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Lesley Logan and Brad Crowell unpack insights from Brad Walsh, founder of the Empowerography Podcast. In this recap, they reflect on the transformative power of boudoir photography and how seeing yourself in a new light can change how you think, feel, and show up. This conversation digs into resilience, authenticity, and why sharing your story might be the very thing that helps someone else keep going. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Boudoir photography helps women see themselves differently.Why resilience is the courage to keep rising.The importance of sharing experiences to inspire others.Why true authenticity requires dropping the mask of perfection.How trusting your path frees you from fear of missing out.Episode References/Links:Agency MINI Waitlist - https://prfit.biz/miniPoland Contrology Pilates Conference - xxll.co/polandVintage Friends & Contrology Brussels - xxll.co/brusselsPilates On Tour® London - https://xxll.co/potOPC Spring Training - How to Get Overhead - https://opc.me/eventsEmpowerography Podcast - https://empowerographypodcast.comEmpowerography Podcast Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/empowerographypodcastBrad Walsh LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradwalsh70Brad Walsh Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brad.walsh.56Empowerography Live Conference 2026 - https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D7QAc3hFx If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! 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DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  He said when they see who they truly are and how they're captured, they leave a completely different woman. And there's not enough words, he said, to encapsulate the power in that as a photographer. Lesley Logan 0:09  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.  Lesley Logan 0:53  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the powerful convo I have with another Brad. Brad Walsh. Brad Crowell 0:55  Another Brad. Lesley Logan 0:55  In our last episode. If you haven't yet listened to that interview, then actually listen to this one. You should go back and listen that one. It's pretty good. I liked it. Brad Crowell 1:05  That's a great interview. It was, I'm not gonna lie you, you spoke my thoughts out loud. Lesley Logan 1:10  I did? Brad Crowell 1:11  Yes. Like. Lesley Logan 1:12  Did I say that I have to say Brad's thoughts? Brad Crowell 1:14  No, but two. There's another comment I can't remember. It'll come back to me. But you know when, when I heard you introduce Brad Walsh as someone who is entirely devoted to platforming and empowering women, I was like, a man is doing that? Okay, okay. I was like, I guess, I guess I'm I didn't even know. I was dubious and a little curious and then encouraged and excited at by the end. So, yes, it's great.Lesley Logan 1:45  Turns out you can be really successful if you platform women. Turns out. Brad Crowell 1:50  How about that? Lesley Logan 1:51  Yeah, it turns out there's, there's things like, there's like, good things that happen when you do that.Brad Crowell 1:55  You did mention that you had similar thoughts to him, and I was laughing, because I was like, okay, I'm not alone. Lesley Logan 1:59  Yeah. I'm intrigued. Well, we'll get into that in just a second. But first today is February 26th 2026 and it's Black Lives Matter Day. Black Lives Matter Day is celebrated annually on February 26th in remembrance of Trayvon Martin, an African American teen who was killed by a white American out of hatred. The acquittal of the killer, George Zimmerman, from the murder charge and is roaming free, caused a wave of widespread anger, which led to nationwide campaigns centered around fairness and justice for black people. Black Lives Matter is a chant against systemic racial discrimination which has shaped and increased the risk of violence towards black people. Join in the movement to end discrimination, declare equality for all.Brad Crowell 2:39  Yeah. So one of the things that I wanted to address is we're obviously not black. However, we have heard a lot of people who are not black say, well, what about white people? Or what about other, you know, people as well? Shouldn't we be focusing on them as much as we are focusing on black people? And ultimately, I would say Black Lives Matter does not say other lives don't matter. But what Black Lives Matter is saying is that there is a historical, documented like systematic approach against that has not given the same opportunities in our society, in our in the United States of America, to black people, whereas it has favored, white people. Lesley Logan 3:37  Oh one thing and I heard that I heard this in 2020 and I'll share it here. It doesn't mean you didn't have to swim uphill, it just meant that you had a paddle, it just means that, like, you could have had a hard life but there, the research is there, even if your family came here like mine did in the 1912 all this stuff, the research is, is, is very much there, the status are there that because after slavery, we didn't, we did not treat black people the same as white people, the wealth that their families could pass down, which whether or not you got any money, because I didn't either whether doesn't matter. It doesn't mean that you that there was less opportunity for their generations of families to have options. And there's actually a black family, a guy who was able to buy slaves, the black man who was able to buy his family as slaves. And so then when when slavery ended, there was this whole, basically reparations for the slave owners. And so he was given money for the slaves that he lost, and you can see his family and the generations that came from his family, and how different their lives were compared to other black people and so especially as we're watching this right now where brown people are being targeted in an insane way, black and brown people, but we're seeing a lot of it with brown people because of ICE. I'm just gonna say who it is, because of that. The reality is, is because.Brad Crowell 5:02  Because of ICE directed it by, you know, Stephen Miller and our president.Lesley Logan 5:06  And our president and his vice president, we're gonna add in there. Because some people think if we just got rid of Trump at life would be better. No, you'll still have a shit sandwich. So the reality is, because we've never had Black Lives Matter, we are all being affected. All every other color is going to have a hard time. And by the way, white people, you are too, your life is not going to get easier because they got rid of some brown people, or they only pull over black people. You're this is a community.Brad Crowell 5:32  But I want to go back to this. I agree with the things that you're saying, but I want to go back to this by saying let white lives matter too. We're actually sidestepping the issue. And that's the problem. The problem is not that white lives don't matter. That's not what we're saying, and that's not what you know, that's not what, when someone says Black Lives Matter, they're not saying white lives don't matter too. But what they but when we say white lives matter too, we're we're just derailing the conversation away from the fact that there has been systemic oppression of people in our society for 400 years, right?Lesley Logan 6:05  And also, by the way, if you vote for the people of color who are different than you, you benefit too. By the way, if you've not, I'm not saying vote for people of color. I'm saying if you vote for the people who will represent the people of the least of these, you will benefit. You'll benefit in so many different ways.Brad Crowell 6:20  But here's the thing, that, yes, that you will absolutely benefit when there is, like, cultural and systemic racism against a particular group, it almost empowers violence towards that group, and that is where the that's where everyone got really, really frustrated with this murderer who was literally set free, you know, and, and I couldn't agree more, you know, it's, it's, it's wrong.Lesley Logan 6:50  It's just fucked up. I mean, to be honest, the whole thing that he stood on, that law that he stood on, is stupid, and it's in several different states, and people and like kids have been killed since then because they knocked on the wrong door. A black kid last year knocked on the wrong door looking to pick up his brothers, and they shot him because he's a black kid at their door. Like, what the, I'm sorry, that is infuriating. And we, we are not done. And I think, like, we got past 2020. Brad Crowell 7:18  It's like a mix of fear and racism and the fact that they're ever like. Lesley Logan 7:21  But they're, I won't even give them warrant over fear they're fucked up. Like, come on, I'm sorry.Brad Crowell 7:26  Like their bread fear is like, spued into their life.Lesley Logan 7:31  Right, I guess. But also like, we live in a world where you can curate your own algorithm and and these people are not taking the time to even, like, think about somebody else's experience at all, just their own, and they're so self-centered, and then they vote for people who lie to them and use them and use fear to use them. And now look where we're at. People are dying, and they're like, but my life still sucks. Yeah, it does. You voted for people who made sure it fucking sucked. And I am just like, the guns are the fucking problem. And then we have to. We voted we got rid of Trump the first time. We're like, oh, good. All this stuff is better. No, it's not. The Democrats didn't work fucking fast enough. And now we're here in this place of shit where black people still don't have the rights that white people do, and now brown people are being attacked in crazy ways. And by the way, like, if you're so concerned with, like, immigrants and crime. Like last year, immigrants killed three people, and ISIS killed 33 people from the stats that I just looked at. So like, I just think that, like, there's things that we could be taking into perspective, and it requires us to be more considerate of people who look different than us, and also fighting for their rights, because it will help yours. Anyways, end of rant. And by the way, that's a long conversation that we were like trying to get out. So if we like, that's something a little weird forgiveness, because we're all growing. We're all learning. You get amped up. Lesley Logan 8:50  So anyways, I want to get into what's going on. We just wrapped up Agency Mini last week, and so you missed it. Brad Crowell 9:02  Congratulations, it's over. Lesley Logan 8:57  Congratulations. You can't get on the waitlist, but you can get on the waitlist for the next one. We will do one more this year, prfit.biz/mini prfit.biz/mini that's profit without the O and it is for Pilates instructors and studio owners who work for themselves or want to so highly recommend it. Now we're getting up and we're gearing. We're gearing. We're gearing up and getting ready because we will be gone for an entire month in Europe. Brad and I, we're not taking Bayon on this trip. On this trip, and so we'll be first in Poland at the Controlology Conference to Contrology Pilates Conference in Wroclaw with Karen Frischmann, xxll.co/poland you can come from anywhere to go to that. Karen and I speak in English, and it will be translated into Polish. So if you can do either of those languages, that conference is for you. And then after that, Brad, Karen and I are going to go to the Contrology. We're going to Brussels to Pilatels like Vintage Pilates and friends. Ignacio is going to be there. El is the owner. She's going to be there. The four of us are gonna be teaching workshops and classes. It's gonna be a long, fun filled days. I promise these are something you don't wanna miss. Els really throws a party with these xxll.co/brussels, and I guess we're gonna be like in Bruges. So that's really cool. Don't quote me. It's all on the site. Just go there. Brad Crowell 9:02  Sounds fun. Lesley Logan 9:02  We have a lot of eLevate and other people that we know are going to that one. So it's gonna be a really fun party. And then after our second honeymoon, which your recommendations for things to do between Brussels and Paris that get us to London are welcomed, because we're going to take that train. I think, hopefully we can. That's the plan. We clearly haven't looked up anything. I just heard you can go from Paris to London, so that's what we're going to do. But you can join us at POT London. My Saturday workshop is filled, but there is a few spots left in the Sunday workshop that I'm teaching, but you should come to any of the workshops, because there's some excellent presenters at the POT in London, xxll.co/pot. By the way, that link will take you to all the POTs that Balanced Body is doing right now. Right now the only one on that schedule that I'm going to be at is POT London. We will have a booth at a couple others, but if you want to take workshop from me in Europe, you've got three weekend options, and that is it for at least a year, maybe two. So check it out xxll.co/pot, and then we come home, we're gonna get ready for spring training. Brad Crowell 11:16  Yeah, really looking forward to it. This year we're gonna change it up. Lesley Logan 11:19  How to get overhead. Brad Crowell 11:20  How to get overhead. So last year's spring training was so fun. We had people join us from all over the world. We had teachers join us from all over the globe, all the OPC teachers, and it was a big party. And we were digging into, well, each year we're digging into a different topic. So this year's topic is how to get overhead. And I know we kind of said this last week on the pod. But you don't have to be able to get overhead right to come learn. Lesley Logan 11:46  I don't like that. It's not have to get overhead, it's a how to. It's really finding your own version of overhead exercises. It's really just, you're here to find your own and that's what Pilates is making your own personal practice practice. It's called Contrology, the study of control. Not controlled.Brad Crowell 12:02  Yeah, not controlled. So come join us. Go to opc.me/events opc.me/events to grab a spot on the waitlist so that you're gonna be the first one to know when we do that in May. Before we get into this great interview with Brad, let's dig into this question. So on YouTube, @wanderlustonwheels asks, I would love to see recommendations for us perimenopausal ladies on the Cadillac. I am also hyper mobile, so I can't really do any mat work without fabricating and crunching my joints and pinching my nerves. I always end up with neck cranks that keep me from sleeping when I do mat work. So this is like multiple things rolled up into one. Lesley Logan 12:45  Yeah, I'm gonna keep it tight, because I appreciate your question about perimenopausal exercises on the Cadillac. And unfortunately, the way that Pilates has been changed, in some ways, is that people think I need to know this type of exercise for this piece of equipment, but really it's a system. And actually all Pilates is available to any perimenopausal woman on any piece of equipment. So what's cool about Pilates is it actually is a low cortisol producing workout, or it should be. And if yours is not, then you're probably not doing Pilates. It's a mind body connective work, and you're not moving super slow or super fast. There's some moments with zest and there's some moment with rhythm. But in in all honesty, most Pilates exercise classes session should actually be low cortisol producing really great for building strength and for getting that mind body connection, which will bring down that cortisol levels. And you should be able to sleep really, really well. So I'm not gonna say which exercises are great for perimenopause, because they all are, but depends on which ones your body needs right now. And that actually has nothing. That has very little to do with perimenopause, and more to do with like, what's going on with your body, the fact that you're hyper mobile, you didn't mention that you have EDS. So if you had EDS, this was a it's a different story, and you should definitely be working. You should really make sure to find an EDS teacher near you, trained teacher near you or online. Because the fact that when you do mat work your nerves are pinched and you have neck cranks makes me actually nervous that you're not doing actual Pilates exercises, and somebody is using the popularity of Pilates to entice you in, because if you're doing Pilates from your center on the mat as a hyper mobile person, the worst case scenario you're going to have is that it's easy. I'm a hyper mobile body, and so it would just feel easy to me because I was just locking my joints out and over stretching things and kind of hanging off of things. But the fact that you're actually having pinched nerves and neck cranks tells me that there's some sort of pressure that's being pulled to you in these exercises.Brad Crowell 14:46  Well, I think, I think, like, okay, so also hypermobile here. And did you know in like, super intense yoga for like, a long time before moving to Vegas and so now I do yoga differently, but before it was like, you know, 3, 4, 5 days a week doing yoga. And I definitely understand the idea of, like, crunching joints and pinching nerves, or I don't understand fabricating. That doesn't mean anything to me. But, you know, just because you can force your body into a shape doesn't mean you're doing it correctly. Lesley Logan 15:18  Well and also, I think that, like, something that you had to learn was that not every cue is for you. And I think sometimes in a class we hear them say something, so we do it in a hyper mobile people, we can keep going like, our end range isn't there, whereas a tighter person would be like, get stuck on something.Brad Crowell 15:35  I mean, look, I you know, I could put my head, my foot behind my head on the first day of class, the very first day, like, and they were like, your yoga practice is amazing. I was like, I'm brand new. What are you talking about? Right? So.Lesley Logan 15:46  And that teacher should have been like, oh, even though you can do that, you should not do that, because you don't know what you're doing.Brad Crowell 15:51  Right. You don't know how to engage your muscles, to protect your body. And that's what, to me, that's what it sounds like here, when you have crunching joints or pinching nerves, like in Pilates, we talk about the five spine shapes. And the spine shape that that you should focus on as a hyper mobile body is tall.Lesley Logan 16:07  Yeah, look at you, Brad. Brad Crowell 16:09  Oh yeah. Lesley Logan 16:10  Look at you. So so @wanderlustonwheels, like, here's the thing, if you were an OPC member and I was you sent in a video of you doing a couple of the mat exercises, just a couple reps, I don't want you to hurt anything, I could actually see what's going on. Without being able to see it just based off what I'm reading, it sounds to me that the person who's teaching the class is not teaching your body. They are teaching a class, and that is hard because it's more accessible for you to go to a class or to watch a YouTube video, but not everything is going to be for you. And so actually learning how to move from your center is going to be key, and that might mean investing in some time or some money to get either an OBC membership or a studio near you, where a teacher can actually look at you and go, oh, that's too high. Oh, that's too much. Or here are these exercises, because the mat work, like I said, as a hypermobile, it should just feel easy, and the fact you're getting hurt, really, like alarm bells are going off for me. Brad Crowell 17:03  There's a second thing I wanted to say on this, and I'm not a physical therapist, but also being a hypermobile body, the best thing that has that I've done for my body in the past five years is lifting weights.Lesley Logan 17:16  Well and, for perimenopausal women, you should be so people who actually do Pilates say I should lift weights. It's not an or it's an and I do both. I lift heavy weights and I do Pilates.Brad Crowell 17:27  Because, because the strength, here's here's where this has been weird for me, because I am, like, super competitive, the guy who wants to be the guy who can, you know, bend over backwards and and, like, you know, touch my toes backwards. I want to be that guy, because if they can do it, so can I. That's how my mentality has always been, and I could do a lot more flexibility things, maybe not properly, but with my hypermobility before I started becoming more strong, but with the strength added, which, you know, has been like, a process over multiple years. My body hurts way less, way less. I can still jack myself up, and I can still be like, oh man, I'm in my lower back right now. I can feel it, you know. But because my, because I've been like, my shoulders don't hurt anymore. They used to. My knees are hurting less they, you know, my back especially has been hurting less, and then, you know, I haven't had neck issues the way that you're describing them. But like, you know, if you strengthen your neck, imagine.Lesley Logan 18:31  Well, that's the thing that people, especially while we're doing that, going back to that spring training with overhead, I ask you, like, what they're nervous about and everyone's afraid of their neck. And I'm like, one, you should be on your neck. And two, your neck should be strong. Most people, like, are so afraid of hurting their neck that they're not actually strengthening their neck anymore, and their necks getting weaker. And so guess what? It's actually gonna you're gonna hurt it just sitting around. So I, I really, like, I feel for people because, like, what if? So what if @wanderlustonwheels, like, can't go to any place, right? What if she, like, doesn't have money or the time, and she like, I get that it's about listening to your body. And really true, like, sometimes you have to film yourself, because if you're looking at someone do something, and then you're trying to make yourself look like them. But then when you actually film yourself, you go, oh, wow, look at how hyperextended or look where my chin is like that could help you or if you can invest in even just some privates, going hey, I need to know these foundational exercises for my body. I need to know these foundational weight training exercises for my body. I'm hyper mobile, then you can I truly believe you can do Pilates on your own once you have those foundations. And that's I wouldn't have created OPC if I didn't think so, and you can train on your own. That's why gyms exist. So at any rate, like also, I just really wonder if the person teaching that mat class is actually teaching real mat Pilates or doing lots of extra reps or something. They might be doing Pilates exercises, but doing a ton of reps, or doing it too fast, or adding heavier weights. I say, like, what? I was like, oh, I want lightweights for a class, right? And I showed up and they're like, the lightest one's worth five pounds each. And I'm like, that's not Pilates. That like that should be in a gym, because Pilates is a one pound weight. So like, sometimes, you know, people want to fill the burn and so, and then studios lean towards that, because that's what I think, is there gonna be money, and what we're not doing is educating people, you know? (inaudible)Brad Crowell 20:12  Thanks for writing in that question. There's a lot there, but, but. Lesley Logan 20:17  We have a great workshop on OPC that Mindy Westfall did about Pilates for hypermobility, so I highly recommend taking a look at that.Brad Crowell 20:24  Yeah, that's a great point and and sorry for interrupting you there. But yes, if you have a question, we want to hear it, so text us 310-905-5534, or you can submit it through beitpod.com/questions beitpod.com/questions where you can leave either a win or a question. So send us some wins, people, we want to celebrate with you. Stick around. We'll be right back. We're going to talk about Brad Walsh. Brad Crowell 20:49  All right, let's talk about Brad Walsh. Brad is the host and founder of the Empower Podcast, a Toronto based platform dedicated to amplifying women's stories and strengthening their voices. A lifelong photographer. He discovered his passion in high school, and later transitioned from a 12 and a half year career as corporate audiovisual technician to full time photography, eventually specializing in boudoir work that helps women see their own strength and beauty. His commitment to women's empowerment is rooted in the example set by his mother and grandmother, whose courage shaped the values behind his work today. Lesley Logan 21:23  Yeah, and some cool women in his life. And we've had one photographer on before, and so I was, I was excited to talk a little bit about boudoir photography with him, because I grew up where a lot of women changed their bodies because of what they thought men would like, and then him being a male boudoir photographer who's like, literally loving everybody as it is and showing them how beautiful they are in their own bodies with these photos. And then then they can see how beautiful they are in those photos. It's fucking cool. I think it's great. Thanks, Brad, for not being a dick, you know, like there are some good men out there. Brad Crowell 21:56  If you haven't listened to his episode just yet, his you know, he shared his story a little bit. His dad left, or his mom left his dad, who was, you know, off cheating on her, basically, when he was 10, and they went through it like they were broke. They got an apartment. Mom slept on the couch, because he also has a brother, and he said, you know, her strength and courage to stand back up after 15 years of marriage and say, I'm done with this abuse. She left with nothing but the clothes on her back. And, you know, and then when she got a job because she needed to, after being out of the workforce for over a decade, grandma helped in, you know, stepped in to help. So, you know, very inspirational story there. And also, like, definitely lays the foundation for why he would be encouraging, you know, women and empowering women. So I appreciated hearing a little bit of that. But what are the what is one of the things that he talked about that you really loved?Lesley Logan 22:54  Well, he said, the gift of her seeing herself for the first time a light she's not used to seeing herself in. He said, like, it's so powerful to be able to give that to another human being and.Brad Crowell 23:03  You're specifically talking about his photography, yeah, boudoir photography.Lesley Logan 23:06  Yeah. He said when they see who they truly are and how they're captured, they leave a completely different woman. And there's not enough words, he said, to encapsulate the power in that as a photographer. I mean, I.Brad Crowell 23:19  His conviction, like, was, was so. Lesley Logan 23:21  Oh yeah, you have to hear it. Brad Crowell 23:22  Yeah, it was. It was very compelling. Because he's like, I don't, I don't have the words to say how much that has impacted me. Lesley Logan 23:28  Yeah. Well, I think, like, first of all, ladies, if you're like, I hate being on camera. I don't have (inaudible) you're the one who fucking needs to have your picture taken. Because, like, I was like, oh my God, we have a photo shoot tomorrow, and I love our photographer, and I love our makeup artist, and so I'm like, it's, I know it's going to be a great time, and it's a long day, like we talked about Brooks Tyler's book last week, and it's like, to be on an eight-hour shoot, you you have to have stamina, endurance, and I really think Adderall would have helped, like, just, just to stay focused right for that many hours. But when you see the photos at the end of the day, you're like, oh my God, I'm fucking stunning. And then you like, wake up the next day without hair and makeup, like, I'm fucking stunning. Like, it just keeps going. So, like, I highly recommend doing it, because it does change how you think about yourself. And when you change how you think about yourself, you change how you act, you change how you act, you change how you be it till you see it. I mean, there's no other way to say it. So what did you love?Brad Crowell 24:25  So I really dug when he was talking about resilience, right? And it stemmed from a conversation about being tired of the word resilient. You know, like, I've been told so many times you're so resilient. Well, I don't want to be resilient anymore. Why do I have to keep being resilient?Lesley Logan 24:37  My friends are like, you're the most resilient person, I know I'm like, over it pretty done.Brad Crowell 24:42  And he took a step back and paused, and he's like, well, this is how I see what resilience is. It's, it's courage and inner strength, specifically, when you you keep getting back up after being knocked down time after time, right? And he said, he said it's really important that women be resilient so they can share their experience, and inspire other women by being vulnerable, by sharing their experience. It's a permission slip for others. It shows them what is possible, right? And I thought that's totally relevant and important. And he said, while it can certainly be tiring, it serves a greater purpose, right? And it makes your efforts bigger than just you. You know, it makes your efforts towards whatever it is that you're working on. When you share those things and you continue to get back up, you know, you're giving permission for others to keep going on their journey, which we don't know what exactly what it is, but there's clearly going to be something relatable. He said, even if you're only influencing one person, right? It's worth it. He said, think about that impact, and how you know that you can have and how you can help. Maybe, you know, maybe by sharing your story, your struggles, it will prevent someone from having to go through something similar that you experience, because you know you're sharing how you got through it. So, I mean, that's honestly, like half the reason we do this podcast is hearing, you know, how did they get from A to B? How are they being it till they see, how they get to where they are today and, you know, it's inspirational. I hope you found it as well.Lesley Logan 26:08  I did. I really did. And I couldn't agree more. I mean, like, you're, you know, it's not a podcast I used to listen to before I was ever like when the first they just ended their first season, which is like, more like an ending of a show. I think they call the end of a season one, because they could always come back. But it was like 968, episodes. And I know. And I was just like, interesting. I wonder what it'd be like, like, well, how do you, how do you think about ending it? I read, like, their statement, which is, like, everything that we did worked, and like, look, we've inspired people. And I was like, there must have been a point where they, like, thought it wasn't adding anymore, you know, and but, and every time I'm like, is this podcast like helping anybody out? And then we go on tour, and someone's like, I loved this. And I'm like, well, fuck, we got to keep going because it's fucking hard work podcasting. But I know every stupid bro makes it look like it's the easiest thing you ever did in your life. This is a fucking hard thing that we do every week.Brad Crowell 27:00  Yeah, we're surrounded by a whole team to set us up to be able to even do this.Lesley Logan 27:03  Yes, and you just get to, like, vent or rant or like, I don't know what the fuck they think they're doing, but like, you actually have to, like, have structure and, like, think about these things and think about the people you're platforming. You know, I know that dickhead CEO podcast is like, I'm not platforming these people. I'm having a conversation. No, you're fucking platforming them, right? So, like, sometimes I'm like, oh, do I should I be platforming this person? Because I want to change lives for the better, right? So, and it's difficult because you're like, how do I know this person? How am I going to there's so many things to think about, but I do agree. It's like, if you can change one's person's life with it, like, then it's worth doing, worth all the effort. Brad Crowell 27:33  Yeah, well, stick around. We'll be right back. We're going to dig into those Be It Action Items that we got from your conversation with Brad Walsh. Brad Crowell 27:42  All right, welcome back. So finally, let's talk about those Be It Action Items. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items can we take away from your conversation with Brad Walsh? He said, you just have to be authentic. Don't try to be something that you're not. And the two of you went back and forth about we need to take back the word authentic, it's overused and overplayed, but there's still something to it. You know? He said, look, when we only show the happy, shiny, beautiful part of the thing that we went through, we're not being honest, and that's not being authentic, because there was definitely some shit we had to go through to get there too, right? And so I think it's fair to say that you can still be selective about all of the shit. You don't have to share everything. We're not airing our dirty laundry, but it's important to show that there's a struggle as well, and that that like contributes to that authenticity. It makes it actually authentic, right? So drill down, you know, be selective, but take that mask off and actually like, be genuine. So what about you?Lesley Logan 28:42  Oh, well, you know, I love this his father's wisdom, who said, what's meant for you will never go by you. And the mantra that I say, which means the same thing, is, like, what is for you will not pass you, or you will not pass you. And I think that that's a really important thing, because it's really easy to, like, hang on to something because we're afraid that something else won't come along. But like, if it's meant for you, will not go by you. And it's something that, like, as our career has taken off, as our business continues to grow, I have to say no to a lot of things, and that means worrying. Oh my god, am I letting something go? Am I saying no to something that could have, like, changed the trajectory? And it's like, I have to trust that what is meant for me will never go by you. What is for me will not pass me. So I hope that gives you something to think about, because it's not going to be all fucking rainbows and glitter, especially right now. Like, it's really hard right now. And I want to recognize every single one of you are listening like, you open up the news and it's fucked, and then you have to go to work and go, how are you? Well, all things considered, not shitty, but, like, it's hard, especially especially as people who have empathy and feelings and and caring. And so you have to keep getting up, doing the best you can. If you live somewhere where you can call someone who represents you and yell at them for what they need to step up, do that, it's part of a great day, and then keep going because if you can affect one person's life to make it better, it does matter. I love that. Brad Crowell 30:04  Yeah, me too. Lesley Logan 30:04  I'm Lesley Logan.Brad Crowell 30:06  Well, before we do that, we just wanted to shout out. Brad has an upcoming conference that's called Empowerography. It's a live conference for 2026 It is Friday, April 24th, through Sunday, April 26th, and I'm pretty sure it's a virtual. Lesley Logan 30:21  It's virtual so you can go. Brad Crowell 30:22  So you can find tickets and information about it on Facebook. Search for Empowerography. That's E-M power ography. You know, Empowerography Live Conference. Just search for Brad Walsh. Lesley Logan 30:33  We'll put the link in the show notes as well. That might be easier. Okay, go do that. And I'm Lesley Logan. Brad Crowell 30:38  And I'm Brad Crowell. Lesley Logan 30:39  Thanks so much for listening. Thanks for being you. Thanks for calling your congressman and your senators and laying on the peppy if you're American and if you are European or somewhere from anywhere else you there's ways to lay on our shit too. So you can, you can help make change in this world. I believe it. I believe you and you. And if you don't want to do any of that, then leave me a review, please. Thanks so much. Until next time, Be It Till You See It.Brad Crowell 31:01  Bye for now. Lesley Logan 31:03  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 31:45  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 31:50  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 31:54  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 32:01  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 32:04  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Learn the English expression "run out" (and listen until the end to hear what Jeff's first boss said he can *never* run out of...)Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/run-out--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

In February 2022, just days before Russia invaded Ukraine, Ksenia Samotiy's mother drove her and her two younger siblings to the Polish border. They thought they would be gone for a few days. Four years later, the war continues. Now living in Dublin, Ksenia has returned to her hometown of Lviv for the first time since she fled. What did she find, and what does the future hold for Ukraine? ­ Host: Fionnán SheahanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experiencing Purim  Part 4:  The Polish Queen Esther  -  English only.  Join us as we study about another Queen Esther who saves the Jewish people, this time in Poland!    This is rebroadcast of a podcast originally recorded March 1, 2024.

 Trust us! That title will make sense! It’s POWER RECORDS week where the boys listen to not one, but TWO short vinyl record superfolk stories! 1-Spider-Man and the Return of the Conquistador! 2-Superman and the Mxyzptlk up Menace! It’s the real Superman vs Spider-Man event! We listen along and poke fun, MST3K style. All that AND Merk has a new warm up bit, ‘Notions’. Little things that have been bugging him. Does Superman give everyone cancer with his xray vision? How does Venom poop? I know you’re intrigued. Join us. Direct Download: MP3

Learn to recognize and discuss toxic relationships in Polish. From "toksyczny jak wąż" (toxic like a snake) to setting boundaries with "To jest moja granica," master essential vocabulary for identifying jealousy, manipulation, and emotional abuse. This episode covers warning signs, healing vocabulary, and assertive phrases to protect yourself. Essential Polish for navigating difficult relationships and prioritizing your wellbeing.   Vocabulary List / Lista słówek Table Copy Polish English Pronunciation Toksyczny Toxic tok-SOCH-nih Wąż Snake vontsh Związek Relationship ZVYON-zek Zazdrosny Jealous (m) zaz-DROS-nih Zazdrosna Jealous (f) zaz-DROS-nah Kontrolujący Controlling (m) kon-tro-loo-YON-tsih Manipulacja Manipulation ma-nee-poo-LA-tsya Rana Wound RAH-nah Ból Pain bool Burza Storm BOO-zhah Jadowity Venomous ya-do-VEE-tih Zdrada Betrayal zdrah-DAH Podły Mean/base POD-wih Przemoc Violence/abuse PZHEH-mots Granica Boundary grah-NEE-tsa Leczenie Healing leh-CHEH-nyeh Terapia Therapy teh-RAH-pyah Wolność Freedom VOL-noshch Koniec End KOH-nyets Żegnaj Goodbye zheg-NAY  

Bohaterem tego odcinka jest Paweł Strzelecki - podróżnik, odkrywca, samouk i człowiek wielkiej empatii. Jeśli podobają Ci się moje podkasty, zostaw mi recenzję i ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! Dzięki!Transkrypcja i lista Quizlet: https://polskidaily.eu/podcasts/pd193-kto-odkryl-zloto-w-australii/Have you discovered the Polski Daily Club yet? If not go to https://www.polskidaily.eu/signup and join the club!

Edith Targonski arrived to the United States from Peru when she was 19 years old. Her sister had arrived a few years before and she was so happy about being reunited with her, but unhappy to speak English. She had visited the U.S. numerous times prior to her move but didn't know much English and lacked confidence in her speaking skills. She soon met a fellow immigrant from Poland, who arrived at 17 years old with his parents. They fell in love and got married. Edith and her husband created a beautiful family blending and honoring their individual cultures from South America and Poland, while building their own family traditions. They learned English and raised their children in an English speaking household but also exposed their children to Spanish and Polish for them to have the opportunity to communicate with their grandparents and broaden their horizons. Since arriving twenty seven years ago, Edith has been very motivated to learn, grow her career and serve the community. She earned a special education degree from Sacred Heart Univ, and was an effective classroom teacher for many years. Currently, she serves as a passionate advocate for families who have children with special needs. She is a business development consultant. She has been a dedicated volunteer to many organizations, giving credit to her father for her need to give back and learning this from watching him. She has graduated about 9 senior citizens who have achieved citizenship under her tutelage at the Stamford Senior Center. She currently serves in the role of Editor-in-Chief of Latincolors magazine, which is a bilingual magazine that is widely circulated throughout Fairfield County, CT. and Westchester County, NY. The mission of Latincolors is to bridge both geographical and cultural communities and celebrate the accomplishments and endeavors of the people, agencies, groups and organizations making a positive impact in the community. It is available in both English and Spanish and is a free publication and available online. Like many other guests on the podcast, she was enrolled in the PLTI (Parent Leadership Training Institute). She has been a facilitator for People Empowering People-PEP and currently serves on the Design Team. In addition, she serves on numerous other boards in the community, all of them serving the immigrant and Latin communities in different ways, while raising her 3 children to be passionate, giving and kind people.

This week sees the long-overdue return of my brother-from-another-mother, Shayan of Trivax and host of the Iblis Manifestations podcast.   We dive into his perspective on everything from the critical response to Trivax's latest album, The Great Satan, to his vision for the band's future. We also have a candid and wide-ranging discussion about the rapidly evolving situation in his home country of Iran, his views on the future of the Islamic Republic, and much more.   On this week's Unsanctioned Filth, the spotlight falls on Polish black metallers Primitiae Dormientium.  Then, on the News Rant, I round up the latest singles from At The Gates, Midnight Odyssey, Extinction A.D., Exodus, and Belphegor for judgement.  I also answer your questions, including: what I'd like to see more (and less) of in the metal scene, my all-time Top 5 favourite albums, who I consider the best UKHC band and more.   Featured Bands: Trivax - https://trivax.bandcamp.com/  Primitiae Dormientium - https://primitiaedormientium.bandcamp.com/  Misotheist - https://terraturpossessions.bandcamp.com/album/misotheist    Support Nick Barker: https://www.gofundme.com/f/nicholas-barker   Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

Send a textPodcast - Episode 57: Wayne Preece FWCF on Health, Veterinary Reform, and UK Farrier RegulationEpisode DescriptionWayne Preece FWCF returns to the Lockdown Farriery Podcast for an in-depth conversation about his recent health challenges, the state of farrier regulation in the UK, and the upcoming European Championships.Wayne, a Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, experienced educator, and international clinician, has been instrumental in shaping farrier standards across Europe through his work with the European Farriers Association (EFA). He's helped develop certification programs in multiple countries and continues to push the profession forward despite facing significant health setbacks.In this extended conversation, Wayne and the host discuss:Wayne's recovery from total knee replacement and upcoming hip surgeryHis ongoing work with the Polish and Italian farrier associations on EFA certification programsThe complexities of organizing the European Championships and improvements to competition standardsThe controversial UK veterinary reform consultation and what it could mean for farrier regulationThe confusion between the FRC, WCF, and BFBA - and why understanding these bodies mattersProfessional pricing challenges in the UK compared to other countriesThe future of farrier education and the apprenticeship systemThis is a frank, unfiltered discussion about the realities of being a farrier professional in 2025, covering everything from health challenges to regulatory debates to the business side of the trade.Key Topics & TimestampsHealth Update & Recovery (0:00 - 12:00)Wayne's total knee replacement in OctoberUpcoming hip replacement surgeryThe physical toll of farriery and recovery challengesMaintaining work through injury via computer-based projectsInternational Work & EFA Programs (12:00 - 30:00)Work with VFT Denmark and Polish Farriers FederationDevelopment of Certified Euro Farrier and Master Euro Farrier programsEducational support for European associationsUpcoming presentation at North American Equine Practitioners conferenceEuropean Championships Organization (30:00 - 50:00)Formation of EFA subcommittee to improve competition standardsChallenges from the 2023 Spanish championshipsNew rule book development and standardization effortsDanny's consultancy role for the upcoming Dutch championshipsThe importance of learning from mistakes in competition organizationUK Farrier Bodies: FRC, WCF & BFBA (50:00 - 1:10:00)Clarifying the roles: FRC (regulation), WCF (heritage/recognition), BFBA (professional support)Social media confusion and misinformationWhy the FRC exists to protect the public, not farriersThe value of BFBA membership and professional networkingFarrier Regulation & Professionalism (1:10:00 - 1:30:00)The UK as the only country with statutory regulationDisciplinary processes and the FRC BulletinComparing regulatory standards with other professionsThe evolution of the FRC since 2017 reformsWhy farriers wanted teeth in regulation - and now have itThe Horse Industry & Pricing Challenges (1:30:00 - 1:50:00)Why UK farriers are among the cheapest globallyThe cultural expectation of affordable horse ownership in the UKThe rise of "people with horses" vs traditional "horse people"Working-class roots of the profession affecting pricing mindse

Some very painful school memories kick off this episode, with the sting of the cane, the strap and the long wooden ruler echoing in the stories from four very naughty boys. But wait, there's more where that came from as discussion turns to the big news of the week: the Bardot reunion. On a more serious note, sports of all persuasions get the once over, including footy, T20 World Cup, the Moto GP, EPL and the Polish darts. On a musical note, as we use that term dangerously in this case, the chart for discussion comes from 4GR Toowoomba, February 1970. Stand by for a shocking revelation that may irreparably damage the very shaky musical credibility of one of the Ruck 'n' Roll team. We use the term team very dangerously there as well. Ruck ON! Kevin Hillier, Mark Fine, Stephen J Peak, Ken Francis Post-production by Steve Visscher | Southern Skies Media for Howdy Partners Media | www.howdypartnersmedia.com.au/podcasts © 2026See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Learn Polish Podcast – your gateway to mastering Polish through immersive, real-world conversations. Each episode blends authentic Polish dialogue with clear explanations, helping you build vocabulary naturally while exploring Polish culture, traditions, and everyday life. Whether you're a beginner or advancing your skills, join us as we make learning Polish engaging, practical, and fun. Find more episodes, lesson materials, and resources at www.learnpolishpodcast.com. You can also find us on YouTube, Rumble, Spotify, and Bitchute.   Vocabulary List / Lista słówek Table Copy Polish English Pronunciation Mężczyzna Man mensh-CHIZ-nah Kobieta Woman ko-BYEH-tah Związek Relationship ZVYON-zek Mars Mars mars Wenus Venus VEH-noos Komunikacja Communication ko-moo-nee-KA-tsya Problem Problem PRO-blem Rozwiązanie Solution ro-zvy-ZA-nyeh Konflikt Conflict KON-flikt Przestrzeń Space pshesh-TREN Bańka Bubble BAHN-kah Przepraszam I'm sorry psheh-PRA-sham Kompromis Compromise kom-pro-MEES Rozumiem I understand ro-ZOO-myem Nie rozumiem I don't understand nyeh ro-ZOO-myem Jestem tu dla ciebie I'm here for you YEH-stem too dla CHEH-byeh  

Last time we spoke about General Zhukov's arrival to the Nomohan incident. The Kwantung Army's inexperienced 23rd Division, under General Komatsubara, suffered heavy losses in failed offensives, including Colonel Yamagata's assault and the annihilation of Lieutenant Colonel Azuma's detachment, resulting in around 500 Japanese casualties. Tensions within the Japanese command intensified as Kwantung defied Tokyo's restraint, issuing aggressive orders like 1488 and launching a June 27 air raid on Soviet bases, destroying dozens of aircraft and securing temporary air superiority. This provoked Moscow's fury and rebukes from Emperor Hirohito. On June 1, Georgy Zhukov, a rising Red Army tactician and tank expert, was summoned from Minsk. Arriving June 5, he assessed the 57th Corps as inadequate, relieved Commander Feklenko, and took charge of the redesignated 1st Army Group. Reinforcements included mechanized brigades, tanks, and aircraft. Japanese intelligence misread Soviet supply convoys as retreats, underestimating Zhukov's 12,500 troops against their 15,000. By July, both sides poised for a massive clash, fueled by miscalculations and gekokujo defiance.   #190 Zhukov Unleashes Tanks at Nomohan Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. At 4:00 a.m. on July 1, 15,000 heavily laden Japanese troops began marching to their final assembly and jump-off points. The sun rose at 4:00 a.m. and set at 9:00 p.m. that day, but the Japanese advance went undetected by Soviet/MPR commanders, partly because the June 27 air raid had temporarily cleared Soviet reconnaissance from the skies. On the night of July 1, Komatsubara launched the first phase. The 23rd Division, with the Yasuoka Detachment, converged on Fui Heights, east of the Halha River, about eleven miles north of its confluence with the Holsten. The term "heights" is misleading here; a Japanese infantry colonel described Fui as a "raised pancake" roughly one to one-and-a-half miles across, about thirty to forty feet higher than the surrounding terrain. For reasons not fully explained, the small Soviet force stationed on the heights was withdrawn during the day on July 1, and that night Fui Heights was occupied by Komatsubara's forces almost unopposed. This caused little stir at Zhukov's headquarters. Komatsubara bided his time on July 2.   On the night of July 2–3, the Japanese achieved a brilliant tactical success. A battalion of the 71st Infantry Regiment silently crossed the Halha River on a moonless night and landed unopposed on the west bank opposite Fui Heights. Recent rains had swollen the river to 100–150 yards wide and six feet deep, making crossing difficult for men, horses, or vehicles. Combat engineers swiftly laid a pontoon bridge, completing it by 6:30 a.m. on July 3. The main body of Komatsubara's 71st and 72nd Infantry Regiments (23rd Division) and the 26th Regiment (7th Division) began a slow, arduous crossing. The pontoon bridge, less than eight feet wide, was a bottleneck, allowing only one truck at a time. The attackers could not cross with armored vehicles, but they did bring across their regimental artillery, 18 x 37-mm antitank guns, 12 x 75-mm mountain guns, 8 x 75-mm field guns, and 4 x 120-mm howitzers, disassembled, packed on pack animals, and reassembled on the west bank. The crossing took the entire day, and the Japanese were fortunate to go without interception. The Halha crossing was commanded personally by General Komatsubara and was supported by a small Kwantung Army contingent, including General Yano (deputy chief of staff), Colonel Hattori, and Major Tsuji from the Operations Section. Despite the big air raid having alerted Zhukov, the initial Japanese moves from July 1–3 achieved complete tactical surprise, aided by Tsuji's bold plan. The first indication of the major offensive came when General Yasuoka's tanks attacked predawn on July 3. Yasuoka suspected Soviet troops south of him attempting to retreat across the Halha to the west bank, and he ordered his tanks to attack immediately, with infantry not yet in position. The night's low clouds, no moon, and low visibility—along with a passing thunderstorm lighting the sky—made the scene dramatic. Seventy Japanese tanks roared forward, supported by infantry and artillery, and the Soviet 149th Infantry Regiment found itself overwhelmed. Zhukov, hearing of Yasuoka's assault but unaware that Komatsubara had crossed the Halha, ordered his armor to move northeast to Bain Tsagan to confront the initiative. There, Soviet armor clashed with Japanese forces in a chaotic, largely uncoordinated engagement. The Soviet counterattacks, supported by heavy artillery, halted much of the Japanese momentum, and by late afternoon Japanese infantry had to dig in west of the Halha. The crossing had been accomplished without Soviet reconnaissance detecting it in time, but Zhukov's counterattacks, the limits of Japanese armored mobility across the pontoon, and the heat and exhaustion of the troops constrained the Japanese effort. By the afternoon of July 3, Zhukov's forces were pressing hard, and the Japanese momentum began to stall. Yasuoka's tanks, supported by a lack of infantry and the fatigue and losses suffered by the infantry, could not close the gap to link with Komatsubara's forces. The Type 89 tanks, designed for infantry support, were ill-suited to penetrating Soviet armor, especially when faced with BT-5/BT-7 tanks and strong anti-tank guns. The Type 95 light tanks were faster but lightly armored, and suffered heavily from Soviet fire and air attacks. Infantry on the western bank struggled to catch up with tanks, shot through by Soviet artillery and armor, while the 64th Regiment could not keep pace with the tanks due to the infantry's lack of motorized transport. By late afternoon, Yasuoka's advance stalled far short of the river junction and the Soviet bridge. The infantry dug in to withstand Soviet bombardment, and the Japanese tank regiments withdrew to their jump-off points by nightfall. The Japanese suffered heavy losses in tanks, though some were recovered and repaired; by July 9, KwAHQ decided to withdraw its two tank regiments from the theater. Armor would play no further role in the Nomonhan conflict. The Soviets, by contrast, sustained heavier tank losses but began to replenish with new models. The July offensive, for Kwantung Army, proved a failure. Part of the failure stemmed from a difficult blend of terrain and logistics. Unusually heavy rains in late June had transformed the dirt roads between Hailar and Nomonhan into a mud-filled quagmire. Japanese truck transport, already limited, was so hampered by these conditions that combat effectiveness suffered significantly. Colonel Yamagata's 64th Infantry Regiment, proceeding on foot, could not keep pace with or support General Yasuoka's tanks on July 3–4. Komatsubara's infantry on the west bank of the Halha ran short of ammunition, food, and water. As in the May 28 battle, the main cause of the Kwantung Army's July offensive failure was wholly inadequate military intelligence. Once again, the enemy's strength had been seriously underestimated. Moreover, a troubling realization was dawning at KwAHQ and in the field: the intelligence error was not merely quantitative but qualitative. The Soviets were not only more numerous but also far more potent than anticipated. The attacking Japanese forces initially held a slight numerical edge and enjoyed tactical surprise, but the Red Army fought tenaciously, and the weight of Soviet firepower proved decisive. Japan, hampered by a relative lack of raw materials and industrial capacity, could not match the great powers in the quantitative production of military materiel. Consequently, Japanese military leaders traditionally emphasized the spiritual superiority of Japan's armed forces in doctrine and training, often underestimating the importance of material factors, including firepower. This was especially true of the army that had carried the tactic of the massed bayonet charge into World War II. This "spiritual" combat doctrine arose from necessity; admitting material superiority would have implied defeat. Japan's earlier victories in the Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War, the Manchurian incident, and the China War, along with legendary medieval victories over the Mongol hordes, seemed to confirm the transcendent importance of fighting spirit. Only within such a doctrine could the Imperial Japanese Army muster inner strength and confidence to face formidable enemies. This was especially evident against Soviet Russia, whose vast geography, population, and resources loomed large. Yet what of its spirit? The Japanese military dismissed Bolshevism as a base, materialist philosophy utterly lacking spiritual power. Consequently, the Red Army was presumed to have low morale and weak fighting effectiveness. Stalin's purges only reinforced this belief. Kwantung Army's recent experiences at Nomonhan undermined this outlook. Among ordinary soldiers and officers alike, from the 23rd Division Staff to KwAHQ—grim questions formed: Had Soviet materiel and firepower proven superior to Japanese fighting spirit? If not, did the enemy possess a fighting spirit comparable to their own? To some in Kwantung Army, these questions were grotesque and almost unthinkable. To others, the implications were too painful to face. Perhaps May and July's combat results were an aberration caused by the 23rd Division's inexperience. Nevertheless, a belief took hold at KwAHQ that this situation required radical rectification. Zhukov's 1st Army Headquarters, evaluating recent events, was not immune to self-criticism and concern for the future. The enemy's success in transporting nearly 10,000 men across the Halha without detection—despite heightened Soviet alert after the June 27 air raid—revealed a level of carelessness and lack of foresight at Zhukov's level. Zhukov, however, did not fully capitalize on Komatsubara's precarious position on July 4–5. Conversely, Zhukov and his troops reacted calmly in the crisis's early hours. Although surprised and outnumbered, Zhukov immediately recognized that "our trump cards were the armored detachments, and we decided to use them immediately." He acted decisively, and the rapid deployment of armor proved pivotal. Some criticized the uncoordinated and clumsy Soviet assault on Komatsubara's infantry on July 3, but the Japanese were only a few hours' march from the river junction and the Soviet bridge. By hurling tanks at Komatsubara's advance with insufficient infantry support, Mikhail Yakovlev (11th Tank Brigade) and A. L. Lesovoi (7th Mechanized Brigade) incurred heavy losses. Nonetheless, they halted the Japanese southward advance, forcing Komatsubara onto the defensive, from which he never regained momentum. Zhukov did not flinch from heavy casualties to achieve his objectives. He later told General Dwight D. Eisenhower that if the enemy faced a minefield, their infantry attacked as if it did not exist, treating personnel mine losses as equal to those that would have occurred if the Germans defended the area with strong troops rather than minefields. Zhukov admitted losing 120 tanks and armored cars that day—a high price, but necessary to avert defeat. Years later, Zhukov defended his Nomonhan tactics, arguing he knew his armor would suffer heavy losses, but that was the only way to prevent the Japanese from seizing the bridge at the river confluence. Had Komatsubara's forces advanced unchecked for another two or three hours, they might have fought through to the Soviet bridge and linked with the Yasuoka detachment, endangering Zhukov's forces. Zhukov credited Yakovlev, Lesovoi, and their men with stabilizing the crisis through timely and self-sacrificing counterattacks. The armored car battalion of the 8th MPR Cavalry Division also distinguished itself in this action. Zhukov and his tankmen learned valuable lessons in those two days of brutal combat. A key takeaway was the successful use of large tank formations as an independent primary attack force, contrary to then-orthodox doctrine, which saw armor mainly as infantry support and favored integrating armor into every infantry regiment rather than maintaining large, autonomous armored units. The German blitzkrieg demonstrations in Poland and Western Europe soon followed, but, until then, few major armies had absorbed the tank-warfare theories championed by Basil Liddell-Hart and Charles de Gaulle. The Soviet high command's leading proponent of large-scale tank warfare had been Marshal Mikhail Tukhachevsky. His execution in 1937 erased those ideas, and the Red Army subsequently disbanded armored divisions and dispersed tanks among infantry, misapplying battlefield lessons from the Spanish Civil War. Yet Zhukov was learning a different lesson on a different battlefield. The open terrain of eastern Mongolia favored tanks, and Zhukov was a rapid learner. The Russians also learned mundane, but crucial, lessons: Japanese infantry bravely clambering onto their vehicles taught Soviet tank crews to lock hatch lids from the inside. The BT-5 and BT-7 tanks were easily set aflame by primitive hand-thrown firebombs, and rear deck ventilation grills and exhaust manifolds were vulnerable and required shielding. Broadly, the battle suggested to future Red Army commander Zhukov that tank and motorized troops, coordinated with air power and mobile artillery, could decisively conduct rapid operations. Zhukov was not the first to envision combining mobile firepower with air and artillery, but he had rare opportunities to apply this formula in crucial tests. The July offensive confirmed to the Soviets that the Nomonhan incident was far from a border skirmish; it signaled intent for further aggression. Moscow's leadership, informed by Richard Sorge's Tokyo network, perceived Japan's renewed effort to draw Germany into an anti-Soviet alliance as a dangerous possibility. Stalin and Vyacheslav Molotov began indicating to Joachim von Ribbentrop and Adolf Hitler that Berlin's stance on the Soviet–Japanese conflict would influence Soviet-German rapprochement considerations. Meanwhile, Moscow decided to reinforce Zhukov. Tens of thousands of troops and machines were ordered to Mongolia, with imports from European Russia. Foreign diplomats traveling the Trans-Siberian Railway reported eastbound trains jammed with personnel and matériel. The buildup faced a major bottleneck at Borzya, the easternmost railhead in the MPR, about 400 miles from the Halha. To prevent a logistics choke, a massive truck transport operation was needed. Thousands of trucks, half-tracks, gun-towing tractors, and other vehicles were organized into a continuous eight-hundred-mile, five-day shuttle run. The Trans-Baikal Military District, under General Shtern, supervised the effort. East of the Halha, many Japanese officers still refused to accept a failure verdict for the July offensive. General Komatsubara did not return to Hailar, instead establishing a temporary divisional HQ at Kanchuerhmiao, where his staff grappled with overcoming Soviet firepower. They concluded that night combat—long a staple of Japanese infantry tactics—could offset Soviet advantages. On July 7 at 9:30 p.m., a thirty-minute Japanese artillery barrage preceded a nighttime assault by elements of the 64th and 72nd Regiments. The Soviet 149th Infantry Regiment and supporting Mongolian cavalry were surprised and forced to fall back toward the Halha before counterattacking. Reinforcements arrived on both sides, and in brutal close-quarters combat the Japanese gained a partial local advantage, but were eventually pushed back; Major I. M. Remizov of the 149th Regiment was killed and later posthumously named a Hero of the Soviet Union. Since late May, Soviet engineers had built at least seven bridges across the Halha and Holsten Rivers to support operations. By July 7–8, Japanese demolition teams destroyed two Soviet bridges. Komatsubara believed that destroying bridges could disrupt Soviet operations east of the Halha and help secure the border. Night attacks continued from July 8 to July 12 against the Soviet perimeter, with Japanese assaults constricting Zhukov's bridgehead while Soviet artillery and counterattacks relentlessly pressed. Casualties mounted on both sides. The Japanese suffered heavy losses but gained some positions; Soviet artillery, supported by motorized infantry and armor, gradually pushed back the attackers. The biggest problem for Japan remained Soviet artillery superiority and the lack of a commensurate counter-battery capability. Japanese infantry had to withdraw to higher ground at night to avoid daytime exposure to artillery and tanks. On the nights of July 11–12, Yamagata's 64th Regiment and elements of Colonel Sakai Mikio's 72nd Regiment attempted a major assault on the Soviet bridgehead. Despite taking heavy casualties, the Japanese managed to push defenders back to the river on occasion, but Soviet counterattacks, supported by tiresome artillery and armor, prevented a decisive breakthrough. Brigade Commander Yakovlev of the 11th Armored, who led several counterattacks, was killed and later honored as a Hero of the Soviet Union; his gun stands today as a monument at the battlefield. The July 11–12 action marked the high-water mark of the Kwantung Army's attempt to expel Soviet/MPR forces east of the Halha. Komatsubara eventually suspended the costly night attacks; by that night, the 64th Regiment had suffered roughly 80–90 killed and about three times that number wounded. The decision proved controversial, with some arguing that he had not realized how close his forces had come to seizing the bridge. Others argued that broader strategic considerations justified the pause. Throughout the Nomonhan fighting, Soviet artillery superiority, both quantitative and qualitative, became painfully evident. The Soviet guns exacted heavy tolls and repeatedly forced Japanese infantry to withdraw from exposed positions. The Japanese artillery, in contrast, could not match the Red Army's scale. By July 25, Kwantung Army ended its artillery attack, a humiliating setback. Tokyo and Hsinking recognized the futility of achieving a decisive military victory at Nomonhan and shifted toward seeking a diplomatic settlement, even if concessions to the Soviet Union and the MPR were necessary. Kwantung Army, however, opposed negotiations, fearing it would echo the "Changkufeng debacle" and be read by enemies as weakness. Tsuji lamented that Kwantung Army's insistence on framing the second phase as a tie—despite heavy Soviet losses, revealed a reluctance to concede any territory. Differences in outlook and policy between AGS and Kwantung Army—and the central army's inability to impose its will on Manchukuo's field forces—became clear. The military establishment buzzed with stories of gekokujo (the superiority of the superior) within Kwantung Army and its relations with the General Staff. To enforce compliance, AGS ordered General Isogai to Tokyo for briefings, and KwAHQ's leadership occasionally distanced itself from AGS. On July 20, Isogai arrived at General Staff Headquarters and was presented with "Essentials for Settlement of the Nomonhan Incident," a formal document outlining a step-by-step plan for Kwantung Army to maintain its defensive position east of the Halha while diplomatic negotiations proceeded. If negotiations failed, Kwantung Army would withdraw to the boundary claimed by the Soviet Union by winter. Isogai, the most restrained member of the Kwantung Army circle, argued against accepting the Essentials, insisting on preserving Kwantung Army's honor and rejecting a unilateral east-bank withdrawal. A tense exchange followed, but General Nakajima ended the dispute by noting that international boundaries cannot be determined by the army alone. Isogai pledged to report the General Staff's views to his commander and take the Essentials back to KwAHQ for study. Technically, the General Staff's Essentials were not orders; in practice, however, they were treated as such. Kwantung Army tended to view them as suggestions and retained discretion in implementation. AGS hoped the Essentials would mollify Kwantung Army's wounded pride. The August 4 decision to create a 6 Army within Kwantung Army, led by General Ogisu Rippei, further complicated the command structure. Komatsubara's 23rd Division and nearby units were attached to the 6 Army, which also took responsibility for defending west-central Manchukuo, including the Nomonhan area. The 6 Army existed largely on paper, essentially a small headquarters to insulate KwAHQ from battlefield realities. AGS sought a more accountable layer of command between KwAHQ and the combat zone, but General Ueda and KwAHQ resented the move and offered little cooperation. In the final weeks before the last battles, General Ogisu and his small staff had limited influence on Nomonhan. Meanwhile, the European crisis over German demands on Poland intensified, moving into a configuration highly favorable to the Soviet Union. By the first week of August, it became evident in the Kremlin that both Anglo-French powers and the Germans were vying to secure an alliance with Moscow. Stalin knew now that he would likely have a free hand in the coming war in the West. At the same time, Richard Sorge, the Soviet master spy in Tokyo, correctly reported that Japan's top political and military leaders sought to prevent the escalation of the Nomonhan incident into an all-out war. These developments gave the cautious Soviet dictator the confidence to commit the Red Army to large-scale combat operations in eastern Mongolia. In early August, Stalin ordered preparations for a major offensive to clear the Nomonhan area of the "Japanese samurai who had violated the territory of the friendly Outer Mongolian people." The buildup of Zhukov's 1st Army Group accelerated still further. Its July strength was augmented by the 57th and 82nd Infantry Divisions, the 6th Tank Brigade, the 212th Airborne Brigade, numerous smaller infantry, armor, and artillery units, and two Mongolian cavalry divisions. Soviet air power in the area was also greatly strengthened. When this buildup was completed by mid-August, Zhukov commanded an infantry force equivalent to four divisions, supported by two cavalry divisions, 216 artillery pieces, 498 armored vehicles, and 581 aircraft. To bring in the supplies necessary for this force to launch an offensive, General Shtern's Trans-Baikal Military District Headquarters amassed a fleet of more than 4,200 vehicles, which trucked in about 55,000 tons of materiel from the distant railway depot at Borzya. The Japanese intelligence network in Outer Mongolia was weak, a problem that went unremedied throughout the Nomonhan incident. This deficiency, coupled with the curtailment of Kwantung Army's transborder air operations, helps explain why the Japanese remained ignorant of the scope of Zhukov's buildup. They were aware that some reinforcements were flowing eastward across the Trans-Siberian Railway toward the MPR but had no idea of the volume. Then, at the end of July, Kwantung Army Intelligence intercepted part of a Soviet telegraph transmission indicating that preparations were under way for some offensive operation in the middle of August. This caused a stir at KwAHQ. Generals Ueda and Yano suspected that the enemy planned to strike across the Halha River. Ueda's initial reaction was to reinforce the 23rd Division at Nomonhan with the rest of the highly regarded 7th Division. However, the 7th Division was Kwantung Army's sole strategic reserve, and the Operations Section was reluctant to commit it to extreme western Manchukuo, fearing mobilization of Soviet forces in the Maritime Province and a possible attack in the east near Changkufeng. The Kwantung Army commander again ignored his own better judgment and accepted the Operations Section's recommendation. The main strength of the 7th Division remained at its base near Tsitsihar, but another infantry regiment, the 28th, was dispatched to the Nomonhan area, as was an infantry battalion from the Mukden Garrison. Earlier, in mid-July, Kwantung Army had sent Komatsubara 1,160 individual replacements to make up for casualties from earlier fighting. All these reinforcements combined, however, did little more than replace losses: as of July 25, 1,400 killed (including 200 officers) and 3,000 wounded. Kwantung Army directed Komatsubara to dig in, construct fortifications, and adopt a defensive posture. Colonel Numazaki, who commanded the 23rd Division's Engineer Regiment, was unhappy with the defensive line he was ordered to fortify and urged a slight pullback to more easily defensible terrain. Komatsubara, however, refused to retreat from ground his men had bled to take. He and his line officers still nourished hope of a revenge offensive. As a result, the Japanese defensive positions proved to be as weak as Numazaki feared. As Zhukov's 1st Army Group prepared to strike, the effective Japanese strength at Nomonhan was less than 1.5 divisions. Major Tsuji and his colleagues in the Operations Section had little confidence in Kwantung Army's own Intelligence Section, which is part of the reason why Tsuji frequently conducted his own reconnaissance missions. Up to this time it was gospel in the Japanese army that the maximum range for large-scale infantry operations was 125–175 miles from a railway; anything beyond 200 miles from a railway was considered logistically impossible. Since Kwantung Army had only 800 trucks available in all of Manchukuo in 1939, the massive Soviet logistical effort involving more than 4,200 trucks was almost unimaginable to the Japanese. Consequently, the Operations Staff believed it had made the correct defensive deployments if a Soviet attack were to occur, which it doubted. If the enemy did strike at Nomonhan, it was believed that it could not marshal enough strength in that remote region to threaten the reinforced 23rd Division. Furthermore, the 7th Division, based at Tsitsihar on a major rail line, could be transported to any trouble spot on the eastern or western frontier in a few days. KwAHQ advised Komatsubara to maintain a defensive posture and prepare to meet a possible enemy attack around August 14 or 15. At this time, Kwantung Army also maintained a secret organization codenamed Unit 731, officially the Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the Kwantung Army. Unit 731 specialized in biological and chemical warfare, with main facilities and laboratories in Harbin, including a notorious prison-laboratory complex. During the early August lull at Nomonhan, a detachment from Unit 731 infected the Halha River with bacteria of an acute cholera-like strain. There are no reports in Soviet or Japanese accounts that this attempted biological warfare had any effect. In the war's final days, Unit 731 was disbanded, Harbin facilities demolished, and most personnel fled to Japan—but not before they gassed the surviving 150 human subjects and burned their corpses. The unit's commander, Lieutenant General Ishii Shiro, kept his men secret and threatened retaliation against informers. Ishii and his senior colleagues escaped prosecution at the Tokyo War Crimes Trials by trading the results of their experiments to U.S. authorities in exchange for immunity. The Japanese 6th Army exerted some half-hearted effort to construct defensive fortifications, but scarcity of building materials, wood had to be trucked in from far away—helped explain the lack of enthusiasm. More importantly, Japanese doctrine despised static defense and favored offense, so Kwantung Army waited to see how events would unfold. West of the Halha, Zhukov accelerated preparations. Due to tight perimeter security, few Japanese deserters, and a near-absence of civilian presence, Soviet intelligence found it hard to glean depth on Japanese defensive positions. Combat intelligence could only reveal the frontline disposition and closest mortar and artillery emplacements. Aerial reconnaissance showed photographs, but Japanese camouflage and mock-ups limited their usefulness. The new commander of the 149th Mechanized Infantry Regiment personally directed infiltration and intelligence gathering, penetrating Japanese lines on several nights and returning crucial data: Komatsubara's northern and southern flanks were held by Manchukuoan cavalry, and mobile reserves were lacking. With this information, Zhukov crafted a plan of attack. The main Japanese strength was concentrated a few miles east of the Halha, on both banks of the Holsten River. Their infantry lacked mobility and armor, and their flanks were weak. Zhukov decided to split the 1st Army Group into three strike forces: the central force would deliver a frontal assault to pin the main Japanese strength, while the northern and southern forces, carrying the bulk of the armor, would turn the Japanese flanks and drive the enemy into a pocket to be destroyed by the three-pronged effort. The plan depended on tactical surprise and overwhelming force at the points of attack. The offensive was to begin in the latter part of August, pending final approval from Moscow. To ensure tactical surprise, Zhukov and his staff devised an elaborate program of concealment and deception, disinformation. Units and materiel arriving at Tamsag Bulak toward the Halha were moved only at night with lights out. Noting that the Japanese were tapping telephone lines and intercepting radio messages, 1st Army Headquarters sent a series of false messages in an easily decipherable code about defensive preparations and autumn-winter campaigning. Thousands of leaflets titled "What the Infantryman Should Know about Defense" were distributed among troops. About two weeks before the attack, the Soviets brought in sound equipment to simulate tank and aircraft engines and heavy construction noises, staging long, loud performances nightly. At first, the Japanese mistook the sounds for large-scale enemy activity and fired toward the sounds. After a few nights, they realized it was only sound effects, and tried to ignore the "serenade." On the eve of the attack, the actual concentration and staging sounds went largely unnoticed by the Japanese. On August 7–8, Zhukov conducted minor attacks to expand the Halha bridgehead to a depth of two to three miles. These attacks, contained relatively easily by Komatsubara's troops, reinforced Kwantung Army's false sense of confidence. The Japanese military attaché in Moscow misread Soviet press coverage. In early August, the attaché advised that unlike the Changkufeng incident a year earlier, Soviet press was largely ignoring the conflict, implying low morale and a favorable prognosis for the Red Army. Kwantung Army leaders seized on this as confirmation to refrain from any display of restraint or doubt, misplaced confidence. There were, however, portents of danger. Three weeks before the Soviet attack, Colonel Isomura Takesuki, head of Kwantung Army's Intelligence Section, warned of the vulnerability of the 23rd Division's flanks. Tsuji and colleagues dismissed this, and General Kasahara Yukio of AGS also went unheeded. The "desk jockey" General Staff officers commanded little respect at KwAHQ. Around August 10, General Hata Yuzaburo, Komatsubara's successor as chief of the Special Services Agency at Harbin, warned that enemy strength in the Mongolian salient was very great and seriously underestimated at KwAHQ. Yet no decisive action followed before Zhukov's attack. Kwantung Army's inaction and unpreparedness prior to the Soviet offensive appear to reflect faulty intelligence compounded by hubris. But a more nuanced explanation suggests a fatalistic wishful thinking rooted in the Japanese military culture—the belief that their spiritual strength would prevail, leading them to assume enemy strength was not as great as reported, or that victory was inevitable regardless of resources. Meanwhile, in the rational West, the Nazi war machine faced the Polish frontier as Adolf Hitler pressed Stalin for a nonaggression pact. The German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact would neutralize the threat of a two-front war for Germany and clear the way for Hitler's invasion of Poland. If the pact was a green light, it signaled in both directions: it would also neutralize the German threat to Russia and clear the way for Zhukov's offensive at Nomonhan. On August 18–19, Hitler pressed Stalin to receive Ribbentrop in Moscow to seal the pact. Thus, reassured in the West, Stalin dared to act boldly against Japan. Zhukov supervised final preparations for his attack. Zhukov held back forward deployments until the last minute. By August 18, he had only four infantry regiments, a machine gun brigade, and Mongolian cavalry east of the Halha. Operational security was extremely tight: a week before the attack, Soviet radio traffic in the area virtually ceased. Only Zhukov and a few key officers worked on the plan, aided by a single typist. Line officers and service chiefs received information on a need-to-know basis. The date for the attack was shared with unit commanders one to four days in advance, depending on seniority. Noncommissioned officers and ordinary soldiers learned of the offensive one day in advance and received specific orders three hours before the attack.   Heavy rain grounded Japanese aerial reconnaissance from August 17 to midday on the 19th, but on August 19 Captain Oizumi Seisho in a Japanese scout plane observed the massing of Soviet forces near the west bank of the Halha. Enemy armor and troops were advancing toward the river in dispersed formations, with no new bridges but pontoon stocks spotted near the river. Oizumi sent a warning to a frontline unit and rushed back to report. The air group dispatched additional recon planes and discovered that the Japanese garrison on Fui Heights, near the northern end of Komatsubara's line, was being encircled by Soviet armor and mechanized infantry—observed by alarmed Japanese officers on and near the heights. These late discoveries on August 19 were not reported to KwAHQ and had no effect on the 6th Army and the 23rd Division's alertness on the eve of the storm. As is common in militaries, a fatal gap persisted between those gathering intelligence and those in a position to act on it. On the night of August 19–20, under cover of darkness, the bulk of the Soviet 1st Army Group crossed the Halha into the expanded Soviet enclave on the east bank.  I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. By August, European diplomacy left Moscow confident in a foothold against Germany and Britain, while Sorge's intelligence indicated Japan aimed to avoid a full-blown war. Stalin ordered a major offensive to clear Nomonhan, fueling Zhukov's buildup in eastern Mongolia. Kwantung Army, hampered by limited logistics, weak intelligence, and defensive posture, faced mounting pressure. 

Welcome to one of the newbies! Fr. Joseph Mick joins us to discuss his first year of priesthood, his interest in geography, and his struggles with international travel before sharing how a Polish priest's wine-induced musings opened him to pursue the seminary and his priestly vocation. 

Today's story: Coffee is one of the world's most popular drinks, but not everyone drinks it the same way. The two most popular styles, espresso and filter coffee, were invented in Europe. Turkish coffee is most similar to how people drank coffee centuries ago. And Cuba and Vietnam have their own unique styles. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/841Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/841--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

Polish speed skater Kamila Sellier was rushed to hospital after taking a skate blade to her left cheek during the women's 1500m quarterfinals when she got sandwiched between two competitors and all three wiped out. She updated everyone saying "one day I'll look at this picture and remember I'm stronger than I ever believed," and we asked Sydney about their worst sporting injuries after witnessing brutal Olympic crash-outs all fortnight.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Polish speed skater Kamila Sellier took a blade to the face during the 1500m quarterfinals and updated everyone from hospital saying she's stronger than she believed, so we asked Sydney about their worst sporting injuries. A Manly resident accidentally got a kilo of cocaine delivered to their mailbox on Iluka Street and Northern Beaches police seized it after testing confirmed what it was. Ricki-Leaks delivered the goods, Tom Hanks was spotted on the Sydney Metro proving he's fully committed to the Australian experience, we debated where the best pub in Sydney is, and recapped Australian Idol with Ricki showing off her acting skills when Anastacia surprisingly showed up (she definitely knew).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I love the rhythm of the exchange between the anthropologist and the Chidigo speaker in the first section of this recording, and at first I thought about building a percussion piece around it. But I chose this piece to work with because of my deep interest in languages, especially marginalised ones, so I decided to work with words in the tradition of the Pitt Rivers collection, which brings together objects related by theme or function rather than place or time. I chose some words in the recording that have resonance for me and asked four friends to record them in their native tongues: Hanna Komar in Belorussian, Krysia Osostowicz in Polish, Darius Paymai in Farsi and Krithika Varagur in Tamil. I used those words as a kind of embroidery on the rough cloth of the field recording, interrupting, counterpointing, enhancing. The 2,000-year-old Tamil poem, "What He Said," is read by Krithika and in A.K. Ramanujan's English translation by Hanna. Languages, too, can mingle "like red earth and pouring rain".Researcher discussing vocabulary and translations of various English words reimagined by Maria Margaronis.———Part of the project A Century of Sounds, reimagining 100 sounds covering 100 years from the collections of the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford. Explore the full project at citiesandmemory.com/century-sounds

The hosts guide listeners through practical phrases like ordering a kids' meal (menu dziecięce) and asking about toys, but repeatedly breaks the fourth wall to discuss McDonald's "toxic" aspects: low wages, processed ingredients, lobbying power, and its role in global health issues. The episode name-checks competitors (KFC, Subway, Burger King) and touches on institutional investors like BlackRock and Vanguard, framing language learning within a critique of American corporate culture exported globally.  

Katie and Lesley talk about two books that qualify for the Goodreads "Star Selections" challenge, a mythical retelling called A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang and an award-winning Polish mystery called Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk.

Where in the world am I? In San Diego, talking about Warsaw, Poland The FAQ is: "How do I decide when it's time to pay more for comfort or safety instead of pushing myself?" Budget travel advice is common; guidance on when frugality stops being smart for aging bodies is not. This is a silent tension for senior solo travelers. Answer:  ​​Here's the truth: saving money is never worth arriving exhausted, stressed, or injured. As we get older, comfort becomes a strategy, not a luxury. I ask myself one simple question: Will this choice give me more energy tomorrow? If the answer is no, I upgrade — whether that's a better seat, a closer hotel, or a taxi instead of public transit. Smart travel means spending where it preserves your strength and confidence, not proving how tough you still are.   60-second confidence challenge Your challenge today is to set up your phone to access your essential private information while keeping it secure.   Do you have the numbers saved somewhere easy to access? You should. If you're traveling anytime soon, you'll need this. I created a spreadsheet with all of my important information, hidden and password-protected. I don't save it all in one place, though. Be aware that nothing is completely secure, even writing something down on paper can be lost. If you like today's Confidence Challenge, my book series delves deeper into passwords, privacy, security, and the confidence it takes to travel solo as a woman in her prime. See Book A for addressing this concern about being solo and being secure. I traveled around the world solo for 90 days twice, so I needed this confidence and access. Find it at https://www.5stepstosolotravel.com/ or on Amazon. It's a several-part series. Today's special destination is Warsaw, Poland  Today we're exploring Warsaw, Poland — a city of contrasts, where modern glass towers rise beside meticulously restored baroque palaces. For the solo woman traveler over 50, Warsaw offers culture, history, and accessibility that make it both inspiring and comfortable. Warsaw's sidewalks are wide and level, and public trams and buses are largely low-floor and wheelchair-accessible. English is spoken in most hotels, restaurants, and museums. Be mindful of the weather — summer can be warm, but spring and fall are ideal for sightseeing. Wear comfortable shoes, carry a light wrap, and take your time. On my visit….Here is my travelogue: I am at the train station, and I got here too early, so my train isn't on the board yet. It leaves in about 30 minutes, and the station is busy. I am in Warsaw, Poland. I arrived here yesterday on the train from Kraków, arranged to take a second train to the suburbs, and was met by Sophie, who hosted me last night. She made a lovely dinner for her family, including me, and then we went into the city and explored all the sights. We walked for two hours through Old Town, saw all the essential city buildings and statues, and also explored the university area. I liked it very much.  My first comment is that it's very green. It's flat, and the people are kind and respectful; they are all white. I have not seen any black people at all in this country; I've seen a few Asians, but otherwise, everybody is pretty much the same, and it's been enjoyable. There are so many famous people from Warsaw that I didn't know about, and I don't remember the names of many of the renowned scholars, mayors, presidents, and people who died in a plane crash in 2010, but there's a lovely statue to them.  I do know the musical legend Chopin, so he left a legacy here, including his heart, which is buried in a chapel in one of the cathedrals, so I thought that was a pretty interesting, fun fact. Why Visit Warsaw? Because it's a city that has reinvented itself without losing its soul, from royal castles to modern art, Warsaw welcomes solo travelers who appreciate resilience, beauty, and freedom. Exploring Warsaw's Historic Heart Begin your day in the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site rebuilt brick by brick after World War II. The Castle Square (Plac Zamkowy) and the Royal Castle are primarily flat and wheelchair-friendly, with ramps and elevators available inside. The cobblestone streets can be uneven, but many sections have smoother side paths and level crossings. Stroll or roll along Krakowskie Przedmieście, or Suburb street, one of the most beautiful boulevards in Europe, lined with cafés, bookshops, and historic churches. Stop by the Church of St. Anne, where there's ramp access to the main sanctuary. Krakowskie Przedmieście is pronounced roughly as Krah-KOF-skyeh Psheh-DMYES-cheh, with the stress on the third syllable (KOF) and a soft 'ś' (sh-sound) at the end, meaning "Kraków Fore-town". Polish vowels are crisp, the 'w' often sounds like 'v', and 'sz' is a 'sh' sound, making it sound melodic yet distinct.  https://travel.usnews.com/Warsaw_Poland/Things_To_Do/Krakow_Suburb_Street_Krakowskie_Przedmiescie_63801/   For lunch, try traditional Polish fare at Zapiecek, where you can sample pierogi in a cozy, accessible setting. On my next trip to Warsaw, here are a few things I would do or do again. Visit the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews — one of Warsaw's most acclaimed museums. It's fully accessible, with elevators, wide galleries, and English-language audio guides. The interactive exhibits tell a 1,000-year story of Jewish life in Poland, and it's both educational and deeply moving. End your day in the Saxon Garden (Ogród Saski), one of Warsaw's oldest parks. Its paved paths, fountains, and shaded benches make it ideal for a restful stroll or quiet reflection before dinner. Start at Łazienki Park, a vast royal garden known for its graceful pathways and friendly peacocks. Wheelchair users can easily access the main lanes and enjoy views of the lake. Don't miss the Palace on the Isle, which offers accessible tours upon request, and look for the Chopin Monument — often the site of free outdoor concerts in summer. Next, head to the Warsaw Uprising Museum, dedicated to the 1944 resistance movement. The museum is fully wheelchair-accessible, with ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms. It's a powerful look at the courage of Warsaw's citizens and a reminder of the city's indomitable spirit. For lunch or a break, stop at Hala Koszyki, a trendy food hall filled with accessible dining spaces, local Polish dishes, and people-watching opportunities. If you enjoy classical music, consider a Chopin recital at one of the small concert halls around the city center — many offer accessible seating and ramps. Travel Tips for the Solo 50+ Traveler: Warsaw's sidewalks are wide and level, and public trams and buses are largely low-floor and wheelchair-accessible. English is spoken in most hotels, restaurants, and museums. Be mindful of the weather — summer can be warm, but spring and fall are ideal for sightseeing. Wear comfortable shoes, carry a light wrap, and take your time. Why Visit Warsaw? Because it's a city that has reinvented itself without losing its soul, from royal castles to modern art, Warsaw welcomes solo travelers who appreciate resilience, beauty, and freedom. Here are some of my observations about Warsaw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BjIYKq4CVk oise.com/poland/is-warsaw-worth-visiting/ https://passport-for-living.com/weekend-in-warsaw-travel-guide/ https://www.warsawuprising.org/media/wu44_1.mp4   My missteps: Don't worry about what you can't control.   I got a message from Finnair that my flight to Finland was likely to be cancelled. I was in Poland, and the connection wasn't very easy. There aren't many flights from Gdansk to Helsinki, Finland. So, I was a bit concerned. However, fate smiled upon me that day. I was able to get to where I wanted and no delays. I was the only Finnair flight out of the airport that day because of a strike. However, I went, and it went well. AI was used to select some of the suggestions for this episode.   Connect with Dr. Travelbest 5 Steps to Solo Travel website Dr. Mary Travelbest X Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Page Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Group Dr. Mary Travelbest Instagram Dr. Mary Travelbest Podcast Dr. Travelbest on TikTok Dr.Travelbest onYouTube In the news  

There's no getting around it: you need to learn the English expression "get around"Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/get-around--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

How about a nice hot bowl of stew? Stew means a lot to me, and I'll bet most of you like a good bowl of beef stew, or chili, or goulash. Or maybe some ratatouille? How about some good Belgian waterzooi, or a Polish bigos, or a plate of Thai curry?  A bowl of grits and étouffée at the Elk Creek Café set this episode off, which is why I interviewed Elk Creek chef Jon Forshey about what stew is, and some tips on making better stew, and an added bonus, his memories of his grandmother, "the patron saint of Poverty Hollow." That's where Jon learned to cook, and we'll talk about that, too. I'll tell you about my own stew journey, how learning to make a good stew really taught me how to cook, and fired me up to learn more. One of the things I learned about was bay leaves, and I'll use my first podcast sidebar to tell you about them. Bay leaves are more interesting and versatile than I realized, used in cooking from Baltimore to Baton Rouge, Germany, Delhi, Manila, and back to the Bay Area! Then I'll walk you through making my own birthday dinner, a nice pot of Carbonnade Flamande, a Belgian beef stew made with onions and beer, and about the State College pub crawl Cathy and I did while it was simmering at home.  What I'm Drinking Today is one of the beers I used in the Carbonnade, Ommegang Abbey Dubbel, a rich, spicy old friend from back in the early days of craft beer.  The Smack Dab In The Centre segment is about the new 2026 Happy Valley Inspiration Guide, tons of great things to do in Centre County.   Next episode might be about Kane, PA, if I can get the interview scheduled in time; the person I'm interviewing has a very busy schedule, but they're the right person for the job. If not, there are other STAG irons in the fire! See you in two weeks! Until then? TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE PODCAST! Seen Through A Glass is sponsored by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Come visit Centre County!   This episode uses these sounds under the following license: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0   https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Champ de tournesol" by Komiku at https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ "Snare Roll" FX by freesound_community on Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/users/freesound_community-46691455/) arrow-impact-87260 Sound Effect found on Pixabay (https://pixabay.com) "Glow" by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au  Music promoted by https: //www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ All sounds sourced by STAG Music Librarian Nora Bryson, with our thanks.

PNL (Paranormal NL) Podcast -S4/E7-UPRN Segment #67 “ February 17th, 2026 Deja-Vu” Special -Pre-recorded event with a Live-Chat Watch-Party on UPRN. Host Jen Noseworthy from Newfoundland & Labrador (NL), Canada talks with author Aleksander Czeszkiewicz from Poland. Aleksander Czeszkiewicz is a Polish researcher, and author. Alek's novels include: DeJa-Vu and Giza Pyramids Alignment Guide. His first book was written at the age of 17, followed by many articles & other works. Alek has collaborated in numerous podcasts all around the world, including Earth Ancients Podcast with Cliff Dunning. Alek's main areas of research & interest are lost civilizations, Atlantis, lost history of humanity, consciousness and the Universe. Alek also Co-Hosts “Atlantis Bros' Podcast with historian Michael Le Flem on YouTube. Follow Aleksander Czeszkiewicz at https://www.czeszkiewiczglobal.com/ and https://linktr.ee/czeszkiewiczglobal Poland is located in Europe with a Northern Region that borders the Baltic sea, on the CET (Central European Time Zone). Poland is bordered by Lithuania & Russian exclave of Kaliningrad Oblast to the North; Czech Republic & Slovakia to the South; Ukraine & Belarus to the East; and Germany to the west. Poland is the ninth-largest country in Europe, with it's capital city of Warsaw. Poland has seen a lot of sadness during the World Wars. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, over 17 million Ukrainian refugees crossed the border to Poland. Shout out to Mark Eddy from Third Eye Live Podcast (with Sir Knight Bryan Bowden). Mark introduced me to Ken Goudsward. Mark and Bryan are both PNL Alumni-Guest members from PNL S3/E53 (UPRN Seg 60). Shout out to ancient tech & UFO author, and publisher Ken Goudsward PNL Alumni-Guest member from PNL S4/E2 (UPRN Seg#62) dimensionfold.com Shout out to UPRN Producer Michelle Deroches.com from Ontario, Michelle is also host of The Outer Realm Radio & Beyond the Outer Realm on UPRN www.linktr.ee/michelledesrochers_ PNL (Paranormal NL) Podcast is sponsored by the BOG team. It's a “Boots On Ground” (BOG) Paranormal investigation team doing local historic investigations in Newfoundland. Follow PNL Podcast & the BOG team, and grab your Merch & BOG Team Music on their Linktree. Smash those SUBSCRIBE buttons. It all helps ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://linktr.ee/paranormalnlpodcast PNL airs every Tue at 5pm EST on all digital platforms of UPRN (United Public Radio Network) 107.7 FM New Orleans & 105.3 Gulf Coast ⁠⁠https://www.uprntalkradio.com⁠⁠ (JV) Jennifer Vallis-Noseworthy, RN (Jen) PNL Podcast & BOG Team Newfoundland & Labrador (NL), Canada Founder/Host: PNL ("Paranormal NL" Podcast) Founder/Team Lead: BOG ("Boots on Ground" Paranormal Investigation Team) Email: paranormal.nl.podcast@gmail.com Follow PNL & BOG Team at https://linktr.ee/paranormalnlpodcast and https://uprntalkradio.com/

Have you ever wondered why we feel so alive when we're surrounded by nature? Why certain textures, materials, or natural elements spark deep emotions within us? The truth is reconnecting with nature through thoughtful design is a necessity, it is how we restore our bond with the earth and the more we do this, the more we are shaping a new way of living that sustains us all. Polish craft and innovation is going to take centre stage at Collect 2026 which opens in London on 25 February this year 2026. Nature connection, craft and design is taking centre stage. Biophilic Design helps people reconnect with nature. I am also a maker and artist (I sculpt, weave, sketch, etc), and for me, creating things with natural materials gives me a direct connection to nature and our planet. In this podcast we speak with the curator of this year's Collect Corinne Julius and one of the Polish artists featured during the show. We explore the significance of biophilic design, the metamorphosis of Polish craft, and the role of materiality in art. The conversation also touches on the challenges of the craft industry in the context of climate change and the importance of tactile experiences in our lives. Can slow craft be the antidote to the disconnection and environmental crisis we face today? Have you noticed when you touch a rough piece of wood, a cool stone, or a warm fibre, something stirs inside? That tactile experience connects us directly to natural material grounding us amidst what can sometimes be quotidian chaos. It's not accidental that craft practitioners, like Anna Bera, choose wood, stone, and clay to create, natural biophilic materials conduct our senses directly to our well-being and consciousness. Anna, a Polish artist from the mountains, explains it beautifully: “Working with natural materials is like engaging in a dialogue with the earth.”She crafts large-scale sculptures from wood, embracing imperfections, knots, and fungi. Her work isn't flawless in the mass production sense; instead, it's alive, real, and deeply connected.Contrast that with the sterile, sanitised surfaces of modern mass-produced objects. They're designed to be invisible, to blend into the background. But Anna's work demands you notice — it beckons tactile engagement, invites you to touch and reflect. Natural materials are imperfect, and that's what makes them beautiful. Their flaws tell stories—of growth, decay, evolution. When we embrace this, we find healing, grounding, and a fresh perspective on our relationship with nature. Corinne Julius, the curator of the Metamorphosis exhibition, champions the idea that craftsmanship embodies deep intellectual effort and storytelling. She believes that authentic craft can challenge our fast-paced, disposable culture. “Craft is a form of soft power. It shows us that beauty can win minds and hearts, making deep environmental and social issues approachable.” Her exhibitions, like Metamorphosis showing at Collect this year at Somerset House in London, celebrate transformation of materials, of countries, of ideas. The craftspeople and artists she showcases, like Alicia Patanowska or Marcin Rusak use their work to COMMENT. Their pieces question consumption, waste, and sustainability through poetic, tactile means. A tile that's thrown, cut, reassembled; a flower encased in resin—each reflects an urgent truth: We can transform waste into wonder, making us see the world differently, inspiring us to act consciously. So what is the biggest barrier to more craft specification? We have been disconnecting from nature more and more over the last two hundred years especially. Our built environments, homes, school, offices and hospitals, are often cold, uniform, and disconnected from the rhythms of the natural world. No wonder stress skyrockets, mental health suffers, and our environment degrades. Biophilic design flips this script. It's about embedding natural elements, wood, plant life, water, into our daily spaces. Think of the Polish artists who create immersive installations from living plants, or designers reimagining architecture with curving, organic shapes that mirror the human body.As Anna says: "We need more biomorphic shapes, fewer harsh lines, more presence of trees and nature in our surroundings." Her work, touching even those with sight impairments, demonstrates how materiality influences well-being. Touching a rough wood sculpture can ground you, calm you, reconnect you with your roots.Corinne agrees: “In a world obsessed with speed and perfection, slow craft and natural materials are an antidote. They remind us who we are—living, breathing, interconnected.”This of course is the heart of biophilic design. The Polish crafts scene, with its optimism and innovation, exemplifies a can-do attitude. Corinne points out: “When we collaborate properly with craftspeople, we create spaces and products that are sustainable, soulful, and inspiring."But it's not enough just to wish for it. We need action, whether in architecture, fashion, or daily choices. How?Specify handmade, natural materials in projects.A wooden table with visible grain, a ceramic vessel with imperfections. These aren't flaws, they're stories.Support artisans who work with sustainable practices.Their work embodies a dialogue with nature.Prioritise slow, thoughtful craftsmanship over mass-produced sameness.It's a rebellion, a stand against waste and environmental destruction.Educate and inspire others to value authenticity.Share stories, visit workshops, touch materials—rediscover the power of doing.As Corinne says "Join exhibitions, follow artists, advocate for crafted materials. That's how shifts occur." Every piece of authentic craft, every natural material, and every mindful space transforms our lives and our world. We can't afford to wait for systemic change alone; we must start with our own choices and specification.Visit Collect 2026 for more inspiration, and especially Metamorphosis curated by Corinne Julius, showcasing the work of Polish artists and experience the tactile, interactivity and beauty that is in handmade craft.Let's champion slow craft, embrace imperfections, and reconnect with nature's wisdom. Because if enough of us do, we can change the story—crafting a future rooted in sustainability, beauty, and genuine human connection. Want to see the full exhibition?To find out more about Collect, get tickets, and also explore the UK-Poland Season and learn more about the artists featured during this programme visit: https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/collect-fair/https://www.britishcouncil.pl/en/programmes/uk-poland-season-2025 Corinne Julius Freelance journalist, critic, broadcaster and curator she has a special interest in contemporary craft and design. She was for many years a reporter and producer on BBC Radio's Woman's Hour, made features for Radio 4 and contributes to the Arts programme ‘Front Row'. Anna Bera,is a multidisciplinary artist from Lechów in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, Poland, specializing in functional art. She runs her studio in Warsaw, where she creates predominantly large-scale works in wood. In her work, Anna focuses on the sensory perception of the materiality of the world.

The French women are inevitable, and so is another post-race recap from Jordan and RJ. This was one for the underdogs and we had a lot to celebrate including: - The Polish women with a magnificent 6th place the best ever for the Polish women at the Olympics - Celebrating Baiba Bendika, the Belgian women, and the Bulgarian relay - The French with another early penalty loop come back for the gold sparking an emotional celebration - The Swedes continue their strong second week with a silver medal - Norway's Juni Arneklevi substitution pays off with the bronze medal - Another tough race for the Germans - Czechia a very strong 5th - RJ shares his hard work on the Antholz "athletes perspective animation" (link below) And more! You can find RJ's animation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN1nwOXN70k

Send a textIn this episode of Never Been Sicker, Michael Rubino talks with Dr. Alex, a chiropractor who approaches chronic symptoms through immune response, nervous system function, nutrition, and environmental triggers. They unpack common root causes behind headaches, brain fog, fatigue, hormone issues, and histamine imbalance, plus why so many people are told “your labs look normal” while still feeling awful.They also explore how mold exposure can affect different people in the same home in completely different ways, why fixing the environment is often step one, and how detox should start with foundational pathways like digestion, hydration, sweating, and lymphatic support. Dr. Alex shares how he uses testing to personalize protocols and why there should always be a plan, not just a prescription.If you are dealing with chronic symptoms, suspected mold exposure, histamine issues, or fertility concerns, this conversation will help you understand what to look at next.00:00 Intro: Michael welcomes Dr. Alex00:30 Dr. Alex background: pain, spine, neuro issues, immune response01:30 Why people seek help and why symptom chasing fails02:10 Headaches: structural causes vs histamine and hormones03:00 Histamine explained in simple terms and why it matters04:20 Why Dr. Alex moved into a functional approach05:30 Chronic inflammation from “healthy” foods and hidden triggers07:10 “Test, do not guess” for the body and the home09:00 Never Been Sicker: rising prescriptions and chronic illness10:10 Why chiropractors do not prescribe and the herbal foundation11:20 “Where is the plan to get people off meds?”13:00 No quick fixes: the effort required to actually heal15:20 Nutrition confusion and why bio individuality wins16:30 Same house, different symptoms: immune response differences19:20 Environmental toxins are involved for most patients21:00 Michael explains hidden mold drivers and building science basics23:00 Why you cannot heal fully while still living in exposure24:05 Infertility, hormones, and mold disruption26:00 Using the Dust Test and pairing it with body testing28:00 How Dr. Alex realized mold was part of stubborn cases31:15 Biggest lie: “You'll be on meds for life” and “labs are normal”36:00 Care matters: rushed appointments vs real root cause time38:30 Detox foundations: lymph, hydration, movement, sweating40:45 Why random binders can backfire if pathways are blocked43:00 Controversies: normalizing toxins, fluoride, root canals45:00 Where to find Dr. Alex and his practice-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AP's Lisa Dwyer reports on a Polish Army ban on Chinese vehicles.

Thanks to a long-time subscriber to La Chaîne Guitare (thank you, Michel!), I was able to get in touch with Polish musician Robert Pieculewicz (Facebook page). Here he is in a Zoom interview to learn about his career and his projects. Robert Pieculewicz interview The Guitar Channel podcast The audio version of the video is available in the podcast on iTunes, Spotify and below: Until the next interview, keep on playing the guitar! Pierre Journel. For more info:Guitar in Hand Interview

Welcome to the Personal Development Trailblazers Podcast! In today's episode, we're talking about how to understand not just the Italian language, but also Italian culture.Dr. Teresa Lara is an Italian Language and Culture Coach and the founder of Italian by Lara. She holds a PhD in Humanities and a Master's degree in Teaching, bringing together academic research and practical pedagogy. Her approach to language education is deeply personal. As the daughter of a Polish mother who built her life in Italy, Teresa witnessed firsthand how challenging it can be to live in a country without fully mastering its language and cultural codes — especially as a woman, a mother, and a professional. She saw how language is not just grammar, but belonging.Six years ago, she experienced this again herself when she moved to the UK. Despite speaking English well, the transition brought a profound cultural shock. She realised that knowing a language is not enough: understanding communication styles, social expectations, and unspoken cultural norms is what truly allows someone to integrate and feel confident. Before founding her international business, Teresa worked for many years as a journalist in Italy, refining her voice as a communicator and cultural observer.Today, through her work, she helps learners go beyond grammar and build not only linguistic competence, but cultural fluency — empowering them to inhabit the language with confidence and authenticity.Connect with Teresa Here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587411022665www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-lara-pugliese-6739a935a===================================If you enjoyed this episode, remember to hit the like button and subscribe. Then share this episode with your friends.Thanks for watching the Personal Development Trailblazers Podcast. This podcast is part of the Digital Trailblazer family of podcasts. To learn more about Digital Trailblazer and what we do to help entrepreneurs, go to DigitalTrailblazer.com.Are you a coach, consultant, expert, or online course creator? Then we'd love to invite you to our FREE Facebook Group where you can learn the best strategies to land more high-ticket clients and customers. QUICK LINKS: APPLY TO BE FEATURED: https://app.digitaltrailblazer.com/podcast-guest-applicationDIGITAL TRAILBLAZER: https://digitaltrailblazer.com/

In a world obsessed with visibility, there's a quiet exhaustion rising beneath the surface. Everyone is talking about personal branding. Stand out. Be visible. Polish your message. Optimize your strategy. But what if the reason your marketing feels heavy isn't because you lack a better brand… What if it's because you've outgrown the identity you've been performing? In this episode of Your Passion, Purpose & Personal Brand, we name what most high achievers feel but rarely say out loud: personal branding has quietly become performance. And performance is exhausting. This isn't about abandoning marketing. It's about rebuilding it from the only place that actually sustains trust. That's identity. If something inside you knows you've been performing confidence… curating authority… shaping yourself to stay promotable… this conversation will feel like relief. We're going upstream - beyond websites, logos, funnels, and visibility and into the deeper truth: Your identity is the strategy. Your presence is the brand. Your realness is the marketing. KEY TAKEAWAYS Personal branding has become a socially acceptable mask for many high performers. When identity is unclear, branding turns into performance. When identity is clear, your brand becomes an amplifier. Identity-led marketing creates resonance instead of volume. When identity leads, aligned clients become magnetic — not forced. Competitors become irrelevant when you operate from a truth that cannot be replicated. CONNECT WITH LISA LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mcguire/  WEBSITE: https://lisamcguire.com Beyond the Transaction Mastermind -  Apply to join the group: https://beyondthetransactionmm.com/register Sign up for Lisa's "so much more" newsletter: https://www.thediyframework.com/so-much-more-subscribe  Freedom Reset: Your Next Steps to Realignment  Register: https://go.lisamcguire.com/freedom-reset  Human Design Masterclass Waitlist: https://go.lisamcguire.com/human-design-masterclass-waitlist  Ideal Client Workshop Waitlist: https://go.lisamcguire.com/ideal-client-workshop-waitlist-icww785155  Get your free Human Design Bodygraph: https://lisamcguire.com/get-your-free-chart/ 

Deeply flawed accounts of the Holocaust persist throughout Central and Eastern Europe. University of Ottawa historian Jan Grabowski argues that nowhere are the distortions of the Holocaust more glaring than in Poland.  The almost complete eradication of the Jewish population in Poland, the second largest in the world, was simply not possible without the active and willing participation of Polish gentiles.  Yet the Polish state continues to use its considerable resources to present Poles as either saviors of the Jews or the war's greatest victims. A conversation with Jan Grabowski about his book, Whitewash: Poland and the Jews, and the story of Holocaust distortion in Poland.  Next on the March 3rd episode of the Realms of Memory podcast.  

PJ talks to Magda who cooked up a storm for Pancake Tuesday but also celebrated Fat Thursday, a Polish tradition stuffed with creamy rich cakes that happens the Thursday before Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PJ asks is it time we put breathalyzers in the cars of drink drivers to cut the carnage, hears Opinion Line Producer Paul Byrne interview Jackie Twomey after her husband Noel Twomey got jailed for a boiling water attach, hears how Magda brings Polish and Irish tastes to Pancake Tuesday. And more... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Mat Lewczenko — entrepreneur, coach, and author of The Entrepreneur's Regret — to unpack what it feels like to be winning on paper while quietly losing at home. Mat shares his story of growing up as a Polish political refugee, building success through grit and discipline, and eventually finding himself at the top of his professional game… but emotionally empty, disconnected, and on the verge of self-sabotage.   We talk about the silent epidemic facing high-performing entrepreneurs — entrepreneurial drift — and what it takes to reclaim your nights, weekends, relationships, and sanity. This episode is a wake-up call for any man chasing more while feeling less.     Timeline Summary [0:00] The concept of "Rock Top" — succeeding outwardly while unraveling inwardly [1:41] Mat's family escaping Poland as political refugees before martial law [3:02] Growing up in an immigrant household built on pride, discipline, and ownership [10:10] Early lessons on earning what you want and respecting what you own [17:47] The tension between giving kids a better life without raising them soft [24:58] Mat's pivot from theater professor to real estate entrepreneur [30:29] The breaking point — winning at work while losing at home [31:31] The porch conversation where his wife said, "You don't get to do this" [35:29] Realizing he couldn't even name his core values [36:33] The North Star Values process and regaining alignment [40:52] The three pillars — Leadership, Love, and Life [41:30] Why being "all in" where you are eliminates guilt and fragmentation [45:28] The danger of climbing the wrong mountain [47:06] Why you must go back through the clouds to choose a new summit [54:28] Small hinges swing big doors — 15 intentional minutes a day [58:32] Presence over presents — how to win back connection at home     Five Key Takeaways Rock Top is real — you can be crushing it professionally while quietly collapsing personally. Clarity of core values simplifies decision-making and eliminates internal friction. Entrepreneurial drift happens gradually, then suddenly — awareness must come before crisis. Being fully present where you are removes guilt and fragmentation. Small, consistent intentional actions create massive relational change.     Links & Resources The Dad Edge Business Boardroom: https://thedadedge.com/mastermind Mat Lewczenko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mat-lewczenko/ Mat Lewczenko on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mat.lewczenko/?hl=en Mat's Podcast (Buzzsprout): https://www.buzzsprout.com/1956169/episodes Mat Lewczenko — Additional Resource: https://ifgrxppecbxjqjkoyvl7.app.clientclub.net/courses/offers/82985e7c-be3c-41c2-b004-8e703e688431?fbclid=IwRlRTSAP-xitleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe9kqpb3eiIFwdvocjWzIhjjxamujPzRooAIcu6RVT7W6_R-3B3c7XJyb5y5Q_aem_pxafoSiJqIhIG7u_vMzVeQ Mat's Book – https://a.co/d/02QOVPcr Episode Show Notes & Resources: https://thedadedge.com/1440     Closing Remark   If you're climbing fast but feeling empty at the top, this episode is your invitation to reassess the mountain you're on. You don't have to lose your family to win in business. If this conversation hit home, please rate, review, follow, and share the podcast. Let's build success that we don't regret.   From my heart to yours — go out and live legendary.

Last time we spoke about the beginning of the Nomohan incident. On the fringes of Manchuria, the ghosts of Changkufeng lingered. It was August 1938 when Soviet and Japanese forces locked in a brutal standoff over a disputed hill, claiming thousands of lives before a fragile ceasefire redrew the lines. Japan, humiliated yet defiant, withdrew, but the Kwantung Army seethed with resentment. As winter thawed into 1939, tensions simmered along the Halha River, a serpentine boundary between Manchukuo and Mongolia. Major Tsuji Masanobu, a cunning tactician driven by gekokujo's fire, drafted Order 1488: a mandate empowering local commanders to annihilate intruders, even luring them across borders. Kwantung's leaders, bonded by past battles, endorsed it, ignoring Tokyo's cautions amid the grinding China War. By May, the spark ignited. Mongolian patrols crossed the river, clashing with Manchukuoan cavalry near Nomonhan's sandy hills. General Komatsubara, ever meticulous, unleashed forces to "destroy" them, bombing west-bank outposts and pursuing retreats. Soviets, bound by pact, rushed reinforcements, their tanks rumbling toward the fray. What began as skirmishes ballooned into an undeclared war.   #189 General Zhukov Arrives at Nomohan Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Though Kwantung Army prided itself as an elite arm of the Imperial Japanese Army, the 23rd Division, formed less than a year prior, was still raw and unseasoned, lacking the polish and spirit typical of its parent force. From General Michitaro Komatsubara downward, the staff suffered a collective dearth of combat experience. Intelligence officer Major Yoshiyasu Suzuki, a cavalryman, had no prior intel background. While senior regimental commanders were military academy veterans, most company and platoon leaders were fresh reservists or academy graduates with just one or two years under their belts. Upon arriving in Manchukuo in August 1938, the division found its Hailar base incomplete, housing only half its troops; the rest scattered across sites. Full assembly at Hailar occurred in November, but harsh winter weather curtailed large-scale drills. Commanders had scant time to build rapport. This inexperience, inadequate training, and poor cohesion would prove costly at Nomonhan. Japan's army held steady at 17 divisions from 1930 to 1937, but the escalating China conflict spurred seven new divisions in 1938 and nine in 1939. Resource strains from China left many under-equipped, with the 23rd, stationed in a presumed quiet sector, low on priorities. Unlike older "rectangular" divisions with four infantry regiments, the 23rd was a modern "triangular" setup featuring the 64th, 71st, and 72nd. Materiel gaps were glaring. The flat, open terrain screamed for tanks, yet the division relied on a truck-equipped transport regiment and a reconnaissance regiment with lightly armored "tankettes" armed only with machine guns. Mobility suffered: infantry marched the final 50 miles from Hailar to Nomonhan. Artillery was mostly horse-drawn, including 24 outdated Type 38 75-mm guns from 1907, the army's oldest, unique to this division. Each infantry regiment got four 37-mm rapid-fire guns and four 1908-era 75-mm mountain guns. The artillery regiment added 12 120-mm howitzers, all high-angle, short-range pieces ill-suited for flatlands or anti-tank roles. Antitank capabilities were dire: beyond rapid-fire guns, options boiled down to demolition charges and Molotov cocktails, demanding suicidal "human bullet" tactics in open terrain, a fatal flaw against armor. The division's saving grace lay in its soldiers, primarily from Kyushu, Japan's southernmost main island, long famed for hardy warriors. These men embodied resilience, bravery, loyalty, and honor, offsetting some training and gear deficits. Combat at Nomonhan ramped up gradually, with Japanese-Manchukuoan forces initially outnumbering Soviet-Mongolian foes. Soviets faced severe supply hurdles: their nearest rail at Borzya sat 400 miles west of the Halha River, requiring truck hauls over rough, exposed terrain prone to air strikes. Conversely, Hailar was 200 miles from Nomonhan, with the Handagai railhead just 50 miles away, linked by three dirt roads. These advantages, plus Europe's brewing Polish crisis, likely reassured Army General Staff and Kwantung Army Headquarters that Moscow would avoid escalation. Nonetheless, Komatsubara, with KwAHQ's nod, chose force to quash the Nomonhan flare-up. On May 20, Japanese scouts spotted a Soviet infantry battalion and armor near Tamsag Bulak. Komatsubara opted to "nip the incident in the bud," assembling a potent strike force under Colonel Takemitsu Yamagata of the 64th Infantry Regiment. The Yamagata detachment included the 3rd Battalion, roughly four companies, 800 men, a regimental gun company, three 75-mm mountain guns, four 37-mm rapid-fires, three truck companies, and Lieutenant Colonel Yaozo Azuma's reconnaissance group, 220 men, one tankette, two sedans, 12 trucks. Bolstered by 450 local Manchukuoan troops, the 2,000-strong unit was tasked with annihilating all enemy east of the Halha. The assault was set for May 22–23. No sooner had General Komatsubara finalized this plan than he received a message from KwAHQ: "In settling the affair Kwantung Army has definite plans, as follows: For the time being Manchukuoan Army troops will keep an eye on the Outer Mongolians operating near Nomonhan and will try to lure them onto Manchukuoan territory. Japanese forces at Hailar [23rd Division] will maintain surveillance over the situation. Upon verification of a border violation by the bulk of the Outer Mongolian forces, Kwantung Army will dispatch troops, contact the enemy, and annihilate him within friendly territory. According to this outlook it can be expected that enemy units will occupy border regions for a considerable period; but this is permissible from the overall strategic point of view". At this juncture, Kwantung Army Headquarters advocated tactical caution to secure a more conclusive outcome. Yet, General Michitaro Komatsubara had already issued orders for Colonel Takemitsu Yamagata's assault. Komatsubara radioed Hsinking that retracting would be "undignified," resenting KwAHQ's encroachment on his authority much as KwAHQ chafed at Army General Staff interference. Still, "out of deference to Kwantung Army's feelings," he delayed to May 27 to 28. Soviet air units from the 57th Corps conducted ineffective sorties over the Halha River from May 17 to 21. Novice pilots in outdated I 15 biplanes suffered heavily: at least 9, possibly up to 17, fighters and scouts downed. Defense Commissar Kliment Voroshilov halted air ops, aiding Japanese surprise. Yamagata massed at Kanchuerhmiao, 40 miles north of Nomonhan, sending patrols southward. Scouts spotted a bridge over the Halha near its Holsten junction, plus 2 enemy groups of ~200 each east of the Halha on either Holsten side and a small MPR outpost less than a mile west of Nomonhan. Yamagata aimed to trap and destroy these east of the river: Azuma's 220 man unit would drive south along the east bank to the bridge, blocking retreat. The 4 infantry companies and Manchukuoan troops, with artillery, would attack from the west toward enemy pockets, herding them riverward into Azuma's trap. Post destruction, mop up any west bank foes near the river clear MPR soil swiftly. This intricate plan suited early MPR foes but overlooked Soviet units spotted at Tamsag Bulak on May 20, a glaring oversight by Komatsubara and Yamagata. Predawn on May 28, Yamagata advanced from Kanchuerhmiao. Azuma detached southward to the bridge. Unbeknownst, it was guarded by Soviet infantry, engineers, armored cars, and a 76 mm self propelled artillery battery—not just MPR cavalry. Soviets detected Azuma pre dawn but missed Yamagata's main force; surprise was mutual. Soviet MPR core: Major A E Bykov's battalion roughly 1000 men with 3 motorized infantry companies, 16 BA 6 armored cars, 4 76 mm self propelled guns, engineers, and a 5 armored car recon platoon. The 6th MPR Cavalry Division roughly 1250 men had 2 small regiments, 4 76 mm guns, armored cars, and a training company. Bykov arrayed north to south: 2 Soviet infantry on flanks, MPR cavalry center, unorthodox, as cavalry suits flanks. Spread over 10 miles parallel to but east of the Halha, 1 mile west of Nomonhan. Reserves: 1 infantry company, engineers, and artillery west of the river near the bridge; Shoaaiibuu's guns also west to avoid sand. Japanese held initial edges in numbers and surprise, especially versus MPR cavalry. Offsets: Yamagata split into 5 weaker units; radios failed early, hampering coordination; Soviets dominated firepower with self propelled guns, 4 MPR pieces, and BA 6s, armored fighters with 45 mm turret guns, half track capable, 27 mph speed, but thin 9 mm armor vulnerable to close heavy machine guns. Morning of May 28, Yamagata's infantry struck Soviet MPR near Nomonhan, routing lightly armed MPR cavalry and forcing Soviet retreats toward the Halha. Shoaaiibuu rushed his training company forward; Japanese overran his post, killing him and most staff. As combat neared the river, Soviet artillery and armored cars slowed Yamagata. He redirected to a low hill miles east of the Halha with dug in Soviets—failing to notify Azuma. Bykov regrouped 1 to 2 miles east of the Halha Holsten junction, holding firm. By late morning, Yamagata stalled, digging in against Soviet barrages. Azuma, radio silent due to faults, neared the bridge to find robust Soviet defenses. Artillery commander Lieutenant Yu Vakhtin shifted his 4 76 mm guns east to block seizure. Azuma lacked artillery or anti tank tools, unable to advance. With Yamagata bogged down, Azuma became encircled, the encirclers encircled. Runners reached Yamagata, but his dispersed units couldn't rally or breakthrough. By noon, Azuma faced infantry and cavalry from the east, bombardments from west (both Halha sides). Dismounted cavalry dug sandy defenses. Azuma could have broken out but held per mission, awaiting Yamagata, unaware of the plan shift. Pressure mounted: Major I M Remizov's full 149th Regiment recent Tamsag Bulak arrivals trucked in, tilting odds. Resupply failed; ammo dwindled. Post dusk slackening: A major urged withdrawal; Azuma refused, deeming retreat shameful without orders, a Japanese army hallmark, where "retreat" was taboo, replaced by euphemisms like "advance in a different direction." Unauthorized pullback meant execution. Dawn May 29: Fiercer Soviet barrage, 122 mm howitzers, field guns, mortars, armored cars collapsed trenches. An incendiary hit Azuma's sedan, igniting trucks with wounded and ammo. By late afternoon, Soviets closed to 50 yards on 3 fronts; armored cars breached rear. Survivors fought desperately. Between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m., Azuma led 24 men in a banzai charge, cut down by machine guns. A wounded medical lieutenant ordered escapes; 4 succeeded. Rest killed or captured. Komatsubara belatedly reinforced Yamagata on May 29 with artillery, anti tank guns, and fresh infantry. Sources claim Major Tsuji arrived, rebuked Yamagata for inaction, and spurred corpse recovery over 3 nights, yielding ~200 bodies, including Azuma's. Yamagata withdrew to Kanchuerhmiao, unable to oust foes. Ironically, Remizov mistook recovery truck lights for attacks, briefly pulling back west on May 30. By June 3, discovering the exit, Soviet MPR reoccupied the zone. Japanese blamed:  (1) poor planning/recon by Komatsubara and Yamagata,  (2) comms failures,  (3) Azuma's heavy weapon lack. Losses: ~200 Azuma dead, plus 159 killed, 119 wounded, 12 missing from main force, total 500, 25% of detachment. Soviets praised Vakhtin for thwarting pincers. Claims: Bykov 60 to 70 casualties; TASS 40 killed, 70 wounded total Soviet/MPR. Recent Russian: 138 killed, 198 wounded. MPR cavalry hit hard by Japanese and friendly fire. Soviet media silent until June 26; KwAHQ censored, possibly misleading Tokyo. May 30: Kwantung Chief of Staff General Rensuke Isogai assured AGS of avoiding prolongation via heavy frontier blows, downplaying Soviet buildup and escalation. He requested river crossing gear urgently.   This hinted at Halha invasion (even per Japanese borders: MPR soil). AGS's General Gun Hashimoto affirmed trust in localization: Soviets' vexations manageable, chastisement easy. Colonel Masazumi Inada's section assessed May 31: 1. USSR avoids expansion.  2. Trust Kwantung localization.  3. Intervene on provocative acts like deep MPR air strikes. Phase 1 ended: Kwantung called it mutual win loss, but inaccurate, Azuma destroyed, heavy tolls, remorse gnawing Komatsubara. On June 1, 1939, an urgent summons from Moscow pulled the young deputy commander of the Byelorussian Military District from Minsk to meet Defense Commissar Marshal Kliment Voroshilov. He boarded the first train with no evident concern, even as the army purges faded into memory. This rising cavalry- and tank-expert, Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, would later help defend Moscow in 1941, triumph at Stalingrad and Kursk, and march to Berlin as a Hero of the Soviet Union.Born in 1896 to a poor family headed by a cobbler, Zhukov joined the Imperial Army in 1915 as a cavalryman. Of average height but sturdy build, he excelled in horsemanship and earned the Cross of St. George and noncommissioned status for bravery in 1916. After the October Revolution, he joined the Red Army and the Bolshevik Party, fighting in the Civil War from 1918 to 1921. His proletarian roots, tactical skill, and ambition propelled him: command of a regiment by 1923, a division by 1931. An early advocate of tanks, he survived the purges, impressing superiors as a results-driven leader and playing a key role in his assignment to Mongolia. In Voroshilov's office on June 2, Zhukov learned of recent clashes. Ordered to fly east, assess the situation, and assume command if needed, he soon met acting deputy chief Ivan Smorodinov, who urged candid reports. Europe's war clouds and rising tensions with Japan concerned the Kremlin. Hours later, Zhukov and his staff flew east. Arriving June 5 at Tamsag Bulak (57th Corps HQ), Zhukov met the staff and found Corps Commander Nikolai Feklenko and most aides clueless; only Regimental Commissar M. S. Nikishev had visited the front. Zhukov toured with Nikishev that afternoon and was impressed by his grasp. By day's end, Zhukov bluntly reported: this is not a simple border incident; the Japanese are likely to escalate; the 57th Corps is inadequate. He suggested holding the eastern Halha bridgehead until reinforcements could enable a counteroffensive, and he criticized Feklenko. Moscow replied on June 6: relieve Feklenko; appoint Zhukov. Reinforcements arrived: the 36th Mechanized Infantry Division; the 7th, 8th, and 9th Mechanized Brigades; the 11th Tank Brigade; the 8th MPR Cavalry Division; a heavy artillery regiment; an air wing of more than 100 aircraft, including 21 pilots who had earned renown in the Spanish Civil War. The force was redesignated as the First Army Group. In June, these forces surged toward Tamsag Bulak, eighty miles west of Halha. However, General Michitaro Komatsubara's 23rd Division and the Kwantung Army Headquarters missed the buildup and the leadership change, an intelligence failure born of carelessness and hubris and echoing May's Azuma disaster, with grave battlefield consequences. Early June remained relatively quiet: the Soviet MPR expanded the east-bank perimeter modestly; there was no major Japanese response. KwAHQ's Commander General Kenkichi Ueda, hoping for a quick closure, toured the Fourth Army from May 31 to June 18. Calm broke on June 19. Komatsubara reported two Soviet strikes inside Manchukuo: 15 planes hit Arshan, inflicting casualties on men and horses; 30 aircraft set fire to 100 petroleum barrels near Kanchuerhmiao. In fact, the raids were less dramatic than described: not on Kanchuerhmiao town (a 3,000-person settlement, 40 miles northwest of Nomonhan) but on a supply dump 12 miles south of it. "Arshan" referred to a small village near the border, near Arshanmiao, a Manchukuoan cavalry depot, not a major railhead at Harlun Arshan 100 miles southeast. The raids were strafing runs rather than bombs. Possibly retaliation for May 15's Japanese raid on the MPR Outpost 7 (two killed, 15 wounded) or a response to Zhukov's bridgehead push. Voroshilov authorized the action; motive remained unclear. Nonetheless, KwAHQ, unused to air attacks after dominating skies in Manchuria, Shanghai (1932), and China, was agitated. The situation resembled a jolt akin to the 1973 North Vietnamese strike on U.S. bases in Thailand: not unprovoked, but shocking. Midday June 19, the Operations Staff met. Major Masanobu Tsuji urged swift reprisal; Colonel Masao Terada urged delay in light of the Tientsin crisis (the new Japanese blockade near Peking). Tsuji argued that firmness at Nomonhan would impress Britain; inaction would invite deeper Soviet bombardments or invasion. He swayed Chief Colonel Takushiro Hattori and others, including Terada. They drafted a briefing: the situation was grave; passivity risked a larger invasion and eroded British respect for Japanese might. After two hours of joint talks, most KwAHQ members supported a strong action. Tsuji drafted a major Halha crossing plan to destroy Soviet MPR forces. Hattori and Terada pressed the plan to Chief of Staff General Rensuke Isogai, an expert on Manchukuo affairs but not operations; he deferred to Deputy General Otozaburo Yano, who was absent. They argued urgency; Isogai noted delays in AGS approval. The pair contended for local Kwantung prerogative, citing the 1937 Amur cancellation; AGS would likely veto. Under pressure, Isogai assented, pending Ueda's approval. Ueda approved but insisted that the 23rd Division lead, not the 7th. Hattori noted the 7th's superiority (four regiments in a "square" arrangement versus the 23rd's three regiments, with May unreliability). Ueda prioritized Komatsubara's honor: assigning another division would imply distrust; "I'd rather die." The plan passed on June 19, an example of gekokujo in action. The plan called for reinforcing the 23rd with: the 2nd Air Group (180 aircraft, Lieutenant General Tetsuji Gigi); the Yasuoka Detachment (Lieutenant General Masaomi Yasuoka: two tank regiments, motorized artillery, and the 26th Infantry of the 7th). Total strength: roughly 15,000 men, 120 guns, 70 tanks, 180 aircraft. KwAHQ estimated the enemy at about 1,000 infantry, 10 artillery pieces, and about 12 armored vehicles, expecting a quick victory. Reconnaissance to Halha was curtailed to avoid alerting the Soviets. Confidence ran high, even as intel warned otherwise. Not all leaders were convinced: the 23rd's ordnance colonel reportedly committed suicide over "awful equipment." An attaché, Colonel Akio Doi, warned of growing Soviet buildup, but operations dismissed the concern. In reality, Zhukov's force comprised about 12,500 men, 109 guns, 186 tanks, 266 armored cars, and more than 100 aircraft, offset by the Soviets' armor advantage. The plan echoed Yamagata's failed May 28 initiative: the 23rd main body would seize the Fui Heights (11 miles north of Halha's Holsten junction), cross by pontoon, and sweep south along the west bank toward the Soviet bridge. Yasuoka would push southeast of Halha to trap and destroy the enemy at the junction. On June 20, Tsuji briefed Komatsubara at Hailar, expressing Ueda's trust while pressing to redeem May's failures. Limited pontoon capacity would not support armor; the operation would be vulnerable to air power. Tsuji's reconnaissance detected Soviet air presence at Tamsag Bulak, prompting a preemptive strike and another plan adjustment. KwAHQ informed Tokyo of the offensive in vague terms (citing raids but withholding air details). Even this caused debate; Minister Seishiro Itagaki supported Ueda's stance, favoring a limited operation to ease nerves. Tokyo concurred, unaware of the air plans. Fearing a veto on the Tamsag Bulak raid (nearly 100 miles behind MPR lines), KwAHQ shielded details from the Soviets and Tokyo. A June 29–30 ground attack was prepared; orders were relayed by courier. The leak reached Tokyo on June 24. Deputy Chief General Tetsuzo Nakajima telegrammed three points: 1) AGS policy to contain the conflict and avoid West MPR air attacks;  2) bombing risks escalation;  3) sending Lieutenant Colonel Yadoru Arisue on June 25 for liaison. Polite Japanese diplomatic phrasing allowed Operations to interpret the message as a suggestion. To preempt Arisue's explicit orders, Tsuji urged secrecy from Ueda, Isogai, and Yano, and an advanced raid to June 27. Arisue arrived after the raid on Tamsag Bulak and Bain Tumen (deeper into MPR territory, now near Choibalsan). The Raid resulted in approximately 120 Japanese planes surprising the Soviets, grounding and destroying aircraft and scrambling their defense. Tsuji, flying in a bomber, claimed 25 aircraft destroyed on the ground and about 100 in the air. Official tallies reported 98 destroyed and 51 damaged; ground kills estimated at 50 to 60 at Bain Tumen. Japanese losses were relatively light: one bomber, two fighters, one scout; seven dead. Another Japanese bomber was shot down over MPR, but the crew was rescued. The raid secured air superiority for July.   Moscow raged over the losses and the perceived failure to warn in time. In the purge era, blame fell on suspected spies and traitors; Deputy Mongolian Commander Luvsandonoi and ex-57th Deputy A. M. Kushchev were accused, arrested, and sent to Moscow. Luvsandonoi was executed; Kushchev received a four-year sentence, later rising to major general and Hero. KwAHQ celebrated; Operations notified AGS by radio. Colonel Masazumi Inada rebuked: "You damned idiot! What do you think the true meaning of this little success is?" A withering reprimand followed. Stunned but unrepentant, KwAHQ soon received Tokyo's formal reprimand: "Report was received today regarding bombing of Outer Mongolian territory by your air units… . Since this action is in fundamental disagreement with policy which we understood your army was taking to settle incident, it is extremely regretted that advance notice of your intent was not received. Needless to say, this matter is attended with such farreaching consequences that it can by no means be left to your unilateral decision. Hereafter, existing policy will be definitely and strictly observed. It is requested that air attack program be discontinued immediately" By Order of the Chief of Staff  By this time, Kwantung Army staff officers stood in high dudgeon. Tsuji later wrote that "tremendous combat results were achieved by carrying out dangerous operations at the risk of our lives. It is perfectly clear that we were carrying out an act of retaliation. What kind of General Staff ignores the psychology of the front lines and tramples on their feelings?" Tsuji drafted a caustic reply, which Kwantung Army commanders sent back to Tokyo, apparently without Ueda or other senior KwAHQ officers' knowledge: "There appear to be certain differences between the Army General Staff and this Army in evaluating the battlefield situation and the measures to be adopted. It is requested that the handling of trivial border-area matters be entrusted to this Army." That sarcastic note from KwAHQ left a deep impression at AGS, which felt something had to be done to restore discipline and order. When General Nakajima informed the Throne about the air raid, the emperor rebuked him and asked who would assume responsibility for the unauthorized attack. Nakajima replied that military operations were ongoing, but that appropriate measures would be taken after this phase ended. Inada sent Terada a telegram implying that the Kwantung Army staff officers responsible would be sacked in due course. Inada pressed to have Tsuji ousted from Kwantung Army immediately, but personnel matters went through the Army Ministry, and Army Minister Itagaki, who knew Tsuji personally, defended him. Tokyo recognized that the situation was delicate; since 1932, Kwantung Army had operated under an Imperial Order to "defend Manchukuo," a broad mandate. Opinions differed in AGS about how best to curb Kwantung Army's operational prerogatives. One idea was to secure Imperial sanction for a new directive limiting Kwantung Army's autonomous combat actions to no more than one regiment. Several other plans circulated. In the meantime, Kwantung Army needed tighter control. On June 29, AGS issued firm instructions to KwAHQ: Directives: a) Kwantung Army is responsible for local settlement of border disputes. b) Areas where the border is disputed, or where defense is tactically unfeasible, need not be defended. Orders: c) Ground combat will be limited to the border region between Manchukuo and Outer Mongolia east of Lake Buir Nor. d) Enemy bases will not be attacked from the air. With this heated exchange of messages, the relationship between Kwantung Army and AGS reached a critical moment. Tsuji called it the "breaking point" between Hsinking and Tokyo. According to Colonel Inada, after this "air raid squabble," gekokujo became much more pronounced in Hsinking, especially within Kwantung Army's Operations Section, which "ceased making meaningful reports" to the AGS Operations Section, which he headed. At KwAHQ, the controversy and the perception of AGS interference in local affairs hardened the resolve of wavering staff officers to move decisively against the USSR. Thereafter, Kwantung Army officers as a group rejected the General Staff's policy of moderation in the Nomonhan incident. Tsuji characterized the conflict between Kwantung Army and the General Staff as the classic clash between combat officers and "desk jockeys." In his view, AGS advocated a policy of not invading enemy territory even if one's own territory was invaded, while Kwantung Army's policy was not to allow invasion. Describing the mindset of the Kwantung Army (and his own) toward the USSR in this border dispute, Tsuji invoked the samurai warrior's warning: "Do not step any closer or I shall be forced to cut you down." Tsuji argued that Kwantung Army had to act firmly at Nomonhan to avoid a larger war later. He also stressed the importance, shared by him and his colleagues, of Kwantung Army maintaining its dignity, which he believed was threatened by both enemy actions and the General Staff. In this emotionally charged atmosphere, the Kwantung Army launched its July offensive. The success of the 2nd Air Group's attack on Tamsag Bulak further inflated KwAHQ's confidence in the upcoming offensive. Although aerial reconnaissance had been intentionally limited to avoid alarming or forewarning the enemy, some scout missions were flown. The scouts reported numerous tank emplacements under construction, though most reports noted few tanks; a single report of large numbers of tanks was downplayed at headquarters. What drew major attention at KwAHQ were reports of large numbers of trucks leaving the front daily and streaming westward into the Mongolian interior. This was interpreted as evidence of a Soviet pullback from forward positions, suggesting the enemy might sense the imminent assault. Orders were issued to speed up final preparations for the assault before Soviet forces could withdraw from the area where the Japanese "meat cleaver" would soon dismember them. What the Japanese scouts had actually observed was not a Soviet withdrawal, but part of a massive truck shuttle that General Grigori Shtern, now commander of Soviet Forces in the Far East, organized to support Zhukov. Each night, Soviet trucks, from distant MPR railway depots to Tamsag Bulak and the combat zone, moved eastward with lights dimmed, carrying supplies and reinforcements. By day, the trucks returned westward for fresh loads. It was these returning trucks, mostly empty, that the Japanese scouts sighted. The Kwantung interpretation of this mass westbound traffic was a serious error, though understandable. The Soviet side was largely ignorant of Japanese preparations, partly because the June 27 air raid had disrupted Soviet air operations, including reconnaissance. In late June, the 23rd Division and Yasuoka's tank force moved from Hailar and Chiangchunmiao toward Nomonhan. A mix of military and civilian vehicles pressed into service, but there was still insufficient motorized transport to move all troops and equipment at once. Most infantry marched the 120 miles to the combat zone, under a hot sun, carrying eighty-pound loads. They arrived after four to six days with little time to recover before the scheduled assault. With Komatsubara's combined force of about 15,000 men, 120 guns, and 70 tanks poised to attack, Kwantung Army estimated Soviet-MPR strength near Nomonhan and the Halha River at about 1,000 men, perhaps ten anti-aircraft guns, ten artillery pieces, and several dozen tanks. In reality, Japanese air activity, especially the big raid of June 27, had put the Soviets on alert. Zhukov suspected a ground attack might occur, though nothing as audacious as a large-scale crossing of the Halha was anticipated. During the night of July 1, Zhukov moved his 11th Tank Brigade, 7th Mechanized Brigade, and 24th Mechanized Infantry Regiment (36th Division) from their staging area near Tamsag Bulak to positions just west of the Halha River. Powerful forces on both sides were being marshaled with little knowledge of the enemy's disposition. As the sun scorched the Mongolian steppes, the stage was set for a clash that would echo through history. General Komatsubara's 23rd Division, bolstered by Yasuoka's armored might and the skies commanded by Gigi's air group, crept toward the Halha River like a predator in the night. Fifteen thousand Japanese warriors, their boots heavy with dust and resolve, prepared to cross the disputed waters and crush what they believed was a faltering foe. Little did they know, Zhukov's reinforcements, tanks rumbling like thunder, mechanized brigades poised in the shadows, had transformed the frontier into a fortress of steel. Miscalculations piled like sand dunes: Japanese scouts mistook supply convoys for retreats, while Soviet eyes, blinded by the June raid, underestimated the impending storm. Kwantung's gekokujo spirit burned bright, defying Tokyo's cautions, as both sides hurtled toward a brutal reckoning. What began as border skirmishes now threatened to erupt into full-scale war, testing the mettle of empires on the edge. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Patrols in May led to failed Japanese offensives, like Colonel Yamagata's disastrous assault and the Azuma detachment's annihilation. Tensions rose with air raids, including Japan's June strike on Soviet bases. By July, misjudged intelligence set the stage for a major confrontation, testing imperial ambitions amid global war clouds.

Kate Adie introduces stories from Japan, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, Poland and Pakistan.A snap election has given Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the strongest majority for a Japanese government in more than 70 years, thanks to a growing fan-base among young voters. Shaimaa Khalil reports from Tokyo on growing cult around the country's first woman leader.The visit by the Prince of Wales to Saudi Arabia was among the most diplomatically sensitive of his official trips to date. While the focus was energy transition and improving prospects for young people, questions lingered over Saudi human rights, and controversies back home in the UK. Daniela Relph followed Prince William's visit.Uganda has been feeling the bite of international aid cuts, imposed by the likes of the UK, the EU, and notably by President Trump. The closure of the USAID agency has disrupted an array of relief projects, including those providing treatment for HIV-AIDS. Bel Trew met some of the people directly affected.An art exhibition in the Polish city of Gdansk has ignited a row over the country's role in World War Two. John Kampfner went to see the exhibit for himself and reflects on the country's fractious culture war.And the skies above Lahore in Pakistan have been filled with thousands of kites, as the festival of Basant returned. It's the first time in two decades the celebrations have been allowed to go ahead - following a surprising spate of deaths. Caroline Davies joined generations of Lahoris in the celebrations.Producer: Serena Tarling Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie introduces stories from Japan, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, Poland and Pakistan.A snap election has given Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the strongest majority for a Japanese government in more than 70 years, thanks to a growing fan-base among young voters. Shaimaa Khalil reports from Tokyo on growing cult around the country's first woman leader.The visit by the Prince of Wales to Saudi Arabia was among the most diplomatically sensitive of his official trips to date. While the focus was energy transition and improving prospects for young people, questions lingered over Saudi human rights, and controversies back home in the UK. Daniela Relph followed Prince William's visit.Uganda has been feeling the bite of international aid cuts, imposed by the likes of the UK, the EU, and notably by President Trump. The closure of the USAID agency has disrupted an array of relief projects, including those providing treatment for HIV-AIDS. Bel Trew met some of the people directly affected.An art exhibition in the Polish city of Gdansk has ignited a row over the country's role in World War Two. John Kampfner went to see the exhibit for himself and reflects on the country's fractious culture war.And the skies above Lahore in Pakistan have been filled with thousands of kites, as the festival of Basant returned. It's the first time in two decades the celebrations have been allowed to go ahead - following a surprising spate of deaths. Caroline Davies joined generations of Lahoris in the celebrations.Producer: Serena Tarling Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie introduces stories from Japan, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, Poland and Pakistan.A snap election has given Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi the strongest majority for a Japanese government in more than 70 years, thanks to a growing fan-base among young voters. Shaimaa Khalil reports from Tokyo on growing cult around the country's first woman leader.The visit by the Prince of Wales to Saudi Arabia was among the most diplomatically sensitive of his official trips to date. While the focus was energy transition and improving prospects for young people, questions lingered over Saudi human rights, and controversies back home in the UK. Daniela Relph followed Prince William's visit.Uganda has been feeling the bite of international aid cuts, imposed by the likes of the UK, the EU, and notably by President Trump. The closure of the USAID agency has disrupted an array of relief projects, including those providing treatment for HIV-AIDS. Bel Trew met some of the people directly affected.An art exhibition in the Polish city of Gdansk has ignited a row over the country's role in World War Two. John Kampfner went to see the exhibit for himself and reflects on the country's fractious culture war.And the skies above Lahore in Pakistan have been filled with thousands of kites, as the festival of Basant returned. It's the first time in two decades the celebrations have been allowed to go ahead - following a surprising spate of deaths. Caroline Davies joined generations of Lahoris in the celebrations.Producer: Serena Tarling Production coordinators: Katie Morrison and Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Today's story: A “millionaire” is someone with a net worth of one million dollars. But the reality of a million dollars today is very different from when the word entered English in the late 1700s. Today's millionaires are more likely to drive ordinary cars, live in the suburbs, and manage their own daily chores than live the lavish lifestyles we often associate with the word “millionaire.”Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/839Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/839--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

In this captivating episode, we welcome Aleksander Czeszkiewicz, the extraordinary Polish researcher and author who authored his groundbreaking debut book at the remarkable age of just 17.Join us as Aleksander opens up about his profound personal transformation—from a committed atheist rooted in science and empirical evidence, to someone awakened by extraordinary supernatural experiences. As a child, he encountered unexplained high strangeness, only to set those mysteries aside in pursuit of rational understanding. But recurring dreams filled with premonitions and intense déjà vu became impossible to dismiss, ultimately unlocking extraordinary abilities such as perceiving human auras and witnessing energy manifested in visible light.This profound shift reshaped his worldview, raising provocative questions: Was this a form of divine guidance propelling him toward his mission? Could these experiences be the key to reexamining our ancient past and the very foundations of modern science?In Déjà Vu: Has Everything Already Been?, Aleksander masterfully intertwines timeless ancient myths—from the fabled lost continent of Atlantis to parallel global flood narratives—with perplexing archaeological enigmas, including the Great Pyramids and other megalithic marvels that continue to defy conventional scientific explanation.Challenging the conventional linear model of human progress, he presents compelling evidence for a cyclical view of history: advanced golden ages that flourished and vanished, erased by cataclysmic events near the close of the last Ice Age around 9,600 BCE.Discover why Aleksander's work is generating worldwide attention — and why the past may be more alive than we ever imagined!Book (US):https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGN8VZ3DBook (UK):https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BGN8VZ3Dhttps://www.czeszkiewiczglobal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@czeszkiewiczglobalhttps://www.facebook.com/czeszkiewiczglobalGear up and get freaky with official Let's Get Freaky merchandise! Our spooky-cool collection features hoodies, t-shirts, mugs, stickers, and more—perfect for showing your love of the paranormal while staying comfy and stylish. Dive into the full range now: http://tee.pub/lic/aQprv54kktwGot a mind-blowing paranormal encounter, cryptid sighting, UFO experience, or any high-strangeness story that still gives you chills? We want to hear it—and we want YOU on the show! Become a guest on Let's Get Freaky and share your true story with our growing freaky community. Drop us a line at: letsgetfreakypodcast@mail.com Or slide into our DMs on socials: Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, or YouTube → @tcletsgetfreakypodcast Everything you need in one place: https://linktr.ee/letsgetfreaky

Polish off pierogi with Chris Kalb as we discuss the comic book company and superheroes he and his brother created when they were just kids, why he once thought Chris Ware was his nemesis, the Batman comic which influenced him the most, how his father caused him to fall in love with Doc Savage, the secret origin of his romantic advice superheroine Breakup Girl, the sophistication  of pulp era writing, one theory as to why Doc Savage never made it as a successful comic book series, the college comic strip which won him a Charles M. Schulz Award, the problem the slabbing of pulps has caused within the collecting community, the pulp premium so rare none may have survived, and much more.

Celebrate Valentine's Day the Polish way. In this episode, we explore essential vocabulary for Walentynki, from romantic expressions to gift-giving phrases. Learn how to say "I love you," discuss teddy bears and chocolates, and navigate Valentine's traditions in Poland. Perfect for beginners and intermediate learners looking to add some love to their Polish skills. Vocabulary List / Lista słówek Polish English Pronunciation Walentynki Valentine's Day val-en-TEEN-kee Miś Teddy bear meesh Czekoladki Chocolates che-ko-LAT-kee Kwiaty Flowers kvya-tee Róże Roses ROO-zhe Pierścionek Ring pyersh-CHYO-nek Kocham cię I love you KO-ham chyeh Randka Date RANT-kah  

Welcome to the new episode of the Learn Polish Podcast! Have you ever wondered what Hamlet actually meant in his most famous speech? In this episode, I look at the “To be, or not to be” monologue. I explain in simple words what these deep thoughts mean and how we can understand the prince's choices. I speak clearly and slowly to help you improve your listening skills. Premium members can access the full Polish transcript word-for-word at realpolish.pl.The post ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RP513: Być albo nie być…⁠ appeared first on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠realpolish.pl

Admiral Rickover — America's most famous, perhaps most influential admiral of the second half of the 20th century. To discuss his unbelievable life story, dramatic impact on the Cold War, and implications for the future of what the U.S. government should do when it tries to build hard things, we have two guests — Charles Yang, founder of the Center for Industrial Strategy, who also does AI science work at Renaissance Philanthropy, and Emmett Penney of FAI. We discuss: Rickover's immigrant origin story from Polish village to almost being deported at Ellis Island and his improbable path into the Naval Academy. Drive, discipline, expertise, and how Rickover bent Washington to his will. Rickover as tyrant, teacher, technocrat — what his contradictions reveal about leadership, power, and effectiveness. Why Rickover matters now — nuclear revival, defense procurement reform, engineers vs. lawyers, and a major archival digitization effort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maxine Sharf is a culinary creator and recipe developer who is passionate about bringing comfort, confidence, and community to cooking. She takes inspiration from her diverse background as Korean, Chinese, Russian, Romanian, and Polish with a California upbringing. She left her ten-year career in tech to pursue her mission to help others feel less intimidated in the kitchen, and she writes about it in her debut cookbook, Maxi's Kitchen. And at the top of the show, Aliza talks about my recent trip to Taiwan, covering many stops along the way including: Ron Museum, Moon Moon Food, 詹記麻辣火鍋-西門大世界, 阿仁甕缸雞-名間店, and Shanghai Hao Wei Soup Dumplings. Subscribe to This Is TASTE: ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Jennings is a Canadian left-handed double bassist who's been based in Paris since 2002, traveling extensively across jazz and world music projects to all corners of the globe. A D'Addario Orchestral Artist, Chris has carved out a unique niche playing in ensembles where there's often no bass part written, working with artists like Nguyên Lê, Dhafer Youssef, and exploring the rhythmic complexities of Gnawa music. In this episode, Chris shares the story of his game-changing Petite Double Bass made by Polish luthier Piotr Poludniak — a hand-carved, neck-off instrument that weighs just 12kg in its carbon fiber case and sounds remarkably like a full-size acoustic bass. We also dive into his bow technique journey with Tom Martin and Edgar Meyer, his philosophy of being "in service to the music," his travel productivity hacks, the polyrhythmic world of Gnawa music, and much more. Enjoy, and connect with Chris on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube! Connect with DBHQ Join Our Newsletter Double Bass Resources Double Bass Sheet Music Double Bass Merch Gear used to record this podcast Zoom H6 studio 8-Track 32-Bit Float Handy Recorder Rode Podmic Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Lens   When you buy a product using a link on this page, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting DBHQ.   Theme music by Eric Hochberg

Michael Vlahos as Germanicus analyzes Polish Premier Donald Tusk's invocation of Jeffrey Epstein as a Russianintelligence asset, interpreting this as geopolitical warfare positioning Poland as Europe's bastion against Russia, potentially forming a central European bloc while ironically creating a symbiotic arrangement dividing Ukraine between Polish and Russian spheres. 1918 UKRAINE

Ivanti zero-days trigger emergency warnings around the globe. Singapore blames a China-linked spy crew for hitting all four major telcos. DHS opens a privacy probe into ICE surveillance. Researchers flag a zero-click RCE lurking in LLM workflows. Ransomware knocks local government payment systems offline in Florida and Texas. Chrome extensions get nosy with your URLs. BeyondTrust scrambles to patch a critical RCE. A Polish data breach suspect is caught eight years later. It's the Monday Business Breakdown. Ben Yelin gives us the 101 on subpoenas. And federal prosecutors say two Connecticut men bet big on fraud, and lost. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Our guest is Ben Yelin, Program Director for Public Policy & External Affairs at the University of Maryland Center for Cyber Health and Hazard Strategies, talking about weaponized administrative subpoenas. Selected Reading EU, Dutch government announce hacks following Ivanti zero-days (The Record) Singapore says China-linked hackers targeted telecom providers in major spying campaign (The Record) Inspector General Investigating Whether ICE's Surveillance Tech Breaks the Law (404 Media) Critical 0-Click RCE Vulnerability in Claude Desktop Extensions Exposes 10,000+ Users to Remote Attacks (Cyber Security News)  Payment tech provider for Texas, Florida governments working with FBI to resolve ransomware attack (The Record) Chrome extensions can use unfixable time-channel to leak tab URLs (CyberInsider) BeyondTrust warns of critical RCE flaw in remote support software (Bleeping Computer) Hacker Poland's largest data leaks arrested (TVP World) LevelBlue will acquire MDR provider Alert Logic from Fortra. (N2K Pro Business Briefing) Men charged in FanDuel scheme fueled by thousands of stolen identities (Bleeping Computer) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry's most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember when Facebook was fun and Google actually worked? Cory Doctorow coined a term for what went wrong, and he's here to explain how we fight back.Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1280What We Discuss with Cory Doctorow:"Enshittification" is Cory Doctorow's term for how platforms decay. First they're good to users, then they abuse users to serve business customers, then they abuse everyone to claw back value for themselves. Facebook, Amazon, and Google all followed this playbook — and policy makers let it happen."Switching costs" are a deliberate policy choice, not an inevitability. Companies jack up the friction of leaving their platforms through design and lobbying, but regulations like phone number portability prove we can legislate friction down when we choose to.The Digital Millennium Copyright Act criminalizes fixing things you own. Security researchers who expose corporate sabotage — like the Polish train company bricking locomotives to extort customers — face harsher legal consequences than actual pirates."Algorithmic wage discrimination" is surveillance capitalism's newest trick. Apps like Uber track how desperate workers are and pay them less accordingly — the more rides you accept, the lower your future offers, turning desperation into a permanent wage ceiling.You can fight back by supporting interoperability and making strategic choices. Use alternative services (like Kagi for search), follow advocates like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org), and remember: every time you demand the right to own what you buy, you're pushing back against enshittification.And much more...And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: Article: Visit article.com/jordan for $50 off your first purchase of $100 or moreBetterHelp: 10% off first month: betterhelp.com/jordanBombas: Go to bombas.com/jordan to get 20% off your first orderButcherBox: Free protein for a year + $20 off first box: butcherbox.com/jordanHomes.com: Find your home: homes.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.