Podcasts about Netherlands

Today's Morning Espresso dives into a massive World Cup qualifying day: Spain looking untouchable, Scotland and Denmark walking the Hampden tightrope, Wales chasing another Cardiff night, and a Concacaf finale full of chaos, revenge narratives, and Curacao on the brink of history. We'll also hit Germany and the Netherlands cruising, Nigeria's painful miss, and why Japan's confidence is sky-high heading toward 2026.On top of that, we unpack the latest World Cup off-the-field headlines (U.S. visa plans, DoorDash's FIFA deal, Conmebol's qualifier shake-up), set up USMNT–Uruguay and the looming Portugal friendly in Atlanta, dig into Denver Summit FC's stadium standoff, and run through MLS and global news in The Refill. The game never stops — and neither do we, on the SDH Network. The Morning Espresso is brought to you as always by Oglethorpe University.

Hello again Pacific War Week by Week listeners, it is I your dutiful host Craig Watson with more goodies from my exclusive patreon podcast series. This is actually going to be a two parter specifically looking at the failure and responsibility of Emperor Hirohito during the 15 year war Japan unleashed in 1931. Again a big thanks to all of you for listening all these years, you are all awesome.   Hello everyone, a big thanks to all of you who joined the patreon and voted for this to be the next episode, you all are awesome.    Now I realize very well when I jumped into my former patreon episode on Ishiwara Kanji, I fell into a rabbit hole and it became a rather long series. I wanted to get this one done in a single episode but its also kind of a behemoth subject, so I will do this in two parts: this episode will be on Hirohito's failure and responsibility in regards to the China War from 1931-1941. The next one will cover Hirohito's failure and responsibility in the world war from 1941-1945.   I am not going to cover the entire life of Hirohito, no what I want is to specifically cover his actions from 1931-1945. Nw I want you to understand the purpose of this episode is to destroy a narrative, a narrative that carried on from 1945-1989. That narrative has always been that Emperor Hirohito was nothing more than a hostage during the war years of 1931-1945. This narrative was largely built by himself and the United States as a means of keeping the peace after 1945. However upon his death in 1989 many meeting notes and diaries from those who worked close to him began emerging and much work was done by historians like Herbert P Bix and Francis Pike. The narrative had it that Hirohito was powerless to stop things, did not know or was being misled by those around him, but this is far from the truth. Hirohito was very active in matters that led to the horrors of the 15 year war and he had his own reasons for why or when he acted and when he did not.   For this episode to be able to contain it into a single one, I am going to focus on Hirohito's involvement in the undeclared war with China, that's 1931-1941. For those of you who don't know, China and Japan were very much at war in 1931-1937 and certainly 1937 onwards, but it was undeclared for various reasons. If you guys really like this one, let me know and I can hit Hirohito 1941-1945 which is honestly a different beast of its own.   For those of you who don't know, Hirohito was born on April 29th of 1901, the grandson of Emperor Meiji. Hirohito entered the world right at the dawn of a new era of imperial rivalry in Asia and the Pacific. According to custom, Japanese royals were raised apart from their parents, at the age of 3 he was placed in the care of the Kwamura family who vowed to raise him to be unselfish, persevering in the face of difficulties, respectful of the views of others and immune to fear. In 1908 he entered elementary education at the age of 7 and would be taught first be General Nogi Maresuke who notoriously did not pamper the prince. Nogi rigorously had Hirohito train in physical education and specifically implanted virtues and traits he thought appropriate for the future sovereign: frugality, diligence, patience, manliness, and the ability to exercise self-control under difficult conditions. Hirohito learnt what hard work was from Nogi and that education could overcome all shortcomings. Emperor Meiji made sure his grandson received military training.   When Emperor Meiji died in 1912, Hirohito's father, Yoshihito took the throne as emperor Taisho. Taisho for a lack of better words, suffered from cerebral meningitis at an early age and this led to cognitive deficiency's and in reality the Genro would really be running the show so to say. When Taisho took the throne it was understood immediately, Hirohito needed to be prepared quickly to take the throne. After Meiji's funeral General Nogi politely told the family he could no longer be a teacher and committed seppuku with his wife. He wrote a suicide letter explained he wanted to expiate his disgrace during the russo japanese war for all the casualties that occurred at Port Arthur, hardcore as fuck. Hirohito would view Nogi nearly as much of an iconic hero as his grandfather Meiji, the most important figure in his life.   Hirohito's next teacher was the absolute legendary Fleet Admiral Togo Heihachiro who would instill national defense policy into him. Hirohito would be taught Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahans theories as all the great minds were taught at the time. Now I know it sucks but I cant delve deep into all this. What I want you to envision is a growing Man, instilled with the belief above all else, the Kokutai was most important. The Kokutai was the national essence of Japan. It was all aspects of Japanese polity, derived from history, tradition and customs all focused around the cult of the Emperor. The government run by politicians was secondary, at any given time the kokutai was the belief the Emperor could come in and directly rule.   If you are confused, dont worry, I am too haha. Its confusing. The Meiji constitution was extremely ambiguous. It dictated a form of constitutional monarchy with the kokutai sovereign emperor and the “seitai” that being the actual government. Basically on paper the government runs things, but the feeling of the Japanese people was that the wishes of the emperor should be followed. Thus the kokutai was like an extra-judicial structure built into the constitution without real legal framework, its a nightmare I know.    Let me make an example, most of you are American I imagine. Your congress and senate actually run the country, wink wink lets forget about lobbyists from raytheon. The president does not have actual executive powers to override any and all things, but what if all Americans simply felt he did. Thus everyone acted in accordance to his wishes as they assumed them to be, thats my best way of explaining Japan under Hirohito.    Emperor Taisho dies in 1926, and Hirohito takes the throne ushering in the Showa Era. He inherited a financial crisis and a military that was increasingly seizing control of governmental policies. Hirohito sought to restore the image of a strong charismatic leader on par with his grandfather Meiji, which was sorely lacking in his father Taishos reign. He was pressured immediately by the Navy that the national sphere of defense needed to be expanded upon, they felt threatened by the west, specifically by the US and Britain who had enacted the Washington Naval Treaty. Hirohito agreed a large navy was necessary for Japan's future, he was a proponent of the decisive naval battle doctrine, remember his teacher was Togo.    From the very beginning Hirohito intensely followed all military decisions. In 1928 the Japanese covertly assassinated the warlord of Manchuria, Zhang Zuolin. The current prime minister Tanaka Giichi had performed a thorough investigation of the incident and presented his report to Hirohito on December 24th of 1928. He told Hirohito he intended to court martial the criminals, purge the army and re-establish discipline. However the rest of Tanaka's cabinet wished to allow the army to deal with the matter and quiet the entire thing down. Hirohito responded by stating he had lost confidence in Tanaka and admonished his report. Hirohito allowed the army to cover up the incident, he sought to have it hushed up as well. Thus Hirohito had indulged the army in its insubordination and the kwantung army officers now felt they could take matters into their own hands.   Also in 1928 the Tanaka cabinet failed to endorse the international protocol banning chemical and biological warfare. The next year the privy council, pressured by the military, failed to ratify the full geneva convention of prisoners of war. Hirohito in response began doing something Emperor Meiji never had done, he began to scold officials to force them to retire from positions. Tanaka Giichi was bullied out. Hirohito then stated his endorsement of Hamaguchi Osachi as Tanaka's successors.   Just a few months after Hamaguchi cabinet formed, Hirohito overrode the advice of his naval chief of staff and vice chief of staff, Admiral Kato and Vice Admiral Suetsugu. The Americans and British were hinting they might form a naval alliance against Japan if she did not abide by the Washington Conference mandates on naval tonnage. Kato and Suetsugu refused to accept the terms, but prime minister Hamaguchi stood firm against them. The navy leaders were outraged and accused Hamaguchi of signing the treaty without the support of the Navy General Staff thereby infringing upon the “emperor's right of supreme command”. Two months after signing the treaty, Hamaguchi was assassinated and upon learning of this Hirohito's first concern apparently was “that constitutional politics not be interrupted”. The military felt greatly emboldened, and thus began the age of the military feeling “its right of supreme command”. Generals and Admirals fought back against arms reduction talks, discipline within the officer corps loosened, things spiraled out of control. Alongside this came the increasing cult of the emperor, that they were all doing this in his name.   When rumors emerged of the emerging Mukden Incident in 1931, Hirohito  demanded the army be reigned in. Attempts were made, but on September 18th of 1931, Kwantung army officer detonated an explosion at Liut'iaokou north of Mukden as a false flag operation. The next day the imperial palace were given a report and Hirohito was advised by chief aide de camp Nara Takeji “this incident would not spread and if the Emperor was to convene an imperial conference to take control of the situation, the virtue of his majesty might be soiled if the decisions of such a conference should prove impossible to implement”. This will be a key theme in Hirohito's decision making, protect the kokutai from any threats.   As the Mukden incident was getting worse, the Kwantung officers began to demand reinforcement be sent from the Korea army. The current Wakatsuki cabinet met on the issue and decided the Mukden incident had to remain an incident, they needed to avoid a declaration of war. The official orders were for no reinforcements of the Korea army to mobilize, however the field commander took it upon his own authority and mobilized them. The army chief of staff Kanaya reported to Hirohito the Korea army was marching into Manchuria against orders. At 31 years of age Hirohito now had an excellent opportunity to back the current cabinet, to control the military and stop the incident from getting worse. At this time the military was greatly divided on the issue, politically still weak compared to what they would become in a few years, if Hirohito wanted to rule as a constitutional monarch instead of an autocratic monarch, well this was his chance. Hirohito said to Kanaya at 4:20pm on September 22nd “although this time it couldn't be helped, [the army] had to be more careful in the future”. Thus Hirohito accepted the situation as fait accompli, he was not seriously opposed to seeing his army expand his empire. If it involved a brief usurpation of his authority so bit, as long as the operation was successful. Within two weeks of the incident, most of Japan had rallied being the kwantung army's cause. Hirohito knew it was a false flag, all of what they had done. Hirohito planned the lightests punishments for those responsible. Hirohito then officially sanctioned the aerial strike against Chinchou, the first air attack since ww1.   A message had gone out to the young officers in the Japanese military that the emperors main concern was success; obedience to central command was secondary. After the Mukden incident Prime Minister Wakatsuki resigned in december after failing to control the army and failing to contain the financial depression. The new Priminister Inukai took to action requesting permission from Hirohito to dispatch battalions to Tientsin and a brigade to Manchuria to help the Kwantung army take Chinchou. Hirohito responded by advising caution when attacking Chinchou and to keep a close eye on international public perception. Nevertheless Chinchou was taken and Hirohito issued an imperial rescript praising the insubordinate Kwantung army for fighting a courageous self defense against Chinese bandits. In a few more years Hirohito would grant awards and promotions to 3000 military and civil officials involved in the Manchurian war. When incidents broke out in Shanghai in 1932 involved the IJN, Tokyo high command organized a full fledged Shanghai expeditionary force under General Shirakawa with 2 full divisions. But within Shanghai were western powers, like Britain and America, whom Hirohito knew full well could place economic sanctions upon Japan if things got out of hand. Hirohito went out of his way to demand Shirakawa settle the Shanghai matter quickly and return to Japan.   And thus here is a major problem with Hirohito during the war years. On one end with Manchuria he let pretty much everything slide, but with Shanghai he suddenly cracks the whip. Hirohito had a real tendency of choosing when he wanted to act and this influenced the military heavily. On May 15th of 1932, young naval officers assassinated prime minister Inukai at his office. In the political chaos, Hirohito and his advisors agreed to abandon the experiment in party cabinets that had been the custom since the Taisho era. Now Hirohito endorsed a fully bureaucratic system of policy making, cabinet parties would no longer depend on the two main conservative parties existing in the diet. When the diet looked to the genro as to who should be the next prime minister, Hirohito wrote up “his wishes regarding the choice of the next prime minister”. Loyal officials backed Hirohito's wishes, the cult of the emperor grew in power. To the military it looked like Hirohito was blaming the party based cabinets rather than insubordinate officers for the erosion of his own authority as commander in chief. The young military officers who already were distrustful of the politicians were now being emboldened further.    After Manchuria was seized and Manchukuo was ushered in many in the Japanese military saw a crisis emerge, that required a “showa restoration' to solve. There were two emerging political factions within the military, the Kodoha and Toseiha factions. Both aimed to create military dictatorships under the emperor. The Kodoha saw the USSR as the number one threat to Japan and advocated an invasion of them, aka the Hokushin-ron doctrine, but the Toseiha faction prioritized a national defense state built on the idea they must build Japans industrial capabilities to face multiple enemies in the future. What separated the two, was the Kodoha sought to use a violent coup d'etat to do so, the Toseiha were unwilling to go so far. The Kodoha faction was made up of junior and youthful officers who greatly distrusted the capitalists and industrialists of Japan, like the Zaibatsu and believed they were undermining the Emperor. The Toseiha faction were willing to work with the Zaibatsu to make Japan stronger. Hirohito's brother Prince Chichibu sympathized with the Kodoha faction and repeatedly counseled his brother that he should implement direct imperial rule even if it meant suspending the constitution, aka a show restoration. Hirohito believed his brother who was active in the IJA at the time was being radicalized. Chichibu might I add was in the 3rd infantry regiment under the leadership of Colonel Tomoyuki Yamashita.   This time period has been deemed the government by assassination period. Military leaders in both the IJA and IJN and from both the Kodoha and Toseiha began performing violence against politicians and senior officers to get things done.    A enormous event took place in 1936 known as the february 26 incident. Kodoha faction officers of the IJA attempted a coup d'etat to usher in a showa restoration. They assassinated several leading officials, such as two former prime ministers and occupied the government center of Tokyo. They failed to assassinate the current prime minister Keisuke Okada or take control over the Imperial palace. These men believed Japan was straying from the Kokutai and that the capitalist/industrialists were exploiting the people of the nation by deceiving the emperor and usurping his power. The only solution to them was to purge such people and place Hirohito as an absolute leader over a military dictatorship.    Now the insurrectionists failed horribly, within just a few hours they failed to kill the current prime minister, and failed to seize the Sakashita Gate to the imperial palace, thus allowing the palace to continue communicating with the outside, and they never thought about what the IJN might do about all of this. The IJN sent marines immediately to suppress them. The insurrectionists had planned to have the army minister General Kwashima who was a Kodoha backer, report their intentions to Hirohito who they presumed would declare a showa restoration. They falsely assumed the emperor was a puppet being taken hostage by his advisers and devoid of his own will.   At 5:40am on February the 26th Hirohito was awakened and informed of the assassinations and coup attempt. From the moment he learnt of this, he was outraged and demanded the coup be suppressed and something I would love to highlight is he also immediately demanded his brother Prince Chichibu be brought over to him. Why would this be important? Hirohito believed the insurrectionists might enlist his brother to force him to abdicate. Hirohito put on his army uniform and ordered the military to “end it immediately and turn this misfortune into a blessing”. Hirohito then met with Kwashima who presented him with the insurrectionists demands to “clarify the kokutai, stabilize national life and fulfill national defense, aka showa restoration”. Hirohito scolded Kwashima and ordered him to suppress the mutiny. On the morning of the 27th Hirohito declared administrative martial law on the basis of Article 8 of the Imperial Constitution, pertaining to emergency imperial ordinances. Formally he was invoking his sovereign power to handle a crisis. Hirohito displayed an incredible amount of energy to crush the mutiny as noted by those around him at the time. Every few hours he demanded reports to be given to him by top officials and at one point he was so angry he threatened to lead the Imperial Guard division himself to go out and quell it. Hirohito met with Chichibu and its alleged he told his brother to end any relationships he had with the Kodoha members. By february 29th, Hirohito had firmly crushed the mutiny, most of the ringleaders were arrested. In april they were court martialed secretly without even given a chance to defend themselves in court and 17 were executed by firing squad in July. As a result of it all, the Kodoha faction dissolved and the Toseiha faction reigned supreme.    On the morning of July 8th of 1937 came the Marco Polo Bridge incident, a nearly identical false flag operation to what occurred at Mukden in 1931. Hirohito's reaction was first to consider the possible threat of the USSR. He wondered if the communists would seize the opportunity to attack Manchukuo. This is what he said to Prime Minister Konoe and army minister Sugiyama “What will you do if the Soviets attack us from the rear?” he asked the prince. Kan'in answered, “I believe the army will rise to the occasion.” The emperor repeated his question: “That's no more than army dogma. What will you actually do in the unlikely event that Soviet [forces] attack?” The prince said only, “We will have no choice.” His Majesty seemed very dissatisfied.    Hirohito demanded to know what contingency plans existed. After this he approved the decision of the Konoe cabinet to move troops into Northern China and fixed his seal to the orders of dispatch. The emperor had tacitly agreed to it all from the start. With each action taken for the following months, Hirohito would explicitly sanction them after the fact. In his mind he kept thinking about a fight with the USSR, he believed he had no choice in the China matter. All of his top ranking officials like Sugiyama would tell him “even if war with China came… it could be finished up within two or three months”. Hirohito was not convinced, he went to Konoe, to imperial conferences, to other military officials to get their views. None convinced him but as Hirohito put it  “they agreed with each other on the time factor, and that made a big difference; so all right, we'll go ahead.”     Two weeks into the conflict, the kwangtung army and Korean army were reinforced by 3 divisions from Japan and on July 25th were reaching Beijing. What did the man who was not responsible in such decision making say? On July 27 Hirohito sanctioned an imperial order directing the commander of the China Garrison Force to “chastise the Chinese army in the Peking-Tientsin area and bring stability to the main strategic places in that region.” Hirohito wanted a killing blow to end the war, and thus he escalated the incident. Historian Fujiwara Akira noted “it was the [Konoe] government itself that had resolved on war, dispatched an army, and expanded the conflict,” and Hirohito had fully supported it”   Chiang Kai-shek abandoned northern China pulling into the Interior and unleashed a campaign in Shanghai to draw the Japanese into a battle showcased in front of western audiences. Chiang Kai-shek tossed the creme of his military all into Shanghai to make it as long and explosive as possible to try and win support from other great powers. On August 18 Hirohito summoned his army and navy chiefs for a pointed recommendation. The war, he told them, “is gradually spreading; our situation in Shanghai is critical; Tsingtao is also at risk. If under these circumstances we try to deploy troops everywhere, the war will merely drag on and on. Wouldn't it be better to concentrate a large force at the most critical point and deliver one overwhelming blow? Based on our attitude of fairness, Do you, have in hand plans for such action? In other words, do we have any way worked out to force the Chinese to reflect on their actions?”   The chiefs of staff returned 3 days later with an aerial campaign to break China's will to fight and strategic cities needed to be seized. Hirohito gave his sanction and on August 31st gave the order “for the Dispatch of the North China Area Army. [D]estroy the enemy's will to fight and wipe out resistance in the central part of Hepei Province,” Over the course of weeks Hirohito sanctioned 6 troop mobilizations to the Shanghai area where the fighting had bogged down. Then he sanctioned 3 divisions from Taiwan to Shanghai, but for units in northern Manchuria to stand guard firmly in case the USSR attacked. The entire time this was happening both China and Japan referred to it as an incident and not a real war lest either of them lose the backing of their great power allies. Japan needed oil, iron and rubber from America, China was likewise received materials from the USSR/America/Britain and even Germany.    By november the war was not going well and Hirohito had the Imperial Headquarters established within his palace as a means to exercise his constitutional role as supreme commander, the army and navy would act in concert. For a few hours in the morning a few days every week, the chiefs of staff, army and navy ministers and chiefs of operations would meet with Hirohito. At these imperial conferences Hirohito presided over and approved decisions impacting the war. This was Hirohito's device for legally transforming the will of the emperor into the will of the state. Hirohito not only involved himself, sometimes on a daily basis he would shape strategy and decide the planning, timing and so on of military campaigns. He even intervened in ongoing field operations. He monitored and occasionally issued orders through commanders to subordinate units. Now I can't go through the entire 1937-1945 war and showcase all the things he did but I will highlight things I think we're important.    On November 9th, the Shanghai battle was finally falling apart for the Chinese as they began a withdrawal to the Nanking area some 180 miles away. The Japanese forces chased them and for the first time were really coming into direct contact with Chinese civilians, when it came to Shanghai most had evacuated the areas. The Japanese burned, plundered and raped villages and towns as they marched towards Nanking. On december 1st, Hirohito's imperial HQ ordered the 10th army and Shanghai expeditionary force to close in on Nanking from different directions, a pincer maneuver. Prince Asaka took command of the Shanghai expeditionary force and General Matsui commanded the Central China Area Army consisted of the Shanghai force and 10th army. Asaka led the forces to assault the walled city of Nanking with a population estimated to be 4-5 hundred thousand and it would fall on December 13th. Was there an order to “rape Nanking”, no. The Imperial HQ did not order the total extermination of the Chinese in Nanking, they had ordered an encirclement campaign. However, the standing orders at this time were to take no prisoners. Once Nanking fell, the Japanese began to execute en massage military prisoners and unarmed troops who surrendered willingly. There was a orgy of rape, arson, pillage and murder. The horror was seen in Nanking and the 6 adjacent villages over the course of 3 months far exceeding any atrocities seen during the battle for Shanghai or even the march to Nanking. General Nakajima's 16th division on its first day in Nanking was estimated to have murdered 30,000 POWs. Estimate range insanely, but perhaps 200,000 POW's and civilians were butchered over the course of 6 weeks.   Prince Asaka the 54 year old grand uncle to Hirohito and other members of the Imperial Family commanded the attack on Nanking and supervised the horrors. 49 year old General Prince Higashikuni chief of the army air force alongside Prince Kan'in knew of the atrocities occurring. Army minister Sugiyama knew, many middle echelon officers of the Imperial HQ knew. Hirohito was at the top of the chain of command, there is no way he was not informed. Hirohito followed the war extensively, reading daily reports, questioned his aides. It was under his orders that his army “chastise China”, but did he show any concern for the breakdown of his army's discipline? There is no documented evidence he ordered an investigation, all we are met with as historians is a bizarre period of silence. Hirohito goes from supervising the war with OCD precision, to silence, then back to normal precision. Did Hirohito show anything publicly to show angry, displeasure or remorse, at the time he energetically began spurring his generals and admirals on their great victories and the national project to induce “Chinese self-reflection”.    On November 24th Hirohito gave an after the fact sanction to the decision of General Matsui to attack and occupy Nanking. Hirohito was informed the city was going to be bombarded by aircraft and artillery and he sanctioned that as well. That was basically him removing any restrictions on the army's conduct. On December 14th the day after Nankings fall, he made an imperial message to his chiefs of staff expressing his pleasure at the news of the city's capture and occupation. Hirohito granted General Matsui an imperial rescript for his great military accomplishments in 1938 and gave the order of the golden early to Prince Asaka in 1940. Perhaps Hirohito privately agonized over what happened, but publicly did nothing about the conduct of his armed forces, especially in regards to the treatment of POW's.   Emperor Hirohito was presented with several opportunities to cause cease-fires or peace settlements during the war years. One of the best possible moments to end it all came during the attack on Naking when Chiang Kai-sheks military were in disarray. Chiang Kai-shek had hoped to end the fighting by enticing the other great powers to intervene. At the 9 power treaty conference in Brussel in november of 1937, Britain and the US proposed boycotting Japan. However the conference ended without any sanctions being enacted upon Japan. The Konoe government and Imperial HQ immediately expanded the combat zone. Chiang Kai-shek in desperation accepted a previous offer by Germany to mediate. Oscar Trautmann, the German ambassador to China attempted to negotiate with Japan, but it failed. China was offered harsh terms; to formally recognize Manchukuo, cooperate with it and Japan to fight communism, permit the indefinite stationg of Japanese forces and pay war reparations.    On January 9th of 1938, Imperial HQ formed a policy for handling the China incident which was reported to Hirohito. Konoe asked Hirohito to convene an imperial conference for it, but not to speak out at it  “For we just want to formally decide the matter in your majesty's presence.” Konoe and Hirohito were concerned with anti expansionists within the army general staff and wanted to prevent German interference in Japanese affairs. On January 11th, the policy was showcased and adopted, there would be no peace until Chiang kai-shek's regime was dissolved and a more compliant regime followed. Hirohito presided over the conference in full army dress uniform and gave his approval. He sat there for 27 minutes without uttering a word, appearing to be neutral in the matter, though in fact he was firmly backing a stronger military policy towards China.    The Konoe cabinet inaugurated a second phase to the China incident, greatly escalating the war. By this point in time Japanese had seen combat casualties at 62,007 killed, 160,000 wounded. In 1939 it would be 30,081 killed, 55,970 wounded, then 15,827 killed and 72,653 wounded in 1940. Major cities were under Japanese control ranging from the north east and south. Chiang Kai-shek fled to Chongqing, the war was deadlocked without any prospect of victory in sight.    On July 11 of 1938, the commander of the 19th division fought a border clash with the USSR known to us in the west as the battle of Lake Khasan. It was a costly defeat for Japan and in the diary of Harada Kumao he noted Hirohito scolded Army minister Itagaki “Hereafter not a single soldier is to be moved without my permission.” When it looked like the USSR would not press for a counter attack across the border, Hirohito gave the order for offensives in China to recommence, again an example of him deciding when to lay down the hammer. Konoe resigned in disgrace in 1939 having failed to bring the China war to an end and being outed by his colleagues who sought an alliance with Germany, which he did not agree with. His successor was Hiranuma a man Hirohito considered a outright fascist. Hiranuma only received the job because he promised Hirohito he would not make enemies of Britain or the US by entering in a hasty alliance with Nazi Germany. However his enter prime ministership would be engulfed by the alliance question.   In May of 1939 there was another border clash with the USSR, the battle of Khalkhin Gol. This one was much larger in scale, involving armored warfare, aircraft and though it seems it was not used, the Japanese brought biological warfare weapons as well. The Japanese had nearly 20,000 casualties, it was an unbelievable defeat that shocked everyone. Hirohito refrained from punishing anyone because they technically followed orders based on a document “outline for dealing with disputes along the manchurian soviet border” that Hirohito had sanctioned shortly before the conflict arose.   In July of 1939, the US told Hiranuma's government they intended not to renew the US-Japan treaty of commerce and navigation. Until this point Roosevelt had been very lenient towards Japan, but now it looked to him war would break out in europe and he wanted Japan to know they could expect serious economic sanctions if they escalated things. Hirohito complained to his chief aide de camp Hata Shunroku on August 5th “It could be a great blow to scrap metal and oil”. Then suddenly as Japan was engaging in a truce with the USSR to stop the border conflict, Germany shocked the world and signed a nonaggression pact with them. This completely contravened the 1936 Japan-German anti-comintern pact. Hiranuma resigned in disgrace on august 28th.    Hirohito was livid and scolded many of his top officials and forced the appointment of General Abe to prime minister and demanded of him “to cooperate with the US and Britain and preserve internal order”. Then Germany invaded Poland and began a new European War. Abe's cabinet collapsed from the unbelievable amount of international actions by January 14th 1940. Hirohito appointed Admiral Yonai as prime minister  and General Tojo to vice army minister. As we have seen Hirohito played a active role appointing high level personnel and imposed conditions upon their appointments.    Hirohito dictated what Yonai was to do, who he was to appoint to certain positions so on and so forth. When a large part of the military were calling for an alliance with Germany, Hirohito resisted, arguing Japan should focus on the China war and not ally itself to Germany unless it was to counter the USSR. Three months passed by and Germany began invading western europe. Norway fell, Denmark fell, Luxembourg, Belgium, the netherlands and then France, it was simply stunning. While Japan had been locked in a deadlock against China, Germany was crushing multiple nations with ease, and this had a large effect on asia. Britain, France and the Netherlands could not hope to protect their holdings in asia. But Hirohito kept pressuring Yonai not to begin any talks of an alliance, and the military leaders forced Yonai's cabinet to collapse.    So Hirohito stood by while Hiranuma, Abe and Yonai met each crisis and collapses. He watched as the China war went nowhere and the military was gradually pushing for the Nanshin-ron doctrine to open a southern war up with the west. Not once did he make a public effort on his lonesome to end the war in China. Japan's demands of China were unchanged, relations with the west were getting worse each day. The China war was undeclared, hell it was from the Japanese viewpoint “chastising China”. Japan was no respecting any rules of war in China, atrocities were performed regularly and for that Hirohito shared responsibility. For he alone was free to act in this area, he needed to act, but he did not. He could have intervened and insisted on respecting the rules of war, especially in regards to POW's and the results could have been dramatically different. Hirohito bore direct responsibility for the use of poison gas upon Chinese and Mongolian combatants and non combatants even before the undeclared war of 1937.    Then on July 28th of 1937 Hirohito made his first directive authorizing the use of chemical weapons which was transmitted by the chief of the army general staff prince Kan'in. It stated that in mopping up the Beijing-Tientsin area, “[Y]ou may use tear gas at suitable times.” Then on September 11th of 1937 he transmitted again through Kan'in the authorization to deploy special chemical warfare units in Shanghai. Gas weapons were one weapon the imperial HQ, aka Hirohito held effective control over throughout the China war. Front line units were never free to employ it at their own discretion, it required explicit authorization from the imperial HQ. During the Wuhan offensive of August to October 1938, imperial HQ authorized the use of poison gas 375 separate times. Hirohito authorized on May 15th of 1939 the carrying out of field studies of chemical warfare along the Manchukuo-soviet border.  In 1940 Hirohito sanctioned the first experimental use of bacteriological weapons in China, though there is no documented evidence of this, given the nature of how he micro managed everything it goes without saying he would have treated it the same as the poison gas. He was a man of science, a person who questioned everything and refused to put his seal on orders without first examining them. Imperial HQ directives went to unit 731 and as a rule Hirohito overlooked them. There again is no documents directly linking him to it, but Hirohito should be held responsibility for strategic bombing campaigns performing on cities like Chongqing. Alongside such horror Hirohito sanctioned annihilation campaigns in China. Such military campaigns were on the scale of what occurred at Nanking. Take for example the Hebei offensive which saw the infamous “three alls policy, burn all, kill all, steal all”.    Before Pearl Harbor and the ushering in of the war against the west, look at the scene that had unfolded. China and Japan were not officially at war until December of 1941. Not to say it would have been easy by any means, but look at the countless opportunities the man, emperor, so called god if you will, held in his hands to stop it all or at the very least stop escalating it. Why did he not do so? To protect the Kokutai. Above all else, the role and survival of the emperor's divinity over the people of Japan was always at the forefront of his mind. He did what he thought was always necessary to thwart threats internal and external. He allowed his military to do horrible things, because they did so in his name, and likewise they were a threat to him. I know its abrupt to end it like this, but for those of you who perhaps say to yourself “well he really was powerless to stop it, they would have killed him or something”, who chose suddenly to intervene in 1945 and made the decision to surrender?

Tony Watkins interviews Dr Dirk Jongkind, Vice Principal (Academic) about his new book, ‘Growing in Understanding: Devotions for Christian Academics' (published by Apollos in 2025).GROWING IN UNDERSTANDING: DEVOTIONS FOR CHRISTIAN ACADEMICS is available directly from IVP or from your normal bookseller.Dirk Jongkind is probably best known as editor of the Tyndale House Greek New Testament. However, before he ended up in the academy, Dirk worked in the horticultural sector (together with his wife Marion), growing tropical cut-flowers (Heliconia) in greenhouses in his native country, the Netherlands. He enjoyed this hands-on setting, yet decided to follow his life's fascination with the history and text of the Bible. He completed a M.A. in Old Testament at Tyndale Theological Seminary (1999, Badhoevedorp, nr. Amsterdam), and moved to the United Kingdom for an M.Phil. in New Testament at Cambridge University, where he also completed a PhD in 2005. At this time he was employed for a brief project at the British Library as part of the preparation of the Codex Sinaiticus Digitisation project.At Tyndale House, Dirk does research in the transmission of the text of the New Testament which has resulted in the Tyndale House Edition of the Greek New Testament (2017). He also maintains an interest in lexical and grammatical studies. He is an Associate Editor of the Tyndale Bulletin. Working at Tyndale House gives unique opportunities to contribute to the practice and vision of theological education.He has taught in a wide variety of settings ranging from big conference rooms and university halls to the back rooms of small rural chapels and local village pubs. Dirk is a Fellow of St Edmund's College and a Member of the Faculty of Divinity.Apart from explaining the Bible and the many ways in which one passage resonates with others, he also enjoys speaking about how Christians can be good scholars and pursue knowledge and truth without compromising their commitment to faith.Support the showEdited by Tyndale House Music – Acoustic Happy Background used with a standard license from Adobe Stock.Follow us on: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

The FC crew react to Germany's dominant win over Slovakia and explain why Florian Wirtz looks so much better with Germany compared to his club team Liverpool. Plus, the guys react to Erling Haaland's comments following Norway's 4-1 win over Italy. Mario Melchiot also breaks down how he feels about the Netherlands' chances to win the World Cup after the Dutch qualified for the tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there friends and weirdos! This week we add a little entomology creamer into our New Age spiritual enlightenment coffee with the tale of...the Butterfly People. When a massive crop circle depicting the Vitruvian Man as a Butterfly Man pops up in the Netherlands, skeptics and believers alike are baffled. Was this design man-made, as the lying media would like to suggest? Or is it alien, perhaps even cosmic, in its design? We tie this event into a bizarre phenomenon that would occur only a few years later: the Butterfly People of Joplin. All this and much more!

Libby Ran 17/11/2025 Nordic Fairies - Dopamine - פיות נורדיות 131 Robyn - Dopamine (Sweden) girl in red - Serotonin (Norway) MARY JEAN - dream come alive (Denmark) Darling West - Holiday for Two (Norway) Skott - Edge of the Earth (Sweden) Club 8 - Another Faux Pas In The Cathedral Of Hate (Sweden) Veps - Didgeridoo (Norway) Kerstin Ljungström - Dör (Sweden) Elina - Holding Space (Sweden) Nikolaj Nørlund, Jacob Aksglæde, Ninna Lundberg - Frem For Alt BLAA (Denmark) HILLARI - It Ain't Easy (Norway) Virna Lindt - Playpower (Sweden) No. 4 - Det var en gang en jul (Norway) Ida Laurberg - Vintermiraklet - Valdes Jul (Denmark) Line Marianne - Bells (Denmark) Ine Hoem - Første desember (Norway) Leon den Engelsen - Don't mind me (Sweden, Netherlands)

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Finding Thanksgiving in a Foreign Land: Lars' Cozy Feast Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-11-17-23-34-02-nl Story Transcript:Nl: De geur van pompoensoep en versgebakken brood vulde de gangen van het drukke studentenhuis.En: The scent of pumpkin soup and freshly baked bread filled the halls of the busy student house.Nl: Ondanks de kou buiten straalden de kamers een behaaglijke warmte uit.En: Despite the cold outside, the rooms radiated a cozy warmth.Nl: Studenten liepen haastig met koffers vol vuile was en huiswerkboeken.En: Students walked hastily with suitcases full of dirty laundry and homework books.Nl: Het was bijna Thanksgiving, een feest dat Lars alleen kende van films en verhalen.En: It was almost Thanksgiving, a holiday that Lars only knew from movies and stories.Nl: Lars was een Nederlandse uitwisselingsstudent op een universiteit in de Verenigde Staten.En: Lars was a Dutch exchange student at a university in the United States.Nl: Sinds hij hier was, voelde hij zich anders en een beetje verloren, vooral nu de feestdagen naderden.En: Since he had been here, he felt different and a bit lost, especially as the holidays approached.Nl: Zijn vrienden Maarten en Femke, ook uit Nederland, zouden het lange weekend doorbrengen met hun gastgezinnen.En: His friends Maarten and Femke, also from the Netherlands, would spend the long weekend with their host families.Nl: Lars had helaas geen plannen.En: Unfortunately, Lars had no plans.Nl: In zijn kamer begon Lars een idee te vormen.En: In his room, Lars began to form an idea.Nl: Misschien kon hij zelf iets organiseren. Een klein Thanksgiving-diner voor de mensen op zijn verdieping.En: Maybe he could organize something himself—a small Thanksgiving dinner for the people on his floor.Nl: Hij was nerveus.En: He was nervous.Nl: Wat als niemand kwam?En: What if no one came?Nl: Lars besloot door te zetten.En: Lars decided to go through with it.Nl: Hij maakte een lijst. Kalkoen, aardappelpuree, cranberrysaus en, op verzoek van zijn moeder via Skype, stroopwafels om een vleugje Nederland aan de tafel toe te voegen.En: He made a list: turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and, at the request of his mother via Skype, stroopwafels to add a touch of the Netherlands to the table.Nl: Hij hing simpele herfstdecoraties op in de gemeenschappelijke keuken.En: He put up simple autumn decorations in the communal kitchen.Nl: De pompoenen en bladeren maakten de ruimte warm en gezellig.En: The pumpkins and leaves made the space warm and inviting.Nl: De avond van de viering kwam.En: The evening of the celebration came.Nl: Eerst dacht Lars dat niemand zou opduiken.En: At first, Lars thought no one would show up.Nl: Maar toen hoorde hij voetstappen.En: But then he heard footsteps.Nl: Studenten liepen nieuwsgierig de keuken binnen.En: Students walked into the kitchen, curious.Nl: Sommigen brachten eten mee; anderen hadden gewoon een lege maag.En: Some brought food; others just came with an empty stomach.Nl: Al snel vulden stemmen en gelach de kamer.En: Soon, voices and laughter filled the room.Nl: Tijdens het eten, omringd door nieuwe gezichten en vrolijk geklets, voelde Lars zich eindelijk thuis.En: During dinner, surrounded by new faces and cheerful chatter, Lars finally felt at home.Nl: Hij luisterde naar verhalen over Thanksgivingtradities en deelde zelf een paar Nederlandse eetgewoonten.En: He listened to stories about Thanksgiving traditions and shared some Dutch eating habits himself.Nl: De sfeer was ontspannen.En: The atmosphere was relaxed.Nl: Mensen lachten en maakten nieuwe herinneringen.En: People laughed and made new memories.Nl: Op dat moment, met zijn bord vol en hart warm, besefte Lars dat hij niet alleen was.En: At that moment, with his plate full and heart warm, Lars realized he was not alone.Nl: Amerika begon een beetje als thuis te voelen.En: America started feeling a bit like home.Nl: Hij glimlachte.En: He smiled.Nl: Hij had iets kostbaars gevonden tijdens deze eenvoudige maaltijd: een gevoel van verbondenheid.En: He had found something precious during this simple meal: a sense of connection.Nl: Toen de avond eindigde, hielp iedereen met opruimen.En: When the evening ended, everyone helped to clean up.Nl: Lars stond in de deur, keek rond en voelde zich dankbaar dat hij de stap had gezet.En: Lars stood in the doorway, looking around and feeling grateful that he had taken the step.Nl: Hij wist dat hij deze nieuwe traditie volgend jaar wilde voortzetten, waar hij ook was.En: He knew he wanted to continue this new tradition next year, wherever he might be.Nl: En zo leerde Lars dat openstaan voor nieuwe dingen, zelfs als ze onbekend zijn, kan helpen de eenzaamheid te verdrijven.En: And so Lars learned that being open to new things, even when they are unfamiliar, can help dispel loneliness.Nl: En dat, ondanks de afstand, familie niet altijd betekent wie je kent, maar wie je kiest.En: And that, despite the distance, family doesn't always mean who you know, but who you choose. Vocabulary Words:scent: geurradiated: straaldencozy: behaaglijkeexchange: uitwisselingsapproached: naderdenlaundry: wasnervous: nerveusmashed potatoes: aardappelpureecranberry sauce: cranberrysausdecorations: decoratiesinviting: gezelligcelebration: vieringfootsteps: voetstappencurious: nieuwsgierigchatter: gekletscheerful: vrolijkmemories: herinneringengrateful: dankbaarprecious: kostbaarsconnection: verbondenheiddispels: verdrijvenloneliness: eenzaamheiddespite: ondanksdistance: afstandtradition: traditiehost families: gastgezinnenunexpected: onverwachtgathering: bijeenkomsthomey: knuslaugh: lachen

In this high-impact episode of Yachting USA from Yachting International Radio (YIR), host Rick Thomas sits down with world-renowned maritime attorney Michael Moore, Founding Partner of Moore & Company, to dissect the real state of the U.S. and Canadian yachting industry — legally, historically, economically, and environmentally. Together, they unpack why North America lost more than 75–80% of its yacht-building infrastructure, how global competition reshaped the market, and why shipyards like Westport, Delta Marine, Burger Boat Company, and Crescent Custom Yachts remain crucial to the continent's maritime future. They dive into the big questions driving searches worldwide: Can North American yacht building rebound? How does the Jones Act impact superyacht ownership and construction? What role do owners, crew, brokers, and shipyards really play in a healthy industry? Why are class rules, surveys, and maritime law more important than ever? How will American and Canadian yards compete with Turkey, Italy, the Netherlands, and Taiwan? Michael also gives rare insight into his decades-long career — from maritime cases in New York and Saudi Arabia to major work on the Exxon Valdez litigation. His perspective connects global shipping, commercial maritime law, yacht building, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the real-world economics behind superyachts. You'll also discover how yachts are becoming powerful tools for ocean science through organizations like the International SeaKeepers Society, Project Baseline, and Seabed 2030 — with actionable ways owners, captains, and crew can contribute to ocean data, conservation, and citizen science. KEY TOPICS COVERED Decline of U.S. shipyards (Christensen, Trinity, Palmer Johnson, Northern Marine & more) The resurgence of American builders and refit yards Jones Act realities for large yachts The risks of poor brokerage, bad surveys & misrepresented vessels How maritime law, class, and flag states shape yacht value Why Fort Lauderdale remains the true capital of global yachting How SeaKeepers & Project Baseline are changing ocean science U.S. & Canadian yachting trends in 2025 and beyond ABOUT THE GUEST Michael Moore Founding Partner, Moore & Company Maritime Law Advisor to yacht owners, captains & shipyards worldwide SeaKeepers Board Member • Maritime Industry Leader ABOUT THE HOST Rick Thomas Host of Yachting USA Veteran of 37+ years in North American yacht building, equipment manufacturing & maritime innovation

Join Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin as they dive deep into the tragic and brilliant life of Vincent van Gogh. This episode isn't just about his iconic paintings—it's about the man behind the masterpieces. Elyse, with her deep knowledge of art history and her gift for storytelling, guides us through Van Gogh's tumultuous journey. From his early struggles in the Netherlands to his transformative years in France, we explore how his experiences shaped his art—and how his art, in turn, shaped the world. Listen to this episode ad-free Van Gogh's life was marked by failure, rejection, and mental health struggles. Elyse explains how these challenges fueled his creativity. As a young man, he tried—and failed—at careers as an art dealer, a preacher, and even a Bible translator. His family didn't know what to do with him, and his father even considered sending him to a mental hospital. But it was his brother, Theo, who became his lifeline. Theo provided financial and emotional support, allowing Vincent to focus on painting. This support gave him the freedom to experiment, leading to the bold, vibrant style we associate with him today. Paris was a turning point for Van Gogh. Elyse paints a vivid picture of his time there, living in Montmartre, meeting artists like Toulouse-Lautrec and Pissarro, and discovering new techniques. He hated the city at first, but over time, he began to embrace its energy. His move to Arles was another pivotal moment. He dreamed of creating an artists' colony there, but his relationship with Gauguin ended in disaster. Despite the chaos, this period was incredibly productive. He painted masterpieces like Starry Night Over the Rhône and Sunflowers. After his breakdown in Arles, Van Gogh was committed to an asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Elyse's account of this time is heartbreaking yet inspiring. He continued to paint, creating some of his most famous works, including Wheat Fields and more versions of Starry Night. His final days in Auvers-sur-Oise were marked by relentless painting and a tragic end. This episode isn't just about art—it's about humanity, perseverance, and the cost of genius. If you love stories that move you, this is a must-listen. Subscribe to Join Us in France on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. And if you're planning a trip to France, don't forget to check out Elyse's Toulouse Guided Walks for an unforgettable experience.  Table of Contents for this Episode [00:00:15] Introduction [00:00:31] Today on the podcast [00:01:03] Podcast supporters [00:01:33] Bootcamp 2026 [00:01:47] Magazine segment [00:02:25] Vincent Van Gogh with Elyse [00:03:38] Van Gogh's Life in France [00:04:57] The Universal Appeal of Van Gogh's Art [00:05:53] Why do people love his work? [00:09:30] Early Life and Family Background [00:13:49] Struggles with Mental Health and Career Choices [00:14:20] Moving to The Hague [00:16:09] Moving to London [00:21:06] Moving to Paris [00:23:26] Back to England [00:28:04] Returning home [00:28:55] The Decision to Become an Artist [00:29:24] Early Artistic Endeavors and Family Support [00:37:18] Van Gogh's Time in Paris [00:38:38] Van Gogh's Literary Influences [00:39:23] Return to Holland and Artistic Evolution [00:40:28] Personal Struggles and Relationships [00:42:06] Paris and Artistic Friendships [00:45:02] The Move to Arles [00:47:24] The Yellow House and Artistic Breakthrough [00:52:53] Mental Health Struggles and Saint-Rémy [00:59:11] Final Days in Auvers-sur-Oise [01:04:27] Legacy and Impact [01:09:40] Copyright More episodes about art in France #VanGogh, #VincentVanGogh, #ArtHistory, #StarryNight, #Sunflowers, #PostImpressionism, #FrenchArt, #ArtLovers, #ArtistsLife, #TragicGenius, #JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #TravelFrance, #FrenchCulture, #ExploreFrance, #DiscoverFrance, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #Francophile, #FranceAdventures

Cash Box Kings – Trying so hard - Oscars Motel - 2023 Rick Estrin & The Nightcats – Finally hit the Bottom  - The Hits Keep Coming – 2024Tinsley Ellis – A Quitter never wins - Storm Warning – 1994B.B. King – Luclille – Robert Cray – Right next door - Live At The Warfield Theater - 2019 JJ Grey & Mofro – Wonderland  -Olustee – 2024J.R. Band – Turn the page – My way or the Highway - 2002 - Meena Cryle and The Chris Fillmore band - It makes me scream - live for Bluesmoose radio Muddy waters – I want to be loved – Hard again - 1977

The grandson of Al Capone’s barber and a former Benedictine Monk, Pastor Smarto has pastored several congregations and was a college professor for years; as well as working professionally with prisoners and ex-offenders for over three decades. He is known nationally as a keynote conference speaker, speaking about restorative justice, prisoner aftercare, and the educational methods most effective with prisoners. He was honored to speak at the Prisoner Reentry White House Conference in November of ‘07. Don’s research has led to meetings with judges and wardens in other countries including Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, France, Belgium, England, Italy, Russia, Kenya, Canada, and Mexico. He was NGO Delegate to the United Nations Conference on the Treatment of Offenders in Milan, Italy in ‘85 and had meetings with President Ronald Reagan, Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger and Attorney General Edwin Meese. As a nationwide consultant, Don Smarto has played a key role in the development of ex-offender programs. He is the Chairman of prison ministry collaborations in Texas and Pennsylvania, and has been a consultant to the State of Florida Juvenile Justice System in the area of mentoring. a Quoted in the New York Times, Miami Herald, Chicago Tribune, L. A. Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Orlando Sentinel, Dallas Morning News, Denver Post, and the Washington Post about gangs, school shootings, prison conditions, and prison reform, Don Smarto has appeared on hundreds of radio and television shows. His professional experiences have included: Juvenile and Adult Probation Officer, Assistant Superintendent of a Maximum Security Facility, Director of an Adolescent Offender Drug Treatment Program (featured nationally on NBC News), and Director of an Ex-Offender Transition Program (which included mentoring/counseling/education). Don trained probation officers for four years at Sangamon State University (Illinois), and taught criminal justice courses at Wheaton College and Trinity University (Illinois) for twelve years. He has authored 16 books. Three of which are about restorative justice that became college text books. Smarto has also authored national magazine articles and contributed to several reference works in psychology and sociology. As member of the American Correctional Association (ACA) for twenty-seven years, Don frequently presents conference workshops. He is a past member of the Fraternal Order of Police, and has received numerous awards. Don Smarto also ministered for years with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and served on Illinois Governor Edgar's Gang Task Force, Attorney General Ryan's Council on Child Abuse, and the DuPage County Board's Blue Ribbon Commission on Jail Overcrowding (author of the final report). As a leader, this man of God has been the President of three national organizations including the Institute of Prison Ministries, where he led a research team of sociologists studying programs affecting recidivism. He has visited over 1200 prisons in 12 countries and has ministered with Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship. Don Smarto has also hosted a daily Dallas radio show called Parenting Today's Youth with 29,000 listeners each day. For more information, go find some of his articles at youthdirect.org and check out his multiple books on Amazon.

What if one solution to fashion's waste problem is literally growing on our own heads? Every day, salons around the world toss out millions of pounds of freshly cut human hair — a clean, protein-rich, renewable resource that mostly ends up in landfills or incinerators. But what if that so-called waste could become the next sustainable textile? My guest on this episode, Zsofia Kollar, is the founder and CEO of Human Material Loop, a Netherlands-based startup turning salon hair waste into a high-performance fibre that behaves like wool — but with 43 times lower CO₂ emissions, 20 times less water use, and none of the animal cruelty or plastics. Their branded fiber, called Adara, is already being spun into things like carpets, curtains, and acoustic panels — and it's made from something we all grow ourselves. In this conversation, Zsofia and I talk about how she got the idea to build an entire materials company out of human hair, how her technology works, why hair is such a strong and versatile material, the "ick" factor of human-derived fibres, and how she's scaling her model so that salons and HML benefit alike. If you think using human hair in textiles sounds strange, stick around — because by the end of this episode, you might just want a carpet made from your own cut-offs. I'll let Zsofia make the case. Discussed in this episode Washington Post coverage of Human Material Loop's work. Vogue and CNN have covered their work, too. Zoroastrians sometimes practice sky burial on a Tower of Silence, in which vultures are allowed to consume a recently deceased human. Our past episode on human composting with Recompose. Get to Know Zsofia Kollar Zsofia Kollar is a forward-thinking entrepreneur passionate about sustainable innovation. Science and design are crucial in the company's development. After her experience running an independent design studio, Zsofia was driven to reimagine waste management, focusing particularly on hair waste. Her goal is to foster collaboration and innovation for a more sustainable future. Human Material Loop demonstrates that sustainability and economic growth can coexist. Zsofia's dedication extends beyond her CEO role—she's also a published author and university lecturer, inspiring others in design and sustainability. Her vision entails holistic sustainability, where science, design, and collaboration reshape waste management and drive innovation. 

Episode 65 Sarah Papenheim   Minnesota native, Sarah Papenheim decided to study abroad at Erasmus University of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. She picked a roommate who shared her love of music. She had no idea how dangerous he was until he killed her in 2018.  To listen to every episode of Campus Killings ad-free and get other benefits, simply  visit our channel page on Apple Podcasts to get started with an AbJack Insider subscription.  Follow Campus Killings on Social Media via the following: Facebook - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - BlueSky - Tik Tok -  Twitch - Youtube Or find ALL of our social media platforms with one link: https://linktr.ee/campuskillings   Campus Killings is hosted by Dr. Meghan Sacks and Dr. Amy Shlosberg. Research and Writing by Abagail Belcastro Produced by Mike Morford of AbJack Entertainment Be sure to listen to Amy and Meghan's other podcasts: Women and Crime & Direct Appeal  

Interview with Decland Walsh on Sudan: 31:30 This week, Kelly and Truisten talk through Hungary's new attempt to start up an anti-Ukraine bloc in the EU as well as Victor Orban's meeting with President Trump. They then turn to recent elections in the Netherlands and to President Trum's trip to Asia and the APEC summit. Chief NYT Africa Correspondent Declan Walsh then joins Kelly for a deep-dive into recent developments in the Sudanese civil war. Watch Declan's lecture on Sudan here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2UQ1_Cp2UQ See more of his reporting here: https://www.nytimes.com/by/declan-walsh  The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Abdalla Nasef and Freddie Mallinson.  Recorded on November 11, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown

Colleen and Allard are back for another wild and wacky season of Stuff Dutch People Like. To kick off Season 5, they look back on Allard's time in Canada and pose the question: can a grown Dutchman ever really fit into a very Canadian summer? From the highs (customer service!) to the lows (the "Sorry's" are endless!), Allard brings us along to compare, contrast....and well, complain!And what about Colleen? She now likes her healthcare as Dutch as possible ("shitty tasting medicine and no beating around the bush") and got to see the Netherlands through the eyes of her visiting family from Canada (yep! Some hilarious Dutch service stories are coming up!)Come along for the ride! This season is just getting started!

Danny Bryant -Tougher Now - single – 2025Big Time Lew – Have the right to cry - Let's Swing! - 2025 Pat Smillie - Wide Open Heart (SINGLE) – 2025Altered Five Blues band  - Hell or High Water - Hammer & Chisel - 2025 Altered Five Blues band  - Dare me to it  -  Hammer & Chisel - 2025 Miss Emily – Remember This song - The Medicine – 2025Eddie 9V – Columbus Zoo Blues  - Little Black Flies (2021)Eddie Kirkland – Pick up the pieces  - Pick Up the Pieces – 2011Johnny Guitar Watson -A real mother for ya  - The Funk Anthology (2005) (Funk  Soul)Montana Red Dog – E.C. Rider  - Wolf RobeMonti Amundson – Continental Breakfast  - Continental Breakfast - 2009

Deliver the win, then ring the bell. Make small mistakes fast; make big learnings faster. Think global, act local — but don't go native. Do the nemawashi before the meeting, not during it. Your salary is earned in the stores: go to the gemba. A 28-year Domino's veteran, Martin Steenks began at 16 as a delivery expert in the Netherlands. He rose to store manager, multi-unit supervisor, then franchisee, building his operation to eight stores by 2019. After selling his stores, he became Head of Operations for Domino's Netherlands, then CEO of Domino's Taiwan in 2021, and subsequently CEO of Domino's Japan. Previously he was Chief Orchestrator in Japan, focusing on operational excellence, culture, and scalable execution in one of Domino's most exacting service markets. He is known for hands-on store work, cross-training, "Friday F-Up" learning rituals, the Grow & Prosper bell for micro-wins, and quarterly "Go Gemba" days that connect HQ functions with frontline realities.  Martin Steenks' leadership arc runs from a three-minute job interview at 16 to orchestrating Domino's Japan — one of the brand's most demanding markets for service quality. The connective tissue is execution discipline: he has run stores, supervised regions, built and exited an eight-store franchise, owned national operations, and led two country P&Ls. That breadth gives him pragmatic empathy for franchisees and HQ alike, which he leverages to align incentives, simplify operations, and insist that every back-office salary is ultimately "earned in the stores." Japan sharpened his leadership. Coming from low-context, fast-moving Dutch and Australian business styles into high-context Japan, he learned that meetings signalling agreement can still stall without prior nemawashi — the groundwork with middle management and other stakeholders. He now invests in pre-alignment, translating intent into culturally legible action: fewer big-room debates, more quiet lobbying, more ringi-sho style consensus building for irreversible decisions, and a clear bias to test-and-learn for reversible ones. Rather than trying to "change the culture," he adjusted himself — becoming more patient while preserving speed by separating decision types and sequencing alignment before action. His operating system is human and tangible. He set a weekly rhythm of learning with a "Friday F-Up" session, where leaders share mistakes and what was learned — a radical move in a high uncertainty-avoidance culture. He celebrates micro-wins with the Grow & Prosper bell to make progress visible, sustaining morale during long transformations. He bridged HQ–store gaps with Go Gemba: each quarter, every function works a store shift; IT discovers why a workflow fails at the point of sale, marketing sees campaign friction at Friday night peak, finance hears cost-to-serve realities. He personally worked in stores four to five days a month, especially during crunch periods like Christmas, leading by example and rebuilding trust through competence. Marketing localisation is equally pragmatic. Deep discounting can signal poor quality to Japanese consumers; "customer appreciation weeks" preserve value perception while rewarding loyalty. Community building is pushed to the store level — managers engage local clubs and schools to turn footfall into fandom. Cross-training makes delivery experts confident product explainers at the door, restoring a human touch in a world where >90% of orders arrive online. Ultimately, Steenks' playbook blended cultural fluency with decision intelligence. He aligned stakeholders through nemawashi, codified learning rituals, chose language and campaigns that respected local signals, and keeps strategy tethered to the edge where pizzas are made, boxed, and delivered hot. The title "Chief Orchestrator" wasn't just whimsy; in a business of many specialists, he conducted tempo, harmony, and timing — the difference between noise and music.  What makes leadership in Japan unique? Japan's high service standards and high-context communication demand leaders who are both exacting and empathetic. Success depends on pre-work: nemawashi with middle managers, thoughtful ringi-sho style consensus for high-impact choices, and visible demonstrations of respect for the frontline. Uniforms (like Domino's iconic race jacket for store managers) and rituals create shared identity that motivates in a group-oriented culture. Why do global executives struggle? Low-context leaders often misread meeting "yeses" as commitment. Without groundwork, nothing moves. Impatience backfires in high uncertainty-avoidance environments; public criticism shuts people down. Leaders must separate reversible from irreversible decisions, secure alignment offline, and then move decisively. They should also avoid copy-pasting global marketing: in Japan, steep discounts can be read as "lower quality," eroding trust. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan is less risk-loving than many markets, but teams will take smart risks when safety and learning are explicit. Stanks normalises small, fast experiments, celebrates micro-wins, and protects people when bets misfire. This reframes risk as controlled uncertainty with upside — a shift from avoidance to improvement. What leadership style actually works? Lead from the front and the shop floor. Work stores every month. Tie HQ metrics to store impact. Use rituals — Friday F-Up, the Grow & Prosper bell — to institutionalise learning and momentum. Celebrate teams more than individuals, and praise privately when cultural norms warrant it. Think global, act local, but don't "go native": retain an outsider's clarity about pace and standards. How can technology help? Digital tools amplify decision intelligence when paired with gemba reality. Store-level dashboards, route optimisation, and digital twins of peak-hour operations can test scenarios before rollouts; telemetry from ovens, makelines, and delivery routes can reveal bottlenecks that nemawashi then resolves across functions. Tech should reduce operational complexity, not add it. Does language proficiency matter? Fluency helps, but intent matters more. Demonstrating effort — basic greetings, store-floor Japanese, and culturally aware email etiquette — earns trust. Tools that translate bidirectionally unlock participation, but leaders still need to read context and invest time with the middle layer. What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Do the cultural homework, orchestrate alignment before action, and keep your hands in the dough — literally. When people see you respect their craft, protect their learning, and tie strategy to execution, they'll go all-in. Timecoded Summary [00:00] Origin story: hired at 16 as a delivery expert in the Netherlands; stayed through school; first — and only — job interview; early leadership as store manager, then multi-unit supervisor. [05:20] Entrepreneurship chapter: buys a struggling store; builds to eight locations with his wife's support; sells in 2019 to become Head of Operations for the Netherlands, trading entrepreneurial freedom for strategic impact. [12:45] Asia leadership: becomes CEO Taiwan in 2021, then moves to Japan; discovers that despite common Domino's DNA, markets differ; Japan's service bar is the highest. [18:10] Cultural recalibration: early meetings show apparent agreement but slow follow-through; learns nemawashi and middle-layer alignment; patience becomes a leadership muscle; adopts "Chief Orchestrator" title to reflect cross-functional reality. [24:00] Store-first operating system: cross-training (makeline ↔ delivery ↔ service); >90% of orders online makes the delivery interaction critical; community outreach by store managers; hands-on leadership with 4–5 store days per month and peak-period shifts. [31:30] Learning rituals: Friday F-Up meeting reframes failure as fuel; Grow & Prosper bell celebrates micro-wins to sustain momentum; public recognition calibrated to cultural comfort; Domino's manager jacket signals identity and pride in Japan. [38:05] Marketing localisation: avoid pure discounting (quality signal risk); position as "customer appreciation"; test premium, limited campaigns; keep operations simple for peak. [43:20] Bridging HQ and field: quarterly Go Gemba embeds IT/Finance/HR/Marketing in stores; internal surveys (anonymous) surface issues; visible follow-through flips scepticism to trust. [49:40] Leadership philosophy: lead by example, protect experimenters, separate reversible vs irreversible decisions, and use decision intelligence (telemetry, digital twins) to derisk change while moving faster. Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan. 

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.

Hello friends! Singer-songwriter and guitar-slinger, J. Plank (Jeff Plankenhorn) returns to the show for episode 1527! Jeff lives in Canada and spends a couple of months in Texas and the rest of America touring, recording and playing music with his friends. We caught up last week after his annual Halloween show to catch up. Jeff's in town and will be playing with The Resentments on Sunday at The Saxon Pub at 7:30 pm and Monday at Backstage at El Mercado for the Sunday Night Supper Club with Barbara Nesbitt and Ben Jones. Go to jplankmusic.com for tour dates, music, and more. We have a great conversation about recording his upcoming 2026 rock and roll album, The Closer in The Netherlands, his last album the acoustic The Bend, The Resentments, living in Canada, rebranding,  being sober, songwriting, touring, A.I., and much more. I had a blast catching up with Jeff. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down! Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you pod. Send someone the gift of Johnny with Cameo.   If you feel so inclined. Venmo: venmo.com/John-Goudie-1  Paypal: paypal.me/johnnygoudie

Pianist and silent film music specialist Neil Brand and trumpeter Imogen Whitehead join Jeffrey Boakye and Anna Phoebe to add the first five tracks of the new series, taking us from an energetic bee to Woodstock via The Netherlands and Bristol.Producer: Jerome Weatherald Presented with musical direction by Jeffrey Boakye and Anna PhoebeThe five tracks in this week's playlist:Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Hocus Pocus by Focus Teardrop by Massive Attack Glory to God in the Highest by George Frideric Handel Animal Crackers by Melanie Other music in this episodeOn my Radio by The Selecter Flight of the Bumblebee performed by Trans-Siberian Orchestra Flight of the Bumblebee performed by Wynton Marsalis Hocus Pocus by Focus, Live from The Rainbow Unfinished Symphony by Massive Attack Sometimes I Cry by Les McCann We Will Rock You by Queen Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) by Melanie

Join Dave and Wayne for genre television show news, a glimpse into what the hosts are watching, listener feedback, and analysis of the Apple TV+ series Foundation. This week on the SciFi TV Rewatch podcast we discuss the likelihood that Brother Day survives his death sentence at the hands of the robot cult. We then consider how it is that Demerzel doesn't know that Dawn survived his ordeal in space, and Dusk built a super-weapon over the course of decades right under her robot nose. In our What We're Watching segment, Wayne works his way through the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses, and Dave enjoys S4 of the Netflix series The Witcher. In Listener Feedback, Alan in Missouri,  Fred from the Netherlands, and Alan in England comment with audio feedback, and Cincinnati Joe checks in via email.  Remember to join the genre television and film discussion on the SciFi TV Rewatch Facebook group for the latest genre television show news and podcast releases. Episode Grade: Dave 8.9  Wayne 8.7

In this honest and insightful conversation, Agnieszka and Greg explore the hidden side of trading success—the messy, in-between phase where most traders want to quit. They break down the five transformations every trader must go through to reach consistency: letting go of who you were, calming your nervous system, embracing uncertainty, facing resistance, and finding clarity through confusion.If you're caught between who you are and who you're becoming, this episode will help you trust the transition and grow through it. About Agnieszka WoodFounder and CEO of Ahead Coach, Trading Mindset CoachAgnieszka Wood, is a passionate and accomplished day trader with over a decade of hands-on experience in the financial markets. Coming originally from Poland but having spent most of her life abroad, notably in the Netherlands and the United States, Agnieszka brings a diverse perspective to her work. Her journey is marked by conquering challenges, a deep passion for self-development, a commitment to unlocking her full potential, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.Since 2019, Agnieszka has taken on the role of Founder and CEO of Ahead Coach, a coaching platform where she conducts her transformative work as a Trading Mindset Coach. Through Ahead Coach, she offers coaching programs for traders that draw on her extensive 20+ year background in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), life coaching and her own experience in trading. Her holistic approach is designed to empower individuals not only in their trading endeavors but also in all aspects of life.Agnieszka's influence extends beyond her coaching practice. She is a respected speaker at various trading events, where she shares her insights and knowledge with fellow traders and enthusiasts. In the trading education industry, she is known for her expertise in mindset coaching, helping traders overcome psychological barriers and build consistency.Passionate about guiding individuals towards tangible results, Agnieszka thrives on taking on new initiatives and projects that promote personal growth. Her multifaceted expertise, unwavering dedication, and holistic approach make her a trusted coach for those seeking transformation and success.If you're enjoying my Podcast please leave a review HERE About Greg SingletonCEO CSBCoaching, Perspective & Mindset CoachGreg Singleton is an author, speaker, coach, former Director of IT, and current day trader dedicated to empowering others through personal growth and transformation. As the founder of CSB Coaching, he has developed a powerful framework centered on three pillars of personal growth, helping individuals overcome challenges like imposter syndrome and confidence issues. A contributor to Brainz Magazine and featured in Authority Magazine's Mental Wellness Masteryseries, Greg shares insights on resilience, emotional control, and meaningful change. His journey—from navigating marriage, divorce, and career evolution to rebuilding a life of purpose—fuels his passion for coaching. Actively involved with NAMI, he volunteers as a peer-to-peer leader and speaker, advocating for mental health awareness. Now residing in Raleigh, NC, after relocating from Albany, NY, Greg continues to inspire through writing, speaking engagements, and his commitment to personal development—all while enjoying walks with his retired racing greyhound. More info:https://csbcoaching.com ____________________________________✉ Contact me: launchyourlife@aheadcoach.com____________________________________▶️ My website: https://www.aheadcoach.com/▶️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ahead_Coach▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahead.coach/▶️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agnieszkawoodpage/

Loek Frey is a producer, DJ and live artist from the Netherlands whose work defies easy categorization. Blurring the lines between techno, experimental, IDM, and ambient, he crafts a sound that is at the very forefront of avant-garde electronics. His exceptional releases on Omen Wapta & his own OQAD perfectly demonstrate his mind-bending expertise and finesse in the studio. Whether through his DJ sets or live performances, Loek is renowned for dismantling the minds of the dancefloor, having brought his electronic alchemy to the controls of legendary parties like Ratherlost, Berghain's Saule, De School, pe:rsona, Refractor and many more. For MNMT 494 Loek Frey pilots a descent into uncharted sonic territories: a transmission from a haunted and murky alien world, unfolding as a piece of cinematic sound design for a forgotten sci-fi landscape. Hi-tech fragments, ghostly echoes and unconventional grooves weave through the dense atmosphere creating an ominous yet deeply alluring hypnotic pull. A complex deep space trip of sophisticated sound design and psychoactive exploration. Dive into the abyss now Follow https://soundcloud.com/loekfrey https://www.instagram.com/loekfrey/ https://oqad.bandcamp.com/ https://www.instagram.com/oqad.label/

PJ hears opinions on the proposed incinerator for Cork Harbour, learns about some hope for renters with dogs and other pets, chats to a Corkman playing in the Leinster Hurling Final for a Dutch hurling team (!) and more... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the GovDiscovery AI Podcast, host Mike Shanley speaks with Irina Paliashvili, President and CEO of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), about the evolving landscape of Ukraine's defense and reconstruction markets. This discussion offers a firsthand look at how Ukraine's defense market is evolving amid the ongoing war, and how U.S. firms can strategically and responsibly participate in rebuilding efforts.  RESOURCES: Learn more about USUBC: https://www.usubc.org Connect with Irina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-paliashvili-08060011/ BIOGRAPHY: Irina Paliashvili is President and CEO of U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC). She has been an integral part of the USUBC governance team for more than twenty years, having been consistently reelected to the USUBC Executive Committee, where she had served as Chair of the Legal Committee, supporting legal and judicial reforms, advocating for the rule of law, and promoting private sector development. At present, she co-leads the ongoing project "USUBC Legal Series: by Members – for Members", offering webinars with exclusive insights into the most pressing legal issues related to doing business in Ukraine. Irina frequently speaks at international conferences and publishes on the legal and business climate in Ukraine, and is also known for her active support of Ukrainian culture and art. When Ukraine regained its independence, Irina co-founded one of the first private law firms in Kyiv and later expanded by founding the Washington, DC-based Ukrainian Legal Group, representing US-based multinational companies doing business in Ukraine, as well as serving as independent expert witness on the matters of Ukrainian law in major international arbitrations and in the US, UK, the Netherlands, Cypriot and Swedish courts proceedings. She is licensed to practice Ukrainian law as a Special Legal Consultant in the District of Columbia and is a member of the Kyiv Bar. Irina graduated with the highest honors from the Kyiv State University School of International Law and subsequently earned a Ph.D. in International Law from the same school. She also holds an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from George Washington University. LEARN MORE: Thank you for tuning into this episode of the GovDiscovery AI Podcast with Mike Shanley. You can learn more about working with the U.S. Government by visiting our homepage: Konektid International and GovDiscovery AI. To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn. https://www.govdiscoveryai.com/ https://www.konektid.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/gov-market-growth/  

Ever wondered what it's like to risk it all for your dream before you even finish high school? On this episode of Bringin' it Backwards, Adam Lisicky sits down with Simone Simons, powerhouse vocalist of the symphonic metal band Epica. Simone opens up about her humble beginnings in the Netherlands—where mandatory flute lessons unexpectedly led her to discover her own passion for singing. She shares how a twist of fate (and a "long-haired" crush) pulled her into the world of metal, and how, at just 17, she joined Epica and made the life-altering decision to drop out of school and chase a career as a touring artist. Simone reflects on overcoming stage fright, building Epica from the ground up, and the leap from supporting acts to global headliners. Plus, she discusses the band's journey to their ninth studio album "A Spiral," tapping into new creative processes, collaborating with the Prague Orchestra, and even balancing her own solo projects. If you're an aspiring musician or a fan curious about the real-life grind behind legendary bands, this conversation is packed with raw insights, honest advice, and a warmth that's as genuine as Simone's artistry. Hit play, subscribe, and join us to hear Simone Simons share what it really takes to bring your dreams backwards—and forwards—into the world.

Have you ever regretted an emotional outburst or found anxiety draining your peace? In this engaging episode of 'Keys to Soul Progress,' Dr. Judith explores how to transform emotional reactions into creative mastery. Learn how to channel your emotions through higher consciousness by blending spiritual psychology, ancient wisdom, and practical tools. Discover the hidden power of emotions as 'energy in motion' and how to master them with awareness, ownership, direction, and invocation. Dr. Judith shares the emotional ladder model and introduces five tools to help you move from reaction to creation. Whether facing anger, sadness, or fear, this episode offers a roadmap to turn emotional storms into sacred fuel for soul growth and creative brilliance.About Our GuestVera Helleman is the discoverer of the Emotion Codex, author of the bestsellers ‘The Encyclopedia of Emotions' and ‘Effortlessly Being yourSelf', and founder of the Emotion Expertise Center.She is a well-known speaker in the Netherlands and an icon in the field of emotions.Her fundamental and energetically logical approach to feelings has already transformed many lives.According to Vera, understanding and integrating our feeling tool is the missing puzzle piece in today's problems. She tirelessly works to restore emotions to their rightful function: our compass.“I consider Vera to be like an Eckhart Tolle, but with the most fantastic toolbox, packed with practical tools you can truly use. Wow!” Anne Kuipers | CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST00:00 Introduction: Emotions as Creative Energy01:37 Understanding Emotional Mastery03:38 The Science Behind Emotional Reactions06:44 Transforming Emotions: Practical Steps11:17 The Emotional Ladder: A Model for Growth13:59 Five Tools for Emotional Alchemy19:27 Conclusion: From Reaction to Creation

NIO's Firefly brand just made three major moves that reveal its global expansion strategy. A new 120kW motor variant has been filed for regulatory approval in China, large shipments of Firefly EVs are heading to Europe, and for the first time ever, NIO mentioned North America as part of Firefly's expansion plans. But the biggest story might be William Li's comments about CATL's battery swap network.In this episode, we break down what the motor upgrade means for Firefly's product positioning, how the brand is achieving NIO's fastest international expansion on record with deliveries now happening in Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, and Denmark, and why William Li says Firefly won't integrate with CATL's Choco-Swap network despite their March 2025 partnership announcement.Li explained that Firefly uses liquid-cooled battery packs for superior safety and performance, while CATL's system uses air-cooled packs targeting the ride-hailing market. He also revealed that Firefly will offer larger battery packs starting at 60kWh in the future, up from the current 42.1kWh configuration.With Firefly delivering 5,912 units in October—its third consecutive month of record-breaking sales—and NIO targeting its first quarterly profit in Q4 2025, these strategic decisions matter more than ever. Is Firefly's distributor model the key to scaling internationally? Can NIO crack North America through Canada or Mexico? And what does the CATL situation really mean for battery swap standardization?Whether you're a NIO bull, EV investor, or just following the Chinese automaker expansion into global markets, this breakdown covers the technology upgrades, geographic strategy, and competitive positioning that will define Firefly's trajectory.

Destination New Jersey continues, and on this episode of the pod the focus is on the Americas. Kelly Cates is joined by Rory Smith as they get a real flavour of how the tournament is building around the globe.Destination New Jersey regular and CBS Sports Latin American journalist Nico Cantor joins the pod to talk about the domination there – as there could be as many as 12 countries from South and Central America at the World Cup - that's a quarter of the teams!Attention turns to the Caribbean. Only four teams from the Caribbean Islands have ever competed at a men's World Cup finals. But this time around, the American Dream is still alive for five nations in this region including Jamaica - so Jamaican news and sports journalist Karen Madden joins Kelly and Rory to talk about what it would mean to the country to qualify for the tournament, after the devastating effects of Storm Melissa. One country aiming to be part of it for the first time in 40 years is Iraq. In this international window they face the UAE in a playoff to reach the intercontinental playoffs, which take place in Mexico in March. Hassan Balal from the Iraq Football Pod gives his analysis on the state of the national team at the moment. Then Boston is the focus, as the city prepares to host seven games at the Foxborough Stadium. Timecodes: 4'00 - Latin American Journalist Nico Cantor chat. 11:47 - Jamaican news and sports journalist Karen Madden on teams in the Caribbean. 15'00 -Interview with Juninho Bacuna, who's one of many Curaçao internationals born in the Netherlands. 28:30 – Hassan Balal on the state of the national team in Iraq. 35:00 - Julie Duffy from Boston's tourism board.

This week we talk about OxyContin, opium, and the British East India Company.We also discuss isotonitazene, fentanyl, and Perdue.Recommended Book: The Thinking Machine by Stephen WittTranscriptOpioids have been used as painkillers by humans since at least the Neolithic period; there's evidence that people living in the Iberian and Italian Peninsulas kept opium poppy seeds with them, and there's even more evidence that the Ancient Greeks were big fans of opium, using it to treat pain and as a sleep aid.Opium was the only available opioid for most of human history, and it was almost always considered to be a net-positive, despite its downsides. It was incorporated into a mixture called laudanum, which was a blend of opium and alcohol, in the 17th century, and that helped it spread globally as Europeans spread globally, though it was also in use locally, elsewhere, especially in regions where the opium poppy grew naturally.In India, for instance, opium was grown and often used for its painkilling properties, but when the British East India Company took over, they decided to double-down on the substance as a product they could monopolize and grow into a globe-spanning enterprise.They went to great lengths to expand production and prevent the rise of potential competitors, in India and elsewhere, and they created new markets for opium in China by forcing the product onto Chinese markets, initially via smuggling, and then eventually, after fighting a series of wars focused on whether or not the British should be allowed to sell opium on the Chinese market, the British defeated the Chinese. And among other severely unbalanced new treaties, including the ceding of the Kowloon peninsula to the British as part of Hong Kong, which they controlled as a trading port, and the legalization of Christians coming into the country, proselytizing, and owning property, the Chinese were forced to accept the opium trade. This led to generations of addicts, even more so than before, when opium was available only illicitly, and it became a major bone of contention between the two countries, and informed China's relationship with the world in general, especially other Europeans and the US, moving forward.A little bit later, in the early 1800s, a German pharmacist was able to isolate a substance called morphine from opium. He published a paper on this process in 1817, and in addition to this being the first alkaloid, the first organic compound of this kind to be isolated from a medicinal plant, which was a milestone in the development of modern drug discovery, it also marked the arrival of a new seeming wonder drug, that could ease pain, but also help control cold-related symptoms like coughing and gut issues, like diarrhea. Like many such substances back in the day, it was also often used to treat women who were demonstrating ‘nervous character,' which was code for ‘behaving in ways men didn't like or understand.'Initially, it was thought that, unlike with opium, morphine wasn't addictive. And this thinking was premised on the novel application method often used for morphine, the hypermedia needle, which arrived a half-century after that early 1800s isolation of morphine from opium, but which became a major driver of the new drug's success and utility. Such drugs, derived scientifically rather than just processing a plant, could be administered at specific, controllable doses. So surely, it was thought, this would alleviate those pesky addictive symptoms that many people experienced when using opioids in a more natural, less science-y way.That, of course, turned out not to be the case. But it didn't stop the progression of this drug type, and the further development of more derivations of it, including powerful synthetic opioids, which first hit the scene in the mid-20th century.What I'd like to talk about today is the recent wave of opioid addictions, especially but not exclusively in the US, and the newest concern in this space, which is massively more powerful than anything that's come before.—As I mentioned, there have been surges in opioid use, latent and externally forced, throughout modern human history.The Chinese saw an intense wave of opioid addiction after the British forced opium onto their markets, to the point that there was a commonly held belief that the British were trying to overthrow and enslave the Chinese by weighing them down with so many addicts who were incapable of doing much of anything; which, while not backed by the documentation we have from the era—it seems like they were just chasing profits—is not impossible, given what the Brits were up to around the world at that point in history.That said, there was a huge influx in opioid use in the late-1980s, when a US-based company called Purdue Pharma began producing and pushing a time-released opioid medication, which really hit the big-time in 1995, when they released a version of the drug called OxyContin.OxyContin flooded the market, in part because it promised to help prevent addiction and accidental overdose, and in part because Purdue was just really, really good at marketing it; among other questionable and outright illegal things it did as part of that marketing push, it gave kickbacks to doctors who prescribed it, and some doctors did so, a lot, even when patients didn't need it, or were clearly becoming addicted.By the early 2000s, Purdue, and the Sackler family that owned the company, was spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year to push this drug, and they were making billions a year in sales.Eventually the nature of Purdue's efforts came to light, there were a bunch of trials and other legal hearings, some investigative journalists exposed Purdue's foreknowledge of their drug's flaws, and there was a big government investigation and some major lawsuits that caused the collapse of the company in 2019—though they rebranded in 2021, becoming Knoa Pharma.All of which is interesting because much like the forced legalization of opium on Chinese markets led to their opioid crisis a long time ago, the arrival of this incredibly, artificially popular drug on the US market led to the US's opioid crisis.The current bogeyman in the world of opioids—and I say current because this is a fast-moving space, with new, increasingly powerful or in some cases just a lot cheaper drugs arriving on the scene all the time—is fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid that's about 30-50 times more potent than heroin, and about 100 times as potent as morphine. It has been traditionally used in the treatment of cancer patients and as a sedative, and because of how powerful it is, a very small amount serves to achieve the desired, painkilling effect.But just like other opioids, its administration can lead to addiction, people who use it can become dependent and need more and more of it to get the same effects, and people who have too much of it can experience adverse effects, including, eventually, death.This drug has been in use since the 1960s, but illicit use of fentanyl began back in the mid-1970s, initially as its own thing, but eventually to be mixed in with other drugs, like heroin, especially low-quality versions of those drugs, because a very small amount of fentanyl can have an incredibly large and potent effect, making those other drugs seem higher quality than they are.That utility is also this drug's major issue, though: it's so potent that a small amount of it can kill, and even people with high opioid tolerances can see those tolerances pushed up and up and up until they eventually take a too-large, killing dose.There have been numerous efforts to control the flow of fentanyl into the US, and beginning in the mid-20-teens, there were high-profile seizures of the illicitly produced stuff around the country. As of mid-2025, China seems to be the primary source of most illicit fentanyl around the world, the drug precursor produced in China, shipped to Mexico where it's finalized and made ready for market, and then smuggled into the US.There have been efforts to shut down this supply chain, including recent tariffs put on Chinese goods, ostensibly, in part at least, to get China to handle those precursor suppliers.Even if that effort eventually bears fruit, though, India seems to have recently become an alternative source of those precursors for Mexican drug cartels, and for several years they've been creating new markets for their output in other countries, like Nigeria, Indonesia, and the Netherlands, as well.Amidst all that, a new synthetic drug, which is 40-times as potent as fentanyl, is starting to arrive in the US, Europe, and Australia, and has already been blamed for thousands of deaths—and it's thought that that number might be a significant undercount, because of how difficult it can be to attribute cause with these sorts of drugs.Nitazenes were originally synthesized back in the 1950s in Austria, and they were never sold as painkillers because they were known, from the get-go, to be too addictive, and to have a bad tradeoff ratio: a little bit of benefit, but a high likelihood of respiratory depression, which is a common cause of death for opioid addicts, or those who accidentally overdose on an opioid.One nitazene, called isotonitazene, first showed up on US drug enforcement agency radars back in 2019, when a shipment was intercepted in the Midwest. Other agencies noted the same across the US and Europe in subsequent years, and this class of drugs has now become widespread in these areas, and in Australia.It's thought that nitazenes might be seeing a surge in popularity with illicit drugmakers because their potency can be amped up so far, way, way higher than even fentanyl, and because their effects are similar in many ways to heroin.They can also use them they way they use fentanyl, a tiny bit blended into lower-quality versions of other drugs, like cocaine, which can save money while also getting their customers, who may not know what they're buying, hooked, faster. For context, a fifth of a grain of nitazene salt can be enough to kill a person, so it doesn't take much, less than that, if they want to keep their customers alive, to achieve the high they're looking for. A little bit goes a long, long way.This class of drugs is also difficult to detect, which might be part of the appeal for drug makers, right now. Tests that detect morphine, heroin, and fentanyl do not detect natazines, and the precursors for this type of drug, and the drugs themselves, are less likely to be closely watched, or even legally controlled at the levels of more popular opioids, which is also likely appealing to groups looking to get around existing clampdown efforts.Right now, drug agencies are in the process of updating their enforcement and detection infrastructure, and word is slowly getting out about nitazenes and the risk they potentially pose. But it took years for sluggish government agencies to start working on the issue of fentanyl, which still hasn't been handled, so it's anyone's guess as to when and if the influx of nitazenes will be addressed on scale.Show Noteshttps://www.wired.com/story/a-new-type-of-opioid-is-killing-people-in-the-us-europe-and-australia/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02161116https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(24)00024-0/fulltexthttps://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/nov/03/nitazenes-synthetic-opioid-drug-500-times-stronger-than-heroin-fatalhttps://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03280-5https://theconversation.com/10-times-stronger-than-fentanyl-nitazenes-are-the-latest-deadly-development-in-the-synthetic-opioid-crisis-265882https://www.cato.org/blog/fentanyl-nitazenes-why-drug-war-keeps-making-danger-worsehttps://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/fentanyl-and-us-opioid-epidemichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purdue_Pharmahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxycodonehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fentanylhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitazeneshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioidhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_opioid_epidemichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid_epidemic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Episode Description:What starts with downloading a simple emotion wheel? For Annemiek Vernhout, it sparked a complete transformation—in her marriage, her parenting, and ultimately led her to bring Connection Codes to an entire country.In this powerful conversation recorded in the Netherlands, Annemiek shares her vulnerable journey from feeling emotionally disconnected and stuck in her head to becoming a Connection Codes coach who hosted a groundbreaking event that impacted 70 people in one day.In this episode, you'll discover:- Why recognizing emotions (not just feeling them) changes everything in relationships- The common mistake parents make when responding differently than their spouse—and what to do instead- How fear almost stopped Annemiek from asking for what she needed most- Why "a new way of living" feels weird at first (and why that's completely normal)- The difference between processing emotions through journaling versus using the Core Emotion Wheel- How to help your kids recognize emotions without forcing them to "do the wheel"- What happens when you lead with emotion instead of logistics in difficult conversations- Why anger isn't your enemy—it's the fuel that helps you accomplish hard things- The micro moments that matter: Thursday night dinners vs. the macro vision of city-wide changeKey Topics: emotional intelligence, emotional processing, marriage communication, parenting with emotional awareness, overcoming fear, vulnerability in relationships, connection in marriage, emotional regulation, mental health tools, leadership development, taking risks, processing emotions, family dynamics, emotional literacyThis episode is for you if:- You feel more in your head than your heart- Your marriage is "fine" but you want deeper connection- You're tired of only talking about logistics with your spouse- You want your kids to be emotionally intelligent- You have a fear of asking for help or sharing your needs- You sense there's a better way to live but don't know where to startResources Mentioned:- Get the Core Emotion Wheel: www.connectioncodes.co/podcast- Book a Connection Codes Coach: https://connectioncodes.co/coaches- Foundations Masterclass: www.connectioncodes.co/foundations- Visit www.connectioncodes.nl to connect with AnnemiekAbout Annemiek Vernhout:Annemiek is a Connection Codes coach based in the Netherlands. Married to Bastiaan for 14 years with a 12-year-old son Nathan, she discovered Connection Codes through a Facebook message two years ago. This summer, she became a certified coach and recently hosted Connection Codes' first major event in the Netherlands, impacting 70 people in one day. She has a heart for teaching and bringing emotional connection tools to her community and beyond.

This week, the boys are roasting the absolute worst holiday characters ever created — the ones that make you wish Christmas came with a recall policy. From Zwarte Piet, the racist relic the Netherlands refuses to retire, to Spuds MacKenzie's beer-soaked Santa phase. We're unwrapping the tackiest, creepiest, and most problematic icons of the season, and asking: who thought this was festive? Then in Emails From The Listeners, a listener writes in about his girlfriend's ex getting the backdoor access he never could, and the guys try to explain America's insane tipping culture to a confused Italian newcomer. In News, we cover the bizarre case of the woman convicted of cyber farting — yes, literal weaponized flatulence. And finally, Not The Drag Queens returns with the infuriating story of an Oklahoma teen who brutally assaulted two girls and somehow got probation — proving once again, it's not the drag queens hurting people. It's the privileged bros the justice system keeps protecting. Got a question, comment or topic for us to cover? Let us know! Send us an email at fratchatpodcast@gmail.com or follow us on all social media: Instagram: http://Instagram.com/FratChatPodcast Facebook: http://Facebook.com/FratChatPodcast Twitter: http://Twitter.com/FratChatPodcast YouTube: http://YouTube.com/@fratchatpodcast Follow Carlos and CMO on social media! Carlos:  IG: http://Instagram.com/CarlosDoesTheWorld YouTube: http://YouTube.com/@carlosdoestheworld TikTok: http://TikTok.com/@carlosdoestheworld Twitter: http://Twitter.com/CarlosDoesWorld Threads: http://threads.net/carlosdoestheworld Website: http://carlosgarciacomedy.com Chris ‘CMO' Moore:  IG: http://Instagram.com/Chris.Moore.Comedy TikTok: http://TikTok.com/@chris.moore.comedy Twitter: http://Twitter.com/cmoorecomedy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

APAC stocks were mostly subdued with the region failing to sustain the positive global risk momentum that had been spurred by US-China trade optimism and US government reopening hopes, while there were few fresh catalysts overnight to fuel the recent rally.US Senate voted 60 vs. 40 to pass legislation to fund the federal government and end the shutdown, while the bill now goes to the House.US House Speaker Johnson is seeking a Wednesday vote on the stopgap bill, and won't commit to an ACA subsidy vote.China is reportedly devising a plan to keep the US military from getting its rare earth magnets and is considering a ‘validated end-user' system to fast-track certain export licenses, according to WSJ.European equity futures indicate a positive cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.4% after the cash market finished with gains of 1.8% on Monday.Looking ahead, highlights include UK Unemployment/Wages (Sep), EZ & German ZEW (Nov), US NFIB (Oct), Weekly Prelim Estimate ADP, Riksbank Minutes, Speakers including ECB's Lagarde, BoE's Greene & Dhingra, RBA's Jones, Supply from Netherlands, Earnings from Porsche SE, RWE & Alcon. Holidays: US Veterans' Day; Canadian Remembrance DayRead the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

Today's West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy Podcast for our especially special daily special, Tarrytown Chowder Tuesday is now available on the Spreaker Player!Starting off in the Bistro Cafe, Trump spiraled out of control on live television during an Oval Office press conference where he kissed merry widow Erika Kirk and attacked Marjorie Taylor Greene for her recent comments on affordability.Then, on the rest of the menu, Fullerton, California police let a woman go who was held at gunpoint in her car by an ICE agent because “no crime had occurred;” Pam Bondi's Department of Justice has lost thousands of experienced staff and attorneys, and it has been unable to bring in enough new talent to make up for its losses; and, Trump has withdrawn more nominees since his return to office than any other president in a single year over the last four decades.After the break, we move to the Chef's Table where deadly air pollution levels surged in India's capital of New Delhi; and, Dutch officials vowed to erect a permanent memorial to Black American soldiers who helped liberate the Netherlands from the Nazis, after the Heritage Foundation complained the American Battle Monuments Commission of defying Trump's purge on racial diversity programs.All that and more, on West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy with Chef de Cuisine Justice Putnam.Bon Appétit!The Netroots Radio Live Player​Keep Your Resistance Radio Beaming 24/7/365!“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.” -- Ernest Hemingway "A Moveable Feast"Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/west-coast-cookbook-speakeasy--2802999/support.

Welcome to this inspiring episode of TBCY featuring Maryam Berijanian, a multi-award-winning researcher in Generative AI and a top student in STEM across Europe and the US. Hosted by Stephen Ibaraki, this conversation dives deep into Maryam's personal journey from being a curious child in a STEM-centric family to winning prestigious scholarships and awards, conducting groundbreaking research in AI, robotics, computer vision, and large language models (LLMs).Learn how Maryam navigated competitive academic environments, adapted to new cultures in the Netherlands and Germany, and ultimately found her passion at Michigan State University. Maryam provides valuable insights into the evolution of AI, her perspective on the future of AGI/ASI, and practical career advice for aspiring researchers and students—especially women in STEM.Discover tips on staying relevant in the rapidly changing AI landscape, the importance of networking, and leveraging cutting-edge tools like Gemini and OpenAI for research. Don't miss her encouraging message to young girls dreaming of careers in science and technology!

Links From the Week Ending 11/09/2025 Trump pushes an end to medical care for transgender youth nationallyVenezuela seeks Russian help amid fears over U.S. intervention - The Washington PostJudges could rule on SNAP food aid as payments are set to stop | AP NewsTwo judges on SNAP Video: Two federal judges require Trump administration tap into emergency funds to partially cover food stamp benefits | CNN PoliticsLeon County high school student sent home for wearing ‘Nazi soldier' costume for Halloween, LCS saysNancy Mace Curses, Berates Confused Cops in Airport Meltdown: Police Report | WIREDMeet the man poised to be the Netherlands' first out gay Prime Minister & his Olympian fiancé - QueertyWisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declares state of emergency over shutdownReps. Darrell Issa, Ronny Jackson file lawsuit opposing Prop 50 – NBC 7 San DiegoJeffrey Epstein cultivated celebrity relationships for years. Many continued until his 2019 arrest for sex trafficking, documents show. - CBS NewsObama Calls Mamdani to Praise His Campaign and Offers to Be Sounding Board - The New York TimesSenate report says detainees face neglect in US immigration centers | AP NewsThree killed in US military strike on alleged drug vessel in the Caribbean | US news | The GuardianMondayZohran Mamdani's Advice for Election-Results Anxiety? Go Talk to Your Neighbors | Teen VogueTrump energy secretary says no nuclear blast tests for now - The Washington Post@kylegriffin1.bsky.social on BlueskyF.D.A. Drug Unit Chief Resigns, and Is Sued by Drug Company - The New York TimesJury selected for the trial of D.C.'s 'sandwich guy'Democrats are more enthusiastic about the midterms as Trump's approval hits second-term low, CNN poll findsTrump administration will partially fund SNAP, but it could take months - ABC News'We're not a violent city': Chicago locals take on ICE block-by-block | ReutersTexas cities grapple with order to remove rainbow crosswalks as state deadline approachesTuesdayFederal government shutdown threatens to delay home heating aid for low-income families | AP NewsAmazon's Ring to partner with Flock, a network of AI cameras used by ICE, feds, and police | TechCrunchFacing difficult questions about his use of an FBI jet, Kash Patel pitches weak defenseAttorneys for Jan. 6 defendants face lawsuits for plagiarism - CBS NewsFederal judge likely to intervene at Broadview's ICE facility: 'It has really become a prison' - Chicago Sun-TimesICE Altercation With Protester in Colorado Prompts a Police Chief to Push Back - The New York TimesWednesdayWes Moore launches Maryland redistricting commission after top state Dem stymies effort - POLITICOKansas Legislature won't have special session on redistricting | AP NewsPost by @mollyroberts.bsky.socialThursdayBorder patrol agent who shot Chicago woman boasted about it in text messages  | ReutersCriminal case dismissed against Boeing over 737 Max plane crashes“Speaker Johnson is stalling Grijalva until Van Epps gets there to cancel out her vote?” Sandwich guyMike Johnson on food prices: https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3m4xw4zaax52uNancy Pelosi Announces Retirement From Congress in 2027 - The New York Timeshttps://bsky.app/profile/jonseidel.bsky.social/post/3m4y4cwk2d22gAppeals court lets Texas enforce law aimed at drag shows - POLITICO Our Donation LinksNational Security Counselors - DonateMSW Media, Blue Wave California Victory Fund | ActBlueWhistleblowerAid.org/beansFederal workers - feel free to email AG at fedoath@pm.me and let me know what you're going to do, or just vent. I'm always here to listen. Find Upcoming Actions 50501 Movement, No Kings.org, Indivisible.orgDr. Allison Gill - Substack, BlueSky , TikTok, IG, TwitterDana Goldberg - BlueSky, Twitter, IG, facebook, danagoldberg.comCheck out more from MSW Media - Shows - MSW Media, Cleanup On Aisle 45 pod, The Breakdown | SubstackShare your Good News or Good TroubleMSW Good News and Good TroubleHave some good news; a confession; or a correction to share?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?The Daily Beans | SupercastThe Daily Beans & Mueller, She Wrote | PatreonThe Daily Beans | Apple Podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the country shifts away from fossil fuels, thousands of homes and businesses have been left on waiting lists to connect to its electricity grid. Has the Netherlands moved too fast in its switch to renewable energy, like solar, wind and hydropower?Some commentators are calling it a “grid crisis” – so, could this affect economic growth?If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, you can email us at businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by John Laurenson(Picture: A line of wind turbines in a field in the Netherlands. Credit: Getty Images)

Light Pollution, Space Parasols, and Salvaging SatellitesIn this engaging Q&A episode of Space Nuts, hosts Andrew Dunkley and Professor Jonti Horner tackle a range of thought-provoking questions from listeners. From the effects of light pollution on stargazing to the intriguing concept of a space parasol for climate control, this episode is packed with cosmic curiosities and insightful discussions that will leave you contemplating the future of humanity in space.Episode Highlights:- Light Pollution and Night Sky Visibility: Mark from Connecticut wonders how quickly the night sky would become visible if all electric lights suddenly went out. Andrew and Jonti discuss the immediate effects of light pollution and the importance of dark adaptation for optimal stargazing, emphasizing the impact of atmospheric conditions on visibility.- Geoengineering and Space Parasols: Doug raises the question of whether a parasol at Lagrange Point 1 could help mitigate climate change. The hosts explore the feasibility of such a project, discussing the challenges of scale, technology, and the implications of geoengineering on the Earth's climate system.- Salvage Rights in Space: A listener inquires about the ownership of defunct satellites and the potential for salvage rights in space. Andrew and Jonti explain the current legal landscape surrounding space debris, the challenges of recovery, and the evolving nature of space law as commercial interests grow.- Searching for Extraterrestrial Life: Robert from the Netherlands asks about the role of radio waves in searching for alien civilizations. The hosts delve into the efforts of the SETI program, the challenges of detecting signals, and the potential of the Square Kilometer Array to listen for extraterrestrial communications.For more Space Nuts, including our continuously updating newsfeed and to listen to all our episodes, visit our website. Follow us on social media at SpaceNutsPod on Facebook, X, YouTube Music Music, Tumblr, Instagram, and TikTok. We love engaging with our community, so be sure to drop us a message or comment on your favorite platform.If you'd like to help support Space Nuts and join our growing family of insiders for commercial-free episodes and more, visit spacenutspodcast.com/about.Stay curious, keep looking up, and join us next time for more stellar insights and cosmic wonders. Until then, clear skies and happy stargazing.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/space-nuts-astronomy-insights-cosmic-discoveries--2631155/support.

An old cigar box full of memories helps Maidy Keir learn about her uncle Welby who died in World War II. Now some of these treasures are on display in the Netherlands in an exhibit honouring the Indigenous soldiers who helped liberate the country eighty years ago. Rosanna hears stories that honour our veterans and those who continue to serve today.

Wiert Wiertsema, a long time activist for economic and environmental justice, and international arms control, joins Jesse Jr on a an expanded two- hour exploration of how The Netherlands sees America, its internal struggles and triumphs, and how those issues are handled.

Korey and Joe sit down with Henry Kuppen, a Tree Ambassador and Consultant in the Netherlands, for a conversation on how to responsibly and smartly plant trees. Henry and the guys emphasize the need to value quality over quantity when it comes to planting trees. Henry and the guys also talk about the importance of having plans in place on how to take care of the trees after they have been planted. For more on Henry you check out his website https://www.henrykuppen.nl/en !If you enjoyed the podcast please rate, review, subscribe and tell a fellow tree lover! Send your questions or topics you would like us to discuss to ⁠info@discoveringforestrypodcast.com⁠.Be sure to follow us on all your favorite social media platforms!Twitter/X: @DisForestryPodInstagram: @discovering_forestryFacebook: Discovering ForestryYouTube: @discoveringforestry6905LinkedIn: Discovering Forestry PodcastMusic credit:⁠ Cool Tools Music Video - "Timber"⁠   ⁠Muzaproduction “Sport Rock Logo 1”⁠Hosted by: Joe Aiken & Korey LofyProduced by: Nico ManganielloArtwork by: Cara Markiewicz & Nico Manganiello

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about the Frankfurt Book Fair, New York Comic Con, and the Pushkin job. Then, stick around for a chat with Thomas Olde Heuvelt! Thomas Olde Heuvelt is an international bestselling author from The Netherlands. His breakthrough novel HEX was published in over twenty-five countries and hailed as 'totally, brilliantly original' by Stephen King and as 'phenomenal, phenomenal' by film director Mike Flanagan. His follow-up novels Echo and Oracle have since seen global publication, the former boasts, according to the Guardian, 'possibly the most frightening prologue ever written', while the latter was judged by The New York Times to be his 'sharpest, most compelling work to date'. His newest novel, Darker Days, is a devastating modern take on the Faustian bargain. It will be published in the US with Harper Books and in the UK with Bantam in October 2025. Olde Heuvelt, whose last name in Dutch dialect means 'Old Hill', was the first translated author to win a Hugo Award, in 2015. He lives in the south of France with his partner and pet lizard. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Brad recaps his trip to dairy farms in the Netherlands and Germany, where robotics, crossbreeding, and creative manure and energy management are everywhere — even on small farms. He visited farms using Lely robots, grass/rye silage-based diets, and small-scale digesters that capture manure methane. Crossbreeding (Holstein × Montbéliarde × Viking Red) is common, driven by goals of longevity, health, and reducing inbreeding.He also saw some surprising management choices: dry cows fed only straw for 60 days (reportedly reducing metabolic issues) and one advisor recommending farmers don't clean calf pens to preserve the microbiome — a concept Brad remains skeptical about.At a dairy technology show and breeding conference, Brad shared research on feed efficiency and methane emissions and learned how European breeders are incorporating resilience and efficiency traits into genetic programs. Overall, Europe's dairy farms showed strong use of technology, a focus on components and longevity, and serious interest in crossbreeding as a labor- and health-saving strategy.Hybrid Genetics YouTube Channel to learn more about some of these FarmsQuestions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

NORRIS BEGINS NAILING THE FINAL NAILS IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP!...PIASTRI LOOSING INTEREST…MAX DRIVER OF THE DAY AND...FERNANDO READY FOR LAS VEGAS. THIS WEEK'S NASIR HAMEED CORNER, WE KEEP IT SIMPLE WITH SOME DUKE OF DIJON AND NASIR BANTER! It was a dominant performance from Lando Norris as he claimed his seventh victory of the year, following up on his victory in the sprint race with another 25 points on Sunday, extending his championship lead to 24 points over Oscar Piastri. Early race incidents would leave Oscar Piastri with a shock penalty and lead to the retirement of Charles Leclerc through no fault of his own. And in unexpected fashion, Max Verstappen would grab fans' attention following his conversion of a pit-lane start all the way to a P3 finish, grabbing a podium on a day many fans would expect his championship shot to slip away from him. None of the top ten were able to get past each other in the initial portion of Lap 1 except Liam Lawson on George Russell, with Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari having the weakest start of any on the grid, dropping four places into 17th. A loss of control from home favorite Gabriel Bortoleto in the Sauber occurred only halfway through the first lap, causing the 21-year-old to hit the barriers, bringing out a safety car and ending his race. The safety car was brought out for the third time in a row at the Brazilian Grand Prix, lasting for three laps and coming in on Lap 4. There was more chaos immediately, as Charles Leclerc, Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri went three abreast at Turn 1 after the Italian struggled to keep up with Lando Norris' pace following the restart. Piastri and Antonelli would collide, sending the Mercedes into Leclerc's Ferrari and causing the Monegasque racer to lose both a tire and incur suspension damage, ending his race prematurely. Unable to continue, Leclerc's Ferrari would pull over and bring out a Virtual Safety Car, with the McLarens of Norris and Piastri leading from the Mercedes of Antonelli and the Racing Bull of Isack Hadjar. Laps 14 and 17 would see ten-second penalties applied for both Yuki Tsunoda and Oscar Piastri, with Tsunoda's given for an incident with Lance Stroll and Piastri's for the aforementioned crash after the safety car restart. Verstappen, who had taken an early pit stop to change from hard tires to mediums, found himself up to seventh by Lap 19 thanks to Hadjar and Pierre Gasly entering the pit lane. Seventh turned into fifth by Lap 21, the Dutchman having gained 15 places in the first third of the race and looking impressive as he looked to restore his championship ambitions. LANDO: “It was an amazing race, and it's nice to win here in Brazil. It's an amazing track with amazing fans. This one was for one of my mentors, Gil, I hope he'd be very proud. “It was a great win, but to be honest, seeing how quick the competition was  today, it's clear we've still got work to do. I'll go back, see the team, congratulate them and see what we can do better. Looking ahead, I'll keep focusing on myself, keep my head down, ignore the noise and keep pushing.” MAX: From pitlane to podium, this weekend has completely turned around for me, something that I didn't think was possible. The start of the race was very hectic and I picked up a puncture early on from a load of debris on the track which meant that I pretty much had to start the race again. The Team used the right strategy from start to finish which allowed me to get through all of the traffic very efficiently. I definitely had to send it a few times to get past the other cars but I love doing that and ended up having an unexpectedly fun race. Overall it showed that we had really good pace today and that the grip was much better than the last couple of days. The atmosphere at Interlagos was amazing and it really spurred me on. I am so proud of the Team and would like to thank them for all of the hard work that they put into making the changes post Quali last night. SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 09: Race winner Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren Second placed Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Third placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Mark Norris, Director of Commercial Trackside Operations at McLaren on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 09, 2025 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) We kept pushing and took multiple risks this weekend because we never want to settle for second and we didn't give up. To start in the pitlane and finish P3 on the podium only 10 seconds off P1 was incredible. Now all we can do is keep fighting hard over the final few races of the season and do the best that we possibly can whilst trying to find as much performance as we can extract from the car. A huge congratulations to Kimi as well, he drove amazingly well which will have given his confidence a huge boost which is great for any rookie!" Alex Albon: It was a good race for the fans today but unfortunately for us it was a bit of a race to forget. We had good pace when we could show it. We've struggled with pace all weekend but seem to have recovered a little bit today. In the end what took us out of contention for points was that I think we stayed out too long on the first stint and we never really recovered from there. In the last stint we were quick and were fighting our way back up the grid and just missed out on a point at the end. It's frustrating that our rivals scored points today, but we will regroup and look forward to a better weekend in Las Vegas. Carlos Sainz: Not the day I was hoping for. Once I got squeezed on turn 1, I had considerable damage to the car and my race was compromised from there. We managed to stay in the hunt for points most of the race but after a slow first stop and compiled with the damage, that was it unfortunately. Time to go back home and see what we can do in these types of circuits, as Qatar will also be a challenge. A few races to go, so we cannot relax. Let's keep going.  

Family, this week on Queer News Anna DeShawn continues to bring you the stories that matter most to our community. Our top story breaks down the victories across the board after November 4th's election day. Continuing in politics, Anna revisit's the topic of George Santos in light of his recent commutation granted by Trump and discuss the Supreme Court's upcoming decision on a case that could effect gay marriage for all. In culture and entertainment, we take a look abroad at the first elected, openly-gay Prime minister of the Netherlands, GLAAD's Darian Aaron talks about featuring Snoop Dog during the first stop of their HBCU tour titled: Generation Z & HIV: An HBCU Tour and Benjie Coy is back with our entertainment roundup talking the Real Housewives of Potomac and more. Let's get into it.  Want to support this podcast?

GET YOUR FOOTBALL-ORANJE SCARF: https://footballoranje.bigcartel.com/ Football-Oranje's Michael, Mike and Abdul preview the Netherlands' World Cup qualifier with Poland. _______________________________________________________________ WEBSITE: http://www.football-oranje.com/

Shadow work around possibilities explores your beliefs and the optional limitations that hold you back in life — and invites you to let others hold a higher vision for you than you're currently able to hold for yourself.In this episode of Wholehearted Loving, Georgianna and Steph close their shadow work series by exploring the fears that keep us from stepping into our most vibrant, aligned lives. Georgianna shares how others once held impossible visions for her — from working at a dream job in the Netherlands to running her own practice — long before she believed those futures could be hers. Steph opens up about her own shadow beliefs around worth, education, and “deserving” to thrive.Together, they reveal how shame and self-protection masquerade as humility, why gratitude can sometimes become a cage, and how gentle embodiment practices create the space for possibility to grow.Discover how:Letting others hold a vision for you can change your storyFear of “not deserving” is often fear of expansionThe body teaches us how to hold new dreams with safety and trust"Like finding gold." – Alma W."The best therapy I've ever done for myself." – Sanjeev B.LIVE training & practice programs:wholeheartedloving.comGet our self-compassionate body-based toolkitEvery episode begins and ends with a body-based self-connection practice, so you can grow your capacity to be with all that life brings. We also include self-reflection and journaling prompts each week, posted on our Instagram @wholeheartedloving. New episodes every Sunday at 10am PT.With love,Georgianna & Steph

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our content! Air travel might grind to a halt, but our news roundup marches on. After reflections on the Mamdani victory (0:30), Danny and Derek get into this week's stories: Trump threatens to invade Nigeria (10:10); in Israel-Palestine, a Gaza ceasefire update (19:31) and West Bank olive harvest violence (26:06); Afghanistan and Pakistan resume ceasefire talks (27:10); Sudan's IPC declares famine as the RSF prepares a new siege and agrees to a ceasefire (29:11); a new report details the UAE's role as a global gold smuggling hub (33:40); attacks on civilians continue in Ethiopia (36:30); Ukraine braces as Pokrovsk is about to fall (38:53); the Netherlands confirms a centrist election win (40:59); Putin orders plans for nuclear testing in response to Trump (43:23); reports suggest the U.S. may deploy special forces to Mexico (45:25); the U.S. is preparing strikes on Venezuela, though Trump is hesitating (47:45); and new revelations emerge about drug boat operations (51:23).

Skye Carman, from Netherlands

Ben and Tommy discuss President Trump's threat to invade Nigeria to stop a (nonexistent) genocide against Christians and the international community's total failure to stop an actual genocide happening in Sudan. Also covered: why Trump's pitch to restart testing of nuclear weapons might be his worst (and scariest) foreign policy idea to date, why FBI Director Kash Patel's trip to visit his girlfriend is getting slammed by right-wing commentators, the uproar in Israel over a torture investigation, election wins for left-wing candidates in Ireland and the Netherlands, Trump's overtly racist refugee policy, and the final nail in the royal coffin for Prince Andrew. Then Ben speaks with Sanna Marin, the former Prime Minister of Finland, about the double standards women in leadership face, and her new book Hope in Action: A Memoir About the Courage to Lead.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.