SHOW
12-5-25
CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR
1940 PITTSBURGH
THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT INFLATION.
FIRST HOUR
9-915
- Infrastructure Booms and Business Exoduses in the West: Colleague Jeff Bliss reports that high-speed rail construction from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is accelerating in anticipation of the 2028 Olympics, while the Boring Company expands tunnel networks; conversely, California faces corruption scandals and business flights, and Oregon sees companies like Columbia Sportswear struggle with the business climate.
915-930
- Milan Prepares for Christmas and the Olympics: Colleague Lorenzo Fiori reports that Milan celebrates St. Ambrose Day with traditional markets and lights, marking the start of the holiday season, as the city prepares to host the Winter Olympics in February 2026, with cultural events including the La Scala premiere of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and the enjoyment of Panettone.
930-945
- Supreme Court Enables Partisan Gerrymandering: Colleague Richard Epstein discusses the Supreme Court permitting Texas to redraw congressional districts for 2026, favoring Republicans, arguing that lack of oversight allows parties to entrench power, creating extreme polarization where "reds become redder and blues become bluer," making legislative compromise nearly impossible.
945-1000
- Scrutiny Over Lethal Strike on Drug Boat: Colleague Richard Epstein examines Defense Secretary Hegseth facing pressure regarding a lethal strike on alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean, with reports suggesting survivors may have been shot in the water, asserting that murdering surrendered individuals violates the laws of war, regardless of whether the targets were smugglers.
SECOND HOUR
10-1015
- Lancaster County Shows Consumer Fatigue: Colleague Jim McTague reports that retailers in Lancaster are using deep discounts to attract price-sensitive shoppers, noting that while weekend traffic is decent, weekdays are slow and high-end dining is struggling, with the job market tightening significantly as skilled labor demands vanish, suggesting consumers are "running out of disposable income".
1015-1030
- Future Tech and Economic Shifts: Colleague Jim McTague predicts "creative destruction" where old industries fade, expressing bullishness on solar power due to data center demands and envisioning self-driving cars and useful humanoid robots revolutionizing daily life, with rate cuts expected in 2026 as consumers rebuild savings after a period of spending.
C
1030-1045
- Private Space Sector Challenges and Triumphs: Colleague Bob Zimmerman reports that Jared Isaacman testified that private companies, not NASA, are driving space colonization; a Russian cosmonaut was removed from a SpaceX mission for spying, while China successfully tested a reusable rocket; additionally, Boeing faces legal challenges from crash victims' families, and activists oppose Blue Origin's operations.
1045-1100
- New Discoveries Challenge Cosmic Models: Colleague Bob Zimmerman reports that ground-based telescopes have directly imaged exoplanets and debris discs, the James Webb Telescope found a barred spiral galaxy in the early universe defying evolutionary models, scientists discovered organic sugars on asteroid Bennu, and admits solar cycle predictions have been consistently incorrect.
THIRD HOUR
1100-1115
- The Early Church Headquarters on Mount Zion: Colleague James Tabor discusses archaeology on Mount Zion revealing a first-century foundation beneath a medieval church, likely the headquarters of the early movement, describing this as the home where James led the church and Mary hosted pilgrims, with Mary possibly living long enough to witness James's martyrdom.
1115-1130
- The Historical Disappearance of Mary: Colleague James Tabor explains that following the crucifixion, Mary disappears from the biblical record, likely dying before the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem; while early Christians fled to Pella under Simon's leadership, traditions suggest Mary died on Mount Zion, with Tabor arguing she was "written out" of the story by later traditions.
1130-1145
- The Talpiot Tomb and Ossuary Evidence: Colleague James Tabor discusses a tomb discovered in 1980 containing ossuaries with a unique cluster of names, including Jesus, Maria, and Jose, suggesting this could be the Jesus family tomb, supported by statistical analysis and an ossuary inscribed "James son of Joseph brother of Jesus," with new DNA testing underway.
1145-1200
- Mary's Influence on Early Christian Teachings: Colleague James Tabor examines the "Q" source containing teachings shared by Matthew and Luke that parallel the words of James and John the Baptist, positing that Mary, as the mother, was the source of this shared wisdom, arguing that historians must reclaim her humanity and influence from theological erasure.
FOURTH HOUR
12-1215
- The Limits of AI and the Global Quantum Race: Colleague Brandon Weichert explains that current AI models are data crunchers rather than thinking entities, facing limits known as "The Bitter Lesson," while China is "nanoseconds" away from practical quantum computing aimed at decrypting military communications, with Switzerland and Singapore also pursuing sovereign quantum capabilities to ensure digital independence.
1215-1230
- Lebanon's Demographic Decline and Political Stagnation: Colleague Hussain Abdul-Hussain reports that Pope Leo's visit highlighted Lebanon's diminishing Christian population, now estimated at perhaps one-quarter, with the government remaining weak and reluctant to disarm Hezbollah, fearing foreign deals that sacrifice national interests; while civil war is unlikely, the country remains dominated by an Iranian-backed militia.
1230-1245
- Nuclear Ambitions in South Korea: Colleague Henry Sokolski reports that South Korea is requesting nuclear-powered submarines and enrichment rights, raising concerns about potential nuclear proliferation, with some arguing this could lead to a confederation with the North or US withdrawal, while others prefer Seoul invest in American nuclear facilities to strengthen the alliance.
1245-100 AM
audi Arabia Seeks Nuclear Capabilities: Colleague Henry Sokolski explains that Saudi Arabia wants a nuclear power plant but resists signing US protocols allowing inspections; while Washington may view this as a hedge against Iran, a Saudi nuclear capability would threaten Israel's qualitative military edge, and the US has not yet granted advanced consent for enrichment.
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