The John Batchelor Show

3.Michael Vlahos as Germanicus explores with Gaius the seventeenth-century practice of dynastic marriage as a superior geopolitical tool compared to modern warfare's impulse toward total destruction. Gaius highlights the unions connecting the Hapsburg, Bourbon, and Stuart empires, observing that the magic of resolving conflict through marriage has been lost entirely. Germanicus explains that these networks of bloodlines created a unified European sensibility and stability that limited war's severity because monarchs were cousins bound by family obligation and shared aristocratic culture. Wars remained limited affairs rather than existential struggles for national survival. Germanicus attributes the loss of this restraint to the French Revolution, which replaced aristocratic connections with religious nationalism and a Darwinianstruggle for survival, culminating in the total wars of the twentieth century that devastated entire civilizations. While true dynastic geopolitics has vanished from international relations, Germanicus observes a strange egalitarian counterpart emerging in the American overclass through the nepo baby phenomenon. He argues that elite families in Hollywood and politics now pass down wealth and status across generations, mimicking aristocratic patterns without the intergenerational stability, diplomatic utility, or civilizational responsibility characteristic of Roman senatorial families or royal Europeanhouses.

2.Michael Vlahos as Germanicus joins Gaius in examining the elite obsession with Jeffrey Epstein through a historical lens of witchcraft and sorcery accusations. Gaius introduces an analogy involving Louis XIII using accusations of witchcraft to explain political assassinations, applying this framework to the modern overclass fascination with Epstein. He suggests elites cast Epstein as a sorcerer figure to absolve themselves of complicity in his crimes and their own participation in corruption. Germanicus agrees, arguing that the atheistic ruling class deploys Epstein as a fallen angel archetype, framing him as an unstoppable supernatural force of seduction so they can claim victimhood rather than confronting systemic corruption. Germanicus illustrates this dynamic with a story from The Howling about monks imprisoning the devil to prevent war, symbolizing humanity's desire to externalize evil rather than confront personal sin. The sheer volume of released Epstein files acts as contracts for sold souls, reinforcing the narrative that an external devil bears responsibility. Germanicus concludes these elites are cynical materialists who, unable to comprehend spiritual dynamics or acknowledge their own guilt, retreat to ancient superstitions to explain their entrapment and exonerate themselves from the corrupt world they lead.3.Michael Vlahos as Germanicus explores with Gaius the seventeenth-century practice of dynastic marriage as a superior geopolitical tool compared to modern warfare's impulse toward total destruction. Gaius highlights the unions connecting the Hapsburg, Bourbon, and Stuart empires, observing that the magic of resolving conflict through marriage has been lost entirely. Germanicus explains that these networks of bloodlines created a unified European sensibility and stability that limited war's severity because monarchs were cousins bound by family obligation and shared aristocratic culture. Wars remained limited affairs rather than existential struggles for national survival. Germanicus attributes the loss of this restraint to the French Revolution, which replaced aristocratic connections with religious nationalism and a Darwinian struggle for survival, culminating in the total wars of the twentieth century that devastated entire civilizations. While true dynastic geopolitics has vanished from international relations, Germanicus observes a strange egalitarian counterpart emerging in the American overclass through the nepo baby phenomenon. He argues that elite families in Hollywood and politics now pass down wealth and status across generations, mimicking aristocratic patterns without the intergenerational stability, diplomatic utility, or civilizational responsibility characteristic of Roman senatorial families or royal European houses.

  1.Michael Vlahos as Germanicus debates Gaius in Londinium on parallels between FDR's strategic pivoting in 1941 and the modern United States facing a two-front confrontation against Russia and China. While FDR successfully managed a global vision across separate theaters in Europe and the Pacific, Germanicus argues the contemporary US faces a far more dire reality. Unlike 1941 when American industrial capacity was ascending and capable of outproducing all adversaries, today's United States lacks the manufacturing base to fight simultaneously on two fronts. Germanicus notes that China possesses two hundred times the shipbuilding capability of the US and that American naval vessels are currently covered in rust from neglect. While Gaius observes that FDR prepared Americans for initial losses and questions whether Russia and China constitute a unified axis similar to the Tripartite Pact, Germanicus contends modern America is too divided domestically to absorb military reverses. He argues that Russia and China effectively operate as a single Eurasian entity playing a long game, while the US is losing its proxy war in Ukraine and lacks both military discipline and industrial might to confront Putin and Xi Jinping's strategic patience.

8.  Guest: Hampton Sides. Retreating to Hawaii's Kealakekua Bay during a festival, Cook is welcomed as the god Lono. However, a broken mast forces an unwelcome return during a season of war. Tensions rise over a stolen boat, leading Cook to attempt kidnapping the king. This error in judgment results in Cook's violent death.1815

7.  Guest: Hampton Sides. Cook maps the North American coast, stopping at Nootka Sound for repairs before charting Alaska. Searching for the Northwest Passage, they enter the Bering Sea. There, they encounter the "Ice Blink" and an impenetrable ice wall, disproving theories of an open polar sea and forcing a dangerous retreat.

6..  Guest: Hampton Sides. Cook unexpectedly discovers the Hawaiian Islands, landing at Kauai. He is amazed by the sophisticated agriculture and aqueducts but stays briefly, rushing toward the Arctic. This first contact is mutual puzzlement; locals view the British as "volcano people" due to their smoking, while Cook worries about transmitting disease.

5.  Guest: Hampton Sides. At Moorea, a stolen goat triggers a terrifying rage in Cook, who burns houses and canoes in retribution, shocking his officers. Sides reveals that after being left behind, Mai used British weapons in local conflicts but died young of disease. Cook's scorched-earth reaction highlights his deteriorating patience and mental state.

4.  Guest: Hampton Sides. Arriving in the Society Islands, the crew enjoys Tahiti while Cook focuses on settling Mai. Cook attempts to secure Mai's future, but Mai refuses an arranged marriage. Red feathers become valuable currency. Ultimately, Cook leaves Mai at Huahine, sharing a tearful, final goodbye with the man he viewed as a son.

3.  an open sailing path.Guest: Hampton Sides. Cook displays uncharacteristic recklessness and a darkening temper as they sail south with the Polynesian Mai. They make peaceful contact with Tasmania's Palawa people before visiting New Zealand. There, Cook acts as a detective, investigating a previous incident where his crew members were killed and eaten by Maoriwarriors.

2.  Guest: Hampton Sides. Sides introduces the officers of the Resolution and Discovery, including the tubercular Captain Charles Clerke and the skilled but insufferable William Bligh. The mission is fueled by Daines Barrington'sscientifically flawed theory that seawater cannot freeze, leading the Admiralty to believe the Arctic offered an open sailing path.

1.  Guest: Hampton Sides. In February 1776, Captain James Cook is enjoying a comfortable retirement at Greenwich Hospital. Dining with Lord Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty, Cook learns of a proposed third voyage to find the fabled Northwest Passage. Despite having retired, Cook is tempted by the challenge and dramatically accepts the command.

4.  Guest: Richard Snow. Snow details the controversial legal aftermath, where Captain Mackenzie faced a court-martial for the executions. Despite political pressure and a tarnished reputation, Mackenzie was legally cleared, leaving the true nature of the "mutiny" a mystery.

3.  Guest: Richard Snow. Snow recounts how Spencer's "pirate plot" joke spiraled into hysteria. Captain Mackenzie, gripped by paranoia aboard the tiny ship, arrested three men and convened an irregular council of officers that recommended their immediate execution.

2.  Guest: Richard Snow. Snow describes the Somers setting sail with a crew of inexperienced teenagers. He details how Spencer, ostracized by fellow officers, violated protocol by befriending the crew with gifts, setting the stage for the alleged mutiny.

1.  Guest: Richard Snow. Snow introduces the key figures of the Somers mutiny: Philip Spencer, the rebellious son of a cabinet member, and Captain Mackenzie, a disciplinarian author. Their conflict unfolds aboard a crowded, experimental naval school ship.

4.  Guest: David Rooney. Rooney concludes the saga with Alcock and Brown's successful landing in Ireland and the subsequent celebration. Winston Churchill awarded the prize money, marking a pivotal moment where former rivals celebrated opening the future of aviation.

2. Guest: David Rooney. Rooney profiles the diverse aviators competing for the prize, including the fearless Australian Harry Hawker and the aristocratic Admiral Mark Kerr. The narrative highlights the intense rivalry and class distinctions among the teams gathering in Newfoundland.

3.  Guest: David Rooney. Rooney describes the treacherous conditions in Newfoundland that grounded teams for weeks. He details the dramatic takeoff of Harry Hawker, who disappeared into the ocean mist, followed by the successful launch of Alcock and Brown.

1.  Guest: David Rooney. Rooney recounts the origins of the 1919 transatlantic flight challenge funded by newspaper mogul Lord Northcliffe. He introduces war veterans Alcock and Brown, who teamed up with Vickers to attempt the dangerous crossing.

4.  Guest: Matthew Lockwood. Lockwood highlights overlooked figures like David Dorr, an enslaved traveler, and the professional African guides who aided Stanley. He concludes that curiosity and the desire to see the unknown drive all human migration and exploration.

3.  Europe and its customs.Guest: Matthew Lockwood. Lockwood illustrates how local guides and knowledge exchange shaped history. He details how Lady Mary Wortley Montagu brought smallpox inoculation to England and how Indigenous guides like Tupaiaand Carlos del Pino aided famous expeditions.

2.  Guest: Matthew Lockwood. Lockwood reframes discovery by highlighting Indigenous explorers who traveled to Europe, such as Taino ambassadors and the Aboriginal Australian Bennelong. These figures actively sought to understand the "new world" of Europe and its customs.

Guest: Matthew Lockwood. Lockwood examines the history of exploration from non-European perspectives, including Carthaginian sailors and Chinese fleets. He explains how early accounts, like those of the Norse in Vinland, were often dismissed as myths.

4  Guest: Arthur Herman. Herman argues that World War II victory resulted from the government setting goals while private industry determined execution. He suggests this historical partnership offers vital lessons for restoring America'slagging defense industrial base today.

3.  Guest: Arthur Herman. Herman details the chaotic development of the B-29 Superfortress. Despite technical failures and immense complexity, Bill Knudsen pushed production forward, delivering the high-altitude bomber necessary for air supremacy and victory in the Pacific.

2.  Guest: Arthur Herman. Herman profiles Henry Kaiser, a construction magnate who applied his rapid building techniques to shipbuilding. Kaiser's "Liberty Ships" became essential for maintaining the Allied supply lifeline against German U-boats during the war.

1.  Guest: Arthur Herman. Herman discusses how FDR recruited industrialist Bill Knudsen in 1940 to mobilize Americafor war. Knudsen applied his expertise in flexible mass production, honed at Ford and GM, to prepare the nation's defenses.

Jeremy Zakis reports on the Australian T20 cricket team's dismal start and unexpected loss to Zimbabwe, with selectors worried the inexperienced squad may fail to reach the World Cup finals without immediate improvement.

Jeremy Zakis discusses dangerous wildlife encounters, including a Tasmanian tiger snake found in a child's car seat and a Victorian farmer who sustained injuries while fighting a kangaroo to save his drowning dog.

Jeremy Zakis details Australia's chaotic weather, featuring severe flooding in Queensland and a tropical cyclone in Western Australia, characterizing the current summer as highly unusual, encompassing all four seasons within one season.

.Jeremy Zakis describes an aggressive flock of over one hundred cockatoos targeting his home and neighborhood, with the destructive birds stripping trees and performing low fly-bys, prompting fears of further property damage.

   Dante Lauretta recounts the anxiety-inducing sample return where the drogue parachute failed to deploy before the main chute saved the mission, with the spacecraft now continuing as OSIRIS-APEX under former student Dani DellaGiustinaat the University of Arizona.

Dante Lauretta describes how upon reaching asteroid Bennu the team found a hazardous rocky surface instead of expected sand, detailing the difficulty selecting the Nightingale landing site where the spacecraft sank into fluid-like material, collecting so much the container began leaking.R

Dante Lauretta explains how after a 2007 rejection he refined the science objectives, coining the name OSIRIS-REx, then assumed leadership after Mike Drake's passing and guided the team through a critical 2014 confirmation review to secure NASA approval.

Professor Dante Lauretta discusses his book The Asteroid Hunter and his early career at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, recalling how mentor Mike Drake and Lockheed Martin recruited him in 2004 for a daring asteroid sample return mission despite early rejections.

James Shapiro reflects on the sad later lives of Flanagan and Dies, and debunks a legend involving Orson Welles and a critic of Voodoo Macbeth.

James Shapiro describes how the Dies Committee targets Director Hallie Flanagan using dubious testimony from Hazel Huffman to brand the Federal Theatre Project's plays as communist propaganda.

James Shapiro details how Congressman Martin Dies used the House Un-American Activities Committee to attack the Federal Theatre Project to gain political power and media fame.

James Shapiro discusses Federal Theatre Project plays like One-Third of a Nation, which critiqued housing inequality, and Liberty Deferred, a never-produced play about lynching in America.

James Shapiro recounts how the Federal Theater simultaneously staged Sinclair Lewis's anti-fascist play It Can't Happen Here across American cities after Hollywood studios rejected the film adaptation.

James Shapiro details Welles's innovative Voodoo Macbeth, its anti-fascist themes, the racial condescension of white critics, and the production's massive success and subsequent national tour across America.

James Shapiro explains how Rose McClendon and John Houseman established the Negro Unit, hiring a young Orson Welles to direct the revolutionary Macbeth production in Harlem.

James Shapiro discusses the historic 1936 Harlem premiere of Macbeth, the Federal Theater Project's creation under Harry Hopkins and Hallie Flanagan, and its significance for democracy during the Depression era.

Matthew Shindell outlines the history of robotic exploration, from Mariner to Ingenuity, while noting the political and technical hurdles facing future human missions to Mars.

Matthew Shindell discusses the Scientific Revolution, nineteenth-century theories about Martian canals by Schiaparelli and Lowell, and H.G. Wells using Mars to satirize British imperialism.

Matthew Shindell contrasts Islamic scientific advancements with European views, highlighting how Dante Alighierireinterpreted Mars in the Divine Comedy as a symbol of fortitude and martyrdom.

Matthew Shindell explores how ancient Mayan, Chinese, and Mesopotamian civilizations interpreted Mars through mythology, omens, and early scientific observation to understand their relationship with the cosmos.

Guest: John Tamny. Tamny views the crypto market crash as a sign of maturity, predicting private money is the future and that 

Guest: John Tamny. Tamny contends that true inflation is currency devaluation rather than price increases caused by lockdowns, citing historical economic collapses in China and Germany as evidence.

Guest: John Tamny. Using Elon Musk's ventures, Tamny illustrates that credit naturally seeks talent and innovation, arguing that Federal Reserve interest rates do not impact high-risk startups.

Guest: John Tamny. Tamny explains Adam Smith's division of labor using the iPhone as an example, arguing that money exists solely to circulate goods and requires stability.