Podcasts about Beijing

My neologism-du-jour is “enstatification”. It's what is happening in MAGA America with Trump's Gaucho-style swaggering into the economy and his reversal to autarky and a back-to-the-future Monroe Doctrine. With the growth of a 19th-century style state power, America is trying to become the new China. Meanwhile, as Keith Teare notes in his latest That Was The Week newsletter, China is the new America in its embrace of technological innovation, particularly its trebling down on clean energy. That's why the “Too Big To Fail” debate about OpenAI is so heavily laced in irony. It's not just Sam Altman's chutzpah in trying to simultaneously become the punter and the house in his multi-trillion-dollar bet on ChatGPT. But it might actually reflect the new realities of second-quarter 21st-century America. We've been wondering for a while now what comes after neo-liberalism. In a neologism: enstatification. * China Has Already Won the Clean Energy Race—And That Changes Everything Keith Teare confirms what The Economist reported: China's clean energy capacity dwarfs America's by a decade or more. This isn't just about being green—it's about controlling the energy infrastructure that AI requires. China is becoming the 21st century's combination of America and Saudi Arabia.* Jensen Huang's Verdict: China Will Win the AI Race Because It Deregulates While America Bureaucratizes The NVIDIA CEO's provocative claim isn't just marketing—it reflects a real competitive advantage. While four Democratic states pursue AI regulation at the state level, Beijing is loosening regulations and slashing energy costs for data centers. Democracy's decentralization may be its Achilles heel in rapid technological competition.* OpenAI's “Too Big to Fail” Status Reveals the New Age of Enstatification Despite David Sacks' denials, OpenAI's strategic importance means it effectively cannot be allowed to fail—not because of systemic financial risk like 2008, but because of national competitiveness concerns. This isn't neoliberalism anymore; it's America's version of state capitalism.* The Real Convergence Isn't US vs China—It's Both Nations Embracing State-Directed Economies Trump's Intel investment, Sacks and Andreessen's push for centralized AI policy, and China's directed innovation represent a global trend toward what Keith calls state involvement in “procuring and distributing wealth.” Alibaba and Google, Huawei and NVIDIA—they're becoming more alike than different.* Keith Teare's Optimism: “Everyone Will Win” in the AI Economy—But Some Pigs Are More Equal: Keith argues this isn't a zero-sum race with winners and losers, but a rising tide lifting all boats through reciprocity. America and China will both capture massive value from AI's potential $26 trillion GDP boost by 2035. I remain skeptical: history suggests great power competitions don't end in shared prosperity.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

The National Security Hour with Major Fred Galvin – Fred Galvin exposes how foreign and domestic actors wage a coordinated soft power war to divide Americans and weaken trust in institutions. From Beijing to Tehran to Moscow, adversaries use media, education, and digital propaganda to reshape beliefs, erode unity, and weaponize culture — all to undermine America from within...

What can the US learn from the benefits–and perils–of China's quest to engineer the future? Tech analyst and author Dan Wang joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to discuss his new book "Breakneck," China's infrastructure boom, and the future of the US-China relationship. Over the last two decades, China has transformed into what Wang calls an “engineering state,” marshaling near unlimited resources to build almost anything–roads, bridges, entire cities overnight. That investment has created astounding growth, but also domestic challenges and soaring debt. It's also led to a stubborn belief within the Chinese government that society itself can be engineered from the top down, where the state treats its people like a building material that can be tweaked or destroyed if necessary. Wang and Bremmer dig into all things US-China: the future of the relationship, the surprising similarities between the two countries, and whether Washington can learn from Beijing's example without repeating its mistakes.Host: Ian BremmerGuest: Dan Wang Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ten years ago, African news coverage of China's engagement on the continent was often quite negative and repackaged many of the critical Western narratives. Today, the situation is very different. China has spent considerable resources cultivating closer ties with African news outlets. Through a combination of journalist junkets, so-called "content sharing agreements," and Chinese equipment donations to African state broadcasters, Beijing has been very effective in generating much more positive coverage. In this special episode from the African Investigative Journalism Conference at Wits University in Johannesburg, Eric & Cobus speak with Aggrey Mutambo, Africa editor at the Daily Nation newspaper in Kenya, about the changing Chinese narrative in the African news media. CHAPTERS: • Introduction – From Johannesburg and the African Investigative Journalism Conference • A Decade of Change – How China's media image in Africa evolved • Shifting Narratives – From Western framing to African perspectives • Building Influence – Beijing's strategy for cultivating local journalists • The Tools of Soft Power – Junkets, content sharing, and equipment donations • Inside the Newsroom – How editors like Aggrey Mutambo see China coverage now • Competing Stories – Western skepticism vs. Chinese engagement • Frustration with the West – Why African journalists are rethinking narratives • The Xinjiang Question – How African reporters interpret Chinese messaging • Development and Delivery – The appeal of China's efficiency model • Trade, Trust, and Strategy – What Kenya and South Africa want from Beijing • The Next Chapter – What balanced China–Africa journalism could look like JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH & SPANISH:  French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

What can the US learn from the benefits–and perils–of China's quest to engineer the future? Tech analyst and author Dan Wang joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to discuss his new book "Breakneck," China's infrastructure boom, and the future of the US-China relationship. Over the last two decades, China has transformed into what Wang calls an “engineering state,” marshaling near unlimited resources to build almost anything–roads, bridges, entire cities overnight. That investment has created astounding growth, but also domestic challenges and soaring debt. It's also led to a stubborn belief within the Chinese government that society itself can be engineered from the top down, where the state treats its people like a building material that can be tweaked or destroyed if necessary. Wang and Bremmer dig into all things US-China: the future of the relationship, the surprising similarities between the two countries, and whether Washington can learn from Beijing's example without repeating its mistakes.Host: Ian BremmerGuest: Dan Wang Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Eighty years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the shadow of nuclear weapons has re-emerged on the world stage. Once thought to be relics of a bygone era, they are again the subject of fierce rhetoric between Washington, Moscow and Beijing.

 President Donald Trump has escalated tensions with China, threatening to cut off trade in cooking oil and other products over Beijing's soybean purchases. China, in turn, warned that trade wars have no winners. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Friday Headline Brief of The Wright Report, Bryan covers the U.S. government shutdown's impact on national security, Democrats' energy messaging strategy, Ford's massive electric truck losses, China's latest espionage scandal, and new medical research linking heart and brain health. U.S. Troops Told to Visit German Food Banks: A U.S. Army base in Bavaria posted a list of local soup kitchens for service members and families struggling during the shutdown — a move that shocked German media and sparked Pentagon embarrassment. Bryan warns foreign spy agencies could exploit unpaid American personnel for recruitment, saying, "That's how the CIA would target desperate officers abroad — and it's happening to us now." Democrats' Winning Playbook: Democrats' recent election victories were fueled by economic messaging, especially on rising energy costs. Bryan explains how candidates tied AI data centers and electric vehicles to higher utility bills — a strategy Republicans must counter before 2026. Ford's Electric F-150 Collapse: The automaker faces $13 billion in losses after poor demand for its Lightning pickup. Bryan notes Toyota's hybrid-first strategy is proving right, calling the EV rush "a cultish demand that ignored market reality." China's Espionage and Agricultural Games: Three Chinese nationals in Michigan were arrested for smuggling genetically modified worms, while Beijing signed $5 billion in new U.S. grain deals. Bryan warns that "China is both robbing our labs and buying our fields." Trump Weighs Action in Nigeria and Venezuela: The President is considering U.S. military intervention in Nigeria to protect Christians from Islamist attacks while reviewing regime-change options in Venezuela. Bryan asks listeners to consider: "How many American lives would we trade to save others abroad?" Dementia and Heart Disease Discoveries: British scientists found that small increases in heart enzyme levels may predict dementia risk years before symptoms. Meanwhile, South Korean researchers discovered gut bacteria linked to coronary artery disease, reinforcing the connection between diet, heart health, and brain function.   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: U.S. Army Bavaria food banks shutdown, Pentagon security risk spy recruitment, Democrats energy utility bill messaging, Ford F-150 Lightning EV losses, Toyota hybrid success, Chinese bioresearch smuggling Michigan, Trump Nigeria Christians military intervention, Venezuela Maduro regime change debate, dementia heart enzyme biomarker, gut bacteria coronary artery disease

“We don't want Americans to participate in any way, shape, or form in this kind of organ harvesting and transplantation scheme. … You can actually sit in America, [and] make an appointment for a heart, lung transplant in China right now,” says Congressman Neal Dunn (R-Fla.), a former Army surgeon who is also founding president of the Advanced Urology Institute in Florida.“I want to make that illegal.”As a starting point, Dunn has introduced the Block Organ Transplant Purchases from China Act, also known as the BLOCK Act, which would prohibit federal reimbursement for organ transplants and related medical services if the origins of the organs cannot be verified, as is the case in communist China.In our wide-ranging interview, we cover China's illicit organ trade, the biowarfare program, and President Donald Trump's new trade deal with leader Xi Jinping, as well as how America can accelerate rare earth mineral production, and the strategic significance of Pacific island nations like the Solomon Islands.As a member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party—often referred to as the House CCP Select Committee—Dunn receives intelligence briefings on the multifaceted threats that Beijing poses to American national security.The CCP “is gathering biological data on all of us,” he says. “One of the most insidious ways they gather biological DNA sequencing on us is they run a set of blood banks in the United States.”Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Senators are expected to meet on Friday for a 15th vote on reopening the government. Republicans made an offer to fully fund parts of the government while patching funds for the rest until January, plus a promised Obamacare vote. Until Thursday evening, the deal looked promising to secure the votes needed from Democrats. Now, however, key negotiators are casting doubts that a breakthrough is possible before the weekend. If Senators don't see any hope of a deal coming to fruition, they could leave Washington for the next week.A Rhode Island judge has ordered the Trump administration to fully fund food stamps for November. The ruling affects about 42 million Americans in the SNAP program. Judge John McConnell said people have “gone without for too long.” Vice President JD Vance called the decision “absurd.” The Trump administration is appealing the ruling.Following Supreme Court arguments on President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs, the president is describing the case as the most important in U.S. history. Trump said his 100 percent tariff threat against Beijing was key in getting Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping to ease rare earth export controls. He said if the Supreme Court does not rule in his favor, he will need to come up with a new plan regarding his tariffs. Trump said such a ruling would be “devastating” and a life-or-death scenario for the United States.

The team unpacks October's Trump–Xi meeting and the short-term “truce” it produced: a ~10 percentage-point cut on broad China tariffs tied to fentanyl controls, a one-year pause on rare-earth/magnet export controls, resumed Chinese purchasing of US soy/other ag, and continued Section 301 exclusions for key medical, electronics, HVAC, and solar items. We explain what actually shifted, what didn't, and the practical moves US importers should make now. We close with signals from Chinese media and what to watch next from Beijing.   Episode Sections: 00:32 – Setting the scene: Trump–Xi met in South Korea (Oct 30). Expectations vs reality. 01:16 – Renaud's first take: anticipation vs limited outcomes 04:47 – Rare earths & magnets: one-year pause on export controls and why it matters 07:22 – Tariffs: tone softens; specific cuts hit “fentanyl punishment” lines (20%→10%) 09:43 – What that means to landed cost (example: 54%→44%) 11:06 – Planning stability: from 90-day chaos to ~12 months of predictability 11:47 – Fentanyl precursors: enforcement complexity & policy trade-offs 14:00 – Section 301 exclusions extended (medical, electronics, HVAC, solar examples) 16:59 – What importers should do: horizons, HS discipline, alternatives, and risk 19:20 – Substantial transformation & multi-country routing: when it makes sense 22:00 – DDP renegotiations & compliance exposure 22:59 – Buffer stock & design tweaks to reduce magnet dependence 26:33 – Long-term trajectory: conflict risk and diversification logic 28:03 – China reactions round-up & closing thoughts 30:42 – Outro   Related content... Reuters U.S.–China headlines & rare‑earth pause Politico: ‘Amazing meeting': Trump touts progress on multiple fronts with China after meeting Xi Guardian: First Thing: Trump says rare earths deal and tariff cut agreed with China Xinhua (English): China unveils outcomes of China-U.S. economic, trade talks in Kuala Lumpur MOFCOM (English) — 2025 announcement page (export declaration/controls reference; for primary-source language & numbering) USTR Section 301: https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/enforcement/section-301-investigations CBP Trade: https://www.cbp.gov/trade Get in touch with us Connect with us on LinkedIn Contact us via Sofeast's contact page Subscribe to our YouTube channel Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB

SHOW 11-5-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT AI AND CHILDREN. FIRST HOUR 9-915 Canada's Troubled Relations with China and the US. Charles Burton (author of The Beaver and the Dragon) analyzes Canadian Prime Minister Carney's meeting with China's Xi Jinping following the APEC conference. Burton described Carney as a "supplicant" who echoed Chinese rhetoric of "constructive and pragmatic interactions," which means focusing on trade while avoiding criticism. Issues discussed included Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola and Canada's tariffs on subsidized Chinese EVs. Burton addresses the severely strained Ottawa-Washington relationship due to US tariffs and President Trump's stated unwillingness to talk, feeding "anti-American sentiment" in Canada. This trade uncertainty is a factor in Canada's massive budget deficit, which aims to fund government infrastructure to compensate for lacking investor interest. Furthermore, concerns persist in Canada regarding Chinese EVs potentially functioning as "listening posts" for state security. 915-930 Canada's Troubled Relations with China and the US. Charles Burton (author of The Beaver and the Dragon) analyzes Canadian Prime Minister Carney's meeting with China's Xi Jinping following the APEC conference. Burton described Carney as a "supplicant" who echoed Chinese rhetoric of "constructive and pragmatic interactions," which means focusing on trade while avoiding criticism. Issues discussed included Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola and Canada's tariffs on subsidized Chinese EVs. Burton addresses the severely strained Ottawa-Washington relationship due to US tariffs and President Trump's stated unwillingness to talk, feeding "anti-American sentiment" in Canada. This trade uncertainty is a factor in Canada's massive budget deficit, which aims to fund government infrastructure to compensate for lacking investor interest. Furthermore, concerns persist in Canada regarding Chinese EVs potentially functioning as "listening posts" for state security. 930-945 The Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. Peter Berkowitz (Hoover Institution Fellow and educator) discusses the Trump administration's "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education," which requires universities to meet ten priorities to qualify for federal benefits like student loans and research grants. While many goals are proper or already legally required (like protecting free speech and obeying civil rights laws), several are highly controversial. These controversial points include demanding that hiring decisions be made solely on individual "merit," which critics redefine to include group diversity, and requiring universities to maintain institutional neutrality on political issues. Most universities rejected the compact, asserting it would impair academic freedom. Berkowitz suggests the administration should use direct financial incentives to reward universities that actively teach free speech, rather than relying on mandates. 945-1000 The Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. Peter Berkowitz (Hoover Institution Fellow and educator) discusses the Trump administration's "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education," which requires universities to meet ten priorities to qualify for federal benefits like student loans and research grants. While many goals are proper or already legally required (like protecting free speech and obeying civil rights laws), several are highly controversial. These controversial points include demanding that hiring decisions be made solely on individual "merit," which critics redefine to include group diversity, and requiring universities to maintain institutional neutrality on political issues. Most universities rejected the compact, asserting it would impair academic freedom. Berkowitz suggests the administration should use direct financial incentives to reward universities that actively teach free speech, rather than relying on mandates. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 US-China Ceasefire and Competition in Technology and Space. Jack Burnham (Foundation for Defense of Democracies research analyst) characterizes the Trump-Xi meeting as a necessary "truce" that allows both nations to gain stability and strengthen their positions before the next escalation. Regarding rare earths, China is now employing the US "playbook," setting up a licensing structure rather than a full trade cessation. He emphasizes that building a complete rare earth supply chain outside of China, especially refining capacity, may realistically take seven to ten years. In technology, Beijing is pushing for domestic self-sufficiency in AI infrastructure, partly driven by paranoia that imported chips may contain backdoors or vulnerabilities. Burnham also details China's commitment to militarizing space, including copying US reconnaissance capabilities and practicing anti-satellite operations like "dogfighting." 1015-1030 US-China Ceasefire and Competition in Technology and Space. Jack Burnham (Foundation for Defense of Democracies research analyst) characterizes the Trump-Xi meeting as a necessary "truce" that allows both nations to gain stability and strengthen their positions before the next escalation. Regarding rare earths, China is now employing the US "playbook," setting up a licensing structure rather than a full trade cessation. He emphasizes that building a complete rare earth supply chain outside of China, especially refining capacity, may realistically take seven to ten years. In technology, Beijing is pushing for domestic self-sufficiency in AI infrastructure, partly driven by paranoia that imported chips may contain backdoors or vulnerabilities. Burnham also details China's commitment to militarizing space, including copying US reconnaissance capabilities and practicing anti-satellite operations like "dogfighting." 1030-1045 AI Philosophy and Jewish Wisdom. Spencer Klavan (Associate Editor of the Claremont Review of Books) reviews Michael M. Rosen's book, Like Silicon from Clay, which uses ancient Jewish wisdom, specifically the Golem legend, to analyze AI. Rosen categorizes AI believers into four camps: autonomists (who believe AI will achieve consciousness or sentience) and automationists (who view AI as a sophisticated, non-conscious tool). Both camps are divided into "positive" (optimistic) and "negative" (pessimistic) outlooks. Klavan identifies as a positive automationist, seeing AI as an "elaborate adding machine" or "better Google" that is helpful but requires human verification because it often "hallucinates" (makes up facts). He notes that chatbots conclude conversations with questions because they need human input to avoid becoming "deranged" and to improve their ability to predict human speech patterns. 1045-1100 AI Philosophy and Jewish Wisdom. Spencer Klavan (Associate Editor of the Claremont Review of Books) reviews Michael M. Rosen's book, Like Silicon from Clay, which uses ancient Jewish wisdom, specifically the Golem legend, to analyze AI. Rosen categorizes AI believers into four camps: autonomists (who believe AI will achieve consciousness or sentience) and automationists (who view AI as a sophisticated, non-conscious tool). Both camps are divided into "positive" (optimistic) and "negative" (pessimistic) outlooks. Klavan identifies as a positive automationist, seeing AI as an "elaborate adding machine" or "better Google" that is helpful but requires human verification because it often "hallucinates" (makes up facts). He notes that chatbots conclude conversations with questions because they need human input to avoid becoming "deranged" and to improve their ability to predict human speech patterns. THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 US Military Operations off Venezuela and the War in Ukraine. General Blaine Holt (United States Air Force retired) analyzes the significant US military buildup off Venezuela, headquartered at Roosevelt Roads, describing it as a "war-winning force" primarily targeting cartels and sending a global message of American might. He suggests that operations will likely use commando-style tactics rather than a full occupation, potentially leveraging historical events like the Bay of Pigs as cover for unconventional approaches. The conversation pivots to Ukraine, where Russia is effectively using new glide bombs and missiles, having shifted to a wartime mobilization economy. Holt notes the profound erosion of Ukraine's infrastructure and the demoralizing lack of manpower. He argues innovative, inexpensive defenses, such as Reaper drones with Sidewinders or lasers, are needed, as current air defense economics are unsustainable. 1115-1130 US Military Operations off Venezuela and the War in Ukraine. General Blaine Holt (United States Air Force retired) analyzes the significant US military buildup off Venezuela, headquartered at Roosevelt Roads, describing it as a "war-winning force" primarily targeting cartels and sending a global message of American might. He suggests that operations will likely use commando-style tactics rather than a full occupation, potentially leveraging historical events like the Bay of Pigs as cover for unconventional approaches. The conversation pivots to Ukraine, where Russia is effectively using new glide bombs and missiles, having shifted to a wartime mobilization economy. Holt notes the profound erosion of Ukraine's infrastructure and the demoralizing lack of manpower. He argues innovative, inexpensive defenses, such as Reaper drones with Sidewinders or lasers, are needed, as current air defense economics are unsustainable. 1130-1145 The Dominance of the US Dollar and Its Challenges. Alex Pollock (Senior Fellow at the Mises Institute) discusses Kenneth Rogoff's book, Our Currency, Your Problem, focusing on why the US dollar remains the dominant global currency. The dollar's strength is linked to US military power and superior legal and bankruptcy systems, which provide essential "social infrastructure." Pollock recalls the famous quip, "Our currency, your problem," made by Treasury Secretary John Connally in 1971 after the US defaulted on its gold obligations under the Bretton Woods system. Challenges from the Chinese renminbi and crypto are noted, but Rogoff finds serious institutional flaws in China's system. Critically, the growing US national debt is identified as the dollar's "Achilles heel," posing a major threat if global lenders stop lending. 1145-1200 The Dominance of the US Dollar and Its Challenges. Alex Pollock (Senior Fellow at the Mises Institute) discusses Kenneth Rogoff's book, Our Currency, Your Problem, focusing on why the US dollar remains the dominant global currency. The dollar's strength is linked to US military power and superior legal and bankruptcy systems, which provide essential "social infrastructure." Pollock recalls the famous quip, "Our currency, your problem," made by Treasury Secretary John Connally in 1971 after the US defaulted on its gold obligations under the Bretton Woods system. Challenges from the Chinese renminbi and crypto are noted, but Rogoff finds serious institutional flaws in China's system. Critically, the growing US national debt is identified as the dollar's "Achilles heel," posing a major threat if global lenders stop lending. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 1215-1230 1230-1245 Private Space Enterprise, Artemis Debate, and the Human Body in Space. Bob Zimmerman (Behind the Black) reviews the private space sector, highlighting VAST, which is developing the small manned demo space station Haven One using its own investment capital, unlike other NASA-funded consortiums. VAST's larger planned station, Haven 2, is designed to rotate, creating artificial gravity. This capability is crucial for mitigating the damage extended weightlessness causes the human body, such as cardiovascular weakening, bone density loss, and vision problems (the eye flattens). Zimmerman notes the ongoing debate over NASA's Artemis program, where former administrators clash over SpaceX's ability to build the lunar lander on time, often driven by lobbying interests. He also reports that China recently set a new national record for successful launches in a single year (67 completed). 1245-100 AM Private Space Enterprise, Artemis Debate, and the Human Body in Space. Bob Zimmerman (Behind the Black) reviews the private space sector, highlighting VAST, which is developing the small manned demo space station Haven One using its own investment capital, unlike other NASA-funded consortiums. VAST's larger planned station, Haven 2, is designed to rotate, creating artificial gravity. This capability is crucial for mitigating the damage extended weightlessness causes the human body, such as cardiovascular weakening, bone density loss, and vision problems (the eye flattens). Zimmerman notes the ongoing debate over NASA's Artemis program, where former administrators clash over SpaceX's ability to build the lunar lander on time, often driven by lobbying interests. He also reports that China recently set a new national record for successful launches in a single year (67 completed).

US-China Ceasefire and Competition in Technology and Space. Jack Burnham (Foundation for Defense of Democracies research analyst) characterizes the Trump-Xi meeting as a necessary "truce" that allows both nations to gain stability and strengthen their positions before the next escalation. Regarding rare earths, China is now employing the US "playbook," setting up a licensing structure rather than a full trade cessation. He emphasizes that building a complete rare earth supply chain outside of China, especially refining capacity, may realistically take seven to ten years. In technology, Beijing is pushing for domestic self-sufficiency in AI infrastructure, partly driven by paranoia that imported chips may contain backdoors or vulnerabilities. Burnham also details China's commitment to militarizing space, including copying US reconnaissance capabilities and practicing anti-satellite operations like "dogfighting." 1914

US-China Ceasefire and Competition in Technology and Space. Jack Burnham (Foundation for Defense of Democracies research analyst) characterizes the Trump-Xi meeting as a necessary "truce" that allows both nations to gain stability and strengthen their positions before the next escalation. Regarding rare earths, China is now employing the US "playbook," setting up a licensing structure rather than a full trade cessation. He emphasizes that building a complete rare earth supply chain outside of China, especially refining capacity, may realistically take seven to ten years. In technology, Beijing is pushing for domestic self-sufficiency in AI infrastructure, partly driven by paranoia that imported chips may contain backdoors or vulnerabilities. Burnham also details China's commitment to militarizing space, including copying US reconnaissance capabilities and practicing anti-satellite operations like "dogfighting." 1917 PRINCETON IN PEKING

Last week's meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping may have brought a respite in the trade war. But it hardly touched the more fundamental drivers of U.S.-Chinese rivalry, a rivalry that has come to shape more and more dimensions of geopolitics, the global economy, and beyond. Few have spent as much time observing and chronicling the interactions between Washington and Beijing as Orville Schell. Schell, one of America's foremost China hands and the author of too many books on China to name, has been in the room for encounters between a slew of American presidents and Chinese leaders. He has also, for decades, interpreted the bitter factional struggles and geopolitical jockeying of the Chinese Communist Party. And as Xi's attempt to remake the Chinese state continues, Schell has mined China's history and its present for insight—into how the country thinks of its place in the world, and into the unresolved contradictions that continue to roil the party. “Peek behind the veil,” Schell writes in the latest issue of Foreign Affairs, “and a different reality reveals itself: a dog-eat-dog world of power struggles, artifice, hubris, treachery, and duplicity—yet also an enormous amount of sacrifice.” Dan Kurtz-Phelan spoke with Schell on Tuesday, November 4, about Trump and Xi, about the state of the United States' China policy, and about both the past and future of China itself. You can find sources, transcripts, and more episodes of The Foreign Affairs Interview at https://www.foreignaffairs.com/podcasts/foreign-affairs-interview.

In this episode of the Investors First Podcast, we sit down with Perth Tolle, founder of the Freedom 100 Emerging Markets Index (FRDM), now over $1.6B in assets. We explore her vision for how personal and economic freedom can shape global investment outcomes. Perth shares her journey from growing up in Beijing to moving to the U.S. at age nine, her early career as a Fidelity advisor, and how those experiences ultimately inspired her differentiated approach to emerging-markets investing. We discuss how she constructs and maintains the FRDM Index, the impact of excluding authoritarian regimes like China and Russia, the wide dispersion across EM index methodologies, and why her strategy has delivered top-tier long-term performance. Perth also walks us through fee decisions, her unique "team of one" operating model, her chance encounter with Rob Arnott and his future support of the Freedom 100 EM ETF, and what it's like partnering with Alpha Architect. This conversation offers a fresh perspective for advisors and investors seeking a freedom-focused approach to global markets. Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Chris Cannon (CIO/Principal, FirsTrust) Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com More info at: https://freedometfs.com

Food stamp recipients will receive up to 65 percent of their normal benefits in November, according to court filings by Trump administration officials on Nov. 5. That's an increase on the 50 percent outlined in previous filings and in a U.S. Department of Agriculture memorandum sent to states on Tuesday.As President Donald Trump toured Asia in late October, an Epoch Times reporter traveling with the White House entourage met with repeated roadblocks in accessing key press events, which fit an ongoing pattern of interference by communist authorities in Beijing. Along with its sister media outlet NTD, The Epoch Times was ultimately denied access to two key press events in which world leaders gathered in late October—the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summits. Both summits revealed the regional power of China's communist regime, which signed trade pacts and pressed for stronger trade ties with nations already heavily tethered to China economically.

A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Trump administration must fully fund SNAP benefits amid the government shutdown, giving officials until Friday to secure the money. Meanwhile, as the shutdown continues, 40 major U.S. airports—including Los Angeles International, John F. Kennedy International, and Chicago O'Hare—will face a 10 percent reduction in flights starting Friday.President Donald Trump, just one day after Supreme Court arguments on his sweeping global tariffs in a case he called “one of the most important cases in the history of our country,” is doubling down—emphasizing that his tariff threats against Beijing were a national security lifeline that forced Xi Jinping to the negotiating table. The president is also set to meet with the leaders of all five Central Asian countries Thursday night as the United States works to expand its influence in a region increasingly courted by China.Trump also announced new agreements to expand access to and reduce the cost of weight loss drugs. The deals with pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly will broaden coverage for Medicare and Medicaid recipients and lower the prices paid by the federal government.

You're listening to Burnt Toast! I'm Virginia Sole-Smith. You're listening to Burnt Toast. I'm Virginia Sole-Smith. Today, my conversation is with Kaila Yu. Kaila is an author based in Los Angeles. Her debut memoir, Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty, came out earlier this fall to a rave review in The New York Times. She's also a luxury travel and culture writer with bylines in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The LA Times, Condé Nast Traveler and many more. Kaila's memoir grapples with her experience growing up Asian and female in a world that has so many stereotypes and expectations about both those things. We talk about the pressure to perform so many different kinds of specific beauty labor, the experience of being objectified sexually —and we really get into how we all navigate the dual reality of hating beauty standards and often feeling safer and happier complying with them. I learned so much from this book, and this conversation with Kaila. Don't forget that if you've bought Fat Talk from Split Rock Books, you can take 10% off your purchase of Fetishized there too — just use the code FATTALK at checkout. And if you value this conversation, a paid subscription is the best way to support our work!Join Burnt Toast!

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Henrietta Levin and Gregory Poling unpack the outcomes of the ASEAN Summit and the Trump–Xi meeting on the sidelines of APEC. They examine how Washington and Beijing are prioritizing economic stability over strategic confrontation, why topics like Taiwan and the South China Sea were not discussed, and how ASEAN is seeking balance through new trade and digital initiatives. The discussion concludes with what to watch next, particularly with China's trade implementation and rising tensions in the South China Sea. Henrietta Levin is a senior fellow with the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS in Washington, D.C. She previously held senior roles at the U.S. Department of State and the White House, spearheading U.S. strategy and diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific. Greg Poling is the director of the Southeast Asia Program and the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at CSIS, focusing on maritime security and regional diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific.

On this Salcedo Storm Podcast:Christina Bobb, is a former Trump national Security Attorney who was on site for the raid at Mar a Lago and served as the Custodian of Records during the classified documents case. She is the author of the new book Defiant: Inside the Mar a Lago Raid and the Left's Ongoing Lawfare – featuring a foreword by President Donald J. Trump.

Michelle Rook hosts AgDay: As President Trump's tariffs are argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. and China agree to drop some duties —when will we see more soybean sales to Beijing? Plus, advice on dealing with downed corn and honoring the legacy of African American farmers in Tennessee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tech giants in the world's second largest economy are rapidly rolling out new machine learning models at a fraction of the price of US rivals. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists explain how this cheaper offering may give Beijing more soft power globally. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt-out of targeted advertising.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China and the United States should work together to create a favorable environment for practical cooperation in agriculture and other sectors, a statement released by the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday said.中国商务部周三发布的一份声明称，中美应共同努力，为农业及其他领域的务实合作创造有利环境。Li Cheng gang, China international trade representative with the Ministry of Commerce and vice-minister of commerce, said during a meeting with a US agricultural trade delegation in Beijing on Tuesday thatsound China-US economic and trade relations benefit not only both countries but also the world.商务部国际贸易谈判代表兼副部长李成钢周二在北京会见美国农业贸易代表团时表示，健康稳定的中美经贸关系不仅有利于两国，也有利于世界。Since May, the two sides' economic and trade teams have held five rounds of talks under the strategic guidance of the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, helping stabilize bilateral trade ties, Li said.李成钢表示，自5月以来，在两国元首重要共识的战略指引下，双方经贸团队已举行五轮会谈，有助于稳定双边贸易关系。This fully demonstrates that guided by the principles of equality, mutual respect andreciprocity, China and the US can find solutions through dialogue and cooperation, he added.他补充道，这充分表明，在平等、相互尊重和互利原则的指引下，中美能够通过对话与合作找到解决问题的办法。Recognizing that the two countries are major trading partners in agricultural products, Li said recent fluctuations in China-US agricultural product trade stem from Washington's unilateral tariff measures, adding that the two sides havecomplementary strengths in natural endowments, markets, capital and technology, and enjoy broad space for cooperation.李成钢承认两国是主要的农产品贸易伙伴，他表示近期中美农产品贸易的波动源于美方的单边关税措施，并补充说，双方在自然资源、市场、资本和技术方面优势互补，拥有广阔的合作空间。He expressed the hope that the US would work with China to take a long-term view and foster a favorable atmosphere for substantive cooperation in agriculture and other fields.他表示希望美方能与中方一道，着眼长远，为农业及其他领域的实质性合作营造良好氛围。Members of the US delegation said that China is an important export market for US agricultural products, and the agricultural community in the country values its partnership with China.美国代表团成员表示，中国是美国农产品的重要出口市场，美国农业界珍视与中国的伙伴关系。Stable China-US economic and trade relations are essential for agricultural trade, they said, expressing hope that bilateral ties would maintain a sound growth momentum.他们表示，稳定的中美经贸关系对农产品贸易至关重要，并希望双边关系能保持良好发展势头。Jim Sutter, CEO of US Soybean Export Council, said, "We believe that enduring partnerships, built on trust and mutual benefit, are essential to navigating uncertainty."美国大豆出口协会首席执行官苏健（Jim Sutter）表示：“我们相信，建立在信任和互利基础上的持久伙伴关系对于应对不确定性至关重要。”To this end, the council is actively engaging with stakeholders, customers and suppliers across both China and the US to ensure soybean trade remains stable and predictable, said Sutter.苏健表示，为此，该协会正积极与中美两国的利益相关者、客户和供应商接触，以确保大豆贸易保持稳定和可预测。"By combining open communication, flexible logistics and a problem-solving mindset, we strive to provide Chinese customers with stable and predictable deliveries of US soybeans, no matter what external challenges arise. We hope we can soon reengage our soybean exports to China," he added.他补充说：“通过结合开放的沟通、灵活的物流和解决问题的思维，我们努力向中国客户提供稳定、可预测的美国大豆供应，无论出现何种外部挑战。我们希望我们能很快恢复对华大豆出口。”Also upbeat about the Chinese market, US agribusiness giant ADM announced on Wednesday that it would sign new cooperation agreements with major Chinese partners—including COFCO Group and China Grain Reserves Group—worth more than 20 billion yuan ($2.8 billion) during the ongoing 8th China International Import Expo in Shanghai.同样看好中国市场的美国农业综合企业巨头美国阿彻丹尼尔斯米德兰公司（ADM）周三宣布，将在上海正在举行的第八届中国国际进口博览会期间，与中粮集团、中国储备粮管理集团等主要中国合作伙伴签署价值超过200亿元人民币（28亿美元）的新合作协议。The US company will put its second animal nutrition facility into operation in Tianjin next year, further enhancing both production capacity and responsiveness to market needs.这家美国公司明年将在天津投产其第二家动物营养工厂，进一步提升产能和对市场需求的响应能力。Fabiana Bianchi, president of ADM Asia-Pacific, said the CIIE has built an important bridge between China and the world, reflecting the power of openness, innovation and shared growth.ADM亚太区总裁Fabiana Bianchi表示，进博会搭建了中国与世界沟通的重要桥梁，体现了开放、创新和共同增长的力量。"For ADM, it is not only a platform to showcase innovation, but also an opportunity to deepen collaboration and drive shared progress," said Bianchi.Fabiana Bianchi说：“对ADM而言，这不仅是一个展示创新的平台，也是深化合作、推动共同进步的机遇。”Lifting export control放宽进出口管制In another development, the Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday that China will lift export control measures on 15 US entities and extend the suspension of such measures for another 16 entities for a year, effective Monday.另据发展，商务部周三宣布，中方将解除对15家美国实体的出口管制措施，并将对另外16家美国实体的措施暂停期限延长一年，自周一起生效。Exporters that wish to shipdual-use items to these entities must submit an application to China's Ministry of Commerce. The ministry will review the applications in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and will grant approval to those that meet the required conditions.中国商务部希望向这些实体出口两用物项的出口商必须向其提交申请。商务部将根据相关法律法规对申请进行审查，并对符合条件者予以批准。A separate ministry statement also released on Wednesday said that China will remove or continue to suspend for a year certain measures imposed in March and April against several US entities that were previously added to China'sunreliable entity list, also effective Monday.商务部周三发布的另一份声明也表示，中方将移除或继续暂停执行于三四月份对此前被列入中国不可靠实体清单的若干美国实体采取的部分措施，期限一年，同样自周一起生效。In addition, China will continue to suspend the 24-percentadditional tariff on imports from the US for one year while retaining the 10-percent rate, according to an announcement released on Wednesday by the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council.此外，根据国务院关税税则委员会周三发布的公告，中方将继续对原产于美国的进口商品暂停征收24%的附加关税，期限一年，保留10%的税率不变。China will make the adjustment from 1:01 pm on Monday, the commission said, noting that the move aims to implement the outcomes and consensus reached in the China-US economic and trade talks.税委会表示，中方将于周一下午1点01分起实施上述调整，并指出此举旨在落实中美经贸会谈的成果和共识。sound/saʊnd/adj.健康稳定的，良好的reciprocity/ˌres.ɪˈprɑː.sə.t̬i/n.互利，互助。互惠complementary strengths优势互补dual-use items两用物项unreliable entity list不可靠实体清单additional tariff附加关税

This week on Sinica, I chat with Lizzi Lee, a fellow on the Chinese economy at the Asia Society Policy Institute and one of the sharpest China analysts working today. We dig into the 4th Plenary Session of the 20th Party Congress and what it reveals about China's evolving growth model — particularly the much-discussed but often misunderstood push against "involution" in key sectors like EVs and solar. Lizzi walks us through the structural incentives driving overcompetition, from local government finance and VAT collection to the challenges of rebalancing supply and demand. We also discuss her recent Foreign Affairs piece on China's manufacturing model, why "overcapacity" is a misleading frame, the unexpected upsides of China's industrial strategy for the global green transition, and what happened at the Trump-Xi meeting in Busan. This is a conversation about getting beyond the binaries and understanding the actual mechanisms — and contradictions — shaping China's economic trajectory.4:43 – What Western reporting missed in the 4th Plenum communique 6:34 – The "anti-involution" push and what it really means 9:57 – Is China's domestic demand abnormally low? Context and comparisons 12:41 – Why cash transfers and consumption subsidies are running out of steam 15:00 – The supply-side approach: creating better products to drive demand 18:33 – GDP vs. GNI: why China is focusing on global corporate footprints 20:13 – Service exports and China's ascent along the global supply chain 24:02 – The People's Daily editorial on price wars and profit margins 27:31 – Why addressing involution is harder now than in 2015 29:56 – How China's VAT system incentivizes local governments to build entire supply chains 33:20 – The difficulty of reforming fiscal structures and local government finance 35:12 – What got lost in the Foreign Affairs editing process 38:14 – Why "overcapacity" is a misleading and morally loaded term 40:02 – The underappreciated upside: China's model and the global green transition 43:14 – How politically potent deindustrialization fears are in Washington and Brussels 46:29 – Industry self-discipline vs. structural reform: can moral suasion work? 50:15 – BYD's negotiating power and the squeeze on suppliers 53:54 – The Trump-Xi meeting in Busan: genuine thaw or tactical pause? 57:23 – Pete Hegseth's "God bless both China and the USA" tweet 1:00:01 – How China's leadership views Trump: transactional or unpredictable? 1:03:32 – The pragmatic off-ramp and what Paul Triolo predicted 1:05:26 – China's AI strategy: labor-augmenting vs. labor-replacing technology 1:08:13 – What systemic changes could realistically fix involution? 1:10:26 – Capital market reform and the challenge of decelerating slowly 1:12:36 – The "health first" strategy and investing in peoplePaying it forward: Paul TrioloRecommendations: Lizzi: Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare by Edward Fishman Kaiser: Morning Coffee guitar practice book by Alex RockwellSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau debunk two more establishment orthodoxies. First, Yanis challenges the widespread belief that China is actively trying to dethrone the US dollar as the world's reserve currency, arguing that while Beijing wants independence from US sanction power, it is strongly opposed to the idea of taking on the burden of the reserve currency. And second, Wolfgang debunks the "cordon sanitaire", or "firewall" orthodoxy that European centrist parties must never form coalitions with the far-Right, exposing how this failed tactic forces centrists into permanent coalitions that deliver only stagnation and ultimately guarantees the rise of far-Right parties Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's program, sponsored by Elbit America, Dr. Jim Lewis of the Center for European Policy Analysis and Mark Montgomery of the Defense of Democracies and a Cyberspace Solarium Commission senior adviser join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss last trade truce between the United States and China and how it will impact technology exports including advanced chips Beijing seeks and Washington has sought to deny; how America and its allies should work together to create a secure tech ecosystem, including chips and rare earths; and the challenges associated with building nuclear submarines for Korea in the United States.

EPISODE SUMMARY: Rick Dees is an radio legend, entertainer, comedian. He shares how he created one of the most iconic countdowns in history and redefined what it means to connect with the audience in this hilarious career retrospective.Dees will be among those honored this fall as Giants of Broadcasting by the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation at the 2025 Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts luncheon and awards ceremony on November 14th at Gotham Hall in New York City.On this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody, Chachi talks to Rick Dees about:His early misadventures in radio as a high school and college student in North CarolinaThe story behind creating Disco Duck, how it became a hit, and how it got him firedGetting tapped by Dick Clark to go on air in Los Angeles, and becoming a household name in LA and beyondThe entertainers and unlikely sources that inspired him as a performer and storytellerLearning to invest after people tried to steal from him, and his financial adviceWhy he bought a farm in KentuckyCreating the Weekly Top 40 and how it became the longest continuously running countdown ever.Starring in a late night show opposite Johnny Carson His other ventures including his farm, his own app, cookbook, and launching Home Living which became the Cooking ChannelAnd More!ABOUT THIS EPISODE'S GUEST: Rick Dees is a radio legend, comedic genius and multi-talented entertainer, known for his captivating enthusiasm and quick-witted humor, which continue to leave an indelible mark on the entertainment world.With an extraordinary career spanning decades, Dees has entertained and delighted millions across the globe, solidifying his place as one of the most influential and beloved figures in broadcasting history.Best known for his internationally syndicated radio show, The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40, Dees' familiar voice and unforgettable characters are heard by more than 70 million listeners each weekend, spanning virtually every city in the United States, 125 countries, 27 massive ships at sea, and the Armed Forces Radio Network. His show even broke barriers by becoming the first English-speaking radio program to entertain listeners in Beijing, China, making history in the process.Rick Dees rose to prominence when he took over the top-rated morning show on KIIS-FM Los Angeles in July 1981, turning it into the number one revenue-generating radio station in America and making him the hottest property in radio. His unprecedented success earned him Billboard's Radio Personality of the Year Award an astonishing ten years in a row. Further cementing his legacy, Dees was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and the National Association of Broadcasters' Hall of Fame and was honored with the prestigious Marconi Award.Dees embraced the digital age with the same pioneering spirit that defined his radio career. His innovative music streaming platform, BYOChannel, offers users the ability to “build their own” personalized channels from a library of over 40 million tracks. He further extended his brand's reach with the Rick Dees Hit Music app, delivering The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 and Daily Dees directly to millions of Apple and Android devices worldwide.In 2025, iHeartMedia launched two new iHeartRadio Original Streaming Stations in partnership with Rick Dees Entertainment — Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 and Classic Rick Dees Top 40. The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 station features the current Weekly Top 40 program, while Classic Rick Dees Top 40 goes back in the archives to feature complete countdowns from the original shows that aired in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, many of which haven't been heard in years.ABOUT THE PODCAST: Chachi Loves Everybody is brought to you by Benztown and hosted by the President of Benztown, Dave “Chachi” Denes. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the myths and legends of the radio industry.PEOPLE MENTIONED:Paul AllenLarry AllenBilly GrahamTom MillerRalph LambethGlenn PowersKen LoweSam & DaveIsaac HayesEstelle AxtonRobert StigwoodAl CoreyWolfman JackDick ClarkBill MurrayElmer BernsteinJonathan WintersJohnny CarsonPaul DrewChuck MartinLynn AndersonDon BensonBarbara StreisandMadonnaMichael JacksonWally ClarkRoger ClevelandCharlie TunaRobert W. MorganDon SteeleBernie CarnielSandy GallinDolly PartonNeil DiamondBarry DillerMichael EisnerMadeleine PughLucille BallCary GrantAva GardnerJohn StewartRobin WilliamsJulie McWhirter-DeesPeter SimoneJerry EdelsteinBette MidlerJon Bon JoviKevin DeesPaul JosephEllen KLiz FultonRachel DonahueRoy LoughlinNick VerbitskyCasey KasemLisa CanningEd WhiteShohei OtaniLesley VisserDavid MuirGary SandyABOUT BENZTOWN: Benztown is a leading international audio imaging, production library, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingle production company with over 3,000 affiliations on six different continents. Benztown provides audio brands and radio stations of all formats with end-to-end imaging and production, making high-quality sound and world- class audio branding a reality for radio stations of all market sizes and budgets. Benztown was named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 by Inc. magazine for five consecutive years as one of America's Fastest-Growing Privately Held Companies. With studios in Los Angeles and Stuttgart, Benztown offers the highest quality audio imaging work parts for 23 libraries across 14 music and spoken word formats including AC, Hot AC, CHR, Country, Hip Hop and R&B, Rhythmic, Classic Hits, Rock, News/Talk, Sports, and JACK. Benztown's Audio Architecture is one of the only commercial libraries that is built exclusively for radio spots to provide the right music for radio commercials. Benztown provides custom VO and imaging across all formats, including commercial VO and copywriting in partnership with Yamanair Creative. Benztown Radio Networks produces, markets, and distributes high-quality programming and services to radio stations around the world, including: The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown, The Todd-N-Tyler Radio Empire, Hot Mix, Sunday Night Slow Jams with R Dub!, Flashback, Top 10 Now & Then, Hey, Morton, StudioTexter, The Rooster Show Prep, and AmeriCountry. Benztown + McVay Media Podcast Networks produces and markets premium podcasts including: IEX: Boxes and Lines and Molecular Moments.Web: benztown.comFacebook: facebook.com/benztownradioTwitter: @benztownradioLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/benztownInstagram: instagram.com/benztownradio Enjoyed this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody? Let us know by leaving a review!

In this episode of our "Gaza & the World" series, Helena Cobban talked with Vijay Prashad about the intersection of the genocide in Gaza and the shifting global balance of power. Vijay Prashad is a visionary global justice activist, the executive director of the Tri Continental Institute for Social Research, the editor of Left Word Books, the chief correspondent for Globetrotter, and a senior non-resident fellow at the Chong Yang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China. He was speaking with Cobban from Beijing.In this episode, Prashad argued that while the world's economic center of gravity had shifted away from the United States, the US maintained overwhelming dominance through its military and information power.  He discussed the role of China in providing an alternative economic pole, which allowed Global South nations to speak more freely against Western policies, arguing that the genocide in Gaza had exposed the moral bankruptcy of the West to the global majority and evoked historical memories of colonialism. [He contended that any discussion of post-conflict governance in Gaza was meaningless without the release of all Palestinian political leaders, whose imprisonment by Israel had crippled Palestinian political life. He concluded on a sobering note, saying that a direct confrontation with the US military was not currently feasible for rising powers and that meaningful change required a political transformation within the United States to dismantle its military-first approach to global affairs.Support the show

Snoop and Sniffy are back for their biggest international case yet in the Forbidden City of Beijing, China. Mysteries lurk around every corner as the dynamic duo races through the ancient city, uncovering secrets from hidden temples all the way to the iconic Great Wall of China. With danger at every turn, will Snoop and Sniffy crack the case before time runs out?

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.

Mark Carney's government -- now has a blueprint. An economic plan -- focused on capital upgrades to infrastructure, industry, housing and defence. It includes a 78-billion dollar deficit. And a political price -- still being calculated. Canada is back on the list of approved countries for Chinese group tourism. Beijing banned group tourism to many places during the pandemic. It has been slow to open up to some – including Canada. The change comes less than a week after Prime Minister Mark Carney met President Xi Jinping, and the two pledged to tackle “irritants” in the countries' relationship. Also: It looks like a human – sings like one – and has garnered enough radio play to make a Billboard chart. But this is AI. We'll look at the success of Xania Monet, and what it means for the future of music. Plus: The death of one of the most consequential vice presidents in U.S. history - Dick Cheney, voters reflect one year after Trump's win, and more.

Asian nations are walking a tightrope between Washington and Beijing – juggling trade, tech and security pressures as the heavyweights vie for influence. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Adam Farrar, Bloomberg’s senior geoeconomics analyst for Asia Pacific, to unpack what may have been overlooked at the APEC summit as the Xi-Trump show came to town. Read more: Xi Calls for Stable Supply Chains After Sealing Trump Truce Further listening: Trump Got an ‘Amazing’ Meeting. China Got Much-Needed Time Listen and follow The Big Take Asia on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My fellow pro-growth/progress/abundance Up Wingers,China's spacefaring ambitions pose tough competition for America. With a focused, centralized program, Beijing seems likely to land taikonauts on the moon before another American flag is planted. Meanwhile, NASA faces budget cuts, leadership gaps, and technical setbacks. In his new book, journalist Christian Davenport chronicles the fierce rivalry between American firms, mainly SpaceX and Blue Origin. It's a contest that, despite the challenges, promises to propel humanity to the moon, Mars, and maybe beyond.Davenport is an author and a reporter for the Washington Post, where he covers NASA and the space industry. His new book, Rocket Dreams: Musk, Bezos, and the Inside Story of the New, Trillion-Dollar Space Race, is out now.In This Episode* Check-in on NASA (1:28)* Losing the Space Race (5:49)* A fatal flaw (9:31)* State of play (13:33)* The long-term vision (18:37)* The pace of progress (22:50)* Friendly competition (24:53)Below is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation. Check-in on NASA (1:28)The Chinese tend to do what they say they're going to do on the timeline that they say they're going to do it. That said, they haven't gone to the moon . . . It's really hard.Pethokoukis: As someone — and I'm speaking about myself — who wants to get America back to the moon as soon as possible, get cooking on getting humans to Mars for the first time, what should I make of what's happening at NASA right now?They don't have a lander. I'm not sure the rocket itself is ready to go all the way, we'll find out some more fairly soon with Artemis II. We have flux with leadership, maybe it's going to not be an independent-like agency anymore, it's going to join the Department of Transportation.It all seems a little chaotic. I'm a little worried. Should I be?Davenport: Yes, I think you should be. And I think a lot of the American public isn't paying attention and they're going to see the Artemis II mission, which you mentioned, and that's that mission to send a crew of astronauts around the moon. It won't land on the moon, but it'll go around, and I think if that goes well, NASA's going to take a victory leap. But as you correctly point out, that is a far cry from getting astronauts back on the lunar surface.The lander isn't ready. SpaceX, as acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy just said, is far behind, reversing himself from like a month earlier when he said no, they appear to be on track, but everybody knew that they were well behind because they've had 11 test flights, and they still haven't made it to orbit with their Starship rocket.The rocket itself that's going to launch them into the vicinity of the moon, the SLS, launches about once every two years. It's incredibly expensive, it's not reusable, and there are problems within the agency itself. There are deep cuts to it. A lot of expertise is taking early retirements. It doesn't have a full-time leader. It hasn't had a full-time leader since Trump won the election. At the same time, they're sort of beating the drum saying we're going to beat the Chinese back to the lunar surface, but I think a lot of people are increasingly looking at that with some serious concern and doubt.For what it's worth, when I looked at the betting markets, it gave the Chinese a two-to-one edge. It said that it was about a 65 percent chance they were going to get there first. Does that sound about right to you?I'm not much of a betting man, but I do think there's a very good chance. The Chinese tend to do what they say they're going to do on the timeline that they say they're going to do it. That said, they haven't gone to the moon, they haven't done this. It's really hard. They're much more secretive, if they have setbacks and delays, we don't necessarily know about them. But they've shown over the last 10, 20 years how capable they are. They have a space station in low earth orbit. They've operated a rover on Mars. They've gone to the far side of the moon twice, which nobody has done, and brought back a sample return. They've shown the ability to keep people alive in space for extended periods of times on the space station.The moon seems within their capabilities and they're saying they're going to do it by 2030, and they don't have the nettlesome problem of democracy where you've got one party come in and changing the budget, changing the direction for NASA, changing leadership. They've just set the moon — and, by the way, the south pole of the moon, which is where we want to go as well — as the destination and have been beating a path toward that for several years now.Is there anyone for merging NASA into the Department of Transportation? Is there a hidden reservoir? Is that an idea people have been talking about now that's suddenly emerged to the surface?It's not something that I particularly heard. The FAA is going to regulate the launches, and they coordinate with the airspace and make sure that the air traffic goes around it, but I think NASA has a particular expertise. Rocket science is rocket science — it's really difficult. This isn't for the faint of heart.I think a lot of people look at human space flight and it's romanticized. It's romanticized in books and movies and in popular culture, but the fact of the matter is it's really, really hard, it's really dangerous, every time a human being gets on one of those rockets, there's a chance of an explosion, of something really, really bad happening, because a million things have to go right in order for them to have a successful flight. The FAA does a wonderful job managing — or, depending on your point of view, some people don't think they do such a great job, but I think space is a whole different realm, for sure.Losing the Space Race (5:49). . . the American flags that the Apollo astronauts planted, they're basically no longer there anymore. . . There are, however, two Chinese flags on the moonHave you thought about what it will look like the day after, in this country, if China gets to the moon first and we have not returned there yet?Actually, that's a scenario I kind of paint out. I've got this new book called Rocket Dreams and we talk about the geopolitical tensions in there. Not to give too much of a spoiler, but NASA has said that the first person to return to the moon, for the US, is going to be a woman. And there's a lot of people thinking, who could that be? It could be Jessica Meir, who is a mother and posted a picture of herself pregnant and saying, “This is what an astronaut looks like.” But it could very well be someone like Wang Yaping, who's also a mother, and she came back from one of her stays on the International Space Station and had a message for her daughter that said, “I come back bringing all the stars for you.” So I think that I could see China doing it and sending a woman, and that moment where that would be a huge coup for them, and that would obviously be symbolic.But when you're talking about space as a tool of soft power and diplomacy, I think it would attract a lot of other nations to their side who are sort of waiting on the sidelines or who frankly aren't on the sidelines, who have signed on to go to the United States, but are going to say, “Well, they're there and you're not, so that's who we're going to go with.”I think about the wonderful alt-history show For All Mankind, which begins with the Soviets beating the US to the moon, and instead of Neil Armstrong giving the “one small step for man,” basically the Russian cosmonaut gives, “Its one small step for Marxism-Leninism,” and it was a bummer. And I really imagine that day, if China beats us, it is going to be not just, “Oh, I guess now we have to share the moon with someone else,” but it's going to cause some national soul searching.And there are clues to this, and actually I detail these two anecdotes in the book, that all of the flags, the American flags that the Apollo astronauts planted, they're basically no longer there anymore. We know from Buzz Aldrin‘s memoir that the flag that he and Neil Armstrong planted in the lunar soil in 1969, Buzz said that he saw it get knocked over by the thrust in the exhaust of the module lifting off from the lunar surface. Even if that hadn't happened, just the radiation environment would've bleached the flag white, as scientists believe it has to all the other flags that are on there. So there are essentially really no trace of the Apollo flags.There are, however, two Chinese flags on the moon, and the first one, which was planted a couple of years ago, or unveiled a couple of years ago, was made not of cloth, but their scientists and engineers spent a year building a composite material flag designed specifically to withstand the harsh environment of the moon. When they went back last summer for their farside sample return mission, they built a flag, — and this is pretty amazing — out of basalt, like volcanic rock, which you find on Earth. And they use basalt from earth, but of course basalt is common on the moon. They were able to take the rock, turn it into lava, extract threads from the lava and weave this flag, which is now near the south pole of the moon. The significance of that is they are showing that they can use the resources of the moon, the basalt, to build flags. It's called ISR: in situ resource utilization. So to me, nothing symbolizes their intentions more than that.A fatal flaw (9:31). . . I tend to think if it's a NASA launch . . . and there's an explosion . . . I still think there are going to be investigations, congressional reports, I do think things would slow down dramatically.In the book, you really suggest a new sort of golden age of space. We have multiple countries launching. We seem to have reusable rockets here in the United States. A lot of plans to go to the moon. How sustainable is this economically? And I also wonder what happens if we have another fatal accident in this country? Is there so much to be gained — whether it's economically, or national security, or national pride in space — that this return to space by humanity will just go forward almost no matter what?I think so. I think you've seen a dramatic reduction in the cost of launch. SpaceX and the Falcon 9, the reusable rocket, has dropped launches down. It used to be if you got 10, 12 orbital rocket launches in a year, that was a good year. SpaceX is launching about every 48 hours now. It's unprecedented what they've done. You're seeing a lot of new players — Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, others — driving down the cost of launch.That said, the main anchor tenant customer, the force driving all of this is still the government, it's still NASA, it's still the Pentagon. There is not a self-sustaining space economy that exists in addition or above and beyond the government. You're starting to see bits of that, but really it's the government that's driving it.When you talk about the movie For All Mankind, you sort of wonder if at one point, what happened in that movie is there was a huge investment into NASA by the government, and you're seeing that to some extent today, not so much with NASA, but actually on the national security side and the creation of the Space Force and the increases, just recently, in the Space Force's budget. I mean, my gosh, if you have $25 billion for this year alone for Golden Dome, the Missile Defense Shield, that's the equivalent of NASA's entire budget. That's the sort of funding that helps build those capabilities going forward.And if we should, God forbid, have a fatal accident, you think we'll just say that's the cost of human exploration and forward we go?I think a lot about this, and the answer is, I don't know. When we had Challenger and we had Columbia, the world stopped, and the Space Shuttle was grounded for months if not a year at a time, and the world just came to an end. And you wonder now if it's becoming more routine and what happens? Do we just sort of carry on in that way?It's not a perfect analogy, but when you talk about commercial astronauts, these rich people are paying a lot of money to go, and if there's an accident there, what would happen? I think about that, and you think about Mount Everest. The people climbing Mount Everest today, those mountain tourists are literally stepping over dead bodies as they're going up to the summit, and nobody's shutting down Mount Everest, they're just saying, well, if you want to climb Mount Everest, that's the risk you take. I do wonder if we're going to get that to that point in space flight, but I tend to think if it's a NASA launch, and it's NASA astronauts, and there's an explosion, and there's a very bad day, I still think there are going to be investigations, congressional reports, I do think things would slow down dramatically.The thing is, if it's SpaceX, they have had accidents. They've had multiple accidents — not with people, thank goodness — and they have been grounded.It is part of the model.It's part of the model, and they have shown how they can find out what went wrong, fix it, and return to flight, and they know their rocket so well because they fly it so frequently. They know it that well, and NASA, despite what you think about Elon, NASA really, really trusts SpaceX and they get along really well.State of play (13:33)[Blue Origin is] way behind for myriad reasons. They sat out while SpaceX is launching the Falcon 9 every couple of days . . . Blue Origin, meanwhile, has flown its New Glenn rocket one time.I was under the impression that Blue Origin was way behind SpaceX. Are they catching up?This is one of the themes of the book. They are way behind for myriad reasons. They sat out while SpaceX is launching the Falcon 9 every couple of days, they're pushing ahead with Starship, their next generation rocket would be fully reusable, twice the thrust and power of the Saturn V rocket that flew the Apollo astronauts to the Moon. Blue Origin, meanwhile, has flown its New Glenn rocket one time. They might be launching again soon within the coming weeks or months, hopefully by the end of the year, but that's two. They are so far behind, but you do hear Jeff Bezos being much more tuned into the company. He has a new CEO — a newish CEO — plucked from the ranks of Amazon, Dave Limp, and you do sort of see them charging, and now that the acting NASA administrator has sort of opened up the competition to go to the moon, I don't know that Blue Origin beats SpaceX to do it, but it gives them some incentive to move fast, which I think they really need.I know it's only a guess and it's only speculation, but when we return to the moon, which company will have built that lander?At this point, you have to put your money on SpaceX just because they're further along in their development. They've flown humans before. They know how to keep people alive in space. In their Dragon capsule, they have the rendezvous and proximity operations, they know how to dock. That's it.Blue Origin has their uncrewed lander, the Mark 1 version that they hope to land on the moon next year, so it's entirely possible that Blue Origin actually lands a spacecraft on the lunar surface before SpaceX, and that would be a big deal. I don't know that they're able to return humans there, however, before SpaceX.Do you think there's any regrets by Jeff Bezos about how Blue Origin has gone about its business here? Because obviously it really seems like it's a very different approach, and maybe the Blue Origin approach, if we look back 10 years, will seem to have been the better approach, but given where we are now and what you just described, would you guess that he's deeply disappointed with the kind of progress they made via SpaceX?Yeah, and he's been frustrated. Actually, the opening scene of the book is Jeff being upset that SpaceX is so far ahead and having pursued a partnership with NASA to fly cargo and supply to the International Space Station and then to fly astronauts to the International Space Station, and Blue Origin essentially sat out those competitions. And he turns to his team — this was early on in 2016 — and said, “From here on out, we go after everything that SpaceX goes after, we're going to compete with them. We're going to try to keep up.” And that's where they went, and sort of went all in early in the first Trump administration when it was clear that they wanted to go back to the moon, to position Blue Origin to say, “We can help you go back to the moon.”But yes, I think there's enormous frustration there. And I know, if not regret on Jeff's part, but certainly among some of his senior leadership, because I've talked to them about it.What is the war for talent between those two companies? Because if you're a hotshot engineer out of MIT, I'd guess you'd probably want to go to SpaceX. What is that talent war like, if you have any idea?It's fascinating. Just think a generation ago, you're a hot MIT engineer coming out of grad school, chances are you're going to go to NASA or one of the primes, right? Lockheed, or Boeing, or Air Jet, something like that. Now you've got SpaceX and Blue Origin, but you've got all kinds of other options too: Stoke Space, Rocket Lab, you've got Axiom, you've got companies building commercial space stations, commercial companies building space suits, commercial companies building rovers for the moon, a company called Astro Lab.I think what you hear is people want to go to SpaceX because they're doing things: they're flying rockets, they're flying people, you're actually accomplishing something. That said, the culture's rough, and you're working all the time, and the burnout rate is high. Blue Origin more has a tradition of people getting frustrated that yeah, the work-life balance is better — although I hear that's changing, actually, that it's driving much, much harder — but it's like, when are we launching? What are we doing here?And so the fascinating thing is actually, I call it SpaceX and Blue Origin University, where so many of the engineers go out and either do their own things or go to work for other companies doing things because they've had that experience in the commercial sector.The long-term vision (18:37)That's the interesting thing, that while they compete . . . at a base level, Elon and Jeff and SpaceX and Blue Origin want to accomplish the same things and have a lot in common . . .At a talk recently, Bezos was talking about space stations in orbit and there being like a million people in space in 20 years doing economically valuable things of some sort. How seriously should I take that kind of prediction?Well, I think a million people in 20 years is not feasible, but I think that's ultimately what is his goal. His goal is, as he says, he founded Amazon, the infrastructure was there: the phone companies had laid down the cables for the internet, the post office was there to deliver the books, there was an invention called the credit card, he could take people's money. That infrastructure for space isn't there, and he wants to sort of help with Elon and SpaceX. That's their goal.That's the interesting thing, that while they compete, while they poke each other on Twitter and kind of have this rivalry, at a base level, Elon and Jeff and SpaceX and Blue Origin want to accomplish the same things and have a lot in common, and that's lower the cost of access to space and make it more accessible so that you can build this economy on top of it and have more people living in space. That's Elon's dream, and the reason he founded SpaceX is to build a city on Mars, right? Something's going to happen to Earth at some point we should have a backup plan.Jeff's goal from the beginning was to say, you don't really want to inhabit another planet or celestial body. You're better off in these giant space stations envisioned by a Princeton physics professor named Gerard O'Neill, who Jeff Bezos read his book The High Frontier and became an acolyte of Gerard O'Neill from when he was a kid, and that's sort of his vision, that you don't have to go to a planet, you can just be on a Star Trekkian sort of spacecraft in orbit around the earth, and then earth is preserved as this national park. If you want to return to Earth, you can, but you get all the resources from space. In 500 years is that feasible? Yeah, probably, but that's not going to be in our lives, or our kids' lives, or our grandkids' lives.For that vision — anything like that vision — to happen, it seems to me that the economics needs to be there, and the economics just can't be national security and national prestige. We need to be doing things in space, in orbit, on the moon that have economic value on their own. Do we know what that would look like, or is it like you've got to build the infrastructure first and then let the entrepreneurs do their thing and see what happens?I would say the answer is “yes,” meaning it's both. And Jeff even says it, that some of the things that will be built, we do not know. When you had the creation of the internet, no one was envisioning Snapchat or TikTok. Those applications come later. But we do know that there are resources in space. We know there's a plentiful helium three, for example, on the surface of the moon, which it could be vital for, say, quantum computing, and there's not a lot of it on earth, and that could be incredibly valuable. We know that asteroids have precious metals in large quantities. So if you can reduce the cost of accessing them and getting there, then I think you could open up some of those economies. If you just talk about solar rays in space, you don't have day and night, you don't have cloud cover, you don't have an atmosphere, you're just pure sunlight. If you could harness that energy and bring it back to earth, that could be valuable.The problem is the cost of entry is so high and it's so difficult to get there, but if you have a vehicle like Starship that does what Elon envisions and it launches multiple times a day like an airline, all you're really doing is paying for the fuel to launch it, and it goes up and comes right back down, it can carry enormous amounts of mass, you can begin to get a glimmer of how this potentially could work years from now.The pace of progress (22:50)People talk about US-China, but clearly Russia has been a long-time player. India, now, has made extraordinary advancements. Of course, Europe, Japan, and all those countries are going to want to have a foothold in space . . .How would you characterize the progress now than when you wrote your first book?So much has happened that the first book, The Space Barons was published in 2018, and I thought, yeah, there'll be enough material here for another one in maybe 10 years or so, and here we are, what, seven years later, and the book is already out because commercial companies are now flying people. You've got a growth of the space ecosystem beyond just the Space Barons, beyond just the billionaires.You've got multiple players in the rocket launch market, and really, I think a lot of what's driving it isn't just the rivalries between the commercial companies in the United States, but the geopolitical space race between the United States and China, too that's really driving a lot of this, and the technological change that we've seen has moved very fast. Again, how fast SpaceX is launching, Blue Origin coming online, new launch vehicles, potentially new commercial space stations, and a broadening of the space ecosystem, it's moving fast. Does that mean it's perfect? No, companies start, they fail, they have setbacks, they go out of business, but hey, that's capitalism.Ten years from now, how many space stations are going to be in orbit around the earth?I think we'll have at least one or two commercial space stations for the United States, I think China. Is it possible you've got the US space stations, does that satisfy the demand? People talk about US-China, but clearly Russia has been a long-time player. India, now, has made extraordinary advancements. Of course, Europe, Japan, and all those countries are going to want to have a foothold in space for their scientists, for their engineers, for their pharmaceutical companies that want to do research in a zero-G environment. I think it's possible that there are, within 10 years, three, maybe even four space stations. Yeah, I think that's possible.Friendly competition (24:53)I honestly believe [Elon] . . . wants Blue to be better than they are.Do you think Musk thinks a lot about Blue Origin, or do you think he thinks, “I'm so far ahead, we're just competing against our own goals”?I've talked to him about this. He wishes they were better. He wishes they were further along. He said to me years ago, “Jeff needs to focus on Blue Origin.” This is back when Jeff was still CEO of Amazon, saying he should focus more on Blue Origin. And he said that one of the reasons why he was goading him and needling him as he has over the years was an attempt to kind of shame him and to get him to focus on Blue, because as he said, for Blue to be successful, he really needs to be dialed in on it.So earlier this year, when New Glenn, Blue Origin's big rocket, made it to orbit, that was a moment where Elon came forward and was like, respect. That is hard to do, to build a rocket to go to orbit, have a successful flight, and there was sort of a public high five in the moment, and now I think he thinks, keep going. I honestly believe he wants Blue to be better than they are.There's a lot of Elon Musk skeptics out there. They view him either as the guy who makes too big a prediction about Tesla and self-driving cars, or he's a troll on Twitter, but when it comes to space and wanting humanity to have a self-sustaining place somewhere else — on Mars — is he for real?Yeah, I do believe that's the goal. That's why he founded SpaceX in the first place, to do that. But the bottom line is, that's really expensive. When you talk about how do you do that, what are the economic ways to do it, I think the way he's funding that is obviously through Starlink and the Starlink system. But I do believe he wants humanity to get to Mars.The problem with this now is that there hasn't been enough competition. Blue Origin hasn't given SpaceX competition. We saw all the problems that Boeing has had with their program, and so much of the national space enterprise is now in his hands. And if you remember when he had that fight and the breakup with Donald Trump, Elon, in a moment of peak, threatened to take away the Dragon spacecraft, which is the only way NASA can fly its astronauts anywhere to space, to the International Space Station. I think that was reckless and dangerous and that he regretted it, but yes, the goal to get to Mars is real, and whatever you think about Elon — and he certainly courts a controversy — SpaceX is really, really good at what they do, and what they've done is really unprecedented from an American industrial perspective.My earliest and clearest memory of America and space was the landing on Mars. I remember seeing the first pictures probably on CBS news, I think it was Dan Rather saying, “Here are the first pictures of the Martian landscape,” 1976, and if you would've asked me as a child then, I would've been like, “Yeah, so we're going to be walking on Mars,” but I was definitely hooked and I've been interested in space, but are you a space guy? How'd you end up on this beat, which I think is a fantastic beat? You've written two books about it. How did this happen?I did not grow up a space nerd, so I was born in 1973 —Christian, I said “space guy.” I didn't say “space nerd,” but yeah, that is exactly right.My first memory of space is actually the Challenger shuttle exploding. That was my memory. As a journalist, I was covering the military. I'd been embedded in Iraq, and my first book was an Iraq War book about the national guard's role in Iraq, and was covering the military. And then this guy, this was 10 years ago, 12 years ago, at this point, Elon holds a press conference at the National Press Club where SpaceX was suing the Pentagon for the right to compete for national security launch contracts, and he starts off the press conference not talking about the lawsuit, but talking about the attempts. This was early days of trying to land the Falcon 9 rocket and reuse it, and I didn't know what he was talking about. And I was like, what? And then I did some research and I was like, “He's trying to land and reuse the rockets? What?” Nobody was really covering it, so I started spending more time, and then it's the old adage, right? Follow the money. And if the richest guys in the world — Bezos Blue Origin, at the time, Richard Branson, Paul Allen had a space company — if they're investing large amounts of their own personal fortune into that, maybe we should be paying attention, and look at where we are now.On sale everywhere The Conservative Futurist: How To Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promised Faster, Please! is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fasterplease.substack.com/subscribe

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Classroom Partners to Lifelong Friends: Li & Xiao's Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-04-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京的一所公立高中，秋天的晨光透过窗户洒在桌上，学生们穿着整齐的校服在走廊里走动。En: In a public high school in Beijing, the autumn morning light poured through the windows, illuminating the desks, while students dressed neatly in their uniforms moved about the corridors.Zh: 地上铺满了金色的落叶，校园里充满了青春的气息。En: The ground was covered with golden fallen leaves, and the campus was filled with the aura of youth.Zh: 李伟和小明在课堂上第一次被分到了一组。En: Li Wei and Xiao Ming were assigned to a group for the first time in class.Zh: 他们要合作完成一个关于环保的项目。En: They had to collaborate on a project about environmental protection.Zh: 李伟是一个喜欢埋头学习的学生，他总是坐在教室的角落。En: Li Wei was a student who liked to bury his head in his studies, always sitting in the corner of the classroom.Zh: 他不太爱说话，也不太懂得如何与同学相处。En: He wasn't very talkative and didn't quite know how to interact with his classmates.Zh: 而小明正好相反，他聪明活泼，总是被同学们围绕着。En: In contrast, Xiao Ming was smart and lively, always surrounded by classmates.Zh: 但其实，他心里渴望的是真正的朋友，而不是那种表面上的热闹。En: However, deep down, he longed for true friends, rather than superficial buzz.Zh: 项目开始时，李伟有点紧张。En: At the beginning of the project, Li Wei was a bit nervous.Zh: 他怕小明觉得自己无聊。En: He was afraid Xiao Ming would find him boring.Zh: 但小明主动找他，问他一些关于项目的想法。En: But Xiao Ming took the initiative to approach him, asking for his thoughts on the project.Zh: 李伟有些惊讶，但还是慢慢地打开了话匣子。En: Li Wei was somewhat surprised but gradually began to open up.Zh: 他告诉小明自己对环境保护的兴趣，还聊起了家里的宠物猫和周末的爱好。En: He told Xiao Ming about his interest in environmental protection, and chatted about his pet cat and weekend hobbies.Zh: 小明听得很认真，点头表示赞同。En: Xiao Ming listened intently, nodding in agreement.Zh: 他也谈起了自己，谈到自己在学校的压力和对未来的不安。En: He also talked about himself, mentioning the pressure at school and his anxiety about the future.Zh: 李伟耐心地倾听，他们的谈话变得越来越自然。En: Li Wei listened patiently, and their conversation became increasingly natural.Zh: 渐渐地他们发现彼此的很多想法都相似。En: Gradually, they discovered that many of their ideas were similar.Zh: 随着项目的进行，他们的友情也越来越深厚。En: As the project progressed, so did their friendship.Zh: 但有些同学对他们的友谊有些怀疑，认为李伟和小明不可能成为朋友。En: However, some classmates were skeptical of their friendship, believing that Li Wei and Xiao Ming couldn't possibly become friends.Zh: 一次在食堂，几个同学开玩笑嘲笑李伟，小明站出来为他辩护：“李伟很聪明，我很高兴有他这样的朋友。”En: Once in the cafeteria, a few classmates jokingly teased Li Wei, and Xiao Ming stood up to defend him: "Li Wei is very smart, and I'm glad to have a friend like him."Zh: 食堂顿时安静了下来，大家都看着小明。En: The cafeteria suddenly went quiet, everyone watching Xiao Ming.Zh: 李伟感到一阵温暖，他终于感受到了真正的友谊。En: Li Wei felt a wave of warmth; he finally experienced true friendship.Zh: 项目顺利完成，老师给了他们很高的评价。En: The project was successfully completed, and the teacher gave them high praise.Zh: 比赛结束后，他们不仅收获了优秀的成绩，更收获了一段深厚的友情。En: After the competition, they gained not only excellent results but also a deep friendship.Zh: 李伟逐渐变得自信，开始愿意与更多的人交流。En: Li Wei gradually became more confident, starting to engage with more people.Zh: 而小明明白了友情的真正意义，再不是单纯的热闹和表面的幸福。En: Meanwhile, Xiao Ming understood the true meaning of friendship, no longer just seeking lively and superficial happiness.Zh: 他知道，能够遇到李伟这样的朋友，是他最大的幸运。En: He realized that meeting a friend like Li Wei was his greatest fortune.Zh: 秋天的阳光依旧温暖，他们并肩走在校园的操场上，落叶在他们的脚下沙沙作响。En: The autumn sunlight remained warm as they walked side by side on the campus playground, the fallen leaves rustling beneath their feet.Zh: 他们知道，这段友谊在美丽的秋天里种下了根，会在未来更加坚定地成长。En: They knew that this friendship, rooted in the beautiful autumn, would grow stronger in the future. Vocabulary Words:pour: 洒illuminating: 照亮corridors: 走廊aura: 气息collaborate: 合作buried: 埋头interact: 相处superficial: 表面上的initiative: 主动nodding: 点头intently: 认真地skeptical: 怀疑teased: 嘲笑defend: 辩护confidence: 自信engage: 交流fortune: 幸运remain: 依旧playground: 操场rustling: 沙沙作响youth: 青春assigned: 分到anxiety: 不安praise: 评价experienced: 感受lively: 活泼pressure: 压力competition: 比赛gradually: 逐渐meaning: 意义

Monday, November 3rd, 2025Today, three more people were murdered by the United States in a Caribbean boat strike; Venezuela seeks help from Russia as the US inches closer to war; two judges order Trump to pay SNAP benefits because it's the law; a Senate report says detainees face neglect in immigration prisons; Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers declares a state of emergency over the Republican shutdown; Obama called Mamdani to praise his campaign and offer support; the Netherlands elected its first gay and youngest prime minister; Nancy Mace has a meltdown at an airport; Trump pushes to end medical care for transgender youth nationally; a judge tosses Darrell Issa and Ronny Jackson's lawsuit over prop 50; and Allison and Dana delivers your Good News.Thank You, DeleteMeGet 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to joindeleteme.com/DAILYBEANS and use promo code DAILYBEANS at checkout. Thank You, WildGrainGet $30 off your first box + free Croissants in every box. Go to Wildgrain.com/DAILYBEANS to start your subscription.Guest: Martin SheenThe Martin Sheen Podcast - MSW MediaThe Martin Sheen Podcast (@themartinpod.bsky.social) The Martin Sheen Podcast (@themartinpod) / Posts / TwitterMartin Sheen - IMDbDana Goldberg Outrageous Tour - November 14th ChicagoStoriesThree killed in US military strike on alleged drug vessel in the Caribbean | US news | The GuardianAs U.S. ramps up pressure, Venezuela pleads with Moscow and Beijing for help | The Washington PostSenate report details dozens of cases of medical neglect in federal immigration detention centers | AP NewsWisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declares state of emergency over shutdown | Milwaukee Journal SentinelTexas federal judge dismisses Rep. Issa's Prop. 50 lawsuit | Times of San DiegoPolice report: Nancy Mace cursed and berated officers in airport altercation | NBC NewsTrump says he has asked court to 'clarify' SNAP ruling with funding set to lapse | ABC NewsTrump pushes an end to medical care for transgender youth nationally | NPRObama Calls Mamdani to Praise His Campaign and Offers to Be Sounding Board | The New York TimesDutch centrist Jetten claims victory in vote where far right lost ground | Elections News | Al JazeeraGood TroubleQuestions shall be directed to the Contracting Officer, Shayla Wray, via e-mail at shayla.b.wray@ice.dhs.gov, and the Contract Specialist, Jason Boudreaux, via e-mail at jason.boudreaux@ice.dhs.gov. Questions must be received no later than November 3rd, 2025, by 2:00 pm Eastern Time (ET).→Warigia Bowman for APS District 6 NM→NOVEMBER 4TH Taylor Rehmet For Texas→ Sign up to phone bank in Virginia.**Group Directory - The Visibility Brigade: Resistance is Possible**California! 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In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   As pressure builds on Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela's looking east for salvation. A new report shows the embattled strongman pleading with Moscow and Beijing for help—even asking for missiles and radar systems to shore up his crumbling defenses.   President Trump puts Nigeria on notice. He's ordered the Pentagon to “prepare for possible action” after reports the government there has been targeting Christians.   Ukraine's campaign against Russian energy continues. Kyiv says its forces hit a key fuel pipeline near Moscow and launched a drone strike on a major oil port along the Black Sea.   And in today's Back of the Brief—a possible thaw between Washington and Beijing. After the Xi-Trump summit, the U.S. and China have agreed to open a direct military hotline to prevent future clashes.   To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com.Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybriefTax Relief Advocates: End your tax nightmare today by visiting us online at https://TRA.comTriTails Premium Beef: Feed your legacy. Visit https://trybeef.com/pdb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're living in a post-truth reality — where facts compete with memes, misinformation spreads faster than journalism, and artificial intelligence threatens to rewrite the rules entirely. Mosheh sits down with Nick Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, to break down the urgent fight over what's real, what's fake, and who gets to decide. Nick explains why AI search could soon become the primary way people consume information — and why The Atlantic moved early to strike a precedent-setting deal with OpenAI to protect its reporting from being scraped without credit or compensation. They dig into collapsing trust in media, the dangers of deepfakes, and how ethical journalism can survive when powerful players — from Beijing to Washington — try to shape the narrative. Nick also chats about navigating covering the Trump administration, including how 'The Atlantic' broke “Signalgate." Plus: Nick opens up about his new book ⁠The Running Ground⁠, the story behind his ultramarathon obsession, and how endurance fuels leadership in the newsroom. Special offer: Mo News listeners can get 25% off a subscription at ⁠TheAtlantic.com/MoNews⁠. Mosheh Oinounou (⁠@mosheh⁠) is an Emmy and Murrow award-winning journalist. He has 20 years of experience at networks including Fox News, Bloomberg Television and CBS News, where he was the executive producer of the CBS Evening News and launched the network's 24 hour news channel. He founded the @mosheh Instagram news account in 2020 and the Mo News podcast and newsletter in 2022.

President Donald Trump just forced China into its most vulnerable position in decades. Trump wrapped up a weeklong trip to Asia and, after years of tension and economic warfare, negotiated a sweeping deal with Beijing. Victor Davis Hanson breaks down the specifics of the deal—including China's promise to stop the flow of fentanyl to Mexico—how this breakthrough happened, and what this means for the future of U.S.-China relations on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In a Few Words.” “ [China] sized up the domestic renaissance here at home—low inflation, basically 3% or below, 3%, probably, at the end of the year of GDP, stock market record levels, vast new investments—and they said: You know what? The United States is back. And the foreign—the atmosphere is very different. “Neutrals will probably join them. And their friends are emboldened. So, they've got new alliances. NATO is stronger than it's ever been. So, you add all of that up and the Chinese said to themselves the following: I think it's time to cut a deal. Not that we're gonna give up on trying to erode and subvert the United States.” (0:00) Trump and Xi's Deal (0:46) Why Now? (3:24) The Left's Weakness (6:39) U.S. Domestic Renaissance (8:50) China's Calculated Pause (9:54) The Future of US-China Relations

President Donald Trump just forced China into its most vulnerable position in decades. Trump wrapped up a weeklong trip to Asia and, after years of tension and economic warfare, negotiated a sweeping deal with Beijing. Victor Davis Hanson breaks down the specifics of the deal—including China's promise to stop the flow of fentanyl to Mexico—how this […]

We're living in a post-truth reality — where facts compete with memes, misinformation spreads faster than journalism, and artificial intelligence threatens to rewrite the rules entirely. Mosheh sits down with Nick Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, to break down the urgent fight over what's real, what's fake, and who gets to decide. Nick explains why AI search could soon become the primary way people consume information — and why The Atlantic moved early to strike a precedent-setting deal with OpenAI to protect its reporting from being scraped without credit or compensation. They dig into collapsing trust in media, the dangers of deepfakes, and how ethical journalism can survive when powerful players — from Beijing to Washington — try to shape the narrative. Nick also chats about navigating covering the Trump administration, including how 'The Atlantic' broke “Signalgate." Plus: Nick opens up about his new book ⁠⁠The Running Ground⁠⁠, the story behind his ultramarathon obsession, and how endurance fuels leadership in the newsroom. Special offer: Mo News listeners can get 25% off a subscription at ⁠⁠TheAtlantic.com/MoNews⁠⁠. Mosheh Oinounou (⁠⁠@mosheh⁠⁠) is an Emmy and Murrow award-winning journalist. He has 20 years of experience at networks including Fox News, Bloomberg Television and CBS News, where he was the executive producer of the CBS Evening News and launched the network's 24 hour news channel. He founded the @mosheh Instagram news account in 2020 and the Mo News podcast and newsletter in 2022.

From July 18, 2024: On today's episode, Matt Gluck, Research Fellow at Lawfare, spoke with Michael Beckley, Associate Professor of Political Science at Tufts, and Arne Westad, the Elihu Professor of History at Yale.They discussed Beckley's and Westad's articles in Foreign Affairs on the best path forward for the U.S.-China strategic relationship—in the economic and military contexts. Beckley argues that in the short term, the U.S. should focus on winning its security competition with China, rather than significant engagement, to prevent conflict. Westad compares the current moment to the period preceding World War I. He cautions that the U.S. and China should maintain strategic communication and avoid an overly narrow focus on competition to stave off large-scale conflict.They broke down the authors' arguments and where they agree and disagree. Does U.S. engagement lower the temperature in the relationship? Will entrenched economic interests move the countries closer to conflict? How can the U.S. credibly deter China from invading Taiwan without provoking Beijing?To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cutting Off the CCP: Deterrence Through Nuclear Proliferation and Total Economic Isolation. Jim Fanell and Brad Thayer discuss critical, urgent actions required to counter the PRC's strategic forces threat. Given the severe strategic mismatch, Fanell argues that warfighting proliferation must be considered, suggesting nuclear capabilities and proliferation in Seoul, Tokyo, and even Taiwan to change the calculus in Beijing and Washington. Thayer emphasizes that the current downturn in the PRC's economy presents an opportunity to accelerate Xi Jinping's fall, recommending a political warfare strategy focused on evicting Xi Jinping and the CCP from power. Fanell clarifies they are not recommending armed conflict, but rather a strategy of power politics and isolating the PRC, treating the CCP as an evil, pariah regime by denying them access to US money, stripping them of Most Favored Nation status, and removing them from the World Trade Organization. The most important recommendation is the necessity for US leadership to admit failure as the critical first step to repairing damage to US authority and its allies.

President Trump's trade war against China has so far proved harder to win than his administration ever let on. And it reached new levels of tension this month when China said it would further restrict exports of rare-earth minerals to the United States and Europe.Keith Bradsher, the Beijing bureau chief for The New York Times, discusses a potential turning point in the standoff as Mr. Trump meets this week with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in what will be their first talks since the trade war began.Guest: Keith Bradsher, the Beijing bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: Chinese and U.S. officials reached a framework of a trade deal on Sunday.Trump's deal with China may avert a crisis of his own making.Photo: The New York TimesFor more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.