Hey there my fellow laymen! It’s the final episode of the year, and so I’m glad to host this episode with David, the President and Managing Director of World Radio Paris, and discuss the subject which has dominated our lives over this past year, the Rona.

I break down the concept of a pandemic and give historical background of the Spanish Flu, I explain the concept of a virus, from what it actually is, to how it functions, how it came to exist, and how it’s changed over the past century. I also simplify interesting concepts like flattening the curve, Battlefield Triage and the basic reproduction number of a disease. I visit December 2019 and recount the story of Dr Lee in Wuhan China, and then study incidents in the USA in order to better understand the notions of crisis management, from preparation, to misinformation and leadership, as well as the various approaches governments took around the world. We brush lightly on the various conspiracy theories that came out about this virus, the toll it’s had on minorities most especially, as well as the economy, and the overall effects it has on our mental health in general. Finally, we get a vaccine 101, what are they, how do they work and how are they created. We list out and explain the various front runners producing these vaccines, and the steps that will follow, from manufacturing and storage, to the Covax global movement and the antivax movement.

If you’ve read this far, I’d like to wish you happy holidays and a happy new year. Remember, this holiday season might not be exactly how you hoped it would be, but take a page out of my book and take the time to look at your year in review, to list out all the things you’re grateful for, and that includes lessons learned you can use to better shape your 2021.

Until next year, your fellow layman,

Lina

P.s. If you’d like to financially support the show, I’ve created a Patreon account:

https://www.patreon.com/myfellowlaymen

On this episode, I relaunch my show after an almost 1-year hiatus with a post US Presidential Elections 2020 Discussion:

- I roundup and explain the events of the 4 groundhog days of Election Day.

- I explain how projections work.

- We hear from a poll worker’s firsthand experience, her motivations behind her application, her thoughts on Trump’s accusations and his transition, her take on the US voting system vs. France’s, and how she as a democrat lives amongst her Trump supporting neighbors in her home state of South Carolina.

- I start setting up the context by reviewing why people around the world are so captivated with US politics in general and specifically this year.

- Mariam and I play a game of Trivia to review American history. I explain how Indigenous Americans first came to the Americas, the European expeditions and the 13 colonies established by the British, the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the First Amendments, the American Civil War, Slavery and the Civil Rights Act. We continue to list out key events in American history throughout the timeline of the 20th and 21st century.

- I review some American civics to better understand how its political system works including: The State and Federal Government, the 3 Branches of Government, the Two-Party System, the Electoral College, Safe States vs. Swing States, Gerrymandering and the Census, the Popular Vote vs. the 2000/2016 exceptional outcomes.

- The transitional period: I round up the electoral vote count so far, and we ask the golden question: When will Trump concede?

- I reveal the planning for my next US related episode which will be Georgia heavy, with a focus on the incoming Biden-Harris Administration.

Recommendations made during this episode:

- Paris Reimagined Podcast (hosted by Mariam Aliabadi)

http://parisreimagined.buzzsprout.com/

- An Emily In Paris discussion podcast!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1416538

- 13th, a thought-provoking Netflix documentary released in 2016. It features scholars, activists and politicians analyzing the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom.

- Movie recommendation: Pearl Harbor. Released back in 2001, it’s based on real historical events, following American boyhood friends Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck) and Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett) as they enter World War II as pilots. Rafe is so eager to take part in the war that he departs to fight in Europe alongside England's Royal Air Force. On the home front, his girlfriend, Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale), finds comfort in the arms of Danny. The three of them reunite in Hawaii just before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Social Media and Feedback:

- Instagram: @MyFellowLaymen

- Twitter: @MyFellowLaymen

- Website: www.myfellowlaymen.com

- Email: [email protected]

- YouTube: My Fellow Laymen

Sudan : Break the Wheel is my second Sudan episode, and it picks up where my first Sudan episode, Sudan : An Empirical Game of Thrones, left off. On today’s episode, I’m going to explain the June 3rd massacre in detail and its aftermath, the June 30th comeback, the formation of Sudan’s new government, the impact this revolution has had on Sudan politically, socially and economically, plus many other important developments concerning France, Saudi Arabia, the rebels, and I even have a few musical features queued up for you. All this, in under 30 minutes!

Now if you haven’t tuned into my first Sudan episode, I strongly recommend that you listen to it first so that you can truly appreciate the unfolding events. In it you’ll get a full understanding of Sudan’s origins dating all the way back to the Nubian Kingdom, we cover Sudan’s relationship with ancient Egypt building up to the construction of the kingdom of Kush, and all the way to the Mahdiyyah empire. We discuss religion, British occupation, Sudanese independence, and we go through the various Sudanese parties and rulers from Sudan’s first elected head of state, all the way to the Numeiri administration. Finally, I explain the now ousted president Bashir’s rise and fall and everything in between, from Sudan’s Civil War, to the Darfur genocide, to the North and South Sudan divide. And of course, all in under 30 minutes.

A must watch:

Sudan's Livestream Massacre - Documentary - BBC Africa Eye:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR56qxM4kHA&t=269s

Musical features:

Ahmed Amin - Civil, Freedom & Peace :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHIP-SLs-SQ

Wyclef Jean - Nubian Queen #SudanUprising:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a4fF-qCqOs

This Halloween, the UK's new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is set to carry the UK out of the EU, with or without a deal, no buts or ifs. To some, after three years of Brexit overkill, this will be a welcomed development, to others however, his Brexit or die trying attitude is alarming and needs to be stopped. His Prorogation is already being challenged in court by MPs, and nobody, not even experts at this point, can predict what the bloody hell is going to happen.

Take a listen to this second installment of Brexit, where I pick up where we last left off, starting with Theresa May's resignation. I then recount the thrilling tale of Boris' boyhood frenemy which followed him all the way to Westminster, and of course, I womansplain all the must knows, from Boris' Brexit strategy, to the showdown in parliament, and what we can expect next in this very extraordinary time in British politics.

Welcome to this special edition of My Fellow Laymen where I’m featured on my friend's podcast! Basically, if you'd like to get to know me a little better, have a listen to my interview! If not, well... Stay tuned because I'll be back soon with your regular programming. I apologize for my mini hiatus; I was away on holiday! But I'm back in Paris now, and I thank you for listening.

Imagine belonging to a country, but only technically, when in reality, you've been partially spared living under an absolute dictatorship. Now, imagine that safe harbor slowly but surely drifting away... What would you do? Well, Hong Kongers are challenging a regime that's been ruling with an iron fist for 70 years. They're on a mission impossible to save one of the last bastions of "freedom" in China, lest it ends up resembling a very disturbing episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror. You can discover the entire tale in under 30 minutes, from the first Chinese dynasties 4000 years ago, to how this odd one country two systems came about. Only then will you truly understand what the Chinese government is really after, and why these last July protests are China’s midsummer nightmare.

Europe’s a cool place to live in or visit, but it takes a lot of work behind the scenes to keep it what it is today. Now I know America is dubbed land of the free, but the European Union fights for similar precious values, values those who have it can sometimes take for granted, and values which are becoming more and more under threat, in both the EU and the US. Democracy, the rule of law, the respect of human rights and human dignity. Now consider those freedoms and then consider what’s happening right now in the the Middle East, in Africa, in Asia, in South America. You see, you can’t put a price on freedom. This is why these European Elections might seem like a bore, but they’re very important. I did my share of digging and I have to say, it turned out to be very entertaining! A Europe’s Got Talent if you will! But you be the judge! In under 30 minutes you’ll be a total pro, and who knows, you might just find yourself grabbing some popcorn and tuning in to EU speeches after this!

Sudan… Apart from the current revolution gaining a lot of coverage of late, you probably associate it with civil war, poverty, and well, not exactly your dream destination. Look, you’re right on some things. Sudan, like much of the African region, has been victim to corrupt governments and autocrats. It’s seen so much death and destruction. Beneath all of that however, there’s a fascinating history, a multifaceted people, and above all, a ray of hope. It’s a great time to be alive, because the changing times have caught up to Sudan, and the people are taking a stand and saying “Enough!”. Take a listen for yourself. In just under 30 minutes, you’ll get a full picture of this country, from its ancient Nubian pyramids, down to its current day real life Game of Thrones.

Lost in all the Brexit mania? Never really understood it to start with? You've come to the right place. Get a full Brexit 101 in under 30 minutes. I first cover the UK and the EU as two separate entities so you have a solid understanding of the components of Brexit before I explain the phenomenon itself and its unravelling events.