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Make "off the radar" a thing of the past. The Rostrum, the podcast by the editors of the Octavian Report, showcases need-to-know intel and eclectic ideas to keep you ahead of the curve.

Octavian Report


    • Oct 1, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 26m AVG DURATION
    • 149 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Rostrum

    How the U.S. and E.U. Can Win Against China

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2021 67:11


    The Technology and Trade Council, launched this week, may just show the way forward to a real industrial strategy in the face of China's rise. The post How the U.S. and E.U. Can Win Against China appeared first on Octavian Report.

    china technology octavian report
    What Is Going On With COVID Booster Shots?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2021 20:51


    We spoke with Dr. Monica Gandhi to find out where all the confusion around boosters is coming from. The post What Is Going On With COVID Booster Shots? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    covid-19 shots booster octavian report
    Elliot Ackerman on Our Exit from Afghanistan

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2021 35:05


    Elliot Ackerman -- decorated solider, best-selling novelist and National Book Award Nominee -- talks about our exit from Afghanistan. The post Elliot Ackerman on Our Exit from Afghanistan appeared first on Octavian Report.

    What to Do About Vaccine Hesitancy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2021 24:33


    We spoke with Johns Hopkins professor Tara Kirk Sell about how to combat vaccine hesitancy and why government vaccine mandates could be a mistake. The post What to Do About Vaccine Hesitancy appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Are We Alone in the Universe? Avi Loeb Wants to Know

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2021 31:34


    We spoke for this episode with Avi Loeb, the Harvard astronomer who wants to find out if we are alone in the universe -- and has launched an amazing new effort, the Galileo Project, to do just that. The post Are We Alone in the Universe? Avi Loeb Wants to Know appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Masih Alinejad, the Gulf’s “Greenshift,” and More

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2021 55:05


    We talked through the kidnapping plot against Masih Alinejad, the Gulf's coming climate change paradigm shift, Yemen, and more with Norman Roule. The post Masih Alinejad, the Gulf's “Greenshift,” and More appeared first on Octavian Report.

    gulf yemen masih alinejad octavian report
    Climate Change Is Coming. Here’s How We Adapt.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2021 39:13


    Leading economist Matthew Kahn tells us why and how we can use incentives, tech, and revolutionary thinking to deal with the hotter future coming our way. The post Climate Change Is Coming. Here's How We Adapt. appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Why Ransomware is the Wave of the Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2021 39:53


    We spoke with April Doss of Georgetown Law about crypto, Colonial pipeline, and the looming digital risk faced by businesses and governments. The post Why Ransomware is the Wave of the Future appeared first on Octavian Report.

    The Lab Leak Hypothesis, the U.S. China Bill, and More

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2021 36:03


    We spoke with FDD's Emily de La Bruyère about the latest news around China, including the historic (or not-so-historic) shift to a three-child policy. The post The Lab Leak Hypothesis, the U.S. China Bill, and More appeared first on Octavian Report.

    After the Ceasefire, What Next?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2021 29:36


    We spoke with Elliott Abrams about how he sees events playing out post-ceasefire and the strange erasure of Palestinian politics. The post After the Ceasefire, What Next? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    What’s Next for Israel and the Palestinians?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2021 45:28


    We spoke with the CFR's Steven Cook about how he sees the conflict playing out. The post What’s Next for Israel and the Palestinians? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    palestinians cfr steven cook octavian report
    Will We Need COVID Booster Shots?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2021 24:56


    We spoke with infectious disease expert Dr. Monica Gandhi of UCSF about her views on the eventual need to power-up previous vaccinations. The post Will We Need COVID Booster Shots? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    covid-19 shots booster ucsf octavian report
    What’s Next in the India COVID Tragedy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2021 29:34


    We spoke with the Wilson Institute's Michael Kugelman to find out how India got here and what it can do to beat back its tragic current wave. The post What’s Next in the India COVID Tragedy appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Do COVID Lockdowns Work?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2021 28:15


    We asked a leading scholar and co-author of a study of pandemic data how effective lockdowns actually are. The post Do COVID Lockdowns Work? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    covid-19 lockdowns octavian report
    The Iran Deal in a Post-Pandemic World

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2021 41:37


    We spoke with Norman Roule about Iran's strategy, ours, the nuclear deal, and the attack on Natanz. The post The Iran Deal in a Post-Pandemic World appeared first on Octavian Report.

    How to Fight Vaccine Hesitancy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2021 22:18


    As the government pauses Johnson and Johnson doses, we spoke with Johns Hopkins professor Tara Kirk Sell about why vaccines are safe and how to beat vaccine hesitancy. The post How to Fight Vaccine Hesitancy appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Why Is China Hiding Its Vaccine Trial Data?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2021 23:53


    We spoke with the FDD's Emily de La Bruyère about data opacity from Sinovac and Sinopharm and why it's worrying news for the world. The post Why Is China Hiding Its Vaccine Trial Data? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Can a Cheap Drug Help Beat COVID?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2021 32:20


    We spoke with Sumit Chanda about how a leprosy drug called clofazimine might be a secret weapon in our fight against the pandemic. The post Can a Cheap Drug Help Beat COVID? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    covid-19 drug cheap octavian report
    What Causes COVID Brain Fog?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2021 27:36


    Dr. David Nauen of Johns Hopkins may have found an answer that explains one of the lasting enigmas of the pandemic. The post What Causes COVID Brain Fog? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    What Do Intranasal Vaccines Mean for COVID?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2021 27:35


    We spoke with Frances Lund, a microbiologist leading the charge to develop a new vaccine with revolutionary implications for the fight against COVID. The post What Do Intranasal Vaccines Mean for COVID? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    covid-19 vaccines intranasal octavian report
    How Andrew Cuomo Mishandled COVID

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2021 30:50


    We spoke with Dr. Joel Zinberg about how the governor's policies on COVID have been a disaster for New York's most vulnerable groups. The post How Andrew Cuomo Mishandled COVID appeared first on Octavian Report.

    How to Read the WHO Report on China and COVID

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2021 31:48


    The Biden administration has "deep concerns" about the WHO report. We spoke with FDD's Emily de La Bruyère to find out if we should too. The post How to Read the WHO Report on China and COVID appeared first on Octavian Report.

    How Monoclonals Can Help Beat COVID

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2021 29:33


    UNC's Dr. Myron Cohen helped develop a revolutionary treatment regime for HIV. Now he's fighting COVID with monoclonals. The post How Monoclonals Can Help Beat COVID appeared first on Octavian Report.

    covid-19 hiv unc octavian report
    Why the UK Vaccine Rollout Is Succeeding

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2021 25:18


    We spoke with a leading respiratory disease expert, Dr. Jeremy Brown of UCL, to get a better grasp of what the UK is doing right in this stage of the pandemic. The post Why the UK Vaccine Rollout Is Succeeding appeared first on Octavian Report.

    What Is COVID Doing to Our Brains?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 20:28


    One aspect of COVID that has frightening implications is its effect on mental health. From early on in the pandemic, doctors noticed that COVID patients seemed in some cases to be suffering from neuropsychiatric disorders, some of which persisted long after other symptoms had vanished. For this episode, we spoke with Dr. Jonathan Rogers, a practicing psychiatrist, a prize-winning researcher in the University College London Division of Psychiatry specializing in neuropsychiatric disorders, and first author of a study examining the... The post What Is COVID Doing to Our Brains? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Will the Biden COVID Plan Work?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2021 33:31


    We spoke with public health expert Polly Price of Emory University School of Law about the strengths and weaknesses of the Biden COVID plan. The post Will the Biden COVID Plan Work? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Roya Hakakian on A Beginner’s Guide to America

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2020 25:51


    The author of A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO AMERICA talks about history, identity, and place and what they mean to her and in our current cultural moment. The post Roya Hakakian on A Beginner’s Guide to America appeared first on Octavian Report.

    america guide beginners roya octavian report
    Why Don’t Kids Get COVID Like Adults?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2020 21:55


    We spoke with Columbia University immunologist Donna Farber -- the author of a recent, major study examining this issue -- to answer that question. The post Why Don’t Kids Get COVID Like Adults? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Dogs: The Ultimate COVID Test?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2020 22:15


    Who's a good boy? Dogs and their incredible noses might hold the key to completely revolutionizing COVID testing, according to research from Project Nosias. The post Dogs: The Ultimate COVID Test? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    covid-19 dogs octavian report
    What China’s COVID Files Really Mean

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2020 22:56


    We spoke with Emily de La Bruyere about China's struggles with, and deceptions about, their efforts against the pandemic -- and why they matter. The post What China’s COVID Files Really Mean appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Predicting the Next COVID Surge

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2020 20:22


    A Stanford researcher on how mobility data can shed light on the best way to fight the pandemic. The post Predicting the Next COVID Surge appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Mink, Mutations, and Meat-Eaters

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2020 20:33


    Worried about the new mink-borne strain of COVID? We spoke with microbiologist Joanne Santini about humans, animals, microbes, and mutations. The post Mink, Mutations, and Meat-Eaters appeared first on Octavian Report.

    How BCG, A Century-Old Vaccine, Might Fight COVID

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2020 32:33


    We spoke to Dr. Moshe Arditi at Cedars/Sinai about his clinical trial to determine whether the BCG vaccine for tuberculosis might help fight COVID. The post How BCG, A Century-Old Vaccine, Might Fight COVID appeared first on Octavian Report.

    How COVID Vaccine Trials Work

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2020 22:14


    We spoke with the principal investigator of the AstraZeneca vaccine about how the vaccine works and why U.S. trial procedures are the safest in the world. The post How COVID Vaccine Trials Work appeared first on Octavian Report.

    COVID Vaccines and the Cold Chain

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2020 23:11


    We spoke with Toby Peters, professor in the cold economy at the University of Birmingham, about the fearsome logistical issues in vaccine distribution. The post COVID Vaccines and the Cold Chain appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Armenia, Azerbaijan, and COVID-19

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2020 27:56


    We spoke with Ambassador Carey Cavanaugh on Armenia, Azerbaijan, and what local conflict means in the age of COVID-19. The post Armenia, Azerbaijan, and COVID-19 appeared first on Octavian Report.

    covid-19 armenia azerbaijan octavian report
    Genius and Isolation (COVID-Related and Otherwise)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2020 32:50


    We spoke Craig Wright, author of The Hidden Habits of Genius. We spoke with Craig about his views on talent, art, and isolation.  The post Genius and Isolation (COVID-Related and Otherwise) appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Watching the COVID Genome in Real Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2020 26:21


    We spoke with Richard Neher, co-founder of Nextstrain – a tool that tracks in real time genome changes in pathogens including COVID. The post Watching the COVID Genome in Real Time appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Can Masks Help Us Build COVID Immunity?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2020 18:39


    We spoke with Dr. Monica Gandhi about an intriguing new theory based on an old concept. The post Can Masks Help Us Build COVID Immunity? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    covid-19 masks immunity octavian report
    Emily de La Bruyère on China’s COVID soft power plays

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2020 30:39


    We spoke with Emily de La Bruyère of FDD on how China is looking for geopolitical advantage in the midst of the pandemic. The post Emily de La Bruyère on China’s COVID soft power plays appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Mary Shelley and Her Plague Masterpiece

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2020 44:51


    We spoke with Eileen Hunt Botting about Mary Shelley and The Last Man, the first post-apocalyptic novel, set in a world devastated by plague. The post Mary Shelley and Her Plague Masterpiece appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Allan Lichtman on Why Trump Will Lose

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2020 20:13


    We spoke with legendary political predictor Allan Lichtman about the President's chances and what COVID will mean for voting. The post Allan Lichtman on Why Trump Will Lose appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Jonathan Granoff on COVID and Global Security

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2020 43:00


    We spoke to Jonathan Granoff, president of the Global Security Institute, on how we can step up the fight against the pandemic. The post Jonathan Granoff on COVID and Global Security appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Steven A. Cook on the UAE, Israel, and Lebanon

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2020 27:11


    We spoke to Steven A. Cook about the historic Israel/UAE peace deal and the recent explosion in Beirut, and what these mean within the global COVID crisis. The post Steven A. Cook on the UAE, Israel, and Lebanon appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Tali Farhadian Weinstein on COVID vs. the Justice System

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2020 23:20


    We spoke with a current candidate for Manhattan DA, on the justice system vs. the pandemic and her vision for the office. The post Tali Farhadian Weinstein on COVID vs. the Justice System appeared first on Octavian Report.

    COVID, Debt, and the Global Economy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2020 27:32


    We spoke to Douglas Rediker on the economic and fiscal effects of COVID globally and the massive uncertainties there. The post COVID, Debt, and the Global Economy appeared first on Octavian Report.

    covid-19 debt global economy octavian report
    Thomas Mann and the Literature of Disease

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2020 58:04


    We spoke with eminent Germanist and intellectual historian David Wellbery on Nobel laureate Thomas Mann and the literature of disease. The post Thomas Mann and the Literature of Disease appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Africa and the Developing World Vs. Covid

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2020 25:00


    We spoke with Michelle Gavin, former U.S. ambassador to Botswana, about Africa and COVID and how pandemics hit the developing world. The post Africa and the Developing World Vs. Covid appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Where Does Quarantine Come From?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2020 49:02


    The new episode of our podcast features John Henderson on the history of quarantine and why Florence's response to plague in 1630 will seem eerily familiar. The post Where Does Quarantine Come From? appeared first on Octavian Report.

    quarantine john henderson octavian report
    Why We Still Need a Flu Vaccine

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2020 26:57


    We spoke with Jeremy Brown, Director of the Office of Emergency Care Research at NIH and author of Influenza, about the hunt for a flu vaccine -- and why we still need one. The post Why We Still Need a Flu Vaccine appeared first on Octavian Report.

    Trump, the Protests, and the Insurrection Act

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2020 29:09


    We spoke with Saikrishna Prakash of UVA Law on Trump, the protests, the Insurrection Act, and executive power. The post Trump, the Protests, and the Insurrection Act appeared first on Octavian Report.

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