Join American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groenweg – both living in Singapore – as they take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through politics, economics, current events, and cultural movements of the day, all from a global perspective.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through international events. This time: • Searching for good news, we find a country that has achieved top-level vaccination rates. Only to not open up again! • Learning to live with covid. • Afghanistan is bad, but don't lose sight of how bad it could get in East Asia. • For crying out loud, we needed more good news. Your computer might - maybe, just maybe - be making you a bit richer on paper! Thanks for listening!
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through international events. This time: • Ah, delta, we're just getting to know you. But ffs, people - get vaccinated. • Afghanistan - the end or just a pause between American adventures? • More Afghanistan - no one, nobody, and not one person will be held accountable for any of it • Elon Musk is making friendly robots. Well, his team is. And have you seen his team? Need more team. Thanks for listening!
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through international events. This time: • Just one topic, really - Singapore! Nikolaj is back in Europe now, and Bill is back in the US, of course. Time for some reflection on our time in SG and Asia. • Singapore is the freest unfree place you'll ever see. Western-style politics and civil liberties are missing, but the place works - and works for most everybody. (We thought it wasn't supposed to be that way...) • The live-in Foreign Domestic Worker/maid/helper system was bizarrely great. We admire these ladies immensely. • Should we be upset to be called ang mohs? • We're pretty sure we were spied upon. • The Chinese Community Party could do worse for models going forward. Thanks for listening!
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through international events. This time: • Catching up on covid - vaccines are getting there, but the variants are coming. Who's fault is it this time? • Under Biden's presidency, the US and Europe - the "western democracies" - begin to get on the same page again. • Facebook bans Trump for two years. But it's not "censorship" if the government doesn't do it. • Singapore no more. Foreign Influence is about the join the Atlantic axis. Thanks for listening!
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through international events. This time we had to catch up on a lot of items since we took an episode off: • We allows ourselves just a bit of covid optimism, given the success of the vaccines so far.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the fortnight's international events. This time: • Happy Mother's Day to all whom it may concern! And a special thank you to our own two special "birthing people". • We've all survived the Chinese spaceship apocalypse, as the Long March 5B booster rocket fell into the ocean somewhere just southwest of India. Well, at least that's what we're told. • Covid continues to ravage India and South America. With a surplus of doses in the US, maybe it can start helping out. • A critical pipeline that supplies half the gas (petrol) and diesel to the east coast of the US shut down after a cyberattack. Why in the hell is this system attached to the internet? • The United Kingdom held elections. Now we have to think about whether Scotland will leave the UK for the EU. Good times. Thanks, Brexit! • And some good news - the US might really, kind of, possibly leave Afghanistan. Breath held... Thanks for listening! Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us. Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation. Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events. This time: • India is experiencing a horrific covid outbreak, but the efficacy of the vaccines is really good. If only we can get them to where they are needed. • A good verdict in the case of George Floyd - murder and manslaughter convictions for the police officer involved. But there's so much more to do with re-designing policing - including getting rid of all the guns! But don't worry - there's an even worse idea being deployed - biased robot police dogs! • There was so much good news this week we ran out of happy music. The US was back to the climate table in time for Earth Day. Plus, toilet paper sales are down, and distilleries are getting back to making whiskey instead of hand sanitizer! Thanks for listening! Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us. Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation. Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast. In fact, it is the 50th episode of the Foreign Influence Podcast! As always, join American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg as they take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events. This time: • Bill has had his first dose of vaccination, and he feels fine. But the battle ain't over people. Hold it together. • If ongoing pandemic isn't enough to get your blood going, how about war in Asia? It doesn't get a lot of coverage in the west, but China and the US continue to escalate tensions in the South China Sea. Not good. Repeat, not good. But hey, we can still laugh, can't we? • Nikolaj has started processing academic papers for the small-brained, like Bill. Find the explanations on LinkedIn and YouTube. This time - how to tackle bias by building better algorithms. Thanks for listening! Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us. Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation. Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This time: • High level US and Chinese officials met for the first time since Biden took office, and it was quite the argumentative spectacle. • In a somewhat funny, but also somewhat scary and cringeworthy moment, Pres. Biden tripped up the stairs to Air Force One three times. Thanks for listening! Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us. Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation. Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This time:• Biden announces "America is back". Is that good news? • American credibility and empire and allies and promise.• From Paris to Peoria? Say, yes!Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This time:• De-platforming people - talking them offline is a serious issue. Isn't it? • Comparing US vs European concepts of freedom of speech and freedom of expression• Capitol policeman says thanks, but f*ck you for being there.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This time:• Seriously, what the hell else are we going to talk about? There was an insurrection - not hard to call it an attempted coup - in the US this week by Trump supporters. Seriously 2021? We couldn't get one good week?!• Processing the details, events, and outcomes of the insurrection. Including with the Animaniacs!• Revolutions aren't for lightweights.• There needs to be accountability and consequences.• Enlightenment values themselves - liberty, equality, brotherhood, reason - are all under threat now. With authoritarian regimes ready to throw them into the dustbin of history. Good times!Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the year's week's international events! This time:• It's our end-of-the-year show! We still don't know where the crab people are, but we're sure they're delicious.• According to scientists and historians, 2020 hasn't even made it on the list of worst years (yet). We have the objective answer to when you really didn't want to be alive.• We invoke the Power of the Jinx to make sure 2021 will be better.• We remember the long-term trends that will really shape life going forward.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• The Supreme Court joins the Deep State• The US is making being a Third World country great again• In a related manner, Nikolaj has just about had it with the US• The GOP has done caught the crazy• In the good news, we have a vaccine! We're absolutely certain it will go to the needy first.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Fun with the War on Christmas and various Trump Cult highjinks• The cash machine that is tearing the fabric of American democracy• This could all get pretty dangerous, actually• #flattenthecurve. Please.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Pretty much the entire Eastern Hemisphere has signed a new free trade agreement and brought covid under control. They're moving on while the West is a giant basket case.• American democratic institutions are being deeply wounded by Trump and his enablers. Quite the international inspiration.• One tiny bit of good news. Can't say we didn't try.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Remember, if you like what you hear, please help spread the word.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! Another episode with a focus on the US, because, you know:• The presidential race has been called for Biden/Harris, and we're breathing a sigh of relief. But it still feels tenuous until Trump concedes.• The sheer joy that was the “press conference” at the “Four Seasons” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.• We’re concerned that the underlying problems will not be addressed, especially issues of inequality and especially by the Democrats. And Andrew Yang backs us up.• Given the closeness of the race - and in the interests of domestic peace - Americans need to try to understand one another. But man, some Trump supporters make it hard, especially the conspiracy theorists. • And just in case it bears repeating, the good news is the Biden/Harris win.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! Did you hear there was an election in the US yesterday? Well, we've got you covered with trenchant analysis and commentary, including:• Count all the votes! As expected, Trump is trying to prevent all the votes from being counted. Bernie called it.• Even if Biden wins, it's a hugely disappointing result since it's clearly not a repudiation of Trump, his performance in office, and his values.• We've long thought the present and future of western values were on the ballot in the US this time. Elsewhere, Pres. Macron of French is doing his part to stick up for them.• China could still have an opening to dominate the 21st century.• For the song we finish the episode with, check out March of the Mindless by Casper.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Bill has voted. He had to wait an hour-and-a-half to do so, and Nikolaj just can't understand how that's possible.• Lying and politics - We have global issues of trust in government. Do politicians lie, or do we want to be lied to? Or is politics basically just impossible?• And we have fun with "hydrosonic" weapons. That is, until war breaks out in Asia...Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Paris faces attacks of freedom of expression - again.• Europe is going under a new lockdown, the US never got it together, but Asia and the Pacific countries are coming out on top.• And this time we have some fun with tape we like from this past week.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• The continuing saga of Trump getting the covid.• How patient should you be with anyone who still supports Trump?• Trump and the US's loose rhetoric against China stokes fear of war in Asia. Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Well, we thought we'd be discussing the US presidential debate, but then Trump got the covid!• With current international trends, Europe is increasingly on its own - for its well-being, security, and keeping the Enlightenment project alive.• Bill makes is official presidential endorsement. If you're a US citizen, register to vote NOW. Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Coronavirus chaos continues in the US, with the Trump administration seizing control over health science and anti-mask rallies that leave Bill questioning if it's reality or Comedy Central.• We mourn the passing of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by completely confounding Nikolaj on how any political system could seriously be designed this way.• Good news: Pumpkins!Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week we discuss some of the events we feel haven't gotten enough attention, as the US election and covid-19 dominate everyone's attention:• Early on in FI we discussed the protests in Hong Kong and how we felt they were a front line in the defense of civil liberties in the 21st century. Unfortunately, things have not ended well. And it's precipitating a broader realignment in Asia.• China and the US could be headed toward a confrontation over Taiwan and in the South China Sea unless cooler heads prevail.• Neural pigs! On treadmills! That is to say, Elon Musk held a live demonstration of a new technology his company is developing called Neuralink, that directly connects a brain - in this case, a pig's - with a computer. Cyborgs aren't far away.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Bill despairs at finding a common truth for Americans, while Nikolaj is just baffled by the entire spectacle. Conspiracy theories are running rampant, but it doesn't matter because we only believe people like us, anyway.• Parliamentary-style politics might help save the day. Or at least we could feel a little better casting our vote.• And this is a real emergency - our source for good news is running dry! Way to go, 2020.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• We're back after all the baloney Bill had with moving back to the US. • US presidential politics holds its conventions.• In the good news, the dogs are taking our jobs.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Protests against police violence against blacks continue in the US, and police are using ugly tactics against protestors.• Singapore is preparing to require people to put on a wearable tracker when they go out in order to improve covid-19 contact tracing.• The international reputation of the US is on the ballot.Thanks for listening!Make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week, an episode mostly on 'Merica. Highlights are below, but please make sure to sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch - for links from today's show and more info and commentary from us.• Cities across the United States are exploding with protests and riots over the death of a black man, George Floyd, at the knee of a white police officer. Racial disparities in policing and the culture wars in the US over them are, sadly, nothing new. • Singapore might be one example of a country that prevents racial tensions through its media and housing policies, but those interventions are unlikely to get support in the west.• The US passes a grim milestone of 100,000 dead from covid-19, but on a per capita basis, it still trails behind.• In a hint of international news, Europe is stuck in the middle of the US-China standoff over 5G technology and Huawei.• The good news, including SpaceX's successful launch of humans into space from US soil, an example of police de-escalating, and turning 100 with a cook, frosty American (definitely not European) beer.Thanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• China lays the groundwork for a final crackdown on Hong Kong• Reflecting on the privileges and restrictions of being an expat, based on this NYT article.• Masks become a culture war icon, and we're baffledThanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue the conversation.Also, please sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch. We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
In this episode of the Foreign Influence Podcast, we shake things up a bit with Bill interviewing freelance science journalist Mark Zastrow about South Korea's response to the SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus. The country has become an international model on how to contain the virus, and Bill talked to him about how South Korea has managed to crush the coronavirus curve. We find out:• Once burned, twice shy - Asia's experience with SARS 1 and especially Korea's recent experience with a MERS outbreak (also a coronavirus) led South Korea to put the legal and technical infrastructure in place to fight a novel coronavirus.• It involves an extensive use of already collected commercial data - like mobile phone location information and credit card transactions - to track precisely where infected people were. It does not involve a dedicated tracing app.• Koreans are generally on board individually and as a society with doing what it takes to fight epidemics, but they don't like lockdowns anymore than anybody else. Thanks for listening!To read some of Mark's coverage of covid-19 outbreak, check out these links:How South Korea prevented a coronavirus disaster—and why the battle isn’t overCoronavirus contact-tracing apps: can they slow the spread of COVID-19?The Hacker Who Exposed South Korea's Deadly EpidemicAlso, please sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch. We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us.Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue to the conversation.And remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, in which American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg - in defiance of all things corona - take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Staying in is hard for some people.• What it takes to make the necessary trade-offs between the public health crisis and the economic crisis.• The danger from the virus is a class issue.• America the leader of the world? Not according to everybody else.• And as we always do, some good news. It involves llamas and goats. What's not to like?Thanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue to the conversation.Also, please sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch. We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
Warning: We were a bit wound up on this episode, so definitely some NSFW words.
A special episode of the Foreign Influence Podcast - following up on one our previous episodes, we talk again with Adam Hodgkins, who had been in isolation with covid-19 here in Singapore but has now been released! Bill caught up with him by phone to discuss his 25-day-long experience recovering from the disease and the physical and mental strains that came with it.Thanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue to the conversation.Also, please sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch. We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, in which American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg - in defiance of all things corona - take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Singapore has at last joined much of the rest of the world in lockdown, or as they're calling it here, "circuit breaker".• A conversation with Keith Mernovage from Detroit, Michigan, USA. We got to know Keith here in Sunny Singapore, but he moved back to Detroit, which is rapidly become the next covid-19 outbreak hotspot in the US. • And as we always do, some good news. This time, a website recommendation - Artis Ventures is trying to keep track of all of the medical innovations underway to stop the coronavirus. Thanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue to the conversation.Also, please sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch. We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, in which American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg - in defiance of all things corona - take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:• Singapore has at last joined much of the rest of the world in lockdown, or as they're calling it here, "circuit breaker".• A conversation with Keith Mernovage from Detroit, Michigan, USA. We got to know Keith here in Sunny Singapore, but he moved back to Detroit, which is rapidly become the next covid-19 outbreak hotspot in the US. • And as we always do, some good news. This time, a website recommendation. Thanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue to the conversation.Also, please sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch. We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, in which American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg - in defiance of all things corona - take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! A special episode this week:• Our friend, Adam Hodgkins, talks to us about his being infected with SARS-Cov-2 and coming down with covid-19. Adam became sick not long after returning to Singapore from the UK and has been in hospital and isolation now for a couple weeks. His wife, who is asymptomatic, has been serving a stay-at-home order, as well. We discuss what happens while being treated and the emotional toll it can take.• And in this week's good news, Nikolaj and Bill reflect on how, in times like these, fear = bad and nice = good.Thanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue to the conversation.Also, please sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch. We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the latest episode of Foreign Influence, in which American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg - despite the unrelenting coronavirus news - take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international events! This week:The WHO now says Europe is the global epicenter of the covid-19 outbreak. We talk to German technology journalist Christina zur Nedden, who is on lockdown in Austria, about conditions there - and about what this might mean for our freedoms going forward. China is offering aid to Europe in dealing with the outbreak, while the US seems determined to destroy its relevance on the world stage - and to abandon long-term friendships.And as we always do, we bring on the good news - this time focusing on developments surrounding the covid-19 outbreak that give us hope - neatly summarized in a newsletter Nikolaj has begun!Thanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where we can continue to the conversation.Also, there's more than we can possibly cram into any given episode. So sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch! We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
It's the latest episode of Foreign Influence, in which American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international news! This week:In the midst of the Europe's growing struggles with the coronavirus covid-19, the Trump administration takes time to throw them under the bus.An update on life in the second worst hit country in the world, Italy, with friend of the show Omar Osman.A perhaps premature, but likely not, eulogy for the 2020 Bernie Sanders campaign in the US.And of course, our usual dose of happy news. The modern track record with defeating disease is holding up.Thanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where you can continue to the conversation with us: https://www.facebook.com/foreigninfluencepodcast/Also, there's more than we can possibly cram into any given episode. So sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch! We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us. Find it at: https://foreigninfluence.substack.com/.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
After a few unfortunate delays (some virus related, some technical), American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg are back, taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international news! This week:Covid-19 continues quickly, and we're becoming resigned to that. (Some of the data we mention are already out of date.) It just feeds the ennui... Recently, the western nations got together at the Munich Security Conference. The US says the west is winning. We're not sure what that means.Amidst the gloom, a positive story! Bill interviews Naveen Sikka of TerViva, an AgTech startup working to develop an ancient tree species into a new, non-GMO food crop. Yeah, we said "AgTech startup". Not everything is IT. https://www.terviva.com/ Many thanks to The Yield Lab, www.theyieldlab.com, an AgTech accelerator, for the tip.And of course, our usual dose of happy news. AI might have begun to crack antibacterial resistance. Thanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where you can continue to the conversation with us: https://www.facebook.com/foreigninfluencepodcast/Also, there's more than we can possibly cram into any given episode. So sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch! We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us. Find it at: https://foreigninfluence.substack.com/.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
Join American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, living in Asia, as they take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international news! This week:Coronavirus ain't going away, so all we've got is gallows humorUS politics is feeling the Bern, even though Europeans might call it a mild warmingA fantastic conversation with Alan Soon of Splice Media, a company dedicated to empowering journalism start-ups and entrepreneurship in Asia, with global lessons to teach. According to Alan, we're in a new golden age of journalism, even though some traditional outlets are struggling. https://www.splicemedia.com/And the usual dose of happy news! This time the fires in Australia are finally going out. But those koalas...Thanks for listening!Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us individually on Twitter, but also check out our FI Facebook page, where you can continue to the conversation with us: https://www.facebook.com/foreigninfluencepodcast/Also, there's more than we can possibly cram into any given episode. So sign up for our newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch! We'll have links, more info, and commentary from us. Find it at: https://foreigninfluence.substack.com/.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
Join American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, living in Asia, as they take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international news! This week:Coronavirus in SingaporeThe legitimacy of the Communist Party in China is challenged by the virusUS politics is its own special form of shitshowAnd some happy news, including altruistic cats (didn't see that coming)Thanks for listening! Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us on Twitter, but also check out our Facebook page, where you can continue to the conversation with us: https://www.facebook.com/foreigninfluencepodcast/Also, there's more than we can possibly cram into any given episode. So we're launching a newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch! Sign up to get links from the show, more info, and commentary from us. Head over to https://foreigninfluence.substack.com/ to sign up.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
Join American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, living in Asia, as they take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international news! This week we have a special focus on the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak:The novel coronavirus out of Wuhan, China continues to spread, and all Bill wants is an antibacterial wipe for his phoneKeeping a proper assessment of risk in your head is really hardThe animals don't ask to be eatenDiseases have shaped human historyChina has imposed quarantines of cities equalling entire countriesAnd our twisted take on happy news - Brexit is finally here!Thanks for listening! Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. You'll find us on Twitter, but also check out our Facebook page, where you can continue to the conversation with us: https://www.facebook.com/foreigninfluencepodcast/Also, there's more than we can possibly cram into any given episode. So we're launching a newsletter - the Foreign Influence Dispatch! Sign up to get links from the show, more info, and commentary from us. Head over to https://foreigninfluence.substack.com/ to sign up.Please remember that, if you like what you hear or read, sharing is caring.
Happy Lunar/Chinese New Year! Chun jie kuai le! 春节快乐！Join American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg, living in Asia, as they take you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the week's international news! In this week's episode:As China prepares to celebrate its biggest annual holiday, the Lunar New Year, the country and the world face a growing coronavirus epidemic. Not very humorous Reflecting on Davos, the annual gathering of world's rich and powerfulAn extended conversation with Bill Pazos, COO of Air Carbon Exchange in Singapore, on cap-and-trade solutions to climate changeAnd a twist on our usual happy news, wishing you gong xi gongxi! Reach out to us at hello@foreigninfluencepodcast.com or through social media. That includes our new Facebook page, where you can continue to the conversation with us! https://www.facebook.com/foreigninfluencepodcast/Please remember that, if you like what you hear, sharing is caring.
Happy 2020!
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