Podcasts about borders

Geographic boundary of a political entity or legal jurisdiction

  • 5,332PODCASTS
  • 9,364EPISODES
  • 39mAVG DURATION
  • 2DAILY NEW EPISODES
  • Dec 12, 2025LATEST
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Best podcasts about borders

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Latest podcast episodes about borders

Prevail with Greg Olear
The Ultimate Transgression: Offshores, Kompromat Culture & the Competitive Depravity Olympics (with Brooke Harrington)

Prevail with Greg Olear

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2025 79:11


Rich people are not like us–they have more money. And mega-rich people? They not only have more money, but they hide it “offshore,” to avoid detection by the tax man, law enforcement, creditors, divorce lawyers, and, sometimes, their fellow citizens whose collective coffers they've plundered.In this conversation, Greg Olear speaks with the economic sociology professor Brooke Harrington, author of Offshore: Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism, about the murky world of offshore finance, its implications for global inequality, the challenges of studying the ultra-rich, the culture of competitive depravity among the wealthy, and the dangers of their influence on both democracy and capitalism. They also discuss the looming AI bubble, the true purpose of AI, Jeffrey Epstein, and why studying the humanities is so vital.Brooke Harrington is Professor of Economic Sociology at Dartmouth College. Since 2007, she has examined inequality from the top end of the socio-economic spectrum—a research program inaugurated by her training for two years to become a certified offshore wealth manager. Her previous book—Capital without Borders —won the “Outstanding Book” award from the Inequality, Poverty and Mobility section of the American Sociological Association. She advises the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, EU Parliament, and the tax agencies of countries across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Her latest book, Offshore: Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism, was named a “Best Book” of 2024 by the Financial Times.Follow Brooke:https://bsky.app/profile/ebharrington.bsky.socialVisit her website:https://brookeharrington.com/Buy the book:https://brookeharrington.com/books/offshore-book/Please subscribe to PREVAIL on Substack. There's six full years' worth of work in the archives on Trump, Russia, Jeffrey Epstein, Leonard Leo, and much more. Every piece at PREVAIL is free to read and always will be. No paywalls, ever. Your generous support keeps it that way. Subscriptions are just $6.99 a month, $65 a year. Visit gregolear.substack.com to learn more. Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg's new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Intelligence Squared
Rory Stewart on Trump, Nationalism and The Value of Rural Life (Part Two)

Intelligence Squared

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2025 34:29


Over the course of a decade in politics Rory Stewart saw how power really works and what forces drive our communities apart. He was a backbench MP, held several ministerial positions, and stood for prime minister – before being sacked from a Conservative Party that he had come to barely recognise. Now, well away from the political arena, he regularly shares his insights into current affairs and global politics as co-host of the UK's leading political podcast, The Rest Is Politics. In October he came to Intelligence Squared to discuss the state of Britain and the world today. He drew from his new book 'Middleland: Dispatches from the Borders' to discuss his decade as MP of one of Britain's most rural constituencies, Penrith and The Border. And he argued that to truly create a better future for all we must understand the tensions that exist between rural and urban, between farming and the natural world, between the need to preserve and to grow, and between local and national politics. Bridges must – and can – be built, he argued. The event was hosted by former MP and author Caroline Lucas. You can find out more about her book Another England: Reclaiming Our National Story here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/453710/another-england-by-lucas-caroline/9781804941591 --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Tara Show

In this explosive episode, we dive into the shocking reality of terrorist entry, narcoterrorism, and U.S. border policy under the Biden administration, plus a look at Trump's economic record and trade victories. Highlights include:

The Tara Show
H3: “Trump Takes on Biden, Borders & the Global Cartel

The Tara Show

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2025 32:00


Radio Record
Gvozd @ Record Club #1257 (12-12-2025)

Radio Record

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2025


01. Seventhrun - Ashes To Light 02. Feed the Fire - Let Go 03. Dapreme, ADUKEN, Licia - Bleed For You 04. Wilkinson, iiola - Back Up 05. T & Sugah - Pam Pam 06. Tantrum Desire - Killerz 07. Used, Lily Denning - Control 08. Solomon France - Down Bad 09. Document One - Spin Doctor 10. TURNO, Clarkey, Kay Rico Light Up The Rave 11. Kanine, Arcando, HEIGHTS - Lost Tonight 12. Axel Boy, Afroditetoolively - Nowhere to Hide (blkout. Remix) 13. Misanthrop - Deep Down Raw 14. Midnight CVLT, Ric Waves - Echo Protocol 15. oneBYone & Oneder - Boom Bang 16. Double Medley, Subminderz - Get It Straight 17. Minimalist - Tribe 18. Prolix - Space & Time 19. Gancher_&_Ruin - Моя_Печаль_Vocal_Mix 20. MIDNIGHT CVLT x PROLIX - Shadows In The Dark 21. Magnetude feat. The Velvet Effect - Silhouette 22. MNDSCP - Raw 23. MIDNIGHT CVLT - Back Home 24. Pythius - All You Need 25. Exit4 - Red vip 26. Inerpois, Backup - Brain Error 27. Absu_NTQL - Lifeform 28. Frosta - No Mercy 29. Kvostax&Unquiet&Exit4 - F**ing Daiting 30. [BORDERS], Puzzle - Against All Odds 31. Break - All You Gotta Do 32. Dunk - Dark Clouds 33. OODINI - Jazz Anthem 34. Trail, Objectiv - Pitch Dark (Objectiv Remix) 35. Keeno - Follow 36. Irah, Goddard. - Eye Of The Storm 37. Basstripper - Ready For It 38. JFlux - All Points Squared 39. 2Whales - Ryadom 40. INDIKINO, Sovsem dikaya - More Dyshit 41. Ozma, Женя Винд - Орёл 42. Fakear - waking up is better with you (Remix, extended) 43. DJ Science - One Love, Dubwise 44. AnnGree - What I Had To Do 45. Loud.Drop - Metal Chicken 46. Octavate - The Walls 47. Molecular, En:vy - Speed Racer 48. Furniss - End of time 49. GGrossy - Alarming Surge 50. Maurizzle, Justin Hoffmann Pistolero 51. Pruf - Ice 52. Magenta & GR4HM - Lock It Off 53. DOWNCAST - Bad Boy (Extended Mix) 54. Subrix - Dubplate 88 55. FooR, CLSM - Hardcore Vibes 56. Dem MC - The Roots of Existence 57. Mr Quest - Break The Script 58. Discord - Two Sides To This Story 59. Doom Poets, Technical Itch - THROUGH THE SEAS 60. Grey Man - Believe 61. Glitch City & DJSS ft Blaxx & Maddy V - WHY Contagion Remix 62. Uneven - The Unknown 63. Ahmad - Burn 64. Fetus - Half Half (Amor Satyr Remix) 65. Spirit - International (London Mix) 66. Heavyweight - Holy Grail 67. Hyperfocus - If You Know 68. Sonic Art x Kayaman - Untitled_Jam (Dissident Remix) 69. FRACTURE, NEPTUNE - Erase Everything 70. Primal Tribes - Whispering Silence Crawls On Me 71. GIROSKOP - Darkway 72. DRS, Zar - Handle Us 73. Kleu, Leanne Louise - Complicated 74. Majestic, Jungle 70 - Creeping In The Dark (Danny Byrd Extended Remix) 75. 30Hz - Dark Matter 76. Royalston feat. Jaynee - Sour 77. Telomic & Sam M - Holding On 78. Spectrum - Altered Perception 79. Calibre - Don't Feel For Me 80. Jonathan Baker Silver 81. Promenade - Always You 82. Lsb - PCT

Intelligence Squared
Rory Stewart on Trump, Nationalism and The Value of Rural Life (Part One)

Intelligence Squared

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2025 35:19


Over the course of a decade in politics Rory Stewart saw how power really works and what forces drive our communities apart. He was a backbench MP, held several ministerial positions, and stood for prime minister – before being sacked from a Conservative Party that he had come to barely recognise. Now, well away from the political arena, he regularly shares his insights into current affairs and global politics as co-host of the UK's leading political podcast, The Rest Is Politics. In October he came to Intelligence Squared to discuss the state of Britain and the world today. He drew from his new book 'Middleland: Dispatches from the Borders' to discuss his decade as MP of one of Britain's most rural constituencies, Penrith and The Border. And he argued that to truly create a better future for all we must understand the tensions that exist between rural and urban, between farming and the natural world, between the need to preserve and to grow, and between local and national politics. Bridges must – and can – be built, he argued. The event was hosted by former MP and author Caroline Lucas. You can find out more about her book Another England: Reclaiming Our National Story here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/453710/another-england-by-lucas-caroline/9781804941591 --- This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parallax by Ankur Kalra
EP 148: Breaking Down Healthcare Borders: Five Pillars to Revolutionary Access

Parallax by Ankur Kalra

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2025 32:30


In this episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes Dr Sarah Matt, Associate Clinical Professor at Upstate Medical University, health tech strategist, and author of the newly released The Borderless Healthcare Revolution. Dr Matt brings a unique perspective shaped by her experience both in academic medicine and as a former Oracle employee, positioning her at the intersection of clinical care and healthcare technology innovation. https://www.drsarahmatt.com/ This conversation explores the inflection point facing today's generation of physicians—a cohort that has navigated the evolution from paper charts to sophisticated EMRs, and now stands at the threshold of AI-driven healthcare transformation. Dr Matt offers actionable guidance for both healthcare delivery leaders and "builders" creating new technologies, emphasizing that improving access must be integrated from inception rather than retrofitted. She shares her vision for removing financial barriers entirely and provides practical checklists from her book to help clinicians make meaningful impact while combating burnout. Questions and comments can be sent to "podcast@radcliffe-group.com" and may be answered by Ankur in the next episode. Host: @AnkurKalraMD and produced by: @RadcliffeCardio Parallax is Ranked in the Top 100 Health Science Podcasts (#48) by Million Podcasts.

A Gay and His Enby
Episode 196: Rachel and The Flops

A Gay and His Enby

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2025 168:32


This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk Real Housewives of Potomac, where Ashley and Keiarna attempt to turn Monique against Stacey, but still she rises. Then, the season premiere of Married to Medicine, as tensions continue between Quad and Simone and their war of words at polo almost become an oh no. Also, the newest episode of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, where Bronwyn is feeling patriotic, as Meredith and Lisa come off as narcissistic. And finally, the season premiere of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, featuring the debut of Bravo darling Rachel Zoe as the ghost of Garcelle still lurks among this group. 6:13 - Real Housewives of Potomac: Season 10: Episode 09 45:42 - Married to Medicine: Season 12: Episode 01 1:14:30 - Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: Season 06: Episode 10 1:59:59 - Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Season 15: Episode 01 We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

The Michael Berry Show
AM Show Hr 2 | Borders, Bonds & Big Realities

The Michael Berry Show

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2025 32:23 Transcription Available


From shocking immigration loopholes to the college degree dilemma, Michael Berry dives into the stories shaping America today. Plus, heartwarming tales of lifelong friendships and reunions that stand the test of time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 Books With Neil Pasricha
Chapter 155: Bulle the Bookseller broadens borders and births bibliophiles

3 Books With Neil Pasricha

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2025 79:11


We're back to Africa! Last month we kicked off a little Kenyan series on ​3 Books​ and today I'm thrilled to share another chapter recorded in the heart of pulsing downtown Nairobi in the country's top bookstore. I landed after an overnight flight and immediately filled my belly with fresh samosas, pakoras, curried goat tripe, and fresh tamarind juice ... for breakfast! ... and then, after seeing the city I hopped into a car with Perlexy, who works with our guest in Chapter 104 and current Kenyan Presidential nominee ​Boniface Mwangi​, and drove downtown... We parked the car and met up with Boniface and his son before walking up together to the second floor of a busy plaza. Tucked inside was a 1000-square-foot bookshop that happens to be one of the most influential literary hubs in the country: ​Nuria Bookstore​. That's where I met Bulle (pronounced "Boo-lay") who is of Somalian descent and born 700km north of Nairobi where he was largely raised by his wise camel-herding grandmother (who is 101 today!). Bulle took a business path early in life but as we'll hear his plans changed and now he runs what many consider the most successful bookstore in Kenya and is a huge champion and evangelist for African authors and African literature. Let's hang out upstairs in the Nairobi bookshop and talk about amplifying African voices, growing up among camels, the winding path of purpose, Bulle's 3 most formative books, and so much more … Let's flip the page to Chapter 155 now …

New Books Network
Jacob Daniels, "The Jews of Edirne: The End of Ottoman Europe and the Arrival of Borders" (Stanford UP, 2025)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2025 81:19


At the turn of the twentieth century, the city of Edirne was a bustling center linking Istanbul to Ottoman Europe. It was also the capital of Edirne Province—among the most religiously diverse regions of the Ottoman Empire. But by 1923, the city had become a Turkish border town, and the province had lost much of its non-Muslim population. In The Jews of Edirne: The End of Ottoman Europe and the Arrival of Borders (Stanford UP, 2025), Jacob Daniels explores how one of the world's largest Sephardi communities dealt with the encroachment of modern borders. Using Ladino, French, English, and Turkish sources, Daniels offers a new take on the ways in which ethno-religious minorities experienced the transition "from empire to nation-state." Rather than tracing a linear path, Edirne Jews zigzagged between the Ottoman Empire and three nation-states—without moving a mile. And by maintaining interstate Sephardi networks, they resisted pressure to treat the shifting border as a limit to their zone of belonging. Ultimately, proximity to the border would undo Edirne's Jewish community, but the way this ending came about—local Jews were rarely killed or deported—challenges common assumptions about state borders and Jewish history. By studying Jewish encounters with the nation-state alongside the emergence of modern borders, Daniels sheds light on both phenomena. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in Jewish Studies
Jacob Daniels, "The Jews of Edirne: The End of Ottoman Europe and the Arrival of Borders" (Stanford UP, 2025)

New Books in Jewish Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2025 81:19


At the turn of the twentieth century, the city of Edirne was a bustling center linking Istanbul to Ottoman Europe. It was also the capital of Edirne Province—among the most religiously diverse regions of the Ottoman Empire. But by 1923, the city had become a Turkish border town, and the province had lost much of its non-Muslim population. In The Jews of Edirne: The End of Ottoman Europe and the Arrival of Borders (Stanford UP, 2025), Jacob Daniels explores how one of the world's largest Sephardi communities dealt with the encroachment of modern borders. Using Ladino, French, English, and Turkish sources, Daniels offers a new take on the ways in which ethno-religious minorities experienced the transition "from empire to nation-state." Rather than tracing a linear path, Edirne Jews zigzagged between the Ottoman Empire and three nation-states—without moving a mile. And by maintaining interstate Sephardi networks, they resisted pressure to treat the shifting border as a limit to their zone of belonging. Ultimately, proximity to the border would undo Edirne's Jewish community, but the way this ending came about—local Jews were rarely killed or deported—challenges common assumptions about state borders and Jewish history. By studying Jewish encounters with the nation-state alongside the emergence of modern borders, Daniels sheds light on both phenomena. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

1819 News: The Podcast
Who Is an American? Borders, Identity, and the Fight for a Nation w/ Andrew Isker

1819 News: The Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2025 103:44


Who Is an American? Borders, Identity, and the Fight for a Nation w/ Andrew Isker. In this powerful episode of 1819 News: The Podcast, we confront one of the most fundamental—and forbidden—questions in modern American discourse: What does it mean to be an American, and who gets to decide? From open borders to birthright citizenship, from mass immigration to the reshaping of culture and national identity, we dig into the uncomfortable realities that most media outlets and political leaders refuse to touch. Host Bryan Dawson lays the groundwork with a striking analogy drawn from Yellowstone: Whenever something beautiful and valuable is built, there will always be forces trying to take it. America, he argues, is no different. As millions cross our borders and political elites rewrite long-held definitions of citizenship and nationhood, we must ask whether the inheritance passed down by our forefathers is being preserved—or quietly replaced. Joining the conversation is author, cultural commentator, and prolific X-poster Andrew Isker, known for his penetrating critiques of “trash world” politics and his unapologetic defense of Christian nationalism and traditional American identity. Isker breaks down why nations are not mere “propositions,” why multiculturalism uniquely destabilizes Western societies, and why the U.S. has abandoned the basic principle that a government exists to serve its own people. Dawson and Isker explore the economic side of national decline—from H-1B visa abuses to the outsourcing of American opportunity to foreign labor. They tackle the myth of the “melting pot,” the misinterpretation of the 14th Amendment, and the propaganda that conditions Americans to reject the very instincts every other nation on earth takes for granted. This episode is a call to clarity. A call to return to a grounded understanding of nation, people, land, and culture. A call to reject the naïveté that assumes everyone flooding into our country shares our values or intentions. A call to defend what remains of the most extraordinary civilizational achievement in human history: the United States of America. If you're ready for tough questions, honest answers, and a conversation that pushes past the boundaries of polite political discourse, this is an episode you can't afford to miss.

#GoRight with Peter Boykin
Is America Failing Its First Duty to Protect Its People?

#GoRight with Peter Boykin

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2025 25:34 Transcription Available


Is America Failing Its First Duty to Protect Its People?America faces a moment that goes far beyond headlines. A National Guard soldier is murdered near the White House. Foreign pressure rises as Washington closes Venezuelan airspace. Elections in Central America carry the heavy hand of the United States' influence. These events may look separate, but together they reveal a nation drifting away from its first responsibility. Protecting its own people.In this Go Right News breakdown, Peter Boykin delivers a powerful commentary on immigration failures, foreign entanglements, national security, and the growing disconnect between political performance and constitutional duty. A Constitutional Republic cannot survive if its leaders forget their purpose. Safety comes before symbolism. Borders come before global theatrics. Citizens come before politics.Is America defending liberty, or is it simply acting like it? This episode examines the truth behind the crisis.Read the full article at GoRightNews.comhttps://gorightnews.com/is-america-failing-its-first-duty-to-protect-its-people/It is time to Go Right.Subscribe and follow for more commentary from a Constitutionalist for Liberty.FOLLOW ON ALL PLATFORMS

Talk Eastern Europe
Episode 246: A History of (post-)Yugoslav Pop Music: shifting borders, shifting identities

Talk Eastern Europe

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2025 49:58


Alexandra and Nina open the episode with a rundown of the latest news, including ongoing American diplomacy vis a vis Russia and Ukraine, the closure of the Hungarian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, a new ruling by the European Court of Justice related to same-sex marriage, the election results in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania's positive progress toward EU membership.Alexandra is then joined by Catherine Baker of the University of Hull for the main interview. Catherine is a specialist in post-Cold War history, international relations, and cultural studies researching national identity and popular music during and after the Yugoslav Wars. Together they discuss some of late Yugoslavia's most famous artists, how their work evolved alongside the borders of the successor states, and how they have been remembered over time and today. Some of the artists and songs mentioned in the episode include:Neda Ukraden - Zora je (1985) Doris Dragović  Željo moja (1986)Severina - Dalmatinka (1993) Ceca - Pustite me da ga vidim (1990)Alka Vuica - Laži me (1994)Lepa Brena - Luda za tobom (1996)Maja Blagdan - Sveta ljubav (1996)Zabranjeno pušenje - Jugo 45 (1999)Bijelo Dugme - 1st reunion tour (2005)Baby Lasagna - Rim Tim Tagi Dim (2024)Catherine's latest work focuses on the Eurovision Song Contest, which will be the subject of forthcoming bonus content exclusive to Talk Eastern Europe patrons. Listen online here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/246-bonus-144726903

A Gay and His Enby
Episode 195: Forgive-less

A Gay and His Enby

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2025 109:13


This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk Real Housewives of Potomac, where for every finger the group is pointing at Stacey, Stacey is pointing them right back. Then, the newest episode of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, where Mary looks to heal the group at Valters as Meredith's recollection of events comes into question. 4:23 - Real Housewives of Potomac: Season 10: Episode 08 54:05e - Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: Season 06: Episode 09e We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

Sorgatron Media Master Feed
A Gay & His Enby 195: Forgive-less

Sorgatron Media Master Feed

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2025 109:13


This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk Real Housewives of Potomac, where for every finger the group is pointing at Stacey, Stacey is pointing them right back. Then, the newest episode of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, where Mary looks to heal the group at Valters as Meredith's recollection of events comes into question. 4:23 - Real Housewives of Potomac: Season 10: Episode 08 54:05 - Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: Season 06: Episode 09 We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

The Jaipur Dialogues
Pakistan's GAME OVER! | Action on Illegals on Eastern Borders | Aadi Achint, Sanjay Dixit

The Jaipur Dialogues

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2025 58:51


Pakistan's GAME OVER! | Action on Illegals on Eastern Borders | Aadi Achint, Sanjay Dixit

Certified Forgotten
The Peanut Butter Solution with Meredith Borders

Certified Forgotten

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2025 69:27


This (day after) Thanksgiving, we're thankful for a returning guest who is the best of all of us. Fangoria's Senior Editor Meredith Borders notches her second guest spot on Certified Forgotten to chat about an oddball Canadian gateway horror film. The Peanut Butter Solution has become a cult favorite, but only in smaller circles. Meredith joins the Matts to chat about Fangoria's upcoming initiatives and shed light on exciting new company evolutions, as well as evil Bob Ross actin' villains who kidnap children to use as child labor in their magic paintbrush factories. Giddy-up!

Real Money Talks
Real Estate Investing Across Borders

Real Money Talks

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2025 26:10


In this episode of Real Money Talks, we sit down with August Biniaz to unpack the reality of real estate investing across borders. August shares how Canadian investors can access U.S. multifamily opportunities, why certain markets outperform, and what smart real estate investing looks like when interest rates are high and economic cycles shift.We break down deal criteria, debt strategy, syndications, and the complex structure required to keep cross-border investing compliant on both sides of the border, what investors often overlook, and how to position yourself for long-term gains in 2025 and beyond.Thank you for tuning in. Remember, you don't have to navigate your wealth journey alone. Every week I'm here with conversations to guide you, challenge you, and help you grow. Subscribe, stay connected, and join me next Friday for another episode of Real Money Talks.Loral's Takeaways:August's Background and Transition to US Investments (02:12)Challenges and Strategies in Cross-Border Investing (07:30)Market Focus and Investment Criteria (09:31)Management Team and Future Goals (14:18)Conclusion and Contact Information (22:23)Meet August Biniaz

3 Martini Lunch
Borders, Bombing Iran's Nukes, & More: What We're Politically Thankful For

3 Martini Lunch

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2025 23:31 Transcription Available


As you get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, join Jim and Greg for the Wednesday 3 Martini Lunch. They each reveal three things or people they are politically thankful for in 2025.First, Jim applauds a reporter who broke the most significant political scoop of the year. And while it didn't change the outcome of the election, it does give Virginians clear eyes on what to expect over the next four years. Meanwhile, Greg applauds the Trump administration for getting it's most important policy priority done right - and almost instantly after taking office. Next, Jim has some fun and says he's thankful that he's not on the hook for designing secure facilities In Iran that turned out not to be so secure this year. Jim also utters a line likely to shock President Trump's staunchest supporters and his fiercest critics. Greg focuses on the homefront and is glad there is a backstop of sanity to deal with the blizzard of ridiculous rulings from federal judges playing politics from the bench.Finally, Jim is thankful for the establishment of honorable journalistic principles in a news cycle where reporters like Olivia Nuzzi are taking a blowtorch to any notion of ethical reporting. And Greg thanks outgoing Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin for four years of sanity as we buckle up for four years of dumpster fires from the Democrats.Please visit our great sponsors:Reach out. Whether you're checking in on a friend or reaching out to a therapist. Get 10% off your firstmonth of BetterHelp by visiting https://BetterHelp.com/3ML today!Save big on unforgettable gifts with Omaha Steaks. Visit https://www.OmahaSteaks.com for 50% offsitewide with an extra 20% off select favorites during their Cyber Sale. For an extra $35 off, usepromo code 3ML at checkout.

The More Sibyl Podcast
인간의 지형 | The One With Dr. Xin She – The Geography of Being Human: Across Borders, Between Worlds | Episode 34 (2025)

The More Sibyl Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2025 102:51


The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 인간의 지형 | The One With Dr. Xin She – The Geography of Being Human: Across Borders, Between Worlds | Episode 34 (2025)What does it mean to belong everywhere and nowhere at once?In this episode of The More Sibyl Podcast, I sit with Dr. Xin She, a pediatrician, global health scholar, researcher, mindfulness educator, polyglot, and Fulbright Fellow, whose life spans continents, cultures, and ways of knowing. Together, we explore what it means to heal beyond medicine, to find wholeness not in prescriptions but in purpose, compassion, and connection.Born in 1980s Shanghai, in a one-room home without hot running water, Dr. She's earliest lessons in resilience came from bucket showers and blackouts long before she ever entered a clinic. Those childhood experiences later shaped her calling to global health, from Haiti's pediatric wards to the U.S.–Mexico border, where a simple Coke bottle filled with stones can spark joy for a child processing trauma.We talk about motherhood and migration, burnout and rebirth, and the tender work of raising a global citizen; a child who learns empathy not from textbooks, but from refugee camps, shared meals, and birthday cakes at the border. We also reflect on our Fulbright journeys, hers in Mexico and mine in Korea, and the quiet, unseen sacrifices our families make so we can stand in the places we feel called to. Our conversation moves through the meaning of work-life integration, the courage to say no without guilt, and the discipline of creating joy even in places marked by pain.And woven through it all is a simple truth: despite our differences, people everywhere long for the same things: wellness, dignity, connection, and meaning. This episode is a reminder that across borders and experiences, there is always common ground.

New Books Network
What is Happening in the Mediterranean Right Now – And Why You Should Care

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2025 31:47


Since 2014 more than 32,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. As the EU and its member states have been increasingly prioritising migration deterrence over human life, civic organisations have stepped in and are carrying out search and rescue operations. SOS Humanity is one of these organisations. Janna Sauerteig joins us to talk about the work SOS Humanity and other civilian search and rescue organisations do, the obstacles they face from member states and the EU, the role of the so-called “Libyan Coast Guard”, the ways in which deadly policies are part of the European global and democratic crisis, and possible solutions. The data about deaths in the Mediterranean mentioned in the podcast are from the Missing Migrants Project. We also mentioned the evidence that migrants and even Black residents are rounded up from North African cities and dumped in the desert; this is from a 2024 investigation by El Pais (in Spanish) and Lighthouse Reports (in English). Transcript of episode here. Guest: Janna Sauerteig is Mobilization and Advocacy Manager at SOS Humanity. Their latest report “Borders of (In)humanity”, published this May, demonstrates the connection between the EU's migration externalisation policies and human rights violations in the Central Mediterranean, namely through EU and bilateral cooperation with Libya and Tunisia in the field of search and rescue. The report is based on survivors' testimonies which collected by SOS Humanity. Presenter: Licia Cianetti is Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham and Founding Deputy Director of CEDAR. The People, Power, Politics podcast brings you the latest insights into the factors that are shaping and re-shaping our political world. It is brought to you by the Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR) based at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in World Affairs
What is Happening in the Mediterranean Right Now – And Why You Should Care

New Books in World Affairs

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2025 31:47


Since 2014 more than 32,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. As the EU and its member states have been increasingly prioritising migration deterrence over human life, civic organisations have stepped in and are carrying out search and rescue operations. SOS Humanity is one of these organisations. Janna Sauerteig joins us to talk about the work SOS Humanity and other civilian search and rescue organisations do, the obstacles they face from member states and the EU, the role of the so-called “Libyan Coast Guard”, the ways in which deadly policies are part of the European global and democratic crisis, and possible solutions. The data about deaths in the Mediterranean mentioned in the podcast are from the Missing Migrants Project. We also mentioned the evidence that migrants and even Black residents are rounded up from North African cities and dumped in the desert; this is from a 2024 investigation by El Pais (in Spanish) and Lighthouse Reports (in English). Transcript of episode here. Guest: Janna Sauerteig is Mobilization and Advocacy Manager at SOS Humanity. Their latest report “Borders of (In)humanity”, published this May, demonstrates the connection between the EU's migration externalisation policies and human rights violations in the Central Mediterranean, namely through EU and bilateral cooperation with Libya and Tunisia in the field of search and rescue. The report is based on survivors' testimonies which collected by SOS Humanity. Presenter: Licia Cianetti is Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham and Founding Deputy Director of CEDAR. The People, Power, Politics podcast brings you the latest insights into the factors that are shaping and re-shaping our political world. It is brought to you by the Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR) based at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

New Books in European Studies
What is Happening in the Mediterranean Right Now – And Why You Should Care

New Books in European Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2025 31:47


Since 2014 more than 32,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. As the EU and its member states have been increasingly prioritising migration deterrence over human life, civic organisations have stepped in and are carrying out search and rescue operations. SOS Humanity is one of these organisations. Janna Sauerteig joins us to talk about the work SOS Humanity and other civilian search and rescue organisations do, the obstacles they face from member states and the EU, the role of the so-called “Libyan Coast Guard”, the ways in which deadly policies are part of the European global and democratic crisis, and possible solutions. The data about deaths in the Mediterranean mentioned in the podcast are from the Missing Migrants Project. We also mentioned the evidence that migrants and even Black residents are rounded up from North African cities and dumped in the desert; this is from a 2024 investigation by El Pais (in Spanish) and Lighthouse Reports (in English). Transcript of episode here. Guest: Janna Sauerteig is Mobilization and Advocacy Manager at SOS Humanity. Their latest report “Borders of (In)humanity”, published this May, demonstrates the connection between the EU's migration externalisation policies and human rights violations in the Central Mediterranean, namely through EU and bilateral cooperation with Libya and Tunisia in the field of search and rescue. The report is based on survivors' testimonies which collected by SOS Humanity. Presenter: Licia Cianetti is Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham and Founding Deputy Director of CEDAR. The People, Power, Politics podcast brings you the latest insights into the factors that are shaping and re-shaping our political world. It is brought to you by the Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR) based at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

Prayer Starters with Suzanne Eller (KLRC)
THANK YOU FOR TRUTH THAT SETS ME FREE (11/25/25)

Prayer Starters with Suzanne Eller (KLRC)

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2025 3:09


John 8:32Keywords: Truth; teaching; lies; belief systems; freedom; knowledge. Today's Prayer Starter is a “best of.” All new episodes will arrive in 2024! Resource: The Spirit-Led Heart: Living a Life of Love and Faith without Borders by Suzanne Eller. Download a chapter free today. 

Up with David Stearman
Beyond the Borders of Your Comfort Zone

Up with David Stearman

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2025 9:28


A Gay and His Enby
Episode 194: The Gays Deserve Better

A Gay and His Enby

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2025 160:12


This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk Real Housewives of Potomac, where a formerly departed Monique returns without her feathered friend and Ashley's convenes the girls for World Pride in order to put Stacey in the hot seat. Then, the newest episode of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, where Mary knows the ladies need Jesus and gives it to them directly with her church reopening. And finally, Part Three of the Real Housewives of Orange County reunion, where Gretchen gets the benefit of the doubt while there is no doubt that this group is looking to finally end Tamra. 6:33 - Real Housewives of Potomac: Season 10: Episode 07 51:25 - Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: Season 06: Episode 08 1:43:05 - Real Housewives of Orange County: Season 19: Episode 20 We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

435 Podcast: Southern Utah Real Estate & News
Can St. George Grow Without Losing Its Soul? Tech Ridge, Housing Crisis & What Comes Next

435 Podcast: Southern Utah Real Estate & News

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2025 60:36


Southern Utah's future won't be decided by accident.We take you inside the most consequential choices shaping St. George right now—from Tech Ridge's emerging skyline and the plan to heal the Black Hill scar, to the four paradoxes that determine whether growth feels livable or overwhelming: housing, resources, wages, and heritage.What You'll Get in This Episode:Tech Ridge vision – skyline impacts, 60 acres of parks and trails, and smarter traffic with new southern accessBlack Hill scar fix – why this signals stewardship and design standards for the futureHousing paradox – supply constraints on only 11% developable land vs. policies that inflate demandResource limits – water scarcity, hillside ordinances, and view corridors that protect ridgesJobs and wages – moving from population-tied sectors to higher-pay career laddersHeritage and identity – trails, lights, festivals, and shared rituals that bind newcomers to long-timersBalance of power – courts vs. executive authority and Utah's redistricting tensionCommunity spotlight – Stuff The Bus toy drive at Station One on December 5thLive format plans – upcoming guests and a call for your inputThis is a candid, on-the-ground tour of how density, design, and economic mix can protect views, trails, and small-town character while raising incomes and keeping families here. From clustered mixed-use neighborhoods to the policies that make beauty non-negotiable, we lay out the roadmap to grow with intent.We also zoom out to the national headlines shaping the backdrop: UAP revelations, courts rebalancing executive power, and how these threads pull back to local stakes—trust in institutions, transparent tradeoffs, and the social fabric that keeps neighbors moving in the same direction.If you care about where St. George is headed over the next 20 years, this is your jumping-in point.Subscribe, share with a neighbor, and tell us in the comments: What heritage do you refuse to lose as Southern Utah grows? Your voice is the difference between growth that happens to us and a future we build on purpose.Looking for a Real Estate expert? Find us here!www.wealth435.comhttps://linktr.ee/wealth435Below are our wonderful friends!Find FS Coffee here:https://fscoffeecompany.com/Find Tuacahn Amphitheater here:https://www.tuacahn.org/Find Blue Form Media here:https://www.blueformmedia.com/ #StGeorge #SouthernUtah #UtahPolitics #HousingCrisis #TechRidge #WashingtonCounty #CommunityDevelopment #The435Podcast  [00:00:00] Opening Banter And Show Setup [00:07:15] Tech Ridge Plans And The Black Hill Scar [00:18:40] Density, Traffic, And Skyline Impacts [00:27:30] Age Of Disclosure And UAP Politics [00:38:05] Courts, Borders, And Balance Of Power [00:49:20] Community Drive: Stuff The Bus Details [00:53:45] Holiday Events Around Southern Utah [00:59:20] Framing Southern Utah's Growth Pillars 

Sorgatron Media Master Feed
A Gay & His Enby 194: The Gays Deserve Better

Sorgatron Media Master Feed

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2025 160:12


This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk Real Housewives of Potomac, where a formerly departed Monique returns without her feathered friend and Ashley's convenes the girls for World Pride in order to put Stacey in the hot seat. Then, the newest episode of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, where Mary knows the ladies need Jesus and gives it to them directly with her church reopening. And finally, Part Three of the Real Housewives of Orange County reunion, where Gretchen gets the benefit of the doubt while there is no doubt that this group is looking to finally end Tamra. 6:33 - Real Housewives of Potomac: Season 10: Episode 07 51:25 - Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: Season 06: Episode 08 1:43:05 - Real Housewives of Orange County: Season 19: Episode 20 We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

The Bad Roman
What Does the Bible Say About Immigration? Jesus and the Freedom to Move with Chris Polk

The Bad Roman

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2025 71:51


Are borders tyrannical or necessary? Returning guest Chris Polk helps us dismantle the political theater around immigration and ask what allegiance to Jesus looks like when the state shows up with masks and rifles. From truck-stop stories to John 4, they explore why restricting movement may be the worst tyranny and how ordinary neighbor love beats team-red/blue fear. Chris argues both parties fed the ICE machine, shares a Cuban car rescue story that needed no papers, and reminds us that Jesus walked through Samaria, not around it. If Mary and Joseph fled Herod today, would we demand their passports? They dig into: Why “do something!” turns into state violence Borders as cages that keep you in vs. others out The Good Samaritan as the “Good Immigrant” Cop-aganda and qualified immunity “Would Jesus follow the law?” when the law crushes the least

The Global Marketing Show
Leading Across Borders: A Medical Device CEO's Playbook - Show #148

The Global Marketing Show

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2025 40:29


Wendy Mackenzie Pease, President of Rapport International, interviews Alain Tranchemontagne, CEO of Alleviate, whose 30+ years in medical devices spans start-ups to Fortune 50 organizations. He has led teams across 5 continents, has held commercial and general management positions, and brings significant global experience in the areas of product and market development. He shares practical, battle-tested ways to enter new markets, build culturally diverse sales engines, and lead with data (and humility) across continents. You'll learn how to: Build global demand the right way: Identify and activate credible KOLs, hire a local “anchor” leader, measure activity early, and make fast keep/replace decisions—while respecting culture and language on the ground. Run a 90-day turnaround playbook: Weeks 0–12 = listen widely (patients, clinicians, data), co-create objectives with the team, then double down on what works using “data density” (lots of signals to see real patterns). Go international without missteps: Sequence markets, map regulations and evidence needs, prioritize IP/trademarks, and treat translation as a regulated, technical task for pros—because “good enough” localization will bite you.

The Empire Builders Podcast
#232: Amazon – 8,000 Orders a Minute

The Empire Builders Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 21:20


From Jeffy’s Online Books to everything from A to Z, Amazon.com is an empire amongst empires. Bezos created something remarkable. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom-and-pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is… Well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients. So here’s one of those. [Pinpoint Payments Ad] Dave Young: Ding-dong. Okay. Well, I was making noises there as we started. Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast. Dave Young here alongside Stephen Semple, and we’re talking about empires. I mean, businesses that started tiny and grew into behemoths, in this case, and often… Well, every time what we do is we let the countdown to the recording start, and then Stephen whispers in my ear today’s topic, and we see if I recognize it. Maybe perhaps I’ve heard of them. And today, he just said one word, Amazon. And I’m like, “Is that a river?” I mean, that’s what we all said back in the day when Jeff Bezos started it- Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: … was, “Really, you named it after a river in South America? What are you thinking? What’s wrong with you?” But I guess he proved them wrong. Stephen Semple: What you’re going to discover, wasn’t actually the first name. Dave Young: Oh, cool. They started with a different name and then switched to Amazon. Stephen Semple: Jeffy’s Online Books? Dave Young: Well, and here’s the thing. We’re 200-and-some-odd episodes in, and we’ve managed to hold off not covering Amazon. That’s a good point. Yeah. Stephen Semple: And I resisted myself, because basically everything that’s to be said about Amazon has probably been said, but I did come across a couple of interesting little tidbits that we’re going to focus on- Dave Young: Oh, cool. Stephen Semple: … that I hope gives a little bit different picture to Amazon than the other things, people. Look, Amazon is a massive success, has changed the way the world is, was unbelievably innovative and forward-thinking. And today, Amazon does like 8,000 orders a minute. Dave Young: A minute? Stephen Semple: A minute. Dave Young: Unbelievable. Stephen Semple: Crazy, isn’t it? Dave Young: Mm-hmm. Stephen Semple: And Jeff Bezos is one of the richest men in the world, and Amazon is just a monster out there. But here’s the thing that’s also really interesting. Jeff Bezos did not come from technology or retail. And how often have we seen this over and over and over again, that these businesses are built by people from outside the industry? That is like 9 out of 10, or probably even more like 99 out of 100. He was an investment guy that was working in the early ’90s on Wall Street. That’s what he was doing. And he was making big bucks doing research in the technology space. So he was working in the space, but he wasn’t a tech guy or a retail guy. And he comes across this report about growth in the internet space. And he literally… It boggles his mind. He’s working away in Wall Street, comes across this report, and it says, the space is growing at 2300%. And he literally, as the story goes, picks up the phone, calls the analyst, and said, “There’s a typo here.” And they were like, “No, this is how it’s growing.” And he was like, “Oh my God.” Now, let’s think about this for a moment, because it’s easy to forget this. 1989 is when the first online transaction on the World Wide Web happened. Dave Young: I wouldn’t have thought it was even that long ago, but yeah. Stephen Semple: Yeah, yeah, but it was, like, one- Dave Young: Yeah. It’s ancient history now, but… Stephen Semple: We forget, we forget how much the growth is. And if you really want to go back, probably the best documentation of the growth we’ve had is episode 227 on AOL. Because AOL was really a driver of internet growth. It really was. It was really one of the pioneers that took people online. So to be looking at these things in the early ’90s and go, “Hey, I see growth in online retail,” that’s really forward-thinking. I’ve got to give Bezos credit. Not a lot of people were thinking that way. So he looks at this growth and he says, “There’s got to be potential to do a business in this space.” And that’s where he starts off. We’ve got to do a business in this space. So he does brainstorming ideas with his wife at the time, McKinsey, and they look at investment sites, they look at advice sites, but he decides it needs to be a store, because people shop every day. Everyone. It’s mass- Dave Young: An online store, yeah. Stephen Semple: It’s mass, it’s something we do all the time, it’s habitual, and he doesn’t want to do something that’s a niche. And it has no boundaries, and ideally you could remove a lot of the friction in shopping. But he realizes he can’t start that way. This is the other part where I thought he was brilliant. His vision was always online store, but he knew you can’t start as an online store. You can’t become known for being an online store. It’s too big. You need to pick one thing. Dave Young: But he had that vision long before he started selling books. Stephen Semple: The goal was to sell everything. Dave Young: Everything. Stephen Semple: But he knew that’s not where you start. And this is what I find interesting. It’s amazing how many startups I talk about have these massive visions, and it’s too big. You can have that massive vision, but you got to still start with something smaller. And that starting something smaller doesn’t limit you. Jeff Bezos has proven that. So he steps back in this point. He’s trying to figure out, “Well, what’s the one thing I want to do?” And he ordered a book called Cyberdreams by Asimov, and it took two weeks to arrive and arrived damaged. And the ordering process was a bit of a pain in the neck. And he went, “You know what? There’s an opportunity to do better here.” And at the time, the book business is very fragmented. There’s two big players, Barnes & Noble, and Borders. But they combined are only 25% of book sales. So still, most book sales are being done by little retailers. So it’s dominated by all sorts of little players, and they don’t do a good job of shipping books. So he says, “There’s the opportunity. Books is the opportunity.” He quits Wall Street where he is making like a million bucks a year, moves to Seattle to start the business, and he moves to Seattle because University of Washington at the time has got basically the top computer engineering school, Microsoft is there, so there’s lots of good engineers available. Dave Young: Gotcha. Stephen Semple: Hires a programmer, Shel Kaphan. And the first name of the company was not Amazon. It was Cadabra, as in- Dave Young: Cadabra. Abra. Stephen Semple: As in “Abracadabra, your book arrives.” Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: Name didn’t work well. People thought it was… Dave Young: Magic supplies, or- Stephen Semple: No. Well, they actually mistake it, Cadabra for cadaver. Dave Young: Yeah, that’s not good either, now that I think about it. Stephen Semple: So they needed a new name, and they had very much still the phone book mentality. Remember how everybody wanted to be listed first in the phone book? Dave Young: Sure. You start with an A. Stephen Semple: So you start with an A, and the first name that kind of came along that they thought they could do anything with was Amazon. Okay, yeah. You know, it’s [inaudible 00:08:32] a river, all this other stuff. So they just went, “Sure, let’s do Amazon. We can make that work.” Dave Young: Well, and the smart thing is he picked a… unless I’m wrong, he picked one word as the name. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: It wasn’t Amazon Booksellers. Stephen Semple: No, Amazon. Dave Young: Amazon Online Booksellers. Stephen Semple: Right, because he still had the vision — Dave Young: That’s limiting. Yeah. Stephen Semple: Right, because he still had the vision, “I’m going to do more than this, but I need to start with one thing.” So Amazon. Dave Young: So that vision dictates you find a name that is big enough to handle the vision. Stephen Semple: Yes. World’s biggest river, right? So it’s June 16th, 1995, Amazon goes live. They wanted to make it simple and easy to order books, and what would happen is they will get the sale, then they turn around and buy the book from the wholesaler, repackage the book, and ship it out to you. So they basically had no inventory. Dave Young: I was going to say, you could test the whole idea by just setting up your office near a brick and mortar bookstore and walking over and buying the book. Stephen Semple: Instead, they were buying the wholesale. Dave Young: Drop it in the mail. But they’re buying from wholesale, so there’s a little profit in it for them. That’s good. Stephen Semple: Yep. So the book would come in, they would repack it, ship it to the customer. So really, at first they had no physical inventory, but they had a list of a million books. They could basically sell any book that they could get from a wholesaler. And Amazon rolls out with this claim. They have the Earth’s biggest bookstore, which is really crazy. Any book store could claim that, because they all had access to the same million books. But I also love… There was a little bit of an unusual wording here. Dave Young: Stay tuned. We’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories To Sell Ad] Dave Young: Let’s pick up our story where we left off, and trust me, you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: I also love, there was a little bit of an unusual wording here, because you sort of expect it to be the world’s biggest bookstore, rather than the Earth’s biggest bookstore. Dave Young: Oh yeah, that’s a good point. Yeah. Stephen Semple: Right? And I think that really, again, the slightly unusual wording that fit but doesn’t fit sort of makes things stand out a little bit more. The first week, they do 13,000 in sales. Everybody’s working, boxing books, including Bezos in the early days, and they’re struggling to keep up. Like, it’s working. Then they get a call from Yahoo. So remember, at the time, Yahoo is the monster. Mid-’90s, Yahoo is the leading search engine by a country mile. And Yahoo had this thing that they would do. Each week, they would feature the hottest websites on their landing page. And they give Amazon a call and they say, “Hey, would you like to be featured?” Now, they’re struggling to keep up. Bezos says, “Yep. Keep the pedal to the metal.” So Amazon’s already behind in orders, but they go for it, because the whole idea is get big fast. In a month, they’ve got orders from all 50 states, 25 countries, but they don’t have the infrastructure to keep up, and they’re operating at a loss and growing. So in 1996, they arrange for $8 million investment and they start hiring and updating infrastructure. Now, this point, they get the attention of Barnes & Noble. Remember, Barnes & Noble is the biggest retailer at this time. The CEO meets with them, and he’s known as being kind of a bit of a ruthless guy. He tells Jeff that Barnes & Noble is going to launch their site and it’s going to kill them. So the alternative is sell to Barnes & Noble. Barnes & Noble basically says, “Bezos, we’re going to bury you.” Bezos says, “No.” But here’s where Bezos is smart. Basically, Barnes & Noble tipped their hand. So in May, 1997, Barnes & Noble launches their site, and it’s not bad, and it’s getting better, but the heads-up made Bezos realize he needed the capital to compete. So he had also arranged to go public. So when Barnes & Noble launched their site, Bezos went public, literally same month, May, ’97. And he raises $54 million. But what he realizes, to win, he now needs to stock inventory and do it quicker than Barnes & Noble. So he starts building warehouses. Then, what is the next natural thing to add to books? Movies, and music. Remember? Dave Young: Yeah, I’m just… Stephen Semple: Right, because movies were DVD, and music was CDs, right? Nice, natural add-on. Dave Young: And you’ve already got people competing in that space. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: You’ve got places that are selling CDs and shipping you movies, like Netflix. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So it’s 1999, and he grows from 610 million to 1.6 billion, 170% growth with the addition of that. Now, here’s the problem. The dot-com bubble bursts, and lots of businesses fail. Investors are switching their focus away from growth. You know how there was that whole thing, burn rate, burn rate, burn rate, doesn’t matter, you don’t need to be profitable. Now all of a sudden, you got to be profitable. And Amazon’s still losing money. And Bezos is told by the board that he needs to make money, he needs to raise prices. This is what the board says. “Dude, you’re raising prices.” What does Bezos do? Announces he’s lowering prices across the board by 30% on everything. He stands against the board, because he says, “This is my opportunity to crush the competition and win.” It’s really interesting, the Monday Morning Memo this week, from Roy H. Williams. So we need to note, it’s October 6th, so any listeners should go back, mondaymorningmemo.com, October 6th. Read that because it’s really interesting what Roy wrote this morning. It’s write down this whole idea, that when things slow down, this is when the little guy can crush the big guys. Dave Young: The big guy, yeah. Stephen Semple: This is what he did. Bezos stood against the board, board, said, “Raise prices,” Bezos said, “No, this is my opportunity to put the foot down, put the hammer down, and win.” And that’s what he did. And guess what? Not only that, few quarters after doing that, they hit profitability for the first time, because they exploded the transactions. They killed their competitors in that moment. So I think the parts that came across interesting for me that I wanted to talk about when it comes to Amazon is this whole idea of he knew he wanted to do something big, but he knew he couldn’t start large. So he spent a lot of time thinking about what’s the natural thing for me to start with? And he looked for something that was fragmented, then it’s easy to go in, that was not being done well, but was already a fairly regular purchase, so he did books. And then in terms of the expansion, what’s something that has very similar characteristics to books? Movies, music. Dave Young: That people are already accustomed to purchasing online. Stephen Semple: Correct. Dave Young: And startup people will talk about the minimum viable product, or minimum viable service, right? Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: And that’s sort of this. Stephen Semple: It is sort of, because he did it with no inventory. Dave Young: Sort of, but it’s not quite, though. Stephen Semple: Not quite. Dave Young: Because he wasn’t trying to make the minimum viable product or service. He was trying to find the entry path to something much, much bigger. Stephen Semple: Correct. Dave Young: When you have this idea for a business that, oh, we’re going to sell this thing online, or we’re going to do this service, and you just… When you think about minimum viable product, you’re forced to think small, and I think in some cases the risk is that you trim back that big vision. Stephen Semple: Yeah. He managed to hold- Dave Young: And you lose it. Stephen Semple: So there’s two areas where Bezos really showed his brilliance. And look, he’s shown his brilliance in so many different things. There’s whole books that have been written around his philosophies and whatnot. But these were the two that I thought have not been talked about before that I think we can all learn from as entrepreneurs, is he managed to hold those two ideas in his head, the long-term vision and the short-term thing he needed to do to get started. And he didn’t have the one limit the other. One, he was very clear, this one is the pathway to the other. But he was also okay to be known initially as a bookseller. He was fine with that. But he was able to hold those two contradictory ideas in his head and not sacrifice one for the other. And I think you’re right. A lot of people struggle with that, and he was brilliant at that. Dave Young: He was focused on it. Stephen Semple: He never lost sight of it. Dave Young: That’s a really good take on Amazon. I love this one. Stephen Semple: The other part is, and I think it’s particularly relevant for where we are today, is because there’s a lot of talk of consumer confidence slipping and things along that lines, is that he stood against his board. His board was like, “Okay, the tune of the day is we got to get profitable. You have to raise prices.” And what he knew is if he raised prices, this idea wasn’t going to work. And look, I’m not normally one saying, “Go lower prices. Go lower prices. Go lower prices.” But strategically, here’s what he knew at this point. His competitors were failing, his competitors were not making money, and his competitors had no more access to capital. This was the opportunity to destroy his online competitors. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: The final nail… This is my opportunity to put my foot on their throat and win. Normally, a lowering a prices is not going to do that, but strategically in that moment, strategically in that moment, it was going to crush the competition. Dave Young: And he didn’t change the vision of the company to always be the low-cost supplier, right? It’s, like, that’s changed now. Stephen Semple: Right. Yes. Dave Young: You may find it for less on Amazon, but you may not. He didn’t make it as a strategy of focus on the company. Again, he made it as strategic decision for competition reasons. Stephen Semple: Correct. Dave Young: Which is what Walmart did, right? Stephen Semple: Correct. Dave Young: It’s just a similar story that’s not in the brick-and-mortar space. I love hearing this story. Stephen Semple: Yeah. And he took advantage of the moment. He saw that there’s this moment where this will work. There’s this moment in time where this will work, and I’m going to take advantage of this moment. Dave Young: And he became incredibly rich. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: Still is. And here’s, to me, the happy ending, okay? When he got divorced, his ex-wife got half of it, half of… I don’t know, half of Amazon, but half of all the money, at least, and she’s been given it away to charities and helping all kinds of people, not buying yachts. Stephen Semple: And look, and he didn’t fight it. He recognized her role. Dave Young: Yeah, yeah. Oh, sure. Stephen Semple: He recognized her role. Dave Young: No, [inaudible 00:19:52] full credit for that. Stephen Semple: It was not one of these drawn-out-in-court battles, because we didn’t hear anything about it. Dave Young: Yeah, and- Stephen Semple: So he did the right thing. Dave Young: Yeah, I think so. And she’s doing a great thing. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: Right? She’s clearly thought, well, yeah, “I can help a lot of people , still live a fantastic life.” Stephen Semple: I’d been resisting doing Amazon, although I felt like it’s hard to have a podcast like this and not talk about Amazon. Dave Young: It is. Stephen Semple: But I wanted to find a couple of things that I think just were a little bit different take, and a couple of things that we can really take away as business owners. And I like to call it the thin edge of the wedge strategy. What’s that starting point which you identified, that then you can pivot to the larger thing. And also, in the tough times, that’s your opportunity to become the leader. Dave Young: Okay. Well, that’s it for the giant, Amazon. Stephen Semple: Yep. Dave Young: You’re talking about an empire. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Next week, as marketers, we’ll be back to talking about the Apple 1984 commercial. No, we won’t. Thank you, Stephen. Stephen Semple: Thanks, David. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us, subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a big, fat, juicy five-star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute empire-building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.

And Another Thing with Dave
#452 Democrats and Immigration part 3 of 6: Borders, Budgets & Free Speech

And Another Thing with Dave

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2025 31:09


And Another Thing With Dave, by Dave SmithEpisode: Borders, Budgets & Free Speech: A Hard Look at Immigration and Culture WarsHost: Dave SmithDave dives into a fiery discussion on immigration enforcement, U.S. debt, and the language we use around identity and politics. From border policy and terminology to campus pronouns and media narratives, this episode argues for rule-of-law consistency and faster legal pathways while challenging what Dave sees as performative “tolerance.” Strong views, candid debate, and calls for critical thinking.(Content note: frank political opinions and sensitive topics.)Thank you for tuning in!If you are digging what I am doing, and picking up what I'm putting down, please follow, subscribe, and share the podcast on social media and with friends. Reviews are greatly appreciated. You can leave a review on Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.Links below Apple Podcasts⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/and-another-thing-with-dave/id1498443271⁠Spotify⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1HLX3dqSQgeWZNXVZ1Z4EC?⁠Thanks again!!!#aatwd #andanotherthing #davesmith #podcast #conspiracies #truther #politics #uspolitics #truthseeker #andanotherthgingwithdave #USA #usa #Australia #australia #Ireland #ireland #India #india #Germany #germany #uk #UK #United Kingdom #united kingdom #Canada #canada#AndAnotherThingWithDave #DaveSmithPodcast #ImmigrationDebate #BorderPolicy #RuleOfLaw #USDebt #PoliticalCommentary #MediaNarratives #FreeSpeechDebate #CultureWars #PronounsDebate #NationalSecurity #CurrentEventsPodcast #IndependentCommentary #CriticalThinking #USPolitics #PolicyDiscussion #CivicDiscourse #PodcastEpisode

Kings and Generals: History for our Future
3.176 Fall and Rise of China: Changkufeng Incident

Kings and Generals: History for our Future

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2025 36:32


Last time we spoke about the Soviet-Japanese Border Conflict. The border between Soviet Manchuria and Japanese-occupied territories emerges not as a single line but as a mosaic of contested spaces, marks, and memories. A sequence of incidents, skirmishes along the Chaun and Tumen rivers, reconnaissance sorties, and the complex diplomacy of Moscow, Tokyo, and peripheral actors to trace how risk escalated from routine patrols to calibrated leverage. On the ground, terrain functioned as both obstacle and argument: ridges like Changkufeng Hill shaping sightlines, river valleys shaping decisions, and markers weathered by snow, wind, and drift. In command tents, officers translated terrain into doctrine: contingency plans, supply routes, and the precarious calculus of restraint versus escalation. Both nations sought to establish firmer defensive barriers against the other. Inevitably they were destined to clash, but how large that clash would become, nobody knew.   #176 The Changkufeng Incident Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. In the last episode we broke down a general history of the Soviet-Japanese Border Conflict and how it escalated significantly by 1938. Colonel Inada Masazum serving as chief of the 2nd Operations Section within the Operations Bureau in March of 1938 would play a significant role in this story. When the Japanese command's attention was drawn to the area of Changkufeng, consideration was given to the ownership and importance of the disputed high ground. Inada and his operations section turned to an appraisal of the geography. The officers had been impressed by the strategic importance of the Tumen, which served to cut off the hill country from North Korea. In the Changkufeng area, the river was a muddy 600 to 800 meters wide and three to five meters deep. Japanese engineers had described rowing across the stream as "rather difficult."  Russian roads on the left bank were very good, according to Japanese intelligence. Heavy vehicles moved easily; the Maanshan section comprised the Russians' main line of communications in the rear. To haul up troops and materiel, the Russians were obliged to use trucks and ships, for there were no railways apart from a four-kilometer line between the harbor and town of Novokievsk. Near Changkufeng, hardly any roadways were suitable for vehicular traffic. On the right, or Korean, bank of the Tumen, there were only three roads suitable for vehicular traffic, but even these routes became impassable after a day or two of rain. In the sector between Hill 52 to the south and Shachaofeng to the north, the most pronounced eminences were Chiangchunfeng and the humps of Changkufeng. Rocky peaks were characteristically shaped like inverted T's, which meant many dead angles against the crests. The gentle slopes would allow tanks to move but would restrict their speed, as would the ponds and marshes. In general, the terrain was treeless and afforded little cover against aircraft. Against ground observation or fire, corn fields and tall miscanthus grass could provide some shielding. Between Chiangchunfeng and the Tumen, which would have to serve as the main route of Japanese supply, the terrain was particularly sandy and hilly. This rendered foot movement difficult but would reduce the effectiveness of enemy bombs and shells. The high ground east of Khasan afforded bases for fire support directed against the Changkufeng region. Plains characterized the rest of the area on the Soviet side, but occasional streams and swamps could interfere with movement of tanks and trucks. The only towns or villages were Novokievsk, Posyet, Yangomudy, and Khansi. At Kozando there were a dozen houses; at Paksikori, a few. The right bank was farmed mainly by Koreans, whose scattered cottages might have some value for billeting but offered none for cover. On the left bank, the largest hamlets were Fangchuanting, with a population of 480 dwelling in 73 huts, and Yangkuanping, where there were 39 cottages. Shachaofeng was uninhabited. Japanese occupation of Changkufeng would enable observation of the plain stretching east from Posyet Bay, although intelligence made no mention of Soviet naval bases, submarine pens, or airstrips in the immediate area of Posyet, either in existence or being built in 1938. As Inada knew, the Japanese Navy judged that Posyet Bay might have another use, as a site for Japanese landing operations in the event of war. In Russian hands, the high ground would endanger the Korean railway. This line, which started from Najin in northeastern Korea, linked up with the vital system in Manchuria at the town of Tumen and provided a short cut, if not a lifeline, between Japan and the Kwantung Army and Manchuria from across the Sea of Japan. Even from relatively low Changkufeng, six or seven miles of track were exposed to Soviet observation between Hongui and Shikai stations. The port of Najin, with its fortress zone, lay 11 miles southwest; Unggi lay even nearer. It was not the danger of Japanese shelling of Vladivostok, at an incredible range of 80 miles that was at stake but the more realistic hypothesis of Russian shelling of the rail line, and Russian screening of the Soviet side of the border. Hills and questions were thought to have two sides. It was the consensus of Japanese that Changkufeng Hill's potential value to the Russians far outweighed its possible benefits to them, or at least that the Japanese had more to lose if the Russians took the high ground by the Tumen. Inada nurtured few illusions concerning the intrinsic value of the heights. Despite the fact that the high command always had good reasons for quiescence in the north, Inada believed that the latest border difficulty could not be overlooked. By mid-July 1938 Inada's thoughts crystallized. The Japanese would conduct a limited reconnaissance in force known as iryoku teisatsu in the strategic sense. Whereas, at the tactical schoolbook level, this might mean the dispatch of small forces into enemy territory to seek local combat intelligence, at the Imperial General Headquarters level the concept was far more sweeping. There would also be useful evidence of mobilization and other buildup procedures. The affair at Changkufeng was merely a welcome coincidence, something started by the Russians but liable to Japanese exploration. Inada had no intention of seizing territory, of becoming involved in a war of attrition at a remote and minor spot, or of provoking hostilities against the USSR. The Russians would comprehend the nature of the problem, too. If they were interested in interfering seriously with the Japanese, there were numberless better locations to cause trouble along the Manchurian front; those were the places to watch. The cramped Changkufeng sector, described as "narrow like a cat's brow," could too readily be pinched off from Hunchun to render it of strategic value to either side. The bog land to the north interfered with the use of armored forces, while artillery sited on the heights along the Tumen in Korea could as easily control the area as batteries emplaced east of the lake. It was Inada's professional opinion that the Russians could commit three or four infantry divisions there at most, with no mechanized corps—no heavy tanks, in particular. No decisive battle could be waged, although, once the Russians became involved, they might have to cling to the hill out of a sense of honor. The military action would be meaningless even if the Japanese let the Russians have the heights. For their part, the Japanese would ostensibly be fighting to secure the boundary and to hold Changkufeng peak, beyond which they would not move a step onto Soviet soil. There would be no pursuit operations. Troop commitment would be limited to about one division without tank support. Japanese Air Force intervention would be forbidden. Matters would be directed entirely by Imperial General Headquarters working through the Korea Army chain of command and carried out by the local forces. Calm, clear, and dispassionate overall estimates and instructions would be based on materials available only in Tokyo. The command would not allow the Kwantung Army to touch the affair. Inada foresaw that the Japanese government might also seek a settlement through diplomacy. Although border demarcation was desirable and should be sought, the command would not insist on it, nor would it demand permanent occupation of Changkufeng summit. As soon as reconnaissance objectives had been achieved, the local forces would be withdrawn. As Inada described it "In the process, we would have taught the Russians some respect and given them a lesson concerning their repeated, high-handed provocations and intrusions. If a show of force sufficed to facilitate the negotiations and cause the Russians to back down, so much the better; the affair would be over and my point proved." The instrument for carrying out Inada's strategic design appeared to be ideal, the 19th Division, strenuously trained and high-spirited. It could be expected to perform very well if unleashed within defined limits. Colonel Suetaka was just the commander to direct local operations. Since he had been pleading to fight in China, an operation at Changkufeng might prove to be an excellent "safety valve." His staff was full of experienced, fierce warriors eager for battle. Until recently, the Korea Army commanding general had wisely kept the aggressive division away from Changkufeng Hill, but now Imperial general headquarters had its own overriding ideas and needs. How could the Japanese ensure that any military action would remain limited if the Russians chose to respond with vigor? Naturally, one infantry division, without armor or air support, could not withstand all of the Soviet forces in the maritime province. Inada answered that the mission to be assigned the 19th Division was merely the recapture of Changkufeng crest. If the Japanese side had to break off the operation, evacuation would be effected voluntarily and resolutely on Imperial general headquarters responsibility, without considerations of "face." At worst, the Japanese might lose one division, but the affair would be terminated at the Tumen River without fail. "Even so, we ought to be able to prove our theory as well as demonstrate our true strength to the Russians." In case the Soviets opted for more than limited war, the Japanese were still not so overextended in China that they could not alter their strategic disposition of troops. Although the Kwantung Army's six divisions were outnumbered four to one and the Japanese were not desirous of a war at that moment, the first-class forces in Manchuria could make an excellent showing. In addition, the high command possessed armor, heavy artillery, fighters, and bombers, held in check in Manchuria and Korea, as well as reserves in the homeland. There was also the 104th Division, under tight Imperial general headquarters control, in strategic reserve in southern Manchuria. Inada recalled "How would the Russians react? That was the answer I sought. Victory in China depended on it." By mid-July, the high command, at Inada's urging, had worked out a plan titled, "Imperial General headqaurters Essentials for Dealing with the Changkufeng Incident." Tada's telegram of 14 July to Koiso described succinctly the just-decided policy: the central authorities concurred with the Korea Army's opinion regarding the Changkufeng affair, then in embryo. Considering that Changkufeng Hill posed a direct threat to the frontier of Korea, Imperial General headqaurters would immediately urge the foreign ministry to lodge a stern protest. Next day, Tojo sent a telegram stating the Japanese policy of employing diplomacy; whether the Russians should be evicted by force required cautious deliberation in case the USSR did not withdraw voluntarily. On the basis of the guidance received from Imperial General headqaurters, the Korea Army drew up its own plan, "Essentials for Local Direction of the Changkufeng Incident," on 15 July. Intelligence officer Tsuchiya Sakae was sent promptly to the front from Seoul. At the same time, military authorities allowed the press to release news that Soviet troops were constructing positions inside Manchurian territory in an "obvious provocation." The government of Manchukuo was demanding an immediate withdrawal. Even then, those Japanese most closely connected with the handling of the Changkufeng Incident were not in agreement that everybody at command level was as ardent a proponent of reconnaissance in force as Inada claimed to be. Some thought that most, if not all, of his subordinates, youthful and vigorous, were in favor of the notion; others denied the existence of such an idea. Inada remained clear-cut in his own assertions. Everything done by the local Soviet forces, he insisted, must have been effected with the permission of Moscow; it was customary for the USSR not to abandon what it had once started. The Japanese Army never really thought that the Soviet Union would withdraw just as the result of diplomatic approaches. Therefore, from the outset, preparations were made to deal the Russians one decisive blow. Inada had recommended his plan, with its clear restrictions, to his colleagues and superiors; the scheme, he says, was approved 14 July "all the way up the chain of command, through the Army general staff and the ministry of war, with unexpected ease." The only real opposition, Inada recalled, came from the navy, whose staff advised the army operations staff, in all sincerity, to give up the idea of strategic reconnaissance. Inada adhered to his opinion stubbornly. He never forgot the grave look on the face of Captain Kusaka, the UN operations section chief, as the latter gave in reluctantly. The navy view was that the Changkufeng affair typified the army's aggressive policies as opposed to relative passivity on the part of the navy. Like Kusaka, Japanese Navy interviewees shared the fear that Changkufeng might prove to be the most dangerous military confrontation ever to occur between the USSR and Japan. In view of navy objections, one wonders where Inada could have drawn support for his concept of reconnaissance in force. If one accepts the comments contained in a letter from a navy ministry captain, Takagi Sokichi, to Baron Harada Kumao at the beginning of August, in the army and in a portion of the navy there existed "shallow-minded fellows who are apt to take a firm stand in the blind belief that the USSR would not really rise against us, neglecting the fact that the Russians had foreseen our weak points." Takagi also had violent things to say about "white-livered" Gaimusho elements that were playing up to the army. Although Takagi's remarks, expressed in confidence, were sharp, cautious injunctions were being delivered by the high command to the new Korea Army commander, General Nakamura Kotaro, who was about to leave for Seoul to replace Koiso. Nakamura's attitude was crucial for the course and outcome of the Changkufeng Incident. More of a desk soldier than a warrior, he characteristic ally displayed a wariness that was reinforced by the guidance provided him. This personal quality assumes even greater significance if one believes that the Russians may have initiated the Changkufeng Incident by exploiting the special opportunities afforded them by the routine replacement of the Korea Army commander, the temporary absence from Moscow of Ambassador Shigemitsu Mamoru, and the geographical as well as subjective gap between the Kwantung and Korea armies that was exposed during the Lyushkov affair. At 10:00 on 15 July Nakamura was designated army commander by the Emperor at the palace. Soon afterward, he was briefed by Imperial General headquarters officers. Hashimoto, the operations bureau chief, recalled that when he saw Nakamura off on 17 July, Hashimoto stressed prudence, limitation of any military action, and diplomatic solution of the problem. The new commanding general, Inada asserted, promised full cooperation. There was no mention, at this level, of Inada's concept of reconnaissance in force. When Nakamura reached Seoul, he found an Imperial order from Tokyo dated 16 July awaiting him. This important document stipulated that he could concentrate units under his command in Korea near the border against the trespassing Soviet forces in the Changkufeng area. Resort to force, however, was dependent upon further orders. This message was followed by a wire from Kan'in, the Army general staff chief. The Imperial order, it was explained, had been designed to support diplomatic negotiations. Simultaneous approval was granted for concentrating forces to respond swiftly in case the situation deteriorated. As for implementation of the Imperial order, discretion should be exercised in line with the opinion expressed earlier by Korea Army Headquarters. Negotiations were to be conducted in Moscow and Harbin, the location of a Soviet consulate in Manchukuo. Meanwhile, the command was dispatching two officers for purposes of liaison: Lt. Colonel Arisue Yadoru in Operations and Major Kotani Etsuo a specialist in Soviet intelligence. Inada advised Arisue that, apart from liaison flights inside the frontiers, particular care should be exercised with regard to actions that might lead to air combat. Nevertheless, although Inada stated that the Imperial order called for "a sort of military demonstration," he admitted that it meant preparatory action for an attack. The Korea Army senior staff officer, Iwasaki, recalled hearing nothing about secret intentions. Nakamura briefed his staff about the need for restraint, especially during this key period of the Wuhan operation. Koiso had disposed of speculation that he had issued an order to concentrate the 19th Division before Nakamura arrived, although he and Nakamura did have the opportunity to confer in Seoul before he departed for Japan. The Imperial order of 16 July, in response to Koiso's inquiry received in Tokyo on 14 July, had arrived in Seoul addressed to Nakamura; thereupon, the Korea Army chief of staff, Kitano, had the message conveyed to the division. By 21 July Koiso was back in Tokyo where, the day afterward, he advised the war minister, Itagaki, "to act prudently with respect to the Changkufeng problem." Why did the high command dispatch two field-grade liaison officers to Korea from the outset of the Changkufeng Incident? The Korea Army lacked operations staff. Its commander had been allotted prime responsibility, within the chain of command, for defense of northeastern Korea. At the beginning, the highest-ranking staff officer at the front was a major. Since there were no fundamental differences of opinion between the command and the forces in Korea, it was proper to send experts from Tokyo to assist. Imperial General headqaurters would observe the situation carefully, devise measures on the basis of the overall view, and issue orders which the Korea Army would implement through ordinary channels. It had not been the type of incident which required the army commander to go to the front to direct. This was the Korea Army's first test, and political as well as diplomatic problems were involved that the army in the field should not or could not handle. If Tokyo had left decisions to the division and its regiments, the latter would have been held to account, which was not proper. Imperial General headquarters had to assume responsibility and reassure local commanders of its full support. Imaoka Yutaka explained that operational guidance by Imperial General headquarters and line operations conducted by the 19th Division formed the core of the affair; the Korea Army, placed between, was "shadowy." Koiso had not been enthusiastic; this set the mood among the staff. Nakamura, who arrived with a thorough comprehension of AGS thinking, was basically passive. The Korea Army staff, in general, included no "wild boars."    There was an urgent need to monitor developments. Not only was the Korea Army unfamiliar with handling this type of incident, but many hitches occurred. There had been no practice in emergency transmission of coded wires between the Korea Army and Tokyo. Now telegram after telegram had to be sent; most were deciphered incorrectly and many were not decoded at all. Another problem centered on the lack of knowledge in Tokyo about the situation on the spot, which only visual observation could rectify. As a result, the two Army general staff experts, Arisue and Kotani, arrived in Korea on 16 July. Kotani recalled that he was to collect intelligence and assist the local authorities. One of the first duties that he and Arisue performed was to disseminate the principle that use of force required a prior Imperial order. Also on 16 July, Japanese newspapers reported that the USSR was still concentrating troops, that the Manchukuoan government was watching intently, "decisive punitive measures" were being contemplated by the Japanese-Manchukuoan authorities, and there were signs of a worsening of the crisis. Despite good reasons for this gloomy appraisal, the Japanese press had not yet given the incident page-one treatment. More alarming news was being disseminated abroad. Domei, the official Japanese news agency, reported that the situation would probably become worse unless Soviet troops were withdrawn. The position of the Japanese government impressed foreign correspondents as unusually firm. Informants characterized the Changkufeng Incident as the most serious affair since the clash on the Amur River in 1937. Irked by the Korea Army's timidity and eager for first-hand information, the Kwantung Army dispatched two observers to the front: from Intelligence, Ogoshi Kenji, and from Operations, Tsuji Masanobu. If you listen to my pacific war week by week podcast or echoes of war, you know I highlight Tsuji Masanobu as one of the most evil Japanese officers of WW2. No other way to describe this guy, he was a shithead. In his memoirs, Tsuji asserted that he and Ogoshi climbed Changkufeng Hill, discerned Soviet soldiers digging across the peak in Manchurian territory, and concluded that "probably even Tokyo could not overlook such a clear-cut case of invasion." Although his account aligned with the general thrust, Ogoshi contended that Tsuji could not have accompanied him. According to sources with the 19th Division, when Koiso learned that Tsuji and Ogoshi were disparaging the Korea Army's ability to defend Changkufeng, he ordered "those spies" ousted. Ogoshi replied that the army staff was not angry, but Koiso did become furious and ordered Ogoshi "arrested for trespassing." Ogoshi surmised that Koiso's concern was that emotional outsiders such as Tsuji could provoke trouble, perhaps even war, if they visited Changkufeng. This view was widely shared. Inada stated that he made a practice of keeping away to maintain the degree of detachment and impartiality required of high command authorities. One sidelight to the "fraternal" visit to the Changkufeng area by observers from Hsinking was provided by Lt. Colonel Katakura Tadashi, chief of the Kwantung Army's 4th Section, which handled Manchukuo affairs, primarily political direction. When Katakura visited the Operations Section, Tsuji and Ogoshi told him that an intrusion had been confirmed and that the Kwantung Army staff was studying ways to evict the Soviets. Katakura consulted Maj. General Ishiwara Kanji, acting chief of staff, who was already in possession of the draft of an operations order calling for offensive preparations by the Kwantung Army against the Russians at Changkufeng. Katakura asked for reconsideration of the order. This was not a matter to be handled solely by the operations staff. Borders and international affairs were involved; hence the 4th Section, along with the Manchukuoan government, the Gaimusho, and other agencies, were concerned. Field observers were expressing exaggerated personal opinions based on having seen Soviet sentries on a hilltop. If the matter fell within the Korea Army's defensive prerogative, that army ought to handle it. Apparently the Kwantung Army commander and Ishiwara agreed with Katakura, for the draft order was not approved. The so-called private message dispatched by a Kwantung Army staff officer just before Koiso's departure may have been provoked by this rejection of direct participation by forces under Kwantung Army command. Staff officers in Tokyo believed that Hsinking could not see the forest for the trees. In the high command's view, the Kwantung Army's deliberate escalation of a negligible frontier incident undoubtedly stemmed from a failure to grasp the strategic requirements of national defense—pursuit of the campaign in China, the nurturance of Manchukuo, and the buildup of operational readiness for the ultimate solution of the Soviet problem. The high command felt obliged to remind the Kwantung Army that, in dealing with the Changkufeng Incident, the central authorities pressed for a Russian pullback through diplomacy. Consequently, the Korea Army had been instructed to be ready to concentrate troops near Changkufeng as a "background." Meanwhile, it remained the Imperial will that utmost prudence be exercised. The Kwantung Army commander accordingly issued cautious instructions to subordinate units, especially those on the eastern border. The high command's injunctions did not end the discontent and recrimination at the lower levels of Kwantung Army Headquarters, nor did they quiet the concern felt in Tokyo. A former war minister told Baron Harada repeatedly in late July that the Kwantung Army was "no good," while the superintendent of police added that the Kwantung Army was embarrassing Foreign Minister Ugaki. Nevertheless, the Kwantung Army did exert self-restraint. For its part, the Korea Army naïvely sought to achieve entente with an antagonist who considered the case nonnegotiable. First, the government of Manchukuo was asked to lodge a formal protest with the USSR. The commissioner for foreign affairs at Harbin phoned V. V. Kuznetzov, the acting consul, on the night of 14 July and saw him on the 18th. Basing its contentions on maps, the Haensing regime demanded Soviet withdrawal from Changkufeng. The Japanese government was lodging similar protests within the framework of Japanese-Manchukuoan joint defense agreements. On the spot, the situation inflamed. During the afternoon of 15 July, a Japanese military police patrol from Korea reconnoitered at the foot of Hill 52, southeast of Changkufeng. The party came under Soviet gunfire and was driven back, abandoning the body of Corp. Matsushima Shakuni. Japanese sources claimed that a Russian ambush had been set inside Manchuria. The Russian side insisted that it was the Soviet frontier that had been violated by thirty meters. Kuzma Grebennik, the colonel commanding the 59th BGU, which covered the Posyet sector, asserted that Matsushima's effects included a notebook containing reconnaissance results and a camera with film of Soviet-claimed terrain, particularly Changkufeng Hill. According to Maj. Gilfan Batarshin, a subordinate of Grebennik, two Russian border guards from Podgornaya opened fire when the Japanese fled after being challenged. Japanese protests to the USSR about the death of Matsushima and the taking of his body were added to the negotiations concerning the disputed border and the alleged trespassing. Charge Nishi Haruhiko lodged a vigorous complaint in Moscow on 15 July but was answered by a counterprotest. Ambassador Shigemitsu underwent an identical experience during a conversation with Foreign Commissar Maxim Litvinov on 20 July. Shigemitsu retorted that the murder tended to exacerbate the negotiations. In his memoirs, he stated that the killing of Matsushima provoked the local Japanese border garrison unit. The shooting occurred as the Soviet military buildup continued, according to Japanese sources. Mechanized units were reported moving in the direction of Kyonghun from Barabash and Posyet Bay. Biplanes were reconnoitering the Hunchun Valley, within Manchurian territory, from the afternoon of 16 July. To the local Japanese authorities, it seemed that the Russians were adopting a challenging attitude. Although the Japanese-Manchukuoan side remained willing to negotiate—that is, to take no forceful actions if the Russians would withdraw, the latter appeared not to share such an intention. The Soviets were not only misinterpreting the Hunchun treaty to their advantage but were encroaching beyond what they claimed to be the line; they "lacked sincerity." Decisive use of force might have been imperative to secure the Manchurian border, which was Japan's legal responsibility. As far north as Tungning on the eastern Manchurian frontier, two Soviet ground divisions and considerable numbers of tanks and aircraft were reported massed in full view. At Changkufeng, Russian soldiers fortified the crest. Mountain guns were now seen with muzzles pointed toward Manchuria, and Japanese intelligence estimated that Soviet troop strength near Changkufeng had grown to 120 or 130 by the evening of 18 July. As Sawamoto Rikichiro, an Imperial aide, noted in his diary, "It would seem that settlement of the affair had become increasingly difficult." Korea Army staff officer Tsuchiya sent two emissaries bearing the notice to the Soviet border. The pair, "blazing with patriotic ardor,"set out on 18 July, carrying a message in one hand and a white flag in the other. From Kyonghun came the report the next day that there had been an urgent, well-attended Soviet staff meeting at BGU Headquarters in Novokievsk all night, and that the Russian side had been discomfited by the Japanese request, which had been transmitted to higher authorities. Still, the emissaries did not return, while a stream of reports indicated a Soviet buildup along a dozen frontier sectors. Russian authorities had reportedly forced the natives to evacuate an area twenty miles behind their borders. From Japanese observation posts, Soviet convoys of men, guns, and horses could be sighted moving toward Novokievsk after being unloaded from transports originating at Vladivostok. Japanese Army Intelligence reported that on 18 July a regimental-size force had arrived at Novokievsk; artillery displacements forward were particularly visible by night east of Khasan. A confidential Gaimusho message indicated that Soviet truck movements between Posyet, Novokievsk, and the front had increased since the 20th. Russian intrusions, kidnappings, and sniping incidents were reported along the Manchurian borders, from Manchouli on the west to Suifenho on the east, between 18 and 25 July. Aircraft on daytime reconnaissance were detected as far as three miles inside Manchurian territory in the Hunchun area. Although the Japanese asserted that their forbearance was being tested, Izvestiya charged "Japanese militarists" with manufacturing an affair at Ussuri as well as at Changkufeng. The Japanese themselves received reports from the Changkufeng front that by 20 July the Soviets had 250 soldiers, armed with field pieces, trench mortars, howitzers, and light and heavy machine guns, on the southern slopes. The Russians were putting up tents capable of holding 40 men each; officers could be observed for the first time. On the evening of the 20th, the Soviets lobbed illuminating shells toward Manchurian territory. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Inada Masazum, studying maps and mud, saw Changkufeng Hill as a prize with peril, a test of nerve rather than a conquest. Tokyo's orders pulsed through Seoul and Harbin: guard, probe, and deter, but avoid full-scale war. Across the border, Soviet units pressed closer, lights and tents flickering on the hillside. The sea within sight whispered of strategy, diplomacy, and a warning: a single misstep could redraw Asia. And so the standoff waited, patient as winter.

The Chuck ToddCast: Meet the Press
Interview Only w/ David Lesch - Bashar al-Assad, Broken Borders & Baseball

The Chuck ToddCast: Meet the Press

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2025 62:00 Transcription Available


In this episode of the Chuck ToddCast, historian and author David Lesch joins Chuck to discuss the new book Dodgers to Damascus — an unexpected blend of Middle Eastern politics and baseball. Lesch traces his path from aspiring major-leaguer to one of America’s foremost scholars on Syria, explaining how the fall of the Ottoman Empire, artificial borders drawn by European powers, and a lack of cohesive national identity still shape the region today. He offers candid reflections on his relationship with Bashar al-Assad, why Syria is likely drifting toward a sectarian majoritarian state, and whether any country in the Middle East is truly positioned to attempt democracy. From Iran’s teetering leadership to the Saudis’ complicated partnership with the West, Lesch unpacks the geopolitical moment with clarity and experience. Chuck and David also dive into the surprising ways baseball helped him understand the Middle East — and vice versa. Lesch reflects on the physical toll of pitching, the Braves’ legendary rotation, and why modern sports medicine might have saved his career. The conversation even explores whether the Middle East could ever embrace baseball, the role of Islamophobia in shaping perceptions, and why travel remains one of the strongest antidotes to fear. Ultimately, Dodgers to Damascus is less a sports memoir and more a sweeping look at a region still wrestling with the consequences of history — and this episode brings that complexity to life. Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 David Lesch joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:00 Origin of “Dodgers to Damascus” 02:00 It’s weird reading about someone else’s writing about yourself 04:30 What drew David to the Middle East 06:15 Most people don’t understand the Middle East pre 1948 07:00 Fall of Ottoman Empire isn’t covered well in public education 09:00 Artificial divisions in Middle East were to benefit Europe 10:45 Countries in the Middle East lack a national identity 11:30 Davd’s relationship with Bashar Al-Assad 12:30 Assad was raised as an authoritarian and child of conflict 14:30 Any faith in the new leader of Syria to bring about positive change? 16:45 Syria has been helping with counter terrorist operations 18:00 Syria likely on the way to being a sectarian majoritarian state 21:00 Which Middle East country has the best shot at trying democracy? 22:00 Iran’s weakness makes Kurdistan more possible 23:00 Iranian ayatollahs won’t be able hold power when Khamenei dies 24:00 Iran’s government is teetering, and their proxies are weak 25:30 Iran would be an economic power if they became a western democracy 26:15 Israel is at the apex of military power in the region 29:30 The academic case for the Saudis being a partner 30:45 Can the Saudis and Iranians co-exist if Iran moderates? 32:00 How did baseball give you extra perspective on the middle east 34:00 Would modern sports medicine have saved your career? 36:00 The motion for pitching is not meant for human anatomy 37:30 Throwing sidearm is much less damaging for your arm 39:30 The Braves legendary pitching lineup 41:00 David wishes he had at least one year in the majors 42:15 Nolan Ryan’s missing flexor tendon was his superpower 44:30 Teams run the risk of ending pitchers careers early to win a title 46:15 Why is Ohtani so unusual, why haven’t pitchers been able to hit? 48:15 Could you see people in the Middle East getting into baseball? 51:15 Middle East would need a star from that region to rise in MLB 52:00 Islamophobia exists on both sides of the isle 52:30 Travel helps to cure phobias 53:45 Islamophobia is a harder barrier to break than people realize 57:15 Dodgers to Damascus is more of a middle east book than baseballSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chuck ToddCast: Meet the Press
Full Episode - Donald Trump Is Rattled By The Epstein Files + Bashar al-Assad, Broken Borders & Baseball

The Chuck ToddCast: Meet the Press

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2025 123:14 Transcription Available


On today’s Chuck ToddCast, Chuck breaks down how Donald Trump is being consumed by the growing Epstein feeding frenzy — from his inexplicable softness toward Ghislaine Maxwell to signs he may be genuinely afraid of what she knows. As Trump lashes out at Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene with the same fury he once reserved for impeachment-backers, his grip on the GOP shows early signs of slipping, even as the DOJ considers whether reopening the Epstein investigation could delay the release of sensitive files. With the economy struggling, tariffs quietly being dropped, and ACA subsidies suddenly in play, Trump’s visible panic comes at a politically vulnerable moment. Chuck also recaps conversations from the Texas Tribune Festival, where potential Democratic contenders like Wes Moore and Tim Walz signaled a return to mainstream, service-rooted politics — and where Moore’s centrist lane and military background set him apart as 2028 speculation slowly heats up. Then, historian and author David Lesch joins Chuck to discuss the new book Dodgers to Damascus — an unexpected blend of Middle Eastern politics and baseball. Lesch traces his path from aspiring major-leaguer to one of America’s foremost scholars on Syria, explaining how the fall of the Ottoman Empire, artificial borders drawn by European powers, and a lack of cohesive national identity still shape the region today. He offers candid reflections on his relationship with Bashar al-Assad, why Syria is likely drifting toward a sectarian majoritarian state, and whether any country in the Middle East is truly positioned to attempt democracy. From Iran’s teetering leadership to the Saudis’ complicated partnership with the West, Lesch unpacks the geopolitical moment with clarity and experience. Chuck and David also dive into the surprising ways baseball helped him understand the Middle East — and vice versa. Lesch reflects on the physical toll of pitching, the Braves’ legendary rotation, and why modern sports medicine might have saved his career. The conversation even explores whether the Middle East could ever embrace baseball, the role of Islamophobia in shaping perceptions, and why travel remains one of the strongest antidotes to fear. Ultimately, Dodgers to Damascus is less a sports memoir and more a sweeping look at a region still wrestling with the consequences of history — and this episode brings that complexity to life. Finally, Chuck hops in the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit several pivotal moments in the history of American conspiracy theories that all fell on the same calendar week, plus he recaps the weekend in college football! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:00 Trump is being consumed by the Epstein feeding frenzy 04:30 Trump’s leniency towards Ghislaine Maxwell is perplexing 05:15 Trump seems to fear Maxwell…but why? 06:30 There’s something Maxwell knows about Trump that scares him 08:00 Trump goes to war with Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor-Greene 09:15 He’s as mad at Massie and Greene as he was with R’s who voted to impeach 11:00 DOJ can avoid releasing the Epstein files by reopening investigation 12:30 Trump is rattled at a time when the economy is struggling 14:00 Administration dropping tariffs, know they’ve raised costs 14:30 It looks like ACA subsidies will actually have a chance to pass 16:00 Offering cash payouts to pay for premiums is a strange solution 17:30 Trump is letting America “see him sweat” over Epstein 19:15 Trump’s influence over the GOP is starting to wane 19:45 If Massie wins his primary, it will be a major rebuke of Trump 20:30 Trump only punishes Republicans who don’t go along with his lies 22:15 We are witnessing the lame duck period beginning for Trump 23:15 Chuck’s experience at Texas Tribune fest, multiple Dem ‘28 hopefuls 24:00 Wes Moore fully embraced the centrist lane during interview with Chuck 25:15 Wes Moore didn’t join the military to “check a political box” 27:00 Tim Walz & Wes Moore agree Trump’s penchant for action is a strong trait 30:15 Wes Moore will run more as a mainstream Dem, not a progressive 35:00 David Lesch joins the Chuck ToddCast 36:00 Origin of “Dodgers to Damascus” 37:00 It’s weird reading about someone else’s writing about yourself 39:30 What drew David to the Middle East 41:15 Most people don’t understand the Middle East pre 1948 42:00 Fall of Ottoman Empire isn’t covered well in public education 44:00 Artificial divisions in Middle East were to benefit Europe 45:45 Countries in the Middle East lack a national identity 46:30 David’s relationship with Bashar Al-Assad 47:30 Assad was raised as an authoritarian and child of conflict 49:30 Any faith in the new leader of Syria to bring about positive change? 51:45 Syria has been helping with counter terrorist operations 53:00 Syria likely on the way to being a sectarian majoritarian state 56:00 Which Middle East country has the best shot at trying democracy? 57:00 Iran’s weakness makes Kurdistan more possible 58:00 Iranian ayatollahs won’t be able hold power when Khamenei dies 59:00 Iran’s government is teetering, and their proxies are weak 1:00:30 Iran would be an economic power if they became a western democracy 1:01:15 Israel is at the apex of military power in the region 1:04:30 The academic case for the Saudis being a partner 1:05:45 Can the Saudis and Iranians co-exist if Iran moderates? 1:07:00 How did baseball give you extra perspective on the middle east 1:09:00 Would modern sports medicine have saved your career? 1:11:00 The motion for pitching is not meant for human anatomy 1:12:30 Throwing sidearm is much less damaging for your arm 1:14:30 The Braves legendary pitching lineup 1:16:00 David wishes he had at least one year in the majors 1:17:15 Nolan Ryan’s missing flexor tendon was his superpower 1:19:30 Teams run the risk of ending pitchers careers early to win a title 1:21:15 Why is Ohtani so unusual, why haven’t pitchers been able to hit? 1:23:15 Could you see people in the Middle East getting into baseball? 1:26:15 Middle East would need a star from that region to rise in MLB 1:27:00 Islamophobia exists on both sides of the isle 1:27:30 Travel helps to cure phobias 1:28:45 Islamophobia is a harder barrier to break than people realize 1:32:15 Dodgers to Damascus is more of a middle east book than baseball 1:33:00 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with David Lesch 1:33:15 ToddCast Time Machine 1:33:45 Jonestown, JFK assassination, gap in Nixon tapes same calendar week 1:35:00 Jonestown shows a closed information system can destroy judgement 1:36:00 Jonestown shows the consequences of conspiratorial thinking 1:36:45 JFK conspiracy shows what happens when gov’t can’t convince public 1:37:45 JFK’s death caused boomers to mistrust the government 1:38:45 Nixon tape gap reinforced public’s mistrust in government 1:40:15 The public never received justice for Watergate 1:41:15 Americans now process events through lens of government coverup 1:43:30 Public is correct to believe they aren’t getting the entire story 1:45:30 College football recapSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Gay and His Enby
Episode 193: Guten Tag!

A Gay and His Enby

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2025 156:54


This episode, Eamon & Merlin talk Real Housewives of Potomac, where a sultry night to celebrate Jassi leads to Angel's wings being clipped by someone in her past. Then, the newest episode of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, that sees Meredith put the ladies on a plane ride from hell that has the group talking and Britani weeping. And finally, Part Two of the Real Housewives of Orange County reunion, where Katie's hot seat gets slightly cooler when her husband Matt comes in for the save. 4:10 - Real Housewives of Potomac: Season 10: Episode 06 42:03 - Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: Season 06: Episode 07 1:44:45 - Real Housewives of Orange County: Season 19: Episode 19 We are Eamon and Merlin, a queer married couple from Texas living in Pittsburgh, PA. We love reality television, wrestling, drag queens, and pretty much anything that can be called even kinda gay. A Gay & His Enby is a podcast where we talk about everything we love in terms of media and pop culture; everything thats gay and gay adjacent; basically all the conversations we have in our living room we are now putting in front of a microphone and on the internet for you. We have launched our MERCH STORE! We are so excited to bring you these designs, all made by Merlin, commemorating some of our favorite iconic moments! Shop now at https://AGayAndHisEnby.Threadless.com Every week, we have the pleasure and privilege of recording from Sorgatron Media Studios in Pittsburgh. The theme song for our main show is Pulsar by Shane Ivers, and the theme song for Binge Watch is Higher Up by Shane Ivers, both of which you can find at https://www.silvermansound.com All of our social media can be found at our linktree: https://linktr.ee/agayandhisenby We want to take a moment to uplift a powerful resource:

New Books in History
Mila Burns, "Dictatorship Across Borders: Brazil, Chile, and the South American Cold War" (UNC Press, 2025)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2025 46:27


Dictatorship Across Borders: Brazil, Chile, and the South American Cold War (UNC Press, 2025) offers a groundbreaking perspective on the 1973 Chilean coup, highlighting Brazil's pivotal role in shaping the political landscape of South America during the Cold War. Shifting the focus from the United States to interregional dynamics, Mila Burns argues that Brazil was instrumental in the overthrow of Salvador Allende and the establishment of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship. Drawing on original documents, interviews, and newly accessible archives, particularly from the Brazilian Truth Commission, Burns reveals Brazil's covert involvement in the coup, providing weapons, intelligence, and even torturers to anti-Allende forces. She also explores the resistance networks formed by Brazilian exiles in Chile. Burns's impeccable research—combining history, anthropology, and political science—makes Dictatorship across Borders a vital addition to Cold War studies, reshaping how we understand power and resistance in South America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

New Books Network
Mila Burns, "Dictatorship Across Borders: Brazil, Chile, and the South American Cold War" (UNC Press, 2025)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2025 46:27


Dictatorship Across Borders: Brazil, Chile, and the South American Cold War (UNC Press, 2025) offers a groundbreaking perspective on the 1973 Chilean coup, highlighting Brazil's pivotal role in shaping the political landscape of South America during the Cold War. Shifting the focus from the United States to interregional dynamics, Mila Burns argues that Brazil was instrumental in the overthrow of Salvador Allende and the establishment of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship. Drawing on original documents, interviews, and newly accessible archives, particularly from the Brazilian Truth Commission, Burns reveals Brazil's covert involvement in the coup, providing weapons, intelligence, and even torturers to anti-Allende forces. She also explores the resistance networks formed by Brazilian exiles in Chile. Burns's impeccable research—combining history, anthropology, and political science—makes Dictatorship across Borders a vital addition to Cold War studies, reshaping how we understand power and resistance in South America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in Latin American Studies
Mila Burns, "Dictatorship Across Borders: Brazil, Chile, and the South American Cold War" (UNC Press, 2025)

New Books in Latin American Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2025 46:27


Dictatorship Across Borders: Brazil, Chile, and the South American Cold War (UNC Press, 2025) offers a groundbreaking perspective on the 1973 Chilean coup, highlighting Brazil's pivotal role in shaping the political landscape of South America during the Cold War. Shifting the focus from the United States to interregional dynamics, Mila Burns argues that Brazil was instrumental in the overthrow of Salvador Allende and the establishment of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship. Drawing on original documents, interviews, and newly accessible archives, particularly from the Brazilian Truth Commission, Burns reveals Brazil's covert involvement in the coup, providing weapons, intelligence, and even torturers to anti-Allende forces. She also explores the resistance networks formed by Brazilian exiles in Chile. Burns's impeccable research—combining history, anthropology, and political science—makes Dictatorship across Borders a vital addition to Cold War studies, reshaping how we understand power and resistance in South America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latin-american-studies

New Books in Military History
Mila Burns, "Dictatorship Across Borders: Brazil, Chile, and the South American Cold War" (UNC Press, 2025)

New Books in Military History

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2025 46:27


Dictatorship Across Borders: Brazil, Chile, and the South American Cold War (UNC Press, 2025) offers a groundbreaking perspective on the 1973 Chilean coup, highlighting Brazil's pivotal role in shaping the political landscape of South America during the Cold War. Shifting the focus from the United States to interregional dynamics, Mila Burns argues that Brazil was instrumental in the overthrow of Salvador Allende and the establishment of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship. Drawing on original documents, interviews, and newly accessible archives, particularly from the Brazilian Truth Commission, Burns reveals Brazil's covert involvement in the coup, providing weapons, intelligence, and even torturers to anti-Allende forces. She also explores the resistance networks formed by Brazilian exiles in Chile. Burns's impeccable research—combining history, anthropology, and political science—makes Dictatorship across Borders a vital addition to Cold War studies, reshaping how we understand power and resistance in South America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

JLife with Daniel
The Muslim Woman Calling Out Ilhan Omar and Zohran Mamdani

JLife with Daniel

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2025 62:18


Dalia Al-Aqidi — Baghdad-born journalist, activist, and current challenger to Rep. Ilhan Omar — joins me to discuss her extraordinary life: growing up under Saddam Hussein, fleeing Iraq, decades reporting from war zones, and why she distinguishes Islam from Islamism. We dive into her fight against anti-Semitism, her views on immigration and U.S. foreign policy, and her perspective on Ilhan Omar, Al Jazeera, and the future of the Middle East.#Chapters0:00 Welcome & who is Dalia Al-Aqidi0:41 Baghdad upbringing; parents in Iraqi theater1:20 Fleeing Iraq (1988) & joining the opposition1:44 Radio Free Iraq and activism1:52 Chris Stevens' influence & immigrating to the U.S.2:33 Life in America; 37 years in journalism3:00 Covering wars from Iraq to Afghanistan4:04 Cultural vs. religious Islam; women under dictatorship7:02 Anti-Jewish indoctrination in the Middle East9:00 Why progressives avoid criticizing radical Islam11:26 Islam vs. Islamism & the “Islamophobia” label14:12 Muslim Brotherhood's influence in the West16:09 Why some immigrants import illiberal politics18:18 Risks for Muslim dissidents; community pressures21:05 Immigration, liberal ideals & “ideological tests”24:12 Borders vs. legal immigration28:07 On nation-states, borders, and sovereignty30:26 Community ties across faiths31:32 Concerns about Ilhan Omar, CAIR, and Turkey34:12 Al Jazeera Arabic vs. English38:05 Minneapolis issues: safety, economy, campus anti-Semitism40:13 Voting by issues; thoughts on Trump & Biden42:25 The Abraham Accords & Middle East peace46:02 Dalia's post-Oct 7 trip to Israel49:01 Misconceptions about Jews & Israel in Arab media52:24 Advice for Israel & American Jews combating hate57:19 Where American Jews fit politically now59:20 Building a centrist “decency coalition”1:00:02 Pro-life vs. pro-choice nuance1:01:23 Can she win a deep-blue district?1:02:10 Closing remarksKey topics: Iraq, Saddam Hussein, Ilhan Omar, Islam vs. Islamism, Muslim Brotherhood, Al Jazeera, anti-Semitism, immigration policy, Chris Stevens, Qatar, Hamas, October 7, Abraham Accords, Israel, centrism.#islam #islamism #iraq #ilhanomar #zohranmamdani #israel #muslim

The Stacks
Ep. 398 Writing Palestine Alive with Sarah Aziza

The Stacks

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2025 55:03


Today on The Stacks, we are joined by Sarah Aziza to talk about her debut book, The Hollow Half: A Memoir of Bodies and Borders. In this memoir, Sarah explores her struggle with anorexia through the lens of her family's history of violent displacement from Gaza, drawing haunting parallels between her personal and ancestral trauma. We talk about why she wanted to trace these connections, how she uses footnotes to complicate the narrative, and how she sees her work in conversation with those of Black feminist scholars. The Stacks Book Club pick for November is We the Animals by Justin Torres. We will discuss the book on Wednesday, November 26th, with Mikey Friedman.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2025/11/12/ep-398-sarah-azizaConnect with Sarah: Instagram | Threads | Website Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Audio Long Read
From the archive: ‘We are so divided now': how China controls thought and speech beyond its borders

The Audio Long Read

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2025 40:42


We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: the arrest of a Tibetan New York city cop on spying charges plays into the community's long-held suspicions that the People's Republic is watching them By Lauren Hilgers. Read by Emily Woo Zeller. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Citadel Dispatch
CD183: NVK - COINKITE AND COLDCARD

Citadel Dispatch

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2025 105:56 Transcription Available


NVK is CoFounder of Coinkite, the makers of Coldcard. Coldcards are designed to help users securely use bitcoin offline. We discuss the variety of features that Coldcards provide users and the tradeoffs present when choosing how to best secure bitcoin.Disclosure: Ten31 is the exclusive investor in Coinkite.NVK on Nostr: https://primal.net/nvkNVK on X: https://x.com/nvkCoinkite: https://coinkite.com/Ten31: https://www.ten31.xyz/Cove Wallet: https://covebitcoinwallet.com/Sparrow Wallet: https://sparrowwallet.com/White Noise: https://www.whitenoise.chat/Bitkey: https://bitkey.world/EPISODE: 183BLOCK: 923180PRICE: 967 sats per dollar(00:03:36) Whats New at Coinkite and the Growing User Base(00:05:24) Designing for Global Users and Changing Threat Models(00:06:36) Power vs. Simplicity(00:08:44) Onboarding Stories(00:09:56) Mobile vs Desktop Habits and Emerging Wallets(00:14:28) QR Workflows, NFC Push-tx, and SD Card Signing(00:15:32) Travel and Borders(00:17:04) Key Teleport: Device to Device Encrypted Sharing(00:22:38) Spending Policies(00:25:02) Trick PINs, Duress Flows, and Safe Inspired Defenses(00:29:02) Border Stories and Why Brick Me PIN Exists(00:31:05) SeedXOR vs Passphrase vs Multisig(00:34:07) Family Planning and Inheritance Strategies(00:40:00) Physical Security Model: Dual SE + MCU(00:43:37) Comparisons to Trezor Designs and Components(00:49:44) Seeds as Sovereignty and Unilateral Exit(00:53:21) Debate: iCloud Backups, Ease vs Sovereignty(01:00:08) Bitkey Debate: Goals, Risks, and Break Glass Exit(01:08:54) Edge Cases, Loss Scenarios, and Marketing Ethics(01:20:05) Coinkite Roadmap(01:22:23) Future Products(01:28:01) Touchscreens, Supply Chain Risk, and PWAs(01:30:31) Cove, White Noise MLS, and AI Bots(01:32:26) Nostr Adoption, Socials, and Moderation(01:41:36) Wrap Up, Gratitude, and Ways to Supportmore info on the show: https://citadeldispatch.comlearn more about me: https://odell.xyz

BBC Countryfile Magazine
324. Enjoy a mindful walk along the mighty earthwork running through the Welsh Borders known as Offa's Dyke

BBC Countryfile Magazine

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2025 50:34


From the end of Saxon England last week, we head to the height of Saxon power in Mercia and the reign of King Offa (757-796). Plodcast host Fergus takes a walk along Offa's great work – a massive defensive earthwork that ran along much of the Welsh Borders and can still be encountered today. What is Offa's Dyke and why and how did Offa build it? Listen on to find out more. Also, the Plodcast is very proud to announce that it is media partner for the Speakies – the British Audio Awards from The Bookseller Magazine. These new awards celebrate the very best in audiobooks. The Plodcast is partnering in the non-fiction category. Find the shortlists here: www.thebookseller.com/the-british-audio-awards And now you can get in touch with the Plodcast team via: The BBC Countryfile Magazine Plodcast group on Facebook & BBC Countryfile Magazine's Instagram page. The BBC Countryfile Magazine Plodcast is the Publishers Podcast Awards Special Interest Podcast of the Year 2024 & 2025 and the PPA Podcast of the Year 2022. If you've enjoyed the plodcast, don't forget to leave likes and positive reviews. Contact the Plodcast team and send your sound recordings of the countryside to: theplodcast@countryfile.com. If your letter, email or message is read out on the show, you could WIN a Plodcast Postbag prize of a wildlife- or countryside-themed book chosen by the team. The Plodcast is produced by Jack Bateman and Lewis Dobbs. The theme tune was written and performed by Blair Dunlop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Perfect English Podcast
MagTalk | Beyond the Scramble: Overcoming Artificial Borders Through 21st-Century Cooperation

Perfect English Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2025 64:42


We're all familiar with the "Scramble for Africa" and the Sykes-Picot agreement—arbitrary lines drawn by colonial powers that have caused a century of conflict and division. But focusing only on that problem is getting stuck in the past. This article, "Beyond the Scramble," acknowledges that pernicious legacy but pivots to the future. It's a deep dive into the ingenious solutions being built right now to make those borders irrelevant. We're exploring massive economic "corridors," powerful political bodies like the African Union, and vibrant local cultural festivals that prove a shared history is stronger than a line on a map. This is the new story, the one of 21st-century cooperation. Read the full, in-depth article here: https://englishpluspodcast.com/beyond-the-scramble-overcoming-artificial-borders-through-21st-century-cooperation/ Support English Plus Podcast to keep the show going on Patreon

The Jon Gaunt Show
Scrap Remembrance Day? D-Day Hero: "Britain's Worse Than What We Fought For"

The Jon Gaunt Show

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2025 38:11


#Live #JonGaunt #RemembranceDay #DdayHero #AlecPenstone #UKPolitics #Starmer #Lammy #Borders #BBCBias  100-year-old D-Day hero Alec Penstone says: "What we fought for was our freedom, but now it's a darn sight worse than when I fought for it. I don't know what the hell we fought for and why we lost so many wonderful men. The country has gone to rack and ruin."  Hard to argue with him, isn't it?  A land once "fit for heroes" has been turned by successive politicians into a land fit only for zeroes: Borders wide open Sex offenders on the run A country bitterly divided A BBC that lies about Trump A Prime Minister who runs abroad from domestic trouble.  If this is how we treat our veterans, what's left of Remembrance Day?  Join me, Jon Gaunt as we ask: have our heroes been betrayed – and should we scrap Remembrance Day altogether?  #Live #JonGaunt #RemembranceDay #DdayHero #AlecPenstone #UKPolitics #Starmer #Lammy #VeteransBetrayed #Borders #BBCBias #Trump #Britain #LandOfZeroes #Freedom #UKNews veterans Betrayed, Borders, BBC Bias, Trump, Britain, Land of Zeroes, Freedom, UK News Live, Jon Gaunt, Remembrance Day, D-day Hero, Alec Penstone, UK Politics, Starmer, Lammy.   Political blogging and hard-hitting social commentary from Triple Sony Gold Award-winning talk radio legend, Jon Gaunt — former host on BBC, Talk Radio, and Sky News. On Jon Gaunt TV, we cut through the noise and say what others won't. No political correctness. No censorship. Just real conversations that matter.

The John Batchelor Show
44: The Demographic Need: Reframing Migration as an Economic Resource and Dismantling Exclusionary Borders. Gaia Vince discusses how humans are a migratory species that evolved in Africa and colonized the entire globe through movement. Historically, the U

The John Batchelor Show

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2025 6:14


The Demographic Need: Reframing Migration as an Economic Resource and Dismantling Exclusionary Borders.Gaia Vince discusses how humans are a migratory species that evolved in Africa and colonized the entire globe through movement. Historically, the US and European nations have used policies of brutality and cruelty to restrict movement, with many current border restrictions being recent. Vince highlights the current economic paradox: societies encourage the flow of goods but limit human labor, their largest economic resource, with some economists estimating that removing borders could double global GDP. A critical component of managing migration is investment: financial investment to expand northern cities and social investment in accepting that migrants are not "bad people" and promoting inclusivity. Furthermore, the global north faces a demographic crisis, as most developed nations are not producing enough babies to support their elderly populations, making immigration the necessary solution. 1953