EP Podcast

Whither Korea?

2012-02-03T11:00:00Z

The North Koreans aren't stupid. Nor are they brainwashed ideological zombies. Their main problem is that for the past sixty some years they've been at war with the U.S., a war the U.S. either doesn't want or know how to end. But might a changing of the guard in North Korea lead to an improvement? To check, I turned once again to Dr. Bruce Cumings, who knows more about Korea than most. A wonderfully patient man. Thanks, Bruce, for your clear insights! Total runtime thirty five minutes. Mors omnibus commūnis.

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Nuclear Nihilism

2012-01-27T11:00:00Z

Few people know more about nuclear power than a former Commissioner of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, especially the one who had the lead in responding to Three Mile Island. So when Dr. Victor Gilinsky suggests that it would be reasonable for the U.S. to phase out nuclear power, people should pay attention. After all, our concern is not about private profits. And apart from the safety of the reactors Victor makes an excellent point: If you think you want to try to cut down on greenhouse gases by using nuclear power you'll need thousands more nuclear power plants, all over the world. That will lead, almost inexorably, to a lot more countries having the bomb, at some point making the use of some of those bombs likely. A simple, powerful insight. Thanks, Victor! Total runtime forty minutes. Graviōra manent.

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One of Our Other Cold Wars

2012-01-20T11:00:00Z

As is typical of situations involving post-WWII imperial over-reach, U.S. distress with Iran is largely our own fault. If the CIA had not overthrown Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953 — Operation Ajax — and if afterward the U.S. had not incessantly sought to get the Iranians to do what we wanted with their oil, relations today might even have been normal, but certainly would be far less fraught than they have become. Unless we sit down to talk through our differences this Cold War will go on and on, or maybe turn hot. Unsure of each other, both sides are capable of making extremely grave mistakes. It's all quite senseless. To get a helpful perspective from a former top State Department expert on Iran I turned to Ambassador John W. Limbert, who shares many of my concerns. Total runtime fifty minutes. Vāde mēcum.

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Seeking Economic Truth

2011-11-25T11:00:00Z

John Maynard Keynes understood that economics describes human beings, a fact that modern mainstream economics — the applied theory of "rational expectations" — effectively assumes away. Keynes' biographer, Lord Robert Skidelsky, reminds us that our economic priorities should extend beyond our logical models to address real human concerns, that we should not assume we know complicated things that we don't, and that there is merit in asking very basic questions about commonplace things we take for granted. It was a great pleasure and an honor to talk with Robert and his insights have sharpened my thinking immeasurably. Buy his most recent book, Keynes: The Return of the Master, and thank me later. Total runtime thirty two minutes. Dum vīvimus, vīvāmus.

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Accelerated Ideas

2011-11-18T11:00:00Z

When a retired four star Admiral provides support for nuclear arms control and a few other commendable things, the proper interrogatory is "yes." Or "yes, Sir." A gentleman with a friendly disposition and a cautious but lightning fast mind, Admiral Bobby Ray Inman (Ret.) reasonably assesses the risks. Other political issues can wait for a rainy day... It was gracious of the Admiral to talk with me and to allow me a chance to keep up. Total runtime thirty eight minutes. Lupum auribus tenēre.

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Codebreaker

2011-11-11T11:00:00Z

In celebration of Veterans Day, here's a question: What if the U.S. had lost the battle of Midway? Mercifully, we'll never know. But the U.S. victory could not have happened without the codebreaking skill and the unflinching courage — a relentless determination to be heard — of Joe Rochefort, then head of "Station Hypo" at Pearl Harbor. Elliot Carlson tells the story of this complex, extraordinary man in Joe Rochefort's War. WWII may now seem like ancient history but there's still a lot we can learn from it. Thanks, Elliot! Total runtime forty five minutes. Bis peccāre in bellō nōn licet.

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Made in America

2011-11-04T10:00:00Z

Since elected officials don't seem so interested, around the country local groups are organizing to promote the reindustrialization of America. One of these is SFMade. Robin McRoskey Azevedo is on the board of SFMade and is also President and owner of the McRoskey Mattress Company of San Francisco (established in 1899). It was very kind of Robin to take time to explain some of what goes into making things in America — and, incidentally, I'm sure that having a high quality mattress is much more important than most people think. Total runtime forty minutes. Enjoy!

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The Illusion of Free Markets

2011-10-28T10:00:00Z

Let's take the long view. We're unconsciously mired in unexamined 18th century beliefs that color our perceptions in unexpected — and exceedingly harmful — ways. Take one, for example: as Dr. Bernard Harcourt suggests, our notion of a "free market" is the direct intellectual descendant of a despotic belief in the natural order of things. The flip side is that those who challenge the supremacy of the "free market" are, by common consent, left to face the tender mercy of the criminal justice system. Thus we discover the logic of 18th century economists precisely replicated in modern form. Bernard's book, The Illusion of Free Markets: Punishment and the Myth of Natural Order (Harvard, 2011), explores a brilliant insight destined to become a fundamental metric for American reform. Thanks very much! Total runtime forty nine minutes. Aureo hamo piscari.

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The Art of Non-Violent Civil Disobedience

2011-10-21T10:00:00Z

John Stewart, voted the most influential environmental activist in Britain in 2008, who led the successful movement to block a third runway at London's Heathrow airport, was scheduled to be on a speaking tour around America just about now. U.S. immigration authorities, however, had other plans. On September 29th he was denied entry at New York City's JFK. What is the U.S. national security state so afraid of? It was kind of John to take time to explain about effective non-violent civil disobedience, and a real pleasure to talk with him. Total runtime thirty two minutes. Longum iter est per precepta, breve et efficāx per exempla.

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The Art of Writing

2011-10-14T10:00:00Z

If you want to understand the Zeitgeist you could do worse than to read a mystery novel. But not all mystery novels are the same. A few being extraordinarily carefully crafted — every word, seemingly, playing its intended role. Every missing word a puzzle. A joy to read! Such are the international best-selling Inspector Chen novels by Dr. Xiaolong Qiu. It was a great pleasure to talk with Xiaolong and exceptionally generous of him to agree. Total runtime fifty one minutes. Verbum sat sapientī.

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Wake Up, Earth!

2011-10-07T10:00:00Z

It wasn't that long ago that "We may be alone in the universe" was a respectable scientific position to take. Now we know, however, that there are plenty of other earthlike planets, that the probability of intelligent life out there is overwhelming, and that the only question left is how do we get from here to there, or vice versa. Stanton T. Friedman has spent decades thinking about interstellar travel and researching reports of ET visitations, never mind the silly skeptics. Kudos to Stan! It's an awesome subject. Total runtime an hour and six minutes. Spectātum veniunt, veniunt spectentur ut ipsae.

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Fighting the Lobby

2011-09-30T10:00:00Z

To be honest, the Lobby probably cannot be defanged until Israel ceases to be an apartheid state. That may take a while. Nevertheless, caring, ethical, smart Americans have a responsibility to try to block the Lobby from using Washington as its enforcer. A difficult job, but who said life was easy? To talk about what good-hearted people can do I turned to Alison Weir, a very courageous lady. Thanks, Alison! Total runtime forty three minutes. Tantum rēligiō potuit suādēre malōrum.

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Money & Politics

2011-09-23T10:00:00Z

This one is something of a walkabout. Dr. Thomas Ferguson has kept his eye on a critical part of our problem — money buying political power — something that far too many (indeed most) political scientists discount in favor of public opinion, or forget entirely when assessing the historical record. Every thoughtful critique helps. Thanks, Tom! Total runtime fifty five minutes. Ovem lupō committere.

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The Professional

2011-09-16T10:00:00Z

For twenty years Bill Schneider was CNN's senior political analyst. Always cheerful, he helped to keep them in the reality-based community. Bill readily acknowledges that the U.S. political system is dysfunctional but he doesn't see any viable (structural) fix. About the latter point we cordially agree to disagree, but regarding how Americans think — especially in the divisive stew of religion and politics — I pay close attention to his views. Total runtime forty five minutes. Sine īrā et studiō.

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Praxis

2011-09-09T10:00:00Z

I've admired David Swanson for a number of years. He's one of the most active progressive activists I know — indeed, both astonishingly productive and absolutely on message. Since he gets out and about all the time, and I don't, it was a real treat to hear his sense of where things stand politically, and his advice regarding what people should be doing. (Think getting arrested.) Thanks, David!! Total runtime thirty six minutes. Āctum est dē rēpūblicā.

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