Podcasts about Nearby

In 1966, two men were discovered dead on Vintém Hill in Brazil under circumstances so strange they remain unsolved to this day. They were found dressed in formal suits, lying side by side, with lead masks covering their eyes. Nearby lay a cryptic note, money, and no signs of struggle. The case has sparked decades of speculation. Were they victims of a failed scientific experiment, caught up in a ritual, or silenced for reasons never revealed? Join us as we unravel the bizarre details of the Lead Masks Case and explore why it continues to baffle investigators and mystery seekers alike.

First day of an advanced university-level sex ed class.Based on a post by smalltitslovr, in 4 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories.Hi! My name is Samantha. I'm a 25 year old college graduate. I am about 5' 3", and I'm a very petite girl. I have black hair and blue eyes. My tits are small-ish, but they look larger because of my small figure (a 32 b chest looks more voluptuous than a 38 b does.) My ass is average. But nice and tight, because I work out quite a bit.Today, I'd like to tell you about a class I took in second semester of my sophomore year of college: Advanced Sexual Education. Here's the description from the course catalog: I attended a private research university, in southern California.Human Sexuality 3O1."Everyone takes a sex-ed class in high school that goes over the basics. That class should have covered the basics of each gender's biological systems, and the reproduction system as a whole. This class goes beyond that basic overview, and provides an in-depth study of the sexuality of human beings. The course will include discussions, demos, and lab projects. Students must be 18+ years of age."I really felt I needed to take this class. You see, at my high school, we had a one-week version of the sex-ed class, and I had been sick for the last 3 days that week. Although I had picked up many things since then, I was never quite sure what I missed, and felt that I might be missing something important. I thought this might be a good opportunity to fill in those pieces I had missed.I'd read the description of this class many times, and wondered what exactly it would entail. "Demos and lab projects" and "18+". Those two pieces of the description made me both scared and excited. Of course 18 years was the required age for consensual sex, in our state. Did that mean that we were going to be having sex in the class? Surely we couldn't be required to have sex. That would be illegal. Wouldn't it? Our university did have a few prodigy kids on campus, who were still under-age. They were banned from signing up, or even auditing the sessions. There was no online option, either.After thinking on it for about 3 weeks straight, I decided I would sign up.First Day.The first day of the class finally arrived. I'd been anticipating it since the moment I'd signed up. I'd thought about backing out several times, but reconsidered each time.I'd dressed in a tight, white t-shirt with a decal, blue jean shorts with a white belt, and flip-flops.I arrived at my classroom at 7:55; 5 minutes early. It was a very early class. I didn't see many people on campus on the way there. The class was in the basement of the psychology building. I'd never been down there before. I'd heard that's where some psych studies were held, and a few classes. It was tucked away in a corner of the building where nobody would stumble into it by accident.As I walked in, I noticed several people sitting in seats around the room. There was roughly an even mix of males to females. I found a seat in the second row, and pulled out my phone and checked social media, as I waited nervously for class to start. As I waited, I noticed most of the people in the room seemed a little nervous. Many were looking around, and a few seemed like they wanted to get up and leave.Finally, the teacher arrived; 1 minute late.She was somewhat tall for a woman (maybe 5'10"), in her early 30s. She had blonde hair, put up in a bun. She had black rimmed glasses. On top, she wore a white blouse, which was unbuttoned down to just above her bra, revealing a lot of cleavage as well as quite a bit of her mid-sized sized breasts. Over that, she wore a bright red cardigan. She was also wearing a black skirt that came to about mid-thigh, showing off very long, tan legs. On her feet, she wore 1-inch, red heels, matching her cardigan.She walked to the table at the front of the classroom, and set her bag down on it. She pulled off her cardigan, draping it over the back of the chair, which revealed her slim figure. She reached into her bag, and took out some papers; presumably, her notes."Hello class." she said, once she was ready. "This is Advanced Sexual Education. If you are not here for Advanced Sexual Education, please leave. You're in the wrong place."I looked around. Nobody left. There were 12 guys, and 8 girls, including me. The seats were arranged in 4 rows of 5, with 10 seats wrapped around the outside of the room. Some of the chairs were emptyThe teacher looked around to make sure nobody was slow to stand, then continued. "Ok. I'll introduce myself and go over some guidelines, then take roll. My name is Sharon Gladwell. You can call me Sharon. I've worked here at the university for about 5 years. This is my first year teaching. Normally, I do research for the psych department. My specialty is human sexuality and arousal. I've lead several studies on various topics including stimulation, bondage and exhibitionism."Everyone in the class seemed stunned at how openly she talked about these "behind-doors" topics."Now, some guidelines." She pulled some papers out of her bag, and passed them out. "Here's the syllabus. In there, you will find details on everything I am about to say. If, at any time, any of you feel you are not suited for this class, feel free to get up and leave. No harm, no foul."This class is designed with two goals in mind. Firstly, to educate you all on the details of human sexuality. We will study the specific of how the human body works; specifically, the similarities and differences between males and females. We will also examine how certain stimuli cause certain reactions. We will cover intercourse in detail, both traditional and non-traditional methods. We will cover fetishes of many varieties, pornography, body modification (as it relates to sexuality), and coercion."The second goal is to push your boundaries. Throughout the semester, we will have numerous demonstrations, as well as solo and group projects on the topics and concepts we are covering. By the end of this class, you should all be more open sexually, and you will have experience far beyond many of your peers, measured by both depth and breadth."There will be times during the semester when I ask you do to do things you may not be comfortable doing. You may, of course, opt out, but it will negatively affect your participation grade, which is 50% of this course. The other 50% is broken up into 35% out-of-class projects and homework, and 15% for the final multi-format exam."Any questions so far?" she asked. A few hands went up. "Yes?" she said, pointing to a girl in the third row."You mentioned demonstrations," replied the girl. "Are those going to involve guests? And how involved will they be?"Sharon smiled, and replied, "No, we will normally not have guests this semester, unless we are covering a special topic. The demos will be performed by each of you, as well as by myself. They will be very in-depth, and will usually involve grouping up to get a chance to observe the topic, and get hands-on experience. Hopefully that clarifies it. If not, it should become clear in a little bit, as we'll be doing our first demo today.""Oh; thanks; " replied the girl, quite stunned, and a little confused."Anyone else?" asked Sharon. A boy on the left side of the room held his hand up. She nodded to him."So, when we group up, will we be grouping boy-boy or boy-girl?", the boy asked."Good question. For the start of the semester, we will form groups that include both genders. As each of you have the most experience with your own gender, you will need to study the other gender more thoroughly." Then she counted out how many of each there were in the room. "I was planning on pairs; however, it looks like the numbers don't quite work out for that. If we start with coed pairs, that'll leave four extra boys. So we'll have two groups of 3, with an extra boy in each, and two boys with me."The boy grinned, "Thanks. That's what I was hoping.""I'm sure it was," replied Sharon, with a bigger grin. "Any other questions?" There weren't any. "Alright then. We'll move on to roll-call. Some days, including today, I'll give you a question for the day. When I call your name, you will stand, answer the given question, and strip off your clothes. Normally, you will remove all of your clothing, but since it's the first day, you'll only be required to remove two articles of clothing. Shoes, socks, and jackets do not count."That got everyone's attention. There was no mention before that anyone would be stripping. It was implied, due to the fact that hands-on demos would probably require nudity, but this confirmed it."Today's question is an introduction," Sharon said. "You'll state your name, age, where you're from, and whether or not you are a virgin. We'll start with me. As I said before, my name is Sharon. I'm 32, and I'm from San Francisco. As I'm sure you have all guessed, I am not a virgin."With that said, she unbuttoned her blouse and removed it, placing it on the desk. Underneath, she had a sexy white bra, with black lace accents. Next, she unzipped the side of her skirt, and slipped it down her long legs, revealing a matching g-string.Now that her clothing was removed, I got my first good look at her body. She was slim, in a fit kind of way; she definitely worked out regularly. Her legs seemed to be miles long. She had one noticeable tattoo: some sort of tribal pattern, wrapping around the bottom of her tits. She was very tan; she must sun bathe quite a bit."Now your turn. First up, Tony Baker"A boy on the right side of the room stood up and introduced himself. "Hi I'm Tony Baker. I'm 19, and I'm from Texas. I am not a virgin." He pulled his shirt over his head. He had a tan body, with six-pack abs. Next, he pulled off his shoes and socks, then pulled his pants off, revealing a pair of red boxer briefs, which were tented slightly. Apparently I wasn't the only one who found Ms. Gladwell attractive."Nice to meet you Tony. You may take your seat. Next up, Mindy Hayes"She proceeded to call out each student's name. About half-way through, she called "Christina McCoy"Christina stood, and said, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do this." She grabbed her bag and quickly walked out of the classroom."No worries" said Ms. Sharon. "Would anyone else like to leave?" At that, a terrified white boy also left.She continued down the list, and nobody else left. Each student stood, said their name, age, and virginity status, and stripped off their shirts and their bottoms.Here's a summary:· Mindy Hayes - 19 year old white girl from Boston. Virgin. Wearing pale blue matching bra and panties.· Alex Myers - 18 year old white boy from Ohio. Not a virgin. Wearing black boxer shorts.· Dave Evans - 24 year old white boy from Georgia. Virgin. Red boxer briefs.· Darrell Wade - 23 year old white boy from Louisiana. Not a virgin. Grey boxer briefs.· Latoya Gilbert - 21 year old black girl from Chicago. Not a virgin. Red bra and panties.· Filipe Allen - 24 year old Portuguese boy from San Francisco. Not a virgin. Red boxers.· Eric Ramirez - 22 year old Hispanic boy from San Diego. Virgin. Blue boxer briefs· Ken Sharp - 21 year old white boy from Kansas. Virgin. Tighty whities· Billy Daniels - 19 year old white boy from New York. Not a virgin. Black boxers· Barbara Foster - 20 year old white girl from South Carolina. Not a virgin. Pink and black boy shorts, and a pink push-up bra· Roberto Walters - 18 year old Hispanic boy from New York. Not a virgin. Black and white boxers.· Irene Hunter - 21 year old white girl from Wisconsin. Not a virgin. Dark blue sports bra and matching panties.· John Gibson - 19 year old white boy from Connecticut. Virgin. Black boxer briefs· Amy Powell - 18 year old white girl from Maine. Virgin. Purple g-string and a white shelf bra· Sofia Mendez - 18 year old Hispanic girl from Ohio. Not a Virgin. Green g-string and matching lacy bra· Kent Doyle - 23 year old white boy from Colorado. Virgin. Bronco's boxers (orange and blue)· "And, last but not least, Samantha Rivera."I stood up. I was shaking a little. I was quite nervous. I'd been somewhat of an exhibitionist before, and I'd been naked in front of people before, but not in this kind of setting. But the biggest thing that was getting to me was the anticipation. The whole time I watched people strip, I knew my turn was coming. I was also nervous because I had slightly less clothing than all the other girls."I'm Samantha. I'm 19, and I'm from Colorado. I am not a virgin." I paused. "Um. Ms. Sharon; ""Yes, Samantha, is there a problem?" she replied."Er; .well; .I'm not wearing any undergarments. I usually don't. They make me uncomfortable.""Ah. An exhibitionist. I see. Well, it doesn't make much difference. Everyone will be stripping completely, starting tomorrow. You'll just have to do it a day early. If you're uncomfortable with that, this class probably isn't for you. Feel free to leave, if you'd like.""Um. No, I'm okay." I had a feeling she'd say something to that effect, but part of me was hoping she'd cut me some slack. Maybe let me keep my shorts? But, at the same time, I was also hoping that she wouldn't. :)So, I proceeded to strip. First, I kicked off my flip-flops. Then I grabbed the bottom of my shirt, and slowly pulled it over my head. Everyone got a good look at my B-cup breasts, with my arms over my head. I dropped my shirt onto my bag, then continued. I undid my belt, then the button on my jean shorts, then the zipper. I hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, then peeled my tight jean shorts off my naked body. As I did, I bent over, giving everyone behind me a good look at my ass and a small bit of my cunt. I picked my shorts up, and placed them on my bag. I smiled, and sat down, crossing my legs and my arms, which covered all the important bits."Excellent, class. Now that introductions are out of the way, we'll move on to our first topic: the human body. Today, we'll be going over the non-genitals. You may ask: 'what does that have to do with Sexual Education?'"Well, as we'll find out several times throughout the semester, sexuality doesn't require genitalia, or even nudity. An orgasm can be a achieved in other ways. For example, you can make someone cum just by massaging them in non-sexual places, although I doubt we'll see that today."Now, let's pair up for our first demo. First I'll call out pairs, then we'll see who is left."When I call your name, the girl should get up and move to the guy. First pair. Samantha, you're with Tony."I stood up, and walked to the right side of the classroom. Everyone watched me as I went and I felt like I had 100 eyes glued to various parts of my naked body, although it was really only 34. But that's still a lot! I took an empty seat next to Tony.Sharon continued pairing every girl with a guy. When she was done, she said, "We have four guys left. Two will join me: John and Eric. The other two will join a pair of their choice."The remaining two guys stood and approached Tony and I.Sharon laughed. "I see you are both attracted to the lovely Samantha and Tony here. Unfortunately, we won't get to foursomes until later in the semester, so, since Alex got up quicker, he can join Samantha and Tony, and Filipe can join another group."Filipe looked disappointed, but he walked away and joined another pair. Alex sat down in an empty chair on the other side of me."Now, we'll be covering back massages first. Each male stand behind your female, and rub her shoulders, neck, and back. Remember: no genitals today. For those groups with two guys, each can get one shoulder."She then sat down in a chair, and Eric and John got behind her and started massaging her shoulders.I scooted my seat forward, while Alex and Tony stood and got behind me. They then gave me one of the best massages I've had in my life.After what seemed like an eternity of bliss, but was still much too short, we switched. I first massaged Alex, and then Tony."Ok, class. That's it for today." said Sharon. "Class dismissed. Remember, be prepared to really get in deep with the material, starting tomorrow."Everyone returned to their original seats, and started to dress. I quickly walked back over to my bag, put on my shorts and shirt, grabbed my bag, and left.The second day. Topic: exhibitionism.The next day, I arrived about 5 minutes early again. I was wearing a light-green t-shirt and tight blue jeans. I walked in, took a seat in the same spot, pulled out my phone, and looked at social media.A few minutes later, Ms. Sharon walked in."Hello class." she said, after placing her bag down on the table in the front of the room."Today, we will be covering exhibitionism. I felt like it was an appropriate topic, given that many of you will have some strong feelings about stripping in front of your fellow students, most of which, are still strangers to you."But, before we start, I want to mention an opportunity for extra credit. As I said last class, I do a lot of work on sexuality research. A problem with this type of research is a lack of willing test subjects. If you're interested, you may participate in any number of these throughout the semester, and I will bump your grade up by half a letter grade. For example a B would become a B+. In addition to the extra credit, most studies have a monetary incentive ranging from $50-$1000+ depending on the focus and intensity of the study. If you're interested, let me know, and I'll get you signed up for a study."Now, just like last class, I'll call roll, and you will each stand, and strip completely. Every day from here on out, class will be conducted entirely without clothes, with very few exceptions. Also, I do not want to spend a ton of time on roll call every day, so, starting tomorrow, I will ask that each and every one of you is naked by the time class starts."Just like last class, you will also answer a question. However, today you'll do that after stripping. The question is: how do you feel, given your indecency? Are you uncomfortable? Are you embarrassed? Perhaps a bit turned on? Whatever you're feeling, let us all know. I can assure you that every emotion you are feeling is completely normal."Also like the other day, I will go first." She then proceeded to remove all her clothing. When she was done, she slowly spun around, giving us all a good look at her body. Although her breasts looked quite large before, her bra must have been a push-up, because after removing it, they appeared a bit smaller. However, they were quite perky, and stayed in the same exact shape as before she removed it. She had long nipples that were quite hard. They about half an inch in diameter, and about the same size from base to tip, with her entire areola extending to about 1 inch in diameter.Down below, she had her womanly hair shaved into a small, closely shaved triangle, pointing down. Her ass was large, but not huge, and looked quite firm. Another interesting feature was her tan lines. She had the normal bikini-shaped pale spots all around her "private" areas (which were now quite public), but she had a bit of a tan on both nipples, and in a line leading to her cunt. It appeared she had some interesting swimwear.When she was done with her spin, she stood at the front of the class, with her legs about shoulder-width apart. She didn't cover anything up. "I am feeling a bit horny, as I always do when new people see my body. I'm a bit nervous, but not scared. I know that most people here enjoy what they see, and those who don't are probably insecure in their own bodies."Alright. Now that I've gone, it's your turn. First up, we have the lovely Samantha Rivera. I thought you should go first, since you already stripped naked last class. Everyone has seen you naked already, so you should feel a bit more comfortable than the others in doing so again.Oh great, I thought to myself, sarcastically. I get to be the only student naked, once again.I stood up, and once again kicked off my flip-flops. I pulled my green t-shirt over my head, and pulled my pants off. After the previous day, I knew I'd have to get naked again, so when I got dressed this morning, I figured there was no point in wearing underwear. They just make me uncomfortable anyhow. So that left me naked in front of my classmates, who were all taking a good look at my naked body."Now, how do you feel, Samantha?" asked Ms. Sharon."Well, I feel more comfortable than I did a few minutes ago when I had those restrictive clothes on. I also feel a bit embarrassed, because I'm going first, but not quite as embarrassed as the last class. I also feel nervous. Not because of what people think of my body, but rather because of the topic we're going to be covering today, and the topics we'll be covering for rest of the semester."Then I sat back down."Very good, miss Rivera. I understand what you mean about the restrictive clothes. I much prefer to be naked when possible, which is one reason the rest of the class will be held in the nude. I guess you could call me an amateur nudist, in that respect. As for the material we're covering today, I'm sure you'll do fine. It seems you are already a bit of an exhibitionist." She smiled. "I'm not sure how you'll feel about the rest of the material we'll be covering, but that's part of the point of this class: to push your boundaries."Alrighty. Thank you Samantha. Next up, Alex Myers."Once again, she went down the list of names. There were three people that were missing from the last class (Mindy Hayes, Irene Hunter, Dave Evans). I guessed that they decided the class wasn't for them. Everyone else showed up, and looked eager to learn. As each person's name was called, they stood, stripped completely naked, and voiced their feelings about their state of undress. Most people said they felt embarrassed, and many felt uncomfortable with their nudity, and with the intimacy of the situation. A few people said they felt a sense of thrill or excitement.Once we finished roll, which took about ten minutes, Ms. Sharon said, "Ok. Now that everyone is naked, we will move on with the rest of today's content. Exhibitionism is defined as the act of exposing, in a public or semi-public context, those parts of one's body that are not normally exposed. Many people practice exhibitionism for a variety of reasons, such as thrill, amusement, spectacle, or sexual gratification. You have all now experienced a small part of that. In a few minutes, and throughout the rest of the semester, you will experience more of that."In this setting, with everyone being naked, it's hard to get a real idea of what exhibitionism feels like. In order to really experience this, you must be the only one in the area who is exposed. That is the objective of today's exercise.Ms. Sharon took out two plastic bags with a bunch of pieces of paper in each of them, and started walking around the room, passing one of each to everyone."Each of you will get two pieces of paper; one from each of these bags. On the first piece of paper, you will find a location on campus. On the second, there is an action. Your task is to go to your given location, in your current state of undress, and perform your given action. The actions are fairly simple, such as "do 10 jumping jacks", or "yell: look at me!", or "shake hands with someone". once you've done your action, return here for your clothes and belongings, and then you may leave for today."Between now and next class, I would like you to write a few pages describing your experience. I won't specify a length, but my guess is you'd have at least a few pages of content to write about. Next class period, we will review the outcome of the activity. I will take you on your word for whether or not you do your action or not. Either way, just walking around campus will give you a feel for exhibitionism."Now, does anyone not have a place and an action?" Nobody spoke up. "Good. Everyone follow me. I'll walk you to the front door of the building."She then walked out of the classroom. Everyone stood, and filed out of the classroom door, following her down the hall of the building.I was terrified at the thought of this assignment. When I got my location and action, I red, "Top floor of the library" and "high-five 3 people" Although the library wasn't too far from this building, I had to go to the top floor, which meant I either had to walk up all the stairs, or ride in the elevator, which usually had at least one person.Ms. Sharon escorted us all to the entrance of the building. We saw a couple students as we walked through the halls, and they all looked at us like we were crazy, but at the same time, most of them looked like they wanted to know more."Alright everyone. You have 35 minutes until the end of class. Go to your location, do your action, and come back. I will be waiting in the classroom when you return."She opened the door, and we all flooded out, running in many different directions.I hesitated a moment, before following everyone else. I turned left, and headed toward the library.It was still early, and the sun was still coming up over the buildings as I ran down the alley between two parts of the psych building. As I ran, I could feel the air rushing past me, and between my legs. Because it was so early, it was still quite chilly out. I tried to cover up as much as possible, partly because of my embarrassment, but mostly because I was cold.However, with only two hands, I couldn't cover much. At first, I tried covering my hairless cunt with one hand and my tits with my other arm. After about a dozen steps, I realized that wasn't really working. Although my boobs are small, they sure were bouncing quite a lot. I never really noticed how much they bounced without a bra. So, I switched to covering just my tits with both hands. That prevented them from bouncing so much, which felt much better.I ran as fast as I could, through that alleyway, around another building and down into the area leading to the library entrance. So far, I hadn't seen anyone, although I'm sure a few people saw me from a distance, and from windows that I passed.When I arrived at the entrance to the library, I took a short break to catch my breath. I hid behind a nearby bench, and squatted down. After catching my breath, I hesitated, because I knew there would be quite a few more people inside. I didn't really want to go in, but as I said, it was quite chilly out. So, I quickly bolted to the door, opened it and rushed inside.As I entered, the first person I noticed was the "security guard". The library hires a student to sit next to the magnetic sensors that prevented book theft. They were tasked with ensuring nobody leaving was stealing a book. The student on duty today was a young guy (maybe a freshman?), with dark hair. He was wearing a hoodie and had headphones in. He looked up, then back down at his book. Then he did a double take. His eyes opened wide, and his mouth dropped a bit."Um. Miss; I think you've forgotten something." he stammered."Oh. No, I've left my clothes behind on purpose." I said, and smiled at him, moving my hands back to my original, slightly more modest, position. "This is for a class assignment. I have to go to the third floor like this, then go back to my classroom.""Oh. Okay. Well good luck!" he said.He watched me as I walked through the detectors, and to the nearby elevator. I rapidly pressed the "up" button a few times, and bounced up and down, wishing the elevator would hurry up. As I stood there, a few people walked by. Everyone took notice of me, and many people whispered to their friends. A few girls giggled. Just as the elevator was arriving, I saw a guy hold up his phone and snap a picture."I hope you enjoy that, pervert!" I yelled at him, as I quickly got on the elevator and mashed my floor, then "close door" button. Before the door could close, a 40-something year old male professor came running up, and stuck his arm in the door, and stepped inside."Woo. I made it." he said, before noticing me. Once he did, he looked a bit shocked. "Oh. Excuse me. I'll catch another elevator." he said, starting to leave."No, it's alright, you can use this one." I said."Are you sure?" he replied. "I guess I am in a bit of a hurry.""Yea, it's fine. Just come on." I said, as I continued mashing the button.The door closed, and the elevator started rising. For the first moment, there was an awkward silence. Then he asked "so, what brings you here today, in such a state interesting attire?" He was trying to make small talk."Well, I'm in a class called Advanced Sexual Education. Today, we're learning about exhibitionism, and my teacher had this crazy idea that everyone should have some experience with it.""Oh. That sounds like an interesting class." he replied. He was trying not to make too much eye contact with me, but I could tell he was itching for a look at my naked, nubile body."You know, it's alright if you look at my body." I said. "I can tell you want to, and I guess it's what's supposed to happen in such an exhibitionist situation. Plus, I don't mind. I actually kind of enjoy it when people look at my naked body.""Oh. Well, I guess if it would help you out with your assignment." he said, as he looked over at me. "You have great skin. And your breasts are the perfect size. I'd love to be able to touch them." Just then, we arrived at the top floor."Oh. Well this is my stop." I said, getting off the elevator, into an un-populated area. The man followed me. "I'll tell you what. For my assignment, I have to get three high-fives. If you give me one of those high-fives, I'll let you have a quick touch.""Alright" he said, without having to think about it. "Deal"I raised my hand up, and he promptly smacked it. Then I gestured for him to go ahead. He reached forward with both hands, and firmly grabbed both my titties, and asked "Are these real?""Of course they're real!", I replied, shocked. "Can't you tell?""Well, no. I haven't had the chance to compare the feeling between real and fake.""Oh." I replied. "Well, I guess I haven't either. Mine are real."After a few more squeezes, he pinched my nipples. Then he released them. He thanked me, and he left.Now, how was I going to go about getting those last two high fives? I assessed my surroundings. Nearby, there was a hallway leading to a study area, which usually had a lot of people. In another direction, there was a doorway leading to stacks of books. Usually, they kept the less interesting books up here, and thus, not as many people were in those stacks.I decided to go with the stacks. There was a chance I wouldn't be able to find someone, but there would also probably less chance of people seeing me.I walked through the doorway, weaved through a couple stacks, and found a row of tables against the wall. Unfortunately, there wasn't anyone there. I walked down the row, past the tables, looking down each aisle. Finally, I saw someone, in an upcoming aisle. It was a girl, with black hair, and she was reading a book she had just grabbed off a shelf.Well, I guess this is as good a person as any, I thought to myself.I covered myself with my arms as much as I could, I walked up, tapped her on the shoulder, and said "Hi. Would you mind doing me a favor?""Sure, just gimme a sec to finish what I'm reading" she said, then took a quick glance at me. Just like the security guard, she did a double take, followed by a mouth drop. After a second to take the situation in, she said, "Wow. Um. Why are you naked, in the library?""Well, it's for a class." I said. "We're supposed to go to a place on campus, dressed how I am right now, and do something. That's why I need a favor. I need to get three high-fives. Would you mind giving me one?" As I said all that, I noticed her eyes gaze slowly over the length of my body. It made me shiver."Uh; sure." she said, raising her hand. I reached up, and smacked it. Two down, one to go."So, your professor really had you all walk naked around campus? Does that mean there's a bunch of other people naked around campus right now too?""Yep. There sure are. The class is called Advanced Human Sexuality. If you're interested, you should check it out.""Hmm. Alright. It sounds interesting. I might just have to do that.""Well, I have to get going. Gotta get that last high-five, and get back to class before it ends. What was your name, anyhow?""Nicole." she replied. "Well, I'll see you around.""Yep, see ya!"As I walked off, she took a seat at a table, and pulled her laptop out. Presumably, she was checking out the details for the class. I could tell she was intrigued by my exposure. Perhaps she would join the class? Or maybe I was over-reading the situation, and she was just getting ready to start taking notes on the book she was reading. Who knows?I walked up and down the aisles of books for a few more minutes, but nobody else was around. I decided I'd have to venture out into the study area to find someone. There was another entrance to the area on the opposite side of the stacks from the elevator. I walked over to that entrance, and peered around the corner.As I suspected, there were quite a few people studying in that area. There were 3 large tables, with about 10 people sitting at each. In another part of the room, there were some lounge chairs, with another 15 or so people sitting around. There were also several cubicles scattered about, that gave people a bit of privacy, and from where I was standing, I couldn't tell if they were occupied. However, from experience, I found those were almost always occupied. So, all in all, there were about 50-60 people in that room.Well, I thought, at least I'll have a good chance of finding someone to give me a high five. I'd bet that many of the people would be willing. Maybe I can get some extra credit for extra high-fives.I took a couple deep breaths, and decided it was now or never. I slowly entered the room.Immediately, a group of five guys, to the right of the door, took notice of me. They all seemed very surprised by the sight of an attractive, naked girl, in such a public place. I decided they'd be as good a group as any, and I started to approach them."Hi guys." I said. "Would you mind doing me a favor?"They all nodded, while one of them immediately jumped up and said, "Perhaps, sexy. What do you need?"I was a little put off by this stranger calling me sexy, but it was also a bit flattering. I responded, "Well, you see. I need to get a high five from one of you. It's for a class. Would one of you mind giving me a high five?""Well, I don't know. A high five is a high price. We can't just hand those out to anyone. What would you be willing to trade?""Well, I offered a man to touch my breasts earlier. Would that be enough?" I asked."Hmm, what do you guys think," said the leading pervert, conferring with his comrades.One of them replied, "Do we each get a feel?"At this point, just about everyone in the room had taken notice of the situation. They were all looking at me, and a few people had started to gather around. I wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, before it got out of hand, so I responded, "Fine. Deal. You each get one squeeze. And high-fives from all of you first.""One squeeze on each tit, and you have yourself a deal", said the leader, raising his hand for a high five.The rest of them stood, and raised their hands. I walked to each of them, and slapped their hands. When I had slapped the last one, I said, "Alright. Now your turn. One squeeze each, on each breast."The leader stepped up, and said "Ok. I think in order for this to go efficiently, you should hold your hands above your head, that way we can each easily get to you easily, and make sure nobody gets any extras."I complied, and raised my hands over my head, showing my completely unexposed breasts to everyone in the room, within viewing distance.One by one, the five guys walked up, and took a good long squeeze on each breast. I could tell they really enjoyed it, because they took their sweet time.The entire time, I couldn't help but get turned on. Here I was, completely exposed in front of a large group of strangers, letting five guys cop a practically-free feel. Plus, it felt pretty good. I was quite wet between my legs, to say the least.Finally, the last squeeze was done. I lowered my arm, thanked them, and left. I had to go between a few people to get by, and brushed my breasts against them.To be continued in part 2, Based on a post by smalltitslovr for Literotica.

First day of an advanced university-level sex ed class.Based on a post by smalltitslovr, in 4 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories.Hi! My name is Samantha. I'm a 25 year old college graduate. I am about 5' 3", and I'm a very petite girl. I have black hair and blue eyes. My tits are small-ish, but they look larger because of my small figure (a 32 b chest looks more voluptuous than a 38 b does.) My ass is average. But nice and tight, because I work out quite a bit.Today, I'd like to tell you about a class I took in second semester of my sophomore year of college: Advanced Sexual Education. Here's the description from the course catalog: I attended a private research university, in southern California.Human Sexuality 3O1."Everyone takes a sex-ed class in high school that goes over the basics. That class should have covered the basics of each gender's biological systems, and the reproduction system as a whole. This class goes beyond that basic overview, and provides an in-depth study of the sexuality of human beings. The course will include discussions, demos, and lab projects. Students must be 18+ years of age."I really felt I needed to take this class. You see, at my high school, we had a one-week version of the sex-ed class, and I had been sick for the last 3 days that week. Although I had picked up many things since then, I was never quite sure what I missed, and felt that I might be missing something important. I thought this might be a good opportunity to fill in those pieces I had missed.I'd read the description of this class many times, and wondered what exactly it would entail. "Demos and lab projects" and "18+". Those two pieces of the description made me both scared and excited. Of course 18 years was the required age for consensual sex, in our state. Did that mean that we were going to be having sex in the class? Surely we couldn't be required to have sex. That would be illegal. Wouldn't it? Our university did have a few prodigy kids on campus, who were still under-age. They were banned from signing up, or even auditing the sessions. There was no online option, either.After thinking on it for about 3 weeks straight, I decided I would sign up.First Day.The first day of the class finally arrived. I'd been anticipating it since the moment I'd signed up. I'd thought about backing out several times, but reconsidered each time.I'd dressed in a tight, white t-shirt with a decal, blue jean shorts with a white belt, and flip-flops.I arrived at my classroom at 7:55; 5 minutes early. It was a very early class. I didn't see many people on campus on the way there. The class was in the basement of the psychology building. I'd never been down there before. I'd heard that's where some psych studies were held, and a few classes. It was tucked away in a corner of the building where nobody would stumble into it by accident.As I walked in, I noticed several people sitting in seats around the room. There was roughly an even mix of males to females. I found a seat in the second row, and pulled out my phone and checked social media, as I waited nervously for class to start. As I waited, I noticed most of the people in the room seemed a little nervous. Many were looking around, and a few seemed like they wanted to get up and leave.Finally, the teacher arrived; 1 minute late.She was somewhat tall for a woman (maybe 5'10"), in her early 30s. She had blonde hair, put up in a bun. She had black rimmed glasses. On top, she wore a white blouse, which was unbuttoned down to just above her bra, revealing a lot of cleavage as well as quite a bit of her mid-sized sized breasts. Over that, she wore a bright red cardigan. She was also wearing a black skirt that came to about mid-thigh, showing off very long, tan legs. On her feet, she wore 1-inch, red heels, matching her cardigan.She walked to the table at the front of the classroom, and set her bag down on it. She pulled off her cardigan, draping it over the back of the chair, which revealed her slim figure. She reached into her bag, and took out some papers; presumably, her notes."Hello class." she said, once she was ready. "This is Advanced Sexual Education. If you are not here for Advanced Sexual Education, please leave. You're in the wrong place."I looked around. Nobody left. There were 12 guys, and 8 girls, including me. The seats were arranged in 4 rows of 5, with 10 seats wrapped around the outside of the room. Some of the chairs were emptyThe teacher looked around to make sure nobody was slow to stand, then continued. "Ok. I'll introduce myself and go over some guidelines, then take roll. My name is Sharon Gladwell. You can call me Sharon. I've worked here at the university for about 5 years. This is my first year teaching. Normally, I do research for the psych department. My specialty is human sexuality and arousal. I've lead several studies on various topics including stimulation, bondage and exhibitionism."Everyone in the class seemed stunned at how openly she talked about these "behind-doors" topics."Now, some guidelines." She pulled some papers out of her bag, and passed them out. "Here's the syllabus. In there, you will find details on everything I am about to say. If, at any time, any of you feel you are not suited for this class, feel free to get up and leave. No harm, no foul."This class is designed with two goals in mind. Firstly, to educate you all on the details of human sexuality. We will study the specific of how the human body works; specifically, the similarities and differences between males and females. We will also examine how certain stimuli cause certain reactions. We will cover intercourse in detail, both traditional and non-traditional methods. We will cover fetishes of many varieties, pornography, body modification (as it relates to sexuality), and coercion."The second goal is to push your boundaries. Throughout the semester, we will have numerous demonstrations, as well as solo and group projects on the topics and concepts we are covering. By the end of this class, you should all be more open sexually, and you will have experience far beyond many of your peers, measured by both depth and breadth."There will be times during the semester when I ask you do to do things you may not be comfortable doing. You may, of course, opt out, but it will negatively affect your participation grade, which is 50% of this course. The other 50% is broken up into 35% out-of-class projects and homework, and 15% for the final multi-format exam."Any questions so far?" she asked. A few hands went up. "Yes?" she said, pointing to a girl in the third row."You mentioned demonstrations," replied the girl. "Are those going to involve guests? And how involved will they be?"Sharon smiled, and replied, "No, we will normally not have guests this semester, unless we are covering a special topic. The demos will be performed by each of you, as well as by myself. They will be very in-depth, and will usually involve grouping up to get a chance to observe the topic, and get hands-on experience. Hopefully that clarifies it. If not, it should become clear in a little bit, as we'll be doing our first demo today.""Oh; thanks; " replied the girl, quite stunned, and a little confused."Anyone else?" asked Sharon. A boy on the left side of the room held his hand up. She nodded to him."So, when we group up, will we be grouping boy-boy or boy-girl?", the boy asked."Good question. For the start of the semester, we will form groups that include both genders. As each of you have the most experience with your own gender, you will need to study the other gender more thoroughly." Then she counted out how many of each there were in the room. "I was planning on pairs; however, it looks like the numbers don't quite work out for that. If we start with coed pairs, that'll leave four extra boys. So we'll have two groups of 3, with an extra boy in each, and two boys with me."The boy grinned, "Thanks. That's what I was hoping.""I'm sure it was," replied Sharon, with a bigger grin. "Any other questions?" There weren't any. "Alright then. We'll move on to roll-call. Some days, including today, I'll give you a question for the day. When I call your name, you will stand, answer the given question, and strip off your clothes. Normally, you will remove all of your clothing, but since it's the first day, you'll only be required to remove two articles of clothing. Shoes, socks, and jackets do not count."That got everyone's attention. There was no mention before that anyone would be stripping. It was implied, due to the fact that hands-on demos would probably require nudity, but this confirmed it."Today's question is an introduction," Sharon said. "You'll state your name, age, where you're from, and whether or not you are a virgin. We'll start with me. As I said before, my name is Sharon. I'm 32, and I'm from San Francisco. As I'm sure you have all guessed, I am not a virgin."With that said, she unbuttoned her blouse and removed it, placing it on the desk. Underneath, she had a sexy white bra, with black lace accents. Next, she unzipped the side of her skirt, and slipped it down her long legs, revealing a matching g-string.Now that her clothing was removed, I got my first good look at her body. She was slim, in a fit kind of way; she definitely worked out regularly. Her legs seemed to be miles long. She had one noticeable tattoo: some sort of tribal pattern, wrapping around the bottom of her tits. She was very tan; she must sun bathe quite a bit."Now your turn. First up, Tony Baker"A boy on the right side of the room stood up and introduced himself. "Hi I'm Tony Baker. I'm 19, and I'm from Texas. I am not a virgin." He pulled his shirt over his head. He had a tan body, with six-pack abs. Next, he pulled off his shoes and socks, then pulled his pants off, revealing a pair of red boxer briefs, which were tented slightly. Apparently I wasn't the only one who found Ms. Gladwell attractive."Nice to meet you Tony. You may take your seat. Next up, Mindy Hayes"She proceeded to call out each student's name. About half-way through, she called "Christina McCoy"Christina stood, and said, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do this." She grabbed her bag and quickly walked out of the classroom."No worries" said Ms. Sharon. "Would anyone else like to leave?" At that, a terrified white boy also left.She continued down the list, and nobody else left. Each student stood, said their name, age, and virginity status, and stripped off their shirts and their bottoms.Here's a summary:· Mindy Hayes - 19 year old white girl from Boston. Virgin. Wearing pale blue matching bra and panties.· Alex Myers - 18 year old white boy from Ohio. Not a virgin. Wearing black boxer shorts.· Dave Evans - 24 year old white boy from Georgia. Virgin. Red boxer briefs.· Darrell Wade - 23 year old white boy from Louisiana. Not a virgin. Grey boxer briefs.· Latoya Gilbert - 21 year old black girl from Chicago. Not a virgin. Red bra and panties.· Filipe Allen - 24 year old Portuguese boy from San Francisco. Not a virgin. Red boxers.· Eric Ramirez - 22 year old Hispanic boy from San Diego. Virgin. Blue boxer briefs· Ken Sharp - 21 year old white boy from Kansas. Virgin. Tighty whities· Billy Daniels - 19 year old white boy from New York. Not a virgin. Black boxers· Barbara Foster - 20 year old white girl from South Carolina. Not a virgin. Pink and black boy shorts, and a pink push-up bra· Roberto Walters - 18 year old Hispanic boy from New York. Not a virgin. Black and white boxers.· Irene Hunter - 21 year old white girl from Wisconsin. Not a virgin. Dark blue sports bra and matching panties.· John Gibson - 19 year old white boy from Connecticut. Virgin. Black boxer briefs· Amy Powell - 18 year old white girl from Maine. Virgin. Purple g-string and a white shelf bra· Sofia Mendez - 18 year old Hispanic girl from Ohio. Not a Virgin. Green g-string and matching lacy bra· Kent Doyle - 23 year old white boy from Colorado. Virgin. Bronco's boxers (orange and blue)· "And, last but not least, Samantha Rivera."I stood up. I was shaking a little. I was quite nervous. I'd been somewhat of an exhibitionist before, and I'd been naked in front of people before, but not in this kind of setting. But the biggest thing that was getting to me was the anticipation. The whole time I watched people strip, I knew my turn was coming. I was also nervous because I had slightly less clothing than all the other girls."I'm Samantha. I'm 19, and I'm from Colorado. I am not a virgin." I paused. "Um. Ms. Sharon; ""Yes, Samantha, is there a problem?" she replied."Er; .well; .I'm not wearing any undergarments. I usually don't. They make me uncomfortable.""Ah. An exhibitionist. I see. Well, it doesn't make much difference. Everyone will be stripping completely, starting tomorrow. You'll just have to do it a day early. If you're uncomfortable with that, this class probably isn't for you. Feel free to leave, if you'd like.""Um. No, I'm okay." I had a feeling she'd say something to that effect, but part of me was hoping she'd cut me some slack. Maybe let me keep my shorts? But, at the same time, I was also hoping that she wouldn't. :)So, I proceeded to strip. First, I kicked off my flip-flops. Then I grabbed the bottom of my shirt, and slowly pulled it over my head. Everyone got a good look at my B-cup breasts, with my arms over my head. I dropped my shirt onto my bag, then continued. I undid my belt, then the button on my jean shorts, then the zipper. I hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, then peeled my tight jean shorts off my naked body. As I did, I bent over, giving everyone behind me a good look at my ass and a small bit of my cunt. I picked my shorts up, and placed them on my bag. I smiled, and sat down, crossing my legs and my arms, which covered all the important bits."Excellent, class. Now that introductions are out of the way, we'll move on to our first topic: the human body. Today, we'll be going over the non-genitals. You may ask: 'what does that have to do with Sexual Education?'"Well, as we'll find out several times throughout the semester, sexuality doesn't require genitalia, or even nudity. An orgasm can be a achieved in other ways. For example, you can make someone cum just by massaging them in non-sexual places, although I doubt we'll see that today."Now, let's pair up for our first demo. First I'll call out pairs, then we'll see who is left."When I call your name, the girl should get up and move to the guy. First pair. Samantha, you're with Tony."I stood up, and walked to the right side of the classroom. Everyone watched me as I went and I felt like I had 100 eyes glued to various parts of my naked body, although it was really only 34. But that's still a lot! I took an empty seat next to Tony.Sharon continued pairing every girl with a guy. When she was done, she said, "We have four guys left. Two will join me: John and Eric. The other two will join a pair of their choice."The remaining two guys stood and approached Tony and I.Sharon laughed. "I see you are both attracted to the lovely Samantha and Tony here. Unfortunately, we won't get to foursomes until later in the semester, so, since Alex got up quicker, he can join Samantha and Tony, and Filipe can join another group."Filipe looked disappointed, but he walked away and joined another pair. Alex sat down in an empty chair on the other side of me."Now, we'll be covering back massages first. Each male stand behind your female, and rub her shoulders, neck, and back. Remember: no genitals today. For those groups with two guys, each can get one shoulder."She then sat down in a chair, and Eric and John got behind her and started massaging her shoulders.I scooted my seat forward, while Alex and Tony stood and got behind me. They then gave me one of the best massages I've had in my life.After what seemed like an eternity of bliss, but was still much too short, we switched. I first massaged Alex, and then Tony."Ok, class. That's it for today." said Sharon. "Class dismissed. Remember, be prepared to really get in deep with the material, starting tomorrow."Everyone returned to their original seats, and started to dress. I quickly walked back over to my bag, put on my shorts and shirt, grabbed my bag, and left.The second day. Topic: exhibitionism.The next day, I arrived about 5 minutes early again. I was wearing a light-green t-shirt and tight blue jeans. I walked in, took a seat in the same spot, pulled out my phone, and looked at social media.A few minutes later, Ms. Sharon walked in."Hello class." she said, after placing her bag down on the table in the front of the room."Today, we will be covering exhibitionism. I felt like it was an appropriate topic, given that many of you will have some strong feelings about stripping in front of your fellow students, most of which, are still strangers to you."But, before we start, I want to mention an opportunity for extra credit. As I said last class, I do a lot of work on sexuality research. A problem with this type of research is a lack of willing test subjects. If you're interested, you may participate in any number of these throughout the semester, and I will bump your grade up by half a letter grade. For example a B would become a B+. In addition to the extra credit, most studies have a monetary incentive ranging from $50-$1000+ depending on the focus and intensity of the study. If you're interested, let me know, and I'll get you signed up for a study."Now, just like last class, I'll call roll, and you will each stand, and strip completely. Every day from here on out, class will be conducted entirely without clothes, with very few exceptions. Also, I do not want to spend a ton of time on roll call every day, so, starting tomorrow, I will ask that each and every one of you is naked by the time class starts."Just like last class, you will also answer a question. However, today you'll do that after stripping. The question is: how do you feel, given your indecency? Are you uncomfortable? Are you embarrassed? Perhaps a bit turned on? Whatever you're feeling, let us all know. I can assure you that every emotion you are feeling is completely normal."Also like the other day, I will go first." She then proceeded to remove all her clothing. When she was done, she slowly spun around, giving us all a good look at her body. Although her breasts looked quite large before, her bra must have been a push-up, because after removing it, they appeared a bit smaller. However, they were quite perky, and stayed in the same exact shape as before she removed it. She had long nipples that were quite hard. They about half an inch in diameter, and about the same size from base to tip, with her entire areola extending to about 1 inch in diameter.Down below, she had her womanly hair shaved into a small, closely shaved triangle, pointing down. Her ass was large, but not huge, and looked quite firm. Another interesting feature was her tan lines. She had the normal bikini-shaped pale spots all around her "private" areas (which were now quite public), but she had a bit of a tan on both nipples, and in a line leading to her cunt. It appeared she had some interesting swimwear.When she was done with her spin, she stood at the front of the class, with her legs about shoulder-width apart. She didn't cover anything up. "I am feeling a bit horny, as I always do when new people see my body. I'm a bit nervous, but not scared. I know that most people here enjoy what they see, and those who don't are probably insecure in their own bodies."Alright. Now that I've gone, it's your turn. First up, we have the lovely Samantha Rivera. I thought you should go first, since you already stripped naked last class. Everyone has seen you naked already, so you should feel a bit more comfortable than the others in doing so again.Oh great, I thought to myself, sarcastically. I get to be the only student naked, once again.I stood up, and once again kicked off my flip-flops. I pulled my green t-shirt over my head, and pulled my pants off. After the previous day, I knew I'd have to get naked again, so when I got dressed this morning, I figured there was no point in wearing underwear. They just make me uncomfortable anyhow. So that left me naked in front of my classmates, who were all taking a good look at my naked body."Now, how do you feel, Samantha?" asked Ms. Sharon."Well, I feel more comfortable than I did a few minutes ago when I had those restrictive clothes on. I also feel a bit embarrassed, because I'm going first, but not quite as embarrassed as the last class. I also feel nervous. Not because of what people think of my body, but rather because of the topic we're going to be covering today, and the topics we'll be covering for rest of the semester."Then I sat back down."Very good, miss Rivera. I understand what you mean about the restrictive clothes. I much prefer to be naked when possible, which is one reason the rest of the class will be held in the nude. I guess you could call me an amateur nudist, in that respect. As for the material we're covering today, I'm sure you'll do fine. It seems you are already a bit of an exhibitionist." She smiled. "I'm not sure how you'll feel about the rest of the material we'll be covering, but that's part of the point of this class: to push your boundaries."Alrighty. Thank you Samantha. Next up, Alex Myers."Once again, she went down the list of names. There were three people that were missing from the last class (Mindy Hayes, Irene Hunter, Dave Evans). I guessed that they decided the class wasn't for them. Everyone else showed up, and looked eager to learn. As each person's name was called, they stood, stripped completely naked, and voiced their feelings about their state of undress. Most people said they felt embarrassed, and many felt uncomfortable with their nudity, and with the intimacy of the situation. A few people said they felt a sense of thrill or excitement.Once we finished roll, which took about ten minutes, Ms. Sharon said, "Ok. Now that everyone is naked, we will move on with the rest of today's content. Exhibitionism is defined as the act of exposing, in a public or semi-public context, those parts of one's body that are not normally exposed. Many people practice exhibitionism for a variety of reasons, such as thrill, amusement, spectacle, or sexual gratification. You have all now experienced a small part of that. In a few minutes, and throughout the rest of the semester, you will experience more of that."In this setting, with everyone being naked, it's hard to get a real idea of what exhibitionism feels like. In order to really experience this, you must be the only one in the area who is exposed. That is the objective of today's exercise.Ms. Sharon took out two plastic bags with a bunch of pieces of paper in each of them, and started walking around the room, passing one of each to everyone."Each of you will get two pieces of paper; one from each of these bags. On the first piece of paper, you will find a location on campus. On the second, there is an action. Your task is to go to your given location, in your current state of undress, and perform your given action. The actions are fairly simple, such as "do 10 jumping jacks", or "yell: look at me!", or "shake hands with someone". once you've done your action, return here for your clothes and belongings, and then you may leave for today."Between now and next class, I would like you to write a few pages describing your experience. I won't specify a length, but my guess is you'd have at least a few pages of content to write about. Next class period, we will review the outcome of the activity. I will take you on your word for whether or not you do your action or not. Either way, just walking around campus will give you a feel for exhibitionism."Now, does anyone not have a place and an action?" Nobody spoke up. "Good. Everyone follow me. I'll walk you to the front door of the building."She then walked out of the classroom. Everyone stood, and filed out of the classroom door, following her down the hall of the building.I was terrified at the thought of this assignment. When I got my location and action, I red, "Top floor of the library" and "high-five 3 people" Although the library wasn't too far from this building, I had to go to the top floor, which meant I either had to walk up all the stairs, or ride in the elevator, which usually had at least one person.Ms. Sharon escorted us all to the entrance of the building. We saw a couple students as we walked through the halls, and they all looked at us like we were crazy, but at the same time, most of them looked like they wanted to know more."Alright everyone. You have 35 minutes until the end of class. Go to your location, do your action, and come back. I will be waiting in the classroom when you return."She opened the door, and we all flooded out, running in many different directions.I hesitated a moment, before following everyone else. I turned left, and headed toward the library.It was still early, and the sun was still coming up over the buildings as I ran down the alley between two parts of the psych building. As I ran, I could feel the air rushing past me, and between my legs. Because it was so early, it was still quite chilly out. I tried to cover up as much as possible, partly because of my embarrassment, but mostly because I was cold.However, with only two hands, I couldn't cover much. At first, I tried covering my hairless cunt with one hand and my tits with my other arm. After about a dozen steps, I realized that wasn't really working. Although my boobs are small, they sure were bouncing quite a lot. I never really noticed how much they bounced without a bra. So, I switched to covering just my tits with both hands. That prevented them from bouncing so much, which felt much better.I ran as fast as I could, through that alleyway, around another building and down into the area leading to the library entrance. So far, I hadn't seen anyone, although I'm sure a few people saw me from a distance, and from windows that I passed.When I arrived at the entrance to the library, I took a short break to catch my breath. I hid behind a nearby bench, and squatted down. After catching my breath, I hesitated, because I knew there would be quite a few more people inside. I didn't really want to go in, but as I said, it was quite chilly out. So, I quickly bolted to the door, opened it and rushed inside.As I entered, the first person I noticed was the "security guard". The library hires a student to sit next to the magnetic sensors that prevented book theft. They were tasked with ensuring nobody leaving was stealing a book. The student on duty today was a young guy (maybe a freshman?), with dark hair. He was wearing a hoodie and had headphones in. He looked up, then back down at his book. Then he did a double take. His eyes opened wide, and his mouth dropped a bit."Um. Miss; I think you've forgotten something." he stammered."Oh. No, I've left my clothes behind on purpose." I said, and smiled at him, moving my hands back to my original, slightly more modest, position. "This is for a class assignment. I have to go to the third floor like this, then go back to my classroom.""Oh. Okay. Well good luck!" he said.He watched me as I walked through the detectors, and to the nearby elevator. I rapidly pressed the "up" button a few times, and bounced up and down, wishing the elevator would hurry up. As I stood there, a few people walked by. Everyone took notice of me, and many people whispered to their friends. A few girls giggled. Just as the elevator was arriving, I saw a guy hold up his phone and snap a picture."I hope you enjoy that, pervert!" I yelled at him, as I quickly got on the elevator and mashed my floor, then "close door" button. Before the door could close, a 40-something year old male professor came running up, and stuck his arm in the door, and stepped inside."Woo. I made it." he said, before noticing me. Once he did, he looked a bit shocked. "Oh. Excuse me. I'll catch another elevator." he said, starting to leave."No, it's alright, you can use this one." I said."Are you sure?" he replied. "I guess I am in a bit of a hurry.""Yea, it's fine. Just come on." I said, as I continued mashing the button.The door closed, and the elevator started rising. For the first moment, there was an awkward silence. Then he asked "so, what brings you here today, in such a state interesting attire?" He was trying to make small talk."Well, I'm in a class called Advanced Sexual Education. Today, we're learning about exhibitionism, and my teacher had this crazy idea that everyone should have some experience with it.""Oh. That sounds like an interesting class." he replied. He was trying not to make too much eye contact with me, but I could tell he was itching for a look at my naked, nubile body."You know, it's alright if you look at my body." I said. "I can tell you want to, and I guess it's what's supposed to happen in such an exhibitionist situation. Plus, I don't mind. I actually kind of enjoy it when people look at my naked body.""Oh. Well, I guess if it would help you out with your assignment." he said, as he looked over at me. "You have great skin. And your breasts are the perfect size. I'd love to be able to touch them." Just then, we arrived at the top floor."Oh. Well this is my stop." I said, getting off the elevator, into an un-populated area. The man followed me. "I'll tell you what. For my assignment, I have to get three high-fives. If you give me one of those high-fives, I'll let you have a quick touch.""Alright" he said, without having to think about it. "Deal"I raised my hand up, and he promptly smacked it. Then I gestured for him to go ahead. He reached forward with both hands, and firmly grabbed both my titties, and asked "Are these real?""Of course they're real!", I replied, shocked. "Can't you tell?""Well, no. I haven't had the chance to compare the feeling between real and fake.""Oh." I replied. "Well, I guess I haven't either. Mine are real."After a few more squeezes, he pinched my nipples. Then he released them. He thanked me, and he left.Now, how was I going to go about getting those last two high fives? I assessed my surroundings. Nearby, there was a hallway leading to a study area, which usually had a lot of people. In another direction, there was a doorway leading to stacks of books. Usually, they kept the less interesting books up here, and thus, not as many people were in those stacks.I decided to go with the stacks. There was a chance I wouldn't be able to find someone, but there would also probably less chance of people seeing me.I walked through the doorway, weaved through a couple stacks, and found a row of tables against the wall. Unfortunately, there wasn't anyone there. I walked down the row, past the tables, looking down each aisle. Finally, I saw someone, in an upcoming aisle. It was a girl, with black hair, and she was reading a book she had just grabbed off a shelf.Well, I guess this is as good a person as any, I thought to myself.I covered myself with my arms as much as I could, I walked up, tapped her on the shoulder, and said "Hi. Would you mind doing me a favor?""Sure, just gimme a sec to finish what I'm reading" she said, then took a quick glance at me. Just like the security guard, she did a double take, followed by a mouth drop. After a second to take the situation in, she said, "Wow. Um. Why are you naked, in the library?""Well, it's for a class." I said. "We're supposed to go to a place on campus, dressed how I am right now, and do something. That's why I need a favor. I need to get three high-fives. Would you mind giving me one?" As I said all that, I noticed her eyes gaze slowly over the length of my body. It made me shiver."Uh; sure." she said, raising her hand. I reached up, and smacked it. Two down, one to go."So, your professor really had you all walk naked around campus? Does that mean there's a bunch of other people naked around campus right now too?""Yep. There sure are. The class is called Advanced Human Sexuality. If you're interested, you should check it out.""Hmm. Alright. It sounds interesting. I might just have to do that.""Well, I have to get going. Gotta get that last high-five, and get back to class before it ends. What was your name, anyhow?""Nicole." she replied. "Well, I'll see you around.""Yep, see ya!"As I walked off, she took a seat at a table, and pulled her laptop out. Presumably, she was checking out the details for the class. I could tell she was intrigued by my exposure. Perhaps she would join the class? Or maybe I was over-reading the situation, and she was just getting ready to start taking notes on the book she was reading. Who knows?I walked up and down the aisles of books for a few more minutes, but nobody else was around. I decided I'd have to venture out into the study area to find someone. There was another entrance to the area on the opposite side of the stacks from the elevator. I walked over to that entrance, and peered around the corner.As I suspected, there were quite a few people studying in that area. There were 3 large tables, with about 10 people sitting at each. In another part of the room, there were some lounge chairs, with another 15 or so people sitting around. There were also several cubicles scattered about, that gave people a bit of privacy, and from where I was standing, I couldn't tell if they were occupied. However, from experience, I found those were almost always occupied. So, all in all, there were about 50-60 people in that room.Well, I thought, at least I'll have a good chance of finding someone to give me a high five. I'd bet that many of the people would be willing. Maybe I can get some extra credit for extra high-fives.I took a couple deep breaths, and decided it was now or never. I slowly entered the room.Immediately, a group of five guys, to the right of the door, took notice of me. They all seemed very surprised by the sight of an attractive, naked girl, in such a public place. I decided they'd be as good a group as any, and I started to approach them."Hi guys." I said. "Would you mind doing me a favor?"They all nodded, while one of them immediately jumped up and said, "Perhaps, sexy. What do you need?"I was a little put off by this stranger calling me sexy, but it was also a bit flattering. I responded, "Well, you see. I need to get a high five from one of you. It's for a class. Would one of you mind giving me a high five?""Well, I don't know. A high five is a high price. We can't just hand those out to anyone. What would you be willing to trade?""Well, I offered a man to touch my breasts earlier. Would that be enough?" I asked."Hmm, what do you guys think," said the leading pervert, conferring with his comrades.One of them replied, "Do we each get a feel?"At this point, just about everyone in the room had taken notice of the situation. They were all looking at me, and a few people had started to gather around. I wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, before it got out of hand, so I responded, "Fine. Deal. You each get one squeeze. And high-fives from all of you first.""One squeeze on each tit, and you have yourself a deal", said the leader, raising his hand for a high five.The rest of them stood, and raised their hands. I walked to each of them, and slapped their hands. When I had slapped the last one, I said, "Alright. Now your turn. One squeeze each, on each breast."The leader stepped up, and said "Ok. I think in order for this to go efficiently, you should hold your hands above your head, that way we can each easily get to you easily, and make sure nobody gets any extras."I complied, and raised my hands over my head, showing my completely unexposed breasts to everyone in the room, within viewing distance.One by one, the five guys walked up, and took a good long squeeze on each breast. I could tell they really enjoyed it, because they took their sweet time.The entire time, I couldn't help but get turned on. Here I was, completely exposed in front of a large group of strangers, letting five guys cop a practically-free feel. Plus, it felt pretty good. I was quite wet between my legs, to say the least.Finally, the last squeeze was done. I lowered my arm, thanked them, and left. I had to go between a few people to get by, and brushed my breasts against them.To be continued in part 2, Based on a post by smalltitslovr for Literotica.

Marty speaks about today's VisionOS 26 developer beta 9 explaining what is new for users and developers.visionOS 26 Beta 9 Release Noteshttps://developer.apple.com/documentation/visionos-release-notes/visionos-26-release-notes What AVP users will noticeApp Store now shows an Accessibility section on app pages (like a quick “nutrition label” before you download).Share a window from People View: tap Nearby to share with folks around you—or invite FaceTime callers.Mac Virtual Display looks cleaner—sharper edges in passthrough around your Mac/keyboard.Safari: the Clear button is back in the History sidebar. (Heads-up: immersive video can still trap the UI—force-quit if it happens.)Search crash fix rolled out via OTA; EyeSight reliably shows content again.AirDrop videos now open in Files; Messages gets a handful of small polish fixes.Known issue: Spotlight may show blank app icons in Siri Suggestions.Dev bits On-device AI hooks: apps can tap Apple's model directly; faster first responses = snappier features without the cloud.3D charts land in Swift Charts → expect true 3D data views in visionOS apps.Security tightening: default TLS 1.2+ for new builds; very old servers may break. Logs redact more by default.What I've read:- No Jupiter Environment- Still persistence issues for some users- Still widget anchoring problems for some usersEmail: ThePodTalkNetwork@gmail.comWebsite: ThePodTalk.Net

In late May of 2010, a young construction worker at a playground in Kallang was chatting with some family members on the phone when he would get viciously ambushed, slashed, and left for dead. Shortly after, another man was walking home along the MRT tracks near Kallang MRT when he was similarly attacked and slashed. By the time daylight broke, 3 had been seriously wounded, and another perished from his injuries. Nearby residents were put on high alert, all wondering when the madness of the Kallang Slashings would stop. Part 1 - We follow the gruesome events as it happened on that fateful evening in late May of 2010, tracing the path of the perpetrators, and the heinous crimes that they committed. Part 2 - We join the investigation as they track down the criminals, eventually figuring out their motive, and their punishments. Join your fellow Heinous fans and interact with the team at our website or through our socials (IG, TikTok) @heinous_1upmedia. - Love Heinous? But feel its getting too dark for you? Check out:

Soul to soul—this is your gentle reminder: your loved ones in the spirit world are not gone, and they are certainly not judging you. They continue to watch over you with love, encouragement, and support, and your connection with them is closer than you may realize.Yet so many of the worries people carry about life after death come from misunderstandings that can block us from truly feeling their presence. This week, we're clearing up the 5 Myths That Block Your Connection With Loved Ones in Spirit—insights that bring comfort, healing, and a deeper sense of spirit connection.You'll hear about:– Why you're not bothering your loved ones when you think of them or talk to them– Why they're not judging your choices from the other side– Why they don't know your exact future—and why that's actually a blessing– The truth that nobody is stuck or trapped in limbo– And why your loved ones have not abandoned you, even if you don't always sense them nearBy the end of this episode, you'll feel reassured that the love and spirit connection you share with your people in spirit is eternal, unshakable, and bigger than you may even realize.Join me Live on Zoom for my Free Monthly Community Healing session! You'll receive a blend of Reiki (Energy Healing), Chakra & Aura Clearing & Balancing, Color Healing, Grounding, Cord Cutting, Trance Medium Healing & more. Get all the details & Sign up now to receive the link and replay for the next session! https://www.joyfulmedium.com/EventsGet Joy's Free "Sign Magnet" 3 Day Mini Course HERE https://www.joyfulmedium.com/sign-magnetJoy's Website: www.joyfulmedium.comInstagram: @JoyfulMediumTikTok: @JoyfulMediumFacebook: @JoyfulMediumFacebook Group: Joy's Soul SpaYouTube: Psychic Medium Joy Giovanni

FRB 20250316A est à ce jour le sursaut radio rapide le plus brillant jamais détecté. Il se trouvait dans la galaxie NGC 4141 située à une distance de seulement 40 Mpc. Grâce à sa proximité et son intensité, la collaboration canadienne CHIME qui traque les FRB (Fast Radio Burst) depuis de nombreuses années, est parvenue à le localiser avec une précision de seulement 13 pc, et a donc pu étudier en détail l'environnement de cet événement pour tenter de comprendre la nature de son progéniteur. L'étude est parue dans The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Sources FRB 20250316A: A Brilliant and Nearby One-Off Fast Radio Burst Localized to 13 parsec PrecisionCHIME/FRB CollaborationThe Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 989, Number 2 (21 august 25)http://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adf62f James Webb Space Telescope Observations of the Nearby and Precisely-Localized FRB 20250316APeter Blanchard et al.The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 989, Number 2 (21 august 25)http://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adf29f Illustrations Vue d'artiste de la détection de FRB par CHIME/FRB (NASA/ESA/CSA/CfA/P. Blanchard et al.; Image processing: CfA/P. Edmonds.) Localisation de FRB 20250316A dans la galaxie NGC 4141 (CHIME collaboration)

In this episode, the hosts analyze a Colorado gun range and retail shop listed at $2M, diving into regulatory risks, slim margins, and whether the business is worth its heavy inventory investment.Business Listing – https://www.tworld.com/agents/charleymitchell/listings/turnkey-and-established-gun-range-and-shopWelcome to Acquisitions Anonymous – the #1 podcast for small business M&A. Every week, we break down businesses for sale and talk about buying, operating, and growing them.

A hotel pool. A father asleep on the steps. A three-year-old drifting silently into the deep end.By the time anyone realized what was happening, it was already too late. A housekeeper's desperate screams, frantic attempts to resuscitate, and a shocking refusal to help—all caught the attention of investigators who would later uncover a disturbing history behind the man who was supposed to protect his son.This week we cover the case of K.S., a toddler whose final moments were spent fighting for life in a Florida hotel pool while his father, Sharef Omar Smith, slept just feet away.**************************************Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you'd like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contactFind the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.comMusic:℗ lesfreemusicBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.

In this episode, the hosts analyze a Colorado gun range and retail shop listed at $2M, diving into regulatory risks, slim margins, and whether the business is worth its heavy inventory investment.Business Listing – https://www.tworld.com/agents/charleymitchell/listings/turnkey-and-established-gun-range-and-shopWelcome to Acquisitions Anonymous – the #1 podcast for small business M&A. Every week, we break down businesses for sale and talk about buying, operating, and growing them.

talk about allegations

गमशुदा बस  In 2015, a school bus traveling from Una to Shimla suddenly disappeared without a trace. Days later, the bus was found empty, with a chillum quietly burning on the driver's seat. Nearby were scattered school bags, each with children's names mysteriously cut out. Cameras inside the bus only captured empty seats, and witnesses claim to hear the echoes of children's laughter and screams at night. Then the bus vanished again, as if it was never there, leaving behind a chilling supernatural mystery.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Emmanuel Haro Case: EXPOSED: Why Investigators Suspect Foul Play! On August 14, 2025, 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro vanished outside a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Yucaipa, California. His mother, Rebecca Haro, told deputies she was attacked in the parking lot and knocked unconscious. When she came to, Emmanuel was gone. There was no suspect description, no vehicle, no witnesses—and as a result, no Amber Alert was issued. The disappearance triggered an immediate law enforcement response. Deputies brought in K-9 units and, shockingly, cadaver dogs within hours. Drones scanned the sky. Nearby businesses turned over surveillance footage. Despite the frantic search, Emmanuel was nowhere to be found. Attention quickly shifted to the family. Investigators flagged inconsistencies in Rebecca's account. When confronted, she ended her police interview and refused a polygraph. Days later, detectives served search warrants on the family's Cabazon home, seizing cell phones, iPads, gaming consoles, surveillance DVRs, and even the father's car. The father, Jake Haro, already had a troubling history. Court records show he and Rebecca pleaded guilty to child cruelty charges stemming from a 2018 case. At the time Emmanuel disappeared, Jake was still on probation and also facing weapons charges. That history made the family a primary focus for investigators. Meanwhile, a reported sighting of Emmanuel in Kern County briefly raised hope—but was never confirmed. Today, Emmanuel remains missing. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate, but with the family refusing to fully cooperate, the case is clouded in suspicion. This episode takes you inside the haunting details of the Emmanuel Haro case, where a baby disappears in broad daylight, the parents' stories unravel, and investigators are left to search for truth in silence. #TrueCrime #EmmanuelHaro #MissingBaby #Yucaipa #HiddenKillers Hashtags  #TrueCrime #EmmanuelHaro #MissingBaby #Yucaipa #HiddenKillers #ColdCase #CrimeDocumentary #TrueCrimePodcast #Investigation #CrimeNews Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

The Emmanuel Haro Case: EXPOSED: Why Investigators Suspect Foul Play! On August 14, 2025, 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro vanished outside a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Yucaipa, California. His mother, Rebecca Haro, told deputies she was attacked in the parking lot and knocked unconscious. When she came to, Emmanuel was gone. There was no suspect description, no vehicle, no witnesses—and as a result, no Amber Alert was issued. The disappearance triggered an immediate law enforcement response. Deputies brought in K-9 units and, shockingly, cadaver dogs within hours. Drones scanned the sky. Nearby businesses turned over surveillance footage. Despite the frantic search, Emmanuel was nowhere to be found. Attention quickly shifted to the family. Investigators flagged inconsistencies in Rebecca's account. When confronted, she ended her police interview and refused a polygraph. Days later, detectives served search warrants on the family's Cabazon home, seizing cell phones, iPads, gaming consoles, surveillance DVRs, and even the father's car. The father, Jake Haro, already had a troubling history. Court records show he and Rebecca pleaded guilty to child cruelty charges stemming from a 2018 case. At the time Emmanuel disappeared, Jake was still on probation and also facing weapons charges. That history made the family a primary focus for investigators. Meanwhile, a reported sighting of Emmanuel in Kern County briefly raised hope—but was never confirmed. Today, Emmanuel remains missing. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate, but with the family refusing to fully cooperate, the case is clouded in suspicion. This episode takes you inside the haunting details of the Emmanuel Haro case, where a baby disappears in broad daylight, the parents' stories unravel, and investigators are left to search for truth in silence. #TrueCrime #EmmanuelHaro #MissingBaby #Yucaipa #HiddenKillers Hashtags  #TrueCrime #EmmanuelHaro #MissingBaby #Yucaipa #HiddenKillers #ColdCase #CrimeDocumentary #TrueCrimePodcast #Investigation #CrimeNews Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

The Emmanuel Haro Case: EXPOSED: Why Investigators Suspect Foul Play! On August 14, 2025, 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro vanished outside a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Yucaipa, California. His mother, Rebecca Haro, told deputies she was attacked in the parking lot and knocked unconscious. When she came to, Emmanuel was gone. There was no suspect description, no vehicle, no witnesses—and as a result, no Amber Alert was issued. The disappearance triggered an immediate law enforcement response. Deputies brought in K-9 units and, shockingly, cadaver dogs within hours. Drones scanned the sky. Nearby businesses turned over surveillance footage. Despite the frantic search, Emmanuel was nowhere to be found. Attention quickly shifted to the family. Investigators flagged inconsistencies in Rebecca's account. When confronted, she ended her police interview and refused a polygraph. Days later, detectives served search warrants on the family's Cabazon home, seizing cell phones, iPads, gaming consoles, surveillance DVRs, and even the father's car. The father, Jake Haro, already had a troubling history. Court records show he and Rebecca pleaded guilty to child cruelty charges stemming from a 2018 case. At the time Emmanuel disappeared, Jake was still on probation and also facing weapons charges. That history made the family a primary focus for investigators. Meanwhile, a reported sighting of Emmanuel in Kern County briefly raised hope—but was never confirmed. Today, Emmanuel remains missing. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate, but with the family refusing to fully cooperate, the case is clouded in suspicion. This episode takes you inside the haunting details of the Emmanuel Haro case, where a baby disappears in broad daylight, the parents' stories unravel, and investigators are left to search for truth in silence. #TrueCrime #EmmanuelHaro #MissingBaby #Yucaipa #HiddenKillers Hashtags  #TrueCrime #EmmanuelHaro #MissingBaby #Yucaipa #HiddenKillers #ColdCase #CrimeDocumentary #TrueCrimePodcast #Investigation #CrimeNews Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

"It started when I was deep in one of those late-night YouTube rabbit holes..."CREEPYPASTA► "Don't Subscribe" written by Nearby-Rub2569, narrated by ClancyPasta► https://www.reddit.com/r/creepypasta/comments/1mrfqka/dont_subscribe/Here are ways to support the channel if you wish ~MERCH ► http://teespring.com/stores/clancypastastorePATREON ► https://patreon.com/clancypastaMEMBERSHIP ► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfg9w5hrnPT7oA1H3uRZEQ/joinHere's where you can find me, and also links to the audio version of the show ~X / TWITTER ► http://x.com/clancypastaINSTA ► https://instagram.com/clancypastaSPOTIFY ► https://open.spotify.com/show/51DHHPsFnEvDAGfRiZPMF7ANCHOR.FM ► https://anchor.fm/clancypastaMUSIC► Background music is original and done in house by my best friend and house audio designer SKEEVY WEEVIL#Creepypasta #scarystories #horrorstories

I just got back from a family vacation in Hawaii. We had never been there before, and it was a lovely time. As a part of our trip, we spent two days on the “Big Island” and I really wanted to see flowing lava, if at all possible. The day we arrived, we went on an organized tour of Volcanos National Park. When we were there, we saw Kilauea smoking and steaming profusely. Nearby park rangers told us that it... Read More Read More The post Leadership Lessons from Driving a Rented Tesla to a Volcano appeared first on Zach on Leadership.

WWW.ADVENTUREFREAKSSS.COM Find your Ideal Destination Here: https://adventurefreaksss.com/ideal-destination-finder/================================= How to work with me: =================================

Last time we spoke about the 800 heroes who defended the Sihang Warehouse. In the fall of Shanghai during October 1937, amidst overwhelming odds, a small battalion under Colonel Xie Jinyuan took a stand inside the Sihang Warehouse, transforming it into a fortress against the invading Japanese army. As word spread of their stand, local citizens rallied, providing vital supplies and cheers of encouragement from across the Suzhou Creek. The defenders, dubbed the "800 Heroes," symbolized hope and determination. Despite suffering heavy casualties, they held firm, embodying the spirit of resistance against aggression. As dawn broke on November 1, 1937, a strategic retreat was ordered, allowing Xie's remaining troops to escape safely into the International Settlement. Their legacy endured, highlighting the courage of those who fought against overwhelming odds. The saga of the "800 Heroes" became a beacon of hope for future generations, immortalizing their determination to protect their homeland during one of its darkest hours.   #162 The Battle of Shanghai #7: The Fall of Shanghai Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. The fall of the Sihang Warehouse and withdrawal from Zhabei and Jiangwan doomed the Chinese defense of Shanghai. The army shifted to a fortified defensive line along the southern bank of Suzhou Creek, extending north towards the city of Nanxiang. Suzhou Creek provided an advantageous defensive position, acting as a natural barrier measuring up to 150 feet wide, with steep banks rising seven feet on either side. However, once this line was abandoned, there would be no fallback position remaining. Losing control of Suzhou Creek would be the loss of Shanghai. As German advisor Borchardt noted, “the Chinese command was therefore putting all its efforts into holding the position for as long as possible, without risking the annihilation of units crucial for continuing the war.” The Japanese planned their main assault directly south across Suzhou Creek to encircle the troops stationed in Shanghai. However, they first needed to create sufficient space for maneuvering. To achieve this and to secure their right flank, they launched a significant attack on Nanxiang on October 28, advancing along the railway from Shanghai. With the benefit of extensive support from aircraft and artillery, the Japanese were able to breach the Chinese frontline with relative ease. Nevertheless, they failed to capture Nanxiang, and the outcome was less of a victory than it initially appeared, as the Chinese had established a robust defense, preparing a two-mile stretch of obstacles and barriers east of the city. In a subsequent advance that shifted to the south, the Japanese engaged in a brief battle before seizing the town of Zhenru, which was strategically important due to its radio station that facilitated much of Shanghai's telephone and telegraphic communications with the outside world. In preparation for crossing Suzhou Creek, the Japanese had spent several days assembling a small fleet of vessels commandeered from Shanghai's civilian population, which included motorboats, sampans, and basic bamboo barges. On October 31, the 3rd Japanese Infantry Division, positioned at the eastern end of the Suzhou Creek front, initiated several crossings. During one of these attacks in the late afternoon near the village of Zhoujiaqiao, Japanese soldiers managed to reach the southern bank but were immediately met with enfilading fire from Chinese machine guns, resulting in significant casualties. They also faced counterattacks from Chinese reserves, who had been quickly summoned to neutralize the threat. Despite these challenges, the Japanese were able to maintain a narrow foothold. A parallel attempt by the same division further downstream, closer to the International Settlement, ended in failure, despite the evident superiority of Japanese equipment. Engineers deployed a mile-long smokescreen across the creek, while a dozen three-engine bombers, protected by fighter planes, hovered over the battlefield, actively scouting for targets. Although a small landing party successfully crossed the creek, they were quickly met with a fierce artillery barrage, and a Chinese counterattack forced them back into the water. Foreign military observers speculated that this operation was more a reconnaissance mission than a serious attempt to cross in that sector, as engaging in battle so close to the International Settlement would have required operations in heavily built-up areas. On November 1, three battalions of the 9th Japanese Division attacked in small boats across Suzhou Creek at the point where the Chinese frontline bent northward, successfully establishing a bridgehead on the other side. Over the next two days, the division managed to deploy a substantial number of troops across, eventually controlling an area that stretched about half a mile along the south bank of the creek. The following day, the Chinese launched a determined effort to eliminate this growing threat. While they made significant gains, they ultimately failed to eradicate the Japanese landing party, partly due to their inability to fully utilize their considerable artillery resources. At the beginning of the day's battle, just 60 feet separated the trenches of the opposing forces, meaning any barrage aimed at the Japanese was equally likely to hit Chinese lines. At dawn on November 3rd, the exhausted Tax Police Division were taking horrible losses trying to hold the Japanese back. Men began to scream “poison gas” as white clouds drifted across the Suzhou creek towards their trenches. Despite this the Japanese had not managed to carve out a bridgehead, but did built a pontoon bridge and sent a small force over to occupy a two story building near the bank, designated as “the red house”. Huang Jie, commander of the Tax Police Division, was a nervous wreck, feeling overwhelmed by fatalism after Chiang Kai-shek threatened to court-martial any officer who permitted the Japanese to cross to the southern bank of the creek. The appearance of an ominous cloud was the final straw. Although the cloud was later confirmed to be just a smoke screen and not poisonous gas, Huang was already defeated. With another Japanese assault imminent, he felt incapable of leading the defense. “It's over. It's all over,” he said matter-of-factly, raising his sidearm to his temple. Nearby, senior officer Sun Liren intervened, urging him, “General, please go back. We'll take care of this.” The battle continued until 4:00 p.m., but the battalion that faced the brunt of the Japanese onslaught had disintegrated. Its commander was dead, along with all but one company commander and over half of the platoon leaders. Of the original 600 men, only 200 remained. This was not what the Tax Police Division had anticipated when they were pulled from the area south of Wusong Creek the previous month; they believed the strong defenses at Dachang could hold for at least a month or two, providing sufficient time for the exhausted troops in the rear to recover. On the evening of November 3, following the latest Japanese attempt to cross the creek, the Tax Police Division's commander ordered Sun Liren to rest. However, Sun felt the need to complete one last task: destroying the pontoon bridge the Japanese had constructed across Suzhou Creek, which remained largely intact despite repeated Chinese efforts to demolish it. Previous attempts, including frontal attacks and sending swimmers downstream with explosives, had failed. Finally, they prepared large rolls of cotton soaked in gasoline to roll downhill toward the bridge, but these efforts were halted by Japanese barbed wire. For his final attempt, Sun requisitioned sea mines to float them downstream and detonate them near the bridge. To ensure the success of this plan, he required the cooperation of engineers. Unfortunately, the engineers he ordered for the late-night mission had not been trained by him, and despite being of lower rank, they were disinclined to put in extra effort for an unfamiliar officer. They worked slowly, and by dawn, the mines had yet to be pushed into the water. In the early morning light, they became visible targets along the bank, attracting Japanese fire. Sun was hit, but he was among the fortunate; later, soldiers from the Tax Police Division found him beneath a pile of dead bodies, with doctors later discovering 13 bullet wounds in his body. His participation in the battle of Shanghai had come to an end. According to German advisors, the Chinese repeatedly made the same mistake in the struggle for Suzhou Creek: a lack of independent thinking among junior Chinese commanders prevented them from reacting aggressively to Japanese crossings. This delay allowed the Japanese to entrench themselves, and subsequent Chinese counterattacks often succeeded only after several costly failures. Moreover, Chinese artillery lacked the flexibility to adapt quickly and lacked training in selecting the appropriate ordnance for the situation. The Germans argued that this allowed the enemy “sufficient time to set up a good defense,” and even when later Chinese attacks achieved some significant successes, they failed to completely annihilate the enemy forces that had crossed the creek. Conversely, the Japanese were also frustrated, particularly their commander, Matsui Iwane. Although the 9th Division had made significant advances, the 3rd Division remained confined to a narrow strip of land south of the creek, thwarting hopes for a quick, decisive push southeast to trap the remaining troops in Shanghai and Pudong. On November 3, the birthday of Emperor Meiji, who was instrumental in modernizing Japan, Matsui reflected on his initial hopes of celebrating as the conqueror of Shanghai. Instead, he found himself disappointed, writing, “Now we've finally won a small piece of land south of Suzhou Creek, but the south of Shanghai and all of Pudong remains in enemy hands. That the festival is happening under conditions such as these is a source of boundless humiliation.” Japanese planners in Tokyo had been increasingly concerned that operations in the Shanghai area were not progressing as anticipated since the troop deployments began in August. Despite sending three additional divisions, the advances remained limited, prompting the Army General Staff to consider a more fundamental strategic shift in China. The core question revolved around whether to prioritize the northern campaign or the battles around Shanghai, as Japan lacked the resources to effectively pursue both. In early October, Japanese officers concluded that addressing the situation in Shanghai must take precedence. A large reason for this decision rested on fears of a potential soviet attack in the northeast before the New Year. With so many divisions stuck in Shanghai Manchukuo was quite vulnerable. On October 9, the Army General Staff established the 10th Army, specifically designed to shift the balance in Shanghai. This new force included the 6th Infantry Division, currently deployed in northern China, a brigade from the 5th Infantry Division known as the Kunizaki Detachment, and the 18th and 114th Infantry Divisions from the home islands. Command of the 10th Army was entrusted to General Yanagawa Heisuke, a 58-year-old veteran of the Russo-Japanese War who had recently retired but was recalled to service due to his suitability for the role; he had previously served as a military attaché in Beijing and as an instructor at the city's army college. The 10th Army was to be landed behind Chinese lines. There were two possible landing sites: the south bank of the Yangtze River, where earlier landings had occurred in late August, or the north bank of Hangzhou Bay. Hangzhou Bay provided the element of surprise thus it was selected. However when reconnaissance was performed, the area was found to be heavily fortified with many terrain issues that would complicate logistics. Matsui Iwane expressed his concerns in his diary, noting, “It would probably be much easier if they landed on the banks of the Huangpu and Yangtze Rivers. This plan gives me the impression of a bunch of young people at play”. The 10th Army was set to land before dawn on November 5. The Kunizaki Detachment would lead the assault, capturing a stretch of coastline east of Jinshanwei in the middle of the night. This would be followed by the 6th Division, with the 18th Division on its right flank and the 114th Division on its left. All units were to advance briskly north to the Huangpu River and cross it. A major objective north of the river was the city of Songjiang, a key transportation hub for both rail and road. Ultimately, the goal was to link up with Japanese units advancing south in the flat countryside west of Shanghai to encircle as many Chinese soldiers as possible. Secrecy was vital for the 10th Army in its preparations. The commanders recalled an old saying: “If you want to cheat the enemy, first you must fool your own men,” and decided to adhere to it. To mislead their forces before the embarkation of the 6th Division, they distributed maps of Qingdao, a northern Chinese port city, to create the illusion that it was the operation's target. This way, if any information leaked, it would mislead the recipient. On November 1, the convoy carrying the 6th Division departed the waters off the Korean Peninsula, heading south. The following day, it merged with another convoy transporting the 18th and 114th Divisions from Japan. Together, they formed a substantial fleet of nearly 200 vessels, necessitating heightened caution to avoid detection. Strict orders prohibited the use of lights, and radio silence was enforced at all times. As the ships neared Shanghai, they sailed in a wide arc offshore, only redirecting toward land when they were aligned with Hangzhou Bay. Upon learning their true objective, the soldiers felt a mix of excitement and apprehension as they crowded the dark decks, catching sight of the vague silhouette of the continent they were about to conquer. The advance unit, the Kunizaki Detachment, boarded its landing craft as planned at 3:00 am on November 5, heading towards its designated section of the coastline. Meanwhile, the rest of the 10th Army waited anxiously aboard ships anchored two miles offshore. The silence from the shore indicated that the detachment had encountered no resistance, although the ongoing radio silence left uncertainty. Eventually, the detachment signaled with light projectors that the landing had gone as planned. With this confirmation, the soldiers of the second wave began their approach. The 10th Army had intended for the invasion force to move swiftly from the landing zone to secure the area before the Chinese could mount a counterattack. Each soldier was equipped with a week's supply of rice and as much ammunition as he could carry to avoid being hindered by a lengthy supply train; mobility was essential. On the first day of the landing, the Chinese launched only two minor counterattacks. One occurred on the left flank but failed to hinder the advance north, while the other on the right flank also had limited success, forcing the Chinese to retreat ahead of the advancing Japanese troops. By mid-morning on November 5, over 3,000 Japanese soldiers had successfully landed, and this number continued to rise rapidly. The urgency of the situation was evident, and only swift and decisive actions could offer the Chinese generals a chance to avert catastrophe. However, instead of mounting an all-out effort to push the Japanese back into the sea, they chose to play a waiting game. The consensus among the command center of the 3rd War Zone in Suzhou during the early hours was that the landing forces were weak and intended to distract from more critical operations planned for the near future. Enemy resistance was weak and sporadic, allowing the Japanese divisions to make rapid progress despite encountering natural obstacles along their route. By the evening of November 5, less than 24 hours after the initial unit landed, they had advanced three miles inland. Before noon the following day, they reached a ferry port on the Huangpu River, where a group of over 100 soldiers managed to cross, clearing the way for the continued push toward Songjiang. Meanwhile, the left flank of the Japanese landing force engaged in more intense fighting for the first time but still managed to gain ground. The Japanese momentum appeared unstoppable.In desperation, the Chinese resorted to scorched earth tactics reminiscent of the Napoleonic Wars, similar to their earlier actions in Zhabei. They destroyed every building and field, burned crops, killed livestock, and poisoned wells, leaving nothing for the victors. It was the local population that ultimately paid the price, witnessing their ancestral homes reduced to ashes.  Once the Chinese command was convinced that the invasion at Hangzhou Bay was a genuine main effort rather than a deceptive act, it directed all available forces south to contain the escalating threat. However, the Chinese had very few troops to spare. The Chinese dispatched a total of seven divisions and one independent brigade to the landing area. While this force appeared to be roughly twice the size of the Japanese, in reality, it was much weaker. Many of these units had endured extended battles and were not at full combat strength. They were sent south without adequate preparation, and their morale suffered due to the continuous stream of negative news from the front. Additionally, the same poor road network that hindered the Japanese slowed the Chinese reinforcements, resulting in many arriving too late to influence the conflict significantly. Once the opportunity to push the Japanese back into the sea was lost, the next best option was to halt their advance at the Huangpu River. Although this was a significant natural barrier, there were no fortifications prepared along its banks. Compounding the issue, a large number of civilian vessels were left on the south bank, providing the Japanese with an easy means of crossing. Confronted with a steady stream of better-equipped and experienced Japanese soldiers, many Chinese defenders occasionally retreated without a fight. In response to the threat from the south, the Chinese commanders repeated a costly mistake from previous crises: they deployed newly arrived troops in Shanghai directly into battle. This disregard for the exhausted condition of those troops, who had just completed a long trek from Henan province, left them ill-prepared for effective engagement. The 107th and 108th Divisions, part of the 67th Army, had only recently arrived in the Shanghai area when they were ordered on November 8 to move south to defend the strategic city of Songjiang at least until November 11. Though the commanders may have had no other choice but to deploy the 67th, the outcome was predictable. Despite their efforts to hold Songjiang, the two divisions could not stand against the Japanese, and by November 9, they had begun withdrawing from the nearly surrounded city. During the retreat, army commander Wu Keren was assassinated by a group of plainclothes men. Whether these were Japanese soldiers or local traitors hired for the task was never determined, making him the only general to lose his life in the entire Shanghai campaign. This setback rendered the 67th Army ineffective as a fighting force, leading to a complete retreat from the battlefield. Like many other lower-quality units in the Chinese military, the rank-and-file soldiers had never been encouraged to take the initiative, and the corps ultimately disintegrated after losing their commander. Amid the chaos and confusion at the landing zone, many Chinese officers concluded that the battle for Shanghai was lost and focused on salvaging whatever equipment they could before it was too late. On the morning of November 5, three artillery batteries stationed along the north shore of Hangzhou Bay attempted to resist the Japanese forces. As the Chinese front along Hangzhou Bay collapsed, even a successful retreat could be seen as a modest victory. Chiang Kai-shek was on the brink of a nervous breakdown as the full scale of the Japanese landing at Hangzhou Bay became evident. On the evening of November 5, he had over 20 anxious telephone conversations with Gu Zhutong, asking repeatedly, “Is there a fight?” Gu confirmed, “The artillery is bombarding us heavily. There are airplanes, warships.” That night, Chiang met with Chen Cheng and appeared to accept that it was time to abandon positions south of Suzhou Creek. However, political considerations prevented him from immediately communicating this decision to his commanders. He wished to see the Brussels Conference get underway without having China appear defeated and seemed to hope to hold out until November 13, aiming for a minor propaganda victory by demonstrating that China had endured for three months. On the night of November 8, Chiang issued a fateful command to Shanghai police chief Cai Jianjun, instructing him to hold Nanshi while the rest of the army withdrew west, a directive that sounded like a suicide mission. When Cai refused, Chiang's response was swift: “Shoot him.” Luckily for Cai, he escaped being shot.  The Chinese retreat from Shanghai commenced in an orderly manner. At 10:00 am on November 9, the last soldiers organized their march southwest past St. Ignatius Cathedral, where thousands of refugees waited, leaving the city they had defended for nearly three months. As they departed, they burned significant properties, including factories and coal yards, to deny the Japanese valuable resources. Among the structures targeted was the Toyoda Cotton Mills, a prominent symbol of Japan's influence in the Yangtze Delta. Initially, the withdrawal seemed disciplined, reminiscent of earlier successful withdrawals that had surprised the Japanese. However, the situation quickly deteriorated as the Japanese pursued them relentlessly. By noon, they had secured Hongqiao Airfield, the site of earlier conflict, and aimed to inflict maximum damage on the retreating Chinese army. Japanese planes launched attacks from carriers offshore, machine-gunning the congested roads filled with retreating soldiers. Additionally, they bombed bridges and train stations, destroyed communication lines, and shelled already weakened transportation networks. With communications largely disrupted and scattered units receiving no coordination, chaos ensued. Soldiers became consumed by the instinct for personal survival, leading to a disorganized stampede as panic spread. Desperate to escape, many soldiers tried to access designated foreign zones. Some forced their way across checkpoints at gunpoint, while others disguised themselves as civilians to gain entry. A foreign correspondent observed a Chinese soldier throw away his rifle and jump into the polluted Siccawei Creek, wading across in just his underwear, to escape Japanese capture. Similarly, senior officers realized that rank would not protect them from Japanese retribution. General Ye Zhao, retreating with his staff, donned peasant clothes after encountering an abandoned farmhouse and was later captured by the advancing Japanese, who mistook him for a common laborer. As the Japanese approached Nanshi, the mostly Chinese area of Shanghai, the situation grew dire. A group of individuals accused of spying for the Japanese was executed by firing squad in public view, sparking terror among onlookers. As the government prepared to evacuate, officials urged the remaining residents to continue resisting, warning against traitors.  The swift retreat of the Chinese Army shocked many Shanghai residents, who had believed the city could withstand the siege indefinitely. As the city fell in just a few hectic days, thousands of desperate civilians, burdened with their belongings, flocked to the bridges leading to the French Concession, pleading to be let in. However, they were met with hostility from French police, reinforced with tanks, who ordered them to turn away. When they resisted, local Chinese employees were forced to help drive them back, resulting in horrific scenes of violence. The New York Times correspondent Hallet Abend reported how the crowd was ruthlessly beaten back, with some falling into Siccawei Creek, where several drowned amid the chaos. Chinese resistance in Nanshi persisted, as pockets of soldiers were determined to make the conquest challenging for the Japanese. After three days of fighting, between 5,000 and 6,000 Chinese soldiers remained in Nanshi when the Japanese launched their final assault on the morning of November 11. They began a relentless artillery bombardment of the densely populated area. Foreign correspondents, including American journalist Edgar Snow, observed the battle from the French Concession across Siccawei Creek. Japanese tanks advanced cautiously through narrow streets, pausing to fire before retreating, while infantry moved carefully to avoid Chinese snipers hiding among the buildings. While most residents had fled, some civilians continued their daily lives amidst gunfire and explosions. An incident was reported where a group of Chinese were eating rice in a sampan when a machine gun opened fire, causing them to seek cover under the mat. The Japanese forces encountered familiar challenges as they advanced through Nanshi, struggling to set up pontoon bridges across canals, which slowed their progress. In a last stand visible to onlookers in the French Concession, the Chinese soldiers faced an unequal confrontation. The Japanese tanks fired upon them from only 60 yards away, and the defenders were subjected to intense air raids before being driven back. At a desperate moment, one Chinese soldier carried a wounded comrade across Siccawei Creek, dodging bullets, and received assistance from French guards. This encouraged more Chinese soldiers to cross into the French sector, surrendering their weapons to avoid certain death. They became internees, protected from the Japanese, although they felt betrayed by the circumstances that forced such a decision. Not all soldiers managed to escape in this manner; some relocated to a new position closer to the southern edge of the French Concession, near a water tower. This location offered even less protection than their previous one and quickly turned into a deadly encounter. Realizing they were losing, the Chinese troops fled toward the French sector, abandoning their equipment and weapons as they scrambled over barbed wire. The French commander commended their bravery and assured them they would not be returned to the Japanese. As the battle across Siccawei Creek drew to a close, victorious Japanese troops swept through the remaining unoccupied streets of Chinese Shanghai, eliminating the last pockets of resistance. Similar to previous encounters in Zhabei, defenders attempted to set fire to buildings to leave little for the occupying army. Thick smoke billowed over the district, limiting visibility, so onlookers in the French Concession relied on sound to gauge the battle's progress. As gunfire waned, cheers of “Banzai!” filled the air. At 3:34 pm, the Rising Sun flag was raised over the last Chinese stronghold in Nanshi, officially marking the end of the battle of Shanghai. In a city ravaged by war, the district of Zhabei became the epicenter of destruction, resembling a bleak lunar landscape. The area around the North Train Station was devastated, with gutted buildings standing like rugged cliffs and the asphalt roads marred by deep fissures resembling earthquake damage. As Chinese officials prepared to leave Shanghai for Nanjing, they tried to present a positive narrative about the battle, emphasizing that the sacrifices made were not in vain. Mayor Yu proclaimed that the lessons learned in Shanghai during the past 90 days could benefit the entire nation in the war against Japanese aggression, instilling confidence in the people that victory would eventually come. He spoke as if the war was over in Shanghai, which was true in a sense, as the major conflict had concluded.  In late 1937, the Japanese believed they had achieved victory. On December 3, Matsui Iwane's army held a victory parade through the unoccupied International Settlement, a right they claimed as one of the governing powers. It was a serious miscalculation. Japanese civilians and ronin were recruited to act as rallying crowds, waving national flags, which triggered confrontations with foreign residents. The parade passed the Great World Amusement Center, where hundreds had died during "Black Saturday," prompting a Chinese man to leap from a building, declaring “Long Live China!” as he fell. As the parade continued down Nanjing Road, tensions grew among the accompanying police. Suddenly, a grenade was thrown from a window, injuring four Japanese soldiers and one British police officer. Matsui's veterans fanned out to apprehend the assailant, but it was a Chinese police officer who shot him dead. What was meant to be a triumph turned into a fiasco that confirmed the Japanese would struggle to secure even this small corner of China, let alone the vast territory of the country as a whole. The battle for Shanghai became the bloodiest international conflict in Asia since the Russo-Japanese War. By late October, the Japanese estimated that China had suffered 250,000 military losses in the fight for the city. In the months following the battle, Chinese sources reported casualties ranging from 187,200 to as high as 300,000. Regardless of the exact figure, the aftermath of the battle was catastrophic, severely impacting Chiang Kai-shek's best German-trained divisions. China faced a blow from which it would not recover until 1944, aided by significant American support. The high casualty rates stemmed from several factors. Many Chinese soldiers entered the battle expecting to sacrifice their lives, which led to a higher incidence of fatality due to their willingness to launch suicidal attacks against heavily fortified positions. Chinese tactics, which relied on numerical superiority to counter Japan's material advantages, essentially turned the conflict into a struggle of manpower against machinery. While this approach had a grim logic, it starkly contrasted with the reluctance of Chinese commanders to sacrifice valuable imported equipment. They were quick to expend their best divisions in intense fighting yet hesitated to utilize their key weaponry for fear of Japanese air raids. The elite 87th and 88th Divisions faced near depletion within days, while the Pudong artillery operated minimally over three months to avoid drawing enemy fire. One might question what Chiang Kai-shek achieved from such immense sacrifices. If his primary goal was to divert Japanese forces from the north, where they enjoyed easy victories, then the battle in Shanghai could be viewed as a success for China. As autumn 1937 progressed, Japanese commanders were increasingly forced to redirect their focus and resources to the more complex and tactically challenging terrain around Shanghai, where their technical superiority was less effective than on the northern plains. However, shifting the war to central China also posed risks, threatening the economic hub and political capital in Nanjing, ultimately resulting in a Japanese occupation that would last nearly eight years. If Chiang also wished to attract foreign attention, it is unclear how successful he was. The battle unfolded in front of thousands in the International Settlement and French Concession and garnered international media coverage, with many foreign correspondents arriving to report on the conflict. For three months, Shanghai dominated the front pages of major newspapers, and the Chinese effectively utilized propaganda to highlight events such as the desperate “Lost Battalions” fight in Zhabei. Yet, none of the major powers felt compelled to offer substantial support to China, and even the Brussels Conference failed to provide any useful assistance. Both Western powers and the Soviet Union were closely watching the conflict. Chiang hoped for Soviet support, and historical records suggest that Soviet diplomats encouraged him with vague assurances. China aimed to provoke Soviet entry into the war against Japan; however, the outcome may have been counterproductive. By engaging Japan, China effectively diminished the likelihood of a Japanese assault on the Soviet Union, as Japan needed to subdue China first. The Soviets eventually started providing material aid, including the arrival of nearly 300 Russian attack and bomber aircraft in mid-October, but this assistance was a poor substitute for a genuine ally. Additionally, while the Soviet Union emerged as a hesitant partner for China, China lost the substantial support it had previously received from Germany. The Germans played a crucial role in Shanghai during the 1937 conflict, with every major Chinese unit having at least one German advisor. Chiang Kai-shek's strategic decision to make a stand in Shanghai appears to have been significantly influenced by General Falkenhausen's opinions. Chiang had initially welcomed the German proposal to fight for Shanghai and was resolved to see it through, regardless of the cost to his troops. By 1938, German advisors began departing China, coinciding with the outbreak of war in Europe. Unfortunately, their experiences in China did not translate into lessons for their future military engagements, particularly regarding urban warfare, which might have been beneficial in battles such as Stalingrad during the winter of 1942–1943. Instead, they returned to more conventional military roles in Europe.  Despite enduring the most suffering in and around Shanghai during 1937, the battle proved to be far more costly for the Japanese than their commanders had anticipated. By November 8, Japanese military casualties totaled 9,115 dead and 31,257 injured. Although the Japanese forces enjoyed overwhelming advantages in artillery and air power, they could not compensate for their leaders' consistent underestimation of Chinese resilience and fighting spirit. The flow of reinforcements was disorganized, leading General Matsui and his commanders to feel they never had enough troops to achieve a swift and decisive victory. As the Shanghai battle neared its conclusion, Matsui became increasingly confident that he could inflict a blow on Chiang Kai-shek from which he would never recover. In an interview with a German reporter in late October, Matsui stated that after capturing Shanghai, the Japanese Army would march on to Nanjing if necessary. He had a keen political sense and believed it better to act independently than wait for orders from Tokyo, declaring, "Everything that is happening here is taking place under my entire responsibility." Without an aggressive general like Matsui, it's questionable whether the Japanese would have proceeded to Nanjing. Initially, they focused on pursuing retreating Chinese forces, a sound tactical decision that did not imply an expansive strategy to advance to Nanjing. However, after another surprise amphibious landing on November 13 on the south bank of the Yangtze River, the Japanese commanders felt positioned to push for Nanjing and bring the war to a conclusive end.  I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Thus with that the battle for Shanghai, known to some as China's Stalingrad had come to a brutal end. Chiang Kai-Shek gambled the cream of his army to gain international sympathy for his nation, but had it worked? Japan was taking the northeast, and now with Shanghai conquered, the path to Nanjing and unimaginable horror remained. 

From Desert Manna to Living Bread of Jesus: Trusting the Giver Today's Homily reflects on Jesus' words, “Whoever has ears ought to hear,” . . . . . . urging deep, attentive listening to God's Word. Drawing on Israel's experience in the desert, it warns against forgetting God's past goodness when facing present challenges, and cautions against grumbling, mistrust, and spiritual immaturity. The Parable of the Sower The parable of the Sower illustrates God's generous scattering of His Word everywhere, but also the varying receptivity of human hearts . . . whether hard, shallow, thorn-choked, or fertile. The example of Mary, who received the Word in her heart before in her womb, shows the ideal receptivity that allows God's Word to take root and bear abundant fruit. The Eucharist is presented as both true heavenly bread and the seed of Christ's life planted in believers, intended to grow and produce lasting spiritual fruit. The call is to prepare the “soil” of our hearts and ears to receive, retain, and live God's Word. Hear more within this Meditation Media. Listen to: From Desert Manna to Living Bread of Jesus: Trusting the Giver -------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote from the Homily It is a response to a lack of trust. It's a response to a lack of confidence and a refusal to understand that when God does anything, there's always a point. There's always a purpose. When grace comes into our lives, it always has a direction to it. It always leads us somewhere. But one only grows spiritually when one learns to trust the movement of grace and trust requires the risk of not always understanding right away. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Image Parable of the Sower: Dutch Painter: Pieter Bruegel the Elder:  1557 A Sower went out to sow. The painting depicts a farmer scattering seed across a field. On the left, thorny bushes threaten to overtake the grain. Nearby, rocky ground offers quick growth but little endurance. To the right, further down the hill, the seed falls on fertile soil. Across the river, a crowd gathers to hear the teachings of Jesus. The painting was inspired by a trip to the mountains the artist took just before creating this piece. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gospel: Matthew 13: 1-9 First Reading: Exodus 16: 1-5, 9-15

08/08/25: New research from the University of Minnesota shows rural hospital closures led to higher prices at nearby hospitals. School of Public Health assistant professor Caitlin Carroll says after a rural hospital closed, prices at nearby surviving hospitals went up almost 3.6%, an average of about $500 per inpatient stay. Carroll says the study also found rural hospitals that eventually closed charged 6% less than nearby hospitals, so closures forced patients into high-priced facilities. Joel Heitkamp is joined by Dr. Carroll to talk about it, and takes some of your calls. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you want to get better at jumping, or you're trying to progress your riding without a mountain in sight, this episode is for you. Tadas Puodžiūnas is the founder of MTB Hopper, a Lithuanian company that designs and sells portable bike ramps.What was it like learning to mountain bike in Lithuania?How did the idea for MTB Hopper come about?Do you think growing up in a flat place gave you any advantages as a rider?Why is it generally easier to follow someone into a jump than to try it solo?How do you figure out how much speed you need to clear a jump?Is there a good way to ‘test' a jump without hitting it full-send the first time?How much suspension travel do you really need for small to medium-sized jumps?How do MTB Hopper ramps help with that progression? And how do they compare to DIY setups?Are there any MTB trails in Lithuania you can recommend for someone visiting the country?An automatically generated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today. More info about MTB Hopper at mtbhopper.com.This episode is sponsored by Trailbot. Trailbot is the smarter way for trail managers to communicate updates without relying on social media. Don't let The Algorithm bury your posts—easily share conditions and closures to your web site, social media and the app all at once. Best of all, it's free.Trailbot is used by over 260 trail systems in 17 states and growing fast. Over 50,000 riders have installed the free iOS and Android apps to get official updates with optional push notifications, without having to see what their weird relative posted on social media. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠trailbot.com⁠⁠⁠.

Dr. Murray Cook is an archaeologist, author, co-founder and co-director of a field school, and Honorable Research Fellow at Stirling University. His research focuses on the area around Stirling, Scotland and its expansive history.There are Neolithic stone circles, Bronze Age burials, late Iron Age sites that offer a glimpse of life just before the Romans arrived, and artifacts that mark the Roman presence itself.Stirling Castle, built in the 12th century, became the most used royal residence in Scotland for centuries. It is the site where William Wallace defeated the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, and where Robert the Bruce claimed victory at the Battle of Bannockburn during the First War of Scottish Independence. The royals of the House of Stewart lived here for generations, including Mary, Queen of Scots. Nearby lie medieval and historic cemeteries with burials of both the famous and the infamous.In this episode, Dr. Cook discusses his research that spans all of Stirling's history, the benefits of slowing archaeological research down to focus on a single area, the importance of telling the stories of humanity's shared past, and the vital role of public outreach in securing the future of archaeology.TranscriptsFor transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/19LinksStirling Archaeology SubstackMurray Cook's Author Bio and Links to BooksRampart Scotland Field School - Open to All!See photos related to episode topics on InstagramLoving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee!ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliatesMotion

In August 1966, two Brazilian electronics technicians, Miguel Viana (34) and Manuel Pereira da Cruz (32), were found dead under mysterious circumstances on Vintém Hill, near Niterói, Brazil. The men were dressed in formal suits and raincoats, and wore lead masks with no eye holes.Nearby were unusual items: a bottle of mineral water, aluminum foil cups, towels, a coded note, and a cryptic instruction suggesting they were awaiting a signal after ingesting capsules. No cause of death was determined due to organ decomposition and limited toxicology resources.Contact us at: weeknightmysteries@gmail.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/weeknightmysteriesTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@weeknightmysteries

A baby is left in the front yard of a stranger’s home in rural Tennessee, and hours later, four people are found dead in a nearby county. Deputies now believe the two events are linked. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

God speaks to each of us as he makes us, then walks with us silently out of the night. These are the words we dimly hear: You, sent out beyond your recall, go to the limits of your longing. Embody me. Flare up like a flame and make big shadows I can move in. Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final. Don't let yourself lose me. Nearby is the country they call life. You will know it by its seriousness. Give me your hand. I was joined this episode by Chris and Elise Jones and Ali Talbot. We gathered in the warm, book-lined library at Chris and Elise Jones' home and just talked. We read Rainer Maria Rilke's poem Go to the Limits of Your Longing, and from there we let the conversation unfold naturally. We talked about suffering — not in a heavy, hopeless way, but in the way you talk when you know that pain and beauty are woven into the same thread. We explored what it means to surrender to life's difficulties instead of resisting them. We laughed about childhood memories, tofu meatloaf, and the glory of Saturday morning cartoons. We got real about trauma, caretaking, creating from heartbreak, and what it means to show up for each other when life breaks us open. This episode is about sitting with what's hard, about finding connection through vulnerability, and about how creativity — whether it's poetry, baking, music, or just making something out of pain — can save us in quiet, powerful ways. It's also about joy. Tangents. Belly laughs. Tears. Root beer ice cream sandwiches. Give it a listen. It's not polished, but it's real. And sometimes that's exactly what we need most. I'd love to hear what you have to say about the episode including thoughts on the poetry and the topics that were discussed. You can email me at poetdelayed@gmail.com. My books of poetry, My Mother Sleeps, The Ghost of a Beating Heart and Haiku Village are availabe for purchase at Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Scott-R.-Edgar/e/B0B2ZR7W41%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Holding my book at The King's English Bookshop https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/b/b1c4f464-ff8b-4fd1-8632-8c458a232c1a/olfoSxre.jpeg Special Guests: Ali Talbot, Christian Jones, and Elise Jones.

On February 24, 2023, in an upscale Herndon, Fairfax County, Virginia neighborhood, 37‑year‑old pediatric nurse Christine Banfield was found stabbed to death inside her own home. Nearby lay the body of Joseph “Joe” Ryan, 39, fatally shot. The Banfields' live‑in au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, reported the scene via a cryptic 911 call: “A friend of hers was hurt.” Christine later died at the hospital.Initially described by authorities as a scenario of self‑defense against an alleged intruder who had stabbed Christine, the case quickly took a darker turn. Investigators discovered Christine was the victim of a meticulously planned double homicide. Intro Clip: Court TV Skip ahead to episode: 09.50⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.cluelesscrime.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com/cluelesscrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cluelesscrime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instragram.com/cluelesscrimepodcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AP correspondent Julie Walker reports on a Southwest plane taking a dramatic plunge after a near mid-air collision.

AP's Lisa Dwyer reports on a scare on a Southwest flight.

Keith highlights the decline in college town real estate due to demographic changes and reduced international student enrollment.  The national housing market is moving towards balance, with 4.6 months of resale supply and 9.8 months of new build supply.  Commercial real expert and fellow podcast host, Hannah Hammond, joins Keith to discuss how the state of the real estate market is facing a $1 trillion debt reset in 2025, potentially causing distress and foreclosures, particularly in the Sun Belt states.  Resources: Follow Hannah on Instagram  Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/563 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review”  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation   Complete episode transcript:   Automatically Transcribed With Otter.ai    Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, are college towns doomed. There's a noticeably higher supply of real estate on the market. Today is get rich education. America's number one real estate investing show. Then how much worse will the Apartment Building Loan implosions get today? On get rich education.   Speaker 1  0:27   Since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors, and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads in 188 world nations. He has a list show guests and key top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki, get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast, or visit get rich education.com   Corey Coates  1:12   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:28   Welcome to GRE from Orchard Park, New York to port orchard, Washington and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you're listening to get rich education. How most people set up their life is that they have a job or an income producing activity, and they put that first, then they try to build whatever life they have left around that job. Instead, you are in control of your life when you first ask yourself, what kind of lifestyle Am I trying to build? And then you determine your job based on that. That is lifestyle design, and that is financial freedom, most people, including me, at one time. And probably you get that wrong and put the job first. And then we need to reverse it once you realize that, you discover that you found yourself so far out of position that you try to find your way back by putting your own freedom, autonomy and free agency first. There you are lying on the ground, supine, feeling overwhelmed, asking yourself why you didn't put yourself first. Then what I'm helping you do here is get up and change that by moving your active income over to relatively passive income, and doing it through the most generationally proven vehicle of them all, real estate investing for income. We are not talking about a strategy that didn't exist three years ago and won't exist three years from now. It is proven over time, and there's nothing avant garde or esoteric here, and you can find yourself in a financially free position within five years of starting to gradually shift that active income over to passive income.    Keith Weinhold  3:29   Now, when it comes to today's era of long term real estate investing, we are in the midst of a real estate market that I would describe as slow and flat. Both home price appreciation and rent growth are slow. Overall real estate sales volume is still suppressed. It that sales volume had its recent peak of six and a half million homes moved in 2021 which was a wild market, it was too brisk and annual sales volume is down to just 4 million. Today, more inventory is accumulating, which is both a good news and a bad news story. I'm going to get to this state of the overall market shortly. First, let's discuss real estate market niches, a particular niche, because two weeks ago, I discussed the short term rental arms race. Last week, beach towns and this week, in the third of three installments of real estate market niches are college towns doomed? Does it still make sense to invest in college town real estate? Perhaps a year ago on the show, you'll remember that I informed you that a college closes every single week in the United States. Gosh, universities face an increasingly tough demographic backdrop ahead. We know more and more people get a free education. Education online. Up until now, universities have tapped a growing high school age population in this seemingly bottomless well of international students wanting to study in the US. But America's largest ever birth cohort, which was 4.3 million in 2007 is now waning. Yeah, that's how many Americans were born in 2007 and that was the all time record birth year. Well, all those people turn 18 years old this year. This, therefore, is an unavoidable decline in the pool of potential incoming college freshmen from the United States. And on top of that, the real potential of fewer international students coming to the US to study adds to the concern for colleges. This is due to the effects and the wishes of the Trump administration. It already feels like a depression in some college towns now among metro areas that are especially reliant on higher education, three quarters of them suffered weaker economic growth over the past 12 years than the US has as a whole. That's according to a study at Brookings Metro. They're a non profit think tank in DC, all right, and in the prior decade, all right, previous to that, most of those same metros grew faster than the nation did. If this was really interesting, a recent Wall Street Journal article focused on Western Illinois University in McComb Illinois as being symbolic of this trend, where an empty dorm that once held 800 students has now been converted to a police training ground, it's totally different, where there are active shooter drills and all this overturned furniture rubber tipped bullets and paintball casings, you've got to repurpose some of these old dorms. Nearby dorms have been flattened and they're now weedy fields. Two more dorms are set to close this summer. Frat houses and homes once filled with student renters are now empty lots city streets used to be so crowded during the semester that cars moved at a crawl. That's not happening anymore. It's almost like you're watching the town die, said a resident who was born in Macomb and worked 28 years for the Western Illinois Campus Police Department. Macomb, Illinois is at the heart of a new rust belt across the US colleges are faltering, and so are the once booming towns and economies around them. Enrollment is down at a lot of the nation's public colleges and universities starting next year due to demographics like I mentioned, there will be fewer high school graduates for the foreseeable future, and the fallout extends to downtown McComb. It's punishing local businesses. There's this multiplier effect that's diminishing. It's not multiplying for generations. Colleges around the US fueled local economies, created jobs and brought in students and their visiting families to shop and spend and growing student enrollment fattened school budgets, and that used to free universities from having to worry about inefficiencies or cutting costs. But the student boom has ended, and college towns are suffering. And what are some of the other reasons for these doomed college towns? Well, first, a lot of Americans stopped having babies after the global financial crisis, you've got a strong dollar and an anti foreigner administration that's likely to push international student numbers down on top of this, and then, thirdly, US students are more skeptical of incurring these large amounts of debt for college and then, universities have been increasing administrative costs and tuition above the rate of inflation, and they've been doing that for decades. Tuition and operating costs are detached from reality, and in some places, student housing is still being built like the gravy train is not going to end. I don't see how this ends well for many of these universities or for student housing, so you've really got to think deeply about investing in college town housing anymore. Where I went to college, in Pennsylvania, that university is still open, but their enrollment numbers are down, and they've already closed and consolidated a number of their outlying branch campuses. Now it's important notice that I'm focused on college towns, okay, I'm talking about generally, these small. Smaller, outlying places that are highly dependent on colleges for their vibrancy. By the way, Pennsylvania has a ton of them, all these little colleges, where it seems like every highway exit has the name of some university on it. That is starting to change now.    Keith Weinhold  10:21   Conversely, take a big city like Philadelphia that has a ton of colleges, Temple University, Penn, which is the Ivy League school, St Joseph's, Drexel LaSalle, Bryn Mawr, Thomas Jefferson, Villanova. All these colleges are in the Philly Metro, and some of them are pretty big. Well, you can be better off investing in a Philly because Philly is huge, 6 million people in the metro, and there's plenty of other activity there that can absorb any decline in college enrollment. So understand it's the smaller college town that's in big trouble. And I do like to answer the question directly, are college towns doomed? Yes, some are. And perhaps a better overall answer than saying that college towns are doomed, is college towns have peaked. They've hit their peak and are going down.    Keith Weinhold  11:23   Let's talk about the direction of the overall housing market now, including some lessons where, even if you're listening 10 years from now, you're going to gain some key learning. So we look at the national housing market. There is finally some buyer selection again, resale housing supply is growing. I'm talking overall now, not about the college towns. Back in 2022, nearly every major metro could be considered not just a seller's market, but a strong seller's market. And it was too much. It was wild. Three years ago, buyers had to, oftentimes offer more than the asking price, pay all cash. Buyers had to waive contingencies, forgo inspections, and they had to compete with dozens of bidders. I mean, even if you got a home inspection, you pray that the home inspector didn't find anything worse than like charming vintage wiring, because you might have been afraid to ask for some repairs of the seller, and that's because the market was so hot and competitive that you might lose the deal. Fast forward to today, and fewer markets Hold that strong seller's market status. More metros have adequate inventory. And if you're one of our newsletter subscribers, you saw that last week, I sent you a great set of maps that show this. As you probably know, six months of housing supply is deemed as the balance point between buyers and sellers over six months favors buyers under six favors sellers. All right, so let's see where we are now. And by the way, months of housing supply, that phrase is also known as the absorption rate nationally, 4.6 months of resale supply exists. That's the current level, 4.6 months per the NAR now it bottomed out at a frighteningly low one and a half months of supply back in 2022 and it peaked at 12 full months of supply during the global financial crisis, back in 2010 All right, so these are the amounts of resale housing supply available for sale, and we overbuilt homes back in the global financial crisis, everyday people owned multiple homes 15 years ago because virtually anyone could qualify for a loan with those irresponsible lending standards that existed back in that era. I mean, back then, buyers defaulted on payments and walked away from homes and because they had zero down payment in the home. Well, they had zero skin in the game to protect and again, that peaked at 12 months of supply. Now today, Texas and Florida have temporarily overbuilt pockets that are higher than this 4.6 month national number and of course, we have a lot of markets in the Northeast and Midwest that have less than this supply. But note that 4.6 months is still under six months of supply, still favoring sellers just a little, but today's 4.6 months. I mean, that's getting pretty close to historic norms, close to balance. All right, so where is the best buyer opportunity today? Well, understand that. So far, have you picked up on. This we've looked at existing housing supply levels here, also known as resale homes. The opportunity is in new build homes. What's the supply of new construction homes in the US? And understand for perspective that right now, new build homes comprise about 1/3 of the available housing supply. And this might surprise you, we are now up to 9.8 months of new build housing supply, and that's a number that's risen for two years. That's per the Census Bureau and HUD. A lot of builders, therefore, are getting desperate right now, builders have got to sell. The reason that they're willing to cut you a deal is that, see, builders are paying interest costs and maintenance costs every single day on these nice, brand new homes that are just languishing, just sitting there. Understand something builders don't get the benefit of using a home. Unlike the seller family of a resale or existing home, see that family that has a resale home on the market, they get the benefit of living in it while it's on the market. This 9.8 months of new build supply is why buyers are willing to cut you a deal right now, including builders that we work with here at GRE marketplace.    Keith Weinhold  16:30   And we're going to talk to a builder on the show next week and get them to tell us how desperate they are. In fact, it's a Florida builder, and we'll learn about the incentives that they're willing to cut you they're building in one of these oversupplied pockets. So bottom line is that overall, an increasing US housing supply should keep home prices moderating. They're currently up just one to 2% nationally, and more supply means better options for you. Hey, let's talk about this very show that you're listening to, the get rich education podcast. What do you like to do while you're listening to the show? In fact, what are you doing right now while you're listening to the show? Well, in a recent Instagram poll, we asked our audience that very question you told us while listening to the show, 50% of you are commuting, 20% are exercising, 20% are at work, and 10% are doing home chores like cleaning or dishes. Now is this show the number one real estate investing podcast in the United States, we asked chatgpt that very question, and here's how they answered. They said, Excellent question. Real estate investing podcasts have exploded over the past 10 to 12 years, but only a handful have true long term staying power. Here's a list of some of the longest running, consistently active real estate investing podcasts that have built serious legacies. And you know something, we are not number one based on those criteria. This show is ranked number two in the nation. Number one are our friends at the real estate guys radio show hosted by Robert Helms. How many times have I recommended that you go ahead and give them a listen? Of course, I'm just freshly coming off spending nine days with them as one of the faculty members on their summit at sea. Their show started in 1997Yes, on actual radio, before podcasts even existed, and chat GPT goes on to say that they're one of the OGS in the space. It focuses on market cycles, investing strategies and wealth building principles known for its international investor perspective and high profile guests like Robert Kiyosaki. All right, that's what it says about that show. And then rank number two is get rich. Education with me started in 2014 and it goes on to say that this is what the show's about. It says it's real estate centric with a macroeconomic and financial freedom philosophy. It focuses on buy and hold investing, inflation, debt strategy and wealth building. Yeah, that's what it says. And I'd say that's about right? And this next thing is interesting. It describes the host of the show, me as communicating with you in a way that's clear, calm and slightly academic. That's what it says. And yeah, you've got to be clear. Today. There's so much competing for your attention that if I'm not clear with you, then I'm not able to help you calm. Okay? I guess I remain calm. And then finally, slightly academic. I. Hadn't thought about that before. Do you think that I'm slightly academic in my delivery? I guess that's possible. It's appropriate for a show with the word education in our name. I guess it makes sense that I'd be slightly academic. So that fits. I wouldn't want to be heavily academic or just academic, because that could get unrelatable. So there's your answer. The number two show in the nation for real estate investing.    Keith Weinhold  20:29   How are things going with your rental properties? Anyway, I had something interesting happen to me here these past few months. Now I have a property manager in one market that manages quite a few of my properties, all these single family homes and I had five perfect months consecutively as a real estate investor. A perfect month means when you have 100% occupancy, 100% rent collection, and zero maintenance or repair costs. Well, this condition went on for five months with every property that they managed. For me, which is great, profitable news, but that's so unusual to have a streak like that, it kind of makes you wonder if something's going wrong. But the streak just ended. Finally, there was a $400 expense on one of these single family homes. Well, this morning, the manager emailed me about something else. One of my tenants leases expires at the end of next month. I mean, that's typical. This is happening all the time with some property, but they suggested raising the rent from $1,700 up to 1725, and I rarely object to what the property manager suggests. I mean, after all, they are the expert in that local market. That's only about a one and a half percent rent increase, kind of slow there. But again, we're in this era where neither home price growth nor rent growth have been exceptional.    Keith Weinhold  22:02   I am in upstate Pennsylvania today. This is where I'm from. I'm here for my high school class reunion. And, you know, it's funny, the most interesting people to talk to are usually the people that have moved away from this tiny town in Appalachia, counter sport, Pennsylvania, it's not the classmates that stayed and stuck around there in general are less interesting. And yes, this means I am sleeping in my parents home all week. I know I've shared with you before that Curt and Penny Weinhold have lived in the same home and have had the same phone number since 1974 and I sleep in the same bedroom that I've slept in since I was an infant every time that I visit them. Kind of heartwarming. In a few days, I'm going to do a tour of America's first and oldest pretzel bakery in Lititz, Pennsylvania with my aunts and uncles to review what you've learned so far today, put your life first and then build your income producing activity around that. Many college towns are demographically doomed, and even more, have peaked and are on their way down. Overall American residential real estate supply is up. We're now closer to a balanced market than a seller's market. We've discussed the distress in the five plus unit apartment building space owners and syndicators started having their deals blow up, beginning in 2022 when interest rates spiked on those short term and balloon loans that are synonymous with apartment buildings. When we talked to Ken McElroy about it a few weeks ago on the show, he said that the pain still is not over for apartment building owners.   Keith Weinhold  23:51   coming up next, we'll talk about it from a different side, as I'll interview a commercial real estate lender and get her insights. I'll ask her just how bad it will get. And this guest is rather interesting. She's just 29 years old, really bright and articulate, and she founded her own commercial real estate lending firm. She and I recorded this on a cruise ship while we're on the real estate guys Investor Summit at sea a few weeks ago. So you will hear some background noise, you'll get to meet her next I'm Keith Weinhold. There will only ever be one. Get rich education podcast episode 563 and you're listening to it.    Keith Weinhold  24:31   The same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties, they help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequel and even chat with President Caeli Ridge personally, while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lendinggroup.com that. Ridge lendinggroup.com, you know what's crazy?    Keith Weinhold  25:03   Your bank is getting rich off of you. The average savings account pays less than 1% it's like laughable. Meanwhile, if your money isn't making at least 4% you're losing to inflation. That's why I started putting my own money into the FFI liquidity fund. It's super simple. Your cash can pull in up to 8% returns, and it compounds. It's not some high risk gamble like digital or AI stock trading. It's pretty low risk because they've got a 10 plus year track record of paying investors on time in full every time. I mean, I wouldn't be talking about it if I wasn't invested myself. You can invest as little as 25k and you keep earning until you decide you want your money back. No weird lockups or anything like that. So if you're like me and tired of your liquid funds just sitting there doing nothing, check it out. Text family to 66 866, to learn about freedom family investments, liquidity fund, again, text family to 66866   Caeli Ridge  26:13   this is Ridge lending group's president, Caeli Ridge. Listen to get rich education with key blind holes. And remember, don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  26:31   Hey, Governor, education nation, Keith Weinhold, here we're on a summit for real estate on a cruise ship, and I'm with Hannah Hammond. She's the founder of HB capital, a commercial real estate lending firm, and the effervescent host of the Hannah Hammond show. Hey, it's great to chat   Hannah Hammond  26:48   you too. It's been so great to get to know you on this ship, and it's been a lot of fun,    Keith Weinhold  26:51   and we just met at this conference for the first time. Hannah just gave a great, well received presentation on the state of the commercial real estate market. And the most interesting thing, and the thing everyone really wants to know since she lends for five plus unit apartment buildings as well, is about the commercial real estate interest rate resets. Apartment Building values have fallen about 30% nationwide, and that is due to these resetting loans. So tell us about that.   Hannah Hammond  27:19   Yeah, so there is a tidal wave of commercial real estate debt coming due in 2025 some of that has already come due, and we've been seeing a lot of the distressed assets start to hit the market in various asset classes, from multifamily, industrial, retail and beyond. And then, as we continue through 2025 more of that title, weight of debt is going to continue to come due, which is estimated to be around $1 trillion of debt.    Keith Weinhold  27:44   That's huge. I mean, that is a true tidal wave. So just to pull back really simply, we're talking about maybe an apartment building owner that almost five years ago might have gotten an interest rate at, say, 4% and in today's higher interest rate environment that's due to reset to a higher rate and kill their cash flow and take them out of business. Tell us about that.   Hannah Hammond  28:03   Yeah. So a lot of investors got caught up a few years ago when rates were really low, and they bought these assets at very low cap rates, which means very high prices, and they projected, maybe over projected, continuous rent growth, like double digit rent growth, which many markets were seeing a few years back, and that rent growth has actually slowed down tremendously. And so much supply hit the market at the same time, because so much construction was developed a few years back. And so now there's a challenge, because rents have actually dropped. There's an overage of supply. Rates have doubled. You know, people were getting apartment complexes and other assets in the two or 3% interest rate range. Now it's closer to the six to 7% interest rate range, which we all know it just doesn't really make numbers work. Every 1% increase in interest you'd have to have about a 10% drop in value for that monthly payment to be the same. So that's why we're seeing a lot of distress in this market right now, which is bad for the people that are caught up on it, but it's good for those who can have the capital to re enter the market at a lower basis and be able to weather this storm and ride the wave back up   Keith Weinhold  29:08   income down, expenses up. Not a very profitable formula. Let's talk more about from this point. How bad can it get? We talked about 1 trillion in loans coming due this calendar year tell us about how bad it might be.    Hannah Hammond  29:23   So it's estimated that potentially 25% of that $1 trillion could be in potential distress. And of course, if two $50 billion of commercial real estate hit foreclosure all at the same time, that would be pretty catastrophic, and there would be a massive supply hitting the market, and therefore a massive reduction in property values and prices. And so a lot of lenders have been trying to mitigate the risk of this happening, and all of this distress debt hit the market at one time. And so lenders have been doing loan modifications and loan extensions and the extend and pretend, quote. Has been in play since back in 2025 but a lot of those extensions are coming due. That's why we're feeling a little bit more of a slower bleed in the commercial market. But you know, in the residential market, we're not seeing as much distress, because so many people have those fixed 30 year rates. But in commercial real estate, rates are generally not fixed for that long. They're more they could be floating get or they might only be fixed for five years, and then they've reset. And that's what we're seeing now, is a lot of those assets that were bought within the last five years have those rate caps expiring, and then the rates are jacking it up to six to 7% and the numbers just don't make sense anymore.   Keith Weinhold  30:36   That one to four unit space single family homes up fourplexes has stayed relatively stable. We're talking about that distress and the five plus unit multi family apartment space. So Hannah, when we pull back and we look at the lender risk appetite and the propensity to lend and to want to make loans, of course, that environment changes over time. I know that all of us here at the summit, we learn from you in your presentation that that can vary by region in the loan to value ratio and the other terms that they're talking about giving. So tell us about some of the regional variation. Where do people want to lend and where do people want to avoid making loans   Hannah Hammond  31:11   Exactly? And we were talking about this is every single region is so different, and there's even micro markets within certain cities and metropolitan areas, and the growth corridors could have a very different outlook and performance than even in the overexposed metro areas. So lenders really pay attention to where the capital is flowing to. And right now, if you look at u haul reports and cell phone data, capital is flowing mostly to the Sun Belt states, and it's leaving the Rust Belt states. So this is your southeast states, your Texas, Florida, Arizona, and these types of regions where a lot of people are leaving some of the Rust Belt states like San Francisco, Chicago, New York, where those markets are being really dragged down by all this office drag from all the default rates in these office buildings that have continued to accumulate post COVID. So the lender appetite is going to shift Market to Market, and they really pay attention to the asset class and also the region in which that asset class is located. And this can affect the LTV, the amount of money that they're going to lend based on the value of the property, also the interest rate and the DSCR ratios, which is how much above the debt coverage the income has to be for the lender to lend on that asset.    Keith Weinhold  32:26   So we're talking about lenders more willing to make loans in places where the population is moving to Florida, other markets in the Southeast Texas, Arizona. Is that what we're talking about here.   Hannah Hammond  32:37   exactly, and even on the equity side, because we help with equity, like JV equity or CO GP equity, on these development projects or value add projects. And a lot of my equity investors, they're like, Nah, not interested in that state. But if it's in a really good Sunbelt type market, then they have a better appetite to lend in those markets.   Keith Weinhold  32:56   Was there any last thing that we should know about the lending environment? Something that impacts the viewers here, maybe something I didn't think about asking you?   Hannah Hammond  33:04   I mean, credit is tight, but there's tons of opportunity. Deals are still happening. Cre originations are actually up in 2025 and projected to land quite a bit higher in 2025 at about 660, 5 billion in originations, versus 539 billion in 2024 so the good news is, deals are happening, movements are happening, purchases and sales are happening. And we need movement to have this market continue to be strong and take place, even though, unfortunately, some investors are going to be stuck in that default debt and they might lose on these properties, it's going to give an opportunity for a lot of other investors who have been kind of sitting on the sidelines, saving up capital and aligning their capital to be able to take advantage of these great deals. Because honestly, we all know it's been really hard to make deals pencil over the past few years, and now with some of this reset, it's going to be a little bit easier to make them pencil.    Keith Weinhold  33:04   This is great. Loans are leverage, compound leverage, trunks, compound interest, leverage and loans are really key to you making more of yourself. Anna, if someone wants to learn more about following you and what you do, what's the best way for them to do that?    Hannah Hammond  33:42   At Hannah B Hammond on Instagram, my show, the Hannah Hammond show, is also on all platforms, YouTube, Instagram, Spotify, Apple, and if you shoot me a follow and a message on Instagram, I will personally respond to and would love to stay connected and help with any questions you have in the commercial real estate market.    Keith Weinhold  34:27   Hannah's got a great presence, and she's great in person too. Go ahead and be sure to give her a follow. We'll see you next time. Thank you.   Keith Weinhold  34:40   Yeah. Sharp insight from Hannah Hammond, there $1 trillion in commercial real estate debt comes due this year. A quarter of that amount, $250 billion is estimated to be in distress or default. This could keep the values of larger apartment buildings suppressed. Even longer, as far as where today's opportunity is, next week on the show, we'll talk to a home builder in Florida, ground zero for an overbuilt market, and we'll see if we can sense the palpable desperation that they have to move their properties and what kind of deals they're giving buyers. Now until next week, I'm your host, Keith Weinhold, do the right thing before you do things right out there, and don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 3  35:33   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  35:56   You know, whenever you want the best written real estate and finance info. Oh, geez, today's experience limits your free articles access and it's got pay walls and pop ups and push notifications and cookies disclaimers. It's not so great. So then it's vital to place nice, clean, free content into your hands that adds no hype value to your life. That's why this is the golden age of quality newsletters. And I write every word of ours myself. It's got a dash of humor, and it's to the point because even the word abbreviation is too long, my letter usually takes less than three minutes to read, and when you start the letter, you'll also get my one hour fast real estate video. Course, it's all completely free. It's called the Don't quit your Daydream letter. It wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be easier for you to get it right now. Just text gre 266, 866, while it's on your mind, take a moment to do it right now. Text, gre 266, 866,   Keith Weinhold  37:12   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth, building, getricheducation.com.  

Hey my wonderful sweet babies, Follow Me:Instagram- fabvictoria94Twitter- VictoriaB_94Snapchat- fabvictoria94TikTok: FabVictoria94Facebook: Victoria BishopFacebook Page- Fabulous Victoria BroadcastsPatreon: Fabulous Victoria PodcastPodcast Name- Fabulous Victoria PodcastYouTube Main Channel: Fabulous VictoriaCashApp: $fabvictoria (optional)Music from Simply Kee Simone, Dessie Style, and Kaysie Amya on YouTube.Email me for business inquiries only:bishopvictoria94@gmail.comTHIS VIDEO IS NOT SPONSORED.

In this immersive episode, I (Patti Hunt) am on location at one of the most unique RV campground experiences in the country. Joined by Tonja Lesmeister, co-owner of Firefly Hills and seasoned full-time RVer, the episode explores how this family-run campground blends community, creativity, homesteading, and education into an unforgettable stay for RVers. From whimsical children's spaces and mud kitchens to scenic hikes and local gourmet stops, Firefly Hills offers something for everyone seeking more than just a parking spot.Guest Bio and Links:Tonja Lesmeister is the co-owner of Firefly Hills Kentucky, a full-time RVer, and her husband, Troy, designed the campground to reflect their values of community, creativity, and sustainable living.Website: fireflyhillskentucky.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/fireflyhillskentuckyInstagram: @fireflyhillskentuckyKey Takeaways:Firefly Hills offers full hookups, spacious 70-ft sites, heated bathhouses, and a century-old guest house.Unique kid-friendly spaces, such as the Whimsical Woods and Hidden Hangout, feature a mud kitchen, a fairy village, and a paracord web.Guests can participate in homesteading activities, including gardening, orchard work, and daily chicken chores.The campground emphasizes community with shared fire pits, themed events, and social spaces.Nearby attractions include Red River Gorge, underground kayaking, local farms, and unique eateries.Resources Mentioned:RV LIFE Pro trip planning toolsSpecial Discount Codes: Click Link & Use Code* RV LIFE Pro 25% off at check out * Thousand Trails Membership Specialist Journey Membership Call/Text Warren & Sharon Lewis 804-366-0798 * KoolRV * Harvest Hosts: Code: HUNT20 % Off * Open Roads Fuel Card save on Diesel Fuel * Open Roads Innovative Tolling Solutions All 48 states * Open Road Resorts Mention RV LIFE Podcast * CLEAR2O Save 10% w/ Code: RVLIFEPODCAST* National Vehicle Buy or Sell Your RV * Rivet Supply Co * AirSkirts $200 off kit order Discount Code RVPOD * Motorhome Tires: $50 discount ...

Episode 059: Conversation - Nearby But Not Yet Engaged The Influence Every Day Show with Dr. Tori Influence begins before a single word is spoken. Your presence, actions, and energy in the “nearby but not engaged” space are already shaping how others perceive you. This often-overlooked stage of interaction is where silent impressions form—and they can be more powerful than anything you say later. In this episode, Dr. Ed Tori explores how to master this subtle yet critical phase of influence. You'll learn: Why “it starts before it begins” is a game-changing principle for conversations, meetings, and networking. How small, authentic gestures—like holding a door, picking up trash, or simply showing patience—radiate character and draw people toward you. Ways to deliberately influence others nonverbally, just by how you carry yourself in public spaces. How the pickup artist concept of “pre-selection” (minus the sleaze) shows the power of being observed in positive interactions. Why being intentional in moments of waiting—at the grocery line, before a meeting, or even on public transport—sets the stage for better engagement. The secret? Build a magnetic presence by perfecting your character. When who you are shines in those unspoken moments, you create trust and rapport before the conversation even starts. Links and Resources: Get Dr. Tori's book: HypnoticGiftsBook.com Apply for 1:1 Influence Immersion Coaching Join the Influence Book Club Listen now and learn how to influence powerfully—without saying a word.

A tragic and eerie story out of Pennsylvania that has horror and paranormal fans reeling! 54 year old Dan Rivera was touring with the real life Annabelle doll featured in “The Conjuring” series, when he suddenly and unexpectedly died alone in his hotel room. Amy and T.J. go over the latest in the investigation into his death and the history of the doll… there are many who believe she has killed before.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tragic and eerie story out of Pennsylvania that has horror and paranormal fans reeling! 54 year old Dan Rivera was touring with the real life Annabelle doll featured in “The Conjuring” series, when he suddenly and unexpectedly died alone in his hotel room. Amy and T.J. go over the latest in the investigation into his death and the history of the doll… there are many who believe she has killed before.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tragic and eerie story out of Pennsylvania that has horror and paranormal fans reeling! 54 year old Dan Rivera was touring with the real life Annabelle doll featured in “The Conjuring” series, when he suddenly and unexpectedly died alone in his hotel room. Amy and T.J. go over the latest in the investigation into his death and the history of the doll… there are many who believe she has killed before.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tragic and eerie story out of Pennsylvania that has horror and paranormal fans reeling! 54 year old Dan Rivera was touring with the real life Annabelle doll featured in “The Conjuring” series, when he suddenly and unexpectedly died alone in his hotel room. Amy and T.J. go over the latest in the investigation into his death and the history of the doll… there are many who believe she has killed before.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marshal Iwaasa, last seen on November 17, 2019, in Lethbridge, AB, Canada, was attempting to access a storage unit. Earlier that day, he informed his mother he was returning to Calgary to resume his IT studies, though he had not actually re-enrolled. Days later, his burnt-out truck was found on November 23, 2019, at the remote Brian Waddington Hut trailhead near Pemberton, British Columbia, over 1,200 km away. Nearby, items linked to Marshal, including smashed phones, clothing, gaming consoles, and an expired passport, were scattered. His essential belongings, such as phone, laptop, backpack, wallet, and contact lenses, remain missing. The truck showed signs of being stripped. Marshal has not been seen since.It is suggested that this case might be connected to another disappearance.Daniel Reoch, originally from Squamish, faced numerous challenges throughout his life. Raised by his uncle's family in Edmonton due to his mother's drug addiction and eventual murder, he later returned to Squamish, where he had children with his girlfriend. Despite the care he received, Daniel struggled with drug addiction and had frequent encounters with the police. His final days were marked by a mysterious disappearance after being seen intoxicated on a ranch near his reservation. His car was later found abandoned, with his phone inside, on November 25th, 2019—just two days after Marshal's truck was discovered. He wasn't declared missing until January 7th, 2020, raising questions about why his absence wasn't noticed earlier within the small community.Contact us at: weeknightmysteries@gmail.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/weeknightmysteriesTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@weeknightmysteries

For decades, residents of the small city of Newburgh, New York, were unknowingly drinking water contaminated with toxic PFAS—also known as forever chemicals. The source turned out to be firefighting foam used on a nearby air base that had seeped into streams and creeks, and ultimately the city's main drinking water reservoir.Now, Newburgh is one of 10 sites that are part of a CDC-led study investigating the health effects of PFAS exposure. Early data out of Newburgh links PFAS with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Host Flora Lichtman discusses the research with environmental epidemiologist Erin Bell and reporter Shantal Riley.Read our full story about what PFAS contamination has meant for Newburgh in English and in Spanish.Guests: Shantal Riley is an award-winning journalist and science writer, focused on environmental health.Dr. Erin Bell is an environmental epidemiologist at the University at Albany in New York.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

Where Y'Eat: Restaurant Road Trip Reveals New Gems Nearby

Dr. Eliot explains how AI self-driving cars cope with nearby wild human drivers. See his Forbes column for further info: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanceeliot/

A summer morning in an old spruce forest is filled with quiet, green serenity and subtle details that only reveal themselves when you stop and truly listen.The sun rises slowly behind the tall spruces, its light filtering through the branches in soft, golden beams that paint a tapestry of shadow and light on the forest floor. Moss carpets the ground like a deep green blanket, and moisture rises from it in a faint mist, hovering briefly in the air before the warmth of the day gently dissolves it.The heavy boughs of the ancient spruces hang low, and the forest holds a sacred, hushed atmosphere — but it is not silent. Somewhere high in the canopy, the red-breasted flycatcher sings its clear, brisk song. It repeats its short phrases with precision and confidence, as if marking its territory. Nearby, more softly but as a steady background thread, the wood warbler's descending trill can be heard — it begins high and flows downward like a tiny stream in the soundscape.The birds are present just enough: not too many, not too few. Their voices don't disturb the forest's calm but rather deepen it. Everything exists quietly and in its own time. A small animal rustles through the undergrowth — perhaps a vole or a squirrel — then all falls still again.It's a moment where time seems to pause — where simply being is enough.

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

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.

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.

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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.