Podcasts about Of Course

In week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we talk with Alex Thaley of The Botanical at 8th and A in Bentonville, Botanical at City Pump in downtown Rogers, The Botanical in Fayetteville and formerly of the Artemis Temperance Lounge in Fayetteville. There's plenty to talk about with Alex, but before we do... FOOD NEWS!! Onyx opens their doors on the Bentonville Square in the Bentoville shared space. The popular Vagabond Coffee Bar will have a brick-and-mortar location soon! There's a new brewery opening soon in Rogers. We'll tell you about them! House 1830 is hosting their 2nd Night Market on June 2. Owner Binh Hoang will tell us why this year will be different! Happy 2 years to Black Howler Beer. We'll tell you what their plans are for Saturday and talk about how they got their name in today's Flavors Flashback! Happy first year anniversary to Lasang Pinoy! And now the hard part. We talk about the big round of closings that happened last week, and will be happening this week: Mong Dynasty, Love + Flour Bakery & Café, Kaleidoscope Café, OZ's Smokehouse, Flashback Pizza, and Artemis Temperance Lounge. Alex Thaley is the owner/operator of the Botanical bars in Bentonville, Downtown Rogers and in Fayetteville... He also owned the Artemis Temperance Lounge, and last week, after 5 months of operation, he closed it down. He'll tell us the story behind that. Also, the decision to leave corporate America to run a bar, OF COURSE he's got stories about that. Roofer, teacher, tech guy, business builder, and now bar entrepreneur... We talk to Alex Thaley, next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.

Are you a very unintelligent child? Of COURSE you are. It's well known by clever adults that you kids know NOTHING.But don't cry because you won't be unedumacated for much longer. Carrie Quinlan (a VERY clever grown-up) and Andy Stanton (who is also a VERY clever grown-up, thank you, actually) are here to educate the world's children and answer their soft, squashy brain questions using GROWN-UP KNOWLEDGE. It's time to....Ask The Nincompoops!Send all your questions about things you want to have explained to you, professionally, in our new upcoming series to ASKTHENINCOMPOOPS@GMAIL.COM!Or if you don't have a caps lock button, askthenincompoops@gmail.com.And Andy and Carrie will answer them for you on our next exciting and informative series, hosted by two actual GENIUSES for the benefit of the unbright (that's you).This podcast is suitable for all the family!If you have a question you want these two geniuses to ask, just send it, with your name and age, to askthenincompoops@gmail.com - and we'll try to answer them in an upcoming episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Against all odds (and despite several request to stop) the ladies are celebrating their 300th episode! They are celebrating with some fruity screwdrivers, an article in the local paper, and OF COURSE, the stories of two amazing women. Kelley wines about Gyo Fujikawa, an illustrator whose name you may not recognize, but you certainly know her art which shaped countless childhoods and told racists to SUCK IT. In honor of Mothers' Day, Emily tells the harrowing story of Inés Ramírez Pérez who showed the world just what a mother is capable of enduring for the love of her children. Rewatch Fantasia and brush your teeth, because we're wining about herstory! Join the Funerary Cult: https://www.patreon.com/winingaboutherstory Sponsor a Glass of Wine: https://buymeacoffee.com/wahpod Get Merch: https://wining-about-herstory.myspreadshop.com/   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Todaywe are looking at Philippians 2, and we are going on to verses 3 and 4. But letus remember, in verses 1 and 2, as we talked about the spiritual motives andthe marks for spiritual unity, that these things will give us a heart ofsubmission. The submissive mind is a secret to Christian joy in our lives. Ofcourse, chapter 1, the single mind, lays the foundation for that. If our singlemind is focused on Jesus Christ and the gospel, and on sharing that good newsunder whatever circumstances we are in, what a difference it will make.  Nowin verses 3 and 4, Paul goes on to say, “Let nothing be done through selfishambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others betterthan himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but alsofor the interests of others.” Paulhere begins with the negative: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambitionor conceit.” Sometimes we have to deal with the negative before we can puton the positive. That is why most of the Ten Commandments are “thou shaltnot.” It sounds kind of negative, but then it gives us the opportunity tounderstand that only by God's grace can we do the positive—to love God with allour heart, live for Him, and let nothing come between us and Him. First,Paul deals with negative of selfish ambition—he says, “Let nothing be donethrough selfish ambition.” Selfish ambition is that drive thatpromotes ourselves at the expense of others. It is putting personal gain aboveeverything else. That is something we sometimes see in churches. I could noteven begin to tell you how many times I have dealt with people who come andsay, “I deserve that position. I deserve to be the one giving that speech. I amthe one who deserves it.” It is simply trying to put themselves out in front,and it causes difficult situations every time. Nexthe adds, “nothing through selfish ambition or conceit.” Conceitliterally means “empty glory.” It is an inflated view of ourselves. It says,“My opinion matters most. My way should prevail.” My friend, how many timeshave we seen this in business meetings? We have seen it in situations in thechurch between people. It is so sad when you hear somebody promoting themselveswith empty conceit. They believe they deserve it. They feel entitled. Bothof these things—selfish ambition and conceit, which Paul says should nevermotivate us—are rooted in pride. Pride is always destructive. Proverbs 13:10says, “Only by pride comes contention.” At the root of all contention,strife, and division in a church, my friend, is not merely a matter ofpreferences or the way we do or do not do things. It is a matter of pride. “Iwant my way. I am going to have it my way, and I am going to make sureeverybody knows what I want.” “I have a right to express my opinion.” Myfriend, that causes many divisions. It divides families. It divides churches.It divides ministries. Paul saw it in Rome, and now he warns against it inPhilippi. Even strong, healthy churches are vulnerable when pride enters in. Wehave seen it happen with pastors. They start out with a spirit of humility,like King Saul did. Then, before long, God blesses their ministry, and theybegin thinking more highly of themselves than they should. The next thing youknow, they are full of pride and determined to be in control. It is all theirway or no way, and they refuse to listen to others. I have seen that happen.You have heard about it in Christianperiodicals and circles. Butmy friend, that is not God's way. That is why Paul goes on to say, “Letnothing be done” through these things.  Let nothing be done through selfish ambitionor conceit. That means not some things, not most things, but nothing. May wethink about that as we examine our own hearts concerning conceit, pride, andselfish ambition. Do we have that kind of heart? If we do, let us ask God tocleanse us and forgive us, and let us have the mind of Christ—a mind ofhumility.

Waddup Petty Posse! THIS WHOLE REUNION WAS TRASH. Throw the whole thing away

Market caps are climbing after the NFL Draft and leading into the month before the World Cup. Laird and psufans2 discuss if they think we'll continue to see an upward trend (NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE, OF COURSE!) in football and NFL, as well as the sudden rise of the $FUN token.Start your Sport.Fun journey here: https://pro.sport.fun/login/?referral_code=UITMX28FXU9

This week, I recapped my trip to Chicago for AC2 and set the record straight on my (non) feud with Sarah Michelle Gellar. Then, we discuss if we could sleep with someone with a busted face, how I may be ditching Liza's audiobook, and Kristi Noem's big breasted husband. Plus, we OF COURSE discuss the West/Amanda Summer House romance fallout (at length)...and John is off to Mexico for Spring Break so we practiced some phrases he can use to get around. For more interviews and behind-the-scenes tea, tune in to Andy Cohen Live weekdays on Radio Andy by subscribing to SiriusXM. Use my link https://sxm.app.link/AndyCohen for a free trial Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Daddy Diaries ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Looking for strategies to help deal with the overwhelm of, well, everything? Same. Dr Emily, our resident psychologist, is back in the studio to talk through overwhelm; how to greet it, how to get through it, and how to build your resilience towards it.

OF COURSE we were going to get to this one eventually.Join Joey, Alex and Tim as they look at 1994's Street Fighter

“I regret none of it, I lived the best of both worlds.” Jeezy We couldn't hide the excitement on this one, sitting with the man behind the soundtrack of our young adult lives...In this powerful episode of The Pivot Podcast, Jeezy pulls up for a raw and reflective conversation about the journey that shaped him—from the pressures and grind of Atlanta's streets to becoming a defining voice in hip hop culture. He opens up about the evolution of his music, how his mindset shifted over the years, and what it really means to bet on yourself when the odds aren't in your favor. Jeezy speaks candidly about carrying the weight of being a culture icon, the responsibility that comes with it, and how Atlanta's influence helped mold not just his sound, but an entire era of music. The guys go deep into his phases of life, the transition of growth in his albums, using music as his message to culture, betting on himself when all else fails and taking risks despite being advised not to.  Beyond the spotlight, he dives into personal battles with depression, offering a rare look at the emotional challenges behind the success. Jeezy also reflects on a pivotal moment in his life—being arrested—and how that experience became a turning point that forced him to reassess his path and ultimately change the trajectory of his life.  Ofcourse, we have our laughs and lighter moments, when Channing calls him out on owing him money from the days of his music influencing his car purchases and the amount of money spent in strip clubs as well as the catalyst that pushed him back into the studio away from the outside noise.  The conversation also explores his growth as a father and the realities of co-parenting, highlighting the importance of maturity, communication, and legacy. Jeezy reflects on his long-standing bond with Jay-Z, sharing insights into their mutual respect and what he's learned from one of the game's greats. To top it off, he talks about his new Las Vegas residency and what this next chapter represents—not just as an artist, but as a man continuing to evolve while creating an experience for people to truly reflect on the longevity of music, message and motivation. This episode is about resilience, reinvention, and the power of staying true to your vision—no matter where you start. Pivot Family, comment, like, hit the subscribe button, we enjoy hearing and learning from you- the good and the bad, we want to know! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WELCOME TO THE GOLDEN GIRLS DEEP DIVE PODCAST! Starting from the beginning of the show, each week we recap an episode of The Golden Girls. Along the way, we sprinkle in researched deep dives into something from the episode or The Golden Girls universe! In Season 3, Episode 25, the gals are getting ready to go out to celebrate Mother's Day (to raise a glass to Mother Cheesecake, OBVIOUSLY), but they're all waiting for a call from their respective children. What can they do while they're waiting? REMINISCE, OF COURSE!!! Flashbacks ensue, including traveling back to the Brooklyn of Dorothy's youth where Bea Arthur plays Sophia's mother. With nary an Italian accent to be found, lol. Our episodes are researched by Jess McKillop, Patrick Hinds, and Jennifer Simard. All of our sources can be found on our website. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @GoldenGirlsDeepDive 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

Send us Fan MailWell, we finally read our first Jane Austen Novel… and OF COURSE it had to be Pride and Prejudice! We needed to know what the hype was about, and why this book is such a pivotal piece of the romance canon. What is that hand flex all about??!!Welcome to our newest bonus series where we're taking deep dives into some of the most beloved classics of our time. We kicked it off with Wuthering Heights, and today we're moving on to our Jane Austen journey with a cutie little crash course into Pride and Prejudice.We decided that rather than attempt to become overnight experts we would phone a friend! And today Sarah @sarahsliteraryworld is here to give us a little help with Pride and Prejudice as first time readers and helps provide us with the tips and tricks we need to really understand this novel. Sarah breaks down the Bennett family dynamics, the setting and timeline, gives us some background on Jane Austen herself, outlines central themes, and gives us all her advice on how to truly immerse yourself in this story. We hope that you enjoy this bonus mini episode, and will join us for our future deep dive into the novel and movies! And don't forget to go follow @Sarahsliteraryworld | https://www.instagram.com/sarahsliteraryworld/ for some more amazing bookish content! Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday!! (And sometimes Friday!…)Shop our Merch line | *  https://besties-and-the-books-shop.fourthwall.comCheck out these narrator interviews? ⬇️Anthony Palmini gives us the lowdown on what it's like to voice act Rhysand, Kingfisher, AND Slade Ravinger! https://youtu.be/zcCyrlZ5Jcc?si=2k7ULbRPgZl_5pUJCheck out these author interviews? ⬇️Penn Cole talks with us about Strong Female Characters, Feminist Themes, and her debut bestselling Spark of the Everflame Series! https://youtu.be/7ukNImyoObw?si=7C3Y9kOUMN4hfcKbWe interviewed Callie Hart all about her NYT Bestseller Quicksilver! Watch it here! https://youtu.be/CED5s7qDBdQ?si=8xtIRO1IzX6Rsld4Check the official Follow Up Author Interview with Lindsay Straube of the Split or Swallow Universe all about Between Two Kings! https://youtu.be/OW1cxXTVcTc?si=oOxVIzbIheET_bNE____Shop Bookish Merch we are wearing:Ashley is wearing our merch:  Black Crop Besties Hoodie Liz is wearing our merch:  Grey Full Zip Besties HoodieShop the collection: https://besties-and-the-books-shop.fourthwall.comAny link with an * is an affiliate link through the service Magic Links and is eligible for a commission to us with no exSupport the showYouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast Besties and the Book Club on Fable!https://fable.co/bestiesandthebookclub-474863489358Liz Instagram | TikTok@TheRealLifeVeganWife AshleyInstagram | TikTok@AshleyEllix

The guys at Digital Foundry put themselves in a bit of hot water because they absolutely glazed DLSS 5 - the new technology shown by NVIDIA - and it amounts to an advanced Snapchat filter. I'm willing to give them a pass if only because geeking out about tech is what they do, and I am sure this is very impressive on a technical level. However, NVIDIA is calling it "content control Generative AI" and they say it is just a tool. In one breath, they say it doesn't change anything about the art style or graphics, and in the other they proudly announce it makes changes at the "geometric level". But it's just a tool, guys. The devs have the control and it isn't meant to replace a team member, duh. Ofcourse then one need ask: why does it generate geometry, rather than say enhance/smooth like DLSS4.5?

Shelby Forsythia is well acquainted with grief. After a series of losses that started in her late teens and culminated in the death of her mother from cancer, Shelby became an expert in avoiding and outrunning her grief. Then, an incident with a stolen wallet broke through that avoidance; in the aftermath of letting those feelings out, she realized she needed to give herself permission to grieve. Since then, Shelby's done so much in the realm of grief support—as a coach, author, and host of the Grief Grower podcast. Shelby's newest book, Of Course, I'm Here, Right Now, written for friends, family, and community members, provides answers to the ubiquitous question: "What do I say to someone who is grieving?" We discuss: The "four years of hell" when Shelby experienced multiple losses. The stolen wallet incident and the loud, messy grief eruption that followed. Why people fear falling into the abyss of grief if they start crying. Three stories people who are grieving tell themselves. The three phrases that help dismantle those unhelpful stories. What people said after Shelby's mom died vs. what they said after her best friend Tami died. How to start the conversation with someone who is grieving. Connect with Shelby Forsythia: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/ Her latest book, Of Course, I'm Here, Right Now, is out on 3.31.26. Read transcript Want to learn more about supporting children and teens who are grieving? Sign up for our online courses here: https://classes.dougy.org/

 Of COURSE we cover retirement here at Revere – how could anybody think otherwise? The shop clears up some confusion around our stock-centric approach to social media (and why we’re ALWAYS dedicated to managing Your Money) and reviews this week’s challenging moves as oil prices spike due to the War in Iran before diving into a quick practical lesson on Stan Weinstein’s 30-Week Moving Average stage analysis at ARKK and ANF, reviewing a few relative strength names at FSLY, AAOI, and CRCL, and revealing why we short on fundamentals – not technicals! – in our approach to hedge names at MSFT, AMZN, and AVGO. In this video for educational purposes only, Dan Stewart, Don Vandenbord, Ted Zhang, Connor Bates, & Todd Thomas host The Your Money Video Podcast + Live Trading and Watchlist Stocks to Study. Key Moments from the Show 0:00 – Opening Bell 03:00 – Mailbag: Tired of the Short-Term Market? 06:00 – This Week in the Markets 14:00 – War in Iran Spikes Oil Prices 27:30 – Learning Stan Weinstein’s 30-Week Moving Average Stage Analysis – ARKK, ANF 40:00 – Relative Strength Names – FSLY, AAOI, CRCL 46:00 – Reviewing Our Hedge Approach – MSFT, AMZN, AVGO The Your Money Radio Podcast covers general topics & investment ideas for Research. It is for Educational & Entertainment purposes ONLY and is NOT meant to be Investment Advice. If you want or need Investment Advice, contact your own advisors or reach out to Revere Asset Management for individual Investment Advice. For more information contact us. The post WAR SPIKES OIL – 3X STRONG NAMES FOR WEAK MARKET GAINS | Your Money Podcast Ep. 581 appeared first on Revere Asset Management.

The Beasman loves Mark Pope and UK's recent resurgence while Louisville's shorty short, peanut sized, little league loser Pat Kelsey is calling Cardinal fans rat poison.With another huge S.E.C. victory over Vandy and two more showcase games this week, it looks like Big Blue Nation is on the rise while their rivals at U of Smell drift back into irrelevance. Louisville lost to inept Clemson over the weekend.The Beasman taunts Larry Minner for pretending that he likes girl basketball whenever the Louisville men start fizzling into the darkness again. Too bad! So sad!BEASMAN script 3-2-26"HELLO STOOPID! (laffs) 50 YEARS OF STOOPID ON WH&S AND THEY AIN'T FIRED YOU YET! (laffs) THERE MUST BE A SHORTAGE OF OLD BALD GUYS WHO COULD BRING SOME CLASS TO THIS STATION! (laffs) WELL LARRY, SINCE YOU GONNA HANG AROUND, WELCOME TO MARCH, WHEN THE KENTUCKY WILDCATS RISE UP AND SHOW THE WORLD WHY WE IS KINGS OF COLLEGE BASKETBAW! MARCH COMES IN LIKE A WILDCAT AND GOES OUT LIKE A CHAMPEEN! U UH KAY ALL THE WAY! (laffs) TIME FOR 9! TIME FOR 9! BLUE GITS IN! BLUE GITS IN! (laffs) AWWWWWW C-A-T-S CATS! CATS! CATS! (laffs) MARK POPE USED TO SUCK BUT NOW HE DONE FIGGERED OUT US GOOD AND CLASSY CAT FANS WAS ABOUT TO TAKE CARE OF HIM LIKE TRUMP TOOK CARE OF THE I-RAN LEADER SO POPE WISED UP! (laffs) OF COURSE, POPE AIN'T NO KINNY PAYNE RE-PEAT…BUT YOU KNOW WHO IS? PAT KELSEY THE MIDGET! (laffs) LOSERVILLE IS CIRCLIN THE DRAIN AND ALL US GOOD AND CLASSY CAT FANS IS HERE FOR IT! (laffs) THEM CARDINAL BIRDS GOT HU-MILLER-FIIED AGAIN! (laffs) Y'ALL CARDINAL CONVICTS THOUGHT YOU WAS HOT STUFF BACK IN NOVEMBER WHEN YOU SOMEHOW BEAT KENTUCKY BUT THAT WAS FOOL'S GOLD! (laffs) Y'ALL CAINT BEAT NOBODY SINCE THEN AND KENTUCKY IS SLAPPIN DOWN ERRBODY GITTIN IN OUR WAY! BYE BYE, VANDERSMELT! SUCKS TO BE YOU, TENNERSEE, OKLAHOMO, PI-TEEN-ER, AND COACH CAL! (laffs) U UH KAY STEAMROLLED EM ALL! THE CATS IS ON FIRE! WE GONNA GIT TEXAS A&P NEXT, AND THEN GONNA GIT REE-VENCE ON FLAR-I-DER! (laffs) I LOVE IT! I HEAR TELL A BUNCH OF THE S.E.C. TEAMS IS JUST GONNA FAR-FIT GOIN TO THE CONFRENCE TOURNEYMINT CUZ THEY'S AFRAID OF FACIN KENTUCKY! (laffs) IT'S A GREAT TIME FOR ALL THE TEAMS IN THE A.P. TOP 25 PO. TEAMS LIKE KENTUCKY, ARIZO-MO, I-OWE-ER STATE, UCONN, LOSERVILL…OH WAIT…LOSERVILLE AIN'T IN THE TOP 25 NO MORE! (laffs) AWWW TOO BAD, SO SAD! DINT Y'ALL START THE SEASON RANKED #6? NOW YOU DONE FELL OFF THE MAP! BYE BYE, YOU DISGUSTING CARDINAL CONVICT, CHEATIN, WIFE BEATIN, NECK TATTOO, CROSS-EYED, GOLD TEETH, RAP MUSIC, CUSSIN AROUND CHILDREN, WELFARE STAMP, JOBLESS, BRAINLESS, SPINELESS, CROOKED TEETH, STINKBREATH LOSERVILLE FANS! YOUR MIDGET COACH EVEN CALLED YOU RAT POISON! (laffs) THE DWARF THAT COACHES YOUR TEAM LOST TO NOBODY CLEM-ZER THEN STOOD UP ON A MILK CRATE TO GIT IN YOUR UGLY LOSERVILLE FACES AND BLAME Y'ALL FOR HIS BAD COACHIN! (laffs) HE SAYS Y'ALL IS RAT POISON, AND SAYS HIM AND LOSERVILLE CARDINAL TEAM JUST IGNORES YOU AND ALL YOUR COMPLAININ ABOUT THEIR PATHETIC PLAY! (laffs) MIDGET PAT KELSEY SAYS HE GONNA GIT IT ALL FIGGERED OUT. (laffs) WHEN? NEXT SUMMER? MARCH MADNESS IS NOW, YOU SHARTY SHART PEANUT SIZE LITTLE LEAGUE LOSER! LOOKS LIKE U OF SMELL IS BEIN LED BY A CRABBY PIP SQUEAK, NOT NO BASKETBAW ROPE SCHOLAR LIKE MARK POPE! (laffs) I LOVE IT! YOU CARDINAL FRAUDS BETTER RUN AND BUY YOU FRONT ROW SEATS TO THE N.I.T. CUZ YOU AINT GOIN TO THE BIG DANCE UNLESS YOU'S A 16 SEED! (laffs) LIFE IS GOOD FOR US KENTUCKY FANS! THE CATS IS WINNIN AGIN AND LOSERVILLE IS CRYIN IN THEIR GHETTO SOUP! (laffs) LARRY, I HEAR YOU TAWKIN ABOUT ALL THESE NEW HOTELS THEY'S BUILDIN IN DOWNTOWN LOSERVILLE. (laffs) IS THAT A NICE WAY OF DESCRIBING MORE PRISONS? WHAT SANE PERSON WOULD BE A TOURIST IN YOUR HELLHOLE TOWN? (laffs) PACK YOUR BAGS, CAT FANS! OUR PRECIOUS WILDCATS IS GONNA GO CHASE TITLE #9! MEANTIME, LARRY AND HIS LOSERVILLE RAT POISON FANS WILL RUN OUT AT NIGHT TO STEAL NEW TVs SO THEY GOT A VIEW TO WATCH BIG BLUE NATION CELLER-MA-BRATE OUR MARCH MADNESS VIC-TREES! LARRY AND HIS GAY BOYFRIENDS WILL PRETEND LIKE THEY'S BU-CITED ABOUT GIRL BASKETBAW! (laffs) KEEP ACTIN LIKE GIRL BASKETBAW IS A BIG DEAL, CARDINAL PRONOUN BOY! (laffs) GO CATS! GO BIG BLUE! POPE AINT NO DOPE! TIME FOR 9! TIME FOR 9! TIME FOR 9! AWWWWW C-A-T-S CATS! CATS! CATS!"

Welcome back To Talent Talk!!! WE ARE BACK AFTER A LONG 8+ MONTHS. There's so much news and info we have to catch y'all up on. This episode is for the Day one supporters. The lives of JP, Rez and Aj are changing and we bring you along for the journey. THE FALL OFF IS HERE & OF COURSE we get into all things new music and pop culture. A special One Gotta Go segment, discuss the Super Bowl and some last thoughts. WE ARE SO BACK.

On a special BONUS episode we're talking to our old friends and the hosts of the BRILLIANT podcast You Might Know Her From! Not only is the SEVENTH season of their show premiering next Thursday, but Damian and Anne have a big LIVE show in New York on Saturday the 28th with (former Couples Therapy guest) Annaleigh Ashford and more, so if you live in NYC, get your tickets here and GO! Now, we've known Damian and Anne for probably a decade and a half, but we use today's episode to find out some things that don't come up when you're just hanging around watching Selena (1997). They both tell us about their mental health journeys, how the last ten years have put a lot of things into perspective relationship-wise, Anne tells us how she ditched her "despised therapist", Damian tells us about his dating life in middle age and OF COURSE, we discuss "The Breezeway Theorem" (?)! PLUS, obvi, we answer YOUR advice questions! If you'd like to ask your own advice questions, call 323-524-7839 and leave a VM or just DM us on IG or Twitter!Andy's latest essay can be found here! Also, we're in culture critic and Vulture writer Sean Malin's book The Podcast Pantheon: 101 Podcasts That Changed How We Listen!ALSO BUY A SUPER CUTE "Open Your Hearts, Loosen Your Butts" mug! And:Support the show on Patreon (two extra exclusive episodes a month!) or gift someone a Patreon subscription! Or get yourself a t-shirt or a discounted Quarantine Crew shirt! And why not leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts? Or Spotify? It takes less than a minute! Follow the show on Instagram! Check out CT clips on YouTube!Plus some other stuff! Watch Naomi's Netflix half hour or Mythic Quest! Check out Andy's old casiopop band's lost album or his other podcast Beginnings!Theme song by the great Sammus! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did we watch the Netflix documentary about Tyra Banks and friends? OF COURSE. And we are MAD. Check out Beducated by clicking  HereOr using this link:https://beducate.me/pd2603-rose

This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, we're answering YOUR questions - but fair warning: we had a lot to say (40 mins worth) before we got there. In our defense: shampoo recs, steak temperatures, and daddy/daughter dances felt important at the time (LOL).  OK SO FIRST… We talk about 5AM toddler mornings (is this a phase?!), using ChatGPT to survive your inbox, and the very unexpected realization that if you have a nut allergy… you might want to check your shampoo ingredients. We also debate 2-in-1 shampoo (dealbreaker or fine?), and Harrison pitches his “best worst idea of the week”: Tinder… but for streaming services. From there, we get into pregnancy things no one warns you about - including dental issues during pregnancy (are dentists still running the biggest scam in America?! IYKYK) - and why dads showing up to “mommy & me” classes might actually be one of our favorite cultural shifts. We talk daddy/daughter dances, the #1 toddler birthday party idea that parents will actually enjoy, and why themed dinner parties deserve a comeback. Then we spiral into food takes (you can't order burgers medium-rare in Canada?!), whether sending food back is ever worth it, and finally dive into your Q&A questions: should a new baby bring a “gift” for their sibling, what really matters when choosing an OBGYN, what to prepare for before labor, and what actually belongs in a hospital bag - including the one item I would never, ever skip. We also talk about what we're most excited for with a baby boy, whether there's a “best” season to be pregnant, and if we're planning to open investment accounts for the kids. We wrap with a comment section debate that got people fired up (apparently ppl are really pro-spanking???) and a Bicker of the Week about wearing your partner's clothes before they do (which OF COURSE is fine IF they are pregnant lol).  LOVE YOU GUYS. Thanks for listening!!!!!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast 00:03:55 ChatGPT for emails = a legit time-saver 00:05:11 Are 5AM wakeups just a toddler phase? 00:06:39 If you have a nut allergy, check your shampoo ingredients?? 00:11:07 What's the deal with 2-in-1 shampoo + conditioner? 00:12:21 Best Worst Idea of the Week: “Tinder for streaming” 00:15:11 Dental issues during pregnancy 00:17:38 Dads at “mommy & me” classes?!  00:22:28 Are daddy/daughter dances still a thing?! 00:24:51 #1 Toddler birthday party idea (that you'll actually WANT to attend) 00:25:27 Dinner party theme ideas  00:30:50 You can't order burgers medium-rare in Canada?!  00:34:17 Are we out on sending food back? 00:36:55 Q&A: Should the new baby bring a “gift” for the toddler? 00:40:30 Q&A: OBGYN experience during and after delivery? 00:48:32 Q&A: What should I prepare for going into labor? 00:50:28 What's in my hospital bag 01:02:36 Q&A: What are you most excited about with a baby boy? 01:05:27 Q&A: Best season to be pregnant? 01:06:39 Q&A: Are you planning to open 530A accounts for the kids? 01:10:21 In the comments: Does spanking work? 01:13:03 Bicker of the Week: Wearing your partner's clothes first 01:15:23 LOVE YOU GUYS!  #twoparentsandapod --------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you to our sponsors this week: *Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://SHOPIFY.com/TWOPARENTS *Little Spoon: Simplify your kids' mealtimes. Go to https://littlespoon.com/TWOPARENTS and enter our code TWOPARENTS at checkout to get 30% OFF your first Little Spoon order. *Ollie: Treat your Palentine with Ollie! Go to https://ollie.com/twoparents and use code TWOPARENTS to get 60% off your first box! *Branch Basics: Get 15% off Branch Basics with the code TWOPARENTS at https://branchbasics.com/TWOPARENTS #branchbasicspod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Of COURSE they knew about the fraud! And we can prove it! PLUS, former congressman and psychologist, Dr. Tim Murphy, talks to Shaun about the epidemic of dumping mental health patients into the correctional system instead of treating their mental illness in institutions, proving that neglect has been the most expensive option of all. And Troy Anderson, author of the new book Designated Disrupter: Trump and Other Unlikely Agents of Revival, discusses how elite greed has been robbing us blind and how Trump has been confronting corruption and speaking the truth leading to a global reawakening.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FULL LIST OF AWARDS Music from: Abby Green, 3 Pints Gone, Black Oak Shillelagh, Bardy Pardy, Blackmore's Night, Barleyjuice, Bell Book & Canto, Brobdignagian Bards, Captain John Stout, Celtica Fae, Cast in Bronze, 2 Merry Men, Iron Hill Vagabonds, Celtic Shores, Barleyjuice, Cheeks and Phoenix, Whiskey Bay Rovers, Boom Pirates, Angus McHugh, Scottish Pirate, Blame Not the Bard, Dianne Linn, Dregs VISIT OUR SPONSORS Bawdy Podcast https://renfestbawdypodcast.libsyn.com/ Happy To Be Coloring Pages https://happytobecoloring.justonemore.website RESCU https://RESCU.org The 25 Patrons of the Podcast https://www.patreon.com/RenFestPodcast The Ren List http://www.therenlist.com SONGS Song 01: Parting Glass [01] by Abby Green from Einini www.AbbyGreen.com Song 02: Johnny Jump Up [01] by 3 Pints Gone from Auld Lang Syne The New Favorites Of 3 Pints Gone www.facebook.com/3PintsGone/ Song 03: Star of the County Down [03] by Black Oak Shillelagh from Och, The Places We've Been www.blackoakshillelagh.com Song 04: Wild Mountain Thyme [04] by Bardy Pardy from Bardy Pardy (Self-Titled) www.bardypardy.com Song 05: Health to the Company [03] by Blackmore's Night from Autumn Sky www.blackmoresnight.com Song 06: Whiskey in the Jar [01] by Barleyjuice from A Night At The Pub www.barleyjuice.com Song 07: The Wild Rover [03] by Bell Book & Canto from Poor Life Choices www.bellbookandcanto.com Song 08: Greensleeves [03] by Brobdignagian Bards from A Faire To Remember www.thebards.net Song 09: The Mermaid Song [04] by Captain John Stout from Songs From the Water's Edge disc 2 www.porterstout.com/ Song 10: Black Velvet Band [05] by Celtica Fae from Debut Album www.facebook.com/CelticaFae/ Song 11: Drunken Sailor [04] by Cast in Bronze from Spirit of the Bells www.castinbronze.net/ Song 12: Mingulay Boat Song [01] by 2 Merry Men from Bawdy Drunken Song-Filled Merriment www.facebook.com/2MerryMen/ Song 13: Foggy Dew [04] by Iron Hill Vagabonds from Circus Vagabonds www.ironhillvagabonds.com/ Song 14: Bonnie Ship the Diamond [02] by Celtic Shores from Let's Raise Another Pint www.matthughesmusic.com Song 15: Fiddler's Green [02] by Barleyjuice from One Shilling www.barleyjuice.com Song 16: Finnegan's Wake [06] by Cheeks and Phoenix from Any Requests www.cheeksandphoenix.com/ Song 17: Leaving of Liverpool [25] by Whiskey Bay Rovers from Taverns and Tides www.facebook.com/whiskeybayrovers/ Song 18: All for Me Grog [04] by Boom Pirates from Prepare To Be Boarded www.facebook.com/boompirates/ Song 19: The Derelict [01] by Angus McHugh, Scottish Pirate from Rebels Pirates and Cutthroats www.matthughesmusic.com Song 20: Haul Away Joe [03] by Blame Not the Bard from Soundcheck www.blamenotthebard.com/ Song 21: Queen Of All Argyle [06] by Dianne Linn from Janus www.dianelinn.com/ Song 22: Irish Rover [06] by Dregs from Our Drunk Goes to Eleven www.the-dregs.net Song 23: Rocky Road to Dublin [08] by LandLoch'd from Good Rum and Bad Sheep www.landlochd.com Song 24: Danny Boy [02] by DeCantus from Tonight We'll Merry Bee www.decantus.com/ Song 25: Dark Lady [07] by Far From Home from Of Course! www.facebook.com/WeRFarFromHome/ Song 26: South Australia [02] by Bone & String from London Town Session www.boneandstring.com Song 27: Black and Tans [07] by Pair of Pirates from Not Playing with a Full Deck www.pairofpirates.com Song 28: Bully in the Alley [09] by Jesse Ferguson from Sea Shanties and Whaling Ballads www.jessefergusonmusic.com Song 29: Red Is the Rose [04] by EznDil from EznDil (2008) www.frontdoorfarmmarket.com Song 30: Skye Boat Song [03] by Brian Tinker Leo from A Bottle O' The Best - Three Centuries Of Scottish Folksongs www.facebook.com/tinkersings/ Song 31: Loch Lomond [03] by Chaste Treasure from Chaste Treasure www.chastetreasure.com Song 32: Raggle Taggle Gypsies [01] by Ceann from Last Ones Standing www.reverbnation.com/ceann Song 33: Scarborough Faire [03] by Faire to Middlin' from Kilts, Celts, & Kippers www.fairetomiddlin.com Song 34: She Moved Through The Faire [06] by Court Revelers from Revelers On The Rocks https://www.courtrevelersmn.com Song 35: Spanish Ladies [08] by Master 'Bones' Jangle and the Voodoo Island Cannibals from Lots O' Booty www.masterbonesjangle.webs.com/ Song 36: Auld Lang Syne [05] by Dr. Harmonious Bones from Joyful Noise UNKNOW WEBSITE Song 37: Old Dun Cow [10] by Marc Gunn from Not Every Day Is St. Patrick's Day www.marcgunn.com Song 38: Fields of Athenry [02] by Celtic Mayhem from Celtic Mayhem www.facebook.com/RockinIrishMusic/ Song 39: General Taylor [04] by Henry Martin from Around the Bay UNKNOW WEBSITE Song 40: I'll Tell Me Ma [11] by Tullamore from The O'Malley's Sessions - One for the Road www.tullamore.band/home HOW TO CONTACT US Please post it on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/renfestmusic Please email us at renfestpodcast@gmail.com OTHER CREDITS Thee Bawdy Verson https://renfestbawdypodcast.libsyn.com/ The Minion Song by Fugli www.povera.com Valediction by Marc Gunn https://marcgunn.com/ HOW TO LISTEN Patreon https://www.patreon.com/RenFestPodcast Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/renaissance-festival-podcast/id74073024 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/76uzuG0lRulhdjDCeufK15?si=obnUk_sUQnyzvvs3E_MV1g Listennotes http://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/renaissance-festival-podcast-minions-1Xd3YjQ7fWx/

THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS ARE IN THE SUPERBOWL!!!! As improbable a super bowl run as you'll see and OF COURSE its the pats ;) but in all seriousness:Breaking down how we got here and how I'm feeling heading into Superbowl LX

Hey, first things first: catch us tomorrow as guest hosts on the God Awful Movies podcast! It's a Neil Breen movie which, as it turns out, means that it is BATSHIT. In this week's episode, we're joined by a fan favorite guest (everyone's cousin Vicky) to discuss her pick, the 1999 blockbuster "The Mummy." You're gonna love it. Have we done the OG 1932 film? Of COURSE we have! It's Episode 207 and features another absolutely delightful guest. You can support us at patreon.com/werewolfambulance and listen to a ton of action movie episodes including this month's leader in the pills, "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective." And, bonus! Our third podcast, "Nice One, Mate!" Episode 4 drops soon!  leave us a message at 412-407-7025 hang out with some cool listeners at https://discord.gg/DutFjx3cBD buy merch at www.teepublic.com/user/werewolfambulance the best place to reach us is at werewolfambulance@gmail.com we're on Reddit at r/werewolfambulance sorta on Twitter @werebulance sorta on Instagram @werewolfambulance www.werewolfambulance.com if you feel you really must lodge a complaint with us, please do it on Facebook at facebook.com/werewolfambulance because we are probably not gonna see that, ever. If you liked this, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen! It helps others find us and allows us to continue to grow. Intro song is by Alex Van Luvie Outro song is A. Wallis- "EMT" Seriously we have best listeners, hands down.

In this week's episode, Zoe and Hannah recap their time at the Ford Racing Season Launch in Detroit, Michigan! They share what they got up to, what they learned, who they met (shoutout Max Verstappen!), and OF COURSE chat about what it was like to interview none other than THE Daniel Ricciardo. Truly a dream come true! Stay tuned for the Danny Ric interview, which will drop on YouTube ONLY later this week!

Before anything else, our thoughts this week are firmly with teh family of Damian Kust. Damian was a cherished and passionate member of the tennis community whom we lost at the age of just 26. His work covering the Challenger Tour set him apart, but his passion and knowledge was what really made him shine. RIP Damian. Details of his funeral and donations to the foundation his parents have chosen are here: https://x.com/damiankust/status/2009644081207709969 It always feels utterly empty to follow such profoundly sad news with the mundanity of the week's tennis news. Here is what else Calvin Betton, James Gray and George Bellshaw discussed this week... Novak Djokovic has pulled out of Adelaide, his only planned warm-up for the Australian Open, saying he is not physically ready for the challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have not played an ATP event yet this year either, but were busy playing an indoor practice match in front of 15,000 people in Seoul, South Korea. Poland FINALLY won the United Cup, Hubert Hurkacz gaining redemption for spurning two championship points against Alexander Zverev in 2024, beating the German en route to leading his nation to victory... ...but Iga Swiatek's form was far from impressive, and it was Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski, Luke Johnson's new partner, who were instrumental in securing the title PLUS: No Australian Open wildcard for Nick Kyrgios; there is one for Stan Wawrinka; titles for Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Bublik, Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina; Emma Raducanu's return; and OF COURSE *that* wildcard in Nairobi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before anything else, our thoughts this week are firmly with teh family of Damian Kust. Damian was a cherished and passionate member of the tennis community whom we lost at the age of just 26. His work covering the Challenger Tour set him apart, but his passion and knowledge was what really made him shine. RIP Damian. Details of his funeral and donations to the foundation his parents have chosen are here: https://x.com/damiankust/status/2009644081207709969 It always feels utterly empty to follow such profoundly sad news with the mundanity of the week's tennis news. Here is what else Calvin Betton, James Gray and George Bellshaw discussed this week... Novak Djokovic has pulled out of Adelaide, his only planned warm-up for the Australian Open, saying he is not physically ready for the challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have not played an ATP event yet this year either, but were busy playing an indoor practice match in front of 15,000 people in Seoul, South Korea. Poland FINALLY won the United Cup, Hubert Hurkacz gaining redemption for spurning two championship points against Alexander Zverev in 2024, beating the German en route to leading his nation to victory... ...but Iga Swiatek's form was far from impressive, and it was Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zielinski, Luke Johnson's new partner, who were instrumental in securing the title PLUS: No Australian Open wildcard for Nick Kyrgios; there is one for Stan Wawrinka; titles for Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Bublik, Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina; Emma Raducanu's return; and OF COURSE *that* wildcard in Nairobi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Blue Blur himself has FINALLY made it onto The Retro Blast Podcast and it's long overdue! SEGA found itself in a stranglehold in the early 90s as Nintendo dominated the video game market in the United States... And they were almost out of options. Until a little blue hedgehog with super speed AND a super 90s attitude hit the scene and changed the video game landscape forever. The Gamersician himself is back to join Host Patrick Brickhouse for a nostalgic conversation about what it was like to be a kid in the 90s when Sonic hit the scene, what we love about the game to this day, and OF COURSE, the music—With a very special section in the later half of the episode where we discuss comments from Patrons about their favorite OG Sonic songs and memories! Guest Host: Paul, The Gamersician Check out The Gamersician's music here! Follow Retro Blast on Bluesky! Want a shout-out, comments discussed on the show, and influence over which games we feature on future episodes? Join the Retro Blast Patreon and get involved with the show!

Happy Friday PodHeads! Ofcourse we have a new episode! We hope you enjoy and remember share with your friends!-Curating an experience-People being themselves - P Diddy Netflix Documentary- Last time you listened to a CD- Getting rid of the penny is bad- What conspiracy would you start ?- unlocking your potential -Remember Furbies ?-You remember the first song you heard ?- curating a music taste New music Conway the machine - you can't kill God with bullets Nas & Dj Premier - Light - YearsFollow @degreescouchchronicles on all podcast platforms.Tune into our social for all updates.Click the link here for fitness by Phoenix fit workouts, meals, and more https://www.etsy.com/shop/FitnesswithphoenixGlow Nude @Glow.nude on IG

It's the final episode of 2025, and we're seeing this year out with a bang! We're covering: the final weekend of the WSL in 2025, NWSL updates on the Trinity Rodman saga and where this is leading the league (and do we like it?), and OF COURSE we're closing out the episode with our 'BEST OF 2025' segment, a staple at the end of the year, and this one won't disappoint! We're back Wednesday January 14, 2026 right after the first weekend of the WSL kicks back off! Episode edited by Mike Adams @monkeyhillmedia. Follow us on socials @thewososhow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attention Wealthy Beatles Fans (TM)! How do you feel about 13 tracks? No, not “of whack”, as Walter Becker might have presented us, while he was still alive anyway. But rather, 13 tracks of unearthed Beatles demos & takes, nearly all of which are pure gems, now available on “Anthology 4”.   Awesome, yes? Now, how do you feel about spending $74 for a deluxe vinyl package (excuse me? SIR?) with 36 tracks of whack. Does it make you feel better to know that you're spending that hard earned cash on 36% “new” material, and; coincidentally, (Beatles) '64% of music you already bought on previous deluxe reissues? Good news, because as the Fat Boys once sang, “Baby you're a rich man, too!”   Look, we like to joke around at the UBP, it's what makes us Apple's only legally/emotionally authorized Beatles podcast (TBD). OF COURSE we're grateful for “new” Beatles goodies we've never heard before. Early takes of “Tell Me Why”! “Every Little Thing!” “In My Life”! Surely, “A4” has been curated for both the die-hard and casual Beatles fan, yes? What's that? Oh you were expecting a “Yes, and?” Well we love improv, too. It's our water, our oxygen, our physical fitness. In fact, improv is what makes us The Second City's only legally/emotionally authorized Beatles podcast (TBD).   So not only do Tony & T.J. begin to deep dish “Anthology 4: Less Faster But Even More Furious”, but they yes and themselves into veritable Don knots over:  

The engineer at Kickin' came to work wearing a crew neck sweatshirt he got from Fripp Island, so OF COURSE the guys had to give him a hard time!

On the latest PRAISING KANE we're diving into the fraught history of the two Coreys (Haim and Feldman) with the 1988 teen comedy classic(?) LICENSE TO DRIVE, featuring car chases, a hip drive-in restaurant, scary driving tests (/w James Avery), Richard Masur, Billy Ocean's "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" and OF COURSE the wonderful Carol Kane. We also chat about the upcoming short documentary CAROL & JOY which should be available to watch RIGHT NOW on the Criterion Channel. Enjoy! The post Episode 302 – Praising Kane – License to Drive (1988) first appeared on Cinema Smorgasbord.

Giving so much thanks today to ALL of you fabulous, remarkable, wonderful listeners! Thank you for those who have been around since the beginning (4 years!) thank you for those who are new or recent, thank you to those who have downloaded the whole catalogue of over 400 episodes!, thank you SO much to those who have reached out personally to let me know how the show has inspired or helped you, I AM SO VERY GRATEFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU! And honored to have you tuning into the show, you're amazing!I hope you enjoy this episode of exploring the "2nd act" of a lifetime, embracing the gifts of T.O.P, learning to accept aging, being grateful for gaining wisdom, allowing for adversity, and OF COURSE a tarot card pull for your holiday.SO MUCH LOVE,WhitneyCircle of Life Tarot: https://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/circle-of-life/Donations To Women Waken To Support The Show Are Greatly Appreciated

Hello everyone, a big thanks to all of you who joined the patreon and voted for this to be the next episode, you all are awesome. This is a part 2 about Hirohito's responsibility during the wars of 1931-1945, so if you have not heard part 1, perhaps go do so, or maybe you just don't care about 1931-1940 and just want to hear about the 1941-1945 period, hell by all means enjoy.   So last time we kind of left it on a bit of a dramatic cliff hanger. I spoke about Emperor Hirohito's involvement in what was called at the time the “China Incident”. It was not an official declared war until December of 1941. We left off in 1940, Hirohito was struggling with a situation of juggling two things: 1) how the hell to finally end the China War 2) how to do it without receiving horrible ramifications from the international world. On July 22nd of 1940, Konoe was back and formed a second cabinet. Notably General Hideki Tojo went from vice to army Minister during this time. If you guys ever want a podcast on Hideki Tojo, let me know, he is one rather bizarre figure that's for sure. Konoe tackled his job by holding an imperial HQ government liaison conference. For 90 minutes everyone worked on a new national policy designed to exploit the international situation, IE: Germany bulldozing europe.  The result was a document on national policy dated July 27th. It shifted focus to the “southern area” IE: southeast asia and the Pacific if the China war did not end quickly. Its basis was to exploit the foreign nations that had their hands full in europe, France, Britain and the Netherlands. It called for an invasion of French Indochina to establish bases to launch assaults against the Dutch East Indies for natural resources if diplomatic means failed. It acknowledged if the Dutch East Indies were seized through military means, Japan would also seek to fight Britain, but not the US, instead Japan would prepare for a possible war with the Americans. To all of this Hirohito approved. The army also kept pressuring its desire to ally with Germany. Throughout 1939-1940 Hirohito rejected this idea, not because of any ideological differences, it was because of Germans anti aggression pact with the USSR. If Japan were to ally to Germany, Hirohito wanted it to be mutually to fight the USSR. The Navy likewise opposed allying to Germany because they believed it would force Britain and the US to increase their aid to Chiang Kai-shek.   However the Blitzkrieg changed everything. Everyone was shocked at how well Germany was doing. Prince Chichibu repeatedly argued with Hirohito to change his mind over the alliance idea. Then suddenly the Navy changed their mind and began favoring an alliance. This changed came about in June of 1940 when the France fell. The Navy changed their mind based on a few factors, a major component was the belief if Germany and the USSR were allied, than at least Japan would not have to worry about the USSR and could focus on the pacific. Both the IJA and the IJN believed Hitler would soon take Britain and thus there was a huge desire to join the new international order on the winning side. A third factor was a new clause in negotiations with Germany and Japan, that if they allied Japan would not automatically be drawn into a war with Britain against her will. Some in the navy also believed perhaps Germany could help their diplomatic situation with the Americans. So the army and navy were now both demanding an alliance with Germany, it was all up to hirohito.    At an imperial briefing on June 19th of 1940, Hirohito asked chief of staff Prince Kan'in and the Army Minister Hata “At a time when peace will soon come in the European situation, will there be a deployment of troops to the Netherlands Indies and French Indochina?” Such as question revealed Hirohito's perception at the time that Germany was on the verge of victory and that he was gradually considering the deployment of troops in French Indochina and the Dutch East Indies as neither parent nation were in a position to defend their holdings. In regards to the China war, the Japanese sought to end leaks of materials getting into China from places like Hong Kong. Hirohito received reports indicated Britain would not accept closing the movement of materials into China via Hong Kong. The military acknowledged it would probably be required to invade Hong Kong and thus declare war on Britain. Upon hearing of this Hirohito remarked “Should that happen, I am sure America will use the method of an embargo, don't you agree?” To this his lord of the privy seal, Kido reassured him stating “the nation must be fully resolved to resist to proceed cautiously and not to be dragged into events precipitated by the overseas agencies”. Konoe's second cabinet resolved to end the China war, construct a new order in greater east asia and to complete war preparations as a national defense state. On July 27th at a liaison conference a document was adopted, affirming a course of advancing to the south and to ally with Germany. Japan would incorporate the Dutch East Indies, British Malaya and other resource rich areas of Southeast Asia into its new order while simultaneously bolstering its relationship with the Axis states. After hearing and reading everything, Hirohito sanctioned it all. Thus Hirohito had sanctioned the preliminary actions that would set Japan into a collision course with the US.   In September Japan began sending troops into northern French Indochina after concluding its Tripartite alliance with Germany and Italy. Now Hirohito was briefed beforehand by Army Minister Tojo and other chiefs of staff about securing bases in northern French indochina. Hirohito agreed to this under the belief acquiring such bases would stop more leaked materials going into China and thus contribute to the fall of Chongqing. But Hirohito also sanctioned it under the full knowledge it was preparing the Nanshin-ron advance and that carried a risk of going to war with Britain and by proxy the US. Naturally he wanted to thwart any war breaking out with the US by it seems his officials had convinced him they could manage most of their plans without aggravating the US.   On July 29th with the German offensive aimed at finishing off Britain, Hirohito summoned his chiefs and vice chiefs of staff to the imperial HQ. He began to question the prospects of war with the US. Prince Fushimi replied “[u]nless we complete our domestic preparations, particularly the preparation of our material resources, I do not think we should lightly start war even if there is a good opportunity to do so.” Hirohito then asked if  “the Army were planning to occupy points in India, Australia, and New Zealand.” But overall Hirohito seemed to be the most concerned about the US, Germany and the USSR. “Could Japan, obtain a victory in a naval battle with the United States as we once did in the Battle of the Japan Sea? . . . I heard that the United States will ban exports of oil and scrap iron [to Japan]. We can probably obtain oil from other sources, but don't you think we will have a problem with scrap iron?” In regards to the USSR “If a Japan-Soviet nonaggression treaty is made and we advance to the south, the navy will become the main actor. Has the army given thought to reducing the size of its forces in that case? . . . How do you assess the future national power of Germany? . . . Both Germany and the Soviet Union are untrustworthy countries. Don't you think there will be a problem if one of them betrays us and takes advantage of our exhaustion fighting the United States?I]t seems as though you people are thinking of implementing this plan by force because there is a good opportunity at this moment for resolving the southern problem even though some dangers are involved. . . . What does a good opportunity mean? [To this question Sawada replied: “For example, if a German landing in England commences.”] In that case wouldn't the United States move to aid Britain? . . . Well, I've heard enough. I take it, in short, that you people are trying to resolve the southern problem by availing yourselves of today's good opportunities.”   You can tell Hirohito understood the very real threat of an Anglo-American alliance and was very cautious. It seemed to Hirohito, that his officials were trying to take the limelight off the abysmal situation in China but emphasizing a southern advance. Well Americans response to the Japanese movement into northern French indochina was to see it as a direct threat. Something I have not paid much attention to was Hirohito's decision making being the direct result of trying to mediate between competing entities, ie: the IJA and IJN. At this point in time the IJA and IJN top officials had the power to simply stop governmental functions from occurring altogether whenever they were displeased with a decision. As you can imagine the IJA and IJN were also competing for resources and political power. Thus Hirohito spent a lot of time and effort trying to formulate decisions that at a minimum kept the governance going.    In the end Hirohito sanctioned Imperial HQ army order number 458, ordering the area army to begin the entry into French Indochina. Thus once again Hirohito sanctioned aggression aboard. America began what it called a “moral embargo” on aircraft parts, scrap iron and aviation gasoline. This was one of many gradual steps America took to incrementally sanction Japan, while aiding China to keep it bogged down. Japan's direct response was joining the Axis with a clause “to assist one another with all political, economic and military means if attacked by a power at present not involved in the European War or in the Sino-Japanese conflict”. This clause was designed specifically to check Britain and the US. Hirohito knew this was a turning point carrying the possibility of war with the US. Later he would blame some officials and even his brothers Chichibu and Takamatsu, but not his own actions sanctioning the Axis pact.    Speaking of his brothers, at this time Chichibu got severely ill with tuberculosis and as a result retired from active public life, now Prince Takamatsu stood as next regent. Thus Takamatsu would begin reading reports and advise Hirohito. Takamatsu like Chichibu approved the Tripartite Pact and found his brother Hirohito's performance lacking. Meanwhile Britain responded to the Tripartite pact by opening up the Burma road and America made a loan to Chiang Kai-shek.   The Soviets came to Japan for a neutrality pact and sweetened the deal by offering Soviet coal and oil concessions in North Sakhalin. Hirohito ratified the treaty on April 25th of 1941. 5 weeks later on June 5th, the Japanese ambassador to Berlin, General Oshima Hiroshi reported to Hirohito and the high command that Hitler was about to invade the Soviets. The Army high command sprang into action drafting plans to open a war with the Soviets while simultaneously advancing south into French Indochina. But many in the military also sought to wait until the time was ripe, and a rift emerged. Operation barbarossa commenced and on June 23rd the IJN high command gave their opinion that Japan should seize all military bases and airfields in southern French Indochina even at the risk of war with Britain and America. Can you say boy that escalated quickly?   There was obvious temptation to invade Siberia towards Lake Baikal, but at the same time the western powers were tightening sanctions on Japan, she needed resources. At this point Japan had been stuck in China for 4 years and 5 months, the army had expanded from 17 divisions totalling 250,000 men in july of 1937 to 51 divisions at 2.1 million men in December 8th of 1941. On July 2nd, 10 tens into Operation barbarossa, Konoe summoned an imperial conference to debate actions going forward. The consensus was that southern French Indochina needed to be taken and that it probably would not provoke the US going to war with Japan. Hirohito sanctioned it and on July 30th made a major operational intervention by advising General Sugiyama to build up forces in Manchukuo to prevent the Soviet Far Eastern Army.   Japan negotiated with Vichy France to allow Japanese troops to occupy southern parts of French Indochina. What was to be originally just 40,000 IJA forces turned into 185,000 and in response America increased sanctions and began preparing the Philippines for war. Roosevelt froze Japanese assets in the US on July 26th and by August the 1st a total embargo of oil and gasoline exports to Japan. Konoe's cabinet, the military high command, pretty much everyone was shocked by how harsh the economic sanctions were. Emperor Hirohito told Sugiyama to halt mobilizing forces in Manchukuo and the army basically dropped all plans of attacking the USSR. A month after the US oil embargo suddenly the army had changed its mind to go all in on the southern advance. Britain likewise began sanctions against Japan and both Britain and the US managed to convince the Dutch to follow suit by refusing to sell oil to Japan. The Dutch even took it a step further and followed Americans lead in freezing Japanese assets.    Konoe was in full panic mode, be believed his ambassador to washington was a moron and sought to go in person to speak to Roosevelt. At 11:40am on August 4th Konoe spoke to Hirohito about the plan, but Washington kept making up excuses prolonging any meeting from taking place. Meanwhile Washington was building up its navy, and the IJN were stressing, in the words of Admiral Takagai “As time passes and this situation continues, our empire will either be totally defeated or forced to fight a hopeless war. Therefore we should pursue war and diplomacy together. If there is no prospect of securing our final line of national survival by diplomatic negotiations, we must be resolved to fight.” Hirohito understood the predicament full well, that each day Japan was wasting its oil reserves, if they were to strike it had to be quickly.    On september 3rd at a liaison conference it was decided Japan was to prepare for a war against the US, UK and Netherlands while simultaneously pursuing diplomacy. If diplomacy failed by early October the decision for war would be made. Konoe presented everything to Hirohito on September 5th and requested an imperial conference on the matter. The most important decision of his life was about to be made.    Now take a second to feel the moment. Germany's invasion of the USSR was in its 6th week and not producing a decisive victory; Britain was still in the fight and the Japanese ambassador to London reported back Britain would allow Japan to maintain its great power status and exert influence in asia if they stayed out of the European War and “re-examined their current policy”. An olive branch. Hirohito had options is what I am arguing. He could stale things, he could mobilize units into Manchukuo to simply threaten the Soviet border, he could simply stay out of new wars, even it the China war would get worse, but try to profit from the situation in Europe. He could stop the southern advance, lose the chance to seize the resource in southeast asia, but perhaps the US, UK and Netherlands would lift some sanctions.   After speaking back and forth with Konoe while scolding Sugiyama here is a bit of their conversation:    Emperor: In the event we must finally open hostilities, will our operations have a probability of victory?  Sugiyama: Yes, they will.  Emperor: At the time of the China Incident, the army told me that we could achieve peace immediately after dealing them one blow with three divisions. Sugiyama, you were army minister at that time. . . .  Sugiyama: China is a vast area with many ways in and many ways out, and we met unexpectedly big difficulties. . . . [ellipses in original]  Emperor: Didn't I caution you each time about those matters? Sugiyama, are you lying to me? Nagano: If Your Majesty will grant me permission, I would like to make a statement.  Emperor: Go ahead.  Nagano: There is no 100 percent probability of victory for the troops stationed there. . . . Sun Tzu says that in war between states of similar strength, it is very difficult to calculate victory. Assume, however, there is a sick person and we leave him alone; he will definitely die. But if the doctor's diagnosis offers a seventy percent chance of survival, provided the patient is operated on, then don't you think one must try surgery? And if, after the surgery, the patient dies, one must say that was meant to be. This indeed is the situation we face today. . . . If we waste time, let the days pass, and are forced to fight after it it is too late to fight, then we won't be able to do a thing about it.  Emperor: All right, I understand. [He answered in a better mood.]  Konoe: Shall I make changes in tomorrow's agenda? How would you like me to go about it? Emperor: There is no need to change anything.   There is no need to change anything. Konoe grabbed Hirohito for a private audience afterwards and tried to get Hirohito to revise the outline, but Hirohito ignored this. Hirohito at that point could have stopped or at least slowed down the countdown to all out war. Hirohito instead did not want to displease the pro-war factions in his military, perhaps he saw them as a threat to his authority. Hirohito was not at all pleased with the policy plan. When he was shown in on september 5th, he looked extremely irritated and blew up on Sugiyama and the army high command as a whole. 20 minutes before the Imperial conference on September 6th, Hirohito spoke with his lord of the privy Kido and told him he was going to raise some questions at the meeting. Kido told him that it would be best to leave the questions at the very end, basically he was advising to allow for things to go through. Thus Hirohito sat through the meeting and sanction the preparations for war. Here is a conversation between Hirohito and the Chiefs of the general staff:   Emperor: You may go ahead and mobilize. But if the Konoe-Roosevelt talks go well, you'll stop, won't you?  Chief of the General Staff: Indeed, your majesty, we will.  Emperor: I will ask you one more time: Is there any possibility that the north [that is, the Soviet Union] may move against us while we are engaged in the south [emphasis added]?  Chief of the General Staff: I cannot say that will absolutely not occur. However, because of the season it is inconceivable that large forces will be able to attack us   Meanwhile Konoe's deadline to reach a diplomatic resolution with the US was fast approaching. On October 13th Hirohito told Kido “In the present situation there seems to be little hope for the Japan–U.S. negotiations. If hostilities erupt this time, I think I may have to issue a declaration of war.” The next day Konoe held his last cabinet meeting and Army minister Tojo took the lionshare of talking:   For the past six months, ever since April, the foreign minister has made painstaking efforts to adjust relations [with the United States.] Although I respect him for that, we remain deadlocked. . . . Our decision was “to start the war . . . if by early October we cannot thoroughly achieve our demands through negotiations.” Today is the fourteenth. . . . We are mobilizing hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Others are being moved from China and Manchuria, and we have requisitioned two million tons of ships, causing difficulties for many people. As I speak ships are en route to their destinations. I would not mind stopping them, and indeed would have to stop them, if there was a way for a diplomatic breakthrough. . . . The heart of the matter is the [imposition on us of] withdrawal [from Indochina and China]. ...If we yield to America's demands, it will destroy the fruits of the China Incident. Manchukuo will be endangered and our control of Korea undermined   And so Konoe resigned two days later, but before he did his last official action was to recommend Prince Higashikuni to succeed him, in fact he got Tojo to do the same. Prince Higashikuni was deemed capable of controlling both the Army and Navy. And what did Hirohito say to this? He said no, and appointed Hideki Tojo. Why? As going back to the beginning of this series, to protect the Kokutai. He did not want a member of the royal family to hold the seat as Prime Minister during a time when war might be declared, a war that Japan might lose, which would toss the responsibility onto the imperial house. It was a threat to the Kokutai. Hirohito chose Tojo because Tojo was 100% loyal subject to the emperor. Tojo was the perfect fall guy if one ever existed.    Between November 8-15th, Hirohito received a full rundown of the Pearl Harbor surprise attack plan and sanctioned it. The deadline to reach a diplomatic solution with the US was set for midnight December 1st.    Hirohito ever since the Mukden Incident had expressed fear that not taking warlike actions, not pumping up the kokutai or not suppressing dissent would jeopardize the imperial system of government and damage the imperial institution itself. For Hirohito domestic conflicts were more dangerous than external ones, because they carried the risk of eroding the monarchy. As the time approached for his finally decision on declaring war, Hirohito requested a last round of discussion. The carriers enroute to Pearl harbor departed on november 27th, while on December 1st, 19 leaders, the entire Tojo cabinet and Emperor met. Tojo pulled a rather cheeky maneuver, he reported the response from America, the famous Hull note by stating “the United States . . . has demanded that we withdraw troops from all of China [emphasis added],” but in fact, Hull had used only the word “China.” Hara asked “I would like to know,whether Manchukuo is included in the term ‘China'? Did our two ambassadors confirm this point?” Togo's reply to this was “However . . . the American proposal [early in the negotiations on] April 16 stated that they would recognize the state of Manchukuo, so Manchukuo would not be part of China. . . . On the other hand . . . there has been a change in their position . . . they look upon Chungking as the one and only legitimate regime, and . . . they want to destroy the Nanking regime, [so] they may retract what they have said previously” A nonsensical gibberish answer, intentionally done to make everyone think America did in fact include Manchukuo, thus forcing everyone to see the demands as impossible to comply with. Togo finished the meeting : “Once His Majesty decides to commence hostilities, we will all strive to meet our obligations to him, bring the government and the military ever closer together, resolve that the nation united will go on to victory, make an all-out effort to achieve our war aims, and set his majesty's mind at ease. I now adjourn the meeting.” Hirohito simply nodded. Sugiyama remarked that the emperor did not show the slightest sign of anxiety, in fact he looked like he was in a good mood.   Hirohito's naval aid Jo Eiichiro wrote minutes on the first day of the pacific war, recording the emperors actions. 4 A.M. (Japan time): Japan issued a final ultimatum to the United States. 3:30 A.M.: the Hawaiian surprise attack was successful. 5:30 A.M.: Singapore bombed. Great results. Air attacks on Davao, Guam, Wake. 7:10 A.M.: All the above was reported to the emperor. The American gunboat Wake was captured on the Shanghai front. The British gunboat Petrel was sunk. From 7:15 to 7:30 the chief of the Navy General Staff reported on the war situation. At 7:30 the prime minister informally reported to the emperor on the imperial rescript declaring war. (Cabinet meeting from 7 A.M.). At 7:35 the chief of the Army General Staff reported on the war situation. At 10:45 the emperor attended an emergency meeting of the privy council. At 11:00 A.M. the imperial rescript declaring war was promulgated. 11:40 A.M. Hirohito conferred with Kido for about twenty minutes.] At 2:00 P.M. the emperor summoned the army and navy ministers and bestowed an imperial rescript on them. The army minister, representing both services, replied to the emperor. [At 3:05 P.M. the emperor had a second meeting with Kido, lasting for about twenty minutes.] At 4:30 P.M. the chiefs of staff formally reported on the draft of the Tripartite (Germany-Italy-Japan) Military Pact. At 8:30 P.M. the chief of the Navy General Staff reported on the achievements of the Hawaii air attack. . . . Throughout the day the emperor wore his naval uniform and seemed to be in a splendid mood.   Hirohito believed Germany would win, thus if with their help he believed Japan could thwart off the US until a negotiated peace. Having made his choice, Hirohito devoted himself to presiding over and guiding the war to victory at all costs. He was a extremely cautious person, every single campaign he looked for what could go wrong, made worse case scenario predictions and was very suspicious of reports from his high officials. He was notably very harsh and critical on said high commanders. Although he did not visit the war theaters as did other commanders in chief, he exercised and controlled influence on theater operations, both in the planning and execution whenever he chose to do so. As was the same case with the China war before it, he issued the highest military orders of the Imperial HQ, performed audited conferences and led to decisions transmitted in his name. He received generals and admirals to the imperial palace who gave full reports of the battlefront. He visited bases, battleships, various army and naval headquarters. He inspected military schools, you know the full shebang.    After 26 months of war, the naval air force had lost 26,006 aircraft, nearly a third of its total power, thousands of veteran pilots were dead. Hundreds of thousands of tons of warship was sunk, the merchant and transport fleet was crippled. Late 1943 saw the Americans turning the initiative of the war, Japan was on the defensive. Guadalcanal had been the major turning point. During the staled battle for the philippines, Hirohito pressed upon Army chief of staff Sugiyama to increase troop strength to knock out Bataan. The problem persisted, on February 9th and 26th Hirohito pressed Sugiyama again about getting more troops to take Bataan.   Hirohito was confronted with the prisoner of war issue after the doolittle raid. When the pilots were caught, Togo initially opposed executions, but many in the IJA sought all 8 men executed. Hirohito chose to intervene and commuted the execution of 5 out of the 8. Why just 5, no one knows to this day, but its theorized it was to demonstrate his benevolence while simultaneously giving a bit of what the army wanted.    The CBI theater took the lionshare of his attention in 1942, he continuously pressed up Sugiyama when a final blow would be delivered against Chongqing. When the Midway disaster occurred, Hirohito was given a full report of what happened, but he chose to hid the extent of the loss from the IJA. In fact in response to the Guadalcanal campaign he was heard once asking “I wonder if this is not the start of the AmericanBritish counteroffensive?” He urged his commanders to increase offensive activities and to toss all weapons possible at the enemy, because Japan needed more time to secure its reserves of vital oil, rubber and iron. When he heard the first report of the Ichiki detachment being wiped out, he simply stated “I am sure it [Guadalcanal] can be held.” With numerous reports pouring in about the men dying from tropical disease and starvation, Hirohito kept demanding greater efforts from them. Hirohito continuously applied pressure on his naval and land commanders to recapture the island. On September 15th, November 5th and November 11th he called for more IJA troops and aircraft to be allocated to it. Sugiyama was nervous about sending more IJA pilots as they were inexperienced in transoceanic combat and he sought to reinforce the north china army to hit Chongqing. Hirohito demanded it a second time and Sugiyama replied the IJA had deployed its air power instead to New Guinea and Rabaul. Hirohito continuously hammered the issue despite the high level commanders disagreeing with it. By late november it was clear guadalcanal was a lost cause.    At an imperial HQ conference on December 31st of 1942, the chiefs of staff reported they would cancel the attempts to recapture guadalcanal. Hirohito sanctioned it but stated “It is unacceptable to just give up on capturing Guadalcanal. We must launch an offensive elsewhere.” Hirohito forced the issue and it was decided the new strategic points would be in the solomons north of New Georgia and the Stanley range on New Guinea. Hirohito in fact threatened not to authorize the withdrawal of men from Guadalcanal until such a plan was made. Hirohito would go on to oppose the withdrawal from the Munda airfield on New Georgia since it contradicted the new defensive line. As the defensive perimeter in the central and northern solomons was crumbling, Hirohito continued to demand the navy fight decisive battles to regain the initiative so ships could begin transports supplies to the countless soldiers trapped on islands without them. When Hirohito heard of the navy's failure to reinforce Lae on March 3rd he stated  “Then why didn't you change plans immediately and land at Madan? This is a failure, but it can teach us a good lesson and become a source of future success. Do this for me so I can have peace of mind for awhile.” “Do this for me” would become his signature message.    In August of 1943 as the fall of the solomons progressed, Hirohito lambasted “Isn't there someplace where we can strike the United States? . . . When and where on earth are you [people] ever going to put up a good fight? And when are you ever going to fight a decisive battle?Well, this time, after suffering all these defeats, why don't you study how not to let the Americans keep saying ‘We won! We won!'[emphasis added]”” Hirohito berated his chiefs of staff and in the face of mounting defeats he remained undismayed, rigidly self disciplined and aggressive as ever. When he received a report on September 21st of 1943 that the allies were heading for Finschhafen he replied “Being ready to defend isn't enough. We have to do the attacking.”   When the Americans destroyed the main naval anchorage at Truk forcing the navy to evacuate it, leaving behind numerous tanks, the dream of fighting one great decisive naval battle in the central pacific was over.    On February 21st of 1944, Hirohito took the unprecedented action to force Sugiyama to resign so Tojo could assume his position, alongside that of army minister and prime minister. He did this to end dissent. Hirohito and Tojo oversaw the haymaker attempts in 1944, like operation Ichi-go and the Imphal campaign fall into ruins. It looked like the Philippines, Taiwan, Okinawa, the Bonin islands and eventually the home islands would be invaded. When Saipan fell, the home islands had at last come into range of the dreaded B-29 Super flying fortresses. Hirohito had warned Tojo “If we ever lose Saipan, repeated air attacks on Tokyo will follow. No matter what it takes, we have to hold there.” For two days his chiefs of staff explained the dire situation on Saipan was hopeless, but Hirohito ignored their advice and ordered Admiral Shimada to recapture it, the first department of the navy general staff immediately poured themselves into the problem. Day and night they worked, until a draft plan was created on June 21st, 3 days later the combined fleet gave opposition. Tojo and Shimada formally reported to Hirohito the recapture plan needed to be canceled. Hirohito refused to accept the loss of Saipan and ordered his chief aide General Hasunuma to convene in his presence the board of field marshals and fleet admirals. They all met on the 25th, upon which they all unanimously stated the reports indicating Saipan was a lost cause were valid, Hirohito simply told them to put it in writing and he left the room.    Hirohito finally decided to withdraw his support of Tojo, allowing Tojo's numerous enemies to take down his cabinet on July 18th 1944. But Hirohito was undaunted in determination to steal victory from the allies. Imperial HQ on October 18th ordered a decisive naval battle and the battle of Leyte Gulf was it. After the war Hirohito would go on the record stating “Contrary to the views of the Army and Navy General Staffs, I agreed to the showdown battle of Leyte thinking that if we attacked at Leyte and America flinched, then we would probably be able to find room to negotiate.” This statement shows the facts as they were, Hirohito and his chiefs of staff forced the field commander, General Tomoyuki Yamashita to engage the American invasion force in a place Yamashita did not want to fight nor prepared adequate defenses. It was a horrible loss.   The Kamikaze attacks increased as Japan's desperation wore on. On new years day of 1945 Hirohito inspected the special last meal rations given to departing kamikaze units. Iwo Jima fell. Okinawa remained, and Hirohito lashed out “Is it because we failed to sink enemy transports that we've let the enemy get ashore? Isn't there any way to defend Okinawa from the landing enemy forces?”  On the second day of Okinawa's invasion Hirohito ordered a counter landing by the 32nd army and urged the navy to counterattack in every way possible. It was a horrible failure, it cost the lives of up to 120,000 Japanese combatants, 170,000 noncombatants. The Americans lost 12,500 killed and 33,000 wounded. An absolute bloodbath.    Konoe re-entered the stage writing to Hirohito pleading with him to order a surrender because from his perspective “The Soviet Union is Japan's biggest threat. Defeat was inevitable, but more to be feared than defeat was the destruction of the Kokutai. Sue quickly for peace, before a Communist revolution occurred that would make preservation of the kokutai impossible”. Hirohito was taken aback by this, as he shared his military's hope that the Soviets would help Japan reach a peace settlement. So he rejected the advice of Konoe. Hirohito remarked “If we hold out long enough in this war, we may be able to win, but what worries me is whether the nation will be able to endure it until then.” Then Japan's intelligence units reported the Soviets were going to break the neutrality pact and join the war once the Germans were done. Meanwhile Tokyo was turned to rubble on March 9th 1945 by 334 B-29's dropping firebombs, 40% of the capital was destroyed, up to 100,000 were dead. Hirohito remained undaunted. 60 Japanese cities were leveled by firebomb campaigns. Europe's war finished. Then the battle for Okinawa was lost, suddenly Hirohito began looking for ways to end the war.   On June 22nd Hirohito personally informed the supreme war leadership council his desire to see diplomatic maneuvers to end the war. A special envoy was sent to Moscow, while Hirohito publicly issued an imperial rescript ordering the nation “to smash the inordinate ambitions of the enemy nations and achieve the goals of the war”. B-29's began dropping leaflets with joint declarations issued by the US, UK and China requesting the citizens of Japan demand their government surrender. Prefectural governors, police chiefs and officers began submitting home ministry reports on the rapid deterioration of the nations spirit.   Germany signed the unconditional surrender documents on May 7th and 8th of 1945, Japan was alone. Newly installed President Truman declared on May 8th, Japan's surrender would not mean the extermination or enslavement of the Japanese people, but the unconditional surrender principles remained unaltered. The Japanese meanwhile were awaiting word from the Soviets. The Americans unleashed their first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6th of 1945 killing up to 140,000 people. Then on August 8th the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and began an invasion of Manchuria. On August 9th the second atomic bomb hit Nagasaki killing around 40,000 people.   Thus began the surrender clock as I like to say. After the first atomic bomb, Hirohito said and did nothing about the surrender terms. Hirohito then authorized Togo to notify the world on August 10th that Japan would accept the allied terms of surrender with one condition “that the said declaration does not comprise any demand which prejudices the prerogatives of His Majesty as a Sovereign Ruler.” The next day, Secretary of State Byrnes replied by alluding to the subordination of the emperors authority to the supreme commander of the allied powers. It was ambiguous as hell. The Japanese leaders erupted into arguments, and on August 14th, Hirohito went before a microphone and recorded his capitulation announcement which aired on August 15th to all in Japan, they surrendered. Why did it take so long?   The peace talks between the Japanese and Soviets went on through June, July and early August. Japan offered the Soviets limited territorial concessions and they refused to accept the envoy on July 22nd because the Japanese were being too ambiguous in their terms. There was continuous back and forth between the intelligence of Moscow and Japan trying to figure out the stance of the other, but then Stalin heard about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, he was shocked and ordered an invasion of Manchuria in response. In the meantime the Japanese were tossing all sorts of concessions at Moscow, they stated they would allow Japanese to be used as forced laborers in Siberia, a form of reparation as it were, that they would demobilize the military and so on. The response was the invasion of Manchuria.    Hirohito knew prior to the bombing of Hiroshima that the cabinet was divided on accepting the Potsdam terms. Hirohito also knew he and he alone could unify governmental affairs and military command. Why then did he wait until the evening of August 9th to surrender?   The reality of the matter is its complicated, numerous variables at play, but let me try to pick at it. The people of japan under the firebomb campaigns were becoming hostile towards the military, the government and many began to criticize the emperor. Hirohito was given reports from the Home Ministry from governors and police chiefs all over Japan revealing people were speaking of the emperor as an incompetent leader who was responsible for worsening the war situation. Does that sound like a threat to the Kokutai? People were starving en masse, the atomic bomb is flashy, but what really was killing the Japanese, it was starvation. The home islands were blockaded and the sea approaches mined as pertaining to the optimally named “operation starvation”. Hirohito knew full well how bad his people were suffering but he did not surrender for so long.   After Hiroshima was bombed, Hirohito delayed for 2 days before telling Kido at 10am on August 9th “quickly control the situation, the Soviet Union has declared war and today began hostilities against us”. Now here is a piece of Hirohito's surrender proclamation to the citizens of Japan    “Moreover, the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is, indeed, incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization. Such being the case, how are We to save the millions of Our subjects, or to atone Ourselves before the hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors? This is the reason why We have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers... The hardships and sufferings to which Our nation is to be subjected hereafter will be certainly great. We are keenly aware of the inmost feelings of all of you, Our subjects. However, it is according to the dictates of time and fate that We have resolved to pave the way for a grand peace for all the generations to come by enduring the unendurable and suffering what is unsufferable ”.   Hirohito wanted to obfuscate the issue of accountability, to prevent expressions of strife and anger and to strengthen domestic unity around himself, to protect and raise the kokutai. Did you know there was a rescript of this proclamation that was made to the entire IJA and IJN? Yes Emperor Hirohito gave out two different proclamations for surrender, here is what the armed forces heard.   “ Now that the Soviet Union has entered the war against us, to continue . . . under the present conditions at home and abroad would only recklessly incur even more damage to ourselves and result in endangering the very foundation of the empire's existence. Therefore, even though enormous fighting spirit still exists in the Imperial Navy and Army, I am going to make peace with the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union, as well as with Chungking, in order to maintain our glorious national polity”.   The proclamation does not speak of the atomic weapons, but emphasizes the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. Hirohito was presented as a benevolent sage and an apolitical ruler that had ended the war. Hirohito sought to justify the surrender upon the bombs to the public, but did he believe so, did his armed forces believe so? People debate to this day why the surrender occurred, I love the fact there are two message offered because both are true. Hirohito's decision to surrender was based on numerous variables, the atomic bombs, the invasion of Manchuria by the soviets, but above all else, what really was important to the man, the emperor, the god? The kokutai. The Soviets were more of a threat to the kokutai, thus Hirohito jumped into the arms of the Americans. The language between the Americans and Japanese in the communications for unconditional surrender were ambiguous, but Hirohito and the high commanders knew there was zero chance of the kokutai surviving if the Soviets invaded Japan, perhaps the Americans would allow it to continue, which is just what they ended up doing. The entire purpose of this series would to emphasize how Hirohito definitely had a active role in the war of 1931-1945, he had numerous occasions where he could put the hammer down to stop the situation from escalating. But in the end when his back was against the wall, he did what he did to cling on to the Kokutai.   I shall leave you with this. On August 12th, as Hirohito came to inform the imperial family of his decision to surrender, Prince Asaka asked him whether the war would continue if the Kokutai could not be preserved, what do you think he said? “Of Course”. 

DON'T be judgey. OF COURSE we know what that means...and of course we knew long before the episode started...and of course we didn't learn of the above term while in the process of recording this episode. BUT! If episode 320 taught us anything, it's that GGG has us quite hyped for the Druid in Path of Exile 2's 0.4.0 The Last Druid. Nope! Wait! It's 'The Last OF THE DruidS! We're just 3 weeks away and our questions and hopes are all hype! May the loot be with you.Forever Exiled Info:www.foreverexiled.comPatreonTwitter @ForeverExiled82Path of Exile WebsiteWrecker of Days Builds ListDiscord...FE Merch StoreFE Nexus Store

Todaywe're looking at Ephesians 4:4-6. Yesterday we talked about the grace of unityin verses 1-3. This is a unity in the church among the members that aredisplayed in our humility, our gentleness, our longsuffering, our bearing withone another, and which we continually endeavor to keep so that the world aroundus sees our love for one another, and most of all, the great love of God forthe world through Christ and His cross. Butmy friend, we are not to compromise our foundational beliefs to experience thisunity. There are so many churches and people today that attempt to uniteChristians in a way that is not biblical. They say things like, "We're notreally interested in doctrine, but in love. Let's just love one another. Let'sset aside what we believe just love one another." My friend, that'scompromise. We cannot compromise the essentials of the faith, the foundationsof the faith. Pauldid not discuss spiritual unity in the first three chapters; he waited until hehad laid the doctrinal foundation. While not all Christians agree on some minormatters of Christian doctrine, they all do agree on the foundation truths ofthe faith. Unity built on anything other than Bible truth is standing on a veryshaky foundation. Now in verses 4-6, Paul names at least seven basic spiritualrealities that unite all true Christians. Didyou notice one word that got repeated over again? “One..”. Why? Paulis making it really clear there is a foundation, a ground for our unity. Thereis a ground for our faith that we must realize we cannot compromise. So, inessentials we have unity. In non-essentials we have liberty. But in all of ourbeliefs we have charity. We can still have truth in love. Even when we disagreeon a foundational doctrinal truth with someone else, we can still love themhopefully they can still love us.  Butwe cannot compromise the foundations of our faith which basically is JesusChrist was born of a virgin. Jesus lived a sinless life. Jesus died a vicariousdeath, a substitutionary death on the cross of Calvary. He was buried. He roseagain physically on the third day. And He ever lives to make intercession forus. There's only one way of salvation that is through faith in Jesus Christ. Churchmembership doesn't save you. Works does not save you. Just getting baptized andgetting wet doesn't save you. Only faith in Christ, believing, putting yourhope and trust in His salvation through the cross through His resurrectionpower is what saves us from the guilt and penalty of our sin. These are thefoundational truths. They cannot be compromised.  Inverse 4, Paul points out that there is “one body. Paul is speaking aboutthe one body of Christ in which every believer is a member. We find this in 1Corinthians 12:13: Ofcourse, this is the body of Christ, which is His church. Romans 6:3 teaches us that we should know: “we were baptized into the bodyof Christ”. This means that we were placed into Jesus Christ at the momentof our salvation! We are in one body in Christ. This is a spiritual realitythat we need to contemplate, think about, meditate on, believe with all of ourheart. Interestingly,every Tuesday morning at 8:30, at a local church here in Sneads Ferry NC, Imeet with a group of pastors from various denominations. For a fact, we do notagree on every specific area of church practices and beliefs when it comes tocertain ideas about tongues, about predestination, the particulars on the returnof Christ, music or whatever. But I assure you, that we all agree on theessentials of the foundation of faith. These men love one another. They prayfor one another. They love the people of God. They love the community we livein, and missions. In the four years I've been praying with them we are seeingand experiencing God do phenomenal things in our community because we arepraying in one accord. Despite the different names and denominations we are “onein Christ”.  

The lies around the James Comey indictment continue to grow, and we suspect we won't have Imaginary US Attorney Lindsey Halligan to kick around much longer. The US Attorney's Office in Maryland would like her to have some company on her way out. Meanwhile, MAGA's biggest nemesis, Judge James Boasberg in DC, is moving full speed ahead with criminal contempt hearings to figure out everyone in the Trump administration who decided to defy his orders. And Trump's strategy to openly demand that Republicans gerrymander even more Congressional districts in his favor seems to have backfired. Plus, for subscribers, we have a bonus segment on yet another judge having to tell a state no, OF COURSE you can't post the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.   Links:   The Redistricting Wars (Ft. Joe Dye) [Law and Chaos Pod Substack] https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/the-redistricting-wars-ft-joe-dye   Chicago Headline Club v. Noem [Seventh Circuit] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca7.55235   US v. Martinez https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71561860/united-states-v-martinez   Maltinsky v. Patel https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71932232/maltinsky-v-patel/?order_by=desc   Alex Jones Bankruptcy Appeal https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71932190/jones/   Gaither v. US https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/413/1061/36450/   US v. Comey https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vaed.582136   DOJ, FBI probing top Trump administration officials over investigations of president's adversaries: Sources https://abcnews.go.com/US/doj-fbi-probing-top-trump-administration-officials-investigations/story?id=127602305   J.G.G. v. Trump [District Court Docket] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69741724/jgg-v-trump/   Chicago Headline Club v. Noem https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71559589/chicago-headline-club-v-noem/?order_by=desc   LULAC v. Abbott https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/60654982/league-of-united-latin-american-citizens-v-abbott/?order_by=desc   Ringer v. Comal Indep. School Dist. [Ten Commandments] https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172865472/ Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod  

If you're a paid subscriber and haven't yet set up your subscriber RSS feed in your podcast player, here's the EXTREMELY easy how-to .And if you're having any other issues with your Patreon subscription — please get in touch! Email me at annehelenpetersen @ gmail OR submit a request to Patreon Support. Thank you for making the switch with us — the podcast in particular is much more at home here!I love books with complicated lore. I love plots that interrogate the way power accumulates and spoils — particularly but not exclusively on Ivy League campuses. I love it when a character learns of UNKNOWN POWERS, and I love a good heist. Which means I fell in love with Leigh Bardugo's books immediately. My favorite is Ninth House (and its sequel, Hell Bent) but she is equally well-known for the Shadow and Bone series and the duology Six of Crows, which was just re-released for its tenth anniversary... all of which pop up all over the Culture Study reading rec threads whenever we have them. So imagine my surprise when Leigh's team heard that Culture Study loved Leigh's work and would we like to have Leigh come on the show? YES, OF COURSE. And listen, I knew this conversation was gonna be great. But I didn't realize it was gonna be this great. We talk about genre, marketing, all the nerdy books she read as a teen, how to think about YA and exposure to the things that scare us, and, of course, whether there's gonna be a follow-up to Hell Bent. As always, we've worked hard to make this conversation interesting to people who aren't familiar with Leigh's work — all you have to be is interested in books, just generally — but if you're a fan, you're really gonna love it. Side Note: We're experimenting with producing our own (very imperfect) transcripts. You can find it here. If there's enough demand, we might consider putting in the not insignificant labor to make these super readable — but for now, they're a backup to the podcast, not a replacement for it. Thanks to the sponsors of today's episode!Head to Graza.co/CULTURESTUDY and use CULTURESTUDY to get 10% off your order and get cooking this holiday season with some fresh, delicious olive oilTo stock up on sustainable cleaning products for yourself, or to give a beautiful, sustainable gift to your friends and family this holiday season, go to Blueland.com/CULTURE and save up to 30% during Blueland's holiday saleHead to moshlife.com/CULTURE to save 20% off plus FREE shipping on the best sellers trial pack or the plant-based trial packGo to shopremi.com/CULTURE and use code CULTURE  at checkout for 55% off a new night guard plus a FREE foam gift that whitens your teeth and cleans your nightguardShow Notes:Find all of Leigh's books at Bookshop — and here's how you can buy the new edition of Six of Crows Subscribe to Leigh's newsletter here Find out more about Leigh's work just generally here; I personally loved this profile in AltaLeigh references: The Dragonlance Chronicles, the Louise Erdrich short story "Fleur" which was printed in Esquire but can now be found in Tracks I reference Linda Williams' groundbreaking work on melodrama as a modeI reference our episode with Sarah MacLean where we talk about how romance writers first books are often their best (and why)Just in case you somehow don't know about Bunnicula We're currently looking for your questions for future episodes about: Eldest daughter discourseThe sociology of NAMES (naming trends, naming assumptions)WEIRD ENGLISH WORDS (where do they come from!) with Colin Gorrie, who writes explainers like this one on the word DOGAnything you need advice or want musings on for the AAA segment. You can ask about anything, it's literally the name of the segmentAs always, you can submit them (and ideas for future eps) hereFor this week's discussion: What's your favorite Leigh Bardugo book? OR OBVIOUSLY ANYTHING ELSE! Like how do you think about being exposed to 'scary' ideas as a younger reader?

Ugh. Welp. The Miami Hurricanes have, for the most part, seen their season go out of the window after a loss at the hands of the Rhett Lashlee-coached SMU Mustangs. So much went wrong that we needed three segments to cover it all. We cover the horrible officiating, which was not the reason Miami lost, but certainly didn't make the Canes' afternoon any easier. We talk play calling. We talked about Jojo Trader's great day, until it became a nightmare of a day.  We dove into the horrendous job by the offensive line to limit their pre-snap penalties. We talked about Shannon Dawson and Alex Mirabal. We got to Carson Beck. And. Of Course, we put the bullseye square on Mario Cristobal. We covered it all. Please go check out all of the great work that Cam and his staff do at TheStateOfTheU.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is Netflix's K-Pop Demon Hunters EVIL? Does it teach kids to love DEMONS? Reviewers like Vlad Savchuk and others have frightened Christian parents with scathing reviews reminiscent of the 80s "satanic panic". The Cinemaguy debunks these claims and reminds us of the tools and mission God has given us to receive, reject, and redeem. Watch the episode here. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE and click the notification bell. Follow & connect: https://linktr.ee/popcorntheology Support: https://www.patreon.com/popcorntheology Rate and review to get 2 FREE Popcorn Theology Stickers! Write a 5-star review and send a screenshot, along with your mailing address, to feedback@popcorntheology.com, and you'll receive 2 FREE stickers! Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome & Christian Controversy 00:50 -BAD Christian Thinking 03:18 - Spiritual Warfare 08:23 - The POWER of Music 11:46 - Attractive demons? OF COURSE! 14:54 - SIN - nature and choice 22:05 - SACRIFICE, transformation 24:20 - Importance of CONFESSION 27:27 - Paul and ACTS 17 28:37 - Until NEXT time... #Kpopdemonhunters #kpd #huntrix #kpop #sajaboys #FaithAndFilm #MoviePodcast #FilmReview #ChristianPodcast #MediaLiteracy #ReformedTheology #vladsavchuk Intro Music by Ross Bugden: https://youtu.be/Bln0BEv5AJ0?si=vZx_YiHK3hNxaETA

Show Notes: From Kitchen Idea to Paradise in a Can: The Hawaiian Soda Co. Story with Gina Ho!Man, I am SO stoked for this episode. This is why I do this podcast.I'm talking with the amazing Gina Ho, who co-founded Hawaiian Soda Co. with her husband, Caesar. And let me tell you, this isn't just another craft soda. The story behind this brand is incredible.They're on a mission to bring back the real history of soda in Hawai'i—back when it was made with real fruit juice and natural cane sugar, not the high-fructose "dirty word" we think of today. Their "why" runs deep in the family, and it's led to this amazing product that is exploding.We get into the whole journey, from a kitchen idea in 2020 to scaling to the mainland, and OF COURSE, we do a deep dive on the packaging.Find the Brand:Website: hawaiiansodaco.comInstagram: @HawaiianSodaCoWhere to Buy: Check their site, find them at World Market, or get it shipped from HouseofManaUp.com!

Should a pastor's spouse know how to read and write?? "Of Course!" came his answer. Swedish Church Historian and Missiologist Dr. Göran Janzon recounts the development of the training of women and men in ministry on two continents. He was instrumental in pioneering changes in training programs both in Sweden and in the Central African Republic.This is Part 1 of our extensive interview with Dr. Janzon. Did you know? He left Sweden to enroll in a new evangelical theological seminary outside of Paris? Yes at Vaux-sur-Seine. More of that school here: https://flte.fr/ More on the graduate school (FATEB/BEST) where Göran and Irma and Joy and Bruce all taught is here: https://aeafrica.org/news/christian-leadership-development-fateb/More on the Baptist Bible School upcountry in the C.A.R. here: John Hilberth Institute of Theology in Carnot, C.A.R. is here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Institut_de_Th%C3%A9ologie_John_Hilberth_de_Carnot.jpg  The Tru316 Foundation (www.Tru316.com) is the home of The Eden Podcast with Bruce C. E. Fleming where we “true” the verse of Genesis 3:16. The Tru316 Message is that “God didn't curse Eve (or Adam) or limit woman in any way.” Once Genesis 3:16 is made clear the other passages on women and men become clear too. You are encouraged to access the episodes of Seasons 1-11 of The Eden Podcast for teaching on the seven key passages on women and men. Are you a reader? We invite you to get from Amazon the four books by Bruce C. E. Fleming in The Eden Book Series (Tru316.com/trubooks). Would you like to support the work of the Tru316 Foundation? You can become a Tru Partner here: www.Tru316.com/partner

This week we had to dedicate a big chunk of the episode to Leonardo DiCaprio's press tour because..OF COURSE! Plus the Zac Efron and Nina Dobrev dating rumors and the yacht jaunt. We get into Justin Bieber headlining Coachella, Charli XCX's wedding, and wrap things up with a recap of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City episode 2. Comment your thoughts, Rammies! Created and produced by Claire Donald and Tess Bellomo For more RAM, go ⁠here.⁠ Join our premium channel for 3 bonus eps a month ⁠here⁠ and save 15% when you buy annually! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Jamie and Sophie are joined by doula extraordinaire Poppy Child, who swoops in with some much-needed wisdom — and the occasional reality check. From breathing tips to contraction hacks, Poppy talks them through the A–Z of surviving childbirth. PLUS, Poppy gives Jamie a live tutorial in perineal massage — but will Jamie's enthusiasm score him top of the class, or just a pain in Sophie's derrière?

CC429: Perms, cavities, and poo-related disasters – OF COURSE! Lindsie and Kail read some listener topics, give their latest thoughts on the Idaho Four case, share strong opinions on a new Tennessee school attendance rule, explore the murky world of clothing dupes and the controversial practices of luxury brands, and lastly, a hilarious story about a man named PooPac!Thank you to our sponsors!Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/coffee today to get 10% off your first month.Progressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!Thrive Causemetics: Save 20% off your first order at Thrivecausemetics.com/COFFEEWayfair: Visit Wayfair.com or get the Wayfair mobile app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dearest gentle reader, practice your best Voldemort impression and ask 'Can THE Doctor see me now?' We're exploring icky hobbies and have one final update from an indecisive Sarah. A Brian enters the bathroom for advice and another is threatened by his partner's social life. We're also saying 'Hallo!' and 'Wie geht's?' to a deutsche Brian while another is ignoring every boundary in the book! Finally, we're asking if someone is to be trusted without a label and OF COURSE naming another angelic Brian our Star of the Week. Join us on Patreon for an extra ep every week!! https://www.patreon.com/TheGirlsBathroomWelcome to The Girls Bathroom! We're Sophia & Cinzia, life-long besties who share a YouTube channel. The Girls Bathroom is a place we all know to be full of girl chat and gossip, and the place we often confide in girls we've never even met before! In this podcast we want to help you with your dilemmas, by trying to make sense of these boys wasting our time, the girls trying to make our lives difficult and all the things in between. So come join us for a fun but real chat in the girls bathroom! Disclaimer: we can't promise we'll stay on topic!! Follow us on Instagram: @thegirlsbathroom Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The podcast just wouldn't be the podcast without Tom Lennon! OF COURSE you know Tom from Reno 911, The State, @midnight, the first ever episode of this very podcast, and a million movies that he's acted in and/or written...but he is ALSO quite the guitar wizard. At Chris's request, Tom brought one of his fancy guitars to give Chris a couple of pointers. The dudes hung out, noodled, and talked about their musical influences. Also, Tom told a bunch of stories that sounded like bizarre dreams a person might have after eating right before bed but are totally real and from his actual life! You can follow him at @thomaspatricklennon on the socials! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our beloved resident nerd, Grant, has left the building! OF COURSE, we had to celebrate him on the way out. TODAY ON THE SHOW: WAR of the ROSES! Dee got SCAMMED! Johnjay's got some games for you! 2nd DATE UPDATE + soMUCHmore!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.