Podcasts about paved

Capitalism by its nature produces crises and, for the last century, states have responded by imposing austerity measures on the public. Governments claim it's a bitter but necessary medicine to set economies back on track. But economist Clara Mattei argues that austerity is actually a bludgeon to entrench elite power and repress workers' aspirations for a more egalitarian society. She looks at its origins — and that of modern economics — during the greatest existential threat to the Western capitalist order. Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order: How Economists Invented Austerity and Paved the Way to Fascism University of Chicago Press, 2022 Forum for Real Economic Emancipation Photo credit of Athens protest: Kotsolis The post Austerity: Guardian of Capitalism appeared first on KPFA.

Ever wonder why a “simple” parking spot can decide what gets built on your block, how long your commute takes, or whether your favorite cafe survives? We sit down with Henry Grabar, author of Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World, for a live episode recording that reveals how curb space, parking minimums, and meter policy quietly shape housing, transit, local business, and city budgets. Henry takes us from the horse‑and‑wagon era to modern dynamic pricing, connecting the dots between what seems like a technical detail and the urban life we all experience.If you care about vibrant neighborhoods, small business turnover, housing options, or safer, greener travel, this is a candid, myth‑busting look at the hidden system running beneath every city. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who swears there's “never any parking”—then tell us how your city should use one block of curb.Show Notes:Further Reading: Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City by Jorge Almazán, Joe McReynoldsSaving America's Cities: Ed Logue and the Struggle to Renew Urban America in the Suburban Age by Lizabeth CohenShade: the Promise of a Forgotten Natural Resource by Sam BlochTo view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/

Luke's HAARP Time Warp: Part 15 Marion becomes Queen. Based on a post by somethin fishy, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 70. Luke spent a couple of days in Sheffield while the rest of the army arrived. The first thing he did when he arrived though was that he sent Pollyanna's engineers ahead with a strong dragoon escort to prepare the way for his artillery. Mostly this involved doing work at river crossings. At many of the crossings they would have to build bridges that were strong enough to support the weight of the cannons for the big ones weighed a couple of tons. Luke had designed them so that when smokeless powder became available, he wouldn't have to redesign them. The plan for crossing the Thames was to build a large number of boats and create a pontoon bridge with them. This way supplies could keep up. Within a week of Luke arriving in Sheffield, he was looking at the Norman's fort. The march south had been extremely rapid and uneventful for no noble was willing to challenge Luke's army. As uneventful a trip as the army had; Luke's personal trip was far more eventful. Alice's medical unit was one of the last ones to arrive in Sheffield for she had to finish some important things in York before she could depart. That evening she went into Luke's tent. Luke always stayed in a tent while he was in the field. His theory was that his soldiers slept in tents so he should too. His army stayed in tents because Luke had forbidden the army from sharing civilian homes unless it was a dire emergency. She found him lying on his cot and looking at an old picture. It was the picture of Luke and his older sister just after he had graduated from Marine basic training. He was in his dress blues while she was wearing one of her formal gowns. He was so into just staring at the picture that he didn't even hear Alice enter. It wasn't until she cleared her throat that Luke noticed that she was there. “Oh, sorry Alice. I didn't hear you come in. What can I do for you this evening?” As she always was, she was struck by that line. It was never “what do you want?” or even “hello”. It was always “what can I do for you?” It was just another reminder for Alice that Luke was the kindest person that she had ever met. She decided right there that if Luke wanted her, she would be his lover. After all Marion had Gabriel; why shouldn't Luke have someone else too. “The voices bothering you again?” Alice asked trying to sound as innocent as possible for she knew of Luke's sometimes hair trigger temper. “Marion talked to you, didn't she?” “Yes, she did. Luke, she is concerned for you and so am I.” “Why are you concerned for me?” It was evident from his tone that while he wasn't angry, he could become very angry very quickly. Alice decided then and there to lay all her cards on the table and confess to Luke her true feelings for him. “Why? Because I love you, Luke. You saved me from being raped. You taught me medicine. You enabled my late fiancé and I to actually have a chance with each other. You have already saved the lives of countless people. Finally, you are the kindest, most loyal person that I have ever met. So, tell me, why would I not love you.” “Well let's see. I'm married and I'm broken. I have almost constant nightmares when I sleep. In fact, most nights I don't sleep but for maybe an hour or two and I've been having nightmares for many years now. I hear voices in my head telling me that I be dead by the end of this campaign and yet here I am getting ready to wage this campaign anyway. If that's not broken and hopeless then I don't know what is.” “Luke you're not broken. Only a very strong person could have survived what all you have been through. You not only survived but you have thrived. As far as being on this campaign see my previous comment on loyalty and as far as you being married; well Marion has a lover so why shouldn't you. After all she was the one who fixed us up the other night. She was the one who begged me to do what I could to watch over you during this campaign. So, please Luke can you just give us a chance.” “I don't…” that was as far as he got before Alice's lips locked onto his. When she broke the kiss, she locked onto his eyes with hers. He had tried to look away but Alice put her hands on his face and gently pulled his eyes back to hers. “Please Luke” With their eyes locked she could almost see the epic battle going on inside Luke's mind. On one hand he was loyal. He was absolutely loyal to his wife. On the other hand, Alice was exceptionally beautiful and smart and she reminded him of someone who had been extremely dear to him that he had lost a few years before. It seemed like hours before Alice saw a change in Luke's eyes, but finally a look of calm took over. He moved over in his cot and invited Alice to lay down with him. Since he was so large the only way that Alice could realistically lay with Luke was to lay on Luke. “Before you say anything, I want to show you something. Something that even Marion has never seen and I don't want her to see it either for she already has enough to worry about.” Luke then pulled out another picture. This one was of him when he was in his mid to late twenties and he was with a stunning redhead. When Alice saw the picture, she gasped for the redhead in the picture could have been her twin sister. “Who is she, Luke?” “Who was she, Alice? Her name was Rebecca, Becky, and she was my fiancé but she was killed two days before we were to get married. She was driving home late one night when a deer jumped out in front of her car. She tried to avoid it and in doing so lost control of her car and hit a tree. The autopsy showed that she died almost instantly so at least she didn't suffer. It also revealed that she was eight weeks pregnant with twin girls. That was when I moved to Alaska for, I wanted to get as far away from where she died as I could. I never did step foot back in Louisiana again. She was my entire life and after her my life has just wasn't been worth living until, I met Marion. Then I met you and everything went upside-down. You two even have very similar interest for she was a surgical resident at the local hospital and was within a month of finishing.” “Oh Luke, I didn't know!!” She gripped him as tight as she could and by the time, she finished crying Luke had fallen asleep. She continued to lay there and now paying attention she noticed Luke's body tense up several times. When this happened, she would hold him tighter and he would relax. Eventually she was able to fall asleep, but now she was having nightmares of her own. Only hers were what might happen if that voice in Luke's head turned out to be right. Would Marion be able to hold things together. As Alice thought about it, the more she was convinced that Marion wouldn't be able to. Alice had a huge amount more interaction with the general populace than anyone else in Marion's group except for Luke, so she knew that a major reason the people were willing to follow her was because of Luke. For it was Luke that had the people's complete trust. The one's that didn't trust him, feared him so much that they wouldn't do anything that might risk his wrath. Alice of course knew why; after all this was the 11th century and everyone understood brute force. This was what most people saw in Luke. His power was blindingly so obvious that most everyone overlooked his true power, his intelligence, his willingness to listen to the people around him, and his kindness. Alice knew that Marion didn't understand this dynamic and she probably never would, after all she had been born into a very privileged life and she was blind to the general population as a whole. Put any single person or small group in front of her and she treated them with upmost respect. But she was at best partly blind to the lower classes. At least to her credit, Marion tried. The next morning Luke was up early as usual. He gently slid out from under Alice and covered her back up for she was still sleeping soundly. He started his morning the same way he always did. He checked the night sentries. Granted he was in friendly territory but that was no excuse for letting one's guard down. With sunrise the army got ready to leave. A message had come in overnight from Pollyanna telling him that things were clear all the way to the Thames. When Alice caught up with Luke later that morning, he invited her to keep her things with his and she gladly accepted. The army moved like the wind on their way south. By the time they reached the Thames, Pollyanna had the pontoon bridge done so Luke's army didn't even have to pause. They moved so fast that they caught the Norman army completely by surprise. The only thing that saved the Normans from being annihilated during the first contact was a storm had blown up and limited the visibility thus allowed them to escape back to their fort. Not that being in their fort would do them any good. Luke ordered his artillery to ring the fort at a distance of five hundred meters with his infantry to dig in in front of them at a distance of three hundred meters from the walls. At this range they could pick off anyone who came outside the walls and depending on the wind, his motors could drop rounds on the fort. It took about a day to get into position at the end of which, he sent his surrender demands to William of Normandy. If they laid down their arms then they would be allowed to return to Normandy. If they didn't then they would all have English graves for the rest of eternity. It didn't surprise Luke any when his demands were refused with what was his experience was typical French snootiness, not that he cared. The bombardment started at sunrise the next morning. Luke made sure that his gunners fired slow enough so that they didn't fire through all their shells in one day. Their first target was the walls. If they could be destroyed then his troops could pick off William's troops at will. Within an hour, the walls had been blown to bits, but now they had another problem. William had built his fort on a hilltop and Luke's soldiers couldn't see into the fort so Luke ordered a number of towers to be built around the hill. These towers were made of crossed logs that had both ends notched to fit into notches of the logs above and below them. From these towers, his best shots would be able to pick off William's men no matter where they were at. It had taken the rest of the day to build the towers, but Luke had another trick up his sleeve. That night he ordered illumination rounds fired continuously over the Norman heads. This way, his sharpshooters could pick out their targets and the Normans wouldn't be able to get any sleep. Luke's sharpshooter teams only were allowed to work for four hours before they were relieved so that they could get some rest. The next morning, the Normans presented Luke an offer for them to surrender but Luke flat out rejected it. The price was now their unconditional surrender which of course the Duke of Normandy was not going to do. After the messenger left with Luke's response, Alice asked him: “Luke, why did you condemn all those men over there to death? That seems extremely cruel and that's definitely not like you.” “Because I don't want Marion to have to look over her shoulder constantly wondering if she will be invaded again from Normandy. This will buy her the time that she will need to shore up her support.” “You talk like you won't be there to help her. You're not leaving, are you?” “I hope not for I am happier here than I ever was before, but reality doesn't care about people.” Luke said with a sad smile. Alice knew that he was still being bothered by the voices and worse still was that he now not only believed them but had accepted what they were telling him to be the truth and was conducting himself accordingly. All through the day, Luke's artillery and sharpshooters killed many Normans. That evening, Luke summoned one of his crack cavalry units and ordered them to advance on the fort and scout it for it was too windy for him to have the balloon deployed. As the cavalry advanced, Luke ordered a cease fire so that he wouldn't have to worry about friendly fire. He also had gone up to the top of one of the towers so that he could get a better view. He watched as the cavalry went into the fort and watched as they looked around. They signaled that everyone in the fort was dead and that it was safe to enter. Alice was one of the first ones not in the cavalry to enter the fort and she stunned by what she found for almost none of the Normans were still alive. What shocked her worse was Luke's reaction to the carnage that he had caused. He just ordered the bodies thrown into a nearby gully and buried. After he had helped his troops dispose of the bodies he went and had dinner. Chapter 71. Earl John of Sheffield had been waiting for this moment since the summer. He hated that his serfs had been liberated and it really pissed him off that some of the minor nobles in the area were now making more money than he was. He just couldn't bring himself to pay the lower classes to do work that they should have been doing anyway for they were not good for anything else. At least in his opinion. It really pissed him off when Marion's labor board had fined him for shorting his employee's paychecks. He knew that he would have to wait for the perfect opportunity to revolt or Marion's army would crush him. As he waited, he wasn't idle. He put our feelers to the other nobles in the area to see if any of them would be interested in joining him. He found four other fairly minor nobles that were interested in joining him in his revolt. As his diplomatic efforts were under way, he had sent men to infiltrate Marion's army and learn about her style of warfare. As his diplomatic efforts were coming to fruition, he was able to find a black-market supplier for small arms for his army. One of the minor nobles that joined him was named Hildyard and John didn't think that much of him. He was arrogant and constantly thought of himself more than he was. As far as John was concerned though, Hildyard would make good cannon fodder. Hildyard's wife on the other was against rebelling for she had been making really good money for herself under Marion's rule and knew that Marion's troops would crush any rebellion. She actually was mad enough, with Hildyard, that she kicked him out of her life for she wanted nothing to do with this rebellion and wanted to protect her family at all cost. She had seen the cost of rebelling against Marion and she wanted no part of it. John watched as Marion's army crushed the Viking invasion and he hoped that Godwinson's army would tangle with Marion's, but that didn't happen. Just after the Viking invasion had been beaten off, his spies returned and began to train the rest of the noble's combined army in absolute secrecy. John watched as his army was brought up to the standards that Marion's army had been trained to, and John was finding that he couldn't wait to bring Marion's army to battle and crush it. He would then make her his personal whore. As his army was training, John looked for the ideal land to do battle on. He knew he would do much better to stay on the defensive so he looked for land that was easy to defend and would allow him an escape route in the event that his plans were upset. He found the perfect place in a spot that was surrounded on three sides by impenetrable swamps. Carefully he began to fortify the area and to protect his men against the expected artillery barrage; he had bunkers built and earthen walls put up around the area. Finally, he was ready and now he just had to find the perfect opportunity. It came much sooner then he thought. Five days after King Godwinson got to York, the Normans invaded and he took off, back South. By mid-October word came that the King's army had been defeated in battle. John had been waiting for this for he was sure that Marion would send her army south and when she did, he would revolt. He was sure that this would force Marion to further divide her forces for he knew about the troops that she had in Scotland. Sure enough, she did exactly what he had been expecting and he watched as Marion's army moved through the area. A week after Marion's army left Sheffield, no word had come and now John knew that it was safe for him to revolt. He sent coded messages to the rest of his co-conspirators and they mobilized their armies. In all they had almost ten thousand men, all armed with firearms. The lack of artillery bothered John some but he was banking on cutting Luke's supply lines and hopefully he would shoot through his supply of ammunition making his artillery useless. It would take a few days for the nobles to gain control of the entire area, so they had spread out some. Their first target was the rail depot and supply dump that was there. Since Luke hadn't been expecting a revolt in the area, he had left only a token force behind to guard it. John's forces quickly overwhelmed the guards but not before the commander had set demolition charges in the power stores. As the guards were being marched out, the powder went up with a massive explosion. The explosion had been caused be a booby-trapped door and caused the death of John's oldest son and a number of his men. John was so upset with this that he ordered the female guards brutally raped before they were drawn and quartered. The male guards were to be castrated before they too were drawn and quartered. Although the guards suffered, they all understood that John's war effort would be crippled for he had been relying on capturing those powder supplies intact. It took almost an entire day to slowly kill the guards and the last to die was the commander. This way, he would have to watch his troops suffer because of what he did. Once all the guards were dead, John ordered that every building was to be torched and the army was to move to the appointed gathering point. Once all the noble's armies had gathered, they would march on York and forever put an end to all this bull about men and women being equal and the lower classes having equal rights with the nobles. What John didn't know was that Luke was already on his way north. He wouldn't find out until he got a message from one of the other nobles. It had been sent in a hurry for the noble didn't even have time to write it down. The message simple; “Marion's army is back.” John knew that he wouldn't have enough time to gather the rest of the men, so he headed toward his swamp fortress. At least two of the other nobles had been able to meet up with him. All told they had just over seven thousand troops and John was sure that Luke had suffered casualties in battling the Normans. The way John and the rest of his commanders figured; the armies would be about equal. Almost as soon as John was settling into his new fortress, he got word that Hildyard's forces had also been eliminated. Here it seemed like Luke had launched a night attack and that had caught Hildyard's army by complete surprise. John had tried to warm that idiot about underestimating Luke, for he had managed to send some time talking with Luke during Luke's summer campaign in the area and had come away from that meeting with a huge amount of grudging respect for Luke's command talents. Now Hildyard paid the ultimate price for his stupidity. John spent the time before Luke arrived, strengthening his defenses and had a number of scouts posted to inform him when Luke's forces made it into the area. One of the other things that John had done was to make a hidden path out of the back of the marsh, so that his forces could escape if anything went wrong. He placed hidden fortifications where the path came into the fortress in case Luke tried to come up that path and had even placed a number of booby traps along it to slow Luke's forces down. Now all that there was to do was wait. They had plenty of food, water, and ammunition in the bunkers and had enough bunkers for all the men to hide in. Chapter 72. The very next morning, Luke's army was on the road again. This time they were headed to Scotland to settle some unfinished business. Everyone in the army was now stunned at just how cold Luke had become. Before he would always be the one who would warm the mood of the room with their presence. Now the mood turned subarctic everywhere he went. Of course, everyone still had the upmost respect for him, they just wondered what had happened to him. Once the army was back north of the Thames, Alice cornered him: “Okay Luke you can stop with the little voices now! The campaign is over and you survived just like everyone else in the army.” “Really, the campaign is over now? Since when and who said anything about the voices bothering me?!?! And while we are on the subject of the campaign, when the fuck did you become a god-damn fucking general? Because I don't ever remember saying that the campaign was over yet.” This was the first time that Luke had ever terrified Alice. Normally his face was always an even color no matter how angry he got, but now he was redder than her hair. For a second, she was petrified but then she fled with tears in her eyes. The look in Luke's eyes basically said that he didn't feel anything about making Alice cry. Luke then received a message that some of the nobles in the Sheffield area was rebelling and that his supply depot had been destroyed to keep it out of the rebel's hands. The army had been gone for almost a week and a half with no news about if they had won or not. In fact, Luke had sent a single highly coded message to Marion telling her of their victory and that he was taking the army up to Scotland. He had also asked her not to say anything to anyone for he wanted to see if any of the nobles would rebel. He was determined that should he die; that Marion would be able to rule and not have rebellious nobles to worry about. Up to this point the army was making about their usual distance of just short of twenty-two kilometers a day. As soon as Luke got the message, he ordered the pace be picked up for he wanted almost forty kilometers a day. With this everyone knew that something bad was going on but Luke was close lipped about it. The army raced north arriving back in the Sheffield area in a matter of days. They found the whole area in an uproar for it seemed like a number of the remaining nobles in the area had been waiting on the army to be away so that they could rebel. They hated that their serfs had been freed and many of them had taken massive hits to their incomes as a result. To make matters worse, every one of them had firearms for their personal armies. Luke had moved his army so fast that he had managed to catch one of the rebellious nobles by complete surprise and annihilated that noble's army within only fifteen minutes. The noble had been captured alive and Luke ordered that he and his entire family be impaled and left at the side of one of the major roads in the area. To really drive his point home, the noble was forced to watch as absolutely everyone in his family was stripped naked and impaled on objects from his own castle. Once they had been impaled, he was impaled as well. Luke was tired of nobles rebelling every time he had his back turned and he was determined to put a permanent end to their rebelling. Luke didn't even take time to loot the noble's possessions before he went after the next target. This one had some warning but it wasn't enough for him to get completely ready. Luke now pulled yet another trick out of his hat and made a night attack. This caught the noble off guard and most of his army routed without even putting a hand on their guns. The rest of the army was killed where they stood. The noble this time was killed in combat. When Luke investigated, he found that the noble's wife had kicked him out because he wanted to rebel while she loved being under Marion's rule. This saved her and her families lives and Luke made sure that her property was not touched. He even invited her to dinner that evening but she respectfully declined. Now Luke's army had knocked off two rebel nobles and had only suffered forty casualties, while killing or capturing almost three thousand. All prisoners were required to dig the mass graves for the dead and then they were sent to a prison camp that Luke had set up where they could be dealt with later. He made sure to leave enough guards to keep the prisoners under control and a cavalry unit to scout for any enemy units trying to free the prisoners. The third noble out of the five that rebelled was now fully alerted that Luke was in the area. This one wasn't an idiot and had set himself up in an area that he could easily defend. Luke knew that he was going to have a problem with this one for he had met this bastard before and remembered him. Not only was this noble the smartest out of the five but he had the largest army and he was in as easily defensible position. In addition, Luke learned that the other two remaining nobles had joined him and swelled his ranks. Luke, with a small cavalry escort, rode around the enemy position and he noticed that there was a small, tight path into the rear of the enemy position. The problem that Luke had with it was that it was almost too obvious. In the end, Luke decided not to attack along the path, like some of his subordinates wanted to. Luke was going to pull out another trick and make his own path. He had his artillery start firing at dawn, the day after they had arrived in front of the noble's defenses. They were to fire as fast as they could for four hours and then stop. While the artillery was firing, Luke would take one of his brigades around and hack their way through the swamp that was guarding the enemy's flank. The brigade that he would be using, left camp well before daylight so that he could be in position to start hacking when the barrage started. This, Luke's troops easily accomplished. On the way through the marsh, Luke saw that one of his soldiers was having an especially rough time. Her problem was that she wasn't tall enough and she couldn't keep her ammunition box out of the water without a huge amount of effort. Another problem she had was that the water was cold and she was completely soaked. Luke came up behind her and picked her up and placed her on his shoulders. She was one of the new recruits so she didn't know that Luke often helped his troops like this. “Hello private. What's your name lass?” “M-Madeline, sir.” “Please while you're up there, Luke will do just fine. I do have one favor to ask of you though. Can you help keep an eye out ahead of us for the enemy please?” “Yes sir... uh Luke” Luke smiled at her hesitation. “So why did you join the army, Madeline?” “To get out of an arranged marriage to an awful man. That and I wanted to serve Marion for she had done so much good for my village.” “How long have you been with us?” “I joined right after you beat those Vikings.” “So, this is going to be your first real battle?” “Yes.” “So, are you going to enroll in reading and writing classes or can you read and write already?” “I don't know. I mean I'm just a girl Luke.” “So what? Marion reads. Her head body guard, Gabriel, reads. The chief engineer, Pollyanna, reads. The head doctor, Alice, reads; so why do you think that you can't?” “Well, I… I don't know. It doesn't seem like a very lady like thing to do.” “Neither is joining the army and yet you did that. Tell you what, after this battle, stop by my tent and you can talk with Alice for a bit so you can learn about all the benefits of reading. Can you at least do that, please?” Madeline was stunned for nowhere in all the legends that she had heard about Luke did they talk about his encouraging women to read and write. She found that she really liked Luke the person. She found the general to be very fair and likeable as well but he could be a bit heavy handed when it came to disciple. In her opinion anyway. As they traveled on, Madeline tried to ask Luke about his background. “You don't want to know, trust me. Plus, to give the story any justice at all it would take much more time than we have available. It won't be long before the artillery stops.” All through this Luke had been thinking and he realized what a monstrous ass that he had made of himself over the last couple of weeks and all because of a damn little voice in his head that had always been wrong before. Something else that gave him comfort was when Madeline said that she joined because she wanted to serve Marion. Maybe things would work out for the better after all. When the artillery went quiet, Luke had his army right on the edge of the enemy camp. He could see that they had been devastated by the artillery fire and he could see that his theory of avoiding the path had been correct for he could see the hidden fortifications blocking it. The remaining enemy soldiers were starting to file out of their bunkers and were manning the field fortifications. He turned to Madeline: “Just stay near me private and trust your training and you will be fine. Trust me.” “Yes sir.” Luke looked up and down his line to make sure that everyone was in position. The enemy was finishing up getting into position to repel the expected frontal attack. Luke stood up and waved his arm, signaling his troops to begin the attack. They went in with no yelling at all. They just moved silently and quickly. The enemy didn't even spot them until Luke's troops were almost on them. Most of the enemy troops appeared to still be in a bit of shock either from the bombardment or from Luke's troops showing up behind them and all this was just fine with Luke. Just meant that he would have fewer causalities. By this time, he had stopped carrying his sword unless it was ceremonial. For battle he carried his Sig which he was able to make ammunition for and a standard army rifle as well. Luke's troops swept over the enemy with ease for they had completely surprised the enemy forces. After they had swept the area, Luke went to stand on the enemy parapet where he waited for the main part of his army. With him he had Marion's flag and he thrust the butt of the pole into the ground next to him. “General, sir. Can I ask you a question?” Luke looked over and saw that it was Madeline. He then smiled warmly. “Go ahead, Madeline.” “That flag, where did Marion get the idea from? I'm just curious.” “This was known as the flag of St. George where I came from and Marion liked it.” Luke made sure to skip over that part about this being the English flag in his universe. “Oh, just curious. Sorry for asking.” “Never be sorry for asking questions for that is how you learn Madeline. Now you should probably get back to your duty.” “Yes sir. Thank you, sir.” When the commander of the rest of the army got up to Luke; Luke just had to ask: “What took ya so long? I was beginning to wonder if you all had fallen asleep or something and I about to go and try to find me a pint.” Around him, the troops were relieved for their commanding general was back. It took the rest of the day to bury all the enemy dead, not that Luke was bothered for he was no longer in a hurry. All the steel was collected, so that it could be sold to Luke's steel mill; the money would be divided between the troops. Chapter 73. When Alice found Luke, she wasn't sure who it was for she had grown use to Luke being angry and now he was back to his old self. “Luke!” she exclaimed “What happened to you?” “I just had to be reminded what I was fighting for, that's all. Well, that and a reminder that many other people live lives that are far worse than mine. Oh, before I forget to tell you, you might have a visitor this evening at our tent. Met me a young soldier who doesn't believe that she can read because of her being a well, her.” “If she stops by, I'll fix that!” Alice said with a smile. “What's the lass's name?” “Madeline” With that Luke put his arm around Alice's shoulder and held her close. Alice was so relieved for Luke really had returned and he wasn't acting one bit. That evening, Madeline did stop by. She had been fighting with herself all afternoon as to whether she should or not and she still wasn't all that sure. She wasn't even sure of how she had got there for one minute it she was in her tent and it seemed like the next, she was asking for permission to enter the commanding general's tent. She found Luke working on paperwork while Alice was doing some weird stretching. Luke had taught Alice yoga and she found that she loved it. Luke loved it for the spectacular view. Neither of them still had uniforms on for they were both in comfortable clothes. Luke looked up when she came in: “Well, hi Madeline. Welcome. Can I get you anything?” “Ah no. Thank you” Madeline was extremely nervous. “Relax Madeline. I'm not nearly as rigid as I seem when in uniform. Time for introductions” Luke said jumping up from his seat “Madeline this is Alice. Alice this is Madeline. She's the one I telling you about” “So, you're the one who doesn't believe that women can read. Come in and take a seat for we have a lot to talk about.” For the next couple of hours, the ladies talked while Luke worked on paperwork. Once in a while Luke would chime in with his two-sense worth without even looking up from his paperwork. Finally, Luke was able to finish all of his paperwork. It was nice to be finally caught up on everything for once. He could hear that the ladies were still talking, but he had to interrupt. “Excuse me ladies but I'm going to bed. Madeline, you might want to think about going to bed to for we will be leaving in the morning.” “Seriously Luke?” whined Alice. “Seriously Luke?” Luke said in a mocking voice “Yes, seriously. I want to get the army back home before the weather gets worse and you need to get back to your hospital. Well Madeline what do you think now?” “I can't wait to learn how to read!!” Luke and Alice smiled at her response. “Madeline, make sure that you stop by the hospital once in a while and I'll help you with anything that you need.” “Oh, thank you Alice.” With that Madeline started to pack up so that she could get back to her tent. Once she had left Luke turned to Alice: “Well, what do you think?” “Time will tell. Time will tell. Now how bout we get to bed.” “Ah my thoughts exactly.” Luke said with a mischievous grin. Without warning, Luke swept Alice off her feet, threw her over his shoulder, and carried the giggling lass back to their cot. They hadn't been tangled up since that time while in York but Alice could tell that with the old Luke back and that she was going to get laid tonight and she was thrilled. He swung her around so that his hands were holding her up by grabbing her tight ass. Alice spread her legs and wrapped them around Luke's waist while she wrapped her arms around his neck. Looking into his eyes, Alice could see just how happy Luke was for his eyes were once again sky blue and they had regained their twinkle. She hadn't seen them this blue in quite some time for lately they had been stormy gray. Their lips met and Alice could have sworn that she had been hit with lightening, the feeling was so strong. Looking at Luke, she could see that he felt the same way. Suddenly the previously cool tent felt like it had been thrown in a fire and neither Luke or Alice could get their clothes off fast enough. Luke actually tripped on his pant leg and fell over, but he didn't care and he started laughing. Since he was on his back, Alice pounced for neither of them needed any foreplay tonight. Alice's previously fast movements almost stopped as she slowly impaled herself. It wasn't that she needed time to stretch her pussy out, she just loved the feeling of Luke slowly sliding up inside of her. After a minute or so, their pubic hairs finally messed together. The color contrast between Luke's dark brown hair and Alice's flaming red bush was striking. They had both kept each other trimmed up neat for it was pain in the ass to shave down there in the field and Luke never shaved down there anyway. As Alice finished settling, Luke gently pulled her head down so that they could kiss. As she did, she had ride up on Luke's cock and she could feel the veins on his cock and his heartbeat. After they shared a kiss, she moved back down until their hair mashed together again. Over and over, they repeated this and since they shared the workload, neither of them got tired very quick. Remembering something that Marion liked, Luke told Alice to spin around. Now she was in a reverse cowgirl position and Alice immediately found that she liked this position for she could feel Luke's cock rubbing on the front of her cunt and when Luke's meaty fingers found her clit, she exploded. Her body seized up and after thirty seconds, she started to shake so violently that she lost all control. Below her Luke felt like he was taking a shower for Alice was spraying like crazy. He just smiled to himself and thought, ‘Yep, I'm back baby'. He held her up so that she wouldn't fall and injure herself. In the dim light Luke could see the film of sweat that now covered Alice's body and looking into her face, Luke could also see that she was ready to go to sleep. He gently laid her down next to him without even pulling out of her. As soon as she found a comfortable spot, on Luke's arm, she was out like a light and lightly snoring. Luke grabbed a pillow and blanket off his cot. Then he wrapped his arms around her and drifted off into a very restful sleep. When Luke woke up the next morning, he was amazed at how good he felt for he hadn't slept that well in a very long time. Looking at Alice, he had to stifle a laugh for her hair was a mess and she hadn't moved since passing out the night before. Gently Luke untangled himself from her and got up. Alice didn't wake up until Luke started cooking breakfast and she was sore so Luke helped her stand up and then had to catch her when she tried to fall down. “Get dressed Alice for breakfast is almost ready, and it's a really nice day out.” Chirped Luke. This earned him a cringe from Alice. “Why do you have to be so cheerful this early in the morning?” she groaned. Just to get her going he gave her a good swat to her ass leaving a red mark and getting her to yip. After everyone had ate, the army started getting underway. They would have to march back to York for the rebellious nobles had wrecked the train station and it would be at least a week before it could be repaired. Luke did leave a strong detachment in Sheffield to help with reconstruction and to keep everyone in line. The trip back to York only took a couple of days because all the roads had now been greatly improved. Getting back to York, the city was in an uproar over the army's return and their victories over the Norman invaders and the rebellion. It seemed like every person in and around York was there to greet the army. This time Luke would march at the head of the army and with the crispness of a marine, they entered York. At the city limits though he got one hell of a surprise when he found Marion waiting on him. This time he rushed up to her and swept her off her feet earning them a standing ovation from the troops and the civilians watching. He spun around with her a couple of times and they were both laughing and then their eyes met. Marion could see that something major had happened to Luke for it seemed like the light was back on in his eyes. She had not seen that much light since before they had first taken York and it warmed her heart so much to see that it had returned. She could feel Luke relax as he buried his nose in her hair and took a deep breath. He then ran his hand along her jawline and their lips interlocked, getting them even more cheers. “I love you, Marion” he whispered in her ear as he held her tight. “I love you too Luke” Luke then changed his grip and put Marion up on his shoulders. Together they led the army into York. This wasn't what she had in mind but it worked. “Hey Marion, where's Gabriel at?” “She's not feeling too good right now.” “What?!?! Why?!?!” “Her and her kid aren't getting along right now.” “Ah” As they led the army through the city, the crowds were going wild; Marion of course waved to the crowds in a way that reminded Luke of the way homecoming queens waved to crowds in his old universe. He had to admit that Marion had seemed to make serious in roads with the population and that took a load off his mind. They walked back to the castle with Marion waving to the crowd the entire way. By the time they got back, Luke was smiling widely and he was in a very good mood. The army was getting as many cheers as Marion was and this pointed to a good future. Chapter 74. The rest of November was quiet for Marion and the gang. Gabriel managed to quickly recover from her kid beating the crap out of her, although she did admit that she couldn't wait to give birth so that she wouldn't have to go pee even couple of hours and only get dribbles each time. Over her objections, Marion put her on restricted duty so that she wouldn't be under as heavy of strain. Gabriel might have been able to fight Marion, but Luke, Alice, and Pollyanna weighed in on Marion's side and Gabriel knew when she was beat. She would be on desk duty until after she had given birth. At least she was a capable administrator in her own rite so she would still be a valuable team member. Speaking of Alice, after sleeping with Luke every night for the last couple of weeks, she found that she just couldn't sleep alone any more. On the second night after they got back, she showed up at Marion's door after everyone had gone to bed. She had been so nervous that she almost didn't come, but she had slept so bad the night before that she felt like she didn't have any choice. As she always did at this time of night, Marion answered the door nude. She figured that if someone woke her up, then the least she could do was to make them a bit uncomfortable. “Hi Alice, What's up?” “Is that invitation to move in with you and Luke still open?” “Of course, it is, dearie. Found that you just couldn't sleep alone after sleeping with Luke?” “Ya” Alice was still really nervous and she hoped that Marion would let her stay. “Well come on in. There's no need to stand out there all night.” “Marion, I really can't thank you enough for allowing me to stay with you.” Marion gave her a very warm smile. “Alice, honey, I see the looks that Luke gives you and I know what they mean for he gives me the same looks. The look of love and desire. Looks that are shared by spouses that are completely in love with each other. By the way he doesn't give Gabriel those looks. Plus, since I have Gabriel as a lover, it's only fair that Luke has himself a lover as well.” “Thank you for understanding Marion. I really can't thank you enough.” “That's alright, just don't break Luke and please let him save some energy for me.” “I would never dream of breaking him. As for him saving energy well I think the general will just have to get into better shape.” “You know Alice, I figured from the first day I saw you with Luke; the Luke was especially fond of you and I'm guessing that it was because you reminded him of someone.” Alice once again was nervous for Marion had hit it right on the head. “I think that should be a conversation that you should have with Luke for you completely correct but I swore that I wouldn't reveal what the connection is.” “No, I don't think I will for Luke is entitled to his secrets. If and when he wants to tell me, he will. Just please don't try to steal him from me.” This actually triggered Alice's usually mellow temper. “Marion, listen to me,” growled Alice “I would never dream of stealing Luke from you and you know that. After all you are one of my best friends and you are kind enough to share him with me.” The ladies nodded to each other showing that they now understood each other and with that, Alice moved in with Luke, Marion, Gabriel, and Mackenzie. Luke was having one of his insomnia attacks so he was down in his workshop. Marion explained to Alice what that meant and that they might as well go to bed. Alice was a bit uncomfortable about getting into bed with two other naked women but figured that since they were both her friends that she could trust them. To her surprise, she found that sleeping with other women wasn't as bad as she thought although she doubted that she would ever be comfortable with the idea of her making love with another woman. December started off with a bang and kept going from there. Marion had two announces one public, one private. The private announcement was that she was pregnant again. The public one was that she was interested in being ruler of England and since no other noble on the island was strong enough or foolish enough to stand in her way, none of them argued. The church though was a different story for they refused to seat someone who had willingly taken church property, had a homosexual lover, and was a woman. As usual, Marion didn't give a damn what the church thought. She gave them two options, confirm her as rightful Queen of England on Christmas day 1066 or she would take England by force and kick the church out. Speaking of taking by force, Marion's army was making rapid gains in Scotland. When Luke had got back from the South, he sent a brigade North with orders to crush all resistance with extreme prejudice. This is what they did too. The brigade that Luke sent and the one that was still there swept through Scotland like the wind. Just as in England if a noble resisted then they were removed and their possessions seized and their land was sold off to the commoners. Everyone knew though that tackling the highlanders would take much more time, but they had made a really good start. Marion was also able to open a land corridor to her lands in the far north and this enabled Luke to start laying train tracks to link these lands with the area around York. The church officials in Canterbury decided to make themselves a third option to Marion's ultimatum. They sent their best witch hunters up to York with orders to investigate Marion and the rest of her inner circle of signs of witchcraft, heresy, or homosexuality or any other sins. Of course, in their minds, she and her inner circle were already guilty so the investigation was only a formality before they had her executed. They arrived in mid-December and found that York was now a highly advanced city. The team wondered through the city for two days, just looking at the sights and what they saw, scared them shitless. There were female police officers on the streets. Paved streets. Every house had running water. Every street it seemed had a book seller on it. Jews and pagans were practicing their faith openly. The people were worse, for they didn't seem to give a fart about these high church officials and what they were doing. It wasn't until the officials tried to close down a public bath house that people got pissed, and they got pissed with the church officials. The public bath houses were mixed genders and mixed ages and had hot, cool, and cold-water pools. In addition to bathing, swimming lessons were offered for anyone wanting to learn how to swim and most citizens did take at least some lessons. The locals had quickly become addicted to stopping by the bath house after a long day working and getting the grim off before they went home. While there, they could catch up on the local gossip or check out the opposite sex. The rules for this were very simple: look but don't touch without an invitation from the person being touched. Sometimes the people would even get a massage as well. When the church tried to close it down for public debauchery, they were literally thrown out and were actually rescued by a passing female officer. She was the one that took the officials to see Marion. When they finally got into her office, they found a very attractive brunette sitting at Marion's desk. “Marion of York we presume.” “Nope, Colonel Gabriel at your service.” She said without looking up “Just have a seat and I'll be right with you.” She finished up the paperwork that she had been doing. “Now what can I do for you gentlemen.” “We are here to investigate claims of Marion of York being a witch and a homosexual. We are also looking for signs of heresy.” Gabriel leaned back in her chair and burst out laughing. She was laughing so hard that she nearly peed herself. “I can assure you that Marion of York isn't a witch for she is actually far more dangerous than that. As to her being a lesbian, I will tell you that she loves her husband more than anything. I'm the lesbian for I am Marion's lover. Actually, I'm more bisexual; it's just that I prefer women over men but I do appreciate a good cock once in a while. As far as me being pregnant well I always wanted a kid and Luke, Marion's husband, was kind enough to help with me with that dream.” “Then you are under arrest on orders from the Pope.” Again, Gabriel burst out laughing. “Do you find something funny about you being under arrest?” “Yes, I do. I think it's funny that you actually think that you could get away with it” Gabriel managed to get out between laughs. At this point, Marion walked through a side door. “What's so funny Gabriel?” Marion came over and put a hand on Gabriel's shoulder. “These church goons are here put me under arrest for being a lesbian and investigate you for being a witch.” “Oh ya. Well in that case you had better get up then.” Gabriel got up and Marion pulled her to her lips. As they were kissing, their hands started working at undoing each other's shirts as they moaning into each other's mouths. “Oh God Marion. You taste so good!” Gabriel managed to get out. This was too much for one of the churchmen and he got up to try and grab Gabriel and Marion. As soon as he put a hand on Marion, she turned, gabbed his hand and using her other hand, smashed his nose in. The blood started flowing out of his nose as he howled in pain. The remaining churchmen drew their swords and pointed them at the ladies, but the ladies were back to making out instead. As they approached Marion and Gabriel, the churchmen heard very heavy footsteps approaching. “Uh-oh, now you done it.” Marion managed to get out before going back to tongue wrestling with Gabriel. Luke stepped out from the same doorway that Marion had come out of. “What the hell is going on in here?” “We are here in the name of his holiness the Pope to arrest these two women for witchcraft and homosexuality, and to investigate the rest of her inner circle for other sins.” “These two angels? Marion, why didn't you tell me you had hired a comedy crew? I would have made snacks and sold tickets.” “Sorry Luke. Must…have…oh, ya…. slipped my…. mind.” “They are under arrest and if you try to interfere then you will be too.” “Now listen you fuck heads. You have two options and only two. First you can put your weapons on the ground, get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness from the goddess of intelligent beauty and her lover or you can all die. Your choice.” “Or the third option.” The leading churchman said. With that the group started for Marion and Gabriel. In a flash, Luke struck; he pulled out his Sig and shot all the churchmen in the knees. With that, Luke walked over to a cooler, pulled out a beer, and pulled up a seat to watch. Before he sat down, he dropped his pants so that he could beat off while watching the ladies making out. During this whole thing, they had kept making out and had even managed to get their shirts off. Gabriel had her hand in Marion's pants while Marion was sucking on one of Gabriel's sensitive nipples. Before long both of them had their pants off and Marion gently laid Gabriel out on the desk. Luke was sitting there, drinking a beer and jacking off to his wife and her lover making love. The extra icing on the cake was the suffering of the churchmen and how they had taken to reciting verses to keep distracted and hopefully call down divine intervention. Before Marion buried her face in Gabriel's sweet pussy, she looked at Luke. “I hope that you're not thinking of wasting all that juice when there is a pussy right here” she grabbed her pussy “that needs that stuff in it.” “I wouldn't dream of it sweetheart.” In reality he was planning on cumming all over the churchmen but he figured that shooting it into his wife was a far better idea. He got up and lined up with Marion's hot love hole. In one thrust he was buried deep inside of her and then he started pounding her relentlessly. Luke could tell from Gabriel's breathing and moaning that she was very close and Marion wasn't far behind her. He started driving extra deep into Marion so that he could get there as the ladies did. This pushed Marion over the edge and she took Gabriel along with her. The orgasm that Marion had was explosive and she sprayed all over Luke. This triggered him and he dumped an extra-large load deep inside his wife. Although Marion was weak-kneed, she had an idea that she just had to do. She put her hand over her pussy to keep Luke's spunk from dropping on the floor as she waddled to where she feet were straddling the lead churchman's head, forcing him to look up. When she was sure that she was in the right position, she moved her hand and cum fell from her cunt and landed in the churchman's open mouth. Marion then managed to squeeze a bit more and this landed in one of his eyes. She then bent over and forced the churchman to close his mouth and swallow. “Guards!” she called out and two guards came rushing in. “Take these bastards out of here, tie them to their horses, and send them on their way. If they resist beat them but don't kill them for, I want them to suffer. If you fuckers hurry, you might make it back to London before infection sets in, but I doubt it.” She then turned to Luke “Time to mobilize the army General for we march on London in two days.” “Yes ma'am” Luke said was he snapped to attention with his cock still standing proud. “This time I will be going with you. Gabriel you will remain here with one brigade. With you in that condition, there is no way I am risking you on a trip to London, especially at this time of year.” Looking at Luke “Well am I going to have to mobilize the army myself?” With that, Luke pulled his pants up, saluted, grabbed the rest of his beer, and sped out to start the mobilization. After all to Luke it was a moral sin to waste good beer. The guards were coming in to take the wounded churchmen out. “Don't bother dropping them off with the doc either.” “Yes ma'am” the guards said in unison. Within two days the army was in Sheffield. Seems like everyone in the army expected this to happen so their commanders had held them close to the barracks until things calmed down. Luke was actually able to get the first units on the train on that first evening. From Sheffield, the army marched swiftly to London. Once there the city opened its gates to Marion and her army and within a day, they had secured London and the surrounding area. While her army secured the area, Marion was forcing the church and the nobles that were in London to recognize her as the rightful queen of England. Just before Christmas, Gabriel arrived in London, along with Alice, Pollyanna, Matt, and Mackenzie. They had come down at Luke's invitation for he thought it would be nice to see the ultimate reward for their struggles. Luke wanted them to watch Marion be crowned Queen Marion I, Queen of England and hopefully soon, queen of Great Britain. Marion wasn't happy with Gabriel being in London but she didn't protest too much. On Christmas morning 1066, Marion was in her formal gown while Alice and Pollyanna were in their dress uniforms. Escorting them were Luke and Matt also in full dress uniforms. Gabriel was the only one in regular clothes because her dress uniform wouldn't fit at the moment. Also, there was an honor guard detachment and Marion's personal body guards. The whole group marched into Westminster abbey. The honor guards secured the building while Marion's guards stayed glued her and her inner circle. They all stood by while Marion went through the service and at the end of it was the words that Luke had been waiting to hear spoken by the archbishop of Canterbury: “I Now Pronounce You Queen Marion The First, Queen Of England. Long Live The Queen!” Based on a post by somethin fishy, for Sex Stories.

The Light of God's Word is the path to healthy living

Welcome to Episode 302 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue covering Cicero's "Tusculan Disputations" from an Epicurean perspective. We will wrap up several loose ends from last week, complete Section XX, and move forward into XXI. The loose ends we need to cover are: 1 - Last week we spoke about the difficulty of taking sides in arguments where both sides claim the best of intentions, and even the same intention. This week let's take up the problem of how to proceed with both sides do in fact have good intentions, and let's talk about how to get off the "road to hell" that is paved with good intentions. 2 - We'll extend our discussion from disputes about pleasure to disputes about pain in looking at Cicero's final comment: "But suppose we are mistaken as to his pleasure, are we so too as to his pain? I maintain therefore the impropriety of language which that man uses when talking of virtue, who would measure every great evil by pain?" https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4747-episode-302-td30-epicurus-and-roads-paved-with-good-intentions/

We play another game of Where in the World is Edward Ongweso — and you'll never guess. We pull together a few stories. First, further evidence of the AI productivity paradox and the fact that nearly every company is excited about AI, but none of them can figure out how exactly it is beneficial or profitable. Second, this includes the companies making AI, which is why they have fallen back on the one thing they know how to do: surveillance for targeted advertisement. Third, a nasty down-stream effect of the advert data ecosystem and platform economy is that it's also powering an exterminationist techno-politics being carried out by fascist agencies and their corporate collaborators. Oops! ••• America's top companies keep talking about AI — but can't explain the upsides https://www.ft.com/content/e93e56df-dd9b-40c1-b77a-dba1ca01e473 ••• Meta to mine AI interactions to help target advertising https://www.ft.com/content/22f7afc3-8ac0-4ca1-9877-fd3f8ddcc986 ••• ICE to Buy Tool that Tracks Locations of Hundreds of Millions of Phones Every Day https://www.404media.co/ice-to-buy-tool-that-tracks-locations-of-hundreds-of-millions-of-phones-every-day/ Standing Plugs: ••• Order Jathan's new book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite ••• Subscribe to Ed's substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble ••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)

Luke's HAARP Time Warp: Part 11 Marion's expands her control. Based on a post by somethin fishy, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Marion, in the meantime; was busy with some paperwork and hadn't even looked up yet. “Why don't the two of you have a seat” she pointed to a couple of chairs across from her “and I will be with you in a minute” Marion finished what she was working on and looked up. The older noble had to catch his breath for Marion was breathtaking. Her eyes were shimmering and her hair was reflecting the light with golden rays. She had a very light tan and her lips were bright red. The shirt that she had on hugged her curves nicely and the necklace that she was wearing matched her eyes. “What can I help you two gentlemen with today?” Marion asked. Gabriel then left the room with a stack of papers and gently closed the door. “We have come back to discuss my wedding proposal with you.” “Ah” Marion said as she leaned back in her chair. “And what exactly are you proposing again? Sorry but I have had a very busy week.” “That is quite alright lass. I am proposing you marrying me. After the wedding your lands will then be under my protection and I assure you they would be quite safe for I have the most powerful army in the midlands at my disposal.” “So, what will happen to my people if I were to marry you?” “They would also be under my protection.” “I see.” The nobles were really quite happy with themselves for they figured that Marion was about to give in. “So, what would happen if I refuse to marry you?” “My army will invade and lay waste to everyone before it.” “I see” Marion said without emotion “So you are trying to extort my hand in marriage?” “No, not at all milady. I just want to see the people of this province under strong leadership so that they are not tempted to stray.” Marion nodded and gave them a warm smile. “Well milords it seems that you leave me no choice” The two nobles smiled at hearing this. “Let me ask you two idiots something?” The warmth in Marion's voice vanished “Do either of you know what this ring on my finger means?” With this Marion held her left hand up and showed off her ring that Luke had given her. “Well do you?” “No, we do not.” “Well, “gentlemen” this ring means that I am already married and I am very happy.” She then called toward a closed door off to her left “Luke, honey, can you step in here for a minute?” “Seriously Marion? I'm about to be buried in paperwork.” “Just for a minute. Please?” “Fine.” Seconds later the door opened and through it came the biggest man the nobles had ever seen in their lives. Not only that but this big man was in some kind of uniform. “What's up sweetheart” “These are the nobles that I was telling you about the other week.” She then turned back to face the nobles. “Gentlemen, meet my husband; General Luke MacDougall.” The nobles were now petrified for this ogre looked like he could pick them up, throw them out, and get them to fly over the city walls. “So, you want my wife's hand in marriage? I must say you don't look like much and I bet that neither of you could possibly keep up with her for she is extremely active in bed and every other flat surface now that I think about it.” Marion snickered at this and earned herself dagger looks from the nobles. The older one went for his sword forgetting that it had been seized when he entered the castle gates. Marion bent over and picked up two swords. She unsheathed them and threw one of them to Luke. He kind of looked at the sword. “You call this letter opener a sword, sweetheart?” He retreated into his office for a second and came out with a large object. He tossed Marion's sword back to her and unsheathed his sword. It was almost three feet long, but in his hands was a single-handed sword. The sword itself was beautiful with the wavy lines running through the steel of the blade and the polished brass of the hilt and pommel. “Now this is a sword” he said smiling in his cold way. The nobles were growing more terrified by the second and the younger one was ready to piss his pants for he had never been so scared in his life and he had been in a large number of battles. When he looked at his older brother, the look that greeted him shook him out of his paralysis for his older brother was beyond scared. The younger one's diplomatic skills then came into play. “We are deeply sorry if we have offended you in any way Milady Marion, but we didn't know that you were already married and when I last met you didn't give any clue that you were.” “Actually, I did. If you had bothered to look past my tits, I have been wearing this ring ever since I was married to Luke last winter. Now gentlemen if nothing else we really need to get back to work. Oh, one more thing. You two will have a heavy escort on your way out for I want none of the women who work for me attacked. I heard all about your roaming stares during your last visit.” With that Marion called for her guards. “See these two gentlemen and their entourage out of York if you will please. If they try anything funny; kill them, no questions will be asked.” The guards snapped to attention “Yes, ma'am.” To the nobles “this way if you please” The nobles turned and almost fled out of the room. They collected their entourage and high tailed it out of York. They didn't stop running until they were kilometers away. When they were sure that they were far enough away the older one exploded: “The fucking cunt treat me like that! I will teach her the meaning of the word respect if I have to whip it into her!” The younger brother agreed fully with him. “We need to go talk to Duke Vincent for I heard that he recently had one of his plots stopped by Marion and it was one that had cost him dearly.” “Then what are we waiting for?” exclaimed the older brother. He and Vincent weren't exactly friends but in no way were they enemies. If the bothers approached him with an offer of alliance against Marion, they knew that he would agree and this would give the combined army a strength of almost ten thousand men with a number being men-at-arms and knights. Chapter 51. Gabriel came back in the door with more papers to find Marion with her legs wrapped around Luke's waist. “Hey! Seriously? You two going to start without me?” Marion looked over her shoulder and smiled at Gabriel “Of course, not sweetie! I was just thanking Luke” Gabriel was far from convinced. “So, what was that about? They didn't look happy when they left.” “That was the nobles who wanted to marry me.” Gabriel snickered at hearing this for those two nobles were ugly. “So, now what?” This time Luke responded with no humor in his voice: “Give orders to mobilize the army, Colonel. Those two basically declared total war on us” Gabriel was stunned but when Marion gave a nod, she went into action. Gabriel was out the door and was sending couriers to gather the army commanders to go over plans. Once Gabriel had left, Marion looked back at Luke “Well, what do you think?” “I think those two nobles are about the dumbest people that I have ever met, but we need to be careful here. It has to look like they started this war so we need them to make the first blow. After all the king is scheduled to be up here in about four months and the reports that we have been getting from Norway and Normandy are matching what happened in my timeline. The last thing I want to do is to have the king's army after us.” “Okay so what do you suggest?” “Moralize the army and make sure that they are completely rearmed, properly equipped, and trained. We might have to be a bit creative on how to get those idiots to attack but I don't think so.” “How much time do you think we have?” “Not more than a couple of weeks. At least now we have trains coming from Bard's steel works to York and the tracks to the lake district are only about a month away from being completed. Once they are done, we will be able to move the army around very rapidly. Even now with all the nice roads that are being built, army can move very fast. Also, we now have almost sixty artillery pieces and some of them are steel breach loaders.” “Well then we should probably get to work then.” “Hold on there, sweetheart.” Luke picked Marion back up as she walked by him causing her to squeal in delight. Luke then placed her on her desk and started nibbling on her neck. As always, this got Marion's juices flowing and they could both smell her pussy. Luke gave her an evil smile as he ran his hand over her crotch; causing her nectar to soak through a bit. Marion returned the favor by rubbing Luke's cock and causing some of his pre-cum to soak through his pants. Marion had been giggling when Luke picked her up and now, she had started to softly moan. This increased when Luke united her pants and pulled them off in one motion. Marion quickly untied Luke's pants and they just fell off. Both of them were so horny that they didn't need any foreplay this time. Luke sunk his cock into Marion in one thrust causing Marion to moan loudly. This was nothing though compared to what was to come. Luke put Marion's heels on his shoulders so that he had unrestricted access to his wife's pussy. Within six thrust, Marion was screaming at the top of her lungs as Luke thrust into her. With each thrust she could feel the veins on his cock rubbing her G-spot and his tip kissing her cervix. Not only that but he had one of his hands in a place to where he could flick her clit. This always drove Marion to new heights of ecstasy and it did this time as well. She started moaning in sync with Luke's thrusting, much to the amusement to everyone in the outer office. As Luke pushed harder into her, her moaning got louder. By this time Gabriel had got back to the office and joined in the pool the office employees had set up. This time Gabriel had bet that Luke and Marion would climax at the same time. Of course, Gabriel had the advantage here, being that she slept with Luke and Marion every night, but surprises can still happen. The last time this happened, Marion had managed to get Luke to fire first and Gabriel had lost almost a week's pay. Soon Marion's voice got even louder for she was now screaming at the top of her lungs again and was begging Luke the fuck her brains out. Luke had been pounding her senseless and she had quickly reached orgasmic heights. Marion, of course, wasn't defenseless in theses battles and soon she deployed her ace in the hole. She started flexing her Kegel muscles and this caused Luke to start moaning. Now the battle to make the other cum first was on. Luke used his cock to rub Marion's g-spot and his strong thumb to rub her clit in circles as his other hand had slipped under her shirt and was working one of her tits. Marion was using her Kegel muscles to rhythmically massage Luke's member and she had managed to reach around and was rubbing his balls. She was also talking dirty to him. Within five minutes they were both desperately trying to make the other one cum while holding their own off. Neither one of them succeeded and they exploded together. Marion's eyes were going in different directions and Luke's had rolled up into his head as his orgasm had been one of those that caused every muscle in his body to contract. Marion also let out a scream that actually shattered a glass that was sitting on nearby table. As soon as they were done, Luke collapsed on the floor and Marion couldn't move off her desk. She was also having problems with the light in the room for it was blinding her. Her pussy felt like it had a river flowing out of it for their cum mixture ran out of Marion's pussy and down the side of her desk. Luke had passed out on the floor and it would take him almost half an hour to get up and even then, he was shaky. Marion would take even longer before she could even think about moving for it would be almost forty minutes before she could function and she would be walking with a slight limp for the rest of the day. Out in the office, Gabriel cleaned up for she made much more then she had lost the last time. Of course, she had to share the pool with a couple of other employees who had bet the same as she had but she didn't mind for this was all fun and games. This was one of the reasons that everyone loved working for Marion for you never knew when the mood would strike her or Luke and they would be loudly fucking in their office. Of course, Marion was a very good boss for she was fair and usually easy going. If she fucked up then she would admit it and take full responsibility. Many of the employees loved that they could tease her about her sex life and usually they were able to even get a laugh out of Marion. Finally, Marion and Luke almost crawled out of their offices and got a standing ovation from the other office workers. Luke and Marion both moaned with pain and covered their ears. Their orgasms had given them killer headaches and Marion's pussy hurt bad enough that she was limping a bit. This only brought more laughter from her office workers. Her lover Gabriel was the worst of the lot as usual. She came up to Marion and put a hand on each side of Marion's face. “Oh Marion. What did that ogre of a husband do to you? You look like shit!” The office erupted into even more laughter as several of the employees fell over and a couple raced to the restrooms. “Oh, gee thanks Gabriel for that's just what a woman in pain wants to hear.” Was Marion's only response. With that Gabriel lost it and fell over as well. Marion and Luke somehow made it back to their chambers and fell asleep in bed without even removing their clothes first. When they woke up it was dinner time. This time they asked for some food to be delivered for neither of them felt like going to get something. They were expecting a servant to bring their food but they ended up with Gabriel. This meant more teasing for neither Luke or Marion had enough energy right now to do much about it. Sure, enough Gabriel let them have it with both barrels. Lots of stuff about wearing each other out and them getting too old to keep up. Gabriel could really rub this one in for Luke was eight years older than Marion and Marion was a couple of years older than Gabriel. After Luke and Marion had got dinner down, they went back to bed and stayed asleep until it was time to wake up the next morning. Chapter 52. When the brothers got to Duke Vincent's castle, they found it in an uproar. The duke was mobilizing his forces for he was getting ready to strike at Marion. When the brothers offered an alliance with Vincent, he was at first reluctant for he wanted all the land for himself. He agreed though when the brothers told him that they didn't want land, they wanted Marion and Gabriel for their personal whores. They then told the story of how she embarrassed them and they wanted revenge. “Can you two have your forces here within a week?” “Not a problem for we gave mobilization orders before we took off to meet with that bitch. In fact, if one of us can get out of here within the hour we should be able to start getting troops here within a day or two.” “Good. That bitch cost me over five hundred pounds sterling and my people didn't even manage to accomplish anything. I learned this morning that the guard that my men had been able to buy off was discovered and executed before he could strike.” With that, the younger brother took off so that he could ride back to their castle and get the first units of troops on the road. While he did this, the older brother went over their plans with Vincent and the other commanders. So far it was proving impossible to get their hands on whatever devil weapon that Marion's forces had been using and worse than that, they still hadn't found anyone who was willing to give them the secret of how they worked. Apparently, they were all either scared to death of Marion's husband or they were extremely loyal to her. The other brother confirmed that her husband was indeed one extremely scary person. Vincent didn't really care about the husband for he was more worried about the firearms that Marion used. After hours of debate, they finally came up with what they thought might be a workable plan. They would lure Marion's army into a trap and catch them off guard. Then the knights would be able to ride down those worthless peasants and the ones not killed would be put back to work on one of Vincent's or the bother's estates. It took almost a week to get the army ready and anyway it took that long to gather all their spies' reports and draw up maps of Marion's lands. Once they were in her lands, they would be able to use her road network to travel much faster and with the wealth that was rapidly concentrating in the area, they would be fixed for supplies and they might not even have to pay their men. This was a good thing for the nobles because they had just over ten thousand men in total when they had finished combining the armies. Six thousand of them were levy spearmen. The other four thousand were men-at-arms and knights. This was an extremely large army for the time period but they had managed to get extra recruits by promising them large amounts of loot from Marion's lands. Marion's army commanders all met the morning after the brothers were rejected. They all went over their spy reports and came to the conclusion that this was going to be their hardest battle yet. At least this time they had even more advanced weapons. They now had breach loading artillery that were made of steel and fired explosive shells. They also had mortars that were capable of firing out to three hundred meters. The biggest thing they had this time was almost six thousand men and woman in uniform with almost fifteen hundred being cavalry. Dragoons would have been a better term though, for their primary weapon was their rifles. They all carried swords but were not really trained all that well in their use. Marion and her commanders waited as Vincent mobilized his troops and the brothers combined their forces with Vincent's. Fortunately, they had all taken Luke's advice to heart and didn't just assume that they would win because they had superior weapons. If they ever needed reminders of this then they would have to face Luke on the training grounds with him playing the Op For commander. He would win about half the time and he wasn't using firearms. He won with ambushes and by forcing Marion's commander to engage him only under conditions that favored him. Through these wargames Marion's commanders were learning fast and if they couldn't learn they were relieved of command. The plan that they came up with was to use their dragoons to run circles around the enemy troops and raid constantly. The orders were to hit and run. Under no circumstances were they to let themselves get bogged down. After all it was far better at this stage to run away and be able to fight again then it was to stand and fight and die. The commanders developed plans for all kind of situations including ambush. This was how Luke guessed that the enemy would try to neutralize their firearms and he had done the same thing on the training grounds. By now though Marion's commanders knew how to defend against ambushes. After almost a week the spies reported that the combined army was on the move. Their supply lines were much thinner than what they should have been and it didn't take an expert to figure out why. The enemy was planning on raiding and living off the land. Marion immediately sent word to all villages in the path of the enemy to be ready to evacuate. Anything that couldn't be taken with them was to be destroyed. Nothing of value was to be left for the invaders. Marion's army marched out the following day. She gave orders that they were to march right through the city on their way to the front. As the army marched through the city, every citizen came out to cheer on their army. They all knew of the invasion and they knew what would happen should the enemy troops get to York. The person that was leading the parade was none other than Luke and the cheers that he got were deafening. He and Marion were now very popular, the citizens had even forgiven Marion for having an interest in woman for Gabriel was increasing in popularity as well. Two people however would definitely not be going on this expedition. Pollyanna had been confined to quarters until after she gave birth and Alice was her attending physician. By this time Pollyanna was almost ready to give birth and everyone was guessing that it would be within the next week or so. Thankfully she had recovered fully from her beating and most days she was able to get at least some work done. Alice had already warned her that she could hear two fetal heartbeats so they were expecting twins. Gabriel had made two cribs, one for each kid. Marion had given Pollyanna two sets of clothes for the kids, and Luke had given her a side-by-side stroller so that they wouldn't have to carry the babies everywhere. By now Alice was finally engaged and her fiancé was proving himself very competent in the medical field. Normally he didn't hang around with the rest of the group because he found it uncomfortable being around someone as open as Marion or Gabriel. It wasn't their sexuality that made him uncomfortable, it was their willingness to discuss sexual topics that made him uncomfortable. Plus, Luke had scared the shit out of him early in his romance with Alice and he still hadn't recovered. Alice of course took it in stride for she knew Luke well so she wasn't scared by him. Marion's army first rode the railroad to the Bard's steel mill. This saved them two days of marching for with the railroad it only took them an hour or so the get there. From there Luke's scouts kept a constant eye on the invading forces. With Luke commanding the army, Marion and Gabriel had stayed behind in York to continue their work there. Every village in the enemy's path had been abandoned and burnt so the invaders were suffering within days of crossing into Marion's territory. To make matters worse, Luke's dragoons were constantly harassing the foraging parties and made life very difficult for them. This slowed down the invaders even more. What should have been only a couple days march turned into a week's march and by the end of the week the men were starving so bad that they started killing the extra horses. Luke had been waiting for this. He knew that with the enemy army hungry and desperate for supplies that he could force them into combat where it would be best for him. He chose a wide-open area, one in which he could use his artillery to their full effect. His new artillery could fire a round well over a mile and he wanted to use that fact to pound the enemy army to pieces before they were able to close with him. He would also deploy another secret weapon in this battle. It was a tethered hot air balloon with telegraph wires attached to one of the ropes so the observer could tell the commander on the ground just what was happening. With this, Luke's artillery was even capable of accurate indirect fire. Something that was unheard of. Since he had been extremely careful on when and where he ran trials on this new weapon, he was sure that the enemy didn't know about it. Luke kept his troops in hiding until the enemy had entered the open field. Only then did Luke lead his troops out of cover. The enemy had taken a road that went through the trees so his artillery couldn't pound them as well as it could have if they had been in the open. Since Luke also had troops in those forest as well, he didn't fire his artillery at all. It was at this time as well that he deployed his balloon. Before the battle he had taken the time to walk the field with his commanders and they all memorized it. The artillery was positioned on the edge of the woods and was covered with brush to hide them until the right moment. As the tail of the enemy army came into view, Luke gave the order and the artillery was uncovered. Chapter 53. This expedition was turning into a nightmare for Vincent and the two brothers. As soon as they entered Marion's lands every village that had been overflowing with wealth just a couple of weeks before were now abandoned and burned to the ground. Every head of livestock was gone or dead while every kernel of grain was gone as well. Some of the building that the army came across were still burning, meaning that they had been abandoned only hours before. Worse yet was the fate of the foraging parties. They would go out in the morning and by noon they would be all dead. Once in a while their bodies would be found and they would always be stripped of everything of value. Many had strange wounds that some of the men that were from the lake district identified as gunshot wounds. Others had been cut down with a sword. Every bridge that the army came to had to be rebuilt and they would always lose a few men to skirmishing fire. When the knights would try and catch the shooters, they would disappear only to start shooting from a different direction. Trees had been cut down over the road. When the army stopped to clear the way, a few of them would be killed either by gunfire or booby traps in the forest. By far the worst was at night. Sentries would be killed by having their throats slit and the camp would usually be subjected to nightly cavalry raids. These raids never lasted for more than five minutes but they were noisy and usually ran off some of the horses or other livestock. Tents would be set on fire and a few dozen men would be killed. Within a week the noble's army was getting desperate. Extra horses were killed just so the soldiers would have something to eat. Vincent and the brothers finally had to admit to themselves that they were just foolish to have even tried attacking Marion's lands and they were planning on turning around and getting the hell out of Marion's lands. Then one day the attacks stopped. There was still enemy cavalry in the distance but all they did was watch the noble's army stumble on. This went on for a day or so until the army came to a wide-open clearing. The army had been marching since yesterday morning and they were all exhausted. They hadn't even stopped for the night. It wouldn't have done them any good anyway for they had no food left and almost all the horses had been killed. This field looked like a good spot to set up camp for the day. At least they wouldn't be ambushed when they were out in the open like this for the nearest forest was at least five hundred paces away. After the army had rested, they would return to their own territory. It wasn't long before the army knew that it was in serious trouble. It started when a strange object was seen rising over the trees. Nobody had ever seen anything like it before. It slowly rose above the trees and then Vincent saw a flash of light from below the object. This was the flash of light being reflected off a shiny object. Then movement along the tree line caught his attention. Whatever was going on, they were in very serious trouble. “Form Up!” he yelled as he rode his horse through the army. “Form Up For Marion's Bastards Are Upon Us!” Every soldier in the army started rushing around. Some were fighting to get their equipment on, but most of them were looking for their officers. The night march had really caused confusion in the ranks and they hadn't had time to straighten themselves out yet. Things turned really chaotic when the enemy artillery opened up. Worse still the fire was deadly accurate and they were firing some kind of exploding shell. Within minutes the army was reduced to a mob. At least Vincent and the older brother had managed to get it going the right direction. Right toward the enemy. The plan, if one could call it that; was to simply rush the enemy and then let the soldier's anger finish things up. At first things seemed to be working for the heavy guns stopped firing and Vincent could see them being hooked up to horses and withdrawn. This only caused the soldiers to rush forward faster for they all thought rightly so that the enemy was retreating and they wanted to repay some of their causalities that they had been suffering for the last week. Luke watched calmly as the enemy formation had been shredded by his guns. The gunner's accuracy was now such that they would only miss once in a while. The other gunners in fact would constantly harass the any crew that missed twice in a row. They had been firing as fast as they could and they truly loved their new guns. Before they could only fire many once every two minutes, now they could fire once every thirty seconds or so. Their fire was much more accurate as well. When the enemy had closed half the distance, Luke ordered the artillery back. They would retreat back into the woods, set back up, and load with canister shot in case things went really bad. As the artillery got out of the way, the infantry came into position. Unlike the enemy soldiers, Luke's troops were well rested and well fed. They had even managed to get a hardy breakfast in their bellies that morning. The lookout in the balloon reported that no other enemy troops were in sight and indeed there was no signs of enemy cavalry trying to get behind them. Luke still kept his best dragoons in reserve, just in case. He watched as his soldiers got into formation and they stood quietly as they waited. Vincent and his army were now closing rapidly on the enemy's position. The older noble brother was proving to be a very good commander and he was in the thick of things as he worked on getting the army organized. The younger one had been killed when an artillery round exploded right next to him. The older brother would make sure that the enemy paid dearly for that if it was the last thing he ever did. By the time they had closed to within only three hundred paces of the enemy position, the army was becoming increasingly organized as the officers got the men under control. Vincent rode up to the older brother: “Everything going well?” “Aye. As well as can be expected. By the way younger brother was killed in that; whatever that was.” “I am truly sorry for he was an honorable man and quite intelligent. I think that it is about time to make these bastards pay.” “Aye” Vincent rode in front of the army waving his sword and encouraging his men forward. As the army crossed the three hundred pace mark, new smoke appeared from the woods. This smoke went in a more upwardly direction and everyone was puzzled by this. With seconds though they had their answer when exploding shells came raining down from heaven. When the smoke started, Vincent looked ahead and his blood ran cold for he was staring at a large army that was in very good formation. Strange thing was that they appeared to be only two ranks deep. Then flags appeared up and down the enemy line. White flags with a red cross through the center of them. The flag of St. George as Luke was heard to call it. Vincent ordered a full charge for they had to close faster than those blasted things could drop more death on them. His army responded and charged. As the enemy crossed the three hundred meter mark, Luke ordered the motors to start firing and to take their firing directions from the balloon observer. He knew that in a minute or two nobody on the ground was going to be able to see a damn thing. As the mortars started firing, Luke ordered Marion's colors uncased. Soon her flags were waving gently in the morning breeze. The enemy army actually began to pick up the pace which surprised Luke a bit, but as he thought about it, the enemy commander really didn't have any other choice. For them it was either die slowly from ambushes and starvation or death on the battlefield. At least on the field, they had a slim chance of victory. Luke gave his mortars a few minutes to soften up the enemy some more. Finally, he turned to his bugler: “Send the order to the infantry that they are to open fire.” The bugler sounded the signal and within seconds the infantry started firing. The battlefield was covered in a thick blanket of smoke as the troops were firing as fast as they could. Luke still knew what was going on due to the observer in the balloon. Within a minute all organization had broken down in the enemy ranks and they returned to being a mob. Problems arose when the lead elements got into the smoke cloud. Now the observer was blinded as well. At least there was no other enemy troops in the area though. Luke was now relying on his sense of hearing and his previous battlefield experience to gage how the battle was going. At places along his line the sound suddenly dropped off. This meant that enemy troops had made it through and his troops had to resort to hand-to-hand combat. Luke rode up and down the lines encouraging his troops as he went. Luke then ordered his dragoons to make a fast ride around the end of the line and hit the enemy from behind while the infantry made a bayonet charge. He gave his dragoons a couple of minutes to get into position and when he heard their signal, he called for a charge all across the line. He also ordered the mortars to cease firing for he didn't want causalities from friendly fire. All up and down the line, Luke's infantry advanced into the smoke with bayonets at the ready. His dragoons were riding in behind with sabers drawn. What came next was a blood bath. Vincent's army had now been mauled badly. The older brother had been killed as had many of his officers. Most of Vincent's officers were also dead for that matter. But through all this smelly smoke a ray of light appeared for some of his infantry and men-at-arms were now coming into contact with Marion's troops. Marion's troops were proving to be extremely tough but at least they were now taking casualties as well. Suddenly he heard a trumpet sound from somewhere behind him. In front of him all the shooting stopped and another trumpet sounded. Vincent then realized that they were now dead for the enemy now had men in front and behind them. To prove his point, he soon heard the unmistakable sounds of cavalry charging them in the rear and soon he saw troops emerge in front of him all dressed in green and charging forward with some kind of short spear. He then realized that he was actually looking at these so-called firearms. This was his last thought as one of Luke's female soldiers appeared in front of him and before he could react, she drove her bayonet through Vincent's throat and bashed him in his face with her gun butt as she went by. The bayonet thrust had severed his cardioid artery and his blood was spraying out everywhere. The gun butt to the face had broken his nose and shattered his teeth. Within minutes, Vincent Duke of Sheffield was dead. Chapter 54. Luke walked the battlefield as soon as the smoke had cleared. All of his soldiers were ranging over the battlefield, looking for survivors. Luke had always been amazed at how many came through truly murderous battles without a scratch. This one however wasn't going to be one of them. Every enemy soldier he found was dead or almost dead. The ground was so covered with bodies that one couldn't take a single step without stepping on at least one body. Once in a while Luke found one of his own, if they were alive, he rendered aid and stayed with them until a stretcher could get there. Usually though they were also dead. In those cases, Luke would say a short prayer for them and if their eyes were still open, he would close them and move on. Fortunately, one of the things that he had always insisted on was an efficient casualty evacuation system. It was truly making itself felt on this battlefield for there was casualties everywhere. After going over the battlefield for over an hour, all the still living had been evacuated back to the field hospital. Now it was time to bury the dead. The enemy troops were simply stripped of anything useful and thrown into a mass grave. All of their dead were given a full military funeral and messages were sent out to the next of kin to inform them of their loss. Along with the message was the departed personal effects and the loot that they were entitled to from the battle. Luke had given orders that all his loot was to be divided up and sent to the families of the dead. After all he didn't need it for, he was extremely wealthy already. All things considered though; Luke's casualties were very light. He had suffered only eighty dead or wounded while his opponents had been annulated. Luke's dragoons had captured the remains of the baggage train and they spent a couple of days rounding up the small fragments of enemy army that had escaped. Luke spent three days resting his army and resupplying them. He was also waiting on his medical staff to finish up before he continued his advance. Also, his dragoons had to finish clearing the area so he was in no real hurry. When he was finally ready, he started the march to Sheffield. As they went, they rebuilt destroyed bridges and repaired other infrastructure. It took Luke a solid week of rebuilding until they came to the limits of Marion's land. By this time the villagers here coming back to rebuild as well. The villagers had all been paid by Marion's agents for most of their losses. This was something that she had put into place when she was still on the run to help get the villagers to cooperate. After she had gained power, she kept the policy in place. After Luke had crossed the border, he stopped rebuilding and only improved the infrastructure enough to keep the supplies coming. This allowed him to speed up drastically. He did leave detachments behind to continue to improve the infrastructure. Along the way several dumb nobles tried to make an issue of Luke's army crossing their lands and they soon learned that Luke and his army were not people that you wanted to cross for every noble who did, had his castle destroyed and his lands seized. If the noble didn't try to cross Luke then they would be left alone. Most of them even saw a massive jump in business for Luke's army paid for everything. If one of his soldiers tried to steal, they would be flogged. Rape and murder both carried death sentences. Just the method of execution was different. It only took Luke four days to reach Sheffield and when he got there all the possessions of the nobles who had attacked Marion's lands were seized and their families thrown out. Luke would usually let them keep one place of dwelling but it was never one of their nicer ones. Usually, it was just a simpler home that he let them keep. The land was sold to the peasants and town folk in the same way that the land in the lake district had been divided up. When church officials crossed him, they got the same treatment for he had no sympathy for a bunch of corrupt religious officials. They would always be dealt with in the same way. All of their commercial interest would be seized and they were forbidden to acquire more. At one small church Luke was met by an old padre. Luke jumped off his horse to talk: “Well good afternoon padre.” “Good afternoon, sir.” “Please, there is no need to be formal. Luke will do fine.” “Well, are you going steal my church too?” “I do not steal churches. Those churches that were seized were led by corrupt people that had no right to be called “Men of God” and you know that. Plus, those men attacked me not the other way around.” “It is still a sin to destroy sacred land.” “Father. I am only going to tell you this one time. I care not what you consider a sin. I sleep with two women and one for those is Marion of York. The other is her chief bodyguard and lover Gabriel. As for destroying sacred land goes, I have never done any such thing. I have never destroyed a church or cemetery for that is the practice of barbarians while I believe that every man and woman have the God given right to believe what they want and therefore are free to interpret the word of god how they want. If this offends you; too bad.” The pastor was taken back by everything that Luke had said. The pastor was going to protest when he looked at the faces of the troops surrounding Luke. Almost a third of them were woman and some of them wore officer markings and they were all watching him like a cat watching a mouse. He quickly came to the conclusion that it might be best for him not to argue with the new law in town and retreated back into his church. As promised Luke didn't harm the church. He had been impressed enough with the father to step into the church and looked around for a while. He even apologized for him losing his temper a bit earlier. At first the father was cautious but as some time passed in Luke's company, the he grew to actually like Luke the person. This was after Luke had explained that Luke the person and Luke the general were two different people. After sending a couple of hours with the father, Luke had to go back to war. Luke spent almost a month in the Sheffield area while his army worked to pacify the area and to improve the infrastructure. The improvements were paid for using the loot from nobles and churches that tried to interfere with Luke's army. Stone bridges were built over rivers and streams. Paved roads were built to link the towns of the area together. Luke also built schools for the area's people to learn how to read and write. Some hospitals would be built, but Luke held off on that for what good was it to build hospitals when there wasn't enough doctors and nurses to staff them. The labor for all this building was provided by the locals and they were paid well for it. Within weeks of arriving in the area, Luke had to put down a noble's rebellion because he rejected Luke's freeing of his serfs. It goes without saying that he didn't survive his attempts to get rid of Luke's army. By July the area had calmed down and Luke started to send the army back home. Chapter 55. Marion had sent the rest of the day after Luke left feeling sorry for herself. It was partially her fault that her husband was off to war again. She knew that Luke still had nightmares from his time in the marine corps and even he said that he would probably be having them for the rest of his life. These nightmares were always at their worst just after battles and on these nights, it was everything Marion could do to keep him calm and help him get any sleep at all. Now she wasn't with him and this weighed on her. As she and Gabriel were settling down that night, they were just beginning to talk about Marion's feelings when they got an urgent message. Alice wanted to see them on the double. This could only mean one thing; Pollyanna was going into labor. Both ladies rushed putting their clothes back on and rushed to infirmary. This was where Alice's message said to find them. When they got there, they found Pollyanna on an examination table and she was already in a gown. Matt wasn't there because he was off with Luke. Marion and Gabriel would be Pollyanna's emotional support. Every once in a while, Alice would step in and check on Pollyanna. Pollyanna wanted to try to have a regular birth for getting cut open made her nervous even though Alice had already done a large number of C-sections and had never ran into complications. Alice had the tools set up nearby; just in case. Through the night, either Marion or Gabriel would be up with Pollyanna and would help her by getting her cool water or changing out the damp rags that they were using to keep Pollyanna as comfortable as possible. The sun was just coming up the next morning when things started to pick up of Pollyanna and within a couple of hours, she had given birth to twin girls that weighed about three and a half kilograms apiece and were as beautiful as their mother. Pollyanna was so exhausted that she soon fell asleep. This told Gabriel and Marion that it was time to go. They were both happy, tired, sore, and had piles of work to do. That day drug by as it seemed to Marion that every form was getting longer. Finally, it was time for dinner and the end of the workday. After dinner they stopped by to check on Pollyanna and learned that she would be released in the morning. She was excited to be able to get back to work for she had some ideas regarding the hot water system that Luke had been tinkering with. During her extended stay in the infirmary, Pollyanna had seen how hard of a time the staff was having with heating water over a fire whenever they needed hot water and they needed a lot of hot water. Her first goal was to fix this for them and get hot water for everyone in the building. It would take her almost a solid week of going over all of Luke's designs to make her first prototype. Building this, she learned a lot which she incorporated into the next prototype. This one was capable of heating almost a thousand litters to almost boiling after only two hours in the sun. The first area to get hot water from the heater was the infirmary where it was a godsend for them. Now they suddenly had a lot of extra time that could be spent on taking care of patients instead of warming up water. The rest of the building followed over the next week with Marion and Gabriel the last ones to get running hot water. Their first evening with running hot water turned out to be a very memorable one indeed. Usually, the ladies would bath together; but at first, they were going to take their showers separate for they didn't know if they would have enough room. Gabriel got in first and took some time to shave. This was something that they did every couple of days so that they would stay smooth. Marion sat on their bed and watched. She could see that there would be enough room for both of them but Marion wanted to wait until after Gabriel had finished shaving. When she had finished shaving, she turned her back to Marion and that was the chance that Marion was waiting for. She quickly stripped off her clothes and silently entered the shower behind Gabriel. Gabriel yipped when Marion slid her hands over Gabriel's solid ass. As Gabriel turned her head, Marion's lips were right there and they quickly started kissing. It took them all of five seconds to figure out that taking showers together was so much more fun than bathing. Gabriel had the soap so she ran it over Marion's toned body making sure to get everything a couple of times. One of the things that Gabriel noticed was that the soap was really slippery and that gave her an idea. When she got her fingers in between Marion's ass checks; Gabriel went for it. She slipped one of her fingers into Marion's puckered star. The look in Marion's eyes simply could not be duplicated so Gabriel started sawing her finger in and out. After getting over her shock, Marion started pushing back into Gabriel's hand and groaning softly. Those groans got louder when Gabriel inserted a second finger; and louder still with the third. By that time Gabriel had one hand working Marion's ass hole and the other one working her clit and cunt. This way it didn't matter what way Marion went; she was fucking herself. Gabriel working Marion to heights never before seen, for if Marion got too close then Gabriel would stop and wait for Marion to calm down a bit before continuing. Finally, Marion hit her limit and her eyes rolled back into her head as she squirted all over and fainted. The only thing that kept Marion from crashing into the floor was Gabriel still had her fingers in Marion's ass and cunt. She gently laid Marion on the floor and made sure that Marion was clean. As Gabriel was finishing up, the water started to turn cold. Gabriel stepped out and dried herself off before she turned her attention to Marion who was still passed out. Gabriel smiled to herself as she gently picked Marion up and took her to the bed. She dried Marion off before she pulled the covers up over her. Gabriel read for a while before she too climbed into bed and cradled her lover before falling to sleep. The next day was a busy one for Marion and Gabriel for the city was bustling with all the refugees flooding into town. One of the city ordinances was that no livestock other than horses were allowed in town, so Marion had a corral set up just beyond the city limits on some land that she owned. The peasants would keep their livestock there and for a very small fee they would be taken care of so that the peasants could spend some time in town. She was also on the lookout for merchants trying to take advantage of the rural folks. Any merchant caught price gouging would be fined heavily. After a couple had been caught, the rest decided that making a little bit of extra money off the peasants just wasn't worth the risk of Marion's wrath. At least everyone in the castle had running hot water and they were taking full advantage of it. Everyone was showered and the kitchen personal were finding that having hot water made cleaning dishes much easier. In the hospital though it was a life saver for the running hot water made cleaning the medical gear so much easier. All the peasants had a hard time learning about the sanitary practices of York because they were so different from anywhere else in the world. That evening both Marion and Gabriel were exhausted when they drug themselves into their chambers. This time Marion went to take a shower first. She had her own private water heater so that she would have hot water. Just as she had finished shaving and Gabriel was about to get in with her, someone knocked at the door. At this time of evening, this had to be important news. Gabriel answered the door without even bothering to put anything on after all almost all the staff had seen her naked at some point and if someone did try and touch her, she was known to break the bastard's hands. The messenger gave Gabriel the message, saluted, and left. Gabriel shut the door and read the message. “Marion, honey, you might want to read this for yourself.” Marion shut the water off and got out. After she dried herself off; Marion took the message from Gabriel and saw that it was from Luke. “Vincent Duke of Sheffield and both brothers K I A. Duke's army crushed. Casualties eighty killed and wounded. Will be spending a week in current positions to allow army to rest and refit before proceeding on to Sheffield. Luke MacDougall; Commanding General” After Marion read the message, she just spent some time looking at it. She missed Luke terribly and if it hadn't been for Gabriel then she would have gone crazy by now. Speaking of Gabriel; she had climbed into the shower. Marion went over and climbed back into the shower. They began to soap each other down. When Gabriel was going to put her fingers in Marion's ass, she slapped Gabriel's hands away. This time it was Marion's turn to finger Gabriel's ass. She made sure that her fingers were really soapy and she pinned Gabriel against the wall for Gabriel was being funny and fighting back. Both girls were giggling as Marion's fingers found their target. She slipped one of her fingers into Gabriel's ass and she moaned. As Marion started sawing her finger in and out, Gabriel closed her eyes and was enjoying the feeling. Marion then turned up the heat as she slipped another finger into Gabriel's super tight ass. Gabriel started to thrust back into Marion's hand. She was practically begging Marion to put the third finger in and Marion certainly wasn't going to deny her lover, Marion pushed the third finger in and used her other hand to finger Gabriel's clit and finger bang her at the same time. Marion could actually feel her fingers that she had in Gabriel's ass with the fingers that she had in Gabriel's cunt. Gabriel sawed back and forth, and going in circles fucking herself with Marion's fingers. Marion timed her finger movements to push in as Gabriel was moving toward that hand and in this way, Gabriel would get maximum penetration. It only took a couple of minutes for Gabriel to start yelling at the top of her lungs. By this time, she was having continuous orgasms. Her pussy and ass muscles were squeezing Marion's fingers so hard that she wondered if Gabriel might actually break her fingers off. Finally, Gabriel cam so hard that she fainted. Marion's ears were ringing from Gabriel's yelling so she was distracted enough to allow Gabriel to fall to the floor. The floor hitting Gabriel in the face woke her up a bit. Marion still had to rinse her off then dry both of them off. Marion half carried Gabriel to the bed where she laid Gabriel down and covered her up. Marion cleaned up the bathroom a bit and then went to bed as well. The next month went much of the same way except the refugees started filtering back home to rebuild their homes. At least much of their crops hadn't been damaged because it wasn't even close to maturity. Over the month more and more homes got solar hot water heaters and Marion made sure that they had the water to heat up. She ordered the construction of several giant water towers near the town to keep the water pressure even. They would use steam engines to pump the water up and then gravity would make the water flow through the town. For water pipes they used re-enforced cast concrete. This made for very strong pipes that wouldn't be toxic like the lead pipes of ancient Rome. Marion had even had fire hydrants put in to help the new fire department fight any fires that happened to start. The fire department used a steam powered water pump to boost the pressure to useable firefighting levels. Luke insisted on separate sewer and storm drains when he designed to sewer system. When Marion had asked him about this, he told her that by doing it this way the untreated sewage wouldn't get into the environment. After all many people and animals relied on the river for their water. He was always careful about pollution and after he explained it to Marion, she was as well. After all, God might have given humans the Earth to rule as they see fit; but why would you want to destroy God's handy work. He also went on about making sure that his children had clean air to breath and clean water to drink. She could definitely see the merits of his arguments and as long as their survival wasn't in jeopardy, she was in full support of Luke's environmental goals. He of course understood that if they didn't win then his goals didn't matter one bit so that's why he took shortcuts that made him cringe. It was the end of June when Marion got another message from Luke saying that the Sheffield area had been pacified and that he and most of the army was on their way back home. To be continued in part 12, Based on a post by somethin fishy, for Sex Stories.

Aeneas takes a break from finding Italy to find love- and then destroy it all in a life-ending tragedy that will set up the Punic Wars. Join us for recollections of the cyclopes Odysseus fought, Virgil standing up for family values and just quite how romantic spelunking was in the ancient world.NOTE: We mention the mythical founding of Carthage being centuries apart from the supposed date of the fall of Troy in the episode. Ancient authors do not really agree with each other about the date, so we get anywhere from 50 years after Troy falls to 65 years before Rome is founded as the date.Sources for this episode:Odgers, M. M. (1925), Some Appearances of the Dido Story. The Classical Weekly 18(19): 145-148.Virgil (1976), The Aeneid. Translated by W. F. J. Knight. London: Penguin Books Ltd.Wilkinson, P., Carroll, G., Faulkner, M., Field, J. F., Haywood, J., Kerrigan, M., Philip, N., Pumphrey, N. and Tocino-Smith, J. (2018), The Mythology Book. London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd.Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Mount Etna (online) (Accessed 05/10/2025).

In this episode I interview Missionary Ethan Azwar, to the Czech Republic. He shares how God took him being the #2 guy in the church to following God's will into a foreign country. http://azwarfamily.com

Northward to D'Venia proper. Our heroes come across a cabin being attacked by an infected troll. Kai learns so much more about his origins.Lore Master: IzziPlayers: Cuba as Ayla, Adam as Eldon, Amanda as Iolite, Patrick as Kai, and Julie as KethraJoin our Patreon to get fun perks, including dice gifts and early access to the podcast/VODs: https://www.patreon.com/dicedragonsguildMusic by Monument Studios via Fantasy+ (https://www.fantasy-plus.com/). Check out their FULLY FUNDED KICKSTARTER HERE! (http://kck.st/4drxPDJ) Check out our ScrybeQuill.com recaps!We've got MERCH: https://tinyurl.com/ddgmerchMusic by Alexandre Miller - The Boy King of Idaho (https://open.spotify.com/artist/0WvWTz5TPYOuoZ77e2iIX8?si=bhT8sX2gS_e8huPQnWd81Q) Licensed under the Creative Commons 3.0: By Attribution license. Music & Ambient sounds by Michael Ghelfi. Please support him at his Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/MichaelGhelfi) and like and subscribe to his YouTube channel (   / @michaelghelfistudios  )Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Sound Effects from ZapSplat.com (https://www.zapsplat.com)

Before the Pink Ribbon, talking about breast cancer was taboo. In this episode, we uncover the shocking and inspiring history of breast cancer awareness and the three women who defied a dismissive medical establishment to save millions of lives. Author Judith L. Pearson joins us to discuss her groundbreaking book, "Radical Sisters," revealing how Shirley Temple Black, Rose Kushner, and Evelyn Lauder launched a revolution from their hospital beds and boardrooms. How did a child star, a determined journalist, and a cosmetics mogul tear down the wall of silence and change medicine forever?This deep dive into the evolution of breast cancer advocacy explores the dark ages of treatment and the courageous fight for patient rights. Judith L. Pearson details the brutal radical mastectomy history, specifically the disfiguring Halstead radical mastectomy, a procedure that persisted long after it was proven ineffective. We revisit the pivotal moment of Shirley Temple Black breast cancer advocacy when the beloved star held an unprecedented 1972 press conference from her hospital room, urging women not to be afraid and to perform self-exams. The episode then follows the tenacious activist Rose Kushner and the one-step procedure, a barbaric practice where women went in for a biopsy and woke up with their breasts removed without their consent. Kushner's relentless research and in-your-face advocacy, including a daring appearance on the Donahue show, forced the medical community to confront its paternalism. Finally, we explore the origins of the Evelyn Lauder Pink Ribbon Campaign and her "department store" concept for cancer care at Memorial Sloan Kettering, which was born from the frustrating and fragmented patient experience. This interview sheds light on the complete history of breast cancer awareness, from comparing the fight for funding to the AIDS movement to the discovery of the BRCA gene mutation, revealing a story of courage, tragedy, and ultimate triumph.About Our Guest:Judith L. Pearson is an author and historical biographer specializing in uncovering the stories of overlooked heroes. In her book, "Radical Sisters: The Women Who Pushed for and Paved the Way to Breast Cancer Awareness," she reveals the untold story of the three women whose personal battles and public advocacy transformed medicine and created the modern breast cancer movement.Timestamps / Chapters:(00:00) The Three Women Who Transformed Breast Cancer Awareness(03:31) Shirley Temple Black's Groundbreaking 1972 Announcement(06:05) Rose Kushner's Daring Appearance on the Donahue Show(09:07) The Near-Death Experiences That Shaped the "Radical Sisters"(14:38) How Shirley Temple's Press Conference Changed Everything(19:22) The Brutal History of the Halstead Radical Mastectomy(24:19) Rose Kushner's Fight Against the "One-Step Procedure"(29:56) Evelyn Lauder's Philanthropic Vision Before and After Her Diagnosis(32:28) Learning from the AIDS Movement to Fight for Funding(36:04) Evelyn Lauder's "Department Store" Concept for Cancer Care(40:10) The True Origin Story of the Pink Ribbon Campaign

BT and Sal are joined in the studio by former New York Jets Pro Bowl fullback Tony Richardson, a legendary lead blocker who played a vital role in the Jets' powerful running game during the Rex Ryan era. Richardson's presence signals a deep dive into the current state of Gang Green, likely featuring the kind of honest, hard-hitting analysis one expects from a player who defined toughness on the field. The conversation is primed to be "fiery," with Richardson sharing his perspective on the team's struggles, the coaching decisions, and what it takes to build a winning culture from the ground up.

The Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe is known as Shakespeare's greatest rival. But in his new book Dark Renaissance, historian Stephen Greenblatt makes the case that Marlowe paved the way for Shakespeare. In today's episode, Greenblatt joins NPR's Ari Shapiro for a conversation about what made Marlowe a “lost soul,” how the playwright navigated a world of intense censorship, and evidence that points to his role as a spy.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's almost 10 years since Britain voted to leave the EU, and we're still dealing with the consequences. In his new book, Between The Waves, Politico's chief UK political correspondent Tom McTague argues that the journey to Brexit really began with Enoch Powell, before be taken up by his political heir, Nigel Farage. He talks […]

On Today's Episode –We welcome back returning guest Paul Driessen. He and mark dive into a variety of topics relating to The EPA, EV's, and Mandates.Tune in for all the FunPaul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of books and articles on energy, environment, climate and human rights issues. Paul Driessen is a senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) and other public policy institutes that promote environmental stewardship, enhanced human health and welfare, and personal liberties and civil rights. He covers climate change, energy and environmental, human rights, corporate social responsibility, sustainable development, and renewable energy issues in articles and research papers, on radio programs and college campuses, and at professional and other conferences. EPA Releases Proposal to Rescind Obama-Era Endangerment Finding, Regulations that Paved the Way for Electric Vehicle Mandateshttps://www.cfact.org/2025/07/29/epa-releases-proposal-to-rescind-obama-era-endangerment-finding-regulations-that-paved-the-way-for-electric-vehicle-mandates/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alex returns! But that's not all - Mike Podhorzer joins Joe and Alex to discuss the fight we're in - and the fights a lot of people might not know about. Why is Trump going after labor so strongly? Also - why Mike thinks the old red vs. blue framing is outdated - and why the Republican Party is now an agent of the "Neo-Confederacy," as Mike calls it. And we're so far past defending the broken status quo - how do Mike and Joe think it's time to ignore the traditional paved roads and find new maps? Read Mike's latest post that has Joe and Alex thinking: http://weekendreading.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brandon preached the part we play as we journey towards maturity. To learn from Jesus we have to be willing to obey Him and put into practice His teachings.

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Does the First Amendment protect a “media outlet” from being investigated for a crime? Does the President's power over the District of Columbia extend to other cities? What about his executive orders? Can they criminalize certain activities? What happens when police powers are taken too far and infringe on individual rights?

The Constitution Study with Host Paul Engel – Does the First Amendment protect a “media outlet” from being investigated for a crime? Does the President's power over the District of Columbia extend to other cities? What about his executive orders? Can they criminalize certain activities? What happens when police powers are taken too far and infringe on individual rights?

The U.S. Republican party today isn't what it used to be. But the evolution toward President Donald Trump's MAGA-ism began decades ago when William F. Buckley launched a revolution on the American right. As Buckley's official biographer Sam Tanenhaus tells Brian, the late conservative icon was a lot like Trump: a media-savvy wealthy elite who rebelled against the very establishment he came from. In his new book, Buckley: The Life and Revolution That Changed America, Tanenhaus lays out the improbable, fascinating story of the arch-Catholic New Englander who chummed around with hardcore leftists but transformed the GOP into a political powerhouse. In no small part by engaging Republicans in the culture war that eventually put Trump in the White House. (Recorded July 24, 2025) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tyson Barrie's time with the Colorado Avalanche left a lasting impact on how the team plays from the blue line out. In this episode, Jesse Montano and Meghan Angley remember Tyson Barrie's 14-year NHL career on the heels of his retirement announcement. Starting with the Avalanche's evolution of offensive defensemen: from John-Michael Liles' consistent production, to Barrie's creativity and puck-moving confidence, to the eventual arrival of Cale Makar. We revisit Barrie's breakout seasons, playoff moments, and how his style helped shape the Avalanche's modern identity on defense. Plus, a look at the Avs projected opening night lineup as we gear up for the 2025-26 season! This show is brought to you by RefiJet

This week, we're airing part two of a documentary series, courtesy of Radio Diaries, about three radio personalities who had huge audiences in their time, but today, are largely forgotten. These days, we're used to media that thrives on conflict, that amplifies the most outrageous voices in the room. It's something we often trace back to shock jocks like Howard Stern, and in-your-face talk show hosts like Tucker Carlson and Rush Limbaugh. But long before all those guys, there was Joe Pyne. At the height of his career in the 1950s, the New York Times called him the “ranking nuisance of broadcasting.” On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.

OPINION: Buhi Boulevard: A road paved with violations | Aug. 14, 2025Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein #TheManilaTimes#KeepUpWithTheTimes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Courtney Little was helping people heal long before wellness became trendy. A Clinical Nutritionist and founder of Courtney Little Wellness, she's been guiding clients through personalized, root-cause healing since 2007. In this episode, Courtney shares how she built her business before the industry really existed—and how her own personal health journey has shaped everything she offers today.We talk about her early days launching CLW, what it was like to grow a wellness brand when few people were talking about functional health, and how she's evolved her approach to serve the needs of clients today. She explains what most people misunderstand about nutrition, the labs she recommends for every woman, and why so many people struggle to lose weight—no matter how hard they try.Courtney also opens up about her new CLW Membership, a platform designed to make healing more accessible without sacrificing quality care. She talks about what it means to scale without burning out, and how digital business has shifted her impact. Don't miss our rapid-fire questions on her favorite wellness trends (and the ones she could do without) and the supplements she swears by! Enjoy! Courtney Little Wellness: https://www.courtneylittlewellness.com/Work with us here: https://www.businessmusclepodcast.com/You can follow us on Instagram @businessmusclepodcast, @elisecaira and @dr.ariel.dpt. Get your FREE Business Starter Checklist: https://www.businessmusclepodcast.com/freechecklistFIXXED: https://www.fixxedstudios.com/Sweat Fixx: https://www.sweatfixx.com/

⁠⁠Join the Movement⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Today's transcript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We depend on donations from exceptional listeners like you. To donate, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Daily Rosary Meditations is now an app! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here for more info.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To find out more about The Movement and enroll: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.schooloffaith.com/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Prayer requests⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe by email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Download our app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Biking in the Superior Country is more than just a way to get around—it's a way of life. From gravel roads to rugged trails to family bike packing along Big Blue's shoreline, the region offers two-wheeled adventure in every season. In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with Josh Rizzo, founder of thenxrth.com—an adventure site dedicated to unpaved cycling across three states--Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Josh shares how biking became a lifelong passion, and how he's started bringing his kids along for multi-day trips. He tells what makes this corner of the world such a rich landscape for two-wheeled travel. Whether you're a road, gravel, mountain or fat biker, or even just curious about the lure of riding, Josh's stories are sure to inspire you to hop in the saddle.  Key Takeaways + Notable Quotes:-A Lifelong Love of Cycling Sparked by Childhood Adventures“My earliest memories in life were on a bike.”Josh Rizzo's biking journey began with childhood rides along the Chippewa River State Trail with his dad and sisters—memories that shaped his passion for exploration and outdoor adventures.-Why the Lake Superior Region Is a Cyclist's ParadiseJosh highlights the appeal of the Lake Superior region for cyclists: scenic towns, abundant water routes, and endless opportunities for gravel biking, mountain biking, and bikepacking.-Bikepacking as a Family Tradition—Even With a 10-Month-OldJosh and his family embrace adventure by bike—proving that even toddlers can be part of meaningful, challenging, and memorable outdoor experiences.-Fat Biking Brings All Cyclists Together in WinterRegardless of their summer biking style, winter unites all cyclists—making fat biking a special part of the community and culture in the Northwoods.-Thenxrth.com Is a Home for Off-Road Cycling AdventureJosh created the site to help others explore the region he loves, offering route guides, event listings, and community storytelling for all kinds of cyclists.-Which State Is Best for Biking? It Depends. “I think Minnesota has the best gravel biking... Wisconsin owns the crown for fat biking... the Upper Peninsula is the adventure capital.”Resources:TheNxrth – Gravel, Fat, Mountain & Bikepacking Routes – https://www.thenxrth.comInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/the_nxrth/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/thenxrthConnect With Us:Lake Superior Podcast Page – https://nplsf.org/podcast Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NationalParksOfLakeSuperiorFoundation LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-parks-of-lake-superior-foundationSponsors:Cafe Imports – Minneapolis-based importers of specialty green coffees since 1993, focused on sustainability. Learn more: https://cafeimports.comNational Parks of Lake Superior Foundation – Donate to protect Lake Superior's five national parks: https://nplsf.org/donateBe sure to tune in to this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast to hear Josh Rizzo share his lifelong passion for biking, what makes the Lake Superior region a cyclist's dream, and how families of all ages can embrace adventure on two wheels.

In this episode of the Energy Newsbeat Daily Standup - Weekly Recap, Stuart Turley and Michael Tanner dive into a packed week of energy news. Topics include the EPA's proposed changes to Obama-era regulations, secondary sanctions targeting India over Russian oil, and the shift in global energy dynamics, particularly with China's rising fuel exports. They discuss the challenges facing the U.S. energy grid, including supply chain vulnerabilities, the rise of decentralized grid management, and the impact of AI and data centers on energy demands. The hosts also explore how geopolitical tensions, including tensions with the EU, could reshape the future of energy and its regulation.Subscribe to Our Substack For Daily InsightsWant to Add Oil & Gas To Your Portfolio? Fill Out Our Oil & Gas Portfolio SurveyNeed Power For Your Data Center, Hospital, or Business?Follow Stuart On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuturley/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/STUARTTURLEY16Follow Michael On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelta... and Twitter: https://twitter.com/mtanner_1Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:18 - Is Trump stalling solar and wind projects, or are people waking up to the fact that China has embedded kill switches or spy products in renewable energy components?03:48 - Department of Interior Secures Win for American Energy Dominance – Safely and Timely05:50 - Backlash Against EU Net Zero Regulations: Qatar Threatens to Cut LNG Supplies08:11 - Overlooked Vulnerability Could Cripple America's Grid12:06 - EPA Releases Proposal to Rescind Obama-Era Endangerment Finding, Regulations that Paved the Way for Electric Vehicle Mandates16:30 - China Shifts to Fuel Exports Due to Higher Margins19:25 - $70 WTI Returns as Trump Targets India Over Russian Oil Ties23:07 - What is the future of the United States Grid? Well it will involve decentralized management, AI, and lots of privately held Microgrids.27:38 - OutroLinks to articles discussed:Is Trump stalling solar and wind projects, or are people waking up to the fact that China has embedded kill switches or spy products in renewable energy components?Department of Interior Secures Win for American Energy Dominance – Safely and TimelyBacklash Against EU Net Zero Regulations: Qatar Threatens to Cut LNG SuppliesOverlooked Vulnerability Could Cripple America's GridEPA Releases Proposal to Rescind Obama-Era Endangerment Finding, Regulations that Paved the Way for Electric Vehicle MandatesChina Shifts to Fuel Exports Due to Higher Margins$70 WTI Returns as Trump Targets India Over Russian Oil TiesWhat is the future of the United States Grid? Well it will involve decentralized management, AI, and lots of privately held Microgrids.

In this exciting episode of Capital Hacking, we bring you a rebroadcast featuring the incredible Mike Pine, a passionate CPA who has a unique perspective on the tax code. Mike believes that the tax code is not a burden but rather a "yellow brick road" to wealth, filled with incentives for entrepreneurs and investors.Mike shares his journey from being a reluctant CPA to discovering the beauty of tax strategy. He emphasizes that many CPAs focus solely on tax preparation, missing out on the strategic opportunities available within the tax code. He explains concepts like bonus depreciation and cost segregation, illustrating how these strategies can significantly impact cash flow and wealth accumulation.This episode is packed with valuable information and is a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance their financial strategies through the tax code.00:00:46 - Introduction of Mike PineUltimate Show Notes:00:01:19 - Discussion on tax code as a path to wealth00:02:45 - Mike Pine's background and passion for tax code00:04:27 - The purpose of the tax code and its incentives00:05:00 - Mike's journey from accounting to tax strategy00:08:03 - The importance of understanding tax incentives00:08:43 - Explanation of bonus depreciation00:12:35 - Example of bonus depreciation with a taxi cab00:15:15 - The impact of tax savings on wealth accumulation00:18:51 - Introduction to cost segregation00:19:17 - Explanation of cost segregation and its benefits00:22:08 - Discussion on the importance of tax strategy00:25:27 - Upcoming debate on real estate in IRAs00:30:11 - Recommended resources for tax strategy00:32:27 - How to reach Mike Pine for consultationsConnect with Mike on Social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/revo-taxpayer-advocacy/ Turn your unique talent into capital and achieve the life you were destined to live. Join our community!We believe that Capital is more than just Cash. In fact, Human Capital always comes first before the accumulation of Financial Capital. We explore the best, most efficient, high-integrity ways of raising capital (Human & Financial). We want our listeners to use their personal human capital to empower the growth of their financial capital. Together we are stronger. LinkedinFacebookInstagramApple PodcastSpotify

JD welcomes Marc Lawson, owner of The Jeep Lab and founder of the Florida Trail Team Challenge, for a deep dive into Florida's most intense off-road competition. With 45 challenges packed into one weekend—from recovery drills to blindfolded driving, marksmanship, survival tasks, and GPS navigation—the event simulates real-world wheeling scenarios that test skill, endurance, and teamwork. They discuss the evolution of the Challenge, the importance of Tread Lightly! ethics, and how trail stewardship is reshaping access in Florida's Citrus Wildlife Management Area. Plus, Marc shares that you CAN wheel in Florida, building partnerships with organizations like the Florida Off-Road Foundation, and what it takes to pull off a volunteer-driven event that's as exhausting as it is unforgettable.

Send us a textThis week we're looking back at those amazing stores, venues and restaurants that we thought would never go away but now somehow have simply turned into T-Mobile stores. While we suckle at the teet of Amazon now, some of remember going shopping, playing in arcades and eating at 6000 calorie steak buffets.If you ever played Frogger for an hour on one quarter, shot a 178 at the local putt putt, or gagged on Showbiz pizza, this one should be right up your alley.

In this episode of the Energy Newsbeat Daily Standup, Stuart Turley discusses the EPA's proposal to rescind the Obama-era endangerment finding, a move that could undo over $1 trillion in regulations and save the U.S. economy billions. He highlights the potential impact on automakers, consumers, and energy companies, and explores the implications for energy policy, including how it could affect global agreements like the EU trade deal. Tune in for insights on how this shift could shape America's energy future and economic landscape.Subscribe to Our Substack For Daily InsightsWant to Add Oil & Gas To Your Portfolio? Fill Out Our Oil & Gas Portfolio SurveyNeed Power For Your Data Center, Hospital, or Business?Follow Stuart On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuturley/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/STUARTTURLEY16Follow Michael On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelta... and Twitter: https://twitter.com/mtanner_1Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:19 - EPA Releases Proposal to Rescind Obama-Era Endangerment Finding, Regulations that Paved the Way for Electric Vehicle Mandates04:36 - U.S. To Open Domestic Supply of Critical Minerals from Mine Waste06:00 - Egypt's Decline from LNG Exporter to LNG Importer Could Change Global Markets09:14 - Electricity generated from wind and solar cannot replace fossil fuels!12:25 - China Shifts to Fuel Exports Due to Higher Margins15:17 - OutroLinks to articles discussed:EPA Releases Proposal to Rescind Obama-Era Endangerment Finding, Regulations that Paved the Way for Electric Vehicle MandatesU.S. To Open Domestic Supply of Critical Minerals from Mine WasteEgypt's Decline from LNG Exporter to LNG Importer Could Change Global MarketsElectricity generated from wind and solar cannot replace fossil fuels!China Shifts to Fuel Exports Due to Higher Margins

A successful strategy in appsec is to build platforms with defaults and designs that ease the burden of security choices for developers. But there's an important difference between expecting (or requiring!) developers to use a platform and building a platform that developers embrace. Julia Knecht shares her experience in building platforms with an attention to developer needs, developer experience, and security requirements. She brings attention to the product management skills and feedback loops that make paved roads successful -- as well as the areas where developers may still need or choose their own alternatives. After all, the impact of a paved road isn't in its creation, it's in its adoption. Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-341

What happens when you put a university president who's weathered pandemics, launched massive campaigns, and chairs the Bruce Springsteen Archives in a room with great questions? Pure gold. In this episode, I sit down with Patrick Leahy, President of Monmouth University, for one of those conversations that reminds you why leadership stories matter.Patrick takes us through his incredible journey from being the youngest of six kids outside Baltimore to running a $200 million university. We dive into the mentor who changed everything by pushing him to apply to Georgetown (spoiler: he thought he'd never get in), the poetry class with the university president that shifted his entire career path, and those messy years when he tried business and finance before finding his true calling in higher education.But here's where it gets really interesting. Patrick shares what it was actually like stepping into the president's role just months before the pandemic hit, how he kept an entire campus community connected through weekly Zoom calls that people still don't want him to stop and the bold moves he's made to position Monmouth for the future. We're talking about partnerships with Hackensack Meridian for healthcare programs, building out film and TV production right as Netflix constructs their massive studio two miles away, and chairing the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music.The conversation gets into the real stuff too. How AI is going to reshape education, why being someone others want to work with might be the most critical skill you can develop, and what it means to lead through uncertainty while staying true to your values. Patrick's energy is infectious when he discusses servant leadership, the importance of asking better questions, and how every twist in your career path ultimately serves you later.Patrick's story reminds us that the most successful leaders aren't those who follow predetermined paths, but those who remain open to possibility and aren't afraid to bet on themselves and others. It's a conversation that will leave you thinking differently about what's possible when you combine authentic leadership with strategic vision and the courage to act on both.00:00 – Welcome & Introduction 01:00 – Childhood & Early Leadership 05:45 – The Georgetown Pivot 10:30 – From Business to English Lit 14:00 – The Nonlinear Journey to Education 20:45 – First Presidency at Wilkes 26:30 – Leading Through a Pandemic 32:00 – Vision for Monmouth 37:00 – Netflix, Sports & Strategic Growth 41:30 – The Role of AI in Higher Ed 48:30 – Emotional Intelligence & Employability 50:00 – The Springsteen Archives 55:00 – Closing ReflectionsPatrick on Socials: IG: monmouthuniversity X: @PatrickFLeahy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-patrick-f-leahy-ab873620 Youtube: @monmouthuniversity⁩Jon on Socials: IG: @thejonschultzpodcast X: @JonSchultzPod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-jon-schultz-podcast www.jonschultz.com

This week's discussion features David LaManna, Lenny Salgado, Johnny V., Mike McHugh, and James Gowell. Edited by: Tim NicholsonThis week, Johnny kicks us off by sharing how at times, he can be abrasive when he shares the Gospel with others and shares how what he was reading James, he himself felt convicted when reading about the care of orphans and widows. He asked himself, when was the last time I helped, visited or even prayed for orphans and widows. David then jumps in with his past experience of helping many people, taking many missionary trips...but his regret of not having it all center around sharing Jesus Christ with these various people.Lenny shares how the world often says, "well, thats not my problem."Mike then jumps in and shares his experience in pastoring our nursing home ministry at Thrive Church and how impactful it is to these people and their families. It is not done for glory, but for the spread of the Good News.James shares chapter 5:6 in the Book of James and shares the historical perspective of this scripture reading and adds the element of hoarding treasures versus being generous to expand upon the caring of the others.David talks about his experience trying to fill the God sized holes in our hearts with wordly things. It's never enough!!A ton more to share, but we will let you listen and we welcome your feedback, suggestions and encourage you to share this with others.Enjoy and we appreciate you listening.We encourage you to read James with us and comment on what has been sticking out to you?Have a blessed day.For more information visit: www.thrive.churchIf you would like to give financially you can do so here: www.thrive.church/give/If you need prayer email us at prayer@thrive.churchThis is a presentation of Thrive.Church©All Rights Reserved

A successful strategy in appsec is to build platforms with defaults and designs that ease the burden of security choices for developers. But there's an important difference between expecting (or requiring!) developers to use a platform and building a platform that developers embrace. Julia Knecht shares her experience in building platforms with an attention to developer needs, developer experience, and security requirements. She brings attention to the product management skills and feedback loops that make paved roads successful -- as well as the areas where developers may still need or choose their own alternatives. After all, the impact of a paved road isn't in its creation, it's in its adoption. Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-341

A successful strategy in appsec is to build platforms with defaults and designs that ease the burden of security choices for developers. But there's an important difference between expecting (or requiring!) developers to use a platform and building a platform that developers embrace. Julia Knecht shares her experience in building platforms with an attention to developer needs, developer experience, and security requirements. She brings attention to the product management skills and feedback loops that make paved roads successful -- as well as the areas where developers may still need or choose their own alternatives. After all, the impact of a paved road isn't in its creation, it's in its adoption. Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-341

A successful strategy in appsec is to build platforms with defaults and designs that ease the burden of security choices for developers. But there's an important difference between expecting (or requiring!) developers to use a platform and building a platform that developers embrace. Julia Knecht shares her experience in building platforms with an attention to developer needs, developer experience, and security requirements. She brings attention to the product management skills and feedback loops that make paved roads successful -- as well as the areas where developers may still need or choose their own alternatives. After all, the impact of a paved road isn't in its creation, it's in its adoption. Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-341

Once again, there are only two options: Christ is a rock upon whom we stand or a stone over whom we stumble.  Faith makes all the difference.

John 19:1–7, 14–16, 28–30, 38–42; 1 Corinthians 15:1–4a; 1 Peter 3:18–21The Recap: Where the Pastoring Out Loud hosts recap the most recent Sunday sermon. Published Fridays at 6am.Preacher: Daniel Viezbicke. Sermon Link. Intro/Outro – "Dwell With Us" by Nick Roen.

In this episode of “That Will Never Work,” Maurice explores the concept of finding greatness through embracing imperfections, using the analogy of building a LEGO set to illustrate how stumbling blocks lead to resilience and growth. He emphasizes that everyone experiences missteps, and these are crucial for building patience and trust in the journey toward becoming the best version of oneself.In This Episode:00:00 Finding Greatness in the Mess01:00 The LEGO Analogy04:00 Embracing Stumbles07:00 The Process of CreationKey Takeaways:Acknowledge that greatness is built through embracing imperfections, not achieving perfection.View life's challenges as LEGO blocks, each color representing different emotions and experiences.Understand that stumbling builds resilience, patience, and trust.Take breaks when needed to compose yourself and gain perspective.Trust the process of becoming and understand the value of growth through challenges.Resources:Well Why Not Workbook: https://bit.ly/authormauricechismPodmatch: https://bit.ly/joinpodmatchwithmauriceConnect With:Maurice Chism: https://bit.ly/CoachMauriceWebsite: https://bit.ly/mauricechismPatreon: https://bit.ly/CoachMauriceonPatreonTo be a guest: https://bit.ly/beaguestonthatwillnevrworkpodcastBusiness Email: mchism@chismgroup.netBusiness Address: PO Box 460, Secane, PA 19018Subscribe to That Will Nevr Work Podcast:Spreaker: https://bit.ly/TWNWSpreakerSupport the channelPurchase our apparel: https://bit.ly/ThatWillNevrWorkPodcastapparel 

For this episode of Season 4, I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my favorite fantasy authors-Peter McLean! I have thoroughly enjoyed his first two books in his War of the Rose Throne tetralogy. I am currently about to start book 3 and it was really fun to discuss this series and the characters with Peter. We also had a great chat about his newest book in the world with a new female lead-Paved with Good Intentions. This one sounds right up my alley so I can't wait to read it. Make sure you check out Peter's book and social links in the space below. Also please don't forget to subscribe! Peter's Links: Author site: https://talonwraith.com/ Amazon Profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01AAHB9LG Author Goodreads Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6519144.Peter_McLean Podcast Channel Links: Patreon: patreon.com/TFSFP Website: https://thefantasyandscififanaticspod.com/ Youtube Channel Subscription: https://youtube.com/@thefantasyandsci-fifanatic2328 Rss.com: https://media.rss.com/thefantasyandsci-fifanaticspodcast/feed.xml Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2aCCUhora9GdLAduLaaqiu?si=cl-8VWgaSrOGDwJg-cKONQ Discord Server: https://discord.gg/zd6mj2rQ Facebook Group join link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/402724958101648/?ref=share

You can make all the pledges, and all the wishes and desires, but only one thing keeps theworld moving. It's action and that is all. 

Investigative journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell have spent the past year preparing for Charleston-area good ole boy Michael Colucci to be tried again for the 2015 murder of his wife, Sara-Lynn Moore Colucci.  Twice a retrial was scheduled. And twice it didn't happen. On Tuesday, after the jury had been seated, South Carolina Judge Roger M. Young quashed the indictment of Colucci and dismissed what was to be a two-week trial and the end of what had become the oldest open murder case in the state. For 10 years, Sara-Lynn's family, including her mother and her only daughter, Bishop, who was a child at the time her mother died, have had to sit silently time and time again as the justice system continued to fail them. What didn't help matters? Original prosecutor and current public official Megan (Burchstead) Burleson's surly and defensive behavior on the stand on Tuesday…

Journalist Max Blumenthal exposes Israel's covert arms supply to Ukraine, critiques the IAEA's alleged bias toward Israel, and analyzes escalating U.S.-Iran tensions—including leaked nuclear documents and Netanyahu's push for war.Watch on YouTubeTheGrayzone.com

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3014: J.D. Roth highlights how goal-setting is the often-overlooked cornerstone of building real, lasting wealth, not through flashy seminars or get-rich-quick schemes, but through clarity, discipline, and daily effort. He emphasizes that without defined goals, even the most well-intentioned people drift into debt and disillusionment, while those with a plan steadily move toward financial freedom. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.getrichslowly.org/the-road-to-wealth-is-paved-with-goals/ Quotes to ponder: "People with goals are the ones who succeed." "There is no quick road to riches." "Without goals, you are living reactively, letting life push you around. With goals, you can live a proactive life, steering toward a destination." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3014: J.D. Roth highlights how goal-setting is the often-overlooked cornerstone of building real, lasting wealth, not through flashy seminars or get-rich-quick schemes, but through clarity, discipline, and daily effort. He emphasizes that without defined goals, even the most well-intentioned people drift into debt and disillusionment, while those with a plan steadily move toward financial freedom. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.getrichslowly.org/the-road-to-wealth-is-paved-with-goals/ Quotes to ponder: "People with goals are the ones who succeed." "There is no quick road to riches." "Without goals, you are living reactively, letting life push you around. With goals, you can live a proactive life, steering toward a destination." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Archer finds a new species of Xindi in the database, he takes a shuttlepod down to the last Sears Garden Center they visited to see what he can learn from their ship. But when the away team starts mutating and goons with flamethrowers show up to contain the infected, Phlox uses T'Pol's resistance to create an antidote. Which beverage requires trust? What's more desperate than finger gruel? Who always ruins a good dream? It's the episode with a soft descent into meeting. Support the production of The Greatest GenerationGet a thing at podshop.biz!Sign up for our mailing list!Follow The Game of Buttholes: The Will of the Riker - Quantum LeapThe Greatest Generation is produced by Wynde PriddySocial media is managed by Rob Adler and Bill TilleyMusic by Adam Ragusea & Dark MateriaFriends of DeSoto for: Labor | Democracy | JusticeDiscuss the show using the hashtag #GreatestGen and find us on social media:YouTube | Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok | Mastodon | Bluesky | ThreadsAnd check out these online communities run by FODs: Reddit | USS Hood Discord | Facebook group | Wikia | FriendsOfDeSoto.social

STRONG Life Podcast 507  The FARM BAR

The Louisville Western Branch Library was the first public library created for us and operated by our people. It was the result of residents banding together to call for an education space of our own. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Once a symbol of dystopian nightmares, these words now echo in schools, hospitals, and homes: targeting immigrants first, and the rest of us next…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.