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Whitney Elkins-Hutten of PassiveInvesting.com interviews multifamily investor Percy Nikora about his acquisition of the 192-unit Spring Forest in Mebane, North Carolina. He shares insights into the deal-sourcing process, mired with some negotiating challenges with attorneys. Percy also delves into the physical and financial due diligence, as well as how he brought in institutional money to boost revenue while mitigating risks.
Esperanza and Irwin return to their sweet spot: the 1970's. 50 years ago, in the Spring of 1975, the Rolling Stones were arguably the biggest rock band in the world; some would say they still are. But facing a variety of tax problems in the UK, the Stones recorded throughout Europe, in addition to LA. But there was a special lure to Montauk in 1975, where the locals gave them their space. The heart of this podcast is the Stones, but the star is Montauk, including the Shagwong, Eothen, Deep Hollow Ranch, and yes, the Memory Motel.
What do you really believe about heaven? When faced with her own terminal diagnosis, author Colleen Chao discovered that heaven wasn't a faraway idea. It was a living hope that changed how she faced each day. In this moving episode, Colleen shares the peace, beauty, and courage that come from fixing our eyes on eternity—even when life on earth is marked by suffering. Her words will stir your heart, strengthen your faith, and remind you: this isn't the end of the story. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE On Our Way Home: Reflections on Heaven in the Face of Death Visit Colleen's Website ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Colleen Chao is an editor, writer, and former English teacher. During her unexpected chapter of singleness, she traveled and explored new places, mentored young women, sang and acted, and spent unhealthy amounts of time at coffee shops. In 2010, at age 34, she married strong and handsome Eddie Chao, and eleven months later she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Jeremy. In 2017, after a long journey through chronic pain and illness (both her own and her son's) Colleen was diagnosed with breast cancer. After intensive chemotherapy and a double mastectomy, Colleen enjoyed two years of clear test results—but in Spring 2021 she learned that the cancer was back, and it was terminal this time. Out of this indescribable sorrow has come stunning beauty, and Colleen's desire is to spend the remainder of her days sharing this beauty with others who suffer. When she's not visiting a doctor or wrangling words, Colleen enjoys the beautiful outdoors, side-splitting laughter, and half-read books piled bedside. She makes her home just outside Boise, Idaho with Eddie and Jeremy, and their dog, Willow.
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.
Laurana, without her consent, is made the Commander of the Knights of Solamnia. Despite her misgivings she accepts the assignment. As part of accepting her new responsibilities, and despite what her heart may want, she also lets go of her love for Tanis. She does not have the time and energy to pursue it and she believes he is lost to the Darkness. Tas and Flint inspect the fortifications, worry about Laurana, and reveal their thoughts about Kitiara now that they know she is a Dragon Highlord. The good dragons finally arrive! Gilthanas & Silvara come with them. We learn from them why the metallic dragons have not made themselves before now: the twisted machinations of Takhisis! But through the sacrifice of Gilthanas and Silvara they've finally come out of hiding to help. Gilthanas also knows about Tanis' indiscretions now and shares it with Laurana. She is uninterested. Content warning - mild swears One More Thing: Jonathon: OpenRCT2 - https://openrct2.io/ Shivam: Home gardening & preserving You can find us at: Jonathon - https://bsky.app/profile/falselogic.bsky.social Shivam - https://bsky.app/profile/shivambhatt.bsky.social Casual Magic w/ Shivam Bhatt - https://casualmagic.libsyn.com/ Shivam & Wheeler Love Magic - https://sites.libsyn.com/460224 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1147877956611082 Discord - https://discord.gg/MM7nEwgmZv We now have a Patreon for those who want to support the podcast! Benefits include seeing the show notes and getting a shout out. Details @ https://www.patreon.com/ChroniclesofDragonlancePodcast Our cover art by Josiah Cameron. Find more of his work here: https://josiahcameronart.com/ Intro/Outro music: Shadow Whispers by Alexander Nakarada/Spirits of the Greenwood by Alexander Nakarada
This week we talk about what it means for love to really last. Every couple begins their marriage believing the best. We picture “for better” but rarely imagine “for worse.” Yet Scripture reminds us that real love is not built on chemistry or convenience. It is built on commitment.Every marriage goes through seasons. Spring brings excitement and growth. Summer is full of energy and busyness. Fall brings change and challenge. And winter can feel cold and quiet. But mature love learns to endure every season, trusting that God is still working when life looks barren.Message 811.23.2025
Conor Geraghty, Chair of Medicines at Veterinary Ireland, as a suspected case of the Bluetongue virus is discovered in Northern Ireland.
11/30/25 Service
It's a veritable tsunami of The War Between the Land and the Sea news this week, including a trailer, a new episode of the Whoniverse Show, Turf and Surf behind the scenes VAM, a reassurance from RTD that yes, he will eventually write a 2026 Xmas special, deleted scenes, dollies, figurines, AND part the fourth of our retrospective of Children of Earth! Have a listen, and then take a nap! Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon New trailer for The War Between the Land and the Sea Behind the Scenes of The War Between The Land And The Sea The Whoniverse episode on The War Between Titles and synopses for The War Between Episodes 1-4 released Title and synopsis of The War Between Episode 5 The War Between soundtrack releases digitally December 5 Doctor Who Series 10 soundtrack releases on Dec 12 Russell T Davies has plot of 2026 Christmas Special worked out, will write script early next year Season 2 Deleted Scenes Season 2 scripts added to the BBC Writers Room Character Options Doctor Who Constable Zreeg and Sergeant Zogroth Wrarth Warrior Set Panini Doctor Who: UNIT Declassified due Dec 4 Doctor Who – The Early Years bookazine from The Radio Times Doctor Who Series 1-4 + some specials now on Hoopla is some areas TARDIS Display Case with Figurines of 17 Doctors coming Spring 2026 Rachel Talalay: Tenth Anniversary of Heaven Sent Big Finish Torchwood: The Flawless Man released Big Finish Short Trips: Impeccable and Other Stories due Feb 2026 Review: Torchwood: Children of Earth, Day Four Children of Earth scripts on BBC Writer's Room Radio Free Skaro Wednesday Cutaway – The Ballad of Jack and Ianto Radio Free Skaro presents Bridging the Rift
In this week's Podcast: With Autumn slipping away and Winter on the horizon my thoughts continue to be filled with helping our colonies survive to next Spring. Feeding is complete, Autumn treatments removed, but the challenge of the Varroa mite goes on. With that in mind, here's part two of pests and diseases. Hi, I'm Stewart Spinks, welcome to Episode 369 of my podcast, Beekeeping Short and Sweet.Please support our main sponsor and advertiser:Hive Five Multi Guard EntrancesThe National Bee Unit Varroa Information can be found HEREBee Aware Varroa Information can be found HEREThorne Beehives Bees on a Budget Hive Brunel Microscopes - Beekeeper's Equipment hereThe Beekeeper's Dictonary on AmazonThe Beekeeper's Dictionary websiteHere are some links to the type of equipment I have discussed in previous podcasts.Ethyl Acetate for colony destructions can be found hereAsian Hornet book by Sarah BunkerThe Beekeeper's Guide to Defences against the Yellow Legged Asian Hornet by Andrew DurhamGardening Potting Tray for effective frame cleaningStainless Steel Stock Pots for use as a double boiler. Get one slightly larger than the other to fit inside.Gas Stove for outdoor use to render wax and old comb.Contact Me at The Norfolk Honey CompanyVMD Website: Click HEREJoin Our Beekeeping Community in the following ways:Early Release & Additional Video and Podcast Content - Access HereStewart's Beekeeping Basics Facebook Private Group - Click HereTwitter - @NorfolkHoneyCo - Check Out Our FeedInstagram - @norfolkhoneyco - View Our Great PhotographsSign Up for my email updates by visiting my website hereAmazon links are affiliate links. I recieve a small commission should you choose to purchase. This doesn't cost you any more but helps fund my podcast hosting site. Support the show
In this episode of Amateur Traveler, Chris talks with travel writer and guidebook author Joshua Zukas about planning an immersive trip through Central Vietnam, a region filled with imperial history, dramatic caves, ancient cultures, beaches, wildlife, and some of the country's most distinctive cuisine. Joshua has lived in Vietnam for nearly 20 years, first in Huế and now in Hanoi, and has authored multiple guidebooks. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here. Why Visit Central Vietnam? Central Vietnam offers a compact blend of what makes the country special. Within a week, you can explore beaches, royal palaces, ancient ruins, caves, and historic neighborhoods. Spring is the ideal time to visit, while October and November bring storms and flooding. ... https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-central-vietnam/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Just a quick update on the release schedule over the next few months as well as what you can expect to be coming up in the Patreon feed!Check out the website and shownotes!Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
00:00 Spring and KJ are in, Avs lose in a shootout to the Wild.13:05 Jeff Legwold joins the show.29:10 Broncos-Commanders preview.
Män i kris, sågningar av kostnojor, överjag och självoptimering. Elitismen inom löpningen, alkohol, disciplin, vildmark och utvecklingen mot "we fix you"-industrin. Och att Malin nog var spejare i ett tidigare liv. Att löpning är flykt och promenad är frakt. Plus mycket, mycket mer som alltid när forna tävlingsgångaren och filosofen Alexander Bard är igång. Tack för att du lyssnar!Följ Spring med Petra & CO i sociala medier:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/springmedpetraFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/springmedpetraFölj Petra:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maratonpetra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode Lunchbox talks about that hate he has for Fantasy Football and how every year he says he isn't going to care but in the end he still ends up pissed off. Ray reflects on the mistakes he and Justin have made as managers in The Sore Losers Fantasy League and what they're going to change going into next year. Also we help a couple of Vegas Virgins plan out their trip to Las Vegas in the Spring and Lunchbox has an apology for Ray. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thomas and Robbe recap all the ups and downs of their traverse through the JFK 50 Mile race, which turned out to be much better than their initial test run of the trail portion. Also, Winter GRIT registration opens at 9 a.m. TODAY (November 28), so make sure you get in on it before it sells out! Plus, we just announced our first ever shoe collab with Mount to Coast, which comes out in Spring 2026. Register for Winter GRIT: https://www.believeintherun.com/gritSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!MAURTENWe crushed nearly a dozen Maurtens each for the JFK 50 Mile race, finishing strong without bonking. Stock up for your own fall races and save 15% off your order by using this link and code Believe15: https://bit.ly/BITR-MAURTENSWIFTWICKYou already know that Swiftwick makes our favorite socks for running, from training to race day. We wore them for the JFK 50 Mile race and finished with ZERO blisters, so we're not sure how else we can convince you to buy a pair. Get your pair today: https://swiftwick.comLMNTGuess what? Yes, we used LMNT before and during the JFK 50 Mile race. Robbe downed 4 packets during the actual race and got through with zero cramps or headaches. With 1,000 mg of sodium plus other key electrolytes, LMNT helps restore balance to your life after any hard effort. Order today and get an 8-count LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase, so don't miss out: http://drinklmnt.com/thedrop
Episode 148 of the Award Travel 101 podcast focuses on maximizing points and cashback during Black Friday shopping while also covering the week's key award-travel news. Angie and Cameron open with a community highlight about stacking rewards on large purchases—using new credit cards for signup bonuses, checking card-linked offers, comparing shopping portals, and leveraging gift-card category bonuses at grocery or office-supply stores. They also touch on programs like Wayfair Professional that sometimes unlock extra savings or rewards opportunities. News updates include a 40% Amex-to-Virgin Atlantic transfer bonus, Frontier's extended Go Wild Pass, expanded Air France Flying Blue saver availability for elite members, and an elevated $40 TopCashback referral bonus.The hosts also share their personal points wins and trip planning. Angie is using a new Citi Strata Elite card to cover property taxes and wrap up a United Gateway spending tracker, while Cameron is evaluating Citi and Chase cards for various family members and prepping for future Southwest Companion Pass timing. Travel planning includes Angie's upcoming Uruguay trip and Cameron's multi-stop itineraries for Greece and Thailand, including discussions about award pricing, hotel options, and routing strategies on carriers like Qatar, ANA, and JAL.The main topic—Black Friday shopping—dives into stacking card offers, elevated Rakuten rates, Capital One Shopping deals, Visa gift-card plays via Rove, and portal comparisons using tools like Cashback Monitor. Cameron and Angie outline the best credit cards for holiday spending across different categories and offer strategies like buying gift cards in bonus categories to boost points. They also share must-have travel items recommended by the AT101 community, such as portable fans, chargers, Airfly adapters, and CO₂ detectors. The episode wraps with a tip of the week: using Thrifty Traveler's credit-card benefits tracker to manage annual credits across multiple cards more effectively.Episode Links:Amex to Virgin 40% Transfer bonusFrontier Go Wild PassAir France Award Space for ElitesTop Cash Back LinkAmazon Black Friday DealsWhere to Find Us The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here Reserve tickets to our Spring 2026 Meetup in Phoenix now. award.travel/phx2026 Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card! Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.
An airhacks.fm conversation with Ondrej Mihalyi (@OndroMih) about: OmniFish company founding with former Payara employees, Arjan Tijms as Jakarta EE Security lead and Jakarta EE 10 coordinator, David Matejczyk as Glassfish project lead and main contributor, OmniFish as the main maintainer and driver of GlassFish development, GlassFish optimization and bug fixes, embedded GlassFish improvements for command-line execution, comparison with Payara Micro, Slovak and Czech Christmas traditions including cemetery visits on Christmas Eve, traditional Christmas cookies like medovník (honey cookies) and perník, carp preparation for Christmas dinner with potato salad variations, fish scales tradition for wealth, Jakarta EE stability and backward compatibility over 15 years, migration from Java EE to Jakarta EE namespace changes, comparison between Jakarta EE and Spring regarding XML configuration history, Convention over Configuration in Java EE 5 and 6, WebSphere and WebLogic legacy issues, GlassFish as reference implementation advantages, runtime vs application server distinction, JSON-P usage for serverless lambda events, MicroProfile Health clean room implementation, Piranha experimental framework with new Servlet container implementation, AI and LLMs excellent knowledge of Jakarta EE specifications, no hallucinations when generating Jakarta EE code, separation of runtime and application deployment Ondrej Mihalyi on twitter: @OndroMih
This week I sat down with Justin Hai, the guy who basically said "yeah… stress is the villain in your midlife story" and then wrote a whole book proving it. Spoiler: he's right. We dig into: • Why cortisol is out here acting like a drama queen • The sleep-stress-hormone Bermuda Triangle making belly fat stick around • How tech is low-key ruining your metabolism • The truth about hot flashes that'll make you rethink what's really "stressful" • Why weights beat cardio every damn time • How to set yourself up for a night of actual sleep, instead of scrolling your soul away Plus, Justin shares what REALLY works for calming that buzzing nervous system without giving up your phone forever or moving to a cave. If you've ever said "this is just my life now"… listen up. It's not. PRESS PLAY Then come tell us your biggest "ohhhh THAT'S why" moment. Links Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic Tik Tok @kimbarnesjefferson Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kimjeffersoncoach/ Free Resources: https://www.fitgirlmagic.com/freeresources_podcast 12 week strength training program –Strong by Spring https://kimbarnesjefferson.lpages.co/strong-by-spring Website: http://www.kimbarnesjefferson.com Rebalance https://www.instagram.com/rebalancehealth/ Justin Hai https://www.instagram.com/justin_a_hai/ Linked in https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinhai/ Rebalance https://www.facebook.com/rebalancehealthofficial/ Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@rebalancehealth
Hi, Spring fans! Happy Thanksgiving from me, and I am sure the entire Spring team, to you! We are, it should be clear, oh so very grateful.. thankful.. for you, the community. This week it is my great pleasure to chat with Spring community legend Simon Martinelli.
Hey - sorry I missed you in November, but I was busy working on new material, and I've included a couple of exclusive new tracks here for you in this mix. First up is a remix of a track from my first album. The track is called "Maybe I'm Gay". It's a song about self-empowerment and is for anyone who has ever felt othered. It's from the album "The Gift" which you can stream and download everywhere. Here's a link to Apple Music, and to Spotify. All proceeds from this album go to Alzheimer's Research. Right now I'm putting the finishing touches to a Spanish language version of the album. Each track is uniquely Spanish and I've used the language to create a new interpretation of each song. In fact some tracks are quite different. Plus I've written and recorded some new material only in Spanish. It's all scheduled for release on Friday 23rd January 2026. Watch this space. In December's Locked On Disco you'll also hear new tracks from Daisuke Miyamoto, John Frisco, Sgt Slick, Funk 78, Seamus Haji, Dr Packer, Adelphi Music Factory, and Block & Crown. And to finish off, there's a powerful jazz funk track I've been working on called "Take It Low". Here's a link to the Spotify playlist, but as always, not all tracks are available. Enjoy!Here's the full track list:1 | F Monday | Maybe I'm Gay (Gospel Mix)2 | Daisuke Miyamoto | It's Over (Original Mix)3 | Fatback Band, Folamour | I Found Lovin' (Folamour Extended Remix)4 | John Frisco | You're my lady (Original mix)5 | Sgt Slick | Angel In My Pocket (Slick's Discotizer Extended Mix)6 | Funk 78 | Feel It Now7 | Syke, Sugarstarr, Alexandra Prince, Sgt Slick | Are You Watching Me (Sgt Slick's Discotizer Extended Remix)8 | Seamus Haji, Mike Dunn | Fire (Extended Mix)9 | Dolos, Dr Packer | Night So Right (Dr Packer Remix)10 | Adelphi Music Factory | I'm Sorry (Extended Mix)11 | Block & Crown | Super Slick Groove (Nudisco Clubmix)12 | F Monday | Take It LowIf you want to hear more of my own new material please follow me on Soundcloud. And right now I'm working on an as yet untitled disco/jazz/funk album. I'm hoping to release that in the Spring of 2026. Until then, please subscribe to The Disco Podcast. And thanks for your continued support. F Monday (aka Mark)Mixed with love in London.
Job “icks” are real and popular!. Anna and Raven hear more “I love my job, but.....” scenarios and discuss what they wish was slightly different about their work. Life is busy and chaotic, especially at this time of year. Anna and Raven remind themselves and everyone to take a moment to stop and take in these moments, cause time flies and there is a lot to be grateful for! Congratulations Gobble and Waddle! The two turkeys have been pardoned from Thanksgiving by President Trump. Anna and Raven talk about the wholesome tradition every year at the White House Karen Thomas, Etiquette Expert gives all her tips to being an adequate guest when celebrating the holidays this year at other people's houses. Whether you agree with their decorating decisions or not! Anna breaks down the shopping schedule this upcoming week and discusses the top 5 stores with the biggest Black Friday deals. Raven has his own feelings on her Black Friday plans this year. Chef plum is back for a quick Turkey frying lesson with Raven, after his catastrophic deep frying job last year. Bumpy relationships getting in the way of the chaos of the holidays? “Turkey dropping” is a lot more common than you may think! Anna and Raven explore the controversial sides - run and don't look back or ride out the holidays Gunnar has agreed to coach his nephew's baseball team this coming Spring and his wife, Renee, is upset because he didn't want to coach their daughter's softball team. He says that he doesn't know how to coach girls, their nephew is great, and he loves baseball. He played in college and has always wanted to do this. The daughter is 13, and their nephew is 11. She says he either coaches for their daughter, or nothing at all. What do you think? Chris has a chance to win $100! All he has to do is answer more pop culture questions than Raven in Can't Beat Raven!
This Thursday marks the 99th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Macy's Inc. chairman and CEO Tony Spring joins Rapid Response with a behind-the-scenes preview of what to expect. It's been a tumultuous year for the legacy retailer, shaped by new tariffs, shifting consumer habits, and the constant flip between “wartime” and “peacetime” leadership. Spring shares why his team is now on “version twenty-seven of the plan,” how Macy's is entering the AI era, and what it really means to court the next generation of shoppers while staying grounded in “balance, not hype.”Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today I sit down with digital nomad + "U.S. dropout" Bianca Lynch to talk about ditching the matrix, living abroad for less than half the cost of the U.S., finding flight deals that seem fake, and redefining what “freedom” really means. Bianca breaks down the hacks, mindset shifts, and lived experiences that help her cross borders without breaking the bank.Episode highlights:The best travel experiences usually cost $0, seriously How to rack up reward points WITHOUT credit cards (WTF?!)Why the "look up flights on Tuesdays" is a total mythAddressing the elephant in the room of digital nomad life -- is it bad for the countries we're traveling to?The travel hacks you've never heard of (I've traveled for 5 years and never heard of some of the tips Bianca shares)If you've ever dreamed of living abroad, fleeing the USA, or simply taking a trip without taking out a loan, this episode is for you. Bianca shows you how accessible global travel really is, and why the world is way more affordable, expansive, and welcoming than you've been led to believe. Tune in, take notes, and maybe… open Google Flights.Connect with Bianca:TikTokInstagramBudget Travel Masterclass - use code PODCAST25 for 25% off!Connect with Chelsea:
This Thursday marks the 99th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Macy's Inc. chairman and CEO Tony Spring joins Rapid Response with a behind-the-scenes preview of what to expect. It's been a tumultuous year for the legacy retailer, shaped by new tariffs, shifting consumer habits, and the constant flip between “wartime” and “peacetime” leadership. Spring shares why his team is now on “version twenty-seven of the plan,” how Macy's is entering the AI era, and what it really means to court the next generation of shoppers while staying grounded in “balance, not hype.”Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
John Dreiling is now what you would call the head man at Slingshot when it comes to all things “wake”, so we had him back in the studio for a chat about his new job and a ton more. We're diving into ROTY, when video projects should be released, drinking raw milk, sobriety, avoiding burnout, new gear tech, winching, surf parks, and if slingshot is going to get back into the boat wakeboarding game. Hear all that and much more in Episode 105 of the Grab Matters Podcast with John Dreiling. Follow John: https://www.instagram.com/johnxdreiling/Thank you to this shows sponsors! Liquid Force: https://www.liquidforce.com/ Slingshot: https://slingshotsports.com/Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/GrabMattersPodcastChapters:00:00 - 3:30 Intro/Fav. Grab3:40 Johns new job at Slingshot21:20 ROTY30:30 Mens and Women's ROTY?36:00 Spring releases50:30 LF'n Wheel of Questions1:04:00 Raw Milk Review1:08:00 Sobriety1:13:30 Slingshot Silhouette Challenge1:19:00 Ranking cables in Florida1:20:30 Avoiding burnout1:24:00 New tech?1:30:20 Slingshot team riders1:43:00 Never ending winch rail1:54:40 Surf parks 1:57:00 Slingshot back in boat?2:05:50 Mini wake tourLinks:Mirrors: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=923490304682787Stick to the code: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlrEu74bJDM&t=8sShoot us a text!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GrabMattersPodcastWebsite: https://www.grabmatters.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@grabmatters/videosInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/grabmatters/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grabmatterspodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/grabmatters
This week we unpack the growing troubles for the Perna wing of the Lucchese Organized Crime Family as criminal charges keep mounting for the New Jersey faction of the crime syndicate. New RICO/ Gambling/Money laundering charges against Mob Soldier “Little Joe” Perna and 13 others have been in the headlines for two weeks now. Those charged include multiple Perna family members. George Anastasia joins the show to discuss what this means for the Lucchese's going forward and just how much trouble are they really in with this controversial case and last Spring's big Lucchese indictments .
Jeff is still gone, so Django and Roman have called on our resident Data B.R.O. Brian to gather around the proverbial comic book round table and lay down their gooey ducks for all mankind. I mean, Youngblood is BACK! We're going beneath those dang trees again! There's a Canadian dog of some kind that you're gonna learn about! And so much more!0:05:56 - Well Welcome Wellmer!0:13:37 - Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: The Rite of Spring #40:20:40 - Youngblood #10:25:50 - Batman: Dark Patterns #120:30:16 - The Blue Falcon & Dynomutt #30:34:18 - Liquidator #10:39:15 - Question from Tachypomp! Thank you!0:44:11 - Redcoat #150:47:39 - Power Fantasy #130:50:00 - 1776 #10:54:09 - Transformers #260:56:00 - Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #4SPOILERS! Tread carefully dear listener, because we're going to talk about what happened in these books. So definitely pause this, read your comics, and come back. We'll still be here!And an enormous thank you, as always, to Andrew Carlson for editing this mess into something listenable.Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to get your podcasts.Email us at jeff@thecomicsplace.com! We love hearing from you and there's a good chance we will read it on air!Cover art by Elizabeth BealsVisit us at The Comics Place next time you're in Bellingham, Washington!
Thanksgiving week is here, and with it comes the perfect opportunity for developers to slow down, unwind, and refocus. In this special pre-holiday episode of the Building Better Developers podcast, Rob and Michael step away from the regular Building Better Foundations theme to talk about travel mishaps, gaming plans, personal downtime, AI experiments, and practical Thanksgiving tips for developers who want to rest and still grow. Whether you're staying home, traveling, or juggling family plans, this episode delivers simple and meaningful insights to help you make the most of the holiday season. Why Thanksgiving Matters for Developers For nearly a decade, the podcast has featured Thanksgiving episodes as a fun tradition—lighter, more personal, and focused on gratitude. As Rob and Michael reflect on the year, they share stories and ideas every listener can relate to. It's also a moment to pause and consider meaningful Thanksgiving tips for developers who are used to fast-paced schedules and tight deadlines. Holiday Chaos Happens—Laugh and Keep Moving The episode kicks off with Rob's comedy-level travel disaster involving early check-ins, confusing airline mishaps, and even a sushi order gone terribly wrong. Despite the chaos, he reminds us that embracing humor is one of the most underrated Thanksgiving tips for developers dealing with holiday stress. Embrace the unexpected. Use holiday disruptions as forced downtime to reset. Gaming, Rest, and Making Time for Fun Developers love learning—but they also love games. Rob talks through his Steam Deck frustrations while trying to play Blood Bowl 3, and Michael shares his goal to finally play his untouched birthday gift, Pokémon ZA. Gaming becomes more than entertainment—it's one of the best Thanksgiving tips for developers who need a mental break. The message is simple: Make room for joy. Let yourself play. Exploring AI, Creative Coding, and One-Day Projects Instead of doom-scrolling, Rob suggests exploring AI tools—both for fun and learning. Michael adds that Thanksgiving is a perfect time for a bite-sized coding experiment or "kitchen sink app" to explore new Java, Spring, or Python updates. This is where holiday downtime becomes a strategic advantage. You can recharge while sharpening skills. Try a no-pressure mini-project. One day of playful coding can spark major creativity. Disconnecting to Reconnect: The Heart of the Season Thanksgiving isn't just time off—it's time together. Michael encourages listeners to unplug, enjoy family time, watch holiday specials, and take a real break from screens. Spending quality time with loved ones is one of the most important Thanksgiving tips for developers who often live in digital worlds. Even for those working through the holiday week, a quieter office can provide opportunities to reconnect with coworkers or simply enjoy a more relaxed pace. Black Friday Deals and Leveling Up Your Toolkit Rob and Michael wrap up with practical advice: use holiday sales wisely. From software subscriptions to hardware upgrades, tech deals can help developers invest in their craft. They even recommend tools like CamelCamelCamel for smarter price tracking—another useful Thanksgiving tip for developers planning their 2026 goals. Final Thoughts: Rest Today, Grow Tomorrow Thanksgiving is a rare chance to step back, breathe, and appreciate what matters most. Whether you're experimenting with tech, catching up on games, visiting family, or indulging in post-turkey naps, embrace the pause. Because the work—and the opportunities—will be waiting after the holiday glow fades. For now, apply these Thanksgiving tips for developers, enjoy the season, and recharge for the journey ahead. Stay Connected: Join the Developreneur Community We invite you to join our community and share your coding journey with us. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there's always room to learn and grow together. Contact us at info@develpreneur.com with your questions, feedback, or suggestions for future episodes. Together, let's continue exploring the exciting world of software development. Additional Resources Making The Most of Your Holiday or Vacation Downtime Holiday Sales, Budgets, and Side Hustles Gratitude and Growth: A Thanksgiving Special on Building Better Developers Building Better Foundations Podcast Videos – With Bonus Content
We're back with another episode in our series on the Missing Middle in Climate Tech in partnership with Spring Lane Capital. This is the fifth episode in the series. If you didn't catch the others, check out InvestedinClimate.com/series and you'll find our other episodes. If you have ideas for other series and would like to partner, get in touch through the website as well.The missing middle is a structural problem – a lack not only of available capital for climate companies, but also of the kinds of firms able to invest in them. New firms with new types of investment mandates are needed, and so I was thrilled to learn about a new fund called All Aboard. It's a truly innovative firm developed by someone who has long had his finger on the pulse of the world's biggest problems and boldest solutions. If you've ever watched a TED Talk you probably know Chris Anderson, who has led TED for the last 25 years. Chris is probably one of the best networked people on the planet, and that he decided to focus on building a new fund designed to address the missing middle in climate finance speaks volumes. Spring Lane Capital Partner and Entrepreneur in Residence Jason Scott gets credit for putting together this episode and joins us in what was a truly fascinating conversation. All Aboard reflects the type of creativity and ambition needed to fill a critical climate finance gap, and I think we all hope their model inspires you in some way. Enjoy.On today's episode, we cover:0:03:31 – Chris explains his shift to climate investing and TED's climate initiatives0:04:53 – Setting the stage: The funding gap in climate tech0:05:23 – Jason describes the three buckets of the "missing middle" and All Aboard fund's mission0:09:33 – Exploring the structural capital problem in the energy transition and limitations of current financial markets0:11:16 – Chris & Jason discuss scale challenges and why current investment models fall short for climate solutions0:14:12 – Impact of collaboration in the climate investing community, with examples from Spring Lane and All Aboard0:16:57 – Chris describes All Aboard: how convening and pooling investors can solve the missing middle0:22:42 – The role of “social proof,” building momentum and ecosystems around climate ventures0:25:12 – Fundraising goals for All Aboard and the scale of opportunity in climate tech0:29:00 – Recognizing growth and potential exits for climate companies; learning from historical performance0:31:14 – How companies may become eligible for All Aboard, criteria for selection, and the practical mechanics of funding0:34:51 – The necessity of both capital and sustained support for scaling climate solutions0:36:30 – Vision for the future: If All Aboard succeeds, expectations for climate tech and financial markets0:37:54 – Other approaches and financial innovations to address the missing middle0:40:24 – The role of government and public-private partnerships in de-risking and scaling clean tech0:42:56 – Closing remarksResources MentionedAll AboardSpring Lane CapitalInvested in Climate – Missing Middle seriesTED and TED Countdown
00:00 Cross talk.18:15 Spring is in with Nate today breaking down the NFL Sunday.38:45 CSU Rams weekend, and injury updates on Surtain and Singleton.
Our first LIVE podcast. It was taped in the Spring, but we have been saving it to inject a little holiday cheer into the world.
From heat watches to rain warnings - the South Island is bearing the brunt of some particularly changeable Spring weather.
In this month's Mailbag episode, we're tackling some of your boldest and most honest questions yet. What is the “true” religion? How should we view the Bible in a world full of cultural noise and confusion? And what does real faith look like in everyday life? I'm diving into these topics and more, offering biblical truth, personal insight, and plenty of encouragement along the way. Grab your coffee and let's unpack what's on your heart this November.Also, use the code "Podcast20" to get 20% off our entire store. This is a special code specifically for our podcast listeners! See all our our hoodies, t-shirts, caps and more at https://www.livingchristian.org/store.html.Check out this podcast and all previous episodes on Spotify, iTunes, Google more! - https://www.livingchristian.org/podcast.htmlMY BIBLE: Every Man's Bible: New Living Translation - Find it here: https://amzn.to/3MuDAUSCHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE BELOW FOR CHRISTIAN APPAREL, PRODUCTS, BLOGS, BIBLE VERSES AND MORE:Website | https://www.livingchristian.orgStore | https://www.livingchristian.org/store.htmlPodcast | https://www.livingchristian.org/podcast.htmlFOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL:Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/living_christian/Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/livechristian1 Twitter | https://twitter.com/livechristian1Pinterest | https://www.pinterest.com/living_christian/TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@livingchristianABOUT US:Living Christian believes that our Christian faith isn't just for Sunday mornings in Church. Our faith impacts every aspect of our lives and the challenges we face every day of the week. We want to connect to people who are seeking to determine what Living Christian means in their own day-to-day lives. We are focused on providing resources and products to a community of believers. We provide daily biblical inspiration, motivation and guidance through social posts, blogs and Christian apparel and products.This work contains Music Track The 126ers - Winds of Spring that is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Source: https://directory.audio/free-music/pop/5092-the-126ers-winds-of-springAuthor: The 126ers#christ #christian #christianity #christianblog #christianblogger #verses #bible #bibleinspiration #bibletime #jesusistheway #biblestudy #dailybible #newtestament #oldtestament #thebible #christ #jesuschrist #holybible #lukewarm #christians #christianpodcast #christmas
Song 1: “You Can't Do That” (composed and performed by John Modaff)Poem 1: “Vegetable Medley” by Mikki Aronoff, a much-published Albuquerque poet, Pushcart nominee, and animal advocate. Poem first published in The Dribble Drabble Review. Fiction: excerpt from Death of a Department Chair by Lynn C. Miller.Her fifth novel, The Surrogate, comes out in Spring, 2026 from the University of Wisconsin Press. https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/T/The-Surrogate Feed the Cat Break: “Never Goodbye” (composed by John Modaff, performed by jvm and The Mystery Woman) Poem 2: “Who Knew” by poet and artist Julie Williams, author of Escaping Tornado Season and Drama Queens in the House. A poetry collection is in process. Song 2: “Original Sin” (composed and performed by John Modaff) Episode artwork by Lynda Miller Show theme and Incidental music by John V. Modaff The Unruly Muse is Recorded in Albuquerque, NM and Morehead, KY. NEXT UP: Jan 2026, Episode 55, “Ancestors” Thank You to our listeners all over the world. Please tell your friends about the podcast. Lynn & John
Gabe Genovesi catches up with Zane, Zita and Morgan as Wrestling and Swimming ramp up their Winter seasons and women's golf prepares for the Spring.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jerry spoke to former Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labour Party leader, Dick Spring, who was also a long-serving TD for North Kerry.
A sermon by Bishop Talbert W. Swan, II at Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ
Join us as we start The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig.We are sipping on Aisling's Spring water and reading chapters 1-15. Jess is finally not sick anymore.. thanks for your patience.Be sure to follow & subscribe on socials so you don't miss an episode or recipe!
As the host of this year's UN climate treaty negotiations and home to most of the Amazon tropical rainforest, Brazil led a major advance for forests and their indigenous inhabitants. The new $125 billion fund, with guarantees for investors, will send its profits to countries with documented forest preservation, including some cash going directly to indigenous and local populations. Also, we now know about the severe health impacts of tiny airborne particles or PM2.5, thanks in large part to the groundbreaking “Six Cities” study that started in the 1970s. The leaders of that team were Doug Dockery and Arden Pope, and they're co-authors of the 2025 book, Particles of Truth: A Story of Discovery, Controversy, and the Fight for Healthy Air. And members of the Living on Earth crew share a few laughs and our favorite Thanksgiving recipes, from pumpkin soup to chouriço stuffing to desserts made with leftover pie crust. --- If you or someone you know might be interested in a Living on Earth internship, this is “last call” to apply for Spring 2026 by Wednesday, November 26th! Learn more at loe.org/about/jobs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this final chapter of our Bible Reading and Coffee Drinking Romans series, we dive into Romans 16—a chapter that may look like a list of names, but is actually a beautiful picture of the early church. Paul celebrates faithful believers, warns against division, and reminds us that the gospel is worth giving our lives to. This chapter shows that ministry is personal, relational, and rooted in community. Grab your Bible and coffee, and let's close out Romans by celebrating the people who helped carry the good news and the God who strengthens us all.Also, use the code "Podcast20" to get 20% off our entire store. This is a special code specifically for our podcast listeners! See all our our hoodies, t-shirts, caps and more at https://www.livingchristian.org/store.html.Check out this podcast and all previous episodes on Spotify, iTunes, Google more! - https://www.livingchristian.org/podcast.htmlMY BIBLE: Every Man's Bible: New Living Translation - Find it here: https://amzn.to/3MuDAUSCHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE BELOW FOR CHRISTIAN APPAREL, PRODUCTS, BLOGS, BIBLE VERSES AND MORE:Website | https://www.livingchristian.orgStore | https://www.livingchristian.org/store.htmlPodcast | https://www.livingchristian.org/podcast.htmlFOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL:Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/living_christian/Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/livechristian1 Twitter | https://twitter.com/livechristian1Pinterest | https://www.pinterest.com/living_christian/TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@livingchristianABOUT US:Living Christian believes that our Christian faith isn't just for Sunday mornings in Church. Our faith impacts every aspect of our lives and the challenges we face every day of the week. We want to connect to people who are seeking to determine what Living Christian means in their own day-to-day lives. We are focused on providing resources and products to a community of believers. We provide daily biblical inspiration, motivation and guidance through social posts, blogs and Christian apparel and products.This work contains Music Track The 126ers - Winds of Spring that is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Source: https://directory.audio/free-music/pop/5092-the-126ers-winds-of-springAuthor: The 126ers#christ #christian #christianity #christianblog #christianblogger #verses #bible #bibleinspiration #bibletime #jesusistheway #biblestudy #dailybible #newtestament #oldtestament #thebible #christ #jesuschrist #holybible #lukewarm #christians #christianpodcast #christmas
Episode 147 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, hosted by Angie Sparks with guest Jake Futerfas, dives into maximizing Aeroplan, Air Canada's loyalty program. Jake, a long-time community member and Aeroplan expert, shares insights on why Aeroplan stands out, how to accumulate points, and the best redemption strategies. The discussion covers sweet spots, partner redemptions, and benefits of the Chase Aeroplan card, including earning toward elite status and leveraging eUpgrades and Priority Rewards to offset dynamic pricing. Jake also highlights perks for United flyers and offers a practical tip: always carry your Global Entry card when flying from Canadian airports with U.S. preclearance.Listeners are reminded to monitor year-end deals like transfer bonuses, status matches, and point-buying promos. The episode emphasizes strategic planning for both earning and redeeming points, especially with Aeroplan's flexibility and partner network, making it a valuable resource for travelers looking to optimize their rewards.Where to Find Us The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here Reserve tickets to our Spring 2026 Meetup in Phoenix now. award.travel/phx2026 Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card! Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.
Thanks to everyone who entered or voted in the Non-Book Review Contest. The winners are: 1st: Joan of Arc, by William Friedman. William is a history enthusiast and author who lives in California, where he spends his time reading, writing, GMing, playing video games and telling people excitedly about all the horrific stuff he learned in his latest history book. His fiction blog is Palace Fiction (which is currently serializing his first novel, The Tragedy of the Titanium Tyrant) and his nonfiction blog is As Our Days. 2nd: Alpha School, by Edward Nevraumont. Edward also wrote one of last year's finalists (Silver Age Marvel Comics)1. Now that he's no longer anonymous, he's going to write a post on his blog responding to the review comments (712 of them!), as well as a follow-up post on what he has learned about Alpha in the six months since he submitted his review (including the Spring and Fall MAP results for his kids). Here is the landing page with more details for ACX readers who are interested. 3rd: The Russo-Ukrainian War, by Gallow. Gallow is a wayward military consultant based in Ukraine. A long time reader of Slate Star Codex, he enjoys chess and combat sports. Forthcoming details of his experiences, along with miscellaneous thoughts and ideas can be found at his nascent Substack : https://substack.com/@gallowglassglen The other Finalists were: https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/non-book-review-contest-2025-winners
This week, Maria is joined by esteemed health coach Liza Baker and Dr. Ritu Saluja-Sharma, who made the jump from ER to Cookbook Author! Enter, "The Maria Liberati Show," based on her travels, as well as her Gourmand World Award-winning book series, "The Basic Art of Italian Cooking," and "The Basic Art of..." Find out more on https://www.marialiberati.com-----music: "First Day of Spring" by David Hilowitz - available via Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 https://creativecommns.org/licenses/by-sa/
The Agency Dilemma Business Finance, FIL 240-001, Autumn 2025, Lecture 26 Type: mp3 audio file ©2025
The Agency Dilemma Business Finance, FIL 240-002, Autumn 2025, Lecture 26 Type: mp3 audio file ©2025
As the long Thanksgiving weekend approaches, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dig into a flurry of newly dropped animation trailers, surprising box office projections, and the industry shifts shaping Spring and Summer 2026. Recorded just as holiday season ramps up, this week's Fine Tooning mixes news, nostalgia, and some unexpected industry history. HIGHLIGHTS Why studios dropped so many major trailers this week — and what their early online rollouts say about today's marketing playbook. A look at the weekend box office projections, including the strong debut for Now You See Me, Now You Don't 3 and the surprising second-week drop for Predator: Badlands. Angel Studios' upcoming animated musical David and its early pre-sale strategy heading into the crowded December slate. First impressions of The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants — plus memories from the 1980s Jetsons revival session featuring Mel Blanc. Updates on Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie, new leadership at Paramount Animation, and how “evergreen” franchises like Toy Story continue to evolve. A quick detour into the Magic Castle, close-up magic legends, and why those spaces still influence entertainment creatives today. Hosts Jim Hill — X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | Website: jimhillmedia.comDrew Taylor — X/Twitter: @DrewTailored | Instagram: @drewtailored | Website: drewtaylor.work Patreon Love what we do? Support the show and get exclusive content at:https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/ Follow Us Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews YouTube: @jimhillmedia TikTok: @jimhillmedia Producer Credits Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey — Strong Minded Agency Sponsor This episode is brought to you by UnlockedMagic.com, where you can save up to 12% on Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando tickets — including select after-hours events and holiday offerings. Run by the same trusted team behind DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market. When you book, tell them Drew & Jim sent you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
LIBERTY Sessions with Nada Jones | Celebrating women who do & inspiring women who can |
Wanda Wen, founder and creative force behind Soolip, is celebrated for her unremitting romance with the artisanal and the inherent beauty of things touched by hand. Established on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood in 1995, and now nestled in Westlake Village, Soolip was built upon a profound love of paper - the tactile, expressive medium that continues to inspire Wen's world of refined artistry and soulful luxury. A USC business graduate and former New York fashion executive with Perry Ellis and Stephen Sprouse, Wen blends business acumen with a discerning eye for art, style, and meaningful detail. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, Town & Country, Better Homes & Gardens, and more, and she has appeared on The Today Show, HGTV, and as a judge on Freeform's Wrap Battle alongside Carson Kressley and Sheryl Underwood. Author of The Art of Gift Wrapping (Potter Craft/Random House), Wen is also known as America's “go-to gift wrap stylephile.” A dedicated yogi and teacher, Wen infuses mindfulness into all she creates. She co-launched YogaLand Game in 2018, an experiential board game for yoga enthusiasts that unites her passions for design, creativity, and uplifting others, and is set to launch YogaLand version 2, for the young generation ages 6 - 12, in Spring 2026. In today's episode, Nada talks with Wanda about her lifestyle brand and its evolution over the decades, all while managing to remain true to its original mission statement. Wanda takes us back to the beginning when her love of beauty and letter writing coalesced into a paper company that started in her garage, and details for us the flagship store's rapid growth into several niche markets. She explains the meaning behind the name “Soolip” and encourages us with the life mantras that keep her and her business grounded. And offers listeners a chance to engage in upcoming workshops and yoga lessons. For more information, visit Soolip's website. To get in touch with Wanda about her private yoga lessons, email: wanda@soolip.com. Follow on Instagram: @wandawensoolip Please follow us at @thisislibertyroad on Instagram; we want to share and connect with you and hear your thoughts and comments. Please rate and review this podcast. It helps to know if these conversations inspire and equip you to consider your possibilities and lean into your future with intention.
Now That We're A Family Print Magazine: Receive Powerful Biblical Family Encouragement Order the magazine print issues here: Winter: https://www.nowthatwereafamily.com/offers/pYsZRqup/checkout Fall: https://mixam.com/print-on-demand/68e3399759c51375f39d8d72 Summer: https://mixam.com/print-on-demand/685dc0aa325904060f51e397 Spring: https://mixam.com/print-on-demand/67c7787bc67c2e1cbaac0640 - Megan and her family make their home in the hustle and bustle of rural Lancaster County, PA. She is married to Josh Fox, her hardworking contractor husband who makes all of her house project dreams come true! She has also made a home on YouTube where she shares Mennonite cooking, modest fashion, effective homemaking routines/strategies, home makeovers, and living life intentionally and to the fullest as a mom of 4 young kids. Although she would much rather have you over and serve you a fancy iced latte in her freshly remodeled kitchen, she would love to connect with you online, virtual though it may be! Find her on YouTube and Instagram or on her website where you can find tons more delicious and constantly-distracted-mom-proof recipes! Website - https://meganfoxunlocked.com/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@MeganFoxUnlocked Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/honey-im-homemaker/id1704756841 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/meganfoxunlocked/ Any Day Block It Off Planner - https://meganfoxunlocked.com/product/new-any-day-block-it-off-planner-2/
Today, things begin to grow in the rice pudding. Mr. Rushworth has the hots for landscaping, Molly gets bitchcrackers for Miss Crawford, and the tides turn on our affections for Edmund when he lends out Fanny's mare. Topics discussed include hear me out cakes, apricots, Mary Crawford's poor breeding, what values we take from our families, Jane Austen's beautiful descriptions of love and how we're getting it in a different way in this book, regifting, Fanny as a chronically ill and/or anxious girlie, and pug the basset hound.Patron Study Questions this week come from Ghenet, Avi, Spring, Diana L., Angelika, Katie, Linnea, Marija, and Melissa. Topics discussed include POV shifting, landscaping and architecture, chronic illness in Austen, Edmund's manipulation of Fanny, Fanny's relationship to the servants, the number of monologues in this book, Edmund being more like his family than we thought, and all things Mary Crawford.Becca's Study Questions: Topics discussed include Edmund and Fanny's conversation about Mary and the romance brewing between Edmund and Mary.Funniest Quote: “The tree thrives well beyond a doubt, madam. The soil is good, and I never pass it without regretting that the fruit should be so little worth the trouble of gathering.”Questions moving forward: If not her cousin, then whomst?Who wins the chapters? The horse