Here we unpack the legacies of Julius Caesar and Augustus, exploring the complexities of the two, the nature of historical narratives, and the challenges of leadership in ancient Rome.

My guest, Adrian Goldsworthy, emphasizes the importance of context in understanding these historical figures and reflects on the lessons that can be drawn from their lives and governance.

We also chat about the inevitability of Rome's transition from a republic to an empire, the cultural shock of experiencing ancient Rome, and the lasting impact of Roman civilization on modern society. Before chatting about the importance of personality in leadership, the efficiency of Roman administration, and the enduring legacy of Roman culture and language.

Check out Adrian's

https://www.youtube.com/@AdrianGoldsworthytheAuthor/videos" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube channel, or to find his books and what he's been up to.

📖Chapters📖

(00:00) - The Rise of Rome: From Republic to Empire

(05:03) - Julius Caesar: The Man Behind the Legend

(10:01) - Augustus: The Unsung Hero of Rome

(14:49) - The Legacy of Leadership: Caesar vs. Augustus

(19:53) - The Nature of Power: Context and Character

(24:52) - Lessons from History: What We Can Learn Today

(34:48) - The Art of Learning and Succession Planning

(40:47) - The Influence of Personalities in Leadership

(44:37) - The Inevitable Shift Towards Empire

(50:36) - The Administrative Genius of Augustus

(57:30) - Cultural Shock: Experiencing Ancient Rome

(01:01:40) - The Lasting Legacy of Ancient Rome

(01:02:23) - The Fascination with Ancient History

When you think of sharks, do you think Jaws? Or a creature with enough understanding to seek help from a person?

Would you be surprised to know, that someone has been working with sharks for years to the point, that they allow her to take out hooks lodged in their skin? Given our misconceptions of the creatures, I'd imagine you would be.

Cristina Zenato is that person, who's a master diver and expert on sharks. She's built an amazing relationship with the sharks around the Bahamas, creating a deep connection with them, to a degree I can only understand through bonds we build with more familiar animals.

In this interview Cristina gives us a deeper understanding of sharks, her ability to work with them, the virtue in knowing a single place deeply, the reality of the marine environment that's facing environmental destruction, and some wisdom from the sharks.

Credit to Kewin Lorenzen as videographer and Cristina Zenato for the image and videos accompanying this episode.

(00:00) - Understanding Fear and the Unknown

(03:14) - Building Trust with Sharks

(10:51) - Establishing Relationships with Marine Life

(18:06) - The Reality of Shark Encounters

(25:07) - The Role of Humans in Shark Behavior

(32:36) - Sharks in the Anthropocene

(34:11) - Sharks and Human Interaction

(37:22) - Shark Population Decline

(42:30) - Conservation Efforts and Education

(45:30) - Lessons from Sharks

(54:22) - Living in Symbiosis with Nature

A reality of our contemporary time, is the American President is increasingly acting as an Emperor.

This interview explores the evolution of the imperial presidency, the implications of increased executive power, and a look behind the scenes of the West Wing in how it plays out in the day to day. We also get tangible examples of what can be done to improve the structural gaps existing in the constitution to stop an increased scope of the Executive.

Yale Law Professor & Author Harold Koh joins the podcast to give us the context from his book highlighting the state of the Executive, "The National Security Constitution in the Twenty-First Century"

With Harold we get into, the role of Congress and the courts, and the systemic dysfunction that has led to a concentration of power in the executive branch, ethical considerations of governance and the future of executive power in the United States. We also get into the evolution of executive power in the United States, examining how historical events have shaped the current political landscape.

(0:00) - America as an Empire: Historical Context

(3:24) - The Imperial Presidency: Evolution of Power

(6:26) - The Role of Congress and the Courts

(9:41) - Crisis and the Shift of Power

(12:28) - The Synergistic Dysfunction of Government

(16:57) - The Consequences of Centralized Power

(21:02) - The National Security Constitution: A Historical Perspective

(26:44) - The Future of Executive Power

(30:08) - The Ethics of Power and Governance

(36:19) - Shifting Standards in Politics

(38:23) - Historical Context of Executive Power

(41:14) - The Pendulum of Presidential Authority

(43:44) - The Guantanamo Dilemma

(45:12) - The Threat Landscape: Terrorism vs. Pandemics

(46:41) - Concerns Over Unilateral Executive Powers

(51:31) - The Need for Structural Reforms

(54:48) - Checks and Balances in the Executive Branch

(1:00:23) - Learning from Global Examples

(1:05:36) - The Role of Citizens in Democracy

(1:10:52) - Activism and Resilience Against Authoritarianism

Giddy up for a fun episode that touches all the right topics to get your noddle going. How can we manage a fast-paced world that seems to increasingly change from what we’ve become used to?

What changes when someone has immense wealth, or when someone is homeless? Both living completely different lives outside of the norm of anyone listening to this.

We explore the ethical dilemmas in our current global world, and perhaps have a way of being considerate without being a luddite.

Humans have changed constantly, and this conversation is all about how two dudes think about changing with it. Complete with a moody rendition of Smash Mouth’s epic hit, “Hey now you’re an all star” at the end.

With me in this conversation is David Benjamin, otherwise known as Dudetunes. A Recording Artist - Songwriter - Performer, and co-owner of Black Sheep Makery, a bomb drink purveyor of all things coffee, tea and lemonades with infused flavorings. Find him everywhere @dudeisdead.

Check out David’s latest music video for a catchy track.

Chapters

(00:00) - How to think in the long ~ Intro Essay

(06:33) - The Power of Connection

(07:04) - Artistic Pursuits and Personal Joy

(09:43) - The Depth of Human Connection

(12:58) - The Impact of Homelessness on Society

(16:22) - Navigating Urban Challenges

(20:50) - The Complexity of Human Experience

(23:11) - Exploring Spirituality and Reality

(27:18) - The Role of Psychedelics in Understanding

(35:53) - The Resurgence of Psychedelics in Pop Culture

(39:34) - The Dual Nature of Psychedelic Experiences

(42:06) - Philosophical Reflections on Wealth and Control

(51:39) - The Role of Culture in Governance

(01:00:12) - Navigating Technology and Its Impact on Life

(01:12:24) - Frankenstein and the Absurdity of Existence

(01:15:21) - Personal Responsibility and Community

(01:18:12) - The Role of Technology in Human Connection

(01:23:36) - Navigating Individualism and Community

(01:32:03) - The Paradox of Individualism and Community

(01:39:27) - The Importance of Connection and Expression

This is my interview with author and historian Dr. James Gelvin , professor of Middle Eastern history at UCLA.

[ This episode was originally released in December 2020. Professor Gelvin will be coming back for an episode next season to give an update on what's occurred in the past four years. ]

The episode is centered around the Israel and Palestine conundrum, but touches upon the rich and ancient culture of the region known as Palestine and the recent normalization of relations that the Trump administration announced with the state of Israel.

There's also a detour into the state of the Middle East as a whole, if the Arab spring has run dry, how the middle east is the most food insecure region in the world, which segued into how neo-liberal policies create much civil and economic unrest. Along with thought provoking ideas on revolutions and nationalism.

The Israel-Palestine Conflict: One Hundred Years of War

The New Middle East: What Everyone Needs to Know

(0:00) - Episode Introduction

(6:24) - Traveling

(10:14) - Framing the Israel-Palestine Conflict

(16:24) - Identity and Nationalism

(20:27) - The Legacy of the Ottoman Empire

(34:12) - The Creation of Nations

(38:39) - The Six Day War and it's Relevance

(46:03) - The Water Wars & The Arab Spring

(56:46) - Has the Arab Spring Run Dry? Tunisia as an Outlier

(59:27) - Understanding Neoliberalism and its Emergent Effects

(1:17:23) - Oslo Accords and Trump's Impact

(1:41:05) - Land for Peace Formula, Israel's Policy of Deterrence

(1:44:01) - Saudi Arabia's Diversification Efforts

Is math an invention or a discovery? Given how time works at the scale of a galaxy, can a civilization across the stars exist?

In this episode's conversation, I chat with Alex Cruikshank to come up with some interesting answers to those two questions. Along with the surprising role creativity plays in math's inventive nature, and how we may be able to have a civilization that spans light years, but we may need a new type of time shaman to do so.

Chapters

00:00 Exploring the Nature of Mathematics

10:36 The Debate: Discovery vs. Invention in Math

32:46 Creativity in Mathematics and Its Applications

34:46 Exploring String Theory and Its Challenges

36:16 Gravity and Interstellar Civilization

40:26 The Nature of Time and Its Perception

45:44 Curved Space-Time and Its Implications

49:08 The Philosophical Aspects of Time

52:35 Quantum Mechanics and Communication

59:28 The Feasibility of Interstellar Civilization

A new, ancient, creature was discovered! And even stranger than it having existed for so long without us knowing, is that it actually has another creature inside of it.

Nitroplasts, what this episode's cover art shows, are tiny little bacteria that within them have another creature that provides all the nitrogen it needs to thrive way out in the ocean. In this episode, Tyler Coale, one of the researchers on the discovery of Nitroplasts, joins us to unpack what they are, how they were found and the potential future of nitrogen fixation research.

Chapters

(00:00) - The Importance of Nitrogen in Ecosystems ~ Intro Essay

(04:16) - Understanding Endosymbiosis and Its Implications

(08:51) - Nitrogen Fixation: The Key to Ocean Life

(12:01) - The Discovery Journey of Nitroplasts

(14:59) - The Role of Nitroplasts in Marine Ecosystems

(17:54) - Implications of Nitroplast Research

(21:03) - The Future of Nitrogen Fixation Research

With the influx of AI running rapid across the internet, what is this going to do to it as a tool or cultural space?

In this essay, I explore the concept of the 'Dead Internet Theory,' which posits that a significant portion of online content is generated by bots rather than humans.

Is this valid? If so what are the implications on online interactions, trust in content, and the rise of AI-generated material, including deepfakes.

Because if this is the case, we have difficulty discerning real from fake information and the potential for a future where trusted sources become increasingly valuable in navigating the digital landscape.

Chapters

(00:00) - Exploring Dead Internet Theory

(03:28) - The Impact of Bots on Online Interaction

(06:51) - Trust Issues in Online Reviews and Content

(09:14) - The Rise of AI and Deepfakes

(10:42) - The Future of Trusted Information Sources

Did you know there’s a mammal that can dive a mile down the ocean to hunt giant and colossal squid? And that same mammal was hunted until the 1970’s to extract the oil in their head for car transmissions?

Well that creature is none other than the poorly named Sperm Whale, and the fascination with them goes much more than just that

Hal Whitehead, a researcher of sperm whales, discusses their habitat, hunting abilities, communication, and culture.

Sperm whales can be found in oceans worldwide, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. They are able to dive to great depths by closing down certain organs and conserving oxygen. The population of sperm whales has been affected by whaling, but there are concerns about their future due to factors like ocean warming.

Sperm whales communicate using clicks, and their communication patterns can be quantified and analyzed. Different groups of sperm whales have distinct cultural behaviors and strategies for hunting.

Also check out Hal’s amazing TED talk, where he goes into his work and provides more detail on Sperm Whale Culture.

Chapters

(00:00) - The Mysteries of the Ocean ~ Intro Essay

(02:54) - Sperm Whales: Anatomy and Habitat

(03:40) - What makes Hal happy?

(05:47) - Survival in the Depths

(09:08) - Communication and Social Structure

(12:06) - Cultural Differences Among Pods

(14:47) - The Future of Sperm Whales

(17:58) - The Ongoing Mystery of Sperm Whales

An exploration into the unnoticed complexities of life, the impact of technology on our perceptions, and the paradox of reductionism in understanding the world.

Observation and creation are two sides of the same coin, and what we need is a balance between the two to foster deeper understanding and wisdom.

Chapters

00:00 The Unnoticed Depths of Life

02:56 The Impact of Technology on Perception

06:07 The Balance of Observation and Creation

08:06 Wisdom Through Observation