Intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and midway between the poles
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In this episode of The Horn, Alan is joined by journalist and author Nesrine Malik. They take stock of Sudan's war after more than three years of fighting and consider where the conflict might be headed. They discuss what the wars in Sudan and Gaza reveal about the collapse of the rules-based order, as the U.S. becomes more withdrawn and European capitals hesitate to act decisively. They assess how the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is affecting the Horn, and how fuel and fertiliser shortages could affect African economies. Finally, they talk about what might come next for the global order and human rights, the prospect of middle powers uniting in the face of global disorder and “Equator”, the new magazine Malik helped found.This episode is produced in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.For more, check out Equator and our Horn of Africa page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Paul Holden is back on the pod to mark another phase in the collapse of the Keir Starmer project. It's got so bad that a Labour MP trolled the British prime minister by visibly carrying Paul's book, The Fraud, in the House of Commons.The Party Line is a podcast from The Ditch, news and comment from Ireland – ontheditch.com. It's hosted by Niamh Ní Bhriain and Harry Browne, with Paulie Doyle from The Ditch.Ditch stories discussed: https://www.ontheditch.com/fine-gael-byelection-candidate-sean-kyne/ and https://www.ontheditch.com/ray-mcadam-used-lord-mayors-car/'Good Jews, Bad Jews' in Equator: https://www.equator.org/articles/good-jews-bad-jews-barnaby-raineVashti Media: https://www.vashtimedia.com/Shadow World Investigations: https://shadowworldinvestigations.org/Music by Fionn DempseyRecording by Emmet Whiteemail thedtichpartyline at gmailontheditch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
** NOTE TO LISTENERS: This week, we are releasing a special “flash episode” of Grand Tamasha to recap India's recently concluded 2026 state assembly elections. As usual, we will still be publishing a new Grand Tamasha episode next Tuesday, May 12 at 9 pm ET, Wednesday 6:30 am IST. It's safe to say that India's 2026 state assembly elections have scrambled many of the assumptions that have long shaped our understanding of Indian politics. The BJP has finally captured West Bengal after decades of trying, secured a third consecutive victory in Assam, and made modest, but important gains in Kerala. With its allies, it also retained the union territory of Puducherry. In Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, the upstart TVK—led by the enigmatic actor Vijay—has disrupted a political duopoly that has defined the state for decades. At a deeper level, across these elections, familiar assumptions about welfare, identity, institutions, and opposition politics have suddenly been called into question. To make sense of these results—and what they might tell us about the road to 2029—Milan is joined today by two of the sharpest observers of Indian politics and political economy. Neelanjan Sircar is an associate professor at Ahmedabad University and one of the country's leading scholars of Indian politics. He has spent years studying party organizations, welfare politics, and electoral change across states—including West Bengal and Assam. Yamini Aiyar is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia and the Watson Institute at Brown University. She was previously president and CEO of the Centre for Policy Research, and is a leading expert on the Indian state, welfare delivery, and democratic accountability. Milan, Yamini, and Neelanjan discuss the BJP's historic win in West Bengal, the demise of the Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee, and the Election Commission of India's controversial revision of the electoral rolls. Plus, the trio discuss the rupture in Tamil politics, the Congress' lone victory in Kerala, and the BJP's strategy for 2029. Episode notes: Samanth Subramanian, “From Sea to Saffron Sea: Neelanjan Sircar,” Equator, May 6, 2026. Roshan Kishore, “Terms of Trade: And then there were none,” Hindustan Times, May 4, 2026. Neelanjan Sircar and Bhanu Joshi, “Party has left the building: The rise of parallel politics in Bengal,” Hindustan Times, May 4, 2026. Neelanjan Sircar, “Verdict Bengal: Decisive win in a divided state,” Hindustan Times, May 4, 2026. Bhanu Joshi, “DMK's defeat proves it: Welfare is the floor, elections have moved to the ceiling,” Indian Express, May 4, 2026. Neelanjan Sircar and Bhanu Joshi, “Beyond numbers, how West Bengal's voter roll revision is redrawing citizenship lines,” Hindustan Times, April 29, 2026. Bhanu Joshi and Neelanjan Sircar, “In Bengal hinterland, poll victory might hinge on ground visibility,” Hindustan Times, April 23, 2026.
There's a single spot on Earth where the Equator and Prime Meridian meet — the literal coordinates 0°0′, known as “Null Island.” But here's the twist: it's not really an island at all! It's a tiny point in the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of West Africa, marked only by a buoy — yet somehow, it's one of the most famous “places” in mapping history. In this video, we'll explore why millions of digital maps and GPS systems keep sending people there by mistake, how it became an internet legend, and what this strange coordinate tells us about how we measure our world. Get ready to travel to the place where Earth's map officially begins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on Sinica, in a special episode recorded as a live joint webcast with NYRB/Poets and Equator Magazine, I sit down with Eleanor Goodman — poet, scholar, research associate at Harvard's Fairbank Center, and one of the most accomplished translators working between Chinese and English — to talk about the extraordinary Sichuan-born poet Zheng Xiaoqiong (郑小琼).Born in 1980 in a mountain village, trained as a nurse, Zheng joined the great tide of internal migration in her early 20s, ending up on the assembly line of a hardware factory in Dongguan in the Pearl River Delta. She picked up a pen after a workplace injury — part of her finger taken off by a lathe — and what came out across poems, essays, and reportage has made her one of the most singular voices in contemporary Chinese literature. Her trajectory from the assembly line to the editorial desk of an official literary magazine is, as far as I know, essentially without parallel.Eleanor has been translating Zheng since around 2013, and the partnership they've built has given Anglophone readers access to a body of work that defies easy categorization — at once intimate and historical, ethnographic and lyric, tender and unsparing. We talk about how they met, about Zheng's resistance to the "migrant worker poet" label, about the bodily feminism that runs through her verse, about her unmoralizing portraits of sex workers, about lost youth and the way the body keeps the ledger of factory time. Eleanor reads Zheng's poem "Woman Worker: Youth Pinned to a Workstation" (女工: 被固定在卡桌上的青春) in both Chinese and her English translation — and it is, every time, devastating.Huge thanks to Abigail Dunn at NYRB Poets and Ratik Asokan at Equator for organizing this conversation and for inviting me to host it, to Eleanor for her generosity and her brilliance, and most of all to Zheng Xiaoqiong, whose voice — even when she cannot be with us in person — comes through with absolute clarity.Eleanor's translation of Zheng Xiaoqiong's In the Roar of the Machine is available from NYRB Poets. The Equator selections, drawn from Zheng's long-form prose, are available at Equator Magazine.05:07 — How Eleanor and Zheng met in 2013, and why a book had to happen08:14 — Navigating the awkward proposition of China for the Western left10:50 — Zheng's trajectory: from a Sichuan village to the assembly line to the editor's desk16:29 — Resisting the "migrant worker poet" (打工诗人) label20:47 — Conventions of the genre: exhaustion, iron, lost identity, the screw in the machine24:58 — Who gets translated into English, and why28:34 — The translator's ethics: how do you render a factory poem honestly?32:42 — Eleanor reads "Woman Worker, Youth Pinned to a Workstation" (女工被固定在卡桌上的青春) in Chinese and English37:14 — Zheng's bodily feminism: irregular periods, a different way of caring40:37 — Lost youth and the passage of time44:36 — Sex work and women's labor: portraits without moralizing49:59 — Whose work actually counts in Chinese urban discourse?52:45 — Why Zheng Xiaoqiong wasn't able to join us, and how censorship really works54:44 — Rose Courtyard and what's next: classical allusions, ancestral homes, embroidering grandmothers57:39 — Audience Q&A: American worker poets, the WeChat communities of migrant writers, and Zheng's standing in Chinese lettersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
So why do we need preorders? That's just one of the questions Jason Shron, President and Founder of Rapido Trains answers on this edition of What's Happening In Model Railroading. Jason provides us an update from his last appearance and provides the latest on tariffs and the model railroad market. Jason also provides some insight into running a model railroad manufacturing business and all the behind the scenes processes it takes to get a model from drawing board to shelf. Joe from da joe trains provides us with What's Trending and Eric Hansmann delivers the latest RPM report including a few that you'll find ATLP host Ray Arnott at, on both sides of the Equator. Learn more about this episode on our website:aroundthelayout.com/227This episode of Around The Layout is Powered By Rapido Trains:https://rapidotrains.com/Thank you to our episode sponsor, Spring Creek Model Trains:https://www.springcreekmodeltrains.com/Thank you to our episode sponsor, 18Ten Designs:https://www.1810designs.com/Visit our website at aroundthelayout.comBecome a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!aroundthelayout.com/crewAround The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.
Special Note: This episode fought us. Hard. There was some extreme editing required, and yeah—you might notice a slight dip in quality. We hear it too. But we're owning it, learning from it, and making sure it doesn't happen again. Appreciate you sticking with us through the chaos. Real Life Ben kicks things off with a classic combo: in-laws, tacos, and just enough drama to keep things interesting. Somewhere in the middle of that, he also put together a wild Spider-Man 3 edit with a Twilight Zone twist—honestly, it's worth your time: https://youtu.be/YDzSjRKUXuA Steven's house has officially entered a Gravity Falls era, and it's pulling him in too. The cyphers, the hidden messages—it's that perfect blend of kid-friendly and secretly brilliant that makes you feel like you're solving puzzles alongside the show. From there, things spiral (as they do) into TV talk. Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is hitting right, but it raises a bigger question—are shows getting too dark for TV? We bounce through The Mandalorian and Grogu, try to remember what even happened in Season 3, and land hard on one standout: Maul: Shadow Lord. It's peak Star Wars animation and feels like a true evolution of what Clone Wars started. Also, For All Mankind gets some love in the mix. Future or Now Ben brings in a strong recommendation this week: more animated feature films—specifically Your Name. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU47nhruN-Q&pp=ygUReW91ciBuYW1lIHRyYWlsZXI%3D He walks us through the premise, the emotional weight, and why this one stands out. If you've been sleeping on animated films outside the usual Western stuff, this might be the one that pulls you in. Steven… had something planned. But we talked too much Star Wars. So… NOT THIS TIME. Book Club Next week: We're reading Terms of Enlightenment by Patrick Hurley: https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/default/terms-of-enlightenment/ If you want to read ahead and join us, now's your chance. This week: We dive into The O'Neill Cylinder in Geostationary Orbit Above Earth's Equator by Katlina Sommerberg: https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/poetry/the-oneill-cylinder-in-geostationary-orbit-above-earths-equator/ This one's a little different—it's sci-fi poetry, and we go line by line trying to unpack it. What does it mean? What's it saying about humanity, space, and perspective? We don't pretend to have all the answers, but that's kind of the fun of it. It turns into a thoughtful, slightly chaotic, and genuinely interesting conversation. If you made it this far—seriously, thank you. And if you want more of the show (bonus episodes, Discord access, behind-the-scenes chaos), you know where to find us.
This week's episode kicks off exactly how you'd expect: a mix of chaos, parenting wins (and losses), and just enough sci-fi to keep things on-brand. Real Life Devon's been deep in the thick of family life—birthday parties, Easter egg hunts, and a firm stance on "No Kings in Texas," which is either a political statement or just a man trying to maintain order in a house full of sugar-fueled children. Either way, it's survival mode with style. Ben's living that logistical nightmare we all eventually face: coordinating kids' events, managing shifting social zones, and navigating the emotional weirdness of realizing your kid doesn't need you quite as much anymore. It's a mix of pride and quiet existential dread. Naturally, he copes the way any rational adult would—by getting wrecked in a Steam sale. Casualties include Speed Demons 2 (https://store.steampowered.com/app/2851640/Speed_Demons_2/) and Q-UP (https://store.steampowered.com/app/3730790/QUP/). No regrets. Probably. Steven's been volunteering at a "Kids Night Out," which sounds wholesome until you remember he also ran a Pirate Borg session where the players stripped their former captain completely bare. So yeah—community service on one hand, absolute pirate degeneracy on the other. Balance. Future or Now Ben brings in something surprisingly grounded this week: the science of purpose. Pulling from research and articles like Dan Harris' piece (https://www.danharris.com/p/if-you-care-about-longevity-you-need?publication_id=2723534&post_id=192338785), the conversation digs into how having a sense of purpose isn't just feel-good advice—it's statistically tied to longer life and better emotional resilience. Studies show it can predict mortality rates (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24815612/) and even how quickly you bounce back from negative experiences (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24236176/). It's one of those moments where the show briefly brushes up against self-improvement… before inevitably spiraling back into nonsense. Devon shifts gears with This Week in Space, highlighting NASA's Artemis II mission (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-artemis-ii-moon-launch-astronauts-flight-plan/). We're talking a real-deal crewed flight looping around the moon—something that still feels unreal decades after Apollo. It's a reminder that while we argue about Steam sales and parenting, humanity is quietly gearing up to head back into deep space. That leads naturally into For All Mankind talk—specifically the upcoming Season 5 and the teased "Star City" arc from a Russian perspective. If you're not watching the pre-season news reports, you're missing half the fun. The show continues to be one of the best "what if we actually committed to space?" thought experiments out there. Book Club This week's reading, Through the Machine by P.A. Cornell (https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/through-the-machine/), starts as a discussion about the story itself… and quickly mutates into something much bigger. What begins as a review turns into a full-on conversation about AI art—how it's made, how people consume it, and whether we're all just collectively deciding not to ask uncomfortable questions. The discussion pulls in real-world context, including coverage like Ars Technica's piece on AI-generated storytelling (https://arstechnica.com/features/2026/02/why-darren-aronofsky-thought-an-ai-generated-historical-docudrama-was-a-good-idea/), and asks the question nobody really has a clean answer to: what are we supposed to do with this? Next week's reading shifts tone a bit with The O'Neill Cylinder in Geostationary Orbit Above Earth's Equator by Katlina Sommerberg (https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/poetry/the-oneill-cylinder-in-geostationary-orbit-above-earths-equator/). Expect big ideas, space habitats, and probably at least one tangent that derails everything. This episode is a good snapshot of what the show does best: start grounded in real life, drift into science, and end somewhere in the middle of a philosophical argument about the future—while occasionally mentioning pirates stripping a man naked. Pretty standard week, honestly.
Liechtenstein have the strangest national football team in Europe.They have no domestic league to develop players, sometimes take just one fan to away matches and, for years, had just one professional footballer.So how do they make it work? Why is it so hard to generate support for the team? And what change to international football might improve their fortunes?In this episode, we put the micro-state under the microscope and examine how Europe's richest country is also home to its strangest national football team.Plus, the German winger with a secret double life and the Italian coach who disguised himself as a priest.Equator's World Cup 2026 course with David Goldblatt:https://www.equator.org/courses/world-cup-2026Stamping Grounds by Charlie Connelly: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stamping-Grounds-Exploring-Liechtenstein-World/dp/0349114889Chapters:00:00 – Intro01:03 – Liechtenstein at the FIFA Series08:07 – Europe's strangest national team18:41 – Sudan's bizarre 12th-tier call-up20:21 – Puerto Rico's tournament triumph23:08 – Equator's 2026 World Cup Masterclass27:22 – The German winger with a double life30:07 – Italy's coach disguised as a priest
It's the international break, a chance to take a deep breath before the club season's crescendo and the massive summer of World Cup 2026. It's also a good time to take stock of the international game, its governance, and the social context in which the United States will host the tournament. Or should you just go to Mexico?That's what David Goldblatt and I wonder in this week's episode as the podcast returns with a vengeance. The English sports writer, broadcaster, sociologist, and journalist is the author of many books, including The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football and Injury Time: Football in a State of Emergency. He's also teaching some masterclasses ahead of the tournament this summer in partnership with Equator magazine. Check out more on his seminar here.We also got into FIFA, Brazil and England's designs on the trophy, the suppression of a different side of America that could have shone on the world stage at this tournament, and whether the U.S. will be the first host nation to be at war with one of its World Cup guests.You can follow The Football Weekend on Instagram and YouTube.Check out previous editions of The Road to the World Cup:Mussolini's trophy + more World Cup stories from Jonathan Wilson The Road to World Cup 2026: AfricaAnd you can support original, 100% human storytelling for the price of one (1) bougie coffee each month: Subscribe for $5. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For episode 216, I am joined by Lebanese writer and translator Lina Mounzer as well as Lebanese journalist Justin Salhani to talk about the ongoing consequences of Israel's war on Lebanon. This is an intra-Lebanese conversation that is meant to give you an idea of the sort of discussions happening in Lebanon while contextualising as much as we could so that you come out of it better informed as well.Lebanon emergency reliefEpisode links:The Markaz Review https://themarkaz.org Salhani's Al Jazeera profile https://www.aljazeera.com/author/justin_salhani_150211052541586 Israel's Digital Occupation (Salhani, The Dial) https://www.thedial.world/articles/news/israel-drone-warfare-lebanonDeath and Destruction from the Sky (Mounzer, Equator) https://www.equator.org/articles/death-and-destruction-from-the-sky-iii We live in a Time of Monsters (Mounzer, The Markaz) https://themarkaz.org/we-live-in-a-time-of-monsters/ My Links:Support: You can support my work with a one-off or monthly donation on Ko-fiMasterclass on Modern Lebanon: Registration is now open for May 2026Newsletter: Subscribe to HauntologiesSocial Media: I'm on Bluesky, Instagram and MastodonContact: To collaborate, reach out on ayoub@thefirethesetimes.comThe Fire These TimesSocial Media: TFTT is on Bluesky and Instagram Transcription: You can help Antidote Zine transcribe TFTT episodes hereWebsite: All episodes are archived on the websiteFrom The PeripheryTFTT is a proud member of From The Periphery Media Collective, which you can support on Patreon and follow on Bluesky, YouTube and Instagram.Check out other project wherever you get your podcasts: Politically DepressedSyria: The Inconvenient Revolution From The Periphery Podcast The Mutual Aid PodcastMy recent pieces972Mag: Israel's renewed war on Lebanon is about more than just HezbollahCrimethinc: “History Is Repeating Itself”Good Law Project: Trump's illegal war puts all of us at riskAlso, for HauntologiesIsrael's Lebanese GhostsIranian protesters don't owe us an explanationHow Hezbollah Lost EverythingRecent Podcast interviewsIt Could Happen Here: Israel's Attack on LebanonThe Final Straw: The US-Israeli War with Iran Spreads, Nuclear Weapons, Lebanon and Anti-Imperial SolidarityThe Dugout: Honoring Political GhostsThe Breakup Theory: Episode 31 – Iran and the US-Israeli Death Drive EconomyCreditsElia Ayoub (host, producer, episode design), Justin Salhani and Lina Mounzer (guests), Rap and Revenge (Music), Wenyi Geng (TFTT theme design), Hisham Rifai (FTP theme design), Molly Crabapple (FTP team profile pics) and Antidote Zine (Transcriptions).
There's a single spot on Earth where the Equator and Prime Meridian meet — the literal coordinates 0°0′, known as “Null Island.” But here's the twist: it's not really an island at all! It's a tiny point in the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of West Africa, marked only by a buoy — yet somehow, it's one of the most famous “places” in mapping history. In this video, we'll explore why millions of digital maps and GPS systems keep sending people there by mistake, how it became an internet legend, and what this strange coordinate tells us about how we measure our world. Get ready to travel to the place where Earth's map officially begins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's an Emmajority Report Thursday on The Majority Report On today's program: Donald Trump admits that his war in Iran is violating the constitution at a fund-raising dinner where he said, "they don't like the word war because you have to get approval, so I'll just say military operation". Trump lashes out at reporting that he is desperate to find a way out of Iran and claims that Iran is begging him for a deal. Andrew Arsan, Professor of Arab and Global History at the University of Cambridge joins Emma for a conversation about his piece in Equator entitled, "Tearing up the Map - Netanyahu's War to Remake the Middle East". Ed Zitron, publisher of the Where's Your Ed At? newsletter and host of the Better Offline podcast join the program to discuss his piece "The AI Industry is Lying to You". In the Fun Half Brandon Sutton and Matt Binder join. Emerson Polling shows Graham Platner with a massive on Janet Mills as well as a solid lead over Susan Collins. Melania Trump introduces a robot meant to replace teachers and childcare providers. Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security dodges questions from Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) on whether or not Israel has nuclear capabilities. Former Secretary of State under Biden, Antony Blinken is confronted by a student at an event at Harvard Law School over his role in the genocide in Palestine. Blinken responds with his usual smarmy condescension. Adam Schiff has a hilarious exchange with the child lawyer that Donald Trump nominated for the U.S. District Court in Montana. all that and more No Kings Protests across the country this Saturday, March 28. Check out NoKings.Org to find the protest closest to you. Check out longtime MR listener Jim Di Bartolo's new graphic novel F*ck Billionaires To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: LIQUID IV: Go to LIQUIDIV.com and use code MAJORITYREP at checkout for 20% off your first order. SUNSET LAKE: Use coupon code "Left Is Best" (all one word) for 20% off of your entire order at SunsetLakeCBD.com Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com
Kate Wolf is joined by veteran journalist Jonathan Shainin, who has worked at The Guardian, The New Yorker, and The Caravan, among other publications. Most recently, he is one of the founding editors of Equator, a new magazine covering politics, culture and art, launched as a response to what the editors see as the dominant mode of Western media: "boilerplate journalism," "facile binaries" and an "invincible ignorance of other societies and cultures." The magazine's mission feels even more urgent in light of the U.S.'s recent, overt acts of international aggression. Shainin speaks about the war in Iran and Lebanon, and how that conflict is being covered by the press.
Historian Nikhil Pal Singh, author of a recent article for Equator, talks about how the Trump regime weaves foreign and domestic policy into a single domain of impunity, Homeland Empire. Behind the News, hosted by Doug Henwood, covers the worlds of economics and politics and their complex interactions, from the local to the global.
Hello! Today, we have on Jonathan Shainin, one of the founders of Equator Magazine, a new venture among very smart, thoughtful writers and editors that “is our collective response to a crisis that is as much spiritual and intellectual as it is political and economic. It is a venture that aims to create a more cosmopolitan home for thought and art than the one assigned to them by provincial Western periodicals. It also seeks to restore dignity to the concept of truth, and create a public space where the values of justice, solidarity and compassion can flourish.” We talk about starting a new magazine in this media atmosphere, the need for an international perspective on the world, who their ideal reader might be, and why they still believe in the printed word. A very stirring episode and I hope you'll take a listen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodbye.substack.com/subscribe
Featuring Ben Mabie and Salar Mohandesi on what the war on Iran tells us about US imperialism, and why the US doesn't have a massive anti-war movement even amid historic anti-war public sentiment. Capitalist states have changed war-making in ways that insulate imperialism against popular resistance. We must make movements that can thrive and win under new conditions. Find Venezuela in Crisis at haymarketbooks.org Find Anti-Eviction at UCPress.edu Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Dig party in London with Equator magazine this Friday March 13. Tickets all claimed but sign up for the waitlist and you can probably come anyhow. Info here: eventbrite.com/e/the-dig-x-equator-party-tickets-1982694479561?
Featuring Ben Mabie and Salar Mohandesi on what the war on Iran tells us about US imperialism, and why the US doesn't have a massive anti-war movement even amid historic anti-war public sentiment. Capitalist states have changed war-making in ways that insulate imperialism against popular resistance. We must make movements that can thrive and win under new conditions. Find Venezuela in Crisis at haymarketbooks.org Find Anti-Eviction at UCPress.edu Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Dig party in London with Equator magazine this Friday March 13. Tickets all claimed but sign up for the waitlist and you can probably come anyhow. Info here: eventbrite.com/e/the-dig-x-equator-party-tickets-1982694479561? The Dig goes deep into politics everywhere, from labor struggles and political economy to imperialism and immigration. Hosted by Daniel Denvir.
QUOTES FOR REFLECTION “There is a price to pay for speaking the truth. There is a bigger price for living a lie.”~Cornel West, philosopher, theologian and activist “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.”~Mark Twain (1835-1910), from his 1897 travelogue Following the Equator “Amiable agnostics will talk cheerfully about ‘man's search for God.' To me, as I then was, they might as well have talked about the mouse's search for the cat.”~C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), writer, professor, and literary scholar “The Bible is the perpetual motion of the spirit, an ocean of meaning, its waves beating against man's abrupt and steep shortcomings, its echo reaching into the blind alleys of his wrestling with despair.”~Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972), Polish-born rabbi-theologian in God in Search of Man “The pharisee within usurps my true self whenever I prefer appearances to reality, whenever I am afraid of God, whenever I surrender the control of my soul to rules rather than risk living in union with Jesus, when I choose to look good and not be good, when I prefer appearances to reality.”~Brennan Manning (1934-2013), author and former priest “There is a vast difference between self-conviction and Holy Spirit-conviction. When God convicts, He gets specific with us about our sin… He uses specific Scriptures. And His kindness toward us leads to a hopeful conclusion of repentance and dependence. Self-conviction, and the conviction of the enemy, on the other hand, is wide-ranging, condemning, and defeatist. It leads back to self: ‘Try harder and do better' … It will lead us right back where we started – awash in guilt and condemnation.”~Christine Hoover, author and speaker “If Jesus is a wonderful Savior in every way except where we are the most hypocritical, then He is no Savior for us.”~Ray Ortlund, author and minister “God's righteousness compels him... to have to judge the guilty. But then he offers forgiveness and says ‘I will not judge you according to your works.' So... he sends his Son... so that now when he calls you his own... he has not compromised his righteousness.”~Jackie Hill Perry, poet, writer, and hip-hop artistSERMON PASSAGERomans 3:1-9 (ESV)Romans 2 17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” 25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.Romans 3 1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” 5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. 9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin….
Featuring Geoff Simpson on Justice Democrats' massive 2026 slate of insurgent House candidates taking on AIPAC/Big Tech money. Also: the history of post-Bernie 2016 primary challenges, the Israel lobby's legitimacy crisis, radicalizing liberals, and the role of electoral politics in the larger left project. Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Dig party in London with Equator magazine on March 13. Info and RSVP here: eventbrite.com/e/the-dig-x-equator-party-tickets-1982694479561? Subscribe to Heat the Ground Up from Haymarket Originals: tinyurl.com/heatthegroundup Find Leave if You Can: Migration and Violence in Bordered Worlds at UCPress.edu The Dig goes deep into politics everywhere, from labor struggles and political economy to imperialism and immigration. Hosted by Daniel Denvir.
Featuring Geoff Simpson on Justice Democrats' massive 2026 slate of insurgent House candidates taking on AIPAC/Big Tech money. Also: the history of post-Bernie 2016 primary challenges, the Israel lobby's legitimacy crisis, radicalizing liberals, and the role of electoral politics in the larger left project. Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Dig party in London with Equator magazine on March 13. Info and RSVP here eventbrite.com/e/the-dig-x-equator-party-tickets-1982694479561? Subscribe to Heat the Ground Up from Haymarket Originals tinyurl.com/heatthegroundup Find Leave if You Can: Migration and Violence in Bordered Worlds at UCPress.edu
Featuring Peter Linebaugh on the Luddites' machine-breaking revolt against the enclosure of handicraft production, the central role played by capital punishment in the consolidation of the capitalist state, and remaking the struggle against enclosure for the 21st century. Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Dig party in London with Equator magazine on March 13. Info and RSVP here: eventbrite.com/e/the-dig-x-equator-party-tickets-1982694479561? Find Solidarity With Children: An Essay Against Adult Supremacy at Haymarketbooks.org Find Revolutions: A New History at Versobooks.com The Dig goes deep into politics everywhere, from labor struggles and political economy to imperialism and immigration. Hosted by Daniel Denvir.
Jonathan Shainin returns to Chapo after ten years to talk about what the hell is going on in the United Kingdom. We talk about Keir Starmer's and Labour collapse, his wildly unpopular policies and austerity regime, the rise of the Green Party, and Jeremy Corbyn's bizarre Our Party. We then talk about Shainin's new magazine Equator and their pieces on the end of liberal Zionism and the Long 90s. Check out Equator: https://www.equator.org/ Few tickets left for our April 3rd live show at the Palace Theater in LA: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0900643BE404F182
The Supreme Court just kneecapped Trump's "tariffs by emergency" strategy, and Nate and Chuck break down why that's actually a huge win for limiting presidential power. They dig into the scary argument hiding underneath it: if "regulate" secretly means "tax," then any president can invent arbitrary taxes across the entire federal regulatory state. Not great when the next "emergency" is climate, guns, or whatever cable news is screaming about. Then the show pivots to the MAGA vs MAHA fracture over glyphosate and Roundup. An executive order, a farm bill immunity push, and the ugly Monsanto paper trail that explains why people don't trust "the experts." Plus: Seattle's gig worker pay law backfires, California ships gas on a bizarre Bahamas loophole because of the Jones Act, and the low-IQ smears aimed at Thomas Massie heat up. 00:00 Welcome 01:14 SCOTUS Strikes Trump's IEEPA Tariffs: What the Ruling Actually Means 04:24 Regulate vs Tax: Why Tariffs Are Congress's Job (and Why It Matters) 12:06 Loopholes, Fees, and the Slippery Slope for Future Presidents 19:25 Kavanaugh's Dissent: The Roadmap to Tariffs via Other Statutes 21:42 Refunds, Market Reaction, and the Left's Mixed Incentives 24:01 MAGA vs MAHA: Glyphosate/Roundup, DPA EO, and Farm Bill Immunity 30:32 Monsanto Papers: Ghostwritten Science, Emails, and Lawsuit Fallout 36:00 Dumb Democrats: 'Nobody Called Trump Hitler/Racist' and Newsom's Spin 40:28 Newsom's 'Historically Illiterate' Claim & the Dyslexia Victim Card 41:39 AOC's Accent Switch + Venezuela 'Below the Equator' Fact-Check 44:39 Bill Maher's CO2 vs CO Mix-Up (and the Smug Delivery) 47:34 Too Many 'Dumb' Clips: Submissions Overload & Charlie Has to Bounce 49:16 Seattle Gig-Worker Minimum Pay Law Backfires: Higher Base, Lower Tips 55:40 California Gas Prices, Bahamas Detour & Why the Jones Act Makes It Worse 01:01:52 Twitter Files Fallout: DOJ/FBI Payments to X Kept Secret in Court 01:04:39 Defending Thomas Massie: 'Voting With Democrats' and 'Team Player' Attacks
In the streets of Astoria, Queens, New York City, the Islamic call to prayer now echoes loudly over loudspeakers, blending with everyday American life as pedestrians and vehicles pass by. This amplified broadcast, once limited, expanded significantly after 2023 city policies permitted it on Fridays and during Ramadan without special permits, raising concerns among many that it represents an aggressive push of Islamic practices into public spaces. Critics view the growing presence of these calls as a deliberate step in eroding traditional American culture and freedoms, with no similar accommodations granted to other faiths in comparable settings abroad. Are we seeing the Islamification of America? We also cover: Rhode Island Hockey Shooting We Have a Deal with Cuba? AOC Fact Checks Marco Rubio Kamala Harris Visiting Georgia RIP Rev. Jesse Jackson Elon Musk Mocked 10 Yrs Gas Prices in California TMZ Gets a 4th Letter DMV is Racist? 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:53 Another Trans Shooter in Rhode Island 09:41 President Trump's Deal with Cuba? 11:57 Donald Trump Calls-Out Hillary Clinton 14:52 Donald Trump Calls-Out Both AOC & Gavin Newsom 16:28 AOC Doesn't Know Where the Equator is 19:02 AOC Doesn't Know History 22:56 Kamala Harris is Out in Georgia 27:22 President Trump Asked about Kristi Noem Rumors 31:39 Fat Five 48:44 FLASHBACK: Elon Musk Mocked about Self-Driving Cars 10 Years Ago 54:28 Gas Prices in California are TOO HIGH! 1:13:33 Call to Prayer in NYC at Five in the Morning 1:21:17 Don't Pull the Filibuster! 1:28:13 The DMV is Racist, Right? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Featuring Peter Linebaugh on the Luddites’ machine-breaking revolt against the enclosure of handicraft production, the central role played by capital punishment in the consolidation of the capitalist state, and remaking the struggle against enclosure for the 21st century. Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Dig party in London with Equator magazine on March 13. Info and RSVP here eventbrite.com/e/the-dig-x-equator-party-tickets-1982694479561? Find Solidarity With Children: An Essay Against Adult Supremacy at Haymarketbooks.org Find Revolutions: A New History at Versobooks.com
Grace starts this hour discussing the newest updates in the Nancy Guathrie disappearance. Then, Hillary Clinton lost it on the Czech Prime Minister after she lost her mind about Trump. Plus, where does AOC think the equator is? Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Featuring Peter Linebaugh on the long histories of commons and commoning, connections between enclosures in Europe and imperial conquest abroad, and writing history from below. Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Buy Engineered Conflict: Structural Violence and the Future of Black Life in Chicago at Haymarketbooks.org Buy Global Casino: How Wall Street Gambles with People and the Planet at Versobooks.com Dig party in London with Equator magazine on March 13. Info and RSVP here: eventbrite.com/e/the-dig-x-equator-party-tickets-1982694479561? The Dig goes deep into politics everywhere, from labor struggles and political economy to imperialism and immigration. Hosted by Daniel Denvir.
Featuring Peter Linebaugh on the long histories of commons and commoning, connections between enclosures in Europe and imperial conquest abroad, and writing history from below. Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Buy Engineered Conflict: Structural Violence and the Future of Black Life in Chicago at Haymarketbooks.org Buy Global Casino: How Wall Street Gambles with People and the Planet at Versobooks.com Dig party in London with Equator magazine on March 13. Info and RSVP here eventbrite.com/e/the-dig-x-equator-party-tickets-1982694479561?
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Episode IX to XVI will be published on February 16th, 2026.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Following the Equator (American English title) or More Tramps Abroad (English title) is a non-fiction travelogue published by American author Mark Twain in 1897.Twain was practically bankrupt in 1894 due to a failed investment into a "revolutionary" typesetting machine. In an attempt to extricate himself from debt of $100,000 (equivalent of about $2 million in 2005) he undertook a tour of the British Empire in 1895, a route chosen to provide numerous opportunities for lectures in the English language.In Following the Equator, an account of that travel published in 1897, the author unmasks and criticizes imperialism and missionary zeal in observations woven into the narrative with classical Twain wit.Of particular interest, historically, are Twain's references to Cecil Rhodes in Australia and South Africa, the in-depth description of "Thugs" and "Thuggee" in India and the Boer War period and diamonds in South Africa. (Adapted from Wikipedia.)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Nikhil Pal Singh joins PTO to discuss his recent article in Equator, titled Homeland Empire - in which Nikhil argues that from from Venezuela to Minnesota, Donald Trump is creating a borderless American power, collapsing the foreign and the domestic into a single domain of impunity. We talked about how the relative shift away from the preoccupation with the southern border towards the targeting of migrants across the United States is symptomatic of this collapse of the foreign and the domestic, and about how previous administrations laid the basis for the expansion of ICE. We also talked about the extent to which the second Trump administration represents a mere deepening of pre-existing trends in American state craft and the ways in which the MAGA movement is genuinely innovative. Finally, we talked about the weaknesses of the Trump administration and why Nikhil thinks it is fundamentally unable to construct a genuinely hegemonic project.
In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Ahmed Moor speaks with author Benjamin Moser about Jewish supremacy, diasporic Jewish life, and the life and legacy of the writer Susan Sontag. Moser recently published the article "We have Talked Enough About Ourselves: How the marriage of American exceptionalism and liberal Zionism led to genocide" in the magazine Equator. His next book, Anti-Zionism: A Jewish History, will be published by published in September 2026. Benjamin Moser is the author of a biography of Susan Sontag titled, Sontag: Her life and Work, which earned him the Pulitzer Prize in 2020. He the author of a forthcoming book, AntiZionism: A Jewish History (Doubleday in Sept. 2026) Ahmed Moor is a Palestinian-American writer born in Gaza and a Fellow at FMEP. He is an advisory board member of the US Campaign for Palestinian rights, co-editor of After Zionism (Saqi Books) and is currently writing a book about Palestine. He also currently serves on the board of the Independence Media Foundation. His work has been published in The Guardian, The London Review of Books, The Nation, and elsewhere. He earned a BA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP at Harvard University. You can follow Ahmed on Substack at: https://ahmedmoor.substack.com.
On December 8, Laura plans to go to sleep on the far side of the Equator.
Daniel Trilling returns to discuss his new Equator piece, "Inside the BBC's Gaza Fiasco: How the world's most trusted media organisation fell apart." Check out Daniel's article here: https://www.equator.org/articles/inside-the-bbc-s-gaza-fiasco Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishell Please rate and review This Is Hell! wherever you get your podcasts. It really helps the show ascend the algorithm to reach new listeners.
This week on Sinica, I speak with Zhong Na, a novelist and essayist whose new piece, "Murder House," appears in the inaugural issue of Equator — a striking new magazine devoted to longform writing that crosses borders, disciplines, and cultures. In January 2024, a young couple, both Tsinghua-educated Google engineers living in a $2.5 million Silicon Valley home, became the center of a tragedy that captivated Chinese social media far more than American outlets. Zhong Na explores how the case became a collective Rorschach test — a mirror held up to contemporary Chinese society, exposing cracks in the myths of meritocracy, the prestige of global tech firms, and shifting notions of gender, class, and the Chinese dream itself. We discuss the gendered reactions online, the dimming of America's appeal, the emotional costs of the immigrant success story, and the craft of writing about tragedy with compassion but without sentimentality.5:06 – How the story first reached Zhong Na, and the Luigi Mangione comparison 7:05 – Discovering she attended the same Chengdu high school as the alleged murderer Chen Liren 8:10 – The collaboration with Equator and Joan Didion's influence 10:30 – Education, class, and the cracks in China's meritocracy myth 16:01 – Tiger mothers vs. lying flat: two responses to a rigged system 19:12 – The pandemic and the dimming of the American dream 22:49 – Chinese men as perpetrators: immigrant stress and the loss of patriarchal privilege 25:56 – The gender war online: moral autopsy and victim-blaming 30:25 – The obsession with the ex-girlfriend and attraction to the accused 34:37 – The murder house, Chinese numerology, and the rise of Gen Z metaphysics 37:08 – Geopolitics, the China Initiative, and rethinking America as a destination 39:42 – Craft and moral compass: learning from Didion and Janet Malcolm 42:31 – Zhong Na's fiction: writing Chinese experiences without catering to Western expectationsPaying it forward: Gavin Jacobson and the editorial team at EquatorRecommendations: Zhong Na: Elsewhere by Yan Ge Kaiser: Made in Ethiopia, documentary by Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan (available on PBS)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.