Podcast appearances and mentions of John Steele Gordon

“Every single person that we meet was both the endpoint of thousands of years that brought them there, and the midpoint of some other process, and was the beginning of something else entirely. Think of yourselves as the middle and the beginning, not just the end.” — Patrick Wyman History, we are often told, is a simple story of progress — from caves and villages to cities; from forests and farms to factories; from chieftains and kings to democracies. But, for Patrick Wyman, host of the enormously popular Tides of History and Fall of Rome podcasts, that's far too linear a narrative. In his new book, Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World, Wyman argues that rather than a teleological inevitability, civilization is a chaotic ten thousand year story of improvisation, experiment, failure, and unintended consequence. It is never ending. We are always in the middle of it. Dramatic advances in archaeological technology triggered Wyman's argument in Lost Worlds. Ancient DNA, isotope analysis, LiDAR, cutting-edge excavation are all opening up what Wyman calls “a golden age for popular historians.” We can now trace the lives of individuals in ways that were inconceivable just a generation ago. Wyman's star is Ötzi the Iceman — a man murdered 5,300 years ago in the Alps, whose gut contents, DNA, last meal, and likely killers we now know. Rather than a symbol of prehistoric life, Ötzi the Iceman reveals why history keeps happening. Five Takeaways •       The Prelapsarian Fallacy: Hunter-Gatherers Weren't Paradise: The romantic idea — popular in the last decade as people read Graeber and Wengrow or Yuval Noah Harari — is that hunter-gatherers had it better. Farming made us smaller, sicker, more crowded, more unequal. Wyman's counter: yes, on some metrics early farmers were less healthy than foragers. But farming also supported enormously larger populations. It expanded the possibilities of human life in ways that foraging never could. Looking back at the past and calling it paradise says more about the critique of the present than about the actual realities of past lives. •       Civilization Was Not Inevitable: We have a story about how we got from foragers to cities: people settled, started farming, produced surplus, developed specialisation, built states. But Wyman's new archaeology shows that this story is wrong at every step. Farming didn't always replace foraging. Villages didn't automatically spark agriculture. Cities didn't necessitate rigid hierarchies. For every society that moved from one stage to the next, there are others that moved in different directions, collapsed, hybridised, or simply chose something else. The line of progress is a retrospective fiction. •       Ötzi the Iceman: A Man With a Story: Wyman's most vivid example of what the new archaeology makes possible: Ötzi, a man murdered 5,300 years ago in the Alps, whose mummified body was found in 1991. From isotope analysis of his teeth, we know where he grew up. From his gut contents, we know what he ate in his last meal — venison and ibex. From his DNA, we know his ancestry. From the arrow in his back, we know how he died. We don't know his name, but we know enough to recognise him as fully human. That is what the new tools give us: not symbols of a lost world, but individual people with individual stories. •       The Fall of Rome Was Not a Tragedy: Wyman spent fifteen years of his life thinking about the fall of the Roman Empire and hosting a podcast about it. Writing this book changed how he sees it. He used to view it as a tragedy — something lost. Now he views it as a natural part of the rhythms that pulse through human societies over long periods of time. The remarkable thing about Rome is not that it fell. All empires fall. All societies eventually reach the limits of their technologies, their environments, their ways of organising life. The remarkable thing is that it lasted as long as it did. Six hundred years. That's the story. •       Think of Yourself as the Middle, Not the End: Wyman's message for the AI apocalypticists — and for everyone else who believes they're living at the final chapter of human history. Every person at every point in the past believed the same thing. The Neolithic farmers Wyman studies. The Bronze Age city-dwellers. The Romans. Every one of them was both an endpoint and a beginning. The AI revolution may transform the world. But it will not end it. Stop thinking in terms of next quarter. Start thinking of yourself as part of something much, much bigger — that will extend long after your name has been forgotten. About the Guest Patrick Wyman is the host of the Tides of History, Fall of Rome, and Past Lives podcasts, and the author of Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World (Harper, May 5, 2026) and The Verge: Renaissance, Reformation, and Forty Years That Shook the World. He has a PhD in History from USC and lives in Phoenix, Arizona. References: •       Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World by Patrick Wyman (Harper, May 5, 2026). •       Tides of History podcast by Patrick Wyman — currently covering the Iron Age. •       Fall of Rome podcast by Patrick Wyman. •       Episode 2891: John Steele Gordon on information technology and American unity — the companion piece on how technology changes history at the deep level. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,900 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting. WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Chapters: (00:31) - Introduction: from the Ice Age to the Bronze Age...

“Anyone that's properly using AI now knows that you tell it what you want, it gives you a plan, carries out the work, and you judge and tweak. You're not a passive victim — you're an active user with outcomes in mind.” — Keith Teare Do we really want a no-hands job from Silicon Valley? That Was the Week newsletter publisher Keith Teare — who thinks all tech innovation results in human progress — thinks we do. No hands, no problem, Keith says. But I'm not sure. Especially given the powers-that-be giving us that no-hands job. Keith welcomes the end of what he calls the “typed” and “touched” computing era — keyboards, mice, touchscreens, and all the manifold ways we have used our hands to interact with computers since the 1980s. That's the outcome, he predicts, of the race to AGI. So far so good. But what happens if our no-hands AI future is controlled by Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook? This week these four behemoths committed 00 billion to AI infrastructure investment in 2026 alone — 2 percent of all US GDP. These companies are racing to build (and own) the foundational mechanics of AGI. That's always how it's been, Keith says, embracing our no-hands future. I'm less open-armed. What happens if we want our hands to fend off AGI? No, I'm not so keen on a no-hands job from Silicon Valley. Especially one couched in the altruism of human progress. Five Takeaways •       The End of the Hand-Driven Computing Era: Andrej Karpathy's observation at Sequoia's AI Ascent: he no longer uses his hands to do his work. He speaks to the computer; the computer acts; he judges and refines. The keyboard, the mouse, the touchscreen — all the hand-driven interfaces that have defined computing since the 1980s are entering their twilight. Karpathy calls it “software 3.0”. Keith, two years ago, wrote an editorial called “eyes, hands, ears, and mouth” about the inclusion of other human attributes beyond hands. That prediction has arrived. •       $700 Billion: The CapEx Explosion: A post by @Signal framed the week's numbers: $700 billion in AI infrastructure spending in 2026, equivalent to 2 percent of all US GDP. This kind of spending, the post observes, usually happens via governments or wars. This time, it's four private companies — Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta — racing to build the foundational mechanics of AGI. Meta was punished by Wall Street for overspending; Google was rewarded because its numbers were strong enough to justify it. The same bet, two different verdicts, depending on your quarterly earnings. •       Was the Internet Privately Built? The ARPANET Argument: Keith's claim: innovation waves have always been privately financed. The railways, the telephone, the electricity grid, the commercial internet. Andrew's counter: ARPANET was a massive government investment that created the protocols on which the internet runs. Keith's response: ARPANET was a university bulletin board that created the precedent, not the infrastructure. Andrew's response: that's not exactly what ARPANET was. They agree that government research matters. They disagree on how much credit it deserves for what became the commercial internet. •       The Revenge of the Idea Guy: Sam Altman's line of the week. In the past, an idea person came up with a concept and then needed expensive engineers to build it. Many ideas never saw the light of day because the engineering cost was prohibitive. Now, anyone can speak an idea into existence. AI builds the plan, executes the work, and you judge and refine. That changes the economics of creativity, advertising, software development, and anything else that used to require specialist execution. The specialist is not dead — but specialists will increasingly use AI to scale themselves, rather than being hired one at a time. •       Should Kids Use AI in Schools? A New Yorker piece asks what it would take to get AI out of schools. Keith's view: the premise misunderstands how AI works now. The fear is passive students asking chatbots for answers and having their brains atrophy. The reality is that proper AI use requires active judgment at every step — telling it what you want, refining the plan, evaluating the output. If schools understand that, they embrace AI. If they don't, they produce graduates unequipped for a world in which the idea guy with AI tools now has the power the engineering team used to have. Andrew's prediction: the kids whose parents ban AI will eventually sue them. About the Guest Keith Teare is a British-American entrepreneur, investor, and publisher of the That Was the Week newsletter — a daily curation of the most important stories at the intersection of technology, business, and culture. He is a co-founder of TechCrunch and a long-time interlocutor on Keen On America. References: •       That Was the Week newsletter by Keith Teare — this week's editorial: “Hand Job?” •       Andrej Karpathy at Sequoia Capital AI Ascent 2026 — the Karpathy interview on Software 3.0 and the end of typed input. •       @Signal, “$700 billion on AI infrastructure” — the post that framed the CapEx question. •       Jessica Winter, “What Will It Take to Get AI Out of Schools?” The New Yorker, 2026. •       Episode 2891: John Steele Gordon on how information technology knitted America together — the ARPANET backstory that feeds directly into this week's argument. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,900 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting. WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Chapters: (00:31) - Keith leads with “Hand Job?” — explaining the headline (03:27) - Karpathy at Sequoia: the end of typed and touched input (04:30) - CapEx: the real story of the week (05:35) - $700 billion — 2% of US GDP on AI infrastructure (06:38) - Was the commercial internet privately built? (07:35) - ARPANET: pathetic bulletin board or foundational infrastructure? (09:08) - Keith and Andrew agree to disagree on government's role (11:00) - Big Tech earnings: Google up, Meta down, and why (17:00) - OpenAI's strategy: the long game

“Nobody has ever made money selling America short. We're an extraordinary country.” — John Steele Gordon To honor America's semiquincentennial birthday, the Wall Street Journal has been celebrating the most impactful American inventions of all time: 1. Internet2. Light bulb3. Integrated circuit4. Personal computer5. Airplane The railroad doesn't even make the top twenty. But the business historian John Steele Gordon validates the list. Gordon's piece for the WSJ series is titled “From the Telegraph to the Smartphone: How Information Technology Unified a Nation.” His argument is that the United States was always in danger of falling apart and the telegraph saved the republic. Then radio, television, and even the now vilified internet knitted it even closer together. Otto von Bismarck quipped that God looks after three things: fools, drunks, and the United States of America. Gordon agrees with the Prussian unifier of Germany. Nobody, he notes, has ever made money selling America short. As for the now venerable republic, he thinks it's still in pretty good hands. The ever expanding national debt, however, is another matter. That certainly wouldn't get onto Gordon's top 250 most impactful American inventions. Five Takeaways •       Hanging by a Thread: The Communication Crisis at the Founding: George Washington's fear was not philosophical: it was geographic. The original United States, stretching to the Mississippi, was larger than all of Western Europe. The trans-Appalachian West couldn't get its commerce over the mountains — it had to go down the Mississippi, which was controlled by Spain. Washington said the West was hanging by a thread. Every subsequent expansion — to California in 1850, to Oregon and Washington — only deepened the crisis. The republic could not exist without communication. That is why the post office was almost constitutionally important in Washington's time, and why the telegraph and the transatlantic cable were understood as national security technology, not merely as business. •       The Atlantic Cable: Ten Days to Ten Seconds: In 1800, a transatlantic crossing took two months westbound and six weeks eastbound. By the 1850s, with steam, it was ten days either way. Cyrus Field — a paper merchant who knew nothing about cable technology — read about undersea cables and decided to lay one across the Atlantic Ocean. Gordon compares this to reading about Sputnik and deciding to go to Mars. It took six tries and ten years. William Thomson — Lord Kelvin — did the physics. The result: ten days to ten seconds. Basically simultaneous. The nineteenth century was right to call itself an age of miracles. •       The Robber Barons Were Misunderstood: As early as the 1850s, the New York Times was calling Commodore Vanderbilt a “robber baron” — after the medieval German toll barons on the Rhine who wouldn't let your boat pass without paying. Gordon's verdict: the dead can't sue, but they should. Vanderbilt built a faster, safer, cheaper transportation network than had existed before. He died the richest man in America in 1877, worth $105 million. Henry Ford did the same thing with the automobile: took a rich man's toy invented in Germany and built one the average man could afford. Gordon sees Elon Musk's reusable rocket in the same tradition. Nobody complained about their products. They complained about their wealth. •       The Internet Is the Greatest American Invention: The Wall Street Journal's ranking puts the Internet at number one, above the light bulb, the integrated circuit, and the personal computer. Gordon agrees. The Internet has changed everything in thirty years, and — he thinks — we've basically seen nothing yet. Scholars bless Google every day. Gordon spent decades going from index to index in the books behind him; today the entire intellectual world is at everyone's fingertips. The railway, which actually unified the national economy by allowing factories in Worcester, Massachusetts to ship shoes across the continent at lower prices, doesn't make the list. Gordon doesn't quarrel with that either. •       God Looks After Fools, Drunks, and the United States: Gordon's July 4th assessment: optimistic about the republic, alarmed about the national debt. The debt, he says, used to be used only for wars and great depressions. It is now used to ensure that no member of Congress ever loses an election. The budget system of the federal government is an unbelievable national disgrace. But the republic itself? Bismarck was right. Nobody has ever made money selling America short. It remains, Gordon believes, a blessed country beyond any other in the history of the world. He's not sure about the fools and the drunks. But he's pretty sure about the Americans. About the Guest John Steele Gordon is an American business and technology historian and journalist. He is the author of An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power, A Thread Across the Ocean: The Heroic Story of the Transatlantic Cable, and many other books. He writes for The Wall Street Journal and Commentary. References: •       John Steele Gordon, “From the Telegraph to the Smartphone: How Information Technology Unified a Nation,” The Wall Street Journal, 2026. •       An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power by John Steele Gordon. •       A Thread Across the Ocean: The Heroic Story of the Transatlantic Cable by John Steele Gordon. •       Episode 2874: Don Watson on From One Mad King to Another — the companion episode on American history and what has always made America America. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,900 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting. WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Chapters: (00:31) - The Wall Street Journal's most impactful US inventions: Internet at number one (01:52) - The founding fear: the US was t...

The Erie Canal — one of the biggest milestones of American history — celebrated the bicentennial of its completion this week. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, acclaimed economic historian and Banking Journal columnist John Steele Gordon and editor-in-chief Evan Sparks discuss the canal's development and construction, the involvement of the Savings Bank of New York in financing it, how it transformed New York and the Midwest, and how the canal created future demand for mass transport of goods by other means, helping fuel the republic's development as a commercial powerhouse.

FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message|America's economic power stands unrivaled in human history. With only 6% of the world's population and land area, the United States generates nearly 30% of global GDP – a concentration of productive capacity that even ancient Rome at its height couldn't match.Unlike empires of conquest, America's global influence flows from something more profound: its wealth creation engine. John Steele Gordon's masterwork "Empire of Wealth" reveals how America's free-market principles, grounded in English traditions of liberty and property rights, unleashed unprecedented prosperity. The contrast with nations like Argentina – blessed with similar natural resources but hampered by different political traditions – demonstrates how crucial these foundational principles were to America's success.The American character has always embodied what some have called "Yankee ingenuity" – a relentless drive to improve through innovation. This spirit transformed everything from farming tools to governance systems, culminating in technological revolutions that reshaped human civilization. The computer revolution stands as a perfect example, collapsing information costs just as steam engines once transformed physical energy, creating entirely new possibilities for human advancement.America's economic success story isn't just fascinating history – it's the foundation of our national power and global influence. As we celebrate our country's birthday, we should recognize that our prosperity wasn't inevitable or accidental, but the direct result of liberty-centered principles established at our founding. If you're curious about how America became an economic superpower and why its model continues to inspire the world, this exploration of our economic heritage offers invaluable insights into what makes America truly exceptional.Key Points from the Episode:• The United States produces 30% of world GDP with just 6% of global population and land area• Unlike past empires that conquered through military force, America's influence comes through economic success• John Steele Gordon's book "Empire of Wealth" presents America's economic history from colonial days to modern times• America's economic success stems from English traditions of liberty, property rights, and rule of law• The computer revolution collapsed information costs similar to how steam engines transformed physical energy• American economic principles have spread globally because people everywhere want similar prosperity• Free market capitalism forms the foundation of America's military, cultural and technological powerKeep fighting the good fight.Other resources: Lovers of Liberty--Book 5Lovers of Liberty--Book 4Lovers of Liberty--Book 3Want to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!

Chris Murray chats with John Steele Gordon, a lifelong author and commentator on New York's business and financial historySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To mark Independence Day this week, this classic replay episode of the ABA Banking Journal explores the role of banking and finance in the American Revolution and the founding era. John Steele Gordon is an acclaimed economic historian whose books include Hamilton's Blessing, The Great Game and An Empire of Wealth; he is also the ABA Banking Journal's “From the Vault” columnist. In this episode, Gordon discusses: How not having any chartered banks prior to 1782 put the United States at a disadvantage during the Revolution. Conversely, how the Bank of England was a “secret weapon” for Britain during the war. The role of patriotic financiers like Robert Morris in achieving U.S. victory. The debates over a central bank in the post-revolutionary period and how they contributed to the development of the Constitution.

This week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts Charlie Chieppo and Derrell Bradford interview John Steele Gordon, the author of 10 books on business, economic, and technology history. They discuss the keys to America's transformation into the world's foremost economic power, from its grounding in British legal, political, and financial institutions into the political economy […]

This week on The Learning Curve, guest co-hosts Charlie Chieppo and Derrell Bradford interview John Steele Gordon, the author of 10 books on business, economic, and technology history. They discuss the keys to America's transformation into the world's foremost economic power, from its grounding in British legal, political, and financial institutions into the political economy of the Founding era, with the establishment of intellectual property law and copyrights. Mr. Gordon analyzes the economic impact of the Civil War, slavery, tariff battles, and key figures from the Gilded Age, as well as how America emerged from two world wars to become a financial powerhouse. He assesses the innovation that has created global giants such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, and the U.S.'s massive national debt and economic prospects for competitiveness in the twenty-first century. Mr. Gordon concludes the interview with a reading from his book An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power.

Chapter 1 What's The Great Game"The Great Game: The Emergence of Wall Street as a World Power" is a non-fiction book written by John Steele Gordon. It explores the rise and influence of the financial district of Wall Street in New York City, focusing on its evolution from a small trading center to a global financial powerhouse. The book delves into the historical development, key individuals, and significant events that shaped Wall Street's ascent, as well as its impact on the American economy and international finance.Chapter 2 Why is The Great Game Worth ReadThere are several reasons why "The Great Game" by John Steele Gordon is worth reading:1. Comprehensive and well-researched: Gordon provides a detailed account of the history and development of Wall Street, highlighting its pivotal role in shaping the American economy. The book covers a wide range of topics, from the rise of investment banking to the impact of major market crashes, making it an excellent resource for anyone interested in understanding the evolution of finance in the United States.2. Engaging storytelling: The author presents historical events with vivid descriptions and engaging narratives, making the book an enjoyable read even for those who may not have a background in finance or economics. Gordon's writing style keeps readers captivated throughout the book, making complex financial concepts accessible and interesting.3. Insights into the inner workings of Wall Street: "The Great Game" offers valuable insights into the intricacies of Wall Street, including the mechanisms that drive stock markets, the psychology of investors, and the power dynamics between individual traders and large financial institutions. This exploration of the inner workings of Wall Street provides readers with a deeper understanding of how financial markets operate.4. Lessons from past events: By examining historical events such as major market crashes and economic downturns, Gordon draws important lessons that are relevant to understanding the present and predicting the future of financial markets. Readers can gain valuable insights into the potential risks and challenges that may arise in the world of finance.5. Linking financial history to broader historical context: Gordon skillfully connects the development of Wall Street to broader historical events, such as wars, economic policies, and societal changes. This approach provides a more comprehensive understanding of the influence of Wall Street on American society and its interaction with various historical forces.Overall, "The Great Game" offers a well-rounded and informative perspective on the history of Wall Street, making it a worthwhile read for anyone interested in finance, economics, or history.Chapter 3 The Great Game Summary"The Great Game" by John Steele Gordon is a non-fiction book that examines the rise and fall of American Wall Street and its impact on the global economy.The book explores the history of Wall Street, tracing its origins back to its early days as a set of rules and customs governing the financial transactions and activities of traders and speculators. Gordon provides a comprehensive look at the transformation of Wall Street from a small marketplace into a global financial powerhouse, focusing on key events and individuals that drove its growth.Gordon discusses the role of Wall Street in financing major infrastructure projects, such as the construction of railroads and the expansion of industry. He also delves into the impact of various economic crises on the stock market and the broader economy, such as the Panic of 1907 and the Great Depression.Throughout the book, Gordon analyzes the various factors that have...

On this episode of Our American Stories, historian John Steele Gordon tells the story of how the telegraph went from Samuel Morse to winning WWI and how one man spearheaded the effort to connect America to Great Britain and, in doing so, the rest of the world. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, historian John Steele Gordon tells the story of how the telegraph went from Samuel Morse to winning WWI and how one man spearheaded the effort to connect America to Great Britain and, in doing so, the rest of the world. Former CEO of 7-Eleven, Jim Keyes, tells the story of how their company has led countless immigrants to the American Dream. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)   Time Codes: 00:00 - The Transatlantic Cable: How ONE Underwater Wire Changed the World 35:00 - How 7-Eleven Has Helped People Pursue Their American DreamSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, historian John Steele Gordon tells the story of how the telegraph went from Samuel Morse to winning WWI and how one man spearheaded the effort to connect America to Great Britain and, in doing so, the rest of the world. Former CEO of 7-Eleven, Jim Keyes, tells the story of how their company has led countless immigrants to the American Dream. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)   Time Codes:  00:00 - The Transatlantic Cable: The Thread that Connected the World 37:00 - 7-Eleven's Commitment to the American Dream See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TOPICS: Liberty & Empire & National Interest, progressives' problems with nuclear power, why we listen to & study music, and the importance of radioHost Scot Bertram talks with Khalil Habib, Associate Professor of Politics at Hillsdale, about a recent lecture regarding liberty, empire, and national interest. John Steele Gordon, business and finance historian, tells us about the problems progressives have with nuclear power. Derek Stauff, Assistant Professor of Music at Hillsdale, discusses why we listen to and study music. And Vince Benedetto, president and CEO of Bold Gold Media, discusses the importance of radio and why he became involved with Hillsdale College.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TOPICS: Liberty & Empire & National Interest, progressives' problems with nuclear power, why we listen to & study music, and the importance of radio Host Scot Bertram talks with Khalil Habib, Associate Professor of Politics at Hillsdale, about a recent lecture regarding liberty, empire, and national interest. John Steele Gordon, business and finance historian, tells us about the problems progressives have with nuclear power. Derek Stauff, Assistant Professor of Music at Hillsdale, discusses why we listen to and study music. And Vince Benedetto, president and CEO of Bold Gold Media, discusses the importance of radio and why he became involved with Hillsdale College.

Liberty & Empire & National Interest, progressives’ problems with nuclear power, why we listen to & study music, and the importance of radio Host Scot Bertram talks with Khalil Habib, Associate Professor of Politics at Hillsdale, about a recent lecture regarding liberty, empire, and national interest. John Steele Gordon, business and finance historian, tells us […]

A report from ProPublica last week showed many of the 25 wealthiest Americans don't pay income taxes, which upset a whole lot of people. But business writer John Steele Gordon argues in a new piece in Commentary magazine that we're not looking at this right--and billionaires do pay taxes.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TOPICS: The social justice endgame, Walt Whitman, & socialism in American history.Host Scot Bertram talks with David Azerrad, assistant professor and research fellow at Hillsdale in D.C., about his recent essay on the social justice endgame. Kelly Scott Franklin, from Hillsdale's English department, introduces us to Walt Whitman. And we hear excerpts from a recent lecture on Hillsdale's campus by John Steele Gordon regarding socialism in American history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TOPICS: The social justice endgame, Walt Whitman, & socialism in American history. Host Scot Bertram talks with David Azerrad, assistant professor and research fellow at Hillsdale in D.C., about his recent essay on the social justice endgame. Kelly Scott Franklin, from Hillsdale's English department, introduces us to Walt Whitman. And we hear excerpts from a recent lecture on Hillsdale's campus by John Steele Gordon regarding socialism in American history.

Robert Hulse dives below the River Thames in London to reveal how a tunnel built in the Victorian Era became birthplace of the London Underground. John Steele Gordon on how the quest to connect the world led to laying a cable across the entire Atlantic ocean. Lizzie Collingham of Cambridge University explains why Americans rationed during WWII, even though there was plenty to eat. David Taylor tells the story of how cork helped change the tide of WWII.

Topics: Roman models for our Founders, nuclear power, Shakespeare's KING LEAR, & a new Hillsdale online course of the book of Genesis.Scot Bertram is joined by Hillsdale professor of ancient history, Ken Calvert, to discuss Roman models of government that to which our Founders looked. John Steele Gordon tries to answer why the left refuses to embrace nuclear power. Hillsdale English professor Ben Whalen on Shakespeare's KING LEAR. And Hillsdale's Justin Jackson is you teacher for a new online course, "The Genesis Story: Reading Biblical Narratives."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Topics: Roman models for our Founders, nuclear power, Shakespeare's KING LEAR, & a new Hillsdale online course of the book of Genesis. Scot Bertram is joined by Hillsdale professor of ancient history, Ken Calvert, to discuss Roman models of government that to which our Founders looked. John Steele Gordon tries to answer why the left refuses to embrace nuclear power. Hillsdale English professor Ben Whalen on Shakespeare's KING LEAR. And Hillsdale's Justin Jackson is you teacher for a new online course, "The Genesis Story: Reading Biblical Narratives."

In 1871, while the Great Chicago Fire was riveting the nation's attention, a blaze six times as deadly was ravaging a desperate town in northeastern Wisconsin. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll tell the story of the Peshtigo fire, the deadliest wildfire in American history. We'll also watch an automated western and puzzle over some discounted food. Intro: Harry Mathews composed a poem in which every syllable is doubled. In 1766, French draughtsman Charles-Louis Clérisseau painted a Roman room to resemble a ruin. Sources for our feature on the Peshtigo fire: Denise Gess and William Lutz, Firestorm at Peshtigo, 2002. Peter Pernin, "The Great Peshtigo Fire: An Eyewitness Account," Wisconsin Magazine of History 54:4 (Summer 1971), 246-272. United States Department of Agriculture, Report on Forestry, Volume 3, 1882. William F. Steuber Jr., "The Problem at Peshtigo," Wisconsin Magazine of History 42:1 (Autumn 1958), 13-15. Hutch Brown, "'The Air Was Fire': Fire Behavior at Peshtigo in 1871," Fire Management Today 64:4 (Fall 2004), 20-30. Sara E. Caton, et al., "Review of Pathways for Building Fire Spread in the Wildland Urban Interface Part I: Exposure Conditions," Fire Technology 53:2 (2017), 429-473. Jack Cohen, "The Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Problem," Forest History Today 11 (2008), 20-26. Lisa A. Schulte and David J. Mladenoff, "Severe Wind and Fire Regimes in Northern Forests: Historical Variability at the Regional Scale," Ecology 86:2 (2005), 431-445. Robert N. Meroney, "Fire Whirls and Building Aerodynamics," Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Wind Engineering, 2003. Stewart Holbrook, "The Peshtigo Fire," American Scholar 13:2 (Spring 1944), 201-209. Michael E. Telzrow, "The Peshtigo Fire," New American 22:5 (March 6, 2006), 33-38. John Steele Gordon, "Forgotten Fury," American Heritage 54:2 (April/May 2003), 35. Tom Skilling, "Was Peshtigo Fire Worse Than the Great Chicago Fire?" Chicago Tribune, Oct. 7, 2018. Chelsey Lewis, "Remembering America's Deadliest Forest Fire," Wausau [Wis.] Daily Herald, July 22, 2018, C.3. Michael S. Rosenwald, "'The Night America Burned': The Deadliest — and Most Overlooked — Fire in U.S. History," Washington Post, Dec. 6, 2017. Warren Gerds, "Tin Can May Date Back to Peshtigo Fire Relief," Green Bay (Wis.) Press Gazette, Dec. 10, 2011, C.1. Jay Jones, "The 140-Year-Old Mystery of the 'Forgotten Fire,'" Los Angeles Times, Oct. 9, 2011, L.3. Everett Rosenfeld, "Top 10 Devastating Wildfires," Time, June 8, 2011. Cynthia Crossen, "Deja Vu: In 1871, Chicago Blaze Made News, But More Died in Wisconsin Fire," Wall Street Journal, Aug. 4, 2004, A.5. Warren Gerds, "Hallowed Reminders," Green Bay [Wis.] Press Gazette, July 24, 2004, E.3. Greg Tasker, "Worst Fire Largely Unknown," Baltimore Sun, Oct. 10, 2003. Dennis McCann, "History Seared Into Peshtigo's Memory," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 20, 2003, 1H. James Zabawski, "Peshtigo Fire Tale Stirs Sympathy," Madison [Wis.] Capital Times, Aug. 9, 2002, 13A. Susan Lampert Smith, "Peshtigo Fire Images Burn Hot in Memory," Wisconsin State Journal, Sept. 10, 2000, 1C. Dennis McCann, "'Menacing Crimson' Blaze Raged Through Peshtigo," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Oct. 8, 1998, 2. Jerry Resler, "Where the World Ended Peshtigo Marks 125th Anniversary of Fire That Killed 1,200," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 15, 1996, 1. Bill Stokes, "Life and Death in the Forest 122 Years Later, Peshtigo Still Bears the Scar," Chicago Tribune, Oct. 3, 1993, 1. Casey Bukro, "Fire Alarm Recalls Night of Horror 121 Years Ago," Chicago Tribune, June 23, 1992, 7. "Continent's Worst Blaze Always Overshadowed," Washington Post, Oct. 9, 1988, A12. Jay Clarke, "On the Night Chicago Burned, a Storm of Fire Consumed Peshtigo, Wis.," Chicago Tribune, Nov. 17, 1985, 25. "The Great Peshtigo Fire," Newsweek, Oct. 15, 1979, 32. Peter J. Burns, "The Peshtigo Fire," Saturday Evening Post 243:3 (Winter 1971), 88-113. "Town to Correct Error in History," St. Petersburg [Fla.] Times, Jan. 9, 1954. "The Wisconsin Fires," New York Times, Nov. 13, 1871. "Wisconsin Fires," The Carroll [City, Iowa] Herald, Oct. 25, 1871. "A Cyclone of Fire," New-Orleans Commercial Bulletin, Oct. 18, 1871. "The Peshtigo Fire," National Weather Service. Peshtigo Fire Museum. Listener mail: MIT Centennial Film, "The Thinking Machine," 1960. John E. Pfeiffer, The Thinking Machine, 1962. This week's lateral thinking puzzle was contributed by listener Michael Grigoriev, who sent this corroborating link (warning -- this spoils the puzzle). You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on Google Podcasts, on Apple Podcasts, or via the RSS feed at https://futilitycloset.libsyn.com/rss. Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- you can choose the amount you want to pledge, and we've set up some rewards to help thank you for your support. You can also make a one-time donation on the Support Us page of the Futility Closet website. Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode. If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!

Did you know there was no health insurance until 1930 and that 90 percent of today's medical care did not even exist in 1950? Yet, health insurance has not evolved to match the innovation or the demand. On this week's edition of “The Bill Walton Show,” economic author John Steele Gordon and I discuss how our antiquated health insurance system has utterly failed to keep pace with modern medicine, how our healthcare system became such a tangled, costly mess and where we can find simple, free market solutions.

“More than 90 percent of the medicine being practiced today did not exist in 1950.” John Steele Gordon in A Short History of American Medical Insurance

The following is an adaptation from John Steele Gordon giving a talk July 25, 2018 during a Hillsdale College educational cruise to Hawaii.John Steele Gordon was educated at Millbrook School and Vanderbilt University. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, including Forbes, National Review, Commentary, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He is a contributing editor at American Heritage, where he wrote the “Business of America” column for many years, and currently writes “The Long View” column for Barron's. He is the author of several books, including Hamilton's Blessing: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Our National Debt, The Great Game: The Emergence of Wall Street as a World Power, and An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power.Gordon's analysis of our health insurance industry is fascinating and informative. It's a scenario of lobbying run amuck to the point that it's totally dysfunctional today. An inset quote from the piece gives this summary result of our current health insurance mess: "If patients are indifferent to the costs of medical services they buy, they are much more likely to buy more of them and the cost of each service is likely to go up. There is no price competition to keep prices in check.”The original hospital insurance also contained the seeds of two other major economic dislocations, unnoticed in the beginning, that have come to loom large. The first dislocation is that while people purchased hospital plans to be protected against unpredictable medical expenses, the plans only paid off if the medical expenses were incurred in a hospital. As a result, cases that could be treated on an outpatient basis instead became much more likely to be treated in the hospital—the most expensive form of medical care.The second dislocation was that hospital insurance did not provide indemnity coverage, which is when the insurance company pays for a loss and the customer decides how best to deal with it. Rather than indemnification, the insurance company provided service benefits. In other words, it paid the bill for services covered by the policy, whatever the bill was. As a result, there was little incentive for the consumer of medical services to shop around. With someone else paying, patients quickly became relatively indifferent to the cost of medical care.We need to ensure that the consumers of medical care—you and me—care about the cost of medical care. Getting patients to shop for lower-cost services is vital.

The following is an adaptation from John Steele Gordon giving a talk July 25, 2018 during a Hillsdale College educational cruise to Hawaii.John Steele Gordon was educated at Millbrook School and Vanderbilt University. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, including Forbes, National Review, Commentary, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He is a contributing editor at American Heritage, where he wrote the “Business of America” column for many years, and currently writes “The Long View” column for Barron's. He is the author of several books, including Hamilton's Blessing: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Our National Debt, The Great Game: The Emergence of Wall Street as a World Power, and An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power.Gordon's analysis of our health insurance industry is fascinating and informative. It's a scenario of lobbying run amuck to the point that it's totally dysfunctional today. An inset quote from the piece gives this summary result of our current health insurance mess: "If patients are indifferent to the costs of medical services they buy, they are much more likely to buy more of them and the cost of each service is likely to go up. There is no price competition to keep prices in check.”The original hospital insurance also contained the seeds of two other major economic dislocations, unnoticed in the beginning, that have come to loom large. The first dislocation is that while people purchased hospital plans to be protected against unpredictable medical expenses, the plans only paid off if the medical expenses were incurred in a hospital. As a result, cases that could be treated on an outpatient basis instead became much more likely to be treated in the hospital—the most expensive form of medical care.The second dislocation was that hospital insurance did not provide indemnity coverage, which is when the insurance company pays for a loss and the customer decides how best to deal with it. Rather than indemnification, the insurance company provided service benefits. In other words, it paid the bill for services covered by the policy, whatever the bill was. As a result, there was little incentive for the consumer of medical services to shop around. With someone else paying, patients quickly became relatively indifferent to the cost of medical care.We need to ensure that the consumers of medical care—you and me—care about the cost of medical care. Getting patients to shop for lower-cost services is vital.

Mr. John Steele Gordon is an independent author and historian who specializes in business and financial history. He has written numerous books on America's financial history, including "The Scarlet Woman of Wall Street: A History of Wall Street in the 1860s" and "Hamilton's Blessing: The Extraordinary Life and Times of our National Debt." In this episode he discusses his latest work "Washington's Monument: And the Fascinating History of the Obelisk." Mr. Gordon spoke at a Ford Evening Book Talk at Mount Vernon on March 1, 2017.

Mr. John Steele Gordon is an independent author and historian who specializes in business and financial history. He has written numerous books on America's financial history, including "The Scarlet Woman of Wall Street: A History of Wall Street in the 1860s" and "Hamilton's Blessing: The Extraordinary Life and Times of our National Debt." In this episode he discusses his latest work "Washington's Monument: And the Fascinating History of the Obelisk." Mr. Gordon spoke at a Ford Evening Book Talk at Mount Vernon on March 1, 2017. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mountvernon/message

The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX, a curated network of extraordinary, story-driven shows. Music We hear three pieces of Matthew Robert Cooper's score to Some Days Are Better Than Others: Expectation, Drifting, and Katrina Outtake. Notes If you want the story of the construction of the actual Washington Monument, you could check out John Steele Gordon's book.

. The post American Colossus & Private Alternatives with John Steele Gordon & Edward Stringham appeared first on RealClear Radio Hour.

(Bloomberg) -- It's that time of the year again, when Washington erupts in heated debate over the decision to raise the U.S. debt ceiling. How worried should you really be? Hosts Tori, Dan and Aki discuss with debt historian John Steele Gordon, who also channels his inner Alexander Hamilton to offer advice to contemporary lawmakers.

Getting Down to Business® with David Weatherholt broadcast Saturday’s 8-10 am (AKDT) Fox News Talk KOAN 95.5 FM & AM 1020 – Stream: www.foxnewskoan.com.  IN THE NEWSFirst HourPayroll Audits Put Small Employers on EdgeTax Crackdown Comes as Use of Contract Workers Grows; Companies Find Rules UnclearIf your business uses contractors listen to Dave as he talks about the two words that strike fear in the hearts of any business owner “IRS Audit”.   Let us know what you think, email us @ David@GDTB.Biz Second HourHow Obamacare Impacts the Self-Employed and Small BusinessWednesday, March 27 at 12 PM ET.  Presented by: Kevin Kuhlman, Manager of Legislative Affairs.This webinar is FREE to members and non-members.  Let us know what you think, email us @ David@GDTB.Biz DAVE’S THOUGHTSDo you know why the U.S. is such an Economic Powerhouse?  The “old Roman Empire at its height of power was only remotely comparable.  Its power came from its military power”.  Listen as Dave begins telling this fascinating story based on the book An Empire of Wealth by John Steele Gordon.  Have questions or comments let Dave know what you think, email him @ David@GDTB.Biz. PROGRAM TOPICSamuel Callen AmeriCorps Vista volunteer and manager of AKSourceLink at UAA tells us about this valuable small business resource.  With 145 resources linked to their site they went form 5,000 hits per year to over 10,000 month.  Listen as Samuel takes us though some of their links and how they expanded their reach.  Find out more by visiting AKSourceLink.com. TECH TALKRussell Ball our IT expert is always on his game despite a demanding schedule.  His focus is training and the value that training plays in the use of technology.  Visit their website for more information ACB Solutions.