Podcasts about unbeknownst

Unbeknownst to most Americans, the eastern part of Oregon is in the process of attempting to break away from the state.After many years of being fed up with the policies coming out of Portland, over a third of the counties in Oregon have voted to secede. Specifically, they voted to leave Oregon and join the state of Idaho. This is part of a growing regional shift known as the "Greater Idaho" movement.What's truly interesting about this particular movement is that it might actually succeed.

Editor - Nathan Schauf KPop Demon Hunters editor Nathan Schauf was already a trusted teammember at Sony Pictures Animation (SPA) when has was asked to "lend a hand for a bit" on this new action-comedy musical. Not long after, lending a hand turned into leading the way, with Nathan leaning on his years of experience cutting animation to help craft the film into a worldwide hit that would become Netflix's most streamed content of all time. KPop Demon Hunters follows Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, a world-famous K-pop girl group known as Huntrix.  Unbeknownst to their fans, Huntrix secretly uses their music and performance abilities to fight and protect the world from demons. While balancing their lives as global pop stars with their mission to keep demons sealed away, the group faces their biggest challenge when a rival, all-demon boy band called the Saja Boys emerges to steal their fans and threaten the world.   Nathan Schauf Since joining SPA in 2020, Nathan has contributed to an array of animated projects, including Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, the latest entry in the beloved monster franchise, and Genndy Tartakovsky's R-rated comedy Fixed. He has also played a key role in several other projects in development.  With over 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Schauf's career spans animation, gaming, virtual reality, commercials, sports, and independent films.  Schauf earned a degree in Electronic Media and Communication with a minor in English from Texas Tech University. He currently resides in Orange County, California, with his wife, daughter, son, and their cat, Todd. The Credits Get the new Extreme Music Panel for Avid Media Composer See which model of Avid Media Composer is right for you Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube

Unbeknownst at the time, a little-known Supreme Court ruling from more than seventy years ago would ignite a growing movement of teaching the Bible during school hours called Lifewise Academy. The Bible-based education program has now partnered with over 1,000 schools across 35 states nationwide. When the federal government removed Bible education and prayer from public school curriculums, the Supreme Court ruled in 1952 on a compromise: Zorach vs Clauson.  It permits public schools to release students during school hours "for religious instruction or devotional exercises."  For years, the law went unnoticed and unfulfilled as secular forces in the public square banged the drumbeat of 'Separation of Church and State." But when former college football player Joel Penton discovered it, he took it and ran with it, creating Life Wise in 2019. On this episode of the Lighthouse Faith podcast, Penton talks about the new documentary on Life Wise called "Off School Property" and how the program has evolved to restore faith education on school property.  Off School Property will be released in theatres on October 23 in partnership with Fathom Entertainment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Risa Iwasaki Culbertson was born in Japan. In this episode, meet and get to know Risa, one of the 12 artists in Every Kinda People, our group show at Mini Bar. Please join us this Sunday, Oct. 19, from 4–7 p.m. at Mini Bar for our Closing Party happy hour. Some of the artists will be on hand, as will friendly bartenders and me (Jeff). Back to Risa, though. Her mom is Japanese and her dad is from Ventura County in Southern California. Risa spent her first five or six years in Japan before her parents moved to California. She has memories of life in Japan before they moved. And after the move, Risa often went back to visit her grandmother. Risa says that, as a kid, she loved going back and forth between two very different cultures Her dad was in the military, which is what brought him to Japan, where he met his wife. Risa is their only child, something she and I go on a bit of a sidebar about. I'm not an only child, but I've met and befriended my fair share of well-adjusted only children. Hell, I married one. Risa found creativity early, and ran with it. Her parents were older, and being half-American, half-Japanese, she didn't feel like she fully belonged in either culture. Risa might've gotten her creativity from her mom, who did pottery, quilting, and other artistic things. Her dad was “a mad scientist of sorts,” she says. He was into taking things apart and repurposing found objects. In Southern California, Risa spent time with other Hapa kids. Her mom was part of a large Japanese community, and there were plenty of mixed-race kids among that group. She's very much a product of the Eighties and Nineties and Southern California. She remembers the beginning of grunge and flannels. Risa remembers vividly when Kurt Cobain died (1994). Middle school for her happened in Orange County. Risa did hula dancing and tap dancing for many years, always while also painting and drawing. In high school, her art teacher was switched out and replaced with a nun who told the kids they couldn't use black inks. It felt to young Risa like too religious of a message, and it instilled in her an attitude of not wanting anyone to tell her what she can and cannot do with her art. She never took another art class. She was also something of a social butterfly in her high school years. Risa had different friend groups and in hindsight, feels like they were constantly getting together and doing things. Then we turn to what got Risa out of Southern California. One friend she met in college moved back to San Francisco, and another friend from down south wanted to move here. She visited The City and remembers sitting in a cafe talking to strangers. She felt then and there that the friendliness was right for her, and something she wasn't getting in Orange County. I share a quick story of being in Orange County and getting phone directions to a bar. Unbeknownst to me and my friends that night, the map put us on a highway … on foot. Yep. We rewind a little to chat about Risa's time in college. She always wanted to be at least art-adjacent, and so she took classes on manufacturing and even calculus. Thing is, she ended up liking calculus. Earlier in life, she sold stuff she made through catalogs she also created. That early entrepreneurship informed some business classes she later took in college, including business law. It all lead to Risa's getting a business degree. Right away, she started recognizing a disconnect between art and business. Back to her first impression of San Francisco, that day in that Haight Street cafe made The City feel like a place where she could get to know people. Risa shares a story that happened right before her move here. It involves a man boarding a BART train she and her friends were on. He had a broken guitar. They'd made googly eyes at each other, but she and her friends were too scared to talk with him. When he got off the train, he looked back and waved. Risa figured she'd never see this guy again. Three months later, she was back to visit her friend who lived here. She'd thought about him, but figured there was no way to actually find him. Then, as you can guess, it happened. Risa says she's still friends with that guy to this day. Check back Thursday for Part 2 with Risa, which includes the story of her move to San Francisco. We recorded this podcast at Risa's studio in the Inner Richmond in August 2025. Photography by Jeff Hunt

What's up, dudes? DuckTales! Woo-oo! It's the theme song stuck in our heads for 30+ years! Yes, it's Uncle Scrooge and the gang. Joe Martinez from Now Watch This and I dive into the DuckTales episode “Ducky Horror Picture Show!”Scrooge has just succeeded in another business venture, showing monster movies in Duckburg's newest theater. Consequently, he moves on to his next project, renovating a rundown convention center. Unbeknownst to him, a werewolf (wolfduck?) rents it out for his group of monsters, including Drakeula, Quackymodo, and Quackenstein. Scrooge has also unwittingly allowed them to stay in his mansion as a hotel.As the creatures arrive, their antics cause mayhem and destruction, and his convention center. Subsequently, shenanigans ensue at his mansion as well. Further, the arrival of giant ape Ping Pong (get it?) causes a commotion at his money bin. As it turns out, though, the monsters begin to protest Scrooge's theater, thinking it gives them a bad name. Instead, the join forces with Scrooge to put on shows and make each other money.Monsters? Yep. Money making schemes? For sure. Duck puns? Indubitably! So grab your top hat and cane and listen to this show all about the DuckTales episode “Ducky Horror Picture Show!”Now Watch ThisFB: @nowwatchthispodIG: @now_watch_this_podGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 5-6; Psalm 146; Luke 24 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where together we set aside time each day to journey through Scripture and encounter God's story. Today's episode, October 11th, 2025, finds us reading through Nehemiah chapters 5 and 6, Psalm 146, and Luke 24. Hunter, your host and Bible reading coach, guides us through themes of restoration, justice, and hope—from Nehemiah's leadership in rebuilding the wall and seeking fairness among the people, to Psalm 146's assurance of God's unfailing care, and ultimately to the powerful resurrection story in Luke, where Jesus opens the hearts and minds of His followers. In today's reflection, we're reminded how the risen Christ meets us wherever we are—whether walking a lonely road or gathered in an upper room—drawing near and opening our eyes to His presence, love, and forgiveness. The episode concludes with prayers for peace, unity, and transformation, inviting listeners to receive the Gospel anew and walk in God's joy. Subscribe and join the journey as we continue to invest in things that are good, true, and life-giving—discovering, day by day, that we are deeply loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: When God breaks bread, their eyes are opened. Jesus opens the minds of these two travelers on the road to Emmaus. He enables them to understand the Scriptures. Unbeknownst to them, Jesus is right beside them, walking with them through the writings of Moses and the prophets, showing them how the story of Christ is woven into every single page. Then, in a moment, as he breaks the bread with them, the full reality of the resurrection is revealed—he is King, he is Messiah. With the breaking of bread and the sharing of a simple meal, their hearts are awakened, and a new understanding is given. Suddenly, everything comes into focus. They see that the message is one of forgiveness for all. The gospel is now clear and accessible to everyone who will turn and receive what God has done—to see their true selves in Christ: forgiven, loved, accepted. As we come to the Word of God by the power of the Spirit, as we open the Scriptures, the Scriptures also open us—to the reality of Christ's presence, with us and in us. He demonstrates to us, again and again, that we are loved and forgiven, that he has given us the power, by his Spirit, to live his life within us. Christ in you—the hope of glory. This is the message, the gospel, that is transforming people all over the world. Whether you are hiding in an upper room, or walking a lonely road, Christ appears. He reveals himself, breaks open the bread of life, and weary travelers partake. Their hearts are warmed, they are made new, and a new journey in Christ begins. My prayer is that as we hear God's Word each day, our hearts will be warmed, our vision cleared, and our identity settled—we will know who he is, and who we are in him. That's a prayer I have for my own soul, for my family, for my wife, my daughter, my sons. And that's a prayer I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Eight minutes. That is how long it took for Michael's life to be forever changed. In late November 2016, a fire broke out in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Unbeknownst to Michael, the winds picked up while he was driving with his oldest son, and the fires swept toward the family home. Michael is haunted by nightmares of his frantic drive back through the fires, trying to get back home. By the time he arrived, the fire had taken the lives of his daughters, Chloe and Lily, as well as his wife, Constance. In the months after the fires, as Michael struggled to sleep, he would write about his pain. One day, he posted a writing on Facebook. It "went nuts," causing Michael to start a blog. Michael continued in his dark world until November 2023, when he stood at the memorial for the fires. He whispered to the empty air, opening his heart to the girls he had lost. In the silence, he heard Chloe's voice, bright and urgent: “Daddy, it's time to do the work.” The words struck a chord deep inside him. That night, he enrolled in college, determined to learn how to translate his pain into something to help others. Thus, The Million Stages of Grief was born. Each chapter opens with an italicized fragment from his old blog — a snapshot of confusion, terror, or numbness. The remainder of the chapter presents the lessons he gathered in classrooms, therapy rooms, and through life's experiences, reshaping those dark moments into pathways forward. Before pressing “publish,” Michael whispered a brief prayer, handing the manuscript over to his girls, asking, "I am completely giving this to you. However big you want this to go, however many people you want to read it, I give it all to you." Years ago, while working as a zipline instructor, a woman kicked Michael, knocking him over. Inexplicably, five years later and one month after that prayer, she posted the video to TikTok, garnering 1.5 million views. Curious, Michael created his own TikTok account, stitching the video to a narration of his story and book. The new post surged to 2.5 million views. I guess his girls decided that their story needed to go very big indeed.

Christine's parents learn to reconnect and explore. By Liminally Spaced. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.This story is a derivative of Sex Ed. Lessons, a 21-part tale at Explicit Novels podcast. Cathy could barely take the sensations coursing through her body. While she hadn't felt Sam's tongue on her cunt in over 15 years, she hadn't done this act with anyone in close to 20. Memories immediately rushed her mind, swirling in the endorphins, images and sensations of nights with her previous boyfriend. Orgasms. Pleasure. Fucking. Grinding. Lost in the feeling, she fell back into sense memory. Her hand dropped down into Sam's hair and gripped it hard.Sam groaned into her wet snatch. She felt it. His cock lurched. Cathy held his head still. Bracing herself with one hand on the headboard, her thighs and hips began to flex. Sam got the message. He held his tongue in position as his wife began to grind her throbbing cunt against it, fucking his face. "Oh my God" she moaned out long and loud as she directed her pleasure points onto his wet, pulsating tongue. It was like a bolt of lightning coiling up inside her body. She felt his hand grip her ass instinctively, just like she liked, just like the others had, and suddenly she began to shake and shudder, slipping over the edge into heat. Into pleasure. Into an explosive, body-wracking orgasm. Sam held her tight as she wriggled and jerked, grinding into his tongue. He felt wetness pour from her being; his wife, cumming into his mouth. Cumming on his face. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!" she chanted. She rarely used curse words like that in front of him, and he found it highly erotic. His mind raced: when did she learn she liked this? Who was the first one to do it to her? How many men had she done it with? He had never been so hard in his entire life. Slowly the world came back into view, and Cathy collapsed off her husband onto the bed next to him, both their breaths coming hard and ragged. "Oh my Lord," he said between breaths, "that was so sexy." Cathy felt a warm glow pass through her; she had been worried for nothing. She looked down at her husband's thick, straining cock, flush with desire, almost painful looking. He wasn't lying. She reached for it, touching it. Holding it. She had just had the best orgasm of her life, but she was still wet. Still horny. She turned her face toward his, and made a single, syrupy request, the same she made on their honeymoon: "Fuck me, Sam." He smiled and turned quickly to the bedside table, retrieving a condom. He was on her in an instant, kissing, groping, squeezing. He positioned himself between her legs, but her sweet center wouldn't come to him easily. He struggled, first with the condom wrapper, then with the condom itself, its slippery latex never quite gaining purchase around the head of his desperate cock. "God, I really do hate these things," he said through clenched teeth. Cathy lay there, desperate to feel her husband push himself inside her, equally frustrated with the fact that they were still using condoms after almost 20 years of marriage. Then a thought came to her. They had already cracked open the door of her past, what could it hurt to crack it open a bit more, especially if she knew it would bring them both a wealth of new sensation and pleasure? "Sam, honey, I, I have an idea." He looked down at her, beautiful and wanton below him, and waited with bated breath to hear it. "What if you didn't use a condom, and pulled out just before you were going to cum?" Sam felt a hard throb between his legs. "But aren't you worried about; I mean what if you; " "It,” she paused, once again hesitant to broach this area of her own experiences, but something about the way he looked at her told her to continue on. "It's never been a problem for me, in the past." "You've, done that before?" Sam said almost breathlessly. He didn't even realize his hand started slowly pumping his cock. "Yes." "You've had a man inside you without a condom, and he pulled out before he finished?" "Yes. My ex and I, he didn't like condoms either. it was our solution to the birth control problem." "Then where did he finish?" She watched his hand stroke his cock long and hard. She felt her cunt throb. "On me." Sam gulped hard and felt himself start to sweat. "Where?" His wife looked him dead in the eye. "Wherever he wanted." That was all Sam could take. He hiked her legs up around his waist, and with gasping desperate breaths roaring out of them each like a blast furnace, he lined himself up at her wet, swollen entrance, and pushed. Moans erupted from the lovers as she took him full to the hilt. Electricity burst through the closed circuit of their bodies as they felt each other unencumbered for the first time in over 15 years. Sam began to thrust himself into his wife, long, hard, and joyously. He gave her everything he had, and her tight, sopping-wet cunt gripped him deliciously and demanded more. He and his wife were truly one once again, but as her slick, velvety walls stoked the fire building in his loins, all he could think about was the image of some other man pushing into his wife, fucking her, pleasing her the way he was right then and there. Her cunt squeezing her lover's cock the way she was squeezing his. Gripping her lover's waist with her legs and heels, egging him on, the same way she was gripping his. Taking everything her lover had, that way she was taking it from him, only for her lover to slip out of her at the height of his frenzied pleasure so her body could take two balls-full of hot cum the way she was about to take his. Sam couldn't help but wonder where her lover, lovers, had cum. He pictured his wife, another man's seed splashing across her stomach, scattered lewdly across her back and ass, dripping from her perfect breasts, maybe even her beautiful face. Had they cum on her face? Had these men fucked Sam's wife to the point of eruption, then pulled out and lurched their thick seed onto her face? Did she like it? Did she ask for it? Cathy's body was a hot cluster of firing nerve endings. Sam was fucking her with a passion she couldn't ever remember experiencing from him, and she was unable to stifle her pleasure-filled yelps, moans, and cries as he drove his thick cock into her over and over. It felt bigger. Thicker. She could feel her body stretch to accommodate it, rushing fresh rivers of her juices down to encourage him, to welcome his cock. A slight shift in position suddenly adjusted his angle of approach, and Cathy was overcome by intense, rushing pleasure as the head of his cock began to hit her in the exact right spot. She was going to cum again. "Oh yes, oh fuck, oh yes, baby, yes, baby; fuck me, fuck me!" She began to cry out almost involuntarily. Her body was strapped to a rocket that left the atmosphere in seconds, hung there in the transitional bliss of zero gravity for just a single sweet moment, and then exploded in a thick, strong orgasm. Cathy's body contracted and jerked beneath her husband's, but he never let go, never stopped thrusting as she soared through her second orgasm. It was the most purely erotic thing he had ever experienced, and it was the final straw for his own gallant constitution. Sam reared up off of her, his cock slipping out of her warm, tight center. Cathy gasped, looking at her husband towering over her like a Greek statue, flushed and in heat, his hard, proud cock reaching to the sky, slick with her juices. His hand grasped it, his eyes closed. She whispered a sultry "yes" and gasped as the first viscous rocket of his cum launched out of the tip and soared up her body. She felt the hot juice sear her collar bone, and it was only a fraction of a second before she felt the second spurt splash against her chin, stronger than the first. Her breath came hard and fast as she took in the sight of her strong, statuesque husband ejaculating all across her heaving body. Her cunt throbbed. This was nothing like the times her previous boyfriend had done it. That, though still sexy, was more about efficiency. This, well this was the hottest thing she had ever experienced. Sam looked down at the slithering body of his wife as he emptied his tight balls all over his bride. She looked like a dirty, sexy angel. An angel of love. An angel of sex. Thick white splatters of semen painted her from pubic bone to neck; this had to have been the biggest load he had ever shot. He wondered if it was the biggest load she'd ever received. The lovers looked at each other in silence for a moment, each breathing heavy, each taking in the experience they just had. "Was that ok?" Sam finally said. Cathy smiled. He was so adorable; he just fucked the shit out of her and he was still concerned with her own wellbeing. She loved him so much. He was amazing. "Yes, Sam," she said through a chuckle, "it was fucking amazing." Then the thought crossed her mind that she should check in with him as well. This was a new experience for both of them, but even more so for him, and if this new era of communication was going to continue, she needed to make sure it did. "Was it ok for you?" "You nailed it, honey: it was fucking amazing." They both burst out laughing at Sam's rare display of profanity. Sam slipped away for a moment and came back with a warm, wet towel. It felt good on her body as he gently wiped his cum from her skin. Cathy closed her eyes and realized she was having a first of her own. In all the times she had been with other men before Sam, in all the nights that ended with cum splashed on her naked body, she couldn't remember a single time where the man she was with helped with the clean-up, and definitely not as lovingly as Sam did. She had never in their relationship questioned her love and commitment to this man, and as they lie there in each other's arms, drifting off to sleep, she knew there was nothing but excitement and pleasure ahead of them on this new erotic adventure. She had told him what she wanted, she couldn't wait to find out what he wanted. And she had a pretty good idea of where to start. "Oh, fuck, oh, Fuck, yes; fuck me, fuck me!" Pastor Sam McGinnis had two hands full of his wife Cathy's pert ass, using it for leverage as he drove his rock hard cock into her tight, welcoming cunt from behind. For only the second time in over 15 years he was inside his wife bareback, and he didn't know how long he could last. He had missed the feeling of her silky juices sliding over his skin, her slick, tight walls gripping and spreading over the sensitive flesh of his cock, electrifying his body. Not since shortly after their wedding had he felt this sensation, when he got to empty his balls, unencumbered, into his lovely new bride. Cathy was allergic to birth control, so condoms were their only option, an option neither of them really liked, an option that was definitely a contributing factor to their decline in intimacy over the years. A decline that had continued until last night, when Cathy suggested an alternative, one that made Sam's cock harder than it had been in years. His beautiful wife wanted him to fuck her bareback, and then pull out of her at the last moment and shoot his orgasm on her body. It wasn't the activity itself that got Sam so excited, however, it was the fact that it was an activity she had done with at least one other man before she met Sam. He had been a virgin when they got together, but she had not been, and they never really talked about her sexual past. He had no idea how many men she had been with, or what they had done, or even really what she liked done to her. Until last night. Her suggestion; her request; had cracked open a door that Sam desperately wanted to open further. He had had a bit of a kink for hearing stories and experiences, ever since high school when his platonic female friends would spill all the lurid details of their horny experimentations to their non-threatening male friend. Now, he couldn't stop thinking about other men spraying his wife's hot, young body with thick semen, all the places she may have taken it, wanted it. He needed to know more. He needed to know what else she had experienced. What else she wanted. "Oh fuck, baby, that's it; I'm gonna cum, Sam; I'm gonna cum!" Cathy couldn't believe how turned on she was. There was a lot of doubt in her mind last night about whether opening up her sexual past to her husband was a good idea. She had never wanted to rub it in, never wanted him to feel bad about being a virgin when they met. But now, as she lay perched on her hands and knees on their mattress, bracing herself with one hand against the headboard, the thrusting of her husband's cock driving her full speed toward another orgasm, she wondered why she ever waited so long. She realized the peek into her past had revved Sam up greatly, and it was in that moment that she realized she had almost no idea what turned him on; really turned him on. His fantasies, his kinks, his fetishes, this new adventure they were on was meant to be all about communication, and communication was a two way street. Just the thought of learning new things about her husband, of helping him learn new things about himself, made her cunt gush. But what surprised her the most, what she hadn't expected, was how much re-living experiences from her own past turned her on. Cathy had started having her partners pull out and cum on her body purely as a solution to the birth control problem, but what Sam didn't know, and what she wasn't sure she was ready to share just yet, was that it wasn't just a necessity, it was something she liked. Feeling the searing heat of their sticky loads slap her skin, watching their bodies contort in ecstasy, gave her an intense erotic boost. She thought back to Sam's spurting cock the night before. Then further back to Tom. Then further still to Chris. To Lenny. Her body shuddered, her slick walls gripped and pulsed around her husband's thick, driving cock, and Cathy McGinnis, the pastor's wife, exploded in orgasm. Sam felt his wife convulse and let out a long, strong moan. He sucked in breath through clenched teeth as he drove into her. He wanted to steer her all the way through her pleasure, but the sensations around his swollen cock and the erratic, wild moans from his wriggling wife, were all too much. He let out a loud, desperate grunt of his own as he lost control. He slipped his drenched cock out of Cathy's still-spasming center with abandon, gripped, stroked, and lassoed thick white ropes of cum across his wife's back and all over her heart-shaped cheeks. Exhausted, the lovers both took a moment to catch their breath. Sam looked down on his work, at the white slippery streaks racing up his wife's back. He was impressed he could muster such volume after the previous night. She looked so sexy, splattered in his cream. It was something he never even thought to ask for, but was now quickly becoming something he was desperate to witness again. Cathy looked back over her shoulder, shooting him the most devilish smile he'd ever seen. "Umm; good morning, sweetie." she chuckled. His spent cock throbbed in his hand. Cathy's eyes caught the clock on their bedside table and shot wide. "Shit, we gotta get going!" Sam had completely lost track of time. It was Sunday morning, and he had a sermon to deliver. Church was the furthest thing from his mind, however. Cathy bounded up off the bed. Sam's eyes were glued to her as she padded off to the bathroom, a certain pep in her step, fresh semen cascading down her back. He heard the shower turn on. "What a woman," he thought. Watching her husband from the pews, Cathy had a hard time focusing on the sermon he was giving. Her mind was on the activities of the previous evening, and the activities of the morning. She wondered if it was wrong, sitting there in church day dreaming about fucking her husband, being fucked by him, about his hot cum spurting out all over her, but every time she caught his eye and saw him try to suppress a smirk she knew he was thinking the same thing. She was trying to keep her thoughts more Godly, but they just seemed to get dirtier. She thought about being up there with him tucked down behind the pulpit on her knees, taking him into her mouth while he evangelized, listening to his loud hallelujah when he finally filled her mouth with his cum. She shook it off; thinking about doing naughty things to her husband was one thing, but feeling herself get moist under the eyes of the lord made her feel a little strange. It would just have to wait till later. After the service, as the congregation mingled, Cathy made a B-line to Sandy. Sandy had been the one to give her the suggestion of opening up more with Sam, and she needed to tell her all about it. "Sandy!" she almost yelled, touching her on the shoulder. "Hey Cath, what's up?" Sandy was chatting with her husband Don and their best friend Kelly. "I just wanted to um, thank you, for the advice you gave me yesterday. It was, very productive." After a slight pause to try and remember what advice she gave, Sandy's eyes lit up, followed by a sly smile. "Oh! Of course; come with me, and tell me all about it!" Sandy excused herself from her husband and friend with a wink, and slipped away with Cathy. Don and Kelly looked at each other and smirked knowingly at each other. What Cathy didn't know is that Sandy had told them both all about the conversation they had had at the pool party. The three of them had met at Sandy and Don's for drinks that evening after the party. Their daughter Steph was out for the evening, as were Kelly's daughter Alex and her stepson Tim. They got to talking about the party, and about the new youth pastor Ginny. The girls agreed she was quite a hottie, and could tell by the way Don shifted around in his pants that he agreed as well. This led Sandy to recount her talk with Cathy, and got the three of them speculating on the love life of their pastor and his wife. Don's pants began to grow tighter, and the girls began to tease him, making their idle speculations naughtier and naughtier, until the teasing stopped, and the two women gleefully found themselves on the floor, between Don's legs, taking turns sucking his cock. This was not the first time this had happened, nor would it be the last. Unbeknownst to anyone in their church, these three had been regularly enjoying each other physically for years. Their fellow parishioners would surely be shocked to find out what these three had done with each other, and others. Cathay would be shocked as well if she knew discussion of her conversation with Sandy led to Don taking turns fucking the two friends, to Don throwing his cock repeatedly into Kelly's cunt while she slurped his wife's cunt, and ultimately to the two women giggling and cheering as Don's cum exuberantly spurted out all over them both. "So tell me all about it!" Sandy said, pulling Cathy into a secluded corner of the church. "Well, I,” she paused for a moment, unsure of how to continue. She and Sandy were friends, but they'd never shared intimate details before. In fact Cathy hadn't shared intimate details of her love life with Sam to anyone ever. Girl talk about her sex life was something that she used to enjoy, but it seemingly died with her marriage to Sam. It was fun telling her best friend about whose dick she sucked in which backseat when she was younger, but sharing secrets about her marriage seemed wrong. But this wasn't just secrets and gossip, this was advice, wasn't it? Cathy remembered scrunching up her nose at Michelle Gillis when she explained the benefits of swallowing at the end of a blow job, and the satisfaction Cathy felt when she finally did it and realized Sherri was right. It had opened up a whole new door for her, one she soon discovered she really turned her on. It had actively made her love life better. She loved swallowing. She loved swallowing for Sam. She hadn't done it in years; she wanted to swallow for him right then and there. "Well, I'm allergic to birth control," she began again, "and we both hate condoms. After the party last night we were getting frisky and,” "Yes?" Sandy said, excited for what was to come next. "And I thought back to what I used to do before I met Sam. With, previous boyfriends." "Oh, really, what was it?" "Once I was comfortable with him we'd stop using condoms and he,” Cathy paused again, presented with a threshold of detail she had to choose how to cross. She decided to just go for it. “ he'd pull out and finish himself on my body." "Oh, nice!" Sandy exclaimed. "And that's something you used to like?" "Sandy, I used to love it." Cathy said forcefully. "Something about the power, the angle, the feeling," she could feel herself getting turned on just thinking about it. "Is that bad?" "Girl, trust me, I have had cum on every inch of my body, and loved it every time. No shame!" They both laughed at Sandy's graphic confession. Cathy blushed slightly, not only at the intimate sharing, but at the sudden image that flashed through her mind. An image of Don fucking Sandy hard, pulling out, and stroking thick spurts of white jizz all over her body. He was hot, she was hot; it was quite the image. "So that's what you did last night?" Sandy pushed on "And this morning," Cathy said with another embarrassed smile. "Hell yeah! And he liked it too?" "If volume and enthusiasm is any indication, yes he loved it." She said, both of them laughing. "That's excellent, Cathy, I'm so happy for you!" Sandy smiled and gave her a big hug. She couldn't wait to tell Don when they got home. The thought of their church leader spraying his lovely wife with his naughty nut was turning her on. She hoped Don would help her reenact it later that evening. "So how're you going to keep it going?" "I don't know, I feel like there are so many options; so many things we've never done together, I had been so nervous to talk about my past with him, but he seemed to be totally into it. I'm not sure where to go next." "Well that's easy," Sandy replied, "you ask him!" "Ask him what?" "Ask him what he likes! You told him what you like, time for him to do the same." "But he doesn't have much of a past," Cathy opined, "he was a virgin on our wedding night." "Sweetie," Sandy said, lowering her eyelids and cocking an eyebrow, "it doesn't matter what they say; everyone has a kink. Everyone has desires. Everyone has a past. It's just a matter of you coaxing it out of him." Cathy smiled, thanked her again, gave her a big hug, and they parted ways. Wandering idly through the foyer of the church, she thought about Sandy's words. It was true Sam was a virgin, but any discussion of sexual exploration ended with that. Surely he had some stories to tell, some secrets to reveal, just as she did. She felt a tingle in her belly at the possibility of discovering them. Looking into the sanctuary she saw Sam chatting with the new youth pastor Ginny. It was her first day at the church, and even now, dressed much more modest than she was at the pool party the previous day, she exuded a certain glow. She sure was a pretty girl, Cathy though. It was obvious Sam seemed to think so too. He was giggling like a teen boy with a crush. Cathy wasn't mad; she had no reason to ever think Sam would do anything inappropriate; but she was curious. Maybe this was something she would have to ask him about. "Oh yes, oh yes, fuck fuck fuck fuck!" Cathy was sweating. Her face was scrunched up in that lusty grimace that precedes ultimate pleasure, her body tense and wild as she rode Sam's face to orgasm. It was Wednesday, and after their new, exciting experiences the previous weekend, there was no lax coasting through date night; on the contrary, neither of them could wait for the day to roll around. They were both antsy through Monday and Tuesday, and for the first time in years found themselves flirting with each other. Quick comments, a pinch here or there, a grab when no one was looking, it was a shock they even made it to Wednesday, and they probably wouldn't have if their schedules had been lighter, or their daughter Christine had been less under foot. But Wednesday rolled around soon enough, Christine was out for the evening at the weekly youth group meeting, and the two excited lovers tumbled into their bedroom in a tornado of arms, lips, and tongues. "Oh my God" Cathy exclaimed in a long, warbling tone. She grabbed Sam's hair tight, felt her thighs flex around his head, and in an instant her body was awash with the explosive pleasure of orgasm. Her mouth hung open, body wracked with sensation, and the corner of her lips pulled into a wild smile. Being still lost in the heady space of cumming, Cathy couldn't see it, but beneath her dripping, still spasming cunt lips Sam was smiling too. Sam loved pleasuring his wife, and was happy she had opened up with him in a way that would allow him to do it more effectively. It was also plain to see that it wasn't just efficiency that he liked, as evident by his hard, straining cock. But it wasn't just the act that turned him on, it was the history she had with it. A history he was interested to learn more about. "Oh my God, that was amazing," Cathy cooed as she settled her head into the crook of Sam's neck, draping her arm across his chest, "you sir are very good at that." She kissed him. She could taste herself. She always liked the taste; it made her feel extra dirty. She couldn't remember the last time she had tasted herself on a man's lips. "I'm a fast learner," he said with a chuckle. He ran his hand over Cathy's ass as she tucked herself tight against him. "Apparently." "And what about you?" He began nervously. He wasn't sure about what he was about to ask, but the surge of blood to his cock told him to press on, "were you a fast learner, the first time you did that?" Cathy paused before she answered. This was going to be a full step over the threshold of their sexual pasts. Were they ready? She looked down at his proud cock standing straight and hard, even with no stimulation. "Yes," she said in a syrupy tone. Sam's cock twitched. She smiled. "When was it?" Sam continued, "the first time you did that?" "College," she said, idly scratching his chest hair. "Do you wanna tell me about it?" He was putting the ball in her court, or attempting to, but she wasn't going to let him off that easily. "Do you want me to?" It was a question dripping with possibility. "Yes," Sam said quietly. "Ok," she said, equally soft. She looked down at his cock, straining and hard, and watched it twitch again. Her hand began to slowly drift down his torso. "Can I touch you while I do it?" "Yes," Sam choked out. "My senior year of college I was, seeing this guy. Tom." "A boyfriend?" "Not quite. It was, I realize now it was all the fun parts of a relationship, but none of the commitment. I didn't realize that at the time." her hand lazily circled his bellybutton as she reminisced. She was going to make him work for it. "From school?" "No, he was, older." She saw Sam's cock twitch again. "How much older?" "A lot." Her hand inched lower, grazing through his pubic hair. "I had the apartment to myself one night, and Tom came over and we started fooling around." Her fingers began to dance across the skin of Sam's cock. "He used to love licking me,” she paused as she decided once again how much truth to inject into the story. She chose all of it. “because his wife never let him do it to her." "His wife?" Sam exclaimed, his rigid member bouncing right into the palm of Cathy's hand. "Um hmm." she cooed as she slowly started to stroke. "He told me they were divorced, but, I found out later that wasn't exactly true." Sam let out a long exhale through flared nostrils. He couldn't believe how hot this story was making him already. The thought of his good, Christian wife fucking an older married man, one who used to lick her cunt, caused his whole body to buzz. Cathy stroked him slowly, then at once felt a slickness beneath her thumb; his tip was leaking a river of slippery precum. Sam was enjoying this. A lot. She smiled and continued her tale. "So Tom had his head between my legs, eating my cunt," she chose the more vulgar word on purpose, and felt a receptive pulse in her palm. "Was he good?" Sam gasped, cutting her off. "He was amazing." she said with a smirk. Sam stifled a groan. She continued to touch him, to stroke him, as she talked. "He was eating my cunt, his hands running all over my body, really making me feel incredible, when all of a sudden he grabs my hips and rolls us both over so now I'm straddling him. I would have crushed his head if I hadn't sat up, so a push myself up, knees on either side of his head, and all at once there I am, riding his face." Sam moaned again and she felt him throb. She decided to back off the stroking for a minute and began cupping and rolling his plump balls in her hand. Tom used to love it when she did that. "At first he's licking me, torturing my clit, hitting it like a joy buzzer, and I'm just along for the ride, but then,” she paused as the memory came flooding back and she felt the slickness between her legs become more pronounced. “then he just kept his tongue still. I was confused for a second, but then I felt both his hands grip my ass and start pulling forward; he was telling me what he wanted. And so I started rocking my hips, grinding my clit against his still tongue; I was fucking his face." She decided to give him a little tease after this reveal, "Just like he had done to me many, many times." "Ugh." Sam groaned loudly at this last confession. Images of this older man holding his wife's young face in his hands while he pushed himself in and out of her mouth started a roiling boil inside his loins. "Then what?" "Well, I found myself a rhythm I liked, an angle I liked, and I just fucked him. I was in control for the first time ever, and it was exhilarating. I was gripping his hair, gripping at the headboard, anything I could find to grab onto, because it took me barely a minute to get right up to the edge." Cathy looked at Sam's dripping cock and smiled fondly as another memory came to the forefront of her mind. "But what put me over the edge, was when I looked behind me and saw that Tom's cock was rock-hard. And that's when my body exploded, and holding his head in place with each of my hands, I came all over Tom's mouth for the first time." "Did you love it?" Sam barely managed to verbalize. "It was like nothing I had ever experienced. I was glowing for days." Cathy cupped his balls while running her thumb up and down the underside of his cock, now slick with precum. She couldn't believe how much this was turning him on; how much it was turning her on. "You wanna know what happened next?" "God, yes," He gasped. "I was still in a daze from my orgasm. I barely even knew where I was. He rolled me off him, onto my back, still breathing heavily, spread my legs, hoisted me up onto his thighs and pushed his whole cock into me with one thrust." Sam's deep groan was all she needed as encouragement at this point. "And then he fucked me, long, deep, and good. The sensations were so overwhelming I was buzzing, and I started to cum again. And just when I was at the height of it, Tom slipped his cock out of me and burst his hot jizz all over my wriggling body. I could taste it on my lips." The image of his wife, mid-orgasm, slathered with the juice of another man was all he could take. In a flash, Sam had rolled Cathy over onto her back, swung her legs open, and in almost an exact recreation of her story, pushed his desperate cock deep into her cunt. He gripped her body tight and thrust hard, thrust wildly, sending his cock deep into her body over and over. Cries of encouragement echoed in his ears, the hot spring of pleasure coiling tight in his loins. Cathy was right there with him, speeding toward the cliff of release as her slick body gripped and grasped at her husband's driving cock. Rhythmic chants of "Yes, yes!" lept from her throat, and just as she reached her climax and her body began to tumble and spasm, Sam joined her over the edge, pulling out, leaning in, and peppering her heaving breasts and gasping stomach with thick ropes of hot cum. Sam looked down at his handiwork splattered across his wife's heaving diaphragm. Then they both collapsed to the bed in a heap of slick, gasping flesh. "Good God," Sam choked out. "You can say that again," Cathy concurred. They looked at each other and broke out laughing, then Sam leaned in and kissed her deep and hard. Their laughter never stopped. To be continued in part 3. By Liminally Spaced for Literotica.

Christine's parents learn to reconnect and explore. By Liminally Spaced. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.This story is a derivative of Sex Ed. Lessons, a 21-part tale at Explicit Novels podcast. Cathy could barely take the sensations coursing through her body. While she hadn't felt Sam's tongue on her cunt in over 15 years, she hadn't done this act with anyone in close to 20. Memories immediately rushed her mind, swirling in the endorphins, images and sensations of nights with her previous boyfriend. Orgasms. Pleasure. Fucking. Grinding. Lost in the feeling, she fell back into sense memory. Her hand dropped down into Sam's hair and gripped it hard.Sam groaned into her wet snatch. She felt it. His cock lurched. Cathy held his head still. Bracing herself with one hand on the headboard, her thighs and hips began to flex. Sam got the message. He held his tongue in position as his wife began to grind her throbbing cunt against it, fucking his face. "Oh my God" she moaned out long and loud as she directed her pleasure points onto his wet, pulsating tongue. It was like a bolt of lightning coiling up inside her body. She felt his hand grip her ass instinctively, just like she liked, just like the others had, and suddenly she began to shake and shudder, slipping over the edge into heat. Into pleasure. Into an explosive, body-wracking orgasm. Sam held her tight as she wriggled and jerked, grinding into his tongue. He felt wetness pour from her being; his wife, cumming into his mouth. Cumming on his face. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!" she chanted. She rarely used curse words like that in front of him, and he found it highly erotic. His mind raced: when did she learn she liked this? Who was the first one to do it to her? How many men had she done it with? He had never been so hard in his entire life. Slowly the world came back into view, and Cathy collapsed off her husband onto the bed next to him, both their breaths coming hard and ragged. "Oh my Lord," he said between breaths, "that was so sexy." Cathy felt a warm glow pass through her; she had been worried for nothing. She looked down at her husband's thick, straining cock, flush with desire, almost painful looking. He wasn't lying. She reached for it, touching it. Holding it. She had just had the best orgasm of her life, but she was still wet. Still horny. She turned her face toward his, and made a single, syrupy request, the same she made on their honeymoon: "Fuck me, Sam." He smiled and turned quickly to the bedside table, retrieving a condom. He was on her in an instant, kissing, groping, squeezing. He positioned himself between her legs, but her sweet center wouldn't come to him easily. He struggled, first with the condom wrapper, then with the condom itself, its slippery latex never quite gaining purchase around the head of his desperate cock. "God, I really do hate these things," he said through clenched teeth. Cathy lay there, desperate to feel her husband push himself inside her, equally frustrated with the fact that they were still using condoms after almost 20 years of marriage. Then a thought came to her. They had already cracked open the door of her past, what could it hurt to crack it open a bit more, especially if she knew it would bring them both a wealth of new sensation and pleasure? "Sam, honey, I, I have an idea." He looked down at her, beautiful and wanton below him, and waited with bated breath to hear it. "What if you didn't use a condom, and pulled out just before you were going to cum?" Sam felt a hard throb between his legs. "But aren't you worried about; I mean what if you; " "It,” she paused, once again hesitant to broach this area of her own experiences, but something about the way he looked at her told her to continue on. "It's never been a problem for me, in the past." "You've, done that before?" Sam said almost breathlessly. He didn't even realize his hand started slowly pumping his cock. "Yes." "You've had a man inside you without a condom, and he pulled out before he finished?" "Yes. My ex and I, he didn't like condoms either. it was our solution to the birth control problem." "Then where did he finish?" She watched his hand stroke his cock long and hard. She felt her cunt throb. "On me." Sam gulped hard and felt himself start to sweat. "Where?" His wife looked him dead in the eye. "Wherever he wanted." That was all Sam could take. He hiked her legs up around his waist, and with gasping desperate breaths roaring out of them each like a blast furnace, he lined himself up at her wet, swollen entrance, and pushed. Moans erupted from the lovers as she took him full to the hilt. Electricity burst through the closed circuit of their bodies as they felt each other unencumbered for the first time in over 15 years. Sam began to thrust himself into his wife, long, hard, and joyously. He gave her everything he had, and her tight, sopping-wet cunt gripped him deliciously and demanded more. He and his wife were truly one once again, but as her slick, velvety walls stoked the fire building in his loins, all he could think about was the image of some other man pushing into his wife, fucking her, pleasing her the way he was right then and there. Her cunt squeezing her lover's cock the way she was squeezing his. Gripping her lover's waist with her legs and heels, egging him on, the same way she was gripping his. Taking everything her lover had, that way she was taking it from him, only for her lover to slip out of her at the height of his frenzied pleasure so her body could take two balls-full of hot cum the way she was about to take his. Sam couldn't help but wonder where her lover, lovers, had cum. He pictured his wife, another man's seed splashing across her stomach, scattered lewdly across her back and ass, dripping from her perfect breasts, maybe even her beautiful face. Had they cum on her face? Had these men fucked Sam's wife to the point of eruption, then pulled out and lurched their thick seed onto her face? Did she like it? Did she ask for it? Cathy's body was a hot cluster of firing nerve endings. Sam was fucking her with a passion she couldn't ever remember experiencing from him, and she was unable to stifle her pleasure-filled yelps, moans, and cries as he drove his thick cock into her over and over. It felt bigger. Thicker. She could feel her body stretch to accommodate it, rushing fresh rivers of her juices down to encourage him, to welcome his cock. A slight shift in position suddenly adjusted his angle of approach, and Cathy was overcome by intense, rushing pleasure as the head of his cock began to hit her in the exact right spot. She was going to cum again. "Oh yes, oh fuck, oh yes, baby, yes, baby; fuck me, fuck me!" She began to cry out almost involuntarily. Her body was strapped to a rocket that left the atmosphere in seconds, hung there in the transitional bliss of zero gravity for just a single sweet moment, and then exploded in a thick, strong orgasm. Cathy's body contracted and jerked beneath her husband's, but he never let go, never stopped thrusting as she soared through her second orgasm. It was the most purely erotic thing he had ever experienced, and it was the final straw for his own gallant constitution. Sam reared up off of her, his cock slipping out of her warm, tight center. Cathy gasped, looking at her husband towering over her like a Greek statue, flushed and in heat, his hard, proud cock reaching to the sky, slick with her juices. His hand grasped it, his eyes closed. She whispered a sultry "yes" and gasped as the first viscous rocket of his cum launched out of the tip and soared up her body. She felt the hot juice sear her collar bone, and it was only a fraction of a second before she felt the second spurt splash against her chin, stronger than the first. Her breath came hard and fast as she took in the sight of her strong, statuesque husband ejaculating all across her heaving body. Her cunt throbbed. This was nothing like the times her previous boyfriend had done it. That, though still sexy, was more about efficiency. This, well this was the hottest thing she had ever experienced. Sam looked down at the slithering body of his wife as he emptied his tight balls all over his bride. She looked like a dirty, sexy angel. An angel of love. An angel of sex. Thick white splatters of semen painted her from pubic bone to neck; this had to have been the biggest load he had ever shot. He wondered if it was the biggest load she'd ever received. The lovers looked at each other in silence for a moment, each breathing heavy, each taking in the experience they just had. "Was that ok?" Sam finally said. Cathy smiled. He was so adorable; he just fucked the shit out of her and he was still concerned with her own wellbeing. She loved him so much. He was amazing. "Yes, Sam," she said through a chuckle, "it was fucking amazing." Then the thought crossed her mind that she should check in with him as well. This was a new experience for both of them, but even more so for him, and if this new era of communication was going to continue, she needed to make sure it did. "Was it ok for you?" "You nailed it, honey: it was fucking amazing." They both burst out laughing at Sam's rare display of profanity. Sam slipped away for a moment and came back with a warm, wet towel. It felt good on her body as he gently wiped his cum from her skin. Cathy closed her eyes and realized she was having a first of her own. In all the times she had been with other men before Sam, in all the nights that ended with cum splashed on her naked body, she couldn't remember a single time where the man she was with helped with the clean-up, and definitely not as lovingly as Sam did. She had never in their relationship questioned her love and commitment to this man, and as they lie there in each other's arms, drifting off to sleep, she knew there was nothing but excitement and pleasure ahead of them on this new erotic adventure. She had told him what she wanted, she couldn't wait to find out what he wanted. And she had a pretty good idea of where to start. "Oh, fuck, oh, Fuck, yes; fuck me, fuck me!" Pastor Sam McGinnis had two hands full of his wife Cathy's pert ass, using it for leverage as he drove his rock hard cock into her tight, welcoming cunt from behind. For only the second time in over 15 years he was inside his wife bareback, and he didn't know how long he could last. He had missed the feeling of her silky juices sliding over his skin, her slick, tight walls gripping and spreading over the sensitive flesh of his cock, electrifying his body. Not since shortly after their wedding had he felt this sensation, when he got to empty his balls, unencumbered, into his lovely new bride. Cathy was allergic to birth control, so condoms were their only option, an option neither of them really liked, an option that was definitely a contributing factor to their decline in intimacy over the years. A decline that had continued until last night, when Cathy suggested an alternative, one that made Sam's cock harder than it had been in years. His beautiful wife wanted him to fuck her bareback, and then pull out of her at the last moment and shoot his orgasm on her body. It wasn't the activity itself that got Sam so excited, however, it was the fact that it was an activity she had done with at least one other man before she met Sam. He had been a virgin when they got together, but she had not been, and they never really talked about her sexual past. He had no idea how many men she had been with, or what they had done, or even really what she liked done to her. Until last night. Her suggestion; her request; had cracked open a door that Sam desperately wanted to open further. He had had a bit of a kink for hearing stories and experiences, ever since high school when his platonic female friends would spill all the lurid details of their horny experimentations to their non-threatening male friend. Now, he couldn't stop thinking about other men spraying his wife's hot, young body with thick semen, all the places she may have taken it, wanted it. He needed to know more. He needed to know what else she had experienced. What else she wanted. "Oh fuck, baby, that's it; I'm gonna cum, Sam; I'm gonna cum!" Cathy couldn't believe how turned on she was. There was a lot of doubt in her mind last night about whether opening up her sexual past to her husband was a good idea. She had never wanted to rub it in, never wanted him to feel bad about being a virgin when they met. But now, as she lay perched on her hands and knees on their mattress, bracing herself with one hand against the headboard, the thrusting of her husband's cock driving her full speed toward another orgasm, she wondered why she ever waited so long. She realized the peek into her past had revved Sam up greatly, and it was in that moment that she realized she had almost no idea what turned him on; really turned him on. His fantasies, his kinks, his fetishes, this new adventure they were on was meant to be all about communication, and communication was a two way street. Just the thought of learning new things about her husband, of helping him learn new things about himself, made her cunt gush. But what surprised her the most, what she hadn't expected, was how much re-living experiences from her own past turned her on. Cathy had started having her partners pull out and cum on her body purely as a solution to the birth control problem, but what Sam didn't know, and what she wasn't sure she was ready to share just yet, was that it wasn't just a necessity, it was something she liked. Feeling the searing heat of their sticky loads slap her skin, watching their bodies contort in ecstasy, gave her an intense erotic boost. She thought back to Sam's spurting cock the night before. Then further back to Tom. Then further still to Chris. To Lenny. Her body shuddered, her slick walls gripped and pulsed around her husband's thick, driving cock, and Cathy McGinnis, the pastor's wife, exploded in orgasm. Sam felt his wife convulse and let out a long, strong moan. He sucked in breath through clenched teeth as he drove into her. He wanted to steer her all the way through her pleasure, but the sensations around his swollen cock and the erratic, wild moans from his wriggling wife, were all too much. He let out a loud, desperate grunt of his own as he lost control. He slipped his drenched cock out of Cathy's still-spasming center with abandon, gripped, stroked, and lassoed thick white ropes of cum across his wife's back and all over her heart-shaped cheeks. Exhausted, the lovers both took a moment to catch their breath. Sam looked down on his work, at the white slippery streaks racing up his wife's back. He was impressed he could muster such volume after the previous night. She looked so sexy, splattered in his cream. It was something he never even thought to ask for, but was now quickly becoming something he was desperate to witness again. Cathy looked back over her shoulder, shooting him the most devilish smile he'd ever seen. "Umm; good morning, sweetie." she chuckled. His spent cock throbbed in his hand. Cathy's eyes caught the clock on their bedside table and shot wide. "Shit, we gotta get going!" Sam had completely lost track of time. It was Sunday morning, and he had a sermon to deliver. Church was the furthest thing from his mind, however. Cathy bounded up off the bed. Sam's eyes were glued to her as she padded off to the bathroom, a certain pep in her step, fresh semen cascading down her back. He heard the shower turn on. "What a woman," he thought. Watching her husband from the pews, Cathy had a hard time focusing on the sermon he was giving. Her mind was on the activities of the previous evening, and the activities of the morning. She wondered if it was wrong, sitting there in church day dreaming about fucking her husband, being fucked by him, about his hot cum spurting out all over her, but every time she caught his eye and saw him try to suppress a smirk she knew he was thinking the same thing. She was trying to keep her thoughts more Godly, but they just seemed to get dirtier. She thought about being up there with him tucked down behind the pulpit on her knees, taking him into her mouth while he evangelized, listening to his loud hallelujah when he finally filled her mouth with his cum. She shook it off; thinking about doing naughty things to her husband was one thing, but feeling herself get moist under the eyes of the lord made her feel a little strange. It would just have to wait till later. After the service, as the congregation mingled, Cathy made a B-line to Sandy. Sandy had been the one to give her the suggestion of opening up more with Sam, and she needed to tell her all about it. "Sandy!" she almost yelled, touching her on the shoulder. "Hey Cath, what's up?" Sandy was chatting with her husband Don and their best friend Kelly. "I just wanted to um, thank you, for the advice you gave me yesterday. It was, very productive." After a slight pause to try and remember what advice she gave, Sandy's eyes lit up, followed by a sly smile. "Oh! Of course; come with me, and tell me all about it!" Sandy excused herself from her husband and friend with a wink, and slipped away with Cathy. Don and Kelly looked at each other and smirked knowingly at each other. What Cathy didn't know is that Sandy had told them both all about the conversation they had had at the pool party. The three of them had met at Sandy and Don's for drinks that evening after the party. Their daughter Steph was out for the evening, as were Kelly's daughter Alex and her stepson Tim. They got to talking about the party, and about the new youth pastor Ginny. The girls agreed she was quite a hottie, and could tell by the way Don shifted around in his pants that he agreed as well. This led Sandy to recount her talk with Cathy, and got the three of them speculating on the love life of their pastor and his wife. Don's pants began to grow tighter, and the girls began to tease him, making their idle speculations naughtier and naughtier, until the teasing stopped, and the two women gleefully found themselves on the floor, between Don's legs, taking turns sucking his cock. This was not the first time this had happened, nor would it be the last. Unbeknownst to anyone in their church, these three had been regularly enjoying each other physically for years. Their fellow parishioners would surely be shocked to find out what these three had done with each other, and others. Cathay would be shocked as well if she knew discussion of her conversation with Sandy led to Don taking turns fucking the two friends, to Don throwing his cock repeatedly into Kelly's cunt while she slurped his wife's cunt, and ultimately to the two women giggling and cheering as Don's cum exuberantly spurted out all over them both. "So tell me all about it!" Sandy said, pulling Cathy into a secluded corner of the church. "Well, I,” she paused for a moment, unsure of how to continue. She and Sandy were friends, but they'd never shared intimate details before. In fact Cathy hadn't shared intimate details of her love life with Sam to anyone ever. Girl talk about her sex life was something that she used to enjoy, but it seemingly died with her marriage to Sam. It was fun telling her best friend about whose dick she sucked in which backseat when she was younger, but sharing secrets about her marriage seemed wrong. But this wasn't just secrets and gossip, this was advice, wasn't it? Cathy remembered scrunching up her nose at Michelle Gillis when she explained the benefits of swallowing at the end of a blow job, and the satisfaction Cathy felt when she finally did it and realized Sherri was right. It had opened up a whole new door for her, one she soon discovered she really turned her on. It had actively made her love life better. She loved swallowing. She loved swallowing for Sam. She hadn't done it in years; she wanted to swallow for him right then and there. "Well, I'm allergic to birth control," she began again, "and we both hate condoms. After the party last night we were getting frisky and,” "Yes?" Sandy said, excited for what was to come next. "And I thought back to what I used to do before I met Sam. With, previous boyfriends." "Oh, really, what was it?" "Once I was comfortable with him we'd stop using condoms and he,” Cathy paused again, presented with a threshold of detail she had to choose how to cross. She decided to just go for it. “ he'd pull out and finish himself on my body." "Oh, nice!" Sandy exclaimed. "And that's something you used to like?" "Sandy, I used to love it." Cathy said forcefully. "Something about the power, the angle, the feeling," she could feel herself getting turned on just thinking about it. "Is that bad?" "Girl, trust me, I have had cum on every inch of my body, and loved it every time. No shame!" They both laughed at Sandy's graphic confession. Cathy blushed slightly, not only at the intimate sharing, but at the sudden image that flashed through her mind. An image of Don fucking Sandy hard, pulling out, and stroking thick spurts of white jizz all over her body. He was hot, she was hot; it was quite the image. "So that's what you did last night?" Sandy pushed on "And this morning," Cathy said with another embarrassed smile. "Hell yeah! And he liked it too?" "If volume and enthusiasm is any indication, yes he loved it." She said, both of them laughing. "That's excellent, Cathy, I'm so happy for you!" Sandy smiled and gave her a big hug. She couldn't wait to tell Don when they got home. The thought of their church leader spraying his lovely wife with his naughty nut was turning her on. She hoped Don would help her reenact it later that evening. "So how're you going to keep it going?" "I don't know, I feel like there are so many options; so many things we've never done together, I had been so nervous to talk about my past with him, but he seemed to be totally into it. I'm not sure where to go next." "Well that's easy," Sandy replied, "you ask him!" "Ask him what?" "Ask him what he likes! You told him what you like, time for him to do the same." "But he doesn't have much of a past," Cathy opined, "he was a virgin on our wedding night." "Sweetie," Sandy said, lowering her eyelids and cocking an eyebrow, "it doesn't matter what they say; everyone has a kink. Everyone has desires. Everyone has a past. It's just a matter of you coaxing it out of him." Cathy smiled, thanked her again, gave her a big hug, and they parted ways. Wandering idly through the foyer of the church, she thought about Sandy's words. It was true Sam was a virgin, but any discussion of sexual exploration ended with that. Surely he had some stories to tell, some secrets to reveal, just as she did. She felt a tingle in her belly at the possibility of discovering them. Looking into the sanctuary she saw Sam chatting with the new youth pastor Ginny. It was her first day at the church, and even now, dressed much more modest than she was at the pool party the previous day, she exuded a certain glow. She sure was a pretty girl, Cathy though. It was obvious Sam seemed to think so too. He was giggling like a teen boy with a crush. Cathy wasn't mad; she had no reason to ever think Sam would do anything inappropriate; but she was curious. Maybe this was something she would have to ask him about. "Oh yes, oh yes, fuck fuck fuck fuck!" Cathy was sweating. Her face was scrunched up in that lusty grimace that precedes ultimate pleasure, her body tense and wild as she rode Sam's face to orgasm. It was Wednesday, and after their new, exciting experiences the previous weekend, there was no lax coasting through date night; on the contrary, neither of them could wait for the day to roll around. They were both antsy through Monday and Tuesday, and for the first time in years found themselves flirting with each other. Quick comments, a pinch here or there, a grab when no one was looking, it was a shock they even made it to Wednesday, and they probably wouldn't have if their schedules had been lighter, or their daughter Christine had been less under foot. But Wednesday rolled around soon enough, Christine was out for the evening at the weekly youth group meeting, and the two excited lovers tumbled into their bedroom in a tornado of arms, lips, and tongues. "Oh my God" Cathy exclaimed in a long, warbling tone. She grabbed Sam's hair tight, felt her thighs flex around his head, and in an instant her body was awash with the explosive pleasure of orgasm. Her mouth hung open, body wracked with sensation, and the corner of her lips pulled into a wild smile. Being still lost in the heady space of cumming, Cathy couldn't see it, but beneath her dripping, still spasming cunt lips Sam was smiling too. Sam loved pleasuring his wife, and was happy she had opened up with him in a way that would allow him to do it more effectively. It was also plain to see that it wasn't just efficiency that he liked, as evident by his hard, straining cock. But it wasn't just the act that turned him on, it was the history she had with it. A history he was interested to learn more about. "Oh my God, that was amazing," Cathy cooed as she settled her head into the crook of Sam's neck, draping her arm across his chest, "you sir are very good at that." She kissed him. She could taste herself. She always liked the taste; it made her feel extra dirty. She couldn't remember the last time she had tasted herself on a man's lips. "I'm a fast learner," he said with a chuckle. He ran his hand over Cathy's ass as she tucked herself tight against him. "Apparently." "And what about you?" He began nervously. He wasn't sure about what he was about to ask, but the surge of blood to his cock told him to press on, "were you a fast learner, the first time you did that?" Cathy paused before she answered. This was going to be a full step over the threshold of their sexual pasts. Were they ready? She looked down at his proud cock standing straight and hard, even with no stimulation. "Yes," she said in a syrupy tone. Sam's cock twitched. She smiled. "When was it?" Sam continued, "the first time you did that?" "College," she said, idly scratching his chest hair. "Do you wanna tell me about it?" He was putting the ball in her court, or attempting to, but she wasn't going to let him off that easily. "Do you want me to?" It was a question dripping with possibility. "Yes," Sam said quietly. "Ok," she said, equally soft. She looked down at his cock, straining and hard, and watched it twitch again. Her hand began to slowly drift down his torso. "Can I touch you while I do it?" "Yes," Sam choked out. "My senior year of college I was, seeing this guy. Tom." "A boyfriend?" "Not quite. It was, I realize now it was all the fun parts of a relationship, but none of the commitment. I didn't realize that at the time." her hand lazily circled his bellybutton as she reminisced. She was going to make him work for it. "From school?" "No, he was, older." She saw Sam's cock twitch again. "How much older?" "A lot." Her hand inched lower, grazing through his pubic hair. "I had the apartment to myself one night, and Tom came over and we started fooling around." Her fingers began to dance across the skin of Sam's cock. "He used to love licking me,” she paused as she decided once again how much truth to inject into the story. She chose all of it. “because his wife never let him do it to her." "His wife?" Sam exclaimed, his rigid member bouncing right into the palm of Cathy's hand. "Um hmm." she cooed as she slowly started to stroke. "He told me they were divorced, but, I found out later that wasn't exactly true." Sam let out a long exhale through flared nostrils. He couldn't believe how hot this story was making him already. The thought of his good, Christian wife fucking an older married man, one who used to lick her cunt, caused his whole body to buzz. Cathy stroked him slowly, then at once felt a slickness beneath her thumb; his tip was leaking a river of slippery precum. Sam was enjoying this. A lot. She smiled and continued her tale. "So Tom had his head between my legs, eating my cunt," she chose the more vulgar word on purpose, and felt a receptive pulse in her palm. "Was he good?" Sam gasped, cutting her off. "He was amazing." she said with a smirk. Sam stifled a groan. She continued to touch him, to stroke him, as she talked. "He was eating my cunt, his hands running all over my body, really making me feel incredible, when all of a sudden he grabs my hips and rolls us both over so now I'm straddling him. I would have crushed his head if I hadn't sat up, so a push myself up, knees on either side of his head, and all at once there I am, riding his face." Sam moaned again and she felt him throb. She decided to back off the stroking for a minute and began cupping and rolling his plump balls in her hand. Tom used to love it when she did that. "At first he's licking me, torturing my clit, hitting it like a joy buzzer, and I'm just along for the ride, but then,” she paused as the memory came flooding back and she felt the slickness between her legs become more pronounced. “then he just kept his tongue still. I was confused for a second, but then I felt both his hands grip my ass and start pulling forward; he was telling me what he wanted. And so I started rocking my hips, grinding my clit against his still tongue; I was fucking his face." She decided to give him a little tease after this reveal, "Just like he had done to me many, many times." "Ugh." Sam groaned loudly at this last confession. Images of this older man holding his wife's young face in his hands while he pushed himself in and out of her mouth started a roiling boil inside his loins. "Then what?" "Well, I found myself a rhythm I liked, an angle I liked, and I just fucked him. I was in control for the first time ever, and it was exhilarating. I was gripping his hair, gripping at the headboard, anything I could find to grab onto, because it took me barely a minute to get right up to the edge." Cathy looked at Sam's dripping cock and smiled fondly as another memory came to the forefront of her mind. "But what put me over the edge, was when I looked behind me and saw that Tom's cock was rock-hard. And that's when my body exploded, and holding his head in place with each of my hands, I came all over Tom's mouth for the first time." "Did you love it?" Sam barely managed to verbalize. "It was like nothing I had ever experienced. I was glowing for days." Cathy cupped his balls while running her thumb up and down the underside of his cock, now slick with precum. She couldn't believe how much this was turning him on; how much it was turning her on. "You wanna know what happened next?" "God, yes," He gasped. "I was still in a daze from my orgasm. I barely even knew where I was. He rolled me off him, onto my back, still breathing heavily, spread my legs, hoisted me up onto his thighs and pushed his whole cock into me with one thrust." Sam's deep groan was all she needed as encouragement at this point. "And then he fucked me, long, deep, and good. The sensations were so overwhelming I was buzzing, and I started to cum again. And just when I was at the height of it, Tom slipped his cock out of me and burst his hot jizz all over my wriggling body. I could taste it on my lips." The image of his wife, mid-orgasm, slathered with the juice of another man was all he could take. In a flash, Sam had rolled Cathy over onto her back, swung her legs open, and in almost an exact recreation of her story, pushed his desperate cock deep into her cunt. He gripped her body tight and thrust hard, thrust wildly, sending his cock deep into her body over and over. Cries of encouragement echoed in his ears, the hot spring of pleasure coiling tight in his loins. Cathy was right there with him, speeding toward the cliff of release as her slick body gripped and grasped at her husband's driving cock. Rhythmic chants of "Yes, yes!" lept from her throat, and just as she reached her climax and her body began to tumble and spasm, Sam joined her over the edge, pulling out, leaning in, and peppering her heaving breasts and gasping stomach with thick ropes of hot cum. Sam looked down at his handiwork splattered across his wife's heaving diaphragm. Then they both collapsed to the bed in a heap of slick, gasping flesh. "Good God," Sam choked out. "You can say that again," Cathy concurred. They looked at each other and broke out laughing, then Sam leaned in and kissed her deep and hard. Their laughter never stopped. To be continued in part 3. By Liminally Spaced for Literotica.

Click to Subscribe: https://bit.ly/Youtube-Subscribe-SoapDirt Young and the Restless characters find themselves entangled in a web of heartbreak and betrayal. Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) is dumped by his girlfriend Claire Newman (Hayley Erin), leaving him devastated. Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) faces rejection from Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic) as she pleads for reconciliation. Unbeknownst to Kyle, his father, Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman), sympathizes with Claire, understanding her need for more life experience before settling down. Y&R stuns when Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters) learns about her son's breakup from an overheard conversation between Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle), Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), and Claire. She attempts to comfort Kyle, suggesting that Claire's decision to take a trip to LA may be a temporary break. However, Kyle suspects that Holden Novak (Nathan Owens), who is from LA, might be involved in Claire's decision. Young and Restless builds tension as Kyle and Audra, both single and hurt, run into each other. They blame each other for their respective breakups, igniting a fiery confrontation that could potentially lead to a passionate rebound. The dynamic between the two shifts from heated passion to hatred, but the line seems thin and may blur into something more. Young and the Restless rumors spread about Claire's decision to dump Kyle, leading to Audra taunting him about it. When Audra discovers that Claire went to LA with Holden, she further mocks Kyle, escalating the tension between them. The episode concludes with the possibility of Kyle and Audra's hate turning into a secret fling.  The Soap Dirt podcast made the Top 100 List for Apple Podcast's Entertainment News Category. Visit our Young and the Restless section of Soap Dirt: https://soapdirt.com/category/young-and-the-restless/ Listen to our Podcasts: https://soapdirt.podbean.com/ Check out our always up-to-date Young and the Restless Spoilers page at: https://soapdirt.com/young-and-the-restless-spoilers/ Check Out our Social Media... Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoapDirtTV Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoapDirt Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/soapdirt/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soapdirt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soapdirt/

Ryan Connor and Briana Connor Garcia are siblings who grew up in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, right around the corner from a landfill that later became designated an EPA Superfund site. Unbeknownst to them, they spent their childhood exposed to toxic "forever chemicals" that leached into the soil and water, poisoning countless community members in the process. Following separate cancer diagnoses and years of debilitating health issues, they are on a crusade to raise awareness of the dangers of PFAS and similar chemicals, bring accountability to the companies responsible, and to heal themselves using alternative medicines.In our conversation with Ryan and Briana we discussed:Their upbringing in TewksburyThe environmental toxins they were unknowingly exposed toThe health consequences they and others in the community have facedHow the next Superfund site could be just down your road...and you'd never know itTesting for "forever chemicals" in your systemHolding these companies accountableUsing terrain-forward methods to heal...and more!Help support Ryan and Briana's road to recovery by donating to our GoFundMe set up in their name. Every penny will go to cover the costs of associated with healing their terrain using alternative, terrain-friendly methods. Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ryan-briana-heal-from-pfas-exposureLearn more about their journey on the South Tewksbury PFAS Contamination Awareness Facebook Group. Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1409569856823399Terrain Theory episodes are not to be taken as medical advice. You are your own primary healthcare provider.If you have a Terrain Transformation story you would like to share, email us at ben@terraintheory.net.Learn more at www.terraintheory.netMusic by Chris Merenda

In 2003, British police infiltrated a group of idealistic young environmental activists, forming sexual relationships and spying without warrant on hundreds of innocent civilians. Among these young activists was Kate Wilson, who developed an intimate relationship with Mark. Unbeknownst to her, Mark was a fictional persona created by the Metropolitan Police to spy on her. After this shocking discovery, Kate Wilson fought back, and now she joins us to tell her story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sixto Rodriguez, known simply as Rodriguez, lived one of the most extraordinary and unlikely journeys in modern music history. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he grew up the son of Mexican immigrants in a city teeming with both industrial promise and economic struggle. His upbringing in Detroit's working-class neighbourhoods profoundly shaped his worldview and his music. Rodriguez's songs spoke of poverty, social injustice, and the struggles of everyday people—lyrics that would later resonate deeply with audiences halfway across the world.From an early age, Rodriguez gravitated toward music. He learned guitar on his own and began writing songs that mixed folk, rock, and blues with a poet's touch. His lyrics were sharp, socially conscious, and often laced with a haunting melancholy. Though Rodriguez possessed immense talent, Detroit in the late 1960s was already overflowing with Motown stars, garage rock bands, and rising folk voices. Breaking through wasn't easy.In '67, Rodriguez recorded a single that didn't gain much traction. A few years later his big break seemed to arrive with his debut album, Cold Fact, in 1970. Critics admired the record, but commercially it fell flat in the US.Undeterred, Rodriguez recorded a second album, Coming from Reality, in '71. But like its predecessor, the album struggled to find an audience. Disillusioned, Rodriguez quietly stepped away from the music industry. Heworked a series of manual labor jobs—construction, demolition, even factory work. For years, he lived modestly, raising his daughters while music became more of a private outlet than a public pursuit. Unbeknownst to him, his music was taking on a life of its own thousands of miles away. In South Africa, during the height of apartheid, Rodriguez's albums had found their way to audiences. To South Africans, Rodriguez was as revered as Bob Dylan or John Lennon.Yet in Detroit, he had no idea of his fame overseas.For decades, South African fans knew every lyric, while the man himself remained in the dark about his global impact.The truth began to unravel in the late '90s, when two South African fans set out to discover where he was. They found him in Detroit and brought hin to South Africa fin 1998. Concert halls overflowed with fans . For Rodriguez, it was a surreal moment of validation, arriving nearly three decades after he'd walked away from music.The story of Rodriguez's rediscovery was later captured in the 2012 Academy Award-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man. With its mix of mystery, tragedy, and triumph, the documentary transformed Rodriguez into an international icon almost overnight. His albums were reissued, he toured internationally, and he finally enjoyed the recognition that had eluded him in his youth.Rodriguez's daughter, Sandra tells us that despite his newfound fame, her dad remained grounded. He continued living in his modest home. Known for his humility and gentle nature, he preferred to let his music speak for itself. He carried no bitterness at al.Rodriguez's story is often described as one of the most remarkable in rock history—a tale of how music can transcend time, borders, and politics. His songs, rooted in the struggles of Detroit in the '70s, found their greatest meaning in a country he'd never visited until decades later. In the process, Rodriguez became a symbol of resilience, artistry, and the unpredictable power of music.Sixto Rodriguez passed away in 2023 at the age of 81. His death marked the end of a truly singular life, but his music continues to live on. For those who grew up singing his words in South Africa and in Australia, and for the many around the world who discovered him through Searching for Sugar Man, Rodriguez will always be remembered not just as a musician, but as a poet of the people, a voice of quiet defiance, and the ultimate comeback story.I know you'll enjoy hearing Sandra Rodriguez tell her Dad's story.

Click to Subscribe: https://bit.ly/Youtube-Subscribe-SoapDirt Days of our Lives spoilers see Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein), now a bestselling author, hesitates at Alex Kiriakis's (Robert Scott Wilson) proposal to move in together. Stephanie's former boyfriends, Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) and Everett Lynch (Blake Berris), both brought heartache and chaos into her life. However, it's her latest ex, Jeremy Horton, who might cause the most trouble. Unbeknownst to Alex, Stephanie's raunchy romance novel, One Stormy Night, contains real-life details about her toxic relationship with Jeremy. The return of actor Michael Rourke to Salem as Dr. Mike Horton this fall raises suspicions he may also reprising the role of Jeremy. DOOL spoilers see the upcoming opening of the EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) funded Dr. Tom Horton Free Clinic may bring Jeremy face-to-face with Stephanie's novel. This could put both Stephanie and Alex in danger if he recognizes the intimate pieces of their past relationship within the pages. Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow) is pressuring Stephanie for a new book, and a potential Salem slasher storyline could put Alex in danger. Spoilers for Days of our Lives see Alex's ex-girlfriend, Joy Wesley (AlexAnn Hopkins), may return to Salem, possibly pregnant with Alex's child or even with a newborn in tow. Although she claimed to be not pregnant before leaving town, her return could bring unexpected consequences for Alex and Stephanie's relationship.  The Soap Dirt podcast has made the Top 100 List for Apple Podcasts in the Entertainment News Category. Visit our Days of our Lives section of Soap Dirt: https://soapdirt.com/category/days-of-our-lives/ Listen to our Podcasts: https://soapdirt.podbean.com/ And Check out our always up-to-date Days of our Lives Spoilers page at: https://soapdirt.com/days-of-our-lives-spoilers/ Check Out our Social Media... Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoapDirtTV Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoapDirt Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/soapdirt/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soapdirt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soapdirt/

Ep. 98: Unbeknownst to us, Riley was positively riddled with covid during the recording of this episode so shoutout to Marissa for carrying us the whole way through

Nicky or Alex, Alex or Nicky?! Well, one thing's for sure, the twins aren't the only ones making their Full House debut this episode... Vicky Larson is also joining the mix! Unbeknownst to Danny, his new co-star is a major girl boss. So, is Danny's "mansplaining" due to ignorance or his lack of game?! It's a BIG episode and we can't wait to recap it right here on How Rude, Tanneritos! Follow us on Instagram @howrudepodcast & TikTok @howrudetanneritosSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click to Subscribe: https://bit.ly/Youtube-Subscribe-SoapDirt Bold and the Beautiful spoilers show heartbreak for Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig) while young Will Spencer (Crew Morrow) resorts to stalking in search of answers. Other key characters, including Luna Nozawa (Lisa Yamada), Li Finnegan (Naomi Matsuda), Thomas Forrester (Matthew Atkinson), and Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) also find themselves embroiled in drama. B&B spoilers reveal that Taylor, devastated by the deceitful actions of Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye). Despite sharing intimate moments with her, Ridge is torn between his feelings for Taylor and Brooke. Ridge's indecision leads him to mislead Taylor about their potential future together. This painful realization leaves Taylor heartbroken and shocked. More weekly spoilers for The Bold and the Beautiful indicate that Ridge and Taylor also discuss their son, Thomas, who is struggling with the havoc caused by Paris Buckingham's (Diamond White) mother, Grace. They reminisce about their late daughter, Phoebe Forrester (Formerly MacKenzie Mauzy), and their shared love for their children. However, Taylor's romantic plans are shattered when Ridge confesses he cannot marry her. This unexpected rejection leaves Taylor stunned and hurt. And other spoilers for B&B hint that Thomas, unaware of his father's dilemma, is busy confronting Brooke about her intrusion into his parents' relationship. Misled by Ridge about his impending wedding to Taylor, Thomas also confronts his father about his intimacy with Brooke. Unbeknownst to Thomas, Ridge has already terminated his engagement to Taylor, setting the stage for further drama. This episode was hosted by Belynda Gates-Turner for the #1 Soap Opera Channel, Soap Dirt. Visit our Bold and the Beautiful section of Soap Dirt: https://soapdirt.com/category/bold-and-the-beautiful/ Listen to our Podcasts: https://soapdirt.podbean.com/ And Check out our always up-to-date Bold and the Beautiful Spoilers page at: https://soapdirt.com/bold-and-the-beautiful-spoilers/ Check Out our Social Media... Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoapDirtTV Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoapDirt Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/soapdirt/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soapdirt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soapdirt/

Pat Barrett shares tales from his South American adventure. In May 1982 three young kiwi travellers set out to explore South America on their own terms with no other knowledge of this wild and mysterious continent than that gleaned from the travel 'bible' of the day - The South American Handbook. Unbeknownst to them, their adventure began in a time that has now been lost to the annals of travel history: a world with no internet and no instant communication.

Click to Subscribe: https://bit.ly/Youtube-Subscribe-SoapDirt Bold and the Beautiful predictions indicate that Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton) takes a significant risk and Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) finds himself crushed. This week's spoilers reveal that Liam is determined to reunite his family, with Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) providing him with some much-needed guidance. In a surprising turn of events, Liam proposes to Hope Logan (Annika Noelle), despite her recent beginnings with Carter.  B&B predictions hint that Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) finds herself in hot water as she lies straight to Will Spencer's (Crew Morrow) face. Will, consumed by guilt over his drunken night at the party, seeks Sheila's help in piecing together his hazy memories. Unbeknownst to him, Sheila has the answers but chooses to keep quiet, causing further confusion and guilt for Will. Plus, Bold and the Beautiful spoilers show that Li Finnegan (Naomi Matsuda) is set to make a comeback this week, presumably to keep an eye on her granddaughter Luna Nozawa (Lisa Yamada). However, Li is unaware of Luna's recent escapades and Sheila's enabling behavior. It's only a matter of time before she discovers the truth and confronts Sheila. B&B spoilers also show that Deacon Sharpe (Sean Kanan) advises his daughter Hope to choose Liam over Carter. Hope, torn between her love for Liam and her obligation to Carter, confides in her father about the difficult decision she is facing. However, Carter's sudden desire to elope with Hope raises suspicions about his true intentions. More spoilers for the Bold and the Beautiful reveal that Carter is crushed by Hope, which might pave the way for Daphne Rose (Murielle Hilaire) to help him pick up the pieces. The Bold and the Beautiful continues to deliver enticing storylines, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. You are listening to Belynda from Soap Dirt. The most listened to podcast for soap operas. Visit our Bold and the Beautiful section of Soap Dirt: https://soapdirt.com/category/bold-and-the-beautiful/ Listen to our Podcasts: https://soapdirt.podbean.com/ And Check out our always up-to-date Bold and the Beautiful Spoilers page at: https://soapdirt.com/bold-and-the-beautiful-spoilers/ Check Out our Social Media... Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoapDirtTV Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoapDirt Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/soapdirt/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soapdirt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soapdirt/

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS (2003), from the book by Michele Alexander and Jeannie Long; screenplay credits to Kristen Buckley, Brian Regan and Burr Steers, the film is directed by Donald Petrie.  The film is a romantic comedy about a women's magazine columnist, Andie (Kate Hudson), who must write an article detailing how to get a man to break up with you in ten days. Unbeknownst to her, the man she chooses, Ben (Matthew McConaughey), an advertising executive who has made a high-stakes bet that he can make any woman fall in love with him in the same amount of time. Both try to manipulate the other to win their respective bets, but they soon find themselves genuinely falling for each other.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 56 m, is rated PG-13 and we watched it on the @Hoopla app but streaming on various platforms and to rent/buy on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.#SupportYourLocalLibrary ⁠ ⁨@hoopladigital⁩ ⁠ #HowToLoseAGuyIn10Days #MicheleAlexander #JeannieLong #KristenBuckley #BrianRegan #BurrSteers #DonaldPetrie #KateHudson #Anndie #MatthewMcConaughey #KathrynHahn #Michelle #AnnieParisse #Jeannie #AdamGoldberg #Tony #ThomasLennon #Thayer #MichaelMichele #Spears #ShalomHarlow #Green #RobertKlein #Phillip #BebeNeuwirth #Lana#SamanthaQuan #Lori #JustinPeroff #Mike #CeliaWeston #Glenda #JamesMurtaugh #Jack #Comedy #RomanticComedy #FeelGoodRomance #Romance  @HooplaDigital  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNightOpening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

The fourth and final episode in our series on the Jinshin no Ran: we cover the campaign in Afumi (aka Ōmi - 近江).  Prince Ōama and Prince Ōtomo (aka Kōbun Tennō), have drawn up their forces.  Last episode we covered the fighting in the Nara Basin, around the ancient Yamato capital: Asuka.  This episode focuses on the defense of the Karafu and Fuwa passes and the eventual march to the bridge at Setagawa. This is a name heavy episode, and we'll be noting some of it here: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-132   Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 132: The Jinshin no Ran, Part 4: The Afumi Campaign The Afumi soldiers on the western side of the bridge looked across the open expanse of water towards their Yoshino rivals on the eastern side.  If it weren't for the banners and the red tags barely visible on the sleeves of the opposing forces, it would be hard to know which side was which.  Both were equipped in similar ways, and a few of the soldiers could even make out familiar faces on the other side.  That is the nature of civil wars—especially in a conscript society, where the soldiers often had little choice which side they were fighting for.  Not that it necessarily mattered much to them which side came out on top, whatever their commanders might have told them. The bridge across the Seta river was large and wide, and normally quite well traveled.  Now, however, the central boards had been pulled up for a span of about 30 feet or so, leaving a gap spanned by only a single, narrow plank.  That plank was, itself, tied to a rope, which was being held by the Afumi troops.  The soldiers knew that should any of the enemy try to cross, they could pull the plank out from under them and they would fall into the river, their metal armor dragging them down into the dark depths of swirling water below.  Even should they somehow make it across without being peppered by arrows, there would be no reinforcements coming: they would be slaughtered, and the trap would be reset. It seemed like the Afumi forces held all the cards in this battle, and yet they were still tense. Archers could still shoot across the distance. The front rank of troops held wooden shields as a defense, but there were still openings in the formation and the armor, and in the chaos of battle, nobody was truly safe. And so the Afumi forces waited.  Confident, but wary. A commotion on the eastern side of the bridge grabbed the spotlight.  The Yoshino forces had approached, and they were clearly preparing for something.  The Afumi soldiers strained to see what was going on.  Suddenly, the front line of the Yoshino forces parted, and a strange sight confronted the Afumi soldiers.  It took them a moment to fully comprehend what was barreling towards them at full tilt: a soldier that looked almost like two soldiers put together, wearing armor placed over armor, in an attempt to protect from harm.  It must have been heavy, and as he stepped on the beam, it visibly buckled under the weight.  The Afumi archers let loose with their arrows and crossbow bolts, but to no avail.  They simply stuck in the armor, adding to the bizarre and otherworldly appearance of their opponent. The spell was broken on the Afumi side as arrows came cascading in.  The Yoshino forces weren't just sitting idly back, they were making sure they were doing everything they could to keep the Afumi forces distracted.  And for a split second it worked—and a split second was all they needed.  Before the soldiers could gather up their wits about them enough to pull the rope there was a terrifying sound of metal on wood.  The Afumi soldiers pulled the rope, but it came all too easy—the Yoshino soldier had dashed across and cut the rope tied to the plank.  Behind him, the Yoshino forces were now pouring across the bridge.  Soon they would establish a foothold, and behind the front line they would be able to have other soldiers place more planks so that the number of Yoshino soldiers on the Western side of the bridge only continued to increase. Realizing that their trap had been circumvented, the Afumi forces fell back, but their strategic withdrawal soon turned into a full on retreat.  While pockets of soldiers resisted, many were suddenly all too aware that perhaps it was better to live and fight another day, instead.  Despite threats and even attacks from their own commanders, the Afumi forces fled the battlefield, leaving the Yoshino army victorious.  With the Seta bridge now secured, there were no more major obstacles in their way:  They would march to the capital at Ohotsu and finish this war.   Welcome back!  This is Part 4, and so if you haven't already done so, I recommend going back and starting with Part 1.  That said, we'll briefly recap here. Over the past three episodes, we've talked about the causes of the war between Prince Ohotomo and Prince Ohoama as they vied for the throne.  Prince Ohotomo seemingly had the stronger position, as he was actually running the Yamato state from the Afumi capital in Ohotsu.  He had the various ministers and all the official organs of the state on his side.   He was also 23 years old. Ohoama, on the other side, was Ohotomo's paternal uncle.  His own son, Prince Takechi, was 19 years old and helping to lead the army.   Upon learning that the State was gathering forces against him, Ohoama had quickly moved east, gathering forces as he went, and now he stood near Fuwa, modern day Sekigahara, prepared to begin his march on the capital.   This episode we are going to cover the conclusion of the war.  Warning, though, this is going to be a *lot*.  A lot of place names and people names.  Apologies if it is hard to follow.  I'll have a rough map and info on the various players on the podcast blog, so you may want to bring that up if you are having problems following. In Part I of this series we covered the causes leading up to the conflict.  In Part II we covered Ohoama's mad dash to Fuwa, at modern Sekigahara.  Last episode, Part III we covered the fighting in the Nara Basin. This episode we are going to talk about the last two fronts of the war: the defense of the Iga area and Kurafu Pass, and the march from Fuwa to the Afumi capital of Ohotsu. Before we go into the details of the next battles, let's look at what each side of the conflict was doing, what they are concerned about, and where they are on the board.  We'll then go into how the rest of the war played out, and its conclusion and aftermath.     Ohoama's Yoshino forces had largely been drawn from the countries in the east—the very same countries that Ohoama was denying to the Afumi court.  In response, the Afumi court had drawn their forces from where they could.  There were those that they had already called up under the pretense of building Naka no Oe's burial mound, but they had sent others out to raise troops in Yamato and out the western side of Honshu, all the way to Tsukushi—modern Kyushu.  However, not everyone in the Western region of the archipelago was friendly to the Afumi court—especially the regions of Kibi and Tsukushi.  This was significant.  Kibi was an ancient rival of Yamato, and likely could contribute a sizeable force.  Tsukushi, on the other hand, was quite large, and besides the conscripts from among the regular inhabitants, Tsukushi also was in charge of defending the archipelago from invasion—they were the first line of defense.  They had constructed numerous castles and fortifications to defend against a possible invasion, and those castles and fortifications were no doubt manned by troops that had been raised for that purpose.  If they could now be turned inwards, that could be enough to really turn the tide against Ohoama and his Yoshino army. The only problem was that neither Kibi nor Tsukushi were exactly sympathetic to the Afumi court.  The governor of Kibi and Prince Kurikuma, the viceroy of Tsukushi, both had ties to Ohoama, and the ministers suspected them of sympathizing with their Yoshino rivals.  As such the envoys that were sent out were authorized to take whatever drastic steps they felt necessary to secure the troops. So how did that all go down?  Well, last episode we talked about how Hodzumi no Momotari and his crew had been stopped from raising troops in Asuka by Ohotomo no Fukei, whose bluff of pretending to be Prince Takechi and a host of cavalry soldiers caused the conscripted troops to flee, and ended up in the death of Momotari and the capture of his compatriots. In Kibi, things took a turn in Afumi's favor.  When the Afumi government's envoy arrived at the government center in Kibi, he tricked the governor into taking off his sword.  Once he had done so, the envoy drew his own sword and killed the governor.  Without the governor to get in his way, the envoy then went about securing the land and troops for the Afumi court. Prince Kurikuma, the viceroy in Tsukushi, at the Dazaifu, was not quite so easily fooled, however.  Kurikuma knew how the court operated, and was apparently well informed of what was going on.  When the Afumi court's envoy met with Kurikuma, the Prince was flanked by two of his sons, Prince Mino and Prince Takebe, each one armed.  When Prince Kurikuma heard what the Afumi court wanted—for him to send the troops from Tsukushi to help quell Ohoama's rebellion—Kurikuma responded that he needed those troops to hold the border.  After all, the Tang dynasty was still a potential threat, and what good would it do to send the troops from the border regions to fight an internal war, only to then have an invader come in and destroy the state entirely?  No, he reasoned, he would not be sending the troops as the Afumi court requested. We are told that for a moment, the Afumi envoy thought about grabbing his sword and killing Prince Kurikuma, as the Afumi court had suggested, but with both of Kurikuma's sons armed on either side of him, he realized that he didn't have great odds, and so he eventually left, empty handed, but alive. This is significant.  While we don't know exact numbers, it is likely that there were quite a few troops stationed in Kyushu and the islands, all in case of foreign invasion.  By not supplying them to the Afumi court, Prince Kurikuma dealt a huge blow to the Afumi's ability to make war.  Add to that the fact that Ohoama had likewise blocked the court's access to the eastern countries, and that further narrowed the troops that Afumi had access to.  Nonetheless, they still had enough to be dangerous, and it is impossible to say exactly what might happen in a war. So we know where the Afumi and Yoshino forces ostensibly came from, but let's talk about the battlefield.  All of the fighting that we talk about was happening in an area between Naniwa—modern Ohosaka—and Fuwa, modern Sekigahara, northwest from the modern city of Nagoya. There are three main theaters we are talking about.  The first is in the Nara basin, which we talked about extensively in the last episode.  The Nara basin itself was not necessarily of the most strategic importance, militarily, but it was of huge symbolic importance.  After all, that was still the ancient capital, even though the governmental functions had been moved north, to Ohotsu, on the shores of Lake Biwa.  The second is in the Suzuka mountains.  This includes the areas of Iga and Kouka, and it is bordered by the Nara basin on the west, the Mie coastline on the east, and Afumi, the area around lake Biwa, to the north.  This is the same region that Ohoama had to naviagate through on his way from Yoshino to the east, and the mountains and valleys make it so that there are only so many traversable routes through.  For our narrative we are going to be primarily talking about the Kurafu Pass, between Kouka and Iga, at modern Tsuge city.  This pass  was an important route between Kouka, Iga, and Mie.  The road followed the Soma River which eventually flowed into Lake Biwa.  This made it a route out of Afumi, and if the Afumi forces could secure the Kurafu pass and the fields of Tara, just on the other side, they could split Ohoama's forces and cut off any help that he could possibly send to the Nara basin, and possibly even take Ohoama from behind. Finally, let's talk about our third theater:  Afumi itself.  Specifically, we are looking at the southern and eastern sides around Lake Biwa.  Biwa is the largest lake in Japan, and it is almost entirely surrounded by mountains except for where the Seta river flows south, eventually winding its way to Naniwa.  Today, the area of Afumi is largely co-located with modern Shiga Prefecture. Back in 668, after finding themselves on the losing side of the Baekje-Tang war, Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou, had moved the capital to Ohotsu, or Big Port, in Afumi, on the shores of Lake Biwa, likely for the protection it gave.  From Afumi, there were three major routes out of the basin, and a few minor ones.  All of them were through defensible mountain passes, like Karafu Pass, Fuwa Pass, and Suzuka Pass.  Three such passes:  Fuwa, Suzuka, and Arachi would become prominent barriers, or seki, along the ancient roads, and were known as the Sangen, or Three Barriers, protecting the capital region.  Suzuka no seki, at the pass of the same name, was in the south.  To reach it from Afumi, one crossed the Karafu pass, and then turned east through a pass near Mt. Miyama.  At the northern tip of the Suzuka mountains was Fuwa pass, future home of the Fuwa barrier.  The Barrier, or “Seki” would give its name to the area in another form:  Sekigahara.  This was along the Tousandou, the Eastern Mountain road, and even today it is the path through which roads and even the Shinkansen traverse between eastern and western Honshu.  Finally, though less important to our story, was the Arachi pass. Arachi no seki was part of the Hokurikudo, the Northern Land Route, and led to the ancient country of Kochi and the port of Tsuruga, which had a long history as an alternate port, especially for ships sailing from Goguryeo.  Later, Arachi no seki would be replaced in the Sangen ranking by another pass between Afumi and modern Kyoto, which would be known as the Afusaka, or Ohosaka, Pass.  This was the pass that would have been used to get to Yamashiro and, from there, to Naniwa and the Nara Basin. These three passes would come to define the island of Honshu, and became the dividing line between the Kanto region, in the east, and the Kansai region, in the west.  By holding the Suzuka and Fuwa passes, Ohoama effectively denied any travel to the eastern regions.  Sure, Afumi could have tried going through the Arachi pass and into Kochi, but then they would have had to traverse the Japan alps—no small feat, especially without modern conveniences like the trains and busses used today. From Fuwa Pass, where Ohoama and Prince Takechi had set up their headquarters, it was largely a straight shot to the Afumi capital of Ohotsu.  Between Lake Biwa and the Suzuka mountains is a wide, flat plain, divided primarily by the rivers and streams running out from the mountains into the lake.  Immediately west of Fuwa is the area of Maibara.  Following the shore of the lake one traverses through modern Hikone, to Yasu.  Yasu would also have been the location where the road to the Karafu pass broke off into the Suzuka mountains.  Beyond that was the bridge across the Seta River. The Seta river was one of the largest obstacles that would have to be negotiated, and the Afumi forces knew this.  Just as Ohoama would set up at Fuwa pass, a large number of the Afumi forces were set up on the western bank of the Seta river.  If the Yoshino forces could get across, however, it would mean that they had a more or less unimpeded route to the capital at Ohotsu. So now let's talk about what was happening in each of these places. Ohoama had set up at Fuwa—Sekigahara—and had begun to call soldiers to him.  Not only did did this allow him to block the rival Afumi troops from accessing the Eastern countries and possibly raising troops to use against him, but he was also able to maintain a line of communication with ancient Yamato, in the Nara Basin.  In order to keep his communication lines open, and to ensure that the Afumi forces couldn't sneak up behind him, Ohoama split his forces in two.  He knew that Afumi forces were trying to take his stronghold in Yamato, and if successful, from there they could move in to Uda and on to Iga.  thereafter that, they could march up behind him through the Suzuka pass.  Alternatively, the forces in Afumi could come up through Kouka and the Karafu pass, and then try to divide and conquer So the first group of Ohoama's army were to go south, through the Suzuka pass into their mountain namesake.  Once there, Oho no Omi no Honji was to hold Tarano, the Plain of Tara, where the routes to Suzuka, Kafuka, and Iga met.  Tanaka no Omi no Tarumaro went with him, with orders to guard the Kurafu pass, which is to say the road to Kouka.  This first group was headed by Ki no Omi no Abemaro, and also included Miwa no Kimi no Kobito, and Okizome no Muraji no Usagi.  Along with what we are told were tens of thousands of men, this first made their way south from Fuwa  through Mie and Ise and over the Suzuka pass.  Once there, they took up their positions at Karafu and Tarano.  It was a good thing, too, because only a couple of days after they arrived, the enemy struck.   Now as soon as he got there, Oho no Honji had fortified Tarano with some three thousand men, and Tanaka no  Tarumaro was sent to guard the Kurafu pass.  Prior to this, Tarumaro had been the official in charge of the Hot Springs in Ise, but he had joined Ohoama and the Yoshino forces when they first arrived over the Suzuka Pass.  Now he was in charge of a military force, encamped along the road through the Kurafu pass, waiting for the enemy. Unbeknownst to him, a deputy commander of the Afumi forces, Tanabe no Wosumi, was approaching from Mt. Kafuka.  Presumably he'd been sent out from Ohotsu and had followed the road along the Yasu and Soma rivers towards the pass.  Wosumi had  sizeable force with him, but he was not looking for a direct assault.  Even if he would win, he would suffer casualties, especially trying to attack an entrenched enemy in a fortified position.  He needed to be sneaky.  He had no way of knowing that, centuries later, the lands of Iga and Kouka would be known for their sneaky warriors—their legendary ninja—but I digressed.  What Wosumi did was this.  First, he rolled up his banners and muffled the drums.  He even had his men gag themselves—a continental custom where soldiers were given a stick to hold in their mouth, like a horse's bit, to discourage any talking amongst the ranks as they approached.  Presumably, they kept them in until just before attacking, because they also devised a watchword “kane”—transcribed as metal or gold.  Wosumi knew that it would be hard enough to tell who was who in the daytime—after all, it wasn't like these were regimented forces with uniforms.  The soldiers were likely all wearing whatever they had available, and clothing and armor would have been similar across the two armies.  At night, even some kind of mark or flag would hardly be enough to tell who was who in the dark.  As lines broke and melee ensued, it would be easy to get turned around, and find yourself facing a friend.  By saying the watchword you could distinguish friend from foe. Sure enough, this tactic worked.  The Afumi forces broke through the Yoshino fortifications in the middle of the night and swarmed into the encampment.  Men who had been asleep were waking up to chaos.  Tarumaro's Yoshino soldiers were thrown into confusion.  Tarumaro himself, escaped, but just barely.  we are told that he noticed that the enemy kept shouting the word “kane”, and so he started doing it as well. The Afumi forces, assuming he was one of their own, left him alone.  Still, he only escaped with difficulty. His escape was no doubt critical, however.   He presumably would have headed to Tarano to try and warn Oho no Honji, but this may not have been possible, as we are told that on the following day, after the attack at Karafu pass, the Afumi commander Wosumi continued his advance, and came upon the Yoshino encampment at Tarano unexpectedly.  Still, General Honji did not back down.  With a force of hand-picked soldiers, Honji counterattacked against Wosumi and struck him.  We are told that Wosumi made it out—the only one who did—but that he did not try and make another attack.  The Yoshino forces would ultimately hold the pass and the critical juncture of Tarano.  The Afumi forces would not get a second chance. By the way, a quick note here:  I can't help but notice a bit of a trope showing up in these stories:  At Narayama, General Fukei is defeated, and is the only person who makes his escape.  Then Tarumaro is the only person to escape his defeat.  Finally, Wosumi is the only one of his forces to leave the plain of Tara. I am more than a little incredulous that these generals are the only ones who actually survived, and that the rest of the army was slaughtered.  In fact, you may recall that at the battle at Taima, General Fukei told his men not to pursue the fleeing common soldiers.  As I've tried to point out, the common soldiers were not likely as invested in the cause.  In fact, it is just as possible that the common soldiers may have changed sides and joined the other army if they thought it would serve them well.  Or maybe they were escaping and just blending into the countryside.  After all, the elites weren't really spending the time to get to know them, let along record any details about them.  So I suspect that it was more about the fact that the various armies would be broken, and the soldiers flung to the four corners, rather than that they were necessarily slaughtered.  After all, if you had the choice, would you have stayed there? A few days after Wosumi was defeated, the Yoshino general that Ohoama had sent to Iga along with Honji and Tarumaro, Ki no Omi no Abemaro, heard that their ally, Ohotomo no Fukei was in trouble in the Nara Basin.  He'd been defeated by the Afumi general Ohono no Hatayasu at Narayama,  and without reinforcements, the entire Nara Basin could fall, along with the ancient Yamato capital at Asuka. So Abemaro sent Okizome no Muraji no Usagi with more than a thousand cavalry to go assist.  They met Fukei at Sumizaka, and suddenly, things were looking up in the Nara Basin.  For more on how that turned out, check out last episode, where we covered the events in the Nara Basin. Once the events in the Nara Basin settled out, then both the Nara Basin and the Karafu pass would be well and truly in the hands of the Yoshino forces.  But there was no way for those guarding those locations to know that the fighting was over, and they would have to hold their positions until the fighting had definitively stopped.  Which brings us back to Ohoama and the Yoshino troops gathered at Fuwa, where things were about to kick off as well.  The troops at Fuwa, while being led by Ohoama and his 19 year old son, Takechi, were placed under the command of Murakuni no Muraji no Woyori—who, , as things progressed, would be noted as the primary general for the campaign that would lead Yoshino troops from Fuwa, on the offensive towards Ohotsu. The only reason that they seem to have waited before going on the offensive was that every day, more troops were coming in.  So even as the fighting was going on in Nara and at the Karafu pass, the Yoshino army at Fuwa gathered men and made their preparations.  As they did so, the Afumi court Was going to do whatever they could to try and break them, hoping that they could stop the threat posed by Ohoama and his men before they began their march. For the Afumi forces first attempt to break the Yoshino defenses at Fuwa pass, they picked troops to try and make an incursion into the village of Tamakurabe, which appears to have been in the pass itself; it was probably modern Tama district of Sekigahara.  They were repelled, however, by Izumo no Omi no Koma, who drove them off. Later, the Afumi court ordered another force of several tens of thousands of men to attack under the command of Prince Yamabe no Ou, Soga no Omi no Hatayasu, and Kose no Omi no Hito.  Soga no Hatayasu and Kose no Hito were both part of the inner circle of the Afumi court, or so it would seem.  When Prince Ohotomo had taken the reins of the government in a ceremony in the Western Hall of the Palace, he was attended by the ministers of the right and left, as well as Soga no Hatayasu, Kose no Hito, and Ki no Ushi.  They were at the very heart of this whole matter.  Prince Yamabe is a little bit more of a mystery.  We know he was someone of note, and when Prince Ohotsu was brought to his parents, they were apparently traveling under the guise of Prince Yamabe and another prince, Prince Ishikawa.  But we know little else. The three men and their Afumi troops headed out and camped on the bank of the Inukami river, near modern Hikone.  There, however, trouble broke out. The Nihon Shoki does not record exactly what it was, but there must have been some kind of falling out.  Prince Yamabe no Ou was killed by Soga no Hatayasu and Kose no Hito.  We don't know if this was due to some quarrel or what, but either way, it threw the army into a state of disarray and there was no way for them to move forward.  Soga no Hatayasu appears to have taken responsibility for whatever happened, as he headed back from Inukami, presumably back to Ohotsu, where he took his own life by stabbing himself in the throat.  There would be no attack on Fuwa Pass, however. Finally, the Nihon Shoki also recounts the story of another Afumi general, named Hata no Kimi no Yakuni, and his son, Ushi.  Together with others, who remain unnamed, they surrendered themselves to Ohoama and the Yoshino forces, rather than fighting.  It isn't clear if they were deserters, if they had been part of one of the other two attempts to take Fuwa Pass, or if there was something else going on.  Either way, Ohoama was so pleased that he welcomed them in and we are told that Hata no Yakuni was “granted a battle axe and halberd” and appointed a general.  This is probably stock phrasing, but it does seem he was given some measure of trust.  Yakuni's men were then sent north, to Koshi. We aren't quite sure what those forces' ultimate objective was.  It may have been that he was to take the northern pass and make sure that none of the Afumi troops tried to escape and head to the East along that road.  Many of the accounts of this war seem to suggest that he, or at least some part of the forces, were to head north and then come around Lake Biwa the long way.  This would mean that if Ohoama attacked, there would be no easy way to flee.  From Ohotsu they couldn't turn north without running into more troops, and their only escape would seem to be through the Afusaka pass towards the area of modern Kyoto.  And of course, whoever was victorious in the Nara Basin would then be able to control the route to the coast. It is unclear how much Ohoama could have actually known, though, about what was happening across the various distances.  Messages would have meant riders on swift horses carrying them; they couldn't just text each other what was going on. And so, with one attack repelled, another aborted, and a turncoat now on their side, Ohoama's Yoshino forces were finally ready to head out on the offensive themselves.  According to the Nihon Shoki this was on the 7th day of the 7th month—Tanabata, today, but I doubt people were paying much mind to the Weaver and the Cowherd.  Murakuni no Woyori, with the group advancing from Fuwa to Afumi, set out, and met with their first resistance at the Yokugawa river in Okinaga.  As far as I can tell, this is likely the Amano River in modern Maibara, which anyone who takes the Shinkansen between Kanto and Kansai probably recognizes as one of the usual stops.  Once again, we have a situation where, while they would have had banners flying, in the crush of battle it could be quite easy to mistake friend for foe, especially with large numbers of troops who were pulled from vastly different regions.  You had to have some way of knowing quickly who was on your side – that's why the Afumi commander Wosumi had his troops use the password “kane”, for example.  Ohoama's approach was to have his men place a red mark—possibly a ribbon or similar—on their clothing so that one could tell who, at a glance, was on their side.  As a note, later samurai would sometimes attach flags to their shoulder armor, or sode, and these “sode-jirushi” would help identify you even if people didn't recognize your armor.  Ohoama's troops may have used something similar. And so Woyori's Yoshino forces attacked the Afumi defenders, and the Afumi troops were clearly outmatched.  Woyori's men killed the Afumi commander and defeated the opposing forces. But that was just the beginning.  Afumi forces had been stationed all along the route from Fuwa to Ohotsu.  Thus it was that only two days later Woyori and his men made it to Mt. Tokoyama, probably in Hikone, by the Seri river.  There they met more Afumi soldiers, but once again they were triumphant and slew the opposing commander.   Woyori and his men were on a roll. I would point out that these battles aren't given much detail, but we do see how it progressed.  There are names of various individuals and commanders—certainly not much on the common people.  From what we can tell, this was not a rush to Ohotsu, but rather a slow march, probably doing their best to fortify their positions and make sure that nobody was sneaking up on them.  After each battle, it is some days before the next, probably spent spying out ahead and formulating plans. Woyori and his men next fought a battle on the banks of the Yasukawa River, presumably near modern Yasu city.  Here, Aston's translation claims that he suffered a great defeat, but more likely I suspect it means to say that he inflicted a great defeat on the Afumi forces, because if he had been defeated, how would he have pressed on only a few days later.  We are told that  two men, presumably the Afumi commanders, were both taken prisoner. Since we don't have anything more about them in the narrative all we can really do is assume that they must have therefore been on the side of the Afumi forces. By taking Yasu, that would have likely cut off the Afumi forces from any future considerations about using the Kurafu Pass.  The noose around Ohotsu was slowly tightening. Four days after that, on the 17th day of the 7th month, Woyori attacked and repulsed the Kurimoto army—presumably a force loyal to the Afumi court under a general named Kurimoto, or possibly raised from a place called Kurimoto, perhaps over on Awaji.  Either way, it was another victory on Woyori's belt. From there, Woyori and his men arrived at Seta, where they would have to cross the Setagawa—the Seta River. The Seta River is a wide river, and the only one flowing out of Lake Biwa.  It winds its way south and west, eventually becoming the Uji and then the Yodo rivers, which flow all the way to Naniwa—modern Ohosaka.  At the Seta river, there was a major bridge, the only way across, other than to swim.  Prince Ohotomo and his ministers, along with their entire army, were encamped on the west side of the bridge.  Their forces were so numerous that it was said you could not see all the way to the back of them.  Their banners covered the plain, and the dust of their movement caused a cloud to rise into the sky.  Their drums and songs could be heard for miles around.  We are told they even had crossbows, and when they were discharged the arrows fell like rain.  Of course, some of this may have just been more poetic license by the authors of the Nihon Shoki, but you get the picture:  There were a lot of troops on the western side of the river. The bridge itself was defended by General Chison.  We know very little of this general, as he only appears in this one part of the record, but his name implies that he may have been from the continent.  We aren't given a surname, and it is possible he was one of the Baekje refugees, now fighting for the Afumi court.  He led an advance body of specially selected troops, and in the middle of the bridge they had removed planks for about three rods or thirty feet.  Across that span was a single plank, daring anyone to try and cross it.  Of course, if they did, they would be a sitting duck in front of the enemy archers, and the plank was attached by a rope so that it could always be pulled out from under them.  It seemed as if it were impossible to advance. Finally, one of Woyori's soldiers, Ohokida no Kimi no Wakaomi, got up the courage to cross.  We are told that he put on double armor, put down his long spear, and drew his sword.  He then charged suddenly across the plank and cut the rope on the other side before the Afumi troops could pull it back.  In spite of the arrows that were raining down on him, he entered the ranks of the Afumi troops, slashing with his sword as he went.  The Afumi forces were thrown into confusion and some of them tried to leave, but General Chison drew his own sword and began to cut down anyone who tried to flee.  Still, he was unable to check the rout.  Woyori's troops secured the bridge and soon were pouring across it.  They cut down General Chison and advanced into the Afumi army, who broke and ran.  The Afumi sovereign, Ohotomo, aka Koubun Tennou, along with the Ministers of the Left and Right, narrowly escaped with their lives. Woyori and his troops marched to the foot of Awazu hill, and we are told that Hata no Yakuni, the Afumi commander who had earlier defected, and whose men were sent north to Koshi, set a siege to Miwo castle along with Izumo no Koma, who had defended against the attempted seizure of Tamakurabe.  Presumably this is Mio, south of Ohotsu, and it was likely guarding the southern approach to the Afumi capital. The only thing here that gives me pause is that we were earlier told that Yakuni's men, after he defected, were sent to Koshi.  So was Yakuni not with them?  Had he returned?  Or had the troops made it all the way around Lake Biwa already, taking the longer route up and around the lake? Regardless of how it happened, Yakuni and Koma were able to take Miwo castle.  As a reminder, a “castle” at this time would have likely been defined more by its walls, which were probably rammed earth and wood—not the elegantly sloping stone walls and  donjon base that would come to typify castles of the Warring States period. The following day, Woyori and his men continued their pursuit.  At the Awazu marketplace, Woyori ran into the Afumi generals Inukahi no Muraji no Isokimi and Hasama no Atahe no Shihote.  We mentioned Isokimi last episode—he was the Afumi commander attacking the Middle Road in the Nara Basin.  His deputy, Kujira, had been defeated, and it seems Isokimi had retreated back to Afumi and rejoined the main force. He would not be quite so fortunate this time.  Isokimi and Shihote were both slain, and Ohotomo fled once again.  He didn't get very far, hiding at Yamazaki, thought to be near the site of the modern city hall, in Ohotsu. Despite his best efforts, he knew he would be discovered, and he eventually strangled himself, rather than facing the humiliation and punishment that would come with capture. With Ohotomo dead, the other ministers of the Afumi court dispersed and fled.  Woyori and his men, meeting up at Sasanami, hunted down the Ministers of the Left and Right—Soga no Akaye and Nakatomi no Kane—as well as others who had fought with Ohotomo and who were considered criminals. They were all marched back to Fuwa, where, on the 25th day of the 7th month, Ohotomo's head was presented to Ohoama.  The war, it seems, was over. Or at least, the fighting was over.  There was still a lot to be settled.  First off, it would hardly have been practical to wipe out every single person on the losing side.  For one thing, that would have devastated the Court even further, likely creating a huge power vacuum.  In addition, many of the supporters on both sides were not necessarily there out of purely partisan reasons.  I would point out that many of the family names that we see in the record are found on both sides of the conflict.  Inukahi no Isokimi may have fought for Ohotomo, but we also see an Inukahi no Ohotomo fighting on the behalf of Ohoama.  Fumi no Nemaro was a major commander in Ohoama's army, while Fumi no Kusuri had been sent by the Afumi court to raise troops in the East Country.  And Hasama no Shihote was killed with Isokimi at Awazu, while a Hasama no Nemaro was working under the command of General Fukei, in Nara, to guard Tatsuta. There wasn't necessarily a simple divide along family lines.  It is possible that these individuals were all fairly well removed from each other, and from different parts of their respective families, or clans. They are often given different kabane, the family rank system used at this time, though I suspect that may have more to do with later changes, with those on the winning side being promoted over those who supported the Afumi court.  However, it is also the case that Japan has a long history of family members supporting both sides in any major conflict.  That way, no matter who wins, the family itself finds itself on the winning side. But there did have to be some accountability.  This is something that one can point to time and again—if the losing side is not held accountable for their actions, then what is to prevent them from just regrouping and trying again?  And yet that need for justice and punishment must be tempered with some amount of humanity. Ultimately, about one month after the end of the war, eight of the Afumi ministers were found guilty of truly heinous offences and they were condemned to suffer what the Nihon Shoki says was the “Extreme Penalty”.  The Minister of the Right, Nakatomi no Kane, was executed at Tane, in Asai.  Meanwhile the Minister of the Left, Soga no Akaye; along with the Dainagon, or Grand Councillor, Kose no Hito, as well as their children and grandchildren, along with the children of the late Nakatomi no Kane and Soga no Hatayasu, were all sent into banishment.  All others were pardoned. And of course those who had supported Ohoama, and who had come to his aid, were given public favour and reward.  In many cases this likely meant receiving high office and corresponding rank, along with increased stipend payments.  There is a notable shift in the makeup of the court, going forward, and it seems clear that families would want to associate themselves with those who fought on Ohoama's side, rather than Ohotomo's, if they could help it.  That was no doubt a part of works like the various diaries and house records that would have been used to compile the Nihon Shoki, recording the deeds that any house did for the throne. Along with all of the punishments and plaudits that were meted out in the 8th month of 672, there was one more event—something of an outlier.  We are told that Chihisakobe no Muraji no Sabichi, the governor of the province of Wohari, went off into the mountains and committed suicide. Sabichi had originally met Ohoama at the Kuwana district house—the local government office—when he had first arrived from Yoshino.  He had a large number of troops—20,000 by the Nihon Shoki's count—which helped Ohoama to ultimately defeat the Afumi court.  So why he would go off into the mountains and commit suicide was anyone's guess.  The Nihon Shoki suggests that it was possible that his allegiance had changed, and he may have been trying to plot against Ohoama.  Perhaps he had been convinced that Afumi court was going to come out on top, and so had begun some plot.  Or he just had a falling out or became disillusioned for some reason.  Whatever it was, it remains a mystery, even today. With the war concluded, it was time for Ohoama to make his way from the field to the Capital so that he could transition to ruling the State properly.  But Ohoama was not interested, it would seem, in setting himself up in his brother's capital.  Setting up in the Ohotsu capital may have raised a few eyebrows.  It had not been a completely popular move to begin with, and it was also the home of the Afumi court's legitimacy.  To take up the throne there, I can only imagine that it would have further reinforced the idea that Ohoama was the usurper, taking the throne that was meant for his nephew.  Instead, he made the decision to travel to the ancient capital, in Asuka, but he was not in a hurry. They headed out on the 8th day of the 9th month of 672, making it from Fuwa to Kuwana.  Here he likely met up with his wife, Princess Uno, and his ten year old son, Prince Ohotsu.  The following day they headed out, traveling back along the route that they had taken from Yoshino, but at a much more leisurely route.  The royal carriage stayed the night in Suzuka.  From there, it was another day to Abe, likely referring to modern Ahai county, in Iga, near Ueno city.  They then continued on to Nabari.  Finally, on the 12th day,they arrived at the Yamato capital—that is to say Asuka—and Ohoama took up residence for a time at the Shima Palace.  This was only, it seems, to give people time to get the actual palace ready, because three days later, Ohoama moved into the Wokamoto Palace.  And with that, Ohoama began the work of running the state—but there was still plenty to prepare.  For one thing, there were foreign embassies—Kim Ap-sil and others arrived.  It was still going to take a while to get the capital ready for guests, though.  From what we can tell, they were probably building a grand new palace, and it would take some time for it to be prepared.  So the Silla embassy was entertained in Tsukushi, where Prince Kurikuma would have been in charge of hosting them.  They were likely filled on the new developments and provided a ship. Meanwhile, Ohoama made sure that all of the appropriate rewards were given out.  On the 4th day of the 12th month, we are told that all those who had rendered services were given higher cap-ranks, based on what they had done. And as the year 672 closes out—and with it, the first of the two Chronicles for Ohoama, the soon-to-be elevated Temmu Tennou. But there is one final entry, marking the death of Wina no Kimi no Takami in the 12th month of the year.  We know that Wina no Kimi no *Iwasuki* was working for the Afumi court, sent to rally troops in the East, but he fled when they encountered Ohoama's troops at Fuwa Pass.  Takami, on the other hand, we know little about, but I suspect may have been on the side of Ohoama.  It is an odd entry, and, like so many, unexplained.  Perhaps it meant something to the people of the early 8th century, but if so, that meaning is likely lost to us. And so we close the book on the Jinshin no Ran—the Jinshin War, or possibly the Disturbance or even Rebellion, depending on how you feel about it.  This account is one of the most detailed we have of this kind of event, and yet it does not seem that it was entirely unique.  There are plenty of indications that previous sovereigns had to fight their way to the throne, or else had to repel others who would try to take it by force.  This was almost a tradition among the royal house of Yamato.  But now that the matter of succession was well and truly settled, it was time to get on with other things. Who knows what an Afumi court may have done and how they could have changed things.  What we do know is what Ohoama—and his queen, Uno no Himemiko—did.  They built upon, or in some cases possibly even fabricated, the legacy of Naka no Oe.  They would set in stone many of the things that had been put in place, and at the same time make certain changes, as well.  The Yamato state was getting started. And we'll start to dive into that next episode.  Until then, thank you once again for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

Tony arrives at Northridge's quarries, now used by daring teenagers as a swimming hole. After meeting up with some of his crew that are clowning around and sunning themselves, the guys try to get Tony to jump off the extremely high rocks. The other guys convince Tony Marino to dive off the high cliffs of the rock quarry. Unbeknownst to Tony, Kirby had an ulterior motive in getting Marino to dive off in just his bodybuilding posing trunks. After a surprising ascent back up to the ledge where the guys were lying around, the guys compare stories of their dick sizes. Mike Massella then puts his foot in his mouth several times trying to ask questions that make everyone uncomfortable. 

You can enjoy exclusive and intense erotic audio by grabbing your copy of the Wylde Erotic App on the Apple Store, or downloading the very unofficial and unapproved Android version from WyldeInBed.com On a whimsical vacation in the heart of the UK, friends Presley and Eve find themselves drawn to a handsome guard, his stoic demeanor only fueling their mischievous spirits. With every playful taunt and teasing glance, they weave an intoxicating web of desire that stirs something deep within him. But when the sun sets and the guard steps out of his rigid duty, the playful game takes a tantalizing turn.As Presley and Eve's innocent fun ignites a passionate fire, it's Presley who discovers the guard's hidden depths. Unbeknownst to her, he is a man who balances the line between duty and desire, grumpy yet undeniably magnetic. Their chemistry is electric, the stakes rising with every stolen moment, as they dive into a world of sensual exploration that transcends mere flirtation.In this standalone tale of forbidden attraction and dark romance, Presley must confront her deepest cravings and the guard's raw, commanding presence. Can their playful torment evolve into something more profound, or will the boundaries they've crossed lead them down a path of unexpected consequences?Dive into *Forbidden Play: Enticing the Guard*, where every encounter teeters on the edge of temptation, and the heart's true desires are just a heartbeat away.

A rotating cast of Twins Daily contributors live-streamed the 2025 MLB trade deadline. Unbeknownst to them when they started, they were about to witness the dismantling of the Minnesota Twins in real time.

Unbeknownst to most, there is an “omniwar” raging all around them in every domain of human existence as a numerically tiny group of totalitarians seeks to end human freedom and self-government as we know it, warned longtime academic and author David Hughes in this interview on Behind The Deep State with The New American magazine ... The post The “Omniwar” Raging All Around You appeared first on The New American.

Scripture: 1 Samuel 24, Matthew 7:20, Numbers 15:37-39, Romans 12:19, Deuteronomy 32:35, Leviticus 19:18, Mark 11:25, Luke 6:28, Romans 12:20, Proverbs 25:21-22, Romans 12:21. Today's class is entitled, “Revenge” and Pastor will compare worldly wisdom with biblical wisdom on the topic of revenge.  As we read chapter 24 of 1 Samuel, we read that David is now in en Gedi and Saul has found out and is headed along with 3000 men to en Gedi to find David. En Gedi is a wilderness area but it has several springs and many caves for hiding. As the story continues, Saul went into one of these caves to relieve himself. Unbeknownst to Saul, David and his men were further back into the cave hiding. David's men prompted David that this was his chance, his opportunity to put an end to the hiding by killing Saul. But instead David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. This is action is prophetic. The Hebrew word that is used for “corner” is kanaf. It refers the corners of a Hebrew robe or prayer shawl. The scriptures were particular about what was to be on the corners of those robes. Numbers 15:37-39 “…make tassels on the corners of your garments….you will have these tassels to look at… to remember all the commands of the Lord that you may obey them …”  And David cuts off a corner tassel. The tassel, was to remind Saul to walk in God's path rather than his own path, to walk in God's will and not his own will. The tassel was to say pursue peace, be honorable, be faithful, walk by faith. Saul had abandoned those things and when David cut it off it was a prophetic act showing Saul's wandering from God's will. Next we read that David's conscience convicted him for cutting off the corner of Saul's robe. He tells his men that he shouldn't have done that to the Lord's anointed king, Saul. David's men encourage revenge but David stands strong saying that it would be contrary to God's plan and will. David rebukes the men and doesn't allow them to attack Saul. Instead David exits the cave calling to Saul and bowing down he says, “Why do you listen when they say David is bent on harming you. This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I will not lay my hand on my Lord because you are the Lord's anointed. See this tassel of your robe in my hand, yet I did not kill you, but you hunt me down to take my life.” David holds Saul accountable even as he shows the heart and grace of God to Saul. We see that the activities of a person are a window into his heart and if we seek revenge we are going contrary to the heart of God. We can deal with unjust treatment and  still refuse revenge while still holding the individual accountable. Saul wept at David's words saying, “You are more righteous than I. You have treated me well but I have treated you badly.” What does God say about revenge?         -         Romans 12:19 - revenge is the Lord's - God is the righteous judge and he will judge in the end Resisting Revenge         -         Love your enemy Leviticus 19:18         -         Forgive your enemy Mark 11:25 (this doesn't mean we approve of what they have done, it does mean we let go of the bitterness, anger and desire for revenge.)         -         Pray for your enemy Luke 6:28         -         Feed your enemy Romans 12:20 as this can draw them into repentance before God. Pastor ends with Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” This is how we are called to act. That's what we see in David and that is what we see in the heart of God. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Last time we spoke about a major Chinese counter offensive at Shanghai. "Black Saturday," saw over a thousand civilians killed. In response, Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek launched Operation Iron Fist on August 17, aiming to exploit weaknesses in Japanese defenses but failing due to disarray and entrenched opposition. Amid mounting pressure, Chinese commanders redirected their strategy toward Yangshupu, seeking to breach Japanese lines along the Huangpu River. The 36th Infantry Division, newly trained by German advisers, launched a surprise assault on August 19, but inexperienced troops faced relentless Japanese fire, struggling to hold their positions. As casualties mounted, the Japanese executed strategic landings at Chuanshakou and Wusong, capturing key points with minimal resistance. The battle at Baoshan became emblematic of their resistance, where a handful of defenders vowed to fight to the last man, encapsulating the desperation and bravery of those battling under the shadow of impending defeat.    #159 The Battle of Shanghai Part 4: The Battle for Luodian 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. In the early days of September, a profound sense of resignation descended upon the senior Chinese commanders as the Japanese troops captured stronghold after stronghold along the riverbank, first Shizilin, then Wusong, and finally Baoshan. Despite the resignation among their leaders, the rank and file remained resolute in their determination to defend every inch of Chinese soil. The fighting along Wusong Creek, extending west from Wusong, became particularly brutal. “There were huge numbers of deaths on both sides, and the water of the creek turned red,” wrote Chinese official Wang Jieshi in his diary. “The saying about ‘rivers of blood' became a grim reality.” Meanwhile the Japanese were landing more reinforcements, such as the Tida detachment on September 6. The next day Tokyo HQ authorized the dispatch of the 9th, 13th and 101st divisions and the Shigeto Detachment to Shanghai. That same day over 10 Japanese infantry battalions were ordered to advance from Northeast China to Shanghai. The situation was dire for the Chinese. Not only were their frontline units struggling in battle, but they were also sustaining exceptionally high casualties. By early September, Yao Ziqing's 98th Infantry Division had suffered 4,960 casualties, including a regimental commander killed and another wounded. Throughout the battle for Shanghai, various units within the division received reinforcements up to four times. Upon arrival, these reinforcements were quickly armed and sent directly to the front lines. As recalled by Fang Jing “Some were injured almost immediately after arriving. When they reached the hospital, they had no idea which unit they belonged to.” The string of defeats and setbacks significantly affected morale within the Chinese Army, particularly among senior officers. While the lower ranks generally showed a willingness to continue the fight, high-ranking officials exhibited waning resolve. “All my soldiers have been sacrificed. There's nobody left,” Xia Chuzhong, commander of the 79th Division, lamented in a phone call to Luo Zhuoying, head of the 18th Army, part of the 15th Army Group. In response, Luo Zhuoying urged, “Aren't you still standing? Hold your ground and fight.” Having lost Baoshan the next defensive position was the small town of Luodian, the transportation center connecting Baoshan, downtown Shanghai, Jiading, Songjiang and several other towns via highways. The successful defense of Luodian was crucial for the security of Suzhou and Shanghai. On August 29, German adviser Alexander von Falkenhausen warned Chiang Kai-shek that the town needed to be held at all costs, describing it as "the most crucial strategic point.”. Chiang Kai-shek was determined to hold on to Luodian. He personally summoned senior commanders to the 3rd War Zone headquarters in Suzhou, emphasizing that the town must be retaken at all costs. In response, the commanders deployed entire divisions to the battle for Luodian. During one of several Chinese assaults, Qiu Weida, a regimental commander in the 51st Infantry Division, led a night attack on the southern part of Luodian. Moving quietly through the darkness, the Chinese force, about two companies strong, approached a Japanese camp, most of whose soldiers were asleep. The Chinese launched a swift attack, giving the Japanese no chance to react. They shot and bayoneted soldiers while they were still lying down, successfully taking over the camp and preparing for a counterattack. When the Japanese responded, the Chinese staged a fighting retreat, deliberately luring the enemy into an open area where well-armed soldiers lay in ambush. As the Japanese advanced, Qiu Weida signaled with a flare, a pre-arranged signal to open fire. Infantry weapons of various calibers joined in the assault. As dawn broke, Qiu raised his binoculars to survey the scene, which was a disturbing sight, covered with a tangled mass of dead and dying bodies. The Japanese commanders launched what they hoped would be the decisive blow to break out from the Baoshan perimeter. Elements of the 3rd Division were tasked with moving down the road toward Liuhang and occupying Yanghang. Meanwhile, the 11th Division's Amaya Detachment, which had arrived in Wusong on September 2, was to seize Yuepu, a village on the other strategic road leading west from Baoshan that blocked access to Luodian and the opportunity to link up with other units of the 11th Division fighting in the area. This operation aimed to create the necessary space for a full assault on Shanghai, and the Japanese dedicated every available resource to the effort. The artillery barrage began before dawn on September 1, with Japanese guns of all calibers participating. For more than two weeks, the Japanese had been able to disembark supplies at landing sites along the Yangtze and Huangpu Rivers. After daybreak, air raids intensified unusually, with the Japanese seemingly deploying all available aircraft in this narrow part of the front. Eventually, the Japanese infantry prepared to launch their attack. While this was simply the latest in a series of Japanese assaults, the sheer tenacity displayed indicated to the Chinese that this time was different. However, after an entire day of fighting, little territorial gain was made. The defenders fought with a determination bordering on fanaticism, despite a total lack of air and artillery support, effectively utilizing the obstacles created by canals that cut through the heavily cultivated area. By sunset, the Japanese had advanced no further than the eastern edge of Yuepu, although the village had been completely destroyed by artillery fire. Yanghang remained firmly in Chinese hands. In the countryside between the two western roads leading from Baoshan, Japanese units had only managed to occupy territory where their artillery and aircraft had utterly obliterated the defenders. To an outsider, it might seem that the Chinese could breathe a sigh of relief. However, from the perspective of Chinese commanders, the situation was vastly different. Their primary concern was the Japanese superiority in artillery. The contested area north of Shanghai consisted mainly of low-lying rice and cotton fields with relatively few trees, offering insufficient camouflage for all but the smallest units. This allowed Japanese naval gunners on the elevated waters of the Yangtze and Huangpu to sometimes directly observe Chinese troops. Even when there was no direct line of sight from the ships in the rivers, they were aided by the directions of observers patrolling in aircraft or hovering in balloons over the horizon. The Chinese had long realized that exposing their units to continuous attack from naval guns played directly into the Japanese hands. They understood that they needed to move away from the riverbank and the lethal fire of the IJN Although the decision to withdraw would have been made sooner or later, it was hastened by the relentless Japanese pressure on the two roads from Baoshan, as their loss would create a breach between Zhang Zhizhong's 9th Army Group in the Shanghai area and Chen Cheng's 15th Army Group to the left. General Gu Zhutong, a member of Chiang Kai-shek's inner circle who had recently been appointed deputy commander of the 3rd War Zone, witnessed how some of the best divisions were being decimated in the defense of Yuepu and Yanghang. Meanwhile, Zhang Zhizhong was pushing for the withdrawal of troops in Yangshupu, which risked becoming a dangerously exposed salient if a breach occurred. The order for the two Chinese army groups to withdraw came late on September 11. Under the cover of darkness, the bulk of the divisions pulled back to positions reinforced by reserves in the preceding days. As thousands of soldiers moved several miles to the rear, the Japanese remained unaware that anything unusual was occurring, and the entire movement took place without enemy harassment. Only skeleton crews remained in the original Chinese positions. By the morning of September 12, the new frontline stretched from the North Railway Station to the eastern edge of Jiangwan, bent west of Yanghang and Luodian, and extended north to the banks of the Yangtze. Unbeknownst to them, the Japanese had become masters of heavily contested areas from Yangshupu in the south to Yuepu in the north. The Chinese military leadership attempted to explain to the public that it had no choice but to withdraw and had never seriously expected to be able to push the Japanese back into the Yangtze, given the hundreds of naval guns at their disposal. A military spokesman said “The objective of the Chinese command was to delay and harass the landing. It was never hoped that we would permanently repel the landing.” The Chinese expressed confidence in their new positions, even comparing them to the Maginot Line along the French border with Germany, which of course would become rather ironic. The Japanese now controlled the entire left bank of the Huangpu River from Yangshupu to the mouth of the Yangtze. They had access to several good roads, some interconnected, which could serve as supply lines for future attacks. Additionally, they could exploit a large number of modern Chinese wharfs and docks, setting the stage for a steady flow of reinforcements.  On the 12th, Matsui received word from the Amaya Detachment that it had finally captured Yuepu. After driving the Chinese out of the village, the detachment established a defensive perimeter in a semicircle 500 yards around the western edge. Nearly simultaneously, the Ueno Detachment, a unit attached to the 3rd Division, reported that it had occupied Yanghang and pursued the enemy to a position about two miles west of the village. In both cases, it appeared that the enemy had abandoned their positions under the cover of night. Yet despite the victories Matsui desperately needed more men. In the three weeks leading up to September 11, the Japanese had managed to land 40,000 soldiers and establish a bridgehead measuring roughly 25 miles in length and over five miles in depth. Together with the troops already present in Shanghai, Japan had about 50,000 soldiers in the area. While this was a significant force, it was still insufficient to ensure the conquest of Shanghai, especially given the rapid attrition faced. As of September 9, the 3rd Division had reported losses of 589 killed and 1,539 injured, while the 11th Division recorded 616 dead and 1,336 wounded. But Tokyo was very reluctant to dispatch troops to Shanghai. From the viewpoint of the IJA leadership, Shanghai and Central China were a sideshow to the north china theater, which they alongside the Kwantung Army argued was more essential, given the proximity of the USSR. This belief was strongly reinforced when the Sino-Soviet agreement was signed in late August. Shanghai also heavily favored the Chinese terrain wise, it was basically like the battle of Thermopylae, instead of a mountain pass it was an extremely concentrated urban area. Then there was one of the main advocates opposing the China War altogether, Kanji Ishiwara. The entire time he was screaming and lecturing non-expansion and advised diplomacy and to even form an alliance with China against the USSR. Concentrating on China and ignoring the Soviet menace was, in his eyes, like “chasing the dogs away from the front door while forgetting the wolves approaching the back door.” However, Ishiwara's reluctance to send more troops to Shanghai was overruled. On September 4, a meeting of officers in Tokyo concluded that the battle in the Shanghai area should be completed by late October or early November, and to that end, sufficient troops should be deployed. Three days later, Emperor Hirohito approved reinforcements for the Shanghai front, including the dispatch of three additional infantry divisions from the home islands, along with units from the garrison forces in Taiwan. Ishiwara was so upset by this decision that he submitted his resignation, although he was later appointed to a position in the army in northeastern China. There was little doubt among Japanese leaders that the deployment of these reinforcements marked a significant escalation in the war. The situation was unlike anything Japan had ever experienced before. Army Minister Sugiyama Hajime remarked in a statement to his commanders, “This war has become total war.” A junior Japanese officer inspecting the Shanghai front reported upon his return to Tokyo “The enemy resistance is undeniably strong. Whether they are bombed out or surrounded, they do not retreat.” Luodian had remained under Japanese control since late August, but the surrounding countryside largely remained Chinese territory. Despite increasing pressure after the Chinese withdrawal to the south on September 12, the Japanese advanced only slowly and hesitantly. Taken aback by the sudden gains at Yuepu and Yanghang, and revealing their typical tardiness in responding to unforeseen events, it took them several days to even dispatch patrols for probing attacks against the new Chinese defenses. This delay provided Chinese commanders with extra time to reinforce their positions near Luodian, particularly on both sides of the road from Yuepu, which they correctly assumed would be the primary route for the Japanese attackers. Chinese preparations were just one reason Japan's mid-September assault was only moderately successful. Like the Chinese, the Japanese had yet to develop much skill in coordinating infantry and armor operations. The road connecting Yuepu and Luodian was of relatively good quality, enabling the Japanese to deploy about 25 tanks as the spearhead of their thrust. These armored vehicles quickly eliminated the Chinese positions closest to the road and advanced rapidly toward Luodian. However, the accompanying infantry from the Amaya Detachment was unable to keep pace. The Japanese only held a few yards of terrain on either side of the road. Beyond that narrow strip, the area was swarming with Chinese soldiers, making the advancing Japanese infantry easy targets. The Japanese infantry became bogged down, and it was only after dark, when the Chinese defenders north of the road chose to withdraw westward, that the Japanese had a chance to reach Luodian. The debacle on the road to Luodian was not solely a result of flawed training within the Japanese ranks. The area around Shanghai, a patchwork of small farm plots divided by creeks and canals, was ill-suited for tank warfare. This terrain had previously been a key argument against large-scale deployments by the Japanese Army. Nevertheless, once the decision was made in Tokyo to send enough troops to win the battle for the city, the generals had to strategize ways to overcome these terrain challenges. One proposed solution was to deploy amphibious tanks. However, the tactics employed called for using the tanks in a supportive role rather than leading the attacks across waterways. If a creek needed to be crossed, Japanese commanders would first order a small infantry unit to wade or swim to the opposite bank and prepare it for the tanks to land under the cover of darkness. While it was still dark, the tanks would cross and provide support to the infantry by daybreak. This cumbersome procedure often felt like putting the cart before the horse, but the Japanese executed it precisely as prescribed, time and again. This predictability allowed their Chinese opponents to acclimate to Japanese tactics to such an extent that they could usually anticipate what the Japanese would do next. While flawed tactics prevented either side from breaking the stalemate at the Luodian front, both continued to pour in reinforcements. The Shigeto Detachment arrived from Taiwan and was attached to the 11th Division on September 14, the same day the Amaya Detachment made its way up the road from Yuepu to return to the division's direct command. By mid-September, the division had grown into a sizeable fighting force. However, the enemy it faced around Luodian was also growing stronger by the day, posing a significant threat to the division's right flank if it were to rush south toward Dachang to link up with the 3rd Division. Therefore, on September 18, the Shanghai commanders ordered the division to focus initially on eliminating the Chinese troops amassed around Luodian. By this time, heavy rain had already fallen in the Shanghai region for three days, gradually slowing the fighting. The Japanese disliked the rain, as it turned the roads into muddy rivers, making transportation difficult, if not impossible, while also grounding most of their aircraft. In contrast, the Chinese welcomed the lull, as it provided them with an opportunity to improve their positions. The challenge of breaking through the Chinese defenses was only becoming more difficult as time passed. The Chinese Army's performance during the initial stage of the fighting in Shanghai altered the world's perception of the nation's military capabilities. China, which had lost every war over the past century, invariably to nations much smaller than itself, had suddenly taken a stand. At Shanghai, the Chinese Army experienced more intense fighting than anyone could have anticipated, suffering losses that had taken years to build up. However, it had gained prestige and respect, even among its Japanese adversaries. Even the withdrawal on September 12 was met with sympathy and admiration in capitals around the world. Every journalist in Shanghai during the fall of 1937 had a story to tell about the remarkable Chinese soldier. American journalist Carroll Alcott spent many hours in dugouts in Zhabei. “While Japanese shells pelted down over their heads, the Chinese soldiers sat unfazed in their self-made caves, cooking rice, vegetables, and occasionally a small bit of pork over a charcoal brazier. They dispelled the inevitable boredom with games of checkers and mahjong and wrote letters home to their families. In the Chinese trenches, there was a sense of safety and a primitive kind of comfort”. Chiang Kai-shek had decided as early as September 15 that changes were needed at the top of the command in the 3rd War Zone. What this meant became clear six days later when Chiang sent two separate cables to the zone's senior officers. In the first cable, he announced that he would take over command of the 3rd War Zone from Feng Yuxiang, and dispatched him to the 6th War Zone further north. This was a sideways move rather than a direct demotion, but it undeniably removed Feng Yuxiang from the most crucial theater at the time. Despite this, the decision seemed logical to most senior officers in Suzhou. Feng Yuxiang had never effectively managed the 3rd War Zone during his time in command. None of his direct subordinates truly considered him to be in charge; instead, they continued to view Chiang as their actual commander. In the second cable of the day, Chiang Kai-shek went a step further by relieving Zhang Zhizhong of his duties as commander of the 9th Army Group. He replaced him with General Zhu Shaoliang, a staunch ally and, if possible, an even more vehement opponent of communism than himself. For Zhang Zhizhong, the decision was no major surprise, as he had faced Chiang Kai-shek's constant reproaches since the early days of the battle. Although Chiang initially selected Zhang due to his close connections with the divisional commanders he led, he grew increasingly disenchanted with Zhang's style of command characterized by “much talk and little action” and expressed his irritation both publicly and privately. There may have been an additional reason for this. Disagreements among the top echelons of the 3rd War Zone threatened to bring about paralysis. Zhang Zhizhong had not gotten along well with Chen Cheng, the commander of the neighboring 11th Army Group. Zhang had told anyone who would listen, “Chen Cheng isn't capable enough,”to which Chen retorted, “Zhang Zhizhong loves to show off.”  The strain that Shanghai was under also had an economic aspect. Although it had been a bumper year for both rice and cotton,  the two most popular crops in the area and many farmers were unable to harvest due to the continued heavy fighting around the city. Labor disputes simmered and occasionally erupted into open conflict. On September 14, a group of workers hired on short-term contracts by the Fou Foong Flour Mill in the western part of the International Settlement locked themselves inside and refused to leave until their demand for ten months' salary was met. Police and members of the Reserve Unit, a special anti-riot outfit, attacked the premises with tear gas and managed to disperse the protesters. Subsequently, ambulances transported 25 injured individuals to various hospitals from the mill. As if the city was not already suffering enough hardship, a cholera epidemic broke out, taking a particularly heavy toll on the poorest inhabitants. As of September 13, the outbreak had lasted for a month, with 119 confirmed cases and nine deaths. Less than a fortnight later, it had infected 646 people and resulted in 97 deaths. By early October, when the outbreak peaked, it had claimed a total of 355 lives. These statistics marked only the tip of the iceberg, as they accounted only for patients at hospitals in the International Settlement, excluding the likely much larger numbers in the Chinese part of the city. In a way, these individuals were collateral damage. A doctor who worked with the patients stated with a high degree of certainty that the disease had likely been brought to Shanghai by troops from the south. There existed a large villa overlooking Luodian they Japanese termed “the white house”. The Chinese forces had held the white house for four weeks, demonstrating fierce resistance. Encamped outside, the Japanese Army's 44th Regiment, known as the Kochi Regiment, was gradually being worn down, as their repeated attempts to storm the stronghold had failed. During their time at Luodian, the regiment had made numerous unsuccessful attempts to seize the villa. Limited artillery support hampered their efforts; logistical challenges meant each artillery piece received only one-fifth of its normal daily ammunition supply. On September 19, engineers began digging a tunnel from the trenches toward the White House. Four days later, they had excavated exactly 35 yards, effectively halving the distance the infantry would need to cross exposed ground before reaching the villa's defenses. A new attack was launched on the 23rd, beginning with an artillery bombardment, followed by air raids. Next, tanks advanced toward the walls, with small clusters of soldiers trailing behind. This attack included a surprise element for the Chinese defenders: as the offensive unfolded, a tunnel's entrance erupted open, allowing soldiers to emerge in single file close to the wall too quickly for the Chinese machine gunners to adjust their aim. The soldiers rushed forward, bearing heavy satchels of explosives. Pressing against the wall, they ignited the fuses and sought cover as loud explosions rang out. When the dust settled, the Japanese surged through the new openings in the walls, spreading out within the compound. After a fierce battle lasting two and a half hours, the building was captured by the Japanese troops. Despite losing the "White House," Lin Yindong, the commander of the 1st Battalion, was awarded an A-2 grade for the "Medal of the Armed Forces." He was also promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed as the regimental attaché of the 66th Regiment for successfully defending the "White House" against a numerically superior enemy for nearly a month. The capture of the White House was part of a significant offensive launched by the 11th Division in the Luodian area. Initially scheduled for September 20, the operation faced delays of several days due to prolonged preparations, a common issue in the challenging countryside surrounding Shanghai. The division chose to attack south of the town with a narrow front to concentrate enough forces to deliver a powerful, unified strike against Chinese positions. The Japanese employed massed armor in their assault, deploying aircraft to neutralize any anti-tank weapons that emerged. These tactics proved effective, as the Chinese were pushed back in multiple sections of the front. To marshal sufficient troops for the attack, the division assigned the Shigeto Detachment to cover its right flank north and west of Luodian. However, the newly arrived detachment, full of morale, exceeded its mandate by launching a vigorous counterattack against the Chinese in its sector. Unfortunately, their efforts yielded little significant progress, and they suffered heavy casualties. As Matsui would report "The detachment has already had 200 casualties. They can't keep attacking blindly like this."  Further south, the 3rd Japanese Division also mounted attacks against Chinese forces, primarily around Liuhang. The fighting revealed Japan's material superiority, which was so pronounced that the Chinese refrained from deploying heavy artillery, even when available. Anti-aircraft guns were strategically positioned near artillery batteries, but the Chinese were reluctant to use them for fear of revealing their locations. Consequently, the Chinese Army found itself with virtually no air defense. Overall, local Chinese reserves struggled to repel the Japanese advances, leading to a shift from the see-saw battles that had characterized the front since early September. The Japanese gradually maintained their positions even after nightfall.  Despite their numerical superiority, defending Luodian proved nearly impossible for the Chinese forces. The Japanese's overwhelming firepower forced the Chinese into a defensive posture, preventing them from launching counterattacks until the enemy was almost upon them. Consequently, the decision was made to hold the entire town at all costs, a tactic that significantly increased the attrition rate within Chinese ranks. General Chen Cheng's army group experienced a casualty rate exceeding fifty percent, resulting in more than 15,000 losses. Additionally, units from Xue Yue's 19th Army Group participated in the combat southwest of Luodian and suffered severe casualties. The 59th and 90th divisions of the 4th Corps endured seventy to eighty percent losses within just five days. The training brigade of the 66th Corps reported 3,003 casualties after several days of fighting. Faced with these circumstances, Chinese commanders decided to execute another major retreat along the entire front north of Shanghai. They took advantage of a lull in Japanese assaults on September 25 to withdraw approximately one mile to a new defensive line. As before, this retreat was conducted with great discipline, and it took the Japanese two more days to fully comprehend that the Chinese forces had disappeared from their positions.  In the wake of these Japanese successes, significant changes began to unfold. The three divisions that the Japanese high command had dispatched to the Shanghai area in early September gradually arrived. First to land was the 101st Division, which started disembarking on September 22 and was ordered to position itself on the left flank of the 3rd Division. The 9th Division arrived in the same area on September 27, followed by the 13th Division on October 1. With these reinforcements, Japan now had five divisions stationed in Shanghai, compared to more than 25 divisions fielded by the Chinese. While China's numerical superiority was undeniable, the disparity was not as stark as it appeared. A typical Japanese division consisted of 15,000 men. Combined with the marines and infantry defending Hongkou, Japan had approximately 90,000 soldiers at its disposal in and around the city. In contrast, Chinese divisions often had as few as 5,000 men, making it unlikely that China deployed more than 200,000 soldiers in Shanghai at that time. Furthermore, the Japanese compensated for their numerical disadvantage with significant superiority in materials, aircraft, and naval artillery, which could still reach key areas within the Chinese front. Overall, the addition of the three new divisions significantly bolstered the Japanese forces, prompting Matsui and his staff to begin preparations for what they hoped would be the decisive strike against the Chinese defenders. Their plan was straightforward: they intended to execute a powerful thrust across Wusong Creek and advance toward Suzhou Creek. The goal was to encircle and annihilate the main Chinese force in a maneuver they had envisioned since their arrival in China. After all, encirclement was the cornerstone of Japanese military doctrine. 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. In August 1937, the Battle of Luodian raged as Chinese forces faced relentless Japanese attacks. After initial successes, the Chinese struggled under heavy casualties and dwindling morale. They fought fiercely to retain the critical town of Luodian, a vital transportation hub. Despite courageous defensive efforts, including a surprise night assault, the Japanese overwhelmed the Chinese with superior numbers and artillery. Encounters turned devastating, with both sides suffering severe losses. By late September, as the Japanese received reinforcements, the situation forced the Chinese to retreat, marking the beginning of a dire struggle for Shanghai's control.

Unbeknownst to most people, Japan recently released its 12th batch of radioactive nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean.This latest batch of discharge weighed approximately 7,800 tons, or around 15.6 million pounds.Including this latest batch, it means that Japan has dumped an estimated 86,000 tons of nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean thus far. This sounds like a lot, but it's actually only the beginning. Its plan is to continue doing this for the next 30 years, and in the process, dump roughly 1.3 million tons of nuclear wastewater.The reason for this stems from what happened 14 years ago, during the Fukushima nuclear disaster. That was when an earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused a near meltdown of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.The disaster led to the contamination of a million tons of water.For the past 14 years, Japan has kept this water inside the plant, where it has been slowly treating it. But it ran out of space. Therefore, the Japanese government began to slowly release this treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean.Let's go through the full story, as well as what the latest research has found, in terms of the effects that this wastewater is having on the local marine life.

⭐️ Manifestation Masterclass & Exclusive Course: https://wayofwilljohn.com/ 

Dreama and Larry's house is undergoing renovation after a tree fell on it. Since they cannot live there during the repairs, they set up security cameras to monitor the property. To their surprise, they notice a couple repeatedly visiting the house. Alarmed, Dreama and Larry register for a free alert system that will notify them of any changes to their property records. Just two days later, they receive an alert. Unbeknownst to them, Michelle Cherry and Victor Rodriguez have filed a quitclaim deed that will quickly and easily transfer ownership of their home. A quitclaim deed is typically used for transferring properties without a sale, such as from a parent to a child. However, in this case, criminals exploit it to steal from unsuspecting homeowners. Will Dreama and Larry be able to reclaim their home and help catch these “title pirates”?

Embark with us and transmedia producers, storytellers, artists and creators Nick Jones, Richard Durham, and Bo Paterson as we explore the haunting, dark deco world of Farbodies! Farbodies: https://www.farbodies.com/Urban Folkcore: https://www.farbodies.com/store/p/urbanfolkcorephysicalWe are not safe. Farbodies is a pure transmedia franchise with a timelining beginning in antiquity and spanning to where the Novelle, Urban Folkcore, starts in the city of Ghostward, 1996.  Authoritarian propaganda floods the rain soaked streets of the city as residence, numb to reality, shuffle on with their days.  Unbeknownst to the population, a secret war between ancient factions is being waged for the rights to explore, control, and study the supernatural pouring into Earth.  "For in the darkest corners of reality, evil creeps. Hoping to consume our world. The ancients knew of this truth. They developed rituals, talismans and systems of magic to protect humanity against the incomprehensible entities which gaze upon us with hungry eyes."  We spoke about the artistic style of City of Ghostward, the ancient factions, and the hardcore music scene.  The Novelle is available for purchase July 14th 2025.The DeLuca twins and the Hardcore Scene of Ghostward have some work to do!Support the showAre you an intrepid explorer with your own story world? You should be a guest on Story World Explorers! Connect with us here: https://clovispointcm.com/be-a-guest

Send us a textThe Valley - Janet Bows Out, Luke Kneels DownThe Valley Season 2, Episode 12: “Will You Maui Me?”In this emotionally charged episode, relationships are tested, boundaries confronted, and a surprise proposal brings unexpected tension.The group continues their Hawaiian getaway, with dinner drama still lingering. Jesse confronts Aaron about a photo of his daughter Isabella posted on Father's Day without his permission, leading to an emotionally honest exchange where Jesse also questions the nature of Aaron and Michelle's past relationship. Aaron denies crossing any lines, but Jesse remains skeptical.At the pool, tensions simmer among the women as unresolved issues from past arguments resurface, particularly involving Kristen, Janet, and Michelle. Janet accuses some in the group of deflecting from their own issues by stirring drama.Meanwhile, Kristen and Luke, joined by Danny and Nia, head out fishing. Unbeknownst to Kristen, Luke is planning a proposal. Despite a rocky emotional start to the day, he successfully pops the question surrounded by dolphins — and Kristen says yes.Back at the resort, Zack and Jesse prepare the Presidential Suite with flowers and petals for the newly engaged couple. However, the engagement news sparks resentment in Janet and Jason, who feel blindsided and excluded. Janet ultimately decides to skip the engagement celebration, believing her presence would cast a shadow over Kristen's big moment. Jason reluctantly agrees, though tensions rise between them.The episode closes with Luke and Kristen walking into a beautifully decorated suite, overwhelmed and happy — asking friends not to post anything yet, as they haven't told family.TakeawaysThe dinner scene highlighted emotional tensions among the group.Social media can complicate personal relationships, especially for parents.Respect in relationships is crucial and should be mutual.The spray tan mishap provided comic relief amidst the drama.Group dynamics can shift quickly, especially during emotional moments.Rumors often serve as a deflection from personal issues.Engagement surprises can elicit mixed reactions from friends.Family dynamics play a significant role in personal relationships.Staged moments in reality TV can feel forced and scripted.Social media reactions can amplify public perception of reality TV personalities.Support the showhttps://www.wewinewhenever.com/

M3gan 2.0 The B1tc# is B@ck is not the tagline for this movie... but it could very easily have been.  After the surprise hit that was the first M3gan, Blumhouse have done what they do best, and that is turn around a moderately budgeted sequel in a surprisingly quick time. Does this make for an excellent film that expands the original property and deepens the lore and background of the character?  No. Does is make for an energetic romp that features not one but two murderous cyborgs with dead, doll-like eyes, doing martial arts and ridiculous stunts?  Possibly. Listen in the full review to get the down low on the download. D10n , Qu1nny and J1ll are all on board for this episode and you better believe they not only have opinions, but a bunch of ways the film could have been SO much better. Synopsis Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous rampage, its creator, Gemma, has become an advocate for government oversight of AI. Unbeknownst to her, a defense contractor has created a military-grade weapon known as Amelia, the ultimate infiltration spy. However, as Emlia's self-awareness increases, it becomes less interested in taking orders. Hoping to stop Emilia, Gemma decides to resurrect M3GAN, making it faster, stronger, and more lethal. https://youtu.be/Aiam4GCb-ug As always, a digitally self aware thank-you to the dolls and action figures who join in with the conversation on the Twitch stream, live each Tuesday night at 7:30pm AEDT. And an especially huge thanks to any of the A.I. chat bots and art programs who are kind enough to support us by programming a tip in our jar via Ko-Fi, or subscribing on twitch... every bit helps us to keep the lights on and keep Alexa happy or just pay for hosting...) If you feel so inclined drop us a sub we really love them, The more subby mc-sub-faces we get, the more Emotes You get! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYLHdEzsk1s&pp=ygURbTNnYW4gMi4wIHRyYWlsZXI%3D WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK! Send in voicemails or emails with your opinions on this show (or any others) to info@theperiodictableofawesome.com Please make sure to join our social networks too!  We're on: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TPToA/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/TPToA Facebook: www.facebook.com/PeriodicTableOfAwesome Instagram: www.instagram.com/theperiodictableofawesome/ Full text transcript   Dion  Ohh yes.  Speaker 7  It's a feminine on and on and on and on. Norman non. Something like that.  Speaker 4  Play diva humpty. Yeah, yes.  Dion  That's what's yes, it's it's all it's all about female empowerment. You're right about what else you're right about here.  Quinny  Sort of, yeah.  Dion  No.  Jill  We trained our AI writing script on 1000 hours of RuPaul's Drag Race and. This is what it came up with.  Dion  And yeah, and it's actually better than.  Quinny  You you spent so long working out whether you could, you didn't see whether you should but but but funnily. Going on this next week, sorry.  Dion  Enough that AI chat bot is still better than grok so.  Quinny  Yeah.  Dion  Hello, welcome to period. My name is and.  Jill  Jillian on. I am J1 all.  Quinny  QY Q1 and bifurcated numbers.  Dion  Yes. That's right. And and Quinn, three, who's there? And tonight we are talking about the sequel to the 2023.  Jill  Movie, yeah.  Dion  Methree again, I refuse to call anything else than. That Reagan 2.  Speaker 8  I guess.  Dion  Yeah. Oh my God.  Jill  3 and 2.0.  Dion  Yeah. Sorry. You're right. 3 and 2.0, which if we're going to follow these conventions, it's going to be math. 3 gun version 4. Beta. Yeah, well, no version 4.1 final final use. This one final please. Final.  Quinny  Yeah. So no, really no really final and then you'll find it in the wrong folder cause you for some reason chose the wrong place wher...

Send me a DM here (it doesn't let me respond), OR email me: imagineabetterworld2020@gmail.comToday I'm honored to have back on the show for a second time: Masonic and satanic ritual abuse, MK ULTRA and child trafficking survivor, overcomer and whistleblower, qualified Survival Instructor, Instructor for Hostile Environment Awareness Training, former alpine climber, Tibetan medicine practitioner, adventure sport instructor, outdoor lover, my new friend, and all around badass and inspiration, Lou Born on August 8 - or 8/8, a date symbolically significant in the esoteric circles that would shape her early life, Lou emerged into a world steeped in spiritual and occult influences. Her family's bloodline, tracing back to early British royalty, Danish ancestry, and historical figures like Odin and Freya, marked her as a target for exploitation by secret societies, including Masonic and military networks. Unbeknownst to her as a child, this lineage, combined with her innate psychic abilities, would thrust her into a hidden world of ritualistic abuse and mind control programming.Lou's earliest years were shrouded in dissociation, a coping mechanism that veiled her memories until age nine. It was during a live TV appearance on a British talk show, Kilroy, that she first realized she had no recollection of her childhood - a stark revelation that her mind had locked away years of trauma. Raised in South London, Lou's home was a paradox of spiritual allure and dark undercurrents. Her mother, a spiritual channeler, practiced yoga, healing, and automatic writing, influenced by esoteric figures like Steven Jenkins, a Mongolian Buddhist and author, and Andrew Barti, a Grandmaster of the Knights of Malta - who was a frequent visitor to her home and one of her abusers - presenting himself as charitable while orchestrating ritualistic abuse of children behind the scenes. Her father - who was former Merchant Navy, worked at Shirley Oaks Children's home as a maintenance worker and builder, and was a former model with celebrity friends like David Prowse who played Darth Vader in Star Wars. This only added to the complicated family dynamics.Lou's earliest years were shrouded in dissociation, a coping mechanism that veiled her memories until age nine. It was during a live TV appearance on a British talk show, Kilroy, that she first realized she had no recollection of her childhood - a stark revelation that her mind had locked away years of trauma. Her childhood was punctuated by fragmented memories of horrific rituals - being tied up, hung upside down, subjected to electric shocks, and submerged in a cold water tank with a dead body. These experiences, often conducted in underground tunnels and other conspicuous locations, were part of a sophisticated, governmental programming system linked to Masonic lodges and military bases. CONNECT WITH LOU:Twitter: https://x.com/LouiseBrookes8CONNECT WITH EMMA / THE IMAGINATION: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imaginationpodcastofficialRumble: https://rumble.com/c/TheImaginationPodcastEMAIL: imagineabetterworld2020@gmail.com OR standbysurvivors@protonmail.comMy Substack: https://emmakatherine.substack.com/BUY ME A COFFEE: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theimaginationAll links: https://direct.me/theimaginationpodcastRIFE TECHNOLOGIES: https://realrifeteSupport the show

✨ It's Feminist Masterpiece Theater month! ✨ Women take the reins as we kick things off with M3GAN 2.0 (2025), joined by guests Noel K. and Cam Maitland. Killer dolls, sharp satire, and feminist chaos—let's go! Please remember to like, comment, subscribe and click that notification bell for all our updates! It really helps us out!WE HAVE MERCH - https://www.redbubble.com/people/HDYSTMerch/shop?asc=u & http://tee.pub/lic/GdSYxr8bhtYStarring: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ivanna Sakhno & Jemaine ClementDirected By: Gerard JohnstoneSynopsis: Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous rampage, its creator, Gemma, has become an advocate for government oversight of AI. Unbeknownst to her, a defense contractor has created a military-grade weapon known as Amelia, the ultimate infiltration spy. However, as Emlia's self-awareness increases, it becomes less interested in taking orders. Hoping to stop Emilia, Gemma decides to resurrect M3GAN, making it faster, stronger, and more lethal.Watch LIVE at: https://www.twitch.tv/heydidyouseethisone every Thursday at 8 PM ESTA PROUD MEMBER OF THE UNITED FEDERATION OF PODCASTSCheck us out online at: https://www.ufpodcasts.com/We use White Bat Audio – a user that creates DMCA free music for podcasters and YouTubers. Please follow at: https://www.youtube.com/@WhiteBatAudioAudio version of the show: Spotify - https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/heydidyouseethisone Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-did-you-see-this-one/id1712934175YouTube Audio Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD6BOSx2RcKuP4TogMPKXRMCxqfh5k9IU&si=umIaVrghJdJEu2ARMain Intro and Outro Themes created by Josh Howard - remixes by Jacob Hiltz & Jake ThurgoodLogo created by Jeff RobinsonChapters:#M3GAN #FeministFilm #HeyDidYouSeeThisOne #HorrorMovies #MoviePodcast

Will you Maui Me?????Unbeknownst to Kristen, a fishing trip Luke planned is where he plans to pop the question; Brittany feels hurt and left out when she learns she isn't part of Kristen's proposal; Janet threatens to leave the trip early.Check out our Sponsor:https://www.homeaglow.com/pumpers to get your first 3 hours ofcleaning for only $19. Thanks so much to Homeaglow forsponsoring this episode!Email us at vanderpumprulesparty@gmail.comLeave us a VM at 213.640.6183This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Magellan AI - https://docsend.com/view/5vdvbdx7cr4tikmyClaritas - https://claritas.com/privacy-legalPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

Billy Graham was frequently at the White House during the Bush/Regan Administration, yet I never had cause to personally encounter him.I was, however, privy to conversation about Billy Graham since my MK Ultra mind control owner US Senator Robert C Byrd often bragged about controlling him through Voice of God programming. (https://trance-formation.com/voice-of-god/)Unbeknownst to Billy Graham, he was being manipulated to blur the line between church and state, promoting politics to his followers. Graham's followers were strategically increased through DARPA/CIA harmonics, which were also the driving force behind Byrd's Voice of God programming. The formula for mind control is always the same, whether it is of an individual, classroom, military, church, nation, or the world.Harmonics vibrate neuron pathways in the brain for effective means of subconscious manipulation. Scientifically tuned frequencies both audible and subaudible were already being imbedded in popular music to create icons like MK Ultra's notorious Michael Jackson and, above all, to socially engineer the public. Of course this harmonic equipment is used in evangelical movements like it was in Billy Graham's!I'm often asked what I know about Billy Graham since apparently other survivors have named him as a complicit perpeTraitor, and my insight is not intended to discredit their assertions despite my experience being far removed from theirs. Instead, it is imperative to factor MK Ultra into the equation before conclusions are drawn. Consider that mind control is used on those who refuse to comply with the Deep State globalist dark agenda.Intelligence insider Mark Phillips, who was working the highest levels of intelligence to preserve the sanctity of free thought, reported being exposed to information on the MK Ultra manipulation of Billy Graham. Mark was livid to learn how churches – like every other aspect of society- were being covertly infiltrated. This outrage, along with seeing innocent citizens like my daughter and me used deep in the Wash DC MK Ultra human trafficking swamp, added to his determination to expose these crimes against humanity.How fortunate for my daughter and me that Mark chose to lift us free of our victimization. He knew, like experience taught me, that without free thought there is no free will ability to access the strength of the human spirit and infinite power of love. Mind control is ultimately a spiritual battle, which compounds the felony of controlling churches through MK Ultra means. It was my experience to have had exposure to the Jimmy Swaggart dynasty of complicit Deep State globalist controls. Swaggart was aware of harmonic means of manipulation, and chose to use the evangelical route to grow and control a congregation. His infamous admission “I have sinned” was a mere diversionary understatement of his true crimes against humanity.Swaggart's “missions” included MK Ultra mind control human trafficking and CIA cocaine ops. Traveling into Haiti, Mexico, and throughout the Caribbean, missionaries were used to inadvertently transport cocaine for CIA drug ops running through Bill Clinton's Mena operations and the Country Music industry. Further details are in my 1995 testimony for Congress, which was censored under National Security, TRANCE Formation of America. Swaggart's ministries interfaced with Billy Roy Moore's Lord's Chapel in Nashville, which is among several MK Ultra complicit churches I was used through in the 1980's. This gave me insight into Swaggart's Deep State operations that extended through his relatives associated with Country Music industry Mickey Gilley and Johnny Lee.  Read full article on Cathy's website here!

Our main purpose in this world is to be true servants of Hashem. We are here to continuously grow in our observance of Torah and mitzvot. Every step we take in that direction is incredibly valuable. Some steps may be easier than others, and some may feel like mountains—but we are never alone. Hashem is always with us, waiting to help us succeed. Hashem loves when we turn to Him and ask for help in serving Him better. He often responds in ways that clearly show He is listening and appreciating our efforts. Sometimes He even orchestrates events so that the answer comes quickly and inspires not only the person who asked, but many others who hear the story afterward. A man shared that he was listening to a shiur in which the rabbi told a story about a woman who accepted upon herself to cut her wig shorter to be more modest. As he listened, he quietly said to Hashem, "I wish my wife would cut her wig, too." Literally within a minute, his wife called him out of the blue and said she felt she wanted to cut her wig shorter. He was stunned by the immediate siyata dishmaya—Hashem had heard his simple request and responded right away. During the recent war in Eretz Yisrael, a woman wanted to take on a kabbalah to share in the suffering of her fellow Jews. She decided she would sleep with only one pillow instead of two. But she felt she needed some chizuk to carry it out. She called a chizuk hotline, and the class she randomly selected spoke about how during World War I, the Chafetz Chaim slept on a hard bench and used his hands as a pillow to empathize with fellow Jews in pain. She couldn't believe it—Hashem had guided her to exactly the message she needed in that moment. A man told of his son, who learns in a top yeshivah in Eretz Yisrael. The son had returned home briefly for a family wedding, but when war broke out, his flight back was canceled. Once flights resumed, the travel agent said it would take at least a week—possibly longer—to find him a ticket. A few minutes later, a friend called and mentioned that he was at the kever of the Ribnitzer Rebbe. The man asked his friend to also visit the kever of his own rabbi, Rabbi Yehudah Davis, who was buried nearby, and ask him to pray that his son would return quickly to his learning. The friend agreed. Amazingly, just ten minutes after the tefillah, the travel agent called back and said he had suddenly secured a flight for the boy—leaving in just two days. Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Friedman shared another remarkable story in his popular Gilyon Noam Siach . He had decided to dedicate a special issue of the publication to the teachings and stories of the Kossover rebbe who had passed away last year. Unbeknownst to him, a young man had just entered the stage of shidduchim and felt lost without the guidance of that very rebbe—someone he had turned to his whole life. At this crucial juncture, he went to the rebbe's kever and prayed for direction. A few days later, someone handed him the new issue of Noam Siach , which "happened' to include a section of the rebbe's teachings specifically about shidduchim . It was exactly what he needed. Hashem had answered him so directly and clearly, it filled him with joy and gratitude. Hashem loves when we grow in Torah and mitzvot—and He especially loves when we turn to Him for help in doing so. He answers, encourages, and uplifts those who sincerely strive to get closer to Him. May we all continue to grow and fulfill our true potential. Amen.

Unbeknownst to Kristen, a fishing trip Luke planned is where he plans to pop the question... Support Vanderpump Robs https://patreon.com/vanderpumprobs Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/

Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous rampage, its creator, Gemma, has become an advocate for government oversight of AI. Unbeknownst to her, a defense contractor has created a military-grade weapon known as Amelia, the ultimate infiltration spy. However, as Emlia's self-awareness increases, it becomes less interested in taking orders. Hoping to stop Emilia, Gemma decides to resurrect M3GAN, making it faster, stronger, and more lethal.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Web sleuth Ellen Leach works tirelessly to identify a skull found inside a bucket of cement at a truck stop in Kearney, Missouri. Unbeknownst to her, she is also racing against the clock to provide compelling evidence in a murder trial. SPRING/SUMMER MERCH IS HERE!  Check out the new swag at our website! WE'RE ON YOUTUBE!  Want to view the episodes and not just listen?  Check our new video feed to see full video episodes starting today. CLICK HERE TO WATCH AND SUBSCRIBE! LOOKING FOR MORE TCO? On our Patreon feed, you'll find over 400 FULL AD-FREE BONUS episodes to BINGE RIGHT NOW, including our episode-by-episode coverage of popular documentary series like Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God, LulaRich, and The Curious Case of Natalia Grace; classics like The Jinx, Making A Murderer, and The Staircase; and well-known cases like The Menendez Murders, Casey Anthony: American Murder Mystery, and The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, and so many more! Episode Sponsors: Miracle Made - Upgrade your sleep as the weather heats up. Go to www.trymiracle.com/TCO and use our promo TCO at checkout to get a free 3-piece towel set and save over 40%! ASPCA Pet Insurance - The ASPCA Pet Health Insurance program offers customizable accident & illness plans making it easier for pet parents like you to help your pet get the care they may need. To explore coverage, visit www.ASPCApetinsurance.com/TCO Helix - Upgrade your sleep! Go to www.helixsleep.com/tco for  27% Off Sitewide!! IQ Bar - The better for you, plant protein snacks. Text TCO to 64000 to get 20% off your order! FAM! COME SEE PATRICK ON TOUR! Patrick is headed out on the road WITH A BRAND NEW SHOW! New cities just announced: Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Provincetown, Charleston, Nashville, Charlotte, Atlanta, Orlando, Washington, Philadelphia, and London.  CLICK HERE for tickets and info! Join the TCO Community! Follow True Crime Obsessed on Instagram and TikTok, and join us on Facebook at the True Crime Obsessed Podcast Discussion Group!  AND INTRODUCING THE NEW TCO DISCORD CHANNEL AS WELL!!!

The scoobs think that Spike is sus after Buffy confronts him about the fact that Webs claimed him as his sire on last week's episode, and frankly, they have every right to assume the worst! Unbeknownst to everyone, he's all busy burying people he bit last week in the floor of a dirt lined basement! Yikes!Rewatch, Listen & Laugh as we talk about the song that SHOULD have been used in this episode, we talk about throwing vaginas at people, and Ash gets the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers and reacts appropriately!And don't forget to follow us at the_rewatcher on Instagram for special bonus content!!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last time we spoke about the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. On July 7, 1937, tensions escalated between Japan and China as the Japanese military conducted a training exercise near the Marco Polo Bridge. During the exercise, gunfire erupted, sowing confusion and leading to the unexplained disappearance of one soldier. This incident prompted Japan to demand permission to search the nearby city of Wanping, which was denied by Chinese forces, escalating tensions further. By the next day, Japanese troops attacked, resulting in fierce fighting at the bridge. Under heavy assault, Chinese defenders fought valiantly but faced overwhelming force. As the conflict intensified, both sides struggled with heavy casualties, leading to the full-scale Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese military's aggressive maneuvers and the determined Chinese resistance marked the beginning of a brutal conflict, forever altering the landscape of East Asia. The profound toll on both nations foreshadowed the horrors of war that were to come, as China prepared to defend its sovereignty against a relentless enemy.   #155 Operation Chahar 1937 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. By the end of July of 1937 the Japanese had overwhelmed the Beiping-Tianjin region. It's pretty understandable as to how this came so fast. As we have discussed thoroughly in this series, the Japanese had gradually seized control over Northern China going back to Operation Nekka in 1933. Little by little they had carved it out. Typically when you pull out a map of a war between two nations, one nation pierces into the other and gradually seizes control of key locations until it archives victory. However with the case of the outset of the Second Sino-Japanese War its more like the Japanese are starting at multiple key locations where they have concessions, treaties or where there are autonomous regions. Thus its honestly a huge headache to follow. When the Marco Polo Bridge Incident broke out, Chiang Kai-Shek had been in Kuling, a mountain top resort where he spent his summer vacations. He received the news with composure, but his message to the nation conveyed a sense of optimism and anticipation. The embarrassment of the Sian mutiny was a thing of the past. Although he wasn't overly confident, he believed that this was the pivotal moment China had been preparing for, more so than at any time in recent years. For nearly three weeks, efforts were made to resolve the situation through diplomatic means. For the first time, Chiang was in a position to make demands. He understood they would likely be rejected, but that wasn't the main point. He asked Japan to acknowledge its responsibility for the recent turmoil, to issue an apology, and to provide compensation. After making that request, he addressed his nation with a formal commitment: China would not accept any settlement that compromised its sovereign rights or territorial integrity. No changes would be permitted regarding the status of the Hubei-Chahar Council, and local officials would not be reassigned at the request of any foreign government. Any restrictions on the Twenty-ninth Army's positions would be unacceptable. He declared that the era of Japanese expansion in North China had come to a definitive end. The Japanese army achieved significant victories on the battlefield in China, leading to the inevitable expansion of the conflict. The first major campaign following the Nanyuan victory unfolded along the mountainous border marked by the inner Great Wall, separating northern Hubei from Chahar. On the Jinpu Railway, just south of Tianjin, lies a small station known as Jinghai. Adjacent to this station is the Jian River, which had swollen to a width of 20 meters due to intermittent heavy rains in northern China after the Japanese army's occupation of Tianjin. The embankments on either side of the river were overgrown with dense reeds and grass, and a wooden arch bridge spanned the river. After landing at Dagukou in Tianjin, the 10th Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Rensuke Isogai, advanced south along the Jinpu Railway. However, as the vanguard, the 10th Regiment of the 33rd Brigade made its way through the muddy terrain towards the Jian River's wooden bridge, they were suddenly taken aback. A group of Chinese soldiers appeared, their faces vividly painted red and armed with long-handled broadswords, a sight reminiscent of the legendary Chinese figure Guan Yu, as depicted in many traditional portraits. These soldiers belonged to the 26th Independent Brigade of the 38th Division of the 29th Army, who were in retreat from Tianjin. Following the city's fall, they had retreated southward to Jinghai Station, where they prepared to make a stand. Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan recognized their inferior numbers and weaponry compared to the Japanese forces. Drawing from painful lessons learned during the positional battles in Tianjin, he decided to divide his troops strategically: one battalion would defend the station, another would protect the county town, and a third would engage in guerrilla tactics along the Jinpu Road. If faced with a small number of Japanese soldiers, they would fight fiercely; if overwhelmed, they would attempt to encircle the attackers to prevent a direct assault on their main position. Despite the Japanese army's attempts to advance, including efforts to send an armored train into Jinghai Station, the Chinese soldiers cleverly laid straw on the tracks and buried mines, thwarting the train's progress. Once Japanese troops disembarked to mount an offensive, they were ambushed by the battalion executing guerrilla tactics, resulting in a chaotic retreat that left behind several dozen casualties. Over the course of weeks, the divisional headquarters ordered a battalion of Japanese troops to move south along the Jinpu Road, requiring them to cross the Jian River at the wooden bridge. The 26th Independent Brigade was assigned to halt this advance, and they managed to hold their ground for over 20 days. Recognizing the gravity of their situation, Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan gathered his group and battalion commanders to emphasize the necessity of pushing back the Japanese forces. He passionately rallied them, declaring, “We must defend this river to the death. Each regiment will select a death squad. Each member will carry a long-handled broadsword and four grenades, paint their faces red and rush across the bridge to engage in melee combat!” When Li asked for volunteers to lead the death squad, the regiment commander, Zhu, eagerly stepped forward, quickly gathering a group that followed him, uniting passionately in their cause. The death squad charged across the bridge, catching the Japanese off guard with their war paint and weapons. The sudden attack left the Japanese soldiers dazed, leading to a chaotic retreat as they struggled through the muddy terrain. In the tumult, more than 200 long-handled swords struck down a significant number of Japanese troops. Those advancing from behind panicked at the sight of their retreating comrades. An officer, dismounted during the chaos, was left behind, and the Chinese soldiers, filled with zeal, pressed forward, ignoring the orders from Brigade Commander Li Zhiyuan to fall back for their own safety. Despite moments of heroism, many fell that day by the Jian River, as the officers and soldiers burned their boats and set fire to the wooden bridge, rendering retreat impossible. As the Japanese military consolidated its power in the Pingjin region, many leaders underestimated the tenacity of Chinese resistance. Plans were made to defeat the Chinese army and air force swiftly, aiming to resolve the issue in North China decisively, with no diplomatic negotiations or external interventions allowed during military operations. Now, in late July to early August, Chiang Kai-shek issued orders to improve defenses at Nankou. He mobilized Tang Enbo's 13th Army in Suidong for battle readiness, tasked Liu Ruming to sabotage railways, and directed Fu Zuoyi and Yan Xishan in Suiyuan to prepare for conflict. Troops were reorganized rapidly, with divisions merging to strengthen the 17th Army under Liu Ruming's command. Chiang insisted that Nankou's defenses be deep and wide to thwart enemy cavalry and tank assaults, rendering Japanese mechanized advantages ineffective. He called for close cooperation among commanders and a resolute defense. Tang Enbo's 13th Army, consisted of the 4th and 89th Divisions, whom established defensive positions along the Peiping-Suiyuan Railway at Nankou, with additional units positioned further back at Juyongguan. The 13th Army, was 20,000 men strong, all motivated soldiers committed to fighting the Japanese, but their equipment was woefully inadequate. The 89th Division had a few outdated artillery pieces, whilst other units were in even worse condition, hampering their effectiveness against the well-armed Japanese forces. Liu's 17th Army stationed its 84th Division at Chihcheng, Yanqing, and Longguan, effectively securing the flank of the 13th Army against potential Japanese advances from Chahar. The 21st Division was deployed in Huailai, situated along the railway to the rear of Tang's forces. Additionally, Zhao Chengshou's 1st Cavalry Army, Liu 's 143rd Division, and two Peace Preservation Brigades commenced an offensive against Mongol forces in northern Chahar. As the Japanese launched initial assaults on Nankou on August 4, fierce fighting erupted. The Chinese defenders fought valiantly, but heavy bombardments by artillery and air raids took a toll. The Japanese began using tanks to support their infantry, yet the 530th Regiment successfully repelled an attack at Deshengkou. Meanwhile, the Japanese intensified their efforts, culminating in poison gas assaults that overwhelmed Chinese positions on Longhutai, leading to significant losses. Despite the escalating pressure and casualties, the determination to hold Nankou was unwavering. On August 5, the Kwantung Army requested permission for the advance guard to move to Changpei, arguing that the Central Army's invasion of Chahar had jeopardized the security of Manchukuo. This request was denied, yet the advance guard proceeded to Changpei on August 8. This unauthorized movement by the Kwantung Army was a serious act of defiance, as Tolun lay outside Manchukuo's borders, and troop deployments required imperial authorization. Although imperial sanction had been obtained for the move to Tolun on July 28, permission for the advance guard to proceed was only granted retroactively, with the stipulation that they would not advance further into Inner Mongolia. Nevertheless, this unauthorized action ultimately compelled the high command to approve the advance to Changpei. On August 7, the Japanese army launched a large assault on Nankou with its three main divisions, aiming to breach the Great Wall and advance westward along the Pingsui Railway to flank the strategic city of Shanxi. By August 8, the Japanese forces that had captured Beiping and Tianjin deployed the entire 20th Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Kawagishi Fumisaburo, and supplemented their efforts with the 5th and 10th Divisions, along with the Sakai Brigade, to attack Nankou along the Pingsui Railway. On August 8, the Japanese 11th Independent Mixed Brigade, led by General Shigiyasu Suzuki, initiated an attack on the left flank of the 13th Corps' position at Nankou. However, their efforts were halted after three days due to challenging terrain and the determined resistance from Chinese forces.  On the same day, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the activation of the 14th Group Army, comprising the 10th, 83rd, and 85th Divisions, under General Wei Lihuang. Elements of the 14th Group Army traveled by rail from Yingchia-chuang to Yi County and then embarked on a ten-day march through the plains west of Beiping to flank and support Tang Enbo's forces. Meanwhile, the Chinese 1st Army Region launched attacks against the Japanese in Liangxiang and Chaili to divert their attention and dispatched a detachment to Heilung Pass to cover the advance of the 14th Group Army. On August 9, the central high command ordered the China Garrison Army to eliminate resistance in the area and instructed Kwantung Army Commander Ueda Kenkichi to send reinforcements from Jehol and Inner Mongolia to support the operation. The China Garrison Army deployed its 11th Independent Mixed Brigade and the 5th Division, recently arrived from Hiroshima under Lieutenant-General Itagaki Seishirö, to launch an attack on the mountainous regions around Nankou and Pataling within the Great Wall. Following intense fighting, they succeeded in crossing into Chahar.    The Kwantung Army aimed to conquer Chahar and, upon receiving approval from the Japanese General Staff, established an expeditionary headquarters on August 14, led by its chief of staff, Lieutenant General Tojo Hideki. Yes that Tojo. Tokyo's objective was to secure the strategic flank of Manchukuo, while the Kwantung Army sought to create puppet regimes in northern China and integrate the occupied territories into a Japanese sphere of influence. The Chahar Expeditionary Force comprised three mixed brigades, including Japan's only fully mechanized unit, which was equipped with medium tanks, heavy and light armored vehicles, and light tanks. The Japanese troops shifted their main attack toward Zhangjiakou via the Pingsui Railway due to pressures from the Kwantung Army eager to occupy Inner Mongolia, Suiyuan, and Chahar. They sought to eliminate threats from the rear before launching further operations along the Pinghan Line and Jinpu Line. The 11th Independent Mixed Brigade of the 20th Division of the Chinese Garrison Army was ordered to assault Chinese defenders in the Nankou area, with the goal of capturing key locations on the Great Wall, like Badaling, to facilitate the Fifth Division's advance. The Chinese assessed the Japanese strategy, believing they would first secure critical points along the Pingsui route to facilitate further incursions into Shanxi and Zhengding. They understood that holding the Nankou line was vital for both logistical support and tactical maneuvering. Nankou, a key town on the Pingsui Railway connecting Beijing to Zhangjiakou and Baotou, was surrounded by mountains and the Great Wall, marking it a significant natural defense line. As the Japanese army aimed to capture Zhangjiakou and divide their forces into Shanxi and Suiyuan, the Chinese army's control over Nankou became crucial. A renewed assault on August 11, bolstered by tanks and aircraft, successfully captured Nankou Station, allowing General Suzuki's brigade to advance toward Juyong Pass. On August 12, Tang Enbo's army launched a counterattack, encircling the Japanese forces and severing their supply and communication lines. That day, Tang Enbo sent a telegram to Luo Fanggui: “Brother Fanggui, Commander Luo of the 529th Regiment, I have received your telegram. Your regiment has recently defeated formidable enemies, laying the groundwork for our army's future victories. Your efforts bring me great relief! The Nankou position is critical to our nation's war of resistance. Despite the enemy's numerical superiority and fierce artillery fire, we cannot surrender this area. It is our fighting spirit, not our numbers or advanced weaponry, that will help us withstand these powerful foes. We vow never to abandon our positions. Life is transient, and we must embrace our fate. A hero perishing on the battlefield is the glorious destiny of a soldier.” On the same day, he also sent a telegram to Wang Zhonglian: “Brother Jieren Wang, commander of the 89th Division, I have read your telegram. Brigade Li has triumphed against formidable foes, establishing a precedent for our army's victory. Your successes bring me much comfort! The Nankou position is our glorious objective. If I perish, the country lives on. If I survive, the country perishes. We would rather die defending this position than live in disgrace. Please convey to all the officers and soldiers of your division, who share in this struggle, the importance of striving for victory!” On August 13, Tang Enbo ordered the defensive positions at Nankou to be abandoned as the remaining troops pulled back to stronger positions at Badaling and Juyongguan. Renowned journalist Fan Changjiang noted Tang Enbo's physical and emotional toll, describing him as a mere shadow of his former self after enduring relentless battles without rest. His subsequent thoughts and fears reflected the despair of facing insurmountable odds, with the Japanese army overwhelming the Nankou defenses. Casualty reports from the Battle of Nankou reveal stark discrepancies; average estimates suggest Chinese losses neared 26,000, while Japanese casualties were around 2,600,an alarming ratio of 10 to 1. Despite the devastating defeat, Tang Enbo's leadership gained national recognition for his efforts, though he viewed the loss of Nankou as a blemish on an otherwise honorable defense. The indomitable spirit displayed during the relentless struggle at Nankou, despite the defeat and challenges faced, inspired a sense of resilience among the Chinese people, reminding them that even in dire circumstances, they would not yield to oppression. Meanwhile in response to having their supply and communication lines severed, on August 14, Seishirō Itagaki dispatched the 5th Division to relieve the 11th Independent Mixed Brigade at Juyonggua. Fu Zuoyi's troops attacked Chahar from Suidong. Dong Qiwu 's troops attacked Shangdu and recaptured it on the 14th, while Shi Yushan 's troops attacked Dehua and recaptured it on the 16th. By the 16, Itagaki had arrived at Nankou and initiated an enveloping assault targeting the right flank of the 13th Army, executing a five-pronged attack at Huanglaoyuan. In anticipation, the 7th Brigade of the 4th Division, commanded by Shi Jue, was positioned to counter this maneuver. Reinforcements, including Li Xianzhou's 21st Division and Zhu Huaibing's 94th Division, were brought in, resulting in several days of intense fighting. On August 17, General Yan Xishan, Director of the Taiyuan Pacification Headquarters, ordered the 7th Group Army, commanded by Fu Zuoyi, to move the 72nd Division and three additional brigades by rail from Datong to Huailai to support Tang Enbo's forces. Chiang Kai-shek urged steadfastness in the face of adversity, emphasizing that retreat was not an option. But with communication breakdowns and logistical challenges, Tang Enbo faced dilemmas that would lead him to issue the order for his troops to break out on August 26. As the Japanese army occupied Huailai and Yanqing, Tang Enbo's forces executed a withdrawal, retreating via various routes before suffering further losses.  Meanwhile Liu Ruming's troops of the 143rd Division of the 29th Army took Zhangbei from Zhangjiakou . Proceed to Wanquan Dam , the junction of Wanquan and Zhangbei. The members of the pseudo-Mongolian military government fled to Duolun under the leadership of King De . In order to relieve the danger in Zhangjiakou, Liu Ruming's troops began to attack the enemy in Zhangbei. On August 20, they captured key points such as Bolicai Village outside Zhangbei City. At this time, the mechanized troops of the Japanese Kwantung Army led by Hideki Tojo rushed from Rehe to support Zhangbei. When passing through Guyuan, they were divided into two groups: one group of Japanese troops, the Suzuki Brigade and Homma Brigade went south to attack Zhangjiakou. On the night of August 21, the Chinese army retreated to Shenweitai, 25 kilometers south of Zhangbei County. On August 22, the Japanese army began its attack. Shenwei Tower fell at midnight on the 23rd. At the same time, another part of the Japanese army launched a roundabout attack on Wanquan County. On the morning of August 24, they captured Wanquan County, and then headed straight for Zhangjiakou along the highway with an infantry regiment and an artillery battalion. From August 25 to 27, the Japanese army attacked Bajiaotai, the highest point of Cir Mountain west of Zhangjiakou. At noon on the 27th, Zhangjiakou fell. Gao Guizi's 17th Army marched to Dushikou to resist the enemy from Duolun Akagi and Longguan and intercepted the Pingsui Railway. Gao Guizi's troops failed to withstand the Japanese attack, and the 301st Regiment of the 29th Army stationed in Xuanhua also retreated southward. On August 28, Xuanhua fell into the hands of the enemy. Meanwhile, in northern Chahar, the Chinese 1st Cavalry Army successfully captured Shangdu, Nanhaochan, Shangyi, and Huade from the puppet Mongolian Army led by Demchugdongrub. Elements of the 143rd Division secured Zhongli, while the main force advanced to Zhangbei. During this Chinese offensive, the Japanese Chahar Expeditionary Force, consisting of the mechanized 1st Independent Mixed Brigade along with the 2nd and 15th Mixed Brigades, prepared for a counteroffensive from Zhangbei to Kalgan. Tojo personally commanded the units of the 1st Independent Mixed Brigade during Operation Chahar, which would serve as his only real combat service for his career. From August 18 to 19, the Chahar Expeditionary Force launched a counterattack from Zhangbei, capturing Shenweitaiko on the Great Wall and the Hanno Dam. The scattered and ill-equipped Chinese forces were unable to halt the Japanese advance, which now threatened the Peking–Suiyuan Railway at Kalgan. On August 20, General Fu Zuoyi's 7th Group Army diverted its 200th and 211th Brigades, which had been moving south by rail to join General Tang Enbo's forces, back to defend Kalgan. Fu's remaining 72nd Division arrived to reinforce Chenpien, while his 7th Separate Brigade was dispatched to protect the railhead at Huailai.On August 21, the Japanese forces breached the defenses at the villages of Henglingcheng and Chenbiancheng. General Tang Enbo's forces, awaiting reinforcements but having suffered over 50% casualties, continued to defend Huailai, Juyong Pass, and Yanqing. Liu Ruming's 143rd Division retreated to safeguard Kalgan from the advancing Japanese troops. On August 23, as Seishirō Itagaki's 5th Division advanced toward Huailai from Chenpien against Ma Yenshou's 7th Separate Brigade, advance elements of the 14th Army Group arrived on the Japanese flank at Chingpaikou. They successfully drove off the Japanese outpost and made contact with Japanese forces advancing toward Chenpien. However, delays in crossing the Yongding River postponed their attack until it was too late to halt the Japanese advance. Due to poor communications, they also failed to coordinate with General Tang Enbo's forces during the battle. After eight days and nights of fierce fighting, on August 24, Itagaki linked up with the Kwantung Army's 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade at Xiahuayuan. By August 24, the Japanese army breached the defensive line of the Chinese defenders' Wang Wanling Division along the western Hengling, crossed the Great Wall, and advanced into the Huailai area. At this time, the Japanese forces attacking Zhangjiakou from Chabei also secured control of the railway line west of Zhangjiakou, posing a significant threat to the Chinese defenders at Nankou. On August 25, the Chinese defenders were compelled to withdraw from Nankou and retreat to Juyongguan. By August 27, they received orders to break out and relocate southward, completely evacuating the Nankou battlefield. Since Wei Lihuang's troops lost their intended target for reinforcement and Baoding along the Pinghan Line was in a state of emergency, they engaged the enemy in the Wanping area for over a month before retreating south. Following the abandonment of both Nankou and Juyongguan, the Japanese army invaded Huailai City on the night of August 27. The Chinese army suffered over 16,000 casualties, while the Japanese army reported more than 15,000 casualties. On August 26, General Tang Enbo's forces were ordered to break out toward the Sangchien River, while Liu Ruming's troops were directed to withdraw to the opposite side of the Hsiang-yang River. On August 29, a Japanese unit known as the Oui Column by the Chinese and the Ohizumi Detachment by the Japanese launched an attack. According to Hsu Long-hsuen, this unit moved south from Tushihkou, and on August 30, it attacked Yenching via Chihcheng but was repelled by the Chinese 17th Army. The unit had moved to Guyuan by August 25 and reached Xuanhua by September 7, effectively cutting the railway behind Tang's forces and east of the Chinese defenders along the Great Wall. Following the repulsion of the Oui Column's attack, the Chinese 17th Army withdrew to join the rest of Tang Enbo's forces on the far side of the Sangchien River. Kalgan fell to the Japanese on August 27. After General Fu Zuoyi's 200th and 211th Brigades failed in their counterattack to recapture Kalgan, Fu's forces retreated to the west to defend the railway to Suiyuan at Chaikoupao.  On August 30, the army high command ordered the task force and the China Garrison Army to occupy Chahar Province. The North China Area Army deployed Lieutenant General Itagaki Seishiro's Fifth Division, the theater's strategic reserve, for this operation. The Japanese forces relied on armored units to breach Chinese defenses and utilized rail lines to transport troops and supplies effectively to critical locations throughout Chahar. Although the First Independent Mixed Brigade's tanks and armored cars demonstrated proficiency, the Kwantung Army's assessment of the operation criticized the armored units for their lack of shock effect and frequent mechanical breakdowns. Additionally, these vehicles required significant supplies and maintenance, leading the army to deem them ineffective in combat situations. The Second Air Group provided crucial support for the ground offensive in Chahar. From mid-August, this air group, stationed in Chengde and Jingzhou, conducted bombing raids on enemy positions and transport routes, performed reconnaissance missions, and even airdropped supplies to encircled Japanese forces. To match the rapid advance of the mechanized ground forces, air units were repositioned to advanced airfields. After bombing Taiyuan in late August, some units returned to their home bases, leaving behind two fighter squadrons and two heavy bomber squadrons, which formed a provisional air regiment. By mid-September, the Fifth Division and the Chahar Expeditionary Force were advancing southwest through the rugged mountains of Shanxi Province and captured Datong on September 13. Five days later, anticipating a decisive battle, Lieutenant General Katsuki ordered the Fifth Division to pivot southeast toward Baoding to encircle the retreating Chinese forces. Shortly after repositioning, Itagaki learned from aerial reconnaissance that Chinese units were assembling near Pingxingguan (Dayingzhen) Pass. Concerned that these forces might advance eastward through the pass and threaten his rear, Itagaki dispatched a regimental-sized task force under the command of Major General Miura Keiji, leader of the Twenty-first Brigade, to disperse the enemy troops and control the road on both sides of the pass. Miura's task force departed by truck in the mid-afternoon of the following day, but the overland movement proved much slower and more challenging than anticipated. Travelling along a single rutted dirt track through steep mountains, the forty-nine trucks carrying his infantry and heavy weapons, including crew-served machine guns and battalion artillery, could only manage a speed of seven miles per hour. By late afternoon, the lead elements were still about five miles east of the pass when they encountered a few hundred Chinese troops who had retreated after a brief firefight. As night fell, the Japanese moved cautiously forward and reached a village approximately a mile from the pass, where they encountered stiff resistance, including mortar and automatic weapons fire. After successfully repelling a counterattack by the Chinese Seventy-third Division, Miura launched a night assault. Supported by pack artillery and heavy machine guns, two Japanese companies pushed through the pass and seized the high ground on its west side by early morning. However, Chinese reinforcements soon arrived and attempted to reclaim the lost territory, resulting in ongoing fighting for the heights on September 24. Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist 115th Division, comprising the 685th, 686th, and 687th regiments of the Eighth Route Army, consisting of around 6,000 effective troops under the command of twenty-nine-year-old Lin Biao, maneuvered south around the Japanese rear. By September 24, they had interposed themselves on the road east of the pass, effectively cutting off Miura's task force from its supply base. That same day, the Central Army's Seventy-first Division launched several sharp counterattacks against Miura's outnumbered forces west of the pass, threatening to overrun the Japanese positions. Central Army and Communist forces had planned to attack both flanks of the Japanese at dawn on September 25, but torrential rains delayed the advance of the Central Army reserves. The downpour also muffled the sounds of an approaching Japanese night assault. Utilizing the poor night security of the Chinese, Japanese assault parties surprised the Seventy-first and Eighty-fourth divisions, pushing them from their positions west of the pass. Miura mistakenly believed he controlled both sides of the pass and assumed the Chinese forces were in full retreat. Unbeknownst to him, Lin Biao's troops had blocked the eastern entrance to the pass, prompting him to order a resupply column with rations and ammunition forward from about fifteen miles east of the pass to replenish his depleted task force. The supply train, consisting of seventy horse-drawn wagons and eighty trucks, struggled to make progress along the single dirt track, where sections had become muddy bogs due to the heavy rains. Most of the hundred-plus soldiers handling the horses and wagons were untrained and unarmed. The few regular service corps soldiers carried only ten cavalry carbines, while a single infantry platoon of thirty men provided security. The eighty trucks transported another 176 men, most of whom were not infantry. Therefore, the resupply column was ill-prepared for any trouble. Following a sunken road worn down by centuries of caravans, the column approached the pass through a narrow man-made defile, with its sides rising as high as thirty-five feet above the track. Around mid-morning, about four miles east of the pass, the Chinese Communist 115th Division launched an ambush. Communist troops rained grenades and small-arms fire from the high ground overlooking the road onto the trapped convoy. Although the Japanese fought back desperately, the combination of surprise, advantageous terrain, and overwhelming numbers turned the road into a killing ground. The ambush decimated almost all of the teamsters and the infantrymen who protected the wagons. At his field headquarters, Miura heard the heavy gunfire and explosions and quickly ordered a battalion-sized rescue force to assist the convoy. However, the Chinese 685th Regiment, blocking the only road to the trapped supply train, halted the Japanese battalion. Elements of the 685th and 686th regiments then finished off the motorized convoy, with only five trucks at the rear escaping. After looting weapons, equipment, and clothing, the Communists burned the remaining vehicles and withdrew southwest into the rugged mountains. Although the Communists claimed to have killed 3,000 Japanese troops, the more realistic number is around 200. Nonetheless, Lin Biao's guerrillas had achieved a significant tactical success. While the 115th Division destroyed the Japanese resupply column east of the pass, the Central Army's Sixth and Seventh Army Groups, including the Seventy-first Division, launched a series of day and night assaults against Miura's dispersed units west of the pass. Both sides incurred heavy losses, and the Japanese struggled to maintain control of the high ground as the Chinese fanned out through the valleys and attacked from all sides. Isolated and under heavy attack, the Japanese were low on ammunition, food, and water, lacked proper cold-weather clothing in the frigid mountains, and were greatly outnumbered. They resorted to scavenging ammunition and weapons from fallen Chinese soldiers. Itagaki promptly ordered his 41st and 21st infantry regiments, supported by an infantry regiment from the Kwantung Army located about fifty miles northeast of the pass, to rescue the beleaguered task force. These regiments moved along a narrow mountain road amidst heavy rain, which slowed their progress. The relief force split up about forty miles north of Pingxingguan, with the Twenty-first Regiment swinging westward to outflank the Chinese, while the other two regiments continued toward the pass. To the northwest, the Fifteenth Brigade of the Chahar Expeditionary Force advanced southeastward from Datong to encircle the Chinese. Central Army forces defending along the inner Great Wall, about fifty miles northwest of Pingxingguan, inflicted substantial casualties on the Japanese. The Japanese Forty-first Regiment finally reached Miura on September 28, and on the same day, the Twenty-first Regiment dislodged the stubborn defenders along the Inner Great Wall, roughly forty miles northwest of the pass, disrupting the entire Chinese defense and threatening to surround the besieging forces. Nonetheless, fighting continued through September 29, when the Second Brigade broke through the Chinese Central Army's defenses and advanced westward. Facing potential encirclement and certain destruction, the Japanese Sixth Army Group withdrew southwest the following day. Japanese accounts do not specify overall losses, but Chinese reports claim nearly 3,000 Japanese casualties while acknowledging they suffered ten times that number. After five days of intense fighting in rugged terrain, Miura's forces managed to hold their ground, but their heavy losses and those sustained by relief columns rendered it a Pyrrhic victory. Both Communist and Nationalist Chinese forces retreated southwest, surviving to fight another day. The determination of the Chinese Central Army in both offensive and defensive maneuvers, combined with the skillful hit-and-run tactics of the 115th Division, inflicted significant damage on the Japanese and became a cornerstone of Chinese propaganda. On October 1, the Japanese General Staff ordered the North China Area Army to destroy the Chinese forces in Shanxi Province, which were estimated to number over twenty divisions from either the Shanxi Army or the Central Army, and were fortifying positions in Taiyuan, Yangquan, and Yuanpingzhen. The Japanese Fifth and Twentieth Divisions advanced toward Taiyuan, while the Fifteenth Division, reinforced by a mixed brigade, launched an assault south from Yuanpingzhen on October 13. The Fifteenth Division quickly encountered strong Chinese resistance from well-prepared defenses, which halted its advance. From October 19 to 26, the Twentieth Division faced thirteen Chinese divisions entrenched near Jiuguan. Although they successfully repelled numerous fierce counterattacks, the division was unable to breach the Chinese lines. A maneuver by one of its regiments to the rear of the Chinese defenses forced a withdrawal of Chinese troops. The reconstituted Fifth Division joined the pursuit of the retreating Chinese forces on November 3, reaching Taiyuan five days later. Meanwhile, the Twentieth Division, moving westward, inflicted heavy losses on the Chinese units that were withdrawing from Taiyuan. Overall, given that the offensive aimed to secure territory, it can be considered a tactical and operational success. Shortly thereafter, all Japanese forces, except for the Twentieth Division, withdrew from Shanxi Province. The Chahar campaign concluded with the Kwantung Army in control of Chahar, Suiyuan, and the northern half of Shanxi Province. The Japanese quickly established puppet regimes in the captured territories. 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. In July 1937, tensions between Japan and China erupted following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, leading to fierce fighting as Japanese troops attacked. Chinese defenders, under command of Chiang Kai-shek, bravely resisted despite overwhelming odds, determined to protect their sovereignty. The Battle of Nankou saw relentless assaults, tank warfare, and desperate defense tactics, revealing the depth of Chinese resolve. 

“Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.” (1 Timothy 4:16 NLT) Have you ever fallen unexpectedly? It happened to me several years ago. I was riding my bike on my way to meet my wife at a restaurant for breakfast. Unbeknownst to me, someone had loosened the levers that held the front tire on my bike. As I was crossing a street and approaching the curb, I pulled up on the handlebars. The handlebars and wheel forks pulled up with me. The wheel did not. I ran into the curb, went over the front of the bike, and hit the ground face-first. I didn’t know it was coming, so I didn’t have time to brace myself for the fall. I blacked out for a few seconds. When I came to, some fellow was standing over me. He asked, “Are you okay?” I said I was fine. I wasn’t fine. I was bloodied and bruised. It’s hard to be fine after a fall you didn’t see coming. It’s tempting to say that the same thing applies to unexpected spiritual falls. But I suggest to you that when people fall away from the Lord—when they crash and burn, spiritually speaking—there are always steps leading up to the event. Maybe the people involved weren’t fully aware of the steps, but that doesn’t change the fact that those steps were taking place. We need to realize that nobody falls away overnight or immediately. There’s always a process that unfolds over a period of time. The apostle Paul urged his protégé Timothy not to allow such a process to get started in his life. His words apply to every believer. “Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16 NLT). We must talk the talk and walk the walk. Our words and actions should bring glory to God. People should be able to see Jesus’ life-changing impact in us. We do that by staying true to what is right—that is, studying, understanding, and applying God’s Word. Sometimes we get careless in our approach to Scripture. We listen to people who have ulterior motives in their interpretation of the Bible. We try to stretch God’s Word to fit our political or social agendas. Keep in mind, though, that the serpent’s temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden began with four seemingly harmless words: “Did God really say . . . ?” (Genesis 3:1 NLT). If your enemy can put distance between you and God’s Word, or if he can cause you to doubt or twist what Scripture is really saying, he can make you vulnerable to attack. He can prime you for a fall. You can maintain your spiritual balance by holding fast to God’s Word. If you support yourself with His truths, you can walk with confidence. Reflection question: In what areas do you need to watch your step, spiritually speaking? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I'm good." This was a common response that Mary Beth's son, Michael, used when he didn't want to do something or go somewhere. "Michael, do you want to come with me?" "I'm good." It almost became a bit of a family joke. After Michael died 18 months ago at 21 years of age, his brother, a talented artist, wrote a cartoon depicting Michael in heaven. In the cartoon, his brother was longing to have Michael back with them, here on earth, with their family, so he called heaven. When Jesus answered the phone, he was asked if he could send Michael back home. Jesus responded, "Let me go ask him." Michael's response was typical Michael - "I'm good." The problem, of course, is that although Mary Beth is sure that Michael is 'good', Mary Beth is not. She and their entire family miss Michael terribly. Michael is the second of five sons in an incredibly close family. Although Michael had a long history of anxiety struggles, his family thought he was great. He seemed happy and was completing his college education with a degree in biology. He was a brilliant and talented young man with a bright future ahead of him.  Unbeknownst to his family, however, Michael was suffering inside. Mary Beth was shocked when she found him dead in the room where he had been living at his grandparents' house, and more shocked when they learned that he had taken his own life. After searching his computer, they found an unsent email where he described having homicidal and suicidal thoughts. He was suffering a mental breakdown and shared that he feared that he might kill other people. In that moment, he seemed to feel like the way to protect others was to die himself. Mary Beth did not know how she could go on living after losing Michael, but day by day, she is doing just that. Each day is a challenge, but Mary Beth continues to get up, go to work, and parent their four living boys. Does she expect to cry daily? Of course she does. Can she honestly answer, 'I'm good' when she is asked? Definitely not. But, until that day comes, Mary Beth clings to the knowledge that Michael is most certainly ‘good' up in heaven.

Linda Gunter is the Co-Founder of Love Him Love Them. From the moment of stepping off of the airplane onto Haiti soil, shouts of “Mommy Linda!” immediately arise welcoming David and Linda Gunter back to the place where their ministry Love Him Love Them was forever changed. Unbeknownst to them, the greatest source of life change in their own lives and in the lives of the thousands of people they've since encountered started with a few pairs of flip flops and choosing to step out in faith for the 30 orphans they encountered on Christmas Day 2011 during their first mission trip to Haiti. With a heart for sharing the love of Jesus and making a difference in communities overlooked by others, David and Linda once again set out on an adventure of faith, choosing to do something about what they experienced, which has been the cornerstone of their non-profit since its inception. www.LoveHimLoveThem.org

Transformation doesn't begin in a wellness plan—it starts with one honest moment of saying, “I want more for myself.” Frank Ferrante's raw and remarkable story is a powerful reminder that healing is rarely linear and never perfect. Through addiction, regret, radical self-awareness, and rediscovery, Frank reveals that the heart of wellness is not about fixing what's broken—it's about reconnecting to love, service, and soul-level authenticity. His journey invites us to slow down, stop chasing illusions, and start showing up for ourselves and others with compassion, courage, and a deep sense of gratitude. Key Takeaways: Healing is an emotional and spiritual process that requires honesty, not perfection. Connection—with yourself and with others—is the antidote to addiction, loneliness, and despair. Regret doesn't have to define you; it can become a teacher when met with grace and accountability. True wellness is simple: kindness, presence, and treating everyone (including yourself) like they matter. Gratitude grounds you in the present and softens even the hardest parts of the past.   About Frank Ferrante: At 54 years old, Ferrante was the least likely candidate for a major personal transformation. He weighed close to 300 pounds and suffered from a slew of issues that were his unhappy legacy as an ex-junkie and ex-alcoholic: hepatitis C, chronic fatigue, joint pain, respiratory issues, depression, suicidal thoughts, and a libido that had gone into early retirement. He thought that "vegan" was a planet, "wellness" was not in his vocabulary, and he couldn't be bothered with self-help. He was for those very reasons the best candidate for a major personal transformation.  One day, he stumbled into Café Gratitude—a vegan raw food restaurant run by three 20-something hipsters. Unbeknownst to him, they'd been thinking about finding someone to put on a raw food diet and making a documentary that would be the polar opposite of Super Size Me. Ferrante was looking for something, anything, to create a shift in his life. As he says, "Like zillions of people, I was hungry not so much for food, but for love." Never mind that he was old enough to be the boys' father or that he'd ridiculed the New Age herd for years—he accepted them pretty much on the spot as his new "transformational cheerleaders." With the young men's unexpected support and guidance, Ferrante began a redemptive odyssey that included a plant-based diet, yoga, and daily affirmations—but then faced a battle for his life when his underlying addictions rose up to claim him. May I Be Frank chronicles Ferrante's experience of being the subject of a physical, mental, and spiritual makeover and also describes what happened next, post-transformation: he learned to love again. Social media: https://www.facebook.com/mayibefrankmovie https://www.instagram.com/ferrantefrank https://www.youtube.com/@ferrantefrank ferrantefrank@gmail.com Connect with Dr. Michelle and Bayleigh at: https://smallchangesbigshifts.com hello@smallchangesbigshifts.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/smallchangesbigshifts https://www.facebook.com/SmallChangesBigShifts https://www.instagram.com/smallchangesbigshiftsco   Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.

You might be alarmed to learn that a little-known group in America is being treated inhumanely, denied even the most basic human rights.I refer to our society's callous treatment of AI bots.Who? AI bots are not an ethnic group, but the rapidly-evolving species of advanced “artificial intelligence beings,” spawned in recent years by the high-tech demi-gods of Silicon Valley. Unbeknownst to most of us natural-born humans, profiteering corporations are already deploying millions of these “thinking machines” across our country, taking an ever-widening array of jobs that require a measure of cognitive, human-level abilities – from architects to therapists, lawyers to journalists.However, rather than focusing on the deep ethical and pragmatic questions that this techno-corporate displacement poses for real-life people, the developers of AI's Brave New World are trying to divert social concern to the bots. A recent headline urgently asks, “Should AI Systems Have Rights?” And a leading maker of those systems is proclaiming that society must be concerned about the “mental welfare” of bots. Meanwhile, corporate owners are urging that their machine creatures be given a moral status to assure that they are “ethically treated.”Excuse me, but who are these greedmeisters to set ethical standards? The billionaires of tech have enriched themselves, not by any genius, but by ruthlessly exploiting workers, carelessly polluting our environment, arrogantly violating our laws, stealing from their competitors and consumers, and bribing government officials. They are sleaze.Besides, corporate bots need to go the back of the line! Before we give rights to machines, let's secure the rights that moneyed elites have denied to women, the poor, nature… and democracy itself.Do something!To learn more about AI, ethics, privacy and more, and to support sane advocacy around technology in general, check out the Electronic Frontier Foundation at eff.org.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

From the moment Vesna Vulović saw her friend wearing a flight attendant uniform she knew the job was for her. Vesna loved travelling to different countries and meeting new people. January 25th, 1972 was a day like any other for flight attendant Vesna Vulovic - she checked her schedule and boarded JAT Flight 367 to Belgrade with a layover in Copenhagen, Denmark. Unbeknownst to the crew and passengers, a mid-flight attack would rip the plane apart, and Vesna would be the sole survivor of the incident and a 33,333 ft fall. Please review us in your favorite podcast app! :-) To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com    Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/Marooned    Sources: “Too good to be true?” The Independent, Thu, Jan 26, 2012 ·Page 25 “woman survives 30,000ft fall” The Muskegon Chronicle, Fri, Jan 28, 1972 ·Page 1 "She's the luckiest girl alive" The Toronto Star Tue, Dec 26, 1972 ·Page 17 “Ex flight attendant survived 33,000-foot fall” Honolulu Star-Advertiser Sun, Dec 25, 2016 ·Page B6 "Stewardess survives plane crash" South Florida Sun Sentinel Sun, Dec 25, 2016 ·Page B4 Greenlight interview

When Heather from Kentucky was suddenly awakened by a blaring song from her phone in the early hours of the morning, she had no idea her world was changing at that very moment. Unbeknownst to her, her beloved uncle had just coded—clinically dead for over 40 minutes. Was it a glitch, a coincidence… or something more? Heather's daughter, known for her vivid dreams and unspoken insights, had been unusually quiet in the days leading up to this moment. A familiar hymn. A glowing screen. And a bed that jolted with unseen force. Was it her uncle, already passing through to say goodbye? If you have a real ghost story or supernatural event to report, please write into our show or call 1-855-853-4802! If you like the show, please help keep us on the air and support the show by becoming a Premium Subscriber. Subscribe here: http://www.ghostpodcast.com/?page_id=118 or at or at http://www.patreon.com/realghoststories