Podcasts about Holborn

Episode 815: Insurance companies rely on data to optimize performance, mitigate risk, and meet the rising expectations of consumers… but new questions are being raised about what happens when there's a lack of data or missing data?   On today's Unscripted… Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, sits down with Lindsey Klarkowski, policy vice president of data science, AI/ML, and cybersecurity at NAMIC, to better understand how insurers are tackling this emerging issue. Today's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

This week, we're taking you to London for one of the wildest burglaries in history — the Hatton Garden Heist. Over Easter weekend in 2015, millions in gold, diamonds, and cash vanished from a high-security vault in the heart of the UK's jewelry district. But the biggest twist? The masterminds weren't slick young criminals — they were men in their 60s and 70s, later nicknamed “The Bad Grandpas.” We'll walk you through how they planned it, how they pulled it off, and how their old-school habits and egos brought it all crashing down. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Whatever challenges you're facing, Grow Therapy is here to help. Sessions average about $21 with insurance and some pay as little as $0, depending on their plan. Visit GrowTherapy.com/MOMS today to get started.   See thicker, stronger, faster-growing hair with less shedding in just 3-6 months with Nutrafol. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code MOMS. Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at BollAndBranch.com/moms. Exclusions apply.   Check-out bonus episodes up on Spotify and Apple podcast now! Get new episodes a day early and ad free, plus chat episodes, at Patreon.com/momsandmysteriespodcast .    To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://www.advertisecast.com/MomsandMysteriesATrueCrimePodcast.    Listen and subscribe to Melissa's other podcast, Criminality!! It's the podcast for those who love reality TV, true crime, and want to hear all the juicy stories where the two genres intersect. Subscribe and listen here: www.pod.link/criminality    Check-out Moms and Mysteries to find links to our tiktok, youtube, twitter, instagram and more.  The Hatton Garden Heist Sources Hatton Garden raid 'largest in English history' - BBC News Nov 23, 2015 Hatton Garden: Who were the jewelery heist raiders? - BBC News March 15, 2019 The Infamous Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Heist - Tavex Bullion Hatton Garden Safe Deposit company goes into liquidation after £10m jewelery robbery, Sept 1, 2015  How the real Hatton Garden robbery played out | The Week London police did not respond to the alarm during the Hatton Garden jewel heist | Newstalk April 10, 2015 Hatton Garden ringleader Terry Perkins missed 4 appointments before death | Daily Mail Online March 18, 2019 How the real Hatton Garden robbery played out - Page 2 | The Week Hatton Garden theft: Full timeline of one of the biggest jewel raids in history Jan 14, 2016 Video appears to show London diamond-district heist gang Hatton Garden heist: Three men convicted over raid on London safe boxes Jan 14, 2016 Hatton Garden heist: Why did gem robbers only open 72 out of 999 security boxes in vault? April 11, 2015 ​​The Infamous Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Heist - Tavex Bullion Hatton Garden heist CCTV: Watch dramatic moment £60m gem raiders are caught on camera - The Mirror Hatton Garden jewelery heist: Final three guilty over £14m burglary - BBC News  Hatton Garden jewel heist trial begins | CNN November 23, 2015 Britain's Biggest Heist Case Is On Trial: NPR ,November 28, 2015 Hatton Garden raid 'was doomed to fail' - BBC News Hatton Garden heist: The target, the plan, the job, the gear and the investigation behind the biggest burglary in English legal history January 14, 2016 The Hatton Garden Heist (2015): The Elderly Gang's Audacious Raid on London's 2015 Heist at the museum: Hatton Garden vault (and hole in the wall) to be tourist attraction Final Hatton Garden raider Michael 'Basil' Seed jailed March 15, 2019 Ringleader of Hatton Garden jewel heist gang jailed for 10 years March 16, 2019 Holborn fire 'could have been deliberately started by burglars responsible for Hatton Garden jewel raid' | London Evening Standard April 9, 2015 Hatton Garden 'Master' Quit After Failed Attempt | UK News Nov 24, 2015 Hatton Garden heist: how much was stolen and where are they now? May 16, 2024 What happened to the Hatton Garden burglars? – Overview & Analysis |  Hatton Garden gang ringleaders ordered to pay £27.5m Jan 30, 2018 Hatton Garden robber ‘Basil' wins reduction in £6m confiscation order  Hatton Garden raid has 'ruined lives and livelihoods' - BBC News May 7, 2015 Heist investigation: London police didn't respond to burglar alarm | CNN Hatton Garden heist: Former Met chief calls police 'utterly incompetent' as CCTV emerges | The Independent April 12, 2015  

Ralph devotes the entire program to challenging the “official” count of 60 thousand fatalities reported so far in the genocide Israel, aided and abetted by the United States, has perpetrated on the Palestinians in Gaza. First, Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, who volunteered twice in Gaza hospitals, presents the various studies that revise estimates into the hundreds of thousands. Then weapons expert, Professor Theodore Postol, backs that up with his knowledge of the destructive power of the weapons being used and the photographic evidence of the rubble.Dr. Feroze Sidhwa is a trauma, general, and critical care surgeon. He has volunteered twice in Gaza since 2024 and three times in Ukraine since 2022. He has published on humanitarian surgical work in the New York Times, Politico, and the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.I've made my point clear month after month that I believe the death toll is now well over 500,000. And it's important to have an accurate death toll to respect the Palestinian dead and to intensify diplomatic, political, and civic pressures from around the world (and particularly from the White House and Congress) to cease fire, to let the humanitarian trucks that are already at the border in (with food, medicine, water, hospital supplies), and to make sure that this conflict is resolved safely.Ralph NaderIt certainly seems that every single international expert on the topic does think that this is a genocidal attack, so I don't see any reason to disbelieve what they're saying. But that doesn't have to do with how many people are killed. So what I'm just trying to point out is that even if the numbers of people that we talk about here today are (like Ralph said) half a million, or whatever number of people have been killed, nobody disputes that huge numbers of mass killings have taken place. And it doesn't seem that anybody who knows what they're talking about disputes that it's genocidal at this point.Dr. Feroze SidhwaIt's been very widely understood by lots and lots of people, of a huge variety of political leanings, a huge variety of life experiences, of professions, et cetera, that this is the image that springs to mind when they go to the Gaza Strip—it's something like a gigantic concentration camp.Dr. Feroze SidhwaIf the U.S. or Israel cared at all about how many people (including, remember, this is a territory that is half children) —if we cared how many people, including children, we have starved to death, have shot dead, have blown up, et cetera, we could figure it out in two weeks and with 10 grand. The Israelis wouldn't even have to stop their assault. They could keep doing it. They could just agree to de-conflict this group of a few people. But they won't do it for obvious reasons. And I shouldn't say “they” —we won't do it for obvious reasons.Dr. Feroze SidhwaTheodore Postol is Professor of Science, Technology and National Security Policy Emeritus in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at MIT. His expertise is in nuclear weapon systems, including submarine warfare, applications of nuclear weapons, ballistic missile defense, and ballistic missiles more generally.When you have a large building collapse, everyone is going to be dead unless they're out of the building. It's just that simple. And even when you have large buildings collapse and you have people coming in to search for people, you typically only find a few people who happen to have been lucky enough to be trapped in a cavity that's near a surface area of the rubble heap. If you're deep in the rubble heap, your chances of surviving are near zero.Professor Theodore PostolNews 8/15/25* New Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index data shows Trump's new tariff regime has resulted in significant increases in tariff-sensitive staple consumer goods. Some startling price spikes include a 38.9% rise in the price of vegetables, 14.5% increase in the price of coffee and an 11.3% increase in the price of beef and veal. Beyond food, electricity is up 5.5%, rent and shelter is up 3.6%, and health insurance is up 4.4%. These increases are sure to be politically unpopular, as Trump campaigned on bringing down inflation and the price of groceries. The reporting of this data also raises questions about Trump's response, given his response to the recent negative BLS data reporting on new job creation.* Speaking of job creation data, while the U.S. only reported the creation of 73,000 new jobs in July, Mexico, under left-wing economic nationalist president and AMLO successor Claudia Scheinbaum, created over 1.26 million new jobs in the same month, according to Mexico News Daily. Furious about the jobs report, Trump forced out the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is now seeking to install right-wing economist EJ Antoni. According to the BBC, economists have said his “economic commentary [is] rife with basic mistakes.” Antoni, kowtowing to Trump, ​​has proposed ending the monthly jobs report. Antoni would need to be confirmed by Senate Republicans, who have expressed some trepidation about his appointment, but whether that will be enough for them to stand up to Trump on this appointment seems unlikely.* In more domestic economic news, Jacobin reports corporations are experimenting with a new method of worker exploitation – so-called “stay-or-pay” contracts. According to this article, millions of employees – from nurses to pilots to fast food workers – are, often unwittingly, being “inserted into…restrictive labor covenants [which] turn employer-sponsored job training and education programs into conditional loans that must be paid back — sometimes at a premium — if employees leave before a set date.” These contracts, known as Training Repayment Agreement Provisions, or their acronym TRAPs, have become a major new battleground between corporate interests and groups fighting for labor rights, including unions and regulators. However, with Trump administration efforts to rollback even the modest labor protections promulgated under the Biden administration, the possibility of any federal intervention on behalf of workers seems remote.* In more Trump-related news, the occupation of Washington, D.C. has commenced. Trump has deployed federal agents, including officers with the Department of Homeland Security and Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as National Guard troops, to patrol the streets of the capital. Some of these deployments seem to be mostly for media spectacle; feds have been seen patrolling tourist areas like the National Mall, Union Station and Georgetown, but others have been going into District neighborhoods and harassing District residents for smoking on their own property. Moreover, while Trump has said "Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people," the Justice Department has in fact announced that this year violent crime in Washington has hit a 30-year low, per NPR. Trump is restricted to a 30 day takeover of the District by law, but is seeking to extend this window through Congress.* As usual, even as Trump claims to be cracking down on crime, his administration treats corporate crime with kid gloves. Despite major news of corporate misconduct this week – including the reopening of a Boar's Head facility shut down earlier this year due to a listeria outbreak despite ongoing sanitation issues and an explosion at the Clairton Coke Works in Pittsburgh that left at least two dead and ten injured – a new Public Citizen report shows the extent of the administration's soft-on-corporate-crime approach. According to this report, “the Trump administration has already withdrawn or halted enforcement actions against 165 corporations of all types – and one in four of the corporations benefiting from halted or dropped enforcement is from the technology sector, which has spent $1.2 billion on political influence during and since the 2024 elections.”* Turning to Gaza, the Financial Times reports, “Israel has killed…prominent Al Jazeera correspondent [Anas Al-Sharif] in Gaza and four of his colleagues…in an air strike targeting them in a media tent.” This report notes the Israeli military “took credit” for the strike after “months of threats and unproven allegations that [the journalist] was the head of a Hamas cell.” The Committee to Protect Journalists called these claims an attempt to “manufacture consent for his killing.” The network called this move a “desperate attempt to silence voices in anticipation of the occupation of Gaza.” Anas Al-Sharif was a prominent journalist in the Arab world and was part of a Reuters photo team who won a Pulitzer Prize in 2024. Israel has already killed six Al Jazeera reporters in Gaza prior to this strike.* Meanwhile, in Egypt, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi last Tuesday issued his harshest criticism of Israel thus far, accusing the nation of prosecuting “a war for starvation, genocide, and the liquidation of the Palestinian cause.” Yet, according to Drop Site News, Sisi's comments came just days before an announcement that an Israeli company will begin supplying Egypt with vast amounts of gas. This $35 billion deal between Egypt, neighbor to Israel and Palestine and the largest Arab nation, and Israeli energy company NewMed is the largest export agreement in Israel's history. This deal adds a new dimension to other comments Sisi made in those same remarks, wherein he defended Egypt against criticism for “not opening the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing to allow in aid.” It remains to be seen whether the genocide comments represent a new chapter of Egypt-Israel relations, or whether they are just a smokescreen to cover Egypt and Israel's increasing economic interdependence.* In Palestine news from the homefront, Semafor reports the Democratic National Committee will consider two dueling resolutions on Gaza at their meeting this month. According to Dave Weigel, one, introduced by DNC Chair Ken Martin would “[urge] a ceasefire and a return of hostages held by Hamas,” along with a reaffirmation of the increasingly far-fetched two-state solution. The other, introduced by a DNC member on the progressive flank of the party, calls for “suspension of military aid to Israel” and recognition of a Palestinian state. The latter resolution has drawn the ire of Democratic Majority for Israel, a political organization that aims to keep the Democratic Party firmly in the pro-Israel camp. DMFI's president, Brian Romick, is quoted saying that resolution would be a “gift to Republicans” and would “embolden Israel's adversaries.”* In more positive foreign affairs news, Jeremy Corbyn's new party in the United Kingdom appears to be gaining steam. A string of polls indicate the party could win the seats currently held by several high-profile Labour Party MPs, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting and now-resigned Homelessness Secretary Rushanara Ali. Most shockingly, it seems they could even win Holborn and St. Pancras, the seat currently held by Labour Party Prime Minister Keir Starmer. If this Corbynite wave does ultimately crest, it would be a stunning reversal of fortune after the Starmerite Labour Party expelled the former Labour leader in 2023.* Finally, AOL announced this week that they will end their Dial-up internet service in September, Ars Technica reports. AOL launched their Dial-up service in 1991, helping to usher in the era of widespread internet adoption. While this may seem like a natural step in terms of technological advancement, US Census data from 2022 shows that approximately 175,000 American households still connect to the Internet through dial-up services. As this article notes, “These users typically live in rural areas where broadband infrastructure doesn't exist or remains prohibitively expensive to install.” In effect, this move could leave these rural communities completely without internet, a problem compounded by the Trump administration's decision earlier this year to “abandon key elements of a $42.45bn Biden-era plan to connect rural communities to high-speed internet,” per the Guardian. It should be considered a national disgrace if both the private sector and the government leave these rural communities behind.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Episode 814:  Today we're uncovering accident fraud prevention. We'll talk with the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud's Brent Walker about the growing problem and what lawmakers are doing to stop it.Today's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

Health over the last 150 years in the UK and internationally has been transformed and this rapid rate of change will continue. Improvements in public health and the shifting demographic structure are altering the trajectory and frequency of disease. Advances in science including new drug classes, diagnostics and AI are changing what is possible in diagnosis and treatment. This lecture will consider the possible, and likely, direction of health over the next decades.This Annual Sir Thomas Gresham Lecture was recorded by Sir Chris Whitty on 23rd June 2025  at Conway Hall, Holborn, LondonChris was Gresham Professor of Physic at Gresham College from 2018 to 2022, and Visiting Professor of Public Health 2015-2018 and again since 2022.He is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England and the UK Government's Chief Medical Adviser.The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website:https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/future-health-25Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

Episode 813: Today we're uncovering a wildfire in Oregon that nears 'megafire' status.  A look at this phenomenon that is occurring more frequently.  Plus, disaster mitigation solutions continue to be a key focus for state legislators. How they're addressing extreme weather challenges in a new era of risk.Today's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

Episode 812:  Today we're uncovering, what President Donald Trump's tax and spending cuts bill means for insurers and how NAMIC helped maintain stability for the state-regulated industry. Plus, NAMIC's Award in Innovation goes to West Bend Insurance Company.  How the organization's new technology is making a difference for agents and policyholders alike.Today's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

Episode 811: Legal reform has also been a major topic of debate this year among state legislators, especially in the Southeast. On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Caitlin Murray,  senior regional vice president at NAMIC, about the biggest advocacy changes to come out of the region during the 2025 legislative sessions.Today's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

Episode 810: Holborn has released a new thesis describing how today's reinsurance market conditions are being shaped by global liquidity rather than the traditional feast-and-famine pattern tied to loss cycles. On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Adam Manus, president and chief brokerage officer at Holborn, about what's driving the current reinsurance market cycles.Today's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

Compare Hybrid and Classic Lash Extension treatments at Glamorous Lashes London +44 7964 167029) near Holborn. Discover the differences, benefits, and which style suits you best. Get expert results from London's top-rated lash salon. Book now: https://www.glamorous-lashes.com/treatments Glamorous Lashes London City: London Address: 72 Great Titchfield Street Website: https://www.glamorous-lashes.com/

Episode 809: Today we're uncovering Louisiana insurance reform, the proposals aimed at reducing consumer cost and why many may not accomplish that desired effect. Then later on today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Dale Porfilio, president of the Insurance Research Council and chief insurance officer at Triple I, about a new study examining the dramatic rise in uninsured and underinsured motorists. Today's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

In this episode, Kate is joined by Andrew Keefe, a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist and Pilates Teacher, to discuss how Pilates can support you during divorce and aid your recovery afterward. Andrew shares the science of trauma, how the nervous system functions under stress and why Pilates is an effective tool to help with the emotional aftermath of a relationship breakdown. About the episode:Kate and Andrew begin by exploring what trauma means in the context of divorce and the physical and mental symptoms it can trigger. Andrew explains the biological responses that often occur during and after a traumatic event like separation and how the controlled movements and breathing techniques at the core of Pilates can help soothe these reactions. He also shares other practical strategies for coping with divorce and separation, including simple breathing exercises, the importance of releasing tension in the body and how to build a supportive network.About our guest:Andrew Keefe is a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist, EMDR Therapist, Pilates Teacher and Personal Trainer (Level 4, Lower Back Pain Specialist.) He works with mind and body to help people recover from trauma and trauma / stress-related Chronic Lower Back Pain. Andrew has been a therapist for twenty-five years, including sixteen years of clinical work with traumatised refugees and survivors of torture. He now works in private practice in Holborn and East London, specialising in working with people living with the traumatic effects of childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, abusive relationships, birth trauma, violence and chronic lower back pain. He also uses fitness sessions and Pilates to help people recover their mental wellbeing.More resources:You can learn more about Andrew and his work on his websiteWe'd love to know how we can help you further. Share your questions on divorce, separation and co-parenting with us at hello@amicable.co.uk. They might just be the topic of a future episode!Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and parenting aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert today.#LifeAfterDivorce

Episode 808: Capital markets for 2024 were nothing short of interesting. NAMIC's latest PIPES Report is now available, which benchmarks property/casualty investment objectives, strategies, and performance. On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Chris Myers, senior strategist at NEw England Asset Management, about how insurers' investment portfolios fared in 2024.Today's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

On a warm afternoon in May 2011, I was walking down Tottenham Court Road in London. I had passed through the wide, open grassy squares of Bloomsbury and Holborn, filled with corporate people enjoying the late spring sun. Now, I was surrounded by the streets of fried chicken joints and tourist souvenir shops packed with people as I headed to catch a double-decker bus home.At 16 years old, navigating London was nothing new to me. I had been taking the bus home from school since I was about 12. Still, this afternoon was slightly different. I was feeling curious, inspired, and contemplative. My school had just taken us out on a Maths conference field day. As I passed cars, lorries, and buses stuck in traffic, my mind zoomed, imagining all the possibilities of what I might study at university and beyond.I was mid-bustle when I saw a sign propped up on the pavement. It read, “Free Personality Tests.”A short woman approached me from the shop.“Hello!” she called out, “Would you like to take a personality test?”Much like the men selling Paddington Bears, Union Jacks, and keyrings, she seemed to be selling her wares. I almost didn't turn around because I had already passed the shop. Yet I distinctly remember thinking, as I stood a couple of steps ahead of her, that maybe I should be more open-minded! A personality test sounded intriguing. My school activities were over for the day. I had nothing else to do and nowhere else to be. I thought to myself: why not?“Sure, I'll take a personality test,” I said to her, turning around.“Amazing. Follow me,” she said, “There's plenty for you to discover.”I went with her into the narrow shop front. The space was quite small and bright, with a kind of beige old office feel to it. The hardwood wall had some kind of giant inscription written on it, and the floor was a faux marble with light brown-green speckles. There was a staircase with a glass, silver-handled railing. She took me down a short corridor, passed rows of books and pamphlets on shelves, into a small back room with low-walled cubicles.She showed me to the cubicle where I was going to take my personality test, and I sat down on a scratchy, cushioned office chair with a round back. There were a couple of other people in there, flipping through pages of questions on small packets of white A4 paper that had been stapled together. I would have heard the scratching of their pencils on the pages, but there was a buzz of background noise and chatter throughout the place. She soon handed me a packet of questions. I wrote my name and my date of birth at the top of the page and got to work.I didn't feel particularly scared there; I was just curious. I was still at the age where I believed that most people were well-intentioned in the world, and I would just be able to leave any place, including this stuffy office room if I felt like it. If anything, my friends and I were the ones actively breaking the law, getting ourselves into less-than-ideal situations, and running away from the police. We'd pay homeless men to buy alcohol for us from the local newsagents. We'd bribe the guy at the corner shop to sell us cheap Egyptian cigarettes. Even if one of us was caught smoking a splif (a rolled mixture of weed and tobacco) in the park, we usually found a way to speak posh with our private school accents and talk the constable out of calling our parents.I kept a steady pace through the questions, quite like the multiple-choice verbal reasoning tests I'd had to take for my entrance exams into secondary school. It had probably 30 pages of questions.Did I get angry sometimes? How often did I feel misunderstood? Did random coincidences happen sometimes that I couldn't explain? Did I ever talk about someone, and then they'd appear later that same day? Did I ever feel very excited but also very bored? Yes. No. Very often. Often. Sometimes. Rarely. Never. Strongly Agree. Agree. Neutral. Disagree. Strongly Disagree.Gosh, that questionnaire was long. After at least about 20 minutes, I really hoped the personality test would be over soon. I was desperate to get the results. Was I a particularly angry person, with unacceptable levels of rage, getting angrier more than most? I thought about leaving the stuffy office, but now I had put so much into the first 25 pages of this thing that my time was such a sunk cost. Couldn't someone just tell me what type of personality I had?When I finally finished the questionnaire, the woman instructed me,“Now, you're going to watch this video where you can learn about the different personality types as we assess your results. You'll know soon.”Thank god, I thought to myself. This better be good.She led me down the staircase with the glass railing into another smaller, slightly darker, stuffy office room. She sat me down in a similar low cubicle. There were a couple of other people in there, including a mother with her young boy, who was playing on the floor.The woman handed me a round, cheap headset with a small black muffler at each earlobe, quite like the ones we got on planes at the time. The monitor was an ugly grey color. She put the DVD into the desktop computer and started the video.I remember the video starting with bright yellow, gold, and orange sunsets and a man and a woman in hiking gear sitting there with their heads in their hands or running in slow motion up a hill.“Do you get angry sometimes? Do you often feel misunderstood by the people around you, even your closest friends and family? Do random coincidences happen sometimes that you can't explain? All this depends on your personality, and we're here to give you the tools so that you can navigate your life and thrive. Our guides are here to assist you.”I sat on my hands, praying that the whole questionnaire had been worth it. This was just starting to get good. About five minutes in, mid-video, the woman quickly came up to my cubicle and pressed stop on the video. She seemed huffed and bothered slightly.“I'm sorry,” she said, “We can't help you. We hope you have a great day—”I interjected,“But I just spent 20 minutes filling out that questionnaire. You can't tell me anything?”“No. Sorry.”Without much of an explanation, she hurried me upstairs. I noticed that most of the people upstairs had gone, possibly to a meeting or to watch videos with their guides and get the answers to their personality tests. She hurried me outside and shut the door behind me. Their white shopfront now looked sleepy and vacant.I stood there for a moment, grumbling to myself, before I continued down Tottenham Court Road to the bus stop. What they had promised sounded kind of amazing, but it had all ended up being a waste of time when I could have been outside, enjoying the late spring afternoon. I regretted going in there only to have my expectations crushed. Why hadn't she been able to give me any answers?Well, it's now 14 years later, and the hilarious thing is that the place still exists. I had entered the “Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Centre,” an active “non-profit” organization with a whopping 4.4 stars on Google Maps and 291 reviews, offering “courses and counseling to help you improve your life and reach your full potential.” Just wow.I now know, thanks to this news article, that the questionnaire I took was probably their 200-question “Oxford Capacity Analysis.” The article says, “The Scientology “personality test” is described by various Internet sources as a Scientology recruitment tool used worldwide on Scientology websites, in Scientology churches, and in public settings such as fairs and festivals. It also has been criticized by psychologists as not a bonafide personality test...Young people under age 18 are asked to have a parent or guardian sign the questionnaire.”So, there you have it. Years later, I finally know why I was instructed to leave: I was underaged and alone. In that woman's mind, once she saw my date of birth, I quickly morphed from a fresh, juicy recruit into a potential legal nightmare.I wish I could tell you that I saw it coming or that in the moment, alarm bells went off in my head, and I walked out disgusted, vowing never to return to any cult-like place. But that is far from what happened. Sure, I left that place feeling puzzled and disappointed. Yet, it was only with the benefit of hindsight that I see now how lucky I was to be a minor at the time, without one of my parents nearby to sign my waiver.The truth is that even if I considered myself smart or well-educated at the time, I only narrowly avoided joining one of the largest and most notorious cults in the world because of an even greater factor: the rule of law. Part of being shameless is accepting in a light-hearted way that even if we think we've got it all together, we can still make mistakes. We can still be wrong, very wrong. Especially as young people, sometimes we need an external force like the law to save us from ourselves. When we acknowledge our mistakes shamelessly and do not pretend that we are above other people, having this perspective on life is surprisingly freeing. We've fully come to terms with our foibles and failures, and there's not much in the way of other people that can tarnish us if we hold ourselves in high esteem. We might make a mistake, but that does not mean we are a mistake. Indeed, sometimes, making a mistake may riddle us with deep shame and embarrassment, and that's something we can work through. Then, we have other mistakes that may simply become a funny story that we can share 14 years later.Have you ever been duped? Did you ever almost join a cult? Tell us about your experience in the comments!Join us on our mission to help the world be shamelessly sexy!Love,Tash

Episode 807:  A shift in Colorado's approach to funding wildfire insurance may bring new costs to policyholders. Lawmakers are now considering a fee-based model in revised legislation, after NAMIC encouraged state Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway to discard earlier efforts to impose strict loss ratio requirements on home insurers.Plus, there's a new insurance commissioner in Missouri.  On today's Unscripted, we sit down with Angie Nelson to break down the state's insurance market and what's ahead for Missouri insurers and policyholders.This episode of the Insurance Uncovered is sponsored by Holborn.

Episode 806: – The National Association of Insurance Commissioners hosted its Spring meeting in Indianapolis last week.  While the event was lighter in content, there were still several important matters to discuss.Stepping in for Neil this week on our Insurance Unscripted segment, Erin Collins,  senior vice president - state and policy affairs for NAMIC, talks with three of NAMIC's policy vice presidents about the NAIC's top priorities for the coming year.This episode of the Insurance Uncovered is sponsored by Holborn.

For this episode of All Consumed, Chris brings Neil along to a newly discovered restaurant in Holborn to see if Neil would love it as much as Chris during his first visit. That's not the only good food Neil's been … Continue reading →

Episode 805: Insurance is an increasingly data driven industry, but an effective data governance plan can only be as good as a company's data is accurate. On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Gwen Thomas, data strategist and founder of the Data Governance Institute,  about what it means to have good data hygiene.This episode of the Insurance Uncovered is sponsored by Holborn.

Sweeping changes to the welfare system are putting Prime Minister Keir Starmer under pressure. In this episode we hear from The London Standard's Chief Political Correspondent Rachael Burford on what cuts to the Personal Independence Payment and other benefits could mean for some of the most vulnerable in society.We also hear from The Standard's food and drink writer Josh Barrie about the hidden gem in Holborn where retro arcade games are going from seaside sideshow to centre stage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 804: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has introduced tort reform legislation to curb legal system abuse, including a key measure that requires transparency for third-party litigation funding.On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Kade Cullefer, representing the American Tort Reform Association and Georgia Defense Lawyers, about why the legislation could be a positive step forward for Georgians. This week's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

A conversation with coach Paul Holborn. He is a former boxer and winner of the 2025 World Marathon Challenge which is running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days. Paul Holborn didn't go into the event to win, but after about 5 days Paul emerged as the men's winner, completing the 777 in an average time of 3:22:36.  We talk about his background as a boxer and the inspiring story of what eventually drove him to consider attempting the World Marathon Challenge, and the support he received from his family after taking the physical and financial leap.  We discuss Paul's training approaching leading up to the 777 and the amount of training volume he peaked at to prepare, including his level of confidence going into Antarctica.  We talk about Paul's fueling and sleep protocol going into the event and how well it worked. Paul discusses what he believes it was that helped him in the end.  Paul talks through each leg of the event, some of the high points and lower points and where along the way did the possibility he could win come into mind.  Finally Paul talks about what the future holds for his athletic pursuits.    Paul Holborn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauly_holborn  Paul Holborn BBC Article https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgp43emvd0o.amp  Paul Holborn NYT Articlehttps://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6164653/2025/03/01/seven-marathons-seven-days-seven-continents/  About the World Marathon Challengehttps://www.worldmarathonchallenge.com/  Follow Us:Facebook: https://Facebook.com/EventHorizon.TvTwitter: https://twitter.com/EventHorizonTvInstagram: https://instagram.com/eventhorizon.tvYouTube: https://youtube.com/c/EventHorizonTv    Support Us: https://Patreon.com/Endurance  

Episode 803: Today we're uncovering subrogation. We'll sit down with Steve Badger, attorney at Zelle, to discuss why the legal recovery process is important for insurers and how a Supreme Court decision in Hawaii prohibiting this measure could set a dangerous precedent.Plus, California approves FAIR Plan request to assess insurers $1 billion for wildfire claims. How the assessment highlights the pressing need for regulatory reform in the state.This week's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

Aftermath. Claire Redmond and Coleridge visit the Holborn station crime scene.This episode also features a last update on the U&F TV series. 

Episode 802: Less than a month into the new Congress, NAMIC has started to see results on key legislative issues in Washington. Plus on today's Unscripted, we'll meet NAMIC's new Chair, Ohio Mutual Insurance Group's CEO Mark Russell and discuss how he hopes to serve the industry in the year ahead.This week's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

Today's enlightening episode of Electronically yours features a stimulating discussion with Dr. Jim Walsh, CEO of Conway Hall in Holborn, London, home of Conway Hall Ethical Society, an educational charity with an amazing history spanning two centuries. The Hall hosts a wide variety of talks, debates, performances and community events. It is renowned as a hub for free speech and independent thought, for suffragettes, political radicals, scientists, philosophers, artists, performers; campaigns, charities and other non-profit organisations. Between February 11-20, Conway Hall will host ‘Adventures In The Electroverse' , Martyn's 3D immersive soundscape installation based on the greatest stories from over 200 episodes of Electronically Yours. Ladies and gentlemen – in today's world we need humanism more than ever – meet Dr. Jim Walsh... If you can, please support the Electronically Yours podcast via my Patron: patreon.com/electronicallyours

Episode 801: Hear the latest on the wildfires in California. Plus, nowhere is there more need to separate fact from fiction than in insurance policy, specifically when it comes to the use of big data, artificial intelligence, and risk-based pricing.On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Lindsey Klarkowski, policy vice president, to dispel some of the common misconceptions around Artificial Intelligence. This podcast is sponsored by Holborn.

After Holborn Properties bought the Dunsmuir Hotel in downtown Vancouver, it allowed the property to deteriorate for nearly 20 years, and evicted all the tenants in 2013. Since then, it has sat empty. Now water damage has caused irreversible interior and structural decay such that Vancouver City Council was called into a special meeting a week before Christmas to deal with a potential imminent collapse of the hotel. Nathan Crompton joins us to talk about the Dunsmuir Hotel and the relationship between developers and City Hall.

Happy New Year, 2025! In this episode we go back in time to see what the journalist Ronnie Bishop did after David ran away from him and into Holborn underground station at the end of Season 5. 

Jeannette is joined by Ron Rosenblum, the co-founder and CEO of Canvas Offices, who shares his unique journey from the music industry to the world of real estate and serviced office spaces. He discusses the evolution of his business, which began in 2013 with a focus on creating bespoke office environments that foster creativity and collaboration. Ron also talks about the importance of listening to clients and personalising services to enhance their experience. The conversation also delves into the challenges faced during the pandemic, the changing landscape of work, and the significance of building a strong company culture. KEY TAKEAWAYS The transition from the music industry to real estate highlights the importance of being open to new opportunities and adapting to changing circumstances. The ability to pivot and find new paths can lead to unexpected success. Creating a personalised and welcoming environment for clients is crucial. By listening to their needs and allowing them to contribute to the creation of their workspace, businesses can foster loyalty and satisfaction. Working with family members or close partners can be beneficial when there is a foundation of trust. This trust allows for smoother collaboration and decision-making, which is essential for business success. The pandemic has shifted the perception of office spaces from mere work environments to social and collaborative hubs. Businesses must create spaces that balance privacy and community to meet the evolving needs of employees. BEST MOMENTS "The true love of what we do is to host people, to welcome people, and to let them feel at home really more than anything else." "If you want people to feel at home, you need to let them be part of its creation." "I think the biggest part that I believe that the office takes place in our society is almost like it's a social place for people." "Life is never a straight path, is it?"   This is the perfect time to get focused on what YOU want to really achieve in your business, career, and life. It's never too late to be BRAVE and BOLD and unlock your inner BRILLIANT. Visit our new website https://brave-bold-brilliant.com/ - there you'll find a library of FREE resources and downloadable guides and e-books to help you along your journey. If you'd like to jump on a free mentoring session just DM Jeannette at info@brave-bold-brilliant.com. VALUABLE RESOURCES Brave Bold Brilliant - https://brave-bold-brilliant.com/ Brave, Bold, Brilliant podcast series - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/brave-bold-brilliant-podcast/id1524278970    ABOUT THE GUEST Yaron Rosenblum is the co-founder and CEO of flexible office space provider, Canvas Offices, which provides bespoke and crafted private offices for high profile start-ups, creative scale-ups and global unicorns. Highly regarded in the property industry for his willingness to take on the most challenging renovation projections and ensure they are completed to the highest standards, Yaron is often featured in leading business and property publications for his industry expertise and entrepreneurial acumen. Yaron first entered the real estate market in 2013 alongside his business partner and brother Oren Rosenblum, when they repurposed a music production studio for lease. Encouraged by their success, Canvas Offices was established in 2018 and is now recognised as one of the UK's top flexible office space providers, with 16 buildings situation in prime central London locations including Holborn, Mayfair, Shoreditch, Old Street and Farringdon. Key to the company's success has been Yaron's “homification” design philosophy, the principles of which are instrumental in creating luxurious offices that blur the lines between home and work, so that employee productivity, comfort, and mental wellbeing are prioritised. Our socials are as follows: LinkedIn: Canvas Offices https://www.linkedin.com/company/canvas-offices/? Instagram: @canvasoffices https://www.instagram.com/canvasoffices/ ABOUT THE HOST Jeannette Linfoot is a highly regarded senior executive, property investor, board advisor, and business mentor with over 30 years of global professional business experience across the travel, leisure, hospitality, and property sectors. Having bought, ran, and sold businesses all over the world, Jeannette now has a portfolio of her own businesses and also advises and mentors other business leaders to drive forward their strategies as well as their own personal development. Jeannette is a down-to-earth leader, a passionate champion for diversity & inclusion, and a huge advocate of nurturing talent so every person can unleash their full potential and live their dreams. CONTACT THE HOST Jeannette's linktree - https://linktr.ee/JLinfoot https://www.jeannettelinfootassociates.com/ YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@braveboldbrilliant LinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jeannettelinfoot Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jeannette.linfoot/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jeannette.linfoot/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@brave.bold.brilliant Podcast Description Jeannette Linfoot talks to incredible people about their experiences of being Brave, Bold & Brilliant, which have allowed them to unleash their full potential in business, their careers, and life in general. From the boardroom tables of ‘big' international businesses to the dining room tables of entrepreneurial start-ups, how to overcome challenges, embrace opportunities and take risks, whilst staying ‘true' to yourself is the order of the day.Travel, Bold, Brilliant, business, growth, scale, marketing, investment, investing, entrepreneurship, coach, consultant, mindset, six figures, seven figures, travel, industry, ROI, B2B, inspirational: https://linktr.ee/JLinfoot

Holborn - NAMIC's Insurance Uncovered sponsor - is also sponsoring a new book called "Beat the Clock - How the Property Catastrophe Underwriting Cycle Works." On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Frank Harrison, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Holborn, about the new educational resource that will serve generations of risk professionals for years to come.

Episode 719: On today's Unscripted... we're taking a closer look at the 2024 election results. Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Jimi Grande, senior vice president of federal and political affairs at NAMIC,  about how the results could bring change to the property/casualty insurance industry and what opportunities may be ahead with a new administration and Congress. This week's episode is sponsored by Holborn.

Episode 718:  The impact of PFAS - or "forever" - chemicals on human health is a subject of increasing debate with implication for the insurance industry.  The widespread presence of the substances has become a focal point of regulatory action and litigation. On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Tim Fletcher, senior emerging issues specialist at Gen Re, about the issue's potential impact on the industry.This episode of NAMIC's Insurance Uncovered is sponsored by Holborn.

Onderwerpen We zijn te gast in het Home Computer Museum in Helmond AesthedesDe Aesthedes was een grafisch computersysteem van Nederlands fabricaat voor opmaak en ontwerpen, dat eind jaren 70 en begin jaren 80 werd ontwikkeld door Claessens Product Consultants (thans Cartils) in Hilversum. Het museum is op zoek naar een Compucolor II Tech45 ‘adopteerde’ de Holborn 6500, Holborn? Tips Toon: Dookie Demastered | Solstice 5 Floris: Radio Bergeijk Karel: Glyphica: Typing Survival Tim: Home Computer Museum Bart: Inspecteur Sabam / Dood Spoor

In this podcast we look at Holborn Viaduct, a small piece of road and a flyover that links the West End with the City of London Join us for it's history....

Episode 717: The Treasury Department's Federal Insurance Office recently hosted a roundtable discussion on insurers' use of artificial intelligence. Rachel Jrade-Rice, general counsel for NEXT Insurance, represented the mutual insurance industry at the event. On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Jrade-Rice about some of the benefits and challenges associated with the technology. This episode of NAMIC's Insurance Uncovered is sponsored by Holborn.

Episode 716: NAMIC and Aon have partnered once again to release the 2024 Mutual Factor report. On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Pat Abbe, executive managing director at Aon, and Sarah Schnettler, senior vice president of member experience at NAMIC, about the impact of the past 24-30 months on the mutual insurance industry.This episode of NAMIC's Insurance Uncovered is sponsored by Holborn.

Dr Devinia Lavan-Iswaran (known as Coco) shares her inspiring journey from surviving domestic abuse to rediscovering herself and thriving as a dentist and mentor.  She discusses her multicultural upbringing, experiences in boarding school, and how she rebuilt her life and career after leaving an abusive marriage.  Coco offers insights into resilience, the importance of self-worth, and her passion for helping others through dentistry and charitable work. In This Episode 00:05:00 - Backstory 00:13:35 - Boarding school  00:24:05 - Study 00:26:50 - Early career 00:39:35 - Marriage, abuse and turning point 01:00:30 - Rebuilding 01:09:35 - Finding joy in dentistry 01:19:15 - Creating positive experiences for patients 01:25:45 - Blackbox thinking 01:29:10 - Charity work 01:33:30 - Fantasy dinner party About Coco Coco qualified from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry in 1995. She currently works in private practice in Holborn, London.

Glamorous Lashes London (+44 796 416 7029), near Holborn, offers Hybrid and Russian Volume lash extensions using premium silk and mink materials. These enhancements ensure luxurious, long-lasting results with improved adhesives, providing fuller, more glamorous lashes for clients in Central London. Learn more at https://www.glamorous-lashes.com/treatments Glamorous Lashes London City: London Address: 72 Great Titchfield Street Website: https://www.glamorous-lashes.com/ Phone: +447964167029 Email: Bookings@glamorous-lashes.com

Episode 715: NAMIC recently attended the Governors' Highway Safety Association annual meeting where AAA Missouri received the Peter K. O'Rourke award for outstanding roadway safety advocacy.  On today's unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO of NAMIC, talks with Angie Nelson, vice president of public and government affairs at AAA Missouri, about the company's efforts to prevent distracted driving through a comprehensive public awareness campaign and statewide legislation.This episode of NAMIC's Insurance Uncovered is sponsored by Holborn.

Episode 714:  The Mutual Group is an innovative new insurance platform designed to specifically help mutual insurance carriers improve their operational efficiency.On today's Unscripted, Neil Alldredge, president and CEO at NAMIC, talks with Tim Fleming, CEO at The Mutual Group, about what makes the company unique among mutuals. This episode of NAMIC's Insurance Uncovered is sponsored by Holborn.

I had a chat interview with Jon Lee from pop band S Club. We talked about their recent reunion & their Good Times Tour, their recent Brighton Pride gig, about LGBT awareness & about how the band paid tribute to their band mate Paul Cattermole who sadly died from an underlying heart condition. Jon is an Ambassador for the British Heart Foundation to help them raise awareness of heart issues. https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/who-we-are Jon and Jo from S Club will also be doing a gig soon at Pizza Express in Holborn! https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/choose-seats/jon-lee-jo-omeara/1430608

Your hosts read Ninth Life by Stark Holborn, the third book in what may or may not be a trilogy, they actually have no idea. They talk about the difficulties of year-long gaps before reading a sequel, debate what an epistolary novel is, and look up the definition for 2nd person POV. Lilly also spills the tea about a gossip-themed Pet Peeve.Find us on Discord / Support us on PatreonThanks to the following musicians for the use of their songs:- Amarià for the use of “Sérénade à Notre Dame de Paris”- Josh Woodward for the use of “Electric Sunrise”Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Nick Delves is Candidate for Holborn & St Pancras against Labour Leader Sir Kier Starmer. His Party is the Monster Raving Loony Party.  GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: James Freeman is a TNT presenter, an International Liaison at the World Council for Health, a former Member of European Parliament, and prior to politics was Head of UK Trade and Business Inflation at the Office for National Statistics. James also has a masters degree in Psychology and plans use his unique set of skills to debunk the establishment's narrative and wake-up the masses.

In this episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dillt Hussain speaks with the former South African member of parliament, anti-apartheid activist and investigative author, Andrew Feinstein.    Topics of discussion include: Apartheid South Africa, the ANC, and Andrew's family background.  Does Israel meet the threshold for an apartheid state?  The Gaza genocide and standing as independent parliamentary candidate for Holborn & St.Pancras.  Labour Party, enabling genocide and unseating Keir Starmer.  Muslim voters in Holborn and St.Pancras, and the split vote situation? Does Andrew think he has an actual chance of winning? FOLLOW 5PILLARS ON:    Website: https://5pillarsuk.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@5Pillars Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/5pillarsuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5pillarsnews  Twitter: https://twitter.com/5Pillarsuk  Telegram: https://t.me/s/news5Pillars  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@5pillarsnews

How much do you know about your local and the people that run it. Why they do what they do. What they enjoy about this profession. What they enjoy....less so. Be it core classics or specials and seasonals, the independent on-trade is essential in offering a platform to countless brewery's beers. And for patrons and producers in West London, they're fortunate to have a brilliant pub that does just that. Run by husband and wife duo Tim and Tosh, alongside canine companion Dexter, The Brook is part of the rich beer and brewing fabric of Brentford. After running a wealth of London's best-known pubs, giving a boost and a stage to excellent, independent, beer is a huge part of their raison d'être. The Brook was founded as 'The Royal Oak' beer house in 1787 and it was originally a standard corner property, later expanded into properties in New Road. It belonged to the Royal Brewery of Brentford. The Royal Oak was licensed as a public house by 1894 and it was built in its present form in that year 1894, possibly being partially rebuilt in the 1920s. ​ The Strawberry House beer house was established by 1871 at 33 New Road where a member of the Gomm family (the brewers) was noted as a beer seller there. It was probably named after the large area of market gardens that used to exist in the area between Brook Road and Ealing Road. One of the market gardeners, Thomas William Beach, founded a jam factory in Brentford and he won awards for his strawberries at the Great Exhibition in 1851. The beer house was closed after 1896 by which time it was known as The Patriot. ​ Licensees of The Royal Oak included John Carter (1869), Richard Lewis (1870), Elizabeth Gardner (1894), Boaz Stallwood (1901) and Albert Coles (1914-1937). Stan Johnson was the landlord of The Royal Oak until 1960. By 1957 Stan had decided that he would become a publican and he moved to The Royal Oak after completing his training at The City Barge at Strand on the Green. In 1960 Stan and his wife moved to the Midlands, first in Walsall and then in Bridgnorth. ​ The Royal Oak was closed for some time and re-opened as 'The Brook' in June 2019 with Tim and Tosh Rider as the owners. Tim explains: "My introduction to the pub trade was Godolphin's just near Brentford Lock in 1989. My stint there made me realise I had a genuine love for the hospitality pub trade…so, thank you Brentford for that! I joined Whitbread soon after becoming the manager of The King's Head in Chiswell Street near the Barbican Center. "I met Tosh in The Blue Posts, in Soho, 20+ years ago. We married in 2002 when we were both running Bar Mosko in Holborn, then we spent 10 years at The Tabard in Chiswick followed by 2 years at the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in Fleet Street. Between the two of us we have gained strong links and experience within the pub industry. "We took the lease on for The Royal Oak in Brentford in March 2019 and the pub showed real promise plus a chance for both of us to finally put down some roots. The Royal Oak needed some love so after 3 months of getting the pub back into some order, we changed the name to 'The Brook'…it was time for a fresh start. "We are immensely proud of The Brook, how it looks and we are committed to becoming the local “village pub” in Brentford. So come and relax with our great selection of craft ales/beers, great wines, spirits and good food alongside good company and an extensive selection of vinyl and digital music!" In this episode we speak to Tim about the joys, and challenges, of running an independent pub, the importance of connecting with the community, operating in an area synonymous with football but not being defined by it, and the duo's love of pouring brilliant beers from the UK's best.

A surprise general election has been called in the United Kingdom, and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer is the overwhelming favorite to become the next prime minister. But today's guest is looking to upset that grim future.Andrew Feinstein is standing against Starmer for his Holborn and St. Pancras seat in central London. Feinstein is an expert in the arms trade, a former member of the South African parliament under Nelson Mandela, and a tireless activist, who Watchdog host Lowkey describes as someone who “campaigned for decades on important issues that really cut to the core of power and the way it functions in society.”Under Starmer's leadership, the Labour Party has ruthlessly purged leftist, anti-establishment voices from its ranks, including former leader Jeremy Corbyn. Feinstein described Starmer as holding an “authoritarian, undemocratic approach to politics,” accusing him of weaponizing anti-Semitism to carry out a witch hunt against radical elements within the party.Starmer has given his full-throated endorsement to Israel, even as it carries out a genocidal onslaught against the people of Gaza, and strong-armed the Speaker of the House into shutting down a motion brought to parliament calling for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, he has expelled more Jews from the Labour Party than all other leaders combined, all under the guise of fighting anti-Jewish bigotry.Feinstein is a white Jewish man who grew up in Apartheid South Africa. His mother is a survivor of Hitler's genocidal ambitions, having hid for three years in a Viennese coal cellar to avoid detection by the Nazis. He became active in the anti-Apartheid struggle and became an elected official for the African National Congress during the country's transition to democracy. He eventually resigned after being refused the right to investigate billions of dollars worth of arms deals signed by Mandela's successor, Thabo Mbeki.He warns that Starmer's approach to politics represents a threat to democracy in the United Kingdom, and wants his campaign to be completely different, the antithesis of Starmer.Feinstein stressed that local issues, such as hunger, unemployment, and a lack of housing, would be the key issues he would fight on. Nevertheless, he maintains an international perspective and is hopeful things are about to radically change across the globe. “This period of late neoliberal capitalism, which has bequeathed the world such injustice and such inequality, must be on its last legs. And that's what gets me out of bed every morning,” he said.Support the Show.The MintPress podcast, “The Watchdog,” hosted by British-Iraqi hip hop artist Lowkey, closely examines organizations about which it is in the public interest to know – including intelligence, lobby and special interest groups influencing policies that infringe on free speech and target dissent. The Watchdog goes against the grain by casting a light on stories largely ignored by the mainstream, corporate media.Lowkey is a British-Iraqi hip-hop artist, academic and political campaigner. As a musician, he has collaborated with the Arctic Monkeys, Wretch 32, Immortal Technique and Akala. He is a patron of Stop The War Coalition, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Racial Justice Network and The Peace and Justice Project, founded by Jeremy Corbyn. He has spoken and performed on platforms from the Oxford Union to the Royal Albert Hall and Glastonbury. His latest album, Soundtrack To The Struggle 2, featured Noam Chomsky and Frankie Boyle and has been streamed millions of times.

Episode 6, in which we discover what Ronnie Bishop did after seeing David run off into Holborn station.

Helloooo London! We're back with another live show at the wonderful Museum of Comedy in Holborn. We all need something to look forward to right now and this is just the ticket. Kicking off at 7pm on April 3rd, Grainne and Chantal will be dissecting a brand new couple breakup chosen by our ultra special guest, comedian Rachel Parris! We can't wait to see you there. So that's Wednesday April 3rd at 7pm. Grab your tickets here, friends! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 616: On today's Unscripted, we're bringing you a presentation from NAMIC's Management Conference where NAMIC CEO Neil Alldredge hosted a panel discussion about the current reinsurance market with representatives from Aon, Holborn, Gen Re, and Guy Carpenter.  The conversation focuses on solutions for reinsurance capacity - including underwriting/pricing improvements and exposure management - given the challenges presented by the hard reinsurance market.

Premiered to 63 people at the Royal Court back in 1973, the Rocky Horror Show is marking its anniversary with a production touring the UK. New Generation Thinkers Louise Creechan and Joan Passey explore its links with Frankenstein and the Gothic tradition and Paul Baker discusses its place in a history of camp. Shahidha Bari presents. Camp: The Story of the Attitude that Conquered the World is out now. Paul Baker is a Professor at Lancaster University. Rocky Horror runs at Sadlers Wells Peacock Theatre in Holborn, London until June 10th and then moves on to venues including Crewe, Leeds, Truro, Belfast, Nottingham and Eastbourne. For more details https://rockyhorror.co.uk/tour-dates You can find other conversations about LGBTQ+ culture and history in the Free Thinking collection of episodes called Identity Discussions on the programme website https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06jngzt Programmes include The politics of fashion and drag https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09zcjch Polari Prize winners from 2020 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000nmrl Queer Histories https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000f74j New Thinking: Raiding Gay's the Word & Magnus Hirschfeld https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0ff53xv