Podcasts about Scandinavia

Swedish Lapphund and the Genetics of the Arctic Spitz Breeds [caption id="attachment_14251" align="alignleft" width="540"] Desiree Ramirez with one of her Swedish Lapphunds.[/caption] Host Laura Reeves is joined by Desiree Ramirez to discuss the Swedish Lapphund and the genetics of the arctic spitz “archetype” that developed into landrace dogs and then different breeds over centuries. Swedish Lapphunds are not Finnish Laphunds or Finnish Spitz or Norwegian Buhunds or Norwegian Elkhounds or Samoyeds or Karelian Bear Dogs. Currently registered by AKC in the FSS, there are only about 40 dogs in the US. They are their own unique breed developed in the same region of the Scandinavian countries by the Sami people of Lappland (northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and northwest Russia). But these breeds all developed in the same basic region of the world. “We have archeological evidence of these lap -ish dogs going back four to 8 ,000 years,” Ramirez said. “Like some of the first dogs in Scandinavia and Europe. They were the landrace archetype. “And these dogs all are in haplogroup D and specifically when we talk about genetics specifically subclade group D1. Now haplogroup D is the most recent haplogroup in dog genetics that has the most recent wolf ancestry, barring any, you know, modern wolf mixes that we have. It is the most recent dog breed, dog type with wolf ancestry. [caption id="attachment_14250" align="alignright" width="536"] Swedish Lapphund puppy.[/caption] “That's why a lot of these dogs are these spitzy. That's why they looked so wolfy, they have a lot of those holdover traits because they're so close. Subclade Group D is specific to these Scandinavian breeds. So you're Finnish Lapphund, your Swedish Lapphund, Lapponian herders, all the elk hounds, they're all coming from that one subclade D. “(One) thing that makes them really different (from the Finnish Lapphund). This is where they really shine between the two of them is their temperament. OK, Swedish Lapphunds are a little bit more drivey. The first comparison I ever heard between the two of them was it's like comparing a V6 and a V8 engine. “The Swedish Lapphund is just going to drive and push and they really want to work, but they're the ones that will turn around and look at you in the yard and be like, OK, what are we doing next that? The handler focus that they have is extreme. They're always looking for you for that next thing that you want to do. “The Swedish Lapphund or the Lappish dogs were from the Sami people. And these dogs had to be versatile. They had to do everything. So hunting, herding, guarding, keeping the people warm, they had to do it all. There was no ability to specialize, right, if the owner needed it, that dog was doing it. “And to this day they still like to have a variety within the litter. So you might have a dog that's really good at hunting, which we still have dogs hunting and you might have one that herds and you might have one that is really just a great couch potato and they love that. They love that versatility and variety of temperament within the breed.”

Welcome to the fourth episode of our new and ongoing series: Fascism On Film. Each episode of this series, the Holmes Brothers look and review a film that has to do with fascism. During the episodes, the brothers look and see how the aspects and portrayal of fascism shown in the film relate to current and/or past events.On this episode of Fascism On Film, the Holmes Brothers discuss the Jean-Luc Godard film Le Petit Soldat. After helping start the French New Wave with his influential film Breathless (À bout de souffle), Godard was set to make this his second film in 1960. But due to censorship and its provocative look at the French-Algerian War plus scenes of torture, it was not released in cinemas until 1963. The film is set in Geneva, Switzerland and it has the Algerian War happening in the background. Actress Anna Karina worked with Jean-Luc Godard for the first time on this project. They had a bit of tumultuous relationship and were together for four years. The two of them made a bunch of films together. Pierrot Le Fou being their most memorable project amongst film fans and critics. We hope you enjoy this episode and stay tuned for more episodes of this Fascism On Film series.Be sure to check out our Monument Valley Film on our YouTube Channel, the famous location is featured briefly in one of the films.Chris Geier, who was on our last episode of our other series The Movies And Me, is an author and his book Silt is available here.Anders's screenwriter work can also be seen in the western The Outlaws, The films is a available to watch in America , parts of Scandinavia (e.g. Denmark, Finland) & the United Kingdom on Amazon and also Apple TV. You can read a review about the film here on Collider.Follow us on our Instagram page. For obvious reasons, we are no longer on Twitter. You won't find us there. Perhaps we will make a BlueSky account, so keep an eye out for that.Follow our Letterboxd page where you can see what we were recommending to each other over the course of the Covid-19 Pandemic:Check out our blog and read Anders's recent reviews on James Gunn's Superman.Also check us out on Letterboxd too!AndersAdam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick is joined by David Yates of the Mirror to discuss the latest from around the racing world. Among topics today, the first Oisin Murphy broadcast interview since his court appearance, the precarious Lord Allen situation, and the reversal of syndicate criteria by Weatherbys, on which subject Nick talks to Value Racing Club supremo James Couldwell. Also on today's show, Ed Walker eyes up a 12th stakes win of 2025 with Mgheera this weekend and reflects on number 11 with Qilin Queen, while Rod Millman continues his love affair with the Super Sprint courtesy of Anthelia. Dan Barber has the Timeform perspective on Leger hopeful Scandinavia, while New Zealand breeding giant John Thompson of Rich Hill Stud is today's Weatherbys Bloodstock Guest.

Nick is joined by David Yates of the Mirror to discuss the latest from around the racing world. Among topics today, the first Oisin Murphy broadcast interview since his court appearance, the precarious Lord Allen situation, and the reversal of syndicate criteria by Weatherbys, on which subject Nick talks to Value Racing Club supremo James Couldwell. Also on today's show, Ed Walker eyes up a 12th stakes win of 2025 with Mgheera this weekend and reflects on number 11 with Qilin Queen, while Rod Millman continues his love affair with the Super Sprint courtesy of Anthelia. Dan Barber has the Timeform perspective on Leger hopeful Scandinavia, while New Zealand breeding giant John Thompson of Rich Hill Stud is today's Weatherbys Bloodstock Guest.

Laurent had the pleasure and privilege of sitting down with Markus Rauroma, CEO of Fortum, during the Eurelectric “Power Play” conference in Brussels this June.  Fortum, the Finnish energy company also active in Sweden and Poland, finds itself right on the front line when it comes to tensions with Russia—not exactly your average utility boardroom drama.   The conversation kicks off with Markus's recent election as President of Eurelectric, taking over from none other than Leo “the Great” Birnbaum, CEO of E.ON.We talk about the challenges Markus has faced so far, including how Fortum managed to steer through the stormy waters of the Ukraine war, and what's ahead for the industry. Spoiler: it's not all doom and gloom—there's strategy, resilience, and some surprisingly good teamwork. Markus rolls out Eurelectric's Manifesto centred on customers, security of supply and digitisation (AI).  Markus introduces his vice-presidential duo: Georgios Stassis (CEO of PPC) and Catherine MacGregor (CEO of Engie). According to him, it's a well-balanced trio—think energy world's version of the Avengers, but with spreadsheets and grid stability. He also gives kudos to Kristian Ruby, Secretary General of Eurelectric, and the Brussels team for their stellar behind-the-scenes work.The chat then shifts to the Baltics, one of the rare places in Europe where electricity demand is actually growing. Fortum's been ahead of the game there too: Markus reveals they now have over 1.3 GW of capacity lined up and ready to power new datacenters—because TikTok videos don't host themselves.  Of course, we couldn't ignore the constant cyber-attacks and sabotage attempts coming from Russia. Markus shares how Fortum has learned to deal with them—let's just say they don't flinch easily anymore.  And finally, a public mea culpa: Laurent repeatedly referred to Finland as part of Scandinavia. A common slip-up. For the record: Finland is next to Scandinavia, but it's not in it. The Finns are Nordic, not Scandinavian—but much like their neighbours to the west, they handled the mix-up with trademark cool. No sauna ban issued.  We thank Kristian Ruby and all the Eurelectric team for organising this recording and putting together such a great summit.

I'm just back from a Sky Princess cruise to Scandinavia, and during that I realised there are a surprisingly large number of things I cannot do on cruises this year that I could last year. For example, as on last year's Princess cruise, I bought the “Princess Plus” package. While it still includes a Drinks Package, unlike last year, this year they've now excluded canned sodas from that package, only allow me one drink per order, and have banned double measures. While this may seem not a huge change, it is an unwelcome change from last year and got me thinking about others. So, welcome aboard, I'm Gary Bembridge and here's eight, yes eight, big things you cannot do on a cruise this year that you could last year!   Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: https://www.patreon.com/tipsfortravellers and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tipsfortravellers   Offers: Get 10% any order of The Cruise Maps who you visit the site using this link: https://www.TheCruiseMaps.com/TFT Get up to 30% off collectible tokens of place you've visited using the link: https://www.TheWanderClub.com/TFT

Copenhagen Suborbitals is the world's only volunteer-run, crowdfunded space program. Based in Copenhagen, the group's 70 volunteers are building a DIY spacecraft to send a person to suborbital space.In this episode, we meet the group's parachute systems lead, Mads Stenfatt, who shares the project's origins, its shoestring budget (“10% of NASA's coffee budget”), and the challenges of launching from international waters. He reflects on his journey from skydiver to potential astronaut.The conversation highlights creativity, community, and Denmark's unique culture of volunteerism, proving even audacious dreams can begin in unlikely places.Visit copenhagensuborbitals.com for more information.

Historians have floated a half-dozen theories for why Viking Greenland settlements suddenly vanished in the 1300s and 1400s, after nearly 500 years of occupation. Was it climate change, the Black Death, even bad farming habits learned in Scandinavia?But what if…it all came down to walrus ivory? It turns out that walrus tusks during the Viking and Middle Ages fuelled a long-distance trade network that stretched from Inuit hunters far above the Arctic Circle to churches and royalty in cities as far flung as Novgorod, Kyiv and Cologne. Now, using ancient DNA and isotope analysis, archaeologists have shown that virtually all these tusks came from Greenland!And then suddenly, the market collapsed. What happened?Today's show looks at how everything from cutting edge technology to dogged footwork has allowed researchers to piece together the details of the global walrus trade a thousand years back in time. They're also using this window into the past to better understand walruses themselves, to make predictions about the future of walruses in a warming world.My guests on today's show are James Barrett, professor of medieval and environmental archaeology at the NTNU University Museum, and Katrien Dierickx and Erin Kunisch, postdocs with James and the 4-Oceans project.Here's a link to the NTNU University Museum's new exhibit on the walrus tusk trade, Sea Ivories. The exhibition includes the Wingfield-Digby Crozier, from the Victoria & Albert Museum, plus several Lewis Chessmen, from the British Museum.Here's a link to photos and a description of a Romanesque walrus ivory carving, the Cloisters Cross. Here's a link to a Gothic-style carving of elephant ivory.Here are some relevant academic articles:Barrett, James; Boessenkool, Sanne; Kneale, Catherine; O'Connell, Tamsin C; Star, Bastiaan. (2020) Ecological globalisation, serial depletion and the medieval trade of walrus rostra. Quaternary Science ReviewsBarrett, James; Khamaiko, Natalia; Ferrari, Giada; Cuevas, Angelica; Kneale, Catherine; Hufthammer, Anne Karin. (2022) Walruses on the Dnieper: new evidence for the intercontinental trade of Greenlandic ivory in the Middle Ages. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological SciencesKeighley, X et al.Disappearance of Icelandic Walruses Coincided with Norse Settlement, Molecular Biology and Evolution, 36:12, Dec.2019, p2656–2667, https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msz196Transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Actor Magnus Bruun, (voice of male Eivor in Assassin's Creed Valhalla!), joins Lexie to chat about his love for storytelling and the rich history and mythology of Scandinavia that shaped his artistic vision, playing Cnut in "The Last Kingdom”, the challenges of portraying characters in both television and video games, and share some behind-the-scenes stories from working on Assassin's Creed Valhalla. So tuck in your togas and hop aboard Trireme Transit for this week's exciting odyssey! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram or visit our website www.theozymandiasproject.com! Originally recorded January 5, 2025. Follow Magnus on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magnusbruun/?hl=en Find all of his projects on his IMDb page: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2422401/Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheOzymandiasProject Custom music by Brent Arehart of Arehart Sounds and edited by Dan Maday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get ready for a thoughtful and down-to-earth conversation with our host, Cathleen O'Sullivan and guest is Michael Frantl, Global Lead for Culture, Engagement, and Performance Solutions at Novo Nordisk about what really shapes strong leadership and why culture matters more than ever. With a career that's taken him across the US, UK, and Scandinavia, Michael shares his real-world experience of building workplace cultures that go beyond posters and buzzwords.   Together, they talk about leading with trust, creating space for belonging, and the small, everyday actions that bring values to life. Michael also reflects on the role of optimism, why control doesn't build connection, and how to make culture feel genuine wherever you work. If you're building a team, leading change, or just trying to show up more intentionally, this episode is for you.   Episode Timeline:  00:00 Introduction 04:36 Life since we last met: moves, parenthood, and big shifts 06:03 Taking the leap, moving to Denmark and starting fresh 10:50 Balancing positivity and reality in leadership 14:09 From rush to reflection: Building quiet moments Into busy days 19:48 Lessons from the family construction business 30:58 Listening to understand: what philosophy taught me about dialogue 39:09 Building workplaces that support people and results 52:06 The power of focus and consistency in culture work 01:03:26 Practical steps for organizations tobBring values to life Key Takeaways: Culture is about what you do every day: Michael and Cathleen stress that company culture isn't just about posters or slogans. It's about how people act and interact every day.    Positivity Matters, but keep it real: Michael talks about finding joy in small moments and connecting with others, but also warns against ignoring challenges.  Leading with intention and space: Move away from micromanaging to truly supporting people. Listening, clear communication, and giving teams room to grow are key.  About Michal Frantl: Michael is a Global Culture, Engagement, & Performance Solutions Lead at Novo Nordisk, based in Copenhagen Denmark. He is an experienced people and culture professional with a focus on culture building and measurement, leadership development/coaching, and employee engagement who has worked across international offices both in house and as an external consultant.   Originally from Wisconsin in the US, he has lived in the US, UK, Sweden, Italy, and Denmark and has a Masters degree in Organizational Behaviour from Birkbeck, University of London. Connect with Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfrantl/   Connect: 
  Find | Cathleen O'Sullivan  Business: cathleenmerkel.com   Email: cmc@cathleenmerkelcoaching.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathleen-merkel/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legendary_leaders_cathleenos/     FOLLOW LEGENDARY LEADERS ON APPLE, SPOTIFY OR WHEREVER YOU LISTEN TO YOUR PODCASTS.

Laughter, lies, language, and cultural clashes. Some jokes don't survive the border. Abby Wambaugh and Dharkshika Christopher join cohosts Derek and Conrad to talk about the challenges—and joys—of performing stand-up across languages and cultures. With sets in Danish, Norwegian, English, French, and Swedish, they've experienced what works, what doesn't, and how humor shifts with the audience. From literal-minded Danish crowds to multilingual punchlines and awkward silences, this episode explores what it really means to be funny across cultures. What Are You Doing in Denmark podcast:IG: https://instagram.com/waydidpodWatch on YouTubeDharkshika Christopher (Guest):IG: https://www.instagram.com/dharshika.christopherFB: https://www.facebook.com/DharshikaChristopherComedyAbby Wambaugh (Guest): IG: https://www.instagram.com/abbywambaughPodcast: https://www.instagram.com/helpholepod/Derek Hartman:IG: https://instagram.com/robetrottingYT: https://youtube.com/c/robetrottingTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@robetrottingFB: https://www.facebook.com/robetrottingConrad Molden:Ig: https://instagram.com/conradmoldencomedyYT: https://youtube.com/c/conradmoldenTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@conradmolden FB: https://facebook.com/conradmoldenhttps://www.conradmolden.dkWAYDID episodes about Danish humo(u)r:92 | Going Viral in Denmark: Mathias Bach on TikTok Fame, Danish Humor & Applesauce: https://open.spotify.com/episode/72hAGh4sx2QkVj2PgYJlG358 | Are Danes as funny as they think? Navigating Danish humor (part 2): https://open.spotify.com/episode/2kzbCwzJwGDlUa0CSosSre?si=BMPu03IzQHGxGN98-B7bKA56 | Are Danes as funny as they think? Navigating Danish humor (part 1), https://open.spotify.com/episode/4KakZgNO7Kpq5AsxOOShqN?si=5960799d612a4b19

Veckans recensioner: Klagokavalkad, norrmän, Mall of Scandinavia, utrotningshotade insekter, fällknivar, dåligt lim, grekiska ”Willy's”, Bobbe har blivit paranoid, två huvudrätter, nytt mobilabonnemang, det senaste om Gnuttarna, svarta ljus och otrohet på Kappa Bar.

It's been 20 years since the 7/7 bomb attacks in the capital which killed 52 people and injured several hundred. The Standard is joined by Islamic scholar Thomas Small, and survivor Mustafa Kurtuldu, to discuss the aftermath. You can hear more from Thomas Small in Conflicted - 7/7 The Inside Story, produced by Message Heard for Wondery. And in part two, is Scandinavia the new Mediterranean? Travel writer Alicia Miller joins us to discuss where you might want to visit for a ‘coolcation' this summer to escape the European heatwave. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Tarrant is a British broadcaster and presenter best known as the original host of the hit quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, which he fronted from 1998 to 2014. With a career spanning over five decades, he began as a radio DJ and rose to fame in the 1970s on the anarchic children's TV show Tiswas. Tarrant has also hosted numerous radio shows, most notably with Capital Radio, where he hosted the breakfast show for 17 years. Beyond game shows and radio, Tarrant has fronted a wide range of television programmes, including travel documentaries and crime series such as Extreme Railways and Tarrant on TV. Known for his warmth, humour, and distinctive voice, he remains one of Britain's most enduring and versatile broadcasting personalities. His latest project is the book, For the Love of Bears, where he writes about one of his greatest passions – bears. He regales us with tales of his expeditions to see bears in their stunning, natural habitats, from the Arctic Circle, to Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia and Russia.Chris Tarrant is our guest in episode 506 of My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he'd like to preserve and one he'd like to bury and never have to think about again .Order Chris's book For the Love of Bears, here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Bears-Chris-Tarrant/dp/1914227824 .Follow My Time Capsule on Instagram: @mytimecapsulepodcast & Twitter/X & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter/X: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people .To support this podcast, get all episodes ad-free and a bonus episode every Wednesday of "My Time Capsule The Debrief', please sign up here - https://mytimecapsule.supercast.com. All money goes straight into the making of the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katie Fielding is an educational consultant and creator with 20 years of experience as a public school educator. Katie passionately advocates for digital accessibility, creativity, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in classrooms.   She specializes in integrating technology and STEM to create interdisciplinary instructional experiences. She shares her expertise through conference presentations and workshops, having been honored as the VSTE (ISTE's Virginia affiliate) Coach of the Year in 2018 and a featured voice at ISTELive 2024.Katie's commitment to continuous learning and professional development is evident in her multiple certifications. She is an ISTE-certified Educator and Trainer, Google Innovator, Trainer, Coach, Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, and holds a CAST UDL Level 2 certification. Currently, she serves as the Educational Content Manager at Book Creator. Beyond her professional pursuits, Katie indulges in her passion for cheese and explores the beauty of Scandinavia through her travels.Certifications:ISTE Certified Educator and TrainerMicrosoft Innovative Educator Expert and TrainerCertified Google Innovator, Trainer, and CoachApple Certified Teacher and CoachCommon Sense EducatorBook Creator Ambassador and TrainerWakelet Ambassador and TrainerNearpod PioNearRecent Presentations:ISTELive 2025Unlocking Universal Design for Learning and CreativityBe An #A11y Ally: Creating Accessible STEM Classrooms with Digital NotebooksChoose Your Own Edventure: Creating A Pathway to Equitable LearningUnited 2025Unlocking Universal Design for Learning and CreativityCommon Ground Maryland 2025Writing Your Story: Creating Your Professional PortfolioBe An #A11y Ally: Creating Accessible STEM Classrooms with Digital Notebooks Be An #A11y Ally: Creating Accessible Classrooms PETE&C 2025Be an A11y Ally: Accessible ClassroomsStudent Portfolios with Book CreatorBe an A11y Ally: STEM ClassroomTCEA 2025Getting Started with Book Creator for MultilingualsBe an A11y Ally: Creating Accessible ClassroomsUnlocking UDL for Learning and Creativity with Book CreatorFETC 2025Unlocking Universal Design for Learning and Creativity with Book CreatorCultivating Digital Citizenship within Creative ProjectsBe An #A11y Ally: Creating Accessible ClassroomsVSTE 2024Empowering Language Learning: The 7 Steps with Technology IntegrationHang Ten: Supporting the Virginia Literacy Act in Secondary ClassroomsBe An #A11y Ally: Creating Accessible STEM Classrooms with Digital NotebooksTech Titans Return 2024Writing Your Story: Creating Your Professional PortfolioBe An #A11y Ally: Creating Accessible ClassroomsWebsite: https://www.katiefielding.com/Social Media:BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/katiefielding.com(X) Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatieFLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiefielding/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fieldingnotesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/katief/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katie.fielding ______________________________________________________________________ The Edupreneur: Your Blueprint To Jumpstart And Scale Your Education BusinessYou've spent years in the classroom, leading PD, designing curriculum, and transforming how students learn. Now, it's time to leverage that experience and build something for yourself. The Edupreneur isn't just another book—it's the playbook for educators who want to take their knowledge beyond the school walls and into a thriving business.I wrote this book because I've been where you are. I know what it's like to have the skills, the passion, and the drive but not know where to start. I break it all down—the mindset shifts, the business models, the pricing strategies, and the branding moves that will help you position yourself as a leader in this space.Inside, you'll learn how to:✅ Turn your expertise into income streams—without feeling like a sellout✅ Build a personal brand that commands respect (and top dollar)✅ Market your work in a way that feels natural and impactful✅ Navigate the business side of edupreneurship, from pricing to partnershipsWhether you want to consult, create courses, write books, or launch a podcast, this book will help you get there. Stop waiting for permission. Start building your own table.

Most people mess up not on what they observe… but on the conclusions they draw. In this episode, I break down how to train your brain for deeper thinking, challenge your “ipso facto” logic, and avoid the unknown unknowns that sabotage your success. I cover everything from using AI (ChatGPT) in the shower to rewire your beliefs, to why Scandinavia and the Amish have cracked the code on happiness, love, and health. Whether you're chasing wealth, better relationships, or purpose — this episode will give you a new lens to see the world through.Want me and my team to build your personal brand or marketing systems?Book a call at:

Welcome to the third episode of our new and ongoing series: Fascism On Film. Each episode of this series, the Holmes Brothers look and review a film that has to do with fascism. During the episodes, the brothers look and see how the aspects and portrayal of fascism shown in the film relate to current and/or past events.On this episode of Fascism On Film, the Holmes Brothers discuss the Larisa Shepitko film from 1977, The Ascent. The film is set in battle torn, and cold, Belorussia during the Second World War. Two partisan soldiers venture out into the cold and desolate world of the film to find food for their group. Along the way, they battle the Germans, the harsh and freezing landscape and their own psyches. Larisa Shepitko was awarded the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, the second female filmmaker to win that award. It proved sadly to be her final film. In 1979, Larisa died in a car accident while working on what would have been her next film Farewell. Her husband and filmmaker Elem Klimov finished the film. As we do go into spoiler territory, we advise you to see the film first before listening to the episode. You can find it available on the Criterion Channel for example. We hope you enjoy this episode and stay tuned for more episodes of this Fascism On Film series.Be sure to check out our Monument Valley Film on our YouTube Channel, the famous location is featured briefly in one of the films.Chris Geier, who was on our last episode of our series The Movies And Me, is an author and his book Silt is available here. Anders's screenwriter work can also be seen in the western The Outlaws, The films is a available to watch in America , parts of Scandinavia (e.g. Denmark, Finland) & the United Kingdom on Amazon and also Apple TV. You can read a review about the film here on Collider.Follow us on our Instagram page. For obvious reasons, we are no longer on Twitter. You won't find us there. Perhaps we will make a BlueSky account, so keep an eye out for that.Follow our Letterboxd page where you can see what we were recommending to each other over the course of the Covid-19 Pandemic:Check out our blog and read Anders's recent reviews on Mission Impossible: A Final Reckoning and Ryan Coogler's Sinners.Also check us out on Letterboxd too!AndersAdam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live from the Engage 2025 Summit, Dustin sits down with team members from DIS-Study Abroad to unpack how digital transformation is reshaping the student experience abroad. From streamlining pre-departure logistics to embracing CRMs and AI for internal efficiency, this conversation explores how DIS is thoughtfully building a more connected, student-first journey. Plus, the team opens up about their own AI learning curves and what inspires them most about working at the intersection of tech and travel.Guest Names: Asta Schantz-Conlon - Marketing & Campaign Manager at DIS-Study AbroadLena Friedman - Outreach and Communications Coordinator at DIS-Study AbroadLucy Li - Digital Portfolio Manager at DIS-Study AbroadGuest Socials: AstaLenaLucyGuest Bios: Asta Schantz-Conlon is the Marketing and Campaign Manager at DIS – Study Abroad, based in Copenhagen. She crafts multimedia campaigns and digital strategies that inspire students to study abroad in Scandinavia. Born and raised in Copenhagen, Asta brings a global perspective shaped by her experiences living, working, and studying abroad. She holds a degree in Multimedia Communications, Film, and Media from the University of Copenhagen.Lena works at DIS – Study Abroad as the Outreach and Communications Coordinator in the North American Office, based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The North American Office partners with a network of 200+ universities and supports students preparing to study abroad. Lena develops pre-departure resources and assists with DIS's transition to new technology platforms, including Element451. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Whitman College in 2021. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

This week, our global FX strategists, Meera Chandan, Ben Jarman, Patrick Locke, Octavia Popescu and James Nelligan take a look at FX hedge ratios across Australia, Canada, Scandinavia and the Eurozone, and discuss where further adjustments can impact currencies in 2H'25. We also discuss the latest views on sterling following this week's fiscal news out of the UK, and explain why US payrolls doesn't derail the USD downtrend. This podcast was recorded on 03 July 2025. This communication is provided for information purposes only. Institutional clients can view the related report at https://www.jpmm.com/research/content/GPS-4974434-0 https://www.jpmm.com/research/content/GPS-5003828-0 https://www.jpmm.com/research/content/GPS-5003800-0 for more information; please visit www.jpmm.com/research/disclosures for important disclosures. © 2025 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved. This material or any portion hereof may not be reprinted, sold or redistributed without the written consent of J.P. Morgan. It is strictly prohibited to use or share without prior written consent from J.P. Morgan any research material received from J.P. Morgan or an authorized third-party (“J.P. Morgan Data”) in any third-party artificial intelligence (“AI”) systems or models when such J.P. Morgan Data is accessible by a third-party. It is permissible to use J.P. Morgan Data for internal business purposes only in an AI system or model that protects the confidentiality of J.P. Morgan Data so as to prevent any and all access to or use of such J.P. Morgan Data by any third-party.

We're back after almost three years with a brand-new season about people living a life less ordinary — beginning with Danish adventurer Thor Pedersen, who shares his incredible story of visiting every country in the world without flying.Thor recounts his experiences crossing oceans on cargo ships, navigating through war zones, and enduring the mental and physical challenges that came with this ambitious endeavor.Despite numerous setbacks, including a two-year pandemic lockdown in Hong Kong, Thor persevered and achieved his goal. He reflects on the kindness of strangers, the cultural insights gained, and the personal growth that came from pushing his limits.This episode is a testament to human determination and the extraordinary efforts people will make to defy what's considered impossible.NotesLearn more on Thor's official websiteBuy his book "The Impossible Journey"

The newest episode of The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast is available now!  It's called “Chemical Intolerance & the Body.” I'm speaking with Linus Andersson, associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Umeå University in Sweden. His carefully designed experiments have shown how people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) or Chemical Intolerance (CI) react to small amounts of chemicals.You'll hear Linus explore: ·      How he believes 1 in 10 people in Scandinavia have severe MCS/CI.·      The important research he has done with people with MCS/CI.·      How chemicals impact different bodily systems in people with the illness. ·      If there could be a test people could take to confirm a diagnosis with MCS/CI.·      His conviction that MCS/CI is not a psychological disorder.·      And more!Thank you for listening! Please join the podcast's new Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/chemicalsensitivitypodcastSubscribe where you get your podcasts and leave a review. It helps others find the podcast.You can reach me at aaron@chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org #MCSAwareness #MCS #MultipleChemicalSensitivity #TILT  #MultipleChemicalSensitivityPodcast  DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. No material or information provided by The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, or its associated website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Support the showThank you very much to the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation for its generous support of the podcast.If you like the podcast, please consider becoming a supporter! Support the podcast. Find the podcast on Patreon. If you like, please buy me a coffee. Follow the podcast on YouTube! Read captions in any language. Please follow the podcast on social media:FacebookInstagramBlueSkyTikTokSponsorship Opportunites Are you an organization or company interested in helping to create greater awareness about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and Chemical Intolerance and/or looking for sponsorship opportunities? Please email us at info@chemicalsensitivitypodcast.org

I'm just back from a Sky Princess cruise to Scandinavia, and during that I realised there are a surprisingly large number of things I cannot do on cruises this year that I could last year. For example, as on last year's Princess cruise, I bought the “Princess Plus” package. While it still includes a Drinks Package, unlike last year, this year they've now excluded canned sodas from that package, only allow me one drink per order, and have banned double measures. While this may seem not a huge change, it is an unwelcome change from last year and got me thinking about others. So, welcome aboard, I'm Gary Bembridge and here's eight, yes eight, big things you cannot do on a cruise this year that you could last year!   Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: https://www.patreon.com/tipsfortravellers and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tipsfortravellers   Get 10% any order of The Cruise Maps who you visit the site using this link: https://www.TheCruiseMaps.com/TFT

In the summer of 1946, the skies over Scandinavia were alive with unexplained activity. Strange lights and cigar-shaped objects had been seen darting across the sky, often moving too fast and too precisely to be dismissed as meteors. They came without sound, left no debris, and vanished before they could be traced.But in the Swedish town of Ängelholm, just as that wave of sightings was peaking, something else happened, something far more direct.A man claimed he didn't just see a strange object flying overhead. He said it landed. He said he approached it. And he said the encounter was unlike anything he had ever experienced before or since.Brief Encounters is a tightly produced, narrative podcast that dives headfirst into the world of UFO sightings, the paranormal, cryptids, myths, and unexplained legends. From ancient sky wars to modern close encounters, each episode takes listeners on a journey through some of the most mysterious and compelling cases in human history. Whether it's a well-documented military sighting or an eerie village legend whispered across generations, Brief Encounters delivers each story with atmosphere, depth, and cinematic storytelling. Episodes are short and binge-worthy perfect for curious minds on the go. In just 5 to 10 minutes, listeners are pulled into carefully researched accounts that blend historical context, eyewitness testimony, and chilling details. The series moves between eras and continents, uncovering not only the famous cases you've heard of, but also the forgotten incidents that deserve a closer look. Each story is treated with respect, skepticism, and wonder offering both seasoned enthusiasts and casual listeners something fresh to consider. Whether it's a 15th-century sky battle over Europe, a cryptid sighting in a remote forest, or a modern-day abduction report from rural America, Brief Encounters is your guide through the shadows of our world and the stories that refuse to be explained.UFO Chronicles Podcast can be found on all podcast players and on the website: https://ufochroniclespodcast.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ufo-chronicles-podcast--3395068/support.

In the summer of 1946, the skies over Scandinavia were alive with unexplained activity. Strange lights and cigar-shaped objects had been seen darting across the sky, often moving too fast and too precisely to be dismissed as meteors. They came without sound, left no debris, and vanished before they could be traced.But in the Swedish town of Ängelholm, just as that wave of sightings was peaking, something else happened, something far more direct.A man claimed he didn't just see a strange object flying overhead. He said it landed. He said he approached it. And he said the encounter was unlike anything he had ever experienced before or since.Brief Encounters is a tightly produced, narrative podcast that dives headfirst into the world of UFO sightings, the paranormal, cryptids, myths, and unexplained legends. From ancient sky wars to modern close encounters, each episode takes listeners on a journey through some of the most mysterious and compelling cases in human history. Whether it's a well-documented military sighting or an eerie village legend whispered across generations, Brief Encounters delivers each story with atmosphere, depth, and cinematic storytelling. Episodes are short and binge-worthy perfect for curious minds on the go. In just 5 to 10 minutes, listeners are pulled into carefully researched accounts that blend historical context, eyewitness testimony, and chilling details. The series moves between eras and continents, uncovering not only the famous cases you've heard of, but also the forgotten incidents that deserve a closer look. Each story is treated with respect, skepticism, and wonder offering both seasoned enthusiasts and casual listeners something fresh to consider. Whether it's a 15th-century sky battle over Europe, a cryptid sighting in a remote forest, or a modern-day abduction report from rural America, Brief Encounters is your guide through the shadows of our world and the stories that refuse to be explained.UFO Chronicles Podcast can be found on all podcast players and on the website: https://ufochroniclespodcast.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ufo-chronicles-podcast--3395068/support.

Send me a DM here (it doesn't let me respond), OR email me: imagineabetterworld2020@gmail.comToday I'm honored to have back on the show for a fourth time: MK ULTRA, satanic ritual abuse, and organized abuse survivor, overcomer and thriver, loving mother, published writer and author, content creator and podcaster, Physician and Radiologist turned activist, Founder of the Angel Coalition and Co-Founder of Women and Children First and the Babushka Brigade, Star Fort enthusiast, award winner of the University of Washington School of Medicine's prestigious Humanitarian Award, and absolute inspiration: Dr. Juliette EngelIf you're new here, missed Juliette's last few episodes, or need a refresher, here's a brief synopsis of her life and a little bit about what we will be talking about today: A survivor of the CIA's sinister MK ULTRA program, Juliette has emerged as a beacon of hope, dedicating her life to rescuing the vulnerable and exposing the hidden scourge of human trafficking. Her humanitarian work in Moscow, where she founded the Angel Coalition, stands as a monument to her courage and unwavering commitment to healing a broken world.Born in 1949 into a family entangled with OSS, CIA, and NSA operatives, Juliette's childhood was stolen at age six when she was sold into MK ULTRA and MONARCH mind control programs. Subjected to relentless physical and psychological torture, including trauma-based mind control and “Sex Magick”, her early years were designed to fracture her mind and silence her spirit. Yet, at seventeen, driven by an indomitable will to survive, she escaped - barefoot, with no memories of her childhood - and forged a new path. Through sheer determination, she put herself through college and medical school, becoming a respected radiologist and physician. In 1990, Juliette's life took a transformative turn when she sold her successful Seattle practice to establish the MiraMed Institute in Moscow, aiming to reform maternal and infant healthcare in post-Soviet Russia. What began as a mission to improve medical care for orphaned children unveiled a horrifying truth: state institutions were complicit in an international network trafficking young Russian girls to Scandinavia for prostitution. This discovery, echoing the control and exploitation of her own past, ignited a fire within her. She could not turn away. This is what we will be discussing on today's show.With boundless empathy, Juliette founded the Angel Coalition in 1999, an underground railroad that became a lifeline for trafficking victims. Over a decade, her network of villagers, educators, police, media, and government officials rescued tens of thousands of children and women, guiding them to safety across the former USSR. Her memoir, Angels Over Moscow, vividly recounts her perilous journeys through remote villages, her deep bonds with Russian colleagues, and her heartbreak over lives lost - like Zhenya, a spirited girl who haunts her memory. Juliette's work also led to co-founding Women and Children First, a training center for orphanage staff, and the Babushka Brigade, a nationwide support program for single mothers, weaving a tapestry of care across Russia.Juliette's MK ULTRA past gave her a unique lens to recognize the mechanisms of control in trafficking networks - systems that thrive on breaking spirits, much like the programming she endured. Her advocacy exposed the collusion of global powers, including the U.S., in perpetuating this modern slavery, challenging the silence that once bound her. In 2013, her extraordinary efforts earned her the University of Washington School of Medicine's prestigious Humanitarian Award.Despite personal risks and the resurfacing of her own traumatic memories, JSupport the show

Remove and re-download for an enhanced audio file.[Join our community at my Substack where we continue these conversations with deeper dives into the biggest lessons from each episode, plus my regular essays and behind-the-scenes thoughts: https://bogumilbaranowski.substack.com/]Jamie Yuenger is the founder and CEO of StoryKeep, a pioneering company that helps affluent families preserve their legacies through documentary filmmaking and storytelling, transforming how multi-generational wealthy families connect with their heritage and values.EPISODE NOTES 3:00 - Jamie's childhood revelation: Learning at age 9 that her father wasn't her biological dad, creating a lifelong fascination with family identity and secrets6:00 - The basement moment: Meeting her biological grandmother at 18 and seeing ancestral artifacts from Scandinavia, sparking her understanding of generational connection9:00 - Career pivot: From WNYC producer to family storytelling after being hired to interview a friend's father-in-law, discovering her life's calling12:00 - Wealthy family education: Reading "Strangers in Paradise" and attending conferences to understand multi-generational family dynamics15:00 - The real work: Stories as emotional infrastructure for family resilience, not just nostalgia or keepsakes18:00 - Japanese internment example: How families initially resist difficult stories but ultimately embrace them as cornerstones of resilience21:00 - Immigration's universal impact: Personal experience moving to Netherlands illuminating the hero's journey embedded in client stories24:00 - Beyond founder stories: Importance of documenting multiple generations, especially women's contributions often left out27:00 - Discovery process: 4-6 week phase determining real goals before production begins30:00 - The screening moment: 80+ family members in a real theater experiencing their story together35:00 - 100-year perspective: How one family dinner can contain living memory spanning centuries38:00 - Personal prejudice confrontation: Overcoming working-class assumptions about wealthy people through actual relationships45:00 - Trust building: The power of listening well and holding space rather than talking50:00 - Global families: Using media to connect dispersed families across continents55:00 - Legacy as ambassador: Etymology reveals legacy originally meant envoy to the future59:00 - Success redefined: Focusing on a good life rather than traditional success metricsPodcast Program – Disclosure StatementBlue Infinitas Capital, LLC is a registered investment adviser and the opinions expressed by the Firm's employees and podcast guests on this show are their own and do not reflect the opinions of Blue Infinitas Capital, LLC. All statements and opinions expressed are based upon information considered reliable although it should not be relied upon as such. Any statements or opinions are subject to change without notice.Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed.Information expressed does not take into account your specific situation or objectives, and is not intended as recommendations appropriate for any individual. Listeners are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified tax, legal, or investment adviser to determine whether any information presented may be suitable for their specific situation. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

In this short, sharp RetailCraft conversation, Ian Jindal chats with Timo Boldt, founder and Chief Executive of recipe-box innovator Gousto, to explore how a self-proclaimed “data company that loves food” is reshaping dinner for millions of UK households. In 20 minutes they unpack Gousto's 13-year journey from kitchen table idea to profitable £308 million enterprise, its foray into B2B software via the Bento subscription platform, and Boldt's ambition to raise Gousto's UK “share of stomach” from 0.2 percent to 1 percent1. Listeners will enjoy candid reflections on everything from Netherlands expansion and AI-driven menu personalisation to the zen of walking factory floors at 5am. Episode Summary Gousto's path has tracked—with uncanny timing—every macro-cycle in ecommerce food: mobile adoption, pandemic surges, funding booms and busts, quick-commerce exuberance, and the current shift from growth at all costs to durable profitability. Boldt explains why Gousto remains “deeply profitable” while many peers falter, how its eco-design “Eco-Chill” packaging saves 23 percent CO₂ per meal, and why he believes Bento can do for physical-goods subscriptions what Shopify did for storefronts. At the heart of the episode is the tension every modern retailer navigates: providing limitless personalisation while operating a ruthlessly disciplined supply chain. Gousto's answer is a vertically integrated tech stack, four automated fulfilment centres, and predictive algorithms that cut food waste, hold gross margins above 53 percent, and power a menu now exceeding 200 recipes per week. We also chat about Timo's personal journey: leaving a hedge-fund VP role at 26, moving into student housing to save cash, running early routes himself, and leaning on “learn-a-holic” instincts to conquer operations, funding, B-Corp certification and, most recently, AI. About the Guest Timo Boldt Founder & CEO, Gousto (2012–present) — certified B Corp meal-kit pioneer valued at over £1 billion in 2020, now refocused on profitability and mainstream mass-market expansion. EY UK Entrepreneur of the Year 2022, World Entrepreneur Class of 2023. Member, Unilever Digital Advisory Board. Executive MBA, Cambridge Judge Business School; undergraduate training in statistics fuels his obsession with data-driven iteration. Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 – Cold-open & scene-setting Recording in a “glass atrium” at Retail X; quick intro to Gousto and its 13-year trajectory 03:00 – Market purpose & climate math The 40 percent food-waste statistic and Gousto's mission to remove hassle, guilt and CO₂ from dinner 05:00 – Growth vectors & 1 billion-meal TAM Boldt's “share of stomach” framing; path from 5 recipes a week to 200; next-day delivery at £3.20 per portion 08:00 – Personalisation at scale Custom menus, 10-minute recipes, Wagamama tie-ins, protein-heavy “XL” range for hungry teens 11:00 – Founder back-story From Rothschild analyst to food-box evangelist; giving up salary for three years; California culinary inspiration 13:00 – Ireland launch & localisation learnings Seven weeks in market; podcast discovery channel; “zero-to-one” done, now “one-to-100” scaling 14:30 – Bento SaaS platform Packaging 13-years of tech for external merchants selling physical-goods subscriptions—beauty, liquor, pet food 16:00 – AI, automation & factory tours Four fulfilment sites, 80 million dinners per site per year; invitation to Ian for a 05:00 walkthrough 17:30 – International options Cultural hurdles in Germany (“dinner bread”), promise in Scandinavia, Netherlands and Australia 18:45 – Subscription advice for brands “Developer-to-domain ratio” heuristic; outsource generic infrastructure, focus resources on differentiated CX 20:00 – Future vision (next 10 years) Raising share of stomach, household-level nutrition kits, more plant-forward range, and fully recyclable packaging 22:00 – Favourite recipe & wrap-up Boldt's vegetarian obsession, 10-minute meals, spice pre-portions, and the joy of never buying mystery jars again. Quotes “Our share of stomach is 0.2 percent—a drop in the ocean. Getting to 1 percent feels eminently possible if we obsess over value for money.” “Forty percent of UK food is binned. Every Gousto box saves 7 kilograms of CO₂ compared with supermarket dinners.” “Quick commerce is gone. We're sitting on a £400 million business, deeply profitable and cash generative.” “Developer-to-domain ratio matters: don't burn engineers on generic subscription plumbing—buy it off the shelf.” “I view Gousto as a data company that loves food.” “The pace of change will never again be this slow; it only accelerates from here.”   --  Run time: 20 minutes INFORMATION: [

Shiyan Koh, Managing Partner at Hustle Fund, joins Jeremy Au to examine how geopolitical shifts, demographic decline, and education policy are reshaping global talent and innovation flows. They explore Japan and Korea's push into Southeast Asia, the unexpected impact of smartphone culture on fertility, and how political actions in the US are disrupting the university pipeline and research ecosystems. They also critique bureaucratic inefficiencies in tech transfer and reflect on assimilation policies, academic flywheels, and the cultural nuances behind talent mobility. 06:57 Japan and Korea face demographic urgency: Fertility rates in South Korea have dropped from 800,000 births in the 1980s to just over 200,000 in recent years. Corporate leaders are looking to expand into Southeast Asia through joint ventures and partnerships, viewing Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines as key markets. 12:25 Smartphones may be suppressing fertility: Shiyan references an article arguing that smartphone penetration is highly correlated with falling fertility rates. Despite strong family policies in Scandinavia, birth rates continue to decline. The theory suggests that digital bubbles reduce real-life interaction and desire to form relationships. 18:21 Immigration and assimilation face friction: The US excels at integrating newcomers through education and culture, but places like Singapore struggle due to uncertain work visa policies. Students who attend local universities often don't know if they can stay, making long-term integration difficult. 27:41 Political interference weakens academia: Harvard has faced withdrawal of federal research grants, student visa suspensions, and potential taxation of endowments. Shiyan compares it to a "cultural revolution" for US academia, where the cancellation of research funding disrupts entire projects and damages long-term scientific work. 38:44 Academic tech transfer often fails: Jeremy critiques the inefficiency of Asian university IP portals. Unlike MIT's open-access system, some institutions limit what patents are visible and make it hard to search or filter. Feedback on the issue was ignored, revealing a culture of bureaucratic avoidance that blocks commercialization. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/talent-without-borders Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts

In this Telemetry News Now episode, Phil and Justin discuss the future energy demands of AI infrastructure, including eye-opening predictions about GPU power consumption. They discuss Gartner's skepticism regarding agentic AI projects, cautioning against inflated expectations. The duo also covers Cisco's latest quantum networking moves, legal battles over AI data rights, innovative private 5G networks at UK ports, and new high-capacity networking investments in Scandinavia. Plus, updates from Panama's internet shutdown and the latest industry events.

For this week's episode, we're heading over to the Nordic Isles for something a little spooky, but also a bit nice and looking at the ethereal Fylgja! How can you tell the difference between this monster and their evil counterpart? What was the first animal to cross YOUR placenta, and why does that relate? Find out this week!Send us a textSupport the showYou can find us on: Myth Monsters Website Spotify Apple Podcasts GoodPods Amazon Music Social media: Twitter BlueSky Instagram Facebook TikTok

In this episode of Welcome to Cloudlandia, I reconnect with Dan Sullivan for another wide-ranging conversation that blends current events, history, technology, and human behavior. We start by reflecting on the safety and comfort of life in Canada while discussing the news of missile strikes in Israel. From there, we explore the idea that innovation often advances when entrenched leaders move on—whether in science, business, or geopolitics. Dan brings up Thomas Kuhn's idea that progress happens after the old guard exits, creating room for new ways of thinking. Our conversation shifts into the role of AI as a horizontal layer over everything—similar to electricity. We compare this shift to earlier transitions like the printing press and the rise of coffee culture. Dan shares his belief that while AI will transform systems, the core of human life will still revolve around handled needs and personal desires. We wrap by talking about convenience as the ultimate driver of progress. From automated cooking to frictionless hospitality, we recognize that people mostly want things to be “handled.” Despite how fast technology evolves, it's clear that unless something is of deep personal interest, most people will let it pass by. As always, the conversation leaves room for reflection and humor, grounded in the reality that technological change doesn't always mean personal change. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Dan and I explore the complexities of living in a "world-class" city like Toronto, discussing its cultural vibrancy against the backdrop of global geopolitical tensions. Dan delves into Toronto's significant role as a financial and technological hub, emphasizing its strategic importance in trade with the United States, where a substantial portion of Canadian exports cross the border. We discuss the transformative potential of AI in today's digital revolution, drawing parallels with historical innovations like Gutenberg's printing press, and how these advancements continuously redefine our society. We examine the evolution of Starbucks, from a unique third space with artisanal baristas to a more automated environment, and ponder the implications of this shift on quality and customer experience. The conversation shifts to the rise of independent coffee shops, highlighting how they meet the demands of discerning customers by offering premium experiences. Dean reflects on our relentless pursuit of convenience in modern urban life, where technological advancements shape our daily routines and enhance our quality of life. We conclude with a discussion on habit formation and the role of technology in reinforcing existing habits, while considering the balance between maintaining old routines and embracing new ones. Links: WelcomeToCloudlandia.com StrategicCoach.com DeanJackson.com ListingAgentLifestyle.com TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Dean: Mr Sullivan, Dan: Mr Jackson, I hope the rest of your day yesterday went well. Dean: Oh, delightful, I learned stuff yesterday. That was a very nice day, beautiful, beautiful weather today. You know what, dan, if you could, as an option at the Hazleton, upgrade to include your perfect weather for $1,000, this is what you'd order, it's this kind of day. Yeah, mid-70s perfect white fluffy clouds. Yes, it's why. Dan: Living in a safe, globally unimportant country. That's exactly right. Holy cow, I don't know if you've seen, yeah, what's uh? I woke up like literally just a few minutes ago seeing all the, uh, the raining missiles on israel right now from Iran. Have you seen that this morning? Dean: Oh yeah, there's a lot of them. Most of them don't hit anything and most of them are shot down, but still it puts some excitement in your day. Dan: I mean really, yeah, these ones look like. They're something unique about these ones that they're supersonicersonic and many of them are hitting, yeah, different than what we've normally seen. Like normally, when you see it, it's the, the iron dome or whatever is, you know, intercepting them, which is always interesting, but these ones are like Direct, like you can see them hitting in inrael that's. I mean, could you imagine, dan, like you, just look at how geographically we are. You know we've won the geographic lottery in where we're positioned here, you know, just realizing that's never. Even though you can, all you know you always take precautions with the umbrella above us, over the outside. Dean: But I mean still that today. I've lived in Toronto for 54 years now, just past the anniversary, the 54th anniversary and I think that, first of all, when you have a really large city like Toronto, the center of a lot of things that go on in Canada, A world-class city like Toronto. Well, it's not a world-class city. But yeah, they have to go five years. I'm putting a new rule in for world-class cities. You have to go five years without ever saying the words. Dan: Yeah, we're a world-class city. Dean: We're a world-class city. And that takes you to stage one probation. Dan: Yeah. Dean: No, that takes you to stage two, probation, and then stage three probation is where all the people who've been saying it's a world-class city have either died or moved, and then it's sort of like science. There was a famous he wasn't a scientist, but he was a, I think, a science historian. Thomas Kuhn K-U-H-N if you ever came across that name wrote in the 1960s and he wrote a very influential book which is called the Structure of Scientific Revolutions, and he was asked many times when you have a sudden series of scientific breakthroughs and we really haven't had any for quite a long time, it's been mostly almost a century since we've had any real scientific revolutions. So all the progress we've made over the last century were for discoveries in physics and magnetism and electricity and uh, you know nuclear but they had already worked out how that was going to happen in the by the 1920s. and he said what when, all of a sudden, when you get a breakthrough, let's say, for example, they discover a new hydrogen atom and it essentially gives everybody free energy? That would be a scientific breakthrough. Do you think that I mean? Would you think? Dan: that would be. Dean: Yeah, yeah. In other words, energy just didn't cost anything anymore, you know, and the price of energy would go down. Dan: That would free up a lot of that, free up a lot of other things energy would go down that would free up a lot of that'd free up a lot of other things, and, uh, and, and he said, the single biggest cause for scientific breakthroughs is the funerals of old scientists. Oh who everybody defers to that you can't first them. Dean: Yeah, well, defers to, but they control promotion of young scientists. They control where the money goes for a scientist and then they die and their control loosens up and to the degree that control disappears. Now you get new. Dan: Yes. Dean: Yeah, so that's a long way around. But I think that in the world today there are people who are basically in control of geopolitical systems, economic systems, you know, cultural systems, and in the next 10 years, I think, a lot of the controllers are going. They'll either die or people will think they've already died. They don't have to actually die, they just have to be in a room somewhere and no one's heard, and no one's heard anything from them recently, and uh and uh, you know, and everything like that, and then things change and then things really shifted. But my sense about Toronto is that it's going to be the Geneva of the Western Hemisphere. Dan: Okay, that's interesting. Dean: Switzerland from a geopolitical standpoint really. I mean, nobody ever talks about well, what do the Swiss think about this? But lots of stuff happens in Geneva. People meet in Geneva. There's tons of money that goes through Geneva and you know, when you know people who hate each other want to talk to each other and feel safe about it, they do it in Geneva that's interesting. Dan: How did Switzerland become its neutrality known for? Is that just because of its positioning between Austria? Dean: and Germany mountains. Yeah, the uh, the germans had given some thought during the second world war to invade switzerland, and switzerland can put into the field in a very short period of time a very big army. I don't know what the numbers are. But the other thing is, uh, for the longest period I know maybe a century long they've been howling out the mountains. So they've got, you know, they've got secret bases inside the mountains, but there's also they've created lots of dams with big reservoirs and if there was ever an invasion they would just blow up the dams and they would flood the entire lowlands of. You know, people are told to the mountains, the entire lowlands of you know, people are told to the mountains, get to your bunker. You know everybody's got a bunker and they've all got guns and they do it. You know they just want to. They're in the middle of one of the most warfare inclined continents in human history. Europe is very warlike. It's always been warlike. Dan: Europe is very warlike. It's always been warlike, but they haven't wanted to be part of the wars, so they've taken the other approach. Dean: Yeah, and Canada is kind of like that, but the US is very uniquely positioned, because a lot of people don't know this. I mean, you come to Toronto and it's big skyscrapers, yeah, you know, and it's a financial center. It's very clearly a big financial center, it's a big communication center, it's a big tech center. But a lot of people don't know it's a big manufacturing center. There's the airport here. Dan: Oh yeah, All around the airport. Dean: Mile after mile of low-rise manufacturing Industrial yeah, all around the airport Mile after mile of low-rise manufacturing Industrial. Yeah Actually, sasha Kurzmer, who you'll see tomorrow, you'll see Sasha says it's the hottest real estate in Toronto right now is industrial space Really Wow, yeah. Yeah, we have enough condos for the next 10 years. I mean most of the condos we got enough. Dan: It's enough already. Yeah, that's true. That's funny right. Dean: I mean the vast number of them are empty. They're just. You know they just built them. Dan: Money lockers. Dean: Right yeah, money lockers right, yeah and uh, but a semi-truck you know like a big semi-truck loaded with industrial products can reach 100 million americans in 24 hours and that's where the wealth. That's where the wealth of toronto comes from. It comes from that distribution. Dan: Access to American market. Dean: Yeah, that's true. So you have the bridge at Buffalo, the big bridge at Buffalo. That goes across to New York and you have the big bridge at Detroit or at Windsor that goes across to Michigan and 80% of all the exports that Canada makes goes over those two bridges. Dan: Wow. Dean: Rapid-fire factoids for our listening audience. Dan: Yeah, absolutely, I mean that's. Dean: I like things like that. I like things like that. Dan: I do too. I always learn. You know, and that's kind of the you think about those as those are all mainland exports physical goods and the like but you know that doesn't. Where the real impact is is all the Cloudlandia transfers. You know, the transfer of digital stuff that goes across the border. There are no borders in Cloudlandia. That's the real exciting thing. This juxtaposition is like nothing else. I mean, you see, navigating this definite global migration to Cloudlandia. That's why I'm so fascinated by it. You know is just the implications. You know and you see. Now I saw that Jeff Bezos is back, apparently after stepping down. He's gotten so excited about AI that's bringing him back into the fold, you know. Dean: What at Amazon? Dan: Yes. Dean: Oh, I didn't know that. Dan: I saw that just yesterday, but he was talking about AI being, you know, a horizontal layer over everything, like electricity was layer over everything. Like electricity was, like the internet is, like AI is just going to be a horizontal, like over everything layer that will there's not a single thing that AI will not impact. It's going to be in everything. And so when you think about it, like electricity, like that I think I mentioned a few weeks ago that was kind of a curiosity of mine Now is seeing who were and what was the progression of electricity kind of thing, as a you know where it, how long it took for the alternate things to come aside from just lighting and now to where it's just everything we take for granted, right, like like you can't imagine a world without electricity. We just take it for granted, it's there, you plug something in and it and it works. Dean: You know, yeah, no, I, I agree, I agree, yeah, and so I wonder who I mean? Dan: do you? Uh and I think I go all the way back to you know that was where, like gutenberg, you know, like the first, the transition there, like when you could print Bibles okay, then you could print, you know, multiple copies and you know, took a vision, applied to it and made it a newspaper or a magazine. You know all the evolution things of it. Who were the organizers of all of these things? And I wonder about the timelines of them, you know? Dean: And I wonder about the timelines of them. You know Well, I do know, because I think that Gutenberg is a real, you know, it's a real watershed and I do know that in Northern Europe so Gutenberg was in Germany, that in Northern Europe, right across the you know you would take from Poland and then Germany, you would take from Poland and then Germany, and then you would take Scandinavia, then the low countries. Lux date that they give for Gutenberg is 1455. That's when you know a document that he printed. It has the year 1455, that within about a 30-year period there were 30,000 working presses in Northern Europe. How many years. That'd be about 30 years after 1455. So by the end of the—you've already surpassed 30,000 presses. Yes, but the vast majority of it wasn't things like Bibles. Dan: The vast majority of it was't things like Bibles. Dean: The vast majority of it was contracts. It was regulations. Dan: It was trade agreements. Dean: It was mostly commercial. It went commercial and so actually maps, maps became a big deal, yeah, yeah. So that made a difference and also those next 150 years were just tumultuous, I mean politically, economically I mean yeah yeah, enormous amount of warfare, enormous amount of became. Dan: Uh, I imagine that part of that was the ability for a precise idea to spread in the way it was intended to spread, like unified in its presentation, compared to an oral history of somebody saying, well, he said this and this was an actual, you know, duplicate representation of what you wanted, because it was a multiplier, really right. Dean: I mean that's, yeah, I'm. It was a bad time for monasteries yeah, exactly. Dan: They started drinking and one of them said you know what? We should start selling this beer. That's what we should be doing. Dean: We should get one of those new printing presses and print ads labels. Dan: Oh, we got to join in. Oh man, it's so funny, dan, that's so true, right? I mean every transition. It's like you know what did the buggy whip people start transitioning into? We're not strangers to entire industries being wiped out, you know, in the progress of things, yeah. Dean: Well, it wasn't until the end of the Second World War that horses really disappeared, certainly in Europe, certainly in Europe. It's. One of the big problems of the Germans during the Second World War is that most of their shipping was still by horses. Throughout the Second World War, you know they presented themselves as a super modern army military. You know they had the Air Force and everything like that, but their biggest problem is that they had terrible logistical systems, because one of the problems was that the roads weren't everywhere and the railroads were different gauges. They had a real problem, and horses are really expensive. I mean, you can't gas up a horse like you can gas up a truck, and you have to take care of them, you have to feed them. You have to use half of them to. You have to use half the horses to haul the food for the other half for all the horses. Dan: It's a self-perpetuating system. Yeah, exactly, that's so funny. Dean: Yeah, it's really an interesting thing, but then there's also a lot of other surprises that happen along the way. You know, happen with electricity and you know everything, but it's all gases and beds. Dan: Well, that's exactly it, and I think that it's clear. Dean: It'd be interesting with Bezos whether he can come back, because he had all sorts of novel ideas, but those novel ideas are standard now throughout the economy. And can he? I don't know how old he is now. Is he 50s? I guess 50s. Dan: Yeah, he might be 60-something. Dean: Yeah, well, well, there's probably some more ingenious 20 year olds that are. Dan: You know that are coming up with new stuff yeah, that were born when amazon already existed, you know I mean, it's like howard schultz with starbucks. Dean: He had the sweet spot for about 10 years, I think, probably from, I would say probably from around 90 to 2000. Starbucks really really had this sweet spot. They had this third space. You know, they had great baristas. Dan: They had. Dean: You walked in and the smell of coffee was fantastic and everything. And then they went public and it required that they put the emphasis on quantity rather than quality, and the first thing they had to do was replace the baristas with automatic machines. Okay, so you know, a personal touch went out of it. The barista would remember your drink. You know, yeah, a personal touch went out of it. The barista would remember your drink you know yeah. Dan: They were artists and they could create you know they punched the buttons and do the things, but they were not really making. Dean: Yeah, and then the other thing was that they went to sugar. They, you know, they brought in all sorts of sugar drinks and pastries and everything else. And now it wasn't the smell of coffee. When you walked in, it was the smell of sugar drinks and pastries and everything else. And now it wasn't the smell of coffee. When you walked in, it was the smell of sugar and uh and uh. So that I mean, people are used to sugar, but it's an interesting you know, and then he also, he trained his competition, you know, if you look at all the independent coffee places that could have a great barista and have freshly ground coffee. He trained all those people and then they went into competition with him. Dan: I think what really you know, the transition or the shift for Starbucks was that it was imagined in a time when the internet was still a place that you largely went to at home or at work, and the third place was a necessary, like you know, a gathering spot. But as soon as I think the downfall for that was when Wi-Fi became a thing and people started using Starbucks as their branch office. They would go and just sit there, take up all their tables all day. Dean: I'm guilty. Dan: I'm guilty, right exactly and that that kind of economically iconic urban locations, you know where you would be a nice little oasis. Yeah, it was exotically, exotically. European, I mean, he got the idea sitting in the. Dean: Grand Plaza in Venice you know that's where he got the idea for it, and yeah, so it was a period in a period in time. He had an era, period in time to take advantage and of course he did. You know he espresso drinks to. Dan: North. Dean: America. We, you know, maxwell House was coffee before Jeff Bezos, you know, and yeah, I think there's just a time. You, you know, I mean one of the things is that we talk about. We have Jeff Madoff and I are writing a book called Casting, not Hiring where we talk about bringing theater into your business and we study Starbucks and we say it's a cautionary tale and the idea that I came up with is that starbucks would create the world's greatest barista school and then you would apply to be, uh, become a barista in a starbucks and you would get a certification, okay, and then they would cream. They would always take the best baristas for their own stores and and. But then other people could buy a license to have a barista licensed, starbucks licensed barista license yes. And that he wouldn't have gone as quickly but he would have made quality brand. Yeah, but I think not grinding the coffee was the big, the big thing, because the smell of coffee and they're not as good. I mean, the starbucks drinks aren't as good as they. They were when they had the baristas, because it was just always freshly ground. You know, and yeah, that that was in the coffee and everything like that. I I haven't been. I actually haven't been to a starbucks myself in about two years that's interesting, we've got like it's very funny. Dan: But the in winter haven there's a independent you know cafe called haven cafe and they have won three out of five years the, the international competition in in Melbourne. Uh. Dean: Australia. Yeah see, that's good, that's fantastic yeah yeah yeah and Starbucks can't get back to Starbucks. Can't get back to that. You know that they're too big right, yeah, we just in winter. Dan: I haven't been yet because I've been up here, but it just opened a new Dutch Brothers coffee, which you know has been they've been more West Coast oriented, but making quite a stir. Dean: West Coast. That's where the riots are right. The riots are in the United. Dan: States. Dean: Oh man, holy cow, riot copy, riot copy. Dan: Yeah, exactly, I mean that's yeah. I can't imagine, you know, being in Los Angeles right now. That's just yeah unbelievable. Dean: Yeah, I think they're keeping it out of Santa Monica. That's all I really care about. Dan: Nothing at shutters right. Dean: Yeah, I mean Ocean Avenue and that. Have that tightly policed and keep them out of there. Dan: Yeah, exactly, it's amazing To protect the business. Yeah, I'm very interested in this whole, you know seeing, just looking back historically to see where the you know directionally what's going to happen with AI as it progresses here. Dean: Yeah, you know like learning from the platforms it's just constant discovery. I mean, you know like learning from that, it's just constant discovery. Dan: I mean uh, you know yeah yeah, I mean it's um. Dean: I had a podcast with mike kanix on tuesday and 60 days ago I thought it was going in this direction. Dan: He says now it's totally changed it and I said, well, that's probably going to be true 60 days from now yeah, I guess that's true, right, layer after layer, because we won't even know what it's going to, uh, what it's going to do. Yeah, I do just look at these uh things, though, you know, like the enabling everything, I'm really thinking more. I was telling you yesterday I was working on an email about the what if the robots really do take over? And just because everybody kind of says that with either fear or excitement, you know, and I think if you take it from. Dean: Well, what does take over mean? I mean, what does the word take over? Dan: mean, well, that's the thing, that's the word, right. That's what I mean is that people have that fear that they're going to lose control, but I think I look at it from that you get to give up control or to give control to the robot. You don't have to do anything. You know, I was thinking with with breakfast, with Chad Jenkins this morning, and we had, you and I had that delicious steak yesterday, we had one this morning and you know just thinking. You know, imagine that your house has a robot that is trained in all of the culinary, you know the very best culinary minds and you can order up anything you want prepared, exactly how it's prepared, you know, right there at your house, brought right to you by a robot. That's not, I mean, that's definitely in the realm of, of realistic here. You know, in the next, certainly, if we, if we take depending on how far a window out you take, right, like I think that things are moving so fast that that's, I think, 2030, you know, five years we're going to have a, even if just thinking about the trajectory that we've had right now yeah, my belief is that it's going to be um 90 of. Dean: It is going to be backstage and not front stage. That's going to be backstage yes, and that's got. You know I use the. Remember when google brought out their glasses, yeah, and they said this is the great breakthrough. You know all new technology does. And immediately all the bars and restaurants in San Francisco barred Google glasses. Dan: Okay, why? Dean: Well, because you can take pictures with them. Oh, I see, okay, and say you're not coming in here with those glasses and taking pictures of people who are having private meetings and private conversations. So yesterday after lunch I had some time to wander around. I wandered over to the new Hyatt. You know they completely remodeled the Hyatt. Dan: Yeah, how is? Dean: that it's very, very nice. It's 10 times better than the Four Seasons. First of all, they've got this big, massive restaurant the moment you walk into the lobby. I mean it probably has 100 seats in the restaurant. Dan: Like our kind of seats yeah. Dean: Yeah, I mean it's nice. I mean you might not like it, but you know you know, you walk into the Four Seasons and it's the most impersonal possible architecture and interior design. This is really nice. And so I just went over there and I, you know, and I just got on the internet and I was, you know, I was creating a new tool, I was actually creating a new tool and but I was thinking that AI is now part of reality. Dan: Yes. Dean: But reality is not part of AI. Dan: Say more about that. Dean: Well, it's not reality, it's artificial, oh it's artificial. Dan: It's artificial. Oh, exactly it's artificial. Dean: I mean, if you look up the definition of artificial, half of it means fake. Dan: Yes, exactly. Dean: Yeah, so part of our reality now is that there's a thing called AI, but AI is in a thing called reality, but reality is not in a thing called AI. Dan: Right. Dean: In other words, ai is continually taking pieces of reality and automating it and everything like that, and humans at the same time are creating more reality. That is not AI. Dan: AI, yeah, and that's I wonder. You know, this is kind of the thing where it's really the lines between. I'd be very interested to see, dan, in terms of the economy, like and I'll call that like a average you know family budget how much of it is spent on reality versus, you know, digital. You know mainland versus cloudlandia. Physical goods, food you know we talked about the different, you know the pillars of spending, mm-hmm and much of it you know on housing, transportation, food, health, kids. You know money and me, all of those things. Much of it is consumed in a. You know we're all everybody's competing outside of. You know, for everybody puts all this emphasis on Cloudlandia and I wonder you know what, how much of that is really? It's digital enabled. I don't know if you know. I just I don't know that. I told you yesterday. Dean: Yeah, but here, how much of it? The better question is. I mean to get a handle on this. How much of it is electricity enabled? Dan: Oh for sure, All of it. Dean: Most of it Well, not all of it, but most of it. I mean conversation, you know when you're sitting in a room with someone is I mean it's electronically enabled in the sense you like. Have it the temperature good and the lighting good and everything like that, but that's not the important thing. You would do it. Great conversations were happening before there was electricity, so yes, you know and any anything, but I think that most humans don't want to think about it. My, my sense is, you know, I don't want to have conversations about technology, except it's with someone like yourself or anything like that, but I don't spend most of my day talking about technology or electricity. The conversation we had last year about AI the conversation we're having about AI isn't much different than the conversation we're going to have about AI 10 years from now Did you? see this Next year. You're going to say did you see this new thing? And I said we were having a conversation like this 10 years ago. Yeah, yeah, that's absolutely true, I don't think it's going to change humanity at all. Dan: Yeah, I'm just going through like I'm looking at something you just said. We don't want to think about these things. Girding of that is our desire for convenience, progressively, you know, conserving energy, right. So it's that we've evolved to a point where we don't have to think about those things, like if we just take the, if we take the house or housing, shelter is is the core thing. That that has done. And our desire, you know, thousands of years ago, for shelter, even hundreds of years ago, was that it was, you know, safe and that it was gave did the job of shelter. But then, you know, when, electricity and plumbing and Wi-Fi and entertainment streaming and comfortable furniture and all these things, this progression, this ratcheting of elevations, were never. I think that's really interesting. We're never really satisfied. We're constantly have an appetite for progressing. Very few things do we ever reach a point where we say, oh, that's good enough, this is great. Like outhouses, you know, we're not as good as indoor plumbing and having, you know, having electricity is much nicer than having to chop wood and carry water. Dean: Yeah, well, I think the big thing is that efficiency and convenience and comfort, once you have them, no longer have any meaning. Dan: Right. But the ratchet is, once we've reached one level, we're ratcheted in at that level of acceptance. Dean: I mean possibly I don't know. I mean I don't know how you would measure this in relationship to everybody's after this. First of all, I don't know how you measure everybody and the big thing. I mean there are certain people who are keenly interested in this. It's more of an intellectual pleasure than it is actually. See that technology is of intellectual interest. You me, you know, you myself and everything else will be interested in talking about this, but I'm going home for a family reunion next weekend in Ohio. I bet in the four or five hours we're together none of us talks about this because it's of no intellectual interest to anyone else. Ok, so you know but it is for us. It's a, you know, and so I was reading. I'm reading a is the observation of the interest and behavior of a very small portion of the population who have freedom and money and that. And the era is defined by the interest of this very, very small portion, the rest of the people probably they're not doing things that would characterize the era. They're doing things that may have lasted for hundreds but it doesn't. It's not interesting to study, it's not interesting to write about, and you know, I mean we look at movies and we say, well, that's like America. No, that's like actors and producers and directors saying this is how we're going to describe America, but that's not how America actually lives. Dan: Yeah, that's interesting, right, movies are kind of holding up a mirror to the zeitgeist, in a way, right. Dean: Like Strategic Coast, is not a description of how the entrepreneurial world operates no, you know the yeah. Dan: The interesting thing thinking about your thinking is is transferable across all. You know it's a durable context. That's kind of the way. That's what I look about. That's what I love about the eight prophet activators. The breakthrough DNA model is very it's a durable context. It's timeless. Dean: Yes, I mean if the Romans had the eight prophet activators, and they did, but they just didn't know they did. Dan: Right. Dean: Yeah, and you go forward to the Star Wars cafe and probably the ones who are buying drinks for the whole house are the ones who know the eight prophet activators. Dan: Secretly, secretly, secretly. Who's that? Dean: weird. Who's that weird looking guy? I don't know if it's a guy. Who is it who you know? Well, I don't know, but buy him a drink oh my goodness, yeah, I'm. Dan: I think this thing that is convenience. We certainly want things to get easier. I mean, when you look at, I'm just looking down no, we want some things to get easier. What things do we not want to get easier? Dean: The things that are handled. We don't want to get easier. Dan: Oh right exactly. Dean: Yeah, for example, if there was a home robot, we would never buy one, because we've got things handled. Dan: Yeah. Dean: Yeah, I have no interest in having a home robot. I have no interest in having a home shop for a cook. I have no interest in everything because it's already handled and it's not worth the thinking it would take to introduce that into my, into our life I mean yeah, and it right like that. So it's. Dan: There are certain things that we'd like to get easier okay, and we're and we're focused on that yeah, yeah, I think about that, like that's I was thinking, you know, in terms of you know the access we have through Cloudlandia is I can get anything that is from any restaurant you know delivered to my house in 22 minutes. You know, that's from the moment I have the thought, I just push the button and so, yeah, I don't have. There's no, no thinking about that. We were talking about being here in the. You know the seamlessness of you know being here at the Hazleton and of you know I love this, uh, environment, I love being right here in this footprint and the fact that you know the hotel allows you to just like, come, I can walk right in step, you know, get all the function of the shelter and the food and being in this environment without any of the concern of it, right? No yeah, no maintenance. No, I never think about it when I leave. Yeah, it's handled. Think about that compared to when I had a house here, you know you have so much. Yeah, that's the thing, that's a good word handled. We just want things handled. You know Our desires. We want our desires handled and our desires are not really. I think our basic desires don't really. Maybe they evolve, it's just the novelty of the things, but the actual verbs of what we're doing are not really. I think you look at, if we look at the health category, you know where you are a you know you are at the apex level of consumer of health and longevity. Consumer of health and longevity. You know all the offerings that are available in terms of you know, from the physio that you're doing to the stem cells, to the work with David Hasse, all of those things. You are certainly at the leading edge and it shows you're nationally ranked, internationally ranked, as aging backwards. Dean: I'm on the chart. You're on the chart exactly, but I got on the chart without knowing it. It's just a function of one of the tests that I take. Somebody created sort of a ranking out of this and I was on it. It's just part of something that I do every quarter that shows up on some sort of chart. They ask you whether you want to be listed or not, and I thought it was good for um, because your doctor is listed on it too, and I. I did it mostly because david hoss he gets credit for it, you know he does it for yeah you know, it's good. It's good for his advertising and you know his marketing and I mean it's just good for. It's just good for his advertising and you know his marketing, I mean it's just good for his satisfaction and everything like that. But you know that's a really good thing because you know I created that. It was like two years I created a workshop called well, it's a lifetime extender, and then I changed it to age reversal future, because not a really interesting term, because it's in the future somewhere. Right but age reversal you can actually see right now it's a more meaningful comparison number and I had hundreds of people. I had hundreds of people on that and to my knowledge nobody's done anything that we talked about which kind of proves to you, unless it's a keen interest you can have the information and you can have the knowledge. But if it isn't actually something of central motivational interest to you, the knowledge and the information just passes by. The knowledge and the information just passes. Dan: Yeah, and I think it goes. If you have to disrupt your established habits, what do you always say? We don't want any habits except for the ones that we have already established. Right, except for the ones that are existing. Dean: Reinforce them, yeah, reinforce them and anyway, today I'm going to have to cut off early because I have, and so in about two minutes I'm going to have to jump, but I'm seeing you tomorrow and I'm seeing you the next day. It's a banner week. It's four days in a row. We'll be in contact, so, anyway, you know what we're doing in context, so anyway you know what we're doing. We're really developing, you know, psychological, philosophical, conceptual structures here. How do you think about this stuff? That's what I think about it a lot. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's always pleasurable. Dan: Always, Dan, I will. I'll see you tomorrow At the party. That's right. Have an amazing day and I'll see you tomorrow night okay, thanks, bye.

Tai Lopez breaks down why no single place in the world gives you everything—health, wealth, love, and happiness. From working on the farm to flying to Europe, he shares the real trade-offs between city and country, America and Scandinavia, ambition and peace. This isn’t just theory—this is lifestyle architecture grounded in hard-earned experience. Want a better life? Understand the trade-offs.

For those who haven't heard the announcement I posted, songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a two-episode look at the song “Who Knows Where The Time Goes?” by Fairport Convention, and the intertwining careers of Joe Boyd, Sandy Denny, and Richard Thompson. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a forty-one-minute bonus episode available, on Judy Collins’ version of this song. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by editing, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt's irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/ Erratum For about an hour this was uploaded with the wrong Elton John clip in place of “Saturday Sun”. This has now been fixed. Resources Because of the increasing problems with Mixcloud’s restrictions, I have decided to start sharing streaming playlists of the songs used in episodes instead of Mixcloud ones. This Tunemymusic link will let you listen to the playlist I created on your streaming platform of choice — however please note that not all the songs excerpted are currently available on streaming. The songs missing from the Tidal version are “Shanten Bells” by the Ian Campbell Folk Group, “Tom’s Gone to Hilo” by A.L. Lloyd, two by Paul McNeill and Linda Peters, three by Elton John & Linda Peters, “What Will I Do With Tomorrow” by Sandy Denny and “You Never Know” by Charlie Drake, but the other fifty-nine are there. Other songs may be missing from other services. The main books I used on Fairport Convention as a whole were Patrick Humphries' Meet On The Ledge, Clinton Heylin's What We Did Instead of Holidays, and Kevan Furbank's Fairport Convention on Track. Rob Young's Electric Eden is the most important book on the British folk-rock movement. Information on Richard Thompson comes from Patrick Humphries' Richard Thompson: Strange Affair and Thompson's own autobiography Beeswing.  Information on Sandy Denny comes from Clinton Heylin's No More Sad Refrains and Mick Houghton's I've Always Kept a Unicorn. I also used Joe Boyd's autobiography White Bicycles and Chris Blackwell's The Islander.  And this three-CD set is the best introduction to Fairport's music currently in print. Transcript Before we begin, this episode contains reference to alcohol and cocaine abuse and medical neglect leading to death. It also starts with some discussion of the fatal car accident that ended last episode. There’s also some mention of child neglect and spousal violence. If that’s likely to upset you, you might want to skip this episode or read the transcript. One of the inspirations for this podcast when I started it back in 2018 was a project by Richard Thompson, which appears (like many things in Thompson’s life) to have started out of sheer bloody-mindedness. In 1999 Playboy magazine asked various people to list their “songs of the Millennium”, and most of them, understanding the brief, chose a handful of songs from the latter half of the twentieth century. But Thompson determined that he was going to list his favourite songs *of the millennium*. He didn’t quite manage that, but he did cover seven hundred and forty years, and when Playboy chose not to publish it, he decided to turn it into a touring show, in which he covered all his favourite songs from “Sumer Is Icumen In” from 1260: [Excerpt: Richard Thompson, “Sumer is Icumen In”] Through numerous traditional folk songs, union songs like “Blackleg Miner”, pieces by early-modern composers, Victorian and Edwardian music hall songs, and songs by the Beatles, the Ink Spots, the Kinks, and the Who, all the way to “Oops! I Did It Again”: [Excerpt: Richard Thompson, “Oops! I Did it Again”] And to finish the show, and to show how all this music actually ties together, he would play what he described as a “medieval tune from Brittany”, “Marry, Ageyn Hic Hev Donne Yt”: [Excerpt: Richard Thompson, “Marry, Ageyn Hic Hev Donne Yt”] We have said many times in this podcast that there is no first anything, but there’s a reason that Liege and Lief, Fairport Convention’s third album of 1969, and the album other than Unhalfbricking on which their reputation largely rests, was advertised with the slogan “The first (literally) British folk rock album ever”. Folk-rock, as the term had come to be known, and as it is still usually used today, had very little to do with traditional folk music. Rather, the records of bands like The Byrds or Simon and Garfunkel were essentially taking the sounds of British beat groups of the early sixties, particularly the Searchers, and applying those sounds to material by contemporary singer-songwriters. People like Paul Simon and Bob Dylan had come up through folk clubs, and their songs were called folk music because of that, but they weren’t what folk music had meant up to that point — songs that had been collected after being handed down through the folk process, changed by each individual singer, with no single identifiable author. They were authored songs by very idiosyncratic writers. But over their last few albums, Fairport Convention had done one or two tracks per album that weren’t like that, that were instead recordings of traditional folk songs, but arranged with rock instrumentation. They were not necessarily the first band to try traditional folk music with electric instruments — around the same time that Fairport started experimenting with the idea, so did an Irish band named Sweeney’s Men, who brought in a young electric guitarist named Henry McCullough briefly. But they do seem to have been the first to have fully embraced the idea. They had done so to an extent with “A Sailor’s Life” on Unhalfbricking, but now they were going to go much further: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Matty Groves” (from about 4:30)] There had been some doubt as to whether Fairport Convention would even continue to exist — by the time Unhalfbricking, their second album of the year, was released, they had been through the terrible car accident that had killed Martin Lamble, the band’s drummer, and Jeannie Franklyn, Richard Thompson’s girlfriend. Most of the rest of the band had been seriously injured, and they had made a conscious decision not to discuss the future of the band until they were all out of hospital. Ashley Hutchings was hospitalised the longest, and Simon Nicol, Richard Thompson, and Sandy Denny, the other three surviving members of the band, flew over to LA with their producer and manager, Joe Boyd, to recuperate there and get to know the American music scene. When they came back, the group all met up in the flat belonging to Denny’s boyfriend Trevor Lucas, and decided that they were going to continue the band. They made a few decisions then — they needed a new drummer, and as well as a drummer they wanted to get in Dave Swarbrick. Swarbrick had played violin on several tracks on Unhalfbricking as a session player, and they had all been thrilled to work with him. Swarbrick was one of the most experienced musicians on the British folk circuit. He had started out in the fifties playing guitar with Beryl Marriott’s Ceilidh Band before switching to fiddle, and in 1963, long before Fairport had formed, he had already appeared on TV with the Ian Campbell Folk Group, led by Ian Campbell, the father of Ali and Robin Campbell, later of UB40: [Excerpt: The Ian Campbell Folk Group, “Shanten Bells (medley on Hullaballoo!)”] He’d sung with Ewan MacColl and A.L. Lloyd: [Excerpt: A.L. Lloyd, “Tom’s Gone to Hilo” ] And he’d formed his hugely successful duo with Martin Carthy, releasing records like “Byker Hill” which are often considered among the best British folk music of all time: [Excerpt: Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick, “Byker Hill”] By the time Fairport had invited him to play on Unhalfbricking, Swarbrick had already performed on twenty albums as a core band member, plus dozens more EPs, singles, and odd tracks on compilations. They had no reason to think they could actually get him to join their band. But they had three advantages. The first was that Swarbrick was sick of the traditional folk scene at the time, saying later “I didn’t like seven-eighths of the people involved in it, and it was extremely opportune to leave. I was suddenly presented with the possibilities of exploring the dramatic content of the songs to the full.” The second was that he was hugely excited to be playing with Richard Thompson, who was one of the most innovative guitarists of his generation, and Martin Carthy remembers him raving about Thompson after their initial sessions. (Carthy himself was and is no slouch on the guitar of course, and there was even talk of getting him to join the band at this point, though they decided against it — much to the relief of rhythm guitarist Simon Nicol, who is a perfectly fine player himself but didn’t want to be outclassed by *two* of the best guitarists in Britain at the same time). And the third was that Joe Boyd told him that Fairport were doing so well — they had a single just about to hit the charts with “Si Tu Dois Partir” — that he would only have to play a dozen gigs with Fairport in order to retire. As it turned out, Swarbrick would play with the group for a decade, and would never retire — I saw him on his last tour in 2015, only eight months before he died. The drummer the group picked was also a far more experienced musician than any of the rest, though in a very different genre. Dave Mattacks had no knowledge at all of the kind of music they played, having previously been a player in dance bands. When asked by Hutchings if he wanted to join the band, Mattacks’ response was “I don’t know anything about the music. I don’t understand it… I can’t tell one tune from another, they all sound the same… but if you want me to join the group, fine, because I really like it. I’m enjoying myself musically.” Mattacks brought a new level of professionalism to the band, thanks to his different background. Nicol said of him later “He was dilligent, clean, used to taking three white shirts to a gig… The application he could bring to his playing was amazing. With us, you only played well when you were feeling well.” This distinction applied to his playing as well. Nicol would later describe the difference between Mattacks’ drumming and Lamble’s by saying “Martin’s strength was as an imaginative drummer. DM came in with a strongly developed sense of rhythm, through keeping a big band of drunken saxophone players in order. A great time-keeper.” With this new line-up and a new sense of purpose, the group did as many of their contemporaries were doing and “got their heads together in the country”. Joe Boyd rented the group a mansion, Farley House, in Farley Chamberlayne, Hampshire, and they stayed there together for three months. At the start, the group seem to have thought that they were going to make another record like Unhalfbricking, with some originals, some songs by American songwriters, and a few traditional songs. Even after their stay in Farley Chamberlayne, in fact, they recorded a few of the American songs they’d rehearsed at the start of the process, Richard Farina’s “Quiet Joys of Brotherhood” and Bob Dylan and Roger McGuinn’s “Ballad of Easy Rider”: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Ballad of Easy Rider”] Indeed, the whole idea of “getting our heads together in the country” (as the cliche quickly became in the late sixties as half of the bands in Britain went through much the same kind of process as Fairport were doing — but usually for reasons more to do with drug burnout or trend following than recovering from serious life-changing trauma) seems to have been inspired by Bob Dylan and the Band getting together in Big Pink. But very quickly they decided to follow the lead of Ashley Hutchings, who had had something of a Damascene conversion to the cause of traditional English folk music. They were listening mostly to Music From Big Pink by the Band, and to the first album by Sweeney’s Men: [Excerpt: Sweeney’s Men, “The Handsome Cabin Boy”] And they decided that they were going to make something that was as English as those records were North American and Irish (though in the event there were also a few Scottish songs included on the record). Hutchings in particular was becoming something of a scholar of traditional music, regularly visiting Cecil Sharp House and having long conversations with A.L. Lloyd, discovering versions of different traditional songs he’d never encountered before. This was both amusing and bemusing Sandy Denny, who had joined a rock group in part to get away from traditional music; but she was comfortable singing the material, and knew a lot of it and could make a lot of suggestions herself. Swarbrick obviously knew the repertoire intimately, and Nicol was amenable, while Mattacks was utterly clueless about the folk tradition at this point but knew this was the music he wanted to make. Thompson knew very little about traditional music, and of all the band members except Denny he was the one who has shown the least interest in the genre in his subsequent career — but as we heard at the beginning, showing the least interest in the genre is a relative thing, and while Thompson was not hugely familiar with the genre, he *was* able to work with it, and was also more than capable of writing songs that fit in with the genre. Of the eleven songs on the album, which was titled Liege and Lief (which means, roughly, Lord and Loyalty), there were no cover versions of singer-songwriters. Eight were traditional songs, and three were originals, all written in the style of traditional songs. The album opened with “Come All Ye”, an introduction written by Denny and Hutchings (the only time the two would ever write together): [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Come All Ye”] The other two originals were songs where Thompson had written new lyrics to traditional melodies. On “Crazy Man Michael”, Swarbrick had said to Thompson that the tune to which he had set his new words was weaker than the lyrics, to which Thompson had replied that if Swarbrick felt that way he should feel free to write a new melody. He did, and it became the first of the small number of Thompson/Swarbrick collaborations: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Crazy Man Michael”] Thompson and Swarbrick would become a brief songwriting team, but as much as anything else it was down to proximity — the two respected each other as musicians, but never got on very well. In 1981 Swarbrick would say “Richard and I never got on in the early days of FC… we thought we did, but we never did. We composed some bloody good songs together, but it was purely on a basis of “you write that and I’ll write this, and we’ll put it together.” But we never sat down and had real good chats.” The third original on the album, and by far the most affecting, is another song where Thompson put lyrics to a traditional tune. In this case he thought he was putting the lyrics to the tune of “Willie O'Winsbury”, but he was basing it on a recording by Sweeney’s Men. The problem was that Sweeney’s Men had accidentally sung the lyrics of “Willie O'Winsbury'” to the tune of a totally different song, “Fause Foodrage”: [Excerpt: Sweeney’s Men, “Willie O’Winsbury”] Thompson took that melody, and set to it lyrics about loss and separation. Thompson has never been one to discuss the meanings of his lyrics in any great detail, and in the case of this one has said “I really don't know what it means. This song came out of a dream, and I pretty much wrote it as I dreamt it (it was the sixties), and didn't spend very long analyzing it. So interpret as you wish – or replace with your own lines.” But in the context of the traffic accident that had killed his tailor girlfriend and a bandmate, and injured most of his other bandmates, the lyrics about lonely travellers, the winding road, bruised and beaten sons, saying goodbye, and never cutting cloth, seem fairly self-explanatory: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Farewell, Farewell”] The rest of the album, though, was taken up by traditional tunes. There was a long medley of four different fiddle reels; a version of “Reynardine” (a song about a seductive man — or is he a fox? Or perhaps both — which had been recorded by Swarbrick and Carthy on their most recent album); a 19th century song about a deserter saved from the firing squad by Prince Albert; and a long take on “Tam Lin”, one of the most famous pieces in the Scottish folk music canon, a song that has been adapted in different ways by everyone from the experimental noise band Current 93 to the dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah to the comics writer Grant Morrison: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Tam Lin”] And “Matty Groves”, a song about a man killing his cheating wife and her lover, which actually has a surprisingly similar story to that of “1921” from another great concept album from that year, the Who’s Tommy. “Matty Groves” became an excuse for long solos and shows of instrumental virtuosity: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Matty Groves”] The album was recorded in September 1969, after their return from their break in the country and a triumphal performance at the Royal Festival Hall, headlining over fellow Witchseason artists John and Beverly Martyn and Nick Drake. It became a classic of the traditional folk genre — arguably *the* classic of the traditional folk genre. In 2007 BBC Radio 2’s Folk Music Awards gave it an award for most influential folk album of all time, and while such things are hard to measure, I doubt there’s anyone with even the most cursory knowledge of British folk and folk-rock music who would not at least consider that a reasonable claim. But once again, by the time the album came out in November, the band had changed lineups yet again. There was a fundamental split in the band – on one side were Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson, whose stance was, roughly, that Liege and Lief was a great experiment and a fun thing to do once, but really the band had two first-rate songwriters in themselves, and that they should be concentrating on their own new material, not doing these old songs, good as they were. They wanted to take the form of the traditional songs and use that form for new material — they wanted to make British folk-rock, but with the emphasis on the rock side of things. Hutchings, on the other hand, was equally sure that he wanted to make traditional music and go further down the rabbit hole of antiquity. With the zeal of the convert he had gone in a couple of years from being the leader of a band who were labelled “the British Jefferson Airplane” to becoming a serious scholar of traditional folk music. Denny was tired of touring, as well — she wanted to spend more time at home with Trevor Lucas, who was sleeping with other women when she was away and making her insecure. When the time came for the group to go on a tour of Denmark, Denny decided she couldn’t make it, and Hutchings was jubilant — he decided he was going to get A.L. Lloyd into the band in her place and become a *real* folk group. Then Denny reconsidered, and Hutchings was crushed. He realised that while he had always been the leader, he wasn’t going to be able to lead the band any further in the traditionalist direction, and quit the group — but not before he was delegated by the other band members to fire Denny. Until the publication of Richard Thompson’s autobiography in 2022, every book on the group or its members said that Denny quit the band again, which was presumably a polite fiction that the band agreed, but according to Thompson “Before we flew home, we decided to fire Sandy. I don't remember who asked her to leave – it was probably Ashley, who usually did the dirty work. She was reportedly shocked that we would take that step. She may have been fragile beneath the confident facade, but she still knew her worth.” Thompson goes on to explain that the reasons for kicking her out were that “I suppose we felt that in her mind she had already left” and that “We were probably suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, though there wasn't a name for it back then.” They had considered inviting Trevor Lucas to join the band to make Denny more comfortable, but came to the (probably correct) conclusion that while he was someone they got on well with personally, he would be another big ego in a band that already had several, and that being around Denny and Lucas’ volatile relationship would, in Thompson’s phrasing, “have not always given one a feeling of peace and stability.” Hutchings originally decided he was going to join Sweeney’s Men, but that group were falling apart, and their first rehearsal with Hutchings would also be their last as a group, with only Hutchings and guitarist and mandolin player Terry Woods left in the band. They added Woods’ wife Gay, and another couple, Tim Hart and Maddy Prior, and formed a group called Steeleye Span, a name given them by Martin Carthy. That group, like Fairport, went to “get their heads together in the country” for three months and recorded an album of electric versions of traditional songs, Hark the Village Wait, on which Mattacks and another drummer, Gerry Conway, guested as Steeleye Span didn’t at the time have their own drummer: [Excerpt: Steeleye Span, “Blackleg Miner”] Steeleye Span would go on to have a moderately successful chart career in the seventies, but by that time most of the original lineup, including Hutchings, had left — Hutchings stayed with them for a few albums, then went on to form the first of a series of bands, all called the Albion Band or variations on that name, which continue to this day. And this is something that needs to be pointed out at this point — it is impossible to follow every single individual in this narrative as they move between bands. There is enough material in the history of the British folk-rock scene that someone could do a 500 Songs-style podcast just on that, and every time someone left Fairport, or Steeleye Span, or the Albion Band, or Matthews’ Southern Comfort, or any of the other bands we have mentioned or will mention, they would go off and form another band which would then fission, and some of its members would often join one of those other bands. There was a point in the mid-1970s where the Albion Band had two original members of Fairport Convention while Fairport Convention had none. So just in order to keep the narrative anything like wieldy, I’m going to keep the narrative concentrated on the two figures from Fairport — Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson — whose work outside the group has had the most influence on the wider world of rock music more broadly, and only deal with the other members when, as they often did, their careers intersected with those two. That doesn’t mean the other members are not themselves hugely important musicians, just that their importance has been primarily to the folk side of the folk-rock genre, and so somewhat outside the scope of this podcast. While Hutchings decided to form a band that would allow him to go deeper and deeper into traditional folk music, Sandy Denny’s next venture was rather different. For a long time she had been writing far more songs than she had ever played for her bandmates, like “Nothing More”, a song that many have suggested is about Thompson: [Excerpt: Fotheringay, “Nothing More”] When Joe Boyd heard that Denny was leaving Fairport Convention, he was at first elated. Fairport’s records were being distributed by A&M in the US at that point, but Island Records was in the process of opening up a new US subsidiary which would then release all future Fairport product — *but*, as far as A&M were concerned, Sandy Denny *was* Fairport Convention. They were only interested in her. Boyd, on the other hand, loved Denny’s work intensely, but from his point of view *Richard Thompson* was Fairport Convention. If he could get Denny signed directly to A&M as a solo artist before Island started its US operations, Witchseason could get a huge advance on her first solo record, while Fairport could continue making records for Island — he’d have two lucrative acts, on different labels. Boyd went over and spoke to A&M and got an agreement in principle that they would give Denny a forty-thousand-dollar advance on her first solo album — twice what they were paying for Fairport albums. The problem was that Denny didn’t want to be a solo act. She wanted to be the lead singer of a band. She gave many reasons for this — the one she gave to many journalists was that she had seen a Judy Collins show and been impressed, but noticed that Collins’ band were definitely a “backing group”, and as she put it “But that's all they were – a backing group. I suddenly thought, If you're playing together on a stage you might as well be TOGETHER.” Most other people in her life, though, say that the main reason for her wanting to be in a band was her desire to be with her boyfriend, Trevor Lucas. Partly this was due to a genuine desire to spend more time with someone with whom she was very much in love, partly it was a fear that he would cheat on her if she was away from him for long periods of time, and part of it seems to have been Lucas’ dislike of being *too* overshadowed by his talented girlfriend — he didn’t mind acknowledging that she was a major talent, but he wanted to be thought of as at least a minor one. So instead of going solo, Denny formed Fotheringay, named after the song she had written for Fairport. This new band consisted at first of Denny on vocals and occasional piano, Lucas on vocals and rhythm guitar, and Lucas’ old Eclection bandmate Gerry Conway on drums. For a lead guitarist, they asked Richard Thompson who the best guitarist in Britain was, and he told them Albert Lee. Lee in turn brought in bass player Pat Donaldson, but this lineup of the band barely survived a fortnight. Lee *was* arguably the best guitarist in Britain, certainly a reasonable candidate if you could ever have a singular best (as indeed was Thompson himself), but he was the best *country* guitarist in Britain, and his style simply didn’t fit with Fotheringay’s folk-influenced songs. He was replaced by American guitarist Jerry Donahue, who was not anything like as proficient as Lee, but who was still very good, and fit the band’s style much better. The new group rehearsed together for a few weeks, did a quick tour, and then went into the recording studio to record their debut, self-titled, album. Joe Boyd produced the album, but admitted himself that he only paid attention to those songs he considered worthwhile — the album contained one song by Lucas, “The Ballad of Ned Kelly”, and two cover versions of American singer-songwriter material with Lucas singing lead. But everyone knew that the songs that actually *mattered* were Sandy Denny’s, and Boyd was far more interested in them, particularly the songs “The Sea” and “The Pond and the Stream”: [Excerpt: Fotheringay, “The Pond and the Stream”] Fotheringay almost immediately hit financial problems, though. While other Witchseason acts were used to touring on the cheap, all packed together in the back of a Transit van with inexpensive equipment, Trevor Lucas had ambitions of being a rock star and wanted to put together a touring production to match, with expensive transport and equipment, including a speaker system that got nicknamed “Stonehenge” — but at the same time, Denny was unhappy being on the road, and didn’t play many gigs. As well as the band itself, the Fotheringay album also featured backing vocals from a couple of other people, including Denny’s friend Linda Peters. Peters was another singer from the folk clubs, and a good one, though less well-known than Denny — at this point she had only released a couple of singles, and those singles seemed to have been as much as anything else released as a novelty. The first of those, a version of Dylan’s “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” had been released as by “Paul McNeill and Linda Peters”: [Excerpt: Paul McNeill and Linda Peters, “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere”] But their second single, a version of John D. Loudermilk’s “You’re Taking My Bag”, was released on the tiny Page One label, owned by Larry Page, and was released under the name “Paul and Linda”, clearly with the intent of confusing particularly gullible members of the record-buying public into thinking this was the McCartneys: [Excerpt: Paul and Linda, “You’re Taking My Bag”] Peters was though more financially successful than almost anyone else in this story, as she was making a great deal of money as a session singer. She actually did another session involving most of Fotheringay around this time. Witchseason had a number of excellent songwriters on its roster, and had had some success getting covers by people like Judy Collins, but Joe Boyd thought that they might possibly do better at getting cover versions if they were performed in less idiosyncratic arrangements. Donahue, Donaldson, and Conway went into the studio to record backing tracks, and vocals were added by Peters and another session singer, who according to some sources also provided piano. They cut songs by Mike Heron of the Incredible String Band: [Excerpt: Linda Peters, “You Get Brighter”] Ed Carter, formerly of The New Nadir but by this time firmly ensconced in the Beach Boys’ touring band where he would remain for the next quarter-century: [Excerpt: Linda Peters, “I Don’t Mind”] John and Beverly Martyn, and Nick Drake: [Excerpt: Elton John, “Saturday Sun”] There are different lineups of musicians credited for those sessions in different sources, but I tend to believe that it’s mostly Fotheringay for the simple reason that Donahue says it was him, Donaldson and Conway who talked Lucas and Denny into the mistake that destroyed Fotheringay because of these sessions. Fotheringay were in financial trouble already, spending far more money than they were bringing in, but their album made the top twenty and they were getting respect both from critics and from the public — in September, Sandy Denny was voted best British female singer by the readers of Melody Maker in their annual poll, which led to shocked headlines in the tabloids about how this “unknown” could have beaten such big names as Dusty Springfield and Cilla Black. Only a couple of weeks after that, they were due to headline at the Albert Hall. It should have been a triumph. But Donahue, Donaldson, and Conway had asked that singing pianist to be their support act. As Donahue said later “That was a terrible miscast. It was our fault. He asked if [he] could do it. Actually Pat, Gerry and I had to talk Sandy and Trevor into [it]… We'd done these demos and the way he was playing – he was a wonderful piano player – he was sensitive enough. We knew very little about his stage-show. We thought he'd be a really good opener for us.” Unfortunately, Elton John was rather *too* good. As Donahue continued “we had no idea what he had in mind, that he was going to do the most incredible rock & roll show ever. He pretty much blew us off the stage before we even got on the stage.” To make matters worse, Fotheringay’s set, which was mostly comprised of new material, was underrehearsed and sloppy, and from that point on no matter what they did people were counting the hours until the band split up. They struggled along for a while though, and started working on a second record, with Boyd again producing, though as Boyd later said “I probably shouldn't have been producing the record. My lack of respect for the group was clear, and couldn't have helped the atmosphere. We'd put out a record that had sold disappointingly, A&M was unhappy. Sandy's tracks on the first record are among the best things she ever did – the rest of it, who cares? And the artwork, Trevor's sister, was terrible. It would have been one thing if I'd been unhappy with it and it sold, and the group was working all the time, making money, but that wasn't the case … I knew what Sandy was capable of, and it was very upsetting to me.” The record would not be released for thirty-eight years: [Excerpt: Fotheringay, “Wild Mountain Thyme”] Witchseason was going badly into debt. Given all the fissioning of bands that we’ve already been talking about, Boyd had been stretched thin — he produced sixteen albums in 1970, and almost all of them lost money for the company. And he was getting more and more disillusioned with the people he was producing. He loved Beverly Martyn’s work, but had little time for her abusive husband John, who was dominating her recording and life more and more and would soon become a solo artist while making her stay at home (and stealing her ideas without giving her songwriting credit). The Incredible String Band were great, but they had recently converted to Scientology, which Boyd found annoying, and while he was working with all sorts of exciting artists like Vashti Bunyan and Nico, he was finding himself less and less important to the artists he mentored. Fairport Convention were a good example of this. After Denny and Hutchings had left the group, they’d decided to carry on as an electric folk group, performing an equal mix of originals by the Swarbrick and Thompson songwriting team and arrangements of traditional songs. The group were now far enough away from the “British Jefferson Airplane” label that they decided they didn’t need a female vocalist — and more realistically, while they’d been able to replace Judy Dyble, nobody was going to replace Sandy Denny. Though it’s rather surprising when one considers Thompson’s subsequent career that nobody seems to have thought of bringing in Denny’s friend Linda Peters, who was dating Joe Boyd at the time (as Denny had been before she met Lucas) as Denny’s replacement. Instead, they decided that Swarbrick and Thompson were going to share the vocals between them. They did, though, need a bass player to replace Hutchings. Swarbrick wanted to bring in Dave Pegg, with whom he had played in the Ian Campbell Folk Group, but the other band members initially thought the idea was a bad one. At the time, while they respected Swarbrick as a musician, they didn’t think he fully understood rock and roll yet, and they thought the idea of getting in a folkie who had played double bass rather than an electric rock bassist ridiculous. But they auditioned him to mollify Swarbrick, and found that he was exactly what they needed. As Joe Boyd later said “All those bass lines were great, Ashley invented them all, but he never could play them that well. He thought of them, but he was technically not a terrific bass player. He was a very inventive, melodic, bass player, but not a very powerful one technically. But having had the part explained to him once, Pegg was playing it better than Ashley had ever played it… In some rock bands, I think, ultimately, the bands that sound great, you can generally trace it to the bass player… it was at that point they became a great band, when they had Pegg.” The new lineup of Fairport decided to move in together, and found a former pub called the Angel, into which all the band members moved, along with their partners and children (Thompson was the only one who was single at this point) and their roadies. The group lived together quite happily, and one gets the impression that this was the period when they were most comfortable with each other, even though by this point they were a disparate group with disparate tastes, in music as in everything else. Several people have said that the only music all the band members could agree they liked at this point was the first two albums by The Band. With the departure of Hutchings from the band, Swarbrick and Thompson, as the strongest personalities and soloists, became in effect the joint leaders of the group, and they became collaborators as songwriters, trying to write new songs that were inspired by traditional music. Thompson described the process as “let’s take one line of this reel and slow it down and move it up a minor third and see what that does to it; let’s take one line of this ballad and make a whole song out of it. Chopping up the tradition to find new things to do… like a collage.” Generally speaking, Swarbrick and Thompson would sit by the fire and Swarbrick would play a melody he’d been working on, the two would work on it for a while, and Thompson would then go away and write the lyrics. This is how the two came up with songs like the nine-minute “Sloth”, a highlight of the next album, Full House, and one that would remain in Fairport’s live set for much of their career: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Sloth”] “Sloth” was titled that way because Thompson and Swarbrick were working on two tunes, a slow one and a fast one, and they jokingly named them “Sloth” and “Fasth”, but the latter got renamed to “Walk Awhile”, while “Sloth” kept its working title. But by this point, Boyd and Thompson were having a lot of conflict in the studio. Boyd was never the most technical of producers — he was one of those producers whose job is to gently guide the artists in the studio and create a space for the music to flourish, rather than the Joe Meek type with an intimate technical knowledge of the studio — and as the artists he was working with gained confidence in their own work they felt they had less and less need of him. During the making of the Full House album, Thompson and Boyd, according to Boyd, clashed on everything — every time Boyd thought Thompson had done a good solo, Thompson would say to erase it and let him have another go, while every time Boyd thought Thompson could do better, Thompson would say that was the take to keep. One of their biggest clashes was over Thompson’s song “Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman”, which was originally intended for release on the album, and is included in current reissues of it: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman”] Thompson had written that song inspired by what he thought was the unjust treatment of Alex Bramham, the driver in Fairport’s fatal car crash, by the courts — Bramham had been given a prison sentence of a few months for dangerous driving, while the group members thought he had not been at fault. Boyd thought it was one of the best things recorded for the album, but Thompson wasn’t happy with his vocal — there was one note at the top of the melody that he couldn’t quite hit — and insisted it be kept off the record, even though that meant it would be a shorter album than normal. He did this at such a late stage that early copies of the album actually had the title printed on the sleeve, but then blacked out. He now says in his autobiography “I could have persevered, double-tracked the voice, warmed up for longer – anything. It was a good track, and the record was lacking without it. When the album was re-released, the track was restored with a more confident vocal, and it has stayed there ever since.” During the sessions for Full House the group also recorded one non-album single, Thompson and Swarbrick’s “Now Be Thankful”: [Excerpt, Fairport Convention, “Now Be Thankful”] The B-side to that was a medley of two traditional tunes plus a Swarbrick original, but was given the deliberately ridiculous title “Sir B. McKenzie’s Daughter’s Lament For The 77th Mounted Lancers Retreat From The Straits Of Loch Knombe, In The Year Of Our Lord 1727, On The Occasion Of The Announcement Of Her Marriage To The Laird Of Kinleakie”: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Sir B. McKenzie’s Daughter’s Lament For The 77th Mounted Lancers Retreat From The Straits Of Loch Knombe, In The Year Of Our Lord 1727, On The Occasion Of The Announcement Of Her Marriage To The Laird Of Kinleakie”] The B. McKenzie in the title was a reference to the comic-strip character Barry McKenzie, a stereotype drunk Australian created for Private Eye magazine by the comedian Barry Humphries (later to become better known for his Dame Edna Everage character) but the title was chosen for one reason only — to get into the Guinness Book of Records for the song with the longest title. Which they did, though they were later displaced by the industrial band Test Dept, and their song “Long Live British Democracy Which Flourishes and Is Constantly Perfected Under the Immaculate Guidance of the Great, Honourable, Generous and Correct Margaret Hilda Thatcher. She Is the Blue Sky in the Hearts of All Nations. Our People Pay Homage and Bow in Deep Respect and Gratitude to Her. The Milk of Human Kindness”. Full House got excellent reviews in the music press, with Rolling Stone saying “The music shows that England has finally gotten her own equivalent to The Band… By calling Fairport an English equivalent of the Band, I meant that they have soaked up enough of the tradition of their countryfolk that it begins to show all over, while they maintain their roots in rock.” Off the back of this, the group went on their first US tour, culminating in a series of shows at the Troubadour in LA, on the same bill as Rick Nelson, which were recorded and later released as a live album: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Sloth (live)”] The Troubadour was one of the hippest venues at the time, and over their residency there the group got seen by many celebrities, some of whom joined them on stage. The first was Linda Ronstadt, who initially demurred, saying she didn’t know any of their songs. On being told they knew all of hers, she joined in with a rendition of “Silver Threads and Golden Needles”. Thompson was later asked to join Ronstadt’s backing band, who would go on to become the Eagles, but he said later of this offer “I would have hated it. I’d have hated being on the road with four or five miserable Americans — they always seem miserable. And if you see them now, they still look miserable on stage — like they don’t want to be there and they don’t like each other.” The group were also joined on stage at the Troubadour on one memorable night by some former bandmates of Pegg’s. Before joining the Ian Campbell Folk Group, Pegg had played around the Birmingham beat scene, and had been in bands with John Bonham and Robert Plant, who turned up to the Troubadour with their Led Zeppelin bandmate Jimmy Page (reports differ on whether the fourth member of Zeppelin, John Paul Jones, also came along). They all got up on stage together and jammed on songs like “Hey Joe”, “Louie Louie”, and various old Elvis tunes. The show was recorded, and the tapes are apparently still in the possession of Joe Boyd, who has said he refuses to release them in case he is murdered by the ghost of Peter Grant. According to Thompson, that night ended in a three-way drinking contest between Pegg, Bonham, and Janis Joplin, and it’s testament to how strong the drinking culture is around Fairport and the British folk scene in general that Pegg outdrank both of them. According to Thompson, Bonham was found naked by a swimming pool two days later, having missed two gigs. For all their hard rock image, Led Zeppelin were admirers of a lot of the British folk and folk-rock scene, and a few months later Sandy Denny would become the only outside vocalist ever to appear on a Led Zeppelin record when she duetted with Plant on “The Battle of Evermore” on the group’s fourth album: [Excerpt: Led Zeppelin, “The Battle of Evermore”] Denny would never actually get paid for her appearance on one of the best-selling albums of all time. That was, incidentally, not the only session that Denny was involved in around this time — she also sang on the soundtrack to a soft porn film titled Swedish Fly Girls, whose soundtrack was produced by Manfred Mann: [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “What Will I Do With Tomorrow?”] Shortly after Fairport’s trip to America, Joe Boyd decided he was giving up on Witchseason. The company was now losing money, and he was finding himself having to produce work for more and more acts as the various bands fissioned. The only ones he really cared about were Richard Thompson, who he was finding it more and more difficult to work with, Nick Drake, who wanted to do his next album with just an acoustic guitar anyway, Sandy Denny, who he felt was wasting her talents in Fotheringay, and Mike Heron of the Incredible String Band, who was more distant since his conversion to Scientology. Boyd did make some attempts to keep the company going. On a trip to Sweden, he negotiated an agreement with the manager and publisher of a Swedish band whose songs he’d found intriguing, the Hep Stars. Boyd was going to publish their songs in the UK, and in return that publisher, Stig Anderson, would get the rights to Witchseason’s catalogue in Scandinavia — a straight swap, with no money changing hands. But before Boyd could get round to signing the paperwork, he got a better offer from Mo Ostin of Warners — Ostin wanted Boyd to come over to LA and head up Warners’ new film music department. Boyd sold Witchseason to Island Records and moved to LA with his fiancee Linda Peters, spending the next few years working on music for films like Deliverance and A Clockwork Orange, as well as making his own documentary about Jimi Hendrix, and thus missed out on getting the UK publishing rights for ABBA, and all the income that would have brought him, for no money. And it was that decision that led to the breakup of Fotheringay. Just before Christmas 1970, Fotheringay were having a difficult session, recording the track “John the Gun”: [Excerpt: Fotheringay, “John the Gun”] Boyd got frustrated and kicked everyone out of the session, and went for a meal and several drinks with Denny. He kept insisting that she should dump the band and just go solo, and then something happened that the two of them would always describe differently. She asked him if he would continue to produce her records if she went solo, and he said he would. According to Boyd’s recollection of the events, he meant that he would fly back from California at some point to produce her records. According to Denny, he told her that if she went solo he would stay in Britain and not take the job in LA. This miscommunication was only discovered after Denny told the rest of Fotheringay after the Christmas break that she was splitting the band. Jerry Donahue has described that as the worst moment of his life, and Denny felt very guilty about breaking up a band with some of her closest friends in — and then when Boyd went over to the US anyway she felt a profound betrayal. Two days before Fotheringay’s final concert, in January 1971, Sandy Denny signed a solo deal with Island records, but her first solo album would not end up produced by Joe Boyd. Instead, The North Star Grassman and the Ravens was co-produced by Denny, John Wood — the engineer who had worked with Boyd on pretty much everything he’d produced, and Richard Thompson, who had just quit Fairport Convention, though he continued living with them at the Angel, at least until a truck crashed into the building in February 1971, destroying its entire front wall and forcing them to relocate. The songs chosen for The North Star Grassman and the Ravens reflected the kind of choices Denny would make on her future albums, and her eclectic taste in music. There was, of course, the obligatory Dylan cover, and the traditional folk ballad “Blackwaterside”, but there was also a cover version of Brenda Lee’s “Let’s Jump the Broomstick”: [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “Let’s Jump the Broomstick”] Most of the album, though, was made up of originals about various people in Denny’s life, like “Next Time Around”, about her ex-boyfriend Jackson C Frank: [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “Next Time Around”] The album made the top forty in the UK — Denny’s only solo album to do so — and led to her once again winning the “best female singer” award in Melody Maker’s readers’ poll that year — the male singer award was won by Rod Stewart. Both Stewart and Denny appeared the next year on the London Symphony Orchestra’s all-star version of The Who’s Tommy, which had originally been intended as a vehicle for Stewart before Roger Daltrey got involved. Stewart’s role was reduced to a single song, “Pinball Wizard”, while Denny sang on “It’s a Boy”: [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “It’s a Boy”] While Fotheringay had split up, all the band members play on The North Star Grassman and the Ravens. Guitarists Donahue and Lucas only play on a couple of the tracks, with Richard Thompson playing most of the guitar on the record. But Fotheringay’s rhythm section of Pat Donaldson and Gerry Conway play on almost every track. Another musician on the album, Ian Whiteman, would possibly have a profound effect on the future direction of Richard Thompson’s career and life. Whiteman was the former keyboard player for the mod band The Action, having joined them just before they became the blues-rock band Mighty Baby. But Mighty Baby had split up when all of the band except the lead singer had converted to Islam. Richard Thompson was on his own spiritual journey at this point, and became a Sufi – the same branch of Islam as Whiteman – soon after the session, though Thompson has said that his conversion was independent of Whiteman’s. The two did become very close and work together a lot in the mid-seventies though. Thompson had supposedly left Fairport because he was writing material that wasn’t suited to the band, but he spent more than a year after quitting the group working on sessions rather than doing anything with his own material, and these sessions tended to involve the same core group of musicians. One of the more unusual was a folk-rock supergroup called The Bunch, put together by Trevor Lucas. Richard Branson had recently bought a recording studio, and wanted a band to test it out before opening it up for commercial customers, so with this free studio time Lucas decided to record a set of fifties rock and roll covers. He gathered together Thompson, Denny, Whiteman, Ashley Hutchings, Dave Mattacks, Pat Donaldson, Gerry Conway, pianist Tony Cox, the horn section that would later form the core of the Average White Band, and Linda Peters, who had now split up with Joe Boyd and returned to the UK, and who had started dating Thompson. They recorded an album of covers of songs by Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Johnny Otis and others: [Excerpt: The Bunch, “Willie and the Hand Jive”] The early seventies was a hugely productive time for this group of musicians, as they all continued playing on each other’s projects. One notable album was No Roses by Shirley Collins, which featured Thompson, Mattacks, Whiteman, Simon Nicol, Lal and Mike Waterson, and Ashley Hutchings, who was at that point married to Collins, as well as some more unusual musicians like the free jazz saxophonist Lol Coxhill: [Excerpt: Shirley Collins and the Albion Country Band, “Claudy Banks”] Collins was at the time the most respected female singer in British traditional music, and already had a substantial career including a series of important records made with her sister Dolly, work with guitarists like Davey Graham, and time spent in the 1950s collecting folk songs in the Southern US with her then partner Alan Lomax – according to Collins she did much of the actual work, but Lomax only mentioned her in a single sentence in his book on this work. Some of the same group of musicians went on to work on an album of traditional Morris dancing tunes, titled Morris On, credited to “Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks, John Kirkpatrick and Barry Dransfield”, with Collins singing lead on two tracks: [Excerpt: Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks, John Kirkpatrick and Barry Dransfield with Shirley Collins, “The Willow Tree”] Thompson thought that that album was the best of the various side projects he was involved in at the time, comparing it favourably to Rock On, which he thought was rather slight, saying later “Conceptually, Fairport, Ashley and myself and Sandy were developing a more fragile style of music that nobody else was particularly interested in, a British Folk Rock idea that had a logical development to it, although we all presented it our own way. Morris On was rather more true to what we were doing. Rock On was rather a retro step. I'm not sure it was lasting enough as a record but Sandy did sing really well on the Buddy Holly songs.” Hutchings used the musicians on No Roses and Morris On as the basis for his band the Albion Band, which continues to this day. Simon Nicol and Dave Mattacks both quit Fairport to join the Albion Band, though Mattacks soon returned. Nicol would not return to Fairport for several years, though, and for a long period in the mid-seventies Fairport Convention had no original members. Unfortunately, while Collins was involved in the Albion Band early on, she and Hutchings ended up divorcing, and the stress from the divorce led to Collins developing spasmodic dysphonia, a stress-related illness which makes it impossible for the sufferer to sing. She did eventually regain her vocal ability, but between 1978 and 2016 she was unable to perform at all, and lost decades of her career. Richard Thompson occasionally performed with the Albion Band early on, but he was getting stretched a little thin with all these sessions. Linda Peters said later of him “When I came back from America, he was working in Sandy’s band, and doing sessions by the score. Always with Pat Donaldson and Dave Mattacks. Richard would turn up with his guitar, one day he went along to do a session with one of those folkie lady singers — and there were Pat and DM. They all cracked. Richard smashed his amp and said “Right! No more sessions!” In 1972 he got round to releasing his first solo album, Henry the Human Fly, which featured guest appearances by Linda Peters and Sandy Denny among others: [Excerpt: Richard Thompson, “The Angels Took My Racehorse Away”] Unfortunately, while that album has later become regarded as one of the classics of its genre, at the time it was absolutely slated by the music press. The review in Melody Maker, for example, read in part “Some of Richard Thompson’s ideas sound great – which is really the saving grace of this album, because most of the music doesn’t. The tragedy is that Thompson’s “British rock music” is such an unconvincing concoction… Even the songs that do integrate rock and traditional styles of electric guitar rhythms and accordion and fiddle decoration – and also include explicit, meaningful lyrics are marred by bottle-up vocals, uninspiring guitar phrases and a general lack of conviction in performance.” Henry the Human Fly was released in the US by Warners, who had a reciprocal licensing deal with Island (and for whom Joe Boyd was working at the time, which may have had something to do with that) but according to Thompson it became the lowest-selling record that Warners ever put out (though I’ve also seen that claim made about Van Dyke Parks’ Song Cycle, another album that has later been rediscovered). Thompson was hugely depressed by this reaction, and blamed his own singing. Happily, though, by this point he and Linda had become a couple — they would marry in 1972 — and they started playing folk clubs as a duo, or sometimes in a trio with Simon Nicol. Thompson was also playing with Sandy Denny’s backing band at this point, and played on every track on her second solo album, Sandy. This album was meant to be her big commercial breakthrough, with a glamorous cover photo by David Bailey, and with a more American sound, including steel guitar by Sneaky Pete Kleinow of the Flying Burrito Brothers (whose overdubs were supervised in LA by Joe Boyd): [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “Tomorrow is a Long Time”] The album was given a big marketing push by Island, and “Listen, Listen” was made single of the week on the Radio 1 Breakfast show: [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “Listen, Listen”] But it did even worse than the previous album, sending her into something of a depression. Linda Thompson (as the former Linda Peters now was) said of this period “After the Sandy album, it got her down that her popularity didn't suddenly increase in leaps and bounds, and that was the start of her really fretting about the way her career was going. Things only escalated after that. People like me or Martin Carthy or Norma Waterson would think, ‘What are you on about? This is folk music.'” After Sandy’s release, Denny realised she could no longer afford to tour with a band, and so went back to performing just acoustically or on piano. The only new music to be released by either of these ex-members of Fairport Convention in 1973 was, oddly, on an album by the band they were no longer members of. After Thompson had left Fairport, the group had managed to release two whole albums with the same lineup — Swarbrick, Nicol, Pegg, and Mattacks. But then Nicol and Mattacks had both quit the band to join the Albion Band with their former bandmate Ashley Hutchings, leading to a situation where the Albion Band had two original members of Fairport plus their longtime drummer while Fairport Convention itself had no original members and was down to just Swarbrick and Pegg. Needing to fulfil their contracts, they then recruited three former members of Fotheringay — Lucas on vocals and rhythm guitar, Donahue on lead guitar, and Conway on drums. Conway was only a session player at the time, and Mattacks soon returned to the band, but Lucas and Donahue became full-time members. This new lineup of Fairport Convention released two albums in 1973, widely regarded as the group’s most inconsistent records, and on the title track of the first, “Rosie”, Richard Thompson guested on guitar, with Sandy Denny and Linda Thompson on backing vocals: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Rosie”] Neither Sandy Denny nor Richard Thompson released a record themselves in 1973, but in neither case was this through the artists’ choice. The record industry was changing in the early 1970s, as we’ll see in later episodes, and was less inclined to throw good money after bad in the pursuit of art. Island Records prided itself on being a home for great artists, but it was still a business, and needed to make money. We’ll talk about the OPEC oil crisis and its effect on the music industry much more when the podcast gets to 1973, but in brief, the production of oil by the US peaked in 1970 and started to decrease, leading to them importing more and more oil from the Middle East. As a result of this, oil prices rose slowly between 1971 and 1973, then very quickly towards the end of 1973 as a result of the Arab-Israeli conflict that year. As vinyl is made of oil, suddenly producing records became much more expensive, and in this period a lot of labels decided not to release already-completed albums, until what they hoped would be a brief period of shortages passed. Both Denny and Thompson recorded albums at this point that got put to one side by Island. In the case of Thompson, it was the first album by Richard and Linda as a duo, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight: [Excerpt: Richard and Linda Thompson, “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight”] Today, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, and as one of the two masterpieces that bookended Richard and Linda’s career as a duo and their marriage. But when they recorded the album, full of Richard’s dark songs, it was the opposite of commercial. Even a song that’s more or less a boy-girl song, like “Has He Got a Friend for Me?” has lyrics like “He wouldn’t notice me passing by/I could be in the gutter, or dangling down from a tree” [Excerpt: Richard and Linda Thompson, “Has He got a Friend For Me?”] While something like “The Calvary Cross” is oblique and haunted, and seems to cast a pall over the entire album: [Excerpt: Richard and Linda Thompson, “The Calvary Cross”] The album itself had been cheap to make — it had been recorded in only a week, with Thompson bringing in musicians he knew well and had worked with a lot previously to cut the tracks as-live in only a handful of takes — but Island didn’t think it was worth releasing. The record stayed on the shelf for nearly a year after recording, until Island got a new head of A&R, Richard Williams. Williams said of the album’s release “Muff Winwood had been doing A&R, but he was more interested in production… I had a conversation with Muff as soon as I got there, and he said there are a few hangovers, some outstanding problems. And one of them was Richard Thompson. He said there’s this album we gave him the money to make — which was I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight — and nobody’s very interested in it. Henry the Human Fly had been a bit of a commercial disappointment, and although Island was altruistic and independent and known for only recording good stuff, success was important… Either a record had to do well or somebody had to believe in it a lot. And it seemed as if neither of those things were true at that point of Richard.” Williams, though, was hugely impressed when he listened to the album. He compared Richard Thompson’s guitar playing to John Coltrane’s sax, and called Thompson “the folk poet of the rainy streets”, but also said “Linda brightened it, made it more commercial. and I thought that “Bright Lights” itself seemed a really commercial song.” The rest of the management at Island got caught up in Williams’ enthusiasm, and even decided to release the title track as a single: [Excerpt: Richard and Linda Thompson, “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight”] Neither single nor album charted — indeed it would not be until 1991 that Richard Thompson would make a record that made the top forty in the UK — but the album got enough critical respect that Richard and Linda released two albums the year after. The first of these, Hokey Pokey, is a much more upbeat record than their previous one — Richard Thompson has called it “quite a music-hall influenced record” and cited the influence of George Formby and Harry Lauder. For once, the claim of music hall influence is audible in the music. Usually when a British musician is claimed to have a music ha

Lier Sykehus was once Norway's largest psychiatric hospital — and is now one of its most haunted. From unethical experiments and radioactive trials to decades of ghost sightings, this abandoned asylum holds echoes of a very real past.OBSCURATA - Apple Spotify AmazonThe BOOKBY US A COFFEEJoin Sarah's new FACEBOOK GROUPSubscribe to our PATREONEMAIL us your storiesJoin us on INSTAGRAMJoin us on TWITTERJoin us on FACEBOOKVisit our WEBSITEResearch Links:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lier_Hospitalhttps://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lier-asylethttps://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/ObJwo/den-haunted-asylumhttps://web.archive.org/web/20110810020358/http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article401929.ecehttps://norwegianparanormal.wordpress.com/2014/10/25/lier-sykehus-norways-most-haunted-hospital/https://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/ingvar-ambjornsen-og-23-salen/70900351https://ghostsofnorway.tumblr.com/post/123456789012/lier-sykehushttps://paranormal-encounters.com/wp/norways-creepiest-abandoned-hospital-lier-sykehus/https://nettavisen.no/nyheter/lier-sykehus-demolition/3423763151.htmlThanks so much for listening, and we'll catch up with you again on tomorrow.Sarah and Tobie xx"Spacial Winds," Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licenced under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licencehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/SURVEY Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the second episode of our new and ongoing series: Fascism On Film. Each episode of this series, the Holmes Brothers look and review a film that has to do with fascism. During the episodes, the brothers look and see how the aspects and portrayal of fascism shown in the film relate to current and/or past events.On this episode of Fascism On Film, the Holmes Brothers head back to Italy during the time of the Second World War to discuss the Franco Zeffirelli's 1999 film Tea With Mussolini. It stars Cher, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Lily Tomlin and Joan Plowright. The film is a semi-autobiographical tale about a young orphaned boy left to be raised by old English and American lady expats living in Italy. The film shows the events of Italy before and during the war through the eyes of the boy Luca (played by Baird Wallace as a teenager and Charlie Lucas as a boy) who is brought up by these ladies. We hope you enjoy this episode and stay tuned for more episodes of this Fascism On Film series.Be sure to check out our Monument Valley Film on our YouTube Channel, the famous location is featured briefly in one of the films.Anders's screenwriter work can also be seen in the western The Outlaws, The films is a available to watch in America , parts of Scandinavia (e.g. Denmark, Finland) & the United Kingdom on Amazon and also Apple TV. You can read a review about the film here on Collider.Follow us on our Instagram page. For obvious reasons, we are no longer on Twitter. You won't find us there. Perhaps we will make a BlueSky account, so keep an eye out for that.Follow our Letterboxd page where you can see what we were recommending to each other over the course of the Covid-19 Pandemic:Check out our blog and read Anders's recent reviews on Mission Impossible: A Final Reckoning and Ryan Coogler's Sinners.Also check us out on Letterboxd too!AndersAdam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Set across three distinct eras—Viking-era Scandinavia, feudal Japan, and World War II in the skies—the film follows three legendary warriors: Viking Queen Ursa on a brutal vengeance quest alongside her son; samurai brothers Kenji and Kiyoshi torn by honor and betrayal; and U.S. Navy pilot Johnny Torres dogfighting in a Predator-infested Atlantic. Each vignette pits human skill and courage against the alien hunters, culminating in a thrilling convergence on the Predator homeworld, where the trio must unite to survive a gladiatorial showdown. With razor-sharp painterly animation, inventive Predator tech, and a sweeping score, Killer of Killers deepens Predator lore while delivering visceral, globe-spanning sci-fi action.

The landscape of European manufacturing is undergoing a profound transformation, caught between geopolitical tensions, shifting economic priorities, and technological disruption. Harald Eppinger of Koh Young offers a candid assessment of where Europe stands and what's needed to revitalize its industrial leadership."We are competitive in technology, we have the right people in charge," Eppinger asserts, highlighting that Europe's challenges stem not from capability but from hesitation. This wake-up call comes at a critical moment as defense spending increases dramatically across the continent, creating substantial opportunities in communications technology, satellite systems, and aerospace development. Regional variations tell a nuanced story – the UK has "recovered wisely" post-Brexit, while Scandinavia maintains its traditional strength. Central Europe faces greater challenges, with many potential projects stuck in the "what if" phase of planning. The solution, Eppinger suggests, lies in collaborative partnerships that leverage each vendor's strengths while presenting unified solutions to customers. This shift from isolated competition to strategic collaboration fundamentally changes how manufacturing operates.For manufacturing leaders looking to navigate this changing landscape, the message is clear: competitiveness requires collaboration, data exchange, and process visualization. Those who embrace these principles stand ready to benefit as European manufacturing potentially rebounds in 2025. EMS@C-Level Live at APEX is sponsored by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Creative Electron (https://creativeelectron.com)EMS@C-Level is sponsored by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Creative Electron (https://creativeelectron.com) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

Today, join Carli and Sophia on a trip to beautiful Oslo, Norway. Sophia shares her experience living in Oslo and provides plenty of tips and tricks for planning a trip to this popular destination. Whether you're actively planning a trip or just exploring your options, this episode is for you!

Royal Ascot Day 2 Betting Preview – The Final Furlong Podcast Emmet Kennedy is joined by Adam Mills, Andy Newton, and George Gorman for a full throttle betting breakdown of Wednesday's Royal Ascot action. The team kicks off with the Queen Mary Stakes, where double-digit odds selections fly from all sides — and one blistering U.S. speedball could give America its fifth win in a decade. But Adam goes to bat for the rock-solid favourite Zelaina, with data to back it up. In the Queen's Vase, Aidan O'Brien's dominant record makes Shackleton and Scandinavia hard to ignore — but not everyone's on board. Sharp alternatives are pitched with tactical insights on pace, breeding, and late stamina. Tempers flare in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes as the panel splits strongly over the right way to play the race — who's reading it right? Then it's time for fireworks in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Group 1):

A2 - PRE-INTERMEDIATE - In today's episode, I'm talking about this very relatable (and very divisive) question. I share my thoughts on traditional expectations, modern dating, how things work in Hungary (and maybe don't in Scandinavia!), and also some personal stories, including the time I went on a “first date” with a girl I met on Bumble BFF when I had just moved to El Paso.This is a fun one to listen to if you like real-life stories, everyday Hungarian, and topics that everyone seems to have an opinion on. As always, you can find the transcript, word list, and extra notes on Patreon — and I'd love to hear what you think in the comments (in Hungarian, of course

David de Boer and Geert H. Janssen, eds. Refugee Politics in Early Modern Europe (Bloomsbury, 2024). This book is available as an open source publication here. Refugees have existed since ancient times but it was in the early modern era that they first became a distinct social and political category. This open access book maps the early modern 'invention of the refugee' and in the process uncovers their impact on local, regional, and transnational politics. With case studies ranging from Scandinavia to the Maghreb, Refugee Politics in Early Modern Europe traces how refugees transformed Europe. Topics explored include: the development of refugees as a political group in early modern societies; the role of displaced minorities in forging humanitarian networks; and the impact of refugees on migration management and imperialism. Most notably, this collection of essays moves beyond discussions of expulsion and flight to shine a spotlight on how states responded critically and constitutionally to refugees – as a means of galvanizing social groups, reinforcing identities, promoting activities, and expanding bureaucratic reach. The result is a sophisticated comparative study of migration, identity, power and politics which will be vital reading to all scholars of early modern Europe. The open access edition of this book is available under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In addition to football official visit weekends, the Shane Beamer camps are going on on the Proving Grounds and in the Steve and Jeri Spurrier Indoor Practice facility. New scholarship offers have been issued from tiny Crescent, S.C., to across the pond in Scandinavia. Alex Jones pops in live from over that way. Raphael Esparza stops by to give tips on betting the NCAA Super Regionals in college baseball. Mad Dog and JB chop it up and send you into The Show, which then sends you into the weekend. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the 16th century onward, Denmark and Sweden increased their efforts to assert control over northern Scandinavia, a territory where few Scandinavians had ever gone, and even fewer lived. But that doesn't mean the region was uninhabited. The Sami people lived there, and as the Norwegians, Swedes and Finns moved north, the Sami way of life came under threat.

Our feature story in this episode takes us to the Highlands of Scotland, where we'll meet the elusive Loch Ness Monster, AKA Nessie. We'll also learn about some other Nessie-like creatures across the world, and some different water-dwelling creatures in the British Isles, Scandinavia, and western and central Africa. Visit the World of Mythik website to learn more and to contribute your theories to our board! All stories told on Myths & Muses are original family-friendly adaptations of ancient myths and legends. Stories from ancient mythology can also sometimes deal with complicated topics for young listeners — to the mortal parents and caretakers reading this, we encourage listening along with your young demigods to help them navigate those topics as they explore these epic tales. Transcript for Episode 7 If you'd like to submit something creative you've done inspired by the stories in Myths & Muses, use this form (with a Mortal Guardian's permission!). ----more---- The "Surgeon's Photograph": Stuff to Read: Nessie:  Visit Inverness: The Loch Ness Monster History Channel: The First Sighting of the Loch Ness Monster NPR: 55-year-old camera set up to track the Loch Ness monster found in Scotland The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register The Loch Ness Centre Kelpies:  Historic UK: The Kelpie Ancient Myth in Modern Art Folklore of Scotland: Kelpies Jormungandr and the Kraken Jormungandr at World History Encyclopedia Jormungandr: The Midgard Serpent in Norse Mythology Ancient Origins: Jörmungandr: The Misunderstood Midgard Serpent of Norse Mythology Sea monsters and their inspiration: serpents, mermaids, the kraken and more Ninki Nanka Gambian Folktales: The Ninki Nanka BBC: The Hunt for Gambia's Mythical Dragon CNN: Here be monsters: The search for Africa's mythical beasts Coffee and Creatures: It's Hard to Keep Things Straight With the Ninki-Nanka Mokele Mbembe Cryptid Archives: Mokole-Mbembe Sightings Of The Legendary Mokele-Mbembe "Dinosaur" Of The Congo Are Increasing. What Is Going On? How Stuff Works: Mokele-Mbembe: The Truth Behind Africa's Mythical River Monster Stuff to Watch: Our curated YouTube Playlist for this episode!

If you are in any way interested in precious metals,  you need to see what today's video sponsor, Monetary Metals, is doing with them at the link below: http://www.monetary-metals.com/Snider/Several more countries around the world are reporting contractions in GDP even before getting to trade wars and any tariff impacts. The latest cluster around Scandinavia and have European banks overall behaving in very curious ways. So much so, the typically hands-off ECB is writing letters to them and threatening on-site visits to get some answers before the economy really takes its turn. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisBloomberg Sweden's Surprise Economic Contraction Boosts Rate Cut Oddshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-30/swedish-economy-unexpectedly-shrinks-weighed-down-by-investmentBloomberg ECB Steps Up Scrutiny of Banks' Exposure to Private Marketshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-30/ecb-intensifies-scrutiny-of-banks-exposure-to-private-marketshttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

In 1845, European potato fields from Spain to Scandinavia were attacked by a novel pathogen. But it was only in Ireland, then part of the United Kingdom, that the blight's devastation reached apocalyptic levels, leaving more than a million people dead and forcing millions more to emigrate.  In Rot, historian Padraic X. Scanlan offers the definitive account of the Great Famine, showing how Ireland's place in the United Kingdom and the British Empire made it uniquely vulnerable to starvation. Ireland's overreliance on the potato was a desperate adaptation to an unstable and unequal marketplace created by British colonialism. The empire's laissez-faire economic policies saw Ireland exporting livestock and grain even as its people starved. When famine struck, relief efforts were premised on the idea that only free markets and wage labor could save the Irish. Ireland's wretchedness, before and during the Great Famine, was often blamed on Irish backwardness, but in fact, it resulted from the British Empire's embrace of modern capitalism. Uncovering the disaster's roots in Britain's deep imperial faith in markets, commerce, and capitalism, Rot reshapes our understanding of the Great Famine and its tragic legacy. Our guest is: Dr. Padraic X. Scanlan, who is an associate professor at the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources and the Centre for Diaspora & Transnational Studies at the University of Toronto. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, the Guardian, the Times Literary Supplement, and the New Inquiry. The author of two previous books, he lives in Toronto. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is a freelance editor. She the producer and show host of the Academic Life podcast. Playlist for listeners: The Social Construction of Race Climate Change We Refuse Where Does Research Really Begin? The First and Last King of Haiti Finishing Your Book When Life Is A Disaster Teaching About Race and Racism in the College Classroom Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

On this episode, we're going to explore the very colorful history of Scandinavia's favorite Christmas animal, the Yule Goat. We'll also count down the top 5 corporate Christmas marketing fails, give you an EGGcelent deep fried recipe sure to be a hit at a Christmas party or any party, and listener Chris will give us his micro reviews of multiple film adaptations of A Christmas Carol. Download here! 00:00 – 01:45 Intro 01:45 – 03:04 We Need A Little Christmas Now 03:04 – 09:53 5 Golden Things – Corporate Christmas Marketing Fails 09:53 – 12:49 Chris' Mass of Christmas Carols…

Narrator: Nadine Brown

Originally from Denmark, the youngest ever three-starred Michelin chef Esben Holmboe Bang fell in love with his wife's homeland Norway, as well as its seasonal cuisine. For Esben every flavour is a note, and the secret of the perfect dish is to build those notes into a symphony. He only uses local produce for the menu at his restaurant in Oslo, Maaemo, and he collects many ingredients from the local forest. He aims to tell the story of Norway through food and respects the ancient crafts of preservation like pickling and dehydrating which sustained communities through the dark winter months in Scandinavia.

NUKE POWER:IN GREEN SCANDINAVIA. HENRY SOKOLSKI, NPEC 1957