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We are now recording an audio version of written posts that we will upload to Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, which you can listen to by clicking the play button above.We conclude our month long series on Strait of Hormuz (SoH) Crisis takeaways with a look at what this conflict means for the related topics of sustainability, climate, and the environment.Three key messages this week:* Many proponents and opponents of “Net Zero” are drawing the wrong conclusions about what this war means for different energy sources and technologies. Energy's natural hierarchy of needs applied at the country level mean the optimal mix of various energy sources and technologies will vary for any given country—a reality the crisis reinforces.* The topic of Sustainability needs to be right-sized and recognized for where it fits into corporate level strategies. Companies exist to generate growth and profitability for investors. Certain sustainability objectives are core to being successful over the long run. Sustainability is not a strategy in and of itself.* We shall offer free advice on what hyperscalers can learn from the oil & gas industry.We are going to do our best to not rehash our now well-known pushbacks on the excesses of the 2020-23 “Net Zero” era. The madness of that period we don't think ever returns, no matter who wins the US presidency in 2028. But we do get the question—and we are appreciative of those of you that ask—how does sustainability, climate, and the environment factor into our outlook for the energy sector, public policy, and corporate strategy and how does the SoH Crisis change or impact the views we have been articulating?We will start with a grounding on how we think about environmental and climate considerations. Our title gives it away: increasing global prosperity is our centering point, both for countries and companies. In terms of our concern level around the need to address climate change, we would characterize our specific climate opinions as broadly consistent with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and former University of Colorado professor and Substack author (here) Roger Pielke Jr.At the country level, energy's natural hierarchy of needs that we frequently discuss is observably all any country cares about at all times (Exhibit 1). Abundant and reliable energy is a 24/7/365 pre-requisite. It needs to be affordable the vast bulk of the time. Country leaders care about geopolitical security in order to protect reliability and affordability. Clean air and clean water are 100% correlated with societal wealth. Addressing carbon emissions goes hand-in-hand with a maximum prosperity scenario where billion person-scale economies like China and India are highly motivated to crack the code on new energy technologies that are de facto lower in carbon intensity. Pretending that society and companies can be forced onto prescriptive “Paris-aligned Net Zero by 2050 pathways” was the fatal flaw of the 2020-2023 era.For companies, the only goal is to generate competitive returns and growth for shareholders. Sustainability exists at the level of community engagement, license to operate, and as a possible alternative to government regulation. It is a component of running a company similar to many other functions; it is not a strategy in its own right (e.g., pressuring oil & gas companies to transition business models in the name of addressing climate change never made sense).With that grounding, we are going to use a Q&A styled format to address how we think the related topics of sustainability, climate, and the environment will be impacted by the Strait of Hormuz Crisis.Exhibit 1: Energy's natural hierarch of needsSource: Veriten.Subscribe to Super-Spiked to receive all content via email. Also available on https://veriten.com.Q1: Does the SoH Crisis mean that the core tenet of Net Zero by 2050—which was to switch out of crude oil, natural gas, and coal into renewables, EVs, and other new tech—was correct after all?No. It does not. Our issue with Net Zero by 2050, or any other year for that matter, is that it incorrectly treats carbon emissions as the organizing principle for economic activity. It is not nor will it ever be, irrespective of how much (or little) concern any specific leader or group of citizens has about climate. There is nothing about the Strait of Hormuz Crisis that suddenly makes Net Zero pathways more relevant.Q2: So the opponents to Net Zero are correct that renewables and other new technologies are a boondoggle that plays on climate alarmism?No. It does not mean that either. The focus on non-oil, natural gas, and coal technologies will be driven by the massive unmet energy needs of the other 7 billion people on Earth that seek their own version of the prosperous lifestyles The Lucky 1 Billion of us take for granted. A specific view on climate is largely irrelevant to technology development. Reliability, affordability, and geopolitical security are the motivations to figure out new technologies. We are seeing this in real time in places like China and other Asian countries.Q3: Are there examples of countries that are adjusting away from a prior emphasis on Net Zero pathways as a result of geopolitical turmoil?We are optimistic about Norway and Canada, as two countries that are showing signs of appropriate course corrections. In the case of Norway, as a small, wealthy country, de facto mandating 100% EVs in order to not burn gasoline for consumer transportation is a choice they are free to make. More importantly, Norway is remembering that increasing oil and natural gas supply from the Norwegian North Sea is critically important to the geopolitical security and economic health of Norway, Europe, and its allies. Norway is also the home to a vibrant community of new technology companies. More oil, more natural gas, and investing in new technologies—yes!Canada's post Trudeau pivot away from Net Zero zealotry seems as much of a reaction to unfavorable rhetoric toward the country from President Trump than necessarily a recognition of how little sense it made for Canada to pursue energy policies that sought to limit the development of its massive oil sands and natural gas resources. Still, we will accept the directional improvement under PM Carney, irrespective of the apparent motivations.Long-time Super-Spiked subscribers know how critically important we believe energy and power integration between the United States and Canada is, making the recent political schism deeply unfortunate, even as it has seemingly improved energy policy decision making in Canada. The United States is economically and geopolitically stronger thanks to our close energy integration with Canada. The same is true for Canada. We credit our friend, former colleague, and current Deputy Secretary of Commerce Paul Dabbar for the idea that US + Canada + Norway would make for an outstanding trans-Atlantic alliance of energy and technology super powers (here).Q4: What else does geopolitical turmoil reveal about where the Net Zero mindset went wrong?The practical application of Net Zero by 2050 policies in many rich-world countries, states, and provinces has been to restrict domestic oil, natural gas, and coal production, mandate the use of new technologies, all while losing competitiveness in manufacturing and business more broadly. Restricting domestic energy supply, making energy prices uncompetitive, and offshoring industrial manufacturing should not be the objective of any country, state, or province. It is without question bad for geopolitical security, bad for domestic economic growth, and bad for the environment.Rather, we recommend a play on the George Castanza (Seinfeld) line (here): Show me an energy policy strategy that does the opposite. The litmus test is which country's energy and environmental policies come with competitive energy prices and business and manufacturing growth?The United Kingdom versus China is case in point. U.K. leaders have spoken glowingly about eliminating coal from their power sector and all but ending viability of the U.K. North Sea for oil and gas exploration. Yet, the country also faces the outsourcing and offshoring of its refining, petrochemical, and broader industrial base. To be clear, the U.K.'s policy challenges are not limited solely to its energy and climate policies, but those are foundational and almost certainly a meaningful contributing factor.We contrast the U.K. with China which has dramatically increased coal-fired power generation, renewables, nuclear, natural gas, and grown its domestic oil supply while building a massive strategic petroleum reserve. China is now manufacturer to the world with improving living standards for its citizens. The U.K. being on-track, or not, for domestic Net Zero is completely irrelevant to global emissions and, if anything, has been net negative for the climate given China's higher emissions profile. It has certainly been a negative for the economic competitiveness of the U.K.Q5: What are the takeaways from the Strait of Hormuz Crisis for corporate sustainability objectives?Our biggest takeaway is that sustainability is a component of running a successful company, but not a defining objective. It has generally been overstated in importance, especially by a segment of the finance world in Europe and the United States that has pushed for these objectives to gain in prominence. Companies don't exist for “sustainability.” It never made any sense to pressure oil & gas companies, as an example, to aggressively transition to low-carbon technologies in the name of Net Zero and sustainability. Companies exist to generate competitive profitability and growth for investors. Full stop.In order to generate long-term profitability and growth, various sustainability objectives (industry and company specific) for sure need to be met. Employee health and safety is at the top of the list along with ensuring the surrounding community to a given asset is also not harmed. Community engagement is core to any company's license to operate, especially when new growth plans are being pursued. The ultimate list is longer than what is mentioned here, but the point is that this area broadly does not separately merit high profile attention any more than do other critical corporate functions like human resources, legal, cybersecurity, treasury, and so forth. They all contribute to running a successful company.Q6: What are some contemporary examples of “sustainability” objectives you believe need to be addressed?Examples of current sustainability issues that we believe should be proactively addressed (not intended to be an exhaustive list):* Water disposal in the Permian Basin and water usage by AI datacenters are hot button issues that communities understandably want answers to.* We have long supported and continue to support near zero methane flaring/venting objectives for the oil & gas industry. This is a topic we have been pleasantly surprised to see the environmental community focus on globally rather than more narrowly just in the United States, Canada, or Europe, as is often the case with activists. We were also pleased to see the progress US companies have made in recent years per the World Bank (Exhibit 1).Exhibit 2: US producers have reduced flaring intensitySource: World Bank* We believe oil & gas, power sector, and hyperscaler/data center companies all have room for improvement in proactively engaging with the public on their industries, how they contribute to jobs, taxes, and economic development. It is the rare executive that is capable of speaking in normal, human, non-corporate speak language.In contrast, we do not believe a company's carbon emissions profile is relevant to its “license to operate” in a given community—a point often pushed by those advocating most loudly for Net Zero policies. No normal human being anywhere spends any time thinking about this. Putting activists aside, no regular person is protesting an oilfield or data center due to its carbon emissions intensity. Water impacts? Yes. Noise? Yes. Particulate pollution? Yes. Traffic? Yes. Carbon emissions? Give me a break.Q7: What should companies do with previously articulated Net Zero objectives?Pragmatically speaking, we recognize the significant pressure companies around the world were under during 2020-2023 to articulate company-specific “Net Zero by 2050” objectives. That said, very few if any could possibly have met those goals, since the wider world has never been even remotely on track for Net Zero be it by 2050 or any other year. The Strait of Hormuz Crisis and general geopolitical turmoil is helping more politicians and policy makers recognize that healthy energy policy starts and stops with reliability and affordability. In the interest of being transparent and sincere, companies should be truthful about whether sticking with prior Net Zero aspirations is something they actually think is (1) in the best interest of their companies and (2) is possible on any time horizon that can be modeled today.Q8: What can hyperscalers learn from the oil & gas industry?Key lessons:* You will never appease climate activists. Focus on optimizing for growth and profitability.* Your prior Net Zero objectives never had a chance of being achieved, especially if including so-called scope 3 emissions. Net Zero does not make sense at the individual company level.* Economic development, of which the technology sector today is a huge driver, is 100% correlated with clean air and clean water. Richer societies are better equipped than poorer regions to adapt to a broad range of environmental and climate issues. Americans and the wider world is overall better off that our leading technology companies exist in a similar way that we are fortunate to have healthy, vibrant, and profitable energy and power companies.* Speak sincerely and directly to the general public and the communities where you are investing about the actual impacts of your projects. You can't outsource this function. It starts with the CEO and then filters down. Skip the corporate speak and language of appeasement.* Vocally push back on policies that weaken domestic energy development opportunities in any region in which you are investing.⚡️On A Personal Note: Gone Shootin'The last time I shot a gun was in the 4th grade in what was then called Indian Guides. That almost certainly is not the name today; I think in New Jersey it is now called “Adventure Guides” which frankly is kind of lame. I believe we appropriately remembered and honored Native Americans under the original name, but society apparently disagrees with that perspective. Credit to my wife's brother's wife, who hails from the Golden State of all places, for the brilliant idea to go clay pigeon shooting during our vacation last week to The Cotswolds, about 2 hours west of London.Boy was that fun!!! We had a great instructor, Patrick I think was his name—not a fan of London or Londoners apparently; a country guy that was local to the area. There were six in our group. My brother-in-law, his wife and son, and my two daughters. All first timers. All of us successfully hit those crazy clay pigeons popping up in the field. Great job Patrick! Great job in-laws and daughters!I definitely need to practice. I had some beginners luck on the initial six shells, I want to say with five successful strikes on the ones going straight up in the air. But the ones that were flying away from us gave me more trouble and I was consistently low-left and a bit early. It was oddly tiring. A shot gun is definitely heavier than a golf club. As a second hobby, it's a keeper. Seems safter than pickleball as a golf complement.⚖️ DisclaimerI certify that these are my personal, strongly held views at the time of this post. My views are my own and not attributable to any affiliation, past or present. This is not an investment newsletter and there is no financial advice explicitly or implicitly provided here. My views can and will change in the future as warranted by updated analyses and developments. Some of my comments are made in jest for entertainment purposes; I sincerely mean no offense to anyone that takes issue. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arjunmurti.substack.com

In this monthly episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, Jonathan Thomas returns with his August edition of What's On in London — and this one comes with a personal twist, because Jonathan will be in London himself later in the month. August is London's most contradictory month: the busiest tourist season of the year, a million-plus visitors, packed attractions and carnival streets — and yet simultaneously the month when Londoners themselves flee to Cornwall and France, leaving whole districts strangely quiet. Jonathan covers it all: the Notting Hill Carnival (August 30–31, its 60th anniversary this year, Europe's largest street festival, free entry); the major royal and historic building openings including Buckingham Palace State Rooms, Houses of Parliament summer tours, and the freshly restored Banqueting House reopening August 1st; London's brand new museum, Trent Park House of Secrets — just opened July 21st, telling the extraordinary wartime spy story that was kept under the Official Secrets Act for over 50 years; new West End openings including Jane Eyre the Musical and Kimberly Akimbo; the blockbuster exhibitions still running and closing this month; live music at Victoria Park and Wembley; family-friendly highlights; the VAT tourist discount reducing admission prices across major attractions this summer; and Jonathan's own personal list of what he's booked and planning to see — including the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace's East Wing tour, the Wallace Collection's Churchill as Painter exhibition, and Trent Park. Links The Big One — Notting Hill Carnival (August 29-31, 60th Anniversary) Notting Hill Carnival — Official Website Notting Hill Carnival 2026 Schedule & Info (Sat Aug 29 Steel Band Competition; Sun Aug 30 Children's Day; Mon Aug 31 Main Parade) Royal & Historic Building Openings Buckingham Palace State Rooms — Book Tickets (Open July 9 – September 27, 2026; daily 9:30–19:30 through August 31) Buckingham Palace East Wing Highlights Tour — Book Separately Houses of Parliament Summer Tours — Book Tickets (Reduced prices throughout summer recess; Westminster Hall, House of Commons, House of Lords) Banqueting House — Tickets & Info (Fully reopened August 1 after major restoration; open Thu–Mon 10:00–16:00; Adults £10, under 16s free) London's Newest Museum Trent Park House of Secrets — Book Tickets (Open since July 21; Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00; Adults £14/~$20; Oakwood tube station, Piccadilly Line) Ceremony of the Keys Ceremony of the Keys — Tower of London — Book Tickets (Next ticket release: August 3, 2026 at 13:00; suggested price £30, pay from £10; sells out immediately — set a reminder) Festivals & Outdoor Events Greenwich + Docklands International Festival — Free (August 21 – September 6, 2026; outdoor theatre, circus and dance across Greenwich, Woolwich and Docklands) Greenwich Fair — Free (August 22–23, Greenwich Park — no ticket required) 120 Years of the Piccadilly Line with Tim Dunn — London Transport Museum (August 22) All Points East — Victoria Park, East London (Two weekends; headliners include Lorde, Tyler the Creator, Twenty One Pilots) BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall (Running all month, ends September 12; day tickets available on the door) New West End Theater Openings Jane Eyre the Musical — UK Premiere (from August 28, Southwark Playhouse) Kimberly Akimbo (from August 28, Hampstead Theatre) The Mischievous Team — New spy farce (from August 1) West End Tickets via Londontopia TKTS Half-Price Tickets, Leicester Square Exhibitions — Running & Closing in August Frida Kahlo — Tate Modern (runs to 2027) (Plenty of time — but book ahead) Winston Churchill the Painter — Wallace Collection (until November 29) Richard Dadd — Royal Academy (running) Anish Kapoor — Hayward Gallery (until October) Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art — V&A (until November) Marilyn Monroe — National Portrait Gallery (closing September) (Last chance — closing soon) Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep — Natural History Museum (Great for families) Star Trek at 60 Trail — Science Museum (closing September) (Free) Young Artist Summer Show — Royal Academy (until August 30, Free) Exhibitions Closing in August — See These Now Holy Pop at Somerset House — closes August 9 Patrick Caulfield — Royal Academy — closes August 16 Titanic Exhibition — Olympia — closes August 16 Fairy Tales — British Library — closes August 23 Zurbarán — National Gallery — closes August 23 Hervien Anderson — Tate Britain — closes August 23 David Hockney: A Year in Normandy — Royal Academy — closes August 23 Tracey Emin: A Second Life — Tate Modern — closes August 31 Family Activities Paddington Bear Summer Special — Immersive Experience The Big Dig: Archaeology Adventure (until August 21) Boleyn is Back — Tudor Living History, Tower of London (until August 14) Live Music All Points East — Victoria Park The Weeknd — Wembley Stadium (August 14–19) Practical Resources Met Office App — London Weather Forecast Londontopia London Events Calendar TfL Elizabeth Line — Air-Conditioned Travel Across London Anglotopia Wallace Collection Churchill Episode — Listen Now (Our earlier episode with Dr. Lucy Davis) Friends of Anglotopia Club Takeaways August 2026 is the 60th anniversary of the Notting Hill Carnival — Europe's largest street festival, free to attend, taking over Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove on August 30–31. The Saturday Steel Band Competition (August 29) requires a ticket; Sunday Children's Day and Monday main parade are free. Arrive early, follow your nose to the food stalls, and keep your wits about you in the crowds. Trent Park House of Secrets — London's brand new museum, opened July 21st — tells the extraordinary story of the WWII intelligence operation where 59 captured German generals were housed in apparent luxury, never knowing the entire house was bugged. Often called "the other Bletchley Park." Tickets are £14 (~$20), open Tuesday–Sunday, and it's on the Piccadilly Line at Oakwood station. Jonathan is going. Buckingham Palace State Rooms are open daily through August 31, 9:30am to 7:30pm — the longest opening hours of the season. Jonathan has booked both the State Rooms tour and the newly opened East Wing tour. If you haven't booked yet, check for remaining availability immediately; the best slots are gone but cancellations do appear. Banqueting House on Whitehall — Inigo Jones's 1622 masterpiece with its Rubens ceiling, the building outside which Charles I was executed — reopens fully on August 1st after a major restoration. Adults £10, under 16s free, open Thursday–Monday. New lift for step-free access. One of London's most underrated experiences. The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London — the world's oldest unbroken military ceremony, performed every night for at least 700 years — releases the next month's tickets on the first working day of each month. The next release is August 3rd at 1pm. Jonathan got a ticket; it requires an early wake-up and sells out within hours of release. The UK government has instituted a 15% VAT discount on tourist attraction admissions this summer — which means lower prices at major London attractions. If you booked in advance, you may be entitled to a partial refund for the difference; check with each venue. Lower prices also means slightly larger crowds. The Greenwich + Docklands International Festival runs August 21 to September 6 — 17 days of completely free outdoor theatre, circus and dance across Greenwich Park, Woolwich, and the Docklands. The two-day Greenwich Fair on August 22–23 in Greenwich Park is the unmissable centerpiece. No ticket required — just show up. Several major exhibitions close on or around August 23rd — a critical date. Zurbarán at the National Gallery, Fairy Tales at the British Library, David Hockney at the Royal Academy, Hervien Anderson at Tate Britain, and Patrick Caulfield at the Royal Academy all close that day. If you're arriving after August 23rd, these are gone. The BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall run all month and into September — the world's largest classical music festival, with day-of standing tickets potentially available on the door. Jonathan hasn't managed to go yet and still wants to. It's worth trying even if you can't book ahead. August in London is genuinely two cities at once: over a million tourists fill the attractions and the carnival streets, while large swaths of residential London go quiet as locals escape. The wise visitor uses this: the tourist attractions are busy, but the parks, the residential neighborhoods, and the early mornings are surprisingly peaceful. Soundbites "August is London's most contradictory month. Every guidebook tells you it's peak season — and every guidebook is right. And yet at exactly the same time, London kind of empties out. Locals flee to Cornwall, to France, to anywhere that isn't a stuffy office in a heat wave. Whole districts can go completely quiet." — Jonathan on August's strange duality. "The Notting Hill Carnival is that one weekend where London's multicultural and diverse character — which can feel oddly invisible at other times of the year — is front and center. It's loud. It's joyful. And it's entirely free." — Jonathan on why the carnival matters. "They captured high-level German officers and put them all in one place. What the prisoners didn't know was that the entire house was wired with microphones. And hidden in a concealed basement, around a hundred secret listeners — many of them German-speaking Jewish refugees who had fled the Nazis — were recording and transcribing every careless word." — Jonathan on Trent Park House of Secrets. "I have wanted to go inside Buckingham Palace for twenty years. I'm finally doing it this year. I've got my tickets booked. I'm going to do the State Room tour, I'm going to see the freshly rehung picture gallery, and I've booked the East Wing tour. That is going to take a whole Saturday. I cannot wait." — Jonathan on his long-awaited Buckingham Palace visit. "The Ceremony of the Keys is considered the world's longest military ceremony. They say it's been running for a thousand years — I'm skeptical, but at least as long as there's been a Tower of London. I woke up early and managed to snag a ticket before they sold out. Because they do sell out immediately." — Jonathan on booking the Ceremony of the Keys. "Banqueting House. Inigo Jones's masterpiece on Whitehall, with its Rubens ceiling. The one surviving fragment of the old Palace of Whitehall — the very spot where Charles I was executed in 1649. It reopens for the summer on August 1st. That is a lot of history in one place." — Jonathan on Banqueting House reopening. "The government has instituted a fifteen percent discount off the twenty percent VAT for tourists visiting tourist attractions this summer. So this month you will see lower prices at all of London's major tourist attractions. And if you booked in advance, you should be getting a refund." — Jonathan on the summer VAT tourist discount. "I love Star Trek. I have seen every episode of Star Trek dozens of times. You can't see over there, but I'm building the LEGO Enterprise D model right now. And I'm going to go see this exhibition because it's the 60th anniversary and the producers don't seem to want to celebrate it much — but everybody else is." — Jonathan on his plan to visit the Star Trek at 60 Trail at the Science Museum. "Several things close on August 23rd. I'm arriving after August 23rd. So I'm going to miss the David Hockney, the Zurbarán, the Tracey Emin. It's a bit annoying. But it is what it is." — Jonathan on the painful August 23rd exhibition closing cliff. "If you see a slightly sun-birthed Anglophile wandering the food stalls at one of the festivals going on later in August — do say hello. It might just be me." — Jonathan's closing invitation. Chapters 00:23 Introduction & Personal Note — Jonathan is heading to London this August 01:14 Weather Warning — England's driest summer in years, three heat waves, and what to expect 02:35 Episode Overview — Carnival, openings, exhibitions, practical tips 03:16 The Strange Duality of August — A million tourists arrive as Londoners flee 04:05 NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL — Europe's largest free street festival, 60th anniversary, August 29–31 05:28 Carnival Practical Tips — Go early, follow the food, wear comfortable shoes, stay safe 06:37 Festivals & Outdoor Highlights — Greenwich + Docklands International Festival (free, Aug 21–Sep 6) 07:07 Greenwich Fair — Free outdoor theatre in Greenwich Park, August 22–23 07:17 120 Years of the Piccadilly Line — Tim Dunn at the London Transport Museum, August 22 07:50 Edinburgh Fringe Previews & Al Fresco Dining — London venues hosting previews; Soho streets 08:22 ROYAL & HISTORIC BUILDING OPENINGS 08:25 Buckingham Palace State Rooms — Open daily; freshly rehung picture gallery; Jonathan's booked visit 09:31 Buckingham Palace East Wing — Newly opened tour; Jonathan's full Saturday plan 10:07 Houses of Parliament Summer Tours — Westminster Hall, Commons, Lords; reduced prices 10:36 Banqueting House — Fully reopens August 1st after major restoration; Rubens ceiling; £10 adults 11:03 TRENT PARK HOUSE OF SECRETS — London's brand new museum, opened July 21st 11:22 The Story of Trent Park — Philip Sassoon, 59 German generals, hidden microphones 13:03 The Secret Listeners — Jewish refugees transcribing Nazi generals in a concealed basement 14:16 Visiting Trent Park — Hours, tickets £14, Oakwood station, Piccadilly Line 15:43 NEW WEST END THEATER OPENINGS 15:53 The Mischievous Team — New spy farce from August 1st 16:04 Jane Eyre the Musical — UK premiere, Southwark Playhouse, August 28 16:19 Kimberly Akimbo — Tony-winning musical, Hampstead Theatre, August 28 16:32 BLOCKBUSTER EXHIBITIONS STILL RUNNING 16:47 Frida Kahlo at Tate Modern — Runs to 2027; Jonathan plans to go 17:03 Marilyn Monroe — National Portrait Gallery; closing September — last chance 17:13 Anish Kapoor — Hayward Gallery; Schiaparelli — V&A; Richard Dadd — Royal Academy 17:58 Winston Churchill the Painter — Wallace Collection; Jonathan booked since March 18:44 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition — Closes August 23rd; last chance 18:52 Jurassic Oceans — Natural History Museum; Jonathan has never been 19:03 Star Trek at 60 Trail — Science Museum; free; LEGO Enterprise D confession 19:30 EXHIBITIONS CLOSING IN AUGUST — CRITICAL DATES 19:37 August 9 & 16 — Holy Pop (Somerset House), Patrick Caulfield & Titanic (RA & Olympia) 19:54 August 23rd Mass Closings — Fairy Tales, Zurbarán, Hervien Anderson, David Hockney 20:16 August 31 — Tracey Emin: A Second Life (Tate Modern) 20:29 LIVE MUSIC 20:31 All Points East — Victoria Park; Lorde, Tyler the Creator, Twenty One Pilots 20:44 BBC Proms — All month to September 12; day standing tickets on the door 21:11 The Artist at Wembley — August 14–19; Luke Combs this weekend only 21:28 FAMILY ACTIVITIES — School holidays mean packed attractions 21:48 Paddington Bear Summer Special — Immersive experience for younger children 21:56 The Big Dig — Hands-on archaeology through August 21st 22:08 Boleyn is Back — Tudor living history at the Tower, through August 14th 22:16 Young Artist Summer Show — Royal Academy; free; closes August 30th 22:30 JONATHAN'S PERSONAL AUGUST ITINERARY 22:40 Ceremony of the Keys — Booked; how Jonathan got a ticket; arrive at 9:30pm 23:54 What Else Jonathan Is Doing — National Gallery, Wallace Collection, Royal Academy, Natural History Museum 24:49 Star Trek + Natural History Museum Double Bill Plan 25:05 Notting Hill Carnival — In London for it but sitting it out without his wife 25:32 PRACTICAL SECTION — CROWDS, WEATHER & SHOULD YOU GO? 25:37 August Weather Reality — Warm and dry; long days; twilight till after 9pm; pack layers 26:35 Peak Season & School Holidays — Why it's busy even when Londoners leave 26:39 Weather Detail — Pack layers; rain is rare but intense; humidity by the Thames 28:13 THE VAT TOURIST DISCOUNT — 15% off admissions; possible refunds for advance bookers 29:27 Should You Visit in August? — Jonathan's honest verdict 29:52 Top Tip — Don't travel over bank holiday weekend (Jonathan breaks his own rule) 30:51 Wrap-Up — Londontopia events calendar, Friends of Anglotopia, and see you in London Video Version

the smallest discoveries can be the biggest of all

An update on life inside a modular home - with its designer: 19-year old Londoner Ribal Zebian.

pWotD Episode 3372: David Jonsson Welcome to popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 340,693 views on Sunday, 26 July 2026 our article of the day is David Jonsson.David Jonsson (born 4 September 1993) is a British actor. He began his career on the West End, winning a Black British Theatre Award for his performance in the play and breathe... (2021). He is known for his performance in the BBC Two and HBO television series Industry (2020–22), as well as his roles in the films Rye Lane (2023), Alien: Romulus (2024), and The Long Walk (2025).In 2022, Jonsson appeared on the Evening Standard list of Londoners to watch and was one of British GQ's Men of the Year Honourees. He was named a 2023 Bright Young Thing by Tatler and a Screen International Star of Tomorrow. In 2025, he won the BAFTA Rising Star Award and was nominated at the British Independent Film Awards in the Best Lead Performance category for his role in the film Wasteman (2025). At the 2026 Comic-Con, Jonsson was announced as the new actor to portray Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 03:05 UTC on Monday, 27 July 2026.For the full current version of the article, see David Jonsson on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Olivia.

Spain's men won their second World Cup, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra-time. Musa and Ryan chat about Spain's brilliant performance in the final and the tournament as a whole, how the best team won and some more takeaways from the final.We'll be doing some more zoomed out thoughts about the World Cup and the final on our next show for members. However, to those of you on this feed, we would like to say thank you for listening through the tournament and this season. This feed will take a break until the next season, but head to patreon.com/stadio if you want to hear more episodes in the summer.Another reminder for Londoners, our live show with Nish Kumar at the Southbank Centre is this Thursday, July 23rd! Tickets are still available here.For more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Argentina are once again into the World Cup final, after two late goals secured an epic turn around and a 2-1 win over England.On this section from Thursday's Patreon episode, Musa and Ryan are joined by Seb Stafford-Bloor to chat all about the second semi-final, the plan of both sides, the in game changes and whether all the blame should fall to Thomas Tuchel. Head to patreon.com/stadio to listen to the full episode, which includes more on this game, plus some chat about Jürgen Klopp taking over the Germany job, the final on Sunday and more.Another reminder for Londoners, our live show with Nish Kumar at the Southbank Centre is on July 23rd! Tickets are still available here.For more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations prepare for their first talks with Myanmar since the 2021 coup. Plus: we examine how Londoners are living with and adapting to extreme heat. And: how flamenco can improve our communication skills. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Because every Londoner has a handful of places that reassure them the city hasn't lost its soul. Burlington Arcade is one of mine.

Info on the how Londoners (and anyone else) can pay tribute to the late Tommy Hunter with James Reaney, president of the London and Middlesex Historical Society.

Profiling what My Sister's Place is doing for Londoners on a daily basis and what we can do to help with Manager Kristy Bell.

Today marks the 21st anniversary of 56 totally innocent Londoners being killed for absolutely no logical reason, by 4 misguided and frankly, really, really bad Muslims, who detonated bombs in 3 underground tubes and one double decker bus.  I say 'really bad' Muslims, because you don't need to be a genius or a saint to read the Quran and realise that killing innocent people will lead you into Hell… NOT Heaven.  52 people of 18 nationalities were killed and nearly 800 were injured in the attacks. Plus the 4 attackers who committed suicide as part of the attack.  Take a moment to let that sink in.

Assisting in encampments and other areas of the city during a heat wave. Chris Moss of London Cares joins Mike Stubbs to describe how outreach teams are working to help and what Londoners can do to be a part of it.

In Insatiable Appetites: Eating Out in Georgian London (Bodleian Library, 2026) by Dr. Peter Ross, step into the kitchens, streets and chop houses of Georgian London—one day, one city, countless appetites. From dawn until past midnight, Londoners dined at taverns, coaching inns, oyster rooms, confectioners, coffee shops, chocolate houses, soup shops and dining rooms. For the poor, the streets bustled with vendors offering early versions of fast food: hot green peas, baked potatoes, suet puddings, curds and whey, rice milk, gingerbread, pastry ‘pigs,' and the now-forgotten saloop, a warming drink made from orchid roots.  After dark, sex workers and their clients indulged in a glass of jelly, then considered an aphrodisiac, as a precursor to a visit to the brothel. As the empire expanded, culinary influences poured in: London's first Indian takeaway appeared in 1773, while the East End became home to Jewish fried fish, Italian baloney and German sausages. Through the course of a single day, this book takes readers on a journey through breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper in Georgian London, drawing on contemporary archives to follow hungry citizens from all walks of life as they navigate the city's diverse food landscape. It reveals not only culinary pleasures and horrors, but also the social challenges and daily struggles that shaped life in the capital. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  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 Insatiable Appetites: Eating Out in Georgian London (Bodleian Library, 2026) by Dr. Peter Ross, step into the kitchens, streets and chop houses of Georgian London—one day, one city, countless appetites. From dawn until past midnight, Londoners dined at taverns, coaching inns, oyster rooms, confectioners, coffee shops, chocolate houses, soup shops and dining rooms. For the poor, the streets bustled with vendors offering early versions of fast food: hot green peas, baked potatoes, suet puddings, curds and whey, rice milk, gingerbread, pastry ‘pigs,' and the now-forgotten saloop, a warming drink made from orchid roots.  After dark, sex workers and their clients indulged in a glass of jelly, then considered an aphrodisiac, as a precursor to a visit to the brothel. As the empire expanded, culinary influences poured in: London's first Indian takeaway appeared in 1773, while the East End became home to Jewish fried fish, Italian baloney and German sausages. Through the course of a single day, this book takes readers on a journey through breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper in Georgian London, drawing on contemporary archives to follow hungry citizens from all walks of life as they navigate the city's diverse food landscape. It reveals not only culinary pleasures and horrors, but also the social challenges and daily struggles that shaped life in the capital. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/food

In Insatiable Appetites: Eating Out in Georgian London (Bodleian Library, 2026) by Dr. Peter Ross, step into the kitchens, streets and chop houses of Georgian London—one day, one city, countless appetites. From dawn until past midnight, Londoners dined at taverns, coaching inns, oyster rooms, confectioners, coffee shops, chocolate houses, soup shops and dining rooms. For the poor, the streets bustled with vendors offering early versions of fast food: hot green peas, baked potatoes, suet puddings, curds and whey, rice milk, gingerbread, pastry ‘pigs,' and the now-forgotten saloop, a warming drink made from orchid roots.  After dark, sex workers and their clients indulged in a glass of jelly, then considered an aphrodisiac, as a precursor to a visit to the brothel. As the empire expanded, culinary influences poured in: London's first Indian takeaway appeared in 1773, while the East End became home to Jewish fried fish, Italian baloney and German sausages. Through the course of a single day, this book takes readers on a journey through breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper in Georgian London, drawing on contemporary archives to follow hungry citizens from all walks of life as they navigate the city's diverse food landscape. It reveals not only culinary pleasures and horrors, but also the social challenges and daily struggles that shaped life in the capital. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Insatiable Appetites: Eating Out in Georgian London (Bodleian Library, 2026) by Dr. Peter Ross, step into the kitchens, streets and chop houses of Georgian London—one day, one city, countless appetites. From dawn until past midnight, Londoners dined at taverns, coaching inns, oyster rooms, confectioners, coffee shops, chocolate houses, soup shops and dining rooms. For the poor, the streets bustled with vendors offering early versions of fast food: hot green peas, baked potatoes, suet puddings, curds and whey, rice milk, gingerbread, pastry ‘pigs,' and the now-forgotten saloop, a warming drink made from orchid roots.  After dark, sex workers and their clients indulged in a glass of jelly, then considered an aphrodisiac, as a precursor to a visit to the brothel. As the empire expanded, culinary influences poured in: London's first Indian takeaway appeared in 1773, while the East End became home to Jewish fried fish, Italian baloney and German sausages. Through the course of a single day, this book takes readers on a journey through breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper in Georgian London, drawing on contemporary archives to follow hungry citizens from all walks of life as they navigate the city's diverse food landscape. It reveals not only culinary pleasures and horrors, but also the social challenges and daily struggles that shaped life in the capital. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Insatiable Appetites: Eating Out in Georgian London (Bodleian Library, 2026) by Dr. Peter Ross, step into the kitchens, streets and chop houses of Georgian London—one day, one city, countless appetites. From dawn until past midnight, Londoners dined at taverns, coaching inns, oyster rooms, confectioners, coffee shops, chocolate houses, soup shops and dining rooms. For the poor, the streets bustled with vendors offering early versions of fast food: hot green peas, baked potatoes, suet puddings, curds and whey, rice milk, gingerbread, pastry ‘pigs,' and the now-forgotten saloop, a warming drink made from orchid roots.  After dark, sex workers and their clients indulged in a glass of jelly, then considered an aphrodisiac, as a precursor to a visit to the brothel. As the empire expanded, culinary influences poured in: London's first Indian takeaway appeared in 1773, while the East End became home to Jewish fried fish, Italian baloney and German sausages. Through the course of a single day, this book takes readers on a journey through breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper in Georgian London, drawing on contemporary archives to follow hungry citizens from all walks of life as they navigate the city's diverse food landscape. It reveals not only culinary pleasures and horrors, but also the social challenges and daily struggles that shaped life in the capital. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/british-studies

Send Us A Message or Ask Us A Question? Chris Barnett on Purpose, Film Composition, and Peace of Mind | Us People Podcast Season 7Savia Rocks opens season seven of the Us People Podcast focused on legacy, shedding cultural trauma, and turning hardship into beauty, then interviews film and TV composer Chris Barnett. Barnett shares his Jamaican heritage as a first-generation Londoner, early exposure to reggae and radio charts, record collecting after a childhood U.S. trip, DJing parties and boat parties, and how studying album credits sparked his interest in production. He describes an engineering apprenticeship, a pivotal coworker who introduced him to studios, his mother's strict investment in his education, and later discovering his grandfather worked as a set builder at Ealing Studios amid racism. Chris Barnett credits mentors who helped him progress into university and composition, explains scoring by finding a story's “truth” beyond what audiences see, cites work on Street Shepherd and Getting Away With Murders, and discusses Quincy Jones-inspired humility, embracing all “good music,” spiritual maturity, tools for peace of mind, and advice to pursue art for love while avoiding negativity; he also shares where to find his work online.00:00 Legacy And Trauma01:10 Meet Chris Barnett02:13 Jamaican Roots And Music05:33 DJ Hustle And Record Love09:01 Engineering To Studio Dreams10:37 Mirror Identity And Purpose11:29 Family Drive And Education16:52 Film Nights And Grandad22:19 First Breaks And Mentors29:23 How Film Scoring Works32:03 Scripts Versus Screen33:55 Scoring Street Shepherd38:48 Invisible Documentary Music41:53 Quincy Jones Wisdom44:39 Finding Inner Peace47:10 Peace Of Mind Tools51:51 Advice For Artists55:37 Where To Find Chris57:20 Final Thanks And Outro58:53 Closing Song And WrapInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/christophbarnett/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@christophbarnettLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophbarnett/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vOMqQhrSuV7wg1lJpIk6QThank you so much Chris for showing us that with investment into yourself and letting go of fear we can achieve anything with creatively put out hearts into - Savia RocksSupport the show

Prince Harry's expected return to Britain is drawing closer, and all eyes are on July 10. With Harry expected in Birmingham for an Invictus Games event and Prince William hosting his annual charity polo match, the royal calendar may be setting up another chapter in the ongoing story of two brothers living very different lives. Reports suggest tensions remain high behind palace walls, with claims that Queen Camilla remains deeply skeptical of any reconciliation efforts. We hear from royal commentators, insiders, and Deep Crown, who asks the question everyone seems to be avoiding: what role will Meghan Markle play if this trip actually happens?Plus, Prince William surprises Londoners by arriving at an Earthshot event aboard a double-decker bus with Robert Irwin, and Princess Eugenie finds herself at the center of an unexpected social media debate after a Father's Day post sparked comparisons to Harry and Meghan's approach to family privacy.Palace Intrigue is a daily British royal family podcast covering King Charles, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton and the House of Windsor. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network.

The new book “London Falling” tells the true story of Zac Brettler, a 19-year-old Londoner who falls to his death in the Thames after living a double life pretending to be the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. We speak with bestselling author Patrick Radden Keefe about mystery, money and police inaction as he searched for answers about Zac's death.

What effect did the Great Plague have on Londoners, their society and the wider state?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Rebecca Rideal revisit the summer of 1665, as a few suspicious deaths grew into a crisis that swept through the city with devastating speed. Entire households vanished, fear curdled into suspicion, outsiders were written out of the official record - and Restoration England was reshaped forever.More:Great Fire of LondonListen on AppleListen on SpotifyDiary of Samuel PepysListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, Jonathan Thomas is joined by Brendan Dowd — West Point graduate, Iraq War veteran, government consultant, and host of History Nerds United, one of the most respected history book podcasts in the business with over 220 episodes — for a pure, unfiltered book nerd conversation. Both hosts came with a stack of their favorite British history books and took turns sharing their picks, debating the merits, going gloriously off-topic about Darkest Hour, the new Wuthering Heights film, Bridgerton, and Dan Jones's upcoming castles book, and building what amounts to a British history reading list that will keep you busy for years. Between them, Jonathan and Brendan recommend over 20 books spanning Alfred the Great, the Tudors, the Regency, Victorian London, World War II, Thatcher, the Iranian Embassy Siege, and the hidden history of English wolves — plus a peek at what's sitting on each of their TBR piles right now. Links History Nerds United ~History Nerds United Podcast~ ~History Nerds United on YouTube~ ~Brendan's Top Episode: Helen Castor on Joan of Arc~ (update with direct episode link) ⠀Jonathan's Picks ~Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson~ ~The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson~ ~Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts~ ~My Early Life by Winston Churchill~ ~A Very English Scandal by John Preston~ ~London: The Biography by Peter Ackroyd~ ~Citizens of London by Lynne Olson~ ~Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera~ ~Empireworld by Sathnam Sanghera~ ~The Iron Lady by John Campbell~ ~The Last Wolf by Robert Winder~ ~The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy by David Cannadine~ ~Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh~ ~The Regency Years by Robert Morrison~ ~Churchill's Citadel by Katherine Carter~ ⠀Brendan's Picks ~Alfred the Great by Justin Pollard~ ~The Six Loves of James I by Gareth Russell~ ~Battle for the Island Kingdom by Don Hollway~ ~Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII by Jane Marguerite Tippett~ ~The Greatest Knight by Thomas Asbridge~ ~Henry V by Dan Jones~ ~Thomas More: A Life by Joanne Paul~ ~The Stolen Crown by Tracy Borman~ ~The Crown's Silence by Brooke Newman~ ~The Eagle and the Hart by Helen Castor~ ~The Invention of Charlotte Brontë by Graham Watson~ ~London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe~ ~The Siege by Ben Macintyre~ ⠀Also Mentioned ~Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe~ ~Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe~ ~Secrets of Great British Castles with Dan Jones on Netflix~ ~Darkest Hour (2017)~ ~Young Winston (1972)~ ⠀Anglotopia ~101 Oxford Travel Tips and Tricks by Jonathan Thomas~ (update with direct product link) ~Anglotopia Guide to the World of Bridgerton~ (update with direct product link) ~Friends of Anglotopia Club~ (update with correct URL) ⠀ Takeaways Both Jonathan and Brendan started their podcasts for exactly the same reason — frustration at the quality of existing coverage in their field — and both were shocked to discover how generous, enthusiastic, and collegial the history author community turned out to be. Brendan's gateway into British history was Alfred the Great by Justin Pollard — a compact, accessible biography of the only English monarch to earn the title "the Great," which he recommends as the perfect gateway drug for readers who think history books are intimidating. Jonathan's most-reread British book is Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island — a definitive outsider's portrait of British culture from the early 1990s that remains beloved by British readers themselves, and the book that most shaped his vision for Anglotopia. Andrew Roberts's one-volume Churchill biography is both Jonathan and Brendan's recommended starting point for anyone wanting a modern, comprehensive, and myth-busting account of Churchill — and Roberts's Napoleon biography is equally essential. Helen Castor is independently named by Brendan as one of his very favorite history writers — her Eagle and the Hart on Richard II and Henry IV, and her Joan of Arc episode of his podcast, are both highlighted as exceptional examples of humanizing complex historical figures without sanitizing them. Both hosts agree that the best history books share a quality: they humanize their subjects — showing the positive and the negative — rather than either condemning or canonizing them. The books they admire most leave the reader to make their own moral judgments. Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera and The Crown's Silence by Brooke Newman both generated significant controversy — particularly in British publications — but both Jonathan and Brendan recommend them as essential, rigorously evidenced correctives to popular myths about the British Empire and the monarchy's role in the slave trade. Ben Macintyre's The Siege — on the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London that made the SAS famous — is Brendan's pick for best recent true British history read, praised for building unbearable tension over hundreds of pages before releasing it all in a single extended final chapter. The new Wuthering Heights film gets a thumbs-down from both hosts — "it looks beautiful but just didn't land" — while Darkest Hour generates a spirited debate about the Underground scene that ends with both agreeing it's historically wrong but emotionally right. Both hosts are currently working through books about the interwar period, Cold War espionage, and upcoming releases from Dan Jones and Thomas Asbridge — and both agree that the single greatest problem with loving history books is that the TBR pile never gets shorter. ⠀ Soundbites "I lost it. I said, there's gotta be a better way. I don't want to continually torture my family with all my rants about books. So I started the blog." — Brendan on the one-star Amazon review that launched History Nerds United. "I sent 10 emails on the first day thinking if I get one back I'll be ecstatic. I got eight back within three days. And I've now sat on a boat with Dan Jones having drinks, overlooking Omaha Beach. Nobody tell me it didn't happen." — Brendan on the unexpected magic of the history community. "I have yet to interview a jerk. Everyone has been unfailingly nice and so excited to be there and just so game to talk about whatever." — Brendan on 220+ episodes of History Nerds United. "My long-term goal is to be like Bill Bryson. I've actually met him. He's a very nice chap. I can only hope to be 10% as good as him one day." — Jonathan on Notes from a Small Island and his writing ambitions. *"If you want to understand why everything is happening in Downton Abbey, read *The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy. I read it as research for a novel I was writing in college and it has never left me." — Jonathan on David Cannadine's masterwork. "Churchill wouldn't have done that. He was not that type of person. But you put Churchill in a period tube carriage, surrounded by Londoners during the Blitz, and it captures the essence of what the story is trying to tell. Was it real? Heck no." — Jonathan and Brendan on the Underground scene in Darkest Hour. "Helen Castor is constantly teaching you, but you feel like you're just having a conversation within the book. At the end of it, you hear Helen get emotional talking about this teenager burned at the stake — how scared she must have been, even with all her faith. She makes her human instead of an icon." — Brendan on his favorite episode of History Nerds United. "The thesis is that because Britain hunted wolves to extinction, it unleashed the economic powerhouse of sheep farming and wool — and as a consequence of that led to so much of what we know as Britain. I read it and I wanted to read it all over again immediately." — Jonathan on The Last Wolf by Robert Winder. "She stayed laser focused on the Elizabethan succession and somehow it's still interesting all the way through. She mentions the Spanish Armada for about three sentences. I said in my review: this book has been written. We don't need any more on this subject." — Brendan on Tracy Borman's The Stolen Crown. "No author has ever made me feel more lazy than Catherine Grace Katz — she wrote *Daughters of Yalta* while she was in law school. If you told me that I would one day be sitting there with Marsha Clark from the OJ Simpson trial, I would have called you a liar. But that's what this world does." — Brendan on the surreal privilege of the history podcast community. ⠀ Chapters 00:00 Introduction — Jonathan sets up the book conversation episode and introduces Brendan Dowd 01:41 How a Tank Platoon Leader Got a 220-Episode History Podcast — Long commutes, bad Amazon reviews, and one unexpected email 05:58 The History Author Community — Why everybody wants you to win, and the generosity of historians 08:10 Dan Jones on a River Cruise — Brendan's honeymoon, Omaha Beach, and a surreal life moment 09:01 What History Nerds United Is — The format, the philosophy, and why Brendan calls himself the laziest podcaster 10:26 BOOK PICKS BEGIN 10:39 Brendan Pick #1: Alfred the Great by Justin Pollard — The George Washington of England and the perfect gateway drug 12:18 Jonathan Pick #1: Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson — The definitive outsider's portrait of British culture and Jonathan's most-reread book 14:28 Brendan Pick #2: The Six Loves of James I by Gareth Russell — A party animal king, Scottish trauma, and the most uncomfortable compliment Gareth ever received 16:58 Jonathan Pick #2: Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts — The one-volume biography that settles the argument 18:15 Andrew Roberts's Napoleon — A brief but enthusiastic detour to France 18:56 Brendan Pick #3: Battle for the Island Kingdom by Don Hollway — 1000 to 1066, the most disgusting assassination in history, and setting up everything 20:05 Jonathan Pick #3: My Early Life by Winston Churchill — The only autobiography, the Boer War escape, and the Gary Stiles connection 21:50 Darkest Hour Debate — The Underground scene: historically wrong, emotionally right, and why it works anyway 23:18 The Perfect WWII Double Bill — Darkest Hour followed by Dunkirk as a single evening 23:50 Brendan Pick #4: Henry V by Dan Jones — Present tense biography, the greatest medieval king, and writing something when you feel ready for it 25:29 Jonathan Pick #4: A Very English Scandal by John Preston — Jeremy Thorpe, a murder plot, a dead dog, and the British establishment 26:57 John Preston's Robert Maxwell Book — And a certain imprisoned daughter 27:26 Brendan Pick #5: Thomas More: A Life by Joanne Paul — Saints, hair shirts, comedy gold, and debunking 500-year-old myths 29:24 Jonathan Pick #5: London: The Biography by Peter Ackroyd — The definitive history of London and the gateway to a great corpus 30:25 Brendan Pick #6: Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII by Jane Marguerite Tippett — He wasn't a Nazi, and the documentation proves it 32:03 Jonathan Pick #6: Citizens of London by Lynne Olson — Americans in London during the Blitz and how they helped save Britain 33:24 Brendan Pick #7: The Stolen Crown by Tracy Borman — The Elizabethan succession, new evidence, and calling Henry VIII a few four-letter words 34:56 Tracy Borman on Inside the Tower of London — And Dan Jones's upcoming Castles book 36:03 Jonathan Pick #7: Empireland by Sathnam Sanghera — Deconstructing myths of the British Empire and why the author quit social media 37:32 Brendan Pick #8: The Crown's Silence by Brooke Newman — The monarchy's direct financial involvement in the slave trade and British publications' predictable response 39:34 Jonathan Pick #8: The Iron Lady by John Campbell — The definitive Thatcher biography and why she's Churchill's true successor 41:45 Brendan Pick #9: The Greatest Knight by Thomas Asbridge — William Marshal, four kings, King John, and a life that reads like a Hollywood script 43:22 Jonathan Pick #9: The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy by David Cannadine — The book that explains Downton Abbey and everything behind it 44:29 Brendan Pick #10: The Eagle and the Hart by Helen Castor — Richard II, Henry IV, and why taking the crown makes you a marked man 46:48 Jonathan Pick #10: Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh — Fiction that illuminates aristocratic decline and the companion read to Cannadine 48:18 Brendan Pick #11: The Invention of Charlotte Brontë by Graham Watson — Jane Eyre as a gateway, the weird genius of the Brontë family, and more autobiography than you realized 50:18 Wuthering Heights Film Discussion — Brendan defers, Jonathan gives a verdict: beautiful but it didn't land 51:43 Jonathan Pick #11: The Last Wolf by Robert Winder — No wolves, lots of sheep, and the surprising hidden springs of Englishness 53:10 Brendan Pick #12: London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe — A body off a balcony opposite MI5, true crime that leaves you profoundly uneasy 54:54 Jonathan buys London Falling at Barnes & Noble — And finds it in the fiction section 55:24 Jonathan Pick #12: The Regency Years by Robert Morrison — What Bridgerton gets wrong, what Jane Austen's world actually was, and the Anglotopia Bridgerton guide 56:23 Bridgerton vs. The Patriot — Two hosts agree: know your genre, leave accuracy at the door 58:15 Brendan Pick #13: The Siege by Ben Macintyre — The Iranian Embassy siege, the SAS, and a final chapter that takes an hour to read 1:00:06 Jonathan Pick #13: Churchill's Citadel by Katherine Carter — Chartwell as weapon, the wilderness years, and the best first book Jonathan has read in years 1:01:31 What's on the TBR Right Now — Ike and Winston, Three Weeks in July, A Shellshocked Nation, the Nord Stream conspiracy, Dan Jones's Castles, and more 1:07:37 The Book Neither Host Can Find Anyone to Write — Brendan's gap in the market involving Joan of Arc's most disturbing companion 1:10:24 The Book Jonathan Should Write — Brendan makes his pitch; Jonathan firmly declines 1:11:06 Jonathan's Gap in the Market — Churchill's second term as Prime Minister: underexplored, fascinating, partially covered by The Crown 1:12:29 John Lithgow as Churchill — Too tall, earned it on The Crown, also very scary in Dexter 1:12:36 Brendan's Proudest Episode — Helen Castor on Joan of Arc, two hours that felt like twenty minutes 1:16:52 Wrap-Up — Where to find History Nerds United, the full book list in the show notes, and promises of a return visit Video Version

This week, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan delivered a landmark speech at SXSW London, warning that manosphere influence online risks creating a lost generation of young men. In this solo episode, Marvyn breaks down what the Mayor actually announced, what the research tells us, and why the real intervention isn't a government policy, it's the conversation you have with the boy in front of you.Covered in this episode: UCL research showing 56% of videos served to teen-resembling accounts within five days were misogynistic. A £1 million VRU package for London's boys. The N.O.I.S.E. guide. Why bans without belonging don't work. And why 85% of Londoners believe boys don't have enough positive role models.Resources mentioned: GLA Campaign, london.gov.uk/ignore-the-noise Parent Conversation Guide — london.gov.uk/ignore-the-noise/trusted-adults/conversation-guideWelcome to The Marvyn Harrison Podcast — a story-driven conversation exploring identity, fatherhood, masculinity, relationships, culture, politics, sport, and modern life.In each episode, Marvyn Harrison sits down with leading thinkers, creatives, athletes, policymakers, and cultural voices to unpack the defining moments that shaped them. Through image prompts, structured storytelling, and revealing game segments, guests explore pivotal memories, career turning points, personal struggles, and the beliefs that guide their decisions today.Expect honest discussions on mental health, family dynamics, leadership, equity, ambition, resilience, and the realities of navigating success in Britain and beyond.This is a podcast about clarity, where lived experience meets sharp cultural insight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have all heard of ghost towns, but what about the ghost-facilities that exist within some of the world's most-populated cities? What happens when a location associated with something as storied as London's famous Underground is abandoned? What sorts of folklore builds up around it? In this episode, Matt discusses two such examples and what they may tell us about how Londoners view themselves and their city. Full show notes: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast/ Facebook: facebook.com/ghosthroplogy Instagram: instagram.com/ghosthropod YouTube: youtube.com/@ghosthropology Patreon: www.patreon.com/c/ghosthropology Email: ghosthropology@gmail.com

In this special episode we take a look at the recently completed Tideway Tunnel project now operating beneath London's River Thames.Joining me today are two of the minds behind the delivery of this ground breaking project – Roger Bailey, Chief Technical Officer at Tideway and Amey director Tom Kinnear who has been leading the Systems Integrator role on the project for the last few years. Lots to talk about because the £4.5 billion tunnel has certainly been turning programme delivery heads as a rare project that has been delivered pretty much on time, to budget and is now operating to expectation. And it's a project that's not before time,…. because for over 150 years, London's subterranean drainage and flood management pulse was maintained by the Victorian genius of Sir Joseph Bazalgette. His sprawling underground brickwork was a masterpiece of public health, keeping sewage off the streets and out of the Thames. Yet as the city's population has swelled and rain intensity increased, his system had reached its limit, leaving the River Thames to bear the brunt as overflows from the combined sewage and rain water system regularly overflowed in the river.The Tideway Tunnel, AKA London's "Super Sewer", has changed all that and is now fully operational. Stretching 25 kilometers west to east and up to 66 meters beneath the city, it has already prevented some 19.7 million tonnes of sewage from reaching the river. Which makes it more than just a tunnel. As former chief executive and project guiding mind Andy Mitchell put it, the project rekindles Londoners love affair with the River Thames.  Cleaner water plus new areas of quality riverside public space mean that the public can now embrace the Thames as a positive part of city life. But beyond that, the project's success perhaps represents a revolution in how we deliver national infrastructure, from its pioneering funding model, to the sophisticated digital nervous system that monitors every drop of flow.The reality is that the project is talked about around the world as having set a new global benchmark for delivery, funding and social impact, with the Tideway company recently recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the world's most influential businesses. So lets hear more ….ResourcesTideway Tunnel websiteAmey Advisory websiteBackground to the Tideway projectBazelgette's sewer systemTime Magazine most influential businessesThames Water and the Tideway Tunnel

Guest: Fling Officer John de Hoop (RAF 1810752, 191161) Wireless Operator-Air Gunner Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: ‎19th of November 2013 Released: 29th of May 2026 Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 13 seconds John de Hoop was a Londoner who joined the Royal Air Force in 1943, and trained as a Wireless Operator-Air Gunner. The following year he was posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron at RAF Mepal, as a Wireless Operator on Avro Lancasters, in the crew captained by New Zealand pilot F/Lt Wylie Wakelin DFC. His final few ops were flown with S/Ldr Bob Rodgers as his captain. This recording was made at the time using Skype, as John lived in the UK. It was recorded as part of a wider WONZ Show project I was working on at the time that ended up not proceeding to completion. So it seems like it’s about time to share it with listeners. John passed away on the 7th of August 2016. John de Hoop (Photo via Dee Boneham) Two more photos of John, from Dee Boneham. Quick Links: •  John de Hoop obituary on the 75 (NZ) Squadron Blog •  The Wylie Wakelin Crew on the 75 (NZ) Squadron Blog •  The Bob Rodgers Crew on the 75 (NZ) Squadron Blog The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

London, summer 1563. The city sounds wrong. The market stalls have gaps. And then you notice the door across the street — a blue cross painted on it, and a man standing outside who wasn't there yesterday. The plague is back. Today we're going street level into the Tudor plague years. What it actually felt like to live in London when the epidemics hit, what ordinary people did to survive, and three specific summers — 1563, 1593, and 1603 — that each killed somewhere between one in eight and one in three Londoners. We also get into what the Tudor government actually did about it (more sophisticated than you'd think), the plague doctors and their beaked masks, the quacks selling dried toads and unicorn horn, and the parish searchers — older women whose job was to examine bodies and determine cause of death, and who are almost entirely invisible in the historical record. Oh, and Elizabeth I had a gallows erected at Windsor to hang anyone who followed her from London. Very her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marv talks about his trip to London for The Podcast Show in Islington the day before the event, the meet up the evening/night before, and what he will be doing while he is there. Not included in the episode, put placed here to make Jsmes Cridland (a Londoner) of Podnews laugh, is how Marv on the way back to the hotel after the meet up completely forgot that you have to stay to the right on stairs and escalators. That is despite him only a day or so before speaking with someone about how you have to stay to the right.

Host Ricky Sacks is joined by Jason McGovern, Patrick Tyrant and Brendan McGerty as we discuss the state of play around Spurs' battle to survive in the Premier League. The panel react to fresh speculation that Micky Van De Ven is expected to stay at Tottenham Hotspur this summer should relegation be avoided, with Spurs not actively looking to sell and Van De Ven understood to be happy under Roberto De Zerbi. We refect on James Maddison claiming officials are “petrified” to make decisions after being denied a stoppage-time penalty against Leeds and whether we do genuinely feel there has been any kind of agenda against Spurs this season from referees. Daniel Levy has spoken out for the first time since leaving Tottenham, we react to his comments in which he says he is 'praying everyday' Spurs retain their Premier League status. We close on the news that Mayor Of London Sadiq Khan, has suggested to non-Spurs supporters that Tottenham being relegated would be in the best interests of Londoners, and what impact the wider footballing world is having on enjoying seeing us in the position we are in. Independent Multi-Award Winning Tottenham Hotspur Fan Channel (Podcast) providing instant post-match analysis and previews to every single Spurs match along with a range of former players, manager, special guests. WEBSITE: www.lastwordonspurs.com #THFC #TOTTENHAM #SPURS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1509, England went from a dying paranoid king to a golden coronation to a deadly plague in about eight months. This is a Year in the Life episode, where we slow down and live inside 1509, not just at court but in the guild halls and households of ordinary Londoners who had nowhere to run when the sweating sickness arrived while Henry VIII fled to Windsor. Thomas More wrote some of the most joyful poetry of his life about a king who would later execute him. A Cornish servant woman rode through London on a blue velvet saddle. And a Scottish baby named Arthur was a political provocation in swaddling clothes. This is Henry VIII at seventeen, before everything went wrong. The 2027 Tudor Planner crowdfunder preorder link is here: https://tudorfair.com/products/2027-tudor-planner-crowdfunder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Debut novelist Rebecca Fallon on ambition, motherhood, crafting dual timelines, and writing a novel built around the person who isn't there. We discuss Why quitting a stable job to write a novel can be framed as a calculated bet rather than a leap of faith. How to prototype the writer's life before fully committing to it. What genre fiction can teach a literary novelist about plotting and structure. How a single late-stage scene revealed who the actual protagonist of the book had been all along. The unsexy spreadsheet work behind a novel that moves between timelines. A method for getting inside a child's consciousness on the page. Why each character has to serve a distinct function—and what happens to the ones that don't. How music, photographs, and even PowerPoint can become tools for holding a character's voice. The difference between flow-state writing and the surgical work that comes after. What changes when you stop drafting airy scenes and start asking what each scene needs to earn its place. About Rebecca Fallon Rebecca Fallon is a New England-born Londoner and a graduate of Williams College and the University of Oxford. Family Drama is her debut novel. For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers' Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you're enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Don hits the streets of London to hear directly from everyday people about how America is being viewed abroad right now. From Donald Trump to the war in Iran, Don asks Londoners what they think about the current state of the U.S., America's role on the world stage, and whether confidence in American leadership is changing. The answers are honest, surprising, and at times brutally blunt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Don hits the streets of London to hear directly from everyday people about how America is being viewed abroad right now. From Donald Trump to the war in Iran, Don asks Londoners what they think about the current state of the U.S., America's role on the world stage, and whether confidence in American leadership is changing. The answers are honest, surprising, and at times brutally blunt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After more than three decades in the skies, Spirit Airlines is shutting down. The low-cost carrier failed to secure a government bailout in the U.S. amid surging jet fuel costs. It's a blow for Canadians who rely on the bright yellow planes for affordable cross border travel. And the rising fuel prices could put pressure on other budget airlines.Also: It's been one year since anyone has seen Lilly and Jack Sullivan. The young siblings disappeared from their rural Nova Scotia home, setting off a series of extensive searches through dense woods. And this week, Lilly and Jack's loved ones returned to the forest, desperate to find them.And: In London, A large statue - erected under cover of darkness - is turning heads. It's the latest stunt from the elusive street artist Banksy. And the statue's satirical message has Londoners talking.Plus: Burmese refugees in Thailand, QR code scams in Toronto, and more

At a quarter past four in the morning on the 13th of June 1944, the world's first cruise missile fell out of the sky onto a railway bridge in the East End of London. It killed six people. One of them was 19-year-old Ellen Woodcraft. Another was her eight-month-old son. Their husband and father was a soldier in Normandy. He would not learn of their deaths for days.In this episode, Mat McLachlan tells the story of Hitler's V-1 — the buzz bomb, the doodlebug, the first robot weapon ever used in war. From the secret laboratories at Peenemünde to the photo-interpretation tables at Medmenham, from the Guards Chapel disaster on Waterloo Sunday to the Tempest pilots tipping flying bombs out of the sky with their wingtips, this is the eighty-eight-day campaign that brought a new kind of terror to a city that thought the Blitz was over.Through authentic voices from the summer of 1944, we hear George Orwell guiltily hoping the next bomb falls on someone else, the diarist Vere Hodgson writing that the brain of man has gone so far beyond his morals that the only thing to do is scrap him and begin again, and Field Marshal Alan Brooke recording his disgust as the Home Secretary panics in front of the War Cabinet. We meet R.V. Jones, the 28-year-old scientist who'd been hunting the V-weapons since 1939, and the Double Cross Committee that fed Berlin a brilliant lie that saved central London — at the cost of the working-class boroughs to the south. We follow Wing Commander Roland Beamont and the Belgian ace Remy Van Lierde hunting buzz bombs over Romney Marsh, and the Australian pilot Ken Collier who accidentally invented the wingtip technique that would become the defining image of the doodlebug summer.Why did Hitler refuse to aim the V-1 at the Allied invasion ports, where it might have changed the war? Why did the British government deliberately steer bombs onto Croydon and Wandsworth instead of Westminster — and keep it secret for thirty years? How did a robot bomb costing five thousand Reichsmarks come closer to ending the war than any other weapon Germany ever built? Mat explores these questions through the words of those who were there — the scientists, the pilots, the cabinet ministers, and the Londoners who lived under the buzz.A clear-eyed look at one of the most futuristic weapons of the Second World War, and the man who threw it away. Hitler had the world's first cruise missile. He used it to kill people in their beds. And he lost the war anyway.“Hitler, and all of us, hoped this new weapon would sow horror, confusion and paralysis in the enemy camp. We far overestimated its effect.” — Albert Speer, Nazi Minister of ArmamentsEpisode Length: 40 minutesFeatures: First-hand accounts from George Orwell, Vere Hodgson, Field Marshal Alan Brooke and Hans Speidel; Wing Commander Roland Beamont's recollections of hunting the V-1; the testimony of fireman Harold Chisnell from the Imperial War Museum sound archive; Hitler's confrontation with Rommel and Rundstedt at Margival on the eve of the Normandy collapse; and the story of the Double Cross deception that saved central London.Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiSail through history with Mat McLachlan! Join a 2027 history cruise: https://battlefields.com.au/history-cruises-2027Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@MatMcLachlanHistory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined by The Londoner's Andrew Kersley to talk about his recent article, looking at the ways that misinformation in the form of viral content, is affecting how London, is governed. Andrew talks through his investigation into Fare Evasion on London's public transport, and how myths of chaos and lawlessness, have been weaponised by political parties online, and  have also resulted in greater police presence in tube stations and subsequently, more arrests of young people.  Read Andrew's work at The Londoner: https://www.the-londoner.co.uk/is-fare-dodging-rising-on-the-tube/ ------- AID LINKS - PALESTINE -Palestinian Communist Youth Union, which is doing a food and water effort, and is part of the official communist party of Palestine https://www.gofundme.com/f/to-preserve-whats-left-of-humanity-global-solidarity -Water is Life, a water distribution project in North Gaza affiliated with an Indigenous American organization and the Freedom Flotilla https://www.waterislifegaza.org/ -Vegetable Distribution Fund, which secured and delivers fresh veg, affiliated with Freedom Flotilla also https://www.instagram.com/linking/fundraiser?fundraiser_id=1102739514947848 -Thamra, which distributes herb and veg seedlings, repairs and maintains water infrastructure, and distributes food made with replanted veg patches https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-thamra-cultivating-resilience-in-gaza -------- PHOEBE ALERT Okay, now that we have your attention; check out her Substack Here! Check out Masters of our Domain with Milo and Patrick, here! -------- Ten Thousand Posts is a show about how everything is posting. It's hosted by Hussein (@HKesvani), Phoebe (@PRHRoy) and produced by Devon (@Devon_onEarth).

Londoners will head to the polls next week to choose their local councillors. Since 2021, Labour has held the majority across the capital, but new polling suggests that even Sir Keir Starmer's local borough of Camden may fall to the Greens.In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Tony Travers, a professor in the Department of Government at the London School of Economics about the results of the latest London council election poll by JL Partners for LSE. They discuss possible outcomes for the upcoming elections, including which parties might join forces, and the messages Londoners may send to Westminster through the ballot box. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Step outside your front door for a moment… what do you notice? Concrete, cars—maybe a few scattered trees.Now imagine that same street alive with birdsong, pollinators, and wild nature woven into everyday life. What if that transformation wasn't just possible—but already within reach?Today, we're exploring how we can begin to rewild our urban spaces—starting right outside our own front doors.Joining us is Sian Moxon, founder of Rewild My Street. She's an Associate Professor of Sustainable Architecture and a researcher in urban biodiversity at London Metropolitan University's School of Art, Architecture and Design. She's also an architect, a climate change expert with the UK Universities Climate Network, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and the author of Sustainability in Interior Design.Rewild My Street is a design-led toolkit helping Londoners transform their gardens and streets to support biodiversity and bring nature back into the places we live. By creating more green and blue spaces across the city, the initiative works to reverse the trend of urban environments becoming increasingly grey—fostering ecosystems that build climate resilience, restore nature, and support human well-being.Website: http://www.wildforchange.comTwitter: @WildForChangeFacebook: /wildforchangeInstagram: wildforchange

This week, many Londoners will gain new powers as the Renters' Rights Act comes into force. So what do tenants and landlords need to know?In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to The Standard's Homes & Property editor, Prudence Ivey, about the upcoming changes to rental agreements. The two discuss what renters should look out for in the small print, whether the new bill might inadvertently cause a housing shortage, as well as consider if the bill is enough to convince Londoners to vote for Labour in the upcoming council elections.Photograph: Getty Images Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The repeated attacks on Jewish infrastructure over the past few weeks has led to the opening of a Met police counter terrorism investigation into whether the events are linked. In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Jonathan Hall KC, the senior barrister responsible for reviewing the UK government's terrorism and state threats legislation. The two discuss how the law distinguishes hate crimes from terrorist acts, why the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the military wing of the Iranian regime, is not currently proscribed as a terrorist group by the UK government, and whether the normalising of extremism is more worrying than extremism itself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London is about to be brought to a standstill as a result of planned tube strikes. So why have TFL and the RMT not reached a deal, and will the disruption change how Londoners vote in upcoming council elections?In this episode, host Tamara Kormornick speaks to Standard journalist, Megan Howe, for a detailed breakdown of all how the strikes will affect Londoners, as well as the deal that sparked the tube strikes. Plus, Tamara also speaks to The Standard's political editor, Nic Cecil, for his insights on the position politicians across the party spectrum are taking on the tube worker's strikes, and to what extent the strikes will impact the upcoming local council election results. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BAYERN-KRIMI GEGEN REAL: Drei Rückstände und trotzdem weiter! Die Bayern siegen am Ende 4:3 im Viertelfinal-Rückspiel gegen Real Madrid und ziehen ins Halbfinale der Champions League ein. Da wartet Titelverteidiger PSG. Gemeinsam mit Marcel Reif sprechen wir über den Spektakel-Abend in der Allianz-Arena. Und schauen auch auf die Partie FC Arsenal gegen Sporting Lissabon. Im Halbfinale wartet nun Atlético Madrid auf die Londoner. Außerdem werfen wir einen Blick auf den 30. Bundesliga-Spieltag!

A devoted father and long-distance truck driver vanished in Arizona's Tonto National Forest under chillingly bizarre circumstances, leaving behind only a locked truck and haunting eyewitness accounts.Look for this podcast on YouTube Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other apps. Get the full list of options here: https://pod.link/1078714736*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*IN THIS EPISODE: In May 1995, Devin Williams, a devoted father and trucker, vanished under mysterious circumstances in Arizona's Tonto National Forest. His journey turned into a mystery, marked by sightings of a semi-truck driving erratically and Devin's last known moments of confusion. Despite an abandoned truck with undisturbed cargo and the eerie discovery of his skull two years later, the question remains: What happened to Devin Williams in those remote woods? (The Bizarre Disappearance of Truck Driver Devin Williams) *** What do astronomers say about those who deny the moon landing really took place? The conspiracy theory gets an assist from, believe it or not, the New York Mets! (The Faked Moon Landing And The New York Mets) *** New England has a lot of great places to visit, and travel times to these locations are minimal. One of the most infamous would be Rhode Island – home to story of vampire Mercy Brown. (Vampires of Rhode Island) *** Until the Humpty Doo poltergeist outbreak of 1998, Australia's most notorious poltergeist was a very persistent, wall-bashing, stone-throwing entity known as the “Guyra Ghost” which terrorized William Bowen, his wife and three children in their tiny weatherboard cottage just outside Guyra, New South Wales in early 1921. (The Guyra Ghost) *** In 1814, London experienced one of the most bizarre disasters in British history. An unfortunate chain of events at the Horseshoe Brewery led to the death of 8 women and children as they were caught up in London's Great Beer Flood. But, what really happened? And, did Londoners really get drunk, as beer flowed past their homes in the streets, free for the taking? (The Great London Beer Flood) *** Ghost marriages in China have led to a very unsavory and deeply disturbing trade. They are called ghost marriages, because the groom is given a dead woman to marry… often forced to do so. And the stories are, understandably, horrifying. (Forced to Marry a Corpse) *** In September 1982, people wanting to get away from aches and pains from the flu or just a headache shopped store shelves for relief… and ended up dead. Their Tylenol had been laced with poison. (The Tylenol Murders)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open00:03:08.999 = The Bizarre Disappearance of Truck Driver Devin Williams00:13:03.500 = Fake Moon Landing and the New York Mets ***00:19:25.407 = Vampires of Rhode Island00:24:01.762 = Forced To Marry a Corpse00:30:24.402 = Guyra Ghost ***00:37:42.119 = Great London Beer Flood00:51:25.871 = Tylenol Murders ***00:57:52.445 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakHELPFUL LINKS & RESOURCES…https://WeirdDarkness.com/ALBUMS = Songs and Videos by our Weird Darkness punk band, #DarkWeirdnesshttps://WeirdDarkness.com/STORE = Tees, Mugs, Socks, Hoodies, Totes, Hats, Kidswear & Morehttps://WeirdDarkness.com/HOPE = Hope For Depression or Thoughts of Self-Harmhttps://WeirdDarkness.com/NEWSLETTER = In-Depth Articles, Memes, Weird DarkNEWS, Videos & Morehttps://WeirdDarkness.com/AUDIOBOOKS = FREE Audiobooks Narrated By Darren Marlar EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/DevinWilliamsSOURCES and RESOURCES:BOOK: “Mercy: The Last New England Vampire” by Sarah L. Thomson: https://amzn.to/3OCqiaR“The Great London Beer Flood” by Lenora for Haunted Palace Blog: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4mksvfhe“The Faked Moon Landing And The New York Mets” by Michael Richmond for The Conversation: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/56av32z3“The Bizarre Disappearance of Truck Driver Devin Williams” by Zach Brown for Oola.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/24kah92v“Vampires of Rhode Island” by David Albaugh for BasementOfTheBizarre.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2s4mykvd“The Guyra Ghost” posted by Paul Cropper at TheFortean.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2whkdd7n“Forced To Marry a Corpse” by Ossiana Tepfenhart for Medium: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3wcc49bz“The Tylenol Murders” by Dr. Howard Markel for PBS: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckth74h(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: February 28, 2024

In 2023, Patrick Radden Keefe met a man who told him, "I might have a story for you." When you're Patrick — New Yorker staff writer, author of "some of the most memorable nonfiction books of the last decade" (that's the New York Times talking) — this is a hazard of the trade. But he heard the guy out. The guy said he knew a family whose 19-year-old son had died in mysterious circumstances. "He went off the balcony of a luxury apartment building overlooking the Thames." When the boy's parents started looking into it, they made an astonishing discovery: Their son — a nice, upper-middle-class Londoner — had been running around the city posing as the son of a Russian oligarch. "This guy said only about that much," Patrick tells us in today's episode, "and I knew if the family would talk to me, this was my next thing." His new book is London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth. The Next Big Idea is now on YouTube! You can find our episodes ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Follow Rufus on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, subscribe to our ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠, or send us an email at ⁠podcast@nextbigideaclub.com⁠. The best way to support the show is by becoming a Next Big Idea Club member. Learn more at ⁠⁠nextbigideaclub.com⁠⁠, and use code PODCAST for a super secret discount (spoiler: it's 20% off). Sponsored By: Fabric — Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family at ⁠⁠meetfabric.com/nbi⁠⁠ Factor — Head to ⁠⁠⁠factormeals.com/idea50off⁠⁠⁠ and use code idea50off to get 50% off your first box Granola — Get three months free at ⁠⁠granola.ai/idea⁠⁠ Shopify — Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/nbi⁠⁠⁠

This week we are joined by podcasting royalty, Sophie Habboo! Habboo found fame on Made In Chelsea, E4's structured-reality show following the lives of affluent 20-something Londoners where she met fellow cast-mate Jamie Laing in 2017. The two began dating - and then launched a media empire. Their podcast, NearlyWeds was an instant hit and was rebranded as NewlyWeds when they got married in 2023. Habboo now runs the hugely successful JamPot podcast production company with her husband and the two served as executive producers on Raising Chelsea, a new three-part Disney+ documentary following the couple as they face the messy, scary and comic reality of becoming parents for the first time. In this episode Sophie talks openly about her feelings of overwhelm and anxiety in the run up to their wedding, her ADHD diagnosis, the challenges of being a new mum and the importance of setting boundaries. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 03:50 Family Roots And Motherhood 06:39 Ziggy Bay And Marathon Madness 08:35 Failure One: No Boundaries 10:23 One Day Office Job Disaster 16:01 Wedding Overwhelm And ADHD 20:52 Insecurities and Social Situations 21:53 Anxiety and Imposter Feelings 23:05 Therapy and Psychic Rituals 24:18 Sponsor Break The Testaments 26:12 Motherhood and Fear of Failing 29:36 Love Story With Jamie 33:54 A Surprise Voice Note

Bola Sokunbi didn't start with advantages. She started with a $54,000 salary she never negotiated, a rollover IRA mistake that cost her 40% of her savings, a tenant who stopped paying rent for eight months, and a first year of business that generated exactly $200. She's also built one of the most influential personal finance brands in the country and helped millions of people on the path to becoming millionaires. The gap between those two things isn't luck. It's four pillars -- and she walks through all of them today. What You'll Walk Away With The four wealth-building pillars that work in any combination -- and why you only need one to start Why negotiating your salary isn't about being aggressive -- and the simple strategy Bola used to close a gap between $54,000 and the $70,000+ her peers were already making for the same work The rollover IRA mistake that cost Bola nearly 40% of her retirement savings in a single tax year -- and exactly how to avoid it Why the investing pillar isn't just a 401k -- and the specific questions to ask yourself to know if you're actually maximizing it The honest truth about real estate as a wealth-building vehicle -- including what Bola learned from eight months of unpaid rent and a judge who heard everything How to get into real estate investing without ever becoming a landlord The entrepreneurship timeline nobody posts on social media -- and the financial runway strategy that lets you build a business without blowing up your household finances Why the four pillars aren't meant to be pursued one at a time -- and how stacking them together is where the real wealth acceleration happens The one mindset shift that separates people who build wealth from people who keep waiting for the right moment Why starting late is a story we tell ourselves -- and what the math actually says about investors who begin in their 40s or 50s Why This Matters Now If you're in your 40s and you've been doing the right things -- contributing to the 401k, avoiding bad debt, building some savings -- but still feel like the millionaire milestone is someone else's story, this episode is the reframe you didn't know you needed. Wealth at this stage isn't about finding a better investment. It's about understanding which pillars you already have, which ones you're leaving on the table, and how to combine them in a way that fits your actual life. From the Basement Bola Sokunbi joins Joe and OG to walk through the four pillars of her new book, Clever Girl Millionaire -- and yes, the guys are allowed in today. Doug arrives with April Fools trivia involving the Tower of London and a very old prank about lion-washing that somehow still worked on Londoners in 1856. Joe and OG also spend the headline segment making what is either a very compelling case for strategic debt -- or the most elaborate April Fools bit in Stacking Benjamins history. The basement scoreboard had nothing to do with any of it. Resources Mentioned Clever Girl Millionaire by Bola Sokunbi -- available wherever books are sold Clever Girl Finance -- free courses, worksheets, and resources at clevergirlfinance.com Clever Girl Finance on YouTube and Instagram -- @CleverGirlFinance Grind by (coffee shop founder) -- referenced by Joe during the entrepreneurship discussion Stacking Benjamins Scorecard -- assess your financial strategy at stackingbenjamins.com/scorecard Stacking Benjamins Meetups -- find a local group at stackingbenjamins.com/bad Live Show -- Stacking Benjamins and Afford Anything joint live recording, April 7th at Texas A&M Texarkana; details at stackingbenjamins.com/meetup FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/clever-girl-how-to-become-a-millionaire-1823 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bola Sokunbi didn't start with advantages. She started with a $54,000 salary she never negotiated, a rollover IRA mistake that cost her 40% of her savings, a tenant who stopped paying rent for eight months, and a first year of business that generated exactly $200. She's also built one of the most influential personal finance brands in the country and helped millions of people on the path to becoming millionaires. The gap between those two things isn't luck. It's four pillars -- and she walks through all of them today. What You'll Walk Away With The four wealth-building pillars that work in any combination -- and why you only need one to start Why negotiating your salary isn't about being aggressive -- and the simple strategy Bola used to close a gap between $54,000 and the $70,000+ her peers were already making for the same work The rollover IRA mistake that cost Bola nearly 40% of her retirement savings in a single tax year -- and exactly how to avoid it Why the investing pillar isn't just a 401k -- and the specific questions to ask yourself to know if you're actually maximizing it The honest truth about real estate as a wealth-building vehicle -- including what Bola learned from eight months of unpaid rent and a judge who heard everything How to get into real estate investing without ever becoming a landlord The entrepreneurship timeline nobody posts on social media -- and the financial runway strategy that lets you build a business without blowing up your household finances Why the four pillars aren't meant to be pursued one at a time -- and how stacking them together is where the real wealth acceleration happens The one mindset shift that separates people who build wealth from people who keep waiting for the right moment Why starting late is a story we tell ourselves -- and what the math actually says about investors who begin in their 40s or 50s Why This Matters Now If you're in your 40s and you've been doing the right things -- contributing to the 401k, avoiding bad debt, building some savings -- but still feel like the millionaire milestone is someone else's story, this episode is the reframe you didn't know you needed. Wealth at this stage isn't about finding a better investment. It's about understanding which pillars you already have, which ones you're leaving on the table, and how to combine them in a way that fits your actual life. From the Basement Bola Sokunbi joins Joe and OG to walk through the four pillars of her new book, Clever Girl Millionaire -- and yes, the guys are allowed in today. Doug arrives with April Fools trivia involving the Tower of London and a very old prank about lion-washing that somehow still worked on Londoners in 1856. Joe and OG also spend the headline segment making what is either a very compelling case for strategic debt -- or the most elaborate April Fools bit in Stacking Benjamins history. The basement scoreboard had nothing to do with any of it. Resources Mentioned Clever Girl Millionaire by Bola Sokunbi -- available wherever books are sold Clever Girl Finance -- free courses, worksheets, and resources at clevergirlfinance.com Clever Girl Finance on YouTube and Instagram -- @CleverGirlFinance Grind by (coffee shop founder) -- referenced by Joe during the entrepreneurship discussion Stacking Benjamins Scorecard -- assess your financial strategy at stackingbenjamins.com/scorecard Stacking Benjamins Meetups -- find a local group at stackingbenjamins.com/bad Live Show -- Stacking Benjamins and Afford Anything joint live recording, April 7th at Texas A&M Texarkana; details at stackingbenjamins.com/meetup FULL SHOW NOTES: https://stackingbenjamins.com/clever-girl-how-to-become-a-millionaire-1823 Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week Annie Kelly continues to report on the “London Has Fallen” trend in video content by bringing us even more London-based fake TikTok news. She is joined by guest Katherine Denkinson, who walks us through a story she reported on with London Centric concerning a TikTok account that was posting fake migrant housing rage bait. While editing this episode, more information came to light, so we invited Katherine back to provide an update on the situation, including the motives behind the hateful content. Who's secretly filming fake TikToks inside Londoner's homes? - Article by London Centric https://www.londoncentric.media/p/tiktok-london-immigrants-fake-news-house-tours “Hate brings views”: Confessions of a London fake news TikToker - Article by London Centric https://www.londoncentric.media/p/london-tiktok-fake-news-creator-hate-immigrants Subscribe for $5 a month to get all the premium episodes: www.patreon.com/qaa Produced by Corey Klotz. Theme by Nick Sena. Additional music by Pontus Berghe. Theme Vocals by THEY/LIVE (instagram.com/theyylivve / sptfy.com/QrDm). Cover Art by Pedro Correa: (pedrocorrea.com) qaapodcast.com QAA was known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.