Podcasts about simi valley

In this episode of The Talk Spot, we interview Brian Dennert to discuss the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. To follow Brian, please go to https://www.facebook.com/briandennert To visit our website: https://ucaststudios.com/ To visit other podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u-cast-studios/id1448223064 To visit our LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-cast-studios Song: "Orion Canyon" By Insect Surfers

Welcome back to the show! Today, we are sitting down with our good friend Kurt Crucial from 80's Life to discuss all the details of his upcoming Thrashin' 40th anniversary extravaganza and art show, which will be taking place on Saturday, August 29th at the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in Simi Valley, California. We get into the weeds on the special guests, the art exhibits, the Q&A's, the jousts, the Cabriolets and much more. Hot? Maybe. Reckless? Absolutely. Totally insane? There's only one way to find out- Join us, shall you?You can help support our show by buying us a coffee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.buymeacoffee.com/BBASpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thebonesbrigadeaudioshow.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebonesbrigadeaudioshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bones Brigade Audio Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email us your questions and feedback to read on future episodes:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thebonesbrigadeaudioshow.com/contact⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HAVE YOU SEEN HIM?

Tim Conway Jr Show Hour 2 (5.27) Adam Carolla got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today! Dr. Drew and Jimmy Kimmel were there to support him, so let’s listen to their speeches. Timmy recalls all the times he’s been suspended for naughty things he’s said on air. Everybody in Garden Grove is back home! But there’s now a big fallout because of that chemical tank scare. Why did GKN Aerospace keep such dangerous, unstable chemicals so close to homes? People are still robbing donut shops! It happened in Simi Valley after a driver repeatedly rammed his car into the shop’s facade. Apparently, he was upset that the store was closed. At 3 a.m. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tim Conway Jr. Show Hour 1 (5.20) It’s the Wednesday before Memorial Day weekend and people are already starting to get out of town. But many plans have changed because of the wildfires in Simi Valley and Ventura County. Is it air purifier season? And it’s the last Memorial Day to hang out at Primm before the resort closes forever! Are you going to the beach for Memorial Day weekend? If so, for heaven’s sake do not pick Santa Monica, because the area around Santa Monica Pier ranks No. 1 as the dirtiest beach in California. If you live in Rancho Palos Verdes, it’s a nightmare to undergo home renovations because you’re at the mercy of overly restrictive regulations. Approvals are often costly and unnecessary, and many homeowners just give up. And if they draw attention to it, they may face repercussions from the Palos Verdes Home Association & Art Jury. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim Conway Jr Show Hour 3 (5.19) Latest on the LAFD fire truck crash in Sunland, where two firefighters suffered minor injuries after a truck overturned, plus updates on the active Southern California fires, including the Sandy Fire near Simi Valley. Then we get into the best America’s Got Talent Golden Buzzer moments before heading to MacArthur Park, where removed bus benches, drug use, homelessness, rats, and neighborhood frustration spark a bigger conversation about public space in L.A. Later, a major new Plane Truth 2026 report says U.S. air travel reliability has dropped to its worst on-time performance since 2014, with nearly one-fourth of flights delayed, canceled, or diverted in 2025. We break down passenger complaints, bad airline habits, Bellio’s “See’s move” for flight crews, and whether “raw-dogging” long flights with no movies, music, sleep, or distractions is heroic, foolish, or just insane. Plus, Vegas winds make the drive to Las Vegas a white-knuckle ride, with recent gusts reported in the 40–50 mph range and some areas even higher. LAFD truck crash, Sunland fire truck accident, firefighters injured, Sandy Fire update, Simi Valley fire, Southern California wildfires, America’s Got Talent, Golden Buzzer, MacArthur Park, LA homelessness, public safety, rats in LA, bartering trend, Friends behind the scenes, The Rachel haircut, airline delays, flight cancellations, Plane Truth 2026, CALPIRG report, passenger complaints, raw-dogging flights, Vegas winds, drive to Las Vegas, travel chaos See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conway Jr Show Hour 2 (5.19) A wild morning in Southern California: a reported LA City Fire truck crash in Sunland leaves two firefighters injured after the rig overturns into an H&R Block building, while the Sandy Fire in Simi Valley grows to nearly 1,700 acres with hundreds of firefighters battling flames and evacuations underway. We also break down why World Cup ticket prices are suddenly dropping below $100, what that says about demand, and why a viral China cost-of-living debate has people shocked over average pay versus rent. Trending keywords: LA fire truck crash, Sunland crash, firefighters injured, Sandy Fire, Simi Valley fire, California wildfires, evacuation orders, brush fire update, wildfire news, World Cup tickets, cheap World Cup tickets, World Cup demand, ticket prices drop, China rent crisis, cost of living, viral news, breaking news, Los Angeles news See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gary & Shannon Show Hour 3 (05.20) – Gary & Shannon deal with the emotional fallout from their unforgettable interview with “Dr. Blowhole” the whale-fluencer before pivoting into major Simi Valley fire evacuations, Trump claiming Jesus would’ve helped him win California, and a #Parenting segment that somehow spirals into sarcasm discourse and corn dogs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estados Unidos presentó siete cargos criminales contra el ex gobernante de Cuba: Raúl Castro. Más de 43 mil residentes de Simi Valley se encuentran bajo órdenes de evacuación mientras el incendio Sanfy sigue avanzando y surgen nuevos focos.  El departamento de seguridad nacional confirmó que una solicitud de asilo pendiente no equivale a un estatus legal, ni impide una detención y posible deportación.  Crece la preocupación de la OMS por el avance del brote de Ébola en la República Democrática del Congo y Uganda. 

The influence of President Donald Trump continues to impact major elections, with Congressman Thomas Massie falling to Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein in the Kentucky GOP primary, with Gallrein garnering nearly 55 percent of the vote. Gallrein will now face Democrat Melissa Strange in November's general election.More than 17,000 people are under evacuation orders in Southern California, as firefighters continue to battle the fast-moving Sandy Fire near Simi Valley. The fire department says the wildfire has burned more than 1,600 acres. Nearly 900 firefighters and multiple partner agencies are working to contain the blaze. As of Monday evening, the fire has been 5 percent contained.The New York Knicks overcame a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. New York's Jalen Brunson finished with 38 points, as the Knicks won in overtime 115–104. This is their eighth straight win, and they will be hosting Game 2 on Thursday.

Dave Rubin of "The Rubin Report" gives a first look to the stories you need to know to start your day including a deadly shooting at a San Diego mosque that left five dead and triggered massive law enforcement responses and increased security at Islamic centers across the country; fears of another catastrophic California wildfire season as the fast-moving Sandy Fire explodes near Simi Valley forcing evacuations and reigniting criticism of the state's fire prevention and infrastructure policies; and outrage outside a Manhattan courthouse as radical supporters of accused UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione openly celebrated murder, glorified political violence, and threatened President Trump, and much more.

Trump calls off Iran strike again, the Mangione murder weapon ruling, Gavin Newsom's "break the glass" threat, and Rededicate 250 headline today's A.M. Update. Trump posts on Truth Social that Gulf state leaders asked him to hold off on a planned attack on Iran — again — as Aaron flatly says he no longer thinks there's a plan. Luigi Mangione loses his bid to suppress the murder weapon at trial but wins a small evidence ruling, while three women from his fan club show up at the courthouse to celebrate and say things Aaron calls "wack." A security guard is killed in a shooting at San Diego's largest mosque as two apparent suspects are found dead nearby, and a fast-moving wind-driven wildfire scorches more than 500 acres in Simi Valley. Gavin Newsom hints at a "break the glass" scenario if Democrats get frozen out of California's gubernatorial jungle primary. Zohran Mamdani tries to riff on Reagan's famous government quote and Aaron isn't impressed. All four crew members eject safely after two Navy EA-18G Growlers collide at the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, Texas Children's Hospital agrees to a $10 million settlement and opens the nation's first detransition clinic, and Aaron closes with JD Vance's Rededicate 250 speech and a challenge to listeners not to take religious freedom for granted.

Multiple wildfires are burning in California, one about 35 miles east of Los Angeles in Simi Valley. So where is the water? Did Karen Bass seriously not refill the reservoirs that were empty during the Palisades inferno? Spencer Pratt seizes on her moment of failure and blisters the Los Angeles mayor for reportedly teaming up with the socialist mayoral candidate to squeeze Pratt out of the race. Scott Jennings sounds the alarn on Gavin Newsom saying he has "a plan" should democrats get squeezed out of the state's jungle primary.  

Tim Conway Jr. Show Hour-3 (5.18.26) There’s a lot of firefighters who live in Simi Valley. And the fire there is still burning with zero containment. Billowing smoke and hot spots throughout the hills. The entire Simi Valley is covered in smoke, so keep your windows closed. Get those air purifiers on the ready. So far, 1,400 acres have burned, but only one house has been destroyed, which had the same owners for 38 years. There are now multiple evacuation zones in the Simi Valley area, including parts of the City of LA and Bell Canyon, and the fire is headed toward the 101. To Game 7 of the Playoffs, Buffalo vs. Montreal: Nuh-uh, we won’t spoil it for you here! The San Antonio Spurs are also taking on Oklahoma City Thunder. There are now mandatory and volunteer evacuations across the Simi Valley due to the Sandy Fire, which is what it’s now being called, as well as warnings. Schools in the area will be closed tomorrow. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim Conway Jr. Show Hour -1 (5.18.26) There’s a fire in Simi Valley; residents have been evacuated. And it’s horse country, so the equine have to giddy-up outta there, too. There’s a new evacuation order in Burro Flats on the other side of the hill from Simi Valley. There’re now several fires burning across the Valley. Should fires be named after the celebrity who lives closest to where it broke out? A shooting today at a San Diego Islamic center has left five people dead. The shooters were two teenage boys, aged 17 and 19, who later died by suicide in their car. One of the people who was shot dead was the mosque security guard, a father of eight. Back to the fire, precision drops in Runkle Canyon on Sandy Fire, Bell Canyon and Burro Flats evacuations orders. Four other fires are burning. Wind bursts are expected tomorrow morning. Air quality in the SFV is heavily impacted. And it’s only heating up as the week progresses. It’s gonna be hotter than hell across greater LA from now until November. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gary & Shannon Show Hour 3 (05.19) - Gary & Shannon cover the latest developments surrounding the Sandy Fire, escalating political chaos across the country, and one of the wildest #TrueCrimeTuesday stories... a man who faked his death, abandoned his family in Canada, and secretly started an entirely new life for nearly 40 years.• #WhatsHappening → Gary & Shannon break down the latest on the Sandy Fire near Simi Valley, the deadly San Diego mosque shooting investigation, President Trump pausing a planned Iran strike, and a growing insect problem surrounding the White House ahead of a UFC event• The show also discusses another Los Angeles mayoral forum that somehow excludes Spencer Pratt, plus the death of O.J. Simpson-associated detective Mark Fuhrman at age 74• #SWAMPWATCH → Primary elections heat up across several battleground states while Thomas Massie faces a Trump-backed challenger in one of the most expensive House primaries ever• Gary & Shannon also dive into a California voter fraud scheme involving paid signatures, homeless voters, and a decades-long ballot racket tied to Skid Row• Then it’s time for #TrueCrimeTuesday → featuring the unbelievable story of a man who faked his own death, abandoned his Canadian family, remarried under a new identity, and kept the secret hidden for nearly four decadesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gary & Shannon Show Hour 1 (05.19) – Gary & Shannon break down a deadly shooting at a San Diego mosque, rising tensions with Iran, and why the publishing industry thinks podcasts officially killed the 700-page history book.• Gary & Shannon discuss Shannon’s fear of blurting things out, Tourette syndrome misconceptions, and whether people sometimes confuse bad filters with actual conditions• The Sandy Fire calms slightly overnight after burning more than 1,300 acres near Simi Valley, though dangerous fire conditions remain across Southern California• A deadly shooting at a San Diego mosque leaves three people dead as investigators examine online radicalization, anti-religious writings, and warnings reportedly made before the attack• Trump says a planned U.S. strike on Iran has been paused after pressure from Middle Eastern allies urging more time for negotiations• The show also breaks down rising fears surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and what another major escalation could mean for oil prices, gas prices, and global shipping• Plus: publishers warn the era of “dad books” may be dying as podcasts, YouTube, and short-form media replace massive history books, biographies, and classic airport bookstore nonfictionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Firefighters are working to put out the Sandy Fire in Simi Valley. Allegations of favoritism are splitting Huntington Beach's city council. The results of an investigation into the county's emergency alerts the night of the Eaton Fire. Plus, more from Evening Edition. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

Crews are still working to put out the Sandy Fire in Simi Valley; we'll bring you the latest. We'll talk about the race for L.A. City Council District 9 and why it's one to watch. And tennis legend Billie Jean King is now officially a CSU graduate. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

Ordenan evacuación en Simi Valley mientras el incencio Sandy sigue consumiendo miles de acres. Varios estados están siendo afectados por fuertes tormentas y poderosos tornados. Se investiga como crimen de odio el ataque a una mezquita en San Diego donde fallecieron 5 personas entre las cuales se encuentran los agresores, dos jóvenes de 17 y 19 años.  Un médico estadounidense que trabajaba en el Congo dio positivo a una variante de Ébola para la cual no hay vacuna disponible. Donald Trump anunció la inclusión de más de 600 medicamentos genéricos al sitio gubernamental TrumpRX.

President Trump is defending the $1.7-billion, taxpayer-funded reparations fund the DOJ awarded him for settling his lawsuits against the government he runs ... As fast-moving flames engulf parts of California's Simi Valley, the race is on to get people out of harm's way ... Elon Musk says the fight isn't over yet after losing his OpenAI lawsuit against Sam Altman.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A security guard at an Islamic center in San Diego is being hailed as a hero after stopping a mosque shooting, potentially preventing further harm. Authorities say the guard’s quick actions helped protect worshippers, as the incident raises fresh concerns about security at places of worship. A fast-moving wildfire known as the Sandy Fire is burning in Ventura County near Simi Valley, scorching more than 1,300 acres and forcing widespread evacuations. At least one home has been destroyed, and more than 17,000 residents were ordered to evacuate as crews battle the wind-driven blaze. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A security guard at an Islamic center in San Diego is being hailed as a hero after stopping a mosque shooting, potentially preventing further harm. Authorities say the guard’s quick actions helped protect worshippers, as the incident raises fresh concerns about security at places of worship. A fast-moving wildfire known as the Sandy Fire is burning in Ventura County near Simi Valley, scorching more than 1,300 acres and forcing widespread evacuations. At least one home has been destroyed, and more than 17,000 residents were ordered to evacuate as crews battle the wind-driven blaze. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At least three people were killed Monday following a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego. A fast-moving brush fire fueled by strong winds tore through Simi Valley, California, scorching more than 700 acres, destroying structures and forcing evacuations near schools. And, an American doctor working with a medical missionary organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has tested positive for Ebola and was being taken to Germany for treatment. The WHO declared the outbreak a global health emergency. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Gary & Shannon Show Hour 3 (05.18) – Gary & Shannon spend much of the hour covering the rapidly growing Sandy Fire in Simi Valley as evacuation orders expand, helicopters swarm overhead, and dangerous winds fuel another major Southern California wildfire emergency.• Gary & Shannon deliver breaking updates as the Sandy Fire explodes from under 10 acres to nearly 200 acres in just over an hour near the Reagan Library• Firefighters battle dangerous wind conditions, low humidity, and difficult air attack visibility as evacuation orders and warnings spread through Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks• #WhatsHappening → The show also breaks down the latest on the Iran ceasefire, new Luigi Mangione evidence developments, and Rory McIlroy’s very public “shut the fu&* up” moment at the PGA Championship• Gary & Shannon discuss the growing AI deepfake problem and how online news increasingly feels impossible to trust• Plus: Rancho Park emerges as a shelter location, specialized helicopters are deployed to slow the fire’s growth, and the show wraps by previewing Friday’s Memorial Day Weekend kickoff at Bravery Brewing in LancasterSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sources tell CBS News there were two suspects in the active shooting situation at an Islamic center in San Diego, one of whom is dead. Evacuations underway in Simi Valley due to fast-moving brush fire. President Trump drops $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

El voraz incendio forestal Sandy ya ha consumido cerca de 700 acres en Simi Valley en el condado de Ventura, California. Ya se han dado órdenes de evacuación. Un ataque armado al centro islámico de San Diego, hogar de la mezquita más grande del condado, deja un saldo parcial de 5 personas muertas y 3 víctimas. Los sospechosos son dos jóvenes de 17 y 19 años que habrían inflingido su propia muerte. Un sistema de tormentas tiene a 75 millones de personas en alerta por mal tiempo. Desde Nebraska, Missouri e Illinois hasta el norte de Texas.  Un estudio de Brooking Institution revela que la campaña de deportaciones masivas del gobierno Trump ha causado que más de 200 mil niños hayan sido separados de sus padres.

In this episode of The Talk Spot, we interview Bill Klepper to discuss his volunteer work in Simi Valley, The Cajun Festival, and a lot more. To follow Bill, please go to https://www.facebook.com/william.klepper To visit our website: https://ucaststudios.com/ To visit other podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u-cast-studios/id1448223064 To visit our LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-cast-studios Song: "Orion Canyon" By Insect Surfers

[Full Episode] The squad tackles a messy Homie Helpline for Diego, whose girlfriend has been taking secret jail calls from his "knucklehead" brother to hear him vent about his side pieces behind bars. Between the family crash out the crew investigates Birdman's viral explanation for kissing Lil Wayne on the lips and roasts Nike for claiming that walkers at the Boston Marathon are merely "tolerated". [Edited by @iamdyre

In March 1999, 22-year-old Lindsay Wells was reported missing from her Simi Valley home, where she lived with her fiancé and his mother. Since she was reported missing, police have fielded sightings of Lindsay near a Simi Valley 7-Eleven, buying a train ticket headed to Tijuana, and at Disneyland, but these tips never yielded a lead. Since then, the case developments have included work with a psychic medium, an undercover wire operation, and searches with cadaver dogs. Lindsay remains missing.  Anyone with information can call the Simi Valley Police Department's tip line at 805-583-6911. Special thanks to Allison DuBois and her podcast, The Dead Life.    View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/lindsay-wells Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media. Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuck Twitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuck Facebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllc To support Season of Justice and learn more, please visit seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers.  Instagram: @ashleyflowers TikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkie Twitter: @Ash_Flowers Facebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tim Conway Jr. Hour 4 (4.2) The show goes nationwide with a call from the Great Lakes as Conway breaks down the big Artemis II update and the excitement around the mission going around the Moon. Then things get wild with talk of a possible Bellio vs. Angel Bite Fight cage match and a surprise check-in from Jackie in San Antonio. Later, Conway dives into jet engines being tested in Simi Valley and why food-delivery robots may be more trouble than they’re worth. Add in Costco freebies, the pain of forgetting your food at the drive-thru, and a run through memories of FedCO, and this hour goes everywhere in the best way. Plus, the conversation turns to the Strait of Hormuz, buying liquor at Costco, and all the random, hilarious detours that make the show impossible to turn off. #ArtemisII #NASA #MoonMission #Costco #FoodRobots #SimiValley #BellioVsAngel #BiteFight #GreatLakes #DriveThruFail #LiquorAtCostco #FedCO #TimConwayJr #KFIAM640 #Podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A choice, a trap, and a necklace.By HectorBidon. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.The next morning’s sun found its way in through our porthole once again. We had sorted ourselves out somewhat during the night. I was on my side, tangled in a bit of sheet. She was on her side, tangled in a bit of blanket. I could just make out the pale tan lines on her bottom and her back.We’d become cabin buddies of a different order. At the Jack-and-Ciara level. That’s probably what most people would have assumed all along, but I certainly hadn’t, and I didn’t think that she had either.And yet, here we were.I waited a while for her to wake up, but she didn’t. So I finally got up myself.We’d just passed through the entrance in the seawall at Ensenada and were coming up to our docking site. The pilot, or maybe it was the captain himself, was standing on a little deck that jutted out from the side of the ship to joy-stick our massive vessel precisely up to the pier.Molly was still in bed when I got back. She smiled and went to the bathroom, a little embarrassed to be still naked while I was already dressed. Her pubic hair, I noticed, was trim and attractive.She came out wearing a towel and had her coffee. We checked the day’s schedule. She was delighted to discover that they’d transferred Mrs. Pendergast’s excursion ticket to me.A little later that morning we went ashore. It was a strange sensation, stepping off the gangway into a foreign country. Somehow I expected every little thing to be different and exotic, but the first thing we encountered, sprouting up through a crack in the pavement, was a little tuft of grass. Nothing exotic at all, just plain old grass.Our excursion van was heralded by a woman with a clipboard, a younger, more boisterous, Mexican Denise. There were three other couples in our group and a single unaccompanied woman about Ciara’s age. I took a seat next to the window with Molly beside me with the unaccompanied woman next to her. Her name was Meryl. This was her first real vacation since her divorce. She was really excited to be having such an adventure.We drove through the streets of Ensenada, our guide giving us a bit of local color in her prettily accented English. The scene was at once familiar and strange: traffic and lane markings and stop lights just exactly like at home, but unintelligible store signs in unlikely colors painted directly on pastel stucco walls. Beyond the city were dusty, cactus-strewn hills not unlike the Catalina hinterland.Our destination was a site called the Bufadora, a cleft in the rocky sea cliff where ocean waves sent up enormous geyser-like sprays. The sprays were so high that we got wet even at our vantage point fifty feet above the water.The path back from the observation point was lined with gaudy souvenir shops, like the midway of a county fair. Meryl had tagged along with Molly and me. We stopped at one of the taco stands for lunch.“So how did you guys meet?”Molly didn’t volunteer an answer. "Just here on the cruise, actually,“ I said."Really? See, aren’t cruises great?” Molly gushed.After lunch we went into one of the souvenir shops and Meryl asked our opinion about all the little nick-nacks she wanted to buy. When we got back to the van, I ended up sitting in the middle.“The nicest thing.” she said. “is that every day you make new friends.”We drove back through town, then out into the desert in a different direction to a picturesque winery. We sat around a table on a palm-shaded patio and sampled the different vintages. Meryl chatted on about Simi Valley and the cruise and her ex and the weather and the ship and the people she’d met. She got me to go into the little gift shop with her to help pick out a couple bottles.Molly was quiet at dinner. I had to remind her that we’d made plans to see the comedy show with Meryl.“I’ve got a bit of a headache,” she said. “I think I’ll go back to the room.”Meryl was waiting in the forward theatre. She was sorry to hear about Molly’s headache and put her hand on my arm to convey her concern. The show turned out to be pretty adult-rated, pretty raunchy in fact. Meryl yucked it upAfter the show she suggested we take a spin about the deck. The ship had set sail again and we were just passing the exposed wreck that lies up against the sea wall. Somehow Meryl managed to tuck herself inside my arm.“Wouldn’t you just love to go dancing?” she cooed.“I, uh,  Actually, I’ve kind of got to go now.”“But the night is still young. Meryl rebutted. Let’s at least stop by my room first.”“I’ve got to check on Molly.” I insisted“We can open one of the tequilas.”“Thanks, but,"It’s just that, I was kind of hoping to get lucky tonight.”Christ Almighty. A guy tries to be a gentleman. I didn’t need an etiquette book for this one. I finally managed to pry myself away,When I got back to the room, Molly was in her pajamas, watching TV.“Is your headache any better?” I asked.She didn’t look up from the screen.I sat on the chair and twisted around to see what she was watching. A travelogue of some sort.“You didn’t miss much,” I said. “The show was kind of,”But she leaned in closer to the screen to make it clear that I was interrupting her program. Something about the way the locals made their tortillas.OK. I got the message. She didn’t like the fact that I’d gone to the show with Meryl. I went into the bathroom to pee. I’d only been trying to be polite to a fellow cruise member. Was that a crime? Molly had been there when we’d made the plans. I thought that she’d been trying to be friendly too. That we’d sort of taken Meryl under our wing.I came out of the bathroom a minute later, and sat down on the chair again. The secret to the tortillas, apparently, had something to do with lime juice.“I didn’t expect to see you back here tonight,” Molly said. In a sarcastic tone of voice. As if my presence was an imposition. As if she was sorry she’d ever offered to share the room in the first place.I didn’t even bother to answer. I got undressed, then crawled up onto my side of the bed. Where else was I supposed to go? I got under the blanket and turned toward the bulkhead. A guy tries to be a gentleman. And this is what he gets.I woke up first again, the next morning. I went up on deck. Did she really think that I’d found Meryl even the least bit attractive? She was a fellow shipmate, nothing more. I’d thought that we’d both been trying to be polite to her. Was that a crime?I brought back coffee and a croissant, but Molly was still asleep. Or pretending to be. I banged around a little, but she didn’t budge. Finally I got fed up and left.So here I was again, back to my usual routine, wandering down empty corridors, drifting up little-used gangways, poking around lonely corners where nobody else much ever cared to go. Doing what I probably would have been doing if I’d gotten my single in the first place.I came back to the room around lunch time, but Molly wasn’t there. I wandered up to the pool. Denise was there, chatting with some people. She waved. Meryl was there, stalking about, but I managed to slip away before she saw me. But no Molly.It was a long day. The ship had parked itself out in the middle of the ocean somewhere. Or maybe the rest of the world really had blown itself up and they just hadn’t told us. I eventually ended up back in the little coffee shop at the tail end of the ship. The sky seemed a lot flatter though, the seagulls a lot more listless, my algorithms a lot less interesting. Finally I got up again and trudged back down into the labyrinth.The casino was practically empty. The lower piano bar was closed. The little art gallery was still showing the same old photographs.The gift shop was open. The same lady was behind the counter. What was it that Molly had asked to see? A necklace. It must have been, that one. The lady brought it out. A pair of crystalline dolphins on a slender silver chain. They sparkled in the light.Molly still wasn’t in the room when I got back. This time our towel had been folded into a seal, sunning itself on the bedspread. I moved it a little closer to her pillow and arranged the necklace around its neck.There were still a couple hours until dinner. I thought it might be better if I wasn’t there when she got back.I got to dinner right on time. It was our last night on board, and the dining room was even more boisterous than usual.“Where’s Molly?” asked Ciara.“She had a little headache. She might not be joining us.”Valentin our waiter was really joshing it up, angling for a big end-of-trip tip. He was just taking the drink orders when Molly appeared. She was wearing a pink skirt, a whitish blouse,,  and the necklace. Her eye caught mine as she made her way around the table, but quickly shot away again.Ciara asked her how she was doing. The couple on my other side were there for once. Tom and somebody. He was in air conditioning and gave me the full rundown. It was too noisy for Molly and me to talk, but every time I looked, she was still wearing the necklace.It being our last night, the waiters were going to put on a little show. Just after they passed out the dessert plates they went into a huddle near the service entrance. Molly leaned over.“Do you want to go back to the room?”We got up.“Oh, are you guys going to the revue?” asked Ciara.Molly replied in the louder voice you had to use to make yourself heard. But the room was beginning to quiet down in a hush, as the waiters were taking their places, and so the whole table heard what she said.“Make-up sex.”The table burst into laughter. Molly continued her way out of the room, and I just followed sheepishly behind her.“Can you forgive me?” she asked as we got out into the hallway.“For letting everybody know where we’re going?”“For last night. I’m so sorry for the way I acted. It was my fault. It was all my fault.”“The worst part is, we wasted a whole day,” I remorsed.“We still have tonight.” She tried to assure me.“Yeah. We still have tonight.” I agreed.As soon as we got into the room we fell into each other’s arms.“I love the necklace,” she murmured.“It looks really nice on you.”We kissed and shuffled toward the bed.But my blood was pumping. I was thinking about our wasted day.“Let’s do something first, want to? I pleaded. It’s our last night. Let’s get our money’s worth. Let’s go to the show! Let’s go dancing! Let’s shoot for that royal flush! The bed will still be here when we get back. But let’s make up for some of the things we didn’t do today. Let’s paint the ship red. Okay? Want to? C'mon! Hup hup!”Jack and Ciara were surprised to see us at the theatre.“That was quick,” Ciara said with a look of astonishment.Molly blushed. I put my arm around her and pulled her tight. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”The review was Motown classics, the Supremes, the Four Tops. “You can’t hurry love, no you’ll just have to wait, The whole auditorium was singing along. The girls pulled Jack and me up from our seats to dance in the aisle. "Sugar pie, honeybunch, you know that I love you,Afterwards, the night was balmy, perfect for a stroll on deck. We could see lights off in the distance, the rest of the world was still there after all! We ran into Meryl, wrapped in the arm of a dapper, middle-aged gentleman whose smile was just as smug as hers was. We exchanged pleasantries. She gave us both a little wink.Molly, perhaps I m clueless. Did you have any idea that Meryl was going to try to hit on me? I had to ask.Oh, my God! Molly stared at me. All day long, she was angling for you. I thought you were trying for a threesome, and my fake headache was me forcing you to choose one or the other.What? I thought you and I were just trying to be hospitable; you know, so she d have some friends to socialize with.Well, Molly confessed. I finally figured out that you were completely innocent, but it took me until late afternoon to dispel my worst presumptions.I went to the show, because we told her we d both join her, there. I explained. When you were bedridden with a headache, I assumed it fell on me to go alone, even though I really didn t want to be away from you.Ah, really? That s so sweet! Molly gushed. She gave me a deep kiss right there on the mezzanine. I assumed you went because you wanted another notch on your belt.  I m so, so sorry.Well, when the performance ended, I said I had to head back to you. She did try every diversion. I passed on all of them. Then she flatly told me she was hoping to get lucky with me. I told her I definitely could not accommodate that, and I walked straight back to our room.Oh, I was awful to you! Molly lamented. But I was also right about that slut s intentions, wasn t I? Molly paused, then added; When I finally got over my inner rage, I realized that you didn t come back smelling like cunt. Hell, you didn t even have lipstick smeared on your face.  This afternoon, I finally left my hiding spot, and saw you were heading to dinner, I went to the cabin and saw this beautiful necklace.  I literally cried. I don t deserve you. You don t deserve my juvenile drama. I d planned to skip the dinner, but when I saw the dolphin necklace, I had to come and grovel your forgiveness.You know, Molly I paused. Perhaps I was too clueless, yesterday. Perhaps you were too presuming? Do you think we can both help to balance each other?Oh, I love that! Yes, let s balance each other.The nightclubs were hopping. We wound our way from one to the other, dancing one dance in each. But then we decided to forgo the casino and just head back to the cabin. And sure enough, the bed was still there, right where we’d left it.We kissed. I ran my hands up along her sides, up inside her blouse. She undid my buttons and pulled open my shirt. I fiddled with her skirt and managed to slip it down over the swell of her hips. She unfastened my belt buckle and my button and my zipper. I slid my hands down inside her panties. She slid hers down inside my underpants. We pawed and shucked and kicked off everything that remained. And then she took off the very last thing that she was wearing, the crystalline necklace, and placed it carefully on the nightstand.I backed her down onto the bed. I kissed the pretty spot where the necklace had been, and the spot next to that, and the spot next to that. She lay back and closed her eyes and let herself be kissed.I settled myself down on top of her, stroking her full lovely body with my own, savoring her softness and her excitement, trying to fuse our unfortunate separateness into something more fulfilling. And somehow, in the midst of our kissing and our stroking, my penis must have slid up at just the right angle, and her hips must have been open to just the right degree, and we coupled, as adroitly as if that had been our conscious intention, as naturally as if we were two jungle cats whose lithe jungle bodies just instinctively knew how to fuck.And somewhere in the midst of our coupling we sweetly came, but it was not so much a climax as just a sweet vista point along the way. For just as we hadn’t consciously willed our engagement, neither did we ever willfully disengage, but just eventually nestled more comfortably down beside each other, still caressing, still softly kissing, still sweetly fused.The loudspeaker blasted us awake early the next morning. Our luggage needed to be out in the hallway for pickup by eight o'clock sharp!Molly wriggled a bit deeper under the blanket. "Uh,” she groaned. “Just five more minutes.”I remembered the look on her face, when had it been? just four days ago, when we first learned we might have to share the cabin together. She’d been just as uncertain as I had. But now it was hard to imagine any other arrangement. Her lying in bed beside me, trying to squeeze in a few more minutes of sleep, leaving it up to me to keep track of the time, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.We hadn’t begun to pack yet, but we’d kept things fairly organized. I gave her a generous five minutes, and then I gave her a little nudge. “C'mon, sleepyhead. Up and at um.”She groaned, but she dragged herself out of bed. We were both still naked. I slipped on a pair of boxers, and she put on a T-shirt. It rode up in back, though, so that her pretty bottom kept peeking out as she went around collecting her things and tucking them into her suitcase.“Do you kinda wish that the rest of the world really had blown itself up?” I asked.She was folding one of her bras. “Oh, I don’t know. We’d probably get tired of eating cheesecake eventually.”“They’d run out. Then we’d have to eat whatever it is that Valentin eats.”“He gets cheesecake sometimes, don’t you think? When they have some left over?”“I don’t know. He’s pretty skinny.”“I wonder why Meryl didn’t think of him.”“Yeah. Good question. Wrong table, I suppose.”“I suppose.”I crammed my sports coat in between my shirts and my underwear bag. She gave the zipper of her suitcase a final tug. “Besides,” she said. “Your algorithms would miss you.”I slipped on my trousers and rolled the bags out into the corridor. There were a surprising number of people walking by, and every single one of them gawked into the room as they passed. Nothing is more titillating to a person walking down a stateroom corridor than an open doorway.When I got the door closed again, Molly was sitting up on the bed with the sheet pulled up in front of her and a rather indignant look on her face. What a lot of nerve some people had!I couldn’t help but smile. “I wonder what they thought you were hiding back there.”She rolled her eyebrows.But I was feeling a little playful. The final day’s schedule was lying on the floor. I picked it up and pretended it was an official form.“Customs inspection, Miss, May I see what you’ve got behind that sheet?”She wasn’t so sure she wanted to show me. She coyly raised the sheet a little higher.“That shirt you’re wearing, Miss. Did you purchase it abroad?”She looked down behind the sheet. This old thing?.“Regulations, Miss; It may contain contraband fibers.” I held out my hand. “May I see it please?”She huffed. Bureaucrats! Without letting go of the sheet she wriggled one arm out of its sleeve and then the ot

A choice, a trap, and a necklace.By HectorBidon. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.The next morning’s sun found its way in through our porthole once again. We had sorted ourselves out somewhat during the night. I was on my side, tangled in a bit of sheet. She was on her side, tangled in a bit of blanket. I could just make out the pale tan lines on her bottom and her back.We’d become cabin buddies of a different order. At the Jack-and-Ciara level. That’s probably what most people would have assumed all along, but I certainly hadn’t, and I didn’t think that she had either.And yet, here we were.I waited a while for her to wake up, but she didn’t. So I finally got up myself.We’d just passed through the entrance in the seawall at Ensenada and were coming up to our docking site. The pilot, or maybe it was the captain himself, was standing on a little deck that jutted out from the side of the ship to joy-stick our massive vessel precisely up to the pier.Molly was still in bed when I got back. She smiled and went to the bathroom, a little embarrassed to be still naked while I was already dressed. Her pubic hair, I noticed, was trim and attractive.She came out wearing a towel and had her coffee. We checked the day’s schedule. She was delighted to discover that they’d transferred Mrs. Pendergast’s excursion ticket to me.A little later that morning we went ashore. It was a strange sensation, stepping off the gangway into a foreign country. Somehow I expected every little thing to be different and exotic, but the first thing we encountered, sprouting up through a crack in the pavement, was a little tuft of grass. Nothing exotic at all, just plain old grass.Our excursion van was heralded by a woman with a clipboard, a younger, more boisterous, Mexican Denise. There were three other couples in our group and a single unaccompanied woman about Ciara’s age. I took a seat next to the window with Molly beside me with the unaccompanied woman next to her. Her name was Meryl. This was her first real vacation since her divorce. She was really excited to be having such an adventure.We drove through the streets of Ensenada, our guide giving us a bit of local color in her prettily accented English. The scene was at once familiar and strange: traffic and lane markings and stop lights just exactly like at home, but unintelligible store signs in unlikely colors painted directly on pastel stucco walls. Beyond the city were dusty, cactus-strewn hills not unlike the Catalina hinterland.Our destination was a site called the Bufadora, a cleft in the rocky sea cliff where ocean waves sent up enormous geyser-like sprays. The sprays were so high that we got wet even at our vantage point fifty feet above the water.The path back from the observation point was lined with gaudy souvenir shops, like the midway of a county fair. Meryl had tagged along with Molly and me. We stopped at one of the taco stands for lunch.“So how did you guys meet?”Molly didn’t volunteer an answer. "Just here on the cruise, actually,“ I said."Really? See, aren’t cruises great?” Molly gushed.After lunch we went into one of the souvenir shops and Meryl asked our opinion about all the little nick-nacks she wanted to buy. When we got back to the van, I ended up sitting in the middle.“The nicest thing.” she said. “is that every day you make new friends.”We drove back through town, then out into the desert in a different direction to a picturesque winery. We sat around a table on a palm-shaded patio and sampled the different vintages. Meryl chatted on about Simi Valley and the cruise and her ex and the weather and the ship and the people she’d met. She got me to go into the little gift shop with her to help pick out a couple bottles.Molly was quiet at dinner. I had to remind her that we’d made plans to see the comedy show with Meryl.“I’ve got a bit of a headache,” she said. “I think I’ll go back to the room.”Meryl was waiting in the forward theatre. She was sorry to hear about Molly’s headache and put her hand on my arm to convey her concern. The show turned out to be pretty adult-rated, pretty raunchy in fact. Meryl yucked it upAfter the show she suggested we take a spin about the deck. The ship had set sail again and we were just passing the exposed wreck that lies up against the sea wall. Somehow Meryl managed to tuck herself inside my arm.“Wouldn’t you just love to go dancing?” she cooed.“I, uh,  Actually, I’ve kind of got to go now.”“But the night is still young. Meryl rebutted. Let’s at least stop by my room first.”“I’ve got to check on Molly.” I insisted“We can open one of the tequilas.”“Thanks, but,"It’s just that, I was kind of hoping to get lucky tonight.”Christ Almighty. A guy tries to be a gentleman. I didn’t need an etiquette book for this one. I finally managed to pry myself away,When I got back to the room, Molly was in her pajamas, watching TV.“Is your headache any better?” I asked.She didn’t look up from the screen.I sat on the chair and twisted around to see what she was watching. A travelogue of some sort.“You didn’t miss much,” I said. “The show was kind of,”But she leaned in closer to the screen to make it clear that I was interrupting her program. Something about the way the locals made their tortillas.OK. I got the message. She didn’t like the fact that I’d gone to the show with Meryl. I went into the bathroom to pee. I’d only been trying to be polite to a fellow cruise member. Was that a crime? Molly had been there when we’d made the plans. I thought that she’d been trying to be friendly too. That we’d sort of taken Meryl under our wing.I came out of the bathroom a minute later, and sat down on the chair again. The secret to the tortillas, apparently, had something to do with lime juice.“I didn’t expect to see you back here tonight,” Molly said. In a sarcastic tone of voice. As if my presence was an imposition. As if she was sorry she’d ever offered to share the room in the first place.I didn’t even bother to answer. I got undressed, then crawled up onto my side of the bed. Where else was I supposed to go? I got under the blanket and turned toward the bulkhead. A guy tries to be a gentleman. And this is what he gets.I woke up first again, the next morning. I went up on deck. Did she really think that I’d found Meryl even the least bit attractive? She was a fellow shipmate, nothing more. I’d thought that we’d both been trying to be polite to her. Was that a crime?I brought back coffee and a croissant, but Molly was still asleep. Or pretending to be. I banged around a little, but she didn’t budge. Finally I got fed up and left.So here I was again, back to my usual routine, wandering down empty corridors, drifting up little-used gangways, poking around lonely corners where nobody else much ever cared to go. Doing what I probably would have been doing if I’d gotten my single in the first place.I came back to the room around lunch time, but Molly wasn’t there. I wandered up to the pool. Denise was there, chatting with some people. She waved. Meryl was there, stalking about, but I managed to slip away before she saw me. But no Molly.It was a long day. The ship had parked itself out in the middle of the ocean somewhere. Or maybe the rest of the world really had blown itself up and they just hadn’t told us. I eventually ended up back in the little coffee shop at the tail end of the ship. The sky seemed a lot flatter though, the seagulls a lot more listless, my algorithms a lot less interesting. Finally I got up again and trudged back down into the labyrinth.The casino was practically empty. The lower piano bar was closed. The little art gallery was still showing the same old photographs.The gift shop was open. The same lady was behind the counter. What was it that Molly had asked to see? A necklace. It must have been, that one. The lady brought it out. A pair of crystalline dolphins on a slender silver chain. They sparkled in the light.Molly still wasn’t in the room when I got back. This time our towel had been folded into a seal, sunning itself on the bedspread. I moved it a little closer to her pillow and arranged the necklace around its neck.There were still a couple hours until dinner. I thought it might be better if I wasn’t there when she got back.I got to dinner right on time. It was our last night on board, and the dining room was even more boisterous than usual.“Where’s Molly?” asked Ciara.“She had a little headache. She might not be joining us.”Valentin our waiter was really joshing it up, angling for a big end-of-trip tip. He was just taking the drink orders when Molly appeared. She was wearing a pink skirt, a whitish blouse,,  and the necklace. Her eye caught mine as she made her way around the table, but quickly shot away again.Ciara asked her how she was doing. The couple on my other side were there for once. Tom and somebody. He was in air conditioning and gave me the full rundown. It was too noisy for Molly and me to talk, but every time I looked, she was still wearing the necklace.It being our last night, the waiters were going to put on a little show. Just after they passed out the dessert plates they went into a huddle near the service entrance. Molly leaned over.“Do you want to go back to the room?”We got up.“Oh, are you guys going to the revue?” asked Ciara.Molly replied in the louder voice you had to use to make yourself heard. But the room was beginning to quiet down in a hush, as the waiters were taking their places, and so the whole table heard what she said.“Make-up sex.”The table burst into laughter. Molly continued her way out of the room, and I just followed sheepishly behind her.“Can you forgive me?” she asked as we got out into the hallway.“For letting everybody know where we’re going?”“For last night. I’m so sorry for the way I acted. It was my fault. It was all my fault.”“The worst part is, we wasted a whole day,” I remorsed.“We still have tonight.” She tried to assure me.“Yeah. We still have tonight.” I agreed.As soon as we got into the room we fell into each other’s arms.“I love the necklace,” she murmured.“It looks really nice on you.”We kissed and shuffled toward the bed.But my blood was pumping. I was thinking about our wasted day.“Let’s do something first, want to? I pleaded. It’s our last night. Let’s get our money’s worth. Let’s go to the show! Let’s go dancing! Let’s shoot for that royal flush! The bed will still be here when we get back. But let’s make up for some of the things we didn’t do today. Let’s paint the ship red. Okay? Want to? C'mon! Hup hup!”Jack and Ciara were surprised to see us at the theatre.“That was quick,” Ciara said with a look of astonishment.Molly blushed. I put my arm around her and pulled her tight. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”The review was Motown classics, the Supremes, the Four Tops. “You can’t hurry love, no you’ll just have to wait, The whole auditorium was singing along. The girls pulled Jack and me up from our seats to dance in the aisle. "Sugar pie, honeybunch, you know that I love you,Afterwards, the night was balmy, perfect for a stroll on deck. We could see lights off in the distance, the rest of the world was still there after all! We ran into Meryl, wrapped in the arm of a dapper, middle-aged gentleman whose smile was just as smug as hers was. We exchanged pleasantries. She gave us both a little wink.Molly, perhaps I m clueless. Did you have any idea that Meryl was going to try to hit on me? I had to ask.Oh, my God! Molly stared at me. All day long, she was angling for you. I thought you were trying for a threesome, and my fake headache was me forcing you to choose one or the other.What? I thought you and I were just trying to be hospitable; you know, so she d have some friends to socialize with.Well, Molly confessed. I finally figured out that you were completely innocent, but it took me until late afternoon to dispel my worst presumptions.I went to the show, because we told her we d both join her, there. I explained. When you were bedridden with a headache, I assumed it fell on me to go alone, even though I really didn t want to be away from you.Ah, really? That s so sweet! Molly gushed. She gave me a deep kiss right there on the mezzanine. I assumed you went because you wanted another notch on your belt.  I m so, so sorry.Well, when the performance ended, I said I had to head back to you. She did try every diversion. I passed on all of them. Then she flatly told me she was hoping to get lucky with me. I told her I definitely could not accommodate that, and I walked straight back to our room.Oh, I was awful to you! Molly lamented. But I was also right about that slut s intentions, wasn t I? Molly paused, then added; When I finally got over my inner rage, I realized that you didn t come back smelling like cunt. Hell, you didn t even have lipstick smeared on your face.  This afternoon, I finally left my hiding spot, and saw you were heading to dinner, I went to the cabin and saw this beautiful necklace.  I literally cried. I don t deserve you. You don t deserve my juvenile drama. I d planned to skip the dinner, but when I saw the dolphin necklace, I had to come and grovel your forgiveness.You know, Molly I paused. Perhaps I was too clueless, yesterday. Perhaps you were too presuming? Do you think we can both help to balance each other?Oh, I love that! Yes, let s balance each other.The nightclubs were hopping. We wound our way from one to the other, dancing one dance in each. But then we decided to forgo the casino and just head back to the cabin. And sure enough, the bed was still there, right where we’d left it.We kissed. I ran my hands up along her sides, up inside her blouse. She undid my buttons and pulled open my shirt. I fiddled with her skirt and managed to slip it down over the swell of her hips. She unfastened my belt buckle and my button and my zipper. I slid my hands down inside her panties. She slid hers down inside my underpants. We pawed and shucked and kicked off everything that remained. And then she took off the very last thing that she was wearing, the crystalline necklace, and placed it carefully on the nightstand.I backed her down onto the bed. I kissed the pretty spot where the necklace had been, and the spot next to that, and the spot next to that. She lay back and closed her eyes and let herself be kissed.I settled myself down on top of her, stroking her full lovely body with my own, savoring her softness and her excitement, trying to fuse our unfortunate separateness into something more fulfilling. And somehow, in the midst of our kissing and our stroking, my penis must have slid up at just the right angle, and her hips must have been open to just the right degree, and we coupled, as adroitly as if that had been our conscious intention, as naturally as if we were two jungle cats whose lithe jungle bodies just instinctively knew how to fuck.And somewhere in the midst of our coupling we sweetly came, but it was not so much a climax as just a sweet vista point along the way. For just as we hadn’t consciously willed our engagement, neither did we ever willfully disengage, but just eventually nestled more comfortably down beside each other, still caressing, still softly kissing, still sweetly fused.The loudspeaker blasted us awake early the next morning. Our luggage needed to be out in the hallway for pickup by eight o'clock sharp!Molly wriggled a bit deeper under the blanket. "Uh,” she groaned. “Just five more minutes.”I remembered the look on her face, when had it been? just four days ago, when we first learned we might have to share the cabin together. She’d been just as uncertain as I had. But now it was hard to imagine any other arrangement. Her lying in bed beside me, trying to squeeze in a few more minutes of sleep, leaving it up to me to keep track of the time, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.We hadn’t begun to pack yet, but we’d kept things fairly organized. I gave her a generous five minutes, and then I gave her a little nudge. “C'mon, sleepyhead. Up and at um.”She groaned, but she dragged herself out of bed. We were both still naked. I slipped on a pair of boxers, and she put on a T-shirt. It rode up in back, though, so that her pretty bottom kept peeking out as she went around collecting her things and tucking them into her suitcase.“Do you kinda wish that the rest of the world really had blown itself up?” I asked.She was folding one of her bras. “Oh, I don’t know. We’d probably get tired of eating cheesecake eventually.”“They’d run out. Then we’d have to eat whatever it is that Valentin eats.”“He gets cheesecake sometimes, don’t you think? When they have some left over?”“I don’t know. He’s pretty skinny.”“I wonder why Meryl didn’t think of him.”“Yeah. Good question. Wrong table, I suppose.”“I suppose.”I crammed my sports coat in between my shirts and my underwear bag. She gave the zipper of her suitcase a final tug. “Besides,” she said. “Your algorithms would miss you.”I slipped on my trousers and rolled the bags out into the corridor. There were a surprising number of people walking by, and every single one of them gawked into the room as they passed. Nothing is more titillating to a person walking down a stateroom corridor than an open doorway.When I got the door closed again, Molly was sitting up on the bed with the sheet pulled up in front of her and a rather indignant look on her face. What a lot of nerve some people had!I couldn’t help but smile. “I wonder what they thought you were hiding back there.”She rolled her eyebrows.But I was feeling a little playful. The final day’s schedule was lying on the floor. I picked it up and pretended it was an official form.“Customs inspection, Miss, May I see what you’ve got behind that sheet?”She wasn’t so sure she wanted to show me. She coyly raised the sheet a little higher.“That shirt you’re wearing, Miss. Did you purchase it abroad?”She looked down behind the sheet. This old thing?.“Regulations, Miss; It may contain contraband fibers.” I held out my hand. “May I see it please?”She huffed. Bureaucrats! Without letting go of the sheet she wriggled one arm out of its sleeve and then the ot

A choice, a trap, and a necklace.By HectorBidon. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.The next morning’s sun found its way in through our porthole once again. We had sorted ourselves out somewhat during the night. I was on my side, tangled in a bit of sheet. She was on her side, tangled in a bit of blanket. I could just make out the pale tan lines on her bottom and her back.We’d become cabin buddies of a different order. At the Jack-and-Ciara level. That’s probably what most people would have assumed all along, but I certainly hadn’t, and I didn’t think that she had either.And yet, here we were.I waited a while for her to wake up, but she didn’t. So I finally got up myself.We’d just passed through the entrance in the seawall at Ensenada and were coming up to our docking site. The pilot, or maybe it was the captain himself, was standing on a little deck that jutted out from the side of the ship to joy-stick our massive vessel precisely up to the pier.Molly was still in bed when I got back. She smiled and went to the bathroom, a little embarrassed to be still naked while I was already dressed. Her pubic hair, I noticed, was trim and attractive.She came out wearing a towel and had her coffee. We checked the day’s schedule. She was delighted to discover that they’d transferred Mrs. Pendergast’s excursion ticket to me.A little later that morning we went ashore. It was a strange sensation, stepping off the gangway into a foreign country. Somehow I expected every little thing to be different and exotic, but the first thing we encountered, sprouting up through a crack in the pavement, was a little tuft of grass. Nothing exotic at all, just plain old grass.Our excursion van was heralded by a woman with a clipboard, a younger, more boisterous, Mexican Denise. There were three other couples in our group and a single unaccompanied woman about Ciara’s age. I took a seat next to the window with Molly beside me with the unaccompanied woman next to her. Her name was Meryl. This was her first real vacation since her divorce. She was really excited to be having such an adventure.We drove through the streets of Ensenada, our guide giving us a bit of local color in her prettily accented English. The scene was at once familiar and strange: traffic and lane markings and stop lights just exactly like at home, but unintelligible store signs in unlikely colors painted directly on pastel stucco walls. Beyond the city were dusty, cactus-strewn hills not unlike the Catalina hinterland.Our destination was a site called the Bufadora, a cleft in the rocky sea cliff where ocean waves sent up enormous geyser-like sprays. The sprays were so high that we got wet even at our vantage point fifty feet above the water.The path back from the observation point was lined with gaudy souvenir shops, like the midway of a county fair. Meryl had tagged along with Molly and me. We stopped at one of the taco stands for lunch.“So how did you guys meet?”Molly didn’t volunteer an answer. "Just here on the cruise, actually,“ I said."Really? See, aren’t cruises great?” Molly gushed.After lunch we went into one of the souvenir shops and Meryl asked our opinion about all the little nick-nacks she wanted to buy. When we got back to the van, I ended up sitting in the middle.“The nicest thing.” she said. “is that every day you make new friends.”We drove back through town, then out into the desert in a different direction to a picturesque winery. We sat around a table on a palm-shaded patio and sampled the different vintages. Meryl chatted on about Simi Valley and the cruise and her ex and the weather and the ship and the people she’d met. She got me to go into the little gift shop with her to help pick out a couple bottles.Molly was quiet at dinner. I had to remind her that we’d made plans to see the comedy show with Meryl.“I’ve got a bit of a headache,” she said. “I think I’ll go back to the room.”Meryl was waiting in the forward theatre. She was sorry to hear about Molly’s headache and put her hand on my arm to convey her concern. The show turned out to be pretty adult-rated, pretty raunchy in fact. Meryl yucked it upAfter the show she suggested we take a spin about the deck. The ship had set sail again and we were just passing the exposed wreck that lies up against the sea wall. Somehow Meryl managed to tuck herself inside my arm.“Wouldn’t you just love to go dancing?” she cooed.“I, uh,  Actually, I’ve kind of got to go now.”“But the night is still young. Meryl rebutted. Let’s at least stop by my room first.”“I’ve got to check on Molly.” I insisted“We can open one of the tequilas.”“Thanks, but,"It’s just that, I was kind of hoping to get lucky tonight.”Christ Almighty. A guy tries to be a gentleman. I didn’t need an etiquette book for this one. I finally managed to pry myself away,When I got back to the room, Molly was in her pajamas, watching TV.“Is your headache any better?” I asked.She didn’t look up from the screen.I sat on the chair and twisted around to see what she was watching. A travelogue of some sort.“You didn’t miss much,” I said. “The show was kind of,”But she leaned in closer to the screen to make it clear that I was interrupting her program. Something about the way the locals made their tortillas.OK. I got the message. She didn’t like the fact that I’d gone to the show with Meryl. I went into the bathroom to pee. I’d only been trying to be polite to a fellow cruise member. Was that a crime? Molly had been there when we’d made the plans. I thought that she’d been trying to be friendly too. That we’d sort of taken Meryl under our wing.I came out of the bathroom a minute later, and sat down on the chair again. The secret to the tortillas, apparently, had something to do with lime juice.“I didn’t expect to see you back here tonight,” Molly said. In a sarcastic tone of voice. As if my presence was an imposition. As if she was sorry she’d ever offered to share the room in the first place.I didn’t even bother to answer. I got undressed, then crawled up onto my side of the bed. Where else was I supposed to go? I got under the blanket and turned toward the bulkhead. A guy tries to be a gentleman. And this is what he gets.I woke up first again, the next morning. I went up on deck. Did she really think that I’d found Meryl even the least bit attractive? She was a fellow shipmate, nothing more. I’d thought that we’d both been trying to be polite to her. Was that a crime?I brought back coffee and a croissant, but Molly was still asleep. Or pretending to be. I banged around a little, but she didn’t budge. Finally I got fed up and left.So here I was again, back to my usual routine, wandering down empty corridors, drifting up little-used gangways, poking around lonely corners where nobody else much ever cared to go. Doing what I probably would have been doing if I’d gotten my single in the first place.I came back to the room around lunch time, but Molly wasn’t there. I wandered up to the pool. Denise was there, chatting with some people. She waved. Meryl was there, stalking about, but I managed to slip away before she saw me. But no Molly.It was a long day. The ship had parked itself out in the middle of the ocean somewhere. Or maybe the rest of the world really had blown itself up and they just hadn’t told us. I eventually ended up back in the little coffee shop at the tail end of the ship. The sky seemed a lot flatter though, the seagulls a lot more listless, my algorithms a lot less interesting. Finally I got up again and trudged back down into the labyrinth.The casino was practically empty. The lower piano bar was closed. The little art gallery was still showing the same old photographs.The gift shop was open. The same lady was behind the counter. What was it that Molly had asked to see? A necklace. It must have been, that one. The lady brought it out. A pair of crystalline dolphins on a slender silver chain. They sparkled in the light.Molly still wasn’t in the room when I got back. This time our towel had been folded into a seal, sunning itself on the bedspread. I moved it a little closer to her pillow and arranged the necklace around its neck.There were still a couple hours until dinner. I thought it might be better if I wasn’t there when she got back.I got to dinner right on time. It was our last night on board, and the dining room was even more boisterous than usual.“Where’s Molly?” asked Ciara.“She had a little headache. She might not be joining us.”Valentin our waiter was really joshing it up, angling for a big end-of-trip tip. He was just taking the drink orders when Molly appeared. She was wearing a pink skirt, a whitish blouse,,  and the necklace. Her eye caught mine as she made her way around the table, but quickly shot away again.Ciara asked her how she was doing. The couple on my other side were there for once. Tom and somebody. He was in air conditioning and gave me the full rundown. It was too noisy for Molly and me to talk, but every time I looked, she was still wearing the necklace.It being our last night, the waiters were going to put on a little show. Just after they passed out the dessert plates they went into a huddle near the service entrance. Molly leaned over.“Do you want to go back to the room?”We got up.“Oh, are you guys going to the revue?” asked Ciara.Molly replied in the louder voice you had to use to make yourself heard. But the room was beginning to quiet down in a hush, as the waiters were taking their places, and so the whole table heard what she said.“Make-up sex.”The table burst into laughter. Molly continued her way out of the room, and I just followed sheepishly behind her.“Can you forgive me?” she asked as we got out into the hallway.“For letting everybody know where we’re going?”“For last night. I’m so sorry for the way I acted. It was my fault. It was all my fault.”“The worst part is, we wasted a whole day,” I remorsed.“We still have tonight.” She tried to assure me.“Yeah. We still have tonight.” I agreed.As soon as we got into the room we fell into each other’s arms.“I love the necklace,” she murmured.“It looks really nice on you.”We kissed and shuffled toward the bed.But my blood was pumping. I was thinking about our wasted day.“Let’s do something first, want to? I pleaded. It’s our last night. Let’s get our money’s worth. Let’s go to the show! Let’s go dancing! Let’s shoot for that royal flush! The bed will still be here when we get back. But let’s make up for some of the things we didn’t do today. Let’s paint the ship red. Okay? Want to? C'mon! Hup hup!”Jack and Ciara were surprised to see us at the theatre.“That was quick,” Ciara said with a look of astonishment.Molly blushed. I put my arm around her and pulled her tight. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”The review was Motown classics, the Supremes, the Four Tops. “You can’t hurry love, no you’ll just have to wait, The whole auditorium was singing along. The girls pulled Jack and me up from our seats to dance in the aisle. "Sugar pie, honeybunch, you know that I love you,Afterwards, the night was balmy, perfect for a stroll on deck. We could see lights off in the distance, the rest of the world was still there after all! We ran into Meryl, wrapped in the arm of a dapper, middle-aged gentleman whose smile was just as smug as hers was. We exchanged pleasantries. She gave us both a little wink.Molly, perhaps I m clueless. Did you have any idea that Meryl was going to try to hit on me? I had to ask.Oh, my God! Molly stared at me. All day long, she was angling for you. I thought you were trying for a threesome, and my fake headache was me forcing you to choose one or the other.What? I thought you and I were just trying to be hospitable; you know, so she d have some friends to socialize with.Well, Molly confessed. I finally figured out that you were completely innocent, but it took me until late afternoon to dispel my worst presumptions.I went to the show, because we told her we d both join her, there. I explained. When you were bedridden with a headache, I assumed it fell on me to go alone, even though I really didn t want to be away from you.Ah, really? That s so sweet! Molly gushed. She gave me a deep kiss right there on the mezzanine. I assumed you went because you wanted another notch on your belt.  I m so, so sorry.Well, when the performance ended, I said I had to head back to you. She did try every diversion. I passed on all of them. Then she flatly told me she was hoping to get lucky with me. I told her I definitely could not accommodate that, and I walked straight back to our room.Oh, I was awful to you! Molly lamented. But I was also right about that slut s intentions, wasn t I? Molly paused, then added; When I finally got over my inner rage, I realized that you didn t come back smelling like cunt. Hell, you didn t even have lipstick smeared on your face.  This afternoon, I finally left my hiding spot, and saw you were heading to dinner, I went to the cabin and saw this beautiful necklace.  I literally cried. I don t deserve you. You don t deserve my juvenile drama. I d planned to skip the dinner, but when I saw the dolphin necklace, I had to come and grovel your forgiveness.You know, Molly I paused. Perhaps I was too clueless, yesterday. Perhaps you were too presuming? Do you think we can both help to balance each other?Oh, I love that! Yes, let s balance each other.The nightclubs were hopping. We wound our way from one to the other, dancing one dance in each. But then we decided to forgo the casino and just head back to the cabin. And sure enough, the bed was still there, right where we’d left it.We kissed. I ran my hands up along her sides, up inside her blouse. She undid my buttons and pulled open my shirt. I fiddled with her skirt and managed to slip it down over the swell of her hips. She unfastened my belt buckle and my button and my zipper. I slid my hands down inside her panties. She slid hers down inside my underpants. We pawed and shucked and kicked off everything that remained. And then she took off the very last thing that she was wearing, the crystalline necklace, and placed it carefully on the nightstand.I backed her down onto the bed. I kissed the pretty spot where the necklace had been, and the spot next to that, and the spot next to that. She lay back and closed her eyes and let herself be kissed.I settled myself down on top of her, stroking her full lovely body with my own, savoring her softness and her excitement, trying to fuse our unfortunate separateness into something more fulfilling. And somehow, in the midst of our kissing and our stroking, my penis must have slid up at just the right angle, and her hips must have been open to just the right degree, and we coupled, as adroitly as if that had been our conscious intention, as naturally as if we were two jungle cats whose lithe jungle bodies just instinctively knew how to fuck.And somewhere in the midst of our coupling we sweetly came, but it was not so much a climax as just a sweet vista point along the way. For just as we hadn’t consciously willed our engagement, neither did we ever willfully disengage, but just eventually nestled more comfortably down beside each other, still caressing, still softly kissing, still sweetly fused.The loudspeaker blasted us awake early the next morning. Our luggage needed to be out in the hallway for pickup by eight o'clock sharp!Molly wriggled a bit deeper under the blanket. "Uh,” she groaned. “Just five more minutes.”I remembered the look on her face, when had it been? just four days ago, when we first learned we might have to share the cabin together. She’d been just as uncertain as I had. But now it was hard to imagine any other arrangement. Her lying in bed beside me, trying to squeeze in a few more minutes of sleep, leaving it up to me to keep track of the time, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.We hadn’t begun to pack yet, but we’d kept things fairly organized. I gave her a generous five minutes, and then I gave her a little nudge. “C'mon, sleepyhead. Up and at um.”She groaned, but she dragged herself out of bed. We were both still naked. I slipped on a pair of boxers, and she put on a T-shirt. It rode up in back, though, so that her pretty bottom kept peeking out as she went around collecting her things and tucking them into her suitcase.“Do you kinda wish that the rest of the world really had blown itself up?” I asked.She was folding one of her bras. “Oh, I don’t know. We’d probably get tired of eating cheesecake eventually.”“They’d run out. Then we’d have to eat whatever it is that Valentin eats.”“He gets cheesecake sometimes, don’t you think? When they have some left over?”“I don’t know. He’s pretty skinny.”“I wonder why Meryl didn’t think of him.”“Yeah. Good question. Wrong table, I suppose.”“I suppose.”I crammed my sports coat in between my shirts and my underwear bag. She gave the zipper of her suitcase a final tug. “Besides,” she said. “Your algorithms would miss you.”I slipped on my trousers and rolled the bags out into the corridor. There were a surprising number of people walking by, and every single one of them gawked into the room as they passed. Nothing is more titillating to a person walking down a stateroom corridor than an open doorway.When I got the door closed again, Molly was sitting up on the bed with the sheet pulled up in front of her and a rather indignant look on her face. What a lot of nerve some people had!I couldn’t help but smile. “I wonder what they thought you were hiding back there.”She rolled her eyebrows.But I was feeling a little playful. The final day’s schedule was lying on the floor. I picked it up and pretended it was an official form.“Customs inspection, Miss, May I see what you’ve got behind that sheet?”She wasn’t so sure she wanted to show me. She coyly raised the sheet a little higher.“That shirt you’re wearing, Miss. Did you purchase it abroad?”She looked down behind the sheet. This old thing?.“Regulations, Miss; It may contain contraband fibers.” I held out my hand. “May I see it please?”She huffed. Bureaucrats! Without letting go of the sheet she wriggled one arm out of its sleeve and then the ot

Carburetors have long been one of the very first performance upgrades people make to their classic Volkswagens. But with so many choices out there—Weber DCNFs, IDAs, IDFs, and the various Dellorto options in 36, 40, and 45mm—it can be hard to know which setup is right for your engine. In this episode, we sit down with Rick Hunt of Rick Hunt Industries, a man who rebuilds carburetors every single day. Rick has been part of the Volkswagen scene since the mid-1980s, when he started working at a VW shop in Simi Valley. There he learned mechanical work, engine rebuilding, and eventually developed a specialty in carburetors—something he's become widely known for throughout the VW community. Today, Rick rebuilds carburetors for professional engine builders and enthusiasts alike. His deep knowledge of Weber and Dellorto carburetors helps people choose the right setup for their engine combination and get the most performance out of their dual-carb systems. We talk about the differences between popular carburetor models, common mistakes people make when selecting carbs, and what information you should provide when sending your carburetors in for a rebuild. The more details you give, the better the end result when you receive those freshly rebuilt Webers back. If you've ever wondered which carburetor setup is right for your VW—or how to get the most performance and drivability out of your dual carbs—this episode is packed with practical tips and real-world knowledge from someone who's been doing it for nearly 40 years.   Heres a link to one of Georges videos on Syncronizig carburators https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f5E1oZyajw&t=26s  

For our first episode about environmental issues in California, we sat down and interviewed Melissa and Jeni, the founders of Parents Against Santa Susana Field Lab. This is a 5013C organization dedicated to the environmental clean up of the notorious Santa Santa Field Lab located in the Simi Valley hills of Southern California. For decades, rocket tests were performed, and nuclear contamination spread into the air downwind into communities like Canoga Park and Chatsworth, and runoff has also spread into the water supply. https://parentsagainstssfl.com/95% of Boeing's contamination may remain onsite according to independent analysis.85% of Boeing's soil may be misclassified as non-hazardous and taken to Simi LandfillPotentially inadequate dust mitigation measures during excavation this summer could increase the risk of fugitive dust from the contaminated site Sources: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/investi...https://thebulletin.org/2019/02/a-fai...  / inside-americas-secret-chernobyl-the-radio...  https://www.reuters.com/article/busin...https://www.latimes.com/environment/n...

EPISODE 680 - John Newton - Historical science fiction, a stone that heals anything, look-alikes, and time travelers losing their toolsAbout John NewtonBorn in Simi Valley, California, John Newton attended twelve different schools until he finally got it right and was graduated from a high school on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The Cypriots soon realized it was in their national interest to ship John back to the United States. He meandered through college until the administration bribed him to leave with two apparently contradictory degrees: Theology and Electrical Engineering. He is currently working as an electrical engineer, robotics programmer, landlord, part time farmer, and father of seven. Sometimes he even writes a thing or two.John Newton is the author of historical science fiction based on questions like:What would you do with a stone that heals anything?If you could look like anyone, who would it be?What happens when time travelers lose their tools?https://newtonscifi.com/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

In this episode of Building the Base, Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula sit down with Ken Bedingfield, Chief Financial Officer and President of Missile Solutions at L3Harris. This episode was recorded on December 6, 2025 at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, CA. Ken discusses his journey across the defense industrial base, from leadership at a traditional prime to serving as the 20th employee and CEO at venture-backed counter-UAS startup Epirus, to his current dual role at L3Harris. The conversation explores the fundamental shift from requirements-driven to capacity-driven defense strategy, and examines how L3Harris operates as the "tweener" between traditional primes and startups by making decisions in days rather than weeks.Five key takeaways from today's episode:Defense has shifted from requirements to capacity: The industry is moving away from chasing the last bit of capability or technology toward building production capacity at scale. Capacity itself has become a deterrent, driven by recognition of current conflicts and the real-world depletion of munitions stockpiles.Commercial contracting models benefit traditional primes too: L3Harris already derives 20% of sales through commercial models and strongly supports acquisition reform including eliminating cost accounting standards, reducing requirements, and expanding commerciality definitions; reforms often assumed to benefit only new entrants.Solid rocket motor production faces unique scaling challenges: Aerojet Rocketdyne's Camden, Arkansas facility spans 2,500 acres with 200 buildings and highly specialized regulations around explosive loads, storage, and safety. Scaling production requires understanding these complexities, suggesting new entrants should consider partnerships rather than building parallel capacity.Successful partnerships require mission alignment over technology hype: L3Harris positions itself as "connective tissue" between technology and mission capability. For example, partnering with Palantir to integrate AI into world-class electro-optic sensors rather than trying to build computer vision capabilities in-house. The key question for partnerships is "are we moving fast enough?"Public companies can innovate with the right focus: L3Harris has self-funded R&D in communications for 20 years without charging the government, and is transitioning other product lines to similar commercial models. While managing quarterly earnings and public market expectations isn't easy, publicly traded companies can find creative ways to invest and move at speed.Claude is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

Pre-recorded from Simi Valley, it's RDR Live! Third time's not quite the charm, but the night is nearly saved by Michelle's towel acting. Then it's a zoo on the runway, and a good night for at least one of the Dions. Meanwhile Brian almost bites it before Mandy Mango is told she can go.Become a Matreon at the Sister Mary level to get access to Season 6 of Canada's Drag Race, plus brackets, movie reviews and past seasons of US Drag Race, UK, Canada, Down Under, Espana, Global All Stars, Philippines and more.Join us at our OnlyMary's level for our recaps of Season 4 & 5 of Drag Race plus even more movie reviews, brackets, and deep dives into our personal lives!Patreon: www.patreon.com/alrightmaryEmail: alrightmarypodcast@gmail.comInstagram: @alrightmarypodJohnny: @johnnyalso (Instagram)Colin: @colindrucker_ (Instagram)Web: www.alrightmary.com    

In this episode of Building the Base, Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula sit down with Paul Kwan, Managing Director at General Catalyst, where he leads the global resilience investment team, recorded live at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley. Paul traces his path from reading The Hunt for Red October in sixth grade to becoming one of the original defense tech VCs, and walks through what venture capital actually is and how it differs from private equity. He discusses General Catalyst's 25 years in the space, including backing Anduril early on, and explains how private capital funds R&D for the next generation of defense companies. The conversation covers the economics of VC, common misconceptions about venture capital and technology development, and Paul's reaction to Secretary Hegseth's acquisition reform speech.Five key takeaways from today's episode:Venture capital funds operate on 10-year timeframes compared to private equity's typical 5-7 year windows—a structural difference that allows VCs to take a longer-term approach while defense companies work through the challenges of manufacturing hardware at scale.Private investors fund R&D upfront in the venture model, betting that a small percentage of portfolio companies will become large enough to go public or get acquired, a different approach than traditional models where government funded product development from the start.Re-industrialization requires investment across the entire industrial stack. Beyond defense platforms, success depends on building out manufacturing software, testing infrastructure, electronic supply chains, and energy systems to enable production at the speed and cost needed.Large fundraises reflect market confidence in future contract awards. When VCs invest significant capital, they're anticipating that government contracts will follow. If those contracts don't materialize, it creates challenges for the innovation ecosystem that funded product development.First-of-its-kind defense tech business models represent new market categories. These companies may be valued differently than traditional defense contractors, similar to how technology disruptors in other industries trade at different multiples than legacy incumbents in their sectors.

In this episode of Building the Base, Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula sit down with Matthew Steckman, President and Chief Business Officer of Anduril Industries, recorded live at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley. Matt discusses his path from being among the first dozen employees at Palantir's DC office to co-founding Anduril, which has grown from operating out of his backyard shed in 2017 to a 7,000-person international company with over 20 product lines. The conversation covers the founding team's decision to enter defense technology when venture capital investment in the sector was effectively prohibited, and examines the operational challenges of scaling both product development and manufacturing.Five key takeaways from today's episode:The defense investment landscape has shifted dramatically since 2017: When Anduril launched, venture capital firms had bylaws explicitly prohibiting defense investments, reflecting a broader belief that major conflicts were unlikely. Those restrictions have since been removed as the strategic environment changed.Successful defense tech requires focus on difficult capability gaps: Matt advises founders to identify problems the government needs solved but cannot source from traditional contractors, maintain discipline around product roadmap, and avoid diluting defense focus by chasing commercial opportunities that compromise technical requirements.Scale in defense requires product portfolio breadth: Unlike enterprise software companies that achieve scale through a few products in large markets, Anduril has expanded to over 20 product lines, reflecting the need to address multiple segments of the defense market to build a substantial business.Manufacturing strategy must account for demand unpredictability: Anduril addresses high-mix, low-rate production challenges by designing products with commercial components, centralizing manufacturing operations at their Ohio facility, and building flexibility across production lines to handle variable government forecasting.Acquisition reform progress is incremental but cumulative: Having observed four cycles of acquisition reform over two decades, Matt notes that while individual reforms don't eliminate all obstacles, each iteration reduces friction and enables program managers to leverage new authorities more effectively.

In this episode recorded live from the 2025 Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, hosts Lauren Bedula and Hondo Geurts welcome back Ranking Member Adam Smith of the House Armed Services Committee for the second year in a row. Following his morning keynote address, Rep. Smith discusses the current state of defense innovation and acquisition reform, which he characterizes as a "good news, bad news situation" with significant progress on technology and industrial base transformation occurring alongside political challenges at the Pentagon. The conversation addresses the growth of the defense startup ecosystem, changes in congressional approach to defense programs, concerns about tariff impacts on supply chains, and differing views on foreign policy realism emerging from the forum's discussions.Five Key Takeaways:The defense startup ecosystem has grown substantially: Companies including Shield AI, Palantir, C3 AI, and various drone manufacturers are now developing capabilities like collaborative combat aircraft with private investment. Rep. Smith notes that approximately two-thirds of the companies sponsoring the Reagan Forum didn't exist when the forum began.Traditional defense contractors are adapting to increased competition: Rep. Smith observes that major defense primes historically preferred long-term, stable contracts with established subcontracting relationships but have demonstrated capacity to innovate when faced with competitive pressure from new entrants in the market.Congressional priorities on defense programs have evolved: Under bipartisan leadership, the House Armed Services Committee has moved away from a focus on district-specific funding toward emphasizing innovation and new technology development.Current tariff policy may complicate supply chain diversification efforts: Rep. Smith expresses concern that tariffs on countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Mexico could hinder efforts to reduce dependence on Chinese manufacturing. He indicates that some companies reconsidering moves out of China have paused plans due to tariff considerations affecting alternative locations.Debate continues over the definition of foreign policy realism: Rep. Smith distinguishes between what he considers "genuine realism," maintaining commitments to democratic values while making practical compromises, and approaches he views as reverting to great power competition without values-based considerations. He argues the latter approach carries risks based on historical precedents from earlier eras of international relations.

In this episode recorded live from the 2025 Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, hosts Lauren Bedula and Hondo Geurts sit down with the Honorable Brent Ingraham, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. Secretary Ingraham shares his remarkable journey from designing engines at General Motors to answering an unexpected call from the Marine Corps in 2009 to fix the automotive failures of MRAP vehicles, launching a 16-year career passion for getting the right capabilities to warfighters. The conversation explores his revolutionary approach to managing Army programs through live digital dashboards instead of PowerPoint presentations, how entrepreneurs can engage with the Army's acquisition system, and his mission to "unleash" the acquisition workforce by eliminating bureaucratic roadblocks that prevent rapid capability delivery.Five Key Takeaways:Strategic recruiting can transform both careers and national security: Secretary Ingraham's unexpected recruitment from the automotive industry demonstrates how targeted expertise from outside traditional defense channels can solve critical problems, highlighting the importance of creative talent acquisition pathways that bring diverse industrial experience into defense acquisition leadership.The Army is unleashing its workforce to deliver: Secretary Ingraham's core message to his acquisition team is freeing them from excessive staffing requirements and bureaucratic processes, telling them "we want to take the bureaucracy of all of the staffing, of paperwork and processes out" so they can focus on what they were hired to do: designing, developing, delivering, and sustaining capabilities for warfighters.The Army manages programs with live data: In keeping with his position that "I do not want to manage programs by PowerPoint," Secretary Ingraham has begun revolutionizing Army acquisition by implementing real-time digital dashboards that provide instant visibility into cost, schedule, performance, budgets, contracts, and industrial base impacts across all programs, enabling faster decision-making and proactive risk management.Bring your products, not your presentations: Secretary Ingraham emphasizes that companies should bring prototypes directly to soldiers for feedback, stating "I don't care what shape it's in, whether it's a rough prototype or something that's really fine. Let's get it in the hands of users" because soldiers are best positioned to give feedback on products.You don't need a factory to work with the Army: Startups without production capacity should partner with the organic industrial base: Army depots, arsenals, and other manufacturers like Hadrian or Castilian, rather than building brick-and-mortar facilities, reducing time to production while strengthening the broader defense industrial ecosystem.

In this episode recorded live from the 2025 Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, hosts Lauren Bedula and Hondo Geurts sit down with Congressman Rob Wittman, Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and Co-Chair of the Defense Modernization Caucus. Congressman Wittman shares his journey from reforming a Boy Scout troop in his small Virginia hometown to leading defense modernization efforts in Congress, driven by a passion for connecting good public policy to decision makers who can execute it. The conversation explores his call for Congress to thank people for taking risks and learning from failures, the critical workforce challenges facing shipbuilding, and why the overwhelming presence of non-traditional defense companies at the Reagan Forum signals a transformative shift in the defense industrial base. Wittman emphasizes that modernization must happen "at the speed of relevance," not incrementally, but with the urgency the strategic environment demands.Five Key Takeaways:Congress must thank people for taking risks, not punish failures: Wittman calls for Congress to "thank them for taking the risk" when acquisition officials present failures, then ask what they learned. Using SpaceX's Starship as an example, he argues that controlled failures accelerate progress, and Congress must stop punishing experimentation with a "process-centric mindset."The Navy's Constellation decision was a watershed moment: The Navy's willingness to reassess the Constellation-class frigate, where mission creep turned an 85% complete design into 15%, demonstrates self-assessment and course correction, the kind that should be celebrated even when acknowledging past errors.Shipbuilding faces unprecedented workforce challenges: With companies like Huntington Ingalls hiring 5,000 workers annually, shipyards must invest in quality of life improvements and expand skill sets beyond traditional trades to include software programming, robotics monitoring, and additive manufacturing.Non-traditionals are transforming the defense industrial base: The overwhelming presence of non-traditional companies, private equity firms, and venture capital at the Reagan Forum represents a fundamental shift. These players bring innovative approaches focused not just on platforms but on enabling the manufacturing process itself through software and data analytics.Modernization must happen at the speed of relevance: "We have to do these things, not just say, well, we'll think about it. We'll do a little bit. This has to be done at the speed of relevance." The strategic environment demands urgent transformation, not incremental approaches, across workforce development, manufacturing, and acquisition reform.

Fresh off a truly magical Little House weekend in Simi Valley, the microphones are back on—and so are Alison Arngrim, Dean Butler, and Pamela, though perhaps running on fumes. Loopy, overtired, and still glowing from a wonderful fan event, the trio settles in to revisit one of the most emotional and beloved episodes of the entire series, “Christmas at Plum Creek.”This Season One holiday classic captures the heart of Little House on the Prairie in its purest form, and the conversation reflects that same mix of warmth and vulnerability. As they revisit the episode, Alison, Dean, and Pamela reflect on the harsh reality of frontier winters, the quiet sacrifices made by the Ingalls family, and why this story—so simple on the surface—continues to resonate so deeply 50 years later.The meaning of Christmas is found not in what you have, but in who you are.It's a cozy, heartfelt, slightly delirious recap that feels like collapsing onto the couch after a perfect holiday gathering. Pour yourself something warm, settle in, and join us for a loving look back at “Christmas at Plum Creek”—a reminder that even a single penny can feel like a miracle, and that Little House still knows exactly how to touch the heart.Then join us on Patreon where Alison and Pamela take time to reflect on the joy of celebrating the 50th anniversary of Little House on the Prairie with fans whose love for the show has never faded. That shared sense of connection—between cast, stories, and audience—feels especially present in an episode like this, where the meaning of Christmas is found not in what you have, but in who you are.Links and Resources:Haven't signed up for Patreon yet? Get more behind the scenes info and fun conversation we can't do on the podcast...PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/LittleHousePodcastSHAMEFUL PLUG: Pamela has been nominated as BEST ACTOR in an OFF-BROADWAY PLAY by Broadwayworld.com for her performance in "Cracked Open". Click on the link and vote for her! https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/awards/www.LittleHouse50Podcast.com to connect with our hosts and link to their websites.www.LivinOnaPrairieTV.com  Check out the award-winning series created by Pamela Bob, with special guest stars Alison Arngrim and Charlotte Stewart.Prairie Legacy Productions - the place to go for info about all new Little House events!To learn more about Little House on the Prairie, Visit www.littlehouseontheprairie.comLittle House 50th Anniversary Bus Tours - www.SimiValleyChamber.org  select Little House 50th Anniversary and then Bus TicketsFacebook/Instagram/TikTok:Dean Butler @officialdeanbutlerAlison Arngrim @alisonarngrimPamela Bob @thepamelabob, @prairietvSocial Media Team: Joy Correa and Christine Nunez https://www.paclanticcreative.com/Producer: Tony Sweetwww.ubngo.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/little-house-on-the-prairie-50th-anniversary-podcast--6055242/support.

Thank You, New York!A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the live recording and helped make the 50th anniversary celebration unforgettable. Your questions, stories, and love for the show continue to inspire us.Then, join us on Patreon, where Pamela (aka "Who's that lady?"), Alison and Dean talk about the upcoming Little House on the Prairie Cast Reunion, Holiday celebration in Simi Valley this weekend!Links and Resources:Haven't signed up for Patreon yet? Get more behind the scenes info and fun conversation we can't do on the podcast...PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/LittleHousePodcastSHAMEFUL PLUG: Pamela has been nominated as BEST ACTOR in an OFF-BROADWAY PLAY by Broadwayworld.com for her performance in "Cracked Open". Click on the link and vote for her!https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/awards/www.LittleHouse50Podcast.com to connect with our hosts and link to their websites.www.LivinOnaPrairieTV.com  Check out the award-winning series created by Pamela Bob, with special guest stars Alison Arngrim and Charlotte Stewart.Prairie Legacy Productions - the place to go for info about all new Little House events!To learn more about Little House on the Prairie, Visit www.littlehouseontheprairie.comLittle House 50th Anniversary Bus Tours - www.SimiValleyChamber.org  select Little House 50th Anniversary and then Bus TicketsFacebook/Instagram/TikTok:Dean Butler @officialdeanbutlerAlison Arngrim @alisonarngrimPamela Bob @thepamelabob, @prairietvSocial Media Team: Joy Correa and Christine Nunez https://www.paclanticcreative.com/Producer: Tony Sweetwww.ubngo.comLHOP EventsLittle House on the Prairie Cast Reunion -- Dec 12-14, Simi Valley, CAhttps://www.littlehouseontheprairiecastreunions.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/little-house-on-the-prairie-50th-anniversary-podcast--6055242/support.

Police say a California couple was fatally shot in their garage by their adult son, who later died by suicide, as investigators are still searching for a motive behind the tragic attack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pastathon was a huge success, raising over one million dollars thanks to community support. Traffic on the 5 West backed up after metal sheets fell into the right lane, a reminder about securing loads to avoid danger and freeway chaos. Sports guest Eric Sklar, “The Duke of Sports,” explained why the Clippers sent Chris Paul home and won’t have him return to the team. He also discussed Miguel Rojas signing a new deal with the Dodgers. In tragic news, the son of the slain Simi Valley couple has been identified as the suspected gunman in their double murder. Meanwhile in Van Nuys, LAPD officers shot a man after he allegedly killed his father.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textJoin director and former child actor Moosie Drier, and author Jonathan Rosen, as they chat with stars from Little House on the Prairie, Alison Arngrim, Rachel Lindsay Greenbush, Patrick Labyorteaux, and Charlotte Stewart!We talk about Fifty years of Little House, behind-the-scenes stories, cast affairs, the reunion show at Strathearn Historical Park in Simi Valley between December 12th and December 14th and tickets can be purchased at Littlehouseontheprairiecastreunions.com, & much more!Support the show

Black Friday deals and holiday shopping are underway as massive winter storms create chaos at airports nationwide. Airbus is facing yet another technical issue involving its best-selling A320 passenger jets. The Pastathon auction items are highlighted once again, drawing excitement and participation. In Orange County, two new state-of-the-art cancer hospitals are set to open, bringing thousands of jobs to the region. Meanwhile, tragedy struck in Simi Valley where a couple in their 60s was killed, and in another disturbing case, burglary suspects stole valuables and even killed a woman’s dog. To top it off, EV drivers are losing one of their biggest perks — access to the HOV lane is coming to an end.:05pm – Black Friday deals and shopping. Massive winter storms and chaos at airports. Airbus finds another issue affecting its best-selling A320 passenger planes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SPONSORS: - Don't miss out on early Black Friday deals. Head to https://Wayfair.com now to shop Wayfair's Black Friday deals for up to 70% off. - Head to https://acorns.com/DATE or download the Acorns app to get started. Getter joins Lauren Compton for a wild First Date full of paranormal stories, relationship honesty, and genuine chaos. He opens up about life with his haunted-doll-collecting girlfriend, the proposal he's already plotting, his shifting music obsessions, movie-lore deep dives, and why his mustache insists on growing in blonde. They get into what makes him a solid boyfriend, how he stays transparent in relationships, and the creative path that's taken him from EDM notoriety to The Real Bros of Simi Valley and collaborations with artists like $UICIDEBOY$. Follow Getter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getter/ Check out his Linktree for music, socials, and tour dates: https://linktr.ee/getter First Date Ep. 126 https://www.tiktok.com/@iamlaurencompton https://www.instagram.com/firstdateshow https://store.ymhstudios.com Chapters 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:32 - Denver's Gonna Be Sick 00:02:21 - Getter's Lady and Her Haunted Dolls 00:03:25 - Paranormal Experiences 00:07:39 - Is Getter a Good Boyfriend? 00:13:46 - Is Getter a Ladies Man? 00:17:19 - All Of Getter's Talents 00:21:17 - How Will You Propose? 00:27:06 - Getter's Abnormal Hair 00:30:00 - Getter's Music Taste 00:35:24 - Getter Drops Crazy Lore 00:38:52 - Relationship Advice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices