Hey all! Here’s a hearty On the Fringe welcome to our new subscribers!

If you haven’t yet, subscribe now!

This week, we are talking about the war in Ukraine from a different angle—not about what the US, Ukraine, and Russia (and other countries) are working out behind the scenes—but about what happens to thousands of fighters as well as the economies of two states that have shifted in the last three years.

* Why has Russia been able to survive economically, and can it do so in the future?

* What will happen to Ukraine, regardless of who is leading it?

* If the war slows down, thousands of fighters from different countries will go home…and then what will they do?

If you like the episode, please share it with someone, like, comment, or subscribe. We sincerely appreciate it any and all feedback.

Thanks again for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Hey all! We are trying something new again—we have a short teaser for our main episode this week about the war in Ukraine. At first glance, you might think we are nuts..but we are On the Fringe.

Come back later this week and have a listen once it comes out. You’ll be glad you did!

And don’t forget to subscribe. Just click the button below!

Take care all,

Dave and Gavin

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Hello all!

If you’re a bit lost on why the situation is falling apart in Congo, listen to this episode.

This is our third episode on Congo so far—and at this rate, we may be doing many more. Listen as Gavin and I dive more into the situation and how it is continuing to fall apart piece by piece and pull the entire region down with it.

This is largely a SITREP (situational report) hitting the key points that you need to know. If we missed anything, please let us know!

Thanks for listening, and if you haven’t please like, comment, share, or subscribe :) we appreciate it!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Hello all! On this new episode we have a biography about Paul Kagame, the current (and four-term) President of Rwanda.

If you’ve been keeping up with African news over the last decades his name will ring a bell…and if you haven’t, you’re going to be on the fast track to knowing more about one of the most important people in the world today and in the coming decade

Listen to hear more about him and what we see for the future, and why little Rwanda is making the big moves into Congo that it is. If you are curious about WHY the Congo situation is falling apart and what might happen after—this will give you some clues.

Thanks for listening, as always! Like, comment, and subscribe and pass it on :)

On the Fringe is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a first for us— Listen to Episode 12a (the first take on this) here

We recorded an episode twice and are releasing BOTH of them on basically the same subject: the future of education and how AI is making the current structure of educational system obsolete.

The admin guy and the head of curriculum development at most schools probably wouldn’t like this episode very much, but they really do have a monumental challenge on their hands. If you don’t work in education, listen in to hear what we think needs to be done to start solving this growing worldwide crisis and how AI will continue to impact another major part of society.

It aint gonna be easy, and for millions, it won’t be pretty.

On the Fringe is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, don’t forget to subscribe below.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This is a first for us—

We recorded an episode twice and are releasing BOTH of them on basically the same subject: the future of education and how AI is making the current structure of educational system obsolete.

The admin guy and the head of curriculum development at most schools probably wouldn’t like this episode very much, but they really do have a monumental challenge on their hands. If you don’t work in education, listen in to hear what we think needs to be done to start solving this growing worldwide crisis and how AI will continue to impact another major part of society.

It aint gonna be easy, and for millions, it won’t be pretty.

As always, like, comment, subscribe, and send us a message. We will read it and respond!

On the Fringe is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week me and Dave talk about the increasingly desperate situation out in the East of Congo, as Rwandan-backed forces take another stunningly important piece of territory, in this case, Bukavu, a city of two million resting right across the lake from Rwanda.

We talk about the increasingly tense situation across the continent, as countries like Burundi and Uganda deepen their involvement, in what increasingly seems like a scramble for territory and a slice of the mineral pie.

We talk about the increasingly central role of one man’s ambition in all of this and the potential for things to deteriorate out of anyone’s control (which leads, inevitably, to the discussion of the usefulness of comparing anything to Yugoslavia and why Slovenia is the California of the Balkans).

Anyways, if you enjoy listening to us ramble on (most of the time), please, like, listen, comment and subscribe (in no particular order).

On the Fringe is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Hey all! We’re working on a new cover for the podcast. Leave us a comment and any feedback on ideas—we’d really appreciate it!

On this episode, we dive into Rosatom and Russia’s goal to gain control over worldwide uranium supplies (and future supplies). Uranium is THE key ingredient for nuclear fission, and will likely become an even hotter worldwide commodity due to the rise of AI and more nuclear power needed to drive AI’s development. (Yes, this is why we are on the fringe—or maybe the cutting edge?!)

Listen in and learn about one of Russia’s most important state-run companies, Rosatom, and their big plans for Southern Africa.

As always, thanks for listening and like, comment, subscribe, and share!

Dave + Gavin

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

Hey all! We have made our first special episode—this one is open to all, but future ones will be subscribers only. Don’t miss out and click the link below!

We are looking to make some new, real cover art for the podcast (and dropping the AI place filler I made back when we first started recording) and need YOUR help to design it. We’ve got a bad picture, some bad crayon-inspired writing, and proof that the both of can get our brains to fire on the same wave every so often.

Here’s the above album cover in full (in case it is cut off)

Here’s the half-way decent one I can’t call it halfway decent today. The background photo is, but the design sucks haha (it has a cool background photo from where we did Peace Corps training in Indonesia)

We’ve got more regular episodes coming in the next few days—just trying to space them out before we release them.

Thanks for listening, and please like, comment, and if you haven’t yet, subscribe. We sincerely appreciate it and really enjoy making the show for you!

Dave and Gavin

On the Fringe is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new posts and support out work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

This week me and Dave talk about the future of nuclear engineering— SMRs, or Small Modular Reactors, which are increasingly being touted as solution to the energy consumption issues (and the carbon production issues) inherent in keeping AI running at scale.

Our conversation starts of by talking about the container-size reactors that seem to be the bright new frontier of energy production, but we touch on some other salient issues as well (the importance of rare earth minerals, the implications of AI in terms of public policy, the feeling that we’re living in the opening five minutes of Terminator Salvation), and wind up talking about how AI is going to put most of us out a job.

Anyways, if you enjoy listening to us ramble on amiably (most of the time), please, like, listen, comment and subscribe (in no particular order).

On the Fringe is a listener-supported publication. To receive new pods and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe