Podcasts about Britain

CONTINUED The rebels utilized successful asymmetrical warfare, operating from underground tunnel systems and ambushing Roman forces. The conflict was so severe that Hadrian deployed reinforcements from across the empire, including Britain, and the Roman army was badly mauled. The revolt ended bloodily at the stronghold of Betar. As lasting punishment for centuries of trouble and rebellion, the Romans renamed the province from Judea to Syria Palestina. Pockets of resistance continued, notably the Gallus Revolt in 351–352 AD. Guest: Professor Barry Strauss. CLAUDIUS BEGS HIS LIFE

SHOW 11-17-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1899 UKRAINE THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT POTUS... FIRST HOUR 9-915 Pakistan's Military Dominance: Field Marshal Munir's Power and US Relations Guest: Ambassador Husain Haqqani Ambassador Husain Haqqani detailed the institutional dominance of Pakistan's military, noting that Parliament recently granted Field Marshal Asim Munir legal immunity for life and expanded his power by designating him Chief of Defense Forces, giving him control over the entire military, as Munir aims for presidential privileges without directly taking power, backed by a national narrative that Pakistan is perpetually under threat from India, and gained significant political and psychological advantage through two meetings and praise from President Trump, despite no new US aid or weapons, while Trump, who favors strongmen, may also be using this praise to leverage concessions from Indian Prime Minister Modi, as Munir is taking risks by adopting a firmer stance regarding violence on the Northwest frontier with the Taliban, an approach not well received by the Afghans, with Pakistani politicians historically conceding ground to the military to secure a shared portion of power. 915-930 CONTINUED Pakistan's Military Dominance: Field Marshal Munir's Power and US Relations Guest: Ambassador Husain Haqqani Ambassador Husain Haqqani detailed the institutional dominance of Pakistan's military, noting that Parliament recently granted Field Marshal Asim Munir legal immunity for life and expanded his power 930-945 China's Economic Slump: Export Decline, Policy Failures, and Property Market Stagnation Guests: Anne Stevenson-Yang and Gordon Chang Anne Stevenson-Yang and Gordon Chang discussed the unprecedented slump in China's economic activity, noting cooled investment and slowing industrial output, with exports falling 25% to the US, attributing this long-term decline to the government's 2008 decision to pull back economic reforms and the current 15th Five-Year Plan lacking viable solutions or bailouts for hurting localities, while consumption remains dangerously low (around 38% of GDP) and is expected to shrink further as the government prioritizes technological development and factory production, with the property market collapsing as capital investment, land sales, and unit prices decline, forcing people to hold onto decaying apartments and risking stagnation for decades similar to Japan post-1989, a problem largely self-created due to overcapacity, although other countries like Brazil are also restricting Chinese imports. 945-1000 China's Role in Global Drug Epidemics: Meth Precursors and Weaponizing Chemicals. Guests: Kelly Curry and Gordon Chang. Kelly Curry and Gordon Chang detailed China's crucial role in the global drug trade, asserting that China's chemical exports are fueling a "tsunami of meth" across Asia. Chinese manufacturers supply meth precursor chemicals to warlords, notably the Chinese-aligned, US-sanctioned United Wa State Army in Myanmar. This production (Yaba/ice) is believed to have been diverted from China's domestic market in the 1990s. Both guests confirmed this activity is impossible without the explicit knowledge and support of the Central Committee, noting China grants export subsidies, tax rebates, and uses state banks for money laundering associated with the drug trade. China benefits financially and strategically by weakening US-backed allies like Thailand and South Korea who are flooded with the drugs. This structure mirrors the fentanyl crisis in North America, and experts predict increasing co-production and sharing of chemical methods between Asian drug groups and Mexican cartels. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 Syria's Complex Geopolitics: Air Bases, Sanctions, Accountability, and Great Power Mediation Guest: Ahmad Sharawi Ahmad Sharawi discussed the non-transparent situation in Syria, focusing on reports of potential US air bases (Mezzeh and Dumayr), with denials from the Syrian government suggesting they won't possess the bases but might allow US use for counter-ISIS missions or potentially a security agreement requested by Israel for deconfliction, noting a recent US C-130 spotted landing at the Mezzeh air base near Damascus, while during a reported White House visit, Syrian requests included the removal of Caesar sanctions (partially waived by President Trump) and an Israeli withdrawal from the southern border buffer zone, with domestic movement towards accountability for the Suwayda province massacre and government security forces being arrested, as a Russian military delegation visited Damascus and southern Syria, potentially acting as a deconfliction mechanism between Syria and Israeli forces, with Russia's goal appearing to be balancing regional interests while maintaining its bases in western Syria. 1015-1030 CONTINUED Syria's Complex Geopolitics: Air Bases, Sanctions, Accountability, and Great Power Mediation Guest: Ahmad Sharawi Ahmad Sharawi discussed the non-transparent situation in Syria, focusing on reports of potential US air bases (Mezzeh and Dumayr), with denials from the Syrian government... 1030-1045 Venezuela Crisis: Potential Maduro Exit and Shifting Political Tides in Latin America Guests: Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo discussed the crisis in Venezuela, noting a powerful US fleet gathered nearby, with Maduro fearing military intervention and reportedly wanting to discuss surrender conditions with President Trump, though his exit is complicated by his ally Diosdado Cabello, who heads operations for the Cartel of the Suns and has no path for redemption, while Maduro's potential fall would deliver a severe blow to the organized crime and drug trafficking networks that permeate South America's political structures, with the opposition, led by María Corina Machado, having transition plans, and Brazilian President Lula neutralized from strongly opposing US actions due to ongoing tariff negotiations with Trump, as the conversation highlighted a new conservative political wave in Latin America, with optimism reported in Argentina following elections that strengthened Javier Milei, and in Chile, where conservative José Antonio Kast is strongly positioned, representing a blend of economic freedom, anti-organized crime platforms, and conservative values. 1045-1100 CONTINUED Venezuela Crisis: Potential Maduro Exit and Shifting Political Tides in Latin America Guests: Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa Alejandro Peña Esclusa and Ernesto Araújo discussed the crisis in Venezuela, noting a powerful US fleet gathered nearby, with Maduro fearing military intervention and... THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 1/4 Jews Versus Rome: Two Centuries of Rebellion and the Cost of Diaspora Revolts Professor Barry Strauss of Cornell University, Professor Emeritus and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, discusses the history of Jewish resistance against the Roman Empire as detailed in his book Jews versus Rome. Following the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem, rebellion continued among Jewish communities scattered across the Roman world. 1115-1130 CONTINUED 2/4 During Emperor Trajan's campaign against the Parthian Empire, a widespread and coordinated "diaspora revolt" erupted in 115–117 AD, beginning in Libya and spreading to Egypt, Cyprus, and Mesopotamia. This was a major challenge, forcing Trajan to divert a legion, as Egypt was the empire's strategic breadbasket. The revolt was spurred by the insulting Jewish tax, the fiscus Judaicus, paid to Jupiter, and the frustrated expectation that the Temple would be rebuilt within 70 years. The Jewish community in Alexandria, possibly the largest Jewish city in the ancient world, was wiped out during the suppression, a disaster for diaspora Judaism. 1130-1145 CONTINUED 3/4 srajan's successor, Hadrian, revered the war against Parthia but recognized the Jews' disloyalty. Starting in 117 AD, Hadrian planned to rebuild Jerusalem as a pagan city named Aelia Capitolina to demonstrate that the Temple would never be restored and to discourage collusion between Jews and Parthians. This provoked the Bar Kokhba Revolt in 132 AD. The leader, Simon Bar Kosa, took the messianic title Bar Kokhba, meaning "Son of the Star," and was accepted as the Messiah by some leading rabbis, including Rabbi Akiva. 1145-1200 CONTINUED The rebels utilized successful asymmetrical warfare, operating from underground tunnel systems and ambushing Roman forces. The conflict was so severe that Hadrian deployed reinforcements from across the empire, including Britain, and the Roman army was badly mauled. The revolt ended bloodily at the stronghold of Betar. As lasting punishment for centuries of trouble and rebellion, the Romans renamed the province from Judea to Syria Palestina. Pockets of resistance continued, notably the Gallus Revolt in 351–352 AD. Guest: Professor Barry Strauss. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 Iran's Multi-Faceted Crises: Water Scarcity, Pollution, and Transnational Repression Guest: Jonathan Sayah Jonathan Sayah discussed the multi-faceted crises plaguing Iran, reflecting poor management and ecological decline, with Tehran overwhelmed by severe water scarcity as dams dry up and crippling air pollution with CO2 levels 10 times the WHO standard, while the water crisis is worsened by the regime, especially IRGC-affiliated contractors, who prioritize their support base through unregulated mega-projects, leading to rivers and lakes drying up, a deliberate deprivation of clean water that constitutes a human rights violation, as environmental disasters have driven widespread internal migration into Tehran, taxing infrastructure and leading to issues like land subsidence, with the population considered "prime for unrest," while separately, Iran continues its policy of transnational repression, highlighted by the recent foiled plot to assassinate Israel's ambassador in Mexico, as Iran targets both Israeli/American officials and relies on criminal networks to repress Iranian dissidents abroad, while consistently holding American dual citizens hostage as political leverage. 1215-1230 CONTINUED 1230-1245 Ukraine Conflict: French Arms Deal, Sabotage, and the Perilous Battle for Pokrovsk. Guest: John Hardy. John Hardy reported that Ukraine signed a letter of intent with France to obtain 100 Rafale warplanes over 10 years, along with air defense systems. While this partnership is encouraging, Hardy expressed concern that Ukraine is excessively over-diversifying its future air fleet (including F-16, Grippen, Mirage, and Rafale) which complicates long-term sustainment and maintenance. Simultaneously, alarming reports surfaced that sabotage was blamed for an explosion on a major railway line in Poland used to supply Ukraine, fitting a pattern of suspected Russian covert operations against European infrastructure. On the battlefield, fighting continues in Pokrovsk (Picro). Hardy warned that if Ukrainian forces prioritize a politically motivated hold, they risk the encirclement and destruction of troops in nearby areas. Poor weather, such as fog, plays a significant role in the conflict, as Russians often time assaults during these conditions to impede Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance and FPV drones 1245-100 AM raq Elections and Yemen's Houthi Crackdown Guest: Bridget Toomey Bridget Toomey discussed recent developments in Iraq and Yemen, noting that Iraqi parliamentary elections saw a higher-than-expected 56% voter turnout, with preliminary results suggesting Shiite parties close to Tehran performed well and might secure enough seats to form the next government, despite internal infighting and votes remaining largely sectarian, while Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani received credit for stability and his party performed strongly, though many Iraqis doubt the elections affect real change, believing critical decisions are made via elite backroom deals, and turning to Yemen, the Houthis announced the arrest of a purported Saudi-American-Israeli spy ring, a paranoid crackdown following Israel's successful targeting of Houthi government and military leaders in August, with arrests including 59 UN workers and prosecutors requesting the death sentence for 21, aiming to intimidate domestic dissent and signal resolve to Western and regional adversaries, especially in sensitive Houthi locations in Sana'a.

Ballooning became a huge fad starting in the late 18th century, and there was a surprising amount of rioting associated with it. Fervor, excitement, and intoxication in some instances, meant that balloon events were prone to get out of control. Research: Bond, Elizabeth Andrews. “Popular Science and Public Participation.” From The Writing Public: Participatory Knowledge Production in Enlightenment and Revolutionary France. Cornell University Press. 2021. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctv310vktg.8 Branson, Susan. “Scientific Americans.” Cornell University Press, 2022. Cornell University Press, 2022. Coxwell, Henry Tracey. “My Life and Balloon Experiences.” W.H. Allen. 1889. https://archive.org/details/mylifeandballoo02coxwgoog/ Daily National Intelligencer. “The Balloon, and Conflagration of Vauxhall.” 9/14/1819. https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83026172/1819-09-14/ed-1/?sp=2&q=vauxhall&r=0.48,-0.027,0.621,0.225,0 Franklin, Benjamin. “Benjamin Franklin to Ingenhousz, 16 January 1784.” https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-41-02-0310#BNFN-01-41-02-0310-fn-0005 “Hot-Air Balloon: Jean-François Janinet (1752–1814).” https://www.getty.edu/publications/artists-things/things/hot-air-balloon/#fnref8 Gillespie, Richard. “Ballooning in France and Britain, 1783-1786: Aerostation and Adventurism.” Isis, Vol. 75, No. 2 (June, 1984). https://www.jstor.org/stable/231824 Glaisher, James. “Travels in the Air.” R. Bentley. 1871. https://archive.org/details/ldpd_7245144_000 Holman, Brett. “The Melbourne balloon riot of 1858.” Airminded. 3/23/2017. https://airminded.org/2017/03/23/the-melbourne-balloon-riot-of-1858/ Jackson, Joseph. “Vauxhall Garden.” The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. Vol. LVII. No. 4. 1933. Keen, Paul. “The ‘Balloonomania’: Science and Spectacle in 1780s England.” Eighteenth-Century Studies , Summer, 2006, Vol. 39, No. 4 (Summer, 2006). https://www.jstor.org/stable/30053707 Magazine Monitor. “Victorian Strangeness: The great balloon riot of 1864.” BBC. 8/9/2014. https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-28674654 Robbins, John. “Up in the Air: Balloonomania and Scientific Performance.” Eighteenth-Century Studies, Vol. 48, No. 4, Special Issue: Performance. Summer 2015. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24690309 Robson, David. “The Victorians who flew as high as jumbo jets.” BBC. 4/20/2016. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160419-the-victorians-who-flew-as-high-as-jets Smith, Zoe. “Disaster at 37,000 feet.” University of Cambridge. https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/balloon-disaster Soth, Amelia. “Hot Air Balloon Launch Riot!” JSTOR Daily. 2/3/2022. https://daily.jstor.org/hot-air-balloon-launch-riot/ Sparrow, Jeff. “Wrath and awe: a short history of balloons and their power to fire up mob fury.” The Guardian. 2/14/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/15/wrath-and-awe-a-short-history-of-balloons-and-their-power-to-fire-up-mob-fury Sydney Morning Herald. “The Balloon Riot in the Domain: Death of Thomas Downs.” 12/19/1856. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12990254 Sydney Morning Herald. “The Sydney Balloon.” Trove. 12/16/1856. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12990120 The Rhode-Island American. “Riotous Proceedigns.” 9/14/1819. https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83025442/1819-09-14/ed-1/?sp=3&q=vauxhall&r=-0.14,1.265,0.686,0.248,0 Tucker, Jennifer. “Voyages of Discovery on Oceans of Air: Scientific Observation and the Image of Science in an Age of ‘Balloonacy.’” Osiris, 1996, Vol. 11, Science in the Field (1996). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/301930 Wroth, Warwick. “Cremorne and the Later London Gardens.” London. Elliot Stock. 1907. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He was the BBC's quirky golden boy — cigar in hand, tracksuit on, always ready to raise money for charity. Margaret Thatcher lobbied to get him knighted. The Queen pinned the honor on him. And all the while, Jimmy Savile was one of Britain's most prolific sexual predators. "Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. You can get early and ad-free episodes and more over at www.grabbagcollab.com DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK!  Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod Episode Sponsors: Galatea. Right now, Galatea is offering our listeners an extra 25% off on top of an already-irresistibly-affordable subscription when you go to GALATEA.COM/COTC. Beam Dream. Go to shopbeam.com/COTC, use code COTC, and get up to 50% off during Beam's Cyber Sale. You can grab Dream for just $32.50—But here's the catch—Dream is only available at this price until it sells out. Storyworth. Give your loved ones a unique keepsake you'll all cherish for years—Storyworth Memoirs! Right now, save $10 or more during their Holiday sale when you go to STORYWORTH.com/cotc! That's STORYWORTH dot com slash cotc to save $10 or more on your order! Ollie. Take the guesswork out of your dog's well-being. Go to ollie.com/cotc and use code cotc to get 60% off your first box!

As Britain's influence on the world around it grew throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, so too did the world influence Britain – and a key part of that influence was the arrival of people from other places and cultures to its shores. Kieran Connell's new book, Multicultural Britain, explores the experiences of some of these people, and the ways in which their stories combined, sometimes fractiously, to create a newly diverse nation. (Ad) Kieran Connell is the author of Multicultural Britain: A People's History (C Hurst & Co, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Multicultural-Britain-Peoples-Kieran-Connell/dp/1911723510/?tag=bbchistory The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Monday Headline Brief of The Wright Report, Bryan covers the White House's growing anxiety over the economy, the nationwide crackdown on illegal migrant truck drivers, new DHS surges into sanctuary cities, the rise of openly socialist leadership on the West Coast, and escalating tensions with China in the Pacific. White House Softens Tariffs as Prices Rise: President Trump acknowledged that tariffs may be affecting consumers and announced lower rates on coffee, beef, bananas, and other staples. Prices have soared due to weather, crop disease, and global demand rather than tariffs alone. Bryan explains that the cuts signal the administration's concern that working families are still struggling and that midterm voters may blame the GOP if the economy does not improve soon. Families Fear the Cost of Children: A new American Family Survey found that seventy percent of Americans believe raising kids has become too expensive. Bryan warns that this trend threatens the nation's future and highlights the connection between economic strain and family planning decisions. Crackdown on Unsafe Migrant Truck Drivers: The White House pressured California to revoke seventeen thousand driver's licenses issued to migrants who often cannot read English or safely operate heavy trucks. Some judges in Washington blocked the rule on procedural grounds, creating legal limbo. Bryan notes that until courts rule, untrained foreign drivers will remain on American highways. DHS Surge Operations Expand: Federal officers have flooded Charlotte, North Carolina, where one in five residents is foreign born. The move mirrors earlier crackdowns in Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles, and Washington, where crime dropped after DHS deployments. Bryan says New Orleans is next. Catholic Bishops Clash with the White House: The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops accused the administration of racism and fearmongering. Border czar Tom Homan responded that securing the border saves lives and that the Church should focus on its own scandals. Socialists Rise in Seattle and Los Angeles: Seattle elected an openly socialist mayor who supports abolishing the police under a communist economic system. In Los Angeles, another socialist candidate is challenging Mayor Karen Bass. Bryan connects these victories to a wider ideological battle inside the Democratic Party, where figures like Obama and Clinton now embrace democratic socialism while voices like Bill Maher warn against it. Democrats Plan Supreme Court Expansion: Longtime strategist James Carville confirmed that the party intends to expand the Supreme Court to thirteen justices once Democrats regain the presidency and Congress. He expects the party to remove the filibuster for that purpose, declaring the fight against Trump a national emergency. GOP Infighting Grows: Trump attacked Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie over comments about Epstein files and personal issues. Bryan urges conservatives to stop the internal battles as socialist movements gain ground nationwide. China Leverages Rare Earths and Military Power: Beijing is delaying rare earth shipments and failed to buy U.S. soybeans despite promises. A shortage of yttrium is emerging, although a U.S. company in Indiana will begin refining it next month. Meanwhile, China sent Coast Guard ships into Japanese waters and unveiled a new aircraft carrier, signaling rising tensions in the Pacific. Trump's Narco-Terror Operation Continues: Another drug boat was destroyed in the Pacific under Operation Southern Spear. Critics in the U.K. claim the strikes violate international law, though the White House says cartels qualify as narco-terrorists and legitimate targets. Britain's Leader Shifts Right on Immigration: Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced sweeping new restrictions, ending cash allowances for asylum seekers, requiring work, and imposing twenty-year waits for permanent residency. Bryan notes the political pressure building across Europe as voters demand tougher borders. Saudi Crown Prince to Visit Washington: The White House may sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, though U.S. intelligence fears technology theft and regional imbalance with Israel. Economic deals may also emerge as Riyadh seeks to follow through on earlier promises. Good News from Southeast Asia: Trump brokered a fresh ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia after border clashes. Cambodia is moving closer to the United States, granting new access to a key naval base and pushing out Chinese crime networks.   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: Trump tariff cuts grocery prices, American Family Survey cost of children, migrant truck drivers CDL revocation, DHS Charlotte surge, Tom Homan Catholic bishops border, Seattle socialist mayor police abolition, Los Angeles socialist candidate Rae Huang, James Carville Supreme Court expansion, GOP infighting Epstein files, China rare earth yttrium shortage, Senkaku Islands China Coast Guard, Operation Southern Spear drug boats, UK asylum overhaul Starmer, Saudi Arabia F-35 visit, Cambodia Thailand ceasefire

Scotland and Wales could secure World Cup spots with victory on Tuesday night - will they, and what would it mean?Former Scottish international James McFadden joins Jonathan Northcroft, Chief Football Writer at the Sunday Times, and Eilidh Barbour to ponder what's required for Steve Clarke to lead the Tartan Army to a first World Cup for 28 years.Scotland's task is simple: defeat Denmark at Hampden Park. Toke Theilade joins the show to give the Danish perspective, with an illness in the camp contributing to a shock draw with Belarus.As for Wales, things are less straight-forward. Two points separating the top three sides in Group J and so all of qualification, play-offs and elimination are possible. Rob Earnshaw, who earned 59 caps in his career, helps preview their home fixture against North Macedonia.We also hear from the player of the international break, Troy Parrott, whose 96th-minute winner over Hungary not only completed his hat-trick but secured his nation a World Cup play-off spot. Former Ireland midfielder Andy Reid explains what that drama meant to the country and the panel discuss the positive state of football in Britain and Ireland with all five nations in with a chance of World Cup spots.Timecodes: 00:45 What would ending the 28-year wait for a World Cup mean for Scotland? 06:45 How do the players use the emotion in the right way? 10:10 Steve Clarke on his emotions ahead of the game 14:00 How do Scotland improve from the performance in Greece? 17:10 How important will Andy Robertson's leadership be? 18:50 The Danish perspective with Toke Theilade 22:18 Will Rasmus Hojlund and Joachim Andersen be available for this game and what impact has the illness in the camp had? 24:20 What are Denmark's expectations for this game?  28:59 Wales v North Macedonia preview with Rob Earnshaw 32:06 Has Harry Wilson become Gareth Bale's successor as the Welsh leader? 33:58 Troy Parrott interview on his dramatic winner and hat-trick for Ireland in Hungary 37:22 Andy Reid debates whether this is the start of something bigger for Ireland 41:10 How strong a place is British and Irish football in at the moment?Commentaries coming up this week: Tues 1945 Scotland v Denmark — 5Live Tues 1945 Wales v North Macedonia — Sports Extra Wed 2000 Arsenal Women v Real Madrid Femenino — 5Live Thurs 2000 Chelsea Women v Barcelona Femení — 5Live Sat 1500 Liverpool v Nottingham Forest — 5Live Sat 1500 Fulham v Sunderland — Sports Extra Sat 1730 Newcastle United v Manchester City — 5Live Sun 1400 Leeds United v Aston Villa — 5Live Sun 1630 Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur — 5Live

Firas is joined by Northern Variant for an in-depth conversation on how we can fix Britain what's gone wrong, what needs to change, and what the future could look like if we get it right.

Shabana Mahmood, Britain's home secretary, is to announce measures to curtail aid for asylum seekers, including an end to guaranteed housing and the withdrawal of financial support for those able to work or with independent means. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This afternoon, the Home Secretary will set out in the House of Commons her proposed reforms to the asylum system. The headline changes proposed by Shabana Mahmood have been well briefed in the weekend press: refugees will have temporary status and be required to reapply to remain in Britain every two-and-a-half years; those arriving would have to wait 20 years before they can apply for permanent settlement; and countries that refuse to take back migrants will be threatened with visa bans – Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo are among those likely to be initially punished. Is she the one to finally take on the migration crisis?Lucy Dunn speaks to Tim Shipman and James Heale.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To submit your urgent questions to Michael and Maddie, go to: spectator.co.uk/quiterightThis week on Quite right! Q&A: Could Britain see a snap election before 2029? Michael and Maddie unpack the constitutional mechanics – and explain why, despite the chaos, an early vote remains unlikely. They also turn to Labour's troubles: growing pressure on Keir Starmer, restive backbenchers, and whether Angela Rayner's sacking has boosted her chances as his successor.Plus: should the Scottish Parliament be abolished? And on a lighter note, if you won a free holiday but had to take one Labour MP, who would you choose?Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Killers, Cults & Queens, Nikki and Cheryl interview Stephen Volk, creator of the groundbreaking horror special Ghostwatch. Together they unpack how the show became one of the most influential and controversial moments in British television history.Stephen discusses the evolution of Ghostwatch, how a female-led production shaped its unique tone, and why so many viewers believed the broadcast was real. The conversation also covers the enduring legacy of the show, the shift in media culture with the rise of social media and fake news, and how personal paranormal experiences influence our understanding of the supernatural.We also chat about Stephen's wider career — including his work on Afterlife — and his upcoming book The Confirmed Bachelors.A must-listen for fans of horror TV, paranormal investigations, ghost stories, and behind-the-scenes storytelling.

In The Castle: A History (Yale University Press, 2022) Dr. John Goodall presents a vibrant history of the castle in Britain, from the early Middle Ages to the present day. The castle has long had a pivotal place in British life, associated with lordship, landholding, and military might, and today it remains a powerful symbol of history. But castles have never been merely impressive fortresses—they were hubs of life, activity, and imagination. Dr. John Goodall weaves together the history of the British castle across the span of a millennium, from the eleventh to the twenty-first century, through the voices of those who witnessed it. Drawing on chronicles, poems, letters, and novels, including the work of figures like Gawain Poet, Walter Scott, Evelyn Waugh, and P. G. Wodehouse, Dr. Goodall explores the importance of the castle in our culture and society. From the medieval period to Civil War engagements, right up to modern manifestations in Harry Potter, Dr. Goodall reveals that the castle has always been put to different uses, and to this day continues to serve as a source of inspiration. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose doctoral work focused on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. 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

On today's Look Ahead program, sponsored by HII, Byron Callan of the independent Washington research firm Capital Alpha Partners joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss progress on the National Defense Authorization Act and appropriations now that the US government shutdown is over; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll's comments last week critical of heritage contractors and his desire to buy 90 percent of what the service needs through commercial sources; implications of NATO and Britain moving away from special mission US aircraft in favor of European options; Germany's rising defense spending as well as takeaways from Hensoldt, Renk and other German firms; likelihood US will strike Venezuela; and a look at the week ahead.

The climax to the greatest Test series of all time - the Oval Test of 2005. England, who hadn't held the Ashes for 18 years, went into this final Test 2-1 up, knowing that if the Australians managed to sneak a victory they would retain the Ashes urn again. The last Test to be broadcast live on terrestrial TV in the UK (on Channel 4) it was regarded as the biggest sporting event in Britain since the 1966 football World Cup final. Simon Hughes and Simon Mann take you through the gripping action from England's strong start, to Australia's inevitable fightback, Freddie Flintoff's titanic spell and Kevin Pietersen's extraordinary last day hundred. With contributions from Michael Vaughan, Freddie Flintoff, Andrew Strauss, Simon Jones, Ashley Giles, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee. #ashes #englandcricket #australia #greatestseries #theanalyst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode we talk about, The Laura Ingram interview and Trump's statements about talented workers. Then we go over Britain's decision to stop intelligence sharing in the Caribbean over us bombing drug boats there. And lastly we'll cover the unrest in Mexico and how potential seat changes in Mexico as well as Venezuela may be the key to destroying the cartels for good. All that and more!

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine Britain's arc from Tudor origins through imperial dominance to modern decline, analyzing how internal unification of the British Isles catalyzed global expansion. -- SPONSOR: SHOPIFY⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shopify.com/cognitive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Brirish home secretary Shabana Mahmood will unveil sweeping changes to the country's immigration laws later today. For more Anna Gross, Financial Times Political Correspondent.

In The Castle: A History (Yale University Press, 2022) Dr. John Goodall presents a vibrant history of the castle in Britain, from the early Middle Ages to the present day. The castle has long had a pivotal place in British life, associated with lordship, landholding, and military might, and today it remains a powerful symbol of history. But castles have never been merely impressive fortresses—they were hubs of life, activity, and imagination. Dr. John Goodall weaves together the history of the British castle across the span of a millennium, from the eleventh to the twenty-first century, through the voices of those who witnessed it. Drawing on chronicles, poems, letters, and novels, including the work of figures like Gawain Poet, Walter Scott, Evelyn Waugh, and P. G. Wodehouse, Dr. Goodall explores the importance of the castle in our culture and society. From the medieval period to Civil War engagements, right up to modern manifestations in Harry Potter, Dr. Goodall reveals that the castle has always been put to different uses, and to this day continues to serve as a source of inspiration. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose doctoral work focused on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/architecture

Sweeping changes have been announced to Britain's controversial asylum system as polls show immigration has overtaken the economy as voters' top concern. The Labour government has been hardening its immigration policies as it seeks to stem the surging popularity of the populist Reform UK party, which has driven the immigration agenda and forced Labour to adopt a tougher line.

In The Castle: A History (Yale University Press, 2022) Dr. John Goodall presents a vibrant history of the castle in Britain, from the early Middle Ages to the present day. The castle has long had a pivotal place in British life, associated with lordship, landholding, and military might, and today it remains a powerful symbol of history. But castles have never been merely impressive fortresses—they were hubs of life, activity, and imagination. Dr. John Goodall weaves together the history of the British castle across the span of a millennium, from the eleventh to the twenty-first century, through the voices of those who witnessed it. Drawing on chronicles, poems, letters, and novels, including the work of figures like Gawain Poet, Walter Scott, Evelyn Waugh, and P. G. Wodehouse, Dr. Goodall explores the importance of the castle in our culture and society. From the medieval period to Civil War engagements, right up to modern manifestations in Harry Potter, Dr. Goodall reveals that the castle has always been put to different uses, and to this day continues to serve as a source of inspiration. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose doctoral work focused on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shabana Mahmood is set to announce today plans to rejig Britain's asylum system that wouldn't look out of place in a Conservative manifesto. We break down the plans.We also touch on the news from the United States of a special relationship between Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.Subscribe to how to rebuild the left now: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/690c814368055f905c9893ecSubscribe to How to Rebuild the Left now: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/690c814368055f905c9893ec Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The British government has set out plans for sweeping changes to its asylum system to address public concerns about uncontrolled immigration. Under the proposals, refugees granted asylum will have to wait twenty years before they can apply for permanent settlement instead of five years. Also in the programme: a planned auction in Germany of artefacts from prisoners of Nazi concentration camps has been cancelled; people in Ecuador have been voting in a referendum on on whether to allow the return of foreign military bases to help combat organised crime; and we speak to writer Jana Bakunina on her new book The Good Russian: In Search of a Nation's Soul.(File photo: A group of migrants on an inflatable dinghy leave the coast of northern France in an attempt to cross the English Channel on July 17, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes)

When Sydney Sweeney said "Jeans are not Controversial" Mrs. P had to investigate and what she found was astounding. From Sydney Sweeneys stalling career, to her plans with Geoff Bezos,  to the origins of Jeans in India, Britain, America. And how they were touched by the republic of Genoa, the British Ra, East India Trading Company, Mahatma Gandhi, and the prison industrial complex. And then of course back to Sydney Sweeneys GQ interview. GET THE MISCELLANEOUS IMMORALITY SHIRT HERE:

In September the ‘Unite the Kingdom' rally, organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, drew many thousands of people to London. Advertised as the UK's biggest ‘Free Speech Festival', speakers made calls to reaffirm Britain's Christian foundations. Many held wooden crosses and flags with Christian slogans, and the crowds were led in reciting the Lord's Prayer. In response to the march, a group of Church of England bishops and senior clergy joined leaders from across denominations to write a letter condemning the “co-opting or corrupting” of the Christian faith and symbols to exclude others. The letter said that ‘communities felt anxious, unsettled and even threatened by aspects of the march.'Meanwhile operation ‘Raise the Colours', a campaign to cover Britain in flags, has seen St. George's flags appear on lamp posts across England. Some see flying the flag as patriotism, while others are concerned and say the movement is underpinned by far-right nationalists.Today we'll explore the issues. Why is it different to fly a Welsh Flag or a St. George's Cross? What is the difference between patriotism and nationalism? In what way was the ‘Unite the Kingdom' march unsettling and exclusionary to others? Delyth Liddell is joined by Reverend Rhys Llwyd, leader of a Welsh speaking Baptist Church in Caernarfon, North Wales. The Rt Rev Philip North, Bishop of Blackburn who has recently written an article arguing that the flying of flags is a cry from long neglected communities. Suzanne Philpott lives near Swansea. She attended the ‘Unite the Kingdom' rally in September and is a Christian. Ross Hendry is from Llanelli and is the CEO of Christian Action Research and Education. He was a joint signatory of the letter “Do not ‘co-opt' the cross to divide."

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street's mixed week on concerns the Federal Reserve might not cut interest rates as expected in December; the end of the US government shutdown ends with a continuing resolution through January that included included funding to develop Boeing's E-7 for the Air Force over the Pentagon's objections; President Trump's decision to back away from the food tariffs he imposed that have sent prices for soaring as his administration finalized trade deals including with Switzerland; the US drive for NATO adoption of the E-7 as an E-3 AWACS replacement collapses as Britain decides against renewing its lease for three RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft as London eyes Hensoldt's Pegasus; Columbia's decision to buy Gripen jets from Saab for $3.6 billion; Army Secretary Dan Driscoll's statement that defense contractors saying they “conned the American people and the Pentagon” and says that he wants to buy 90 percent from commercial vendors and 10 percent “in the worst of cases” from specialist firms; the increasingly acrimonious squabble between Dassault and Airbus over leadership of the Franco-German next-generation SCAF family of air systems; the decision by Boeing machinists in St Louis to end the company's second longest strike; the concern by US intelligence officials that F-35 Lighting II fighter technology might leak to China if Washington sells the Lockheed Martin jets to Saudi Arabia; themes for this year's Dubai Air Show; BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce's market statements and Hensoldt's capital markets day.

AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports on Britain's expected overhaul of the asylum system.

By Walt HickeyWelcome to the Numlock Sunday edition.This week, I spoke to Chris Dalla Riva, author of the new book Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves. Chris is a fixture here at Numlock, we're big fans of his newsletter Can't Get Much Higher and have been eagerly waiting for this book, which tracks the history of music by coasting along the top of the Billboard Hot 100. The book can be found at Amazon and wherever books are sold, grab a copy!This interview has been condensed and edited. Chris Dalla Riva, it is great to have you back on. Especially great this week, because you are finally out with a book that I know you've been working on for a very long time, Uncharted Territory. Thanks for coming back on.Yeah, thrilled to be back, but also thrilled to have the book come out. The book publishing world is one of the only worlds left in the world that moves slow enough where you're waiting for so long for something to happen.You have guest-written for Numlock before; you have been a staple of the Sunday editions in the past. You are definitely familiar to the audience at this point because you are doing some of the best music data journalism out there. You've been working on this thing for, I feel like, as long as I've known you, and it is just great to have it come out finally, man.Yeah, actually, I met you because I was working on this project. I was trying to track down some data that you'd used at FiveThirtyEight, and you responded to my email with your phone number. You were like, “This is easier to explain over the phone.”Yeah, I remember I had scraped the radio for months at FiveThirtyEight just to see where it went, and you hit me up with that. I think that you focused some of your energies on the newsletter, and that's been so fun to follow, but this is truly what you've been working at. It is great to get you on finally to talk all about it.What would you describe this book as? How would you describe it, either to folks who might be familiar with your newsletter or unfamiliar with your newsletter, about what you're setting out to do with this particular project?The subtitle, I think, is helpful. It's What Numbers Tell Us About the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves. My typical pitch is that it's a data-driven history of popular music that I wrote as I spent years listening to every number one hit song in history. You get a balance of music history, data analysis, just random music chart shenanigans. I wrote it over such a very long period of time that you get a little bit of how my life was intersecting with this book over the years as I tried to get it published.I love the angle on the No.1s being a place to go with, because it gives you a pulse on what's popular at the time and not necessarily what's the most influential at the time. You can see there's a lot of stuff that hit number one at one point or another that have no musical legacy whatsoever, but nevertheless are still interesting. It's dipping your toe in the stream, right? You can see that a lot of things that we assume about how the music industry works weren't always the case.You wrote a little bit about the early transition from big bands to singers as the front-facing people in their operation. That was informed in no small part by what was performing on the charts, but also, I think, labor action, right?An under-discussed part of music history in the last 100 years is that when thinking of any band now or any musical artist, you almost certainly think of the front person being the singer. But if you go look back at big bands of the 1930s and 1940s, anyone whose name was attached to the band was often not a singer. Some that come to mind are Glenn Miller, the Glenn Miller band. Glenn Miller was a trombone player. Artie Shaw was a clarinet player. If none of these names are familiar to you, that's okay. But you can ask your grandparents.Why does this transition happen: suddenly, the lead singer is always getting top billing in a band? There are a bunch of things that contributed to this. One thing I talk about pretty extensively is just the advent of better microphones. If a voice cannot be heard over the roar of an orchestra or a big band, you need a choir of people to sing. It makes the singer less identifiable. As we get better amplification, better microphones, you can get a wider range of vocal styles. Those vocalists can now compete with the sound of a ton of instruments.At the same time, something you mentioned that I think is a fun bit of history is how music used to be much better organized. They had better labor organization, the same way that Hollywood has much better labor organization than music these days. There still exists a group called the American Federation of Musicians. For two years, they had a strike for a work stoppage, when no new music was being recorded. This was during World War II. You weren't allowed to strike during World War II.They were frowned upon very much, it seems, yes.Yes, even if you were a musician. People were like, “Come on, why are the musicians striking?” There's a lot of interesting history there. One of the weird loopholes was that singers could not join the American Federation of Musicians. Because of that, some labels would get around the strike by just recording acapella songs or songs with instruments that were not eligible to be membership because they weren't “serious” enough, like the harmonica. There were weird harmonica songs that were popular at this time. By the time the strike ended, by the time World War II ended, suddenly, singers had a much more prominent role because they were the only ones allowed to perform.There is tons of weird stuff about this strike. Like, labels backlogged tons of recordings because they knew the strike was coming. “White Christmas,” maybe the best-selling record of all time, was one of those backlogged recordings — recorded in July of 1942 and put out however many months later.That's fun. That's basically why Tom Cruise is in a union but Bad Bunny isn't?I guess so. Music and labor have a history that I'm not an expert on. For some reason, musicians have had a much more difficult time organizing. It seemed to be a little bit easier back when there were these big bands that needed to be rolled out to perform in movie theaters or local clubs. You needed a tuba player and a trombone player and a sax player. I guess it was easier for those musicians to organize. Whereas now, things are so scattered and productions can be super small, and you could record something in your bedroom. They never got that level of organization. I think it's actually hurt artists to some degree because they don't have the protections that the film industry does.Because you're able to just coast along at the top of the charts throughout basically the century, you're able to get lots of different interweaving stories of labor and also legal disputes/legal outcomes, as well as this technological evolution. What are some of the ways that technology has informed how the music that we listen to changes or evolves over time? Or even some of the litigation that we have seen over the course of the century of musical creation. It just seems like it's a really fun way to track some of these bigger trends that we don't even know are really trends.Yeah, totally. I think one of the key themes of the book is that musical evolution is often downstream from technological innovation, which has a nice little ring to it. But in general, there's this idea that creativity is being struck by the muse, and you create something. Whereas in reality, there are usually physical constraints or technological constraints that shape the art that we make. One of the most basic examples is the length of songs. From the '40s up till the early, mid-60s, the pop song sits around 2.5 to three minutes. The reason for this is that vinyl singles could literally not hold more sound without degrading, which is completely backwards from the idea that there was an artist who chose to write a 2.5-minute song.I was like, “Well, you had to work within the constraint.” Then technology gets better, singles start to get longer. During the disco era, they actually made bigger discs to put out these long dance mixes. The single sat around like 3.5 to 4.5 minutes for decades until about 10 years ago, when it started to shorten again. People typically point to music streaming for this reason, because artists are paid if a song is listened to for more than 30 seconds, so it's really just a volume game. If you have a 14 minute song that someone listens to one time, they get paid once. But if I listen to a two-minute song seven times (which is again, the same amount of time spent listening), I will be paid out seven times. There is this financial incentive to shorten songs.I don't think artists are sitting in the studio thinking about this constantly. But what I see, what I saw again and again, is that artists were rational beings to some degree and would work within the constraints that they were given. They would usually push against those constraints. That's where a lot of great art comes out of.Even new mediums are offering new opportunities. You wrote a little bit about MTV and how that really changed a lot of what was able to be successful at the time. You had new types of acts that were able to really start competing there, and other acts that just weren't. Do you wanna speak a little bit about like what video did?Yeah, video certainly changed the game. There were artists who had visual presences earlier. The Beatles had a very visual presence. I think part of their success is tied to the fact that television was becoming a thing, and mass media was really becoming a thing. However, we associate musicians with visuals so much these days. That really emerged in the 1980s, where you needed your visual concepts to be as strong, if not stronger than, your musical concepts. I think because of that, you start seeing some artists break through who I don't think are considered great musicians.I always sadly point to the song, “Hey Mickey” by Tony Basil. If it's your favorite song, sorry. I don't think it's a masterful musical creation, but it had this fun music video where she's dressed up as a cheerleader. A lot of that song's success was just the fact that MTV was willing to put that in heavy rotation because it was a fun video to watch. We live in the shadow of that era where visuals matter just as much as anything else.When you think about the most popular artists, outside of maybe a handful, you think of their visual concepts. You think of what Beyoncé looks like, what her videos are like, same with Taylor Swift, as much as you think about their music. That really reshaped our relationship with popular music. We expect to know what artists look like. It's odd to think about that; it really wasn't a thing decades before. You could be a fan of an artist and not really know what they look like. How would you know? Maybe you saw them in a magazine. Maybe you caught them on one television show. The idea that we have access to what everyone looks like is a pretty new phenomenon.That's fun. It's just so interesting to see how a simple change, whether it's today an algorithm or then a medium of distribution, can just have material impacts on the popularity of British synth music in America.Yeah, that's the perfect example. There's a great book called I Want My MTV, and it's an oral history of MTV. They talked to one of the founders. Early MTV would play, as you're saying, all these British new wave acts. Think A Flock of Seagulls, Duran Duran or even someone like U2. They asked the founder, “Why were you playing so many British artists on early MTV?” He was like, “For some reason, British artists happened to make music videos. And there were about 200 music videos in existence. We had to fill 24 hours of programming.” A Flock of Seagulls was gonna get played a bunch of times just because they happened to make music videos.It is a weird thing. Why would anyone make a music video if there was nowhere to really play them? I don't know why specifically the British had more videos, but there were occasional times where television shows might show a video.They do love that over there, like Top of the Pops. I can see why.Music and television have always been connected. You even think Saturday Night Live still has musical acts. Back then, say your label didn't wanna send you out to Britain to go on Top of the Pops. Maybe they would send a video of you instead. There were videos that would float around on these variety shows, and some early videos were just concert footage. It was like, it was a chicken or the egg thing. Once some people had success on MTV, everyone started producing videos. MTV somehow pulled off the miracle of convincing labels that they needed to make videos and that they needed to front the cost for that. Then they had to give MTV the video for free. I don't know how MTV managed to do that.Well, all of Gen X can't be wrong. If you do wanna get it out there, you do have to get it out there. One really fun recurring thing in the book — which again, like I really enjoyed. I think it's a phenomenal work. I think it's a great history. I'm telling stories that I learned in your book to everybody. It is a really fun read in that regard, I wanna say.I do love how you occasionally clock a genre that really only exists briefly. There's one that always goes around for like the strangest things to hit number one, like the Ballad of the Green Berets. I think like there's a Star Wars disco track that I definitely have on vinyl at home about that. You wrote a lot about like teen tragedy songs. What are some of the fascinating like brief trends that only made a small splash and that all of us have forgotten ever existed, but nevertheless achieve some measure of immortality?Yeah, the teen tragedy song is a good one. That actually inspired the writing of this whole book because I got 50 No. 1s, and I was like, “Why are there so many number ones about teenagers dying? That's a little weird.” And then I did a little digging and tried to piece together why that was. The teenage tragedy song, late '50s, early '60s, there are all of these songs about two teenagers in love, usually high schoolers. One tragically dies often in a car crash, and the other is very sad and maybe says that they'll reunite again one day in the afterlife. Some of the big ones are “Leader of the Pack” by the Shangri-Las and “Teen Angel” by Mark Dinning.It's a very weird blip in popular music history. I won't say it has cast a long shadow, but there are some occasional people who pull from that tradition. The craziest teen tragedy song ever was “Bat Outta Hell” by Meatloaf, in which Jim Steinman tried to write a nine-minute motorcycle crash song. I think that's a really interesting one.Disco: bizarre in the amount of people that made disco songs. I really came to like disco and the best disco music, I'm like, “These are the greatest sounds that have ever been recorded.” But it got so big and so popular that everyone felt the need to record disco songs.Not everything is “I Feel Love,” right?No, most things are not. It strikes me that this happened with disco, but has not happened with other genres. Frank Sinatra recorded disco songs. Basically, every television theme song got a disco remix. I Love Lucy had a disco remix. The Rocky theme song had a disco remix.What? I'm sorry, Frank Sinatra did a disco song? Is it good?It's not good. It's “Night and Day” over a disco beat. And it's not clear to me if they just remixed it or if he actually recut the vocal because I just cannot imagine him doing that. In the mid-60s, there was a nun who topped the charts, The Singing Nun with a song called “Dominique.” Of course, during the disco era, it was remixed as a disco song. There are examples of this where people went sort of disco. The Rolling Stones record “Miss You” and it has the disco beat, or Pink Floyd does “Another Brick in the Wall” or Queen does “Another One Bites the Dust.”Everyone was gonna give it a try. There was so much money being made in the disco world at the time. You can always find some artists you would never think would do a disco song probably tried. They probably gave it their best.That's great. It's just fun because the things that hit number one for a week don't necessarily have to be good. They just have to be popular for like a week. Even the construction of the Top 40 chart, which you get into in the book, isn't exactly science. A lot of times, it's a little bit of intuition. It's a lot of what's selling and what's selling where specifically. It is a little bit woo woo, right?Yeah, definitely. The goal of this chart is “What's the most popular song in America in a given week?” Back in the day, that meant what were people buying? What were people listening to on the radio? What were people spinning in jukeboxes? Today, most music is done on streaming. It's consumption-based, rather than sales-based. So the chart's the same in name only, but it's really measuring very different things. The equivalent would be if we knew after you purchased your copy of “I Feel Love,” how many times did you actually play it at home? You could have purchased it, went home and never played it again. Something like that would not register on the charts these days.I respect the people at Billboard because they have an impossible task. It's like “We're gonna take all the information and we're going to boil it down into choosing or measuring what the most popular song is.” It's an impossible task to some degree.I have watched the evolution of the chart, and I go back and forth on whether they have given up on actually trying to rank stuff or if they are just ranking things in a different way. I think that the apples-to-apples between the era stuff is just so hard to do.One thing I really enjoyed about your book, in particular, is that it's not a story of why these songs are the best. It's a story of why these songs were popular at the time, just dipping the toe into the river of human sound. One thing that I'll ask as you wrap: as you were going through these eras, who did you hear a lot more of than you thought? Who did you hear a lot less than you expected?I joked with some people that if you just looked at the top of the charts, the greatest rock band of the 1970s is either Grand Funk Railroad or Three Dog Night because they both had three number one hits, and many other bands in the classic rock canon have none. Led Zeppelin does not really exist on the pop chart, the singles chart. Led Zeppelin really only put out albums. The Eagles were also big during the '70s on the music charts. But Three Dog Night, they're the legends.There are tons of people that I didn't realize how much I would see of them. Someone like Lionel Richie and Phil Collins, of course, they're tremendously popular, but they were so popular. Phil Collins was popular at the height of the bald pop star era, which I think is a thing of the past. You had multiple bald men who were regularly topping the charts in the mid-80s. You see a ton of Phil Collins, more than I was expecting, even though I know he's very popular.Who don't you see a ton of? Sometimes you don't see people until a bit later in their careers. This is actually an interesting phenomenon. Artists do not score a number one hit during their most critically acclaimed period, and then a decade later, they do. For example, Cheap Trick. They have a number one hit, but it's at the end of the '80s song called “The Flame.” Whereas if you hear Cheap Trick on the radio, it's probably their live album from the 1970s. This is a phenomenon you see again and again. Some old timer will get their number one much later in their career. Tina Turner gets her number one when she's probably in her 40s. It's always interesting to see that.There are also some artists where I feel like there's a divergence between what their most popular songs are these days and what was topping the charts. Elton John is a good example there. “Benny and the Jets” was a number one hit, still a tremendously popular song. But he's got a lot of weird No. 1s that I don't think have as much street cred these days. He has a song called “Island Girl.” Did not age like fine wine. I don't even think he plays it live anymore because it's considered somewhat racially insensitive. But it was a No. 1 hit at the time. “Philadelphia Freedom” is another one by Elton John. I feel like when people think of the Elton John catalog, it's probably not the first song that comes to mind. But it was a No. 1 hit, huge smash. His cover of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” was a No. 1. Elton John has been very popular throughout the decades, but I feel like the reasons he's been popular have changed.People have just gravitated towards different songs as time has gone on. You get distortions at the top of the charts. But I think, as you mentioned, it provides a good sample of what was actually popular. You have the good, the bad, and the ugly. Whereas if you look at some other sources, people are just gonna be like, “Oh, listen to these records. These are the best records.” In reality, the bad records are important, too.Yeah, bad records are great. They're at least interesting. I imagine also some of this process must have been missing out on a lot of interesting music because one song was just dominating the charts. Were there any songs in particular that come to mind that wooled the roost for potentially a little bit too long?Yeah, the quintessential example is the “Macarena” in the ‘90s.Oh, no!I think it was No. 1 for 13 weeks.Christ!There's a great clip of people at the Democratic National Convention and '96 dancing the “Macarena.” It's so bad. Yeah, so a very popular song. There are tons of stuff that gets stuck behind it. There's a great No.1 hit in the '90s called “I Love You Always Forever.” It's a very nice song by Donna Lewis. It's stuck at No. 2 because it just happened to be popular during the “Macarena's” very long run. YYour life's work, your greatest accomplishment, being stymied by the “Macarena” feels like a level of creative hell that I have never envisioned before.Yeah, there are other artists who got unlucky. Bruce Springsteen never performed a No. 1 hit. He wrote a No.1 hit for another artist. His closest was “Dancing in the Dark” got to No. 2, but that was also when Prince released “When Doves Cry,” so it's a tough, tough week. Bob Dylan, similar thing. He wrote a No. 1 hit, but he only ever got to No. 2. I think he got to No. 2 twice. Once, he got stuck behind “Help” by the Beatles, and another time he got stuck behind “Monday Monday” by the Mamas and the Papas.This is another thing when I talk about the charts. There could be many fewer units sold in a given week, or there could be many more units sold. There's a lot of luck involved if you're gonna go all the way to No. 1. You could be Bruce Springsteen: you release the biggest record of your life, and Prince also releases the biggest record of his life at the exact same time.Incredible. So again, I have read the book. I really, really like it. People are doubtlessly familiar with the newsletter at this point, but I am also a big fan and booster of that. But I guess I'll just throw it to you. Where can folks find the book, and where can folks find you?Yeah, you can find me, Chris Dalla Riva, basically on every social media platform under cdallarivamusic. I'm most active on TikTok and Instagram. The book, Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us About the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves, should be available from every major retailer online. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Booklist, all that good stuff. Not available physically in stores, so definitely order it online.Like I said, I spent years listening to every No. 1 hit in history, built a giant data set about all those songs and used that to write a data-driven history of popular music from 1958 to basically 2025. So go pick up a copy, buy one for your mother for Christmas. Or your father, I don't discriminate. Yeah, check it out. I'm hoping people enjoy it, and I'm really excited to finally get it out in the world. It's been a long, circuitous journey to get it published.It's a really fun read, and I wish it nothing but the best. And yeah, congrats, thanks for coming on.Yeah, thanks for having me.Edited by Crystal WangIf you have anything you'd like to see in this Sunday special, shoot me an email. Comment below! Thanks for reading, and thanks so much for supporting Numlock.Thank you so much for becoming a paid subscriber! Send links to me on Twitter at @WaltHickey or email me with numbers, tips or feedback at walt@numlock.news. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.numlock.com/subscribe

Today's conversation is with Andrew Wade, the founder of The Core Values Channel - a platform dedicated to exploring practical, centrist, and economically literate solutions to Britain's biggest challenges.Andrew's background is in UK manufacturing and international trade, selling British products across Europe and Africa. But after seeing first-hand how political and economic decisions were damaging productivity and punishing working citizens, he decided to step forward with his own plan for national renewal.In this conversation, we dive into his detailed proposals for fixing the UK's cost of living crisis, reducing the national debt, and rebuilding a culture of contribution and productivity. Andrew doesn't just critique the current system, he lays out what a sustainable, fair, and growth-focused Britain could look like.Expect to learn:Why Andrew believes Britain needs a new centrist economic movement with real solutionsHow to solve the cost of living crisis without punishing productive workersWhy cutting benefits is essential and how a community service model could workThe problem with importing non-contributing labour and benefit dependencyHow benefit fraud, “sickfluencers,” and policy loopholes distort welfare budgetsWhy job creation must focus on manufacturing and service sector exportsHow Net Zero policies have been hijacked and the hidden costs of wind and solarWhy Scotland's wind contracts and solar subsidies are damaging food securityThe flaws in Gary Stevenson's wealth tax proposal and Andrew's alternativeWhy the UK already has multiple forms of wealth tax (CGT, IHT, Stamp Duty, Council Tax)How to motivate millionaires and billionaires to fund affordable housing projectsThe failure of “envy taxes” and why income tax reform is key to growthHow immigration and youth policy must shift to reward productivity and contributionWhat individuals can do today to protect themselves from the cost of living crisisToday's episode is optimised by Puresport. You can save 10% using code CAMBRO10 - https://puresport.co/CAMBRO10Get my Sales Support - https://colcambro.kit.com/d0dceeb5ffFuel your focus with COLIN10 and Neutonic - https://www.neutonic.com?sca_ref=9669547.luRRrQVs1D2aX&utm_source=uppromote&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=263773Connect with Andrew WadeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The-Core-Values-MovementLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-wade-16210817/Connect with ColInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/col.cambro/Email List: https://colcambro.kit.com/30bde23b0cPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/ColCampbell

It's 2007, and Tony Blair is out. In his place is Gordon Brown, who'd proved his capacity as a Chancellor. Sadly, he was now to show that promotion to Prime Minister was one step too many , since he simply didn't have the skills needed for the top job. He might have won an election in the autumn of 2007, when he had a small poll lead. Instead, his nerve failed him and he called off the election the Labour Party had been preparing. That meant that he took the blame for the world crash that hit the following year, and though he and his Chancellor did well to get Britain back to growth, with the deadline for a new election bearing down on them, they had run out of time to build the party a new lead.The result of the 2010 election was to return a hung parliament, one in which no party had a majority in the Commons. Fraught negotiations finally led to the formation of a Conservative coalition government with the Liberal Democrats. Dominated by the Tories, it pursued austerity policies to reduce the government deficit and public debt. It had some success in the first of these aims, but none in the second. Austerity created a fairly dismal atmosphere in the country and, for the LibDems, the policy turned toxic when it forced an increase in university fees which the party, now led by Nick Clegg, had vowed to abolish.When the next election was held, in 2015, the LibDems were severely punished, with their haul of MPs reduced from the respectable 57 won in 2010, to the miserable total of just eight.Labour had elected itself a hopeless, uncharismatic leader, Ed Miliband, an easy figure for Cameron to beat. Labour lost more seats from its low tally of 2010. Cameron, on the other hand, took his Conservatives to a majority in the Commons. The majority was small but enough to form a new government of Tories alone, with the LibDems once more consigned to the backbenches.So Cameron took office for the second time. Things looked good for him. Unfortunately, however, an explosion that would bring him down was building within his own party, as we'll see next week.Illustration: Cameron (left) of the Tories and Clegg of the LibDems, senior and junior leaders of the 2010 coalition government. Photo from the GuardianMusic: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License

The Coalition deciding on its formal net zero climate position; Britain to announce massive changes to its asylum seeker policies; The Wallabies record a major loss to Ireland in their Dublin tour match.

Determine what would've been some well known common forms of 18th Century Colonial American Tavern Entertainment? Discover how one could best define what entertainment's meaning meant during the 17th & 18th Centuries. Agree if it's fair to say that tavern business owners in urban centers competed amongst one another for customers. Figure out whether dinners in most urban taverns followed English customs. Go behind the scenes and learn everything possible about multiple types of spaces in colonial taverns. Learn how the level of privacy a guest obtained depended heavily on their societal status. Understand exactly why 18th Century entertainment took place in a tavern versus someone's personal home. Discover if the key difference between urban & rural taverns lied in the variety, quality, including fanciness of food presentation. Get an understanding behind why drinking was the most popular of all tavern activity practices during the 18th Century. Learn what was considered to be the most widely popular distilled liquor in Britain's 13 North American Colonies as well as which beverage got regularly served at every tavern event. Learn the significance behind Sugar in Colonial American times. Agree if sleeping arrangements in taverns varied over time as well as from place to place. Discover in colonial times how it wasn't uncommon for multiple people to sleep in the same bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave Rubin of "The Rubin Report" talks to Piers Morgan about his new book Woke Is Dead and why he says the fight against woke ideology isn't over yet; why the public tolerance for wokeism is collapsing; what we can learn from the backlash against Sydney Sweeney; how woke ideology has evolved into socialism and Marxism within the Democratic Party; how London's woke politics compare to New York's; how mass migration and failed immigration policies are straining Britain's infrastructure and NHS; how he'd solve the UK's immigration crisis; why Britain must take a tougher Trump-style approach with France, using tariffs to stop illegal crossings; the need for assimilation; how Sharia courts in the UK create dangerous divisions; why he thinks Tommy Robinson is a fraudster who hides behind free speech; how he challenges guests across the political spectrum; why he is tough but fair with both conservatives like Candace Owens and leftists alike; why Tucker Carlson was wrong for going easy on Nick Fuentes; his biggest mistakes on COVID and BLM; the hypocrisy in media coverage of January 6 vs. BLM protests; why he disagrees with Dave on Israel's handling of the war with Gaza; and much more.

Britain's finance minister has reportedly decided not to raise income tax in her budget on November 26th Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain's prisons are a legislative problem that has beset successive governments. New revelations show 91 accidental early releases in just six months, the latest in a growing pattern of administrative chaos across the criminal justice system. Between drones delivering drugs, crumbling Victorian buildings, exhausted staff and an ever more convoluted sentencing regime, what is the cause of so many blunders? And what will Labour's promised reforms actually fix – and are more crises inevitable?James Heale speaks to Charlie Taylor, H.M. Chief Inspector of Prisons.Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Megan McElroy.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Perhaps most famous as the home of the druids, Ynys Môn, also known as Anglesey, occupies 275 square miles just off the north Wales coast. It is an ancient place. Archaeologists found Neolithic settlements at Llanfaethlu, making these some of the oldest villages in Wales. The Neolithic Castell Bryn Gwyn site remained in use until the Roman period. Bryn Celli Ddu is one of the most famous Bronze Age burial mounds. This passage tomb is around 5000 years old, and aligns with the sunrise on the summer solstice. Its name means 'the Mound in the Dark Grove', and it was first excavated in 1865. With so much history everywhere you turn, finding folklore and legend is to be expected. Let's explore legends of witches, saints, ghosts, and druids in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore… Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/anglesey-folklore/ Book tickets for The Haunted Landscape: Ghosts, Magic and Lore: https://www.conwayhall.org.uk/whats-on/event/the-haunted-landscape-ghosts-magic-and-lore/ Buy Ronald Hutton's Blood & Mistletoe: The History of the Druids in Britain: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/12992/9780300267754 Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and articles at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Buy Icy a coffee or sign up for bonus episodes at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick Fabulous Folklore Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/fabulous_folklore Pre-recorded illustrated talks: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick/shop Request an episode: https://forms.gle/gqG7xQNLfbMg1mDv7 Get extra snippets of folklore on Instagram at https://instagram.com/icysedgwick Find Icy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/icysedgwick.bsky.social 'Like' Fabulous Folklore on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabulousfolklore/

Britain's prisons are a legislative problem that has beset successive governments. New revelations show 91 accidental early releases in just six months, the latest in a growing pattern of administrative chaos across the criminal justice system. Between drones delivering drugs, crumbling Victorian buildings, exhausted staff and an ever more convoluted sentencing regime, what is the cause of so many blunders? And what will Labour's promised reforms actually fix – and are more crises inevitable?James Heale speaks to Charlie Taylor, H.M. Chief Inspector of Prisons.Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Megan McElroy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A thin, cautious man stepped onto a Welsh beach in August 1485 with fewer soldiers than his enemy, and more to lose than anyone in England. Three weeks later, he had killed a king, married his rival's niece, and founded a dynasty that still shapes Britain. He was Henry VII - quiet, calculating, and absolutely not boring. In this beginner's guide, I explore how the first Tudor monarch ended the Wars of the Roses, rebuilt royal authority, and quietly transformed England from chaos to stability. Forget the myth of the miserly king in his counting house, this Henry knew how to wield power, throw a party with dragons and castles on wheels, and plan dynasties like a master strategist. In this podcast: • How Henry won Bosworth and united Lancaster and York • His clever diplomacy, finances, and propaganda • The truth behind his “boring” reputation • The personal losses that reshaped his reign • How his quiet vision laid the groundwork for Henry VIII and Elizabeth I If Henry VIII was fireworks, Henry VII was the fuse, less flashy, but far more important. Recommended reading: Nathen Amin, Son of Prophecy Tell me in the comments: what surprised you most about Henry VII? #HenryVII #TudorHistory #WarsOfTheRoses #TudorDynasty #BritishHistory #ClaireRidgway #HistoryYouTube #BeginnerHistory

#JonGaunt #Denmark #UKImmigration #MigrantCrisis #Starmer #ShabanaMahmood #AsylumSystem #BBC #Panorama #UKPoliticsLive Trump agrees with me that we need troops on the beach and the Navy in the Channel to stop illegals invading the UK. If they land they must be immediately deported.  We need to follow Denmark's lead and get tough.  How many more Women and young girls need to be raped before Starmer acts and protects Brits first?  I've had enough of the liberal hand wringing of the liberal bed wetters led by the Biased BBC and I want action.  Now the BBC has been exposed as propagandists for "the enemy" we need to support Trump in his case against them. The BBC represent all that is wrong with modern Britain thinking they are morally superior and tarring the decent silent majority of us as Far Right and ignoring our concerns for far too long. I've had enough have you? Scrap the BBC and STOP all illegal immigration. Join me with your views. #JonGaunt #DenmarkModel #UKImmigration #MigrantCrisis #Starmer #ShabanaMahmood #DeterDetainDeport #MigrationDebate #AsylumSystem #ChannelCrossings #UKPoliticsLive #EuropeMigration #BorderControl #MigrantHotels #JonGaunt #Denmark #UKImmigration #MigrantCrisis #Starmer #ShabanaMahmood #AsylumSystem #BBC #Panorama #UKPoliticsLive #GBNews #BevTurner #Talk  Jon Gaunt, Denmark model, UK immigration, migrant crisis, Keir Starmer, Shabana Mahmood, deter detain deport, asylum system, Channel crossings, UK politics live, migration debate, border control, migrant hotels, Danish migration policy, UK government immigration This is 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.  

Get a better way to stay informed at https://ground.news/winston and see through biased media. Subscribe through my link for 40% off unlimited access. In this episode of The Winston Marshall Show, I sit down with Allison Pearson, journalist and columnist at The Telegraph, for a revealing conversation about the collapse of Britain's asylum system, media bias, and the cultural denial gripping the political class.Allison exposes how caseworkers are being forced to grant asylum to known sex offenders and violent men, including those on the sex offenders register, due to loopholes in Britain's asylum laws. Drawing on her bombshell reporting, she explains how hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants have vanished into the system, how Home Office staff are incentivised to approve asylum claims without vetting, and how police and terror checks were suspended to meet political targets.We discuss the BBC's censorship and bias, the moral blindness of Britain's ruling elites, and what Allison calls the nation's “suicidal empathy” — a refusal to protect its own people out of fear of being called racist. From asylum hotels and rising community tensions to the far-centrism of the establishment, this is an unflinching look at how Britain lost control of its borders and what it will take to reclaim them.Check out Allison's podcast with Liam Halligan, Planet Normal here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVC4Y-6d5MVBccDib2wsOhXa-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To see more exclusive content and interviews consider subscribing to my substack here: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Substack: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/X: https://twitter.com/mrwinmarshallInsta: https://www.instagram.com/winstonmarshallLinktree: https://linktr.ee/winstonmarshall----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:56 Shocking Revelations from Allison's investigation 03:49 Challenges in the Asylum System09:33 Automatic Asylum and Loopholes18:47 Historical Context and Broader Implications22:34 Impact on Rural Communities 43:22 Media Bias and the BBC 49:11 Far Centrism and Its Consequences 1:05:44 Allison's Social Media “offence”1:08:07 Legal Action and Broader Implications1:20:02 Impact of Public Speech and Legal Consequences1:22:45 Multiculturalism and Its Impact on Free Speech1:26:26 Historical Context and Legal Responses1:27:39 Final Thoughts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Hockney is arguably Britain's most loved living artist. He's known as a colourful character, not only because of his vibrant, colour rich paintings of Californian landscapes, glittering blue pools, and thick Yorkshire woodlands, but also his own carefully curated image from the 1960s- bright blond hair and oversized thick black round glasses. He was born in Bradford in 1937, and knew by the age of 10 he wanted to be an artist. He studied at the Royal College of Art, and by his mid 20s he was key player in London's bohemian pop-art scene. He then moved to LA in pursuit of sunshine and inspiration. He delights in using new technology to create; from the polaroid, to the fax machine, and his iPad. Now, more than 60 years into his career, aged 88, David Hockney is not slowing down. His image has recently been depicted by drones in a light-show in the skies above Bradford, in a colourful tribute to the city's most famous son. Becky Milligan speaks to his muse, the textile designer Celia Birtwell, art historian Marco Livingstone, dancer and contemporary Wayne Sleep and art critic Waldemar Januszczak. Production Presenter: Becky Milligan Producers: Ben Crighton, Mhairi MacKenzie and Marie Lennon Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Editor: Justine Lang Sound Editor: Gareth JonesArchive BBC Imagine…Summer 2009: David Hockney – A Bigger Picture (Coluga Pictures) BBC The Interview: David Hockney - A Life in Art (2025) “Joie de Vivre” clip courtesy of Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (2011)

Former deputy editor of the Independent on Sunday, James Hanning, takes us behind the scenes of The Bookseller of Hay, his immersive portrait of Richard Booth, the man whose eccentric brilliance (and spectacular unruliness!) turned Hay-on-Wye into a world-famous literary destination.We talk about Booth's larger-than-life personality, his love–hate relationship with the Hay Festival, his spectacular mischief, and the contradictions that made him both impossible and irresistible. James also shares how his upbringing and his instinct for “getting to the bottom of things” shaped this book and career.

“Predictions are hard,” Yogi Berra once quipped, “especially about the future”. Yes they are. But in today's AI boom/bubble, how exactly can we predict the future? According to Silicon Valley venture capitalist Aman Verjee, access to the future lies in the past. In his new book, A Brief History of Financial Bubbles, Verjee looks at history - particularly the 17th century Dutch tulip mania and the railway mania of 19th century England - to make sense of today's tech economics. So what does history teach us about the current AI exuberance: boom or bubble? The Stanford and Harvard-educated Verjee, a member of the PayPal Mafia who wrote the company's first business plan with Peter Thiel, and who now runs his own venture fund, brings both historical perspective and insider experience to this multi-trillion-dollar question. Today's market is overheated, the VC warns, but it's more nuanced than 1999. The MAG-7 companies are genuinely profitable, unlike the dotcom darlings. Nvidia isn't Cisco. Yet “lazy circularity” in AI deal-making and pre-seed valuations hitting $50 million suggests traditional symptoms of irrational exuberance are returning. Even Yogi Berra might predict that. * Every bubble has believers who insist “this time is different” - and sometimes they're right. Verjee argues that the 1999 dotcom bubble actually created lasting value through companies like Amazon, PayPal, and the infrastructure that powered the next two decades of growth. But the concurrent telecom bubble destroyed far more wealth through outright fraud at companies like Enron and WorldCom.* Bubbles always occur in the world's richest country during periods of unchallenged hegemony. Britain dominated globally during its 1840s railway mania. America was the sole superpower during the dotcom boom. Today's AI frenzy coincides with American technological dominance - but also with a genuine rival in China, making this bubble fundamentally different from its predecessors.* The current market shows dangerous signs but isn't 1999. Unlike the dotcom era when 99% of fiber optic cable laid was “dark” (unused), Nvidia could double GPU production and still sell every chip. The MAG-7 trade at 27-29 times earnings versus the S&P 500's 70x multiple in 2000. Real profitability matters - but $50 million pre-seed valuations and circular revenue deals between AI companies echo familiar patterns of excess.* Government intervention in markets rarely ends well. Verjee warns against America adopting an industrial policy of “picking winners” - pointing to Japan's 1980s bubble as a cautionary tale. Thirty-five years after its collapse, Japan's GDP per capita remains unchanged. OpenAI is not too big to fail, and shouldn't be treated as such.* Immigration fuels American innovation - full stop. When anti-H1B voices argue for restricting skilled immigration, Verjee points to the counter-evidence: Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Max Levchin, and himself - all H1B visa holders who created millions of American jobs and trillions in shareholder value. Closing that pipeline would be economically suicidal.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Before Roswell made UFOs a household name, strange craft were already haunting our skies. In the early 1900s, from the battlefields of World War I to quiet farmlands across the globe, witnesses reported encounters with mysterious airships, glowing discs, and their otherworldly occupants. We'll look at UFO sightings and encounters from 1900 thru 1930 – and there are a lot more than you'd expect.CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Lead-In00:02:18.129 = Show Open00:03:38.205 = UFOs and Extraterrestrials in the 1900s (Part 1)00:20:30.205 = ***UFOs and Extraterrestrials in the 1900s (Part 2)00:35:17.123 = ***UFOs and Extraterrestrials in the 1910s (Part 1)01:03:56.725 = ***UFOs and Extraterrestrials in the 1910s (Part 2)01:25:33.274 = ***UFOs and Extraterrestrials in the 1920s (Part 1)01:37:49.569 = ***UFOs and Extraterrestrials in the 1920s (Part 2)01:50:41.188 = Show CloseSOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…Photo of Edward Pline UFO: https://weirddarkness.com/Early1900sUFOs, or https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/wp-content/gallery/bestufos/1870-03.jpgMarcus Lowth for UFO Insight: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckt2jzd, https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yjh86ksd,https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p9a8xbhThree Red Objects Sighted From USS Supply, NICAP http://www.nicap.org/040228pacific_dir.htmThe Democrat-Herald newspaper, August 27 1973Saw An Airship, Columbus Republican, August 18, 1906 (page 5)Emery County Progress, September 15 1906The Burlington Free Press, June 3, 1907Our Strange World, Mark Chorvinsky, Fate Magazine, Vol. 45, No. 8, August 1992Daimonic Reality: A Field Guide to the Otherworld, Patrick Harpur, ISBN 9780937 663097Modern Mysteries of Britain, Janet Bord and Colin Bord, ISBN 9780586 065297HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports, David Webb and Ted BloecherUFOs: The Whole Story, Coral Lorenzen, ASIN B0006CDZPYEarth Lights Revelation: UFOs and Mystery Lightform Phenomena – The Earth's Secret Energy Force, Paul Devereux, ISBN 9780713 722093NTCAT 1910 – 1919 – International Catalog of Entity Reports”, by Peter Rogerson http://intcat.blogspot.com/search/label/1911%20-%201919From Airships to Arnold: A Preliminary Catalogue of UFO Reports in the Early 20th Century (1900-1946), Richard Hall, ISBN 192895 7013Unexplained!: Strange Sightings, Incredible Occurrences and Puzzling Physical Phenomena, Jerome Clark, ISBN 9781578 590704The Soviet UFO Files, Paul Stonehill, ISBN 9781858 338583Book of Space Contacts, Timothy Beckley, ISBN 9780938 294054 (page 26-27)UFO!: The Complete Sightings Guide, Peter Brookesmith, ISBN 9780713 725834 (page 31)=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: November 26, 2024EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/BeforeRoswellABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.#WeirdDarkness #UFOHistory #PreRoswell #MysteriousAirships #VintageUFOs #AlienEncounters #StrangeSightings #ParanormalFiles #UnexplainedSky #UFOPhenomena

Headlines: – Welcome To Mo News (02:00) – Government Turns Back On: Flight Status Update (07:00) – Pentagon Preparing For Possible Military Action in Venezuela (15:00) – Rubio Calls For Foreign Governments To Stop Funding Sudan Paramilitary As War Expands (19:00) – 1 in 4 US Households Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck (23:50) – Britain's 300-Year Tradition Of Wearing Wigs In Court Gets A Trim (26:00) – ‘Naked' Cheetos and Doritos Ditch Iconic Colors in Health Push (29:10) – Holiday Shopping Preview With Target (31:45) – AI-Generated Country Song Is Currently Topping Charts in America (35:10) – What We're Watching, Reading, Eating (39:00) Thanks To Our Sponsors:  – ⁠LMNT⁠ - Free Sample Pack with any LMNT drink mix purchase –⁠ Industrious⁠ - Coworking office. 50% off day pass | Promo Code: MONEWS50 – Surfshark - 4 additional months of Surfshark VPN | Code: MONEWS – Factor Meals – 50% your first box plus free shipping | Promo Code: monews50off – Shopify – $1 per-month trial | Code: monews

Among many issues, we discuss immigration, the deep state, Islam, Donald Trump, and the grooming gangs. Liz's book "Ten Years to Save the West": https://www.amazon.com/Ten-Years-Save-West-Truss/dp/1684515513 _______________________________________ If you appreciate my work and would like to support it: https://subscribestar.com/the-saad-truth https://patreon.com/GadSaad https://paypal.me/GadSaad To subscribe to my exclusive content on X, please visit my bio at https://x.com/GadSaad _______________________________________ This clip was posted on November 14, 2025 on my YouTube channel as THE SAAD TRUTH_1938: https://youtu.be/aL7b7_yCK64 _______________________________________ Please visit my website gadsaad.com, and sign up for alerts. If you appreciate my content, click on the "Support My Work" button. I count on my fans to support my efforts. You can donate via Patreon, PayPal, and/or SubscribeStar. _______________________________________ Dr. Gad Saad is a professor, evolutionary behavioral scientist, and author who pioneered the use of evolutionary psychology in marketing and consumer behavior. In addition to his scientific work, Dr. Saad is a leading public intellectual who often writes and speaks about idea pathogens that are destroying logic, science, reason, and common sense.  _______________________________________

A court in Britain has ruled that the mining company BHP is legally responsible for the collapse of a dam in 2015 which caused one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters. The failure of the Mariana dam (in southeastern Brazil) unleashed a wave of toxic waste that killed nineteen people and polluted a major river. It was owned by a joint venture between the Brazilian firm, Vale, and BHP - which was headquartered in Britain at the time. Hundreds of thousands of Brazilian victims are seeking what could amount to billions of dollars in compensation. BHP says it intends to appeal. Also in the programme: controversy in Turkish football; and we hear from a mystery person photographed during the Louvre heist. (Photo: A view shows the BHP Group logo at their headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. CREDIT: REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo)

"The American Revolution," the latest work from filmmaker Ken Burns, begins this Sunday on PBS. The six-part, 12-hour history of the war of independence from Britain and the beginnings of the American experiment in democracy comes at a moment of deep divisions. Jeffrey Brown has our look for our series Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy as part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Harley Schlanger, a historian and national spokesman with expertise in the financial industry since the 1980s, offers insights through The LaRouche Organization, where followers can access his analyses on geopolitics and economics. The recent government shutdown, orchestrated by Senate Democrats in a bid to extend Obamacare subsidies set to expire, brutally exposed the fragility of their socialist welfare empire, with SNAP benefits for millions of low-income Americans abruptly halted as leverage in the standoff. Critics highlighted how Democrat-controlled states exploit loopholes in the Affordable Care Act to divert federal funds toward healthcare for undocumented immigrants, turning taxpayer dollars into a slush fund for illegal border crossers while insurance giants like Blue Cross rake in billions in subsidies. This cynical tactic, which risked starving families reliant on food stamps just past Election Day, underscored the Ponzi-like nature of these programs, where Democrats prioritized bailing out their failing healthcare scheme over essential services, forcing Republicans to vote repeatedly for full funding that was repeatedly blocked. NATO and EU leaders are accelerating Europe's slide toward direct conflict with Russia through unprecedented military pacts, including France and Britain's coordination of nuclear forces and missile systems, framing the continent as a militarized frontline in a broader anti-Russian strategy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the alliance of already declaring war via Ukraine proxies, with NATO's creeping expansion into the Arctic and Pacific designed to isolate Moscow and provoke escalation, echoing long-suspected Western plots dating back to 1993 documents advocating offensive operations against Russia using Eastern European buffers. As EU elites dismiss peace talks as "more dangerous than war" and ramp up hybrid defenses against perceived Russian threats, voices warn that this desperation masks internal failures on debt and energy, pushing the bloc into a suicidal confrontation that could doom the continent.