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Interview with Lon Shaver, President of Silvercorp Metals and Michael Konnert, President & CEO of Vizsla Silver Corp.Recording date: 7th May 2025The silver market is experiencing its fifth consecutive year of structural deficit, creating a compelling investment case as demand continues to outpace supply. This imbalance stems from the challenges inherent in developing new silver mines—including permitting hurdles, financing difficulties, and extended development timelines—while production costs rise at roughly 8% annually.Unlike many commodities, silver benefits from dual demand drivers. Industrial usage, particularly in solar energy applications, continues to grow alongside global decarbonization efforts. Simultaneously, investment demand is rising, with the World Silver Survey projecting a 7% increase this year as investors seek alternatives amid economic uncertainty and following gold's upward trajectory.Primary silver producers like Silvercorp Metals and developers such as Vizsla Silver are capitalizing on these favorable conditions. Vizsla's Copala Panuco project in Mexico demonstrates exceptional economics with a projected payback period under six months at current prices, while Silvercorp is leveraging its cash flow from Chinese operations to construct a second project in Ecuador, slated for commissioning in late 2026.Both companies emphasize disciplined capital allocation and operational excellence. Despite having robust growth pipelines, they maintain conservative balance sheets while pursuing strategic expansions. This approach has enabled them to secure financing on favorable terms as investor sentiment shifts positively toward the sector.Geopolitical trends are increasingly favorable to mining in key jurisdictions like Mexico, Ecuador, and Canada, where governments recognize the economic benefits of resource development. Vizsla notes that its operations could eventually support up to 1,000 direct and indirect jobs, highlighting mining's contribution to local economies.While ESG considerations are less headline-grabbing than in recent years, they have become standard practice for well-managed companies. Both Silvercorp and Vizsla integrate sustainable operations and community engagement as core business functions, improving their appeal to institutional investors.Despite the favorable macro environment, silver equities have not yet fully priced in the underlying commodity dynamics, suggesting potential upside for investors. As broader capital markets reengage with the commodity sector, silver equities—offering both industrial utility and monetary potential—represent an underappreciated opportunity for investors seeking fundamentally supported long-term growth.Learn more: https://cruxinvestor.com/categories/commodities/silverhttps://cruxinvestor.com/companies/vizsla-silver-corphttps://cruxinvestor.com/companies/silvercorp-metalsSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com
In this unforgettable episode of the HappyCast, hosts Andrew, Dylan, and Stephanie welcome Canadian ultrarunner and mental health advocate Evan Birch, along with his trail-blazing running partner: his seven-year-old Vizsla, Nova. Together, Evan and Nova recently attempted the Orcas Island 100, marking what may be one of the first sanctioned 100-mile ultramarathon efforts by a human-canine team. Their story—captured in the upcoming documentary Supernova: The 100-Mile Dog—goes far beyond finish lines.Evan takes us through the years of preparation that led to this moment, from choosing Nova as a pup specifically for the trails, to learning how to communicate without words, to tailoring training and gear for the unique demands of ultrarunning with a dog. The conversation dives into the bond they've built over hundreds of miles and the sheer trust it takes to tackle such a challenge together.Beyond the race, this episode is a powerful reflection on mental health, identity, and resilience. Evan opens up about his background in emergency services, his own struggles, and how trail running—and Nova—became a path toward healing. Raw, thoughtful, and deeply inspiring, this episode is a reminder that sometimes, the journey isn't just about covering ground—it's about who we become along the way.ultrabirch.comBe sure to subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, and we always appreciate you leaving a good rate and review. Join the Facebook Group and follow us on Instagram and check out our website for the more episodes, posts and merchandise coming soon. Have a topic you'd like to hear discussed in depth, or a guest you'd like to nominate? Email us at info@happyendingstc.org
Interview with Simon Cmrlec, Chief Operating Officer of Vizsla Silver.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/vizsla-silver-tsxvzla-aiming-for-production-h2-2027-6651Recording date: 16th April, 2025Vizsla Silver represents one of the most compelling pure-play silver investment opportunities in the market today, with a clear path to becoming Mexico's next significant silver producer by late 2027. Under the leadership of Simon Cmrlec, former COO of respected mining engineering firm Ausenco, the company is methodically advancing what Cmrlec describes as "one of the greatest undeveloped silver projects" in his career. The Sinaloa, Mexico project stands out for its exceptional grade profile, with a total resource of over 360 million ounces of silver equivalent and measured and indicated resources of 222 million ounces – significantly exceeding the 170 million ounces planned for production in the company's preliminary economic assessment (PEA).What sets Vizsla apart from many development-stage mining companies is its rare combination of high-grade mineralization and exceptional infrastructure. The project is positioned between two major highways with high-voltage power lines running directly across the property and adequate water resources. This infrastructure advantage dramatically reduces capital requirements and development risks compared to peers developing resources in remote locations. As Cmrlec notes, the ability to "make a discovery right here on a highway" was immediately apparent as a significant competitive advantage.The company's engineering approach demonstrates a conservative methodology focused on risk mitigation while preserving upside potential. The metallurgical testing program has progressed through four comprehensive phases, with over 40 composite samples tested. Recent drilling success has not only increased resource confidence but also improved grades by approximately 5% across the property and 10% in the critical early mining areas at Copala. This combination of resource growth and grade improvement positions the upcoming feasibility study to potentially outperform the already robust PEA projections.With permitting underway, financing discussions advancing, and a test mine already in construction using permanent infrastructure specifications, Vizsla is effectively in the early construction phase. The company's careful approach to mining methods and tailings management demonstrates a thoughtful balance between operational efficiency and environmental considerations. Importantly, the relatively modest scale of operations – processing 3,300 to 4,000 tonnes per day – creates a manageable development path without the capital intensity of larger operations.For investors seeking exposure to silver – a metal with increasingly favorable supply-demand dynamics driven by both industrial applications and monetary demand – Vizsla offers a compelling proposition. The company combines the exploration upside of continued resource growth with the defined development timeline of an advancing project. With experienced technical leadership, a clear production pathway targeting late 2027, and a high-grade resource in a jurisdiction with established mining infrastructure, Vizsla Silver represents a differentiated opportunity in the precious metals space. The company has consistently delivered on milestones over the past two years, building credibility for its execution capability and increasing confidence in its development timeline.—Learn more: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/vizsla-silver-corpSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com
Mike Konnert, President and CEO of Vizsla Silver (NYSE:VZLA & TSX:VZLA), joins me to address the temporary pause in field operations at the Panuco Project in Mexico due to security concerns unrelated to the project itself. Despite the pause, key project components, including test mining and exploration drilling remain on track. Key Discussion Highlights: Temporary Fieldwork Pause: On April 4th, Vizsla Silver announced a brief suspension of on-site work due to regional road security issues. The decision was made out of an abundance of caution. Operations are expected to resume shortly.. New Discovery at La Pipa Target: A high-grade silver drill result, hole AM-25-90, was reported at the La Pipa target - 6km northeast of the Copala resource area. Exploration Continues Across Multiple Targets: Drilling across several priority areas, including historic workings at Animas and San Dimas, are all part of the +10,000 meter program planned for this year. Ground EM surveys and additional data interpretation are underway during the pause. Test Mining Update: Underground development is well underway at the Copala vein with over 30m of box cut completed and underground blasting in progress. The test mine is a crucial de-risking step ahead of mill development and full-scale production. Market Volatility and Financial Strength: Vizsla remains fully funded with US$100 million in cash and no debt. If you have any follow up questions for Mike please email me at Fleck@kereport.com. Click here to visit the Vizsla website to learn more about the Company.
Rövidke, mint a vizsla szőre. De igyekszünk. Jegyzetek A csalás miatt kizárták Johann André Forfangot (https://444.hu/2025/03/10/ruhakba-varrt-drotokkal-csaltak-a-norvegok-az-eszakisi-vilagbajnoksagon) Ki a fasza gyerek? rovat Egy másik timelineon Apple helyett Acorn a világ legnagyobb IT-cége (https://boingboing.net/2025/03/11/technical-history-of-acorn-computers.html) RISC PC pizzasütő (https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/44052/RISC-PC-Pizza-Oven/) Lawrence Tesler (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/technology/lawrence-tesler-dead.html) 3D-nyomtatott pénisszel szaporodhatnak az impotens disznók és nyulak (https://boingboing.net/2025/03/11/new-3d-printed-penis-enables-impotent-rabbits-and-pigs-to-have-sex-and-reproduce.html) Úgy rúg a (többek között kórházakba szánt) robot, mint Chuck Norris (https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/china-humanoid-robot-kick-mid-spin) Itt az 5-perces autótöltés #mosmátélleg #eskü (https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/why-are-chinese-automakers-like-byd-launching-fast-charging-ev-systems-2025-03-18/) Magyar győzelem (https://met3r.com/)
Craig Parry discusses the recent surge in copper prices, the strategic developments at Viszla Copper, and the potential for significant discoveries this year. Craig talks about the setup of Vizsla Copper with 3 projects coming off early exploration work, including IP geophysics and target generation for a potential new discovery hole out of any of the 3 in 2025. He emphasizes the importance of exploration and the changing dynamics in the uranium market, suggesting a broader resource boom on the horizon.
Just under 2 months away is the Andor season 2 return! We got our first teaser trailer recently and Siber Wren and D.Vizsla are here to dive into it as you know we do. What do the scenes mean? What characters are returning? What do we expect to see? Send in your thoughts to the show! Send voicemail or email to: themandalorepodcast@gmail.com Tweet us @theMandaLorepod Join the Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheMandaLorePod
The UnconqueredBy FinalStand. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.Politically, this was manna from Heaven. Putin couldn't strong arm both the Ukraine and the PRC. His priorities had switched, so now NATO could jump into the Ukraine which would appease their democratic constituencies.There were also larger economic/political issues to look at. Europe had constantly been threatened by Russia's interference with the oil and natural gas pipelines that first pass through Russia before crossing the Ukraine and Belarus and heading off to Central and Western Europe. A great deal of that fuel originated in what was now the Khanate.If the Khanate survived, and viewed the US and UK favorably, the 'oil and natural gas' boot would be on the other foot. If Russia threatened the European Democracies' petrochemical supplies, the Khanate could threaten to cut off Russia as well. The old Republic of Kazakhstan never had the will to confront Russia. The Khanate was turning out to be a very different beast.Because the world didn't need any more ominous rumblings, catastrophe and madness collided in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea was an energy exporter, with most of its power coming from coal-fired plants and hydro-electric facilities. The problem was you can't run armored vehicles and combat aircraft on electric power. You needed oil.North Korea's oil came from China, Liaoning province to be precise, and Liaoning was getting hammered around the clock by the Khanate. The oil pipeline had ruptured and it would be months before it was fixed. In that situation, a sane nation would have shopped around for other avenue of imported oil. But we were talking about North Korea here.Kim Jung-un was looking down the barrels of another famine (trucks and tractors need petrol too) as well as the far more important reduction in the Korean People's Army's readiness. He saw himself possessing the World's 4th largest military and it was in danger of running out of fuel, and Liaoning province was sitting right across the Yalu River, all helpless-like.End World News Behind the Scenes ReportIn the annals of martial history, the bloodiest, costliest battles are when elites face elites. As corny and melodramatic as it sounds, the truth is that neither has 'surrender' in their creed. They attack, defend, ambush, shoot, stab and kill one another until one side loses the capacity to carry on the struggle. It is a grapple to the death.All of Ajax's men were hardened killers, ten year veterans of the Trojan Wars every; one of them. The ranks of the 22nd Mountain Troops Battalion were filled with numerous combat-tested soldiers of the Afghan War. These Romanians were some of the finest combatants produced by the Romanian Army. The two companies earmarked for sealing off the road as a retreat route were about to find out what the price of being elite really was.They were fighting for their homeland, avenging their slain (technically, the slaughtered Amazons were Romanians) and had generations of their own warriors, dating back to the First World War, whose legacy of ferocity they had to maintain. Ajax had the advantage in technology and surprise. The Romanians had numbers, experience with the terrain and the advantage of multi-dimensional warfare.The lead vehicles of the 22nd had rounded the hilly terrain to the East of the Castle of Seven Skulls when they collided with Ajax's team rolling away from those ruins. The Mountain Troops were fast, Ajax's team was faster. One soldier stepped out of his still-braking Eagle transport.He snap-shot a Panzerfaust 3, a light anti-tank weapon, blowing up the first Romanian Piranha IIIc. Two Eagles further down the column, a second team member put another Panzerfaust into the follow-up 22nd MLVN (armored personal carrier). That was as good as it got. The third vehicle, another MLVN swung partially around its burning brethren and poured automatic fire into Ajax's lead Eagle, turning huge chunks of that 'Hummer on Steroids' transport into shrapnel.Trading vehicle for vehicle wasn't something Ajax could afford. For the Romanians, they couldn't race past the blocked road without incurring horrendous losses themselves. Besides, by holding their ground and keeping the enemy focused on them, they were fulfilling their part of the plan. The Mountain Troops disgorged from their MLVN's, spreading out into the meadow on either side of the path and were quickly bounding forward by fire.Ajax reacted quickly. His heavy weapons would allow him to attrition the enemy in front of him, yet he'd be a fool to think they were alone. He knew he was facing army troops, not police. That spelled serious trouble. He ordered his column to reverse course back into the wood cover. He lost his second Eagle to intensive fire.The warriors in the main column bailed out once they reached the shelter of the trees. Machineguns came forward and established a withering cover fire. The two survivors at the first Eagle were badly wounded. With fatalistic resolve, they lashed the advancing Romanians with grenades and their assault rifles until they were both silenced. The second Eagle's demise was much harder.Three of the four crew were alive and unharmed. Their fate was decided by 25 meters of open ground between them and their compatriots. Ajax's gunners kept firing, but the Romanians refused to be suppressed. Worse, that second MLVN was proving impossible to kill. Its driver had parked it so that barely the front of his vehicle body and turret were exposed.Two more of Ajax's precious anti-tank rockets failed to connect, though one did knock the first destroyed IFV into that troublesome vehicle. These were Ajax's brothers-in-arms, yet he knew their situation was hopeless. He cursed that his opposition wasn't made up of raw conscripts. Despite their losses, they were not wavering. Their morale remained solid.The Romanians had spread out to the north and south. They were leap-frogging their machineguns forward and it was clear he was facing over 200 men. The 22nds advance was relentless. Soon they'd be right on top of his trapped men. As a final ploy he dropped two smoke grenades around the endangered trio and every other grenade launcher dropped their payloads onto the aggressive Romanians.The three men ran for it. Their enemy were nobody's fool and sprayed their retreat path with bullets. Only one made it to safety.For the Romanian battalion's commander in his command IFV, this was its own kind of Hell. His boys were getting murdered out there. He hadn't really believed the sketchy intelligence analysis that described his expected foes as the finest trained mercenaries the world has ever seen. Now he was a believer. His opponents reacted like an organic unit. Their weapons were incredibly lethal and their discipline was chilling. Ajax's snipers picked off anyone who seemed to be in charge. One Captain fell, as did two lieutenants. One section lost all its non-commissioned officers.Despite that, individual initiative kept the 'leaderless' men of the 22nd advancing. Their snipers came into play by targeting the opposing machineguns. One gunner went down, then the other. To get one man back, Ajax had lost five dead, or seriously wounded. Ajax ordered the remaining Eagles back to the castle. The rest of the Warband would have to make a fighting retreat.He'd killed or wounded a third of the Romanians out there, yet they were still coming. Even as he pulled out, he got two more pieces of bad:First, his scouts had reported hearing helicopters as they returned toward the castle; this latest enemy was somewhere behind him, to the east.Second, two Mig-21's dropped out of the sky and raked his area with rockets and auto-cannon fire; eight more men gone.Ajax may not have been the greatest military mind of all time, but wasn't a fool. He was being boxed in. Since it was highly unlikely the Hylonome Amazons had sacrificed themselves, this was an ad hoc plan to take him out. Instead of hunting down that male Amazon as he wanted, Ajax had let the Condottieri side-track him on this mission. Now, it was proving far too costly.A whistle, a few traded hand signals and the Mycenaeans started sprinting back upslope toward the castle ruins. It wasn't a rout. His men maintained their élan and cohesion. Ajax was trading space for time and the Romanians wouldn't chase his men as fast as the Mycenaeans were moving because there was always the threat of ambush. Or, they wouldn't have if an An-30 Reconnaissance Aircraft hadn't been tracking his progress from high above.Just coming on-line, it identified the heat signatures of the Greeks and let the soldiers of the 22nd know that their enemies were trying to put some distance between them. The battalion commander knew his men had been mangled, yet believed they were still more than willing carry the fight to the enemy. Right as the 'pursuit' order went out, the promised company from the 24th Mountain troops rolled up, with the 61st Brigade's 385th artillery battalion. 'Now things were really going to get hot for those bastards', he thought.(The Seven Skulls, Cáel)I was true to my nature. I sent off my plan, Operation Funhouse, to the Russians via their attaché (a hot looking, curvaceous blonde Major) and to the Khanate through the offices of the US and UK. Only after that was done, did I ask for my favor. I wasn't going to bargain with the fate of Temujin's people. I couldn't.My only chip to play was that people in strange places thought well of me. I wasn't so naïve to believe that I got what I wanted because I'd forged emotional bonds that superseded personal ambitions or national loyalties. No, I was now on my own self-inflicted 'Ride of the Valkyries' because people in authority felt I could still be useful and they were willing to risk the lives a few hundred Romanian soldiers to pander to my eccentricities.Our intelligence came from Google Maps, a woman's recollections from twenty-five years ago and the frighteningly precise memories of a battle-scarred 11 year old girl. For the 24th Mountain Troops battalion intelligence officer, it was a stunning introduction to Amazons. The girl was one year away from her Rite of Passage and she'd been raised to take in the terrain and the sounds of battle.Several times, he tried to trick her, altering information she had provided minutes earlier, but the girl corrected him every time. Seventeen minutes and the man relayed to his battalion commander his belief that the girl's story was solid. The men and women of the 24th may not have known the specific of the valley we were going to, yet this was their backyard.They knew the rocks, trees and bushes. They knew the ground was crinkled and what marsh soil looked like, without stepping into it. They could do this, attack a rogue mercenary band threatening their native land. They were going to do this and do it quick. Me and mine coming along was problematic. But Me being one of the first ones in, I had to play my trump card."I am Magyarorszag es Erdely Hercege," I proclaimed. "I have returned to my people in their hour of need. Besides, I'm the only one who can kill their leader.""You can kill Ajax?" Riki snorted in disbelief. "Ajax from the Trojan Wars? That Ajax?""Don't sweat it," I put my arm around her shoulder. "I got this covered. Get me close and I can make him dead.""You've lost your mind," Rachel muttered."I love you to," I grinned. To the Captain of the first company to rappel next to the ruins, "I'm your Prince. Let's do this.""Do you have any combat experience?" he shook his head."There are a whole bunch of dead Chinese who think so," I assured him."Let him go," Sakuniyas stated regally. "He is the Scion of Alal. He is invincible in battle." Hey, I liked that. Someone believed in me."Do you believe that?" Pamela asked Saku."Of course not, but if he's about to die, he should be allowed to feel good about himself," she told Pamela. Shit, I wish I hadn't heard that part."Oh, in that case, I agree. Let him go," Pamela added her preference to the final decision. The real weight in that Captain's final call was the small, well-armed group of supporters who seemed rather insistent that I get a chance at Valhalla.He took it well. The officer even announced to the entire battalion that their feudal overlord was leading them into the fight. My codename was 'Prince'. I hope I didn't turn out like the singer, I had no aspirations for being Machiavelli's 'hero', but being remember as someone like Prince Harry wouldn't be so bad.What I did know was this was my choice of actions and I couldn't send others into the madness I had inspired. I didn't blame myself for the deaths. Those were inevitable if Ajax was going to die. I didn't blame myself for Ajax, that was the Weave of Fate being a bastardly bitch. No, I had to kill Ajax because I was an idiot, and I loved my companions, and if it wasn't me making the attempt and possibly dying, it would be one of them. Not on my watch.Our IAR 330 Puma Helicopter lifted off into the sky. Our two companion birds, another troop carrier and an assault variant of the Puma, followed suit and soon we linked up with the rest of the company that was going to rappel into the clearing next to the ruins. Could I rappel? Sure, I lied. Hey, I'd made it to the top of the rope in gym class at the end of my senior year. That had to count for something.I was even lucky to have the lynchpin of my master plan sitting next to me. One in sixteen, what were the odds? "You, what's your name?" I asked the soldier barely older than me. "Master Corporal Menner," he grinned. Maybe he sensed my insanity. "Székely?" I asked. He nodded. "Do you believe I am your Prince?""Either that, or you are crazy," he kept grinning. I leaned over and after some helmet shuffling, I whispered my request in his ear. I didn't demand that he agree, only that if he didn't, he wouldn't turn me in. Our eyes met."Why?" he was now filled with disbelief. I had passed beyond the realm of comedian to the land where all crazy ideas go off to die."It is the only way. Trust me, I don't love this plan either, but it is the only way I can think of to keep as many of you alive as possible," I explained. "He's a monster.""How will this help?" he was still confused, even if he was being swept away with my intensity."I don't have time to explain. All I can tell you is that I'm not crazy and I don't want to die, but this is the only thing I can think of to keep my people alive," I remained firm and confident in my beliefs."I will have to think about it," he conceded. At least he wasn't insisting I be forcibly committed to a mental institution. I did annoy one of the two crewmen in the back with the rest of us combatants when I stood up and looked out the side window. I glimpsed it, her, flowing through the forest beneath us. After I sat back down, the Captain flagged me.I had forgotten to cut on my communications rig on. "First Force (the two companies of the 22nd) has encountered the enemy before they could exit into the flatlands," he paused, somewhat shocked. "They are taking heavy casualties. It is just like you warned us. These foes are exceedingly lethal." "Don't worry about it," I overflowed with charisma. "Just follow me and we'll be fine." "But, I thought you said you didn't know anything about the compound?" the Captain looked at me funny."I don't. I'm relying on luck," I pumped my eyebrows. The Captain knew enough English to groan."I have a sudden desire to club a baby seal," Rachel stared at me intently. Who, me? "Let me and my men take the point," the Captain insisted. "Captain, either I'm diving headfirst out of our ride, or you are letting me rappel down in the first wave, either way, my boots are the first on the ground," I demanded. "No," the Captain shook his head. "You are a civilian." "Captain," I leaned forward. "Everyone else is fighting and dying because I made a judgment call. You can't ask me to hold back now."That shone through. Over his battalion frequency, he could hear the confusion and chaos chiseling away at his brethren in the 22nd. He could tell by my countenance that I both knew the enemy he was going to fight and that I wasn't ruled by guilt, or a death wish. I wanted to go first because I thought I could make the difference between someone else's life and death. "Who are the other three with you?" he stated. Four could rappel down at a time. "Rachel, Chaz and Master Corporal Menner here," I indicated. Rachel didn't freak, the Colour Sergeant looked my way and gave his acknowledgement, as did Menner. "I'll go down with you, Captain," Pamela spoke up.Of my group, Delilah, Wiesława and Virginia had stayed behind to guard Odette, Riki, the Lovasz sisters and the Loma family. Two troopers of the 24th joined them to provide extra security if needed. Vincent had pulled seniority to be the sole American going. With Chaz and Delilah, there hadn't been a real discussion about it. Chaz was the professional ground-pounder.Selena had volunteered to go even though this wasn't really her fight. She claimed the right of revenge for Ajax's attempt to kill the Vizsla, but I thought it was something else, some desire to step forward and make the point that the Black Hand were invested in this global struggle. There had been no doubt that Rachel and her team plus Sakuniyas and Pamela would be joining me.In my estimation, we were over the target area way too fast. I hadn't thought of a good reason to talk myself out of this harebrained scheme of mine. The side doors of the Puma opened. Rachel would be going down on my side."Look and see what Rachel does and do the same thing," Pamela yelled to me over the roar of the engines."And don't lock your knees or you'll sprain your ankles," she added. It was just another day of 'on the job' training at Havenstone Commercial Investments, I rationalized. I was scared, which was also a good indicator that I was still marginally sane. Rachel made her movements slow and steady.I went down a second later, barely remembering to avoid rope burn through my gloves and not bust my feet when I hit bottom. Rachel crouched. She was waiting for follow up troops before advancing. Me, I ran straight toward the ruins. Why? It was Alal once more. From the relayed chatter from the 22nd and whatever spy plane the Romanians had above, I 'knew' that Ajax hadn't made it back to the fortifications yet.If we hurried, we could beat him there. Then we would be ambushing his ass for a change. It almost worked. Whatever Chaz and Menner thought of my actions, they kept it to themselves. I didn't have to be a psychic to realize Rachel wasn't a fan. I leapt over the first Amazon corpse. The second one I passed was sitting with her back to the tree, hands tied around the trunk and had been tortured before she died.I believed that was when the momentum shifted. This was barbarism and the three following me knew it. Menner relayed our findings to his Captain even as the first helicopter was pulling away. My mind was picking up the details and processing somewhere in the back of my mind so as not to distracting me from the task of staying alive.A pile of bodies lumped too close together, they had been executed. A small girl, three, or four, with a close-contact wound to the temple. The smell of burnt flesh, more torture. Whatever Code of Military Conduct the Mycenaeans had, it wasn't the rules we, their opponents, fought by today. We were outraged and help was coming.We were running in from the northeast. Three meter from what had once been a doorway, I broke free of the underbrush and saw the closest Greek and the row of vehicles behind him. He was to my east, maybe ten meters away. I wasn't stopping. The terrain had funneled us down so that we weren't coming directly from the helicopter's noise.That must have been the reason he wasn't staring at us when we appeared. I didn't stop. Chaz and Menner were right behind me. Rachel only slowed enough to fire her P-90 at full-auto at the man as she ran. She killed him. The three of us ran across the open-aired, ruined room until we found the doorway to the other side of the building. From there, we had a good view of Ajax's remaining Eagles and the eight remaining men with them."I'm going for higher ground," Chaz growled before he took off."Rachel, go back and secure the corner we came in by," I shouted. She grimaced but obeyed. Menner had his own ideas. He fired off his first rocket-propelled grenade from his AG-7 at the farthest Eagle he could clearly see, blowing it to smithereens. I added the
Companions, History and Heroism.By FinalStand. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.There are two distinct phases of falsehood. In the first, you realize you can lie to those closest to you. In the second, you realize you shouldn't.(And the stars continue to shine forth)"Stop trying to save me," Pamela remarked, once she was sure we were alone once more."Ask me to do something I'd at least consider doing," I sighed. "Let's go back to the party, I'm not sure where we are.""You've been walking in one big circle, Dummy," she chided me.Why was she letting me off the hook for walking off with the Grand Villain in the scheme of things? Well, if she started hitting me, she probably wasn't sure she could stop."One of these days I'm going to screw up and not get out of it," I noted sadly."That is the epitaph of anyone who has ever taken up a weapon and a cause," Pamela smiled.Maybe she wasn't angry with me."Why aren't you more pissed off?" I wondered."You are a good guy, Cáel," Pamela enlightened me. "That means you are going to reach out to people you think you can save. Personally, I don't think Alal can be, but then I'm biased.""Guy coming back from the dead?" I inquired."Damn right. No more surefire way to anger an assassin than to come back from the dead," she related. "Did you take note of his body?""Not really. What did I miss?" I requested."It didn't look right," Pamela shook her head. "Nothing more specific than that. I was hoping, since you touched him, you might have picked something else up.""Nope. I was too busy slipping a GPS locator on him," I grinned."You don't have one and the technology doesn't work that way, ya numbskull," she play slapped my left bicep."Wouldn't it be cool if it did?" my grin broadened."Laugh it up, Monkey-boy," Pamela countered. "Buffy would have you tagged like a mule deer in Yellowstone.""Eek," I gasped. "Point taken.""Well, " Pamela huffed."He's going to kill my soul," I observed. "Now I'm sure of it. All of that discussion was just gauging my personality so that when he offs me, he can become Cáel Nyilas / Wakko Ishara." Pause."Good for you," Pamela let go of a tense breath. She didn't have to ask."The whole Condottieri situation is a scam," I passed on that bit of information I'd first put together with the Vizsla. "It never left Granddad's control. Currently he's going to use various other factions to kill off the Condottieri and Illuminati leadership that oppose him, then it is Unity Time.""If he takes your place, that gives him leverage on the Amazon Council plus your appeal to the 9 Clans and the Earth and Sky," Pamela helped me work things through. "He couldn't get his hooks into the Egyptians because they knew too much about him. Matters of race stymied his efforts with the Earth and Sky and Seven Pillars.""Except I saved Temujin and he's been supplying them with weapons and tech for over fifty years," I told her. "Even when he was dead, his plan was working, he had predicted the path that warfare would take, invested wisely and left orders to implement his plans. When the time came, they were ready to take out the Seven Pillars.""Without you saving Temujin, the E and S wouldn't have cared, but you," Pamela nodded. "If it comes down to his coalition of Illuminati, Condottieri, Amazons and 9 Clans, the Egyptians will join him, Global Unification has been their goal all along," she continued. "Besides, you made one hell of a positive impression on them the only time you've met. Bang up job, Stud.""Temujin will join as well. He's anything but suicidal," I finished the roll call of my fate. We were almost back to the rave by this time. "You know, you could kill me and short-circuit all of this mess," I reminded her."No way. I plan to win, damn it," Pamela patted me on the back. "Save the Dum-sel in Disrepute, slay the Evil Warlord and re-retire with a boatload great-grandbabies to spoil.""I gave the Vizsla a clue," I let Pamela know the possible complications to her plan. "In 1847, one General of the Condottieri tried to have the Italian Black Hand kill another. Unfortunately, the victim in question was a puppet for Grandpa and the assassin team attacked them both. Because they saw his face, he hunted them back to their base and slaughtered the entire Verona Chapter house of the Wolf.""He must have fucked up a few other times as well," Pamela assured me. Speaking of miscalculations, Anya, Katalin and Orsi broke from the thrashing mob and ran up to me."Your crazy ex-girlfriend called," Anya seemed steamed. "She insisted must she talk to you." At first glance, it would be 'which crazy ex-GF', except only one had Anya's phone number. I took her phone."Bonjour, ma petite amie méchante ," I greeted Anais, the Mountie, in French. Yes, I was calling her a 'meanie'."Cáel, how are you? Where are you?" she was truly concerned. I didn't doubt her sincerity. I also didn't doubt she was convinced she knew what was best for me, as well."I've talked with the Hungarian Police too," I let my pique come through. "You screwed me over. I asked you to let me handled this and you didn't.""You are still a Jerk," she snapped. "I've been trying to help. And from the sounds of it, you are at a party.""It's a rave. It is a rave brought about by the police keeping people penned up in the town all afternoon. Now, if you would stop treating me like a freaking child, you would realize that I'm actually safer in a crowd than I am alone, holed-up in some room without a weapon because you've made it so that the TEK is now keeping a sharp eye on me," I retorted."Can't you tell I'm trying to help you?" she got loud, on the cusp of becoming enraged."Yes. I called you, asking for help. I also called to apologize, without making it sound like some lame stupid stunt to get you back. I'm in real trouble here and I've put other people in danger at the same time," I told her. And yes, I planned to get some 'Anais' when I got back to North America."I'm telling you," she persisted, "let Hungarian law enforcement help you.""I'm trying to make you understand," I countered, "that this is a situation that the police can't help me with. I called you because I believed I could trust you, even though you hate me.""I'm angry with you, Cáel. I don't hate you," she grumbled. "I am trying to help.""If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't still be talking to you, Anais," I allowed. "What did Timothy tell you?""Is that all you care about?" she grumbled."Actually, this is me trying not to be a selfish jackass," I said. "People are in danger because of me and I need to make sure they are safe before I take care of myself.""That's, very unlike you," Anais sounded unsure."I've been doing some growing up since graduation," I replied. "I only wish I'd grown smarter.""I, I'm sorry about your Papa," she quieted down."They gunned him down in his own home," I told her. "Dad never touched a gun in his life and they shot him with an assault rifle.""Oh, well, I understand your Federal Justice Department is investigating the matter," Anais tried to comfort me. "I talked with your Prosecutor Castello. She wouldn't tell me much.""Pity," I mumbled. "I know they are having difficulties.""It is an American problem," she noted."Not really," I sunk in my hooks. "We've been working with MI-6 and the CIA. They are all part of that international task force I told you about {see last chapter}.""Yes, how did you get Irish diplomatic status? That doesn't make any sense," she perked up. Anais liked puzzles. Actually, she liked solving conundrums. It made her a great cop."We are missing the party," Monika protested, in German."That's right. Tell your EX-girlfriend good-bye, Cáel," Anya insisted loudly."Who is that?" Anais groused."It is Anya, the Bulgarian mechanical engineer. We've had sex since you and I last talked and I think she's feeling a tad possessive," I explained.Pause."Bastard," Anais seethed. I was sure her cunt was twitching already. "Fine. I talked with your roommate, he says you have my uniform in a dress bag and my boots in a sealed box, so I forgive you. Anyway, he said Odette called, and she gave him a number to give to you."Since it didn't have 555 in it, I had hopes it was genuine. This was not the time to give Anais the quick kiss-off."I appreciate it, Anais," I sighed with relief. "Have you decided which restaurant you want to go to when I get back?""I haven't given it much thought, Cáel," I could feel her defrosting further. "How can I keep in touch with you?""Ugh, I don't have my own phone right now. Tomorrow I'm going to steal some means of conveyance and, " I grinned."Don't tell me that," Anais complained. "I'm still an officer of the law.""Well, the new 'me' is trying to be more honest with you, Anais. I've got to get out of town tomorrow. Would you rather I lied to you, again?" I confounded her."Well, no. Try to be careful, prends soin de mon amour," she sighed."I will call you as soon as I'm able. Thank you again," I signed off."I still say, 'that one' is confused about her 'ex' status," Orsi teased me."Do you know what is worse than having one woman save your soul?" I tossed out to them. They could not divine an answer. "Having three women do it at the same time, for different reasons. Now I believe we have a party starving for our attention."(Reunions)Pamela had convinced me the motorcycle driver who belonged to our newly acquired BMW K1600 GT would be at least four hours regaining consciousness and getting himself untied. We had stopped at a petrol station along the 431, between Kiszombor, Hungary and the Romanian border. She wanted to fuel up before the border crossing, in case things didn't work out, you know, with our guns and this stolen vehicle.She was already peeved that I'd stopped in Szeged to pick up a few pounds of paprika. Rumor had it that the fields around that stretch of the Tisza produced the highest quality of that spice on the planet, especially the sweet kind. Pamela pointed out I knew 'jack' about cooking. I agreed. What I did know was cooks, the female variety.Fresh spice from the 'source' was way better than a dozen roses, even with a box of chocolates added. Did I have a cook lined up in New York? No, but I was sure I could find one. Wait! Yasmin, my Brazilian, ex-Super Cop, hottie should be back in town by now. If she didn't cook, she'd definitely have a friend I could seduce.Honest to Ishara, I was starting to believe this constant 'work-work-work' was ruining my normally poor judgment where sex and fidelity were concerned.Pamela was getting some lunch for us while I gassed up my crotch-rocket. My luck kept being, exceptional. Two Hungarian motorcycle troopers showed up; both were women and they apparently had decided that I was worthy of attention. Hey, I'm good-looking, and I was wearing a ballistic vest. (The durability of my long coat wasn't so obvious.) "Nice bike," the first one, the one directly confronting me, said. "Thanks. It is a KT1600 GT, 2009," I smiled. "What are you two on?" "Yamaha FJR1300A's," she answered. I put up the nozzle, capped the tank and walked over to her conveyance. It was a really sweet ride. "You have a gun," she noted calmly. She and her partner both had their hands on their holstered weapons. Since the flaps were still down, I wasn't panicking. "Yes. More than one in fact," I kept pretending to look over her bike while I was really scoping her out. I'd nailed all six boat girls and then had the Macedonian babe for breakfast. So I still had three good sexual bangs in me before dusk and these two were nice and pleasant enough. "Do you have permits for those?" she asked. Her partner was calling something in. "Are we still in Hungary?" I mused. The question was a joke. "I believe we are," she smiled. Sure, I may have been a dangerous felon, but I was a nice looking and engaging one."Nope. I'm afraid not," I sighed. She understood my English. "Why are you so armed?" she kept calm. "Are you law enforcement somewhere?" "Does a secretive, non-governmental, paramilitary organization count?" "No," she sighed. "That sounds rather criminal. So, what are you carrying?" That was a nice way of saying 'give me your gun'."Left, right, back, or ankle?" I replied. "Which one do you want first?" "Let's try this again. Can I see some form of ID?" she remained rather comfortable despite this having to be the most bizarre traffic stop of her career."I'm reaching around to my right rear jean pocket for it," I related. Something dating Anais had taught me was that you always tell an on-duty cop what you are doing before you do it.She nodded, so I pulled out my NY Driver's license, my US passport and my Irish Diplomatic ID. She began looking them over. "You are Cáel Nyilas?" she looked over my documents. "If that who it says I am, then yes," I grinned.For a second, she was P-O'ed, then she realized I was playing with her. She snorted in amusement and returned to looking over my stuff. "Nyilas is a Hungarian name," she hummed. "Székely," I clarified. "My family emigrated to America at the end of World War II. I've actually come back here to look over the homeland." "You couldn't land in Bucharest?" she handed me my ID back. "What?" I feigned an insult to my intellect. "Hungarian women are far prettier.""You don't appear to be Dortmund Schuyler," her partner looked me over.
Good and bad unintended consequences.By FinalStand. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.The highest cost of losing a war is the rage of your children."Maybe the Canadian is not so much an 'ex' girlfriend?" Orsi leered. It was the old 'if he is so good that she still wants him back after a colossal screw up, I wanted a taste' expression."Do you think she will help you?" Katalin inquired."She'll help," Pamela huffed playfully. "My grandson has plenty of ex-girlfriends. Most of them want him back, despite his colorful lifestyle. It is one of his more amusing qualities.""Let's get something to eat," I tried to turn the conversation away from my past sexcapades."You are engaged?" Jolan didn't miss a beat."It is complicated," I sighed. "Let's just say I really like her, but she's seven years older, divorced with one young daughter and has a father who hates that I live and breathe.""Do you have any male friends?" Monika joined the Cáel Quiz Bowl."Yes," I replied with confidence. "My roommate Timothy and I are great friends.""He's gay," Pamela pierced their disbelief. "He and Cáel are true brothers-in-arms, I'll give Cáel that much.""Do you have any straight male friends?" Orsi was enjoying taunting me."Do Chaz or Vincent count?" I looked to Pamela."They are straight males, but they don't really know you yet," Pamela failed to be of much help. "I think Vincent insinuated he'd shoot you if you dated any of his three daughters. It was friendly of him to warn you. I supposed that could be construed as liking you.""Are all your acquaintances violent?" Anya seemed worried."Vincent isn't violent. He's with the US FBI," I retorted. Pause. "Okay, he carries a gun and shoots it, he's a law officer. They can do that.""You seem to be stressed," Orsi put an arm around my waist. "Let us ease your worries." Hallelujah!Note: One of History's LessonsIn the last 75 years of military history, airpower had been a decisive factor in every major conflict, save one. Most Americans would think the one exception was US involvement in Vietnam and they'd be wrong: right country, wrong time. Indochina's War of Independence against France was the exception. There, the French Air Force was simply inadequate to the task.Yes, the United States and its allies eventually lost the struggle in Vietnam. But it was their airpower that kept the conflict running as long as it did. For the most part, the Allied and Communist military hardware on the ground were equivalent. While the Allies had superior quantities of supplies, the Communists countered that with numbers, and therein lies the rub.Airpower allowed the Allies to smash large North Vietnamese formations south of the Demilitarized Zone and thus prevented the numerical advantage from coming into play. The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong made one serious stab at a conventional militarily challenge to the Allies, the Tet Offensive, and after initial successes, they were crushed.With the NVA unable to flex their superior numbers, the Allies were able to innovate helicopter-borne counter-insurgency operations. The North Vietnam's Army (NVA) was forced to operate in smaller units, so the Allies were able to engage them in troop numbers that helicopters could support. The air forces didn't deliver ultimate victory, but air power alone had never been able to do so on land. It was only when the US lost faith in achieving any positive outcome in Viet Nam and pulled out, that the North was finally able to overrun the South 20 months later. But every major power today understands the lesson.End of Note(Big Trouble in Little China)The military importance of airpower was now haunting the leadership of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). Their problem wasn't aircraft. Most of their air fleet consisted of the most advanced models produced during the last two decades. The problem was that 80% of their pilots were dead, or dying. Their ground crews were in the same peril. Even shanghaiing commercial pilots couldn't meet the projected pilot shortfall.Classic PLA defense doctrine was to soak up an enemy (Russian) attack and bog down the aggressor with semi-guerilla warfare (classic small unit tactics backed up with larger, light infantry formations). Then, when the invaders were over-extended and exhausted, the armored / mechanized / motorized forces would counter-attack and destroy their foes. This last bit required air superiority through attrition.The twin enemies of this strategy were the price of technology and the Chinese economic priorities. With the rising cost of the high-tech equipment and a central government focus on developing the overall economy, the Chinese went for an ever smaller counter attack striking force, thus skewing the burden of depth of support far in favor of their relatively static militia/police units.So now, while the PLA / PLAAF's main divisions, brigades and Air Wings were some of the best equipped on the planet, the economic necessities had also meant the militia was financially neglected, remaining little more than early Cold War Era non-mechanized infantry formations. To compensate, the Chinese had placed greater and greater emphasis on the deployment capabilities of their scarcer, technologically advanced formations.When the Anthrax outbreak started, the strike force personnel were the first personnel 'vaccinated'. Now those men and women were coughing out the last days and hours of their lives. Unfortunately, you couldn't simply put a few commercial truck drivers in a T-99 Main Battle Tank and expect them to be anything more than a rolling coffin. The same went for a commercial airline pilot and a Chengdu J-10 multi-role fighter. The best you could hope for was for him/her to make successful takeoffs and landings.A further critical factor was that the Khanate's first strike had also targeted key defense industries. The damage hadn't been irreparable. Most military production would be only a month to six weeks behind schedule. But there would be a gap.It was just becoming clear that roughly 80% of their highly-trained, frontline combatants were going to die anyway. Their Reserves were looking at 30~40% attrition due to the illness as well. In the short term (three months), they would be fighting with whatever they started with. Within the very short term (one week), they were going to have a bunch of high-priced equipment and no one trained to use it. With chilling practicality, the Chinese leaders decided to throw their dying troopers into one immediate, massive counter-offensive against the Khanate.Just as Temujin predicted they would. Things were playing out according to plan.Note: World Events SummaryRound #1 had seen the Khanate unite several countries under one, their, banner. Earth and Sky soldiers had rolled across the Chinese border as their Air Force and Missile Regiments had used precision strikes to hammer Chinese bases, sever their transportation network and crippled their civilian infrastructure.Next, the frontier offensive units had been obliterated, the cities bypassed and the Khanate Tumens had sped forward to the geographic junctures between what the Khanate wanted and from whence the PLA had to come. In the last phase of Round #1, the Khanate prepped for the inevitable PLA / PLAAF counter-strike.Round #2 had now begun:Step One: Declare to the World that the Khanate was a nuclear power. As history would later reveal, this was a lie, but no one had any way of initially knowing that. Hell, the Khanate hadn't even existed 72 hours ago. Satellite imagery did show the Khanate had medium-range strategic missiles capable of hitting any location in the People's Republic. In Beijing, a nuclear response was taken off the table.Step Two: Initiate the largest air-battle in the history of Asia. Not just planes either. Both sides flew fleets of UCAV's at one another. It wasn't really even a battle between China and just the Khanate. Virtually all of the UAV technology the Khanate was using was Japanese, South Korean and Taiwanese in origin, plus some US-Russian-shared technology thrown into the mix.When the South Korean design team saw the footage of their bleeding-edge dogfighting UCAVs shooting down their PRC opponents, they were thrilled (their design rocked!), shocked (what was their 'baby' doing dominating Chinese airspace?) and anxious (members of South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration, DAPA, were rushing over to chat with them).Similar things were happening in Japan, Taiwan, Russia and the United States. The Communist Party leadership in Beijing were beginning to seriously consider the possibility that everyone was out to get them. Of course, all the Ambassadors in Beijing were bobbing their heads with the utmost respect while swearing on the lives of their first born sons that their nations had nothing to do with any of this.These foreign diplomats promised to look into these egregious breaches of their scientific integrity and were saying how sorry they were that the PLA and PLAAF were getting ass-raped for the World's viewing pleasure. No, they couldn't stop the Khanate posting such things to the internet, something to do with freedom. Paranoia had been creeping into the Potentates' thoughts since the Pakistan/Aksai Chan incident.As they watched their very expensive jets and UCAV's being obliterated, distrust of the global community became the 800 pound gorilla in the room. To add habaneros to the open wounds, the United States and the United Kingdom began dropping hints that they had some sort of highly personal communication conduit with the Khanate's secretive and unresponsive leadership. Yes Virginia Wolfe, the Western World was out to get the People's Republic.'Great Mao's Ghost', all that claptrap their grandfathers had babbled on about (1) the Korea War, (2) the Sino-Soviet grudge match, (3) the Sino-Vietnamese conflict and (4) the persistent support for the renegade province of Formosa all being a continuous effort by the liberal democracies and post-colonial imperialist to contain Chinese communism, didn't sound so crazy anymore.Step Three: Plaster all those PLA ground units that had started moving toward them when the air war began and the Chinese envisioned they would control the skies. The T-99 was a great tank. It also blew up rather spectacularly when it was stuck on a rail car (you don't drive your tanks halfway across China, it kills the treads).As Craig Kilborn put into his late night repertoire:"What do you call a Khanate UCAV driver who isn't an ace yet? Late for work.""What's the difference between me coming off a weekend long Las Vegas bender and a Khanate pilot? Not a damn thing. We've both been up for three days straight, yet everyone expects us to work tonight."Some PLA generals decided to make an all-out charge at the Tumens. Genghis's boys and girls were having none of that. They weren't using their Russian-built Khanate tanks to kill Chinese-built PLA tanks. No, their tanks were sneaking around and picking off the Chinese anti-air vehicles.The Chinese tanks and APCs engaged the dismounted Khanate infantry who, as Aksai Chin had shown, possessed some of the latest anti-tank weaponry. In the few cases where the PLA threw caution to the wind, they did some damage to the Khanate by sheer weight of numbers. For the rest, it was death by airpower.With their anti-air shield gone, the battle became little more than a grisly, real-life FPS game. It wasn't 'THE END'. China still had over 2,000,000 troops to call upon versus the roughly 200,000 the Khanate could currently muster. The PLA's new dilemma was how to transport these mostly truck-bound troops anywhere near the front lines without seeing them also exterminated from the air.After the Tumens gobbled up the majority of the PLA's available mobile forces, they resumed their advance toward the provincial boundaries of Xinjiang and Nin Mongol. There was little left to slow them down. The Chinese still held most of the urban centers in Xinjiang and Nei Mongol, yet they were isolated. And Khanate follow-up forces (the national armies they'd 'inherited') were putting the disease-riddled major municipalities under siege.All over the 24/7 World Wide News cycle, talking heads and military gurus were of two minds about the Khanate's offensive. Most harped on the fact that while the Khanate was making great territorial gains, it was barely making a dent in the Chinese population and economy. Uniformly, those people insisted that before the end of November, the Khanate would be crushed and a reordering of Asia was going to be the next great Mandate for the United Nations.A few of the braver unconventional pundits pointed out the same thing, but with the opposite conclusion, arguing:1.There were virtually no military forces in the conquered areas to contend with the Khanate's hold on the regions.2.Their popularity in the rural towns and countryside seriously undercut any hope for a pro-PRC insurgency.3.Driving the Khanate's forces back to their starting points would be a long and difficult endeavor that the World Economy might not be able to endure.When the PLAAF was effectively castrated after thirty-six hours of continuous aerial combat, a lot of experts were left with egg on their faces. One lone commentator asked the most fearful question of all. Where was the Khanate getting the financing, technical know-how and expertise to pull all of this off? There was a reason to be afraid of that answer.And while I was entertaining my six sailor-saviors, there were two other things of a diplomatic nature only just revealing themselves. Publically, Vladimir Putin had graciously offered to mediate the crisis while 'stealthily' increasing the readiness of his Eastern Military District. If there was any confusion, that meant activating a shitload of troops on the Manchurian border, not along the frontiers of the former nations of Mongolia and Kazakhstan.After all, Mongolia was terribly poor. Manchuria/Northeastern China? Manchuria was rich, rich, rich! From the Kremlin, Putin spoke of 'projecting a presence' into the 'lost territory' of Manchuria, citing Russia's long involvement in the region. By his interpretation of history, the Russians (aka the Soviet Union) had rescued Manchukuo (the theoretically INDEPENDENT Imperial Japanese puppet state of Manchuria) from the Japanese in 1945. They'd even given it back to the PRC for safekeeping after World War II was concluded.Putin promised Russia was ready and willing to help out the PRC once again, suggesting that maybe a preemptive intervention would forestall the inevitable Khanate attack, thus saving the wealthy, industrialized province from the ravages of war. Surely Putin's Russians could be relied on to withdraw once the Khanate struggle was resolved? Surprisingly, despite being recent beneficiaries of President Putin's promises, the Ukraine remained remiss in their accolades regarding his rectitude.In the other bit of breaking news; an intermediary convinced the Khanate to extend an invitation to the Red Cross, Red Crescent and the WHO to investigate the recently conquered regions in preparations for a humanitarian mission.That intermediary was Hana Sulkanen; for reasons no one could fathom, she alone had the clout to get the otherwise unresponsive new regime to open up and she was using that influence to bring about a desperately needed relief effort to aid the civilians caught up in that dynastic struggle. A Princess indeed. No one was surprised that the PRC protested, claiming that since the territory wasn't conquered, any intervention was a gross violation of Chinese sovereignty.End of Note(To Live and Die in Hun-Gray)Orsi may have been the troupe leader, but Anya needed me more, so she came first."I need a shower before we catch some dinner," I announced as we meandered the streets of Mindszent. My lady friends were all processing that as I wound an arm around Anya's waist and pulled her close. "Shower?" I smiled down at her, she was about 5 foot 7. It took her a few seconds to click on my invitation."Yeah, sure, that would be nice," she reciprocated my casual waist hold. Several of her friends giggled over her delay. We were heading back to the Seven Fishermen's Guest House."Do you do this, picking up strange girls you've barely met for, you know?" she said in Bulgarian, as she looked at me expectantly."Yes and no," I began, in Russian. "I often find myself encountering very intriguing women, for which I know I am a fortunate man. I embrace sensuality. That means I know what I'm doing, but I'm not the 'bring him home to meet the parents' kind of guy.""What of your fiancée? Do you feel bad about cheating on her?" Anya pursued me."Hana is wonderful. I've met her father and it went badly both times," I confessed."How?" Anya looked concerned for me."Would you two speak a language the rest of us can understand?" Monika teased us."Very well," I nodded to Monika, and turned back to Anya, "The first time, his son raped a girl and I threatened the young man's life," I revealed. "Jormo, Hana's father, wasn't happy when I did so. The second time, he hit me twice, once in the gut and once in the head," I continued."Why did he hit you?" Orsi butted in."I'd rather not say. You may think less of me," I confessed. Pamela gave me a wink for playing my audience so well. I'm glad she's family (kinda/sorta)."The boy, he is dead?" Magdalena guessed. "Hana's brother?""I really shouldn't talk about that," I evaded. "It is a family matter." That's right. The family that my grandmother had brought me into as her intern / slayer-in-training. There is no reason to create a new lie when you can embellish a previous one."Do you ever feel bad about what you do?" Katalin asked Pamela. We love movies."As I see it, if I show up looking for you, you've done something to deserve it," Pamela gave her sage philosophy behind being an assassin."Are you, bi-sexual?" Jolan murmured. Pamela smacked me in the chest as I laughed. "Did I say something wrong?" Jolan worried. Pamela was a killer."No, you are fine," Pamela patted Jolan's shoulder. "I'm straight and happily so. It just so happens that most of my co-workers are women. Day in, day out, nothing but sweaty female bodies working out, sparring and grappling together, and afterwards, the massages."That was my Grandma, poking all the lesbian buttons of the women around me. Best of all, she did it with the detached air of a sexually indifferent matron. She was stirring up the lassies while keeping them focused on me. We walked into the courtyard of our guest house."Don't take too long, you two," Orsi teased us."Ha!" Pamela chuckled. "That's like asking the Sun to hurry up and rise, the Moon to set too soon, or the sea to stay at low tide forever.""Anya," I whispered into her ear. "How many orgasms do you want?" Anya's eyes expanded. Her eyes flickered toward her friends, then back to me. She held up one finger, I grinned speculatively. Anya held up two fingers. I kissed her fingers.
A day in the life of rural Hungary.By FinalStand. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.'Here be Dragons' wasn't always a tourist gimmick."I didn't say you could have a drink," the Vizsla commented."Oh, my apologies," I shrugged. I put the stein on a nearby table and waited."Have a seat," she directed. I came up to her table and examined the three empty chairs. I held back until she pointed to the chair opposite her. I sat down, but didn't make eye contact. Instead, I examined the various paintings and photographs on the walls. It was an old place."You killed Matthias, even though you knew he worked for me," she uttered."I can confirm that information to be correct," I looked her way. That, wasn't what she expected."Why?""Why what?" I countered. There was a method to my madness; this was going to be a lesson in competence, and what happens when you don't respect it."Why did you kill Matthias?""I needed a reason?" I tried to look pensive. "Maybe I didn't like the cut of his facial hair?""Do you think this is a joke?" she replied dryly. "The Black Hand always avenge our own.""Damn," I looked perplexed. "No one told me that when I arrived. Can we call Matthias's extermination a 50/50 bad call, both ways?""Matthias was my cousin," the Vizsla continued."My condolences," I sighed. "The next Black Hand douche-bag the Amazons waste, I'll have them ask if he's related to you first. How's that?""You are so not likely to have that opportunity," she pointed out."Oh," I laughed, "you are so wrong about that.""You are far stupider than I had been informed," the Vizsla's eyes narrowed."Nope. You and your cast of 'Dumb and Dumber' have been treating us like idiots since we touched down at Ferenc Liszt International, so I'm pretending to be that simpleton sock-puppet just for you, Vizsla. You've added to that by heaping disrespect and derision on my people," I grinned."You tried to have me and my entourage murdered and Matthias paid the price for that. Everyone knows I'm here. And after your bungled attempt to have me killed, no one is going to believe you did anything but murder me, if I don't show up eventually. Now do you prefer the stupid me, or the brighter than normal me?""If you think acting like a smart-ass is somehow endearing, you are mistaken," she let me know."Whatever," I shrugged. "You called this meeting. What do you want?""Beyond killing one of my lieutenants, I wanted to know what you are doing here?" she studied me."I would like to leave now. I'm wasting my time here," I responded."I want answers," she pressed."You have been given the answers to both your talking points, Matthias died because of your orders and I am here looking for three lost Amazon bloodlines," I replied."That seems bizarre," the Vizsla expressed her doubts."Bizarre? You are talking to the sole male Amazon House Head in three thousand years," I reminded her. "Besides, you only just now finished telling me how the Black Hand look after their own. The Amazons are the same way; we have lost kin who need to be made aware of their background.""What do we do about Matthias?" the Vizsla asked."In all honesty, had he not personally threatened to stab a member of my team, I would have settled for kicking the crap out of him. He put a knife to Ms. Martin's throat. That assured his death sentence. I think the Host will be willing to accept my hypothesis that Matthias was acting on his own initiative, which should settle the matter."And just like that, the expediency of the Black Hand shown forth. The truth of the matter was that he had acted on the Vizsla's orders. Unfortunately, that would have meant my side would have come after the Vizsla and she would have had to avenge his death, lots of needless bloodshed. So Matthias posthumously became a rabid dog gone rogue and one who ended up crossing the wrong people. No vengeance required by anyone. We could get back to business."That is settled. So, what do you want from your new allies?" the Vizsla inquired. A certain level of cold-blooded ruthlessness had been required to achieve her spot in the Black Hand. Likewise, honesty was the best policy when dealing with casually lethal people. They didn't like self-important asses wasting their time."I need to find an individual named 'Branko'. He has kidnapped a young lady who is one of our lost Amazons. We don't require any aid, but if you could leave Selena with us, it would be appreciated," I requested."What are you going to do when you catch up with this 'Branko'?" she questioned."I'd like to say I am going to buy her back, but I think we both know that is a pipe-dream. He's not going to like me interfering in his business, so I'm going to kill him, and any other bastards who are in close proximity," I confessed. She studied me for over a minute."Do you wish a piece of advice?" the Vizsla said."Of course," I nodded. It cost me nothing to acknowledge her vastly superior experience."Take a step back," she advised. Seeing that I didn't understand, "If you recall every single death by your hand, you will go mad. You don't possess the detachment of a true killer, Cáel. Not every member of the Black Hand is an assassin.Your driver, Josef, is from a long line of Black Hand members. He doesn't have what it takes to get close and personal in order to kill a human being, so he drives and provides security. He still matters and serves a necessary function." That was almost nice of her. The advice was based on her decision to keep me around as a useful tool. Going nuts would derail that."There is the life we wish to lead, and the life we must lead, Vizsla," I recalled. There was so much there, whirling around in my skull, it took me all this time to find the link I was looking for. Recall every single death by my hand, "On January 26th, 1847, the Black Hand Chapter House of the Wolf in Verona was wiped out, there were no survivors.""If you say so," she regarded me oddly."Yeah, look into it. Then come back to me when you have the right questions," I stood up. "And 'Branko'?""I will relay information on this individual to Selena. We should have something by the time you get back to Buda," she got out before one of the bodyguards came running our way.He had his H and K MP5 out and was in deep conversation with his ear piece."Our two spotters failed to respond correctly," he told the Vizsla in Hungarian. She gave me another quick once over."My people?" I rose slowly.The Vizsla gave the man a subtle hand gesture. Seconds later, pushing Alkonyka ahead of them, Pamela, Selena and Josef came running through the door. Pamela and Selena had our duffels. Two more Black Hand materialized from a back room.The Black Hand was actually a small outfit. Each Chapter had two or three houses, each with four or five true assassins and maybe six times that in support personnel/recruits in each location. That meant the entire Black Hand organization numbered less than 1000. They had several thousand peripheral contacts across their sphere of Europe and they could purchase some sort of private security given time. But their best protection was their hidden nature and small size. That also meant what we had was what we had. There was no Black Hand SWAT team on the way.Working with hand gestures alone, the Vizsla was directing us to a trap door behind the bar. Josef's phone rang. He hesitantly answered."It is for you," he offered it to our host. She took it. Halfway through the caller's diatribe, she shot me a suspicious look."Why don't you ask him?" she stated, then handed me the phone."Hello Nyilas. Do you know who this is?" the man on the other end stated, in Mycenean Greek."Yes, I do. What do you want? I'm kind of busy here?" I grinned. It was laughing at death all over again."I can relieve you of your pressing schedule. You and the other Amazon step outside and I'll make it quick.""No can-do Studly," I smirked. "If I go out there, it is going to take a while.""I sincerely doubt that.""Don't sell yourself short," I jibed. "I figure clipping off those bull-sized testicles of yours is going to take some work. But I do promise that after I make you a eunuch, I'll use a condom when I bend you over and make you my bitch too. Was there anything else you wanted to know?""No. I think we have a mutual understanding," he laughed. "I'll be seeing you soon." He hung up."Who was that?" Vizsla inquired. She wasn't alone in her curiosity."Ajax," I beamed confidence. I was confident my tenure on this Earth was ending real soon."I think we should be leaving," Vizsla suggested."Selena, help Alkonyka get her sister back," I requested. "I'll catch up when I can. Pamela, you do what you feel you need to do. Vizsla, they are after me, so I'm going to keep them busy while you get away," I explained.No useless 'you don't have to do this' nonsense. She knew the score, I wasn't a member of her outfit and she wanted to live. She did do me one favor. She gave another hand movement. Selena slit Josef's throat in a surprise motion.He didn't die right away. Selena's slash made bleeding out inevitable, but he'd be a while in dying. Odds were, that only Vizsla and Josef knew in advance where we were meeting. Whatever payoff the Condottieri had put in his bank account wasn't going to do him any good. Selena bent over his still-thrashing body and removed his pistol."I will bring you Angyalka Lovasz," Selena pledged. Pamela and I were gearing up. Ajax and his buddies were going to be coming for me any second now. Alkonyka gave me one more worried look before she vanished into the secret basement. "Don't be late," was the last thing Selena said before going down into the darkness. Pamela made sure the trap door was covered up.Lust and Bullets"We've used Butch and Sundance," Pamela checked her L42 Enfield Sniper Rifle. It was the weapon Pamela had trained with and used for longer than I'd been alive, old yet very effective even today."Heat?" I offered up. "You can be De Niro and I can be Kilmer.""Nice. Michael Mann really had a way of killing people," Pamela grinned, then pumped her eyebrows. "Too bad I end up dead in this one.""We'll avoid airports, you should be safe," I joked. Three explosions rocked the building, shooting glass throughout the place. Fortunately, Pamela and I were hiding behind the bar."Let's go," she whispered over the din. Charging out the front door seemed pretty suicidal to me, but Pamela's copious battle lore was something I had the utmost faith in. I respected her judgment and followed along. There was a method to her madness. Two 40 mm grenades had taken out the two cars parked in front. A third launched grenade had blown open the door.The petrol in the cars equated to flaming wreckage and a huge smoke screen. It was broad daylight, no night vision goggles. The flames made IR useless and the smoke temporarily obscured regular vision. The machineguns going off around us scared the crap out of me. It was my old buddy, suppression fire: they weren't shooting directly at us.Metaphysically, Ishara was dueling with Ares. There was a low stone wall, a little over a meter high, that separated an adjacent field from the inn's gravel parking lot. Right as we got to our side of it, three of Ajax's boys came up on the other. Pamela and I remained perfectly still, crouching tightly against our shelter.Two knelt and fired several bursts from their H and K HK416 (Wow! Germany's newest killing machine, they looked slick) into the closest open windows while the third one fired a grenade in. Again, we remained perfectly still. We were about two meters from those three. The drab color of our hastily donned dusters, the congested air and our stillness combined to save us from their notice.The second after that grenade went off, the three vaulted the wall and rushed the building. From the cacophony of the battle, they were storming the building from several directions at once."Quick, go find that guy with the machinegun," Pamela whispered over a feral grin. How was I going to do that?The old fashioned way, I leapt over the wall and ran away from all the flames, explosions and the continuous widespread fusillade of assault weapons fire. I was partially bent over as I ran. I'm still a big guy though. The machine gunner was in a shallow dip in the meadow 30 meters away, on the edge of the woods.He saw me, shifted his MG4 (fuck Ajax and his crew for having the best Bang-Bangs) minutely and unleashed hell my way. In hindsight, the 1st round flattened against my duster as it impacted my upper left thigh. Round #2 hit the duster again, coming below my vest, but hitting my belt (every bit of leather helps).The #3 556 mm slug hit my vest due south of my belly button (Fuck!), # 4 landed a few centimeters up and to the right, taking in both the duster and my ballistic vest. The #5 round clipped my lower side of my right ribcage. The resulting force sent me spinning back and to my right.Honestly, as I landed hard on my back (no rolling with the blow this time), I thought a midget mule team had kicked me in the guts. Apparently, I made a convincing mortally wounded human being. He stopped shooting and Pamela got pissed.I learned a few things at that moment: you do not get used to being shot; you can never appreciate the value of good body amour enough; you can never understand the true value of a sniper until your life is totally in their hands; and damn, Pamela was exceptional. Pamela put a bullet through his nasal cavity in that split second between him exposing himself with his muzzle flashes and deciding to put a few more bullets into my prone form.Pain dictated that I lie where I was. Survival instincts overrode that. I went to my side, pushed up and resumed my crouched stance. Then I was running once more until I could throw myself beside his corpse. I was stunningly calm. Machineguns, snipers, I had to cover Pamela's run across the meadow. I didn't stay by the dead gunner.I grabbed his weapon, some spare ammo and quick-stepped it to the wood line. I rapidly assessed the best spot that could provide cover from each flank. That was where I went down, cradled the device and started shooting at any muzzle flash I could see. The moment I opened fire, Pamela began her own sprint.Unlike my mad dash, Pamela took evasive maneuvers, serpentine, which worked out well when one sniper figured out she wasn't one of them. He/she had two shots at her before she dove past me. Her mien was one of intense, emptiness? She gave me a quick pat-down to make sure I wasn't gushing blood, took a deep breath and then smirked."Come on, Dummy!" she laughed. "We still have a shot at a sequel.""Shot, sequel, you are a laugh riot," I wheezed as I stood, abandoned the MG4 and joined her as we both ran deeper into the woods. A few shots zinged past us before Ajax's crew realized we were in full-on flight mode. They weren't going to waste the bullets.This was the point where archaic and modern warfare diverged. In the olden (pre-Pamela, ow! How did she know what I was thinking?) days, when your enemy broke and ran, it was relatively easy to run them down and slaughter them in their panic. If a few men tried to stem the tide, they would be quickly overwhelmed.After the invention of rapid-fire rifles, that changed. Suddenly, headlong pursuit could be incredibly costly. All it took was a small, resolute band to find some sort of hard cover and they could buy minutes, or even hours, for their retreating brethren. Sure, if you were willing to pay the butcher's bill, you could storm their position.But you had to understand, each defender could fire and work the bolt action in under three seconds. You reloaded your magazine with a prepared clip ~ maybe five more seconds. Ten men could put 150 bullets down range per minute as long as their ammo held out. Sending men into that kind of firepower was murder; very few troops could sustain their attack under those conditions.Ajax's resurrected Mycenaean's were tough enough to do it. Ajax's problem was their finite number. Despite catching Ajax off-guard with Pamela's mad plan, her ungodly skills and a great deal of my pain, we had only managed to kill one so far. The great unknowns were terrain (we didn't know where we were,) and my luck.As Pamela and I ran through the forest at a good clip, we began to make out a specific background noise. It was a river. Not a creek, stream, waterfall, or dam, a river."Did you pack your jet ski?" Pamela snorted."I left it in the car. You said it was so '1990's'," I panted back. A few more footsteps and,
Not the welcome we expectedWhen your tour guide is an assassin, what can go wrong?By FinalStand. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.You can do wrong while trying to do right.FlashbackAlal's 'milk of human kindness' had finally run dry as the Visigoths sacked his Roman villa. While looters ran off with his latest trappings of wealth, and deserted by his servants and his slaves, Grandpa decided that he was tired of fucking around with the Human Race. He felt they were simply too stupid, venal and weak to make any positive, lasting changes in the world.Alal decided that he was going to make the key choices for them. Fuck free will. Fuck letting the vermin that floated to the top of the cesspool destroy everything good in the world, as he had witnessed them doing time and time again. He had lost count of the monuments destroyed, histories of peoples forgotten and benefits to mankind burned away by barbarism and ignorance.By the fading light of August the 26th, 410 CE, Alal found himself sitting back in the pergola (a sort of mini-gazebo) in his rear gardens, drinking through several amphora of wine all the while having a deep philosophical debate with the several dozen very dead Goths decorating his environs.As three or four looters would enter the garden, he would kill them. And then three or four more would show up looking for the earlier group,, on and on. This reinforced Alal's belief that something drastic had to be done. He seriously considered going to the coast, getting a ship and five solid stone anchors. He'd sail out two days, maybe three, wrap himself in the anchors and jump overboard.The problem, as he saw it, was that given a few decades, the ropes would rot and he'd bob to the surface to see again that none of the fundamentals had changed. Further complicating his current thinking was that every time he came close to throwing in the cosmic towel, some more GOD DAMN GOTHS would come around, calling for their buddies, the dead ones. Somewhere around noon on August the 27th, Alal vowed that he was tired of this shit.Right on cue, around twenty Goths came strolling through the rear of his villa and soaked up the carnage out back. Fifty-two of their brethren were in various states of dismemberment and defilement (Alal had been, as usual, angry). They saw this dark-skinned Roman and rightly asked 'where's the army that killed these fellows?' He walked up to them in his wine-splashed toga."Are you the one in charge?" he asked the meanest looking Visigoth in passible Goth."I am," the leader responded. With lightning speed, he killed the man with his own sword. The Germans weren't sure what to make of that, it had happened so fast."You can join me," Alal indicated himself, "or you can join him," he indicated the corpse of their former leader. He had his new band of followers and the rest was Illuminati history.End FlashbackFor me, this meant more to me than living with the memories of a very bitter, driven and pitiless man. Alal was essentially the anti-me. It gave me chills to realize that all of Alal's gifts were bestowed on me with a purpose. I knew it was part of his greater plan. Normally, to end-run an evil genius, you just find him and kill him. Not only would Alal not stay dead, I now knew how well he could fight.I knew only four people who might be in his league, and I wasn't one of them. Of the four, Sakuniyas wasn't likely to help Pamela, Saint Marie and Elsa get the job done. That meant I had to rev up the deception engine to comfort my Aunts with hope, while dispelling the knowledge of how little they mattered to their sire. Almost as bad, I had to ignore what horribly people they were while extending that portion of my soul.It was with some relief that I hugged, kissed, and forcefully separated myself from the Aunts in Dublin. We were going on to Budapest's Ferenc Liszt International Airport. My next action was to make my request to Selena for a contract with the Ghost Tigers to defend Hana when she arrived in Russia. (Of the three 9 Clan Assassin-Babes, Selena was the least impressed with me.) She informed me that the Ghost Tigers didn't do bodyguard work. I still wanted her to relay my request, so she relented. After that, I passed out.We left Dublin around 9:30 am Friday morning and landed in Budapest at 1:45 pm., still Friday. As Rachel rousted me so I could grab a quick shower before touchdown, I was gifted with the misconceptions of my fellow travelers:To put it nicely, Riki thought I was somewhat revolting, Virginia was disturbed and Chaz had lowered his opinion of my moral character. It was the incest thing. Vincent being polite was a pleasant surprise, Delilah's camaraderie less so and Odette was peaches with my most recent sexcapades. She was far too good to me. The Amazons uniformly didn't give a crap."So, is there going to be any other bizarre behavior we should be prepared for?" Riki sat down next to me as I was drying my hair. I was back to my 'jeans, t-shirt and wind-breaker' style."Fine, " I said loudly. "It is really none of your business what I did with and to my mother's clones. Yes, they are all clones of my mother, who died when I was seven." A lie."They are also the genetic creations of my grandfather, also known by many as Cáel O'Shea. They are sterile, they are wickedly evil, and two weeks ago I didn't know they existed. I do have a real aunt in Maryland. She's my Father's sister and is not part of the menagerie. Oh yeah, my grandpa is currently a disembodied spirit, back from the Netherworld and looking for a body to take over, if he hasn't found one already," I added."He was born roughly five thousand years ago, was cursed by an ancient Sumerian Goddess such that he can never just die and stay dead. I have his memories running around my head, which, along with denying me a good night's sleep, allows me to speak an assortment of languages, use virtually every weapon built before 1970 and know that he is a vicious criminal mastermind the likes of which you've never imagined outside of fiction.How does that sound, Riki? Shall I get more bizarre? Trust me, I can," I regarded her evenly. She was speechless, but not out of awe. No, she was certain that I was completely unhinged."Everyone who believes Cáel, raise their hand," Odette demanded. Her hand went up. Odette and the Amazons agreeing was expected by the outsiders. Delilah and Virginia joining in was not."Captain Fairchild?" Colour Sgt. Chaz Tomorrow requested clarification."You've all seen those five O'Shea's that left the plane in Ireland. Barring some cosmetic changes, they were the exact same woman. You can either go with Sean Connery's Tak-ne creating a female clone army, or you can believe there is an otherworldly plastic surgeon altering a cadre of super-rich bitches to all look alike," Delilah, who was a captain of something, put out there."Who in the Hell is Tak-ne?" Riki mumbled."Duh," I poked the State Department lassie. "Connor MacLeod's Egyptian mentor in Highlander, the original movie and in the less than stellar sequel, Highlander: The Quickening"."You are mistaken. Connery was that Spanish guy," Riki poked me back."Actually, the relevant quote is: 'I am Juan Sánchez Villalobos Ramírez, Chief metallurgist to King Charles V of Spain. And I'm at your service'," Vincent regaled us with his movie trivia. "He later reveals that he was born Tak-ne in Egypt in the 9th century BCE. Also, his Spanish name makes no sense, he has one too many surnames.""Agent Loire, I am beginning to find intelligent men to be attractive," Charlotte said."Umm, thank you," Vincent responded warily."This might be a good point to get something clear," Chaz inquired. "Mr. Nyilas, whose side are you on? It appears to be rather complicated.""Okay, Chaz, call me Cáel. Calling me Mr. Nyilas makes me miss my dad. I can also be addressed as Cáel 'Wakko' Ishara, Head of House Ishara of the First Twenty Houses of the Amazon Host. Or, you can call me what the Great Khan does, Magyarorszag es Erdely Hercege. Finally, those who love me, or find me amusing, may call me Fehér mén."Selena's snort indicated she'd failed to hide her amusement at my presumptiveness, both titular and physically."Do you want to explain what's so amusing?" Riki looked over to the Black Hand assassin."Your job should be exceptionally easy now," Selena mocked me, "Prince of Hungry and Transylvania, or do you prefer 'White Stud'?""Laugh while you can, Monkey-Girl," I sneered. "The guy currently making a run at erasing seven hundred years of Asian history gave me that title. As for Fehér mén, that means 'White Stallion' and is symbolic of my ties to House Epona, not a phallic reference." Riki's look had gone from disgust, to anger (because she thought she was being played) and lastly, to shock."No," I interpreted her fear. "I am not here as some vanguard to unite the Magyar people to their cultural kinfolk in Central Asia. If you know your Central European history, you might recall that the Mongols devastated my homeland. For the next 450 years, the Turks were unwelcome visitors, conquerors and overlords. My princely status is a pat on the head for a job well done and nothing more.""What job did you do?" Riki prodded."I saved a man's life," I looked pained to admit. She didn't get it."It must have been a major VIPs life," Chaz suggested."You can say that," Pamela nodded. "End of discussion time too."At Ferenc Liszt International, we were diverted to a private hangar once more, courtesy of the Republic of Ireland's diplomatic umbrella. Three grey Ford Focuses and a white panel truck advertising a furniture repair store awaited us. Security issues were immediately obvious. They wanted to separate us (in the Fords) from most of our luggage (in the truck).The five guy welcoming party hid under the cloak of 'don't speak any language you claim to speak' and Selena was of zip help. So, I spoke to them in Hungarian. They glanced my way, but didn't respond. Serbian? Nope. Romanian? Nope."Bows and doves," I commanded.That translated rather logically as 'guns/bows' and 'phones/doves'. Out came our pistols. The only Black Hand to react fast enough was Selena and Pamela had her covered. The Amazons were aiming at the locals while Delilah and Chaz had their weapons out and scanning. Vincent and Virginia hadn't been fast enough, this time. They also didn't have guns pointed at them.The lead BH flunky began talking calmly in German, heavily Slavic accented German."What do you think you are doing?" he inquired of me, in German."Disarming you, ya Moron," I grumbled. Then added in Hittite; "Go", and in my Amazons went to very roughly search, disarm and de-phone our not so friendly friends."Alright, gather up your luggage," I called out to my group. "We are walking to town." That wasn't truly accurate. There was a metro associated with the airport, a kilometer away max. Our guides didn't speak English so they were rather surprised when the bags came out of the truck and were distributed to their owners. Riki Martin and Odette were in some trouble.Girls and 'only packing the necessities', Well, we had some diplomatic lumber to toss at the security services, Vincent had web-searched our location and the route we needed to take to the metro, and Delilah had purchased week-long public transport passes for the group. Only when we started marching out of the hangar did the BH comprehend the totality of their error.The five guys in the hangar were chattering away, in Hungarian, and Selena was peeved."You are upsetting my superiors by blatantly disrespecting their courtesy," she reminded me. "They have guaranteed your safety.""Less than a day has passed since the shootout in London, Selena," I countered."This is the Black Hand's backyard," Selena persisted, "not London.""So, you are only going to help us if we do stupid shit we wouldn't do, even on our own home ground, is that it?" I chuckled. "Sweet," then, to my people, "I guess we are on our own."The airport security guards didn't know what to make of our group of over-worked Sherpa, but the US State department and the RoI (Republic of Ireland) vouched for us, so they let us pass.We hadn't taken the cars and the truck because that would have been theft. The confiscated guns and phones had been disassembled and tossed into a large iron drum of used aviation lubricant. Odette began shopping around for hotel reservations (I was carrying most of her gear). She was the logical choice because she sounded the most human of the bunch.Selena called her people back, explained the fuck up and engaged in a mutual ass-chewing that spilled over a half-dozen languages and ended up with Dick-head, the local BH chieftain providing us with quarters that would turn a blind eye to our arsenal. With that address in mind, we made for the bowels of modern Budapest.Dutifully, Riki contacted the US Embassy to Hungary's CIA mission head and Chargé D' Affaires, a.i., updating them on our arrival and movements. At the last moment, I had Riki relay the wrong address, on a paranoid hunch. I was right to be paranoid except I was looking in the wrong direction.We had just disembarked at the Kőbánya-Kispest M3 station when we walked into the rolling ambush. A 'rolling ambush' is like a meeting engagement, the difference being that one side (ours) is on the move, not knowing it is being hunted while the other side (our attackers) was rushing to catch up with us, not knowing where along the path they would find us.As we preparing to transition from the station to the attached terminal, looking for the bus line that would connect us to the BH safe house in the Kőbánya (X) District, our attackers were dismounting their vehicles from across the street as well as to our left and right. They were dressed like cops. Had they been armed like cops,"Oh look," I snickered to Pamela, "I see a whole bunch of heavily armed people coming our way.""Good for you," Pamela muttered. "Your eyes are still working.""Do you think they are here to raise me up on their shields and proclaim me 'Prince'?" I joked."I think they are here to kill us," Pamela grinned."I prefer to think positively," I grinned back."I am positive they are here to kill us," Pamela laughed. It had to be our relaxed demeanor that confused them.Had we been the droids they were looking for, we wouldn't have been chatting in the open with our bags in our hands. That would have made us crazy, and they would have been right. We were crazy alright and there was a method to our madness. It was mid-afternoon, yet there were plenty of average Hungarians wandering about.Sure, they saw the 'special cops' closing in. They didn't see the upcoming shoot-out because that was plain nuts. A gun battle in a modern metropolis in broad daylight? London yesterday was an aberration, not the new normal. Our impromptu plan was to let the killers get as close as possible to limit the collateral damage.This wasn't classic Amazon training. It was a concession to allies who did care about civilians killed in the cross-fire. The oncoming hit squad was finally putting faces to targets when Odette broke the calm before the storm. All she did was squeak when Vincent pushed her behind a kiosk. Riki took Virginia shifting her to cover in silence.Delilah took off at a dead-run to the south-east. They were raising their shotguns and assault rifles. We were drawing our pistols. Normally this would have been an unequal match, except that in the time period where, in their eyes, we had gone from bystanders to targets, they'd also covered a good deal of ground, to the point that they were out in the open while my fighting band was in close proximity to all kinds of cover.It started out as eighteen to twelve. Pamela, Chaz and Selena quickly cut down those odd by five. Me? I didn't try to shoot and run at the same time, so I made it to cover and was stuck there by our opponents use of fully-automatic fire.My lack of martial prowess could be forgiven by the reality I was the one they were trying to off. My greatest contribution to this skirmish was tossing my SPAS-12 to Chaz so he could use something more than his standard military issue Glock-17. I had barely gotten Chaz's appreciative nod when two grenades went off in close proximity to me.At first, I heard and felt nothing. My eyes were having trouble focusing. When my limbs began to orient themselves, I had to fight down the instinct to move. I was lying down, which was far safer than staggering around in the middle of this hail of lead. The twin grenades turned out to be their second and very fatal mistake on this mission.The first had been their delay in identifying my group. The second, using the stun grenades, did put me, Pamela and Selena out of commission temporarily. But their mistake was having misplaced my six Amazons in this mess they had created. They did have thirteen shooters versus Chaz, Virginia and Vincent. They rushed our position using the classic advance while firing rote.Two meters from me, the six Amazons revealed themselves with five P-90's and one big-ass bow. Four escaped the kill zone only to find themselves flanked by Delilah. Her .480, combined with their confusion, finished off the survivors. That wasn't the end of it. We still had to effect our get-away.I was still getting my head on straight as the ladies decided to hotwire some of the deceased men's rides and get us the heck out of Dodge. Recovery brought with it the knowledge that Virginia and Chaz had been shot. Pamela, Selena and me, we had some scrapes and bruises. Everyone else checked out. Mona let us know that she could handle the wounded. They wouldn't be doing jumping jacks for a week or two, but a hospital was not required. On the downside, no one believed that eighteen killers dressed as cops randomly rolled up on our transit point by accident. The only people who knew about our change in travel plans had been the Black Hand. We'd lied to the US.We broke into an abandoned factory to stash the vehicles and make our next plan. Selena was coldly furious. Not only did she come to the same conclusion we had, the Black Hand had set us up to be murdered, we weren't letting her call in. Wiesława and Charlotte kept their guns pointed at her, so low was our level of trust.Chaz was pretty much of the opinion that Selena should be coerced to provide us with the names and locations of the Black Hand involved so that we could do our own 'fact finding tour'. Oddly, none of the Americans asked to be pulled out. Vincent and Riki wanted to let the US Embassy know what had happened, yet were willing to wait until we were secure somewhere first.Rachel was on board with Chaz's idea, with the addendum that they kill every Black Hand they could get their hands on before fleeing the city. They had tried to kill ME after all. I was touched. It was Pamela who put things in perspective.1) The attackers were not Black Hand, they were mercenaries and that pointed a bloody finger at the Condottieri.2) Selena wasn't a fanatic and her life had been in as much danger as anyone else's. She wasn't part of our ambush. Her buddies had tossed her under the bus.3) It would have been far easier to catch us in that convoy they'd tried to stick us with. Caught in pre-planned crossfires and without our heavier weapons, we would have all died.4) Having failed to deliver us to the pre-planned ambush site, the Condottieri had to rush to our metro stop because, the safe house they had prepared for us wouldn't have worked. We had the numbers to allow us take total charge of our security once we were in place. No, gauging our numbers, this traitor had sent the mercs into a straight-up fight they'd just lost.
Interview with Michael Konnert, President & CEO of Vizsla Silver Corp.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/vizsla-silver-tsxvvzla-all-known-questions-answered-6110Recording date: 3rd February 2025Vizsla Silver represents a unique investment opportunity in the silver sector, combining robust financials, clear development momentum, and significant growth potential. The company's recent transition from explorer to developer has been backed by several strategic decisions that differentiate it from peers in the precious metals space.At the core of Vizsla's investment case is its financial strength, with approximately C$130 million (US$90+ million) in treasury. This substantial cash position wasn't just opportunistic fundraising - it represents a deliberate strategy to de-risk the project's development pathway and provide flexibility in execution timing. As CEO Michael Konnert emphasizes, this approach ensures the company won't face pressure for discounted financings at crucial development stages.The company's flagship project in Sinaloa, Mexico, demonstrates compelling economics with an industry-leading NPV to CAPEX ratio of 5x. Recent resource growth of 43% in the Measured & Indicated category, now totaling over 222 million ounces, provides strong foundational support for the upcoming feasibility study. The project's sub-$9 AISC positions it to generate substantial margins across various silver price scenarios.Development progress is evident in the ongoing test mine, which represents more than just exploration - it's the permanent production access being developed ahead of schedule. This strategic approach to development, learning from successful predecessors like SilverCrest, aims to de-risk the crucial startup phase by building significant ore stockpiles before mill construction begins.Near-term catalysts include the feasibility study expected in the second half of 2025, ongoing permitting progress, and potential construction commencement in the first half of 2026. The company targets production for the second half of 2027, with project payback potentially as quick as six months at current silver prices.Beyond the initial development project, Vizsla offers substantial exploration upside across its expanded 30,000-hectare land package in the Sinaloa Silver Belt. The company's strategy of district consolidation, rather than external M&A, focuses value creation within a proven geological terrain.What makes Vizsla particularly compelling in the current market is the scarcity of quality silver development projects. As Konnert notes, "There's really only a handful of development stories at all in silver, and there's really only a small few, Vizsla certainly included, that have any real economic value."This positioning, combined with silver's positive supply-demand dynamics and its role as both a precious and industrial metal, creates a unique investment opportunity in the silver sector.For investors seeking exposure to silver with a clear path to production, strong management execution, and multiple avenues for value creation, Vizsla presents a compelling investment case backed by substantial financial resources and strategic development planning.—Learn more: https://cruxinvestor.com/companies/vizsla-silver-corpSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com
This episode kicks off a new series for the podcast! Every few episodes, I will be featuring interviews with other people who got bird dogs as pets and then got into hunting later because of their dogs. The first tale of a fellow accidental bird dog owner is Sara Kline. Sara lives in Alaska with her three dogs: a vizsla named Jack, and two Deutsch Drahthaars named Dicky and Rufus. Sara originally got Jack as a running buddy when she lived in England, but it wasn't long before Jack decided he liked pointing pheasants along their runs, too. Sara has grown a lot in her journey training her dogs and is very forthcoming about the mistakes she's made along the way and how she's trying to use the lessons she's learned with her new puppy. Sara's story is very relatable and I know you will enjoy it! You can follow Sara on Instagram at @journeyswithgundogs. The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is sponsored by OnX Hunt and Boss Shotshells. We are part of the HerUpland Podcast Network.
Mike Konnert, President and CEO of Vizsla Silver (TSX.V:VZLA - NYSE:VZLA) joins me to discuss the updated mineral resource estimate at the Panuco Project. Mike discusses the significant upgrade in measured and indicated (“M&I”) ounces—a pivotal step toward production, marking it as the fourth substantial resource update in four years. He elaborates on the improved grades and the continuity of veins, particularly the Copala vein, which is the high-grade and high-margin mining plan backbone. Mike also touches on other promising veins like La Luisa and outlines the Company's exploration strategies, including a 10,000 meter drilling campaign and possible new discoveries. In addition, updates on the ongoing test mining and bulk sample program are provided, emphasizing the approach to de-risking the project and preparing for a transition to production. We conclude with insights into Vizsla's strong financial position, with over $120 million Canadian and key catalysts for 2025 If you have any follow up questions for Mike please email me at Fleck@kereport.com. Click here to visit the Vizsla website to learn more about the Company.
In this episode, I interviewed Carl Correra, who is an AKC field trial judge and competitor. Last year, I had the honor of watching Carl and his 12 year old GSP, Fancy, participate in the inaugural AKC Master Hunter Excellent test. Fancy tore up the course, was steady as a rock, and had all the participants cheering for her. As someone who has unintentionally been competing with an older dog due to our late start, I've found myself being worried about her age. I think there's a lot of misconception out there about what is possible for a dog who is 10+. Carl and I discuss considerations to keep your older bird dog going strong even as they age. You can email find Carl on Facebook or send him an email: cvcorrera@yahoo.com. The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is sponsored by OnX Hunt and Boss Shotshells. We are part of the HerUpland Podcast Network.
In this episode, I discuss how I went about preparing for the NAVHDA Natural Ability test with my puppy, Lanka. I also give a recap of the highs and lows on test day—including when 4-month-old Lanka went a little rogue! Listen for a behind-the-scenes look at how Lanka's first bird dog event went. The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is sponsored by OnX Hunt and Boss Shotshells. We are part of the HerUpland Podcast Network.
Mike Konnert, President and CEO of Vizsla Silver (TSX.V:VZLA - NYSE:VZLA) joins me to discuss the Company's move to the TSX and provide an overview of the key 2025 catalysts. We start with the strategic implications of the move to the TSX, particularly how it expands the investor base and access to capital. For the 2025 catalysts we start with exploration, discussing the ongoing drilling at the Pauco Project, focusing on early-stage exploration targets with the goal to find another “center of mass” on the project. Mike outlines an exploration budget with plans for 10,000 meters of diamond drilling. Another catalyst is the upcoming resource update, with the goal to to upgrade the current resource to higher confidence categories, all to support early mine production. Mike discusses the early work on the feasibility study, with significant contributions from future test mining aimed at de-risking future operations. If you have any follow up questions for Mike please email me at Fleck@kereport.com. Click here to visit the Vizsla website to learn more about the Company.
In this episode Doug talks about losing your phone. Doug and the listeners share stories on losing their phones on various trips in the outdoors. You don't want to miss this. Plus, an update on the St. Jude Golf Tour. Feel the love as Doug's audience share the love by contributing to a good cause. What's that cause? Well, be sure to tune in to find out. Caller Rice Bice and Doug gives advice on how to populate your land with deer for hunting year after year. This is some amazing stuff. Do you hunt by size or by antlers? Or do you just shot anything just because you have a deer lease? Find out what Doug has to say about which is best. Want to open a can of worms? You guessed it talk about the best dog for hunting. Our listeners chime in on all the pros/cons of some of the breeds. Other topics covered: Duck Stamp, Speckle trout season. Barbless hooks and using A.I.technology on your golf swing.
Michael Konnert, CEO of Viszla Silver, discusses the removal if the Vizsla equity from the junior silver ETF (SILJ), investor interest, and the challenges and opportunities in the Mexican mining sector. He addresses concerns about safety at the Panuco project and shares insights on the company's drilling progress and future resource estimates.
Hey MandaLore fans! Finally we are striking BACK! We know it's been awhile, but we have a special discussion for you on this episode, as Siber Wren was all the way down in Kentucky to visit D.Vizsla and we got to record a show in person together. We catch up on a lot of news, dive into the Outlaws game, discuss other game ideas, and touch on Skeleton Crew a little bit. It's a great show and one to fill the gap while we all wait for Skeleton Crew to arrive! Send in your thoughts to the show! Send voicemail or email to: themandalorepodcast@gmail.com Tweet us @theMandaLorepod Join the Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheMandaLorePod
TerryAnn Fernando joins me to talk about why she favors trialing over testing and hunting. Having spent years in each activity with her Vizsla, Zara, TerryAnn offers valuable insights into what she enjoys about each one and what sets them apart. Watch Here Highlights: A positive experience at a JR Hunt Test results in the Accidental Bird Dog What appeals to TerryAnn more about trialing and testing? Do we lose any "hunt"by focusing on competing? The dogs know the difference between hunting and competing The learning curves for new hunters Are tests and trials the only real way to bring in new hunters in the South? Walking entry for horseback trials Trials or tests preference? Trials are just as welcoming as tests The way to appeal to younger and newer people is to actually act like want them to show up! Can you compete at a high level while focusing on hunting? Does it hurt to have a generalist dog as opposed to a specialist? Different context for each type of event Playing non bird dog events just for fun! Remember what its like to be the new person The motivation to write the book, The Accidental Bird Dog - Presented By: Standing Stone Supply | Check out their step by step Online Courses and Use Code 'GDIY' to save 15% onX Hunt Maps | Use Code 'GDIY20' to save 20% Sweet Briar Pet Transport | Call (317) 513-4481 for your free quote today! Upland Gun Company | Check out their online gun builder and construct your dream gun today! Marsh Wear Clothing | Use Code 'GDIY15' to save 15% (Patreon Patrons save even more) Trulock Choke Tubes | Use Code 'GDIY10' to save 10% - Other Partners: BPro Kennels Eukanuba [What I Feed My Dogs: Premium Performance 30/20] Bird Dog Society - GDIY Links: Patreon | Instagram | Facebook | Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Interview with Michael Konnert, President & CEO of Vizsla Silver Corp.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/silver-steals-the-spotlight-once-more-5425Recording date: 17th October 2024Vizsla Silver (TSXV:VZLA) is emerging as a compelling investment opportunity in the silver mining sector, offering exposure to one of Mexico's most promising high-grade silver discoveries. The company's flagship Panuco project in Sinaloa, Mexico, has rapidly evolved from an exploration play to a potential top-tier silver producer, positioning Vizsla to capitalize on the growing demand for silver in both industrial applications and as a store of value.CEO Michael Konnert emphasizes the company's ambition: "We've consolidated one of Mexico's highest grade and largest new silver discoveries and our vision is to become the world's largest and highest margin single asset silver producer." This bold vision is supported by the project's preliminary economic assessment (PEA), which indicates Vizsla could become a top-five silver equivalent producer globally.Key investment highlights include:Fast-Track to Production: Vizsla is targeting first silver production by 2027, with potential groundbreaking as early as 2026. This accelerated timeline is facilitated by existing infrastructure and the resource's proximity to the surface.Strong Financial Position: With $110 million in the bank and a capital expenditure requirement less than half of its current market capitalization, Vizsla is well-funded to execute its development plans without excessive dilution to shareholders.Significant Exploration Upside: The current PEA focuses on only 10% of the known veins in the Panuco district, suggesting substantial potential for resource expansion and new discoveries.Robust Economics: The PEA projects average cash flow of $250 million USD in the first two years of production, with an all-in sustaining cost below $10 per ounce of silver.The company's near-term catalysts include an updated resource estimate expected by the end of 2024, commencement of test mining operations, and a feasibility study release targeted for mid-2025. These milestones have the potential to drive valuation re-ratings and increase market interest.Vizsla's investment appeal is further bolstered by the bullish outlook for silver. Growing industrial demand, particularly from the solar panel and electrification sectors, coupled with supply constraints, could drive silver prices higher. As Konnert notes, "I don't see how silver Supply can catch up to that. I don't see major projects coming online that's actually going to allow that gap to close without the silver price rising."While Vizsla presents an attractive opportunity, investors should be aware of potential risks inherent in mining development projects, including possible delays, cost overruns, and commodity price volatility. However, the company's strong financial position and high-grade resource provide some mitigation against these risks.For investors seeking exposure to the silver sector, Vizsla Silver offers a combination of near-term production potential, significant exploration upside, and leverage to silver prices. As the company progresses towards production and continues to expand its resource base, it presents multiple avenues for potential value creation. With its strategic assets, clear development plan, and favorable market positioning, Vizsla Silver stands out as a noteworthy opportunity in the precious metals space.View Vizsla Silver's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/vizsla-silver-corpSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com
Zara was diagnosed with a major injury early this year – bilateral iliopsoas strains/tears. In this episode, I talk about how she went from being an extremely active 10 year old dog to a rehab patient having to endure months of restricted exercise and rehab. It was a tough process for both of us but thankfully she is doing much better now. I discuss how I think the injury originated and everything I did to help her recover. This episode sets the stage for the next one which will cover prevention of injury for canine athletes. The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is sponsored by OnX Hunt and Boss Shotshells. We are part of the HerUpland Podcast Network.
I'm joined by Kathy Rust of the Vizsla Club of America, a passionate Breeder of Merit with the AKC and perhaps the Vizsla's biggest fan. Get ready to hear all about why these dogs are truly one-of-a-kind. Whether you're looking for a loving, kid-friendly companion or an incredibly intelligent and versatile dog, Vizslas check every box. Kathy takes us on a captivating journey through the breed's remarkable history, showing us why these dogs are so cherished today. "Vizsla" comes from the Hungarian word meaning "pointing," but these dogs are much more than just talented hunting companions. From their earliest appearances in ancient paintings and drawings to their rise as the favored dogs of Hungarian aristocrats, Vizslas have a rich and storied past. But their survival hasn't always been easy. During World War II, Hitler sought to wipe them out to demoralize the locals, and later the Communists targeted them for being a symbol of wealth. The breed was nearly lost, with only about a dozen Vizslas remaining at one point. Thanks to the resilience and dedication of Vizsla lovers, the breed was saved from extinction. Today, they're known as "velcro" dogs for their affectionate nature and are beloved for their versatility. Tune in as Kathy shares her deep knowledge and passion for this incredible breed—one that continues to win hearts all around the world. www.furrealpodcast.com www.vcaweb.org fb The Fur Real Podcast fb Vizsla Club of America ig @thefurrealpodcast ig @officialvizslaclubofamerica tiktok The Fur Real Podcast tik tok Vizsla Club of America Speical thanks to J Jig Cicero @jjigcicero for our music intro and outro..you rock!!! Special thanks to Jake Olson jfolson.music@gmail.com for awesome sound editing and to our supporters: www.prepvet.com Stem cells for pets
Mike Konnert, President and CEO of Vizsla Silver (TSX.V:VZLA - NYSE:VZLA) joins us to provide a long term outlook for the Panuco Project, in Mexico. Mike lays out plans to target production by 2027 while also exploring new areas on the project and other projects in Mexico acquired this year. On the production front, we discuss the work planned to move from the current PEA on the Copala area to a Feasibility in the second half next year, updated resource prior to the feasibility, updated mine plan, and permitting which is ongoing. For exploration, the Company has just started a 10,000 meter drill program focused on other areas on the project to find new “centers of mass” that could hold significant resources. The Company recently raised $65million through a bought deal financing closed in September. If you have any follow up questions for Mike please email me at Fleck@kereport.com. Click here to visit the Vizsla website to learn more about the Company.
In this exciting episode of the HerUpland Podcast, Courtney Bastian sits down with Terry Ann Fernando, host of The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast and author of the newly released memoir, The Accidental Bird Dog. Terry Ann shares her remarkable journey from a reluctant dog owner to a passionate bird dog trainer, navigating the world of hunt tests, field trials, and dog sports with her Vizsla, Zara. Terry Ann reflects on how Zara's unexpected talent in her first hunting test sparked a passion that led to her pursuing advanced training, trialing, and even writing a book. Together, Courtney and Terry Ann dive into the challenges of dog training, the emotional highs and lows, and the incredible bond between humans and dogs. They also discuss Terry Ann's experiences coaching newcomers in the bird dog world, her successful podcast, and what inspired her to write The Accidental Bird Dog. If you're a bird dog enthusiast or just curious about pointing breed sports, this episode is packed with insights, inspiration, and a celebration of the incredible things that happen when we step out of our comfort zones. Tune in to hear Terry Ann's heartfelt story and learn more about her plans with her new puppy, Lanka, and her continued journey in the uplands. Where to Find Terry Ann: Website: accidentalbirddog.com Instagram/Facebook: @accidentalbirddog Links to Mentioned Resources: The Accidental Bird Dog memoir available on Amazon The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast ---- This Podcast is Presented By: onX Hunt "The #1 GPS Hunting App" Boss Shot Shells "Superior-grade, American-made, Copper-plated Shot Shells" Syren USA "Shotguns for Women. No More Compromises" Toyota "The Leading Motor Vehicle Manufacturer Worldwide" Dakota283 "Unparalleled Pet Protection" Purina Pro Plan "Nutrition That Performs" ---- HerUpland Community Network Instagram Facebook YouTube HerUpland Website Photo by: @kristenmurrayphotography
Craig Parry, Executive Chairman and CEO of Vizsla Copper (TSX:VCU - OTC:VCUFF) joins me to provide an update on the Company's strategic acquisitions and development plans in BC focused on copper. Over the last couple of years, Vizsla Copper has consolidated a substantial portfolio of copper assets, including the Woodjam, Poplar, Copperview, and RedGold projects. Craig elaborates on the strategy of acquiring advanced-stage and early-stage projects, and shares insights on the recent drilling results and overall resource base. We discuss the company's plans for further drilling and resource expansion. Additionally, Craig highlights the leverage the company provides to investors in the rising copper and gold market. Please email me any follow up questions you have for Craig regarding Vizsla Copper. My email address is Fleck@kereport.com Click here to visit the Vizsla Copper website to learn more about the Company and the portfolio of projects.
We connect with Craig Parry of Vizsla Copper to discuss the latest round of drill results out of the company's Woodjam project in British Columbia. Highlights lately included 177.3m @ 0.56% Cu, 0.29 g/t Au (0.77% Cueq). We discuss about the overhang of British Columbia porphyry projects and how the market has reacted to these positive results.
Get ready for a high-energy episode of Straight Up Dog Talk, as Em, Josh, and Kenzi dive into the wonderful world of Vizslas! Join Kenzi on her journey from non-dog lover to full-on dog mom, and discover how her dynamic duo with Dobby took the dog influencer world by storm. This lighthearted episode is packed with laughter, love, and a healthy dose of Vizsla enthusiasm! So, if you're ready to smile, nod your head in agreement, and possibly fall in love with this stunning breed, tune in now! Follow Kenzi & Dobby on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.vizsla.named.dobby/ Coupons & More: https://www.instagram.com/elevatepet/ DOBBY50
Peter Krauth, author of the book The Great Silver Bull and editor of the Silver Stock Investor newsletter, joins me for a wide-ranging discussion on the macroeconomic factors moving markets, the fundamentals for silver, and some pro tips on investing junior silver stocks. This is a longer-format conversation where we cover many areas of consideration like Fed rate cuts, secondary sources of silver supply, silver pricing and momentum relative to gold, balance sheets of producers relative to net acquisitions, merger and acquisitions and much more… The company examples that Peter provides for review that are on his radar include: Outcrop Silver (TSXV: OCG) (OTCQX: OCGSF), Southern Silver Exploration Corp. (TSXV: SSV) (OTC: SSVFF), Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. (TSXV:GSVR) (OTCQX:GSVRF), Sierra Madre Gold and Silver Ltd. (TSXV: SM) (OTCQX: SMDRF), Viscount Mining Corp. (TSXV: VML) (OTC: VLMGF), Dolly Varden Silver Corp. (TSXV: DV) (OTCQX: DOLLF), Vizsla Silver Corp. (TSXV: VZLA) (NYSE: VZLA), AbraSilver Resource Corp. (TSX.V: ABRA) (OTCQX: ABBRF), and Kootenay Silver Inc. (TSXV: KTN) (OTC:KOOYF) . In full disclosure, Shad is a shareholder of Guanajuato Silver, Dolly Varden Silver, Vizsla Silver, and AbraSilver at the time of this recording. Click here to visit Peter's site and follow along with his analysis of the silver sector
With a career styling for major brands, including Vogue and Vanity Fair, Jacqueline Lemieux-Bokor uses her talents to honor beloved dogs in her new book Remember Me As Sunshine, Love Notes From My Dog.This is a pet sympathy book to honor and memorialize a beloved dog. A collection of dog poems I've written channeling our Vizsla, Boris, are matched to the unique personality of every treasured senior dog photographed. Each spread features black and white dog portraits, in colorful pages with still lifes, made from flowers, rocks and butterflies that you would find on a walk with your dog.This book makes an incredibly thoughtful gift for the people in your life who either loves, or has loved and lost a dog.It is filled with beauty and stunning images of older dogs that will capture your heartstrings.Why you should check out this episode:Personal Tragedy and Transformation: Jaclyn's journey, marked by personal tragedy with the loss of her beloved dog in a house fire, transformed her outlook on life. This event led her to deeply reflect on her purpose and compelled her to create something meaningful that could offer comfort to others experiencing similar grief.Connection with Community and Nature: Through her experience, Jaclyn emphasizes the importance of community support and connection with nature during times of loss and hardship. Her book aims to capture the essence of these connections, portraying older dogs with soulful stories and emphasizing the beauty of imperfection and the bond between humans and animals.Symbolism and Personal Touch: Jaclyn's book is meticulously crafted with personal touches and symbolism, reflecting her own journey and the profound bond she shared with her dog, Boris. Each element, from the black and white photography to the inclusion of forget-me-nots and personalization options, is designed to evoke emotion and provide a tangible way for readers to honor their own beloved pets.https://remembermeassunshine.com/
The Acolyte has come to a close. Did it live up to the hype? Was all that happened worth what the Jedi did to themselves? Are you wanting a second season to continue the story? Siber Wren and D.Vizsla evaluate all that went down in this finale, from the awesome lightsaber duels, to the dialogue, to the story and characters, as you know we always do. Plus our feedbackers have a LOT to say about the closing of this show. Tune in to find out what everyone had to say! Send in your thoughts to the show! Send voicemail or email to: themandalorepodcast@gmail.com Tweet us @theMandaLorepod Join the Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheMandaLorePod
Mike Konnert, President and CEO of Vizsla Silver (TSX.V:VZLA - NYSE:VZLA) joins me to recap the Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) on the Panuco Project, in Mexico, released yesterday, July 24th. The PEA highlights a robust after-tax NPV(5%) of over US$1.1 billion, an IRR exceeding 85%, initial Capex of US$224million, payback of 9 months, average annual production of 15.2million oz AuEq and an overall mine life of just under 11 years. Mike elaborates on the NPV to CAPEX ratio, cash flow projections, and ongoing exploration efforts. We also explore the project's future steps, including a Feasibility Study, permitting, and near term test mining aimed at de-risking production. If you have any follow up questions for Mike please email me at Fleck@kereport.com. Click here to visit the Vizsla website to learn more about the Company.
Dog Trainers discuss the origins and original purpose of some of the most common breeds from the sporting group and hound group.(00:00) - Introductions(02:33) - Boykin Spaniel Retriever(07:51) - Cocker Spaniel(10:38) - German Short Haired Pointer(16:32) - German Wired Hair Pointer(20:51) - Golden Retriever(26:17) - Labrador Retriever(31:41) - Vizsla(34:56) - Weimaraner(38:05) - American Fox Hound(42:39) - Basset Hound(47:26) - Blood Hound(50:26) - Dachshund Hound(59:31) - Irish Wolfhound(01:01:23) - Plott Hound(01:04:24) - Ridgeback--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Need Professional Dog Training? Our team can help : https://www.caninerevolutiondogtraining.com/contact-Board & Train Programs-Private Lessons-Virtual Coaching for dog owners-Custom ProgramsShop the full Canine Revolution Apparel store on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/s?rh=n%3A7141123011%2Cp_4%3ACanine+Revolution+Apparel&ref=bl_sl_s_ap_web_7141123011Optimize your dog's diet by feeding them a raw diet specifically formulated for your dog and delivered to your doorWe Feed Rawhttps://wefeedraw.sjv.io/c/5125268/1993237/22021 Discount Code : CANINEREVOLUTION for 25% offThe best supplements for your dogs, Made in America! JOINT SUPPORT, MULTI VITAMIN, WEIGHT GAINER, PUPPY FORMULA.K9 Super Supplementshttps://k9-super-supplements.myshopify.com/caninerevolutionDiscount Code : CANINE REVOLUTION for 15% offSupplements to optimize your performanceJockoFuel : Hard Work. Clean Fuel. No Excuses.https://www.jockofuel.com Discount Code : CANINEREVOLUTION for 10% offFollow all of our socials:https://linktr.ee/CanineRevolutionVideo versions of podcasts can be found at the Pack Talk Podcast YouTube channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@packtalkpodcast/videosAre you a dog trainer or business owner and want Coaching or Consulting? Virtual coaching for dog trainers and business owners is available.Email : info@caninerevolutiondogtraining.com
Summer is often a lull period between testing and trialing seasons. When it's hot and humid and there isn't always access to birds, you may be wondering what to work on with your bird dog. This episode covers some ideas of things to do during the summer months. The Accidental Bird Dog Podcast is sponsored by OnX Hunt, Boss Shotshells, and Toyota. We are part of the HerUpland Podcast Network. You can find me on the following platforms: Instagram | Facebook | Website
We connect with Vizsla Silver's Mike Konnert for his thoughts on yesterday's presidential election results form Mexico. What are the implications for mining companies in Mexico and what else should we be watching in that country? It also delves into the Panuco project's exploration and development updates, as well as the impact of silver prices on the project's economics.
Craig Parry provides an update on the copper market and discusses Vizsla Copper's projects in British Columbia. He emphasizes the potential for a massive boom in the copper market and the importance of advancing projects in a high-price environment. The financing market and the jurisdiction of British Columbia for mining projects are also discussed.
Joel is a former practicing ERISA attorney and long-tenured member of NFP Retirement's senior management team. As President of NFP Retirement Joel is charged with expanding the retirement practice in terms of scale, breadth of services, and geographical footprint. Leveraging both his legal and investment experience, Joel seeks to ensure that the NFP Retirement practice is cutting-edge in providing exceptional client experiences at all levels. Joel came to 401(k) Advisors in February 2006 from Hewitt Associates with over 10 years of technical experience related to 401(k) plans and ERISA issues. Prior to this, he practiced law with the law firm Fennemore Craig, P.C. in Phoenix, Arizona.Joel earned his BA from Tufts University; his JD from the Washington College of Law at the American University; and, his LL.M in taxation from the Georgetown University Law Center. He has passed the FINRA Series 6, 63, and 65 exams and is a frequent speaker at industry events, such as The Society for Human Resource Management.In 2009, 2010, and 2011 he was named among the prestigious 401kWire / 401kExchange “Top 60" and "300 Most Influential Advisors in Defined Contribution” list and received Top Ten status for his asset category.On a personal side, Joel is an avid sports enthusiast, a collector of multimedia art, and enjoys spending time on the beach with his family and Fitz and Ginger (their Weimaraner and Vizsla, respectively) and coaching the boys to football championships!In this episode, Eric and Joel Shapiro discuss:Three essential documents for making prudent investment decisionsCreating a well-defined IPS The fiduciary investment review scorecard system The purpose of writing a meeting minutes document Key Takeaways:The investment policy statement (IPS), fiduciary investment review, and meeting minutes are documents that represent the past, present, and future of the investment process and provide a clear roadmap for the committee to follow.The IPS is a critical document that should provide clear guidelines for fiduciaries to make informed decisions. It should be easily understandable and should have separate sections for different asset types. A well-defined IPS should typically lead committee members to the same conclusion, even without an advisor's input.The fiduciary investment review is another important tool for evaluating investments. The information presented should align with ERISA's dictates on prudence and should break down investments into different categories, evaluating them based on style analytics, risk return against benchmarks, peer group rankings, and qualitative factors like manager tenure and expense ratios. Meeting minutes document the committee's decision-making process and provide a record of the discussions and actions taken. They demonstrate that the committee is following a sound process and making prudent decisions based on the information available.“To the young ERISA practitioner, don't be afraid of the committee member who asks tough questions. Engage them. Those are the individuals, frankly, that are going to make you a better practitioner.” - Joel ShapiroConnect with Joel Shapiro:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-shapiro-687b044/ Connect with Eric Dyson: Website: https://90northllc.com/Phone: 940-248-4800Email: contact@90northllc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/401kguy/ The information contained herein is general in nature and is provided solely for educational and informational purposes.It is not intended to provide a specific recommendation of any type of product or service discussed in this presentation or to provide any warranties, financial advice or legal advice.The specific facts and circumstance of all qualified plans can vary and the information contained in this podcast may or may not apply to your individual circumstances or to your plan or client plan specific circumstances.
A2+/B1 - In this podcast episode I'll share my own struggles with motivation and how embracing curiosity transformed my approach to learning. I'm also excited to announce a two-week challenge starting on May 13th. It's exclusive to our Patreon community, offering only fun and creative tasks and the chance to win Hungarian-themed gifts
Are you someone who struggles with overwhelming anxiety or depression? In this episode of Quantum Revenue Expansion, I have the honor and privilege of speaking with Peter Pettis, founder of California Neurofeedback, a company that allows you to rent Neurofeedback devices to manage anxiety, stress, and depression. As someone who used to experience crippling anxiety, Pete saw incredible results in treating his anxiety when he used a Neurofeedback machine. Following these results, he saw a need to enable others to access these machines. Now, he's on the podcast to share all the ways you can achieve your dreams, too. Maybe right now, you are thinking, “Oh, I could never run a business,” or “I would never be able to sell anything.” In episode #281 of Quantum Revenue Expansion, Pete shares how he went from being nearly unable to leave his home to getting in front of his audience and learning to sell his product… so much so that he's on track to DOUBLE his revenue this year. He was able to overcome his anxiety and limiting beliefs and build a thriving business. Ready for this to be you, too? Don't miss Quantum Revenue Expansion episode #281: How To Grow A Six-Figure Business and Beyond! Ursula's Takeaways:Pete's Story & Helping Clients (00:54)Overcoming Anxiety & Depression (6:26)Starting & Growing the Business (7:52)Getting Help & Seeing Results (9:12)The Power of Cold Reach-Outs (13:35)Neurofeedback Machines & Benefits (15:45)Shifting Limiting Beliefs About Money (20:37)Advice For Listeners (21:42)FREE GIFTS:Are you trying to break through 6 or 7 figures in your business but feeling stuck in your revenue cycle and unable to grow? Our FREE guide will help you reach your goals, whether you want to 3x your monthly income, obliterate the limiting beliefs that might be holding you back, or only work with ideal clients. It's time for you to make the kind of money you were destined for while living a great life and making the impact that you want to make! Download my free guide: Multi 6 and 7 Figure Scaling Roadmap: 7 Simple Steps to Breakthrough Now! www.ursulainc.co/free-guideReady to turn your annual revenue into your monthly revenue? Apply for the 2X Intensive here: www.ursulainc.co/applyGet the Selling With Intention Book!About Peter:Peter Pettis and his family started California Neurofeedback after experiencing life-changing results using a neurofeedback system. They were so impressed by the positivity that it contributed to many areas of their lives that they decided to create a business to offer the technology to others at a more attractive price.Peter is a well-being fanatic and fitness enthusiast and loves the great outdoors. He resides in sunny southern California with his two Vizsla dogs, Stevie and Larry.Connect with Peter:Website: https://californianeurofeedback.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/calneurofeedbackLinkedIn:
Join us on the darkside, as Siber Wren and D.Vizsla drop the Jedi robes in favor of some dark armor! We take a look at the exciting new initial trailer for The Acolyte that comes June 4 2024! Send in your thoughts to the show! Send voicemail or email to: themandalorepodcast@gmail.com Tweet us @theMandaLorepod Join the Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheMandaLorePod
Join host Nicole Forto as she discusses the Breed of the Week: Vizsla 7 Essential Things Every Dog Owner Should Know: Http://ak.dog/7tips 100 Dog Training Tips: Http://ak.dog/100tips Wilderness Athlete: Code DogWorks for 10% OFF Connect Podcast: https://dogworksradio.com Work with us: Https://firstpaw.media Support the podcast: https://patreon.com/firstpawmedia Dog Training: https://ak.dog/offer Become a Member of our Pack! Podcaster? Consider Riverside.FM
Vizsla Silver CEO, Michael Konnert, discusses the latest drill results at the La Luisa vein area and the continued growth of the resource. He also explains the spin out of a royalty company from the Panuco project and the benefits for shareholders. The timing and details of the spin out are still being finalized, but it is expected to capture the value of further discoveries and potentially attract takeover interest. Konnert addresses questions about the shares outstanding and the warrant exercise. He also highlights the excitement from U.S. investors about the royalty aspect of the spin out.
Vizsla Copper announced it will acquire Universal Copper in British Columbia. Calibre publishes new drill results at the Valentine Gold Project. Barrick published its full year results. QC Copper and Gold report promising visuals. New Found Gold have a new round of drill assay results out this morning. We'd like to thank our sponsors: Arizona Sonoran Copper Company (ASCU:TSX) is focused on developing its brownfield copper project on private land in Arizona, a tier 1 location. The Cactus Mine Project is located less than an hour's drive from the Phoenix International airport via highway i-10, and with grid power and the Union Pacific Rail line situated at the base of the Cactus Project main road. With permitted water access, a streamlined permitting framework and infrastructure already in place, ASCU's Cactus Mine Project is a lower risk copper development project in the infrastructure-rich heartland of Arizona.For more information, please visit www.arizonasonoran.com. Fireweed Metals is advancing 3 different projects within the Yukon and Northwest Territories, including the flagship Macmillan Pass Project, a large zinc-lead-silver deposit and the Mactung Project, one of the largest and highest-grade tungsten deposits in the world. Fireweed plans to advance these projects through exploration, resource definition, metallurgy, engineering, economic studies and collaboration with indigenous people on the path to production. For more information please visit fireweedmetals.com. Vizsla Silver is focused on becoming one of the world's largest single-asset silver producers through the exploration and development of the 100% owned Panuco-Copala silver-gold district in Sinaloa, Mexico. The company consolidated this historic district in 2019 and has now completed over 325,000 meters of drilling. The company has the world's largest, undeveloped high-grade silver resource, which will grow with a resource update in early 2024. Learn more at https://vizslasilvercorp.com/ Victoria Gold operates the Eagle Gold Mine within the Dublin Gulch Property. Eagle is the largest gold mine in Yukon's long history of gold production. In addition to the long-life Eagle Gold Mine, the Dublin Gulch property has upsized exploration potential including priority targets Raven and Lynx among others. Follow all the gold production and exploration news at vgcx.com.
Craig Parry of Vizsla Copper joins us today to discus the acquisition of Universal Copper and its Poplar project, aligning with their strategy of consolidating copper projects in British Columbia and Canada. The Poplar project, although not a world beater in terms of grade, has potential for improvement and exploration. Vizsla Copper plans to focus on their Woodjam projects, particularly the Megaton porphyry discovery. Craig also shares thoughts on BC Critical Mineral Strategy and on an opinion piece written by a few of his peers.
FPX Nickel has a new strategic investor. Vizsla Silver will spin out a Royalty Company for Panuco. Drill results to report from West Red Lake Gold and i-80 Gold. Sampling results from K2. Defense Metals signs important agreement with McLeod Lake Indian Band. We'd like to thank our sponsors: Arizona Sonoran Copper Company (ASCU:TSX) is focused on developing its brownfield copper project on private land in Arizona, a tier 1 location. The Cactus Mine Project is located less than an hour's drive from the Phoenix International airport via highway i-10, and with grid power and the Union Pacific Rail line situated at the base of the Cactus Project main road. With permitted water access, a streamlined permitting framework and infrastructure already in place, ASCU's Cactus Mine Project is a lower risk copper development project in the infrastructure-rich heartland of Arizona.For more information, please visit www.arizonasonoran.com. Fireweed Metals is advancing 3 different projects within the Yukon and Northwest Territories, including the flagship Macmillan Pass Project, a large zinc-lead-silver deposit and the Mactung Project, one of the largest and highest-grade tungsten deposits in the world. Fireweed plans to advance these projects through exploration, resource definition, metallurgy, engineering, economic studies and collaboration with indigenous people on the path to production. For more information please visit fireweedmetals.com. Vizsla Silver is focused on becoming one of the world's largest single-asset silver producers through the exploration and development of the 100% owned Panuco-Copala silver-gold district in Sinaloa, Mexico. The company consolidated this historic district in 2019 and has now completed over 325,000 meters of drilling. The company has the world's largest, undeveloped high-grade silver resource, which will grow with a resource update in early 2024. Learn more at https://vizslasilvercorp.com/ Victoria Gold operates the Eagle Gold Mine within the Dublin Gulch Property. Eagle is the largest gold mine in Yukon's long history of gold production. In addition to the long-life Eagle Gold Mine, the Dublin Gulch property has upsized exploration potential including priority targets Raven and Lynx among others. Follow all the gold production and exploration news at vgcx.com.
Vizsla Silver published its updated mineral resource estimate this morning for the Panuco silver-gold project in Mexico. The company grew both inferred and indicated resources by 49% each. We talk about the numbers and also the methodology of getting to this point. What do investors and shareholders expect to see from here?
Its a busy Monday today with both Vizsla Silver and QC Copper and gold publishing updated resource estimates for their projects. New drill results form Endurance Gold, American Eagle Gold and Arras Minerals. We'd like to thank our sponsors: Arizona Sonoran Copper Company (ASCU:TSX) is focused on developing its brownfield copper project on private land in Arizona, a tier 1 location. The Cactus Mine Project is located less than an hour's drive from the Phoenix International airport via highway i-10, and with grid power and the Union Pacific Rail line situated at the base of the Cactus Project main road. With permitted water access, a streamlined permitting framework and infrastructure already in place, ASCU's Cactus Mine Project is a lower risk copper development project in the infrastructure-rich heartland of Arizona.For more information, please visit www.arizonasonoran.com. Fireweed Metals is advancing 3 different projects within the Yukon and Northwest Territories, including the flagship Macmillan Pass Project, a large zinc-lead-silver deposit and the Mactung Project, one of the largest and highest-grade tungsten deposits in the world. Fireweed plans to advance these projects through exploration, resource definition, metallurgy, engineering, economic studies and collaboration with indigenous people on the path to production. For more information please visit fireweedmetals.com. Vizsla Silver is focused on becoming one of the world's largest single-asset silver producers through the exploration and development of the 100% owned Panuco-Copala silver-gold district in Sinaloa, Mexico. The company consolidated this historic district in 2019 and has now completed over 325,000 meters of drilling. The company has the world's largest, undeveloped high-grade silver resource, which will grow with a resource update in early 2024. Learn more at https://vizslasilvercorp.com/ Victoria Gold operates the Eagle Gold Mine within the Dublin Gulch Property. Eagle is the largest gold mine in Yukon's long history of gold production. In addition to the long-life Eagle Gold Mine, the Dublin Gulch property has upsized exploration potential including priority targets Raven and Lynx among others. Follow all the gold production and exploration news at vgcx.com.