling asleep. Chapter 3 Toshia Saved & Caught; rough sex in the forest Like Don had done a week earlier, while he was with the Crone, Toshia found herself reliving the erotic adventures she had had since waking up in the Manor. The sounds of the warrior women feasting and carousing nearby only taunted her with the thought that someone might remember her and bring her some food and water. Her deliberate mental game of remembering her time in Eros while she hung tied to the big, wooden X-cross served to distract her from not only her hunger and thirst but also from her frustration and dejection at being in this predicament. These depressing thoughts reminded her of the day ...Was it three days ago already? She must have been very close to drowning, her vision darkening and her temples pounding, when the strong slender arms had slipped around her from behind and she was hoisted up to the surface of the river. She had gulped air into her lungs desperately, and allowed herself to be drawn to shore. Too weak from struggling against the current, Toshia was limp and useless as she was hauled up onto the sandy bank. She lay there gasping, until she felt soft feminine hands brushing the wet hair out of her face. When she opened her eyes, she saw a beautiful young woman with big eyes of blue-green and long straight hair of emerald green looking down at her with concern. "Thank you for saving me," Toshia finally managed. The green-haired girl smiled at her with full inviting lips. She touched Toshia's lips with light fingertips. She licked her own as she traced the outline of Toshia's lips. She looked over Toshia's naked, wet body, and Toshia raised her head enough to see that the girl was also naked and, obviously, wet. She seemed to be very thin, but strong, and quite pale. The girl looked back at Toshia's face and smiled again, and Toshia thought this smile was a bit friendlier now. Well, this is Eros, after all, Toshia thought to herself. It's probably customary to sleep with anyone who saves your life. As if she could read Toshia's mind, the girl leaned in closer, brushing Toshia's skin with her wet hair, and kissed her mouth tentatively. The girl's lips and tongue were cool and moist, and Toshia found herself returning the gentle kiss happily. After only minutes earlier thinking that she was about to drown, this interlude was a most welcome turn of events. Toshia slipped her arms around her rescuer and held her body against her own. For some time, they lay there on the wet ground, kissing each other languorously. Then, with a smile, the green-haired girl pulled away a little and then moved a bit lower, so she could kiss her way down the curve of Toshia's breast. Toshia shuddered as the girl took her nipple and sucked on it. Toshia parted her legs in anticipation as she felt the girl's hand moving up along the inside of her thigh. Suddenly, though, the girl raised her head and looking into the nearby tree line with obvious alarm. In another second, Toshia heard the sound of someone coming toward them through the undergrowth. "It's OK, that's just my friends looking for me," Toshia smiled at the girl, who immediately shook her head and pulled away from Toshia's embrace. Toshia took the moment to look around a bit more carefully and realized that she was quite a bit downriver from where she had fallen in and, moreover, on the wrong side. It couldn't possibly be Don and the others making all that noise in the woods. Toshia looked warily at the woods, and then back to the girl who had saved her life. She was alarmed to see the green-haired waif diving back into the water. "Wait!" Toshia called as she scrambled to her feet. "Oh, damn!" said a masculine voice behind her. "She got away!" "Of course she did," said another. "The way you two go crashing about, it's impossible to sneak up on anything!" "At least we've got a consolation prize this time," said a third. Being called a consolation prize almost wiped the shocked expression off Toshia's face. Out of the forest had emerged three figures, about five and a half feet tall, with long, dark, curly hair and beards, and bare, muscular torsos and arms. They also had short, curled horns growing out of their foreheads and the hindquarters of goats. Naturally, they also had very prominent and generous male genitalia. Of course, after meeting Ralph the centaur she should not have been so surprised to be confronted by bona fide satyrs. In fact, Ralph hadn't even been the strangest thing she'd encountered since leaving the Manor; there was the demonic guardian of the portal to name just one thing.One thing that had fucked my brains out! she thought to herself. Still, in spite of herself, Toshia was shocked by the sight of these half-man, half-goats. "She does look like she'll give us some sport," said one of the satyrs with an obvious leer. "How about it, toots," grinned the third one who'd spoken, "you up for some fun and games?" "Um, actually, I was just going to find my friends," Toshia said taking a step toward the forest away from the three satyrs. "We can be your friends," suggested the satyr who had spoken first. He took a step closer to her on his hoofed feet and gave his already hard and thick cock a squeeze. "We're very friendly." "Oh, well, I'm sure, but I should really be going." "What's the hurry?" said satyr number two, without taking his eyes off her naked body. "Come on, honey," said number three, "we'll show you a real good time." Toshia was simultaneously revolted by the smarmy attitudes, alarmed that it seemed clear they had no intention of taking "no" for an answer, and annoyed with herself for being a bit aroused by the thought of having a "real good time" with three goat-men. Goddamn that fucking XYZ! "Tell you what," said number two, doing his apparent best to sound good-natured, "we'll give you a head start, and if we catch you we'll have some fun." Thinking it was a good idea to take advantage of a chance to put some distance between herself and them, Toshia nodded and said, "Fine." Without waiting for them to say anything else, she sprang for the trees and made for the nearest hillside up away from the river. Tree branches lashed at her bare skin, and she wished she had fallen into the river with her sandals on, but she didn't slow down. She clambered up a hill, vaulted over a large rock and then half-ran, half-fell down the other side, only to start up the next one. Ducking under a thick branch, she turned to the left and started running along the ridge of a line of hills that seemed to parallel the course of the river. She was trying to close some of the distance between the satyrs and where she had fallen into the river. She was vaguely aware that there were now sounds of pursuit echoing in the forest. Toshia slowed just a little to catch her breath, but that only allowed her to realize that the satyrs were getting alarmingly close. She even caught sight of one moving through the trees off to her left, cutting her off from the river. Plunging ahead again with renewed determination, Toshia clambered up the side of the next hill almost on all fours. At the top of the steep slope, she saw a sunlit clearing in the distance. With the vague hope that she might be able to get someone's attention on the other side of the river, Toshia set her sights on reaching that clearing. She might have made it too, if she hadn't tripped on an ill-placed root. Toshia went sprawling in the thick forest carpet of leaves right in front of an enormous tree trunk that had fallen years ago and was now covered with a deep layer of green moss. She heard someone coming up the hill close behind her, and frantically scrambled to her feet. Toshia hurried to get hold of the mossy tree trunk and raised her foot to get purchase on it so she could vault over, but then felt a strong, hairy arm slipping around her waist to pull her back down. "Gotcha!" the satyr laughed, as he pulled her behind against his front, at the same time pushing her chest and face forward against the soft moss in front of her. Toshia struggled, trying to twist out of his grasp, but he was too strong and she was too winded. She felt the head of his cock between her legs and rubbing up against her outer lips. He pushed her against the moss with one hand, holding her in place, while using the other to get his sex organ in the right position. Toshia gritted her teeth as he pushed himself into her. It wasn't an enormous cock, but it was hard and thick, and she had to admit at that moment, with the XYZ and the adrenaline of the chase coursing through her veins, it felt good to be filled. Toshia clutched the mossy trunk, and closed her eyes, as the satyr held on to her hips roughly and began to fuck in and out of her from behind, shoving violently. In addition to the sensation of the penis sliding in and out of her all too eager pussy, Toshia was keenly aware of the thick mat of fur brushing against her legs and butt as he took her and the fact that her tits were being pressed into the yielding moss with the solid resistance of the tree behind it. She knew that she was, basically, being raped by a half-man, half-goat creature, but she also knew she was enjoying it. The question of whether she should actually consider this rape would occupy her mind quite a bit in the days afterward, and particularly while she was strapped to the X-cross. On the one hand, she had actually said "Fine" to the satyr's proposal that "if we catch you we'll have some fun", but, on the other, at the time of that agreement she had been convinced they were going to have their way with her in any case. However, she knew that rape in the normal world she called home was not really a crime of sex but of violence. Someone who raped another wasn't really trying to have sex with them, but to hurt them. Somehow, Toshia did not get the sense that these satyrs wanted to hurt her in the least; they seemed to just want to fuck, and given the nature of this world, it might be reasonable for them to presume that she would enjoy a good tumble in the woods. Still, the girl who had pulled her from the river had obviously wanted to avoid getting caught by the randy goat-men. Later she would ponder these issues, but for that moment against the moss-covered tree trunk she just let herself enjoy the rough fucking. It wasn't too long before the goat-man began to shove into her with even more force, and then his cock swelled and shot his hot satyr cum into her. It felt like there was quite a bit, and it took him some time before he pulled out of her and slapped her butt happily. Toshia slumped against the fallen tree trunk, both relieved and frustrated. She started to push away from the tree, to make an attempt at gaining that clearing ahead somewhere, but another pair of rough hands took hold of her and pushed her back against the moss. "Not so fast, toots," said satyr number three. Without any other preamble, he shoved his cock into her pussy, squishing his partner's cum out to run down the insides of her thighs. Toshia surprised herself by letting out a happy moan as she was filled again. While the satyr proceeded to fuck her with great enthusiasm, Toshia let go of the moss with her left hand and managed to get it down between the trunk and her body, so she could get her fingers on her clit. She began to stroke herself frantically as the cock pistoned in and out of her almost savagely. In only moments, Toshia found herself gasping and moaning as her orgasm tore through her violated body. She shook and whimpered while the satyr had his way with her until he filled her up with his own flood of cum. He pulled out of her, and she felt more cum running down her legs. Laughing, he said, "Told you we'd have fun." Toshia wasn't surprised to hear satyr number one say, "My turn!" This time, though, she managed to roll around and get her back against the mossy tree trunk. She actually found herself smiling at the hairy goat-man as he stepped up in front of her. Toshia put her hands on his broad shoulders and let him lift her up a bit. Soon, she had her thighs supported on his furry haunches as he pushed his eager cock up inside her. She looked at his grinning, bearded face with its little horns, and even laughed a little as he lowered his mouth to her tits to suck and bite on her nipples. She rocked against him as he fucked in and out of her, letting his hairy torso rub against her clit. Leaning back against the curve of the trunk behind her, Toshia let herself enjoy getting fucked there in the woods by an actual satyr. She smiled when she felt his cock swell inside her to spew a third torrent of cum into her pussy, only to spill in a slow river out of her as soon as he withdrew. She noticed that the other two satyrs were still standing there, watching, with still very hard cocks standing in front of them. Perhaps they would have let her go in that moment, but Toshia had her mind on other things. She laughed and said, "Well, hello boys; are you just going to stand there? I thought you promised me a good time." This prompted laughter from all three of them, and they hastened forward. In the next moment, Toshia was surrounded by all three of the satyrs as they pawed her with their eager hands and kissed and nibbled at her wherever they could reach. Fingers pinched her nipples and pushed up inside her soggy cunt. One enterprising individual got his finger nice and slippery and pushed it up inside her ass. This reminded Toshia of that wonderful time she'd had in the steam room with Don and Peter, only a few days earlier, and gave her an idea. "OK, well, before we go any further, don't you think you should introduce yourselves?" Toshia laughed. Any further? They've each fucked me and they've got their fingers in my pussy and ass! "Oh, I'm Scratch," said satyr number two. "I'm Roscoe," said number one. "And, I'm Bob," said three. "I'm Toshia," she said. "Now that we've got that out of the way. Why don't you lie down on your back here, Bob?" Bob was only too happy to comply, and Toshia promptly straddled him, and took his stiff cock in her hand, pushing the head of it into her pussy, which was quite ready for more action. She sank down on Bob's shaft, leaning forward by placing both hands on his broad hairy chest. Toshia slid up and down on him a couple of times, just because it felt good. Then, she looked over her shoulder and said, "Scratch, can you get back there and fuck me in the ass?" "I sure can!" Scratch said with a grin. There was some scrambling around, and an interesting moment when Scratch pushed his finger up inside her wet pussy with Bob's cock (Oh my! That's interesting! I'll have to try to remember that.). After her own juices and a liberal amount of satyr cum was worked into her butt and smeared over his organ, Scratch slowly pushed himself into her butt. "Oh fuck that feels good!" she exclaimed. "Yes, push it in me!" An unexpected orgasm hit her then, and she held still there as her pussy and ass clenched on the two cocks inside her. Moaning and trembling, Toshia rode it out with a smile on her face. When she had started to come down, she looked down at Bob and over her shoulder at Scratch and said, "Well, what are you waiting for boys, fuck me!" The two satyrs began to do as they were told, working their thick, hard cocks in and out of her. Whether they had practiced this trick before or it was an innate satyr skill, they quickly got into a perfect rhythm, pumping and grinding against her body as if the three of them were one ideal sex machine. Toshia made sure she was giving as good as she was getting, working her pelvis in time with the way the satyrs were pushing and pulling inside her. When she felt comfortable and knew she could keep up, she looked around and beckoned Roscoe over. The third satyr moved over on his cloven hooves to stand in front of Toshia. She reached up with her left hand and took his cock in her hand and pulled it to her mouth, tasting his cum and her own juices on him. Once she had the fat head in her mouth, she stroked the shaft in her fist. Bob reached up to cup her breasts in his hands and to help hold her up. Letting Bob and Scratch do most of the fucking work, Toshia relaxed to enjoy those sensations and concentrated her active attention on Roscoe's cock. She pulled him closer so that she could get her mouth working up and down on him, pushing the head deeper in her mouth so she could feel his thick shaft moving over her lips and her tongue. I wish Don could see me! she thought as she relaxed her throat and sank deeper on to Roscoe's cock. She let go of the base of his shaft and held onto his hips with both hands, both for support and to shove him back if it became necessary, but she was now letting him fuck her mouth and throat. Roscoe was surprisingly careful, holding her head gently in his hands and moving slowly and steadily. Meanwhile, Bob lay under her flexing his hairy abdomen to push himself up inside her pussy, and Scratch held on to her hips and fucked in and out of her ass vigorously. Toshia was intent on making the satyrs come before she came again, but her body had other ideas, and soon she was moaning and trembling while an intense orgasm shook her from head to toe. The frantic clenching of her pussy and ass pulled Bob and Scratch past the point of no return, and they filled her up with more of their cum. Roscoe, who had come most recently anyway, held out a bit longer, but the other two were still inside her when Toshia felt him swelling in her mouth and throat and then pumping gout after gout of sweet, hot cum into her stomach, and then filling her mouth. Pulling away from her, he splashed on final stream of pearly jizz across the bridge of her nose and down her cheek. Still hard, Bob and Scratch continued to fuck her squishy pussy and ass until she came again and again. Only when she had collapsed between them, did they extract themselves and carry her off to their camp in the forest, where they bathed and fed her. That night, the next day, and the night after were spent in a marathon of satyr fucking that left Toshia exhausted. Toshia now, bound to the X-cross, strained again at her restraints, wishing she could get at her pussy and clit now. She needed to make herself come. She remembered how she had awoken the third day, well into afternoon. The satyrs were gone, and she was surrounded by the gathering party from the warrior woman camp. Angry at being abandoned, worn out from the incessant demands of three hard pricks, frustrated at being lost, Toshia had been a bit happy to learn that she was going to be taken to a bunch of women, but that hadn't lasted long. She remembered how they had tied her up underneath a pole carried on the shoulders of two brawny men. The next two days were spent hanging there as she was carried further down river, to the castle where she now stood on frustrating display. To be continued. By BradentonLarry for Literotica

An ominous black tower structure was spotted at Area 51 on Google Earth, sparking speculation online about its purpose.

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We finally know exactly how long it takes Uranus to turn once; there's a Type 1a supernova in the making, and it's really close; how much total life could be on Titan? and a new comet could brighten in the coming weeks. And in our Space Bites+ on Patreon, how our understanding of the physical properties of galaxies could be wrong.

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Ichha Sharma.Today is the 11th of April and here are this week's headlines.The US officially enforced a sweeping 104% tariff on all Chinese imports starting Wednesday, escalating its trade confrontation with Beijing. This move follows President Trump's ultimatum to China to withdraw its retaliatory 34% tariffs. China hit back sharply at Washington's escalating trade war rhetoric, saying it does not seek conflict but won't tolerate bullying either. US further escalated the situation with its decision to raise tariffs on Chinese goods to 125% while pausing tariffs for other nations. Responding to this, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press briefing, “This cause will not win popular support and will end in failure.” Lin emphasized that Beijing will defend its people's rights, signaling that retaliatory action may still be on the table. Meanwhile, Asian markets surged on news of the 90-day tariff pause for other countries, with Japan's Nikkei 225 soaring 8%, South Korea's Kospi rising over 5%, and Australia's ASX 200 up 5% in early trading.In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court declared Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi's decision to reserve 10 re-passed Bills for Presidential consideration as illegal. The court held that the Governor showed scant respect for judicial precedent and unduly delayed action. Using Article 142, the bench declared that the 10 Bills are deemed to have received assent, overriding the governor's withholding. This rare step sends a strong message about constitutional propriety and reinforces legislative autonomy amid growing tensions between elected governments and appointed constitutional heads.The Reserve Bank of India has slashed the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6% in its latest monetary policy review. This signals lower interest rates on home, personal, and auto loans soon. The Monetary Policy Committee also shifted its stance from "neutral" to "accommodative," hinting at more rate cuts ahead. GDP growth for 2025–26 has been revised down to 6.5% from 6.7%, while retail inflation is projected at 4%. Lower rates aim to boost borrowing and spending amid slowing economic momentum.Russia has formally invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend its Victory Day Parade on May 9, commemorating 80 years since the end of World War II. Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko confirmed that the invitation has been sent, and the visit is under discussion. The gesture comes after Moscow confirmed President Putin's scheduled visit to India later this year. Russia has extended invitations to several “friendly nations,” reinforcing diplomatic ties amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. Modi's participation would signify India's balancing act in global power dynamics.A deadly Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in northern Gaza's Shijaiyah neighborhood on Wednesday, killing at least 23 people, including eight women and eight children, according to officials at Al-Ahly Hospital. The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed the toll and said rescue teams were still searching through rubble for survivors. Nearby buildings were also damaged, according to Gaza's civil defense, which operates under the Hamas-run government. The strike is the latest in a wave of intensifying attacks, as the humanitarian crisis worsens in the besieged Palestinian enclave with no signs of a ceasefire in sight.This was the CatchUp on 3 Things by The Indian Express.

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 10th of April and here are today's headlines.China Pushes Back Against U.S. Tariffs, Warns of ConsequencesChina hit back sharply at Washington's escalating trade war rhetoric, saying it does not seek conflict but won't tolerate bullying either. Responding to the U.S. decision to raise tariffs on Chinese goods to 125% while pausing tariffs for other nations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press briefing, “This cause will not win popular support and will end in failure.” Lin emphasized that Beijing will defend its people's rights, signaling that retaliatory action may still be on the table. Meanwhile, Asian markets surged on news of the 90-day tariff pause for other countries, with Japan's Nikkei 225 soaring 8%, South Korea's Kospi rising over 5%, and Australia's ASX 200 up 5% in early trading.India Steers Clear of U.S. Tariff Clash, Eyes Fall Trade PactIndia responded cautiously as U.S. President Donald Trump announced a temporary suspension of his sweeping reciprocal tariffs, which went into effect Wednesday. Just hours before the announcement, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed that India is actively engaging with Washington to finalize a bilateral trade agreement by the fall. Speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit, Jaishankar avoided directly commenting on Trump's controversial statements about trade partners, saying only, “We've been constructive in our engagement, and so have they.” India appears to be walking a fine line—avoiding confrontation while quietly working to secure a stable trade relationship.Tahawwur Rana Extradited from U.S., Special Prosecutor AppointedIndia has taken a key step toward justice in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case. The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday night appointed a special public prosecutor for a three-year term to lead the prosecution of Tahawwur Rana, who is being extradited from the United States. Sources confirmed that a senior team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and intelligence services has taken custody of Rana, who is expected to arrive in Delhi by Thursday. Rana is accused of aiding the planning of the deadly 2008 attacks in Mumbai, which left more than 160 people dead.Kashmir Cleric Says Police Blocked Religious Meet Over Waqf ActMirwaiz Umar Farooq, the prominent religious leader and head of the Muttahida Majlis Ulema (MMU), accused Jammu and Kashmir police of halting a planned meeting of clerics at his Srinagar residence. The gathering was meant to discuss concerns over the Waqf Act, which governs religious endowments in the region. Calling the police action unjust, Mirwaiz said religious leaders must be allowed to deliberate peacefully. He added that a joint resolution would be read in mosques across the Valley on Friday. The MMU also pledged support to the All India Muslim Personal Law Board's legal challenge to the Act.Israeli Airstrike Kills 23 in Gaza as Conflict DeepensA deadly Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in northern Gaza's Shijaiyah neighborhood on Wednesday, killing at least 23 people, including eight women and eight children, according to officials at Al-Ahly Hospital. The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed the toll and said rescue teams were still searching through rubble for survivors. Nearby buildings were also damaged, according to Gaza's civil defense, which operates under the Hamas-run government. The strike is the latest in a wave of intensifying attacks, as the humanitarian crisis worsens in the besieged Palestinian enclave with no signs of a ceasefire in sight.That's all for today. This was the CatchUp on 3 Things by The Indian Express.

Episode Title: 16-145 12 Hours of Nature's Relaxing SymphonyDescription:In this episode of the "Ambient Noises ASMR Podcast," immerse yourself in the soothing sounds of nature with a 12-hour symphony of relaxing ambient noises. Let the harmonious blend of rustling leaves, gentle streams, and distant bird songs transport you to a serene natural sanctuary. This episode is designed to help you unwind, find peace, and escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.Imagine yourself in a lush forest, where the gentle breeze carries the soft whispers of leaves brushing against each other. Nearby, a babbling brook meanders through the landscape, its rhythmic flow adding a calming undertone to the environment. The occasional call of a bird echoes through the canopy, creating a beautifully orchestrated concert that envelops you in tranquility.As you listen, you'll be joined by wanderers from different walks of life, all seeking solace and rejuvenation in this peaceful setting. Whether you're using this episode to relax after a busy day or to aid in meditation and mindfulness practices, our carefully curated nature sounds provide the perfect backdrop for your journey to calmness.Tune in and let these natural melodies guide you to a place of serenity and bliss. Allow yourself to be enveloped by the beauty and wonder of nature's symphony, and emerge refreshed and renewed.DISCLAIMER

Astronomers recently made an exciting discovery around a nearby star that's raising some intriguing questions. They found signs of a massive planet or something with unusual characteristics orbiting the star, and it's unlike anything we've seen before. This finding has scientists scratching their heads because it challenges what we thought we knew about how planets and stars interact. The object seems to have an odd orbit, and its size and behavior don't quite fit the usual patterns we've observed in other stars. Some experts wonder if this could be evidence of something new and unexplored in the universe. As more data is gathered, it might unlock some big mysteries about how solar systems form and evolve. Credit: Clark dome: By Pretzelpaws, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cl... Fomalhaut b orbit animated: By Jason Wang (Caltech)/Paul Kalas (UC Berkeley), CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... , https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... TrEs-2b / NASA Animation is created by Bright Side. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/ Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD... Subscribe to Bright Side: https://goo.gl/rQTJZz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook:   / brightside   Instagram:   / brightside.official   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.of... Telegram: https://t.me/bright_side_official Stock materials (photos, footages and other): https://www.depositphotos.com https://www.shutterstock.com https://www.eastnews.ru ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this fun episode, Josh sits down with John Norwood, a commercial banker from Raleigh, North Carolina, whose second identity is that of a passionate adventurer. While John's day job revolves around numbers and negotiations, his soul is stirred by trails, waterfalls, and sunfish sails. Rather than jetting off to exotic lands, John finds endless wonder in his own backyard—the mountains, lakes, and coastlines of North Carolina. Together, they explore John's lifelong connection with the outdoors, how he blends adventure with a full-time career, and how he's cultivated a community of fellow explorers. From Christmas Day hikes to dry-suit sailing in winter winds, John shares stories that blend practical inspiration with a bit of wanderlust magic.

If you rob a grocery store with a machete, it's going to make the news. 33-year-old Jeffrey Bradburn made off with a cinnamon bun and some incense but was caught by police nearby when he stopped to enjoy it. The cinnamon bun, not the incense.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could there be rouge planets floating in space between us and Alpha Centauri system? Will the Chinese be beaming power from a space station to Earth? Will solar sails be used for propulsion in our lifetime? And in our free bonus question on Patreon, how Lagrange points work for different planets and moons? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A.

Could there be rouge planets floating in space between us and Alpha Centauri system? Will the Chinese be beaming power from a space station to Earth? Will solar sails be used for propulsion in our lifetime? And in our free bonus question on Patreon, how Lagrange points work for different planets and moons? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A.

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Iceland's weather agency says a volcano is erupting in the southwestern part of the country.

In the middle of the night, a burglar broke into the policyholder's house. Nearby police arrived, and the suspect was apprehended. Debbie filed a claim for the police's bullet holes in her house and cleanup of heating oil spilled when a bullet hit the tank.   Notable Timestamps [ 00:15 ] - The bullet holes were all from police guns. 150 gallons of heating oil spilled in the basement. [ 01:40 ] - Heating oil tanks are most commonly found in what region of the United States? [ 03:30 ] - Tim reads through the Pollutants exclusion. Heating oil is most likely going to be considered a pollutant. [ 04:45 ] - When pollutants are released, it's usually caused by something else. This policy narrows down the analysis by listing the perils covered in Coverage C. [ 05:55 ] - Let's run through the Coverage C perils... how about explosion? There was a trial-level court case from Pennsylvania in the '90s that held a gunshot could be considered an explosion for the named peril. [ 07:55 ] - "Riot and civil commotion" probably envisions multiple people, or at least a larger area. [ 09:00 ] - Is it finally time for malicious mischief? No, it was the bullets from the police, and they were not causing the mischief. [ 09:30 ] - The peril for theft includes attempted theft, so this peril is a possibility. [ 10:45 ] - "Sudden and accidental tearing apart, cracking, burning or bulging of a steam or hot water heating system"... was the heating oil tank part of the hot water heating system for the home? [ 12:00 ] - Volcanic eruption? Probably not, but it is valuable to step through the policy to look for coverage. [ 13:13 ] - The governmental action exclusion applies to the destruction of covered property by order or governmental or public authority. [ 14:00 ] - "Order" usually means a search warrant, or something more formal than what occurred in this scenario. [ 14:45 ] - If the police officer's conduct exceeds the scope of the warrant, that may fall outside of the exclusion as well. [ 16:15 ] - Tim provides a recap of the scenario and the points above. Your PLRB Resources Coverage Question: Governmental Action Exclusion – Raid Pursuant to Warrant - https://www.plrb.org/documents/governmental-action-exclusion-raid-pursuant-to-warrant-pcq-2023-04-30-twh-a/?search=governmental%20action Coverage Question: Governmental Action or Civil Authority Exclusions Not Applicable Where Damage from Apprehending Suspect - https://www.plrb.org/documents/governmental-action-or-civil-authority-exclusions-not-applicable-where-damage-from-apprehending-suspect-pcq-2020-08-18-eks-a/?search=governmental%20action Annotation: Pollutants; Smoke from Industrial Operations (HO131) - https://www.plrb.org/documents/pollutants-smoke-from-industrial-operations-ho131/ Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company. Subscribe to this Podcast Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb LinkedIN - Please follow at “Property and Liability Resource Bureau” Send us your Scenario! Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your “adjuster story” sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.  Legal Information The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate. Music: “Piece of Future” by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

In this episode, we're diving into the magic of Feng Shui and how small shifts in your space can create powerful transformations in your life. Your home is a reflection of your energy, and by making intentional changes, you can invite more abundance, harmony, and joy into your daily experience. This conversation will inspire you to see your home in a whole new way. I'll be sharing personal experiences, insights, and practical tips that you can apply right away. From creating a welcoming entryway to enhancing the energy in key areas of your home, these simple adjustments can have a profound impact. Feng Shui isn't about rigid rules—it's about tuning into what feels good and supports the life you want to create. So, if you're ready to turn your home into a sanctuary that uplifts and energizes you, this episode is for you! Let's explore how to set up your space for success, love, and well-being—one mindful shift at a time.   Key Takeaways:  Simple tweaks, like decluttering your entryway or adjusting furniture placement, can create a powerful ripple effect in different areas of your life. Aligning your home's energy with your intentions can help you manifest more love, success, and opportunities. When you treat your home as a sanctuary, it nurtures and supports you in return, helping you live with more joy, balance, and ease.   Are You in the UK?  London (or Nearby)? I'd Love to Meet You in Person! Come join us - https://love.patricialohan.com/one-day-retreat   Resources: Feng Shui Mini Course or Feng Shui 101 - https://www.powerhousefengshui.com/fengshui-101-v3-1 Feng Shui Checklist - https://www.powerhousefengshui.com/feng-shui-checklist-1   Connect with Patricia Lohan: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/powerhousefengshui/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@PatriciaLohan Website - https://patricialohan.com/ Send us an email: miracles@patricialohan.com

After days of trekking through the Andes, the sight of Machu Picchu is unforgettable. Nearby, the horses that carried supplies for the arduous journey graze peacefully, their heavy breaths mingling with the faint, ghostly hum of the valley below. The stillness and raw power of the landscape create a profound connection to this historic wonder. UNESCO listing: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu Recorded by Rafael Diogo ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world's most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

"The world's first iron bridge spans the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire in the English Midlands. Through the gorge runs the River Severn, which is prone to flooding - and becoming more so, through climate change. The Ironbridge Gorge is often called the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. The area contains all the elements of progress that contributed to the rapid development of this industrial region in the 18th century, from the mines themselves to the railway lines.  "Nearby, the blast furnace of Coalbrookdale, built in 1708, is a reminder of the discovery of coke. The bridge at Ironbridge had a considerable influence on developments in the fields of technology and architecture. This recording was made at the highest point of the arch of the bridge, at a time when the river was in flood and parts of the surrounding area were inaccessible as a result. You hear the rush of the water some 18m below the bridge, the voices of tourists and visitors walking past, the sounds of the town (stereo L) and a passing light aeroplane, and an angrily barking dog! You also hear the clicking and beeping of tourists' cameras as they photograph the flooding, including one who stands directly above the recorder, then accidentally kicks it over and apologises!  "Many thousands of people visit the Iron Bridge and the surrounding area (UNESCO WHS) but mostly in fine weather. Local people's experience of the Gorge inevitably includes experiencing the impact of flooding, hence I thought it was important to capture a sound few visitors will have heard." UNESCO listing: Ironbridge Gorge Recorded by Jim Hawkins. ——————— This sound is part of the Sonic Heritage project, exploring the sounds of the world's most famous sights. Find out more and explore the whole project: https://www.citiesandmemory.com/heritage

Heathrow Airport Closed After Nearby Fire; Judge: DOJ Response on Deportations Woefully Insufficient | NTD Good Morning

Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent for the London Independent // Maura Fay, RTÉ Reporter at Dublin Airport // Brian O'Connell, RTÉ Reporter at Cork Airport // Shelagh Fogarty, LBC presenter who was meant to be flying to Shannon today // Paul Charles, the head coach with London Amateur Irish Rugby Club

you're out and about, maybe on a hike or just chilling in your backyard, and suddenly you spot this crazy laser beam streaking across the sky. Well, hold onto your hats because that laser beam could mean lightning is about to strike nearby. It's like a real-life warning sign from nature, telling you to take cover and stay safe. Scientists have found that these eerie laser-like beams, known as "lightning sprites," often appear right before lightning bolts zap down to the ground. And it's just one way of nature saying, "Hey, heads up, lightning's about to crash the party!" Credits #brightside Animation is created by Bright Side. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/ Listen to Bright Side on: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/idhttps-podcasts-apple-com-podcast-bright-side/id1554898078 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brightside/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brightside.official/ Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.official?lang=en Snapchat - https://www.snapchat.com/p/c6a1e38a-bff1-4a40-9731-2c8234ccb19f/1866144599336960 Stock materials (photos, footages and other): https://www.depositphotos.com https://www.shutterstock.com https://www.eastnews.ru ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textWatch the video!https://youtu.be/tIr1TMlUXa8In the News blog post for March 21, 2025:https://www.iphonejd.com/iphone_jd/2025/03/in-the-news770.html00:00 What Month Is It? 202507:49 Streaming Laggard15:22 A Very Promising Modem20:21 Nearby vs. “Near Here”22:25 Improved Text Messages25:51 Portable Power to the People30:58 In the Show - The Return of Lasso!35:36 Still Not a Cat!37:17 Someday (There Will Be No Zombies)40:53 Brett's iTip: “Safe Driving Mode” in Zoom on iPhone (aka “Quick Mute”)45:10 Jeff's Compass App Tips: More than Just DirectionsJohn Gruber | Daring Fireball: Gurman: Tim Cook Has Put Mike Rockwell in Charge of Siri, Reporting to Craig FederighiJason Snell | Six Colors: Who's the laggard? Comparing TV streamer boxesRyan Christoffel | 9to5Mac: Apple's C1 outperforms iPhone 16 with Qualcomm in most benchmarksRyan Christoffel | 9to5Mac: Apple Maps in iOS 18 got a new feature that's been on my wishlist for yearsJoe Rossignol | MacRumors: iOS 19 to Improve Texting With Android Users in Five WaysJeff's Review: Anker Laptop Power Bank — portable power, smart designClaire Moses | The New York Times: The Cat Lawyer Figured Out His Zoom SettingsBrett's iTip: “Safe Driving Mode” in Zoom on iPhone (aka “Quick Mute”)https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0068143Jeff's Compass App Tips: The incredible Compass apphttps://ios.gadgethacks.com/how-to/using-your-iphone-compass/Support the showBrett Burney from http://www.appsinlaw.comJeff Richardson from http://www.iphonejd.com

From stress reduction to faster healing times after surgery, being in nearby nature has measurable effects on our well being. Master Gardeners work to foster the connection between people and the natural world to help our communities be able to access nature no matter where they live. In part two of our Program Priority Series we sit down with Master Gardener Cathi Lamoreux to discuss Nearby Nature. For resources, links, a transcript, and more be sure to visit our website at https://evergreenthumb.mastergardenerfoundation.org/episode043/  

learn how to use the word 'nearby' in English

The gang comes to terms with a heavy loss as they head deeper into the tunnels of the Underwood. Unexpected tight corners and mighty foes make appearances as the Woven Cord weaves its way to Kinari.Instagram (where all our animations are):www.instagram.com/wwditb@wwditb on social media.wwditb.bigcartel.com for merchandise.Kevin & Thomas' show ‘Oops All Segments' on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-all-segments/id1651866023Sound/Music Notes:Recap Theme by Liam Berrywww.liamberry.caAmbience_Cave_00.wav by LittleRobotSoundFactory -- https://freesound.org/s/270387/ -- License: Attribution 4.0"Fantastic Dim Bar" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Promises to Keep" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Disconcerned" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Plaint" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Mystery Sax" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Hot Pursuit" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Nearby explosion with debris.wav by juskiddink -- https://freesound.org/s/108641/ -- License: Attribution 4.0custom_short_explosion_impact_sound by Artninja -- https://freesound.org/s/750822/ -- License: Attribution 4.0"Hitman" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Undaunted" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"All This" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Asian Drums" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Desert City" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Lightless Dawn" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Dreams Become Real" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

When a nearby gym shuts down, its members risk losing their momentum—but you can step in to offer them a welcoming community where they can continue their fitness journeys. That's just what Matt Michaud, owner of EverProven, did when two gyms in his area closed their doors. This influx of new members helped his gym earn a spot on all three of our sales leaderboards: set, show and close rates. In one month, Matt's gym closed a whopping 22 sales in 28 appointments. The key is that Matt led with a Help First mindset: He and his staff focused on helping displaced members keep their fitness on track, without being pushy or “salesy.”In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin talks with Matt, who details the exact steps he took to ensure a seamless transition, from initial communication with the previous gyms' owners to adjusting his systems to handle rapid growth. You never know when a gym near you might be forced to close, so tune in to ensure you're ready to help.Links“Help First” by Chris CooperGym Owners UnitedBook a Call  01:08 - Helping displaced gym members08:12 - Mechanics of outreach14:15 - Prescriptive Model with groups20:46 - Avoiding staff overwhelm23:51 - Long-term lead nurture

Curt Reed and Dr. Hixson discuss the Nephilim and whether they are still part of Satan's army today. Harvest Life: https://harvestlifecf.org/ NBW Ministries Premier Membership: https://nbwministries.myshopify.com/products/nbw-premier-membership-2?selling_plan=8502542651&variant=47459098460475 North Georgia Prophecy Conference: https://www.nbwgeorgiaprophecyconference.com/ https://www.notbyworks.org/ Newsletter Signup: https://notbyworks.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=2dd006a2d705e5683002e3cb4&id=e604d57842 https://nbwministries.myshopify.com/ Spirit of the False Prophet Audiobook https://linktr.ee/nbwministries https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCMIahDSgmwkm9PRf9KIWsw https://rumble.com/c/notbyworks https://notbyworks.podbean.com/ http://www.notbyworks.org/Spirit-Of-The-False-Prophet https://www.notbyworks.org/Spirit-Of-The-Antichrist-Volume-One https://www.notbyworks.org/Spirit-Of-The-Antichrist-Volume-two

In January, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that radioactive contamination at the West Lake Landfill Superfund Site is more widespread than previously known. To clean the site, the agency will now have to dig up and dispose of an additional 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris — more than three football fields piled one yard high with material. Nearby resident Dawn Chapman has pushed for accountability and cleanup of the site for 12 years. She's frustrated that it's taken decades for the agency to announce what community members — many of whom have died or suffered illness from the exposure — have known for years. She shares her hopes and fears for the future alongside Missouri Independent reporter Allison Kite.

Website: https://saltmustflow.comOTHER PLATFORMSRumble: https://rumble.com/c/SaltyCrackerYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SaltyCrackerTwitter/X: https://x.com/SaltyCracker9Locals: https://saltycracker.locals.com/SUPPORT SALTYWebsite: https://saltmustflow.com/support/SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/salty-crackerCash App: https://cash.app/$saltmustflowMerchandise: https://saltmustflow.com/shop/Mrs. Salty's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChnZMOno3rthe1LHvcxufdwMusic by: https://incompetech.com/ Crinoline Dreams In Your Arms--Disclaimer-- These are the opinions and ramblings of a foul-mouthed lunatic. They are for entertainment purposes only and are probably wrong. You listen at your own risk.