Podcasts about Omaha Beach

This episode features the dramatic role of the U.S Rangers on D-Day during World War II. Leonard Lomell and Sidney Salomon, from the 2nd Ranger Battalion, were among those who comprised America's first Special Forces group. They were part of the first wave landing on Omaha Beach on June 6th, 1944. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Tom Hanks too old to storm Omaha Beach?Host Paul Bavill welcomes Rob Hutton and Duncan Weldon, hosts of the War Movie Theatre podcast, to kick off a series of previews for the Imperial War Museum's (IWM) Podcast Live Festival. This week, they are raising the curtain on movies in a historical setting with a fierce debate on the one historical inaccuracy that Hollywood keeps getting away with.Rob and Duncan unleash their rage on the persistent and problematic trend in war cinema: the casting of much older actors as young combat soldiers in World War II movies.The Saving Private Ryan Problem: Discover exactly why Tom Hanks (mid-to-late 40s) as a Ranger Captain, and Matt Damon (27) as Private Ryan, were both fundamentally too old for their D-Day roles—in some cases by 20 years.The hosts argue that casting older actors fundamentally changes how we perceive the Second World War, overshadowing the reality that the fighting was overwhelmingly done by fresh-faced 19-year-olds.But is historical accuracy the real goal? The discussion turns to the industry's love for "whizzy ideas" and the notorious trope of a writer or director "struggling to get the green light"—and whether this pursuit of a marketable story is the real reason historical truth gets sacrificed for Hollywood blockbusters.Find out which TV series, like Band of Brothers, got the ages right, and whether Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk managed to break the mold.Plus, a fascinating discussion on how the youthful, risk-taking mindset applies not just to infantry and Luftwaffe pilots, but even to Formula 1 drivers.Don't miss this heated discussion!Listen to War Movie Theatre: Find Rob and Duncan's podcast everywhere you get your podcasts and follow on all social media channels @warmovietheatreSee them Live: This episode previews the IWM Podcast Live Festival on the 1st of November. Be sure to grab your tickets for the live discussion on movies in a historical setting!Tickets available at: https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/podcast-liveSupport History Rage: Love the show? Check the links for how to support Paul Bavill's podcast, including getting ad-free listening and the coveted History Rage mug.Subscribe at www.patreon.com/historyrage Follow History Rage on Social Media @historyrage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey before I begin the podcast, I just want to thank all of you who joined the patreon, you guys are simply awesome. Please take the time to vote and comment on the patreon polls so I can best tackle the specific subjects you want to hear more about and hell it does not have to be about the Pacific War, I like ancient Rome, WW1, WW2, just toss some ideas and I will try to make it happen.   This Podcast is going to be a very remarkable story about a Korean man who fought for the IJA, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany during the second world war.  He is also a man whom most than likely never existed.   Did that catch you off guard haha?   If you have a chance you can pull up wikipedia and search Yang Kyoungjong. The first thing you will notice is a disclaimer that states numerous historians who claim Yang Kyoungjong does not exist. Yet this man exists in some history books, there is a iconic photo of him, there is a documentary looking into him, countless Korean stories are writing loosely about him, there is a pretty decent war film and multiple youtubers have covered his so-called story. So how does this guy not exist if his story is so popular?   His story is claimed to be real by military historian Stephen Ambrose who wrote about him in his book in 1994 titled “D-day, june 6th, 1944: the Climactic battle of World War II. There is also references to him in Antony Beevor's book “the second world war” and that of defense consultant and author Steven Zaloga's book“the devil's garden: Rommel's desperate Defense of Omaha Beach on D-Day”. In 2005 a Korean SBS documentary investigated his existence and concluded there was no convincing evidence of his existence. For those of you who have ever heard of this man, I guarantee it's because of the 2011 south korean film “My Way”. That's where I found out about it by the way. Many of you probably saw the iconic photo of him, again if you pull up the wikipedia page on Yang Kyoungjong its front and center. The photo shows a asiatic man wearing a wehrmacht uniform and he has just been captured by american forces on the d-day landings.   Now I don't want to jump into the is he real or not busy just yet. So this is how the podcast will go down, very reminiscent of “Our fake History's Podcast” might I add, I am a huge fan of that guys work. I am going to tell you the story of Yang Kyoungjong, then afterwords disclose my little investigation into whether he is real or not.   So without further adieu this is the story of a man who fought for three nations during WW2.   The Story   It was June 1944, the allies had just unleashed Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings at Normandy. Lt Robert Brewer of the 506th parachute infantry regiment, 101st airborne division was overlooking the capture of Axis forces and reported to his regiment finding four Asians in Wehrmacht uniform around the Utah beach landings. Brewer nor any of his colleagues spoke the language the Asian men spoke, they assumed them to be Japanese.  The four asians were processed as POW's, listed as young Japanese and sent to a British POW camp, before he would be sent to another POW camp in the US. At some point between his capture and the POW camps, he gave his name as Yang Kyoungjong, stated he was Korean and gave an extremely incredible story. To who did he say these things, no one knows.   Yang Kyoungjong was born in 1920, in Shin Eu Joo, part of modern day North Korea. At the age of 18, Yang was forcibly conscripted into the Imperial Japanese army. Korea was one of the bread baskets of Asia and the Empire of Japan had annexed her in 1910. Japan held sovereignty over Korea, making Koreans subjects.    In 1939 the Empire of Japan faced major labor shortages and as a result began conscription of Japanese men for the military, while importing vast amounts of Korean laborers to work in mainland Japan. For the Imperial Japanese Army, Koreans were not drafted until 1944 when things were dire for Japan. Until 1944, the IJA allowed Koreans to volunteer in the army. In 1938 there was a 14% acceptance rate, by 1943 this dropped dramatically to 2%, but the number of applicants increased exponentially from 3000 per annum in 1939 to 300,000 by the end of the war. On paper it looked like Koreans were registering en masse on their on violation, but this is quite the contrary, the Japanese policy was to use force. Japanese officials began press gang efforts against Korean peasants, forcing them to sign applications, it is believed over half of the applications were done in such a manner. Other applicants registered for a variety of reasons, typically because of economic turmoil. Korea would produce 7 generals and many field grade officers. One of the most well known was Lt General Crown Prince Yi Un who would command Japanese forces in the China War.   Thus Yang Kyoungjong was forced into the IJA and would find himself stationed with the Kwantung Army. Quite unfortunately for him, he was enlisted into their service at a time where two major border skirmishes occurred with the Soviet Union. The USSR was seen as Japan's number one rival going all the way back to the Triple Intervention of 1895 when the Russians thwarted Japan's seizure of the Liaodong peninsula after they had won the first sino japanese war. This led to the Russo-Japanese war, where Japan shocked the world being victorious over the Russian Empire. When the Russian Empire fell and the Russian civil war kicked off, Japan sent the lionshare of men to fight the Red Army during the Siberian Intervention of 1918-1922.    Communism was seen as the greatest if not one of the greatest threats to the Kokutai and thus Japan as a whole. As such Japan placed the Kwantung Army along the Manchurian borderlands to thwart any possible soviet invasion. There had numerous border skirmishes, but in 1938 and 1939 two large battles occurred. In 1938 the Kwantung army intercepted a Soviet message indicating the Far East forces would be securing some unoccupied heights west of Lake Khasan that overlooked the Korean port city of Rajin. Soviet border troops did indeed move into the area and began fortifying it. The Kwantung army sent forces to dislodge them and this soon led to a full on battle. The battle was quite shocking for both sides, the Soviets lost nearly 800 men dead with 3279 wounded, the Japanese claimed they had 526 dead with 913 wounded. The Soviet lost significant armor and despite both sides agreeing to a ceasefire, the Kwantung army considered it a significant victory and proof the Soviets were not capable of thwarting them.   In theory Yang Kyoungjong would be in training and would eventually reach the Manchuria borders by 1939. Another man sent over would be Georgy Zhukov who was given the task of taking command of the 57th special corps and to eliminate Japanese provocations. What was expected of Zhukov was if the Japanese pressed again for battle, to deliver them a crushing and decisive blow. On May 11th, 1939 some Mongolian cavalry units were grazing their horses in a disputed area. On that very same day, Manchu cavalry attacked the Mongols to drive them past the river of Khalkhin Gol. Two days later the Mongols returned in greater numbers and this time the Manchu were unable to dislodge them.    What was rather funny to say, a conflict of some horses grazing on disputed land, led to a fully mechanized battle. On May 14th, Lt Colonel Yaozo Azuma led some regiments to dislodge the Mongols, but they were being supported by the Red Army. Azuma force suffered 63% casualties, devastating. June saw the battle expand enormously, Japan was tossing 30,000 men in the region, the Soviets tossed Zhukov at them alongside motorized and armored forces. The IJA lacking good armored units, tossed air forces to smash the nearby Soviet airbase at Tamsakbulak. In July the IJA engaged the Red Army with nearly 100 tanks and tankettes, too which Zhukov unleashed 450 tanks and armored cars. The Japanese had more infantry support, but the Soviet armor encircled and crushed them. The two armies spared with another for weeks, the Japanese assumed the Soviets would suffer logistical problems but Zhukoev assembled a fleet of 2600 trucks to supply his forces, simply incredible. Both sides were suffering tremendous casualties, then in August global politics shifted. It was apparent a war in Europe was going to break out, Zhukov was ordered to be decisive, the Soviets could not deal with a two front war. So Zhukov now using a fleet of 4000 trucks began transported supplies from Chita to the front next to a armada of tanks and mechanized brigades. The Soviets tossed 3 rifle divisions, two tank divisions and 2 tank brigades, nearly 500 tanks in all, with two motorized infantry divisions and 550 fighters and bombers.    The stalemate was shattered when Zhukov unleashed is armada, some 50,000 Soviets and Mongols hit the east bank of Khalkhin Gol. The Japanese were immediately pinned down, while the Soviets were employing a double envelopment. The Japanese tried to counter attack and it failed horribly. The Japanese then scrambled to break out of the encirclement and failed. The surrounded Japanese forces refused to surrender as the Soviets smashed them with artillery and aerial bombardment. By the end of August the Japanese forces on the Mongolian side of the border were annihilated. On September 15th the USSR and Japan signed a ceasefire.    The battle of Khalkhin Gol was devastating for both sides. The Japanese claim they had 8440 deaths, 8766 wounded, lost 162 aircraft and 42 tanks. Its estimated 500-600 Japanese forces were taken prisoner. Because of IJA doctrine these men were considered killed in action. Some sources will claim the real numbers for Japanese casualties could have been as high as 30,000. The Soviets claim 9703 deaths, 15,251 wounded, the destruction of 253 tanks, 250 aircraft, 96 artillery pieces and 133 armored cars. Of those tank losses, its estimated 75-80% were destroyed by anti-tank guns, 15-20% field artillery, 5-10% infantry thrown incendiary bombs, 3% mines and another 3% for aircraft bombing.   Back to Yang Kyoungjong, he alongside the other Japanese, Manchu and Korean POW's were sent to Gulags in Siberia. As the war on the Eastern Front kicked off between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, facing annihilation the Soviets did anything possible to survive. One of these actions was to create the Shtrafbats, “Penal battalions”. Stalins order No 227 created the first penal battalions, who were supposed to be around 800 men strong. The first Shtrafbat battalion was deployed to the Stalingrad Front on August 22nd of 1942.   On order was issued on November 26, 1942 “status of Penal units of the army”, it was issued by Georgy Zhukov, now deputy commander in chief who was the man who formally standardized soviet penal units. The Shtrafbats were around 360 men per battalion commanded by mid range Red Army officers and politruks. The men forced into these were permanents or temporaries. Permanents were officers, commanders, the higher ranks guys. Temporary known as shtrafniki “punishees” were the grunts, typically prisoners and those convicted of crimes. From september 1942 to May of 1945 422,700 men would be forced into penal battalions.    Typically those forced into penal military units were one of two things: 1) those convicted of dissertation or cowardice, 2) Soviet Gulag labor camp inmates. It seems Yang Kyoungjong found himself in a very awkward situation as he would be forced into one of these penal battalions and sent to fight on the eastern front. As pertaining to Order No. 227, each Army was to have 3–5 barrier squads of up to 200 persons each, these units would be made up of penal units.    So back toYang Kyoungjong, he would find himself deployed at the third battle of Kharkov. This battle was part of a series of battles fought on the eastern front. As the German 6th army was encircling Stalingrad, the Soviets launched a series of wide counter attacks, as pertaining to “operation star”. Operation star saw massive offensives against Kharkov, Belgorod, Kursk, Voroshilovgrad and Izium. The Soviets earned great victories, but they also overextended themselves. Field Marshal Erich von Manstein seeing the opening, performed a counter-strike against Kharkov on February 19th of 1943, using fresh troops of the 2nd SS Panzer Corps alongside two other panzer armies. Manstein also had massive air support from field Marshal Wolfram von Richthofens Luftflotte 4, 1214 aircraft tossed 1000 sorties per day from February 20th to march 15th. The Red army had approximately 210,000 troops who fought in the Voronezh-Kharkov offensive, the Germans would have roughly 160,000 men, but their tanks outnumbered the Soviets 7-1, they had roughly 350 of them.   The Germans quickly outflanked the Soviets, managing to encircle and annihilate many units. Whenever soviets units made attempts to escape encirclements, the German air forces placed pressure upon them. The German air forces had the dual job of airlifting supplies to the front lines giving the Soviets no breathing space. Gradually the fight focused around the city of Kharkov seeing the Soviets dislodged. The Germans caused severe casualties, perhaps 45,000 dead or missing with another 41,000 wounded. The Germans suffered 4500 deaths, 7000 wounded. The Germans took a large number of prisoners, and Yang Kyoungjong was one of them.   Yet again a prisoner Yang Kyoungjong was coerced into serving another nation, this time for Die Ost-Bataillone. The Eastern Front had absolutely crippled Germany and as a result Germany began to enlist units from just about any nation possible and this included former Soviet citizens. There were countless different units, like the Russian liberation Army, die Hilfswillige, Ukrainian collaborationists, and there were also non-Russians from the USSR who formed the Ost-Bataillone. These eastern battalions would comprise a rough total of 175,000 men. Many of the Ost-Bataillone were conscripted or coerced into serving, though plenty also volunteered. Countless were recruited from POW camps, choosing to serve instead of labor in camps. The Osttruppen were to typically deployed for coastal defense, rear area activities, security stuff, all the less important roles to free up the German units to perform front line service.   There were two different groups, the Ost-Legionen “eastern legions” and Ost-Bataillone “eastern battalions”. The Ostlegionen were large foreign legion type units raised amongst members of specific ethnic or racial groups. The Ost-Bataillone were composed of numerous nationalities, usually plucked from POW camps in eastern europe. They were tossed together into battalion sized units and integrated individually into German combat formations. Obviously the Germans did not get their hands on large numbers of Koreans, so Yang Kyoungjong found himself in a Ost-Bataillone.    In 1944, due to massive losses in the Eastern Front, and in preparation for the allies about to open a second front, the Germans began deploying a lot of Ost-Bataillone along the coastal defense line at Cherbourg. Yang Kyoungjong was enlisted in the 709th static infantry division, a coastal defense unit assigned to defend the eastern and northern coasts of the Cotentin Peninsula. This would include the Utah beach landing site and numerous US airborne landing zones. The sector was roughly 250 km running northeast of Carentan, via Barfleur-Cherbourg-Cap de la Hague to the western point of Barneville. This also included the 65 km of land just in font of Cherbourg harbor. A significant portion of the 709th were Ost-bataillon, countless were from eastern europe, many were former Soviet POW'S. There were also two battalions of the 739th Grenadier regiment whom were Georgian battalions. A significant amount of the 709th had no combat experience, but had trained extensively in the area.   The 709th would be heavily engaged on D-day meeting US airborne units and the 4th infantry division who landed at Utah beach. In the early hours of June 6th, the US 82nd and 101st airborne divisions landed at the base of the Cotentin peninsula and managed to secure a general area for the US 4th infantry division to land at Utah beach, with very few casualties compared to other beach landings. After the landings the forces tried to link up with other forces further east. By June 9th they had crossed the Douve river valley and captured Carentan. House to house fighting was seen in the battle for Carentan, the Germans tossed a few counterattacks, but the Americans held on with the help of armor units of the 13th.    The Americans then advanced to cut off the Cotentin Peninsula, now supported by 3 other infantry divisions. The Germans had few armored or mobilized infantry in the area. By June 16th the German command was tossed into chaos as Erwin Rommel wanted them to pull out and man the Atlantic Wall at Cherbourg, but Hitler demanded they hold their present lines of defense. By the 17th Hitler agreed to the withdrawal, under some provisions the men still took up limited defenses spanning the entire peninsula. On the 18th the US 9th infantry division reached the west coast of the peninsula thus isolating the Cherbourg garrison. A battle was unleashed for 24 hours with the 4th, 9th and 79th US infantry divisions driving north on a broad front. They faced little opposition on the western side and the eastern, the center held much stronger resistance. The Americans would find several caches of V-1 flying bombs and V-2 rocket installations at Brix. After two days the Americans were in striking distance of Cherbourg. The garrison commander Lt General Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben had 21,000 men, but many were naval personnel and labor units. Schliebens 709th had performed a fighting withdrawal to Cherbourg and were completely exhausted. The trapped forces were low in provisions, fuel and ammunition. The luftwaffe tried dropping supplies on their positions but it was inadequate.    A general assault began on the 22nd and the German forces put up stiff resistance within their concrete pillboxes. Allied warships bombarded the city on the 25th of june and on the 26th a British elite force, No. 30 Commando launched an assault against Octeville, a suburb of southwestern Cherbourg. The commandos quickly captured 20 officers and 500 men of the Kriegmarine naval intelligence HQ at Villa Meurice. As the Germans were ground down, Schlieben was captured and with that a surrender was made on the 29th.   The Americans suffered nearly 3000 deaths with 13,500 wounded during the operation. The Germans suffered 8000 deaths with 30,000 captured. For the 709th who took a lionshare of the fighting they reported sustaining 4000 casualties.    Amongst the captured was Yang Kyoungjong. As I said in the beginning Lt Robert Brewer of the 506th parachute infantry regiment, 101st airborne division was overlooking the capture of Axis forces and reported to his regiment finding four Asians in Wehrmacht uniform around the Utah beach landings. Brewer nor any of his colleagues spoke the language the Asian men spoke, they assumed them to be Japanese.  The four asians were processed as POW's, listed as young Japanese and sent to a British POW camp, before he would be sent to another POW camp in the US. At some point between his capture and the POW camps, he gave his name as Yang Kyoungjong, stated he was Korean and gave the story. Apparently Yang Kyoungjob was granted US citizenship and would spend the rest of his life in Illinois until his death in 1992.   So that is the story of Yang Kyoungjong.    The truth Did Yang Kyoungjong exist? Where does his story originate? For those of you who have not guessed it yet, the story I told you was full of details, I simply added based on historical events, with zero evidence at all any man named Yang Kyoungjong was involved in them. I did this specifically to highlight, thats exactly what others have done over the course of many years, creating a sort of mythos. If you know the game broken telephone, thats what I would theorize makes up most of this mans story. But lets go through some actual evidence why don't we?   From the digging I have done, the story seemed to originate with historian Stephen Ambrose book in 1994 titled “D-day, june 6th, 1944: the Climactic battle of World War II”. While writing this book, Ambrose interviewed Robert Burnham Brewer, who served E Company, 2nd battalion, 506th parachute infantry regiment of the 101st airborne division. This same man was portrayed in Band of Brothers by the way. Brewer gave one rather ambiguous account where he spoke about capturing 4 asian men in Wehrmacht uniforms.    Here is patient zero as told to us by Ambrose's book (Page 34, no footnote on the page)   The so-called Ost battalions became increasingly unreliable after the German defeat at Kursk; they were, therefore, sent to france in exchange for German troops. At the beach called Utah on the day on the invasion, Lt Robert Brewer of the 506th Parachute infantry regiment, 101st airborne division, US Army, captured four asians in Wehrmacht uniforms. No one could speak their language; eventually it was learned that they were Koreans. How on earth did Koreans end up fighting for Hitler to defend france against Americans? It seems they had been conscripted into the Japanese army in 1938-Korea was then a Japanese colony-captured by the Red Army in the border battles with Japan in 1939, forced into the Red Army, captured by the Wehrmacht in December 1941 outside Moscow, forced into the German army, and sent to France”. What happened to them, Lt Brewer never found out, but presumably they were sent back to Korea. If so, they would almost certainly have been conscripted again, either into the south or north korean army. It is possible than in 1950 they ended up fighting once again, either against the US army or with it, depending on what part of Korea they came from. Such are the vagaries of politics in the 20th century. By June 1944, one in six German rifleman in France was from an Ost battalion.   Now digging further since there are no footnotes, it seems Ambrose took an oral account from Lt Brewer, but did not directly quote him and instead abstractly expanded upon his story. Ambrose was guilty of doing this often. As multiple historians have pointed out, Brewer was living in the 1940s and was by no means an ethnographer, he was not a person who could have accurately known the nationality of the four asian men he captured. It is plausible he or other US units around him, just came up with Korean for the four asians who could have been from nearly anywhere in central to east asia. For all we know the men found could have been from Turkestan. What was “asian” to westerners of the 1940's is extremely broad.    If you look up the Ost-Bataillone or Ostlegionen you will see they consisted of captured former soviet soldiers. During the d-day landings, 1/6th of the German forces defending the atlantic coast were made up of the Ost-battailones. They came from numerous places, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, India, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkestan, Mongolia and numerous parts of the USSR. Needless to say, there were a ton of people whom would be considered asian and could be mistaken to be from Korea, Japan, Burma, etc.    It seems Brewer's vague account was transformed by Amrose, but this only covers one part of all of this, the story, what about the photo?    The iconic photograph is another matter entirely. The photograph has nothing to do with Brewer's account, it is simply a random photograph taken at Utah beach of a captured asian soldier wearing a Wehrmacht uniform. The official description of the photo states “Capture Jap in Nazi uniform. France, fearful of his future, this young Jap wearing a nazi uniform, is checked off in a roundup of German prisoners on the beaches of france. An american army captain takes the Jap's name and serial number” Author Martin Morgan believes the man in the photograph is not Yang Kyoungjong, but instead an ethnic Georgian from the 795th Georgian Battalion, which was composed of Georgian Osttruppen troops or someone who was Turkistani. In 2002 word of the story became more popularized online and in 2004 the iconic photo also began to circulate heavily on the internet. The Korean media became aware of the story in 2002 and when they saw the picture the Korean news site DKBNews investigated the matter. Apparently a reader of the DKBNews submitted biographical details about the soldier in the photo, including his name, date of birth, the general story we now know, his release, life in Illinois and death. The DKBNews journalist requested sources and none were provided, typical.   So some random unknown reader of the DKBNews gave a name, place and time of birth and even where he ended up and died.  In 2005 the Seoul broadcasting system aired a documentary specifically investigating the existence of the asian soldiers who fought for Germany on d-day.   In the SBS special “The Korean in Normandy,” produced and broadcast in 2005 based on rumors of Yang kyoungjog,  they searched for records of Korean prisoners of war during the Battle of khalkhin gol and records of Korean people who participated in the German-Japanese War, and records related to the German Army's eastern unit, but could not find traces of such a person. In addition, the soldiers who served in the Soviet army, who were captured, and then transferred to the German army's eastern units were considered by the Soviet Union to be serious traitors. Accordingly, under a secret agreement between the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union, they were forcibly repatriated to the Soviet Union after the war and held in Gulags.. The SBS production team stated that the rumors that a 'Korean from Normandy' had gone to the United States and that he died in seclusion near Northwestern University under the name of 'Yang Kyoungjong', which they were unaware of, were false. The investigative team looked for any traces of a Yang Kyoungjong and found none, so they concluded although there were accounts of asian soldiers in the German army during WW2, there was zero evidence of the existence of Yang Kyoungjong or any Koreans fighting on D-day for that matter.    The 2005 SBS Special documentary sprang forth a bunch of stories by Korean authors, expanding the mythos of Yang Kyoungjong.   In 2007 author Jo Jeong-rae published a novel titled “human mask” which told the story of SHin Gilman, The story ends with Shin Gil-man, who was conscripted into the Japanese army at the age of 20, as a prisoner of war in Normandy, then transported back to the Soviet Union and eventually executed by firing squad. Another novel called “D-day” by author Kim Byeong-in was release in 2011, just prior to the film My War, the plot is extremely similar to the movie. The main characters are Han Dae-sik and Yoichi, who met as children as the sons of a Japanese landowner and the house's housekeeper, harboring animosity toward each other, and grew up to become marathon runners representing Joseon and Japan. As they experience the war together, they feel a strange sense of kinship and develop reconciliation and friendship.   And of course the most famous story would find its way to the big screen. In 2011 the film My Way came out, back then the most expensive south korean film ever made at around 23$ million.   Then in 2012 a unknown person created a wikipedia page piecing together the Ambrose story, the photo and the unknown DBK readers information. With all of this information becoming more viral suddenly in 2013, two history books hit the scene and would you know it, both have “Yang Kyoungjong” in them.    These are Antony Beevor's book “the second world war” and that of defense consultant and author Steven Zaloga in his book “the devil's garden: Rommel's desperate Defense of Omaha Beach on D-Day”. Both authors took the story, name and iconic photo and expanded on the mythos by adding further details as to how the Korean man would have gone from Korea to Cherbourg france.   So Ambrose's story spreads across the internet alongside this photo. Both spark interest in Korea and an investigation receives some random guys testimony, which quite honestly was groundless. Despite the korean documentary stating there was no evidence of a Yang Kyoungjong, it sparks further interest, more stories and a famous film in 2011. 2012 sees a wikipage, it becomes more viral and now seeps into other historians work.   And I would be remiss not to mention the bizarre controversy that broke out in my nation of Canada. A nation so full of controversies today, dear god. Debbie Hanlon a city councilor in St John Newfoundland was absolutely wrecked online in 2018 for an advertisement promoting her real estate business stating “Korean Yang kyoungjong fought with Japan against the USSR. He then fought with the USSR against Germany. Then with Germany against the US! Want an agent who fights for you, call me!” Really weird ad by the way. So it seems her ad was to point out how far she was willing to go for her real estate clients. It was considered extremely offensive, and not the first time she pulled this off, her husband Oral Mews had recently come under fire for another ad he made using a photo of the Puerto Rican cab driver Victor Perez Cardona, where the vehicle turned into a casket. That ad said “He can't give you a lift because he's dead. He's propped up in his cab at his wake! Need a lift to great service, call me!” Hanlon was surprised at the amount of backlash she received since the ads had been running for over 4 years online. She claimed to be the victim of cyberbullying and trolls. So yeah, that happened.    Did Yang Kyoungjong exist, more than likely not, was it possible some Koreans found themselves in a position his story pertains to, you know what it's quite possible. During War a lot of weird things happen. I hope you liked this episode, please let me know in the comments on the Patreon what you think, how I can improve things and of course what you want to hear about next!

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

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

"Earn this...earn it." For Episode 370, Brandon and David cover the World War II movie everyone has been asking for this month. Directed by Steven Spielberg, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN became one of the most popular World War II movies of all time 1998. Listen as the duo discuss the real stories that inspired the film, which director almost made the film before Spielberg, how Spielberg and Tom Hanks got involved in the movie by chance, the beginnings of Dreamworks, how they recreated Omaha Beach in Ireland, why the film was one of the biggest surprises at the box office in 1998, and so much more.  Also, don't forget to join our Patreon for more exclusive content: Opening - Weapons and Current Movies -  (00:00:10) Recap of World War II Movies (00:09:23) Intro to Saving Private Ryan (00:13:31) The Real Story Behind the Movie (00:19:19) How Saving Private Ryan Got to Production (00:29:12) Favorite Scenes (00:40:25) On Set Life - (01:15:13) Aftermath: Release and Legacy (01:29:51) What Worked and What Didn't (01:41:07) Film Facts (01:45:52) Awards (01:51:11) Final Questions on the Movie (01:55:14) Wrapping Up the Episode (01:58:34) Contact Us: Facebook: @cinenation Instagram: @cinenationpodcast Twitter/X: @CineNationPod TikTok: @cinenation Letterboxd: CineNation Podcast

rRemembering is a privilege and a duty that can elevate our lives. Jan shares a recent visit to Omaha Beach, meeting ghosts of D-Day and discovering the rich gifts of the spirit.

Randy Carson returns to share the stories of his Grand Tour of Europe! In the "Your Medicare Benefits 2025" segment we learn how Medicare will handle my eventual need for Mental Health Care (outpatient) after I go nuts one day. In UnitedHealth Group news, the company has announced the cessation of commission payments to insurance brokers for some Medicare Advantage plans. Moody's has downgraded their rating from "Stable" to "Negative". As if that weren't enough, Lefties AOC and Lloyd Doggett have formerly requested the DOJ to turn the heat up even higher! Finally, we review a list of physician specialties rated by the practitioners'' intent to either continue or withdraw. Some of the categories were very surprising. Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com (Most severe critic: A+)                   Visit us on: BabyBoomer.ORG Inspired by: "MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2025; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" "MEDICARE DRUG PLANS: A SIMPLE D-I-Y GUIDE" For sale on Amazon.com. After enjoying the books, please consider returning to leave a short customer review to  help future readers. Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Robert Capa gilt als einer der bedeutendsten Kriegsfotografen des 20. Jahrhunderts - ein Mann, der mit seiner Kamera dorthin ging, wo andere flohen: vom blutigen D-Day an Omaha Beach über den waghalsigen Fallschirmabsprung mit amerikanischen Truppen über Nazi-Deutschland bis hin zur Ausrufung des Staates Israel und den dramatischen Momenten des Indochinakriegs. Capas Bilder zeigen nicht nur den Krieg - sie zeigen Angst, Mut und Menschlichkeit im Ausnahmezustand."Sind deine Bilder nicht gut genug, warst du nicht nah genug dran" - dieses Motto wurde zum Leitmotiv seines Lebens. Und Capa kam näher als fast jeder andere, manchmal zu nah.

This is the VIC 4 VETS, Weekly Honored Veteran. SUBMITTED BY: Kristen Sanders – Vic Head _____________________________________________________________ Hi Vic and Ken,Peter Stanley Krakoviak (krak-oh-vee-ak) My Grandfather Sept 1924 - Jan 1979 (he died when I was 16 months old so unfortunately I don't remember him) inducted to the Navy from Richmond, VA in March 1943 when he was 19yrs old and was honorably discharged in 1946. He was a qualified Coxwain in amphibious landing craft & landing ships and it's our understanding that he "drove" the landing craft onto Omaha Beach 5 times full of soldiers. His discharge papers list service at: -Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, MD -United States Amphibious Training Base Solomons, MD -USS Strive (AM-117) which was an Auk-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. -United States Amphibious Base Camp Bradford Norfolk, VA -U.S. Naval Advanced Amphibious Base (USNAAB), Falmouth, England which was one of several US Naval Advance Bases established in the UK to support the Allied invasion of Europe. -Stationed at Vicarage Barracks in Plymouth, England received: -The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze stars -Victory Medal for WW2 -European-African Campaign Medal with 1 star Not much is actually known from his time in service since like many others he didn't talk about it. Once he returned home to Richmond he married my grandmother, Sylvia, in 1951 and they were married until his death in 1979. Thanks Ken & Vic for telling these stories of our American heroes. Please let me know when this will air so I can make sure I'm listening, although being a Vic Head I'm a daily listener. Kristen Sanders _______________________________________________________________ This Week’s VIC 4 VETS, Honored Veteran on NewsTalkSTL.With support from our friends at: Alamo Military Collectables, H.E.R.O.E.S. Care, Monical’s PizzaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the VIC 4 VETS, Weekly Honored Veteran. SUBMITTED BY: Kristen Sanders – Vic Head _____________________________________________________________ Hi Vic and Ken,Peter Stanley Krakoviak (krak-oh-vee-ak) My Grandfather Sept 1924 - Jan 1979 (he died when I was 16 months old so unfortunately I don't remember him) inducted to the Navy from Richmond, VA in March 1943 when he was 19yrs old and was honorably discharged in 1946. He was a qualified Coxwain in amphibious landing craft & landing ships and it's our understanding that he "drove" the landing craft onto Omaha Beach 5 times full of soldiers. His discharge papers list service at: -Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, MD -United States Amphibious Training Base Solomons, MD -USS Strive (AM-117) which was an Auk-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. -United States Amphibious Base Camp Bradford Norfolk, VA -U.S. Naval Advanced Amphibious Base (USNAAB), Falmouth, England which was one of several US Naval Advance Bases established in the UK to support the Allied invasion of Europe. -Stationed at Vicarage Barracks in Plymouth, England received: -The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze stars -Victory Medal for WW2 -European-African Campaign Medal with 1 star Not much is actually known from his time in service since like many others he didn't talk about it. Once he returned home to Richmond he married my grandmother, Sylvia, in 1951 and they were married until his death in 1979. Thanks Ken & Vic for telling these stories of our American heroes. Please let me know when this will air so I can make sure I'm listening, although being a Vic Head I'm a daily listener. Kristen Sanders _______________________________________________________________ This Week’s VIC 4 VETS, Honored Veteran on NewsTalkSTL.With support from our friends at: Alamo Military Collectables, H.E.R.O.E.S. Care, Monical’s PizzaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert Capa gilt als einer der bedeutendsten Kriegsfotografen des 20. Jahrhunderts - ein Mann, der mit seiner Kamera dorthin ging, wo andere flohen: vom blutigen D-Day an Omaha Beach über den waghalsigen Fallschirmabsprung mit amerikanischen Truppen über Nazi-Deutschland bis hin zur Ausrufung des Staates Israel und den dramatischen Momenten des Indochinakriegs. Capas Bilder zeigen nicht nur den Krieg - sie zeigen Angst, Mut und Menschlichkeit im Ausnahmezustand."Sind deine Bilder nicht gut genug, warst du nicht nah genug dran" - dieses Motto wurde zum Leitmotiv seines Lebens. Und Capa kam näher als fast jeder andere, manchmal zu nah.

FREEDOM!We are, America is, the home, the land of the:BRAVE AND THE FREE.We are lovers of freedom. It is, you could say, in our genes. We inherited that love of freedom from those who founded our great country, fought against the oppressors more than two centuries ago and built the foundation for the FREEDOMS we now enjoy today. Give us, we say with that great statesman and our forefather Patrick Henry, give us that LIBERTY or if that is taken away, give us death for there is no real life without freedom.For us, America is in fact exceptional no matter the indifferent attitude of Barack Hussein Obama who thinks that America is no more exceptional than any other country! But all of America and we the people are exceptional in so many ways, including our way of life and our lifestyle. Everything is okay down to the last sentence and raise and champion our great flag, and wear the American flag pin proudly, especially in the world of academia which thinks the American flag is a symbol for racism and xenophobia rather than exceptionalism.And now, we should take quality time to honor the founding documents which make us great, namely our Constitution, our Bill of Rights and our Declaration of Independence. We should honor these incredible documents by reading them, studying their content, understanding the values therein and resolving as the authors of these documents did, and honor our forefathers who provided them for us recommitting to them and the world at large that we the people will protect and preserve the freedoms contained therein, even to the laying down of our lives.In this day, there are so many who would CHANGE what we have, or even more radically so, eliminate it. There seems to be an ever-growing number of those in our very own country with little or no respect for our great founding documents, our freedoms, the principles by which we have lived and built THE GREAT SOCIETY, and especially what America has been, our glorious history. They the un-Americans wish to eliminate or erode so many of our freedoms and move this great country toward socialism. THEY are the enemy inside and THEY must be stopped. We the people, true Constitutional Americans energized and emboldened by our founding documents and founding fathers must make certain we do what is right for our great country, and as true patriots, protect and defend our freedoms as never before. We should do everything humanly possible to prevent socialism of any kind in thought or deed.We should remember the words of that great statesman, a founding father himself, Benjamin Franklin, who said, when asked, that he and his fellow revolutionaries have given us, Americans then and now, a REPUBLIC. Not a Democracy, but a Republic. Franklin went on to warn us then and now that this Republic was FRAGILE, and needed at all times to be protected with vigilance, vigor and valor. That this Republic of the combined United States could never be taken for granted. Nor could any citizen assume it would go on, and on. For freedom, for Franklin and the fathers, was a precious right that could only be sustained by watchful, involved and proactive citizens. We who would live in this free country and enjoy its immense freedoms must at all times be:WATCHMEN AND WOMEN ON THE WALLSNot talk, debate or discussion, but ACTION, actively working to protect our freedoms and our way of life, willing to die in the fray if necessary. Would you be willing to die, to lay all on the altar in the cause of freedom? What would you do if ISIS or jihadists attacked America and threatened harm to your family and you? What would you do? Our forefathers never gave the matter a second thought. They, in Second Amendment fashion, took up arms to defend their country, their freedoms and their family. Would you?In fact, we AMERICANS should be so proud of our country, and our freedoms, that we as a nation are ready at all times to help others in the cause of freedom. We gave the lives of millions of young American men and women to others in the cause of freedom. Witness World War II. One Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman 83 years young arrived in Paris by airplane. At French customs, it took him several minutes to locate his passport. The Customs Officer with sarcasm and disdain asked Mr. Whiting:“You have been to France before, Monsieur?”Mr. Whiting answered, yes he had and the smart aleck French official replied pompously:“Then you should know enough to have your passport ready!”Mr. Whiting then stared this official in the eye and said the following:“The last time I was here I didn't have to show my passport.”To which the French Customs Official replied:“Impossible! Americans always have to show passports on arrival in France!”Mr. Whiting gave this arrogant Frenchman a long hard look and he proudly stated:“Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchman to show a passport to!”You could have heard a pin drop. God bless America and God bless Mr. Whiting.And yet another instance of a proud American at work. When in England at a fairly large conference, Secretary of State Colin Powell was asked by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury if America's plans for Iraq were simply a rationalization for empire building or LAND-GRABBING by George Bush as American soldiers went to war. Powell simply answered by saying:“Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for FREEDOM beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those who did not return.”All attending that conference were deadly silent. Well said, Mr. Powell, well said as a proud American.There was once a conference in France when a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. One of the French engineers said the following:“Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?”Those in attendance snickered and jeered. That is, until an engineer from the Boeing company in America stood up and proudly stated:“Our aircraft carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people. They are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities. They have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day. They can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day. They carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and the injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such aircraft carriers. How many does France have?”You could have heard a pin drop.And again, a U.S. Naval Admiral was attending a naval conference that included admirals from the united states, England, Canada, Australia and France. Every one in attendance was conversing in English. Suddenly a French Admiral complained the Europeans learn many languages but Americans learn only English. This French Admiral arrogantly and pompously said:“Why is that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?”The American United States Naval Admiral stood up proudly and replied:“Maybe it is because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so that you would not have to speak German!”The room was deadly silent.So, whether here at home or anywhere abroad, anywhere in the world, it is our privilege, our duty, our passion to protect FREEDOM at every turn. That freedom means for us and ALL IN THE WORLD the fundamental rights, the God-given rights to:LIFELIBERTYTHE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESSIt is our right to live life free, with maximum freedom. It is our right to live and champion liberty everywhere. And, it is our right to pursue happiness as we define that, as free individuals, to pursue life legally and lovingly as WE choose. May it always be so, but it only can be if we are willing to do anything possible to protect those freedoms. ANYTHING! Are you?So now, this Independence week, culminating in the great day July 4, Independence Day, we should honor America, this great country in which we are privileged to live. We should honor all things American and we should honor our flag as a symbol of who we are and what we believe. There are those who would desecrate or cause to be irrelevant the great stars and stripes. There was the action of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) which banned the wearing of the American flag as a lapel pin or otherwise in clothing because the flag in their view was controversial and represented the causes of certain conservatives. How tragic, how ridiculous, how un-American the actions of the American Broadcasting Company. There are times when our President, our Congress, our leading citizens simply do not wear or honor the flag or any other symbol of all great things American. We the people should find all such conduct unacceptable and we should protest. The greatest form of protest is to protect, preserve and defend our freedoms and the symbol of those freedoms, the great American flag, the perfect symbol of our independence and the finest possible expression of freedom on the great day July 4, Independence Day. Do just that loudly and proudly my fellow citizens.Think carefully, my fellow Americans, about the precious freedoms granted by your Constitution and YOUR Bill of Rights. Remember that you are guaranteed the right to freedom of religion, to worship and practice religion as you please. You are guaranteed the right to free speech, to speak as you wish at anytime, anywhere, with any words. You are guaranteed the right to freely assemble, to petition, to print in press or on the Internet. YOU ARE GUARANTEED THOSE RIGHTS! You are guaranteed the right to bear arms, to purchase, own and use them for pleasure or in self-defense. You are guaranteed the right against governmental illegal search and seizure. You are guaranteed the right a trial by a jury of your peers rather than to be summarily convicted by any governmental agency. You are guaranteed the right to counsel if you can not afford one when charged with a crime. You are guaranteed the right to vote.You are guaranteed to pursue life, liberty and happiness as you wish! You are guaranteed by YOUR Constitution and Bill of Rights the highest and best form of living and lifestyle the world has ever known! You should give thanks for America, for all that it was, is and can be in the future if YOU as Benjamin Franklin so well said standup and do everything possible to KEEP IT that is the great experiment in freedom which our founding fathers intended. Please join with me this Independence Week, this Freedom Week and especially on the set-aside day for freedom celebration, namely July 4 in pledging once again our allegiance to this great country. Please join me in these great words which honor America:I pledge allegianceto the Flagof the United States of Americaand to the Republic for which it standsone nationindivisiblewith liberty and justicefor all!I ask humbly and lovingly that GOD BLESS AMERICA.And I ask humbly as well that GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!There is only one America. Keep it that way!

Stjerner og striber har pakket minivan'en og er draget på biltur gennem Europa for at undersøge, hvordan kontinentet klarer sig, nu hvor Donald Trump er godt i gang med at trække tæppet væk under os - under Danmark, Europa og den alliance, der siden Anden Verdenskrig har bundet den vestlige verden sammen. Første stop er Omaha Beach i Normandiet, hvor de allierede gik i land på D-dag i 1944 - og dermed lagde grundstenen til den verden, vi har levet i siden. Men holder alliancen her i 2025? Afsnittet er optaget i juni 2025. Deltagere: Udlandskorrespondent Stéphanie Surrugue, USA-journalist Lasse Engelbrecht og EU-analytiker Per Bang Thomsen. Tilrettelæggelse: Lasse Berg Sørensen.

Stjerner og striber har pakket minivan'en og er draget på biltur gennem Europa for at undersøge, hvordan kontinentet klarer sig, nu hvor Donald Trump er godt i gang med at trække tæppet væk under os - under Danmark, Europa og den alliance, der siden Anden Verdenskrig har bundet den vestlige verden sammen. Første stop er Omaha Beach i Normandiet, hvor de allierede gik i land på D-dag i 1944 - og dermed lagde grundstenen til den verden, vi har levet i siden. Men holder alliancen her i 2025? Afsnittet er optaget i juni 2025. Deltagere: Udlandskorrespondent Stéphanie Surrugue, USA-journalist Lasse Engelbrecht og EU-analytiker Per Bang Thomsen. Tilrettelæggelse: Lasse Berg Sørensen.

On the morning of June 6th, 1944, war photographer Robert Capa waded ashore on Omaha Beach during the Allied landings in Normandy. What happened next became the stuff of legend: under withering fire, Capa supposedly captured over a hundred photographs of the chaos and courage of D-Day, only for all but eleven to be lost in a darkroom accident. These surviving images, the so-called “Magnificent Eleven,” helped define the visual memory of D-Day and cemented Capa's reputation as the greatest war photographer of the 20th century. But what if the story we've long accepted isn't entirely true? In his book Back into Focus: The Real Story of Robert Capa's D-Day, Charles Herrick takes a forensic look at the events of that day, unraveling inconsistencies in Capa's own account and challenging the myths that have grown around his legacy. Drawing on official military records, eyewitness testimony, and detailed photo analysis, Herrick offers a new—and at times controversial—perspective on one of the most iconic moments in photojournalism history. I'm delighted to welcome Charles to the podcast today to talk about what really happened on D-Day, how the legend of Robert Capa was built, and what his findings mean for how we understand both history and heroism.   patreon.com/ww2podcast  

Two billionaires are fighting. We eat popcorn and watch them fight.FEATURING:Ben Arc (https://twitter.com/arcbtc)Victoria Jones (https://twitter.com/satoshis_page)Thomas Hunt (https://twitter.com/MadBitcoins)THIS WEEK:  #BITCOIN HITS BLOCK HEIGHT 900000https://twitter.com/tftc21/status/1930864357186932815?s=46Source: Twitter/XBitcoin eyes decline below $100,000 amid profit-taking and Trump-Musk clashhttps://www.fxstreet.com/cryptocurrencies/news/bitcoin-eyes-decline-below-100-000-amid-profit-taking-and-trump-musk-clash-202506060155Source: FX StreetMichael Saylor's Strategy ups Bitcoin bet with $1B stock offeringhttps://cointelegraph.com/news/saylor-s-strategy-upsizes-stock-offering-from-250m-to-1bSource: CointelegraphJapan's ‘Strategy,' Metaplanet, to buy 91K Bitcoin in next 18 monthshttps://cointelegraph.com/news/metaplanet-plans-buy-91k-btc-next-18-monthsSource: CointelegraphDonald Trump's Truth Social officially files for bitcoin ETF as company deepens crypto pushhttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/donald-trumps-truth-social-officially-files-for-bitcoin-etf-as-company-deepens-crypto-push-150426350.htmlSource: FinanceArk Invest buys $373M of Circle shares on debut; trims holdings in Coinbase, Robinhood and own Bitcoin ETF to make roomhttps://www.theblock.co/post/357271/ark-invest-buys-373-million-usd-circle-shares-on-debut-offloads-coinbase-robinhood-block-own-bitcoin-etfSource: The BlockRoss Ulbricht's big Bitcoin donor tied to Silk Road successor Alphabay: Reporthttps://cointelegraph.com/news/silk-road-successor-alphabay-31m-bitcoin-donation-ross-ulbrichtSource: CointelegraphThe world keeps getting crazier but the craziest thing is that demand for bitcoin remains flat.The blockchain is a ghost town. The exchange rate hovers around $100K despite constantly announced massive institutional purchases. Retail interest never regained 2017 levels.

RONALD REAGAN'S FINEST MOMENT: THE BOYS OF POINTE DU HOC: JUNE 6, 1944:  6/8:  Dog Company: The Boys of Pointe du Hoc — the Rangers Who Landed at D-Day and Fought Across Europe,by Patrick K. O'Donnell, with John Pruden as narrator.  Blackstone Audio, Inc.  Audible Audiobook – Unabridged https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Company-Patrick-K-O-Donnell-audiobook/dp/B00A2ATV1W/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= It is said that the right man in the right place at the right time can mean the difference between victory and defeat. This is the dramatic story of 68 soldiers in the US Army's Second Ranger Battalion, Company D — "Dog Company" — who made that difference, time and again. From D-day, when German guns atop Pointe du Hoc threatened the Allied landings and the men of Dog Company scaled the sheer 90-foot cliffs to destroy them; to the slopes of Hill 400, in Germany's Hürtgen Forest, where the Rangers launched a desperate bayonet charge across an open field; to a "quiet" section of the Ardennes, where Dog Company suddenly found itself on the tip of the spear at the Battle of the Bulge; the men of Dog Company made the difference. 1944 OMAHA BEACH

RONALD REAGAN'S FINEST MOMENT: THE BOYS OF PONITE DU HOC: JUNE 6, 1944:  7/8:  Dog Company: The Boys of Pointe du Hoc — the Rangers Who Landed at D-Day and Fought Across Europe,by Patrick K. O'Donnell, with John Pruden as narrator.  Blackstone Audio, Inc.  Audible Audiobook – Unabridged https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Company-Patrick-K-O-Donnell-audiobook/dp/B00A2ATV1W/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= It is said that the right man in the right place at the right time can mean the difference between victory and defeat. This is the dramatic story of 68 soldiers in the US Army's Second Ranger Battalion, Company D — "Dog Company" — who made that difference, time and again. From D-day, when German guns atop Pointe du Hoc threatened the Allied landings and the men of Dog Company scaled the sheer 90-foot cliffs to destroy them; to the slopes of Hill 400, in Germany's Hürtgen Forest, where the Rangers launched a desperate bayonet charge across an open field; to a "quiet" section of the Ardennes, where Dog Company suddenly found itself on the tip of the spear at the Battle of the Bulge; the men of Dog Company made the difference. 1944 OMAHA BEACH

EIGHTY-FIRST REMEBRANCE OF D-DAY JUNE 6,  1944:   8/8: Brothers in Arms: One Legendary Tank Regiment's Bloody War from D-Day to VE-Day, by James Holland https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08YS123SZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0 In the annals of World War II, certain groups of soldiers stand out, and among the most notable were the Sherwood Rangers. Originally a cavalry unit in the last days of horses in combat, whose officers were landed gentry leading men who largely worked for them, they were switched to the “mechanized cavalry” of tanks in 1942. Winning acclaim in the North African campaign, the Sherwood Rangers then spearheaded one of the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944; led the way across France; were the first British troops to cross into Germany, and contributed mightily to Germany's surrender in May 1945. 1944 OMAHA BEACH

Captain Sidney Salomon served in World War II as an Army Ranger. The Rangers were an elite American unit that trained and operated with the famous British Commandos. Using the element of surprise as their main weapon, the Rangers played an important role in the Invasion of Normandy, the Dieppe Raid, and many other significant campaigns.  In this interview, Salomon describes his experiences on D-Day. He took part in the amphibious landing of Omaha Beach with 2nd Ranger Battalion, C Company. C Company was depicted at the beginning of ‘Saving Private Ryan', when Captain Miller, played by Tom Hanks, led them through the landing. It was Salomon's job to storm the beach, climb a cliff, take a mortar position, and then storm a fortified house that held an automatic weapon. On the beach, Salomon was hit by shrapnel from a mortar explosion, and thought he was going to die. Thankfully the injury wasn't that serious, and a medic was able to patch him up. Solomon continued up the cliff and successfully captured the German mortar position, but his unit suffered too many casualties to move onto the fortified house. They held that position until morning. Salomon was awarded a Silver Star for his actions on D-Day.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frank DeVita joined the U.S. Coast Guard in World War II thinking his job would be to protect the American coast. But his war service would be much different than expected when the Navy decided to use Coast Guard personnel the responsibility of manning many of the landing crafts used during invasions.DeVita was assigned to a Higgins boat headed for Omaha Beach in the early hours of D-Day, June 6, 1944. And it was his job to drop the ramp, knowing full well that many of the soldiers on his boat would be killed within seconds.In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," DeVita describes what he experienced moment-by-moment in the horror of that first wave at Omaha Beach, how American ships helped the soldiers advance up the beach and the bluffs, and his role in recovering the bodies of America's fallen heroes that day.DeVita also describes his service in the Pacific during the time of the Battle of Okinawa and the grave danger American vessels faced from Japanese kamikaze pilots.

Episode Notes Tierney Steele of One Steele Sister and Rob take in the view from Omaha Beach as the camera zooms in on a backpack.

Transcript: So, honestly what I'm thinking, I'm in a really unique situation and nobody is often open when they are in this situation.   Kenzie and I, we made some money with our business.   I successfully put it into some tech stocks, made some money with it and then instead of putting it back in the US dollar or keeping it in stocks when it just seemed, it was in July of this year.   We were down in California filming and I'm like, this seems unsustainable.   I'm almost parking my assets, my capital into clothing which is harder to liquidate but I feel like I have a higher impact on it rather than like, I don't have an impact on Apple stock worth.   But for the first time in my life, I'm slightly over leveraged.   I mean, I've had student loans my whole life so I've been in debt my entire adult life which is a fascinating thought, isn't it?   Well, it depends.   For some people, that's normal.   For others, it's not.   That's what I'm learning.   I'm just trying to be open with it with people because I've always, aside from student loans which are on pause and forbearance and whatnot, I've always had money but now I'm slightly in debt and it's a situation that most people don't speak openly about which it doesn't seem like it really benefits many people.   So I'm just curious like throughout your life, have you ever leveraged yourself or when you've been like, I mean, you talked with, my understanding of what you do is you talk with business owners kind of frequently.   You may have experienced people in that position a lot.   I'm curious your thoughts on leverage, essentially.   Yeah.   Well, in general, I mean, it's clear from the work that I've done and the life I've lived that there's different levels of leverage, if you want to call it that, that people are willing to extend and their comfort is very stew.   So some people don't mind going to the ultimate and spending whatever it is that they want to do thinking that that's going to be important to them and other people aren't willing to take that kind of a risk.   So they withhold that and on the other end of the spectrum, they're actually looking at a situation where you have not much, but you don't want to spend it with the idea that you'll pay for it as it goes as opposed to using credit, for example, and that would be what I've experienced anyway with people.   Move that just a little closer.   So you said if you'd use the term leverage, would you use credit or debt or I'm curious?   Yeah, I'm more comfortable with that.   I understand leverage is just another word that describes the circumstance and it may be more favorable for some people to use the word leverage.   Well, a lot of people buy a house and they're like, cool, I own a house, but I'm like, no, you took on a $300,000 debt.   They're heavily leveraged in what's it called, the housing market, not retail, it's real estate.   Oh, real estate market.   They're just heavily leveraged with all their capital in real estate.   Okay.   And that's true.   But it's helping them achieve what they want out of life, that they want to have a house that they can call their own, even though technically it belongs to whoever holds the paper on the house until that loan is paid off.   Yeah.   Yeah.   In your experience, do you think it's better to go, like my understanding is of what you said, correct me if I'm wrong, is when you say it goes slower, you just mean bootstrapping, which and like I'm someone, you can't offend my feelings.   I'm not hurt.   I'm speaking openly because I just want more people to talk openly about finances so it's less of a taboo.   Okay, again, my personal values are to pay as you go.   And so I'm most comfortable with that.   But I also felt that at a certain point in my life, I did want to have a home and so I did borrow money to do it.   And that's probably the only time I've really borrowed money is to buy a home.   And then pay it off as fast as I can.   That's really how I looked at it.   I just don't like to be in debt.   I don't feel like I want to owe people or anyone something.   I'd rather just say, I can't have this right now and that's just the way it is.   That's how I've been my entire life.   But I think maybe having student loans, so a negative net worth my whole life almost numbed me out to it or something, but at a certain point is just an opportunity presented itself where the financials on purchasing these and then really the reason why I haven't sold them out so I'm just preparing them is once I sell them, I can't use them for my deal goal, which is B, I want to show a manufacturer that actually has the scale and a design house.   Hey, here's a way to add a full design to close.   It's cheaper than tie-dyeing.   It's quicker, less like labor man hours.   It has a higher fidelity design because all of these clothes in here, the cotton's grown in the U.S. and it's sewn in the U.S. and I really want to hopefully reach out, connect with and work with them almost as an exit of sorts.   But as the fallback, I can sell it, which is very fortunate.   I'm very fortunate.   But it's weird having my money frozen in a very non-liquid asset.   Right and of course because the market changes, you're hoping that it changes to your favor as opposed to going the other way because it's just like the stock market goes up and down and so our changes is however you want to call it.   No, so I'd really agree except for there's nothing like what I've made.   So I'm on the forefront of bleach, like bleaching clothes in an interesting way where everyone who see like on the internet and so I've given some to friends who come on the show and people and they always just say like, hey, a friend wants to buy it.   They don't know how much like it's worth because something like what it's worth is up to marketing or like essentially like Gucci, Balenciaga, like really fancy ones like not that I would want to.   But they charge a really high premium even though the product isn't as high of quality.   So the market is just, the market's fugazi in a way.   Well the market is what it is and it changes.   That's all.   And sometimes you ride the wave and it's a good market and sometimes you fall off the board and it's, you're in trouble.   So what is that?   What could you play out that scenario for like if you'd help me?   Because essentially I'm in a unique, like my entire life I've been like I don't want to be in debt beyond student loans.   So this is a new thing.   Like literally even up till this most recent month I've paid off all my credit cards in full but I'm looking at the next month I'm like, okay, my credit's going to have a slight amount, like I mean just a couple hundred dollars on it but I can see because we do have a video client, we have a part-time like video client but I definitely did just take on a calculated risk.   I figure rather than being afraid of debt my whole life I want to confront it at a small manageable scale early just to see what because I keep thinking every big company had to leverage or had to take on debt in order to scale.   So I'm just curious, yeah, what are the scenarios?   Well I'd like to go back to your opening statement where you said you took on a lot of student debt with your ability to go to school and today that's vastly different than it was in my day because the amount of debt I took on was almost none and I was able to work and pay it off very quickly because of that.   Student debt today is at a far higher level and it's much more onerous because of that and the reason why I'm going back to that in your situation is because that's where it all began.   It's not like all of a sudden you're in debt, it's that you created that debt for a good reason in order to get an education but the way we operate today is different than 40-50 years ago and so you can't compare the two, that's all I want to say about that.   Yeah, but I will say looking forward to where you are now and where you're trying to avoid being caught up in a debt ridden situation, that's the part that I think you are most concerned about and rightly so.   I don't know that there's an easy answer to that other than to say there's two ways you position yourself financially.   One is you create more income, however that is, or you don't spend as much and so those are the only two methods that help you reduce it and of course it goes faster if you get a combination, if you reduce expense but also increase income.   So the only thing I'll say is everyone's different, every situation is different and you sort of have to look at your entire life and see what contributes to your decisions that cause you to spend money.   What are the values that you're kind of playing towards?   Well that comes from, yeah, your value system initially but you may have a certain set of values that are compromised by your circumstances and you know, we all have things that come up in life you don't plan on, I mean we all know people that have gotten very ill and they weren't expecting it and all of a sudden they have this great debt because they have to take care of themselves in order to survive.   And so I would just say that's a prime example of someone today who tended to not get into debt but found themselves in debt because it was far beyond anything they could anticipate.   Yeah, so if we could bring it to you, I mean I'm curious, what are your kind of core values or guiding, I mean is just avoiding debt, that's like a further down, you know, touch point of I assume how you want to live your life.   I'm just curious how you think about money, like you essentially deal with money for a living and we all deal with money in our personal lives.   You're someone who I would assume for a great deal of time, even more than I've been alive, I've just thought about the concept of money and I would just love to get your thoughts on it.   I mean you're, yeah.   Well I'd like to give you an answer that would qualify in every case but I can't.   What I'm going to say is the ability to manage your way of living is built upon what your hopes and dreams are really and if you can somehow coordinate what it's going to take to cause you to reach those goals and dreams then maybe you can plan it better but I can't say every situation is different, that's what I really have to say on that.   It's not a clear picture that one size fits all but I will, I know that you have talked about how do the values fit in with the way you operate in terms of your day to day existence and that's really, I think maybe the first thing to do is really to establish what's important to you and then to build a budget around that so when I say that it's important to get a sense about in the next year, maybe you could use it as a New Year's resolution or something and just say I'm going to have a plan for this next year and see how it works out and then you can evaluate that plan even six months into it to see if it's working and if it is at the end of the year you renew yourself and see how you can continue to move in that direction but setting up a budget means you have to know where you tend to spend money and then also what's important to you and how much money it's going to take to get to that level that's going to allow you to do what you want to do and those are the estimates that you have to come up with and a sheet of paper is a starting point and then you have to talk about well where's the money going to come from and so you have to analyze you've given me some ideas of how you earn income now well use that as your thought process and write down all the ways that you can earn income that you presently do and then ways that you expect to earn additional income and see how that matches up and the end of the year if you're in in the black that means you've got a little more income than what you've spent hopefully that'll go into some kind of savings or investments and doesn't mean that you don't spend money to do that because maybe you decided to buy a home so you put it into a fund that allows you to put a down payment on a home that would be one example another idea would be to that money that is hopefully in the black it will allow you to think of different ways to use that maybe you have a chance to just do something simple like open up a savings account or you may have an investor that you could talk to that you feel they're giving you some options that will allow you to make a little more than you might get in a bank situation for example but I will say this every year your goals which are built on your values will help you determine what your next year is going to look like if you put it down in front of you and sort of think it through and then the tough part is the discipline you have to be committed to that plan otherwise it'll never work it's I don't think it's any different than if you were taking weight loss classes or something it's going to help you to say okay my goal is to knock off ten pounds and in order to do that I'm going to have to do this this and this but I have to be dogmatic about it and do it the same way each time for try it for three months and see how that works and if you move it along that that gives you encouragement to continue on I'd say all of what you're saying makes a lot of sense and it's how I've lived my life up until this most recent year okay but so a large part of what brought this on is so we do video work for a living right but with AI the advent of it pretty much all digital jobs are up for they could disappear if you know like like I'm trying to hedge in a physical way and also again this is my way of parking money so I put it some investment yeah so successful stocks I essentially I took the money out that I put in just the gains right I put into cotton and bleach because at the end of the day clothing will all like and really really high quality clothing just will always be valuable to someone but it's it's just an interesting it's it's I don't think that people today have the luxury of planning so much a year out I think a lot of young people today are taking kind of bigger risks because just money I mean money inflation's what three percent a year but the amount of money that might or the amount of house that my money could buy like if I had a hundred thousand dollars and then a year from now it's I can buy 80% as much house so really like the US dollar is not a stable place to just kind of park capital yeah is the world we're living in it seems like to me I'm curious well everything's built upon trust that things are going to continue on yes and you and I both know if you just look at the news from day to day that could change any moment I mean look at the hurricane folks back in the southeast what they're dealing with who could have I mean generally speaking yeah there's gonna be hurricanes North Carolina who would have seen that yeah if I had done all this in North Carolina and hurricane came and flooded and I lost it all I couldn't reply what would I do it's so well hopefully you have insurance that would help pay for some of that but even the insurance companies are going they're in a difficult situation themselves because they can't even plan for that worst-case scenario and that's what happened and the US government and whole is is so in debt and so leveraged or you know however it's gonna be that it almost just seems like I mean just the numbers it's like I'm most likely not gonna have and what's it called when when I turned 65 so security yeah like social security is gonna run out unless some radical changes happen so I just I'm just at a point in life where I think I mean most people are on some sort of drug to stay sane I'm very fortunate in that I'm not on an anti-anxiety or an SSRI but my only like my way that I can make that happen is I'm like I have to have faith that I have a chance at success in life and it's just becoming a situation where the stable getting you know getting like a traditional job I mean like a lot of government jobs even could be automated the way quite easy like I mean like just trying to think of what feel because I went to school for physical therapy so that initial debt the initial sin that brought me into this whole place was towards something I was an 18 year old I had no no idea what any of it meant my parents said go to college I had horrible chronic pain at the time so I went to be a physical therapist just because I was like I'm going to figure out how to fix my own pain and I'm very fortunate that it happened but then the actual is funny was my third year into college my first day at a PT office and I was like oh this is not what I want to do the rest of my life but then I'm already 18 grant in debt and then just to finish out that last year of mostly extracurriculars you know so I'm like I've been $25,000 in debt since I've been an adult I see since I've joined the workforce in life right so you know the position I'm in it's funny I'm not like I don't have an anxiety I don't have a concern about it I definitely could overcome it but I just want to be open to the idea that the majority of successful businesses use look I mean like you know like you sell a house and then people say oh you you know you take a lean against it you buy two like people are very leveraged in today's society but it's something that it's taboo to think about being in debt so I'm just trying to bridge that gap in my mind of how to kind of think of those two yeah I again your value is to maybe not be in debt well there are some people that don't see it that way and they and they they as you say leverage one for another with the idea that you know ultimately if they do it well enough they'll have more than enough money to pay it all off that's their hope reality may not go with that but that's their hope and in the end we all act on our hopes yeah hope fears a lot of fear based well exactly but I fear comes into it when all of a sudden hope doesn't look so hopeful so I just say try to look at it in bite size bits as opposed to one big item that you have to take care of as soon as possible because the reality is unless you're winning the lottery or there's some kind of a windfall that comes from something yeah from the windfall exactly unless you have that you're gonna have a you won't have the ability to pay those debts off and I did want to comment about you're right about one thing when it comes to business anyway there's a time when debt makes sense and you have to know that and maybe the best way to look at it is a business that has a seasonal base so let's say they do a lot of crops in the summer they harvest them in the fall and then you know over the winter things are a little slack as far as the money coming in and but they have to pay people to keep the equipment up to get ready for planting and so forth so they take out what we call a line of credit and it's really an ability for cash flow to be there when you need it and then you pay down the line of credit when the money starts coming in from your sale of your products if you could look at that angle in business it makes sense for them to have debt and then while you're not using it you're not gaining interest on that it's strictly only on the balance that that's left so if you pay off that line of credit when your money starts coming in you have zero interest but you have access to it as you need it that would be a to me a good use of debt there are other businesses that I know about that if they want to buy equipment and and it's good tax reasons to do it at a certain time of year and the accountants will will validate that they'll just say you have you've earned this much and you're gonna need this equipment next year and in order to get full benefit of your depreciation and so forth now's the time to buy so maybe you you don't have the cash right then and there so you borrow money for the equipment and then later you pay it off but you've made a good decision because you've got what you need to continue to grow your business to pull it back from money because I don't want to you know pigeonhole you let's take a quick breather of just who you are what are some foundational things that have happened in your life that kind of formed who you were events like decisions to take that job or to move there to meet a partner I'm just curious kind of you know some framing behind all of what you're saying okay well I mean really we're all part and parcel of our upbringing and our values that are imparted to us by people close to us so you know that's certainly part of my life too so breaking news your parents were a big part of your life yes I know what you're saying but in this case for me it was my parents and I was raised in a very typical American household the second generation Irish American in Boston and and so I I was raised in neighborhoods where you know there were four to ten kids in the family it depends on that and so everyone was struggling usually the the fathers worked my father was a railroad car cleaner so what did he do he cleaned railroad cars for 44 years he he also was involved in bringing the troops onto Omaha Beach as a coxswain in the Navy and he had some medical issues that came from that so he wasn't able to progress in his career like a lot of folks were but he certainly was a model for me in terms of understanding what he valued and you know he taught me a lot through that method and my mom stayed at home raising five children and and it was a case of we always had enough to eat and so forth but it was tight and I had to get scholarships in order to go to school and stuff so that was my way of helping to pay the costs and I worked from the time I was 13 on this sort of like well well it seems young my dad actually started it when he was eight we were both caddies we caddied and and which taught me the value of service and and the fact that you if you wanted a dollar you had to earn it you know and that was and I actually look forward to it I I know you don't hear that so much anymore especially when you're looking for people wanting to work they just don't seem to have that interest interest it's it's an interesting I mean the idea that I have the freedom to try to create a good or service that people want to on their own volition spend money on right is the most driving force in my life it's it's a beauty well that's a wonderful gift and as you point out not everyone has it but if you do I know you'll be successful because you'll feel good about yourself number one and number two you'll help other people feel good about themselves so what after high school and college I went into a program that some people are familiar with today's it was called AmeriCorps and I worked in Appalachia which in the coal mining towns that were built way back in the early 1900s and I worked on the subject of housing even then housing was pretty bad for the people that lived in those towns and so but I did that for a while and then I later worked in social work setting helped to establish a mental health facility in Humboldt County and in fact it was the first one and was able to work as a bookkeeper for them but I did all the fundraising for him too to get him going and so that was very interesting yeah that's sort of like well there was a big gap in service in those days that was in the early 70s and so I had a chance to first of all learn to do things I never dreamt of doing while I was in school and again college schooling in general is is very valuable in terms of understanding the theory but the practical application of that theory is what pays you and so you have to try to figure that out and so that was one thing I did and then went back to graduate school and got a degree and I thought I wanted to do counseling and elementary education so I did that and then finally we came to Cottage Grove where I got a job in the school district and worked there for a while and worked for the Catholic Church and their education program and then I said you know I'm really most interested in community relations it took me that many years to sort of sort out what is it I was really interested you're held by that age but so I was about 29 when I realized that so I was about 29 when I realized it and then I started applying for positions that met that criteria and I was able to go to work for Pacific or which is an electric utility in the Northwest and I ended up working in customer relations and sales and I did that for 32 years ultimately I ended up being in charge of the energy efficiency programs for five states and and residential energy efficiency throughout those five states and it was a very interesting job in that sense because that sort of the framework in which we're operating today because first thing you want to do is save it and then you can grow it from there but and we do need to grow it because we have more needs for it but so become as efficient as possible that's kind of the net fit in with my value systems too that I was talking to you earlier that was a kind of a from that I ended up going into public office for about 14 years and that was interesting too because that gave me another dimension to my understanding of how the world worked and also how you can make a difference in people's lives and so I'm curious to delve into that so it's funny you realize that when entering the bureaucratic machine that is the government yes is when you realized the impact you could have helping people yes yeah I'm curious but now you don't work for the government I'm curious I don't you know yeah I'm still doing it helping people yes it seems easier to do not at the government well different yeah maybe let me explain what I I don't know if you have you ever taken a course called junior achievement never heard of it okay well it's actually a nonprofit organization that's established somewhere many years ago and it's basically privately funded and they are they operate in different locations I assume they have it in Eugene now but at the time in Cottage Grove they had junior achievement and some local foundations paid for a director to come in and teach you how to work with children and and older kids too on the issue of our our capitalism for for the United States what it's built on and really the best learning I ever got I felt in in terms of business understanding was how important it is for business and government to have a place in society because they actually I know it feels antagonistic many ways but if it if it does its job right the government provides a level playing field for business to be successful and if you don't have that you're in a country that you know you can't make it or it's owned by the country and and so you don't have capitalism yeah and so I'll just say this it's really that was a basis of my learning that I felt again was in line with my values that said you know we want to have a place where people can take an idea and run with that idea and hopefully make a living off that idea and not only that but the society benefits because no one else has thought of it either and so we all learned from that and so I felt like that was a major learning step in in my process and and so if I'm there right now yeah I have an idea and and I ran and it was of use to society our videography marketing business and now I have a second shot on goal a second one because as a hedge against just as a hedge against AI because it's very just you know first off I love video I hope to be able to do it continually forever right but just we've been meeting some clients who are like I just take a bunch of stock footage with an AI voice over like they just have it do it all for them right so just just being pragmatist and saying what's currently happening rather than just saying oh I hate it or oh I'm gonna fully use it because I really don't like the impact it has in terms of the only thing that's really of true value in life is human-to-human connection right and having an AI or just like some word salad kind of jumbled up in the middle it seems to always usually obfuscate the real core message of the communication so it's it's it's something I use you know in parse but it's not like a wholesale item that I'm like AI is like the backbone of my thing but just getting away from tech that's also how I've stayed sane and managed to not be you know anxious in a world that's every day or talent with climate change is gonna kill you so even if you're financially successful right you know the plan is gonna be done especially by your kid's age so it's like Jesus how do you deal with that and then you know all the jobs are getting on it's like and then you're like there's there's so much that could fill it so just getting away from that and making a really unique but like man I just the most conviction I've had for any financial shot on goal or anything that I've set my assets into is is this it really has helped just to get away from your computer for a little while but what's the space that you're talking about you said building a space where people can take an idea and run with it mm-hmm what's what's the well that's the entrepreneurial spirit in the United States I feel and I don't say it's not in other places obviously most democracies have very successful businesses but I'm gonna say it's the generation of the idea that comes with diversity I think and I say that because I know some people feel like diversity is a bad word or something I don't feel that way at all I feel like if you're part of a group of people you want people to look at things differently and out of that will come some ideas that will generate income because you create a product or a service that many people want and and sometimes they don't even know they want it because it's a I wish I had an example right off the top you can probably help me with that but just think of something that no one ever knew about or thought they needed paperclip okay yeah I know paperclips are dying it seems like but I still use them from time to time but I'm gonna say for a while they're pretty pivotal there in the world right I mean that's and whoever came up with that I knew that the world benefited by it but no one else knew about it you know until they start seeing well yeah I can do this with it you know I saw just say it's it's sort of like what makes us uniquely human is our ability to think and I love the idea that people can invent things and that's part of my joy and the things that I do in life is I find myself talking to people that have done that or I've demonstrated it and it gives me hope that we can solve problems because we have that diversity of thought that allows unique solutions to come about it's a very interesting thing just diversity of thought like Kenzie and I just my partner and I like we've just running a business for going on two years we've just realized that almost any new problem or challenge that we face we just we have almost diametrically opposite modes of thinking yeah and it's just been really fascinating to be like okay well what's the best of the both options or what's the middle ground it's there can be diversity of thoughts and two people who are probably twins but maybe one of them had a unique situation just it's it's very interesting just diversity of thought really does allow just new ideas to enter the mix yeah I mean and frankly people some people are highly paid for those new thoughts and I would just say what it's it's what keeps things moving and if you look at the history of humankind it's really in order to survive you had to keep moving and whether it's always good or bad is secondary it happens because it's required to move on and that's really ultimately the things that are bad get dropped off and things that are good are enhanced or grow into something else but we're fortunate I think that's why I really love the United States is because we're built on that spirit of people coming here to make life better for themselves and I I can speak for my own family that way so I I feel like most families would say the same thing and that word hope is really the ability to take you to that next level because if it's too far out there's no hope and you give up mm-hmm and so what you want is an element of hope what do you hope for today but you know it's changed over the course of your life right I'm curious what like today is your hope my hope for the future well it's hard to talk about it right after the election last night but I'll just say I hope that the United States can somehow find a way to realize that the values that made us what we are the values that will help us in the future too and not to lose sight of those values and you and I have just talked about some of those values but I in the end you know I'll speak as if looking at my grandchildren you know what I would like them to be able to have is a sense that life can be challenging but exciting and that there is a hope that you can actually enjoy life mm-hmm and and as long as you can do that you'll want it for other people after you you know so I don't know if that's the answer but that's kind of what I'm thinking I'm continually hopeful about that I think I do my best work when I'm mentally at peace with myself and and and feel good and I'm enjoying it and it's just I'm I'm persistently trying to remind everyone around me at all times nobody's making like nobody can force you to be upset today like like at the end of the day you really can just it's really hard to say some people have horrible situations but right they're born into it actually but a lot of people in pretty good situations make you know their own little living hell fun but essentially just the idea that being happy I said I mean I believe you mentioned that you grew up Catholic or as part of it and Catholic guilt is a phrase that has been around in society so a lot of people just kind of internalized the idea that like being happy will have an equal and opposite negative at some point in life like people feel that like happiness is unsustainable it seems like this that's kind of the the general idea that I get from a lot of people but I personally just think I have I build my best relationships I do my best work when I'm happy or relative happiness you know so I'm curious kind of how you came around or did the Catholic guilt never quite stick for you and you've you know here's yeah I'm not here to speak for the Catholic Church but I can say this that whatever faith or whatever way of life you're raised in you know if that's the basis of your value system which it typically is there's good and bad and what I want of course is to try to do as much as possible the good sometimes I fail but I also know that life is full of ups and downs and I would like to be happy hundred percent of the time but I don't think the human individual is capable of a hundred percent happiness 24-7 I'm just saying you it's more like a trend as opposed to a complete ability so you want to be moving in the direction of happiness to feel like you have that hope to enjoy things in life and yet so you say you've been happier over the year yeah I feel I feel that way myself do I have my moments absolutely just like everyone else I have every every same same emotions that everyone else has you know and some of them they're all valid but the they aren't necessarily what you want at the time but you deal with it the best you can I think it's important to sustain yourself with good people around you too because there are moments when I maybe I can't handle something very well and someone else can and you talked about Kenzie and you and your decision-making with your business and so forth and I I thought of my my spouse how the same reason that we have come from a similar value system we have a complete opposite approach to it and with but I say to her is the same reason we get together and argue and disagree on things is the same reason why I think we make mostly good decisions and that's from a 360 degree look as opposed to a 180 look and that's all I'm saying is find that find something that you trust the other person and that trust sustains you during the difficult times that's about it and that's where that's where we have a very similar value set yeah but then it's just the approach to every every situation is just like it's almost like mind-blowing the first like handful of time and not even just with her it's with everyone right it's really kind of mind-blowing the first time you like see someone's thought process to a situation it's like I would have never considered that or gone there and you know sometimes it's better than the way like I currently thought about it sometimes it's like oh like it's the exchange of ideas really is the ultimate like goal of what kind of elevates all of a community or a family or you know humanity right and we know that there'll be times when it's just not gonna go the way it you would like it to go but in the end you just have to get through that time period and that comes from support as well as your own self mobilization you know your ability to pass something any examples of times in your life that have been like that like you know you feel okay talking about I assume in hindsight as far as you know be a difficult time you mean yeah you've been bringing it up a couple times I'm curious what that like when you're like you just got to get through it it's well I try to compare myself to my father and I think I have nothing to compare you know what he dealt with not and I gave you one example of his life but he grew up in a family of 11 children and when he was eight or nine he was actually given away to his aunt and uncle to raise him because they they didn't have enough food in the home and I didn't have that I grew up in a pretty solid environment even though he had some challenges for himself and I think my mother had to take on a lot more responsibility because of that but I admire her for that you know her ability to do that for myself I have the same disappointments everyone else has which is you know I didn't get a job I wanted or I didn't have I didn't get a good score in my tests that I wanted you know I I have the same or I didn't make that basket when I should have you know those are the things that come up on a daily basis that are sort of annoying looking back on it but it's right that's just the way it goes you know and hopefully you know I've had some times in my life that are I can't think of any that would be dramatic and other than the time I was dealing with my brother he he had juvenile diabetes and he was they were they actually needed to get a kidney transplant for him and so all of our all of his siblings tested for it and I happened to have the best match and so it's so this is 40 years ago now and so and so when you know it I'm 3,000 miles away everyone else is back there you know and I'm thinking to myself well you know if it's meant to be it is and but the problem was they assigned a doctor who was my advocate and he had an advocate and the idea was that you had to make sure you wanted to do this or else it would be one of those things that you'd regret and so I'll just tell you this much that I think it was about February March that we started the process and and the doctor kept questioning me and making sure that I was okay I was getting annoyed because it was taking so long you know and of course I had a cold right when it all started and about nine months eight months nine months later I finally said to the doctor you know I know you are playing my advocate to the ultimate but I'm gonna fire you I said that meaning I have to have another doctor because you're not letting me do this and I think I should and so that was a tough time for me dealing with that and after the operation my cold was gone so for nine months I had a cold and I realized it was all stress-related because what wondering when is this going to happen and having to put it off and then have to fly back of you know and actually they wanted to do it in Portland but I I said I'm not gonna take a chance of my kidney not making it back there and then and then being inserted so we laid next to each other back in Boston and that's when the operation took place that was a it affected you know my family and everyone else in it yeah so being in stress for nine months yeah much less right the end of it you run kidney down that's oh I didn't realize how much of it until I until the day after and I said my cold is gone you know mm-hmm so I said to myself that tells you what stress does yeah stresses it's working in the background it may not it may not be right there you're gonna you like your car is gonna hit something and you know it's gonna happen that's a different kind of stress but something that's operating in the background so that would be one example I have since that experience have you been able to recognize it better when you're under or is that the most extreme stress you've been under or like if well I do I'll give you another example like have you recognized it and been able to be like oh I think this is stress whereas yes I have to answer your question yes I have I mean that's again part of life's lessons you know you just learned what works and what doesn't yeah that's a good way to look at it it's a science you're right I was gonna say signs like signs are just being able to just hey maybe I'm avoiding thinking about something you know and maybe that's just cuz no I think you you have a good sense about it that's what I would say yeah yeah but we all have those stories you know it's not the same story for every person but we're all dealing with so from a health standpoint that was something that and I was only about 35 at the time so that's a big decision at 35 to give a kidney for a brother that's yeah surreal that's a situation most people will never experience right and I mean but most people would do it if they had the opportunity it's just that maybe it didn't come along so you don't maybe they did something else you know what I mean we all have something that we faced with you know so it seems like from because many times throughout this episode we're close to an hour you've mentioned values but you haven't explicitly said yours my guess if I were to like ad hoc after hearing all that you said say my guess is family and community would be pretty much your paramount and hope hope faith belief in a better belief in the things getting better and then community and family I'm curious if you have a third or if I'm if I'm you know how am I how my guess is I think you described pretty concisely exactly what most of my life has been like and I I feel like most people other than having differences in each of those would have the same story but I can't think of anything else off the top anyway that would make a difference in terms of values that the one thing I'll say about the community aspect was that my my commitment to the community whether it's through work or through public service was I always felt I was it was an extension of my family so I viewed that as my family also so the combination is really and everyone does it differently I know there's some people in the community that have the best-looking yards that you'd ever want to have which I don't have but they do and it adds beauty to the community that's not me but maybe I could help in a different way and so I found that's my interest in public service was in working through policies and procedures that made life better hopefully for the community and today you get you're getting to do that I'm doing this in my job by helping well my goal would be to help every business be successful and if they are successful that means they'll create jobs for other families and the community benefits because now you have healthy economic families that are able to move in a direction that they want to to make it a little bit more precise in what way do you help businesses succeed because that's a that's a very it's an open it's a very broad statement but the way I would do it is the way you do do it and well that's right you're right thank you for clarifying I would sit and listen to someone tell me about their business and what they want to do sometimes it's a startup sometimes it's an existing business and and then I'll just say you know what are the challenges you're having about that and then they'll tell me and then sometimes I I may have some ideas that they hadn't thought of that make a difference sometimes I don't but I will say in every case they can count on me being able to provide insights that they might not have had and maybe even connections with parties that can help them further their goals and and that's what I get my enjoyment out of the current position I'm in it's one of the most joyous things in life is connecting two people when you know it'll benefit their life and it reflects well on you to both of them because you connected them it's truly one of the like the most like subtle but like profound joys in life is like this would benefit everyone if you two got together and it doesn't always work sometimes you introduce them and even though it's seemingly a perfect match there are slightly different fields or like interests or you know it's it's it doesn't always work but when it when it does work and you know it's it's really beautiful well I'm glad you feel that way because that's you summarized it very well thank you yeah closing thought this is my first episode back it's so this is sorry if I was a little rough and tumble you're very well spoken I have one question for you though okay all right eye contact I think when we met at Lane Small Business Development Center fair you had an amount of eye contact that I don't normally get much in life part of the reason I started the show was I didn't aside from Kenzie I wasn't just sitting and talking to people like people just don't sit and talk to people very much anymore where we're not like checking the phone or eating or like some distraction but on the show you've had a level of like less eye contact some people do none the whole show right which is an oddity but you clearly are comfortable with eye contact I'm curious if there's just a level of deep thought oh here I go yeah I think part of part of my thinking on that is I'm trying to think of how to respond if I'm just having a natural conversation with you and I know you're trying to set it up that way and that's a good format I think but I'm not necessary practiced in what I'm doing and I'm trying to think through how can I say it in a way that makes sense to not just you but your listeners you know and so it causes me to look to the side to give myself focus on how can I say this you know whereas opposed to having just a conversation with you no cameras yeah so how could I do you think better achieve that goal of that because that is my intended goal right because who listens to this it's it's it's it's I mean the most impactful person who could listen this podcast would be your grandkid in 30 years yeah and be like wow and just just that familial connection yeah you know like the reason I'm doing this is tenfold documentarian of people and their place in life for some people it's not working or getting ideas out for everyone it's different but my intended goal is just to document an authentic just conversation of two people sitting in a location okay like are you cut is there enough room this is my previous room with the you know the episode you watched we had more room behind us so I'm a little bit closer to the wall I wanted you to have some room are you comfortable in here I'm comfortable in this space yeah and then yeah some people might not be but I am and let's see I'm not sure how I could help you make sure others have just you know me yeah what may have made a difference maybe the topic I should have started with personal and then transition I think that would have helped yeah again I'm a little it's been a whole year since it's okay and I'm you know I'm much more able to talk more personally like most human beings than I am professionally but I'll say that would help mm-hmm it would get me probably started on the right foot mm-hmm that that's a good time I'm not sure what else you could do other than say upfront to someone you know you just explained to me why you're trying to do this and and that helps me understand why it's important that I paid look to you when I'm talking that's probably the best thing you can do because it's a starting place for people and then in the end you're learning what works for most people I think none not just but then start with a personal so I would say those two steps are probably gonna help you with other people beautiful I appreciate that I've workshopped what to tell people before the show so many times and some like just sometimes it can be read wrong and then people think it's a certain thing so it's really hard because it's not only am I confirming hey do you have time to meet to people do you also have time to meet in person and are you okay recording it right and it like so it's like there's so many checks right to get someone on a like on an episode and just communication has such an opportunity to create confusion right and my main goal with communication is to reduce confusion and just you know so it's it's the pre like preamble I will I'm gonna give it another attempt of just saying does that what you mean by preamble yeah yeah maybe what I text you about the show or what I tell you or before we start hearing just and he's anything that's setting the stage because I will say diversity of ideas not telling people anything about it right how I've played off of some people's energy like some people just take the reins they're like they've been waiting for an opportunity to be on there they've just been dying for it I'm like cool you can do whatever you want with it like you have a video recording of yourself and I've learned and I've actually adjusted what I do on the show because of them so it's an interesting thing of leaving that open right by not kind of defining what I want it to be right because yeah it's not necessarily an interview although the goal of it is to get your ideas like you see your story for maybe some ground like grounding about who you are but really it's like your way of thinking you know just capturing that I think is right goes back to the exchange of information that's what helps people have better lives the end you got a couple of nuggets in here I appreciate it thank you for coming on thank you for talking to Sharon yeah that was a it was a joy okay well thank you for asking me and hopefully I'll be anxious to hear where you go with your business you know because you've given me some insight as to what you're trying to do and I know you have to physically move as your next major step but after that hopefully you'll be in a position to grow your business appreciate it yeah it's it's an interesting situation my quip is nothing's for sale because a lot of people have been like hey can I buy some but I didn't buy and then die at all just to trade it back for money I just traded money to put it into this because cotton doesn't go bad right it's funny vintage teas are actually worse significantly more although I'm not surprised I know it's people really crave that texture I'm curious if you feel like this kind of cotton shirt just like it's just thick it's comfortable it's comfortable that's what I would say mm-hmm the word is comfortable because I can't I remember this guy when I first came to Cottage Grove 50 years ago I went in to get some shoes you know and he said do you do you want some socks with those shoes and I said oh no I got socks he said well do you have the kind that are you know you buy at the store that are polyester polyester and so forth I said yeah how did you know he says well most people do mm-hmm and he says well what I have is cotton yeah and I said yeah but cotton doesn't last as long he said yeah but it's a lot more comfortable it breathes and he says what he said he said you'll come back to me in ten years and you'll want cotton yeah that's what he said to me and did you are you well I do now yeah I choose I prefer that I when I say cotton it's it may be a mixture a mix I don't I don't look yeah I have more natural socks I'll use that so I would say January of this year I didn't own any I wore mostly hand-me-downs yeah I wore I had no idea the makeup or none of no specific brand I wore random clothes but I had a chronic physical pain oh and I started wearing just cotton shirts and it's purely the the breathability the heat retention would cause me to start messing with it and then activating the muscle would generate heat yeah which would then get trapped again huh and I didn't know I was trying to find all these are my dehydrated what's the cause of this chronic physical it's not pain what I deal with that with earlier before I went to school was pain this is more of just like a motor tic or like an annoyance or fatigue I said it was for a couple of years and then so finding the answer to that well was so like transformational of like oh this can not only my comfort my just because when I'm comfortable I just feel better I'm not thinking about something something isn't distracting my thought when I'm comfortable and especially the ability to like the fact that it removed pain in my life was I'm like oh this is this has value this is you know what is value value is something that improves people's lives right that that's a good way to look at it but they have to understand that value I mean you can say all you want but if they don't get it it's you know this value and maybe science knows this value but if they don't get it then they're not gonna buy because they have to understand it so that's the secret I think how do you help people see that what you have is gonna help them mm-hmm yeah it's really tricky because I mean marketer it's I think about all the time but specifically online you can't tell someone how it feels right you just can't right and every company is like we have a super soft and then you look at the materials and it's a hundred percent polyester and it's just it's it's not the same fortunately the designs that have been adding to them look high quality enough that people have a lot of interest in purchasing them and then I have the faith that then them having a hundred percent cotton that's of substantial quality will then make them want to get more later on when are you gonna sell those are are you those right there are ones that have picked off but the amount I think about the amount of time and energy would take to you know wrap it up wrap it up ship it shipping costs but essentially the majority of them I want to keep because my real driving goal is to find an existing manufacturer that has the workers they have the place because I mean this is smart yeah this is one person with a small backyard made over 500 pieces where the entire the entire article of clothing has designs on it and it's it's significantly higher than tie-dye I did some tie-dye as examples because like that's what a manufacturer should probably base it against most people have like a hippie association with tie-dye or whatever it is but essentially if you just look at the fidelity of like tie-dye gets kind of blurry I see that and this doesn't and it doesn't it goes down to the individual level and it's takes a tenth of the amount of time and the actual like taking a clothing and then altering it it costs significantly less because tie-dye you have to let it sit for 24 hours the dye is expensive you have to soak it in soda ash so the the fibers react whereas I've just everyone's fear-based not bleaching clothes or they bleach it in a certain way but I just saw this glimmer of what it could look like and it's just been this progression of every single one that I did it'd be in a different method or a slightly different way and it just kind of built out into being this thing where I could reliably and consistently get designs that all looked quite different and so those are hoodies if you believe it or not no but like oh I see yeah this as like clothing like it just it doesn't necessarily exist on the market you can have polyester that's printed with like a faux design but then at the seams like it won't match up so it's the fact that this is like it's I've created a new thing for the marketplace and I don't want to rush into exchanging it back for US dollar like I put all the energy and time into exchanging US dollar for this you know do you have it patented I don't think it's a patentable idea I don't know that it is or it isn't that's why I'm asking and your technique might be that's why I'm asking um funny enough I'd I'd almost teach it out of the just like I'd open source it like I'd meet the manufacturer and say I'd love to just like teach you this and then I'd love to clearly this should show my drive and passion for this industry I don't think that this is the tip like the edge of the iceberg like this isn't the end of my knowledge like I say if if I have more like capacity to to test and to try new things I mean I've done all this without even sewing or hemming or anything like much much less like cutting and adding like these things so clothing just took me out of the blue I was always digital my whole life I I wrote like a book and a screenplay I put an album out like I was in a music I was into writing video really took me and then that's the one that actually could make a career with so this is my first physical venture and it's it's really rewarding in the sense that nothing that I've ever done people have been able to hold in their hands nothing people nothing's created as much of a positive feedback of people are just like out in the blue just like just down the world of like can I get that or where can I get that um well let me tell you why I'm asking the question because I don't really know a lot but I would just say I would talk to a patent attorney and just see if if it is reasonable but in the end you created an idea you're you're the entrepreneur I was describing and um by the way who did this I made the table it's that's awesome I appreciate that yeah all my life I've just been consistently aren't funny R&Ding whatever I've been I've been had at my at my disposal so I made this five or six years ago so the epoxy on top starting to crack I think right there so you know it'll it'll have to be replaced at some point in life but but yeah well it's funny that is it on paper or is it on cloth this is a butcher block yeah um and then I took acrylic paint oh with oh it's right on the block right on the block and then epoxy over it okay yeah it's funny I'm just now putting together how similar of kind of a design pattern these have and that comes from I didn't just before I bleached before I bleached I would screen print so I make designs I put them on screens and then I put them all over clothes and like this is glow in the dark some of it's reflective where it's actually like the light will shine back at you this is so laborsome to do oh it's it's I mean I could do 25 things where the entire thing has a design in the same amount of time it would take me to do two or three I see articles of clothing like this yeah and clearly like I had a path I had to drive to cover the whole thing in some way yeah so this was just like oh hey I figured out how to scale it because for years people were like you should figure out how to scale clothing and I'm like no I'm just doing it because I want the clothes that I wear I want to them to be unique and you're like mine right and then I would gift them to people like the ones that I'm like that one slightly doesn't fit me this or that um but then the bleach and then the highest quality ones I'm just going to add a couple designs onto such as you know this is a yeah this is a bleached article of clothing but then it has a couple like so they're all tests and at the end of the day um with the patent office I think someone could try reverse engineering but there's a bleach has existed and clothing has existed for a long time there's the reason why someone hasn't made this um I don't know I it blows my mind it took a lot of tooling around and playing with it I I had probably 30 piece 30 shirts that had holes in it and rips because the bleach would eat away at it yes so it took a long time to first off realize how to make it so the bleach wouldn't do that affected yeah affected yeah so yeah no it's it's it is my driving passion in life I am that I am that um entrepreneur in a way oh yeah I would say um well again the reason why I brought that up is if you didn't want to get into the actual manufacturing of it but you could find someone that would do that that you take a percentage of everything that they sell as opposed to you know it just becomes a source of income for you well that's a good size looks good on you I appreciate it this is one of the earlier ones I guess that is my goal and my hope was the goodwill in people a lot of my most profitable like business relationships started by doing free work for them or like coming with value in the hand um teaching people so they could teach their team certain things so my hope was that that's possible in the retail world but it might be too large a scale it might need to be but I don't I don't know if it'd be like the time and energy it would take to patent it to like be like make sure no one can do this when it so you know like it's it's a very interesting nebulous kind of concept of how what I should do or the other idea is just to set up a consulting business and you are paid for your knowledge and you're hired by certain companies to provide them with that expertise that might be another way to take advantage of your knowledge because that's what it is it's knowledge uh people people don't know about it or they don't have the ability to create something that good and you've got examples of it and that's they're always looking for something yeah that's part of the reason I'm not selling all of them or the majority of them is I'm like well I don't want to yeah I change it back and then it's like ah like the whole goal of it is to show that it's like one person can do this level of scale and the amount of mess-ups I have is so low so it's like like all these ways that would speak to a manufacturer and a like a scale facility like I'm trying like speak in terms of like hey like financially makes sense less labor less cost like the actual material um it's a new thing in the marketplace that has so I'm going to sell some to show that there's a proven market for them but yeah I'm excited to update you where I do go with it yeah I well and the other thought I had I mean just I don't want to keep you from doing what you're trying to do but I I'm thinking of it was one of the thought I had you had oh do you ever read have you ever read Dr. Seuss um yeah and just if you can move the mic you can move but if you just move the mic with you oh I'm on live yeah we still we haven't cut it if you're hey I'm like you know I didn't know okay well I'm just saying to you um Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss do you read okay there's a story in one of his books it's a great story for you because of what you're trying to do with your shirts um it's about the star bellied snitches okay and uh I wish I had a copy of it with me because I don't remember all the details I just remember this um people are attracted to certain things and the people who have the money and power can get what they want it seems like and so one day oh sorry I'm actually you can manhand you can grab it and go like this okay I tell you at the end sorry so I'll just say one day this guy comes to town he has this machine with him and in this town there's two kinds of people the ones that have it all and the ones that don't have much and you see that in life so it just appears that way anyway so he's he says to the people without their heads are down they're they're they're miserable in life and he says so what's wrong you know and they said well you see those other guys over there you notice they have stars in their bellies and they're going around with their heads up in the air and they're telling everyone how great they are and so forth well we want to be more like them so so he says well I can help you with that and they said really how well you just give me a dollar and then you come into my machine and when you come out of the other end of the machine you'll have a star in your belly just like those guys so the first guy goes in he does that and he comes down wow I'm like these guys and my head goes up and all of a sudden the world looks hopeful and I'm excited and so one of his friends comes over and says what happened to you and he says well I'm not like you anymore I'm like them and he said I know but how did you do that he says you see that guy over there in the machine you just give him a buck and then you go through the machine and so he's okay so he

GOOD EVENING: The show begins in Ukraine after the election, asking which way for the president-elect?... June 6, 1944 Omaha Beach afternoon. CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR FIRST HOUR 9:00-9:15 #Ukraine: #IRAN (1/2): After January 20. Colonel Jeff McCausland, USA (retired) @mccauslj @CBSNews @dickinsoncol 9:15-9:30 #PRC (2/2): After January 20. Colonel Jeff McCausland, USA (retired) @mccauslj @CBSNews @dickinsoncol 9:30-9:45 #SCALA Report: Tariff and China bad acting. Chris Riegel, CEO, Scala.com @Stratacache 9:45-10:00 #INDIA: #CANADA: Khalistan and Trudeau's allegations. Sadanand Dhume, WSJ SECOND HOUR 10:00-10:15 #ISRAEL: #US: The immediate war-fighting benefits of the alliance. Brad Bowman, FDD 10:15-10:30 #CANADA: The allegations of abuse of the Indigenous people. Conrad Black, National Post 10:30-10:45 #REGULATORY CAPTURE (1/2): The Great Stagnation after 1970. John Cochrane, Hoover Institution 10:45-11:00 #REGULATORY CAPTURE (2/2): The Great Stagnation after 1970. John Cochrane, Hoover Institution THIRD HOUR 11:00-11:15 AL QAEDA: Suspicions of the UK attack. Bill Roggio, FDD 11:15-11:30 ISIS: Bombing to what end? Bill Roggio, FDD 11:30-11:45 #GREAT BEAVER (1/2): Partnering with the hydro engineer of North America. Leila Philip, author "Beaverland" 11:45-12:00 #GREAT BEAVER (2/2): Partnering with the hydro engineer of North America. Leila Philip, author "Beaverland" FOURTH HOUR 12:00-12:15 GEORGIA: Unwisely doubted elections. Anatol Lieven, Quincy Institute 12:15-12:30 #UKRAINE: Negotiations with Russia on not attacking energy nodes. Anatol Lieven, Quincy Institute 12:30-12:45 #PRC: RU (1/2): Information war. David Shedd, former DIA. Ivana Stradner, FDD 12:45-1:00 AM #PRC: RU (2/2): Information war. David Shedd, former DIA. Ivana Stradner, FDD

Is it hell on earth or is it military propaganda? We investigate and discuss one of the most monumental achievements of Steven Spielberg's career, Saving Private Ryan, starring Tom Hanks. Set during World War II, the film follows a group of soldiers on a mission to locate Private James Francis Ryan and bring him home safely after his three brothers have been killed in action. Winner of five Academy Awards including Best Director, the film was the highest-grossing movie of 1998. It is cemented as one of the most harrowing and influential depictions of war, particularly for its legendary opening sequence showing the storming of Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day 1944. GUEST: Dane DeBrunner

Episode: 3129 What Went Wrong on D-Day: The Paradox of the Allies' Greatest Campaign.  Today, when things go terribly wrong.

Rounding out his 3-part coverage of the Normandy Invasion, Steve Clay returns to tell us what happened at Omaha Beach for the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division on 6 June 1944, versus the plans he discussed in the previous episode. Steve prepared a PowerPoint Presentation to go with the episode and you can find the download here, at the bottom of the Podcast notes, right above the embedded podcast episodes: http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/ Links Army University Press Combat Studies Institute: Invasion of Normandy Virtual Staff Ride No Sacrifice Too Great: The 1st Infantry Division in World War II Blood and Sacrifice: The History of the 16th Infantry Regiment from the Civil War through the Gulf War Seven Months to D-Day: An American Regiment in Dorset Lineage and Honors Information: 16th Infantry Regiment Why We Fight Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/motheroftanks)

In World War II, there were no C-130s or large cargo aircraft that could deliver heavy equipment– such as a truck or artillery piece – in advance of an airborne invasion. For that, you needed to put that equipment, along with its crew, in a glider. These were unpowered boxes of plywood, pulled by a towing plane into enemy territory by a single cable wrapped with telephone wire.The men who flew on gliders were all volunteers, for a specialized duty that their own government projected would have a 50 percent casualty rate. In every major European invasion of the war they led the way. They landed their gliders ahead of the troops who stormed Omaha Beach, and sometimes miles ahead of the paratroopers bound for the far side of the Rhine River in Germany itself. From there, they had to hold their positions. They delivered medical teams, supplies and gasoline to troops surrounded in the Battle of the Bulge, ahead even of Patton's famous supply truck convoy. These all-volunteer glider pilots played a pivotal role from the day the Allies invaded Occupied Europe to the day Germany finally surrendered. Yet the story of these anonymous heroes is virtually unknown.To explore these stories with us is today's guest, Scott McGaugh, author of “Brotherhood of the Flying Coffin: The Glider Pilots of World War II.”

Continuing his three-episode coverage of the preparations for and execution of the invasion of Normandy, in this episode Steve Clay talks about the tactical and operational environments, the order of battle for the invasion, and the plans, including a series of assumptions made - most of which proved inaccurate. Steve will conclude this three-episode coverage in the next episode when he talks about what actually happens on D-Day 1944, with respect to the roles of the 1st Infantry Division and 16th Infantry Regiment. Steve prepared a PowerPoint Presentation to go with the episode and you can find the download here, at the bottom of the Podcast notes, right above the embedded podcast episodes: http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/ Links No Sacrifice Too Great: The 1st Infantry Division in World War II Blood and Sacrifice: The History of the 16th Infantry Regiment from the Civil War through the Gulf War Seven Months to D-Day: An American Regiment in Dorset Lineage and Honors Information: 16th Infantry Regiment A Historical Examination of Military Records of US Army Suicide, 1819-2017 Why We Fight Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/motheroftanks)

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (07/12/2024): 3:05pm- On Thursday night President Joe Biden took part in what the White House repeatedly referred to as a “big boy” press conference—during which he mistakenly referred to Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump.” While answering questions from the press, Biden dismissed claims that he is not mentally or physically fit to run for office and insisted that he will remain that Democrat Party's candidate for president—though, as Rich points out, Biden notably conceded that he believes there are several other party members capable of defeating presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in a head-to-head matchup. 3:15pm- Following Joe Biden's Thursday evening press conference, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow said she fears the president is “being given information about his political standing that may not be based in reality.” 3:40pm- Elizabeth Pipko—Spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to preview next week's RNC Convention in Milwaukee, WI. Plus, Donald Trump will be holding a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday—many have speculated that he could use the occasion to announce his running mate. Pipko is a former model, a 2016 Trump campaign staffer, and author of the book, “Finding My Place: Making My Parents' American Dream Come True.” 4:05pm- On Thursday night President Joe Biden took part in what the White House repeatedly referred to as a “big boy” press conference—during which he mistakenly referred to Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump.” While answering questions from the press, Biden dismissed claims that he is not mentally or physically fit to run for office and insisted that he will remain that Democrat Party's candidate for president—though, as Rich points out, Biden notably conceded that he believes there are several other party members capable of defeating presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in a head-to-head matchup. 4:30pm- Dr. E.J. Antoni—Research Fellow in The Heritage Foundation's Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to debunk several economic lies President Joe Biden and his administration have continually promoted. 4:45pm- According to reports, Donald Trump Jr. will be introducing his father's running mate at next week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, WI. Interestingly, Don Jr. has been lobbying his father to select Ohio Senator JD Vance—could the convention's structure be a hint that Vance will get the nod to be Donald Trump's Vice President. 4:50pm- According to a report from The Daily Mail, First Lady Jill Biden does not like Kamala Harris—and her disdain for the Vice President may be, in part, influencing her decision to push Joe Biden to remain in the presidential race. You can read more here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13625323/Jill-Biden-grudge-against-Kamala-Harris-deep.html 5:00pm- Dr. Wilfred Reilly—Professor of Political Science at Kentucky State University & Author of “Lies My Liberal Teacher Told Me”—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his most recent editorial for National Review, “American History Has Been Captured by the Left, Not the Right.” You can read the article here: https://www.nationalreview.com/2024/07/american-history-has-been-captured-by-the-left-not-the-right/. And you can order Dr. Reilly's newest book here: https://a.co/d/7aYtYwN 5:40pm- Dr. Victoria Coates—Former Deputy National Security Advisor & the Vice President of the Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at The Heritage Foundation—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to talk about Canada “shirking its responsibilities” by contributing only 1.37% of its GDP to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) despite having one of the world's largest economies and previously pledging to contribute 2%. Plus, what are our global enemies thinking after witnessing President Joe Biden's physical and mental decline on the world stage? 6:05pm- Following President Joe Biden's “big boy” press conference on Thursday, former Obama strategist David Axelrod said it's time for the Biden campaign team to have “tough conversations” with the president about withdrawing. 6:10pm- Biden's Fundraising Disaster: Shane Goldmacher, Nicholas Nehamas, and Chris Cameron of The New York Times report that “some major Democratic donors telling the largest pro-Biden super PAC that they were freezing roughly $90 million in pledged donations. The contributions to Future Forward will remain frozen as long as President Biden is atop the ticket, according to two people briefed on the conversations who spoke on the condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.” You can read the full report here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/07/12/us/biden-trump-election?smid=url-share#after-a-high-profile-news-conference-biden-heads-to-michigan-heres-the-latest 6:15pm- After President Joe Biden's Thursday press conference, Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT) said he believes Biden will not only lose his own race but will cause Democrats to lose the House and Senate as well. But don't worry, 85-year-old Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) is still supporting Biden's campaign! 6:30pm- In an editorial for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Major General Timothy Brennan writes: “Waverly B. Woodson Jr. treated 200 casualties on Omaha Beach. Segregation and racism largely prevented him from being honored. On Friday, a street in his old neighborhood is being renamed for him.” You can read the full article here: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/waverly-woodson-d-day-hero-west-philadelphia-street-renaming-20240712.html 6:40pm- On Thursday night President Joe Biden took part in what the White House repeatedly referred to as a “big boy” press conference—during which he mistakenly referred to Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump.” While answering questions from the press, Biden dismissed claims that he is not mentally or physically fit to run for office and insisted that he will remain that Democrat Party's candidate for president—though, as Rich points out, Biden notably conceded that he believes there are several other party members capable of defeating presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in a head-to-head matchup.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: 6:05pm- Following President Joe Biden's “big boy” press conference on Thursday, former Obama strategist David Axelrod said it's time for the Biden campaign team to have “tough conversations” with the president about withdrawing. 6:10pm- Biden's Fundraising Disaster: Shane Goldmacher, Nicholas Nehamas, and Chris Cameron of The New York Times report that “some major Democratic donors telling the largest pro-Biden super PAC that they were freezing roughly $90 million in pledged donations. The contributions to Future Forward will remain frozen as long as President Biden is atop the ticket, according to two people briefed on the conversations who spoke on the condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.” You can read the full report here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/07/12/us/biden-trump-election?smid=url-share#after-a-high-profile-news-conference-biden-heads-to-michigan-heres-the-latest 6:15pm- After President Joe Biden's Thursday press conference, Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT) said he believes Biden will not only lose his own race but will cause Democrats to lose the House and Senate as well. But don't worry, 85-year-old Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) is still supporting Biden's campaign! 6:30pm- In an editorial for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Major General Timothy Brennan writes: “Waverly B. Woodson Jr. treated 200 casualties on Omaha Beach. Segregation and racism largely prevented him from being honored. On Friday, a street in his old neighborhood is being renamed for him.” You can read the full article here: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/waverly-woodson-d-day-hero-west-philadelphia-street-renaming-20240712.html 6:40pm- On Thursday night President Joe Biden took part in what the White House repeatedly referred to as a “big boy” press conference—during which he mistakenly referred to Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump.” While answering questions from the press, Biden dismissed claims that he is not mentally or physically fit to run for office and insisted that he will remain that Democrat Party's candidate for president—though, as Rich points out, Biden notably conceded that he believes there are several other party members capable of defeating presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in a head-to-head matchup.

Welcome to the Pop Quiz! During the summer break, the team still wanted to bring you, our awesome audience, some new content. Every Thursday, one of the hosts will ask the other a question about history they must answer. Have an idea for a topic? Send it to us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com or submit it to our website at https://www.15minutehistorypodcast.org. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/15minutehistory/support

American forces land on Omaha, the most deadly of the D-Day beaches. So many are killed in the first few hours that a US general almost calls off the attack. It's the closest D-Day ever comes to failure. But amidst the turmoil, as the tide literally turns, can the Allied soldiers just break through?… A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. As featured on D-Day: The Tide Turns. A special thanks to the American Veterans Center for their partnership in highlighting the real stories from Omaha Beach. Visit their YouTube channel for more interviews and stories. For ad-free listening, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started with a 7-day free trial. Or, if you're on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

American forces land on Omaha, the most deadly of the D-Day beaches. So many are killed in the first few hours that a US general almost calls off the attack. It's the closest D-Day ever comes to failure. But amidst the turmoil, as the tide literally turns, can the Allied soldiers just break through?… A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. A special thanks to the American Veterans Center for their partnership in highlighting the real stories from Omaha Beach. Visit their YouTube channel for more interviews and stories. For ad-free listening, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started with a 7-day free trial. Or, if you're on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a Text Message.Welcome to the final episode of the Jack Hamlin series. In this episode Jack describes his participation in the rescue of survivors from the sinking of the SS Leopoldville on Dec 24, 1944 which was stricken by a German sub. Then 2 nights later the same sub sank the HMS Capel where he also mustered for that rescue.Support the Show.

Regular episodes are coming back soon. I have been in France to visit Normandy and other locations as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Normandy invasion. Join me in a discussion and tribute related to the men and women who undertook with success this epic event in world history.

In this week's fan-favorite podcast, legendary actor Tom Hanks calls himself a “lay student of history,” his filmography indicates a fascination with war. Plus, Hanks recounts stepping foot on Omaha Beach after filming Saving Private Ryan and comments on gaps in the teaching of American History.

#Londinium90AD: The fading of the civil religion of D-Day . Michael Vlahos. Friends of History Debating Society. @Michalis_Vlahos 1944 June 6 Omaha Beach in late afternoon

Professor Adrian Lewis talked about about Omaha Beach and the 1944 D-Day landings in Normandy, France, during World War II. He described the German and Allied military strategies as well as the command structure on each side. He also enumerated the challenges American troops faced when trying to land on Omaha Beach and argued that the outcome was not inevitable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-day. Thanks to their sacrifice, we no longer need to risk our lives at Omaha Beach. They established a physical beachhead; we merely need to establish a political beachhead in red America against today's forces of tyranny. I'm joined today by South Dakota rancher Amanda Radke, who briefs us on the spectacular primary victories over the green energy pipeline crowd. She explains how a grassroots effort behind a common cause to conserve something as sacred as American ranching and land ownership was the most important fight of the year. We learn the lessons of their successes and plot a strategy to end this pipeline altogether. It's not just about the pipeline, either. We are fighting for the heart and soul of red states – whether they are open for free-market business or whether they are for sale to crony left-wing interests that create fake jobs propped up by the federal government on the backs of the people.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GOOD EVENING. The show begins in 1944 with Ike visiting the 101st Airborne the afternoon of the 5th. To Lebanon, Manila, South China Sea, Singapore, Indo-Pacific. To Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, London, Occitanie, Brussels, Far side of the moon, Boca Chica, Texas. 1958

On June 6th 1944, the allied forces landed on the Omaha Beach in Normandy, breaking through the Nazi's Atlantic wall. At huge cost they turned the tide of World War II and began the liberation of Europe: a moment of time forever immortalised as D-Day. US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron led the 80th anniversary commemorations in Normandy today and stood beside those world leaders were soldiers past and present – including members of that greatest generation who fought on the beaches all those years ago. Christiane is joined in Normandy by NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, General Christopher Cavoli.  Also on today's show: D-Day veteran Jake Larson; actor/filmmaker Tom Hanks; sculptor Anilore Banon  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PREVIEW: D-DAY: OMAHA BEACH: Conversation with author Patrick O'Donnell re the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions of D-Day, and the accidents of combat that delivered the right force at the right time at both the Pointe du Hoc and Omaha -- and then the Germans counter-attacked.  More tonight.. 1944 Pointe du Hoc

Amandla Stenberg talks 'Star Wars: The Acolyte'; WWII veterans visit Omaha Beach to mark 80th anniversary of D-Day; Alec Baldwin announces new reality TV show with family Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this day 80 years ago, more than 160,000 Allied troops were preparing to head into a long-anticipated invasion of Normandy, France -- not knowing that June 6th, 1944 would become one of the most memorable days in history.   Today, Martha sits down with 104-year-old WWII veteran Steven Melnikoff on Omaha Beach, where he landed 80 years ago as a 24-year-old soldier with the 29th Infantry Division. Melnikoff recounts what he remembers most clearly from that day and those that followed -- from being wounded in battle to witnessing countless acts of bravery. Follow Martha on X: @MarthaMacCallum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PREVIEW: 80TH D-DAY Fifth Rangers: Conversation with colleague Patrick O'Donnell, author of "DOG COMPANY", regarding the accidental missed message that diverted one element of the Rangers to their secondary target on Omaha Beach. This put them in the right place at the right time to lead the breakout from the beach. More details on this little-known aspect of the D-Day invasion and its significance will be provided later. https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Company-Patrick-K-O-Donnell-audiobook/dp/B00A2ATV1W/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 1944 Build-up

80TH D-DAY: POINTE DU HOC:  7/8:  Dog Company: The Boys of Pointe du Hoc — the Rangers Who Landed at D-Day and Fought Across Europe,by Patrick K. O'Donnell, with John Pruden as narrator.  Blackstone Audio, Inc.  Audible Audiobook – Unabridged https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Company-Patrick-K-O-Donnell-audiobook/dp/B00A2ATV1W/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= It is said that the right man in the right place at the right time can mean the difference between victory and defeat. This is the dramatic story of 68 soldiers in the US Army's Second Ranger Battalion, Company D — "Dog Company" — who made that difference, time and again. From D-day, when German guns atop Pointe du Hoc threatened the Allied landings and the men of Dog Company scaled the sheer 90-foot cliffs to destroy them; to the slopes of Hill 400, in Germany's Hürtgen Forest, where the Rangers launched a desperate bayonet charge across an open field; to a "quiet" section of the Ardennes, where Dog Company suddenly found itself on the tip of the spear at the Battle of the Bulge; the men of Dog Company made the difference.  1944 OMAHA BEACH

Though the horrors of D-Day live on today through diaries, documentaries, and other records -- few veterans are still alive and able to remember the tragedy that occurred on June 6th, 1944. But there are some, like 98-year-old Jack Gutman, who is still able to recount why honoring the sacrifice and bravery shown on that day 80 years ago is so crucial.   Today, Jack recounts his experience serving as a medic on Omaha Beach at just 18 years old on D-Day -- tending to countless wounded and dead soldiers on the beach. He discusses how this day still stays with him heavily and led him to write, "One Veteran's Journey to Heal the Wounds of War," and what his thoughts are on the current state of America.   Follow Martha on X: @MarthaMacCallum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices