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Download my FREE Smart Buyer's Guide for Acquiring Cash-Flowing Businesses in 2025 HERE: https://contrarianthinking.biz/4iD1WtP In this episode, Robert Greene discusses the intricate dynamics of power, communication, and human behavior in both the personal and professional realms. He emphasizes the importance of observation, understanding ego, and navigating workplace politics while also exploring the nature of authenticity and the role of storytelling in influence. Codie and Robert dive into the balance between fear and likability in relationships and the challenges of finding inspiration in adversity. Chapters 00:00- Understanding Power Dynamics in Business 03:08- The Art of Writing and Communication 06:13- The Importance of Marginal Notes 09:06- Navigating Workplace Politics 12:08- The Role of Ego in Professional Success 14:57- Recognizing Toxic Influences 17:50- The Interplay of History and Human Nature 21:12- The Nature of Authenticity 24:04- The Subtlety of Seduction and Deception 27:09- Observing Human Behavior 29:46- The Complexity of Authenticity 33:13- The Role of Storytelling in Influence 41:10- Playing the Power Game 42:50- Strategic Thinking vs. Tactical Hell 45:10- Leveraging Power and Long-Term Thinking 45:46- Fear vs. Likability in Relationships 51:02- The Sublime and Personal Transformation 55:06- Finding Inspiration in Adversity 01:00:54- The Importance of Authenticity in Writing 01:06:01- Understanding Anti-Seductive Traits 01:10:50- Creating Mystery in Relationships 01:15:56- Words of Wisdom for the Younger Self MORE FROM BIGDEAL:
Can You Segway?Book 3 in 18 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.So exactly who was going to be sympathetic to their plight, who we cared about?Beyond my fevered dream of making a difference there was a pinch of reality. See, the Cabindans and the people of Zaire were both ethnic Bakongo and the Bakongo of Zaire had also once had their own, independent (until 1914) kingdom which was now part of Angola. The Bakongo were major factions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) -(formerly for a short time known as the nation of Zaire, from here on out to be referred to as the DRC and in the running for the most fucked up place on the planet Earth, more on that later)- and Congo (the nation) yet a minority in Angola. Having an independent nation united along ethnic and linguistic lines made sense and could expect support from their confederates across international boundaries.The Liberation Air ForceThe Earth & Sky operated under one constant dilemma ~ when would Temujin make his return? Since they didn't know and it was their job to be prepared for the eventuality if it happened tomorrow, or a century down the line, they 'stockpiled', and 'stockpiled' and 'stockpiled'.That was why they maintained large horse herds and preserved the ancient arts of Asian bowyers, armoring and weapons-craft. That was why they created secret armories, and sulfur and saltpeter sites when musketry and cannons became the new ways of warfare. They secured sources of phosphates and petroleum when they became the new thing, and so on.All of this boiled over to me being shown yet again I worked with clever, creative and under-handed people. The Khanate came up with a plan for a 'Union' Air Force {Union? More on that later} within 24 hours, and it barely touched any of their existing resources. How did they accomplish this miracle? They had stockpiled and maintained earlier generation aircraft because they didn't know when Temujin would make his re-appearance.They'd also trained pilots and ground crews for those aircraft. As you might imagine, those people grew old just as their equipment did. In time, they went into the Earth & Sky's Inactive Reserves ~ the rank & file over the age of 45. You never were 'too old' to serve in some capacity though most combat-support related work ended at 67.When Temujin made his return and the E&S transformed into the Khanate, those people went to work bringing their lovingly cared for, aging equipment up to combat-alert readiness. If the frontline units were decimated, they would have to serve, despite the grim odds of their survival. It was the terrible acceptance the Chinese would simply possess so much more war-making material than they did.Well, the Khanate kicked the PRC's ass in a titanic ass-whooping no one (else) had seen coming, or would soon forget. Factory production and replacement of worn machines was in stride to have the Khanate's Air Force ready for the next round of warfare when the Cease-fire ended and the Reunification War resumed.Always a lower priority, the Khanate military leadership was considering deactivating dozens of these reserve unit when suddenly the (Mongolian) Ikh khaany khairt akh dáé (me) had this hare-brained scheme about helping rebels in Africa, West Africa, along the Gulf of Guinea coast/Atlantic Ocean, far, far away, and it couldn't look like the Khanate was directly involved.They barely knew where Angola was. They had to look up Cabinda to figure out precisely where that was. They brought in some of their 'reservist' air staff to this briefing and one of them, a woman (roughly a third of the E&S 'fighting'/non-frontline forces were female), knew what was going on. Why?She had studied the combat records and performance of the types of aircraft she'd have to utilize... back in the 1980's and 90's and Angola had been a war zone rife with Soviet (aka Khanate) material back then. Since she was both on the ball, bright and knew the score, the War Council put her in overall command. She knew what was expected of her and off she went, new staff in hand. She was 64 years old, yet as ready and willing to serve as any 20 year old believer in the Cause.Subtlety, scarcity and audacity were the watchwords of the day. The Khanate couldn't afford any of their front-line aircraft for this 'expedition'. They really couldn't afford any of their second-rate stuff either. Fortunately, they had some updated third-rate war-fighting gear still capable of putting up an impressive show in combat ~ providing they weren't going up against a top tier opponents.For the 'volunteers' of the Union Air Force, this could very likely to be a one-way trip. They all needed crash courses (not a word any air force loves, I know) in Portuguese though hastily provided iPhones with 'apps' to act as translators were deemed to be an adequate stop-gap measure. Besides, they were advised to avoid getting captured at all cost. The E&S couldn't afford the exposure. Given the opportunity ~ this assignment really was going above and beyond ~ not one of these forty-six to sixty-seven year olds backed out.No, they rolled out fifty of their antiquated aircraft, designs dating back to the 1950's through the mid-70's, and prepared them for the over 10,000 km journey to where they were 'needed most'. 118 pilots would go (72 active plus 46 replacements) along with 400 ground crew and an equally aged air defense battalion (so their air bases didn't get blown up). Security would be provided by 'outsiders' ~ allies already on the ground and whatever rebels could be scrounged up. After the initial insertion, the Indian Air Force would fly in supplies at night into the Cabinda City and Soyo Airports.The composition,14 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 jet fighters ~ though she entered service in 1959, these planes' electronics were late 20th century and she was a renowned dogfighter. 12 were the Mig-21-97 modernized variant and the other two were Mig-21 UM two-seater trainer variants which could double as reconnaissance fighters if needed.14 Sukhoi Su-22 jet fighter-bombers ~ the original design, called the Su-17, came out in 1970, the first 12 were variants with the 22M4 upgrade were an early-80's package. The other 2 were Su-22U two-seat trainers which, like their Mig-21 comrades, doubled as reconnaissance fighters. The Su-22M4's would be doing the majority of the ground attack missions for the Cabindans, though they could defend themselves in aerial combat if necessary.6 Sukhoi Su-24M2 supersonic attack aircraft ~ the first model rolled off the production lines in the Soviet Union back in 1974. By far the heaviest planes in the Cabindan Air Force, the Su-24M2's would act as their 'bomber force' as well as anti-ship deterrence.8 Mil Mi-24 VM combat helicopters ~ introduced in 1972 was still a lethal combat machine today. Unlike the NATO helicopter force, the Mi-24's did double duty as both attack helicopter and assault transports at the same time.4 Mil Mi-8 utility helicopters, first produced in 1967. Three would act as troop/cargo transports (Mi-8 TP) while the fourth was configured as a mobile hospital (the MI-17 1VA).4 Antonov An-26 turboprop aircraft, two to be used as tactical transports to bring in supplies by day and two specializing in electronic intelligence aka listening to what the enemy was up to. Though it entered production in 1969, many still remained flying today.2 Antonov An-71M AEW&C twin-jet engine aircraft. These were an old, abandoned Soviet design the Earth & Sky had continued working on primarily because the current (1970's) Russian Airborne Early Warning and Control bird had been both huge and rather ineffective ~ it couldn't easily identify low-flying planes in the ground clutter so it was mainly only good at sea. Since the E&S planned to mostly fight over the land,They kept working on the An-71 which was basically 1977's popular An-72 with some pertinent design modifications (placing the engines below the wings instead of above them as on the -72 being a big one). To solve their radar problem, they stole some from the Swedish tech firm Ericsson, which hadn't been foreseen to be a problem before now.See, the Russians in the post-Soviet era created a decent AEW&C craft the E&S gladly stole and copied the shit out of for their front line units and it was working quite nicely ~ the Beriev A-50, and wow, were the boys in the Kremlin pissed off about that these days. Whoops, or was that woot?Now, the Khanate was shipping two An-71's down to Cabinda and somewhere along the line someone just might get a 'feel' for the style of radar and jamming the Cabindans were using aka the Swedish stuff in those An-71's. The Erieye radar system could pick out individual planes at 280 miles. The over-all system could track 60 targets and plot out 10 intercepts simultaneously. NATO, they were not, but in sub-Saharan Africa, there were none better.Anyway, so why was any of this important?Why the old folks with their ancient machines? As revealed, since the Earth & Sky had no idea when Temüjin would return, they were constantly squirreling away equipment. World War 2 gave them unequaled access to Soviet military technology and training.Afterwards, under Josef Stalin's direction, thousands of Russian and German engineers and scientists were exiled to Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan who were then snatched up (reportedly died in the gulags/trying to escape) and the E&S began building mirror factories modeled on the 'then current' Soviet production lines.So, by the early 1950's, the E&S was building, flying and maintaining Soviet-style Antonov, Beriev, Ilyushin, Myasishchev, Mikoyan-Gurevich, Sukhoi, Tupolev and Yakovlev airplanes. First in small numbers because their pool of pilots and specialists was so small.The E&S remedied this by creating both their own 'private' flight academies and technical schools. They protected their activities with the judicious use of bribes (they were remarkably successful with their economic endeavors on both side of the Iron Curtain) and murders (including the use of the Ghost Tigers).By 1960, the proto-Khanate had an air force. Through the next two decades they refined and altered their doctrine ~ moving away from the Soviet doctrine to a more pure combined-arms approach (the Soviets divided their air power into four separate arms ~ ADD (Long Range Aviation), FA (Front Aviation), MTA (Military Transport Aviation) and the V-PVO (Soviet Air Defenses ~ which controlled air interceptors).).It wasn't until the collapse of the Soviet Union and the independence of the various former SSR's that the E&S program really began to hit its stride. Still, while Russia faltered, China's PLAAF (Peoples' Liberation Army Air Force) began to take off. Since the Chinese could produce so much more, the E&S felt it had to keep those older planes and crews up to combat readiness. The younger field crews and pilots flew the newer models as they rolled off the secret production lines.Then the Unification War appeared suddenly, the E&S-turned Khanate Air Force skunked their PLAAF rivals due to two factors, a surprise attack on a strategic level and the fatal poisoning of their pilots and ground crews before they even got into the fight. For those Chinese craft not destroyed on the ground, the effects of Anthrax eroded their fighting edge. Comparable technology gave the Khanate their critical victory and Air Supremacy over the most important battlefields.What did this meant for those out-of-date air crews and pilots who had been training to a razor's edge for a month now? Their assignment had been to face down the Russians if they invaded. They would take their planes up into the fight even though this most likely would mean their deaths, but they had to try.When Operation Fun House put Russia in a position where she wasn't likely to jump on the Khanate, this mission's importance faded. The Russian Air Force was far more stretched than the Khanate's between her agitations in the Baltic and her commitments in the Manchurian, Ukrainian, Chechen and Georgian theaters.With more new planes rolling off the production lines, these reservist units began dropping down the fuel priority list, which meant lowering their flight times thus readiness. Only my hare-brained scheme had short-circuited their timely retirement. Had I realized I was getting people's grandparents killed, I would have probably made the same call anyway. We needed them.The KanateThe Khanate's #1 air superiority dogfighter was the Mig-35F. The #2 was the Mig-29. No one was openly discussing the Khanate's super-stealthy "Su-50", if that was what it was, because its existence 'might' suggest the Khanate also stole technology from the Indian defense industry, along with their laundry list of thefts from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the PRC, Russia and half of NATO.Her top multi-role fighters were the Su-47, Su-35S and Su-30SM. The Su-30 'Flanker-C/MK2/MKI were their 2nd team with plenty of 3rd team Su-27M's still flying combat missions as well.Strike fighters? There weren't enough Su-34's to go around yet, so the Su-25MS remained the Khanate's dedicated Close Air Assault model.Medium transport aircraft? The An-32RE and An-38. They had small, large and gargantuan transports as well.Bombers? The rather ancient jet-powered Tu-160M2's and Tu-22M2's as well as the even older yet still worthwhile turboprops ~ from 1956's ~ the Tu-95M S16.Helicopters? While they still flew updated variants of the Mil Mi-8/17 as military transports, the more optimized Kamov Ka-52 and Mil Mi-28 had replaced them in the assault role.Bizarrely, the Khanate had overrun several Chinese production lines of the aircraft frames and components ~ enough to complete fairly modern PLAAF (Peoples Liberation Army Air Force) FC-1 and J-10 (both are small multi-role fighter remarkably similar to the US F-16 with the FC-1 being the more advanced model, using shared Chinese-Pakistani technology and was designed for export,).They did have nearly two dozen to send, but they didn't have the pilots and ground crews trained to work with them, plus the FC-1 cost roughly $32 million which wasn't fundage any legitimate Cabindan rebels could get their hands on, much less $768 million (and that would just be for the planes, not the weeks' worth of fuel, parts and munitions necessary for what was forthcoming).Meanwhile, except for the An-26, which you could get for under $700,000 and the An-71, which were only rendered valuable via 'black market tech', none of the turboprop and jet aircraft the Khanate was sending were what any sane military would normally want. The helicopters were expensive ~ the 'new' models Mi-24's cost $32 million while the Mi-17's set you back $17 million. The one's heading to Cabinda didn't look 'new'.The Opposition:In contrast, the Angolan Air Force appeared far larger and more modern. Appearances can be deceptive, and they were. Sure, the models of Russian and Soviet-made aircraft they had in their inventory had the higher numbers ~ the Su-25, -27 and -30 ~ plus they had Mig-21bis's, Mig-23's and Su-22's, but things like training and up-keep didn't appear to be priorities for the Angolans.When you took into account the rampant corruption infecting all levels of Angolan government, the conscript nature of their military, the weakness of their technical educational system, the complexity of any modern combat aircraft and the reality that poor sods forced into being Air Force ground crewmen hardly made the most inspired technicians, or most diligent care-takers of their 'valuable' stockpiles (which their officers all too often sold on the black market anyway), things didn't just look bleak for the Angolan Air Force, they were a tsunami of cumulative factors heading them for an epic disaster.It wasn't only their enemies who derided their Air Force's lack of readiness. Their allies constantly scolded them about it too. Instead of trying to fix their current inventory, the Angolans kept shopping around for new stuff. Since 'new'-new aircraft was beyond what they wanted to spend (aka put too much of a dent in the money they were siphoning off to their private off-shore accounts), they bought 'used' gear from former Soviet states ~ Belarus, Russia and Ukraine ~ who sold them stuff they had left abandoned in revetments (open to the elements to slowly rot) on the cheap.To add to the insanity, the Angolans failed to keep up their maintenance agreements so their newly fixed high-tech machines often either couldn't fly, or flew without critical systems, like radar, avionics and even radios. Maybe that wasn't for the worst because after spending millions on these occasionally-mobile paperweights, the Angolans bought the least technologically advanced missile, gun and rocket systems they could get to put on these flying misfortunes.On the spread sheets, Angola had 18 Su-30K's, 18 Su-27, 12 Su-25's, 14 Su-22's, 22 Mig-23's, 23 Mig-21bis's and 6 Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (a turboprop aircraft tailor-made for counter-insurgency operations), 105 helicopters with some combative ability and 21 planes with some airlift capacity. That equated to 81 either air superiority, or multi-role jet fighters versus the 12 Union Air Force (actually the Bakongo Uni o de Cabinda e Zaire, For as Armadas de Liberta o, For a Area ~ Liberation Armed Forces, Air Force (BUCZ-FAL-FA) Mig-21-97's.It would seem lopsided except for the thousands of hours of flight experience the 'Unionists' enjoyed over their Angolan rivals. You also needed to take into account the long training and fanatic dedication of their ground crews to their pilots and their craft. Then you needed to take into account every Unionist aircraft, while an older airframe design, had updated (usually to the year 2000) technology lovingly cared for, as if the survival of their People demanded it.A second and even more critical factor was the element of surprise. At least the PRC and the PLAAF had contingencies for attacks from their neighbors in the forefront of their strategic planning. The Angolans? The only country with ANY air force in the vicinity was the Republic of South Africa (RSA) and they had ceased being a threat with the end of Apartheid and the rise of majority Black rule in that country nearly two decades earlier.In the pre-dawn hours of 'Union Independence Day', the FAL-FA was going to smash every Angolan Air base and air defense facility within 375 miles of Cabinda (the city). Every three hours after that, they would be hitting another target within their designated 'Exclusion Zone'. Yes, this 'Exclusion Zone' included a 'tiny' bit of DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) territory. The DRC didn't have an air force to challenge them though, so,Inside this 'Exclusion Zone', anything moving by sea, river, road, rail, or air without Unionist governmental approval was subject to attack, which would require neutral parties to acknowledge some semblance of a free and independent B U C Z. Worse for Angola, this 'Zone' included Angola's capital and its largest port, Luanda, plus four more of their ten largest urban centers. This could be an economic, military and humanitarian catastrophe if mishandled.The Angolan Army did not have significant anti-aircraft assets. Why would they? Remember, no one around them had much of an air force to worry about. The FAL-FA in turn could hit military convoys with TV-guided munitions 'beyond line of sight', rendering what they did have useless. It got worse for the Army after dark. The FAL-FA could and would fly at night whereas the average Angolan formation had Zip-Zero-Nadda night fighting capacity.Then geography added its own mountain of woes. As far as Cabinda was concerned, there was no direct land line to their border from Angola. Their coastal road only went as far as the port of Soyo where the Congo River hit the South Atlantic Ocean. Across that massive gap was the DRC where the road was not picked back up. Far up the coast was the DRC town of Muanda (with an airport) and though they did have a road which went north, it did not continue to the Cabindan border.Nope. To get at Cabinda from the south meant a long, torturous travel through northeastern Angola, into the heart of the DRC then entailed hooking west to some point 'close' to the Cabindan frontier before finally hoofing it overland through partially cleared farmland and jungle. Mind you, the DRC didn't have a native air force capable of protecting the Angolans in their territory so,In fact the only 'road' to Cabinda came from the Republic of Congo (Congo) to the north and even that was a twisted route along some really bad, swampy terrain. This had been the pathway of conquest the Angolans took 39 years earlier. The difference being the tiny bands of pro-independence Cabindan guerillas back then couldn't hold a candle to the Amazons fighting to free Cabinda this time around in numbers, zeal, training and up-to-date equipment.Next option ~ to come by sea. They would face a few, stiff problems, such as the FAL-FA having ship-killer missiles, the Angolan Navy not being able to defend them and the Unionists having no compunction to not strike Pointe-Noire in the 'not so neutral' Republic of the Congo if they somehow began unloading Angolan troops. It seemed the Republic of the Congo didn't have much of an Air Force either.Before you think the FAL-FA was biting off more than they could chew, Cabinda, the province, was shaped somewhat like the US State of Delaware, was half the size of Connecticut (Cabinda was 2,810 sq. mi. to Conn.'s 5,543 sq. mi.) and only the western 20% was relatively open countryside where the Angolan Army's only advantage ~ they possessed armed fighting vehicles while the 'Unionists' did not (at this stage of planning) ~ could hopefully come into play.Centered at their capital, Cabinda (City), jets could reach any point along their border within eight minutes. Helicopters could make it in fifteen. To be safe, some of the FAL-FA would base at the town of Belize which was in the northern upcountry and much tougher to get at with the added advantage the Angolans wouldn't be expecting the FAL-FA to be using the abandoned airfield there, at least initially.Where they afraid attacking Angolan troops in the DRC would invite war with the DRC? Sure, but letting the Angolans reach the border unscathed was worse. Besides, the DRC was in such a mess it needed 23,000 UN Peacekeepers within her borders just to keep the country from falling apart. Barring outside, read European, intervention, did "Democratically-elected since 2001" President (for Life) Joseph Kabila want the FAL-FA to start dropping bombs on his capital, Kinshasa, which was well within reach of all their aircraft?Congo (the country), to the north, wasn't being propped up by the UN, or anything else except ill intentions. In reality, it hardly had much of a military at all. Its officer corps was chosen for political reliability, not merit, or capability. Their technology was old Cold War stuff with little effort to update anything and, if you suspected corruption might be a problem across all spectrums of life, you would 'probably' be right about that too.If you suspected the current President had been in charge for a while, you would be correct again (1979-1992 then 2001- and the 'whoops' was when he accidently let his country experiment with democracy which led to two civil wars). If you suspected he was a life-long Communist (along with the Presidents of the DRC and Angola), you'd be right about that as well. Somehow their shared Marxist-Leninist-Communist ideology hadn't quite translated over to alleviating the grinding poverty in any of those countries despite their vast mineral wealth,At this point in the region's history, little Cabinda had everything to gain by striving for independence and the vast majority of 'warriors' who could possibly be sent against her had terribly little to gain fighting and dying trying to stop them from achieving her goal. After all, their lives weren't going to get any better and with the Amazons ability ~ nay willingness ~ to commit battlefield atrocities, those leaders were going to find it hard going to keep sending their men off to die.And then, it got even worse.See, what I had pointed out was there were two oil refineries in Angola, and neither was in Cabinda. Cabinda would need a refinery to start making good on their oil wealth ~ aka economically bribe off the Western economies already shaken over the Khanate's first round of aggressions.But wait! There was an oil refinery just across the Congo River from Cabinda ~ which meant it was attached to mainland Angola. That had to be a passel of impossible news, right?Nope. As I said earlier, it seemed the people of northern Angola were the same racial group as the Cabindans AND majority Catholic while the ruling clique wasn't part of their ethnic confederacy plus the farther south and east into Angola you went, the less Catholic it became.But it got better. This province was historically its own little independent kingdom (called the Kingdom of Kongo) to boot! It had been abolished by Portugal back in 1914.The 'good' news didn't end there. Now, it wasn't as if the leadership of Angola was spreading the wealth around to the People much anyway, but these northerners had been particularly left out of this Marxist version of 'Trickle Down' economics.How bad was this? This northwestern province ~ called Zaire ~ didn't have any railroads, or paved roads, linking it to the rest of the freaking country. The 'coastal road' entered the province, but about a third of the way up ran into this river, which they'd failed to bridge (you had to use a single track bridge farther to the northeast, if you can believe it). It wasn't even a big river. It was still an obstacle though.How did the Angolan government and military planned to get around? Why by air and sea, of course. Well, actually by air. Angola didn't have much of a merchant marine, or Navy, to make sealift a serious consideration. Within hours of the 'Union Declaration of Independence' anything flying anywhere north of the Luanda, the capital of Angola, would essentially be asking to be blown out of the sky.Along the border between Zaire province and the rest of Angola were precisely two chokepoints. By 'chokepoints', I meant places where a squad (10 trained, modernly-equipped troopers) could either see everything for miles & miles over pretty much empty space along a river valley and the only bridge separating Zaire province from the south, or overlook a ravine which the only road had to pass through because of otherwise bad-ass, broken terrain.Two.Zaire Province had roughly the same population as Cabinda ~ 600,000. Unlike Cabinda, which consisted of Cabinda City plus a few tiny towns and rugged jungles, Zaire had two cities ~ Soyo, with her seventy thousand souls plus the refinery at the mouth of the Congo River, and M'banza-Kongo, the historical capital of the Kingdom of Kongo, spiritual center of the Bakongo People (who included the Cabindans) and set up in the highlands strategically very reminiscent of Điện Biàn Phủ.Of Zaire's provincial towns, the only other strategic one was N'Zeto with her crappy Atlantic port facility and 2,230 meter grass airport. The town was the northern terminus of the National Road 100 ~ the Coastal Road. It terminated because of the Mebridege River. There wasn't a bridge at N'Zeto though there was a small one several miles upstream. N'Zeto was also where the road from provinces east of Zaire ended up, so you had to have N'Zeto ~ and that tiny bridge ~ to move troops overland anywhere else in Zaire Province.So you would think it would be easy for the Angolan Army to defend then, except of how the Amazons planned to operate. They would infiltrate the area first then 'rise up in rebellion'. Their problem was the scope of the operation had magnified in risk of exposure, duration and forces necessary for success.The serious issue before Saint Marie and the Host in Africa were the first two. They could actually move Amazons from Brazil and North America to bolster their numbers for the upcoming offensive. Even in the short-short term, equipment wouldn't be a serious problem. What the Amazons dreaded was being left in a protracted slugfest with the Angolan Army which the Condottieri could jump in on. The Amazons exceedingly preferred to strike first then vanish.There was reason to believe a tiny number could have stayed behind in Cabinda to help the locals prepare their military until they could defend themselves. They would need more than a hundred Amazons if Cabinda wanted to incorporate Zaire. The answer was to call back their newfound buddy, the Great Khan. While he didn't have much else he could spare (the Khanate was ramping up for their invasion of the Middle East after all, the Kurds needed the help), he had other allies he could call on.India couldn't help initially since they were supposed to supply the 'Peace-keepers' once a cease-fire had been arranged. That left Temujin with his solid ally, Vietnam, and his far shakier allies, the Republic of China and Japan.First off ~ Japan could not help, which meant they couldn't supply troops who might very well end up dead, or far worse, captured.. What they did have was a surplus of older equipment the ROC troops were familiar with, so while the ROC was gearing up for their own invasion of mainland China in February, they were willing to help the Chinese kill Angolans, off the books, of course.The ROC was sending fifteen hundred troops the Khanate's way to help in this West African adventure with the understanding they'd be coming home by year's end. With Vietnam adding over eight hundred of her own Special Forces, the Amazons had the tiny 'allied' army they could leave shielding Cabinda/Zaire once the first round of blood-letting was over.To be 'fair', the Republic of China and Vietnam asked for 'volunteers'. It wasn't like either country was going to declare war on Angola directly. Nearly a thousand members of Vietnam's elite 126th Regiment of the 5th Brigade (Đặc cáng bộ) took early retirement then misplaced their equipment as they went to update their visas and inoculations before heading out for the DRC (some would be slipping over the DRC/Cabindan border).On Taiwan, it was the men and women of the 602nd Air Cavalry Brigade, 871st Special Operations Group and 101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion who felt the sudden desire to 'seek enlightenment elsewhere, preferably on another continent'.They too were off to the Democratic Republic of Congo, man that country was a mess and their border security wasn't worth writing home about, that's for damn sure, via multiple Southeast Asian nations. Besides, they were being issued fraudulently visas which showed them to be from the People's Republic of China, not the ROC/Taiwan. If they were captured, they were to pretend to "be working for a Communist Revolution inside Angola and thus to be setting all of Africa on fire!" aka be Mainland Chinese.There, in the DRC, these Chinese stumbled across, some Japanese. These folks hadn't retired. No. They were on an extended assignment for the UN's mission in, the DRC. OH! And look! They'd brought tons of surplus, outdated Japanese Self Defense Forces' equipment with them, and there just so happened to be some Taiwanese who had experience in using such equipment (both used US-style gear).And here was Colonel Yoshihiro Isami of the Chūō Sokuō Shūdan (Japan's Central Readiness Force) wondering why he and his hastily assembled team had just unloaded,18 Fuji/Bell AH-1S Cobra Attack helicopters,6 Kawasaki OH-6D Loach Scout helicopters,12 Fuji-Bell 204-B-2 Hiyodori Utility helicopters,6 Kawasaki/Boeing CH-47JA Chinook Transport helicopters and4 Mitsubishi M U-2L-1 Photo Reconnaissance Aircraft.Yep! 46 more aircraft for the FAL-FA!Oh, and if this wasn't 'bad enough', the Chinese hadn't come alone. They'd brought some old aircraft from their homes to aid in the upcoming struggle. Once more, these things were relics of the Cold War yet both capable fighting machines and, given the sorry state of the opposition, definitely quite deadly. A dozen F-5E Tiger 2000 configured primarily for air superiority plus two RF-5E Tigergazer for reconnaissance, pilots plus ground crews, of course.Thus, on the eve of battle, the FAL-FA had become a true threat. Sure, all of its planes (and half of its pilots) were pretty old, but they were combat-tested and in numbers and experience no other Sub-Saharan African nation could match.The Liberation Ground Forces:But wait, there was still the niggling little problem of what all those fellas were going to fight with once they were on the ground. Assault/Battle rifles, carbines, rifles, pistols, PDW, SMGs as bullets, grenades and RPG's were all terrifyingly easy to obtain. The coast of West Africa was hardly the Port of London as far as customs security went. They were going to need some bigger toys and their host nations were going to need all their native hardware for their upcoming battles at home.And it wasn't like you could advertise for used IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicles), APCs (armored personnel carriers) and tanks on e-Bay, Amazon.com, or Twitter. If something modern US, or NATO, was captured rolling around the beautiful Angolan countryside, shooting up hostile Angolans, all kinds of head would roll in all kinds of countries, unless the country,A) had an Executive Branch and Judiciary who wouldn't ask (or be answering) too many uncomfortable questions,B) wasn't all that vulnerable to international pressure,C) really needed the money and,D) didn't give a fuck their toys would soon be seen on BBC/CNN/Al Jazeera blowing the ever-living crap out of a ton of Africans aka doing what they were advertised to do and doing it very well in the hands of capable professionals.And politics was kind enough to hand the freedom-loving people of Cabinda & Zaire a winner, and it wasn't even from strangers, or at least people all that strange to their part of the Globe. If you would have no idea who to look for, you wouldn't be alone.That was the magic of the choice. See, the last three decades had seen the entire Globe take a colossal dump on them as a Nation and a People. They were highly unpopular for all sorts of things, such as Crimes Against Humanity and 'no', we were not talking about the Khanate.We would be talking about Република Србија / Republika Srbija aka Serbia aka the former Yugoslavia who had watched all their satellite minions (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia) slip away. Despite being reduced to a tiny fraction of their former selves thus fighting two incredibly brutal and bloody World Wars for nothing, Serbia insisted on maintaining a robust armaments industry.Mind you, they didn't make the very best stuff on the planet. That didn't stop them from trying though. Of equal importance was their geographic location and the above mentioned desire for some hard currency without asking too many questions. The geography was simple, you could move even heavy gear unnoticed from central Serbia to the Montenegrin port of Bar by rail and load them up on freighters and off to the Congo you went.The Serbians produced an APC called the BVP M-80A's which weren't blowing anyone's minds away when they started rolling off the production lines back in 1982, plus some over-eager types on the Serbian Army's payroll sweetened the deal by offering 'the rebels' some BVP M-80 KC's and a KB as well.Then they slathered on the sugary-sweet Maple syrup by upgrading a few of the M-80A's to BVP M-98A's. Why would they be so generous? The KC's and KB were the Command & Control variants, so that made sense (C = company & B = battalion commander). The -98A had never been tested in the field before and they were kind of curious how the new turrets (which was the major difference) would behave. 'Our' procurement agents didn't quibble. We needed the gear.Besides, these Slavic entrepreneurs gave them an inside track on some 'disarmed/mothballed' Czech (introduced in 1963) armored mobile ambulances and Polish BWP-1 (first rolled out in 1966) APC's which were either in, or could be quickly configured into, the support variants those ground-fighters would need. The 'disarmed' part was 'fixable', thanks to both the Serbians and Finland. The 'missing' basic weaponry was something the Serbians could replace with virtually identical equipment.It just kept getting better. Unknown to me at the time, the Finnish firm, Patria Hágglunds, had sold twenty-two of their 'most excellent' AMOS turrets ~ they are a twin 120 mm mortar system ~ then the deal fell through. Whoops! Should have guarded that warehouse better. Those bitches were on a cargo plane bound for Albania inside of six hours.The ammunition for them was rather unique. Thankfully, it was uniquely sold by the Swiss, who had no trouble selling it to Serbia, thank you very much! Twenty-two BWP-1's became mobile artillery for the Unionist freedom fighters, though I understood the ship ride with the Serbian and Chinese technicians was loads of fun as they struggled to figured out how to attach those state-of-the-art death-dealing turrets to those ancient contraptions.To compensate, the Serbians added (aka as long as our money was good) two Nora B-52 155 mm 52-calibre mobile artillery pieces and one battery of Orkan CER MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) for long-range artillery, two batteries of their Oganj 2000 ER MRLS for medium range carnage and six batteries of their M-94 MRLS for 'close support' as well. More field-testing new gear for the "freedom fighters" We also managed to 'purchase' ten M-84AS Main Battle tanks plus an M-84A1 armor recovery vehicle. It should have been twelve tanks, but two had 'loading issues'.Not to be deterred, our busy little procurement-beavers discovered four tanks no one was using, in neighboring Croatia. Why wasn't anyone immediately keen on their placement? They were two sets of prototypes, Croatia's improvements on the M-84; the M-95 Degman which was a 'failed redesign' and the M-84D, which was a vast up-grade for the M-84 line which had been sidelined by the 2008 Global economic collapse, after which the project stagnated.It seemed they were all in working order because late one night 'my people' exited a Croatian Army base with them, never to be seen again, until two weeks later when an intrepid news crew caught the distinctive form of the M-95 sending some sweet 125 mm loving the Angolan Army's way. Whoops yet again! At least they hit what they were aiming at and destroyed what they hit, right?By then, millions of other people would be going 'what the fuck?' right along with them as Cabinda's camouflage- and mask-wearing rebel army was laying the smack-down on the Angolans. That was okay; over a million 'free Cabindan Unionists' were in the same boat. Over a thousand Asians with their mostly-female militant translators were right there to prop up their 'Unionist Allies', but then they were the ones with the tanks, armored vehicles, planes and guns, so they were less worried than most.To pilot these tanks, APC, IFV and man this artillery, they had to go back to the Khanate. Sure enough, they had some old tankers used to crewing the T-72 from which the M-84's and -95 Degman were derived. They'd also need drivers for those BVP M-80A's and Polish BWP-1's and OT-64 SKOT's... who were, again, derived from old Soviet tech (just much better). The Serbian artillery was similar enough to Soviet stuff, but with enough new tech to make it 'more fun' for the reservists to 'figure out' how to use.More volunteers for the Liberation Armed Forces! More Apple sales, great apps and voice modulation software so that the vehicle commanders would be heard communicating in Portuguese if someone was eavesdropping. As a final offering the Turkish Navy spontaneously developed some plans to test their long range capabilities by going to, the South Atlantic.On the final leg they would have six frigates and two submarines, enough to give any navy in the region, which wasn't Brazil, something to think about. This was a show of force, not an actual threat though. If anyone called their bluff, the Khanate-Turkish forces would have to pull back. These were not assets my Brother, the Great Khan, could afford to gamble and lose.If someone didn't call that bluff, he was also sending two smaller, older corvettes and three even smaller, but newer, fast attack boats, a "gift" to the Unionists ASAP. The frigates would then race home, they had 'other' issues to deal with while the submarines would hang around for a bit. The naval gift was necessitated by the reality the Unionists would have to press their claim to their off-shore riches and that required a naval force Angola couldn't hope to counter.As things were developing, it was reckoned since a build-up of such momentous land and air power couldn't be disguised, it had to happen in a matter of days ~ four was decided to be the minimum amount of time. More than that and the government of the Democratic Republic might start asking far too many questions our hefty bribes and dubious paperwork couldn't cover. Less than that would leave the task forces launching operations with too little a chance of success.Our biggest advantage was audacity. The buildup would happen 100 km up the Congo River from Soyo, the primary target of the Southern Invasion, in the DRC's second largest port city, Boma. Though across the river was Angolan territory, there was nothing there. The city of roughly 160,000 would provide adequate cover for the initial stage of the invasion.There they grouped their vehicles & Khanate drivers with Amazon and Vietnamese combat teams. The Japanese were doing the same for their 'Chinese' counterparts for their helicopter-borne forces. Getting all their equipment in working order in the short time left was critical as was creating some level of unit dynamic. Things were chaotic. No one was happy. They were all going in anyway.What had gone wrong?While most children her age were texting their schoolmates, or tackling their homework, Aya Ruger ~ the alias of Nasusara Assiyaiá hamai ~ was getting briefings of her global, secret empire worth hundreds of billions and those of her equally nefarious compatriots. She received a very abbreviated version of what the Regents received, delivered by a member of Shawnee Arinniti's staff.When Aya hopped off her chair unexpectedly, everyone tensed. Her bodyguards' hands went to their sidearms and Lorraine (her sister by blood), also in the room on this occasion, stood and prepared to tackle her 'former' sibling to the ground if the situation escalated into an assassination attempt. No such attack was generated, so the security ratcheted down and the attendant returned her focus to her Queen. Aya paced four steps, turned and retraced her way then repeated the action three more times."How many people live in the combined areas?" she asked."The combined areas? Of Cabinda and Zaire?""Yes.""I," the woman referenced her material, "roughly 1.1 million.""What is the yearly value of the offshore oil and natural gas production?""Forty-nine billion, eighty hundred and sixty-seven million by our best estimates at this time,""How many live in Soyo City proper?""Roughly 70,000.""We take Soyo," she spoke in a small yet deliberate voice. "We take and hold Soyo as an independent city-state within the Cabindan-Zaire Union. From the maps it appears Soyo is a series of islands. It has a port and airport. It has an open border to an ocean with weaker neighbors all around.""What of the, Zairians?""Bakongo. As a people they are called the Bakongo," Aya looked up at the briefer. "We relocate those who need to work in Soyo into a new city, built at our expense, beyond the southernmost water barrier. The rest we pay to relocate elsewhere in Zaire, or Cabinda."By the looks of those around her, Aya realized she needed to further explain her decisions."This is more than some concrete home base for our People," she began patiently. "In the same way it gives our enemies a clearly delineated target to attack us, it is a statement to our allies we won't cut and run if things go truly bad.""In the same way it will provide us with diplomatic recognition beyond what tenuous handouts we are getting from Cáel Wakko Ishara's efforts through JIKIT. Also, it is a reminder we are not like the other Secret Societies in one fundamental way, we are not a business concern, or a religion. We are a People and people deserve some sort of homeland. We have gone for so long without.""But Soyo?" the aide protested. "We have no ties to it, and it backs up to, nothing.""Northern Turkey and southern Slovakia mean nothing to us now as well," Aya debated. "No place on Earth is any more precious than another. As for backing up to nothing, no. You are incorrect. It backs into a promise from our allies in the Earth & Sky that if we need support, they know where to park their planes and ships."Aya was surrounded with unhappy, disbelieving looks."The Great Khan is my mamētu meáeda," she reminded them, "and I have every reason to believe he completely grasps the concept's benefits and obligations."The looks confirmed 'but he's a man' to the tiny Queen."Aya, are you sure about this?" Lorraine was the first to break decorum."Absolutely. Do you know what he sent me when he was informed of my, ascension to the Queendom?""No," Lorraine admitted."We must go horse-riding sometime soon, Daughter of Cáel, Queen of the Amazons."More uncertain and unconvinced looks."He didn't congratulate me, or send any gifts. He could have and you would think he would have, but he didn't. He knew the hearts of me & my Atta and we weren't in the celebratory mood. No. The Great Khan sent one sentence which offered solace and quiet, atop a horse on a windswept bit of steppe."Nothing.Sigh. "I know this sounds Cáel-ish," Aya admitted, "but I strongly believe this is what we should do. We are giving the Cabindans and Bakongo in Zaire independence and the promise of a much better life than what they now face. We will be putting thousands of our sisters' lives on the line to accomplish this feat and well over two hundred million dollars.""What about governance of the city ~ Soyo?" the aide forged ahead."Amazon law," Aya didn't hesitate. "We will make allowances for the security forces of visiting dignitaries and specific allied personnel, but otherwise it will be one massive Amazon urban freehold.""I cannot imagine the Golden Mare, or the Regents, will be pleased," the attendant bowed her head."It is a matter of interconnectivity," Aya walked up and touched the woman's cheek with the back of her small hand. "We could liberate then abandon Cabinda with the hope a small band could help them keep their independence. Except we need the refinery at Soyo so the people of Cabinda can truly support that liberty.""So, we must keep Soyo and to keep Soyo, we must keep Zaire province. There is no other lesser border which makes strategic sense ~ a river, highlands, a massive river, an ocean ~ those are sustainable frontiers. You can't simply keep Soyo and not expect the enemy to strike and destroy that refinery, thus we must take Zaire province.""But the Bakongo of Zaire cannot defend themselves and will not be able to do so for at least a year, if not longer. That means we must do so, and for doing so, they will give us Soyo and we will be honest stewards of their oil wealth. We cannot expect any other power to defend this new Union and if we don't have a land stake we will be portrayed as mercenaries and expelled by hostile international forces.""So, for this project to have any chance of success, we must stay, fight and have an acknowledged presence, and if you can think of an alternative, please let me know," she exhaled."What if the Cabindans and Bakongo resist?""It is 'us', or the Angolans and they know how horrible the Angolans can be. Didn't you say the average person their lives on just $2 a day?""Yes.""We can do better than that," Aya insisted."How?" the aide persisted. "I mean, 'how in a way which will be quickly evident and meaningful?'""Oh," Aya's tiny brow furrowed. Her nose twitched as she rummaged through the vast storehouse of her brain."Get me in touch with William A. Miller, Director of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service. He should be able to help me navigate the pathways toward getting aid and advisors into those two provinces ASAP.""I'll let Katrina know," the attendant made the notation on her pad."No. Contact him directly," Aya intervened. "We established a, rapport when we met. I think he might responded positively to a chance to mentor me in foreign relations.""Really?" Lorraine's brows arched."Yes," Aya chirped."Are you sure, Nasusara?" the attendant stared. She used 'Nasusara' whenever she thought Aya had a 'horrible' idea instead of a merely a 'bad' one."Yes. He owes me. Last time we met I didn't shoot him.""Didn't?" the woman twitched."Yes. I drew down on him with my captured Chinese QSW-06. I didn't want to kill him, but I felt I was about to have to kill Deputy National Security Advisor Blinken and he was the only other person in the room both armed and capable of stopping me.""Why is he still alive?""Cáel Ishara saw through my distraction and then took my gun from me, asked for it actually," she shyly confessed."Would you have shot him?" the aide inquired."What do you think?" Aya smiled.And Then:So, given t
Lead pastor Josh Carstensen continues our Sermon on the Mount series.Similar to last week's topic of generosity, Jesus calls us to pray in secret. There are many ways we might subtly use prayer or spiritual practices to seek the approval of others, but ultimately this is a poor substitute for a genuine connection with God. Prayer starts with God and ends with us. If we can follow the model of prayer that Jesus gives us, we will have a much greater reward, found in an intimate and vulnerable place of dependence on the God who loves us deeply.Thank you for listening to this message from Northwest Hills Community Church in Corvallis, Oregon, on March 16, 2025, at 9:30am. You can find us online at nwhills.com.Key Moments00:00 Welcome 01:50 Message: Secret Prayer - Genuine Connection with God03:23 The Temptation of Public Prayer 06:02 The Subtlety of Seeking Attention 15:35 Barriers to Genuine Prayer 20:24 The Lord's Prayer: A Practical Example 33:38 The Unseen Heart Connects With the Unseen Father
Get Dr. Mina's Ultimate (Affordable) Skincare Guide here. Get Dr. Mina's free PDF on How to create Healthy Skin Habits here. In this conversation, Dr. Mina discusses the nuances of hyaluronic acid fillers, addressing common misconceptions, the importance of skilled injectors, and the art of achieving natural-looking results. She emphasizes that when done correctly, fillers can enhance beauty without being noticeable, while also highlighting the risks associated with inexperienced practitioners. The episode provides valuable insights for anyone considering fillers, focusing on safety, aesthetics, and the importance of a balanced approach. Key Takeaways: - Bad filler is often due to overfilling or inexperienced injectors. - When done well, fillers should look natural and undetectable. - Hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved if needed. - Choosing the right injector is crucial for safety and results. - Fillers should enhance facial harmony, not create bulk. - Not all areas of the face are suitable for fillers. - Fillers do not prevent aging but can disguise its signs. - It's important to have realistic expectations about filler results. - Patients should seek injectors who prioritize facial proportions. - Subtlety is key in aesthetic treatments. Follow Dr. Mina here:- https://instagram.com/drminaskin https://www.facebook.com/drminaskin https://www.youtube.com/@drminaskin https://www.linkedin.com/in/drminaskin/ For more great skin care tips, subscribe to The Skin Real Podcast or visit www.theskinreal.com Baucom & Mina Derm Surgery, LLC Email - scheduling@atlantadermsurgery.com Contact - (404) 844-0496 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baucomminamd/ Thanks for listening! The content of this podcast is for entertainment, educational, and informational purposes and does not constitute formal medical advice.
Message from Aaron Jenkins on 09/03/2025
In the Gaming Hut beloved Patreon backer Walter Manbeck asks us to tell him more about the 2023 Irish weird folk music film All You Need Is Death, and how to use it as inspiration for a modern horror campaign. Ripped from the Headlines finds ghosts in a VR game for kids where you play […]
Self-love isn't about spa days or self-indulgence. It's about the way you speak to yourself, the choices you make, and the belief that you are already worthy. As a self-confidence coach for teenage girls, I've seen how the relationship we have with ourselves influences every part of life. But if self-love is so important, why does it feel so hard? Why does doubt always seem louder? I get it. I've been there. That's why I want to break it down for you. Self-love isn't a fleeting feeling. It's a quiet, steady presence that takes effort to recognize and strengthen. Confidence doesn't come from achievement. It starts with self-acceptance. What if the voice in your head spoke to you with kindness instead of criticism? What if you believed you were worthy without changing a thing? In this episode, I'll share how you can shift your mindset, build a habit of self-love, and start treating yourself with the same compassion you give to others. The way you love yourself sets the tone for everything else in life. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 01:05 Self-Love Beyond Valentine's Day 03:22 Self-Love as a Pillar of Confidence 03:34 Definition of Self-Confidence 04:06 Challenges of Learning Self-Love 05:01 Self-Love vs. Bubble Baths and Massages 05:11 Lessons in Self-Love 06:18 Accepting and Embracing Yourself 07:02 Subtlety of Self-Love 08:07 Self-Love vs. Self-Doubt 09:12 Choosing to Listen to Self-Love 10:04 Fear, Anxiety, and Doubt 11:00 Self-Love as a Choice 12:05 Self-Love and Societal Messages 12:58 Self-Love is Not Weak 14:45 Intention in Self-Love 16:11 Final Thoughts Connect With Leslie: Help Your Teen Cultivate Confidence Website Instagram Facebook Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
I am learning TONS of things at hyper-speed in preparation for what is to come. Here's three of the BIG ideas I've been coming back to over and over recently.Resources Mentioned:"The Founder of IKEA: Ingvar Kamprad" - Founders Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/370-the-founder-of-ikea-ingvar-kamprad/id1141877104?i=1000676581202The Subtle Art of Losing Yourself (Documentary) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KArWcMldPM&list=PL_8P1WwUY1glR3F3KIEUhgejWNwIlaZb8&index=618More From Me:Subscribe to YIELD Deeply - https://dallincandland.substack.com/Check out my second book, "Patience in These Pages" - https://a.co/d/4kfFqW8Watch the Dallin Candland YouTube channel (for more on the podcast, behind the scenes videos, and more!): https://www.youtube.com/@dallincandlandTo check out YIELD Today Premium: https://www.buzzsprout.com/543310/subscribeTime Stamps:20:35 - Talking about "Cost Consciousness"23:00 - The Value of Getting in the Zone24:47 - The Work Will Need to Get Done at Some Point26:16 - Relating Life with ADHD to Mario KartQuotes:16:50 - "There's an INSANE need for me to be consistent with who I say I'm going to be."22:17 - "Building this foundation will bless me for many years to come."Support the show
Episode 478 features and interview with astrologer Jason Holley about Experiential Astrology, which is a dynamic approach that attempts to embody the symbols of astrology through creative and interactive methods, including making the chart come alive by acting it out in a group setting with Astrodrama. Experiential astrology has its origins in some of the experimentation with different psychological methods that were happening in the astrological community in the 1970s and 80s, and Jason highlights the work of astrologer Barbara Schermer in particular. Jason defines Experiential Astrology as engaging with astrological symbolism through multiple intelligences and perceptual faculties, including somatic, sensuous, imagistic, instinctual, kinesthetic, expressive, and relational. This approach emphasizes the full-consciousness experience of astrological symbolism, moving beyond conceptual understanding to a felt, lived experience. In the discussion we focused on one particular application of Experiential Astrology known as Astrodrama, which involves a group of people standing around and acting out a person's birth chart, and we discuss some of the different ways that this can be done. Living Astrologies Conference Jason is hosting an Experiential Astrology conference in October 2025: https://livingastrologies.net Timestamps (00:00:00) Introduction to Experiential Astrology (00:06:03) Engaging the Senses in Astrology (00:11:52) Historical Context of Experiential Astrology (00:18:51) The Process of Astrodrama (00:25:49) Facilitating Astrodrama Sessions (00:37:55) Multiplicity of the Self in Astrology (00:43:51) Comfort with Uncertainty in Astrology (00:49:22) Experiential Astrology: Enactments and Transits (00:56:55) Empathy and Role Reversal in Relationships (01:05:16) The Oracle and the Querent Dynamic (01:11:17) Foundational Texts in Experiential Astrology (01:17:53) Creating a Sacred Field for Astrology (01:23:57) Experiential Work: Listening to the Field (01:29:32) The Importance of Movement in Astrology (01:34:54) The Subtlety of Experiential Work (01:41:31) Warm-Up and Integration in Group Work (01:58:30) Learning from Challenges and Limitations (02:04:21) Navigating Emotional Responses in Astrology (02:10:44) Experiential Astrology: Bridging Theory and Practice (02:17:37) The Living Astrologies Conference (02:25:38) Personal Journeys in Astrology: A Family Legacy (02:37:45) Credits Watch the Video Version of This Episode Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKhNYhY3bKY - Listen to the Audio Version of This Episode Listen to the audio version of this episode or download it as an MP3:
If you're curious about how to become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (this is an EXTERNAL resource, not owned by the Morning Mindset. Please do not leave messages for Carey there. See below for contact info). ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: Today's episode is sponsored by a podcast called Thundering Legion. If you would like to be a part of advancing the gospel in the armed forces of every nation, and help build a community of armed forces members for the purpose of mutual encouragement and accountability, you should check out Thundering Legion. You can find the podcast at https:// https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/ThunderingLegion You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Romans 11:17–21 - [17] But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, [18] do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. [19] Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” [20] That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. [21] For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUPPORT OUR WORK: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTACT US AT: Admin@MorningMindsetMedia.com
Let's talk.
It's a great treat on The FarrCast as Michael Farr welcomes, for the first time to The FarrCast, Tyler Mathisen, longtime CNBC anchor and former Managing Editor. Tyler gives his insight into the economy and markets, and a look at the changing face of media in 21st Century America. But first, Michael talks with Jim Lebenthal on the markets and Dan Mahaffee on DC. Bringing you insight into Wall Street, Washington, and The World -- it's The FarrCast!
On the second round of the White Elephant, Bert and Phoeynx debut Baldur's Gamer Gate 3 in which Halsin stumbles into congregation of Gamers and Matt presents his own rendition of the events of MGS3.
James Willhite is an experiential therapist, coach, and consultant. He previously worked for 20 years in finance and sales management where he found a passion for speaking and coaching, then decided to switch careers and earned a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lamar University. With Steven Shields he co-founded Accepted, a collection of exclusively trained experiential guide who lead individuals, families, groups, and corporations to maximize their health and connection. James also serves on the board of three non-profit organizations (Unashamed Unafraid, A Warrior Heart, and Heart of a Woman) and firmly believes that as we work to remove the obstacles and barriers of trauma, our true and divine identity will be uncovered at our core. He loves spending time with his wife, Kristy and with his four children. Links AcceptedLife.com Share your thoughts in the Leading Saints community Read the transcript of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights James talks about the complexities of shame, particularly in the context of spirituality and personal growth. Wilhite addresses issues like anxiety, depression, addiction, and trauma in his practice. He highlights the subtle yet pervasive nature of shame, often overlooked in therapeutic settings, and how it can lead individuals to hide from God and themselves. The discussion delves into the biblical story of Adam and Eve, exploring how shame was introduced into the human experience and how it continues to affect individuals today. Wilhite explains that shame is a primary weapon used by the adversary to create distance between individuals and God, leading to feelings of inadequacy and the need to seek validation from others rather than from the divine. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing and naming shame to break free from its grip, encouraging listeners to understand their true identity as children of God. Throughout the episode, Wilhite offers practical advice for church leaders and individuals alike, urging them to embrace the inevitability of pain, work, and uncertainty in life as opportunities for growth rather than as punishments. He underscores the significance of leaning into God's goodness and trusting in His promises, even amidst struggles. The conversation culminates in a powerful reminder that healing is possible through understanding one's identity and the nature of God, ultimately inviting listeners to embark on their own "shame adventure" to foster healing and connection. 03:30 - Understanding Shame in Therapy 04:50 - Common Issues in Therapy Post-COVID 06:30 - The Role of Trauma in Therapy 08:00 - Experiential Therapy vs. Talk Therapy 09:30 - Importance of Finding the Right Therapist 10:50 - The Adam and Eve Story and Shame 12:30 - The Subtlety of Shame 14:00 - Hiding from God and Its Consequences 16:30 - The Cycle of Perfectionism and Shame 18:00 - Recognizing Shame in Leadership 19:30 - God's Nature and Our Identity 21:00 - The Importance of Self-Compassion 22:30 - The Journey of Healing from Shame 24:00 - God's Response to Adam and Eve 26:00 - Misinterpretation of God's Blessings 28:00 - Embracing Pain and Work as Inevitable 30:00 - Trusting God Amidst Uncertainty 32:00 - The Role of Pain in Growth 34:00 - Feeling to Heal: The Process of Therapy 36:00 - Allowing Ourselves to Feel Emotions 38:00 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts on Healing The award-winning Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Elder Alvin F. Meredith III, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R.
In this episode of the Etsy Seller Success, Dylan is joined by marketing strategist Jacinta Gandy to dive into the essentials of marketing for product-based businesses on Etsy. Jacinta draws from her extensive experience in digital marketing to share insights on leveraging social media, crafting effective advertising strategies, and understanding the importance of storytelling in brand building. Jacinta also discusses the importance of engagement on social media, balancing sales tactics, and the advantages of having a well-thought-out marketing budget. Tune in for actionable advice on scaling your Etsy shop and tips for reaching your target audience.In this episode, we discuss:[01:22] Jacinta's Journey in Digital Marketing[02:20] Challenges and Rewards of Starting a Business[05:06] Marketing Strategies for Etsy Sellers[06:59] Essentials for Product-Based Businesses[09:26] Leveraging Social Media for Marketing[11:25] Effective Advertising Tactics[17:35] TikTok vs. Instagram: Where to Focus[19:49] Balancing Sales and Subtlety in MarketingConnect with Jacinta: Website: https://socialcircleinc.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacinta_gandy/ About Jacinta Gandy: Jacinta Gandy is the owner and founder of Social Circle. She started her business with a clear vision: to empower small business owners, drawing from over 13 years of experience in design, digital marketing, and technology for iconic brands like Disney and Nike. In the last 4.5 years, she has worked with over 150 entrepreneurs, fueling their growth and contributing to their success. This journey has been deeply fulfilling for Jacinta, knowing that her work supports other individuals in building their businesses, supporting their families, and achieving their dreams.Jacinta's unique background allows her to wear a variety of hats for the entrepreneurs she works with, whether it's in branding, design, websites, SEO, social media, sales funnels, product refinement, service offerings, pricing strategies, or developing pitch decks. Having managed all these aspects throughout her career, she offers the necessary guidance, resources, and direction.In a world where too many are caught up in quick fixes and flashy marketing, she has stayed true to what she believes in: real, honest support that helps other entrepWant to get your $1 trial listing? Head to EtSEO and grab it today.
EP 94 Dr. Tiffany - Chiropractic, Somatic Healing and Functional Medicine Pt 1Join hosts Amy Christensen and Brian Bowen on the All Things Good for You podcast as they delve into the world of chiropractic care with Dr. Tiffany Graham. Discover the philosophy and science behind chiropractic adjustments, the role of the nervous system in healing, and the importance of early intervention for children and babies. Dr. Tiffany shares her journey, expertise in chiropractic and somatic healing, and offers advice on finding the right chiropractor for you. Stay tuned for part two, where more topics like functional medicine and somatic connections will be explored.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Podcast00:31 Meet the Hosts: Amy and Brian01:09 Thanksgiving and Turducken Talk02:33 Introducing Dr. Tiffany Graham03:48 Dr. Tiffany's Background and Philosophy06:07 Understanding Chiropractic Care07:52 The Body's Healing Power13:49 Chiropractic Techniques and Safety26:16 Chiropractic Misconceptions and Legal Battles27:33 The Importance of Personalized Healthcare30:07 Choosing the Right Chiropractor33:44 Approaching Patient Care with Multiple Tools39:32 Chiropractic Care for Children44:04 The Subtlety of Chiropractic Benefits49:00 Conclusion and Next Steps
WTB with Jen Brister, Maureen Younger and Allyson June Smith
This week, we reflect on the London live shows and finally all being there for one! Allyson's decluttering with nothing to declutter, Maureen's can't stay in her seat while we're talking and Jen's dealing with Christmas tree fascism.Consider sending money to Jen's Gaza fundraiserSend your problems to womentalkingbollocks@gmail.com with the subject 'Ask Allyson'.Buy Maureen's new book, Prisms of My Life, here.Get your next dose of Allyson live here.Keep up with everything Jen's doing here.Produced by Impatient Productions, edited by Ralph Foster.Artwork by Haiminh Le. Follow WTB on Twitter @wtb_podcast and on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram @wtbpodcast. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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My guest today is Tom Morgan. He has spent the last twenty years in business and finance. He describes himself as a Curiosity Sherpa to Billionaires. He has been seeking out the most interesting ideas and thinkers for curious people, mostly recently through his venture called the Leading Edge. Tom Morgan and I delve into his journey from a thriving finance career to founding The Leading Edge, a community dedicated to personal transformation. We discuss the impact of his viral talk on the brain's left and right hemispheres, the challenges of balancing success with happiness, and the emotional nuances of wealth management. Tom highlights the value of community, emotional intelligence, and a shift in perspective for achieving genuine fulfillment. Together, we explore themes like wisdom, subtlety, intuition, and the future of capitalism. The conversation touches on the importance of subtlety in cultivating wisdom, the role of intuition in investment decisions, and the significance of dreams in self-discovery. We also examine reframing reality, fostering originality in an oversaturated information world, and the potential for community building within a shifting capitalist framework. Ultimately, the discussion underscores wisdom's role in life satisfaction and advocates for a more integrated approach to navigating modern complexities. Podcast Program – Disclosure StatementBlue Infinitas Capital, LLC is a registered investment adviser and the opinions expressed by the Firm's employees and podcast guests on this show are their own and do not reflect the opinions of Blue Infinitas Capital, LLC. All statements and opinions expressed are based upon information considered reliable although it should not be relied upon as such. Any statements or opinions are subject to change without notice.Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Information expressed does not take into account your specific situation or objectives, and is not intended as recommendations appropriate for any individual. Listeners are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified tax, legal, or investment adviser to determine whether any information presented may be suitable for their specific situation. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.
An excerpt from one of the messages Frank delivered at the 2018 Deeper Christian Life Conference. The theme of the conference was BEAUTIFUL PURSUIT: Lessons on Knowing the Lord. Gain access to it at The Deeper Christian Life Network.
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2371: Dr. Gary Lewandowski dives into the delicate balance between subtlety and success in flirting. While subtle flirtation may protect self-esteem, the research suggests that direct approaches are far more effective at communicating interest. By embracing clear signals, individuals can avoid misinterpretation and foster more genuine connections. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.luvze.com/a-flirters-dilemma-subtlety-vs-success/ Quotes to ponder: "Much like a tree falling in a forest, if a flirting attempt occurs and the intended receiver doesn't realize it, did flirting ever really happen?" "Direct methods are best. An ambiguous approach is less threatening, but ultimately not very effective." "People aren't going to do it in obvious ways because they don't want to be embarrassed, flirting looks a lot like being friendly." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to sci-fi week at LitBits Audiobooks. We are exploring the Infinite: We will share tips for writing Sci-Fi for Aspiring Authors all week.Science fiction is more than just a genre—it's an exciting portal to other worlds, a mirror reflecting society's dreams and dilemmas, and a boundless playground for our imaginations. For aspiring sci-fi authors, the allure of crafting new realms, technologies, and ideologies is exhilarating. But it's also daunting, as the task of building universes and making sense of them can seem like an endless expedition. Here's how you can embrace the challenges and thrill of writing sci-fi, building worlds that captivate and inspire.1. Start with "What If?"Every great sci-fi story begins with a question. "What if we could communicate across galaxies?" "What if humans could live for hundreds of years?" "What if artificial intelligence could evolve beyond our control?" Sci-fi lets you explore these questions in ways other genres can't. Start with a "what if" that excites you and follow it like a breadcrumb trail through your imagination. Think of it as a journey where both you and your readers discover something new at every turn.2. Ground Your Fantasy in RealityThe most compelling sci-fi worlds feel authentic because they're rooted in aspects of our reality. When imagining advanced technologies, futuristic societies, or alien life, draw on real scientific theories and human experiences. Even if the science is speculative, grounding it in known principles gives readers a foothold in your world, helping them suspend disbelief and invest in your story. This connection between fantasy and reality makes sci-fi incredibly powerful—through it, you can reveal truths about our own society, environment, and selves.3. Craft Characters Who Feel RealScience fiction thrives on ideas, but it's the characters who give those ideas life. Readers will follow your protagonists to the farthest reaches of space if they connect with them. Make your characters complex, with goals, flaws, and desires. In a story about technology or alien cultures, relatable characters are the bridge that lets readers understand and empathize with the unfamiliar. Sci-fi legends like Octavia Butler, Philip K. Dick, and Ursula K. Le Guin all created worlds that were as rich in character as they were in concept.4. Experiment with LanguageThe sci-fi genre allows, and even encourages, experimentation with language. This freedom is a gift, so don't be afraid to play with terminology, invented dialects, and futuristic slang. Creating new words and expressions can make your world feel distinct and immersive. However, a good rule of thumb is to balance innovation with accessibility—too much jargon can confuse readers. Use your language experiments to deepen the world and enhance readers' understanding without overshadowing the story itself.5. Tackle Big Themes with SubtletySci-fi is often a vehicle for exploring complex themes—be it the ethics of AI, the impact of climate change, or the nature of human identity. The beauty of science fiction lies in its ability to tackle these themes in nuanced, imaginative ways. Instead of preaching a message, let your story raise questions and inspire thought. Subtlety allows readers to reach their own conclusions, and sometimes a theme is more powerful when hinted at rather than spelled out.6. Build Worlds, But Leave Space for MysteryOne of the joys of sci-fi is the endless detail you can include when world-building. But sometimes, less is more. Rather than explaining every aspect of your world, leave space for mystery. Let your readers wonder about the unknowns—it's this sense of the unexplored that makes sci-fi feel boundless. Describe just enough for readers to fill in the gaps with their own imagination; this can make the world feel even more immersive and infinite.7. Embrace the UnknownScience fiction often grapples with the "unknown." Writing sci-fi means embracing uncertainties, be it unknown technologies, alien cultures, or the vastness of space itself. This openness to the unknown not only expands your creative freedom but also helps you approach your story with a sense of curiosity. Let yourself wonder—what might we become in 1,000 years? How might we change as we interact with the universe around us? There are no wrong answers in sci-fi, only paths waiting to be explored.8. Draw Inspiration from the Greats, but Find Your Own VoiceRead the classics of science fiction to understand how others have grappled with the genre. But remember, your voice is unique and vital to the future of sci-fi. Look to authors like Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Frank Herbert not as blueprints but as springboards to discover your own style. Sci-fi is evolving rapidly, and the genre needs fresh voices, perspectives, and ideas to keep expanding.9. Don't Fear ExperimentationSome of the best science fiction has come from writers willing to push boundaries and take risks. Explore odd structures, unusual timelines, or new perspectives. Try writing a story from an alien's viewpoint, or using second-person narration. Sci-fi readers tend to be open-minded and love seeing something they've never seen before. Experimentation is where the genre thrives, so feel free to test your limits.10. Remember That Sci-Fi Is Ultimately About HumanityAlthough sci-fi often involves aliens, robots, and distant planets, at its heart, it's about humanity—our hopes, fears, and endless drive to understand the universe and ourselves. Science fiction allows us to see our own society and psyche in a different light. Through sci-fi, you have the chance to explore what it means to be human and how we relate to technology, nature, and the unknown.Writing science fiction is like venturing into an uncharted frontier. It's a genre that celebrates exploration and innovation, encouraging authors to dream big and think differently. So, trust your curiosity, let your imagination lead the way, and remember that every sci-fi legend was once a beginner too. Keep writing, keep wondering, and who knows? One day, your stories may inspire a new generation of dreamers.If you want to find out more about sci-fi at the Tale Teller Club, stay tuned all day because we are embracing the weird and wonderful genre that has captivated storytellers for generations.This is a LitBits Audio™ podcast by the Tale Teller Club.
EP 350 - The founder of I Am Stobbs, a specialist trademark and brand attorney firm, talks us through why even the youngest businesses should be thinking about their IP, but should spend the bare minimum on protecting it until they really need to. And when the point that they really need to protect it is likely to be.We also get into why AI is the biggest challenge facing IP, trademark and copyright law right now and why graphic designers and photographers might want to think about getting a different job as a result.Chapters:00:00 BWB with Julius Stobbs01:15 Meet Julius, founder of Stobbs02:02 Understanding IP in Business03:00 The Importance of IP Strategy04:53 Commercial Approach to Legal Services06:49 Challenges in IP Protection08:56 Global IP Protection and Strategy32:06 The Future of IP and AI38:43 The Subtlety of Artistic Skill39:39 AI's Impact on the Art Industry40:24 Employment Challenges in the AI Era42:18 The Debate on New Employment Laws43:56 Tax Loopholes and Economic Policies46:01 Academia vs. Entrepreneurship53:30 Legal Services vs. Client Interests59:23 Quickfire Round - Get To Know Julius01:03:57 Advice for Founders and Entrepreneurs01:07:28 Wrap Upbusinesswithoutbullshit.meWatch us on YouTubeFollow us:InstagramTikTokLinkedinTwitterIf you'd like to be on the show, get in contact - mail@businesswithoutbullshit.meBWB is powered by Oury Clark
In this episode of Cult Film School, hosts Adrian and Dion dissect David Gordon Green's Halloween trilogy. They discuss the successes and shortcomings of Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022). The conversation spans the trilogy's themes, character arcs, and narrative choices, while also comparing the recent films to previous entries in the iconic Halloween franchise. Chapters: 0:00:14 Welcome to Cult Film School 0:02:47 The Halloween multiverse (of continuities) 0:06:21 Halloween (2018): IMDb Plot Summary 0:10:26 2018 Michael Myers “on brand” + futile searches for motivations 0:16:29 Why comedy kills tension in Halloween (2018) 0:20:40 Legacy Sequel / Soft Reboot / Halloweens Redux 0:26:39 Halloween (2018): Tagline 0:28:08 Halloween Kills: IMDb Plot Summary 0:31:19 Michael Myers - Man or Supernatural? 0:36:35 “Evil Dies Tonight!” (And Other Attempts at Subtlety) 0:38:29 “It's Not About You! It's About Me!” 0:42:31 Is Halloween Kills a Black Comedy or Satire? 0:52:24 Halloween Kills: Tagline 0:52:51 Halloween Ends: IMDb Plot Summary 0:53:32 A Halloween Love Story 0:55:45 Carpenter's Halloween or Carpenter's Christine? 1:00:53 A Character Arc for Laurie Strode? 1:06:17 Allyson forgotten 1:11:43 Halloween Ends: Tagline 1:14:23 Trilogy Postmortem 1:20:13 Next Episode Preview Connect with Adrian & Dion: Instagram ~ @cultfilmschool Threads ~ @cultfilmschool Facebook ~ Follow Us! Letterboxd ~ CultFilmSchool Send an Email ~ cultfilmschoolpodcast@gmail.com Don't forget to leave a rating and review!
09/15/2024 Paul Bang 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 11 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 5 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. 7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
Let's dive into the captivating story of Anahita Anais, a woman who found her calling in the realms of consciousness, plant medicine, and the profound healing of the human nervous system.Anahita Anais is the founder of Microdose Guru, she is also a Nervous System Fitness Coach, and a Psychedelic Facilitator who helps couples and individuals master their triggers and heal their nervous systems, enabling them to live, love, and lead from a place of deep inner harmony.Anahita is trained in various trauma therapy modalities, somatics, integrative mental health medicine, and holistic chronic pain management. She is an experienced psychedelic facilitator and has been a student of mysticism and plant medicines for over 15 years.Be sure to share this episode with anyone who could benefit from Anahita's wisdom and guidance on the transformative journey of holistic healing and nervous system mastery.In this episode, we cover:Extended Introduction by ChristineMorning routine and practiceConscious Menopause and Midlife TransitionsIntegrating Sexuality and Intimate WellnessChristine's recent eventsThe Importance of Midlife and AgingWith Anahita on MicrodosingAnahita's background as a refugee from IranJourney of healing and discovering plant medicinesThe Science and Practice of Microdosing PsychedelicsThe Role of the Polyvagal System and Nervous System RegulationChallenges in working with individuals who have a history of trauma The significance of sleep as the foundation of nervous system healthThe role of diet in supporting the nervous systemThe Importance of Connection, Safety, and Co-RegulationPersonal Transformation and DevotionHelpful links:Anahita Anais - My signature programs ""Impact Harmonics"", ""Harmonious Hearts"", and ""Integrative Microdosing"", combined with facilitated rituals provide a comprehensive ecosystem that delivers significant and lasting vitality, liberation, and fulfillment for Leaders and Conscious Couples. "For updates follow on Instagram @anahita_anaisMy Free Relationship Intelligence Quiz: https://anahitaanais.com/RQ-test My upcoming group course: https://harmonioushearts.space/ My free Mindful Microdosing eBook: https://microdoseguru.com/ebookDr. Stephen Porges on Polyvagal TheoryWhy We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and DreamsFind Rosebud Woman on Instagram as @rosebudwoman, Christine on Instagram as @christinemariemason Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
(Aloka Earth Room)
Dharma Seed - dharmaseed.org: dharma talks and meditation instruction
(Aloka Earth Room)
Drop us a text message to say hi and let us know what you think of the show. (Include your email if you'd like us to reply)In which David and John discuss the riot in Ephesus at Acts 19. They explore the themes of idolatry, the pursuit of wealth, and the impact on people and society. They highlight the connection between idolatry and the abuse of others, as well as the contrast between the pursuit of material gain and the pursuit of God. Episode 162 of the Two Texts Podcast | Disruptive Presence 105If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love it if you left a review or comment where you're listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021________Help us keep Two Texts free for everyone by becoming a supporter of the show John and David want to ensure that Two Texts always remains free content for everyone. We don't want to create a paywall or have premium content that would exclude others. However, Two Texts costs us around £60 per month (US$75; CAD$100) to make. If you'd like to support the show with even just a small monthly donation it would help ensure we can continue to produce the content that you love. Thank you so much.Support the show
Welcome back to another episode of the Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning psychology podcast brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. We're kicking off September with our full lineup—two episodes a week from now until Christmas! If you're new here, Tuesdays are all about informal discussions where we round up the latest in the world of work, dive into a mystery segment, and tackle your burning questions in our world-famous Weekly Workplace Surgery. Segment 1: News Roundup This week's news roundup features some intriguing stories: The Psychology Behind the Pumpkin Spice Latte Craze: Leanne discusses an article by Nick Hobson in INC. that explores the "Fresh Start Effect," explaining why this seasonal favorite resonates so strongly with people. Read the full article. Eric Schmidt on Work-from-Home Culture: Al highlights comments from Google's former CEO, Eric Schmidt, who criticized the company's hybrid work model, suggesting it's one reason Google has lost its edge in AI to startups. Read more on Fortune. Stress and Heart Health in High-Stress Jobs: Leanne shares a new study from the University of Quebec that reveals office workers with high-stress jobs are 97% more likely to develop atrial fibrillation, a condition that can lead to strokes. Read the full research. Segment 2: Fresh Voices Introducing our new segment for September—Fresh Voices—where we spotlight emerging thought leaders and innovators. This week, we feature Rob Kalwarowsky, who recently delivered a TEDx Talk titled "How to Handle a Bad Boss." Rob shares his deeply personal story of dealing with a passive-aggressive boss and the toll it took on his mental health. We discuss three key takeaways from his talk: The Impact of Toxic Leadership on Mental Health: Toxic leadership isn't just an HR issue—it's a health crisis. The Subtlety of Toxic Bosses: Many destructive leaders aren't overtly abusive but still create a toxic environment. Practical Strategies for Handling Bad Bosses: Rob offers actionable advice for dealing with various types of toxic bosses. Watch Rob Kalwarowsky's full TEDx Talk. More About Rob and Services Connect with Rob on LinkedIn Segment 3: Weekly Workplace Surgery In this week's "World Famous Weekly Workplace Surgery," we tackle listener questions on workplace dilemmas: Encouraging Initiative in Your Team: A business owner asks how to get their team to take more initiative instead of relying on them for every decision. Politely Declining Extra Tasks: A listener struggles with saying no to extra tasks without appearing unhelpful. Socializing with Your Boss Outside of Work: Another listener wonders whether it's a good idea to hang out with their boss outside of work and how to manage the potential risks of blurring professional boundaries. Support with Mental Health and Well-being If you've been affected by any of the themes in this episode or are struggling with your mental health, the following resources may be helpful: UK: Mind offers mental health support and information. If you are in distress or despair, including thoughts of suicide, call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. US: Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. Rest of the World: Visit Befrienders Worldwide to find a helpline in your country. Connect with Truth, Lies & Work YouTube: Truth, Lies & Work YouTube Channel TikTok: Truth, Lies & Work TikTok Instagram: Truth, Lies & Work Instagram LinkedIn: Truth, Lies & Work LinkedIn Connect with Al Elliott: LinkedIn Connect with Leanne Elliott: LinkedIn Email: Reach out at hello@truthliesandwork.com. Book a Meeting: Schedule a meeting with Al & Leanne here.
Todays episode is about "pickup lines" -- exactly what to say to women. In particular, this is your chance to be a "fly on the wall" during a segment of one of my exclusive mentorship program calls. We do these kind of in-depth calls twice weekly, and if you were in the mentorship program during the call, you could ask your own follow up questions at any point.Timestamps0:00 – Introduction1:45 – Pickup Lines explained4:05 – The best way to tease6:15 – Subtlety…9:00 – The right frame in getting her to qualify9:50 – “You and I would not get along.”13:00 – Disqualifying sex?And we currently have a discount on the mentorship program for a very limited time. You can see that at https://toddvmentoring.com
When it comes to great political films, subtlety is vastly overrated. Why not go all in and express a point of view? Or better yet, throw in a bunch of competing viewpoints and see how they bounce off each other. Sounds like the recipe for conflict, insight, drama, action-packed set pieces, and maybe a few killer needle drops. Alex Garland's Civil War (2024) teeters on the edge of greatness, and it's maddening becasue it's so close. On this episode, we argue that this films was just one screenplay draft away from delivering full-on, grimy, 1970s exploitation gold. If only the writers of How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2022) could have done a polish - or even better, let them direct. But don't get us wrong, we both enjoyed Civil War. The mere fact that it even nods to an American left (albeit off-screen) is telling; it shows that leftist ideas are creeping back into the cultural consciousness. It's just a bummer that the Portland Maoists and the New People's Army weren't part of the narrative. Other recommended viewing: Sleeping Dogs (1977) and War Photographer (2001) Follow us at: Patreon / Twitter / Instagram / Letterboxd / Facebook
They Said It: Bill Belichick not so subtlety fires shots at Mayo over Maye's playing time
Hey Kids... Misunderstanding what happened in the Garden = Never quite understanding why we were created, why we were sent to Earth, what gift was so great it necessitated the sacrifice of a perfect God, and God's ultimate goal for His children. Satan's deception has fostered a far more devastating sectarian lie that that spread around the world before the truth put its shoes on. I am not picking on Dr. Marshall as this is just a recent example I came across on YouTube and a view shared by modern creedal christianity. I would like to help prepare you for those you meet who inherited this same misconception about what happened in the Garden of Eden. Remember - It's far easier to politically red pill someone than to spiritually red pill themHighlights
A new MP3 sermon from Rathfriland Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Subtlety of Idolatry Speaker: Joshua Truesdale Broadcaster: Rathfriland Baptist Church Event: Sunday Service Date: 8/4/2024 Bible: Exodus 32:1-6 Length: 44 min.
In this extended conversation for The Glo Podcast, Glo teachers Annie Carpenter and Kia Miller discuss their journeys through the energy of the asana poses to the subtle energetic shifts the poses bring about.Kia and Annie emphasize why a safe and sacred space is important to create in yoga classes, where students can pursue an investigation into and questioning of the self. Both Annie and Kia talk about how their yoga practices have evolved over time. During Kia's thoughtful line of questions, Annie discusses being present, finding balance, and witnessing life as a form of spiritual engagement.They also discuss the power of pranayama as a tool for observation and finding stillness. Annie is one of Kia's mentors, so the conversation naturally flows into the topic of mentorship.The episode ends with expressions of gratitude and admiration between Kia and Annie, encapsulating the essence of their teacher-student relationship and the enduring impact of their shared yoga journey.Key Takeaways for this Episode00:00 introducing Annie Carpenter 03:57 the importance of subtlety in yoga 08:40 yoga as a quieting practice 24:14 living in continuums and finding balance 27:03 the role of yoga studios and community 30:49 the dance of surrender: allowing life to unfold 35:04 the power of pranayama: observing and finding stillness 41:46 self-trust and resilience: keys to a strong yoga practice 45:38 mentorship and assisting: deepening understanding and growth 47:27 in-person trainings: community and hands-on learning 49:45 the evolution of practice: finding meaning and simplicity 53:29 witnessing and presence: connecting with self and the worldLinks:Annie Carpenter's SmartFlow Yoga Teacher Training.Annie on InstagramKia Miller WebsiteKia on YouTubeKia on InstagramGLO classes:Classes with AnnieClasses with Kia
The Lost Party of Avrosa must find a way to deal with a caged beast Support The Show On Patreon! Additional Audio by the incredible, TableTop Audio Follow us on TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram! Business Email: castpartydnd@gmail.com Cast Party P.O. Box: Colin McManus P.O. Box #3126 Woburn MA, 01888 Ryan (Director) - @Ry.McManus Vince (Theren) - @JettAndPebbles Jose (Alizzato) - @DMJoseG Christian (Tannis) - @CaptainCarlson Mae (Zielle) - @MaeLeFay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chapter, Verse, and Season: A Lectionary Podcast from Yale Bible Study
Brandon Nappi and Ned Parker discuss gardening, the lectionary, and the impact of little things in reference to Mark 4:26-34. The text is appointed for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.More Yale Bible Study resources, including a transcript of this episode, at: https://YaleBibleStudy.org/podcastBrandon Nappi is Executive Director of Leadership Programs and Lecturer in Homiletics at Yale Divinity School and Ned Parker is Associate Dean for Institutional Advancement at Andover-Newton Seminary at Yale and a Lecturer in Homiletics at Yale Divinity School.Connect with Yale Bible Study: Facebook: @YDSCCE Twitter: @BibleYale YouTube: youtube.com/c/YaleBibleStudy LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/yds-center-for-continuing-education Thank you for listening!
Explaining the subtleties of practice and the energy between mind and body, Joseph Goldstein offers both insight and humor to his students.This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein :The variety of practice ways to strengthen concentrationAnimals and questions on karma in the natural worldFree our minds from fear when nearing the end of our livesWatching the mystery of life unfoldingThe wholesome and unwholesome actions that determine our rebirthHabitual karma and having a place of refuge from repeated practiceHumility and the understanding of selflessnessCultivating relationships of equanimityThe ongoing discovery of the mind-body energy systemSexual desire and the refinement of our sensationsWhy neutrality is better than pleasureThe unhelpful ways that we relate to painHow practice helps with boredom and restlessnessKeeping an effort to pay close attentionUsing our precious lives very wellThis 1990 recording was originally published by Dharmaseed“Each of these practices not only addresses a particular conditioning of the mind, they all very much strengthen the power of concentration. It's just to see how through many different doors we can enter the realm of understanding, taming the mind, coming to a place of stillness where we can really see the essential nature and come to freedom. There are many ways depending on temperament.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Subtlety is Everything Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit knoxmccoy.substack.comKnox and Jason recount the events of Survivor 46, episode 5.
This episode will expire in 24 hours! Missed an episode? Pick it back up anytime! Want the back catalog? Become a supporter on Patreon! patreon.com/mercuryradio More info about ARTC And Mercury at artc.org/mercury Follow us on Twitter @mercury870 Script available at http://mercuryradio.libsyn.com
Attuned Leadership for Women: Rewrite the Rules of Success and Satisfaction
Negotiation is not just for the boardroom - it's a skill we use every day. Join me and negotiation expert Lucia Kanter St. Amour as we dive into the art of negotiation for professional women.She shares how to flex your negotiation muscle in all areas of your life, from work to home. In this show, you'll learn practical strategies and gain the confidence to advocate for yourself and those around you. Let's make every conversation count!**Full show notes, links, and free resources are available at: https://crystalfrazee.com/podcast/essential-negotiation-skills-with-lucia-kanter-st-amour/Highlights:00:04:05 - Defining Negotiation Beyond Business00:05:04 - Debunking Myths About Women and Negotiation00:06:03 - The Everyday Nature of Negotiation00:07:09 - Power vs. Leverage in Negotiation00:09:07 - The Underestimated Power of Listening in Negotiation00:13:02 - Gender Roles and Negotiation00:16:08 - The Role of Planning in Negotiation00:17:23 - Leveraging Intuition and Body Signals in Negotiation00:18:11 - The Subtlety of Silence and Observation00:22:22 - Leveraging Everyday Situations for Negotiation Practice00:23:03 - The Role of Negotiation in Addressing Attrition and Burnout00:25:34 - The Impact of Negotiation on Career and Compensation00:27:35 - The Role of Negotiation in Structural Changes and Allyship00:28:41 - Expecting Pushback and Persistence00:31:42 - Negotiation's Role in Advancing Women and Minorities00:42:51 - The Importance of Negotiation in Professional DevelopmentMentioned In This Episode:Virtual Executive Roundtable "Communication That Gets Buy-In & Compels Action from Teams and Stakeholders" March 26th, 12-1:30 pm EST. Free to participate. Join Dr. Crystal Frazee and 10 guests, all women in upper leadership managing teams, for peer-to-peer discussion about navigating their personal communication challenges, as well as how to elevate team communication dynamics. If you want to RSVP, email me at info@crystalfrazee.com. If it's a fit, I'll send you a calendar invitation to the event.Episode 020: Reclaiming an Economy that Works for Women with Misty HegenessConnect with Lucia Online:Lucia's WebsiteLucia's LinkedInConnect with Crystal Online:Crystal's WebsiteCrystal's LinkedInCrystal's InstagramCrystal's TikTok FREE Leadership Resources from Crystal: Free Short Audio Training: How to Run Your Day Without It Running You Free PDF Training: Stress & Overwhelm Relief Game Plan Get updates about Crystal's upcoming book! REVIVE: The Working Woman's Unexpected Guide to Recovering from Burnout
NOTE: We're planning to do a mailbag bonus episode soon! Let us know your questions and TV recommendations by emailing us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com.In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss Jon Stewart's return to The Daily Show and the season finale of True Detective: Night Country. Is Jon Stewart still the voice we need right now? Did True Detective: Night Country stick the landing? Are people out of control for going after Alan Sepinwall for liking it? Is Nic Pizzolatto acting like a cringe-y asshole online (again)? Listen to hear us discuss all these topics and more!Shownotes:00:03:11 - Jon Stewart's return to The Daily Show00:26:56 - The discourse around True Detective: Night Country00:42:30 - True Detective: Night Country Part 6 (season finale)Homework for next week:Constellation Eps 1-3 (Apple TV+)Shogun Eps 1-2 (Hulu/FX)Links:Listen to Patrick's videogame podcast, Remap RadioSubscribe to Patrick's newsletter, CrossplayFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David's free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.