Podcasts about Sun Tzu

Value: After Hours is a podcast about value investing, Fintwit, and all things finance and investment by investors Tobias Carlisle, and Jake Taylor. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kindle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)We are live every Tuesday at 1.30pm E / 10.30am P.See our latest episodes at https://acquirersmultiple.com/podcastAbout Jake Jake's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farnamjake1Jake's book: The Rebel Allocator https://amzn.to/2sgip3lABOUT THE PODCASTHi, I'm Tobias Carlisle. I launched The Acquirers Podcast to discuss the process of finding undervalued stocks, deep value investing, hedge funds, activism, buyouts, and special situations.We uncover the tactics and strategies for finding good investments, managing risk, dealing with bad luck, and maximizing success.SEE LATEST EPISODEShttps://acquirersmultiple.com/podcast/SEE OUR FREE DEEP VALUE STOCK SCREENER https://acquirersmultiple.com/screener/FOLLOW TOBIASWebsite: https://acquirersmultiple.com/Firm: https://acquirersfunds.com/ Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/GreenbackdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycarlisleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobiascarlisleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobias_carlisleABOUT TOBIAS CARLISLETobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer's Multiple®, and Acquirers Funds®. He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon's Business and Finance The Acquirer's Multiple: How the Billionaire Contrarians of Deep Value Beat the Market, the Amazon best-sellers Deep Value: Why Activists Investors and Other Contrarians Battle for Control of Losing Corporations (2014) (https://amzn.to/2VwvAGF), Quantitative Value: A Practitioner's Guide to Automating Intelligent Investment and Eliminating Behavioral Errors (2012) (https://amzn.to/2SDDxrN), and Concentrated Investing: Strategies of the World's Greatest Concentrated Value Investors (2016) (https://amzn.to/2SEEjVn). He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law.Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999).

La déclaration choc du chef d'état-major des Armées Fabien Mandon sur l'invasion russe à horizon 2030 a fait énormément réagir. Pour Franz-Olivier Giesbert, comme le dit Sun Tzu dans son célèbre traité « l'Art de la guerre », la meilleure façon d'éviter la guerre et de s'y préparerMention légales : Vos données de connexion, dont votre adresse IP, sont traités par Radio Classique, responsable de traitement, sur la base de son intérêt légitime, par l'intermédiaire de son sous-traitant Ausha, à des fins de réalisation de statistiques agréées et de lutte contre la fraude. Ces données sont supprimées en temps réel pour la finalité statistique et sous cinq mois à compter de la collecte à des fins de lutte contre la fraude. Pour plus d'informations sur les traitements réalisés par Radio Classique et exercer vos droits, consultez notre Politique de confidentialité.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

In this book review of the Master Sun Tzu's The Art of War I provide quotations from the book and apply these pieces of wisdom to your daily life. So you are not engaged and out right warfare, the principles shared by this ancient Chinese general provide meaningful guidance for your daily affairs. Support Via Cashapp: @MarquettDavonSupport via Venmo: @MarquettDavonSupport: https://donate.stripe.com/4gM9ATgXFcRx5Tf4rw0x200Become a member: https://thesasn.com/membership-account/membership-levels/Support with Bitcoin: BTC Deposit address: 3NtpN3eGwcmAgq1AYJsp7aV7QzQDeE9uwdMy Book: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Box-Marquett-Burton/dp/0578745062https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-marquett-burtons-training-centerBook Consultation: https://cozycal.com/sasn#Marquettism #FinancialFreedom #Entrepreneurship #Marquettdavon #Wealth #FoundationalBlackAmerican #Leadership #Deen #business #relationships #money

From the writing of Sun Tzu to the modern era, spies and spymasters have had insights into the mind that most of us don't. Now it's time to put espionage itself on the analysts' couch. In Brief Histories, the new monthly special from True Spies, series producer Joe Foley is your guide to this secret world - alongside a treasure-trove of stories and expert knowledge from our archive. From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets and skills. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Value: After Hours is a podcast about value investing, Fintwit, and all things finance and investment by investors Tobias Carlisle, and Jake Taylor. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kindle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)We are live every Tuesday at 1.30pm E / 10.30am P.See our latest episodes at https://acquirersmultiple.com/podcastAbout Jake Jake's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farnamjake1Jake's book: The Rebel Allocator https://amzn.to/2sgip3lABOUT THE PODCASTHi, I'm Tobias Carlisle. I launched The Acquirers Podcast to discuss the process of finding undervalued stocks, deep value investing, hedge funds, activism, buyouts, and special situations.We uncover the tactics and strategies for finding good investments, managing risk, dealing with bad luck, and maximizing success.SEE LATEST EPISODEShttps://acquirersmultiple.com/podcast/SEE OUR FREE DEEP VALUE STOCK SCREENER https://acquirersmultiple.com/screener/FOLLOW TOBIASWebsite: https://acquirersmultiple.com/Firm: https://acquirersfunds.com/ Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/GreenbackdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycarlisleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobiascarlisleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobias_carlisleABOUT TOBIAS CARLISLETobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer's Multiple®, and Acquirers Funds®. He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon's Business and Finance The Acquirer's Multiple: How the Billionaire Contrarians of Deep Value Beat the Market, the Amazon best-sellers Deep Value: Why Activists Investors and Other Contrarians Battle for Control of Losing Corporations (2014) (https://amzn.to/2VwvAGF), Quantitative Value: A Practitioner's Guide to Automating Intelligent Investment and Eliminating Behavioral Errors (2012) (https://amzn.to/2SDDxrN), and Concentrated Investing: Strategies of the World's Greatest Concentrated Value Investors (2016) (https://amzn.to/2SEEjVn). He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law.Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999).

Mark Leenhouts vertaalde ‘De kunst van het oorlogsvoeren' van Sun Tzu naar het Nederlands. Leenhouts vertaalt de eeuwenoude tekst rechtstreeks uit het Chinees. Het klassieke werk van meester Sun behoort tot de bekendste teksten uit de Chinese traditie. In plaats van te focussen op militaire organisatie of training, gaat Sun Tzu in op strategie en tactiek, met het uitgangspunt dat oorlog zo veel mogelijk vermeden moet worden om mensen, middelen en energie te sparen. Mark Leenhouts kreeg voor zijn vertalingen uit het Chinees de Cultuurfonds Vertaalprijs Martinus Nijhoff 2025. Presentatie: Frénk van der Linden

Thank you to all the long time fans and Supporters of this podcast! We REALLY APPRECIATE you!It's 506 BCE. The armies of Wu and Chu have finally met at Boju after years of rising tension, personal vendettas, and political ambition. In this episode, we break down the strategies, leadership, and terrain behind one of the most dramatic military clashes of the Spring and Autumn period. With Sun Tzu in the field and kings on the line, the fate of states hangs in the balance. chewWill Chu finally find a friend or is Wu too much for Chu?Find out in this dramatic episode!This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is with a returning guest to the podcast - Tobias Carlisle.We talk about his new book, “Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu, and the Ancient Art of Risk Taking”The book takes a close look at Sun Tzu's philosophy and then applies it to the deal making of Warren Buffett. The book focuses on Warren Buffett's deals since Coke. I like this because the focus of Buffett books is often prior to this, but this focuses on “recent” deals.Links* Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking https://www.amazon.com/Soldier-Fortune-Buffett-Ancient-Risk-Taking-ebook/dp/B0FT516BDW* My last conversation with Tobias, with links to the other episodes as well: DisclaimerNothing on this substack is investment advice.The information in this article is for information and discussion purposes only. It does not constitute a recommendation to purchase or sell any financial instruments or other products. Investment decisions should not be made with this article and one should take into account the investment objectives or financial situation of any particular person or institution.Investors should obtain advice based on their own individual circumstances from their own tax, financial, legal, and other advisers about the risks and merits of any transaction before making an investment decision, and only make such decisions on the basis of the investor's own objectives, experience, and resources.The information contained in this article is based on generally-available information and, although obtained from sources believed to be reliable, its accuracy and completeness cannot be assured, and such information may be incomplete or condensed.Investments in financial instruments or other products carry significant risk, including the possible total loss of the principal amount invested. This article and its author do not purport to identify all the risks or material considerations that may be associated with entering into any transaction. This author accepts no liability for any loss (whether direct, indirect, or consequential) that may arise from any use of the information contained in or derived from this website. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.securityanalysis.org/subscribe

On this episode of #TheGlobalExchange, Colin Robertson sits down with Ann Fitz-Gerald, Ben Rowswell, Guy St. Jacques, Thomas J. Timmins and Don McCutchan to discuss their takeaways from the 2025 Ditchley Conference. // Participants' bios - Ann Fitz-Gerald is a Professor of International Security and the Director of the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo, Canada - Ben Rowswell is a Principal with Catalyze4. He served as Ambassador to Venezuela and was an early architect of digital diplomacy in Global Affairs Canada - Guy St. Jacques is former Canadian Ambassador to China and Fellow at the China Institute of the University of Alberta - Thomas J. Timmins is the Leader of Gowling WLG's Canadian Energy Practice Don McCutchan is Partner and Policy Advisor with Gowling WLG // Host bio: Colin Robertson is a former diplomat and Senior Advisor to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. // Reading Recommendations: - "The AI-Driven Leader: Harnessing AI to Make Faster, Smarter Decisions" by Geoff Woods - "Does the Elephant Dance?: Contemporary Indian Foreign Policy" by David Malone - "King of Kings" by Scott Anderson - "Sun Tzu's The Art of War Plus Its Amazing Secrets: The Keys to Strategy" by Sun Tau - "A School for Tomorrow" by Mark Dickinson - "How to Win an Information War" by Peter Pomerantsev // Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll // Recording Date: November 03, 2025 Release date: November 10, 2025

Value: After Hours is a podcast about value investing, Fintwit, and all things finance and investment by investors Tobias Carlisle, and Jake Taylor. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kindle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)We are live every Tuesday at 1.30pm E / 10.30am P.See our latest episodes at https://acquirersmultiple.com/podcastAbout Jake Jake's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farnamjake1Jake's book: The Rebel Allocator https://amzn.to/2sgip3lABOUT THE PODCASTHi, I'm Tobias Carlisle. I launched The Acquirers Podcast to discuss the process of finding undervalued stocks, deep value investing, hedge funds, activism, buyouts, and special situations.We uncover the tactics and strategies for finding good investments, managing risk, dealing with bad luck, and maximizing success.SEE LATEST EPISODEShttps://acquirersmultiple.com/podcast/SEE OUR FREE DEEP VALUE STOCK SCREENER https://acquirersmultiple.com/screener/FOLLOW TOBIASWebsite: https://acquirersmultiple.com/Firm: https://acquirersfunds.com/ Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/GreenbackdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycarlisleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobiascarlisleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobias_carlisleABOUT TOBIAS CARLISLETobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer's Multiple®, and Acquirers Funds®. He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon's Business and Finance The Acquirer's Multiple: How the Billionaire Contrarians of Deep Value Beat the Market, the Amazon best-sellers Deep Value: Why Activists Investors and Other Contrarians Battle for Control of Losing Corporations (2014) (https://amzn.to/2VwvAGF), Quantitative Value: A Practitioner's Guide to Automating Intelligent Investment and Eliminating Behavioral Errors (2012) (https://amzn.to/2SDDxrN), and Concentrated Investing: Strategies of the World's Greatest Concentrated Value Investors (2016) (https://amzn.to/2SEEjVn). He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law.Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999).

Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute, says he wouldn't mind a small market setback or breather to calm the nerves, especially because he's used those kinds of moments this year to add to his equity positions, noting that his target for the Standard & Poor's 500 is 7,500 at the end of 2026, a modest but steady gain for next year. Wren favors financials currently for technical reasons, likes industrials for as long as the next decade, and made the strong case for utilities and energy providers as being the growth story for the next quarter century. Todd Rosenbluth, head of research at VettaFi changes things up with the ETF of the Week. Rather than focusing on one fund, he looks at ETF in-flows, which have surpassed a big landmark and will break records for the year. He looks at where all of that money has been flowing, which categories and funds have been the most popular and emerging and more. Tobias Carlisle of the Acquirers Funds — who was on the show last week doing the Market Call — returns to discuss his new book, "Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking," which in some ways equates deep-value investing to fighting a battle, but which also helps to explain why the investment style resonates with many individual investors.

JoAnne Bianco, senior investment strategist at BondBloxx, says that she doesn't expect there to be a need for a protracted cycle of rate cuts and makes the case that the Federal Reserve and the economy might be best served by stopping after one more cut, even if it waits through December to do it. Bianco says that markets -- particularly equity markets — want rate cuts — want rate cuts but could be overly optimistic about the impact that reductions would have when it comes to promoting spending, helping the labor market and more. Kendall Dilley, portfolio manager, Vineyard Global Advisors says "It's a really healthy bull market right now" with the potential for the Standard & Poor's 500 to top 7,000 by year's end. Dilley added that the charts aren't showing the kind of big tops that suggest that momentum is starting to wane, so while valuations are elevated and "the market has priced in a lot of good news," he still thinks declines should be viewed as buying opportunities. Ravi Chintapalli, portfolio manager on the Nuveen Global Fixed Income team, says that he has never seen a high-yield market that has been higher quality than what he is seeing now. That helps to explain tight spreads, and suggests investors shouldn't shy away from high-yield because they're being compensated for "the true level of default risk in the market."  In the Market Call, Tobias Carlisle, founder of the Acquirers Funds, talks deep-value investing and how it works in a market dominated by a few big names. Carlisle recently wrote a book comparing the value investing tactics of Warren Buffett with "The Art of War" tactics of Sun Tzu.

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 21 Beyond Bed  Breakfast In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.   Defiance is not common because to rebel is to become friendless            "What is it with you and butt-sex? Not that I mind, but you seem obsessed with it," Tawny asked. "I don't care one way or another, actually. I'm in a Christian school so vaginal virginity is a normal expectation, so it is oral and anal sex for me," I explained. "With Paige, my desire is based on her blanket rejection of the idea before we'd had sex at all. If I let her hold herself back because of an irrational fear, I would be doing her a disservice. I owe it to every lover to give it my all." "I hate Christina," Tawny muttered. "Why?" I inquired as we walked down the street. "We agreed that if either one of us were to sleep with you, we would warn the other one first," she regaled me with this bit of unexpected news. "I suppose that I could complain about you ladies making deals concerning my time and body without consulting me, or maybe how, having told me this, I won't sleep with either one of you, or perhaps I'll simply announce how I'm going to another school in another state next semester but I'm done with the bluster and pissy-ness for a while," I sighed. "Instead, I'm going to exact a promise from you two," I stated. Tawny and I stopped walking and stared into each other's eyes. "The loser has to get the winner's name tattooed on their ass. That's my condition." "That's nuts," Tawny chuckled. "I'm not going to have another girl's name tattooed on my ass." "Then drop out of your little agreement if you think I'm not worth it or that you will lose," I suggested. Tawny didn't reply, instead walking down the street once more. "We could have sex right now if you want," I said once we were side-by-side again. "You would break your pledge for me?" Tawny asked. "If you want to see Christina's ass with your name tattooed on it," I answered. "She'd never forgive either of us," Tawny noted. "Absolutely. She'd get the tat but she'd be very disappointed in us both," I agreed. "Is this how you repay me for saving you inside the warehouse?" Tawny questioned. "I'm not treating you like a sorority president or a graduating senior; I'm treating you like a desirable woman, a potential lover, and someone forced to think on an entirely personal, selfish level for once," I said. "I respect you enough to give you a moral challenge." Tawny stopped and pulled out her phone and dialed up a number but hesitated before sending it. "Hello, Christina; Tawny here," she started. "I have Zane with me outside the party and am seriously thinking about requesting him to have sex with me." I missed what Christina said. "Yes, I made him aware of the bet and he agreed anyway, but added that you would tattoo my name on your ass if we did it tonight. Is that acceptable?" Again, I missed Christina's comment. "Oh, he is very aware that you would be disappointed in him, and he did a good job of leading me on but he has no intention of following through on his little dare; he loves you too much. I almost fell for his ruse but then he revealed how much he cared about me and I figured it out," Tawny grinned at me, leaving me embarrassed. Christina spoke again. "Yes, I guess that means I might get 'Christina' tattooed to my ass. It is worth it," Tawny related to Christina. "I knew you would want to hear about this, he's still pining away for you." Christina got off a statement and Tawny laughed. "We should get together for dinner sometime, Christina, just the two of us. Take care now." "She wants you to know they won the game 3-1," Tawny told me as she put away her phone. "I'm not sure I want to marry you," Tawny mused. "You are very complicated and you could be a bit more truthful in your dealings." "My Uncle Tim sort of beat that honesty out of me but I'll make an effort on your behalf," I allowed. "Zane, that woman on the motorcycle is looking at us intently. Do you know her?" Tawny cautioned me. It was Willa and I didn't expect to see her tonight. "Willa?" I called out to the biker chick. She responded by waving a thin plastic card in my direction. It looked a lot like my fake ID I'd requested as a joke. "Tawny, hang back," I said in a serious tone. "Hey, Zane, I was curious to see your car parked down the street," Willa said as she dismounted her ride. "I thought you might be going to the Fallout Shelter and I wanted to talk with you first." "I wasn't planning on it," I replied. "Willa, this is Tawny. She's a senior at UV. Tawny, this is Willa; she's a Warlord motorcycle club member and she helped save Rio Thursday night." "Have you come to regret that decision yet?" Tawny asked Willa. Willa was uncertain for a second, then she smiled. "Not yet, but I haven't see her again either," Willa answered. "Please remember that Zane loves her dearly," Tawny said. "He'd become really upset if she ended up hospitalized or worse." "I figured that out when he took on thirty Warlords in order to rescue her after she made a colossal screw up," Willa informed Tawny. She handed me the fake ID, which I examined. "Hey," I complained, "this says I'm Ruckus Tanner, a sixty-eight-year-old black man." "No, it does not," she squawked as she ripped the card back and examined it. Since the ID said I was G. Zane Braxton, had my picture, and told the world I was 21, Willa looked up and glared at me. "Not funny," she snapped. I imagine she'd leapt through a few hoops with the Feds to get me this thing this quickly. "That's Zane being an ass once more," Tawny mocked me. "He does that to diffuse uncomfortable situations he finds himself in. The thing is, what is he uncomfortable about? Hi, we haven't been formally introduced. I'm Tawny Flores, President of the UV Kappa Sigma sorority." "Hmm, what was sex with him like?" Willa asked. "We've never had sex, she's just a friend, nothing to discuss," I interrupted. "No, I have not had sex with Zane, but I have been in bed with him totally naked. It is kind of a delicious memory I use from time to time," Tawny moaned sensually. "The thing is, what is your favorite Zane memory, and why didn't he tell you who I was?" "Zane, do you have a favorite memory of me?" Willa questioned me. "Your heels digging into my ass as you wrapped your legs around me and the tips of our tongues touched," I declared instantly. Willa blinked, somewhat startled at my accurate recall. "Do you have one of me?" Tawny inquired as she came up and put a hand on my shoulder as she positioned herself to my right side and slightly back. "Yes. It involves something about getting over 'that heartache'," I responded. Tawny squeezed my shoulder with some empathy for the memory. Willa looked to us for the context. "Him, me and his girlfriend, his real girlfriend, on another sister's bed; we were clothed and he was completely naked and totally aroused," Tawny smiled happily with the memory. "Zane, why didn't you jump her bones?" Willa looked me over. "I knew I was outmatched after that first kiss," I embellished the truth. "To be fair to Zane, he didn't have any clothes to put on and we weren't the two girls he'd been having sex with," Tawny snickered. "His confidence may have been shaken." "I find that hard to believe," Willa joked. I huffed and started down the street once more. Willa and Tawny fell in behind me in hushed conversation that I did my best to ignore. I walked down one more block, then turned to the left and entered a more occupied area. I also noted the sign for the Fallout Shelter. The Fallout Shelter I looked over my shoulder and caught Willa studying me. "Willa, do you know this place?" I asked. I figured she was actually hanging around to see if I was going to meet with Belle tonight and I was giving her some choices to make. "It's a nice place," Willa shrugged. "More of a college crowd hangout, though." "Tawny?" I inquired. "I've been inside a few times but they are more of an alternative rock crowd. But since we are here, we might as well take a look," Tawny reasoned. I was sure Willa wasn't happy with that answer but she followed us in anyway. As per custom, I was carded at the door by this solid-looking blonde guy named Bill running off toward premature baldness who could have used a few less beers and a few more days at the gym. By the look of his knuckles and face, he was familiar with fighting if not avoiding blows. He gave my new ID a cursory glance, almost handed it back, then froze. His eyes went from bored to furious in a second. Willa pushed me forward into the club before Bill could react We had to immediately race down a set of stairs because the Fallout Shelter had cut out the first floor so that the main floor was the old basement. Around the place was a series of catwalks that let you traverse the place above the chaos. Once on the main floor we migrated toward the bar. A band with a lot of volume and some sort of political message rendered largely unintelligible by the lead singer/bassist slurring or screaming his words was in the midst of their set so we got there quickly. Belle finished serving up beers to two girls who had this wiccan/goth thing going on, including dreadlocks. Belle's eyes took in the three of us, then settled back on me with a wicked gleam. "So, how did you get past Bill, who's the serious bitch, and I'm afraid I have to card you," Belle grinned. I handed her my new card. She looked it over, her grin becoming a smile. "This is a good one," she nodded, and handed it back. "Bill recognized me but Willa shoved us past him before he could punch me," I informed Belle. "He'll be down here soon enough. Lee, the head bouncer, knows about his temper and won't let him come down for a few minutes. Let me get you some drinks. Grab a table and I'll be right over," Belle told us. A small group of UV kids broke away from a table. One guy got sick, his buddy took him toward the bathrooms, and the boy/girl couple took their absence as an excuse to slip off. We grabbed their seats and took in an awkward moment. It was broken by the arrival of Belle and some beers. She put one down in front of Tawny and then Belle, then put two down in front of me. As I was figuring that out, Belle straddled me and sat so we faced one another. She had a seductive twist to her lips, part impish, part desire. She leaned in and started kissing me deeply without preamble and pushing her hips into mine. I had dire duo distraction of Belle having shed her bra behind the bar and her being in a crop-top red Harley-Davidson t-shirt. Belle kept pushing into me so I rested my hands on her hips and tried to push her back gently. Belle was having none of that. My seat began tilting back and I opted for a more aggressive strategy. I let my hands migrate up her waist and around to her back until I hooked both her shoulders. This had the added benefit of pulling the front of the shirt tight against her breasts. "Does this happen to him much?" Willa asked Tawny. "You've obviously never seen the footage of my sorority tying him to a cross out in the woods," Tawny responded. "So, yes, this happens to him more than any person I've ever known." "Does it bother you that we are both here on a Saturday night watching him make out with somebody else?" Belle inquired next. "I don't know about you but Zane needs me," Tawny mused. "He has a severe lack of guy friends so some of us ladies have to step up and be his wingman, woman." "Do you think he has a problem with male-bonding?" Willa questioned. Had I not had a mouthful of Belle's tongue pinning my own tongue down, I would have told them I had plenty of guy friends in Thailand and in my old private school. As this was going on my chair kept edging farther and farther over until it started to topple. Belle lashed out with her feet, catching the bottom of the table with her heels while her body pressed down on me. I slid my hand down her back to her jeans. I tried to wiggle a hand inside but her jeans were far too tight, a fact she gloated over. "Sorry," Belle teased me, "but you're not getting in." Me, I've always loved a challenge. I moved my hands around, popped her top button, and unzipped her pants slowly. I imagine three of us were waiting for Belle to drop the hammer on me but she didn't. When she didn't I slipped my left hand inside the front of her panties and snaked my right around to her ass-cheek. Belle was still doing her level best to overwhelm my breath control and take away my last breath. She might have forced me to break contact first if she had been able to stifle her own moan as my hands stroked her pubic hair and cupped her ass. Even as we went back to the face-dancing, I noticed more than a few covetous gazes being shot our way. Belle really was some kind of college-boy tease. I could now push my hands closer together by reaching underneath her. I rubbed against her clit with my middle and ring fingers, doubling back for the sensation before dipping into her thick, creamy, and steaming-hot cunt. My right trekked down and stretched the sanctity of her anus. Belle bucked up against me several times in rapid succession. "Should we get some ice to throw on them?" Tawny muttered. "Maybe we should get them a private room." Willa countered. For a counterpoint to the shit my other two women were giving me, I wedged a third finger into her cunt and began stroking her sweet spot. "Oh, hell no," Belle gasped. She stopped kissing me and dove into my ear which she worried with savagely applied teeth. I growled through the pain and increased my rhythm and depth of my attentions. Her anus gave way and I was fucking her from both sides simultaneously, causing her gyrations to become much more intense and erratic. Belle let go of my ear and rested her chin on my shoulder in one last ditch effort to stave off her climax. I turned on the pressure and the dam broke. I lashed up with my feet to connect with the table to stop us from falling over as Belle's body thrashed against mine and she screamed into my shoulder, the biting down with the teeth I could have done without. I was relentless and merciless to Belle now. I pinched and twisted her clit hard between my thumb and forefinger; at the same time I slipped the first digit of a second finger into her rectum. Belle hiccupped, gave a jolt, and began screaming and thrashing again. At the same time she started sobbing between screams, muffled somewhat by her fist, which she was chewing on. With the second orgasm over, I relented and let her nestle against my chest, breathing heavily. "I so need to get laid," Willa muttered. "Amen to that. And to think he's next door to me every weekend with easy access to his second story window," Tawny agreed. I began righting Belle when she pressed her hands against me and sat up. "Keep your hands were they are," she murmured playfully. "Best damn orgasm I've had in years," she directed to our table companions, "and then he stacked another righteous one on top of that. I hate to say it but Tara (her twin sister, the Sheriff's Deputy) was right about this guy; I want one of my own." "Don't you already have a boyfriend?" I mentioned. "Bill. Eh, he's got the equipment but he's a quick shooter. If I'm lucky, I get thirty seconds (ouch!) and then its 'get me another beer' or he rolls over and goes to sleep," Belle enlightened us. "How is his foreplay?" Tawny inquired. "He laps like a dog," Belle shrugged, "and his fingers are strictly in and out like a piston. Who are you again?" She addressed Tawny. Tawny finished her little spiel right when a shadow fell upon my life. Bill had arrived. "What the fuck?" Bill growled as he took in me, Belle, and what I was doing to her, mainly pumping her fore and aft at a slow, gentle pace. "I'm going to pound you," he directed at me. "Oh, shut up, Bill," Belle sneered. "If I'm going to steal one of Tara's men, I'm going to make it the new one. Besides, he's done more for me in ten minutes than you've done for me all year, and since he's not trying to bore me to death with all that sports talk, I guess this is time to say we are done. Bye-bye." "You sow," Bill redirected his anger and balled up his fists. Of course, insulting a woman makes me do stupid things. I started to withdraw my hands and stand when Belle put a finger to my lips. "Hush now, Zane," she smiled. "I got this." She looked over her shoulder at Willa. "Is that fucking chivalry or what?" she laughed at my attempted action. Turning back to Bill, "If I have to dismount this man, I'm going to stomp your ass, and you know I can. You hit me once and I put you in the hospital, or do I need to remind you?" she said evenly. "I got you this fucking job. I got you the fucking place you live in, Bitch," Bill snarled. "You can keep the god-damn job and I'll be out by the end of the month," Belle shot back. Bill clenched and unclenched his fists tightly before turning and storming off. "Okay, what was that all about?" I wondered. "Meh, this shit was getting old," Belle told me. "I'll crash with Willa until I figure out what I want to do next." Willa's look was not one of ecstatic expectation, I was positive that none of this had been planned out before we walked through the door. "Belle, I hope I haven't sent you the wrong message," I started. "I am in school and it is a girl's school at that. I only stopped in to say hi." Belle returned to her rocking motion on my lap. "Don't sweat it, college-boy," Belle grinned, "Scratch that, girl's college-boy; I do what I want, go where I want, and take what I want. So, now that you've got me off, what can I do for you?" "You, me, and Tara in a three-way," was my gut response. Belle stopped moving and Willa looked grim. Tawny, like me, was ignorant of what I'd done wrong. "Why?" Belle asked, with an undercurrent of menace that I didn't miss. "You two are like a volcano and the sea, opposites that I bet are explosive and sizzling when you meet," I related. "We are twins, Zane," Belle informed me. "On the outside, maybe, but inside, sexually, you two are very different. You are not polar opposites but more like two separate paintings that use the same canvas and set of paints but go in totally different directions expressively," I explained. "So who's better, Tara or me?" was her next question. Tawny snorted. "Two totally different women. I mean, with you, I'd like to fuck you in the coat room of a black tie affair with High Society one thin wall away," I said. I could see from Belle's expression she wasn't getting what I was saying, implying that I'd hide her away, be my dirty little secret. "You in sheer black stockings and matching garter belt and half-bra, yummy." "Whoa, I have to admit that sounds lick-able," Willa noted. Belle was also reassessing my intentions and smiled. "With Tara, I'd like to break into a bed warehouse and test out a few of the mattresses about the place, illegal and exposed to the public view," I grinned. "I'd pay to see that," Belle chuckled. "You are a keeper, Zane." "You only say that because you want to stick it to your sister," I countered. "Yeah, when I came over here, that was the main reason, but now I'm angry that she found you first," Belle bitched. "She always had better luck with the boys than I did." "Bill was 'better'?" I wondered. "He was a big football jock in high school and he didn't cheat on her too much. You can guess that I dated some real losers, mostly college guys like you," Belle smirked. If you know of another college guy like Zane, spill," Tawny teased. "I want to get me one to call my very own." "Funny, funny, funny, ladies," I coughed. "Now if I don't get Belle off my lap I'm going to hammer her here in front of the general public. Since my goal this weekend is to avoid fighting, public displays of amusement, and intercourse in general, I'm taking a walk." "Hey," Belle wiggled in on my crotch, "I'm all partial to being fucked on the table and show all these cocksuckers what they've been missing. We might even get busted by my sister and spend the night in a cell together." "With Deacon all busted up let's not do the jail thing," Willa chimed in. "Let's not make it three run-ins with the law for his first 30 days at school," Tawny added. "Three, Zane, who else has corralled your ass since you've been with us?" Belle asked. "Officer Campbell got me when I was driving back to campus," I confessed, since I was suspicious that Christina had given Tawny some of the details of that night. "Yeah, we know her too," Willa said. "Rumor has it she can get a bit frisky." "Oh, come on, I was on a date," I evaded. "She had mercy on me and I left with a warning." "You fucked her," Belle leered after studying me for several seconds. "So, did she use cuffs?" "Front, back, top, and bottom, I left her a wreck on the back seat and she was finger-lickin' good," I unloaded. "She was fantastic. She gave my date and I all we could handle." "You got Heaven involved?" Tawny gasped. "Man, my life would be so much easier," I groaned, "if the people talking behind my back kept me in the loop. Yes, I got Heaven involved. It was a hell of a way to wrap up her first date night. By the way, this doesn't go beyond us; okay?" Belle looked at me intensely once more. "Are you going to lie to me?" she whispered as she placed her forehead against mine. "Yes, to protect you if I must," I replied beneath the thumping of the bass. "That's my choice to make, not yours, Zane," Belle breathed a sugary-sweet beer aroma. "Friends sacrifice a part of themselves for the ones they care about," I told her. "Why do you care?" she asked with more than the usual curiosity. "You are worth it," I answered. Again, there was another intense stare. "Are you doing this for my sister?" she continued her interrogation of me. "Nope," I kept it simple. Yet another attempt by Belle to read my soul followed. "Let's get you cleaned up," she grinned. I pulled my right hand out slow and wiped it on my jeans. I was bringing my left set of fingers to my mouth when she intercepted me by the wrist and led me up to her lips. She sucked the juices off two fingers and then fed me the other two to take care of. I zipped her up and fixed her button before she dismounted and took me by the hand to the men's room. Being occupied by men didn't dissuade Belle one bit. She leaned against the sink while I washed up without speaking. In fact, she remained silent until we stepped back into the narrow hallway that led back to the club floor or out back by a locked stairwell. Belle led me to the door and appeared to be thinking something over. "I heard a sick rumor that your lawyers caught my sister and her buddy when they ganged up on you. The rumor is, you covered for them," Belle glared. "Why would you do something so stupid for someone you didn't know?" "Do you know that I'm jealous of you?" I responded. "Happens all the time; I'm a free-spirit that makes my own way in the world," she smiled, but it was overshadowed by her bitterness. "No. You have a sister, you have family, someone you grew up with. I have my aunt who is from another world, essentially, and that's it," I related. "That may be why I never commit to any one person," I added. "Something in Rio reminds me of my Mom and Iona reminds me of someone I wish was family but isn't. I guess I keep looking until I find what I lost." "Gone is gone, Zane; there is no getting it back," Belle told me, but this time she was showing some real empathy. "Yeah," I joked, "and that is why you always drive the speed limit and park within the lines, because that is what everyone tells you to do." "Has anyone ever told you that you're insane?" Belle's teeth shone through with her smile. "Never, you would be the first," I lied, and by the gleam in my eyes she knew it. It was well past one when I finally had the gang rounded up and headed back out to our rides. It took all of twenty seconds for a buzz-happy Rio to realize that Willa and a now unemployed Belle tagged along. When she did, her look was one of ferocity. "Oh, hell no!" she snapped, and turned toward the two Warlord ladies. "I'm going to kick your ass." "Last time I saw you, Bitch, you were half way to the city's sewage system," Belle laughed back. "Want to go the rest of the way?" Rio surged against Mercy and Barbie Lynn's restraining hands while Willa pulled Belle back, and I ended up in the middle holding them both at bay. "Calm down Rio, it is cool now," I told my buddy. "Belle, this isn't what you think." Speaking of thinking; I had to think fast to figure a way to turn this situation around. I'd hoped that Rio would be so happy, she'd have let it lie for the night, silly me. "Rio, I'd like Belle to give us motorcycle lessons for the trip this summer, and to personally give you self-defense training," I spewed forth my hare-brained idea. "What the fuck?" questioned Belle. "Fuck that noise," Rio spat. "I don't need this dink to teach me how to fight." I wasn't sure what a 'dink' was but I doubt it had positive connotations. "Rio, you haven't picked a martial arts instructor yet and I think Belle's self-taught style would be somewhat attractive to you," I guessed. I had no clue as to Belle's fighting background. "I'd rather teach a goat how to use a unicycle than teach this moron how to ride a bike," Belle growled. "I'll pay you fifty dollars an hour per four students," I offered Belle. "She's a skank," Rio seethed. Belle, on the other hand, seemed to be coming around. "Fifty bucks-, per four people? What would I have to do?" Belle inquired. She was job hunting after all. "Teach them how to ride, for starters," Valarie came to my rescue, "plus basic maintenance, road lore, and stuff like that. You'd also have to teach Rio how to not get her ass kicked." "I keep telling you people, I don't need this bitch," Rio repeated. "Fine, Rio, but tell me, who is going to be your instructor?" I countered. "It can't be Mercy." "Want your knife back?" Belle grinned as she reached into her boot and pulled out the butterfly knife Val had given Rio on Thursday. "I don't know," Rio grumbled, "have you been using it as a sexual aid?" Belle snorted. "Fuck, with Zane around, who needs one?" Belle smiled wickedly. "Two orgasms in ten minutes at a table on the club floor and that was only with his tongue and fingers." "He'd have nailed her in the bathroom if it hadn't been for that whole 'no sex' thing," Tawny added. "I should have stuck with you, Zane," Paige tugged on my arm. "See where you ended up?" "Who is the ghost?" Belle asked snidely. "I'm Paige and Zane is with me this weekend," Paige challenged Belle, bad move. Sometimes reactions pull you one way and instincts send you in another. I went with instincts and let events play out. Belle scooped Paige up under each arm and hoisted her up. "You are what, 100 pounds? A whole weekend with him and he'd break you in two," Belle observed. "He needs a real woman, not a bit of fluff." It was time for me to become involved. I reached an arm around Paige's waist and took her weight onto me. Belle was kind enough to let go so I swung Paige up until I was carrying her in my arms. Paige switched her gaze between me and Belle twice, then latched onto me. "Okay, I win," Paige announced. "I'm the bit of fluff he comes to again and again, after all." "You are the freakiest group of people I've ever seen," Hank spoke up. "A sorority president and sisters" (Leigh and Jersey had joined us), "two Warlord bikers, Christian school girls, and a porn star, no offense, Zane." "Just another day ending in 'y'," Iona whispered. I caught that zing and snickered. "No offense taken, Hank," I joked back. "I'd rather have the memories and suffer through the condemnations of those who don't know me than miss out." "Dude, if you ever need a stand in," Finn added to the joy. He and Ginger had indeed hooked up again, so we were good on that front. Ginger did playfully thump him in the chest though. "Finn, you are already sleeping on the sofa tonight," Ginger teased. "Would you rather be out on the welcome mat?" "Thanks for letting us spend the night at your place," Barbie Lynn added to the play. "What?" Finn squawked. "Oh, come on, Babe." Ginger detached from Finn and wrapped an arm around Barbie Lynn's waist, who reciprocated the gesture. "Oh, come on, Babe," Ginger mimicked, "We want a little girl time, ya know, one on one." Barbie Lynn turned her head and exchanged a heated kiss with Ginger that decidedly aroused me. I hated to think what Finn was going through. "Dudes, I'm going down to the river," Finn groaned. "Wouldn't a cold shower be better and safer?" Leigh asked. "I'm not going to cool down; I'm going to drown my stupid ass for stepping out on Ginger at the start of the night," Finn sighed. "I deserve this." "That's what I wanted to hear," Ginger gloated. She gave another quick kiss to Barbie then glided back to Finn. "It's okay, Honey, I forgive you." "Thanks Babe," Finn kissed her once more. "You are still sleeping on the sofa when we get home," she announced triumphantly. The lesson here is, if you are ever given a choice between fighting a man or a woman; fight a man. Men beat you up, gloat, then walk away. Women hold grudges, forever. "Any advice for our lovelorn?" Willa asked. "Everything fades, be it fame, passion or possessions, it all goes to dust and is lost," I said. "That's rather depressing," Willa noted. "The exact opposite," I countered. "All you are and will ever be is defined by what you do in the next few seconds of life. That is when you can mark yourself as a hero or a villain." "I can buy that," Belle mused. "Live for the moment." I could tell Iona was more uncertain about my words so I expanded. "I am not saying don't plan for the future, but don't live so much for what might be that you ignore what is going on around you right now, because no moment matters less than any other," I added. "That's my boy: Renaissance warrior-poet with the libido of Ron Jeremy," Rio jibed. "I like it," Tawny spoke up. "What would it be like to spend the whole weekend, or a whole week, alone with Zane? I wouldn't be bored." "I wouldn't be able to walk," Barbie Lynn giggled. "I'd enjoy the education," Paige noted. "I'd enjoy the peace and quiet," Vivian joked. "Zane, you have a little bit of a fan club here," Belle smiled. "Totally unwarranted and undeserved," I sighed. We arrived at the water tower and we went our separate ways. I'm sure Paige and Iona wanted to talk to me but they both fell asleep within three minutes of getting in the car. I took them up individually to my room and tucked them in before letting a sleeping Jill know we'd made it back and assuring her that we'd make it to church in the morning. Service and Supper We weren't feeling terribly chipper when Iona, Paige and I crawled out of bed, but we were conscious, ambulatory, and capable of speech so we passed Aunt Jill's inspection before heading out to church. For Paige, it would be a new experience as she normally spent Sunday morning at FFU's Assembly hall. Fortunately, she would be exploring the experience with Iona. My class was amusing as always. Somehow, no one had missed the little revolution we'd staged at university and there was varying levels of confusion, disgust, and anger with what 'I'd' done. Yeah, it was my entire fault because I was in the middle of 'God Made Man First' country. Oddly enough, Chris Gilbert stuck it out with me, jumping in on my side when more than two guys ganged up on me verbally. The second time Chris parried Mr. Coleman's insinuations of my corruption away, the gang gave up and actually got down to the lesson for the week, the Book of Samuel; namely, King Saul versus the Philistines. The lesson was that God abandons sinners. I hung on to the point that even when he knew he was going to die, Saul led his army out to fight the invaders of his homeland. I doubted any of those guys would know what kind of courage it took to fight a lost cause if the time came. "Do you make a habit of running off cliffs and into walls," Chris joked with me, then "Whoops, sorry about that, your parents and all." "It was mountain climbing," I shrugged, "so don't worry about it. Have a good week?" "Oh, peachy; I burned down a state park and robbed the Louvre," Chris stated, deadpan. "Dude," I laughed, "if you are trying to compete with me let me just say 'you win' and end the contest right now. You can have it and the grief that goes with it." "Does that include the girls?" Chris chuckled. It was odd having a real conversation with a guy nearly my age who had a clue where I was coming from. My response was overwhelmed by the crush of young ladies around us. What followed was a chorus of 'hey, Zane', 'hey, guy', and Iona and Barbie Lynn adding a 'hi, Chris'. "Hi there, ladies," and "Hello Barbie Lynn and Iona," followed up Chris. By the way he was looking at Barbie Lynn, I could tell that his perception of her had changed. He wasn't leering but there was a certain sexual curiosity that was new to his gaze. Barbie Lynn caught Chris' look, smiled, but then cuddled up to me to make the situation clear enough. Chris chuckled and shook his head mirthfully. "So is McHunky (Chris) part of the group now?" Rio broke through the politeness. "Chris is not treating me like I'm Caine so I'd hope he'd say yes if you ask him nicely," I answered. "I would say 'yes,' with the understanding that I'm older than all of you and like to live a slightly more private, video-free, lifestyle," Chris informed us. "Chris," Rio inquired, "what is the maximum number of girls you would take to bed at one time, and how many would you feel comfortable dating?" I wanted to kill Rio once more, considering we were clearly being overheard as we moved down the hallway leading to the Tabernacle. "Hmm," Chris thought it over. "Four in one bed, but I'd only feel comfortable dating one woman at a time. I'm old-fashioned that way." "That's not a problem," Rio grinned, "old-fashioned we can cure." "How about we respect different people for their differences, ya nut-job," I cautioned Rio. Rio's retort was cut off by our entry into the main area of worship. Chris waved good-bye and angled toward the front and his family. With Barbie Lynn in the lead, the rest of us moved to the far side where the FFU crowd sat together. I couldn't find Jill in her regular spot but Iona pointed out she'd joined Mrs. Wellington, the Mayor, Lance, and Felicity on the second pew, a few steps up in the world. We'd settled in after the first hymn and Pastor Bill had started the morning greeting when the two main doors to the church slammed open and a black clad woman strode in, it was Belle. It was also clear that Belle had never been in here before, had no idea where I would be seated, and was overwhelmed by the sheer number of parishioners. I don't think she cared that most of them were staring at her. She had dressed up, right? She had on a black jacket, black t-shirt, black jeans and black boots. She'd taken off her black sunglasses. I stood up, put two fingers in my mouth the way Heaven had taught me (Orienteering class, honest) and whistled loudly as I waved her over. Belle's head snapped my way and over she came. By long-standing tradition, Iona sat on one side of me and Rio took the other. This time, Paige had supplanted Iona. Belle decided that insinuating herself between Paige and I would require a crowbar and some leverage so she sat down on Rio instead. Rio grumbled, squeezed out from under Belle, and sat in Mercy's lap. Bill, with a final glare my way, picked up the service as best he could and droned on. Rio leaned into Belle and licked her cheek as a means of retaliation. Belle didn't punch Rio, for which I was grateful. I made sure to put a little extra on the collection plate, for God's sake, not the church's, when the time came around. The sermon was on the Israelites and their forty years of wandering before coming to the Promised Land. I think there was some confusion between myself and most of the flock here on who was the one farthest from the expected destination. At the end of the service my plan went into motion, with multiple women having a role to play. Oddly, despite this being a criminal endeavor, Belle was the only one close to me not involved. It was good fortune that put her at my side because with so many of the church elders gawking/fearing/lusting after her, they completely missed the real mischief makers. "Good morning, Rochelle," I greeted the mayor's wife. She turned, smiled at me, then looked over at Belle. "This is Belle, " "Belle Kennan," Belle finished up for me. I hadn't known her last name. "I know you," Rochelle was clearly thinking hard. "Did you used to collect golf balls off the greens at the country club years ago? You had a sister. Your father was a groundskeeper." "That was a while ago," Belle allowed. "Dad fucked it up with his drinking, like he did everything else. My sister, Tara, is now a Sheriff's Deputy around here." "What do you do?" Rochelle made conversation. "I'm Zane's, chauffer," Belle answered with a twisted grin. "Actually, I'm giving him and some of his friends motorcycle lessons." "That sounds promising," Rochelle continued. "Belle, can I have a few moments of Zane's time?" Belle gave me a suspiciously sexy raised eyebrow then went looking for another one of my female set. "Zane, you were right about that matter we discussed. I still don't know what I want to do with the news. Maybe we can discuss it Wednesday night?" "Absolutely," I nodded. "By the way, there seems to be a growing suspicion that you are not a very moral person," Rochelle leaned in and whispered to me. "Apparently there is some evidence of you and some other girls, " "I've never denied it," I told her. "I also believe that no one seems to care that I've foresworn sex for the weekend. I know it is not much by most people's standards but at least I'm trying to see how the other half lives." "How is that working for you?" Rochelle grinned. "Abysmally; I've been tackled, jumped on, stacked up in a shower, grappled at a party, and got a lap dance in a club," I groaned. "You should stay home more often," Rochelle advised. "I received the tackle, jumping, and the stacking at home, Rochelle," I related. "Maybe I should hide out at your house." Rochelle stared at me and I wasn't sure what to make of that. "I will see you on Wednesday; take care now," I broke the silence between us. I turned and went over to the gulf of isolation that was Sahara Penny. "Hello, Mrs. Penny. You look incredibly inspirational this morning." "Hello, Zane," she smiled, her white teeth brightening up her Lebanese features. "I was thinking that I could do the whole dinner thing with you and William tomorrow night, if that is okay with you," I looked her over. "Well, you could hardly become more of a pariah," she mused. "I would be glad to cook you a meal." "Wolves may get hunted but sheep always get eaten," I replied. "Are you a wolf, Mr. Braxton?" she teased. "I have to be worthy of your company," I retorted, which she found amusing. "I'll see you," I tacked on before heading toward the main gathering. I patiently waited for the main group of men to recognize my presence but today they seemed less than willing to. I must have really been a bad boy. I did catch Rio handing off a phone to Iona who was quietly but quickly working away on it. I had to wonder how long it would take for Lance to realize Rio had swiped it from him. Hell, I promised Raven I'd get her those books from George Mason's library and I was going to return his phone to him soon enough. "Hey, my little Butt-Monkey," Belle taunted me loudly, "are you waiting on this bunch of old fuckers for something?" The conversation stopped and heads turned our way: yay me. "Mr. Braxton," Pastor Bill snapped in a clipped manner, "when you invite some, person to our church you should consult with me or one of the deacons to see if they are appropriate." He was pointedly ignoring Belle, which I found to be both rude and unwise as Belle was the most likely person he'd ever meet who would gladly take his underwear waistband and pull it over his head and laugh while she did it. "I wasn't actually wise enough to invite Ms. Kennan but I should have because I was under the impression this was a House of God. I'll make her tithe if that's what you are worried about," I informed them. "The appropriateness of you being in this church is also in question," Mayor Wellington brought up. "How's Phillip?" Belle spoke up with a wicked sneer toward the Mayor; Phillip was one of his sons. "We had a lot of fun in high school. He was good enough to bring me by your house but he never brought me to your church." "He would have never dated someone like you," the mayor glared at Belle. "Technically we weren't looking for a relationship," Belle grinned, "but does that big four-poster bed of yours still have that dainty white dust curtain with the roses on it?" "You are nothing more than a low-down dirty whore like your mother," Mr. Gibson, the county's largest furniture seller, snarled at Belle. I wasn't sure what her response was because Gibson staggered into Mr. Lieber when I drew my hand back for a slap; everyone got quiet. Yes, I had almost committed assault in front of thirty or so witnesses who hated my guts. Oh, and one of them was a judge. "Braxton!" Pastor William thundered. "Hold that thought, Bill," I pointed to the reverend before turning back to Gibson, "Sir, you insulted a lady in my presence, so you can apologize to her or step out with me to the parking lot where we can settle this like men, because I'm morally opposed to causing needless bloodshed in a house of worship." "That's it, Braxton, you, Pastor Bill growled. "Zane!" a different, feminine voice interrupted. "Apologize to Mr. Gibson at once." "I apologize, Mr. Gibson," I grudgingly stated. "I should have you arrested," Gibson grumbled. "And I'll make sure that your little outburst with, the woman threatened. "Belle Kennan," Belle studied the newcomer and the girls around her. "Ms. Kennan goes all over the internet and is flagged with every search engine with your name and the name of your store," Christina finished. "I'll sue," Gibson fought back. "And I'll win," Christina kept coming. "This is clearly a First Amendment issue, both speech and religion. Now are we going to play nice and respect our fellow Christians or are we going to collectively forget we are all adults?" "He is not going to get away with this threat of force," Pastor Bill persisted. "Pastor Penny, are we truly basing our actions and reaction on what an eighteen-year-old playboy does?" Christina pointed out. "Clearly, leadership is called for, and since you men are the patriarchs of the church, you should be leading Zane in the proper course of action." "Mr. Gibson," Chris joined in, "maybe Zane could clean up your parking lot one afternoon as penance." I had to be sure he was helping me out here. "Gurr, alright," Mr. Gibson admitted. "That would satisfy me." I caught sight of Aunt Jill looking my way. I half expected her to volunteer my acceptance but she waited patiently on me instead, not a good sign concerning her dependence on me. "If it is okay with Mr. Gibson, I'll come over when he gives me a call and my school schedule allows," I said. "I hope that settles that," Mr. Gilbert, Christopher's father, announced. "Was there a reason for Mr. Braxton waiting around us?" He was covering for his son, not me. "I was agreeing to Pastor William's invitation to eat dinner with him tomorrow," I said. "I will have to look at my schedule and get back to you," Pastor Bill replied in a snide tone. "No problem, Mrs. Penny and I'll hit Zeta's tomorrow and we can work out something for later," I smiled. I turned and left before he could finish sputtering because not only was Zeta's one of the finest eating establishments in town, I heard rumors it was also highly romantic. I took eight steps before I nearly doubled over in pain. Christina had kidney-punched me, and hard. I turned fast enough to see Belle and Christina facing off. "Do you want to explain that to me, Princess?" Belle inquired with a false grin. "I'm Christina Buchannan and I'm wondering what you are doing here burning through what little good will Zane has with this congregation," the woman I love sizzled. "Zane, should I give a crap?" Belle joked. She didn't need me to tell her what to think. "She's the woman I love more than life itself," I explained to Belle, who regarded me curiously. "I occasionally like him," Christina remarked, "when he's not making an ass of himself." "I couldn't let them insult Belle," I countered. "If she slapped the guy, you know they would have screwed her over." "I don't need you to pick my fights, Dumbass," Belle mocked me. "These people and their opinions don't bother me. Hell, Mom whored around a lot and for all I know, Old Man Gibson might even be my Daddy. Now," she looked at Heaven, "why are you eyeballing me?" "I'm Heaven and Zane's my boyfriend," Heaven declared. "Oh, God," chuckled Belle, "when Tawny said your life was beyond description, she wasn't kidding." "If we can all agree to get along I have one last thing I need to get done and then anyone who wants can make for Jill's," I stated. I leaned in and kissed Heaven on the ear. She finally broke her glare directed at Belle to look up at me so I kissed her on the lips. "Are we okay, Babe?" I asked Heaven. She looked at me but seemed terribly upset by something that I was unclear about. She nodded and I broke away. Iona slipped me the phone as I approached Felicity. I now got to see if what I'd done had screwed up my relationship with her. "Hey, Felicity, do you know whose phone this is?" I asked Lance Wellington's fianc . "That looks like Lance's," Felicity took the device and examined it. "It is," she confirmed. "Are you going to George Mason anytime this week?" I inquired. "I was going up Tuesday to visit Lance for some kind of fraternity affair," Felicity said. "When you are there could you pick up some books for me? I checked them out but I'd have to find a way to make the trip myself and with my school schedule, that would be tough," I explained. "Zane, how does someone from FFU get books from George Mason?" Felicity leaned in and whispered. "I'm not breaking the law but I am doing it in an underhanded manner," I whispered back. "Okay," she smiled warmly, if in a rather complacent manner. "Thanks," I told her, before parting ways and making for the door. A tide of women migrated with me outside. As we split up, I caught sight of Belle putting on her helmet and sitting on her hog. "Are you coming over for supper (the midday meal in the Southeastern US)?" "Does inviting the poor outcast chick to the house make you feel better about yourself?" Belle teased me. "Does everything have to be about you and your vendetta against the Established Order?" I shot back. "I bet the girls have a blast tying you down because you can be downright irritating," Belle rolled her eyes. "We've already gone down that road with me, the cross and the sorority in the woods, so stop gloating. Now, are you coming to supper willingly or are you going to have to beat me up when I try and make you?" "Fine," Belle raised up her hands, "when I looked up 'dumbass' and 'stupid' online, they both had your portrait under the 'images of' section. If I walk in the door, you will know I've accepted your offer. Now step back before I decide you are more annoying than cute." I stepped back, joined Paige and Iona at the car, and travelled my dumb ass back home. Barbie Lynn, Valarie, Rio, and Mercy had already joined Aunt Jill in her heroic culinary efforts based on the talents of the microwave and a warm skillet. The parade of food was setting around the table when I noticed Paige had gone missing. As I scanned about, I saw Belle walk into the dining room, I hadn't heard the doorbell ring or a knock at the door. "Have we locked away the good silver," Valarie joked when she realized Belle was here. Belle didn't look amused by Val's ribbing. "It's for Rio," Valarie snickered. "Hey," snorted Rio, "Belle, you are stepping on my Bad Girl image. I'll take Grand Theft Auto and vandalism and you get burglary and guns; deal?" "Zane, Jill was looking for some explanation from me so I decided to see how far her new tolerance could be stretched. "I wanted to show Belle one of the guest rooms," I stated carefully, but with authority. "She doesn't have a place to live and since we have the space, I figure she could hang out until she puts some money away for a new place. Plus you would have someone home when you got off of work and the house would be safer. Belle can take care of herself and you, if something goes wrong," I finished. "Zane, you make my life easier one more time, I swear that I'm going to use you to redefine road rash," Belle promised. This declaration didn't stop Belle from stepping up and taking a seat. "Jill, is that okay with you? " I addressed the female lead of the Braxton household. "If you think it will be good for the house and make things safer, I wholeheartedly support your decision," Jill agreed. That done, I called out for the invisible Paige. "Paige, I don't advise you to sneak up behind Belle," I warned her. "She might not be in an understanding mood." Paige did heed my advice and appeared by me instead of behind Belle. "Your intellect may be downgraded to 'sub-par' if you keep this course of action up," she cautioned me. "Do what you will," I quoted, "for I do what I must." "The blade itself incites to deeds of violence," Belle countered to Paige. "Are you really such a fucking putz that you think you can separate Zane's passions into the parts that you like from the parts that you don't? To me it seems you are wasting your parents' money by going to college yet staying dumb as dirt." "Belle, language at the dinner table," Aunt Jill scolded Belle. I wasn't sure how Belle would take that but something else was going on at the same time. Everyone was looking at Belle too, but for a reason that had nothing to do with calling Paige names. "What? I can't quote Homer?" Belle shrugged. "I've read Sun Tzu too. Oh, and sorry about slapping the little bitch, Aunt Jill. I hang out with men of questionable parentage." "I apologize, Belle," Iona spoke up. "I thought less of you because of the way you talk and dress. That was unfair to you and a disservice to myself and the way my parents raised me." The apologies echoed around the table; Paige's silence being noted. I gave her one quick look, then joined the rest of the gang doling out the food and settling in to the routine of eating and dinner conversation. Heart Song After we ate and cleaned up the table and the kitchen, Jill to

Value: After Hours is a podcast about value investing, Fintwit, and all things finance and investment by investors Tobias Carlisle, and Jake Taylor. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking⁠⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠⁠Kindle⁠⁠⁠⁠)We are live every Tuesday at 1.30pm E / 10.30am P.See our latest episodes at https://acquirersmultiple.com/podcastAbout Jake Jake's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farnamjake1Jake's book: The Rebel Allocator https://amzn.to/2sgip3lABOUT THE PODCASTHi, I'm Tobias Carlisle. I launched The Acquirers Podcast to discuss the process of finding undervalued stocks, deep value investing, hedge funds, activism, buyouts, and special situations.We uncover the tactics and strategies for finding good investments, managing risk, dealing with bad luck, and maximizing success.SEE LATEST EPISODEShttps://acquirersmultiple.com/podcast/SEE OUR FREE DEEP VALUE STOCK SCREENER https://acquirersmultiple.com/screener/FOLLOW TOBIASWebsite: https://acquirersmultiple.com/Firm: https://acquirersfunds.com/ Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/GreenbackdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycarlisleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobiascarlisleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobias_carlisleABOUT TOBIAS CARLISLETobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer's Multiple®, and Acquirers Funds®. He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon's Business and Finance The Acquirer's Multiple: How the Billionaire Contrarians of Deep Value Beat the Market, the Amazon best-sellers Deep Value: Why Activists Investors and Other Contrarians Battle for Control of Losing Corporations (2014) (https://amzn.to/2VwvAGF), Quantitative Value: A Practitioner's Guide to Automating Intelligent Investment and Eliminating Behavioral Errors (2012) (https://amzn.to/2SDDxrN), and Concentrated Investing: Strategies of the World's Greatest Concentrated Value Investors (2016) (https://amzn.to/2SEEjVn). He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law.Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999).

It started with exiles, legendary assassinations, and a dream of revenge. This is the opening act of the Wu–Chu War, where the state of Wu punched far above its weight — and the state of Chu didn't see it coming.When Chu underestimated its ambitious neighbor, all hell broke loose. In Part 1, we cover the rise of Wu, the backstory of King Helü and the legendary strategist Sun Tzu - author of "The Ancient Art of War" - and how one of the great underdog campaigns in ancient Chinese history began.Thank you to all the long time fans and Supporters of this podcast! We REALLY APPRECIATE you!This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had the pleasure of co-hosting another episode of Excess Returns with Matt Zeigler. We sat down with the one and only Tobias Carlisle — investor, author, podcast host, and all-around fascinating mind whose writing and ideas have influenced my thinking at various times.He discusses his new book, which made me see Buffett's investment approach in an entirely new light — and you're about to discover why. I highly recommend both this episode and Toby's book.In this episode of Excess Returns, we sit down with Tobias Carlisle, founder and portfolio manager at the Acquirers Fund and author of the new book “Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett's Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk Taking.”Tobias joins Matt Zeigler and Bogumil Baranowski to explore how timeless strategic principles from The Art of War apply to investing and how Warren Buffett embodies many of those ideas—from invincibility and victory without conflict to the disciplined avoidance of ruin. The conversation connects Buffett's real-world decisions—from Apple to General Re to Japan's trading houses—to broader lessons on temperament, risk, and wisdom in markets.Available now on Excess Returns Podcast and Talking Billions.

Value: After Hours is a podcast about value investing, Fintwit, and all things finance and investment by investors Tobias Carlisle, and Jake Taylor. ⁠⁠⁠Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking⁠⁠⁠ (⁠⁠⁠Kindle⁠⁠⁠)We are live every Tuesday at 1.30pm E / 10.30am P.See our latest episodes at https://acquirersmultiple.com/podcastAbout Jake Jake's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farnamjake1Jake's book: The Rebel Allocator https://amzn.to/2sgip3lABOUT THE PODCASTHi, I'm Tobias Carlisle. I launched The Acquirers Podcast to discuss the process of finding undervalued stocks, deep value investing, hedge funds, activism, buyouts, and special situations.We uncover the tactics and strategies for finding good investments, managing risk, dealing with bad luck, and maximizing success.SEE LATEST EPISODEShttps://acquirersmultiple.com/podcast/SEE OUR FREE DEEP VALUE STOCK SCREENER https://acquirersmultiple.com/screener/FOLLOW TOBIASWebsite: https://acquirersmultiple.com/Firm: https://acquirersfunds.com/ Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/GreenbackdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycarlisleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobiascarlisleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobias_carlisleABOUT TOBIAS CARLISLETobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer's Multiple®, and Acquirers Funds®. He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon's Business and Finance The Acquirer's Multiple: How the Billionaire Contrarians of Deep Value Beat the Market, the Amazon best-sellers Deep Value: Why Activists Investors and Other Contrarians Battle for Control of Losing Corporations (2014) (https://amzn.to/2VwvAGF), Quantitative Value: A Practitioner's Guide to Automating Intelligent Investment and Eliminating Behavioral Errors (2012) (https://amzn.to/2SDDxrN), and Concentrated Investing: Strategies of the World's Greatest Concentrated Value Investors (2016) (https://amzn.to/2SEEjVn). He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law.Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999).

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 40 of the ParentingAces Podcast! In this week's episode, former top junior and pro players, Sky Kim, shares his journey through injury and recovery which led him to coaching and entrepreneurship through his company, Road to Pro.As a child, Sky moved with his father from South Korea to South Florida to train at IMG with Nick Bollettieri. He was training alongside Maria Sharapova, Tommy Haas, and Venus and Serena Williams, among others. After going through two knee surgeries and multiple shoulder injuries, Sky decided to retire from a professional playing career to move into tennis coaching. Once realizing that not only did he need to preserve his own body if he wanted longevity in his coaching career but also other players and coaches were suffering with the same injuries he had endured. Sky put his love of engineering to use by developing unique vibration dampeners, insoles, and performance socks to reduce the wear and tear of tennis on the body. HIs products are now available on his website, RTPtennis.com. Sky has graciously set up a discount for the ParentingAces Community - ParentingAces20 for 20% off your order!Sky has also worked very hard to overcome his introvert personality by creating an online coaching platform on YouTube where he has over 100,000 subscribers. You can follow his channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Lsu90hbliCn9_Vkp7WtLw/featured.As if that weren't enough, Sky has written the book, ART OF WAR: ART OF TENNIS which you can purchase online at https://rtptennis.com/products/art-of-war-art-of-tennis-by-sky-kim-1. The book bridges the ancient wisdom of Sun Tzu with the modern battles of competitive tennis. By drawing striking parallels between warfare and the tennis court, this book unveils the hidden roles of the player, coach, and parent—mirroring the general, the strategist, and the king in a campaign for excellence. Through real experiences of top juniors and pro players, it answers the toughest, most often ignored questions that arise on the journey to world-class performance.Currently, Sky is coaching in the LA area as well as continuing to provide virtual coaching via YouTube. You can follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rtptennis/ or reach out to him via email at sky@rtptennis.com.As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you're so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo'd merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

Weaponizing the World's Food Supply - In this episode, Dr. Wendy Patrick and attorney Larry Dershem interview Rebecca Terrell, senior editor of The New American https://thenewamerican.com/ about how governments around the world are taking dangerous steps to drive farmers out of business, all in the name of "sustainable development" Find out from an expert about how tyrants and governments in the past, and today, are using access to food and water as a means to control populations on a global scale. Sun Tzu, in The Art of War said "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Value: After Hours is a podcast about value investing, Fintwit, and all things finance and investment by investors Tobias Carlisle, and Jake Taylor. ⁠⁠Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking⁠⁠ (⁠⁠Kindle⁠⁠)We are live every Tuesday at 1.30pm E / 10.30am P.See our latest episodes at https://acquirersmultiple.com/podcastAbout Jake Jake's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farnamjake1Jake's book: The Rebel Allocator https://amzn.to/2sgip3lABOUT THE PODCASTHi, I'm Tobias Carlisle. I launched The Acquirers Podcast to discuss the process of finding undervalued stocks, deep value investing, hedge funds, activism, buyouts, and special situations.We uncover the tactics and strategies for finding good investments, managing risk, dealing with bad luck, and maximizing success.SEE LATEST EPISODEShttps://acquirersmultiple.com/podcast/SEE OUR FREE DEEP VALUE STOCK SCREENER https://acquirersmultiple.com/screener/FOLLOW TOBIASWebsite: https://acquirersmultiple.com/Firm: https://acquirersfunds.com/ Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/GreenbackdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycarlisleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobiascarlisleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobias_carlisleABOUT TOBIAS CARLISLETobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer's Multiple®, and Acquirers Funds®. He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon's Business and Finance The Acquirer's Multiple: How the Billionaire Contrarians of Deep Value Beat the Market, the Amazon best-sellers Deep Value: Why Activists Investors and Other Contrarians Battle for Control of Losing Corporations (2014) (https://amzn.to/2VwvAGF), Quantitative Value: A Practitioner's Guide to Automating Intelligent Investment and Eliminating Behavioral Errors (2012) (https://amzn.to/2SDDxrN), and Concentrated Investing: Strategies of the World's Greatest Concentrated Value Investors (2016) (https://amzn.to/2SEEjVn). He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law.Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999).

Buy Toby's Bookhttps://amzn.to/478SMBfIn this episode of Excess Returns, we sit down with Tobias Carlisle, founder and portfolio manager at the Acquirers Fund, and author of the new book “Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett's Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk Taking.” Tobias joins Matt Zeigler and Bogumil Baranowski to explore how timeless strategic principles from The Art of War apply to investing and how Warren Buffett embodies many of those ideas—from invincibility and victory without conflict to the disciplined avoidance of ruin. The conversation connects Buffett's real-world decisions—from Apple to General Re to Japan's trading houses—to broader lessons on temperament, risk, and wisdom in markets.Main topics covered:• The three key ideas from The Art of War that define Buffett's approach: invincibility, victory without conflict, and unassailable strength• Why Buffett's General Re acquisition was a misunderstood masterstroke in defensive investing• How Buffett achieved “victory without conflict” through his massive Apple investment• The principle of via negativa — succeeding by avoiding mistakes and ruin• Temperament vs. intellect and the psychology of avoiding self-defeat• Circle of competence and why simplicity often beats complexity• Sins of omission vs. sins of commission in investing decisions• How Buffett applies wu wei (effortless action) through patience and alignment with natural forces• Lessons from Buffett's Japanese trading house investments and moral law in business• The role of reputation, intuition (coup d'œil), and character in long-term investing• Charlie Munger's blueprint and the strategic architecture of Berkshire HathawayTimestamps:00:00 Introduction and overview of Tobias Carlisle's key ideas02:00 Applying Sun Tzu's “invincibility, victory without conflict, and unassailable strength” to Buffett06:00 The General Re acquisition as a defensive masterpiece12:00 Victory without conflict — Buffett's Apple investment19:00 The principle of via negativa and avoiding ruin22:00 Survival, temperament, and controlling emotion in investing25:00 Circle of competence and the power of simplicity28:00 Sins of omission vs. sins of commission32:00 Temperament, intellect, and avoiding self-defeat40:00 Wu wei and investing with effortless alignment49:00 Position sizing, concentration, and the Kelly Criterion50:00 Buffett's investments in Japan's trading houses56:00 Reputation, intuition, and the power of pattern recognition61:00 Charlie Munger's blueprint and Buffett's strategic genius64:00 Closing thoughts and where to find Tobias online

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe [CB] system causes inflation, the housing market has become so expensive that people can no longer afford it. Trump and Bessent are now putting the blame on the D's shutdown because it is hurting the economy, [CB] failed again. Trump funding Argentina, not the IMF, boom. Fed ready to tighten, they are trying to raise long term rates, this plan will not work. The [DS] is in panic mode. All they have left is protect what they have here in this country, if they lose the illegals and the ability to cheat in the election they are screwed. The Supreme Court is hearing arguments in regards to the Voting Rights Act. If the SC rules against the D's they will lose 19 seats. Trump is pushing the [DS] down the path of war. "To Know Your Enemy, You Must Become Your Enemy" Sun Tzu. Every Battle Is Won Before It's Ever Fought.   Economy   https://twitter.com/Barchart/status/1978420195581448671 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1978461005668606355  https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1978458451048116621 Trump Warns Argentina: Back Milei or Lose US Funds In a rare presidential endorsement in a foreign election, President Donald Trump has thrown his political cachet into the reelection campaign of Argentine President Javier Milei on Tuesday night. "Great meeting today with Javier Milei!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "He is doing the right things for his Country. I hope the people of Argentina understand how good a job he is doing, and will support his work during the upcoming Midterms, so we can continue to help him achieve Argentina's incredible potential. "Javier Milei has my Complete and Total Endorsement — He will not let you down. MAKE ARGENTINA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump said at the White House on Tuesday he would endorse Milei for reelection and previously had already indicated during the U.N. General Assembly in September he was endorsing Milei, when he handed the Argentine leader a print-out of a Truth Social post with his endorsement. Trump threatened to pull assistance for Argentina — led by a political kindred spirit whose philosophy aligns with that of the Republican administration — if the nation's internal politics don't go the U.S.' way in its upcoming elections. The comments came during a meeting with Milei, whose country is set to hold midterm elections for its legislative body later this month. Source: newsmax.com https://twitter.com/JoeLang51440671/status/1978170213301399633   an extraordinary bailout of Argentina.” “The U.S. is providing a $20 billion currency swap line with Argentina's central bank — essentially exchanging stable U.S. dollars with volatile pesos.” https://cnbc.com/2025/10/13/the-us-has-stepped-in-with-an-extraordinary-bailout-of-argentina-heres-what-it-means.html Did you know that Argentina used to be one of the most wealthy countries in the world? Guess when they were considered one of the wealthiest countries and the significance of what happened in America that year? “By 1913, Argentina was among the world's wealthiest nations per capita, with its income comparable to that of Western Europe and even surpassing countries like France, Germany, and Italy.

**Sun Tzu at Gettysburg with Ralph Siegel | Addressing Gettysburg** In this episode of *Addressing Gettysburg*, guest Ralph Siegel invites you into a provocative thopught exercise: how and where were the principles of **Sun Tzu's *The Art of War** applied in the Battle of Gettysburg? Sun Tzu (5th century B.C.) is one of history's most influential strategists. His treatise *The Art of War* — a compact work of 13 chapters on strategy, deception, intelligence, terrain, and timing — has shaped military thinking for millennia. ([Wikipedia][1]) He emphasizes that “the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting,” and teaches lessons like striking where the enemy is weak, using deception, and the critical importance of knowing yourself and your enemy. ([Goodreads][2]) Meanwhile, the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863) stands among the most consequential clashes in American history. It resulted in massive casualties (over 50,000 combined) and marked a turning point in the Civil War, as Robert E. Lee's invasion of the North was repulsed and momentum shifted to the Union. ([American Battlefield Trust][3]) Over three brutal days, fighting raged across ridges, hills, and open fields — from McPherson's Ridge to Little Round Top, from Cemetery Hill to Pickett's Charge. ([National Park Service][4]) In this video, Ralph Siegel explores how key Sun Tzu maxims might have been applied (or misapplied) by Union generals like Meade and Confederate commanders like Lee or Longstreet. How might they have used terrain more cunningly, exploited intelligence (or lack thereof), feinted attacks, or avoided catastrophic frontal assaults? Could Pickett's Charge have been prevented or better supported by a more flexible, Sun Tzu-inspired doctrine? 

Can you navigate AI disruption without understanding your landscape? Discover how to gain true situational awareness.The rise of AI has exposed a fundamental problem in how organizations make decisions. Most leaders operate using stories and graphs, not actual maps of their landscape. This leaves them vulnerable to disruption and unable to make informed choices about where to apply new technologies. The result is chaos, waste, and strategic mistakes that could have been avoided.In this episode, Simon Wardley, creator of Wardley Mapping, explains how to build true situational awareness in your organization. He shares why most business “maps” aren't really maps at all, how to understand the landscape before making decisions, and what leaders need to know about AI adoption beyond the current hype.Key topics discussed:Why leading with stories instead of maps creates fake CEOsThe critical difference between graphs and maps in business strategyWhat Wardley mapping is and the three pattern types leaders must understandHow to identify where human decision-making adds value in your AI adoptionWhy vibe coding is powerful but dangerous without proper code reviewsWhy software development is still a craft, not engineeringHow Jevons Paradox means AI won't eliminate jobs but expand codebasesThe hidden dangers of AI hallucinations and the need for critical thinkingTimestamps:(00:00:00) Trailer & Intro(00:02:59) Career Turning Points(00:06:45) Importance of Understanding Landscape for Leaders(00:10:42) The Problem of Leading with Stories(00:12:49) Wardley Maps vs Other Types of Business Maps/Analysis(00:17:32) Wardley Map Overview(00:23:54) Why Mapping is Not a Common Industry Practice(00:26:23) Climatic Patterns, Doctrines, and Gameplay(00:30:51) Understanding Disruption by Using a Map(00:33:17) Navigating the Recent AI Disruption(00:39:37) A Leader's Guide to Adopting AI(00:42:49) Turning Coding From a Craft Into Engineering(00:48:05) Simon's AI & Vibe Coding Experiments(00:55:28) The Importance of Critical Thinking for Software Engineers(01:03:49) Navigating Career Anxiety Due to AI Fear(01:08:56) Tech Lead Wisdom_____Simon Wardley's BioSimon Wardley is a researcher, former CEO, and the creator of Wardley Mapping, a powerful method for visualizing and developing business strategy. His journey began accidentally after a bookseller recommended Sun Tzu's The Art of War, which sparked a fascination with understanding the competitive “landscape.”As the former CEO of an online photo service acquired by Canon, he felt like a “fake CEO,” leading with stories while lacking true situational awareness. This led him to discover that almost all business “maps” were merely graphs, prompting him to develop his own mapping technique. Today, his work is used by organizations like NASA and taught at multiple MBA programs, helping leaders to “look before they leap” and navigate complex technological and market shifts, including the current disruption caused by AI.Follow Simon:LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/simonwardleyTwitter – x.com/swardleyWebsite – www.swardleymaps.comLike this episode?Show notes & transcript: techleadjournal.dev/episodes/235.Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Buy me a coffee or become a patron.

Value: After Hours is a podcast about value investing, Fintwit, and all things finance and investment by investors Tobias Carlisle, and Jake Taylor. ⁠Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking⁠ (⁠Kindle⁠)We are live every Tuesday at 1.30pm E / 10.30am P.See our latest episodes at https://acquirersmultiple.com/podcastAbout Jake Jake's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farnamjake1Jake's book: The Rebel Allocator https://amzn.to/2sgip3lABOUT THE PODCASTHi, I'm Tobias Carlisle. I launched The Acquirers Podcast to discuss the process of finding undervalued stocks, deep value investing, hedge funds, activism, buyouts, and special situations.We uncover the tactics and strategies for finding good investments, managing risk, dealing with bad luck, and maximizing success.SEE LATEST EPISODEShttps://acquirersmultiple.com/podcast/SEE OUR FREE DEEP VALUE STOCK SCREENER https://acquirersmultiple.com/screener/FOLLOW TOBIASWebsite: https://acquirersmultiple.com/Firm: https://acquirersfunds.com/ Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/GreenbackdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycarlisleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobiascarlisleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobias_carlisleABOUT TOBIAS CARLISLETobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer's Multiple®, and Acquirers Funds®. He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon's Business and Finance The Acquirer's Multiple: How the Billionaire Contrarians of Deep Value Beat the Market, the Amazon best-sellers Deep Value: Why Activists Investors and Other Contrarians Battle for Control of Losing Corporations (2014) (https://amzn.to/2VwvAGF), Quantitative Value: A Practitioner's Guide to Automating Intelligent Investment and Eliminating Behavioral Errors (2012) (https://amzn.to/2SDDxrN), and Concentrated Investing: Strategies of the World's Greatest Concentrated Value Investors (2016) (https://amzn.to/2SEEjVn). He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law.Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999).

Today's guest is Tobias Carlisle, founder of Acquirers Funds and serves as portfolio manager of the firm's deep value strategy. He's just released a book called Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking. In today's episode, Toby starts by discussing the current valuation landscape and the challenge for small cap investors. Then he explores the intersection of Warren Buffett's investment philosophy with Sun Tzu's teachings. He walks through notable investment case studies, including General Re, Burlington Northern and Japanese trading houses. The case studies all convey the significance of patience, strategic thinking, and the pursuit of asymmetric opportunities in investing, while also addressing the psychological aspects that influence investor behavior. (0:34) Introduction of Tobias Carlisle (1:32) Value investing in current market conditions (4:04) Market outlook and valuation differences across cap-sizes (10:03) Jay Powell's recent comments (13:57) Toby's new book (19:54) The Gen Re investment (26:33) Buffett's investment in Japan and Apple (32:57) Buffett's investment principles and managing FOMO (42:30) Comparing low volatility and high beta stocks ----- Follow Meb on X, LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp, Richard Thaler, Jeremy Grantham, Joel Greenblatt, Campbell Harvey, Ivy Zelman, Kathryn Kaminski, Jason Calacanis, Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran, Howard Marks, Tom Barton, and many more.  ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here!  ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Value: After Hours is a podcast about value investing, Fintwit, and all things finance and investment by investors Tobias Carlisle, and Jake Taylor. Soldier of Fortune: Warren Buffett, Sun Tzu and the Ancient Art of Risk-Taking (Kindle)We are live every Tuesday at 1.30pm E / 10.30am P.See our latest episodes at https://acquirersmultiple.com/podcastAbout Jake Jake's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farnamjake1Jake's book: The Rebel Allocator https://amzn.to/2sgip3lABOUT THE PODCASTHi, I'm Tobias Carlisle. I launched The Acquirers Podcast to discuss the process of finding undervalued stocks, deep value investing, hedge funds, activism, buyouts, and special situations.We uncover the tactics and strategies for finding good investments, managing risk, dealing with bad luck, and maximizing success.SEE LATEST EPISODEShttps://acquirersmultiple.com/podcast/SEE OUR FREE DEEP VALUE STOCK SCREENER https://acquirersmultiple.com/screener/FOLLOW TOBIASWebsite: https://acquirersmultiple.com/Firm: https://acquirersfunds.com/ Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/GreenbackdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycarlisleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobiascarlisleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobias_carlisleABOUT TOBIAS CARLISLETobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer's Multiple®, and Acquirers Funds®. He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon's Business and Finance The Acquirer's Multiple: How the Billionaire Contrarians of Deep Value Beat the Market, the Amazon best-sellers Deep Value: Why Activists Investors and Other Contrarians Battle for Control of Losing Corporations (2014) (https://amzn.to/2VwvAGF), Quantitative Value: A Practitioner's Guide to Automating Intelligent Investment and Eliminating Behavioral Errors (2012) (https://amzn.to/2SDDxrN), and Concentrated Investing: Strategies of the World's Greatest Concentrated Value Investors (2016) (https://amzn.to/2SEEjVn). He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law.Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999).

Ever wonder what separates a struggling inspector from a thriving business owner? Spoiler: it's rarely about technical knowledge.We've identified a consistent pattern—where most professionals fall short isn't in understanding building systems, but in mastering the crucial soft skills that drive business success. In this candid conversation, I reveal the five books that transformed my approach to home inspection and business ownership, and continue to serve as my go-to resources during morning routines and office days.From Robert Greene's "Laws of Human Nature," which has saved me countless headaches by teaching me to observe client behavior objectively, to Sun Tzu's surprisingly relevant "Art of War" with its business strategy gems like "let your competitor make the opening," these recommendations address the skills gap that technical training never covers. I share how Dale Carnegie's classic people skills manual dramatically improved my inspection delivery, why Jacob Goldstein's financial literacy primer should be required reading for every business owner, and how Robert Cialdini's psychology insights have helped me communicate more effectively with anxious clients.These aren't trendy self-help titles—they're practical, skill-building resources that have directly contributed to better client experiences, smoother inspections, and ultimately, a more profitable business. Whether you're a seasoned inspector or just starting out, implementing these principles could be the difference between merely surviving and truly thriving in this competitive industry. What morning routine or "office day" practice has most improved your inspection business?Check out our home inspection app at www.inspectortoolbelt.comNeed a home inspection website? See samples of our website at www.inspectortoolbelt.com/home-inspection-websites*The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, and the guests on it, do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Inspector Toolbelt and its associates.

Neste sétimo e último episódio da nossa série sobre A Arte da Guerra, chegamos ao ápice da estratégia de Sun Tzu, com os capítulos sobre "Territórios" e "Ataque com Fogo". Vamos decodificar as lições finais sobre velocidade, adaptabilidade e, o mais importante, a mentalidade que separa um líder amador de um verdadeiro mestre estrategista.

“The acme of skill,” Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, is not “to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles,” but “to subdue the enemy without fighting.” The author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare (Portfolio, 2025) has devoted much of his career to exploring how economic power can advance this goal. He served on the teams at the U.S. State Department that designed and negotiated Western sanctions against Russia after its 2014 annexation of Crimea, and whose economic pressure campaign against Iran led to a landmark nuclear deal in 2015. Economic warfare is how America fights its most important geopolitical battles today. From thwarting Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons to checking Russian imperialism and China's bid for world mastery, the United States has reached into its economic arsenal to get the job done. In the process, the world economy has become a battlefield. Its weapons take the form of sanctions, export controls, and investment restrictions. Its commanders are not generals and admirals but lawyers, diplomats, and economists. Its foot soldiers are not brave men and women who volunteer for military service but business executives who seek to maximize profits yet often find they have no option other than to obey Washington's marching orders. And America's strength in these battles stems not from its gargantuan defense budget but from its primacy in international finance and technology. This book is about this kind of war. It blends research, analysis, and extensive interviews with more than one hundred of the key players in the events described, highlighting inflection points, interpreting their significance, and pulling back the curtain on the places where economic wars have been fought. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

“The acme of skill,” Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, is not “to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles,” but “to subdue the enemy without fighting.” The author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare (Portfolio, 2025) has devoted much of his career to exploring how economic power can advance this goal. He served on the teams at the U.S. State Department that designed and negotiated Western sanctions against Russia after its 2014 annexation of Crimea, and whose economic pressure campaign against Iran led to a landmark nuclear deal in 2015. Economic warfare is how America fights its most important geopolitical battles today. From thwarting Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons to checking Russian imperialism and China's bid for world mastery, the United States has reached into its economic arsenal to get the job done. In the process, the world economy has become a battlefield. Its weapons take the form of sanctions, export controls, and investment restrictions. Its commanders are not generals and admirals but lawyers, diplomats, and economists. Its foot soldiers are not brave men and women who volunteer for military service but business executives who seek to maximize profits yet often find they have no option other than to obey Washington's marching orders. And America's strength in these battles stems not from its gargantuan defense budget but from its primacy in international finance and technology. This book is about this kind of war. It blends research, analysis, and extensive interviews with more than one hundred of the key players in the events described, highlighting inflection points, interpreting their significance, and pulling back the curtain on the places where economic wars have been fought. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

Zu Geheimdiensten gibt es viele Mythen und Verschwörungen. Thomas Riegler ist Historiker und ein absoluter Geheimdienst-Nerd. Von ihm habe ich mir erklären lassen, wie Geheimdienste wirklich arbeiten. Es ist mehr fader Bürojob als James Bond, aber trotzdem ab und zu ziemlich spektakulär. Wir reden über den Mossad, 9/11, die Atombombe, Jan Marsalek und noch viel mehr. Geheimdienste, erklärt.

“The acme of skill,” Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, is not “to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles,” but “to subdue the enemy without fighting.” The author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare (Portfolio, 2025) has devoted much of his career to exploring how economic power can advance this goal. He served on the teams at the U.S. State Department that designed and negotiated Western sanctions against Russia after its 2014 annexation of Crimea, and whose economic pressure campaign against Iran led to a landmark nuclear deal in 2015. Economic warfare is how America fights its most important geopolitical battles today. From thwarting Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons to checking Russian imperialism and China's bid for world mastery, the United States has reached into its economic arsenal to get the job done. In the process, the world economy has become a battlefield. Its weapons take the form of sanctions, export controls, and investment restrictions. Its commanders are not generals and admirals but lawyers, diplomats, and economists. Its foot soldiers are not brave men and women who volunteer for military service but business executives who seek to maximize profits yet often find they have no option other than to obey Washington's marching orders. And America's strength in these battles stems not from its gargantuan defense budget but from its primacy in international finance and technology. This book is about this kind of war. It blends research, analysis, and extensive interviews with more than one hundred of the key players in the events described, highlighting inflection points, interpreting their significance, and pulling back the curtain on the places where economic wars have been fought. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/economics

“The acme of skill,” Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, is not “to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles,” but “to subdue the enemy without fighting.” The author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare (Portfolio, 2025) has devoted much of his career to exploring how economic power can advance this goal. He served on the teams at the U.S. State Department that designed and negotiated Western sanctions against Russia after its 2014 annexation of Crimea, and whose economic pressure campaign against Iran led to a landmark nuclear deal in 2015. Economic warfare is how America fights its most important geopolitical battles today. From thwarting Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons to checking Russian imperialism and China's bid for world mastery, the United States has reached into its economic arsenal to get the job done. In the process, the world economy has become a battlefield. Its weapons take the form of sanctions, export controls, and investment restrictions. Its commanders are not generals and admirals but lawyers, diplomats, and economists. Its foot soldiers are not brave men and women who volunteer for military service but business executives who seek to maximize profits yet often find they have no option other than to obey Washington's marching orders. And America's strength in these battles stems not from its gargantuan defense budget but from its primacy in international finance and technology. This book is about this kind of war. It blends research, analysis, and extensive interviews with more than one hundred of the key players in the events described, highlighting inflection points, interpreting their significance, and pulling back the curtain on the places where economic wars have been fought. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The acme of skill,” Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, is not “to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles,” but “to subdue the enemy without fighting.” The author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare (Portfolio, 2025) has devoted much of his career to exploring how economic power can advance this goal. He served on the teams at the U.S. State Department that designed and negotiated Western sanctions against Russia after its 2014 annexation of Crimea, and whose economic pressure campaign against Iran led to a landmark nuclear deal in 2015. Economic warfare is how America fights its most important geopolitical battles today. From thwarting Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons to checking Russian imperialism and China's bid for world mastery, the United States has reached into its economic arsenal to get the job done. In the process, the world economy has become a battlefield. Its weapons take the form of sanctions, export controls, and investment restrictions. Its commanders are not generals and admirals but lawyers, diplomats, and economists. Its foot soldiers are not brave men and women who volunteer for military service but business executives who seek to maximize profits yet often find they have no option other than to obey Washington's marching orders. And America's strength in these battles stems not from its gargantuan defense budget but from its primacy in international finance and technology. This book is about this kind of war. It blends research, analysis, and extensive interviews with more than one hundred of the key players in the events described, highlighting inflection points, interpreting their significance, and pulling back the curtain on the places where economic wars have been fought. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support Our Cause at https://libri-vox.org/donate"The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it has long been praised as the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time. The Art of War is one of the oldest and most famous studies of strategy and has had a huge influence on both military planning and beyond. The Art of War has also been applied, with much success, to business and managerial strategies." (summary from Wikipedia)Donate to LibriVox: https://libri-vox.org/donate

This ancient Chinese military treatise by the mysterious Sun Tzu is one of the most influential books ever written. Internet shock-merchants and tech oligarchs swear by it, Dominic Cummings is a fan and it has inspired military leaders for 2,500 years. Why has ‘The Art Of War' lasted – and is there more to it than a manual for the manosphere and a crib-sheet for vendors of management studies snake oil? Jamie Q Roberts is a Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Sydney (and he also runs Wollemi Art Farm in the Australian Bush). He talks to Andrew Harrison about ‘The Art Of War's relevance today, its surprising spiritual dimension, and whether Trump is an unwitting apostle of Sun Tzu.   • Read Jamie's further exploration of ‘The Art Of War' on The Conversation.  • Why should the bad guys benefit from all the good advice? Buy ‘The Art Of War' through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit. • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Simon Williams. Produced by Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Art by Jim Parrett. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I see my friends there as well, and I am overflowing with tears and anger.Support the show

In this (far too long) episode, we play a quiz show with a cake as a prize. Because really, that's what every war is about: cake.

Sun Tzu: "A leader leads by example, not by force." Sun Tzu outlines the foundation of effective leadership. Influence through personal integrity and action earns genuine respect, unlike coercion, which only breeds resistance. #SunTzu #LeadershipWisdom #LeadByExample #TrueLeadership #PhilosophyOfWar#RespectOverFear #Strategy #TheArtOfWar #PowerOfExample #AncientWisdom Cryptocurrency evokes greed, and people are still falling prey to scams. From Meme to Mainstream to Scam...If the Coin is name #ScamCoin...DO NOT BUY!! They are not being ironic. Believe people when they tell you who they are.... Reports from 2025 indicate that while the number of rug pulls has decreased, the value lost to these scams has increased dramatically due to a few highly devastating incidents.  $WOLF (Wolf of Wall Street Token): Launched in March 2025, this memecoin was tied to Hayden Davis, who was also involved in the Libra scam. After rumors of a celebrity endorsement, the token's market cap surged before being drained of liquidity. tnfroisreading

Three weeks ago, we had a very special Old Masters Series show: The Art of War, Copywriting Edition. But we only covered half the book, so that made the previous episode Part 1. Today we cover the rest of the book, Chapters 7 through 13. And that makes today Part 2. Here's what you need to know: The Art of War was written by Sun Tzu (SOOON-tzeh) about 2500 years ago, as a treatise on military strategy. The Art of War reaches far beyond military warfare, however. Business overachievers like Elon Musk and Mark Benioff, founder of salesforce, are among many who have praised this book. That's because the principles in this book are universal and very powerful in any situation where you're in a struggle–and getting people to buy from the written word certainly counts as a struggle. Today you'll see exactly how Sun Tzu's principles, when applied to copy, can help you sharpen your copy, position your offers better, and persuade prospects more naturally. I've gotta tell you, I was surprised when I was preparing this how easily his principles can be applied to copy. Now, there's a reason The Art of War has lasted for more than two thousand years. It's not just because people like reading about swords and spears. It's because the way Sun Tzu thought about winning applies anywhere there's competition — whether it's two armies on a field, two companies in a market… or you, sitting at a keyboard, trying to out-sell the other guy. When you're writing copy, you're not just “putting words together.” You're maneuvering. Positioning. Adapting. Watching for the right moment to strike. If you've ever had a great piece of copy flop… or a headline you loved get ignored… or a competitor suddenly steal your customers… …you've felt the same frustration a general feels when the plan falls apart halfway through the battle. Sun Tzu didn't leave that to chance. He studied how to win before the fight began — and how to keep control until the very last move. Today, we're going to tap into the last seven chapters of his book. These are the chapters about keeping your opponent guessing… matching your tactics to the exact ground you're on… knowing when to press hard and when to pull back… and gathering the kind of intelligence that lets you win before the other side knows what happened. Download.

Tune in here to this Thursday's edition of the Brett Winterble Show! We’re joined by Gordon G. Chang, renowned author and foreign policy expert, to talk about the recent summit involving China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and its broader implications for global stability and U.S. foreign policy. Chang explains that China’s projection of strength is, in fact, a sign of weakness, referencing Sun Tzu’s strategy of appearing strong when vulnerable. He also highlights the deepening alliance between authoritarian regimes and the strategic positioning of nations like India, which showed hesitancy to fully align with anti-Western narratives. Chang warns about the dangerous missile cooperation between Iran and North Korea and raises serious concerns about China's ongoing practice of forced organ harvesting. He criticizes both the lack of U.S. response and the media’s overly sympathetic coverage of the summit, calling it a disservice to the American public. The conversation underscores the urgent need for a more informed, assertive U.S. stance on rising global threats. Listen here for all of this and more on The Brett Winterble Show! For more from Brett Winterble check out his YouTube channel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune in here to this Thursday's edition of the Brett Winterble Show! Brett kicks off the program by talking about serious commentary on RFK Jr.'s testimony before Congress, which he watched in full. Brett criticizes the conduct of several Democratic lawmakers during the hearing, describing their approach as combative and unproductive, with little interest in genuine dialogue. He expresses concern over what he sees as a troubling alliance between elected officials and pharmaceutical companies, suggesting that the hearing was more about protecting industry interests than pursuing public health reform. Citing the number of vaccinations children receive throughout their school years, he raises questions about medical transparency and informed consent. Brett concludes by urging listeners to pay attention to how power operates in Washington and to remain engaged in demanding accountability and meaningful reform from their elected leaders. We’re joined by Gordon G. Chang, renowned author and foreign policy expert, to talk about the recent summit involving China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and its broader implications for global stability and U.S. foreign policy. Chang explains that China’s projection of strength is, in fact, a sign of weakness, referencing Sun Tzu’s strategy of appearing strong when vulnerable. He also highlights the deepening alliance between authoritarian regimes and the strategic positioning of nations like India, which showed hesitancy to fully align with anti-Western narratives. Chang warns about the dangerous missile cooperation between Iran and North Korea and raises serious concerns about China's ongoing practice of forced organ harvesting. He criticizes both the lack of U.S. response and the media’s overly sympathetic coverage of the summit, calling it a disservice to the American public. The conversation underscores the urgent need for a more informed, assertive U.S. stance on rising global threats. Listen here for all of this and more on The Brett Winterble Show! For more from Brett Winterble check out his YouTube channel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JB White returns with a candid episode mixing personal updates, tech struggles, and sharp political reflections. Broadcasting from Tallahassee ahead of his upcoming hip replacement, he riffs on Trump's authority over agencies like the FBI and Federal Reserve, the fraud of Biden's “81 million votes,” and the ongoing lawfare designed to stall Trump's agenda. The centerpiece is Joe Lang's recent analysis tying together drops, Jeff Sessions, and Trump's Sun Tzu–style battle plan. JB argues that Sessions, Trey Gowdy, and Bob Goodlatte may have been playing assigned roles in a long game of counterintelligence, urging listeners not to dismiss their contributions. He frames Trump as a true wartime president, waging an internal conflict that mirrors the strategies of the Green Berets. The show closes with reflections on Bitcoin, Trump's embrace of crypto, and why the U.S. entrepreneurial spirit ensures both the dollar and digital currencies will shape the future. Raw, personal, and insightful, this episode blends Badlands grit with JB's trademark Southern candor.

Be where your enemies are not. Sun Tzu, Art of War.  Walk into your next chapter with abundance. Be at peace and strive drama-free, but I will get with you if you want to go there. (Felicia Baxter, All the Time I lay hands. ) I am not sure if Octavia Butler would agree with me using her idea, but I am at least going to write the story I wouldn't mind reading. For full podcast notes, navigate to dalesangelsinc.blog  to view the newest video releases, a preview of what I am reading, and the state of cryptocurrency. Real Housewives, where is the Real? None of ya'll are listed as producers so stop playing in our faces. What is the deal with this mean girl-ish behavior with Gina and Emily from OC? Tag team mean and nasty...get out of here. Don't ya'll have more meaningful stuff or goofy to not gang up on Katie G? Yes, massive liar liar pants on fire but still... Read more about AfroDruid Magic Elixir https://linktr.ee/tnfroisreading Racing to Buy Crypto!!!

  Be where your enemies are not. Sun Tzu, Art of War.  Walk into your next chapter with abundance. Be at peace and strive drama-free, but I will get with you if you want to go there. (Felicia Baxter, All the Time I lay hands. )   For full podcast notes, navigate to dalesangelsinc.blog  to view newest video releases a preview what I am reading and the state of crytocurrency.   Read more about AfroDruid Magic Elixir https://linktr.ee/tnfroisreading Racing to Buy Crypto!!!

Most copywriters know the classics of our field—but today we're drawing from a master whose work predates modern advertising by more than two millennia. In this episode of Copywriters Podcast, we're unpacking Sun Tzu's The Art of War—a book written over 2,500 years ago, yet still shaping strategy for business titans like Elon Musk and Marc Benioff. While it was originally written as a guide to military conquest, The Art of War has long been praised for its universal principles of strategy and persuasion. The battlefield may have been different, but the parallels to winning in business—and especially in copywriting—are undeniable. In this episode, we'll show you how to translate Sun Tzu's wisdom into practical tactics for the written word. You'll discover how ancient principles of planning, positioning, and persuasion can sharpen your copy, strengthen your offers, and give you the edge in today's competitive marketplace. What's surprising is how naturally these lessons map to the challenges copywriters face every day. From anticipating objections, to winning quickly before attention fades, to making your offer feel like the natural choice—Sun Tzu laid out the playbook centuries before advertising even existed. This is part one of a two-part series, covering the first six chapters of The Art of War. If you've ever felt like writing copy is a battle for attention and trust, this episode will give you a fresh perspective—and some timeless strategies—to help you win more often.Download.

Sunday's should be for meditation and contemplation. Maybe going to the gun range for target practice. Saturday and the rest of previous week is for podcasting… “In the Midst of Chaos, There is Also Opportunity”: Embracing Adaptability No plan, however brilliant, survives first contact with the enemy—or the market. Sun Tzu was a master of understanding changing conditions. He stressed the importance of adapting tactics based on the situation at hand. “According to the enemy's formation, we adjust our own. Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing.”   This week's episode I discuss Crypto Ponzi Schemes, use an AI generated guest host to summarize Stephen King's Holly, explain how Shannon Sharpe gives away generational wealth so a Only Fans Model can retire... #ShameaMorton is strategic and getting ready to walk into her greatness. Carlos King proves why he is the King of  Reality TV.  Navigate to the extended post on my Dale's Angels Inc Blog to get news items and full YouTube video. Read more about AfroDruid Magic Elixir https://linktr.ee/tnfroisreading Racing to Buy Crypto!!! Yes, I can...Create my coin...Our rituals involve burning zeroes. Read about the financial evolution #AfroDruids $ROOTS Initial Sprouting https://tr.ee/8SIz1J4rNI Contact us on: Blue Sky: @tvfoodwinegirl.bsky.social Threads: www.threads.net/@tnfroisreading Instagram: @tnfroisreading Facebook: TNFroIsReading Bookclub You know your girl is on her hustle, support the show by navigating to: Dale's Angel's Store...For Merch Promo Code: tnfro Writer's Block Coffee Ship A Bag of Dicks Promo Code: tnfrogotjokes Don't forget to drop me a line at tnfroisreading@gmail.com, comments on the show, or suggestions for Far From Beale St additions. #CryptoTrading #CryptoAirdrop #CryptoAlert @akrapheal  #AfroDruids #crypto #cryptocurrency #memecoin with a mission

Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher who lived in the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China. Sun Tzu stresses the importance of knowing one's own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of the enemy, to gain a strategic advantage.  Avoiding Unnecessary Conflict: A core principle is to avoid battle whenever possible, seeking to subdue the enemy through diplomacy or other means before resorting to direct confrontation.   • Psychological Warfare:  Involves manipulating the enemy's perception and actions, not engaging in personal attacks or pettiness.  I am NOT a communist sympathizer, but China got the scratch to be about that life… ***China seems to think the US wants the smoke, so China is like... bring it. I hope it is true that while they leave the MAGA trade negotiators on read, China is playing Obama speeches…I want this to be true #pettylujah From Epstein's files cover-up, to attempting to gaslight Jerome Powell, to believing the cost of a building completed 5 years ago has anything to do with current renovations, and Mr. Powell will not be bullied into crashing the world economy. Unless someone is getting handcuffed, super-sized because of swelling, due to the association with that dead pedophile, or an actual plan to reduce the deficit, I don't care about these stupid news items. They are a distraction from reality.  Crypto really is the wild, wild west. Thieves working hard to appear legit, why not work hard and just be legit? Anyone contacting you randomly on social media, trying to get you to invest your money or help them steal, is a scam. So BOLO (be on the lookout) Read more about AfroDruid Magic Elixir https://linktr.ee/tnfroisreading Racing to Buy Crypto!!! Yes, I can...Create my coin...Our rituals involve burning zeroes. Read about the financial evolution #AfroDruids $ROOTS Initial Sprouting https://tr.ee/8SIz1J4rNI   Contact us on: Blue Sky: @tvfoodwinegirl.bsky.social Threads: www.threads.net/@tnfroisreading Instagram: @tnfroisreading Facebook: TNFroIsReading Bookclub   You know your girl is on her hustle, support the show by navigating to: Dale's Angel's Store...For Merch Promo Code: tnfro Writer's Block Coffee Ship A Bag of Dicks Promo Code: tnfrogotjokes Don't forget to drop me a line at tnfroisreading@gmail.com, comments on the show, or suggestions for Far From Beale St additions.   #CryptoTrading #CryptoAirdrop #CryptoAlert @akrapheal  #AfroDruids #crypto #cryptocurrency #memecoin with a mission    

Michael Savage examines the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. He discusses the divided opinions in America about whether the U.S. should intervene. He shares comments from his listeners on the conflict.  He discusses what he has learned about combating radical Islam from Dr. Zuhdi Jasser of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy. Savage highlights the sentiments of Iranians who hope Israeli actions could lead to governmental change in Iran. He shares insights from the National Council of Resistance of Iran and Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who express optimism about a post-regime future. Savage then references Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War,' emphasizing the role of deception in military strategy, and speculates on possible Iranian retaliations, including the threat within the USA.