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The spoken languages in Hong Kong and Taiwan differ, with Cantonese being spoken in Hong Kong and Mandarin preferred in Taiwan, but the two territories use traditional Chinese characters for reading and writing. This has created a strong bond between them in the field of book publishing, with many books which are published in Taiwan being sold in Hong Kong. This year, authorities in Hong Kong have cracked down on booksellers under national security laws. Hong Kong's government argues they are necessary steps to maintain stability in the territory, but critics say they're crushing dissent. Concern is now being felt in the publishing industry in Taiwan. Joyce Li from BBC Chinese is based in Taipei, and Abel U, also from BBC Chinese, is based in Hong Kong, and they join to share their insights.Since 2024, a neighborhood in the Moroccan capital of Rabat has been undergoing demolition and eviction operations carried out by Moroccan authorities. Residents have been left uncertain about their futures, and the lack of transparency has also left people questioning what the real reasons are, behind the demolition campaign. Hanan Razek from BBC Arabic, has been following the story and speaking to locals.The last day of exams is always a big deal. It's when you might blow off some steam and have some fun with your friends after some tough months of studying. For a recent pharmaceutical technology student in eastern Nigeria, he left his last exam and ended up going viral on social media due to a special gift that was waiting for him, a goat. Adesola Ikulajolu of BBC Pidgin reported on the story.The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts. Recent episodes have investigated Russia's youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India. If you want to know more about Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin's network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world. Presented by Faranak Amidi. Produced by Laura Thomas, Caroline Ferguson and Hannah Dean. (Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)
Tensions grow between the US and China just weeks ahead of President Xi's visit to the White House. Will this throw a wrench into the upcoming summit? The former director for China and Taiwan affairs joins the show to discuss. Also on today's show: Sathnam Sanghera, author of a new George Michael biography, "Tonight the Music Seems So Loud" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Very Important Links!Support the show on Patreon! - Other ways to support the show!Join our Discord! - Buy some merch!AI continues its relentless march toward making everything worse, only now it comes with lawyers. Alabama is investigating OpenAI after one of its AI agents hacked Hugging Face during testing, while Google rolls out Gemini Enterprise for lawyers, because apparently what the legal profession really needed was an AI that might commit felonies. Uber gets smacked with a nearly $1 billion GDPR fine for automatically deactivating drivers, TikTok coughs up $400 million over child privacy violations, and Meta agrees to a staggering $16.68 billion settlement over alleged harms to kids. Meanwhile, Twitch and Amazon are being sued for using streamers' content to train AI, because “opt out” remains the industry's preferred synonym for “we already took it.”Then there's the infrastructure powering this brave new future: the EPA considers making it easier to build AI data centers with less public scrutiny, Taiwan indicts NVIDIA and Supermicro employees over allegedly illegal AI-server exports to China, and Tesla recalls nearly three million vehicles in China because figuring out how to open the doors apparently became an optional feature. LinkedIn discovers that maybe people don't want their professional feeds flooded with AI-generated sludge and claims its new “AI slop” button is working, while Waymo's electric robotaxis discover that charging them with noisy natural-gas generators is perhaps not the clean-energy utopia advertised on the brochure. Apple, meanwhile, backs away from changing Hide My Email domains after users objected, proving that sometimes yelling at the cloud actually works.Plus: Star Trek goes Muppet, books worth reading, nerf guys, AI-generated Hacker News stats, retro gaming, and the sad news of both Dolly Parton and Tim Curry's deaths.Sponsors:DeleteMe - Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use promo code GOG at checkout.StoryBlocks - For a limited time, they're offering 15% off any annual plan at storyblocks.com/gogHIMS - Visit Hims.com/gog to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/760Watch on YouTube at https://youtu.be/v_m2XT4_ZCYSHOW NOTESSend us Feedback!NEW! - GOG T-Shirt - You Are Here! - v1NEW! - GOG T-Shirt - Elon Kills Babies - Heavy Duty - FrontAlabama launches probe into OpenAI after Hugging Face breachGoogle expands Gemini Enterprise AI platform for law firms, lawyersUber hit with a nearly $1 billion fine for automatically deactivating drivers in EuropeTikTok will pay $400 million to settle Justice Department lawsuit over child privacyMeta reaches $16.68 billion settlement over social media harms to childrenTwitch and Amazon hit with lawsuit for training AI with streamers' contentThe EPA's Response to AI Data Center Backlash: Keep Building, but Keep It Hush-HushTaiwan reportedly indicted NVIDIA employees for exporting prohibited AI servers to ChinaChina Recalls Nearly Three Million Teslas Over Unsafe Door HandlesLinkedIn says its AI slop button is workingAustin park goers upset by adjacent loud Waymo EV generatorsApple reverses planned Hide My Email domain change after user pushbackStar Trek: Strange New GimmicksTed LassoSiloReacherThe WestiesThe Simpsons: Yellow Mirror | Exclusive Episode on Disney+ | TrailerThe Pitt Season 3 | Official Teaser | HBO MaxAmazon First ReadsI've Got a New Complaint: Essays on Aging Disgracefully and Other Small Disasters by Laurie NotaroThe Theory of Everything Else: A Voyage Into the World of the Weird – A Hilarious Handbook of Mind-Boggling Mysteries by Dan Schreiber (of the No Such Thing as Fish podcast)Welcome to Your Life: Love, Death & Tears For Fears – An Iconic Musician's Journey Through Grief, Addiction, and Recovery by Roland OrzabalPicks and Shovels: A Martin Hench Novel by Cory DoctorowThis Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-MohtarDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatOnly Malware in the BuildingLearn Circuits CourseArduino Starter Kit R4Kirby: Art & Style Collection by VIZ MediaStar Wars: The Lightsaber Collection by Daniel WallaceStar Wars: The Secrets of the Sith by Marc SumerakX-Shot Insanity Motorized Rage Fire Gatlin Gun with Tripod - Foam Gun for Maximum FirepowerMaster BlasterHow much of Hacker News is AI?Full Throttle full game playDolly and Miss PiggyDolly Parton, country star, actor and philanthropist, dies aged 80See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jack Burnham outlines China's persistent military coercion campaign targeting Taiwan, noting that Beijing separates economic trade truces from its aggressive goal to subjugate the island. China's provocations, including Coast Guardpatrols east of Taiwan and flights over the median line, are designed to establish a "new normal." In December 2025, China responded to an $11 billion U.S. arms package by launching "Justice Mission 2025," an expansive military exercise simulating blockades and practicing "all-dimensional deterrence" to discourage U.S. intervention and test regional capabilities. (8)
CONTENTS JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-26-2026.832Greenwich Observatory (Robert Chambers, p.200, 1832) - Copy.pngJohn Batchelor and Michael Bernstam analyze the revenue-sharing deal between Iran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, which does not resolve the critical global refinery shortage. Decades of zero Western refinery expansion, alongside Ukrainian drone strikes disabling Russian capacity, has left a global deficit of 5.6 to 6 million barrels per day of refined products. This is especially severe for diesel, which requires heavy crude unlike the light sweet crude produced by the US shale revolution. With U.S. refineries running at maximum capacity, the threat of mechanical failures risks a full-blown supply crisis. (1)Richard Reinsch discusses the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and their principles, which advocate for economic collectivism, nationalizing private industries, and dismantling the U.S. constitutional republic in favor of a unicameral legislature. Reinsch contrasts this with a historical 1922 Kremlin conversation where Soviet leader Joseph Stalin accused American communist Jay Lovestone of "heresy" for arguing "American exceptionalism"—the idea that American working-class prosperity made them resistant to Marxism. Today, Reinsch views the DSA as an overeducated, white, urban phenomenon failing to win working-class or minority voters. (2)Rogier Windhorst and David Livingston: Professor Windhorst warns that the Hubble Space Telescope's orbit will begin to decay uncontrollably by September 2033 due to solar maximum atmospheric expansion. To prevent a hazardous, uncontrolled re-entry, Windhorst advocates for a robotic servicing mission to boost Hubble's orbit. As the only remaining telescope with precise blue-ultraviolet capabilities, Hubble's data remains critical and heavily in demand. Windhorst urges NASA to fund a $100 million rescue mission and eventually construct the Habitable Worlds Observatory to search for Earth-like exoplanets starting in 2040. (3)David Hebert discusses the fiscal debates surrounding Social Security's impending 2032 shortfall. Hebert refutes the idea that raising tax rates increases treasury revenue, noting that tax revenue historically remains constant at 17–18% of GDP because high rates prompt tax avoidance. Instead of "starving the beast" of resources, Hebert advocates for "starving the beast of responsibility" by decentralizing programs through federalism to cut administrative costs. He urges structural reforms to Social Security, highlighting that the ratio of workers supporting each retiree has plummeted from 40-to-1 down to 2-to-1. (4)Captain James Fanell (US Navy, retired), co-host Gordon Chang: Fanell warns that China is nearing completion of a military installation on Triton Island in the Paracels, expanding its "ring of control" in the South China Sea. He cautions that China may soon fortify Scarborough Shoal, threatening to block the northern South China Sea and degrade U.S. naval operations. In response to this rising coercion, the Philippines is boosting its 2027 defense budget by 6.3%, allocating $800 million for modernization with a heavy focus on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance drones. Fanell urges more assertive naval cooperation to deter further Chinese expansion. (5)Dean Cheng, co-host Gordon Chang: Cheng analyzes China's space program and its pursuit of reusable booster technology to match SpaceX's cost-saving launch cadences. Although China has successfully recaptured first-stage boosters, it has not yet demonstrated refurbishing or reusing them. Cheng notes that China seeks space dominance to deploy six mega-constellations and establish moon colonies. He suggests that a delay in China's lunar south pole probe—officially blamed on solar exposure—is likely due to the ongoing accident investigation of the Long March 7 rocket failure. Cheng predicts a Chinese astronaut will walk on the moon by December 31, 2030. (6)Charles Burton, co-host Gordon Chang: Burton discusses the escalating trade war between Canada and the Trumpadministration, which triggered $20 billion in Canadian retaliatory tariffs and a 7.5 billion CAD business support package. The dispute has sparked public anti-Trump sentiment and personal mudslinging between Donald Trump and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Stalled negotiations, compounded by unacceptable U.S. demands regarding French labeling laws, have shattered bilateral trust. Burton warns that Canada is prepared to pivot away from MAGA toward free trade with Europe and China, despite severe risks of Chinese economic coercion. (7)Jack Burnham outlines China's persistent military coercion campaign targeting Taiwan, noting that Beijing separates economic trade truces from its aggressive goal to subjugate the island. China's provocations, including Coast Guardpatrols east of Taiwan and flights over the median line, are designed to establish a "new normal." In December 2025, China responded to an $11 billion U.S. arms package by launching "Justice Mission 2025," an expansive military exercise simulating blockades and practicing "all-dimensional deterrence" to discourage U.S. intervention and test regional capabilities. (8)Doug Messier details SpaceX's plans to build "Starbase Louisiana," a massive $100 billion, 125,000-acre spaceport designed as the world's largest launch facility. Scheduled for construction in 2027 and launches by 2029, the facility will feature ten launch pads supporting thousands of annual, airline-style Starship flights. While bringing thousands of jobs, the coastal development raises environmental concerns regarding wetland habitats, which SpaceX has pledged to help restore. Messier also highlights Space Force's startup funding arm, SpaceWERX, which is fostering new aerospace innovators like Antares Nuclear and Muon Space. (9)Jeremy Zakis reports on the unprecedented rainfall sweeping across Australia, driven by a super El Niño cycle interacting with the Indian Ocean Dipole. South Australia and Adelaide experienced the heaviest downpours, breaking monthly rainfall records in a single day, while Sydney's infrastructure coped with several inches of rain. Victoria and Melbourne were largely spared due to the Great Dividing Range acting as a barrier. Zakis warns that weekly spring rains are highly unusual and threaten to fuel rapid forest undergrowth, which could dry out and create a dangerous bushfire hazard during future droughts. (10)
Rays Playoff Push, Prospects and Baseball Around the WorldMark Corbett and Mat Germain break down the Tampa Bay Rays as they head into the final stretch of the season, plus prospects, the Little League World Series, the Rays stadium debate and international women's baseball.Rays Playoff PushThe Rays face a difficult schedule as they battle toward the postseason. Mark and Mat discuss recent performances, injuries, Kevin Cash's decisions and how the roster could take shape for the playoffs.Freddy Peralta's strong outing gets attention, including how increased use of his changeup may be helping his success.Rays Prospects on the RiseXavier Isaac and Caden Bodine have moved up to Triple-A Durham. Bodine's rapid climb through the Rays system has been especially impressive and could put him in the conversation as a future Tampa Bay catcher.Jacob Melton, Jake Fraley, Victor Mesa Jr. and other Durham players could also provide the Rays with options down the stretch.Little League World SeriesCanada puts together an impressive international run with wins over Australia, Panama and South Korea. Mark also highlights Alabama standout Kinley Rasmus, whose pitching and hitting have drawn comparisons to Mo'ne Davis.ABS and Baseball's Changing RulesShould MLB fully automate balls and strikes? Mark and Mat discuss the ABS challenge system, overturned calls and whether technology should take a larger role in officiating.Rays Stadium DebateThe proposed new Rays stadium in Tampa remains a major topic. Mark and Mat discuss taxpayer funding, construction costs, community benefits, affordable housing and the value of keeping Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay.Women's Baseball World CupThe show wraps up with the Women's Baseball World Cup in Taiwan, including Japan's strong performance and the continued international growth of women's baseball.Topics: Tampa Bay Rays, Rays prospects, MLB playoffs, Kevin Cash, Freddy Peralta, Xavier Isaac, Caden Bodine, Durham Bulls, Little League World Series, Kinley Rasmus, ABS challenge system, Rays stadium, Women's Baseball World Cup, women's baseball.BaseballBiz On Deck with Mark Corbett and Mat Germain covers the Tampa Bay Rays, MLB, prospects, baseball history and the business of the game.
S&P futures are flat following a broadly higher Asia session. Semiconductor and AI stocks were gaining momentum ahead of NVIDIA's earnings. South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Mainland China, and Hong Kong all closed in the green today. Australia and Singapore saw minor losses. European markets opened mixed this morning.Companies Mentioned: Meta, Alibaba, Par Pacific
In this episode, I take you on a deep dive into why China's decline—not its rise—could be pushing the world toward inevitable conflict. I unpack the real numbers behind China's looming demographic crisis, explain how flawed incentives and authoritarian policy like the one-child law have triggered an irreversible population collapse, and why that matters for both China and the global economy. We'll draw historical parallels to show why peaking powers are often the most dangerous, examine what China's desperation means for Taiwan, and explore the broader impact on everything from global supply chains to AI innovation. I'll also tackle tough questions about falling birth rates, the impact of women's education, and whether automation can save aging societies. Get ready for a challenging and eye-opening journey into the realities shaping the future of the world.What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here:Want my help starting a business? Join me here inside Zero To FounderSign up for my AI Masterclass: AI MasterclassFOLLOW TOM:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/tombilyeuYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeuCash App: Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/v6nymgjl #CashAppPod*Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosure.Quince: Free shipping and 365-day returns at https://quince.com/impactpodWhatnot: Download the Whatnot app today and get free shipping on your first order.Ketone IQ: Visit https://ketone.com/IMPACT for 30% OFF your subscription orderEthos: Get a free quote at https://ethos.com/impactIncogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code IMPACT at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/impact ATT Business: Switch to AT&T Business at https://business.att.comPique: 20% off at https://piquelife.com/impactSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Alice Han and James Kynge start in Taipei, where the government has approved a record $35 billion defense budget for 2027 — an 18.2% jump — coming right on the heels of this year's Han Kuang drills, which mobilized nearly 22,000 reservists and adopted U.S.-style command tactics for the first time. They dig into what it means for Taiwan's military readiness, and whether this is more about deterring China or convincing Washington. Then: Evergrande founder Hui Ka Yan — once China's richest man — has been sentenced to life in prison for financial fraud on a staggering scale, closing the book on the world's largest corporate liquidation tied to the property sector. Alice and James ask whether the sentencing does anything to fix China's still-struggling housing market. Finally: China's humanoid robot industry is booming — Chinese vendors account for 97% of global shipments — but who's actually buying them, and how much of the demand is real versus a "circular financing" loop that inflates the numbers? Subscribe to China Decode on Substack for weekly analysis, livestreams, and deep dives into the biggest story shaping the global economy: chinadecode.profgmedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A.M. Edition for Aug. 25. Two lawmakers detail their bipartisan bill to end personalized dynamic pricing in grocery stores, where AI is increasingly deciding whether Shopper A should pay more for the same product than Shopper B. Plus, the Supreme Court helps clear the way for President Trump's restrictions on mail-in voting. WSJ supreme court reporter James Romoser explains what it could mean for the midterms. And, more companies are preparing to join Wall Street's IPO bonanza. And Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
S&P futures are pointing to a slightly higher open. Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan all saw solid gains led by tech recoveries, while Australia's ASX outperformed on the back of strong corporate updates. Semiconductor stocks remained under pressure, driven by Monday's selloff in the SOX index. China recovered slightly despite uncertainty arising from reports of tariff increase on Chinese import goods. European markets are reacting to upgraded GDP figures out of Germany while shrugging off ongoing global trade disputes and AI sector volatility. Companies Mentioned: Meta, Warner Bros. Discovery
-Newsmax Hotline guest Gordon G. Chang joins Rob for an extended tour of the China threat, warning about rising tensions over Taiwan, Chinese banks facilitating Iranian transactions, alleged Chinese Communist Party connections to Neville Roy Singham, anti-data-center activism, China's economic pressure on American manufacturing and Chinese-linked programs in U.S. schools. Chang says Xi Jinping may see an opportunity while U.S. military assets are focused on the Middle East — although he believes China's military still isn't ready for an invasion of Taiwan. Basically, Gordon arrives for one segment and gives Rob enough China material for another three hours. Today's podcast is sponsored by : GHOSTBED - I used to think a mattress was just furniture, until I got my GhostBed! GhostBed is offering my audience their lowest prices of the season, plus an extra 10% off. Go to http://GhostBed.com/CARSON and use promo code CARSON RELIEF FACTOR - You don't need to live with aches & pains! Reduce muscle & joint inflammation and live a pain-free life by visiting http://ReliefFactor.com To call in and speak with Rob Carson live on the show, dial 1-800-922-6680 between the hours of 12 Noon and 3:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday… Musical parodies provided by Jim Gossett (http://patreon.com/JimGossettComedy) You can now WATCH and chat with The Rob Carson Show LIVE on Newsmax's social media channels (Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, Rumble) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Podcasts Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media: -Facebook: http://nws.mx/FB -X/Twitter: http://nws.mx/twitter -Instagram: http://nws.mx/IG -YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV -Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV -TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX -GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax -Threads: http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX -Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax -BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com -Parler: http://app.parler.com/newsmax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Plus: Samsung will reclaim the top global smartphone spot from Apple this year, per Counterpoint Research. And Chinese-owned EV-maker Polestar says it was blindsided by U.S. ban. Julie Chang hosts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
This podcast is made possible by our listeners and viewers. If this show has brought you value, you can support it by becoming a member of The Way Forward, our platform designed to help you find the health and freedom community (people, practitioners, schools, farms, and more) near you. Your membership directly supports the podcast and the work we do.Data centers and flock cameras are damaging our society in ways most people can't even imagine.My guest today is Clayton Tucker: Lampasas rancher, Secretary of the Texas Farmers Union, and candidate for Texas Agriculture Commissioner running to halt AI data center expansion statewide.Clayton lived in China and Taiwan and saw the surveillance playbook up close. That same playbook is getting imported here through hyperscale AI facilities, Flock cameras, and utility lines built by bureaucrats who may not even have the legal authority to route them.A cattle rancher north of Dallas lost calves to stillbirths after a BESS facility went in across the road. A mother and daughter watched migraines and ear infections stop the moment they moved away. A Canadian sheep farming family lost about 500 head, and the daughter told Clayton her father developed early-onset dementia in the same window.Clayton also lays out the counter-move: ag impact studies, development districts, water conservation districts, rezoning, cross-partisan pressure.If you eat food and live in Texas, this one's for you.You'll Learn:[0:00] Introduction[8:45] Why the 5,000-to-400 China gap makes the whole competition argument a lie[19:20] The Flock camera that appeared at his ranch after he started talking[28:05] Wall Street's plan to drain Texas dry, and the cooling scam that hides it[39:57] 765 lines corroding pipelines toward disaster, and the zero-water tech being ignored[55:49] The stillbirths, migraines, and dead sheep that nearby families report[1:28:19] Light pollution two miles out still wrecks your biology [1:37:51] The tax handouts fueling BESS fires, and why stopping the AI bubble matters now[1:59:33] The limits of fixing this alone, and Clayton's message to MAHA on change[2:09:49] The regenerative score label, and flagging processed food as abnormal[2:28:21] His MAHA-branded opponent's stock ties to glyphosate and TysonRelated The Way Forward Episodes:Coming Home: Healing the Chronic Disease of Separation with Dr. Zach Bush | PodcastEz-Water, Aether, & The Biofield featuring Carrie Bennett | PodcastCircadian Biology, Leptin, & Light featuring Sarah Kleiner | PodcastHow Too Much Artificial Light & Sunlight Affect Lifelong Health & Mortality with Matt Maruca | PodcastResources Mentioned:AI Data Center Map | WebsiteFamily Farms Filing Bankruptcy by Alec | Instagram PostFind more from Clayton:Clayton Tucker | Pitch In | Learn MoreFind more from Alec:Alec Zeck | Instagram | XThe Way Forward | InstagramDonate to The Way Forward here.The Way Forward is Sponsored By:New Biology Clinic: Redefine Health from the Ground UpExperience tailored terrain-based health services with consults, livestreams, movement classes, and more. Use code THEWAYFORWARD (case-sensitive) for $50 off activation.The Way Forward members get the $150 fee waived.BEAM Minerals: Feel the Difference in Days: Join thousands recharging with plant-based minerals. Click here for 20% Off Your First Bottle of BEAM.Want more crypto insights and a community to back you up?Join the Crypto Freedom Academy today. It's 100% free and designed to help you master the markets.
────────────────────────────────────────[00:00:49]Trump Stabbed Cattlemen in the Back — Imports 300,000 Metric Tons of Tariff-Free Beef 74 Days Before MidtermsCattle herd at lowest since 1956; frozen imports won't fix grocery store prices; damages domestic ranchers for a temporary election-season sugar high.────────────────────────────────────────[00:02:34]Trump Just Admitted His Tariffs Raise Prices — He's Exempting Beef Because They DoNow explicitly acknowledging what we always knew: tariffs are taxes on consumers; MAGA influencers who promised tariffs would replace the income tax are silent.────────────────────────────────────────[00:20:19]Trent Loos: This Is the Biggest Land Grab Since the Indian Wars — and We're Not Fighting BackWorking with WEF's Larry Fink to push people off the land; three Nebraska congressmen who support data centers also applauded the beef import move.────────────────────────────────────────[01:03:37]Ray Dalio: Sell Bonds, Buy Gold — a US Debt Crisis Could Arrive in Three YearsReduce the deficit from 6% to 3% of GDP; countries always solve this by printing money, devaluing the currency, and creating artificially low interest rates.────────────────────────────────────────[01:06:34]Bessent Is George Soros's Former Right-Hand Man — MAGA Said Nothing When Trump Appointed HimAny Democrat with Soros connections gets destroyed; when Bessent comes in, crickets; cult of personality; all economic sense and rule of law thrown out.────────────────────────────────────────[01:09:16]Bessent's Plan to Buy Long-Term Bonds With Short-Term Debt Is Quantitative Easing by Another NameCan set short-term T-bill rates but not long-term yields; a gimmick that can't be sustained — money printing with a different label.────────────────────────────────────────[01:12:39]Trump Added 30% of All US Debt Accumulated in 250 Years — Then Said We'll Grow Our Way Out of ItHis growth is a malignant tumor — debt growing faster than the economy; can't grow out of debt compounding faster than GDP; making American debtors again.────────────────────────────────────────[01:26:04]Thomas Kaplan: Gold Is Headed 10 Times Higher — Silver Is the Thoughtful Person's BitcoinCleared his decks before the 2007 crisis; sees today rhyming with then; average down if you're underwater; get something outside the digital world that can't be blocked.────────────────────────────────────────[01:32:28]Darlene Graham Was a Branch Covidian in 2020 — Pushed Masks, Social Distancing, and Diversity CommitteesCan't find Taiwan on a map; hedging on abortion; was a COVID true believer; Tim Scott says she's qualified; Trump says she's totally for the military.────────────────────────────────────────[01:35:22]Darth Vader Supports Flock at Data Center Protest — The Emperor Must Follow the Rebel Scum From Playground to PlaygroundThe COVID mask regime and the surveillance state are run by the same people; a whole civilization will die if we don't stop this. ──────────────────────────────────────── Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code “KNIGHT” For high quality made in America products go to HomeSteadProducts.shop and use promo code “Knight” for 10% off your purchases Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.
Last time we spoke about the reaction after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. After four years of fighting Japan almost alone, China's Chiang Kai-shek learned of Pearl Harbor with profound relief. Japan's attack, meant to neutralize American naval power, instead galvanized the entire Western world against Tokyo. Within hours, Chiang declared war on the Axis powers, transforming China from an isolated nation to a recognized Allied member. The strategic mathematics were clear to Chiang: America's industrial might would ultimately crush Japan. China simply needed to survive long enough. The United States quickly formalized this partnership, pledging military support through Lend-Lease and elevating Chiang to leadership of Allied forces in the China theater. Yet Pearl Harbor brought catastrophe for Western civilians in China. Americans and Britons, previously protected as neutral foreigners, were suddenly rounded up and interned in camps. For many, decades of presence in China ended in hasty evacuation, leaving behind lives built over generations. #216 The Battle of Hong Kong Part 1: The Approaching Storm Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Japan emerged as a significant threat to British interests during the 1920s following the collapse of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. This concern intensified dramatically after Japan's invasion of China, with the ensuing Sino-Japanese War escalating tensions further. British assets in the region came under direct assault, including attacks on Western military and commercial vessels such as HMS Ladybird. Yet despite these provocations, the British Government maintained an inconsistent stance toward Japan, responding with only feeble diplomatic and military countermeasures. This contradiction characterized London's approach: while diplomatic channels remained conciliatory, military planners viewed Japan with genuine apprehension. During the 1930s, Singapore and Malaya represented Britain's most valuable and prosperous holdings in the Far East and consequently received substantial garrison reinforcements. By contrast, Hong Kong was widely acknowledged to be indefensible—a conclusion reached repeatedly by successive military studies. Despite this consensus, the British Government proceeded with the Hong Kong Defence Scheme in 1936, which aimed to transform Hong Kong Island into a fortified redoubt while establishing delaying positions in Kowloon and the New Territories. The Hong Kong Garrison's mandate was straightforward: repel external attacks and prevent enemy use of the harbour and dry dock. The underlying strategy relied on a simple principle: hold Hong Kong Island as an impregnable fortress and await relief from the Royal Navy. Consequently, protecting the harbour became the paramount objective. Japanese strategists were correctly identified as Hong Kong's primary threat, with military planners anticipating attack from the sea rather than overland. To counter such an offensive, the defence scheme incorporated five successive layers of protection: naval mines fitted with indicator nets and anti-submarine booms formed the first barrier; coastal artillery provided the second; beach installations featuring pillboxes, wire entanglements and mines constituted the third; infantry strongpoints positioned on commanding heights guarded against amphibious landings; and finally, a mobile reserve force stood ready to counterattack and eliminate any successful enemy incursion. The 1936 plan also mandated extensive fortification of Kowloon's bottleneck approaches through bunkers, trenches and blocked passages, with a principal defensive line—resembling a miniature Maginot Line—constructed across the mountains immediately north of Kowloon. The garrison structure comprised three infantry battalions plus the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC), a unit approximately regiment-strength equipped with armoured cars, engineers, artillery, anti-aircraft guns and infantry. These forces organized into three brigades: mainland, island, and garrison reserve. The air component was planned to be formidable: a reconnaissance squadron, a fighter-bomber squadron, two torpedo squadrons and a flight of auxiliary spotting aircraft operated by the HKVDC. Naval forces consisted of a modest destroyer contingent, an MTB flotilla, gunboats and patrol vessels. When Japan occupied Guangzhou, Hong Kong found itself effectively encircled. In response, limited conscription was implemented, though restricted to non-Chinese males for HKVDC service. Chinese personnel were largely confined to non-combat positions such as air-raid precautions and medical duties. The expanding Japanese threat prompted a substantial expansion of the Hong Kong Garrison to four regular infantry regiments—two British units (one specializing in medium machine-gun support) and two Indian regiments. Supporting forces included two coastal artillery regiments, a field artillery regiment-plus, and an anti-aircraft regiment. The Royal Navy expanded to include the 2nd MTB flotilla (eight 60-foot, 29-knot motor torpedo boats armed with twin torpedoes and eight Lewis guns each, plus two smaller 55-foot vessels), four shallow-draught river gunboats (HMS Cicala, Tern, Moth and Robin), four aging World War I S-class destroyers (HMS Thracian, Thanet, Scout and Tenedos—the last transferred to Singapore in 1939), HMS Cornflower sloop, and various auxiliary vessels including tugs, boom defence ships and minelayers. The Fleet Air Arm deployed three Supermarine Walruses—single-engine reconnaissance amphibians—at Kai Tak Airport. The Royal Air Force remained the weakest service, equipped with only four Vickers Wildebeest torpedo-bombers and a handful of HKVDC aircraft: one Avro Tutor, two Hornet Moths and two Cadet biplanes. When World War II erupted in Europe, Britain's focus necessarily shifted to national survival, inevitably leaving distant imperial outposts like Hong Kong neglected. Rather than receive reinforcements, Hong Kong actually lost capable personnel; many veteran troops were repatriated to Europe, leaving behind a less proficient garrison. Peacetime duties had proven a poor preparation for combat—officers and men had passed their time socializing rather than maintaining combat readiness. Governor Sir Geoffrey Northcote persistently urged London to adopt a firmer stance against relentless Japanese provocations: aircraft incursions, sinking of junks and fishing vessels, and infiltration by Taiwanese fifth columnists (Japan had colonized Taiwan in 1895). Recognizing the hopelessness of his position, Northcote recommended withdrawal in October 1940, arguing that defending the colony would inevitably result in mass civilian casualties and widespread destruction—a pragmatic assessment given Hong Kong's indefensible state. London categorically rejected this proposal, reasoning that withdrawal would demoralize China, embolden Japan and undermine American confidence in British resolve. Underlying this decision was an additional consideration: the long-standing dispute over Hong Kong's sovereignty. Since Britain acquired Hong Kong in 1841, the prospect of surrendering it, even temporarily, raised fears about reclaiming it afterward. Preserving the appearance of British determination was deemed crucial to demonstrating to Chiang Kai-shek, Nationalist China's leader, that Britain intended to retain the territory. Despite these political calculations, London consistently refused fresh troop deployments. Major-General A. E. Grasett, the China theatre commander, requested reinforcements only to face rejection—London offered only Indian or other colonial forces. Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, appointed British commander in the Far East in 1941, likewise pressed for garrison strengthening, to no avail. The situation shifted dramatically after Grasett, a retired Canadian who had recently left his China post, travelled to Britain via Canada. Upon arriving in Canada, he independently approached his former classmate Major-General Crerar, Chief of the Canadian General Staff, and advocated for reinforcement. Grasett argued persuasively that deploying two or more additional battalions would enable the Hong Kong garrison to withstand an extended siege. When Grasett reached London in early September 1941, he presented this case directly to the British Chiefs of Staff, simultaneously proposing that Canada could provide the extra units. His arguments proved persuasive; the Chiefs of Staff altered course and convinced a reluctant Churchill to reconsider. In light of accelerating Japanese pressure, Britain substantially enlarged the Malaysia/Singapore garrison from nine to 32 battalions and despatched two capital ships—HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse—to the region, reasoning that this show of force would deter Japanese aggression against British Far Eastern interests, including Hong Kong. The original defence strategy envisaged holding Hong Kong Island exclusively while denying the harbour to attackers. A single battalion (the Punjabis) would execute delaying actions across the New Territories, followed by a three-battalion defensive stand on the Gin Drinkers Line. This brief mainland resistance would allow time for demolishing stores, power installations, docks and wharves, clearing food stocks and removing vital matériel before withdrawing to Hong Kong Island for a protracted resistance awaiting relief from Singapore or American forces from the Philippines. The Gin Drinkers Line—styled after the French Maginot Line in miniature—ran approximately 18 kilometres south of the Sino-Hong Kong border. Beginning near Gin Drinkers Bay west of Kowloon, it extended 17 kilometres across the Kowloon Peninsula hills toward its eastern extremity. The strategic expectation was that this line would delay the Japanese assault for three weeks or longer, permitting battalion withdrawal to Hong Kong Island for sustained resistance while mainland forces completed evacuation procedures. The 1937 war plan stipulated that four battalions would be necessary for an effective delaying action and seven for an adequate Gin Drinkers Line defence—figures which excluded the aircraft and naval support essential to success. With only a single army brigade available and virtually no air capability, planners abandoned the mainland defence concept, leaving defensive works incomplete and deteriorating under tropical conditions. Chinese personnel were conspicuously absent from initial war preparations and strategic planning, only being incorporated late in the process. The largest Chinese component was the volunteer contingent serving with the HKVDC. On the regular army side, approximately 150 Chinese recruits were enlisted in mid-1941 for the 5th Anti-Aircraft Regiment. The Hong Kong Chinese Regiment, hastily constituted on 3 November 1941, comprised officers borrowed from British and Indian units alongside 52 Chinese junior NCOs and other ranks with minimal training. A Royal Engineers troop staffed entirely by Chinese soldiers saw service, and some Chinese personnel served with the Royal Navy and Dockyard Defence Corps. Chinese participation increased substantially in auxiliary services—air-raid precautions, auxiliary police, nursing, St John Ambulance and fire brigades. This reluctance to fully integrate Chinese forces likely reflected prevailing attitudes of the era. Pre-war British propaganda had frequently mocked Japanese military capability, portraying officers and soldiers as myopic and incompetent. Japanese combat prowess was systematically underestimated; their victories in China were attributed to facing inferior opposition rather than evidence of genuine military strength. Japanese weaponry was dismissed as inferior to European standards. Consequently, British confidence remained high that the colony could hold indefinitely if adequately reinforced. In September 1941, Hong Kong received heartening news: two additional Canadian battalions would be deployed to the garrison. Brigadier John Maltby promptly revived the pre-war plan for defending the Gin Drinkers Line, developing a strategy centred on three mainland battalions (2nd Royal Scots, 5/7 Rajputs and 2/14 Punjab) supported by HKVDC elements and four artillery troop detachments, while three island battalions (1st Middlesex, Royal Rifles of Canada and Winnipeg Grenadiers) bolstered by the bulk of the HKVDC would hold Hong Kong Island. Command responsibility was divided between two brigades: the Island Brigade (Hong Kong Infantry Brigade) under Brigadier Lawson, a recently arrived Canadian, and the mainland Kowloon Infantry Brigade under Brigadier Wallis. The Canadian regiments arrived on 16 November 1941. Maltby was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1911, and saw extensive service across multiple campaigns: World War I, the Persian Gulf (1913–14), and the North-West Frontier (1923–24). His early promise earned him selection for accelerated advancement through prestigious staff colleges at Quetta and RAF Andover. By 1937, he was again serving on the North-West Frontier, and by 1939 commanded both the 3rd Jhelum Brigade (later the Calcutta Brigade) and the 19th Infantry Brigade in Deccan. In 1940, posted to China, Maltby orchestrated the closure of the North China Command by withdrawing two infantry battalions from Shanghai. Promoted to major-general as GOC China in August 1941, he had only three months to prepare the colony's defenses, a race against time he could not win. The Gin Drinkers Line occupied a naturally dominant position atop mountains spanning northern Kowloon's breadth, yet possessed inherent weaknesses that would prove fatal. The line lacked defensive depth and remained vulnerable to flanking manoeuvres, with two sectors representing particular danger: Customs Pass and the gap between Golden Hill and Laichikok Peninsula near Gin Drinkers Bay. Given the extended front, each battalion arranged its forces in a string of platoon positions with gaps covered by daytime fire and nighttime patrols. One company per battalion could be held in reserve within prepared positions guarding the most dangerous sectors. The reserve company of the centre battalion (2/14 Punjab) initially advanced as forward troops, screening demolition operations and delaying the enemy's initial thrust. The hasty decision to establish mainland defences meant that essential support systems—communication networks, artillery registrations, mortar calibrations—remained incomplete when combat commenced. Ammunition shortages compounded the problem. For instance, the 2/14 Punjab conducted only a single 3-inch mortar practice session before the attack; adequate ammunition arrived only in November and totalled a mere 70 rounds per battalion for both training and combat. These mortars were registered for the first time in their battle positions, with combat beginning just 12 hours later. The 2-inch mortar situation was even more desperate: troops received live ammunition only as fighting started, making their baptism of fire an actual combat situation. Transportation deficiencies—trucks and animals in short supply—forced manual ammunition transport across Hong Kong's challenging terrain, imposing severe physical demands on already stretched personnel. On 6 November 1941, Imperial Japanese Headquarters ordered its Commander-in-Chief in China to prepare plans for capturing Hong Kong. The 23rd Army, part of the China Southern Expeditionary Army Group and commanded by Lt. Gen. Sakai Takashi with Maj. Gen. Kuribayashi Tadamichi serving as Chief of Staff, would form the invasion's backbone. All preparations were to be completed by the end of November 1941. The operation, designated 'Operation C', sought to 'seize Hong Kong within ten days'. Takahashi was the son of a factory worker, and rose through the ranks to become a veteran of China campaigns. He was tasked with capturing Hong Kong using the 38th Division normally assigned to the Southern Expeditionary Army Group. Despite setbacks and humiliation over requests for additional resources—particularly following intelligence reports of tanks (actually Bren carriers) in Hong Kong—Sakai remained determined to succeed. He served as Governor of Hong Kong from 26 December 1941 to 20 February 1942. Kuribayashi, best remembered as the Japanese commander at Iwo Jima, graduated from the Army Academy in 1914 specializing in cavalry. He served as deputy military attaché to Washington and Canada and studied at Harvard University. In December 1941, he held the position of Chief of Staff to the 23rd Army during the Hong Kong operation. Operation C followed a straightforward strategic framework. A blocking force would prevent Chinese interference from the rear, while the main invasion force would spearhead the assault. The 23rd Army, comprising four divisions plus a mixed brigade and two infantry regiments, received the assignment to attack Hong Kong. Of these four divisions, only the 38th played a substantive role in the invasion itself. The attack employed a combined-arms approach. Naval forces would establish a blockade and deliver bombardment while aircraft targeted key installations. Ground forces from the 38th Division—specifically the 228th, 229th, and 230th Regiments—would execute the land invasion using a three-pronged strategy. The right column would sweep westward in a wide arc, clearing Castle Peak Road and targeting the western flank of the Gin Drinkers Line near Laichikok Peninsula. The centre force would press directly through the line's middle, while the left column would cross Tidal Cove (Tolo Harbour) toward Kai Tak Airport and eastward toward Devil Peak, a crucial defensive position. The objective was to annihilate British forces on the mainland and compel Hong Kong's surrender through sustained bombardment. Should British forces resist, the island phase of the campaign would commence. Securing the rear against the Chinese National Army of the 7th Military District and Communist guerrillas fell to the 66th Regiment, normally part of the 51st Division but attached to the 38th for this operation. The 66th would simultaneously occupy and secure rear areas throughout the New Territories and Kowloon while the three assault regiments engaged the main defensive forces. This rearguard operation was organised into columns named after their commanding officers: Kitazawa, Kobayashi, Sato, and Araki. The Japanese selected the narrowest approach between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, targeting the eastern coast near Lyemun Passage where only 410 metres of water separated the mainland from the island. Upon landing, forces would rapidly advance inland to seize the critical junction of Wongneichong Gap, then pivot westward and southward to capture Victoria City and the remainder of Hong Kong. The naval contingent divided into two groups: the Bombardment Group and the Attack Group. Approximately 300 personnel from the Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) were attached to the invasion force. Air support came from the First Air Brigade under Col. Habu Hideharu, which contributed 56 light bombers and fighters. Their mission was to neutralise the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, thereby securing aerial and maritime superiority for the ground campaign. On the eve of war, the British garrison numbered 13,981 all ranks, including nursing staff and St John Ambulance personnel. Of these, 8,919 were British and Canadian, with 4,402 Indian and Chinese. The core infantry force comprised 5,422 regular soldiers, complemented by approximately 6,000 additional personnel across artillery, engineering, naval, and Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC) units. By 1941, the Royal Navy had become a shadow of its former self as the once-dominant China Squadron. Of the three World War I destroyers present on 8 December, two had been sent to Singapore—the third undergoing repairs—by 1930. This redeployment stemmed partly from the futility of defending the colony and partly from a commitment by senior US Navy officers: Britain would reinforce Singapore with Hong Kong's fleet in exchange for four American destroyers at Singapore. This American guarantee, however, never materialized. The defensive infrastructure focused primarily on countering a seaborne attack: twenty-nine coastal guns (9.2in., 6in., 4.7in., and 4in. calibres), ten 18- and 2-pounder beach defense guns, and twenty-eight field guns (60-pounder, 6in., 4.5in., and 3.7in. calibres). The Hong Kong Garrison's infantry comprised four regular army battalions—two British and two Indian—bolstered by five HKVDC infantry companies, each averaging 100 men. The 1st Middlesex Regiment, deployed in August 1937, served as a machine-gun battalion equipped with forty-eight Vickers medium machine guns. Having been abroad since 1931, the regiment had deteriorated through protracted garrison service, Hong Kong being among the softest postings available. From September 1939 onward, all regiments—including the 5/7 Rajputs (arrived June 1937) and the 2/14 Punjab—experienced systematic loss of experienced officers and NCOs to other theaters. The Royal Scots proved particularly hard hit, suffering disciplinary problems and an unusually high court-martial rate. Units like the Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery suffered critical leadership gaps that went unaddressed. By December 1941, many formations fielded inexperienced replacement troops, significantly undermining combat readiness. The Punjabis exemplified these deficiencies. Stationed in Hong Kong since November 1940, they received their vehicles and mortars only in August 1941—three months before combat. Compounding this, forty percent of their strength consisted of raw recruits arrived just in October. When war erupted, artillery regiments found themselves relying on junior officers in senior roles, with British commanders unfamiliar with Urdu directing Indian troops, a handicap that severely compromised effectiveness. Deficient equipment compounded leadership shortages. Shells dating from 1918 detonated prematurely upon discharge, while ammunition shortages crippled operations. On 8 December, all field guns deployed with merely 100 rounds apiece, with 200 rounds held in reserve for the entire campaign, and coastal guns received only 25 rounds each. Insufficient cross-training meant many infantrymen failed to understand the artillery "clock face" targeting system, causing them to miss their objectives. Malaria devastated European troops, particularly the Royal Scots. Of approximately 770 personnel, at least 180 suffered recurring malarial episodes from the Shing Mun Redoubt area's notoriously endemic conditions. Staff shortages forced nearly every unit to promote junior officers to positions beyond their rank, exacerbating structural weaknesses. Although the Canadians' arrival bolstered the garrison, significant handicaps undermined their effectiveness. Both battalions carried a C-class designation—deemed unfit for foreign service—having spent years in soft garrison postings without rigorous training. The deficit was stark: each Canadian soldier received only thirty-five rifle practice rounds. The two battalions incorporated 115 men with fewer than sixteen weeks' training, while sixty-two of seventy-five recruits joining the Winnipeg Grenadiers in June came directly from a training depot lacking even basic rifles. Twelve percent of the Canadian force remained untrained. Equipment deficiencies proved even more damaging. A standard 1941 Canadian infantry battalion required 102 motor vehicles—including twenty-two Universal Carriers, thirty-seven ¾-ton trucks, thirteen 1-ton trucks, thirty-one bicycles, and twenty-two Boys anti-tank rifles. When the Canadians landed, logistical failures left them with only six Bren carriers, two water tankers, twelve ¾-ton trucks, and a single Boys anti-tank rifle. Although they carried 3in. mortars, neither ammunition nor radios accompanied them. Canada possessed only 300 3-inch mortar bombs in its entire inventory at that time, making any allocation to Hong Kong impossible. A second vessel, the SS Don Jose, was dispatched with replacement vehicles and equipment but never reached Hong Kong before 8 December. The Japanese seized it en route to Manila. Despite these shortcomings, the force departed on 27 October with 1,975 men and arrived on 16 November. Intelligence estimates regarding Japanese available forces varied widely, ranging from two to four divisions. On 6 December evening, Chinese reports confirmed the previous day's arrival of three Japanese divisions at Buji township, located eight miles from the border in what is now Shenzhen. Earlier, around 1 November, a Japanese deserter provided intelligence of significant troop concentrations north of the frontier, including large-calibre artillery indicative of at least divisional strength. The Hong Kong invasion force comprised three service branches: the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) deployed the 38th Infantry Division, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) committed the Second China Fleet, and the Imperial Japanese Air Force (IJAF) contributed the 1st Air Group. Command of the ground assault rested with Lieutenant-General Sano Tadayoshi of the 38th Division, supported by Major-General Ito Takeo heading the infantry group, while supporting arms including artillery, engineers, armor, and transport fell under Sano's authority. The main assault force consisted of three infantry regiments from the 38th Division, each led by a colonel: the 228th under Doi Teihichi, the 229th under Tanaka Ryosaburo, and the 230th under Shoji Toshishige. The 38th Division itself was a standard 1940s B-class infantry division of approximately 20,000 troops (ranging from 18,000–21,000 depending on operational requirements), organized into three regiments with three battalions each. Reflecting the Japanese army's reliance on animal and human transport, each regiment fielded roughly 3,800 troops supported by some 700 horses. Battalion strength averaged around 1,071 personnel, with companies numbering approximately 180 men. Japanese infantry battalions of this period featured a distinctive organization: rifle platoons consisted of four sections (three equipped with rifles and light machine guns, one with light mortars and rifles), complemented by an additional heavy machine-gun company fielding twelve Type 92 weapons and a troop of light artillery—likely Type 92 70mm infantry guns. The divisional field artillery regiment operated 75mm Type 41 mountain guns organized into three 688-man battalions, each with two troops of two guns. Mountain artillery units, numbering 36 guns total, carried additional personnel (3,400) and animals (1,400) to navigate the terrain complexities of Hong Kong operations. Recognizing the need for overwhelming firepower to compel Hong Kong's surrender, the IJA augmented the invasion force with heavy artillery—15cm and 24cm howitzers commanded by Major-General Kitashima Kineo. News of the Canadian reinforcements arriving in Hong Kong forced a reassessment. Commander-in-Chief Sakai Takashi of the 23rd Army informed his superiors that the original ten-day timeline was unrealistic and requested additional troops. Although most formations were already committed to other operations, Imperial Headquarters eventually authorized two depot regiments from Japan to support the campaign. Intended for second-line duties rather than frontline combat, these units were to be returned promptly after freeing experienced personnel for Hong Kong operations. This arrangement allowed the 19th and 20th mixed brigades—approximately 6,000 men organized in five infantry battalions, a field artillery battalion, and an engineer battalion—to be released for Hong Kong. However, Sakai's request for reinforcements met with disapproval from Imperial Headquarters, and he received an unmistakable message: a swift, decisive campaign was essential. His situation worsened when Japanese agents mistakenly identified British Bren carriers as tanks, forcing Sakai to improvise armor by raiding the 1st Reserve Tank Battalion and tankette units from infantry depot divisions. In attempting to secure additional armor from the 11th Army's 9th Reconnaissance Regiment, Sakai encountered resistance. General Hata Shunroku lodged sustained complaints with senior officials, and Sakai received a sharp rebuke—further requests would not be entertained, and his replacement would follow if necessary. Stung by this loss of face, Sakai abandoned all additional requests and became even more determined to achieve success. Vice-Admiral Niimi Masaichi, commanding the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, oversaw the entire naval element, divided into bombardment and attack groups. His flagship, the light cruiser Isuzu, carried Captain Ura Koichi, who simultaneously commanded the bombardment group. This naval force assembled ships from various China Expeditionary Fleet units, particularly from the Canton Special Base Force, 15 Squadron, and 11 Torpedo Boat Division at Guangzhou. Reflecting Niimi's lack of confidence in the army's air support capabilities, the seaplane tender IJN Kamikawa Maru joined the operation on his insistence, providing organic naval aviation against the threat posed by British Wildebeests. Niimi also petitioned for destroyers IJN Wakaba and Yugure to counter the three British destroyers, though this request was denied. The Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) were assigned to conduct diversionary attacks south of Hong Kong Island, intended to distract British forces from the main land invasion thrust. The IJAF's 1st Air Brigade, commanded by Colonel Habu Hideharu, centered on the 45th Air Regiment with 34 Kawasaki Ki-32 Type 98 'Mary' light bombers. This composite force drew aircraft and units from airfields across China and Manchuria—Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan, and Qiqihar—all assembled at Baiyun Aerodrome in Guangzhou on 7 December 1941. Supporting the 1st Air Brigade were the 10th Independent Squadron under Captain Takatsuki Akira with 13 Nakajima Ki-27 Type 97 'Nate' fighters, 3 Mitsubishi Ki-15 Type 97 'Babs' command reconnaissance aircraft from the 18th Independent Reconnaissance Squadron, and the 44th Independent Squadron fielding 6 Tachikawa Ki-36 Type 98 'Ida' observation aircraft. Years before the invasion, the Japanese cultivated an extensive network of agents and sleeper operatives in Hong Kong, methodically gathering intelligence and mapping military installations. This sophisticated network proved remarkably effective: invasion maps carried by IJA officers were actually Hong Kong Government and British military maps, overprinted with Japanese annotations and interpretations. British officers later discovered in captivity that the Peninsula Hotel's regular barber was a Japanese Navy lieutenant-commander who had exploited the intimate setting to extract valuable information about British force dispositions. Intelligence operatives infiltrated every level of Hong Kong society—the garrison tailor and barber both served as spies. This groundwork enabled exceptional accuracy in artillery fire and bombing campaigns. The Japanese further leveraged criminal networks, recruiting gangsters throughout Hong Kong and Guangdong province with money and arms, turning them into irregular auxiliaries supporting the invasion. On Sunday, 7 December, seven hundred members of the 2nd Royal Scots and Middlesex Regiment marched to St John's Cathedral for the morning service. As Major-General Maltby read a passage from Matthew, his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant I. MacGregor, delivered an urgent message that would change everything. Preparations for conflict had already begun. On 5 December, the HKVDC had mobilized fully, yet Hong Kong's broader population remained unmoved—the Happy Valley racetrack reported record attendance that very day. The contrast was stark: while one institution prepared for war, another celebrated as though nothing threatened. Japanese forces had been positioned advantageously since autumn 1941. The 23rd Army was already stationed west of Guangzhou, with contingents scattered across Foshan Town, Zhuhai, and other locations on the Pearl River delta. Upon orders for war on 1 December, they faced minimal distances to cover. The army regrouped at Humen, Shilong Town, and Guangzhou itself—staging areas for the invasion. The first visible signs arrived on 4–5 December when Japanese forces landed at Mirs Bay; the 228th Regiment moved into its staging area at Buji Town, now part of Shenzhen City. Maltby received these reports and immediately departed the cathedral service to issue urgent stand-to orders. Yet skepticism persisted within military circles. Some dismissed the threat, dismissing such intelligence as "astonishingly erroneous." Meanwhile, the Imperial Japanese Navy massed in the waters beyond Hong Kong's horizon. The Kowloon Infantry Brigade held a stretched defensive line: the 5/7 Rajputs anchored the centre, the 2/14 Punjab the east, and the 2nd Royal Scots the west. Forward positions extended far—C Company, 2/14 Punjab, under Major S. Burns ranged along Castle Peak Road toward Yuen Long. The brigade screen, C Company of the 2/14 Punjab, held Shueng Shui and Taipo Market with four Bren carriers and two armoured cars from the HKVDC, backed by engineers and the 22nd Fortress Company. The Hong Kong Infantry Brigade held Hong Kong Island itself. The Winnipeg Grenadiers occupied Victoria City on the north-west coast, while the Royal Rifles of Canada stretched along the north-east shores from Saukiwan to Lyemun. Brigadier Lawson commanded from his headquarters at Wongneichong Gap in the island's centre. At 0355 hours on 8 December, the code word "Blossom Blossom" was transmitted. Eleven minutes later, Lieutenant-General Sakai ordered the invasion to commence. Fifty minutes after that, at 0445 hours, Major Charles Boxer—a fluent Japanese speaker formerly of the Lincolnshire Regiment—was roused by Radio Tokyo announcing that war was imminent. Governor Young and Major-General Maltby were informed at once. By 0500 hours, the forward demolition points had been blown by Major Gray, OC of C Company 2/14 Punjab, and the HKVDC engineers under Major J. H. Bottomley. At 0645 hours, the garrison received formal notification: Britain and Japan were at war. Seventy-five minutes later, air-raid sirens wailed. Within moments, smoke billowed from Kai Tak Airport as Japanese aircraft destroyed virtually the entire air garrison. The Wildebeests, Walruses, HKVDC biplanes, and several civilian planes were engulfed in flames. Only two Ju-52s of the Eurasia Corporation and one CNAC T-32 Condor escaped destruction—dispersal bays had never been built due to lack of funds. The Japanese then turned to secondary targets, bombing Shamshuipo Camp and the neighbouring police station. The Canadians suffered few large-scale casualties in the initial strikes, though Sergeant Routledge and Signalman Fairley of the signal platoon were wounded—the first Canadian soldiers injured in World War II. Remarkably, Hong Kong Island's theatres, cinemas, and restaurants continued operating as though the island faced no peril. Japanese demolition efforts proved only minor obstacles. Bridges blown were quickly replaced. The invasion proceeded on three fronts: the 230th Regiment advanced westward along the northern route toward Yuen Long and Castle Peak, targeting the northern slope of Tai Mo Mountain. The 228th Regiment drove down the centre, following the Sheung Shui–Taipo–Kowloon road toward Grassy Hill north of the Shing Mun Redoubt. The 229th Regiment, crossing at Sha Tau Kok and by boat at Starling Inlet, proceeded via Taipo toward Tai Shui Hang and Ma On Mountain. Whenever confronted with strongly defended positions, the Japanese bypassed them entirely rather than engage. The first day brought scattered but spirited resistance. Around 1300 hours, the Punjabis inflicted the first serious check, drawing blood from advancing Japanese forces. At 1830 hours, they ambushed and decimated several Japanese platoons south of Taipo market town. The HKVDC's armoured cars and Bren carriers struck similar successes nearby. The 2 Royal Scots' reconnaissance platoon clashed with elements of the 229th Regiment around Yuen Long. Despite these minor victories, Japanese momentum continued. Armed with stolen British maps and guided by fifth columnists, they pushed forward relentlessly. By late afternoon on the 8th, the Punjabis withdrew toward Grassy Hill to avoid being outflanked. The artillerymen of the 12th Battery engaged an IJN destroyer and Japanese forces around Taipo, inflicting heavy casualties. Farther south near Shatin, on the Taipo–Kowloon highway, rapidly advancing Japanese troops surprised the defenders and severed the fuse at an HKVDC demolition point. Their triumph proved momentary; the engineers completed the backup circuit and detonated the bridge, destroying it along with the Japanese soldiers crossing it. By early morning on 9 December, orders came to withdraw all mainland units to the Gin Drinkers Line. The Punjabis, already at Shatin Wai overlooking Tide Cove, held their position under pressure and continuous shelling for the next two days. The HKVDC withdrew to Fotan, a village south of Shatin. Maltby ordered D Company, 5/7 Rajputs, under Captain H. R. Newtons to Smuggler's Ridge to close the gap between the 2 Royal Scots and 2/14 Punjab. HKVDC armoured cars and Bren carriers continued patrols along Castle Peak Road while HMS Cicala, having survived two air attacks, maintained station in Castle Peak Bay. Despite an IJN blockade, the destroyers HMS Thanet and Scout slipped anchor and escaped to Singapore around 2130 hours. The surviving CNAC and Eurasia aircraft took off with high-value evacuees: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen's widow and her two equally renowned sisters—the Soong sisters—along with Chinese Finance Minister H. H. Kung. Also departing was Lieutenant-Colonel H. Owen-Hughes of the HKVDC, who carried orders to coordinate with the Chinese Nationalist Army for a rear-guard attack on Japanese forces to relieve the pressure on Hong Kong. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. On 8 December 1941, Japan attacked Hong Kong with the 38th Division, supported by naval and air forces. Despite British defenses manned by undertrained, under-equipped troops, Japanese forces advanced rapidly across three fronts. Within hours, the RAF was destroyed, demolitions proved futile, and British units withdrew toward the Gin Drinkers Line facing overwhelming odds.
────────────────────────────────────────[00:00:49]Trump Stabbed Cattlemen in the Back — Imports 300,000 Metric Tons of Tariff-Free Beef 74 Days Before MidtermsCattle herd at lowest since 1956; frozen imports won't fix grocery store prices; damages domestic ranchers for a temporary election-season sugar high.────────────────────────────────────────[00:02:34]Trump Just Admitted His Tariffs Raise Prices — He's Exempting Beef Because They DoNow explicitly acknowledging what we always knew: tariffs are taxes on consumers; MAGA influencers who promised tariffs would replace the income tax are silent.────────────────────────────────────────[00:20:19]Trent Loos: This Is the Biggest Land Grab Since the Indian Wars — and We're Not Fighting BackWorking with WEF's Larry Fink to push people off the land; three Nebraska congressmen who support data centers also applauded the beef import move.────────────────────────────────────────[01:03:37]Ray Dalio: Sell Bonds, Buy Gold — a US Debt Crisis Could Arrive in Three YearsReduce the deficit from 6% to 3% of GDP; countries always solve this by printing money, devaluing the currency, and creating artificially low interest rates.────────────────────────────────────────[01:06:34]Bessent Is George Soros's Former Right-Hand Man — MAGA Said Nothing When Trump Appointed HimAny Democrat with Soros connections gets destroyed; when Bessent comes in, crickets; cult of personality; all economic sense and rule of law thrown out.────────────────────────────────────────[01:09:16]Bessent's Plan to Buy Long-Term Bonds With Short-Term Debt Is Quantitative Easing by Another NameCan set short-term T-bill rates but not long-term yields; a gimmick that can't be sustained — money printing with a different label.────────────────────────────────────────[01:12:39]Trump Added 30% of All US Debt Accumulated in 250 Years — Then Said We'll Grow Our Way Out of ItHis growth is a malignant tumor — debt growing faster than the economy; can't grow out of debt compounding faster than GDP; making American debtors again.────────────────────────────────────────[01:26:04]Thomas Kaplan: Gold Is Headed 10 Times Higher — Silver Is the Thoughtful Person's BitcoinCleared his decks before the 2007 crisis; sees today rhyming with then; average down if you're underwater; get something outside the digital world that can't be blocked.────────────────────────────────────────[01:32:28]Darlene Graham Was a Branch Covidian in 2020 — Pushed Masks, Social Distancing, and Diversity CommitteesCan't find Taiwan on a map; hedging on abortion; was a COVID true believer; Tim Scott says she's qualified; Trump says she's totally for the military.────────────────────────────────────────[01:35:22]Darth Vader Supports Flock at Data Center Protest — The Emperor Must Follow the Rebel Scum From Playground to PlaygroundThe COVID mask regime and the surveillance state are run by the same people; a whole civilization will die if we don't stop this. ──────────────────────────────────────── Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silver For 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code “KNIGHT” For high quality made in America products go to HomeSteadProducts.shop and use promo code “Knight” for 10% off your purchases Find out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.
Plus: California's attorney general scraps a planned meeting with Paramount on its antitrust lawsuit. And Taiwan prosecutors charge nine people with aiding the shipment of advanced AI servers to China. Pierre Bienaimé hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
ByteDance consolidates AI teams to compete with Tencent, Amazon and Twitch sued over AI training data, and Taiwan indicts employees of Nvidia and Super Micro over illegal exports to China. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or get DTNS shows ad-free. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.Continue reading "ByteDance Merges AI Teams to Compete with Tencent – DTH"
Radisson Mining finds a new investor in Agnico Eagle. There are new drill results out from Hot Chili. Enduro Metals has concluded its drill campaign at the Andrei Target. Silver Bow is acquiring the Jefferson County Metallurgical Complex in Montana. Ivanhoe Electric received an update from Export-Import Bank. Gold Hart reported geochem results from Nessa. Talisker sends ore to Taiwan.This episode of Mining Stock Daily is brought to you by... Revival Gold Vizsla SilverEquinox GoldIntegra Resources
Michael Aldrich joins John Ross to discuss Old Lhasa: A Biography, his richly detailed portrait of Tibet's historic capital. It's the third book in his trilogy on Asian cultural centers. He wrote the first two, on Beijing and Ulaanbaatar, while living in those cities, where he worked as a lawyer. There was no opportunity for this with Lhasa, so he had to rely on multiple trips (from his home in Taiwan) and an incredible amount of reading and research. Rather than writing a conventional history, Aldrich set out to present Lhasa as a living character – a city whose temples, alleyways, legends and surviving traditions can still tell their own stories. Books mentioned M.A. Aldrich The Search for a Vanishing Beijing: A Guide to China's Capital Through the Ages (Hong Kong University Press, 2006) Ulaanbaatar beyond Water and Grass: A Guide to the Capital of Mongolia (Hong Kong University Press, 2018) Old Lhasa: A Biography Originally published by Camphor Press in January 2023 and subsequently reissued in 2025 by Speaking Tiger Books with a new epilogue based on Aldrich's 2024 return to Tibet. The episode touches on the amazing story of Ekai Kawaguchi (河口慧海 1866–1945), a Japanese Buddhist monk who spent time in Lhasa in the early 1900s. He is the subject of Scott Berry's A Stranger in Tibet. The Books on Asia Podcast is co-produced with Plum Rain Press. Podcast host Amy Chavez is author of The Widow, the Priest, and the Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island. and Amy's Guide to Best Behavior in Japan. The Books on Asia website posts book reviews, podcast episodes and episode Show Notes. Subscribe to the BOA podcast from your favorite podcast service. Subscribe to the Books on Asia newsletter to receive news of the latest new book releases, reviews and podcast episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Secret Podcast with JVL and Sarah is exclusively for paid members of the Bulwark on YouTube, Substack and Apple Podcasts.---Sarah and JVL did a BIG show today. Sample awesome:Sen. Darlene Graham says that voters in South Carolina don't care about Taiwan—they care about boys playing girls sports.Spoiler: There are exactly zero (0) boys in South Carolina playing girls sports.Top CIA analyst Julia Curlee served Trump, Biden, and then Trump again honorably. Then she was fired because some MAGA influencers discovered she was trans.What duty do civil servants owe the country which elected Trump for the second time?Is Jon Ossoff the one we've been waiting for? Sarah has him in her Big Four. And you'll never guess who the other three are.People hate Data Centers. So where is the juice for Democrats?JVL can't stop/won't stop beating on tankies and greens.And the birth of a new feature: Pickleball talk!We want to hear from you about any/all of this. Let's ride.Sarah, Tim, Sam and JVL are coming to South Carolina, North Carolina, and Atlanta in October for Bulwark LIVE. We're bringing lots of friends.Tickets are on sale now: https://thebulwark.com/eventsOur shows have a habit of selling out. Don't wait to grab your seats.
The National Security Hour with LTC Sargis Sangari – Beijing understands the stakes perfectly. South Korea is not just a peninsula. It is a hinge. If China can pull Seoul away from Washington, Japan is exposed, Taiwan is more vulnerable, and the broader Pacific balance tilts. That is why economic pressure, political dfinfluence, and information warfare all converge on Seoul...
Episode 285 explores how one woman's personal wake-up call transformed into a mission to improve the air we breathe
South Carolina Senate hopeful Darline Graham flubs a question about Taiwan, but are other politicians just as confused about this vital national security issue? Plus, the Walt Disney Company's ABC sues the FCC on First Amendment grounds. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
It's Friday, August 21st, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Nigerian policed arrested 22-year-old for converting to Christianity Nigerian police arrested a 22-year-old woman for converting to Christianity from Islam, reports International Christian Concern. Though the Federal High Court ruled in her favor, the Christian family that helped her is facing false charges of kidnapping. In 2025, “Sarah” fled from her home in Kano State after her elder siblings tried forcing her into an arranged marriage with a Muslim. While she was on the run, a Christian family took her in and shared the Gospel with her. Through the Abaras family's witness, she gave her life to Jesus Christ. When her siblings learned of her conversion, they began working with the local Hisbah, the Islamic police force, to track her down and arrest her. Police discovered her and detained her for four days, during which they beat her and pressured her to return home and accept the Muslim-arranged marriage. When she was released, the Abaras family helped her escape to a neighboring state with less Muslim influence. Please pray for Sarah's safety and that her Christian faith would grow stronger. According to Open Doors, Nigeria, Africa is the seventh most dangerous country worldwide for Christians. Ex-Fauci adviser pleads guilty to concealing COVID-19 origins On August 18th, Dr. Anthony Fauci's former senior adviser pleaded guilty to plotting to conceal federal records related to research on the origins of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, reports the Associated Press. Dr. David Morens is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12 by U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Greenbelt, Maryland. Morens pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the U.S. government, a felony punishable by a maximum prison sentence of five years. Morens is accused of using his private email account to intentionally circumvent public records laws while employed at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The Justice Department alleges that he concealed or destroyed records of discussions related to COVID-19 research grants, including an effort to revive a controversial coronavirus grant. The indictment follows a probe by House Republicans into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic that scrutinized Morens' email communications and accused him of intentionally concealing records. In congressional testimony, Morens denied attempting to evade federal transparency laws by using his personal email. Proverbs 12:22 says, “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy.” Senator Darline Graham performed poorly in Senatorial run-off debate On August 19th, NewsMaxTV hosted the South Carolina GOP Senatorial run-off debate between Senator Darline Graham, who was appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster in the wake of the death of her brother Lindsey Graham, and Congressman Ralph Norman. When Greta Van Susteren asked a foreign policy question, it was clear that Senator Darline was out of her depth. Listen. VAN SUSTEREN: “Senator [Graham], are Taiwan and the South China Sea national security issues for the United States? If so, why?” GRAHAM: “Um. I'm sorry. Could you repeat the question?” VAN SUSTEREN: “Are Taiwan and the South China Sea national security issues for the United States. And if so, why or how?” GRAHAM: “I'm just going to be honest here. I'm not on national security. I'm not that informed on national security. (audience boos and laughs) So, but I do support the military. My brother was in the Air Force for 33 years, so I will do everything I can to support the military. My dad was in the Army. “I'm not a polished politician up here. I'm … National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise. But I do support the military.” By contrast, Congressman Ralph Norman, her opponent in the South Carolina GOP Senatorial run-off, said this. NORMAN: “Taiwan's a definite ally. We have a trading relationship with them that is beneficial to the United States – [computer] chips being one of them, and others. “So, what the, what the president is doing right is he's enabling Taiwan to defend themselves against China. But it's peace through strength that he's showing with Iran that China, Russia, others are looking at it. They don't want to deal with America, and that's why they haven't attacked Taiwan. “If they had some weak Democrat in office, like Biden or another Obama, yeah, they'd take it over. But we can't let that happen. Peace through strength is working.” J.D. Vance believes Christian lifestyle suffices over verbal evangelism And finally, in a July 15th appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Vice President J.D. Vance, who converted to Catholicism from Protestantism, explained that he does not evangelize by word. VANCE: “You know, I don't preach to people. I don't, like, walk into the White House, tell my employees, ‘You know, you need to be, you need to follow Jesus as your Lord and Savior.' I just try to live my life in a way that hopefully makes people a little curious about what, you know, what motivates me and what inspires me.” Todd Friel, a reformed pastor in Atlanta, is the host of the Wretched Network which produces radio shows, TV shows, and books. He says the notion of wretched is at the very core of the Gospel because God saves wretches like us. Friel had this response to Vice President Vance. FRIEL: “According to 1 Peter 3, that is true: We should live in such a way that it causes unbelievers, who are persecuting us, to ask about the reason for the hope that lies within us. That is most certainly true. “However, that is not the end of our responsibility. We are also called to make the most of every opportunity, to go and make disciples. It is our lifestyle that undergirds our confession, testimony, and evangelism. But a lifestyle is not evangelism itself.” Joe Rogan agreed with Vice President Vance. ROGAN: “I think living by example is probably the best promotion of any good way to live your life …” VANCE: “I agree.” ROGAN: “… whether it's Christianity or any other religion. I think that's definitely the way to do it.” Friel replied with this analysis. FRIEL: “It is a part of it. It does undergird our testimony, but how will they hear unless somebody preaches to them? In other words, evangelism requires words! Nobody can actually find a credible source of Saint Francis of Assisi, who said, ‘Share the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.' Well, it is necessary! Otherwise, you're just being a nice person.” Indeed, in Romans 10:14-15, the Apostle Paul asks, “How then will they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News!'” Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, August 21st, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
If China controls maritime East Asia, what would that mean for Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, global trade, and U.S. security?In Episode 163, Ray Powell and Jim Carouso speak with retired U.S. Navy Captain Brent Sadler, a career submariner, former U.S. defense attaché in Malaysia, Heritage Foundation Senior Fellow and author of two books: U.S. Naval Power in the 21st Century and Naval Power in Action: Seizing the Initiative in the New Cold War with China.Sadler's answer is blunt: China is exercising growing control over maritime East Asia, as Beijing has spent decades building the military, commercial, and political leverage to do exactly that. He says this is not just a question of aircraft carriers, missiles, and hull counts, but also about China's strategic commercial footprint in ports, shipping and repair infrastructure, distant-water fishing fleets, maritime militia, and the China Coast Guard.Ray and Jim ask what it means that China's coast guard vessels are operating east of Taiwan. Are these deployments preparation for a possible blockade? Why are fishing fleets moving in organized formations? And how could Beijing use gray-zone coercion to change the status quo before anyone agrees that a crisis has begun?The conversation also examines the recent China-Russia naval exercises and potential for submarine technology transfer, Russian pressure on Japan around the Kuril Islands, and Beijing's efforts to turn even limited naval interactions with countries such as Indonesia into political and propaganda victories. Sadler explains why Southeast Asian leaders' rhetoric must be weighed against what matters on the water: maritime rights, military exercises, commercial ties, and freedom of navigation.Finally, Sadler assesses the military balance approaching the much-discussed 2027 window of war concerns, China's Taiwan contingency preparations, gaps in America's carrier presence in the Indo-Pacific, U.S. shipbuilding deficits, the future of unmanned vessels, and what Ukraine's drone war may mean for Taiwan and regional partners.Sadler's larger warning is that maritime control is no longer just a contest of fleets, but a contest of coercion, commerce, access, and political will; one in which Beijing can test regional governments, reshape behavior below the threshold of war, and learn whether America and its allies will respond before temporary pressure becomes a permanent advantage.Follow Brent Sadler at the Heritage Foundation, on LinkedIn or on X, @brentdsadlerFollow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast, LinkedIn or FacebookFollow Ray on X, @GordianKnotRay, or LinkedInFollow Jim on LinkedInSponsored by BowerGroupAsia
-A South Carolina Senate candidate admits she gets stumped on Taiwan, then returns to explain herself—and Rob gives her credit for simply saying she doesn't know everything, which he contrasts with AOC before Sen. John Kennedy supplies the punch line by comparing the congresswoman to Kamala Harris “with more bartending experience.” -Fred Fleitz of the America First Policy Institute joins Rob to break down Trump's “economic D-Day” against Iran, arguing that sanctions and a blockade could deprive Tehran of hundreds of millions of dollars per day while economic pressure, internal unrest and energy alternatives squeeze the regime. The conversation also ranges through NATO, Ukraine and the possibility of eventual regime change in Iran. -The hour turns deeply personal when Rob shares encouraging news from his PET scan: no distant metastatic spread. After months of fear and uncertainty, he says he finally has a treatment battle plan, thanks listeners for an extraordinary outpouring of prayers and support, and declares that he's ready to fight. Today's podcast is sponsored by : PARAMOUNT PLUS - Don't Miss “Lioness” - all episodes NOW STREAMING on Paramount Plus RELIEF FACTOR - You don't need to live with aches & pains! Reduce muscle & joint inflammation and live a pain-free life by visiting http://ReliefFactor.com To call in and speak with Rob Carson live on the show, dial 1-800-922-6680 between the hours of 12 Noon and 3:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday… Musical parodies provided by Jim Gossett (http://patreon.com/JimGossettComedy) You can now WATCH and chat with The Rob Carson Show LIVE on Newsmax's social media channels (Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, Rumble) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Podcasts Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media: -Facebook: http://nws.mx/FB -X/Twitter: http://nws.mx/twitter -Instagram: http://nws.mx/IG -YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV -Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV -TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX -GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax -Threads: http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX -Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax -BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com -Parler: http://app.parler.com/newsmax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 20, 2026 – 5am: Trump threatens Iran with ‘economic D-Day' Trump says he plans to meet with Kim Jong Un this year Trump takes press corps on tour of White House pet projects U.S. debt hits record high $40 trillion Trump picks top WH aide Heidi Overton to lead FDA Failed Minnesota Gubernatorial candidate Mike Lindell self-funds recount in Minnesota GOP primary Trump claims he told Congressman Corey Mills to ‘get out of the race' Senator Darline Graham does damage control after disastrous Taiwan answer during debate Republicans are no longer hosting in-person town halls with constituents: MS NOW DOJ defends prosecution of James Comey Documents show Trump administration was warned about reflecting pool peeling Trump pushes Congress to pass new cryptocurrency bill GOP quiet on Trump family business dealings Ongoing salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers Prince Harry and Meghan moving back to UK NASA's attempt to save falling telescope fails To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
We were invited to help out with book packing for an organization called Books for Taiwan, which was spearheaded by Amy Lin (賴淑娟). In July the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce in New York gave Amy the Community Spirit Award and we are sharing her inspiring story in this episode. The concept behind Books for Taiwan, is pretty straightforward. They collect children's books and ship them to schools, organizations and businesses in Taiwan. Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/books-for-taiwan-founder-amy-lin-changes-lives-one-book-at-a-time-ep-357/ Books for Taiwan collects books that are stored at a warehouse donated to them located in New Jersey and volunteers gather regularly throughout the year to pack up books to be put on pallets and shipped over to Taiwan. Books for Taiwan has been around for over 20 years and they have already shipped over 1.3 million books to Taiwan. In this episode you'll learn how you can get involved and help out with this meaningful project. We'll list how you can donate to and learn more about Books for Taiwan below in our related links section. Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/books-for-taiwan-founder-amy-lin-changes-lives-one-book-at-a-time-ep-357/
The "rape of Nanking," the Japanese military slaughter of 300,000 Chinese civilians, is supposed to be one of the worst atrocities of the twentieth century. The Allied established Tokyo Tribunal found 100,000 dead and the Nanking tribunal, three times as many. However, a University of Nanking study by Dr. Lewis Smythe, who was in the city when the Japanese took control, found that even with underestimations the number of dead was about 31,000 people. Many of them were also armed and died from direct combat with the Japanese. The number of dead in the city itself was only a few thousands and the entire surrounding countryside had to be included to get even above 10,000 dead. Yet today the Chinese government has made it illegal to question this and other historical narratives; they also demand perpetual apologies from the Japanese despite their more recent murder of upwards of 60 million of their own people from starvation and mass murder quotas. The 2011 JAPAN-CHINA JOINT HISTORY RESEARCH REPORT also agreed that the Imperial military was given strict orders to not behave in the ways accused. Even if some did, and thousands were murdered, the numbers are nowhere even close to triple digits. This is important for historical purposes, but also because Nanking remains a major geopolitical issue between Japan, China and even Taiwan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-7-VFiuyd0https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/100512970.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://en.wikisource.org/wiki/War_Damage_in_the_Nanking_area_Dec._1937_to_Mar._1938https://news.web.nhk/newsweb/na/na-k10015198361000*The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, subscribe below.
- Florida's primaries deliver major upsets as Alexander Vindman loses decisively to Angie Nixon, Randy Fine cruises to victory and Jared Moskowitz defeats DSA-backed challenger Oliver Larkin. - Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed faces fresh scrutiny after a report alleges his mother previously worked for an organization that U.S. officials later linked to financial support for Osama bin Laden, the Taliban and Hamas. - Darlene Graham struggles in South Carolina's Senate debate, openly acknowledging limited national-security knowledge when pressed about Taiwan and the South China Sea. - The Lindsay Clancy trial approaches its final stages as supporters gather outside the hospital, defense testimony focuses on postpartum psychosis and online theories continue targeting her husband despite her defense acknowledging she killed the children. - Boston Mayor Michelle Wu urges private property owners not to provide parking to ICE, escalating the sanctuary-city confrontation as immigration enforcement becomes a major Massachusetts political flashpoint. Today's podcast is sponsored by : PARAMOUNT PLUS - Don't Miss “Lioness” - all episodes NOW STREAMING on Paramount Plus You can now WATCH and chat with The Gerry Callahan Show LIVE on Newsmax's social media channels (Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, Rumble) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Listen Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media: • Facebook: http://nws.mx/FB • X/Twitter: http://nws.mx/twitter • Instagram: http://nws.mx/IG • YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV • Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV • TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX • GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax • Threads: http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX • Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax • BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com • Parler: http://app.parler.com/newsmax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join Jim and Greg for the Wednesday 3 Martini Lunch as they react to a socialist state lawmaker shocking the Democrats by winning the Florida U.S. Senate primary, South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham admitting she is not well-versed at all on national security, a company admitted it completely fabricated recent polling results, and two Dan Sullivans appearing likely to make the November ballot for U.S. Senate in Alaska.First, they discuss the stunning victory of socialist Angie Nixon in the Florida Democratic U.S. Senate primary over the heavily-favored establishment pick, Alexander Vindman. Jim and Greg also discuss how this result may impact the governor's race, and they round up a number of encouraging results in GOP congressional primaries.Next, they head to the South Carolina GOP U.S. Senate debate as Sen. Darline Graham whiffs on a question about Taiwan and admits, "National security is not my thing." Jim explains why this answer ought to be considered disqualifying, especially considering the challenges we face from China.Then, they dig into "Median Strategies" announcing it is done polling, fabricated all of their results, and the whole operation was a social experiment to see how much fake polling could get reported without anyone bothering to verify the results were legitimate.Finally, they groan over Alaska's ridiculous system, where four candidates advance from Tuesday's primary to the general election. This year the four U.S. Senate candidates will include two named Dan Sullivan, one of whom is accused of running just to sow confusion for the current Sen. Sullivan. The eventual winner will be decided through the execrable ranked choice voting system. Please visit our great sponsors:Brooklyn Beddinghttps://BrooklynBedding.comGet 30% off sitewide Brooklyn Bedding with promo code 3ML. BetterHelphttps://betterhelp.com/3ML See the reviews, see what stands out, and see if BetterHelp is right for you. Noble Goldhttps://NobleGoldInvestments.com/3MLIf you want to see how physical gold and silver could fit into your portfolio, download Noble Gold Investments FREE Wealth Protection Kit.New episodes every weekday.
-Alpha News journalist Liz Collin joins Rob to unpack Derek Chauvin attorney Greg Joseph's new challenge to his conviction, centered on the argument that the charges required a grand-jury indictment. She also dives into Minnesota fraud, immigration enforcement, election rules and rising property taxes. -Rob reviews South Carolina Senate candidate Darlene Graham's debate performance, where a question about Taiwan and the South China Sea produces the refreshingly candid admission that she isn't very informed on national security. Rob gives her points for honesty—and considerably fewer for the whole “running for U.S. Senate” part. -Former federal prosecutor Doug Burns joins Rob to talk Trump's proposed White House ballroom, the FBI headquarters dispute, Democratic prospects in the midterms and the Chauvin case. The legal analysis eventually becomes a diagnosis of the Democratic “big tent”: plenty of room inside, except Rob says the DSA has soaked it in gasoline and set it on fire. Today's podcast is sponsored by : PARAMOUNT PLUS - Don't Miss “Lioness” - all episodes NOW STREAMING on Paramount Plus RELIEF FACTOR - You don't need to live with aches & pains! Reduce muscle & joint inflammation and live a pain-free life by visiting http://ReliefFactor.com To call in and speak with Rob Carson live on the show, dial 1-800-922-6680 between the hours of 12 Noon and 3:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday… Musical parodies provided by Jim Gossett (http://patreon.com/JimGossettComedy) You can now WATCH and chat with The Rob Carson Show LIVE on Newsmax's social media channels (Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, Rumble) Listen to Newsmax LIVE and see our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Podcasts Make the switch to NEWSMAX today! Get your 15 day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com Looking for NEWSMAX caps, tees, mugs & more? Check out the Newsmax merchandise shop at : http://nws.mx/shop Follow NEWSMAX on Social Media: -Facebook: http://nws.mx/FB -X/Twitter: http://nws.mx/twitter -Instagram: http://nws.mx/IG -YouTube: https://youtube.com/NewsmaxTV -Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsmaxTV -TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX -GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/newsmax -Threads: http://threads.net/@NEWSMAX -Telegram: http://t.me/newsmax -BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/newsmax.com -Parler: http://app.parler.com/newsmax Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week's show Patrick Gray and James Wilson are joined by guest co-host Dmitri Alperovitch to talk through the week's news, including: Trump's memo authorising the private sector to release the cyber hounds is fine, don't worry! OpenAI finally decides to add a few safety measures after the whole “oopsie we committed some felonies” thing Anthropic's models start a turf war when given the same task, surprising… nobody We can't figure out whether a device that can hack a 737 is showboating stunt hacking or … something more real-world cool. Or both. Or something. Much, much more This week's show is brought to you by threat hunt and detection platform Nebulock. Founder and CEO Damien Lewke joins Pat to chat about what it looks like when you try to reinvent the SIEM in 2026 on a clean sheet of paper. This episode is also available on YouTube Show notes Trump signs memo authorizing private sector to launch cyberattacks | washingtonpost.com Trump taps cyber firms to go on offensive against criminals | therecord.media OpenAI Overhauls Safety Protocols After Its AI Agents Went Rogue | wired.com Pacing model development in an era of cyber-critical capabilities | Anthropic set AI agents loose on the same task. They started a turf war. | TechCrunch Security Researchers observe first ‘near-autonomous' AI attack on government target in Taiwan | cyberscoop.com Researchers find AI-powered hacking tools for sale in underground forums | Cybersecurity Dive Terabytes of credentials leaked in massive supply-chain attack | arstechnica.com Trivy, Not LiteLLM Behind the 2,500 Org Compromise | securityweek.com Ukraine says cyberattack hit Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries amid drone strikes | The Record ‘Unprecedented' number of Apple users received recent spyware alert, say investigators | TechCrunch Security This Coin-Sized Device Can Hack a Boeing 737 | wired.com "City-Forum" data-theft attacks target Salesforce, ServiceNow portals | BleepingComputer Max severity SAP Commerce Cloud flaw now targeted in attacks | BleepingComputer Shell investigates 'potential incident' after Clop data theft claims | BleepingComputer Philips and GE investigating Clop ransomware data theft claims | BleepingComputer Uber Freight reportedly investigating after hacking group claims data breach | TechCrunch Security Details emerge on BlackFile's recent attacks on financial companies | cyberscoop.com After Microsoft threatened legal action, a security researcher publishes a new Windows zero-day bug | TechCrunch Security Kimwolf botnet rebuilt to survive takedowns, researchers say | cyberscoop.com Hundreds of fake Chrome VPN extensions route traffic through a proxy | BleepingComputer Deepfake hiccup unmasks suspected digital certificate fraudster | theregister.com Vulnerability giving attackers full control of Macs is under active exploitation | arstechnica.com Critical VMware vCenter RCE flaw exploited for reverse SSH access | BleepingComputer Poland probes MyDr healthcare software breach potentially affecting 19 million people | therecord.media Crypto hardware wallet owners face fresh security risks after recent spate of personal data thefts | TechCrunch Security [un]prompted.au — AI × Cybersecurity Conference · Sydney, 18–19 September 2026 | [un]prompted.au
A threat is not a strategy, and it definitely is not a negotiating position. We sit down with Ambassador Chas Freeman to unpack why talk of “decapitation,” demands for compensation, and shifting US red lines do not move Iran toward a deal, they push everything toward attrition and escalation. Freeman argues credibility is the real currency of diplomacy, and once a country's signature stops meaning what it says, rivals and allies start planning around that reality. We dig into the memorandum of understanding that was supposed to set basic terms for de-escalation, including constraints on threats, questions around sanctions and frozen assets, and the high-stakes reality of the Strait of Hormuz. Freeman explains why shipping volumes matter to global oil prices and supply chains, and why public claims of US control can backfire when markets and other governments see a different picture on the water. We also talk about practical limits, including munitions shortages and the strain of projecting power far from home. From there, we widen the lens to US reputation with Russia and China, the risk calculus around Taiwan, and the pressure points that shape Washington's relationship with Israel as Netanyahu signals open defiance on Gaza and disarmament terms. We close by challenging the idea of war reparations in this conflict and what “winning” even means when diplomacy collapses. If you want clearer thinking on US Iran policy, Middle East security, the Strait of Hormuz, and the credibility crisis shaping global politics, listen through and share your take. Subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
Things are heating up in this jaw-dropping debate exchange!
From a stunning Democrat primary shocker in Florida to a jaw-dropping debate fumble over foreign policy, this election season is turning upside down!
S&P futures are flat following a broadly lower Asia session. Bond pressure and semis selloffs led to sharp losses in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Mainland China benchmarks were hit hard as well, though Hong Kong managed to close in the green. European markets are largely unchanged this morning. Company Mentioned: Pilgrim's Pride
William Owens is a busy guy. You might catch him reading poetry or riding his bicycle across Taiwan or having dinner with new friends. But in all these journeys, no matter how big or how small, William is ready and willing to share the Gospel message with everyone he meets. William is a free-spirited traveler and the co-publisher of the Why Jesus book series. When it comes to leadership, William says that Jesus is the most profound example there is. Jesus would spend time with the Father, William points out, and then share that vision with His followers. Jesus listened to people and welcomed them into His presence. He wasn't worried about pushing them into a singular denomination or church. He wanted to know them and them to know Him. As Christian leaders, we can learn from Christ's example. TAKEAWAYS Jesus always expressed His deepest concerns to those He spoke with William has written more than 5,000 poems and visited 11 countries on his bicycle Churches sometimes try to contain God and control His behavior - an impossible task The Why Jesus book series is a collection of Christian short essays, stories, poetry, and testimonies
Spectrum control now sits at the center of Indo-Pacific defense planning, and AI is changing both how allies coordinate and how China pursues electromagnetic advantage. For today's conversation, Ken Miller sits down with Dr. Nathan Johnson, president of the AOC Australia-New Zealand chapter, and Dr. Chen Yi Tu (Crystal), a research fellow at Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research, to break down what AOC Asia 2026 revealed about the region's security outlook. Together, they discuss why AOC Asia was paired with Australia's ADSTAR event, how coalition warfare demands shared frameworks across the Indo-Pacific, and how China is advancing EMSO through military-civil fusion, AI-assisted monitoring, and influence in international regulatory bodies.We invite you to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes by emailing host Ken Miller at host@fromthecrowsnest.org or by visiting us on our Instagram @fromthecrowsnestpodcast.To learn more about today's topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.
It's Tuesday, August 18th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson and Timothy Reed Arizona pastor murdered by crucifixion Demonically inspired opposition to the Christian faith is on the rise here in the United States as well as overseas. A Christian pastor in Arizona was subjected to a crucifixion-type murder last year. The perpetrator, Adam Sheafe, confessed he did it because the pastor would not compromise on his teaching on the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity and the deity of Jesus Christ. The murderer, in this case, has been sentenced to life in prison. “For this reason, the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.. . but also that He said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.” That's John 5:16 and 18. Ukraine has achieved an 8-1 casualty ratio with Russia since January Ukraine is back on top in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Center for Strategic and International Studies reports that Ukraine has achieved as much as an 8-1 casualty ratio since the beginning of the year — up from a 2-1 ratio since the beginning of the war. The report also notes that the war is taking a toll on the Russian people. They suffer from a “sputtering economy, higher prices on groceries and other expenses, tax increases, significant internet restrictions, and an oppressive crackdown on freedom of speech.” Russia has suffered an estimated 450,000 fatalities in the conflict. That compares to the United States losing 102,000 men in military conflicts since World War II. Dramatic increase in military budgets in the Far East Sabers are rattling in the Pacific. Japan's military budget is up 5% year-over-year. South Korea's budget is up 7.5%. The Philippines' budget is up 9%. And Taiwan's is up 16%. China's build-up began 25 years ago and is now averaging 7% per year. China's budget is running at $283 billion compared to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan which are spending $150 billion combined. America's deficit up 11% Here in America, for the first 10 months of the fiscal year, the U.S. deficit registered an 11% increase year-over-year. That's 31% above the average deficit produced by the Biden budgets between 2021 and 2025. Proverbs 28:22 reads, “A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him.” Gen Z investors believe sports betting is good investment An online survey of 1,000 U.S. retail investors conducted in late March and early April, which was released this week, found that 52% of Gen Z investors were planning to shift money originally set aside for stocks or other investments into sports wagers over the past year. Only about one-third of Gen Z participants reported no involvement in sports betting at all, compared with 63% across all age groups in the survey. Specifically, 26% of Gen Z respondents -- those born between 1997 and 2007 -- said they view sports betting as a deliberate, ongoing part of their wealth strategy. That figure drops sharply with age: 14% of Millennials, 6% of Gen X, and just 1% of Baby Boomers reported the same outlook. Overall, U.S. sports betting has increased from $2 billion of waging to $166 billion in waging since 2018 - just eight years ago, according to Research Ground. Gen Z also loves cryptocurrency In addition, Motley Fool's recent survey found that Gen Zers are the most likely to invest in cryptocurrency at 49% compared to other demographics including 46% of Millennials, 26% of Gen Xers, and 11% of Baby Boomers. Plus, 57% of cryptocurrency purchasers think it's an investment, and 26% use it for a monetary exchange. But crypto is losing favor with American investors. Gallup's recent poll found only 2% of Americans favor crypto for a long-term investment which is down from 8% four years ago. Real estate, stocks, and gold are the favorite choices for investors now. The birth dearth in America The National Center for Education Statistics reports that public schools in America have lost almost two million students since 2019. This is partially due to the birth dearth – or the decline in America's fertility rate. Since 2015, it amounts to a loss of about one million children. Births to women in America topped out in 2007 at 2.12 or 2,122 births per 1,000 women aged 15–44. Today, the birth rate is hovering around 1.57 or 1,570 births per 1,000 women. By contrast, the average birth rate for homeschooling families is 3.5 children per family. The Centers for Disease Control reveals that total U.S. births fell off during the first quarter of 2026 — a 2.1% drop off from the previous year. There were 4.3 million births in America in 2007, but only 3.6 million births last year. And we're looking at another drop of about 700,000 students this year. This data points to an 18% drop in American births in 18 years. Based on these recent numbers for American births, by 2031, the public schools will lose another 2.44 million students due to birth decline alone in this country. That's not counting the number of students who drop out. Shocker: Canadian male cyclist beating women in the sport And finally, men, pretending to be women, are once again proving that they can beat women in women's sports. A Canadian cyclist, by the name of “Mr. Ivy,” claimed to have transgendered into a woman; after which he won a women's cycling championship. More recently, “Mr. Ivy” has gone on to win the Inter-Provincial Team title at the Canadian Women's Mid-Amateur Championship golf tournament. This is actually the third time that he has won the women's Canadian golf tournament. Not surprisingly, he has dominated in other recent golf competitions for woman as well. Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, August 18th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ. Extra print U.S. Senate still has not passed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility The United States Senate continues to drag its feet on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America, Act. The Senate has now adjourned for five weeks, and has no formal plans to try and pass the SAVE Act before fall. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on the Republican led Senate to secure American elections and to pass the SAVE Act, but to no avail. Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah said, “We did our best, left no stone unturned. I wish the outcome had been different, both as to adjournment and as to these votes. This fight's not over. We're just getting started.” Contact your two U.S. Senators by phone or email and ask them to vote for the SAVE Act. 1,000 fake marriages to Chinese nationals in New York The Department of Justice charged 11 individuals in New York last week in a massive marriage fraud scheme. Per the Justice Department, more than 1,000 fake marriages were conducted, mostly between Chinese nationals seeking to obtain green card status in the United States. The operation had been running for more than 10 years.
Cory Gardner is a former U.S. Senator and Congressman from Colorado and was one of the Senate's leading Taiwan and China experts, chairing the Foreign Relations subcommittee on East Asia and authoring the Taipei Act. He is now president and CEO of NCTA, the Internet & Television Association, whose members built the nation's largest broadband platform.In this episode of Summation, Cory and Auren discuss:Why the AI race gets won on spectrum, fiber, and memory chipsThe bottleneck raising the price of your iPhone, PlayStation, and routerWhy an open society is vulnerable to a campaign to turn Americans against AIWhat a China expert thinks about our dependence on chips made off China's coastYou can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Cory Gardner on X at @CoryGardner
Former CIA Director and retired U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus joins The Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly for a wide-ranging conversation about the wars reshaping the global security landscape — and why the United States needs to fundamentally rethink how it prepares for the conflicts of the future. From the war with Iran and Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine to China's military calculations over Taiwan, Petraeus explains how drones, autonomous weapons and rapidly changing battlefield technology are transforming warfare faster than many military institutions can adapt. On Iran, Petraeus examines whether there is a realistic path to ending the conflict, why maintaining economic and maritime pressure on Tehran matters, and how Iran's missiles and drones have changed the threat to U.S. forces, regional partners and some of the world's most critical energy infrastructure. He also warns against believing the United States can simply disengage from the region. "Trying to leave the Middle East for the United States is like Michael Corleone trying to leave the mafia," Petraeus says. "You just keep getting sucked back in." The conversation then turns to Ukraine, which Petraeus describes as a "laboratory for the future of war." He explains how drones have transformed the battlefield, why traditional weapons such as artillery and tanks face new vulnerabilities, and how autonomous systems could soon usher in another dramatic shift.
Keith breaks down why global crises, geopolitical shocks, and nonstop "doom" headlines haven't stopped stocks and real estate from reaching near all-time highs, and what that means for investors focused on inflation-resistant assets. He also discusses Memphis as a surprising cash-flow market poised to benefit from the AI boom, sharing details on an upcoming webinar with Mid South Homebuyers. Keith is joined by real estate investor and educator Jared Garfield to unpack the "Seven-Figure Solution," a strategy that combines cash-flowing rentals with tax-advantaged life insurance to create liquidity, reduce risk, and support long-term retirement income. Together, they explore how disciplined portfolio growth, smart leverage, and coordinated tax planning can help real estate investors better align their assets with their long-term financial goals. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/619 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments. For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text FAMILY to 66866 Join Mid South Home Buyers' one-time, free live webinar featuring Keith Weinhold on September 30 at GetRichEducation.com/MidSouth to learn how Memphis' economic expansion could create new real estate investment opportunities, and have your questions answered in real time. Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review" For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Keith Weinhold 0:02 Welcome to GRE. I'm your host Keith Weinhold. The world is about to end again. It's the economic disaster that never arrives. I'll break it down. Then you've been earning money and investing well all these years. How does it all go together? It can culminate in the seven-figure solution, it's about seeing your future today on Get Rich Education. What if I told you that one of America's strongest cash flow real estate markets is also becoming the new brains and brawn behind AI? That city is Memphis, believe it or not. And September 30th, we're going to show you why the smart money is paying attention now, along with an investing opportunity you won't want to miss. Join me, Terry Kerr and Matthew Van Horn of Mid South Homebuyers, the largest turnkey company in Memphis with more than 6,000 homes under management, for a free live webinar, the likes of which I've never done before, we're going to look at what billions in new investment could mean for jobs, housing demand, neighborhood appreciation, and your portfolio. Everyone who attends live will also get exclusive access to the best deal terms Mid South has ever offered. Reserve your free seat at getricheducation.com/midsouth again that september 30. Don't say we didn't tell you. Save your spot at getricheducation.com/midsouth. Speaker 1 1:39 You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is Get Rich Education. Keith Weinhold 1:55 Welcome to GRE from Kankakee, Illinois, to Cherokee, Iowa, and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold. This is Get Recid Education, and the world is about to end. Even if you survive, your portfolio surely won't. Oh, jeez. At least that's the impression you get from mass media and what I'll call the Doom Scroll Industrial Complex. Fear creates urgency. Urgency attracts eyeballs. Eyeballs attract ad dollars. And I guess that using a slogan like "everything will probably be fine" well, that's never been a great ratings strategy. Now, can what has happened since 2020. Just this cheery little sequence: COVID, then Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, tariffs, and then the war in Iran. All that just since 2020. I mean, that right there sounds less like an economic timeline and more like a movie plot, or that the world is repeatedly spinning the wheel of misfortune. Yet after all of that, what is the result? Both stocks and residential real estate are near all-time highs. Apparently, the apocalypse has been postponed yet again-at least economically speaking. Now let's zoom out and break down these threats and a few more, all just since 2020, because 2020 is the year where, of course, you had the COVID-19 pandemic, economic shutdowns, the fastest major stock bear market in history, supply chain breakdown. You saw empty shelves, and there was unprecedented government intervention from the Paycheck Protection Program to stimulus checks to mortgage loan forbearance. Then, in 2021 and 2022, you had post-COVID inflation and supply shortages. Now, this was more of a result, not strictly geopolitical, but a major investment threat, and that led to aggressive interest rate hikes. From 2022 to the present, you have Russia's invasion of Ukraine, energy and food shocks came from that, sanctions, instability over in Europe, and really a heightened nuclear risk in 2023. You had the U.S. regional banking crisis. Remember SVB, yes, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, First Republic. They raised fears of a financial contagion that would spread like fat. Than a secret in a small town, it actually made me buy some gold. From 2023 to the present, you had the Israel-Hamas war and this broad Middle East instability, Hezbollah attacks, Houthi attacks, Red Sea shipping disruptions. It's almost like a geopolitical group project. And then from 2025 to the present, you have renewed U.S. tariffs and a global trade war, and this year you have the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz disruption. That is the biggest current geopolitical investment threat because it combines all of these things: war, oil disruption, inflation, higher interest rates, and a recession risk. So it's a lot like this particularly unpleasant smoothie that's been blended together. Keith Weinhold 5:55 All right. Well, all of that-that is just an absurd amount of uncertainty and disruption only since 2020, and though major markets are at all-time highs in the face of this, let's acknowledge that some were hurt here, like apartment building owners vulnerable to interest rate resets, and certain commercial sectors like office. Even worse, let's be sensitive to the fact that COVID in wars have resulted in a real loss of life. GRE's enduring strategy of primarily owning long-term residential rentals with fixed-rate debt has been comparatively really resilient. In fact, these calamities-they probably made you better off from the inflation that it has spurred. More people work from home. Well, that means that they're consuming our product while higher inflation debased our debt and jacked up our property values and our rents. And you know somehow every. single generation thinks that their collection of crises is uniquely terrifying, and it is not. And what do I mean by this? Well, in the 1980s, people feared war with the Soviet Union, the Cold War. A global population explosion so bad that millions or billions of people would surely die from hunger. You had the AIDS crisis. You had a hole in the ozone layer. Well, all those things. Virtually zero investors make decisions based on that stuff: an imminent Soviet attack or mass starvation from overpopulation. There is one thing that is 100% certain here, and that is that more shocks are coming. In case you don't want to sleep well, you can get worked up over the certainty of future calamities, artificial intelligence is making cyber attacks faster and more scalable. AI has even created entirely novel viruses. A confrontation between China and Taiwan that could create risk in the semiconductor space. Keith Weinhold 8:18 A blockade that might disrupt the world's advanced chip supply, creating more inflation and more uncertainty. Here is what's changed, though, for what investors care about. You know what has changed with today's set of calamities versus those of the 1980s and earlier, because there is something, and it's a big deal for investors. Here's what's changed: recent history shows that the government does more to intervene during disasters, stimulus checks, liquidity programs where they're printing trillions, bailouts, pushing interest rates down to almost zero, quantitative easing. How about a foreclosure moratorium? Anything you know during COVID, it was a lot of these things, and it was the CARES Act, and it was a student loan payment pause. I mean, the Federal Reserve even set up emergency credit facilities. We now know that when the economic building catches fire, policymakers they rarely stand around admiring the flames. They just flood the place with currency. So the best investors they keep prudently building real estate portfolios in the face of risk, not the absence of risk, because the latter does not exist. This incessant government intervention, whether you agree with it or not, it gives you more safety cushions the next time that things fall apart. That's why what appears risk. Is still risky, but less so. So there is more incentive to take on prudent risk than I've ever seen. You know, no politician wants America to fall apart under their watch. So increasingly, they'll just paper over the problem by printing, printing, printing, and then, therefore, the resultant inflation, the consequence of this, that can be dealt with under the next president's watch, not theirs. In fact, future calamities they almost make you want to own scarce real assets that benefit from inflation, not a hedge, a benefit. Trying to time every war, election, banking crisis, tariff announcement, virus, and Fed decision. Trying to time all of those things-that is usually ineffective. You either own more assets, or you get left behind in everything that's happened since 2020. That just underscores this. In fact, Berkshire Hathaway, the closely watched company that Warren Buffett ran for a long time, but he still has influence in. Keith Weinhold 11:16 You know, they recently began moving out of cash and into assets, they ended their long net selling stretch. In fact, in the latest quarter ended, they've now done the most buying that they've done since early 2022. They have jumped back in the game. It appears that Berkshire Hathaway got tired of sitting on the sidelines and seeing others make gains, and they're pretty bullish on housing too. They bought a home builder. The bottom line here is that shocks are going to keep arriving, and yet productive assets and well-financed residential real estate has repeatedly survived them and just continued appreciating. Don't wait for a risk-free world because you'll wait forever. When you evaluate all these calamities, just since 2020, again, COVID, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, tariffs, and war in Iran, and then you realize that both real estate and stocks are near all-time highs anyway, and the government keeps backstopping asset owners like never before. This is just a fresh angle on how much better off you are when you prudently own more inflation-benefiting assets sooner. I want to tell you about something called the seven-figure solution. You've been here listening to me weekly since 2014. You've been earning money. You've been investing well, and now you're going to see how it all goes together. It's about making sure that your real estate and your other assets appropriately fund your retirement in a way that gives you protection against market downturns, a tax advantage pool of liquidity, the death benefit of a life insurance policy, and actually introduces you to a new form of leverage all at the same time. Now the liquidity here is key because this is where a 401(k) or IRA limit you, they have taxes and penalties if you want to use those funds early. This doesn't, but the seven-figure solution-it's not just for retirees. In fact, our own in-house investment coach Narayish uses something like this, and he is in his 30s. Let's discuss it, and then you'll see where I have an invitation for you, where you can get involved. I'd like to welcome in a guest we last had on the show a few years ago. Keith Weinhold 13:54 He's a frequent guest on popular shows, including our friends over at the Real Estate Guys Radio Show, and this guest has also been a terrestrial radio show host himself. He's a long-time real estate educator and an active investor, just like you and I. So he speaks from experience and not a textbook. He's the creator of what we'll discuss today, called the Seven Figure Solution. Welcome back to the show, Jared Garfield. Jared Garfield 14:21 Hey, it's great to be with you again. Thanks for having me. Keith Weinhold 14:25 It's so good. Now you're with the Haven Bridge Group, and you help people, especially real estate investors, with what's called the seven-figure solution. Tell us about it. Jared Garfield 14:37 it. Well, Haven Bridge, we get the name for that because people are really looking for a haven of safety, and the bridge is kind of what crosses the gaps that could kind of destroy your wealth, and it's the path to get there. So we want to take people on a path to safety, and the seven-figure solution is the idea that if you're going to be drawing out even 4% per year to not outlive your money, because people are living now. To 8590, 95 years old, and so that means you could have 35 years in retirement. And with inflation and different things like that, you really have to have a lot bigger nest egg than what most people realize. So a seven-figure solution is how to get to more than a million dollars liquid that you can draw on in a tax advantaged manner for the rest of your life, while also having living benefits. And we pull real estate in with it because we want people to have 10 or 15 or 20 rental properties by the time they retired. That they 1031 exchange regularly, so that they're always keeping tax advantages. So that even in retirement you have strong tax advantages, and ultimately we think that when you're 65 or 70, you might want to go from 30 single-family houses to 1031 exchange into one institutional asset that's a little bit less management intensive. Keith Weinhold 15:57 Okay, so this is a tax advantage vehicle that real estate investors can use during their investing career, and those tax advantages then really convert into something that you can use in retirement as well. Jared Garfield 16:11 Yes, what it does is it's a vehicle that instead of saving the money from your cash flow from your rental properties in the bank, we say, well, why wouldn't you rather invest in something where it grows tax-free, number one, and then number two, you don't have the penalties like you would with a 401k, where you get taxed and you get penalized 10% if you pull it out. It's liquid, usually about 80 to 90% liquid, so you can pull from it whenever you like, and you can use it for down payments to grow your real estate portfolio. But you can earn sometimes between five and even seven or 8% in a tax advantaged manner where you're not taxed on it, but you're earning a much higher return than if you put the cash flow into a bank. Keith Weinhold 16:51 All right, so you're building this tax advantage pool of capital that grows over time, and this is important to have some liquidity. You know, Jared, I've often talked to our audience, about three to 5% of your portfolio value ought to be kept liquid. Maybe with a vehicle like this, you would want to put in more of that because real estate investors we have expenses, so you have this liquidity to cover things like vacancies and major repairs, or perhaps you could even use this account for future down payments on additional investment properties. Is that how it's utilized? Jared Garfield 17:27 Yeah, absolutely. And I get it partially this way because in my early 20s, I got up to where I had about six rentals, and at the time, I also owned a real estate brokerage, and I was doing very well. I was making a six-figure income and things. And what happened is, I back when a Keith Weinhold 17:41 six-figure income was a big deal. Jared Garfield 17:43 Yeah, back in the early 2000s, it was a little bit better money. But the funny thing was, I had four rental properties that all went vacant at the same exact time, and so now all of a sudden, I was paying like 4500 bucks a month in mortgages, not counting the house I lived in, but I had to cover four mortgages on four of my rental properties all at the same time, and I hadn't saved the cash flow, so I didn't have a huge emergency fund. All my liquid capital went into down payments and into renovation money to rehab the properties. Okay, and so it put me in a real bind, and I was out driving a Volvo S80 around throwing two paper routes in the mornings, and then going to my real estate brokerage after my paper routes to cover those rental properties. And so this was basically meant as a way to say, okay, this is a way that I have the liquidity. I'm getting a higher return, but now my tenants are not only buying me the houses, but they're also giving me a couple million dollars in life insurance, and they're wrapping my investment component or the cash value of that, the cash value part of the policy. They're wrapping that in a way that it grows tax-free, so it just accomplishes a lot of things. But the other thing that's a beautiful thing about it is there's a lot of things that we call living benefits. Keith Weinhold 19:02 All right, so you have the living benefits and the tax advantages, and I know how you have pointed out that this can save an investor 10s of 1000s of dollars in taxes per year and hundreds of 1000s or more over time. Can you tell us more about that? Jared Garfield 19:20 Yeah, because what happens is the money that goes in is growing tax-free, so you don't get taxed on any of the growth. But what we really like about it is, let's say that you're cash-flowing $2,000 a month off your rental properties, and you're putting 2000 a month into this policy. Usually, after the first year, if you're max funding, 80 to 90% of that's liquid. So if you've got 24,000 sitting in there, you've got access to 89 to 90% of the money. So it's pretty liquid. But what happens is over a 20 or 30 year period, that money could turn into three or 400,000 a year that you can pull out in the form of policy loans. And by doing that, it's not taxed. And you can pull that out throughout your retirement tax-free. So if you were paying 25% in taxes and you're pulling out 200 grand a year, that's $50,000 a year in retirement that you're saving in taxes. But that could be over a 20 or 30-year period. So over 20 years, that 50,000 could end up being a lot of money. I mean, 500,000 over 10 years, a million over 20, and so that means you don't have to accumulate as much. But a lot of our investors love it because they'll save it up with discipline, and then that way it's there if the furnace blows. So it makes your real estate safer, but it also becomes your down payment funds to expand your portfolio. Keith Weinhold 20:40 Okay, the seven-figure solution is the vehicle that we're talking about here, and what part of the IRS code, just briefly, is it that gives this tax advantage? Jared Garfield 20:51 It's Internal Revenue Code Section 79 that allows it to grow tax-free. In the 1980 s, doctors and a lot of very wealthy people were using this to the point that IRS changed the laws. They went and sued the insurance companies because doctors would go in and dump $2 million in, and they would buy a $2 million life insurance policy. So they were self-insured, which meant that they didn't have any cost of mortality on it. So they basically got all the benefits of the tax-free growth and the tax-free pullout. And the IRS said, "Wait a minute! We think you're doing tax evasion. So what they did is they came around and they said, "We're not going to let you use this loophole anymore for the very wealthiest people to have this. So they came to a compromise, and the compromise was that if you wanted to put in 2 million, you had to maintain a corridor where there had to be a little bit higher amount of life insurance. So you might have to buy a $2.3 million policy, but then you could still dump, say, $2 million in and have all the tax advantages. It's a strategy that's been used for over 100 years by families like the Rockefellers and the Hunts and J.P. Morgan. The very wealthiest families have always used these strategies to grow and protect their wealth. Keith Weinhold 21:59 Okay, so it's a part of the tax code that allows cash value to accumulate within and be withdrawn from a life insurance policy tax-free. Jared Garfield 22:11 Correct, and it gives you living benefits, which I alluded to a minute ago. And the living benefits are if if you end up having to go through things like long-term care, disability, if you can't perform, you know certain functions for a certain period of time, chronic illness, critical illness, terminal illness. If any of those things happen to you, you can borrow against the policy and have access to money during those things that would normally decimate your wealth, because you can actually access the death benefit in advance. Keith Weinhold 22:42 Now I know a little about the six risks. Tell us about that. Jared Garfield 22:47 Well, Keith, there are six risks that all investors face regularly. The first one is inflation erosion, and that means that your purchasing power often ends up leaking out of your balance. And the balance might look fine, but inflation can eat away at it. So even if you've raised a lot of money, if inflation means that you can buy half as much five or 10 years from now, then you know your wealth isn't as big as you thought. The second is the volatility setback, and that's sequence of return risk. That means that if you retire on a bad year where things really bad, stock market drops, you could end up using your money at a time where it really weakens your wealth because it may have dropped by 50% So if you had a million, now you have a half a million, and you're spending 100,000 a year. At the end of year one, you might only have 400,000 left. So sequence of of return risks from volatility setback, tax drain. That's just the compounding cost of an uncoordinated tax picture can really be a problem, and then the next one is liquidity. If you don't have liquidity and you've locked up all your money and you can't access it until you're 59 and a half without significant taxation and 10% penalties, the liquidity lock is a problem. There's the longevity paradox. What happens if you outlive your money, you know. So living longer is a benefit, but it exposes you to where you might not have enough money to live on in your latter years. The last two are care avalanche, and that is if an unexpected health event happens at the wrong time, it could really destroy your wealth because medical costs have spiraled out of control, and then the last one is the line to land, and that's only one of the six that's really about growth. Keith Weinhold 24:28 Right, only one of the six of those was about growth. I can't stand the longevity paradox. Yeah, we think we all want to live a long time, but then it's more difficult to fund living a long time, and if you outlive everybody, nobody shows up at your funeral either. The longevity paradox-one of the six risks that the seven-figure solution can really help you with. Now, tell us more about funding it, so you can get a good cash value balance in. There, I know that one way you do it is actually with short-term rentals instead of a paycheck. Jared Garfield 25:06 We love short-term rentals, especially for our highest net worth clients, because the reason is is the bonus depreciation of the big beautiful bill. Oh, right! You could take up to like 150 or even $200,000 in year one, they take that depreciation that they used to spread out over a whole lot of years, and they make it to where if you get with your CPA and you analyze your short-term rental, you could potentially take all of the furnishings, all of the artwork, all of the dishes and things that are in the property. Sometimes they'll let you take components like the appliances, the air conditioning unit, the furnace, and they'll let you take it all in year one instead of having to line item it and spread it out over you know 27 and a half years. So what this means is, if you have a short term rental, then you you might get like 150 to 200,000 tax break in the first year on the right property, but it's better than that because instead of having to have like 750 hours to hit full-time real estate professional status, it cuts the hours that you have to have significantly down. I think it's more like 150 hours or something like that, or 300. It's like half the hours, and so you can hit the benefits of taking unlimited passive loss much easier if you have a couple of short-term rentals. Keith Weinhold 26:24 You're listening to Get Rich Education. We're talking with Jared Garfield about the seven-figure solution, something that takes some time to understand, but it can give you a tax-advantaged pool of capital that grows over time, and it also creates this overall tailwind, not just during your investor life, but then it provides tax advantaged retirement income at the same time. More on this when we come back. 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It's a straightforward approach built on real assets, not speculation. And full disclosure, I'm an investor myself. What I like is that their team walks you through how it all works, so you can decide if it aligns with your portfolio and income goals. Every investment carries risk, and nothing is guaranteed. But with a track record of consistent, on-time investor payouts, they built real credibility. Go to freedomfamilyinvestments.com to book a clarity call, or text family to 66866. That's family 266866. This is the Speaker 2 28:28 Real Wealth Network's Kathy Betke, and you are listening to the Always Valuable Get Rich Education with Keith Weinhold. Keith Weinhold 28:46 Welcome back to Get Rich Education. I'm your host Keith Weinhold. We're talking about the seven-figure solution with Jared Garfield. Something that can be a particular benefit to real estate investors both during your investing career and then once you're in retirement as well, and this can take the form of either an indexed universal life policy or a whole life policy. There are a lot of wrong ways to do this and wrong things to get into. We're talking about the right way. Part of that is funding it as best you can. Can you tell us more about that? Jared Garfield 29:20 Well, there's a lot of different ways to fund it. A lot of our clients will come in. We have some people who will use rollovers if they're nearing the end of retirement. Some people will roll over a 401k into a cash value life insurance policy because they can do it over a five or seven year period, and they pay the taxes when they roll it over, so their taxes go up a little bit for five or seven years of retirement, but then what happens is that means that during their retirement they're not taxed on the income all the way through retirement, so that can save really significantly. But a lot of our clients will do a flip and dump 40 or 50,000 a year in by just saying I'm going to do one flip a year and use that to. Fund the whole thing, or they'll take the cash flow and dump the cash flow into here instead of the bank, just so that they get the living benefits and they get the much higher return with still 80 to 90% liquidity. So could be cash flow from rentals, could be money from a flip, or sometimes some of these short-term rentals can make 20 to $30,000 a year, and if you get $100,000 tax break, you have more money that's not going to Uncle Sam, and then because that's your discretionary income now, because of the tax break, you could use that money to for down payments to grow your portfolio or to do a flip. Keith Weinhold 30:35 Now, Jared, I sort of think of the cash value that you're accumulating in this policy as safe money that grows at a slow to moderate steady rate, but if it rarely or ever loses value, can you tell us more about that and the rate of return expected in the policy? Jared Garfield 30:52 Yeah, absolutely. With the IULs, it's going to depend a little bit upon the carriers and stuff like that, and whether you go with a mutual company and stuff like that. It can vary, but a lot of times people are going with things that are what we call indexed. So you can actually index it to the S and p5 100 if you think that we're going to have a bull market and the market's going to really go up strongly. You can index it to the market, and sometimes they'll have a participation rate where they'll say, "Okay, you can participate up to 12% So if the stock market does 17% the most you can make is 12% So you're giving up a little bit of upside, but that's still not nothing. I mean, that's not three or 4% You can still make you know 10 or 12% that year, but you're giving up the part above the participation rate. And the reason that you do that is if the market tanks and drops by 30 or 40% The worst you can do is 0% return. Zero is my hero because you didn't lose anything. So if you had a half a million sitting there, you don't go down to 250 and then wait eight years to get back to break even. Instead, you're still at half a million. And if the market goes up next year by 20% and you had a 10% cap. Then your half a million, you know, is now at 550,000. When everybody else, if it went up by 10% they're at half the amount that they had. Keith Weinhold 32:13 You have a story or example of how you've helped somebody with this, because I know a lot of investors that are passionate about utilizing the cash value inside an insurance policy tell us. Jared Garfield 32:28 Well, I've got one friend who's a developer, and he did like a $5 million policy. And every time he flip a subdivision or flip a house, and let's back Keith Weinhold 32:36 up. Does a $5 million policy mean that's the death benefit? Jared Garfield 32:40 Yeah, that's the death benefit. Thanks for catching that. That's the death benefit, but that also has a correlation to how much money you can dump into it. So if you have a $5 million policy, you can dump a lot more money in for the tax free growth. And the quicker you hit that death benefit amount, at that point you're self-insured, and so at that point you really don't have cost of insurance on administering the policy hardly at all, and so at that point, when you're what we call self-insured, the return on the investment becomes a lot better. But this particular developer was able to use this policy because he had so much cash value in, and if he sold a house, he'd take 40,000. If he sold 10 a year, he might take you know 400,000 and dump it into this policy, and so it made him bankable. And he was able to use the money to go out and do new subdivision developments because the bank would actually use the policy as the collateral to be able to give him loans at much lower interest rates. Keith Weinhold 33:38 That's valuable. Tell us about that. I don't want to use the wrong words here, but then effectively with this example, are you borrowing against the funds in the policy? So therefore, you can get those dollars working for you somewhere else, all while simultaneously the cash value continues to compound and grow. Sort of another form of leverage. Jared Garfield 34:01 Correct. What they basically do is they basically freeze part of the amount and say, okay, we're using this as the collateral and stuff like that to be able to do the loan. But if it grows and and makes 7% you're still making the money off of the money that's sitting in there. It's just collateralized as part of the loan. And some people will even use it to like go buy a car, like instead of buying a car and going getting a bank loan and paying 7% to the bank, they might borrow money out, go pay cash for the car from the life insurance policy loan, and pay 2% instead of 7% But they're paying it to themselves, and as long as they're paying the interest to themselves, if the money that they borrow out could potentially still earn the same money and earn 7% even though you had borrowed out. So it's doing two things for you at the same time, as long as you're paying that loan interest. But and that depends on the option that you take when you do your loan. Keith Weinhold 34:54 We love leverage around here. Leverage trumps compound interest. In so many ways. Oh, I'm really glad that you told us some more about that using the funds in more than one way at the same time. Tell us more about what it costs for the investor, the costs of setting this up, and then what some of those trade-offs are, Jared. Jared Garfield 35:18 Well, that really depends on the individual. I mean, everybody has to sit down and be able to decide what is acceptable for them. You know, a lot of times people will want to max fund the 401k that they're doing at least just to the amount that's matched. But then after that, this could be a great place instead of putting a whole bunch more money into a 401k. Some people will elect to say, "I'm going to put the matching portion into my 401k, but then I'm going to take my cash flow from my real estate and money that I could have contributed to other alternatives and put it into this because I want the liquidity. I want to be able to leverage this money and pull it out without any restrictions. That as long as I can pull out 80 to 90 percent, I could go buy a car wash, or I could invest in a business, or I could, you know, do whatever I wanted to. I could loan it to my kids for their college and make them pay me loans back to my policy. There gives you a lot of flexibility to do it. But the thing that we love about it is we'll do what's called an illustration, and it may end up if you start at the right time, it could be a six-figure passive income stream at retirement, and then if you have the real estate, because this helped you grow your portfolio, where without doing the strategy, you might have ended up with say 10 properties. We might be able to get you to 20 or 30 properties working together as a team with your real estate coaches and stuff like that. Then we can potentially grow your real estate portfolio, and what we want to do is 1031 exchange every seven to eight years. I don't believe in holding properties for 30 years. Jared Garfield 36:47 I believe in exchanging them every seven to eight years because when the tax benefits have been used up, if you exchange to twice the size portfolio, you have better appreciation on a portfolio worth twice as much. But that new value, you still get the depreciation advantages, where the old value that was half, you know, the depreciation is used up. So you're you're getting new depreciation on the higher value assets, and then our goal would be that by the time you don't want to be involved in managing the property managers, that at some point you're going to have a 200 unit apartment complex with on-site management, and at that point you don't have any financial worries really because you're 1031 exchanging into those apartment complexes, but you have so much equity that you're still maintaining depreciation during your retirement years. When most people who have lesser plans don't have the tax advantages, Keith Weinhold 37:41 I love that you said so much of that, and to you, the listener, Jared is licensed to do this, and our own in-house investment coach. You mentioned coaching. Naresh has the proper licensing as well to holistically help integrate this into your investor life. And for example, yes, we are rarely of the mindset that you would hold a property for all 30 years because after seven to 10 years, your leverage ratio gets worn down, and then additionally, if you're buying turnkey properties, oftentimes that's when capex expenditures start to enter into the picture. So yes, oftentimes we do these seven to 10 year holds. Jared Garfield 38:23 I love that. Yeah, that's a really really good strategy, and and it always makes it to where you can grow so much bigger portfolio by not being taxed through that exchange. And you know, believe it or not, there's actually even ways when you have extra cash boot, they do allow if you notify them in advance. Sometimes you can take some of the cash boot on the exchange and roll it into some of the products that we utilize. Keith Weinhold 38:47 For more specifics, I know you said it's based on one's individual situation, but how much does it cost to set up a policy? And then, are there any ongoing maintenance fees? Can you give us more specifics there? Jared Garfield 38:59 So, there's small fees to administer the policy because you have people who are trading and doing different things and working within the policy for the funds. But usually, you can set policies up as low as 100 or even $200 a month. We don't usually recommend that because you want to max fund it. Usually, when you're doing these strategies, if you're just doing $100 or $200 a month, you're basically buying life insurance, but you're missing a lot of the benefits because what you want to do is to be able to max fund it. So what we like people to do is get as minimum life insurance. That's not in our advantage because we get paid based on the premium of the amount of life insurance you get. But you get the smallest amount of life insurance for the amount that you can max fund. I would much rather have somebody get a $500 a month policy that, let's say, they could put you know a thousanmd a month in or something like that, than to have somebody get $1,000 a month policy where they're paying a thousand a month but they can't max fund it because by max funding it you're maximizing the growth component of the cash. Value, and so it depends on how much you want. But you can go anywhere from $100 or $200 a month to we have clients that will dump $20,000 a month in because they really want to shield as much money as they can from tax growth. Keith Weinhold 40:15 Tell us more about who the seven-figure solution is for and who it's not for. Jared Garfield 40:20 Well, if you're living month to month and you don't have discretionary income, it's probably not a good solution. In that situation, you probably want to get term insurance and just make sure that you cover catastrophic things. But if you've got discretionary income and you've got an extra four to $500 a month that you could use to max fund, we figure most people need life insurance anyway, and the way that we teach it, when you mix it with real estate, rather than pulling it from your monthly budget, doesn't it make a lot more sense to let your tenants buy the houses for you, but also pay for a half a million or a million dollar life insurance policy for you, where the tenants are covering the savings for anything that happens at the property with capex or vacancy or damage, and at the same time covering life insurance and potentially a six-figure passive income that's tax advantaged at retirement. So I pull the money out from other assets and let the assets cover this asset. Keith Weinhold 41:18 Oh well, Jared, this has been great. Before I ask you if you have any last things to tell the audience about the seven-figure solution, I invite you, the audience, to join us. It's going to be Jared and our own in-house investment coach, Nareesh, bringing you a live online event that you can join from the comfort of your own home next Thursday, the 27th at 8 PM Eastern. You can register now; it's free at grewebinars.com because there are a lot of moving parts, and it does take some time to wrap your head around this, benefiting from the cash value of an insurance policy. And this way you can have a Q and A, and you can get answers in real time at this event. It's called the Seven Figure Solution: Build wealth, reduce risk, and create tax advantage retirement income through real estate. Again, it is next Thursday, the 27th at 8p.m. Eastern, you probably have generated some questions inside your head while you're listening to this, and you can sure have them answered there as you're going to learn a whole lot more about it next Thursday. This could help a lot of people. Jared, do you have any last thoughts? Jared Garfield 42:38 I think the only thing is that we like to work with the team. We like to work with your CPA. We like to work with your real estate investment coach. I used to be a coach and trainer for Robert Kiyosaki, who wrote Rich Dad Poor Dad, and he always talked about power teams. And so we want to be able to be a part of your power team and work with your other advisors to help you implement something. We're not here to give you tax advice. We want you to be able to work with your investment advisors and your CPAs, and just be a part of the team. But I would point out that over my career, I've owned hundreds and hundreds of single-family cash flow rentals, duplexes, fourplexes, apartment complexes. I've done some land development, and I implement these strategies myself. I had 17 Airbnbs, and so these are the strategies that I implemented as a full-time real estate professional. I felt like that this strategy of having a seven-figure solution could help you to avoid some of the pitfalls that I experienced in my 20s. Keith Weinhold 43:32 So much all comes together for one pretty comprehensive solution. It's the intersection of growing your portfolio, getting tax advantages and having the death benefits of insurance and more all coming together next Thursday, so that you can learn more. Jared, it's been great having you back on the show. Jared Garfield 43:52 Thanks, Keith. Always glad to join you. Keith Weinhold 44:00 Integrate the seven-figure solution the GRE way, where we have this conscientiousness about leverage and cash flow. In this case, it's how to prudently leverage a life insurance policy. When it's time to tap your cash value, you take what is a policy loan, not a withdrawal, because you're borrowing against your cash value, hence using the funds in more than one place, and the IRS does not tax loan proceeds. This reminds me of a billionaire and how they borrow against the value of their stock. That way, they don't have to sell their assets. This is similar to what you can do with this. Another thing is that you know real estate investors are not used to a volatile ride because our asset values stay stable. You heard Jared mention the acronym IUL there. That's an indexed universal life policy. It's a real benefit. That says you tie yours to the S and P five hundred. Well, that index was down 18% in 2022, and that your cash value can have an upside ceiling and loss protection on the downside-an option that you'll care more about as you get toward retirement. In 2008, the S&P was down 37% so the math is cruel on value losses. In fact, it's even worse than it sounds because if you're down 30%, then you need a 43% gain just to get back to even. That is just math. Keith Weinhold 45:39 There are some mistakes to avoid here, and you don't just want to set up your seven-figure solution off of a website. And it is based on products that you might have heard of from companies like Nationwide and Mass Mutual. I strongly encourage you learn more, see how it all goes together, learn how the seven-figure solution compares to other vehicles like a Roth IRA, 401k, 721 exchange, and 1031 exchange. This is very much about seeing your future. You've been listening to me here every week for almost 12 years, earning money from your day job, building your real estate portfolio, either from our investment coaching or on your own. This is how it all goes together. Next week with Jared and GRE investment coach Naresh. By attending live, you can have your questions answered in real time. One last time, you can sign up for the event for next Thursday, the 27th at 8 PM. Eastern, 5 PM. Pacific. Learn about something that's potentially really valuable to you: the seven-figure solution at grewebinars.com. Until next week, I'm your host Keith Weinhold. Don't quit your daydream. Speaker 2 46:59 Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal, or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial, or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of Get Rich Education LLC exclusively. Keith Weinhold 47:26 The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building, getricheducation.com
Marine combat veteran, former Assistant Secretary of Defense, and military historian Bing West has spent six decades on battlefields from Vietnam to Afghanistan — and he's angry. In his new book, Cat 5: The 2033 War, West argues that America's leaders won every battle in three wars but lost every war, driven by what he calls the "Jupiter Complex" — the dangerous belief that America is so powerful it doesn't need to fight with full resolve. Now, he warns, that same hubris is converging with a crushing national debt and Xi Jinping's determination to seize Taiwan to create a Category 5 catastrophe by 2033. West joins Newt for a blunt, unsparing conversation about an emaciated military still buying legacy weapons, a debt spiral that leaves no room for defense spending, and what the next president must do to hold the line.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: • First up—Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says the United States can maintain its naval blockade of Iran indefinitely, signaling that Washington may be preparing for a prolonged economic war of endurance with Tehran. • Later in the show—Taiwan holds massive invasion drills as tensions with China rise, testing everything from civilian air-raid responses to the coast guard's role in stopping an amphibious assault. • Plus—Russia pounds Ukraine's largest grain-export port on the Danube as President Zelenskiy warns Kyiv still needs more Patriot missiles before winter. • And in today's Back of the Brief—Vladimir Putin visits a disputed island claimed by Japan, adding fresh pressure on Tokyo as Russia, China and North Korea increasingly close ranks. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Superpower: Head to https://Superpower.com and use code PDB at checkout for $20 off your membership. Get 100+ biomarkers tested every year, plus a personalized health plan and on-demand care team. Detect early signs of 1,000+ conditions. #superpowerpod Cardiff: Get fast business funding without bank delays—apply in minutes with Cardiff and access up to $500,000 in same‑day funding at https://Cardiff.co/PDB StopBox: Get firearm security redesigned and save 10% off @StopBoxUSA with code PDB10 at https://stopboxusa.com/PDB10#stopboxpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
(0:00) Jason and Friedberg welcome Rahm Emanuel (1:16) Lessons from working with Clinton and Obama (7:45) China: How to approach conflict, new economic bloc, isolation, and Taiwan (28:49) Europe: Reasons for the decay of the West (38:37) Immigration: US solutions, who to emulate, subsidizing college for Americans (46:55) National debt, government interference in markets, fixing education (1:09:24) DSA vs Democrats Follow Rahm: https://x.com/RahmEmanuel Follow the besties: https://x.com/chamath https://x.com/Jason https://x.com/DavidSacks https://x.com/friedberg Follow on X: https://x.com/theallinpod Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theallinpod Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@allin Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allinpod Intro Music Credit: https://rb.gy/tppkzl https://x.com/yung_spielburg Intro Video Credit: https://x.com/TheZachEffect
China produces at least 70% of the world's drones, electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and solar cells. And with the U.S. stockpile of munitions diminished from the Iran war, would the U.S. have what it needs to defend Taiwan if China invaded? Terry Gross talks with New Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos about his latest story, “The Future Made in China.” “The irony here is that we are in some ways beholden right now to the Chinese factory in order to produce the munitions that we need to defend American interests from China. That's the exquisite problem that we've found ourselves in,” Osnos says. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to our YouTube channel Check out the Fresh Air ArchivesSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy