Podcasts about pow

Sorry this one's a bit late — but to make up for it, we've gone all in with an extra-long episode of General Witchfinders, split into two parts. This week, we take you through the extraordinary, over-the-top world of Flash Gordon (1980) — the space opera superhero film that blended camp comedy, science-fiction spectacle, and Queen's iconic soundtrack into something truly cosmic. The second half of this intergalactic adventure will land next week. Flash Gordon was directed by Mike Hodges, the British filmmaker behind Get Carter and Pulp, and produced by the legendary Dino De Laurentiis. Based on the King Features comic strip created by Alex Raymond, the film stars Sam J. Jones as the all-American hero Flash, Melody Anderson as Dale Arden, Ornella Muti as the dangerous Princess Aura, Max von Sydow as Ming the Merciless, and Topol as the eccentric scientist Dr. Hans Zarkov. The supporting cast includes Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed, Peter Wyngarde, Peter Duncan and John Hallam — a line-up that reads like a who's who of cult cinema. We dig into the incredible production history of Flash Gordon, from De Laurentiis' first attempts in the 1960s to his decision to turn down George Lucas — a choice that helped inspire Star Wars. The film's troubled development included a scrapped version by Nicolas Roeg, with Debbie Harry once rumoured to play Princess Aura. Eventually, Hodges took the reins, working from a screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr., the same writer who brought Batman's colourful POW! ZAP! style to TV in the 1960s. That influence is clear throughout, giving Flash Gordon its unmistakable comic-book tone. The film was shot mainly at Elstree and Shepperton Studios, pushing British set design and visual effects to the limit. For the famous Hawkmen sequence, the crew built a sixty-foot-high, hundred-foot-wide blue screen powered by a million watts of light. The result is one of the most gloriously excessive moments in sci-fi history — a flying army, Brian Blessed shouting “Gordon's alive!” and Queen blasting through the speakers. Speaking of Queen, we explore how their soundtrack revolutionised film music, paving the way for rock bands to score major blockbusters. The combination of Freddie Mercury's operatic flair and Howard Blake's orchestral compositions gave Flash Gordon a sonic identity that still feels fresh today.We also look at the film's eclectic cast. Sam J. Jones' brief but memorable career, Melody Anderson's move from acting to social work, and Ornella Muti's headline-grabbing life and legal troubles. There's Max von Sydow's path from The Seventh Seal to The Exorcist and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Topol's secret links to Mossad, Timothy Dalton's long and winding journey to becoming James Bond, and Peter Wyngarde's transformation from Department S to the gold-masked villain Klytus.And, of course, the mighty Brian Blessed — mountaineer, Shakespearean thunder-god, near-astronaut, and national treasure. From I, Claudius to Doctor Who, Cats, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and beyond, he's one of Britain's most extraordinary performers. In this episode, we unpack the layers of Flash Gordon as both cult classic and chaotic masterpiece: how its bright visuals masked a difficult shoot, how its camp sensibility influenced generations of filmmakers, and why it remains a cornerstone of British sci-fi fandom. Whether you're here for trivia, nostalgia, or the Queen soundtrack alone, this is one of our most detailed episodes yet — and we'll be back next week with part two to finish the adventure. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of #LatinosOutLoud, @RachelLaLoca is on location at the conference epicenter of pop culture, #NYComicCon Boom! Pow! Shazam! Rachel grabbed her mic and Eddie his camera, and the pair embarked on a conference hall quest to find some of the most amazing Latino creators and comic culture shifters. They also ran into Godzilla, Zelda, Link, A Sugar Gnome, Usagi Yojimbo and Rain from Mortal Kombat! Shout out to #NYComicCon for opening their doors to us. We got to hear from artists and creators like: Humberto Ramos, a Mexican comic book penciller, best known for his work on American comic books such as Impulse, Runaways, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man and his creator-owned series Crimson. (www.humbertoramos.com) Ricardo Lopez-Ortiz, a Brooklyn, NY based comic book artist and illustrator hailing from Puerto Rico. He's most known for his work on DC Comics'; The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #1 , Ghost- Maker and American Vampire 1976, TKO Presents'; THE PULL , Marvel's; War of the Realms: War Scrolls #1 , Black Panther vs Deadpool, and ZERO for Image Comics. (www.rlopezortiz.com) Panico Press, based in Puerto Rico (WEPA!), Panico is a graphic and prose novel publisher founded in 2018 that delves into many genres such as horror, fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, humor, and more. (www.panicopress.com) Christopher Fermoselle, owner of Dekryptic and exclusive merch partner with the old-school animated series, The Boondocks. Shout out to them for all the great merch they gifted us! (www.dekryptic.com) Napoleon Smith, CMO of Wow Cube/Rubick's who shows us how to play with the new WOW Cube. From housing games and trivia to it even being a lamp, you just have to check it out www.wowcube.com. We also bumped into former gust of the show, EdgardoMiranda-Rodriguez creator of La Borinqueña Comics. His superhero, La Borinqueńa--the only Afro-Latina comic book hero, turns ten next year! (www.la-borinquena.com/) We also got to chat with the talented Jorge Medina of Get Your Medz (www.getyourmedz.com) and Jaydee Rosario of Unstoppable Comics (www.unstoppablecomics.com). #NYCC25 #NYComicCon #ComicCon2025 #LatinoOutLoud #Podcast #Hispanic #NYC #NY #RachelLaLoca #Comedy #Nintendo #Marvel #Nickelodeon #StarTrek #DCComics #NinjaTurtles #TMNT #ComicBooks #Latinos #Rubicks #WowCube #Boondocks #HelloKitty #Sanrio #OnePiece #LegendOfZelda #Zelda #PrincessPeach #Link

Luke Layton McLaurine, Jr. graduated from advanced bombardier training and was grouped with the pilot and copilot prior to the rest of the crew joining them. McLaurine had taken navigation and gunnery training including operation and repair of the turrets. The ball turret gunner was a highly technical duty plus it necessitated the gunner be small in stature. Luke tells the story of becoming a POW in Stalag 11 after their plane was shot down over Germany. He was taken by train to Frankfurt with his crew and four other captive Americans after bailing out of his Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber on 16 November 1944. He recalls the grueling marches he and other POWs were forced to do by their captors to avoid Russian and American soldiers. Luke, originally from Memphis, TN, ran his parents' bakery, McLaurine's Bakery, upon returning from the war.

I discuss and review Rolling Thunder starring William Devane as a POW returning from Vietnam seeking revenge after the murder of his wife and son. I also discuss the John Candy documentary “I Like Me” 4/5

W Limes inferior tym razem wyprawa nie na kresy cyfrowe, ale na Kresy. Z profesorem Tomaszem Balbusem z Instytutu Pamięci Narodowej, badaczem konspiracji na Ziemi Wileńskiej, rozmawiamy o postaci Sergiusza Piaseckiego.29 września 2025 na Powązkach Wojskowych odbył się pogrzeb państwowy wielkiego pisarza i żołnierza Rzeczypospolitej, w którym udział wziął Prezydent RP, Karol Nawrocki. Sergiusz Piasecki spoczął obok grobu mjr Zygmunta Szendzielorza "Łupaszki".Sergiusz Piasecki powrócił do Polski, ale w jaki sposób Polsce przywrócić tę postać -jego pisarstwo i jego postawę?W audycji także głosy uczestników pogrzebu, zwykle - słuchaczy Radia Wnet.

Discover the untold story of the RAF heroes who photographed victory.What if the intelligence that won World War II didn't come from Bletchley Park — but from the skies above? In this gripping episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by historians and podcasters Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins from For You The War Is Over to uncover the hidden story of the RAF's Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) — the unarmed pilots who risked everything to capture the images that shaped Allied strategy and victory.These daring aviators, flying stripped-down Spitfires and Mosquitos, gathered over 26 million photographs during the war — producing 80% of all Allied intelligence. But their story remains one of WWII's least recognised triumphs.The Untold Legacy of Aerial IntelligenceEnigma cracked codes, but aerial reconnaissance won battles. Dave and Tony reveal how the PRU began as a handful of maverick pilots before evolving into a highly specialised global intelligence unit that transformed modern warfare. They share the staggering dangers these pilots faced — flying alone, unarmed, and often without armour — at freezing altitudes to capture photos over heavily defended targets.From the development of stereography and 3D imaging that made D-Day possible, to the astonishing innovation behind Sandy Gunn's Spitfire, the episode brings to life the courage, technology, and sacrifice of those who turned cameras into weapons of war.You'll also hear how today's historians and engineers are preserving this legacy — including the restoration of Sandy Gunn's Spitfire (AA810) and the creation of a new memorial in London to honour PRU crews.Featuring Guests:

In our conversation, we explore:What it was like to fly the legendary F-4 Phantom into combat.The moment his jet exploded — and the life-altering seconds that followed.What helped him survive nearly six years as a POW.The power of faith, friendship, and camaraderie under unthinkable conditions.One of the lowest moments of his time in captivity, and the lesson we can all learn from it. Why honor isn't just a virtue — it's also a strategy for long-term success.And how we can all bounce back from setbacks with resilience and grace.We also discuss Lee's latest and most heart-expanding book, Captured by Love: Inspiring True Romance Stories from Vietnam POWs, a best-seller that reveals powerful stories of real love forged in the fires of war and captivity.

Mike talks with Author Tom Clavin about torpedoes, POW's, and his book "Running Deep" - This and more on Hour 2 of the Mike Boyle Restaurant Show!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A veteran of the Second World War and the Korean War, Francis L. Sampson was a real-life hero whose exploits inspired one of the most famous war films of all time, Saving Private Ryan. From rural beginnings in northwestern Iowa, Sampson's life would take him from the University of Notre Dame to the battlefields of Normandy on D-Day, the ambitious failure of Operation Market Garden, the harshness of a winter as a POW of the Germans during the closing stages of the Second World War, to the fall of North Korean capital Pyongyang in the early stages of the Korean War. Part of the very rare breed of Parachute Chaplains, in his case with the 101 st Airborne Division, Sampson spent much of his career as an army chaplain in the center of maelstroms of the 20th century. Throughout it all, Sampson offered a valuable Christian witness in the darkest of times and the most difficult of circumstances. This second edition of his memoirs, Look Out Below!: A Story of the Airborne by a Paratrooper Padre (Catholic U of America Press, 2023) contains material on his service during the Korean War and occupation duty in Germany and Japan as well as the Second World War, with a new historical introduction by University of Scranton Professor Sean Brennan. Allison Isidore is a Religious Studies Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa and is the Assistant Director for the American Catholic Historical Association. Her research interest is focused on the twentieth-century American Civil Rights Movement and the Catholic Church's response to racism and the participation of Catholic clergy, nuns, and laypeople in marches, sit-ins, and kneel-ins during the 1950s and 1960s. She tweets from @AllisonIsidore1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

A veteran of the Second World War and the Korean War, Francis L. Sampson was a real-life hero whose exploits inspired one of the most famous war films of all time, Saving Private Ryan. From rural beginnings in northwestern Iowa, Sampson's life would take him from the University of Notre Dame to the battlefields of Normandy on D-Day, the ambitious failure of Operation Market Garden, the harshness of a winter as a POW of the Germans during the closing stages of the Second World War, to the fall of North Korean capital Pyongyang in the early stages of the Korean War. Part of the very rare breed of Parachute Chaplains, in his case with the 101 st Airborne Division, Sampson spent much of his career as an army chaplain in the center of maelstroms of the 20th century. Throughout it all, Sampson offered a valuable Christian witness in the darkest of times and the most difficult of circumstances. This second edition of his memoirs, Look Out Below!: A Story of the Airborne by a Paratrooper Padre (Catholic U of America Press, 2023) contains material on his service during the Korean War and occupation duty in Germany and Japan as well as the Second World War, with a new historical introduction by University of Scranton Professor Sean Brennan. Allison Isidore is a Religious Studies Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa and is the Assistant Director for the American Catholic Historical Association. Her research interest is focused on the twentieth-century American Civil Rights Movement and the Catholic Church's response to racism and the participation of Catholic clergy, nuns, and laypeople in marches, sit-ins, and kneel-ins during the 1950s and 1960s. She tweets from @AllisonIsidore1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

A veteran of the Second World War and the Korean War, Francis L. Sampson was a real-life hero whose exploits inspired one of the most famous war films of all time, Saving Private Ryan. From rural beginnings in northwestern Iowa, Sampson's life would take him from the University of Notre Dame to the battlefields of Normandy on D-Day, the ambitious failure of Operation Market Garden, the harshness of a winter as a POW of the Germans during the closing stages of the Second World War, to the fall of North Korean capital Pyongyang in the early stages of the Korean War. Part of the very rare breed of Parachute Chaplains, in his case with the 101 st Airborne Division, Sampson spent much of his career as an army chaplain in the center of maelstroms of the 20th century. Throughout it all, Sampson offered a valuable Christian witness in the darkest of times and the most difficult of circumstances. This second edition of his memoirs, Look Out Below!: A Story of the Airborne by a Paratrooper Padre (Catholic U of America Press, 2023) contains material on his service during the Korean War and occupation duty in Germany and Japan as well as the Second World War, with a new historical introduction by University of Scranton Professor Sean Brennan. Allison Isidore is a Religious Studies Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa and is the Assistant Director for the American Catholic Historical Association. Her research interest is focused on the twentieth-century American Civil Rights Movement and the Catholic Church's response to racism and the participation of Catholic clergy, nuns, and laypeople in marches, sit-ins, and kneel-ins during the 1950s and 1960s. She tweets from @AllisonIsidore1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

A veteran of the Second World War and the Korean War, Francis L. Sampson was a real-life hero whose exploits inspired one of the most famous war films of all time, Saving Private Ryan. From rural beginnings in northwestern Iowa, Sampson's life would take him from the University of Notre Dame to the battlefields of Normandy on D-Day, the ambitious failure of Operation Market Garden, the harshness of a winter as a POW of the Germans during the closing stages of the Second World War, to the fall of North Korean capital Pyongyang in the early stages of the Korean War. Part of the very rare breed of Parachute Chaplains, in his case with the 101 st Airborne Division, Sampson spent much of his career as an army chaplain in the center of maelstroms of the 20th century. Throughout it all, Sampson offered a valuable Christian witness in the darkest of times and the most difficult of circumstances. This second edition of his memoirs, Look Out Below!: A Story of the Airborne by a Paratrooper Padre (Catholic U of America Press, 2023) contains material on his service during the Korean War and occupation duty in Germany and Japan as well as the Second World War, with a new historical introduction by University of Scranton Professor Sean Brennan. Allison Isidore is a Religious Studies Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa and is the Assistant Director for the American Catholic Historical Association. Her research interest is focused on the twentieth-century American Civil Rights Movement and the Catholic Church's response to racism and the participation of Catholic clergy, nuns, and laypeople in marches, sit-ins, and kneel-ins during the 1950s and 1960s. She tweets from @AllisonIsidore1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

A veteran of the Second World War and the Korean War, Francis L. Sampson was a real-life hero whose exploits inspired one of the most famous war films of all time, Saving Private Ryan. From rural beginnings in northwestern Iowa, Sampson's life would take him from the University of Notre Dame to the battlefields of Normandy on D-Day, the ambitious failure of Operation Market Garden, the harshness of a winter as a POW of the Germans during the closing stages of the Second World War, to the fall of North Korean capital Pyongyang in the early stages of the Korean War. Part of the very rare breed of Parachute Chaplains, in his case with the 101 st Airborne Division, Sampson spent much of his career as an army chaplain in the center of maelstroms of the 20th century. Throughout it all, Sampson offered a valuable Christian witness in the darkest of times and the most difficult of circumstances. This second edition of his memoirs, Look Out Below!: A Story of the Airborne by a Paratrooper Padre (Catholic U of America Press, 2023) contains material on his service during the Korean War and occupation duty in Germany and Japan as well as the Second World War, with a new historical introduction by University of Scranton Professor Sean Brennan. Allison Isidore is a Religious Studies Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa and is the Assistant Director for the American Catholic Historical Association. Her research interest is focused on the twentieth-century American Civil Rights Movement and the Catholic Church's response to racism and the participation of Catholic clergy, nuns, and laypeople in marches, sit-ins, and kneel-ins during the 1950s and 1960s. She tweets from @AllisonIsidore1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/christian-studies

On this episode of Talking Shop we're joined by Sarah Fairhurst, Creative Director and Board Member at Dalziel & Pow. Sarah shares insights from her work with iconic brands like Guinness and Primark, exploring what makes retail identities resonate today. We discuss balancing brand consistency with innovation, the evolving role of in-store design, and how retailers of any size can elevate experiences through thoughtful creativity.

What happens when a night of camping in the Utah mountains turns into an encounter with the past? One listener's story begins as a prank under the full moon—and ends with the discovery of a hidden mine, a carved message in Spanish, and the chilling sense that something unseen was standing behind him in the dark. But that was only the beginning. Years later, while serving as a volunteer minister in the South, he'd come face-to-face with something even more terrifying: a family cursed by dark magic, a room that shook as if alive, and a shadow hand crawling across the floor like something out of the Addams Family—only real. And as if that weren't enough, a final haunting ties it all together: a house built on top of an abandoned POW camp, guarded by a ghostly man in a derby hat. His story—and his land—refuse to rest. This is one of those rare collections of real ghost stories that bridge the line between history, faith, and fear. Because sometimes, the past doesn't stay buried… it waits. #RealGhostStoriesOnline #TrueHaunting #GhostMiner #UtahHaunting #CursedHouse #ShadowFigure #POWCampGhost #VoodooCurse #HauntedHistory #ParanormalEncounters #HauntedCaves #SupernaturalPodcast Love real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:

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

Levi tells the story of Stockdale, a POW in Vietnam, and how the secret of who made it back safely can help you become a successful day trader.

October 1944: As World War II draws towards its conclusion, a Nazi defeat begins to seem almost inevitable. But when the Doctor and Ace are captured in the grounds of Colditz Castle, the most secure POW camp in Germany, the … Continue reading →

Tom Brokaw famously described America's World War II servicemen as the “Greatest Generation”. But according to the historian David Nasaw, the Americans who fought in the Second World War are better understood as The Wounded Generation. His eponymous new book describes the pain and hardships that 16 million veterans endured upon their return home - a tragic story of PTSD, racism and family breakup. Brokaw celebrated the nobility with which these ex-soldiers got on with civilian life without either complaining or even talking about the war. But for Nasaw, this silence wasn't just stoicism—it was often undiagnosed and sometimes even untreatable trauma.1. WWII Was America's Longest and Most Brutal War The average soldier served nearly three years in uniform (compared to less than one year in WWI), with 75% deployed overseas. Combat on the European front was relentless, especially in the final year, with severe manpower shortages keeping GIs on the front lines for weeks or months without relief.2. Millions Returned with Undiagnosed PTSD Veterans came home with what we now recognize as PTSD, but it was neither diagnosed nor treated. Unable to talk about their experiences, many self-medicated with alcohol. The silence wasn't stoicism—it was trauma. Writers like Salinger and Vonnegut could only process their experiences through fiction years later.3. The GI Bill Excluded Most Black Veterans While celebrated as transformative legislation, the GI Bill's benefits were distributed by local officials. In the South, this meant Black veterans were systematically denied college access (segregated schools were full) and unemployment benefits (they were told to return to sharecropping). Only Northern Black veterans like Harry Belafonte, John Coltrane, and Tito Puente could fully access their benefits.4. America Faced Its Worst Housing Crisis Ever No homes had been built during the Depression or the war years, creating unprecedented shortages when 16 million servicemen returned. This housing crisis, combined with fears of renewed economic depression, added to veterans' anxiety about rebuilding their lives. Politicians like JFK and Jacob Javits fought hard for veterans' housing subsidies.5. The War's Aftermath Lasted Decades 1946 saw record divorce rates and increased lynchings as racial tensions exploded. Veterans who liberated concentration camps or survived POW camps (especially in the Pacific) carried lifelong trauma. Nasaw's central message: wars don't end with peace treaties—the harm to soldiers and civilians lasts for generations.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 2 A Quick Execution Plan In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             If my life is a mirror, why does mine have to be one-way with me on the wrong side.     Christina was waiting for me when I came out, minus her servant (classes had just been let out so she hadn't snared one yet), but she'd gained three sidekicks who looked upon me with varying degrees of amusement and contempt. The shortest of them, a sexy brunette with a foxy-like face glared at me with ill-disguised hate, over what I had no idea. "Come on, Zane," Christina said as she handed me her book bag, "time to face judgment." "Face judgment?" I mused. "Are we really going there? I made an honest mistake and besides, isn't forgiveness of sins the prime Christian virtue?" Angry Girl grabbed my arm and yanked but the sad facts of physics and my contrariness kept her from moving me. The girl ground her teeth, on the cusp of rage. "Zane, come," dictated Christina calmly. "Heaven, release him before he starts crying to the liberal media about physical abuse." Heaven? Seriously, who names their daughter Heaven, I thought, then I remembered where I'm standing. I meekly went to Christina's side when Heaven released me, then we started making our way to the Administration Building. My phone went off and I checked the message and had to snicker. It was Iona and apparently the girls are starting to use my time as some sort of currency. "What was that all about?" another sidekick asked. This one was actually friendly. "I'm Chastity," she identified herself. "Hey, Chastity," I grinned back to her. "That was an enterprising freshman who is keeping track of which lady has requested my Handmaiden services, and now I'm apparently being swapped around." "You are a whore," snarled Angry Chick Heaven. "Listen," I shot back, "this is your crazy tradition, not mine. I'm only doing what my upperclassmen are demanding of me. I'm acting like any other incoming freshman. But I have to admit, I haven't actually read the handbook yet." "Let it be, Heaven," advised Christina. "This will all be over in thirty minutes and he'll be gone." On that note, I turned to the last unnamed senior. "So what's your name, if you would be so kind as to tell me?" "Faith," she replied cautiously. I kept grinning. "I swear, if you ladies have a girl named Hope in your close circle of friend we should form an all-girls 80s-style punk rock band. I'll be the manager, constantly clashing with Christina over artistic differences," I rambled on. "You are kind of a nut," Chastity pointed out. "I'm on the verge of the shortest college career in history so I admit to being a bit nervous," I confessed, and surprise of surprises, Chastity placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. Somehow that made Heaven angrier with me, which I didn't think was possible. Before I could delve into the psychoses of Heaven, we arrived at the Chancellor's office. I gave Christina her bag as the girls abandoned me once the secretary ushered me in with a disdainful sniff of her nose. Inside were six women but I only recognized two: Chancellor Doctor Melrose Bazz and Ms. Goodswell, who also happened to be my assigned Spiritual Advisor. "Come in and sit down, Mr. Braxton," commanded Doctor Bazz. Since the only open chair was directly in front of her desk and flanked by the other chairs (so I'd be doubly flanked), I took my seat. "As you must now understand, there has been a horrible error," the Chancellor continued. "To rectify this situation you will withdraw from Freedom Fellowship University effective immediately. Your tuition will, of course, be refunded." She slid some papers in front of me. "I take it everyone knows who I am, ma'am, but who am I in the room with?" I inquired. "Sign the papers," insisted Doctor Bazz. "Can I think about this?" I inquired. "No," she answered. "Are you sure?" I persisted. "Yes," she snapped angrily. "Okay, then, I'm not signing," I decided. Everyone stirred restlessly. "You don't have a choice," one of the unnamed women in the room declared. "Security will hand you over to the Sheriff's Department as we remove you if you don't leave sensibly." "That sounds like a lawsuit," I noted. "You are mistaken, Mr. Braxton," the Chancellor glared. I noticed the unnamed woman farthest from me looked less than convinced; that made her the college's lawyer. "Chancellor, I have a deep respect for you and for the school you so expertly shepherd. I'm not out to embarrass this institution." I tried to relate to all of them. "The problem for you is that at no time in the registration process was I ever asked if I was male," I began my argument. "I entered my first name in as Glenn; your computer system transcribed that over to Glenda. At no time did I attempt to deceive the administration. I also can call forth witnesses from my dorm floor that will testify that I clearly didn't understand this was a woman's institution of higher learning." "You are being highly disruptive to the school and you've already been in one fight in your first four hours of school," another unnamed member announced. "Pardon me, but I don't know who you are," I asked the woman. "Dana Gorman, Head of Security and Dean of Athletics," she snipped. "Coach Dana, I was not aware that anyone was hurt and since I wasn't supplied my Handbook until yesterday afternoon when I went to my dorm room, I had no idea about the Handmaiden's Duty. I did find my roommate pinned to the ground with three girls sitting on her while she screamed and cried. I pushed/kicked them away and picked her up. I acted with charity and compassion," I put my best spin on the case as possible. "Doctor Josephine Sergeant, Dean of Sciences," the other unnamed woman introduced herself. "I'm not sure how I can fit you into my program, Mr. Braxton. The corpses Advanced Biology students work on are all female." "Doctor, I would imagine if I do become a doctor, I will have to work on women from time to time," I countered. "Mr. Braxton, nothing good can come of your intransience. Sign the papers, take the fall off, and find another school more fitting to your nature and gender," the Chancellor spoke. "I'll fight," I replied. We had a still moment, then Ms. Goodswell cleared her throat. "Zane, why do you want to stay?" "Short answer: this school has nine hundred women and one me; what's not to love? Long version: my inheritance is based on me being eighteen and in a college of my Aunt's choosing. It is too late for me to get into another program this year so if I don't fight, I go broke. I have nothing to lose." "Ms. Lane," the Chancellor addressed her lawyer, "is there any reason we can't escort Mr. Braxton to the gates right now?" The attractive young lawyer brushed a stray strand of her lovely light brown hair before responding. "There does seem to be a flaw in the administration software. There is no sexual differentiation key. Medical files were submitted as required and they clearly identify him as being male so there was no indication of evasion on his part, we missed it. FFU can expel him if he doesn't leave of his own accord but he definitely has a lawsuit against us." That gave people food for thought. It took Ms. Goodswell to save the day and I didn't really expect that. "Mr. Braxton, do you promise us to be an exemplary student if we allow you to stay out the semester?" "Of course," I promised. "Well, we can't keep him where he is," insisted Dana, shocked and angry. "We can keep him in his residence hall but place him in the Solarium. We can fix up something for him by tonight, and we have him cleared to use the fifth floor showers as schedules allow," Ms. Goodswell suggested. "The place is a mess," Dana grumbled. "I'll work to make it better as time allows," I volunteered. "Mr. Braxton, wait outside while we discuss this," commanded the Chancellor. I took my cue and left quickly. Christina and clique were sitting patiently waiting for me. She stood and made to leave. "I was told to wait here," I informed her, which brought the whole troop up short. "What are we waiting for?" Christina inquired. "Oh, I have them over a barrel so I insisted they assign one of you to be my bed warmer for the rest of the week. They are debating on which one of you gets the honor," I teased. "You bastard," spat Heaven, getting in my face. "You are a vomitus piece of filth!" "Just for that, you are next," I grinned devilishly at her. "Huh?" she looked far angrier than uncertain, "Next for what?" "Oh, during the upcoming sex orgy I host, you are 'Next'. See," I sighed dramatically, "I'm not likely to remember your name so when I call out 'Next,' I mean you." I had a split second to decide whether I'd duck or not. Training was screaming at me to half-step back while bringing up an arm to block but, Pow! I staggered back to the wall and slumped halfway down to the floor. Heaven kept coming and kicked me twice in the shin before Chastity and Christina pulled her off me. She was still sputtering and growling when the Chancellor's door opened up and Ms. Gorman stepped out and closed it behind her. "What is going on here?" she hissed. "There was a misunderstanding," Christina answered. "Actually, Heaven punched me after I deflected one of her insults," I countered. "Now I have to ponder civil litigation." "What?" Christina asked cautiously. Heaven was less diplomatic or restrained. "You provoked me," she accused me. "Do you know word one about my sexual habits? Could you prove a believable threat to you or someone around you? Barring that, you just committed assault," I informed Heaven. "You are willing to gamble we would betray Heaven to someone like you?" Faith threatened. "No," Dana answered for me. "I have little doubt that Mr. Braxton has noted that all classes and administration rooms have cameras." She seemed bitter about her own security procedures. The rest of the girl posse seemed equally unhappy except for, "Come on," Chastity told me as she offered me a hand up. I took it and quickly was upright once more so that we were chest to chest. "Please don't do this, Zane," she said evenly. Heaven scoffed. "Very well, Chastity, because it was you who requested it, but I do ask for one thing in return," I told her. "Of course he wants something," Heaven snarled sarcastically. "Actually, all I want is five minutes with Heaven," I explained, and when Heaven rolled her eyes and Chastity looked uncomfortable, I added, "no physical contact at all, only sitting down and talking." "She'll do it," Christina agreed. "No!" balked Heaven. "You'll do it or be expelled and face possible jail time," Ms. Gorman stated. "No," it was my turn to say. "I was joking; I won't press charges against Heaven." "She can still be expelled," Dana insisted. "For what?" I asked. Dana looked at me cautiously. "Hell, we were just fooling around; right ladies?" No one said anything because to speak was to court the sin of falsehoods. "Yes," said Christina, taking the plunge; the others nodded. Dana bored me into place with her gaze, weighing her options. "Keep it down out here," she snapped to the room, "especially you young ladies. I expected better from you four." The implication was that my cock exempted me from mature behavior. "Thank you," Chastity told me. "It took the grand total of one word, please," I explained. "I know it must be hard to believe but I'm not a total scumbag." "Are you still going to make me pay for insulting Rio?" Christina mocked. "The week isn't over yet," I pointed out. The resulting silence was interesting. Five minutes later the door opened and the women filed past. The second to last one out was the lawyer, Ms. Lane. "Mr. Braxton, we will have to get together to discuss some of your unique legal issues and liabilities next week," she informed me. "I await you at your leisure, Ms. Lane. Whatever you need, I'll do my best to comply," I smiled. "It will certainly be easier if you are compliant," she smiled back before turning and heading into the hallway, my eyes watching the line on her stockings going from where her skirt's hemline revealed her shapely thighs down her muscular calves to her four-inch heels. "Temptation comes in many forms," Ms. Goodswell said, interrupting me from the distraction of Ms. Lane's luscious posterior, a look that Ms. Lane caught as she smiled and turned out of sight. "In my admittedly limited experience, temptation is a result of dissatisfaction with one's circumstances, not a weakness of character," I offered as an explanation. "As your spiritual counselor, I feel it is my duty to keep you on the straight and narrow," Ms. Goodswell sighed with faux sufferance. "I don't mean to make things hard for you, Ms. Goodswell," I jibbed. "Enough sexual innuendo for the moment, Zane; you've been given an opportunity so don't blow it, don't disappoint me," Ms. Goodswell warned me while stabbing me in the chest with a well-manicured cherry gloss fingernail. I gave her a funny look. "What is it, Mr. Braxton?" she asked. "Oh, it is the fact that you are attempting the impossible, restoring my faith in organized Christianity, I answered while fishing for her name. "Virginia," Ms. Goodswell filled in the void of my unsubtle inquiry. "You are going to be trouble," she said, but her smile belied any worry on her part. "Well, I must get to lunch. I have a deserving Mistress who demands that I spoon-feed her," I told her as I moved to Christina and her cohorts. "Your room, seven o'clock, Zane. We'll be moving you to your new lodgings then," Virginia instructed. I nodded my acknowledgement then headed off to my late lunch. As we crossed campus, we remained relatively quiet until we approached the Dining Hall. "You remain intriguing, Mr. Braxton," Christina allowed. "I am equally drawn to you, you sanctimonious twat," I bantered back, and the girl posse jerked in response. "I hope they house you in a deep, dark hole," snapped Heaven. "I hope they do too," I beamed at Heaven, "and I hope you have the only key." "Why is that?" asked Chastity. "I'd let him starve to death," Heaven grinned viciously. I kept my eyes on Heaven. "Well, if Heaven had the key, she could come down and torture me whenever she wanted," I explained, and when Heaven licked her lips in anticipation, I added, "and she'd look so fetching in nothing but thin strips of black leather, high heels, and a whip in her hand as she scourged the sin out of me again and again, ." I licked my lips sensually at Heaven, "and again." Now all movement stopped; even the normally homicidal Heaven was caught up in the imagery (which she liked) and the other girls were wrapping their minds around the implications of either me on my knees, Heaven in leather, or us together. "You have a very sinful mind," accused Faith. "I have never denied that," I responded. "I'm a flawed creature in need of redemption, I admit that. Thankfully, I've chosen a religion based on forgiveness and second chances, then, eh?" Any further comments were interrupted by a girl running into me, more like almost running over me. "Zane! They didn't transubstantiate you into communion wafers," Rio squealed, showing more womanly affection than I would have given her credit for. Rio didn't do a great job of being 'surprised' when she noticed the girls around me. Heaven glared at Rio and I tried to shift myself between them but Christina intervened before anything happened. "Felon, I am in need of a stool to sit on; I'm tired," Christina said. As she used the word 'felon,' she smirked at me. Rio flinched too. "Wouldn't you rather have me lie on my back so you can sit on my face so I can get you off? That way we could both eat lunch," Rio sneered back. Christina didn't bite. "Make a seat, little felon," Christina smiled. I had a sudden desire to miss lunch. "I've got this, Zane," Rio told me as she touched my upper arm and pushed me toward the door. As I grudgingly walked away, I saw Rio get down on all fours on the grass and Christina take her seat. The best thing I could say about the situation was that Queen Christina didn't bounce up and down. Before I could come up with some rescue strategy, Iona corralled me and led me to the Handmaiden Mistress of the moment; Dove. Dove's food had grown cold and Iona had kept assuring her I was on my way so I set to my latest exercise in humility. Dove expected me to sit with her. I brushed her shoulder-length auburn hair aside and fed her mouthful after mouthful, using a napkin to tantalize her lips after every few bites, which Dove found enticing and the surrounding tables found romantic. I was getting the feeling that the girls were looking at this whole Handmaiden thing differently than I was. At three o'clock I made it to Soccer tryouts, forgetting one little gigantic complication, this was Christina's team. She and the coach decided that since they couldn't outright deny me the chance for a place on the team, they could make me target practice (aka goalie). I blocked eleven shots from established members of the team (they have Soccer/Football in Thailand) but number twelve got past me, I was off the team. At four came Archery tryouts and I was starting to feel the weight of being the true outsider here, and it got worse when I saw our Team Captain was Chastity Adams, aka Chastity of Team Christina. I turned to put my equipment up when Chastity called me over. "What are you doing, Zane?" "I've just finished having Christina use me as a crash test dummy," I admitted. "I figured I'd save us both some time so that you could concentrate your efforts on people who might actually have a chance to be on the team." "Zane, why don't you think I'd give you a chance?" Chastity asked quietly. "Will you give me a chance?" I wondered. "Not if you quit right now," she pointed out. So, I gave it a shot and I leaned that I sucked at archery, but clearly not as bad as most of the other girls so Chastity tapped me as a competitive alternate, which meant I was to carry equipment and practice a lot, the newbie. "Why did you do this, let me on the team?" I inquired after the team announcements. "You aren't half bad," she explained, then smiled and pointed out, "plus you will distract the other all-female teams." "Thanks for the chance, Chastity," I said as I shook her hand. "You are good-looking and funny, Zane, and the other girls will work harder so they can stick around you," she responded while looking at me intently. "Now go, you have another team to try out for." Sometimes I needed to be reminded that there are things a twenty-one-year-old could teach an eighteen-year-old. I barely made it to Karate tryouts (Marksmanship and Orientation were on Tuesdays and Thursdays). I didn't recognize our Team Leader but our coach was Dana Gorman, Head of Security. She eyed me with suspicion but it was nothing compared to the looks I got from the Team Sub-captain. I thought I recognized the face but I definitely recognized her ass and the hair weave, I'd put a foot in it when I kicked her off Rio, yeah me! I told them I knew some kick-boxing but Dana was not impressed so I was placed with the beginners group, which I proceeded to dominate utterly. Ten minutes of that and the Team Captain Wilhelmina Spellman put me in the second tier, where I went undefeated in our little sparing matches yet again. Willie wanted to put me on the first team but the girl whose ass I'd kicked vocally opposed her on it. Willie relented but only partially. After class, the sub-captain would judge my performance and get the final say if I was first-team material. I figured if I ripped out her still-beating heart and showed it to her, I had a fifty-fifty chance of making the squad. We squared off after the last girl left, the sub-Captain didn't want any witnesses. She was more skilled and had more emotional investment but I'd actually been in some real fights and was faster and stronger. As far as matches went, it was pretty intense. We went back and forth with no real advantage until she threw me by grabbing and tearing off my ghee. Before she could capitalize I got in a kick to her gut and when she unfolded, I head-butted her, causing her nose to bleed. I pulled up and she rubbed her nose and looked at the blood. "Oh, God, I'm sorry. Let me go get someone," I urged. "You hurt me," she muttered. "Lord Jesus Christ, you hurt me," she said angrily as I stepped forward. I was so overwhelmed with human compassion I didn't see the kick coming. I was dreaming of running errands to a close village which was something I got away with from time to time. It was a pleasant day if a little cold for daytime in the Thai uplands. The young widow I spent some time with was attending me and I was clearly lying back and enjoying some of our intimate foreplay. Her mouth felt warm and comforting on my little helmet, her tongue didn't twirl like it normally did, but I wasn't in Thailand anymore either. My jaw hurt but that was far less relevant than the pressure of the body I was feeling on my thighs, the warm, wet sensation around my cock, and the feel of hands on my shaft and stomach. I propped myself up and looked down at my crotch were our sub-captain looked up at me while keeping her bobbing rhythm going. "Stop," I ordered her. She reluctantly agreed, her eyes warring with anger, shame, and lust. I imagine she was wondering about what kind of academic hell I was about to bring down on her or if she could get away with crying rape as she pushed herself back and rested on her haunches. "Take off your clothes," I ordered next. That command staggered her but my gaze fixed her in place. "What are you going to do to me?" she said with a shaky voice. "I'm going to reciprocate what you've been doing to me. You gave me a great lesson and I want to return the favor, now strip." She thought about it a moment, then did a quick striptease which brought me to my knees. "What's your name?" I inquired as she finished. "Cappadocia Davis," she murmured as she met me at knee level. I started kissing her, drifting into chest contact and letting our hands roam free for several minutes. Cappy had a very passive-aggressive style and often mirrored what I did, all the signals of a confident virgin. Getting us down head to crotch took little effort as Cappy went back to administering her blowjob and I started working over her own sexual center. She only asked me to hurry once when I was spending time getting to know her thighs with delicate kisses. Though it was a bit rough, Cappadocia worked me furiously with strong hands, plump lips, and a fighter's stamina. On my end, I did all I could. I mapped out the pleasure lines along her thighs, across the groin, and farther along the stomach and sides, passing the breasts to the throat, ears and lips. Cappadocia expected a quick fuck and an equally quick departure. As it was, we missed dinner and I would almost be late for my room meeting. Before then, I explored Cappy fully. I kissed every ebony inch of her, from kneecap to navel; I took gentle tongue strokes to her lips, cunt, and especially the clit while not forgetting a little tantalization of her ass which drove her over the top to an orgasm by itself. Cappy was good enough to take my seed not once, but twice, though the first time she took most of it on her face. I sat there with two fingers stretching her lips apart while my tongue languidly worked on her labia and clitoris. I tickled the clit, sucking it with my lips, then blowing on it coolly. She learned how to swirl with her tongue once my cock was inside her mouth for a stronger sensation. Cappadocia liked a contest and we had the best of kinds; neither side won and a rematch was in order, definitely. "Cappadocia," I began as I was getting my outdoor clothes on, "I don't think I'm ready for first team yet." "Neither do I," she responded after a few moments of thought. "I'd like to keep training for it, though. I'm not going to give up trying, no matter how many private sessions it takes." "I have to agree, Zane. You are not yet ready and it is going to take a whole lot of private lessons to get you into 'first team' shape," she nodded. I left with a sore jaw but thinking good thoughts. I'd made two teams and had a shot at two others, as long as no one shot me or sent me to get lost in the wilds with a false map. The Solarium Why am I Living in a Glass House? I raced across campus to my dorm only to discover a sad looking girl in a short terry cloth robe sitting on the outside steps with a half-full trash bag. She perked up when she saw me. "Zane," she hailed me, "I want you to take out my trash." Okay, that seemed kind of lame to me because the dumpster was thirty feet away so I had to think quickly. "Umm," I looked her over. "Jolene," she provided. "Jolene, this doesn't seem quite fair," I pointed out, and I watched her deflate before me. "See," I said as I took her bag of trash and headed for the dumpster, her tagging along, "maybe I should come by your place tonight around nine thirty and clean up your room for you. Does that sound like a more appropriate Handmaiden's duty?" The little lights went off in her eyes. "Yes," she bobbed her head. "Yes, it sounds, amazing." Without telling me her room number, she skipped off through the doors and went off to do God knows what. I went looking for Iona who, as I guessed, hooked me up with the girl's location. Gliding into my room after that was less satisfying. "You are late, Mr. Braxton," Ms. Goodswell informed me. "Handmaiden's Duty," I countered. "We've moved all your furniture to the Solarium on the top floor," Dana rumbled. Solarium, top floor. Wasn't I on the top floor already? What was I getting into? That wasn't the most important thing at the moment, though. Rio sat on her bed, knees up, hugging a pillow and looking decidedly unhappy at the world. I turned to the two teachers and asked them for a minute with my old roomie. Dana grumbled but Virginia made her give us the space. "What's up, Rio?" I asked as I sat down at the foot of the bed. I knew what was wrong; I was abandoning her and I was not the first guy to do so. The only problem was, I wasn't those other guys. "Nothing's up, asshole," she shot back. "I'm looking forward to not having you snore all night long. Plus, I'll be able to shower whenever I want," she sniffled. "Oh, well, dealing with you has been a total pain in my ass too, Rio. It will be a relief to not have to wake up looking at you, your tattoos and all those body piercings," I stated evenly. "Hey, I don't have any piercings anymore," she pouted, hurt by the comment and its accuracy. "Well, I don't believe you, Rio. Sometime you will have to come up to the Solarium and show me just how wrong I am. I'll leave out a sleeping bag in case your city-bred ass gets lost and you can't figure out how to get back down after dark," I joked. "Zane, if they find you sleeping with a girl, you'll get expelled," Rio whispered. "Thank God you are not a girl, then, ya freak," I grinned so she hit me with her pillow. Rio was sneering at me playfully as I left; we were still friends. Outside my room, I'd picked up an old friend, Barbie Lynn Masters, and with Virginia, Dana, and Iona, we trekked to the fifth floor, then up to the roof. Now, when they were designing this kind of dorm in the nineteen seventies, the architect was on a 'Retro Victorian' kick. He envisioned a safe green haven for the girls to go to where they would be free to partake of nature's bounty without risking pesky urban menaces like rapists, thieves, and murderers. The Christian Elders liked the design so much, they transplanted it to the Virginia countryside. Of course, there aren't a lot of muggers in rural areas so the roof escapes weren't totally necessary or welcome by the student body and when the school built its twelve-foot-tall brick wall with security cameras around the entire facility, the need evaporated. Soon, all the Solariums were abandoned, the plants died, and not all the window panes were replaced. It was a pretty freaking miserable place at first glance and there was some suspicion that this was an indirect way to drive me out. But they clearly had avoided the Developing World and my long experience in it when thinking this through. I loved it. I had roughly eighty percent of the dorm building's floor space to play with. It would be a lot of work to fix it but I had been accidentally supplied with a ready and willing work force. Thank you, freshmen and Handmaiden's Duty, because amongst its other virtues, the Solarium was my room, and a freshman in a dorm room was immune to being summoned for Handmaiden Duty while in any such room unless required by a duty to go there. All I had to do was have Iona get the word out to our fellow freshman that my room was sanctuary and I was set. All that was tomorrow; tonight, I had a cold room with squirrels, maybe a raccoon or two, birds, spiders, roaches, and an assortment of other pests, plus my bed, dresser, and a wardrobe from the drama department. I had also secured the choice time of five forty-five to six as my bathroom time in the morning, and ten to ten-fifteen in the evening. How I would actually piss during the day was swept under the rug. Ms. Goodswell suggested I get a hall pass during class periods for safety's sake. College, hall pass, Did they think I should make up for missing high school? It was lights out in my domicile. The moon was waning and the sky was clear when I heard someone working the lock to my door at the bottom of the stairs. Five people had keys: I was one, Dana Gorman was another, Virginia Goodswell, and Chancellor Bazz were two others, but none of them, I suspected. I spotted the faint moonlight playing across golden locks as my intruder drew close. "Hey," Barbie Lynn whispered as she came to a stop by my bed. "I thought you might get cold so I brought you a quilt from storage." "You are a life-saver, Barbie; I'm freezing in here. Why don't you put the quilt over me and climb in so it will warm up here faster and we can both get to sleep sooner," I responded softly. It was a weak lie but it was really all Barbie needed; it was late summer in Virginia, after all. She spread out the quilt and started to get in. "Wait, you'll get your skirt wrinkled," I cautioned her before she sat down. She nodded and stripped out of it, then completed the process by stripping off her shirt, (no bra), socks, and shoes. As she snuggled up against me, she realized I was naked. "Oh, that doesn't seem fair," Barbie giggled, so she wiggled around under the covers and tossed out her undies. "That's better." I pulled her into my arms and I caught her stealing glances up at me as she pressed her hands against my chest. "We have all night," I assured her, and that earned me a kiss. "Oh, and I have your missing panties in my book bag, courtesy of Rio." I returned her kiss and soon we were wrapped around one another, engrossed in one another's erogenous zones (ear lobes, nipples, lips, and throats) as well as tempting fate with a little penal vaginal contact. After she wrestled me against the headboard and took my member deep into her mouth we had a little session of 'try doing this and watch him squirm' until I finally lost control and erupted several times into her mouth. "Umm, Barbie Lynn murmured as she rolled some semen over her tongue, eyes lighting up as I smiled at her talent. "Jesus bless me, you taste nearly as good as you look. I want more!" "Next time we can swap cum," I suggested to her. Barbie wrinkled her nose. "Doesn't that make you a homo?" she questioned. I forgave her ignorance due to cuteness. "You've tasted your juices on my lips but you are not a lesbian," I pointed out. After a moment she nodded so I continued with, "all I want to do is taste it on your tongue, not someone else's on my tongue." Telling her I'd given more than one blowjob didn't appear to be helpful at this time; I'm decidedly not heterosexual. "Oh, you're pretty smart for someone so young," she smiled seductively. I cupped her face in one hand. "I may be young and smart, but you are far more beautiful, breathtakingly beautiful, than me and one heck of a teacher because you keep me wanting to learn more," I heartily complimented her. I must have struck a chord because Barbie Lynn glowed from the inside out and virtually poured like tanned molten gold into my lap. "Fuck me," she begged with sensual need. "What about your Pledge?" I questioned. "Fuck my ass," she moaned, "it's not really cheating." Yeah, right. "Okay, Barbie Lynn, but teaching you to like it isn't easy. I'm going to have to break you in all night long," I warned her, but all I got was a violent trembling of anticipation which caused her to make my lap damp and my cock rebound to duty. We kissed deeply and with longing for over a minute, Barbie rocking in my lap, her labia brushing my cockhead. "Is it going to hurt?" she panted into my lips. "Yes. The first time you are going to scream, but I promise you I'll show you how good it can be," I assured her. She gulped in fear but smiled with wanton lust in her eyes. I played with her cunt and my cock, doing tiny penetrations until Barbie lost it in a screaming, ear-splitting orgasm, "God loves me, God loves me, God Loves ME!!!!" She followed that up by collapsing against me and burying my face in her ample bosom. I couldn't help myself; I took an overly sensitive nipple into my lips. "Oh, oh, oh, baby, that hurts; that hur, she whispered hoarsely until I relented. That didn't stop her from hugging me tightly to her chest though. "Barbie Lynn, go over to my kit and get the Vaseline," I ordered her after a bit. "Why do I have to do it?" she teased me. "I love to watch your ass wiggle when you leave and the way your bare breasts bounce when you come back," I confessed. Once more she came on with this deep kiss and a winning smile, then she did as I asked and the view was definitely as delicious as I'd hoped. She quickly resumed her position over me, shimmying to the point I was afraid I'd actually press my cock too far into her cunt. Barbie was biting her lip while we played with her virginal fire; I knew I had to do something and that was to pop the top of the lubricant and rub two fingers deep into her back door. "Here we go," I cautioned her, "I'll be slow and gentle. We are taking our time so don't worry about tensing up, I'll deal." She gave me a nod, then went back to tempting fate. I was finding more and more to lust over with Barbie. When my right index finger brushed her pink star, she didn't flinch one bit. She kept her rotation going and I slipped in a finger without much protest or resistance. I let this finger slip in and out for a minute, sinking in deeper every few thrusts. To distract her, I moved my left hand between us and slipped two fingers into her cunt. That, along with the touch of my cock, got her off. Barbie bounced harder so I was forced to put a third finger in the way of my cock penetrating her, plus I pressed the knuckle of my thumb against her clit. For a second Barbie Lynn seemed at a loss of what to do, but one look at my parted lips, panting from the excitement, convinced her to feed one magnificent nipple into my mouth while she played with the other one before my eyes. She teased me so I stuck a second finger up her ass. Barbie bucked and moaned but if she was in any pain, she hid it well. "Do you want to know something?" she struggled to say, hovering over me. I nodded. "It took a grand total of seven minutes for the last two boys I was with to cum all over my tits. I don't know how long we've been going at it but Lord Almighty, I'm so happy I was given this dorm. This is going to be the best year ever." "I'm working on it," I gasped as I twitched and pushed my fingers around. "I'm glad you are my Dorm Mother." "Oh, oh, oh, oh, the other girls are so jealous that I have you," she panted. "They wanted to know what it would take to steal you away." "I hope you understand that I want to stay here with you," I groaned. Barbie Lynn stopped moving for a moment, accepting me and my honest desire. "Put it in," she begged. "It will hurt," I assured her. "I don't care," she looked at me hungrily. I pulled my hand out of her cunt and rolled her to my side while still keeping my other fingers pumping in her ass. Maneuvering around so that I had her head on my pillow and ass sticking up took some thought. I pushed a third finger in quickly. Barbie gasped audibly, pulled away instinctively, then caught herself and pushed back against my hand. She whimpered and choked back a sob. I withdrew my fingers and covered my cock with some hastily scooped glob of Vaseline. Barbie looked back to me in quivering anticipation. Before she spoke I lined my cock up with her anus and started pushing. Barbie Lynn shut her eyes, bit her lower lip and smiled lustfully. "Oh!" she groaned, as I slipped past her anal ring. I knew enough to hesitate before the next push, then the next. "Please," she whimpered. I stopped moving. "Please give me all of it," she completed. "Don't hold back." I pushed harder not waiting for her to adjust. "Ah!" she cried out. I stopped and she responded with a, "No, no, no, Zane, please don't stop." "I don't want to hurt you," I groaned. "It hurts a lot but I like that you are the one doing it to me. Please, I want you inside of me, all the way in," she whimpered. I pushed all the way in steadily until my crotch pushed her scrumptious ass cheeks apart. As I rested for a moment, I felt Barbie Lynn's fingers reach between her legs and start to massage my balls. I pulled back while she moaned loudly, her cries echoing throughout the massive glass covered chamber. Despite the low lamplight around my bed, I realized now that we could be seen from the solariums on the roofs of the other dorms. There wasn't much I could, or would, do about that now. I started a slowly intensifying pace in and out of Barbie's ass and she met me with the thrust of her hips and a sensual moaning from her throat. I could tell she was pushing one set of fingers into her snatch while the other worked over her clit. Once we were in total symmetry I slapped her playfully on one ass cheek. "Oh, God, Zane, do it again. I've been bad," was Barbie's lusty declaration. I smacked down across the other cheek. "Harder, Zane, I've been really bad." Another spank and, "I've been much worse than that," she panted. SMACK! and a yelp. "That's it!" she gasped. I kept up the spanking and each blow made her anal muscles contract, virtually grabbing and twisting my cock inside her. "Ah, Jesus Loves Me!!!!" Barbie Lynn squealed as her strongest orgasm to date overwhelmed her and then me. I'd never felt that kind of empathy with another lover like I was feeling with this blonde enchantress. Barbie bucked up against me, slamming her ass against my crotch with painful ferocity as my seed plunged into the depths of her bowels. Barbie Lynn, now virtually sitting in my lap, crested orgasm after orgasm as the heat of each burst of my semen burned new pathways of ecstasy inside her rectum. "Oh, oh, oh, oh," she stammered as her fluids flowed down our legs in a slow steady stream. "Please, Zane , " "Yes?" I panted. "Promise me, promise me we'll do this again," she gasped as she now pressed her sweat-slick back against my upper body. "Again," I thrust into her, "and again, and again," I promised. Barbie Lynn put one hand around to the back of my neck and the other, leaning forward. She drew me into her and we slowly arched forward until the weight of our bodies tumbled us to the bed. Barbie's outstretched arm touched the mattress first and absorbed most of our momentum. Still, I ended up pressing on her and I soon propped myself up so my weight wouldn't suffocate her. As I stationed myself there, panting along with her from our mutual exhaustion, Barbie rolled over so that we were once more face to face. She had this beatific happiness about her that I doubt I'll ever forget. "I, I was afraid I'd regret this, and you," she grinned lazily. "Do you?" I questioned. "Yes. I regret I didn't take you back to my room and do this yesterday. I regret that we have to go to early classes tomorrow. I regret having to share you with nine hundred other women. And I regret you weren't here with me two years ago," she murmured heartily. "I'm going to sit here and bask in my over-stuffed sense of accomplishment," I faux-gloated. "You do a guy's ego good." "Speaking of over-stuffed, can I please, please have one more, please?" she begged playfully. "You are my Dorm Mother and I really should try to keep you happy, so, I related with feigned reluctance. "That's right," she giggled, "you really need to keep me happy. Please show me how you plan to do that." After another serious exploration of our sexuality, Barbie Lynn curled up against my chest, making this deep cat-like rumbling noise. "Do you always talk to Christina over breakfast?" I inquired. "Yes, I always do. If she asks about you, I, I'm going to tell her the truth," she answered. I didn't ask what that would be so she did. "Aren't you worried about what I will say?" "No. I trust you, Barbie. You'll tell her what you need to tell her; truth, lie, or evasion, it is all your business, not mine," I explained. "Well, I'm going to tell her in every minute detail what you did with, to, and for me tonight, and I promise you she's going to race back and change her panties," she sighed happily. From a morning shower to a Heavenly night. Sharing Umbrellas Tuesday: My schedule which the Chancellor had been set in stone, had me in sole custody of the fifth-floor bathroom from five forty-five until six, so I was grateful that only six girls were waiting for me when I arrived. At some level I was sure they expected me to say something and I was pretty sure they hadn't really articulated what they wanted. I said nothing and edged past them. The bravest one, Opal, followed quickly after me, though I had that special moment of taking off my robe in front of her as I readied for my shower. Somehow the blood of Homer's Amazons had entered this school's student body because Opal met my bluff with her buff (body) and crawled under her own water stream once the water was steamy. As I started washing my hair, I caught sight of another girl moving in on my far side. I did my best to remain nonchalant and managed to get my hair clean before they made their move. "Zane," Opal asked innocently, "would you wash my back?" I smiled, nodded, and took the bottle of liquid soap from her hands. I poured some into my palms before placing the bottle on the closest shelf. I started rubbing it onto her shoulders and down her back. The placement of our bodies was complicated by my emergent erection. I worked my way down her back until I touched, then parted and cupped, her ass. I pressed my body against her back with my cock taking a few moments decide on whether it would go up, in, or in between. Finally it slipped up until my cock rested warmly on her back. Opal was totally overtaken by events and simply stood there as I slowly rubbed my body up and down against her back. She looked over her shoulder speculatively as I reached past her for more liquid soap and poured some into my hand. Bottle put aside, I shared the soap with the off-hand before starting to rub down the front of her shoulders. "Put your hands behind your back," I whispered into Opal's ear. She was initially hesitant, then started putting them behind her back where she brushed against my cock, and again before she wrapped her hands around it and began slowly stroking it with a soapy grip. While she was working on my morning wood I made slow circles down to her breasts. Her nipples came alive under my fingertips. I first coaxed them, then plucked them, and finally pinched them tightly as I handled the rest of her breasts roughly. Opal began panting, moaning, and undulating her whole body against mine. I couldn't stop myself from kissing her on the crux of her jaw and neck. "Oh, Oh, Oh, Opal began to gasp. I felt her body start to tremble under my touch so I hunted for that most sensitive place with my tongue and bit into that spot on her neck sharply. Opal slammed hard into me, bouncing up and down on her toes like some sudsy, hot vibrator against my cock, if only I had the time. "Ah, she sobbed in joy. Even after the orgasm settled, Opal kept gyrating against me. "This wasn't what I had in mind," Opal moaned. Whoops! "My apology," I told her, and started separating from her, but she held firm. "Oh, no, you don't. Maybe you misunderstood me. This was more, much more than I expected. I'm glad you are superior to your hype. Can we do this tomorrow morning?" "Hmm, how about we see what comes up then?" I evaded. As I backed away, the girl on the other side held out her soap bottle expectantly. "Sorry, but I need to get out of here before girls, other girls show up," I explained to her. "Brigit; my name is Brigit," she filled me in. "Can we do, that, tomorrow?" By 'that,' I assume she meant my version of the soapy body rub. "Okay," I said, "how about calling Iona and figuring out how you ladies want to handle my shower visits, though I would like to point out the Administration believes I'm in here alone." "Do you want us to stay away?" Opal asked cautiously. "Opal, Brigit, I would rather go through life minus one testicle than miss spending time with any of you ladies but I don't want anyone unwittingly getting into trouble because of me," I answered. "Since you need to be going," Opal teased, "let me help." "I'll help too," Brigit insisted. I'm going to be a while deciding exactly how I rate being shaved by one girl while getting a blowjob from another at the same time. My facial expression caused Rio to laugh at me as I came back down to answer the door. It was around six thirty and I had only recently gotten back and put my school uniform on. "Either you've been hit by the world's softest two by four or you've already had sex at least once this morning," she chuckled. "Hey, Rio, Iona, come on in. It isn't like I could stop you," I joked. "So, did you take her temperature, kick up her heels, or give her an attitude adjustment?" Rio teased as we headed up. Iona looked confused and expected me to be either equally confused or give her an explanation. I was confused, which made Rio laugh louder. "Taking her temperature equals blowjob; kicking up the heels is straight-up fucking, and attitude adjustment is anal sex, jeesh, people," Rio berated us. Once we came to my island of civilization in the wilderness of the Solarium, Iona looked around curiously; this may have been the first men's bedroom she'd ever seen. Rio walked over to my bed, was about to plop down in it, then studied it for a second and gawked at me. "Damn, Zane, what happened last night? How many girls did you have up here?" she grinned maniacally. I sighed and rolled my eyes. "One," I admitted. "How did you know?" "Peach lip gloss and teeth marks on the pillow, several sets, so, You Go Boy!" she explained. "Plus, your bed smells of Vaseline, baby oil, sweat, Secret deodorant, and a good deal of fuck juice, the female variety. Then there is the matter of, she drew forth a long blonde hair, "you not being blonde." "This was not on the list!" squawked Iona. "Lip gloss, teeth marks?" "That means he fucked her ass long and hard, Iona," Rio explained to her far less experienced classmate, "and she came back for more, and more." Iona stole a look my way, hoping I'd deny everything, but I made eye contact with her and nodded. She looked disappointed in me, which oddly made me feel bad inside. "Snap out of it, Iona," Rio snorted. Iona still looked hurt. "What is more likely, Zane went trolling the lower levels for a girl to sex up, or a girl snuck up here and jumped him in his bed?" "Oh," Iona gasped, now more pleased. Apparently, me being nearly raped in my own bed was okay with her. From my point of view, I can try to understand women or I can appreciate them for what they willingly offer me. If a woman wants me to treat her like a Sphinx, I'll leap at the challenge. One day I'm sure I'll find a woman not worth this kind of effort but I'm not there yet. I had finished getting dressed and was making toward the stairs when the door at the bottom opened and Barbie Lynn came bounding up. She took in my two companions without missing her stride before bouncing up to me. "Hey, Zane," she purred. "I wanted to make sure you hadn't overslept." "Thanks, I appreciate the concern, but I slept great last night. Waking up feeling that good is always a pleasure. How did you sleep?" I responded. "I tossed and turned," she pouted. "I was missing something I couldn't put my hands on. If I can't figure out what that is I'll be up pacing the halls well past midnight tonight." Rio stepped behind Barbie and made a gagging motion. "So, Barbie Lynn," Rio requested, "do you have any lip gloss I could use?" Barbie turned around and pulled a micro-jar that she handed to Rio. "Umm, peach flavored," Rio revealed vindictively. At some point I am sure Rio will show restraint; my challenge now is living long enough to see it. Rio spanked Barbie Lynn hard on the ass and the Dorm Mother yelped in surprise and pain. "Ow," gasped Barbie Lynn, glaring at Rio. I moved an arm around Barbie and pulled her close, a gesture she comfortably molded into. "I'm sorry," Rio snickered, "but you have such a wonderful posterior BLT, I know it is a sin if no one appreciates it." "BLT?" I cautioned Rio, and by that I intoned that the next spanking was likely going to be administered to her by me. "Barbie Lynn Tease," Rio grinned, daring me to step up. As I handed my book bag to Iona, Rio squealed in delight and raced down the stairs. I was right behind her and I would have undoubtedly caught and punished her on the fifth floor if not for one thing. "Zane, I'm here for your breakfast duty," a sophomore I was to learn was named Emanuela commanded, Handmaiden's Duty. Technically she should wait until I was outside, but, eh. They nailed Rio seconds before she could turn and gloat at me. "Front or back?" I politely requested of Emanuela, who was thankfully on my schedule. "Front or back?" she wondered. "Do you want me to carry you like this?" I asked, as I swept her up in my arms. She was light enough, including book bag, for me to make it to the Dining Hall without too much effort. "What is back?" she gasped. "Piggyback," I explained. "Oh. I like this way much better," she informed me. I started making my way through the crowd when I caught sight of Barbie Lynn and Iona coming down the stairs. Seeing my situation, Barbie put an arm around Iona and whispered something to her. Iona was already carrying my books and I had the feeling that Barbie knew I liked Iona so she was going to look after the small freshman for me. Breakfast came and went and I found myself cornered and 'forced' to escort another girl to Assembly. She asked me if I'd prefer being covered with whipped cream or honey. I reminded her that whipped cream was cold but honey left a sticky residue, I suggested trying icing. At Assembly, the heavens broke and a hard rain set in as we got ready to disperse. The problem came when it was realized that many girls hadn't packed an umbrella. The answer for most was to take an umbrella from a freshman, which I found unsatisfactory. I had a sudden burst of insight as the first freshmen girls paled at the thought of being soaked through to the bone. I grabbed Iona and then made a beeline for Christina. None of what followed would have been possible without the understanding of a girl I didn't know, Pandora Jaspers. Her plan was for me to take my umbrella and cover us both as we went to class, but when I told her 'I have a plan,' she nodded and went along for the ride. Certainly we were a strange group that approached Christina Buchanan. "Yes?" questioned Christina with her bemused expression as I came to a halt before her and her court. Chastity smiled, Heaven seethed, Faith looked uncertain, and the fifth girl was a cipher. "I think I can do something about this rain," I said urgently. Christina didn't laugh but I had a feeling Pandora wanted to strangle me. "Go on," Christina commanded. "We make a covered walkway of umbrellas, held by freshmen, to protect everyone go

SummaryIn this episode of the Kpopcast, hosts Stephanie and PD-Nim discuss Seventeen's latest comeback with 'Pretty Woman' and celebrate the Chuseok holiday. They share their hit replays, including Crush's new track Frequency and the boy group POW. The conversation delves into the significance of Chuseok, its traditions, and how K-Pop fans can engage with the holiday. The hosts also do a live reaction to and analyze the themes and production of Seventeen's new release, exploring the meaning behind '5-4-3 Pretty Woman.'Chapters00:00Celebrating Seventeen's Comeback and Chuseok06:31Exploring Crush's New Album and Creative Process12:25Introducing the New Group Pow and Their Evolution17:38Understanding Chuseok: Traditions and Celebrations21:44Celebrating Chuseok and Family Connections22:43K-Pop Releases During Chuseok23:44Reacting to '5-4-3 Pretty Woman'28:59Exploring the Music Video's Themes32:04The Impact of Nostalgia in K-Pop34:34Understanding '5-4-3' in the Song TitleTakeawaysSeventeen's comeback 'Pretty Woman' coincides with the Chuseok holiday.Crush's new EP 'Fang' features nostalgic R&B vibes.The group Pow is transitioning from a cute image to a more mature sound.Chuseok is a time for family gatherings and honoring ancestors.The International Star Athletic Championship is a popular Chuseok special featuring K-Pop idols.Seventeen's unit releases are breaking records in K-Pop.The collaboration between S. Coops and Min-Kyu showcases their chemistry.Lay Bankz adds a fresh element to 'Pretty Woman.'The title '5-4-3' may symbolize a countdown to the song's start.We discuss whether this release is an example of "recession pop"Join the Kpopcast Slack: https://join.slack.com/t/kpopcast/shared_invite/zt-93kzxcv6-YNej2QkyY6vaPnhEQJxk0AChip in for editing: https://ko-fi.com/thekpopcast HIT REPLAYS:CRUSH (크러쉬) FREQUENCY (Feat. Loco) https://youtu.be/8EdC-6L4C-Y?si=9b1lSEtCEBt8CydI POW (파우) 'Wall Flowers' M/V https://youtu.be/UpGEn4SkSY0?si=imMHdac7GAWyHFrf REACTION TO: Seventeen S.Coups x MinKyu "5, 4, 3 Pretty Woman" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u89aNeJlyg0 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

https://ontargetpodcast.caThis week's On Target is another dose of pure vinyl satisfaction, handpicked and spun by Mod Marty himself. The show rolls through pounding R&B, smooth soul, and slick mod cuts that hit with attitude and heart. Every record tells a story, and together they create something electric. Tune in, turn it up, and feel the groove take over.------------------------------------The playlist is:"(Zap! Pow!) Do The Batman"Gate Wesley & Band- Atlantic"Pow City"Freddy Scott- Marlin"Mr. Soul Satisfaction"Timmy Willis- Stone"Bye Bye Baby"Mary Wells- Motown"Come On And Dance (pt. II)"Danny Woods- Smash"The Dog"Junior & The Classics- Groove"Don't You Have Feelings"Little Joe Cook- Loma"That's A Hoe Down"Lynne Randell- CBS"Phone Me"Robb & Dean Douglas- Deram"Do Anything You Say"David Bowie- Pye"32 Septembre"Nicoletta- Riviera"Ain't Gonna Do You No Harm"The Unluv'd- Parkway"You're Not Alone Anymore"Bad Boys- Bell"Washed Ashore"The Platters- Musicore"Ain't No Soul Left In These Ole Shoes"Ronnie Milsap - Scepter"Qualifications"The Ovations - Goldwax"Boxer"Carolyn Franklin- RCA-Victor"Don't Shoot Me Down"The Brogues- Challenge"I See The Light"The Five Americans- HBR"Stay Out of My World"The Preachers- Moonglow"Do The Thing"Gate Wesley & Band- Atlantic

October Baseball!!! 8 teams - 4 Wild Card Series...Who moved on the the DS in each league? Any big moments or surprises? We talk about all that and who grabbed the last of the regular season POW and POM awards, along with a glance at some open managerial jobs.We also take a quick look at the DS match-ups.Twitter/Bluesky: @SiblingRivlryBBIG/FB: @SiblingRivalryBBSiblingRivalryBB.com check the Fanatics links to grab yourself some playoff gear

We review the Best Skis for the new 2026 winter season, covering the best piste skis, best all mountain skis and freeride skis. Host Iain Martin was joined by The Ski Podcast's equipment expert Al Morgan.  Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means that this winter we'll be able to find out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the wonderful ‘feeling of life' there.  SHOW NOTES Iain and Al will be at the London Snow Show in October (3:00) Best Skis of 2026 means the best skis of winter 2025/26 (4:00) What are the different types of skis (4:15) How important is that figure for width under your foot? (7:45) What is meant by ‘side cut'? (10:00) What is a ‘rocker? (12:00) How long should your skis be? (15:15) Is sustainability still important in ski production? (18:45) The Ski Sustainability Forum is organised by POW, Atomic and FESI (21:00) When and where did testing take place? (22:15) SIGB is the Snowsport Industries of Great Britain (22:45) Most testing takes place at SIGB's annual ski test in La Clusaz (23:15) How much do bindings cost? (25:00) THE BEST PISTE SKIS OF WINTER 2026  K2 Blur 74 W (women) (26:30) £600 / 148cm-169cm Blur is K2's new piste ski range for winter 25/26. The 74W has a little lift through the front and back, is built around their aspen wood core and uses Flax with channels milled into it.  They only do this in this ski and the Blur 79W to enhance agility. It should also save a little weight, although the 74 is about performance and a perfect partner for advanced and expert female skiers shredding the groomers.   It has a 13.9m radius in the longest length and testers reported it as silky smooth, easy to ski yet snappy, with great boost turn-to-turn. It's super reactive underfoot, quick to pivot and rotate for short turns.  Nordica Dobermann Multipista DC FDT (29:00) £930 including binding, 160cm-185cm The Multipista is new for this season, focussed equally on fun and performance. It may look similar to the Steadfast skis in its outline, but there's a lot more going on than simply a curvy figure.  It has Dobermann in the name, which hints at this ski's powerful drive, and when you open the throttle you're rewarded by the bucketload!  The rise though the front and back, paired with the taper at each end, means you never feel like your locked into a turn. It can lay trenches on the groomers, but if you want to nip off the side, take on some slush or get a little airtime, it's as composed as you could ask for.   It's built around their Energy 2 Ti Double Core (DC) construction. An elastomer layer is sandwiched between two beech and poplar wood cores, beefed up by two layers of Titanal metal, one above the wood-elastomer sandwich and one below.  Even though Nordica states the ski as having a Full Camber Profile, it has a longer rise through the shovel and tail than a regular full camber ski. This rocker profile is part of the Multipista's magic, bringing a delightfully versatile nature. The tapered profile through the shovel and tail further adds to its performance across a range of conditions. The 74mm waist width, in all lengths, partners with their race on-piste shape underfoot for confidence-rocketing grip. This width is bang-on the money, with plenty of punch through the edge and enough float and stability to tackle a broad array of terrain and snow conditions. THE BEST ALL MOUNTAIN SKIS OF WINTER 2026 Völkl V.Werks 100(32:00) £1,750 flat, 170cm-186cm Völkl has taken all they've learnt from ski manufacturing and turned the dial up to eleven with this ski! The company was founded in 1923, and in honour of this they have made exactly 1923 of these skis, with a retail price of €1923.   This ski is see-through. If you place your hand behind the ski, when holding it up to the light, you can see where your hand is. It's quite spectacular. It also highlights the complex structure they've perfected for the fibre placement.  They combine carbon and natural flax fibres, which work in harmony with the superb 3D H-Woodcore. This is made of two enviro friendly FSC-certified poplar and beech cores, with a central reinforcement, and this all has a very noticeable and technical 3D shape.  The fibres, translucent layer and wood core allows the designers to transfer the movements and forces from the skier through the ski and to the edges, for a ridiculously intuitive control. You get a regular camber underfoot but enough rocker in the shovel and tail for a mega-versatile shape. Atomic Maven 88 CTI (Women) (35:00) £570 without bindings, 147cm-172cm   This ski is based around an ash and poplar wood core, boosted by the addition of carbon and Titanal. These laminates add greater damping and energy to the ski, whilst helping to keep the ski light.  The change of shape through the shovel, as we saw in the wider Maverick and Maven models last season, keeps this ski incredibly playful. This HRZN 3D Maverick/Maven tech sees the wood core extend right up to the very front of the ski, designed to improve stability and smoothness when charging hard.  These skis can certainly be skied fast, but the thing you notice most with all skis with HRZN tech is just how much it enhances the fun nature of the skis. They are not twin-tips, and have a directional shape, although the rise in the back means you can ski switch if you really want to. Atomic builds in a 15% rocker through the shovel and a 10% rocker at the back, with standard camber in the middle of the ski. Salomon Stance Pro 86(Unisex) (38:00) £640 flat, 151cm-185cm   Salomon's Stance range sees significant change, taking what were already great skis and making them industry leading.  It has a full poplar wood core, with the Powerflex Ti metal layer sitting full width underfoot and tapering out in front of and behind the binding. The metal edge is made thicker to aid grip and power, and will endure more services, therefore lasting longer. The base has a 50% recycled content. The profile delivers regular camber underfoot with a 15% rocker through the front and a milder 12% rocker at the rear. THE BEST FREERIDE SKIS OF WINTER 2026 (40:00) Head Kore 99 Ti W(Women) (40:30) £650 without bindings, 156cm-177cm   The Kore skis are redesigned for this season. This 99mm underfoot model has the same length options as the women's Kore 97 of last season, but otherwise it's a very different ski.  Where the men's new Kore skis use beech and karuba, the women's Kore models combine poplar with PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is a thermoplastic polyester polymer. Think of your favourite fleece, and the chances are it's made of the same material.  This is complimented by a layer of Titanal, using at least 40% recycled material, above and below the core, along with a Graphene layer between the metal and top of the core. They add a damping layer between the bottom metal layer and the edges of the ski, to further smoothen the ride.  Again, as in the men's, they add flax to the boundary of the topsheet to improve durability. Rocker front and back, with standard camber underfoot, gives the ski it's undeniable freeride profile.   Salomon QST 100(Unisex) (43:30) £570 without bindings, 148cm-188cm   New for this season in widths ranging from 92 through to 106, the 100 is an incredible freeride ski and was a hit with everyone at testing. It's a unisex model, offered in a choice of two colours.  The new QST's have full poplar wood cores with basalt and glass fibres, as well as Salomon's proven Cork Damplifier, where they inlay a cork and TPU border at the tip and tail to dampen vibrations. The 106 has a 22% rocker up front and 18% rocker in the tail. As you step down in width to 100 then 94, they reduce the rocker proportion by 1% at each end, for each drop in width.   FEEDBACK I enjoy all feedback about the show, so if you enjoyed this episode, or if you have any questions about skis we didn't cover, then please let us know by leaving a comment at Instagram or Facebook – we are @theskipodcast – or by dropping me an email theskipodcast@gmail.com There are now 273 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. There is so much to listen to in our back catalog, just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you're bound to find something of interest.   If you enjoyed this episode and would like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:   -          Follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode -          Give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify -          Help The Ski Podcast and save yourself some money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST' when you book at intersportrent.com. You'll get a guaranteed additional discount, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied.  You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast.

Shai Wyborski is one of the three co-authors of the GHOSTDAG paper, and a man who takes pride in his independent thinking and divergent approach to research. As a PhD in quantum cryptography, he's got lots of knowledge to share. But by virtue of his involvement in Bitcoin and Kaspa, he's got stories to tell too. What does the future of Proof of Work look like? Let's find out! Time stamps: 00:01:09 - Welcoming Shai Wyborski 00:01:28 - Dig into GhostDAG; most interesting PoW scaling tech. 00:04:44 - Shai's BTC opinions over time 00:05:21 - How Shai spent BTC on "creativity fuel" (undisclosed). 00:06:31 - Disenchantment: Steam drops BTC (congestion/volatility); SegWit "tyranny" births BCH. 00:10:47 - Rejects SoV; BTC as "decentralized vault" for eternal data archiving. 00:15:44 - BTC probs: Low TPS; LN fails. 00:16:15 - Kaspa suite: Beyond TPS/confirmations. 00:16:59 - Tradeoff: High throughput → no audit; pruning for 10-30yr trust. 00:18:40 - GhostDAG multi-ledger: Parallel processing, flexible tx order. 00:19:45 - Miners: Partial info cuts selfish mining/MEV. 00:20:42 - Enables auctions/oracles (Elliot Mabe block-voting). 00:21:40 - Debunks PoW myths: BTC artifacts (congestion for fees). 00:22:15 - Kaspa: Paradigm shift proof; lessons from protocols. 00:23:24 - Flaw: Fast emission + fair launch = whale buyout. 00:23:49 - Fair ≠ community; coercion w/o social contract. 00:25:10 - Whales fund → control; monetary world nature. 00:27:46 - Balance: Incentives, explicit contracts. 00:30:31 - Mining phases: CPU/GPU/ASIC stages; ultra-ASIC decen lock. 00:32:22 - ASIC-friendly: Cheap/low-power scale. 00:32:47 - Emission: Heavy early; ASICs 80-90% pre-retail. 00:34:29 - Full supply lifetime; tail short?00:35:28 - BTC emission extend 2-4x for social good. 00:37:27 - Kaspa whales: 3 hold 6% ($100M), foundation collusion. 00:38:27 - Kaspa emission: 60% in 1.5yrs emulates BTC adjusted for fast adoption. 00:41:16 - Guitar jam & sponsors.SideShift.ai: KYC-free swaps. NoOnes.com: P2P global south, "lions" mission. Bitcoin.com News: global views. LayerTwo Labs: Drivechains, ETH/Zcash sides. 00:46:49 - Kaspa drivechain?; WBTC custody risks. 00:48:33 - Citrea: ZK-rollup BTC DeFi. 00:49:27 - Alts: Quai grant, Kadena parallels. 00:50:47 - Parallel sec dilution. 00:52:03 - Quai: Selfish mining fixes, Monero 28% vuln. 00:53:01 - Monero RandomX ASIC-hostility. 00:54:02 - PoW specialized non-wasteful. 01:00:00 - Myths: Scalable, non-congested, decentralization. 01:15:00 - Casino stifles ingenuity; hype vs depth (IOTA rush). 01:30:00 - Funding: Retail quick vs VC long (Mobileye 20yr $80B). 01:45:00 - Game theory: Mechanism design incentives. 02:00:00 - Kaspa risks: Whale control, docs issues. 07:00:00 - Music: Beatles Sgt. Pepper post-Pet Sounds. 07:15:00 - McCartney bass; prog Floyd/Crimson.07:30:00 - Pet Sounds "God Only Knows" acapella. 07:43:02 - Pop→exp; Helter Skelter metal. 07:45:36 - Metal thrash/extreme; stoner Pantheon I. 07:47:41 - HS Pantera/prog/funk.07:49:51 - Concerts: Aristocrats, AC/DC; Dylan regret. 07:52:39 - Misses: Jethro Tull/Motörhead; Bon Jovi meh. 07:55:16 - Grunge: Nirvana In Utero, Soundgarden. 07:58:11 - Smashing Pumpkins trilogy; Corgan drama. 08:00:00 - Timeless tees; Doors sloppy; Zep Moby Dick. 08:02:40 - Zappa Inca Roads/Stink-Foot. 08:07:19 - AI scans/drones; govt bans. 08:12:08 - Radical: Vault, SoV, ultra-ASIC. 08:14:02 - PoW scalable/non-wasteful.08:15:00 - Fair vs community; casino timing punish. 08:17:40 - Narratives over fundamentals; retail vs VC. 08:21:07 - Record 8h21m+; ramble praise. 08:21:50 - Q&A: Kaspa 10yr alive, adapt. 08:22:24 - Beatles Kaspa? Pruning no. 08:23:44 - Game theory mechanism design. 08:26:09 - Work: Consulting, patents, Tectonic quantum.08:29:23 - Quai edu grant, freelance. 08:31:17 - KAS +3% pump; past dumps. 08:31:58 - Quai minor pump; negative effects. 08:33:34 - First interview 0.15→0.5¢; 13 KAS dons. 08:34:21 - Jam: Theme rock, lag. 08:38:07 8h39m record! Sponsors recap. 08:40:00 - Next interview with Val Venis on Monero/WWF; banter.

BAM! CRACK! POW! The ground feels unstable and this is getting out of hand.We're playing Masks for this campaign! You can access a running list of all the NPCs from Campaign 4 here.Sponsors- The MultiCrew Drive, running from now through September 26! Check out all we have to offer at multitudeshows.comFind Us Online- website: https://jointhepartypod.com- patreon: https://patreon.com/jointhepartypod- instagram: https://instagram.com/jointhepartypod- twitter: https://twitter.com/jointhepartypod- tumblr: https://jointhepartypod.tumblr.com- facebook: https://facebook.com/jointhepartypod- merch & music: http://jointhepartypod.com/merchCast & Crew- Game Master, Co-Producer: Eric Silver- Co-Host, Co-Producer, Sound Designer, Composer (Connor Lyons): Brandon Grugle- Co-Host, Co-Producer, Editor (Shelley Craft): Julia Schifini- Co-Host, Co-Producer (Rowan Rosen): Amanda McLoughlin- Artwork: Allyson Wakeman- Multitude: https://multitude.productionsAbout UsJoin the Party is an actual play podcast with tangible worlds, genre-pushing storytelling, and collaborators who make each other laugh each week. We welcome everyone to the table, from longtime players to folks who've never touched a roleplaying game before. Hop into our current campaign: the drama and excitement of a superhero high school! Or marathon our completed stories: Campaign 3 for a pirate story set in a world of plant- and bug-folk, the Camp-Paign for a MOTW game set in a weird summer camp, Campaign 2 for a modern superhero game, and Campaign 1 for a high fantasy story. And once a month we release the Afterparty, where we answer your questions about the show and how we play the game. New episodes every Tuesday.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hello Youtube Members, Patreons and Pacific War week by week listeners. Yes this was intended to be an exclusive episode to join the 29 others over on my Youtube Membership and Patreon, but since we are drawing to the end of the Pacific War week by week series, I felt compelled to make some special episodes to answer some of the bigger questions.   Hey before I begin I just want to thank all of you who have joined the patreon, you guys are awesome. Please let me know what other figures, events or other things you want to hear about in the future and I will try to make it happen.   So as you can see the title of this episode is, Why did the Japanese perform so many Atrocities during the Pacific War. Phewww, its honestly a difficult one to tackle, for there are countless reasons. I had a university professor who taught; ancient and modern Japanese history, history of the Japanese empire and the Pacific War. He actually answered this very question in a single lecture and in many ways I found it to be one of the most illuminating things I ever learnt about the Pacific War. To truly understand the reasons why they did such horrible things, you actually need to learn the general history of Japan, particularly the changes from Tokugawa, to Meiji, to Showa. I am going to do my very best, but I know many of you might be asking “what were the worst things they did?”, not everyone takes a special interest into such a niche part of history. May I recommend for those with strong stomachs “the knights of Bushido” by Edward Russel that covers pretty much all the atrocities of the Asia-Pacific War. For those of you who like darker things, check out Unit 731: Japan's Secret Biological Warfare in World War II by David Wallace and Peter Williams, absolute nightmare fuel.   I can't go through the entire history of Japan, but I think it's important to start off with the first Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. This was the first time the Empire of Japan fought a true war with a foreign nation, that being the Qing dynasty. At this point in time, there really emerged a sort of, to be blunt, race war. The Chinese had historically referred to the Japanese as “woren”, a racist term meaning dwarf. Now historically the Japanese had always revered the Chinese, kind of like in the way a little brother looks up to his big brother. In tokugawa Japan they would learn from the Chinese, but as the Meiji restoration began this dramatically changed. Japan watched as the Chinese were humiliating and abused by the western powers and failed to modernize. Meanwhile Japan emulated the best of the west, to modernize and become a great power themselves. In many ways, Japan saw itself become big brother and now China was little brother. The Meiji restoration had an element of nationalism built into it that would explode come the Show era. Japan for its entire history had this belief they were the “Yamato Race” dating back to the 6th century. Now while the Meiji restoration sought to emulate the west, they also emulated racism and propaganda, which in the 19th century was kind of a big deal. The Japanese government gradually began a long term campaign promoting the idea the Japanese, or Yamato people were superior to that of the other asian races. Who was the next big asian boy on the block? China, so it was inevitable they would direct a lot of racist attitudes towards the Chinese. During the first sino-japanese war, the Chinese, particularly Manchu had a habit of performing atrocities upon the Japanese. They would often cut off body parts of Japanese soldiers in grotesque manners and leave them to be found by their comrades. This was honestly a pretty typical thing of war in the region, but it did also have a racist element to it, the Chinese certainly saw the Japanese as lesser people. Just before the battle of Port Arthur, the Japanese found mutilated remains of the comrades, here is a passage from Makio Okabe who was there:   As we entered the town of Port Arthur, we saw the head of a Japanese soldier displayed on a wooden stake. This filled us with rage and a desire to crush any Chinese soldier. Anyone we saw in the town, we killed. The streets were filled with corpses, so many they blocked our way. We killed people in their homes; by and large, there wasn't a single house without from three to six dead. Blood was flowing and the smell was awful. We sent out search parties. We shot some, hacked at others. The Chinese troops just dropped their arms and fled. Firing and slashing, it was unbounded joy. At this time, our artillery troops were at the rear, giving three cheers [banzai] for the emperor.   The Japanese performed a massacre at Port Arthur, butchering perhaps up to 3000 Chinese civilians, some claim 10's of thousands and in full few of western war correspondents. It became a huge controversy that destroyed the image of the IJA internationally and hurt the Japanese governments efforts at riding themselves of unequal treaties with the western powers. The Japanese learnt a hell of a lesson and an Imperial Proclamation was made in 1894 stating that Japanese soldiers should make every effort to win the war without violating international laws. According to Japanese historian Yuki Tanaka, Japanese forces during the First Sino-Japanese War released 1,790 Chinese prisoners without harm, once they signed an agreement not to take up arms against Japan if they were released.   During the next major war the Japanese performed a dramatic 180, well at least to their enemy. During the Russo-Japanese War, over 80,000 Russian POWs were held by the IJA who were treated in accordance with the Hague conventions of 1899. The Japanese paid them for labor, housed them in conventional POW camps, made sure they received good medical treatment, ironically better than the Russians were capable of. The Japanese did all of this, making sure the foreign war correspondents wrote about it. It was a massive PR stunt in many ways. The Japanese were emulating how a world power should act, because they sought to be one. Meanwhile the Japanese swallowed their pride at being called yellow monkeys, as the prevalent Yellow Peril ideology was being pushed by Kaiser Wilhehelm and Tsar Nicholas II heavily. The Japanese treated the entire war like gentlemen and suffered horrific higher casualties than necessary because of it. But something many people don't take much notice of, because the IJA made sure of it, was they horrible treatment of the Chinese during the war.   Now the Russians in Manchuria looted, killed and raped many Chinese, pushed quite a bit by the Yellow Peril. The Chinese, certainly the Honghuzi bandits were working for the Japanese to attack them, so its not like they had no reasons. The IJA was more professional and had orders not to molest the Chinese, as they were helping the war effort, but this did not prevent it. The Japanese also looted, killed and raped Chinese. The Japanese would often wave it off as reprisals against potential spies. I only bring this up as it was very apparent, the Japanese treated the Russians much different than the chinese.   Fast forward to WW1, the Japanese had a battle against the Germans and Austro-Hungarians known in the west as the Siege of Tsingtau. The Japanese took up an identical methodology to the Russo-Japanese war with their approach to the Germans, but even took it a step further. After winning the siege, the Japanese seized nearly 5000 German POW's who were treated with a surreal amount of respect. They were brought back to Japan and housed for the rest of the war in 12 cities around Tokyo and Kumamoto. The POW's enjoyed humane treatment and a rather famous event occurred at the Bando camp where a large orchestra was formed of German POW's who toured the nation performing 100 concerts, lectures and plays. Evidence the Germans were treated well can be seen in the fact 170 prisoners never left Japan and sought wives and lives there. Now is this all a feel good love story, no, just like during the Russo-Japanese War, Japan was playing up the PR, for during WW1 they wanted official recognition as a world power and that of being racially equal to the whites.    Japan was officially recognized as a world power during the treaty of Versailles, but when Japan gave its racial equality proposal, President Woodrow Wilson of the US and Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes refused to allow it to pass, even though they received majority votes. Now The Japanese had been for a lack of better words, fucked over, during the first sino-japanese war when the triple intervention of France, Germany and Russia stole away their war earning of the Liaodong peninsula. During the Russo-Japanese war, Theodore Roosevelt limited the Japanese war gains and now here after WW1 the Japanese received another humiliation. To the Japanese, it was the last straw and it was a major reason they went to war with the west, who they viewed, and honestly rightfully so, would never see them as equals.   Ompf, lot of history there, but now we come to the Showa era, which was molded by the feelings of the past decades.   In 1937 Japan and China enter an unofficial war that saw one of the worst wartime atrocities in human history, the rape of Nanjing. It began on December 13th of 1937, lasting 6 or so weeks seeing the murder of possibly 300,000 civilians and pows, the mass rape of 20,000 and untold hardship upon the Chinese people. The Japanese followed this up with numerous other massacres in China such as the Changjiao Massacre claiming possibly 30,000 Chinese civilian lives, the Alexandra Hospital Massacre killing 200 patients and medical staff in Hong Kong, the Laha Massacre on Ambon island where 300 members of the Gull force were executed, the Bangka island massacre where 60 Australian and British soldiers and 22 Australian nurses were murdered, the Parit Sulong massacre in Malay where 150 wounded Australian and Indian POW's were executed, the Bataan Death march where negligence and brutality took the lives of 650 Americans and perhaps a possible 18,000 Filipinos, the Manila massacres claiming the lives of perhaps 54,000 filipinos including women and children in the Philippines, the Balikpapan massacre in the dutch east indies taking the lives of 78 Dutch Civilians, I can keep going and going. Where the Japanese went, massacres and horrors occurred.    Again if you really want to delve into these stories check out “the knights of Bushido”.   The Japanese also had the infamous special units like 731, who conducted horrifying experiments on civilians and POWs like vivisectioning live people without anesthesia, testing biological and chemical weapons on live people, the freezing peoples to study frostbite treatment and giving people sexually transmitted diseases to study. Lt General Shiro Ishii's unit 731 deployed plague infested fleas, cholera, bubonic plague and other nasty weapons upon Chinese civilians killing perhaps up to 500,000. This was seen during the battle of Changde and famously during operation Sei-go also known as the Zhejiang-Jiangxi campaign.    The Japanese also enacted the infamous “Sanko Sakusen / three all's policy : kill all, urn all, loot all” in retaliation to the Chinese communists Hundred regiments offensive in December of 1940. Sanctioned by Hirohito personally, it is thought this act resulted in the death of 2.7 million Chinese civilians. According to author Werner Gruhl 8 million Chinese civilian deaths could be attributable to the Japanese.     So then we come back to the big question, why? So now that I've covered the loose history for coherency sake I want to list here the largest reasons for the atrocities and by no means is this official categories or even all of them, I am simply stating kind of my top ones I guess you can say:   Treaties signed or not signed War strategy and indoctrination  Ultra-Nationalism and Racism Surrender & the Bastardization of the Bushido code The Brutality of the Japanese military Treaties signed or not signed   Yes its time to talk about treaties, yawn. Now I said previously Japan did sign the Hague Conventions of 1899 and would ratify them in 1907. The Hague conventions did contain laws for prisoners of war, protection of civilians. Alongside this, in 1894 an imperial proclamation was made stating Japanese soldiers should make every effort to win a war without violating international laws. More significantly Japan “signed” but unlike the majority of other world powers did not ratify the Geneva convention of 1929. Why? To be blunt, the geneva conventions did not really benefit the Japanese military from their point of view.   First the Japanese had a very specific perspective on surrendering, they simply did not do it, so they did not expect many of their soldiers to ever become POW's, so how would it benefit them to ratify such a thing? If they are not going to have many POW's, why would they burden themselves with upholding all the conventional laws for POW's they would obtain during war?  Another glaring reason involved aerial bombing. Many Japanese leaders, like Kanji Ishiwara, believed the home islands would be subjected to massive aerial bombing if a global war broke out. If Japan was subjected to aerial bombing and ratified the geneva convention, this meant they would have to take the pilots who were caught prisoner. The Japanese believed this would encourage further bombing. Lastly the convention had rules for POW treatment that literally contradicted how Japanese soldiers were treated by their own superiors. More about that in the last part about the military's brutality, but summarized, the Japanese army were abusive as hell and to sign such a thing would literally contradict how they did things.   Emperor Hirohito personally ratified a decision to remove certain constraints of the Hague Conventions when it came to the treatment of Chinese POW's in the directive of 5 August 1937. This notification advised staff officers to simply stop using the term "prisoners of war". They would refer to their enemy as bandits, guerillas and such, anything but soldiers so they would not have to take any prisoners, though they typically did not leave anyone alive in China regardless. The Geneva Convention exempted POWs of sergeant rank or higher from manual labor, and stipulated that prisoners performing work should be provided with extra rations and other essentials. The Japanese in the later half of the war would be starved of provisions and resources, thus its to no surprise they could not meet these demands, even if they sought to uphold them. I will note in 1942, Japan indicated they would “follow” the Geneva rules and would observe the Hague Convention of 1907 outlining the laws and customs of war. Yet this is like a verbal confirmation, it had no legal basis, something the Japanese particularly loved to do during the war.   According to Dr. William Skelton III, who produced a document entitled American Ex Prisoners of War for the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs, more POWs died at the hands of the Japanese in the Pacific theater and specifically in the Philippines than in any other conflict to date. For example in Germany, POWs died at a rate 1.2%. In the Pacific theater the rate was 37%. In the Philippines, POWs died at a rate of 40%.    Now these pieces of paper that were signed or not signed, what does this really matter when it comes to war, its obvious they were not upholding certain rules, but how did this quote en quote make them more brutal and perform more atrocities? Well here is the sticky thing, if you are part of the Japanese military and you know your nation did not ratify certain rules of war, this meant your enemy had no supposed legal basis to follow said rules against you either.    So I want you to think of two aspects of this. If your nation did not sign or ratify certain treaties, then you could not expect the enemy to respect such rules when it comes to you. But more importantly, what if the leader of your nation…just told you to believe that?    In early 1942, Great Britain, the United States of America and other great powers did officially let the Japanese know that they would, on their  part, observe all the provisions of the Convention and requested reciprocity. Japanese foreign minister at the time, Hideki Tojo gave a formal assurance that although Japan was not bound by the Geneva convention, the Japanese would apply it “mutatis mutandis” towards the Americans, British, Canadians, Australians and New Zealander POW's, note he most definitely did not extend this to the asiatic groups, nor the Dutch whom I guess he just forgot about. But this did morally bind Japan to comply with the convention. However the top brass of the Japanese military, notably Hideki Tojo in these cases, went out of his way to instill beliefs within the military as to what they should expect from the enemy. As you will see in the next points, this was basically a type of indoctrination.   War strategy and indoctrination    The leaders of Japan knew full well how unmatched they were in terms of resources and productivity before they began the war with the west. How could they possibly win the war? The IJN was dead set on a decisive naval battle, but for the IJA to compensate for their lack of resources, they believed their “spirit” would overcome the enemy. In many ways this spirit meant going above and beyond normal human endurance, to literally outperform the allies and notably to conduct the war with absolutely zero mercy. Once Japan lost the initiative in the war, after Guadalcanal, the IJA were forced to fight a war of attrition. Now they would prolong and exact maximum casualties upon the allies hoping to force them to the peace table. The idea was quite simple, the IJA would do everything possible to make the allies believe they would never give up and it would far too costly to defeat them. How does one go about achieving these aims? Well the IJA officers would tell you “by steeling your hearts”. To achieve all of this required extreme indoctrination.    Japanese children grew up in regimentation, they were desensitized to violence through tales of martial glory, and were taught that their purpose in life was to serve the emperor. Upon entering  military service, they were trained out of any individualistic spirit, and taught that compassion was a weakness and had no place in the field of war. The soldier's motto was faith equaled strength.  Faith being devotion to duty and service to the Divine Emperor. Apart from ideology and spiritual toughening, training in the Japanese Imperial Army was also extremely harsh and violent. This was not even particularly a special aspect of Showa Japan, it went all the way back to the Meiji era. From a young age children's education directed them, like a pipeline for military duty.   Now at the offset of the war, Hideki Tojo released the “Senjinkun” “instructions for the battlefield”. This was basically a manual for soldiers on how to conduct war. The document was used to establish standards of behavior for Japanese troops and improve discipline and morale within the Army, it also included things like a prohibition against being taken prisoner. It stated if you were captured by the enemy, because Japan did not sign or ratify certain treaties, you would be killed or tortured by the allies, and if you survived you and your family would face shame back home, and punishment resulting typically in 6 months of prison.   Here is a small excerpt from the document Those who know shame are weak. Always think of [preserving] the honor of your community and be a credit to yourself and your family. Redouble your efforts and respond to their expectations. Never live to experience shame as a prisoner. By dying you will avoid leaving a stain on your honor.   The purpose was basically psychological warfare, against their own army. Those like Hideki Tojo believed Japan could only defeat the resource rich Americans with spirit. Thus the manuals like Senjinkun demanded the forces not ever surrender, because the allies would do horrible things, it was shameful to do so and there were disciplinary actions for any who did. In 1942 the Army amended its criminal code to specify that officers who surrendered soldiers under their command faced at least six months imprisonment, regardless of the circumstances in which the surrender took place. This change attracted little attention, however, as the Senjinkun imposed more severe consequences and had greater moral force.   In a report dated June 1945, the U.S. Office of War Information noted that 84 percent of one group of interrogated Japanese prisoners, many of whom had been injured or unconscious when captured stated that they had expected to be killed or tortured by the Allies if taken prisoner. The OWI analysts described this as being typical, and concluded that fear of the consequences of surrender, “rather than Bushido,” was the motivation for many Japanese battle deaths in hopeless circumstances–as much as, and probably more than, the other two major considerations: fear of disgrace at home, and “the positive desire to die for one's nation, ancestors, and god-emperor.”   Something barely talked about in the west, was during the Pacific War, the Americans had a habit of taking human trophies. Human trophies were Japanese skulls, gold teeth, finger bones and such. The famous novel “With the Old Breed” by Eugene Sledge spoke of his personal accounts of these actions, its a rather gruesome and dark part of the war. Now some of these actions were publicized, despite the US military's efforts to quell and hush it down. Time magazine famously had an iconic photo of a woman whose enlisted boyfriend sent her home a Japanese skull. FDR also famously was given a letter opener carved out of Japanese bones. These stories were seized up greedily by the Japanese government who used them as propaganda to prove to their soldiers what would happen if they were captured. It had a profound effect as you can imagine. And this was not limited to Japanese soldiers. The propaganda machine would contribute at the end of the war to mass civilian suicides on Okinawa and Saipan.   Back to the POW subject. When it came to the treatment of POW's, Hideki Tojo began submitting in May of 1942 a series of memorandum, basic orders as to how POW's should be treated. “Prisoners of war can be used for the enlargement of our production and as military labor, white prisoners of war will be confined successively in Korea, Formosa and Manchuria. Superior technicians and high ranking officers -- Colonels and above -- will be included among the prisoners of war confined in Formosa. Those who are not suitable for use in enlargement of our production will be confined in prisoner of war camps which will be built immediately on the spot.Although the working of prisoner of war officers and warrant officers is forbidden by the Regulations of 1903, the policy of the control authorities is that under the situation of our country where not one person now eats without working they want them to set to work. It is desired that you give proper orders on this.The present situation of affairs in this country does not permit anyone to lie idle doing nothing but eating freely. With that in view, in dealing with prisoners of war, I hope you will see that they may be usefully employed. In Japan, we have our own ideology concerning prisoners of war, which should naturally make their treatment more or less different from that in Europe and America. In dealing with them, you should, of course, observe the various Regulations concerned, aim at an adequate application of them . . . At the same time, you must not allow them to lie idle doing nothing but eating freely for even a single day. Their labor and technical skill should be fully utilized for the replenishment of production, and contribution rendered toward the prosecution of the Greater East Asiatic War for which no effort ought to be spared."   Thus in the end as a grunt in the IJA you were led to believe: if I am captured I will be tortured, killed maybe turned into a letter opener, or someone will place my skull on their mantle. If I surrender and survive and make it back home, I will be severely punished and worst of all me and my family will be shamed. I could not expect any humanity from the enemy, because my nation did not sign or ratify treaties like the Geneva convention. More so, because my armies conduct was so unbelievably barbaric, I could only expect the very same from my enemy. It was a vicious cycle. You perform atrocities, expecting the enemy to do the same, and thus it just keeps perpetuating itself. Ultra-Nationalism and Racism   Now we spoke a little bit about the concept of the Yamato race, the Japanese were indoctrinated to believe they were a superior race and that their emperor was something akin to a living god. Until this war, the Japanese empire was on a hell of a winning streak going all the way back to the Meiji Era. For the first half of the Pacific war, the Japanese won nearly every battle. This led to something historians called “victory disease” that made them become somewhat arrogant and cocky, but it also made them feel “superhuman”. The allies' news reporting at the beginning of the war began to frantically refer to the Japanese as “supermen”or  “super jungle fighters”. Particularly because of the Malay campaign, the Japanese soldier just seemed to be tougher, could survive harsher jungle climates, even doing so with less food or war materials. The Japanese read the allied news reports and came to the conclusion that had been driven down their throats by their government, indeed the Japanese spirit was winning the war. The Japanese public ate this up in their propaganda and it perpetuated their ultra-nationalistic beliefs. The Japanese truly came to believe they were destined to rule the asia-pacific. Look at the results in China for example. Within a short amount of time they conquered much of China, though the public really had no idea how bad the China was bottled down by 1940. Then came the greater east asia co-prosperity sphere propaganda, which is an excellent example of their megalomania.    Yet alongside their ultra-nationalism, seen more strongly perpetuated against other Asian groups, the Japanese also indoctrinated their public with racism against them. The Yellow Peril of the 19th century and anti-japanese or anti-asian racism fueled the Japanese soldiers. The Japanese as a people had faced brutal racist hardships historically at the hands of the west, particularly from their point of view from America. There was the slights against them during the first sino-japanese war, the infamous triple intervention of france, germany and Russia stealing away their prize that was the liaodong peninsula. Then during the Boxer rebellion they faced racism, not being allowed to lead mutli national army formations, despite them being the lionshare of said military force. The Russo-Japanese war saw from their point of view, America stealing their war prizes. Last but not least, after WW1 they were told to their faces that they were a world power, but not racially equal. The Japanese faced anti-Japanese and anti-asian immigration laws when it came to America in the form of the gentleman's agreement and Australia's “great white Australia policy”. During the war, the American propaganda machine began pumping out racist caricatures of Japanese as rats, goggle eyed  bucktooth people, literal yellow monkey's.   For the IJA the pacific war in many was a holy war directed at the arrogant whites who had abused them for so long. This will probably sound controversial, but indeed, the pacific war was very much a race war. If you are not convinced of that, I recommend reading “War without Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War” by John Dower. The human trophy taking, anti-japanese bucktooth, rat people cartoon propaganda, history of racial abuse like the japanese concentration camps, the gentleman's agreement, the stealing of victories during the first sino-japanese war, russo-japanese war and ww1 all plagued the mind of a Japanese soldier. To them in many ways, the “whites had it coming”. Which is rather ironic given how the Japanese would treat the other asian racial groups they came into contact with. But such is the contradictory nature of the Imperial Japanese military.    The Japanese also held racist beliefs about the westerners. The Japanese soldiers were taught the allies were akin to demons or beasts. They were described often as “the hairy ones” or “anglo-American demons”. Taught these men would rape women and girls, stample upon the civilians they captured with the treads of their tanks. The marines were especially dreaded.  According to a story circulated widely among the Japanese on Saipan, all Marine Corps recruits were compelled to murder their own parents before being inducted into service. It was said that Japanese soldiers taken prisoner would suffer hideous tortures—their ears, noses, and limbs would be cut off; they would be blinded and castrated; they could also be cooked and fed to dogs. As silly as this may sound, do remember the Americans were taking human trophies so the Japanese propaganda machine had its evidence. Tons of photos of skulls atop american tanks for example were displayed to the Japanese public. Another famous one was the cartoon appearing in an American servicemen's magazine, which was later reproduced and translated in the Japanese press. It suggested the existence of “Japanese hunting licenses, promising open season on the enemy, complete with free ammunition and equipment—with pay!    In terms of how the Japanese exacted their own racism towards their fellow asians. During the War the Japanese dragged into forced labor, Koreans, Chinese and southeast asians. 670,000 Koreans were brought to Japan to work mines and heavy industry, around 60,000 of them died to harsh conditions. Between April 1943 to May 1945, 41,862 Chinese were sent to Japan to work, 2800 died before even reaching the home islands. 6872 died in the work sites again from brutal conditions. When it comes to southeast asian numbers are hard to pinpoint but its safe to say at least 300,000 Javanese, Malay, Burmese, Tamil and other groups were mobilized to construct the Burma-Siam railroad between October 1942 to november 1943 and 60,000 perished. This all went for the men, for the women, all those racial groups would face the horrors of becoming comfort women, historians estimate there could have been 50-200,000 pressed into it. But for the Japanese, believing their were superior to these other asiatic groups, groups whom they would publicly say were like children, they as the father figure would guide, well they simply abused them.   So in a contradictive fashion, the Japanese believed they were superior and could do horrible things to their Asian neighbors while simultaneously decrying the racism cast towards them by western powers as justification for their brutal actions against them. These types of feelings and perspectives molded the mind of the average Japanese soldier, dehumanizing others has always been a standard military practice afterall.    Surrender & the Bastardization of the Bushido code   I think this is one the vast majority of WW2 history buffs know, the Japanese perspective on surrender and the bushido code. In the book “military trials of war criminals in the Netherlands east indies 1946-1949” Fred Borch had this to say about the variable of bushido for the brutality   As Japan continued its modernization in the early 20th century, her armed forces became convinced that success in battle would be assured if Japanese soldiers, sailors, and airmen had the "spirit" of Bushido. ... The result was that the Bushido code of behavior "was inculcated into the Japanese soldier as part of his basic training." Each soldier was indoctrinated to accept that it was the greatest honor to die for the Emperor and it was cowardly to surrender to the enemy. ... Bushido therefore explains why the Japanese soldiers who were stationed in the NEI so mistreated POWs in their custody. Those who had surrendered to the Japanese—regardless of how courageously or honorably they had fought—merited nothing but contempt; they had forfeited all honor and literally deserved nothing. Consequently, when the Japanese murdered POWs by shooting, beheading, and drowning, these acts were excused since they involved the killing of men who had forfeited all rights to be treated with dignity or respect. While civilian internees were certainly in a different category from POWs, it is reasonable to think that there was a "spill-over" effect from the tenets of Bushido.   It is very true, the Japanese soldiers and sailors were taught Japan was a sacred nation. Traditional samurai values of bushido were merged with modern training and weaponry. The government propagandized the figure of the Emperor as a living god who embodied the Japanese state, the Kokutai. Emperor Hirohito and his family were the spiritual essence of Japan. To even show your back to the enemy let alone surrender was deemed cowardly and brought dishonor upon your family. As written by Inouye Jukichi in 1910, something read by many Japanese “The Japanese warriors looked upon it as shame to themselves not to die when their Lord was hard pressed . . . their own shame was the shame upon their parents, their family, their house and their whole clan, and with this idea deeply impressed upon their minds, the Samurai, no matter of what rank, held their lives light as feathers when compared with the weight they attached to the maintenance of a spotless name”.    Young men of Japan were taught that "The greatest honor is to die for the Emperor" Additionally precept the Japanese were taught that it is an ignominy to surrender to the enemy. The combined effect of these two precepts was to inculcate in the Japanese soldier a spirit of contempt for Allied soldiers who surrendered, which, in defiance of the rules of war, was demonstrated in their ill-treatment of prisoners. They made no distinction between the soldier who fought honorably and courageously up to an inevitable surrender, and the soldier who surrendered without a fight. All enemy soldiers who surrendered under any circumstance were to be regarded as being disgraced and entitled to live only by the tolerance of their captors.   Surrender was unforgivable under their code, drilled into them through the Imperial Japanese education system and military. When the Japanese would come across vast swathes of the enemy surrendering, particularly if the enemy used up all their ammunition killing their comrades and then surrendered, well it added fuel to their brutality. One only needs to look at the deaths due to Banzai charges, take for example the incredibly massive one at the battle of Saipan seeing around 4000 dead Japanese. IJA officers brought ancestral katana's to the war, the Japanese cut off the heads of the enemies as it was seen to be honorable. When faced with death, many chose to commit seppuku, the bushido propaganda was intense.    A brutal practice emerged in the Pacific island hopping campaign, whereupon wounded Japanese would pretend to be dead or surrender only to explode grenades upon allied forces coming closer. This began to be noticed by US marines during the battle of Guadalcanal and Australians in New Guinea. This began a vicious cycle . There were of course Japanese who would surrender. Hell the Koreans forced into service often did try to surrender, but they would all be hampered by something. Because of the actions of those Japanese feinted death and taking down allied soldiers with them, the allied soldiers gradually began a practice of not bothering to accept surrender. It became a self fulfilling prophecy. Many Japanese made the allies believe all they could expect was a grenade death, thus the allies became more brutal to them. This simply led the Japanese to conclude their government was accurate about how the allies would treat them, so more and more did not surrender. An absolutely horrible cycle that went on to the very end of the war, though the allies did figure out means to get Japanese to surrender more in the last year.    The Brutality of the Japanese military   I think this is probably one of the most important factors, and its also one the “normies” would not know as much about. The Imperial Japanese military, more so the Army, had what I can only describe as a built in system of abuse. As described to me by the same university professor I keep bringing up in podcasts, picture a literal pecking order. Going from the highest ranked general to the very bottom grunt. Imagine each one who is higher than the other, routinely physically abuses them. For example, it was very typical for a colonel to slap a major across the face, the major would then strike one of his captains, and the abuse would continue through the ranks to the grunts who would have no one to abuse, thus they turned to POW's or civilian populations. This was not just an accepted part of the Japanese Imperial Army it was indoctrinated.    From day one of basic training, IJA officers taught their men, races like the Chinese were their blood enemies and racially inferior. These were people the Japanese would rule over one day. The trainers would toss the boys into rigorous training activities involving physical violence towards another alongside the notion any orders given by a higher ranking officer was infallible and to be treated as if the divine emperor himself, the living god was giving it.    The Japanese army even taught methods of torture that would be employed in all areas they occupied. Among these tortures were the water treatment, burning, electric shocks, the knee spread, suspension, kneeling on sharp instruments and flogging. The Kempetai, were the ones doing the lionshare of these tortures. Other Army and Navy units, however, used the same methods as the Kempetai. Camp guards performed similar methods, local police forces organized by the Kempetai in the occupied territories also applied the same methods of torture. The Kempetai were administered by the War Ministry, trained at specialized schools who were maintained and operated by the War Ministry in Japan. Thus the conduct of Kempetai and the camp guards directly reflected the policy of the War Ministry.    The Japanese army leadership made sure recruits were physically and mentally abused, they were given strenuously duty tasks and pushed to their absolute limit. During the war given where they were deployed, take guadalcanal for example, the Japanese soldiers would be facing starvation as well. Being half starved, beaten and suffering the effects of war would drive anyone to perform horrifying acts. The life of a Japanese solider was simply at the whims of an extremely toxic management culture. The lowest ranking echelons received the lionshare of abuse and they took out their frustration with whomever they could find deemed lower than them, ie: POW's, civilians, etc.   All of these variables combined contributed to the creation of a military willing to perform just about any atrocity they thought necessary to win the war. It was a war they could not hope to win, but many of them went to their deaths trying to defeat the hands of fate. There are countless other reasons of course for the atrocities committed in cold or hot blood. Countless books have been written on this subject, please do check out the few I mentioned. With that again, a big thanks to you patreons, you guys are awesome. Please let me know what you think in the comments, and what you want to hear more about in the future. This has been the pacific war channel over and out.

Why some lawmakers oppose a bill preventing utility companies from cutting off services during extreme weather, honoring POW/MIA Recognition Day, and we go Inside Kentucky Politics to discuss the U.S. Senate race in the state.

Send us a textOnes Ready sits down with Morgan Lerette —author of Guns, Girls, and Greed—to talk about life as a Blackwater mercenary during the chaos of Iraq and Afghanistan. From getting recruited as a broke Air Guard kid, to standing on flight lines wondering if forklifts win Bronze Stars, to suddenly pulling convoys through Route Irish with Navy SEALs and Rangers, Morgan lays it all out: the absurd, the grim, and the downright sketchy. We dive into the wild days of unarmored Peugeots with body armor for window panels, hooker stories from Jordan, and the not-so-fun reality of PMCs running missions with zero backup. And just when you're laughing at zebra-striped POW underwear, Morgan drops the hammer on the modern PMC industry moving kids across the border. Buckle up—this one goes from hilarious to horrifying in record time. Part two is going to be even spicier.Best place to get the book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0D5JMPTMY/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome back to Ones Ready 02:00 – Blackwater mercenary origins and pipeline discounts 05:00 – Morgan's “construction worker” to Air Guard journey 09:00 – Forklift heroes and Bronze Stars 13:00 – How a Security Forces guy landed at Blackwater 18:00 – Fallujah, no backup, and calling Bragg from a Nokia brick 22:00 – Corkscrew flights, Peugeots with steel plates, and sweaty armor 27:00 – Protecting diplomats with “creative” ROE 32:00 – Contractors vs State Department nerds 38:00 – QRF reality: escort service and car bomb season 42:00 – The flashbang fail and Iraqi cell-jammer pranks 44:00 – Guns, Girls, Greed—why Morgan's book pissed off Blackwater 47:00 – Hooker tales and Harvard economics majors 49:00 – Custer's Battles and the Wild West of PMCs 53:00 – The ugly truth: PMCs moving kids at the border 58:00 – Durable goods, cartels, and why trafficking beats drugs 1:02:00 – Why foreign-funded PMCs are a ticking time bomb 1:04:00 – Zebra-striped underwear POW story to close it out

By Brian Kerg Commander William Spears, U.S. Navy, joins the program to discuss his article, “What Moral Leadership Looks Like,” which examines the philosophical approach of Admiral Stockdale during his time as a POW in North Vietnam. Commander William C. Spears is a submarine warfare officer in the U.S. Navy and the author of Stoicism as … Continue reading Sea Control 586: What Moral Leadership Looks Like with William Spears →

Imagine you're an Allied soldier in the Pacific during WWII. You're captured by the Japanese, survive brutal conditions as a POW, and the dangerous voyage in a “hell ship” to Japan, where you endure more years of captivity. Finally, in August 1945, the war ends. You're freed, ready to go home. But there will be no happy ending. Some transport planes and ships never make their destination, including a B-24 carrying 20 former POWs, which crashes into a 3,496-meter peak in Taiwan's southern Central Mountain Range during a typhoon. Compounding the sadness, 26 members of a team made up of Japanese, Taiwanese, and Indigenous people die in a rescue/retrieval attempt.This once little-known story was featured in Season Two of Formosa Files. In 2025, however – the 80th anniversary – many news organizations featured stories marking the event. Taiwan President Lai offered a moving tribute in a Facebook post, which in part read, “Eighty years ago, a group of people, without regard to nationality, blood, or side in the war, risked their lives to save others.”Help others find us by rating/reviewing the show.

Abdel is a Starkware engineer who, over the last 7 years, went from building EIP 1559 on Ethereum to becoming a Bitcoin maximalist who wants ZK STARKs to happen. In this episode, we talk about his journey & some of Bitcoin's cultural issues. Time stamps: 00:00:59 - Sponsors: Sideshift, Citrea, Bitcoin.com News, LayerTwo Labs, NoOnes.com 00:01:38 - Abdel's unique journey: From Ethereum core dev at ConsenSys to Bitcoin maximalism 00:02:17 - Early Bitcoin curiosity (2011-2012) vs Ethereum's "world computer" appeal 00:03:51 - Fintech background: Working for banks before fighting them 00:04:31 - Always a Bitcoin + Ethereum maxi: Building unstoppable systems 00:06:07 - North Star vs "Nostr": Unstoppable vs compromised systems 00:06:23 - Fintech to DeFi? Payments focus, not advanced trading 00:07:29 - First Ethereum contributions: Smart contracts 00:09:09 - Deep dive: Championing EIP-1559 (fee burn, ultrasound money) 00:11:03 - EIP-1559's governance risks: Changing monetary policy on the fly 00:11:16 - Ethereum's slippery slopes: DAO hard fork to fee burns 00:12:12 - Ethereum as anti-Bitcoin experiment: From colored coins to rollups 00:13:48 - Ethereum Classic hopes; market follows narratives, not fixed supply 00:14:28 - EIP-1559 process: 2+ years of debate vs Bitcoin's immutability 00:15:59 - Boiling frog with Vitalik: Accumulating compromises (trusted setups) 00:18:28 - Ethereum precedents: Premine, PoS migration, rushed upgrades 00:19:14 - Social layer strength: Protects core principles vs nation-states 00:19:41 - Non-tech users in governance: Better than dev-only control 00:22:32 - Educating the social layer: Privacy warnings in Bitcoin tools 00:24:26 - Risks: Bitcoin (tech obsolescence) vs Ethereum (social dilution) 00:26:49 - Bitcoin meetups: Ideology & tech vs Ethereum's builder focus 00:28:00 - Shocking anti-Bitcoin sentiment from Ethereum side 00:29:52 - PoW beauty: External entropy, fair distribution (not Ponzi) 00:31:44 - PoW vs PoS: Tolerating Ethereum's PoS for decentralization 00:34:20 - Bitcoin's privacy crisis: Needs scale + affordability 00:36:43 - Sponsor: Layer2 Labs (Drivechains for sidechains like Zcash fork) 00:38:02 - Sponsor: Citrea (ZK rollup on Bitcoin via BitVM2) 00:40:09 - Citrea drama: Unfair criticism amid filter wars 00:42:40 - Citrea vs Alpen: First-to-market wins (garbled circuits delay) 00:46:01 - Video game analogy: Duke Nukem Forever vs pragmatic launches 00:47:25 - Lesson from Ethereum: Optimistic rollups dominate despite ZK superiority 00:48:56 - Dev events vs mainstream: Bridging tech narratives to plebs 01:10:00 - Fragmentation in Bitcoin community, why plebs dismiss innovation 02:30:00 - Off-topic: Immigration in Europe (Romania/France parallels, economic pressures) 02:38:16 - Bitcoin as catalyst: Inflation from crises drives adoption 02:39:46 - Decentralization as development sign: Small-scale consensus 02:42:11 - New chains start centralized; trust incentives lacking in L2s 02:44:41 - Starkware as bridge to Bitcoin: Pre-existing interest 02:45:57 - Elevator pitch: STARK proofs for Bitcoin (open-source, battle-tested) 02:48:21 - Endgame: Verify STARKs on Bitcoin for programmability + privacy 02:49:52 - Meme magic: One STARK proof is smaller in size than a photo, costs less than a Big Mac, can be verified in a blink 02:52:29 - STARKs vs SNARKs: No trusted setup, quantum-secure, hash-based 02:54:31 - Experiments: Cashu with STARKs (private programmable e-cash) 02:58:37 - Nostr DVMS: Verifiable AI/services in permissionless marketplace 03:01:16 - Cashu origin story: Bar chat with Calle to Jack Dorsey endorsement 03:03:16 - Cashu honesty: Not scaling, but privacy bridge vs custodians 03:06:25 - Nihilism in Bitcoin: Mental gymnastics vs Ethereum's build-first ethos 03:07:48 - Permission culture: Asking nodes for ZK proofs/Lightning channels 03:08:27 - Event split: Dev confs (BTC++) vs narrative fests (BTC Prague) 03:10:29 - Why invest without understanding? Newbie wave acceleration 03:11:23 - Niche value: In-between content bridges extremes 03:13:48 - Who listens matters: Robin Linus' DM is more important than mass views 03:16:07 - Still early days: 16 years in, aim for 1B daily users 03:16:39 - Special word: "Grinta" (grit mindset) for full listeners 03:18:14 - Outro: Thanks & next: Shai on PoW improvements

September 19 is National POW/MIA Recognition Day in the United States. In this two-part series, we'll explore what it means to be part of that ongoing story — the families who wait, the system created to find answers, and the private researchers who work to complement the government's efforts.

What does it take to build lasting resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity? In this inspiring episode, host Nicole Jansen sits down with Lee Ellis—leadership coach, award-winning author, Air Force veteran, and former POW in North Vietnam for over five years. Drawing on his extraordinary experiences of captivity, Lee shares practical wisdom on resilience, leadership, honor, and the true power of mission-driven living. Lee opens up about overcoming adversity as a prisoner of war, the critical role of commitment, faith, and community, and why self-acceptance and vulnerability are essential for real leadership. Together, Nicole and Lee explore what sets resilient people apart, how to bounce back after failure, and why having a strong sense of purpose can actually extend your life. Plus, Lee shares moving stories from his latest book Captured by Love and the unsung heroism of the POWs' wives. If you're seeking actionable inspiration on navigating hardship and leading with honor—at work or in life—this episode will equip you with the mindsets and tools you need most. What We Discuss in This Episode What helped prepare Lee for the POW experience? What was it like to be shot down and survive as a POW for over five years? How do purpose and mission drive resilience—even beyond extreme adversity? Why are POWs statistically more likely to outlive their civilian peers? What role did faith and community play in surviving captivity? How did the POWs bounce back mentally after giving in to suffering or failure? Why is embracing vulnerability—and owning your strengths and struggles—key for modern leaders? How can we apply these lessons to today's disconnected, anxious world? What are Lee's seven core behaviors for leading and living with honor? How did the wives and families fighting back home change the POWs' fate? Podcast Highlights & Timestamps 0:00 – Own Yourself: Build Resilience 1:19 – Meet Lee Ellis 2:30 – Farm Boy to Fighter Pilot 4:36 – Shot Down: Life Changes 6:48 – POW Survival Secrets 8:45 – Why POWs Live Longer 9:32 – Mission-Driven Resilience 11:13 – Bouncing Back from Defeat 13:02 – Hope: POW Wives' Fight 15:22 – Purpose Fuels Life 17:03 – Lead with Faith & Humility 18:28 – Vulnerability and Confidence 20:59 – 7 Core Leadership Behaviors 23:49 – Building Courageous Communities 25:47 – Isolation vs Connection 28:40 – Encouragement & Accountability 29:48 – The Myth of Lone Rangers 30:48 – Captured by Love 32:48 – Hidden Heroes: POW Wives 35:54 – Coming Home: The Release 36:48 – Lee's Modern Mission 40:05 – Build Your Own Resilience 41:51 – Your Uniqueness is Strength This is a must-listen conversation for anyone looking to deepen their resilience and lead with true honor—no matter what life throws at you. Favorite Quotes Self-Acceptance: “You got to know the good, the bad, the ugly about yourself and just own it. When you accept that, you're going to be secure, more confident, more humble. You can be more vulnerable. And that's a very important thing today." Resilience: "Everybody has to suffer in life. And what we learned is that we could recover from suffering if we kept our commitments." Community: "You've got to be in community… after suffering torture, to just have a word of encouragement—'Lee, you did your best.' That makes all the difference." Ready to transform how you face adversity and lead others? Dive in, reflect, and take action! Episode Resources https://leadersoftransformation.com/podcast/leadership/543-resilience-honor-and-commitment-leadership-lessons-from-pow-survivor-lee-ellis/ Check out our complete library of episodes and other leadership resources here: https://leadersoftransformation.com ________

Episode #196 of the Last Call Trivia Podcast begins with a round of general knowledge questions. Then, we're breaking a sweat with a theme round of “Work It Out” Trivia!Round OneThe game kicks off with a Food Trivia question that asks the Team to name a cooking method based on a description of how it's done.Next, we have a Music Trivia question about a 1996 album that debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.The first round concludes with a Literature Trivia question about a Kurt Vonnegut novel that was inspired by the author's experience as a POW during the Allied bombing of Dresden in 1945.Bonus QuestionToday's Bonus Question is a follow-up to the Literature Trivia question from the first round.Round TwoLet's get those heart rates up with today's theme round of “Work It Out” Trivia!The second round begins with a Phrases Trivia question about a popular phrase used by Jane Fonda in her 1980s aerobic workout videos.Next, we have an Anatomy Trivia question that asks the Team to name a large muscle in the back with a name similar to something that might be found at a circus.Round Two concludes with a Health & Fitness Trivia question about a substance that's popular as a supplement with athletes and “gym bros.”Final QuestionWe've reached the Final Question of the game, and today's category of choice is Science.For today's Final, the Trivia Team is given four liquids and asked to place them in order of where they fall on the pH scale, from highest to lowest.Visit lastcalltrivia.com to learn more about hosting your own ultimate Trivia event!

Any donation is greatly appreciated! 47e6GvjL4in5Zy5vVHMb9PQtGXQAcFvWSCQn2fuwDYZoZRk3oFjefr51WBNDGG9EjF1YDavg7pwGDFSAVWC5K42CBcLLv5U OR DONATE HERE: https://www.monerotalk.live/donate TODAY'S SHOW: In this episode of Monero Talk, host Douglas Tuman interviews Dr. K, a proof-of-work researcher with over eight years of experience. They dive into Monero's ongoing “qubic attack,” where mining pool Qubic controls ~35% of the network's hash rate and causes chain reorganizations. Dr. K, whose background spans ConsenSys, Grid Plus (creator of the Lattice One wallet), and a National Science Foundation grant for PoW research, proposes a fix: work shares. By sampling multiple proofs per block instead of one, work shares make the network resistant to attacks from miners with less than 51% hash power. Dr. K is already drafting a pull request to add this to Monero's code.The discussion also explores why Dr. K views proof-of-work as superior to proof-of-stake—emphasizing immutability, permissionlessness, and competitive fairness—and his own project, Quiet Network (QUI), a scalable PoW blockchain with an energy-based token (QI) designed for stable purchasing power. TIMESTAMPS: (00:02:28) Dr. K introduces himself and his background (00:04:44) Dr. K's crypto journey and early experiences (00:14:21) Dr. K's views on privacy in cryptocurrency (00:18:45) Dr. K explains why he's a proof of work maximalist (00:29:03) Discussion of proof of stake vs. proof of work (00:41:13) Dr. K introduces work shares as a solution to Monero's problems (00:48:09) Technical details of implementing work shares in Monero (01:15:06) Comparison of work shares to other proposed solutions (01:31:22) Introduction to Quiet Network and Qi (01:38:49) Closing thoughts on unity in the cryptocurrency community GUEST LINKS: https://x.com/mechanikalk Purchase Cafe & tip the farmers w/ XMR! https://gratuitas.org/ SPONSORS: Cakewallet.com, the first open-source Monero wallet for iOS. You can even exchange between XMR, BTC, LTC & more in the app! Monero.com by Cake Wallet - ONLY Monero wallet (https://monero.com/) StealthEX, an instant exchange. Go to (https://stealthex.io) to instantly exchange between Monero and 450 plus assets, w/o having to create an account or register & with no limits. WEBSITE: https://www.monerotopia.com CONTACT: monerotalk@protonmail.com ODYSEE: https://odysee.com/@MoneroTalk:8 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/monerotalk FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MoneroTalk HOST: https://twitter.com/douglastuman INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/monerotalk TELEGRAM: https://t.me/monerotopia MATRIX: https://matrix.to/#/%23monerotopia%3Amonero.social MASTODON: @Monerotalk@mastodon.social MONERO.TOWN: https://monero.town/u/monerotalkAny donation is greatly appreciated!Any donation is greatly appreciated!

On the outskirts of North London, near Chipping Barnet and Enfield, stands a marvellous country house, Trent Park that belonged to the Sassoon family. In 1939 it was requisitioned by the British government whereupon it became a luxurious POW camp for German prisoners. Why treat them so kindly? Well senior Wehrmacht and Nazi officers were lulled into a false sense of security, they let their guard down and discussed war plans, and their murderous outlook openly, all of which were recorded and translated by listeners in the cellars of the house. Many of these listeners were Jewish refugees. Today's guest is Jane Thynne, whose new book Appointment in Paris features Trent Park so we discuss that and plenty more including France during the war. Jane Thynne Links Appointment in Paris Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Weir built a stunning home theater with a fully committed Batcave design, and it's a wonder to behold. Scott Wilkinson featured it on AVS Forum 10 years ago, but it's still a marvelous example of what a man with twin passions for Batman and home theater can do. Zap! Pow! Host: Scott Wilkinson Download or subscribe to Home Theater Geeks at https://twit.tv/shows/home-theater-geeks Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

Dear Ones,You just never know where a sacred path is going to lead you. Right now, I'm on the balcony of a hotel on the Sonoma Plaza. It's curious finding myself here because I live here in Sonoma. But it just so happens that for various reasons, last night, every bed at the inn, including at my house, was full because we just had an event, Exotic Creatures. As I sat in my little car trying to decide where to go next, I wanted to go for a swim. I wasn't sure where to stay. And I looked up the most affordable hotel in town, which happened to be right on the plaza. So as I made my way here and got in my pajamas after a beautiful swim, I wondered... Was there a reason that I could think of why I would be right here?The reason why I'm right here... is to connect with my roots. Because this Sonoma Plaza is where I took my first steps. It's where I have memories of my mothers and my lovers. It's a place as close to home as I've ever known. Next to these trees. These flowers. This rose garden. This sundial. These amazing ducks. So I wanted to start my day right here. With the sounds of the morning birds. The light of the sun. The sounds of the traffic going by. And this poem/prose that I wrote from bed this morning. Ready to listen? Tune in. Because here we go. It's called the Constellation of She-Bear.Constellation of She-BearThe morning birds have let you know that the light is returning now. Right in the middle of where you are, there is beauty right next to the trouble. Can you pause and look for it?Just the presence of the sun is the reminder that there are cycles within cycles and it won't always feel like it does right now. Exactly, exactly in the spot that seems almost impossible to navigate, there is an opening to go through. Look for it.You might need to be brave because this threshold is going to look different than the ones you've known before. The trees that are blooming nearest to where you are standing have turned their leafy green ears towards your troubles. Go ahead, little one. Tell them about the thunder in your head. They already know.This makes me think of a song a song my mother used to sing to me as a little girl. Trouble in mind, I'm blue but I won't be blue always sun's gonna shine in my back door somedayI know I know it seems as if the universe is conspiring against you sometimes.You wonder if there's any more that can go wrong. Well, let me ask you, would you be willing to ask a different question? Even though you can't see them, there are tigers right now drinking water in a powerful river of fresh, sweet water. Just knowing that offers joy. comfort. Just think of it. Can you see the tigers drinking fresh sweet water in the thunder of your mind? Even though you can't hear it right now, there are medicine people playing a song for you on their drum. It's a heartbeat just for you. Really, it's happening right now. Somewhere around the world,a medicine person with a drum is playing a song for humanity and you are included in that. And even better, it's a song in your mother tongue. The language you speak in your world.Can you hear it? Can you hear it? Above the birds and the traffic and the air conditioner and the sounds of coffee brewing and the sweepers are sweeping and the housekeepers are keeping and the artists, well, we're reciting poetry on our phone, of course. Can you hear it?I wish I could rub this fragrant oil that smells like roses and frankincense into your hardening scars to soften them for you. You shouldn't have to do that all on your own.I just noticed how the skin puckers at the site of the wound. The poets tell us that's where the light gets in, you know, through the cracks. Light comes in and out of the wound. (You know, Rumi and Cohen always speaking about these light-filled wound things.) Listen closely now. Listen.The bear in your heart is carrying you. The bear in your heart is carrying you. The bear in your heart is carrying you safely to the next destination on your sacred path. I know you wish it was different. I wish it was different too. And not because we're fragile, although we have our moments.Maybe it's because we're tired. But mostly because we know it doesn't have to be like this. And it makes us sad that it doesn't have to be like this. It doesn't have to be like this, but it is. And so here we are. Do you remember the day when you took shelter from that perfect storm?You just stopped running and reacting and started noticing the blooming orchids? It all just seemed so unlikely to find all that beauty right next to all that destruction. But there it was. Here it is. As I looked up yesterday... at the woman swimming in front of me.There was indeed an orchid on her shoulder in the colors I had just painted. These are reminders that I am on a sacred path. And today I'm here to tell you, maybe to affirm for you or remind you, yes, These are fierce times. Fierce times. We are called into a future self that's more mature than we've ever been so far. And part of us, well maybe a lot of us, just want to go back to sleep. To pull the covers up over our head. To put the fuzzy socks on and go back to sleep. Yet every day that we overcome the fear which holds us back. Every day we release more withholding. Every day that we're kinder to ourselves, we are learning to see in the dark. But today, today I want to honor all the places that you are saying no. All the places you're saying no. I love your big, bold, quivering f**k no.I love your walking away. I love your walking toward your life right now. I want to cherish the few yeses that feel just right in your belly. You know the ones I'm talking about. What can you say yes to today that turns ancient starlight in your bones into actual life force you can use? You know that grace-filled stuff called Life Force?I've heard that even with current circumstances, there is actually still enough Life Force to go aroundRumor has it, You get to have as much as you want. You do need to ask for it, however. Not because it's moderated. Like no one can keep you from it. But because sometimes you forget it's there. Sometimes you forget that life force is there and you have to ask for it. You can hear me. Can't you? Pacing the floor in my fuzzy socks. This Life Force is here. It's between us right now. Can you feel it? I can.I'm smiling as I think about you. As I see your face. Your smile. Your eyes. I see you. The intention of noticing myself. You, me, eyes, life force, and the bear in your heart. It activates the sparks of hidden power within us. Pow, pow, pow, there goes the sparks. Sparking. Life is lifing. Stars are starring. Hearts are sending hearts. Sometimes you feel like you're not from around here. You search the stars, you look to the earth, and you just feel like maybe you don't exactly belong here.And you, darling heart, have made an art of not belonging. You've gotten really good at it.You can still be in crowds and in groups and not belong and not panic, and you're doing all right. You've also learned to practice feeling safe without anybody needing to validate your existence. You did a really good job! You are really amazing!You know that, right? Yet, precious one, I am here today to remind you that you do belong in this constellation of being. You have been walking barefoot through the galaxies alone for long enough. Right alongside the hot mess that you are in, the great mysteries have woven a milky way into the garment of your body, your sacred skin suit.For you, I give thanks. Our cosmic GPS coordinates led us exactly to this exact moment, the one we're in right now. The bear in my heart calls to the bear in your heart. Can you hear the call? The only thing you need to do to step onto your sacred path is to step onto your sacred path.I know it feels kind of like a riddle to recognize it, that you're already on it. I know a woman on her path when I see it. Let me be the one to tell you, I can see you are on your path. Yes, you've already crossed the threshold and you're in the NOW.I welcome you here, where I live in the now. It's good here. There's not that many people hanging out in the now, honestly. For us introverts who look like outroverts, it's kind of a cool place to be Now. It's so popular to talk about, but so few actually find their way to Now.So I'm glad you made it across that threshold.So, you know, this circle has been called and your name was on the list again. To come and speak to us about the gifts that you are carrying. Your unique medicine. Let me just tell you nobody here actually cares if you have your stuff in a tidy pile. We really don't.We like the steam that comes out of your compost. We all know that soon enough there will be wildflowers growing from everything you've been willing to let go of. So right beside the suffering there's this beauty to behold. That's why I'm here talking to you today to remind you to look for the beauty.You won't have to look very far. It's right where you look right Now. I'm inviting you to find a question that feels sweet on your tongue. The morning birds have let you know that the light is returning now. Right in the middle of where you are…There is beauty right next to the trouble. #medicinepainting #intentionalcreativity #ExoticCreatures #musea This painting was created in a weekend event called Exotic Creatures, using Medicine Painting. An ancient yet futuristic Intentional Creativity process that allows us to reveal so much of our hidden worlds and interpret it as medicine. Brave action steps, emerge, post painting. We don't want to live the way where we're living before. We now have the courage to try something else. We can't go back to where we were.One of the curious things is that we begin to watch for things that arise in the painting to arise inside of our lives. Within 45 minutes of completing this painting, I was at the pool and there was a woman swimming who had an orchid tattoo on her back in exactly the same colors as my painting. Later that night my phone showed me a photo from 2021 on the exact samed date of orchids. Then a few of us were out to dinner together and one of the women had a butterfly on her painting, which now manifested in another tattoo. Another woman had included a sacred herb in her painting, and then suddenly found out about a ceremony that included that sacred herb, and one of her other paintings. And the list goes on and on! How often we collapse the symbolic and mystical into our world in the day-to-day reality. Especially when we're looking for it!This painting and poem is dedicated to my students from Exotic Creatures, and also Color of Woman. I continue to be in awe at the sacred work of Medicine Painting. Painting with an intent to heal through the Alchemical Feminine and realize that we are already on our sacred path. Less withholding, more acknowledgment. Less loneliness, more inclusion in the tribe of healers and creatives who are willing to open their eyes. So good. At the end of the class, I decided I wanted to teach more specifically about the ingredients called Medicine Painting that I have been working on in our lineage for over 30 years. Stay tuned to learn more about how you can work with painting for healing yourself and also with others. Having nothing to do with being a great painter. Self-expression offers access to healing because it activates life force. It's the art and science of self expression that lights up my sacred path. The constellation of the she-bear reminds me of my calling. I am on my sacred path and not one single thing can take me off of it!Love in the Now,Shiloh Sophia Exotic Creatures team, Ruby, Alyse, Anasuya, Ali and below is the classroom too Get full access to Tea with the Muse at teawiththemuse.substack.com/subscribe

The gang talks to author Phil Orbanes about his new bestselling book, “Monopoly X,” the true story of how the famous game board fooled the Nazis and helped hundreds of Allied POWs escape from Germany. Also, World War Two trivia: How did Russian fighter planes down German aircraft when they had no bullets? What was the deep secret about the infamous Colditz Prison? What ailment did Hitler have that caused his doctor to inject him with “bull sperm?”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/paranormal-uk-radio-network--4541473/support.

Culture critic Sean Malin, author of The Podcast Pantheon: 101 Podcasts That Changed How We Listen, joins Keith to discuss the importance of art and how we appreciate it. Oh, and Keith and The Girl is featured in that book in a big way. [POW.emoji]

Ep. 199 - Motivation fades, but discipline lasts. In this mash-up, Mari, Sami Spalter, Tom McCarthy and Michael Chernow dive into one of the most important questions for anyone chasing growth: how do you stay consistent when motivation runs out? This episode blends real stories, practical strategies, and inspiring lessons around the theme of discipline as self-love. From the power of small wins to the “Three C's” of transformation—Commitment, Confidence, and Courage—this episode gives you the tools to create lasting change in fitness, mindset, and life. This episode is packed with encouragement, actionable steps, and wisdom to help you recommit to your goals, show up for yourself, and keep going—even when it's hard. Whether you're working on your health, your career, or your mindset, you'll walk away with tools to create wins every day and become the person you want to be. Leave Me a Message - click here! For Mari's Instagram click here! For Pursuit of Wellness Podcast's Instagram click here! For Mari's Newsletter click here! Sponsored By: Upgrade your kitchen with Caraway's non-toxic cookware. Visit http://carawayhome.com/WELLNESS10 or use code WELLNESS10 for 10% off your next purchase. Hungryroot makes healthy eating easy! Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at hungryroot.com/POW with code POW. The first 1,000 to join at http://functionhealth.com/POW or use gift code POW at sign-up get a $100 credit toward their membership. Blissy is offering 60-nights risk-free PLUS an additional 30% off when you shop at Blissy.com/POWPOD. Experience skincare that targets acne and aging—without clogging your pores. Get 20% off your first order at clearstem.com/POW with code POW. Topics Discussed 00:00:08: Motivation vs. Discipline - building habits that stick (Solo) 00:03:40: CrossFit, accountability, and discipline as self-love (Sami Spalter) 00:11:06: Fitness teaching work ethic & pandemic walking 00:15:34: Mindset shift – leaving victim mentality behind (Tom McCarthy) 00:18:08: Visualization & subconscious reprogramming 00:22:42: Steps after visualization – focus, story, action 00:25:43: Identity shift – becoming an “athlete” & sobriety story 00:29:29: Discipline & asking for help – structured daily plan 00:38:27: Fitness in sobriety – daily wins, 3 C's: Commitment, Confidence, Courage (Michael Chernow) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Benjamin Netanjahu zapowiada ofensywę na miasto Gaza, gdzie ONZ właśnie ogłosiło klęskę głodu. Równocześnie mówi o negocjacjach w sprawie uwolnienia zakładników przetrzymywanych przez Hamas, który kilka dni temu zgodził się na 60-dniowe zawieszenie broni. Przerwy w wojnie masowo domagają się też sami Izraelczycy, których nawet 400 tysięcy demonstrowało przeciw polityce rządu. Tymczasem ujawnione właśnie wewnętrzne dokumenty izraelskiej armii wskazują na to, że aż 83 proc. ofiar wojny w Strefie Gazy stanowią palestyńscy cywile. A minister finansów zapowiada budowę nowego osiedla na Zachodnim Brzegu Jordanu, którego lokalizacja może uniemożliwić ewentualne powstanie państwa palestyńskiego. Czy do ofensywy na Gazę rzeczywiście dojdzie? Jakie mogą być losy ewentualnych rozmów o zawieszeniu broni? I dlaczego, mimo masowych protestów, polityka Netanjahu pozostaje bez zmian?Już co najmniej milion trzysta pięćdziesiąt tysięcy Afgańczyków deportowano, zmuszono lub nakłoniono do opuszczenia Iranu. Co tam robili? Dlaczego władze w Teheranie chcą się ich pozbyć właśnie teraz? I czy wracający migranci mogą być zagrożeniem dla talibów?Donald Trump zapowiada, że nie będzie już pośredniczył w rozmowach o spotkaniu Putin-Zełenski. Kreml odrzuca możliwość obecności w Ukrainie zachodnich wojsk i wysyła do walki tysiące dronów. Czy szczyt na Alasce i spotkanie w Waszyngtonie były po nic?Po ostatnich wyborach władzę w Boliwii traci lewica. Co to oznacza dla kraju z 25-procentową inflacją i ciągłym niedoborem towarów? Czy nowe władze otworzą kraj na inwestycje z zagranicy, w tym z USA? I co wspólnego mają z tym największe w świecie złoża litu?A także: o higienistach. I o tym, jak oczyszcza się z brudów politykę…Rozkład jazdy: (03:21) Łukasz Fyderek: Strefa Gazy: przerwy w wojnie nie będzie(23:44) Joanna Modrzejewska-Leśniewska: Iran–Afganistan: wielka deportacja(46:49) Grzegorz Dobiecki: Świat z boku - Higieniści(53:22) Podziękowania(59:51) Marcin Fatalski: Ukraina: spotkania bez efektów(1:25:53) Radosław Powęska: Boliwia skręca w prawo(1:46:45) Do usłyszenia---------------------------------------------Raport o stanie świata to audycja, która istnieje dzięki naszym Patronom, dołącz się do zbiórki ➡️ ⁠https://patronite.pl/DariuszRosiak⁠Subskrybuj newsletter Raportu o stanie świata ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠➡️ ⁠https://dariuszrosiak.substack.com⁠Koszulki i kubki Raportu ➡️ ⁠https://patronite-sklep.pl/kolekcja/raport-o-stanie-swiata/⁠ [Autopromocja]

The fight in Vietnam isn't over. We still have to fight the spread of communism! We still have soliders in Nam! POW's that haven't given up hope on America! We have the right man for this job! Rambo is back in the jungle! As the good white Christian God ordered! Hopefully there isn't any Russians or some pencil pusher there to stop him! 3BlackGeeks will proudly talk about this war hero and why America is the best! …what do you mean this movie is 80's US Propaganda? Pfft! Someone hates Freedom is what I hear!

Ep. 198: This week's mashup brings together powerful insights from Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Dr. Andy Galpin, and JJ Virgin on one of the most talked-about topics in fitness: creatine for strength training. We'll unpack why muscle is your most important organ for longevity, clear up the biggest myths holding women back from using creatine, and explore how building strength can transform your body, mind, and confidence. You'll hear practical strategies for getting started at any age, from first squats to advanced lifting, along with surprising benefits for mood, bone health, and aging powerfully. Tune in for expert advice that will leave you inspired to get stronger and feel unstoppable. Leave Me a Message - click here! For Mari's Instagram click here! For Pursuit of Wellness Podcast's Instagram click here! For Mari's Newsletter click here! For Dr. Gabrielle Lyon's Instagram click here! For Dr. Andy Galpin's Instagram click here! For JJ Virgin's Instagram click here! Sponsored By: Experience skincare that targets acne and aging—without clogging your pores. Get 20% off your first order at http://clearstem.com/POW with code POW. Supportive, flattering & unbelievably comfortable — find your perfect SKIMS bras and underwear at http://skims.com/pow. Enjoy pure, great-tasting water with AquaTru's reverse osmosis purifiers. Get 20% off at http://aquatru.com with code POW. Save 15% on the BON CHARGE Red Light Face Mask and more at http://boncharge.com with code PURSUIT at checkout. Upgrade your morning brew with Lifeboost—clean, low-acid, organic coffee. Get 10% off at http://lifeboostcoffee.com/POW with code POW. Breathe easier with Jaspr, the commercial-grade air scrubber that's quiet, powerful, and sleek. Get $400 off with code POW at http://jaspr.co/pow. Show Links: Boost muscle, strength, and focus with Bloom Creatine—formulated to support women's wellness, workouts, recovery, and daily energy. Strength Training Secrets for Women: Protein, Ozempic, and Aging Powerfully with Celebrity Nutrition Expert & Fitness Hall of Famer JJ Virgin Dr. Gabrielle Lyon on Muscle, Creatine & the Links between H. Pylori & Acne | Part 2 Why Women Are Training Wrong: Fix Hormones, Build Strength & Recover Smarter w/ Dr. Andy Galpin Part 1 Topics Discussed 00:08 - Welcome & episode overview 00:58 - Why creatine matters for women (Ep. 133: JJ Virgin) 02:20 - Water retention concerns explained 04:30 - Finding the right creatine dosage 06:15 - Creatine & strength training for pregnancy and healthy aging 08:40 - Encouraging parents to lift weights 12:26 - Beginner strength training progression & foundational exercises 14:30 - Muscle quality vs. muscle size 18:24 - “Muscle mommy” movement & cultural shifts in women's strength training (Ep. 165: Dr. Andy Galpin) 26:19 - “Strengthspan”, muscle mass benefits & brain health 30:15 - Creatine safety & performance vs. health 34:55 - Debunking bloating concerns for women 38:36 - Creatine for women: cycle, pregnancy & brain health (Ep. 163: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon) 42:30 - When to start & who benefits most from creatine 44:20 - Protein and training as muscle foundations 45:27 - Muscle's metabolic role & chronic disease prevention Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 197: On this episode of Pursuit of Wellness, I'm joined by Samantha Christine (SAMCFIT), a certified nutrition coach and the host of The Empower Podcast. We talk through her journey from a hospital birth that didn't go as planned to a powerful, peaceful home birth years later. Sam shares what it took to rebuild her life after divorce, how she learned to advocate for herself in pregnancy, and the silent struggle she faced in those first weeks as a new mom. This episode is raw and full of wisdom for anyone navigating motherhood or major life transitions. Leave Me a Message - click here! For Mari's Instagram click here! For Pursuit of Wellness Podcast's Instagram click here! For Mari's Newsletter click here! For Sam's Instagram click here! Sponsored By: Transform your bedtime routine with Cozy Earth. Get 40% off at http://cozyearth.com using code PURSUIT at checkout. Hungryroot makes healthy eating easy! Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at http://hungryroot.com/POW with code POW. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at http://betterhelp.com/POW and get on your way to being your best self. Build your dream brand with Shopify. Start selling today at http://shopify.com/mari. It's never been easier to get started. Bake-from-frozen sourdough, pasta & pastries — ready in 25 minutes. Visit http://wildgrain.com/POW for $30 off your first box + free croissants in every box. Sleep smarter with Autopilot by Eight Sleep. Get $350 off Pod 4 Ultra at http://eightsleep.com/pow with code POW. Show Links: Train with Sam & explore her programs at https://samcfit.com/ Support gut health, immunity & glowing skin with Colostrum & Collagen Peptides, Bloom's 3-in-1 formula with probiotics. Topics Discussed 00:10 - Welcome & guest introduction 02:10 - Balancing motherhood, career & fitness 03:48 - Experience of her first (hospital) birth 05:11 - Why she chose home birth for her second 06:45 - How doulas support & empower birth choices 09:30 - Switching from birth center to home birth & choosing a midwife 12:07 - Preparing for unmedicated birth 16:04 - Sam's experience of home birth 19:28 - Pain vs pressure & intuitive delivery 23:00 - Handling judgment around home birth 24:01 - Mari's birth planning: holistic vs hospital 25:19 - Postpartum anxiety, support & communicating needs 33:55 - Prenatal perineal massage 35:35 - Pressure to “bounce back” 37:20 - Breastfeeding & body changes 38:11 - Working out after birth: realistic timelines 40:25 - High Rocks & endurance sports 47:14 - Building a blended family with Ian 52:38 - Time-blocking & daily structure 52:50 - Fitness for kids 55:39 - Healthy eating for kids Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

August 7, 1943. Off the coast of Venezuela, a Nazi U-boat is under siege. For nine days, it's hunted by Allied aircraft across the Caribbean, until its engines fail and its commander gives the order: abandon ship. Forty-three German sailors plunge into shark-infested waters, and are pulled out by their enemy - the United States. The Germans think the worst is behind them. Instead, they're headed for a POW camp in the American heartland, where life will actually be pretty comfortable. They play soccer, harvest corn, eat well… until things turn violent.  How did Nazi prisoners of war end up murdering each other on U.S. soil? And what does American justice look like when applied to the enemy? Special thanks to William Geroux, author of The Fifteen: Murder, Retribution, and the Forgotten Story of Nazi POWs in America. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep. 196:  Welcome back to POW. Today we have an amazing episode all about non-toxic living. You'll hear from top experts sharing practical advice on addressing mold exposure, microplastics, and hidden household dangers that can affect your health. Having this podcast and speaking to incredible experts like Allison Evans, Mike Feldstein, and Dave Asprey has truly helped me embrace non-toxic living in a balanced way. Whether you're curious about improving air quality, balancing hormones naturally, or seeking clearer skin, this episode is packed with insights to help you create a healthier sanctuary at home. Tune in for inspiration and actionable tips to enhance your non-toxic journey! Leave Me a Message - click here! For Mari's Instagram click here! For Pursuit of Wellness Podcast's Instagram click here! For Mari's Newsletter click here! For Allison's Instagram click here! For Mike's Instagram click here! For Dave's Instagram click here! Sponsored By: Upgrade your kitchen with Caraway's non-toxic cookware. Visit http://carawayhome.com/WELLNESS10 or use code WELLNESS10 for 10% off your next purchase. Get better sleep, hair and skin with Blissy and use POWPOD to get an additional 30% off at http://blissy.com/POWPOD The first 1,000 to join at http://functionhealth.com/POW or use gift code POW at sign-up get a $100 credit toward their membership. Maui Nui delivers wild-harvested, nutrient-rich venison straight to your door. Order now at http://mauinuivenison.com/POW. Supply is limited so don't wait! Breathe easier with Jaspr, the commercial-grade air scrubber that's quiet, powerful, and sleek. Get $400 off with code POW at http://jaspr.co/pow. Show Links: Support your gut, skin & immunity with Colostrum & Collagen Peptides, a 3-in-1 formula featuring probiotics and grass-fed collagen. Topics Discussed 00:08 - Introduction 02:20 Understanding preservatives in baby products (Ep. 110: Allison Evans) 04:03 What's in Branch Basics & how to use it 06:50 Pregnancy, mold exposure & candida 10:32 Coffee enemas 12:40 Clean eating 17:24 Clean living for kids: eczema, epigenetics & detox tools 21:07 Where to start with Branch Basics & removing hidden toxins 22:37 Getting sick from toxic air: respiratory & autoimmune flare-ups (Ep. 145 Mike Feldstein) 23:39 Mold exposure & mycotoxin testing 25:35 Air awareness: indoor & outdoor pollution 28:30 Ventilation tips & how cooking pollutes indoor air 34:35 Pets as a source of indoor toxins 38:15 How bad air quality affects people differently 40:32 The rise of mold awareness 47:48 Early mold exposure, food mycotoxins & the mold–Lyme connection (Ep. 100: Dave Asprey) 51:30 Coffee mold toxins & how to find mold-free beans 56:26 How mold exposure disrupts hormones & weight 59:30 Animal protein & why quality matters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 195: Planning our babymoon, prepping for Europe, and reflecting on the wild changes pregnancy brings—I cover it all in today's solo episode. I'm in a more grounded, grateful place than ever, and I'm finally letting myself enjoy it. From recent ultrasound updates to the decision to take a break from social media during our trip, this one feels like a deep exhale. I also talk about how pregnancy is reshaping my body and mind, and how that shift is changing the way I show up for myself. If you've been moving through your own shifts lately, I hope this episode reminds you you're not alone. And don't forget—Bloom Pop is here! Leave Me a Message - click here! For Mari's Instagram click here! For Pursuit of Wellness Podcast's Instagram click here! For Mari's Newsletter click here! For Mari's TikTok click here! Sponsored By: The first 1,000 to join at functionhealth.com/POW or use gift code POW at sign-up get a $100 credit toward their membership. Sleep cooler all summer long. Visit cozyearth.com and use code PURSUIT for 40% off sheets, loungewear, and more. Experience skincare that targets acne and aging—without clogging your pores. Get 20% off your first order at clearstem.com/POW with code POW. Now at Target! Shop Branch Basics in-store or online, or get 15% off at branchbasics.com/POW15 with code POW15. Upgrade your morning brew with Lifeboost—clean, low-acid, organic coffee. Get 10% off at lifeboostcoffee.com/POW with code POW. Show Links: Girl Chat: Fi's ER Trip & Her New Man! Bloom Pop Prebiotic Soda delivers bold flavor and real gut health benefits with clinically-backed prebiotics and no junk ingredients. Topics Discussed 00:08 Introduction 00:42 Upcoming Europe babymoon & travel prep 03:40 IVF fears, ultrasound relief & early movement 04:30 Baby brain, shifting boundaries & parenting values 12:30 Birth mindset and delivery preferences 13:43 Big Mama TikTok trend and body image / tall girls/women 16:19 Pregnancy body changes, confidence & workout shifts 19:33 Finding a great doula through referrals 21:40 Birth preferences & early parenting values 28:40 Early pregnancy & designing the nursery 31:20 Pregnancy nutrition, raw milk & backyard chickens 37:55 Dog concerns with a new baby 39:15 Stroller and car seat preferences 40:35 Maternity leave & baby names 41:19 Boob size preferences 41:40 Starting the baby registry Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices