Podcasts about Velcro

A patient with lower extremity lymphedema is instructed in the use of a Velcro-assisted compression garment. Which of the following is an advantage of this device compared to standard compression stockings? Find it all out in the podcast! Be prepared for the NPTE so that you can pass with flying colors! Check out www.ptfinalexam.com/podcast for more information and to stay up-to-date with our latest courses and projects. #Npte #PT #ptboards #crushtheNPTE #study #studygram #spt #ptstudent #ptlife #sptprobs #physicaltherapystudent #physicaltherapy #physio #physiotherapist #ptlife #ptstudentstudy

Double Tap Episode 442 This episode of Double Tap is brought to you by: C&G Holsters, Die Free Co., Night Fision, Blue Alpha, Second Call Defense, and Swampfox Optics   Welcome to Double Tap, episode 442! Your hosts tonight are Jeremy Pozderac, Aaron Krieger, Nick Lynch, and me Shawn Herrin, welcome to the show! Text Dear WLS or Reviews +1 743 500 2171 - Dear WLS Dependable Don - So what holsters do you run with your fanny pack? I got the qilo prison wallet which is Velcro backed so crossbreed has holsters that work but not crazy about it. Switch to a blapha or are Velcro backed holsters acceptable? Adam W - I am looking for a red dot that can stand up to a .357 magnum Chippa Rhino. I have put 2 other dots on it I had laying around and now I just want one I don't have worry about. I was thinking the Judge XL from Gideon. Would this be a good choice? The use case for this gun is local matches and range toy. Also, I am looking for a holster for this setup. The Chippa Rhino is the 60ds model with the pic rail in front of the cylinder. Your help is much appreciated. Scanks Adam Luis G - I am in Florida and do a lot of lake bank fishing. What would be a good caliber to carry and what type of rounds to use against alligators? Should I run a couple of snake shot rounds first for moccasins then the gator rounds? Jack B - Matt diniman just did a kickstarter campaign where 2 of the reward tiers included getting killed in a future DCC book. If you were get this prize for another cast member, which option would you choose and how would they die? Option, They are a crawler who gets killed. Option 2, They are a monster or NPC that gets killed by Donut and T-bagged by mongo. Ny(e)gerski - "This one is mostly for Mr. Saggins. Scroto, what are you signed up to hunt this year? I feel like we haven't had any 47 minute long hunting stories in a while and are due for one or 2. P.S.....are you sure you and Kevin from Q aren't kindred spirits?.....I can't tell who tells longer hunting stories... Pee Pee S.....i had something for here, but forgot....and now got you to say pee pee...." Eli K - I am building a new house soon. It will have a vault room in the basement. The floor, ceiling, and all four walls will be poured concrete. Other than that, I'm leaving it unfinished after framing and insulation, and I will take it form there. It will have HVAC and electrical available. What else should I do? Seems like a good idea to put a drain in. I'm tentatively planning to do Lockdown walls. Anything other suggestions? Jerry F - Do either of you guys have any idea where i can find Accurate Nitro 100NF for sale? I've been checking all of the reputable dealers online (Brownells, Midway usa, ammoseek etc) and I haven't been able to find any 4 or 8lb bottles all summer. I shoot trap every weekend with my dad and our local league just started and I commonly go through a hundred plus rounds each weekend. I believe accurate is a division of Hodgdens. Any help would be greatly appreciated. And in your opinions where is all the powder going? Love the show, thank you. Jeremy is not a cunt, he just doesn't have any patience for stupidity. John J - I've recently realized I'm a fan of both Jeremy and Aaron. Which probably means I'm either deeply complex, or there's something wrong with me. Thoughts? Also, would love to see some more Dangerous Freedom videos. I am looking forward to the red dot - magnifier comparison. One of my AR's has a CompM5 with a 3x magnifier. I want to love it for what the combo cost, but I find myself removing the magnifier more often than not. Thanks for the show.   The winner of this week's swag pack is John J! To win your own, go to welikeshooting.com/dashboard and submit a question!   Gun Industry News O/LINK Modular Trauma Panel (MTP) Analysis: A low-profile, "cyberpunk" inspired attachment designed by Evan Ohl to extend MOLLE webbing below mounted pouches for medical gear. Made from rigid yet lightweight 8-layer Tegris®, it attaches hardware-free to 4 columns of webbing and includes shock cord for securing items. Price / Availability: $25.00 / Available now at evanohl.com (Made to order, ~2 week lead time). Zaffiri Precision to Unveil Their First Complete Pistols at SHOT 2026 Analysis: Zaffiri Precision is shifting focus from à la carte parts to pre-configured complete uppers and will debut their first three complete pistols. The new lineup features five tiers (ZULU, ECHO, X-RAY, VECTOR, and IBS), each available in standard or "Elite" configurations with upgrades like threaded barrels and tritium night sights. Price / Availability: Pricing not listed / Unveiling at SHOT Show 2026; product shift begins January 2026. Weatherby Model 307 Cuts Barrel to 16 Inches for 7mm Backcountry Analysis: Weatherby introduces the Model 307 Alpine MDT SB, a compact rifle optimized for suppressor use and backcountry hunting. It features a 16-inch barrel specifically paired with Federal Premium's 7mm Backcountry ammunition to maintain performance in a short package. Built on the Model 307 action (Remington 700 footprint compatible), it sits in an MDT HNT26 carbon fiber chassis with a folding stock, reducing overall length by over 9 inches for transport. Price / Availability: $3,249 MSRP / Released late Dec 2025; available now. Turkish MMT Machine Gun Completes NATO Qualification Tests Analysis: The MKE MMT (Milli Makineli Tüfek) is a Turkish 7.62x51mm machine gun that has passed NATO qualification. Based on the Soviet PKM design (two-stage feed, right-side feed), it features modern updates like a detachable trigger mechanism, receiver cover Picatinny rail, and a new brass deflector. Weighing only 8 kg (17.6 lbs), it is lighter than the M240 and HK421. Price / Availability: No civilian price listed / Cleared for serial production as of Dec 2025; likely for Turkish military and potential export to African or former Warsaw Pact nations. Henry Honors America's 250th With Ultra-Limited Spirit of ‘76 Rifle Analysis: A highly exclusive collector's edition celebrating the U.S. Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary). Built on the "New Original Henry" platform (1860 patent reproduction) in .44-40 WCF. Features an engraved nickel-plated brass receiver with 24-karat gold accents depicting Revolutionary War imagery (Independence Hall, George Washington's sword, early flags). Includes a polished blued octagon barrel, hand-selected rosewood stock, and crescent buttplate. Price / Availability: $4,115 MSRP / Limited to 250 units; sold factory-direct. Released Dec 2025. Less Length, Same Strength: Samson Unveils The SAS-K Stock Analysis: A compact variant of the Samson Adjustable Stock (SAS) system, the SAS-K reduces the length of pull (LOP) by one inch (9"-10") compared to the standard model while maintaining the same durability and features. It includes a side-folding mechanism, 5-position adjustable LOP, 4-position adjustable cheek riser, and ambidextrous QD sling points. Designed for body armor users or confined spaces. Price / Availability: $315.65 / Available now. Badger Ordnance Forged Condition One Charging Handle (C1CH) Analysis: The C1CH differentiates itself by being machined from forgings rather than billet or extrusion for superior strength. It features a raised gas fence for gas mitigation (ideal for suppressed shooting), ergonomic ambidextrous latches with vertical serrations, and snag-free rounded edges. The width is streamlined at 2.42 inches, and it weighs 1.1 oz. Price / Availability: $100.00 / Available now in 5.56 (Black/Tan); 7.62 and MCX versions coming in 2026. CrossBreed Holsters Introduces The LightGuard Holster Analysis: The LightGuard is a new IWB holster built on CrossBreed's MultiFlex platform, specifically designed for pistols with weapon-mounted lights. It features a hybrid construction with a replaceable light-specific Kydex lower shell (allowing light upgrades without replacing the whole holster) and an injection-molded adjustable upper shell for firearm retention. It supports multiple mounting clips and carry positions (appendix, strong-side, cross-draw). Price / Availability: $44.95 (Base Price) / Available now directly from CrossBreed. New Product Highlight: Build A Custom Rifle Case With Lynx Defense Analysis: Lynx Defense now offers fully customizable rifle cases made in the USA (North Carolina) using 1,000D Cordura. Users can mix and match colors for the main body (solids, camo, splatter), exterior pocket, zippers, and logo. Available in four sizes: Byte (21" for PDWs), Bureau (32" for SBRs), Bronx (36" for 16" carbines), and Gigabyte (42" for long rifles). Price / Availability: $319.99 - $644.99 depending on size / Available now (made to order). Pistollo 77° Secures U.S. Distributor - Limited Launch Edition Planned Analysis: The Pistollo 77° semi-automatic pistol is coming to the U.S. civilian market via exclusive distributor Deluxe Imports (Boerne, Texas). The first release will be a "Launch Edition" designed for collectors with unique elements. To comply with U.S. regulations and market needs, the U.S. version features a rear Picatinny rail for braces, an upper receiver rail for optics, and a 1/2×28 threaded muzzle. A proprietary stabilizing brace is also in development. Price / Availability: Pricing not listed / Launch planned for Q2 2026; waitlist currently exceeds 2,000 customers.   Before we let you go - Join Gun Owners of America   Tell your friends about the show and get backstage access by joining the Gun Cult at theguncult.com.   No matter how tough your battle is today, we want you here fight with us tomorrow. Don't struggle in silence, you can contact the suicide prevention line by dialing 988 from your phone.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 8 Intruders! Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. October 26, 2020. Monday afternoon, Reena took lunch duties. Lunch was often individual or in small groups, but she really wanted a crack at cooking for everyone. She said it could be 'come and go' to still facilitate varied schedules around the house. Her idea was ramen. But, it wasn't just basic out of the package. Well, it was, but with a variety of add-ons. You could pick your flavor of ramen, then she'd prepared chopped carrots, nori, sesame oil, diced onion, spam, eggs (fried up for each bowl individually) and Korean red pepper powder that Jan had gotten added to the spice rack. Oh, Reena still cooked it up, but each bowl was individual, and made on request. When Jan came in for lunch, she laughed warmly. Beaming, Reena asked hopefully, "Just like mom would make?" Jan placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. "Not exactly dear. This is ore like what my Caucasian aunt would make when she tried to be authentic." Reena's face and shoulders seemed to suddenly melt. Jan stepped in beside the teen, wrapping her arms around her. "And the one time I made fun of my aunt for it in my mother's hearing was the last. She pulled me aside and scolded me for being insensitive, and ungrateful. Mom said that ramen was always about making something tasty, with love and what ever ingredients were available." Jan made a point of looking over the prepped ingredients arrayed on the counter. "And this is exactly what you have done." She kissed Reena on her cheek. "Thank you. Thank you for the meal, and thank you for reminding me of two lovely, caring women in my life." Reena hugged her. Then she got the specifics of what Jan wanted and got busy making it. Dave stepped out of his office and got two steps down the hallway when Lupie found him. "Dave, could I use your office and computer for a bit? It's kind of urgent. I was in the middle of some trades and my laptop died." "Again?" Dave chuckled. Lupie looked chagrined and rolled her eyes. "Good thing you have your software installed in there already. Just log me off and do what you gotta do. How long do you need me to stay out?" "Rest of the afternoon?" "Okay." Dave started to walk away but Lupie snagged him by the shirtfront and tugged him towards her. They kissed softly. They didn't hear the small footsteps approaching. "Oh gag me with a tamale." Both adults laughed too hard to maintain the kiss. "I do need to get in there," Lupie said. A quick peck and she scampered into the office. Dave knelt down and wrapped Esme in a hug. "And you, rascal, need to give it a rest. We keep a lot out of your sight because; well because it should be out of your viewing. So give us a break on the kissing once in a while, huh?" "Yessir" her tone sounded reluctant, but the grin was hard to suppress. She took four quick steps away from him before turning. "Dave?" "Yes, sweetie?" "Thanks for making mom happy." "Never have I ever; used a pay phone," Reena said with a wicked grin. Shawna and all the ladies over thirty took a drink. Dave first reached into his pocket, pulled his hand back out, and tossed a quarter at Reena. Then he took a drink. Liv busted out laughing. "One of Dad's favorite songs!" she cried as she cackled loudly and leaned a bit too far over into Mel. They'd been going for over half an hour. And she and Mel had pre-gamed. "Song?" Reena asked. "Pay phones used to cost a quarter to make a call. Early nineties, there was a country breakup song called 'Here's a Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares'," Dave filled in. Reena pouted, then stuck out her tongue. "Okay, Lupie, your turn," Jan prompted. 'Never have I ever; done the splits." Reena threw one back. Liv joined her, while Dave laughed. "That laugh suggests a story," Nessa observed. "Yeah, yeah," Liv replied. "I was; oh, about ten or so?" "Eleven," Dave corrected. "Right. Anyway, the girlie girl types were saying I was not really a girl if I couldn't do the splits. So I did." Dave cleared his throat. Liv blushed. "On top of the monkey bars." All the older ladies burst out laughing. "Well, that showed them!" Shawna rejoined. "And I believe it's Dave's turn now." "Alright, never have I ever; taken a nude or semi-nude selfie." Reena's eyes bugged out. She reached for her drink, threw back a slug, then covered her face with her hand. Mel, Liv, and Nessa followed suit. That was no shock to anyone. Jan doing so caught a few looks. "Nope, not gonna talk about it." Jan's face was as red as Melanie's hair. "Okay, moving on; " "Not yet. Someone hasn't drunk." Dave said. He looked at Becca, clearing his throat. "What?! I've never sent nude selfies. You're the first guy I ever got naked for!" "I believe you." Then Dave held up his phone and waggled it. Becca's eyes got wide. "Oh, crap, I forgot about that!" The young blonde blushed about six shades of red before reaching for her drink. "Oh, this I gotta hear." Melanie breathed. Becca hid her face in her hands, peeking between two fingers. Lupie laughed loudly. "Okay, you busted me out, so spill." Becca looked pleadingly at Dave, then shrugged her shoulders, giving him a nod. "Loops, you remember that very first day, when the vax guy came around?" Lupie nodded in reply. "And you wondered why Becca was acting all embarrassed after I told you I'd accepted you both?" "Yes?; oh!" "I told you she'd be the one to say it was okay to tell you what happened? She just did." Lupie just nodded in reply. "Uh, care to fill the rest of us in?" Mel asked. "So the CDC guy came around mid-September. He got to Lupie's house first. She sent him over here with a letter asking that I request her and Becca, giving her reasons why I should say yes. After setting things up with Arthur, I texted both of them that I would make the request. Becca replied with a selfie. With her shirt and bra pulled up. Still have it by the way." Dave winked at Becca. "Shit, we shoulda thought of that! Right after the video call!" Liv groused, nudging Mel. "Another missed first." "Becca was weeks before that call, so still first. Well, first amongst this group, not first ever." "Oh, yeah?" Dave dodged. "Old girlfriend, long time ago. So, who's turn is it next?" Thankfully, they let it slide. October 27, 2020. Dave descended the stairs to see Olivia, Becca and Reena watching a 90's movie. The two teens were making a concerted effort to take in as much of the movies and songs that Dave had grown up with, particularly the ones he had physical copies of. Reena had taken some adjusting to the idea of watching without streaming. Not that they didn't stream at all. Last night, Dave had discovered several of his partners, including Reena, hadn't yet seen Hamilton. That required immediate correction. "Wow, really? It's a great story, well executed, and it's historical. I mean, yeah, they take some liberties, but Miranda was pretty true to the essence of the characters." "But history?" Reena whined. "It's just a bunch of old white guys." Dave looked askance at her. "You're sleeping with an old white guy." Reena's face fell, and Dave's heart with it. In a soft voice, she said, "You're not just an old white guy to me." Her head wasn't exactly hanging, but she didn't meet his eyes. Fuck, emotional landmine triggered. Splash damage accumulating. Dave got up swiftly, without rushing, to stand in front of her and take her in his arms. He kissed the crown of her head as her face nestled in his chest. "I'm sorry honey, I didn't mean to sound so disparaging." Reena slipped her arms around Dave and took him in a hug. Several others joined in, circling the pair in their arms. "Reena, honey?" Shawna prompted. "The guy who wrote it had a vision to make the story more interesting than 'just a bunch of old white guys. Give it a try. I think you'll like it." As often happened, Shawna was spot-on. This morning though, the trio were watching Dave's blu-ray of Twister. "You know, we'll have to watch this in April. Before or during the first severe thunderstorm warning." Dave said as he rounded the back corner to pass them without blocking their view. All three girls chuckled lightly and accepted the kisses Dave planted on them as he passed behind them on his way to the library. Entering, he found Vanessa lounging with a book. He took a seat in easy speaking distance without crowding her. "So, how are you settling in?" "Pretty well. It's; so peaceful here. I really expected a house with this many people in it to be more chaotic. I mean, there's a fun energy here, and a lot of life, but it's; so soothing here. Thank you, David. For accepting me, for just; being here to match with." "I'm enjoying having you here. Beyond the obvious, I mean." Nessa snickered at that. "You've slipped rather smoothly into the family and already I couldn't imagine this place, or us, without you." "That's so sweet, thank you." "Maybe once the whole state's vaccinated, we'll get some normalcy and get out to do the usual family things together." "When we get some normalcy again, you ought to marry Lupie." "I should marry all of you." "No. No, I don't feel that way. Lupie does. Olivia does. And maybe Janice. Shawna too, she has it bad for you. Becca is still young and sorting it all out. Same goes for Reena and Mel. I don't share that depth of bond. I wouldn't want to cheapen what they have with you by sharing a marriage ceremony when I don't have that connection. I damn well better be one of the bridesmaids though" A wry smile crossed Vanessa's face. "I care for you. I love you. I love this family. I am not in love with you." "If it weren't for this damn serum, you would be free to find someone to have that bond with." Vanessa's eyes watered. "Don't ever say that again." There was steel in every syllable. "I may not be in love with you, but this is one of the best relationships I've ever had. I have more joy; not mere happiness; joy in my life now than I have had in a very long time. If the serum caused this, then Thank God and bring it on. I wouldn't change what I have right now for anything. I know you care for me. I can feel it. I feel it from each of the others. What we have is special and I don't ever want to let it go." Dave stood and walked towards Vanessa. From one eye, a tear rolled down her cheek. "I haven't felt this safe and accepted since I was a little girl that didn't know what emotional pain was." She closed her eyes, surrendering, hopeful, to what he might do next. Dave bent down, bringing his face to hers. He kissed each eye gently. He kissed each tear streak. He kissed her gently on the nose, eliciting a small giggle. He kissed her lips, softly at first, growing firmer as she responded. She broke the kiss and opened her eyes in time to see his eyes opening. She could see the tears watering them. "You're going to make me fall in love with you aren't you?" "No. I'm going to give you every reason to, and let you decide." Dave reached underneath Vanessa and lifted her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him as he carried her. Olivia noticed them coming out of the library. With a small grin she began singing in a soft voice "Who; knows what to-morrow brings; in a world; few hearts survive ;” Dave tried scowling at her, but he couldn't get the grin off his face. As they neared the base of the stairs, Vanessa ceased her slow circuit of kissing Dave's cheek, neck and lips. "I think you better let me walk from here stud." Dave chuckled and lowered her feet to the floor. They rose up the stairs, side-by-side joined at the hips, shoulders, and lips. From below, they heard Olivia mutter "God that's hot." Reena Umm-hmmed her agreement. "My nipples are freaking diamonds right now." Entering the bedroom, Dave and Vanessa began removing each other's clothes, quickly, but without frenzy. They stood naked, at the end of the bed, kissing, holding and softly groping each other. Dave pressed in close and gripped Vanessa under the curve of her ass. He lifted her and tossed her into the middle of the bed. She squealed happily as she flew. Dave slowly crawled up the bed, kissing Vanessa as he went. He started by kissing the big toe of her left foot and proceeded down the top of her foot to her ankle. Then he switched to her right foot. When he reached her ankle, he continued laying soft, gentle kisses up her shin. Then again up her left shin. He avoided the backs of her calves, her kneecap and the inside of her knee. These spots were very ticklish for Vanessa. Becca loved the loss of control when Dave tickled her. Becca and Janice loved the counter play of tickling and sexual stimulation. Vanessa would mule-kick him through a wall if he tickled her. And be out of the mood. And be pissed for a few days. So no tickle-y He kissed his way up the tops and outsides of each leg. He kissed a wandering path around her abdomen, taking time at her belly button like a caravan merchant at an oasis. Vanessa moaned. Her belly button was one of her favorite places for Dave to play with. Dave began working his way upward again, kissing in a straight line that ran up from her navel between her tits. He looked up as he rose, seeing her eyes locked on him, hungry and happy. Pure joy radiated from her face. He reached the hollow of her neck and alternated kissing with light nibbling. Vanessa moaned again and shifted beneath him. This was another of her favorite spots. He kissed up to her jaw, across her jawline, to her lips. "Umm" Vanessa hummed as Dave settled in, his body pressing firmly against hers. He rested his weight on his elbows and knees (outside of hers) and took her hands in his, out to the sides of her head, their fingers interlaced. It was more sensual than sexual. After several minutes, Dave slipped his hands loose and moved lower for the next step. He broke the kiss. Vanessa whimpered and opened her eyes. She bit back a complaint about the end of the kiss, because she knew what was coming would be better. Dave kissed her chin, then her shoulder. He stroked the outside of each tit with his fingertips. He kissed from her shoulder down to the top of her tit. He kissed around her tit, never touching the areola. Then he placed tiny, soft kisses just at the border of her areola without brushing her nipple. Vanessa whimpered. His hand played with her other tit, likewise avoiding the areola. Vanessa squeaked as he took her nipple and areola in his mouth and suckled, flicking his tongue against her nipple. "Yes; ;” she clutched the sheets and writhed beneath him. It was delicious torture. He had her worked up and ready, but kept the foreplay going rather than enter her. One finger of his hand lightly brushed across her other nipple. Back and forth. Back and forth. Light pinch. "Oh, David, please baby." Dave chuckled. He met her eyes as he descended down her body again, taking less time than when he rose. He kissed her hip, then across her pelvis and down. He kissed her mound of Venus and descended with his mouth hovering over her labia, but not touching. He let his breath brush over her entrance. Then he pulled back further and kissed her inner thigh. He heard a strangled whine from above. He nibbled. He switched thighs. More shifting and squirming. Dave latched his mouth onto Vanessa's labia and suckled like a newborn. "Yes!" Her body lifted off the bed for several seconds. He flicked his tongue against her entrance before easing it inside of her. She let out a contented moan. He slid his hands along her sides and thighs. Dave lifted his eyes to look at Vanessa. Her eyes were closed in bliss. He moved marginally forward and took her clitoris into his mouth, massaging it with his lips and tongue. "Oh God!" her eyes flew open. Hands gripped sheets and pulled hard. Her feet lifted. Dave backed off, giving her a moment. He started crawling up the bed, over top of her. Vanessa pouted and locked eyes with him. Desire and need echoed back and forth between their eyes. Dave inserted himself into her wet, relaxed passage and slid forward purposefully. Vanessa issued a sound that was both a sigh and a moan signaling her satisfaction. Once again, Dave interlaced his fingers with hers. With his hands on top of hers, and all four hands beside Nessa's ears, Dave began to rock his body overtop of her. He held himself just low enough that his chest and ribs softly grazed over her erect nipples. With slow, gentle strokes, he raised the two of them towards ecstasy. Kissing softly, they communicated without words, just sighs, moans, and hums. Time stopped and the world fell away. Just two lovers wrapped in gauzy layers of lovemaking. Nessa's body trembled with anticipation for what felt like an eternity as Dave caressed and stimulated her, hitting all her pleasure spots just so, raising her gently to one delicious climax. He buried himself to the root within her as the dam burst forth. Her erotic writhing alternatively pushed him away and strove to swallow him within her. The oscillations of her wet passage seized his organ and sent him cascading over the cliff with her. Struck by the serum induced orgasm, Nessa clutched him tightly and howled her pleasure. When Nessa's grasp loosened, Dave slipped to lie beside her, holding her close. Drifting back into the conscious world, Nessa snuggled in close, draping an arm over him. "Hmm, so that's what the girls have been calling 'the full Dave', huh? I like it." Shawna's rotating early shift was today, allowing all of us to sit down as a family and finish discussing housing preferences. Mel came in from the kitchen once Shawna arrived. "We didn't quite get there last time, but with 12 or more people, we need a bigger kitchen." Lupie said emphatically. "Preferably with a double oven and a cooktop with five burners and a grill. Four burners and no grill is still okay. And gas, not electric." "Anything else for the kitchen?" "Well, an island, preferably with power to it, but with a cutting board top, and large enough for rolling out dough." Lupie paused, looking pensive. "Did I go too far?" "Not at all, that sounds great. Especially if I actually get to use it." Dave grinned back. Lupie smirked and rolled her eyes. "Oh, and one other condition; a nice big batch of tamales after we move in." Lupie's eyes danced. "Absolutely." "I was thinking," Reena said, "how about a backyard deck?" Dave interjected "Not really necessary. It would be good to have, but I can build a reliable deck. Especially with Livy involved. You can help too if you want." "If you can do renno, I may have work for you." Vanessa smirked. Dave laughed. "I still have a day job. Our house sure, but I'm not looking to make it a job. Oh, and what ever we get needs plenty of electrical outlets. If it's really necessary, I could run a few new breakers and circuits, but seriously, I'd rather stay away from that." Shawna looked alarmed. "Baby, I believe you when you say you've got skills, but I don't want you around one-ten, or worse, two-twenty." Dave returned with a scowling laugh, "That's why you turn it off at the box, dear." "Just be careful honey." "Yes, Peaches." That earned a laugh all around, as Shawna blew a kiss at him. Nessa looked at her. "Are you from Georgia?" "No, but my parents met there in college. Mom's from Georgia, Dad was just there for school. They raised me and my brother in St. Louis." "And you went there for your degree?" "Oh no. I knew I wanted to be a meteorologist since I was a young teen. I went to O U. With the National Weather Service center right there, I got experiences I could never have gotten elsewhere. Spent a good chunk of my upper-class and grad years chasing storms." "Sounds like a lot of fun." "Oh yeah." Nessa grinned with Shawna, then turned to Dave. "I have been asked to press the idea of the towers one more time. Not so much our immediate supervisor here, but the folks back in DC. Their argument is that it's more efficient." "Unbelievable." Dave managed to avoid grumbling. "You do realize that the same people that want to shove us into a shoebox are the same little hypocrites that scream their heads off when a CEO lays off workers to make his company more efficient. Both of them are promoting the math of what they want, ignoring what they don't, and neither actually gives a shit about the people they are using like pawns." Shawna, seated beside him, stroked his arm, a slight grin on her face. "Yeah, okay, I'll climb down off my soap box. But no, I do not want to live in an apartment tower. A neighborhood, sure. A diverse neighborhood sounds great. I'm not a fan of monochrome anyway." "Clearly," Nessa said. "Just looking around the room proves that." "I'm sorry, but the whole 'I know better than you' crowd pisses me off, whether it's the church variety, the lefty variety, or the old money variety." "Okay, okay," Nessa replied light heartedly. "I had to bring it up again. I've done so, and you've been quite clear. I'll get on the search tomorrow. It may take a bit, but I'm sure we can find something that meets our requirements." The conversation turned to other subjects, and the family splintered into little knots of discussions. Mel slipped back out to check on the meal she was making. Dave didn't know what it was, but it smelled really good. Well, he knew it was something with chicken. He decided to join Mel in the kitchen. "Hey, Mel, how's it goin'?" "Almost done." Mel turned her face to his and received the offered kiss. "Smells really good. Chicken soup?" "Chicken and dumplings. From scratch. I boiled the chicken earlier this afternoon. It's about time for me to mix the dumplings. After that, it'll be ready to eat in twenty minutes." Dave wrapped his arms around her, holding her close from behind as she watched the pot. "Perfect choice for a dreary day like today. And, I haven't had chicken and dumplings in a long time." "Well, I hope you like mine." "Oh, Mel," Dave said as he nuzzled his head against hers, "you know I like your dumplings." He traced the middle finger of each hand up her sides, pulling away before reaching her tits. She cackled, turning to face him. With a light smack on his shoulder she said, "You're an old lech," she stepped in for a kiss. "But you're my old lech." She waggled her eyebrows. Dave chuckled, resting his forehead against hers. Then the doorbell rang. "Go, I need to get on the dumplings anyway." Mel swatted him on the ass as he walked away. Jan was already at the door when Dave arrived. The soldier was just handing over the clipboard. Beside her stood a young black woman with her hair in several tight braids. She stood about 5'6", with eyes that appeared to prefer laughing, but bore the potential to penetrate obfuscation, a cute button nose and a bright red lipstick on her perfectly sized mouth. Large golden hoop earrings in her ears and tight black jeans on her legs were the only attire visible other than her thick coat. Given the near-freezing temperatures and drizzle that had gone on all day long, Dave could hardly blame her. The black handle and ribbing stood out starkly from the vivid, deep pink of her umbrella canopy. It looked thoroughly functional, and infinitely girlie; maybe a bit more Wednesday Addams than cheerleader, but that didn't bother Dave in the slightest. Jan handed the clipboard back to the soldier, who departed immediately. "Hello, my name is Janice, though I prefer Jan." She held out her hand, which was taken without trepidation. "And this is Dave." He likewise reached out and shook the lady's hand. "Come on inside. We were just about to sit down for dinner." "About twenty minutes," Dave supplied. "Mel; Melanie; is making chicken and dumplings." "Oh, that sounds really good. Especially with this weather." She pulled her roller case through the foyer and parked it just inside the living room. The ladies approached her, no more than three at once, and the early few drew her towards the center of the room as they greeted her and introduced themselves. Mel, having not taken a seat yet, exited to the kitchen again, reappearing barely a minute later. "It'll be about ten more minutes," she replied to the expectant faces that turned her way. Becca and Olivia immediately stood, heading to the kitchen. Apparently, it was their turn to set the table. The light conversations and sharing continued through the meal, interrupted only by nearly everyone asking for a second bowl (Dave had four, but made sure everyone else was done eating before the last two.) Of course, each family member took multiple opportunities to praise Mel for the quality of the meal, and the excellent choice for the dreary conditions. Dave listened in on the conversations around him, paying special attention to the ones involving the new arrival, Niki. Between his own conversations with her, he learned her full name was Nicole Lassiter, and she worked as the network administrator and network security administrator for a bank headquartered in Dallas. With all the losses, she was now over all computer issues that were not customer facing. Her little brother was still in college, hunkering down in the UGA dorms. Niki, her mom, and her dad each called him at least once a week both for their own peace of mind and to keep his spirits up. Niki's parents were recently vaccinated. Her mother had styled her hair before 'her baby girl' left for the Vax Center. The tight braids she wore were called a Senegalese twist. Since her mother was a hairdresser (not that she was seeing customers at the moment) she had extensions on hand to do her daughter up right. Niki's dad had just retired from road construction work, looking to open up a barbecue restaurant; right before the lockdowns hit. Dave also noticed a slight unsteadiness on occasion when Niki walked. It made him concerned for her well-being, but he wasn't sure how to bring it up without being rude. As the evening wore on, he noticed Niki making furtive glances his way. The next time she did, he made eye contact, lifting one eyebrow. She bit her lip and nodded. Dave rose from his seat and strode to her side. A few eyes followed them as he took her hand and led her upstairs. Dave guided her to the master bedroom. Niki quickly took a seat on the bed. "You know, I didn't ask you earlier: do you want to do this here, or in a separate room? Here, you're going to wind up with several other women in the bed as well. We still have a room you could wake up in with some privacy. Shawna and I use it sometimes to spend time together when she gets home from work, and she stores clothes in there so she can dress and not disturb anyone when she has an early morning shift, but nobody uses the bed in there." "No, here's fine, thank you." Looked pensive for a moment. And a little pained. "Are you okay? If you don't want to do this; " "No, no I'm fine, really. Well, I'm not fine, but you aren't the problem, not by a long shot. I pushed myself too hard this evening. I should have spent less time standing." Dave waited while she ordered her thoughts. "I haven't been completely honest with you, Dave. I only recently got to a point where I can walk without a cane. Over a year ago, I was t-boned by a drunk driver. Shattered my legs. It'd be a good bet that half the metal in this room, is in my bones right now." She let out an annoyed snort. "I used to run track. Even got a partial scholarship that helped me get my degree. I spent months in a wheelchair, and then a walker. After that, I moved up to those forearm crutches. During lockdown, I couldn't go to the doctor, so when I felt annoyed enough with the crutches I shifted to a simple cane. And now I've been walking without any aid for over a month, but it hurts like hell; and it's tiring." "You are one tough cookie." Dave said from the spot he'd taken beside her as she spoke. "I don't feel so tough. I feel beat up and worn out." Dave hugged her. "You want me to tuck you in and let you rest? We could do the imprinting tomorrow." "No, no I want to do this with you Dave. I just may need you to go easy. And probably help me undress." "Just to be clear, you're asking me to strip your clothes off, handle your body gently, and blow a load inside you?" Dave said with a hint of sarcasm. Niki giggled. "You seem man enough to handle the job." Dave answered her with a kiss, full on the lips, pressing firmly but with moderation. His hands drifted behind her shoulder blades. Niki responded, humming into the kiss and parting her lips. When Dave's tongue probed undemandingly, hers welcomed the visitor. Dave's hands roamed slowly, taking the first steps in learning the body of his newest lover. He enjoyed the feel of her in his hands. There was a looseness, as would be expected for an athlete that had been benched. Beneath that slight layer, there was a firm core. She was; exciting. And excited. Whatever she wanted in a man, she seemed to think Dave had it. Well, that and the serum had her amped up. Dave was finally getting past feeling guilty about that. Mostly. Dave started consciously directing his hands, seeking the buttons or clasps or zipper to loosen the neck of the tight black top she was wearing. Solid black panels with a black lace overlay stitched in at regular intervals. Finding the short zipper took no time at all. He next dropped his hands, seeking the hem of her shirt under her jeans waist. There was no hem. As his hands quested, he found bare hip, with cloth from the top still diving down her front and back. Just like a swimsuit. Then it struck him. He came up for air and play scowled at her. "You could have just said it was a bodysuit." She snickered. "Aw, where's the fun in that?" Dave kissed her. Then he gently shoved her backwards onto the bed. Her torso lay flat on the bed, her legs dangling off. Dave stood and faced her. Reaching down, he unbuttoned her jeans and lowered her zipper. Niki's eyes twinkled as Dave took hold of the cuff of her jeans and pulled them off. He missed the worried look in her eyes as the scars on her legs were exposed. That's because his eyes were locked on her trim brown legs. They stayed fixated on those lovely legs as he kneeled between them and began kissing her legs, first one then the other. All over her thighs, then, gently lifting, careful not to lift too high, he kissed her calves and shins. He lavished every inch of her legs with his lips and tongue. Niki moaned. Then she sniffled. Alerted, Dave brought his head up, locking his eyes on hers. Tears watered the bottom of her almond shaped sockets. "You make me feel beautiful again." "You always were." He kept his eyes on her as he kissed the inside of her knee. The kiss extended into suckling. He gave the spot a little nip, then moved his position by a few inches and giving the same attention, adding in a few strokes of his tongue tip. Niki's chest heaved. Dave could hear sobs amongst the moans as he switched to her other knee. He would have been alarmed except for the clearly cathartic tone. "Umm, David, please, I need you up here." With a grin, Dave worked his way, unhurried but not dawdling, up her leg, kissing and huffing hot breath on her exposed skin as he went. Reaching her fragrant core, Dave brought his fingers softly to the three little snaps holding the gusset of her bodysuit together. A gentle flick separated the two soaked flaps of cloth and revealed that Niki wore nothing underneath. The engorged, richly black outer labia of her nethers drenched in her arousal. Her inner labia petaled outward, yielding a peek at the pink interior. Dave blew one long, slow hot breath over her bare, quivering sex before latching his mouth on her. He suckled her lower lips as her back arched. Niki keened her pleasure while her arms beat a tattoo on the bed. "David, now, please, now." Dave shucked his shoes and quickly slipped his cargo shorts and boxers to the floor. In a flash, Dave was over top of her, dragging her up the bed like a leopard securing his prey in a tree. Niki's breath caught as he took charge of her body. The fire in her eyes was unmistakable. He kissed her deeply, then pulled away. With his eyes locked on hers, he moved himself to her entrance and pressed his cockhead just barely inside. The fluids leaked all over his throbbing cock touched her most sensitive places and set off a riot only attributable to the serum. Dave anchored her motions with his knees, pressed against her rear, but not enough to force her legs too far apart. "Fuck that was good." She paused for a deep breath. "Hmm, I'm all yours now Dave. Send me off to neverland, lover." Dave worked within her, slowly and gently at first, picking up pace slightly and a little more force when she signaled it was needed and acceptable. Her hums and moans continuously reminding him his actions were still mutually desired. His peak arrived and he shot hot ropes of cum with his cock buried deep in her, his cockhead brushing her cervix. Immediately, she shuddered, racked with the serum induced pleasure that forever locked her life with his. Dave held her in her throes until she went limp muttering "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting ;” He rose, going to the bathroom to clean himself before returning with a wet washcloth and a hand towel to clean Niki. Once she was cleaned and dry, he snapped her body suit closed again and arranged her comfortably on the bed, beneath the covers. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before heading downstairs to spend social time with the rest of his family. As he descended the staircase into the mild buzz of the other eight women happily sharing his life, his home, and his bed, Dave marveled at how amazing his life was. Chapter 10; Storm Winds. October 28, 2020 4:18am David's hand was halfway to the palmprint secured gun safe on the back side of his headboard before he realized he was even awake. With the vertical placement, and the; activity frequently occurring in the bed, he'd installed two Velcro loops to hold the pistol and magazine inside. He released the pistol and placed it on his chest before reaching back for the clip. Fortunately, only two hands and a part of one leg were draped over him at the moment. The four younger girls were in their rooms, leaving Lupie, Jan, Shawna, Vanessa, and his newest partner Nicole to share his bed. Nicole was one of the hands, and the partial leg. By consensus, the ladies decided she should get to curl up next to Dave for her imprinting sleep. Gingerly, Dave slipped free of his partners' limbs and slid down the bed onto the floor. Only then did he insert the magazine and work the slide. Flipping the safety on, he padded softly but quickly to the closet to grab a pair of shorts. He decided not to wear slippers this time. He might need the extra footing. Keeping close to the wall, he approached the bedroom door. With the door still shut, he took the safety off, but kept his finger out of the trigger well for the moment. Slowly, Dave eased the door open. Slipping through, he noticed a shape in the hallway, against the wall, at the top of the stairs. Too dark to identify an individual, the figure made the 'Join Me' signal his friend Carter had taught him long ago. He did not raise his weapon. Sliding along the wall silently, just the way he'd practiced at least once every year, Dave approached. Proximity gave the reassurance the lighting denied at a distance. Liv crouched in the hallway, pistol in hand, wearing only a light nightgown that reached most of the way to her knees. With a quick series of hand signals, Dave told Liv to follow at a distance as he prepared to descend the stairs as quietly as possible. Liv signaled back that she should lead, but apparently had no signal for why. Dave negated the suggestion, and started down the stairs. He reached the lower landing with no incident. His nerves had been raw as he got halfway down and the solid wall gave way to railing. Now he crouched on one knee, Liv a few steps up from the landing, but with good vision on the living room area, both of them listening. The nighttime chirping of mockingbirds was absent. No flutter of wings or rustle of raccoons, possums, or skunks. Out here on the wild edge of the metroplex, there was always something moving at night. Dave signaled for Liv to post up on the landing and then moved along the wall of the stairs, in front of the media center to the corner of the living room where the downstairs hallway started. He was now directly below the spot Liv had occupied when he first emerged from the bedroom. And just two steps from his secured gun closet recessed under the stairs and hidden behind a normal looking panel. Dave had only one twelve round magazine. Liv had purchased a larger safe and had a spare ten round magazine in addition to the one in her weapon. It was a bit awkward carrying it since she had no pockets, but Carter had taught a variety of firing stances, one of which allowed carrying something in the non-dominant hand. By the absence of natural sounds, somebody was outside. He did not know how many, or how they were armed, but he was sure they weren't here in the oh-my-god-it's-early hours for a friendly visit. He slid the cover for the pin pad open so he could punch in the unlock code. Dave heard a crashing thump at the door followed by cursing. The security door worked just fine. He didn't get a chance to smile though. The glass door at the back of the living room shattered from several rounds. Dave squared his body with the opening just as two men stepped through. The first man fell as Dave brought his weapon up. The second went down just as his head turned to his right to see Liv's position flanking their breach. Dave heard a tinkling sound from the entry. Someone was breaking the window in the front parlor. Now he was worried. The thick pillar at the free corner of the landing would give Liv scant protection against a firearm. Dave stayed low, stepping away from his corner. It gave him protection against someone firing from the sliding door breach, but he had no angle to fire into the entryway. With the furniture screening him from the glass door breach, he approached the arch between the entry and living room. Loud whispers drifted in from his right. The remaining attackers on the deck seemed to be hesitant about testing themselves against the defenses. He was straining to pick out words when a head began to resolve itself in the entry. Dave fired two rounds. The body fell. He held his position, weapon ready. Out back he heard an angry growl, "Hey, one of those women is my sister!" The reply was too low to understand the words, but the snideness came through clearly. As did the answering gunshot. What the hell is going on? They're shooting each other now? Hey, they don't need to be on my property for that! The fallen body in front of Dave slid backwards. Hands appeared from the foyer and the broken glass door, but they were empty. The hands gripped a pair of ankles of one downed man each and yanked them back to where the hands came from. This repeated for the second body near the glass door. Wet sickening sounds ensued, backed up by an occasional retching noise. Murmurs were heard. Someone said something about a marker and a bag. "David?!" Shawna's voice called from up the stairs. That wasn't the only sound from upstairs. Roscoe was barking his head off. Furtive whispers indicated some of his family were at the top of the stairs with Shawna. "Keep everyone up there. Open up the armory in the main closet and distribute weapons to the adults. Everything Lt. Malcolm Reed gave us is in there. Arm up and take defensive positions upstairs." That was a bluff. Hopefully enough of one to drive the attackers away. Dave was sure Shawna would recognize the name of the armory officer from Enterprise and catch on. The sounds from the foyer and back deck took on a hurried pace before Dave heard footsteps rushing away. Dave and Olivia exchanged glances, and then immediately darted their eyes back to the penetration points. This happened a few more times over the next several minutes. "Looks like we're clear." "Yeah, just stay on your toes." "I know. I grew up under the same guy that trained you, remember?" "Vividly." Cautious footsteps descended the stairs. "David, Olivia, it's Shawna. I'm coming down." Slowly, Shawna came into view, feet first on the exposed portion of the staircase. Her pink satin nightgown falling just past her knees gave her some coverage, but made Dave aware of the cold, damp air pouring in from both breaches. "Are you two okay? Is it safe?" "For now. We've got two big holes in the house, so maybe keep everybody up there where it's warm unless they're needed down here." Dave paused for a second. "Ask Nessa and Mel to look out the upstairs windows. See if they can spot these guys leaving, or lying in wait." Shawna disappeared upstairs, then came back down after a brief verbal exchange. Shawna came down to the lower landing and spoke briefly with Livy, giving her a hug. Then she came to Dave. She hugged him fiercely. Her voice shook as she said thickly, "For a little bit there, I thought I was going to lose you." "We held." Dave managed to keep most of the nervous tension and post-adrenaline shake out of his voice. By the look in her eye, Shawna wasn't fooled a bit. Dave led her to the beginning of the hallway, the cubby under the stairs. He whispered the passcode in her ear so she could unlock it. That had been the galling thing during the attack. His full stash of weapons had been right beside his shoulder, but he couldn't spare the attention to unlock it. Clearly, he needed to rethink his arrangements. Shawna handed out a thigh holster for him, which he only saw peripherally as he kept watch. The weight told him immediately she'd placed two pre-filled magazines in there for him. He pulled one out for a quick check. No use him having Livy's mags. "I go to the pistol range about every other month. Nothing fancy, but I'm a decent shot and I know the difference between ten mil and nine mil. What? It's a very satisfying skill to have, and a great way to blow off some stress." Dave chuckled and turned his head, with a quick lean to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. Then he stepped back out to his post. He felt Shawna walking out, so he moved to the other side of the hallway so she could make her way to Livy with the other thigh holster without crossing Dave's line of sight. She paused at his shoulder. "Dave, do you want the other weapons in there?" Dave thought for a minute. He knew which ones Shawna had to mean. He sighed, "Yeah. A tac vest and one of the MP5's. Tac vests should already have six loaded magazines in the pockets. Get two and give the other vest and weapon to Liv. Then find out if anyone upstairs has any weapons training. You said you shoot, how good are you?" Shawna handed out a vest first, which Dave quickly donned. "With silhouette targets, I can put four out of five rounds through the heart. Now, I haven't gotten to shoot since the lockdowns, but I was pretty regular before." She handed him one of the MP5's which Dave quickly slung over his head and shoulder, inserted a magazine he'd pulled from the vest and chambered a round, then safed the weapon. "Are those; ?" "Semiauto. Carter went to a lot of work to make sure we had everything we could legally have, but never anything illegal. They do have the integral noise suppressor. It was expensive as hell and took forever plus a mountain of paperwork, but it's all legal. At least in Texas." "God Bless Texas," she said with a gleam in her eye. Shawna gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before sauntering over to Livy, a thigh holster clutched in one hand, a tac vest in the other, and an MP5 slung over her neck. A second thigh holster, with a nine millimeter and magazines was strapped to her sleek, powerful thigh. Shawna handed off the gear to Olivia, then swiftly moved back to the concealed weapons closet. She was in there for quite a while before emerging. "There was only one more pre-loaded nine mil mag, so I had to load a few or just walk around with one. The second choice didn't sound viable." "Agreed." Dave grasped Shawna's bicep and pulled her in for a quick kiss on the cheek. She beamed at him after returning the kiss, then headed upstairs. Dave heard Liv saying something to Shawna as she passed by. An eternity and a short time later, two sets of footsteps descended the staircase. Melanie followed behind Shawna. "Carter and Liv both took me to the range several times. I even went to a tactical course once my aim was; acceptable. But only with pistol. I've never shot anything else." "Good enough. There's another thigh holster and pistol inside. What did Carter train you on? "Nine millimeter. He said it was so common it made a good starting point. Once with Liv, we rented shotguns at an outdoor range and I was decent with it." "Pistol will do fine. Shawna, help her get some magazines loaded. Has anyone called for police?" Mel swallowed nervously. "I didn't see anyone waiting in the back yard, but the deck;” "Yes?" "It's; disturbing. Dave, be careful." Dave nodded, as did Liv. Shawna spoke up as she followed Mel in. It was tight with two adults in there, but doable. At three it would have been cramped. "Lupie called. They didn't know how long before someone responds. They're stretched thin and the night shift is the least staffed." Wordlessly, she handed over a t-shirt she'd grabbed while she was upstairs. Dave slipped the tac vest off, donned the shirt, then the tac vest again. While he dressed, he spoke with his partners. "Fuck. Okay, here's what's gonna happen. You two take defensive positions on the stairs. One of you take the lower landing, one further up, just below the ceiling line. Then Liv and I will go out through the deck, and check the exterior all the way around." "I'll take the landing," Mel said. "I've had training with Carter, I should be the one exposed." "You sure?" Shawna prodded. "Yeah." "Okay, take your positions then." Dave kissed each one on the cheek before they walked away. When both had taken their places, Liv came over to him. Dave had one more instruction for Shawna. "Oh, and tell Lupie to call the police again, let them know we are clearing the grounds so they don't just shoot us on sight." Shawna nodded and crept upwards. Jan came down the stairs, bearing a pair of shoes for Dave and Liv, a pair of socks stuck into one shoe for each of them. After handing over the shoes, Jan headed back upstairs. They shod themselves quietly. "So, me on point?" Liv asked as she finished. "No, I'll take point, you cover me." "Dave, if anything happens to you, we're all in big trouble." "That's why you're watching my back. Otherwise, I'd go out there solo and leave you in charge here." "Like hell you would. I ain't some; " "I know you are capable, but I'm still going to shield you from as much risk as I can." Liv rolled her eyes. "Gee, I feel safe and offended all at once." Dave stared at her stony. "Are we done here? Ready to go?" "Shit, Dad really rubbed off on you. Yeah, let's do this." Olivia fell in behind Dave as he headed straight for the glass door breach. Both held their weapons ready, jutting forward with the strap taut around their necks and backs. Dave paused at the breach. "Off safe." "Roger." Dave examined the scene visible through the broken glass and the flapping curtain. Blood trails led out the breach from the various points where the bodies of the invaders had landed. He could see the legs of a few of them still on the deck. He turned his head to catch first Shawna's then Mel's eyes, nodded, and proceeded cautiously but swiftly out the breach. He swiveled right going out, knowing Liv would go left, just as her father had taught them for years. Each stopped at the furthest extension of the deck in their direction, scanning the deck and yard in a full semicircle, their backs to the house. There was no damage to the fence, and no apparent damage to the greenhouse or anything else in the backyard. The deck however; well, it wasn't damaged. The bodies on it were. Each had the pants and underwear pulled down and a huge bloody mess where the genitals once were. Blood continued to ooze out of the wounds, though clearly it had poured out initially. Dave signaled his intent to clear the greenhouse. Liv followed him. It didn't take long to clear. They emerged quickly, rescanning the backyard as they did. With Liv trailing, Dave exited the backyard through the side gate. The side yard showed no disturbance. In the front yard, they found the same gruesome sight as the back deck. Here though, they found an empty plastic baggie with blood spatter. And a few bloody fingerprints. The bag snagged under the heel of the corpse, ensuring the light wind was insufficient to blow it away. Dave and Liv finished the sweep, checking the other side yard, which showed no signs of disturbance. "I think we're safe, for now. These guys bugged out." "Yeah, but why did they cut their buddies' junk off?" Dave shivered, and not from the crummy weather. Well, maybe a little from the weather. He was barely dressed after all. "Let's get inside." Since the front door was still locked, they traipsed back through the side yard to the gate and came in through the broken glass door. "Coming in." Dave called before entering. "No sign of anyone out there." The relief on Mel and Shawna's faces was evident. Their shoulders relaxed slightly. "Can you two keep watch here? I'm gonna talk to the others, then we'll both get dressed, and then I'll call the police again." At the top of the stairs, four of Dave's partners wrapped him in hugs muttering their relief that he was still in one piece. He could see Lupie gazing at him, beseechingly as she held Esme close, soothing her. A loud bang against a door at the end of the hall reminded Dave of other necessities. "You better go let Roscoe out so he can see that we're all intact," Dave chuckled. As Olivia opened the door, Roscoe bolted from the room, turning only when she bellowed "Roscoe, Heel." That cut through his canine brain fog of 'defense mode'. He turned to her, sniffing as if checking on her condition. Liv knelt in front of him. She placed her hands on either side of his face and began stroking his neck and back while speaking softly, in calm tones. After a few whimpers, he started aggressively licking her face and putting his paws on her shoulders. Addressing his family, Dave said, "Liv and I need to get dressed. We need to call the police again, and we need to get those holes sealed." "Holes?" Jan asked. "Yeah, they busted in the sliding door and a window in the parlor. It's not quite as cold and miserable downstairs as it is outside, but it's close enough. For now, stay upstairs unless you have something you need to do down there. You can still run down to grab a book, or make meals or snacks. For tv, use the spare room that Shawna uses when she has morning shifts." "We could just use our laptops for streaming, Dave. We'll be fine." Reena added. She looked a bit bleary. To be fair, everyone seemed caught in some whipsaw state of alert and drowsy. Not surprising, given what they'd just been through. Dave patted her on the shoulder and kissed the crown of her head in appreciation. Releasing Reena, Dave knelt in front of Esme, who was showing clear signs of worry and strain. He enveloped her in his arms and held her close. "It's okay now, baby girl. We're all okay now." He held her, stroking her hair and back soothingly. After several minutes had passed, he loosened his grip and began to stand. Esme's arms immediately came up, wrapping Dave in a vise-grip hug. She didn't say anything, she didn't cry or whimper. She just clutched him tightly. Dave eyed Lupie, but she just looked back at him imploringly. He reached a hand out to her and she grabbed on immediately. He looked around at the others and saw the need for reassurance was still there. Olivia had already slipped into her room with Roscoe to get dressed. Becca, Reena, Jan, Nessa and Lupie all rushed to surround him the moment he waved his hand to 'bring it in'. Esme was wedged between Dave and Lupie. She finally relaxed her grip on Dave, and switched over to her mother. With a silent chuckle, Dave kissed Lupie on the cheek and slipped off to the master bedroom. Jan followed after him. "I thought I'd call the police and put it on speaker so you could talk to them while getting dressed." Dave nodded, then wrapped her in a hug and gave her a closed mouth kiss that was no less affectionate for its chasteness. Reluctantly, he released her and headed into the closet to collect some clothes. Jan dialed 911 as soon as Dave emerged. Police staffing was so low, all calls went through the emergency center. Long held habits are hard to break, though. Especially when those habits are codified in a manual. That's what they call 'procedure'. "911, what's your emergency?" "We called earlier about a break in. The people trying to break in have left, except the ones we shot," Dave called out in clear, even tones for the speaker. "Is anyone injured?" The operator droned, as if she been on duty too long, too many days in a row. "No, ma'am," Dave said. "No one in my family was hit, and the ones we shot are dead." "Are you sure they're dead?" "Yes ma'am. The guy that taught me how to shoot didn't teach me to miss. Besides, before they left, the invaders; mutilated the bodies. If they hadn't died from the gunshots, they'd have died from the blood loss." Dave was watching Jan's face when he mentioned the mutilation. Not the best choice, since he nearly fell over pulling on his cargo pants. It did allow him to see the flinch that briefly flitted across her face before she reasserted control. "Did you say mutilated, sir?" The tones were even, obviously someone that had worked 911 for years. Still, there were notes of 'oh shit' blended with 'what fucking else?' "I did." "Would you please specify the nature of the mutilation?" "The genitals of the deceased were removed." A short silence reigned on the line. "Could you repeat that sir?" The operator's voice sounded slightly more alert. Dave pulled his pre-tied sneakers on as he said, "the scrotum was removed from each of the corpses." This conversation was now added to the thick stack of reasons to be very glad of the distance between the master bedroom and Esme's bedroom. Lupie and the others had taken her there when Dave walked away. Between the walk-in closet and Dave's office, there was little chance sounds from the bedroom penetrated that far. "Are you certain the perpetrators have left?" "Yes ma'am, one of my partners and I swept the area; our yard anyway; and found no one remaining. All we found were the bodies that the survivors had drug back out of the house and carved up." "So the shooting happened inside the house?" "Correct." "I'm noting all this in the file sir. I'm appending this report to the prior calls your partner made requesting assistance. Since you are no longer in immediate danger, I am diverting the patrol response. They will get to you to you after attending to higher level calls." Even as she spoke, the woman's voice grew more exhausted, like a Walmart employee on Black Friday at about 3pm. "It's been almost an hour since the initial break in. Why has it taken so long?" "Sir, I'm not at liberty to discuss that, but I do apologize. I have no control over response times. I will dispatch a detective to investigate as well. Until then, please leave the scene undisturbed." "How long will that take? Can you give me an estimate?" "Probably a few hours, sir. There are very few detectives working night shift, so they'll likely hand this over to the dayshift investigators." "Hours? These guys busted in my sliding door and broke a large window in the parlor. It's making for quite a chilly cross breeze. And that's not even counting the blood stains and blood trails in my living room and entryway." Dave's voice had begun to rise. "Sorry, I'm trying to maintain a level tone here, but that's a bit difficult given what's happened and what you're telling me." The voice on the other end reached its most hollow state. "I'm sorry sir, I can't change those realities. Please understand that it will be three hours minimum before a detective would reach you. More likely it will be three hours before a detective is assigned to your case. Patrol won't take that long, but it won't be immediate." Dave took a deep, cleansing breath. It was only marginally useful, but it helped him keep his tone level. "And what is the longest likely time before a detective gets out here?" "Possibly six to eight hours sir." "That's; " Dave caught himself. And formed a plan immediately. "Fine. We'll be ready when the detective arrives." He hung up. Dave took a deep breath, staring intently at the far wall, fully aware of Jan quietly and patiently waiting off to his right. He rubbed his face, then snatched up his t-shirt and pulled it on. "Okay, let's meet with everyone else. I have a plan, and we can deal with this." Dave said as he stood. With a concerned look to Niki's slumbering form, he strapped the thigh holster in place and fastened the tac vest as he walked. The MP5 he slung over his neck and shoulder, then pulled around to his back. To be continued in part 9, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Is the cure for cancer… a pair of strappy new shoes?!

On this year's Annual Christmas Mailbag: New Year's Resolution results are shared, Big Cool Ranch speaks out, Eli gives Christmas Boardroom advice, Mike makes a statement about a needed mindset shift, and much more.  Kudos to Titleist for the incredible prizes New YouTube Series - Between Two Sims: https://youtu.be/45hjEjhMByo  Interested in Ireland 2026? chasingscratchgolf.com/events Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: patreon.com/chasingscratch  Kudos to Nerd Fitness: Nerdfitness.com/chasingscratch Kudos to Vuori: vuoriclothing.com/chasingscratch   

Stāsta dizainers Klāvs Priedītis; pārraides producente — Inga Saksone Daudzas mūsdienu inovācijas nav cilvēku izgudrotas, bet gan aizgūtas no dabas. To sauc par biomīmikriju, proti, pieeju, kurā dizains mācās no dzīvās dabas. Tā ir vesela zinātņu nozare, kas pēta dabas procesus un struktūras un imitē tās, lai rastu ilgtspējīgus risinājumus cilvēku problēmām. Biomīmikrijas nosaukums cēlies no grieķu vārdiem "bios" — dzīve, un "mimesis" — atdarināšana. Taču tas nav vienkāršs mēģinājums kopēt redzamo. Svarīga ir vērošana ar izpratni — kā daba risina problēmas, kā tā veido efektīvas, ilgtspējīgas struktūras un sistēmas, un kā mēs varam šos principus pielietot, piemēram, dizainā. Miljoniem gadu ilga evolūcija ir bijis milzīgs dabas eksperiments — katra forma, virsma vai kustība ir attīstījusies laika gaitā, apkārtējās vides pārbaudīta un visbeidzot spējusi pielāgoties konkrētās vides izaicinājumiem. Ja aplūkojam dabas risinājumus, tad redzam, ka tie ir ne tikai skaisti, bet arī efektīvi, resursu taupīgi un harmoniski. Tas ir lielisks iedvesmas avots, kurā smeļas dizaineri, arhitekti, zinātnieki un citi radošo profesiju pārstāvji. Viens no galvenajiem dabā aizgūtajiem vizuālajiem principiem, kas tiek plaši izmantots dažādās mākslās, piemēram, arhitektūrā, produktu dizainā, grafikas dizainā, fotogrāfijas kompozīcijā un citur, ir zelta griezums. Tas ir klātesošs daudzu augu formās, piemēram, veidā kā saulespuķes sēklas ir izkārtojušās ziedā. Arī dzīvnieku formās varam atrast zelta griezumu, piemēram, gliemeža čaulā, kas, laikam ritot, iekļaujas zelta griezuma spirālē. 13. gadsimtā filozofs Svētais Akvīnas Toms (Sanctus Thomas Aquinas) formulēja vienu no galvenajiem estētikas principiem — cilvēka jūtām patīkami tie objekti, kuriem ir pareizas proporcijas. Viņš atsaucās uz tiešo saistību starp skaistumu un matemātiku, ko var izmērīt un atrast dabā, proti, zelta griezumu. Dizains, kas izmanto biomīmikriju tiecas izmantot ne tikai dabā sastopamos estētiskos principus, bet arī funkcionalitāti. Populāra un iedvesmojoša ir Velcro aizdares ideja, kas radās, kad Šveices inženieris Džordžs de Mestrāls (George de Mestral) pamanīja, kā dadžu sēklas ieķeras viņa suņa spalvā. Tuvāk aplūkojot, mikroskopā viņš ieraudzīja sīkus āķīšus un cilpiņas. Tālāk viņš šo novēroto dabas mehānismu pārvērta produktā, kas kļuvis par plaši lietotu universālu aizdares tehnisko risinājumu. Dizaina radīšanas procesā svarīga ir spēja vērtējoši uzlūkot vidi un parādības sev visapkārt, saglabāt atvērtību dabas potenciālam. Par piemēru varam ņemt pirmos ķīniešu lietussargus, ko apmēram 3. gadsimtā izgudroja kāds ķīnietis vārdā Lu Bans (Lu Ban). Ideja par lietussargu radās, kad viņš ieraudzīja bērnus, kuri izmanto lotosa lapas, lai pasargātu sevi no lietus. Viņš spēja saredzēt lapas potenciālu un atdarināt tās struktūru, elastību un efektivitāti savā risinājumā. Tā tika radīti pirmie ķīniešu lietussargi, kas bija darināti no zīda. Plaši no dabas aizgūti risinājumi tiek pielietoti mašīnbūvē un dažādos inženiertehniskajos risinājumos. Gan tur, kur nepieciešams saglabāt augstu aerodinamiku, gan arī atjautīgi risinot citas blakusproblēmas. Piemēram, tā var raksturot Japānas ātrvilciena inženieru pūliņus ar problēmu, kas nebija saistīta ar aerodinamisko pretestības spēku, braucot pa atklātu dzelzceļa līniju, bet gan skaņas sprādzienu, kas veidojas, kad vilciens lielā ātrumā izbrauc no tuneļa un tā strupais purngals tunelī saspiesto gaisu lielā ātrumā izgrūž ārā no tuneļa. Lai risinātu šo problēmu, inženieri atjautīgi izdomāja pārveidot vilciena purngalu zivju dzenīša knābja formā, kas daudz labāk šķeļ gaisu savā priekšā. Šie piemēri ir tikai daži, kas rāda biomīmikrijas būtību — meklēt gudrību dabā sastopamajā formā un funkcijā. Daba nekad nerisina problēmas ar lieku spēku vai resursu tērēšanu. Tāpēc daudzi dizaineri ideju ģenerēšanas procesā arvien biežāk sev uzdod jautājumu: kā to darītu daba?

Episode 276Happy Birthday Daniel Dunlap! (Dec. 11th - Mark your calendars!)Sponsor:Gorilla GlueA trusted brand with decades of experience! From glue, to woodfiller, to workshop floor kits, they have everything you need for your next project. Check out their new products along with great deals on all your trusted favorites at: www.gorillatough.comWTB WoodworkingCheck out WTBwoodworking.com for all your woodworking needs! In store specials, Giveaways, custom wood milling, and more!Huntingdon Valley PA Store now open!Enter the giveaway by going to:https://www.wtbwoodworking.com/giveaway Sign up for Patreon for Early access, and special Patreon-only content:https://www.patreon.com/anotherwoodshoppodcastPATREON GIVEAWAY!Donate to Maker's For St. JudeEvery $5 earns you an extra entry in the Patreon Giveaway (Paid Patrons Only)http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/anotherwoodshoppodcast Questions:Blatt ValleyHow do you do cuts on the bandsaw?GeoffShould i flip my table top if i used the wrong side?Joe - Offcut EmporiumBirthday Wishes for DanMike - DM WerkesWhat Bandsaw should I get?You can send in your question to get answered on the podcast! Record your question or comment on your phones voice memo app and email it to anotherwoodshoppodcast@gmail.comYou can follow us all and the podcast on Instagram and YouTube!Podcast:https://www.instagram.com/anotherwoodshoppodcast/https://www.youtube.com/anotherwoodshoppodcast https://www.etsy.com/shop/awpstore Pete:https://www.instagram.com/ptreesworkshop/ https://www.youtube.com/ptreesworkshophttps://www.etsy.com/shop/pTreesWorkShop Dan:https://www.instagram.com/danieldunlap.woodworks/ https://www.youtube.com/danieldunlap  https://www.etsy.com/shop/ddwwstore Braden:https://www.instagram.com/littlebugwoodworking/ https://www.youtube.com/@littlebugwoodworking https://littlebugwoodworking.com/ Support the show

In this episode, Jon answers three real parent questions about clinginess — those “Velcro moments” when a child won't let you leave the room and panic replaces logic. Through stories, brain science, and attachment research, he explores why clinginess is not a sign of overdependence, but a child's way of saying “you are my safe person.”Parents will walk away with a clearer understanding of what clinginess really communicates, how to respond without reinforcing fear, and practical rituals that build connection, confidence, and emotional resilience.Links to help you and me:To support the Podcast, Subscribe on SubstackGet Jon's Top Five Emotional Regulation GamesGet Jon's Book Punishment-Free Parenting Preorder Jon's Children's Book Set My Feelings FreeFollow Whole Parent on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, YoutubeSend us a textSupport the show

This lesson, in the “Pressing On” series, uses the illustration of Velcro to exemplify the idea of having the kind of faith that is transformative and sticks for life. This ultimate, durable, biblical faith is described in four ways: (1) it maintains a clear focus on Jesus, (2) it grows through life's challenges, (3) it is developed through delayed prayers, and (4) it is consistently built and cultivated beneath the surface. The result is a transformed life reflected in our attitudes, habits, relationships, priorities, purpose, and self control. The lesson concludes with an invitation to respond to the message. Linder Road church of Christ - Meridian, Idaho ********************************** For more information about our full schedule of classes and the Linder Road church of Christ in Meridian, ID, please visit http://www.linderroad.com .

This episode was originally published on March 10th, 2023. Learn how to decide between a canoe and a kayak, what kind to get, and how to maneuver and cast using these hard-sided watercraft (next week I'll be doing a podcast on inflatables). Ryan Lilly [47:30]  is a fly fisher and Old Town's expert on fishing from these craft, and has many great suggestions for how to make the most out of your canoe or kayak experience. In the Fly Box this week, we have some interesting questions that I'm sure will be of interest to many of you, as well as some thoughtful tips from other listeners, including: What do bead-head nymphs imitate? Aren't flies tied without beads more natural in the water? Isn't it more natural to use a nymph without any added weight? How do you fish wet flies? Do you use a single one or more than one? And do you ever use weighted wet flies? I recently saw a bunch of large carp in a pond in Florida. Why didn't I see any smaller ones? I had trouble getting a good drift against the slow water on the far bank of a river. Every time I tried to mend my line the small dry fly sank. What else could I have done? Can I fish two dry flies at once? A suggestion from a listener on why upgrading from an entry level fly line is a wise investment. Are there any performance differences between a 6-piece rod and a 4-piece rod? How can I get an extra tip for my Orvis rod? A great tip from a listener on how to make a device to hold scrap pieces of tippet using two pieces of Velcro. I am going to a place where they have stocked golden rainbows. Do these fish behave any differently from normal rainbows? Can I use a Poly Leader for tarpon? Is there any difference between up-eye and down-eye hooks? A tip from a listener on how to change thread colors with a permanent marker. A tip from a listener on how to keep a partially used tube of Aquaseal stay fresh. Why do people hold bass by the jaw? I have heard that this can dislocate their jaw. I am taking my first guided trip. Should I do a float trip or a walk/wade trip?

Send us a textOn this replay episode from last December, the guys sit down to talk about the gifts they had growing up and what we can learn from this season of giving. 

Copying nature is like tapping into the ultimate design library for engineers. Take birds, for instance – their wing structures inspired the creation of more efficient aircraft wings. Engineers look at the intricate patterns of leaves and apply those designs to create better solar panels, maximizing energy absorption. The strength and flexibility of spider silk? That's a blueprint for creating super-strong synthetic materials. Velcro? It's like a high-tech version of those burrs that stick to your clothes during a nature hike. By mimicking nature's genius, engineers are basically taking cues from the greatest designer of all – Mother Earth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Radio TRO is brought to you in part by:Twisted Road - Motorcycle Rental in the USAVisit Twisted.TRO.bike to get a FREE riding day!Robin makes quick announcements: podcast transcripts now sync in players like AntennaPod and Cali Superbike School dates are live. Starting in 2026, any America the Beautiful Pass covers two motorcycles per instance. His EICMA picks include the CF Moto Ibex 450, Ducati Diavel V4, Honda's wild V3R 900 e-compressor, MV Agusta Brutale Serie Oro, a track-ready Norton Manx-R and Yamaha's upgraded R7.Brian sips a gin and tonic by the Dauphin Island view. He agrees with Robin's "don't overthink engines" line but dives into the fun parts, answering questions about fuel stabilizer, brass valve extensions and mysterious Amazon specials. At EICMA, he avoids vaporware and focuses on reality, especially Honda's CB1000 GT, a solid no-pretend tall-rounder.Joanne arrives with a seam ripper and a sword, warning that Velcro usually fails first on gear. That's often cost-cutting, not necessity so always use warranties. Good Velcro feels different and smart design eliminates reliance on it ... reversed cuffs, better zips and quality hardware show true R&D. For repairs, treat technical gear like tools: use authorized centers for Gore-Tex and key seams and know your YKK zips from bargain-bin zips. Don't fall for fashion marketing that sells photoshoots but delivers hospital bills.Jordan time-warps to Daytona 1970, tracing the politics and physics of beach racing and the move to 31-degree banking. The U.S. demanded speeds that many European frames and brakes couldn't handle, prompting British consolidation: BSA/Triumph and Norton/AJS/Matchless. He explains Triumph and BSA triples with 120-degree balance, AMA rules shaped by Harley and the transition from KR750 to XR750 as two-strokes were limited, speeds topping 150 mph.Speaker Entry:Robin Dean - 00:03:46Brian Wringer - 00:06:11Joanne Donn - 00:57:44Jordan Liebman - 01:18:25Episode Page: https://tro.bike/podcast/2025e33/Music by Rabid Neon and Otis McDonald

After surviving Thanksgiving and the subsequent biting cold, we jumped into the FOLLOW UP with news that Malaysia is joining the trend by taking steps to ban social media for children under 16, mirroring similar actions in Australia and Denmark—it seems the world is finally realizing the internet is a toxic wasteland for the kids. We also discussed Apple's photo AI, which is apparently still in beta, if the results are anything to go by. The bulk of our discussion centered on the spectacular, flaming death of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is Officially Dead. We broke down a brief rundown of the damages this vanity project caused, from humanitarian disasters overseas to administrative chaos and the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs domestically, proving the "savings" were pure illusion. Now, with the collapse, the 'Suddenly exposed' DOGE employees fear prosecution after Musk abandoned them, learning the hard way that billionaire guardianship has an expiration date.The job market is just great, with both Apple laying off part of its sales team despite record revenue, and HP joining the List of Tech Companies Cutting Jobs and pointing to AI as the convenient scapegoat for laying off 10% of their workforce. Meanwhile, we found out the most popular social media platform among US adults isn't Instagram or TikTok—it's YouTube—while Meta allegedly buried research showing its products are harming users, confirming what we've known all along: they're evil, but they already got your grandma hooked. Adding to the misery, An Alarming Number of Teens Say They Turn To AI For Company, Study Finds, because why talk to a real, messy human when a bot can gaslight you more efficiently? Sam Altman's financial troubles are spilling over, with Sam Altman's Business Buddies Are Getting Stung (sorry, SoftBank and Oracle), and analysts estimate OpenAI Is Just $200 Billion Away From Still Losing Money, HSBC Says, a comical hole they plan to fill by asking for more free money. Legally, OpenAI can't use the Word ‘Cameo' in Sora now, thanks to a trademark suit, and Warner Music is playing both sides by dropping its lawsuit against Suno in exchange for a licensing agreement. Finally, in some truly dark news, a Marc Andreessen-backed Super-PAC Pours Millions Into Fighting State AI Regulations, and X's new location feature reveals that New X Feature Reveals Many MAGA Patriots on X Are Not Even Based in the U.S.After ranting about my misery dealing with the Open Dialogue bug in a beta build and declaring my return to "pedestrian releases," we got into APPS & DOODADS. Spotify is actually doing something cool with its new SongDNA feature, which shows you who sampled what (and they bought WhoSampled to do it). They're also testing Spotify's New AI-powered audiobook Recaps to remind you where you left off—Amazon is doing the same with AI-powered series Recap Videos for Prime Video. Amazon is also rolling out Alexa Home Theater surround sound for Echo speakers, making those budget speakers slightly more useful. We ran through some great stocking stuffers in Jason's Holiday Gift Guide, including Velcro cable ties and the Contigo travel mug, before moving on to MEDIA CANDY, which included Dan Carlin's Common Sense, Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk's new podcast Once We Were Spacemen, and a discussion on why Stranger Things Lost the Plot. We then got deeply uncomfortable talking about a Toronto ASMR spa that offers doctor roleplay, and closed out by talking about the documentary Quiet Please… about the neurological disorder misophonia. The episode finished with the AT THE LIBRARY segment, covering the Milli Vanilli memoir You Know It's True and the sci-fi short story collection The Time Travelers Passport.Show notes at https://gog.show/724Watch now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PoMa9FM5QEE?si=4r25yqv_0u8aXHF7Sponsors:MasterClass - Get up to 50% off at MASTERCLASS.com/GRUMPYOLDGEEKSGusto - Try Gusto today at gusto.com/grumpy, and get three months free when you run your first payroll.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordFOLLOW UPMalaysia takes steps to ban social media for children under 16IN THE NEWSDOGE Is Officially Dead'Suddenly exposed' DOGE employees fear prosecution after Musk abandoned them: reportApple lays off part of its sales teamHP Joins List of Tech Companies Cutting Jobs and Pointing to AIThe most popular social media platform among US adults isn't Instagram or TikTokMeta allegedly buried research showing its products are harming usersAn Alarming Number of Teens Say They Turn To AI For Company, Study FindsSam Altman's Business Buddies Are Getting StungOpenAI Is Just $200 Billion Away From Still Losing Money, HSBC SaysOpenAI Can't Legally Use the Word ‘Cameo' in Sora NowWarner Music drops lawsuit against AI music platform Suno in exchange for licensing agreementMarc Andreessen-Backed Super-PAC Pours Millions Into Fighting State AI RegulationsNew X Feature Reveals Many MAGA Patriots on X Are Not Even Based in The U.S.MEDIA CANDYCommon Sense 325 – Who's the Boss?Once We Were SpacemenHow Stranger Things Lost the PlotBeing EddieThe Beast in MeThe RosesAt Toronto's new ASMR spa, sensory stimulation slips out of the internet and into real lifeQuiet Please…APPS & DOODADSSpotify's SongDNA feature will show you which songs are sampled on a trackMaking of "The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up" in Ableton by Jim PavloffSpotify's New AI-Powered Audiobook Recaps Will Remind You Where You Left OffAmazon Launches AI-Powered Series Recap VideosAlexa Home Theater surround sound for Echo speakers is rolling out nowDashaun No Sadè - Episode 13 Durand BernarrGuermok Video Capture Card, 4K USB3.0 HDMI to USB C Capture Card for Streaming, 1080P 60FPS, Compatible with iPad Mac OS Windows, Quest 3, OBS, PS5/4, Switch2/1, Xbox, Camera (Silver)Meike 35mm F2.0 Auto Focus Full Frame STM Stepping Motor Lens Compatible with Nikon Z Mount CamerasOBS StudioRogue Amoeba LoopbackScientists Reveal What Black Friday Is Doing to Your BrainVELCRO Brand 150pk Cable Ties Value Pack, 8in | Stocking Stuffer Gifts for Tech Lovers | For Wire Management and Cord Organizer | Replace Zip Ties with Reusable Straps, Reduce WasteHand Holder Strap for ipad, Tablet Hand Holder Strap, Universal Handle Grip for iPad Kindle, Mini Tablets and Cases (Black)Anker USB C Hub, 7-in-1 Multi-Port USB Adapter for Laptops, 4K@60Hz USB C to HDMI Splitter, 85W Max Power Delivery, 3xUSBA & C 3.0 Data Ports, SD/TF Card, for Type C DevicesContigo AUTOSEAL West Loop Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug with Easy-Clean Lid 20 ozScotty Peeler Label and Sticker Remover - Single Metal Peeler -SP2Slipdrive - Portable Hard Drive Sleeve for Laptop - HDD Hard Disk Drive - Reusable Adhesive - 5.5” x 4.5” Stick on External Hard Drive Carrying Case - Travel Pocket Pouch (Large, Black)Slipdrive - Portable Hard Drive Sleeve for Laptop - SSD Solid State Drive - Reusable Adhesive - Stick on External Hard Drive Carrying Case - Pocket Pouch (Small, Black)Carlashes 1001UB Classic BlackAT THE LIBRARYYou Know It's True - The Real Story of Milli VanilliThe Time Travelers PassportThe Courage to Be Disliked: How to Free Yourself, Change Your Life, and Achieve Real Happiness by Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake KogaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Love isn't about holding on forever; it's about raising them strong enough to leave… and sure enough to come back. This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers | Magnesium Breakthrough: Visit: https://bioptimizers.com/drphil Promo Code: DrPhil for 15% off and 25% off during black Friday. Stronger, longer, better life.  

Remove the ankle weights of the ego, tear open every Velcro of attachment, and let the primal wound be healed in the stillness of the Heart. Choose the upper death drive now: dissolve the false “I” into the ocean of pure Awareness, and let love strike the xylophone of the chakras until wisdom resounds and freedom becomes your only law. Then transmit that vibration to a world at the end of its story.

The Time Riders: Part 13 Ancient Roman Appreciation For Led Zeppelin. Based on a post by BiscuitHammer, in 16 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Becky brought several pairs back to the bed and laid them out for Nanu to look at. "This is just a small sample of my collection, but you'll get the idea and what's available." Nanu peered at them before looking up at Becky. "Your collection? Do you take them from other girls after you beat them up? Like a prize or a trophy?" Becky paused but then snickered. Count on Nanu to think in terms of panties as gory battle trophies. "No, sweetie, I just meant that I like panties and buying them in different styles and colors. That way, when I fuck a boy, I know exactly what to wear for him to arouse him." "Ah, I see," Nanu said, instantly understanding now. She picked up the various types, examining them. There were French cuts, boy cuts, hipster, tanga, bikini, g-string; not surprisingly, it was the last type that held her attention the longest. "Are these panties always necessary, Mistress? Can't a girl just walk around without them?" "You could," Becky allowed, nodding. "Usually when I am wearing a skirt, but there's lots of times I don't wear panties." "Do you wear them when you are teaching?" Nanu asked, looking at her mistress. "I; usually, yes," Becky replied, blushing. "It's a good idea to wear them when you're working." "Because students could look up your skirt and see your cunt and then they wouldn't be paying attention to what you were trying to teach them, yes?" Nanu concluded. "That's one way of thinking about it," Becky sighed. The girl wasn't wrong, but Becky didn't want to give her a civics lesson right now either. "Here's a good rule, my love; wear underwear when you're doing something important that has nothing to do with sex, okay?" Nanu frowned. "What could be more important than fucking?" Becky just sighed and stripped off her tee and her panties, now as naked as her charge. She sat down on the bed and pulled Nanu into her lap. Nanu readily straddled Becky, their tits squashed together and her hands around her mistress' shoulders. Becky smiled, her hands resting on Nanu's hips. "Tonight, we'll eat and have all sorts of fun, and I'll show you how some things work," Becky said. "Tomorrow, we go shopping for clothes and some other things." Nanu nodded, her hazel eyes shining brightly. She was looking forward to learning everything. Dinnertime. Becky came up the stairs, peering into her bedroom and noticing that Nanu wasn't there. She looked in the bathroom, thinking the little scamp might be fucking around with the lights again, but she wasn't there, either. She then noticed that the door to the spare room was open. She went inside and found Nanu kneeling at the window, her chin resting on her hands as she gazed outside, watching the street. She seemed fascinated, and the more Becky thought about it, the more she realized this made complete sense. Of course, Nanu could actually see all that much, because of the trees that lined the street, but what was happening just below had her rapt attention. "Like what you see?" she asked, coming up behind Nanu and stroking her fingers through the girl's long black hair. "I don't have the words, mistress," Nanu sighed, still watching. "Everyone is so tall. And the metal monsters are everywhere, but they stay on the black road." Becky giggled. "They are driven by people, Nanu, just like chariots were in your day. The people are inside them, that's all. And yes, they can be dangerous if the people driving them are not careful, or if people on foot walk in front of them;” Nanu blushed slightly at that. "But don't worry, I'll teach you how to be safe," Becky promised. "I have one of those metal things myself, you know." Nanu turned and looked at her with wide eyes. "You own a monster?" Becky smirked. "Yes, most adults do, darling. They are not monsters, they are just machines. They get us from one place to another." Nanu seemed hesitant. "What; what are the machines called in your En-gush?" Becky smiled. "Well, we commonly call them 'cars', but the actual word is 'automobile', I believe." "It would scare me to be in one," the smaller girl said. "You're sure it will not eat me?" Becky laughed. "I've been driving my monster for almost ten years now, darling, and it hasn't eaten me. I promise, we'll take it slow. However, I came up to tell you that it's time to make dinner, and I wanted to know if you'd care to watch." Nanu nodded and let Becky take her by the hand and lead her back downstairs. "I was thinking I would let you decide what we eat, darling. I'll put out some things, and you can choose a couple that I'll make a meal from." Nanu nodded and Becky put an apron on over her nude body, just in case she ended up cooking more bacon. The smaller girl watched as she pulled various things out of the fridge, some of which were obviously fruits and vegetables, others being meats in various forms. "Wassa?" she asked, pointing at something that looked like thin, round slices of a vaguely pinkish-brown color. "What, that?" Becky said somewhat distractedly, looking at what Nanu was pointing to for a quick second before returning her attention to the fridge. She remembered to revert to Latin. "That's just bologna, it's nothing to worry about." "Ba-lo;” Nanu repeated, picking up some slices and popping them in her mouth when Becky wasn't looking. "Let's see here," Becky mumbled, bent over and inside the fridge, which was very nice, but way too big for her personal needs. "I've clearly gotta go shopping soon. Here's some salad mix, and then we have some' "Umm!" The unexpected (and rather disconcerting) sound compelled Becky to rear back out of the fridge and whirl around, wondering what wild animal had somehow made its way into her home. She paused when she saw Nanu standing there, her eyes wide in shock and her cheeks bulging like a chipmunk's while she tried to masticate on all the bologna she had stuffed in her mouth. Her lips couldn't even quite shut. "Nanu," Becky said in quiet disbelief, blinking and shaking her head for a moment, and forgetting to speak in Latin. "Did you just snarf all my bologna?" "Ba; lo;” Nanu mumbled, trying to force it down her gullet. She looked like an ostrich trying to swallow a doorknob. Becky just watched as Nanu performed some peristaltic wizardry with her throat until, against all odds, the bologna was gone from her mouth. The Egyptian girl was touching her lips with her fingers and then looking at her fingers in wonder. She even licked them at one point before looking up at Becky, her eyes flooded with wonder. "Mistress," she said quietly. "I want more ba-lo." "Wait, what?" Becky blurted, shaking her head again, as if she couldn't believe what she'd just heard. "Did you just say you want more bologna?" "Yes," Nanu replied earnestly, nodding. "It is the best thing I have ever eaten. I never want to eat anything else ever again." "Nanu, you can't just eat bologna for the rest of your life," Becky pointed out. "But, mistress, I will die if I don't have more!" Nanu whined rather dramatically. "I don't want to die!" "Dying is exactly what you'll do if you try to eat nothing but ba-lo," Becky pressed, failing to notice she was now using Nanu's word for the damnable stuff. "It's full of nitrates and all those things that gave you the raging shits this morning. Remember that?" "But it's the best thing I've ever eaten, mistress," Nanu continued to whine. "People who don't love ba-lo are stupid!" "Nanu, it's full of those nitrates and preservatives, crazy amounts of the stuff," Becky iterated firmly. "You'll shit yourself to death, woman." The Egyptian girl looked positively heartbroken. "I'm not saying you can never have ba-lo, all I'm saying is that you can't eat just ba-lo or you will die on my toilet, and I am not explaining that to the vigiles." Nanu sighed loudly and looked put out. "Fine." "As your body adapts, you'll be able to eat more and more things," the blonde woman assured her. "But it will take time, and you will never be able to survive on ba-lo alone. It's not very good for you, even if it tastes good." "Then why does your society have it at all?" Nanu asked, frowning. "We like things that are bad for us too, sometimes," Becky said, feeling the need to defend her era from this sort of punitive accusation. Frankly, she'd never seen herself having to answer for her world to people from bygone ages who were observing how they did things in modern times. "Indulgences, I guess." "Will we be eating anything nearly as good as ba-lo for dinner?" Nanu asked, looking to change the subject now that she had been thwarted from true happiness. "Just you watch," Becky said, accepting the challenge. To Nanu's surprise, they ended up eating vegetables and cooked fish, things she was familiar with, and they tasted good. To her delight, she was even allowed to have dessert, a bowl of something her mistress called 'ice cream'. It was cold, sweet, and delicious. It was three different colors, and they all tasted great. She was positively giddy by the time she'd finished her bowl. Becky suspected that Nanu was also on an incredible sugar high. "So what do you want to do before bed, my love?" Becky asked as she did the dishes. "I know it's been a long day." Nanu thought about that. "Well, we need to bathe again, and to fuck, but before then, Mistress, can you show me more of your world using the magic boxes?" "Of course we can," Becky said cheerfully. "And it's not only my world anymore, Nanu, it's your world too now. It's our world." Nanu thought about that for some time and then nodded. "Please show me my new world, Mistress. There must be so much to see." Some minutes later, they were in Becky's little office, surrounded by her file cabinets and sitting at her desk where she kept her computer. Nanu watched in fascination as Re-be-kah used a small device in her hand to control the glowing black box sitting on the short table. "Would you like to see Egypt, sweetheart?" Becky asked. Nanu nodded eagerly. Even if her land had been taken over by the sandy-assed Arab nomads, she still wanted to see her homeland. Becky called up some pictures that she thought Nanu might recognize. She Googled pictures of the Sphynx, the pyramids of Giza, the Nile river. "What are all the endless ugly buildings, Mistress?" Nanu asked, frowning. "Those are homes, mostly," Becky said, realizing she might have opened a can of worms. "Egypt is a very populous country these days." "Is it mighty?" the younger girl predictably asked. "Well; no," Becky admitted. "At least, not compared to the great countries of the world." "Stupid Arabs," Nanu muttered, folding her arms and scowling. "At least they didn't fuck up the great monuments of our gods and kings. What about you, Mistress? What of your ancestors?" Becky considered. "My ancestors are from Britain, mostly. Do you remember who the Britons were? We talked about them earlier, the musicians." Nanu nodded. "Savages. Their stinky warriors were captured in war by the Romans and paraded through the streets of Rome. They were tall, wild-eyed, and they stank. They painted themselves blue. You don't win wars by painting yourself blue. Your ancestors were stupid, Mistress." Becky started calling up pictures of England, intent on showing Nanu the beautiful countryside. She excitedly clicked on a picture of Stonehenge. "This is a religious site my ancestors erected," she explained, making sure the picture filled the frame of the screen. "It was made about the same time as your Sphynx and your pyramids, around four-thousand and five-hundred years ago." Nanu looked at the stone monument and frowned. "That's it? My ancestors gifted the Horemakhet and the meri to the world and your ancestors stacked rocks in a circle? No wonder the Romans conquered them, Mistress. Your ancestors were small and weak!" "They're very big rocks," Becky mumbled, blushing and feeling silly now that Nanu had given her some perspective. Nanu's people were the rulers of a great and sophisticated empire at the same time that Becky's were smearing themselves with woad and probably stuffing berries up their noses. "More like giant slabs, really. What else do you want to see?" Nanu thought about it. "Can the magic box show us people fucking?" Becky should have seen that coming. "I; yes, it could, but I try to not use my computer for that," she lied. She'd recently come to enjoy watching student and teacher-themed porn, after all. "I try to use it for my schooling and for research." "Why would you use it for boring stuff like that when you could use it to watch people fuck?" Nanu asked, confused. Sometimes her Mistress didn't make sense. "I know," Becky said, brightening up. "You like to dance, right? Why don't I play music for you and we can dance to it? You can hear music from this time now." Nanu nodded eagerly again. Becky thought about what to play, trying to make an emotional connection with Nanu. Well, she says she likes the flaming cock-sack shirt. Seconds later, YouTube was open and an electric guitar began playing. The drums and the bass thumping in made Nanu jump for a second, but then she began listening. Becky was nodding her head and beginning to dance, which Nanu began to do as well, imitating her Mistress. Soon enough, the iconic voice began singing. "Let me take you to the movie Can I take you to the show? Let me be yours ever truly Can I make your garden grow?" Nanu began to jump and prance around with the music once she'd found the rhythm, instinctively moving her body and enjoying what Jimmy Page was making her do with it. Still naked, she danced for sheer enjoyment, but also showing off for Becky. The voice continued on now. "From the houses of the holy We can watch the white doves go From the door comes Satan's daughter And it only goes to show You know!" The two girls laughed and danced together, Nanu enthralled by the sounds of the music and also the singing. She'd never heard anything like it before and knew she'd never get enough of it. They finally collapsed on the floor together, back to back, still laughing. Nanu's hand found Becky's and squeezed it. "Mistress, that music is wonderful," Nanu breathed, still exhilarated. "It was so happy and lively! Please, who sang it?" "It's the group that uses the flaming cock symbol on the shirt you like," Becky said. "Their name is Led Zeppelin. Try and say it with me. Led;” "Let;” "Zep-elin." "Thzhep-li;” "Buzz your teeth, like a bee, Nanu," Becky instructed. "Zzz;” "Zzz;” "Zep." "Zep." "Zeppelin." "Zepli." "Very close, I'm so proud of you!" Becky gushed, turning and hugging Nanu now. "And there's so much more music for you to listen to and dance to!" "May I listen to more, Mistress?" Nanu asked, her eyes bright. "What else is there?" Becky played more music, watching Nanu figure out how to dance to it all. In short order, Nanu could dance and shimmy like Elvis, go-go dance, do the Hustle, and twerk. "These dances are so much fun, Mistress!" Nanu gushed, shaking her ass in Becky's face. The blonde woman laughed and smacked one of her lover's ass cheeks, making Nanu squeak, but keep dancing. "Just wait until I teach you the Charleston, then," Becky said, not at all surprised that Nanu learned the moves so quickly. She was an accomplished little dancer, after all. "Looks like you've built up a sweat, babe, you ready for another bath or a shower?" "Can you teach me how to control the water, Mistress?" Nanu asked hopefully. "I promise to be careful." "Okay, as long as you remember that it costs money to run the water," Becky said, holding up a finger. "And I don't want you flooding the place, either." Nanu nodded her assent and Becky led the way back to the bathroom. She showed Nanu how to work the sink first, explaining that it was just a smaller version of the bathtub, so easier to manage. Once Nanu understood how to regulate the hot and cold water, Becky allowed her to try and use the shower function in the tub. Nanu found the temperature she liked and then pulled on the knob that controlled the showerhead, squealing in delight when the water jetted out. "This is so much fun!" she exclaimed, bouncing and clapping. "You're forgetting the most fun part of a shower," Becky purred as they stepped in. The two women sank to their knees and immediately began making out under the deluge. Before things got too hot and heavy, Becky broke off the kiss, making Nanu whine as she stood up. She pulled the showerhead out of its holder. "Get ready, Nanu," she whispered as she held the showerhead pointing down, a sly smile on her face as she switched the water from the spray setting to the jets. "Remember this? You're about to scream your head right off;” Nanu was still looking at her Mistress' face, bracing herself, but her eyes snapped open suddenly and she get out a strangled cry as Becky turned the showerhead over, placing it right under Nanu's cunt and letting the water batter her nether lips and clit unannounced. Nanu shuddered violently, Becky's arm wrapping around her small body to hold her in place. The Egyptian girl's eyes rolled up into her head and she came in mere seconds, wailing like she was possessed, and her body going through a warp-spasm of ecstasy. She sagged in Becky's arm, her body now limp but trembling. Becky smiled and simply held the girl until she stirred and came to. Nanu looked up at her through heavily lidded eyes. "You broke my cunt, Mistress;” she managed to say in a tiny voice. Becky giggled and rested her against the back of the tub, before smiling wickedly. "Want to see me use it on myself and watch me cum? I'm an old hand at this." Nanu nodded tiredly, but watched intently. Becky began teasing herself with the showerhead, moving it around her cunt and inner thighs, never keeping it in one place for long, and keeping the spray light. She made sighing and cooing noises, shivering deliciously. Nanu seemed to have recovered and was watching in fascination, her own legs spread while she gently massaged her cuntlips. Becky moaned and pinched at her nipples while she played the water directly over her snatch, squirming and gyrating as the spray pleasured her. Nanu watched her Mistress' skin turn rather pink, Re-be-kah's breaths starting to shorten and come in gasps. Her tiny hand played with her cunt faster, her earlier fatigue seemingly forgotten. Becky moved the little key below the spouts to the other size of the nozzle, the gentle rain effect once again becoming three concentrated jets that battered her cunt and clit from right below, like she had done to Nanu. Her breath caught in her throat and she shuddered, holding on for as long as she could before surrendering to the orgasm. She normally had more control than this, but maybe the thrill of masturbating in front of Nanu had made her more excited and sensitive than normal. No matter what the reason, the climax was one of the hardest Becky had ever given herself, and better than what some lovers had given her. She screeched through clenched teeth, almost doubling over as her cunt turned itself inside out from the intense waves of ecstasy that tore at her. A full thirty seconds passed before she tumbled backwards, lying on her back in the tub and staring at the ceiling, gulping air like a fish out of water. Nanu got on her hands and knees and crept forward, removing the showerhead from Becky's hand and looking at her Mistress' body. Her cunt was still twitching from the orgasm. That had been great fun to watch. "Mistress, you're pissing yourself," she remarked, even if she didn't blame Becky. She'd done it, after all. "Yeah, that; happens to me sometimes;” Becky said breathlessly, still staring up at nothing. "It happens to me too," Nanu said affectionately, crawling over her Mistress and then settling down to snuggle into her, their pussies kissing gently. Becky shivered before making a quizzical face. "Nanu, are you pissing on my cunt?" "Maybe a little," the raven-haired girl sighed, still snuggling. "I wanted to share the moment with you." "That's fair," Becky allowed, too tired to actually care. They were in a shower after all, so they could get clean. "Did you enjoy that?" "Hmm, yes," Nanu purred, nodding a little, her head resting on Becky's large boobs. "It will be one of my new favorite things to do while you are gone." "Just remember the rules," Becky iterated before sitting up wearily and dislodging Nanu from her cleavage. "We should get a good night's sleep, my love. Tomorrow is a big day in setting up the rest of your new life." "Can we fuck again?" Nanu asked somewhat predictably. "Tell you what," Becky giggled, turning off the water and leading Nanu out of the shower. "If I fall asleep, you can just do what you want with me until you cum, but then you have to sleep. We'll have a good fuck in the morning and shower again to get ready. Deal?" "Yes, Mistress." An hour later. They were lying wrapped up in one another, and Becky hoped that she'd tired Nanu out to the place that the insatiable little brat would go to sleep. Becky must have made her cum at least eight times, and hopefully all the ba-lo would not wake her up in the middle of the night. "Thank you, Mistress," Nanu said dreamily, holding herself against Becky. It was the most comforting and secure thing she had ever felt or could imagine, even more than hugging her beloved sister, Kiya. "I love you so much." "I love you too, Nanu," Becky whispered back, caressing Nanu's damp, dark hair lovingly. "You'll always keep me safe, right?" the tiny girl asked. "You and M-ark." Becky nodded. "In saecula saeculorum." The two women kissed lovingly before drifting off into a deep sleep, wrapped in each other's arms. Monday morning. After waking up with vigorous girl-fucking and licking one another's pussies, followed by a shower, they were now eating breakfast. Becky decided to wait until after they'd finished the meal before getting dressed, just in case Nanu proved sloppy in the morning. "I love this dish, Mistress," Nanu said as she powered her way through the bowl in front of her. It was full of sweet berries and a type of crunchy cereal she didn't know, all mixed into a goopy white paste that looked like thick cum. In her own time, it was called 'oxygala'. "Do you remember what I told you it's called?" Becky asked, pausing in eating. Nanu closed her eyes for a minute. "Par-fay." "That's right," Becky said, nodding and very pleased. "The white stuff is called yogurt. If you put berries and other things in it, it's called a parfait. They're fun and even good for you." "Can ba-lo go in the parfait?" Nanu asked hopefully. "No, Nanu," Becky snickered. "Even you couldn't possibly like that horror, and I'd probably get put in jail for creating it." "Your big free society doesn't sound very free to me," Nanu mumbled under her breath as she shoveled more parfait in her mouth. Back upstairs they went, after Nanu got a lesson in how to wash the dishes and put them in the dishwasher, even if she wasn't allowed to operate it yet. They cleaned up at the bathroom sink, Nanu being told that they were not having another shower, and went into the bedroom to get dressed. Becky tried to teach Nanu about coordinating her clothes so that she didn't look like a complete lunatic, and was mostly successful. Nanu couldn't decide which socks she liked best and asked to wear one of each. If Becky could keep the madness down to that level, she'd call it a win. Nanu might not have been terribly impressed with the color or shape of the track suit she was now wearing, but she had to admit that it kept her warm. Becky had fitted her into a plain white tee shirt beneath, and some underwear. Last on were the shoes, and these were proving difficult for Nanu. "They are squeezing my feet, Mistress," the girl said, frowning down at the offending footwear. Becky knelt and adjusted the Velcro straps after loosening the shoes a little. She wasn't about to get into the drama of shoelaces with Nanu, that was for damned sure. "They might be uncomfortable for a bit, sweetie, but new shoes are like that for everyone. Once you walk in them for a little bit, they'll feel just fine, I promise." She stepped aside and gestured to the hallway. "Go ahead and walk, Nanu." It was strange, because Nanu seemed suddenly unsure of how to walk. As she put her feet forward, she was almost wobbly. It occurred to Becky that Nanu wasn't used to not being able to feel the floor or the ground beneath her, but with over an inch of rubber in the way, she was having trouble trusting her balance. Holding her arms out to the sides as if she were walking a tightrope, Nanu wobbled down the hallway and back, a little more sure of herself on the return. Becky smiled and hugged her when she got back to the bedroom. "You'll be running in no time." They headed downstairs (slowly), and Becky made sure everything was turned off. She slipped on a light windbreaker and then opened the front door. Nanu waited on the porch while Becky locked the door behind them. "You need to lock your door, Mistress?" the Egyptian girl asked, rather puzzled. "Are there still criminals in your time?" "My era isn't perfect, Nanu," Becky admitted, feeling strangely silly for coming from a time where criminals still existed. "It still has problems, but you'll learn about them in due course. Some of the problems will be ones you're familiar with, others will be new to you. I'll teach you." "Good enough," Nanu said with a nod as they headed down the steps. "Now where are we going?" "We need to go downtown," Becky replied, thinking that issue through. Not only had she promised to buy new clothes for Nanu, but the chroniques merchant she'd been dealing with was located squarely downtown. There was no way in Hell anyone from her own era could forge the sort of documentation that Nanu would need to rely on to be safe, so someone from the time-travelling community was Becky's only hope. In a city of six million people, there had to be more than one temporal merchant, but damned if Becky knew where (or how) to find them yet. So this one guy was her go-to. She also pondered how to get downtown. Nanu was already afraid of cars, so maybe taking her old junker wasn't the best idea. A taxi? Still a car. The subway station that went directly downtown wasn't far away, and while Nanu wouldn't have any clue what a train was, maybe seeing other people on it with her would calm her down. That, and the walk to the subway station would help break in her shoes. "We're taking a little walk to a place that has a special chariot that will bring us where we need to go," she said, beginning to walk down the street, holding Nanu's hand. She got the feeling the other girl was only partially paying attention, since she was once again looking around and Uhking at the sights of Becky's street. "It's not far." Becky's street was a nice one, lined with endless trees, and the houses had gardens. The noise of downtown and the city in general was remote. If it bothered Nanu, it wasn't showing yet, because she was still in awe of her surroundings. People walked by them, smiling and waving. Becky greeted them and Nanu smiled and waved back as well. She even figured out how to say 'Hello!' from listening to Re-be-kah and the strangers. After about fifteen minutes of walking, with minimal complaints from Nanu about her shoes, they finally arrived at the entrance to the subway station. Set on the edge of the residential area, it was simply some stairs down into the station below. Nanu paused at the top of the stairs, looking confused and wary. It occurred to Becky that it was entirely possible that Nanu had never been underground before. "I promise it is safe, darling," she said in a soothing tone, squeezing Nanu's hand. "The chariot we are going to use runs underground from one place to another, so that it is not noisy up here. I use it all the time." Nanu swallowed. "Okay. I trust you, Mistress." Side by side, they walked down into the subway station, Nanu wrinkling her nose as the gusts of stale air hit her. There were people coming and going, wearing different types of clothing, and Nanu was fascinated. She watched her Mistress pay the fare to enter, then nearly got knocked on the back of her head when she paused halfway through the turnstile. Becky took her hand again and led her down some more stairs. Nanu was frowning, because the noises were getting louder and beginning to echo. Then they were on a platform, one that held people before dropping off down into some dark path that entered tunnels on either side of this long room they were in. Nanu held herself close to Becky, getting nervous. The noises made no sense to her, and it wasn't as if Rome had been quiet. Becky looked down at her now. "Here comes our chariot, Nanu. Don't be frightened." Nanu clutched Becky harder as she felt wind pressing against her, and heard a noise that grew louder until it was an almost deafening roar. She saw strange lights in one side of the tunnel, growing closer. Finally, a giant metal; thing; rolled toward them swiftly, making all the noise. Nanu let go of Becky and clapped her hands over her ears, her eyes squeezed shut. She willed herself to not scream. And then it was quieter. There was still noise, but not nearly as loud. Nanu opened her eyes and saw the long, metal contraption in front of them, with strange doors that opened to the sides, by themselves. People walked out of the interior of the beast, seemingly unscathed. Becky looked down at her and smiled. "This is us, let's go." Trusting her Mistress, Nanu took Becky's hand again and allowed herself to be led into the thing called a 'subway train'. She looked around, wide-eyed as they found some seats and sat down. There were miniature suns everywhere overhead. An endless line of seats on either side of the narrow metal tube stretched far in each direction. People were sitting or standing, seemingly unconcerned and paying no attention. Nanu started as some awful sound chimed, and then the magic doors slid closed again, locking them inside this foul beast. There was a lurch and then it began moving forward, slowly picking up speed. Nanu looked at Becky in panic. "We're fine," Becky said, squeezing her hand again. "It's taking us where we want to go." "How does it know?" Nanu asked, forgetting her fear for a moment. She hadn't seen Re-be-kah tell the monster anything. Did it speak En-gush? She continued watching all around in fascination as the beast charged down a long, dark tunnel, eventually entering another place, different from the one they had started out. A loud woman's voice blared through the tube, no doubt in En-gush. It was a loud and unpleasant voice to Nanu, but she hadn't expected the beast to sound like that. She'd expected a horrifying roar. The process repeated several times, with Becky and Nanu ending up in a different place each time. People got on and off, but nobody got eaten. Maybe the beast didn't eat people? The unpleasant woman's voice blared over head, and Nanu scowled at the ceiling, wishing the beast would just shut the fuck up. "Here we go, darling," Becky said, standing up. "This is our stop." They waited until the beast stopped and the magic doors opened for them. People standing on the platform respectfully waited for those within to escape before entering. Becky walked with Nanu along the increasingly crowded platform until they reached some strange stairs. She helped Nanu get onto them and the smaller girl's eyes widened in shock. The metal stairs were moving! They were taking her up! What sorcery was this? Becky made sure Nanu didn't trip at the top of the escalator, and also didn't make a nuisance of herself by turning and gaping at the magic stairs while people were trying to get off it. She pulled her along through the growing crowds. At least those didn't bother Nanu. Rome had apparently had a population of around a million when Nanu had lived there. Throngs of people were nothing new to the former slave-girl. "So now we just go up that flight of stairs over there, and we'll be downtown, in the middle of the city," Becky said, pleased with how well Nanu had handled the subway. "Soon enough, we'll have everything you need." At least the hard part was over. Becky had been wrong. Becky had brought Nanu up the stairs and out onto the street, and Nanu had immediately collapsed to her knees, holding herself and shaking in fright as she stared at the ground, refusing to look up. People parted around them while Becky tried to figure out what was wrong. Nanu was almost pale, her eyes wide, and wet with tears. And then she understood. Nanu was absolutely terrified because of the skyscrapers surrounding them. Nothing like these could possibly have existed in her imagination. Some buildings in Rome might have seen tall to her, like the Colosseum, or maybe some of the other edifices, but nothing like this, where a structure soared hundreds of meters into the sky. And they were everywhere, surrounding them. There were so many that the sun wasn't even touching them. "Nanu," Becky said, kneeling down and stroking the younger girl's back. "I'm sorry, I didn't think to tell you about how tall buildings could get. I promise, you're fine." "Is she okay?" someone asked as they paused to see what was happening. "Do you need help?" "We're fine, thank you, though," Becky said, giving the person an assuring smile. "She's from a remote region in Africa and she's never seen skyscrapers before, she just got spooked." The person shrugged and wandered off. "Nanu, honey," Becky said gently, still holding her. "I know you're frightened and that you feel like you can't move, but we can't stay right here, blocking everyone. We're going to stand up and walk just out of the way, and then you can talk all the time you need, okay?" Nanu somehow nodded and Becky held her close as she helped her stand and then shuffled her out of the way of the churning crowds of the business district, standing in a clear space beneath an overhang. Nanu didn't seem to notice they were beneath one of the skyscrapers, because she was still looking at the concrete beneath her. "They'll fall," she whispered. "They'll fall on us and crush us." Becky smiled. "I promise you, my love, they won't fall on us. I have been in these buildings many, many times, since I was a little girl. They don't fall, they were erected by master builders. In my day and age, we were just able to build taller things than people in your day were. Just as you built taller things than your ancestors, right?" Nanu squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her teeth. Becky realized that all the honking of horns, the screech of hydraulic brakes, and various other sounds of modern technology were getting to Nanu. She'd never heard anything remotely like them, of course. "Nanu," Becky cooed, taking the lovely Egyptian girl's face in her hands and smiling at her. "Remember how I said that Rome stunk like shit and I'd never get used to it?" Nanu nodded slowly. Her eyes were still wide and haunted. "And do you remember laughing and telling me that I would get used to it if I made up my mind about it?" Another nod. "Sometimes my world is loud, Nanu," she continued. "In ways you cannot anticipate. Far, far louder than you can imagine. And lots of things will seem impossibly big to you. But if I can get used to the stink of Rome, I promise you that you can stop being afraid of all this stuff in my world, okay?" At that very moment, of course, a huge cement truck blared its horn, and Nanu shrieked in fright and threw herself against Becky, shaking like a leaf. Becky held her close, whispering to her and reassuring her. Nanu had never heard anything remotely that loud, even in this time. This was going to be a slow process, clearly. Nanu just had to trust Becky, and Becky had to be infinitely patient. "Mistress," Nanu said in a tiny voice, her face still pressed into Becky's shoulder. "We might need to find one of your washrooms, I think I pissed myself." Becky sighed and nodded. There was a food court in the building just behind them, and washrooms no doubt would be at hand. She only wished she'd thought of bringing spare clothes in case this happened. Was looking after someone from the distant past really supposed to be this hard? A small, out-of-the-way bookshop just off Yonge Street. The more Becky thought about it, the more she realized that this forgotten nook away from all the crowds was the perfect place for the chroniques dealer to have his business. After all, he wasn't looking for revenue from the people of the 21st century, was he? Becky and Mark were notable exceptions to that rule. Being off the beaten path made it easier for his time-travelling customers to find him and go about their business without interference. Still downtown and accessible, but a few doors down from the country's busiest avenue, on an obscure side street. Perfect for this sort of enterprise. They had walked north from the business district with its endless skyscrapers, Nanu steadfastly refusing to look back at them. There were still tall buildings, like the Eaton Centre towers, or the Aura Tower, but they were more spaced out, not completely surrounding them on all sides. Most of the buildings were of a height Nanu seemed to be able to handle, even if the street traffic was still scaring her with its noise. She would stop occasionally to look in store windows, seemingly fascinated by whatever they were selling. At one point, Becky laughed and had to pull Nanu's face off a window, because she was Uhking at the people just inside, trying to eat their food. Nanu didn't know what a restaurant was. They reached their destination and the store was blissfully quiet as they slipped inside, with Eighties music playing over the tinny old speakers. "Get off the car Kick his chain Kick his pride Get him soaked hit run Lift up your toes In my mouth And we can make love And we can go And we can go And we can go We're covered by the sacred fire When you come to me You come to me broke;” "Miss Fischer, it's good to see you again," the old man behind the desk said, smiling at her from beneath a face full of grey whiskers that any Who in Whoville would envy. He looked at her companion. "And this must be Nanu." "Oh, uh, yes," Becky said, caught off-guard that he seemed to know. "This is Nanu. Pardon me for asking, Walter, but why did you know that?" His smile was kindly. "The Agency came by, was advising dealers that a rare event had occurred, an Egyptian girl from the distant past coming forward, a distinctive girl named Nanu. She only speaks Latin and Coptic, right?" Becky nodded while Nanu just looked on, knowing they were talking about her. She trusted her Mistress, however. "I was actually coming by for that reason. If she's going to stay, not only will she need some foolproof documentation of various sorts, but I was hoping we could speed up her English by chipping her, you know? Like we did with Mark for Latin and Greek." "No harm in trying, right?" the old man named Walter reasoned. "After all, it didn't harm Mark." "Who can tell with that boy sometimes," Becky sighed, shaking her head. "In any event, Mark and that Holmes Field Device aren't available to us for the next three months, since I am trying to catch up with him, so we're sort of on our own. I'm not looking for any temporal thingies, just ways to make Nanu's life manageable, since she's stuck here with me." "We should be able to do this one mostly gratis," Walter said. "The news of your girl is already around the time stream, and it's giving me business, since people know I helped her out." Becky thought about that. "Meaning you know you already helped her out." "You're getting the hang of it," Walter said. "When you're predestined to do something because you have found out it's supposed to happen, we in the community call it 'fating'. Whatever it is you've found out you're supposed to do, it happens, even if you try to make it not happen." "So you couldn't refuse to help us right now?" Becky asked, a wry expression on her face. "Literally, what's stopping you from refusing to help us?" Walter chuckled. "Could be anything. It might turn out that there's a clone of me somewhere that helps you when my back is turned. Or maybe the clone refused to help, and I did. All I can tell you is that today, Nanu gets helped by me, no matter what anyone wants, myself included." "That sounds inconvenient." "Nobody likes feeling helpless," Walter reasoned. "It's why we try to avoid knowing things and being fated. If I could prove to you tomorrow that you'd be swept away by a white knight and taken off to a fairy tale wedding and happily ever after, nothing whatsoever you do would stop it. You're stuck having your happy ending and you had no choice in the matter." Becky nodded. "The less I know about the future, especially my own, the better off I am, because my choices are, in theory, still my own." "Excellent," Walter said, pleased. "Now, let's get this girl some ID, shall we?" A small, isolated room, an hour later. Nanu yawned and rubbed her temple, feeling a slight headache. Had she fallen asleep? She blinked her eyes and saw Re-be-kah smiling at her, sitting in a chair beside. "Mistress?" she said rather groggily, yawning again. "You're fine, darling," Becky said gently, squeezing her hand. "We tried to do something to help you, but we don't think it worked. I'm going to try speaking in my language and then see if you understand me, okay?" Nanu nodded. "Can you understand me?" Becky asked in concise English. Nanu blinked at her and then shook her head. "Well, damn," Becky sighed. "Can you try to say anything in my language, Nanu?" Nanu thought for a moment. "Fuck; purick in cunat." Becky giggled. "You could already say those things, you little tramp!" Nanu smiled and blushed. "We tried to help you speak my language by putting a little thing inside your head, but it didn't work." Nanu pressed her fingers to her temple, where the localized discomfort was. "Did I do something wrong, Mistress, to make it not work?" Becky shook her head. "No, it has nothing to do with you, really. One day, it might work, so we'll keep it where it is, I guess. No harm in waiting it out." She dug around in her purse she was carrying. "Meanwhile;” The blonde was smiling brightly as she presented Nanu with a handful of items. "We managed to create an identity for you in this world. It's a good start." Nanu examined the things curiously. She opened a small, greenish shell with a stylized bird on it, her eyes widening when she saw her own image looking back at her. Her own lovely face. There was some flowing script she did not recognize at all along with it. "It is called a 'passport'," Becky explained. "It tells officials who you are and where you are from. This says you are from Egypt." "Well, I am," the Egyptian girl reasoned with a small shrug. "Just not your Egypt." "Correct, but they won't know that, and that's safer for you," Becky agreed. "Your name is now Nanu Tehemet." The girl's eyes went wide. "My name is Queen Nanu?" Becky laughed. "Nobody anywhere will know what Tehemet means, sweetie, it's just your surname now for convenience. Also, we made some medical records for you, including your blood type. And I still need to put in a call and have a doctor lined up who will look after you." Becky knew that part might be tricky, since any doctor from her own era would be confused by Nanu's physiology, genetic code, and dental records. She was completely unique that way. Could any modern doctor be trusted? Did she need to find a doctor who was a member of the temporal community to look after Nanu? Questions, always more questions. "A doctor?" Nanu almost groused, wrinkling her nose. "Roman doctors were smelly and evil. I hope your doctors are better." "I like to think so," Becky agreed, nodding. "But with all this information I just gave you, you'll be safer than without it. Remember how if a slave was freed in Rome, they made sure he had documents of manumission? These documents, like my own, record you as a sovereign citizen and a visitor here in Canada." "Wouldn't it make more sense to just claim I was from Ka-na-da?" Nanu reasoned. Becky smiled and caressed Nanu's cheek. "No one would believe you are from Canada, my love, you don't speak any of our languages. One day, I promise, we'll get you made a citizen. For now, this is just to ensure your safety." As always, Nanu took Becky's word for it and just nodded. "Now then," Becky said, taking the items back and then standing up, smiling brightly. "Let's go eat and get you some clothes, shall we?" Half an hour later. They were sitting in the food court of the Eaton Centre, and Nanu was devouring everything Becky had put in front of her. Becky dreaded the effects this might have on her lover's intestinal tract later, but for now, Nanu was happy. There was no food she wasn't sampling and putting away; pizza, falafel, burgers, fries, poutine, spaghetti, Chinese food. My poor bank account, she despaired slightly as she watched the tiny girl wolf down all the food with a frightening eagerness. She really likes salty things, I'll bet living on a slave's diet means she has an iodine deficiency. I'll have to see to that. Becky thought Nanu might bite her hand off when she tried to reach for one of the siu mai dumplings. Eventually, though, the Egyptian girl relented and let her Mistress have one. Becky also made the mistake of letting Nanu try some pop, and soon the girl was wired. She'd have to explain the dangers of sugar and rotting the teeth out of your head. Nanu annihilated the Timbits she had for dessert. Her little belly was swollen when she stood up from the table. She almost looked pregnant, but she was beaming with delight. Suddenly, she burped so long and loudly that everyone in the food court paused and looked at the pair. "Sorry," Becky said apologetically to the nearby tables. "It's her first day with North American fast food." "Mistress, that was all so good!" Nanu gushed, oblivious of her faux pas. "I loved it all, even the stupid cow meat!" "I think you tried just about everything except the Jamaican food," Becky said, gathering up the debris at their table to put at the disposal station. "Where?" Nanu asked, looking around hurriedly. Had they missed one? "May I try it?" "Another time, you greedy little pill," Becky laughed as she disposed of their waste. "Don't worry, we'll be back." "And you said we're underground?" Nanu asked, looking around in wonder again. The space was huge and so open, like a forum surrounded by endless shops, but there was no sky above her, just a distant white ceiling. Becky nodded. "And there are more shops above us. That's where we're going, to find clothes and so on for you." They took more of the magic moving stairs, carrying Nanu up to another level. She watched over the railing in awe, feeling so very superior to the people who were still below, like puny ants. The sights and the smells and the throngs of people enthralled her. "Mistress, I am so excited that I think I need to pee," she said, feeling a twinge in her cunt. "Just over here," Becky said, diverting them down a small hallway. "I happen to know these washrooms are pretty clean because they're seldom used." "You are so smart, Mistress," Nanu said proudly as Becky led her into the little room with all the weird stalls. Becky led her over to one of the stalls and gestured for her to enter. "Go inside, pulls down your pants, do your business, and then use the tissue like we do back at home," Becky instructed. "I'll wait out here." "You won't come in with me, Mistress?" Nanu asked. "How will you watch me pee?" "No, sweetie," Becky replied, smiling. "That's not how we customarily do things in public places in my time. I'll be right out here, though." Nanu shrugged and sighed, heading into the little stall and Becky closed it behind her. She heard the Egyptian girl shuffling around, and then Nanu let out a groan, peeing very loudly. Becky wasn't surprised, given all the pop Nanu had inhaled. The sugar crash was going to be awesome. Some other unladylike sounds followed, but at least Nanu didn't seem to be turning herself inside out like she had the previous day. Baby steps. There was a pause and Nanu seemed to be finished, so Becky began talking. "Okay, sweetie, remember what I told you. Go ahead and clean up, but just be aware of' There was a sudden flushing sound, followed by a yelp of shock and fear. A split second later, the stall door burst open and Nanu raced out, her track pants still around her ankles as she hobbled as quickly as she could toward the exit, her eyes wide in panic and once again peeing herself. "Just watch out for the automatic flush mechanism;” Becky grumbled as she loped off after Nanu before s

If you've ever felt like the wires, chargers, clutter hotspots, or "random stuff that makes no sense" in your home are slowly chipping away at your sanity… this episode is going to feel like a giant exhale. I'm sharing my top five favorite organizing tools I've used all year—simple things that genuinely made my business easier, my mom life smoother, and our home less chaotic. These are the exact items that helped cut visual clutter, reduce daily stress, and save us time (without needing a full-on makeover). From label-friendly Velcro straps and wire-hiding boxes… to game-changing kitchen containers, a custom bathroom fix, DVD downsizing, and even a nostalgic-but-brilliant rice dispenser—these tools tightened up the everyday mess so our home could run easier. What you'll walk away with: – A handful of simple tools that immediately reduce stress and visual clutter – Practical ideas to streamline the hidden "micro-messes" that slow you down – Space-saving systems that help your family stay organized too – Inspiration to fix the small annoyances you've been tolerating for way too long If you're craving smoother routines and a home that feels lighter, you're going to love this one. Enjoy the episode! XO - Dianne PS -  When it comes to getting organized or getting the kids involved, where do you struggle the most?  DM me on Instagram or on Facebook   ✨✨Referenced in this episode✨✨ Velcro wire straps Wire organizer box Concealed electric toothbrush holder (this is an example of one) Mr SIGA food containers DVD sleeves Besta media unit  by IKEA Rice dispenser (not exactly like the one we have. This is just for an IDEA of what I mentioned)  

In this episode of The Black Country Blokes, Kev and Lee are joined by long-time friend DR Emily Barney from Spartannn Brain Gym– back in the very room where she now runs her mental fitness sessions.Together, they dive into a big question:Is the message “men just need to talk” actually helping – or does it oversimplify a much bigger problem?They get properly stuck into:Why saying “he should've talked” can sound a lot like blaming the bloke who's diedHow men do ask for help – and how often nobody really listensThe reality of trying to get support when services are underfunded and impossible to accessPhones, doomscrolling, dopamine and whether we're all addicted to constant stimulationThe pressure to provide, being a dad, and that “messy middle” of life where everyone wants a piece of youEmily's idea of “mental fitness” – training your brain like a muscle with “mental press-ups”, gratitude reps and tiny daily winsWhy our brains are “Velcro for negatives, Teflon for positives” – and what you can actually do about itThey also talk about taking this work into prisons, rowing challenges to represent the number of men lost to suicide, and why treating people as humans not statistics might just be the start of real change.If you've ever felt like you should be grateful but your head says otherwise, or you're sick of being told to “man up” and “just talk”, this one's for you.

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck unpacks a tumultuous week for Donald Trump as newly released Epstein emails reignite old scandals — and this time, they may stick. With Speaker Mike Johnson appearing to serve Trump’s interests over his own members, and a worsening economy eroding public patience, Chuck explores whether we’re witnessing the beginning of Trump’s “lame duck” moment. He draws parallels between Trump’s endless stream of controversies, his history of corrupt pardons, and how even “teflon” presidents eventually turn “velcro” when conditions shift. As the cost of living rises and swing voters tune out partisan noise, scandals like Epstein’s are cutting through both sides’ information bubbles — forcing Republicans to reckon with Trump’s baggage. Chuck argues that if Democrats manage a midterm sweep, historians might look back on this very week as the turning point when Trump’s political luck finally began to run out. Then, Chuck sits down with Adam Jentleson, executive director of the new Searchlight Institute, to talk about how Democrats can build a broader, more durable governing coalition. Jentleson explains why Searchlight is designed to promote ideological diversity within the Democratic Party — and why policies that blend progressive and moderate ideas tend to last longer and win in more places. He warns that Democrats’ electoral path to the presidency and a 60-seat Senate majority is narrowing and argues the party’s best hope lies in economic populism — the same force that powered Trump’s rise but could be reclaimed with a focus on kitchen-table issues and fairness for working Americans. The conversation dives deep into the party’s messaging struggles during the government shutdown, the growing divide between “fight Trump” and “look past Trump” factions, and the need for Democrats to recruit candidates who can win in red and purple states — even if they don’t align perfectly on social issues. Jentleson also offers sharp insights on the filibuster’s evolution from a necessary safeguard to a legislative dead end, and why Democrats need to get more strategic — not louder — if they want to govern effectively and outlast Republican populism. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and breaks down the latest in college football. Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 02:00 New Epstein emails released referencing Trump 03:00 Mike Johnson’s actions are in service to WH, not his members 04:45 Trump has a laundry list of scandals & corrupt pardons, none stuck 07:00 Presidents can go from teflon to velcro 08:30 The bad economy could make Trump less resilient to scandals 10:00 JD Vance tweet demanding Epstein transparency has aged horribly 10:45 Trump’s involvement with Epstein has been baked into public opinion 12:00 High prices and bad economy mean less public patience for Trump 12:45 Every presidency hits their lame duck point, this could be the start 14:00 Winning the midterms for the Democrats means winning the senate 15:15 Trump has treated the party like his casinos, leveraged for his benefit 16:15 Trump is only worried about Trump, not the party or the voters* 17:30 Epstein is one of the only stories that breaks through both sides’ bubble 19:45 You can’t information silo your grocery bill, or the Epstein story 21:00 If Dems sweep midterms, we’ll point to this week as start of lame duck 22:00 By going soft on Ghislaine Maxwell, it just increases suspicion 24:30 Trump would have been better off playing “he said, she said” w/Maxwell 25:45 Stock market booming, but most of the economy is not succeeding 27:00 Trump doesn’t seem well, has aged quite a bit in past six months 29:00 A steady drip of Epstein stories/files will cause R’s to distance 30:30 Trump isn’t doing what he was elected to do, makes him vulnerable 35:45 Adam Jentleson joins the Chuck ToddCast 37:15 Why choose the name “Searchlight Institute? 38:15 How is Searchlight different from the Center for American Progress? 41:45 Ideologically diverse policies tend to be more durable 43:45 Democrats must embrace ideological diversity to win in red states 46:45 Democrats have to make trade offs to win in more places 47:45 Democrats electoral path to presidency gets more narrow in ‘32 48:30 What does Democrats’ path to 60 senate seats look like? 49:30 Economic populism is a powerful force, it’s why Trump won 50:45 Economic populism beat out Republican orthodoxy 52:00 Populism hasn’t been transferable from Trump, but it’s durable 53:00 This economy is ok if you have money and horrid if not 54:45 The Kerry/Edwards economic policies are what are popular today 55:30 When Democrats succeed it’s on economic ideas 56:00 Is an economic downturn the only path for Dems to win presidency? 58:00 Democrats give Republicans ammo on cultural issues 59:00 Mamdani won by relentlessly focusing on kitchen table issues 1:00:15 Why weren’t Democrats able to sell their decision to reopen govt 1:02:00 Congressional leadership & communication are different skills 1:03:00 No side demanding a major concession in a shutdown got it 1:03:45 Dems succeeded in driving a message about healthcare 1:06:15 Divide on left is “look past Trump” or “fight Trump” 1:07:45 Democrats need to find issues they can run on in every state 1:09:30 The litmus test for Dems should be can they take back the senate 1:10:30 The path for Dems to take back the senate 1:12:00 Dems will have to embrace candidates with different social views 1:12:45 Gavin Newsom has been winning lately on tactics not policy 1:13:45 Dem candidates need to be fighters with broadly palatable policy 1:15:30 Any worries about an insurgent third party? 1:18:00 A third party candidate could certainly cause Dems to lose 1:19:30 The filibuster has become a pocket veto 1:21:30 The filibuster should require work and not be used passively 1:23:00 The filibuster started as needed reform, now is a problem 1:24:45 The origin of budget reconciliation 1:27:30 The judiciary was designed to be non-partisan 1:28:45 Vote threshold for judges should be higher to avoid partisans 1:31:15 If you raise the threshold too high there will be judicial backlogs 1:33:30 Do you see Searchlight as an incubator for policy, tactics or both? 1:34:45 What does Graham Platner’s staying power say about him? 1:36:45 Democratic aligned groups need to be smarter about their asks 1:44:45 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Adam Jentleson 1:45:45 Ask Chuck 1:46:00 Thought’s on Netflix’s Death By Lightning? 1:53:30 Can anything be done in the short term about electricity costs? 2:00:45 What is Trump’s motivation for intervening in Venezuela? 2:06:15 Did NYC Mayoral race show Dems issue with non college voters? 2:12:15 College football committee needs to go 2:19:00 College football previewSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck unpacks a tumultuous week for Donald Trump as newly released Epstein emails reignite old scandals — and this time, they may stick. With Speaker Mike Johnson appearing to serve Trump’s interests over his own members, and a worsening economy eroding public patience, Chuck explores whether we’re witnessing the beginning of Trump’s “lame duck” moment. He draws parallels between Trump’s endless stream of controversies, his history of corrupt pardons, and how even “teflon” presidents eventually turn “velcro” when conditions shift. As the cost of living rises and swing voters tune out partisan noise, scandals like Epstein’s are cutting through both sides’ information bubbles — forcing Republicans to reckon with Trump’s baggage. Chuck argues that if Democrats manage a midterm sweep, historians might look back on this very week as the turning point when Trump’s political luck finally began to run out. Finally, he answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and breaks down the latest in college football. Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 00:30 New Epstein emails released referencing Trump 01:30 Mike Johnson’s actions are in service to WH, not his members 03:15 Trump has a laundry list of scandals & corrupt pardons, none stuck 05:30 Presidents can go from teflon to velcro 07:00 The bad economy could make Trump less resilient to scandals 08:30 JD Vance tweet demanding Epstein transparency has aged horribly 09:15 Trump’s involvement with Epstein has been baked into public opinion 10:30 High prices and bad economy mean less public patience for Trump 11:15 Every presidency hits their lame duck point, this could be the start 12:30 Winning the midterms for the Democrats means winning the senate 13:45 Trump has treated the party like his casinos, leveraged for his benefit 14:45 Trump is only worried about Trump, not the party or the voters* 16:00 Epstein is one of the only stories that breaks through both sides’ bubble 18:15 You can’t information silo your grocery bill, or the Epstein story 19:30 If Dems sweep midterms, we’ll point to this week as start of lame duck 20:30 By going soft on Ghislaine Maxwell, it just increases suspicion 23:00 Trump would have been better off playing “he said, she said” w/Maxwell 24:15 Stock market booming, but most of the economy is not succeeding 25:30 Trump doesn’t seem well, has aged quite a bit in past six months 27:30 A steady drip of Epstein stories/files will cause R’s to distance 29:00 Trump isn’t doing what he was elected to do, makes him vulnerable 34:00 Ask Chuck 34:15 Thought’s on Netflix’s Death By Lightning? 41:45 Can anything be done in the short term about electricity costs? 49:00 What is Trump’s motivation for intervening in Venezuela? 54:30 Did NYC Mayoral race show Dems issue with non college voters? 1:00:30 College football committee needs to go 1:07:15 College football previewSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bugün 09 Kasım 2025 #dogatakvimi

We sit down with Hilary, founder of Equability, to explore how adaptive alterations turn the clothes you already love into accessible wear that restores independence without sacrificing style. Think magnets hidden behind button plackets, Velcro that disappears into seams, and cropped jacket backs that stay clean over wheels—subtle details that add up to dignity and ease.Hilary's spark came from home: watching her mom, who lives with arthritis and carpal tunnel, take longer to dress while refusing to ask for help. The first win wasn't about sales; it was her mom's smile when a shirt finally closed with ease. For disabled veterans, older adults, and anyone with limited dexterity, these quiet changes make formal moments and daily routines simpler and more comfortable.We talk about inclusive design, the power of keeping personal style, and the deeper goal that sits behind every alteration: independence. When you can dress yourself without struggle, you begin your day with confidence—and that changes everything.If this story resonates, follow the journey, share it with a friend who could use adaptive alterations, and hit subscribe so you never miss a conversation about design that listens. 

In this episode of the Rebel Core Content podcast, Swami provides crucial tips on using tourniquets. Highlighting the significance of these life and limb-saving devices, the discussion focuses on the optimal placement of tourniquets, emphasizing placing them 2-3 inches (5-6 cm) above the bleeding source and avoiding joints. Swami also advises on the correct way to tighten the tourniquet using the Velcro strap first, followed by minimal use of the windless. The importance of noting the application time to avoid prolonged arterial flow interruption is also discussed. The episode concludes with a reminder to visit the podcast's website for more valuable content. The post REBEL Core Cast 144.0: Tourniquet Tips appeared first on REBEL EM - Emergency Medicine Blog.

Editors Note: This is a highly visual show, especially the final hour, BUT we do try to narrate everything as much as possible.    00:00:00 Show open, hot-tub stream gag, DJz + Griffin settle in 00:02:00 Griffin unmutes; tech/setup jokes and greetings 00:05:30 Weekend/Halloween warm-ups; chat check-ins 00:06:20 Halloween recap: Oliver's costume (as his own cat “Velcro”) 00:08:00 Neighborhood candy haul & “dad tax” bit 00:10:30 Trick-or-treat trends (K-Pop demon hunters, wigs & scars) 00:13:00 Weekend logistics, football night, heading home 00:16:30 Pivot: tonight's plan—video watch-along and arc preview setup 00:18:30 “Highly visual show” heads-up for podcast listeners 00:20:00 Introducing “Hammy's Blink Counter” bit before the video 00:22:00 Load up Hammy's Solo Outposts/November arc video 00:24:00 Video narration: Solo Outposts feature explained (Ops 51+) 00:26:00 Pause/play banter; “still blinkless” running joke 00:28:30 Griffin compares cadence to invasion-style live features 00:30:00 DS9: Retribution confirmed as November theme (from video) 00:33:00 Systems placement outside G5; where Outposts spawn 00:36:45 “Blink-O-Vision” + begin deeper breakdown of Outposts 00:44:00 Transition from video back to live analysis 01:22:00 Gameplay pivot: economy/state of play, preparing for November 01:30:00 Outpost loop implications for different level bands 01:38:00 Community Q&A: rewards, time windows, travel/logistics 01:46:00 Back-and-forth on tuning and what would make Outposts land well 02:03:00 Light interlude; humor + stream housekeeping 02:12:00 Return to gameplay: what success looks like for the feature 02:54:00 Closing thanks, site plugs, and sign-off

 My first time with Cosplay Beth. By Thintri - listen to the podcast at Steamy Stories. She stood there, waiting impatiently for the delicious meat to slide into her eager hands. She looked forward to having it in her mouth later, I could tell. She continued to caress her belly and nibble on a fingernail as she waited impatiently.She stood around 5'4" in her Converse sneakers. She wore a black pair of boot-cut jeans and a gray tee that read “Never tell me the odds!” and had a set of red, tumbling dice and a star-fighter with four wings in the shape of an “X” sitting above a plate held up by a small plastic pole  The tee was super tight around her breasts, but I didn't notice any bra lines. I would guess she was a 36C or D. Her hips were just as wide and her ass complimented her full hips and busty chest. Her hair reminded me of that Scottish Disney movie princess, all wild and fire red. Her skin was extremely fair, like she would to burst into flames if she stepped outside. She didn't look much older than the drinking age, a good decade or more younger than me. Another adult millennial in the big city. “Seventy Three!” She pounced and grabbed the too thick package and examined it in her suddenly small hands. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and you could almost see saliva well up in the corner of her mouth. I needed to step in before she made a terrible mistake. “Excuse me. That's my Butt.” I said. “I beg your pardon?!” She responded incredulously. “Seventy Three?.. Your holding my Boston Butt.” I said, holding the ticket for her to see. “Oh, right. I'm sorry. I'm in a different world today.” “You actually look really hungry. Are you going to have time to cook or are you going to eat something raw here in the store? I'll have that Butt now.” I said holding my hands out. “Your butt is so big! Erm… I mean…” She said as she handed it over and I placed it in my cart. “Yeah, What's a bachelor going to do with all this food, right? I'm actually hosting a game night for my friends tomorrow. There will be seven of us total. Eight, if you'd like to have a taste of this Butt.” I said making “Butt” sound more like an actual innuendo this time. “T.J.” I added, extending my hand. “Beth. Pleased to meet you, T.J. What's that stand for?” She said, shaking my out-reached hand in a delicate manner. “Thaddeus Junior. ‘Thad' sounds too douchey.” “What do they call your father?” “Thad…” I said, rolling my eyes sheepishly. “But he's too old to even pretend to act like a douche. He would have no idea where to start.” “Oh, well that's good. I bet he showed you how to be a real gentleman.” She said with a slight giggle in her voice. “He showed me how to rub a butt properly, that's for sure.” “Pardon?!” She said eyes wide again. “Barbeque… dry rub? A good rub down and then moisten it up later.” “Oh, yeah… Right…” “So… Wanna come over tomorrow and join my party? You'd even out the group.” “I don't see why not. Could be fun, right?” “Splendid! That means you'll have to come over tonight to get your character squared away and maybe help prep for dinner? I promise I'll feed you tonight, too. I have flank steaks marinating.” “Oh, I don't know…” “You'll have my address and you can tell all of your friends where you'll be. There's even a doorman and a security camera in the lobby.” “Oh. That sounded well-rehearsed. Invite a lot of ladies home, do you?” She asked suspiciously. “No ma'am. I just want your mind at ease.” I lied with my hands up in a disarming manner. My response was also rehearsed, but it worked like a charm. “Tell me about the marinade.” She said slowly, squinting her eyes and nodding her head up at me. “It's a lazy meal night. It's just a store bought Italian dressing, but I add some of this and that. I was thinking maybe use my indoor grill or broil them. Do you have a preference?” I said trying to sink the hook in deeper. I'm not going to broil a steak. That's ridiculous. “Grill it!” “Agreed. So I'll see you at 6:30 then?” “Yeah. Sounds good.” Hook, Line, and Sinker. “Eighty Three!” said the butcher. “I think you're eighty three.” I said pointing at the ticket in her basket at her feet.“ “Oh. That's me!” She said turning towards the counter. We exchanged information and I gave her my address so we could meet up later. I was actually quite excited about making a new hot friend and maybe even more than that. I'm not the type of guy to jump into bed with just anybody. I really wanted to get to know her and see where in my life she might fit. 6:45 rolled around and I finally got a text from Beth: “Hey, Sorry. The train was running late and there's no cell service down there. I'm walking up to street level now. I'll be at your place in Ten minutes. Is there anything you want me to pick up?” I responded: “Hey, glad you're on the way. I was worried you split on me or worse. All I have is vanilla ice cream and toppings for dessert. If that's not good enough, we can walk around the block and get an Italian Ice from the pizza shop. Is red wine okay with the steaks? If not, I have beer. Should I let the wine breathe or would you rather beer?” She responded: “Italian Icies! And beer, please. Wine feels too formal. [Winky emoji] Be up in five.” She wasn't kidding about the train running slow. The news interrupted my background show. There was a brown out on my line that took 20 minutes to fix. One train was in emergency lighting the whole time. I already called ahead downstairs for the doorman to let my new friend up. He needed to send her up manually because she didn't have a key fob to my apartment. The elevator opened to each unit, but they all had entryways prior to the front door. It was a private place to take off wet clothes and hang jackets and kick off shoes before entering. I left the front door open and she let herself in. “Hello? TJ?” “In the kitchen.” “Hey!” She said, giving me a friendly hug. She smelled like strawberries. I also took a good look at her while were chit-chatted. She wore a Falmouth Falcons Jersey and a matching pleated skirt. She had on short two or three inch heels on that had open toes and matched her outfit well. She quickly discarded them and left them in the hall outside of the front door and closed it behind her. She also put a pair of clips in her hair, leaving the right side of her neck exposed. “I was just about to text you to ask how you like your steak cooked?” “Medium. It's okay if it's a little rare, just don't cook it too much, please.” “Oh, that makes it easier on me. I can put them on around the same time.” “Do you need any help with the cooking?” “Umm… Did you want the potatoes mashed, or as is?” “Hmm… Nah. We can leave them like that. They look done, too.” She said, looking into the pot. “Fork ready!” I said stabbing at them. I went ahead and strained them while Beth flipped the steaks. I also served up a helping of corn for each of us and added the potatoes. “How do they look?” She asked me, pointing to the steaks. I poked at one with my finger and pushed until I felt it push back. “Feels about Medium rare. Maybe another minute on that side.” I said. Beth took it upon herself to grab two beers from the fridge. I was just about done with my second, so it was good timing on her part. “This looks interesting. ‘Axel Rogues' P.O.'d India Pale Ale'? Is it new?” “It's from a brewery a couple of my friends partially own. They send it up from the Alabama Coast for me. They might be giving me a bit of a drinking problem.” I said in jest. “Isn't it bad to have cartoon characters on your beer labels? Something about advertising to minors?” “It's a promotional thing. Only a few of those labels were printed. It was mostly for investors and the grand opening a few weeks back.” “Oh. This tastes pretty good!” She said, wide-eyed. I was told it's a bit of a panty dropper, but I wasn't telling her that. “Yeah. It's got a lot of subtle tastes that the female focus groups enjoyed. The male groups said it's refreshing, but might be too easy to drink. Hence my problem.” I kidded again, even though it was true. Dinner went by pretty quickly and we both cleared our plates and then dumped the dishes in the washer. She was on her third beer and I had just finished my fourth. “Would you like another or maybe a Manhattan?” I asked, trying to grease her wheels some. “Can you make a White Manhattan?” She asked. It felt more like a test. “Sure. Is Hudson okay?” I asked, volleying her serve. “That'd be perfect!” She said all too eagerly. Beth went ahead and wiped the table down and moved some of the settings aside to make room for us to work. She had brought her messenger bag and pulled out a large Velcro binder with a few gaming books. I was actually impressed with her line of questioning and her surprising neatness. We decided that one of her old characters, a Human Monk, was a good fit for the group and I gave her the run-down of the story so far, as best as I could remember. She wasn't surprised by the content being sexual in nature. Lots of groups add a sexy/romantic spin thanks to modern fantasy movies and books. One girl in the group, Adrienne, had to re-roll after a death because she decided to fight her way out of an Orc rape scene rather than lose her purity. She was playing a Paladin at the time, so it was pretty fitting. She did set fire to the camp site and take out a few Orcs before she died, though. It was pretty awesome. She re-rolled into a rogue who was her last toon's “Black Sheep” sister; she was a very pissed off rogue. We completely forgot about going out for Icies and decided to chat some more about the group and where I felt the story might lead. I noticed in my peripheral vision that her nipples started to show through her tight shirt. My apartment isn't that cold. I like it to be around seventy six degrees. The air is humidity controlled, so the extra A/C isn't needed. The conversation slid over to her cosplay hobby and how devout she is to it. She whipped out her phone and swiped through several characters she's played at conventions and ren faires. She's even done some minor MeTube shorts in character. We were sitting side-by-side, nearly shoulder to shoulder as she swiped. One particular picture was done in a mirror “selfie” fashion. She was wearing a very tight corset dress that was blue and white, similar to a very familiar droid we all know and love. Her breasts were practically pouring out of her top and her hand was between her legs in a provocative manner. “Whoops… You weren't supposed to see that… Sorry” “Hey now… You should share with the rest of the class, Missy.” I said leaning in closer to her and her phone. “Okay, but they really aren't much to look at. Really.” She said modestly. The pics varied from lingerie to sexy cosplay back to lingerie. Some were topless, but her free hand covered her nipples. There was still an eye-full of side and under boob, though. “I showed you mine, now you show me yours.” She demanded playfully. I had several shirtless gym “Swole” pics as well as a few cosplay pics, too. None as flattering as her pictures, but she seemed pleased with them. She was definitely excited about my picture with me wearing a Fez and bow tie. As I got up for another drink, I opted to switch back to beer. I offered her one over her shoulder and she took it, letting her hand linger on mine, not taking the bottle, though. She let the cold glass rub her neck and shoulder, and when she finally took it, she pulled me into a bent over, sideways kiss. I'm pretty sure she was feeling similar fireworks to mine. I went ahead and climbed over the couch, letting our head bump in the process. We giggled as we put our beers down and started making out like ninth graders. I was being a complete gentleman and let my hands fall on her face and neck as we kissed. Her hands were in similar places, but soon explored down to my chest. I kept it cool and let her do her thing while both of my hands were now working her neck and tangled in her hair. She reached up and pulled her clips out so I didn't pull on her hair the wrong way. I kept up my aggressive assault above her shoulders as she continued to grope my chest and stomach over my shirt. I was wearing a light, loose button-down and low-rise dark blue jeans. Her hands explored more while undoing a button or two. Her left hand snaked into the opening and now rubbed my chest more over my ribbed tank tee underneath. Once all my buttons were undone, I took some initiative and grabbed her under her thighs and pulled her into my lap. She was now kneeling on both sides of my pelvis. We only broke the kiss long enough to discard my top and then my undershirt. My hands were now under her tee shirt, caressing her back. My fingers roamed and slid over where her bra strap would have been. She felt my mouth peak at the sides in a little smile at that. She giggled and pulled her tee off and tossed it to the adjacent love seat. We were sitting bare chest to bare chest as she started moving her hips in a subtle rocking motion on my lap. My hands found her breasts as I continued to molest her tongue with mine. My cock was rock hard and rubbing against her pussy though my jeans and thin fabric of her underwear. She started undoing my belt and pants as I worked on unbuttoning her skirt and pulling the hip zipper down one handed as my mouth found her right breast. Her strawberry scent was so much stronger with my face in her chest. It was driving me crazy. “Take them off.” She said breathlessly, standing up and discarding her skirt, adding it to her tee. I hopped my butt up and pulled my pants off without standing. She was standing between my legs and I would have prolly head-butted her again if I tried to stand. I decided to leave my boxer briefs on to match her level of dress. She sat back down straddling my lap again, only leaving more room between our pelvises this time. My mouth found her left breast as she blindly reached into the opening of my shorts. I was cupping her left breast with my right hand as my left hand began to fondle her right ass cheek. She was wearing a g-string. My hand would squeeze her ass and slide between her cheeks and back to squeezing again. She gasped as she grabbed my cock with her hand. She couldn't see it past my head or through my shorts, but she was certainly pleased with it's size and current level of petrification. She knelt on her left knee and tried to slide my shorts down. I miscued my attempt at helping by hopping my butt again and we head- butted again. We giggled, took a drink and she took my shorts off and took her place back in my lap again. This time, she was crushing my cock against her slit, covered by the tiniest triangle of fabric I've ever seen… Or felt for that matter. Her rocking increased and she was now dry-humping my cock. I could feel her moistness lubricating my dick through her g-string. My pre-cum was starting to bubble over my mushroom cap. Her nails dug into my chest. I didn't notice them until now… They were French tipped and matched her Quidditch jersey. My hands were both on her ass now, as my fingers were sliding up and down her crack and slipping under the thin thread. Her breathing became ragged as my fingers found her drenched pussy from behind. One hand was holding her string aside and her pussy open for me. My right hand found her opening and clit as she rocked back. She started to cum, grinding harder onto me. She called out my name as she climaxed and crumpled onto my chest. Her head on my shoulder. She was panting hard. My fingers continued to rub her from behind softly, easing several after shocks out of her. “Excuse me a moment.” She finally said through choppy breaths. She made her way to the hallway bath and I took the opportunity to grab a condom from the coffee table drawer. I had just enough time to tear one free from the rest and tuck it into the side of the couch cushion when the bathroom door opened up. Her face and chest were flushed, and she still wobbled a little when she walked. It was a combination of her orgasm and the alcohol, I guess. She was holding her g-string in one hand. Her pussy was clean shaven except for a thin trail of red pubic hair just above her clit hood. My dick jumped in approval. “What are we going to do about that?” She said hitching her head towards my crotch. “What did you have in mind?” I said standing before she got too close. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into another passionate kiss. My cock was rubbing against her navel and my hands found her ass again. She pushed/eased me back onto the couch and got between my legs. She tossed her undies to the side, this time missing the pile and ending up on the floor. The flimsy fabric wasn't heavy enough to make the whole flight. She also had a condom in her hand that she sat on the couch beside me. She must have snuck it out of the medicine cabinet. Her eyes didn't leave mine as her hands stroked my cock. Her butt lowered to a sitting position on her heels. Her mouth opened wide enough to lick the head as she pumped me. She licked from the root to the tip. Her face was covered from her chin to her hair line when she was at her deepest. My dick was longer than her face. She started to suck me off, never stopping to close her eyes, she barely blinked as she stared right into my mine. I would have loved to close my eyes and roll my head back, but her eyes were entrancing. It was the hottest blow job I have ever gotten. Hands down. She was moaning on my cock, flicking her tongue in my tip's slit, lapping up any pre-cum that was leaking out. There was plenty of it, too. My dick was practically drooling. As soon as she was certain that she killed half of my fortitude, she leaned over and retrieved the condom and handed it to me. I ripped it open and popped it on like a magician doing a close-up magic trick. A dove flew out from under my sack. I'm kidding. I grabbed her and pulled her to the couch letting her fall supine. My cock was already at her moist opening. Her heels dug into the backs of my thighs. My dick slid in a good quarter of the way, our gaze never breaking. Her heels let up some and I retreated only to thrust in again. I found a bit of resistance when I got better than half of my shaft inside her. I finally bottomed out on the fourth stroke. I could feel her cervix give about an inch and then kiss my crown with every pass. It was incredible. I still had about an inch to give her, but she'd have to take that herself, I wasn't going to hurt her. Once I got into a good rhythm, I reached up to place my right hand over her shoulder to support my weight over her a little better. She took my hand and placed it on her neck and gently squeezed my forearm until my fingers mimicked her squeezing. Once she was satisfied with my ministrations on her neck, she started to grind against me from underneath. Her left leg took footing on the floor and bounced up onto me. She was looking for the last inch. My left hand wrapped around her left ankle and lifted her leg up over my shoulder and she finally got what she wanted. I was completely inside her and now, my pubic bone grinding into her clit with each thrust. I shortened my stride and let her clit join in on the fun full-time. I found a nipple with my left hand and rubbed it gently, increasing the sensations more and more. A good deal of my upper body weight was on her neck as I squeezed, but she didn't seem to mind. Her mouth creased into a thin smile as she moaned louder and louder. She was going to cum again, only this time she was cumming on my sheathed cock. Her pussy gripped me tighter and my hands involuntarily did the same to her neck and nipple. Her eyes shot open wide as the convulsions started. My pace quickened and I started to penetrate her deeper again. Her squishing was suddenly louder and more pronounced. Her juices were coating my balls as she continued to shake and moan breathlessly. I released her and leaned back and pulled her legs further apart and rubbed her clit in a similar fashion as before. She shook and gasped as she let a third orgasm pass on by. My strokes came to a halt and stopped rubbing her clit. “Are you okay?” I asked smiling at her. The redness dimmed in her face now that the blood returned, but she was still very flushed. “That…was pretty fucking perfect!” She said honestly. “If you let me turn you over, I can go for extra credit. How does that sound?” I replied. “Oh! You didn't cum yet! Take me anyway you'd like!” She said rolling over onto her hands and knees. My right thumb immediately found her puckered asshole. “Okay, not anyway, Cowboy.” She added, giggling. I leaned in and slid all the way in, missing her cervix this time because of the angle. I was stretching her out while hitting all the right spots. My balls nuzzling her clit as I stroked into her. I could see her pussy pull out with me slightly despite her moisture and the lube on the condom. Her climax surprised us both as she began to ram back onto me. I didn't slow down because her canal tightened up and was now hugging all my favorite spots. I plowed through her narrowing passage looking for my own prize. She didn't have any time to recover as she reached orgasm again and again until I was ready. “Where would you like it?” I asked, being a perfect gentleman. “Don't you… fucking dare… pull out… FUCK!” She gasped between strokes. One last look at the condom to check on it's structural integrity and I was plowing harder, deeper, and faster now. Her moans reached a familiar volume again and I was doing my best to time my nut with her next orgasm. As soon as my seed spilled into her condom-protected cunt, she came hard again. We both grunted our approval as my balls emptied. We stayed like that for a moment, knotted together in pleasure. I could feel my cock softening so I took it as a cue to pull out. I grabbed the base of the condom and my cock and slid it out slowly. She tried backing into me to keep me inside her. The latex held and there was a considerable load sloshing in the tip. It would have produced triplets if that's how sex actually worked. She rolled over and collapsed back onto the couch. Seeing the condom in my hand, she grabbed it and poured it all over her huge breasts and rubbed it in, licking her fingers and popping a nipple in her mouth, purring like a cat. It was the grossest thing I ever saw. I fucking loved it, though. I showed her to my master bath and started the shower. I had a garden tub and a shower stall with just enough room for us both inside. We cleaned up and kissed some under the water, then dried off. She retrieved her clothes in one bundle. Her eyes looked like she had something to say, but her lips didn't move. We were both pretty drunk by now and the trains were far too dangerous to ride. I offered to call her a cab and pay for it, but she declined taking my money, saying something about feeling like a hooker. I assured her that wasn't the case and she smiled. I also offered her my spare bedroom, assuming that sleeping in the same bed would be too intimate for her. She gladly accepted. I grabbed something for her to sleep in. A pair of sweats and a big, soft white tee. I was wearing something similar, although they fit me better. After showing her to the spare bedroom and turning the bed for her, I gave her a sensual kiss on her mouth. No tongue. A peck on her forehead and I walked to the door. “What time do you wake up?” She asked, fiddling with her phone above the covers. “Got somewhere to be?” I jested. “Ten? Maybe? Wake me if you're up first. How does pancakes sound for breakfast?” “Oh my Gaia, He's making me pancakes…” She said laughing out loud. “It's a deal!” As I hit the light, I could see her face lit up by her cell phone screen. She was prolly giving the “all clear” to one of her girlfriends, assuring them that she was alright. Prolly better than alright. I reached my bedroom and wiggled under the sheet and took my rest for the night. My bedside clock said 1:37 AM. Not a bad first date, eh? My eyes were heavy and I surrendered to the best sleep of my life. By Thintri , for Literotica

Liverpool's freefall continues after yet another defeat; but can this one be differentiated from the others? Meanwhile, Chelsea's youth movement takes care of business against Wolves, but only just barely. And, in Newcastle-Spurs, we wonder how long is too long to tie your shoes and if Andrew should be readying an apology for Nick Woltemade. All that plus our thoughts on Manchester United's inswinging policy, Gio Reyna commenting on the 2022 World Cup and Craig Fowler joining to discuss the madness of Scottish football.For even more Caught Offside content, get on over to Caught Offside Plus right now! We've got a new episode up discussing the surprising surges of Bournemouth, Tottenham, Sunderland & Manchester United. Plus, Andrew gives his MLS postseason storylines to watch out for and JJ gives us the things he saw on the internet.To sign up, just go to https://caughtoffside.supercast.com! Once you have access to the premium feed, be sure to go back and check out our special "welcome episode" from June 24th, 2024 (we don't think you'll be disappointed)!And for all the latest merch, get over to https://caughtoffsidepod.com/---Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/CaughtOffsidePod/X: https://twitter.com/COsoccerpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/caughtoffsidepod/Email: CaughtOffsidePod@gmail.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@caughtoffsidepod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike and Eli get philosophical to close out Season 8. Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: patreon.com/chasingscratch Kudos to Titleist & Footjoy Titleist Finding Feel video: https://youtu.be/LWRyhi-yD1o?si=0bzFAdT7WW8t3pLd Kudos to Shot Pattern - save 20% at shotpattern.app/chasingscratch Kudos to Carl's Place - https://www.carlofet.com/ MUSIC CREDITS: "Dangerous" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100414 Artist: incompetech.com/ "Chase - Scoring Action" is by Kevin Macleod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100414 Artist: incompetech.com/ "Epic Battle Speech" is by Wayne Jones "Art of Silence V2" is by Uniq https://soundcloud.com/uniqofficial "C Major Prelude" is by Bach "Forever Yours" is by Wayne Jones "Air to the Throne" is by Doug Maxwell "Connect The Dots" purchased via PremiumBeat.com "The Latest Scandal" purchased via PremiumBeat.com "The Old Tale" purchased via PremiumBeat.com "Haunted Western" purchased via PremiumBeat.com "Philosophy" by Eskimotion purchased via PremiumBeat.com Mixed by Lenny Sterner Copyright © Drupelets Media LLC

On today’s show: A seductive photo shoot at the Air Force Museum?! Megan’s daughter’s ghostly “big sister” Cassie returns… The cast iron pan ChatGPT destroyed Megan’s shocking cottage cheese obsession Our entertainment reporter reveals what it's like hanging with Shaquille O’Neal! We talk to Dame Julie Chapman from KidsCan ahead of our 24-hour handball challenge Don Buck Primary’s epic handball fundraiser! Adults still rocking kids’ stuff... Velcro wallets, squishmallows, and Simpsons backpacks Instagram: @THEHITSBREAKFASTFacebook: The Hits Breakfast with Jono, Ben & MeganSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Household stationery isn't “our precious pens and paper in our study” — it's the everyday tools that keep a home ticking. We talk freezer-proof labels, kitchen whiteboards, year-at-a-glance calendars we forget to update, junk-drawer essentials, elastic bands vs Velcro ties for cables, and even a full Kanban wall system that helps a building business run. Plus: Magic Click (a colour-pen system we need help decoding), why shrink-wrap on notebooks should be illegal, and the enduring magic of handwritten notes in old recipe books.What We CoverLabelling the real world: freezer labels that don't fall off, pens that actually write on them, and why chalk pens disappointed.Whiteboards at home: revision, “blurting” study technique, and why office whiteboards triple in size the moment they enter a house.Family calendars: wall planners vs Google Calendar; how to stop answering “What's for tea?” 47 times.The junk drawer: string, Sellotape ends, last 3 Post-its, elastic bands—and occasionally £40.Cable wrangling: elastic bands vs Velcro ties (and cats stealing the Velcro).Kitchen Kanban: a visual, Post-it based board for a builder's workload (columns from “mentioned” to “invoiced”).Notes on doors: Berlin-style paper rolls to leave messages (and why phones killed the habit).Measuring kids' growth: doorframe ticks vs logging in Apple Notes.Sticky label removal: we've tried dishwasher runs, washing-up liquid, alcohol… still tacky! (Your hacks welcome.)Brands behaving oddly: a Moleskine “travel case” too small for a Cahier; shrink-wrapped notebooks you can't test.Why we love marginalia: old cookbooks and Reader's Digest repair manuals with handwritten tweaks.Content recommendations: Andrew Huberman's interview with Steven Pressfield (resistance, turning pro, doing the work).Event tease: Rob & Helen at a November stationery event (with a shop… send help).Listener Shout-OutsLisa (In Berlin, in a kitchen): topic idea + brilliant list — thank you Lisa!Nat: for sending Magic Click (and introducing us to Barbara Thames' creativity/play angle).Anonymous newsletter supporter: your generosity genuinely helps keep this ad-free. Thank you!Resources & MentionsMagic Click colour-pen system — creator Barbara Tammes (if you've used it, tell us how!).Label makers: DYMO.Notebooks & shops: Moleskine, Waterstones, Dingbats (reporter), Tom's Studio (pens & inks).Other: Vinted (finds), Nokia notebooks at a conference, Reader's Digest Repair Manuals, The Newt (Somerset).Podcasts: Steven Pressfield — The War of Art, Turning Pro; Dr Andrew Huberman interview with Steven Pressfield.Where to Find UsNewsletter & archive: stationeryfreaks.com → SubstackInstagram: @stationeryfreaksukSay hello / ideas: via the website or Insta DMs

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.On today's edition of The Briefing, Dr. Mohler discusses the rise of parenting advice and the fall of parenting sense, and he answers questions about if college is a scam, using extra-biblical sources in interpreting Scripture, dinosaurs, and homosexual interpretations of Scripture.Part I (00:14 – 11:07)Parents Need Biblical Counsel, Not Fads: The Rise of Parenting Advice and the Fall of Parenting SenseMillennials might be raising ‘Velcro kids.’ What does that mean and is it a bad thing? by USA Today (Madeline Mitchell)We're Doing Child-Led Parenting by The New Yorker (Susanna Wolff)Part II (11:07 – 17:31)What Do You Think About Charlie Kirk's Thoughts on College? Is College a Scam? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter From an 18-Year-Old Listener of The BriefingPart III (17:31 – 20:12)What is the Proper Way to Use Extra-Biblical Sources in Interpreting Scriptures? How Should We Interpret Genesis? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart IV (20:12 – 24:47)What Do You Make of Dinosaurs as a Young Earth Creationist? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters From Listeners of The BriefingPart V (24:47 – 27:53)How Do I Combat Pro-Homosexual Interpretations of Scripture? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter From a 15-Year-Old Listener of The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

The story of the Seventh Final Major. Want bonus content including our weekly Tuesday podcast? Join the Velcro here: patreon.com/chasingscratch  Chasing Scratch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyMh34EM2cKpZeaNVu2fkAg  MUSIC CREDITS: "Dreaming of Six" is by Uncle J. Feather “Dangerous” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100414
Artist: incompetech.com/ “Decisions” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100399
Artist: incompetech.com/ “Chase - Scoring Action” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100399
Artist: incompetech.com/ "Grim League" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100779 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ "Epic Battle Speech" is by Wayne Jones "Art of Silence V2" is by Uniq https://soundcloud.com/uniqofficial "Under Cover" is by Wayne Jones "Constant Motion" is by Chris Haigh purchased via PremiumBeat.com "Champion's Routine" is by Aulx Studio purchased via PremiumBeat.com "Come to the Water" is by The Commandeers purchased via PremiumBeat.com "The Old Tale" is by Magdelena  "C Major Prelude" is by Bach "Forever Yours" is by Wayne Jones "Constant Motion" is by Chris Haigh purchased via PremiumBeat.com "Fog" is by Little Red Church purchased via PremiumBeat.com Mixed by Lenny Sterner Copyright © Drupelets Media LLC

Calvaris, Noggles, Velcro, and Nok-nok face a fearsome beast born of The Bloom.WebsiteDiscordTwitterPathfinder Second Edition and the Kingmaker Adventure Path are published by Paizo."Take the Lead" and other featured music were composed by Kevin MacLeod and licensed under Creative Commons by: Attribution 4.0 License.All ambiances were composed by Michael Ghelfi Studios.The Zero Check are committed to providing an inclusive and respectful experience to all listeners, but we also recognize and acknowledge that we are limited by our individual frames of reference. If we misstep, please let us know. Email all feedback to feedback@zerocheckpodcast.com.Thank you for listening to The Zero Check. Send us a text

Nacho, Nacho Mannnnn is a tan and white colored cattle dog mix with a very fun and playful side who can be a bit rambunctious. When he gets outside, he loves to show off his zoomy side in the play yard. Nacho is a big goofball to say the least. He is roughly 2 years old, up to date on his vaccinations and neutered. He came to us earlier in the summer and has been a joy to have, but it's time for him to find a home with a family or even a single human to call his own. He loves his toys and people, but he is not a Velcro dog. He will lean against you while you pet him, but he doesn't overwhelm you by looking for attention. Nacho is a bit shy when it comes to meeting other dogs 'in person', but through the kennel he is quite playful with his neighbors. He has had a variety of neighbors and, so far, hasn't had a poor reaction to any of them. Nacho does need some proper guidance with manners, but overall is very well behaved and potty trained. He just has an excellent, friendly personality. He knows 'sit' and does fairly well on a leash, but he could really benefit from someone willing to teach him more and give him a 'job' since his breed is a working breed. Sadly, he isn't a great choice for families with small children because he hasn't had much experience with them. Meaning that his rambunctious side is a bit too much for them and being mouthy sometimes when he plays. This is part of the breed and their natural instinct to herd which can be redirected with proper, consistent training. We would love to invite people to come and meet Nacho so that they can see for themselves just how awesome this guy is. If you have had experience with cattle dogs previously, then you know how important training is with this breed and how wonderful they can be. Please contact Van Buren County Animal Control at 269-621-4624 or visit the shelter at 58040 County Road 681, Hartford, MI 49057 to learn more about the smart and handsome Nacho.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big feelings deserve a safe space and sometimes, that space looks like a soft, huggable friend with swappable expressions and a whole lot of heart…eyes!In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, we're opening up another coaching call episode featuring Toy Creators Academy alum Melissa Brody, a licensed therapist, entrepreneur, and new mom who turned her passion for emotional wellness into Emotipals, a plush toy line designed to help kids understand and express their feelings through play.Inspired by her late father, a pediatric neurologist, and grounded in her own clinical experience, Melissa created Emotapals to give children a tangible way to explore emotions. With 21 mix-and-match Velcro pieces, each Emotipals helps kids learn emotional vocabulary, empathy, and regulation, while bringing laughter and connection to the playroom or the therapy office.You'll hear Melissa share:Her journey from private practice to product creationHow motherhood reshaped her business mindsetThe honest challenges of balancing life and entrepreneurshipWhy narrowing your niche can open even bigger doorsHow listening to your most passionate customers can shape your next big winWhether you're in the thick of toy development or dreaming up your very first idea, this episode will remind you that clarity, connection, and community are key ingredients to growing a purpose-driven brand.Feeling inspired to bring your own toy idea to life? Learn more about Toy Creators Academy at www.toycreatorsacademy.com.Send The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showPopular Masterclass! How To Make & Sell Your Toy IdeasYour Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps >> https://learn.thetoycoach.com/masterclass

We review the Best Ski Boots for the new 2026 winter season, covering the best piste, all mountain and freeride ski boots.   Host Iain Martin was joined by The Ski Podcast's equipment expert Al Morgan and Frazer Shand, Operations Manager at Profeet. This special episode has been made possible by the Profeet Ski Boot Lab, based in south-west London. Profeet offer expert ski boot fitting, custom insoles and ski boot modifications. SHOW NOTES Watch our ‘Best Skis of 2026' video Ski Boot definitions and terms…  Shell (4:00)  Last (4:30)  Mondopoint (5:45)  Flex (7:15)  Liner (8:45)  BOA (10:15)  Powerstrap (12:30)  Walk mode and Grip Walk (13:30) Sustainability (16:30) Function, Fit and Footbeds (18:15) Find out about the fitting process at the Profeet Ski Boot Lab (18:45)  Profeet start with a biomechanical analysis and foot scan (19:45) Custom insoles (23:00) Customisation (24:00) Visiting the Dalbello factory (34:00) Get your free tickets to the London Snow Show (55:45) Profeet will be exhibiting at the London Snow Show (56:30) THE BEST SKI BOOTS OF 2026   Piste and All-Mountain Ski Boots K2 Cortex Zonal 120 BOA(26:30) £625 SIZES (MP): 24.5 - 28.5 VOLUME: Low LAST (mm): 96 – 98              WEIGHT (per boot): 2,179g (26.5MP) These are incredible boots, delivering a ton of support and superb hold, in a flex that will work far better for most skiers. K2 has offered single BOA on higher-volume boots previously, but the Cortex is the slimmest profile they've integrated this into, and this time you get the benefit of the dial and cable system on the shell and cuff, on the Zonal models.   Non-Zonal Cortex models have BOA only over the foot. The softer material over the instep makes it a tad easier to get into the boot, and aids shell wrapping, when you dial in the snugness. The heel has a slimmer internal profile than their other boots, and the lace-up liner adds to the excellent hold you get.    You also get a cam power strap, which is not that common on 120 flex boots, and I much prefer this strap to a Velcro option. There are two bolts on the spine, and you can remove the top one if you want a more forgiving flex profile. They offer the Cortex range right up to the £725, all-singing, all-dancing 140 flex model, which is the only one with pin inserts in the toe. Dalbello Veloce Space 120 Dual(32:00) £580 SIZES (MP): 24.5 - 30.5  VOLUME: Medium  LAST (mm): 101  FLEX: 120 WEIGHT (per boot): 2,050g (27.5MP) This is the first season Dalbello has offered BOA on their boots, and they've added Dual and Single BOA models to their range, in this new Veloce Space line. Dual BOA is available on the 105, 120 and 130 flex models.    The shell and cuff on the 120 are made of PU. They inject differing hardnesses of plastic, to take advantage of the phenomenal wrap you get with the BOA system. It also makes the boots easier to get on. The mouldable liner is beautifully comfortable, and the Adaptive Tongue construction, integrating memory foam, is so nice for the shins, also helping with instep comfort. The pre-shaped Ankle Sense zones enhance the heel hold.  The 120 is also available in a single BOA (£540), with regular cuff buckle closure, like the 110, 100, 95 and 85. These single BOA versions get a lever you can release on the spine, allowing an easier walking motion. Head Kalibre 110 MV BOA 2(36:00) £510 SIZES (MP): 25.0 - 30.5  VOLUME: Medium LAST (mm): 100 WEIGHT (per boot): No stated weights    This is Head's Dual BOA offering and is totally new. The Kalibre boots have a clean aesthetic. They inject different hardnesses or plastic into the shell, to take advantage of the superb wrap of the BOA H+i1 system.  Kaliber, like many BOA offerings, is a medium volume fit, with 100mm last. They have a new liner for this range too, called Synapse. They weave in Graphene for tech-level temperature regulation.  The 110 has a Velcro power strap, although £600 130 flex has a claw strap. The Kaliber line features a greater range of flexes in single BOA and four clip versions, but the BOA2 models are pretty awesome. This is the only 110 flex dual BOA model we know of for this season. Freeride Ski Boots   Rossignol Alltrack 130 Elite LV LT GW (40:30) £625  SIZES (MP): 24.0 – 29.5  WALK MODE: Y, no stated ROM VOLUME: Low LAST (mm): 98  FLEX: 130  WEIGHT (per boot): 1,825g (no stated size)  The Alltrack line has been redesigned for this season. They've added BOA to shell of the 102mm HV models, but we tested the narrow-last Elite LT model, which has tech inserts in the toe and heel.  Even though these are 98mm last, low-volume boots, they have more room inside than some other LV boots in this category. They look sensational, have heat-mouldable liners and an innovative ski-walk mode, inspired by the work done developing the Vizion easy (rear) entry boots.  Flip the ski-walk mode lever up, and the rear of the boot can tilt back, with the liner attached to the rear of the cuff with a loop to hold it in place, in order that you can easily slide in. Fasten the buckles, flex forward and the walk mode locks into the ski position, ready for the descent. To tour, flip the rear lever up, loosen the cuff buckles and power strap, and off you go.  This boot skied beautifully, and I just love the way the Dual Core shells flex.   Armada AR One 130 (43:00) £580 SIZES (MP): 24.5 - 29.5 WALK MODE: N  VOLUME: Medium LAST (mm): 100 FLEX: 130  WEIGHT (per boot):100g (26.5MP) The AR One is Armada's first ever ski boot and it's a very impressive hybrid cabrio design blending Alpine and freeski design. Designed by Armada, it's built in partnership with their sister company, Atomic.  It's a medium volume unisex boot, with a 100mm last in a size 26.5MP, in 5 flexes. The 120 and 130 are only available from 24.5MP and up, whilst the 90, 100 and 110 go down to 23.5MP.  The heat mouldable shell and liner, along with excellent out-of-the-box shaping, ensures a very comfy, and customisable, fit. A tool free volume adjuster lets you create space for pressured calves, and most parts are user replaceable, improving sustainability. The top three flexes are pure PU shell, cuff and tongue, for a smooth ride. The rubber boot board does a fab job of smoothing landings and judders. The buckle setup is very different, especially the instep buckle and cable Y-configuration, securely holding you in the heel pocket.  The 130 and 110 share the Team liner, whilst the others have the Pro Liner, which lacks the repositionable tongue, which allows you to adjust volume and fit over the foot. The elasticate claw power-strap on these two flexes is a superb, but the others only get a Velcro strap. Toe pin inserts on the 130 allows use with hybrid bindings like the Shift, Duke PT and the new ATK Hy.  This is a fabulous downhill ski boot, with excellent lateral response, impressive power, it's smooth with great damping and superb heel hold.  Scarpa 4 Quattro GT Woman (45:45) £580                                  SIZES (MP):  22.5 – 27.0 WALK MODE: Y, 61° ROM  VOLUME: Medium LAST (mm): 101 FLEX: 90 / 110  WEIGHT (per boot): 1,510g (25.0MP)   The 4-Quattro range has been an incredible success, especially the XT model which has been a benchmark freeride touring boot in recent seasons. Scarpa's dropped the XT for this winter, but they've updated the SL, they still have the 4-Quattro Pro, which Nikolai Schirmer uses and helped develop, and they've added in a new GT model in a woman's and man's version.  The GT has a roomier fit, has a new 4Pro Flex GT Intuition liner, and is the warmest 4-Quattro model. You get a Velcro power strap, rather than a claw version seen on the others, and it's made using Desmopan plastic for the shell and cuff, rather than Pebax Renew, although all Quattro models have a Pebax tongue. The Desmopan CQ MBC uses bio-circular TPU, enhancing the sustainability, and reducing the CO2 footprint. You don't get the Carbon Core construction of the SL or Pro, but the GT skis better.    They're an easier flex for lighter or less aggressive riders, and the fact these are such great value is a bonus. PROFEET'S CHOICE Technica Mach1 LV 130, £550 (48:30) Updated for this season with a fully redesigned shell and liner, offering a touch more instep depth but still an excellent low volume fit. From a boot fitter point of view, they are also a pleasure to work on with design features allowing for easier customisation of the shell. Feedback (51:00) I enjoy all feedback about the show, so if you enjoyed this episode, or if you have any questions about skis we didn't cover, then please let us know by leaving a comment at Instagram or Facebook – we are @theskipodcast – or by dropping me an email theskipodcast@gmail.com. You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. Adam Matthews on Instagram enjoyed our ‘Best Skis' episode: “Great podcast. Been looking forward to this since last year's episode” Rick on YouTube loved Al's choice of the Volkl V.Werks 100: “I rode this a lot last winter, so much that I crashed and busted my knee. But seriously, it´s an absolutely amazing ski.” There are now 276 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. You can do that too, there is so much to listen to in our back catalog, just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you're bound to find something of interest.   If you enjoyed this episode and would like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:   -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify -          And, if you're booking ski hire this winter, don't forget that you can help The Ski Podcast and save yourself some money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST' when you book at intersportrent.com. You'll get a guaranteed additional discount, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied. 

Mike and Eli free flow the night before the Final Major. Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: chasingscratchgolf.com/velcro  Kudos to Vortex Rangefinders - get 10% off by using SCRATCH10 at MapleHillGolf.com  Kudos to Mizzen and Main - use code SCRATCH20 at mizzenandmain.com Kudos to Shot Pattern - save 20% at shotpattern.app/chasingscratch  Kudos to Carl's Place - https://www.carlofet.com/  MUSIC CREDITS: "Dangerous" is by Kevin MacLeod ℗ Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... "Forever Yours" is by Wayne Jones "Funeral March" is by Chopin "C Major Prelude" is by Bach "Epic Battle Speech" is by Wayne Jones "The Story Unfolds" is by Jingle Punks “Enigmatic” is by bensound.com "Extinction Level Event" is by Jingle Punks "Destination Unknown" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "End of Time" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "Sharp Senses" is by Ugonna Onyekwe

What if I told you that most youth pastors are only getting raises half the rate of inflation — if they're getting them at all? Today, I'm breaking down real data from the national Youth Pastor Compensation Survey with insights from experts like Dan Navarra — so you know exactly how much you should be getting paid. And interestingly, the one thing you need to start right away, to ensure you'll actually get one!

Mike and Eli re-enter real life after the trip to Scotland.  Want to go to Ireland in 2026? Full details here: chasingscratchgolf.com/events Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: chasingscratchgolf.com/velcro  Kudos to The Stack System - save 10% at thestacksystem.com/chasingscratch Kudos to Vuori - save 20% on your first purchase at vuoriclothing.com/chasingscratch Kudos to Shot Pattern - save 20% at shotpattern.app/chasingscratch  Kudos to Carl's Place - https://www.carlofet.com/  MUSIC CREDITS: “Dangerous” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100414 Artist: incompetech.com/ “Faceoff” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100414 Artist: incompetech.com/ "Engimatic" is by bensound.com "C Major Prelude" is by Bach "It's Coming" is by Josh Kirsch / Media Right Productions "Epic Battle Speech" is by Wayne Jones "The Game Changer" is by Evan MacDonald (purchased on PremiumBeat.com) Edited by Lenny Sterner  © 2025 Drupelets Media, LLC

Youth ministry theme nights are some of the BEST ways to get students inviting friends and to build momentum in your group. But here's the thing nobody tells you—every single one of my theme nights has come with a mistake. Sometimes it was funny, sometimes it was painful… and one time I thought I was getting fired… Before you try these for yourself, let me give you my five best theme nights from 15 years in youth ministry—and the one mistake I made in each, so you don't have to learn the hard way.

This week, Dominique sits down with Dr. Lisa Grain, a retired orthodontist who has completely reinvented herself as the founder of French Barrels, a new beauty brand bringing back the old-school ritual of wet set rollers with modern technology.What started as a cherished Sunday night ritual with her grandmother and mother has transformed into a full-fledged beauty startup built on faith, creativity, and perseverance.In this conversation, Dominique and Lisa discuss:Lisa's journey from orthodontics to entrepreneurship, and why she walked away from a long, successful career to chase a passion projectThe seven-year process of designing prototypes, testing, and finally creating the perfect wet set rollerWhy traditional rollers (foam, Velcro, plastic) never measured up, and how French Barrels are differentHow wet setting makes hair healthier, shinier, and longer-lasting than blowouts or heat stylingThe generational influence of her grandmother, mother, and daughter in shaping her beauty philosophy and businessWhat Lisa learned about funding a startup without venture capital, and how bartering, relationships, and persistence carried her forwardThe emotional moment of her daughter helping her create her first pitch deck, and what it taught her about full-circle parentingHow faith and what she calls “QTR” (Quality Time Remaining) guide her decisions in this next chapterWhy reinvention is not just possible, but powerful, for women at any stage of lifeFor more on Lisa, follow her on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisagrain/?hl=en Website: https://frenchbarrelettes.com/ Thanks to my Sponsors:LMNT: Right now LMNT is offering a free 8-count Sample Pack of their most popular drink mix flavors with any purchase. Get yours at DrinkLMNT.com/OVER50BAU: Visit BAUmovie.com to watch the trailer and learn more – or sign up your organization for a group screeningTOVALA: For a limited time, save up to $300 on the Tovala smart oven when you order 6+ meals, by visiting Tovala.com/FLOURISHING and using code FLOURISHINGVimergy: Visit Vimergy.com and use code FLOURISHING for 15% off your first orderClean Simple Eats: Visit https://glnk.io/73q00/dominique and use code FLOURISHING20 at checkout for 20% off your first order. Keep in Touch:Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dominiquesachse.tv/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dominiquesachse.tv/book/Insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/dominiquesachse/Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/DominiqueSachse/TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@dominiquesachse?lang=enYouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@dominiquesachsetvHave a question for Dominique? Submit it here for a chance to have it answered on the show! https://forms.gle/MpTeWN1oKN8t18pm6 Interested in being featured as a guest? Please email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠courtney@dominiquesachse.tv⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We want to make the podcast even better. Help us learn how we can: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.Produced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The trip to Scotland.  Kudos to Titleist & Footjoy Kudos to LMNT: drinklmnt.com/chasingscratch Kudos to Mizzen+Main: use promo code SCRATCH20 at mizzenandmain.com Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: chasingscratchgolf.com/velcro  Kudos to Shot Pattern - save 20% at shotpattern.app/chasingscratch  Kudos to Carl's Place - https://www.carlofet.com/  MUSIC CREDITS: "Scotland the Brave" "Forever Yours" is by Wayne Jones "Funeral March" is by Chopin "C Major Prelude" is by Bach "Epic Battle Speech" is by Wayne Jones "The Story Unfolds" is by Jingle Punks “Enigmatic” is by bensound.com "Extinction Level Event" is by Jingle Punks "Destination Unknown" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "End of Time" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "Sharp Senses" is by Ugonna Onyekwe

We have a fasten-ating debate on Velcro vs. laces, then, we get down to business when we discuss dress codes at work.Featuring: Lisa Baker, Sean Cullen, Chad Anderson, and Brittany Lyseng.

Lord Manny Hayes aka Thirst Trapper Jones

Mike and Eli discuss recent game developments, goals and expectations for the upcoming Scotland trip, Irish Mike joins to discuss what he thinks about over the ball, and Titleist's Shane Dyel joins to talk wedge fitting. Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: chasingscratchgolf.com/velcro  Kudos to Shot Pattern - save 20% at shotpattern.app/chasingscratch  Kudos to Carl's Place - https://www.carlofet.com/  MUSIC CREDITS: "My Town Yo Town" is by Doug Maxwell "Forever Yours" is by Wayne Jones "Funeral March" is by Chopin "C Major Prelude" is by Bach "Epic Battle Speech" is by Wayne Jones "The Story Unfolds" is by Jingle Punks “Enigmatic” is by bensound.com "Extinction Level Event" is by Jingle Punks "Destination Unknown" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "End of Time" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "Sharp Senses" is by Ugonna Onyekwe

Mike and Eli discuss current drills, rash decision purchases, recent results, and one of the strangest things ever seen on a golf course. Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: chasingscratchgolf.com/velcro  Kudos to The Stack - save 10% at thestacksystem.com Kudos to Shot Pattern - save 20% at shotpattern.app/chasingscratch  Kudos to Carl's Place - https://www.carlofet.com/  MUSIC CREDITS: "My Town Yo Town" is by Doug Maxwell "Forever Yours" is by Wayne Jones "Funeral March" is by Chopin "C Major Prelude" is by Bach "Epic Battle Speech" is by Wayne Jones "The Story Unfolds" is by Jingle Punks “Enigmatic” is by bensound.com "Extinction Level Event" is by Jingle Punks "Destination Unknown" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "End of Time" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "Sharp Senses" is by Ugonna Onyekwe

Mike's coach Jayson Nickol joins to discuss his 5-day boot camp with Mike in NC; Eli starts seeing glimpses on the golf course.  Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: chasingscratchgolf.com/velcro  Kudos to goodr - goodr.com/chasingscratch  Kudos to Vuori - vuoriclothing.com/chasingscratch Kudos to Shot Pattern - save 20% at shotpattern.app/chasingscratch  Kudos to Carl's Place - https://www.carlofet.com/  MUSIC CREDITS: "My Town Yo Town" is by Doug Maxwell "Forever Yours" is by Wayne Jones "Funeral March" is by Chopin "C Major Prelude" is by Bach "Epic Battle Speech" is by Wayne Jones "The Story Unfolds" is by Jingle Punks “Enigmatic” is by bensound.com "Extinction Level Event" is by Jingle Punks "Destination Unknown" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "End of Time" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "Sharp Senses" is by Ugonna Onyekwe

Eli plays some real golf; Mike makes a discovery.  Eli's Putting Lesson YouTube Video Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: chasingscratchgolf.com/velcro  Kudos to Vortex Rangefinders - get 10% off by using SCRATCH10 at MapleHillGolf.com  Kudos to LMNT - DrinkLMNT.com/chasingscratch Kudos to Shot Pattern - save 20% at shotpattern.app/chasingscratch  Kudos to Carl's Place - https://www.carlofet.com/  MUSIC CREDITS: "My Town Yo Town" is by Doug Maxwell "Forever Yours" is by Wayne Jones "Funeral March" is by Chopin "C Major Prelude" is by Bach "Epic Battle Speech" is by Wayne Jones "The Story Unfolds" is by Jingle Punks “Enigmatic” is by bensound.com "Extinction Level Event" is by Jingle Punks "Destination Unknown" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "End of Time" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "Sharp Senses" is by Ugonna Onyekwe

The 2025 Late Summer Run begins.  Eli's Putting Lesson YouTube Video Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: chasingscratchgolf.com/velcro  Kudos to Mizzen+Main - use promo code SCRATCH20 at mizzenandmain.com Kudos to Shot Pattern - save 20% at shotpattern.app/chasingscratch  Kudos to Carl's Place - https://www.carlofet.com/  MUSIC CREDITS: "My Town Yo Town" is by Doug Maxwell "Forever Yours" is by Wayne Jones "Funeral March" is by Chopin "C Major Prelude" is by Bach "Epic Battle Speech" is by Wayne Jones "The Story Unfolds" is by Jingle Punks “Enigmatic” is by bensound.com "Extinction Level Event" is by Jingle Punks "Destination Unknown" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "End of Time" is by Ugonna Onyekwe "Sharp Senses" is by Ugonna Onyekwe  

Mike travels to California for the Golfer's Journal 2-man at Pasatiempo; Eli continues to make progress. Want bonus content? Join the Velcro: chasingscratchgolf.com/velcro  Kudos to Vuori - vuoriclothing.com/chasingscratch Kudos to LMNT - drinkLMNT.com/chasingscratch  Kudos to Shot Pattern - save 20% at shotpattern.app/chasingscratch  Kudos to Carl's Place - https://www.carlofet.com/  MUSIC CREDITS: “Dangerous” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100414 Artist: incompetech.com/ “Decisions” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100399 Artist: incompetech.com/ "C Major Prelude" is by Bach “Enigmatic” is by bensound.com "Divine Life Society" is by Jesse Gallagher "Bending Truth" purchased via PremiumBeat.com