Podcasts about Transatlantic

Ultra-fast long-distance bike rides have garnered a lot of attention of late, headlined by Lael Wilcox's record-setting circumnavigation of the planet. But as impressive as many of those efforts are, there's something lost in moving so quickly. Seeing the world by bike is a great way to slow down, take it all in, and have an experience that other methods of transportation can't replicate.Chris McCaffrey finished a seventeen-month ride around the world last fall, and we sat down to hear his whole story, from the trans-Atlantic rowing effort that sparked his interest in long-distance human-powered travel, to the incredible places he saw and people he met along the way, and a whole lot more.RELATED LINKS:BLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Why ride around the world? (2:29)Trans-Atlantic rowing attempt (6:23)Chris's first big bikepacking trip (17:56)Lessons learned from that trip (24:03)Bike setup for the ride around the world (26:45)The route (32:10)Setting off (39:01)North America (43:22)Europe (49:12)Asia (51:03)Getting sick (1:04:44)Favorite places & next destinations (1:25:20)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Happy anniversary, baby.” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting trio – Ian, Liam & Megs (Kev's taking care of some issues in Atlanta) – as we lock and load for our 282nd episode, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Doug Liman's bullet-riddled marital meltdown Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005). We're trading treasure maps and Pepsi product placement for high-tech arsenals and awkward couples therapy as we discuss: At what point exactly did Brad Pitt's & Angelina Jolie's respective existing marriages become doomed The world of super spies and just how deep your cover has to be before you forget who you're actually married to. We get a guest review from a parent of a podcaster this week—they've certainly chosen a side Do our respective genders guarantee a same-gender allegiance or is it up for grabs One of us struggles to accept the film's central conceit (spoiler: it involves assassins, suburbs, and how you manage to create your respective weapons stashes). How this film caused a minor international incident  We ask the big question: Was Brad Pitt a character actor trapped in a movie star's body all along? What's wrong with the narrative pacing—and why does it feel like the film ran out of bullets before the third act? We dive into the ongoing conversation around gender pay equality, especially when both leads aren't marquee stars. Is this a great film or just a very stylish couples' argument with body count. How much mediocrity can great chemistry overcome Whether Mr. & Mrs. Smith is the Best Film Ever Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE. We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor. Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

On April 22, 2025, gunmen in the town of Pahalgam, located in the disputed region of Kashmir, killed 26 people—mostly Indian tourists. A four-day military clash between India and Pakistan ensued, bringing both countries to the brink of a full-blown war, before a ceasefire was reached on May 10, 2025. During the India-Pakistan clashes, Beijing urged both sides to deescalate and called for a “political settlement through peaceful means.” But China did not play a neutral role in the conflict. Consistent with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's purported statement to his Pakistani counterpart that “China fully understands Pakistan's legitimate security concerns and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests,” China reportedly provided intelligence, satellite equipment, and other forms of support to Pakistan before and during the clashes.To analyze China's role in the conflict, host Bonnie Glaser is joined by Andrew Small. Andrew is a senior transatlantic fellow with GMF's Indo-Pacific program, and author of two books on China, including “The China-Pakistan Axis: Asia's New Geopolitics,” which is now ten years old, but remains an insightful and relevant study. Timestamps[00:00] Start[01:46] China's Diplomatic Response to the India-Pakistan Clashes[05:58] Beijing's Offer of Playing a “Constructive Role”[10:56] A Testing Ground for Chinese Weaponry and Equipment[14:03] China's Cautious Approach to Sino-Indian Relations[18:10] Military Support and the Sino-Pakistan Relationship[23:44] Implications for Chinese Arms Exports[26:27] Indian and Pakistani Assessments of Chinese Involvement[30:06] Influence of US-China Rivalry on India-Pakistan Relations

Nurses Out Loud with Kimberly Overton, BSN, RN – Join me in a dialogue with Norwegian journalist Rebecca Mistereggen as we explore medical freedom, censorship, and spiritual awakening. Rebecca shares her journey challenging pharmaceutical narratives and media restrictions. From grief-driven advocacy to international collaboration, conversation inspires listeners to reclaim sovereignty, amplify their voice, and unite in the global...

Nurses Out Loud with Kimberly Overton, BSN, RN – Join me in a dialogue with Norwegian journalist Rebecca Mistereggen as we explore medical freedom, censorship, and spiritual awakening. Rebecca shares her journey challenging pharmaceutical narratives and media restrictions. From grief-driven advocacy to international collaboration, conversation inspires listeners to reclaim sovereignty, amplify their voice, and unite in the global...

Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, arrives in Washington for a high-stakes meeting with president Trump. Plus: Bulgaria gets the green light for the euro. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transatlantic betrayal Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/the-other-hand-with-jim.power-and-chris.johns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Goonies never say die!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam, KevDog & Megs – with a surprise zipline call-in from Georgia – as we hunt for treasure, dodge booby traps, and argue over coastal real estate law in our 281st episode covering the beloved ‘80s adventure The Goonies (1985). We're trading poisoned apples for pirate maps and Baby Ruth bars as we discuss: Why Ian still can't remember androgynous character names—and what that means for Andy and the podcast's collective patience. We get into a surprisingly spirited debate over what foreclosure actually means (and how much Spielberg economics we're willing to accept). What's the real tragedy behind the film's stunning set design—and the moment it all went poof. Which young actor accidentally ruined an iconic shot… and whether Spielberg ever truly forgave him. We get honest about Chunk, fat shaming, and how watching it through a 2025 lens left some of us feeling a little queasy. We go over some podcast metrics, because if the Fratellis can chase gold, we can at least check our download stats. Who far outpunches his small role in the cast—and who far outkicked his coverage romantically (we're actually not looking at Brand). Kev's brought along some exotic treats (if you're English), and reactions range from delighted to deflated. Someone (take a guess) tries to do some serious heavy lifting to make the central treasure-hunting plot actually make sense. Ian gives what he thinks is a masterclass in narrative construction and points out where The Goonies missed a few easy wins (even with pirate ships involved). Whether The Goonies is the Best Film Ever. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE. We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor. Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

In this French-language episode, host Leslie Palti-Guzman welcomes Anne-Sophie Corbeau, Global Research Scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolving market dynamics and geopolitics of gas in 2025.Together, they explore three major themes:

Charlie's brief three-day visit has set the UK on fire. Charlie talks to Ben Leo of GBNews about his stops at Oxford and Cambridge, as well as his viral interview where he labeled Islam as incompatible with Western civilization. Josh Hammer of Newsweek discusses the strategic merit of Trump's battle with Harvard University. Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at chariekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie's brief three-day visit has set the UK on fire. Charlie talks to Ben Leo of GBNews about his stops at Oxford and Cambridge, as well as his viral interview where he labeled Islam as incompatible with Western civilization. Josh Hammer of Newsweek discusses the strategic merit of Trump's battle with Harvard University. Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at chariekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Here's Johnny!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting duo – Ian & Liam (with Megs checking in later once she arrives from Florida) – as we snowmobile into the Overlook Hotel for our 280th episode (B-Tech Kev's not here. Doesn't he get that all work and no play make Kev a dull boy?) and crack open Stanley Kubrick's psychological horror masterpiece The Shining (1980). We're trading ditching the swim team for haunted hallways and axing our way through one of the most iconic films ever made as we discuss: Liam talks far too much about a film that we're not reviewing today (but what else is new?). We correct a few political misnomers from last week, because facts matter—especially when ghosts are listening. Ian talks about the passing of George Wendt; Liam, not to be outdone, imagines the hypothetical passing of one of his heroes. Megs joins us and delivers a full-on mini-episode as she trials her new sidepod and recounts her real-life triumph over the forces of nature. We debate whether Jack Nicholson is giving a genuinely strong performance… or just letting his charisma do all the heavy lifting. Is there causality in this story—or is it all just vibes? And if there isn't, shouldn't that break the movie? Ian reveals who he's in good company with on this one—and who he most certainly is not. Ian also explains the origin of the iconic “Here's Johnny!” line to, well… everyone. Ian asks if this movie is trying to cram two different horror movies into one Liam swears this isn't a horror movie and the boys try to come up with a list of what makes a film a horror film Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE. We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor. Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

The United States and China reached a 90-day truce in the trade war when their representatives met in Geneva in early May. Both sides agreed to temporarily roll back tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers. President Trump announced that a “total reset” in US-China relations had been achieved. Beyond the hyperbole, the two sides agreed to establish a mechanism on economics and trade and launch negotiations to address trade imbalances and other problems. Whether a deal is reached, what it might look like, and what it might include, remains to be seen. The future trajectory of US-China relations, overall, is still unclear.This episode highlights a Chinese perspective on the US-China bilateral relationship, including on the recent trade talks and the factors that will influence US-China relations going forward. Sun Chenghao, a fellow and head of the U.S.-Europe program at Tsinghua University's Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS), and council member of the Chinese Association of American Studies joins host Bonnie Glaser for this episode.  Timestamps[00:00] Start[01:39] What does Trump want from China? [04:29] What view does Dr. Sun hold?[05:00] Assessing the US-China Geneva Talks[09:21] Feasibility of a Broad US-China Trade Deal[13:23] Implications of Trump's “Unification” Comment[16:46] Importance of the Strategic Channel[20:47] Declining America, Rising China[23:27] Shift in US Policy Toward Alliances[27:49] The Future of US-China Relations

Just in time for the pod's 10th birthday, a bucket list guest for the show. We welcome, after two years of trying to line up schedules, Grant Morrison. When we started discussing doing the pod with Grant, it was Animal Man's 35th anniversary. It's now the 37th anniversary, but all that matters is finally having the chat. We talk about the book's creation back in 1988 during the first wave of the British Comics Invasion, when Grant, Gaiman, Milligan and McKean followed Alan Moore in working for DC. This leads to discussing the story that changed the book, issue 5's “The Coyote Gospel.” From there, it's talk about everything from B'Wanna Beast to The Red Bee, Captain Cold to The Inferior Five. That's all leading up to the Psycho Pirate, his trying to undo Crisis and the debut of characters like Overman and Sunshine Superman. And that culminates with looking at the end of Grant's time on the book, when Buddy travels through Limbo to meet … well, a fictionalized version of Grant, when gets to confront his creator about the death of his family and all the other bad stuff that has happened in these stories. There's lots of other stuff in our conversation including Swamp Thing, Sargon the Sorcerer, Doom Patrol, Batman, continuity, metafiction and of course Hypertime, where Grant explains the math behind the idea that most people didn't understand. As you may be able to tell during our chat, Animal Man was a very important book for me, it starting at the same time I was beginning college and being exposed to new ideas and writers like Borges. I'm so happy we were finally able to get this done and thanks to Grant's wife Kristan for all her help over the years trying to balance Trans-Atlantic schedules, natural disasters and various medical issues over that time. But we never gave up, so we hope you like probably one of my favorite episodes of the podcast's lifespan.

“Give her the goddamn [microphone], Conrad!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian & Liam (Megs and B-Tech Kev have headed off to Houston) – as we dive deep into the murky waters of grief, guilt, and WASP repression for our 289th episode, covering Robert Redford's directorial debut Ordinary People (1980). We're joined by BFF of the BFE: Ariannah (Who Loves BFE the Most™), as we trade poisoned apples for therapy sessions and take a long, quiet look at the cracks beneath the perfect family portrait as we discuss: How Ordinary People took the 1980 Oscars by storm  Does the film's quiet intensity still hit home—or has its reserved style become a relic of another era? Is Conrad a deeply sympathetic protagonist—or a mirror too uncomfortable to look into? How Ordinary People explores mental health, emotional repression, and the cold war between appearance and authenticity. Would the film still work today or have we successfully de-stigmatized mental health, trauma, and therapy? Which character we most relate to – and does that change  Where Mary Tyler Moore lands in the pantheon of dramatic performances. And what's someone's major gripe with her character's arc? Speaking of gripes—can we talk about that family photo scene? We've got questions about golf sweaters, family breakfast tension, and how much pain can hide behind tickets to Michigan State We get personal about how Ordinary People affected us—and whether we saw ourselves in any of its emotional breakdowns. We talk quiet power, redemptive silence, and the importance of just… being there for someone. Whether Ordinary People is the Best Film Ever. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.   We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor. Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

In this episode, we're joined by Nicky Humphreys and Ally Lewis, the founding members of Dyslexia Awareness Northern Ireland, for a transatlantic talk on dyslexia. Nicky Humphreys did her PGCE Primary in 2004/05; in 2016, she commenced a postgraduate diploma in teaching literacy to learners with dyslexia/SpLD through the Northern Ireland Dyslexia Centre. She worked as a tutor for the Centre in Belfast for a few years before setting up her own small business teaching children in her local area and working with her local schools. Her professional body is PATOSS. She is married to Marshall and they have three children. She loves spring/summer and holidays. Ally Lewis is a former pediatric and neonatal nurse who transitioned into education after having children. Her personal journey into literacy advocacy began when her son struggled with reading and spelling in early primary school. Frustrated by the lack of support and resources in Northern Ireland, Ally pursued structured literacy training in Belfast. Since then, she has become a passionate advocate for children with dyslexia, offering support to families and working one-on-one with students in schools. Together, along with Jodi Snowdon (who now works for NESSY), Nicky and Ally founded the Facebook page and advocacy group in Northern Ireland, DANI (Dyslexia Awareness Northern Ireland). Resources mentioned in this episode: Nessy The Dyslexia SpLD Trust Dyslexia Awareness NI Dyslexia Crisis in Northern Ireland Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz M.D. Science of Reading (SOR) Discussion and Support Group NI Teachers Science of Reading Discussion for Irish Teachers Teaching Beyond the Diagnosis: Empowering Students with Dyslexia by Casey Harrison We officially have merch! Show your love for the Together in Literacy podcast! If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to rate, review, and subscribe. Your support and encouragement are so appreciated! Have a question you'd like us to cover in a future episode of Together in Literacy? Email us at support@togetherinliteracy.com! If you'd like more from Together in Literacy, you can check out our website, Together in Literacy, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram. For more from Emily, check out The Literacy Nest. For more from Casey, check out The Dyslexia Classroom. We're looking for topic and guest suggestions for season 4 of the Together in Literacy Podcast! Let us know what you want to hear this season! Thank you for listening and joining us in this exciting and educational journey into dyslexia as we come together in literacy!

“On the BFE, nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass.” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam & Megs (Kev's stuck in traffic... literally) – as we collide head-on with our 270th episode, diving into the Oscar-winning ensemble drama Crash (2004). We're trading poisoned apples for tangled fender benders and uncomfortable conversations as we discuss: How Crash sparked intense debate in 2004 and controversially drove off with Best Picture. Does the film still resonate 20 years later—or has its commentary aged as awkwardly as some of its dialogue? Is Crash a powerful mirror to society… or a heavy-handed lecture? How Crash explores race, prejudice, guilt, and the unseen connections that bind us. Which character's arc hit us hardest – and which character has multiple members of the BFE auditioning for the role? Is Crash misunderstood genius—or awards bait that tricked us all? Where the film sits among Best Picture winners. And what's our biggest gripe with its storytelling choices? Which characters does the film tell us to forgive - and do we? Speaking of gripes—do any of these characters actually change? We get personal about when we first saw Crash, and how our take on the film has evolved over time (or crashed and burned). We talk intense performances, sweeping coincidences, and how this film could only have been made at this exact time Whether Crash is the Best Film Ever. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

So even the people that follow the topic closely are stunned by the digital landscape that engulfs our children, how quickly it evolves, and the potential social cost. Two people in a unique position to explain all this are our guest today, Jeffrey Chester and Kathryn Montgomery, both from the Center for Digital Democracy. Jeff is executive director of the Center, and Kathryn is its research director and senior strategist, as well as professor emerita of communication at American University. Jeff and Kathryn have been pioneers in this work and have been uniquely strong voices for protecting children. Interview Summary Let me congratulate the two of you for being way ahead of your time. I mean the two of you through your research and your advocacy and your organizational work, you were onto these things way before most people were. I'm really happy that you're joining us today, and welcome to our podcast. Kathryn, let me begin with you. So why be concerned about this digital landscape? Kathryn - Well, certainly if we're talking about children and youth, we have to pay attention to the world they live in. And it's a digital world as I think any parent knows, and everybody knows. In fact, for all of us, we're living in a digital world. So young people are living their lives online. They're using mobile phones and mobile devices all the time. They're doing online video streaming. They form their communications with their peers online. Their entire lives are completely integrated into this digital media landscape, and we must understand it. Certainly, the food and beverage industry understand it very well. And they have figured out enormously powerful ways to reach and engage young people through these digital media. You know, the extent of the kids' connection to this is really remarkable. I just finished a few minutes ago recording a podcast with two people involved with the Children and Screens organization. And, Chris Perry, who's the executive director of that organization and Dmitri Christakis who was with us as well, were saying that kids sometimes check their digital media 300 times a day. I mean, just unbelievable how much of this there is. There's a lot of reasons to be concerned. Let's turn our attention to how bad it is, what companies are doing, and what might be done about it. So, Jeff, tell us if you would, about the work of the Center for Digital Democracy. Jeff - Well, for more than a quarter of a century, we have tracked the digital marketplace. As you said at the top, we understood in the early 1990s that the internet, broadband what's become today's digital environment, was going to be the dominant communications system. And it required public interest rules and policies and safeguards. So as a result, one of the things that our Center does is we look at the entire digital landscape as best as we can, especially what the ultra-processed food companies are doing, but including Google and Meta and Amazon and GenAI companies. We are tracking what they're doing, how they're creating the advertising, what their data strategies are, what their political activities are in the United States and in many other places in the world. Because the only way we're going to hold them accountable is if we know what they're doing and what they intend to do. And just to quickly follow up, Kelly, the marketers call today's global generation of young people Generation Alpha. Meaning that they are the first generation to be born into this complete digital landscape environment that we have created. And they have developed a host of strategies to target children at the earliest ages to take advantage of the fact that they're growing up digitally. Boy, pretty amazing - Generation Alpha. Kathryn, I have kind of a niche question I'd like to ask you because it pertains to my own career as well. So, you spent many years as an academic studying and writing about these issues, but also you were a strong advocacy voice. How did you go about balancing the research and the objectivity of an academic with advocacy you were doing? Kathryn - I think it really is rooted in my fundamental set of values about what it means to be an academic. And I feel very strongly and believe very strongly that all of us have a moral and ethical responsibility to the public. That the work we do should really, as I always have told my students, try to make the world a better place. It may seem idealistic, but I think it is what our responsibility is. And I've certainly been influenced in my own education by public scholars over the years who have played that very, very important role. It couldn't be more important today than it has been over the years. And I think particularly if you're talking about public health, I don't think you can be neutral. You can have systematic ways of assessing the impact of food marketing, in this case on young people. But I don't think you can be totally objective and neutral about the need to improve the public health of our citizens. And particularly the public health of our young people. I agree totally with that. Jeff let's talk about the concept of targeted marketing. We hear that term a lot. And in the context of food, people talk about marketing aimed at children as one form of targeting. Or, toward children of color or people of color in general. But that's in a way technological child's play. I understand from you that there's much more precise targeting than a big demographic group like that. Tell us more. Jeff - Well, I mean certainly the ultra-processed food companies are on the cutting edge of using all the latest tools to target individuals in highly personalized way. And I think if I have one message to share with your listeners and viewers is that if we don't act soon, we're going to make an already vulnerable group even more exposed to this kind of direct targeted and personalized marketing. Because what artificial intelligence allows the food and beverage companies and their advertising agencies and platform partners to do is to really understand who we are, what we do, where we are, how we react, behave, think, and then target us accordingly using all those elements in a system that can create this kind of advertising and marketing in minutes, if not eventually milliseconds. So, all of marketing, in essence, will be targeted because they know so much about us. You have an endless chain of relationships between companies like Meta, companies like Kellogg's, the advertising agencies, the data brokers, the marketing clouds, et cetera. Young people especially, and communities of color and other vulnerable groups, have never been more exposed to this kind of invasive, pervasive advertising. Tell us how targeted it can be. I mean, let's take a 11-year-old girl who lives in Wichita and a 13-year-old boy who lives in Denver. How much do the companies know about those two people as individuals? And how does a targeting get market to them? Not because they belong to a big demographic group, but because of them as individuals. Jeff - Well, they certainly are identified in various ways. The marketers know that there are young people in the household. They know that there are young people, parts of families who have various media behaviors. They're watching these kinds of television shows, especially through streaming or listening to music or on social media. Those profiles are put together. And even when the companies say they don't exactly know who the child is or not collecting information from someone under 13 because of the privacy law that we helped get enacted, they know where they are and how to reach them. So, what you've had is an unlimited amassing of data power developed by the food and beverage companies in the United States over the last 25 years. Because really very little has been put in their way to stop them from what they do and plan to do. So presumably you could get some act of Congress put in to forbid the companies from targeting African American children or something like that. But it doesn't sound like that would matter because they're so much more precise in the market. Yes. I mean, in the first place you couldn't get congress to pass that. And I think this is the other thing to think about when you think about the food and beverage companies deploying Generative AI and the latest tools. They've already established vast, what they call insights divisions, market research divisions, to understand our behavior. But now they're able to put all that on a fast, fast, forward basis because of data processing, because of data clouds, let's say, provided by Amazon, and other kinds of tools. They're able to really generate how to sell to us individually, what new products will appeal to us individually and even create the packaging and the promotion to be personalized. So, what you're talking about is the need for a whole set of policy safeguards. But I certainly think that people concerned about public health need to think about regulating the role of Generative AI, especially when it comes to young people to ensure that they're not marketed to in the ways that it fact is and will continue to do. Kathryn, what about the argument that it's a parent's responsibility to protect their children and that government doesn't need to be involved in this space? Kathryn - Well, as a parent, I have to say is extremely challenging. We all do our best to try to protect our children from unhealthy influences, whether it's food or something that affects their mental health. That's a parent's obligation. That's what a parent spends a lot of time thinking about and trying to do. But this is an environment that is overwhelming. It is intrusive. It reaches into young people's lives in ways that make it virtually impossible for parents to intervene. These are powerful companies, and I'm including the tech companies. I'm including the retailers. I'm including the ad agencies as well as these global food and beverage companies. They're extremely powerful. As Jeff has been saying, they have engaged and continue to engage in enormous amounts of technological innovation and research to figure out precisely how to reach and engage our children. And it's too much for parents. And I've been saying this for years. I've been telling legislators this. I've been telling the companies this. It's not fair. It's a very unfair situation for parents. That makes perfect sense. Well, Jeff, your Center produces some very helpful and impressive reports. And an example of that is work you've done on the vast surveillance of television viewers. Tell us more about that, if you would. Jeff - Well, you know, you have to keep up with this, Kelly. The advocates in the United States and the academics with some exceptions have largely failed to address the contemporary business practices of the food and beverage companies. This is not a secret what's going on now. I mean the Generative AI stuff and the advanced data use, you know, is recent. But it is a continuum. And the fact is that we've been one of the few groups following it because we care about our society, our democracy, our media system, et cetera. But so much more could be done here to track what the companies are doing to identify the problematic practices, to think about counter strategies to try to bring change. So yes, we did this report on video streaming because in fact, it's the way television has now changed. It's now part of the commercial surveillance advertising and marketing complex food and beverage companies are using the interactivity and the data collection of streaming television. And we're sounding the alarm as we've been sounding now for too long. But hopefully your listeners will, in fact, start looking more closely at this digital environment because if we don't intervene in the next few years, it'll be impossible to go back and protect young people. So, when people watch television, they don't generally realize or appreciate the fact that information is being collected on them. Jeff - The television watches you now. The television is watching you now. The streaming companies are watching you now. The device that brings you streaming television is watching you now is collecting all kinds of data. The streaming device can deliver personalized ads to you. They'll be soon selling you products in real time. And they're sharing that data with companies like Meta Facebook, your local retailers like Albertsons, Kroger, et cetera. It's one big, huge digital data marketing machine that has been created. And the industry has been successful in blocking legislation except for the one law we were able to get through in 1998. And now under the Trump administration, they have free reign to do whatever they want. It's going to be an uphill battle. But I do think the companies are in a precarious position politically if we could get more people focused on what they're doing. Alright, we'll come back to that. My guess is that very few people realize the kind of thing that you just talked about. That so much information is being collected on them while they're watching television. The fact that you and your center are out there making people more aware, I think, is likely to be very helpful. Jeff - Well, I appreciate that, Kelly, but I have to say, and I don't want to denigrate our work, but you know, I just follow the trades. There's so much evidence if you care about the media and if you care about advertising and marketing or if you care, just let's say about Coca-Cola or Pepsi or Mondalez. Pick one you can't miss all this stuff. It's all there every day. And the problem is that there has not been the focus, I blame the funders in part. There's not been the focus on this marketplace in its contemporary dimensions. I'd like to ask you both about the legislative landscape and whether there are laws protecting people, especially children from this marketing. And Kathy, both you and Jeff were heavily involved in advocacy for a landmark piece of legislation that Jeff referred to from 1998, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. What did this act involve? And now that we're some years in, how has it worked? Kathryn - Well, I always say I've been studying advertising in the digital media before people even knew there was going to be advertising in digital media. Because we're really talking about the earliest days of the internet when it was being commercialized. But there was a public perception promoted by the government and the industry and a lot of other institutions and individuals that this was going to be a whole new democratic system of technology. And that basically it would solve all of our problems in terms of access to information. In terms of education. It would open up worlds to young people. In many ways it has, but they didn't talk really that much about advertising. Jeff and I working together at the Center for Media Education, were already tracking what was going on in that marketplace in the mid-1990s when it was very, very new. At which point children were already a prime target. They were digital kids. They were considered highly lucrative. Cyber Tots was one of the words that was used by the industry. What we believed was that we needed to get some public debate and some legislation in place, some kinds of rules, to guide the development of this new commercialized media system. And so, we launched a campaign that ultimately resulted in the passage of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. Now it only governs commercial media, online, digital media that targets children under the age of 13, which was the most vulnerable demographic group of young people. We believe protections are really, really very important for teenagers. There's a lot of evidence for that now, much more research actually, that's showing their vulnerable abilities. And it has required companies to take young people into account when developing their operations. It's had an impact internationally in a lot of other countries. It is just the barest minimum of what we need in terms of protections for young people. And we've worked with the Federal Trade Commission over the years to ensure that those rules were updated and strengthened so that they would apply to this evolving digital media system. But now, I believe, that what we need is a more global advocacy strategy. And we are already doing that with advocates in other countries to develop a strategy to address the practices of this global industry. And there are some areas where we see some promising movement. The UK, for example, passed a law that bans advertising on digital media online. It has not yet taken effect, but now it will after some delays. And there are also other things going on for ultra processed foods, for unhealthy foods and beverages. So, Kathryn has partly answered this already, Jeff, but let me ask you. That act that we've talked about goes back a number of years now, what's being done more recently on the legislative front? Perhaps more important than that, what needs to be done? Well, I have to say, Kelly, that when Joe Biden came in and we had a public interest chair at the Federal Trade Commission, Lena Khan, I urged advocates in the United States who are concerned about unhealthy eating to approach the Federal Trade Commission and begin a campaign to see what we could do. Because this was going to be the most progressive Federal Trade Commission we've had in decades. And groups failed to do so for a variety of reasons. So that window has ended where we might be able to get the Federal Trade Commission to do something. There are people in the United States Congress, most notably Ed Markey, who sponsored our Children's Privacy Law 25 years ago, to get legislation. But I think we have to look outside of the United States, as Kathryn said. Beyond the law in the United Kingdom. In the European Union there are rules governing digital platforms called the Digital Services Act. There's a new European Union-wide policy safeguards on Generative AI. Brazil has something similar. There are design codes like the UK design code for young people. What we need to do is to put together a package of strategies at the federal and perhaps even state level. And there's been some activity at the state level. You know, the industry has been opposed to that and gone to court to fight any rules protecting young people online. But create a kind of a cutting-edge set of practices that then could be implemented here in the United States as part of a campaign. But there are models. And how do the political parties break down on this, these issues? Kathryn - I was going to say they break down. Jeff - The industry is so powerful still. You have bipartisan support for regulating social media when it comes to young people because there have been so many incidences of suicide and stalking and other kinds of emotional and psychological harms to young people. You have a lot of Republicans who have joined with Democrats and Congress wanting to pass legislation. And there's some bipartisan support to expand the privacy rules and even to regulate online advertising for teens in our Congress. But it's been stymied in part because the industry has such an effective lobbying operation. And I have to say that in the United States, the community of advocates and their supporters who would want to see such legislation are marginalized. They're under underfunded. They're not organized. They don't have the research. It's a problem. Now all these things can be addressed, and we should try to address them. But right now it's unlikely anything will pass in the next few months certainly. Kathryn - Can I just add something? Because I think what's important now in this really difficult period is to begin building a broader set of stakeholders in a coalition. And as I said, I think it does need to be global. But I want to talk about also on the research front, there's been a lot of really important research on digital food marketing. On marketing among healthy foods and beverages to young people, in a number of different countries. In the UK, in Australia, and other places around the world. And these scholars have been working together and a lot of them are working with scholars here in the US where we've seen an increase in that kind of research. And then advocates need to work together as well to build a movement. It could be a resurgence that begins outside of our country but comes back in at the appropriate time when we're able to garner the kind of support from our policymakers that we need to make something happen. That makes good sense, especially a global approach when it's hard to get things done here. Jeff, you alluded to the fact that you've done work specifically on ultra processed foods. Tell us what you're up to on that front. Jeff - As part of our industry analysis we have been tracking what all the leading food and beverage companies are doing in terms of what they would call their digital transformation. I mean, Coca-Cola and Pepsi on Mondelez and Hershey and all the leading transnational processed food companies are really now at the end of an intense period of restructuring to take advantage of the capabilities provided by digital data and analytics for the further data collection, machine learning, and Generative AI. And they are much more powerful, much more effective, much more adept. In addition, the industry structure has changed in the last few years also because of digital data that new collaborations have been created between the platforms, let's say like Facebook and YouTube, the food advertisers, their marketing agencies, which are now also data companies, but most notably the retailers and the grocery stores and the supermarkets. They're all working together to share data to collaborate on marketing and advertising strategies. So as part of our work we've kept abreast of all these things and we're tracking them. And now we are sharing them with a group of advocates outside of the United States supported by the Bloomberg Philanthropies to support their efforts. And they've already made tremendous progress in a lot of areas around healthy eating in countries like Mexico and Argentina and Brazil, et cetera. And I'm assuming all these technological advances and the marketing muscle, the companies have is not being used to market broccoli and carrots and Brussels sprouts. Is that right? Jeff - The large companies are aware of changing attitudes and the need for healthy foods. One quick takeaway I have is this. That because the large ultra processed food companies understand that there are political pressures promoting healthier eating in North America and in Europe. They are focused on expanding their unhealthy eating portfolio, in new regions specifically Asia Pacific, Africa, and Latin America. And China is a big market for all this. This is why it has to be a global approach here, Kelly. First place, these are transnational corporations. They are creating the, our marketing strategies at the global level and then transmitting them down to be tailored at the national or regional level. They're coming up with a single set of strategies that will affect every country and every child in those countries. We need to keep track of that and figure out ways to go after that. And there are global tools we might be able to use to try to protect young people. Because if you could protect young, a young person in China, you might also be able to protect them here in North Carolina. This all sounds potentially pretty scary, but is there reason to be optimistic? Let's see if we can end on a positive note. What do you think. Do you have reason to be optimistic? Kathryn - I've always been an optimist. I've always tried to be an optimist, and again, what I would say is if we look at this globally and if we identify partners and allies all around the world who are doing good work, and there are many, many, many of them. And if we work together and continue to develop strategies for holding this powerful industry and these powerful industries accountable. I think we will have success. And I think we should also shine the spotlight on areas where important work has already taken place. Where laws have been enacted. Where companies have been made to change their practices and highlight those and build on those successes from around the world. Thanks. Jeff, what about you? Is there reason to be optimistic? Well, I don't think we can stop trying, although we're at a particularly difficult moment here in our country and worldwide. Because unless we try to intervene the largest corporations, who are working and will work closely with our government and other government, will be able to impact our lives in so many ways through their ability to collect data. And to use that data to target us and to change our behaviors. You can change our health behaviors. You can try to change our political behaviors. What the ultra-processed food companies are now able to do every company is able to do and governments are able to do. We have to expose what they're doing, and we have to challenge what they're doing so we can try to leave our kids a better world. It makes sense. Do you see that the general public is more aware of these issues and is there reason to be optimistic on that front? That awareness might lead to pressure on politicians to change things? Jeff - You know, under the Biden administration, the Federal Trade Commission identified how digital advertising and marketing works and it made it popular among many, many more people than previously. And that's called commercial surveillance advertising. The idea that data is collected about you is used to advertise and market to you. And today there are thousands of people and certainly many more advocacy groups concerned about commercial surveillance advertising than there were prior to 2020. And all over the world, as Kathryn said, in countries like in Brazil and South Africa and Mexico, advocates are calling attention to all these techniques and practices. More and more people are being aware and then, you know, we need obviously leaders like you, Kelly, who can reach out to other scholars and get us together working together in some kind of larger collaborative to ensure that these techniques and capabilities are exposed to the public and we hold them accountable. Bios Kathryn Montgomery, PhD. is Research Director and Senior Strategist for the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD). In the early 90s, she and Jeff Chester co-founded the Center for Media Education (CME), where she served as President until 2003, and which was the predecessor organization to CDD. CME spearheaded the national campaign that led to passage of the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) the first federal legislation to protect children's privacy on the Internet. From 2003 until 2018, Dr. Montgomery was Professor of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C., where she founded and directed the 3-year interdisciplinary PhD program in Communication. She has served as a consultant to CDD for a number of years and joined the full-time staff in July 2018. Throughout her career, Dr. Montgomery has written and published extensively about the role of media in society, addressing a variety of topics, including: the politics of entertainment television; youth engagement with digital media; and contemporary advertising and marketing practices. Montgomery's research, writing, and testimony have helped frame the national public policy debate on a range of critical media issues. In addition to numerous journal articles, chapters, and reports, she is author of two books: Target: Prime Time – Advocacy Groups and the Struggle over Entertainment Television (Oxford University Press, 1989); and Generation Digital: Politics, Commerce, and Childhood in the Age of the Internet (MIT Press, 2007). Montgomery's current research focuses on the major technology, economic, and policy trends shaping the future of digital media in the Big Data era. She earned her doctorate in Film and Television from the University of California, Los Angeles. Jeff Chester is Executive Director of the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD), a Washington, DC non-profit organization. CDD is one of the leading U.S. NGOs advocating for citizens, consumers and other stakeholders on digital privacy and consumer protections online. Founded in 1991, CDD (then known as the Center for Media Education) led the campaign for the enactment of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA, 1998). During the 1990s it also played a prominent role in such issues as open access/network neutrality, diversity of media ownership, public interest policies for children and television, as well the development of the FCC's “E-Rate” funding to ensure that schools and libraries had the resources to offer Internet services. Since 2003, CDD has been spearheading initiatives designed to ensure that digital media in the broadband era fulfill their democratic potential. A former investigative reporter, filmmaker and Jungian-oriented psychotherapist, Jeff Chester received his M.S.W. in Community Mental Health from U.C. Berkeley. He is the author of Digital Destiny: New Media and the Future of Democracy (The New Press, 2007), as well as articles in both the scholarly and popular press. During the 1980s, Jeff co-directed the campaign that led to the Congressional creation of the Independent Television Service (ITVS) for public TV. He also co-founded the National Campaign for Freedom of Expression, the artist advocacy group that supported federal funding for artists. In 1996, Newsweek magazine named Jeff Chester one of the Internet's fifty most influential people. He was named a Stern Foundation “Public Interest Pioneer” in 2001, and a “Domestic Privacy Champion” by the Electronic Privacy Information Center in 2011. CDD is a member of the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD). Until January 2019, Jeff was the U.S. co-chair of TACD's Information Society (Infosoc) group, helping direct the organization's Transatlantic work on data protection, privacy and digital rights.

This week on the pod we chat with Senior Agent and Partner at Transatlantic Agency, the absolute powerhouse agent that is THE Carolyn Forde  ⁠@cforde_litagent⁠Carolyn has a wealth of magical stories and industry insights. we can't wait for you all to listen!Carolyn's Bio:Previous to joining Transatlantic Agency as Senior Agent, Carolyn was a literary agent and International Rights Director at Westwood Creative Artists for 14 years.For the last decade Carolyn has traveled to both the London Book Fair and the Frankfurt Book Fair and New York regularly, and she will continue to do so in her new role at Transatlantic.She has represented authors who have won or been nominated for many awards, including but not limited to the following: Governor General's Award, Scotiabank Giller Prize, RBC Taylor Prize, Writers Trust Hilary Weston Award, Trillium Book Award, Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-fiction, BC National Book Award, Toronto Book Award, Jim Connors Dartmouth Book Award, Margaret and John Savage First Book Award, Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, Speakers Award, Toronto Heritage Book Award, Hugo Prix for Best Foreign Thriller (France), Kobo Emerging Writer Award, Arthur Ellis Awards, LAMDA Awards, as well as many national and international bestsellers.Carolyn is an active member of the literary community, having been a speaker or mentor at the Surrey International Writers' Conference, Muskoka Literary Festival, DarkLit Literary Festival, Word on the Street, Writers Group of Durham, Ontario Writers' Conference, Willamette Writers Conference, Diaspora Dialogues and the Canadian Authors Association and a founding member of the Professional Association of Canadian Literary Agents (PACLA) and a member of the Toronto International Festival of Authors' International Visitor Committee. She also participated in a delegation of Canadian publishers and agents to Germany in 2018 in preparation for Canada's hosting role at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2020.Carolyn has lived and worked in Japan, Mexico and the Czech Republic and is a dual citizen of Canada and the UK.Carolyn's agency page: ⁠https://transatlanticagency.com/about-us/agents/forde-carolyn/⁠⁠⁠#OfthePublishingPersuasion⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠#podcast⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠#writing⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠#Publishing⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠#bookstagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠#literaryagent⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠#carolynforde⁠ ⁠⁠⁠#transatlanticliteraryagency⁠ ⁠#podcastsforwriters⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠#writingpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#writersofinstagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#writerspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#writeradvice⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#podcasting⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#podcastersofinstagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#Query⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠#querying⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠#WritersOfInstagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#podcasts⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#books⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#bookish⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#TransatlanticAgency⁠

It was a long one.  I was contracted as a Luminary to provide 10 educational talks about various travel subjects. My voice survived, barely.Places visited:BermudaAzoresLisbonCartegenaValenciaMallorcaCreteRhodesKusadasiMilosAthensThis is a brief trip report, from my current time zone to a place 7 hours ahead.Then the long flight home, then jet lag.A trip full of education, historical places and culture.All good.http://www.malcolmteasdale.com

Eighty years since Nazi Germany surrendered, Europe marks VE Day as the once unbreakable transatlantic bond faces new pressure under the "America First" president of Donald Trump. Christiane speaks with Finland's President, Alexander Stubb, about his relationship with Trump, the future of NATO and Ukraine, and the Russia-China anti-Western alliance. Them, with the fate of both the people of Gaza and the Israeli hostages still on the line, Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister, Sharren Haskel, talks to Christiane about the humanitarian crisis and the latest military escalation. Marking 25 years of Vladimir Putin's rule over Russia, Fred Pleitgen brings us a rare and highly stage-managed look at the Russian president's life at the Kremlin. Christiane also speaks with award-winning and best-selling novelist Isabelle Allende about her new book, "My Name is Emila Del Valle." From her archives, in honor of the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Christiane's conversation with 102-year-old WW2 veteran Jake Larson at the American Cemetary in Normandy. Papa Jake, as he is known, has become an unlikely TikTok star with over one million followers.  And finally, as country music celebrated its biggest night of the year at the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards this week, Christiane revisited her conversation with industry titan and seven-time nominee Rosanne Cash, daughter of the legendary Johnny Cash.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode I speak to Iona Craig, the veteran Yemen expert and journalist about recent events, including the UK's decision to join the US in carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis.Iona mentioned an earlier episode of this podcast with Laura Cretney, which is worth listening to if you are interested in Yemen. You can find it here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/behind-the-lines-with-arthur-snell/id1704344656?i=1000643933101Please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and follow me on Bluesky@snellarthur.bsky.social. You can sometimes find me on other podcasts - most often Disorder which I am involved with in partnership with RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute, the world's oldest think tank.Check out our Bookshop.org affiliate site behindthelines and please sign up for my substack at arthursnell.substack.com and/or follow me on Bluesky@snellarthur.bsky.social. You can sometimes find me on other podcasts - most often Disorder which I am involved with in partnership with RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute, the world's oldest think tank. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, Max and Donatienne cover the first round of the Romanian presidential election, where George Simion, a hard-right candidate, soared to a first-place finish ahead of the second round on May 18. Since recording this episode on May 5th, major developments, including the resignation and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and rapid capital flight, have sparked a political crisis. This story is still developing. The hosts then break down British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's attempt to reset relations with the European Union ahead of a May 19 Brexit summit, and welcome Abe Newman, professor in the School of Foreign Service and Government Departments at Georgetown University and Director of the BMW Center for German and European Studies, for a conversation about coming collisions in transatlantic tech.

Aidan McKenna of Enterprise Ireland joins Jess in Boston to discuss the reality of doing business in the era of tariffs and uncertainty. Plus she meets the team behind Ireland Gateway to Europe.

Richard Clarke was raised on Toronto Island and first sailed at 4 years old. An impressive performance with Canadian Youth sailing led him to compete in the Finn Class in four consecutive Olympic Games with Team Canada. This opened the door to a wildly successful professional sailing career. Richard was part of a winning Volvo Round the World crew, has broken the 24-hour sailing distance record four times, holds both the Transatlantic and the Transpac records – his accolades are jaw dropping, and these are only a handful. Richard is a great storyteller, so I'm sure you are going to love this episode, full to the brim with stories – insightful and entertaining. -- This season of ON THE WIND is sponsored by Weather Routing Inc., aka 'WRI', 59º North's longtime weather routing & forecasting friends. To learn more and sign up for WRI, go to wriwx.com and tell them that 59º North sent you.  -- This season of ON THE WIND is also sponsored by Boat How To, an educational website co-founded by longtime friend of the pod & sailing tech guru Nigel Calder. Check out the courses at BoatHowTo.com.

“You were the chosen one!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam & Megs (Kev's off-planet this week, likely negotiating with the Trade Federation) – as we ignite our lightsabers, spin into some space politics, and plunge into the dark side for our 270th episode covering Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). We're trading poisoned apples for Order 66 and flying headfirst into the fall of Anakin Skywalker as we discuss: Whether Revenge of the Sith sticks the landing for the prequel trilogy—or crashes harder than General Grievous' escape pod. Does the film finally deliver the emotional payoff the prequels promised? Is Anakin's fall convincing… or did he turn to the dark side over some bad dreams? Why does the reason for Anakin's turn seem inconsistent in this one Are Restie award winners, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman any better this go around or is a back-to-back a likely result? We talk about our philosophical stances and what happens when 2 of them crash into each other? Which Jedi we'd most likely be – and who's clearly the Palpatine of the group Is this film secretly the best prequel—or just the least clunky one? Where does the Anakin/Obi Wan light saber fight fall in the history of duels in Star Wars? Speaking of gripes – was Padmé done dirty by giving her nothing to do? Does George Lucas understand love? We ask how Order 66 compares to another major franchise's big emotional disaster Whether Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is the Best Film Ever. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE. We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor. Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

Ben Hodges is a retired United States Army officer, who became commander of United States Army Europe in November 2014, and held that position for three years until retiring from the United States Army in January 2018. Until recently he was the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies, at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, specialising in NATO, Transatlantic relationship and international security. ----------Your support is massively appreciated! SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon CurtainNEXT EVENTS - LVIV, KYIV AND ODESA THIS MAY.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur first live events this year in Lviv and Kyiv were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. We may add more venues to the program, depending on the success of the fundraising campaign. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------CHAPTERS00:02:10 The Oval Office meeting told me the administration has no clue about why people fight. 00:05:03 Having a US company out there, mining is not going to be a real deterrent to Russia. 00:16:04 Russia does not have the ability to still achieve a breakthrough in the operational level.00:20:13 General Zaluzhnyi was trying to root out the old Soviet types and promote young guys.00:23:15 It's ludicrous that somebody would think the 9th May parade is not a legitimate target.00:26:09 Their purpose would be to break NATO; demonstrate the alliance isn't able to respond. 00:28:49 All these things they're doing, damaging infrastructure, is part of preparation phase.----------LINKS:https://twitter.com/general_benhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hodges https://cepa.org/author/ben-hodges/ https://warsawsecurityforum.org/speaker/hodges-ben-lt-gen/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-hodges-1674b1172/ ----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.orgNGO “Herojam Slava”https://heroiamslava.org/kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyślhttps://kharpp.com/NOR DOG Animal Rescuehttps://www.nor-dog.org/home/-----------

Transatlantic Drift: The Ebb and Flow of Dance Music (Reaktion, 2025) by Dr. Katie Milestone & Dr. Simon A. Morrison explores the emergence and evolution of nightclubs and electronic dance music from the 1950s onwards. It traces the rhythmic journey of dance music, following the pulse as it bounced between Europe, North America and the Caribbean. Music, dance styles and nightclub spaces are not created in isolation; they are shaped by collective influences and shared experiences. This book uncovers the interconnected story of dance music, taking in hotspots such as New York, Detroit, London, Manchester, Chicago, Düsseldorf and Ibiza. Transatlantic Drift offers an engaging exploration of how people have come together to share melodies and rhythms, forming a global conversation through electronic music. 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

Transatlantic Drift: The Ebb and Flow of Dance Music (Reaktion, 2025) by Dr. Katie Milestone & Dr. Simon A. Morrison explores the emergence and evolution of nightclubs and electronic dance music from the 1950s onwards. It traces the rhythmic journey of dance music, following the pulse as it bounced between Europe, North America and the Caribbean. Music, dance styles and nightclub spaces are not created in isolation; they are shaped by collective influences and shared experiences. This book uncovers the interconnected story of dance music, taking in hotspots such as New York, Detroit, London, Manchester, Chicago, Düsseldorf and Ibiza. Transatlantic Drift offers an engaging exploration of how people have come together to share melodies and rhythms, forming a global conversation through electronic music. 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/performing-arts

Transatlantic Drift: The Ebb and Flow of Dance Music (Reaktion, 2025) by Dr. Katie Milestone & Dr. Simon A. Morrison explores the emergence and evolution of nightclubs and electronic dance music from the 1950s onwards. It traces the rhythmic journey of dance music, following the pulse as it bounced between Europe, North America and the Caribbean. Music, dance styles and nightclub spaces are not created in isolation; they are shaped by collective influences and shared experiences. This book uncovers the interconnected story of dance music, taking in hotspots such as New York, Detroit, London, Manchester, Chicago, Düsseldorf and Ibiza. Transatlantic Drift offers an engaging exploration of how people have come together to share melodies and rhythms, forming a global conversation through electronic music. 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/music

Transatlantic Drift: The Ebb and Flow of Dance Music (Reaktion, 2025) by Dr. Katie Milestone & Dr. Simon A. Morrison explores the emergence and evolution of nightclubs and electronic dance music from the 1950s onwards. It traces the rhythmic journey of dance music, following the pulse as it bounced between Europe, North America and the Caribbean. Music, dance styles and nightclub spaces are not created in isolation; they are shaped by collective influences and shared experiences. This book uncovers the interconnected story of dance music, taking in hotspots such as New York, Detroit, London, Manchester, Chicago, Düsseldorf and Ibiza. Transatlantic Drift offers an engaging exploration of how people have come together to share melodies and rhythms, forming a global conversation through electronic music. 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/popular-culture

In this episode, Adam and Alexandra open with a discussion of the latest news, including Ukraine and the status of the Trump negotiations; the deteriorating situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina; developments in Kosovo; and the preparations for presidential elections in Romania. Later, Adam is joined by David Criekemans, an Associate Professor in International Relations at the University of Antwerp (Belgium). They discuss the changing geopolitics, how the Trump administration is changing Transatlantic relations, and how Europe should react.Read Adam's latest commentary in this week's Brief Eastern Europe: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/p/april-28-2025Support the podcast – join our patron community: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

Persistent reports indicate that the Trump Administration will de-emphasize the US commitment to European security in favor of an emphasis on defending the US homeland and shifting resources to the Indo-Pacific. This follows a long-running critique of America's European allies for investing too little in their own defense, a critique that predates both Trump Administrations, but one that has gotten louder, especially in the second Trump Administration. But what is the view in European capitals of the emerging US policy toward Europe, and what might its effects be on Transatlantic relations? To discuss these questions, Dr. Michael Neiberg of the US Army War College, recently returned from a visit to Estonia and Germany, joins Bob Hamilton on Chain Reaction. Get full access to FPRI Insights at fpriinsights.substack.com/subscribe

Donald Trump's return to the White House has brought with it a seismic shift in transatlantic dynamics, with rising trade tensions, reduced diplomatic engagement and growing uncertainty over the future of Western alliances. So what has been the early impact of his second term on EU–US relations and how is Europe responding? With Trump's administration wasting no time in rekindling the “America First” doctrine, this time with fewer diplomatic niceties, tensions over trade, diplomacy and the long-term stability of the transatlantic alliance quickly arose. From the imposition of sweeping tariffs on EU goods – 20 percent across the board, covering all exports from France and other member states – to a reduction in support for Ukraine, Trump's early moves have sent a clear message: Washington's priorities have shifted – and not in Europe's favour.Brussels' response, while restrained, has been firm, and the sense that Europe can no longer rely fully on Washington is taking root.Trump's tariffs come into force, upending economic ties with EuropeRetreat, rather than reformOne of the most striking aspects of Trump's second term so far is his rapid dismantling of traditional US diplomatic structures.Former US diplomat William Jordan warns that the institutional capacity of American diplomacy is being hollowed out. “The notion of America First risks turning into America Alone,” he said.“Everything that's been happening since 20 January has largely demoralised and damaged the State Department."There has been an exodus of seasoned diplomats, alongside a wave of politically motivated "loyalty tests" handed out to charities, NGOs and United Nations agencies as part of the State Department's review of foreign aid – asking them to declare whether they have worked with "entities associated with communist, socialist, or totalitarian parties, or any parties that espouses anti-American beliefs".European allies rally behind Ukraine after White House clashThe cumulative effect of this threat to the impartiality of America's foreign service, Jordan notes, is a profound erosion of trust – not just within US institutions but among global partners.“There are worries in the intelligence community that longstanding partners can no longer share sensitive information with the United States,” he added, raising concerns about the durability of intelligence alliances such as Five Eyes, comprising the US, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.Trump's decision to scale back overseas missions and USAID funding has also left vast vacuums of influence – particularly in Africa, where both China and Russia are stepping in to fill the void.“It's not just that it's being done – it's how it's being done. Brutally. Recklessly. Slashing and burning institutions that have taken decades to build,” Jordan told RFI.Amid this weakening of America's traditional soft power influence, however, Jordan also cautions that the country's soft power strategies have not always been effective, pointing to congressional inertia and overlapping funding mandates which have dulled strategic impact.Still, he maintains, a haphazard retreat does more harm than reform.A dressing-down in MunichEurope's discomfort was visible in February at the Munich Security Conference, where US Vice President JD Vance delivered a remarkable rebuke to European leaders, accusing them of wavering on democratic values.The message was harsh, and the delivery even more so – an unprecedented public dressing-down in a diplomatic forum. The reaction in Munich embodied Europe's growing unease.European fears mount at Munich conference as US signals shift on Ukraine“Certainly the language was something that you wouldn't expect,” Mairéad McGuinness, the former EU Commissioner for Financial Stability told RFI.“This is somebody coming to our house and telling us they don't like how we run it. It's not what you expect between friends and allies. Was it a surprise? Maybe not,” she added. “But it's not normal."The incident underscored an increasingly assertive US posture under Trump 2.0, and the deepening fissures within the Western alliance, reflected in the new administration's willingness to publicly challenge long-standing relationships.European allies rally behind Ukraine after White House clash'Confidence in the US is eroding'The EU has responded with a measured approach – "how the European Union tends to do its business,” according to McGuinness.“What is problematic is trying to understand exactly what the US side wants,” she continued. “We're hearing not just about tariffs, but also about food safety, financial regulation – areas where Europe leads globally."Rather than caving to pressure, the EU is showing signs of a more confident and coordinated strategic posture – in a similar vein to its response during the Covid-19 crisis and its rapid support for Ukraine following Russia's 2022 invasion.One consequence of these shifting diplomatic sands has been a rise in investment in European defence, following the US decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine.EU Commission chief calls for defence 'surge' in address to EU parliamentWith EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announcing that, under the Rearm Europe plan announced by  on 6 March, EU member states can boost defence spending, European arms manufacturers are seizing the opportunity to compete against their US rivals.While not a wholesale pivot away from the US, it signals a broader awareness that over-reliance on any single partner carries risks.William Jordan put it bluntly: “Confidence in the US as a reliable partner is eroding, and not just in Europe.”For him, this moment could present an opportunity for Europe to build a more independent and robust security architecture – one less vulnerable to the whims of any one American president.

​(Satire) Who started the woke movement? Why players say no to the president. Trans-Atlantic trauma bond. ¿Quién inició el movimiento progresista? ¿Por qué los jugadores le dicen no al presidente? Vínculo traumático transatlántico​.谁发起了觉醒运动？球员为何对总统说“不”。跨大西洋创伤纽带。Shéi fāqǐle juéxǐng yùndòng? Qiúyuán wèihé duì zǒngtǒng shuō “bù”. Kuà dàxīyáng chuāngshāng niǔdài.​

“Make a mark... and then fade away.” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Megs & Liam (B-Tech Kev had to see a man about an elephant) – as we trade our spy gear for trumpets, film reels, and copious amounts of debauchery for our 275th episode covering Babylon (2022). We're swapping Chimera viruses for jazz-fueled chaos and slow-motion gunfights for full-blown cinematic mayhem as we discuss: How Babylon might be the most Damien Chazelle movie that ever Damien Chazelle'd. Does this film capture the magic and madness of early Hollywood—or is it just chaotic noise? Is Manny Torres a true dreamer… or just a wide-eyed bystander to Hollywood's self-destruction... or is he a corrupted soul that we overlook? Apparently there's a rule about taking Class-A drugs with company (well, in Act I anyways) How large is the demand for sweeping, three-hour epics about the birth of movies? Which Babylon character we'd most likely be—and who's definitely channeling peak "trainwreck energy"  Is this an underappreciated masterpiece—or an overindulgent fever dream of excess? Is Babylon a love letter to cinema or a cautionary tale wrapped in champagne and elephant dung? We've got questions about giant parties, sudden snake fights, drug-fueled breakdowns, and how much elephant content is too much. At what point is the film in on the joke it's making and at what point does that film become the joke? We're joined by BFF of the BFE: James DeGuzman who tells us why this film is so much more than the punchline film critics have mmade it out to be Whether Babylon is the Best Film Ever.

Today we are excited to have Listener Lewis from the United Kingdom joining us (and appreciate him staying up very late to record with us!) to share his 13-night Westbound Transatlantic cruise on the Disney Dream! We hear about why they decided to take this cruise (pretty much later in the game), stateroom choice, dining experiences, famous guests onboard, unique destinations along the way, lots of entertainment, kids' activities, and much more! We hope you can continue the conversation with us this week in the Be Our Guest Podcast Clubhouse at www.beourguestpodcast.com/clubhouse! Thank you so much for your support of our podcast! Become a Patron of the show at www.Patreon.com/BeOurGuestPodcast.  Also, please follow the show on Twitter @BeOurGuestMike and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/beourguestpodcast.   Thanks to our friends at The Magic For Less Travel for sponsoring today's podcast!

There's been a great deal of excitement and curiosity surrounding the idea of a Transatlantic Interconnector. So, as co-founders, Laurent Segalen, Gerard Reid and Simon Ludlam have decided to release a special episode to bring our listeners up to speed on where things currently stand.While we can't dive into our discussions with governments and system operators—those are protected by NDAs—rest assured, those conversations are very much underway, as you might expect. To put this episode together, we have brought in a range of perspectives:First, you'll hear an excerpt from a conversation with John Pettigrew, CEO of National Grid, on the Aurora Unplugged podcast last October, where he discusses the potential of ultra-long interconnectors.Next, we feature an interview with Laurent on the Jolts podcast from this February.That's followed by a deep dive into the technical aspects with Cornelis Plet, Global Head of HVDC at DNV.We then explore the legal landscape with Silke Goldberg, partner at Herbert Smith Freehills and one of the world's foremost legal experts in this area.And finally, we wrap up with a conversation between the three co-founders, where Simon Ludlam lays out the key steps ahead in the coming months and Gerard engages with investors.We hope this gives you a clearer picture of what has been accomplished so far—and what lies ahead on this ambitious journey.A lot of information, reports and data are available on www.nato-l.org

In this week's episode we chat to cellist Stephanie Cummins.Having spent many years working as a freelance cellist in New York Stephanie relocated to London and has since been working in the West End on shows including Aspects of Love and Hello Dolly as well as various solo and chamber projects.We spent a lovely morning with Stephanie discussing growing up in a musical family, highs and lows in her cello studies and how things don't always work out the way we expect them to.Stephanie talks about working on Broadway and the similarities/contrasts with the West End. We discuss audiences in 2025, shows that have been particularly special to her and what drew her back to theatre after swearing off it!We also chat about exciting future projects and falling back in love with music.You can find us on the socials here;Instagram @threeinabarpodTiktok @threeinabarpodThree In A Bar on YoutubeAnything you'd like to share with us? Any guests you'd love to hear or anything you'd like us to do better? Drop us a line at hello@threeinabar.com Click here to join the Members' Club on Patreon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raymond Jonas, Jon Bridgman Endowed Professor in History at the University of Washington and author of Habsburgs on the Rio Grande: The Rise and Fall of the Second Mexican Empire, joins the show to discuss a failed-but-spectacular 19th Century attempt by European powers to undermine the Monroe Doctrine. ▪️ Times      •      01:42 Introduction     •      03:31 Transatlantic relations      •      05:20 Europe distracted     •      08:39 Secession and unrest        •      12:46 Maximillian I        •      17:55 Continental powers      •      20:01 Britain, France and Spain         •      26:13 What the Americans did right      •      28:23 Napoleon III     •      30:09 Mexico and the Confederacy         •      35:20 Slavery adjacent       •      38:46 What went wrong         •      42:07 Benito Juarez    •       44:33 Maximillian's execution    •       46:20 European alarm Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today's episode on our School of War Substack

We sit down with Chris Van Arnam, an STR operator who's not just building high-performing short-term rentals in the Smoky Mountains, but doing it while living halfway across the world in Italy.Chris walks us through how he built a 10-cabin portfolio rooted in data, operational efficiency, and design differentiation. He opens up about why he sold off part of his portfolio, how he pivoted into new construction, and what it's really like managing from a different continent.We unpack:How Chris sourced and scaled his first 10 propertiesThe power of data when choosing a marketWhy operational density matters—and how to achieve itWhat makes a short-term rental truly “differentiated”The hard lessons from new construction vs. heavy renosBuilding a property management company (even when you didn't plan to)How to operate a U.S.-based STR portfolio from Europe with precisionWhether you're just getting started or are in the thick of growing your portfolio, this episode is packed with real-world insights from someone who's quietly built a scalable STR business from scratch.

In this week's episode, Max and Donatienne cover Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's visit to Washington and the state of transatlantic relations as we approach the 100-day mark of the second Trump presidency. Then, they are joined by Janka Oertel, director of the Asia programme and a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), to break down how big changes in US trade policy and rising transatlantic tensions affect the EU-China trade and diplomatic relationship.

“This message will self-destruct in five seconds…” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Megs & Liam (B-Tech Kev said something about needing to catch a flight to Atlanta) – as we don our sunglasses, rev up the motorcycles, and flip our hair in the wind for our 275th episode covering Mission: Impossible 2 (2000). We're trading thermal vision  for Chimera viruses and slow-motion stunts as we discuss: How Mission: Impossible 2 became the most John Woo movie that ever John Woo'd. Does this sequel hold up as a stylish thrill ride—or is it just all style, no substance? Is Ethan Hunt a superspy… or just a shampoo commercial with explosives? What exactly does an audience want to see out of a Mission: Impossible film exactly Which member of Ethan's crew we'd most likely be – and who's clearly channeling peak Dougray Scott vibes. Is this the weakest link in the franchise—or an underappreciated relic of early-2000s action excess? Is Ethan Hunt a character or just an avatar for Tom Cruise to do James Bondesque films Speaking of gripes—what exactly was Ambrose's plan again? We've got questions about masks, voice strips, motorcycles, and why no one seems fazed by endless slo-mo doves. We talk flamenco espionage, face-swapping twists, and the importance of always removing your sunglasses dramatically. Just how many actors were only in this film for the paycheck? Was Thandiwe Newton bad in this or is she just poorly written for and poorly directed? Is this the lustiest film in the Franchise? Whether Mission: Impossible 2 is the Best Film Ever.

Billie Anne is back—and she's not holding back. In this fiery episode of The CrossYaas Podcast, she's joined by Sarah (beaming in from Scotland) for a raw, no-BS conversation about the global rise in anti-trans hate, political scapegoating, and the terrifying echoes of history we're living through. Together, they name names, spill truths, and share what it means to survive—and thrive—as trans women in a world that wants to erase them. It's angry. It's honest. It's radical. It's necessary.We dive into trans joy, rebellion as authenticity, and the power of showing up for each other. Book recs this episode: Her Name is Alice by Caroline Litman, Whipping Girl by Julia Serano, and The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown.Want to support Billie Anne's transition and continued work?Donate to her GoFundMe here: https://gofund.me/bc53f13c#TransRightsAreHumanRights #ProtectTransYouth #WhippingGirl #HerNameIsAlice #BrenéBrown #TransIsBeautiful #TransJoy #LGBTQPodcast #CrossYaas #TransWomenAreWomen #SayYaas #QueerVoices #PrideAllYear #NoMoreSilence #VisibleAndVocal #SupportTransCreators

Querying Authors, you won't want to miss our brand new episode with Senior Literary Agent and all round superstar THE Amanda Orozco!Amanda Orozco is a senior literary agent at Transatlantic based out of Los Angeles. She graduated from NYU with her Masters of Science in Publishing: Digital and Print Media. Before joining Transatlantic, she worked in Subsidiary Rights at Little, Brown and at Park & Fine Literary and Media. While at NYU, she interned at the National Book Foundation, Shreve Williams Public Relations, and The Gernert CompanyFind Amanda:Agency website profile: https://transatlanticagency.com/portfolio/orozco-amanda/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oczoro.adnama/ #OfthePublishingPersuasion⁠ ⁠#podcast⁠ ⁠#writing⁠ ⁠#Publishing⁠ ⁠#bookstagram⁠ ⁠#literaryagent⁠  #amandaorozco #transatlanticliteraryagency ⁠#author⁠ ⁠ ⁠#podcastsforwriters #writingpodcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#writersofinstagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#writerspodcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#writeradvice⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#podcasting⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#podcasts⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#podcastersofinstagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#Query⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠#querying⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠#WritersOfInstagram⁠#podcasts #books #bookish #TransatlanticAgency

“If it bleeds, we can kill it.” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian and Liam (Megs & B-Tech Kev said something about climbing trees) – as we strap on our gear, light our cigars, and head deep into the Central American rainforest for our 274th episode, tackling the musclebound mayhem of Predator (1987). We're trading reservations at Dorcia for thermal vision and going toe-to-toe with one of cinema's deadliest hunters as we discuss: How Predator blurred the lines between action, horror, and sci-fi to create something original. Does the film still pack a punch nearly 40 years later—or is it just macho nostalgia on steroids? How manly are the manly men in this film both on and off the set? Which team member we'd most likely be – and who's 100% Billy with that intense stare. Is Predator secretly a slasher film in disguise? And does that make the Predator the villain... or the star? What's Liam's main gripe about the Predator's rules of engagement? Why was this film so insistent on telling rather than showing We've got questions mud camouflage, heat vision, and respecting the preparation montage We get personal about  Arnold's peak era, and childhood memories of watching this way too young. Whether Predator is the Best Film Ever. Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE. We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support: Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/. Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor. Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

Returning for the full hour will be Dr. Sebastian Bruns.Sebastian is a seapower expert and maritime strategist. His current project as Senior Researcher at the Institute for Security Policy Kiel University (ISPK) is “NATO Maritime Strategies and Naval Operations since 1985”, a multi-year effort to explore the Alliance's maritime and naval roles between the late Cold War and today. Sebastian is the founder of the Kiel International Seapower Symposium (KISS), the Baltic Sea Strategy Forum (BSSF), the “Dreizack” young voices in maritime research workshop, and the ISPK Seapower publication series (NOMOS). From 2021-2022, Dr. Bruns served as the inaugural John McCain-Fulbright Distinguished Visiting Professor at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, teaching Baltic Sea security and U.S. naval strategy to Midshipmen at the Political Science Department. He is a former Congressional staffer (then-Rep. Todd Young, IN-09), a fellow at the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences, and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre.ShowlinksHow much do Nato members spend on defense?Kiel Seapower.West-up map of the Baltic.Kaliningrad.German-Norwegian submarine program.SummaryIn this episode, Sal and Mark welcome Dr. Sebastian Bruhn to discuss the evolving security landscape in the Baltic Sea region, particularly in light of recent Russian activities. They explore NATO's response, the historical context of the Baltic, and the implications of the Kaliningrad exclave. The conversation also touches on the concept of the 'NATO lake', the challenges of gray zone tactics, and the future of naval cooperation and shipbuilding partnerships within NATO.TakeawaysThe Baltic Sea is experiencing increased military activity due to Russian threats.Kaliningrad's strategic position poses significant risks to NATO operations.The concept of the 'NATO lake' may lead to complacency in security measures.Gray zone tactics are complicating maritime security in the Baltic.NATO spending is increasing, particularly among Baltic nations.Germany's naval capabilities are being modernized but remain limited.Coast Guards are playing a crucial role in detaining shadow fleet vessels.Transatlantic shipbuilding partnerships are becoming more important.Historical context is vital for understanding current Baltic security dynamics.Chapters00:00: Introduction to NATO's Maritime North03:40: The Baltic Sea: A Strategic Overview10:04: Historical Context and Current Threats18:38: Kaliningrad: A Geopolitical Challenge21:27: Russian Military Capabilities in the Baltic29:00: Gray Zone Tactics and Hybrid Warfare29:27: Historical Context of Naval Warfare31:40: NATO Spending and Defense Strategies39:17: The Role of Coast Guards in Maritime Security44:40: Bureaucracy and Naval Operations48:03: International Collaboration in Shipbuilding53:15: Maritime Domain Awareness and NATO's Role

This is the Season Finale of Keeping Afloat (Don't worry, we'll be back with regular episodes next week for season 3). A major leadership change aboard the Oceanic Euphoria puts me in the hot seat, and an unexpected change of direction for my career. I'm currently aboard the MSC Virtuosa which has been nothing short of amazing! And, for a Transatlantic as well! Can't wait to share more with you about it. There will be a fill review up on my YouTube an Instagram so be sure to follow along. I hope you enjoy the show!- Kabir.www.instagram.com/travelwithkabircdwww.tiktok.com/@travelwithkabircdwww.facebook.com/cruisedirectorkabir© Cruise Director Kabir 2025

National Book Award-winning author Colum McCann says he chooses what to write about based on what he most wants to know. His latest novel “Twist” springs from his fascination with the underwater cables, no thicker than a garden hose, that carry some 95% of the world's telecommunications. McCann's protagonist is a journalist who goes asea to investigate a cable break off the coast of Africa after the Congo River floods. We talk to McCann about themes of sabotage and repair – both in the abyssal zone he writes about and in our lives. Guest: Colum McCann, author, “Twist”; His other novels include “Apeirogon,” “Transatlantic” and “Let the Great World Spin,” which won a National Book Award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Typhoid Mary has inspired books, movies, and even a Marvel character, but the history of the Irish woman behind the name is less well known. Mary Mallon was born in County Tyrone in the late 19th century before emigrating to the US. While she initially enjoyed a successful career as a cook, she became the central figure in a major scandal when she was accused of spreading typhoid. This podcast tells her story.This podcast is the first episode of Season II of "Transatlantic," a new show I make with historian Damian Shiels on Irish-American history. You can subscribe to Transatlantic https://linktr.ee/transatlanticpod Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.