Podcasts about while western

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso explore the critical concept of techno-nationalism with expert Alex Capri, author of "Techno-Nationalism: How It's Reshaping Trade, Geopolitics and Society."Techno-nationalism represents the intersection of technology, national security, and economic power in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Capri explains how nation-states are leveraging 12 key power-multiplier technologies--including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum science, hypersonics, biotech, and advanced manufacturing--to maintain competitive advantages and protect national interests.The discussion reveals how China's strategic approach to technology development caught the West off-guard. While Western companies focused on trade liberalization and efficiency, China implemented long-term techno-nationalist policies, including preemptive decoupling in critical sectors like telecommunications and banking. The Great Firewall, established in the mid-1990s, was an early indicator of China's protective stance toward strategic technologies.Capri outlines the six core elements of modern techno-nationalism:1️⃣ Weaponization of supply chains through export controls and investment restrictions2️⃣ Strategic decoupling from potential adversaries3️⃣ Offshoring reversal via reshoring and friend-shoring initiatives4️⃣ Innovation mercantilism through government industrial policy5️⃣ Tech diplomacy for strategic alliance building6️⃣ Hybrid Cold War dynamics amid ongoing commercial activityThe Huawei 5G ban exemplifies techno-nationalist concerns about critical infrastructure security. The company's global telecommunications footprint, built through massive state support, raised red flags about potential surveillance capabilities. Similarly, TikTok represents the dual-use nature of modern technology—commercially popular but potentially strategically valuable for data collection and analysis.Despite China's advances, the US maintains advantages in university systems, defense technology, and innovation ecosystems. However, success requires strategic partnerships with allies, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing and critical mineral supply chains. The conversation highlights concerns about policy continuity across political administrations and the importance of sustained investment in STEM education and public-private partnerships.Techno-nationalism isn't just about US-China competition—it's a global phenomenon affecting all nation-states as they navigate security, economic stability, and technological sovereignty in an interconnected world.Follow our podcast on X, @IndoPacPodcast, LinkedIn or BlueSkyFollow Ray Powell on X (@GordianKnotRay) or LinkedInFollow Jim Carouso on LinkedInSponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific

Holly Rine, associate professor of history at Le Moyne College, offers a compelling perspective on teaching the Doctrine of Discovery at a Jesuit institution. With remarkable candor, she shares her own journey from unfamiliarity with this history to becoming an advocate for institutional honesty about colonization's ongoing impacts.The conversation explores how critical examination of historical texts like the Jesuit Relations reveals their propagandistic nature. What many accept as straightforward historical accounts were actually carefully crafted narratives designed to secure European funding for colonial projects. Rine encourages her students to question these sources by asking "who wrote them, for whom, and to what purpose?" This approach transforms passive learning into active critical thinking about how history shapes our present.Particularly fascinating is the discussion of Onondaga Lake as both sacred space to the Haudenosaunee and contested territory through colonization. Rine's work examines how different cultural perspectives view the lake – as either a sacred gathering place or merely as an economic resource. This dichotomy continues today with debates about development projects like Micron's semiconductor facility, drawn to Syracuse largely because of its abundant water resources. The environmental degradation of the lake stands as a physical manifestation of colonial attitudes toward land and water.The podcast reveals how Indigenous knowledge systems challenge conventional academic approaches. While Western historians rely heavily on written documents, the Haudenosaunee preserve history through oral tradition, wampum belts, and a relational understanding with the natural world. These alternative ways of recording history offer transformative perspectives on our relationship with the environment and each other – particularly relevant as we face climate change and environmental crisis.As America approaches its 250th anniversary, this episode presents a timely opportunity to reassess the origins of American democracy. The Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace provided a model of democratic governance that included women and non-human beings in decision-making processes centuries before the Constitution was drafted. By acknowledging these influences and confronting uncomfortable truths about our shared history, we open possibilities for healing relationships with both the land and its original stewards.Support the showView the transcript and show notes at podcast.doctrineofdiscovery.org. Learn more about the Doctrine of Discovery on our site DoctrineofDiscovery.org.

On 14 May 1955, the leader of the Soviet Union and leaders from seven European countries met to sign the Warsaw Pact. In the years following World War Two, the Soviet Union and the United States started the worldwide Cold War. While Western powers feared the spread of communism, the Soviets worried about US atomic bombs. What resulted was the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in 1949. The Warsaw Pact was signed six years later in response to West Germany joining NATO. Natasha Fernandes uses archive of East Germany's leader Otto Grotewohl to tell the story.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Soviet Premier, Nikolai Bulganin (centre) addresses Soviet leaders at the Warsaw Conference on 14 May 1955. From left to right: Marshal Ivan Koniev, Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, Bulganin and Marshal Gregori Zhukov. Credit: Bettmann via Getty images)

In this episode of Redefining Energy Tech, host Michael Barnard sat down with Dr. Joseph Romm—physicist, energy policy veteran, and author of The Hype About Hydrogen—to pull back the curtain on hydrogen's persistent mystique. Romm isn't new to the debate. Back in the early 2000s, he was among the first to publicly challenge the logic of hydrogen as a viable energy carrier. Now, twenty years later, he's back with a completely rewritten edition of his book, just in time for Earth Day, and the message hasn't changed: the hydrogen hype is still hype.What makes Romm's critique so compelling is his history. He once supported hydrogen research while in the Clinton-era Department of Energy, betting on Sandia Labs' onboard gasoline reformers. But that hope dissolved under the weight of technical reality. In 2003, as the Bush administration rolled out its $1.3 billion hydrogen initiative, Romm published the first edition of The Hype About Hydrogen, drawing a stark contrast between hydrogen's theoretical promise and its practical inefficiency. The fundamental math hasn't budged. Hydrogen production, storage, transport, and conversion wastes up to 80% of the original renewable electricity. Batteries? They waste closer to 20%.Fast forward to today, and hydrogen is once again being paraded as a climate solution, this time with a new coat of green paint. But Romm's updated research shows the same miscalculations baked into the models of the IEA, CSIRO, and even PIK—institutions that projected green hydrogen prices based on wildly optimistic learning curves. Hydrogen didn't follow the same cost trajectory as solar or batteries. In fact, between 2020 and 2024, the cost of electrolyzers increased by 40%—a staggering reversal of expectations that should have set off alarm bells across boardrooms and ministries.We also tackled the real-world energy transition playing out in China. While Western nations argue over tariffs and watch supply chains buckle, China is installing 350 gigawatts of solar and wind in a single year—ten times its nuclear additions—and prioritizing direct electrification over hydrogen. It's not just policy rhetoric; it's industrial reality.This divergence is becoming painfully clear in the transport sector. European advisors have publicly declared hydrogen “dead for trucks,” pointing instead to the obvious solution: battery-electric vehicles and megawatt-scale charging infrastructure. The market is responding. Companies trying to straddle both hydrogen and battery bets—Van Hool, Quantron, Nikola—are struggling or collapsing. Romm calls this “narrative disarticulation”—an elegant way of saying that serious people are quietly walking away from the hydrogen dream.His final warning is unequivocal: investing in hydrogen based on outdated assumptions is a recipe for stranded assets and political distraction. Industry's call to support “dirty hydrogen now, clean later” isn't just a bait-and-switch—it's a carbon trap dressed up in green branding. If we're serious about climate, it's time to let go of the hydrogen mirage and double down on what we know works: clean, efficient electrification.Want to rethink your assumptions on hydrogen? This is the episode to listen to.

Is your body secretly drowning in toxins? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Shivani Gupta reveals the hidden crisis affecting millions—a toxic burden that conventional medicine ignores but that's silently destroying your health from the inside out. After discovering dangerous mold lurking in her own seemingly clean home, Dr. Gupta embarked on a journey that connects the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda with cutting-edge functional medicine to expose how our overwhelmed livers are failing to protect us.The frightening reality? Your unexplained fatigue, brain fog, stubborn weight, hormone chaos, and emotional heaviness aren't random symptoms—they're desperate signals from a liver struggling to process the unprecedented toxic assault of modern life. While Western medicine dismisses detoxification as unnecessary, Dr. Gupta presents compelling evidence that your body's natural detox systems are overwhelmed and urgently need support, sharing practical Ayurvedic solutions that transformed her own health crisis.Key Highlights:• Dr. Gupta shares her personal toxic mold discovery and its connection to liver health• Learn how the liver processes both physical and emotional toxins as Ranjaka Pitta• Discover why bitter greens, turmeric, and lemon are powerful liver-supporting foods• Understand the two-phase liver detoxification process and how it affects hormones• Simple daily Ayurvedic practices that support detoxification and overall wellnessWhy You Should Watch:Your body is screaming for help—that unexplained exhaustion, mental cloudiness, and hormone chaos aren't normal. Dr. Gupta doesn't just explain the problem; she hands you the exact Ayurvedic solutions that transformed her own toxic mold crisis. What you'll learn in these episode could save you years of suffering and thousands in medical bills.Tune in now before environmental toxins steal another day of your vitality! Dr. Shivani's fusion of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge science delivers the missing piece to your health puzzle that no one else is talking about.Learn more about our host visit: www.shivanigupta.comShow sponsored by Fusionary Formulas. Visit www.fusionaryformulas.com use code FUSIONARYHEALTH for 15% off your entire order.#LiverDetox #AyurvedicMedicine #ToxicBurden #FunctionaMedicine #DrShivaniGupta #DetoxSecrets #MoldExposure #HormoneBalance #Perimenopause #TurmericBenefits #LiverHealth #AyurvedaWisdom #DetoxTips #FusionaryHealth #HolisticDetox #CleanLiving #ToxinFree #GutHealth #BiohackingWomen #HealthPodcast #WellnessJourney #AyurvedicDetox #WomensHealth #DrShivani #HealYourLiver #ToxicityAwareness #DetoxLifestyle #NaturalHealing #HormonalHealth #InvestInYourHealth

Anna Samson has had a decade-long career in aid, was a US State Department-funded Fulbright Scholar, and has a PhD in international relations and American foreign policy.In this episode we discuss the inadvertent economic and political outcomes of foreign aid on receiving nations. What surprised me was Anna's view on the scale of the rent-seeking across the aid industry and the transformation of the aid project into one of strategic military and economic interests rather than one of humanitarianism.Apologies for the audio quality.Please read Anna's full article below about foreign aid, its failures, and its creeping national security objectives.As always, please like, share, comment, and subscribe. Thanks for your support. Find Fresh Economic Thinking on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Theme music: Happy Swing by Serge Quadrado Music under Creative Commons Licence CC BY-NC 4.0The United States has had its fair share of Presidential foreign policy doctrines over the years.The Truman Doctrine underpinned America's Cold War containment policy to stop the spread of communism and Soviet influence.After the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre, the Bush Doctrine brought us preventative military strikes and the ‘if you're not with us, you're against us' principle.Just over 50 days into his second term, the Trump Doctrine is shaping up to be ‘you can't make an omelette without blowing up the entire chicken coop'.Nowhere has this approach been more sharply felt than in the dismantling of USAID, a cornerstone of contemporary US foreign policy.Jettisoning USAID has achieved symbolic and practical purposes; it is both exactly what MAGA fans hoped for and what its critics feared: Trump embracing radical honesty in international relations by saying the quiet bits out loud and rupturing the mythology of the self-limiting guardrails on Executive power.Moments after his inauguration, President Trump, bolstered by Elon Musk's analysis of USAID as “not an apple with a worm in it [but] a ball of worms”, froze $60 billion in overseas development aid and then stood down 97% of its staff.Industry veterans highlighted the catastrophe the Executive Orders caused: polio vaccination programs halted, tonnes of food aid left rotting in warehouses in the midst of famines, and a stop on urgent humanitarian assistance delivered to hard-to-reach conflict zones.That's the problem with applying a Silicon Valley move-fast-and-break-things mindset to government policy: you can't just CTRL-Z your way out of any unintended consequences.The recent Supreme Court decision ordering the Trump Administration to immediately unfreeze US$2 billion in existing aid contracts only provides temporary reprieve for those relying on American development assistance. The ruling doesn't apply to billions in planned program funding or USAID jobs that have already been axed, both of which are the subject of separate legal challenges.To the President's detractors, gutting USAID is ideological and myopic. But it's also another example of Trump seeing which way the crowd is moving and running out in front.Indeed, rather than leaping to fill the void left by the US vacating the field, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a 40 per cent cut to his country's aid budget. France and the Netherlands are also cutting their aid expenditure by about a third.While Western aid workers are wringing their hands and UN buildings are lowering their thermostats as a cost-saving measure, the sector bears a great deal of responsibility for its own demise.With little evidence to show aid programs are delivering on their grand promises of economic prosperity and development, spending billions on aid is increasingly justified as a tool to advance donor countries' national security interests.This connection is not new: the modern aid system was built by imperial powers to help maintain influence even as their former colonial territories were achieving political independence.It should come as no surprise that many aid recipients are not exactly mourning USAID's downfall. They point to numerous instances where USAID used humanitarianism as a front for meddling in other nations' domestic politics.For all the talk of ‘empowerment' and ‘local partnerships', government-funded foreign aid is rooted in and continues to reproduce historical structures of resource extraction, dependence, market distortion and racism.Explicitly blurring the lines between humanitarianism and self-interest lays bare the iron fist of neocolonialism within the velvet glove of benevolence.From the perspective of donor countries, all this real-talk about interests over altruism requires the aid industry to demonstrate bang for taxpayer buck.It's no accident that among the first casualties in DOGE's USAID cuts were expat bureaucrats enjoying all the cushy accoutrements that a career in the aid industry guaranteed.Government donor agencies - including Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) — frequently administer aid money inefficiently and ineffectively; 40 per cent of Australian aid investments were rated as 'unsatisfactory' upon completion.If the aim of aid is to bolster our own security, not only should this causal link be established more directly, DFAT should explain why Australia funds aid over other defence spending with a clearer line of sight to maintaining the nation's middle power status.Current approaches to aid program evaluations, including in DFAT's most recent Performance of Australian Development Cooperation Report 2023-24, do not provide that level of accountability. Taxpayers are expected to accept measures like “capacity building” and numbers of individuals “supported” or “reached” in pursuit of development goals.USAID's abolition, while confronting in its audacity, should not be met simply with self-righteous indignation about the supposed nobility of aid work or showing how aid can be weaponised to undercut the West's rivals.Instead, it should be seen as an opportunity to rethink the whole foreign aid system. It's a chance to create a world where countries drive their own development and self-interested ‘generosity' and donor dependence are no longer required.Decoupling foreign aid from national security will allow this money to do what it does best: humanitarian action based on foundational principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.fresheconomicthinking.com/subscribe

  Mike Larson, Editor in Chief at MoneyShow, joins us to break down the latest market trends, rising volatility, and where investors should be positioning for the months ahead.   Since our last conversation in January, the market landscape has shifted dramatically. Stocks have swung from optimism to uncertainty, fueled by policy changes, trade concerns, and valuation resets in high-growth sectors. AI stocks, which soared earlier this year, have taken a hit, cryptos have stumbled, and the broader markets have seen heightened two-way volatility. Mike unpacks what's driving these moves, from shifting policy narratives to investor sentiment extremes.   With all this uncertainty, gold has been the clear standout, now over $3,000 an ounce. Mike explains why gold has outperformed, how international markets are showing strength, and whether this signals a generational shift in global investing trends. While Western investors have been slow to embrace gold equities, there are signs that broader participation is increasing.   We also dive into the gold vs. Bitcoin debate, looking at how digital assets have behaved during recent market turmoil. While Bitcoin has moved more in line with tech stocks, gold has maintained its traditional role as a safe-haven asset. Mike weighs in on whether this trend will continue and what it could mean for both asset classes.   Click here to find out about the upcoming MoneyShow conferences.   

In the first half, author and researcher Liz Larson discussed the profound impact of eye movement on neurological health and personal transformation. She shared her "Cognitive Movement" modality, which is designed to help individuals reshape their nervous systems through controlled eye movements, accessing memories and emotional patterns for greater personal growth."It's like a backdoor hack," Larson described. She elaborated on how eye movements correlate with mental states, outlining that the eyes not only take in information but also dictate how the brain processes experiences. For instance, looking up can foster inspiration, while gazing down encourages mindfulness of the body.Larson described sneaky strategies for incorporating these techniques into daily life, allowing individuals to execute eye movements discreetly in social situations. "Many people will use that to calm feelings of anxiousness... that will signal the nervous system to down-regulate," she said. According to her, eye movements can energize the brain in preparation for stressful tasks, such as a job interview.Larson cautioned that as individuals age, reduced eye movement can lead to a narrower perspective and hinder cognitive function, making it essential to keep the eyes engaged. Furthermore, Larson explored the intersection of eye movement and paranormal experiences. She claimed that enhancing one's eye movement capabilities could unlock latent visual and psychic abilities, stating, "Many people report being able to see things that are in their vicinity that most of us can't see."She described a remarkable experience at one of her workshops, where the collective energy of participants reportedly led to the appearance of "a portal... this bright blue light looked like static electricity." Larson noted, "It was just this pure, radiating, lovely, conscious energy in the room."------------------In the second half, Gregory Shushan, PhD, discussed near-death experiences (NDEs) and cross-cultural beliefs about the afterlife. He has found notable similarities in how different societies perceive life after death. "The most fascinating aspect is... specifically the way [afterlife] beliefs correspond to near-death experiences," he claimed.Shushan has studied both the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and he's concluded these texts describe NDEs. "If you strip away the cultural descriptions, we're left with something that looks very much like a near-death experience," he elaborated. He explained that NDEs typically follow certain patterns. While Western narratives often depict experiences of traveling toward a bright light, other cultures tell stories of walking wild paths leading to the afterlife, a motif prevalent in Polynesian religions.The discussion also delved into shamanic practices, where one enters NDE-like states in order to gain insights or powers. Shushan noted that spiritual healers navigated these realms for transformative experiences. "They could control that and then come back to life, whereas a [real] near-death experience... it's pretty iffy if the person's going to come back or not," he explained.He also addressed contemporary scientific skepticism regarding the afterlife, asserting that ancient cultures often held a more profound understanding of life after death. "In contemporary Western culture, there is a real resistance to anything that has to do with death," he remarked. Shushan proposed that our modern, secular view is potentially limited, reflecting, "If there is an afterlife, it's nothing supernatural or paranormal. I think it's just natural."

In the first half, author and researcher Liz Larson discussed the profound impact of eye movement on neurological health and personal transformation. She shared her "Cognitive Movement" modality, which is designed to help individuals reshape their nervous systems through controlled eye movements, accessing memories and emotional patterns for greater personal growth."It's like a backdoor hack," Larson described. She elaborated on how eye movements correlate with mental states, outlining that the eyes not only take in information but also dictate how the brain processes experiences. For instance, looking up can foster inspiration, while gazing down encourages mindfulness of the body.Larson described sneaky strategies for incorporating these techniques into daily life, allowing individuals to execute eye movements discreetly in social situations. "Many people will use that to calm feelings of anxiousness... that will signal the nervous system to down-regulate," she said. According to her, eye movements can energize the brain in preparation for stressful tasks, such as a job interview.Larson cautioned that as individuals age, reduced eye movement can lead to a narrower perspective and hinder cognitive function, making it essential to keep the eyes engaged. Furthermore, Larson explored the intersection of eye movement and paranormal experiences. She claimed that enhancing one's eye movement capabilities could unlock latent visual and psychic abilities, stating, "Many people report being able to see things that are in their vicinity that most of us can't see."She described a remarkable experience at one of her workshops, where the collective energy of participants reportedly led to the appearance of "a portal... this bright blue light looked like static electricity." Larson noted, "It was just this pure, radiating, lovely, conscious energy in the room."------------------In the second half, Gregory Shushan, PhD, discussed near-death experiences (NDEs) and cross-cultural beliefs about the afterlife. He has found notable similarities in how different societies perceive life after death. "The most fascinating aspect is... specifically the way [afterlife] beliefs correspond to near-death experiences," he claimed.Shushan has studied both the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and he's concluded these texts describe NDEs. "If you strip away the cultural descriptions, we're left with something that looks very much like a near-death experience," he elaborated. He explained that NDEs typically follow certain patterns. While Western narratives often depict experiences of traveling toward a bright light, other cultures tell stories of walking wild paths leading to the afterlife, a motif prevalent in Polynesian religions.The discussion also delved into shamanic practices, where one enters NDE-like states in order to gain insights or powers. Shushan noted that spiritual healers navigated these realms for transformative experiences. "They could control that and then come back to life, whereas a [real] near-death experience... it's pretty iffy if the person's going to come back or not," he explained.He also addressed contemporary scientific skepticism regarding the afterlife, asserting that ancient cultures often held a more profound understanding of life after death. "In contemporary Western culture, there is a real resistance to anything that has to do with death," he remarked. Shushan proposed that our modern, secular view is potentially limited, reflecting, "If there is an afterlife, it's nothing supernatural or paranormal. I think it's just natural."

In the first half, author and researcher Liz Larson discussed the profound impact of eye movement on neurological health and personal transformation. She shared her "Cognitive Movement" modality, which is designed to help individuals reshape their nervous systems through controlled eye movements, accessing memories and emotional patterns for greater personal growth."It's like a backdoor hack," Larson described. She elaborated on how eye movements correlate with mental states, outlining that the eyes not only take in information but also dictate how the brain processes experiences. For instance, looking up can foster inspiration, while gazing down encourages mindfulness of the body.Larson described sneaky strategies for incorporating these techniques into daily life, allowing individuals to execute eye movements discreetly in social situations. "Many people will use that to calm feelings of anxiousness... that will signal the nervous system to down-regulate," she said. According to her, eye movements can energize the brain in preparation for stressful tasks, such as a job interview.Larson cautioned that as individuals age, reduced eye movement can lead to a narrower perspective and hinder cognitive function, making it essential to keep the eyes engaged. Furthermore, Larson explored the intersection of eye movement and paranormal experiences. She claimed that enhancing one's eye movement capabilities could unlock latent visual and psychic abilities, stating, "Many people report being able to see things that are in their vicinity that most of us can't see."She described a remarkable experience at one of her workshops, where the collective energy of participants reportedly led to the appearance of "a portal... this bright blue light looked like static electricity." Larson noted, "It was just this pure, radiating, lovely, conscious energy in the room."------------------In the second half, Gregory Shushan, PhD, discussed near-death experiences (NDEs) and cross-cultural beliefs about the afterlife. He has found notable similarities in how different societies perceive life after death. "The most fascinating aspect is... specifically the way [afterlife] beliefs correspond to near-death experiences," he claimed.Shushan has studied both the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and he's concluded these texts describe NDEs. "If you strip away the cultural descriptions, we're left with something that looks very much like a near-death experience," he elaborated. He explained that NDEs typically follow certain patterns. While Western narratives often depict experiences of traveling toward a bright light, other cultures tell stories of walking wild paths leading to the afterlife, a motif prevalent in Polynesian religions.The discussion also delved into shamanic practices, where one enters NDE-like states in order to gain insights or powers. Shushan noted that spiritual healers navigated these realms for transformative experiences. "They could control that and then come back to life, whereas a [real] near-death experience... it's pretty iffy if the person's going to come back or not," he explained.He also addressed contemporary scientific skepticism regarding the afterlife, asserting that ancient cultures often held a more profound understanding of life after death. "In contemporary Western culture, there is a real resistance to anything that has to do with death," he remarked. Shushan proposed that our modern, secular view is potentially limited, reflecting, "If there is an afterlife, it's nothing supernatural or paranormal. I think it's just natural."

In the first half, author and researcher Liz Larson discussed the profound impact of eye movement on neurological health and personal transformation. She shared her "Cognitive Movement" modality, which is designed to help individuals reshape their nervous systems through controlled eye movements, accessing memories and emotional patterns for greater personal growth."It's like a backdoor hack," Larson described. She elaborated on how eye movements correlate with mental states, outlining that the eyes not only take in information but also dictate how the brain processes experiences. For instance, looking up can foster inspiration, while gazing down encourages mindfulness of the body.Larson described sneaky strategies for incorporating these techniques into daily life, allowing individuals to execute eye movements discreetly in social situations. "Many people will use that to calm feelings of anxiousness... that will signal the nervous system to down-regulate," she said. According to her, eye movements can energize the brain in preparation for stressful tasks, such as a job interview.Larson cautioned that as individuals age, reduced eye movement can lead to a narrower perspective and hinder cognitive function, making it essential to keep the eyes engaged. Furthermore, Larson explored the intersection of eye movement and paranormal experiences. She claimed that enhancing one's eye movement capabilities could unlock latent visual and psychic abilities, stating, "Many people report being able to see things that are in their vicinity that most of us can't see."She described a remarkable experience at one of her workshops, where the collective energy of participants reportedly led to the appearance of "a portal... this bright blue light looked like static electricity." Larson noted, "It was just this pure, radiating, lovely, conscious energy in the room."------------------In the second half, Gregory Shushan, PhD, discussed near-death experiences (NDEs) and cross-cultural beliefs about the afterlife. He has found notable similarities in how different societies perceive life after death. "The most fascinating aspect is... specifically the way [afterlife] beliefs correspond to near-death experiences," he claimed.Shushan has studied both the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and he's concluded these texts describe NDEs. "If you strip away the cultural descriptions, we're left with something that looks very much like a near-death experience," he elaborated. He explained that NDEs typically follow certain patterns. While Western narratives often depict experiences of traveling toward a bright light, other cultures tell stories of walking wild paths leading to the afterlife, a motif prevalent in Polynesian religions.The discussion also delved into shamanic practices, where one enters NDE-like states in order to gain insights or powers. Shushan noted that spiritual healers navigated these realms for transformative experiences. "They could control that and then come back to life, whereas a [real] near-death experience... it's pretty iffy if the person's going to come back or not," he explained.He also addressed contemporary scientific skepticism regarding the afterlife, asserting that ancient cultures often held a more profound understanding of life after death. "In contemporary Western culture, there is a real resistance to anything that has to do with death," he remarked. Shushan proposed that our modern, secular view is potentially limited, reflecting, "If there is an afterlife, it's nothing supernatural or paranormal. I think it's just natural."

Previously Itai was the Country Manager for Trax Retail, Co-Founder and Acting CEO for ABJ Japan, Managing Director ImpacTech, Director of Business Development APAC Kyodo International Corporation Japan, Sales Manager Moroccanoli Japan, . He has a Masters Degreee in Media and Governance/ Environmental Innovation from Keio Univerity and a BA from Tel Aviv University in East Asian Studies. Itai highlights that Japanese employees value humility in leadership. Foreign leaders should initially adopt a learning mindset, showing a willingness to understand local practices and seek guidance from their teams. Japanese professionals take great pride in their work and expect leaders to appreciate details and technical expertise. A significant challenge for foreign executives is balancing the expectations of headquarters with the slower, consensus-driven decision-making process in Japan. While Western business culture often emphasizes rapid change and assertive leadership, Japan values harmony, long-term relationships, and collective decision-making. Leaders must build trust gradually by engaging in meaningful conversations, demonstrating commitment, and understanding the nuances of Japanese communication, including indirectness and reading between the lines. Another key aspect of leadership in Japan is handling mistakes and fostering innovation. Employees may be hesitant to take risks due to the fear of failure and hierarchical structures. Yanai suggests that leaders should take responsibility for failures while allowing employees to claim success, which encourages innovation and builds trust. Recruiting and retaining talent is another hurdle. Japanese employees tend to prefer well-established companies with clear career progression. Foreign companies or startups must create an appealing work environment by offering stability, opportunities for professional growth, and a sense of purpose beyond just financial compensation. Providing employees with "opportunities" rather than just a job can be a compelling way to attract and retain talent. Additionally, Japan's highly demanding consumer market pushes companies to refine their operations. Many foreign businesses that establish themselves in Japan find that they must adopt higher standards of quality and service, which can ultimately benefit their global operations. In summary, leading in Japan requires patience, cultural sensitivity, and a deep understanding of the local work culture. Effective foreign leaders should be humble, trust-building, and willing to embrace Japan's emphasis on precision, harmony, and long-term relationships to succeed.

Hey folks, Alex here

While Western media portrays the Sunni Muslims who control Damascus as “moderate,” reports from regional media that armed Sunni groups are attacking Shias and Christians across central and western Syria.5) Western media overlooks Sunni violence in Syria; 4) Walls closing in on Ukraine's Zelensky; 3) Court strikes down Biden admin's radical gender rewrite of rules governing women's sports in schools; 2) Prescribing weight-loss jabs to everyone in UK who qualifies would bankrupt National Health Service; 1) Pope Francis given Presidential Medal of Freedom, apparently for being the climate-change pope.FOLLOW US!X: @WatchSkyWatchTV | @Five_In_TenYouTube: @SkyWatchTelevision | @SimplyHIS | @FiveInTenRumble: @SkyWatchTVFacebook: @SkyWatchTV | @SimplyHIS | @EdensEssentialsInstagram: @SkyWatchTV | @SimplyHisShow | @EdensEssentialsUSATikTok: @SkyWatchTV | @SimplyHisShow | @EdensEssentialsSkyWatchTV.com | SkyWatchTVStore.com | EdensEssentials.com | WhisperingPoniesRanch.com

The US is the undisputed predominant space power. But for how long? While Western private companies such as Space X are entering and often dominating the space sector, China's space power is also increasing, with private space launch enterprises such as that of Galactic Energy. Todd Harrison, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins the podcast to discuss what the US must do now to stay ahead of the game. How should it interact with the private sector and where its priorities lie? After all, an advantage in technology may prove temporary if innovation does not follow in other areas.

[SEGMENT 2-1] Define extremism (best of) [X] SB – Black man says in 1000000 years he wouldn't vote for Harris What is an extremist to the Left? Grow up in a two-parent household Not be molested by an uncle or a coach To get a decent real education with NO indoctrination To find a career that you love To find a life-partner that you love and respect To have friends you can count on, and with whom you might not necessarily agree all the time. To enjoy the things in life that you desire, e.g. travel, woodworking, hunting, fishing, or whatever as long as it doesn't infringe upon others. To live in decent environs and be left alone. What's so bad about that?  [SEGMENT 2-2] Kamala Harris exposed [X] SB – Black man says in 1000000 he wouldn't vote for Kamala Harris [X] SB – Black rapper [X] SB – CNN calls out Kamala Harris for energy hypocrisy        [SEGMENT 2-3] More on the identity crisis We have services that protect our identity, Life Lock, for example. We even know the importance of identity, as the government established HIPAA laws to protect our identity. Corporations are told to protect our data, i.e. our identities online, and we receive many cautions to that effect all the time. To have one's identity stolen can wreak havoc in your life.   What Musk insightfully points out is the identity crisis in America. And the identity crisis of today touches on timeless philosophical debates about self, individualism, and collective identity. From ancient to modern thinkers, the struggle to understand the self has been at the core of human inquiry. And many would agree that today's crisis reflects both a departure from and a misunderstanding of these deeper philosophical traditions. The Search for the Self: Ancient Philosophers The quest to "know oneself" has deep roots in philosophy, epitomized by Socrates, whose aphorism "Know thyself" urges us to explore our own nature. For Socrates, this exploration was not merely about personal identity but understanding our place in the moral universe. The self, to him, was intimately tied to wisdom and virtue rather than external categories like race or gender. Similarly, Plato viewed the self as a reflection of universal truths, suggesting that the soul (the essence of self) exists beyond material distinctions. Like Socrates, Plato's ideas oppose today's focus on identities like gender or sexuality, instead calling for an understanding of self that transcends physical and social categories. I recall a family road trip where we picked up a man whose 18-wheeler had broken down. He was a 20-something white guy, and very chatty. He said something profound during his time with us. Interestingly, he mentioned that he was only driving a truck until he found something better. He said that he still needed to "find himself". After we let him out at a truck stop, I asked my grandmother why he said he needed to "find himself". She said that he was searching for meaning in his life, and that's what he meant. I joked that he was "right here!" Little did I know how this would impact me later, as I needed to find myself. Nature vs. Nurture: Enlightenment Thinkers The tension between nature and nurture has been another longstanding philosophical debate. John Locke, the English Enlightenment thinker, famously argued that the mind is a "blank slate" (tabula rasa) upon which experience writes. In contrast, Jean-Jacques Rousseau proposed that humans are born inherently good, but society corrupts them. Both philosophers emphasized that individual experience and societal influence jointly shape identity. However, modern society's obsession with social categories may suggest an inversion of this idea. Collectivism—the pressure to conform to social groups based on external identity markers like race or gender—has, in the eyes of critics, stifled individualism. This sentiment is echoed by Alexis de Tocqueville, who warned that democracy could, paradoxically foster a "tyranny of the majority" where societal pressures subdue individual liberty. I suggest that we all struggle with this concept from time to time. Perhaps you are stuck in a rut, and can't seem to deprogram. Is it genetic or have you learned from experience to procrastinate, for example?  [SEGMENT 2-4] More on the identity crisis 2 That's not who we are. In my case, I chronicled in my first book, The BIG Black Lie how I always felt the tug of my father's DNA, as I assessed my place in the world. My father was not a good man, and I often felt like I would undoubtedly follow in his footsteps. It took far too long for me to dismiss this notion, and allow the nurture of my maternal family assuage my angst. Freud and Jung: Inner and Outer Identity The duality of man is something I thought about at a young age. And for the reasons stated earlier this duality involved my father. Funny how most of life's problems do revolve around childhood. Which brings me to Sigmund Freud. In what was validated by Freud and Jung, I noted how I had one public facing me, and the other me that I hid. I learned later that Freud introduced another layer to identity by focusing on the unconscious mind. He argued that unresolved internal conflicts shaped our sense of self more than societal categories. Carl Jung, a contemporary of Freud expanded on Freud's theory. Jung emphasized that individual identity must reconcile both our conscious persona and our collective unconscious (archetypes shared by humanity). This need to balance personal individuality with collective archetypes aligns with my observation that we belong to broad collectives like being human and being American, while still retaining individuality. I propose further that one's individuality must be well-balanced with the various collectives. For example, I am human, however I don't espouse to all human nature. Ergo, my individual, my self as it were will not give into the collective if I believe the collective to be flawed. Criticism of Modern Identity Politics Many critics of modern identity politics argue that identity politics diminishes the importance of individuality. George Orwell warned in his novel 1984 of the dangers of collective identity leading to oppression. Today, some, like Jordan Peterson argue that by emphasizing identity categories like race, gender, or sexuality, modern society risks reducing people to labels rather than focusing on their personal virtues and capabilities. I happen to agree. My question about why society wants so desperately for me to be part of the "alt collectives" can be understood when illuminated as the tension between individualism and collectivism. While Western societies historically valorized the individual, as reflected in Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self-Reliance," today's focus on identity politics often prioritizes group membership over personal agency. The collectivist trend I observe can thus be seen as a reversal of this traditional Western emphasis on the individual. In this reversal, the individual is at risk of being destroyed. The Crisis of Individualism The modern obsession with identity that I observe turns what should be private traits—like sexuality—into public markers of social distinction. Charles Taylor refers to this as the "politics of recognition." Thus, today society increasingly demands that personal identities be publicly acknowledged and validated, most notably with the use of self-ascribed pronouns. However, this emphasis on group identities can overshadow the deeper, more universal aspects of human experience that bind us all together. What is the collective, if we can subcategorized to the nth degree?    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-kevin-jackson-show--2896352/support.

In this episode of "Unearthed," John and Joe discuss the recent U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls report and its impact on the gold market. The stronger-than-expected employment data has shifted expectations around Federal Reserve rate cuts, leading to a dip in gold prices. While Western investors are adjusting expectations for future rate cuts, China's market absence also influenced gold prices this week. Despite some corrections, overall sentiment towards gold remains strong, driven in part by rising inflows into ETFs. Many investors are looking to buy on dips, but with limited opportunities for lower prices, gold continues to be a sought-after asset for risk mitigation and diversification.

What if being wealthy was all about rewriting the mental software we run on? My guest today is John Purkiss. He is the author of a truly wonderful book, a best seller called the “Power of Letting Go.” John has had a successful corporate career first, learned mindfulness later, only to combine both in his later and current pursuits. John studied economics at Cambridge University and began his career in banking and management consultancy. He then completed his MBA at INSEAD, where won first prize. Within three months John was diagnosed with clinical depression, which nearly proved fatal. He began searching for a solution, which led him to learn mindfulness and become an executive search consultant, recruiting senior executives and board members. He also began to invest in high-growth companies. John then learned Transcendental Meditation. In 2014 he met his guru, SPH Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam. http://johnpurkiss.com In our conversation, we delve into how childhood experiences shape one's identity and leave a lasting impact on life. John highlights that traumatic childhood events can create pain patterns that drive success but may eventually lead to breakdown. We explore two approaches to life: living through the mind or surrendering to a higher intelligence. Embracing and merging with this higher intelligence can result in a natural life flow and magical outcomes. There's a notable connection between consciousness and wealth; a shift in consciousness can enhance abundance. Our beliefs and expectations about money can impede our ability to manifest wealth. By disengaging from thoughts, or "unclutching," we can access a state of pure consciousness. Pain patterns or incompletions, stemming from past experiences, shape our beliefs and behaviors. Recognizing and releasing these patterns can transform our external reality. John emphasizes that hard work alone isn't enough for success; a higher intelligence can guide us. While Western views often suggest that matter creates consciousness, Eastern traditions argue that consciousness is the source of everything, with matter being an epiphenomenon. Practices like meditation tap into this underlying consciousness that drives everything. Accessing a higher intelligence can provide answers to difficult questions. Letting go of the need to be right and considering different perspectives fosters understanding and growth. John concludes that true success means living in enlightenment, fulfilling one's potential, and manifesting health, wealth, and relationships. Podcast Program – Disclosure Statement Blue Infinitas Capital, LLC is a registered investment adviser and the opinions expressed by the Firm's employees and podcast guests on this show are their own and do not reflect the opinions of Blue Infinitas Capital, LLC. All statements and opinions expressed are based upon information considered reliable although it should not be relied upon as such. Any statements or opinions are subject to change without notice. Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies.  Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed.  Information expressed does not take into account your specific situation or objectives, and is not intended as recommendations appropriate for any individual. Listeners are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified tax, legal, or investment adviser to determine whether any information presented may be suitable for their specific situation.  Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

This episode discusses the emergence of ‘counter-West' groupings and how they fit within – and are seeking to shape – the wider global order. In 2023 we ran a series of episodes focusing on the Russia–China relationship, the growing linkages to Iran and Venezuela and to North Korea's emergence as an international actor, as well as efforts to forge the BRICS association into a larger non-Western organisation. While Western countries continue to stand behind the idea of a comprehensive, rules-based order built upon common norms, laws and institutions, these concepts are being contested by academics, politicians and public figures and are no longer accepted as automatically valid in large parts of the world. Host Neil Melvin is joined by Simon Rynn, Research Fellow for African Security at RUSI, and Dr Philip Shetler-Jones, Senior Research Fellow for Indo-Pacific Security at RUSI, to discuss what can be learnt from ongoing or latent conflicts that appear to pit Western actors and norms against challengers.

With Ukraine facing a resurgent Russia, NATO leaders have been clear that they do not and “will never recognize Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexations, including Crimea.” While Western leaders speak clearly when it comes to Ukraine, their uncompromising positions are unfortunately undermined when NATO remains largely silent over the precedent for Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Turkey's invasion and occupation of the northern part of Cyprus in 1974. Michael Rubin, the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Thanos Davelis to explain why NATO's 50 year tolerance of Turkey's occupation of Cyprus weakens its case on Ukraine. Read Michael Rubin's latest here: NATO tolerance of Cyprus' occupation weakens case on UkraineYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Extra rules for Golden VisaTurkish central bank stuns market by hiking interest rates to 50%Turkey raises interest rates to 50% as it seeks to cool runaway inflation

While Western attention is on the Israel-Hamas conflict, war quietly rages in Yemen with predictable destruction. Not surprisingly, US interventionism is fueling this fight. Original Article: Yemen: The Forgotten Neoconservative-Supported War in the Middle East

While Western attention is on the Israel-Hamas conflict, war quietly rages in Yemen with predictable destruction. Not surprisingly, US interventionism is fueling this fight. Original Article: Yemen: The Forgotten Neoconservative-Supported War in the Middle East

While Western attention is on the Israel-Hamas conflict, war quietly rages in Yemen with predictable destruction. Not surprisingly, US interventionism is fueling this fight. Original Article: Yemen: The Forgotten Neoconservative-Supported War in the Middle East

While Western attention is on the Israel-Hamas conflict, war quietly rages in Yemen with predictable destruction. Not surprisingly, US interventionism is fueling this fight. Narrated by Millian Quinteros.

While Western attention is on the Israel-Hamas conflict, war quietly rages in Yemen with predictable destruction. Not surprisingly, US interventionism is fueling this fight. Original Article: Yemen: The Forgotten Neoconservative-Supported War in the Middle East

While Western attention is on the Israel-Hamas conflict, war quietly rages in Yemen with predictable destruction. Not surprisingly, US interventionism is fueling this fight. Original Article: Yemen: The Forgotten Neoconservative-Supported War in the Middle East

While Western leaders have near-universally backed Israel in the wake of Hamas' horrific attacks, a shocking number of people have expressed support for Hamas, levelling the same false accusations against Israel they usually do. One thing often said is that Israel is an “Apartheid State” and will compare Israel's requirement for self-defense to South Africa. Host Steven Shalowitz sits down with South African activist Olga Meshoe Washington to discuss her journey to becoming an advocate for the State of Israel, the history of Africa's relationship with Israel and Jews, and why calling Israel apartheid is a ridiculous accusation that trivializes her people's history.

The name Ivan the Terrible is synonymous with brutality and ruthlessness. While Western scholars insist that the first crowned Tsar of all Russia did create a policy of mass repression and execution, others claim Ivan's name has been tarnished by Western travellers and writers. How then should his complex and fascinating personality be understood?  In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb examines the evidence with Dr. Charles Halperin, one of the world's foremost historians of Ivan the Terrible.This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[HKOS Podcast] 李小龍逝世50周年，香港歷史上第一部與美國主流要電影廠合資攝製的《龍爭虎鬥》在李小龍逝世後的一個月在全美上映，轟動一時，票房在當年排名13 （1973全年排名）。李小龍也是首位華人在荷里活電影裡面擔正第一男主角，更影響了整個功夫電影在世界電影史的發展和地位。 可惜，他生前看不到他的成就和影響，8月13日和8月16日，擁有《龍爭虎鬥》版的華納會舉行全美放映活動，上映的版本為全新4K修復版。請不要錯過可以在大銀幕看到一代巨星李小龍的遺作了。 「The Hong Kong On ScreenPodcast」在這一集特別邀請了香港電影專家Frank Djeng討論了： 為何美國會這麼重視這部電影呢？西方一致認為《猛龍過江》為李小龍最好的電影，但香港一般認為前三部都比這部好，為什麼呢？有說李小龍在設計武打時，刻意迎合西方觀眾，究竟什麼是迎合西方品味呢？有什麼片段被删呢？《猛龍過江》有什麼特別呢？李小龍最好的電影是什麼呢？ On the 50th anniversary of Bruce Lee's passing, the first Hong Kong film co-produced with a major American film studio, "Enter the Dragon," was released nationwide in the United States one month after his death, causing a sensation and ranking 13th in the box office for the year in 1973. Bruce Lee became the first Chinese actor to play the lead role in a Hollywood film, significantly influencing the development and status of martial arts films in world cinema history. Unfortunately, he couldn't witness his achievements and influence during his lifetime. On August 13th and August 16th, Warner Bros. owns the film "Enter the Dragon," which will hold nationwide screenings of the newly restored 4K version. Don't miss the opportunity to see the final work of the legendary Bruce Lee on the big screen. "The Hong Kong On Screen Podcast" in this episode has invited Hong Kong film expert Frank Djeng to discuss: Why does the United States value this film so much? While Western audiences generally regard "Enter the Dragon" as Bruce Lee's best film, Hong Kong audiences believe the first three films are better. Why is that? It's been said that Bruce Lee intentionally catered to Western audiences when designing martial arts choreography. What exactly constitutes catering to Western tastes? Which scenes were deleted? What makes "Enter the Dragon" special? What is Bruce Lee's best film? Follow the hosts: Kay Ho's Instagram: @kayho1430 --- The Hong Kong On Screen Podcast is a podcast about Hong Kong Cinema. The HKOS Podcast is hosted by Hong Kongers. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also email us at info@hkonscreen.org. Support the show: https://www.hkonscreen.org/giving Leave a comment and share your thoughts: https://open.firstory.me/user/cl55om7v70ekf01t9ff6n3tkt/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

The name Ivan the Terrible is synonymous with brutality and ruthlessness. While Western scholars insist that the first crowned Tsar of all Russia did create a policy of mass repression and execution, others claim Ivan's name has been tarnished by Western travellers and writers. How then should his complex and fascinating personality be understood? In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb examines the evidence with Dr. Charles Halperin, one of the world's foremost historians of Ivan the Terrible.This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code TUDORS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >You can take part in our listener survey here >For more Not Just The Tudors content, subscribe to our Tudor Tuesday newsletter here > Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Josh Levitt is a Naturopathic Physician, and the Co-Founder and Medical Director of UpWellness, a platform for naturopathic medicine, health care and advice. In this intriguing episode with health seeker Adiel Gorel, Dr. Levitt explains why we need mainstream and alternative treatment modalities and must be careful of both.   Key Insights: Dr. Josh Levitt started studying conventional medicine before branching into naturopathy. He believes there is a need to reconcile alternative and Western treatment modalities. There is good in both forms of healthcare, and Dr. Levitt tries to bring the best of both to his practice. He explains why flexibility and strength are both key aspects of health. The quality of supplements is something we have to look closely at. We must beware of less ethical manufacturers who use rotting or toxic ingredients to make products. While Western medicine uses the monotherapy approach, holistic health care needs multimodal treatment modalities and long-term maintenance programs for good health. The method of clinical testing in healthcare is not necessarily the only option, says Dr. Levitt. He explains how big pharma works, and its financial imperatives for return on R&D. Author, Investment Expert and Wellness Advocate Adiel Gorel isn't just an expert in his chosen fields but also a storyteller who makes complex issues easily accessible. Tune in to his show where he addresses diverse issues with a single aim to improve quality of life.    Have questions? The first step toward improving quality of life and health is seeking the right information. Post your questions in the comment box below or get in touch with me directly. https://adielgorel.com/  info@life201.com 

Dr. Josh Levitt is a Naturopathic Physician, and the Co-Founder and Medical Director of UpWellness, a platform for naturopathic medicine, health care and advice. In this intriguing episode with health seeker Adiel Gorel, Dr. Levitt explains why we need mainstream and alternative treatment modalities and must be careful of both.   Key Insights: Dr. Josh Levitt started studying conventional medicine before branching into naturopathy. He believes there is a need to reconcile alternative and Western treatment modalities. There is good in both forms of healthcare, and Dr. Levitt tries to bring the best of both to his practice. He explains why flexibility and strength are both key aspects of health. The quality of supplements is something we have to look closely at. We must beware of less ethical manufacturers who use rotting or toxic ingredients to make products. While Western medicine uses the monotherapy approach, holistic health care needs multimodal treatment modalities and long-term maintenance programs for good health. The method of clinical testing in healthcare is not necessarily the only option, says Dr. Levitt. He explains how big pharma works, and its financial imperatives for return on R&D. Author, Investment Expert and Wellness Advocate Adiel Gorel isn't just an expert in his chosen fields but also a storyteller who makes complex issues easily accessible. Tune in to his show where he addresses diverse issues with a single aim to improve quality of life.    Have questions? The first step toward improving quality of life and health is seeking the right information. Post your questions in the comment box below or get in touch with me directly. https://adielgorel.com/  info@life201.com 

In today's world we face pain and illness all around us. We face the risk of different diseases that can impact our lives. Now, more than ever, taking care of ourselves is essential. Through God's guidance, we can find healing and protection from disease for our mind, body, and spirit. He has given us the ability to become healthy and stay strong through faith, prevention, and nature's medicine.[1]God's Word and natural medicine can help us tap into this God-given ability to heal our mind, body, and spirit. In this episode of the Revelations Podcast, Dr. George Kramer shares his experience using natural medicine, prayer and the Word of God.  We dig into the roots of medicine and talk about the role of spiritual medicine in illness and healing and dive into what Scripture says about our health and treatment. Dr. George also shares his advice to help us start caring for ourselves with natural and regenerative medicine.Join us in this conversation to learn more about what the Holy Bible says about health and God's role as our healer.Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:Discover how to use nature's medicine to heal and prevent illnesses.Understand more about God's Word as we dive into the scriptures about health and healing.Take an active role in your health with the simple things you can do to care for yourself.ResourcesMore from the Revelations Podcast: Website | Instagram | Apple PodcastLearn about Dr. George Kramer and his practice on his websiteHidden Bible Health Secrets by Reginald Cherry, M.D.Bible Verses:1 John 1:9Proverbs 17:22Exodus 15:26Proverbs 4: 20-22Proverbs 14:30Jeremiah 17:14Deuteronomy 28Deuteronomy 30:193 John 1:2This Episode is brought to you by Advanced Medicine AlternativesGet back to the active life you love through natural & regenerative musculoskeletal healing: https://www.georgekramermd.com/Episode Highlights[03:35] A Healthy Spirit, Mind, and BodyDisease is unease, strife, and struggle. The Scripture says that a crushed spirit dries up the bone. Dr. Kramer explains how a crushed spirit can dry the bone marrow and affect the immune system.There needs to be a holistic approach to health. Our spiritual and emotional health affects our physical body.The Bible has directions on how to treat our body, mind, and spirit. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit; we need to take care of it.Taking care of your body can mean a healthy diet and avoiding toxins in your mind, body, and spirit.[08:06] The History of MedicineMedical school started in Europe in the 15th or 16th century. Hippocrates is the Father of Medicine. He separated medicine from philosophy, but still called on gods for healing.During the 19th and 20th centuries, Western medicine separated God from medicine.We've recently begun to look at the spiritual roots of illnesses.For Israelites and Hebrew, healing was in the hands of God. Doctors are helpers who administer treatment while God heals.[12:41] Choosing Nature's MedicineThere were already different forms of natural healing in early medicine. Different civilizations used nature's medicine: plants, herbs, and diets.Natural medicine or naturopathy doctors use natural techniques, diets, and supplements to encourage natural healing.While Western medicine has many techniques and medicines that are lifesaving, simply taking care of oneself shouldn't be excluded.The drug industry has taken over the country10.George: “[Pills are] adulterating your body's function rather than stimulating to heal itself, which is a natural medicine way. And God commands us to take care of ourselves naturally.”Unfortunately, drugs are often advertised and encouraged in the U.S. Pharmaceutical medicines have many side effects that might lead to more sickness.[20:00] Preventative MedicineNowadays, preventative medicine has become a specialty. Unfortunately, it still focuses more on pharmaceuticals rather than lifestyle changes.Only a few doctors are educated about this and don't have the time to educate others as well.People often expect prescriptions for treatment. People prefer pills to get better right away instead of changing their lifestyles to prevent disease.It's best to talk to a doctor to find out what we can best do for ourselves. A naturopath consultant can advise on ways to lessen the number of drugs we might need to take.We must actively choose and try to use nature's medicine. A healthy life is worth investing our time, money, and energy in.[23:15] God's Words of HealingRaegan shares how she prefers working with a Christian doctor who understands God.There was a time when she had an atheist physician, and they prayed together for him. God may want us to share Jesus with others who are helping us.The Word of God can help us understand what, why, and how we can heal.God's words are life and healing.[26:19] Heal the Mind to Heal the BodyOur psychological and emotional state can affect the body. Envy, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness, trauma, and woundedness can lead to illness. These emotions can be the root of disease.We must stay healthy and care for ourselves physically, emotionally, and mentally. We can do this by knowing the Word, getting social support, and working on our psychological wounds to allow healing.[30:08] God's Paths for HealingIn the Old Testament, God asks for our obedience for His healing and protection from disease. We have a responsibility to understand how God wants us to live.Reagan: “We can live in freedom in that, but also know that we are living in spirit and truth and following the spirit and how he wants us to live. And that brings blessing and that brings healing.”God can provide healing in many different ways. We can use the natural things God gave us and follow practices from the Old Testament to stay healthy.Some Christians who pray for healing receive it, while others can take a slower healing path. God calls on us to take an active role in our healing.In the Bible, Jesus doesn't always heal people right away. He uses natural things and instructs them on treating and caring for themselves.[35:53] Simple Ways to Help OurselvesGod has taught George about healing and taking care of people. He has been able to see the miracle of people's recoveries.One simple way we can help ourselves is by taking Vitamin D supplements. Supplements can help prevent different diseases and support our various organ systems.Low Vitamin D levels can even cause some chronic pain. We need optimal nutrition.It's essential to do everything we can to get what we want. We can't just rely on prayer.[43:44] Different Types of MedicinesTraditional Western medicine or allopathic medicine is disease-oriented. It focuses on identifying the disease before treating it.Natural medicine or naturopathy looks at the balance in the person. It aims to correct the imbalance and optimize the body to heal itself naturally.George: “Our bodies are designed by God to heal if given the right tools and the right situation and the right environment and support.”Alternative medicine includes different techniques from various cultures and traditions. Subgroups include acupuncture, reiki healing, and shamanism.Integrative medicine integrates the different types of medicine. Vitamins, meditation, and others can support modern medical treatment.George uses more natural musculoskeletal medicine to stimulate the body for long-term healing. [49:23] How to Choose LifeGod tells us to choose life. Jesus came down on Earth so that we live our lives fully.The first step is to listen to God's Word and choose to follow Him.The second thing is to learn how to treat our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit. We must care for our heart, mind, body, and spirit.It can be a long process. We need to put in the effort and stay healthy continuously. We can only expect progress if we act.Disease can be caused by getting too much of what we don't need and not enough of what we do need.[53:35] Integrating Prayer in Medical PracticeIn the Scripture, John prays for his friends to enjoy good health and for the soul to get along well.Many people have good health but don't enjoy it. They don't realize what they have until they lose it.George encourages those with good health to enjoy their good health. He prays with them if they want to. Prayer gives glory to God and calls upon His healing. It also encourages people to pray for themselves and can awaken their faith.About Dr. George KramerDr. George Kramer is a doctor practicing musculoskeletal medicine and is board certified in physical medicine, rehabilitation, and pain medicine. He has been practicing medicine since 1985 and helps his patients return to an active lifestyle. Dr. Kramer uses natural regenerative medicine to tap into the body's God-given healing ability.To learn more about Dr. Georfe Kramer's practice, visit his website.Enjoyed this Episode?If you did, subscribe and share it with your friends!Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in, then leave us a review. You can also share this with your friends and family. This episode will teach you about how nature's medicine is a blessing from God.Have any questions? You can connect with me on Instagram.Thank you for tuning in! For more updates, tune in on Apple Podcasts.kw: nature's medicinemeta: Medical knowledge today focuses on drugs and ignores nature's medicine: holistic healing, a healthy lifestyle, and the spirit.

Like many people, I am concerned about the harmful toxins, chemicals, and pesticides found in our food, drinks, medicine, clothing, and other products. I became curious about Lizette Linares' supplements due to her story of growing up near the U.S.-Mexico border and learning indigenous traditions of using natural resources for health and healing.  While Western medicine may discredit the effectiveness of plant-based remedies, I believe we can benefit from selecting organic, natural products to consume.  In episode 40, I interviewed Lizette about

While Western economies continue to keep interest rates at elevated levels, it seems Japan's fiscal expansion knows no bounds. So what's behind the country's fiscal largesse and what effect may this have on its consumers and company earnings? Chris Teschmacher, Fund Manager on the Asset Allocation team, gives us his take on all things Japanese. This episode is hosted by Frances Watson, Content Manager. All figures are from Bloomberg as at 28 February 2023, unless otherwise stated. For professional investors only. Capital at risk.

Kiev's demand for weapons and ammunition has outstripped the available supply The fighting in Ukraine has “exposed flaws in US strategic planning” and “revealed significant gaps” in the US and NATO military industrial base, the Washington Post reported on Friday. As Kiev's forces consume more ammunition than the West can produce, the Pentagon seeks to cope by training them to fight more like Americans. “Stocks of many key weapons and munitions are near exhaustion, and wait times for new production of missiles stretches for months and, in some cases, years,” the Post noted, as part of a narrative about how the US has funneled some $20 billion in military aid to Kiev just this year. Only $6 billion of that has been in new weapons contracts, while the rest came from the Pentagon stockpiles. The US military-industrial complex can make about 14,000 rounds of ammunition for the 155-mm howitzers, the Post quoted US Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, while Ukrainian forces go through about 6,000 a day during heavy fighting. The US military-industrial complex is “in pretty poor shape right now,” Seth Jones of the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) told the Post. “We are really low… and we're not even fighting,” Jones said, adding that in scenarios where the US is facing China or Russia in a conventional conflict, “we don't make it past four or five days in a war game before we run out of precision missiles.” Washington's allies in Europe are in similar shape, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Michal Strnad, owner of a Czech ammunition conglomerate, said Ukraine chews through 40,000 rounds a month, while all of the European NATO members put together can produce 300,000 a year. “European production capacity is grossly inadequate,” Strnad said, adding that it would take up to 15 years to restock at current production rates, if the conflict were to somehow end tomorrow. Moscow has repeatedly warned the US and its allies that shipments of increasingly modern and long-range weapons could lead to a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO, and accused the West of prolonging the conflict and causing civilian deaths in Ukraine. While Western officials have demanded a ramp-up of production for months, recent EU legislation blocked many investments into weapons manufacturing by designating it “not sustainable,” according to the Journal. Germany is now in the process of funding a factory in Romania that could produce both NATO and Soviet-caliber ammunition for Ukraine. The Pentagon is trying to deal with the problem by training Ukrainian troops to “fight more like Americans” and use different tactics, according to the Post. “I think if we can train larger formations — companies, battalions — on how to employ fires, create conditions for maneuver, and then be able to maneuver like you've seen [the US military] maneuver on the battlefield, then I think we're in a different place. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://freedomreportage.com/2022/12/24/nato-armies-drained-by-ukraine-conflict-media/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/world-voices/support

Listen in podcast app-What to think about Jackson Hole-Canadian Population Growth Best in G7-Nuclear IS BACK-Gen Z wants to be soooo famous-The Future is Battery Powered-Crypto Is back to 2017 highsListen on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.If you aren’t in the Reformed Millennials Facebook Group join us for daily updates, discussions, and deep dives into the investable trends Millennials should be paying attention to.👉 For specific investment questions or advice contact Joel @ Gold Investment Management.📈📊Market Update💵📉I think indexes will continue to struggle over the coming weeks as too much money is sloshing and too many overvalued companies that people will eventually shed continue to trade at too high of valuations. A couple weeks ago I wrote about the battle coming at the 200-day moving average. As I thought, the 200-day moving average has beaten stocks back for now. Patience and risk management will continue to rule as valuation compression works its way through a deglobalizing world flooded with capital.Some thoughts:The main premise behind the summer rally was that the Fed was going to pivot because of the possibility of overdoing it and causing a severe recession. This was the market’s bet. As a result the stocks that were hit the hardest since February 2021 due to rising interest rates – like biotech, were among the best performers in the past couple of months. On Friday, Fed’s chairman was very clear that the Fed is not ready to change its tightening policy just yet, and bringing down inflation continues to be the main concern. It seems his words sobered the market up fast and caused a major selloff across the board – biotech, semis, software, retailers, financials, industrials, consumer discretionary, etc. (see more comments below)Last week was the second down week in a row for the main indexes. Both, the large-cap S& P 500 (SPY) and the small-cap Russell 2k (IWM) tested their 50-week moving average two weeks ago and have pulled back about 6-7% since then. The next potential zones of support are their 50-day moving average: about 398 for SPY and 181 for IWM.The only market areas that have handled the selling in the past couple of weeks relatively well are commodities – energy like oil & gas, coal, uranium, solar; fertilizers, and industrial metals. Those groups were clear leaders in the first half of the year but then underwent a deep 30-50% drawdown during the summer only to bounce back later. The inflation trade is back on. The question is for how long? If the market is really worrying that the Fed’s tightening policy will lead to a severe recession, then those groups will start to crumble as well.Typically, future market leaders build new bases while the indexes correct. From a strictly seasonal perspective, stocks tend to be weak ahead of the mid-term elections and strong after. Obviously, there are many other factors currently at play.Keep Your Eyes on the USD and Stocks Making 52-week LowsGo count how many stocks are making new 52-week lows.I'll wait.It won't take you very long.The new lows list on the NYSE peaked on June 16th.This was at the height of the permabear bubble.By then a lot of the leaders had already bottomed a month prior. This is perfectly consistent with prior bottoms and future leadership.The ones that bottom first tend to lead of the lows, and then you'll see sector rotation from there.And that's certainly what we've seen as the ones that got crushed the most, bounced the most. And now we're watching some of that sector rotation and prior leadership coming into play, particularly Industrials and Energy.In bear markets you get a lot of stocks making new lows. In bull markets you don't get many stocks at all making new lows.Which of these are you seeing?If the new lows list starts to blow up and those former laggards return to being the market culprits they once were, then great.But that's just not what we're seeing.Until stocks start to go down, why would I want to short them?I think this market is one US Dollar sell-off away from a historic end of year rally.💸Reformed Millennials - Post of The WeekWho Killed E-Commerce?!This chart Charlie shared regarding e-commerce growth really caught my attention:Back in 2008 and 2009, it was not Apple and Facebook hurting e-commerce sales it was the ‘Great Financial Crisis.Post-crisis, Apple launched the iPhone, Shopify became the home of small e-commerce businesses and Facebook launched ad products that helped create an explosion of e-commerce and e-commerce companies.Etsy was also an important platform.In the last year, While Western countries yelled at Facebook for the newsfeed and politics, Apple figured out how a lot of those unjustifiably mad people would opt out of being tracked by Facebook, and opt-out they did.I talk to a lot of e-commerce founders and they can’t use Facebook to grow anymore, nor do the small teams have the expertise to grow their e-commerce startups as they did on Facebook's backs. The scrappy ones will survive, invest in people and learn new tricks, but for now, I think it is mayhem.We've allowed Apple put a stranglehold on the type of marketing that let small e-commerce businesses thrive and Zuckerberg and Shopify underestimated the impact and are way behind the curve on solving it and explaining to the politicians how dangerous an overlord Apple has been to SMBs trying to grow their business.The reemergence of Nuclear: FINALLYAs Russia continues to politicize energy policy, many in Europe are really feeling the squeeze as lower flows from the Nord Stream pipeline jeopardize efforts to fill storage sites going into the winter.On top of the Nord Stream “capacity limitations” we have global droughts causing water levels to lower to the point where the Rhine river is too low to transport coal needed for power plants.More and more of our energy infrastructure’s fragility is being shown, and we’re not doing enough to address it.Current renewable build-out capacity is abysmal compared to what is required which is causing many rallies to revisit an old friend…Nuclear.We had news last Wednesday out of Japan around their willingness to restart more idled nuclear power plants as well as assess the feasibility of developing next-gen reactors.Nuclear is commonly villainized in public perception, but unfairly so.Is it really as dangerous as people think?Or is it the exact solution we need right now at this level of the energy crisis?Instability in our energy complex has been shocking global markets, sending gas prices from Asia to the US higher amid a race and intense competition for supply.Russia has been dragging its feet by limiting capacity sent through a critical pipeline: Nord Stream.Nord Stream 1 stretches 1,200km under the Baltic Sea from the Russian coast near St. Petersburg all the way to north-eastern Germany.It is owned and operated by Nord Stream AG, whose majority shareholder is the Russian state-owned company Gazprom.By the end of June, Germany was importing 26% of its gas from Russia. Most of it comes through Nord Stream 1, with the rest coming from land-based pipelines.Germany also agreed to the building of a parallel pipeline - Nord Stream 2 - but it never became operational due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Although Gazprom cites “turbine maintenance” as the reason for the closure, we all know it is being politicized in Russia’s war with Ukraine.While Germany has been trying to get alternative gas supplies from Norway and the Netherlands, the overreliance on Russian Gas has handcuffed the country as local gas prices are up 450% YoY.Germany is now back to increasing its use of coal to extend the life of power stations that it had been planning to shut down, despite how harmful coal production is to the environment.This part might actually sound like a joke, but in order to cope with this complete shock to the energy systems, people in Germany and parts of Europe are actually buying wood stoves. In fact, demand for wood-burning stoves in Germany has doubled compared to last year as households look for cheaper alternatives.I’ve got an idea…How about you turn to one of the most efficient and clean sources of energy production: nuclear?Instead, Germany put together a plan for a complete phase-out of nuclear energy back in 2011, with three of its six nuclear plants switched off at the end of 2021 and the other three to cease operations by the end of 2022.If it sounds like this is one of the worst ideas of all time, that’s because it is.So let’s take a look at just what is nuclear, and why it is a viable alternative.I’ve got an idea…How about you turn to one of the most efficient and clean sources of energy production: nuclear?Instead, Germany put together a plan for a complete phase-out of nuclear energy back in 2011, with three of its six nuclear plants switched off at the end of 2021 and the other three to cease operations by the end of 2022.If it sounds like this is one of the worst ideas of all time, that’s because it is.So let’s take a look at just what is nuclear, and why it is a viable alternative.What is Nuclear Energy? - Production, Capacity, ConstructionNuclear energy comes from splitting atoms in a reactor to heat water into steam, turn a turbine and generate electricity. This is all done without carbon emissions because reactors use uranium, not fossil fuels.Nuclear plants are always on. They are well-operated to avoid interruptions and built to withstand extreme weather, supporting the grid 24/7.Today, there are about 440 nuclear power reactors operating in 33 countries with a combined capacity of about 390 GWe. In 2021, these provided 2653 TWh - about 10% of the world's electricity.Approximately 55 power reactors are currently being constructed in 15 countries -notably China, India, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.China has an additional 46 nuclear reactors under construction compared to just *two* in the US. China also has the overarching goal of building another 150 nuclear reactors over the next 15 years.Since China is currently by far the largest consumer of the world in coal, a shift to other, less polluting energy sources will be huge when it comes to the push to greener initiatives.In addition to building out more reactors, increasing nuclear capacity can also be done by uprating existing plants. This is a highly cost-effective way of bringing on new capacity. Numerous power reactors in the USA, Switzerland, Spain, Finland, and Sweden, for example, have had their generating capacity increased.Why the Hesitation? - Policy, PerceptionNarratives drive perception. The narrative around nuclear has been highly skeptical as a result of the high-profile incidents of Fukushima and Chernobyl which were the only two accidents rated at seven (the maximum severity).While Fukushima was caused by a natural disaster—an earthquake and a tsunami—Chernobyl was caused by human error during a safety test.The Chernobyl accident response together with later decontamination of the environment involved more than half a million personnel at an estimated cost of US$68B (inflation-adjusted).These events would remain firmly in the public eye as they were widely covered in the press and nuclear energy was deemed too dangerous—the risks too high. People flooded the streets in protest as they pressured governments not only to halt any additional reactor buildout but also to shutter existing ones.However, these two major reactor accidents are the only ones to occur in over 18,500 cumulative reactor years of commercial nuclear power operations in 36 countries.The evidence over six decades shows that nuclear power is a safe means of generating electricity. The risk of accidents in nuclear power plants is low and declining.The consequences of an accident or terrorist attack are minimal compared with other commonly accepted risks. Radiological effects on people of any radioactive releases can be avoided, but are still a risk.While the process of creating nuclear energy does not have harmful carbon emissions, the byproduct is radioactive waste which can be extremely dangerous because human exposure can cause certain types of cancer. The safe transportation and storage of nuclear waste will be vital in the viability argument for nuclear.So we know that fears of safety in actual reactors themselves are overblown, but there is also the danger of harnessing nuclear technology in building weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) through atomic bombs.This is a much more real and much more scary risk.There are links between nuclear weapons and nuclear power because the process of enriching uranium to make it into fuel for nuclear power stations is also used to make nuclear weapons. Plutonium is a by-product of the nuclear fuel cycle and is still used by some countries to make nuclear weapons.The Market - Key Inputs, Facilities, Unit EconomicsUranium is the key input that is used in the generation of nuclear energy. Looking at uranium production from mines by country in tonnes:Mining methods have been changing. In 1990, 55% of world production came from underground mines, but this shrunk dramatically through 1999, with 33% then. Since 2000 the new Canadian mines have increased again.In situ leach (ISL, also called in situ recovery, ISR) mining has been steadily increasing its share of the total, mainly due to Kazakhstan, and in 2021 accounted for over 60% of production.Conventional mines have a mill where the ore is crushed, ground and then leached with sulfuric acid to dissolve the uranium oxides. At the mill of a conventional mine, (or the treatment plant of an ISL operation) the uranium is then separated by ion exchange before being dried and packed, usually as U3O8.Like anything, we have to look at two components: demand (required by reactors in order to generate nuclear energy) and supply (uranium mined). So to get a good pulse of projection we then look at inventories as well as projected supply/demand imbalances.Ralph Profiti, a Uranium Sell-side analyst has come up with the following projections:What we are looking at here is a projected uranium deficit, should reactor buildout proceed as anticipated.The recent move in the uranium price was due to [this Reuters article](https://substack.com/.../f3cba7c8-2b50-4831-b0ee...) which stated that Japan will restart more idled nuclear plants and look at developing next-generation reactors as the Prime Minister has had a major policy shift on nuclear energy.While there are legitimate concerns over byproduct waste and fears of weaponization, the fragility of our energy infrastructure right now is rightfully causing many countries across the globe to heavily reconsider nuclear.When one energy source is being weaponized, diversification is the key to limiting buyer/seller imbalances.It’s sad our governments are so reactionary…Democracy is the worst political system… except for all the other ones.🐦 Twitter Thread of The Week 🐦🔮Best Links of The Week🔮Big Beliefs - Morgan HouselCan Canada handle its coming population boom? - Globe And MailCanada just missed possibly one of the greatest opportunities in its history - National PostReflections on the Investing Process with Michael Mauboussin - Rational Reflection This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.reformedmillennials.com

Global Policy Watch #1: The Many Transitions In China Global issues and their implications for India— RSJIn a few editions in the past, we have alluded to structural challenges in the Chinese economy and the window of opportunity that it presents India. I thought it would be useful to take a more comprehensive view of this. China reported a GDP growth of 0.4 per cent in the quarter that ended in June 2022. China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) isn’t known for its allegiance to truth. It is safe to assume the real GDP would have shrunk in the quarter. The daft ‘zero Covid’ policy led to total lockdowns in major cities during the quarter. The government crackdown on the real estate sector has meant that investment in the sector fell sharply. These contributed to the slowdown. Two other data points are interesting to note. The unemployment rate among the youth aged between 16-24 was at an all-time high of about 20 per cent. Also, retail sales continued to be weak at about 2.7 per cent, much below the 5 per cent forecast. Domestic consumption, the great desire of Chinese policymakers, remained sluggish. The spokesperson for the NBS put up a brave face while spinning these numbers as short-term bumps on the road. He raised the possibility of global stagflation and its negative impact on China to possibly justify weak numbers in the future. But is this slowdown just a blip in the impressive rise of China in the past three decades? I’m not sure. There are three transitions underway in China right now. It is difficult for nations to pull off any one of these in normal times. To attempt three simultaneously is ambitious. It is most likely to fail. Anyway, back to these transitions.The first transition started a few years back. This was forced on it because economics doesn’t bow to the party's diktats. China is finding it difficult to transition from a manufacturing-heavy, investment-led economic model to a consumption-driven one. This couldn’t be avoided. There would always be a limit to the world’s capacity to absorb China’s imports. Also, as China grew richer, it knew its low-cost edge in manufacturing would wither away. So after a few years of structural overinvestment in building capacity - the bridges to nowhere, the ghost cities, empty airports and other excesses - it had to pivot to a consumption-driven economy. It did try to delay the inevitable transition by aiming to export this overcapacity through its belt and road initiative. But after the initial hoopla, most countries have come to see it as what it is. A debt trap. So, this transition was necessary to move away from growth predicated on size and scale of investment to a more sustainable model of higher quality. But this is proving to be difficult. The history of unproductive investments has led to a debt build-up in the system (the debt to GDP ratio in China is over 300 per cent) and a drag on productivity that will continue for a long time. The state-owned enterprises (SOEs) that led this investment-driven growth are in a debt trap, and many continue to stay afloat by evergreening their loans. New productive investments have suffered because of this. People aren’t sure of their future, so instead of consumption, there’s an increase in domestic savings. Also, the pandemic and the recent lockdowns haven’t helped consumption growth. This is going to be a long, painful road.The second transition has been brought upon it because of its confidence in creating a ‘patterned’ society based on a premeditated design of the society. The prime example of ignoring spontaneous order was its plan to control the population through a one-child policy. China is now past the peak of its demographic dividend. The Labour force in China peaked in 2015 at around 800 million. It has now shrunk to 783 million, almost what it was in 2010. In the next 15 years, this is projected to go down to about 650 million. The stupid notion of the population as a liability has meant a rapidly shrinking and ageing workforce. The government has now reversed the one-child policy with a two-child policy without learning that such top-down interventions worsen things. Other similar ideas like patterned migration from villages to specific cities, controlling information flow for its citizens and taking some lofty top-down emission targets that have contributed to a serious energy crisis right now will also turn out the same way. The fault isn’t in their stars but in their ideology.  The final transition is the more perplexing one. This was articulated in a speech by Xi Jinping on August 17, 2021, where he introduced the notion of ‘common prosperity.’ This marked the most cogent articulation of Xi’s shift towards greater ideological rigidity. The days of economic growth based on ideological compromises were coming to an end. As Xi mentioned, ‘common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism and an important feature of Chinese-style modernization’ and China ‘must resolutely prevent polarization, promote common wealth, and achieve social harmony and stability.’ The crackdown on the consumer tech sector (virtually destroying Jac Ma’s empire) and the ‘three red lines’ drawn for the real estate sector, that has disproportionate weight on its economy, should be viewed in this backdrop. It is unclear whether this is a real commitment to ideology or a way to consolidate his position as dictator-for-life by appealing to the masses. But Xi has doubled down on this, as seen by his remarks at the World Economic Forum:"We will first make the pie bigger and then divide it properly through reasonable institutional arrangements. As a rising tide lifts all boats, everyone will get a fair share from development, and development gains will benefit all our people in a more substantial and equitable way,"In my (very broad) view, Xi has concluded that China might have peaked in economic growth. You start talking about redistribution and ‘dividing it properly’ when you know the pie won’t grow at the same rate as it was earlier. Importantly, I also suspect this is the reason why Xi is acting like a bully in the neighbourhood. If you know you have hit the peak of your geopolitical and geoeconomic leverage, you will be foolish to let the moment pass without maximising your gains.Some might argue furnishing other economic data that this ‘peaking’ theory isn’t true. China is still a global manufacturing engine. Its trade surplus has ballooned in the past year suggesting the world is hungrier for its goods. And so on. There’s this insightful column by Michael Pettis in FT that I will quote, which puts in perspective the record trade surpluses that China has been notching up in recent months while making these three transitions together. Pettis writes:Contrary to what many assume, the country’s burgeoning trade surplus is not a symptom of manufacturing prowess, nor is it evidence of a culture of thrift. It is instead a consequence of the great difficulty China has had in rebalancing its domestic economy and reining in its soaring debt. This is because the very conditions that explain stagnant domestic consumption also explain the rapid growth in Chinese exports relative to imports.Beijing has known the solution to this problem for years. In order to control soaring debt and the non-productive investment it funds, it had to rebalance the distribution of income by enough that growth would be driven mainly by rising consumption, as is the case in most other economies. But this requires a politically-difficult restructuring of the economy in which a larger share of total income — as much as 10-15 percentage points of GDP — is transferred from local governments to Chinese households.This is why the trade surplus matters. In recent years, Beijing has tried to slow the growth in debt by reducing non-productive investment in property and infrastructure. This year, as we saw with Evergrande, Beijing came down hard on the property sector.If a rising share of China’s total income had been going to ordinary households, the resulting reduction in investment by property developers could have been balanced by a rise in consumption. But that’s not what’s happened. In the past two years, partly as a consequence of the Covid pandemic, growth in wages has actually lagged behind growth in GDP. The share Chinese workers have received of what they produce has declined rather than increased, and with it so has the share they are able to consume.Rising exports are usually a good thing, but for countries like China, rising trade surpluses are not. In this case they are symptoms of deep and persistent imbalances in the domestic distribution of income. Until the country is able to reverse these imbalances, something which has proven politically very difficult, these large surpluses are just the obverse of attempts by Beijing to control debt, and so they will persist.For India, all of this is a golden opportunity. China will remain busy with these transitions that it has wrought upon itself. The jury is still out on whether it will have a soft landing on them. Global businesses that started seeking more resilient and cost-effective alternatives to China during COVID-19, are now convinced that they must employ a ‘China + 1’ model to safeguard their long-term interests. There are only that many economies that have the labour pool, capital and a business environment that can take advantage of this shift away from China, however gradual. To me, it might be faster than what we all anticipate. And it will pass India by if it doesn’t stay alert to its possibilities.There is a high likelihood of a golden decade ahead for MSMEs in India if it plays its cards right. A long overdue factor market reforms (possible at the state level), kickstarting a government capex cycle that will instil confidence in the private sector to follow suit, not overdoing aatmanirbhar Bharat beyond the rhetoric and remaining an open and liberal democracy that convinces others that it will have sufficient checks and balances to not lose its way. These are the basic block and tackle moves to capitalise on the opportunity. Because the only lesson to learn from a possible China misstep is that overdetermined leadership and top-down economic thinking eventually fail.Course Advertisement: The Sept 2022 intake of Takshashila’s Graduate Certificate in Public Policy programme ends soon! Visit this link to apply.India Policy Watch #1: A Potent CocktailInsights on burning policy issues in India— Pranay KotasthaneThe ongoing political saga in Delhi over a new (now suspended) excise policy is a heady cocktail for policy analysts. The cocktail’s components include a tussle over alcohol licenses, Maximum Retail Price (MRP), privatisation, regulation, allegations of corruption, rent-seeking, and political contestation.The political motivations behind the current actions are quite clear. But it might be useful to look at the under-discussed policy aspects of the debate. Useful, because it’s not the last time we have seen a stand-off on alcohol policy.The underlying motivation for the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 is to increase government revenue. Although we know that the best way to do that is lower the tax rate and broaden the base, India’s poor economic performance over the last decade has made it politically risky to bring additional people under the tax net. Hence, states are opting for the easier—and counterproductive—option instead: raise tax rates and increase non-tax revenue. With the GST taking away the power to raise tax rates on most items unilaterally, state governments are exploring other options. One lucrative option is liquor excise. The Indian State heavily regulates the production, sale, and consumption of alcohol. Streamlining the licensing policies for the production and sale of alcohol can generate non-tax revenue, while higher overboard consumption can result in an increase in tax revenue (excise duty). One reform, two revenue handles. This is why the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governments in Delhi and Punjab have set their eyes on this sector. Moreover, raising the fees on government-provided private goods doesn’t fit its existing political persona. To be fair, the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 is fairly progressive. It states that the policy's objectives are to augment the state excise duty revenue, simplify liquor pricing, prevent duty evasion, and transform the liquor trade commensurate with Delhi’s position as a city of global importance. To achieve these objectives, the policy aims to award new licenses for alcohol sale, dividing the city into 32 zones, with a fixed number of shops allowed per zone. It aims to end government-run booze shops, distributing those licenses to private players instead. To foster competition, it allows shops to offer discounts below the Maximum Retail Price (MRP), permits shops to stay open till 3 am, and authorises bars to serve alcohol in licensed open spaces. A report in the Business Standard captured the view of a craft beer brand as follows:“The new excise policy is facing teething issues like any other but we find the policy very good since there is now a lot more opportunity to showcase our brand. Earlier, stores were dingy with no proper brand display, but now the stores have a mandated minimum floor area and are women-friendly. This helps with visibility of our brand.” There were quite a few initial hiccups. Some dealers started giving deep discounts to capture the market. That led the government to change the no-MRP policy to a “discount only up to 25% of MRP” policy. After that, retailers started offering “buy one bottle, get another free”. And hence, big dealers could attract more customers, while the smaller ones were finding it difficult to compete. Some licenses didn’t attract any buyers at all. These seem to be transient-state shocks. The steady-state promised to be much better. Alas.Reforming a tightly regulated policy area in which powerful rent-seekers have flourished for decades is not easy. The old status quo has powerful defenders. Like many other reforms, the benefits are widely dispersed while the costs are concentrated. And so, many existing licensees have ganged up on the government. We can be sure that some of these licensees also have political connections, which they have used to oppose the policy. There is also the additional issue specific to alcohol — any policy that is seen to liberalise its sale becomes an easy target for conservative moralisers. Further, the Delhi government made a mistake by pausing the policy implementation amidst the criticism.Then came the political pushback. Despite the government’s revenue increasing by 27 per cent after the policy was put in place, some notional revenue loss of the “2G spectrum allocation” vintage has surfaced. There are also charges of favouritism and corruption in the allocation of new licenses, an issue so sensational that it requires the combined might of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate. (Sarcasm is intended.) Many state governments must be eying this Delhi experiment with excise policy reform. Moreover, this case illustrates the difficulty in reforming sub-optimal licensing arrangements. As for the Delhi government, are they reaping what they sowed in the name of anti-corruption?Global Policy Watch #2: Xi Jinping’s Thoughts Global issues and their implications for India— RSJTalking of China (and I’m intruding into Pranay’s area of expertise), I came across this wonderful blog, globalinequality by Branko Milanovic. In his latest post, he writes about what he learnt from reading a translated version of the book, ' Anecdotes and Sayings of Xi Jinping’. Milanovic writes:The undisputable emphasis in the “Chinese” part of the book is on the matters of governance. By giving numerous examples from Chinese history of rulers and their aides who cared about people’s welfare, lived modestly (“One should be the first when taking care of state affairs, the last when taking care of personal affairs”), strove to improve themselves morally and educationally, Xi proposes a theory of governance that is based on virtue of rulers and results achieved, not procedure. While Western theories emphasize the procedural aspect (how is one selected to be the ruler, is it by a well-established democratic process or not), Xi’s concern is with the results. The tacit premise is not to discuss how one is selected to rule….The success is defined in terms of improvement in the well-being and happiness of people whom they govern.…In all cases of a good rule, there is the emphasis on individual characteristics of rulers. What is required, they (the editors) write, is “morality inside and virtue outside”; what is sought is the rule of virtue, and by virtue.  But how to bring about such a rule? Obviously, by having moral rulers. Hence--the reader begins to realize--Xi’s ideological campaign: if Confucian-cum-Communist  ideology is disregarded and everything is simply esteemed in terms of money and economic success, there cannot be a moral and virtuous rule.The key question, unanswered in the book, then becomes: is it possible to achieve an educational and moral “rejuvenation” under the current “normal” conditions of capitalism where money-making is held by the majority of the population to be the highest objective revealing also one’s individual worth?Xi is fighting against the spirit of the times, and while his struggle may be driven by a genuine desire to create a morally superior China, the odds of succeeding in this endeavor are, I am afraid, not particularly high. This is, to put it mildly, a brilliant summary of the ideological battle Xi has picked up and his odds of winning it. I tend to agree with its conclusion.   India Policy Watch #2: Value Addition, Not Import SubstitutionInsights on burning policy issues in India— Pranay Kotasthane“Import Substitution” is still in vogue. One would have thought that the unsuccessful pursuit of this goal since independence would’ve discredited it. That doesn’t seem to be the case.Every few weeks, we come across policies targeting import substitution, implicitly if not explicitly. Just a few days back came the rumour that the government plans to ban Chinese phones priced under Rs 12,000 in order to give a leg up to domestic champions. Thankfully, unnamed sources in the government have denied this story for now. Even so, import tariff hikes and industrial policies continue to chase the illusory target of import substitution. Some policies for display fabs and drones explicitly mention import substitution as the target. Of late, this idea has morphed into targets for maximising value addition per unit of exports. Now, readers of this newsletter know what we think of this idea. In edition #161, we had warned that Atmanirbhar Bharat is approaching a wrong turn. We have also cautioned against the proliferation of Production Linked Incentives (PLIs) beyond a few critical sectors. I will make the case against import substitution in this edition using another example. Look at the chart below, which shows the import profile of a country for the year 2020. This country’s largest import by value is Integrated Circuits (chips) at 18.8%. The total import bill is $259 billion. Can you guess the country? If you need a hint, here’s one: as exports rise, imports also rise. The world’s top two exporters are China and the US. And the world’s top two importers are also the US and China.The answer is neither the US nor China. India can be ruled out because we know that our biggest import is crude oil. Here’s another hint. Look at this country’s export profile for the same year. Its biggest export is again integrated circuits, at 36.9% out of a total exported value of $374 billion. Do you have an answer now? The right answer might surprise you. This is the typical year-wise trade profile of a country that is acclaimed as the world’s semiconductor superpower: Taiwan! We forget that despite its unmatched prowess in contracted chip manufacturing, Taiwan is not even close to being self-sufficient. Some Taiwanese companies import chips, do value addition through packaging and testing, and then export the final commodity. A portion of the imported chips goes into the machines that are used to manufacture chips by the famed Taiwanese chip foundries. The fundamental message is that imports are critical to exports, even in sophisticated economies. PLI scheme began with the aim of promoting India’s exports. But my sense is that import substitution has displaced exports as the primary goal. How else does one explain the simultaneous increase in import tariffs and a phased manufacturing programme (PMP) that aims to increase tariffs on imported components? Atmanirbhar Bharat needs to return to its goal of creating competitive manufacturing capabilities in India by allowing companies to start, grow, and close with considerably less bureaucratic friction. Shielding domestic component makers from international competition on the one hand, and subsidising end-equipment manufacturers on the other will end up helping neither. Equipment manufacturers will merely make expensive, poor-quality products. Some others will use the production subsidies to import components at higher prices, with no net benefit to them or the consumers. As RSJ writes in the first section, this decade is India’s to lose. Imports aren’t evil. Target value maximisation, not import substitution. Counterproductive policies targeting import substitution won’t help. HomeWorkReading and listening recommendations on public policy matters[Article] Why the MRP should be abolished. A 2015 article by Anupam Manur remains relevant. [Paper] PIIE has a good paper with a framework to analyse the world’s dependence on China for strategic minerals.[Book] Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir is a useful read. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpolicy.substack.com

While Western coal consumption trends see temporary reversal, policy aims at cessation. As some producers look toward gasification with CCS, is decarbonised ammonia rising up  traders agenda? Tim Hard speaks with Sabyasachi Mishra, Business Head at JSW International and Andrew Jones, Asia Coal Editor, Argus to find out more. Get complimentary access to Argus Hydrogen and Future Fuels Service Learn more about Argus' natural gas/LNG coverage

This week, comadre Karen sets up the conversation all about this season's theme: embodiment. Our truest experience of life is lived through the physical body we inhabit. While Western ways of knowing have sought to disconnect us from it, to mistrust it and judge it, Indigenous and traditional ways teach us to see it as part of our whole being and honor it. We chat about how our intuition and the roots of our faith see bodies as altars that can be clothed in glory, as vessels full of wisdom and sensation that can guide us.

The international community is continuing to grapple with the ramifications of Russia's invasion of Ukraine that started on 24 February. While Western countries and Russia are locked into an ideological conflict and dangerous brinkmanship over the future of Ukraine, NATO-member and EU-candidate Turkey has drawn attention due to its efforts to maintain a delicate balance in its relations with its Western allies, Russia, and Ukraine. While clearly condemning Russia for its aggression against Ukraine and firmly supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, Turkey has refused to enact the crippling economic sanctions that Western countries are applying against Russia. Just as importantly, Turkish policy makers and civil society have refused to partake in the Russophobic hysteria currently gripping Western societies that victimizes even ordinary Russians and vilifies anything related to Russia ... Link : https://avim.org.tr/en/Yorum/TURKEY-S-INTERESTS-AND-CONSTRUCTIVE-EURASIANISM Web page: https://avim.org.tr/en Telegram Channel: https://t.me/s/avimorgtr Twitter: https://avim.org.tr/en Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avimorgtr/ VKontakte: https://vk.com/public202374482 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIfEGNM3308QoLbCDJIFuw Dailmotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/dm_0ea263f63bb5aee7d8770d1ec13cfe8b Instgram: https://www.instagram.com/avimorgtr/IntroductionIntroduction

The Bill Kelly Show Podcast: Who has the strongest message so far and why? Liberals: Ontario can be a place to grow, if we make the right choices. PC: Only Doug Ford and the Ontario PC's will get it done. NDP: They broke it, we fix it Greens: Our Green vision for Ontario focuses on three pillars – Jobs, People, Pleanet GUEST: Dr. Joanne McNeish, Associate Professor of Marketing with Ryerson University - Russian President Vladimir Putin marked his country's biggest patriotic holiday Monday without a major new battlefield success in Ukraine to boast of, as the war ground on through its 11th week with the Kremlin's forces making little or no progress in their offensive. While Western analysts in recent weeks had widely expected Putin to use the holiday to trumpet some kind of victory in Ukraine or announce an escalation, he did neither. Instead, he sought to justify the war again as a necessary response to what he portrayed as a hostile Ukraine. ALSO: Russian satellite TV shows a Ukraine message: 'blood on your hands' GUEST: Aurel Braun, Professor of International Relations and a Senior Member of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto - In every Ontario election poll that's publicly available, the number one concern of voters is the rising cost of living. What realistic actions can be taken by the government to lower those costs?  GUEST: Moshe Lander, Senior Economics Lecturer with Concordia University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly every dimension of the Ukraine-Russia conflict has been shaped by energy markets.Russia's oil and gas exports have long been the foundation of its economy and geopolitical strength. Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine — like his annexation of Crimea in 2014 — coincided with high energy prices. While Western sanctions have dealt a major blow to Russia's financial system, European carve-outs for Russian oil and gas have kept hundreds of millions of dollars flowing to Moscow every day.As a result, energy policy has become foreign policy. European countries are doubling down on their commitments to decarbonize in order to reduce their dependence on Russian energy as quickly as possible. The United States has banned Russian oil and gas imports, and in the wake of spiking gasoline prices, the Biden administration is looking for any opportunity to increase the world's oil supply, including the possibility of normalizing trade relations with previously blacklisted countries like Venezuela and Iran.But the intersection of energy and geopolitics extends far beyond this conflict. Energy is the bedrock of nations' economic prosperity, military strength and geopolitical power. Which means energy markets are constantly shaping and reshaping global dynamics. You can't understand the way the world operates today if you don't understand the global flow of energy.There are few people who have studied energy markets as closely as Daniel Yergin has. He is an economic historian and writer who has been called “America's most influential energy pundit” in The New York Times. And he's the author of numerous books on the intersection of energy and geopolitics, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power” and, most recently, the best-selling “The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations.”We discuss how Putin's invasion halfway across the world caused gasoline prices to rise in California; what would happen to European economies if they decided to cut off Russian gas; how the U.S. shale revolution has transformed the global political landscape; why, when it comes to China and Russia, Yergin believes that “a relationship that was once based on Marx and Lenin is now grounded in oil and gas”; whether Donald Trump was right to be skeptical of Nord Stream 2; why decarbonization is not only beneficial for the climate but also crucial for national security; whether the Biden administration's response to spiking energy prices is putting its climate agenda in jeopardy; why Yergin thinks hydrogen power could become central to combating climate change; and much more.Book recommendations:Putin's World by Angela StentThe Power of Law by Sebastian MallabyThe Cloud Revolution by Mark P. MillsThoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.“The Ezra Klein Show” is produced by Annie Galvin, Jeff Geld and Rogé Karma; fact-checking by Andrea López-Cruzado; original music by Isaac Jones; mixing by Jeff Geld; audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Our executive producer is Irene Noguchi. Special thanks to Kristin Lin and Kristina Samulewski.

From the dual perspectives of Certified Counselor/Life Coach, Kim Anderson, & Functional Nutrition/Fitness Trainer, Lori Zabka, your hosts help women identify and break up with the patterns that have held them back so they can reach their fullest potential, ... "because life is too short to stay stuck" Dr. Tonya LaHatte, founder of Health Works Integrative Medicine, minces no words in this eye-opening interview, where she shares her passion for helping her patients uncover root causes of disease. While Western medicine's "A pill for every ill" approach to patient care is popular, it is certainly not optimal. Dr. LaHatte's approach however, seeks to address the underlying causes of disease, not simply the symptoms. Food is medicine, Movement is medicine. Quality sleep is medicine. We can all take control of our well being by improving our habits and choices, therby preventing disease from ever taking root. This episode will certainly inspire you in your own health journey. To learn more about your hosts visit: Kim Anderson at kimanderson.life or Lori Zabka at lifebyloriz.com

In this week's episode: Has Putin's invasion of Ukraine exposed the West's weakness - or its strength? For this week, Sergey Radchenko, a Cold War historian writes about the draconian anti-war measures that Putin has imposed in Russia. He joins the podcast along with Dr Jade Glynn, a specialist in Russian memory and foreign policy at the Monterey Initiative in Russian Studies. (01:00) Also this week: has Russia's invasion of Ukraine highlighted the hubris of the West? While Western countries unite in a chorus of criticism against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Rod Liddle writes that the invasion only highlights the impotence of the West. He is joined by James Forsyth, The Spectator's political editor. (18:20) And finally, what's happened to Durham University? Has its reputation plummeted? Nathan Risser writes in The Spectator this week about the decline of Durham University. It was once at the top of the league tables just under Oxford and Cambridge but has this all changed? Nathan who is a writer graduated from Durham in 2017. Joining Nathan is Imogen Usherwood, another writer who recently graduated from Durham University in 2021. (35.40) Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore Subscribe to The Spectator today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:www.spectator.co.uk/voucher Listen to Lara's food podcast Table Talk: https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcasts/table-talk

In this week's episode: Has Putin's invasion of Ukraine exposed the West's weakness - or its strength? For this week, Sergey Radchenko, a Cold War historian writes about the draconian anti-war measures that Putin has imposed in Russia. He joins the podcast along with Dr Jade Glynn, a specialist in Russian memory and foreign policy at the Monterey Initiative in Russian Studies. (01:00) Also this week: has Russia's invasion of Ukraine highlighted the hubris of the West? While Western countries unite in a chorus of criticism against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Rod Liddle writes that the invasion only highlights the impotence of the West. He is joined by James Forsyth, The Spectator's political editor. (18:20) And finally, what's happened to Durham University? Has its reputation plummeted? Nathan Risser writes in The Spectator this week about the decline of Durham University. It was once at the top of the league tables just under Oxford and Cambridge but has this all changed? Nathan who is a writer graduated from Durham in 2017. Joining Nathan is Imogen Usherwood, another writer who recently graduated from Durham University in 2021. (35.40) Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore Subscribe to The Spectator today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:www.spectator.co.uk/voucher Listen to Lara's food podcast Table Talk: https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcasts/table-talk

In this episode, I address the ongoing energy crisis hitting ordinary Americans in the wallet and in the gut. I open with a presser by Senator Chuck Schumer and a tweet from Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi decrying an administration who is hurting average Americans with energy policies. The only problem with those bites is they come from 2018 when the national average of gasoline in the US was $2.84/gallon. Today we are officially at a new record high of $4.17/gallon. The issue for Democrats is they are really not for lowering the price of energy so long as it's linked to fossil fuels. In fact, Joe Biden ran on the promise of eliminating fossil fuel drilling and companies. They have always wanted to appease the radical, environmentalist movement and are convinced we can instantaneously move to green energy today. As of this moment, if you add up all of the green energy output (solar, wind, water, etc) it accounts for just 10% of the world's electricity, not total energy, just electricity. We do not have the ability to flip a switch and convert to green energy anytime soon, if not for decades. It's an admirable goal, but in the meantime, our economy survives on the lifeblood of fossil fuels. To suggest getting an electric vehicle is the answer is simply childish thinking. There are not enough EV's in existence to replace all of the gasoline fueled vehicles that exist. And, at an average cost of $56,000 for an EV, is that really the “affordable” solution to the price at the pump? In the meantime, we know President Putin has spent the last 15 to 20 years funding radical environmentalist movements in the West to create the “Green Energy” narrative. This did two things for him: 1) Created the inner turmoil and political strife to create instability in the West; and, 2) Put Russia in a position to be the supplier of oil and natural gas to much of Europe as well as North America. He has been slowly making the free-world dependent on Russia. He knew what he was doing all along. While Western nations were so focused on pushing green energy and abandoning their energy independence, Russia was stepping up to fill the need. As I close, we did have our microphones at President Biden's presser today. He opened with the announcement of stopping all Russian energy imports to the US, which is finally happening. However, he took time to weave false narratives to deflect blame off of his policies. He desperately tried to put all of the price increases on both Russia and on Big Oil for price gouging. He tried to sell the notion that we have all the oil we need but oil companies are choosing profit over supply. He then said his environmental regulation and energy restrictions are not to blame for the prices at the pump. What he really wants us all to believe is if we could just go buy an EV and winterize our homes, all would be right with the world. The problem with this administration and the Left itself always comes back to magical thinking. They dream up these role-playing scenarios and convince themselves they have the panacea for all the world's problems. It's child-like, wishful thinking akin to flying unicorns and rainbow bridges. They make for great fairy tales, but terrible policy. Take a moment to rate and review the show and then share the episode on social media. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and GETTR by searching for the Alan Sanders Show.

Alongside fighting in Ukraine, an "information war" is playing out. While Western media on the ground are describing a brutal war, Russian media offers a very different narrative. Journalists are not even allowed to describe the situation in Ukraine as a "war". So how will the latest crackdown on independent Russian media affect what people in the country see? And what does that mean for the future of this conflict? Guests: Ivan Kolpakov, Editor-in-Chief at Meduza; Olga Malchevska, Journalist at the BBC Ukrainian service; Professor Samuel Greene, Director of the Russia Institute at King's College, London; Luke Harding, Senior International Correspondent at The Guardian; Roland Oliphant, Senior Foreign Correspondent at The Telegraph; Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor at Channel 4 News. Producer: Hannah Sander Studio Engineer: Tim Heffer Presenter: Ros Atkins

Have you ever wondered what kind of national holidays Japan has? While Western countries have specific holidays such as Halloween and Easter, Japan has several holiday “seasons” where you can experience a wide variety of festivities, foods, and events. We share our experiences of:   -Outdoor spring picnics and Kanamara Matsuri, Japan's fertility festival. -Summer festivals and Obon season -Celebrating New Years eve and New Years day in Japan -Arthur's experience celebrating New Years eve in Shibuya, the busiest nightlife area in Tokyo -Golden Week, Silver Week, and many minor Japanese holidays == About Austin and Arthur in Japan==  We're just two guys who have lived in Japan for a while and want to share our experiences. Every week we get together, open a bottle of sake, and share our experiences living here uncensored.   If you want to get the real deal about being a foreigner in Japan, you're going to love this. About Arthur: Born in Germany, Grew up in Boston, Schooled in Seattle. Started learning Japanese at 13 and just went with it. Loves Ukiyo-e and traditional Japanese culture.   About Austin: Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest United States. Former Marine, lover of onsen, gyoza, and adventuring into the wilderness. Has lived In Japan since 2017.  

Western nations have not acted in good faith when it comes to the supply of vaccines. Why should African nations think they will act differently when it comes to climate negotiations? In this episode of The Small Print, Bronwyn speaks to Gyude Moore, Senior Policy Fellow at the Center for Global Development. They discuss the need for African countries to unite to improve their negotiating position on the world stage. While Western leaders often engage in idle talk of being a global community, the Covid-19 pandemic has shown that, in a time of crisis, it's everyone for themselves. The climate emergency will prove no different. Yet, about culpability for this crisis, the facts are clear and immutable: the people least responsible for it are exposed to its worst effects. This is a timely conversation that addresses the importance of global accountability, African unity, and the need for brave leadership in Africa. Articles mentioned in the podcast: Article 1: https://african.business/2021/09/trade-investment/after-the-wests-response-to-covid-africa-cannot-expect-support-on-climate-change/ Article 2: https://african.business/2021/01/trade-investment/why-africa-must-ensure-afcfta-succeeds/ Article 3: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-offer-loans-to-lure-developing-countries-away-from-chinese-telecom-gear-11603036800?redirect=amp#click=https://t.co/I9hrPdeOoR --- Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, trend analyst and host of The Small Print. Her day job as a partner at Flux Trends involves helping business leaders to use foresight to design the future they want to live and work in. You may have seen her talking about Transhumanism or Tikok on Carte Blanche, or heard her talking about trends on 702 or CNBC Africa where she is a regular expert commentator. When she's not talking to brands and businesses about the future, you will probably find her curled up somewhere with a (preferably paperback) book. She tweets at @bronwynwilliams. Twitter: https://twitter.com/bronwynwilliams Flux Trends: https://www.fluxtrends.com/future-flux/futurist-in-residence/ Website: https://whatthefuturenow.com/ --- Gyude Moore is a leading expert in African state-building, governance, foreign and development policy, and political-economy. He was previously Minister of Public Works in Liberia and before that Deputy Chief of Staff to the President and Head of the President's Delivery Unit. He is currently a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development (CGD), a Washington, DC-based think tank. At CGD, Gyude focuses on African governance, infrastructure investment and Africa's response to the presence of external actors. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/w-gyude-moore-6825756/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/gyude_moore --- Follow us on Social Media: YouTube: https://bit.ly/2u46Mdy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discourse-za Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/discourseza/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/discourseza  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/discourseza/   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes: https://apple.co/2V5ckEM Stitcher: https://bit.ly/2UILooX Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2vlBwaG RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2VwsTsy   Intro Animation by Cath Theo - https://www.instagram.com/Cuz_Im_Cath/

In this podcast episode, I will explain the reason behind the success of female Chinese entrepreneurs and managers. While Western countries stuck in endless discussions about artificial gender equality and female quota, China had great achievements with that in a very natural way. I explain why and how this was possible.For more fascinating insights into China and for easy ways to benefit from its rise, make sure to visit my website dragonfolio.net.If you want to support this channel, I would appreciate a rating on your podcast app and sharing the show with other folks so that they can learn more about this important topic as well.For questions or comments regarding this episode, please leave me a comment under my post on LinkedIn.

Forest gardens look and feel different than the forests farther from home or what one normally encounters on the NW Coast. Professor Chelsey Armstrong and her colleagues refer to these forests as novel ecosystems that have no natural analog - composed of communities of species that result from human agency, ecosystem engineering and the introduction of wildcrafted species from nearby regions. While Western science is catching up about these ecosystems, the original and contemporary Indigenous scientists have always known these forests have existed. Professor Chelsey Armstrong is a historical ecologist and archaeologist based out of Ts'msyen Laxyuup in northwestern British Columbia. She studies human land-use in the past and how those dynamics relate to the present — particularly towards Indigenous sovereignty and socially informed environmental justice and reclamation. Chelsey is assistant professor and director of the Historical and Ethnoecological Research (HER Lab) in Indigenous Studies at Simon Fraser University. Editing for this episode provided by the wonderful Katie Dunn Armstrong, C. G., Miller, J., McAlvay, A., Ritchie, P. M., & Lepofsky, D. (2021). Historical Indigenous Land-Use Explains Plant Functional Trait Diversity. Ecology and Society, 26(2). Historical and Ethnoecological Research (HER) Lab>   https://www.chelseygeralda.com/ Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia Tended ‘Forest Gardens'  from Smithsonian Magazine https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/indigenous-peoples-british-columbia-tended-forest-gardens-180977617/ 'Forest gardens' show how Native land stewardship can outdo nature from National Geographic https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/forest-gardens-show-how-native-land-stewardship-can-outdo-nature Unearthing the Work of Indigenous Master Horticulturalists from The Tyee https://thetyee.ca/News/2021/04/28/Unearthing-Work-Indigenous-Master-Horticulturalists/ ‘Forest gardens' planted by Canada's Indigenous people before the 1800s still benefit ecosystems today from Popular Science https://www.popsci.com/story/environment/indigenous-forest-gardens/ treehugger listener survey: https://forms.gle/zJdFwcnXhqDe2uZLA improve your listening and help power future content! Music on the show was from Reed Mathis Tell a few friends about the show and follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @treehuggerpod Review treehugger podcast on iTunes

Life in California's early Chinese communities was challenging and dangerous, particularly for women. Discriminatory laws made it harder for women to emigrate, leading to a severe gender imbalance in California's Chinatowns.  Eve of Exclusion Initially, the gender gap was a result of American employers' perception that men were a more desirable form of cheap labor. However, the exclusion of women quickly became a mechanism for preventing Chinese communities from taking root in America. Yut Ho was fortunate to arrive before the Page Act of 1875, which severely restricted emigration of Chinese women by asserting that they were all prostitutes. This was the first US law explicitly restricting immigration and set the precedent for the Chinese Exclusion act. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27500484 (Forbidden Families: Emigration Experiences of Chinese Women under the Page Law, 1875-1882) Women's Lives on the Frontier In fact, most of the Chinese women in California were married and worked as laborers or business owners. According to the 1870 census, there were thirty-four women in LA Chinatown and more than half of them were married. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Chinatown_War/3yZpAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover ((Zesch, The Chinatown War, 61)) Of those who were unmarried, many were actually prostitutes. This was a normal state of affairs in the wild west; prostitution was was one of few ways American women could make money in frontier towns. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1141&context=younghistorians (Some estimates) say that there were over 50,000 prostitutes of all nationalities in the West at the time of the Chinatown Massacre. Frontier society was dominated by rough men and rule of law was a questionable proposition at best. Under these conditions, most women were forced to rely on men, either through marriage or prostitution.  Where East and West Collide The descriptions of Chinese marriage customs in this episode are based on inside information. While Western portrayals of Chinese women are usually demeaning and disempowering, traditional family structures had an elaborate system of checks and balances between the sexes. This is not to say that Chinese society was immune to patriarchy; it's just that it contained matriarchal elements as well. The most famous 19th century Chinese matriarch was the https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cixi (Empress Dowager Cixi), who came to power after the first opium war and ruled China until her death in 1908. She belonged to an ancient tradition of female rulers, which dates back at least to the Tang dynasty. On a domestic scale, family matriarchs are still celebrated to this day as in the case of the writer's grandmother, Yi-Yin Huang, or the fictional “Nai Nai” in the film, Crazy Rich Asians. Gendered divisions of labor are fluid and hard to pin down. However, https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2016-08/31/content_26656826.htm (some polls indicate) that women still control finances in the majority of households in China.  Political Theater Yut Ho's unusual marital situation is a product of the bizarre ways in which respectability politics shaped LA Chinatown. While many of the details are fictional, it is indisputable that Yut Ho and a number of other Chinese women played a major role in the struggle between factions who vied for control over Chinatown. Yo Hing and Sam Yuen were both fond of accusing their rivals of mistreating women in order to damage their credibility in the press. The strategy was very effective in shaping public opinion, which was crucial in the tight-knit community of LA Chinatown.  If you have questions, thoughts, your own family stories, or historical context to share, please send us a message at @bloodongoldmountain on http://www.facebook.com/bloodongoldmountain (Facebook) or http://www.instagram.com/bloodongoldmountain (Instagram).  ----- Blood on Gold...

Podcast: Intelligence Squared (LS 60 · TOP 0.5% what is this?)Episode: Wake Up Call: Why The Pandemic Exposes The Weakness of the WestPub date: 2020-10-27Fear is on the march. All over the world citizens have surrendered basic freedoms to the state in order to be protected from Covid-19. Good government has become not just important but a matter of life and death. But the assumption that Western governments have any advantage over the rest of the world is questionable: ask yourself, where would you feel safer today – in Los Angeles and Barcelona or in Singapore and Seoul?The pandemic has exposed the weaknesses of the West, argue bestselling authors John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, and it is accelerating a shift in the balance of power to the East. While Western democracies have been consumed by in-fights such as the battle over Brexit or partisan showdowns in Congress, countries such as South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, as well as China, have been stealing a march economically, technologically and, arguably, politically in recent years.Earlier this month, Micklethwait and Wooldridge came to Intelligence Squared to talk about the themes of their new book, 'The Wake Up Call'. What are the lessons to be learned from the pandemic? Should we recognise, as many on the Left maintain, that big government is back for good and should be expanded permanently to deal with other global crises? Or should a balance be struck between collectivism on the one hand, and freedom and entrepreneurialism on the other? And how can the West respond creatively to the pandemic, reverse decades of decline, and ensure that China does not overtake the US in the struggle for global leadership?To find out more about the book click here: https://bit.ly/3ounpKl Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Intelligence Squared, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.

Fear is on the march. All over the world citizens have surrendered basic freedoms to the state in order to be protected from Covid-19. Good government has become not just important but a matter of life and death. But the assumption that Western governments have any advantage over the rest of the world is questionable: ask yourself, where would you feel safer today – in Los Angeles and Barcelona or in Singapore and Seoul?The pandemic has exposed the weaknesses of the West, argue bestselling authors John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, and it is accelerating a shift in the balance of power to the East. While Western democracies have been consumed by in-fights such as the battle over Brexit or partisan showdowns in Congress, countries such as South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, as well as China, have been stealing a march economically, technologically and, arguably, politically in recent years.Earlier this month, Micklethwait and Wooldridge came to Intelligence Squared to talk about the themes of their new book, 'The Wake Up Call'. What are the lessons to be learned from the pandemic? Should we recognise, as many on the Left maintain, that big government is back for good and should be expanded permanently to deal with other global crises? Or should a balance be struck between collectivism on the one hand, and freedom and entrepreneurialism on the other? And how can the West respond creatively to the pandemic, reverse decades of decline, and ensure that China does not overtake the US in the struggle for global leadership?To find out more about the book click here: https://bit.ly/3ounpKl Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to East West Hurricane! 🌪We update you on the most essential news from Asia in tech, media, and business—the things you need to know that you probably haven’t heard in Western media.Follow us on Twitter and Instagram! ⚡️China’s Box Office Recovering Better Than Expected 🎞In the midst of China’s famous Golden Week holiday season, Chinese movie theaters are getting more business than expected. Total box office receipts in China within the first few days of Golden Week were $368 Million, which is 14% lower than the same period last year. Cinema owners have been pleasantly surprised by the recovery, citing facts that Chinese people might have more need for cinema entertainment, especially since they cannot travel overseas for this year’s Golden Week.On the other hand, the world’s second biggest cinema operator Cineworld announced that they will be cutting 45,000 jobs across the US and UK. While Western films like James Bond’s No Time to Die and the latest film version of Dune have been postponed until 2021, most domestic Chinese blockbuster films are still coming out this year, contributing to the optimism of China’s film industry. For many people working in Hollywood, China has been slowly rising over the past few years to become the most important cinema market. With the coronavirus, that entire process may have sped up.Stats around Livestreaming = Huge in China 🎥I’ve been enthusiastically writing about Chinese livestreaming for a few months in this newsletter. A recent report has come out saying that there were 309 Million e-commerce livestreaming viewers over the first half of 2020. That’s one third of China’s total internet population. This makes livestreaming the fastest growing internet sector in China. People from rural farmers to lawyers to property developers to major tech CEOs are now using livestreaming to sell products. Could we soon see a world where livestreaming becomes popular in the West? Certain cultural and technological factors make livestreaming more relevant to Chinese audiences right now, but the authenticity and interactivity of livestreaming is something I think will become more popular across the world. Western social apps like Instagram are already experimenting with this and I only see this trend growing even further.A TV Network in the Philippines Turns to Streaming 📺The largest TV network in the Philippines, ABS-CBN, has been denied a broadcasting license by the government, forcing the network to go off the air in June. Part of this stems from a dispute between the network and Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte. While ABS-CBN has struck a partnership with another network in order to create a new brand that will start broadcasting on free TV later this month, ABS-CBN has still been forced to get creative over the last few months.Instead of closing down, ABS-CBN has shifted all of their programming to social media and their own streaming platform iWantTFC. While ABS-CBN’s core business is still reliant on success in broadcast TV, they have seen good results from their online platforms in terms of views and new digital subscription revenue. They say necessity is the mother of invention. I foresee a world in the future where major networks are online-only, rather than TV broadcast networks. While ABS-CBN had to do this because of a government order, the world is moving into the direction where even the most traditional TV companies are shifting to digital. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit eastwesthurricane.substack.com

A lot of us suffer from energy drains and illnesses because we do not tune in to our energetic fields -- not realizing that this is a crucial factor in protecting our health.  While Western medicine primarily focuses on physiology, it is not hell-bent in addressing the influence of energy on our physical body.  The human being has many aspects that transcend our physical. And these aspects generate and absorb tons of vibration on a daily basis that have an incredible impact on ourselves and others.  So, if you’ve listened to any of my podcasts…you know I am adamant about sharing the importance of connecting to the body in order to know yourself.  Why?  One huge reason is that the body can hold unprocessed trauma in many different ways. But it’s also important to honor the power of energy and the energetic layer of the body. And since there is growing evidence showing that physical pain and ailments are manifestations of these more invisible energetic and emotional states, it’s time to pay attention. My guest today, Dr. Lissette Alvarez-Holland, shares her journey of over 25 years that stemmed from clinical practice as a Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in integrative women’s health to reintroducing life coaching and intuitive health into aspects of pain, movement therapies, and preventative care for all ages and serves as a mentor now for other women in the healing arts wanting to build business brands that do the same.  Today she shares with us the intertwining of mind and body, including the endocrine system, and why every woman also needs to be in touch with her energy field.   Be sure to jump on my Instagram page for a chance to win a one on one Life coaching call to start you off on an energetic blueprint for becoming The CEO of your Life along with a Free copy of Aviva Romm's Adrenal Thyroid Revolution. (Follow my Instagram Page for more information) In this episode you will learn: Dr. Lisa’s story on how she owned her health Why she supports rising women in mind, body, and soul healing Why it’s so important to tune into your own health on the level of mind, body, and spirit to become an amazing human for the world How energy is all around us and affects us every day Links mentioned in this episode: Dr. Lisa’s Website: Join the #CurvyHustle #MedicineWomanRising Brand Evolution  Dr. Lisa’s LinkedIn Page -  Dr. Lisa's Belly Guru Website  Dr. Lisa's Instagram Page  Dr. Lisa's Facebook  Join me in the Wild Wisdom Collective, my FREE Facebook group Get your hands on my NEW eBook -- 7 Natural Methods to Reclaim Your Health Follow me on Instagram for your chance to win freebies with every episode!

Landing as a refugee in the upperclass Victorian suburb of Brighton from war-torn Somalia, Mariam Issa shares her thoughts on life, love, community and resilience. Take a moment over coffee to see your world through the eyes of an outsider. You may well be surprised at how the trivial becomes pivotal and conversely, how what we see as critical, can be rendered somewhat absurd. Mariam interrogates the narratives we tell ourselves and questions who authors our story? She emphasises the tools we need to take back the mastery of our own identity. In looking at the plot lines of the developed world's women, versus the narrative of the developing world's women, Mariam wonders about the destruction of Western culture, veiled behind accumulation of material possessions. She suggests the less apparent truth - the loss of communal culture. At a time where harnessing the collective holds great value for workplaces, political movements and community wellbeing, Mariam's lessons of individual contribution are a rare find. While Western culture can be quick to dismiss traditions and rituals from abroad, Mariam argues that each of us must improve our listening skills and retain a childlike curiosity. She argues this place of wonder is what activates our ability to tell stories, and therefore to connect humanity. Mariam says, “If you can host someone in your heart, you can host them in your home.” She believes it is the act of listening that gives the power to the story teller. So activate your ear(pod)s, open up your willingness to learn and enjoy a raw CoffeePod from a phenomenal story-teller. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ep-147-keeping-your-kids-healthy-an-integrative-approach-to-pediatrics ( http://radiomd.com/media/k2/items/cache/6bcdc40ebebff06c509f9b4fd097faa0_Generic.jpg ) Learn why integrative medicine offers a more holistic approach to pediatrics.Integrative pediatrics offers a more well-rounded approach to pediatric care. It combines traditional Western treatments like medications with supplements or homeopathic solutions. As we continue to introduce more and more chemicals into our food and our environment, slow-grade chronic diseases are becoming more prevalent in children. While Western medicine acts as a band-aid for symptoms, integrative pediatrics looks at the "why" of the disease. Doctors are able to identify and reverse the root cause of the issue and come up with natural, long-term solutions. Integrative pediatrician Dr. Joel Warsh explains why parents should look to diet, exercise, stress, sleep, and environment to address issues such as eczema, autoimmune conditions, gut problems, sensory issues, and neurological conditions like Autism and ADHD. Listen as Dr. Warsh joins Dr. Taz to discuss integrative pediatrics.

Making a feature film can be a long and painful process — especially when you’re shooting an indie film in below-freezing conditions 16 hours per day for 14 days. But that is exactly what the creative team behind The Last Sunrise 最后的日出 was able to do, and along the way, they generated useful insight into China’s science-fiction movie scene and the realities of filmmaking in China on a shoestring budget. Featuring: Wen Ren: Director | 任文 ：导演 Wen’s IMDB | Wen’s Instagram | Wen’s Vimeo  Elly Li: Producer, Co-writer | 李昳青：制片人，编剧 Elly’s IMDB  And, as usual, your host, Aladin Farré. Aladin’s LinkedIn | Aladin’s Twitter Four main takeaways from this week’s episode:     从这期访谈中，我们总结出四个主要观点： 1) Chinese science-fiction productions tend to be optimistic about the future. While Western science-fiction productions are dominated by dystopian tropes, in contrast, Chinese sci-fi tends to paint a far more benign portrait of how science will usher in a better future. Of course, state regulations that govern cultural production in China have something to do with this, but gifted creators can often find workarounds to these restrictions. 2) In China, getting started in the film industry is like founding a startup. The main goal of most filmmakers is to make a good-quality film and, if at all possible, to pay the filmmaking team along the way. There is no shortcut to a successful career in making feature films; making a high-quality movie is the end result of years of experience in the industry. Big payoffs do not happen by accident. Just like any other entrepreneur, filmmakers need to make good products before they can hope to earn serious revenue, and this means working on as many projects as possible. In China as in many other markets, the jump from making low-budget films online to big-budget films intended for cinematic release is a large one, and not everyone makes it. 3) Chinese internet distributors usually pay a flat fee and keep audience numbers secret. If an internet platform agrees to distribute a film, the producer will receive a flat fee and will need to budget the film accordingly. There is no incentive or bonuses for films that reach a large audience on an internet platform. The general public will likely never learn how many people have actually watched the movie, just as with Netflix in the West. Platforms like Youku do provide an indicator of popularity 热度 and share it with the creators after some time. However, the popularity of any given film peaks only briefly before audiences move on. In the case of The Last Sunrise, for example, the movie was the second-most widely viewed movie on Youku for a few weeks before plunging down to number #799 three months later. 4) There are a few key secrets to shooting a film in 14 days. Do a lot of advance planning to avoid wasting time. Surround yourself with a team who can work long hours and understand your creative vision. Select only a few locations, and shoot indoors as much as possible. For The Last Sunrise , for example, the team limited filming locations to only three places: Beijing 北京,  Zhangbei 张北 in Hebei Province, and Ordos 鄂尔多斯 in Inner Mongolia. As you pitch the project, be prepared to propose a variety of budgets and lengths to appeal to different types of investors. Recommended watching and reading: The Last Sunrise 最后的日出 (2019): Youku (VIP account needed) | Facebook page Train to Busan (2016): Wikipedia page Black Coal, Thin Ice 白日焰火 (2014): Wikipedia page  The Wandering Earth 流浪地球 (2019): Wikipedia page South Korean director Kim Ki-duk: Wikipedia page  Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda : Wikipedia page Zhang Yimou’s opinion piece in the New York Times, “What Hollywood looks like from China.” Answers to the episode quiz: Lu Xun 鲁迅 was the famous Chinese author who translated several science-fiction books over a century ago. Amazon Prime bought the rights to the book The Three-Body Problem 三体, by Liu Cixin 刘慈欣. The full series has yet to be released.  The year 2003 was when the first Chinese astronaut, or taikonaut, Yang Liwei 杨利伟, went to space.

Aired Friday, 10 November 2017, 7:00 PM ET Being The Master of Your Own Energy The Autoimmune Hour welcomes Master Teresa Yeung, an internationally recognized Master of Chi Gong to tell us how we can use our ‘life-energy' for better health. Chi Gong is an umbrella term that covers a variety of energy-based healing practices based on Taoist philosophy and principles of Chinese medical, and belief that the human body contains a network of energy pathways through which ‘vital' energy, called ‘Qi' circulates. In Master Teresa's new book, ‘Unlocking Your Happiness Within” – Living the Life You Choose with Chi Gong,' she helps people to release and recover from low vibration emotions that cause sadness, which may eventually lead to physical pain or illness. Through the use of specific Chi Gong breathing exercises, she has developed the “Heart Chi Gong” form to help balance traumatic or trapped emotions. Master Teresa Yeung is the founder of The Seventh Happiness School of Chi Gong, a certified private institution, and the sole successor of Grandmaster Weizhao Wu's lineage. Wu was a distinguished Chi Gong master, educator and creator of the highly successful Wu's Eye Qi Gong helped millions of people. She is also approved by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncturists and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), as a continuing education professional development activity (PDA) provider. Learn more about Master Teresa Yeung and The Seventh Happiness® School of Chi Gong at: www.theSeventhHappiness.com While Western research concerning Chi Gong's efficacy in healing remains inconclusive, in this episode we explore the possibilities of improved health by changing our way of being in the world, and you are invited to explore this intriguing topic with us Friday, November 10th, at 7PM ET.

How does the great number of Somalis in Kenya influence Kenyan politics and policy? Kenya hosts over 550 000 officially registered refugees, with only six countries in the world surpassing that according to the UN. While Western states talk of lack of capacity to handle their refugee influx, the Kenyan numbers have been consistently high. Why is there no talk of a refugee “crisis” leading up to the Kenyan elections in august? A large proportion of refugees in Kenya are Somali. However, being a Somali in Kenya can mean much more than that you are a refugee. The North Eastern Province is inhabited by approximately two million ethnic Somalis that are Kenyan citizens, and Eastleigh in Nairobi is often called Little Mogadishu for its Somali influence. However terrorism has struck Kenya on several occasions, notably in Nairobi and Garissa. This has given way for operations like Operation Ussalama, which targeted Somalis in discriminatory ways. Has the fear of al Shabaab in Kenya resulted in a worseing of the treatment of Somalis in Kenya? The world's biggest refugee camp, Dadaab, provides shelter from war, but should the camp be closed, it would mean that refugees would be forcefully repatriated to Somalia. The political fights between president Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga might not be centered around the status of Somalis in Kenya, but how has the ethnic group been treated? In the panel: Andrew Ratanya Mukaria, Human Rights Advocate and Doctoral Student in Eco-Theology at Det teologiske menighetsfakultetet. Umar Mohamed Affey, journalist and master in International Relations with focus on Somalia. The panel is lead by Lina Tordsson Welcome to Afrika Nå, Fellesrådet for Afrika's monthly seminar on African contemporary topics.

Do you think your child may be introverted?  Or are you not sure how to tell?  Around one in three people are introverted so if you have two or three children, chances are one of them is introverted.  While Western – and particularly American – society tends to favor extroverts, being an introvert isn’t something we can – or should – cure.  It’s a personality trait, not a flaw. Join me as we walk through a topic near and dear to my heart, and learn the difference between introversion and shyness, and how to support your introverted child – no matter whether you yourself are introverted or extroverted. References Aron, E.N. (1996). Are you highly sensitive? Retrieved from: http://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/ Belsky, J., Jonassaint, C., Pluess, M., Stanton, M., Brummett, B., & Williams, R. (2009). Vulnerability genes or plasticity genes? Molecular Psychiatry 14, 746-754. DOI: 10.1038/mp.2009.44 Cain, S. (2013). Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking. New York: Broadway. Dobbs, D. (2009). The science of success. The Atlantic. Retrieved from: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/12/the-science-of-success/307761/ Kagan, J., & Snidman, N. (2004). The long shadow of temperament. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press Keogh, B.K. (1986). Temperament and schooling: Meaning of “Goodness of Fit”? In J.V. Lerner and R.M. Lerner (Eds). Temperament and social interaction in infancy and children. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass. Laney, M.O. (2002).  The introvert advantage: How to thrive in an extrovert world. New York: Workman. Markway, B.G., & Markway, G.P. (2005). Nurturing the shy child: Practical help for raising confident ans socially skilled kids and teens. New York: St. Martin’s. McCrae, R.R., & Terracciano, A. (2006). National character and personality. Current Directions in Psychological Science 15(4), 156-161. Pluess, M., & Belsky, J. (2009). Differential susceptibility to rearing experience: The case of childcare. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 50(4), 396-404. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.01992.x Pluess, M., & Belsky, J. (2010). Differential susceptibility to parenting and quality child care. Developmental Psychology 46(2), 379-390. DOI: 10.1037/a0015203 Similarminds.com (a version of Eysenck’s Personality Inventory). Retrieved from: http://similarminds.com/eysenck.html Swallow, W.K. (2000). The shy child: Helping children triumph over shyness. New York: Warner. Swann, W.B. & Rentfrow, P.J. (2001). Blirtatiousness: Cognitive, behavioral, and physiological consequences of rapid responding. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 81(6), 1160-1175. DOI: 10.1037//0022-35I4.81.6.1160 Thomas, A., & Chess, S. (1977). Temperament and development. New York: Brunner/Mazel.   (#) Transcript Hello and welcome to the Your Parenting Mojo podcast.  Before we get started today I’d like to take a few minutes to chat with you about the podcast.  Firstly, I’d like to thank you so much for listening to the show.  I’ve been really honored over the last few weeks since I started the show to hear from so many of you about how much the show is helping you in your parenting.  Because at the end of the day, I’m getting a masters degree in Psychology focusing on child development to be a better parent myself, and to help you be better parents as well.  There’s just too much good information out there about how this whole parenting thing works for us to kind of bumble along and not know any better.  And I put myself in the same boat as you here; I’m literally learning this stuff with you as I go.  I don’t always handle things in the best way but when I learn better I do better, and I forgive myself for having done things “the old way.”  I’m growing and becoming a better parent because of what I’m learning with you, and I’m honored

While Western countries prepare for tougher sanctions at the UN against Iran regarding its nuclear development, China is reluctant to impose any further sanctions, intensifying the tension between Beijing and Washington. However, increasing signs, including Hu Jintao’s upcoming visit to Washington to attend the nuclear summit, have shown that China may be preparing for an about-turn on Iranian sanctions. Indeed, China is in a tough spot in this situation as Iran has always been its important strategic partner and oil provider. Through delicate maneuvering in the Middle East, China is undoubtedly maximizing concessions from both Iran and the West.  Scandal broke out last month involving a number of deaths in Shanxi and Jiangsu among infants and toddlers that appear to be related to bad vaccinations. The crisis was eventually attributed to the private companies that take over the vaccines through local health administrations. How the government will manage this situation, coming after the melamine crisis, is still waiting to be seen. In this week’s installment, host Kaiser Kuo discusses these two issues with Bill Bishop, a tech entrepreneur and blogger at DigiCha.com and Sinocism.com, and William Moss, who writes the blog imagethief.com. How should we interpret China’s signs of willingness to support sanctions on Iran over nuclear weapons development? Will the vaccination scandal become another melamine crisis, or does evidence point to this blowing over quickly? References: The Iran Nuclear Issue: The View from Beijing, by Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt The Race for Iran blog The Devil We Know: Dealing with the New Iranian Superpower, by Robert Baer 山西疫苗乱象调查：近百名儿童注射后或死或残, by王克勤