Podcasts about uneven

Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry are bringing you the latest from the second day of Patriots mini-camp. We hear from Stefon Diggs about his viral video over memorial day weekend. Plus Mike Vrabel has a lot of good things to say about undrafted rookie Efton Chism.  00:32: Stefon Diggs addresses viral boat video in Miami over memorial day weekend4:30: Should Patriots be concerned about Stefon Diggs being a distraction this season?7:20: Stefon Diggs 'making it clear' that he's ready to do a lot.12:30: Defense had a day at mini-camp! Phil Perry recounts Christian Gonzalez's play of the day (or even the Spring).  13:30: Uneven day for Drake Maye and the Patriots offense20:10: Why Phil Perry would make a trade for Terry McLaurin25:30: Early predictions: Efton Chism will make the Patriots roster WATCH every episode of the Patriots Talk podcast on YouTubeFollow NBC Sports Boston:NBCSportsBoston.comX @NBCSpatriotsFacebookInstagramTikTok

In this episode, we discuss the recent conversations surrounding Aubrey Marcus and the broader cultural shift toward open relationships and polygamy. We take a critical look at the normalization of these dynamics, the misuse of plant medicine, and who often ends up carrying the emotional burden in so-called "evolved" relationship models. From power imbalances to the importance of personal accountability, this conversation is about values, boundaries, and what it really means to commit to someone.If you've ever questioned the direction modern relationship culture is heading—or felt uneasy about what's being glorified online—this episode is for you.We talk about:-Taking responsibility for your actions-Whether monogamy is truly “natural”-How shame can serve a purpose-Uneven power dynamics in relationships-The danger of “evolving” out of commitment-Sacrifices required in real relationshipsTime Stamps: 0:00 Introduction4:10 plant medicine and proper uses11:42 Aubrey Marcus interview15:30 lowering the standards19:35 uneven power dynamics24:50 justifying your actions33:40 glorifying polygamy37:50 hiding your problems behind excuses40:35 getting stuck in an echo chamber44:30 sensing red flags47:38 key factor of a narcissist 51:03 negativity on social media55:07 being a reflection of your partnerCONNECT WITH KAIT:IG: https://www.instagram.com/kaitannmichelle/Email: https://go.maverickonlinecoaching.net/mailing-listFree FB Community: : https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18fyYCSZgn/?mibextid=K35XfPCONNECT WITH MAVERICK:IG: https://www.instagram.com/maverickonlinecoaching/SLAE: https://www.instagram.com/slaehormonesolutions/Website for SLAE Hormone Solution: https://slaehormonesolutions.com/Website for Maverick Online Coaching: https://maverickonlinecoaching.net/coachingAsk anonymous questions: https://ngl.link/maverickonlinecoaching1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss the recent conversations surrounding Aubrey Marcus and the broader cultural shift toward open relationships and polygamy. We take a critical look at the normalization of these dynamics, the misuse of plant medicine, and who often ends up carrying the emotional burden in so-called "evolved" relationship models. From power imbalances to the importance of personal accountability, this conversation is about values, boundaries, and what it really means to commit to someone.If you've ever questioned the direction modern relationship culture is heading—or felt uneasy about what's being glorified online—this episode is for you.We talk about:-Taking responsibility for your actions-Whether monogamy is truly “natural”-How shame can serve a purpose-Uneven power dynamics in relationships-The danger of “evolving” out of commitment-Sacrifices required in real relationshipsTime Stamps: 0:00 Introduction4:10 plant medicine and proper uses11:42 Aubrey Marcus interview15:30 lowering the standards19:35 uneven power dynamics24:50 justifying your actions33:40 glorifying polygamy37:50 hiding your problems behind excuses40:35 getting stuck in an echo chamber44:30 sensing red flags47:38 key factor of a narcissist 51:03 negativity on social media55:07 being a reflection of your partnerCONNECT WITH KAIT:IG: https://www.instagram.com/kaitannmichelle/Email: https://go.maverickonlinecoaching.net/mailing-listFree FB Community: : https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18fyYCSZgn/?mibextid=K35XfPCONNECT WITH MAVERICK:IG: https://www.instagram.com/maverickonlinecoaching/SLAE: https://www.instagram.com/slaehormonesolutions/Website for SLAE Hormone Solution: https://slaehormonesolutions.com/Website for Maverick Online Coaching: https://maverickonlinecoaching.net/coachingAsk anonymous questions: https://ngl.link/maverickonlinecoaching1

Join us for the first episode of our summer series, "Road Trip," where we explore the journey of life and the unexpected twists and turns that come our way. In this episode, Bradley, our Family Engagement Pastor, shares personal anecdotes about road trips and how they parallel our life experiences. We dive deep into the struggles faced by early Christians in Philippi, who grappled with their faith amidst persecution and uncertainty. Paul, a key figure in the early church, offers profound insights on finding joy in the midst of chaos. Discover how to shift your perspective from the "what" of your circumstances to the "who" of your faith. Learn practical steps to cultivate joy, including how to take your disappointments to God and intentionally focus on positive thoughts. Whether you're feeling lost, overwhelmed, or simply seeking a deeper connection with your faith, this episode is packed with encouragement and actionable advice. Key Takeaways: - The importance of joy in our lives, regardless of circumstances - How to shift your focus from external situations to internal faith - Practical steps to take your worries to God and cultivate a positive mindset Questions to Reflect On: 1. What is my source of joy? 2. Where am I taking my disappointments? 3. What thoughts am I practicing? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We are an alternative to church as usual. Our Sunday worship service is approximately a 75-minute experience designed to introduce people to the message of Jesus and equip believers to live their lives in response to the Gospel while their kids enjoy one of our safe children's environments. Centerpoint is designed to meet you wherever you are on the journey whether you are just checking out the "church thing" or you are a committed Christ follower. Centerpoint is a casual environment that combines today's music with creative media and relevant teaching. We hope you will visit us at Centerpoint Church regardless of what your past church experience has looked like.

The best conversations about the Patriots this week from The Greg Hill Show, Jones & Keefe, and WEEI Afternoons. Reacting to the viral Stefon Diggs video and Mike Vrabel's response to it. Did the new head coach clear one of his first hurdles with New England? Plus, some thoughts on what actually happened on the field during OTAs this week, including a performance from Drake Maye that left much to be desired. That and more on Best of the Patriots on WEEI!

The best conversations about the Patriots this week from The Greg Hill Show, Jones & Keefe, and WEEI Afternoons. Reacting to the viral Stefon Diggs video and Mike Vrabel's response to it. Did the new head coach clear one of his first hurdles with New England? Plus, some thoughts on what actually happened on the field during OTAs this week, including a performance from Drake Maye that left much to be desired. That and more on Best of the Patriots on WEEI!

The best conversations about the Patriots this week from The Greg Hill Show, Jones & Keefe, and WEEI Afternoons. Reacting to the viral Stefon Diggs video and Mike Vrabel's response to it. Did the new head coach clear one of his first hurdles with New England? Plus, some thoughts on what actually happened on the field during OTAs this week, including a performance from Drake Maye that left much to be desired. That and more on Best of the Patriots on WEEI!

Tom E. Curran joins Hart, Fitzy, and Ted to recap the last week of Patriots training camp. He is interested to see how Mike Vrabel addresses the Stefon Diggs situation. Kyle Williams has impressed so far in OTAs.

Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry are down at Gillete for Wednesday's OTA. They react to Mike Vrabel's comments from the day, and they talk about what they saw from the players. They also touch on the recent controversy surrounding Stefon Diggs and a viral video showing him holding an unknown substance while partying.0:47 - 1 word to describe Patriots OTA5:24 - Mike Vrabel making expectations clear to Javon Baker9:44 - Hitting on Stefon Diggs' viral video with unknown substance on a yacht13:51 - Popped and dropped14:04 - Josh Dobbs had a rough day at Wednesday's OTA16:57 - Curran doesn't think Mike Onwenu will be ready “for a minute” WATCH every episode of the Patriots Talk podcast on YouTubeFollow NBC Sports Boston:NBCSportsBoston.comX @NBCSpatriotsFacebookInstagramTikTok

What if the reason life feels so off... is because your wheels are out of balance? In this episode, I introduce you to a powerful framework called The Body Vehicle—a tool I learned through the YourDay Balance Game that completely shifted how I understand (and live) life balance. Here's the idea: If your life is a car, you've got five essential wheels—Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, Social, and Physical. When those wheels are under-inflated, over-inflated, or straight up missing... your ride through life gets bumpy. Uneven. Chaotic. This isn't just metaphor—it's feedback. And in this episode, I break it all down: What each of the 5 wheels represents How to tell when you're out of alignment Simple ways to get back in balance without adding more to your plate If you've been grinding through life, wondering why it feels so damn hard despite doing “all the right things,” this episode is your mirror. Time to check your tires. Let's smooth out the ride—together. STRUGGLING WITH CONSISTENCY?  Download the free "trust account" app from the YourDay Balance Game, and start building trust with YOURSELF today!  Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.balancegame.ydbg iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ydbg-watch-play-discover/id1489276659 FEELING THE IMPACT OF CODEPENDENCY? Watch the free #1 obstacle video and learn what derails all successful people and keeps them from moving from codependent to independent https://theydbg.com/obstacle-video/ WANT TO FEEL MORE CLARITY, CONFIDENCE AND PURPOSE? Get the "Having It A.L.L. Blueprint", my self-paced online program for designing and living your greatest life! https://hia.ck.page/products/blueprint CHECK OUT SOME OFFERS FROM OUR AWESOME PARTNERS Needed: https://bit.ly/3IKmWzL - use code HIA20 to get 20% off your order or HIA100 for $100 off a Complete Plan LEAVE THE PODCAST A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/having-it-all-conversations-about-living-an-abundant/id1093257684 CHECK OUT THE ENTIRE HAVING IT A.L.L. PODCAST CATALOG https://www.matthewbivens.com/ GET IN TOUCH WITH MATTHEW matthew@matthewbivens.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few understand both the promise and limitations of artificial general intelligence better than Jack Clark, co-founder of Anthropic. With a background in journalism and the humanities that sets him apart in Silicon Valley, Clark offers a refreshingly sober assessment of AI's economic impact—predicting growth of 3-5% rather than the 20-30% touted by techno-optimists—based on his firsthand experience of repeatedly underestimating AI progress while still recognizing the physical world's resistance to digital transformation. In this conversation, Jack and Tyler explore which parts of the economy AGI will affect last, where AI will encounter the strongest legal obstacles, the prospect of AI teddy bears, what AI means for the economics of journalism, how competitive the LLM sector will become, why he's relatively bearish on AI-fueled economic growth, how AI will change American cities, what we'll do with abundant compute, how the law should handle autonomous AI agents, whether we're entering the age of manager nerds, AI consciousness, when we'll be able to speak directly to dolphins, AI and national sovereignty,  how the UK and Singapore might position themselves as AI hubs, what Clark hopes to learn next, and much more. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video. Recorded March 28th, 2025. Help keep the show ad free by donating today! Other ways to connect Follow us on X and Instagram Follow Tyler on X Follow Jack on X Sign up for our newsletter Join our Discord Email us: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Learn more about Conversations with Tyler and other Mercatus Center podcasts here.

We've all felt it. That awkward disconnect when the vibe is off and you're wondering how you ended up across the table from someone who just isn't where you are. Maybe you're in different stages of life, chasing different things, or just not clear on what the other actually wants. Whatever the reason, the moment hits: this isn't it. It's not easy to find someone emotionally mature enough to show up. Someone who isn't hiding behind the damage of past relationships or stuck reliving the pain of a breakup they never really moved on from. And even harder? Finding someone willing to do the work, to build something real, instead of ghosting or bailing the minute things get remotely tough or inconvenient. But this isn't just an episode for people looking for love. It's about communication, emotional availability, and knowing what you bring to the table—because relationships, romantic or not, reveal a lot about who we are and how we lead. In this episode, Brett gets personal and delivers the truth about: Confronting our cultural epidemic of “busy” and what it's really masking When a relationship is worth fixing—and when to let it go How to assess emotional and logistical availability (for them and for you) Protecting your self-worth from people who chip away at it bit by bit. Why dating apps thrive in the same way every addictive algorithm does *BONUS* Brett's best dating advice: simple but far from easy Coming Later This Year – The (Im)perfect Relationship Course If this episode hit home, there's more where that came from. Hop on the waitlist here to be the first to know when doors open. And check out artofcoaching.com/events to stay up to date on our upcoming workshops, where we dive deep into communication, leadership, and the skills that actually build better relationships in work, life, and love. Folsom Brand Builder Are you a coach, entrepreneur, or speaker who wants to turn your expertise into something that actually pays the bills? Whether you've never made a dollar or just brought in your first million, Brand Builder is for you! Spend two interactive days in Folsom, CA, getting crystal clear on your messaging, attracting the right clients, and building a business that scales. You'll leave with clarity, confidence, and a framework that lets you do what you love—on your terms.

Click to connect: https://beyondchurch.org.au/connect-and-giving-pageHow to make a Financial Contribution: https://beyondchurch.org.au/online-givingLet us know you're saying YES to Jesus today: https://beyondchurch.org.au/yes-to-jesusWe would love to pray with you: https://beyondchurch.org.au/prayerTake your next step with Beyond Church: https://beyondchurch.org.au/next-stepsSubscribe to our Apple Podcast here: https://beyondchurch.org.au/ApplePodcast Subscribe to our Spotify Podcast here: https://beyondchurch.org.au/SpotifyPodcastSubscribe to our Leadership Podcast on Apple here: https://beyondchurch.org.au/LeadershipPodcast/AppleSubscribe to our Leadership Podcast on Spotify here: https://beyondchurch.org.au/LeadershipPodcast/SpotifySubscribe to our YouTube Channel here: https://beyondchurch.org.au/YouTubeSubscription Follow us on Facebook here:Cessnock - https://www.facebook.com/Beyond.Church.CessnockOnline - https://www.facebook.com/beyond.church.onlineReview us here: http://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJKxsxm5Q0c2sRaQPlvZf2yAE

In this conversation, Laura welcomes Nicole Palmer to discuss the unique experiences of Black women in corporate America, with regard to managing uneven power dynamics. Nicole shares the inspiration behind her book, and the concept of 'Black womaning' as a way to navigate the challenges faced in the workplace. They explore themes of fear, purpose, and the shared experiences of Black women across various industries, emphasizing the need for support and understanding in overcoming obstacles. Nicole also shares her personal journey of navigating a toxic work environment, the impact of PTSD, and the steps she took towards healing from workplace trauma, including self-forgiveness and practicing emotional detachment. Through Nicole's story, they explore the challenges of navigating uneven power relationships and the importance of setting boundaries to foster healthy workplace relationships.    About Nicole Nicole S. Palmer is an author, founding partner of publishing company Delnic Media, and host of 5-star rated podcast Black Womaning in Corporate America™. She is also the author of “Playing the Game While Black Womaning in Corporate America.” When she isn't writing, she's speaking, and she's usually talking about equity. Connect with Nicole Website: https://delnicmedia.com Instagram @nicolespalmer Nicole on LinkedIn ​​ Purchase Nicole's book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.   Resources: Event: Join us for the 2025 Black Woman Leading LIVE! Conference +Retreat, May 27-30, 2025 in Virginia Beach! Learn more at bwlretreat.com Full podcast episodes are now on Youtube.  Subscribe to the BWL channel today!   Credits: Learn about all Black Woman Leading® programs, resources, and events at www.blackwomanleading.com Learn more about our consulting work with organizations at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com/ Email Laura: info@knightsconsultinggroup.com Connect with Laura on LinkedIn Follow BWL on LinkedIn Instagram: @blackwomanleading Facebook: @blackwomanleading Youtube: @blackwomanleading  Podcast Music & Production: Marshall Knights  Graphics: Téa Campbell Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher iHeartRadio Audible Podbay  

Nik, Keefy and Don end our latest Metallica series with the ill-attempted "S & M." Is some of it great? Yes. We delve deep into what works, and what does not work at all. You might be surprised which is which. Keefy is upset at Nik, again.Don gets shame boners like a teenagerNik is 100% Nik and you have to love him, even Keefy does. Check out our last series on series on Pink Floydhttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... For Rock and Metal news: https://www.ghostcultmag.comFor vinyl porn: https://www.instagram.com/Glacially_M...To support the Pouredcast: https://linktr.ee/GlaciallyMusicalPou... Invest In Vinyl mylar inner sleeves https://amzn.to/3pPLQaA Timestamp: 0:00 Intro Nik "The Delicious Dish" Cameron, and Don "Captain Lateness" De Leaumont, and Keefy "Crudup"1:52 Beer of The Week ✅ Nik - 3 Floyds Beer, Don - Yuengling, Keefy - Liquid Death Seltzer new flavor with Stevia and filled with sadness 6:30 Vinyl ✅ Nik - Ann Wilson of Heart + Billy Joel, Don - Kati Ran reissue, Keefy - Spotlights + Mark Morton of Lamb of God16:20 News Keefy - Record Store Date fallout, Nik's rsd finds, Don did not like RSD and has Foreigner news35:41 Shirt ✅ Nik - More Cowbell, Don - Stay Inside Club, Keefy - Type O Negative39:00 The Meat of The Episode ✅ "S & M" is not as good as you remember. In fact it's much worse125:00 ✅ Outro - Please like and subscribe! Tell your friends!

Emma, Tabitha, and Maura chat about the immaculate vibes of Education in Malice by ST Gibson. Vibes include dark academia, sultry poetry, lesbian vampires, collegiate rituals, and a virgin freshman. EPISODE INCLUDES SPOILERSContent warnings for book: Uneven power dynamics, violence, murder, blood, consensual sexual content, substance use, homophobia (mentioned).Join our newsletter! ⁠Follow us:TikTok: ⁠recap.romantasy⁠Instagram: recapping.romantasyThreads: recapping.romantasyEmail us: ⁠recapping.romantasy@gmail.com⁠Don't forget to send this podcast to your fellow romantasy readers!Music credit: Ian Aisling

Milwaukee went 3-3 out west and got some encouraging performances from its patchwork starting rotation, so that's good news, right? Bullpen struggles played a role in all three losses, especially for Joel Payamps, and a 4-0 lead lost in the ninth Saturday looms large. Brewers reporter Curt Hogg and host JR Radcliffe discuss the bullpen and whether personnel moves are called for. Are we closer to Craig Yoho? They revisit the early-week trade for Quinn Priester and whether or not it was too high a price, plus the other roster move in December that looms over everything. The rotation got lots of good news, including the debut of Jose Quintana, a credible debut for Priester and yet another strong showing by Chad Patrick. Brice Turang just keeps hitting the ball hard and William Contreras may have turned a corner, but what about Rhys Hoskins, Joey Ortiz and Christian Yelich? In Three Up, Three Down (37:20), Tyler Alexander makes a circus catch and Jackson Chourio is chasing a weird bit of Brewers history. In Remembrew When (47:50), we visit one of the many Quintana outings against the Brewers, and Curt Blanche (55:10) has a spicy video-game take. Then, JR sits down with Jake Bauers (59:15), Brewers first baseman, to discuss his path to the big leagues, how seriously he takes his unconventional role as mop-up pitcher and his memories of last year's dramatic playoff homer ... and why he thinks it's a springboard into this season. Music intro from bensound.com. Musical cues (in order): "I Got What You Want" (Extended Version) by Gloria Tells, "Arriving at Dusk" by American Legion and "Screaming Fool" by Andreas Dahlback, all from www.epidemicsound.com.

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Will Stubbs (England) is the Managing Director of Zen Golf.   He holds a BSc in Sports Development with Coaching and an MSc in Sports and Execise Science.  His Masters thesis research identified how golf coaching paradigms must change from technique-driven practice to adhere to the dynamic nature where the performer is interacting with the ever-changing environment.  This makes him one of the foremost minds in Skill Acquisition coaching Based in England and established over 20 years ago, Zen is more than a ‘moving floor'. Their unique Adaptive Terrain Technology (ATT) instantly transforms the golf landscape and enjoyment of the game. Zen Golf gives you the world's most true-to-life, most immersive indoor golf experience by recreating the slopes you find on a real golf course. Gradients of all kinds, on every shot and every putt, on the Zen Tour performance playing surfaces. How Technique changes given Undulation and Slope changes How Biomechanics change off varying Slopes How Practice should include work off Uneven lies The Skill of "reading" the game and the environment and making the requisite technique adjustments necessary for success Physical skill Acquistion vs Mental Skill Acquisition Building Confidence and Competence at the same time Using Uneven Lies to make Golf-swing Adjustments Using Zen Green Stages to Improve Green-reading Recreating Environments to Improve On-course Performance How to Create a completely Representative Learning Environment incl.: Gapping Clubs and Figuring Distances off Uneven Lies.  Putting on Slopes. Learning Skills over Technique. Solving Environmental Challenges. Learning the Skill of Adaptability. Will also descibes the types of Zen Green Stages and gives a green-reading lesson lesson on a Zen Putting Green.  To watch this and see Will give a demonstration search and subscribe to Mark Immelman on YouTube.    

Women's Gymnastics: "Okamura," 2 Other New Uneven Bars Skills Officially Named

Let us know your views now - text us hereSam, Ashley and Lewis take a deep breath about all the crazy happenings from America. How worried should the rest of the world be about developments in the White House? British TV writer Russell T Davies says he's noticed a change and an increase in hatred towards LGBTQ people. Chris, whose 48 from Nebraska in the States tells us his bisexual journey story - Chris works for the military. How's he coping with recent pronouncements from the Trump regime?Sam, Ashley and Lewis talk candidly about 'the trouble with straight men' after a queer woman said she's stopped dating heterosexual men.Would you consider polyamory? activist Zachary Zane says it's made him truly realise his bisexuality. But could Lewis, Sam, Ashley and Tom ever embrace being poly themselves?Bi actor and writer Tom Ward-Thomas joins Ashley to chat all things film, tv, theatre, radio - and this time books! Maurice, the coming of age gay EM Forster novel was made into a film with Hugh Grant, James Wilby and Rupert Graves. How much of it actually had a bi theme in reality?Bi author Sam Mills tells her bisexual journey story as she talks to Ashley about her new book 'Uneven' which charts the lives of 9 famous bi people through history starting with Oscar Wilde.The packed show concludes with another 'Ask a Bisexual'. If you have a question, do please drop us a line.Heads up - another Bisexual Brunch will be out soon including stories from Imogen in Guernsey and David in Belgium. And we've an episode discussing bisexual experience of dating apps coming up. If you'd like to be part of that discussion message us at info@madeinmanchester.tv OR contact us via the Fan Mail tab (text link above) on Buzzsprout. But remember to leave your contact details.Support the show

Ed and Jeremy took some time from Monday's BBMS to talk Birds with Ryan Ripken. The start to the O's season hasn't been great, though some are saying it's too early to say that their season is in danger. What can the O's do to right the ship?

A Butterfly wants to kill the World?Book 3 in 18 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.Although Love is both fire and shadow, we often forget to take comfort from the coolness of the memories when the burning flames are absentThere were precisely two things, okay, four things, keeping me alive. The fourth thing would come to her later when her 'furious was replaced by her 'curious' ~ as in how I knew her inhuman lingo ~ which would lead to my legacy with Grandpa.The top three reasons -She had poked my chest. It was a challenge, calling for one of my guardians to come out and play. The avatar knew I was the chosen heir of the Goddess Ishara and my goddess had devoted a good deal of time and effort to my survival and continued service in her cause. If Ishara made an 'appearance', it would be enough reason to not eviscerate me for my foul treatment of her august personage.Nope. It seemed Ishara was busy at the moment.Still, she most likely knew SzelAnya had shown a keen interest in me in Romania, though I'd never told Selena, or any other member of the 9 Clans, the Dragon's Daughter had killed Ajax for me. Figuring out SzelAnya, a storm deity, had helped me and Aya escape from our kidnapping in the midst of a cyclone in the Pacific Ocean wasn't much of a reach.But no bolt of lightning coalesced from my chest to singe her finger. No clap of thunder. Not even a cloud with a hint of disfavor appeared above us.Her obsidian fingernail began penetrating my shirt, touched my skin, then drew my blood, and something 'twitched'.That would be Contestant Goddess #3. She wasn't actually hanging around me. She didn't have to. She'd left me a memento of our last shindig before we parted ways. That was the nightmare-inducing episode where she, the chthonic goddess Sarrat Irkalli, had compressed one man's body into a dagger and then proceeded to suck another's soul into it to use as a power source for an Airbus 350 (a commercial airliner, if you didn't know).I still had that snaggletooth-looking thing at my back. Well who the Hell was I going to leave it with? Honestly, the only people I felt could keep it safe I loved too much to curse with it. Anyway, the second her divine claw touched my blood, the long dormant weapon whispered to me in a somewhat bored, lofty feminine voice from beyond the grave,Do you want me to discorporate this pathetic has-been for you?Quick check. Only the avatar and I, and her priestess-savant heard that. Of course, in downtown, New York City, noon Sunday, how weird would such a declaration be? The avatar's eyebrow arched. Her big bat-ears (still looking human to the normal viewing public) flicked this way and that, figuring out precisely where the threat originated from. Slowly, her once poking hand began to slide across my chest, along my ribs and around my back.She touched the dagger. Nothing.Gingerly, she drew it forth. I'd had a makeshift sheath made. As the blade made its journey around me, she took a half-step back to better observe it."Please don't kill him!" Theddy squealed. "We haven't had sex yet!"Being 'who' and 'what' she was, the avatar did what came natural. Fortunately for Theddy, I'd become accustomed to working with psychopaths.She stabbed the dagger at Theddy. I clamped my hand down on her wrist. The claws of her left hand came down on my constraining wrist. My free hand came down on that hand, trying to pry it free. It was a hopeless struggle, except.Yes, my old friend 'except'. Except the avatar was holding the dagger. As powerful as Ītzpāpālōtl was, she wasn't pushing against me. She was pushing against Sarrat Irkalli.Ītzpāpālōtl was a living, breathing terror machine who killed and received sacrifices on a regular basis.Sarrat Irkalli hadn't been actively worshipped in 3,000 years.Uneven contest? Oh yeah.See, Ītzpāpālōtl had spent the past 500 years continuously fighting against the Weave to keep her fingers on this side of reality.Meanwhile, for the most part, Sarrat Irkalli had sat upon her throne in the Sumerian Underworld with hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of souls toiling under her watchful gaze for eternity. Sure, her version of Hell wasn't getting any fresh deposits, but she knew how to milk the system well.Even the bad karma for the dagger's creation wasn't hers. She'd stolen it from the foolish Gong Tau sorcerers who had meant to enslave my soul, aka one-third of the Baraqu-Alal-Cáel deal she'd worked out millennia ago. It was the Weave giving her a 'freebie' for playing by the rules, if you considered the Weave sentient.And now Ītzpāpālōtl was touching it. Whoops. It wasn't as if Ītzpāpālōtl was stupid. It isn't like there are tons of magic weapons running around, much less soul-munchers like the one I had. Rationally, who would give a novice like me, a weapon like this? I say again, 'whoops'.Once I'd figured this out, I couldn't stop being me."Theddy, do you like girls?""What?" she squeaked. Here was this psycho trying to drive a Smilodon incisor into her bosom and I was giving her a sex quiz.Ītzpāpālōtl was really starting to struggle now."I, ah, are you okay?" she continued."Oh, I'm dandy. I'm serious. You think this chick is hot? I mean, would you do her in a three-way?" I proposed casually."Timothy?" Sovann."Bro?" Timothy to me."It's all good. Sovann, you want to know what my life is like? This lady who came to discuss business with me today is an immortal mass murderer. You give the word, I'll let go and this knife is going to cut her up like a Ginsu blade on market day because just cutting her heart out isn't going to be enough. Worse. Eventually she'll get back up.""Timothy?" Sovann repeated, this time with more concern. He thought I was nuts. I released my left hand. The blade flipped up, twisting in the avatar's grasp. That was the point her minions figured out something was wrong."El Amado?" the priestess-savant called out softly. The three goons began reaching for 'things'."Call them off, or I open my other hand," I cautioned the avatar. She spared me a swift, hostile look. My fingers tingled."Esten quietos!" she snapped. They stopped."Cáel, bad day, or not. This isn't you. Stop it. The girl's in danger," Timothy spoke up. He didn't mean Theddy. He meant the avatar."I'm being a real asshole, aren't I?" I sighed."Pretty much. You never let the bitches get to you before. Girl pops an attitude, you smile and move on. Life is too short," he reminded me. Too true."I'm going to put my hand over the blade," I told Ītzpāpālōtl. "When I do, you can let go."She didn't say anything for several seconds, even after my left hand covered the semi-serrated edge."Why should I trust you?" she sizzled."Because 'me' letting anything bad happen to you would make me a total, judgmental jerk. I don't know you. Whatever you did before you showed up today shouldn't matter to me. I acted stupidly. I should have stopped you. I didn't. I didn't even warn you and I could have. I was angry, and not even at you. Just angry and I apologize. Now, let go.""Why?""Hi. I'm Cáel Nyilas. Can I have my knife back? Please?"Blink. She released it. For a millisecond, it wanted to do something else because bitches are bitches. It didn't, so my palm wasn't sliced open. My right hand took the hilt. I carefully put the blade away."Yes," Theddy gulped."Huh?" Sovann shook his head at the sudden evaporation of the life and death tension. Welcome to my life. Theddy meant 'yes' to the 'girl-girl-guy' thing I had proposed earlier. It pays to keep things prioritized."What is this movie you were talking about?" Ītzpāpālōtl asked. Had she forgiven me for anything which had transpired? Bwahahaha, no way. She was taking the initiative and going with Option 1 from my earlier insane diatribe."Wait!" Sovann nearly shouted. "You nearly, I don't know, threatened Cáel's life and tried to stab Theddy and now you think you can go with us to a movie?""I told you," Timothy put an arm around his shoulder, "life with Cáel is rarely dull.""I thought you meant he was fun to party with, or something like that," Sovann looked up at his lover. "I thought his uncle showing up, and trying to kill him and then being blown the fuck away by those women and federal agents, and that other girl who pointed a gun at us, is this the new normal?""I love you, Sovann," Timothy grew compassionate. "Cáel is my best friend. He'd never deliberately hurt either of us and normal friends are something he has in short supply. Today being a great case in point."Ten seconds passed."The title is 'As Above, So Below'," Sovann addressed the avatar, "and what do we call you?"Since 'if you are not a worshiper and addressing me, I normally am about to kill you' would sound really cool in Olmec-ic, but I might be asked to translate,"How about we go with 'Obsidian', please?" I pleaded with her.She knew I was currying favor now ~ and behaving like a weather vane caught in the wall of a tornado ~ she gave a gracious bow of her head."Obsidian will do for now. Is the Legend of the dagger 'business'?" Translation: it had better not be."No," I smiled. "It's pillow talk." Rancor, 'how presumptuous', followed by 'but that dagger ups the count to three Goddess interested in him', and next to recalling all the trivial babble about me being a sexual dynamo (I prayed my PR was that good) having some relevance. Her chimera emotions allowed me to get a few more crucial words out, because even women who aren't sleeping with me are jealous."Esta mujer fue la primera en ofrecer bienes funerarios tras la muerte dee mi padre," I reinserted Theddy back into my close company. For some reason, Obsidian considered me unreliable thus had to verify what I'd just said."Did you make funerary offering upon his father's passing?" she asked Theddy. Let's think about this. The wacko chick questioning Theddy had tried to stab a huge freaking blade into her not a minute ago. Fleeing in terror while screaming for the cops? Nope."Yes. I baked him some walnut and caramel chip cookies," she nodded. "It is a family recipe." Sovann looked over the three of us, then back to Timothy."I told you 'that's impressive cocking like I've never seen before'," he explained."She may remain," Obsidian 'permitted'. Theddy wrapped up my right arm with her left and gave it a squeeze. She wanted attention/explanation."Obsidian is a Master Vampire, Theddy," I leaned in and whispered. "Before she was turned, she was captured in a raid by the fey, mentally, spiritually and physically raped and made into their sex-slave. Part of her spirit never healed properly. While this imperfection allows her to walk around in daylight, her heart can never hold on to any emotion for long, so she is forced to forever seek passion, no matter how dangerous, from the world around her."Revealing secrets? Ha. I had noticed Theddy had every work done by Laurel K. Hamilton in her place, including the comic book series."You are not supposed to know, so act like I didn't tell you anything, okay?"'Okay,' she mouthed back at me. I could see it in her eyes. My chaotic life suddenly 'made sense' to her because a best-selling fiction author said so.Obsidian thought the movie was; hilarious. She couldn't stop snickering, giggling and poking at me as horrible shit happened to the various actors. She thought the plot was 'insightful' and wouldn't stop whispering to me throughout the entire thing. During the closing credits, I told her I'd get her the DVD for Christmas ~ she knew the concept behind digital technology, but didn't own any ~ she kissed me.The first kiss was fierce and joyous with the added benefit of her tongue doing things no normal tongue could do, it stretched. Not sure how I felt about that. The second kiss was more sultry, longer and came with some accompanying body action which, I'm no virgin. Not even close. She was on my left side, so when she twisted in her seat, her left leg insinuated itself between mine. Her left hand cupped my jaw and held my head in place as her lips played along mine.A dance of the scorpion perhaps? Tender at first, then suddenly stabbing, dominant and brutal. My lips and tongue battled back, using my superior Kiss-fu to nullify her natural strength and agility. She liked it. By her moaning, she liked it a lot. As the kiss progressed, more and more of her flowed from her seat into my seat, body facing me. Her body rose over mine, forcing my neck back to maintain contact."So, Dot Ishara is hovering around somewhere close, isn't she?" I murmured as our lips separated barely a centimeter apart. One chick kissing you to make another one jealous. It's happened to me plenty of times. Obsidian didn't give a damn about Theddy, or any other mortal woman in close proximity so,"Yes," she purred. "Do you mate with her?""A man does not brag of such things, but no, unless heavy petting counts?""What will she do to you when I steal your seed?"'When'? Why was I not surprised? Why was I not surprised another concussion was in my immediate future either? Was it possible I was, learning?"Chastise me for not fighting harder," I breathed across her lips, "and, in case you forgot, I'm on a date with the girl beside me.""Who I care nothing for," she sent a cruelly playful look Theddy's way. Wisely, the girl shivered."Who I am indebted to and how I honor my debts might matter to you," I hazarded. My words hurt Theddy's feelings. That was on purpose. Obsidian took pleasure in me hurting Theddy because she was basically a vicious monster."Yes?" I pressed her gently."Yes," Obsidian allowed, easing up slightly both romantically and physically."And Theddy, if you believe I'm with you solely because of some sense of obligation, you clearly haven't been listening to your recordings," I shot the human girl a wink."Oh.""Am I, or am I not, a sex-obsessed little monkey?" I teased her. Theddy giggled. I paid for my diversion with four obsidian claws to my ribs outside of Theddy's view. After all, it wasn't like Theddy could possibly compete with her for my attention. Considering Obsidian's legendary ability to rip open her opponent's ribcages and feast upon their hearts, I slipped my left hand, the one next to her between her legs and stroked her cotton-slacks covered cunt.Theddy hugged my right arm and put her head against my shoulder. Not to be outdone," Qu  un centenar dee hombres se quemaron vivos como el sonido?" Obsidian inquired with sexually sadistic hunger. Ah, memories of burning 7P Commandos.Whoops. Theddy knew Spanish."No lo s . Ten an respiradores en," I replied casually. "Si lo desea, puedo describir lo que se siente al tirar de una flecha de guerra lanzar mi propio muslo.""Eep," slipped out of Theddy's lips."Why did you do that?" Obsidian looked over us both."Well, I was showing a little girl I believed in her,""And she shot you?" Theddy gulped."No. She hit the target I was standing next to. A co-worker mistook me for a cardboard cutout of a Jehovah's Witness and let fly. Seems she had issues with organized religion as well as a reaction to the oscillation effect of florescent lighting and ceiling fans.""But why did you pull the arrow out?" Theddy asked. "Couldn't you wait until you got to the hospital?""Mosquito," Obsidian menaced, insinuating Theddy was a pest."I wasn't thinking rationally at the moment, I work in an asylum, I had a hot date in a few hours, any of those three will do," I smiled at Theddy."Copil such as Cáel don't bother with petty human conventions," Obsidian turned my gaze back her way with her hand on my jaw. 'Copil's were 'god-touched' in her lingo."More than one girl?" Theddy mused."Four.""Okay," she sighed happily."Theddy, three under-age girls and the police office he was dating acting as their chaperone," Timothy intervened. "He hurried home so he could keep a promise to the children, not for sex." Bastard. He really was my best friend. He didn't mention my post-injury, pre-festivity sex with Odette giving me a few extra, urgently needed Brownie Points to suggest I might be a decent human being."You are a wonderful guy," Theddy ran a fingernail over my free hand. Clearly I was 'wonderful' enough to risk Obsidian's anger over. The screen went blank as the last credits scrolled away and the room was plunged into darkness. Five seconds later, the lights snapped on.Pain!"Fuck," I hissed. It wasn't any extra physical trauma causing me discomfort. No, a metaphysical dam had burst within and my stream of conscious thought had been turned into a white-water rapids. The competing cyclones of thoughts in my mind had stopped cooperating and my hypothalamus was letting me know I was in danger."Cáel", "Cáel", "Bro", and "Ishara" all came in rapid succession. I needed some space both tangible and social."I need to step outside," I eased Obsidian off me and stood up. My sense of my personal danger was ratcheting up. While I had been studying Obsidian, so I could screw her, I had discovered more and more Alal-badness.The light display had ignited a series of pressing implanted memories which had been clamoring for my attention. Things like not all 'divinities' were stewards of the Weave. Some even wanted its destruction, preferring risking all on a chaotic restructuring of reality over what existed now ~ things like Obsidian. They weren't attempting to do so because they thought they had no chance.But there was. A real serious chance to unravel reality existed; and it was staring her in the face. It wasn't 'me' as in 'I was the Anti-Christ'. But with the torrent of memories pouring forth, I knew where the peril lay and I was completely responsible for it. Hell, I was a prime ally of Armageddon and hadn't even known it.'Holy Shit!'I blinked. Timothy was shaking me. We were out in the lobby."Oh my God, Timothy," I nearly wept. "What am I going to do?""I have no idea what you are talking about. Is there someone you can talk to about this?" he suggested. Normal folks were around us. Obsidian was at my side. Sovann was behind Timothy with an arm around Theddy's shoulder."Theddy," I looked at her. "Can I catch up with you later? I just realized I've screwed up something fierce." I put my best 'really don't want to go but I gotta' face on. Her worried look brightened, she slipped around Timothy and gave me a tingling French kiss."I'll hold you to that, Cáel," she murmured when we parted."Timothy, go home, I got shit to deal with," I hoped my grin didn't become as feeble as I felt it to be."I," he started to say something. "Time not to ask questions?""Yeah.""Okay.""Wait." I pulled us to the side and went on to my toes, leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Tell Pamela 'he' sent Ajax to kill the Professor, his family and the sisters. They were the targets all along. It wasn't me, or the other women. Just in case,""Okay," Timothy patted my arm. It was cryptic. It was the best I could do. See, I wanted to cry so badly.{2:09 pm Sunday, September 7th ~ Last day}Where to begin:Every mythology across the globe has some creature, or creatures, which threatens Existence. Usually a God, or a Hero-God, slays the creature and everything is right with the world, except such a being, being older than Existence itself, can't really die, so they are carved up, buried ~ what have you.Illuyankamunus was one such manifestation of this underlying cancerous desire to destroy reality. He'd had a far more real child, SzelAnya, and she's never quite given up on her dad. Of far greater critical importance, she was 'part' of Illuyankamunus, somewhat in the way I was part of Alal and Baraqu. And yes, that meant all the offspring of Bolu, the guy I'd praised a few hours earlier, held the seeds of that malignant deity as well.And Alal knew it. He hadn't been killing off the descendants. He'd left that task up to a group far more capable of the task, the Egyptian Rite, who knew a fucking threat to existence when they saw it. Lest I forget, No secret society are the 'good guys'. Also lest I forget, I alone decided to go after the Arinniti sons to fulfill Vranus' quest. I had no divine mandate I was aware of nor any real world orders.Inadvertently, I had rounded up the last five mortal remains of Illuyankamunus in one place for convenient disposal in a remote Transylvanian town. The only problem was: if someone didn't get to them quickly, I was also about to whisk them into the loving (and heavy-armed) protective embrace of the Amazon Host, where the completion of centuries of culling would have suddenly become a cast-iron bitch instead of a simple disposal.Enter Ajax. Yeah, I bet the Egyptians were trying to figure out how I stopped him as well as Alal. I thought I was being clever by not telling most of the world. In fact, they most likely suspected; and the reality of SzelAnya watching over me was much more terrifying. Ishara had put a serious curse on the Amazons, yet her curse only affected her followers, the Amazons, who were fair game.SzelAnya had killed someone for me, and I hadn't been one of her followers. Thus I had committed a blasphemous act only a magician of some significant ability could have managed. I wasn't a sorcerer, but I had a cornucopia of mystic knowledge rolling around in my noggin. Trying to figure all this out was one of my major headaches.The others?I even suspected I knew who betrayed me ~ kinda. They didn't do it on purpose. At least I hope they didn't, because my odds-on favorite was my Mother by way of Captain Delilah Faircloth. Realistically, there was only one secret society who might help her against Grandpa and that was the Egyptian Rite, and they did send three people to Dad's funeral including two 'somebodies'. I'm an idiot.I'd chatted away in fluent New Kingdom Egyptian and it never occurred to me how odd it was for two of them to also be so fluent in it. Know it, sure, but as fluent as Kimberly had taught me to be? That should have been a Red Flag.The Earth & Sky had sent Iskender, who should have been the benchmark I judged the other delegations by, damn it.Three Condos? They'd killed my Dad and their guys had been flunkies.The 7 Pillars had been nobodies, which they'd proven by their inaction.Now I had to question why I had 3 actual  9-Clans  assassins at my dad's funeral too. Holy Ishara, I wasn't nearly paranoid enough.Anyway, why would the Amazons be aiding and abetting the End of All Life on Earth? Normally, they wouldn't be, but 3000 years ago, the majority of Human life did a colossal dump on the Amazons. And when they needed help, they got it in the form of SzelAnya and her dual-sex followers. I seriously doubt they told the Amazons their purpose was to resurrect SzelAnya's daddy. I imagine the Amazons didn't pry too much either.It turned out almost to be okay. During the 2nd Betrayal, the Amazons betrayed SzelAnya and almost short-circuited her plans by exterminating her lineage.Except for the Arinniti elders and Bolu. Good old 'except'.I can imagine when the Egyptians heard about the 2nd Betrayal, they figured they were 'okay'. Those wacky Amazons had inadvertently done the world a favor. Except an act of maternal love kept a slender hope of Illuyankamunus' return alive. By the time the Egyptians realized they'd been prematurely hopeful, Bolu's descendants were all over the Balkans and hunting them down had proven difficult.But, it gets worse. Much worse.When those Gods shattered Illuyankamunus, they scattered him in the relative certainty no one would ever gather the parts back together.His flesh was scattered across the land, modern day Turkey, but encompassing everything from Pakistan to Italy and Egypt to Poland. The flesh became soil, then plants, the things that eat plants, then food for humans. Get the picture.Whoops. SzelAnya had been doing just that for centuries upon centuries every time she mated with a mortal of Illuyankamunus' line and had offspring, they accumulated his energy, which made hunting down the few remaining ones easier to find, since they were 'beacons of badness', except...There were two key pieces missing which SzelAnya could never get. After all, you would think burying them on the far side of the world would matter, right?The 'breath of Illuyankamunus' ~ his cosmic fire ~ they buried in a volcano in a distant land far across the Great Sea. His spirit 'body' they imprisoned in a great river, again, across the Great Sea.But wait, it gets worse.The being standing next to me knew precisely where the 'breath of Illuyankamunus' was. Seems Mesoamerica is laced with volcanos. They'd discovered 'the breath' long ago and used it as a weapon called Xiuhcoatl. Better yet, Alal suspected she and her buddies were more than happy to reunite it with the rest if they thought the Weave itself wouldn't annihilate them for daring to do so.In their current, weakened state they were vulnerable to such a karmic backlash. In theory, a reborn Illuyankamunus would have access to power beyond the bounds of the Weave, older and more terrifying. Still, without the mortal remains to anchor the energy, giving it to the spirit would be pointless.Alal knew where the spirit body was (in general), but that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was where it was,Of all the places the Arinniti sons could have fled to, they had to choose Brazil, the burial place of the restive spirit body of Illuyankamunus. Mother-fucker.And Ildiko 'Alkonyka' aka Dusk Lovasz had sworn she'd travel to Brazil to fulfill Bolu's side of the quest in the same way I was holding up Vranus' end. If I tried to stop her, SzelAnya would know something was up. Fuck.I was processing all of this when Obsidian violently yanked me out of the way. A cabby had swerved to avoid a flurry of trash and nearly run over us. It was the third near-concussive experience in the past five minutes she'd help me avoid while she had walked by my side. I'd been mumbling like a madman."That would be my Goddess wanting to talk with me," I looked her way."I know," she gave me a clever smile."She's really not going to like that," I shook my head."I know that too," she kept smiling. "Where is your mind?""Five lives away from making the world a safer place," I sighed."Safer for who?" she purred. Where were all the bimbos? Not only was it an insightful question, it cut straight to the heart of my dilemma.What decision could I make? If I elected to help my fellow Amazons, I risked screwing with the world. In truth, I was risking everything even if I did nothing. Well Dad was always clear that things didn't change by themselves. You needed to do something that would have an effect. So, 'What are you going to do?'More to the point, I wasn't Grandad. Killing the last five of the line of Illuyankamunus wasn't 'me', so it wasn't going to be something I'd worry about.SzelAnya wanted to bring back her Dad, I could understand that. I'd have to figure out a way for her to believe this world sticking around was more important. How? Well, I had a goddess-like creature right in front of me to probe for ideas."You are an immortal," Obsidian commented. She'd been weighing her opinion for some time. I could tell by the wonderment with which she gifted each word."What? No. I can die.""No. I don't think so. Your wounds. Normally the wounds I inflict flow freely for some time. Yours have already scabbed over," her eyes flickered to the various minor scars she'd imparted to me in the few hours we'd been together.Of course, her idea was insane, Oh God No! I was in Grandad's body. Well Duh! His body was supposed to be immortal."Are you sure?" I looked deep into her eyes."You are a young immortal, the youngest I've ever met, but you are an immortal," she seemed to be convincing herself as much as me.Stupid Assumption (on my part)! I wasn't in Alal's body. I was in Cáel's. Because the Cáel soul shard was young, Alal hadn't been able to find it because it had moved through Time, to me, sonofabitch! 'I' hadn't been around for him to find. No! I was making yet another damn assumption.What did I know? When Pamela found Baraqu, it had been in an object, not a person, though she had been short on details. When the Alal-shard went to the Land of the Endless Black Sands to bring Saku back, the Cáel-shard had been in reality, so it had been allowed to create a body, 'me'. Still, the curse Sarrat Irkalli placed on Baraqu was on Alal and myself as well, which meant I might just be immortal.My Alal-mind agreed with Obsidian's assessment. In his first years, his healing had been slow, still taking days for what took mortal people weeks. I'd stupidly attributed my swift recovery to Amazon medicines, ugh. Because I got wounded more than most Security Detail trainees while concurrently entertaining two and three sex partners."Can you talk with Dot Ishara?" I asked her."Yes, but why would I?""Sex?""We are going to have sex anyway," she smiled. I'd tricked her. Set her up with the right so I could now drop her with the left."I can bring the mbo  tat  back to life," I pledged. That was not what she was expecting at all. "If you bring the Xiuhcoatl, I can bring the flesh and we can unite the three." Mbo  tat  was the Tupi name for the legendary 'fiery serpent' of the Amazon Basin. In Portuguese, it had become Boi-tat , a will-o-wisp with a confused, Christianized mythology ~ a serpent dwelling in darkness, devouring the eyes of corpses, glowing in the forests at night."Where is the flesh?" she whispered."In his mortal children," I replied."Who?""You are a monster, Ītzpāpālōtl. I'm not going to tell you and you don't have the time to drag the information out of my mind before my allies drop on you like a nuclear detonation," I drew my body tightly to her."Why would the Amazons do this?""They are not. This is a deal between you and me," I kissed her lips. I pulled back. A few seconds later she kissed me back."Why?""My grandfather had my father murdered and I would avenge him. In the end, despite my father's Amazon heritage, my 'Sisters' will let his death go unavenged for the greater good of the Host. He was a man and they will never look beyond that ~ they will never value his life as they would that of a woman.""Your mother's father?""Yes. Cáel O'Shea of the Illuminati.""We are not at war with the Illuminati," she murmured. It was a casual observation, not a protest."You are at war with Cáel O'Shea.""He was slain.""He didn't stay dead.""You know much more than you are saying," she was finally catching on."Absolutely.""I need much more than a few names to convince my kin to help," she purred, a cocktail of sexual immersion and flesh-flaying pain."I don't work for you. You are agreeing to work for me," I was hard as iron in more than one way. Why? Boundaries. She lived in a world where only the fundamentals of reality constrained her. Having a human, no matter how polished my pedigree, or how much I might appear to be 'special', tell her 'you are not the boss' in a reasonable fashion was new and very unwelcome."What would make you think that?""My mentor taught me knowledge is a curse. It is our inability to forget, and I can see into your soul, Ītzpāpālōtl. You care not one wit for the life of an assassin. But the thought of the other 'Factors' of the 9 Clans treating you as an equal galls you almost as much as the crushing reality that you need them."You have lived 500 years in chains and I'm offering you a desperate grab at freedom," I added."Your brief glimpse of immortality gives you no insight into my existence," she bristled."Oh, how many have given up? How many have decided the fight was no longer worth it and faded from the Sunlight to make their final trip into the Underworld, never to return? Do you even visit them?" I spoke with a voice tinged with compassion and loss. I pulled upon the pitiless, blank memories of a childless Alal all those centuries and imprinted on them my own fears of fatherhood and failure."How do you know so much?" she let her fa ade crack, then blow away, in the hollowness of her own sorrow. How could I pity such a monster? I could because I was me and I wouldn't surrender that to the barbaric past and most likely horrific future. I pulled her close, resting my chin on the top of her head."You are not the first, wonderful, very bright woman who has stepped into my life, Obsidian," I whispered. "You are not even the first divinity. For all the millions of differences enforced by power and time, I think love, hate and the conflict between the two wear upon us all. If anything, you face an endless parade of hope and misery. Even if you chose to ignore it, you have seen it and perhaps it leaves its marks ~ water scarring the rocks of a riverbed."We paused. I was able to peripherally scan about and realize we'd made it to Central Park ~ the Ramble and off the beaten path."Your Goddess is a fool for not keeping you closer," she murmured."She does keep me close. You have been actively keeping me from her," I reminded my guest. "She also plays by the rules, so is of limited help in my plans for vengeance."Translation: I could enlist Ītzpāpālōtl's aid while still remaining loyal to my matron Goddess. Ishara could not provide what I needed and my Amazons wouldn't agree with my scheme, so I needed her. Three hours ago, she wouldn't have considered me a worthy supplicant, much less an allied equal, yet here she was conspiring with me to shake the foundations of Creation.Personally, I was thanking Mamitu, Destiny. Had I not been having my worst Sunday ever when we first crossed paths and then acted like a total cockhead, pissed her off and led her to holding Sarrat Irkalli's dagger, thus putting her life in my hands, and not had Timothy as a best friend, I wouldn't have taken her to the movie, and my mind wouldn't have wandered down those dark corridors of Alal's memories to piece things together.Whatever itinerary Obsidian had approached me with, my abrasive behavior had forced her to it cast aside. Dagger, movie, revelations, I was now so much more in her eyes than she had envisioned."Share my need and share with me an ounce of your sorrow," I murmured to her as I gently curled my fingers in her hair and directed her head up until she faced me."The dagger," she rumbled. While she was stroking my hard-on, I knew she was using it as a double meaning."I was pinned to an onyx sacrificial table," I began my tale. We worked off pants to mid-thigh then 'got busy'. Penetration was only going to be possible by turning her around. Ground-breaking was her ready acceptance of my instruction. I leaned against a tree, then pulled her onto my lap. She guided my phallus home.One locomotion and I sunk in deep. It was warm molasses until I hit and pressed against her cervix. For a second Obsidian trembled, then her muscles clamped down tightly, gripping my manhood firmly in a vise, keeping me still."Ah," I groaned. Obsidian had her neck twisted, so we were kissing with eye contact as I described my adventures with the Gong tau sorcerers. She shot me a quick twinkle of delight, a connection. She'd relayed physical pleasure in the way I was giving her cerebral gratification, aka hope.I rolled up her shirt, and gave both nipples a brutal tweak in response. She gasped. I was applying a little 'rough' with my tender intercourse. She rolled her tush against my groin, an invitation to double-down on my nipple-play. I kept my left hand working over each tit while working my fingernails down her abdomen. As I described the terror in old Tsu's face as he shouted out 'M iyǒu! (Mandarin for 'No!') as he recognized too late the curse he was invoking. She relished the visual of the Han necromancer's terror.'Me' smacking two fingers down on her clit earned me a squeal and a small gush of fluids on my nut-sack. Her look of astonishment was something I'd always cherish. Before me, sex was something she demanded from her followers/victims and definitely orchestrated. Her partners being fearful/worshipful must have limited their initiative."A-a-a-ah, we are being observed," she groaned, her lips less than an inch from mine. It took me a second."Which direction?" I kept pumping her, strumming her clit and treating her tit like taffy on a hot Coney Island summer afternoon. Her hooded eyes flickered to our right. I gave it ten seconds. I had to get Obsidian refocused on what I was going to do to her next, in case this was innocent voyeurism. Nope. It was Chaz.Why Chaz? See, I'm an idiot. My cryptic warning to Timothy for Pamela had been good for all of one minute. He'd called her and she'd gathered what she could and come looking for me.Why was she concerned? I was babbling to Timothy then wandering off with a 'beyond-freaky' chick I had just met named 'Obsidian' who came my way courtesy of another chick with the name of Estere.Let me see, Estere was Hashashin and for Timothy to describe someone in my life as 'beyond freaky' was bad news. Timothy was seriously worried about me and Timothy was an emotional rock ~ he didn't panic. Lest we forget, I was in a federal taskforce. A quick peek into New York traffic cameras revealed me and Obsidian wandering into Central Park from the south, so in the rescue party went, splitting up and Chaz 'lucked-out'.I still had two, no, three problems. I was really enjoying my sexual excursion with Obsidian and she was seeming to truly enjoy her experience with me. Oh, and Central Park is big, Pamela had been pressed for people, so she had pressed some unlikely participants into my rescue party."He's," smooch, "my brother, by adoption," I headed off the whole idea she'd been briefed on me already."Visual, Peacekeeper Six, OS2, L-11," Chaz muttered into his headset before taking up a casual stance on the path overlooking our trysting spot. Sex with an audience didn't bother her, so, we worked out as much action from twist, turns and two inches of in-and-out motions (she liked to keep our bodies tight) as we could. Obsidian was humming along in no time. Her vaginal walls were undulating, wearing away at my self-control.Panting, not from us,"Is he o, are they, who is she?" huffed and puffed a trio of voices from Chaz's locale. Oh. Pamela had recruited my 'Hounds'.I accidently (from a timing perspective) took that moment to grind my nails into her left nipple, pinched her clit and hammered her as hard as I could. Obsidian howled. Her vocalization exited the human realm in a cataclysmic manner.The noise scared avians a mile away into terrorized flight. Cats hissed, then raced for cover. Dogs tucked tail and ran. Streetlights a hundred yards away shattered in sprays of glass. Better yet, for the entertainment of my viewing public, she lashed out with her right hand at the closest Black Cherry sapling, exploding it into a mist of sap and pulverizing the bark and wood fiber into pulp.On the downside, her cervix gave my balls an ultimatum ~ release my seed at once, or she was going to twist off my head. My cock and balls have a long history of making decisions without me. I began lavishing her. Before I finally got the feeling I was out of the danger zone. She was back to rubbing against me and purring in blissful satisfaction."Onun g zleri," whispered Belgin, one of the Turks. 'Her eyes'?"Cáel, are you aware of the alternative nature of your liaison?" Chaz coolly cautioned me. Translation: 'mate, do you know you have your cock in a demon?'"Yeah," I coughed. I had a face full of her hair. I was working on some post-coital nuzzling along with slowly helping her get her pants back up."Ininzqueoccehpa," she hummed to me, ignoring our gathering. That was 'let's do this again'."Tehuatlcochitlehua," I replied with some fondness. She studied me for a second before deciding my term was one of endearment, thus 'you are what dreams are made of', not 'nightmares'.Obsidian had another issue to deal with. Timothy would call it a righteous cocking. Whatever it was, her hold on her human mein had slipped and her inhumanity was slipping through, mainly in her glass-like, black, multi-facetted eyes and her fingers which now ended in molten obsidian talons. On the subconscious level, her predatory nature was setting everyone close-by on edge. I could also make out the high pitched, ultrasonic pipping of her chiropteran cries ~ purpose unknown.Obsidian made her way off farther into the underbrush leaving me a few precious seconds to appreciate her retreating posterior while holstering my equipment. More people were arriving. I had one more thing to take care of before, oh look, Nikita had brought her Mom along, the NYPD Sergeant."Chaz, I need to have a quick chat with Dot before I can explain things. She's been waiting and that's unwise," I looked to the Brit. He nodded."Cáel? Mr. Nyilas? Prince?" all came my way. I relaxed as best I could. Chaz went to a body blow to stagger me, then an epic upper cut to send me to Lullaby Land.Dot & the DragonessDot and SzelAnya, in dragon form, were waiting as I tumbled forward. By the state of my haziness, I knew my unconsciousness wouldn't last long."You gave her your seed," came the accusation."Yes," I staggered, "and now you should be able to track her," I pointed out the bonus part of the arrangement. No comment."I've got to make this quick, SzelAnya, I've found your father, geographically speaking," I dropped the bomb."Don't," Dot Ishara commanded. After all, she and her divine cohorts had done the killing and corpse-dividing eons ago. Undoubtedly, they'd executed their own oaths to one another to 'never reveal what they had done' as well."Too late," I shook my head. SzelAnya's attention was magnetized. "I owe you and I'm paying my debts. I'm not blind to the dangers, believe me.""You have no idea what power you are invoking," Dot's undercurrent of displeasure was the worst I'd experienced."Wrong. I've got thousands of years of Alal boiling around in my head, Plus the rest of you betrayed her 2600 years ago. It doesn't mean I have to. And now, given the chance, I'm not. Even if you kill me, she's got enough toBack in the Ramble"Really expect me to believe," Nikita's mom was growling."Man down," I waved a weak arm skyward."Mr. Nyilas, what is going on here?" the Sergeant addressed me. I was reclining in a circle of my 'Hounds'; most were kneeling. Chaz was in a tiny bit of trouble for having clocked me."Umm, thanks for coming out and looking for me. I assure you, Mr. Tomorrow did what he did as a matter of his professional duties ~ intelligence gathering." As I struggled to stand, my ladies helped me. I saw Pamela with three Hounds coming up fast from one direction and Virginia with three more coming from the other. The gang was all here.The mutterings in non-English tongues suggested a bit of explaining was already going on."You've been bleeding," Nikita pointed out with an unspoken 'again'."This?" I pulled my shirt out and looked at the first bloodstain of my encounter. "This is the just the start of the bad news." I shed my windbreaker and then t-shirt.The professionals shouldered aside the others to take a closer look."All of these are from noon and less than an hour ago," I identified the damage. Sarge was skeptical. Chaz, Nikita and Virginia less so."They look older," the senior lawman noted."I've been curious about that," Chaz frowned."I've inherited my Grandfather's curse. My soul fragment was in the 'Here and Now' twenty-three years ago while his was, 'over there', so I was allowed to come into creation. According to my recently departed guest,""You are immortal," Virginia mumbled to finish the thought. Had the speaker not been a member of the FBI, who knows how the thought would have been received."From the memories I've been gifted with," I tapped the tiny divot on my forehead, "his healing abilities started out rather slowly too. I certainly don't want to test this theory, so no worries there," I scanned the group."How do you explain seeing your Grandfather in Hungary and again in Rome?" Virginia wondered."Again, that woman who just left," I got out."Was no woman," Nuray, another one of my Turkish Hounds interrupted. "Her eyes..." she tried to explain, "and look what she did to that tree," she pointed to the greatest piece of evidence of supernatural wrongdoing. The other two witnesses nodded."We all saw the same thing. Her eyes were, bottomless, definitely not human," Belgin affirmed. The veteran players looked to Chaz."She had a collapsed nose-bridge, lacked a blink response, her dental work was carnivorous and her tongue was extremely clipped and showed prehensile qualities," he reported calmly. Pause. Chaz was a freaking intelligence operative, after all."If her hands were a type of glove weaponry, I've never seen it s like before. While I know it is possible for a human to exert the force-pounds necessary to snap a two inch diameter tree trunk in one blow, it is a rare skill and requires intense discipline. This appeared to be done spontaneously, without preparation of any kind and as a reaction to other stimuli," he added."It was also your assessment he needed to be knocked unconscious?" Nikita's mom countered."Mr. Nyilas' psychological constructs are something the whole team has to work around. At times, he seeks 'insight' from his mind in a deliberately unconscious/non-sleep state," he replied."He claims to be talking with spirit powers. I know when he returns to consciousness, he delivers useful intelligence. I'm not a psychologist, psychiatrist, or psychic. I don't know why his mind functions that way. I do know results. And I know I work with people who would achieve those results by other means if it were at all possible. Since we haven't found another method, we accept that from tim

➢ Apply for my coaching: https://www.colossusfitness.com/➢ Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/colossusfit/?hl=enWelcome to Motivation Monday, where every Monday we answer all of your questions and have some real talks about life & fitness & get you fired up for the week! In this episode we talk about how to correct uneven muscle groups, develop a consistent gym & nutrition routine and improve your deadlift.“If you think the price of winning is too high, wait till you get the bill for regret.”Question 1- (00:25) How/ what should I do about uneven body parts?Kyle quote: (12:59) “you didn't come this far to only come this far.”Josh quote: (15:37) "One more."What has us excited or intrigued:Client shoutout: (22:32) TaylerWhere we're at in our journey?:Links Discussed in episode:Weekly questions:Question 2- (26:36) How do I get into a good fitness routine. I'm so all or nothing.Question 3- (32:16) Good morning Coach Josh and Coach Kyle! I wanted to ask a quick question. So about 1-2 months ago I hit a 1 rep max of 345 on deadlift. Now it seems that I've hit a brick wall and 315 isnt even moving that good. I'm struggling to get the weight up consistently and I'm confused why? My diet has gotten better since my 1RM, my other PRs are making good progress, and my workouts have been going smoothly. Do have any advice on what I could try to get through this brick wall or any idea of why this is happening?Thanks for listening! We genuinely appreciate every single one of you listening.➢Follow us on instagram @colossusfit➢Apply to get your Polished Physique: https://colossusfitness.com/

Coach Ted talks about the impact of seeking pleasure in place of fulfillment. (Originally aired 08-11-2023)

https://teachhoops.com/ https://gc.com/coachingyouthhoops https://coachingyouthhoops.com/ Basketball Leadership Basketball Jumping Basketball Mistake Response Shooting Drill Youth basketball shooting drills Basketball coach, Basketball workouts, Basketball dribbling drills, Youth basketball, Basketball drills, Youth basketball, Basketball coaching, Basketball jobs, Basketball job, Basketball interview, Basketball program, How to win basketball games, Teachhoops, Teachhoops.com, Teach hoops, www.teachhoops, Basketball podcast, The basketball podcast, Basketball coach podcast, Basketball coaching podcast, Basketball coach unplugged, Basketball coach unplugged podcast, High school hoops podcast, Hardwood hustle,. Basketball immersion, Key 5 coaching, PGC Coaching Coaching Basketball Basketball jobs near me, 5 minute basketball coaching podcast, Basketball coaching jobs, Basketball coaching near me, Basketball immersion podcast, Basketball Drill, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Catch “The Drive with Spence Checketts” from 2 pm to 6 pm weekdays on ESPN 700 & 92.1 FM. Produced by Porter Larsen. The latest on the Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, Utes, BYU + more sports storylines.

Patrick Foy, senior director of strategic planning, TransUnion's insurance business, discussed what drove the surge in auto and property insurance shopping, insurer challenges from cat losses and rate limits, and how data targets top prospects.

When to go Rx+ Best way to recover from life stress. How to link muscle-ups together. Uneven lifting surfaces. Cool down & recovery. Task vs Time priority workouts. Improve your running. Origins of Linchpin. Heavy Lift + Metcon.

Gibson Johns is joined by The Ringer's "Morally Corrup" podcast cohost Chelsea Stark-Jones to talk about the latest episodes of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and "Summer House." Subscribe to "Gabbing with Gib" on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/471D8Gb Follow "Gabbing with Gib" on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3StiCtY  Follow "Gabbing with Gib" on Instagram: https://instagram.com/gabbingwithgib Follow "Gabbing with Gib" on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbingwithgib  Follow Gibson Johns on Instagram: https://instagram.com/gibsonoma Follow Gibson Johns on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gibsonoma Follow Gibson Johns on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gibsonoma Subscribe to Gibson Johns' Newsletter: https://gibsonoma.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wall Street is seeing mixed trading, with Nvidia's earnings in focus. In company news, Apple plans to add 20,000 U.S. jobs amid tariff concerns, while Alibaba shares drop on China trade worries. Berkshire rises on strong earnings, but Domino’s slips after a U.S. sales miss. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury yields are lower ahead of key inflation data, and European markets edged down following Germany’s election outcome. In commodities, gold hits a record high, copper dips on tariff fears, and steel duties weigh on iron ore sentiment. Looking ahead, the ASX and Aussie dollar are expected to slip on Tuesday. The content in this podcast is prepared, approved and distributed in Australia by Commonwealth Securities Limited ABN 60 067 254 399 AFSL 238814. The information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the appropriateness of the information before acting and if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A sprained ankle, one of the most common injuries seen at practice. What is a sprained ankle? Injury that occurs when you roll, twist or turn your ankle in an awkward way. Commonest injury when the sole of foot turned inwards – called an inversion injury – damages outside of ankle. The injury strains or tears the ligaments that help hold and stabilise the joint. What are the risks of a sprained ankle and main symptoms? Obvious risk is playing sport – rugby soccer where the ankle ‘rolls' Uneven surfaces, being unfit, improper shoes causing you to fall, landing awkwardly after jump, higher risk if previous sprained ankle. . Main symptom one: immediate pain after roll the ankle, difficulty walking swelling and painful to touch. Bruising and restricted movement of the ankle, popping sound, sensation when the injury occurs. How do we teat them? Immediate treatment: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Pain relief with things such as paracetamol. If not settled in 48 hours see your doctor to: Examine the ankle, may order x-ray to make sure not broken. Get physio involved to start exercise program to get the ankle back to normal. May take up to 6 weeks to heal. In severe cases : may use a ‘moon boot' or walking boot to immobilise the ankle till swelling goes down. How do we prevent them? Warm up before sports ankle support if previously injured. Good fitting shoes important ( high heels a risk!) Stay fit, practice balance exercises. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cannabis is legal for recreational use in nearly half of all U.S. states. And, it's an increasingly common substitute for beer or wine. Numerous scientific studies back up the assertion that cannabis is less harmful than alcohol in terms of physical harm, dependence, and social harm. But as a new series by NPR's Brian Mann and Sydney Lupkin point out, safety is relative and highly dependent on where your weed is sourced. A trusted dispensary may be your best protection against contaminants.

Despite a model based on choice, New Zealanders options for birth are limited based on post code.The World Health Organisation has called for a community midwife model - just like New Zealand's. But in some areas of the country, that model is far from the reality.…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Looking to digital advertising history for clues about AI's impact on the economy, proposed frameworks for AGI and ASI, and why AI benefits are likely to be unevenly distributed in the near term. Then: The logic and continued uncertainty surrounding a TikTok ban in the United States, the delights of Xiaohongshu mania, and a word about TikTok and conflicting principles.

Borussia Dortmund lost against Bayer Leverkusen and away to Holstein Kiel to start 2025. Is this the end for Nuri Sahin?

Created By: Yariv Wolok & Vasili Gianarakos Music By: Jay Lubes Website: https://www.flyersnittygritty.com SportSpyder: https://sportspyder.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/news?eid=2340 

Dan and Mike recap the football win over Kentucky and a very up and down week in the world of Louisville men's basketball.

About 3.3 million people quit their jobs in October, slightly more than in September. More quits can signal a strong labor market, but quit rates vary across the country. In this episode, why job churn is strong out West and falling in the Northeast. Plus: TikTok Shop did over $100 million in sales on Black Friday weekend, renters want electric vehicle chargers and the restaurant industry struggles with debt and shifting preferences.

About 3.3 million people quit their jobs in October, slightly more than in September. More quits can signal a strong labor market, but quit rates vary across the country. In this episode, why job churn is strong out West and falling in the Northeast. Plus: TikTok Shop did over $100 million in sales on Black Friday weekend, renters want electric vehicle chargers and the restaurant industry struggles with debt and shifting preferences.

About 3.3 million people quit their jobs in October, slightly more than in September. More quits can signal a strong labor market, but quit rates vary across the country. In this episode, why job churn is strong out West and falling in the Northeast. Plus: TikTok Shop did over $100 million in sales on Black Friday weekend, renters want electric vehicle chargers and the restaurant industry struggles with debt and shifting preferences.

Corporate earnings growth outside of the U.S. has been out of sync. Carolina Martinez Arevalo, Portfolio Strategist at the BlackRock Investment Institute, discusses the unique regional themes we see driving global earnings and how we find opportunities. General disclosure: This material is intended for information purposes only, and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation or an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any securities, funds or strategies to any person in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The opinions expressed are as of the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the reader. Investing involves risks. BlackRock does and may seek to do business with companies covered in this podcast. As a result, readers should be aware that the firm may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this podcast.In the U.S. and Canada, this material is intended for public distribution.In the UK and Non-European Economic Area (EEA) countries: this is Issued by BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered office: 12 Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DL. Tel:+ 44 (0)20 7743 3000. Registered in England and Wales No. 02020394. For your protection telephone calls are usually recorded. Please refer to the Financial Conduct Authority website for a list of authorised activities conducted by BlackRock.In the European Economic Area (EEA): this is Issued by BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V. is authorised and regulated by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. Registered office Amstelplein 1, 1096 HA, Amsterdam, Tel: 020 – 549 5200, Tel: 31-20- 549-5200. Trade Register No. 17068311 For your protection telephone calls are usually recorded.For Investors in Switzerland: This document is marketing material.In South Africa: Please be advised that BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited is an authorised Financial Services provider with the South African Financial Services Board, FSP No. 43288.In Singapore, this is issued by BlackRock (Singapore) Limited (Co. registration no. 200010143N). This advertisement or publication has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. In Hong Kong, this material is issued by BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited and has not been reviewed by the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong. In Australia, issued by BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited ABN 13 006 165 975, AFSL 230 523 (BIMAL). This material provides general information only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation, needs or circumstances. Before making any investment decision, you should assess whether the material is appropriate for you and obtain financial advice tailored to you having regard to your individual objectives, financial situation, needs and circumstances. Refer to BIMAL's Financial Services Guide on its website for more information. This material is not a financial product recommendation or an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any financial product in any jurisdictionIn Latin America: this material is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice nor an offer or solicitation to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any shares of any Fund (nor shall any such shares be offered or sold to any person) in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful under the securities law of that jurisdiction. If any funds are mentioned or inferred to in this material, it is possible that some or all of the funds may not have been registered with the securities regulator of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay or any other securities regulator in any Latin American country and thus might not be publicly offered within any such country. The securities regulators of such countries have not confirmed the accuracy of any information contained herein. The provision of investment management and investment advisory services is a regulated activity in Mexico thus is subject to strict rules. For more information on the Investment Advisory Services offered by BlackRock Mexico please refer to the Investment Services Guide available at www.blackrock.com/mx©2024 BlackRock, Inc. All Rights Reserved. BLACKROCK is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc. All other trademarks are those of their respective owners.BIIM1124U/M-4063213

Save $1000 with our new Performance Course Bundles!https://shiftmovementscience.com/bundles/Unlock the secrets to mastering gymnastics skills with our special guest, Nick Ruddock, as he shares his insights on the art of coaching backward giants and flyaways. Renowned for his innovative educational techniques, Nick emphasizes the foundational importance of the backward giant and the critical role of physical preparation. Discover his "five dimensions of a straight line" model, a game-changing approach to maintaining a straight line across various positions—a key skill for any aspiring gymnast gearing up for competition season.Get ready to rethink your training strategies with the "rotate and repeat" method, designed to help gymnasts maintain consistent shapes while enhancing their comprehension of bar skills. We delve into the Biles principles of sight, flight, shape, swing, and extension, with practical advice on how to apply these to backward giants and flyaways. Nick also addresses the significance of core strength and static shapes, offering a variety of exercises such as hollow holds and backward rolls that can significantly boost a gymnast's technical progression and performance.From mastering the open tuck position to developing swing using innovative tools like the trapeze, we explore advanced coaching techniques that prioritize patient progression. Nick's philosophy on deliberate skill development, including the 'catapult' effect, offers a fresh perspective on enhancing athlete performance through foundational readiness and precise timing. Join us for this rich conversation filled with expert insights and actionable tips that promise to elevate both coaching strategies and gymnast success.https://shiftmovementscience.com/bundles/ We appreciate you listening! To learn more about SHIFT, head here - https://shiftmovementscience.com/To learn about SHIFT's courses, check our website here - https://courses.shiftmovementscience.com/Also, please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing the podcast with your friends! Thanks :)Thanks for listening to The SHIFT Show!Check out SHIFT's most popular courses here! https://courses.shiftmovementscience.com/Want to join our online educational community of over 1000 gymnastics professionals and get 40+ hours of gymnastics lectures? Join The Hero Lab below!https://shiftmovementscience.com/theherolab/ Check out all our past podcast episodes here!https://shiftmovementscience.com/podcast/

Original air date: November 14, 2023 While men have historically dominated the intelligence community, women have gained a significant presence in top organizations in recent years. Despite this, scandals and lack of parity in top positions have made progress uneven. Former CIA intelligence officer Christina Hillsberg joins Marc Polymeropoulos and David Rothkopf to share her expertise on women in espionage, intelligence spycraft, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: November 14, 2023 While men have historically dominated the intelligence community, women have gained a significant presence in top organizations in recent years. Despite this, scandals and lack of parity in top positions have made progress uneven. Former CIA intelligence officer Christina Hillsberg joins Marc Polymeropoulos and David Rothkopf to share her expertise on women in espionage, intelligence spycraft, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

19 year old Melissa Witt vanished from a bowling lot parking lot on December 1, 1994. Her body was found int he woods two weeks later. But it would take eight years to learn what happened to her.  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!

Office buildings continue to struggle in the post-pandemic era, but our Chief Fixed Income Strategist notes that other properties have turned a corner. ----- Transcript -----Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I am Vishy Tirupattur, Morgan Stanley's Chief Fixed Income Strategist. Along with my colleagues bringing you a variety of perspectives, today I'll be talking about how the challenges facing the US commercial real estate markets have evolved and talk about where they are headed next.It's Wednesday, Sep 11th at 10 am in New York.Over the last year and half, the challenges of commercial real estate, or CRE in short, have been periodically in the spotlight. The last time we discussed this issue here was in the first quarter of this year. That was in the aftermath of loan losses announced by a regional bank that primarily focused on rent-stabilized multifamily and CRE lending in the New York metropolitan area. At the same time, lenders and investors in Japan, Germany and Canada also reported sizable credit losses and write-down related to US commercial real estate.At that time, we had said that CRE issues should be scrutinized through the lenses of lenders and property types; and that saw meaningful challenges in both – in particular, regional banks as lenders and office as a property type.Rolling the calendar forward, where do things stand now?Focusing on the lenders first, there is some good news. While regional bank challenges from their CRE exposures have not gone away, they are not getting any worse. That means incremental reserves for CRE losses have been below what we had feared. Our economists' expectations of Fed's rate cuts on the back of their soft-landing thesis, gives us the conviction that lower rates should be an incremental benefit from a credit quality perspective for banks because it alleviates pressure on debt service coverage ratios for borrowers. Lower rates also give banks more room to work with their borrowers for longer by providing extensions. For banks, this means while CRE net charge-offs could rise in the near term, they are likely to stabilize in 2025.In other words, even though the fundamental deterioration in terms of the level of delinquencies and losses may be ahead, the rate of change seems to have clearly turned. In that sense, as long as the rate cuts that we anticipate materialize, the worst of the CRE issues for regional banks may now be behind us.From the lens of property types, it is important not to paint all property types with the same brushstroke of negativity. Office lots remain the pain point. Looking at the payoff rates in CMBS pools gives us a granular look at the performance across different property types.Overall, 76 per cent of the CRE loans that matured over the past 12 months paid off, which is a pretty healthy rate. However, in office loans, the payoff rate was just 43 per cent. Other property types were clearly much better. For example, 100 per cent of industrial property loans, 96 per cent of multi-family loans, 89 per cent of hotel loans that matured in the last 12 months paid off. The payoff rates in retail property loans were a bit lower but still pretty healthy at 76 per cent, in clear contrast to office properties. Delinquency rates across property types also show a similar trend with office loans driving the lion's share of the overall increase in delinquencies.In short, the secular headwinds facing the office market have not dissipated. Office property valuations, leasing arrangements and financing structures must adjust to the post-pandemic realities of office work. While this shift has begun, more is needed. So, there is really no quick resolution for these challenges which we think are likely to persist. This is especially true in central business district offices that require significant capex for upgrades or repurposing for use as residential housing.Overall, we stick to our contention that commercial real estate risks present a persistent challenge but are unlikely to become systemic for the economy. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy the podcast, please leave us a review wherever you listen to this and share Thoughts on the Market with a friend or colleague today.

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(4:00) Yes, defense's are ahead of offenses at this juncture but this consistently and clearly?(10:00) Is it the lack of a bonafide #2 WR that's giving folks some pause?(19:00) A standard has been set or reset and that's what is being judged against(25:00) Freeeaks(32:00) FSU is likely to win in conventional, physical fashion not flashy...and that's okMusic: Justice - Afterimage