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Send us a textWe are back from hiatus and diving straight into the high-stakes world of Industry Season 3, Episode 3, "It." Join former Morgan Stanley investment bankers Jen and Kristen as we decode the finance behind the drama at the COP climate conference in Switzerland. In this episode, we break down the hypocrisy of ESG investing, the regulatory "Chinese Wall" between equity research and investment banking, and why pressuring an analyst for a buy rating isn't just frowned upon—it's illegal. We also analyze the mechanics of Petra and Harper's rogue attempt to launch a new "Leviathan" fund, fact-checking everything from non-compete clauses to Harper's strategic lie about being a former "trader" rather than a salesperson.Beyond the balance sheets, we dig into the psychological horror of the episode—from Eric's glitter-covered spiral into a midlife crisis to the trauma-bonding between Yasmin and Henry Muck. We discuss the nuances of "dad trauma," the reality of IPO lockup periods, and the cringe-worthy dynamics of pitching a non-ESG fund at a climate summit. We also explore the literary references to King Lear and Leviathan that foreshadow the power struggle between Harper, Petra, and the wealthy Otto Mostyn.Finally, we debate the double meaning of the episode title "It"—is it a reference to Stephen King horror, or simply who has the "It factor" to survive on Wall Street? We wrap up by delivering our Bullish and Bearish takes on the cast, deciding who is playing the long game and who is about to fold. Whether you're here for the technical breakdown of hedge fund marketing or the messy workplace drama, we've got the skinny on what's real and what's just Hollywood.Learn more about 9fin HERE Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others' experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

Giants Special Assistant to Baseball Operations Ron Wotus joins the Gregs to assess how Bryce Eldridge has progressed defensively during his time with the Giants, and how he sees similar defensive strengths & weaknesses between Casey Schmitt and Jeff KentSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the rush of Christmas leaves your heart feeling thin, Isaiah 9:6 offers the anchor every soul is truly craving. Beneath the wrapping paper, busy schedules, and pressure to “get it all right,” there’s a deeper longing—one only the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace can satisfy. Our hearts were never designed to be filled by productivity, perfection, or presents; they were made to be filled by Him. Highlights Cultural pressure can turn Christmas into a checklist instead of a celebration. Many feel a quiet inner ache during the holidays—a sign we’re longing for Christ, not more activity. Childhood traditions may be fun, but they can’t replace encountering Jesus personally. True Christmas joy comes from worship, gratitude, and seeking the One born to save us. Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy in His first coming—and will fulfill the rest at His return. Materialism can’t satisfy the soul; Christ alone brings peace, purpose, and rest. Gift Inspiration: Crosswalk's Holiday Gift Guide Looking for a meaningful way to celebrate the season? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide—from beautifully illustrated Bibles and devotionals to novels, greeting cards, and picture books, there’s something for everyone on your list. Wrap up stories for loved ones, tuck a book into your own nightstand, and join us in celebrating the wonder of giving this Christmas! Full Transcript Below: Seeking Something More This Christmas By Vivian Bricker Bible Reading: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). During the Christmas season, it is common to get caught up in all the holiday preparations. We are so worried about buying gifts for everyone, preparing the Christmas dinner, and planning all the activities. All of this can become overwhelming and even take the joy of Christmas away from us. Rather than viewing Christmas as a day to celebrate our Savior, we see it as a stressful day, filled with obligations. Sadly, this is not unusual for most people living in the modern world. Productivity has become the baseline for us, and if we are not being productive all the time, we are somehow failing. Within the realm of the Christmas holiday, we feel that we are not being productive or efficient if we haven’t bought all the presents we need to buy and finished all our preparations. In other words, we feel we are somehow failing at Christmas if everything is not perfect according to this materialistic world. Similar to many people, I grew up with the view that Christmas was all about Santa Claus and gifts. However, even as a kid, I sometimes felt like there was something I was missing. As I became a teenager, I quickly saw how Christmas activities could turn sour when family members couldn't get along, and it made me more stressed about the holiday. I didn’t look forward to Christmas because I didn’t fully understand what it meant—I just associated it with stressful situations. By the end of my first semester in college, I had truly come to understand that Christmas is the celebration of the Lord’s birth into the world. Even if we don’t have gifts, fancy dinners, or elaborate activities, we can still worship, praise, and give thanks to the Lord. We will all eventually come to this reality. Our souls will hunger and thirst for something more on Christmas if we genuinely do not know the Lord. Our own family traditions and celebrations can be fun, but if they are not rooted in honoring Christ, our souls will continue to yearn for more. You may have already felt this, and you are ready to make a change. Talk with Him in prayers, read and study the Bible, and seek out trusted sources to learn more about Him. Jesus will reveal Himself to you and help satisfy your spiritual hunger. Intersecting Faith & Life: Isaiah prophesied, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus is the child who was born into the world. He is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when He came into the world. There are many other prophecies He fulfilled during His first coming, and He will fulfill even more prophecies during His second coming. Christmas is a time to seek out the truth of the Lord as well as to look forward to His return. He will return, which means we need to be ready (Revelation 16:15). This Christmas, let us focus on seeking the Lord. We don’t need to try to satisfy our yearning hearts with materialism. Instead, we need to turn to the Lord and truly celebrate Him. Our hearts, souls, and entire beings can worship Him. Seek Him this Christmas and ensure your heart is following Him. If you have not placed your faith in Jesus yet, know that you can do so today. Confess your sins to Him, ask Him to be your Savior, repent, and follow Him. You can start a new life today and walk in accordance with the Lord. Allow Jesus to bring your heart what it truly needs this Christmas and every other day of the year: His love. Jesus will fulfill our hearts' desires better than anyone or anything else. How might you return to Him this Christmas rather than turning to materialism? Further Reading: Deuteronomy 4:29 Jeremiah 29:13 Matthew 6:25-34 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Mike, Nick, and Kait sat down to talk about comics and boy howdy did no one get mad or upset about anything.Some links from the episode:https://karlkerschl.com/death-transit-tanager/https://www.connorcomics.com/work#/gashgash/Timestamps:00:00:00 - Start/Last Week in Comics00:01:40 - EC Outlaw Showdown #100:15:40 - Trickster: Native American Tales, A Graphic Collection00:25:45 - Death Transit Tanager #1-300:31:25 - Discord Picks00:32:21 - Tokyo These Days Vol. 200:36:04 - Demon Summoner Gash Gash00:39:57 - Miss Truesdale and the Rise of Man #100:46:32 - WrapMusic provided by Infinity Shred. Find them on Bandcamp.IRCB Avatars by @ICELEVELIRCB Logo by Kyle RoseProducer: Mike RapinProoflistener: Zach McCraryEditor: Zander Riggs Support us on Patreon to get access to our Patreon-only series: IRCB Movie Club, Saga of Saga, Giant Days of Our Lives, A Better Batmobile, and more! patreon.com/ircbpodcastBuy a copy of our anniversary zine Totally Not A Cult: https://ircbpodcast.com/shop/p/totally-not-a-cult-zine-1Email: ircbpodcast@gmail.comTwitter: @ircbpodcastInstagram: @ircbpodcastDiscord: discordapp.com/invite/E8JUB9sReddit: ireadcomicbooks.reddit.comIRCB GoodreadsMerch: ircbpodcast.com/shop

https://media.blubrry.com/my_future_business/mfbpodcast.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/MFB+SHOW+537+ANDREW+JOHN+ROBINSON.mp3Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSSInterview With Andrew John RobinsonAndrew Robinson: A Genre-Hopping Storyteller With International Reach#TimeTravelFantasy #IndependentAuthor #ScreenwritersLifeHi, and welcome to the show!On today's show I have the pleasure of welcoming author, Andrew Robinson, to talk about his time travel fantasy adventure series, his unique approach to teen vampire fiction, and his diverse career writing everything from children's books to international screenplays. Some writers find their niche and stay there. Andrew Robinson is not one of those writers. The transplanted New Englander has built a remarkably diverse career spanning children's books, time travel fantasy, screenplays, and television—with projects produced everywhere from Central Florida to Poland to Turkey.Andrew is currently focused on his time travel fantasy series that began with Worst Date, Greatest Adventure, published by Champagne Book Group. Similar to the popular Outlander series, the book and its sequel Worst Date, Greatest Challenge blend romance, history, and fantasy. He's now working on the third installment.Andrew's also making waves in the vampire genre with Vampire Academia—and he's quick to clarify it's nothing like Twilight. The book resonated enough that Champagne Book Group requested a sequel, proving there's appetite for fresh takes on supernatural themes.Beyond novels, Robinson's screenwriting credits span continents. His work has been produced by companies in the U.S., Poland, Iran, and Turkey. His rom-com A Vagabond's Chaotic Life and Cannabis Queen: The Elvy Musikka Story were both presented by All the Line Studio in Orlando.Andrew's dedication extends beyond his own writing. He now leads the Orlando/Maitland Chapter of the Florida Writers' Association, supporting other writers in their journeys. His focus on strong female protagonists comes from a personal place—his daughter inspires many of his determined heroines.To learn more about the topics discussed, or to contact Andrew directly, click the link below.Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a sponsored post. My Future Business is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Chris Kelly And Diddy... Very Similar.

What score would you get if you took the IELTS tomorrow? Get your estimated IELTS Band Score now with our free 2-minute quiz. Want to get a guaranteed score increase on your next IELTS Exam? Check out our 3 Keys IELTS Online course. Check out our other podcasts: All Ears English Podcast: We focus on Connection NOT Perfection when it comes to learning English. This podcast is perfect for listeners at the intermediate or advanced level. This is an award-winning podcast with more than 4 million monthly downloads. Business English Podcast: Improve your Business English with 3 episodes per week, featuring Lindsay, Michelle, and Aubrey Visit our website here or https://lnk.to/website-sn Send your English question or episode topic idea to support@allearsenglish.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last time we spoke about the beginning of the battle of lake Khasan. On a frost-bitten dawn by the Chaun and Tumen, two empires, Soviet and Japanese, stared at Changkufeng, each certain the ridge would decide their fate. Diplomats urged restraint, but Tokyo's generals plotted a bold gamble: seize the hill with a surprise strike and bargain afterward. In the Japanese camp, a flurry of trains, orders, and plans moved in the night. Officers like Sato and Suetaka debated danger and responsibility, balancing "dokudan senko", independent action with disciplined restraint. As rain hammered the earth, they contemplated a night assault: cross the Tumen, occupy Hill 52, and strike Changkufeng with coordinated dawn and night attacks. Engineers, artillery, and infantry rehearsed their movements in near-poetic precision, while the 19th Engineers stitched crossings and bridges into a fragile path forward. Across the river, Soviet scouts and border guards held their nerve, counting enemy shadows and watching for a break in the line. The clash at Shachaofeng became a lightning rod: a small force crossed into Manchurian soil in the restless dark, provoking a broader crisis just as diplomacy teetered.   #179 From Darkness to Crest: The Changkufeng Battle Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. As remarked in the 19th division's war journal "With sunset on the 30th, the numbers of enemy soldiers increased steadily. Many motor vehicles, and even tanks, appear to have moved up. The whole front has become tense. Hostile patrols came across the border frequently, even in front of Chiangchunfeng. Tank-supported infantry units were apparently performing offensive deployment on the high ground south of Shachaofeng." Situation maps from the evening indicated Soviet patrol activity approaching the staging area of Nakano's unit near the Tumen, moving toward Noguchi's company to the left of Chiangchunfeng, and advancing toward Matsunobe's unit southwest of Shachaofeng. Russian vessels were depicted ferrying across Khasan, directly behind Changkufeng, while tanks moved south from Shachaofeng along the western shores of the lake. The 19th division's war journal states "Then it was ascertained that these attack forces had gone into action. All of our own units quietly commenced counteraction from late that night, as scheduled, after having systematically completed preparations since nightfall." Meanwhile, to the north, the Hunchun garrison reinforced the border with a battalion and tightened security. All evidence supported the view that Suetaka "in concept" and Sato"(in tactics" played the main part in the night-attack planning and decisions. Sato was the only infantry regimental commander at the front on 30 July. One division staff officer went so far as to say that Suetaka alone exerted the major influence, that Sato merely worked out details, including the type of attack and the timing. Intertwined with the decision to attack Changkufeng was the choice of an infantry regiment. The 76th Regiment was responsible for the defense of the sector through its Border Garrison Unit; but the latter had no more than two companies to guard a 40-mile border extending almost to Hunchun, and Okido's regimental headquarters was 75 miles to the rear at Nanam. T. Sato's 73rd Regiment was also at Nanam, while Cho's 74th Regiment was stationed another 175 miles southwest at Hamhung. Thus, the regiment nearest to Changkufeng was K. Sato's 75th, 50 miles away at Hoeryong. Although Suetaka had had time to shuffle units if he desired, Sasai suggested that troop movements from Nanam could not be concealed; from Hoeryong they might be termed maneuvers. Suetaka undoubtedly had favorites in terms of units as well as chiefs. K. Sato had served longest as regimental commander, since October 1937; Okido's date of rank preceded K. Sato's, but Okido had not taken command until 1938. He and Cho were able enough, but they were unknown quantities; T. Sato and Cho were brand-new colonels.  Thus, K. Sato was best known to Suetaka and was familiar with the terrain. While he did not regard his regiment as the equal of units in the Kwantung Army or in the homeland, K. Sato's training program was progressing well and his men were rugged natives of Nagano and Tochigi prefectures. From the combat soldier's standpoint, the Changkufeng Incident was waged between picked regulars on both sides. The matter of quantitative regimental strength could have played no part in Suetaka's choice. The 74th, 75th, and 76th regiments each possessed 1,500 men; the 73rd, 1,200. Even in ordinary times, every unit conducted night-attack training, attended by Suetaka, but there was nothing special in July, even after the general inspected the 75th Regiment on the 11th. It had been said that the most efficient battalions were selected for the action. Although, of course, Sato claimed that all of his battalions were good, from the outset he bore the 1st Battalion in mind for the night attack and had it reconnoiter the Changkufeng area. Some discerned no special reasons; it was probably a matter of numerical sequence, 1st-2nd-3rd Battalions. Others called the choice a happy coincidence because of the 1st Battalion's 'splendid unity' and the aggressive training conducted by Major Ichimoto, who had reluctantly departed recently for regimental headquarters. Coming from the 75th Regiment headquarters to take over the 1st Battalion was the 40-year-old aide Major Nakano. By all accounts, he was quiet, serious, and hard-working, a man of noble character, gentle and sincere. More the administrative than commander type, Nakano lacked experience in commanding battalions and never had sufficient time to get to know his new unit (or they, him) before the night assault. He could hardly be expected to have stressed anything particular in training. Since there was no battalion-level training, the most valid unit of comparison in the regiment was the company, the smallest infantry component trained and equipped to conduct combat missions independently. Sato valued combat experience among subordinates; Nakano's 1st Battalion was considered a veteran force by virtue of its old-timer company commanders. All but one had come up through the ranks; the exception, young Lieutenant Nakajima, the darling of Sato, was a military academy graduate. For assault actions synchronized with those of the 1st Battalion, Sato selected Ito, the one line captain commanding the 6th Company of the 2nd Battalion, and Takeshita, 10th Company commander, one of the two line captains of the 3rd Battalion. In short, Sato had designated five veteran captains and a promising lieutenant to conduct the night-attack operations of 30-31 July, the first Japanese experience of battle against the modern Red Army. During the last two weeks of July, numerous spurious farmers had gambled along the lower reaches of the Tumen, reconnoitered the terrain, and prepared for a crossing and assault. Scouts had operated on both the Manchurian and Korean sides of the river. Major Nakano had conducted frequent personal reconnaissance and had dispatched platoon and patrol leaders, all heavy-weapons observation teams, and even the battalion doctor to Sozan Hill, to Chiangchunfeng, and close to enemy positions. In Korean garb and often leading oxen, the scouts had threaded their way through the Changkufeng sector, sometimes holing up for the night to observe Soviet movements, soil and topography, and levels of illumination. From this data, Nakano had prepared reference materials necessary for an assault. Hirahara, then located at Kucheng BGU Headquarters, had established three observation posts on high ground to the rear. After Chiangchunfeng had been occupied, Hirahara had set up security positions and routes there. Regarding Changkufeng, he had sought to ensure that even the lowest private studied the layout. Formation commanders such as Takeshita had volunteered frequently. Sato had also utilized engineers. Since the order to leave his station on 17 July, Lieutenant Colonel Kobayashi had had his regiment engage in scouting routes, bridges, and potential fords. Sato's 1st Company commander had prepared a sketch during 3% hours of reconnaissance across from Hill 52 during the afternoon of 18 July. Captain Yamada's intelligence had contributed to the tactical decisions and to knowledge of Russian strength and preparations. The most important information had been his evaluation of attack approaches, suggesting an offensive from the western side, preferably against the right flank or frontally. This concept had been the one applied by the regiment in its night assault two weeks later; Yamada had died on the green slopes he had scanned. Cloudy Saturday, 30 July, had drawn to a close. The moment had been at hand for the 75th Regiment to storm the Russians atop Changkufeng. Setting out from Fangchuanting at 22:30, Nakano's battalion, about 350 strong, had assembled at a fork one kilometer southwest of Changkufeng. The roads had been knee-deep in mud due to intermittent rain and downpours on 29–30 July. Now the rain had subsided, but clouds had blotted out the sky after the waning moon had set at 22:30. Led by Sakata's 1st Platoon leader, the men had marched silently toward the southern foot of Changkufeng; the murk had deepened and the soldiers could see no more than ten meters ahead. It had taken Sakata's men less than an hour to push forward the last 1,000 meters to the jump-off point, where they had waited another two hours before X-hour arrived. Scouts had advanced toward the first row of wire, 200–300 meters away. Platoon Leader Amagasa had infiltrated the positions alone and had reconnoitered the southeastern side of the heights. Sakata had heard from the patrols about the entanglements and their distance and makeup. While awaiting paths to be cut by engineer teams, the infantry had moved up as far as possible, 150 meters from the enemy, by 23:30. Although records described Changkufeng as quite steep, it had not been hard to climb until the main Russian positions were reached, even though there were cliffs. But as the craggy peak had been neared, the enemy defenses, which had taken advantage of rocks and dips, could not have been rushed in a bound. It had been 500 meters to the crest from the gently sloping base. The incline near the top had been steep at about 40 degrees and studded with boulders. Farther down were more soil and gravel. Grass had carpeted the foot. Japanese Army radio communications had been in their infancy; wire as well as runners had served as the main means of linking regimental headquarters with the front-line infantry, crossing-point engineers, and supporting guns across the Tumen in Korea. From Chiangchunfeng to the 1st Battalion, lines had been installed from the morning of 29 July. Combat communications had been operated by the small regimental signal unit, 27 officers and men. In general, signal traffic had been smooth and reception was good. Engineer support had been rendered by one platoon, primarily to assist with wire-cutting operations. Nakano had ordered his 1st Company to complete clearing the wire by 02:00. At 23:30 the cutters had begun their work on the right with three teams under 1st Lieutenant Inagaki. Since the proposed breach had been far from the enemy positions and there were no outposts nearby, Inagaki had pressed the work of forced clearing. The first entanglements had been breached fairly quickly, then the second. At about midnight, a dim light had etched the darkness, signaling success. There had been two gaps on the right. On the left side, Sakata's company had hoped to pierce the barbed wire in secrecy rather than by forced clearing. Only one broad belt of entanglements, actually the first and third lines, had been reconnoitered along the south and southeastern slopes. Sakata had assigned one team of infantry, with a covering squad led by Master Sergeant Amagasa, to the engineer unit under 2nd Lieutenant Nagayama. Covert clearing of a pair of gaps had begun. The Russian stakes had been a meter apart and the teams cut at the center of each section, making breaches wide enough for a soldier to wriggle through. To the rear, the infantry had crouched expectantly, while from the direction of Khasan the rumble of Soviet armor could be heard. At 00:10, when the first line of wire had been penetrated and the cutters were moving forward, the silence had been broken by the furious barking of Russian sentry dogs, and pale blue flares had burst over the slopes. As recalled by an engineer "It had been as bright as day. If only fog would cover us or it would start to rain!" At the unanticipated second line, the advancing clearing elements had drawn gunfire and grenades. But the Russians had been taken by surprise, Sakata said, and their machine guns had been firing high. Two engineers had been wounded; the security patrol on the left flank may have drawn the fire. Sakata had crawled up to Lieutenant Nagayama's cutting teams. One party had been hiding behind a rock, with a man sticking out his hand, grasping for the stake and feeling for electrified wire. Another soldier lay nearby, ready to snip the wire. The enemy had seemed to have discerned the Japanese, for the lieutenant could hear low voices. Although the cutters had been told to continue clearing in secrecy, they had by now encountered a line of low barbed wire and the work had not progressed as expected. Forced clearing had begun, which meant that the men had to stand or kneel, ignoring hostile fire and devoting primary consideration to speed. The infantrymen, unable to delay, had crawled through the wire as soon as the cutters tore a gap. Ten meters behind the small breaches, as well as in front of the Soviet positions, the Japanese had been troubled by fine low strands. They had resembled piano-wire traps, a foot or so off the ground. The wires had been invisible in the grass at night. As one soldier recalled "You couldn't disengage easily. When you tried to get out, you'd be sniped at. The wires themselves could cut a bit, too." Sakata had kept up with the clearing teams and urged them on. On his own initiative, Amagasa had his men break the first and third lines of wire by 01:50. Meanwhile, at 01:20, Nakano had phoned Sato, reporting that his forces had broken through the lines with little resistance, and had recommended that the attack be launched earlier than 2:00. Perhaps the premature alerting of the Russians had entered into Nakano's considerations. Sato had explained matters carefully, that is, rejected the suggestion, saying Changkufeng must not be taken too early, lest the enemy at Shachaofeng be alerted. The entire battalion, redeployed, had been massed for the charge up the slope. In an interval of good visibility, the troops could see as far as 40 meters ahead. A little before 02:00, Nakano had sent runners to deliver the order to advance. When the final obstructions had been cut, Nagayama had flashed a light. Then a white flag had moved in the darkness and the infantry had moved forward. Sakata's company, heading directly for Changkufeng crest, had less ground to traverse than Yamada's, and the point through which they penetrated the wire had been at the fork, where there appeared to have been only two lines to cut. The soldiers had crawled on their knees and one hand and had taken cover as soon as they got through. It had been 02:15 when the battalion traversed the barbed wire and began the offensive. The Japanese Army manual had stated that unaimed fire was seldom effective at night and that it had been imperative to avoid confusion resulting from wild shooting. At Changkufeng, the use of firearms had been forbidden by regimental order. Until the troops had penetrated the wire, bayonets had not been fixed because of the danger to friendly forces. Once through the entanglements, the men had attached bayonets, but, although their rifles had been loaded, they still had not been allowed to fire. The men had been traveling light. Instead of the 65 pounds the individual rifleman might ordinarily carry, knapsack, weapons and ammunition, tools, supplies, and clothing, each helmeted soldier had only 60 cartridges, none on his back, a haversack containing two grenades, a canteen, and a gas mask. To prevent noise, the regulations had prescribed wrapping metal parts of bayonets, canteens, sabers, mess kits, shovels, picks, and hobnails with cloth or straw. The wooden and metal parts of the shovel had been separated, the canteen filled, ammunition pouches stuffed with paper, and the bayonet sheath wrapped with cloth. Instead of boots, the men had worn web-toed, rubbersoled ground socks to muffle sound. Although their footgear had been bound with straw ropes, the soldiers occasionally had slipped in the wet grass. Considerations of security had forbidden relief of tension by talking, coughing, or smoking. Company commanders and platoon leaders had carried small white flags for hand signaling. In Sakata's company, the platoons had been distinguished by white patches of cloth hung over the gas masks on the men's backs, triangular pieces for the 1st Platoon, square for the second. Squad leaders had worn white headbands under their helmets. The company commanders had strapped on a white cross-belt; the platoon leaders, a single band. Officer casualties had proven particularly severe because the identification belts had been too conspicuous; even when the officers had lay flat, Soviet illuminating shells had made their bodies visible. On the left, the 2nd Company, 70–80 strong, had moved up with platoons abreast and scouts ahead. About 10 meters had separated the individual platoons advancing in four files; in the center were Sakata and his command team. The same setup had been used for Yamada's company and his two infantry platoons on the right. To the center and rear of the lead companies were battalion headquarters, a platoon of Nakajima's 3rd Company, and the Kitahara Machine-Gun Company, 20 meters from Nakano. The machine-gun company had differed from the infantry companies in that it had three platoons of two squads each. The machine-gun platoons had gone through the center breach in the entanglements with the battalion commander. Thereafter, they had bunched up, shoulder to shoulder and with the machine guns close to each other. Kitahara had led, two platoons forward, one back. The night had been so dark that the individual soldiers had hardly been able to tell who had been leading and who had been on the flanks. The 2nd Company had consolidated after getting through the last entanglements and had walked straight for Changkufeng crest. From positions above the Japanese, Soviet machine guns covering the wire had blazed away at a range of 50 meters. Tracers had ripped the night, but the Russians' aim had seemed high. Soviet illuminating shells, by revealing the location of dead angles among the rocks, had facilitated the Japanese approach. Fifty meters past the barbed wire, Sakata had run into the second Soviet position. From behind a big rock, four or five soldiers had been throwing masher grenades. Sakata and his command team had dashed to the rear and cut down the Russians. The captain had sabered one soldier who had been about to throw a grenade. Then Master Sergeant Onuki and the others had rushed up and overran the Russian defenses. The Japanese had not yet fired or sustained casualties. There had been no machine guns in the first position Sakata had jumped into; the trenches had been two feet deep and masked by rocks. To the right, a tent could be seen. Blind enemy firing had reached a crescendo around 02:30. The Russians had resisted with rifles, light and heavy machine guns, hand grenades, rifle grenades, flares, rapid-fire guns, and a tank cannon. "The hill had shaken, but our assault unit had advanced, disregarding the heavy resistance and relying only on the bayonet." The battalion commander, Major Nakano, had been the first officer to be hit. Moving to the left of Sakata's right-hand platoon, he had rushed up, brandishing his sword, amid ear-splitting fire and day-like flashes. He had felled an enemy soldier and then another who had been about to get him from behind. But a grenade had exploded and he had dropped, with his right arm hanging grotesquely and many fragments embedded in his chest and left arm. After regaining consciousness, Nakano had yelled at soldiers rushing to help him: "You fools! Charge on! Never mind me." Staggering to his feet, he had leaned on his sword with his left hand and pushed up the slope after the assault waves, while "everybody had been dashing around like mad." Sakata had encountered progressive defenses and more severe fire. The main body of the company had lost contact with other elements after getting through the entanglements. Sakata had thought that he had already occupied an edge of Changkufeng, but about 30 meters ahead stood a sharp-faced boulder, two or three meters high, from which enormous numbers of grenades had been lobbed. The Japanese, still walking, had come across another Soviet position, manned by four or five grenadiers. Sword in hand, Sakata had led Sergeant Onuki and his command team in a rush : "The enemy was about to take off as we jumped them. One Russian jabbed the muzzle of his rifle into my stomach at the moment I had my sword raised overhead. He pulled the trigger but the rifle did not go off. I cut him down before he could get me. The others ran away, but behind them they left grenades with pins pulled. Many of my men fell here and I was hit in the thighs".  Onuki had felled two or three Russians behind Sakata, then disposed of an enemy who had been aiming at Sakata from the side. It had been around 03:00. On the right, the 1st Company had made relatively faster progress along the western slopes after having breached two widely separated belts of barbed wire. Once through the second wire, the troops had found a third line, 150 meters behind, and enemy machine guns had opened fire. Thereupon, a left-platoon private first class had taken a "do or die" forced clearing team, rushed 15 meters ahead of the infantry, and tore a path for the unit. At 03:00, Yamada had taken his men in a dash far up the right foot of the hill, overran the unexpected position, and captured two rapid-fire guns. The company's casualties had been mounting. Yamada had been hit in the chest but had continued to cheer his troops on. At 03:30, he had led a rush against the main objective, tents up the hill, behind the antitank guns. Yamada had cut down several bewildered soldiers in the tents, but had been shot again in the chest, gasping "Tenno Heika Banzai!" "Long Live the Emperor!", and had fallen dead. His citation had noted that he had "disrupted the enemy's rear after capturing the forwardmost positions and thus furnished the key to the ultimate rout of the whole enemy line." Sergeant Shioda, though wounded badly, and several of the men had picked up their commander's body and moved over to join Lieutenant Inagaki. On the left, Kadowaki had charged into the tents with his platoon and had played his part in interfering with the Russian rear. After this rush, the unit had been pinned down by fire from machine-gun emplacements, and Kadowaki had been wounded seriously. His platoon had veered left while watching for an opportunity to charge. Eventual contact had been made with Sakata's company.   The assault on the right flank had been failing. With the death of Yamada, command of the company had been assumed temporarily by Inagaki. He and his right-flank platoon had managed to smash their way through the entanglements; Inagaki had sought to rush forward, sword in hand. Furious firing by Soviet machine guns, coupled with hand grenades, had checked the charge. Losses had mounted. Still another effort had bogged down in the face of enemy reinforcements, supported not only by covered but by tank-mounted machine guns. Russian tanks and trucks had appeared to be operating behind Changkufeng. Sergeant Shioda had been trying to keep the attack moving. Again and again, he had pushed toward the Soviet position with five of his surviving men, to no avail. The left-flank platoon had sought to evade the fierce fire by taking advantage of rock cover and hurling grenades. Finally, a private first class had lobbed in a grenade, rushed the machine gun, and silenced the weapon. By now, precious time and lives had been lost. Either instinctively or by order, the 1st Company had been shifting to the left, away from the core of the enemy fire-net. Inagaki had decided to veer left in a wide arc to outflank Changkufeng from the same side where the 2nd Company and most of the battalion were at-tacking. There would be no further attempts to plunge between the lake and the heights or to head for the crest from the rear. Military maps had indicated tersely that remnants of the 1st Company had displaced to the 2nd Company area at 04:00, sometime after the last charge on the right by Yamada. On the left front, in the sector facing the main defenses on Changkufeng crest, Sakata had fallen after being hit by a grenade. A machine gunner had improvised a sling. "I had lost a lot of blood," Sakata had said, "and there were no medics. Onuki, my command team chief who had been acting platoon leader, had been killed around here. I had ordered Warrant Officer Kuriyama to take the company and push on until I could catch up." As Sakata lay on the ground, he had seen the battalion commander and the Nakajima company move past him in the darkness. Nakano had said not a word; Sakata had not known the major had been maimed. "I still hadn't felt intense pain," Sakata had recalled. "I had rested after the first bad feelings. In about 15 minutes I had felt well enough to move up the hill and resume command of my company." With both Nakano and Sakata wounded, individual officers or noncoms had kept the assault moving. The 1st Platoon leader, Kuriyama, had been securing the first position after overrunning it but had become worried about the main force. On his own initiative, he had brought his men up the hill to join the rest of the company, while the battalion aide, 2nd Lieutenant Nishimura, had made arrangements to deploy the heavy machine guns and reserve infantry in support. Before 4 A.M., these troops under Kitahara and Nakajima had caught up with the remnants of the 2nd Company, which had pressed beyond the third position to points near the Soviet Crestline.   By the time Sakata had regained his feet and moved toward the peak, somewhere between 03:30 and 04:00, the Japanese had been pinned down. Most of the losses had been incurred at this point. "Iron fragments, rock, sand, blood, and flesh had been flying around," Akaishizawa had written. Grenades had caused the preponderance of wounds after the men had penetrated the barbed wire. Deaths had been inflicted mainly by the Soviet "hurricane" of small arms and machine-gun fire and by ricochets ripping from man to man. Six Russian heavy weapons had kept up a relentless fire from three emplacements, and milk-bottle-shaped grenades had continued to thud down on the Japanese. The grenades had hindered the advance greatly. Mainly at the crest, but at every firing position as well, the Russians had used rifle grenades, primarily to eliminate dead angles in front of positions. There had been low piano wire between firing points, and yellow explosive had been planted amidst rock outcroppings and in front of the emplacements. "The Russians had relied exclusively on fire power; there had been no instance of a brave enemy charge employing cold steel." Only 20 meters from the entrenchments atop Changkufeng, Kitahara had been striving to regain the initiative and to hearten the scattered, reeling troops. One Japanese Army motto had concerned the mental attitude of commanders: "When surprised by the enemy, pause for a smoke." Kitahara had stood behind a rock, without a helmet, puffing calmly on a cigarette—a sight which had cheered the men. Sakata could not forget the scene. "It really happened," he had said, respectfully. As soon as Sakata had reached the forward lines, he had joined Kitahara (the senior officer and de facto battalion commander till then) and three enlisted men. All had been pinned behind the large boulder, the only possible cover, which had jutted in front of the Soviet crestline positions. Fire and flame had drenched the slopes, grenades from the peak, machine guns from the flank. The eastern skies had been brightening and faces could be discerned. Troubled by the stalemate yet not feeling failure, Sakata had said nothing about his own wounds but had told Kitahara he would lead his 2nd Company in a last charge up the left side of Changkufeng if only the machine gun company could do something about the enemy fire, especially some Soviet tanks which had been shooting from the right. "The enemy must have learned by now," the regimental records had observed, "that our forces were scanty, for the Soviets exposed the upper portions of their bodies over the breastworks, sniped incessantly, and lobbed illuminating shells at us." Agreeing with Sakata that the "blind" Japanese would have to take some kind of countermeasure to allow his two available heavy machine guns to go into concerted action, Kitahara had ordered illuminating rounds fired by the grenade dischargers. He had clambered atop the boulder and squatted there amidst the furious crossfire to spot for his guns, still only 20 meters from the Russian lines. Perhaps it had been the golden spark of Kitahara's cigarette, perhaps it had been the luminescence of his cross-bands, but hardly a moment later, at 04:03 am, a sniper's bullet had caught the captain between the eyes and he had toppled to his death. Nakajima had wanted to support Sakata's stricken company as well. The lieutenant had seen the advantage of outflanking the emplacements from the far left of Changkufeng where the fire of two Soviet heavy machine guns had been particularly devastating. Nakajima had swung his reserve unit around the crest to the southwest side, pressed forward through deadly grenade attacks, and had managed to reach a point ten meters from the Russian positions. Perched on the cliff's edge, he had prepared to continue: "Nakajima, who had been calming his men and looking for a chance to advance, leaped up and shouted, "Right now! Charge!" Sword in hand, he led his forces to the front on the left and edged up against the crest emplacements. But the enemy did not recoil; grenades and machine gun fusillades burst from above on all sides. Men fell, one after another. [During this final phase, a platoon leader and most of the key noncoms were killed.] A runner standing near Nakajima was hit in the head by a grenade and collapsed. Nakajima picked up the soldier's rifle, took cover behind a boulder, and tried to draw a bead on a Russian sniper whom he could see dimly 20 meters away through the lifting mist. But a bullet hit him in the left temple and he pitched forward, weakly calling, "Long Live the Emperor!" A PFC held the lieutenant up and pleaded with him to hang on, but the company commander's breath grew fainter and his end was at hand. The time was 4:10 am". Nakajima's orderly said of the event "Lieutenant Nakajima charged against the highest key point on Changkufeng, leading the reserve unit, and ensured the seizure of the hill. The lieutenant was wearing the boots which I had always kept polished but which he had never worn till this day." Akaishizawa added that Nakajima had purified himself in the waters of the Tumen before entering combat, in traditional fashion. Lieutenant Yanagihara had penned a tribute to his young fellow officer, the resolute samurai "Lt. Nakajima must have been expecting a day like today. He was wearing brand-new white underclothes and had wrapped his body with white cloth and the thousand-stitch stomach band which his mother had made for him. .. . Was not the lieutenant's end the same as we find in an old tanka verse? "Should you ask what is the Yamato spirit, the soul of Japan: It is wild cherry blossoms glowing in the rising sun."  On this main attack front, Soviet heavy machine guns and tanks had continued to deliver withering fire against the Japanese remnants, while Russian snipers and grenadiers had taken an increasing toll. Shortly after 04:00, enemy reinforcements had appeared at the northeast edge. Of the company commanders, only Sakata had still been alive; the other three officers had died between 03:30 and 04:30. A machine gunner who had been pinned down near the crest had commented: "It must have been worse than Hill 203" (of bloody Russo-Japanese War fame). Between a half and two-thirds of each company had been dead or wounded by then. Sakata had still been thinking of ways to rush the main positions. After Kitahara had been shot down, he had moved around to investigate. A colleague had added: "The agony of the captain's wounds had been increasing. He rested several times to appease the pain while watching intently for some chance to charge once more." Now, Sakata had been wounded again by grenade fragments tearing into the right side of his face. "It hadn't been serious," Sakata had insisted. As he had limped about, he could see his platoon leader, Kuriyama, sniping at a Russian grenadier.   Much would depend on the effectiveness of supporting firepower. With the death of Kitahara, control of the machine-gun company had been assumed by Master Sergeant Harayama. There had been almost no time to coordinate matters before Kitahara had fallen, but Harayama as well as Sakata had known that the infantry could not break loose until the Soviet heavy weapons had been suppressed. Working with another sergeant, Harayama had ordered his gunners to displace forward and rush the positions 20 meters away. The one heavy machine gun set up for action had been the first to fire for the Japanese side at Changkufeng, after its crew had manhandled it the last few meters to the first Soviet trench below the crest. The trench had been empty. Thereupon, the gunner had opened up against tents which could be seen 20 meters to the rear. Other friendly machine guns had begun to chatter. Kuriyama had dashed up and secured the southeast edge of the heights. Enemy resistance had begun to slacken. What appeared to be two small Soviet tanks, actually a tank and a tractor had been laying down fire near the tents in an apparent effort to cover a pullback. The two vehicles had advanced toward the Japanese and sought to neutralize the heavy machine guns. A squad leader had engaged the tractor, set it afire, and shot down the crewmen when they had tried to flee. Next, the tank had been stopped. The Japanese lead gun had consumed all of its armor-piercing (AP) ammunition—three clips, or 90 rounds—in 10 or 15 seconds. No more AP ammunition had been available; one box had been with the last of the six squads struggling up the heights. "More AP!" had yelled the 1st Squad leader, signaling with his hand—which had at that moment been hit by a Russian slug. A tank machine-gun bullet had also torn through the thumb and into the shoulder of the squad's machine gunner, whereupon the 21-year-old loader had taken over the piece. Similar replacements had occurred under fire in all squads, sometimes more than once in the same unit. "It had been a fantastic scene," Sakata had commented. "Just like grasshoppers! But they had finally neutralized the heavy weapons." The knocked-out Russian vehicles had begun to blaze while the eastern skies had lightened. New enemy tanks (some said many, others merely three) had lumbered up the slopes, but the Japanese heavy machine guns had continued to fire on them, and the tanks had stopped. If the machine guns had gone into action minutes later, the Russian armor might have continued to the top, from which they could have ripped up the surviving Japanese infantrymen: "So we gunners fired and fired. I could see my tracers bouncing off the armor, for there was still no AP. We also shot at machine guns and infantry. Since we carried little ammo for the night attack, my gun ran out, but by then the enemy had been ousted. We had originally expected that we might have to fire in support of the infantry after they took the crest. We lost none of our own heavy machine guns that night, overran four Maxims and captured mountains of hand grenades. By dawn, however, our machine gun company had lost more than half of its personnel—about 40 men".  The light-machine-gun squad leader had been wounded in the hand by a grenade near the site where Sakata had been hit. Nevertheless, the superior private had clambered up the slope with his men. After 04:00, when he and his squad had been pinned down with the infantry below the crest, he had heard Japanese heavy machine guns firing toward the foe on the right: "Our units were in confusion, bunched up under terrific fire in a small area. Getting orders was impossible, so I had my light machine gun open up in the same direction at which the heavies were firing. We could identify no targets but tried to neutralize the enemy located somewhere on the crest. Although Soviet flares were going off, we never could glimpse the enemy clearly. But we heard the Russians yelling "Hurrah!" That ought to have been the signal for a charge; here it meant a retreat".  But, of the ten men in this Japanese machine-gun squad, only four had been in action when dawn had come. The turning point had arrived when the machine-guns belonging to Sakata, and the reserves of the late Nakajima, had torn into the Russian emplacements, tanks, and tents behind. Others had said the key had been the fire of grenade dischargers belonging to the same units. A high-angle weapon, the grenade discharger, had been light, effective, and ideal for getting at dead space. In terms of ammunition, it had been especially useful, for it could fire hand grenades available to the foot soldier. Undoubtedly, the combined action of the grenade dischargers and machine guns (heavy and light) had paved the way for a last charge by the infantry. The four light machine guns of the 2nd and 4th companies had played their part by pouring flank fire against the Russians, who had clung to the position although Kuriyama's platoon had made an initial penetration. At about 04:30, Japanese assault forces could be seen dimly, in the light of dawn, exchanging fire with the Russians only a few meters away on the southern edge of Changkufeng Hill. At the same time, on the northern slopes, enemy reinforcements numbering 50 men with trucks and tanks had been scaling the hill. Around 04:45, Japanese grenades began to burst over the heads of the last enemy atop Changkufeng; the Russians had wavered. After the heavy weapons had finally begun to soften up the Soviet positions, Sakata had judged that there were not many Russians left. He had jumped into the first trench, ahead of his only surviving platoon leader, Kuriyama, and several soldiers. Two or three Russians had been disposed of; the rest had fled. By then the 2nd Company had been chopped down to a platoon; about 40 men still lived. There had been no cheer of banzai, as journalists had written; it would have drawn fire to stand up and raise one's arms. But Sakata had remained proud of the assertion by Sato that, from Chiangchunfeng, he had observed the last rush and knew the "real story," that "Sakata was the first to charge the peak." The regimental eulogist had written that Sakata's earnestness "cut through iron, penetrated mountains, and conquered bodily pain." As for Inagaki, about 15 or 20 minutes after the badly wounded Sakata had managed to reach the point where Kitahara and Nakajima had been pinned down near the Crestline, the lieutenant had arrived with the remnants of Yamada's company, probably by 04:20. The records would have us believe that Sakata had been able to coordinate the next actions with Inagaki despite the storm of fire: "The acting battalion commander [Sakata] resumed the charge with a brand-new deployment—his 2nd Company on the right wing and the 1st Company on the left." Actually, all Sakata could think of had been to charge; it had been too confused a time to issue anything like normal orders as acting battalion commander: "About all I remember asking Inagaki was: "What are you doing over here? What happened to your company commander?" I think he told me that Yamada had been killed and resistance on the right flank had been severe. Undoubtedly, he acted on his own initiative in redeploying. Nor was there any particular liaison between my company and Inagaki's force." To the left of Sakata's survivors were the vestiges of Nakajima's platoon, and further to the left, the outflanking troops brought up by Inagaki. These forces gradually edged up to the rear of the foe, in almost mass formation, on the western slope just below the top. "The enemy soldiers who had been climbing up the northern incline suddenly began to retreat, and Inagaki led a charge, fighting dauntlessly hand-to-hand." As a result of the more or less concerted Japanese assaults, "the desperately resisting enemy was finally crushed and Changkufeng peak was retaken completely by 05:15," three hours after the night attackers had jumped off. Akaishizawa had said that the troops "pushed across the peak through a river of blood and a mountain of corpses. Who could withstand our demons?" Sato's regimental attack order had called for the firing of a green star shell to signal success. At 05:15, according to the records, "the signal flared high above Changkufeng, showering green light upon the hill; the deeply stirring Japanese national flag floated on the top." Sakata thought that this must have been 10 or 20 minutes after the hill was taken, but he remembered no flare. "After the last charge I had no time to watch the sky!" The flare had probably been fired from a grenade launcher by the battalion aide or a headquarters soldier. After the final close-quarter fighting, Sakata had pressed forward while the survivors came up. The captain had deployed his men against possible counterattack. Later he had heard that Soviet tanks had lumbered up to reinforce the peak or to counterattack but that, when they observed the Japanese in possession of the crest, they had turned back. Only after his men had secured the peak had Sakata talked to Inagaki about sharing defensive responsibility. The records described Sakata's deployments at 05:20, but there had been painfully few men to match the tidy after-action maps. Did Sakata and his men push across the peak? "Not downhill a bit," he had answered. "We advanced only to the highest spot, the second, or right-hand peak, where we could command a view of the hostile slope." He had merely reconnoitered to deploy his troops. The senior surviving Japanese officer atop Changkufeng heights had been Sakata. What had happened to Major Nakano, who had been wounded shortly after jump-off? Although his right arm had been shattered, he had dragged himself to his feet, once he had regained consciousness, and kept climbing to catch up. His men had pleaded with him to look after his terrible wounds, but he had insisted on advancing, leaning on his sword and relying on spiritual strength. "Left! Move left!" he had been heard to shout, for the faltering Japanese had apparently been of the opinion that they were at the enemy's rear. Instead, they had pressed against the Russians' western wing, directly in front of the enemy works, from which murderous fire had been directed, especially from machine-gun nests ripping at their flanks. With sword brandished in his uninjured hand, high above his head, Nakano had stood at the corner of the positions. The explosion of an enemy grenade had illuminated him "like the god of fire," and he had been seen to crumple. He had died a little before 0500, to the left of where young Nakajima had fallen at 0430. His citation had said: "The battalion commander captured Changkufeng, thanks to his proper combat guidance and deployments. He provided the incentive to victory in the Changkufeng Incident." A eulogist had called Nakano a "human-bullet demon-unit commander": "All who observed this scene were amazed, for it was beyond mortal strength. One could see how high blazed the flame of his faith in certain victory and what a powerful sense of responsibility he had as unit commander. Major Nakano was a model soldier." When Nakano had pitched forward, badly wounded PFC Imamura had tried to protect the commander's corpse. Imamura had killed a soldier who appeared from behind a boulder, had lunged at another two or three, but had toppled off the cliff. Two other Japanese privates—a battalion runner and PFC Iwata—had been lying nearby, hurt seriously; but when they saw Imamura fall to his death, leaving the major's body undefended, they had dragged themselves to the corpse, four meters from the foe. Iwata, crippled and mute, had hugged Nakano's corpse until other soldiers managed to retrieve it. While death had come to Nakano, Sakata had been fighting with no knowledge of what was going on to his left. Pinned behind a boulder, he had had no way of checking on the battalion commander. Only after Sakata had charged onto the crest and asked for the major had he been told by somebody that Nakano had been killed. He had not even been sure where the commander had fallen. Such had been the time of blood and fury when battalion chief, company commanders, and platoon leaders had fought and died like common soldiers, pressing on with saber or pistol or sniping rifle under relentless cross-fire. Pretty patterns of textbook control had meant nothing. Life—and victory—depended on training, initiative, raw courage, and the will to win. The result of this combination of wills could not be ascertained, on 31 July 1938, until dawn brightened the bleeding earth on Changkufeng Hill. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Tokyo gambled on a night strike to seize Changkufeng, while diplomacy urged restraint. Amid mud, smoke, and moonless skies, Nakano led the 1st Battalion, supported by Nakajima, Sakata, Yamada, and others. One by one, officers fell, wounds multiplying, but resolve held. By 05:15, shattered units regrouped atop the peak, the flag rising as dawn bled into a costly, hard-won victory.

Send us a textSarah Kapnick literally trained under John Nash at Princeton, went from structuring catastrophe bonds at Goldman during Hurricane Katrina, to serving as Chief Scientist at NOAA, and is now Global Head of Climate Advisory at JPMorgan. She's part mathematician, part climate scientist, part Wall Street insider – and the godmother of The Wall Street Skinny, the person who first convinced Jen to go into finance. This interview has been two and a half years in the making, and it's easily one of the most full-circle, “how is this one person real?” conversations we've ever had.We get into the math of predicting the future: how fluid dynamics and game theory show up in Black-Scholes, what “1-in-100 year events” actually mean over a 30-year mortgage, and why climate risk isn't a political side quest but a massive driver of returns, insurance pricing, and portfolio construction. Sarah explains cat bonds in plain English, walks through physical vs. transition risk, and connects wildfires, hurricanes, nuclear, fusion, and geothermal to the way capital is being allocated right now. If you care about making or losing money over the next few decades, this is not optional listening.We also talk mentorship, careers, and what it looks like to build a non-linear, insanely high-impact path across science, government, and Wall Street while raising a young family. Sarah shares how she decides when to leave a prestigious job, what she tells the next generation of math and science nerds curious about finance, and how she translates hardcore climate science for CEOs, investors, and ultra-high-net-worth clients. Even if you think “climate isn't for me,” this episode will change how you think about risk, opportunity, and the future.Learn more about 9fin HERE Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others' experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

12-5 Dirty Work Hour 2: How similar are the 49ers and Lions? Plus. do you care if Barry Bonds does not make the Hall of Fame?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

12-5 Dirty Work Hour 2: How similar are the 49ers and Lions? Plus. do you care if Barry Bonds does not make the Hall of Fame?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to episode 295 of Growers Daily! We cover: my microscopes and dry farming AND it's feedback friday.  We are a Non-Profit! 

Send us a textThis week Kristen and Jen break down the blockbuster Netflix–Warner Bros. deal. Netflix has agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming assets — HBO, Max, Warner Bros. Studios, and its iconic content library — for $27.75 per share in a cash and stock deal. But before the deal closes, Warner Bros. will spin off its cable networks (CNN, TBS, Discovery Channel, and more) into a separate company. That means Netflix is only buying the good stuff — no legacy cable attached.This episode dives into the complex mechanics behind the transaction: how the spin-off works, what a "collar" means in M&A land, and why this $72 billion equity offer came with a surprisingly low premium. Also: there was a whole bidding war behind the scenes. Paramount / Skydance wanted to buy the entire company. Comcast and Netflix were just after the streaming assets and studio business. Why did Netflix win? What happens next? And will this deal reshape the future of streaming as we know it? This episode is a full M&A teach-in wrapped in an entertainment headline — and yes, we also talk about Industry coming back soon.Learn more about 9fin HEREShop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others' experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

TRY N3 Textbook P73

Mike Johnson, Ali Mac, and Beau Morgan let you Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris talk about how Falcons wide receiver Drake London will play once it's safe for him to play, react to what Coach Morris had to say, let you hear Coach Morris talk about how Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak has done a great job and runs an offense similar to the Falcons offense, react to what Coach Morris had to say, and explain why they think Klint Kubiak's offense is similar to the Falcons offense, but also way different at the same time.

HR2 - Zac Robinson & Klint Kubiak run very similar but different offenses at same time In hour two Mike Johnson, Ali Mac, and Beau Morgan let you Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris talk about how Falcons wide receiver Drake London will play once it's safe for him to play, react to what Coach Morris had to say, let you hear Coach Morris talk about how Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak has done a great job and runs an offense similar to the Falcons, react to what Coach Morris had to say, explain why they think Klint Kubiak's offense is similar to the Falcons offense, but also way different at the same time, talk about how FOX is looking for Falcons fans to be in an upcoming film, react to the latest news, rumors, and reports in the NFL as they go In The Huddle, preview conference championship weekend in college football, explain why they think It would be a bad look for the Big 10 if Ohio State blows out Indiana on Saturday in the Big 12 Championship game, and then close out hour two by diving into The Life of Mike Johnson and getting Mike'd Up!

Periodically around these parts the audience demand for unpaywalling certain subscribers-only episodes becomes too clamorous to ignore. So it was with Members Only #286, our gripping conversation with celebrated author Sebastian Junger about his harrowing new book, In My Time of Dying.“Please consider making this a non-members only episode,” wrote beloved subscriber James G. “Ditto,” seconded Daniel Cavelli. “I wanna send this to many people.” Similar beseechings from random_academic, Jake O'Finkelstein, [Dr.] Jeff Singer, Lara Merkel Ross, and Oren, who added: “I have a friend who barely survived a massive heart attack last month. And I can think of many others who will be inspired by this incredible conversation.”To our longtime paying customers: We hear you! Please share the episode widely, either as a one-off or a come-on!To our many brand new paying subscribers, brought here by a generous gift, welcome to this weird & wonderful community, and please enjoy full run of the Comments and Chat. And to those seeing/hearing us for the first time, or just flying in the very back of the plane, here is the type of content that can come with a paid subscription. As our dear old D.C. pal Maura Flynn put it, “You make my support increasingly worthwhile and I encourage everyone who can to contribute on the highest possible level. Great stuff, rock on!”You know what to do.•You can always start drinking again•Enough to make ⅔ of these grown men cry•Sebastian's (most recent) near-death experience•Danger in, insight out•Momento Mori•There's nothing so dangerous as a wounded Apache•Don't have an aortic rupture in Truro in July•ICU humor•Hi dad•An existential digression•Better than the one with Will Farrel•Ideological Duolingo•Hot tip from an immigration officer•Old-time antisemitism•Bestselling author sleeps with chainsaw•Sarajevo & the Spanish Civil War•Men's Journal and the good old days of war reporting•The folly of Afghanistan and nation-building on the cheap•Some things are sacred•Investigating near death experiences•Don't test Santa Claus•Etymology of a curse•Atheists, physicists, and consciousness•God of the gaps•Yes, we are literally talking about quantum physics•The science of myth•The reason for the need the idea of heaven•Restrepo•Why we all need a tribe•Things were better when they were bad•If you're not sufficiently terrified, you're not getting it.•A tribute to dangerous jobs•Making meaning in a meaningless universe•A Bostonian goodbyeYouTube link:Follow The Fifth ColumnYouTube: @wethefifthInstagram: @we.the.fifthX: @wethefifthTikTok: @wethefifthFacebook: @thefifthcolumn This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wethefifth.com/subscribe

After the usual BS of “Did anyone invite a guest?” and “Let's text random people while we're recording,” the boys get down to business: a whole lot of safety plans are the same recycled Word doc with a new company logo slapped on. Sounds almost the same as every ska song does. Turns out, not a lot of people spend time creating real, specific plans, so they just do a “File, Save As” on their way to compliance.By the way, it's still a NOFX song for the episode title. Just saying.Contractor management? Copy-paste, MFers. Workers think half these plans are useless, and even the managers know they're just hoops to jump through. But don't worry, checklists and forms will sort it out, because nothing says safety like paperwork!Leadership? Yeah, leaders are supposed to show up and make all this “personal,” except half the time it's just performative nonsense. They debate whether “best practices” exist, eventually agreeing that the best practice is probably making sure people know what the hell a safety plan is even for.The reason every unique, special snowflake job site's plans look exactly like the next is because, deep down, they're lazy (says Dave), too overwhelmed, or just too unbothered to actually change anything about work.  Brian Hughes from Sologic was cool enough to answer a last-minute call and hop onto the pod, and because he's a bassist, he's nicer than most people. He takes a better view of how something like a template can actually help, not hurt, especially when people are overwhelmed by other stuff. Like meat at the Brazilian steakhouse where Brian is housing steaks off a meat sword. He looks at a template or copy-paste as a life preserver, but he draws the line at stopping there.And then Brian has to go get dessert.So, maybe it's okay to have a little bit of help, but a wash, rinse, repeat of stuff that sounds the same but doesn't work isn't good. Cool. Now what? Questions, not "insert company name." As a starter kit, you can still get a jump start without just putting 27 people on stage with horns and calling it good. Check it out for all the answers. DISCLAIMER: You probably shouldn't take anything in this podcast too seriously. Punk Rock Safety is for entertainment only. It's definitely not a replacement for professional or legal advice, and the fair amount of piss-taking, shithousery, and general ridiculousness ought to clue you into the fact that no one - and no organization - is endorsing (or un-endorsing, if that's a thing) any products, ideas, or other things. Except NOFX. We definitely endorse them.Oh, and give your money to Punk Rock Saves Lives. They're a rad organization that works in mental health, addiction, and human rights. And they're awesome people who can use your help to keep on kicking ass at what they do.https://www.punkrocksaveslives.org/Let us know what you think at info@punkrocksafety.com or on our LinkedIn page.Merch at punkrocksafetymerch.com

Degens Andy S and Brandon Bombay hit the studio and show they got the touch while talking about a certifiable Degen classic, 'Boogie Nights.' Bombay opens it up by talking about how much he envies Dirk Diggler's ability to control his manhood on demand, as he was not able to replicate that performance when the pressure was on. Then the boys discuss this time capsule, which is littered with incredible detail that would become the calling card of Paul Thomas Anderson films, and an ensemble cast that was well on their way to being some of the great actors of their generation. The guys talk about how consuming adult entertainment has changed not only from the '70s, but from the '90s when the film was released. Naturally, they have to talk about the film's star, Mark Wahlberg's prosthetic, and the hilarious number of countless reaction shots to characters getting a load of it in person. Similar to the movie, the episode is filled with comedy, but the human elements are the backbone(r). 

Similar to pastors, deacons also must meet certain qualifications: Deacons must be reverent, good with finances, and not addicts Deacons must have faithful wives Deaconesses must be reverent and not gossipers All Christians must be unified on the "mystery of Christ" What the mystery of Christ is   Hey! Don't go away yet! Also check out these other P40 sites:  Website - https://www.p40ministries.com YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnh-aqfg8rw Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p40ministries  Contact - jenn@p40ministries.com  Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-6493869  Books - https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Kokal/e/B095JCRNHY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk  Merch - https://www.p40ministries.com/shop  YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/38267-out-of-the-mire-trusting-god-in-the-middle    Support babies and get quality coffee with Seven Weeks Coffee  https://sevenweekscoffee.com/?ref=P40   This ministry is only made possible due to your generous support https://www.p40ministries.com/donate

This Day in Legal History: John Brown AssassinatedOn December 2, 1859, abolitionist John Brown was executed by hanging in Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia), following his conviction for treason against the Commonwealth of Virginia, murder, and inciting a slave insurrection. Brown had led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry in October, attempting to seize weapons and incite a large-scale slave uprising. His plan failed, with most of his men either killed or captured, and Brown himself wounded and arrested by U.S. Marines under the command of Colonel Robert E. Lee. The legal proceedings against him were swift: Brown was indicted within days, tried in state court, and sentenced to death less than a month after the raid.His execution was a national event, drawing immense media coverage and polarized public reaction. In the North, many abolitionists hailed him as a martyr who sacrificed his life to end the moral atrocity of slavery. In the South, he was widely viewed as a terrorist whose actions confirmed fears of Northern aggression and interference. Brown's trial and punishment underscored the deepening legal and moral divide between free and slave states, particularly regarding states' rights, federalism, and the use of violence to oppose injustice. The charges of treason and insurrection also raised complex constitutional questions, since Brown was prosecuted under state, not federal, law — despite attacking a federal facility. His case set the stage for intensifying legal and political disputes over the limits of protest, the legitimacy of armed resistance, and the definition of loyalty to the state.Brown's final words, predicting that “the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood,” would prove prescient less than two years later when the Civil War began.A federal appeals court has ruled that Alina Habba, a former personal attorney to Donald Trump, was unlawfully appointed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld a lower court's finding that the Trump administration violated federal appointments law in installing Habba without Senate confirmation or proper legal authority. This decision disqualifies her from overseeing federal cases in the state, potentially disrupting numerous active prosecutions.The case was brought by defense attorneys who argued that the Justice Department used procedural workarounds to improperly extend Habba's tenure after New Jersey's district judges declined to reauthorize her. In response, DOJ fired her court-appointed successor and tried to reassign Habba under a different title, which the court rejected. The ruling is significant because it's the first appellate decision pushing back on Trump-era efforts to place loyalists in key legal roles without Senate oversight.Habba, who had no prior prosecutorial experience, previously represented Trump in high-profile civil litigation, including the defamation case involving E. Jean Carroll. During her controversial tenure, she was criticized for politicized statements and for filing charges against a Democratic congresswoman. Similar appointment disputes are playing out in other states, and this decision sets a strong precedent against bypassing constitutional and statutory nomination processes. The administration is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court.Court disqualifies Trump ally Habba as top New Jersey federal prosecutor | ReutersHSBC has announced a multi-year partnership with French start-up Mistral AI to integrate generative AI tools across its global operations. The bank plans to self-host Mistral's commercial AI models and future upgrades, combining its own tech infrastructure with Mistral's cutting-edge AI capabilities. The collaboration aims to boost automation, productivity, and customer service, with use cases spanning financial analysis, multilingual translation, risk assessment, and personalized client interactions.By adopting Mistral's tools, HSBC expects to significantly reduce time spent on routine, document-heavy tasks, such as those in credit and financing teams. Already active in AI applications like fraud detection and compliance, the bank sees this deal as a way to accelerate innovation cycles and roll out new features more efficiently. The move comes amid a broader industry trend as banks seek to scale generative AI solutions, while addressing ongoing concerns around data privacy. HSBC emphasized that all deployments will comply with its responsible AI governance standards to ensure transparency and protection.HSBC taps French start-up Mistral to supercharge generative-AI rollout | ReutersPresident Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of David Gentile, the former CEO of GPB Capital Holdings, who was convicted under the Biden administration for his role in what prosecutors called a Ponzi scheme. Gentile had been serving a seven-year sentence after being found guilty of securities fraud in 2024. The DOJ argued that GPB misled investors by using new investor funds to pay returns, rather than profits from legitimate operations.However, in announcing the commutation, a White House official pushed back on the prosecution's claims, arguing that investors had been clearly informed about the firm's payment practices and that prosecutors failed to directly link fraudulent misrepresentations to Gentile during trial. The official also alleged misconduct, claiming the government elicited and failed to correct false testimony.The commutation comes amid heightened political scrutiny of financial fraud prosecutions and continues Trump's trend of intervening in controversial white-collar cases. The Department of Justice has not yet responded to the decision.Trump frees former GPB Capital CEO after Biden admin's Ponzi scheme sentence | ReutersMy column for Bloomberg this week is about … the penny. The official end of penny production may seem trivial, but it's creating real legal headaches for retailers and tax administrators alike. Without the one-cent coin, states are facing ambiguity about how to round sales tax totals for cash transactions—should it happen before or after tax, and who absorbs the rounding loss? These questions go largely unanswered, and in the absence of clear rules, businesses are improvising, which risks inconsistent compliance and enforcement challenges. There's also a legal tension where cash transactions require rounding but card payments do not—potentially running afoul of laws banning payment-method discrimination or even the Internet Tax Freedom Act.Streamlined Sales Tax rules add more complexity, limiting when and how rounding can occur and cautioning against systems that enrich the state at consumers' expense. I argue that instead of patchwork fixes, this moment should push states to modernize their sales tax systems with mandatory e-invoicing and real-time reporting. This would standardize how tax is calculated and rounded, reduce compliance uncertainty, and shrink the window for fraud. Paired with something like a receipt lottery—used successfully in countries like Brazil and China—states could turn customers into compliance allies by rewarding them for scanning and validating receipts.Ultimately, automating rounding decisions and reporting in point-of-sale systems would lift the burden off retailers and give governments cleaner data with lower enforcement costs. The penny may be dead, but this is a rare chance to bring sales tax enforcement into the 21st century. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Why do some romance authors build decades-long careers while others vanish after one breakout book? What really separates a throwaway pen name and rapid release strategy from a legacy brand and a body of work you're proud of? How can you diversify with trad, indie, non-fiction, and Kickstarter without burning out—or selling out your creative freedom? With Jennifer Probst. In the intro, digital ebook signing [BookFunnel]; how to check terms and conditions; Business for Authors 2026 webinars; Music industry and AI music [BBC; The New Publishing Standard]; The Golden Age of Weird. This podcast is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, which helps authors self-publish and reach readers in global markets through the Kobo eco-system. You can also subscribe to the Kobo Writing Life podcast for interviews with successful indie authors. This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Jennifer Probst is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over 60 books across different kinds of romance as well as non-fiction for writers. Her latest book is Write Free. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights, and the full transcript is below. Show Notes How Jennifer started writing at age 12, fell in love with romance, and persisted through decades of rejection A breakout success — and what happened when it moved to a traditional publisher Traditional vs indie publishing, diversification, and building a long-term, legacy-focused writing career Rapid-release pen names vs slow-burn author brands, and why Jennifer chooses quality and longevity Inspirational non-fiction for writers (Write Naked, Write True, Write Free) Using Kickstarter for special editions, re-releases, courses, and what she's learned from both successes and mistakes – plus what “writing free” really means in practice How can you ‘write free'? You can find Jennifer at JenniferProbst.com. Transcript of interview with Jennifer Probst Jo: Jennifer Probst is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over 60 books across different kinds of romance as well as non-fiction for writers. Her latest book is Write Free. So welcome, Jennifer. Jennifer: Thanks so much, Joanna. I am kind of fangirling. I'm really excited to be on The Creative Penn podcast. It's kind of a bucket list. Jo: Aw, that's exciting. I reached out to you after your recent Kickstarter, and we are going to come back to that in a minute. First up, take us back in time. Tell us a bit more about how you got into writing and publishing. Jennifer: This one is easy for me. I am one of those rarities. I think that I knew when I was seven that I was going to write. I just didn't know what I was going to write. At 12 years old, and now this will kind of date me in dinosaur era here, there was no internet, no information on how to be a writer, no connections out there. The only game in town was Writer's Digest. I would go to my library and pore over Writer's Digest to learn how to be a writer. At 12 years old, all I knew was, “Oh, if I want to be a famous writer, I have to write a book.” So I literally sat down at 12 and wrote my first young adult romance. Of course, I was the star, as we all are when we're young, and I have not stopped since. I always knew, since my dad came home from a library with a box of romance novels and got in trouble with my mum and said, basically, “She's reading everything anyway, just let her read these,” I was gone. From that moment on, I knew that my entire life was going to be about that. So for me, it wasn't the writing. I have written non-stop since I was 12 years old. For me, it was more about making this a career where I can make money, because I think there was a good 30 years where I wrote without a penny to my name. So it was more of a different journey for me. It was more about trying to find my way in the writing world, where everybody said it should be just a hobby, and I believed that it should be something more. Jo: I was literally just going back in my head there to the library I used to go to on my way home from school. Similar, probably early teens, maybe age 14. Going to that section and… I think it was Shirley Conran. Was that Lace? Yes, Lace books. That's literally how we all learned about sex back in the day. Jennifer: All from books. You didn't need parents, you didn't need friends. Amazing. Jo: Oh, those were the days. That must have been the eighties, right? Jennifer: It was the eighties. Yes. Seventies, eighties, but mostly right around in the eighties. Oh, it was so… Jo: I got lost about then because I was reminiscing. I was also the same one in the library, and people didn't really see what you were reading in the corner of the library. So I think that's quite funny. Tell us how you got into being an indie. Jennifer: What had happened is I had this manuscript and it had been shopped around New York for agents and for a bunch of publishers. I kept getting the same exact thing: “I love your voice.” I mean, Joanna, when you talk about papering your wall with rejections, I lived that. The only thing I can say is that when I got my first rejection, I looked at it as a rite of passage that created me as a writer, rather than taking the perspective that it meant I failed. To me, perspective is a really big thing in this career, how you look at things. So that really helped me. But after you get like 75 of them, you're like, “I don't know how much longer I can take of this.” What happened is, it was an interesting story, because I had gone to an RWA conference and I had shopped this everywhere, this book that I just kept coming back to. I kept saying, “I feel like this book could be big.” There was an indie publisher there. They had just started out, it was an indie publisher called Entangled. A lot of my friends were like, “What about Entangled? Why don't you try more digital things or more indie publishers coming up rather than the big traditional ones?” Lo and behold, I sent it out. They loved the book. They decided, in February of 2012, to launch it. It was their big debut. They were kind of competing with Harlequin, but it was going to be a new digital line. It was this new cutting-edge thing. The book went crazy. It went viral. The book was called The Marriage Bargain, and it put me on the map. All of a sudden I was inundated with agents, and the traditional publishers came knocking and they wanted to buy the series. It was everywhere. Then it hit USA Today, and then it spent 26 weeks on The New York Times. Everybody was like, “Wow, you're this overnight sensation.” And I'm like, “Not really!” That was kind of my leeway into everything. We ended up selling that series to Simon & Schuster because that was the smart move for then, because it kind of blew up and an indie publisher at that time knew it was a lot to take on. From then on, my goal was always to do both: to have a traditional contract, to work with indie publishers, and to do my own self-pub. I felt, even back then, the more diversified I am, the more control I have. If one bucket goes bad, I have two other buckets. Jo: Yes, I mean, I always say multiple streams of income. It's so surprising to me that people think that whatever it is that hits big is going to continue. So you obviously experienced there a massive high point, but it doesn't continue. You had all those weeks that were amazing, but then it drops off, right? Jennifer: Oh my goodness, yes. Great story about what happened. So 26 weeks on The New York Times, and it was selling like hotcakes. Then Simon & Schuster took it over and they bumped the price to their usual ebook price, which was, what, $12.99 or something? So it's going from $2.99. The day that they did it, I slid off all the bestseller lists. They were gone, and I lost a lot of control too. With indies, you have a little bit more control. But again, that kind of funnels me into a completely different kind of setup. Traditional is very different from indie. What you touched on, I think, is the biggest thing in the industry right now. When things are hot, it feels like forever. I learned a valuable lesson: it doesn't continue. It just doesn't. Maybe someone like Danielle Steel or some of the other big ones never had to pivot, but I feel like in romance it's very fluid. You have genres hitting big, you have niches hitting big, authors hitting big. Yes, I see some of them stay. I see Emily Henry still staying—maybe that will never pause—but I think for the majority, they find themselves saying, “Okay, that's done now. What's next?” It can either hit or not hit. Does that make sense to you? Do you feel the same? Jo: Yes, and I guess it's not just about the book. It's more about the tactic. You mentioned genres, and they do switch a lot in romance, a lot faster than other genres. In terms of how we do marketing… Now, as we record this, TikTok is still a thing, and we can see maybe generative AI search coming on the horizon and agentic buying. A decade ago it might have been different, more Facebook ads or whatever. Then before that it might have been something else. So there's always things changing along the way. Jennifer: Yes, there definitely is. It is a very oversaturated market. They talk about, I don't know, 2010 to 2016 maybe, as the gold rush, because that was where you could make a lot of money as an indie. Then we saw the total fallout of so many different things. I feel like I've gone through so many ups and downs in the industry. I do love it because the longer you're around, the more you learn how to pivot. If you want this career, you learn how to write differently or do whatever you need to do to keep going, in different aspects, with the changes. To me, that makes the industry exciting. Again, perspective is a big thing. But I have had to take a year to kind of rebuild when I was out of contract with a lot of things. I've had to say, “Okay, what do you see on the horizon now? Where is the new foundation? Where do you wanna restart?” Sometimes it takes a year or two of, “Maybe I won't be making big income and I cut back,” but then you're back in it, because it takes a while to write a few new books, or write under a pen name, or however you want to pivot your way back into the industry. Or, like you were saying, diversifying. I did a lot of non-fiction stuff because that's a big calling for me, so I put that into the primary for a while. I think it's important for authors to maybe not just have one thing. When that one thing goes away, you're scrambling. It's good to have a couple of different things like, “Well, okay, this genre is dead or this thing is dead or this isn't making money. Let me go to this for a little while until I see new things on the horizon.” Jo: Yes. There's a couple of things I want to come back to. You mentioned a pen name there, and one of the things I'm seeing a lot right now—I mean, it's always gone on, but it seems to be on overdrive—is people doing rapid-release, throwaway pen names. So there's a new sub-genre, they write the books really fast, they put them up under whatever pen name, and then when that goes away, they ditch that pen name altogether. Versus growing a name brand more slowly, like I think you and I have done. Under my J.F. Penn fiction brand, I put lots of different sub-genres. What are your thoughts on this throwaway pen name versus growing a name brand more slowly? Jennifer: Well, okay, the first thing I'm goign to say is: if that lights people up, if you love the idea of rapid release and just kind of shedding your skin and going on to the next one, I say go for it. As long as you're not pumping it out with AI so it's a complete AI book, but that's a different topic. I'm not saying using AI tools; I mean a completely AI-written book. That's the difference. If we're talking about an author going in and, every four weeks, writing a book and stuff like that, I do eventually think that anything in life that disturbs you, you're going to burn out eventually. That is a limited-time kind of thing, I believe. I don't know how long you can keep doing that and create decent enough books or make a living on it. But again, I really try not to judge, because I am very open to: if that gives you joy and that's working and it brings your family money, go for it. I have always wanted to be a writer for the long term. I want my work to be my legacy. I don't just pump out books. Every single book is my history. It's a marking of what I thought, what I put out in the world, what my beliefs are, what my story is. It marks different things, and I'm very proud of that. So I want a legacy of quality. As I got older, in my twenties and thirties, I was able to write books a lot faster. Then I had a family with two kids and I had to slow down a little bit. I also think life sometimes drives your career, and that's okay. If you're taking care of a sick parent or there's illness or whatever, maybe you need to slow down. I like the idea of a long-term backlist supporting me when I need to take a back seat and not do frontlist things. So that's how I feel. I will always say: choose a long, organic-growth type of career that will be there for you, where your backlist can support you. I also don't want to trash people who do it differently. If that is how you can do it, if you can write a book in a month and keep doing it and keep it quality, go for it. Jo: I do have the word “legacy” on my board next to me, but I also have “create a body of work I'm proud of.” I have that next to me, and I have “Have you made art today?” So I think about these things too. As you say, people feel differently about work, and I will do other work to make faster cash rather than do that with books. But as we said, that's all good. Interestingly, you mentioned non-fiction there. Write Free is your latest one, but you've got some other writing books. So maybe— Talk about the difference between non-fiction book income and marketing compared to fiction, and why you added that in. Jennifer: Yes, it's completely different. I mean, it's two new dinosaurs. I came to writing non-fiction in a very strange way. Literally, I woke up on New Year's Day and I was on a romance book deadline. I could not do it. I'll tell you, my brain was filled with passages of teaching writing, of things I wanted to share in my writing career. Because again, I've been writing since I was 12, I've been a non-stop writer for over 30 years. I got to my computer and I wrote like three chapters of Write Naked (which was the first book). It was just pouring out of me. So I contacted my agent and I said, “Look, I don't know, this is what I want to do. I want to write this non-fiction book.” She's like, “What are you talking about? You're a romance author. You're on a romance deadline. What do you want me to do with this?” She was so confused. I said, “Yes, how do you write a non-fiction book proposal?” And she was just like, “This is not good, Jen. What are you doing?” Anyway, the funny story was, she said, “Just send me chapters.” I mean, God bless her, she's this wonderful agent, but I know she didn't get it. So I sent her like four chapters of what I was writing and she called me. I'll never forget it. She called me on the phone and she goes, “This is some of the best stuff I have ever read in my life. It's raw and it's truthful, and we've got to find a publisher for this.” And I was like, “Yay.” What happened was, I believe this was one of the most beautiful full circles in my life: Writer's Digest actually made me an offer. It was not about the money. I found that non-fiction for me had a much lower advance and a different type of sales. For me, when I was a kid, that is exactly what I was reading in the library, Writer's Digest. I would save my allowance to get the magazine. I would say to myself, “One day, maybe I will have a book with Writer's Digest.” So for me, it was one of the biggest full-circle moments. I will never forget it. Being published by them was amazing. Then I thought I was one-and-done, but the book just completely touched so many writers. I have never gotten so many emails: “Thank you for saying the truth,” or “Thank you for being vulnerable.” Right before it published, I had a panic attack. I told my husband, “Now everybody's going to know that I am a mess and I'm not fabulous and the world is going to know my craziness.” By being vulnerable about the career, and also that it was specifically for romance authors, it caused a bond. I think it caused some trust. I had been writing about writing for years. After that, I thought it was one-and-done. Then two or three years later I was like, “No, I have more to say.” So I leaned into my non-fiction. It also gives my fiction brain a rest, because when you're doing non-fiction, you're using a different part of your brain. It's a way for me to cleanse my palate. I gather more experiences about what I want to share, and then that goes into the next book. Jo: Yes, I also use the phrase “palate cleanser” for non-fiction versus fiction. I feel like you write one and then you feel like, “Oh, I really need to write the other now.” Jennifer: Yes! Isn't it wonderful? I love that. I love having the two brains and just giving one a break and totally leaning into it. Again, it's another way of income. It's another way. I also believe that this industry has given me so much that it is automatic that I want to give back. I just want to give as much as possible back because I'm so passionate about writing and the industry field. Jo: Well, interestingly though, Writer's Digest—the publisher who published that magazine and other things—went bankrupt in 2019. You've been in publishing a long time. It is not uncommon for publishers to go out of business or to get bought. Things happen with publishers, right? Jennifer: Yes. Jo: So what then happened? Jennifer: So Penguin Random House bought it. All the Writer's Digest authors did not know what they were going to do. Then Penguin Random House bought it and kept Writer's Digest completely separate, as an imprint under the umbrella. So Writer's Digest really hasn't changed. They still have the magazine, they still have books. So it ended up being okay. But what I did do is—because I sold Write Naked and I have no regrets about that, it was the best thing for me to do, to go that route—the second and the third books were self-published. I decided I'm going to self-publish. That way I have the rights for audio, I have the rights for myself, I can do a whole bunch of different things. So Write True, the second one, was self-published. Writers Inspiring Writers I paired up with somebody, so we self-published that. And Write Free, my newest one, is self-published. So I've decided to go that route now with my non-fiction. Jo: Well, as I said, I noticed your Kickstarter. I don't write romance, so I'm not really in that community. I had kind of heard your name before, but then I bought the book and joined the Kickstarter. Then I discovered that you've been doing so much and I was like, “Oh, how, why haven't we connected before?” It's very cool. So tell us about the Kickstarters you've done and what you know, because you've done, I think, a fiction one as well. What are your thoughts and tips around Kickstarter? Jennifer: Yes. When I was taking that year, I found myself kind of… let's just say fired from a lot of different publishers at the time. That was okay because I had contracts that ran out, and when I looked to see, “Okay, do we want to go back?” it just wasn't looking good. I was like, “Well, I don't want to spend a year if I'm not gonna be making the money anyway.” So I looked at the landscape and I said, “It's time to really pull in and do a lot more things on my own, but I've got to build foundations.” Kickstarter was one of them. I took a course with Russell Nohelty and Monica Leonelle. They did a big course for Kickstarter, and they were really the ones going around to all the conferences and basically saying, “Hey guys, you're missing out on a lot of publishing opportunities here,” because Kickstarter publishing was getting good. I took the course because I like to dive into things, but I also want to know the foundation of it. I want to know what I'm doing. I'm not one to just wing it when it comes to tech. So what happened is, the first one, I had rights coming back from a book. After 10 years, my rights came back. It was an older book and I said, “You know what? I am going to dip my foot in and see what kind of base I can grow there. What can I do?” I was going to get a new cover, add new scenes, re-release it anyway, right? So I said, “Let's do a Kickstarter for it, because then I can get paid for all of that work.” It worked out so fantastically. It made just enough for my goal. I knew I didn't want to make a killing; I knew I wanted to make a fund. I made my $5,000, which I thought was wonderful, and I was able to re-release it with a new cover, a large print hardback, and I added some scenes. I did a 10-year anniversary re-release for my fans. So I made it very fan-friendly, grew my audience, and I was like, “This was great.” The next year, I did something completely different. I was doing Kindle Vella back in the day. That was where you dropped a chapter at a time. I said, “I want to do this completely different kind of thing.” It was very not my brand at all. It was very reality TV-ish: young college students living in the city, very sexy, very angsty, love triangles, messy—everything I was not known for. Again, I was like, “I'm not doing a pen name because this is just me,” and I funnelled my audience. I said, “What I'm going to do is I'm going to start doing a chapter a week through Kindle Vella and make money there. Then when it's done, I'm going to bundle it all up and make a book out of it.” So I did a year of Kindle Vella. It was the best decision I made because I just did two chapters a week, which I was able to do. By one year I had like 180,000 words. I had two to three books in there. I did it as a hardback deluxe—the only place you could get it in print. Then Vella closed, or at least it went way down. So I was like, “Great, I'm going to do this Kickstarter for this entire new thing.” I partnered with a company that helps with special editions, because that was a whole other… oh Joanna, that was a whole other thing you have to go into. Getting the books, getting the art, getting the swag. I felt like I needed some help for that. Again, I went in, I funded. I did not make a killing on that, but that was okay. I learned some things that I would have changed with my Kickstarter and I also built a new audience for that. I had a lot of extra books that I then sold in my store, and it was another place to make money. The third Kickstarter I used specifically because I had always wanted to do a writing course. I go all over the world, I do keynotes, I do workshops, I've done books, and I wanted to reach new writers, but I don't travel a lot anymore. So I came up with the concept that I was going to do my very first course, and it was going to be very personal, kind of like me talking to them almost like in a keynote, like you're in a room with me. I gathered a whole bunch of stuff and I used Kickstarter to help me A) fund it and B) make myself do it, because it was two years in the making and I always had, “Oh, I've got this other thing to do,” you know how we do that, right? We have big projects. So I used Kickstarter as a deadline and I decided to launch it in the summer. In addition to that, I took years of my posts from all over. I copied and pasted, did new posts, and I created Write Free, which was a very personal, essay-driven book. I took it all together. I took a couple of months to do this, filmed the course, and the Kickstarter did better than I had ever imagined. I got quadruple what I wanted, and it literally financed all the video editing, the books, everything that I needed, plus extra. I feel like I'm growing in Kickstarter. I hope I'm not ranting. I'm trying to go over things that can help people. Jo: Oh no, that is super useful. Jennifer: So you don't have to go all in and say, “If it doesn't fund it's over,” or “I need to make $20,000.” There are people making so much money, and there are people that will do a project a year or two projects a year and just get enough to fund a new thing that they want to do. So that's how I've done it. Jo: I've done quite a few now, and my non-fiction ones have been a lot bigger—I have a big audience there—and my fiction have been all over the place. What I like about Kickstarter is that you can do these different things. We can do these special editions. I've just done a sprayed-edge short story collection. Short story collections are not the biggest genre. Jennifer: Yes. I love short stories too. I've always wanted to do an anthology of all my short stories. Jo: There you go. Jennifer: Yes, I love that for your Kickstarter. Love it. Jo: When I turned 50 earlier this year, I realised the thing that isn't in print is my short stories. They are out there digitally, and that's why I wanted to do it. I feel like Kickstarter is a really good way to do these creative projects. As you say, you don't have to make a ton of money, but at the end of the day, the definition of success for us, I think for both of us, is just being able to continue doing this, right? Jennifer: Absolutely. This is funding a creative full-time career, and every single thing that you do with your content is like a funnel. The more funnels that you have, the bigger your base. Especially if you love it. It would be different if I was struggling and thinking, “Do I get an editor job?” I would hate being an editor. But if you look at something else like, “Oh yes, I could do this and that would light me up, like doing a course—wow, that sounds amazing,” then that's different. It's kind of finding your alternates that also light you up. Jo: Hmm. So were there any mistakes in your Kickstarters that you think are worth sharing? In case people are thinking about it. Jennifer: Oh my God, yes. So many. One big thing was that I felt like I was a failure if I didn't make a certain amount of money because my name is pretty well known. It's not like I'm brand new and looking. One of the big things was that I could not understand and I felt like I was banging my head against the wall about why my newsletter subscribers wouldn't support the Kickstarter. I'm like, “Why aren't you doing this? I'm supposed to have thousands of people that just back.” Your expectations can really mess with you. Then I started to learn, “Oh my God, my newsletter audience wants nothing to do with my Kickstarter.” Maybe I had a handful. So then I learned that I needed longer tails, like putting it up for pre-order way ahead of time, and also that you can't just announce it in your newsletter and feel like everybody's going to go there. You need to find your streams, your Kickstarter audience, which includes ads. I had never done ads either and I didn't know how to do that, so I did that all wrong. I joined the Facebook group for Kickstarter authors. I didn't do that for the first one and then I learned about it. You share backer updates, so every time you go into your audience with a backer update, there's this whole community where you can share with like-minded people with their projects, and you post it under your updates. It does cross-networking and sharing with a lot of authors in their newsletters. For the Write Free one, I leaned into my networking a lot, using my connections. I used other authors' newsletters and people in the industry to share my Kickstarter. That was better for me than just relying on my own fanbase. So definitely more networking, more sharing, getting it out on different platforms rather than just doing your own narrow channel. Because a lot of the time, you think your audience will follow you into certain things and they don't, and that needs to be okay. The other thing was the time and the backend. I think a lot of authors can get super excited about swag. I love that, but I learned that I could have pulled back a little bit and been smarter with my financials. I did things I was passionate about, but I probably spent much more money on swag than I needed to. So looking at different aspects to make it more efficient. I think each time you do one, you learn what works best. As usual, I try to be patient with myself. I don't get mad at myself for trying things and failing. I think failing is spectacular because I learn something. I know: do I want to do this again? Do I want to do it differently? If we weren't so afraid of failingqu “in public”, I think we would do more things. I'm not saying I never think, “Oh my God, that was so embarrassing, I barely funded and this person is getting a hundred thousand.” We're human. We compare. I have my own reset that I do, but I really try to say, “But no, for me, maybe I'll do this, and if it doesn't work, that's okay.” Jo: I really like that you shared about the email list there because I feel like too many people have spent years driving people to Kindle or KU, and they have built an email list of readers who like a particular format at a particular price. Then we are saying, “Oh, now come over here and buy a beautiful hardback that's like ten times the price.” And we're surprised when nobody does it. Is that what happened? Jennifer: Exactly. Also, that list was for a non-fiction project. So I had to funnel where my writers were in my newsletter, and I have mostly readers. So I was like, “Okay…” But I think you're exactly right. First of all, it's the platform. When you ask anybody to go off a platform, whether it's buy direct at your Shopify store or go to Kickstarter, you are going to lose the majority right there. People are like, “No, I want to click a button from your newsletter and go to a site that I know.” So you've got that, and you've got to train them. That can take some time. Then you've got this project where people are like, “I don't understand.” Even my mum was like, “I would love to support you, honey, but what the heck is this? Where's the buy button and where's my book?” My women's fiction books tend to have some older readers who are like, “Hell no, I don't know what this is.” So you have to know your audience. If it's not translating, train them. I did a couple of videos where I said, “Look, I want to show you how easy this is,” and I showed them directly how to go in and how to back. I did that with Kindle Vella too. I did a video from my newsletter and on social: “Hey, do you not know how to read this chapter? Here's how.” Sometimes there's a barrier. Like you said, Joanna, if I have a majority that just want sexy contemporary, and I'm dropping angsty, cheating, forbidden love, they're like, “Oh no, that's not for me.” So you have to know whether there's a crossover. I go into my business with that already baked into my expectations. I don't go in thinking I'm going to make a killing. Then I'm more surprised when it does well, and then I can build it. Jo: Yes, exactly. Also if you are, like both of us, writing across genres, then you are always going to split your audience. People do not necessarily buy everything because they have their preferences. So I think that's great. Now we are almost out of time, but this latest book is Write Free. I wondered if you would maybe say— What does Write Free mean to you, and what might it help the listeners with? Jennifer: Write Free is an extremely personal book for me, and the title was really important because it goes with Write Naked, Write True, and Write Free. These are the ways that I believe a writer should always show up to the page. Freedom is being able to write your truth in whatever day that is. You're going to be a different writer when you're young and maybe hormonal and passionate and having love affairs. You're going to write differently when you're a mum with kids in nappies. You're going to write differently when you are maybe in your forties and you're killing your career. Your perspective changes, your life changes. Write Free is literally a collection of essays all through my 30 years of life. It's very personal. There are essays like, “I'm writing my 53rd book right now,” and essays like, “My kids are in front of SpongeBob and I'm trying to write right now,” and “I got another rejection letter and I don't know how to survive.” It is literally an imprint of essays that you can dip in and dip out of. It's easy, short, inspirational, and it's just me showing up for my writing life. That's what I wish for everybody: that they can show up for their writing life in the best way that they can at the time, because that changes all the time. Jo: We can say “write free” because we've got a lot of experience at writing. I feel like when I started writing—I was an IT consultant—I literally couldn't write anything creative. I didn't believe I could. There'll be people listening who are just like, “Well, Jennifer, I can't write free. I'm not free. My mind is shackled by all these expectations and everything.” How can they release that and aim for more freedom? Jennifer: I love that question so much. The thing is, I've spent so many years working on that part. That doesn't come overnight. I think sometimes when you have more clarification of, “Okay, this is really limiting me,” then when you can see where something is limiting you, at least you can look for answers. My answers came in the form of meditation. Meditation is a very big thing in my life. Changing my perspective. Learning life mottos to help me deal with those kinds of limitations. Learning that when I write a sex scene, I can't care about my elderly aunt who tells my mother, “Dear God, she ruined the family name.” It is your responsibility to figure out where these limitations are, and then slowly see how you can remove them. I've been in therapy. I have read hundreds of self-help books. I take meditation courses. I take workshop courses. I've done CliftonStrengths with Becca Syme. I don't even know if that's therapy, but it feels like therapy to me as a writer. Knowing my personality traits. I've done Enneagram work with Claire Taylor, which has been huge. The more you know yourself and how your brain is showing up for yourself, the more you can grab tools to use. I wish I could say, “Yes, if everybody meditates 30 minutes a day, you're going to have all blocks removed,” but it's so personal that it's a trick question. If everybody started today and said, “Where is my biggest limitation?” and be real with yourself, there are answers out there. You just have to go slowly and find them, and then the writing more free will come. I hope that wasn't one of those woo-woo answers, but I really do believe it. Jo: I agree. It just takes time. Like our writing career, it just takes time. Keep working on it, keep writing. Jennifer: Yes. And bravery, right? A lot of bravery. Just show up for yourself however you can. If “write free” feels too big, journal for yourself and put it in a locked drawer. Any kind of writing, I think, is therapeutic too. Jo: Brilliant. So where can people find you and your books and everything you do online? Jennifer: The best place to go is my website. I treat it like my home. It's www.JenniferProbst.com. There is so much on it. Not just books, not just free content and free stories. There's an entire section just for writers. There are videos on there. There are a lot of resources. I keep it up to date and it is the place where you can find me. Of course I'm everywhere on social media as Author Jennifer Probst. You can find me anywhere. I always tell everybody: I answer my messages, I answer my emails. That is really important to me. So if you heard this podcast and you want to reach out on anything, please do. I will answer. Jo: Fantastic. Well, thanks so much for your time, Jennifer. That was great. Jennifer: Thanks for having me, Joanna.The post Writing Free: Romance Author Jennifer Probst On A Long-Term Author Career first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links —Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.Welcome back! Today we're breaking down export sales, flash deals, China/Brazil soybean news, ethanol margins, and record-setting Black Friday spending.

The Eagles are seemingly giving it up like in 2023, the 94 WIP Morning Show remarks. The Bears have now jumped the Eagles in the NFC standings.

안녕하세요~ 제 서른아홉 번째 중급 팟캐스트를 들으러 오신 걸 환영합니다

This episode we look at many of the natural events and talk about those observing and writing things down, and why they may have wanted to do so. For more, check out our podcast blogpage:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-139   Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 139: Observing the "Natural" World. Members of the Onmyou-ryou, dressed in the official robes of their office, sat around in their observation tower, measuring the location of the stars.  They kept their light to a minimum, just enough so that they could write down their observations, but not so much that it would destroy their vision.  As they looked up, suddenly they saw a strange movement: a streak through the sky.  They waited, and observed, and then there was another, and another after that.  It was as if the stars themselves were falling from the heavens.  They watched as it seemed that the constellations themselves were melting and falling apart.  Quickly they scribbled down notes.  Tomorrow, with the light of day, they would consult various sources to see just what it could mean.  For now, their role was simply to observe and record.   Welcome back, everyone.  It is the height of holiday season in the US as I record this, and in our narrative we are in the middle of the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, who came to power in 672 and who has been shoring up the Ritsuryo state instigated by his late brother, Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou.  We have talked in recent episodes about how Ohoama put a lot of the state under the control of members of the royal family, or at least those with claims to royal blood, and how he had also begun work on the Chronicles—the very works that we have been using to try and understand the history of this and earlier periods.   It seems clear that Ohoama and his cohorts were doing their best to solidify their control and, in the process, create what they felt was a modern state, leveraging the continental model, but not without their own local flavor.  After all, they were also investing in the kami based rituals of state and specifically in Ise shrine, which they claimed as an ancestral shrine for their lineage. This episode, let's dig into another thing that was getting reported around this time.  And that is… science!  Or at least observations of the world and indications of how people were interacting with it. Before going into the subject, I want to acknowledge that "science", or "Kagaku" in modern Japanese, may not look like what we think of as "science" today.  The word "Kagaku" itself appears to come about in the late Edo period, and became associated with the western idea of "Science" in the Meiji period.  Today we think of it as observations, yes, but also testing via the scientific method. I think it might be more appropriate to categorize a lot of earlier science under a term like "learning" or "study", and it seems to have encompassed a wide range of topics of study, some of which we would include as "science" and some which we might refer to more as "arts".  There is also a very fine line with religion and philosophy as well. From a modern perspective, I think one could fairly argue that "science"—particularly the so-called "hard" sciences—refers to something that can be empirically tested via the scientific method.  So you can see something, form a hypothesis, create a test, and then that test should produce the same results no matter who conducts it, assuming you account for the variables. And please don't @ me about this… I know I am simplifying things.  This isn't a podcast about science unless we are talking about the social sciences of history and archaeology. In contrast to our modern concept of science, much of what we see in the Asuka era is built around using our reasoning to arrive at the truth of something.  In cases where we are dealing with clearly physical phenomena that have observable causes and effects, this can lead to remarkably reliable results.  One example of this is calendrical science—it isn't that hard to observe the passing of days and seasons.  Even the rotation of the earth and the movements of stars and even something with as large a period as comets could be observed and tracked, especially if you had centuries of data to comb through.  In fact, they often would predict things that it turns out they couldn't, themselves, see.  They could predict that an eclipse would occur, for example, even when that eclipse was only visible somewhere else.  And they didn't have to calculate gravitational pull, mass, or distances between different heavenly bodies for that to occur. Similarly, in the agricultural sphere: you had so many people who observed the seasons and would figure out new ways of doing things.  It doesn't take an understanding of chlorophyl to know that plants generally do better when exposed to sunlight. I believe the leap happens when you get to things that go beyond purely observable means.  Sickness, for example—how do you explain viruses or germs without equipment like microscopes to see what our eyes alone cannot?  And if such "invisible" things could cause so much damage, then why could there not be other "invisible" elements, such as kami and boddhisatvas?  And as humans we are driven to make connections.  It is one of the things that has driven our technological innovation and rise, but it is also something that can easily go awry.  Like when you are sitting in a dark house, alone, and you hear a noise.  Rationally, you might know that houses settle and creak, but that doesn't necessarily stop your brain from connecting it with thoughts that someone must be in the house making that noise. Or even how we make judgments based on nothing more than how someone talks or what they look like, because our brains have made connections with those things, for good or ill. A large part of the rationalization that was accomplished in Asian thought had to do with concepts of Yin and Yang, the negative and the positive, the dark and the light.  This was thought of as a kind of energy—qi or ki—that was embedded in things.  We discussed this somewhat back in episode 127, because yin yang theory, along with the five element theory, known as Wuxing or Gogyou in Japanese, became embedded in the idea of the calendar.  Why was summer hot, except that it was connected with an excess of fire energy?  And the cold, dark days of winter would be associated with an excess of water, naturally. I should note that while this is one of the more comprehensive philosophical systems in use, it was not the only means by which various phenomena and effects were rationalized.  After all, it had to be imposed on a framework of how the world otherwise worked, and descriptions of the world came from a variety of places.  There was, for example, the Classic of Mountains and Seas, or Sanhaijing, which detailed the world as envisioned in the period before the Qin dynasty, although there were occasional updates.  The Sanhaijing  described regular plants and animals in the same breath as gods and monsters.  There were also various buddhist sutras, which brought their own cosmological view of the universe that had to be squared with other visions, including those passed down locally describing the archipelago as the "Reed Plain" and giving particular importance to eight of the islands—though which eight depends on which variant of the creation myth you are referencing. To categorize the study of the natural—and what we would consider the supernatural—world around them, the Ritsuryou set up specific bureaus.  One of these was the Onmyou-ryou, the Bureau of Yin-yang, also known as the Onyo no Tsukasa.  This Bureau oversaw divination, astronomy, time, and calendars.  At its head was the Onmyou-no-kami.  Below them were the various scholars studying the core subjects, as well as technical practitioners to carry out the rites and divination. On the continent, priority was generally given to astronomical and calendrical studies, and many of the more magical practices or rituals would fade away, likely because there were local Taoist institutions who could take up much of that work.  In Japan, however, it seems that the calendrical studies tended to ossify, instead, while onmyoji came to fill a role not just for the state but also among the population for divination and other such practices.  Even into the Edo period one could find private onmyoji, and the Bureau itself lasted until the very beginning of the Meiji period. Another important institution of the Ritsuryo government for learning was the Daigakuryou, the Bureau of Great Learning.  Students of Japanese may recognize the term "Daigaku" referring, today, to universities. The original concept for the Daigaku-ryou, or Daigaku no Tsukasa, was focused on the study of those things that were considered perhaps a bit more practical and necessary to anyone who might want a political career.  Since this was founded on concepts of Confucian government, it is little wonder that it was originally designed to focus on Confucian studies, among other things.  This fits into the idea of a supposed meritocracy, where one's education was part of the examination.  You may recall from Episode 115 we talked about the National University in Chang'an, which is likely something that the Daigaku Ryou could only ever dream of becoming. Early arts taught at the Daigaku Ryou included the Confucian classics, mathematics, writing, and Chinese pronunciation.  These were all things that you would need to know to become a part of the bureaucracy The idea of a school may have been born along with the early institution of the government, with mention as early as 671, in the last year of Naka no Oe's reign, but we don't have it clearly established in the code until later.  Full operations may have been somewhat delayed due to the tumultuous events of Ohoama's accession to power in 672, but we do see it explicitly mentioned in the year 675.  On the first day of the year we are told that Students from the Daigaku Ryou, along with students from the Onmyou-Ryou and from the Gaiyaku Ryou, the Bureau of External Medicine; along with the Woman of S'ravasti, the Woman of Tara, Prince Syeonkwang of Baekje, and Silla labourers offered presents of drugs and various rarities. We talked about the first two, the Daigaku-ryou and the Onmyou-ryou, but the Gaiyaku Ryou doesn't seem to have a lot of information out there beyond this mention.  Later there would a "Ten'yaku Ryou", or Bureau of Medicine, established in the code.  Since we don't have any extant codes from this period beyond what was written down in the Nihon Shoki, we don't know for certain what the Gaiyaku-ryou was , and it is possible that the Gaiyaku-Ryou was a precursor to the Ten'yaku Ryou.  "GAI" means "outside" or "external", leading me to wonder if this referred to external medicine in contrast to internal medicine, or if it meant medicine or drugs from outside teh archipeloago. I would point out that these students are found with the Woman of S'ravasti, or Shae; the Woman of Tara; a Baekje prince and Silla labourers.  In other words, they were all people from outside of the archipelago.  This is not entirely surprising as it was from outside that much of the learning was coming into the country. "Yaku" or "Kusuri", which can be translated as either "Drugs" or "medicine", could refer to a number of things.  How effective they were is somewhat questionable. Almost certainly some of them had confirmed medicinal efficacy, but others may have been thought to have been effective due to things like their connection to the five elements, or wuxing, theory. For example, something red might be assumed to have a warming effect because of the presumed presence of the fire element.  And the power of the placebo effect no doubt made them seem at least partially effective.  Consider, for example, how many people will swear by certain remedies for the common cold when all it really does is distract you, or perhaps make you a bit more comfortable, until the symptoms pass on their own. A more certain science was probably that of Astronomy, which we've mentioned a few times.  The passage of the stars through the sky was something that could be easily observed.  There is a theory that some of the first lines in the Yijing, or book of changes, may actually be a description of the changing of seasons as different aspects of a given constellation rise over the horizon, and the placement of certain stars would help in the adjustment of the lunar calendar, since the moon's orbit does not match up exactly with the solar year, and year the solar year was quite important to things like agriculture and even sailing to the mainland. This all makes 675 a seemingly banner year for science, as four days after the presentation of medicine to the throne, the government erected a platform by which to observe the stars.  This wouldn't need to be much—it could have been an earthen mound, or just a tower, from which one could get above the ground, presumably see over any buildings, to the horizon.  Granted, Asuka might not be the best place for such observations, with the nearby mountains meaning that the true horizon is often obstructed.  Nonetheless, it may have been enough to make calculations. Astronomy platforms, or Tenmondai, would continue to be used up until at least the Meiji period.  Without a telescope, observations were somewhat limited—though they also didn't have the same level of light pollution that we have today.  Remember, many woke just before dawn and went to sleep not too long after the sun went down, which only makes sense when you are living in a place where creating light, while doable, also ran the risk of burning your entire house to the ground. It is worth noting that the sky for the ancient Japanese was likely quite different than what most of us see when we look up, unless you are fortunate enough to live in a place with very little light pollution.  For many of those living today in the cities and suburban landscape, go outside at night and you might see the moon and some of the brightest stars, but for most of the ancient Japanese, they would look up and see the heavenly river, the Amakawa, or Milky Way.  They would have looked up at a sky glittering with myriad dots of light, as well as planets and more.  It was both familiar and strange—something one saw regularly and yet something that was also extremely inaccessible. Astronomical observations would have been important for several reasons, as I've mentioned.  They would have been used to keep the calendar in check, but they would also have likely been used to help calibrate the water clock, which helped to tell time.  Of course, going back to the five elements and yin yang theory, it is also believed that the energy, the qi or ki, changed with the seasons and the movements of the stars and planets—planets were not known as such, of course, but their seemingly erratic movements compared to bright lights in the sky meant they were noticed and assigned values within the elemental system. One of the things that came with the changing seasons, the heavenly movements, and the flow of ki was a concept of "kata-imi", literally directional taboos.  There were times when certain directions might be considered favorable or unfavorable for various actions.  This could be something as simple as traveling in a given direction.  In the centuries to come this would spawn an entire practice of kata-tagae, or changing direction.  Is the north blocked, but you need to travel there, anyway?  Well just go northwest to say hello to a friend or visit your local sake brewery, and then travel due east.  Ta-da!  You avoided going directly north!  There were also mantra-like incantations that one might say if they had to travel in an inauspicious direction to counteract the concept of bad influences. This also influenced various other things, and even today you will often see dates where a year and month might be followed by simply the character for "auspicious day" rather than an actual day of the month. So observing the heavens was important, and it was also important that they tostudy the works of those on the continent, whose records could help predict various astronomical phenomena.  Except that there was one tiny problem:  I don't know if you've noticed, but Japan and China are in two different locations.  Not all astronomical phenomena can be observed from all points of the globe.  The Northern Lights, for example, are rarely seen in more southerly latitudes, and while eclipses are not too rare, a total eclipse only impacts certain areas of the earth, along relatively narrow paths. I mention this because it isn't always clear if the records we get in the Nihon Shoki are about phenomena they directly observed or if they are taking reports from elsewhere and incorporating them into the narrative.  One such event is the comet of 676. The entry in the Nihon Shoki tells us that in the 7th lunar month of the 5th year of Temmu Tennou, aka 676 CE, a star appeared in the east that was 7 or 8 shaku in length.  It disappeared two months later. We've mentioned some of this before, but the sky was divided up into "shaku", or "feet", though how exactly it was measured I'm not entirely sure.  It appears to be that one foot was roughly 1.5 degrees of the sky, give or take about a quarter of a degree, with 180 degrees from horizon to horizon.  So it would have been about 10 to 12 degrees in the sky.  Another way to picture it is if you hold out your arm towards the object, and spread your index and little finger, it would probably fit between those two points.  This comet hung around for some time, and a great part about a comet like this is that it was viewable from multiple locations.  After all, as the earth turned, different areas were exposed to the comet as it passed through our part of the solar system.  Thus we have records of it from not just the Nihon Shoki:  We also find it in the Anglo-Saxon chronicles, where it was thought to have foretold the end of Bishop Wilfred's control of Northumbria.  We also see it in Tang, Silla, and Syrian sources. These sources aren't always in complete agreement.  For one thing, they noted when they first saw it, which might have been impacted by local conditions.  And then conversion between lunar and solar calendars can also sometimes get in the way.  Roughtly speaking, we have the Nihon Shoki providing dates of somewhere from about August or September of 676, on the Western calendar, to October or November. Tang sources put it from 4 September to 1 November.  Silla Chronicles claim that it first appeared in the 7th lunar month, so between August and September.  A Syrian Chronicle notes a comet from about 28 August to 26 October in the following year, 677, but this is thought to have been a mistake.  European sources generally seem to claim it was seen in August and lasted for three months.  All of these sightings put it at roughly the same time. Working with that and with known comets, we think we actually know which comet this is:  The Comet de Cheseaux also known as the Comet Klinkenberg-Cheseaux.  And I should mention this is all thanks to a research paper by M. Meyer and G. W. Kronk.  In that paper they propose that this is the comet with the designation of C/1743 X1, or the common names I just mentioned.  If so, based on its trajectory, this comet would have been visible in 336, 676, 1032, 1402, 1744, and is next predicted to show up in 2097.  And no, those aren't all exactly the same amount of time.  It is roughly every 350 years or so, but with the movements of the solar system, the planets, and various gravitational forces that likely slow or speed up its movement, it doesn't show up on exactly regular intervals.  Still, it is pretty incredible to think that we have a record of a comet that was seen the world over at this time, by people looking up from some very different places. Comets were something interesting for early astronomers.  They may have originally been seen as particularly ominous—after all, in the early eras, they were hardly predictable, and it would take years to get enough data to see that they were actually a somewhat regular occurrence.  In fact, it is likely that early astronomers were able to figure out eclipse schedules before comets.  Still, they seem to have come to the realization that comets were in fact another type of natural and reoccurring phenomenon.  That isn't to say that they didn't have any oracular meaning, but it did mean they were less of an obvious disturbance of the heavenly order. We have another comet mentioned in the 10th lunar month of 681, but that one seems to have had less attention focused on it, and we don't have the same details.  Then in the 8th lunar month of 682 we have an entry about a Great Star passing from East to West—which was probably a shooting star, rather than a comet.  Comets, for all that they appear to be streaking across the sky thanks to their long tails, are often relatively stable from an earthbound perspective, taking months to appear and then disappear again. Then, on the 23rd day of the 7th month of 684 we get another comet in the northwest.  This one was more than 10 shaku in length—about 15 degrees, total, give or take.  Given the date, we can be fairly confident about this one, as well: it was the famous Halley's comet.  Halley's comet is fascinating for several reasons.  For one, it has a relatively short period of about 72 to 80 years, though mostly closer to 75 to 77 years in between sightings.  The last time it visited the earth was in 1986, and it is expected back in 2061.  Halley's comet has been recorded since the 3rd century BCE, and, likely because of its short period, it was the first periodic comet to be recognized as such.  There are other periodic comets with short periods, but many of them are not visible with the naked eye.  Halley's comet is perhaps the most studied comet, given its regular and relatively short periodicity.  It is also connected to the famous writer, humorist, and essayist, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain.  He was born only a few days after the comet reached perihelion in 1835 and died a day after it reached the same point again in 1910, and while he may not have visited Japan in his lifetime, it was a period of great change both in his home country of America and in Japan.  America, of course, would undergo a Civil War over the issue of slavery in the early 1860s, and shortly after that Japan would have its own civil war in the form of the Meiji Revolution.  And while he never visited—and translation could only do so much to capture the art of his prose—Mark Twain's works were apparently quite influential in Japan in the early 20th century. Of course, comets were just one of the celestial phenomena to be observed.  The astronomers were interested in just about anything happening in the sky.  We have accounts of both solar and lunar eclipses, and not necessarily full eclipses either.  We even have notice of the movement of some planets, such as in 681, when they noted that the planet mars "entered" the moon. Obviously the astronomers weren't recording every raincloud that came through—at least not in the main chronicles—but they did capture a fair number of events.  They did record particularly memorable storms.  For instances, in the 8th lunar month of 675 there was a storm that is said to have caused sand to fly and which then damaged houses.  This sounds like a wind storm without rain—after all, if there was rain, you would expect that the sand would have been wet and tamped down.  It is possible to have hurricane level winds without the rain.  While typhoons typically bring rain, especially as they usually build up their strength at sea, it is possible to have the winds alone, as I've experienced, myself, in Tokyo.  This most likely happens in an isolated area—there is water and rain somewhere, but the typhoon can be large, so parts of it may only get the wind and little or no rain.  I wonder if something like that happened in this instance.  It is also possible that this record refers to actual sand being brought across from the continent.  In some instances, sand can be lifted up from as far away as Mongolia and carried all the way to Japan, though it is pretty rare. And it wasn't just wind and sand.  We get accounts of hail coming down as large as peaches, torrential rainstorms, and even ash, likely from a volcanic eruption that was otherwise unrecorded.  There are also accounts of snow, though typically recorded in times where you wouldn't expect to see it, such as the third lunar month, which would mean snow in late April or early May. Mostly these storms are mentioned in terms of how they affected the immediate fortunes of the living, but sometimes storms did even more damage.  In 682, for example, a hoar-frost was reported in both Shinano and Kibi in the 7th lunar month.  On its own, this probably wouldn't have been worth mentioning, but the chroniclers add that because of storms the "five grains had not formed".  So storms had diminished the crops and the hoar-frost was apparently the killing blow.  The harvest that year would be lean, and it would not be a happy time for many that winter. And then, just as important as what was happening was what was not.  There are several mentions of droughts, particularly towards the end of Spring, early Summer.  This is traditionally a drier period, and if it is too dry it could harm the harvest.  And so the government was expected to find a way to bring the rain—a tall order, the general resolution to which seems to be prayers and rituals designed to bring rain.  In a place like Japan, I suspect that it was usually just a matter of time before the prayers were "successful", thus reinforcing their presumed efficacy. Some of the things that they recorded were a bit more mysterious.  For example, in the second lunar month of 680 we are told that a sound like drums was heard from the East.  There are many things this could theoretically be, from rumbles of thunder to some other phenomenon, though the following year we have a note about thunder in the West, so theoretically they knew the difference between thunder and drums.  Later that same year, 680, we are told that there was a "brightness" in the East from the hour of the dog to the hour of the rat—about 8pm to midnight.  Was this some kind of aurora?  But wouldn't that have been in the north, rather than the east?    Could it have been some kind of lightning?  But that is a long time for a lightning storm to hang around.  And there are other strange things, some of which seem impossible and we have to doubt.  For example, in 684 they said that, at dusk, the seven stars of the Big Dipper drifted together to the northeast and sank.  Unless they are just recording the natural setting of the stars of the big dipper.  Certainly, over time the constellation appears to rotate around the north star, and it dips down to or below the horizon in the autumn months.  So were they just talking about the natural, yearly setting of the stars, or something else? There may be some clues in that the 11th lunar month, when that was recorded, we see several other heavenly phenomena recorded.  Two days after the Big Dipper set, at sunset, a star fell in the eastern quarter of the sky that we are told was as large as a jar.  Later, the constellations were wholly disordered and stars fell like rain.  That same month, a star shot up in the zenith and proceeded along with the Pleiades until the end of the month.  While this sounds like shooting stars and a possible meteor shower, a later commenter suggested that this was all a heavenly omen for the state of the court, showing the "disordered" state of the nobility at this time.  Of course, this was also a year and change before the sovereign's eventual passing, so there is also the possibility that the Chroniclers were looking at events later and ascribing meaning and importance after the fact. In another account of something seemingly wonderous: in 682 we are told that something shaped like a Buddhist flag, colored like flame, was seen by all of the provinces and then sank into the Japan sea north of Koshi.  A white mist is also said to have risen up from the Eastern mountains. There are various things that could be going on here.  It strikes me that the white mist could be a cloud, but could also be something volcanic.  And the flame colored prayer flag makes me think about how a high cloud can catch the light of the rising or setting sun.  That could look like a flag, and can seem extremely odd depending on the other conditions in the sky. Or maybe it was aliens. Okay, it is unlikely that it was aliens, but I think that these do give an idea of the kinds of records that were being made about the observed phenomena.  Obviously the Nihon Shoki is recording those things that were considered particularly significant for whatever reason.  This could just be because it was something odd and unexplained, or perhaps it was more well known but rare.  It may have even had religious connotations based on some aspect, like evoking the image of Buddhist flags.  And it is possible that it was thought to have had significant impact on events—perhaps even an impact that isn't clear to us today, many centuries removed from the events. Some things were clear, however.  Lightning strikes are often mentioned specifically when they strike something of note.  In 678, we are told that a pillar of the Western Hall of the New Palace was struck by lightning, though apparently the building itself survived.  Then, in 686, Lighting appeared in the southern sky with a large roar of thunder.  A fire broke out and caught the tax cloth storehouse of the Ministry of Popular affairs, which immediately exploded in flames.  After all, a thatched roofed, wooden building filled with kindling in the form of cloth—and likely a  fair amount of paper and writing supplies to keep track of it all—sounds like a bonfire waiting to happen.  There were reports that the fire had actually started in Prince Osakabe's palace and then spread to the Ministry of Popular Affairs from there. It is also worth noting that recording of such events was still somewhat new to the archipelago as a whole. They were learning from the continent, but also defining their own traditions. Observations of natural phenomena weren't just relegated to celestial occurrences or weather.  After all, there was something else that one could observe in the sky:  birds.  Now this wasn't your average bird-watching—though I'm not saying that there weren't casual birders in ancient Japan, and if we ever find someone's birding diary from that era I think that would be so cool.  But there were some things that were significant enough to be mentioned. For example, in 678 we get a report of "atori", or bramblings.  Bramblings are small songbirds which are found across Eurasia.  Notably they are migratory, and are known to migrate in huge flocks especially in the winter time, and sure enough on the 27th day of the 12th month we are told that the bramblings flew from the southwest to the northeast, covering the entire sky.  This makes me think about some of the other mass migrations that used to occur that have largely been reduced significantly due to habitat loss, disruption to traditional migratory routes, and other population pressures on various bird species.  Still, having so many birds that it blocked out the sky certainly seems a significant event to report on.  We later see a similar account in 680, with the flock moving from southeast to northwest.  Given the location of Asuka it sounds like they were flocking in the mountains and heading out over the Nara Basin, perhaps seeking food in another mountainous area. In 682, the birders were at it again.  This time, around midday on the 11th day of the 9th lunar month, several hundreds of cranes appeared around the Palace and soared up into the sky.  They were there for about two hours before they dispersed.  Once again, cranes are migratory and known to flock.  Cranes are also known as a symbol of long life and joy—and I can understand it.  Have you ever seen a flock of cranes?  They are not small birds, and they can be really an incredible sight.  Flocks of cranes themselves were probably not that rare, and it was no doubt more about so many gathering around the palace which made it particularly special. It wasn't just birds in the sky that were considered important symbols, though.  Birds often are noted as auspicious omens.  Usually strange birds, plants, or other such things are found in various provinces and presented to the throne.    So in 675, Yamato presented auspicious "barn-door fowl", likely meaning a fancy chicken.  Meanwhile, the Eastern provinces presented a white falcon and the province of Afumi presented a white kite.  Chickens are associated with the sun and thus with the sun goddess, Amaterasu, and albino versions of animals were always considered auspicious, often being mentioned in Buddhist sources.  Later, in 680, we see a small songbird, a "Shitodo", also described as white, and probably albino, sent to the court from nearby Settsu. Then, in 681 there is mention of a red sparrow.  Red coloration is not quite the same as albinism, though it is something that does occur at times, when the brownish coloration comes out more red than brown, and I suspect this is what we are talking about.  This is most likely just a recessed gene or genetic mutation, similar to causes for albinism, but just in a different place in the DNA.  As for why it was important:  I'd first and foremost note that anything out of the ordinary (and even some ordinary things) could be considered a sign.   Red was also seen as an auspicious color, so that may have had something to do with it as well.  And then there is the concept of Suzaku, the red bird of the south.  Suzaku is usually depicted as an exotic bird species of some kind, like how we might depict a phoenix.  But it was also just a "red bird", so there is that, and perhaps that was enough.  Not that this red sparrow was "Suzaku", but evoked the idea of the southern guardian animal.  A year prior, in 680, a red bird—we aren't told what kind—had perched on a southern gate, which even more clearly screams of the Suzaku aesthetic. It is probably worth noting here that in 686, towards the end of the reign, not that anyone knew it at the time, Ohoama decided to institute a new nengo, or regnal period.  It was called Shuuchou—red or vermillion bird—and it likely referred to Suzaku.  This nengo was cut short, however, with Ohoama's death that same year.  Nengo were often chosen with auspicious names as a kind of hope for the nation, so clearly "red bird" was considered a good thing. A month after the red sparrow, Ise sent a white owl, and then a month after that, the province of Suwou sent a red turtle, which they let loose in the pond at the Shima palace.  Again, these were probably just examples of animals seen as auspicious, though they would have likely been recorded by the Onmyou-ryou, who would have likely combed through various sources and precedents to determine what kind of meaning might be attached to them. Color wasn't the only thing that was important.  In 682, the Viceroy of Tsukushi reported that they had found a sparrow with three legs.  There are numerous reasons why this could be, but there is particular significance in Japan and Asia more generally.  A three legged bird is often associated with the sun Andusually depicted as a black outline of a three legged bird inside of a red sun.  In Japan this was often conflated with the Yata-garasu, the Great Crow, which is said to have led the first mythical sovereign, Iware Biko, to victory in his conquest of Yamato.  Thus we often see a three legged crow depicted in the sun, which was an object of particular veneration for the Wa people from centuries before.  And I suspect that the little three-legged sparrow from Tsukushi  I suspect that this had particular significance because of that image. Animals were not the only auspicious things presented to the throne.  In 678, Oshinomi no Miyatsuko no Yoshimaro presented the sovereign with five auspicious stalks of rice.  Each stalk, itself, had other branches.  Rice, of course, was extremely important in Japan, both from a ritual and economic sense, so presenting rice seems appropriate.  Five stalks recalls things like the five elemental theory—and in general five was consider a good number.  Three and five are both good, prime numbers, while four, pronounced "Shi", sounds like death and is considered inauspicious.  Three, or "San" is sometimes associated with life, and five is associated with the five elements, but also just the fact that it is half of ten, and we have five fingers on one hand and in so many other ways, five is regarded as a good number in much of Asia. That the stalks had multiple branches likely referred to them bearing more than the usual amount of rice on them, which seems particularly hopeful.  Certainly the court thought so.  In light of the auspicious gift, all sentences of penal servitude and lower were remitted.  In 680, Officials of the Department of Law gave tribute of auspicious stalks of grain, themselves.  I'm not sure, in this case, that it was all that they hoped, however, as that began three days straight of rain and flooding. A year earlier, in 679, we are told that the district of Ito, in Kii, immediately south of Yamato, sent as tribute the "herb of long life".  We are told that it "resembled" a mushroom—probably meaning it was a mushroom, or maybe something formed into a mushroom shape.  But the stem was about a foot long and the crown was two spans, about 6 feet in diameter.  This is pretty incredible, and I have to wonder if there is a bit of exaggeration going on here. Another tribute was a horn found on Mt. Katsuraki.  It branched into two at the base, was united at the end, and had some flesh and hair still attached, about an inch in length.  They claimed it must be horn or a Lin, or Kirin, sometimes referred to as an Asian unicorn—a mythical creature considered to be quite auspicious and benevolent.  This was on the 26th day in the 2nd lunar month of the year 680, probably around March or April.  I highly suspect that what they found was an oddly shaped bit of antler from  a buck whose antlers had begun to come in and which might have been taken out by wolves or bears or something else altogether.  The fact that the ends were said to be fused together could just be referring to some kind of malformation of the antlers.  The fur and flesh could mean that the antlers were still growing—antlers would probably just be coming in around early spring time.  Still, there is no telling how long it was there, so it could have been from the previous year as well.  Attributing it to a kirin seems a bit of a stretch, but it was clearly something unusual. Animals and plants were recorded in tribute, but also when something odd happened.  Fruiting out of season was one such occurrence, which we've seen elsewhere in the chronicles as well.  There was even a record when the famous Tsuki tree outside of Asukadera had a branch fall down.  Presumably it was a large and noticeable branch, and by now this appears to have been a tree with a bit of age to it that had seen a lot, so it makes sense it got a mention. Finally, we go from the heavens to the earth.    Perhaps the most numerous observations in the Chronicles were the earthquakes.  We've noted in the past that Japan is extremely active, volcanically speaking, so it makes sense that there are multiple accounts of earthquakes each year, especially if they were compiling reports from around the country.  Most of these are little more than just a note that there was an earthquake, but a few stand out. The first is the 12th lunar month of 678.  We are told that there was a large earthquake in Tsukushi—modern Kyushu. The ground split open to the width of about 20 feet for more than 30,000 feet.  Many of the commoners' houses in the area were torn down.  In one place there was a house atop a hill, and though the hill crumbled down the house somehow remained intact.  The inhabitants had apparently been home and must have been oblivious, as they didn't realize anything had happened until they woke up the next morning. Again, probably a bit of hyperbole in here, but if we think back to things like the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, where large areas of land shifted noticeably along the fault lines, it is likely that this was a similar or even more catastrophic event.  And here I'll give a quick plug for Kumamoto, which is still working to rebuild from the earthquake, and if you ever get a chance, I recommend a visit to the Kumamoto Earthquake Memorial Museum or Kioku, where you can see for yourself just how powerful mother nature can be. Another powerful earthquake was mentioned in the 10th lunar month of 684.  If the earthquake in Tsukushi had hit mostly agricultural areas, based on the description, this seems to have hit more populated regions.  We are told that it started in the dark of night, the hour of the boar, so about 10pm, give or take an hour.  The shaking was so bad that throughout the country men and women cried out and were disoriented—they could not tell east from west, a condition no doubt further hindered by the dark night sky.  There were mountain slides and rivers changed course, breaking their banks and flooding nearby areas.  Official buildings of the provinces and districts, the barns and houses of the common people, and the temples, pagodas, and shrines were all destroyed in huge numbers.  Many people and domestic animals were killed or injured.  The hot springs of Iyo were dried up and ceased to flow.  In the province of Tosa, more than 500,000 shiro of cultivated land sank below sea level.  Old men said that they had never seen such an earthquake.  On that night there was a rumbling noise like that of drums heard in the east—possibly similar to what we had mentioned earlier.  Some say that the island of Idzu, aka Vries Island, the volcanic island at the entrance of Edo Bay, increased on the north side by more than 3,000 feet and that a new island had been formed.  The noise of the drums was attributed to the gods creating that island. So here we have a catastrophic quake that impacted from Iyo, on the western end of Shikoku, all the way to the head of Edo Bay, modern Tokyo.  This appears to be what seismologists have labelled a "Nankai Trough Megathrust Earthquake".  Similar quakes have occurred and are predicted to occur in the future., along a region of Japan from the east coast of Kyushu, through the Seto Inland Sea, including Shikoku, through the Kii peninsula and all the way to Mt. Fuji.  The Nankai Trough, or Southern Sea Trough, is the area where the continental shelf drops down, and where the Philippine tectonic plate slips underneath the Eurasian—or more specifically the Amuric—plate.  As these plates move it can cause multiple events all along the trough at the same time.  Since being regularly recorded, these quakes have been noted every 100 to 150 years, with the last one being the Showa Nankai quakes of 1944 and 1946. For all of the destruction that it brought, however, apparently it didn't stop the court.  Two days after this devastating quake we are told that Presents were made to the Princes and Ministers.  Either they weren't so affected in the capital, or perhaps the date given for one of the two records is not quite reliable.  Personally, I find it hard to believe that there would be presents given out two days later unless they were some form of financial aid.  But what do I know?  It is possible that the court itself was not as affected as other areas, and they may not have fully even grasped the epic scale of the destruction that would later be described in the Chronicles, given the length of time it took to communicate messages across the country. Which brings us back to the "science" of the time, or at least the observation, hoping to learn from precedence or piece out what messages the world might have for the sovereign and those who could read the signs.  While many of the court's and Chronicler's conclusions may give us pause, today, we should nonetheless be thankful that they at least decided to keep notes and jot down their observations.  That record keeping means that we don't have to only rely on modern records to see patterns that could take centuries to reveal themselves.  Sure, at this time, those records were  still a bit spotty, but it was the start of something that would be remarkably important, and even though these Chronicles may have been focused on propaganda, the fact that they include so many other references are an incalculable boon to us, today, if we can just see to make the connections.  And with that, I think I've rambled enough for this episode.  We still have a couple more to fully cover this period. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

Recorded November 14, 2025 The AV SuperFriends kick off their first holiday special of the season with a spirited look at the gear, gadgets, and AV workflows that should make life easier, but only if you also bought the missing accessories, licenses, adapters, or seventeen extra widgets the manufacturer forgot to mention.  In classic Christmas fashion, the crew shares their "Batteries Not Included" frustrations: software that secretly requires expensive hardware, switchers that almost solve every problem but miss the basics, power supplies that mysteriously vanish from product boxes, and cloud-connected ecosystems with more prerequisites than a graduate-level course. Along the way, the panel detours into holiday lights, dubious Best Buy happenings, the return of RDL-style power-supply roulette, and the annual reminder that USB extension is still cursed. They also preview an upcoming deep-dive on enterprise cloud AV, tease the December call-in show, and, of course, deliver an unhealthy dose of seasonal immaturity. If you've ever unboxed a "perfect" AV solution only to discover it needs three more boxes, a license key, an aggregator VM, and a Christmas miracle to function, this episode is for you.   Alternate show titles: Holiday Mode The setting on your doohicky Don't put it in holiday mode Who dropped the dogs off Allen Head Doll House It does everything you want but nothing you need Least offensive to "you gotta be kidding me" You can't get this to that You can buy HDBaseT out, you just can't get it in Similar to Larry, but different You always have to buy the power supplies separate They mostly last That's not the answer; stop it! Some adult supervision required I want that in my stocking   We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com    ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss   Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

Andy’s Brave New World: Part 4 Andy and Sarah continue to explore the Presidio settlement. Based on a post by the hospital. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. "I've no intention of giving up our supplies or the consulate. All of that is ours, fair and square, and we can be choosy about who we share with. Right now, even if people like Rachel are a little envious of our situation, they won't try anything. There's no real competition for resources or territory yet." They paused, watching a volunteer coordinate a cache of water bottles. "Yeah", Sarah mused thoughtfully. "I guess the real question is what happens down the line. What if people like Rachel do get jealous of what we have but we don't want to share." She smiled a little. "Post-apocalyptic wealth inequality." "I mean, yeah it's a legitimate question. And if we assume the Presidio is going to be the government here, it'll come down to how it develops. Will they let people have "private property", Andy said, making air quotes, "whatever that means now, or go more communal?" "What do you think would be better?" Sarah asked. "I believe strongly in balance," Andy said thoughtfully. "Yes, the government, or the community, whatever, needs power to redistribute wealth when inequality gets extreme, and it should do its best to ensure everyone has a fair shot, especially because people will naturally gravitate toward supporting their own; you know, nepotism. There's also lots of things that are public goods that only make sense for the government as a whole to organize and provide." "But there's also got to be some concept of private property, that's what motivates people to build, to create, to work hard. Without private property it's hard to have accountability once your group gets bigger than a couple hundred people, and with no accountability it's hard to get people to do things." He gazed around at the bustling camp. "If I can become a respected voice here early on, maybe I can help push development in that direction. A strong but fair government that works to provide public goods and protect individual rights while ensuring nobody falls too far behind." "This is all theoretical though, and way out into the future. For now I think the hope is that people pitch in, work together, and share on their own, because we're all just trying to survive." Sarah studied his face. "You've really thought this through." Andy chuckled. "Yeah, well, before we left Yosemite, I was reading those prepper manuals Miguel, you remember Daniela's dad, left us. They had some interesting takes on politics and government, alongside all the survival and engineering stuff." He shrugged. "They're written by preppers for preppers, so they've definitely got a libertarian bent. But I think some of their core arguments are pretty sound." Andy slowed his pace, watching a woman in scrubs directing several volunteers near the medical tent. "Before we donate these antibiotics, we should ask around about where they should go. Especially ask anyone who looks like they're in charge." "Why not just give them to the medical tent?" Sarah asked. "Because we want as many people as possible to know we brought them," Andy explained quietly. "Each person we ask is another person who knows we're contributing to the community. Better to establish that goodwill early." Sarah nodded thoughtfully. "Smart. What about the apples?" "Yeah, we should be strategic with those too. When we talk to people, first find out if they're actually living here at the Presidio or nearby in the neighborhood. No point giving them to random visitors or people just passing through." He adjusted his pack. "We don't have an unlimited supply, and temporary goodwill from strangers isn't worth much. Better to save them for people we might actually build relationships with." "Like Rachel," Sarah noted. "Since she lives on our street." "Exactly. The apples are a resource, we should use them to build connections that matter." Sarah shook her head ruefully. "You're already playing 4D chess while most people don't even know they're in a game yet." "Maybe a bit Machiavellian," Andy admitted. "But my intentions are good. I want to help rebuild something worth living in." Day 8, Midmorning After an hour of carefully distributed apples, they asked around for Guillermo Herrera. They found him in a makeshift office in one of the old administrative buildings, bent over a desk covered in inventory lists. He was a stocky man in his forties, wearing partial combat fatigues with a well-maintained fade haircut that spoke of decades of military discipline. A younger woman sat nearby, organizing what looked like personnel rosters. Guillermo looked up as they entered, his expression professionally neutral. "Can I help you?" "Andy Rhee," Andy introduced himself. "We just checked in with registration. They suggested we come see you." "Any military experience?" Guillermo asked squarely, brow furrowing as he studied Andy closely. "I was a park ranger. I'm comfortable with firearms, good shot, but no formal tactical training." Guillermo glanced at Sarah expectantly. "No, nothing. Haven't even held a gun before to be honest." She said with a self-deprecating shrug. "I'm eager to learn though, if there will be classes." "Yes, we're in the process of organizing some." Guillermo turned back to Andy. "Talk to Michelle to sign up for the militia." he said, pointing a thumb at the woman behind him. His expression shifted to polite dismissal. "One other thing," Andy continued, "one of our group members, Daniela Martinez, she's fourteen, but she actually got extensive military training from her father, an ex-Marine, also a ranger. He was;" Andy paused. "Very, very prepared for something like this." That caught Guillermo's attention. "How extensively?" "She's currently setting up our defense perimeter. Planning kill zones, considering sight lines, working out mine placement. Her knowledge is really impressive. I'd happily trust her with anything security related for our group." Guillermo leaned back, reassessing. "Put both their names down on the militia list," he told Michelle. "We're trying to catalog available combat personnel." He turned back to Andy. "Any significant weapons?" "Yeah, a reasonable amount," Andy said carefully. "Rather not detail it all yet, until we see how things develop here. But we might be able to share some if there are specific needs." "Sure, nothing urgent right now," Guillermo replied. "There hasn't been any trouble yet. But we're discussing organizing supply runs to the military installations in the region. Travis Air Force Base, Coast Guard Island, Camp Parks, Moffitt Field." He tapped areas on a map on his desk as he named the locations. "San Jose State is open to joining, and we'll reach out to whatever leadership emerges in Oakland if and when it does." Andy nodded. "Good idea. I'd be happy to help when that happens. Daniela too, she'd be valuable on a mission like that, you could probably have her lead a team, if you could convince people to follow her." "Noted." Guillermo made another mark in his notebook. "I'll want to meet her, evaluate her capabilities myself." "Of course. We're at the Korean consulate in Presidio Heights when you want to arrange that." They exchanged Beacon handles, then Andy added, "By the way, who's coordinating the mass grave? I read about it on Beacon. We have a body we need to deal with, and I'm sure we'll find more once we clear our street." "Alyssa Daniels," Guillermo replied. "She's;" he paused thoughtfully. "Diligent. High-strung, but gets things done. She's coordinating from the west side of the grounds." "Thanks." Andy reached into his pack. "And last thing, would you like an apple? Just got them yesterday." Guillermo accepted with a nod of thanks. Andy handed one to Michelle as well, who smiled gratefully. "Also, we have some antibiotics with us to donate, should we take them to the medical tent or is there another place for them?" "Medical tent. Dr. Wilson's in charge there." "Thanks. We'll head there next. Have a good one." Day 8, Midday They found Diana Wells near the western edge of the parade ground, bent over a topographical map spread across a folding table. Her silver hair was pulled back in a practical braid, and she wore well-worn hiking gear that spoke of years spent in the wilderness. Several compound bows and a collection of hunting rifles were carefully arranged on a nearby table. "Diana Wells?" Andy asked, approaching the table. "I heard you're organizing hunting expeditions." She looked up, her weathered face breaking into a smile as she noticed Andy's holstered glock. "Finally, someone who might actually know what they're doing!" She extended a calloused hand. "I've been trying to put together hunting parties, but haven't found a lot of takers." She smiled ruefully. Andy chuckled, immediately warming to her direct manner. "Andy Rhee. I was a park ranger at Yosemite, before all this." "Ranger? Perfect." Diana's eyes lit up. "We need to start organized hunting soon, can't live on canned food forever. But these city libs, bless their hearts, most of 'em never even held a gun;" She caught herself, glancing at Sarah apologetically. "No offense meant." "None taken," Sarah said with a small smile. "I'll freely admit I'm one of those city libs who needs to learn. Actually hoping to start training soon." Diana's expression softened. "Well, that's different then. Admitting you need to learn is the first step." She turned back to her map. "I'm thinking of starting with some deer hunting in Marin. Less competition from other survivors up there, and the herds should be getting bolder without human pressure." "Smart," Andy nodded. "How many experienced hunters do you have so far?" "Three, including me," Diana sighed. "Got a former Marine who did some hunting growing up, and a Forest Service guy from Oregon. Could really use someone with your background." Andy traced his finger along the map's contour lines, studying the terrain. "What about sustainability? Should we be worried about overhunting?" Diana straightened up, giving him an approving nod. "Good to hear a ranger asking that, shows the right mindset." She pulled out a small notebook, flipping through some rough calculations. "It's something I've been thinking about. We should probably try to establish some quotas for the region at some point, coordinate between different hunting groups." She gestured at the camp around them. "But honestly? That's going to have to come later. Right now;" She shook her head with a wry smile. "Way things are going, I doubt we'll find enough competent hunters to make a real dent in the population. Most folks here can barely tell a rifle from a shotgun, let alone track and shoot a deer." Volunteer Coordination. They found the volunteer coordination center in what had once been a Presidio administrative office. The space buzzed with focused energy as women, and a few men, moved between folding tables covered in papers, calling out updates and cross-referencing lists, while several people either requesting or volunteering various types of services spoke to them. At the center of the organized chaos stood a striking woman in her early thirties, her presence commanding attention without effort. Megan Lunn had the kind of natural relaxed attractiveness that didn't need enhancement, high cheekbones, clear gray eyes, and naturally red hair pulled back in a practical braid that reached halfway down her back. She wore simple, well-worn outdoors clothes that suggested genuine outdoor experience rather than posturing. "Jenny, can you cross-reference these lists with medical?" she was saying as Andy and Sarah approached. "We need to know who has first aid training versus actual medical degrees." Her voice carried naturally, pitched to be heard without shouting. She glanced up as they neared, her sharp eyes taking in every detail of their appearance. "Welcome to the circus," she said with a tired smile. "I'm Megan, or Meg. You must be the new arrivals Alice mentioned, the ranger and the biology student?" Up close, Andy could see the subtle signs of command experience in her bearing, the way she positioned herself to keep the whole room in view, how she tracked multiple conversations while maintaining eye contact. A silver pendant in the shape of a compass rose hung at her throat, and a well-used Leatherman multi-tool was clipped to her belt. "That's right," Andy replied. "Andy Rhee, and this is Sarah Chen-Mitchell. You're coordinating the volunteer efforts?" "Trying to," Meg said with a self-deprecating laugh that didn't quite hide her competence. "I was a wilderness guide before all this, led backcountry expeditions, taught survival skills. Turns out organizing twenty stressed people in the wilderness was good practice for;" she gestured at the controlled chaos around them, "whatever this is becoming." A younger volunteer approached with a stack of papers, and Meg smoothly took them without breaking conversation. "We're trying to match skills to needs, and build some kind of structure. Luckily lots of people want to help out." She studied them both with those penetrating gray eyes. "I hear you've set up at the consulate rather than joining us down here?" There was no judgment in her tone, just neutral statement of fact. Andy found himself wanting to explain his reasoning, to have this attractive, capable woman understand his choices. Before he could respond, she held up a hand with another slight smile. "Don't worry, I get it. You've found somewhere defensible, and secured resources. Smart move, actually." She marked something on one of her many lists. "We'll need multiple strong points around the city eventually, not just one central location. The important thing right now is staying connected." Andy found himself immediately impressed with her diplomacy, and her recall of their group and situation. "Yes," he responded. "We are interested in being a part of the Presidio, we just have our own space right now." "Glad to hear. I was hoping, based on the description of your group, that you weren't one of those ultra-right-wing, prepper, sovereign citizen types. I'm sure they're having a blast right now, the ones that survived anyway." Her eyes held a hint of amusement. "So, what can I do for you Mr. Rhee?" He and Sarah shared a glance. "First we have some apples to offer, and some antibiotics to donate. And we've heard you're taking a lot of lead in organizing here, I was wondering if we could chat, big picture." Meg smiled. "Ah, so you're here to play the game as well. No doubt." She called out, "Fresh apples, everyone, get them from the kind Mr. Andy Rhee over here." Sarah and Andy were briefly mobbed by the people in the office, handing out most of their remaining apples. "Let's step outside. I could use a walk." She announced to the room she'd be out for a few minutes. They stepped into the bright sunlight. "Shall we head toward the medical tent to drop off the antibiotics?" she asked. "Or do you have any more people to mention them to first?" Her smile was wry. Andy felt a little exposed. "Yeah, you got us, we have been announcing them first. What gave it away?" "You checked in with Alice over two hours ago." Andy immediately wondered why he hadn't put that together. "It's what I'd do in your position as well." She studied him. "So, what's your strategy here Andy? Give me your assessment of things." Andy paused to gather his thoughts. "Well, it's clear that the Presidio will be the new center of power here in SF. There's a chance another center emerges but at this point, it's unlikely, with so many people already here the network effect is too strong." He continued, warming to the topic. "I want to help rebuild. I've already offered what basic skills I have, but I'd also like to get involved politically. I believe good, well organized government is the best route to getting our basic needs met, as a collective. Water, agriculture, power, trade, defense, medicine, and eventually engineering and manufacturing." He counted off the different needs with his fingers as he named them. "These ultimately require some centralization and broad geographic control to do them sustainably at scale. Not something you can make happen with just you and your plucky band of survivors. Well, power, maybe with solar, and water if you live close enough to the water table to dig a well. But everything else, we need organization and cooperation. Government." His voice grew more serious. "It's still early days but the norms and political decisions and organizations we form today could have long lasting repercussions for our future, assuming we make it that far. And I have thoughts on the direction things should go. I'd like to start shaping things now. I don't care particularly for political power myself, although I'm open to it. I'm more concerned with making sure whatever power ends up taking place is competent and benevolent." Meg listened intently as they walked, her gray eyes occasionally flicking to study Andy's face. The morning fog had burned off entirely now, leaving the parade ground bathed in clear sunlight. Sarah walked slightly behind them, taking in their conversation while maintaining a respectful distance. "That's; a remarkably clear-eyed assessment," Meg said finally. "Most people here are still just trying to process what happened." They passed a group of women organizing supplies, lowering their voices. "And you're absolutely right about the network effect. Every day more and more survivors arrive. If things continue we'll be a small city soon." She stopped walking, turning to face Andy directly. "Also, I appreciate that you didn't lead with just seizing power and controlling things. You led with meeting basic needs." Her penetrating gaze held his. "You're thinking about infrastructure first, then governance to support that. I agree with that mindset." Andy felt oddly exposed under her careful analysis, but also validated. This was clearly someone who also understood the bigger picture. "So, tell me, Andy," Meg said, resuming their walk toward the medical tent, "what direction do you think things should go? You must have opinions about governance structure." Andy considered his response. "I think the immediate challenge is establishing legitimate authority," he said. "Right now, everyone's cooperating because we have to. But once basic survival is handled, power dynamics will get complicated fast." Meg nodded thoughtfully. "Especially with armed groups involved." "Exactly," Andy agreed. "And that's actually my biggest concern. The military and police need to see themselves as subordinate to civilian leadership from the start. Otherwise;" He gestured at the armed men patrolling the perimeter. "Well, history shows what happens when guys with guns decide they should call the shots." "But how do you establish that civilian authority?" Meg asked, genuinely curious. "Elect a President?" Andy shook his head. "Not yet." He paused, watching a group of volunteers unloading supplies. "For now, I think we just need something simpler. A small council, maybe, anyone who can gather enough supporters to qualify. Just enough structure to build an institution that can capture some of the legitimacy that our decisions and communications will earn from being competent, and in turn lend more legitimacy to whatever decisions and communications the current leaders are already making." "And longer term?" Meg prompted, clearly intrigued. Andy laughed. "Well, do you want to get in the weeds here?" Meg nodded so he pressed on. "I think elections work well in theory, but once they scale up, they become easily corrupted. Politicians make impossible promises, cater to special interests, play on people's fears, and on and on. You know." Meg smiled and simply nodded. "I recently learned about this thing called sortition," Andy said. "Like jury duty, but for legislation. Get people who are interested in specific areas, agriculture, defense, infrastructure, to volunteer for a pool. Then randomly select among them to serve on committees that draft laws related to those areas." He warmed to the topic, encouraged by Meg's engaged expression. "Those proposals would then go to another randomly selected assembly, this time drawn from the entire population, for yay or nay votes. Pay them like jurors, give them a fixed term. Let them elect one of their number as an executive to oversee implementation." Sarah, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. "That's; actually really interesting. We talked about the problems with our current election system a lot in our poli-sci classes. It sounds like this would get rid of career politicians, and make it harder to concentrate power in any individuals." "Right," Andy agreed. "But that's all theoretical right now. The immediate priority is establishing the Presidio's authority through competent organization. Getting systems in place for collecting and distributing supplies, coordinating defense, managing resources." He gestured at the bustling camp. "Build legitimacy through effectiveness first. Then we can worry about formal governance. If there's anything I or my group can help with, we're here." Meg studied him closely. "You've clearly given this a lot of thought." "I've had some time to read recently," Andy said with a slight smile. "And seeing everything collapse; well, it makes you think about how to build something better." Meg considered his words thoughtfully. "Well, this is certainly food for thought. I've never heard of this "sortition" before, but it seems quite reasonable." She nodded slowly. "And I definitely agree that we must establish legitimacy through competent governance." "And what are your goals in all this?" Andy asked. "Similar to yours, just less defined in terms of politics," she replied. "I want to help people, make sure we rebuild successfully." Her expression grew more serious. "And in the long run, hope we don't collapse into some kind of anarchy or tyranny. We've suffered enough already." "Agreed," Andy said firmly. He extended his hand. "I'm happy to talk about this more, but for now, I'd hope we can consider ourselves allies." "We can, Mr. Rhee," she said, meeting his gaze and taking his hand with a firm grip. "I'm glad you're with us. I'll mention you to the others who would be on this little council. Maybe we could get a few meetings of us all together at some point." "We'd welcome hosting those meetings at the consulate," Andy offered. A knowing smile crossed Meg's face. "Yes, of course you would. Being the host would give you natural authority." "Hey, just playing the game as you said. And we have a nice formal dining room. And some nice wine stores," Andy replied with a matching smile. "Are you staying here at the parade grounds?" he asked. "Yeah, I have a tent here." "I'd like to offer that you move in with us at the consulate. We have quite a nice setup there right now." Meg shook her head. "I need to stay here, thanks. I can't be a good leader without being among the people, going through their same hardships." A slight smile. "And I honestly prefer camping to living indoors." She considered for a moment. "But, I'd love a hot shower if you have one? And maybe some hot coffee, anything that gets donated gets immediately requested, and we haven't had anything new come in for a while now." "We don't have hot water yet," Andy admitted, "but we do have cold running water. And plenty of coffee." "I start my day at 6AM," Meg said. "If I could come tomorrow morning at 5 to shower and have some coffee, you'd have earned quite a big favor from me." "Anytime," Andy replied. "I'll be up and ready for you. Message me on Beacon if anything changes." "Oh, and who else should I talk to?" he added. "Who would be on this council? I've talked to Guillermo and Diana so far, and I know about Alyssa." "Let's see," Meg said, counting off on her fingers. "Dr. Elena Wilson, she was chief of emergency medicine at UCSF. She's coordinating all our medical operations from the main tent. Brilliant woman, I couldn't believe our luck when she arrived. She's already setting up training programs for basic medical care." She gestured toward the solar array setup. "Then there's Marcus Qin, he was a high-up engineer at Tesla's Fremont plant. He's heading up our power infrastructure projects, working on getting reliable electricity to key facilities, planning longer-term solar installations. He's looking for people with electrical engineering backgrounds, thankfully we have lots of those in this city." "Jennifer Brown is essential, she was regional operations manager for Whole Foods. She understands large-scale food storage and distribution better than anyone here. She's organizing our pantry systems, tracking supplies, planning preservation methods for when scavenging isn't viable anymore." "And probably Rebecca Foster. She was a water resource manager for East Bay M U D. Keeping clean water flowing is going to be crucial once our bottled water supplies run low. She's already mapping out plans for gravity-fed distribution systems and planning wells and filter stations. Desalination, too, if we can get the equipment and power for it." She straightened up. "Those are the key players right now, along with the ones you've met. Each of them has proven themselves competent enough that people naturally started following their lead." On the shore of the Bay. Andy and Sarah stood at the water's edge near Crissy Field, looking out over the bay. The midday sun sparkled off the water, and Alcatraz loomed in the distance, a stark reminder of civilization's remnants. A cool breeze carried the salt smell of the ocean, rustling through Sarah's layered black hair. "Woof, I'm pooped already," Sarah sighed, stretching her arms overhead. Her cropped athletic tank rode up, revealing her toned midriff. "And we still have five more names to talk to." "Yeah, but there's no hurry right now," Andy replied, watching a seabird wheel overhead. "I think today was a good start. Let's take a quick break here, then maybe talk to one or two more people before heading back for lunch." "Ok, I'll message them that we'll be back in about an hour and a half." Sarah pulled out her phone, her manicured fingers tapping quickly. "We're a bit late. Can one of them be Elena? I want to sign up for medical care lessons as soon as I can." She tucked a strand of blonde-highlighted hair behind her ear. "I'm sick of telling people I have no useful skills." "Sure, we can. And yeah, to be honest I didn't expect there to be so much going on here. Beacon said it was 50-ish people two days ago, right?" "Yeah. Exponential growth." Sarah's hazel eyes lit up. "We run into this a lot in biology. It would be interesting to get the exact numbers of new arrivals per day and see if you could fit the growth curve and try to predict where we'd end up." Andy studied her as she gazed out over the water. Her heart-shaped face was animated as she talked, light freckles crinkling around her nose. She had an innate talent for connecting concepts and processing information, backed by determination and resourcefulness. She genuinely cared about helping others (well, except for maybe Crystal). And with her approachable, pretty features, she'd be perfect for politics if there ended up being elections. If they could accept someone so young holding power. His eyes drifted lower, taking in her athletic figure, the perfect curves of her tits under her compression top, the slim waist tapering to curved hips in her matching leggings. Approachable, pretty face, and a fantastic body. She caught him ogling and flashed a self-conscious smile, subtly adjusting her top to emphasize her cleavage. "Hmm, is someone thinking with his dick again?" She stepped closer, looking up at him through long lashes. "Does my, what was it, fearless protector, my *Machiavellian* fearless protector need some special attention?" Andy laughed and reached out to touch her cheek gently. She closed her eyes and smiled, pressing against his hand before looking up at him with those striking hazel eyes. "Alright, what's up Andy?" "I was just thinking, you'd do great in politics." "Huh?" Her full lips curved into a surprised smile. "What do you mean?" "You're smart, you make connections well and pick up new information fast. You're very determined and resourceful. You care about helping people." His eyes traced the delicate lines of her face. "And you're really pretty, in an approachable kind of way. If there were elections, you'd do really well." Sarah shifted her weight, the movement highlighting her athletic figure. "I also totally lack real world skills it turns out, and;" she gestured at her carefully coordinated athleisure outfit, "well; one could say I care too much about how I look." "Like I said, perfect for politics!" She laughed and poked him in the chest, her perky tits bouncing slightly with the movement. "OK, I like this sweet talk. This is like the nicest thing you've said to me since we met." "Well, don't forget I think elections are inherently corrupting." "Hmm, so you want to corrupt me?" she purred, taking his hand. Her skin was soft and warm against his. "Why don't you tell me what you were really thinking." "What I said. And then I stared at you for too long, noticed the rest of your body, and then my brain lost a lot of blood flow." "What, now you notice my body?" She brought his hand up to her tit, letting him squeeze it gently through the compression fabric. Her nipple hardened under his touch. "Four days of wearing the cutest skimpy little matching sets, posing for you, fidgeting with my tops to make you look at my boobs, talking about my body nonstop, and you finally now tell me you notice me while thinking about politics?" She shook her head, making her highlighted layers catch the sun. "You're a real odd duck you know." She suddenly pressed against him in a tight hug, her firm tits pushing against his chest. "Thanks for believing in me." Andy stroked her silky hair, breathing in her light floral shampoo. "Of course." Sarah stepped back, adjusting her top. "Ok. Let's go back." She paused, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Unless; are you sure you don't need any;" She made an exaggerated blowjob gesture, pushing her tongue against her cheek while moving her fist near her mouth. Her full lips curved into a teasing smile. "We could sneak behind those dunes real quick." Andy felt his arousal surge instantly. "Can you do that again?" "What, this?" She repeated the lewd gesture, looking every bit the corrupted coed fitness influencer with her subtle makeup, highlighted hair, and coordinated athleisure set that showed off every curve. "Ok, let's go," Andy said, taking her hand and walking toward the dunes. They exchanged horny smiles and giggles on the way to the dunes, Sarah's athletic figure moving gracefully beside him. Behind the dunes, Andy reclined against the sand and took his pants off while Sarah gathered her layered black hair into a high ponytail, a few honey-highlighted strands falling loose around her face. She knelt between his legs, her compression leggings hugging every curve. Starting with just her hands, she looked up at him through long lashes. "Remind me, what did you say about me just now?" Andy repeated his earlier compliments about her intelligence and determination. "Ah yes, thank you." She gave him a firm squeeze. "I do like a good compliment you know." She leaned forward, her perky tits straining against her top as she took him in her mouth. Her technique was skilled and enthusiastic, starting with gentle kisses and licks along his shaft before taking him deeper, her tongue swirling around his head while her hand worked his base. Her full lips slid up and down his length in perfect rhythm, alternating between quick, teasing strokes and slow, sensual ones. Andy closed his eyes, enjoying the sensations. He switched to praising her body, how toned and tight it was, how perfectly optimized for looking good, how it showed her determination and focus. She hummed appreciatively around him, the vibrations sending shivers through his body. Despite her current activity, a blush crept across her freckled cheeks at his words. She pulled off him, sucking hard as she did so, making her mouth feel deliciously tight before popping off him. "I guess you're wanting me to take my top off?" she asked, sitting back on her heels. Andy nodded. "Ok," she said with a playful smile. "Get ready." She pulled off her compression top and sports bra in one fluid motion, revealing her perfectly perky, symmetric, B-cup tits. They were exactly as impressive bare as they had looked in her carefully chosen sports bras, firm and high, with rosy nipples standing at attention in the cool air. She gave them a little shake, watching his reaction with amusement. "Right, where were we? I believe I was in the middle of, ah, restoring proper blood flow in my patient." She leaned forward again, her tits swaying slightly as she resumed her ministrations. She worked him skillfully, one hand pumping his shaft while the other gently massaged his balls. Her tongue focused on his sensitive spots, especially the underside of his head, occasionally taking him deeper and holding him there. Though she mostly looked down, concentrating on her rhythm, she would glance up periodically through her lashes to make eye contact, her hazel eyes sparkling despite her blush. The contrast between her innocent blush and what she was doing made Andy laugh. "What?" she asked, pulling back. "You're blushing?" "I don't know, it's awkward," she said, self-consciously tucking a loose strand of highlighted hair behind her ear. "It can't possibly be a cute look." "Don't worry, you look beautiful with my cock in your mouth." "Well, if you say so." She gave his head a playful lick, her hazel eyes sparkling. "I am obsessed with looking good after all." She resumed in earnest, using her tongue to continue to rub against his sensitive spots on the underside of his shaft that she'd discovered with her hands yesterday. Within a minute of this rhythm, Andy was ready. He moaned a warning to her. Andy felt the pressure build to an explosive peak. His whole body tensed as waves of pleasure crashed through him. Sarah's hazel eyes locked onto his as she pulled back to his head, her full lips wrapped tight around him. She swallowed eagerly, her small hand squeezing and stroking his shaft with perfect pressure, milking every pulse of his orgasm. The sight of her looking up at him, her pretty face focused on pleasuring him while she swallowed his cum, made him shudder and spurt several more times. When the last aftershocks subsided, she made an exaggerated face, her perfect features scrunching up adorably. "Honestly, we need to find you some canned pineapple or something. Too many rehydrated beef stews." Andy laughed and relaxed, pleasant sensations spreading through his body. "I thought I was getting a sponsored post." "Oh right!" Her eyes lit up as she shifted into her content creator voice. "Hey loves! Quick update from your fave outdoor wellness girlie! Just discovered the most amazing hidden spot in the Presidio for my morning protein boost." She dabbed delicately at her lips with one manicured finger. "You know I'm always on the lookout for sustainable, all-natural sources of nutrients, and let me tell you, this one hits different! Super thick and creamy, with these really;" she gave a subtle eye-roll, "complex umami notes, definitely not your basic store-bought protein shake." She struck an exaggerated influencer pose, bare tits thrust forward. "Loving how it just slides right down, and it's packed with all those essential minerals my body craves." She tossed her ponytail and gave an exaggerated wink. "The best part? My super knowledgeable park ranger friend showed me exactly where to find it. We'll definitely be doing more outdoor taste testing sessions soon! Remember ladies, staying fit during the apocalypse is all about finding those secret spots and knowing exactly how to; work them!" She finished with an innocent smile. "Like and follow for more wellness tips and behind-the-scenes peeks at my outdoor adventures!" She giggled and reached for her top, pulling it back on with practiced grace. "Ok, feel better? Did I overdo it?" "No don't worry, that was quite a great ad." he said, pulling his pants back on. "Let's chill here for a moment before we go." She curled up next to him, her athletic body fitting perfectly against his side. Her layered hair tickled his arm as they watched the waves, the sun warm on their skin. After a few peaceful minutes, she stirred. "Ok, let's go." They stood, Sarah adjusting her ponytail and smoothing her outfit back to Instagram-ready perfection. As they walked back toward the Presidio, she bumped her hip playfully against his. "You know, for someone who claims to be above politics, you sure know how to negotiate for what you want." Day 8, Early Afternoon The medical tent hummed with barely contained chaos. A dozen cots had been crammed into the space, most occupied by patients in various states of distress. Someone moaned from behind a makeshift curtain while a volunteer with shaking hands tried to sort through a box of donated medications, labels facing every direction. The sharp smell of antiseptic couldn't quite mask the underlying odors of sweat and sickness. Dr. Elena Wilson hunched over a patient chart at a wobbly folding table, squinting at her own handwriting. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her silver-streaked hair had escaped its bun in several places. Her scrubs were wrinkled and spotted with what might have been coffee or something worse. When she reached for her pen, her movements were quick and economical, like someone who had learned long ago not to waste energy on unnecessary gestures. "Excuse me?" Andy cleared his throat. "Are you Dr. Wilson?" She looked up, blinking as if emerging from deep concentration. "Yeah, that's me." Her eyes flicked between Andy and Sarah, assessing. "You need medical attention?" "No, we're actually here to donate some supplies," Andy said. "I'm Andy, and this is Sarah. We just got to the city yesterday." Sarah nodded. "We brought antibiotics." Dr. Wilson's expression shifted subtly. "Let's see what you've got." Andy unzipped his pack and carefully laid out the bottles on the edge of the table. Dr. Wilson picked each one up, examining the labels. "Oh thank god," she murmured, almost to herself. Then louder: "Riti! Come here a sec!" A harried-looking nurse in faded scrubs hurried over, clipboard in hand. "Log these in," Dr. Wilson said, gesturing to the antibiotics. "And put them in the locked cabinet." She turned back to Andy and Sarah. "Thanks, you might have saved a few lives today." Sarah took the opportunity to speak up. "I heard you might be starting some kind of medical training," she said. "I studied biology at UCLA before; all this. I know it's not the same as medical training, but I really want to help if I can." Dr. Wilson ran a hand through her hair, further disheveling it. "Biology, huh? That's something at least. We're doing basic emergency response training on Tuesday morning. Everyone needs to know how to stop bleeding and recognize infection now." She glanced over at a patient who had started coughing violently. "Michelle will add you to the list. I need to check on Mr. Peterson." As Dr. Wilson hurried away, Michelle gave them a tired smile. "Don't mind her. She's been working pretty much non-stop since everything went down. The class starts at nine on Tuesday." She wrote Sarah's name in a notebook. "And thanks for the antibiotics. We're running low on everything." Day 8, Early Afternoon The afternoon sun beat down on the cracked pavement as Andy and Sarah made their way back through the empty streets of Presidio Heights. The silent houses loomed around them, windows dark and lifeless. Sarah tugged at her ponytail, trying to smooth it down. "God, it's so quiet," she said, her voice sounding unnaturally loud in the stillness. "I keep expecting to see someone walking a dog or mowing their lawn or something." Andy nodded, stepping over a newspaper that had yellowed in the sun. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Still doesn't feel real sometimes." "So;" Sarah kicked at a pebble. "Dr. Wilson was something else, wasn't she? I mean, I get why she's stressed, but jeez." "She's got a lot on her plate right now," Andy said with a sympathetic shrug. "At least that Michelle woman seemed nice. Makes me a little less nervous about the class." "I'm sure you'll do great," Andy said. "Maybe", she paused. "It's weird how some things from before seem useful now and others just; don't matter anymore." They walked in silence for a moment, their footsteps echoing slightly. "Meg seems pretty capable though, "Sarah said, glancing sideways at Andy, "I noticed you were quick to invite her to stay with us." She raised her eyebrows teasingly. Andy laughed. "Can't put anything past you, can I? Yeah, I thought having someone with her connections around might be helpful. But honestly? I respect her more for saying no. It shows she understands she needs to be with the people she's trying to help." "Hmm, very diplomatic of you." Sarah smiled, bumping her shoulder against his. "Well, despite the slightly terrifying doctor, I'd say it was a pretty good morning overall. Made some connections, signed up for medical training;" Her smile turned mischievous. "Found that nice spot overlooking the bay;" "With the excellent protein options," Andy added with a straight face. Sarah burst out laughing, her cheeks flushing slightly. "You know what's funny? After everything that's happened, pretending to be my old influencer self actually helps sometimes." Her voice softened. "Like, it's proof that I can still be that silly, excited person sometimes, even if I'm reviewing very different products these days." "Your authenticity really shines through," Andy said with mock seriousness. "Very engaging content." Sarah rolled her eyes and shoved him lightly. "Just wait until you see what I've got planned for future episodes." She looked at him more seriously. "But honestly? With all your political maneuvering today, what I appreciate most is how you make me feel like it's still okay to be silly sometimes. To still be; me." Without thinking, Sarah reached for his hand. Their fingers intertwined as they walked, finding comfort in the simple connection amid the silent streets. To be continued. Based on a post by the hospital, for Literotica.

Send us a textIn this episode of The Skinny on Wall Street, Kristen and Jen unpack the story stirring up markets: Michael Burry's latest warning that Big Tech is overstating earnings by extending the “useful life” assumptions on their GPUs. The conversation becomes a real-time teach-in on depreciation, useful life estimates, GAAP vs. tax depreciation, and how a small shift in an accounting estimate can meaningfully inflate EPS—especially for mega-cap tech stocks that trade heavily on P/E multiples. Kristen walks through exactly how depreciation affects valuation, and why some metrics (like EBITDA) and methodologies (like the DCF) are untouched by the choice of useful life. The big question the duo wrestle with: is Burry identifying a real risk, or is this a nothingburger amplified by market paranoia? From there, Jen shifts to the fixed income landscape ahead of the December Fed meeting—one the central bank must navigate without key data (payrolls and CPI) that won't arrive until after the rate decision. She breaks down how Powell is managing optionality near the end of his term, how the market is pricing a December cut, and what a likely dovish successor (Kevin Hassett) could mean for rates in 2026. They also dig into credit markets: years of high coupons have fueled relentless reinvestment demand, but an uptick in issuance—especially from AI-heavy hyperscalers—may finally rebalance supply and demand. The duo look abroad as well, analyzing the UK's newly announced national property tax and what it signals about global fiscal stress.The episode wraps with big updates from The Wall Street Skinny: the long-awaited launch of their Financial Modeling Course, the continued fixed income course presale, and new January 2026 office hours, plus the return date for HBO's Industry (January 11!). To get 25% off all our self paced courses, use code BLACKFRIDAY25 at checkout!Learn more about 9fin HERE Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others' experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

TRY N3 Textbook P72, 73

Rules of time travel: 1. Don't. 2. There are no rules. 3. Know Yourself One should know how to spot or recognize any parallel, paradoxical, or pro-dimensional version of oneself in the various multidimentional and infinite realities displayed both on and off of the grid in alignment {Enter The Multiverse} THE TITANS and OTHER DIETIES ARE FIGHTING an EPIC BATTLE in the DREAMWORLD —however, the battle is ABRUPTLY PAUSED when their HUMAN COUNTERPARTS in our own PARALLELS are awakened. Oh, so that's why he wants all that rufintinol… EXACTLY! MEANWHILE ERYKAH BADU enters the CHAMBERS. BADU I need candlelight to do what I'm about to do… For I counted— Thrice. And I laid six hands upon her grave; Six times the serpent never faught And so remained my heart as sacred. These people are fucking obsessed with me. Sim: Similar to human force, but not. Subjectively comparative to that of a familiar, A Similar seeks in its nature to exist for the soul purpose of a magician's makeshift (or temporary) parallels), in order to form a bond to which the reality it seeks is material, rather than theoretical. In that sense, a Similar eventually ceases to exist entirely once this task is established and formed a concrete foundation in which this multiconditional energy has an exact route one way or another— such is the familiar or other medicinal artofaxts such as a ‘totem' or poppet, however increasingly more complex. Similar energies are made to look and intuitively co-exist among humans but lack certain conscious or emotional elements, and fundamentally, spiritual energy. A similar mustn't be programmed, however like inanimate material objects, and are instead formed with a sort of energy which is encrypted by the magician itself, by creating a limited energy of oneself which is then for lack of a better term, ‘injected' into the electromagnetic field or aura of such a creature that remains and dwells in the realm of lower conciousness— it is for this purpose that the Sim remains in such that is a shield against energy of foreign nature which might corrupt the making of this primitive or primordial material construct. This energy does not travel and is thus conformed to its stake in the grid of multidimentional plans it is made in. I don't understand. [The Festival Project ™] Come here, cat. Oh, no! L E G E N D S BLŪ looks into the fridge. It is EMPTY. CHAOS I have lots of food…at my house. FINI Ugh, what is his job, anyway? Yeah, what does he even do?? CC If I told you, you wouldn't believe me. {Enter The Multiverse} I hate him! Just golf, would you? I do! I hate everything right now. Just hit the ball! —these are not even your games— Just golf! Goddamn you! —I don't know why you keep playing them! He hits the ball VERY hard. GOD! Finally! —and dragging me into it! Your anger may be making your game better. —and it's Top Golf. I don't see anyone playing these types of bets. He hits the ball. You were right. $10 Dollars. [The Festival Project ™] He is troubled —and she is weeping. BADU With three knives I found my blood; And with three knives I found my art And with three more I severed hearts— And tears remained upon the blade. And on, Their paper was our mirrors for eyes And I became not One, But all or more, And trust upon the world, Her core. The battle has won. I talk to you in my sleep, Therefore I am your fortune My love, I weep to wake from dreams To which we are tied in sacred honor As Divine. At once, my time is come, And though I shake with fear and favor, My making of your fortress shall be mine, In heart, forever. Amen. In all the ways I love you, And yet, cannot. Shatter my heart, For things are blind, And now I covet such as times That trees brought up from seeds grow wise. Hey, somebody— Make me laugh. Mr. Colbert? …your honor. Not it! V.O, The truth is, I don't know what I did at that party. [The Festival Project ™] FRENCH HENCHMAN Be in Los Angeles by sundown. MAU5 …but I live in Toronto. FRENCH HENCHMAN Precisely. MAU5 …why are you asking me to travel on my time? FRENCH HENCHMAN —because I know you're capable of this! MAU5 Ugh. Fine. FRENCH HENCHMAN See u soon. MAU5 Honey! Where's my mouse head? APPARENTLY ALSO KELLY It's in the shop. MAU5 What? APPARENTLY ALSO KELLY That's what the assistant told me. MAU5 What assistant? APPARENTLY ALSO KELLY *Shrugs.* ‍♀️ MAU5 …ur so pretty. {Enter The Multiverse} I heard and hurt that it's a numbers game; I'm laying in my grave, A shallow pool of doom and hatred But I have my name And it is mine and mine alone And it is mind and mind as one And it is time and time again I wish to die But then become another. PARIS TIPTON walks into THE HILTON HOTEL and launches into a RAGE. Not this again. {Enter The Multiverse} L E G E N D S Copyright © The Complex Collective 2025 The Festival Project, Inc. ™ All rights reserved. Chroma111. Copyright © The Complex Collective 2025. [The Festival Project, Inc. ™] All rights reserved. UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED BY LAW.

What does it mean to be relevant in a fast-paced era of AI, and how can you stay in demand? Have you done a search for a company recently and couldn't find it?A simple search one day was the inspiration for this episode. I was looking for a new at-home workout and to my surprise, the company I have used for over 18 years was mysteriously missing from all search. This experience is an example of how quickly brands can disappear if they aren't using AEO.What about for your company, are you showing up in online searches?Inspired, I decided to check HerCsuite® and used phrases like NEXT. Similar to BODi, we were not showing up in search like we use to. I did an experiment and We rebuilt our updated the entire website to be AEO focused. HerCsuite® now appears in the number two spot right under one of the largest women's networks. AI and AEO influence the way we with search, but staying in demand is also about how we show up and how we lead. Five Secrets to Being In Demand and Staying Relevant Beyond AICreate a Strong Personal Brand. Build Trust.Be a Curious Learner. Build Your Network. Be Visible. As you listen today, it's important to remember that AI is a tool, but the 5 ways to be in demand are human actions only you can take.This episode is releasing the day before Thanksgiving in the U.S. and I am grateful to all of you listening both here and in the 40 countries around the world.SPECIAL INVITATION to JOIN HERCSUITE®If you're ready for your next board role, business growth, or portfolio career and drive the AI conversation, I would love to welcome you in HerCsuite®. Now until Cyber Monday there are special member savings.Keep shining your light bright. The world needs you.Connect with Natalie BenamouNatalie Benamou is Founder of HerCsuite®, women's leadership network and portfolio career company. She also serves as President and CEO of HER HEALTHX, a nonprofit bridging the care communication gap and improving health outcomes for women.

Jeffrey Epstein's properties were widely reported to be heavily wired for both video and audio recording, turning his homes into surveillance hubs rather than mere residences. His Manhattan townhouse was said to contain hidden cameras placed throughout bedrooms, bathrooms, and guest areas, all feeding into a private media room accessible through a concealed door. Multiple accusers have described seeing walls of screens displaying live feeds from around the house, suggesting that Epstein was monitoring visitors without their knowledge. Similar claims have been made about Little Saint James, where the island was reportedly blanketed with cameras and audio systems strategically positioned to capture conversations and interactions everywhere on the property.These surveillance systems are believed to have served a specific purpose: leverage. Epstein was known for cultivating relationships with powerful individuals, and the idea that he recorded private encounters in his homes has led many to believe he stockpiled compromising material for blackmail, influence, or protection. Reports of specialized rooms, sound-isolated spaces, and equipment built directly into the architecture reinforce suspicions that documenting sensitive behavior was not an accident — it was the design. The sophistication and secrecy behind these systems have only deepened public speculation that Epstein's real currency was information, and that much of what he captured was removed or buried long before investigators ever arrived.to contact me:bobbycapucci@prottonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

When Arabs slaughtered (literally) the Jew in Hebron in 1929, the Communist Party said it was the fault of the Jews and the Arabs were in the right. And Jewish Communists sided with the Party! Similar things are happening today ...https://thechesedfund.com/rabbikatz/support-rabbi-katzz-podcast

How do we feed the world? It's all nice and cute this regenerative agriculture and food stuff, but how do we actually feed the world? By 2050, we'll need to produce double the amount of food. This is a question you, like me, get a lot, we bet, from banks, pension funds, large institutional players, investors in general, entrepreneurs, and eco-modernists.Our go-to answer was always: go to the most pioneering farmers and see what they can produce. But the counterargument was always: “Show me the research!". Now we have the research.In this Walking the Land episode, recorded straight from one of the most advanced farms in Europe, we talk to Simon, Kraemer, executive director of the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) and the lead author of a revolutionary study where they looked at 78 of the most pioneering farms in Europe and compared them to their conventional neighbours. They analyse everything from fertiliser use, finances, and pesticides to the holiest of grails: photosynthesis. And guess what? Regenerative outperformed conventional in almost everything. Similar or higher yields, more than 75% reduction in NPKs, significantly reduced chemical use and, best of all, over the seven years they compared them, the regenerative farms kept getting better and better. More about this episode.==========================In Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food podcast show we talk to the pioneers in the regenerative food and agriculture space to learn more on how to put our money to work to regenerate soil, people, local communities and ecosystems while making an appropriate and fair return. Hosted by Koen van Seijen.==========================

Mike Schopp and The Bulldog talk about how similar the Bills are to the Steelers from coaching to how seasons have went.

During the 3pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff talked about Falcons over Saints, Georgia Tech losing to Pitt, Charlotte covering the spread against Georgia, Hawks, Braves and how Georgia and Georgia Tech's season were similar until they weren't before we got to "The Smartest Thing Kirby Said Today." Later in the hour Chuck explains how the Falcons can still win the division and why "Falcons Math" keeps hopes alive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Patrons: Enjoy early access to this and all future pods) We have arrived, Neo-Gotham. It has been 25 years. It's our one and only Beyond feature, it's our review for "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker." Similar to our Ep by Ep review series, we're going scene-by-scene with an in-depth analysis/review, Ben is joined by your co-host/Beyond expert, Eli Benson @batman_beyond_fanpage.

During the 3pm hour of today's show Chuck & Chernoff talked about Falcons over Saints, Georgia Tech losing to Pitt, Charlotte covering the spread against Georgia, Hawks, Braves and how Georgia and Georgia Tech's season were similar until they weren't before we got to "The Smartest Thing Kirby Said Today." Later in the hour Chuck explains how the Falcons can still win the division and why "Falcons Math" keeps hopes alive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textOn this episode, we're talking about AI, the Fed, crypto, and housing --- and how those stories all suddenly collided this week. Nvidia's huge earnings beat briefly sent markets higher, but the rally fizzled fast as investors grew more anxious about a potential AI bubble. We walk through why valuations increasingly assume massive job displacement and unprecedented productivity gains, and why Oracle has become the market's “AI downside” hedge as its stock price collapses and its credit spreads blow out.Zooming out to the macro picture: delayed economic data finally hit, with job growth surprising to the upside, suggesting the Fed might not be delivering a December cut after all. Combine that with softening AI sentiment, and we're seeing a classic risk-off move: equities selling and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin showing the most stress. Even though headline data looks fine, the real-world "vibes" (sorry, couldn't help ourselves) feel recessionary, with people struggling to find jobs while prices (especially housing prices) remain painfully high.That leads us into the debate over 50-year mortgages. We explain why extending mortgages just means paying interest for decades, barely building equity, and ultimately bidding home prices even higher. The idea of a transferable 50-year mortgage makes even LESS sense. It breaks basic collateral math and would require higher rates, not lower, to actually facilitate implementation. Sign up for our FREE LIVE Excel & Financial Modeling Masterclass here: https://courses.thewallstreetskinny.com/Nov2025-FMmasterclass-registration-page-1Learn more about 9fin HERE Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others' experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Friday Headline Brief of The Wright Report, Bryan covers President Trump's accusation of sedition against former intelligence and military officials, the deeper pattern of political activism inside America's security agencies, the White House's meeting with New York City's socialist mayor elect, new economic and immigration data, and a sprawling welfare scandal involving Somali migrants in Minnesota. Trump Accuses Former Intel and Military Officials of Sedition: A group of Democratic lawmakers and former intelligence and military officers released a video urging current service members to refuse "illegal orders" from President Trump. Senator Elissa Slotkin and Representative Jason Crow admitted they could not name any unlawful orders but again labeled Trump a fascist and a Nazi. Trump responded by calling their actions sedition and said they should be arrested and tried, adding that such offenses can be punishable by death. Bryan argues the video is part of a ten-year pattern of partisan activism from former security officials who wrap themselves in patriotism while advancing political goals. A Personal Warning About the Deep State: Bryan recounts cases involving Ned Price, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Kevin Clinesmith, and the fifty one former intelligence officials who misled the public about Hunter Biden's laptop. He describes how some officials use the cachet of CIA or military service to shield partisan motives. He also reflects on his former boss, Jennifer Matthews, and objects to her being used for political gain. Trump Hosts New York City's Socialist Mayor Elect: President Trump will meet Zohran Mamdani, the mayor elect of New York City, who openly identifies as a Marxist. Mamdani insists the NYPD will not assist federal deportation efforts, even for violent offenders held at Rikers Island. He says the meeting will focus on public safety and affordability. Bryan questions the wisdom of giving such a figure a platform inside the White House. Economic Signals Improve for Housing and Jobs: Mortgage rates have fallen to about 6.25 percent. Rent prices are dropping in many cities and analysts tie the trend to Trump's deportation operations, which have reduced demand for rental units. Job growth in September exceeded expectations, with 119,000 new positions. Native born workers filled most new roles while foreign-born workers lost ground. Wages are growing faster than inflation. Manufacturing orders appear strong, but exact data are delayed due to the recent shutdown. Tariff Adjustments and Manufacturing Investments: The White House lifted remaining tariffs on Brazilian goods such as beef and coffee to ease grocery prices. GE Appliances will shift more production to Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee due to U.S. tariffs and competitive pressure from Whirlpool. China unexpectedly resumed large soybean purchases and placed a new wheat order, giving U.S. farmers encouraging news. Border Crossings Fall and Medical Strain Eases: Hospitals near San Diego report a dramatic drop in injuries among migrants who fall from the border wall. Emergency rooms say they can finally prioritize American patients because crossings have fallen to lows not seen since the 1970s. Judges Block National Guard Deployments: A federal judge in Washington blocked Trump's deployment of the National Guard to the capital despite clear data showing that Guard operations sharply reduced crime. Similar rulings in Memphis and other cities reflect what Bryan describes as political obstruction at the expense of public safety. Somali Welfare Fraud Funds Terrorism Abroad: City Journal reports that Somali migrants in Minneapolis defrauded Minnesota's Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program of hundreds of millions of dollars. The money was routed to clan networks and to al-Shabaab in Somalia, making Minnesota taxpayers one of the largest funders of the terror group. More than fifty individuals have been charged. Bryan warns that state leaders have tried to minimize or dismiss the scandal for fear of appearing xenophobic. FBI Analyst Fired After Displaying Pride Flag: An FBI trainee claims he was terminated for displaying a Pride flag at work. The Bureau denies this. Bryan discusses his own experience serving alongside gay and lesbian officers and argues that all personal politics, identities, and symbols should be left outside the workplace so that the mission remains the focus.   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: Trump sedition accusation Slotkin Crow, former intel officials illegal orders video, Deep State political activism, Zohran Mamdani socialist NYC mayor elect, mortgage rates falling deportation effect, GE Appliances reshoring tariffs, China soybean wheat purchases, San Diego border crossings ER cases, National Guard deployment ruling DC, Minneapolis Somali welfare fraud al-Shabaab, FBI pride flag firing claim

The Bills have similar problems to the Chiefs... Will they be able to fix it?

Jeffrey Epstein's properties were widely reported to be heavily wired for both video and audio recording, turning his homes into surveillance hubs rather than mere residences. His Manhattan townhouse was said to contain hidden cameras placed throughout bedrooms, bathrooms, and guest areas, all feeding into a private media room accessible through a concealed door. Multiple accusers have described seeing walls of screens displaying live feeds from around the house, suggesting that Epstein was monitoring visitors without their knowledge. Similar claims have been made about Little Saint James, where the island was reportedly blanketed with cameras and audio systems strategically positioned to capture conversations and interactions everywhere on the property.These surveillance systems are believed to have served a specific purpose: leverage. Epstein was known for cultivating relationships with powerful individuals, and the idea that he recorded private encounters in his homes has led many to believe he stockpiled compromising material for blackmail, influence, or protection. Reports of specialized rooms, sound-isolated spaces, and equipment built directly into the architecture reinforce suspicions that documenting sensitive behavior was not an accident — it was the design. The sophistication and secrecy behind these systems have only deepened public speculation that Epstein's real currency was information, and that much of what he captured was removed or buried long before investigators ever arrived.to contact me:bobbycapucci@prottonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Hour 1 with Joe Starkey and Donny Football: The 6-4 Steelers play the Bears (7-3) in Chicago on Sunday. It's not a believable resume for the Bears and Joe thinks the Steelers may win by 10 or more points. We all think the Steelers are going to win. Four pressing questions in Steelers-Bears.

The 6-4 Steelers play the Bears (7-3) in Chicago on Sunday. Are the Steelers like the Bears or are they a step above? It's not a believable resume for the Bears and Joe thinks the Steelers may win by 10 or more points.

Jason Kelce was on with the WIP Morning Show today. And, in talking about the Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown drama brought a similar dispute with him and fellow o lineman Lane Johnson. Find out the similarities and differences in these two disputes.

Jo and Rob just binged Netflix's new miniseries ‘The Beast in Me' and are here for a spoiler-filled discussion of the tense thriller. (0:00) Intro (0:50) Should you watch? (5:16) Let's talk about Matthew Rhys (10:25) **SPOILERS**: Did he do it? (20:18) Similar stories (25:51) Let's talk about Claire Danes (41:19) Best on-screen criers (48:47) Favorite “We're not so different” moment Email us! prestigetv@spotify.com or lickingthedonut@gmail.com Subscribe to the Ringer TV YouTube channel here for full episodes of The Prestige TV Podcast and so much more! Hosts: Joanna Robinson and Rob Mahoney Producer: Donnie Beacham Jr. Additional Production Support: Justin Sayles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ray Didinger and Derrick Gunn bring you "Birds Weekly" on Inside The Birds in which they weigh in on the Eagles' 16-9 win over the Lions at the Linc on "Sunday Night Football."And also catch the great anecdotes from both veteran reporters!Catch Ray Didinger's new play coming this fall, "Spinner:" https://www.delawaretheatre.org/spinner SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON CHANNEL FOR EXCLUSIVE, BONUS CONTENT NOT SEEN OR HEARD ANYWHERE ELSE!!!: https://www.patreon.com/insidethebirds ► Sign up for our newsletter! • Visit http://eepurl.com/hZU4_n.Support Our Sponsors! ► My Bookie Promo Code link!: https://bit.ly/joinwithTHEBIRDS► Simpli Safe Home Alert System: https://simplisafe.com/BIRDS for 60% OFF!► Camden Apothecary: https://camdenapothecary.com/► Soul Out of Office Gummies: https://getsoul.com. Use Promo Code: BIRDS for 30% off► Sky Motor Cars: https://www.skymotorcars.com/Follow the Hosts!► Follow our Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/InsideBirds► Follow Geoff Mosher on Twitter: https://twitter.com/geoffpmosher► Follow Adam Caplan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/caplannfl► Follow Derrick Gunn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/realdgunnHow to access our FULL Podcast:APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/...SPREAKER: https://www.spreaker.com/user/...NFL insider veterans take an in-depth look that no other show can offer! Be sure to subscribe to stay up to date with the latest news, rumors, and discussions.For more, be sure to check out our official website: https://www.insidethebirds.com.

Londinium 91 AD: Corruption and the Imperial Slip. Gaius and Germanicus shift attention to Washington, observing that wealth has grown more powerful than government in the U.S., similar to Rome's path into empire. Evidence includes Washington insiders like Rudy Giuliani and Hunter Biden allegedly operating on payrolls of corrupt foreign interests such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. Republicans typically avoid registering foreign work under the Foreign Agents Registration Act by using cutouts or undocumented money, while Democrats use think tanks during interregnums, making the process so transparent it suggests everybody's in on the game. Insiders are even willing to work for adversaries like sanctioned Russian arms makers or the Taliban under the justification of private diplomacy. Germanicusanalyzes this decline through three vantages: the Gilded Age, where corporations owned government but lacked today's foreign entanglement; foreign penetration, where adversaries and allies like Israel, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have enormous leverage; and irreconcilable ideological conflict, where corruption fuels severe ideological struggle tearing away the rule of law. They conclude that the transition into an emperor system is subtle and happens without notice, weakening the system when corruption damages trust. SULLA

This week on The Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast we are re-releasing an interview with the amazing Dr. Nicole Callaway Rankins who you may know from her very popular pregnancy podcast, The All About Pregnancy and Birth Podcast! Similar to Mommy Labor Nurse, Dr. Rankins offers amazing, online resources for pregnant women because she too knows what a critical role education plays in a woman's ability to advocate for themselves during birth and reduce any sense of fear or anxiety they may have. On today's show, Dr. Rankins is going to share with us more about what it's like to be an OBGYN, memorable moments from her years of practice, thoughts on doula and midwifery care, a bit of birth advice, and more. I'm so excited to share Dr. Rankins with you today, so let's get right into it!