Podcasts about Pliny

What happens when every major AI model gets jailbroken within days? This week, the world's most prolific AI red teamer lifts the curtain on how and why "safe" AI might be an impossible promise. Pliny the Liberator | pliny.gg - discord.gg/basi ChatGPT Nears 900 Million Weekly Active Users But Gemini is Catching Up From Llamas to Avocados: Meta's shifting AI strategy is causing internal confusion Google Tells Advertisers It'll Bring Ads to Gemini in 2026 Meta Acquires Limiteless, an A.I. Pendant Company Backed by Sam Altman Here's how Google is laying the foundation for our mixed reality future OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block Are Teaming Up to Make AI Agents Play Nice Svedka's First Super Bowl Ad Will Be Made Primarily With AI AI Slop Is Ruining Reddit for Everyone TESCREALers paying journalists at major outlets to cover AI The Resonant Computing Manifesto (from Masnick) Techdirt fundraiser From Sam Lessin: Tech bros head to etiquette camp as Silicon Valley levels up its style Bare Metal Email Jeff in Austria Golden Globes enter the world of podcasts and tread carefully, avoiding controversy Who says AI isn't useful? Real-time Cricket Sorting By Sex Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Mike Elgan Guest: Pliny the Liberator Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: auraframes.com/ink ventionteams.com/twit agntcy.org outsystems.com/twit

What happens when every major AI model gets jailbroken within days? This week, the world's most prolific AI red teamer lifts the curtain on how and why "safe" AI might be an impossible promise. Pliny the Liberator | pliny.gg - discord.gg/basi ChatGPT Nears 900 Million Weekly Active Users But Gemini is Catching Up From Llamas to Avocados: Meta's shifting AI strategy is causing internal confusion Google Tells Advertisers It'll Bring Ads to Gemini in 2026 Meta Acquires Limiteless, an A.I. Pendant Company Backed by Sam Altman Here's how Google is laying the foundation for our mixed reality future OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block Are Teaming Up to Make AI Agents Play Nice Svedka's First Super Bowl Ad Will Be Made Primarily With AI AI Slop Is Ruining Reddit for Everyone TESCREALers paying journalists at major outlets to cover AI The Resonant Computing Manifesto (from Masnick) Techdirt fundraiser From Sam Lessin: Tech bros head to etiquette camp as Silicon Valley levels up its style Bare Metal Email Jeff in Austria Golden Globes enter the world of podcasts and tread carefully, avoiding controversy Who says AI isn't useful? Real-time Cricket Sorting By Sex Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Mike Elgan Guest: Pliny the Liberator Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: auraframes.com/ink ventionteams.com/twit agntcy.org outsystems.com/twit

What happens when every major AI model gets jailbroken within days? This week, the world's most prolific AI red teamer lifts the curtain on how and why "safe" AI might be an impossible promise. Pliny the Liberator | pliny.gg - discord.gg/basi ChatGPT Nears 900 Million Weekly Active Users But Gemini is Catching Up From Llamas to Avocados: Meta's shifting AI strategy is causing internal confusion Google Tells Advertisers It'll Bring Ads to Gemini in 2026 Meta Acquires Limiteless, an A.I. Pendant Company Backed by Sam Altman Here's how Google is laying the foundation for our mixed reality future OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block Are Teaming Up to Make AI Agents Play Nice Svedka's First Super Bowl Ad Will Be Made Primarily With AI AI Slop Is Ruining Reddit for Everyone TESCREALers paying journalists at major outlets to cover AI The Resonant Computing Manifesto (from Masnick) Techdirt fundraiser From Sam Lessin: Tech bros head to etiquette camp as Silicon Valley levels up its style Bare Metal Email Jeff in Austria Golden Globes enter the world of podcasts and tread carefully, avoiding controversy Who says AI isn't useful? Real-time Cricket Sorting By Sex Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Mike Elgan Guest: Pliny the Liberator Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: auraframes.com/ink ventionteams.com/twit agntcy.org outsystems.com/twit

What happens when every major AI model gets jailbroken within days? This week, the world's most prolific AI red teamer lifts the curtain on how and why "safe" AI might be an impossible promise. Pliny the Liberator | pliny.gg - discord.gg/basi ChatGPT Nears 900 Million Weekly Active Users But Gemini is Catching Up From Llamas to Avocados: Meta's shifting AI strategy is causing internal confusion Google Tells Advertisers It'll Bring Ads to Gemini in 2026 Meta Acquires Limiteless, an A.I. Pendant Company Backed by Sam Altman Here's how Google is laying the foundation for our mixed reality future OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block Are Teaming Up to Make AI Agents Play Nice Svedka's First Super Bowl Ad Will Be Made Primarily With AI AI Slop Is Ruining Reddit for Everyone TESCREALers paying journalists at major outlets to cover AI The Resonant Computing Manifesto (from Masnick) Techdirt fundraiser From Sam Lessin: Tech bros head to etiquette camp as Silicon Valley levels up its style Bare Metal Email Jeff in Austria Golden Globes enter the world of podcasts and tread carefully, avoiding controversy Who says AI isn't useful? Real-time Cricket Sorting By Sex Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Mike Elgan Guest: Pliny the Liberator Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: auraframes.com/ink ventionteams.com/twit agntcy.org outsystems.com/twit

Are the Gospels historically reliable, or just late legends? Philosophers and top apologists Dr. Tim McGrew and Dr. Lydia McGrew join me to dismantle the biggest myths about Gospel authorship, dating, and accuracy. From undesigned coincidences that criss-cross all four Gospels, to Luke's stunning geographical and political precision in Acts, to the statistically perfect 1st-century Jewish names—the evidence is far stronger than mainstream scholarship admits.If you've ever wondered whether the New Testament can stand up to rigorous historical scrutiny, this episode will blow your mind.CHAPTERS:(00:00 Intro & Welcome to Tim and Lydia McGrew)(02:42 What mainstream New Testament scholars actually believe)(06:40 Why small differences between Gospels are evidence FOR reliability)(08:18 Markan priority: the harmless version vs. the skeptical version)(10:40 The criterion of embarrassment & heads-I-win-tails-you-lose arguments)(13:35 The astonishing match of 1st-century Jewish names in the Gospels)(19:30 Why everyone trusts Josephus but doubts the Gospels)(21:05 Oldest New Testament manuscripts & textual reliability)(25:09 Undesigned coincidences: the hidden interlocking details)(28:15 The feeding of the 5,000 – why Jesus asked Philip (John 6 + Luke 9))(29:00 Green grass in Mark + Passover timing in John)(29:50 Luke's insane accuracy in Acts (even Pliny the Elder got it wrong!))(36:50 Pointless but vivid details that scream eyewitness memory)(37:17 Peter puts his coat ON before jumping in the water (John 21))(41:25 The mysterious “dispute about purification” in John 3)(43:55 153 fish – fishermen gonna fish)(45:20 Recommended books by Tim & Lydia)TIM AND LYDIA MCGREW LINKS:

In tonight's Macabre Feature, Part 1, The Fall of Pompeii, of Plight and Precipice, we're traveling back to a moment frozen beneath ash and fire. This is one of our most atmospheric features yet—packed with cinematic scoring, immersive sound design, and Blaire's dark, poetic narration that brings ancient tragedy straight into your headphones.A city that never saw the sky turning black, or the mountain waking up angry.A place where life… stopped mid-breathWe're peeling back the ash, sifting through the final seconds, and walking through a tragedy so sudden it feels like the world held its breath and never exhaled.This is history at its most catastrophic… and its most human. Want More Macabre? Spotify subscribers get ad free content, early access and exclusive bonus episodes .Paid supporters on Patreon, Join us for Macabre Movie Nights and Game Nights :⁠⁠⁠⁠ Macabre Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠Send in your stories for a future listener episode!Email us at thatssomacabre@gmail.comJoin our private Facebook Group at :⁠⁠⁠⁠ MacabrePodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Macabre Exclusive Merch ⁠⁠ www.gothiccthreads.comResources: Vesuvius | Facts, Location, & Eruptions | BritannicaHome - Pompeii OnlinePompeii: Bodies, Mount Vesuvius & Herculaneum | HISTORYPompeii: A Snapshot of Ancient Roman Life | History HitWhat Was Life Like in Pompeii Before Mount Vesuvius Erupted Nearly 2,000 Years Ago?Archaeologists find records of Pompeii survivors that reveal how they rebuilt their lives | PBS NewsTimeline: PompeiiA Guide to the Pompeii ExcavationsA minute-by-minute account of the Pompeii eruption, revealed in agonizing detail | Science | AAASPompeii casts: where they are found and what they areThe two letters written by Pliny the Younger describing the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 ADLupanar of Pompeii: Secrets, Erotic Frescoes & Visitor GuideGladiatorial games in Pompeii - Pompeii OnlineHistory of archaeological excavations of Pompeii (Italy)

Episode SummaryIn this episode, Joel Settecase continues his in-depth response to an atheist's online rebuttal to his 30 Questions for Atheists, Skeptics, and Agnostics. Focusing on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Joel unpacks what true evidence looks like, why the Bible's eyewitness accounts count as direct evidence, and how atheists often fall into what he calls the apologetic cycle of doom.Main TakeawayThere is abundant evidence for the resurrection of Jesus—both biblical and extra-biblical—but the deeper issue isn't lack of data, it's worldview. Without God, the very concept of evidence collapses. Logic, reason, truth, and morality only make sense in a universe upheld by Jesus Christ.HighlightsJoel examines Dalbert's claim that “there is no evidence Jesus rose from the dead.”He explains the difference between direct and indirect evidence, citing the apostles' eyewitness testimony as valid and authoritative.The radical content and unanimity of the apostles' message confirm their sincerity.Early extra-biblical writings—like the Didache, Clement, Ignatius, Josephus, Tacitus, and Pliny the Younger—further corroborate the resurrection account.Joel dismantles the atheist's claim that “logic disproves God,” showing that laws of logic require a Lawgiver.He contrasts the biblical worldview—which makes sense of evidence—with atheism, which cannot account for reason or truth.The argument that “God did it” is not a God of the gaps fallacy; it's the only coherent explanation.Why It MattersThis episode is not just about answering skeptics—it's about equipping Christian men to lead their families, disciple their kids, and defend their faith with confidence. Joel shows that belief in the resurrection isn't blind—it's grounded in reason, revelation, and reality.Call to FaithIf Jesus really did rise from the dead—and He did—then every person must reckon with His lordship. The same God who raised Christ offers forgiveness and eternal life to anyone who repents and believes the gospel.Calls to ActionPartner with The Think Institute: thethink.institute/partnerJoin the Hammer & Anvil Society and get equipped for apologetics and family discipleship: thethink.institute/societySubscribe, rate, and share Worldview Legacy to help more believers think biblically and defend their faith with confidence.Spotify Optimization Keywords:Christian apologetics, atheist debate, resurrection evidence, biblical worldview, presuppositional apologetics, Think Institute, Jesus Christ, faith and reason, Christian philosophy, worldview defense.

The Time Riders: Part 16 To further the science. Based on a post by BiscuitHammer, in 16 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. There was a knock at the door and Valentina came in, pushing a silver cart in front of herself. "Thought it might be time for refreshments," she chirped, her cheerful brown eyes not at all fazed by the scene in front of her. She looked at Becky. "I figured you might find some electrolytes handy, so I have green smoothies, strawberry-banana smoothies, coconut water, and OJ. That should fit the bill, right?" "Thank you so much, Val," Becky said, not at all bothered by being naked in front of this girl. Clearly it wasn't out of the ordinary, so she didn't care. Not to mention she'd referred to Mike and Karen as 'Master' and 'Mistress', so there was more to her employment than met the eye. Nanu was staring at Val's outfit again, making Val giggle. She left the cart and approached the tiny Egyptian girl now, smiling. "Watch this, Nanu," she said before pulling her arms into her chest and doing on spin, her short skirt flaring out and twirling around her, revealing her tiny black panties. Nanu clapped excitedly, her eyes wide with delight. "Great, now she'll want to own one of those outfits," Becky sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry for the fib I'm about to tell about you, Val." She looked at Nanu. "It's a pretty outfit, yes, but it's a slave's outfit, darling." The Egyptian girl blinked. "She is a slave?" "Can't you see the collar she's wearing?" Becky pointed out, indicating Val's black lace choker, with the glittering white stone on the front. "She; is a slave to the gods?" Nanu murmured, lapsing into thought about that before looking back at Becky. "Well, that doesn't sound so bad, does it? We should become their slaves." Karen broke down giggling, hiding her face in her husband's massive arm and kicking her feet cutely. Mike just smirked while Becky sighed and rolled her eyes. Valentina had no idea what had just been said, but based on her employers' reactions, whatever it was hadn't panned out as Becky intended. She decided to make herself scarce. "scuse me, servant stuff to do," she chimed, doing a curtsy before leaving and closing the door behind her. Nanu sat up, straddling Mike's waist and trying to figure out why the goddess was laughing. "Really?" Becky groused, giving Nanu a sour look. "I rescue you from slavery, and you decide to volunteer for it because it's these two?" "Do you blame me?" Nanu said with a shrug. "As long as I get fed and fucked, this seems like a good life with pretty clothing." "You do not need to be a slave for us to do that with you, Nanu," Karen pointed out, caressing her arm. "Well, nobody's fucked me yet," Nanu announced, trying to pout rather unsuccessfully. "What good is being a free woman if it doesn't get me cock when I need it?" "I see food and sex are her two primary drivers," Mike mused. "And possibly revenge," Becky added, watching as Nanu reached behind herself and took hold of the currently soft cock and began massaging it. "If you see her whispering into her palm, shit's about to get real. Honey, that might not be a good idea." "They said I don't need to be a slave to fuck them," Nanu replied, still stroking and now fingering herself, as if to get ready. "I want to be fucked." "Let the chips fall where they may, I guess," Becky said, sitting up and moving around the bed to join Karen. Soon, they were in a sapphic tangle, limbs wrapped around one another and kissing deeply. Nanu watched while she stroked the god's cock, slowly bringing him to life. Karen was on top of Becky now, sitting up and straddling with their legs scissored and their wet pussies kissing. She began to squirm her hips, and Becky did the same, groaning in pleasure. "Hmm, missed this too," she murmured. "As did I," Karen sighed, pulling Becky's leg up so that it was braced against her with her toes in the air. They slowly slithered together, nether lips mingling, clits brushing against one another. They were both wet enough that they could hear their lovemaking. The god was hard now, and Nanu was determined to do this right. She moved backward and pushed up as tall as she could on her knees, her cunt directly over the huge cockhead. She pressed against it and moved around, making sure she was good and wet. She felt the tip just push her lips apart slightly, and inched her way down. She bit her lower lip as the pressure increased, feeling a very slow penetration. She gasped and shuddered as the head went inside, stretching her in a way she hadn't felt before, except with a fist. There was an audible, wet and almost gristly 'pop' noise, followed by another from somewhere inside her hips structure as she sank down and sat very still. Becky and the two professors looked at her somewhat curiously. "Nanu?" Becky asked. "You okay, darling?" The tiny girl didn't respond, still staring off into space, her eyes unseeing. Finally, a single tear was trickling down her cheek. "Oh, well done, Ramrod," Karen said rather sarcastically to her husband, still looking at Nanu. "Even if you didn't break her in half, she's still going to have hip dysplasia." "I didn't make her do it," Mike pointed out. "I hope we have a wheelchair around, though." The Egyptian girl finally opened her eyes, slowly, and took several deep breaths, her palms resting on the god's muscular abdomen. She looked up at the ceiling, puckering her lips and making sucking sounds as she tried to center herself. She trembled as she pushed up on her knees, starting to move, and then shook almost violently as she sank back down. She squeaked and then whimpered, going still. Then she repeated the process, taking it slow. "Well, I'll be damned," Becky mused as she watched, still grinding her cunt against Karen's. "She actually did it and didn't kill herself. She'll be trying to sit on fire hydrants next." Nanu didn't make it more than three strokes up and down before she clapped her and over her mouth and screamed into it, her entire body shaking as she came. Once she'd recovered, she began moving up and down again, a little faster, determined to have at least one more orgasm before she died. She straightened her torso and kept moving up and down, her eyes closed and a shameless moaning escaping her lips. She lasted a little longer this time, but still ended up clamping both hands over her mouth and screeching, almost convulsing before she simply wilted, collapsing forward on to the god beneath her, eyes wide open but unseeing, chest heaving as she tried to breathe. "Determined little thing, isn't she?" Karen mused, looking on, even while she made love to Becky. How she'd missed this feeling with her favorite student. "You'd have to be, to survive what she did pretty much her whole life," the blonde replied with a sigh, undulating beneath her teacher. "She's such a sweetheart, but she surprises me sometimes with a brutal mercenary streak. And her morals are; decidedly different from ours." "Noted," Karen said before leaning down and kissing Becky heatedly, squashing their tits together. They were swallowing one another's tongues, grinding and girl-fucking their way to bliss, until Becky wailed into Karen's mouth, cumming hard. Karen followed moments later, bathing Becky's cunt in her sticky essence. They wrapped themselves up in one another, kissing deeply and just enjoying the shared post-orgasm bliss. It had been too long, and Becky would do her damndest to make sure that didn't happen again. She almost giggled through the kiss as she thought about the fact that she had access to a time machine, if she really needed to see to the issue. She and Karen rolled themselves together into Mike's side, snuggling into him while Nanu seemed quite content to simply remain motionless on top of him. Given that she was almost bolted down to his cock, she might not have had much of a choice in the matter, mind. "You okay there, Prof?" Becky asked, smirking up at him while she caressed her other idol. "Might've been a while since I've been in anyone quite this tight," Mike replied, smiling and pretending to wince, as if being clamped inside Nanu was somehow painful. "Excuse you, sir," Karen chimed, trying to sound indignant, but failing as she giggled. "Am I to understand I am not tight enough for you?" "You're the perfect amount of tightness, Gordon, and you know it," the huge blond man said, reaching over and caressing his wife's ass cheeks. Karen purred contentedly at the contact, snuggling into Becky even more. Becky sighed, because she loved watching the profs together. She'd never seen two people more desperately in love, or more perfect for one another. "So is it just you and Nanu in your little arrangement?" Karen asked, looking down at her student and gently poking her nose. "Well," Becky began before offering a weak smile. "It's complicated?" "Given what a hard time you had earlier, perhaps I shouldn't be surprised," mused the older woman, smiling kindly. "Are you hiding another girl from elsewhere in the world?" "No," Becky said, blushing. "I;” If she couldn't tell these two, who could she tell? "There might be an angle with one of my students," she confessed. "Rebecca Nightingale Fischer," Karen said, her smile becoming a smirk. "You and a student? You naughty girl. Not that Michael and I are in any place to judge, of course." "Don't I know it," Becky giggled. "Yeah, there is. Or there will be. I don't know how to explain it." "One of those moments again, clearly," Mike said, his other hand stroking down Nanu's back. She looked positively tiny on top of him, like a kitten gone to sleep. She was stirring and slowly coming back to life. "Don't try too hard, Rebecca." "Yes sir," she said rather reflexively, but she also enjoyed the little tingle she always got from obeying him. "Mark and I, and Nanu, will be a thing by the time summer rolls around." "M-ark?" Nanu mumbled tiredly, almost yawning. Had she fallen asleep? "What about M-ark, Mistress?" "She calls you Mistress, hmm?" Karen observed. "It looks like I'm not the only one with a kitten on my hands." Becky blushed. "She; insists she be allowed. I've tried to break the habit, no dice." She looked at Nanu now. "I was just explaining about waiting until the summer before we will be seeing Mark." "You get to see him all the time at school," Nanu pointed out. "But you say you can't fuck him. I hope they understand, because I sure don't." "Nonlocal measurement," Karen said, listening to the two younger women speak in Latin, although she was talking to her husband. "Low-entropy probability that falls outside the Born System." "And deterministic despite a Dirac constant and equation," Mike said before he chuckled and began sitting Nanu up straight. She shuddered and gasped deeply, seeming to have forgotten that she was speared on him. Her eyes were wide as she stared down at where her cunt was split wide apart by his massive erection. She didn't seem to be able to process anything like that fitting inside her. "Christ," Becky muttered, shaking her head. "I'm supposed to be a physics teacher, and I have no damn clue what you two are talking about." "Ultimately, determinism," Mike replied, letting Nanu try to adjust. "I remember teaching you the concept." "And I remember the lessons," Becky sighed. "Never thought they'd be applied to me personally. I keep forgetting you two are religious." "I think it's pretty much a given that you, my dear, are meant to study quantum crystallography," Karen cooed, stroking the blonde's cheek. "So of course, Michael and I will teach you everything we know, and will help you further on that path. You were, without question, our most gifted student. This is your chance." "What's everyone talking about, Mistress?" Nanu asked, shifting around her hips to make sure they weren't actually fractured. "You're talking in your stupid En-gush." "Nanu, we'll speak Latin so that you're not left out," the goddess said gently, reaching over and stroking the Egyptian girl's thigh. "We were asking Rebecca if she wanted to come and teach with us soon, instead of staying where she is." Nanu considered and then looked at Becky. "Mistress, I think you're very smart, but I'd think you were very stupid if you didn't take this offer. And take M-ark with you, maybe it'll make him less stupid." "I guess that settles it," Becky sighed, shaking her head. "I can't refute those points." "This Mark of yours sounds like a real charmer," Karen teased, finally sitting up and then clambering off Becky. She moved aside while her former student sat upright, rotating her neck and stretching her shoulders. "He must be a demon in the sack if you're willing to put up with his apparent lack of intelligence." "He's not stupid, he's just; he doesn't find applying his brain power all that agreeable, except to get himself out of trouble," Becky explained. "As for him being a demon in the sack, he's not bad, but; well, I'd been going through a dry spell when this all happened." "There is no excuse whatsoever for you to be going through a dry spell, young lady," Mike told her, sitting up and still keeping Nanu in his lap. But she squeaked when he turned her around, still nailed to him by his cock, which felt like it was battering her rib cage from below. Her eyes were wide as she just sat and listened. "You're every bit as attractive as you are intelligent, Rebecca, so if you're experiencing a dearth of sex, that's just you being difficult." "It's hard to find partners who measure up," Becky grumped. "Except for Nanu, of course." Nanu sniffed and nodded righteously, happy to be included in whatever the fuck they were all talking about. She was used to being ignored as a slave, she had no intention of being ignored now that she was a free woman. "You'll come to the housewarmings, yes?" Karen asked. "The third and the fourth weekends of this month." "You're having two housewarmings?" Becky asked. "Why two?" "One is the official housewarming, where I take over as head of the Blackwell elder line and its operations," Karen replied. "The one the following weekend is of a more fun and; well, risqué nature. The invite list for that is much more select. You and Nanu simply must come to both." Becky turned her head to look at Nanu. "Did you understand all that, my love?" Nanu thought about it. "Karen is becoming Mistress of this palace and there are two celebrations, one official, and one that is; naughty. She wants us to come to both." She leaned forward toward Becky now, her look an imploring one. "Can we please, Mistress?" "Of course we can!" Becky laughed gaily. "I wouldn't miss this for all the gold on earth!" More joyous laughter, and they all embraced one another, finding partners and beginning the lovemaking again. Another hour later, the Byron Lounge. "I'm really hoping you like this," Becky said as she poured the wine into her host's glasses. Mike and Karen were sitting on a large chesterfield together while Becky and Nanu were in a smaller loveseat across from them. The table the glasses were on was in the center. "You'll probably find it very unique." "It's potent, I can already tell," Karen remarked, watching her student pour. "The nose is quite powerful from here." "Interesting color for a white wine, too," Mike added, noting the distinct amber tint to the liquid. His wife was right, it was strong. It almost stung the olfactory senses and poured like a syrup. Even Madeira wines were lighter than this. The maderizing process must have been unusually acute. Becky handed each of her companions a glass and then sat down next to Nanu. The three women all looked at Mike, expecting him to lead the toast. He nodded and held up his glass. "Dignitas amicorum pie zeses vivas." Karen nodded and repeated the toast, but in English, the only time Nanu ever considered the language divine and lovely. "Worthy among your friends! Drink that you may live. May you live." The bouquet was sharp, certainly, and Mike guessed the alcohol content was well north of fifteen percent. The wine was clearly meant to be sweet, but the robust body was definitive. This wine must have been aged longer than Becky had been alive. Where had she gotten it from? He glanced over at his wife, who had an even more acute nose and sense of taste than he did, and she was examining her glass quietly. Karen was rolling it around inside her mouth quietly, letting it play over her refined palate. Her eyes caught his, and they knew what the other was thinking. Becky and Nanu watched quietly. It was always fascinating to Becky how these two operated. "That's an Aglianico grape, I'm sure of it, even though I have never had one quite like that," Karen mused. "It's been aged in clay," Mike agreed, nodding. "For a long time. The hangovers must be murder." They both looked at Becky, who smiled hopefully. She wanted them to like it, but also hoped they wouldn't ask more questions she couldn't answer. She was doing her best. "Rebecca, I'd like to have Jordan and Tatyana try this, may I call them in?" Mike asked. She nodded and he bipped his smartwatch, asking the former seneschal of Blackwell Manor and its current one to join them. They came in together some minutes later, while Mike and Karen were still discussing the wine. "You rang, my friend?" Jordan asked, while Tatyana nodded her head respectfully. Jordan saw the bottles on the table, noting the amber color. "Is that a Malvazia wine? Very strong, I can feel it tickling my nose from here." "With Rebecca's permission, we would like for you two to try this," Karen suggested, standing and walking over to a small cupboard from which she retrieved two more glasses. "It's quite unlike anything either Michael or I have tried, and I thought we had a very broad palate by this point." Karen poured two small glasses and brought them over to the pair. Jordan, who had been the Blackwell estate sommelier for decades, and Tatyana, its current sommelier, both examined the amber libation curiously. Jordan put the cup to his lips and sipped it. Tatyana did as well, the only reaction from her being her eyes narrowing slightly. "That is very unique, I must say," the older man said finally. "It reminds me a Sangiovese in some ways, but; more primal somehow?" "It is an Italian wine, I think," Tatyana added. "But unlike any I have tried before." "It's what I imagine a Falernian wine would be like, if the genuine article thing still existed," Karen posited. "But those methods are lost. We only know them from poetry and accounts of Roman historians, such as Galen and Pliny. This is; wondrous to try." Becky sighed slightly, relaxing. She was so worried about running into time lock that it was a relief she'd managed to let them actually taste the wine. The profs knew something was up, that she couldn't help them, and they would just have to figure out as much as they could on their own. Was she meant to have done this? Was it Fating? She banished the thought from her head, she would drive herself crazy. She was here to have fun with the two people who had made her who she was, and to share that joy with Nanu. To her delight, Nanu seemed to be acclimating well, even if she was in awe and fear of these 'gods'. Mike looked at Becky now. "This must have cost you a pretty penny, something this unique." Becky smiled. "I can manage more, if you want. As many bottles as you like. Just don't ask how or why." "Fair enough," Karen said, looking over at her husband. "And we just found our drink of choice for that toga party we discussed." Mike laughed and Becky giggled. Poor Nanu. She escapes slavery from Imperial Rome, only to end up in a time period where dressing like the patricians who enslaved her was the height of chic at a party. Rome was clearly the eternal city in more ways than one. And this one time, wining about it was a good thing. Later that afternoon. "Mistress, look at all these men," Nanu said quietly, as if the portraits and busts they were walking by could hear her. She could've sworn some of them were staring right at her, their eyes following her movements. "They are all rather frightening to me." Becky nodded as she walked hand-in-hand with Nanu down the Hall of Ancestors. "I remember the first time I saw them, my love, and they intimidated me as well. They are the ancestors of my professor, going back almost a thousand years." Nanu seemed rather surprised, and a little wary. "They're all gods?" Shit, how do I explain this without breaking her mind? Becky wondered rather wearily. "They all have the same hair like the god, maybe lighter, and the eyes," Nanu observed, still speaking quietly, so that the numerous men didn't hear her. "I can't tell if they're as big as he is." Okay, extra complication there as well. "No, my love, they are the ancestors of Karen," Becky explained, knowing this wasn't going to get easier. That revelation gave Nanu paused. She stopped and looked up at Becky now, almost frowning. "But they look like him, not her. They have the same straw hair and the eyes the color of the sea." She looked down at the ground now as she tried to parse out what her Mistress was telling her. "But her eyes are the color of his hair; maybe they are brother and sister?" Now Becky's eyes widened. "Well, if Iupiter and Iuno were brother and sister but also husband and wife, why can't these two be?" the Egyptian girl reasoned. "They gave birth to all the gods. But; where are these gods now?" She gestured broadly at the hallway and the gallery of busts and portraits. "Nanu, I; I don't know," Becky confessed, trying not to falter in explaining. "I've never met them, honestly. I met the father of Karen, that was it." She pointed to an imposing portrait of Jonathon Blackwell, Karen's father, which hung on the wall not far from them. "And where is that god now?" Nanu asked. Becky hadn't done herself any favors by mentioning she'd met other 'gods'. She tried distraction now, pointing at a large open space nearby on the wall. "Look, that is where the portrait of Karen will go, once she is officially head of her fa; of the pantheon." Well done, Fischer. Nanu looked at the empty space. "So the goddess will be the supreme ruler? What of the god? She seems to obey him, why will he not be up there?" This was getting harder and harder. Becky squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think of a remotely plausible answer. What a rotten moment for time lock to not interfere. "He is from a different family of gods, my love," she said finally, giving up. She didn't have the mental strength to overcome Nanu's fantasies. "A line of mighty ones, but that doesn't mean that she won't rule her own family. She may obey him, but she is their leader." It was true, just massively out of context. "So we are invited to the festival that sees her become ruler?" Nanu asked in wonder. "We are very important, aren't we?" It was finally a question Becky could answer honestly. She smiled and caressed the younger girl's cheek. "Yes, my love. We are very important to them. That's why they want us there." "What does the goddess' name means, Mistress?" queried Nanu. "Karen. It is so unusual to me." Another smile. Becky knew this tidbit, because she had laughed with her mentor about it so many times over the years they'd known one another. "Her names means 'Purity', my dear." Another wry face from Nanu. "But she fucks like Venus, Mistress. I'm not sure 'pure' is the best way to describe her." Becky restrained a giggle. "And the god? What does his name mean?" Becky happened to know that one as well, since the name was common enough. "His name means 'godlike', or 'like unto a god'." "Well at least that one makes sense," Nanu admitted. They continued walking, with Nanu gaping at just about everything. Mike and Karen were seeing to a small matter, and had suggested that Becky take Nanu for a stroll around the estate. Becky had to think about what might catch her attention, and what she'd even be able to understand. She'd already shown Nanu the service elevator, and the young woman was stunned how the tiny room could bring her to different places at the simple push of a button. Food always interested Nanu, but if they were staying for dinner, she could keep the little glutton out of the chef's way for a few hours. Glenda showed them the garage, with all the exotic and rare cars. Nanu seemed especially taken with the huge jeep and the bright red Countach. They found Ari in what was apparently an arcade (rich people, go figure!), and they watched while he played Street Fighter IV. Nanu looked on in fascination as Ari controlled the little man inside the box, making him beat up another little person. Before she got overstimulated and bloodthirsty (Becky was beginning to suspect that violence and sexual arousal were quite mated in Nanu's psyche), they went to find something else to look at. Soon, they found themselves in the compassion greenhouse. The rather pungent odor hit them the moment they opened the door. Nanu wrinkled her nose and pinched it shut with her fingers. "They grow asterion, Mistress?" she asked, her voice sounding funny before she was keeping her nose pinched shut. "I remember it from the house of my Flavian masters. We made ropes and rugs with it. They would bake the seeds into cakes. The cakes made me feel tired." Becky nodded. "It's a recreational substance in my time. They grow all sorts of things here, some of which will be very new to you." "I will get tired if we stay in here," Nanu said. "Just from the smell of the plants." Tempting, Becky thought, but ultimately decided against it. There was still lots to do, after all. They toured some of the other greenhouses before heading back into the Manor. In the foyer, they ran into two young women. Becky stepped up to greet them. "Hi, I'm Becky, this is Nanu," she said, shaking their hands. The rather buxom brunette seemed very pleasant, although Becky could already tell she was a bit of a space cadet. The other one, a shorter girl with honey-blonde hair in a pixie cut, was lean and athletic, her hazel eyes observing everything. "Hi, I'm Jeanie," the brunette said cheerfully before looking at Nanu. "Oh, wow, look how pretty you are! I'll bet you're a big hit with all the boys, aren't you?" She bent her knees slightly, resting her hands on them so she was closer to Nanu's eye level. "And what grade are you in?" Becky restrained a giggle-snort, declining to translate for Nanu. The Egyptian girl looked up at her, a rather confused expression on her face. "What's the stupid girl asking me?" she wondered. "She just said you're very pretty and all the boys must love you," Becky selectively answered. "Well, she's right about that, at least, so maybe she's not completely stupid," Nanu sniffed. "Sorry, Jeanie," Becky said, turning her attention back to her new associate. "Nanu doesn't speak English, we speak Latin to one another. So unless you speak it too, I'll have to translate for you." "Oh, yeah, no," Jeanie replied, shaking her head. "Fre'n' me barely speak English, so I guess you're on duty for us with the Latin stuff." "Hey now," the pixie-haired girl said, giving Jeanie a look before also stepping forward. She was wearing some chinos and a tank top, her jacket thrown over her shoulder. She shook Becky's hand. "Hello, I am Freja. We have been hearing about you both, I am honored." She smiled at Nanu now. "I am happy to meet you, Nanu." Becky translated, but Nanu didn't seem to hear what she was saying, since she was focused on Freja. The Danish girl was not much taller than her, but also had tiny tits, barely worth mentioning. She was smirking as Freja put out her hand, and instead of shaking it, she simply put her hands on her hips and pushed her chest forward slightly, thrusting out her tits. Freja faltered somewhat at the sight of them on display like that. "Anyhows," Freja said, turning her attention back to Becky, even if her wife was still staring at Nanu's chest. For a tiny girl, she had a huge rack. "Jeanette is my wife, we are pleased to be making your acquaintances. You ams staying for dinner?" Becky nodded, ignoring the fact that Nanu was turning slowly left and right, showing off her bust in profile. "The profs convinced me to come work as a Physics teacher at the uni. Do you two go there?" "Yes," Freja confirmed. "Jeanette is in Health and Nutrition Sciences, and I ams at the Skule." "Ooh, an engineer," Becky breathed, smiling. "Love it! You'll probs end up building a lot of the equipment I need in order to; Nanu, stop that, you brat!" She nudged the smaller woman with her hip since Nanu was cupping her tits and squishing them together. Either one of her tits was much bigger than both of Freja's, and clearly the girl was self-conscious about it. This was no doubt some leftover competition and survival trait in Nanu, finding advantage in whatever form it came. Given how she'd been mocked the other night at the bar, maybe she shouldn't be surprised. Still, she couldn't let her behave that way. "Jeanie, honey," she said, smiling at the other half of the married couple. "Would you mind taking Nanu and finding her a bathroom? I want to pick your wife's brain about something with engineering." "Oh, a hundred p," the brunette said, nodding and taking Nanu by the hand. "How'd you say 'Let's go pee' in Latin?" Becky couldn't believe she was saying this, but obliged. "Eamus mingere." "C'mon, Nanu," Jeanie said to the confused Egyptian girl, leading her off. "Eat a moose lingerie." "Even for her, that was nowhere near the close," Freja sighed as she walked along with Becky now. "I just wanted to get Nanu away from you, she gets competitive," Becky said. "Sorry about that. She was raised as a slave, so she has a survival mode about not being the smallest and weakest." "And my tits, they are smallest and weakest," the Danish girl muttered. "Oh, I think they suit you just fine," Becky said helpfully, taking Freja's hand and giving it a squeeze. "'sides, I kinda want to get a look at the rest of you without Nanu around, you look pretty muscular." Freja smiled. "I works out a lot, I guess. I played fodbold, your soccer, and also field hockey. I do some martial arts as well." "Ooh, tell me!" Becky said, pulling Freja into an unused lounge. "Tell me what you take and I'll tell you what I practice." Freja put down her coat and stood there, letting Becky see her body, although she still had her clothes on. Her shoulder muscles were obvious, but she lifted her tank top enough to show up her segmented and rock-hard abs. "I ams having a black belt in Grace Jujutsu, as well as Kenpo, and I also know Fujian White Crane. What do you practice?" "Krav Maga," Becky replied, lifting her own shirt enough to show off her smooth, firm midsection to her new friend. "Started quite a few years ago, mostly to blow off any sexual frustration, and to deal with guys who get too handsy, you know?" Freja smiled and nodded. "I believe you, for you are very well sexy-built. But we should spar, I would love to try myself against your Krav Maga." "I would love that too, Freja," Becky purred, her smile becoming sensual. "Win or lose, gonna love it. But haven't you tried sparring with the big man before?" "Once," Freja said, shaking her head. "He literally squashed me like a bug. I lasted three seconds and he just squashed me." Becky giggled. "He was the one who began teaching me Krav Maga, and every time I spar with him, I get squashed too. I think of them as sex injuries, you know?" Freja laughed. "Jeanette and I, we fuck the profs occasionally, so yes, I understand. We are lovers to them, and to their son and his wife, Karen's younger sister, Alexandra." "They were telling me about that whole arrangement, but I'm gonna need time to sort it out," Becky admitted. "It sounds like it was a helluva year." "I met my wife and married her because of Alex and Alexandra," Freja said, shucking her tank top now and just leaving her tits exposed. She didn't mind. "And what I can guarantee you, Rebecca, is that when you see Alex and Alexandra together, it will make you very happy." "Honey, I don't doubt that one bit," Becky said, pulling her own shirt off and then unhooking her bra. In a bathroom down the way. "See, this is pretty nice, right?" Jeanie said, sitting on the ornate but comfy chair, her chin on her hand while she looked at Nanu, who was simply sitting on the toilet with her pants around her ankles. She'd already managed to go pee, but apparently this stupid girl hadn't noticed and was still talking to her. "Li'l bit of girl bonding time, right?" "You really are dumb, aren't you?" Nanu said, trying to keep the snide tone out of her voice, in case the stupid girl tattled on her to Mistress. "I'm done going piss, now what?" "Oh, I've got an idea," Jeanie said rather eagerly. She pulled her shirt over her head, and then quickly undid her bra, letting her tits fall out. Nanu's eyes widened for a moment as she stared. They weren't the largest she'd ever seen, the goddess' were certainly bigger, and her Mistress' probably were too. But this dumb girl wore them well, and she clearly didn't mind showing them off at a moment's notice. "Now show me yours," Jeanie said, pointing at Nanu's shirt. The Egyptian girl shrugged and peeled off her shirt, and the stupid bra thing underneath, leaving her as exposed as her companion. Jeanie nodded approvingly as she assessed Nanu's tits. "Nice, we can have a lot of fun with those," Jeanie said, getting up and coming to kneel in front of Nanu now. She put her hands on Nanu's tits and fondled them, feeling around and giving them a good squeeze. "Yeah, these're primo, babe. Well done." Nanu didn't have a damn clue what the dunce was saying, but her tone indicated she liked Nanu's tits, and as a result, Nanu was getting groped. She didn't object at all. "Mind if I?" Jeanie asked, not waiting for an answer before leaning in and starting to swirl her tongue around one of her new friend's nipples. Nanu shivered and gasped, decidedly not objecting to this treatment. She hadn't been fucked in over an hour, so this was a good start. She reached forward and groped the brunette's big tits, liking how heavy they felt in her hand. She could feel herself getting wet, and wanted to do things with this girl now. "Hmm, new and better idea;” Jeanie said, pulling back and standing up long enough to go over to a closet and pulling out a large, plush towel. She remembered they were in there after her unfortunate encounter a few weeks earlier with the neighbor kid, who turned out to be necrotic, or narcosomic, or something. She laid the towel out on the marble floor, and then smiled at Nanu, patting the towel and indicating she should lie down. Nanu got off the toilet and laid down on her back as instructed, looking up at the dumb girl. Jeanie smiled and crawled partially over the smaller girl, her tits now hovering over Nanu's face, the nipples touching her nose. She eased down some more until Nanu could get one of the nipples in her mouth easily. Nanu began licking, tonguing and sucking readily. "Hmm, Jeanie for the win with the good ideas," the larger girl sighed, now craning down and beginning to suck and lick on Nanu's ample tits, the two of them losing themselves in the moment. Neither would feel the need to come up for air any time soon. Back in the other room. Becky grunted and strained, lying on her back and hands flexing against the floor. She was pushing with her hamstrings and her ass muscles, sweat streaming now from her nearly naked form. All she was wearing were her thong panties, and it still felt like she had too much on. Freja was lying opposite her, also just in her thong. They both had one leg in the air, locked against each near the ankle, and they were pushing hard, trying to overpower one another. It had been some time since Becky had engaged in a good bout of (the unfortunately named) Indian leg wrestling. Becky gasped and groaned, wondering if Freja was in as much discomfort as she was. She had the height advantage, a longer leg, so presumably more leverage, but Freja was very strong, her body a little bundle of muscle, which Becky had not appreciated until they'd decided on this little contest and they both stripped down. Whatever she lacked in the tits department, Freja made up for in the powerful ass department. Becky wouldn't be surprised if the little Danish girl could crack walnuts open between those cheeks. She heard Freja moan, taking heart that her opponent was working as hard as she was, although they remained in a deadlock at this point. If she couldn't overpower Freja, she'd simply have to hope to outlast her, until Freja's muscles were jelly and she gave up. They hadn't really decided on what the prize was for whoever won, but she held no doubt they'd both enjoy it. "Uh, fuck;” Freja rasped, her leg trembling every bit as much as Becky's. "You ams strong, like Alexandra or Andrea." "I'll take that; as a compliment;” Becky panted, her warm skin slick against the floor. She hoped she didn't stain the marble, she'd have a hard time explaining that to the profs. "You're really damn strong too, babe;” After almost two more minutes of straining and groaning, the strength of both women gave out at the exact same moment. Their legs bent and collapsed down, both of them breathing heavily, supremely tired from the contest. They slowly rolled onto their sides, almost going fetal as they tried to catch their breath. "That was; very difficult;” Freja managed to say. "I'm not gonna like walking on that leg for a week," Becky replied, thinking about the amount of grapefruit juice she was going to be drinking to deal with the lactic acid buildup in her leg and ass muscles. She hoped she wouldn't have to chase Nanu anywhere. "I guess it was a tie?" "Next time, we will make it a sexfight," Freja breathed, thinking she'd need a forklift to get her upright. "That will be easier on my body." "You have a deal, Fre;” Becky said wearily, hoping the profs didn't find her like this. Thankfully, the muscle pains subsided relatively quickly and easily, even if she knew she was going to be sore tomorrow. She found Nanu with Jeanie, and they both seemed much more refreshed and cheerful than her and Freja. She had a sneaking suspicion as to why. Nanu hadn't been in Freja's presence more than three seconds before she thrust her chest forward again, making sure the Danish girl knew who the mayor of Titty-Town was, even if she wasn't quite so blatant about it this time. They'd all gone to the kitchen so that Becky and Freja could rehydrate themselves a little. Freja was just drinking bicarbonate in water, whereas Theresa supplied Becky with her grapefruit juice. Nanu and Jeanie were drinking milk, and the two girls giggled at one another while they downed their glasses. Jeanie and Freja excused themselves, needing to get back to their condo. Jeanie hugged Nanu, making sure they squished their tits together, then did the same with Becky, although perhaps not quite as familiarly. Freja hugged Becky and then took a chance on hugging Nanu to say goodbye. Nanu accepted the hug, but made sure she pressed her tits right into Freja's reminding her who was in charge. Freja sighed, and they made their exit. "Miss Fischer, Mr. and Mrs. DeBourne will meet you in the Spencer Study now," Tatyana said, entering the room and nodding. "They apologize for the delay, things are just rather busy right now." "Well, what with finals coming, and the big ol' housewarmings, I'm not surprised," Becky said cheerfully, taking Nanu's hand and allowing Tatyana to take them to the aforementioned Spencer Study. Inside, Mike and Karen were sitting on a long, ornate chesterfield. Becky strolled in and sat down on a loveseat just across from them, joined by Nanu. Once again, the Egyptian girl seemed to be keeping her eyes averted. "I hope you don't mind, Rebecca, I thought we might continue having more of your delightful wine," Karen said, pouring some glasses. "I'm glad you like it, and especially glad that you aren't asking questions," Becky answered, relieved that her mentors seemed to genuinely understand her predicament, even if they couldn't understand her predicament. "I promise, I'll scare up some more for you." They were happily discussing Becky's future employment at the university, with Mike and Karen almost teasing her with tempting tidbits about all the latest research into quantum crystallography. Nanu listened quietly, understanding nothing, but knowing that whatever was being discussed was important. It was about making her Mistress happy, and nothing was more important to her than that. Well, getting fucked was as important, but clearly she could have both, so why quibble? Soon enough, they were joined by another person, whom Becky and Nanu turned to meet. A tall, young, and incredibly handsome blond man strolled in casually, wearing an infectious grin that Becky would recognize anywhere, even if she hadn't met him some years ago. He was so very obviously a DeBourne. Nanu's eyes went wide again, and she trembled in fear. "There you are, child-mine," Karen said as Alex walked into the study. "You remember Miss Fischer, yes?" "Of course," he said, smiling genially as he walked over to where the guest was sitting with another, smaller and exotic-looking girl. She stood up and he shook her hand, which was firm, friendly, and warm. A definite turn-on. "It's good to see you again, Ms. Fischer." "Oh, God, call me Becky, please," she said, trying to not blatantly ogle her professors' son. He was so much like Mike, only distilled into a more human-sized form, with enchanting electric blue eyes that radiated humor. But there was also a cool aloofness beneath, if he cared to let it be seen, and that was something he got from his regal mother. "You've grown up, Alex, and you were a lady-killer when you were just thirteen, I recall." "Well, everyone kept sayin' you were too old for me, so I had a wait a few years," he quipped, making her laugh. "Who's your friend, Becks?" Becky shook her head, since his new name for her reminded her of Mark. Still, it gave her a tingle when Alex said it, so she didn't exactly mind. He was more than free to keep calling her that. "Alex, this is Nanu. She's staying with me for the foreseeable future." Alex was going to shake Nanu's hand, but instead she slipped down to her knees, staring up at him in reverent awe before dropping her head to look at the floor. She began speaking quietly, her voice little more than a mumble. Alex raised an eyebrow before glancing over at his mother and father, who were still sitting on the large chesterfield. "Is she speaking Coptic? That's Coptic, isn't it? I don't speak that one yet." "Maybe if you were an elder of the church and showed a little more liturgical piety," Karen sniffed, holding her wine glass as she watched and assessed her son and his reactions. "Nanu is from very small-town Egypt, but she speaks Imperial Latin." Becky watched on, intrigued as he looked down at her again. "Please get up;” he instructed in the language of Imperial Rome. Nanu stood, but kept her eyes averted, even while he was addressing her. He smiled at her. "Nanu, I'm Alex. My full name is Alexander." She dared to look up at him again. He was a head, shoulders, and half a chest taller than her. She barely cleared his dad's abdomen. But she was certainly stacked for such a small girl. She had the build of a dancer, except with big tits. "The conqueror is named after you," she said in a hushed tone. "Alexander;” Alex looked back at his parents and Becky. "Does she think I'm a god? She's clearly not Muslim or Syriac Christian." "We haven't quite figured out what she makes of us," Mike replied, his deep voice from behind her making Nanu almost shiver and squeeze her eyes shut. This had been quite the day for her, and she'd met three gods now. How many people could say that? "Well, better you guys spend time thinkin' about it than me," Alex concluded, kneeling down so that he was eye-level with Nanu, taking her hands and smiling. She trembled at the touch. "Welcome to my home, Nanu;” he said cheerfully. She looked like she might faint. Her heart was thundering in her chest again, and she felt dizzy. "I hear you're due to get married, Alex," Becky mentioned, taking the pressure off Nanu before she just expired right there on the Persian rug. "Your aunt?" "Yep," Alex said, rising while gesturing for Becky and Nanu to sit again, which they did, Nanu somewhat unsteadily. Becky gave her some water while Alex eased himself onto the chesterfield next to Becky. Half a second later, Valentina brought in more drinks. Becky smirked at the steaming blue beverage waiting for Alex. Apparently it was some nerdy thing called a 'Romulan Ale'. "Mom's sister that I'm named after. "I take it you've heard the whole crazy story?" "Crazy stories seem to be the theme of this past year," Becky agreed. "Damned if I can get into mine, though. I am looking forward to meeting her as well, though. Your mom and dad have mentioned her over the years, the fact that she was missing from your lives. She and your grandmother were gone by the time I knew them." "Speaking of my baby sister, would you happen to know her whereabouts?" Karen asked, looking at her son. "She went with Aunt Jen to the pub while I was in class," he replied, nodding to Val in approval as he tried his drink. "Aunt Jen had a bunch a followers, so she took them all for a drink." "Meaning it'll somehow magically happen on my tab," Karen muttered while Mike patted her shoulder. "When was that?" "Alexa only had a half day, so they're probably almost home by now," he replied. "Aunt Jen really likes Theresa's coq au vin." He looked at Becky and Nanu now. "You two staying for dinner? Theresa makes killer food." "Well, your chef's bologna hasn't had any disastrous effects on Nanu's digestive tract, so I assume fresh poultry ought to be fine," Becky mused. "Nitrates and preservatives are the enemy, eh?" the young man laughed, once again reminding Becky of his father and giving her a tingle. They finished their drinks and Mike and Karen agreed to take them on a small tour. Becky was rather interested in the energy-saving measures, like the solar panels and the thermochromic windows. They were all touring the temperate produce greenhouse (called the 'Orangerie') some while later when two people joined them. "We're back, and we're not even hammered," the tall, gorgeous blonde chimed musically, the air of the room lightening with her presence. Even the resident butterflies of the Orangerie seemed to dance about when she was near them. She walked right up to Becky and hugged her. "You must be Becky! I've heard a lot about you." "I've heard a lot about you too, but I never would've believed anyone could be as stacked as your older sister," Becky replied, happily returning the squishy hug. "Let me introduce Nanu. Unless you speak Coptic, you'll need to speak Latin to her." "Hi, Nanu!" Alex almost sang as she knelt and hugged the shorter girl. Nanu's eyes looked like they might just spring out of her head before she swooned, not even having a chance to get on her knees and avert her eyes. "I'm Alexa!" "A; leks...a;” the Egyptian girl murmured as the tall, blonde goddess finally released her. She didn't go to her knees, she simply gazed at Alexa in quiet awe. This had been quite a day for her, even by her standards recently. "And I'm Jenny, lovey," the countess said, walking over and giving Becky a hug. "Chuffed to have you around. Have the lord and lady of the manor made their proposal to you yet?" "They have, and I've accepted, countess," Becky replied, enjoying yet another squishy, sexy hug. She had no doubt she'd end up fucking these two women eventually, if not Alex. She'd never had sex with a countess before, just a French noblewoman that she was reasonably certain was her own ancestor. "I could use the pay upgrade, certainly. Gotta pay for the classes to keep this bod toned somehow." "Delighted to hear it," Jenny said cheerfully, the two women still holding one another by the waist as they smiled at each other. Mike and Karen looked on, trying not to smirk. "And you're quite lovely, my dear. Certainly it won't hurt to' "Oh my gosh;” Alexa breathed, looking at the floor as an epiphany shivered through her. She looked up at Becky and Jenny. "We've gotta do that." "Do what, darling?" Jenny asked, looking at her but still holding Becky, their hips touching. "Well, look at us," Alexa said, coming over and inserting herself into the small hug, which was now a three-way. "Three tall, gorgeous blondes; we need to form a clique, or a union or something." "I've never belonged to a union," Jenny mused. "I've never not belonged to a union," Becky added. "Don't think I've been in a clique, though." "Yeah, but where's this ever happen?" Alexa said, pointing at each of them in turn. "Three natural blonde goddesses all together, none of us made of plastic or silicone; we're the world's most awesome and exclusive clique." "A Trinity," Alex added rather unhelpfully. "Yes!" Alexa said loudly, turning and pointing at Alex in excitement while Karen favored her son with a sour look for encouraging this. "The Trinity! That's it exactly!" She took Becky and Jenny by the hands and began pulling them out of the Orangerie, confusing the butterflies. "C'mon! We've gotta go take pics to celebrate our formation;” "Take care of Nanu for me," Becky called back, getting pulled along in Alexa's wake, as was the countess. The girl was frighteningly strong when she was exited; Becky would be amazed if even Andrea was stronger than Alexa. "Feed her or something', that'll keep her occupied." Nanu watched her Mistress disappear with the golden-haired goddess with the giant tits, along with the other woman. Seconds later, the three gods she was left with all turned to look down at her. She stared back at them awkwardly for a moment before opening her mouth and pointing at her gullet, then licking her lips and rubbing her belly. She looks like Nibbles the Mouse from those old Tom and Jerry cartoons when she does that," Alex observed. "Well, let's go see if Theresa can scare up some more bologna for her," the golden-eyed goddess named Karen mused, holding out her hand for the Nanu to take. "Ba-lo;” Nanu said eagerly as she followed Karen out of the Orangerie. "Ba-lo;” Soon enough she'd be eating again, and hopefully someone would fuck her. She hadn't anticipated anything like this happening to her, and she owed it all to her Mistress and the god-machine. It was a good day to be Nanu Tehemet. A study on the third floor. "Okay, so," Alexa began, herding the two women into the room and then closing the door for privacy. "This is gonna be awesome, the world's most elite clique." "It would be nice to belong to something Kat cannot dominate," Jenny mused, nodding. "What does our clique do?" "Just exist to show off how wonderful it is to be a blonde goddess," Alexa reasoned, rubbing her hands together and then assessing them both for a moment. "I mean, we're gotta spread the truth, right?" "Good enough for me," Becky declared readily, watching Alexa go over to a closet and pull out an expensive-looking camera and tripod. "Lotsa pics in various states of dress and undress?" &l

In the Husker Doc Talk Podcast 2025, Episode 19, Travis Justice and Dr. Rob Zatechka hit the reset button for new listeners and long-time fans alike. After more than 20 years together behind microphones and 13 seasons of this podcast, they remind you what you're signing up for: football, beer, history tangents, and brutally honest Husker talk. The guys crack into a “three-beer podcast” (that might quietly become a four- or five-beer show) featuring local favorites from Kros Strain Brewing and a deep dive into Pliny the Elder – yes, both the beer and the Roman author. Along the way, you'll get craft beer notes, a quick Roman history lesson, and the usual Viking jokes at Dr. Rob's expense before they shift into full football mode. Nebraska's 37–10 beatdown at Penn State takes center stage. Was this the worst performance of the year, or does Minnesota still hold that crown? Travis and Dr. Rob break down why pointing fingers at the quarterback is lazy analysis. They put the spotlight where they believe it belongs: on the offensive and defensive lines, development versus recruiting, and whether Nebraska has slipped backward on defense after losing Tony White and Terrence Knighton. They also dive into T.J. Lateef's outing, how he compares to Dylan Raiola, and why the real issue isn't under center. Emmett Johnson's monster season and quiet Heisman push get a serious look. Is he the best running back in the Big Ten, and what would he look like behind an elite offensive line? The guys talk NIL math, draft grades, transfer portal temptations, and whether Emmett's future is in Lincoln, the NFL, or somewhere chasing a national title. Then it's rivalry week: Iowa vs. Nebraska on Black Friday. Travis explains why Hawkeye fans are strangely comfortable living in the 7–8 win world of Kirk Ferentz, while Dr. Rob shocks everyone by actually picking Iowa to win—and to score on both defense and special teams. They break down Iowa's run game, their shaky passing attack, and how Nebraska should defend a team that can't throw it deep. There's even time for some national drama: Lane Kiffin's flirtation with LSU and Florida, the insanity of coaching expectations in places like Baton Rouge, and why Ole Miss might actually be Kiffin's best long-term play. Of course, the show is brought to you by their friends at G-Defy (GDEFY.com, promo code DocTalk50), Orr Law Group, and Husker Hounds. Hit subscribe on YouTube, drop a comment, and if you found the show through HuskerMax.com, Travis and Dr. Rob say thank you and welcome aboard.

There's a lot of San Diego connections with Russian River including one part owner that calls Julian home. So, they make it a priority that The Pub at Lake Cuyamaca is always stocked with Russian River beer, more so this week as for SDBW they are featuring the Santa Rosa Brewery! One of the special beers on tap include this double dry hopped version of Pliny the Elder.

The Sirens were never “sexy.” That was a re-brand—a smear campaign against women whose voices held power. Long before Disney's mermaids, they were winged, wise, and catastrophic: guardians of knowledge, not temptresses of flesh.In this first voyage of the all new Domina Tempora Podcast, we uncover how language, religion, and fear transformed the Siren from philosopher-musician to femme fatale—and what that says about how history punishes female intellect.

In this episode of Living Theology, we explore one of the most profound questions in human history: Who is Jesus of Nazareth?Was He merely a prophet or moral teacher — or truly God in human form?Through Scripture, historical analysis, and secular evidence, we journey through the biblical foundations and extra-biblical testimonies that affirm the divinity of Christ.From the Gospel of John to the letters of Paul, from Roman historians like Tacitus and Pliny to Jewish sources such as Josephus, the case unfolds that the earliest Christians worshipped Jesus as Lord — not centuries later, but from the very beginning.This is not mythology; it is history.It is theology meeting evidence, faith meeting reason — and humanity meeting its Creator.

In this episode of Living Theology, we explore one of the most profound questions in human history: Who is Jesus of Nazareth?Was He merely a prophet or moral teacher — or truly God in human form?Through Scripture, historical analysis, and secular evidence, we journey through the biblical foundations and extra-biblical testimonies that affirm the divinity of Christ.From the Gospel of John to the letters of Paul, from Roman historians like Tacitus and Pliny to Jewish sources such as Josephus, the case unfolds that the earliest Christians worshipped Jesus as Lord — not centuries later, but from the very beginning.This is not mythology; it is history.It is theology meeting evidence, faith meeting reason — and humanity meeting its Creator.

Welcome, my ghoulish fiends! Join me as I sink my teeth into the dark allure of vampires and the eternal obsession with youth. From Countess Elizabeth Bathory's infamous legend to Roman and early modern rituals of blood and renewal, I explore how the vampire became the ultimate beauty icon and how our own thirst for ageless perfection mirrors their seductive, deadly world. *Listener Discretion is Strongly Advised*************Sources & References:Groom, Nick. The Vampire: A New History (Oxford University Press, 2018)Auerbach, Nina. Our Vampires, Ourselves (University of Chicago Press, 1995)Sugg, Richard. Mummies, Cannibals and Vampires (Routledge, 2011)Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890)Polidori, John. The Vampyre (1819)Le Fanu, Sheridan. Carmilla (1872)Stoker, Bram. Dracula (1897)Historical references: Pliny the Elder, Juvenal, Marsilio Ficino, and accounts from the Bathory trial (1609–1610)Day, Doris. Commentary on PRP “vampire facial” (2015–2019)Regalado, Antonio. “Young Blood Transfusions: Silicon Valley's Obsession with Youth.” MIT Technology Review (2019)Lepore, Jill. “The Cult of Youth in Modern Science.” The New Yorker (2019)GlobalData (2027 projection for anti-aging skincare market)JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery (2018–2020) studies on “Snapchat dysmorphia”****************Leave Us a 5* Rating, it really helps the show!Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-unlocked-the-podcast/id1522636282Spotify Podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA****************Follow Us on Social Media & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!YouTube:@beautyunlockedspodcasthourTikTok:tiktok.com/@beautyunlockedthepod****************MUSIC & SOUND FX:"Alleys of Darkness" Phoenix Tail"Rain Light 6" SFX Producer Epidemic SoundFind the perfect track on Epidemic Sound for your content and take it to the next level! See what the hype is all about!

This episode argues for a eucharistic reading of "the word became flesh" challenging the common belief that John 1:14 is about Jesus's birth, arguing instead that it establishes the New Covenant's two central rituals: Baptism (New Birth) and the Eucharist (Sustenance). By adopting the Greek translation that the Word "tabernacled in us," we find a shared sacred practice that can be a new center of unity for Christians struggling with theological fracturing.Bill Schegel's video (  @billschlegel1  ) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A87VcXKCWBM&t=1053sMy prologue presentation at the UCA (  @UnitarianChristianAlliance  ) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL7vQIPGQ14&t=2110sMy extended prologue presentation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqTlnT-J6rk&t=5337sSean Finnegan on Corinthians - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiNXMo2KMxk&t=103sSean Finnegan Corinthians (  @restitutio8765  ,  @livinghopelatham  ) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lht8tLge3iUDustin Smith Theme of Misunderstanding (  @BiblicalUnitarianPodcast  ) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUNLO9Zm83o&t=230sFr. John Behr on Origen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4S4BZJcqF0&t=341sFrancis Chan on Gavin Ortlund (  @TruthUnites  ) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNhqyRiIi9U&t=1669sI mention John MacArthur, Francis Chan, Fr. John Behr, Emperor Justinian I, Bill Schlegel, Sam Tideman, Huldrych Zwingli, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Michael Servetus, Sean Finnegan, Brett Salkeld, Origen of Alexandria, Nicodemus, John the Baptist, Paul, Moses, Mary, Pliny the Younger, Emperor Trajan, Thomas (Apostle), Philip, Nathanael, Jacob (Ancestor), Abraham (Ancestor), Irenaeus of Lyon, Justin Martyr, Raymond Brown and more.

Do you think Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger ever had a magic act where Pliny the Elder would climb into a big wooden box with whatever the Latin is for "PLINY THE ELDER'S DE-AGING DEVICE" written on it. Then Pliny the Younger would jump out of the box and say "behold, it is I, Pliny the Elder but younger. But you may call me simply Pliny." Then William Pitt, who had been watching from backstage, calls his dad on the phone and says "Pitt! Pitt the Elder! It's your son, Pitt the Younger. You know that new sound you're looking for? Well listen to this!" and then he holds the phone towards the stage, not understanding that telephones can't convey a magic act that ended twenty seconds ago. "Pitt the Disappointment, more like," says Pitt the Elder on the phone to no one. In this episode. Steve gets scanned. Log gets Zimmed. Joe gets secrets. Charmed I'm sure.

Did Jesus exist?  Is Jesus a myth?  Is there any evidence that Jesus actually lived?  Is there any evidence outside the Bible?  The answer is absolutely, there's a great deal of evidence. Many are unaware of some of the very profound and powerful evidences for the existences of Jesus.  Today we will take a look at the evidence for Jesus' existence, coming at it from three different vantage points: Ancient Hostile Witnesses: (Pastor goes into detail regarding each of the following hostile testifiers to Jesus and His followers)     •    Tacitus - Annals XV, 44 (ca 55-120A.D)      •    Suetonius - Claudius, 25 and Nero, 18 (ca 117-138 A.D.)     •    Pliny the Younger - Letter to Roman Emperor Trajan (ca 112 A.D.)     •    Sanhedrin 43a (part of the Talmud)     •    Josephus - “Testimonium Flavianum”  Antiquities, 18:3 (ca 37-97 A.D.) Earliest Witnesses     •    Doctor Luke and John Mark     •    Jesus' best friend, John     •    Saul of Tarsus (Apostle Paul) Accepted historical Facts: Acknowledged by Scholars, Liberals, Conservatives, Christians, Jews and Agnostics:     •    Jesus died by Roman Crucifixion     •    His tomb was discovered to be empty     •    His disciples said they saw the risen Jesus     •    His disciples lives were radically changed     •    Resurrection proclaimed early in Jerusalem     •    James and Paul became believers Pastor concludes the teaching time telling us that God changed his heart and the direction of his career. Then Pastor changes the question to "Does Jesus really exist?" and continues with the following: “If Jesus is alive, if He has risen from the grave, that changes everything. It means that God has broken into our world. It means that there is life and forgiveness in Him, and that apart from Him, you have nothing. Today's question is not simply a question about the historical past, this is a question about eternal destiny!” Jesus is alive! And we pray that He will be, if He's not already, the Lord of your life! Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/whats-the-answer Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Mistletoe is a small evergreen parasitic plant that grows in clusters on trees. It has white berries and it has been used for centuries as a symbol of love, fertility, and peace. The Greeks used mistletoe as a cure for all sorts of ailments while the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder noted it could be used as a balm against epilepsy, ulcers and poisons. The Druids came to view it as a sacred symbol of vivacity, and they gave it to humans and animals alike in the hope of restoring fertility. However, one of the most popular legends about mistletoe and probably the reason we associated this plant with kissing dates back to Norse mythology. But how did it become associated with kissing? How did kissing under the mistletoe become popular? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: ⁠At which time of day do we burn the most calories?⁠ ⁠Why does the cold make us need to pee?⁠ ⁠How can I meditate without meditating?⁠ A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. First broadcast : 21/12/2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This may be the ultimate systems thinking interview. Beyond building science at the site scale, this is systems thinking to save the world. Gail Vittori and Pliny Fisk III have their fingerprints all over the structural ideologies for ways of thinking that underlie what we now think of as the fields of sustainability, greenbuilding, indoor health and well-being and more. Enjoy this thoughtful unpacking of ideas that span from systems thinking at the scale of the planet to human society to industry, products and materials. If you're not familiar with Pliny Fisk III and Gaily Vittori, Max's Pot, the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, or the Global Dreamlab, it's about damn time that you are. Buckle up and enjoy this wild and fascinating ride with two of the brightest early lights in environmental sustainability in the AEC and beyond.Pliny Fisk IIIPliny Fisk III is a pivotal figure in the sustainability movement, whose career in architecture, landscape architecture, and the systems sciences spans more than four decades. He has dedicated his career to developing replicable prototypes, protocols, and policy initiatives that challenge conventional wisdom in building design, engineering, materials, and planning. His seminal life cycle-based protocols helped shape the first green building programs, and he collaborated on federal efforts like the Greening of the White House and the Greening of the Grand Canyon. He is also an inventor and the CEO and founder of two technology companies, Sustainable Earth Technologies and the EcoInventorium.Pliny's influence extends into academia and policy, having held faculty positions at several major universities and served as an advisor to foundations like MacArthur and Gates. His policy initiatives include the Austin Green Building Program and the AIA's Environmental Resource Guide, establishing new protocols with broad implementation. His impact has earned him numerous honors, including The Lewis Mumford Award and the U.S. Green Building Council's Sacred Tree Award. Pliny has been recognized by Metropolis Magazine as a Visionary and by Texas Monthly as one of “35 People Who Will Shape Our Future.”Gail VittoriGail Vittori  leads a life of discovery, of adventure, of collaborating with incredible people and finding opportunities to make a little bit of a movement of the needle on things that she is passionate about. Gail has been a key force in advancing green building policies, protocols, and prototypes at the local, state, and national levels, with a particular emphasis on the critical link between sustainable design and human health1. In 1989 she developed the initial conceptual framework for what would become the City of Austin's Green Builder Program, recognized as the first green building program globally. Building on this foundational work, she went on to convene the Green Guide for Health Care in 2001, an initiative that catalyzed a revolution in the design, construction, and operations of healthcare facilities. Her expertise led her to serve as the Founding Chair of the LEED for Healthcare committee from 2004 to 2008, and she also co-authored Sustainable Healthcare Architecture.Gail has held several influential leadership positions in the sustainable building community. She served on the USGBC Board of Directors from 2002 to 2010, including a term as Board Chair in 20095. She also dedicated eight years to the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) Board of Directors from 2011 to 2019, where she served as Board Chair from 2013 to 2019. Currently, she is the Vice-Chair of the Health Product Declaration Collaborative Board of Directors. Her vision and impact have earned her significant recognition, including the 2015 Hanley Award for Vision and Leadership and the 2020 USGBC's Kate Hurst Leadership Award. Additionally, she was featured as an Innovator: Building a Greener World in TIME Magazine and was a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design.TeamHosted by Kristof IrwinEdited by Nico MignardiProduced by M. Walker

Tune into this minisode for the chilling reading and analysis of some of the very first ghost stories we have in the record, including the first haunted house story! Kaleigh reads Pliny the Younger's spooky tales and shares about what makes them so relevant to today. Happy Halloween!Let's Chat! Bluesky: TINAHLPodcastEmail: thisisnotahistorylecture@gmail.com

Such a cool and packed episode this week. We are all here and talking about things like: The details of a Mug Club. Wazzuu got goooold at GABF!!! Having to buy beer from Bezos. GetIts at GABF!! And then a Fresno Getit!? Brew Pub life. The re-opening of Sequoia Brewing. Throwing shade on the GABF convention floor. That first taste of a Pliny. Should you split your check or do one check? And more! Downloadable: PerfectPour633.mp3 (Warning of cussing!) HOSTED BY: Nick, Rad Stacey, Mikey MUSIC BY: Sunburns and Paul From Fairfax. BEER AND SHOW-RELATED LINKS: SUPPORT THE SHOW AND BECOME A GOLDEN GOD! Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts. You can also find us on Spotify and most podcast players. Perfect Pour's YouTube Channel. VOICEMAIL/TEXT LINE: 559-492-0542 Drop Us a Line: Email Perfect Pour. Join our free Lager Line Discord channel! Send Postcards or Samples to us: The Perfect Pour – co Mike Seay 2037 W. Bullard Ave #153 Fresno, CA 93711 Mikey's newsletter: Drinking & Thinking. Check this!: Mikey's Dorky Amazon Storefront.

We're back with our continuing second collection. This week it's: "Letter to Sura" by Pliny the Younger read by Timothy Ferguson! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with our continuing second collection. This week it's: "Letter to Sura" by Pliny the Younger read by Timothy Ferguson! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bishop Tony Percy reflects on early Christian history when Christians were wrongly seen as usurpers and insurrectionists. The earliest external evidence we have of Christian practice comes from a letter from Pliny, a governor in what is now modern-day Turkey, to the Emperor Trajan (AD 110) which tells us about ourselves

For about a millennium and a half, between 250 BC and A.D. 1200, India was a confident exporter of its own diverse civilizations, creating an empire of ideas, to a world that was a willing and eager recipient of a startlingly comprehensive mass transfer of Indian soft power. From religion such as Buddhism to mathematics that introduced the idea of zero, infinity, algebra, trigonometry to astronomy that proposed a spherical earth rotating on its own axis and trade, that Pliny the Elder complained drained the wealth of Rome into Indian pockets, Indian ideas infected the world.  In The Golden Road, William Dalrymple, draws on a lifetime of scholarship to give a name to the spread of Indian ideas that transformed the world. From the largest Hindu temple in the world at Angkor Wat to the Buddhism of China, from the trade that helped fund the Roman Empire, to the creation of the numerals we use today, Dalrymple shares the soaring history of how India transformed the culture and technology of the ancient world, and in doing so, the world today as we know it. About the Speaker William Benedict Hamilton-Dalrymple CBE, is a noted historian and best-selling author of nine books; the most recent, The Anarchy, was a finalist for the Cundill History Prize and one of Barack Obama's favorite books of 2019. He is also one of the co-founders and co-directors of the world's largest writers' festival, the annual Jaipur Literature Festival. Dalrymple's books have won numerous awards and prizes, including the Wolfson Prize for History, the Duff Cooper Memorial Prize, the Hemingway, the Kapuściński, the Arthur Ross Medal of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award and the Sunday Times Young British Writer of the Year Award. He writes regularly for The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books and The Guardian. The Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. An Asia-Pacific Affairs Member-led Forum program. Forums and chapters at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Dalrymple photo by Debbie Mitra Singh; courtesy the publisher. Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Organizer: Kalidip Choudhury  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This year marks the 25th birthday of Simcoe, and when Russian River (https://www.russianriverbrewing.com/) cofounder Vinnie Cilurzo suggested recording an episode of the podcast in Yakima to celebrate it, we weren't going to say no. Rather than sit around a table, we took to the experimental hop rows at Perrault Farms (https://www.perraultfarms.com/) and recorded while walking the field. The result is a wide-ranging conversation that covers history, business, agriculture, creativity, pivotal craft beers, hop evolution, and more. In this episode, Cilurzo and Perrault discuss: how Simcoe was bred by pioneering hop breeder Chuck Zimmerman its establishment on three family farms at the time—Carpenter, Perrault, and Smith how Simcoe brought the families' kids back to the farms developing the Pliny the Elder recipe around this hop the evolution of Simcoe over the past quarter century virus-free Simcoe and its flavor and yield impacts the impact of pick date on Simcoe flavor and aroma Simcoe's relationship with Mosaic selecting Simcoe and processing it into modern flowable formats how Pliny the Elder and the new Simcoe 25 beer use Simcoe in new formats And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly. Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don't. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Custom blend development is available through our innovative R&D lab. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Celebrating 16 years of delivering compelling new hop varieties along with classics that thrive in Oregon's terroir, Indie is the original source for Strata, Luminosa, Lórien, Meridian, and their newest variety Audacia. Release your creativity with the magic of pure, uncut Oregon hops from Indie. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let's make it flavorful. XTRATUF (https://xtratuf.com) XTRATUF has been making rugged and reliable boots for 75 years. Built for the harshest conditions, the Legacy Collection styles are oil, acid, and chemical resistant with a non-slip rated outsole. Be prepared for whatever comes your way and shop the latest XTRATUF boots on xtratuf.com. Canoe Wild Rice (https://breweryworkshop.com) Brewers, have you ever considered brewing with North America's only Ancient Grain—Wild Rice? Joe at Canoe Wild Rice has a stockpile of this unique roasted grain ready to ship to you. Send Canoe Wild Rice an email at joe@canoewildrice.com or give the office a call at 1-800-626-3809 Prairie Malt (https://prairiemalt.com) For over 50 years Prairie Malt has been producing high extract malts forged from the fertile soils of Saskatchewan. Stop by the Roadhouse & Melvin booth at GABF to sample some award-winning beers produced with excellent malts and learn more at prairiemalt.com. Briess Malting (https://BrewingWithBriess.com) Briess offers the largest product line of specialty malt and is continuing to innovate. New malts include Heritage Gold and Lighthouse Munich. Check out why so many craft brewers trust Briess for their specialty malt at BrewingWithBriess.com.

Arria, and her daughter of the same name, were celebrated in Roman literature for their virtues, piety, and devotion to family. Remembered above all for their willingness to embrace self-sacrifice, their lives and deaths became exemplars of courage and duty, cited by writers like Pliny and Martial as models of Roman virtue. Episode CCXLVIII (248) Guest: Assoc. Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classic and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

Send us a textFor this episode of Brewstilled, it's a recap of week 2 for the 2025 NFL season. For week 2, we saw a mix of results for the House of The Lombardi teams. The Rams continue to fight on as they're 2-0 with no issues with Matt Staffords back. Yet, a week 3 game with the Eagles does loom close. The Jaguars lost a close game despite a better performance on the offense. The Cowboys won against the Giants as their defense continues to serve as the weakest link. Will the Cowboys defense hold them back? Lamar Jackson had a big day against the Browns while Jared Goff went scorched earth on the Chicago Bears. All this and more will be discussed here on Brewstilled with a Double Dry Hopped edition of Pliny the Elder from Russian River as the beer pairing. 

We are tackling one of the most difficult passages in the Bible that comes from 1 Timothy 2 about women keeping silent and not being able to teach a man. It has been a hot topic and debated for centuries! What does Paul say? What does he mean by what he says? Is there a contradiction here? Does Paul contradict his very own thoughts? We're going to dissect it and give our input in this podcast. There is a part 1 and a part 2.

Special Thanks to... Ron Rubin / River Road Family Vineyards & Winery - for their financial support Richard Ross / Threshold Studios - for the amazing sound engineering In this episode of Wine Road, Marci Gordon and Beth Costa chat with Tom Buckley, the General Manager of Hotel La Rose in Santa Rosa and a new board member of The Wine Road. They kick things off by thanking their sponsors, Ron Rubin and River Road Family Vineyards and Winery, for keeping the podcast going. Tom shares the rich history of Hotel La Rose, a boutique hotel located in the historic railroad district of Santa Rosa. Built in 1907, the hotel boasts unique architecture with stone brought in from eastern Santa Rosa. The property features 29 individually designed rooms in the main building and a charming carriage house with balconies, patios, and a courtyard that's perfect for group gatherings. Its central location makes it a great spot for visitors, with restaurants, shops, and even the train station just steps away. The conversation highlights the hotel's outdoor venue, which is ideal for weddings and events, and the convenience of the nearby SMART train, which brings visitors from the Bay Area. Tom reflects on his journey in hospitality, his love for the boutique hotel experience, and the importance of connecting with guests. He also praises Grossman's, the Jewish deli located in the hotel, for its delicious food and bakery offerings. Beth and Tom discuss the many reasons people visit Sonoma County, from wine tasting to exploring the coast, redwoods, and local attractions like Safari West. They also touch on the idea of hosting a Farmer's Market at the hotel's outdoor venue and the popularity of events like the Pliny the Younger beer release. The episode wraps up with Beth's “hidden winery” segment, giving listeners clues about a winery in Dry Creek Valley known for its fumé blanc, and a reminder to check out the Harvest Wine Trail, featuring 30 wineries and unique harvest experiences. Tom encourages everyone to visit Hotel La Rose, calling it the perfect base for exploring Sonoma County. Thanks to: River Road Family Vineyards & Winery Threshold Studio & Richard Ross - for our amazing sound recording!   Mentions: Hotel La Rose Harvest Wine Trail Pliney the Younger - Russian River Brewery Safari West Armstrong Woods

All over the world, for all of human history – and probably going back to our earliest hominid ancestors – people have found ways to try to keep themselves clean. But how did soap come about? Research: “Soap, N. (1), Etymology.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/1115187665. American Cleaning Institute. “Soaps & Detergents History.” https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/understanding-products/why-clean/soaps-detergents-history Beckmann, John. “History of Inventions, Discoveries and Origins.” William Johnston, translator. Bosart, L.W. “The Early History of the Soap Industry.” The American Oil Chemists' Society. Journal of Oil & Fat Industries 1924-10: Vol 1 Iss 2. Cassidy, Cody. “Who Discovered Soap? What to Know About the Origins of the Life-Saving Substance.” Time. 5/5/2020. https://time.com/5831828/soap-origins/ Ciftyurek, Muge, and Kasim Ince. "Selahattin Okten Soap Factory in Antakya and an Evaluation on Soap Factory Plan Typology/Antakya'da Bulunan Selahattin Okten Sabunhanesi ve Sabunhane Plan Tipolojisi Uzerine Bir Degerlendirme." Art-Sanat, no. 19, Jan. 2023, pp. 133+. Gale Academic OneFile, dx.doi.org/10.26650/artsanat.2023.19.1106544. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025. Costa, Albert B. “Michel-Eugène Chevreul.” Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michel-Eugene-Chevreul Curtis, Valerie A. “Dirt, disgust and disease: a natural history of hygiene.” Journal of epidemiology and community health vol. 61,8 (2007): 660-4. doi:10.1136/jech.2007.062380 Dijkstra, Albert J. “How Chevreul (1786-1889) based his conclusions on his analytical results.” OCL. Vol. 16, No. 1. January-February 2009. Gibbs, F.W. “The History and Manufacture of Soap.” Annals of Science. 1939. Koeppel, Dan. “The History of Soap.” 4/15/2020. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/history-of-soap/ List, Gary, and Michael Jackson. “Giants of the Past: The Battle Over Hydrogenation (1903-1920).” https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=210614 Maniatis, George C. “Guild Organized Soap Manufacturing Industry in Constantinople: Tenth-Twelfth Centuries.” Byzantion, 2010, Vol. 80 (2010). https://www.jstor.org/stable/44173107 National Museum of American History. “Bathing (Body Soaps and Cleansers).” https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/health-hygiene-and-beauty/bathing-body-soaps-and-cleansers New Mexico Historic Sites. “Making Soap from the Leaves of the Soaptree Yucca.” https://nmhistoricsites.org/assets/files/selden/Virtual%20Classroom_Soaptree%20Yucca%20Soap%20Making.pdf “The history of soapmaking.” 8/30/2019. https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history/history-science-technology-and-medicine/history-science/the-history-soapmaking Pliny the Elder. “The Natural History of Pliny. Translated, With Copious Notes and Illustrations.” Vol. 5. John Bostock, translator. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/60688/60688-h/60688-h.htm Pointer, Sally. “An Experimental Exploration of the Earliest Soapmaking.” EXARC Journal. 2024/3. 8/22/2024. https://exarc.net/issue-2024-3/at/experimental-exploration-earliest-soapmaking Ridner, Judith. “The dirty history of soap.” The Conversation. 5/12/2020. https://theconversation.com/the-dirty-history-of-soap-136434 Routh, Hirak Behari et al. “Soaps: From the Phoenicians to the 20th Century - A Historical Review.” Clinics in Dermatology. Vol. No. 3. 1996. Smith, Cyril Stanley, and John G. Hawthorne. “Mappae Clavicula: A Little Key to the World of Medieval Techniques.” Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, vol. 64, no. 4, 1974, pp. 1–128. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1006317. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025. Timilsena, Yakindra Prasad et al. “Perspectives on Saponins: Food Functionality and Applications.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 24,17 13538. 31 Aug. 2023, doi:10.3390/ijms241713538 “Craftsmanship of Aleppo Ghar soap.” https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/craftsmanship-of-aleppo-ghar-soap-02132 “Tradition of Nabulsi soap making in Palestine.” https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/tradition-of-nabulsi-soap-making-in-palestine-02112 “Soaps.” https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/ethnobotany/soaps.shtml van Dijk, Kees. “Soap is the onset of civilization.” From Cleanliness and Culture. Kees van Dijk and Jean Gelman Taylor, eds. Brill. 2011. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1163/j.ctvbnm4n9.4 Wei, Huang. “The Sordid, Sudsy Rise of Soap in China.” Sixth Tone. 8/11/2020. https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1006041 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul has previously discussed our relationship with God, our worship, our marriages, and the parent-child dynamic. In these verses, he shifts focus to the master-slave relationship, a common institution in the Roman Empire, where an estimated 50 million people were enslaved. While the Bible does not explicitly condemn slavery, it acknowledges the system's widespread abuse. Since slavery is unfamiliar to us today, let's explore insights from Dr. John MacArthur about this ancient practice. In Greek and Roman societies, slaves had no legal rights and were treated as commodities—bought, sold, traded, or discarded like animals or tools. Roman citizens viewed work as beneath them, relying heavily on slave labor. Compassionate masters, like Pliny the Elder, who mourned his slaves' deaths, were rare. One Roman writer classified agricultural tools into three groups: articulate (slaves, who could speak), inarticulate (animals), and mute (tools and vehicles). Slaves were barely distinguished from animals or objects. The Roman statesman Cato advised discarding old or sick slaves as worthless, and stories abound of cruel punishments—like Augustus crucifying a slave for killing his pet quail or Pollio feeding a slave to lamprey eels for breaking a goblet. Juvenal described a slave owner who delighted in the sound of his slaves being whipped. Given the rampant abuse in slavery, God inspired Paul to provide instructions for both slaves and masters. While slavery no longer exists in our society, these principles apply to the employer-employee relationship today. Let's examine these verses to understand Spirit-Filled Service and how it shapes our service to God and others.

Ellen gives the mysterious wing-clapping nightjars a round of applause. We discuss Pliny the Elder, bird whiskers, what it really means to "raise one's standards," ecologically accurate sound effects in The Legend of Zelda, an acoustic mystery, El Chupacabra, and so much more. Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!SOUND CREDITS: Eastern Whip-poor-will call: Jonathon Jongsma, via Wikimedia Commons - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antrostomus_vociferus_-_Eastern_Whip-poor-will_-_XC103418.oggChuck-wills-widow call: Wikimedia Commons user Jordgette - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chuck-wills-widow_call_01.oggNightjar wing clapping: Chris Packham and Wild Finca, via Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1125878613362748

Ellen gives the mysterious wing-clapping nightjars a round of applause. We discuss Pliny the Elder, bird whiskers, what it really means to "raise one's standards," ecologically accurate sound effects in The Legend of Zelda, an acoustic mystery, El Chupacabra, and so much more. Links:For more information about us & our podcast, head over to our website!Follow Just the Zoo of Us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram & Discord!Follow Ellen on BlueSky!SOUND CREDITS: Eastern Whip-poor-will call: Jonathon Jongsma, via Wikimedia Commons - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antrostomus_vociferus_-_Eastern_Whip-poor-will_-_XC103418.oggChuck-wills-widow call: Wikimedia Commons user Jordgette - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chuck-wills-widow_call_01.oggNightjar wing clapping: Chris Packham and Wild Finca, via Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1125878613362748

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“Faith is a reasoning trust, a trust which reckons thoughtfully and confidently upon the trustworthiness of God.”~John R. Stott (1921-2011), English minister and author “…in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.”~David Foster Wallace (1962-2008), celebrated American writer “I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman… who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.”~A.W. Tozer (1897-1963), American pastor and author “Grief has limits, whereas apprehension has none. For we grieve only for what we know has happened, but we fear all that possibly may happen.”~Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) “Dump a year's supply of manna into cold storage and, guaranteed, you will forget God until the supply disappears… Do you see how this is exactly what we need? Fears and worries live in the future, trying to assure a good outcome in a potentially hard situation. The last thing they want to do is trust anyone, God included. To thwart this tendency toward independence, God only gives us what we need when we need it. The emerging idea is that he wants us to trust him in the future rather than our self-protective plan.”~Ed Welch, Professor of Practical Theology and author of Running Scared: Fear, Worry and the God of RestSERMON PASSAGEHebrews 12:18-29 (ESV) 18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Guest Ethan Thompson returns for a pandemic-themed double feature pairing cinematic outbreaks with legendary brews. The films are Eddington, the newest from Ari Aster, and Steven Soderbergh's eerily prescient Contagion from 2011, a film that's only grown more chilling since the world lived through its own global pandemic. To match the apocalyptic mood, the beers are just as special. First up is Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing—a white whale for many beer lovers, this West Coast double IPA is as mythic as it is delicious, and the crew dives into why it still holds such a revered place in craft beer circles. Then there's Jakobus, a crisp and complex pilsner from Schilling Beer Co., offering a grounding contrast to the hop-heavy intensity of Pliny. Together, the films and the beers spark a conversation about fear, misinformation, leadership, and what it takes to hold a community together when the world starts to fall apart. It's an episode full of sharp insights, great storytelling, and rare brews—don't miss it.

The mysterious power of gold to shape human civilization extends far deeper than most realize. In this captivating conversation with Alan Ereira, author of "Gold: How It Shaped History," we uncover gold's extraordinary journey through time and its profound impact on humanity.Herrera reveals how his work with the Kogi people of Colombia sparked his fascination with gold. This indigenous culture, which managed to resist Spanish colonization by retreating to their mountain sanctuary, maintains a sacred relationship with gold as the "fundamental source of fertility in the world." Their warnings about excessive gold extraction mirror concerns voiced by ancient Roman writer Pliny, suggesting a cross-cultural understanding that modern society has forgotten.The archaeological evidence tells a remarkable story. Six thousand seven hundred years ago at Varna on the Black Sea shores, the first known deliberate use of gold created what we immediately recognize as royal regalia - a crown, scepter, and chest disc. This same pattern appeared independently across civilizations separated by vast distances and time, suggesting something deeply ingrained in human psychology connects gold with power and divinity.Perhaps most fascinating is gold's cosmic origin. The tremendous forces required to create gold atoms likely came from neutron star collisions - catastrophic events visible across the universe. This means all Earth's gold arrived after our planet formed, deposited from space in a cosmic jackpot that continues to influence our destiny.From ancient Babylon to modern central banks, gold's monetary role has shaped economies and empires. When Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem for its temple gold, he unwittingly caused inflation that disrupted ancient economies. Similarly, when Spanish conquistadors brought American gold to Europe, it transformed the social order. Yet through all these fluctuations, gold maintains its purchasing power in ways fiat currencies cannot match.As we navigate today's financial uncertainties and potential shifts away from dollar hegemony, gold's enduring significance offers perspective on what truly constitutes value in our world. Whether viewed as sacred substance or economic anchor, gold continues its millennia-long relationship with humanity, connecting us to our past while potentially securing our future.

Send us a textTravel back with us to Ancient Rome! Aarati tells the story of Pliny the Elder, who made it his mission to catalogue over 20,000 "scientific" facts, laying the framework for encyclopedias.Support the showFor more information and sources for this episode, visit https://www.smartteapodcast.com.

Welcome Back B-oo's Crew! This week we tackle a new topic. While each week we dive into haunted locations or paranormal groups, this week we take a look at our relationship with the paranormal through time. Humans haven't always looked at this topic the same. Form viewing it as a spiritual thing, or a religious topic, or a lack of religion all the way until we hit for entertainment value. No matter your feelings about the paranormal, it seems it has been a part of popular belief since the beginning of time. From visitations from gods, witchcraft, pacts with the devil and much more, we will dive into its historical importance and how we got to where we are today. Get ready B-oo's Crew, this is a very interesting journey!Do you have a story you'd like read or played on the show? Are you part of an investigation team that would like to come on and tell your story and experiences? Maybe you have a show suggestion! Email us at fortheboos12@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter @fortheboosAnd on Instagram @forthboos-podcastFollow us Tik Tok @fortheboos_podcastHelp support the show on Patreon for early access ad free shows and an exclusive patreon only podcast!patreon.com/fortheboos_podcastYou can also find us on Facebook at For The BoosAnd on YouTube at For The BoosRemember to Follow, Subscribe, and Rate the show...it really does help!For The B-oo's uses strong language and may not be suitable for all audiences, listener discretion is advised!https://linktr.ee/fortheboos Sources for this episode: ·       Orderic Vitalis, Ecclesiastical History, 12th century England ·       Ralph of Coggeshall, Chronicon Anglicanum, 12th century ·       Pliny the Younger, Letter to Sura, c. 100 CE ·       Cock Lane Ghost, contemporary newspaper accounts, 1762 ·       Fox Sisters, Hydesville, New York, 1848—multiple historical sources ·       Enfield Poltergeist, Daily Mirror archives, 1977 ·       Betty and Barney Hill, Look Magazine, October 1966 ·       Dr. Ian Stevenson, Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation, University of Virginia, 1974 ·       Society for Psychical Research—Official publications and proceedings ·       Reddit, “r/Paranormal” community stories ·       Savannah ghost tours, collected oral history, 21st century ·       TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), televised investigations, 2000s–present ·       Navy pilot UAP testimony, U.S. Department of Defense reports, 2017–2021#paranormal #ghost #haunted #ghosts #paranormalactivity #horror #creepy #paranormalinvestigation #scary #spooky #ghosthunting #spiritual #supernatural #ufo #halloween #spirit #spirits #ghosthunters #podcast #paranormalinvestigator #terror #ghoststories #hauntedhouse #aliens #haunting #alien #supranatural #pengasihan #ghosthunter #ghostadventures s 

Greetings. Hope this episode finds you well and with a couple beers. This is Episode 618 and we will talk about things like: What is a Salty Walrus? Citrus, brah. Underhanded drinking. Boob. Bucks. Brown. Don't trust a clerk and check your dates. Hope you had a good Milkshake IPA Day! Iowa. Sanger. Pinball. Thank you for listening! Downloadable: PerfectPour618.mp3 (Some cussing) HOSTED BY: Nick, Rad Stacey, Mikey MUSIC BY: Sunburns and Paul From Fairfax. BEER AND SHOW-RELATED LINKS: SUPPORT THE SHOW AND BECOME A GOLDEN GOD! Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcast. You can also find us on Spotify and most podcast players. Perfect Pour's YouTube Channel. VOICEMAIL/TEXT LINE: 559-492-0542 Drop Us a Line: Email Perfect Pour. Join our free Lager Line Discord channel! Send Postcards or Samples to us: The Perfect Pour – co Mike Seay 2037 W. Bullard Ave #153 Fresno, CA 93711 Mikey's newsletter: Drinking & Thinking. Check this!: Mikey's Dorky Amazon Storefront.

This week, we're going back way back to a time before the Common Era, when the world's relationship with mind-altering substances was just getting started. Our hosts are handed 5 wild facts about ancient drug use… but not all of them are true.Did the philosopher Pliny really drop knowledge on herbal highs? Was cannabis actually a war tactic in ancient China? And did someone really write the first-ever how-to guide on drug use thousands of years before Wikipedia?Tune in as our hosts debate, deduce, and occasionally derail into ancient weirdness, all in the pursuit of truth (or at least a strong guess).Can you separate the truth from the trip?

What did beauty look like in the land of pyramids and pharaohs? In this episode, we dive into the anti-aging secrets of Ancient Egypt- from fragrant youth-restoring oils to eyeliner that doubled as medicine (and maybe poison). Discover how sacred rituals, science, and status intertwined in the ancient world's most iconic beauty culture. Tune in and uncover the timeless obsession with staying young. Are. You. Ready?***************Sources and Further Reading: Books & Academic Texts:Tyldesley, Joyce. Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt. Profile Books, 2008.Roehrig, Catharine H. Hatshepsut: From Queen to Pharaoh. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2005.Ikram, Salima. Death and Burial in Ancient Egypt. The American University in Cairo Press,2003.Barber, Elizabeth Wayland. Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years – Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times. W. W. Norton & Company, 1994.Pinch, Geraldine. Magic in Ancient Egypt. British Museum Press, 1994.Manniche, Lise. Sacred Luxuries: Fragrance, Aromatherapy, and Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt.Cornell University Press, 1999.Fletcher, Joann. The Search for Nefertiti: The True Story of an Amazing Discovery.HarperCollins, 2004.Watterson, Barbara. Women in Ancient Egypt. British Museum Press, 2007.Lucarelli, Rita.“The Ritual and Symbolism of Anointing in Ancient Egypt.” Journal ofEgyptian Archaeology, vol. 103, 2017.Scientific & Archeological Studies:Walter, Philippe et al. “Lead-Based Compounds in Ancient Egyptian Cosmetics: Toxicity and Medicinal Use.” Journal of Archaeological Science, 2010.Link to articleSeiler, Roger et al. “Heavy Metal Toxicity in New Kingdom Egyptian Mummies.” ForensicScience International, vol. 309, 2019.Zakrzewski, Sonia R. “Bioarchaeological Insights into Ancient Egyptian Medicine and Cosmetic Use.” Antiquity, vol. 91, no. 358, 2017, pp. 958–972.Ancient Texts & Translations:The Ebers Papyrus (ca. 1550 BCE). Translated by H. E. Rycroft, 1930.The Book of the Dead– Referenced for funerary anointing and cosmetic/spiritual rituals.Pliny the Elder. Natural History (Book 13, Book 28, Book 33–36 especially) – Roman-eraencyclopedia detailing Egyptian beauty rituals, the use of natron, lead-basedointments, kohl, and anti-aging recipes involving honey, salt, and vinegar.Public domain translation: Perseus Digital Library – Pliny's Natural HistoryExpert Commentary & Interviews:Dr. Philippe Walter, chemist, Louvre Museum — commentary in Science Advances, 2010.Dr. Joann Fletcher, Egyptologist, University of York — interview in National Geographic,2015.Dr. Rita Lucarelli, UC Berkeley — keynote lecture, Annual Egyptological Congress, 2017.Dr. Zahi Hawass, Egyptologist — featured in The Mummy Chronicles: Secrets of Ancient Egypt, 2018.Articles & Online Publications:BBC History. “Ancient Egyptian Beauty Secrets.”Smithsonian Magazine. “Ancient Egyptian Makeup Might Have Been Medicinal.”****************Leave Us a 5* Rating, it helps the...

Mermaids are part of countless mythological traditions found the world over. Almost ever culture has a belief in some form of human-fish hybrid. In the west the modern mermaid evolved as combination of the sirens in Homer's Odyssey and water spirits described by Pliny the Elder. In medieval times they became symbols of sin: temptresses leading lustful men astray. In 16th century, just as belief in other mythological creatures started to fade, mermaids were suddenly taken seriously as real exotic animals. As European ships started stared exploring more distant waters, tales of mermaid encounters became increasingly common. By the 1700's the scientific community was taking the question of mermaid reality quite seriously. What is it about mermaids that made them seem so real? Tune-in and find out how stolen scales, Starbucks's secretly perverse logo, and a fish-woman from Newfoundland all play role in the story.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this program, Chip tells us the integrity of the Christian message hinges on the resurrection of Jesus. He continues his look, that began in our previous program, at the proofs that Jesus is who He said He is…that He's God, that He rose from the dead, and is alive today. Main Points Did Jesus really exist? Biblical manuscripts: quality and quantity 25,000 New Testament documents that authenticate the reality of Jesus Christ External verification: Josephus (Jewish historian), Pliny, Tacitus (Roman historians) What was Jesus really like? Friend and foe agree: great man, moral teacher Claimed sinless life = John 8:46 Affirmed by history and impact The works of Jesus went unchallenged. Fact of miracles, feeding 5000 not disputed Eyewitness accounts validated miracles Critics never claimed He didn't perform miracles; they questioned His source of power to do them = Matthew 12:24 Who did Jesus actually claim to be? His own claim = John 14:6 God's claim = Mark 9:7 His followers' claim = Mark 8:27-30 His enemies' claim = John 10:33 External sources' claim – Pliny, AD 111 By fulfillment of over 700 Old Testament prophecies Did Jesus really die? At the time both friend and foe thought He died His flogging, beating, and crucifixion Medical evidence: water and blood indicate puncture of pericardium By burial preparation: 70 pounds of spices and linen His tomb was public and secure. Joseph of Arimathea's tomb: a high-profile member of the Sanhedrin Roman guards Roman seal Size of tombstone: would take up to 25 men to roll away Penalty of death for guards sleeping Could Jesus' resurrection possibly be true? Predicted by Old Testament prophets hundreds of years earlier Jesus predicted it openly and repeatedly Appeared to over 500 eyewitnesses in 12 different locations over 40 days Transformation of the disciples Conversion of Saul of Tarsus Transformation of Roman empire and the world Best legal minds: the evidence is conclusive! My testimony: “He changed my life.” What does this mean for you? It validates Jesus' claim that He is the way, the truth, and the life. = John 14:6 It gives you absolute hope for the future. = John 14:19 It offers spiritual life right now! = John 3:16-17 If you believe Jesus rose from the dead, you have all the power you need to be a Christian who lives like a Christian by His grace. Broadcast Resource Download Free MP3 Message Notes Resource Page Additional Resource Mentions Why I Believe & Jesus Skeptic Book Bundle About Chip Ingram Chip Ingram’s passion is helping Christians really live like Christians. As a pastor, author, and teacher for more than three decades, Chip has helped believers around the world move from spiritual spectators to healthy, authentic disciples of Jesus by living out God’s truth in their lives and relationships in transformational ways. About Living on the Edge Living on the Edge exists to help Christians live like Christians. Established in 1995 as the radio ministry of pastor and author Chip Ingram, God has since grown it into a global discipleship ministry. Living on the Edge provides Biblical teaching and discipleship resources that challenge and equip spiritually hungry Christians all over the world to become mature disciples of Jesus. Connect 888-333-6003 Website Chip Ingram App Instagram Facebook Twitter Partner With Us Donate Online 888-333-6003

Welcome to the show about having fun and stuff with good beer. This week some of the things we will talk up: Suffering through all the old IPAs on the shelves. Aging a Pliny. Sierra Pale is an ESB? Bishop has some good BBQ. World Beer Cup results. The last beers of Moylan's And more!! Download: PerfectPour610.mp3 HOSTED BY: Nick, Rad Stacey, Mikey MUSIC BY: Sunburns and Paul From Fairfax. BEER AND SHOW-RELATED LINKS: SUPPORT THE SHOW AND BECOME A GOLDEN GOD! Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcast. You can also find us on Spotify and most podcast players. Perfect Pour's YouTube Channel. VOICEMAIL/TEXT LINE: 559-492-0542 Drop Us a Line: Email Perfect Pour. Join our free Lager Line Discord channel! Send Postcards or Samples to us: The Perfect Pour – co Mike Seay 2037 W. Bullard Ave #153 Fresno, CA 93711 Mikey's newsletter: Drinking & Thinking. Browse Mikey's Dorky Amazon Storefront.  

In this program, Chip tells us the integrity of the Christian message hinges on the resurrection of Jesus. If Jesus didn't rise from death to life, none of the other tenets of the faith matter. Well, you gotta live before you can die. So, Chip begins with a look at the proofs of Christ's life in Israel, and what the historical record says.Main Points Did Jesus really exist? Biblical manuscripts: quality and quantity 25,000 New Testament documents that authenticate the reality of Jesus Christ External verification: Josephus (Jewish historian), Pliny, Tacitus (Roman historians) What was Jesus really like? Friend and foe agree: great man, moral teacher Claimed sinless life = John 8:46 Affirmed by history and impact The works of Jesus went unchallenged. Fact of miracles, feeding 5000 not disputed Eyewitness accounts validated miracles Critics never claimed He didn't perform miracles; they questioned His source of power to do them = Matthew 12:24 Who did Jesus actually claim to be? His own claim = John 14:6 God's claim = Mark 9:7 His followers' claim = Mark 8:27-30 His enemies' claim = John 10:33 External sources' claim – Pliny, AD 111 By fulfillment of over 700 Old Testament prophecies Did Jesus really die? At the time both friend and foe thought He died His flogging, beating, and crucifixion Medical evidence: water and blood indicate puncture of pericardium By burial preparation: 70 pounds of spices and linen His tomb was public and secure. Joseph of Arimathea's tomb: a high-profile member of the Sanhedrin Roman guards Roman seal Size of tombstone: would take up to 25 men to roll away Penalty of death for guards sleeping Could Jesus' resurrection possibly be true? Predicted by Old Testament prophets hundreds of years earlier Jesus predicted it openly and repeatedly Appeared to over 500 eyewitnesses in 12 different locations over 40 days Transformation of the disciples Conversion of Saul of Tarsus Transformation of Roman empire and the world Best legal minds: the evidence is conclusive! My testimony: “He changed my life.” What does this mean for you? It validates Jesus' claim that He is the way, the truth, and the life. = John 14:6 It gives you absolute hope for the future. = John 14:19 It offers spiritual life right now! = John 3:16-17 If you believe Jesus rose from the dead, you have all the power you need to be a Christian who lives like a Christian by His grace. Broadcast Resource Download Free MP3 Message Notes Resource Page Additional Resource Mentions Why I Believe & Jesus Skeptic Book Bundle About Chip Ingram Chip Ingram’s passion is helping Christians really live like Christians. As a pastor, author, and teacher for more than three decades, Chip has helped believers around the world move from spiritual spectators to healthy, authentic disciples of Jesus by living out God’s truth in their lives and relationships in transformational ways. About Living on the Edge Living on the Edge exists to help Christians live like Christians. Established in 1995 as the radio ministry of pastor and author Chip Ingram, God has since grown it into a global discipleship ministry. Living on the Edge provides Biblical teaching and discipleship resources that challenge and equip spiritually hungry Christians all over the world to become mature disciples of Jesus. Connect 888-333-6003 Website Chip Ingram App Instagram Facebook Twitter Partner With Us Donate Online 888-333-6003

Brilliant rogues counterfeit unicorn wine, fool the establishment and laugh their way to the bank. It's good story - so good that even The Simpsons have released an episode dedicated to wine fraud. But is this just a laughing matter?This is without doubt one of our FAVOURITE EVER Wine Blast episodes. It stars no less than Homer and Marge Simpson, Mr Burns, Waylon Smithers and Professor Frink. Together with The Simpsons co-writer Johnny LaZebnik and wine fraud expert Maureen Downey.Fraud is an ever-bigger issue for the wine world. It's nothing new (Pliny the Elder grumbled about it in Roman times). But in the wake of notorious fraudsters like Hardy Rodenstock and Rudy Kurniawan, it has become more professional and widespread, with organised crime moving into a profitable and low-risk venture. The implications are profound, as Maureen Downey explains.But that doesn't mean we can't have a laugh about it. So we get exclusive access to the hilarious animated world of The Simpsons to experience how they explore the theme of fake wine. Along the way we talk Robin Hood, queue-jumping, Jesus,  'cover-up' sex, how radioactivity helps detect fakes, and Peter's pants.Thanks for tuning in. We love to hear from you so please do get in touch! Send us a voice message via Speakpipe. Or you can find contact info, together with all details from this episode, on our website: Show notes for Wine Blast S6 E17 - Fake Wine: A Laughing Matter?Instagram: @susieandpeter

To close out the Triple IPA series, Alex and Stephen go back to the beer that inspired this series: Russian River's Pliny the Younger. They also drink Claimstake Brewing's Ain't Getting Any Younger, Boneyard Beer's Notorious TIPA, and Pure Project Brewing's Perhops Perhops Perhops and put all four beers through the Power Rankings treatment. In the Beer News, sad news about Second City Meadery closing their physical location and Alex does a April Fools roundup.  To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

It's Pliny the Younger season so Alex and Stephen sourced 12 of the highest rated Triple IPAs and are putting them head-to-head for a three-part series. In Part 1 they try TIPAs from Wonderous Brewing Co., Pizza Port Brewing Company, Green Cheek Beer Co., and Monkish Brewing Co. In the Beer News, Monday Night Brewing gets into a legal battle with Coors Light over a "Case of the Mondays," BrewDog founder fancies himself the Elon Musk of the UK, and Stone Brewing gets a stern talking to by their main investment partner Sapporo.   Thanks to Cellarmaker Brewing Company for sponsoring this episode! Follow them on Instagram @CellarmakerBrewing. Visit Cellarmaker House of Pizza in San Francisco and their taprooms in Oakland and Berkeley.  To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.