Podcasts about Xan

GET A SYDNEY PLUSH (LAST CHANCE!!!)Audio gathered from various sources at SITE2 on day 1333.MAJOR INSIGHT INTO:Dynamics between ENTITY7 and ENTITY6ENTITY7's propensity for wildlifeMINOR INSIGHT INTO:Complicated affairs between ENTITY7 and his social circleENTITY6's fear of plastic insectsImportant notes:I'm too tired to explain how I was able to rig the outside megaphone and microphones right now, but it's a similar method to the intake for ETITY2's radio.I imagine ENTITY3 will disconnect it come next week.Keep AGENT23 away from this one. It's so soap-opera-like that I imagine she'd have a tonally inappropriate field day, and I'm on my fifth night without sleep.-Disclaimer: Camp Here & There is intended for audiences aged 16+. The story deals with mature themes and graphic horror which may not be suitable for all audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.Performances by Emily Safko, Ty Coker, and Voicebox Vance.With original music composed by Will Wood and produced by Jonathon Maisto.Additional music composed by Kyle Gabler and Another You.Dialogue editing by Emily Safko. Audio engineering by The Leo!Mumbling Crowd sourced from imagefilm.berlinMidwest Clean Guitar sourced from YellowTreeCrashbox effect sourced from MshanenList of people in the crowd: Lacey, Sharpie, Splemonocracy, Riley, Hunter, MK, Shiloh, The Leo, Xan, Cupid, Tundra, Ragtime, Addie, Reese, Rhys, Ren, and CaliWEBSITE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PATREON⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DISCORD

Allen, Joel, and Yolanda recap the UK Offshore Wind Supply Chain Spotlight in Edinburgh and Great British Energy’s £1 billion manufacturing push. Plus Ørsted’s European onshore wind sale, Xocean’s unmanned survey tech at Moray West, and why small suppliers must scale or risk being left behind. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes’ YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! You are listening to the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast brought to you by build turbines.com. Learn, train, and be a part of the Clean Energy Revolution. Visit build turbines.com today. Now, here’s your host. Allen Hall, Joel Saxon, Phil Totaro, and Rosemary Barnes. Allen Hall: Welcome to the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast. I’m your host Allen Hall in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Queen City. I have Yolanda Pone and Joel Saxon back in Austin, Texas. Rosemary Barnes is taking the week off. We just got back from Scotland, Joel and I did, and we had a really great experience at the UK offshore wind supply chain spotlight 2025 in Edinburgh, where we met with a number of wind energy suppliers and technology advocates. A Joel Saxum: lot going on there, Joel. Yeah. One of the really cool things I enjoyed about that, um, get together the innovation spotlight. [00:01:00] One, the way they had it set up kind of an exhibition space, but not really an exhibition. It was like just a place to gather and everybody kind of had their own stand, but it was more how can we facilitate this conversation And then in the same spot, kind of like we’ve seen in other conferences, the speaking slots. So you could be kind of one in ear, oh one in year here, listening to all the great things that they’re doing. But having those technical conversations. And I guess the second thing I wanted to share was. Thank you to all of the, the UK companies, right? So the, all the Scottish people that we met over there, all the people from, from England and, and around, uh, the whole island there, everybody was very, very open and wanting to have conversations and wanting to share their technology, their solutions. Um, how they’re helping the industry or, or what other people can do to collaborate with them to help the industry. That’s what a lot of this, uh, spotlight was about. So from our, our seat, um, that’s something that we, you know, of course with the podcast, we’re always trying to share collaboration, kind of breed success for everybody. So kudos to the ORE [00:02:00] Catapult for putting that event on. Allen Hall: Yeah, a big thing. So, or Catapult, it was a great event. I’ve met a lot of people that I’ve only known through LinkedIn, so it’s good to see them face to face and. Something that we’ve had on the podcast. So we did a number of podcast recordings while we’re there. They’ll be coming out over the next several weeks, so stay tuned for it. You know, one of the main topics at that event in Edinburg was the great British Energy announcement. This is huge, Joel. Uh, so, you know, you know, the United Kingdoms has been really pushing offshore wind ambitions for years, but they don’t have a lot of manufacturing in country. Well, that’s all about the change. Uh, great British energy. Which is a government backed energy company just unveiled a 1 billion pound program called Energy Engineered in the uk, and their mission is pretty straightforward. Build it in the uk, employ people in the uk, and keep the economic benefits of the clean energy transition on British soil. 300 million pounds of that is really [00:03:00] going to be focused on supply chain immediately. That can happen in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England. It’s a big promotion for the UK on the wind energy side. I see good things coming out of this. What were your thoughts when you heard that Joel Saxum: announcement, Joel? The offshore wind play. Right. It’s like something like this doesn’t happen to economies very often. Right. It’s not very often that we have like this just new industry that pops outta nowhere. Right. We’re, we’re not making, you know, it’s like when, when. Automotive industry popped up in the, you know, the early 19 hundreds. Like that was this crazy new thing. It’s an industrial revolution. It’s all this new opportunity. So offshore wind in, in my idea, same kind of play, right? It’s this new thing or newer thing. Um, and as a government, um, coming together to say, Hey, this is happening. We have the resources here. We’re gonna be deploying these things here. Why would we not take advantage of building this here? I mean. Any politician that says I’m bringing jobs or I’m bringing in, you [00:04:00] know, um, bringing in funds to be able to prop up an industry or to, uh, you know, start a manufacturing facility here or support an engineering department here, um, to be able to take advantage of something like this. Absolutely right. Why offshore this stuff when you can do it Here, you’ve got the people, you have the engineering expertise. It’s your coastline. You’ve operated offshore. You know how to build them, operate ’em, all of these different things. Keep as much of that in-house as you can. I, I mean, we’ve, we’ve watched it in the US over the last few years. Kind of try to prop up a supply chain here as well. But, you know, with regulations and everything changing, it’s too risky to invest. What the, it looks like what the UK has seen over there is, well, we might as well invest here. We’ll throw the money at it. Let’s, let’s make it happen on our shores. The Allen Hall: comparison’s obvious to the IRA Bill Yolanda and the IRA bill came out, what, A little over two years ago, three years ago, roughly. We didn’t see a lot of activity [00:05:00] on the manufacturing side of building new factories to do wind. In fact, there was a lot of talk about it initially and then it. It really died down within probably a year or so. Uh, you know, obviously it’s not a universal statement. There were some industries model piles and some steelworks and that kind of thing that would would happen. But sometimes these exercises are a little treacherous and hard to walk down. What’s your thoughts on the UK government stepping in and really. Putting their money where the mouth is. Yolanda Padron: I think it’s, I mean, it’s, it’s great, right? It’s great for the industry. It’ll, it’ll be a great case, I think, for us to look at just moving forward and to, like you said, government’s putting their money where their mouth is and what exactly that means. You know, not something where it’s a short term promise and then things get stalled, or corporations start looking [00:06:00] elsewhere. If every player works the way that they’re, it’s looking like they’re going to play right now, then it, it could be a really good thing for the industry. Allen Hall: Well, the, the United States always did it in a complicated way through tax policy, which means it runs through the IRS. So any bill that passes Congress and gets signed by the president, they like to run through the IRS, and then they make the tax regulations, which takes six months to 12 months, and then when they come out, need a tax attorney to tell you what is actually written and what it means. Joel, when we went through the IRA bill, we went through it a couple of times actually, and we were looking for those great investments in new technology companies. I just remember seeing it. That isn’t part of the issue, the complexity, and maybe that’s where GB Energy is trying to do something different where there’s trying to simplify the process. Joel Saxum: Yeah. The complexity of the problem over here is like that. With any. Business type stuff, right? Even when you get to the stage of, um, oh, this is a write off, this is this [00:07:00] for small businesses and those things, so it’s like a delayed benefit. You gotta plan for this thing. Or there’s a tax credit here, there. Even when we had the, um, the electric vehicle tax credits for, uh, individuals, right? That wasn’t not something you got right away. It was something you had to apply for and that was like later on and like could be. 15 months from now before you see anything of it. And so it’s all kind of like a difficult muddy water thing in the i a bill. You’re a hundred percent correct. Right. Then we passed that thing. We didn’t have the, the rules locked down for like two years. Right. And I remember we had, we had a couple experts on the podcast talking about that, and it was like, oh, the 45 x and the 45 y and the, the C this and the be that, and it was like. You needed to have a degree in this thing to figure it out, whereas the, what it sounds like to me, right, and I’m not on the inside of this policy, I dunno exactly how it’s getting executed. What it sounds like to me is this is more grant based or, and or loan program based. So it’s kinda like, hey, apply and we’ll give you the money, or we’ll fund a loan that supports some money of with low interest, zero [00:08:00] interest, whatever that may be. Um, that seems like a more direct way, one to measure ROI. Right, and or to get things done. Just just to get things done. Right. If someone said, Hey, hey, weather guard, lightning Tech. We have a grant here. We’d like to give you a hundred grand to do this. Or it was like, yeah, if you put this much effort in and then next year tax season you might see this and this and this. It’s like, I don’t have time to deal with that. Yolanda Padron: Yeah. We might also just change the rules on you a little bit, and then maybe down the line we’ll see where we go. Yeah. It does seem like they’re, they’re setting up the dominoes to fall in place a bit better. This way. Yeah, absolutely. Joel Saxum: That’s a, that’s a great way to put it, Yolanda. Let’s setting up the dominoes to fall in place. So it’s kinda like, Hey. These are the things we want to get done. This is what we wanna do as an industry. Here’s a pool of money for it, and here’s how you get access to it. Allen Hall: A lot’s gonna change. I remember, was it a couple of months ago, maybe, maybe a year ago, time flies guys. Uh, we were just talking about. That on the way home from [00:09:00]Scotland, like how many people have had in the podcast? It’s a lot over 60 have been on the podcast as guests. Uh, one of the people we want to have on is, uh, Dan McGrail, who’s the CEO of Great British Energy because, uh, we had talked about with Rosemary the possibility of building turbines all in. The uk, they have blade factories. All this stuff is doable, right? They have technology. This is not complicated work. It just needs to be set up and run. And maybe this is the goal is to just run, it may maybe not be OEM focused. I I, that’s what I’m trying to sort through right now as, is it vestas focused? Is it GE focused? Is it Siemens Keesa focused? Is there a focus or will these turbines have GB energy? Stamped on the side of them. I would Joel Saxum: see love to see support for sub-component suppliers. Yeah, I would too. Yeah. The reason being is, is like that’s, that’s more near and dear to my heart. That’s what [00:10:00] I’ve done in my career, is been a part of a lot of different, smaller businesses that are really making a difference by putting in, you know, great engineering comes from small businesses. That’s one of my, my things that I’ve always seen. It seems to be easier to get things done. In a different way with a small business than it does to engineering by committee with 50 people on a team faster, sometimes better. Uh, that’s just my experience, right? So I would like to see these smaller businesses propped up, because again, we need the OEMs. Yes, absolutely. But also spread it around, right? Spread the wealth a little bit. Uh, you know, a, a factory here, a factory there, a engineering facility here. The, uh, you know, an execution plant here. Some things like that. I would love to see more of these kind of, uh, spread around like the, like GB energy’s money spreads around, like fairy dust. Just kind of plant a little here, plant a little in this city, make a little here, instead of just lumping it to one or lumping it into one big, um, OEM. And that doesn’t necessarily [00:11:00] have to be an OEM, right? It could be a blade manufacturer that I’m talking about, or. Or a big, big gearbox thing or something like that. We need those things, and I, I’m all for support for them, but I just don’t think that all of its support should go to them. Speaker 7: Australia’s wind farms are growing fast, but are your operations keeping up? Join us February 17th and 18th at Melbourne’s Poolman on the park for Wind Energy o and M Australia 2026, where you’ll connect with the experts solving real problems in maintenance asset management. And OEM relations. Walk away with practical strategies to cut costs and boost uptime that you can use the moment you’re back on site. Register now at W OM a 2020 six.com. Wind Energy o and m Australia is created by Wind Professionals for wind professionals because this industry needs solutions, not speeches. Allen Hall: If you haven’t booked your tickets to Wind Energy o and m Australia 2026, you need to be doing [00:12:00] that. Today, uh, the event is on February 17th and 18th in Melbourne, Australia. Uh, we’ll have experts from around the world talking everything o and m, and there’s so many good people are gonna be on the agenda, Joel, and a lot of big companies sponsoring this Joel Saxum: year. Allen Hall: You want to give us a highlight? Joel Saxum: Yeah, so like you said, Alan, we have a ton of sponsors going to be there and, and I’d like to say the sponsors. Thank you ahead of time. Of course. Right. We’re, we’re, we’re super excited for them to get involved because as we’ve put this event together. We’re trying to do this no sales pitches, right? So we wanna do this, not pay to play. We want people here that are going to actually share and learn from each other. And the sponsors have been kind enough to get on board with that message and follow through with it. So, like our lead industry sponsor Tilt, uh, Brandon, the team over there, fantastic. Um, they have, they’re, they’re the, their key sponsor here and they’re supporting a lot of this. So the money’s going to applying in experts from all over the [00:13:00] world, putting this thing together. Uh, so we have an, uh. A forum to be able to talk at, uh, C-I-C-N-D-T. From here in the States, uh, we’ve got Palisades, who’s another operator in the, uh, Australian market, uh, rig com. ISP over there doing blade work and it just keeps rolling down. We’ve got squadron on board, squadron’s gonna do one of the coffee carts. Um, so I know that we’ve got a limited bit of tickets left. I think we are 250 in the venue and that’s what the plan is. I think we’re sitting at about half of that leftover. Allen Hall: Yeah, it’s getting close to running out. And I know in Australia everybody likes to purchase their tickets at the last minute. That’s great. And but you don’t wanna miss out because there is limited seating to this event. And you wanna go to WMA w om a 2020 six.com. Look at all the activities. Book some tickets. Plan to book your travel if you’re traveling from the United States or elsewhere. You need a couple of weeks [00:14:00]hopefully to do that ’cause that’s when the airline prices are lower. If you can book a a couple of weeks ahead of time. So now’s the time to go on Woma 2020 six.com. Check out the conference, get your tickets purchased, start buying your airline tickets, and get in your hotel arranged. Now’s the time to do that. Well, as you know, war has been selling off pieces of itself after setbacks in the America market. Uh, sounds like two heavyweight bidders are looking for one of those pieces. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and ENG G are allegedly competing for Seds European. Onshore Wind business, a portfolio valued at roughly 1 billion euros. Supposedly the bids are gonna be due this week, although nothing is certain in a billion dollar deals. This is a little bit odd. I understand why Stead is doing it, because they’re, they’re trying to fundraise, but if they do this. They will be essentially European offshore wind only [00:15:00] with some American onshore and a little bit American offshore. Not much. Uh, that will be their future. Are they gonna stay with America one onshore or, and American offshore? Is that a thing? Or they just could, could be all European offshore wind. Is that where Osted is headed? It’s a complicated mix because, you know, they’re, they’re, they’ve negotiated a couple of other deals. Most recently to raise cash. They’re supposedly selling, uh, another set of wind farms. I dunno how official that is, but it’s, it seems like there’s some news stories percolating up out there trying to raise more cash by selling large percentages of offshore wind farms. Where does Joel Saxum: this all end? I don’t know. The interesting thing is like if you looked at Ted, uh, man, two years ago, like if you Googled anything or used a jet, GPT or whatever it was like, gimme the. Three largest wind operators in the world. They were the top three all the time. Right. And, and most valuable. At one point in time, they were worth like, [00:16:00] uh, I don’t wanna say the wrong number, but I, I thought, I thought 25 billion or something like that. They were worth. ATS at one point in time. Market share. Allen Hall: Yeah, Joel Saxum: I think that seems right. So like they, they were huge and it just seems like, yeah, they’re trying to survive, but in survival mode, they’ve just kind, they’re just dwindling themselves down to being just o just a small offshore company. And, or not small, but a small, just a, just a siloed offshore company. A large offshore company. Yeah. Yeah. But I mean, like, even just, there was, there’s another article, um. Today we’re, we’re talking here, CIP and Engie looking to buy their European onshore business. They’ve also are putting up like, uh, was it greater Ang of four in Taiwan for, for sale as well. So, I mean, like you said, where does it stop? I don’t know. Um, CIP is an interesting play. Uh, an Eng, CIP and Engie kind of battling this one out ’cause the CIP management team is a bunch of ex or said people, so they know that play very well. Um, ENGIE of course, being a big French [00:17:00] utility. So that one will sell, right? They’re, their European offshore or onshore assets will be gone shortly. Uh, they’ll be sitting with a bunch of offshore assets that they own and partially own around the world. Uh, and of course their, their, I think their US onshore fleet is about a gigawatt, maybe a and a half. Um, that could be the next domino to fall. You don’t, I, sorry, Yolanda, I used your, your, your, uh, euphemism from before, but, um. That they’re actively parting ways with some stuff. I don’t know when it stops. Allen Hall: It is odd, right? EOR has basically stopped a lot of renewables. Stat Craft has pulled back quite a bit. Another Norwegian company. A lot of the nor Northern European companies are slowing down in wind altogether, trying to stick to onshore for the most part. Offshore will still be developed, but just not at the pace that it needed to be developed. There is a lot of money moving around. Billions [00:18:00] and billions of, of euros and dollars moving. And I guess my, my thought is, I’m not sure from a market standpoint where Orid is headed, or even Ecuador for that matter, besides maybe moving back into oil and gas. They never really left it. The direction of the company is a little unknown because these, uh, news articles about sales. Are not really prefaced, right? It’s just like, all right, Taiwan, we’re selling more than 50% of the projects in Taiwan. We’re out, we’re selling European onshore pow, which there’d been some rumors about that, that I had heard, but nothing was really locked in, obviously, until you really start seeing some reliable news sources. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners is an interesting play just because it kind of keeps it. Up in Denmark and not in France with Engie. That’s what I’m, in my [00:19:00] head. I’m thinking Sted is not likely to sell it to Engie just because they’re French. This is a national, uh, security issue for Denmark Sted. Is it, I I how Engie is involved in this maybe to help set a, a baseline of what the valuation is so that CIP can then purchase it. Do you see CIP losing this, Joel? Joel Saxum: No, I don’t think so. I think, yeah, I think CCIP has to land with this one and, and CI P’s been building a portfolio quietly, building a, not, I guess not quietly, they’ve been building a portfolio for the last few years. It’s pretty stout, uh, pretty fairly sizable. Right? And it, it’s an interesting play watching this for me because you, you see all these people kind of rotating out. And it, and it has to do with the, the, in my opinion, it has to do with the macroeconomics of things, right? Once, when you develop something and you get through, like in, into the teething pain cycle and all that kind of stuff. [00:20:00] The asset is not designed to have a 50, 70%, you know, margin, right? That’s not how wind works. Wind, wind operates of small margins and a lot of times in the early, a early stages of a project, you end up running into issues that eat those margins away. So when you’re talking about small margins, they’re six to 10% is what you kind of see. Um, and it’s pretty easy to eat away a 6% or a 10% margin. If you have some kind of serial defect you have to deal with, uh, or that, that the OEM’s fighting you on and, and you know, whether or not they take responsibility for it or you have to pay for it. A lot of times those processes can drag out for 12, 24, 36 months until you get made whole. So the early state, the first, you know, five years of a lot of these projects, five to eight years, are very expensive. And then once you get through kind of those things and the thing starts just chugging. Then you actually are starting to make money, and that’s where CIP P’S buying these assets is in that years after it’s gone through its teething pains and the company that developed it is like, man, [00:21:00] we need to get outta this thing. We’ve just been burning through cash. Then CI P’s kinda swooping in and grabbing ’em. And I think that this is another one of those plays. Allen Hall: So they’re gonna live with a smaller margin or they’re gonna operate the assets differently. Joel Saxum: The assets may be being operated better now than they were when they started, just in that, in, they exist, the starting company simply because the, some of the issues have been solved. They’ve been sorted through the things where you have early, early failures of bearings or some stuff like the early fairings of gearboxes. Those things have been sorted out, so then CIP swoops in and grabs them after the, the teething issues that have been gone. Allen Hall: Does evaluation change greatly because of the way horse did, manages their assets? Up or down? Joel Saxum: I would say generally it would go up. Yeah. I don’t necessarily think it’s dependent on o and m right now. I think it’s just a, it’s a time to buy cheap assets, right? Like you see, you see over here in the States, you see a lot of acquisitions going on. People divesting, they’re not divesting because they’re like, oh, we’re gonna make a ton of money off this. They may need the cash. They’re [00:22:00] divesting in, in, um, what’s the term, like under duress? A lot of them, it may not look like it from the outside in a big way, but that’s kind of what’s happening. Yolanda Padron: Yeah, I think it’ll be really interesting to see, uh, you know, there were a lot of layoffs in Ted and Europe as well, so seeing if maybe some of the people who can make those assets perform better. Come back just with a different t-shirt on. Allen Hall: As wind energy professionals staying informed is crucial, and let’s face it difficult. That’s why the Uptime podcast recommends PES Wind Magazine. PES Wind offers a diverse range of in-depth articles and expert insights that dive into the most pressing issues facing our energy future. Whether you’re an industry veteran or new to wind, PES wind has the high quality content you need. Don’t miss out. Visit PES wind.com today in this quarter’s, PES Wind Magazine, which you can download a copy at PES [00:23:00] wind.com. There’s an article by Xan and they were, uh, contracted by Ocean Winds to evaluate the sea floor from. The sea floor at Moray West, which is way, way, way up north on the northern end of Scotland. A pretty rough area, Joel. And, but what ex Ocean did was they used unmanned survey equipment to monitor the ocean floor where the mono piles were gonna replace for the Moey West Wind Farm. That is a really difficult area to operate any sort of boat, but. Uh, the reason we’re doing this remotely unmanned was that it, it gave them sort of a, a less costly way to get high resolution images of the sea bottom. This is interesting because ocean wind was developing more a West apparently hadn’t used anything like this before, but the results, at [00:24:00] least from what I can see in PS win, look Joel Saxum: great. Yeah. This is a technology that’s been, um. Man, it’s been under development by a lot of companies in the last six, eight years. And now it’s starting to get to the point where it is, I mean, we’re, we’re TRL nine plus, right? There’s a lot of these solutions out there that are commercially ready. Xans been a top of this list since, man, since I was playing in that oil and gas world, to be honest with you. Like 20 18, 20 17, uh, really cool looking boats. That’s besides the point. Uh, but when they show up at trade shows and stuff with ’em, you’re like, ah, oh, that thing’s neat looking. Um, but it, it, it, it solves all kinds of problems, right? So when you go offshore and you’re just gonna do, say you’re just gonna go out there and do multibeam, so you’re just gonna do echo sound where you’re just looking to see depths and what’s on the sea floor. The minimum kind of vessel you need for that is 10 to 15 meters long. You need probably two to six people on that vessel. And that’s just, if you’re going out doing shift work, if you’re staying out there [00:25:00] and working 24 7, that vessel grows to. 30 meters instantly, right? So now you’re burning thousands and thousands of dollars in fuel. You’ve got food on board. You got all, it’s just a pain to put this vessel out there. You take all of those people out of harm’s way. You take all the costs away and they, and you put two of them, or one or two of them on shore in a facility, and then you put this three meter vessel out there that’s fully autonomous. No people, but collects the same style of data. I mean, it’s a no brainer, right? So you’re getting the same style of data and if, and the thing’s working 24 7, there is no need to have someone sleep. There’s a not a technician issue. There’s not, none of this is, is a problem anymore. Nobody’s getting seasick, right? So you’re sitting, you’re, you’re sitting back on shore, uh, going to work, uh, with no PPE on, um, having a, having a coffee from Starbucks down the street. And you’re running this thing 24 7, you’re collecting all [00:26:00] that fantastic data. Uh, it is just, like I said, it’s a no brainer. Now, now they’re getting to the stage where they’re putting ’em out as swarms, so you can cover whole fields. You’re doing live cable inspections. It’s, it’s pretty fantastic. So Exo ocean’s really making the next generation of robotics o offshore. Allen Hall: Yeah. And that’s gonna drive down the cost of energy. These kind of developments make huge strides in lowering costs, and this is why you need to read PES Win Magazine. So there’s a. Great articles all throughout the magazine. This quarter’s issue is, is Heavy with articles. Get your free copy@pswin.com today. As you know, in the wind industry, survival has always belonged to those who can keep up, uh, and Sorn freeze. Nuon knows better than most with his decades of experience at LM Wind Power and Uzon. He now chairs two Danish subcontractors, Polytech and Jupiter. Bach. Uh, his message to smaller suppliers in, in a recent article is. Pretty blunt. It [00:27:00]says the manufacturers, big OEMs want fewer partners and larger partners who can take on more responsibility. And if you cannot invest and grow with those manufacturers, you’ll be left behind the winners. It says it will be those who stay close to the turbine makers and adapt as the industry evolves. Joel, this is a really interesting discussion that, uh, Soren put out there. Obviously he’s invested in Polytech and Jupiter, Bach, uh, to great suppliers obviously, but small businesses are where a lot of the key technologies have been driven over the last five, six years. In wind, or more broadly the last 20 years in wind, a lot of great technology has come out of places that you wouldn’t have thought of. The OEMs have not been the bastion of innovation. I would say it [00:28:00] is necessary. You have both, wouldn’t you think? You have to have the small business innovation to prove out ideas and to show that they work, but you also have to have the large manufacturers to implement those ideas more broadly without either one of them, nobody wins. Joel Saxum: I fully agree and I think that one of the things that’s a little bit, uh, more of a granular comment there is. I think sometimes you need the OEMs and the other suppliers within the supply chain to open their doors a little bit, right? So this is, this is me wearing my, my small business, small innovative business, uh, in the wind industry cap. And that is, man, sometimes it is hard to get a conversation with a large subsupplier or with an OEM when you have something that can help them. And they just don’t want to communicate, don’t want to help. It’s just our way or the highway kind of thing. And if you watch, like we, so the podcast gives us an kind of, or not [00:29:00] gives us, it forces us to have kind of an op, an opportunity to look at, you know, what are the, what are the financial statements of some of these OEMs? What are the financial statements of some of their large sub-suppliers? You know? ’cause if they’re located in countries where that stuff is public knowledge, you can see how and what they’re doing. And if you, if you look at business in a general way where you rely on one customer or two customers to, for your whole business, you’re gonna be hurting. Um, especially in the way we look at things or what we’re seeing in the wind industry right now is if you’re, if you are a large company to say you do a hundred million in revenue and your customers are ge Vestas. Depending on what happens regulatory wise, in some random country somewhere your a hundred million dollars could shrink to 50 real quick. Um, so I don’t think that that’s a great way to do business. I think, you know, having a bit of diversification probably helps you a little bit. The OEMs Allen Hall: have a particular job to do. They need to deliver turbines onsite on time and create power for their customer. That’s our main [00:30:00] focus. They are a generator. Driven company, they make generators on steel towers with a propeller system basically. Right. Just simplify it way, way down. There’s not a lot of technology in that itself. Obviously there’s control systems, obviously there’s electronics involved, but the concept from this basic fundamentals is not difficult to to grasp. The difficulty is in execution. Showing that that product can last for 20 years, and that product can last in different environments. Australia, United States, up in Scandinavia, Canada, way down south and Brazil. There’s some really rough environments there and the OEMs are relying upon in industry, uh, guidance from like the IECs and then the dvs, uh, uls Tube. Nord. Uh. Bvs where they’re trying to make these turbines comply to a [00:31:00] set of essentially regulations, which just simplify it. You can do that. But as we have seen historically in the wind industry, if you make a turbine that just meets those requirements, you do not necessarily have a successful product. You have a product that is marginal, and as Yolanda has pointed out to me numerous times, there’s a lot of real issues in wind turbines. That probably could have been solved five years ago by small mobile companies with outside of the box ideas that could have given the OEMs a huge advantage, especially in blades. Yolanda Padron: Yeah, and I think a lot of these companies are, they’re looking at things from a different point of view, right? They’re smaller companies. You have people who could know the product, they know the real issue that’s going on on the ground. They know. Kind of what they need to do, what the next step is to move forward in their solution.[00:32:00] Right? But it’s not like it’s a, a company where you need 30 people to sign off before you can go onto the next stage, and then you need 30 more people to sign off before you can get funding to do something else. And so yes, the OEMs are doing a good job in their scope. If they’re meeting their scope, they are doing a good job. You know, if I, if I take like bread and cheese, then yes, I have a sandwich, right? Like, it might not be the best sandwich in the world, but I have a sandwich. So like, they’re making the sandwich and that’s great. But if you want something to, to actually work and to last and to, to give everybody else the, the idea that. You know, wind is profitable and we can all benefit from it. You have to get all those different layers in there, right? You have to make [00:33:00] sure that you know, if you have a big lightning issue, then you get the right people in the room to get that retrofit in there to solve your lightning issue. If you have a big leading edge erosion issue, then you get those right people in the room to solve everything, and it’s not always going to be a one size fits all. Right, but you do need those smaller companies to, to be in the room with you. Joel Saxum: I’m a hundred percent agreeing with you, Yolanda, and I think that this is the issue here is that at some level then an OEM, an OEM engineering head would have to admit that they’re not the end all be all, and that they may have got a couple of things wrong. And what, what I would love to see and who, and maybe maybe ask you this question, who of the major four Western OEMs. Do you think would be open to like an industry advisory board? Nordex, you think it’s Nordex? I think Yolanda Padron: that’s the closest one so far that we’ve seen. Right? Joel Saxum: Yeah. I, I, I agree with you, and I’m saying that because I don’t think any of the other ones would ever admit that they have an [00:34:00] issue, right? They have attorneys and they have problems, Allen Hall: so they really can’t, but I, I think internally they know that they haven’t optimized their production, they haven’t optimized their performance out in the field. They’re trying to improve availability, that’s for sure. Estes has spent a great deal of time over the last year or two improving availability so that the money is being spent. The question is, do they have all the right answers or the overspending to get to the availability that they want to deliver to their customers? That’s a great question because I do think that we we’re just in Scotland and there’s a number of technology companies in the UK that I think, wow, they should be implementing some of these. Ideas and these products that have been proven, especially the ones that have been out for a couple of years, they should be implemented tomorrow, but they’re not yet because they can’t get through the door of an OEM because the OEM doesn’t want to hear it. Joel Saxum: Yeah, agreed. Agreed. Right. Well, well, like I, the, the, the example that keeps popping into my mind is Pete Andrews and the team over [00:35:00] at Echo Bolt, simply because they have a solution that works. It’s simple. They’ve done the legwork to make sure that this thing can be optimized and utilized by technicians in the field around the world. But they, it just like, they haven’t gotten the buy-in from, from whoever, uh, that it seems to be, you know, there’s a hurdle here. Uh, and that hurdle may be the Atlantic Ocean. I don’t know. Uh, but I would love to see, I would love to see their, uh, solution for bolted connections, uh, and monitoring bolted connections kicked around the world because I think you could save. Uh, the wind industry a ton, a ton, a ton of money. And that is an example of a small business full of subject matter experts that made a solution that can solve a problem, whether you’re an OEM or you’re an operator or whatever. There’s there that’s there, utilize them, right? Those are the kind of things that we need in this industry. Yolanda Padron: And it’s also those smaller companies too that will look at your feedback and then they’ll say, oh. Okay, do I need to adjust here? [00:36:00] Did I not focus on this one parameter that your specific site has? Right. And you don’t see that from the OEMs ’cause they have so, uh, they have so many problems that they’re trying to tackle at once that it gets really difficult to, not just to hone in on one, but to, to tell everybody, oh, I, I have this perfect solution for everything. Here you go. Allen Hall: Right. I think there’s an internal conflict in the engineering departments and manufacturing departments of any OEM, regardless if it’s in wind or in any other industry, is that they have a system to make this product and they’re pretty confident in it, otherwise they wouldn’t be doing it. They don’t want to hear outside noise is I, I would describe it as noise. Like, uh, if you have a great solution that would help out their manufacturing process. But I work here, I know how, I know the ins and outs that that new idea by a small company won’t work here. Those [00:37:00] barriers have to be knocked down internally in the OEMs. The OEM management should be going through and saying, Hey, look, if I find me the manager of this operation, if I find a company that could help us and save us money, and you’re being a roadblock, guess what? See ya. Hit the road because there is no way you can let those opportunities pass you by. In today’s marketplace, you need to be grabbing hold of every opportunity to lower your cost, to improve your product availability, to improve your relationship with your customers. How do you do that? Quickly, you look at the companies that are providing solutions and you grab them, grab them, and hold on for your life and listen to what they have to say because they have probably done more research into your product than your people have. That wraps up another episode of the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast. If today’s discussion sparked any questions or ideas, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us on LinkedIn and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. If you [00:38:00] found value in today’s discussion, please leave us a review. It really helps other wind energy professionals discover the show and we’ll catch you here next week on the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast.

Send us a textIn the latest episode of The Lost In The Sauce Podcast, Sauce is joined by a Friend of the show, Xanzanxan! The two sit down to catch up on the past and recent updates. Xan, a designer, visionary, and creative, discusses their temporary move to New York, the launch of their new brand "Elose," the Iconic “X” fashion show, growth, styling Tips and advice, and much more! Pass The Aux Segment | Tim Gent - Keep Workin'Shop and Support Elose | https://elose.co/Elose IG Page | https://www.instagram.com/elose.co?igsh=MWhoemd2c2FjbHBsOQ==Follow Xan | https://www.instagram.com/xanzanxan?igsh=aTNxY2dqMnRuMzIxPodcast Platforms | https://linktr.ee/Lostinthesauce5Sauce IG | https://www.instagram.com/sauceville_615/

"Zaman Maşını" verilişinin qonaqları Elm və Təhsil Nazirliyinin əməkdaşı Türkan Cəfərli, gənc maarifçilər Mənsurə İmanquluzadə və Xanım Osmanova oldular.

Esta semana en el espacio “Rutas sin GPS” de Radio Voz, Xan Ramírez nos lleva al Mirador de Ancos, en Neda, un enclave que ofrece panorámicas espectaculares de toda la Ría de Ferrol. Se puede acceder cómodamente en coche desde varias rutas: pasando por Casadelos y la Capilla de San Antonio, por la zona del Molino de Gradaílle o desde Trasmonte, con precaución en tramos estrechos y pendientes. Desde la plataforma, se aprecian el Faro de Frouxeira, el Coto de Ancos, Montefaro, Brión, la fábrica histórica de telas y los astilleros, así como el río Xuvia y toda la bocana de la ría. Xan destacó la experiencia de observar la puesta de sol y la belleza de la comarca, recomendando a los oyentes disfrutar del lugar en días de buen tiempo y con calma, aprovechando un banco construido por un vecino para contemplar el paisaje desde un punto privilegiado.

O poeta e jornalista Leonardo Fróes, que faleceu em 21 de novembro de 2025, se dedicava à natureza antes que a conservação ambiental se tornasse uma pauta urgente. Boa parte de sua obra amadureceu com a "ecologia dos românticos" e defendia que o homem se visse como espécie entre espécies, sem dominação. O projeto Mutum publicou uma seleção de seis poemas e um fragmento de prosa do autor.Essa foi uma dica que vi na news "índice", uma parceria da Seiva e da Estante Virtual. A Seiva é uma plataforma muito bacana para artistas, designers e escritores. Se define como “uma pequena escola, editora e comunidade criativa onde se acredita que a arte é para todos". Eles também têm outra news diária chamada "aurora" com notícias sobre o mundo das artes, criatividade, literatura, jogos, música, tecnologia e mais, além de dicas de livros e artistas para se inspirar. A curadoria é ótima! Recomendo. Fora os livros e cursos deles que são ótimos, enfim. Dê uma fuçada porque vale a pena: seiva.com.brO link para o artigo é:https://www.omutum.com/2025/11/21/extra-edicao-um-missal-sem-cerimonia-sobre-leonardo-froes/Sou Helena Salgado e vc pode acompanhar o TáTó no Instagram @tatopodcast. Lá encontra, na bio, os links para todos os episódios e o contato, caso queira mandar alguma mensagem.O episódio foi gravado em São Paulo em novembro de 2025. A vinheta de início é uma interpretação minha pra música “Antônia” (Fabio Torres).Dedico esse episódio ao meu querido tio Xan, que faleceu no dia 19 de novembro. Me inspirou muito em diversos aspectos, tanto no contato com a natureza, quanto na sensibilidade para a arte, com diversas dicas de filmes, livros, músicos etc. Viva, Xan!Boa escuta! E Palestina livre

In this special episode, Xan is joined by Gretta to revisit a true classic: Mushishi by Yuki Urushibara. Originally reviewed in Episode 120, does this beloved fantasy mystery about a wandering "Mushi Master" hold up after all these years? We examine the beautiful new Kodansha Collector's Edition to see if it's the definitive way to own this atmospheric and philosophical series. In This Nostalgic Episode: A fresh look at Ginko's journeys and the ethereal world of the Mushi. Is the new Collector's Edition worth the upgrade over the original prints? Does Xan's original review from 120 episodes ago still stand? The latest manga news and Gretta's new obsession with Murder, She Wrote. Support the Show: Help us continue our journey through manga history: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "What's a manga or book you loved years ago that you'd love to see get a beautiful, deluxe re-release?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #Mushishi #YukiUrushibara #Kodansha #CollectorsEdition #Seinen #FantasyManga #ClassicManga Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

In this episode, Xan dives into the brutal and unique dystopian action of Tank Chair by Manabu Yashiro. This manga features a comatose assassin in a weaponized wheelchair and the sister who guides him on a violent path to recovery. Is this an underrated gem for fans of Chainsaw Man and Dorohedoro? We load up and fire off our full review. In This Episode: Breaking down the hyper-violent, heartfelt, and utterly original premise. How the series balances its crazy action with a powerful sibling bond. An announcement for an upcoming convention appearance! The latest headlines from the world of manga. Support the Show: Help us keep the spotlight on hidden gems: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "What's the most creative or unexpected weapon you've seen in a manga or anime?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #TankChair #ManabuYashiro #Seinen #ActionManga #DystopianManga #HiddenGem #kodanshaManga Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

In this episode, Xan examines Mr. Megaman (Rockman-san) by Yushi Kawata & Yukito—a bizarre but charming slice-of-life manga where the Blue Bomber trades battling Robot Masters for a career in dentistry. Is this Udon Entertainment manga a loving tribute or a cavity-inducing misstep? We drill into this unique video game homage to find the root of its appeal. In This Episode: Analyzing this quirky slice-of-life take on a classic Capcom icon. Who this niche manga is for (and who might want to skip it). The latest manga news and upcoming releases. Support the Show: Help keep the podcast running: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "What's the weirdest or most unexpected 'day job' you can imagine for a classic video game character?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #MrMegaman #RockmanSan #MegaMan #UdonManga #SliceOfLife #VideoGameManga #Capcom Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken YouTube Tags:

Una semana más, en Rutas sin GPS, Xan Ramírez nos lleva a explorar un rincón imprescindible del municipio de Cabanas: el Pico do Castro, un mirador de 346 metros que ofrece unas vistas impresionantes de la comarca del Eume, la ría de Ares y la ría de Ferrol. La ruta, accesible en coche hasta un tramo cercano y luego a pie por senderos bien señalizados, permite descubrir la historia de un antiguo castro con sus murallas exteriores e interiores y la planicie de la croa, donde habitó gente hace más de 2.000 años. Desde lo alto se puede disfrutar de un paisaje casi panorámico de cuatro rías y la naturaleza circundante, con eucaliptos y alcornoques que rodean el terreno. Además, los visitantes pueden aprovechar para fotografiar el entorno y conocer la hostelería local de Cabanas, cercana al recorrido. Xan comparte sus consejos y anécdotas, recordando la riqueza histórica y cultural de la zona y haciendo de esta ruta un plan perfecto para un fin de semana de ocio y naturaleza cerca de casa.

durée : 00:58:34 - Aviron Bayonnais Rugby Espoirs taldeko Xan Mariluz eta Manex Arizeta - Urriaren 26an, Espoirs mailako Aviron Bayonnais ekipak Miarritzeko taldea Jean Dauger zelaian errezebituko du : derbia jokatuko duten bi jokalari baiones gazteek ibilbidea Hemengo Magazinan aipatzen digute Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les autres épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France.

durée : 00:58:34 - Aviron Bayonnais Rugby Espoirs taldeko Xan Mariluz eta Manex Arizeta - Urriaren 26an, Espoirs mailako Aviron Bayonnais ekipak Miarritzeko taldea Jean Dauger zelaian errezebituko du : derbia jokatuko duten bi jokalari baiones gazteek ibilbidea Hemengo Magazinan aipatzen digute Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les autres épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France.

n this episode, Xan kicks off the 600s with a delightful change of pace: Cats with Jobs by Pandania. This wholesome slice-of-life manga explores the secret world of felines with careers. Is it the cathartic and relaxing read we all need? We dive into this charming webcomic-turned-manga to see if its gentle humor and positive vibes are a perfect palate cleanser. In This Episode: A review of this gentle, episodic manga about working cats. How it succeeds as a comforting, low-stakes read. Exciting new updates and the latest manga news. Support the Show: Help us continue reviewing: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "If your pet (or a favorite animal) had a job, what would they be perfectly suited for?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #CatsWithJobs #Pandania #SliceOfLife #WholesomeManga #Webcomic #ComfortRead Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

Hoy en Rutas sin GPS Xan Ramírez nos propone una aventura única por uno de los miradores más espectaculares de la comarca: el Pico da Vela o Monte Campelo en Valdoviño. Situado a 212 metros de altura, este enclave ofrece vistas panorámicas de 360° donde se pueden divisar prácticamente todos los municipios de la comarca de Ferrol, incluyendo Narón, Ferrol, Cedeira y el Ayuntamiento de Valdoviño. La subida es solo accesible a pie, y aunque el último tramo es escarpado, cada paso merece la pena por el paisaje y la historia que rodea la zona, desde antiguas baterías militares hasta restos arqueológicos y minas históricas. Xan nos anima a disfrutar de la naturaleza, el patrimonio geominero y las rutas tradicionales, combinando senderismo, fotografía y cultura local. La ruta circular propuesta, de unos siete kilómetros, permite explorar Meirás, la playa de Campelo, Rueiro de Montefarro y el Alto de Campelo, todo por senderos de tierra rodeados de impresionantes paisajes. Un plan ideal para este fin de semana, siempre que el tiempo acompañe, que combina aventura, historia y vistas de ensueño. ¡No olvides tus botas de montaña y la cámara de fotos!

Celebrate 600 episodes of the Spiraken Manga Review! For this landmark episode, Xan tackles the controversial and popular Chained Soldier (Mato Seihei no Slave) by Takahiro with art by Yohei Takemura. Does this hit fantasy harem manga about a young man empowering a squad of super-powered women live up to its hype, or does it get... well, chained by its own tropes? We deliver a definitive verdict for this Yen Press title. In This Special Episode: A critical deep-dive into the series' unique power system and ecchi-heavy narrative. Our honest "mid-tier" assessment and who this manga is really for. A look ahead at the future of the Spiraken Manga Review! The latest and greatest in manga news. Support the Show for 600 More: Help fuel the next chapter: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "What's a 'guilty pleasure' manga or anime you enjoy, regardless of its critical reception?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #ChainedSoldier #MatoSeiheiNoSlave #Takahiro #Episode600 #FantasyHarem #YenPress #Milestone Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

Xan and Cam discuss life changes.

As the wait for the next Best Picture to reveal itself continues, we review Xan's movie pick, "Fatso"!!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : @oscarsgold @hidarknesspod @beatlesblonde @udanax19⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : facebook.com/goldstandardoscars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : patreon.com/goldstandardoscars

In this special milestone episode, Xan is joined by Gretta to revisit a true classic: Cat's Eye by Tsukasa Hojo. Originally reviewed 300 episodes ago, does the story of the three Kisugi sisters—art thieves reclaiming their father's work—still hold up? We dive into the new Kana omnibus edition to see if this iconic manga is worth a modern reader's shelf space. In This Episode: A fresh look at the classic heist/romance and how it holds up today. Is the new Kana omnibus release the definitive way to read it? Our thoughts on the new Cat's Eye anime adaptation on Disney+. The latest manga news and releases. Support the Show: Help us celebrate 600 episodes: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "What's a classic manga from your past that you'd love to see get a brand-new, high-quality release?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #CatsEye #TsukasaHojo #KanaManga #ClassicManga #HeistManga #300Episodes Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

Headlines //  - Seven Australians have been abducted from the Global Sumud Flotilla by the Israeli government- New housing index released by the Council to Homeless Persons (CHP) has revealed that the housing crisis in Victoria is deepening- New polling has found that the majority of Australians oppose the genocide in Gaza and want action from the Australian government- Last Wednesday 1 October, long overdue pay rises were announced for aged care workers 7:15AM // Scheherezade is a researcher and campaigner with Elbit Out of Victoria, a member of the Free Palestine Naarm Coalition, and is a fellow presenter here on 3CR. On Sunday 5 October, Scheherazade spoke at the Free Palestine rally in Naarm about solidarity with the Global Sumud Flotilla, and about resistance movements and protests happening in Morocco.  7:30AM // Rita is an organiser with Greeks for Palestine and Menzies for Palestine, and spoke at the Free Palestine rally in Naarm over the weekend. Rita works in higher education and has been mobilising students and teachers on campus to cut university ties with companies profiting from the genocide and campaigns for campus divestment and academic solidarity with Palestine. In her speech, Rita speaks about the power of resistance, the need for us to reckon with the legacy of genocide in so-called Australia, and the fight for a free Palestine as a struggle for freedom from colonial domination. Following Rita's speech, we hear from Scheherazade again who speaks about so-called Australia's involvement in the weapons pipeline and an upcoming event on 17 October.  7:45AM// Diana Buttu is a Palestinian Canadian lawyer, analyst, and a former legal advisor to the Palestine Liberation Organization, currently living in Haifa in Occupied Palestine. Last Thursday 2nd October she joined Ahmed Alabadla from the Palestine Justice Movement Sydney in a webinar with her perspectives on current events, Israeli perspectives, and the future of activism in the west. This was an excerpt from that conversation, with Diana's analysis on the recent international recognition of Palestinian statehood, beginning with her response to the assertion that international legal systems - specifically the ICC and ICJ - may not be that effective. 8:00AM// Xan is a researcher with Elbit Out of Victoria campaign. They spoke with Phuong about the Future Fund report that looks into its investment in Elbit Systems. The company supplies approximately 80% of the land-based weapons and equipment and 85% of the combat drones used by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). In this interview Xan talks about the major findings of the report, the ongoing calls for divestment and other sovereign wealth funds who have successfully divested from Israeli companies. To read the report you can go to the Free Palestine Coalition Naarm website, https://www.freepalestinecoalitionnaarm.com/. You can also hear Xan present on 3CR's Uprise Radio, on Wednesdays from 5:30pm to 6:00pm. 8:15AM// Nour Salman is a Palestinian activist based in Naarm. In the lead-up to the vigil tonight, Nour is joining us today to speak about the importance of the vigil, and the significance of this day. The vigil will commence with a procession starting from the MPavilion at 5 pm, followed by a vigil at Parliament House from 6.30- 7.30 pm. For more information please visit @freepalestinecoalition.naarm on Instagram. Songs:  Ya Tal3een - Dana SalahLover's Hymn - El-Funoun Dance TroupeI Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free - Yara

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Xan hits the set with Tenmaku Cinema, the short-lived but ambitious manga from the acclaimed duo Yūto Tsukuda (Story) and Shun Saeki (Art). Does this Viz Media title swap culinary ecstasy for cinematic passion, delivering a heartfelt story about a young cinephile and his literal ghostwriter? We explore if it captures movie-making magic without the infamous Food Wars! fan service. In This Episode: Analyzing the authentic filmmaking passion and terminology. How this series compares to the creators' previous blockbuster hit. Why this canceled manga still delivers a complete first story arc. The latest must-read manga releases. Support the Show: Help us keep the cameras rolling: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "If a ghostly screenwriter offered you one perfect script, what story would you want them to write for you?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #TenmakuCinema #YutoTsukuda #ShunSaeki #Shonen #FilmmakingManga #VizMedia #FoodWarsCreators Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

Xan beams down to review Tokyo Alien Bros by Keigo Shinzō, a unique seinen manga that swaps alien invasions for everyday life. Follow two extraterrestrial brothers—one a natural, one a disaster—as they attempt to master "being human" in the heart of Tokyo. Does this heartwarming Viz Media title use its sci-fi premise to explore universal truths about family and belonging? We decode its charming blend of comedy and insight. In This Episode: How this manga uses aliens to explore the human experience. The hilarious and heartfelt dynamic between the two brothers. The latest manga releases you won't want to miss. Support the Show: Help support the podcast: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "If you had to teach an alien one thing about being human, what would it be?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #TokyoAlienBros #KeigoShinzo #Seinen #SliceOfLife #SciFiManga #VizMedia #ComedyManga Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

Xan delves into Natsume & Natsume by Shunsuke Sorato, a shojo rom-com about a "villainous-looking" boy and an incredibly popular girl who share the same name. Does this Azuki Manga series live up to its fantastic setup, or does it become a case of wasted potential? We break down where this opposites-attract story soars and where it sadly stumbles. In This Episode: Analyzing the strong premise and its execution. Discussing where the story misses opportunities for deeper character growth. The latest manga releases and updates. Support the Show: Help us continue providing honest reviews: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "What's a manga or show you loved the idea of, but felt let down by the execution?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #NatsumeAndNatsume #ShunsukeSorato #Shojo #RomCom #AzukiManga #OppositesAttract Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

Xan explores Spacewalking with Me by Inuhiko Doronoda, a poignant coming-of-age manga about an unlikely bond between a daydreamer and a "yankee" delinquent. Does this Kodansha title use its cosmic metaphor to deliver a relatable story about human connection and the tethers that keep us grounded? We dive into its heartfelt narrative. In This Episode: Analyzing the powerful theme of emotional "tethers" and friendship. Why the dynamic between the two leads feels so genuine. The latest manga releases you need to know about. Support the Show: Help keep our podcast exploring new stories: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "Who was the most unlikely friend you've ever had, and what 'tethered' you together?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #SpacewalkingWithMe #InuhikoDoronoda #Shonen #SliceOfLife #ComingOfAge #Kodansha #FriendshipManga Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

Story-Eater, Spin a Yarn of Chaos ep.701 Climber, tattoo collector, and peanut-butter connoisseur, Xan van Rooyen is an autistic, non-binary storyteller from South Africa, currently living in Finland. They are the author of several short stories, novels, and are part of the Sauuti Collective. Find Xan online @xan_writer   ---- Listen Elsewhere ---- YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/TallTaleTV Website: http://www.TallTaleTV.com   ---- Story Submission ---- Got a short story you'd like to submit? Submission guidelines can be found at http://www.TallTaleTV.com   ---- About Tall Tale TV ---- Hi there! My name is Chris Herron and I'm an audiobook narrator. In 2015, I suffered from poor Type 1 diabetes control which lead me to become legally blind for almost a year. The doctors didn't give me much hope, predicting an 80% chance that I would never see again. But I refused to give up and changed my lifestyle drastically. Through sheer willpower (and an amazing eye surgeon) I beat the odds and regained my vision. During that difficult time, I couldn't read or write, which was devastating as they had always been a source of comfort for me since childhood. However, my wife took me to the local library where she read out the titles of audiobooks to me. I selected some of my favorite books, such as the Disc World series, Name of the Wind, Harry Potter, and more, and the audiobooks brought these stories to life in a way I had never experienced before. They helped me through the darkest period of my life and I fell in love with audiobooks. Once I regained my vision, I decided to pursue a career as an audiobook narrator instead of a writer. That's why I created Tall Tale TV, to support aspiring authors in the writing communities that I had grown to love before my ordeal. My goal was to help them promote their work by providing a promotional audio short story that showcases their writing skills to readers. They say the strongest form of advertising is word of mouth, so I offer a platform for readers to share these videos and help spread the word about these talented writers. Please consider sharing these stories with your friends and family to support these amazing authors. Thank you!   ---- legal ---- All stories on Tall Tale TV have been submitted in accordance with the terms of service provided on http://www.talltaletv.com or obtained with permission by the author. All images used on Tall Tale TV are either original or Royalty and Attribution free. Most stock images used are provided by http://www.pixabay.com , https://www.canstockphoto.com/ or created using AI. Image attribution will be declared only when required by the copyright owner. Common Affiliates are: Amazon, Smashwords  

Xan explores a delightful departure from the norm with Lil' Leo by the legendary Moto Hagio—a foundational member of the Year 24 Group. Does this collection of charming short stories about a curious cat prove the iconic writer's versatility and add a lighter, heartfelt chapter to her monumental catalog? We delve into this Denpa-published gem. In This Episode: Appreciating the gentle, whimsical tone of Leo's adventures. Discussing Moto Hagio's incredible range beyond her dramatic shojo classics. The latest manga releases and news. Support the Show: Help keep our podcast purring along: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "What's a surprisingly gentle or comedic manga from a creator known for more serious work?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #LilLeo #MotoHagio #Shojo #SliceOfLife #Year24Group #CatManga #Denpa Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

Xan saddles up for Buffalo 5 Girls by Moyoco Anno—a short-lived but explosive josei manga about a band of women fleeing oppression on stolen motorcycles across the Wild West. Was this bold, feminist tale from the creator of Sugar Sugar Rune worth the ride despite its premature cancellation? We dive into its themes of freedom, sisterhood, and what could have been. In This Episode: Analyzing Moyoco Anno's unique take on female empowerment and rebellion. Why this Azuki Manga series ended too soon and its lasting impact. The latest manga releases you shouldn't miss. Support the Show: Help keep our podcast riding: Gofundme Engage With Us: Subscribe! YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X (Twitter), Bluesky, Instagram Join the community on Discord Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Random Question of the Day: "What's a canceled or underrated manga you wish had gotten more chapters?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #Buffalo5Girls #MoyocoAnno #Josei #WildWestManga #FemaleEmpowerment #AzukiManga Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

 Appare Ranman! – Steampunk Madness Across the Wild West! 

Xan and Andrea talk about mental health and burnout

Xan and Cam discuss starting their careers.

As the wait for the next Best Picture to reveal itself continues, we discuss Xan's movie pick, "A New Leaf"!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : @oscarsgold @hidarknesspod @beatlesblonde @udanax19⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : facebook.com/goldstandardoscars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : patreon.com/goldstandardoscars

Xan and Cam talk about how Cam broke his neck.

Utopia Utopia~ A new world was the mission. A secret civilization no one knew about changed everything.When Dr. Delilah Dweck, a decorated physician, boards the first manned mission to Mars, she's chasing the dream of discovery. Alongside her is an astrobiologist, Dr. Jacob Stern, and a handpicked team of elite scientists, each prepared to leave Earth behind forever. Their mission: to build a permanent colony and turn the barren red planet into humanity's next home.Mars holds secrets far older—and far stranger—than anyone could have imagined. Beneath the dust lies a thriving ancient civilization: the Xan'tains. Not only are they alive, they claimed to have seeded Earth millions of years ago—and now, they're ready to reclaim their descendants.The price of survival? Reproduction. Each astronaut must help populate the colony, either biologically or through artificial means. Their children, born of Mars and Earth, exhibit extraordinary abilities—abilities the Xan'tains see as the next evolution.As the colony expands beyond Mars and into the stars, the crew discovers a powerful galactic federation balancing diplomacy and domination. But when Delilah uncovers a conspiracy that threatens to shatter this fragile peace, the true test begins. Can Delilah protect both her people and the future they're building—or will Utopia collapse under the weight of its own creation?A sweeping saga of interstellar discovery, ancient power, and the fragile hope of unity. Utopia is perfect for fans of The Expanse and The Three-Body Problem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conflict in marriage isn't just inevitable—it can actually be good… if you know how to handle it. In this episode, we (Nathaniel and Xan) share five unhelpful ways couples commonly navigate conflict (think: avoidance, blame-shifting, and yelling matches) and contrast them with the six simple steps we use when tension arises in our own marriage. We talk about why a conflict resolution plan might sound stiff—but actually leads to deeper connection, better communication, and much less chaos.  Whether you're newly married or ten years in, this episode is packed with practical tools to help you stop fighting at each other and start fighting for your marriage. One Degree Shift: Create a conflict plan that works for you and your spouse… or at least start the conversation.

Quaranteam – Book 1: Part 21 Andy's spirits are lifted by an old friend. Based on a post by CorruptingPower, in 25 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 36 Half an hour later, his phone rang and Andy glanced down to see it was Phil calling, a picture of him with the words "Phil The Elder" superimposed over part of it. The poker group actually had two Phils in it,  Phil Marcos and Phil Pak. The two men were dramatically different from one another, but also remarkably similar in others. They shared the same first name, so the group had given them nicknames when they were talking about them if it could've been either of them. Phil Marcos a.k.a. Phil The Elder a.k.a. Greater Phil was 34, Filipino and worked for Boeing with the Air Force at a base in the East Bay, and was certainly the closer friend to Andy. They'd met at a local comic book store just after Andy had moved out to the West Coast, and had hit it off immediately. When Andy had started his poker group up a few years later, Phil was one of the first people Andy had called. Phil Pak, a.k.a. Phil The Younger a.k.a. Lesser Phil was 32, Korean and worked for the NSA out of San Francisco, and not someone they'd seen as often as they liked. For the last couple of years, Lesser Phil had been trying to convince Andy to come work as a data analyst for the NSA in terms of interpretation and extrapolation. Lesser Phil had been a college friend of Eric's, and had been introduced to Andy only a few months after he'd met Greater Phil. While Andy still typically thought of them as Greater and Lesser Phil, he tried not to call them that out loud, and had them as Phil The Elder and Phil The Younger in his phone. Andy asked if it was a common name, and Eric remarked that he knew at least a couple more Phils but none he knew that well. Andy told him he'd had a similar problem with Jennys in high school. "Talk to me, Phil," Andy said to his friend. "You heard the recording. Should I be worried?" "Concerned, yes. Worried, no," Phil sighed. He sounded exhausted on the other end of the line, but as of late, Phil had always sounded exhausted. Whatever he was doing over at the base, it was certainly taking a toll on his friend. "So the good news is that in the long run, it shouldn't make too much of a difference. But that reaction means that Lexi had been infected with the Orange Variant of the DuoHalo virus before we introduced the serum to her body." "The 'Orange Variant?'" "We started naming them after colors, working our way through the spectrum. The Red Variant was first but it died off very quickly, so this is the second one," he grumbled. "But she isn't our first exposure to it, so we know how the serum's going to generally react to it, and what it's going to do to her. There are only two real major differences you're going to need to worry about." "Is she going to be okay?" "I told you, in the long run, it shouldn't make too much of a difference. The two differences you need to pay attention to are this,  first, her margin of error for recursion is far less forgiving. That means don't ever make her go more than a week without getting some Rook juice, if you know what I mean, otherwise she see temporary cognitive decline set in pretty fast, and she'll be ripping your clothes off no matter where you are, so keep that in mind." "Every seven days minimum," Andy repeated, writing it down on a notepad in his writing office. "What's the other major difference I need to worry about?" "It shouldn't even be a concern, but you should still know about it. You know how other men's semen will typically make an imprinted woman ill?" "Sure?" "Those who've been exposed to the Orange Variant, if they come in contact with the semen of a man other than those they're imprinted with, they go into a violent fit of rage, attacking anyone other than their imprinted man on sight. Those rage fits tend to be relatively short lived,  only a hour at most,  but they're still incredibly dangerous and not the kind of thing you want sprung on you as a surprise." "And this is my bodyguard who has this," Andy sighed. "Oh it's fine," Phil chuckled. "She won't harm you, and you know how to protect your family better than anyone. I think anyone who tried to use it as a weakness against Lexi would probably not live to regret it. She'll also be imprinting for longer than normal, so if she's sleeping for like a day and a half, don't worry about it. That's to be expected." "You doing okay, Phil?" Andy asked. "You look like shit, and I'm more worried about you now than I am Lexi." Phil sighed then laughed a little bit. "You know me. I'll sleep when I'm dead. Lots of long days in the office turning into long nights, and on top of that, Audrey and Linda are making sure that I have several partners as well, so that my immunity to DuoHalo continues to be strong. We're not entirely sure of the science of it yet, but it looks like the more people inside a particular polypod, the stronger the internal herd immunity the male at the center get is. Once we knew that for certain, my two queens made sure I had a good litter of partners in our household. So I'm up to eleven myself now." "I still can't believe I'm a level five and you're not, Phil," Andy said, deliberately testing a theory by trying to bait it out of his friend. "Okay, Andy, you got me," Phil said with amusement. "I'm also a level five. I was lying to you earlier, for security reasons. In fact, I think technically I was one of the first level fives. I've also technically had DuoHalo, but I can't really get into the details of that all that much. Let's just say that when we're finally through this whole pandemic, I'm going to have a bunch of stories to tell you that will blow your mind. I probably have to get clearance for you so that I can tell you some of them, but it'll be worth it." "I've always known you were up to something over there, Phil," Andy laughed. "I just couldn't figure out what it was." "Greater Phil, International Man of Mystery. It's got a nice ring to it." "Speaking of Mystery. Poker, this week. Let's do it." "Yeah, sure," Phil said. "I could use a break, so you call everyone else, and I'll make a point of coming over with as much of the family as I can convince to come out, although it has that weird side effect of making every poker night feel like a giant party where we're all hiding from our wives. Maybe we should see if there's enough interest to set up a second table and we can mix and match, so you can spend a bit more time meeting my partners and vice versa." "Well, you see Niko all the time, what with her being at your work, so you probably know her about as well as I do." "That girl's got secrets upon secrets, Andy." That caught him a little off guard. He wasn't bothered by it, but he was amused at the idea of her trying to hide something from him. "Niko? My Niko? I can't see it. She's open and transparent about everything with me." "Sure, okay. Didn't you feel that way about Erin?" "That was different?" "Was it though?" Phil said in a tone that immediately conjured the Smug Thor meme to his mind. "I mean, sure, Niko's secrets are probably being kept from you for the right reasons, as opposed to Erin's, but secrets are secrets." "The last thing I need is you making me more paranoid, Phil." "Forget I said anything. Oh, one last bit of news for you. Maya won't be there until tomorrow midday. Turns out she's also got the Orange Variant, so we're making sure the serum is getting a good foothold before we send her over to you. It's all just safety precautions, but it'll be over soon enough." "Great. We can do poker night on the 20th, so we can all watch the President's speech and the 60 Minutes story together." "Sounds like fun," Phil agreed. "Hopefully Katie Couric's team caught my good side. See you on Friday." As Andy hung up the phone, he noticed that Whitney was lingering in the doorway. She was dressed impeccably in a white button up shirt and a black pencil skirt with black pantyhose on beneath, and the shirt was just barely thin enough that he could see hints of her red bra on underneath. "Have you got a moment, sir?" "Sure thing, Whitney, what's up?" "Just wanted to go over the set up work I've done for the house so you know what's going on, and to ask you a few questions so I can start the process of replacing your laptop for you," she said, her hands folded together in front of her, her eyes mostly lowered. "Sounds great, but Whitney, you don't have to look down all the time. I know you're more used to a stern hand than I am, and I'll do my best to be what you like when we're intimate, but when you're acting in your duties as the house IT manager, you need to relax a little more and try to fit in." Whitney smirked a little bit, those dark red lips perked up as she lifted her head, nodding at him with a little smile. "Oh, I know, sir. I think I mostly just wanted to see if you would notice. Shall we?" For the next half an hour, Whitney explained to him in good detail all the changes she'd gone about to the house in the last day, getting all the rooms configured to work within the house's larger intranet. As it turned out, there were multiple LAN ports in the walls of every room in the house, it seemed like, and once again, Andy found himself wondering who this house had been built for originally. In addition to making sure all the ports were working, Whitney had also set up wireless hubs and repeaters all throughout the house, enough so that no matter where a person was in the house, they should always have a good signal to the internet. The house's security systems ran on an entirely separate network, one with minimal external connectivity, and Whitney said that she would work with Lexi to make sure the system was up to whatever standards his new head of security had in mind. They walked while they talked, and outside in the back, Andy could see Katie astride her riding lawn mower, zipping in lines across the monstrous amount of green grass in his back yard, making sure to get all of it cut even and levelly. He could also see Tala hauling things into the back house with the help of Nicolette, who had ditched the maid outfit for the time being for a more practical set of blue jeans and a baggy t shirt covered in paint splotches. All of the changes, Whitney assured him, had been done with minimal disruption to anyone's work in the house, and she'd been trying to get as much of it today, as it was a Sunday. The last thing they talked about was his replacement laptop, something that Andy was remarkably picky about. Oh, he didn't care about the things most people cared about,  when it came to processors and memory, Andy insisted none of that mattered to him,  but the thing he was adamant about was that the keyboard feel as close to the one on the laptop he was currently using, an eight year old IBM ThinkPad. Too many keyboards were difficult to use for long periods at a time, and considering how many words Andy found himself putting into his laptop on a daily basis, if the keyboard was unwieldy, the laptop might as well be non existent. Whitney made a special note that "keyboard feel" was of the utmost import, and she insisted to him, she would do her best to get him a good replacement within a week or so. She had already begun backing up all the files from his existing laptop to the house's master network, as well as to a backup kept in a fire safe, so that even if disaster struck, he would still have his work in a safe location. Andy did tell her that she didn't have to work full time on the weekends, and that she should make a point of getting settled into her own room, and spending some time catching up with her friend Nicolette who had brought her here. Whitney had smiled at that, and agreed to go get changed so she could help Tala move in, and then they could all help Whitney get moved in afterwards. He was starting to walk back towards his office when he ran into Lauren, clearly just back from a jog around the neighborhood, sweaty and out of breath, a big smile on her face. "Hey there, fella, just the bloke I was lookin' to have a moment with. Got a snip?" He grinned, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "Sure, what's up?" "I've been thinking, and I think maybe we should let Taylor off the hook now," she said, looking down at her feet for a second. "I know, I know, I was the one who set the whole month punishment in place but, strewth, seeing her walking around naked all the time is starting to make me feel bad. I'm thinking she's learned her lesson, and she knows she's got lots of trust to earn back from me, so I'm only keeping her from getting to spend time learning more about all the other amazing sheilas you have in this house, and that's not fair of me." "I agree," Andy chuckled, "but I didn't want to be the one to tell you, seeing how fire and brimstone you were about the whole thing when you set the rules in place." "Strewth," she muttered. "Was it really that much a dunnybrook?" "I was a little worried the heavens were going to part and you were going to call down lightning bolts from the skies," he said, the smile wide on his face. "Real wrath of god type shit." "Bugger. Anyway, you should tell'er that you've talked me down, and that you laid down the law, and you decided, and eventually I relented, that she is done with that punishment and should just join the family like all the other birds. Make it clear you decided, not me, so I still get to keep a bit of that big scary reputation." Andy rolled his eyes but nodded. "Sure sure, you'll look mean. You'll look really scary. Anyway, I'll go find her and tell her while you're hopping into the shower." "Stink that bad, do I?" "Your sweatstains have got sweatstains, Lauren," he said with a laugh as he was backing away from her, while she mimed punching motions in his direction. He wasn't certain where he'd find Taylor in the house, so he decided just to go wandering the halls and see where he stumbled into her. He found her in Hannah's room, where she, Asha and Hannah were sitting on the bed, gossiping. Asha and Hannah hadn't bothered to change out of their pajamas, enjoying a lazy Sunday, while Taylor sat nude with her back against the wall. One of his two cats, Muninn, the Russian blue, was sitting on the bed near Asha, who was petting him idly. All three girls tensed a little bit when he entered the room,  Taylor wasn't supposed to be sitting up on furniture unless Lauren or himself had told her to do so, but Andy hadn't really followed the rules at all, and had made it clear multiple times that Taylor's 'punishment,' such as it was, was mostly for Lauren's mollification, and that if Taylor slipped on the rules from time to time while she wasn't around, he didn't particularly care. "No no, don't get up, Taylor, it's fine," he said, coming into the room. "In fact, it's what I came to talk to you about." "You need to get Nicolette to turn up the house furnace, babe," Asha said to him. "If I'd ta walk around all day in me skivvies, I know I'd be freezin'." "Totally, Daddy," Hannah said. He'd repeatedly told her that she didn't have to call him that (in fact, going so far as to hint that it made him a little uncomfortable when she did) but she had repeatedly answered that she liked calling him that, so she wasn't going to stop any time soon. At least she knew enough not to do it when other people were around the house. "We're just talkin' anyway, so I told her to hop up here, so if you gotta punish someone, it should be me." "You look far too eager when you suggest that, Hannah," he told the Asian teenager. "Anyway, I had a talk with Lauren just a little bit ago. I told her this is my house, and I'm in charge, and that I've decided you've served this part of your punishment long enough. You're free to get dressed, wear clothes around the house, sleep wherever you want, sit wherever you want. You can get your phone back, and you can start working with Lauren at the 49ers camp whenever you feel like you're ready. You're a full member of the household now, and there's no reason for this silly punishment to go on any further. And you can certainly take off that ridiculous dog collar." Taylor's bright blue eyes had been focused on him the entire time he'd been talking, and she slipped off the bed quickly to throw her arms around him, pressing those impressive tits of hers against his chest as she hugged him very tightly, clinging to him, even as he could hear her sniffling back some tears. "Thank you, Andy," she said quietly. "I know Lauren's still mad at me, but this has been really hard, being made to feel like less than a person." He wrapped his arms around her, patting her bare back. "I know, and I get that, but you also have to realize that cheating on her hurt her in a way she'd never been hurt before, and that won't go away fully for a long long time. Just because you're done with all of this doesn't mean you're done with all of that. I know you know that, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded that you're going to be repairing that damage between you two for years to come. You screwed up, but there's a way back from that, as long as you're willing to put in the work and learn from your mistakes." Taylor pulled back, looking at him as something just dawned on her. "So, wait, all the rules have been lifted? Like all all of them?" He tilted his head a little. "Yyyyes? Why, is there one in particular you're asking about?" "So, like, next time, y'know, when me and you, then we can,” He bit back a smile and nodded. "Yes, yes we can. And if you want to masturbate again, you're welcome to start doing that too." She shook her head over dramatically once then leaned in to kiss him. "After we've had our first time together, our first real time together, then I will, but I want the first thing inside of my cunt after all this time to be your cock. If that's okay," she said, biting her lip nervously. "Of course it's okay. I think your next day in the rotation was going to be the 20th, but if you want, we can try and find some time before then instead. It can even be just the two of us, without Lauren around, if that's what you want." She pouted again for a moment. "Anything I want?" "Well, within my usual limits, but sure." She slipped her arms away from him, and turned back to look at Asha and Hannah, extending a hand to each of them. "I want the four of us together, for my first time normally with you, Andy," she said, as Asha took one hand and Hannah took the other. "Oh rrrrreally?" Asha said, dragging the sound out, her London accent dripping through the word. "All four of us together? Sounds like a spot of fun. I'm game if you are, Whiskers," she said, looking over at Hannah with a smile. "Anything you can throw at me, I can totally handle, Goldfish," Hannah shot back at her friend. Clearly the girls had developed nicknames for each other when he wasn't around. "I was supposed to have tomorrow night, Daddy, so instead of it just being me, it'll be all three of us, if that's totally cool and shit." "Yeah, that's, ahem, totally cool. And shit." He leaned in to give Taylor a quick kiss, but she kissed him back harder than expected, and it lasted longer than he'd planned, not that he minded. "And you, young lady, should get some clothes on, and maybe unpack your stuff, whether that's in your own room or in Lauren's room, that's up to you." "Oh it totally all goes in with Lauren," Taylor said. "I don't even want my own room. Either I'm in her bed or yours. You want to come help me move in, girls?" "You couldn't stop us, love," Asha said. "Last one there has a smelly cunt!" Hannah said as she bolted towards the door, Asha and Taylor just a step or two behind her. "Y'know," Andy said to himself and the cat, "I feel like I should've yelled that there's no running in the house after them, but I just know it wouldn't have done any good." "Meow," Muninn said to him in response. "Oh hush," Andy said. "What the hell do you know?" "Meow," Muninn agreed. "Damn straight." After leaving Hannah's room, he was halfway down the hall when he ran into Sarah, who was wearing one of his t shirts, one for a band called Stereophonics, and sweatpants beneath it, her hair done up in the least stylish ponytail he'd ever seen from her, as if she'd just put her red mane up to get it out of the way for a while. "Hey you," she said, her pearly white smile beaming at him. "Maya should be here any minute, and I know you're just gonna love her." "I actually spoke to Phil a little bit ago, and she's not going to be here until tomorrow, but she's still coming, don't you worry." He explained the Orange Variant to her, and while she was a little disappointed that her friend's arrival would be delayed, she understood that Maya's health was the most important thing, and the base didn't want to let her out of their sight until she was ready. "What've you been up to today?" She rolled her oceanic blue eyes at him with a big harumph. "Reading screenplays that my agent sent over, trying to pick my next project. It's looking like everyone's going to want to do serialized television right now, because they can get more content out of smaller budgets, but so many of these stories are just so boring," she groaned. "It's like my agent's only sending me the same stuff." "Well," he said, taking her hand in his as they walked down the hallway, "tell your agent what you want then, whether that's more drama, more action, more comedy, more whatever it is you want more of. They only know what you want when you tell them. I had to learn the same lesson with my literary agent early on." She squeezed his hand thankfully. "My agent really should know better, but you're right. I can get her on the hunt for the kinds of things I want to be doing. You know there aren't really any good spy stories on television right now? I should see if she can get me something like that. I'll give her a call tomorrow, see if maybe she can reach out to the production companies, see who's already got projects winding up I can try and piggyback onto." They walked past the door of Emily and Sarah's workspace, and Andy noticed it was closed. He pointed with his other hand at the closed door as they kept on walking. "Em in some kind of meeting?" Sarah nodded. "London based production company wanted to reach out to her, so she's taking the call today, but she should be out in an hour or so." The doorbell rang, and Sarah arched an eyebrow in surprise. "I thought you said Maya wouldn't be here until tomorrow." "That's what Phil told me," he said, as the two of them started to head downstairs, although Andy could hear someone answering the door, followed by a loud squeal of recognition. When they came down the stairs, Andy could see it was Piper who'd answered the door, and she had her arms wrapped around a short blonde girl, hugging her tightly. "Andy! Sarah! Brooke's here!" Piper said to them, swinging the shorter girl around a bit. "That's great, but I thought she was  " "Surprise, man!" Xander said as he stepped in through the doorway. Andy let go of Sarah's hand and rushed down the rest of the stairs, suddenly stopping about six feet away from the door. "Are you...?" "Paired with three people this morning, so I'm 100% safe as houses," his tattooed friend said. Once he'd gotten the word 'paired' out, Andy had continued rushing his best friend, wrapping his arms around the burly guy, giving him a hell of a hug. "Oh Jesus, it's good to know you're safe, man," Andy sighed. "And it's so fucking good to see you. I know we hung out last December, but fuck, these eleven months have felt like five fucking years,” "Glad to see my mouth's rubbing off on you," Sarah laughed, closing the distance to meet them. "Xander, these are my partners Piper Brown and Sarah Washington, both of whom you've talked to a bit through FaceTime. Piper, Sarah, this is my best and oldest friend, Xander Baker, whom I've known since we were both, like, what, 6?" Xander laughed, nodding. "6, 7, something like that. However old we were in kindergarten." "Not very," Andy said. "Not enough!" Xander replied. "Anyway, Andy, Sarah, this is my soon to be partner Brooke Maloney, whom I have your partner Piper to thank for." "Well," Piper laughed, "I'd originally pitched her to come here and be Andy's partner, but he realized she'd be a much better fit for you, considering how much you both love classic cars, although really, I think it was just so he didn't have to hear her singing Vince Gill songs around the house all the time, 'cause she does that a lot, and I hope they warned you about that, Xander." "She can be singing Vince Gill while I'm singing Wu Tang Clan, and somewhere in the middle, over the engine of a Dodge Charger, I think we can make it work," Xander said. "Honestly, Pipes," Brooke said to her, "the only reason he said soon to be is because I wanted to come over and say thank you to y'all, and let Xander have a bit of time with his friend before we got to bumpin' uglies. But all the other gals in his house have just been so sweet, y'all, I can't wait for you to meet'em." "Why don't Piper and I give you a tour of the place, Brooke," Sarah said, "and the boys can do a little bit of catching up. You want me to have Jenny bring drinks to you out on the patio, hun?" "Yeah," Andy said, "I'll take a pina colada. Xander?" "Just a Corona." Sarah nodded. "Drinks coming up! This way ladies!" she said, marching them down towards the kitchen first. "Jesus Andy," Xander said quietly. "You really bagged Sarah Washington. I mean, I know I've talked to her vidchat, but seeing her in person like this,” "Seriously, I don't deserve this much luck," Andy said with a chuckle as he started to lead his best friend towards the back patio. "Oh fuck you," Xander teased. "You deserve exactly this much luck. Our entire lives, I've been watching you do good things for people left and right and never asking for so much as a thank you in return, and this is what karma has brought you, dude, so live a little. Enjoy it." As they moved out onto the patio, Xander shook his head. "I will say, however, that my house isn't quite as big as yours is. Don't get me wrong, it's still a fucking palace compared to that one bedroom shithole I lived in back in Ohio, but I'm just saying,” Andy rolled his eyes with a smirk. "You know I didn't pick the places myself, right jackass?" "I guess so," Xander said, as the two men moved to sit down on deck chairs near the pool. It was cool for November but not so cold that either man felt like they needed to add layers, both having grown up in the Midwest, where California winters would be considered nice spring days. "God, I'm really here. It's wild, man." "It's great having you out here, Xander. Jesus, the stories I have to tell you. You're here early, though. I didn't expect you out here for at least a few more days." "Turns out these DuoHalo Variants are pretty intense," Xander sighed, "and since they were pairing me up with someone in the military, they wanted to make sure I got hooked into the system as quickly as they could, so everything got very rush rush rush. When you told me to be ready to go at a moment's notice, you weren't kidding. As soon as we finished up that conversation, I started packing, and just barely got done before they showed up to cart me away. They're even taking care of selling my house for me, although I suspect it's just going to become government housing or something." "Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me," Andy agreed. "God, it's good to have you here, man." "Well if it isn't my favorite hoodrat," Fiona said, carrying out a tray with three drinks on it, setting it down on a table as Xander immediately got up and hugged him hard. "How you been, lunkhead?" "Better now that I know you made it here okay, muckraker," he teased back. "How the hell you been Fi?" "Better now that I know you ditched that crazy ex of yours," she laughed. "Can I say it?" "Oh I think you've earned it." "I told you that girl was no good." "You did indeed tell me that," Xander agreed, taking his bottle of Corona from the drinks tray, as Andy grabbed his pina colada and Fi grabbed a tall glass of wine. "Hey hey hey, the gang's all back," Fi said with a smile. "To old friends and new flames." "To life, liberty and us getting through this fucking plague together," Xander toasted. "To family," Andy corrected. "To family!" they all toasted together, clinking glasses. Piper has a confession to make.. Chapter 37 The conversation had gone far into the evening, with members of the household coming in and out several times, joining for a while before leaving the trio to their own devices once more, mostly anyway, a couple of Andy's partners choosing to remain longer. Sarah and Aisling in particular were intent on getting as many stories about Andy's youth as they could, and he felt a little like they hoped either Xander or Fiona would tell them embarrassing tales from their college years. While Fi had been mostly coy about the years they'd spent at university, Xander, by contrast, had been eager to tell at least a handful of hilarious and ridiculous stories about the troubles they'd found themselves in during their misspent youth. Despite how flustered he got a couple of times, it was a wonderful night of reminiscing, and a chance for the girls to see Andy in a different light. A piece of advice Andy had never let go of was that as you got older, it was almost important to keep people around you who knew you when you were young and fearless. At least a few times, he'd managed to deflect the conversation off himself and onto other people, a detour letting both Sarah and Emily talk about their experiences making movies, and Xander talking about the process of being relocated from Ohio out to California. Xander's trip had been surprisingly surreal, and he told the group about it in explicit detail. He'd been loaded into an isolation chamber on a cargo plane along with twenty other men, each in their own little plastic bubble tent, although each of the tent also had curtains that could be dropped for privacy. Xander told them he'd found that odd but understood why eventually. The plane had been mostly full of men when it picked Xander up in Ohio. The little isolation chamber was like a emergency field hospital's clean room, with a mattress on the floor as well as a few days of rations, both food and water, and a little sealable chemical toilet. Nearly everything was ziptied to weights to keep it steady. There was also a little headset that connected to a series of voice chat channels all the men could use to talk to one another. The main channel had been too hectic for Xander to stay in for more than a handful of minutes, but he'd eventually peeled off a couple of the men in the plane into a separate channel, and was able to both give them some information and get some on his own. All of the men on the plane had been gathered from cities in the central and eastern United States, and were being ferried out to partners, generally military but some in other branches of the government, and they weren't being let out of their isolation chambers until they'd been paired up with at least one woman, thus, the beds and the privacy curtains. At least a couple of the pods had not only men in them, but also a woman in the middle of the imprinting process . The government didn't want to risk the life of any man, so this was an emergency plan decided to keep as many people as they could safe. The two men Xander spent the afternoon talking with were Klaus, a 26 year old Master Sergeant from Georgia that Xander felt like was probably in special ops of some kind, and Bill, a 34 year old schoolteacher from Tennessee who was being paired up with a prominent Silicon Valley businesswoman he'd dated back in high school. Klaus clearly knew far more than he wanted to share with Xander and Bill, but he'd done his best to give the two men some information to make their journey a little less panic stricken. There were two women in the isolation chamber with Klaus, a twenty year old blonde named Olivia and a twenty two year old Korean American named Naya, or so Klaus told them, as both women were still in the middle of the imprinting process. The man was part of the security forces for the flying hospital that was transporting men and women around the country. He knew what he could and couldn't tell Xander and Bill, and just having a conversation with Klaus had made Xander feel more safe in their travels. He had a calm and casual demeanor to him while discussing how everything had been carefully planned, even if it all felt pretty slapdash. He couldn't answer all of their questions, for security reasons, but he told the two men that the airplane had basically been in motion nonstop for the last three weeks, doing its best to ferry people around the nation. Xander had asked him if it was truly necessary, only to be told how high the casualty rate was for men around the nation. Klaus had seen the stacks of bodies, and the man sounded rattled when he described the hundreds of empty apartments he'd seen in his native Queens, as the corpses had filled up dump trucks, and they'd had to conceal the bodies as they were taking them out in the dead of night. Klaus told them he'd been in a biohazard suit for most of the last week, but now that he had two partners, he would be able to go out and provide an escort for everyone going to and from the plane, although he planned to return to his isolation room with his two partners in between each stop they made. From Ohio they flew down to Nebraska, stopping at Offut Air Force Base, where they picked up a handful of soldiers and dropped off a handful of women. Bill had asked Klaus how long they'd been running these routes. Klaus said they'd been running for a few weeks now, and they were only one of five planes that were crisscrossing the nation. Olivia and Naya had both been brought into the inoculation center in Denver earlier and then swapped planes to meet up with him in New York, where they'd met up after he'd returned bringing in another stable of surviving men. All privacy had basically gone out the window. Klaus told him that most of the men had the option to wait until they were in a house or an apartment or something, but Klaus had been told by his commanding officer that they couldn't spare him that much time, so he needed to just get on with his business on the plane so he could get back to work as soon as he was done. By the time they'd touched down at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, Bill had been just about ready to break out into full fledged panic, between the constant shift in air pressure, the take offs and landings done without proper seatbelts and his inability to go anywhere that wasn't his little sealed off compartment, but a quick talking to from Xander had gotten the man to cool down at least a little bit. They were barely on the ground in Nevada an hour, taking people off and bringing new people on, as well as refueling the plan, before taking off again, landing at Oakland airport a few hours later under the cover of night. Their cellphones had been taken from them when they'd arrived at the plane, so Xander had been forced to guess at the time, but he would've placed their arrival in Oakland at something around 2 a.m. or so, although the lock in had made it impossible to use traffic as a gauge. In Oakland, everyone had been taken from their individual compartments and loaded onto a large troop transport truck, with no caution given to cross contamination or infection, as they were all told they would be getting paired up within a few hours, so even if they caught DuoHalo now, it wouldn't matter. Xander had been concerned by that but he had decided to go along with it, because Klaus seemed to consider the whole thing fine, and he was the one loading people onto the trucks. The trucks had ferried them from Oakland up to a staging area next to the lab near Mount Diablo, just adjacent to New Eden, and once there, they'd been introduced to their new partners and from there, sorted into where they were going to go. The building they were using as a staging area felt like a converted aircraft hangar, with a high curved metal ceiling and big fluorescent lights hanging high above them. Although there were some tented parts of the space, similar to what had been inside the cargo hold of the airplane that had brought him here, most of the space was open, with long painted striped lines on the ground, leading people through the processing. Men weren't being given any injections, something Xander had thought was odd, until all the men were given a five minute lecture on "Your New Reality," something that the men were told to take deadly seriously. The lecture included basic things like how they would be receiving their vaccinations (sexually transmitted from their new partners), how their partners would need sexual satisfaction about once a week or so, how their semen would be toxic to any woman they weren't paired with, and how if they ever felt like they were coming down with the symptoms of DuoHalo they should have sex with one of their partners immediately, which would resolve them. At the point when the men had been told that their semen would be toxic to any woman they weren't paired with, a handful of the men had quietly jeered and rolled their eyes, but the next slide in the presentation showed a wound on a woman's arm that had silenced all that nonsense quickly. The end of the lecture included a video message from President Pelosi, urging the men to consider fatherhood like a new version of the World War 2 draft,  every man needed to do his service to help save the country. Extensive tax breaks and financial aid would be provided to families with multiple children, it was stressed. The country needed to be rebuilt. As soon as the lecture was done, they'd been marched single file to a series of processing windows, over a dozen clerks taking people's names and social security numbers before assigning them a holding area to head over to, where they would meet their partners. A sticker was placed on their chest before they were sent on their way. It had all felt very assembly line, as if there wasn't time for kindness or courtesies, and people were simply being pushed through the grinder as quickly as possible. Klaus had joked around with them on the ride over that while it might seem rough, it was being done for optimal performance in getting people in and through the system and into their new lives, wherever they may be. Xander had heard several different locations mentioned,  the San Jose highrises, the Stanford campus, the Berkeley campus, the SF towers, the Altamont sprawl, the Tracy ghosttown,  but when it came time for him to be told where to go, he was told he wouldn't need to go far, as he was being assigned to Dos Eden, the first expansion zone to New Eden. He'd been given four partners on site, with one more to be waiting for him at the location. They'd been waiting for him in the holding area assigned to him, each having arrived sometime over the previous day, so they'd all had a chance to get to know one another. Letting the women have some time to bond in advance of the man's arrival seemed smart to Xander, as they could size each other up without having to worry about keeping their new mate's attention. The women had also been given their injections in the holding area, and so Xander assumed the spaces had also doubled as observation areas, making sure none of the women had suffered any adverse reactions to their injections the day before. Captain Betsy Ross had turned out to be a complete knockout, a blonde pint size pocket rocket dynamo who was training men nearly twice her size in hand to hand close quarters combat, and they had clicked immediately, almost as if they were custom made for each other. She'd kissed him hard enough to nearly knock him off his feet before he'd even been able to say hello. The second woman had been Serena Ortiz, a Latina woman in her late twenties who was a U.S. Marshall, and had built a career out of tracking down fugitives. Tall and statuesque, she had a certain grace to how she'd moved, he'd noticed immediately. She'd spent the past few hours talking with Betsy before Xander's arrival, and the two already had a friendly relationship, having bonded over the fact that they could both kick Xander's ass if needed. The third was a slender blonde woman in her late 30s who had looked hauntingly familiar before her introduction, but Xander had struggled to place her, even after she identified herself as Alicia Geller. When she'd told Xander that he would likely know the role she'd played in her youth, Rascal Rachel, that had made it all come together immediately. Alicia was a child actress who had been the star of a popular kids show until she'd grown out of it and the show had been canceled. Instead of continuing acting, she had retired from show business and gone into education, teaching history to high school students. She seemed a little shy, but had assured him that once they'd had time to get to know one another, she would come out of her shell. The final one on site had been Brooke, and she'd detailed the story to him how her friend Piper was paired up with Andy, and that they had recommended Brooke pair up with Xander, so she had. She'd been wearing a Shelby GT Cobra necklace when they met, and Xander had known it was going to work out just fine. A second sticker was placed on his chest and the girls were told to stay with him, as everyone was sorted into lines and sent towards trucks. Most of the trucks were large troop transports, but Xander had been surprised to see that the vehicle he and his partners were set to was much smaller, and they were the only group loaded up onto it. He'd felt a little bad, since really they could've just been loaded up into an Escalade, him, his four new partners and the MP driving them over to their new home. On the way over, the MP delivered the final set of instructions to Xander, as to why his fifth partner hadn't been waiting for him at the base and was, instead, at the new home. Her name was KC Kadrey, and she was a 20 year old Vietnamese American student over at Stanford, studying mechanical engineering. She'd needed to get her injections a couple of days prior, and there had been some concerns that she might simply just grab the first man she saw and go after him, so she'd been taken to their new home and allowed to settle in. But, the MP warned him, it meant that she might be a bit intense when they arrived. She'd also brought her golden retriever with her, and keeping the large dog at the staging area had seemed problematic. Xander, like all the men who'd been on the airplane, had been forced to travel light, a single wheelie suitcase all he'd been allowed to bring with him. All of his things that had been picked up in Ohio would show up at some point within the next few weeks as the truck conveying them drove cross country, but until they, he would have to make due with the things he had. Xander had been forced to argue with the people picking him up that the one car he'd been restoring, a black 1970 Barracuda, would be part of the things taken to his new home, and while the discussion had gotten a little heated, eventually the people picking him up had relented and loaded it into the truck with the rest of his stuff. Each of the women had a similar amount of things with them, and when they arrived at their new home, they all felt woefully unprepared. Dos Eden was technically part of New Eden, but it was an expansion to the original enclave, and the dwellings there were much more of nice houses than they were the sorts of mansions and manors that made up New Eden itself. The MP driving them over had said she lived in Dos Eden, and she was incredibly thankful, as it meant having a family was a distinct possibility, while the people in many of the other locations were going to be doing lots of relocating and readjusting over the next few years. Those in the tower condo buildings were generally being given an entire floor to themselves, and as needed walls would be knocked down and units combined as families expanded. The views were nice, the MP told them, but it just didn't feel like a home. When they pulled up to the house just around dawn, Xander was a little surprised by it. They had told him not to expect a grandiose mansion, but the home was far nicer than any place he'd ever lived in before, a two story building with five bedrooms and four bathrooms, so not enough that each person had their own bedroom, but they would make it work, all of them agreed. It was mostly glass walls, and Xander found himself thankful for the ring of trees, and the high fences, that would provide him with at least a little privacy from his neighbors, who were only a short walk away on either side. It had a three car garage, and Xander was told there were new Teslas charging inside for them. (Xander immediately planned to turn one of the three garage spaces into his own little workshop where he'd continue restoring the Barracuda.) The driveway was long enough that they would be able to comfortably fit at least four more cars out front if needed. The place had its own pool with hot tub, however, something Xander was astonished to find. He'd never lived in a place with a pool before, and now his home had one. They'd barely gotten in the door before KC had rushed Xander, practically mauling him with love in the entry way to the home. She'd been coherent enough to talk with him, the two of them moving into the master bedroom before he'd had sex with her and she'd fallen into her imprinting process. The other girls had moved into the bedroom somewhere in the middle of their tryst and Betsy had immediately insisted on going second, having stripped down while watching Xander and KC. Alicia had gone third, leaving him with only Serena and Brooke conscious. The three of them had taken a shower together, and somewhere in the middle of the shower, Serena had decided she couldn't wait any further, and had gone through part of the process in the shower and the rest bent over the bathroom countertop. As much as he wanted to, he told Brooke that he was going to need a while before he could imprint her, his entire body more than a little exhausted, as the chemicals from the four women had been flowing through his bloodstream, giving him immunity from DuoHalo and doing some rather significant changes to his body. Brooke had laughed and just suggested they go over to visit Andy and Piper, which brought them up to now. "Fuckin' hell," Andy laughed. "No fucking wonder you look exhausted, Xan. How much have you slept in the last two days?" "Oh, we took a nap after we settled into the house, and I slept a bit on the plane while it was hauling our asses through the skies," his best friend said with a chuckle. "So yeah not as much as I should but more than I do some days. Was your experience similar, Fi?" Fiona's journey had been very similar, with her and Moira catching an earlier flight out of Washington a few days ago, although their plane had made only one additional stop before landing in Oakland, their plane having gone straight from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles, where many of the men in the chambers had been unloaded and several women had been loaded on board. Because Fi and Moira had been traveling together, they'd had each other to talk with and neither had felt especially lonely during the voyage. Fi even admitted they had spent much of the time talking about Andy, speculating how much he might or might not have changed over the years. As the hour grew late, Brooke returned to the main room with Piper, suggesting she and Xander head home, reminding the two old friends that they now lived less than fifteen minutes apart, and could see each other as often as they wanted to, but Andy and Xander still hugged for a long minute, thankful to have reconnected on the other side of the disaster, before they walked the two to the door and sent them home. Several of the girls had peeled off and gone to bed over the course of the evening, and at the end of the night, the only people still awake were Andy, Piper and Sarah. Aisling had been the very last to go to bed before reminding Sarah not to stay up too late, otherwise she would be too tired to talk to Maya when she arrived tomorrow, but Sarah had laughed it off and dismissed it. After closing the door behind Xander, he walked back down stairs, intending to clean up the remaining empty beer bottles and glasses left behind in the living room, only to find that Nicolette had beaten him to it, having cleaned it all up and then disappearing into her room for the night, so he couldn't even say thank you to her. "I swear, we've got a ninja for a French maid around this house," he muttered to himself with amusement. Huginn, his black cat, stood up from his perch on the back of one of the couches, stretched by arching his back, then moved to sit back down exactly where he was. "I feel ya, bud," he agreed with the cat. "We should probably see about getting to bed, don't you think, ladies?" Piper shook her head, pushing Andy back to sit down on the couch. "Not for a bit. You can sleep when you're dead," she said with a grin. "Don't you agree, Sarah?" "Oh totally," the tall redhead said, moving to slide in to one side of Andy on the couch. "You lose one third of your life sleeping, well, I mean I guess you don't really lose it since you have to sleep otherwise you'll go insane, but it's, like, a lot a lot of time to be spending doing just one thing." "Besides, I have to say thank you for making sure you brought my best friend to be nearby so I didn't feel so lonely all the time," Piper said, peeling her shirt up and over her head, tossing it aside, leaving her in a sports bra and tight fitted blue jeans, her toned stomach bared to the cool night air. "We've been kinda dancing around each other for the last few weeks, Andy, and I don't want you to think I'm not grateful, because I'm very thankful for all the things you've done for me since we've met." "Piper, you don't have  " he started before she lifted her hand up to cover his mouth, "Andy, enough," she giggled. "You can just say 'you're welcome' when you're being thanked for something, you know. You don't have to try and play down the work that went into it." He smirked a little bit, as she pulled her hand back. "I just don't want you to feel like you owe me anything." "Oh, but Andy, I do owe you," she said, bending down to press a kiss to his lips, just a soft and quick one. "You got me away from that asshole Covington. When I couldn't think straight, you did everything you could to bring me back to being me again, and that's not something anyone would do." She inhaled the scent of him, and he could swear he saw her pupils dilate a little in response. "You remember how I told you I could smell you from far away? I still can, but the raw musk of you is even more intense up close, and I fucking love how you smell, you sexy bastard. It makes me feel warm and safe and gooey and sticky and protected all at once. And I know that at least some of that is just the chemicals flowing through my brain bonding me to you, but you know what?" She leaned in and nibbled on his earlobe a little bit. "I've decided that I don't fucking care why I feel how I feel. I feel how I feel and that's all that fucking matters. You've kept me safe. You've given me space when I wanted it, and been happy to talk with me when I needed that. You helped me get my friend here and kept her safe, and as soon as you thought it was time, you pushed my ass to get back to work and reminded me not to give up on my dreams. So don't you dare fucking tell me I don't have to repay you, because even if you don't think that I do, I do, and I want to." "You're the only one of the girls who says she can smell me anywhere in the house, Piper," he told her. "I hope that's not a sign that anything's wrong because Covington held off so long on letting you get imprinted after the injections." "Oh, there's nothing wrong with me, Andy," she purred, unbuttoning her jeans before pushing them down to her ankles, not having bothered to put shoes on earlier, stepping out of them and her panties, leaving her in just the sports bra. She had such an athletic body that it had a tendency to make Andy feel a little ashamed of how out of shape he was. "I'm just different, that's all. Being able to smell you when you're in the house? I consider that a benefit, not a side effect. I get a little anxious when you leave and I can't smell you, not so much that it bothers me, but just enough that I notice the feeling of longing I have that you aren't on hand. And I've reread that letter you left me over a dozen times, because each time, I think I fall for you a little more." She grinned, grabbing her sports bra, pulling it up over her head, tossing it aside. "So yeah, I was scared of saying that, but I'm definitely falling for you, Andrew Rook. Falling in love with you. That's why I was so deep in thought the other morning. You didn't do anything to make me upset or angry. I just was worried about how to tell you." "Piper, Why would you be worried?" Andy said with a kind smile. "You've got so many beautiful women here, Andy," she said, gesturing back to the house. "I mean, shit, you've got Sarah Fucking Washington with her arm around you right now! I know I'm fit, but I'm not beautiful like she and Em are." At that, he raised a single finger, pointing at her. "How dare you," he said, his tone evening a little bit. "You are fucking stunning, I mean beautiful like you cannot even imagine and I do not want to hear you saying you're not beautiful ever again, okay? Because whatever dumb ass boyfriend or athlete you met who said you weren't pretty was the biggest fucking moron you ever met, and you shouldn't give whatever that prick said another thought ever again. Tell her I'm right, Sarah," he said with a soft laugh, shaking his head. "Yep yep yep," Sarah said with a giggle. "Stop being fucking stupid because you're not just pretty, you're fucking hot, and every girl in this house who likes girls thinks so. Shit, I heard Katie telling Jenny that if she wanted to give her a hall pass for her birthday, she'd want to use it on you over all the other girls in the house." Piper giggled, shaking her head, her dark hair covering her eyes for a minute. "You're fucking lying, Sarah." "Cross my fucking heart, swear to fucking God, may she strike me the fuck down if I'm lying. Katie thinks you're the hottest bitch in the house, so you need to shut the fuck up about saying you aren't fucking pretty because that's the stupidest fucking thing anyone's said today, and people talk, like, the worst amount of shit in this house when they think people aren't listening," Sarah said, rolling her eyes, as if she found the whole thing hilariously sad. "Well, that's something I wouldn't have believed if you hadn't told me," Piper replied with a smile. "And I was talking about us dancing around each other, Andy, and I want to apologize for that. I know we've had a handful of encounters, but I've been, guarded, and I'm sorry for how guarded I've been emotionally. I think maybe I was a little hurt that you didn't want to bring Brooke into this house, even though I know you said you thought she'd be a better match with Xander. I thought maybe that was a polite way of you trying to duck out of meeting her,” She looked down at her feet. "I feel a bit guilty about that right now, having spent a bunch of the evening talking with her. I have known that girl almost half a de

Xan discusses all the issues with his past job that he's been holding onto.

Xan and Cam talk about Xans trip and Hell island!

As the wait for the next Best Picture to reveal itself continues, we discuss Xan's movie pick, "Ninotchka"!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : @oscarsgold @hidarknesspod @beatlesblonde @udanax19⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : facebook.com/goldstandardoscars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : patreon.com/goldstandardoscars

Xan tackles Übel Blatt by Etorouji Shiono —a brutal seinen revenge saga often compared to Berserk. Does this Yen Press manga carve its own path, or does it live in the shadow of giants? We dissect its grim worldbuilding, relentless action, and moral ambiguity. In This Episode: Why Übel Blatt's antihero Koinzell stands out Latest manga releases worth your attention Animazement 2025 Panel Announcements (May event) *No episode 5/21* (Con prep mode activated!) Support the Show: Keep us reviewing: Gofundme (Thanks to our donors!) Engage With Us: Subscribe: YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X, Bluesky, Instagram Join our Discord Support on Patreon Rate us: Apple Podcasts Random Question: "What's your favorite dark fantasy manga—and does it need a moral compass?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #ÜbelBlatt #EtoroujiShiono #Seinen #DarkFantasy #BerserkComparisons #RevengeManga #YenPress Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: @spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

Xan taste-tests Cooking With Wild Game by EDA, a J-Novel Club isekai manga adaptation that blends fantasy survival with culinary adventure. Can this webnovel-turned-manga stand out in a crowded genre, or does it reheat tired tropes? We break down its flavors—both fresh and stale.   Discussion Includes: How it compares to popular isekai/cooking manga Panel announcements for Animazement 2025 (May event) Latest manga releases worth your shelf space ----more---- Support the Show: Fuel our reviews: Gofundme (Thanks, donors!) Engage With Us: Subscribe: YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X, Bluesky, Instagram Join our Discord Support on Patreon Rate us: Apple Podcasts Random Question: "What's your favorite ‘unusual premise' manga (e.g., cooking, farming, etc.)?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #CookingWithWildGame #EDA #Isekai #CookingManga #JNovelClub #FantasySurvival #WebNovelAdaptation Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: @spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

In this episode, Xan explores Kingyo Used Books by Seimu Yoshizaki —a heartwarming iyashikei anthology where a Tokyo used bookstore becomes a haven for manga lovers. Discover how this Viz Media Signature title celebrates manga's power to heal, connect, and inspire through its vignettes of everyday life. ----more---- Discussion Highlights: Why this series stands out in the healing manga genre How Yoshizaki blends nostalgia with quiet humor Latest manga releases & industry updates Support the Show: Keep us creating: Gofundme (Thank you, donors!) Engage With Us: Subscribe: YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on X/Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram Join our Discord Support on Patreon Rate us: Apple Podcasts Random Question: "What manga changed your life—or comforted you when you needed it most?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #KingyoUsedBooks #SeimuYoshizaki #Iyashikei #SliceOfLife #VizMediaSignature #HealingManga #BookstoreStories Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US Bluesky: @spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

In this episode, Xan dissects The Climber—a profound sports manga adaptation of Jiro Nitta's novel, with story by Toshio Nabeda and Hiroshi Takano, and striking art by Shin'ichi Sakamoto. This Viz Media Signature title explores the psychological extremes of solo mountain climbing, blending breathtaking visuals with existential tension. Discussion Highlights: Why this manga transcends typical sports narratives How Sakamoto's art amplifies the story's isolation themes Animazement 2025 Panel Announcements (May event details) Support the Show: Help us continue creating content: Gofundme (Thank you, donors!) Engage With Us: Subscribe: YouTube | Website Follow @spiraken on Twitter/X, Bluesky, Instagram Join our Discord Support on Patreon Rate us: Apple Podcasts Random Question: "What's your personal ‘mountain'—an obstacle or goal that consumes you?" #Spiraken #MangaReview #TheClimber #Seinen #SportsManga #ShinichiSakamoto #JiroNitta #VizMediaSignature #PsychologicalManga #Isolation #Podcast Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US: Bluesky: @spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

 In this powerful episode, Xan examines Real - Takehiko Inoue's (Vagabond) brutally honest seinen manga about wheelchair basketball and overcoming physical/emotional trauma. How does this Viz Media-published series tackle disability with more nuance than typical sports narratives? We break down its unflinching realism and why it stands apart in Inoue's legendary career. Support the channel: Keep Spiraken running via Gofundme (thanks to our donors!) Engage with us: Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Follow @spiraken on Twitter/X, Bluesky, Instagram Join our Discord Support on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Question of the Day: "Have you ever watched wheelchair basketball?" Share your experiences below! #Spiraken #MangaReview #RealManga #TakehikoInoue #Seinen #SportsManga #DisabilityRepresentation #WheelchairBasketball #VizMedia #WheelOfManga Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US: Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X: x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

As the wait for the next Best Picture to reveal itself continues, we discuss Xan's movie pick, "The Front Runner"!!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : @oscarsgold @hidarknesspod @beatlesblonde @udanax19⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : facebook.com/goldstandardoscars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ : patreon.com/goldstandardoscars

 In this episode, Xan explores Akihito Tsukushi's critically acclaimed Made in Abyss - a haunting seinen manga that blends adorable character designs with disturbing body horror. Follow the journey of young explorers venturing into a mysterious chasm where beauty and terror intertwine. Is this Seven Seas Entertainment title worth reading despite its unsettling themes? Join us for a deep dive (pun absolutely intended) into one of manga's most unique dark fantasy worlds. Support the channel: Keep Spiraken running by supporting our GoFundMe: tinyurl.com/spiraken Special thanks to our anonymous donors! Connect with us: Subscribe to our YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Follow @spiraken on Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Instagram Join our Discord community Support us on Patreon Rate us on Apple Podcasts Question of the Day: "How far would you descend into the Abyss?" Share your answer in the comments! #Spiraken #MangaReview #MadeInAbyss #AkihitoTsukushi #SeinenManga #DarkFantasy #HorrorManga #SevenSeas #WheelOfManga #MangaRecommendations Music Credits: "Trendsetter" by Mood Maze (via Uppbeat) License code: YEPNB5COHX56JVES WHERE TO FIND US: Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiraken.bsky.social Instagram: instagram.com/spiraken Email: Spiraken@gmail.com | Xan: xan@spiraken.com Patreon: patreon.com/spiraken Discord: tinyurl.com/spiradiscord X : x.com/spiraken YouTube: youtube.com/@spiraken Twitch: twitch.com/spiraken Amazon Store: amazon.com/shops/spiraken

In this episode, Xan dives into Gachiakuta by Kei Urana —a brutal, high-octane shonen manga about a "Cleaner" navigating a dystopian wasteland. How does it stack up against classics like Battle Angel Alita and Dorohedoro? Is it the next big action series? Let's break it down!

 Xan tackles Hikari-Man —Hideo Yamamoto's (Homunculus) twisted tale of electromagnetically sensitive outcasts seeking vengeance. Is this brutal seinen sci-fi a cathartic triumph or a descent into madness? Some Minor spoilers, and some raw analysis of Yamamoto's signature darkness, plus updates on new manga releases you need to know. ----more---- Support the channel:

In this episode of the One Degree Podcast, we're talking about what it looks like to go from feeling like roommates in your marriage to actually thriving as a team. We're sharing honest convos, practical tips, and real-life stuff that's helped us stay connected and rooted in our faith—especially in the thick of busy, everyday life. We'll chat about how easy it is to drift into that “just coexisting” phase and what you can do to get back on the same page. From simple daily check-ins and learning each other's love languages to setting shared goals and handling conflict like teammates instead of opponents—we cover a lot.  • 0:00:01 – Meet us, Nathaniel and Xan! We're kicking off this new video podcast journey and sharing what you can expect.  • 0:03:13 – Why we're focusing on Christian marriage (spoiler: it started with a convo at Great Wolf Lodge).  • 0:12:19 – What the “roommate stage” looks like and how to be more intentional.  • 0:19:58 – How to build that teammate dynamic and prioritize time together.  • 0:27:09 – The magic of small moments and why they matter so much.  • 0:33:03 – Reigniting connection with love languages and fun little things.  • 0:37:41 – Communication tips that actually help you feel like you're on the same side.

Xan dives into Last Quarter, a haunting romance from Ai Yazawa (creator of Nana) —blending supernatural mystery with her signature emotional depth. Does this hidden gem live up to her legendary status? No spoilers, just pure admiration for Yazawa's art and storytelling magic. Plus, updates on the latest manga releases you won't want to miss! Support the channel:

For some reason, sleep training has become one of the most controversial parenting topics out there. Everyone wants their baby to be sleeping well, but many people feel that “sleep training” automatically means “cry it out” and therefore opt out. In today's episode, we are breaking the silence and talking ALL THINGS baby sleep. I'm sharing exactly how we sleep trained our 2 babies and walking you (step-by-step) through the method that worked for us. I break down our personal experience, the challenges we faced, and how we got both of our kids sleeping through the night by 12 weeks old.Then, we bring in baby sleep expert Xan from MyBaby Sleepology to answer all of your burning questions: Is sleep training psychologically harmful? Does it really work for all babies? How do you handle regressions? Whether you're in the trenches of newborn sleep deprivation or just curious about different approaches, this episode is packed with insights, expert advice, and practical tips! I hope you enjoy it!!Twelve Hours' Sleep by Twelve Weeks book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0525949593/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_Q0MBBJZW1GB40WCRT1T1?linkCode=ml2&tag=luciefink-20Follow Xan: https://www.instagram.com/mybabysleepologyWatch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story. I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone. Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod Find Lucie here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink Website: https://luciefink.com/ Produced by Dear Media.Executive Producer: Cloud10See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.