Podcasts about Normandy

The first movie ever screened in the White House wasn't Casablanca or Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. It was The Birth of a Nation: a Ku Klux Klan recruitment ad that glorified white rage bloodlust. A century later, Trump's White House is the sequel: staged propaganda to glorify lies, violence, and hate against freedom fighters–otherwise known as antifa–otherwise known as World War II veterans who won the war against tyranny. Because if you're not antifa, you're pro-fascism.  Trump is the Frankenstein monster of America's darkest chapters: Jim Crow, McCarthyism, Watergate, and reality-TV nihilism. But the heroes who stormed Normandy didn't die for us to cower before a spray-tanned con man. Which brings us to the Epstein Files: the panic button of MAGA-land. If the Epstein Files were nothing, Trump and Mike Johnson wouldn't be working so hard to shut down our government and prevent a vote. “Teflon Don” has gotten away with years of crimes, including inciting a violent attempted overthrow of our democracy, which led to several deaths, including of law enforcement. So why is he so panicked about the Epstein Files? The truth will come out, as it always does. And remember: bullies only understand strength. So keep pushing, keep shouting, and for the love of democracy: Release. The. Epstein. Files. This week's bonus show continues our conversation with Zerlina Maxwell, host of Mornings with Zerlina on SiriusXM's Progress Channel and author of The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide. Find her weekday mornings, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET, on SiriusXM Progress, channel 127. For our Patreon supporters at the Truth-teller tier ($5/month) and higher, we have an exclusive for you: an odd development that hit our inbox. We'd love to get your thoughts on it over on Patreon. To hear this full bonus show, be sure to subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit for all bonus shows, all shows ad-free, invites to exclusive events, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available, and you can even give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!    Show Notes: Top House Democrat seeks Jeffrey Epstein financial records from Dimon, other bank CEOs https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/09/bank-records-epstein-dimon-raskin.html?taid=68e78b8c80da070001f243a1&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_content=main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter   Trump's NSPM-7 Labels Common Beliefs As Terrorism “Indicators” https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trumps-nspm-7-labels-common-beliefs   Florida Lawmaker to Meet With Putin Envoy Dmitriev This Month https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/10/09/florida-lawmaker-to-meet-with-putin-envoy-dmitriev-this-month-a90763   We Are Elated by the Gaza Ceasefire News. Now, the World Must Hold Israel to Account for 2 Years of Genocide https://open.substack.com/pub/zeteo/p/gaza-ceasefire-hold-israel-accountable-genocide?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email   Listen To The Jeffrey Epstein Tapes: ‘I Was Donald Trump's Closest Friend' https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU08/20250227/117951/HHRG-119-JU08-20250227-SD006-U6.pdf   Trump Has Second 'Yearly' Check-Up In Just Six Months: He's going to "stop by" the doctor's office while he's at Walter Reed Medical Center for another event, the White House said. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-yearly-doctors-appointment_n_68e7007be4b0b4458cb6da16   Publisher Removes Melania Trump Claims From Book, Issues Apology https://www.newsweek.com/publisher-harpercollins-uk-removes-melania-trump-claims-book-issues-apology-10844442   Racist KKK glorifying film Birth of a Nation became the first film shown in the White House under Woodrow Wilson: https://woodrowwilsonhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/WWH-SCHOLAR-SPRING-2023-Hashimoto-Elizabeth-FINAL-PROJECT-BIRTH-OF-A-NATION.pdf   Shadow Network: The Anne Nelson Interview - Part II https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2022/5/11/anne-nelson-part-02?rq=Focus%20on%20the%20family

Greg Jenner is joined in the eighteenth century by historian Professor Katherine Astbury and comedian Jen Brister to learn about French queen Marie Antoinette. Born an Austrian princess, Marie Antoinette went on to be the last queen of France before the Revolution and the abolition of the monarchy. She is famous now for saying "let them eat cake", for her love of fashion, and her supposedly extravagant spending at a time when ordinary people in France were going hungry. But how true are any of these stories, and where did these myths about her originate? In this episode, we look at Marie Antoinette's Austrian childhood and overbearing mother, her marriage to Louis XVI and time as queen of France, and the hatred directed at her by the revolutionaries. Along the way we take in her involvement in politics, her love of the theatre, and her possible Swedish sweetheart. If you're a fan of radicals and revolutionaries, maligned women from history and royal scandals, you'll love our episode on Marie Antoinette.If you want more from Jen Brister, check out our episodes on Emma of Normandy and Hernán Cortés and Malintzin. Or for controversial French queens, listen to our episode on Catherine de'Medici.You're Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past.Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Charlotte Emily Edgeshaw Written by: Charlotte Emily Edgeshaw, Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars

On June 6, 1944, the Allies launched the largest amphibious military assault in history known as D-Day. More than 150,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along the heavily fortified coast of France's Normandy region.  Some of the first men to hit the beach on D-Day were the U.S. Navy Combat Demolition Unit. Jerry Markham and John Talton were members of this elite group. In this episode, these courageous veterans tell their dramatic stories, In Their Own Words. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gregory Copley reports that Chinese leader Xi Jinping's power has diminished, noting he is expected to step down as General Secretary at the upcoming fourth plenum, retaining only the powerless PRC presidency. Copley suggests the new leadership may reduce global aggression because the country lacks money, resources, and solidarity for a global campaign, and faces massive domestic food and water crises. He also addresses Tony Blair's "surreal politic" role in the Gaza plan and the fragility of the clerical leadership in Iran. 1944 GOLD BEACH, NORMANDY

This is the VIC 4 VETS, Weekly Honored Veteran. SUBMITTED BY: Buck Carter’s little girl - Allison Schottenhaml Private first-class Buck Carter Vic & KenToday I would like to honor my father Private first class Buck Carter. Born February 3, 1917 in Sikeston Missouri. In 1943 my father was working on his families 700 acre farm outside Sikeston raising cotton , corn, wheat and cattle including driving truck to take crops to barges on the Mississippi river. Everything we know about my father's military history comes from his DD214 and military Personnel records we acquired after he passed away. As he would not really share much of his service.We know on April 23, 1943 he signed up for the US Army at Jefferson Barracks.Line 18 on dd214 Race there are 3 options white, negro or other! His is marked other he was part of the Cherokee Nation.Line 30 military occupational specialty & number. Rifleman 745. I had to look that up and found this: Must be proficient in the use of such hand weapons as rifle, automatic rifle, carbine, pistol, rocket launcher, rifle grenade, hand grenade, flame thrower & bayonet. Must be proficient in the technique of hand to hand combat to destroy enemy Personnel & to assist advance against an enemy position. May perform supervisory duties to control, coordinate & tactical employment of a fire team.Line 32 Battle & Campaigns, Normandy with arrowhead meaning part of D-daySaint Lo-France, Rhineland-GermanyLine 33 Decorations & citations,American Theater Ribbon, World War II Victory Metal, Presidential Unit Citation, Army Occupational Metal (more than 30 consecutive days in occupied territory), Good Conduct metal, Honorable Discharge Lapel Ribbon and Bronze Star.Date of discharge December 21, 1946 After returning from the war my father decided to not return to farming since his 3 brothers were running the farm and he has experience driving a 1 1/2 ton truck he decided he wanted to be a long haul truck driver and see the country he fought for! After a few years of driving he became part owner of a very successful heavy hauling & rigging company in St. Louis and was able to retire when I was 9 years old and we moved to 150 acre ranch raising cattle and appaloosa horses. Every summer when I was out of school we would load up our horses and hit the road camping and trail riding around the country mostly camping on Indian Reservations and visiting historical sites. He taught me to love this country and I believe those trips taught me more than all the history courses in school.When I was 22 years old my father passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm while out eating breakfast with my mom! That was the worse phone call of my life! I was a daddy's girl and miss my father so much everyday but blessed to have spent so much quality time with him! ________________________________________________________________ This Week’s VIC 4 VETS, Honored Veteran on NewsTalkSTL.With support from our friends at:Alamo Military Collectables, H.E.R.O.E.S. Care, Monical’s PizzaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luke's HAARP Time Warp: Part 6 Marion continues growing but must suffer a loss. Based on a post by somethin fishy, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 25. When Luke and Marion woke up the next morning, it was storming out. Nothing really serious, just one of those late summer storms with a decent amount of rain, some wind and usually some lighting. Being that it was a warm rain, Luke went out into it without putting clothes on. It was about the perfect temperature. With some persuasion, Marion came out too. Soon both of them were playing like children with them jumping in mud puddles and just having a good time. Marion, before too long, was working on getting everyone else to strip down and join them. The women were quick to strip down and Bard followed suit not too long after. Robin though, was raised to be very modest and in believing that the devil would soon visit; so, he wouldn't strip down with everyone else. Marion, for her part, respected his views and didn't try forcing his which he appreciated. Basically, as long as he respected her view, she respected his. The rain continued for almost an hour. During this time the miserable feeling of the day before were forgotten for the time being. The group was having too much fun. Not only was playing in the rain fun, but they were all busy teasing Marion about her limping and careful walking. Everyone had heard her the night before and this actually helped the group start to recover from Stella's death. All too soon though, the rain stopped and it was back to business. Marion had left it to Pollyanna, Stella's closest friend, on where to bury her. Pollyanna picked a small church, in the village, from where Stella was originally from. So, the group made to four hour track to the village church. Once there though, the group realized that the whole village had been abandoned. From the looks of things, it had been abandoned not that long ago. Gabriel found an empty space in the cemetery and Alice had even found a coffin for Stella. Luke and Bard took care of digging the grave, making sure to go down six feet. Once the grave had been dug, everyone but Matt grabbed a line and lowered Stella's body into the ground. Once done, Marion spoke a few words. After she had finished, but before everyone started to bury her, Pollyanna started speaking: “For my best friend, the woman who taught me to be a woman and who encouraged me to fight like a man; I cannot thank you enough. I swear this now that I shall ever stop working toward freeing the people of this tormented land so that no others have to make the choices that you did, Stella. For nobody should be forced into the position of selling their bodies just so that their children can have something to eat, or having to watch as those children are ripped away by soldiers because the family couldn't pay the record high taxes levied on them because some lazy noble wanted to host a bigger party then their neighbor. Go in peace know Stella and know that I will always love you for all that you have done for me.” “Amen” everyone said while trying to hold back their tears. When she finished, everyone in the group started to openly weep; Pollyanna had just said out loud what everyone had been feeling in their hearts. Eventually, they started burying their friend, and Pollyanna finished things by pushing a cross which Gabriel had made into the ground. The cross had actually been Stella's sword at one time, but Gabriel had broken it in half after Stella had been killed and had etched Stella's name and date of death on it. After they finished, Luke put his arms around Marion's shoulder. This always made her feel better and it did this time as well. Looking around, Marion started getting curious about this village. It looking like a nice enough place to stay, so the group split up to search the village. Luke found a fully intact blacksmithing shop that still had its tools in it and plenty of raw materials laying around. Marion found a small tavern but all the alcohol was gone. Robin and Bard checked out the church while Gabriel went up to check out the steeple for this looked like the prefect place from which she could pick off intruders. Alice went though the houses and found one that was significantly cleaner than the rest. To make it better, it had a large supply of herbs in it that Alice recognized as having medicinal value. Not only that, it still had to tools to process the herbs. Pollyanna meanwhile stayed with Matt and they talked quietly. They both realized that they were quickly falling in love and only hoped that nobody would object. Luke of course already knew about them and had told them as much. He also told them that as long as they continued to do their duties that he had no objections. In fact, he had wished them the best of luck and they looked like they belonged together, and they made a cute couple. Within an hour the group met back up at the church. Marion made the decision to move their base of operations here as soon as they could get all their gear and they had scouted the area. Everyone agreed with her; this was far nicer living then in the forest plus there was so much here that they could use that it would be foolish not to move. An added bonus was that they were now further away from York and therefore safer for the time being. The last thing that justified them moving was that they had been recently discovered and didn't know how long it would be before Cecilia would try again. She figured that it would probably take them about a week or so to move. Matt and Alice would stay behind, in the village, while the group moved. Moving around was extremely painful for Matt and Alice would have to take care of him. Pollyanna made the announcement that her and Matt were now an item in the most obvious way possible. She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a giant, wet kiss on his lips. That simple kiss began to turn into something more when Matt started pushing his tongue into Pollyanna's mouth. Only Marion loudly clearing her throat made them stop. When Pollyanna looked up, she looked like the kid how got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. This made the rest of the group fall over laughing and Pollyanna's reddening face didn't help any. Eventually everyone in the group were able to compose themselves. Marion told Pollyanna to stay behind to not only help protect Matt but also to scout the area. Marion told her that the rest of them would be back the next day with some of the gear and to hear what all Pollyanna had found while scouting. Marion and Luke couldn't for the life of them understand why everyone in the village was gone. In fact, it looked like everyone had just stopped whatever it was that they had been doing and left. This was actually not far from the truth. This village was one of those that refused to follow Cecilia so she had come in and forced all the residence of the area to move to York. Of course, the young men were forced into her army while the young woman were force to become army whores. Thing is though that the village itself hadn't been destroyed and now it was going to be Marion's new base of operations. The trip back was much faster than the trip to the village, in the first place. On the way back, the group was able to ambush a small patrol. One of the members was only badly wounded so Marion was able to pump him for information; although she didn't have to pump very hard for the man was one of Cecilia's forced recruits. “Cecilia's hold is slipping as most soldiers refuse to leave their quarters anymore. For the most part she is having to rely on mercenary soldiers who have never heard of you ma'am. Also, I feel that I should warn you that she is planning another major offensive aimed at forcing you out of the forest so that she can finally eliminate you. This time she will be using her mercenary troops and their commanders are extremely tough men. They make everyone in Cecilia's regular army seem like little girls instead of fighting men.” With this the man died. Marion ordered that the man be at least given a burial instead of just dragging him off into the woods to be eaten like they usually did. This patrol had only six men in it and didn't yield very much loot. The most valuable thing they got were the extra horses. Marion was now determined to move camp even faster than before. The rest of the way back was uneventful. Once they were back in camp, Marion had the group immediately start preparing the first load of gear for in the morning. Looking everything over, Marion decided that it should only take three round trips to move everything; two less then she had initially thought. After getting tomorrow morning's gear ready, Luke took the first watch while everyone else bedded down. Marion was taking no chances now, and she relieved Luke four hours later. As soon as started to get light the next morning, Marion woke everyone up. She was anxious to get moving, and within forty minutes the first load was on its way. The trip to the village was fast and uneventful. When they were about fifteen minutes form the village, they were intercepted by Alice. She was standing watch while Pollyanna got some rest. “She found two nearby villages, Marion. In both of them the people were starving. She didn't make contact though for it was only the three of us here. We figured that once everything gets moved that you might want to go to the villages and introduce yourself for it's about time that we stop hiding and start making actual strides toward getting rid of your bitch sister.” “Very good Alice and yes that is exactly what I will do. Now for some news for you. We intercepted a small patrol on our way home yesterday. One of the men was only wounded badly and he told us that Cecilia is getting ready to launch another offensive only this time she's using mercenary troops under professional leadership. I figure that we should be able to get everything moved within three days if we don't get interrupted.” The next couple of days were busy ones for the group. Marion rotated who stayed in the village. This way everyone would have a general idea of the lay of the land before they made their presence known. In order to hide themselves, they even held off setting booby-traps for the time being. After they had gotten the last load, Marion ordered that the whole area around their former camp be riddled with booby-traps of all kinds and in much thicker densities the they usually used. Doing this took the rest of the day and they had to make the trip back to the village in the dark. None of them minded though for they had a full moon and were used to moving around in the dark. Marion was able to get a few hours' sleep when they got back. Her and Luke now had a small house to themselves. Actually, everyone in the group did. Marion's house was the one that had the blacksmith's shop attached to it. The next morning, the group had their first strategy meeting. They all shared everything that they had learned about their new home: where the villages were, where the roads ran, where were the streams, bridges, and fords were at. Luke shared what he would be focusing on for the next couple of weeks. He was going to make horse drawn reaping machines. His machines weren't combines but they would be far ahead of reaping crops with a sickle. Gabriel would go around and set up hidden watch post and look for good trees for which to make good bows and arrows out of. Alice would get a hospital set up. She would also search the area for medicinal plants. Bard would help Luke in the blacksmith shop when he wasn't busy tending to the group's livestock or the fields which the group had found. Pollyanna would be working on mapping the area. Luke had told her to pay particular attention to areas that they could fortify or areas in which they could set up a water powered blacksmith shop or a grist mill. Matt was confined to bedrest for the next five weeks, but while he was in bed, he would be working on making new clothes for everyone and more arrows for the group. Marion in the meantime would be working on getting the other villages in the area to join with her for she knew that she would need their help to overthrow Cecilia. Chapter 26. Cecilia in the meantime, was growing ever more paranoid and fearful of Marion. Her army mostly refused to leave their barracks for they had suffered enough losses at Marion's hands and they didn't want anything more to do with her. When they did go out, they stayed very close to town and they defiantly stayed out of the forest. Even Cecilia's assassins had failed. She had sent them out to kill Marion and instead twenty of them had been killed including their leader. This caused the rest of them to scatter in the wind after all they were assassins not soldiers and they quickly found out that hunting Marion was a fool's errand and a surefire way to meet with God. Or course it took a while for Cecilia to get this news for Marion didn't leave any survivors that knew what had happened. Then just a few days later, a small patrol went missing. They hadn't even been patrolling in an area that Marion had ever attacked before. This caused Cecilia to really lose sleep. Was Marion expanding her operations? Was there another group that was rising up against her? Nobody knew for they couldn't find the bodies. Soon after she had sent her assassins off, Cecilia had a most important visitor. He was a legendary mercenary commander and had a knack for hunting down rebel groups and eliminating them. He had heard of Cecilia's problems, all the way in Paris and he thought that he might be able to get a very good job offer. After all he was able to bring almost one thousand seasoned men into the field. These were very experienced and highly motivated men. At first Cecilia balked at the terms the general was offering but then again, she really didn't have much choice after Marion had routed her regular army. She was hoping that her assassins would be able to get the job done, but she had her doubts and she needed a back-up plan. Cecilia was able to make it to where she wouldn't have to pay most of the cost until the general had proven that he had been successful. After seeing everything that her sister was now capable of, Cecilia had serious doubts that this continental general could do any better. In fact, she told him as such and that was when he agreed to terms that actually favored Cecilia. The visiting general wasn't French but German. His name was General Kleist and he came from the Saxon controlled area of central Europe in what would eventually become central Germany. He was almost fifty years old and had never lost a fight. He had been a soldier since before he needed to shave and had been given his first army when he was eighteen. He had fought all over Europe and had a brutal reputation when it came to rebel groups. Against regular troops he fought with honor, but that completely disappeared when he fought rebels. Most of his men were German, but he had men from all over Europe, including England. These were the men that he would be relying on for this contract. The general had interviewed the surviving men of Cecilia's previous expedition to find out what had happened. What he learned, shocked him. Marion's troops were extremely ingenious and ruthless, but they were also capable of showing extreme kindness as well. Furthermore, Marion didn't strike at the noble's morale, she struck at the common soldier's morale. By convincing them that the fight was worthless and that they would only die if they continued. This made the largest part of the army worthless for its commanders and left the nobles vulnerable to ambushes. General Kleist didn't share the common misconception that knights were invulnerable in battle for he had seen this notion get crushed on numerous occasions. Knights did have their roles to play but they had to have the protection of the infantry. Just as the general was about to leave to fetch the rest of his men, Cecilia got word that a small patrol had disappeared. This sounded like one of Marion's tricks and she forbid the general from leaving for he could send a messenger for his men; she needed him with her now. Kleist would have to force Cecilia's own army into the field. He knew that as a fighting force, that army was worthless at the moment and he told Cecilia that. She then did something that he wasn't really expecting in that she gave him free rein over her army. “General just do whatever you have to do to get those worthless bastards whipped into shape. Then when you are ready, take them out and crush my sister.” “Yes milady.” And he left. What followed was a brutal time for those in the army. General Kleist whipped any man that didn't follow orders. If they complained, they got whipped. If they tried to desert then he had them hung, drawn and quartered, and finally beaten to death by his own comrades. Kleist wanted the men to fear him more than Marion. It took a couple of months but he was making real progress with turning the mob that he started with, back into a real army. During that time, he and Cecilia had started sleeping together. The general found Cecilia to be a very passionate woman and Cecilia found the general to be very experienced in bed and would always make sure that Cecilia was very satisfied. Cecilia was doing this because she hadn't gotten laid since leaving Lincoln and figured that this would be a cheaper way to keep Kleist loyal to her. Kleist was fucking her because for one, she was beautiful. Two, she was powerful and Kleist wanted some of that power for himself and third pounding Cecilia senseless helped him relax in the evenings. Retraining her ragged army was very stressful and Kleist found that fucking Cecilia helped him forget. His eventual goal was to marry her and then use her army to force her out after she had produced a number of children for him but first, he would have to get rid of Marion. It was almost three months after the general first arrived that his army got there. These men were professionals and it showed. They had excellent gear and marched with supreme confidence. It took them just over a week to integrate Cecilia's army with his own, but by the time it was done, he had an army of just over two thousand men. They still didn't know exactly where Marion's forces were at but the area of where Cecilia's first army was routed seemed like a good place to start. Everyone knew that Marion was still around, only now it was Cecilia's tax collectors that were being targeted and all the villages near that forest were now in open rebellion. Problem was that by the time that the general had gotten the army ready, winter had settled over northern England and put all thoughts of an offensive on hold until spring. Nobody fought in winter. It was too dangerous and with no grass available, horses and oxen died in groves so the army and the general settled in for the winter. Chapter 27. Marion and the rest of the group rapidly settled down into the village. Bard was finding out that Luke was a man of many parts when Luke started making reaping machines that they could rent out to the local villages for a tiny part of their harvest. Luke told Bard that the machines would save so much grain that even with paying the fee, the villagers would still be coming out ahead. This way everyone would win. Marion's group would get the food that they would get the food that they would need for the winter and the villagers would get even more grain than usual. An added bonus was that the locals would start trusting Marion and that was more important than the food. While Luke was making machines, he also took the time to teach Bard how to make knives and swords. Before long Bard was making amazingly beautiful swords that were very balanced and were very good at holding their edge. By the time the harvest had come around, Luke had built six reaping machines and had furthermore made harnesses so that horses could be used instead of oxen. This would further speed up the harvest over the old ways. One of the long range projects that Luke was working on was a steam engine that would be able to power the shop and would enable Luke to work on bigger projects faster. Bard kept working on his swords for which soon he was making really good money from; by selling them. In the meantime, Alice was rapidly growing her skills as a doctor and an apothecary. As soon as Marion had started to draw more people to her banner, Alice's skills began to come into high demand. At first Alice completely memorized every scrape of medical information on Luke's computer and every last bit that he had drifting around in his head. Alice made sure to write everything down in the common language, English no Latin or Greek here. She would then give this information to Pollyanna who had set up a print shop in town and was printing books using a press that she designed herself. It was based on an idea that Luke had given her, based on what her could remember about the Guttenberg press. She knew that at first there would be no market for these, but once more people had learned to read then she would be ready. In addition to Alice's books, Pollyanna printed every book from Luke's computer. She also printed books that were designed to help people learn how to read. One of the other things that she printed was maps of the area so that Marion's troops would know where to go and how long it would take to get there. Luke had taught everyone the metric system being as that was what he was most comfortable with. Being that he had been an engineer that had worked all over the world, Luke used the metric system so that there would be no screw ups in specs. Pollyanna also helped Luke in engineering his new machines. Luke was working on everything from lathes to mills for machining from powered looms to sewing machines for textiles. One other big thing happened to Pollyanna, she got pregnant and Matt was going to be a dad. When Pollyanna gave everyone the news, the group erupted in celebration. They all loved Pollyanna and Matt. After Gabriel had set up out the best look-out post surrounding the villages, everyone took their turns at standing look out. One of the things that Luke had already made was a telegraph and every post was equipped with one. This way the lookout could immediately warn everyone else if enemy troops were sighted. When Gabriel wasn't standing guard, she was Marion's personal bodyguard; a duty which Gabriel took dead serious. After everything that Marion had done for her, Gabriel would gladly give her life to make sure that Marion survived and stayed out of Cecilia's grasp. With everything that Marion was doing, Gabriel had her hands full but so was the life of the personal bodyguard of a very capable ruler. Just after the group had settled down in the village, Robin died. He had never fully recovered from his earlier brush with death either physically or mentally. His death had hit Alice hard for she had poured her soul into keeping helping Robin recover. “Alice” Luke quietly said to her just after they buried him “The first rule of being a doctor is that you Will Not win every battle. Some people will be too badly injured physically; or in their mind they are already dead. That's not to say that you shouldn't try to save everyone because you have amazing skill but always remember that you're not God.” “I know Luke, but that kid was so innocent. I mean what did he do to anyone? Why did he have to die when there are plenty of evil people that could have taken his place?” “Alice, that is a question that humans have been wrestling with since time began and there's no good answer. The religious would say well that's just God's plan, but I have never found that line to be of any comfort. You just have to accept it and move on. Learn everything you can from each case and that way if they don't make it, then at least they wouldn't have died in vain.” “I keep forgetting that you've been through all this before.” Luke nodded and put his arm around Alice as she sobbed quietly and he kept it there until she had cried herself out. He didn't even bother to say anything to her because he knew that there was nothing for him to say. After the funeral, Alice began to pour everything she had into her studies. Marion had the busiest time of everyone. She was to one that would travel to the surrounding villages to talk with the leaders about joining her. At first, nobody could even believe that she was still alive. Her next battle would almost always be about her being female and why they should follow her. A couple of things always helped her with this argument. First is that she already had a reputation for being ferocious in combat. The second was that she was nobility whether she liked it or not. The third thing was that she projected leadership like nobody else. In meetings she was the dominate personality but she wasn't domineering and she would always go out of her way to make sure that everyone had the chance to include their input and when someone made contributions to one of her plans then she would always make sure that person got credit. It took Marion almost three weeks of almost constant effort before the first village signed on with her and they were almost immediately rewarded for Marion started stopping Cecilia's tax collectors from visiting that village. As word of this spread, other villages signed on with her. Marion was also always on the lookout for new recruits for her army. Yes, she would be building it from scratch but she had the help of Gabriel and especially Luke. Luke could get the most thick-headed person to follow orders within an hour or so with very little effort on his part. The army that they were starting to build would be the most professional one since the ancient Romans. Marion knew that for a while she wouldn't be able to compete with her sister based on numbers so she would have to make up the difference with quality. She was able to get one of the villages to agree to try Luke's mechanical reapers saying that if the results didn't live up to her promises then she would make the difference up herself. Once Luke had finished the first field, the villagers were amazed for they had no idea just how must grain they lost every year. By having Luke harvest the field, the village got almost a quarter more grain than they would have gotten themselves. Within days, every other farmer in the area was wanting Luke to harvest their fields too. Instead, Luke taught some of the farmers how to use his reapers and subcontracted them to do the harvest. Luke had enough on his plate the way it was and he also wanted to make sure that the locals learned how to do these things for themselves. In Marion's personal life, she was just as busy. Her pregnancy was starting to show and one of the things that Luke liked to do was to play his music for the kid. He would place his old cell phone on Marion's stomach and play different music for the kid. He just loved the feeling of the kid kicking. Even before Marion gave birth, her house got another person to live in it for Gabriel moved in with her and Luke. At first it was just Gabriel being dead serious about protecting Marion, but as time went on it became more than that. Everyone realized that Gabriel was falling in love with Marion. At first Gabriel was deeply ashamed of her love for Marion and by extension Luke. This feeling continued until a rainy day when all three were home. “Gabriel?” asked Marion and Luke “Can the three of us talk please?” “Yes” replied Gabriel who was so nervous that she thought that she might pee at any moment. “Gabriel” started Luke “We know that you have fallen in love with Marion and after talking with Marion we have no problem with this. After all you have no control with who you love and we don't believe that anyone can tell you who you can love and who you can't. Back in my time we had plenty on men and woman who were homosexual or bisexual. F Y I, bisexuals love both men and woman. There were plenty in my time who didn't like this fact but to repress this fundamental human fact is exceptionally cruel.” “Gabriel” started Marion “I am fine with you loving me and being completely honest with you, I find myself falling in love with you too. I just ask you to remember that Luke is and will always be my primary love but he has agreed to share” giving Luke a funny look “a bit too eagerly now that I think about it.” Luke just gave have a shit eating smile and Marion gave him a playful punch. “So, both of you are fine with this?” asked Gabriel as if she was reaching for some distant hope that she was too afraid that she would never reach. Luke and Marion smiled at her. “Yes, we are fine and to prove it to you…” Marion took Gabriel by the hand and lead her to her and Luke's bed. Luke whispered something to Marion and he left the room. At first Gabriel was worried about Luke until Marion explained that Luke was giving them some privacy for their first time and he was going to work in the shop. Marion took the lead when she pulled Gabriel in for a deep kiss. At first Gabriel was so nervous that she could barely participate. Her upbringing was keeping her back for she was about to partake in one of the vilest sins, but Marion was patent with her. After a few passion-loaded kisses from Marion, Gabriel started to loosen up and she started returning them. Marion then started to run her hands up and down Gabriel's body with Gabriel quickly replying in kind. As Gabriel's hand ran across Marion's swollen stomach, the baby kicked and the girls giggled. As their hands reached each other's pussies Gabriel was now completely involved and couldn't have stopped if she wanted to. Both of them were wearing pants and shirts. By this time all the woman in Marion's party had given up on dresses. Gabriel made quick work of untying Marion's pants while Marion ran her hands up under Gabriel's shirt, pushing it up as she went. As Marion's pants fell away, Marion pushed Gabriel's shirt over her head. Marion then untied Gabriel's pants as Gabriel removed Marion's shirt slowly. After the two of them were naked, they embraced each other. It was then that Marion realized that Gabriel was softly crying and Marion was instantly concerned, ‘had she gone too far, too fast.' She didn't need to worry though “Marion, my love” Gabriel started when she noticed Marion's concern “All my life I have known that I was different but could never figure out why. I was always more interested in spying on the other girls then I was in spying on the boys. I never told anyone because I knew how people would react and then I met you though Luke. You took me under your wing, protected me, and helped me grow to heights which I never knew existed. Then you and Luke took me to bed with you. That was until now the best night of my life and if I had died, I would have been happy. Afterwards though was so awkward; at first, I thought you were just ignoring me like my parents did after they made love. Then I began to fear that you hated me for it didn't seem that you wanted to be with me anymore and that hurt so bad.” By this point Marion was in tears. Part of this was simply her hormones but most of it was caused by Gabriel pouring her heart out. “Gabriel, to be honest with you, I never thought about you sexually until just a few days ago even after that time with Luke. For back then I was just trying to help one of my best friends get through a very difficult time in her life. I did notice that you were more distant toward me after and I thought that I had offended you in some way. Then you moved in with us. At first you were just a loyal guard who was serious about her duty, but then Luke noticed that your eyes seemed to be full of pain whenever you saw me, especially when I was undressed. The reason that Luke kicked you out of our house the other night was so that we could talk about you. He's concerned about you, Gabriel. When he first suggested that you might be in love with me, I was taken back to put it mildly. However, the more I thought about it the more I thought about that night with the three of us and I realized that was when the awkwardness really started. Then I truly examined that night and every night after and I realized that Luke was right. At first, I was embarrassed and angry. I mean we have always been told that homosexuality was evil. Then I started to wonder how something so beautiful and pure as what we shared that night could possibly be evil. After I couldn't find an answer for that question, I realized that the reason that I couldn't find the answer was that I had fallen in love with you too.” By now both girls were in tears. They had opened their hearts to each other and had been accepted by the other. “But Marion, what about Luke? About everyone else?” “What about Luke? I still love him and he loves me. As you know, he knows all about us and He was the one who started me on my road to discovering myself. If anything, I love him more now than I did before. Just know that he has already stated that he is strictly a one woman man and that he felt terrible after he made you a woman. It actually took me a while to convince him that he didn't do anything wrong and I'm okay with it. I still think he feels guilty once in a while though As for everyone else, if they don't like the facts then they can choke on it. Luke does suggest that we keep us to ourselves for we are trying to lead a revolution in which everyone will be equal in the eyes of the law. Everyone will be free to be themselves. Everyone will have the freedom to succeed or fail and whatever they do will be up to them.” “Remind me to give Luke a thank you.” Marion smiled at this “He's already said that you being happy and able to thrive will be thanks enough.” With that Marion gently pulled Gabriel to lay with her in bed. What followed was something that could only be described as pure love. Marion started by softy kissing every square centimeter of skin on Gabriel's face and neck. As Marion made her way down Gabriel's neck, Gabriel released her first moan of the night. Marion then made her way down to Gabriel's tit. Gabriel wasn't as gifted in the tit department as Marion, but that was okay because Gabriel having smaller tits made it easier for her to use her bow. Marion the started sucking on one of Gabriel's nipples while foundling the other. This gave Gabriel her first orgasm for the night. Gabriel had another orgasm before Marion moved on. Down across Gabriel's tight strong stomach Marion kissed and caressed. Finally, Marion reached Gabriel's bush. It was the same chestnut color as her hair and while sparse was curly and soft. Marion didn't spend too much time here before she started down Gabriel's legs, much to Gabriel's disappointment. After working on both of Gabriel's long, strong legs; Marion returned to Gabriel's flower. This time Marion was looking for nectar and she found it by the bucket full. As fast as Marion could lap it up Gabriel produced more. Marion then gave up trying to lick her lover clean and sent right to the source. She locked her mouth over Gabriel's fuck hole and used her tongue to fuck her. Marion found a rough patch inside Gabriel that when licked drove Gabriel crazy, in fact it was all that Marion could do to hold Gabriel down. As Marion's tongue found her special place, lights started flashing in Gabriel's eyes. She didn't know what was happening to her and really didn't care for this was far better than anything she had ever experienced before. Things hit a crescendo when Gabriel started shaking violently and flooding Marion's mouth with nectar. Marion almost couldn't keep up but somehow managed to keep everything in her mouth. Marion then stopped to give Gabriel some time to recover. She gently moved up to lay next to Gabriel. As Marion lay on her back, Gabriel moved around to where her head was lying on Marion's shoulder and her long hair was spread across Marion's upper body. At this moment, Marion knew why Luke always loved when they did this for, she found that there didn't seem to be any other way to show that two people loved each other more. Marion then made sure that all the hair was out of Gabriel's face and then she drew the blanket over them and joined Gabriel in sleepy land. Some hours later Marion didn't know when, she was awakened by movement under the cover. At first, she was disoriented, someone was gently sucking on her right nipple. Marion moved the cover and by the light of the moon could see a head covered in chestnut hair whose lips were latched on to her nipple. The realization came to Marion of what was going on and she put her hand on that head and gently stroked the hair. Gabriel was startled by this but recovered quickly when Marion started stroking her hair. Gabriel was determined to return Marion's love with interest. She moved up to Marion's face and their eyes locked. Neither of them could seem to break contact for it was like there was some spell over them. They didn't know how much time pasted but Gabriel slowly started kissing Marion's neck while caressing Marion's face. This time it was Marion who was cumming buckets for to her this was almost a dream because she had never fully woken up. Eventually Gabriel moved south back down to Marion's sensitive tits. Marion was a bit larger and with her pregnancy was getting bigger and more sensitive. Gabriel didn't spend too much time here for she wanted to make sure that Marion was still conscious when she went down on her and so far, Gabriel had given Marion two powerful orgasms. Gabriel worked her way over Marion's slightly swollen belly tracing every stretch line as she did. She then made her way down to Marion's golden bush. Since she began spending time with Luke; Marion now kept her bush neatly trimmed so that Luke wouldn't get hair in his mouth, plus it gave her more skin to skin contact when Luke went down on her. Now it was Gabriel's turn to enjoy. By this time Marion was talking in moans and gasp and not saying anything. When Gabriel spread Marion's pussy lips and started to lick; Marion saw the stars in her eyes. The more Gabriel licked the more intense the starlight became. Those stars exploded the second that Gabriel put her tongue up inside Marion and started licking her G-spot. Since Gabriel had Marion's legs propped up on her shoulder's Marion's orgasm was beyond intense. She screamed out into the night at the top of her lungs. She screamed until there was no air left to scream out and then Marion collapsed. Every muscle went to jelly and every cell felt like it weighed a ton. She couldn't even pull the blanket over her before she passed out. Gabriel smiled, seeing this and pulled the blanket over them and fell back asleep. Chapter 28. Life after this got better for Marion and the rest of the group. Cecilia's troops wouldn't even come out of the castle anymore and Marion was making rapid progress in turning the entire area against her. Luke was making amazing progress in forming the army. He assigned one unit to learn under Pollyanna and one to learn under Matt who had recovered. If the recruits thought that winter would slow things down, then they were mistaken. If anything, Luke made them train harder for by now they had excellent intelligence on what Cecilia was up to and they knew that she had hired a professional general to rebuild her army and he had brought units with him from Europe. Marion always made sure that her men and woman were paid on time and their pay came directly from her coffers and not from the officers. This was something that Luke had insisted on; the new army would be government troops, G I as he called them, and not independent contractors. With Marion now in control of the countryside, she instituted her own taxes. They were much lower than Cecilia's and with the extra grain that had been taken in, the people could easily pay it and were glad to for Marion was a much better ruler then Cecilia ever was and they knew that if Marion lost the war then their lots would get much worse. On Christmas day 1065 several big things happened for Marion and her followers. First was that Luke got his steam engine up and running. Now he could make weapons far faster than before and much more advanced weapons. In fact, Gabriel was the first one to receive them. Luke gave her a pair of six shot revolvers and a bolt action repeating rifle that was based on the German Mauser rifle. Granted it was slower to shoot then if he had based it on the Lee Enfield; it was more rugged. Gabriel also got a small unit of bodyguards to help protect Marion; four women and four men and within a week they were equipped just like Gabriel. Luke gave Pollyanna a set of surveying tools that she instantly fell in love with. Measuring distances was always a pain but now she could do her work much faster. Alice got a surgeon's tool set. Luke had scrounged high and low to find enough of the right metals to make the tools but he just managed. Alice of course knew what Luke was doing for her because he had measured her hands so that he could make the tools so that they would fit her properly. Matt had also got a set of guns but his were a bit larger than the ones that Luke had made for the woman. The caliper was the same of course but the rifle stock was a bit longer and his pistol grips were a bit larger. Luke had done this so that Matt could use them more comfortably. The other big thing that happened was much more personal for Marion. That morning, before they left the house, Luke gave her a diamond ring and asked her to marry him. Of course, she said yes and everyone's reaction was “Well it's about time” Luke had gotten the diamond while he was in one of the port towns looking for salt so they could preserve meat for the winter. Luke had met a gem dealer and after much bargaining, which saw Luke trade in the loupe that he had made, he got several large rough diamonds and a couple of smaller ones. He also got some sapphires and a ruby. Luke had then taken those rough gems and cut and polished them to perfection. The biggest diamond got a solitaire cut and this truly brought out the fire in it. Luke then made a pair of rings out of gold. The diamonds were held in by six prongs that Luke had carefully shaped like tulips and the small ones down the sides were held in by a V shaped groove that Luke had formed. Luke took the sapphire and a couple of other small diamond pieces and made a necklace for Marion. He took the Ruby and made a necklace for Gabriel. After Marion and Gabriel's first night together, the three of them slept together every night. That had happened in November and now Gabriel was wondering if she too was pregnant. If she was then so be it for, she had always wanted to be a mother. Everywhere Marion went her ring caught everyone's attention. Nobody had ever seen jewelry like hers. The diamond shined and shimmered in the sunlight and the sapphire necklace was just breathtaking. Luke thought that Marion wearing jewelry was like guiding a lily but seeing her wearing the pieces that he made was unlike any other experience he had ever had. Gabriel loved her necklace too but refused to wear it for the most part so that she wouldn't lose it in battle. She did wear it around the house and on formal occasions. After Christmas, things started to get extremely hectic for Marion and her group. For one she was really starting to have a hard time moving around due to her growing belly. One of the local midwives how had joined with Alice estimated that Marion had about six weeks to go. Alice, like the rest of the group had taken on followers of her own, only her followers were interested in medicine. So far, she had gotten a herb specialist, a couple of midwives, and two men. These men were not like most of the other men in that they considered woman equal and they would be more than happy to treat anyone who might need their assistance. In fact, Alice had enough people around her that she asked Pollyanna to design a hospital for a base. Pollyanna rapidly agreed and got to work. Another reason that things were hectic was that Marion had declared a total blockade of the city of York. The blockade wouldn't be lifted until Cecilia's army laid down their arms and Cecilia left. Marion was demanding that Cecilia not only leave York, but leave the British islands as well. At first Marion had a hard time enforcing the blockade but as more and more troops came out of Luke's training program this became easier. With the first snowfall, Luke introduced something that the world had never seen before, winter camouflage. With the padded jackets and pants that he had developed, Marion's troops could move very quickly and stay hidden until it was time to strike. Not only that but Luke's gun making was gathering momentum. He was having a problem securing a steady supply of potassium nitrate and iron but he had enough to manage. He designed the firearms to use black power at first because it was the easiest to manufacture. Marion and Luke were married on New Year's Day by one of the local priests. He wasn't all that happy about Marion already being pregnant but he was far from stupid and was able to see the reality in front of him. These two people loved each other with all their being. Not only that but he had been one of the early victims of Cecilia's extortion and he saw marrying Luke and Marion as a way of poking Cecilia in the eye. Within a week, Pollyanna and Matt were married as well. In mid-January news came in of Edward's death. Marion and her immediate group already knew that this was going to happen thanks to Luke so they didn't react at all to the news. They also knew that the new king would have his hands full with the threat from the Duke of Normandy so Marion knew that the only threat they would be facing for a while was from Cecilia. By the end of February Marion had fifteen hundred troops at her disposal. A thousand were infantry, four hundred were cavalry and the last hundred were artillery. In addition, Pollyanna had fifty combat engineers under her command and Alice had a medical unit with four doctors besides herself, twelve nurses, and thirty others. A week before the end of February though Marion's life made a drastic turn when she became a mother. It was about two in the morning when after fourteen hours in labor, Marion gave birth to a beautiful baby girl which Marion promptly named Mackenzie MacDougall which brought tears to Luke's eyes. Marion knew for all that he loved her, that he still missed his family terribly. Marion had caught him numerous times just sitting in front of his computer looking at pictures of his sister Mackenzie and her family, pictures of his former coworkers who were like family to him, and pictures of his parents. Thankfully Marion's pregnancy had been uneventful for the most part and their child was healthy. Chapter 29. Marion defeats Cecilia; but at what cost? As her general and his troops settled in for the winter, Cecilia started getting very disturbing reports from some of the villages. Marion was starting to really make herself a pain in the ass. Villages were declaring their allegiance to Marion and she was gathering troops around her. General Kleist of course wasn't worried, after all what could a woman rebel and a few villages do to him. The worst bit of news for Cecilia came in just after Christmas and was that Marion appeared to be pregnant. The first time Cecilia heard this; she went started doing a pretty good impression of a super volcano erupting. Even General Kleist was fearful of her for Cecilia had finally shed the last of her nice person persona and was now easier to equate to the devil's evil twin then a person. Any empathy that she might have still had evaporated. After a few days and Cecilia had calmed down a little, Kleist asked her about it, “That fucking whore got herself knocked up by the man that I deserve. He was supposed to be mine; do you understand; Mine and she stole him.” She shrieked “So general when the fuck are you going to get your men into the field?” “Milady it be the middle of...” Cecilia cut him off “Middle of fucking winter my fucking ass!! That cunt has her army in the field and now I have just been informed that she is demanding that I leave not only England, but the British islands all together!” “Milady, please clam down. This town is well stocked with food and water. The army is ready to go, but to fight in the winter is begging for disaster. Just give me until spring then I will scatter that cunt's forces and bring you Luke.” “See that you bring me Marion's head on a pike as well general or it will be your head on a pike. Now get out!” The general began to ride his troops hard in focusing on their training. He also began to make a contingency plan for if Marion somehow defeated him in battle. He decided that if that happened, he would take every man left in his army, race for the coast, and get out of England. He knew of Cecilia's wide range network so he would have to most likely head to the port of London to make his escape. A new problem made itself known in mid-January. The king of England had died and the throne was passed to Herold Godwinson just as Luke had told Marion's group. Cecilia of course didn't know this and sent envoys to meet with the new king and to pledge her allegiance. She couldn't go herself because she had her hands full with Marion. The only bit of good news was in early February when Cecilia found out that she was pregnant, but by this time Kleist didn't care anymore. He couldn't stand Cecilia and only stayed around so that he might still collect his bonus for getting rid of Marion. There was this too; Marion's troops seemed to be in possession of some new type of weapon. One that made thunder when they were used. Kleist didn't put too much stock in these reports but with so many coming in he figured that he just had to get a look for himself. He couldn't see any way in which thunder weapons could affect his heavily armored knights and highly disciplined infantry. With the end of February more bad news came in. Marion had given birth to a healthy baby girl and had married Luke. If this wasn't bad enough for Cecilia then the news that Marion's army was almost as large as hers was worse. By this time though Cecilia knew where Marion's main base was. The arrogant bitch had the nerve to set herself up one of the villages that Cecilia had depopulated and forced into York so she could keep an eye on them. Cecilia then got news that she would most likely get no help from King Herold for he was gathering men on the Isle of Wight to face the Norman threat. Nobody knew when the Normans would attack but it seemed like that attack could come at any time. As each day went by, Cecilia became more and more anxious for it was becoming increasingly obvious that waiting to rebuild the army hadn't been the right call. Marion was gaining strength by the day and she was becoming increasingly brazen for she was raiding almost right up to York's walls. These raids were becoming more effective as time went on. On 1 March 1066 Cecilia had enough. She ordered General Kleist and the entire army into the field with strict orders the either succeed or die. To make sure that these orders were followed Cecilia sent a number of her personal henchmen along with the army. It took the general and his officers almost three days to get the troops ready and march them out of town. Their objective was the village that Marion had taken over. Kleist estimated that the march would take about two days and then they would burn the village to the ground and leave no survivors. They would then go on to the other villages and raze them as well. As the general was leaving the city gates, he was shocked beyond belief to be joined by Cecilia and her personal guard. “If you lose general, then Marion will make sure that I die. If I am to die then I will die in battle.” The general could barely hide his disgust for Cecilia's guards were the worst examples of humanity. In addition, woman didn't belong on the battlefield and the general was going to prove that. As Cecilia rode out with him, the general was getting another idea. During the battle, he would make sure that Cecilia died and he would take over all of her lands. The first day out of town was pretty routine. The army made almost five miles the first day. They would have made many more but the roads were in terrible shape and the bridges had been destroyed. They also knew that Marion's troops knew where they were at for they could see scouts in the distance. That evening they made camp around the remains of an abandoned village. Form the looks of things, the village had very recently been abandoned and destroyed. That night, the general's officers set a heavy guard around the camp. Cecilia's nerves were trying to get the better of her but she was so far able to fight it. After all the general seemed calm and she was better than any man. The next morning the whole army knew that it was in trouble for every one of their night guards were dead. This made everyone more than a bit nervous for nobody heard a thing the night before and every one of the guards had their throats slit. The army got going within an hour of sunrise. All over there was signs of Marion's army. Men and woman lurked in the shadows of the army. If Cecilia's cavalry charged then the troops lurking disappeared without a trace. As Cecilia's army came to within a few miles of their goal, they stumbled onto Marion's army. Chapter 30. On 1 March, Marion received word that Cecilia was marching her army out of town. Marion had gotten word so fast because she had been able to slip spies into York and they were all equipped with advanced signaling equipment. They all had a set of flags and they all knew the code for sending messages. They would sneak up to a high place and signal their partners outside the wall. That partner would then send the message via telegraph back to Marion's headquarters. This was another one of the many advances that Luke had introduced into the army. It had been a serious stretch and was expensive as hell but he managed to find enough copper to make enough cable to reach York. When she heard the news, Marion wasn't worried though for she and her group of advisers had been discussing this for months. They had all traveled the entire area and studied the land. They knew where it would be to their advantage to fight and where not to. They had informed all the villages that were in the likely paths that when Cecilia's army started their march that they would need to evacuate or likely be killed. When Cecilia's army finally came out of the gates, Marion's scouts were watching and with the spy glasses that Luke had made could count the army as they came out of the gates. They even saw that Cecilia herself was with the army. All this was reported along with the army's path. Marion ordered that all villages along that route were to be immediately evacuated and burned. Her cavalry units helped the villagers get out of harm's way and even used their horses to pull wagons loaded with the villager's possessions. She didn't want to leave anything for Cecilia's army to use. Luke called this tactic scored earth and because Marion had helped the villagers get out of the way, they complied with her order. All through the day Cecilia's army was watched closely. The scouts had orders to let themselves be seen but only from a distance. They were not under any circumstances to get close enough to even remotely endanger themselves. That evening, Cecilia's army camped in one of the burnt-out villages and the next phase of Marion's plan was put into operation. It was time for more psy-ops. Gabriel and Pollyanna would move around the enemy camp at night and kill all the guards. If they could do so without being seen they would also leave signs in the camp itself that they were there. That night Gabriel and Pollyanna struck. The enemy had many more guards than they had figured on but the duo was still able to wipe out all the guards. Problem was that taking out all the guards took so long that they didn't have time to enter the camp safely. They reported this failure to Marion but she wasn't disturbed in the slightest. She privately figured that their plan was a bit too reckless anyway. Granted it would have been nice to leave signs inside the camp it just wasn't worth the risk to two of Marion's closest friends. As soon as they reported in, Marion ordered them to get a nap. The battle would begin in a few hours and those two would need to be at their best for Gabriel was the leader of Marion's bodyguards and Pollyanna's engineers would play a critical role in Marion's plans. To be continued in part 7, Based on a post by somethin fishy, for Sex Stories.

This is the VIC 4 VETS, Weekly Honored Veteran. SUBMITTED BY: Buck Carter’s little girl - Allison Schottenhaml Private first-class Buck Carter Vic & KenToday I would like to honor my father Private first class Buck Carter. Born February 3, 1917 in Sikeston Missouri. In 1943 my father was working on his families 700 acre farm outside Sikeston raising cotton , corn, wheat and cattle including driving truck to take crops to barges on the Mississippi river. Everything we know about my father's military history comes from his DD214 and military Personnel records we acquired after he passed away. As he would not really share much of his service.We know on April 23, 1943 he signed up for the US Army at Jefferson Barracks.Line 18 on dd214 Race there are 3 options white, negro or other! His is marked other he was part of the Cherokee Nation.Line 30 military occupational specialty & number. Rifleman 745. I had to look that up and found this: Must be proficient in the use of such hand weapons as rifle, automatic rifle, carbine, pistol, rocket launcher, rifle grenade, hand grenade, flame thrower & bayonet. Must be proficient in the technique of hand to hand combat to destroy enemy Personnel & to assist advance against an enemy position. May perform supervisory duties to control, coordinate & tactical employment of a fire team.Line 32 Battle & Campaigns, Normandy with arrowhead meaning part of D-daySaint Lo-France, Rhineland-GermanyLine 33 Decorations & citations,American Theater Ribbon, World War II Victory Metal, Presidential Unit Citation, Army Occupational Metal (more than 30 consecutive days in occupied territory), Good Conduct metal, Honorable Discharge Lapel Ribbon and Bronze Star.Date of discharge December 21, 1946 After returning from the war my father decided to not return to farming since his 3 brothers were running the farm and he has experience driving a 1 1/2 ton truck he decided he wanted to be a long haul truck driver and see the country he fought for! After a few years of driving he became part owner of a very successful heavy hauling & rigging company in St. Louis and was able to retire when I was 9 years old and we moved to 150 acre ranch raising cattle and appaloosa horses. Every summer when I was out of school we would load up our horses and hit the road camping and trail riding around the country mostly camping on Indian Reservations and visiting historical sites. He taught me to love this country and I believe those trips taught me more than all the history courses in school.When I was 22 years old my father passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm while out eating breakfast with my mom! That was the worse phone call of my life! I was a daddy's girl and miss my father so much everyday but blessed to have spent so much quality time with him! ________________________________________________________________ This Week’s VIC 4 VETS, Honored Veteran on NewsTalkSTL.With support from our friends at:Alamo Military Collectables, H.E.R.O.E.S. Care, Monical’s PizzaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Steph is back from her vacation in France and after a listener poll expressed interest in hearing about the whole trip, she describes her first few days in Bayeux, Normandy and going on a full day World War II tour with an emphasis on the story from The Band of Brothers. You also won't believe what the group's first meal in France was! Don't worry, there is still some talk of Disneyland, listener questions and expressed gratitude for listener interactions. Today's chat article: https://www.micechat.com/423670-disneyland-news-most-stressful-record-settlement-ceo-succession/Thank you to all of my listeners, friends and supporters! A special thank you to my sponsor, Arias Transportation, for supporting this podcast. Be sure to check them out at www.ariastransportation.com and download the app next time you need a ride in the LA area. Be sure to add Steph 20 in the notes for a 20% discount off your first reservation.Follow me on Instagram @Magic_Key_Adventures or use this link: https://www.instagram.com/magic_key_adventures/Feel free to email questions and comments at: magickeyadventures@yahoo.comSupport the show with a one-time donation at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/magickeyadhNew! Patreon: Join my Patreon, it's FREE!https://www.patreon.com/c/MagicKeyAdventuresSubscribe, rate and review!People mentioned on the show:http://www.thesweepspot.com/⁠https://www.instagram.com/disneyland_day_dream/https://www.instagram.com/angelonmainstreet2024/

This episode covers how the wind industry is adapting to political and regulatory challenges, from Ørsted's legal battle to restart Revolution Wind to a wind executive preparing to row across the Atlantic for ocean conservation. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard's StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes' YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! There's something fascinating happening in the world of wind power right now. Something that tells us less about the technology itself, and more about human determination. You know the story - Danish energy giant Ørsted the world's largest offshore wind developer - spent five billion dollars building the Revolution Wind project off the coast of Rhode Island. Eighty percent complete. Three hundred and fifty thousand homes depending on the electricity. Then, one August morning, the phone rings - The new administration says: "Stop. Everything. Now." Just like that, Orsted is losing a reported two million dollars every single day the turbines sit idle. Last Monday, federal judge Royce Lamberth looked at the government's reasoning and said - and I quote - "There is no question in my mind of irreparable harm." He ordered work to resume immediately. Ørsted's stock jumped. The workers went back to their jobs. The turbines will spin again. Meanwhile, President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" has triggered something nobody saw coming: the great wind energy consolidation. Clean energy deals jumped from seven billion dollars to thirty-four billion dollars in just six months. Companies like Agilitas Energy are swooping in, buying up distressed assets from companies that may struggle with the new reality. As Barrett Bilotta from Agilitas put it: "We are on the buy side." Across the Atlantic, let's talk about France. Now, you might think the French would be leading the offshore wind revolution. After all, they've got coastline, they've got technology, they've got TotalEnergies. But you'd be wrong. Patrick Pouyanne, TotalEnergies' chief executive, put it bluntly this week: "It's hell to invest in France for regulatory reasons." Get this - it takes two and a half to three years just to bid on offshore wind projects in France. In Germany, Pouyanne can get permits twice as fast. "I don't understand," Pouyanne said, "why we're able to renovate Notre Dame Cathedral in five years and unable to build solar or wind plants at the same pace." And yet - here's the kicker - even as he criticized his home country, TotalEnergies just won the contract for France's largest offshore wind farm ever. One and a half gigawatts off the coast of Normandy. But here's where the story gets interesting. While France stumbles with red tape, parts of North America is waking up. Up in Nova Scotia, Minister Sean Fraser announced this week that Canada is moving full steam ahead with offshore wind development. They're calling it part of a sixty billion dollar opportunity. The Canadians are doing something smart: they're learning from everyone else's mistakes. Streamlined processes. Clear timelines. So what does all this tell us? It tells us that wind energy isn't just about technology anymore. It's about adaptation. It's about resilience. It's about knowing when to fight and when to pivot. Ørsted fought in court - and won. TotalEnergies called out France's bureaucracy - while quietly building their biggest offshore wind farm ever. Canada saw opportunity in others' uncertainty. And the smart money? It's buying up assets while they're cheap, knowing that the wind is a long-term investment. Speaking of people who understand resilience,

Luke's HAARP Time Warp: Part 4 Marion grows as a leader but only after some serious pain. Based on a post by somethin fishy, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Luke was glad to get out of there. Richard smelled terrible. Not only was he super obese and he smelled from that, but he had bad body odor and smelled of stale sex. He went to make his way back to his chambers, but he stopped before he got there. He had to do some recon. He explored the castle from top to bottom and stopped to have friendly chats with the guards that he came across. Luke was quickly gaining a reputation for being polite and considerate. Any maids that he crossed paths with didn't fear being attacked by him. Instead, they all stopped to have a quick chat. Through all this Luke learned that Richard was very unpopular with the men and women of the castle and only stayed in charge because he had the support of about a dozen key men. Luke also learned that the last of the men that had been openly loyal to Charles or Marion had been killed, but the general opinion was that it was for the best for they had long ago resigned from the human race and had become animals just to survive. Finally, after some hours, Luke returned to his quarters. There he found the others very tense and it didn't take long for Luke to find out why. Richard was planning on leaving within a week and was demanding that Luke's women accompany him back to his regular home. “Well, that decides it. We have to act tonight.” “Tonight? Luke are you sure?” squeaked Marion. “Yes sweetheart, I'm sure. Because if we don't act, they will find out who you really are.” Marion nodded her final agreement. The group went through all their gear and Luke shared all the intel that he had gathered. This was the first time that any of them other than Marion had seen Luke's handgun and they were all amazed. “I promise that after all this is over and if I am still alive then I shall explain everything to all of you. Marion knows most of the things about me but not all.” Chapter 16. It was almost midnight when Marion's group started their attack. Luke had instructed them that if they heard him firing then they should leave as soon as possible and not to look back; Luke wouldn't accept any arguments. Their first target was Richard's key supporters. Slip up, kill the guards quickly, then kill the key supporters. Gabriel would start off each attack with her bow. She would hide in a dark corner and shoot the guards throats out. This way they couldn't scream. Luke would then usually pick the lock and they would slip in. When they found their target, they would slit his throat and usually would have to cover the mouths of the women with them so that no one screamed. Usually, Stella would calm down the whore that was in the bed. Stella was well known in the castle and had the respect of all the woman. After everything was taken care with one target, they would move on to the next. They worked like this through all the key supporters. Eventually, they only had one target left, Richard. Problem was that he was under heavy guard by loyal men, not the run of the mill castle guards like the rest of them had been. It took almost three hours to get through all the key personal. This had the benefit that by the time they struck at Richard, most of his guards would be drowsy. Luke stopped the attack for a couple of minutes to regroup and plan out their final assault. After looking things over Luke decided that it just might be time to get the trump card out and ready. He put his sword away and pulled out his sig. Quietly he checked to make sure that there was a round in the chamber. Just as the group was starting their assault, there was a blood curdling scream from where they had just been. Their latest target had just been found. Luke moved in as soon as Gabriel had shot the door guards. Luke shot the lock out of the door after finding the door was locked. He burst into the room and this being Charles's old rooms Marion had drawn very exacting sketches so Luke knew exactly where to go. Marion and he moved fast through the rooms, clearing them as they went, while the others guarded the door. Luke and Marion killed anyone that opposed them. By the time they got to Richard, they had killed fifteen men and two women. “Who the hell are you? What do you mean by barging in here?” “Why Richard” said Marion taking off her helmet “I am insulted that you do not recognize the rightful owner of these lands.” When Richard realized just who was standing in front of him, he smiled. “Ah I see that you have returned; Marion of York. Problem is that the rightful owner already has signed over the lands.” “What do you mean?” “Cecilia, you want to come out and meet our guest for this evening?” Marion and Luke started when they caught sight of Cecilia coming out of an adjacent room “Good morning, Marion. Ever the night owl I see. Nice to see you again Luke. It will be so nice to finally have your giant cock buried inside me; but do not worry about Marion for she will have to watch while tied she's to her old bed.” “You traitor. You betray father and every person living in these lands for what? Empty promises from this tub of lard.” This pissed Cecilia off and she started to move toward Marion but Luke pointed his gun at her. “Ah so that is the “gun” that Cecilia has told me so much about. And before you ask and waste more time, I know that it was you, Luke, who killed my son and his men. And now I think that it is time for all of your people to die.” Richard then whistled and his men started coming out of hiding. Luke was faster though. As soon as he heard Richard whistle, he shot Richard dead by double tapping him in the heart. Now he had to get Marion and the rest of the team out of this ambush. Luke shot any soldier that he saw while Marion was busy cutting down more. They worked their way back to the door, only to find a battle royal going on. The team was in serious trouble. They were heavily outnumbered and Gabriel was out of arrows. Luke had to act and act fast. He slapped another clip in and started to walk and shoot. Richard's men unfamiliar with such a device got nervous and broke. The team took full advantage of this and made their break for it. They had left hidden ropes so that they could make their escape. All they had to do was get to them. As they were running, Gabriel caught an arrow in her leg. She wanted the rest of the team to leave her and get out, but Luke wouldn't hear of it. “You never leave a team member behind, Gabriel. Now come on, let's get the fuck out of here.” Luke picked Gabriel up and threw her over his massive shoulder in a fireman's carry. This way Luke could still fight and Gabriel could shoot her bow as she got the arrows. As the team was getting through one of the doors, Tom was taken down. He had just helped Pollyanna get out for she had turned her ankle and was limping when a swordsman came out of nowhere and ran Tom threw. Pollyanna turned as quickly as she could and killed the swordsman. Stella came out then and seeing Tom lying dead started cursing. She turned to go back in and kill as many bastards as she could find but Marion got to her first and pulled her towards the ropes. Alice got them first and got everything ready for the rest. Marion came up with Stella and Pollyanna. Stella went down first, followed by Pollyanna and Alice. Marion in the meantime waited for Luke and Gabriel. She didn't have long to wait either. Luke came up and Marion was horrified. Luke had numerous cuts across his armor and placed that were not armored were bleeding badly, but Luke was so full of adrenaline that he didn't even notice. He went over with Gabriel hanging on to his back, for dear life, for they had to go down almost forty feet. Marion was the last over and made it down safely but almost didn't. When she was only ten feet from the ground, someone cut her rope and when she landed, she got herself a bad ankle sprain. Thankfully for all their sakes their horses were nearby and they were able to get out of town without too much hassle. Granted this meant that they had to kill the guard at the gate they used and had to lower the drawbridge themselves, still all things considered not bad. Chapter 17. The team had a long ride ahead of them to get back to their campsite, and they were all exhausted. As the team put distance between themselves and the town, their injuries began to make themselves known. Not one of them had managed to escape unscathed. Luke had numerous cuts, especially on his legs and near his hands. Pollyanna had a twisted ankle and was now missing two fingers on her left hand. Gabriel still had the arrow sticking out of her leg and had numerous other cuts. Marion was cut up bad and had a strained ankle. Stella was missing a finger on her right hand and was an emotional wreck after losing Tom. Alice was now missing part of an ear and had a very dramatic cut running down her jawline. Just before daybreak the group finally had to stop. They picked the thickest woods that they could find so that they would at least have some cover until they recovered a bit. Since Alice was the most talented medic in the group, she took charge of tended the wounds while Luke was her adviser. It took Alice almost two hours to tend to the team's wounds while Luke tended to hers. As soon as Marion was taken care of, she started cooking some food for everyone. It wasn't much, just a little bit of stew that Marion made up with the food that was in their saddlebags. “Well Marion, what is going to be our next move for we cannot go anywhere near York now?” asked Stella. “I don't know, Stella. I don't know.” Luke could see and feel the mood of the group get even darker now. He knew that he would have to step in but he had to be careful for he wanted Marion to grow into the leader that he knew she was capable of being. But right now, he had to keep the group together long enough for Marion to learn how to led. “Excuse me ladies but I think that we need to get back to our campsite and hunker down until things calm down a bit. After all, if Cecilia's forces catch us it's pretty much a sure thing that we will all be killed as painfully as possible.” When the rest of the group was far enough away, Luke pulled Marion to him and talked quietly; “Marion, never ever say that you “I don't know” when asked what to do ever again. Do you hear me?” she just stared at Luke for he was frigid. “Those three words will destroy a unit faster than any kind of enemy action. As the leader it's your job to know what to do even when you don't. If you truly want to be a leader then you need to take this advice to heart.” With that Luke helped Marion onto her horse and then mounted his. With the thought of Cecilia chasing them, to keep them company, the group set out again. Luke was worried about Gabriel's leg but right now he had more important worries for Cecilia's troops were starting to get out this far to look for them. The team slipped away as quietly as possible and keep moving though the day. As one member would sleep another one would guide that person's horse. Finally, they got back to their camp from which they had set off from just a couple of days before. Back at camp, the mood was somber for they had lost their friend and comrade, Tom. Emotions ran from just sad for Luke to furious from Stella. This wasn't the first time Luke had lost people in combat and he knew that it wouldn't be the last. Stella in the meanwhile was dealing with a bad case of survivor guilt. Everyone else in camp was between these two extremes. Since it was late in the afternoon, Luke started cooking supper. Yes, it was time to mourn but things still needed to be done, like cleaning his weapons and mending his clothes. As he was cleaning his Sig, Alice came up to him and asked: “Luke, are you going to tell us about that thing and about yourself now?” Luke looked at the others and saw that they wanted the answers. “Can we eat first and then after dinner I will show you all everything?” “I guess.” Alice replied melodramatically. “Thank you.” Dinner that evening was quiet to say the least. The only talking was to ask for food and to say thanks. Luke had managed a hearty venison stew for supper and there was enough left over for breakfast the following morning. After the dishes had been cleaned Luke pulled all of his gear out of hiding. This was going to be the first time that even Marion had seen all his gear. Sure, she had seen the cases, but she had never seen Luke open them. “Ladies, before I show you what I have to show and before I tell what all I have to tell; I must demand that you swear an oath of silence for if the wrong people, like Cecilia, get ahold of the information that I know, the world as you know it could come to an end. If you cannot do this then you need to leave now.” All of the women nodded their heads, agreeing to his terms. Luke started with his rifle. It was one of his most prized weapons, even before getting thrown back into the middle ages. It was a .338 caliber with a Leupold scope on it. With this rifle and the Lapua ammo that he was packing, he could shoot someone between the eyes at almost 1500 meters. Gabriel was amazed with this and Luke could see that she really wanted to try shooting it. “Gabriel” Luke continued once she looked him in the eye “I promise that I will teach you how to use this weapon, as soon as I can start making ammo for it. You will understand why in a little bit.” Luke then pulled out his computer and powered it up. During the last few months, he had taken it out periodically to make sure that the battery stayed charged. He had charged it with his solar powered charging station. When his laptop finished booting up, he started explaining: “Now this devise is called a computer. This one in particular probably holds more information than if you combined all the current knowledge on this planet. Stored in here are text on medicine, engineering, math, geography, economics, general science, and physics. I also have a large selection of music and many pictures of my past life.” “How can all that be stored in that little thing?” asked Marion. “Well, it's kind of hard to explain but let me see if I can massively simplify it so that you all can hopefully understand. The information is stored in a form called bytes. That's the basic building block of all computer languages. A byte is kind of like a letter. Computers like mine can store trillions upon trillions of bytes. Does that make any sense? Computer science was never my strong suit.” “Somewhat” the women responded. “Okay. Now it's time I tell you all my biggest secret. Now before I tell the rest of you; I will tell you that Marion already knows. Okay here it goes.” Luke took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “You know this to be the year 1065 A D. Where I am from it was the year 2021 A D.” All the women, except Marion, had the same stunned look. “Yes, I am from almost a thousand years in the future and as such I not only carry huge amounts of scientific information but I also know the general outline of European history for the next almost thousand years.” When the ladies heard this: Alice passed out, Stella and Pollyanna gasped, and Gabriel looked thoughtful. Only Marion didn't react. “So that's why you have been so quiet about yourself!” exclaimed Gabriel “And I agree with you as it happens. If the information that you possess gets into the wrong hands then the world would change in every way possible and most likely not for the better. Every king and petty noble would want to get their hands on you to learn about their future and then try to change that future to suit them. Problem would be that if you start changing the events then you change the history too.” Luke just nodded at her; he was thankful that Gabriel understood. When Luke looked at Marion, he expected to see anger. Instead, he saw complete love for she now understood why Luke had been so quiet about himself. “Now gather round ladies” Luke said after everyone recovered “I want to show you all my previous life.” Over the next two hours, Luke showed everyone pictures of his pervious life. Everything from his time in the marines, to growing up with his family, to Mackenzie's family, to pictures of his company and some of the projects that he had worked on, all over the world. He also showed them pictures of the places that he had been to and the people that he had seen. Then after promising that she would take upmost care of it, Luke loaned his computer to Alice and Pollyanna. To Alice so that she could study his medical books, and Pollyanna so that she could study the engineering text that was stored with the provision that they only study of about an hour a day so that they wouldn't suffer eye strain. “Okay ladies, time for a brief history lesson, well my history. There is a storm coming. It will start next year when King Edward dies. He will name Herold Godwinson as his successor. Two problems with this though. Herold's brother believed that he should have been named king and gets the king of Norway to support him. The Vikings would invade England, but would be almost animated by Herold's forces. The other problem came from Normandy, and his name was… well is William, Duke of Normandy. Apparently, Edward had also promised him the throne before he gave it to Herold. William would also invade England, but he would beat Herold's troops at the Battle of Hastings. During the battle Herold will die from an arrow to his eye, and William would be forever be known as William the Conqueror. This would be the last time that England would be successfully invaded. During the 1200's, England would control almost all of France but would be eventually driven out completely. England would then turn their attention North and after almost five hundred years of intermittent struggle would conquer Scotland. Eventually they would conquer Ireland as well and would be known as Great Britain. There will be at least two civil wars that I can remember fought over the English crown. The first one was in the 1400's, and was called the War of the Roses and was fought between the houses of Lancaster and York. Eventually the house of York would win but it was a very long and bloody struggle. The second civil war would be in the mid to late 1600's and this one would cement the power of Parliament over the King, for the winner of that war was the forces of Parliament, under the command of a man named Oliver Cromwell and the King would end up losing his head. Eventually the monarchy would be restored but they would remain at best equal with Parliament. After this civil war Britain would eventually go on to rule over one quarter of the globe, and would be one of the most influential empires the world has ever seen. Now by my time the idea of the divine rights of Kings would be dead and the people ruled over themselves. Most of the time this was a better thing then having a king and at other times; well let me say that anyone, no matter at what level they were born at can be just as cruel, for instead of kings or dukes, we had dictators or juntas. Both of these usually came to power through the military and for the most part, as long as they had military support then they would stay in power. Now where I am from, we were once part of the British empire, but fought a war with them and kicked them out in the late 1700's. Over the next 200+ years we would be ruled be the same type of government with only one civil war. That type of government was a constitutional republic that was set up with three separate branches of government that were designed to fight with each other so that none of the three could gain too much power. Also it was what is known as a federal type government, meaning that the national government shared power with the provincial, state was the term that we used, governments and local governments. Another provision in the way our government was set up was the minority would also get to have a say in government and not get rode over by the majority. As if that wasn't enough, the men that set up our government made sure that the people would be able to have their say in government. They even made sure to protect the peoples to firearms so that if somehow the government did become too strong the people could rise up against it. Was our government prefect? Of course not. But was the most stable form of government, over the long term, that humans have ever came up with.” When Luke was done, he was exhausted and all the women sat stunned. They could hardly believe what all Luke had told them, but once they thought it through, they could see the merits of the people wielding power and protections being put in place to protect the minority as well as the majority. Eventually Marion was able to speak up: “Wow, no wonder why you are so afraid to tell people what you know.” Luke just looked at her with sad eyes and nodded. Marion was thrilled and terrified at the same time. She was thrilled because she finally knew everything there was to know about Luke and she was terrified for the same reason. “So, with all those advances were there still diseases and famines?” asked Alice “Yes, although most diseases would be curable in my time and smallpox would be eradicated. Famines still stuck with amazing fluency, especially in Africa and parts of Asia. Most of the time the cause was human related, usually wars or the mismanagement of natural resources at the hands of a corrupt government. Sometimes though, the weather patterns would change and an area would have a series of bad harvest and that would set off famines. And before you ask yes, we still had wars a plenty and they were usually fought the same petty reasons as they are fought for in this time. Only in my time, wars could have casualties in the millions of people and we had weapons that could obliterate the largest cities on Earth. We had enough of these weapons that we could eliminate all the humans on Earth.” “Oh” Alice looked very sad and she even shed a tear hearing Luke. Eventually Marion stood up and stretched. “Well now, I do believe that it is time for us all to lay down and try to get some sleep for tomorrow we need to get focused on surviving and figuring out our next move.” No one moved but Luke. He was the only one that moved towards getting ready for bed. “Marion, I'm scared” confessed Gabriel “your sister will never stop hunting us and unlike you, none of us have skills that are useful out in the world.” “You all have skills” responded Marion “You Gabriel are an amazing fighter and a lot of fun to be around. Alice, you have an interest in real medicine. One of the only people in our world that can say that. Pollyanna, your skills lay in engineering and science. Stella, you Milady are one hell of a leader and I suspect that one day you may be quite famous. We all have our own talents and skills; the trick is knowing how to harness them.” “Still, I'm not only scared for next year but also tomorrow and next week.” Marion gave her a warm smile. “I know the feeling and I get over it by curling up in Luke's arms” They all looked to Luke now. “But...” Marion cut her off with a finger over Gabriel's lips. “Come with me.” Marion and Gabriel went over to where Luke was laying down. Marion then slowly stripped Gabriel's clothes off and Gabriel returned the favor for Marion. Once they were both naked, they laid down with Luke. Marion made sure that Gabriel took the spot right next to Luke so that she could feel all of Luke's body. Luke looked up at Marion with alarm, but Marion just gave him a warm smile and mouthed to him to be gentle. What followed was a whirlwind for Gabriel. She had never been naked with any man and here she was now with a gentle giant. Not only that but Marion was also pressed up against her, encouraging her to be herself and have fun. Luke went slow with Gabriel. He started off be slowly rubbing his hands all over her body feeling her muscles, her tits, her stomach, the pubes, her legs. At first Gabriel was so nervous that she thought that she might be sick. That disappeared when Marion gave her a tender kiss that she had poured all her passion into. Gabriel could feel the love in it and her tension melted away. Finally, her hands started coming to life as well. She started off rubbing Marion because that was the way the Gabriel was facing. Gabriel was amazed at how soft and smooth Marion was, and yet she could feel the power that Marion possessed just under her skin. Eventually though, Gabriel's attention was pulled to the monster that was poking her in her ass. She was amazed when she first felt it. It felt like the size of a horse and it was hot. She could also feel the ridges caused by Luke's veins and she was amazed that something could be so hard and yet so soft feeling at the same time. Gabriel had started to get wet while she had been rubbing Marion, but in feeling Luke, she started to get soaked between her legs. Soon she felt a hand trying to get between her legs, so Gabriel opened up. What came next was the best thing that she had ever felt. It felt like there was an inferno burning between her legs, but Gabriel wanted it to continue. Before long she started to wonder just who's hand was causing her to feel so good and it didn't take long for her to find out for when she looked at Luke, one of his hands was rubbing her tit and his other one was propping his head up so that he could get a better view. That meant that the hand that was making her so hot belonged to Marion. Gabriel had never given a thought as to what it might be like, being with another woman, but she figured what the hell. Within minutes, Gabriel's hips were humping Marion's hand by themselves and Gabriel was having a hard time making noise never mind actually speaking. Finally, she started to shake like a leaf and she saw bright flashes in her eyes. When she finished, she felt like a wet rag for she had a very hard time moving. She tried to open her eyes, but even the dim light from the fire was too much for her to handle at the moment. Marion was giggling as Gabriel struggled to come back to her senses. Once she had come back to her senses enough to be able to function again, Gabriel looked over and into Luke's eyes. She gave him a silent promise that she would never, ever abandon either him or Marion. With that she gently pushed Luke onto his back and with a bit of final encouragement from Marion; Gabriel mounted Luke. At first, she had some problems getting lined up, but a little help from Marion holding Luke's cock; Gabriel figured it out. She slowly made her way down Luke's shaft thoroughly enjoying every bit of it. Finally, Gabriel felt Luke's cock run into her hymen and with a deep breath forced Luke through and he was inside her. Marion gently kissed the tears from Gabriel's face while Gabriel sat perfectly still. It felt like she was being split open by Luke, but she had no desire to remove Luke from inside her. Eventually, the heat from Luke's cock combined with her own heat encouraged Gabriel to start moving. What came next was like seeing another beautiful world for the first time. She slowly built-up speed as her pussy figured out what it liked the best. As she had been moving, Luke had been matching her. Thrust for thrust, move for move. Together they travelled toward a massive orgasm. As Gabriel rode Luke, Marion was busy kissing Gabriel's nipples and rubbing her clit. Gabriel had simply never imagined that she could ever feel this good. As he got close, Luke tried to pull out of her cunt, but Gabriel wasn't having any of it. She knew why Luke was almost desperate to pull out of her, but she didn't care and more to the point, kind of hoped that she would get knocked up. Once Gabriel had made her command known, Luke began to unleash his little swimmers. He first six large shots up inside her and the pulsing of his organ set Gabriel off with an orgasm that might have caused her injury if Marion hadn't been there to hold her and keep her safe. Gently Marion helped Gabriel lay down between Luke and herself. Gabriel couldn't have fought back even if she had wanted to for she had passed out form her orgasm. Luke and Marion formed a human sandwich with Gabriel holding the place of honor between them and within minutes all three had passed out. Chapter 18. Two months earlier. Lucy and Cecilia had just set off after it was decided that Luke and Marion would stay and try to kill Richard. Cecilia though had plans of her own. On the way to Lincoln, she and Lucy talked and Lucy filled Cecilia in on everything Richard had been doing. This was important to Cecilia's plans, plus she wanted Lucy to feel safe. Once the two got to Lincoln, Cecilia led Lucy to a different inn then she had stayed at when she was with Marion and Luke. This inn was one that Cecilia actually owned under an alias. The inn was one of the fronts that Cecilia used to force woman and girls into the sex trade. Cecilia figured that Lucy was good enough looking that she might just be worth a fair amount of money. The inn keeper had strict orders to never acknowledge Cecilia in public. Cecilia was to be treated the same as anyone else. Cecilia would always initiate the contact, usually after most everyone had got to bed for Cecilia had her secrets too. Cecilia's biggest secret was that she was actually extremely intelligent. She had figured out though, at a very young age, that if she played the clumsy fool then no one would expect anything of her and would generally leave her alone. Another one of Cecilia's secrets was that she had killed so many people that she had actually lost count. She either had killed them herself or had ordered their death. By this point in her life, she had built the most powerful crime network in the British islands, and one of the largest in Europe. She dealt in everything from stolen church artifacts to slaves. From commanding pirates on the open seas to highway men on land, she was into everything. Basically, if she could make money from someone else's suffering she did it. She even extorted church officials for land, forgiveness, and money. Once Lucy had gone to sleep, which didn't take long for Lucy was exhausted, Cecilia made contact with her henchmen. In this world she was known by the name Elizabeth and she was not a person that any sane person would ever cross. “That other woman in my room, get her. Just make sure that you idiots don't damage the goods too badly this time. I lost good money with the last bitch you idiots captured.” “Yes ma'am” they barked and were off. Cecilia sat, by herself in a corner, enjoying a good pint when she heard Lucy get captured and a cold smile came across her face. She then heard the soft thud of her men knocking Lucy out. Lucy's life was now for all real purposes over for she was now just one of Cecilia's sex slaves and would be taken to a coastal brothel take specialized in catering to sailors. After Cecilia had finished her pint and food, she went up to bed where the first thing she did was to collect all of Lucy's former possessions. Among them was the money that Luke and Marion had given her. When Cecilia counted it out, she was amazed at how stupid Marion and Luke were for they had given Lucy almost fifty pounds. Lucy quickly pocketed this and went to bed where she slept just as peacefully as she always did. The next morning, after breakfast, she sent a message to Richard telling him that William was dead and that Marion was still alive. She went on to explain briefly about the stranger that had interfered and ruined all their plans. When she was done dictating, the scribe read it back to her and she approved by using her ring to seal the letter. After the message was off, Cecilia spent the rest of the day on business. She had been away for a while and had a lot to catch up on. By that evening she was finally done and was feeling extra horny; so, she went to her special brothel where she could get some well-hung guy either fuck her senseless or rock her gently all night long, depending on her mood. Tonight, she was in the mood to get pounded senseless all night long. She would have to switch out men for they were always so weak but that was just one of the facts of life. When she got there, she got a surprise for there was a large black man that had just came in and she just had to get a piece of that. Cecilia took him up to her room where she ordered him to strip so that she could inspect the goods. She so enjoyed making big, strong men feel powerless. When he finally got naked, Cecilia carefully inspected the man. He had well developed muscles, a large almost pitch-black cock, and he was tall at about six foot. He actually kind of reminded Cecilia of Luke in demeanor but Luke was white, was taller, a little larger cock, and bigger muscles. This man though was far, far better than anything else that was available so Cecilia was happy. She made the man go down on her and eat her to her first orgasm of the evening. She never sucked cock for she wanted the men to last longer inside her. Before Cecilia started fucking herself on his cock, she made sure that he understood the penalty for him cumming too soon. If he cum before Cecilia had cum at least once, then she would castrate him, fry his balls in front of him, and force him to slowly eat them. He was bigger than anyone she had ever had inside her and she was thoroughly stretched out. Cecilia absolutely loved the color contrast between her body and the man she was with. She was snow white while he was dark brown. Needless to say, that Cecilia had no problems with this guy for he fucked her until she had to actually beg for him to fill her cunt with cum, before he pumped her full of juice. Before Cecilia began the night, she figured that she would end up going through several men, but now she could barely move, never mind go look for another guy, so she passed out for the night, after telling the guy to get out. So was Cecilia's life for the next week or so. Wake up whenever she felt like it, take care of business until supper. After supper, she went to get her brains screwed out by her now favorite gigolo. She was a bit worried that she might get pregnant but the sex was far too good to stop and with her stress levels getting fucked senseless every night by a dark piece of forbidden fruit was just what she needed. After eight days, she got a response from Richard. In it he thanked her for the news of his son and also offered to marry her, seeing as he had his own wife killed after suspecting her of cheating on him even though, he kept a harem for himself. Cecilia agreed but with the stipulation that she be made his sole heir and that their marriage be kept an absolute secret. After almost three weeks of back and forth, Cecilia and Richard had come to an agreement. Cecilia would get most everything that she wanted, Richard would keep his harem and Cecilia would pay Richard 2000 pounds. While this was a significant amount of money for Cecilia, it meant that she would by her own calculation be in control of most of Northern England. For she knew something that Richard didn't. Luke, Marion's boy toy, was still out there, he was extremely dangerous, and that he actually cared about the filthy masses. Cecilia figured that sooner or later he would make a move to get rid of Richard and she also figured that Luke would succeed with that. Richard kept his end of the bargain so Cecilia kept hers. She privately figured that she would have all her money back within a month or two especially once she had figured out that Luke had already been in the castle and had met Richard once. Not only that but Richard's men were being attacked by mysterious forces in the areas outside of town, and some of the dead were left where they could be easily spotted from the castle walls. Privately Cecilia figured that Richard had only a month left and she wasn't far off. Within two weeks of the extremely private wedding Luke and Marion struck. As soon as the attack had been driven off Cecilia commanded her most trusted lieutenant: “Go and seal Luke's chambers. Kill anyone that tries to get in or out and wait for me to get there before going in.” “Yes ma'am.” And off he went. When Cecilia examined the armor on the one dead intruder, she was completely amazed at how well it was made and how well it had worked for it was a very lucky strike that took him down. Some of the soldiers identified the man as Tom. It seems that he was one of the soldiers that Luke had chosen to accompany him when he went to look for Richard's son. The other man hadn't been seen at all. The other women were all identified as fresh whores that Richard's men had captured and Richard hadn't had an opportunity to fuck before Luke took them. The thing was that when they had come back, they were all much stronger both mentally and physically then when they had left with Luke. When Cecilia went to investigate Luke's chambers, she was discouraged to find that none of his gear was there. In fact, it didn't look like anyone had been in there for days. Publicly Cecilia spoke about taking strong action against her rebellious little sister and her minions. Privately however, Cecilia was terrified. Marion had almost succeeded and if it hadn't been for the measures that Cecilia had just barely got put in place, Marion most likely would have succeeded. Cecilia knew that she might not be so lucky the next time for she had tipped her hand when Richard called her into the room with him, just before he was killed. Plus, Marion and especially Luke had a knack for winning over the lower classes; while Cecilia hated and was hated by the lower classes. One more thing to turn her world over was that she got word that her favorite gigolo had escaped. It had apparently been quite a bloody thing with five of her best people being killed in the process. He had then got a spot on a ship and had left England for parts unknown. She had made her decision with the rising sun on the morning after the attack; she ordered her armorers to do their best to duplicate the armor that was captured with Tom. Tom's body was beheaded and his head was put on a pikestaff in the town square and his body was burned to ash. Cecilia then made it known that there was a 500-pound reward for the capture of Luke and Marion. The only stipulation was that they had to be taken alive. Cecilia then put a 250-pound reward on the other team member's heads. She also made it known that aiding them in any way was punishable by a very slow and painful death. That done, she then worked on putting a better training program in place for her troops. For they would have to be very well trained and motivated to even stand a chance against Marion. Chapter 19. The next morning, Gabriel woke up more rested than she had felt in years, granted her leg was still throbbing and her pussy was sore, but that was to be expected. At first, she was confused as to why she had slept so well, then she remembered and started to feel guilty because she felt that she had taken advantage of Luke and made herself a promise right there that would never happen again. The next thing she noticed was that it was light out and she was alone. As she looked around, she could hear Luke and Marion talking quietly. Finally, she forced herself to stand and wrapped the blanket around her body. She limped to where everyone else was at. She was hit with the smell of breakfast; the sound of blades being sharpened, and the music that was coming from Luke's computer. “Well look at what the cat drug in.” chirped Alice and to Gabriel's embarrassment everyone including Luke laughed. Her embarrassment deepened when Stella pointed out Gabriel's rapidly reddening checks and the dried cum on her legs and the group laughed harder. Marion actually fell off the stump that she was sitting on she was laughing so hard. Gabriel couldn't run away so eventually she started laughing with the group. As she laughed, she felt her guilt melt away. After all Marion had insisted on sharing Luke with her and Gabriel was very thankful that her first time was with a man that knew how to take proper care of her. She then noticed just how hungry she was as Pollyanna handed her a bowl of left-over stew and a piece of bread. “So, Marion, what's our game plan now?” Gabriel asked. “Well, you are restricted to camp until your leg heals and don't even think about arguing. You can still make arrows and other gear without leaving camp. The rest of us will be taking turns posting lookouts around the camp. When not on lookout duty or hunting, we will be training hard and working on developing better arms and armor. After your leg heals, then we will start collecting fresh intel on Cecilia. She might be better than Richard, but I highly doubt it. I figure that her harsh policies will start to drive people out of their homes and when that happens, we will encourage them to join us. Once we are strong enough then we will strike again. This time we will have even more advanced weapons, much better intel, and most importantly won't be underestimating Cecilia. “So, what happens if we are discovered before I heal?” “Well then we fight. There are booby traps hidden all around camp that enemy troops are sure to fall into. By the time they get through, we should be able to have our horses saddled and get out of here with all of our gear. If we fail, well then we fight and die here.” Gabriel looked like she had turned into a ghost she was so pale. Marion had changed and until that moment, no one had realized just how much Marion had changed. Marion was starting to show the makings of becoming a great Queen. The rest of the women also caught Marion's change and quickly came to the same conclusion as Gabriel. Not only that, they all privately had come to the realization that they would follow Marion into the pits of hell itself. Gabriel then limped over and picked up her sword. She took it out and walking up to Marion kneeled in front of her and offered her the sword and swore an oath of absolute loyally until Gabriel's dying breath. The rest of the group following, including Luke much to everyone's surprise. Everyone had figured that Luke's loyalty was already a given. Through this Marion's cheeks were red with embarrassment. After Luke had finished, Marion swore her loyalty to the group to her dying day. She would gladly die to defend them. This all this done, Marion started giving the team their individual assignments and their watch rotation. Marion made sure that she spent at least as much time on watch during the difficult times of day as the rest of them. She also made sure that everyone had at least a couple of hours a day to relax a bit. The next month was busy for the team. An infection had set into Gabriel's leg and she almost died. Only Alice's dedication and Luke's knowledge had saved her. Marion had gotten over her morning sickness, finally. The rest of the team had fully recovered although Stella still had bouts of survivor's guilt. She kept this at bay by working her ass off and reminding herself that she would get her revenge. Eventually the group started to extend the area that they patrolled. Included in that area was one of the main roads to York. At first, they just watched the traffic and looked for patterns. They noticed that a lot of the traffic was iron ore, food, horses, and textiles and it was all headed for York. Traffic coming from York was very light to say the least and mostly consisted of empty carts that had transported in supplies. At first Marion wondered if Cecilia had come to her senses and had started to care for the people. This idea was forever chased out when she and Alice came across a young man one day by the side of the road. He was barely alive and he wasn't much more than a skeleton with skin. Between the two of them, they easily picked the man up and carried him to their camp. Of course, they blindfolded him after explaining that it was for their safety. The man was so weak that he couldn't have resisted anyway. Once back in camp, Alice went to work on tending to the man's wounds while Marion questioned him. At first Marion would keep her name a secret. She could see no need to give away any more information then was necessary. “So, what is your name, lad?” “Robin.” “Where are you from and where are you going?” “Where I was from was burnt to the ground a week ago and no longer exist. As to where I was going, well I hope that it is heaven for I am not long for this world.” “Now there is no need to think like that. This woman here is an amazing doctor. Now what can you tell me of Cecilia?” “She is pure evil and I bet that the devil himself would be kinder. At first everyone hoped that she would be better than Richard, but hopes of that were dashed within days of Marion's brave, but unsuccessful attack. First Cecilia put out a reward of 500 pounds for Marion and her friend Luke, but they have to be brought in alive. The rest of the group has a 250 pound reward on their heads. I highly doubt though that anyone is fooled by her anymore; for if they did bring in one of the outlaws, Cecilia would have them killed before they could even count out the reward money. Then she raised everyone's taxes even more. Not only that but rumors are that she is extorting the churches in the district into handing over most of their money and artifacts so that she can pay for her soldiers. She is building a massive army but no one really knows why. I mean, after all Marion and her group are most likely dead for nobody has seen or heard them since the attack.” With that Robin bowed his head and started to softly cry. Marion stood up and went over to Luke, who was out of the visitor's line of sight. “You heard?” “Yep. What do you want to do?” Marion looked at Robin for a second. “We will keep him with us as long as Alice can heal him. We will also start attacking Cecilia's troops, but only if we catch them mistreating civilians. When we do attack, we will make sure to do so only in areas away from here. We will also let it be known through the land that we are in fact not dead and are looking for volunteers willing to fight for justice and liberty.” “I agree. When are you planning on telling Robin who you are?” “Soon honey. Soon.” Marion said patting Luke's cheek. Marion returned to Robin and helped Alice by putting cool, damp rags on Robin's forehead to help keep him cool. After he had passed out and was sleeping soundly, Marion quietly called a meeting to announce the new plans. She strictly forbid the use of any of their names around Robin until they were sure of him. She figured about a week or so before they could revile just who they were. The rest of the group nodded their heads in agreement with her. Chapter 20. Marion returns with vengeance. The next week was an extremely busy one for Marion's crew. It had been touch and go for Robin, but he was now starting to mend slowly. They also had their first encounter with Cecilia's men since they had gone into hiding. Pollyanna and Stella had been coming back from a scouting trip when they almost literally stumbled on a group of Cecilia's men raping five women that they had taken from a local village. Since they had the element of surprise and there were only five bastards, Stella quickly made the choice to strike. While Pollyanna stayed hidden in the brush, Stella worked her way around the group. Once she was on the other side, which had only taken her five minutes, she signaled Pollyanna and she signaled back. With that the angel of death spread its wings over the men and within seconds they were all dead, for while neither Stella or Pollyanna were in Gabriel's league; they were no slouches either and the range here was only about 10 meters. They then stepped out of hiding to make sure all the men were dead and to check on the women. The women were so scared that a couple of them peed themselves. First, they had been taken for payment because their families couldn't pay the outrageous taxes that Cecilia was charging. Then when their guards had stopped for lunch, the women were brutally raped for dessert. Then without warning arrows flew out of the woods, killing the guards. Then two very strangely dressed men came out of the woods and checked on the guards. They had to be men for they were wearing pants and had on strange green overcoats that had hoods on them that covered their faces. Then the older one spoke, these “men” were actually women and they removed their hoods. The women that had been raped started crying for they had hope that they might now be safe. Prior to Cecilia's reign of terror, they had been part of successful families that usually didn't have to worry about paying their taxes or putting food on the table, but now they were beyond dirt poor. “Do any of you know who we are?” Asked the younger woman warmly. All five women shook their heads. “Well then introductions are in order then. My name is Pollyanna and I am an engineer. My companion here is Stella, and she is my immediate superior. We are both followers of Marion of York” All five of the women's reactions were about the same. They were shocked beyond belief for they had thought that Marion and her followers had all died. In fact, nobody believed that they were still alive. “Thank you for rescuing us” one of the younger women said quietly. The woman named Stella responded with a smile. “No thanks are necessary. We do have a couple of small favors to ask before we escort you home.” “What are they?” sharply asked the same woman that had spoken up before. “Hey calm yourself if you please. We ask that once all of you have gotten dressed you help us get these bastards off the road. The other thing we ask that you quietly tell people just who's group rescued you.” Again, the women nodded their heads only this time there was no hesitation. They quickly got dressed and then helped Stella and Pollyanna get the bastards off the road and hidden. After the dead were hidden, Pollyanna brought their horses up and loaded all the looted gear up. Going through their loot, they found a total of five pounds ten shillings which Stella divided between the raped women. For Stella and Pollyanna this was no big deal but for the other five this was a godsend for them. They did suggest that the women hide the money so that it wouldn't get stolen from them. After making sure that everything was ready, they set off. Stella made the decision to give the women an escort back to their villages and since Pollyanna didn't have too much to do for the rest of the day went with them. Along the way, the women were full of questions about everything it seemed but especially Marion. Stella and Pollyanna answered most of the questions but not all. They were silent about where they were hiding and they refused to talk about what all they had been doing since the attack. They did answer the questions that pertained to the group's goals. The women had a hard time believing that Marion was aiming toward making all people equal in the law's eyes and giving everyone the opportunity to prove themselves and succeed in life. As the group was coming up to a bend in the road, Pollyanna suddenly stopped and quietly signaled the group to get off the road fast. Stella was the last into hiding: “What's up?” “I heard horses.” “Well, we know what to do with them. Ladies listen to me and listen well. You need to hide. If anything happens to us run and make sure to scatter so that if one of you are found then the rest will still have a chance.” Stella said as she was unlimbering her bow and making sure that her arrows were ready as Pollyanna quickly followed suit. Within minutes a troop of cavalry came around the corner and they were wearing Cecilia's colors. Stella counted twenty men and numerous pack horses as they drew back their bows. Both of them had a new type of bow that Luke had designed. It was far more powerful than anything else in existence and was capable of being shot rapidly. To be continued in part 5, Based on a post by somethin fishy, for Sex Stories.

Le Salon Normandy Horse Meet'up à Deauville. by Radio Balances

On 14 October 1066, the armies of William, the Duke of Normandy, and the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson clashed near Hastings in one of the most famous battles in history and one that would decide the fate of the English throne. We all know the outcome, but how and why did the battle take place? To answer this question, Dan returns with another explainer episode to tell the incredible story of how William was able to defeat Harold on that bloody day in 1066 to become King of England.Written by Dan Snow, produced by McKenna Fernandez and edited by Matthew Wilson & Dougal Patmore.Did you know you can watch this episode on Dan's YouTube Channel? Check it out on https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastWe'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Holland is the author of Cassino '44, The Savage Storm, Brothers in Arms, Sicily '43, Normandy '44, Big Week, The Rise of Germany, and The Allies Strike Back in the War in the West trilogy, Burma '44, and Dam Busters. He has written and presented the BAFTA shortlisted documentaries Battle of Britain and Dam Busters for the BBC. He is also the co-host of the brilliant WW2 Pod with Al Murray. Get a copy of his brilliant book Cassino '44: The Brutal Battle for Rome, you won't regret it: https://amzn.to/4gB8OZ2 Listen to the podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/34VlAepHmeloDD76RX4jtc?si=6695d3eef52944c0 Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oil and gas giant TotalEnergies has won a contract to build "Centre Manche 2", a 1.5 GW wind farm off the coast of Normandy.  Planned to go onstream in 2033, the €4.5 billion project will generate electricity for some 6 million households and boost France's overall wind power generation. Plus, with the price of gold hitting record highs, more and more French shoppers are selling their gold jewellery and investing in the precious metal. 

D-Day was an invasion that broke a fortress. Joshua 1 is God's command to invade darkness with courage and obedience. This message links the cost at Normandy to the church's call today: enter enemy-held territory, work as one body, send and support workers, and see captives set free in Jesus. Texts: Joshua 1:1–9, Ephesians 6:12, Colossians 1:13, Acts 1–2.https://TakingTheLandPodcast.comSUBSCRIBE TO PREMIUM FOR MORE:• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $3/month on Supercast⁠: https://taking-the-land.supercast.com/⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $3.99/month on Spotify⁠: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/taking-the-land/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠Subscribe for only $4.99/month on Apple Podcasts⁠: https://apple.co/3vy1s5b⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Next steps:• Pray and ask God where to go or give• Talk with your pastor about readiness• Support missionaries and church plants• Share this and invite a friendChapters00:00 The Treasure Beneath the Waves02:45 The Call to Give05:36 The Power of Willingness in Giving08:48 The Joy of Generosity11:45 Acknowledging God's Ownership14:53 The Urgency of Action17:43 The Need for Invasion20:55 Preparing for a Worldwide Mission23:11 The Historical Context of Invasion26:18 The Spiritual Battle29:20 The Need for Courage32:13 The Call to Action35:06 The Promise of Victory38:25 The Necessity of Teamwork in Invasion44:58 The Power of Unity and Contribution49:12 The Role of the Church as the Body of Christ53:05 The Invasion of Salvation and Deliverance58:15 The Call to Action and ReadinessShow NotesALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD EVANGELISMLocate a CFM Church near you: https://cfmmap.orgWe need five-star reviews! Tell the world what you think about this podcast at: • Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3vy1s5b • Podchaser: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/taking-the-land-cfm-sermon-pod-43369

James Holland is the author of Cassino '44, The Savage Storm, Brothers in Arms, Sicily '43, Normandy '44, Big Week, The Rise of Germany, and The Allies Strike Back in the War in the West trilogy, Burma '44, and Dam Busters. He has written and presented the BAFTA shortlisted documentaries Battle of Britain and Dam Busters for the BBC. He is also the co-host of the brilliant WW2 Pod with Al Murray. Get a copy of his brilliant book "Victory '45: The End of the War in Eight Surrenders", you won't regret it: https://amzn.to/3IlwaW3 Listen to the podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/34VlAepHmeloDD76RX4jtc?si=6695d3eef52944c0 Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 2 - Josh Gates touches down in Normandy to investigate battles on land, air and sea. The expedition reveals a Nazi threat greater than ever imagined, unearthing a massive German bunker complex buried for 75 years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Documentary First, host Christian Taylor opens up with heartfelt personal updates and reflections on the journey of documentary filmmaking. Fresh off a moving trip to Normandy, Christian is joined by team members Peyton Rabb and Todd Anderson to share stories, challenges, and unforgettable moments from the experience.Together, they explore how veterans continue to impact younger generations, the role of gratitude in storytelling, and how filmmaking shapes not just the audience but the filmmakers themselves. From moments of humor and surprise to deeply emotional encounters with history, this episode captures the resilience, growth, and transformative power of telling true stories. Sponsor: Virgil Films http://www.virgilfilms.com/Support us by buying merch or watching our films: https://documentaryfirst.com/

The lads are back from their breaks away where Quirky went to France & Carey went to Slovenia.While in France Quirky went to the D-Day landing sites in Normandy and Carey went to see one of the oldest instruments from 60,000 odd years ago…the indigenous bone flute!The lads chat about their upcoming interview that might be happening next week.Also the Geography & Music segment brings us to Slovenia seen as Carey was just there.Loads of chat, craic and laughs throughout with a cover song thrown in off the cuff.From Carey & Quirky @ IT'S ALL MUSIC - THANKS FOR LISTENINGMake sure to check out the It's All Music Patreon Page for more “Behind The Scenes” contenthttps://www.patreon.com/itsallmusicpodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In August 1942, over 7,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, in a largely forgotten landing, with only a small fraction surviving unscathed. The raid failed due to poor planning and lack of underwater reconnaissance, which left the Allies unaware of strong German coastal defenses and underwater obstacles. Inadequate submersible technology prevented effective pre-landing surveys, leading to heavy casualties and the inability to secure a foothold. Scientists had a rudimentary grasp of mixing air for prolonged underwater survival, with limited rebreather technology, poor understanding of oxygen toxicity, and inadequate gas supply systems. Two summers before D-Day, the Allies realized they desperately needed underwater intelligence to succeed in another beach invasion and win the war. Led by controversial biologists J.B.S. Haldane and Dr. Helen Spurway, an ingenious team of ragtag scientists worked in makeshift labs throughout the London Blitz. Amid a rain of bombs, they pioneered groundbreaking advances in underwater reconnaissance through painful and potentially fatal self-experiments. Their discoveries enabled the safe use of miniature submarines and breathing apparatuses, ultimately allowing the Allies to take the beaches of Normandy. Blast-injury specialist Dr. Rachel Lance, author of Chamber Divers: The Untold Story of the D-Day Scientists Who Changed Special Operations Forever, joined us a few years ago to discuss the CSS Hunley, a Confederate submersible used during the American Civil War, the first submarine to sink an enemy ship in combat. We explore these experiments while bringing to life the men and women whose brilliance and self-sacrifice shaped the war’s outcome, including the danger they faced in their quest to enable Allied troops to breathe underwater.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June 6th, 1944...D-Day. It was the greatest military assault ever staged. Code named Operation Overlord, the massive invasion of Normandy by the Allies involved more than a quarter of a million soldiers, sailors and airmen as well as 5000 ships and 3000 aircraft.  Tom McCarthy and Francis Lamoureux were Parachute Infantrymen during the epic conflict. They tell their riveting first-hand accounts in this dramatic presentation, Airborne Assault on D-Day.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Gates touches down in Normandy to investigate battles on land, air and sea. The expedition reveals a Nazi threat greater than ever imagined, unearthing a massive German bunker complex buried for 75 years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not - 1 Minute Episodes xx-xx-xx (299) Invasion of Normandy

What's it really like to explore Paris, Bayeux and Normandy on points with three kids in tow? In this episode, Mary Ellen picks up the next chapter of her European adventure and shares the highlights (and surprises!) from her family's time in France. From climbing to a free Parisian viewpoint with stunning Eiffel Tower views to staying in a charming chateau in Bayeux booked with her Venture X credit, this leg of the trip was unforgettable.We dive into her day trip to the beaches of Normandy, including Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery, with a guided tour that brought history to life. Mary Ellen opens up about the emotional impact of visiting these sites, why it was worth the splurge, and how she made it work with kids — even with a toddler in tow.If Paris, Bayeux, or a D-Day tour has ever been on your bucket list, this episode will give you practical tips, inspiration, and a peek behind the scenes of family travel on points.EPISODE SPONSOR30% off the CardPointers subscription!Find Us On OnlineMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupWonderland On Points BlogAffiliate LinksChase/Capital One/Amex Card LinksFlyKitt- the BEST Jet Lag Solution!Tripiamo Driving TutorialsComfrt Hoodie 15% OFF!Our Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

During the summer break, the 15-Minute History podcast team are republishing some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on June 12, 2023.___The dull hum of aircraft filled the morning air. German soldiers looked up from the French town of St. Lô, expecting to see a few enemy fighters bearing down on them. Their hearts froze in their chests as nearly a thousand bombers emerged from the clouds. They had heard of the devastation wrought by their enemy on the Fatherland's cities, but St. Lô was only a tiny provincial settlement far from the Paris metropolis. In minutes, their world was aflame as Allied bombs exploded around them and tore flesh and metal apart in equal measure. The panzer division holding St. Lô was nearly annihilated in the first of three waves, and little was left as the sun reached its noon height. Then, the survivors heard engines approaching from the north and east in the direction of the Normandy beaches. Tanks and half-tracks bearing white stars swarmed through the town, finishing off the defenders and ripping open the Nazi left flank that had held the Allies back for over a month.The Third United States Army is one of the best-known units of the Second World War. From the opening move on St. Lô in August 1944 to the war's end nine months later, it liberated an area of Nazi-occupied Europe roughly the size of Afghanistan. Its soldiers were the best-trained men in the US Army, its officers and NCOs among the most professional in American military history, and its record of battle remains unsurpassed in enemy casualties inflicted and land covered. Most of the credit is due, of course, to the soldiers in tanks and trucks, but even the proudest of these would point to their commander as the man who made the Third Army such a terrifying weapon of war: General George S. Patton, Jr.Join us for this special, double-length episode of 15-Minute History as we teach you about General George Patton, his life, leadership, heroism, and his effect on the world we know today.

Born in Tehran and exiled in Paris, Golshifteh Farahani has become one of the faces of international cinema. At just 42, the Iranian actress has already appeared in more than 50 films in numerous languages. An outspoken artist and a strong voice for women's rights, she's presiding over the jury at this year's Deauville American Film Festival in Normandy. She spoke to FRANCE 24's Louise Dupont about her latest projects, her career choices and her perspective on Iran.

Actress Kim Novak receives a special tribute at the 51st American Film Festival in Deauville, while newcomers Cole Webley, Christian Swe­gal and first-time directors Scarlett Johansson and Kristen Stewart screen their features in the Normandy resort town. FRANCE 24's Genie Godula takes time out from her duties as mistress of ceremonies to bring us the highlights, with Pamela Anderson's Talent Prize kicking off this year's festival and a rich selection of documentaries and retrospectives also on the bill. 

In this episode, Brad dives into the growing interest in milk fatty acid profiles and what they can tell us about cow health, nutrition, and management.Brad explains the three main groups of milk fatty acids—de novo, mixed, and preformed—and how they are shaped by diet, stage of lactation, seasonality, and even genetics. He highlights how monitoring these fatty acid trends through routine milk testing can help farmers fine-tune rations, detect health challenges like subclinical ketosis or mastitis, and make more informed feeding decisions.Brad also shares findings from two recent University of Minnesota research projects:Commercial herd study: Comparing Holsteins and crossbreds, as well as feeding strategies (higher starch diets vs. fat supplementation). Results showed small but meaningful differences in fatty acid profiles, with crossbreds showing slightly healthier rumen indicators.University herd study: Comparing organic pasture-based cows to conventional TMR-fed cows, and looking at breed influences (Holsteins, Viking Reds, Jerseys, and Normandy crosses). Pasture cows had higher preformed fatty acids, while Jerseys and Normandy crosses stood out for more favorable fatty acid compositions.The takeaway: fatty acid testing is a valuable management tool for nutrition, genetics, and herd health monitoring—and could even open new opportunities for niche milk markets.Questions, 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 

This episode brings to life wartime letters written by young Cajun soldiers just days after the Normandy landings of 1944. Through their words, we hear how French-speaking GIs connected with civilians, found pride in their heritage, and forged bonds across war-torn France. Featuring preserved family letters from the Broussard brothers of Breaux Bridge, reflections from their descendants, and a tribute to veteran Albert “Spoony” Sponheimer from the Stephen Ambrose Historical Tour group, this episode weaves the written record with living memory—and traces the Frenchie story back to the very beaches of Normandy, revisited decades later with the renowned tour company that keeps this history alive. Link to Bob Anderson's article: https://stephenambrosetours.com/d-day-remembrance-pvt-houston-duhon-and-albert-spoony-sponheimer/

As the boats full of soldiers approached the eerie Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944, what do you imagine was going through their minds? Were they excited? Were they relaxed? Of course not! There was tension there because they knew they were marked, yet they mustered up courage and fought anyway. In today's message, Pastor Bill teaches that as a follower of Jesus Christ, you are marked. The world isn't going to be happy with you, but gather your courage and fight the good fight anyway.

In this episode of the podcast, Andrew Sykes sets off with Tim Sanders to cycle the length of La Vélo Francette in northern France. After taking a ferry to Cherbourg, the dynamic duo headed east by train to Bayeux before mounting their bikes and continuing on two wheels. At Ouistreham on the Normandy coast they started their journey south along La Vélo Francette, a 600 km route that travels inland to La Rochelle on the French Atlantic coast. Would they arrive in time to catch their trains and ferries home? It's over two hours of cycle-camping adventure (with two hotels thrown in for good measure) interspersed with the music of the incomparable Rob Ainsley. Put your earphones in, sit back and let Andrew and Tim take the cycling strain...

Alright.  When we left off, I mentioned that while Rufus was in Normandy, things in England had been getting interesting in his absence. Let's start with Bishop Walkelin. The post 482 – Eye for an Eye first appeared on The British History Podcast.

The Normandy beach town of Deauville is welcoming Hollywood heavyweights Kristen Stewart, Pamela Anderson and Kim Novak alongside indie talents at this year's American Film Festival. FRANCE 24's Genie Godula brings us the highlights of the opening weekend, as Michael Angelo Covino's "Splitsville" kicks off proceedings, starring Dakota Johnson and Kyle Marvin. We also hear more about Kristen Stewart's and Scarlett Johansson's directorial débuts and the retrospectives providing insight into American film icons. Plus tributes pour in from the world of music, fashion and movies following the death of designer Giorgio Armani.  

Jean Claude Guiet was recruited into the top-secret OSS in World War II, only to be sent to England to join the British equivalent of the American Spy and Espionage agency, the SOE. He jumped into France with a team following D-Day to organize factions of the French Resistance to keep the Germans away from the landing beaches in Normandy, France in June of 1944.

Send us a textGeneral Overview of French SaucesFrench sauces are more than just condiments — they're the heart and soul of French cuisine. In this episode of Fabulously Delicious: The French Food Podcast, we dive into the fascinating world of sauces, exploring how they elevate even the simplest dishes into something extraordinary. From the velvety béchamel in a comforting gratin to the golden hollandaise draped over steamed vegetables, sauces bring richness, brightness, and balance to French cooking.We'll uncover the history of French sauces, tracing their evolution from the thick, spice-laden concoctions of the Middle Ages to the refined creations of the 17th century, shaped by visionary chefs like La Varenne. And of course, we'll celebrate Auguste Escoffier, the culinary genius who codified the five “mother sauces” — béchamel, velouté, espagnole, tomato, and hollandaise. These timeless foundations form the building blocks of classical French cuisine and continue to influence kitchens worldwide.French sauces are also deeply tied to place. In Burgundy, wine reductions create bold and hearty flavors, while Provence favors lighter, olive oil and tomato-based sauces. Normandy leans into its dairy heritage with cream and cider-infused sauces, and the South-West embraces indulgence with duck, foie gras, and Armagnac. Each region of France has its own saucy story to tell, shaped by its landscape, traditions, and local ingredients.Whether you're a professional chef, a passionate home cook, or simply a lover of French food, this episode will give you a new appreciation for sauces as the backbone of gastronomy. So grab a glass of wine and join host Andrew Prior as we kick off Saucy September — a month-long celebration of French sauces on Fabulously Delicious: The French Food Podcast.Support the showMy book Paris: A Fabulous Food Guide to the World's Most Delicious City is your ultimate companion. You'll find hand-picked recommendations for the best boulangeries, patisseries, wine bars, cafés, and restaurants that truly capture the flavor of Paris. You can order it online at andrewpriorfabulously.com For those who want to take things further, why not come cook with me here in Montmorillon, in the heart of France's Vienne region? Combine hands-on French cooking classes with exploring charming markets, tasting regional specialties, and soaking up the slow, beautiful pace of French countryside life. Find all the details at andrewpriorfabulously.com You can help keep the show thriving by becoming a monthly supporter. Your support helps me create more episodes celebrating French food, history & culture. Here's the listener support link. Every contribution makes a huge difference. Merci beaucoup! Newsletter Youtube Instagram Facebook Website

In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, crossed the Channel and changed English history forever. Known to some as a ruthless and ambitious conqueror and to others as a astute and innovative state-builder, his legacy is still debated today, almost a thousand years later. But how much do we know about the man behind this formidable reputation? As new BBC Drama King and Conqueror hits the screens, Emily Briffett speaks to Professor David Bates to chart William's dramatic rise to power and the brutal realities of Norman rule. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this month's episode of Thanks I Hate It, Tim has fallen out of the Normandy mid-warp and is lost somewhere on Omega... To help find him, Joey and Alex have brought on resident Mass Effect expert Dan P of the ship Gaming Views. This episode comes on recommendation of Dan, as we all know that Joey hates game involving reading. With their friendship survive this episode? Only one way to find out!You can catch Dan and his co-host Dan over at Gaming Views, available everywhere you find podcasts.

In this powerful crossover episode, Christian Taylor joins Rob of MovieRob Minute to introduce a very special guest: Ceo Bauer, a 102-year-old WWII veteran of the 95th Infantry Division, 377th Infantry Regiment, I Company—better known as the “Iron Men of Metz.”Rob begins by asking Ceo about Saving Private Ryan: what he thought of its accuracy, whether it stirred memories, and how Hollywood compares to the realities of war. From there, Ceo opens up about his experiences in Normandy in 1944, his injury at Metz, and the reasons many veterans choose not to share their stories.For one of the first times, Ceo speaks candidly about what it was like landing at Omaha Beach 100 days after D-Day, the sign that moved him to tears, and the symbolic “pump handle dance” he's performed across the world. His reflections are raw, sometimes emotional, and always full of wisdom.This episode also captures something unique: guests in the room listening in—reminding us that these conversations are not just about history, but about keeping memory alive for future generations.

France is in ruins. Normandy has fallen to the English, and the rest of the kingdom is being ripped apart by civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs. In the midst of this chaos, Queen Isabeau of Bavaria faces an impossible choice. With the crown crumbling and enemies on every side, she makes a decision so shocking, it could change the fate of France forever. This is the story of a queen who dared to gamble everything—power, loyalty, and legacy—for survival. If you want to find out more about the last English invasion of France, listen back to Edward III's Calais campaign in season six, episode six. Plus in this week's bonus episode, Danièle explains to Dan why Isabeau gets a bad wrap, right when she's given the power to save the kingdom.  Find all of that and more on our Patreon, where you can also vote on future episodes, share some spicy court gossip with fellow subscribers, and hear from Danièle and the rest of the royal council.  Become one of our royal favourites: patreon.com/thisishistory  A Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices.  Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices  Presented by Dan Jones Producer - Alan Weedon  Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Executive Producer - Simon Poole Production Manager - Jen Mistri  Production coordinator - Eric Ryan  Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux Head of content - Chris Skinner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we travel to the final months of the Second World War when the Germans began to develop midget submarines. The allies had crossed the channel and invaded Normandy in June 1944 and were slowly battling their away through France towards Germany. The Russians meanwhile were making huge advances in the east. German UBoats continued to fight in the Atlantic but by this period their potency had been blunted by new tactics and technology which had turned them from the feared hunters of the early years of the war to prey. It was at this moment that designs for midget submarines were finalised and construction begun, in a last and desperate throw of the dice in the under-sea naval war. To find out more Dr Sam Willis travelled to the German Maritime Museum in Bremerhaven to explore the Seehund, one of only a handful of these craft to still survive. Sam spoke with Nils Theinert, an expert on German submarines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barry Loudermilk is a Constitutional Conservative who represents northwest Georgia's 11th Congressional District.Prior to being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014, Congressman Loudermilk served in the Georgia General Assembly in both the State House and State Senate.During his time in Congress, Rep. Loudermilk has served on the Committees of Science, Space and Technology, Homeland Security, the Joint Committee on the Library, Committee on House Administration, and Financial Services Committee. In his first year in Congress, he was appointed Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee on Science, Space and Technology and served on the Homeland Security Committee's Special Task Force for Countering Terrorism and Terrorist Travel.In the 119th Congress, Congressman Loudermilk serves as a member of the Financial Services Committee, where he is the Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and is a member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. The Subcommittee on Financial Institutions oversees banks, bank regulators, and lending, and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations ensures that federal financial regulators are held accountable for their use of taxpayer funds. He also serves as a member of the Committee on House Administration and is a member of the Subcommittee on Elections.Congressman Loudermilk is also a member of the conservative Republican Study Committee and is the Republican Co-Chair of the Bipartisan FinTech and Payments Caucus.In the 118th Congress, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tasked Congressman Loudermilk to lead the Committee on House Administration's Subcommittee on Oversight investigation into the events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, the security failures of the U.S. Capitol Police, and the flawed investigation of House Select Committee on January 6.His father served as an Army medic in World War II and saw action during the D-Day invasion, Battle of the Bulge, and the Occupation of Germany. In 2019, Rep. Loudermilk was selected as one of the official delegates to represent the United States at the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in Normandy.He is native of Georgia and veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Rep. Loudermilk is a student of the Constitution and the Christian heritage of America. Barry resides in northwest Georgia with his wife, Desiree. They have three grown children, and seven grandchildren. https://www.barryloudermilk.com/ https://www.andthentheyprayed.com/ 

Kilmar Abrego Garcia was taken into custody Monday by immigration authorities following his release from jail in Tennessee. His attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, says Garcia has filed a lawsuit challenging deportation without a fair immigration trial and full appeal rights. As copper becomes more valuable, thefts are leaving families without phone lines and cities with costly repairs. Despite dominating the Billboard charts, country music star Morgan Wallen is opting out of the Grammys. His team says none of his new songs will be submitted, echoing similar moves by major artists critical of the awards. David Begnaud shares the story of Billy the Goose, who spent seven years as a beloved neighbor in Baton Rouge. Though unable to fly, Billy connected families, watched over children and left behind a community bound together by his memory. David Begnaud shares Judge Frank Caprio's final words to his family, a message of love and compassion that reflects the legacy he leaves behind. Onofrio Zicari, one of the last surviving veterans who stormed the beaches of Normandy, has died at 102. Zicari, who returned to France last summer for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, shared his hope that future generations would never forget the sacrifices made. Gayle King hosted the USTA Foundation's Opening Night Gala, where tennis legend Andre Agassi was honored with the Serving Up Dreams award. The event raised $2.6 million to support young people through tennis, education and mentorship. "CBS Mornings" co-hosts Nate Burleson and Tony Dokoupil step onto the U.S. Open courts, trading microphones for tennis balls as they join Neal Kitson, the tournament's ball crew leader, to see if they have what it takes to keep up with the pros. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1944, the Allies fought their way from the beaches of Normandy towards German soil. Their sites were firmly set on pushing all the way to Hitler's capital Berlin and putting an end to WWII. Robert Weiss was a US Army forward observer. His mission was to move ahead of the troops and find targets for the artillery, but being out in front placed him closer to the enemy and a greater risk of being cut off from his comrades. These are his experiences In His Own Words. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Full Text of ReadingsTuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 420The Saint of the day is Saint John EudesSaint John Eudes’ Story How little we know where God's grace will lead. Born on a farm in northern France, John died at 78 in the next “county” or department. In that time, he was a religious, a parish missionary, founder of two religious communities, and a great promoter of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. John joined the religious community of the Oratorians and was ordained a priest at 24. During severe plagues in 1627 and 1631, he volunteered to care for the stricken in his own diocese. Lest he infect his fellow religious, during the plague he lived in a huge cask in the middle of a field. At age 32, John became a parish missionary. His gifts as a preacher and confessor won him great popularity. He preached over 100 parish missions, some lasting from several weeks to several months. In his concern with the spiritual improvement of the clergy, John realized that the greatest need was for seminaries. He had permission from his general superior, the bishop, and even Cardinal Richelieu to begin this work, but the succeeding general superior disapproved. After prayer and counsel, John decided it was best to leave the religious community. That same year John founded a new community, ultimately called the Eudists—the Congregation of Jesus and Mary–devoted to the formation of the clergy by conducting diocesan seminaries. The new venture, while approved by individual bishops, met with immediate opposition, especially from Jansenists and some of his former associates. John founded several seminaries in Normandy, but was unable to get approval from Rome—partly, it was said, because he did not use the most tactful approach. In his parish mission work, John was disturbed by the sad condition of prostitutes who sought to escape their miserable life. Temporary shelters were found, but arrangements were not satisfactory. A certain Madeleine Lamy, who had cared for several of the women, one day said to him, “Where are you off to now? To some church, I suppose, where you'll gaze at the images and think yourself pious. And all the time what is really wanted of you is a decent house for these poor creatures.” The words, and the laughter of those present, struck deeply within him. The result was another new religious community, called the Sisters of Charity of the Refuge. John Eudes is probably best known for the central theme of his writings: Jesus as the source of holiness; Mary as the model of the Christian life. His devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Immaculate Heart led Pope Pius XI to declare him the father of the liturgical cult of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Reflection Holiness is the wholehearted openness to the love of God. It is visibly expressed in many ways, but the variety of expression has one common quality: concern for the needs of others. In John's case, those who were in need were plague-stricken people, ordinary parishioners, those preparing for the priesthood, prostitutes, and all Christians called to imitate the love of Jesus and his mother. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

بریتانیا چطور این‌همه تغییر کرد؟ میراث ماندگار امپراتوری بزرگ بریتانیا برای دنیا چی بود؟چی شد که بزرگ‌ترین قدرت دنیا شد یک قدرت در سطح دوم جهانی؟متن: بهجت بندری، علی بندری | ویدیو و صدا: حمیدرضا فرخ‌سرشتبرای دیدن ویدیوی این اپیزود اگر ایران هستید وی‌پی‌ان بزنید و روی لینک زیر کلیک کنیدیوتیوب بی‌پلاسکانال تلگرام بی‌پلاسمنابع و لینک‌هایی برای کنجکاوی بیشتر:The Roman Conquest of BritainThe British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective Elizabeth IRomans: Daily LifeRoman LondonThe Bayeux TapestryHow the British Empire created foreign investmentThe Shortest History of England, by James HawesThe British Empire, A very short Introduction, by Ashley JacksonHow did The British Empire rule the World?The English Reformation (Henry VIII and the Church of England)Romanesque in Normandy and Norman EnglandWhat does Magna Carta say? | Clauses 39 & 40: Justice | Magna Carta in a MinuteWilliam the Conquerer - English monarchs animated history documentary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Family Travel to France: Paris, Provence, and a Trip of a Lifetime Thinking about family travel to France? In this episode, host Annie Sargent talks with Lori Belinski about planning — and enjoying — a dream trip for six people, from grandparents to kids. Listen to this episode ad-free They share the highlights of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and hidden gems you might miss. Then they head south to Provence for lavender fields, hilltop villages, and unforgettable markets. Along the way, Lori reveals how they balanced everyone's interests, managed transportation, and found great places to stay. You'll hear tips on traveling with a multi-generational group, making the most of your time in France, and avoiding common travel pitfalls. Whether you're dreaming of Paris cafés or Provencal sunsets, this episode offers practical advice and inspiration. Subscribe to the Join Us in France Travel Podcast so you don't miss future episodes full of travel stories, tips, and cultural insights. Table of Contents for this Episode [00:00:00] Introduction [00:00:30] Today on the podcast [00:01:01] Podcast supporters [00:02:18] Annie, Lori and James [00:02:45] Family Trip Overview [00:03:03] Olympic Adventures [00:06:20] Exploring the South of France [00:06:32] Fly Fishing Excursion [00:08:53] Driving in France [00:10:46] Driving in France is Easy [00:12:36] Lavender Fields and Local Guides [00:16:12] Monaco Aquarium Visit [00:17:44] Accommodation Experiences [00:20:39] Health Snags [00:21:49] Boat Tour in Nice [00:22:53] Exploring the Wooden Playground [00:23:41] Monaco: The Drink of the Trip [00:24:30] Dog Sled Adventure in Fontainebleau [00:28:42] Journey to Normandy [00:33:28] Navigating Paris with a Group [00:33:40] Trip of a Lifetime on a Budget [00:40:18] Marker [00:42:02] Travel Tips and Reflections [00:42:38] AIRALO, virtual SIM APP [00:43:54] The Podcast and VoiceMap Tours Are a Great Jumping Off Point [00:46:40] Thank you Patrons [00:47:10] Carl's Review [00:48:49] La Rentrée and Forum des Associations [00:51:24] Next Week on the Podcast [00:51:48] Copyright More episodes about family travel in France #FamilyTravelFrance, #ParisWithKids, #ProvenceTravel, #TravelPodcast, #JoinUsInFrance, #ParisTravel, #ProvenceFrance, #TravelTips, #FamilyVacation, #TravelFrance, #PodcastLife, #TravelWithKids, #ExploreFrance, #FrenchCulture, #TravelInspiration, #TravelStories, #PodcastRecommendations, #SlowTravel, #FamilyAdventure, #ParisProvence

James and Al castigate Trump for his attempt to militarize the Capitol, and call out his false claims about crime, and discuss how Democrats can make it a winning issue when the numbers are in their favor.  Then, they look ahead to upcoming elections before welcoming military historian Craig Symonds.  In the wake of Al's trip to Normandy, Craig and Al celebrate V-J Day, review the strategy that won the war, weigh the pros and cons of using the atomic bomb, explaining the difference between conventional and nuclear conflict, and call out the danger Trump poses to military education. Email your questions to James and Al at politicswarroom@gmail.com or tweet them to @politicon.  Make sure to include your city– we love to hear where you're from! Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial  More from James and Al: Get text updates from Politics War Room and Politicon. Watch Politics War Room & James Carville Explains on YouTube @PoliticsWarRoomOfficial James Carville & Al Hunt have launched the Politics War Room Substack Get updates and some great behind-the-scenes content from the documentary CARVILLE: WINNING IS EVERYTHING, STUPID by following James on X @jamescarville and his new TikTok @realjamescarville Check Out Andrew Zucker's New Politicon Podcast: The Golden Age Check Out Kimberly Atkins Stohr's New Politicon Podcast: Justice By Design Get More From This Week's Guest:  Craig Symonds: U.S. Naval Academy | Audible | Author of Many Books Please Support Our Sponsors: Zbiotics: Get back into action after a night out with 15% off your first order of Zbiotics when you go to zbiotics.com/pwr and use code: PWR Miracle Made: Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to TryMiracle.com/warroom and use the code WARROOM to claim your FREE 3-PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF. Trust & Will: Trust & Will can help you take control of protecting your family's future. Go to trustandwill.com/WARROOM for 20% off. 

When we talk about the Second Front, most of us think of the Allied invasion of Northwest Europe—D-Day, June 1944. But in his new book, Second Front: Anglo-American Rivalry and the Hidden Story of the Normandy Campaign, historian Professor Marc Milner offers a different perspective. What if the real second front wasn't in Normandy, but in Washington? Milner argues that while Britain fought alongside the United States on the battlefields of Europe, it was also engaged in a very different kind of struggle across the Atlantic: a political and diplomatic battle to retain its influence over an increasingly dominant America. By the time Allied troops landed in France, the United States had not only become the senior partner in the alliance but had begun reshaping the postwar world, often at the expense of British interests.  But as we'll hear, this wasn't just about wartime politics or military planning. The roots of Anglo-American rivalry ran much deeper, stretching back to the way each nation remembered the First World War. Joining me to discuss all this is Professor Marc Milner.

In 2023, we did a 3-part series on Empress Matilda (icon) and the Anarchy that was her fight for the English throne. But how did England (and Normandy...) end up in this predicament in the first place? Ladies and gentlemen, we're discussing The White Ship Disaster. You can find more episodes like this on our Patreon and you can listen to our Empress Matilda series at this link. Time stamps: 00:00 Introduction and Disclaimer 00:56 Empress Matilda and the White Ship Disaster 03:04 The Royal Family Drama 06:30 King Henry's Reign and Policies 11:26 The Party on the White Ship 20:12 The Blessing and the Inevitable Tragedy 21:56 Theories on Steven's Departure 28:30 The Tragic Shipwreck 30:33 Comparing the White Ship to the Titanic 38:55 The Aftermath and Historical Impact Queens podcast is part of Airwave Media podcast network. Please get in touch with advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Want more Queens? Head to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, check out our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices