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The post Sin And Worse Sin – 2 Samuel 11:4 – December 27, 2025 first appeared on Enduring Word.
As resentment of the rich and powerful surges, billionaires and CEOs are using everything from secret trackers to full security squads to protect themselves and their families. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The DOJ's transcripts with Ghislaine Maxwell read less like a deposition and more like a polite coffee chat, with Todd Blanche treating a convicted trafficker as if she were a misunderstood guest instead of a predator. Rather than pressing her for truth, the exchanges gave Maxwell space to “set the record straight,” validating her narrative and laundering her image into something official. The tone was soft, deferential, and absurd — serving not to expose corruption but to protect it, wrapping the cover-up in the illusion of accountability. Survivors were left silenced while Maxwell was gifted the spotlight, turning justice into propaganda.Worse still, many in the media and commentary class framed this transcript as a form of closure. Podcasters, influencers, and columnists repeated the DOJ's narrative with an air of finality, presenting Maxwell's statements as meaningful contributions to the record. They highlighted her composure, spoke of nuance, and positioned the exchange as a step forward. In practice, this served less as analysis and more as amplification of a managed script. By portraying the transcript as progress, these voices reinforced the perception that the matter was resolved, when in reality it functioned only to shield institutions, minimize scrutiny, and reframe a cover-up as resolution.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.
Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 6 Planning a Future. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. October 17, 2020. All of Dave's partners were at the park, setting up the folding table and portable gazebo. None of his partners were wilting flowers, so he couldn't exactly muscle his way in to doing the set up. But, they had taken off with the intent that three would return to clean the dishes while the rest hung out in the park for Shawna to get off in barely an hour. Roscoe and Esme, of course, were among those getting to run around in the grass and fresh air. So, Dave was at the sink, scrubbing dishes with some of his favorite songs playing out of his Echo Show in the kitchen. The volume was cranked, and so was Dave's voice as he sang along, rather skillfully, but a bit out of practice. Currently, he was belting through a Kenny Loggins song. One that got him energized and moving. Isabella's eyes, Oh, shine your light and make your momma smile "Who, yeah, shake it baby!" Dave spun around, caught in the act. Doing dishes, and singing. And dancing. Sort of. Mel and Becca stood at the entrance to the kitchen, clapping and whistling. Lupie was beside them, with a smile and a raised eyebrow. "I claim dibs on naming my first daughter Isabella!" Rebecca called out. Melanie pursed her lips and looked defeated. "I'd fight you for that privilege, but with a daughter named Esmeralda, that'd be too close. Besides," Lupie added with a wry smile, "some would say it's the same name, so I guess I got there first." Then, she playfully stuck out her tongue. Now, Lupie is often fun loving, but this was a level of silly unheard of for her. Everyone was too busy laughing with her to show much in the way of shock though. Dave moved in to hug her and delivered a soft kiss. Lupie hummed into the kiss and smiled before pulling back with a playful scowl. "Don't think I forgot you were doing basic chores, David." "They needed doing, and I didn't have much on my plate at the moment, corazon ." Lupie just narrowed her eyes at Dave's reply, but the smile below gave away her jest. For added measure, Dave slapped her ass and then squeezed. That and Lupie's 'Eep!' got Mel and Becca laughing again. Then they took up position behind Dave's shoulders, so he was surrounded by his partners. Their hands slid along his sides in ways that were chaste, for now, but hinted at an interest in something more. "No, horny girls, remember this is Shawna's celebration. Picnic party in the park, the gift from Becca and Reena, and then she gets Dave all to herself until after breakfast." The younger women groaned, but acquiesced. "Shawna's heading straight there from work, and she texted me a few minutes ago she was on her way out the door. We need to wrap up here in short order and get to the park." Lupie sent Dave to wash up and change for the party while the ladies finished the remaining dishes and picked up the last needed items for the party. They got to the park about ten minutes before Shawna, or just enough time for Roscoe to finish saying hello to each of them. The other ladies greeted Shawna warmly, then she advanced on Dave, who had been waiting his turn. "Congratulations, babe. I'm proud of you and happy for you." Shawna wrapped him in a tight hug and a long, lingering kiss that was smoky rather than fiery. "I've been looking forward to that all day." Dave smiled and dropped a quick peck on her lips. "So, just the two of us until tomorrow morning huh?" Shawna grinned. "Umm-hmm. Very accommodating crew you've drawn to you, darling." "And pretty good cooks too. You should get something to eat. I made that cucumber tomato salad you like." "Ooo, with the fresh veggies you just harvested?" Dave nodded. Shawna skipped happily to the table, Dave beside her, holding her hand. Dave ate a double helping of everything. Each dish was tasty, and he was hungry. He sidled up to Shawna. "So how's Skippy the Wonder Boy doing?" Shawna's department now consisted of her, a young and fresh out of college guy with his master's in meteorology, and a young lady that was on her internship last spring when lockdowns hit. Each had different levels of skills, and each had shortages that Shawna, as the boss, had to train them up from. At least 'Skippy' had finished all the classes. He seemed like a pleasant guy on air. Unfortunately, he looked perpetually 14, wearing one of daddy's suits. The scruffy attempt at a beard was not helping. Shawna's scowled. Hard. "Mitchell is coming along just fine. Especially for a young man thrust into a position with far more responsibility than he should have to carry this soon out of school." "I'm sorry, hun. He always comes off as very pleasant, but he also looks way too young." "He is too young. He's handling his professional duties quite well, though. It's his personal life I worry about occasionally." "How so?" "Well, his first partner was a former Cowboys cheerleader, and looks it. She's been off the squad for two years, so she didn't get snapped up by some rich guy wanting a trophy." Shawna paused to a rough exhale. "But yeah, this earnest, and rather naïve, nerd boy has the devastatingly hot, bubbly woman three years older than him dumped in his lap. His first day back after she'd joined him, I thought the top of his head was going to fall off, he was smiling so big." Dave snorted at the image. He could understand the boy's predicament. That made him think. "That was just the start. His second partner was his sister's best friend; she was homecoming queen and prom queen. The sad side is, his sister didn't make it." Shawna's voice caught. "So sometimes he's having sex with this beauty that he never thought would come near him, and sometimes they're crying together over his dead sister and her dead friend." "Damn this fucking virus," Dave said huskily. He blew out a breath. "He really is one of us isn't he?" Shawna nodded. "How many partners does he have?" "Mindy, his fourth partner joined him last week. He's probably getting a fifth soon." She thought for a moment. "Guess that means you'll be getting another lady soon as well." Dave shrugged. "Yeah, maybe. I'm at seven now, so maybe that's it. That would be fine by me. Any one of you alone are incredible." He paused for the appreciative kiss. "I was thinking, if both families are plused up enough to be safe, then maybe we should invite him and his partners over. For games, or just talk and some background music." Shawna brightened. "Now that's the man I fell for." She kissed him firmly on the cheek. "I don't know if he has any friends or family left, and his girls are nice ladies, but not nerds. Well, Ginger, his third partner is an anime fan, but I think that's the extent of her nerd creds. Mindy's an athlete. Now, all of them love him to death, and they may share some of his other interests, but not the nerdy stuff." Dave frowned. "Sounds like Oracle isn't working out for him." "Oh, no. He has interests that aren't strictly speaking nerdy. And I know there's some sharing going on there. Kelly, the former cheerleader, shares his love of gardening." "And that's something Liv and I can share with the both of them." "Yup." "Okay, let's talk it over with the others and plan something." Dave looked chagrined. "So, uh, what's his real name?" Shawna gave him a pursed-lip grin with narrow eyes. "Mitch. Mitchell Westfield" "I'll work on that." Shawna gave him some side-eye, but with a grin, as they walked back to the others. Becca and Reena were waving them over excitedly and everyone had gathered around the box with the cake Lupie'd made. Shawna opened the package Reena held up for her. In the small box was a black t-shirt with the station logo over the heart on the front and "Weather Boss" across the back. The girls had carefully made sure it was just the right fit, not too snug or too loose for Shawna to wear to work. She laughed and hugged each teen. "You two are pretty awesome you know?" Both young ladies beamed. Shawna draped the t-shirt over her shoulder as Lupie opened the box to reveal the cake. It was three layers, with milk chocolate icing. On the top was the station logo, with the words 'Chief Meteorologist'. Around the sides, as one walked around, there was a sun breaking through clouds, a cloud with rain falling from it, and the third tableau depicted a tornado, with a bit of dust obscuring the bottom. "Oh, it's perfect Lupie! Thank you so much!" The ladies embraced before Lupie set about slicing the well-crafted dessert. Naturally, Shawna got the first slice. Between the layers was a thin puree of strawberries; Shawna's favorite. That was good for a small happy dance, which in turn, made Lupie happy. With everyone chatting happily, Dave slipped away from the others. He just had a small side trip he needed to make. About fifteen minutes later, Shawna came around the bend in the sidewalk as it exited the trees near the base of the bridge. She moved, unhurried, to Dave's side as he stood at the peak of the bridge, looking down at the stream passing below. In flood stage, it took a wider path, and might legitimately be called a river. Most of the time, it remained within the narrow channel with broad margins that were pleasant to walk along if you wore the right footwear. "You know, we all saw you leave. We just thought you needed some space. Or some time." She looked into his face, seeing the evidence of tears, but not a full-on bawling episode. "This is Eddie's bridge isn't it?" Eyes watering again, Dave didn't trust himself to speak and merely nodded. Shawna stepped closer and hugged him. They stood like that for a few minutes before she slowly released him. "Thanks. I needed that. I just; I'm such a damn wimp. I know I need to be stronger for all of you, but I; I can't move past this." "You keep focusing on the times you fall down. I see the man that gets back up, shoulders the burden, and keeps going." "I don't want to though, I only do it because I have to." "That's what makes you the man I've fallen in love with. No one wants to take the burden, and some people refuse to do it. You do it, knowing how much pain you'll go through again." "This world sucks ya know." "It always has, we just papered over it and let ourselves forget. Now is one of the times the ugliness rips through the paper walls and makes us look it in the face." Shawna paused to stroke the side of Dave's face soothingly. "Do you remember the Kurlan Naiskos, in TNG?" "Yeah." "One of your voices is an ox. Carry any burden, push through any problem, get the job done no matter the cost to yourself. A low-key hero. Maybe not the only hero within you. All I'm saying is, I am very glad to have you in my life, and to be a part of your life." They stood there at the railing, looking at the water for a minute or so. Then Shawna spoke again. "Honestly David, we're talking about your son's death here. I'd be worried if you weren't having bouts of sorrow. Hell, that would scare the shit out of me. I'd much rather come home to find you curled into a fetal position bawling your eyes out, than you just blithely going about your life as if nothing happened." Dave looked up at her and smiled weakly. "Okay. Sorry, I just feel like such a pussy when I get like this." "Don't make me tell Becca on you," Shawna said with a grin. With a sly smile, Dave rejoined, "So, how may I convince you to keep my dirty secret?" "Hmm, kitty's hungry, Davey." Shawna said in a low tone. Then she nibbled her finger and switched to a higher pitched schoolgirl pleading tone. "Kitty needs cream. Please Davey, pump your cream into my hungry, wet kitty." "Kitty hell, I'm looking at a strong, capable panther that could eat me alive and make me smile the whole time." Shawna grinned, excited. The skirt she wore that day was long and loose, without being flowy. Dave knelt briefly to reach his hands up and pull off her thong panties. He stuffed them in his pocket as she gathered the lower part of her skirt in her hands and leaned back against the railing. Fortunately, Dave was wearing jeans instead of cargo shorts today. Cargos would have dropped to his ankles the moment he unbuckled, leaving his bare ass out for anyone to walk by and see. Though no one seemed to be on the trail today. Instead, he unbuckled and unzipped, lowering his jeans and boxers just enough to bring his already half-erect cock out. When he stepped closer to Shawna, she wrapped her left leg around his waist and draped the skirt to cover the both of them. A few minutes of hungry kisses and energetic groping had Dave at full mast. He slipped himself inside Shawna's drenched pussy while she groaned. They fucked hard. Shawna focused mostly on staying upright and close, but put some effort into fucking back at him. Dave drove himself into her, his hunger matching hers, one hand behind her torso, the other fondling her tit through her shirt and bra roughly, the way she liked when they were going fast. His thumb and forefinger grasped at her nipple, and Shawna hit her first orgasm. She shook in Dave's arms, her rippling inner muscles running riot on his intruding organ. As she calmed, he approached his peak. She could see it in his eyes and urged him onward with soft, lusty whispers. As Dave erupted, she clutched him tight, her body overcome with spasms as the serum renewed her attachment to him, giving her pleasure when he attained climax. When her shuddering subsided, she kissed him warmly. Dave slipped himself out of her and quickly fixed his boxers and jeans. He handed her panties back, so she had something to stem the fluids flowing out of her. There were knowing smiles when they rejoined the others, but no commentary. In the mid-evening, with dusk sufficiently fallen outside, Dave and Shawna lay cozily tangled in the bath. With darkness outside and only the smallest, dimmest light on the vanity, the lighting gave a warm, inviting ambience. Peach bubble bath scented the air more than the water. It was just a little late in the year for a fresh peach; Dave checked that early in his planning. Shawna took another deep breath, a big, lazy grin on her face. "My favorite scent ever." "So can I call you my Georgia peach, even if you're not from Georgia?" "Well, I sort of am. My mother's from Georgia. Mom and Dad met at UGA. He was majoring in Civil Engineering and she was majoring in Music Education. When they graduated, they moved to St Louis to start their new life together. Dad grew up in Creve Coeur, a town near St Louis." "That's a sweet story." "Umm hmm. I'm hoping to have the same happily ever after here. They're both alive and quarantining hard. Hopefully, the vaccine will get there soon. I haven't said anything to them directly, but they are being careful." Dave gave a slight extra squeeze to the hug. They sat there in silence again for a while. Then Dave's hands slipped downward a bit, cupping her tits lightly as he hummed '; really love your peaches wanna shake your tree ;” Shawna recognized the tune and chuckled. It was a long, slow, comfortable night, with more cuddling and light touching than sex. Ditto for the wake up. Chapter 8; Planning a Future. October 19, 2020. Shawna's early shift meant she was home for dinner with enough time to change and sit with the family talking while Lupie and Reena prepared the meal. "Mom was a pretty good painter. She actually sold a few at small auctions. The one she was proudest of, she gave to Dave though. He's a fan of seascapes, so she made this beautiful painting with a cliff in the upper left and a roiling, storm-tossed ocean filling most the canvas. Lots of white caps and ocean spray, dark stormy waters, the whole works. You could almost feel like you were on the deck of a ship struggling to stay afloat in the storm." Liv looked wistful as she spoke of her mom's talents. "Oh! I've seen that one!" Jan exclaimed. The others looked between Livy, Dave, and Jan. With a neutral face that they had become accustomed to at certain times Dave said, "I put it away in a closet to keep it safe. I; went through a dark time there for a while. I didn't want to damage it." "And I found it when I was looking for the book boxes you mentioned. I'm sorry I brought it up, Dave." Olivia nodded her agreement with Jan. "Don't be ladies. Janelle's gift is a bright point. Honestly, I'm at a place now that I would feel safe bringing it back out. And the photos." A small relief settle over the gathering. There were a few spots that obviously held a picture or painting for some years, but had been bare when the ladies arrived. The general state of the world, and the events of Olivia and Melanie's arrival made each reluctant to broach the subject. "It would be good to see pictures of Eddie, Janelle, and; Carter?" Shawna said softly. "I don't think I ever saw Livy's parents, but I met Eddie a few times." Becca chimed in. "He was a nice guy. Kinda handsome too. But, I know where he got that from." She blew an air kiss to Dave. The others grinned or chuckled, with a few nods. "Well, she made the painting in Eddie's senior year, and he was between girlfriends when Mom finished. She had me bring it over on a weekend she knew Eddie was staying with Dave. Dave hadn't moved to this house yet." Dave chuckled, in memory, as he realized where Olivia was going with this story. "Keep in mind, Eddie is almost three years older than me. At the time, I was a few months past fifteen, and Eddie was shy of his eighteenth birthday by a few months. Mom drives me, but hangs back a bit, having me talk to Dave and Eddie. I get to Dave's front door, all flustered, 'cuz here's my crush, that I fantasize about spending my life with," Olivia is beaming a big smile at this point, with Dave replying with a shame-faced smile, "being all happy for this gift I'm giving him and showing me all this affection, but like I'm a well-loved daughter, not a woman he'd go out with. And all these little-girl-in-love feelings are just going haywire." The older ladies all showed some level of sympathy for Olivia. For her part, Becca slipped off her spot, nestled in beside Dave and said, "I don't know what you're talking about." The play-act was good for a chuckle. "That's when Eddie pipes up and offers to take me out that evening. He looked uncertain, but somewhat interested. We were friends, but there'd been no romance, no attraction. I was torn, because Eddie is a; " Olivia swallowed "--was a great guy, but he wasn't the guy I was after. I agreed, though. A week later he admitted that Dave put him up to it, and Mom was almost certainly involved. The three of them made multiple attempts at throwing us together. Hell, Eddie was the only boy Daddy didn't try to scare off." "Wait, so you dated Eddie?" "Not really. It was just two friends hanging out. It happened a few times as Mom, Dad, and Dave kept trying to get us together, but it never stuck. We both thought the other was an incredible person," she paused for a second again, "but there was no; no spark of desire. I mean, yeah, he thought I was pretty, I thought he was handsome, but it just wasn't there." "OK, 'cuz that would have been really weird. Especially if you two had; " "Nope." Olivia said it awfully quick, with a bit of extra color rising in her face. That caused everyone else to lean in. "Girl," was all Shawna said. Olivia rolled her eyes and exhaled hard. "They were trying so hard, and we really liked each other, and we thought maybe if we just tried; but we couldn't kiss without giggling. Like we couldn't bring our lips together we'd bust out laughing first. On the cheek was fine, but lips touching was just too goofy." Olivia stared off into space for a moment. "Okay, there was one time we tried to go all the way. I was over eighteen by then. We each undressed ourselves, but by the time we were both naked, we both had the nervous giggles. On paper, we should have been a great match, but something big was missing." "Oh, I've felt it," Becca said, waving her hand in the air, "I know what the big missing thing was." The whole house cracked up laughing. "Hey, we are talking about my friend here. And he's Dave son, so he was no slouch there. It just wasn't hard. That was a little demoralizing. I'm standing there, naked, tits out, not trying to hide anything, and I was already keeping it trimmed, so it's all out there where he can see it, and he's limp. Full length, but limp. That was a blow to my ego." "Coulda been worse. If you had slept with Eddie ;” A collective shiver ran through the room. "Yeah, yeah that would be weird. I may or may not have gone out the next weekend and found a guy to assuage my hurt ego, though." A few sympathy nods occurred in response. "About two months later, I found another boyfriend, but by then, I knew in my heart I was just biding time 'til I was old enough to pursue Dave. I was over eighteen, of course, but I knew I needed to be a bit older to really get his attention. That relationship eventually petered out, and every guy since has been a month or two fling about twice a year so I don't go crazy." "And now you have your dream guy." Jan supplied. Just then, Reena came out to the arch separating the dining room and living room. "We're starting to bring dishes out to the table. You can start taking seats." Looking at Becca, she added, somewhat resignedly, "Did you tell him yet?" Becca squealed. "I almost forgot! Thank you for reminding me! We were watching MTV earlier, and they're going through a leadership change. Like all the bigwigs got fired, and now they have a new CEO." Dave looked askance. "I haven't been interested in MTV for a few decades, back before they should have stopped using the 'M' if they were being honest." "That's just it though! The new guy has announced they will refocus on music." "But I liked The Real World!" Kareena grumped. Becca stuck her tongue out at Reena, before turning back to Dave. "And you'll never guess who the new head of MTV is!" "I don't follow music industry executives, so no, I really have no idea, who it could be." "But you know this guy," she said with a wide grin. "He's a little white, a little nerdy. He likes polka; " "No. Way." Dave said with a grin on his face. "Weird Al?" Shawna started chuckling. "Seriously?" "Yep! Weird Al Yankovich is the new head of MTV! They're having a grand re-opening Wednesday, noon, Pacific Time. They said there will be themed hours, so certain times will be 80's music, or 90's, or girl-pop, or hard rock, etc." "Wonder if they'll borrow VH1 'Pop-up Video' with the little factoids. That could be a good hour-block too." That's when Lupie appeared to summon them all to the table for dinner. Firmly this time. As dinner wound down, Lupie turned to Becca. "Have you asked him yet?" The little blonde shrunk into herself. "No," she said softly. "Ask me what?" Dave inquired. Reena looked at Becca like she was waiting for her to take the lead, but wouldn't for much longer. Rebecca swallowed hard, inhaled like she was steeling herself, and looked at Dave. "We didn't get a prom. Reena pointed that out last week. And, back then, it wasn't an issue for me. I mean, even without; everything that's going on. But now, it'd be kinda cool. So, um, the others are putting a prom on for us; me and Reena, I mean; so, uh, Dave, would you take me to prom?" Dave was surprised, and a little stunned. "I, uh," he sputtered, until Lupie, Jan, and Shawna fixed him with very determined looks. "Of course. Yes, Rebecca Sampson, I will escort you to prom." The cheers around the table settled after a moment, and attention turned to Reena. She beamed. "Dave, would you take me to prom also?" With a big grin, Dave replied, "Well, I dunno, I already have one prom date ;” his tone was playfully enough to keep most of the panic flutters out of Reena's stomach. "I would happily share a prom date with Reena." Becca interjected. "Then yes, Kareena Agrawal, I will escort you to prom along with Becca." Another round of cheers as both girls laughed. "So, you get a second prom Dave, this time with two hot dates!" Jan teased. Dave looked at her side eyed. "First actually. I wasn't in any kind of social demand in high school." "Wait, you didn't go to prom?" half the ladies exclaimed. Dave scoffed. "It was a social thing. I was a nerd. Okay, I'm still a nerd, don't give me that look. Anyway, I didn't belong at social events. Dances, football games, I didn't go and nobody missed me." "I'm a nerd, and I went to prom, David." Shawna replied. "You're a pretty girl. Boys like to go to dances with pretty girls. Girl nerds still get asked out, especially when they're attractive." No one wanted to ruin the mood by pursuing that line of discussion further, but they all noted an undertone in Dave's comments. October 21, 2020. Dave planted soft kisses on Lupie's shoulder as he drove himself in and out of her hot, wet tunnel. He held her hip with one hand and traced lazy patterns on her abdomen with the other. Lupie's hands rested on the wall as she bent over, pushing her ass out so Dave could pump himself into her sex. They were ten minutes into what was supposed to be a quickie, but both enjoyed the union so much they were subtly stretching out the encounter. Of course, the fact that Esme's room was right next to Dave's office added some need for quiet. And quiet fucks were generally slower. Still, they couldn't take forever. With this many people in the house, no matter how quiet they were, if they kept going, someone would walk in on them. Dave slipped his hand from Lupie's belly up to her tit. He took a firm, possessive grip and rubbed her nipple with his palm and massaging the bulk of her tit with his fingers. Lupie's right hand left the wall and flew to her mouth. Her shoulder braced against the wall, Lupie's eyes rolled back as her torso convulsed. Her low moan of ecstasy was largely stifled by her hand. The undulation of her inner muscles set Dave off, and he fired several ropes of hot cum into her waiting passage. Both stood there for a minute, steadying themselves and luxuriating in the primal satisfaction of the completed act. As Dave softened and slipped out of her, Lupie reached to the side table and grabbed some tissues to catch any leakage. She turned, resting her back against the wall and staring into her lover's eyes. "You know David, tomorrow is the day. Hopefully." Dave looked at her quizzically. "I ovulate tomorrow. I've been tracking it. This time could be the one that gets me pregnant." Dave leaned into Lupie and took her in his arms. A shudder passed through him as he realized he might soon be a father again. A dark, demented voice rose up to remind him just how well that worked out the last time. "Still," Lupie purred with a grin, "I wouldn't mind a second dose tomorrow, just to increase our chances." Dave kissed her slowly on the lips, with no tongue. "Purely for reproductive purposes of course." He added a wink. Lupie hugged him tightly after barking out a short laugh. Then they dressed and she headed back downstairs. Dave opened the new microfridge and pulled out a bottle of water and a pouch of tuna in sunflower oil. Livy and Mel picked up the fridge last week, during the grocery run. The same trip they'd gotten the palmprint secured gunsafe for Livy's headboard. Mel and Reena put it in place while Dave and Liv installed the safe. He guzzled about half the water bottle before setting it down. Then he took his time with the tuna and the other half the bottle. Time enough to mull over his problem. His game might be dead in the water, for good this time. As with so many others, he hadn't heard back from the artists that made the images for him in too damn long. The background artist, Harrison Black, had been incommunicado for months. That may not be an insurmountable problem. There was only one background missing from the scenes he had planned out. Those scenes might be movable to one of the existing settings. Or maybe he could find an artist to make that last image and match Harri's style; but that would be a dicey prospect. As long as he didn't add any new locations, he was good there. But; his character artist was also not responding. His last email two months ago mentioned he was sick. He had finished all of the characters through the last update, but the game had three more characters to complete the cast, and one played a pivotal role in the last two scenes of the pending update. He needed to find a new artist. And negotiate a new contract. For a game whose market may have shrunk drastically. Who the hell would pay money for a game about a guy surviving an apocalypse and fucking hot babes when they're in the middle of an actual apocalypse and every surviving guy had several women addicted to his cum? It was still worth a shot though. After mulling over the wording, Dave opened Discord and navigated to UnVale, the site he'd used before. He found an appropriate thread and started typing. budget: $800 plus 10% of revenue work: headshot and 3d poly-rigged female character, character description (rough physical and detailed personality) provided in further communications. three characters needed. possibly three artists, one per character. Upfront and percentage applied per character. timeline: 6-8weeks Commercial use, erotic game respond by DM please With that done, Dave left the server. There were other things to do. He logged into the email server for Eastfield and checked for messages. His dean emailed with a list of classes for spring semester. Technically, she was offering the list for his approval. Yeah right. She's the dean. Yeah, He'd made full professor rank five years ago, but getting in a pissing match with the dean over class assignments was never a good idea. And she'd never given him reason to anyway. The 'check these to make sure they are right' note always elicited that rebel reaction in him. Interesting. Math department must be shorthanded. Dave had one section of college algebra in addition to two sections of physics. One of those was calc-based, the other algebra & trig based. And then a section of gen ed physical science. That had been awhile, but something he'd done before. He emailed back the list looked fine, but he'd need a copy of the texts for the math and physical science classes, and quickly, so he could start planning. Hard copies if possible. At least a looseleaf version. He tagged in a suggestion they offer an astronomy class or earth science or oceans class. Something more focused that could get the kids attention. Student interest tends to improve student scores, after all. He pointed out with a little review time, he could teach the astronomy or earth science class. If they went with an oceans class, he'd need one of the biology folks to cover the portions of the class on sea life. Ugh. College algebra had some interesting and useful tools but teaching it to a class of mostly 'why do I have to take this'? whiners could make for a demoralizing semester. Well, maybe that would be the plus side of an apocalypse. The survivors might be all that much more desirous to grow and achieve. Okay, plan with positive thoughts. Expect hungry, eager young minds. Or even hungry, eager older minds. And a little bit scared. Some more than others. Lastly, he suggested that whichever of the three they offered should have a field trip component. Now more than ever, it was important to break students out of their doldrums and really see the stuff they talked about in class. "Dave! Dave! Dave!" Becca burst through his office door. "It's on! It's coming on next! Come down!" She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and raced back out. Dave was chuckling by the time she turned around, and rising as she passed the doorframe. He joined her in the living room in short order, without running. Lupie, Liv and Mel were waiting as well. Jan and Esme came out of the library just as Dave hit the bottom of the stairs. "All of you are music video fans?" Dave asked. "Or Weird Al?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm a you fan, David," Lupie replied, "and a Becca fan. You two are so excited by this, I had to be here to watch." "You exposed me to Weird Al when I was young and impressionable. My interest in him is all your fault." Olivia observed with a smirk. "Hey, I'm just band wagoning here," Melanie chortled. Then Jan chimed in. "This is a cultural event. It would be educational for Esme," she said with a sly grin. The commercial cut away and an aural cascade of celebration sounds issued from the TV. "Hello, all you beautiful people, I'm Martha Quinn, your Video Jockey for this inaugural segment of the renewed Music Television channel. Yes, we are concentrating on music again, and, in honor of the impending Halloween holiday, we have an oldie but a goldie; Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'." The screen cut to the iconic video by the king of pop. The full version. When it ended, Quinn was back. "I get chills from that every time." Martha shook her head, smiling. "Now, with the Thanksgiving holiday not far away, our new CEO has whipped up something to make the meal; just a little extra special." Guitar chords from Eric Clapton's 'Cocaine' start playing. When you eat leftovers, And you're feeling averse, ptomaine Half the room cracked up laughing. Dave didn't hear most the rest of the lyrics, but hell, his family was laughing. And surely the song would play again. It was good to laugh. By the time they settled down, the video was over and Martha Quinn's face stared back at them. "I hope you all enjoined that as much as I did. I'll be back to host 'The '80's Hump Day Show' this evening, but until then my younger colleagues will host shows featuring current, or at least more recent, styles. Our new formatting is geared to exemplify and introduce the unique and wonderful flavors of different eras and genres. We here at MTV would like to foster greater understanding and appreciation between peoples of different generations, so please, at some point during the week, take the time to sit in with us as we cover an era or style you are unfamiliar with and get to know some of the things that make other people in your life tick." Dave couldn't shake the sense that Quinn knew about the Quaranteam serum and was trying to foster connections between partners of well separated age groups, without talking about the serum in even the slightest. Then again, the sentiment had its own value, without the serum issues. October 22, 2020. The doorbell was still an unusual sound to hear these days, even though the house no longer felt like his own pyramid. It definitely wasn't quiet at the moment. House Belsus was in the midst of a round robin Mario Cart championship. Although, this one was a warmup. Shawna wasn't here, so they'd have another contest when the whole house was present. At the moment, Mel and Olivia were frustrated with each other and Esme's otherworldly ability both in the game and playing the two off each other. As the two of them attacked the other, Esme got ahead of them both. Becca was laughing, and well ahead of all three, sailing free and clear of any competitor or trap. Until Esme got a blue shell. Just as it detonated, the doorbell sounded. "I got it!" Reena shouted, leaping to her feet and rushing for the door. Dave rose to follow, but was tackled by Becca, Liv, and Mel. Lupie began to object, since Esme was in the room, but the girls were mostly just hugging, with some kissing. Lips only, no tongue. "Hey, come on! I need to go answer the door," he protested. "Nope," Becca retorted. "Reena hasn't gotten to welcome a new lady to the house yet. And you need to make a proper first impression when she walks in; smothered in adoring women!" Dave rolled his eyes but stopped trying to wiggle free. Lupie and Jan chuckled off to the side. "I heard that from outside." said a voice carrying a tinkle of amusement. All three young ladies scrambled up so Dave could stand and face their newest sister. She stepped forward, offering her hand. "Hi, I'm Vanessa Worton. You must be Dave. You have quite the entourage here." Dave reached his hand out to accept her greeting. Champagne blonde hair; with dark roots; fell from a middle part down the sides of her face to drape a few inches down her shoulders. Round, olive green eyes stared back at Dave from a face balanced between oval and rectangular. The wide smile, with plenty of teeth showing, appeared a mix of forced and natural while her cheeks gathered into pleasant apples above and beside her mouth. Vanessa wore a tight-knit thin teal sweater under a medium beige cardigan. Light tan slacks and slip-on comfortable walking shoes in dappled white and dark grey finished her business casual look. At 5'5" she wasn't exactly short for a woman, but neither was she tall by any stretch. She appeared to be a well-kept late thirties. The skin of her face was supple, but showed signs of experience in life; not all of it positive. Vanessa chuckled. "Well, it's always ego boosting for a man to be speechless upon seeing me. Especially one surrounded by such lovely ladies already." Dave collected himself. "Would you like a seat?" When he saw her noticing the paused game, he added, "We were having a playoff. Although this is really just practice, since Shawna's at work. She'll be home in another hour and a half. That's her usual time, though depending on her shift some days could be earlier or later." "So all of you are into video games?" Vanessa said as she stepped around her large pink rolling suitcase to find a seat. "No, some of us are into video games, and some of us join in for family unity." Lupie rejoined. "I can appreciate that." Vanessa smiled back. "Family sticks together." Her smile looked slightly artificial for a moment. "I like that you all refer to each other as family, rather than a team. It sounds; cozier, comforting. And the whole dogpile thing? Very Norman Rockwell. If Rockwell painted polygamous families," she added with a wide grin. "You must be Lupie," she said approaching the Latina. "I think your letter was the most convincing, and intimidating. I almost passed over Dave so I wasn't getting in the way of, or being overshadowed by, two long term loves." Everyone but Jan, Lupie, and Becca bore puzzled looks. That's when Jan cleared her throat and spoke up. "I was contacted the end of last week to type up a short mention of my time here, my thoughts, and such. I sent that in Sunday night." "I got mine in yesterday." Lupie said. "Me too," said Becca. "It was interesting getting three uniquely different people saying slightly different things that all painted the same picture." Vanessa walked back to Dave. "You're an interesting guy David Belsus." Dave looked slightly uncomfortable by instinct, but quickly applied some of the confidence he'd been gaining or faking. "You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Ms. Worton." "Vanessa. Or preferably, Nessa. Given how; close we are going to be." She flashed him a playfully wicked smile. Dave was getting enough practice now to see beneath the surface. Under the playfully strong woman exterior was a deep current of uncertainty, even nervousness. "I have professional reasons to be here as well. I'm a realtor, so I'm involved in the re-housing project going on. If I hadn't matched to you, I would have been by to visit sometime next week, but as it is, I'd like to start that conversation now, lay out the parameters for all of you and after I wake up from imprinting we can talk about what you; well, what we want," she ended with a grin. "Sounds good," Dave replied. "Re-housing, huh? Are we really supposed to wind up with many more ladies in the house?" "I don't know any more than you've been told, really, but I've seen some families much bigger. Most seem to be heading that direction though. The metroplex - all of North Texas - got hit hard, David." She paused. "Harder than some other areas because of all the deniers. I don't know the numbers, since I'm not involved in that work, but we have a lot fewer men here. We also had a higher loss of women, but not nearly to the same degree as the increased loss of men. Only a few of the women are interested in re-locating, so families here will likely be bigger than families in California or New England; on average anyway." "That's how it's been before all this though too." "Well, yeah," she said with a chuckle. Then she cleared her throat and seemed to settle into a 'professional' facial set. "To ease the logistical load for utilities and other services, the government is encouraging folks to gather into consolidated neighborhoods or downtown living areas. They mostly want people to live in multi-use towers. Basically, skyscrapers with stores and service shops on the bottom floor or two, and residential spaces above. Each family would have one entire floor. A large family might get two floors." "I would rather not live in a high-rise." Dave kept his tone neutral and even, in a way that suggested much more passion behind the sentiment than that actually expressed. "Well that brings us to the communities being formed. Some are on cul-de-sacs with enlarged houses. And the cul-de-sacs are clustered. There are some that have semi-circle roads with houses on the outer edge and a park or shops in the middle. The smaller ones of those are also clustered." "Of course, the Las Colinas and South Lake folks already have their gated communities. They may bring a few others in to occupy a house that was already empty, or vacated by a; casualty, but mostly, they are 'keeping to their own'. I wouldn't expect you; us; to get in there." "Not sure I'd want to." That earned a few nods. "There are a variety of sizes in the midrange communities. Those also vary by amenities in the house. Some houses in the same community have different amenities, inside or outside. In fact some of the nicer communities in the midrange are; choosy, so, again, they could be hard to get into." Dave, Lupie and Liv just shrugged. "Now, generally speaking, the communities will be mixed so there is, as best as possible, a cross section of races, political views, and interests in each community. The intent is to hopefully negate the polarization we've all seen increasing over the past twenty years." All of the older members of the family nodded. Everyone old enough to watch the news knew exactly what she was talking about. "But, there will be some; themed communities. In the Mesquite area, there will be a community of multiple cul-de-sacs near a stables." "And a country bar?" asked Reena, teasingly. "Please," Dave rejoined, "Mesquite is for ropers. They wear bright colored boots and never rode a horse. They drive lift kit pickups without a single scratch in the bed. A whole community of truck balls, rattails and mullets." He paused for a second. "Actually, that's not a bad idea. I could do with never seeing another mullet or rattail." "Or a lift kit." "Or truck balls." "I'll scratch Mesquite off the list of possible destinations for this team. Um, family," Vanessa corrected. "What about Park Cities area?" Dave looked at her balefully. He started ticking off on his fingers, "I make less than six figures, I do not own a tux; and only one suit; and I have no idea what to do with my pinkie finger when drinking tea or coffee." All of the ladies giggled. "Worse," he made quote fingers in the air, "Lupie is Hispanic, Jan is Korean, and Shawna, who's at work at the moment, is black. Not exactly a picture of Park Cities demographics." Vanessa looked like she was about to object, but held off. He wasn't wrong. Changing the topic, she said, "So, all we really need right now is to think about what spaces you will want, and what spaces you will need. Do you need an office? Do any of the women need one as well? Can those be combined?" "That could wind up as an excuse to visit with you more often during the day," Mel asserted. Reena and Becca giggled. Esme hadn't left the room, so she slightly veiled her meaning. "I will need a separate office. Sometimes I just need to focus. Besides, having my own office hasn't stopped y'all from making 'visits' during the day." Lupie blushed at the implication. She wasn't the only one though, just the most recent. "But Dave, I might need some math help," Becca pleaded. Vanessa looked slightly amused while the others laughed. The tale had been shared around. "I should never have told you that story," Dave said with narrow eyes and pursed lips. Though there was a twinkle in his eye and his lips curled up at the corners. "So, something for you ladies to share with me later, I take it?" Dave threw his hands in the air theatrically. "I'm surrounded." "Well, Dave, that's how; " Liv cut herself off as she remembered Esme was still in the room. Esme rolled her eyes. "Do I need to leave?" "No, you do not." Dave replied. "We will watch ourselves. This conversation is one you should have some input on. You might not get what you ask for, but at least I'd like to hear your preferences as much as anyone else's." Vanessa nodded, looking at Lupie. "Yup, just like you said." Lupie blushed. At Dave's reaction, Nessa looked to him and added, "All good things, all good things." "Olaf!" Esme cried. "You should be Olaf for Halloween. That's next week right?! We're doing something for it, right Da- uh, Dave?" Dave did not miss what Esme almost said. If she finished the original word, he might have lost it altogether. As it was, he managed to maintain his composure. He wasn't the only one. Lupie looked ready to bust with joy. Nessa bore a knowing grin that matched the others around the room. The shaky breath he took to steady himself was all they needed to confirm the impact the verbal slip had on him. In their eyes, he could see that for some, it was the reaction they needed him to have. Well, one more proof they all matched well. His natural reactions were what they wanted. Sometimes, anyway. "I think I just ovulated." Livy muttered. "What was that?" Dave asked. "Nothing darling, nothing at all," the busty brunette replied with a mild blush. The cackling of half the room did not help deter attention. "Maybe we should just get back to the discussion topic," Dave said with a wry grin. "Esme, any thoughts?" "Adults are crazy." Vanessa and a few others laughed. Dave just stared at Esme, a slight grin on his face and one raised eyebrow. Esme giggled. "Okay, I'd like a big backyard, a pool and an indoor play space that can also be an art room." Then, with an impish smile she added, "And a pony." "Ponies do not come with a house." Dave observed wryly. "The pool idea is a good one. If there's no community pool close by, that is. I mean, having one in the backyard would be great, but so long as it's easy to get to, a shared pool will do nicely. Is that doable, Nessa?" "Absolutely. Most of the communities either have a pool space already built, or have one planned. Some of the houses have backyard pools." She cleared her throat. "Though, none of the houses have enough yard space for a horse." She winked at Esme. "But two communities are reasonably close to riding stables with lots of pastureland." Dave chuckled and shook his head. "And let's list the art, craft and play space as a want, not a need, but a really want. An indoor space like that could be very handy when the weather sucks. It could also work as a classroom. After all, you can do a lot of science with craft supplies." Esme groaned and slapped her forehead. " That's my signal to leave. Besides, I still have a geography assignment to work on. Let me know when you're ready to finish the game." She slipped out to the library. Vanessa looked at Lupie. "She's adorable." "Thank you. She's also a handful." "I can see that." Vanessa replied. "Doesn't stop me from wanting one. Not right away, I mean, but, sometime in this coming year, I want to start trying." She turned to Dave as she said this. "Is that a problem?" "No. Not at all. We haven't talked about timing or anything, but I'd like to have kids with each of you. At least, I think you all want kids. If I'm wrong, let me know." All the ladies nodded, some adding a few words to express their interest. "Timing is the issue, though. We don't want the whole house pregnant at once. And some have college to complete and careers to establish." "Anyone trying now? If it's not too personal." Lupie raised her hand. "You're family now, or soon will be. It's not too personal. We hadn't said anything yet, but we are trying." The others squealed happily and rushed to hug her. "I think the conversation just came to an end," Dave observed. "That's ok, the main need for tonight was to get you all thinking about what you want. By early next week we should get together and nail down a specific list of needs and wants." She shifted in her seat. "Speaking of which, I'd like to wait until after dinner, maybe an hour after. I'd prefer to have dinner first and give it time to settle." "That's perfectly understandable. We can talk again just before. I'll; " "I am sure of my decision. But that's ok, feel free to ask again later for your peace of mind." At Dave's puzzled look, she explained, "Lupie and Jan mentioned you would be concerned about my comfort level with this decision." Her eyes twinkled. "Your ladies know you, David. I'm looking forward to being here." Dinner was a simple, quick affair of burgers, mac n' cheese from scratch and steamed green beans. Lupie and Mel offered to make something a bit more exciting, but Vanessa insisted quicker was preferred. They smiled and got busy in the kitchen. Nessa recognized Shawna as soon as she entered the living room. She didn't fawn over the local celebrity, exactly, but it took her a minute to adjust. After dinner was a slow time of conversations in pairs and triples. Nessa spent a lot of time listening but shared a few things about herself with the family. Eventually, she gave Dave a look that he was becoming accustomed to. He rose, approached her, and offered his hand. She took his hand and rose to stand beside him. The two ascended the stairs together. Everyone watched but said nothing. There were a few grins exchanged. When they entered the bedroom and shut the door, Vanessa turned to him, pulling herself close and burying her face in his chest. Then she looked up, meeting his questioning eyes. "I want this David. I want to be a part of the family you have here. I want to be with you. I talked with the others downstairs. I know you like to take your time. This isn't your first imprinting though, so you know I won't; get there except at the priming and imprinting; surges. I'll enjoy the efforts, but don't spend too much time on it, it will just be frustrating for me. So, show me your kind, attentive side, but don't overexert yourself on it, ok? Save it for one of the others this evening." Dave stroked her back gently and kissed her forehead. Nessa raised up on her toes and kissed him full on the lips. She hummed when he responded. They took their time, reveling in the closeness. She could feel in his body the desire to give her an emotional bond before the physical one, but the serum did not permit that. Still, that he wanted to do that for her bode well for a future together. The kiss grew more intense. Hands roamed from the 'safe' areas towards the more stimulating parts of the partner's body. Dave and Nessa's breathing increased in unison. That was the best part. That the person getting you all excited was just as excited as you. The hunger in their eyes rebounded, building in power like a laser. The frantic energy powered their hands as they tore at each other's clothes. They were stripped bare in short order, at nearly the same moment. Dave put an arm around her back and began kissing her again, turning himself one quarter away and walking toward the bed. As they arrived, she crawled quickly up the bed, turning on to her back and laying her head on a pillow as she reached the headboard. Dave gazed at her as he drew himself up on the bed with Nessa. Her body was smooth and lovely, well maintained, but not young anymore. Quite alluring. Neither washboard abs nor a paunch. Smooth, medium sized tits with a natural sag, medium brown areolas a bit larger than a half-dollar coin, and nipples slightly smaller than a pencil eraser that were fully erect. Below, her bush was neatly trimmed away from her vulva, which was clearly engorged with arousal as her inner petals flowered themselves outward, her outer lips parted slightly, just barely exposing the tip of her clitoris. Her face had dropped any sense of demur acceptance. She needed him. It was time, she was his and he was hers, for this moment. Dave crawled between her legs and positioned himself over her. He lowered himself enough to make contact over much of their bodies, without resting his weight fully on her. His erection sandwiched between them. He lay soft, gentle, languorous kisses on her forehead, cheeks and lips. She hummed her approval. As his kisses proceeded down her neck to her clavicle, her breathing picked up again. Her pelvis rubbed against him, seeking what only he could give her, seeking the fullness she needed to feel. Dave kept kissing and progressing down to her tits, kissing the yielding flesh there as she began to whimper. The yearning radiated from her in palpable waves. Dave repositioned his face to Nessa's, with his hips arched over her core. She steadied her tumultuous hunger, recognizing his preparation. Dave moved slowly until the tip of his organ rested against her wet, open entrance. He thrust forward, smoothly, firmly, penetrating her depths with half of his length over the course of several seconds. Vanessa responded with a cross between a groan and a cry, clutching him tightly with her hands on his shoulder blades. He pulled back out, eliciting a brief whimper until he thrust full length into her, which earned him a moan of pleasure. Her enthusiasm brought Dave quickly to the point of leaking precum, which had the expected effect the moment the fluid made contact with her velvety interior. Dave held her through her serum induced ecstasy. As she settled, she wrapped her arms around his back and looked into his eyes. He kissed her again as he began thrusting once more. Then he lowered his lips to her ear. "You're mine now Nessa. No other man may touch you." She gasped, excited. "Mine to take care of." He felt her shuddered beneath him. "Mine to enjoy." He felt her inner muscles flex and grasp his thrusting cock. "All mine. Your heart." "Yes." "Your mind." "Yes." "Your body." "Yes." "and your will." He thrust deep, holding himself there and working his hips to strike all of her inner surfaces. "Yes! Please David, please more!" Dave began thrusting with more vigor, pounding her sex with his own. Pummeling her interior as she writhed in her enjoyment of his actions. Her hips rolled and bucked. Her hands clutched and groped on his back; and her eyes. Her eyes implored him to take her like a beast. His breathing ragged, he savaged her lower body, stoking his own fires as surely as hers. So lost he was in the primal act, he never noticed his own building arousal until he'd fired off a few spurts into her, arresting her cries of pleasure and replacing them with a primal scream and orgasmic spasms which ended with her flopping to the bed in a naked heap. "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting ;” October 23, 2020. With the exception of Shawna, who was gone for work, the entire house devoted all of Friday to prom preparation. Lupie went to the store and picked up a few items she'd held off getting until day-of. On her return, she immediately lay into her prep work, getting the cold appetizers ready. Melanie came in to help in the early afternoon, once she had finished curating the song lists. She was the designated DJ for the evening. Becca and Reena both spent time with her a few days prior, nailing down what they wanted to listen to during dinner and dance to after. Liv and Janice were the decorating committee. They left the living room re-arrangement for last, starting that after Dave and the girls went to upstairs to dress. During the day, they set up the unused bedroom as a hotel room. It was close enough to the upstairs bathroom not to break the illusion. And it was well away from Esme's room. Esme was instructed to use the master bathroom from bedtime until after breakfast. By early afternoon, Becca and Reena retreated to the master bathroom to do their hair and nails. Reena did Becca's nails, and then her own. Once that cycle was done, she did Becca's hair and guided Becca through the steps for doing Reena's. Each girl did her own makeup, though Reena added a few touches to Becca's. Vanessa awoke by lunch time. She was tickled when Dave asked her to help out. He wanted a bit more dance practice. Dave was not a dancer. Mel and Olivia gave him some practice, about an hour or so each, on separate days earlier in the week. Those sessions went about how'd you'd expect. Started off with some innocuous club dancing, progressed into something steamy, and wound up in the horizontal mambo. On the plus side, each coed got her dose before prom night. By mutual acclamation, prom night was exclusively for Reena and Becca, and Dave reserved himself during the day as well. With Vanessa, he practiced a few more sedate dance styles, and a couple of the club moves, without the steamy stuff. She was still a bit sore from the vigor of last night. Although, she said so with a smile. Shawna took an early shift that day and arrived home shortly after Dave and Vanessa wrapped up their dance practice. Shawna first changed into an orange halter dress before taking possession of Dave, hauling him off to their tv room where his clothes were laid out. Nessa went downstairs to help Liv and Janice move the living room furniture to the borders of the room, leaving a respectable dance space in the middle. Once Dave and Shawna were both convinced his suit was laying perfectly, with no lint, and all the colors just right, they descended to the living room to wait with the others. Dave initially proposed he come to the master bedroom door and escort each girl downstairs, but they decided they would rather make their entrance on the stairwell, letting everyone, including Dave, see them as they came down. They drew straws to decide order, only to find out that Reena was drawing to go last and Becca was drawing to go first. A bit more communication would have saved them the whole drawing process and the debate on whether to draw straws or flip a coin, or rock-paper-scissors. The other ladies were dressed nice, but not prom nice. Lupie was looking lovely in her dark blue sundress with 2" (~5cm) diameter white polka dots. Mel & Liv wore 'club wear'. For Mel that meant 'liquid look' black pants and a tight white crop top showing a modest amount of midriff. For Liv it was tight jeans and a frilly blue blouse showing modest cleavage. Janice wore a red cocktail dress with her left shoulder exposed, a skirt that hugged her hips gently and fell past her knees. Nessa borro
The DOJ's transcripts with Ghislaine Maxwell read less like a deposition and more like a polite coffee chat, with Todd Blanche treating a convicted trafficker as if she were a misunderstood guest instead of a predator. Rather than pressing her for truth, the exchanges gave Maxwell space to “set the record straight,” validating her narrative and laundering her image into something official. The tone was soft, deferential, and absurd — serving not to expose corruption but to protect it, wrapping the cover-up in the illusion of accountability. Survivors were left silenced while Maxwell was gifted the spotlight, turning justice into propaganda.Worse still, many in the media and commentary class framed this transcript as a form of closure. Podcasters, influencers, and columnists repeated the DOJ's narrative with an air of finality, presenting Maxwell's statements as meaningful contributions to the record. They highlighted her composure, spoke of nuance, and positioned the exchange as a step forward. In practice, this served less as analysis and more as amplification of a managed script. By portraying the transcript as progress, these voices reinforced the perception that the matter was resolved, when in reality it functioned only to shield institutions, minimize scrutiny, and reframe a cover-up as resolution.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.
According to the UK's Department for Education, girls still make up fewer students choosing A-level maths and physics and even fewer go on to study engineering or computer science at university. Yet these subjects often lead to some of the best-paid jobs. So, does this mean girls just aren't as good at maths? So, what's behind that shift? So what can be done to change that? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the latest episodes, click here: How is micro-feminism helping women combat workplace sexism? How does the Matthew Effect help us understand class inequalities? Why has purple become the colour of feminism? A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
She was working as a housekeeper in a busy hotel in central New York. It was routine work—long hallways, empty rooms, doors propped open, the kind of job where you're alone but never think much of it. Until one day, something started passing her door. Just a flash of color at first. Red. Always moving. Always gone the second she looked straight at it. Easy to dismiss. Easy to explain away. Until it kept happening—on different floors, outside windows, in places it shouldn't have been. Eventually, she stopped reacting. And that's when the activity changed. Because whatever had been quietly pacing the hallways decided subtlety wasn't working anymore. This isn't a story about shadows or strange noises. It's about what happens when something realizes you see it… and wants to make sure you understand it sees you too. #TrueGhostStory #HauntedHotel #ParanormalEncounter #WorkplaceHaunting #SomethingFollowedHer #RealGhostStories #ParanormalPodcast #UnexplainedEvents #HauntedWorkplace #CreepyEncounters Love real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:
Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth are going to do unspeakable things to the people of Venezuela. The result is going to be more money for big oil companies, and a lot of dead people. Plus a Wisdom School musing on the ubiquity of panpsychism. Racist pundit Nick Fuentes advocated for non-Christians to receive the death penalty. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On today's encore episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail to discuss the controversial YouTube channel, Jubilee. A video of political commentator Mehdi Hasan debating 20 far-right republicans has gone viral, but as Ismail argues in his piece for Slate, it also crossed a line. When political disagreement becomes content and extremism is rewarded with clicks, everybody loses. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's encore episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail to discuss the controversial YouTube channel, Jubilee. A video of political commentator Mehdi Hasan debating 20 far-right republicans has gone viral, but as Ismail argues in his piece for Slate, it also crossed a line. When political disagreement becomes content and extremism is rewarded with clicks, everybody loses. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's encore episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail to discuss the controversial YouTube channel, Jubilee. A video of political commentator Mehdi Hasan debating 20 far-right republicans has gone viral, but as Ismail argues in his piece for Slate, it also crossed a line. When political disagreement becomes content and extremism is rewarded with clicks, everybody loses. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's encore episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail to discuss the controversial YouTube channel, Jubilee. A video of political commentator Mehdi Hasan debating 20 far-right republicans has gone viral, but as Ismail argues in his piece for Slate, it also crossed a line. When political disagreement becomes content and extremism is rewarded with clicks, everybody loses. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's encore episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail to discuss the controversial YouTube channel, Jubilee. A video of political commentator Mehdi Hasan debating 20 far-right republicans has gone viral, but as Ismail argues in his piece for Slate, it also crossed a line. When political disagreement becomes content and extremism is rewarded with clicks, everybody loses. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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The Superhero Show #610Cadillacs and Dinosaurs: SurvivalThe Superhero Show: Survival — Poison, Poachers, and PerseveranceThis week on The Superhero Show, the hosts venture back into the dangerous world of Cadillacs and Dinosaurs with episode 1.07, “Survival.” Danger strikes on multiple fronts as Jack Tenrec and Hannah Dundee face ruthless hunters, toxic threats, and impossible odds. Every choice matters. Every mistake could be fatal.A Simple Job Turns DangerousThe episode opens with what seems like routine work. Jack and Kirgo collect rubber sap from jungle trees for vital machine parts. However, calm never lasts long in this world.Nearby, Lassard, a greedy and reckless poacher, detonates explosives inside a gas-filled cavern. The blast causes chaos. It also kills Lassard when the cave collapses on him. His ambition leaves a lasting ripple.Back in Sea City, Wilhelmina Scharnhorst recovers a submerged antiquity freight car. She ignores repeated warnings. Meanwhile, Mustapha refuses to assist until the cargo is proven safe. His instincts prove correct.Poison Beneath the CityOnce the tunnels are drained, the truth emerges. The freight car contains toxic canisters linked to a past catastrophe. Mustapha remembers that an antidote exists, created from rare shade-grown flowers.Jack and Hannah immediately head into the jungle. Time is short. Lives are at stake.Wilhelmina opens the container anyway. Poison leaks into the city. People collapse. Mustapha is among the victims. Panic spreads fast.Hunted in the WildAt the same time, Wilhelmina secretly hires Lassard—now rebuilt with mechanical enhancements. He wants revenge. He wants control.Lassard sabotages Jack and Hannah's Cadillac, leaving it stranded near a cliff. Moments later, a stampede of hornbills charges through the area. Survival becomes instinctual.Forced to flee on foot, Jack and Hannah descend into a ravine to retrieve the flowers. Lassard pursues them relentlessly. Worse still, he uses scent trails to lure deadly cutters into an ambush.Turning the OddsHannah reacts quickly. She redirects the predators toward Lassard instead. The hunters become prey.Jack uses the terrain to his advantage. The cutters and Lassard are driven over a cliff. The threat finally ends.With the flowers secured, the antidote is prepared. One by one, the poisoned survivors recover. Mustapha lives. Sea City breathes again.Hannah even finds time to tease Jack. The tension breaks. Relief settles in.Final Thoughts: Survival Against Impossible Odds“Survival” stands out as one of the series' most intense episodes. Every scene raises the stakes. Every decision carries weight.Between poison, predators, and human greed, Jack and Hannah prove resilience matters most. In this world, survival is never guaranteed. It must be earned.Tune in to The Superhero Show as the hosts break down every close call, daring escape, and defining moment from “Survival.”Tune in to The Superhero Show as the hosts break down every perilous moment of this unforgettable adventure and explore what Survival truly means in a world where danger never rests.Looking for More?Want to learn more about Cadillacs and Dinosaurs? Get into the sacred texts! Or the video game! Or just read about the
On today's encore episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail to discuss the controversial YouTube channel, Jubilee. A video of political commentator Mehdi Hasan debating 20 far-right republicans has gone viral, but as Ismail argues in his piece for Slate, it also crossed a line. When political disagreement becomes content and extremism is rewarded with clicks, everybody loses. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's encore episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail to discuss the controversial YouTube channel, Jubilee. A video of political commentator Mehdi Hasan debating 20 far-right republicans has gone viral, but as Ismail argues in his piece for Slate, it also crossed a line. When political disagreement becomes content and extremism is rewarded with clicks, everybody loses. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's encore episode, hosts Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay are joined by Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail to discuss the controversial YouTube channel, Jubilee. A video of political commentator Mehdi Hasan debating 20 far-right republicans has gone viral, but as Ismail argues in his piece for Slate, it also crossed a line. When political disagreement becomes content and extremism is rewarded with clicks, everybody loses. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Detroit Lions got outclassed by a so-so Pittsburgh Steelers roster because the plan failed before the ball was kicked. In late December, that is a coaching loss. It exposed a defense without cohesion, a depth chart stretched past its limits, and a Dan Campbell team that needs answers now. This Detroit Lions Podcast recap stares hard at why. Coaching Exposed in Steelers Loss The NFL is unforgiving when preparation lags. Pittsburgh brought a clear script and executed it. Detroit arrived with a better cast and a worse idea. The coaches were not good enough. The defense had no identity. The game plan did not fit the personnel available. That mismatch showed up on every level, from alignments to adjustments. The Steelers dictated with modest talent because they were organized. The Lions were not. That's the headline. It is also the trend. The final score felt earned, and not in a good way. Numbers over narratives point to the same truth. Too many explosive gains. Too many empty downs. Too many drives where Detroit never forced Pittsburgh off schedule. Depth, Scheme, and a Defense That Lost Its Shape Detroit's backups are not winning games in December. Injuries gutted the defense and chipped away at the offensive line again. The “next man up” idea sounds brave. It does not stop crossing routes or protect a corner stranded in man coverage he cannot play. You cannot build a man-heavy scheme and then ask reserves to survive it. Detroit tried to mix in zone. That fell apart too. The front four must cover for the back end. It did not. The starters up front are healthy, as are the three linebackers behind them. Pressure still lagged. That left a shaky secondary to hold forever. Plans that counted on additions like Josh Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike never stabilized. The result has been a defense gashed by everyone, not just top NFC offenses but a middle-tier Steelers unit as well. Worse, the same problems surfaced in other spots. Remember the 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers performance in Detroit. The Lions handed him leverage with structure. He took it. That is a scheme problem. It is also a self-scout problem that has not yet been solved. Flags, Farewells, and the Stakes for Dan Campbell Officiating cannot be the story, but it keeps grabbing the mic. The calls at the end were brutal. They did not decide the outcome. They did shape the discourse. When pool reporters and penalty explanations dominate the postgame, the NFL has a quality control issue. Detroit cannot count on cleaner Sundays. It must become call-proof. Hard choices are next. Some of the Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes originals are nearing the exit. Alex Anzalone may have played his last game at Ford Field. Others with devoted followings could join him. Sentiment meets performance here. Depth must get better. So must the plan to deploy it. This is the inflection point. The Detroit Lions have the talent to compete. They need a defense that fits who is actually available, not who was penciled in back in June. Campbell's next moves will define his tenure. Adapt now, or see December become a closed door again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsDHgopy-aQ #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #pittsburghsteelers #coachingloss #defensewithoutcohesion #depthchart #dancampbell #explosivegains #man-heavyscheme #crossingroutes #mancoverage #frontfour Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Alex Christy is our super-serious media analyst with the late night-comedy spreadsheet, counting jokes and guests over the last three years. In 2025, it tilted even further to the left. An amazing 92 percent of late-night political jokes are aimed at conservatives, up from 82 percent in 2024. The guest list included almost zero conservatives. Jimmy Fallon put on Greg Gutfeld in August.
➢ DM “NY CHALLENGE” To @ ColossusFit to enter our biggest challenge yet. $1000 grand cash prize, guaranteed shirt upon completion and most importantly incredible results.Welcome to Motivation Monday, where every Monday we answer all of your questions and have some real talks about life & fitness & get you fired up for the week! In this episode we talk about the ideal body fat range and what we're doing to prep for the new year.(0:34) - Question 1- What is the ideal bodyfat?-Ideal bodyfat for men: 10-20% is the best health-optimized range. In this range your hormones will be optimized, you have stronger insulin sensitiity and lower risk of health issues.Ideal bodyfat for women: 18-26%For Men Under 10%/ For women under 18% isn't sustainable for 99% of people. Worse pumps, energy, immune system becomes so sensitive and irritability is super present.-Higher than 20% as a man or 26% as a women, You will feel horrible and there is no need to bulk above these ranges. The higher your bodyfat raises, the higher your all cause mortality raises.(16:25) - Josh quote: "Energy flows where intention goes."(19:10) - Kyle quote: Slow motion is better than no motion.”(20:20) - What has us excited or intrigued:(24:49)- Client shoutout: Marc(27:03) - Question 2- I am wondering if I should build muscle or lose fat first? I have been training a few years and am a 15% bodyfat man.(37:28) - Question 3- What are you doing to prep yourself for the the near year? How do you like to close out a year and start a new one.Thanks for listening! We genuinely appreciate every single one of you listening.Email me/ submit a mailbox Monday question contact@colossusfitness.com➢Follow us on instagram @colossusfit➢Apply to get your Polished Physique: https://colossusfitness.com/
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If the thought of being around your family this Christmas makes you feel a mix of excitement… and mild dread, you're in the right place. For many mothers, Christmas isn't hard because of the cooking, wrapping or logistics—it's hard because of the people. The comments, the expectations, the old patterns and the familiar triggers that somehow resurface the moment you walk through the door. In the final of our December pep talks, Zoe shares practical tools to help you stay calm, grounded and drama-free when the family dynamics get intense In this pep talk, Zoe covers: How to stay grounded when family dynamics and old triggers show up What you can control (and what you can't) when tensions rise Simple, kind ways to set boundaries and protect your energy Practical tools to prepare for tricky moments and avoid drama You are not imagining it—family dynamics at Christmas really can be tough.But with a few simple tools, you can protect your energy, stay grounded and enjoy the moments that truly matter. Have an amazing Christmas, and make sure to tune in on the 25th… there's something special coming your way. Remember to subscribe to Motherkind — it helps more mothers find the show and keeps our community growing. Ready to feel like yourself again? Download your FREE Matrescence Cheat Sheet Connect with Zoe: Follow Zoe on Instagram Get Zoe's Sunday Times bestselling book, 'Motherkind: A New Way to Thrive in a World of Endless Expectations' This Motherkind episode is sponsored by: Headline sponsor Wild Nutrition, the brand raising the bar for women's supplements. Want to feel the Food-Grown difference yourself? Get 50% off for three months at wildnutrition.com/motherkind. Ts and Cs apply. For a £100 sponsored job credit, visit Indeed.com/ Motherkind Get 40% off a Calm premium subscription at calm.com/motherkind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Kenny Wallace discusses if kids today are better off than when he was growing up.#nascar #racing #kennywallaceBrought to you by JEGS! Click here: https://jegs.ork2.net/c/5722600/3417334/8482
What's up, dudes? It's the comic strip about a typical family, and they made a special about it! Scott Leopold from Holly Jolly X'masu, Matt Wheeler from Resurrection Metal Radio, and I talk For Better or For Worse “The Bestest Present!”Willy Patterson takes her son Michael and daughter Lizzie Christmas shopping at Philpott's. Unfortunately, during the experience, Lizzie loses her favorite stuffed bunny. Seeing his daughter distraught, John goes back and searches high and low for it. He can't find it, though the night watchman does.Consequently, Michael asks if he can put an ad in the paper to see if anyone has found it. The night watchman reads the ad and mails the bunny back to the Pattersons on Christmas Eve. Lizzie is so ecstatic, she invites the watchman Mr. Lederhaus over for Christmas dinner. Michael had promised a reward, so he offers his meager savings. Mr. Lederhaus feels grateful just to be with people on Christmas.A snowman? Check. A homemade bunny? Uh huh. A moldy orange? Only if it's offered to a friend! So grab your bunny and go shopping to this episode on For Better or For Worse “The Bestest Present!”Holly Jolly X'masuFB: @HollyJollyXmasuTwitter: @HollyJollyXmasuIG: @hollyjollyxmasuGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!
Feeling exhausted, gaining weight around your midsection, and struggling despite "doing everything right"? You're not broken, your body is working against you because of a major hormonal shift most doctors completely ignore. Dr. Betty Murray, integrative functional medicine doctor with 20+ years of experience and founder of Minerva Telemedicine, explains exactly what's happening in your body after 40, and why the strategies that worked at 25 are now sabotaging your metabolism. In this video, you'll discover: ● Why your metabolism feels like it "switched off overnight" in your 40s ● The hormone symphony shift: How progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone decline affects your metabolism, sleep, muscle mass, and fat storage ● Why "eat less, exercise more" actually makes things WORSE after 40 (the starvation response trap explained) ● The cardio trap: How excessive cardio burns off muscle instead of building it, and why you're running yourself into the ground ● What's really happening with your mitochondria (energy factories) and why you wake up exhausted even after 8 hours of sleep ● Why cortisol is "stuck in overdrive" during perimenopause/menopause, and how it actively breaks down muscle while storing belly fat ● The truth about willpower vs. hormones (spoiler: willpower can't fix a progesterone deficiency) ● Why herbs and positive thinking can't restore ovarian function (from a doctor with 2 masters + PhD in nutrition science) ● How bioidentical hormone replacement therapy actually works (and why it's science-backed, not just "toughing it out") PLUS, the #1 change to make TODAY to stabilize blood sugar and build muscle! (SPOILER, it's easy!) Midlife isn't the beginning of the end, it's a time of radical transition and ownership.
Steve sits down with Mike Cox, former Michigan Attorney General and Republican candidate for governor, to talk straight about why, as Cox puts it in a recent Detroit News op-ed, Michigan's record is worse than we'd like to admit and what that means for families, jobs, and opportunity in the Great Lakes State. With Michigan facing economic headwinds and voters hungry for leadership that will tackle taxes, public safety, schools, and government accountability, Cox lays out why change is overdue and what his campaign believes Michiganders deserve.
Are you taking a bone supplement to improve your DEXA bone density score? Did you hear that strontium, a molecule found in some bone supplements, may increase risk of heart attack and blood clotting? I did! And that freaked me out. So, what did I do? Contacted my bone doctor bestie Dr. Doug Lucas to sort this all out. Dr Doug Lucas is a leading osteoporosis and bone health specialist who gives us clarity in this short episode, especially if you're taking AlgaeCal or considering adding strontium to your routine. We cover: · If strontium falsely inflates DEXA scores · The difference between strontium ranelate and strontium citrate · Do they really lower fracture risk · What's more important? Bone quality or bone density? · Which scans can show bone strength? · What happens when we stop strontium · What women should actually focus on for fracture prevention Dr. Doug Lucas is a leading expert in osteoporosis and longevity medicine. As a double board-certified physician and founder of The OsteoCollective, he helps people—especially midlife women—reverse bone loss, optimize hormones, and reclaim strength and vitality through an evidence-based, root-cause approach. His message: osteoporosis is not a life sentence, and conventional medicine isn't your only option. Dr. Doug left his career as an orthopedic surgeon after becoming frustrated with a system that waited until bones were broken before taking action. Now, he's on a mission to teach people how to take control of their health before disease sets in. Whether he's speaking on bone health, functional medicine, or aging with intention, Dr. Doug delivers clear, relatable, science-backed insights your audience will remember—and act on. Contact Dr. Doug Lucas: Website: https://www.osteocollective.com/media YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dr_DougLucas Give thanks to our sponsors: Try Vitali skincare. 20% off with code ZORA here - https://vitaliskincare.com Get Primeadine spermidine by Oxford Healthspan. 15% discount with code ZORA here - http://oxfordhealthspan.com/discount/ZORA Get Mitopure Urolithin A by Timeline. 20% discount with code ZORA at https://timeline.com/zora Try Suji to improve muscle 10% off with code ZORA at TrySuji.com - https://trysuji.com Try OneSkin skincare with code ZORA for 15% off https://oneskin.pxf.io/c/3974954/2885171/31050 Try Troscriptions for 10% off with code ZORA https://troscriptions.com/zora Join the Hack My Age community on: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@hackmyage Facebook Page: @Hack My Age Facebook Group: @Biohacking Menopause Biohacking Menopause Private Women's Only Support Group: https://hackmyage.com/biohacking-menopause-membership/ Instagram: @HackMyAge Website: HackMyAge.com For partnership inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/ For transparency: Some episodes of Hack My Age are supported by partners whose products or services may be discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation or earn a minor commission if you purchase through affiliate links at no extra cost to you. All opinions shared are those of the host and guests, based on personal experience and research, and do not necessarily represent the views of any sponsor. Sponsorships do not imply medical endorsement or approval by any healthcare provider featured on this podcast.
Kevin Freeman traces the arc from 1980s optimism — thousands of investable public companies and rapid innovation — to today's halved stock count amid soaring GDP and population. He argues that financialization, heavy regulation (SOX, Dodd-Frank), and abundant private capital pushed companies to stay private, widening the wealth gap and fueling socialist sentiment. Examples like Uber illustrate how gains accrue privately while retail investors face late access and higher risk; meanwhile, dollar debasement and the Cantillon Effect amplify inequality. Freeman advocates restoring opportunity via sound money (state gold/silver initiatives), lighter but fair regulation, stronger IP protection, and expanded public access to high-growth firms, urging policy action to revive broad-based capitalism.
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In this live Red Delta Project Q&A, Matt digs into a big 2025 lesson that came out of writing Beautiful Strength: diet and exercise can absolutely influence how you look, feel, and perform—but if you chase a goal blindly, your habits can backfire and give you the opposite result. Using a “hit the target” analogy (and a few colorful side stories), he explains why your results come from achieving the right objective, not from grinding harder, eating “cleaner,” or following a program with blind loyalty.From there, the episode turns into a rapid-fire Q&A on practical training topics: whether you need to go to failure with Double Tap Training, how to balance intensity with reps and rest, walking as conditioning, yoga vs direct flexibility work, knee stability, building arms with compounds, grip changes, circuit training for endurance, and more. There's also a surprisingly thoughtful section on accepting hair loss—framed through confidence, control, and reframing the story you tell yourself.
Welcome to one of the always unpredictable STABcast Holiday Specials! As is tradition we make a commentary track of sorts for you to enjoy, this time we watched the LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special! For those who do not wish to view the film, however, there is a bit of the usual STABcast magic at the beginning and end. The commentary begins at 10:57 And ends at 54:49 Enjoy! And Season's Greetings from the STABcast! We'll be back in January... at some point. See you then!
The Lakers continued on with their holiday road trip with a stop very close to home as they faced the LA Clippers in the Intuit Dome on Saturday night. But the Lakers, short three starters already, fell behind early and never caught up, with only LeBron James (36 points) providing anything resembling offense. Things went from bad to worse as the Lakers added insult to injury by losing Luka Doncic to a leg contusion, giving no support for LeBron, as the Lakers fell victim to the Clippers, 103-88. Tune in as the guys from the LFB share thoughts on the game and what's up ahead on Christmas week for the team as they continue the fight in the Western Conference. The holiday road trip continues for the Lakers with a stop in Inglewood against the Clippers, and we're covering it all right here as part of another great holiday Lakers Weekend on the Lakers Fast Break podcast!Check out Yaron Weitzman's book, "A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers," which you can buy today on Amazon at https://tinyurl.com/y344ckmjFollow @DripShowshop for some awesome sports or pop culture merchandise!The MVP Race is heating up, and Best League has got it covered on his site https://mvprace.top/ Joe's new game Coreupt is OUT NOW on Steam. Play it today! Lakers Fast Break now has YouTube memberships! Join today at / @lakersfastbreak and for just $2.99 a month, you get access to LFB badges and emojis, channel page recognition, and more! Check out Stone Hansen on Twitter @report_court, Alfred Ezman @alfredezman, and John Costa's channels: Clutch Talk- / @clutchtalkpod and Lakers Corner- / @lakerscorner and Legend350 on his new channel / @sportslegend2018 Special Deals today from our friends at #temu today at https://temu.to/m/u1samwbo8cc use code: aca785401 and you might save some $$$ at TEMU! Take a look at the line of Kinhank Mini PC's and retro game machines today at https://www.kinhank-retrogame.com?rs_ref=e8NA2Rm2 for some gaming and computing fun from Kinhank! Don't forget to watch the Lakers games with us LIVE at playback.tv/lakersfastbreak and our newest Lakers Fast Break merchandise site is now up at http://tinyurl.com/yerbtezk check it out! Please Like, Share, and Subscribe to our channel and our social media @lakersfastbreak on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Twitch, on BLUESKY at @lakersfastbreak.bsky.social, e-mail us lakersfastbreak@yahoo.com or catch our audio of the Lakers Fast Break today at https://anchor.fm/lakers-fast-break, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast outlet! The views and opinions expressed on the Lakers Fast Break are those of the panelists or guests themselves and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Lakers Fast Break or its owners. Any content or thoughts provided by our panelists or guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, anyone, or anything. Presented by our friends at lakerholics.com, lakersball.com, Pop Culture Cosmos, Inside Sports Fantasy Football, Lakers Corner, @DripShowshop, SynBlades.com, I Got Next Sports Media, The Happy Hoarder, and Retro City Games!
Every year, goblin-like creatures called Kallikantzaroi stop sawing through the World Tree, crawl up from the underworld, and spend the twelve days of Christmas stealing babies, destroying homes, and terrorizing anyone unlucky enough to cross their path, pooping all over the place while they are at it.IN THIS EPISODE: If your kids think Elf on a Shelf is creepy – just tell them that kids in Greece and its surrounding countries are terrorized each Christmas for a full twelve days by nocturnal goblins that like to defecate all over your home! (The Defecating Christmas Goblins of Greece) *** The ghost of Mary, Queen of Scots makes her presence known on Christmas Eve, 1900… or does she? (The Tower of London's Christmas Eve Ghost) *** A serving of poisoned Christmas pie causes the death of Captain David Paye on Christmas day, 1882. But who had a motive? (A Christmas Poisoning) *** People worldwide have been celebrating Christmas for hundreds and hundreds of years – but not all of those years were joyous for everyone. For example, those who happened to be black living in America while slavery was still legal. What was Christmas like for them? (Christmas As a Slave In America) *** In that song, “It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” there is the line “there will be scary ghost stories”… why on earth would a Christmas song have a line like that? We'll look at that song – and other Christmas songs – that are a lot darker than you might know. (The Darker Side of Christmas Carols) *** We're all familiar with the classic Christmas ghost tale, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens – but before that novel, there was another ghost story of Christmas, a purportedly true story. (A Ghost Story of Christmas) *** In 1897, Dr. Philip O'Hanlon was asked by his young daughter whether Santa Claus was real. His suggestion for her to find an answer has resulted in something so famous, it has practically become a meme. (Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus) *** December 16, 1965… Gemini 6 and 7 have just completed the first ever manned rendezvous between spacecraft, making history. But they were about to achieve another first in space exploration… and a first for Christmas! (The 1965 Gemini 6 UFO Christmas Prank) *** (Originally aired December 20, 2021)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“The Defecating Christmas Goblins of Greece” by A. Sutherland for Ancient Pages:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3kydv38f“The 1965 Gemini 6 UFO Christmas Prank” by Rob Scharz for Stranger Dimensions: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p9x2w3z“The Tower of London's Christmas Eve Ghost” from the Victorian Book of the Dead: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bdm47kt7“A Christmas Poisoning” by Robert Wilhelm for Murder by Gaslight: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ya5m7wfd“Christmas As a Slave In America” by Farrell Evans for History.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5n8nedeh, and William Loren Katz for the Zinn Education Project: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5n6me3hw“A Ghost Story of Christmas” by Paul Brown for Singular Discoveries: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/muuxt5z3“There Will Be Scary Ghost Stories” by Mike Wilton for All Hallows Geek: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckjkerd“The Darker Side of Christmas Carols” by Erin McCann for Ranker: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8wcpwp“Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” by Troy Taylor: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p83k7m3Visit our Sponsors & Friends: https://weirddarkness.com/sponsorsJoin the Weird Darkness Syndicate: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateAdvertise in the Weird Darkness podcast or syndicated radio show: https://weirddarkness.com/advertise= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. 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For a lot of Americans right now, the economy feels uncertain. There's a lot of noise and politics around what's happening, but what does the data actually show? In this episode, Moody's Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi breaks down where the U.S. economy really stands, from the job market and inflation to Federal Reserve decisions, trade policy, and the growing role of AI. He explains what matters most for everyday Americans and what he's watching closely as we head into 2026. Learn more about our guest(s): https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/shownotes Join us again for our 10-minute daily news roundups every Mon-Fri! Become an INSIDER and get ad-free episodes here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider Get The NewsWorthy MERCH here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/merch Sponsors: You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/NEWSWORTHY and using code NEWSWORTHY at checkout. To advertise on our podcast, please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com
Veterans are often overwhelmed during the holidays due to the stress of family reunions and the pressure to sustain longer conversations. Those Veterans feeling extra anxiety during the Holiday Season are encouraged to utilize mental health tools that can provide help. Also, the VA has a new answer for Veterans who suffer from sleep apnea. FOX's Tonya J. Powers speaks with Chris Lovell, CEO of Lovell Government Services, a Veteran-owned small business, who says Veterans in distress have outlets to turn to, and they should start with family and friends, but always know the VA hotline is there for them too. Click Here To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For those of us who are personally acquainted with the Savior who was born that first Christmas day, Christmas holds particular significance. However, we’ve romanticized the story of Christmas to the place that the manger scene and the people involved seem like actors in a play. We rarely stop to think that they were real people, in anything but a romantic setting. That's why I’d like to bring a little reality to the Christmas story. I want to talk about the most blessed woman who ever lived. And I want to focus on the heart of Mary. What was it about this lady that qualified her for this incredible privilege of bearing the Savior of the world? What was in her heart? Let me begin by pointing out that nowhere in Scripture are we given any indication that Mary is to be worshipped. If she were here, I think Mary would be the first to tell us that she was just a woman, a very simple young lady, chosen by God for a special purpose. But like all of the rest of mankind, she was born of Adam’s race—born according to man—and she inherited the same sin nature that all of us have. When I speak of Mary’s heart, I’m not elevating her to some divine place of sinless perfection. We'd have a hard time relating to her if that were true. But in fact, it is because Mary was just like us—a regular lady—that we can look at her heart and can identify with her and learn from her. Try to erase all those images of Mary with a halo over her head, and see instead a lady with a wash bucket and children, a small, poor home, with few luxuries or conveniences, and a very special heart. Though Mary came from the line of David, she was a humble lady from a very small, insignificant town, Nazareth. We don’t know anything about her parents, except that they must have been godly people because Mary had a very good knowledge of Old Testament Scripture. We begin to get an idea of the heart of Mary when we think about Gabriel’s announcement to her that she had been chosen to bear the Messiah. Let’s look at that passage in Luke 1:28-38: Gabriel said to Mary: “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her (Luke 1:28-38). Certainly, Scripture makes it clear time and again that Mary was then a virgin and remained a virgin until after the birth of Jesus. Not many people who will be celebrating Christmas this year really believe that Jesus was born of a virgin. Why is it so terribly important that we believe and accept that Mary was indeed a virgin until after Jesus’ birth? Because we know from Scripture that sin entered the world through the seed of man. Had Jesus been conceived through an earthly man’s seed, he could not have escaped the sin nature that is born into all of us. And if Jesus were not sinless, he could never become the sacrifice demanded by God’s righteousness. The virgin birth is not an optional theology. Your whole destiny—and mine—depends upon whether or not it is true. We are acceptable to God when we accept the redemption and forgiveness of our sins made possible because the perfect sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ, paid the debt for our sins. And Jesus Christ was perfect because there was no sin in him passed on to him by the seed of man. He was born of a virgin; the only man who has ever been born of the seed of a woman. That is critical. Can you imagine what Gabriel’s words meant to a little Jewish girl, probably only 15 or 16 years old, of the humblest means, who has heard all her life about David, his kingdom, his reign as King of Israel? And now, she is told her son is going to take David’s place and reign forever. I’m sure Mary had often heard the prophecies of the coming Messiah. But surely she never seriously thought she would be selected as his mother. Can you put yourselves in her shoes, and think of how you might have reacted? It was an incredible declaration requiring enormous faith on Mary’s part. Would you have accepted such a statement face value? How does Mary react? She asks a very simple question, not a question of doubt, not a challenge to the truth of the angel’s statement, but a question of curiosity and logic. To paraphrase she asked: “How can I have a baby, when I’ve never known a man? If you’re not going to use an earthly man for this, how are you going to do it?” To a simple, honest question, Gabriel gives a simple answer: The Holy Spirit will cause this child to be impregnated in your womb, Mary. Therefore, he will be the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Mary’s acceptance of this announcement is absolutely remarkable. Once Gabriel answers her simple question, in the same simple faith and openness, she accepts. Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word (Luke 1:38). Instead of plying Gabriel with hundreds of questions, instead of giving place to all the doubts and fears and insecurities that she must have felt at that time, Mary accepts. Let’s think of some of the normal, natural questions and objections that Mary could have legitimately raised at that point. She could have said: What will I tell my friends and relatives? No one will believe that I have not slept with some man. What will happen to my reputation? What will I tell Joseph? He probably won’t want to marry me now. And if Joseph doesn’t marry me, what will I do to support myself and this baby? I will be an outcast. Worse still, Gabriel, if Joseph so desires he could divorce me or he could have me stoned to death for adultery. Why don’t you, Gabriel, tell everyone else what you have told me? I would appreciate you doing that. Then maybe they will believe me. At least tell everyone in Nazareth, please. Wouldn’t you have asked some of these questions or made some other requests of Gabriel? I’m sure I would have. But not this Mary. Her immediate, unquestioning response is be it done to me according to your word. Now we’re beginning to see the heart of this special lady. An accepting heart. What is required of us in order to have an accepting heart? First, we must stay very simple, and by that I mean uncomplicated. Mary didn’t try to see exactly how everything was going to work out before she accepted. She didn’t let her imagination run wild with all the “what if’s” or “why’s”, as many of us tend to do. She kept it very simple. She accepted from God’s hand what he had asked of her. Do you keep your heart simple? Or do you waste emotions and time and effort in complicating issues? When you know what God wants you to do, do you get all tied up in knots, trying to see every possibility and make sure you know every step of the way before you do anything? You’ll save yourself a lot of grief if you can ask God to give you a simple heart, to help you learn how to un-complicate decisions and situations by simply accepting. Another thing required for an accepting heart is trust. Mary believed with unwavering faith. Can you appreciate the enormity of what she was asked to accept by faith? She was asked to believe that she would become pregnant without ever having relations with any man. And Mary believed. Why do you think Mary so readily believed what Gabriel told her? Do you think it’s possible to just have that kind of trust and faith without any preparation? Was she just born that way? I don’t think so. We know faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. We know from what Mary says later to Elizabeth, her cousin, that Mary knew the Word of God. She had established her faith in God’s Word, so when Gabriel brought this further Word of God to her, she was accustomed to trusting it, and it wasn’t difficult for her to trust it once more. May I say again what I know I’ve said time and again: You’re never going to be able to trust God until you spend consistent, quality and quantity time in his Word. If some great thing comes on you which requires a lot of trust and faith on your part, and you are unprepared because you don’t consistently saturate yourself with God’s Word, don’t be surprised to discover that your faith falters, and you fail the test. You won’t be able to muster up tons of faith on the spur of the moment if you don’t make trusting God a part of your everyday life. And that comes by knowing him through his Word. Are you in the midst of some testing now? Are you under some stress or pressure that requires faith on your part? I hope you’ve been staying in the Word of God, because that’s where that instant faith comes from at those unexpected times when you need it. You need to know the Word of God to have the kind of trust that Mary had. How marvelous it is that, as Paul says in Galatians 4:4: But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law. I pray that you have become a child of God through placing your trust in his Son, the One who was willing to come and be born of a woman so that you and I could be redeemed from the curse of the law and sin. If not, you can have that right now by confessing your sin and allowing that One born in a manger to cleanse you and give to you the full rights as his child. Until you have done that, you can never really understand what Christmas is all about.
In the second half of the program, we discuss how Phoenix adopted an idea from the Defund the Police movement and how when Trump weighs in on national tragedies, he often ends up making things worse.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/civiccipher?utm_source=searchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
My Childhood Friend's True Crime Story; Possible Abduction.... or Worse?; Maybe Mental Health Demons Aren't Always a Metaphor; Did I Find the Cure for Sleepwalking?; Astral Projection; and Christmas Eve Scare. Click here to submit your odd but true stories. Click here to sign up for our Patreon and receive hundreds of hours of bonus content. Click here to leave a review and tell us what you think of the show. Please consider supporting the companies that support us! -Head to Ollie.com/CREEPY, tell them all about your dog, and use code CREEPY to get 60% off your Welcome Kit when you subscribe today! -Go to Hungryroot.com/creepy and use code creepy to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life. -FÜM has already helped over 700,000 people take steps toward better habits, and now it's your turn! Head to tryfum.com and use our code CREEPY to get a free gift with your Journey Pack!
How did the U.S. economy do in 2025? With unemployment ticking up, tariffs shaking up global trade and the stock market booming, it has been hard to make sense of it all. Ryan Knutson talks with three WSJ economics reporters–Justin Lahart, Rachel Wolfe and Jeanne Whalen– about the state of the economy as we wrap up the year, and about what to expect in 2026. Further Listening: - The Era of AI Layoffs Has Begun - Is the Economy Getting Better or Worse? The Fed Says It's Hard to Tell Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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This week is pure chaos! We're unpacking Sexyy Red, launching a lip gloss line with names HR would immediately fire, a DoorDash driver who treated pepper spray like a seasoning, and yes… we go back to the dark side with Part Two of THE DARK SIDE OF CHRISTMAS, with a dash of racism. It's unhinged, it's loud, it's probably not approved by anybody — and the silly is flowing heavy, y'all. Press play at your own risk. ALL MY SOCIALS ARE HERE https://linktr.ee/Ambersmilesjones Join my Professionally Silly YouTube channel membership to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEabIsoT5wrN5hRSgY7wnYQ/join Amber “Smiles” Jones PO BOX 533 Lovejoy, GA 30250 Email me: itsprofessionallysilly@gmail.com LEAVE ME A MESSAGE 805-664-1828
Another week of political madness as Mike Pence uttered those four fateful words: "Donald Trump is wrong." At the same time, the RNC met in Salt Lake City for their annual convention and passed a resolution to censure Liz Cheney and Adam Kingsinger for their roles on the Jan 6th committee making the GOP the party of political violence. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Navarro joins executive producer Brian Teta and reacts to President Trump's handling of Rob Reiner's death, and shootings at Brown University and Bondi Beach in Australia. Then, she weighs in with her takeaways from interviews with Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles published in "Vanity Fair," and shares her holiday plans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The BLS confirmed the US labor market has indeed entered flat Beveridge territory with profound implications. What are they? What does this mean moving forward? Join me at 1:30pm ET to find out.Also, join me later tonight for a very special webinar where we are going to be doing a COMPREHENSIVE review of on set of consequences from flat Beveridge: cockroaches and the credit market cycle. We'll go over all the smoke rising from the space and assess whether or not there's fire behind it - and take a few reasonable stabs at estimating how much.EDU's Webinar SeriesThursday December 17, 6pm ETA Trillion-Dollar Eurodollar Bomb is going Off on Wall StreetThe most important funding system in the world is flashing warning signals, and almost no one is paying attention.https://event.webinarjam.com/channel/risks
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles gave numerous interviews to Vanity Fair that were way too candid about, well, everything. That prompted press secretary Karoline Leavitt to offer some rancid spin: She went full cult in praise of Trump. She dissembled lamely about “fake news.” And she raged at the publication for not including enough of Trump advisers' praise for him—as if it's obliged to do that! We think Wiles' most interesting revelation was her open admission that Trump's prosecutions are indeed about “retribution.” Zeteo reporter Asawin Suebsaeng has a piece out today reporting on a new turn in this saga: That confession will complicate Trump's prosecution of enemies, because it gives them ammo to show that his targeting of them is vindictive. We talked to Suebsaeng about the damage this will do to Trump's corrupt prosecutions, why Leavitt and others praise Trump so obsequiously at difficult moments, and what all this says about our slide into authoritarianism. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pete and Sebastian give a play by play walk through of the cancel of last week's cast recording, Jackie's accident, and Patrick's reason for having this footage. Then Sebastian shares his tips for fishing for catfish with kids (here's a tip - leave in the hook). Follow Sebastian: @SebastianComedy Follow Pete: @PeteCorreale To watch the podcast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/PeteAndSebastianYouTube Don't forget to follow the podcast for free wherever you're listening or by using this link: https://bit.ly/PeteAndSebastian If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be amazing! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: https://bit.ly/PeteAndSebastian For Sebastian's tour dates, go to: https://www.sebastianlive.com/ For Pete's tour dates, go to: https://www.petecorreale.com/ Eat smart at https://factormeals.com/thecast50off and use code thecast50off to get 50% off your first box, plus Free Breakfast for 1 Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices