Podcasts about Sikorsky

An Angel For Bishop: Part 3 Willows tortured past exposes itself. In 4 parts, based on a post by BurntRedstone. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Once they were both clean they were breathing hard and standing facing each other. The moment he leaned towards her lips she surged forward to press hers against his. His tongue slipped forward to brush against hers and suddenly she was sucking at his tongue. His hands came up and cupped her breasts and he gently took her nipples between his thumb and finger, feeling the little gold barbells and rings dangle from them. Willow gasped into his mouth and he felt Willow's legs buckle a little. She was beginning to make those needy yips as she rolled her hips. She tugged, but he jolted back. "Willow, I don't have any condoms and I doubt Percy had the decency to put you on the pill. We can't." "I can't get pregnant," was all she said as she tugged at him. "What?" he gasped, as it was difficult holding a conversation with her. "The doctor made sure I couldn't have babies so it's okay," she said in a matter of fact tone. His head was spinning. He was still incredibly worked up and wanted to take Willow right now, but she'd just dropped a bomb from her past in his lap and his mind was reeling with the implications of her words. "Please! I need it!" she whined as he continued to hold her off while he tried to get his head back in the game. Willow dropped to her knees in one movement. First her lips were sliding, then her nose was buried against his stomach. He could feel her swallowing but he couldn't feel her breathing so he pulled back until he heard her gasp.  Willow got to her feet then turned around and put her hands against the shower wall, pushing her ass back. She rubbed him up and down her crack a few times. Dan grabbed her hips and Willow sighed. She was surprisingly tight and he couldn't get over how amazing she felt. Willow was moaning loudly and bearing down with her joyous cries she was loving every second. He could not exploit her vulnerable mental state, but knew that rejection was beyond her capacity to tolerate. So he continued to caress her and gently show her that she was precious and respected. The feeling of real love was enough to set her body into what seemed like multiple waves of ecstasy. Somehow Dan had found an amazing tool of therapy for this sexually abused woman. He pulled her back to stand upright. This sensation and her cries of joy triggered him. For good measure he gave her neck a gentle kiss and felt her trigger off again. He held her exhausted body suspended between his arm circling her chest and his other arm around her hip. She leaned back against his chest and her breath came out in deep gasps. Once their breathing had returned to normal Dan set her feet back on the floor. He looked at her and said "We need to talk about what you said about the doctor. I need to hear the whole story, but later." He tenderly washed between her legs. Then he shampooed and conditioned her hair once more. God he loved running his fingers through her hair and from the way she moaned and purred he knew she loved it too. He washed his hair, rinsed off, and turned the water off. They stepped out and dried off with their thick towels together. He replaced her bandages once more with dry ones. They padded into his bedroom and Dan remembered her clothes should be ready in the dryer. He quickly collected them and brought them back to her. He inspected the garments and saw the jeans were largely undamaged though there were some grease stains on the lower legs he suspected came from riding the motorcycle. Her shirt had a tear where the branch had pierced her shoulder. He could probably fix it but it wouldn't be pretty. He flipped it over and for the first time noticed the faded word across the back. It said 'Bitch'. He frowned. That asshole probably made her wear it. He wouldn't let her wear this again. He ripped it in two between his hands. He looked up and saw Willow staring at him wide eyed. "Sorry, the shirt had a word on it that doesn't belong on you. You won't be wearing clothes like that with me. You deserve better," he said. She smiled shyly at him. He saw she was struggling to get the bikini top on. Now that he was an 'expert' he showed her how to tie the lower string first under her tits (while struggling to keep his hands off of them), spin the knot around to the back, and pull the cups up, tying the top strings behind her neck. With his hands behind her neck, feeling her damp but now much smoother hair caressing his hands he saw she was looking into his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her lips tenderly. He just wanted to feel her amazing lips on his as her kiss was so sweet. Willow's eyes closed and she swayed a little when he pulled back. His heart hurt she was so lovely. How anyone could hurt someone so beautiful was beyond him. He pulled her into a hug and squeezed her body against his, wanting to protect her with his strength and relishing the intimacy. Her arms wrapped around his chest and he felt her shiver. He pulled back and looked at her questioningly. He saw tears sliding down her cheeks. "What's wrong?" he asked gently. "I've never felt like this before," she whispered and hiccupped. "I feel so safe in your arms." She clung to him and pressed her face against his neck. He squeezed her to him again, feeling her tremble against him. They stood like that for a while. Once her trembling calmed he stepped back and gave her a smile which she returned. Her eyes glowed and she seemed as relaxed as he'd ever seen her. Chapter 3 Dan gave Willow a tour of the 'log cabin' which was more accurately described as a log mansion. He was rather proud of the building as it showcased his engineering expertise. The building was all on one level and followed the natural contours of the hillside in a serpentine curve with a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains, or in this case the blizzard which continued to rage into its second day. Under the gleaming hardwood flooring the entire structure was built on a poured concrete base with in-floor heating courtesy of a complex network of piping linked to the hot springs and an even more complex computer control system. The power needed to support the electronics and the rest of the house was fed by a huge series of batteries stored in an underground bunker built into the hillside. This array was on a constant trickle feed from multiple sources. Wind turbines, solar panels, geothermal, and even a small hydro turbine generator tapping into an underground river they discovered during construction. All said, they had energy to spare. Beyond the amazing array of technology he'd built into the mansion the building contained all the comforts you could ask for. There was a huge living room with a large stone fireplace surrounded by deep comfy couches and facing a panoramic view of the mountainside. A large deck started on the northern side of the house and wrapped around to the western side to create a huge, two level socializing area in front of the living and dining room windows. Behind the living room built into the mountain was a large home theatre with stadium seating for twelve, three rows of four comfy recliners. Next to the living room was a large dining room with a massive polished slab of shiny hardwood for a table and seating for twelve. The next room was the kitchen which Willow was familiar with. There was an enormous pantry off the kitchen and a second door which led to the communications/control center for the house which doubled as a safe room. The table in the kitchen sat six and there was a deck accessible by a door next to the table. Exiting from the other side of the kitchen was a corridor which had the laundry room on one side, a utility room on the other, and continued on to the five big guest bedrooms each having a small seating area and a dedicated full washroom. The final bedroom was the master which had an enormous washroom suite, a walk-in closet, and a decent sized office. On the uphill side of the building at this point was the garage, a concrete and steel bunker built right into the mountainside. It was deep and wide enough for eight vehicles and at its far end was a complete metal and wood working workshop with all the required tools for maintaining the house. The roof deck of the garage was the home for communication dishes, a large greenhouse with a pool area again heated by the hot spring. There was interior access to the pool area by a spiral staircase in the garage. When Dan led Willow back to the kitchen she was looking a little overwhelmed. "So... you're rich?" she asked quietly. "Rich?" he replied in surprise. Then he smiled and said "I designed and built the home but it's not mine. I just live in it during the winter months when no one else is here. The home is owned by the Noskov family from Russia. They are... incredibly rich, and generous. I was unofficially adopted by the Noskov's when I... helped get them out of a hot zone in Iraq during the war. They let me build them this house and I get to live in it. They also set me up with a... trust fund I guess you'd call it. When I need something I can tap into it. I don't think I'm rich but I'm pretty comfortable. I mean I have my engineering degree and the stuff I learned building this house has set me up in a very lucrative business of designing custom energy systems for people wanting to live off the grid. I have patents pending on several of the components and their designs. There is also a waiting list of customers wanting me to design for their specific environments. I can do most of that right from here. All that brings in a good income... huh, maybe I am rich or at least have the potential to be!" he smiled at the delight in Willow's eyes. Dan busied himself making some herbal tea. It still wasn't time for dinner yet but a snack would be good. He wanted to ensure Willow started taking in the calories she needed to get back to a healthy weight. He dropped some bread slices in the toaster and pulled out the peanut butter. He poured the tea and sweetened it for Willow. He spread the peanut butter on toast watching it melt. Then he stopped. Dan was pissed at himself again but he kept that anger inside so he wouldn't spook Willow. He just made an assumption that might have been really bad for her. "Willow, are you allergic to anything? Like nuts?" he asked. "I don't think so," she replied. "Have you eaten peanut butter before? Do you like it?" Dan asked. "Yes, I love peanut butter but I've never had it on toast," she said. Dan shook off the tremble that crept up his back. He needed to know more about her to prevent something like this from happening again. He saw the notepad was still on the table. He carried the herbal teas to the table then brought Willow her peanut butter toast. She looked at him when she saw he didn't have any toast in front of him. "You need the calories. I'll wait for dinner," he said with a smile. Willow carefully picked up her toast and took a small bite. When the warm peanut butter hit her tongue a broad smile spread across her face. "I LOVE peanut butter toast!" she gushed. She took a few more bites. He grinned at her delight and picked up the notepad. After a sip of his tea he looked at Willow and asked "I hope you don't mind but I'd like to see how much more of your history we can fill in." She continued to munch on the toast and sip at the tea but gave him a nod. "Do you recall the name of the man Percy, uh, took you from?" He still felt weird saying that. "Herman Denk. He was a doctor. He gave me my new tits and fixed me so I couldn't make babies or have a period." she said. Dan's stomach clenched. She said it like it was nothing but Dan was grateful to Percy for having killed the bastard who butchered Willow for his own needs and enjoyment. He took a deep breath and wrote down the Doctor's name and the approximate year he died. "Do you recall how long you lived with Herman? How many winters or summers?" he asked her next. Willow looked confused then sad. "Herman lived in Las Vegas and I stayed inside in my room most of the time when he wasn't taking me out to parties. I don't remember how long that was but I think I stayed with him the longest. Before we moved to Las Vegas we were in Florida. That's where he poisoned and killed Officer Warren Greggs and took me from him. Officer Greggs used his handcuffs on me a lot and beat me because I wasn't worthy of having sex with him. That's where these scars came from." She showed him the rough white ridges encircling both of her wrists. Obviously the cuffs had done some serious damage to her skin at that time as the scar tissue was extensive. "He kept me chained in a room in his basement. When I got sick Officer Greggs brought Herman to fix me. We moved to Las Vegas after Officer Greggs was dead." Dan was feeling a little queasy but while Willow was feeling talkative he'd get the information from her. As long as he had names and knew they had died he could find their obituaries and work out a timeline from that. He jotted down some notes and nodded at Willow to continue. "Madam Tallia was my Mistress before Officer Greggs took me from her. She lived in a big old house in Georgia. She was angry a lot. She had been hurt in a car accident and she lost her eye. She wore a fancy eye patch but her mouth was so cruel. She told me I looked just like the bitch who destroyed her beauty. She would tie me up and burn my arms and legs with her cigarettes." Willow pointed out a few of the older circular scars running up her arms. "She told me that she was saving my face for later. I was always terrified that she was going to burn my face. Officer Greggs was at one of her parties. He found me tied up in my bedroom and put me in the trunk of his car. He told me he burned Mistress Tallia's house down with her inside." Willow took a long sip of her tea to moisten her throat as she was unaccustomed to talking for so long. "Mistress Tallia got me from Mr. Bill who brought me to one of her parties. Mistress Tallia called him Buffalo Bill because she said he was from that 'miserable place'. She told me that she wasn't going to give me back to Mr. Bill. She told me she gave him poisoned heroin so he wouldn't come back to get me the morning after the party and he didn't so I guess he's dead. When I was with Mr. Bill we moved around a lot and we lived out of his car. I don't remember his last name. Sometimes he gave me drugs and I would forget things. He loaned me out to people who gave him drugs and took me to lots of sex parties. I think Mr. Bill bought me from my mom's boyfriend when she died." Willow's voice ran out at that point. It was the longest Dan had ever heard her speak and while the subject matter was horrific to him, he was so glad that he got her story. He could work with this. "Do you remember your mom's name?" he asked gently. She thought about it then shook her head sadly. "Do you remember how old you were when your mom died?" he asked. Willow sat quietly for a minute thinking. "I remember... a tenth birthday party. I think it was shortly after that when some men came to the house looking for mom's boyfriend. I was playing outside but I heard them yelling 'where is he'. When they left I went inside and she was dead. When her boyfriend got home he took me with him in the car and we drove away. He met Mr. Bill at a truck stop on the highway and sold me to him." Dan sat looking at Willow. He couldn't breathe. His chest felt tight. Her mother was murdered when she was 10 and she was immediately sold off into the sex trade and slavery? How could that not screw you up? He opened his arms and Willow was immediately curled up on his lap and in his arms. They sat like that for quite a while, just holding each other and rocking gently. It gave Dan time to think. Dan felt completely inadequate for the task of healing Willow. He knew he could love her and was surprised that he was already starting to feel that way towards her. He reminded himself that they'd only met the day before and there'd been a lot of intense emotion involved in that short time. Before he started throwing words like love around he needed to get some perspective. Difficult to get when her soft body was clinging to him. Based on her account she'd been held captive by five people and had been raped and tortured multiple times by them and raped by many others starting from a very early age. Now she was with him. Was she better off? He'd already had sex with her, multiple times in the very short time he'd known her. And he'd killed for her as they had. He was willing to grant that in his case at least it really had been kill or be killed and her life was at risk at the time. That said it was easy for him to see how similar he was to previous 'masters'. God, his skin crawled when he thought of himself in those terms. Maybe that was the difference? He didn't want to be her master. He wanted her to be a whole person. He wasn't sure that was going to be possible considering her past. But he knew he would do what he could to help her regain as much as she could. He felt so protective of her! He wasn't clear where that came from but it certainly didn't seem harmful to her so he felt okay about letting her see that. The first thing he could do to help her was get her identity back. With the information he had an investigator should be able to connect the dots to get back to the start. Then he could get her birth certificate, then a passport, an identity. Maybe it was just his paranoia but he wanted a discreet investigation. There had been at least one police officer involved in her abduction and Percy's gang was not going to be too friendly to someone who killed one of their members. He was again over his head but he knew someone that could help. "I could stay here all day holding you but I need to make a call and send a note. I have to report Percy's death to the police or things could get messy. And I have to contact Andrei Noskov, the man who owns this house, to ask a favor. I thought we'd cook up a frozen pizza for dinner tonight. Can I ask you to go to the walk-in freezer in the garage and pick one out? They're on the rack to the left and there should be a supreme on top but any will do." She stood and headed off to the garage. Dan walked into the communications room and checked the signal strength. The storm seemed to be winding down but it still had the potential for affecting the line of sight antenna. He'd prefer not to use the satellite phone to contact the police as he wasn't sure how long he'd be on the line. He used the PC to dial up the nearest state police station and waited for someone to answer. He heard some weird stuttering on the line so he knew his connection was fairly weak. When someone finally answered he asked for Officer Benson or Officer Duncan as he'd met them and his instincts said they were okay. Not the best gauge but it was what he had. Benson was gone for the day but Duncan was just coming on shift so Dan was put through to his desk. "Officer Duncan." He sounded tired. "Hello, my name's Dan Bishop. I live at the Noskov Estate off Mountain Road 23 up on Peacemill Peak. I need to report a traffic accident, a shooting, and a fatality." "Sorry, Mr. Bishop, this seems to be a bad line. Did you say a fatality?" Officer Duncan asked. "Yes, a fatality. Sorry about the poor connection. The line of sight towers up here on the mountain are having some trouble with the storm." "Can you give me the details before we lose our connection?" the officer asked. The connection must have sounded worse on his end. "Sure. I was driving back to the house yesterday when that storm hit. I was just about back to the house when I noticed someone hung up on one of the trees hanging over the edge of the cliff. I stopped and went to see if I could help. There was a trike motorcycle on a ledge 50 feet down and a badly injured man. He'd gone through the guardrail. I tried to climb up to the woman stuck in the tree but the man woke up and started shooting at us. He shot at me and then he hit the woman twice. Once in the arm and once on the side of her helmet. I had to drop the broken guardrail on him to stop him from shooting her. He fell to the bottom of the gorge with his motorcycle. He's dead. Did you get all that?" There was silence for a bit and Dan thought he'd lost the connection when Officer Duncan's voice came back on. "Yeah, I got it. Is there any access to that gorge?" "I don't think so. It's very narrow and the river in it is pretty wild most of the year. I have a buddy with a Sikorsky cargo helicopter that might be able to lower someone with a line from above but it would be a long hairy ride down. Anyway, I can send you the GPS coordinates. I had the entire area mapped when we were building this place." "What about the woman?" Officer Duncan asked. "I got her back to the house before she froze to death and patched her wounds which appear to be pretty minor. She's suffering from malnutrition and her weight is very low. She may have some memory loss as she has been unable to recall her name. She did remember the name of the man she was with. Percy Jackson. From the marking I saw on his jacket I think he may have been a member of a motorcycle gang, maybe the Blood Brothers. I have no idea what he was doing trying to drive his bike up this mountain road in a snow storm. Makes no sense to me." "Damn, that complicates things considerably. The Feds are going to want in on this. When can you come in for a statement?" the officer asked. "In about four months," Dan replied. "What?" came the shocked reply. "Sorry, but the mountain road is closed for the season. It will remain blocked with snow until the spring. We're completely snowed in. I can get extra supplies air dropped in but us getting out is up to Mother Nature," he explained. "OK, but I can reach you at this number?" "As long as the storms aren't interfering with the connection, yes," Dan answered. "Thank you Mr. Bishop. I'll be contacting you once I find out how the Feds want to handle this." After signing off Dan looked over to see Willow standing in the doorway watching him. He gave her a smile which she returned. "I just have to send a note to Andrei to fill him in. Can you come over here a minute?" She approached him and sat on his lap when he indicated he wanted her to sit. He turned on the webcam on the PC and they posed for a quick snapshot. Then he asked her to look into the camera and took a close up of just her face. "I'm going to send these along to Andrei. The family is going to be very curious about you and Andrei will need the close up for his investigator. I'm going to ask him to have them do some discreet searches based on the information you gave me. One thing you should know, as Andrei is a Russian national, all of my communications with him are very likely monitored by Homeland Security. I'm not worried about it but I just wanted you to know as well. Okay?" he asked. Willow nodded at him with wide eyes. He just smiled at her with wonder at how good she made him feel. He gently pulled her face down to his and kissed her tenderly. She moaned a little and hugged him fiercely. After he returned her hug he had her stand again so he could prepare the email for Andrei. Willow sat on the floor beside his chair and rested her head on his thigh. He was going to protest but she looked so content he turned back to the keyboard. Once he had described the events of the past two days (omitting the racy bits) and included the chronology he'd gotten from Willow he completed the note to Andrei, attached the images and sent it off. He turned back to Willow and ran his fingers through her hair. He felt her purr in pleasure at his touch. He tucked a tablet PC under his arm, helped lift Willow to her feet then they walked back into the kitchen. Dan started the oven, slid the pizza inside, and set the timer. Dan took her hand and they walked into the living room. They sat together on one of the sofas and snuggled under a blanket while they waited for the pizza. "Speaking of comfortable..." he smiled and continued "I think we'd better order you some clothes and other items you may need." Willow looked out the window at the continuing blizzard and back at him. "How?" was all she could say. Dan smiled at her and pulled a tablet PC from under the blanket. "Through the magic of the Internet!" he said with a flourish. All he got for his theatrics was a puzzled expression. "Okay, I'll let you in on the secret. We order stuff and get it delivered to my buddy Wally's place. Then he delivers it by air drop in the meadow just past the small forest to the east of the house. Wally's a pilot and enjoys the challenge of precision payload delivery. I'll set up the target and he drops the delivery bundle on it. If he's within 3 feet of the target I owe him a beer. If not, he owes me one." Willow was still looking at him like he was a little nuts so he just flipped on the tablet and proceeded to load up the webpage for an online clothing retailer. First he had to figure out her size. He found the help page and saw how he needed to determine her measurements. He gave Willow the tablet and rushed off to the workshop where he grabbed a cloth tape measure. Granted it had a one hundred foot spool and was used for more industrial purposes but it would work. He grabbed the pencil and pad on the way back to Willow and asked her to stand. Using the tape measure he recorded her measurements on the pad and Willow had a good giggle at how flustered Dan got when he had to measure her for a bra. Now that he had the details out of the way Dan took Willow through the webpages where she could see the clothes. Dan watched her face to see if she liked any of the clothes but when she didn't react to any of them he started to suspect she didn't realize what they were doing. "Willow, do you understand I want to buy you some clothes? Have you ever gone shopping for clothes?" he asked. She glanced at him and shook her head. "So people just brought you clothes and you wore them whether you liked them or not?" he asked. She nodded but had a puzzled look on her face. "OK, I'd like you to try imagining yourself in one of the outfits you see on this page and let me know which one you think might look good on you and be nice to have." Willow looked at the models on the page and turned her eyes back to him. "Which ones do you like?" she asked. That stopped him short. He realized that she couldn't make this kind of decision. She'd been basically a living dress up doll for quite possibly most of her life and only wore clothes at the whim of her 'masters' to please them. Well, he wasn't going to make her feel bad about it now. He turned his eyes back to the page and studied what the models were wearing. He finally clued in that he had no idea how to dress a woman. Guys were easy; undershirt, shirt, underwear, pants, socks and you're done. Mixing and matching? Please. He needed help. Female help. He heard a chirping and realized he had an incoming call on the PC. He got up again and hustled into the communications room. Willow was right behind him. He sat and she sunk to kneel next to his chair. He suppressed his annoyance as her reaction might just be an automatic reaction for her. He'd talk to her about it later. Dan answered the call and Kira Noskov's face appeared on the screen. At her elbow was her youngest daughter, Katya. The picture was choppy as the signal was weak but that didn't diminish the brilliance of the woman's smile as she greeted him. "Hello Daniel! We received your message and I wanted to call you immediately to congratulate you two! You make a beautiful couple! I've been telling you for years to find yourself a woman. You've finally taken my advice!" she laughed. Dan realized that Kira read more into the photo he'd sent of Willow sitting on his lap than he'd intended. He looked down at Willow and saw the smile on her face and knew he couldn't try to explain it now. "Thank you Kira! And hello Katya!" "Svetlana is crying, DanDan. She is not happy," Katya said, using her pet name for him. Kira looked pained then apologetic. "Not to worry Daniel, Svetlana has been holding onto her hero worship too long. She will grow from this and her tears will dry." Dan's expression froze and twitched as he realized he'd fucked up again and hurt the young girl unintentionally. He knew she'd had a crush on him. They had a strong bond from what they'd gone through together. "Oh god, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt her." His PTSD surfaced with a series of twitches. Kira's voice grew firm, "Daniel, stop this. You are not responsible for Svetlana's happiness or tears." She turned to Katya and said something quietly to the girl who vanished out of the frame. Willow got worried at Dan's stricken expression so she stood and took his face in her hands and turned his face to hers so she could look into his eyes. He was slightly dazed but his eyes came back into focus when they were looking into the vibrant green depths of Willow's eyes. He heaved a sigh and came back to the present. Kira witnessed the transformation with a satisfied smile on her face. There were tears in the corners of her eyes as she saw her friend pulled back from an attack. She was convinced that this young woman was just the medicine her Daniel had been missing all of these years. She didn't approve of his self-imposed solitude but he hadn't listen to her protests. She didn't know anything else about this woman but she was good for him, this much she knew. Svetlana appeared in the picture and took in the shaken expression on Dan's face and the beautiful woman holding him. Her jealousy flared terribly to see another woman touching Dan. She'd vowed she'd marry him so many years ago when he'd saved her and her family. But she couldn't bear the thought that she'd caused him pain. Above all else she knew the scars he carried from that day and how long he'd struggled with them. "Da, Daniel! I am so pleased to see you looking well! Please know that I am well and happy for you! Do not worry about me! I have many friends here and many boyfriends- I mean many who would like to be my boyfriend!" she corrected herself before her mother could protest. She looked at the annoyed expression on her mother's face then gave Daniel one more forced smile and left the picture." Kira came back into the picture. "If there is anything we can do Daniel please let us know." Dan pulled himself together and looked at Willow with gratitude. "First off, I'd like to introduce you officially to Willow." Willow smiled uncertainly at the screen but Kira graciously took the conversation from there. "Hello Willow! My name is Kira. I am so pleased to meet you!" Uncertain what to do as she'd never spoken to anyone over a computer before much less been allowed to speak without permission Willow just nodded her head towards the screen. Dan rubbed her back and felt her jump slightly at his touch then she climbed up and snuggled on his lap. Dan was uncomfortable with such a display in front of Kira but couldn't scold her for the damage that might do. Kira seemed to be enjoying his blush as she wore a big grin on her face. Then he thought of something. "There is one thing I would like to ask of you actually. I have no clothes for Willow here at the house and we're snowed in. I was going to order some online and have Wally airdrop them but I have no idea what to order. I've never had to buy women's clothes before and Willow hasn't ever chosen her own clothes. If I gave you the credentials for my online account could I ask you to shop for the clothes she'll need for the next 4 months?" "That I can do! Send me her measurements and I will place the order," Kira said with a smile. "Thank you so much! Please speak to Svetlana for me! You know I think the world of her, and Irina and Katya! I would never do anything to hurt them!" he blurted and glanced awkwardly at the blond curled on his lap. Kira made placating gestures. "They know you do and they all love you for it. Some a little too strongly. Not to worry Daniel. Because they love you they understand. I will speak with you soon as will Andrei. Goodbye, Willow!" and she disconnected. To Be Continued in part 4, based on a post by BurntRedstone for Literotica

An Angel For Bishop: Part 3 Willows tortured past exposes itself. In 4 parts, based on a post by BurntRedstone. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Once they were both clean they were breathing hard and standing facing each other. The moment he leaned towards her lips she surged forward to press hers against his. His tongue slipped forward to brush against hers and suddenly she was sucking at his tongue. His hands came up and cupped her breasts and he gently took her nipples between his thumb and finger, feeling the little gold barbells and rings dangle from them. Willow gasped into his mouth and he felt Willow's legs buckle a little. She was beginning to make those needy yips as she rolled her hips. She tugged, but he jolted back. "Willow, I don't have any condoms and I doubt Percy had the decency to put you on the pill. We can't." "I can't get pregnant," was all she said as she tugged at him. "What?" he gasped, as it was difficult holding a conversation with her. "The doctor made sure I couldn't have babies so it's okay," she said in a matter of fact tone. His head was spinning. He was still incredibly worked up and wanted to take Willow right now, but she'd just dropped a bomb from her past in his lap and his mind was reeling with the implications of her words. "Please! I need it!" she whined as he continued to hold her off while he tried to get his head back in the game. Willow dropped to her knees in one movement. First her lips were sliding, then her nose was buried against his stomach. He could feel her swallowing but he couldn't feel her breathing so he pulled back until he heard her gasp.  Willow got to her feet then turned around and put her hands against the shower wall, pushing her ass back. She rubbed him up and down her crack a few times. Dan grabbed her hips and Willow sighed. She was surprisingly tight and he couldn't get over how amazing she felt. Willow was moaning loudly and bearing down with her joyous cries she was loving every second. He could not exploit her vulnerable mental state, but knew that rejection was beyond her capacity to tolerate. So he continued to caress her and gently show her that she was precious and respected. The feeling of real love was enough to set her body into what seemed like multiple waves of ecstasy. Somehow Dan had found an amazing tool of therapy for this sexually abused woman. He pulled her back to stand upright. This sensation and her cries of joy triggered him. For good measure he gave her neck a gentle kiss and felt her trigger off again. He held her exhausted body suspended between his arm circling her chest and his other arm around her hip. She leaned back against his chest and her breath came out in deep gasps. Once their breathing had returned to normal Dan set her feet back on the floor. He looked at her and said "We need to talk about what you said about the doctor. I need to hear the whole story, but later." He tenderly washed between her legs. Then he shampooed and conditioned her hair once more. God he loved running his fingers through her hair and from the way she moaned and purred he knew she loved it too. He washed his hair, rinsed off, and turned the water off. They stepped out and dried off with their thick towels together. He replaced her bandages once more with dry ones. They padded into his bedroom and Dan remembered her clothes should be ready in the dryer. He quickly collected them and brought them back to her. He inspected the garments and saw the jeans were largely undamaged though there were some grease stains on the lower legs he suspected came from riding the motorcycle. Her shirt had a tear where the branch had pierced her shoulder. He could probably fix it but it wouldn't be pretty. He flipped it over and for the first time noticed the faded word across the back. It said 'Bitch'. He frowned. That asshole probably made her wear it. He wouldn't let her wear this again. He ripped it in two between his hands. He looked up and saw Willow staring at him wide eyed. "Sorry, the shirt had a word on it that doesn't belong on you. You won't be wearing clothes like that with me. You deserve better," he said. She smiled shyly at him. He saw she was struggling to get the bikini top on. Now that he was an 'expert' he showed her how to tie the lower string first under her tits (while struggling to keep his hands off of them), spin the knot around to the back, and pull the cups up, tying the top strings behind her neck. With his hands behind her neck, feeling her damp but now much smoother hair caressing his hands he saw she was looking into his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her lips tenderly. He just wanted to feel her amazing lips on his as her kiss was so sweet. Willow's eyes closed and she swayed a little when he pulled back. His heart hurt she was so lovely. How anyone could hurt someone so beautiful was beyond him. He pulled her into a hug and squeezed her body against his, wanting to protect her with his strength and relishing the intimacy. Her arms wrapped around his chest and he felt her shiver. He pulled back and looked at her questioningly. He saw tears sliding down her cheeks. "What's wrong?" he asked gently. "I've never felt like this before," she whispered and hiccupped. "I feel so safe in your arms." She clung to him and pressed her face against his neck. He squeezed her to him again, feeling her tremble against him. They stood like that for a while. Once her trembling calmed he stepped back and gave her a smile which she returned. Her eyes glowed and she seemed as relaxed as he'd ever seen her. Chapter 3 Dan gave Willow a tour of the 'log cabin' which was more accurately described as a log mansion. He was rather proud of the building as it showcased his engineering expertise. The building was all on one level and followed the natural contours of the hillside in a serpentine curve with a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains, or in this case the blizzard which continued to rage into its second day. Under the gleaming hardwood flooring the entire structure was built on a poured concrete base with in-floor heating courtesy of a complex network of piping linked to the hot springs and an even more complex computer control system. The power needed to support the electronics and the rest of the house was fed by a huge series of batteries stored in an underground bunker built into the hillside. This array was on a constant trickle feed from multiple sources. Wind turbines, solar panels, geothermal, and even a small hydro turbine generator tapping into an underground river they discovered during construction. All said, they had energy to spare. Beyond the amazing array of technology he'd built into the mansion the building contained all the comforts you could ask for. There was a huge living room with a large stone fireplace surrounded by deep comfy couches and facing a panoramic view of the mountainside. A large deck started on the northern side of the house and wrapped around to the western side to create a huge, two level socializing area in front of the living and dining room windows. Behind the living room built into the mountain was a large home theatre with stadium seating for twelve, three rows of four comfy recliners. Next to the living room was a large dining room with a massive polished slab of shiny hardwood for a table and seating for twelve. The next room was the kitchen which Willow was familiar with. There was an enormous pantry off the kitchen and a second door which led to the communications/control center for the house which doubled as a safe room. The table in the kitchen sat six and there was a deck accessible by a door next to the table. Exiting from the other side of the kitchen was a corridor which had the laundry room on one side, a utility room on the other, and continued on to the five big guest bedrooms each having a small seating area and a dedicated full washroom. The final bedroom was the master which had an enormous washroom suite, a walk-in closet, and a decent sized office. On the uphill side of the building at this point was the garage, a concrete and steel bunker built right into the mountainside. It was deep and wide enough for eight vehicles and at its far end was a complete metal and wood working workshop with all the required tools for maintaining the house. The roof deck of the garage was the home for communication dishes, a large greenhouse with a pool area again heated by the hot spring. There was interior access to the pool area by a spiral staircase in the garage. When Dan led Willow back to the kitchen she was looking a little overwhelmed. "So... you're rich?" she asked quietly. "Rich?" he replied in surprise. Then he smiled and said "I designed and built the home but it's not mine. I just live in it during the winter months when no one else is here. The home is owned by the Noskov family from Russia. They are... incredibly rich, and generous. I was unofficially adopted by the Noskov's when I... helped get them out of a hot zone in Iraq during the war. They let me build them this house and I get to live in it. They also set me up with a... trust fund I guess you'd call it. When I need something I can tap into it. I don't think I'm rich but I'm pretty comfortable. I mean I have my engineering degree and the stuff I learned building this house has set me up in a very lucrative business of designing custom energy systems for people wanting to live off the grid. I have patents pending on several of the components and their designs. There is also a waiting list of customers wanting me to design for their specific environments. I can do most of that right from here. All that brings in a good income... huh, maybe I am rich or at least have the potential to be!" he smiled at the delight in Willow's eyes. Dan busied himself making some herbal tea. It still wasn't time for dinner yet but a snack would be good. He wanted to ensure Willow started taking in the calories she needed to get back to a healthy weight. He dropped some bread slices in the toaster and pulled out the peanut butter. He poured the tea and sweetened it for Willow. He spread the peanut butter on toast watching it melt. Then he stopped. Dan was pissed at himself again but he kept that anger inside so he wouldn't spook Willow. He just made an assumption that might have been really bad for her. "Willow, are you allergic to anything? Like nuts?" he asked. "I don't think so," she replied. "Have you eaten peanut butter before? Do you like it?" Dan asked. "Yes, I love peanut butter but I've never had it on toast," she said. Dan shook off the tremble that crept up his back. He needed to know more about her to prevent something like this from happening again. He saw the notepad was still on the table. He carried the herbal teas to the table then brought Willow her peanut butter toast. She looked at him when she saw he didn't have any toast in front of him. "You need the calories. I'll wait for dinner," he said with a smile. Willow carefully picked up her toast and took a small bite. When the warm peanut butter hit her tongue a broad smile spread across her face. "I LOVE peanut butter toast!" she gushed. She took a few more bites. He grinned at her delight and picked up the notepad. After a sip of his tea he looked at Willow and asked "I hope you don't mind but I'd like to see how much more of your history we can fill in." She continued to munch on the toast and sip at the tea but gave him a nod. "Do you recall the name of the man Percy, uh, took you from?" He still felt weird saying that. "Herman Denk. He was a doctor. He gave me my new tits and fixed me so I couldn't make babies or have a period." she said. Dan's stomach clenched. She said it like it was nothing but Dan was grateful to Percy for having killed the bastard who butchered Willow for his own needs and enjoyment. He took a deep breath and wrote down the Doctor's name and the approximate year he died. "Do you recall how long you lived with Herman? How many winters or summers?" he asked her next. Willow looked confused then sad. "Herman lived in Las Vegas and I stayed inside in my room most of the time when he wasn't taking me out to parties. I don't remember how long that was but I think I stayed with him the longest. Before we moved to Las Vegas we were in Florida. That's where he poisoned and killed Officer Warren Greggs and took me from him. Officer Greggs used his handcuffs on me a lot and beat me because I wasn't worthy of having sex with him. That's where these scars came from." She showed him the rough white ridges encircling both of her wrists. Obviously the cuffs had done some serious damage to her skin at that time as the scar tissue was extensive. "He kept me chained in a room in his basement. When I got sick Officer Greggs brought Herman to fix me. We moved to Las Vegas after Officer Greggs was dead." Dan was feeling a little queasy but while Willow was feeling talkative he'd get the information from her. As long as he had names and knew they had died he could find their obituaries and work out a timeline from that. He jotted down some notes and nodded at Willow to continue. "Madam Tallia was my Mistress before Officer Greggs took me from her. She lived in a big old house in Georgia. She was angry a lot. She had been hurt in a car accident and she lost her eye. She wore a fancy eye patch but her mouth was so cruel. She told me I looked just like the bitch who destroyed her beauty. She would tie me up and burn my arms and legs with her cigarettes." Willow pointed out a few of the older circular scars running up her arms. "She told me that she was saving my face for later. I was always terrified that she was going to burn my face. Officer Greggs was at one of her parties. He found me tied up in my bedroom and put me in the trunk of his car. He told me he burned Mistress Tallia's house down with her inside." Willow took a long sip of her tea to moisten her throat as she was unaccustomed to talking for so long. "Mistress Tallia got me from Mr. Bill who brought me to one of her parties. Mistress Tallia called him Buffalo Bill because she said he was from that 'miserable place'. She told me that she wasn't going to give me back to Mr. Bill. She told me she gave him poisoned heroin so he wouldn't come back to get me the morning after the party and he didn't so I guess he's dead. When I was with Mr. Bill we moved around a lot and we lived out of his car. I don't remember his last name. Sometimes he gave me drugs and I would forget things. He loaned me out to people who gave him drugs and took me to lots of sex parties. I think Mr. Bill bought me from my mom's boyfriend when she died." Willow's voice ran out at that point. It was the longest Dan had ever heard her speak and while the subject matter was horrific to him, he was so glad that he got her story. He could work with this. "Do you remember your mom's name?" he asked gently. She thought about it then shook her head sadly. "Do you remember how old you were when your mom died?" he asked. Willow sat quietly for a minute thinking. "I remember... a tenth birthday party. I think it was shortly after that when some men came to the house looking for mom's boyfriend. I was playing outside but I heard them yelling 'where is he'. When they left I went inside and she was dead. When her boyfriend got home he took me with him in the car and we drove away. He met Mr. Bill at a truck stop on the highway and sold me to him." Dan sat looking at Willow. He couldn't breathe. His chest felt tight. Her mother was murdered when she was 10 and she was immediately sold off into the sex trade and slavery? How could that not screw you up? He opened his arms and Willow was immediately curled up on his lap and in his arms. They sat like that for quite a while, just holding each other and rocking gently. It gave Dan time to think. Dan felt completely inadequate for the task of healing Willow. He knew he could love her and was surprised that he was already starting to feel that way towards her. He reminded himself that they'd only met the day before and there'd been a lot of intense emotion involved in that short time. Before he started throwing words like love around he needed to get some perspective. Difficult to get when her soft body was clinging to him. Based on her account she'd been held captive by five people and had been raped and tortured multiple times by them and raped by many others starting from a very early age. Now she was with him. Was she better off? He'd already had sex with her, multiple times in the very short time he'd known her. And he'd killed for her as they had. He was willing to grant that in his case at least it really had been kill or be killed and her life was at risk at the time. That said it was easy for him to see how similar he was to previous 'masters'. God, his skin crawled when he thought of himself in those terms. Maybe that was the difference? He didn't want to be her master. He wanted her to be a whole person. He wasn't sure that was going to be possible considering her past. But he knew he would do what he could to help her regain as much as she could. He felt so protective of her! He wasn't clear where that came from but it certainly didn't seem harmful to her so he felt okay about letting her see that. The first thing he could do to help her was get her identity back. With the information he had an investigator should be able to connect the dots to get back to the start. Then he could get her birth certificate, then a passport, an identity. Maybe it was just his paranoia but he wanted a discreet investigation. There had been at least one police officer involved in her abduction and Percy's gang was not going to be too friendly to someone who killed one of their members. He was again over his head but he knew someone that could help. "I could stay here all day holding you but I need to make a call and send a note. I have to report Percy's death to the police or things could get messy. And I have to contact Andrei Noskov, the man who owns this house, to ask a favor. I thought we'd cook up a frozen pizza for dinner tonight. Can I ask you to go to the walk-in freezer in the garage and pick one out? They're on the rack to the left and there should be a supreme on top but any will do." She stood and headed off to the garage. Dan walked into the communications room and checked the signal strength. The storm seemed to be winding down but it still had the potential for affecting the line of sight antenna. He'd prefer not to use the satellite phone to contact the police as he wasn't sure how long he'd be on the line. He used the PC to dial up the nearest state police station and waited for someone to answer. He heard some weird stuttering on the line so he knew his connection was fairly weak. When someone finally answered he asked for Officer Benson or Officer Duncan as he'd met them and his instincts said they were okay. Not the best gauge but it was what he had. Benson was gone for the day but Duncan was just coming on shift so Dan was put through to his desk. "Officer Duncan." He sounded tired. "Hello, my name's Dan Bishop. I live at the Noskov Estate off Mountain Road 23 up on Peacemill Peak. I need to report a traffic accident, a shooting, and a fatality." "Sorry, Mr. Bishop, this seems to be a bad line. Did you say a fatality?" Officer Duncan asked. "Yes, a fatality. Sorry about the poor connection. The line of sight towers up here on the mountain are having some trouble with the storm." "Can you give me the details before we lose our connection?" the officer asked. The connection must have sounded worse on his end. "Sure. I was driving back to the house yesterday when that storm hit. I was just about back to the house when I noticed someone hung up on one of the trees hanging over the edge of the cliff. I stopped and went to see if I could help. There was a trike motorcycle on a ledge 50 feet down and a badly injured man. He'd gone through the guardrail. I tried to climb up to the woman stuck in the tree but the man woke up and started shooting at us. He shot at me and then he hit the woman twice. Once in the arm and once on the side of her helmet. I had to drop the broken guardrail on him to stop him from shooting her. He fell to the bottom of the gorge with his motorcycle. He's dead. Did you get all that?" There was silence for a bit and Dan thought he'd lost the connection when Officer Duncan's voice came back on. "Yeah, I got it. Is there any access to that gorge?" "I don't think so. It's very narrow and the river in it is pretty wild most of the year. I have a buddy with a Sikorsky cargo helicopter that might be able to lower someone with a line from above but it would be a long hairy ride down. Anyway, I can send you the GPS coordinates. I had the entire area mapped when we were building this place." "What about the woman?" Officer Duncan asked. "I got her back to the house before she froze to death and patched her wounds which appear to be pretty minor. She's suffering from malnutrition and her weight is very low. She may have some memory loss as she has been unable to recall her name. She did remember the name of the man she was with. Percy Jackson. From the marking I saw on his jacket I think he may have been a member of a motorcycle gang, maybe the Blood Brothers. I have no idea what he was doing trying to drive his bike up this mountain road in a snow storm. Makes no sense to me." "Damn, that complicates things considerably. The Feds are going to want in on this. When can you come in for a statement?" the officer asked. "In about four months," Dan replied. "What?" came the shocked reply. "Sorry, but the mountain road is closed for the season. It will remain blocked with snow until the spring. We're completely snowed in. I can get extra supplies air dropped in but us getting out is up to Mother Nature," he explained. "OK, but I can reach you at this number?" "As long as the storms aren't interfering with the connection, yes," Dan answered. "Thank you Mr. Bishop. I'll be contacting you once I find out how the Feds want to handle this." After signing off Dan looked over to see Willow standing in the doorway watching him. He gave her a smile which she returned. "I just have to send a note to Andrei to fill him in. Can you come over here a minute?" She approached him and sat on his lap when he indicated he wanted her to sit. He turned on the webcam on the PC and they posed for a quick snapshot. Then he asked her to look into the camera and took a close up of just her face. "I'm going to send these along to Andrei. The family is going to be very curious about you and Andrei will need the close up for his investigator. I'm going to ask him to have them do some discreet searches based on the information you gave me. One thing you should know, as Andrei is a Russian national, all of my communications with him are very likely monitored by Homeland Security. I'm not worried about it but I just wanted you to know as well. Okay?" he asked. Willow nodded at him with wide eyes. He just smiled at her with wonder at how good she made him feel. He gently pulled her face down to his and kissed her tenderly. She moaned a little and hugged him fiercely. After he returned her hug he had her stand again so he could prepare the email for Andrei. Willow sat on the floor beside his chair and rested her head on his thigh. He was going to protest but she looked so content he turned back to the keyboard. Once he had described the events of the past two days (omitting the racy bits) and included the chronology he'd gotten from Willow he completed the note to Andrei, attached the images and sent it off. He turned back to Willow and ran his fingers through her hair. He felt her purr in pleasure at his touch. He tucked a tablet PC under his arm, helped lift Willow to her feet then they walked back into the kitchen. Dan started the oven, slid the pizza inside, and set the timer. Dan took her hand and they walked into the living room. They sat together on one of the sofas and snuggled under a blanket while they waited for the pizza. "Speaking of comfortable..." he smiled and continued "I think we'd better order you some clothes and other items you may need." Willow looked out the window at the continuing blizzard and back at him. "How?" was all she could say. Dan smiled at her and pulled a tablet PC from under the blanket. "Through the magic of the Internet!" he said with a flourish. All he got for his theatrics was a puzzled expression. "Okay, I'll let you in on the secret. We order stuff and get it delivered to my buddy Wally's place. Then he delivers it by air drop in the meadow just past the small forest to the east of the house. Wally's a pilot and enjoys the challenge of precision payload delivery. I'll set up the target and he drops the delivery bundle on it. If he's within 3 feet of the target I owe him a beer. If not, he owes me one." Willow was still looking at him like he was a little nuts so he just flipped on the tablet and proceeded to load up the webpage for an online clothing retailer. First he had to figure out her size. He found the help page and saw how he needed to determine her measurements. He gave Willow the tablet and rushed off to the workshop where he grabbed a cloth tape measure. Granted it had a one hundred foot spool and was used for more industrial purposes but it would work. He grabbed the pencil and pad on the way back to Willow and asked her to stand. Using the tape measure he recorded her measurements on the pad and Willow had a good giggle at how flustered Dan got when he had to measure her for a bra. Now that he had the details out of the way Dan took Willow through the webpages where she could see the clothes. Dan watched her face to see if she liked any of the clothes but when she didn't react to any of them he started to suspect she didn't realize what they were doing. "Willow, do you understand I want to buy you some clothes? Have you ever gone shopping for clothes?" he asked. She glanced at him and shook her head. "So people just brought you clothes and you wore them whether you liked them or not?" he asked. She nodded but had a puzzled look on her face. "OK, I'd like you to try imagining yourself in one of the outfits you see on this page and let me know which one you think might look good on you and be nice to have." Willow looked at the models on the page and turned her eyes back to him. "Which ones do you like?" she asked. That stopped him short. He realized that she couldn't make this kind of decision. She'd been basically a living dress up doll for quite possibly most of her life and only wore clothes at the whim of her 'masters' to please them. Well, he wasn't going to make her feel bad about it now. He turned his eyes back to the page and studied what the models were wearing. He finally clued in that he had no idea how to dress a woman. Guys were easy; undershirt, shirt, underwear, pants, socks and you're done. Mixing and matching? Please. He needed help. Female help. He heard a chirping and realized he had an incoming call on the PC. He got up again and hustled into the communications room. Willow was right behind him. He sat and she sunk to kneel next to his chair. He suppressed his annoyance as her reaction might just be an automatic reaction for her. He'd talk to her about it later. Dan answered the call and Kira Noskov's face appeared on the screen. At her elbow was her youngest daughter, Katya. The picture was choppy as the signal was weak but that didn't diminish the brilliance of the woman's smile as she greeted him. "Hello Daniel! We received your message and I wanted to call you immediately to congratulate you two! You make a beautiful couple! I've been telling you for years to find yourself a woman. You've finally taken my advice!" she laughed. Dan realized that Kira read more into the photo he'd sent of Willow sitting on his lap than he'd intended. He looked down at Willow and saw the smile on her face and knew he couldn't try to explain it now. "Thank you Kira! And hello Katya!" "Svetlana is crying, DanDan. She is not happy," Katya said, using her pet name for him. Kira looked pained then apologetic. "Not to worry Daniel, Svetlana has been holding onto her hero worship too long. She will grow from this and her tears will dry." Dan's expression froze and twitched as he realized he'd fucked up again and hurt the young girl unintentionally. He knew she'd had a crush on him. They had a strong bond from what they'd gone through together. "Oh god, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt her." His PTSD surfaced with a series of twitches. Kira's voice grew firm, "Daniel, stop this. You are not responsible for Svetlana's happiness or tears." She turned to Katya and said something quietly to the girl who vanished out of the frame. Willow got worried at Dan's stricken expression so she stood and took his face in her hands and turned his face to hers so she could look into his eyes. He was slightly dazed but his eyes came back into focus when they were looking into the vibrant green depths of Willow's eyes. He heaved a sigh and came back to the present. Kira witnessed the transformation with a satisfied smile on her face. There were tears in the corners of her eyes as she saw her friend pulled back from an attack. She was convinced that this young woman was just the medicine her Daniel had been missing all of these years. She didn't approve of his self-imposed solitude but he hadn't listen to her protests. She didn't know anything else about this woman but she was good for him, this much she knew. Svetlana appeared in the picture and took in the shaken expression on Dan's face and the beautiful woman holding him. Her jealousy flared terribly to see another woman touching Dan. She'd vowed she'd marry him so many years ago when he'd saved her and her family. But she couldn't bear the thought that she'd caused him pain. Above all else she knew the scars he carried from that day and how long he'd struggled with them. "Da, Daniel! I am so pleased to see you looking well! Please know that I am well and happy for you! Do not worry about me! I have many friends here and many boyfriends- I mean many who would like to be my boyfriend!" she corrected herself before her mother could protest. She looked at the annoyed expression on her mother's face then gave Daniel one more forced smile and left the picture." Kira came back into the picture. "If there is anything we can do Daniel please let us know." Dan pulled himself together and looked at Willow with gratitude. "First off, I'd like to introduce you officially to Willow." Willow smiled uncertainly at the screen but Kira graciously took the conversation from there. "Hello Willow! My name is Kira. I am so pleased to meet you!" Uncertain what to do as she'd never spoken to anyone over a computer before much less been allowed to speak without permission Willow just nodded her head towards the screen. Dan rubbed her back and felt her jump slightly at his touch then she climbed up and snuggled on his lap. Dan was uncomfortable with such a display in front of Kira but couldn't scold her for the damage that might do. Kira seemed to be enjoying his blush as she wore a big grin on her face. Then he thought of something. "There is one thing I would like to ask of you actually. I have no clothes for Willow here at the house and we're snowed in. I was going to order some online and have Wally airdrop them but I have no idea what to order. I've never had to buy women's clothes before and Willow hasn't ever chosen her own clothes. If I gave you the credentials for my online account could I ask you to shop for the clothes she'll need for the next 4 months?" "That I can do! Send me her measurements and I will place the order," Kira said with a smile. "Thank you so much! Please speak to Svetlana for me! You know I think the world of her, and Irina and Katya! I would never do anything to hurt them!" he blurted and glanced awkwardly at the blond curled on his lap. Kira made placating gestures. "They know you do and they all love you for it. Some a little too strongly. Not to worry Daniel. Because they love you they understand. I will speak with you soon as will Andrei. Goodbye, Willow!" and she disconnected. To Be Continued in part 4, based on a post by BurntRedstone for Literotica

Send us a textUnlock Proven Strategies for a Lucrative Business Exit—Subscribe to The Deep Wealth Podcast TodayHave Questions About Growing Profits And Maximizing Your Business Exit? Submit Them Here, and We'll Answer Them on the Podcast!“ Enjoy the journey, all of it.” - Alexis SikorskyExclusive Insights from This Week's EpisodesAlexis Sikorsky didn't just build a software giant, he engineered a liquidity event most only dream of. From a $600K gut-buy of a bankrupt firm to surviving 75% revenue loss overnight, he reveals the APEX method: the secret system for growth, team-building, and investment that turns mid-market businesses into exit machines. Top Episode Highlights[00:00:00] Teen coder launches empire from Geneva basement[00:03:00] $600K instinct buy of bankrupt firm ignites 20-year rise [00:08:00] 2008 crash: 75% revenue gone—empire nearly crumbles [00:15:00] M&A passion + gut beats analysis paralysis every time [00:18:00] “Buy clients a beer” unlock market secrets fast[00:21:00] War chest law: 6–12 months burn or lose everything [00:28:00] PE truth: They're allies if you own the employee reality [00:38:00] APEX blueprint smashes plateaus: Vision, data, talent [00:49:00] Zero regrets: “Pain built the empire”Click here for full show notes, transcript, and resources:https://podcast.deepwealth.com/487Essential Resources to Maximize Your Business ExitLearn More About Deep Wealth MasteryFREE Deep Wealth eBook on Why You Suck At Selling Your Business And What You Can Do About It (Today)Unlock Your Lucrative Exit and Secure Your Legacy

The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind forward - Igor Sikorsky Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

The Hartford Business Journal's Greg Bordonaro covers the new leader of Hartford's top economic development agency, CRDA, and also an important settlement over a major office building valuation and what it may foreshadow. Along with how a major backlog in CT courts is leading to a rise in alternative dispute resolution.Finally, we end on the supplier impact of a major contract for Sikorsky.

For review:1. Israel To Keep Rafah Crossing Closed & Limit Aid Until Hamas Returns Remaining Hostages.2. Post Gaza Ceasefire: Hamas gunmen tightened their grip in Gaza on Monday and Tuesday, sources in the Strip said, including carrying out public executions.Hamas has killed at least 33 people since a ceasefire took effect on Friday in a crackdown on groups that have tested its grip, sources in the strip said.3. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday that supplying U.S. Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could end badly for everyone, especially U.S. President Donald Trump.Mr. Medvedev, said it is impossible to distinguish between Tomahawk missiles carrying nuclear warheads and conventional ones after they are launched - a point that President Vladimir Putin's spokesman has also made. 4. Secretary of the Army Driscoll today teased a shake-up in the way the Army buys its weapons and platforms, saying that he wants to adopt more of a private sector-like model that “speeds up the cycle of innovation for us.”5. Leonardo DRS is partnering with European land defense specialist KNDS to throw their hat in the ring for the US Army's forthcoming howitzer competition.The two signed a “strategic teaming agreement” to offer the Army the CAESAR self-propelled howitzer. Though KNDS makes the CAESAR, Leonardo DRS, the US arm of Italian parent Leonardo, will be the integrator and prime for the project.6. A year after the program was cancelled, the Army may reverse course and back the development of a next-generation interceptor for the Patriot Missile System-  called the Lower-Tier Future Interceptor (LTFI).  7. The UH-60 Black Hawk is now fully reconfigured to be an unmanned aircraft capable of flying a variety of missions, according to Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky.The aircraft is designated the S-70 UAS and nicknamed the U-HAWK. 

Welcome to your weekly UAS News update, we have 3 stories for you: Amazon resumes operations after two drones crash into a crane, Flock Safety launches Aerodome Drone as Automated Security, and Phase One releases a 247MP camera! First up, Amazon Prime Air has resumed delivery flights after two of its MK30 aircraft collided with a mobile crane in Tolleson, Arizona. The incident occurred on Wednesday, October 1st when a construction crane was doing roofing work at a business. The two drones impacted the crane a few minutes apart, with one falling to the ground and catching on fire. Both the FAA and NTSB have begun investigations. Amazon resumed operations on Friday, October 3rd, raising questions about whether Amazon is prioritizing conducting operations over safety. According to DroneXL, this incident is the 4th reported crash this year by an Amazon MK30, and the second time the system has been grounded. In January, Amazon halted operations after two MK30s crashed during testing in Oregon due to faulty LiDAR programming. This event hasn't yet hit the NTSB's CAROL database, but we'll likely get more information if or when it does. Next up, Flock Safety has released their Aerodome Drone as Automated Security (DAS). This system is designed to be a turn-key solution for security patrols. This is a separate product and mission profile from Drones as First Responder, and caters to the private entity looking for a similar solution. It appears that Flock is using the DJI Dock 3 and the Matrice 4D, with Flock's own back-end deployment software. The system also integrates with Flock's ecosystem through FlockOS, allowing private entities to utilize alarm panels, video management systems, license plate readers, and audio sensors. Way to diversify! Last up this week, Phase One has released a 247MP photogrammetry camera! If you're unfamiliar with Phase One, they've been a well-known name in the mapping space for their high-megapixel cameras. This week they released the iXM-RS250, with a resolution of 19,200×12,800 pixels and a new IIQ-X compression format, which reduces file size by 90% when compared to 16-bit TIFFs. The new camera is also said to reduce mapping times by 30% compared to previous systems. For those operators who fly large missions and deal with terabytes of data, this could be a game-changer. The iXM-RS250 is immediately compatible with the DJI Matrice 400, and features a USB 3.0 and 10G ethernet for other systems. At this time, Phase One has not released any pricing for the iXM-RS250, but it's safe to say it'll be pricey! And on Post Flight, our show where we share our opinions, we won't be talking about part 108… We will be discussing these stories and Sikorsky, who has released an entire family of VTOL drones. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you next week! https://dronexl.co/2025/10/08/phase-one-247mp-drone-camera-intergeo/https://dronexl.co/2025/10/03/amazon-resumes-drone-deliveries-days-after-tolleson-crane-crash-and-fire/https://dronexl.co/2025/09/30/flock-safety-aerodome-das-drone-security/

Send us a textWelcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!In this engaging episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider welcomes Christopher Young, a seasoned helicopter pilot and executive director of the Tour Operators Program of Safety (TOPS). With a 20-year U.S. Navy career flying Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawks, Chris shares his journey from naval aviation to air medical operations with STAT Medevac, and later to roles at Sikorsky, Argus Prism, and Baldwin, all centered on enhancing safety. Now an aviation insurance broker and risk management consultant at Pik West, Chris emphasizes practical safety solutions and the importance of a robust safety management system (SMS). He discusses TOPS' mission to elevate safety standards in the air tour industry, including its evolving inclusivity for Federal Aviation Administration Part 91.147 operators. Chris highlights the value of accountability, culture, and collaboration, in mitigating risks, offering insights for pilots and operators alike.To learn more about TOPS, visit: https://topsafety.org/Thank you to our sponsors Robinson Helicopter, Vertical Aviation International and HeliLadder.Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Helicopter Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter!

Two companies bid to become the Brand New Air Traffic Control System prime integrator, FAA issues carry-on SAFO, 737 MAX production limits eased, P&W and GE adaptive cycle engines, Sikorsky contract for CH-53K helicopters, and Sergei Sikorsky passes away at age 100. Aviation News Two bidders vie to be project manager of massive FAA US air traffic overhaul Two bids to become the prime integrator in the FAA's project to overhaul the air traffic control system have been received. Congress has approved $12.5 billion for the Brand New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS), and the Agency has indicated that an additional $19 billion might be requested. The bids come from two DC Beltway companies: Peraton is a national security company owned by Veritas Capital and headquartered in Reston, Virginia. See the press release: Peraton Offers the FAA a Brand New Approach for Its Revolutionary ATC Modernization Initiative. Parsons Corporation is a technology provider in national security and global infrastructure markets. Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, Parsons confirmed it has bid with IBM. The FAA says it will make a selection by the end of October. FAA urges airlines to discourage passengers from taking bags during evacuations The FAA issued Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO 25003, PDF) titled “Addressing Risk Associated with Passenger Non-Compliance and Retention of Carry-On Baggage and Personal Items During Emergency Evacuations.” The SAFO “Serves to emphasize the operational and safety-critical importance of strict passenger compliance with crewmember instructions during emergency evacuations. Specifically, it addresses the adverse effects of passengers attempting to evacuate with carry-on items, which can significantly impede evacuation procedures and increase the potential for injury or fatality.” FAA Signals Easing of Oversight on Boeing Jets The FAA is expecting to restore Boeing's ability to conduct safety sign-offs on new 737 MAX jets. Final airworthiness certificates will continue to be issued by the regulator The FAA is also considering increasing Boeing's 737 MAX production cap from 38 to 42 planes per month. Engines for America's F-47 Sixth Gen Combat Aircraft Coming Together Faster Than Expected The F-47 is being developed as part of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Family of Systems. It's a stealthy air superiority aircraft that can directly engage adversaries on the ground and in the air. It will be able to fly itself as well as collaborate with and control wingman drones. The propulsion system being developed under the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program is a concept that offers two modes of operation, which can be dynamically adjusted in flight: high thrust and high speed, and lower thrust with reduced fuel burn. Adaptive cycle engines can modulate the bypass ratio and fan pressure using a third air stream and advanced variable geometry components. Both Pratt & Whitney and General Electric are developing NGAP engines. Airbus, Air France reject blame over AF447 crash, 16 years on Air France 447 crashed in the Atlantic in 2009. In a 2023 trial, the judge found acts of negligence by Airbus and Air France, but determined that, under French criminal law, these acts were insufficient to establish a definitive link to the loss of the A330. Both Airbus and Air France were cleared of corporate manslaughter. In an appeals hearing, the two companies pleaded not guilty. Air France and Airbus chief executives recognized the suffering of the families, but denied any criminal responsibility for the crash. Appeal hearings are expected to run until late November 2025. Sikorsky to Build 99 CH-53K King Stallions for the U.S. Marine Corps Sikorsky announced the award of a $10.8 billion contract from the U.S. Navy to build up to 99 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters for the U.S. Marine Corps over the next five years.

Hartford Business Journal's Greg Bordonaro joins us to discuss the latest on the CT Sun, The Big Cities in CT, and Big deals happening for Sikorsky.

For review:1. Israel declared on Sunday that Hamas spokesman Hudayfa Samir Abdallah al-Kahlout, alias Abu Obeida, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City.2. Russia & China Reject E3 Snapback Sanctions Against Iran.3. Chinese President XI Jinping hosted more than 20 leaders of non-Western countries at a summit in the Chinese port city of Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization- a China-backed initiative given renewed impetus by the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.4. Russia & China Conduct Submarine Patrol in Sea of Japan.5. EU President's Plane Jammed While Landing in Bulgaria. A plane carrying EU chief Ursula von der Leyen was hit by GPS jamming as it readied to land in Bulgaria on Sunday, Brussels said Monday, alleging Russia was thought to be behind the incident.6. The US Army has been tasked with standing up a new Joint Interagency Task Force 401 that is expected to give it broader oversight over tech to counter small drones across the Defense community. 7. The Army has given Sikorsky a $43 million contract to modernize the service's UH-60 Black Hawks with capabilities that will enable the helicopters to carry and launch unmanned aerial systems.8. USAF CCA update.

There's a lot of talk about electric aircraft and urban air mobility; vehicles have the potential to revolutionize travel in and out of congested cities. In this technology race, backed by Toyota, Joby Aviation is the undisputed leader. Greg brings nearly two decades of aviation regulation and policy experience to Joby Aviation as their Head of Government Policy. He came to Joby from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association or GAMA where he championed modern regulatory reforms, paving the way for a new form of daily air mobility. Prior to GAMA, Greg's experience included aerospace engineering for both Cessna and Sikorsky. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and an accomplished commercial airplane and helicopter pilot with over 1,300 hours in a variety of aircraft and helicopters. “SocialFlight Live!” is a live broadcast dedicated to supporting General Aviation pilots and enthusiasts during these challenging times. Register at SocialFlightLive.com to join the live broadcast every Tuesday evening at 8pm ET (be sure to join early because attendance is limited for the live broadcasts). Aspen Avionics www.aspenavionics.com Avemco Insurance www.avemco.com/socialflight Avidyne www.avidyne.com Continental Aerospace Technologies www.continental.aero EarthX Batteries www.earthxbatteries.com Hartzell Engine Technologies https://hartzell.aero Hartzell Propeller www.hartzellprop.com Lightspeed Aviation www.lightspeedaviation.com McFarlane Aviation www.mcfarlane-aviation.com Michelin Aircraft https://aircraft.michelin.com/ Phillips 66 Lubricants https://phillips66lubricants.com/industries/aviation/ Tempest Aero www.tempestaero.com Titan Aircraft www.titanaircraft.com Trio Avionics www.trioavionics.com uAvionix www.uavionix.com Wipaire www.wipaire.com

BEST OF TST: Many things come in threes, from the concept of body-mind-spirit to birth-life-death, and thus the various trinities found around the world from the dominant Christian conception to the Indian Trimurti. There is a universality to this truth, which can be found in everything from mass shootings to plane crashes. The spiritual side of these things is the human side, too, because when horrible things happen we see ourselves and loved ones in the dead; we pray, donate, hold candles, and think about life and death. The long-standing conspiratorial element to this fact has also just been reinforced by former FBI agent Jonathan Gilliam, who was on Fox News over the weekend to say that the recent plane-helicopter crashes “will often happen in threes or more,” and so we should expect to possibly see another one in the coming weeks. This belief that things happen in threes is rooted in psychological patterns, pop culture, and cultural superstitions, where people perceive a connection between events due to our tendency to recognize these patterns. This idea is reinforced by the significance of the number three in various aspects of life, such as religion and folklore, which adds to its mystery. Despite plane crashes becoming less common, the more attention we place on them the more even minor incidents, like a small plane in Palo Alto running off the runway over the weekend, become proof of the triplicity mystique. If another larger incident occurs, the Palo Alto story may be forgotten. The pattern in societal and psychological terms comes in threes before the cycle restarts: shock, curiosity, and digging for answers that never come (outside personal bias) leads to disinterest from short attention spans so that we forget, or think we have all the answers, and so move on to the next shocking episode be it a storm, assassination, shooting, or plane crash. When analyzing these types of stories, context matters too, along with numbers and names which become like reading the green code of the Matrix. This was certainly the case with #286 and Luigi Mangione. The American Airlines flight 5342, which took off from Kansas's Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport for DC's Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was carrying 64 people, while the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, from the 12th Air Battalion, that slammed into its side was carrying 3 - (67 overall = 13). ATC attempted to contact the helicopter prior to collision, but after a short response and silence, “13 seconds later” disaster struck. The runway cleared for landing was 33, which was shut down after. The plane type was a CRJ-700.The Learjet 55 that crashed in Philadelphia was carrying 6 crew and a child, for a total of 7 deaths, although other outlets have reported the child's mother died in the crash too. 19 others were injured. Others reported seven died in total, including a person on the ground. The FAA initially reported two people onboard, but corrected the report. The little girl had received medical care at a Shriners Hospital for Children 12 miles from the airport. The plane was headed to Tijuana, after a layover in Missouri at the Springfield-Branson National Airport. It seems slightly more than coincidence that the two major aviation incidents this past week have a connection to Super Bowl 59 next week. The Philadelphia Eagles will play the Kansas City Chiefs, who are actually located in Kansas City Missouri, a city split between two states. Some of the skaters onboard the AA flight were from Missoula, Montana. One of the major game storylines of the big game is that Patrick Mahomes has passed Joe Montana for second most playoff wins behind Tom Brady at 35 with his 7 Super Bowls. As already discussed on a previous show: “If we can pull a mythological narrative together… it could be between the Secret Chiefs, i.e., Deep State, and the symbolic bird of America, i.e., the eagle. The big game is being played at Caesars super dome, named after the entertainment casino company that uses a golden caesar for their logo. As this relates to politics we find Trump pushing the golden age of America narrative just weeks before the game, and we find the orange-yellow man fulfilling the promise of restoring order and even expanding America's territories, pricelessly what the first Augustus promised Rome. And funny enough, this Roman period was called Pax Romana, the golden age.” It is also odd that around Super Bowl time these types of aviation incidents, and some would argue sacrifices, are common in recent years. In January 2024, a Boeing 737-9 MAX made an emergency landing after the door plug blew out mid-flight, causing a cascade of criticism and public awareness. Just after the game there was a massacre at the winning celebration. As reported on a previous show: “NBC News reported at 9:44am Thursday 15th, 2024, 23 were injured and 2 were taken into custody = 25. At 10:17am Yahoo reported 22 injured and 3 taken into custody = 25. The numbers 25-22 was the final score of the game. The 3 arrested were out of a group of 10 questioned = 13, and 10-3 was the Halftime score of the Super Bowl.”During the week of the big game in 2023 a series of UFOs were tracked, shot down, and reported on in a national hysteria. Going back to 2020, January 26, the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant and his 13-year old daughter crashed, killing 9 in total. It's odd enough Kobe was previously in a commercial for Nike where there was a helicopter crash via a bomb, or that Legends of Chamberlain Heights seemingly predicted the same incident just a few years before, but consider the following: the Sikorsky S-76B (SB 7+6=13) that killed Kobe was also meant to transport VIPs like himself, in likeness to the Black Hawk in Washington which was designed to carry VIPs. Both incidents occurred just prior to the Super Bowl. Sikorsky is also the same company that has MATRIX(tm) autonomy systems for Black Hawk helicopters, something DARPA was planning to test in 2025. In other words, remote controlled systems, which, coupled with the lack of response from the helicopter to ATC, formulates a conspiracy that either the technology failed or it has been used to create an incident and sacrifice the pilots in the process; the helicopter was officially on a “proficiency training flight.” Considering the recent drone hysteria, too, it is likely these objects were authorized by the FAA as an experiment to test AI-autonomy and situational awareness as part of a project called Convergence. On the other hand, viral conspiracy suggests there was no plane in Philadelphia because there was limited to no debris, essentially meaning it was a missile instead. The plane, however, was tipped at 45 degrees traveling at over 460mph and depending at 5-10 thousand feet per 60 seconds. For a small plane, with explosive medical equipment, it makes sense the entire thing was incinerated, or that the limited debris was exploded outward, not inward, far away from the crater. “I think the most important bit of evidence that we've seen so far is the doorbell video showing the aircraft descending at an incredible angle,” Arthur Wolk, an aviation expert, told NBC10. “Almost 45 degrees, which means that the airplane was out of control. No pilot would voluntarily descend any airplane at that angle. That probably resulted in the airplane striking the ground at over 400 knots and probably 5 or even 10,000 feet a minute going down that fast. So, something overtook this flight crew.”*The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, you can subscribe below underneath the show description.-FREE ARCHIVE (w. ads)SUBSCRIPTION ARCHIVEX / TWITTER FACEBOOKWEBSITECashApp: $rdgable EMAIL: rdgable@yahoo.com / TSTRadio@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-secret-teachings--5328407/support.

In this episode of Find Your Exit, host Mark Kravietz interviews Alexis Sikorsky, a strategic advisor and entrepreneur who successfully navigated a nine-figure exit to private equity. Alexis shares his journey from starting a software company to selling it, the lessons learned during the 2008 financial crisis, and the importance of due diligence and negotiation in the sale process. He introduces his APEX methodology, a framework designed to help business owners grow and prepare for successful exits. The conversation emphasizes the evolving relationship between founders and private equity, the significance of having a strong exit team, and the challenges founders face post-exit. Notable Quotes: " It's easier than you think. Don't get overwhelmed growing and selling your company.” FULL SHOW NOTES Connect with Us: Twitter LinkedIn Our Website

Despite decades of progress, the number of women in engineering remains stubbornly low — especially in aerospace and mechanical engineering. But that isn't stopping the winner of the Aerospace/Defense category in the inaugural Women in Engineering: Rising Star Awards.   Heather Cummings is Senior Engineer, Flight Controls & Autonomy for Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company. She leads the development of hybrid electric propulsion controls and vehicle management systems for Sikorsky's next-gen HEX and RBW, including groundbreaking work on fully autonomous cargo aircraft. A licensed pilot, Heather is passionate about improving flight safety through automation and mentoring the next generation of aspiring engineers.   In this special episode, Heather and Chitra Sethi, Director of Editorial & Digital Content, SAE Media Group, discuss the mission behind the Rising Star Awards, the importance of visibility for women in STEM, and why inspiring the next generation is just as critical as technological innovation.   If you'd like to nominate a trailblazing female engineer (or yourself), visit www.techbriefs.com/rsa. Nominations close on July 22, 2025. Winners will be spotlighted across SAE Media Group's publications, websites, e-newsletters, and social media channels.   To learn more about Sikorsky, check out our previous episode with Heather's co-worker, Igor Cherepinsky, on the future of vertical lift.   We'd love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to podcast@sae.org. Don't forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform.   Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

In this episode, we explore the journey to becoming a Deca Millionaire with Alexis Sikorsky, a successful entrepreneur and consultant. Alexis shares his incredible story of scaling a banking software company from zero to 11 million in revenue, navigating the challenges of the 2008 financial crisis, and ultimately selling his company for a substantial profit. He discusses the importance of due diligence when dealing with private equity, the common mistakes business owners make, and the mindset shift required to achieve true financial freedom. LinkedIn: Alexis Sikorsky www.asikorsky.com Amazon: Cashing Out, by Alexis Sikorsky Learn more about Relentless Value Coaching:  https://www.justingoodbread.com/coaching/

Sikorsky Chief Operating Officer, Audrey Brady, took part in the WICC Brown Roofing Melissa in the Morning Diner Tour to talk about Sikorsky's history in the city of Stratford and its impact locally, nationally and globally. Image Credit: Logo by Meghan Boyd, Edit by Eric Urbanowicz

Show Notes – Following FilmsEpisode Title: “GOING POSTAL: Filmmakers Tda Sallee & Jason Sikorsky on Gaming's Most Notorious Underdog”Hosted by: Chris MaynardGuests: Ted Sallee & Jason Sikorsky, directors of GOING POSTAL: THE LEGACY FORETOLDNow Streaming on VODEpisode Summary:Host Chris Maynard sits down with filmmakers Tad Sallee and Jason Sikorsky to unpack their five-year journey making GOING POSTAL: THE LEGACY FORETOLD—a bold, heartfelt, and cinematic deep dive into one of gaming's most controversial franchises. What started as a casual conversation in Tucson turned into an unexpected story of friendship, chaos, controversy, and creative grit.Set against the backdrop of the Arizona desert and steeped in gaming subculture, the film tells the behind-the-scenes story of Postal—a cult-favorite game infamous for its violence, and beloved for its refusal to conform. But at its heart, GOING POSTAL isn't just about a game. It's about two creators, Mike J. and Vince, and their decades-long fight to keep their vision alive.In This Episode:How a ramen lunch sparked a five-year filmmaking odysseyTucson roots and the strange comfort of seeing Arizona on screenThe evolution from YouTube docuseries to fully cinematic filmThe unexpected emotional core: Mike J., Vince, and the underdog bond that drives it allBalancing voices: how fans, historians, and critics helped shape the narrativeCourting controversy: how Postal leaned into the chaos—and whyWhy GOING POSTAL is more than a hot take on violent games—it's a story of survival and passion in indie gamingAbout the Film:GOING POSTAL: THE LEGACY FORETOLD chronicles the story of Postal, one of gaming's most infamous franchises, and the unlikely duo behind it. What unfolds is a decades-long journey filled with backlash, cult fandom, and a relentless belief in staying true to your vision.Now available on VOD – Stream it wherever you rent or buy films.Links & Resources:Watch GOING POSTAL: THE LEGACY FORETOLD now on VOD https://goingpostaldoc.com/Learn more about Postal and Running With Scissors: https://runningwithscissors.com/Read POSTAL by Brock Wilbur https://www.amazon.com/Postal-Brock-Wilbur/dp/1940535220Join the Conversation:Like what you heard? Subscribe to Following Films, leave a rating or review, and share your thoughts. Are you Postal enough?

It's time to ditch the drama and build real-deal trust

The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind ahead. - Igor Sikorsky Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, I sit down with Alexis Sikorsky, an experienced entrepreneur, coach, and author of the bestselling book Cashing Out. Alexis co-founded New Access in 2000, growing it into a €45-50 million business with 500 employees before successfully exiting to private equity between 2015 and 2019. Now, through Knight Scale, he provides coaching and advisory services to help fellow entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of scaling and exiting their businesses. This conversation is packed with hard-won lessons on what it takes to build, scale, and ultimately sell a business for maximum value. Alexis shares the critical mistakes to avoid, how to prepare for an exit from day one, and what founders should know before working with private equity. Key Takeaways: ✅ Focus on what's important, not just urgent – carve out time for strategic planning rather than just firefighting. ✅ Have a clear business strategy but be prepared to pivot when necessary. ✅ Maintain a "war chest" with at least 9 months' worth of expenses to ride out downturns. ✅ When seeking private equity, do your due diligence – vet firms thoroughly and create competitive tension.   Make sure you don't miss any future episodes by subscribing to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts. For now, continue listening for the full story from Alexis.   Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for. If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here: https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin   You can get in touch with Kevin here: kevin@biz-smart.co.uk   Kevin's Latest Book Is Available! Drawing on BizSmart's own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up. More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/   Alexis can be found here: https://www.asikorsky.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-sikorsky-consulting/   Resources: Cashing Out by Alexis Sikorsky - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/cashing-out-the-business-owner-s-guide-to-selling-to-private-equity-alexis-sikorsky/7660646?ean=9781781338476

In this special defence aviation episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, host Robert Dougherty catches up with Cliff Kyle, Sikorsky Australia general manager and former Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm aerospace engineer, on the sidelines of the Avalon Australian International Airshow. The pair discuss the modernisation of the Australian Defence Force's rotary aircraft fleet, including: Uplift in the Australian Army's UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter capability. The servicing and operations of the Royal Australian Navy's MH-60R Seahawk helicopter fleet. Kyle's perspectives on workforce growth, apprenticeship plans, training and sustainable infrastructure. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team

The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind ahead even more than teamwork - Igor Sikorsky Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

We look at Spirit Airlines exiting bankruptcy, fundamental changes at Southwest Airlines, the non-functional CVR in the Philadelphia Learjet crash, helicopter route restrictions around DCA, a bill permitting property owners to shoot down drones, the JetZero blended wing body (BWB), Sikorsky's “blown wing” VTOL, and countries looking beyond the F-35 for 5th-generation fighters. Aviation News Spirit Airlines exits bankruptcy 4 months after filing for Chapter 11 protection Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024. The airline continued operations through the proceedings. Spirit has reorganized its corporate structure, converted $795 million of debt into equity, and received $350 million in new equity from existing investors. Spirit changed its fare product structure with several tiers of premium seating. Southwest Airlines Threw Away Its Biggest Selling Point—And That's Exactly Why It Had To Start Charging For Bags Gary Leff writes, “Southwest is going to charge for checked bags, start expiring flight credits, and introduce no seat assignment basic economy.” Gary says this will end Southwest's product differentiation. Also that people are going to be bringing on a lot more carry-on bags, slowing down boarding. More carry-on bags means full overhead bins and customers having to gate-check bags. NTSB - Black Box from Plane in Deadly Philly Crash Never Recorded Audio On January 31, 2025, at 1807 eastern standard time, a Learjet 55 airplane, Mexican registration XA-UCI (call sign MTS056) was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The two pilots, two medical crewmembers, and two passengers were fatally injured. One person on the ground was fatally injured, 4 people were seriously injured, and 20 people incurred minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 129 air ambulance flight. The airplane was equipped with a cockpit voice recorder (CVR). The CVR was recovered from the initial impact crater under 8 ft of soil and debris and was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC, for processing and readout. The recorder displayed significant impact-related damage as well as liquid ingress. After extensive repair and cleaning, the 30-minute-long tape-based recording medium was auditioned to determine its contents. The CVR did not record the accident flight and during the audition it was determined that the CVR had likely not been recording audio for several years. NTSB: Aviation Investigation Preliminary Report, Learjet 55, Philadelphia, PA Helicopter Route Permanently Closed After Deadly Black Hawk Collision with Plane After the NTSB highlighted the number of close calls in the DCA area, the FAA has permanently restricted helicopter flights. Excluded from the helicopter restriction are presidential flights, law enforcement flights, and lifesaving missions. The FAA is looking at other airports where different aircraft types share the same air space, including Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles. NTSB urges ban on some helicopter flights at Washington airport where 67 people died in midair crash The NTSB recommended a ban on some helicopter flights in the DCA area. Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said in just over three years, there were 85 close calls when a few feet (meters) in the wrong direction could have resulted in the same kind of accident. Tennessee congressman proposes allowing property owners to shotgun low-flying drones Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett has sponsored HR1907, the Defense Against Drones Act [PDF] that would allow a property owner to use a shotgun to shoot down drones flying 200 feet or lower over their property. The bill also requires the property owner to report the aircraft and its registration number to the FAA within 60 days of the drone shooting. Related: S.F.

This episode is the second in a two-parter in collaboration with the Climate Migration Council, to highlight the Council's recent position statement on the linkages between security, climate change, and human migration.In December, A'ndre hosted Erin Sikorsky, Director of the Center for Climate and Security and a former Deputy Director on the National Intelligence Council, for a discussion on the national security implications of climate migration. The conversation centered on a new statement from the Climate Migration Council, co-authored by Sikorsky and prominent figures such as Leon Panetta, Michael Chertoff, Michael Morell, and Sharon Burke. The statement outlines urgent recommendations to address the security risks of climate change-driven displacement, including expanding the definition of security, investing in resilience, adopting anticipatory migration policies, and integrating climate migration into risk assessments.You can listen to A'ndre's conversation last week with Secretary Michael Chertoff on climate migration here.

On 16 July 1983, a British Airways Helicopters Sikorsky S-61 departed from Penzance bound for St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly, but they never make it. What went so terribly wrong on that fateful journey? Find sources and photos for this episode on our website: www.hardlandingspodcast.com Support is on Patreon: www.patreon.com/hardlandingspodcast Want to recommend an episode? Email us: info@hardlandingspodcast.com

The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind forward - Igor Sikorsky Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street's sixth straight winning week; Boeing and machinists strike proposed deal that includes a 35 percent pay raise to end 5-week strike as the jetmaker moves to raise $25 billion in debt and stock plus borrow $10 billion; Bell decides to move V-280 Valor aerostructure work in house from Spirit AeroSystems; impact of the move what Boeing would pay for its former subsidiary; Airbus to cut 2,500 jobs from its defense and space business; partnership between L3 Harris and Embraer to jointly market the KC390 ends; L3 protests US Army's decision to award the HADES contract to Sierra Nevada; another multiyear to Sikorsky carrying UH-60 Blackhawk production through 2032; France bars Israeli companies from the upcoming Euronaval trade show in Paris; takeaways from the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting and The Aerospace Event; and what to expect next week at the National Business Aviation Association tradeshow in Las Vegas.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian discuss Wall Street ended the week strong before the Labor Day holiday, the US government hits RTX with a $200 million fine for improperly sharing technology with China as analysts ask whether more companies will also be penalized, Serbia orders Rafale fighters by Dassault Aviation while Thailand opts for the E- and F-model of the Gripen by Saab, whey Airbus and Sikorsky both decided against bidding for a UK helicopter contract, UK defense budget outlook as Starmer government makes clear cuts are coming, Britain and Germany strike a wide-ranging treaty that spans defense, science, technology and deeper economic cooperation, defense industrial implications as Germany's right wing AFD party gains ground in Thuringia, and Britain concludes arms being used by Israel in Gaza could be used in violation of international humanitarian law, immediately suspending 30 licenses for components for fighter planes, helicopters and drones.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. Rocket Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy, join host Vago Muradian discuss Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's statement that the central bank would cut interest rates by half a percent especially after employment figures were adjusted downward; Sierra Nevada wins the US Army's High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System or HADES spyplane contract; Boeing sells 36 new AH-64 helicopters to South Korea, but the company's 777X jetliner is grounded after the company discovered a structural issue that will be expensive to fix; the last of 23 VH-92 helicopters were delivered to the Marine Corps by Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky as the president's new helicopter, but it can't replace aging Blackhawks and Sea Kings until the new aircraft is cleared to land on the White House lawn; companies like Bell that selected Spirit AeroSystems for defense aerostructures work are said to be considering ending those contracts after Boeing buys its former unit; and NASA decides two astronauts stuck in space since their Boeing StarLiner experienced problems on its maiden flight to the International Space Station will return to earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in February.

Podcast Description: Welcome to Climate Correction, the podcast dedicated to exploring innovative solutions to the climate crisis. In this episode, we are joined by Maxwell Brodie, the visionary founder of Rain. Since its inception in 2019, Rain has been at the forefront of using autonomous technology to tackle one of the most pressing climate challenges: wildfires. Max shares the inspiration behind Rain's groundbreaking wildfire mission autonomy system, which aims to dramatically reduce response times and prevent small ignitions from becoming catastrophic fires. He delves into the growing severity of wildfires and their devastating impact on lives, economies, and the environment. We also explore how Rain's cutting-edge technology is poised to revolutionize wildfire response and management. Join us for a deep dive into how innovation and technology can create a safer, more sustainable future.  Show Notes: 1. **Introduction to Maxwell Brodie and his company, Rain**    - Background on Max's career and his commitment to creating positive social outcomes.    - Overview of Rain's mission and its founding in 2019. 2. **Inspiration Behind Rain**    - Max discusses the motivations and challenges that led to the creation of Rain.    - The increasing frequency and severity of climate disasters, particularly wildfires. 3. **The Problem of Wildfires**    - Statistics on recent wildfire impacts, including economic damage and loss of life.    - The role of wildfires in reversing climate progress and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. 4. **Technological Solutions and Rain's Approach**    - How Rain's autonomous aircraft can pre-position in high-risk areas for rapid response.    - The importance of early detection and quick suppression in managing wildfires. 5. **Autonomous Technology and Its Benefits**    - Enhancing operational safety and efficiency in wildfire response.    - Reducing pilot workload and increasing situational awareness through autonomy. 6. **Successful Demonstrations and Future Prospects**    - Details on Rain's collaboration with Sikorsky and successful autonomous Black Hawk helicopter tests.    - The potential for scaling these solutions to provide significant economic and environmental benefits. 7. **Reasons for Optimism**    - The economic and societal benefits of reducing wildfire response times.    - The vision for a future where catastrophic wildfires are prevented, and forest management is improved. 8. **Conclusion**    - Max's hopeful outlook for the future and the role of technology in mitigating wildfire risks.    - Final thoughts on the importance of continued innovation and support for climate solutions.

For review:1. US President and Secretary of Defense Statements on Former President Donald Trump assassination attempt.2. Israeli Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) press conference at IDF Headquarters in Tel Aviv. Prime Minister discusses strike on Senior Hamas Commander and reasons for the Rafah operation.3. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. General Herzi Halevi has no plans to resign.  Lt. General Herzi Halevi says he will make a decision once “the tasks are completed.”4. US Navy Carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN- 71) arrived in CENTCOM Area of Responsibility on 12 July 2024- "to deter aggression, promote regional stability, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region.” 5. Five Countries to Purchase US ATACMS. Morocco was among the five nations covered by a new $227-million contract for the missiles. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland were also included in this order.6. Jordan and Croatia to purchase UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters (Sikorsky) in a deal worth $251.4 million.7. Slovenia announces modernization plans during the 2024 NATO Summit. Plans include new artillery systems, air defense systems and armored vehicles.8. Italy considers new aircraft tanker competition. Two potential contenders are Boeing's KC-46 and Airbus A330 MRTT. 9. Retired CJCS General Mark Milley comments on future US Military organizational structure: “Ten to fifteen years from now, my guess is a third, maybe 25% to a third of the U.S. military will be robotic.” 10. US to Close Down Gaza Pier. US Central Command tried to reattach the temporary pier to the beach in Gaza on Wednesday (10 July 2024),  but were unsuccessful due to bad weather and technical problems.

The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind ahead even more than teamwork - Igor Sikorsky Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

Send us a Text Message.Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!In this captivating episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider interviews David Horton, CEO of Schweizer Helicopters, to explore the rich history and enduring legacy of this iconic helicopter brand.David walks us through Schweizer Helicopters' journey, beginning in the late 1950s as part of Hughes Tool Company, gaining prominence during the Vietnam War, and transitioning through ownership by Sikorsky to its current standing under Schweizer Aircraft Corporation. In 2018, David and his team acquired the company from Sikorsky. His passion for the Schweizer brand and dedication to filling the void left by previous ownership is evident throughout the discussion.David shares his extensive career in the helicopter industry, including pivotal roles at Bell Helicopter, Heli-Dyne Systems, and Schweizer Helicopters. He addresses the unique challenges of supporting the existing fleet and highlights the significance of the refurbishment program, which aims to restore grounded helicopters to operational status. Additionally, David touches on the available supplemental type certificates (STCs) for Schweizer aircraft, such as the crash-resistant fuel system, and the initiative to modernize the helicopters with advanced glass panel displays.Throughout the conversation, David emphasizes the passion and commitment of the Schweizer team in revitalizing the brand and supporting their customers. For an engaging discussion on the history, challenges, and future of Schweizer Helicopters, tune into this episode of The Helicopter Podcast!Thank you to our sponsors Vertical Aviation International, Precision Aviation Group and Sellacopter. 

Monday July 1, 2024 Sikorsky and Derco to Pay $70 Million to Settle False Claims Charge

In the world of entrepreneurship, we dream about the BIG EXIT.   We talk about mergers, acquisitions and IPOs…  But there's one exit strategy that's often whispered about Selling to private equity.  Today, we're pulling back the curtain on this mysterious world with someone who's not only been through it, but has come out the other side a fan. … Sponsors Vanta - get 20% off security certifications like ISO27001 and SOC2: https://vanta.com/secretleaders Personio - all in one HR platform: https://personio.com/secretleaders -- Newsletter Sign up here: https://secretleaders.email/. You can find our historic newsletters here: https://www.secretleaders.com/episodes.

In the latest episode of All Things Wildfire Podcast, Maxwell Brodie from Rain discusses the groundbreaking use of autonomous helicopters in combating wildfires. Brodie begins by outlining the immense scale of the wildfire crisis, showcasing instances where emissions from wildfires exceeded those of entire countries. He emphasizes the urgency of addressing this global challenge and highlights Rain's focus on powering the next evolution of initial attack, leveraging early detection, autonomous aircraft, and advanced wildfire simulations to contain ignitions rapidly. Through collaboration with Sikorsky, Rain has adapted autonomous Black Hawk helicopters for wildfire response, demonstrating their rapid suppression capabilities. Brodie explains how Rain's software enables these helicopters to perceive, understand, and suppress wildfires, optimizing payload use based on fire behavior and environmental conditions. This innovation marks a significant step forward in enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of wildfire suppression efforts. Despite the challenges in building awareness and consensus for early detection and rapid response models, Rain remains committed to collaborating with fire agencies and innovation communities to overcome barriers. Brodie also shares a personal childhood experience during a wildfire, underscoring his deep-rooted motivation to develop technology that can prevent ignitions from escalating into catastrophic events. Looking ahead, the vision includes equipping fire stations of the future with autonomous aircraft, dynamically repositioned to address real-time threats, offering hope for more proactive and effective wildfire mitigation strategies. Key Highlights: Introduction to Rain and Autonomous Helicopters: Maxwell Brodie introduces Rain, a company specializing in autonomous vehicles, particularly helicopters for wildfire response. Scale of the Wildfire Crisis: Brodie highlights the staggering impact of wildfires, citing instances where emissions surpassed those of entire countries, emphasizing the global nature of the crisis. Next Evolution of Initial Attack: Rain focuses on powering the next evolution of initial attack, leveraging early detection, autonomous aircraft, and advanced wildfire simulations to contain ignitions rapidly. Collaboration with Sikorsky: Rain collaborates with Sikorsky to adapt autonomous Black Hawk helicopters for wildfire response, demonstrating rapid suppression capabilities. Adapting Autonomous Aircraft: Rain's software enables existing autonomous aircraft to perceive, understand, and suppress wildfires, optimizing payload use based on fire behavior and environmental conditions. Challenges and Collaboration: Building awareness and consensus for early detection and rapid response models pose challenges, but collaboration with fire agencies and innovation communities helps overcome barriers. Involvement with X-Prize: Rain acknowledges the role of X-Prize Foundation in promoting rapid wildfire containment technology and emphasizes the importance of community support in deploying such solutions. Personal Motivation: Brodie shares a personal childhood experience during a wildfire, fueling his passion to develop technology that could prevent ignitions from escalating into catastrophic events. The Future of Fire Stations: The vision includes fire stations of the future equipped to host autonomous aircraft, dynamically repositioned to address real-time threats. Challenges in Wildfire Response: Despite proximity to fire stations, wildfires pose significant challenges due to their unpredictable nature, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions like autonomous aircraft.

Sikorsky Aircraft is laying off hundreds of workers in the state who were involved with the canceled Army scout helicopter project. Around 400 Connecticut employees are losing their jobs, mostly engineers and digital technology workers in the scout program. The layoffs reportedly involve 350 Sikorsky workers in Stratford. We got some business perspective from Dan Onofrio, President of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council. How do the layoffs impact surrounding town businesses who rely on those workers? And when Sikorsky loses a military contract, what does that mean for the Connecticut businesses supplying Sikorsky with material to build their aircrafts? Image Credit: Reuters

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts! This episode was recorded live from the floor of HAI Heli-Expo in Anaheim in March 2024, where we were able to interview the HAI Salute to Excellence Pilot of the Year Award recipient Mike Sagely. Sagely's path to becoming a decorated pilot isn't typical. After a successful college volleyball career that even included a stint on the U.S. Olympic volleyball team, Sagely enlisted in the U.S. Army in his mid-20s. His talent and dedication shone through immediately. He excelled in flight school, becoming a distinguished graduate, where he began flying the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. Sagely's impressive military career spanned 22 years. He served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, later joining the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment where he flew special combat missions. His bravery earned him seven Air Medals, a Bronze Star, and countless valuable experiences. After retiring from the Army, Sagely continued his service by becoming a contract fire pilot and later joining the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. In 2009, he joined the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD), where his leadership and abilities led to a swift promotion to senior pilot. His heroism during rescues and lifesaving missions has been recognized at LA County Fire with two valor awards and three separate rescue awards from Sikorsky. Sagely's dedication extends beyond flying. He credits his success to strong mentors throughout his career and actively mentors others, pushing them to grow and excel.  His leadership and mentorship are invaluable assets to the LA County Fire and the public safety aviation community as a whole. Thank you to our sponsors Precision Aviation Group, Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing and CNC Technologies. 

The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind forward - Igor Sikorsky Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

In this episode, John updates us on where Piasecki Aircraft is on its company roadmap. There were some big announcements, which include its new R&D site in Pennsylvania, which was formerly of Sikorsky. We talk future growth plans, the gear-up to launch the world's first hydrogen-powered helicopter and Piasecki's plans to hire up to 400 workers over the next five years, as the company begins to scale up its production plans. John also talks about the company's $37 million grant from the US Air Force to develop 'next-gen VTOLs and hydrogen propulsion technologies', as well as Piasecki's partnership with Triumph Group. He concludes our conversation by sharing his thoughts on hydrogen propulsion.

Make sure to follow this week's guest Mark Sleboda on X at @MarkSleboda1 Find me and the show on social media @DrWilmerLeon on X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube Facebook page is www.facebook.com/Drwilmerleonctd   Announcer (00:06): Connecting the dots with Dr. Wilmer Leon, where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge. Dr Leon (00:14): Welcome to the Connecting the Dots podcast with Dr. Wilmer Leon. I am Wilmer Leon. Here's the point. We have a tendency to view current events as though they occur in a vacuum, failing to see the broader historical context in which events take place. During each episode of this program, my guests and I have probing, provocative, and in-depth discussions that connect the dots between current events and the broader historic context in which they occur. This enables you to better understand and analyze the events that impact the global village in which we live on today's episode. The issue before us is the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and why does the United States keep throwing good taxpayer dollars after bad. To discuss this, we are joined by my guest Mark Sloboda. He's a Moscow based international relations and security analyst. Mark, as always, welcome back Mark Sleboda (01:18): Dr. Leon. Thanks for having me. It's always an honor and a pleasure to be on connecting the dots. Dr Leon (01:23): So it's been reported that an attack on a convoy of Ukrainian military equipment in the esque people's Republic was carried out with the use of short range ballistic missiles. And it also seems as though with all of this hand wringing in the US Congress about funding for Ukraine, all the US and NATO is doing, or seems to be doing, is sending more targets for Russia to destroy your thoughts, mark. Mark Sleboda (01:52): Yeah, there's some rather dramatic developments really under-reported in the Western press that have very large implications going forward for the conflict in Ukraine. The current situation on the ground, I think the Western mainstream media has finally their propaganda narrative bubble has finally burst. Look, in a span of how short a period of time we have gone from Ukraine is winning to (02:34) Stalemate, it's a stalemate on the battlefield to, oh my God, we're losing to Nigeria with snow. I mean, that's the rather dramatic change in the propaganda narrative, and I think we can see it reflected in the political elite as well with the panic and desperation that is starting to sit in and become rather obvious among European leaders who really have the most to lose from this conflict, rather other than the Kiev regime in Ukraine itself. And this all occurs, these latest incidents in the final weeks of and the aftermath of the Russian breakthrough of the Kiev regime's most heavily fortified fortress city, these extensive defenses and fortifications trenches, concrete bunkers, pill boxes, networks of tunnels, layers of minefields, you name it, Inca, which is really quite close to Dan City, and a western journalist a couple of years ago already referred to it rather poetically if quite awfully as a knife pointed at the heart of Dansk. (04:10) They meant that in a good way. Another way, of course, looking at it was a Jack boot pressed to the neck of the people of Donbass because it is from aca and the settlements shielded behind it that the Ki regime forces brutally shelled the people of Dansk for the last decade pretty much regularly. They didn't shell military facilities, they shelled civilian areas with artillery, with cluster munitions, with pedal mines. And this was to punish the people of done bus for choosing wrong, for not accepting the overthrow of the government by the Westback Maan butch back in 2014, and with the intention with driving Russian ethnic people who did not accept the new Ukraine into Russia. That was the intention and one of the primary reasons for the Russian intervention in the Ukrainian civil conflict, not the only one. There were security concerns as well, but this was loudly voiced as well. (05:22) And when the Russians broke through it aga, they did it rather dramatically towards the end. It ended up much shorter than say the siege of Bach Mu, despite the defenses in a DKA being considerably stronger, and this is because of a sea change on the battlefield. The KI regime's initial a integrated Soviet legacy air defense network, the backbone of which was the formidable S 300 systems had been largely deteriorated at this point already a few months ago. And on top of what hadn't been destroyed, they were absolutely out of interceptor missiles for it, and there were none left in countries that are now part of the west former Eastern Bloc countries. Their supplies were all exhausted. So there was an attempt to put together a hodgepodge piece meal air defense system not properly integrated with using Western systems, but that has also been attributed away over the last few months. (06:35) Russia launched an extensive campaign over the winter, and that was a primary target of their missile and drone campaign. So in afca, Russia fully unleashed the fab guided glide bombs on these defenses. And these are old dumb munitions with smart glide kits that turn them into precision weapons being able to fire from air at a distance of tens of kilometers. And because these are bombs, not artillery shells, they have a considerably bigger payload. They come in 500, 1000 and 1500 kilogram capacities and they just annihilate. I mean, if the Ki regime turns, say what they did pretty much to every building in the city, turning it into a mini fortress that has to be individually stormed one fab bomb, and it's gone. And particularly at the larger end, the 1500, they have an incredibly demoralizing effect on anyone within the radius of experiencing the explosion, the concussion and the like. (07:57) And in the closing days of a dka, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, they dropped over 500 of these, oh my God, on the fortresses in just the last few days, right? So that's why they collapsed so quickly and dramatically at the end and why there was such a route. And they're able to do this now because they can fly with a considerable degree of impunity over the battlefield because first, the Soviet legacy and now the Western Air Defense system sent us a replacement, have largely been destroyed. And immediately in the aftermath of Dfca, the Russian forces far from being exhausted, as many Western military analysts drinking their own propaganda Kool-Aid tried to claim claiming high casualties as they always do without evidence to back it up other than the say so of the regime in Kiev. Russian forces were not exhausted because they had not suffered any considerable attrition because they had been standing off and dropping an extremely large bombs from Sue, 30 fours from fighter bombers on ev dca, which is what did at least at the end the majority of their work for them once they were already ensconced in the outskirts of the city. (09:24) So they continued on fallback positions in the next line of villages that Kiev regime forces had retreated to and were hastily trying to dig themselves in because they had not built proper defenses. And for instance, Laska and Severna lasted two or three days, and as Russia moved on the second line of villages even further, and we faced a real breakthrough in the Kiev regime defensive lines at this point, the Kiev regime became desperate to try to at least slow down. We're not even talking stop, but to slow down the Russian advance to give themselves more time to hastily dig as the Western headlines have now been talking about what the Kiv regime needs to do to dig new trenches, to dig new fortifications. So they moved a large number of what air defense systems they had left elsewhere in the country into an area far too close to the battlefield. (10:32) And Russia at this point, not only of course, enjoys air superiority over the contact line, but they also enjoy drone superiority. And Russia has put a rather larger number of military satellites into the orbit in the last year, last few months that have started to come online. So they were able to track these air defense systems fairly well, and it's more than just three patriot launchers that have been destroyed. Also, one of the remaining older S 300 air defense systems, several NASS air defense systems supplied by the US and Norway, and also a number of books and smaller systems. By my count at least 11 air defense systems have been destroyed in the last two weeks over the area immediately to the west of F dca. And this is adding to the butcher's bill. Previously, the Kev regime has adopted a new tactic in several areas. (11:50) We saw it over the sea of, we saw it also in Belgo where that Ill 76 transport plane shut down the KI regime shut down its own plane full of prisoners of war A couple of months ago, if you remember forced to admit it, they've been sending in an attempt to try to stop the Russian dominance of the skies. They've tried to use essentially not mobile air defense systems in a mobile capacity to set up ambushes for Russian planes to instill a degree of caution and restraint. But that has proven very costly for them because they've also lost air defense systems in that way as well, because of course, Russia was actively hunting them down and despite their claims to have shut down large numbers of Russian aircraft, there is zero evidence providing this zero. I mean, and there have been plenty of evidence, for instance, of the Kev regime's own aircraft, remaining aircraft being shot down when they're shot down. (13:06) There is video footage, there is air wreckage and the like. So really questionable claims they may have sacrificed other than this, of course, the POW plane, which everyone noticed, but that was an undefended transport plane flying in what it assumed a mission of peace bringing POWs for an exchange. So they've lost a huge degree of whatever hodgepodge air defense they had left. Now, Forbes speaking just of the events in F dca, not of the rest of it, says that just in those engagements that the Kev regime lost 13% of its air defense capacity speaking specifically of the Patriot systems provided to it. And that's on paper because they're not acknowledging earlier patriot systems that have been shot down. So I would suggest that they have at this point lost far more. They probably have a number of patriot launchers in the single digits left in Kiev, for instance, possibly in Odessa. (14:22) But the implications of this going forward is that Russian use of air superiority and even now close air support over the contact line is going to dramatically increase because there is no air defense left to deal with them, which means the pace of Russian advances are going to increase. And this is when even Western analysts and Ukrainians are talking about rather large concentrations of Russian forces behind the lines that have been built up but not committed yet. And there is the suspicion that they're going to launch a large scale big arrow offensive sometime later this year. In fact, the Kiev regime has just in the past week evacuated the entirety of Harko region. Some 85 settlements ordered the civilian evacuation because they fear a big offensive in the harko direction in the coming probably months, perhaps weeks. Dr Leon (15:36): President Biden told us during his State of the Union address that Ukraine can stop Putin, Ukraine can stop Putin if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons that it needs to defend itself. That's all he says. In fact, there are no American soldiers at war in Ukraine. My question is, who's operating these US supplied Patriot air defense systems and are there US special forces trainers that are on the ground training these forces? Mark Sleboda (16:14): Okay, so first to the last point, Joe Biden is lying genocide. Joe is flat up lying and we know it because the Western mainstream media has told us already in the summer of 2022 in the New York Times and the Washington Post talking about unusually large numbers of US intelligence and US and European commandos on the ground in Ukraine. Then later we heard there were hundreds of uniformed US troops on the ground, again from the western mainstream media that were doing tracking of Western supplied weapons. Now, if that's really what they were doing, then they weren't doing a very good job because it was only weeks after that we heard that the West couldn't track these weapons at all. So I mean either they were completely incompetent or they are doing something else on the ground Dr Leon (17:15): On top of them. Wait a minute, are these also, aren't these the same stories that a lot of these weapons are showing up in other battles in other countries? Mark Sleboda (17:24): Yes. Yes. With the idea that a tithe essentially of Western weapons is being sold through corruption in the Ukrainian military and the distribution networks off because of the prevalent corruption in the country to pad their own pockets. And then I don't think there's anything question about that. The Western mainstream media has long reported about that. In fact, early on, CBS noted that some 70% of the weapons supplied by the west were not reading the front lines. This was early on in the conflict. So on top of those commandos, we now the Russian government has long complained that these high-tech systems supplied by the west from the US in particular the high Mars and multiple launch rocket systems in the Patriot air defense systems, as well as some French air defense systems, Polish crab artillery systems, British storm shadows, cruise missiles, that these are all being operated by western military specialists who are being sent there under the guise of mercenaries or humanitarian and aid workers and the like, because it is impossible to train the Kiev regime forces in such a short period of time to operate these advanced western systems. (19:09) The Russian government's been saying this for a considerable amount of time, but this was confirmed by no less a person than the German chancellor Olaf Schultz, who in an apparent spat back and forth with the French leader, Emmanuel Macron, and to the British as well, when the British were pressuring Germany to deliver the Taurus missiles, the context of Ola Schultz is we can't do what the British, the French, and the Americans are doing and have people obliquely. He admitted that the West had their military forces on the ground operating their systems and that Germany could not be seen as doing that. And this was reinforced in these leaked military calls from the German Air Force planning, a series of cruise missile attacks inside Russia with the expected to be delivered towards cruise missile system, at least expected by them. The political elites in Germany aren't saying that, but they also revealed that the German cruise missiles could perhaps be operated on the ground by the rather large number of Americans of people on the ground wearing civilian clothes with American accents, which of course is a roundabout way of saying US military personnel not in uniform on the ground in Ukraine. (20:58) So I mean, they just have to Dr Leon (20:59): Be curious from Kansas that are wandering the fields and the step of Germany and Russia and Ukraine. Mark Sleboda (21:07): Yeah, they're not wearing boots. They're wearing ballet slippers or figure skates or something, I guess. So that's a lie. Second of all, the Kim regime can defeat. Well, Ukraine can beat Putin, right? The childish way that western leaders and media try to demonize any opponent down to just one leader and so forth. But if that was true, if Western military aid in Ukrainian regime hands was enough to beat Russia, then what happened over their failed summer counter offensive that was armed trained, financed intelligence planned and war gamed out by nato, primarily US by the Pentagon, that's who did it. They failed. They failed badly. They were mauled. They never even got past the first of Russia's five echelon defensive lines and suffered horrible casualties in the process. No one denies that. So there is no indication that however additional tens of billions of dollars of aid are sent that the West will ever again able to build an offensive force like they did for Ukraine in the summer offensive because they simply don't have the weapons in inventory to replace everything like that. (22:50) They do have some things, they got plenty of Bradleys if they want. Obviously they're very reticent to allow the rather small number of Abrams that they've sent to be used in combat. Four of them have been destroyed after just appearing on the battlefield in the last week. But the rest of the Western militaries that supplied weapons, they're tapped out. France, Germany, Denmark, the United Kingdom, they've all said, we can't supply anymore because we've already dug past our stockpiles into our own military supplies and we can't replace these systems fast enough. For instance, one French Caesar self-propelled Howitzer, a total of 36 of these between France and Denmark were supplied to the Kiev regime for the course of that offensive. And they're practically through all of them, they have very few of them left because Russia's been hunting them down. And also they are subjected to considerable wear and tear, and they're not actually built for high intensity combat like this, much like the US' M triple sevens and the Paladins and the like. But it takes the French 18 months, the French military industrial complex, 18 months. 18 months Dr Leon (24:20): To Mark Sleboda (24:21): Build one Dr Leon (24:22): That's a year and a half Mark Sleboda (24:23): One Caesar. But we heard that they have shortened that time to 15 months. Oh Dr Leon (24:30): Wow. That makes me feel a whole lot better. You just mentioned the leaked recordings from the German Air Force, and is it a coincidence that after these conversations were leaked where the Germans were talking about taking out bridges in Russia with cruise missiles that Victoria Newland resigns because there are some who say that her name was mentioned in on these tapes and that the German Air Force officers were really talking about conversations either they had with her or ideas that she was presenting about these attacks inside Russia? Mark Sleboda (25:16): Yeah, there's a possibility there, and if that is the situation, then it appears that she was probably forced out by the Biden administration. But are I think there are other considerations in play. Victoria Newland, the Queen NeoCon of the us, she's married to Robert Kagan who is the arch NeoCon of the United States. Robert Kagan, his books, check them out if you're unfamiliar with his sinister work. I would say she has long dominated through several presidencies US policy towards Ukraine. She was instrumental in the actual Westpac, my Don pooch, if not the key architect of it. She was caught on recordings with then US Ambassador Jeffrey Piat, talking about how they needed to midwife this thing, bring then Obama's Vice President Joe Biden into midwife it picking the new Prime Minister of Ukraine, Arsen Ya from the leaders, the figurehead leaders of the Maidan, and then famously saying F, the when the idea that the Europeans might want someone else for Ukraine's next prime minister was presented. So I mean she's been instrumental and she briefly left office during the Trump administration and then came right back. She has been serving as under Secretary for political affairs, which despite the rather kafkaesque bureaucratic name is actually the third highest official within the US Department of War. I'm sorry, not the US Department of War, US Department of State. My bad. Dr Leon (27:23): I can understand the confusion. Mark Sleboda (27:24): I said the difference. Yeah, she a third highest official and she was actually operating as the second highest official just below the Secretary of State for about a half of year when Wendy Sherman, the previous Deputy Secretary of State stepped down. So she was doing the number two and number three job and it was widely expected that she would be permanently assigned to that position, a permanently elevated to Deputy Secretary of State. But we found out that just a month ago she was passed over for this position by Kirk Campbell. The Biden approved someone else, and Kirk Campbell is an Asia specialist. He's a specialist on China, which to my mind tells me that the Biden administration is tiring of this conflict in Ukraine and they're already looking past it despite the bad situation. Their proxy regime is in to China, which may indicate a planned change of policy or at least prioritization or at the very least an unwillingness to escalate further, I say may. Dr Leon (28:48): So does that mean then that the Biden administration is now following along the previous Obama administration's tilt towards Asia? Mark Sleboda (29:02): Yeah, that's entirely possible. I believe that's what the Biden administration always wanted to do. They wanted the Middle East to remain quiet and it was not a priority for them. That didn't go out down so well. Just a week before the October 7th, seventh launching of the all Axel flood operation by Hamas on Israel, Jake Sullivan was in an essay talking about how nice and quiet the Middle East was, which allowed the US to concentrate on other areas. Well, that didn't go so well then since then. But they wanted the Middle East to be quiet. They expected to finish off Russia quickly. They expected their sanctions to destroy the Russian economy, Putin to be overthrown, and because of the economic commiseration of the country Dr Leon (29:58): They wrong Mark Sleboda (30:00): And that they would now, their biggest concern would be dividing up Russia into smaller pieces and how to go about that. That appears to have been their plan. Okay, so not so good on the plan thing, but then they hoped they thought that would be finished quickly and then to pivot hard to China. I think that was always their plan to finish Russia off quickly, ignore the Middle East and pivot hard to China. And none of that, of course has gone according to plan. So with A and B having failed, they're trying to go to C anyway in very likely the months at this point that they have remaining to them. And I think that the passing over of Victoria Newland for that is a sign that the Biden administration is already lost interest, possibly due to inability to achieve their desired goals and is shifting to the next goals that they can't probably accomplish even more so I would say if they think that they're going to defeat China in some type of conflict off of their own coast in the Taiwan Straits and South China Sea. But anyway, I expect that Victoria Newland was extremely unhappy about being passed over. She was probably, she can see the bureaucratic writing on the wall that the prioritization is changing away from her reason for existence, which is fighting Russia. And I think that that probably at least as much if not more so played a role in her deciding to quit or being forced out. We don't know the real truth of that yet, although I imagine that she won't be able to keep her mouth shut forever on that score Dr Leon (31:51): Or her husband. So political reports that France finds Baltic allies in its spat with Germany over Ukraine troop deployment, that France is building up an alliance of countries to open potentially that are open to potentially sending Western troops to Ukraine. That Mark sounds to me like there's a lot of tension within nato. And going again back to President Biden State of the Union, he told us America is a founding member of nato, the Military Alliance of Democratic Nations, and that to prevent war, we've made NATO even stronger, which is the point that I was trying to get to about this element of his speech that we've made NATO even stronger, and now he also assigns or attributes Finland joining NATO as evidence of NATO's strength. It doesn't sound like, it doesn't sound like it's all good in Mark Sleboda (32:59): Yeah, I mean definitely. I mean, Hungary and Slovakia of course are the most egregious examples of this because they are completely against the proxy war now being fought on Russia in Ukraine completely. They won't have anything to do with it. But yeah, there are definitely, I think tensions and cracks emerging and a bit of a panicked blame game going on right now with different European countries all trying to blame each other saying You haven't done enough. And with Macron coming out now in the aftermath of the taking of a DKA coming out and openly talking about putting NATO troops on the ground, I think this is not something that is a secret, something that has not been discussed for, and something that contingency plans are not already in place to do in the future. They just aren't in a political situation to have it said out loud. Now, I think that's the real problem that Germany and other countries have. It's causing them, no one is ready to do it now, and the fact that it has been brought up now, they see as politically detrimental to them in their own countries Dr Leon (34:29): As in the farmers' protests in Germany, Mark Sleboda (34:32): Yeah, in Poland, yes, Poland. I mean there are protests across Europe, but also, yes, the fragile coalition government in Germany, the rise of the A FD, the alternative for Germany, the alternative for Deutsche Man, yeah, party in Germany. These are all blowback from the European involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, and they just did not need this. Now, I think Macron has pointed out two things. One is that levels of escalation in this conflict, red lines that we will not cross in terms of escalation have been passed again and again and again. I remember back in February and March of 2022 when Joe Biden saying that US tanks and jets us would never supply tanks and jets to Ukraine because that would mean World War iii, right? But US tanks are now burning in the urban agglomerations of the Donez region, and US F sixteens are supposedly on their way within the next couple of months to the Kiev regime. (35:55) So again and again, these lines have been crossed, and I believe this line will be crossed eventually, but not yet. The second point, and Macron pointed this out, what we once thought was unacceptable has become normal operations repeatedly during this conflict as they've crawled further up or down the escalation ladder, however you choose to look at it. And he also then made a point that when French troops might be sent into Ukraine, when Russian forces move on Kiev or Odessa, which is most likely some time away, probably more than a year, maybe longer than that. So yeah, I mean, right now fighting Russia has a lot of advantages on the battlefield, but big advances can still be measured in a handful of kilometers, a tree line, a small village. (37:04) The writing is on the wall in terms of the logistics of a war of attrition and everything, but I think there's still a lot of hard ground slogging into the future. Macron sees that as well, so they're panicking now. I think he's right that when Russia moves towards Kia or Odessa, there will be probably greater support for his suggestions, but we've already seen support from the Baltics. The Baltic leaders have come out and said, yes, we're ready to send the handful of troops that we have now, because if there's anything the Baltics country need is to come out on the losing end of this conflict, having sent their own troops to war with Russia and having a NATO either fall apart or turned into a toothless tiger as a result of this really, really bad geopolitical move to my mind. I mean, because they're of course the most vulnerable. (38:05) They've got large populations of Russian ethnic populations that they have been rather seriously politically and linguistically culturally repressing, particularly over the last two years, even trying to expel as many Russian ethnic people from their countries as they can, practically inviting some type of Russian backed efforts against those governments in the Baltics, really not a smart move, but also Poland has made the Polish foreign minister Sikorsky back again, by the way, has also seemed to suggest contrary to statements by the Polish president, that at some point down the line, Polish troops could be sent into Ukraine and also Canada. Trudeau has also volunteered Canadian troops as well in non-combat roles of course, because that's what you do with your military troops. You send them into a conflict zone Dr Leon (39:16): Very as non-combatants Mark Sleboda (39:19): Like trainers. First you have trainers and advisors, then you have non-combatants. We know the way this goes, so obviously there is already, and check the Czech president has also suggested he is a former NATO official himself, a very big hawk on Russia, and he has also hedged his words and seemed to suggest that Czech might be able to consider it. So these are countries who are already coming out and we're just past aca, which is really only about 12 kilometers away from Donis city, right? I mean, there's a lot more to come and the panic and desperation will increase, and I think Macron will definitely find more countries down the road when it becomes completely impossible to deny as it will become in the future, the writing on the wall that the regime cannot hold militarily. The New York Times has already talked about the possibility, and I think it's a very strong possibility of later this year cascading collapses along the Kiev regime's, defensive lines, not me, but the New York Times has raised that as is talking to anonymous western military intelligence analysts about the probable course of the Ukrainian battlefield over the next half a year. Dr Leon (40:51): We mentioned Sweden joining NATO and Finland has joined nato, and we know about the very strong and robust social programs that those countries have because they, up until this point, have had a position of neutrality in conflict, which means they haven't had to send the public resources over to a defense budget. Now that that seems to be changing, are we looking at Finland and Sweden as having to shift those resources? We now see more NeoCon policy as well as what we'll call austerity measures. Can we expect austerity measures to creep their way into social policy in Finland and in Sweden? Mark Sleboda (41:49): Yeah, inevitably, I think we've already seen it to a certain degree. They've already, of course, suffered heavy economic consequences from their own sanctions on Russia, probably more significant than have been experienced by the Russian economy. Finland in particular did a very good cross border business. I was on the Finnish Russian border just a year ago at kind of a wilderness vacation place on the border there, well, actually a couple of years ago before the conflict, but very nice, and it was normal to cross the border from Russia and Finland to go to the store, for instance. Someone had this better, someone had that better, and there was a great deal of cross border business that has immensely suffered as a result already hurting the finish economy. The Swedes have suffered the same thing, perhaps to a lesser degree without sharing an open border, but experienced it as well, and now, I mean they've exhausted a great deal. (42:58) Finland and Sweden have both provided outsized military resources to the Kiev regime already, and those resources like so much else, are largely gone. They're either up in smoke or filtered away in the Kiev regime's corruption, so on top of the Kiev regime, of course, loudly demanding more, more, they also have to replenish their own military stocks, and now they have to militarize their own borders, which were UNM militarized, particularly in the case of Finland, which has a very large border. It was demilitarized, it was not a militarized border. There was police presence, but it was not a militarized border that is now changing and of course, facing the prospect of Finland joining NATO and US forces on finished soil, Russia has reordered, completely changed military districting on the border there and provided tens of thousands of new troops to be placed on the border as having to potentially deal with US troops being stationed in Finland as defensive contingencies, Finland is going to bear an increased burden with military. I do not see how this makes them more secure than they were before. I mean, they weren't targeted with nuclear missiles, and now they will be. (44:36) I guess that is the price of joining the cool Western Kids Club in nato, which it seems that the Finnish political elite wanted more than not creating economic and military problems with their much larger southern neighbor. Dr Leon (44:57): I read a story recently that elite units of Ukrainian armed forces are discussing overthrowing zelensky. Is that a rumor? Any traction of that story there in Moscow and any insight into commanders and soldiers in elite units of the Ukrainian armed forces? They're dissatisfied with the reshuffling of the leadership and they're talking about ousting VMI Zelensky. Mark Sleboda (45:30): Yeah. When Zelensky got rid of zany, and let's be clear, this didn't happen because of his military failures on the battlefield. It was done for political reasons because he saw zany as a threat as possibly running for president himself for staging a military coup and the possibility there were plenty of signs that the US was actually for a time considering switching horses, which is why he forbade elections in Ukraine, citing the martial law emergency powers, and so that he didn't have to face zny in an election, which the polls say he would've lost because zany has more support in the country than he does now. He didn't only get rid of ny, he got rid of whole streams of top down to low level commanders who were seen as loyal to ny. There was a huge reshuffling or replacement of Ukrainian of the Kev regime's military leaders. As a result of this, there's a lot of embittered military people because of this. We don't need to look in secret telegram chat rooms to hear this discussion because Dr Leon (46:56): Regime, which is where this story was originally attributable, yeah, the Mark Sleboda (47:00): Story is sourced from here, but there have already been open public statements by Kiev regime, military commanders on the battlefield saying to the Ukrainian journalists, this is wrong. There was a list signed by hundreds of Ukrainian military commanders serving on the battlefield, a petition asking Zelensky to get rid of Ky, whom he chose to replace Zelensky, whom is known as the Dr Leon (47:38): Butcher, the butcher Mark Sleboda (47:40): By his own forces, not because of the opponents that he kills, but because of his careless attitude towards the lives of his own people. So they made an Dr Leon (47:54): That's not a good moniker. As a commander, you don't want your own forces seeing you in the light of butchering them. Mark Sleboda (48:04): Yeah, I mean, my military experience tells me that that would not be the type of military commander that I wanted. Certainly, and I seriously doubt that they do as well. Plus Sirki is actually ethnic Russian. He was born in Russia in the Soviet Union. His family still lives in Russia, and they're actually quite Russian patriotic, so it's a rather bizarre situation, and in many ways there's a lot of Dr Leon (48:30): Parallels. It makes for a tough Christmas dinner. Mark Sleboda (48:32): I don't think it makes for a Christmas dinner at all. I'm pretty sure, and there are definitely parallels with the US Civil War to be drawn there and with so many other families across Russia and Ukraine. But yeah, they've made demands of Zelensky public demands that they replace, that they bring back zany and get rid of ky, and of course that was ignored and large numbers of those commanders were replaced. But if they're discussing it openly and he's already taking this vengeful action against them, there's no great surprise that they are talking about it in what they believe to be secret chat rooms about taking it into their own hands. It's rather interesting, of course, that the Russian intelligence chose to make this public because if they have penetrated this chat room, you can be totally sure that the key regime's military intelligence, let's say Ka bov loyal to Zelinsky, has penetrated this as well, and by going public with it, Russia might be forcing Zelinsky hand to take action against these coup plotting, even if it's in the very nascent, we hate this guy, why can't we get rid of him? Stage of, shall we say, trash talk. It might be forcing Zelinsky hand to take action now, probably because Russia sees Zelensky and KY in charge of the key regime, political and military as far better for them than ny, whom was not a brilliant military commander, but perhaps not an entirely incompetent one either. Dr Leon (50:36): Switching gears, the cradle is reporting US proxies fear, Afghan style withdrawal from Syria. The Syrian democratic force is the SDF. They're fearing that their US patrons will abandon them in favor of closer ties with Turk, what's happening here with the US military, their Kurdish proxies occupying northeast Syria and fearing a Afghan like pullout. Is that a serious cause for concern? Mark Sleboda (51:13): I mean, that has been a serious cause for concern since 2016, right? The Kurds have been thrown different Kurds, but Kurds have been thrown under the bus by the US government after having been turned into proxies again and again by the United States in Iraq multiple times in Syria, previously against Turkey. Turkey Dr Leon (51:38): Going all the way back to HW Bush, Mark Sleboda (51:40): Yes, Dr Leon (51:42): Throwing the Kurds under the bus. Yes, Mark Sleboda (51:44): It's primary routine, which really amazes me that Kurds keep willing to be US proxies when they see the long history, not just of the US abandoning proxies like say in Afghanistan, but the US specifically abandoning Kurdish proxies before and abandoning these same Kurdish proxies. When Turkey advanced into northern Syria, they still, of course controlled northern Syria while the US illegally military occupies East Syria. They with just withdrew their forces and said, we're not going to defend you. Sorry. You should probably pull back or the Turks will wipe you up. I mean, that has already happened. The Turks regard the SDF as the YPG, the Syrian branch of the PKK, which is opposed to the Turkish government and fighting for the cause of a Kurdish ethnic nation state that would have to be carved out of parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and perhaps Iran. They are the biggest ethnic people in the world that do not have a nation state. (52:55) And it was inevitable that at some point, if the US failed to overthrow the government in Damascus with their jihadi regime change, that they would at some point leave East Syria and they haven't done so yet. And despite the rumors to the contrary, I don't expect them to do so in the near future, but it is inevitable at some point is you can't maintain an open-ended occupation of a very large amount of territory forever, despite sitting on the Syrias valuable oil and wheat fields preventing the economic stabilization of the country seemingly out of spite geopolitical spite. If nothing else, you can't maintain this forever, especially with the increase in the number of attacks on US bases in Syria and Iraq from local resistance groups like Katai, Hezbollah who don't want the US occupying their countries, right, meaning Syria and Iraq. There's certainly a cost that has to be paid there, but the cost is still not extremely high, and Biden already being seen as responsible for the disastrous Vietnam style withdrawal from Afghanistan leading the Taliban to completely retake the country in rather embarrassing fashion. (54:40) He does not want to be seen the same role in Syria, I think certainly not in the next year. Perhaps if he wins reelection against all odds, then there might be a possibility in his next administration. But a word of warning, if we do see Biden moving troops out of Syria and Iraq, the reason would probably be that they intend to strike Iran and they're moving their forces out of the range of Iranian ballistic missiles that would target them if that happened. There's a history of us withdrawals preceding attacks elsewhere when the US pulled out of Afghanistan. We found out later from the US Secretary of State that withdrawing from Afghanistan allowed the US to provide the resources to the Kiev regime in Ukraine that they would not have been able to do otherwise. So it seems that they already had intentions towards that regard, so watch it. If Biden does pull out of Syria, it may not actually be good for the Syrians or for anyone else in the region. It might actually be a signal that the US intends to escalate towards Iran. Dr Leon (56:08): Is there a possibility in terms of signaling here that we look at, of course, Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah is now talking about escalating in terms of coming through Lebanon. If this thing were to grow even more full, great even more bringing Iran in, you've got Ansar Allah in the game, does Syria get in the game as well? And so could the United States move out of Syria, be in preparation for a larger conflagration of that nature? Mark Sleboda (56:52): Yeah, I don't see that. First of all, I think the US and Iran are still doing everything possible to avoid direct conflict with each other, hence the stand down by Katai Hezbollah saying they wouldn't attack US military bases any further. And it is actually Israel who is talking about escalating against Hezbollah in Lebanon. I think the US and Iran are both doing everything they can to maintain their state's dignity and still dance around each other, avoiding direct conflict in the Middle East. That said, Israel is doing everything possible to incite conflict between the US and Iran, which makes that a non guarantee. But the Syrian government is in a very weak position economically. The US is still illegally occupying the entirety of the east of the country, including the country's oil and wheat resources. The country is, the government is unstable, it's economic, very hard times, and Turkey is still occupying the entirety of the north of the country, and they still have a hundred thousand jihadi under arms occupying those territories in northern Syria. And of course the US military occupation forces alongside the Kurdish YPG in East Syria. The Syrian government is in no geopolitical or military shape to contribute to a fight. I do not see this blowing up because no one wants to go to war with the US over Gaza. No one except for our sala. Dr Leon (58:45): Final question for you. The United States relative to Syria developing stronger ties with Toa, how can the US make Reproachment in this manner when Erdowan is so erratic and undependable? Mark Sleboda (59:05): Yeah, I don't think they can. Does Dr Leon (59:06): That make sense? Mark Sleboda (59:08): Yeah. I think Erdowan has become a perennial thorn in their side that they constantly need to keep appeased to prevent him from, shall we say, flipping into the bricks Eurasian camp, and Erdogan routinely plays the US and Russia off of each other to what he sees as his country's advantage. The US support of the Kurds in East Syria, of course, has infuriated him, as has the US withdrawal of the F 35 program from Turkey when Erdogan bought the S 400 Air defense system Dr Leon (59:50): From Russia, Mark Sleboda (59:51): Yes, from Russia, he also regards the US as at least being, if not complicit, then at least having knowledge of the coup attempt against him several years ago. Very bad relations there. The US cannot rely on Turkey and Turkey. Well, it sees itself as being betrayed by the United States. I don't see any ability to improve relations between the two until there is regime change perhaps in the United States, but more than likely it will require Erdogan passing on one way or another for a substantial change in Turkish US relations. Dr Leon (01:00:37): I know I said that was my last question, but this is my last question. Since you mentioned the coup in Turk a few years ago, Golan is still, I believe, somewhere in Pennsylvania at a property in Pennsylvania. Are you surprised that he has not been turned over to Turk as a way of appeasing erdowan, and do you think that Golan can be fairly confident that he's not going to be turned over as a fig leaf for better relations? Mark Sleboda (01:01:16): Yeah, I think the US constantly sees him as a bit of leverage. The US likes to keep shadow governments in place for just about every country in the world. Somewhere in the United States, leaders forces Dr Leon (01:01:30): The Shah's Sun is still roaming around Northern Mark Sleboda (01:01:32): Virginia. The Shah's son, Joe Biden just declared Yulia Navalny and then Yolanda, whoever she is, to be the new leader of the Russian opposition. You've got Juan Gau still out there. This is actually absolutely normal. There are entire communities outside Langley that are just exist of us backed shadow governments ready, waiting to be installed in foreign countries. But I have to say that I don't actually think the Golan movement had anything to do with the coup against Erdogan that occurred several years ago. This was almost entirely, once again, a military attempt to restore a kaist state in Turkey against Erdogan's Islamism. It was just sprung early by the Turkish government under what it believed to be controlled conditions, and then rather than admitting a secular Islamist divide in the country, they simply blamed it on a convenience scapegoat, which was the ING gong. I don't think that he actually had anything to do with that QI think that's just a rather vocal if unconvincing bit of Turkish propaganda that everyone has just played along with. So as not to anger Erdogan. In fact, the Russian president when asked about it a couple of years ago, when asked about their responsibility for the coup, his comments were pretty much to the point of if Erdogan says that's what happened, who am I to say otherwise? Dr Leon (01:03:26): Mark Sloboda, man, thank you so much. I always appreciate you carving out the time for me and for the show that you do. Mark Shada, really appreciate you joining me today. Mark Sleboda (01:03:38): Thanks for having me. Dr Leon (01:03:40): And folks, thank you all so much for listening to the Connecting the Dots podcast with me, Dr. Wiler Leon. Stay tuned for new episodes every week. Also, please, please follow and subscribe, leave a review, share the show. We're growing tremendously, but we can only grow as you allow us to follow us on social media. You can find all the links below in the show description. And remember, folks, that this is where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge because talk without analysis is just chatter, and we do not chatter on connecting the dots. See you again next time. Until then, I'm Dr. Wier Leon. Have a great one. Peace. We're out Announcer (01:04:31):  

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts.In this two-part series, we sit down to talk about Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing and how they are helping to improve the public safety aviation industry. Joining us for this conversation is Tony Weller the Director of sales and marketing for AEM and Sean Rickards the chief pilot and Director of Operations for Yellowhead Helicopters.Tony Weller has been with AEM for over 7 years. Tony also spent many years working in the education field as a teacher and Head of Department, with positions in Australia, the UK, and Canada.Sean Rickards is a professional pilot with over 30 years of experience with over 10,000+ flight hours.In 2001, Sean joined Yellowhead Helicopters as a Base Manager and, within a few years, earned the position of Regional Manager for Yellowhead Helicopters' northern operations. In 2014, Sean was appointed as the Director of Operations for Yellowhead Helicopters. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in guiding the company through a significant period of growth as the company expanded to over 40 aircraft.  His passion for aviation, dedication to safety, and ability to navigate complex operations have firmly established him as a respected figure in the helicopter industry."Yellowhead Helicopters is a privately held Canadian company that has been providing commercial helicopter solutions to the public, industry and government since 1975.From helicopter bases strategically located throughout British Columbia and Alberta they have a wide mission set that includes aerial firefighting, utility work and tourism which includes heliskiing for over 45 years. For more than a decade, Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing (AEM) has provided customer-driven solutions to the aviation industry with the design, development, and manufacture of avionics. They are an approved OEM supplier of aircraft components to several helicopter OEMs such as Bell, Boeing, Leonardo, Airbus Helicopters, and Sikorsky. This is a very interesting conversation that highlights AEM's commitment to developing outstanding mission equipment with the input of the end user.Thank you again to AEM for sponsoring this episode of The Hangar Z Podcast. 

Those of us who have enjoyed a life in aviation need to face a simple truth; that all the safety knowledge in the world is useless if we don't successfully pass it down. Our guest today is J Heffernan. J is a lifelong aviator with a wide variety of experience, from flying in presidential unit HMX-1, to working in safety roles at HAI, Sikorsky, and Air Evac Lifeteam. Since 2018, he's helped run Helicopter Safety Alliance, an organization devoted to bringing SMS knowledge to small operators. In this conversation, I'll speak with J about the lessons he's learned through his illustrious career. He'll tell us about his roots in the military, and how they informed his approach to his civil career. J will recount an inadvertent IMC event he survived, and how it changed his perspective on safety. Then, we'll speak about breaking down barriers; how competitors in the industry can work together to reduce accidents for all. And, much more. 

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts.In this two-part series, we sit down to talk about Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing and how they are helping to improve the public safety aviation industry. Joining us for this conversation is Tony Weller the Director of sales and marketing for AEM and Sean Rickards the chief pilot and Director of Operations for Yellowhead Helicopters.Tony Weller has been with AEM for over 7 years. Tony also spent many years working in the education field as a teacher and Head of Department, with positions in Australia, the UK, and Canada.Sean Rickards is a professional pilot with over 30 years of experience with over 10,000+ flight hours.In 2001, Sean joined Yellowhead Helicopters as a Base Manager and, within a few years, earned the position of Regional Manager for Yellowhead Helicopters' northern operations. In 2014, Sean was appointed as the Director of Operations for Yellowhead Helicopters. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in guiding the company through a significant period of growth as the company expanded to over 40 aircraft.  His passion for aviation, dedication to safety, and ability to navigate complex operations have firmly established him as a respected figure in the helicopter industry."Yellowhead Helicopters is a privately held Canadian company that has been providing commercial helicopter solutions to the public, industry and government since 1975.From helicopter bases strategically located throughout British Columbia and Alberta they have a wide mission set that includes aerial firefighting, utility work and tourism which includes heliskiing for over 45 years. For more than a decade, Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing (AEM) has provided customer-driven solutions to the aviation industry with the design, development, and manufacture of avionics. They are an approved OEM supplier of aircraft components to several helicopter OEMs such as Bell, Boeing, Leonardo, Airbus Helicopters, and Sikorsky. This is a very interesting conversation that highlights AEM's commitment to developing outstanding mission equipment with the input of the end user.

In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Claude Morrissey, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Rescue Swimmer 537. Morrissey had an amazing time serving in the USCG and loved being a rescue swimmer. In this conversation, he recalls great times at each of his units and some of his most memorable rescues.  His first unit was in Houston, Texas. In his first 24 hours of duty after being qualified as a rescue swimmer, he was called out for two people missing, then a medevac and then a boat on fire. That's a busy first day of duty! Morrissey took us through a few more rescues that stood out to him in Houston. He earned an Accommodation Medal, as well as earning the CG Foundation Award, alongside his crew. This was a rescue of four people hanging onto a boat that was almost completely sunk. He shares another story in which he rescued two guys in a raft with sharks swimming under them. Next, we talk about a couple rescues out of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. While there, he earned a Sikorsky award for getting guys out of yet another raft.  The next story is where he earned an Air Medal for a rescue 245 nautical miles offshore. From Cape Cod, we transitioned our conversation over to Kodiak, Alaska, where Morrissey had two memorable rescues. One was of a boat that ran aground; the other found him on the edge of an extremely steep slope.  Lastly, we go down to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, where we talk about five rescues. One of these stories was the assistance of a sailboat in distress, which required a landing on the USS Cole. Next, Morrissey talks about a critical patient rescued off a cruise ship. Then we discuss a rescue where they later found out that one of the persons involved was a billionaire. We also get to hear about the wild story of two pilots having to eject out of their plane after a mid-air collision. We finish our conversation discussing Morrissey's very last rescue. Enjoy!   https://verticalhelicasts.com/the-real-resq-podcast/ https://www.facebook.com/therealresq https://www.instagram.com/therealresq   This episode is brought to you by Vertical Helicasts Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ; Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Claude Morrissey, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Rescue Swimmer 537. Morrissey had an amazing time serving in the USCG and loved being a rescue swimmer. In this conversation, he recalls great times at each of his units and some of his most memorable rescues.  His first unit was in Houston, Texas. In his first 24 hours of duty after being qualified as a rescue swimmer, he was called out for two people missing, then a medevac and then a boat on fire. That's a busy first day of duty! Morrissey took us through a few more rescues that stood out to him in Houston. He earned an Accommodation Medal, as well as earning the CG Foundation Award, alongside his crew. This was a rescue of four people hanging onto a boat that was almost completely sunk. He shares another story in which he rescued two guys in a raft with sharks swimming under them. Next, we talk about a couple rescues out of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. While there, he earned a Sikorsky award for getting guys out of yet another raft. The next story is where he earned an Air Medal for a rescue 245 nautical miles offshore. From Cape Cod, we transitioned our conversation over to Kodiak, Alaska, where Morrissey had two memorable rescues. One was of a boat that ran aground; the other found him on the edge of an extremely steep slope.  Lastly, we go down to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, where we talk about five rescues. One of these stories was the assistance of a sailboat in distress, which required a landing on the USS Cole. Next, Morrissey talks about a critical patient rescued off a cruise ship. Then we discuss a rescue where they later found out that one of the persons involved was a billionaire.  We also get to hear about the wild story of two pilots having to eject out of their plane after a mid-air collision. We finish our conversation discussing Morrissey's very last rescue. Enjoy! https://verticalhelicasts.com/the-real-resq-podcast/ https://www.facebook.com/therealresq https://www.instagram.com/therealresq   This episode is brought to you by Vertical Helicasts Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ; Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

  The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind ahead even more than teamwork - Igor Sikorsky Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

A replay of our conversation with Igor Sikorsky III from Episode 144, published on April 19, 2011.

Welcome to the Burn Bag's collaboration with Girl Security, a workforce mentorship program designed to help young women pursue careers in National Security. This series focuses on how we can reframe our thinking on National Security — what is pertinent to national security in the 21st century? Who, or what, is missing from the national security discussion? Join us as we explore topics within each episode alongside experts in the realm of national security, hosted by Andrea Ochoa and Girl Security Fellows. Our understanding of climate security has been limited, at most, to our understanding of climate change and its impacts. Climate security risks have only recently been easing into mainstream national security dialogue, with the most recent National Security Strategy (NSS) elevating the issue's position among other security risks. But what does climate security look like? Join Andrea Ochoa and Amulya Panakam in a discussion with Erin Sikorsky as they break down climate security essentials and what our country should be mindful of looking ahead to future security strategy. Learn more about the domestic and international implications of climate security threats and what a more secure future entails.