The Bla Bla Bunker

The Bla Bla Bunker

By Almar HilmarssonSociety & CultureEducationSelf-ImprovementPersonal Journals
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The Bla Bla Bunker episodes

  • EP58 Has Putin gone mad? Is civilization collapsing? - Richard Grannon

    Richard Grannon is a content creator who covers psychology and philosophy in the context of how the world is today both on an individual level as well as mass behaviours and influences.

     
    We discussed the invasion of Ukraine, if Putin has gone mad, how this will affect Russia and the rest of the world in the short term and the long run and why this is happening now.  Is there a World War III in the making?
     
    We also discussed modern guilt of consumer capitalism, the environment, poverty, wealth transfer while we are busy fighting each other and the covid contradictions, cancel culture and censorship.  And how the Karen's of the world run the show on social matters. 
     
    Why are things as they are, how did they get this way and where will it go from here.
     
    Ps.
    Richard was also on my episode 5 as well as episode 23 so make sure you hear those as well.
     
    Check out Richard on Youtube, Instagram, facebook and TikTok
    https://www.youtube.com/c/RICHARDGRANNON
    https://www.instagram.com/richard.grannon/
    https://www.tiktok.com/@richardgrannon0
    https://www.facebook.com/richard.grannon.spartanlifecoach
     
    https://www.facebook.com/Blablabunker
    https://www.instagram.com/theblablabunker/
    1 hr 51 min
  • EP57 The Highly Gifted Kid That Became A Stripper - Amber Eve
    Ever wondered who chooses to become a stripper and why?
     
    Everyone seems to have an opinion but few know the reality. Amber Eve told me all the secrets, tips and trick:
     
    Can strippers fall in love? Is the money good? Is it degrading?  Can you be a feminist and a stripper? Why are women guests in strip clubs more aggressive and less respectful? How are the hours? What does your family think?  How does the hustle work?
     
    Born in a small catholic town in Bavaria, Germany, there was not much that indicated that Amber would choose this route.  She was an awkward loner and was identified as a highly gifted teenager.
     
    How on earth does someone like that end up as a stripper 
     
    This is Amber's story.
     
    https://www.amber-eve.com/
    https://www.patreon.com/ambereve
    https://www.instagram.com/ambereve_official
    1 hr 51 min
  • EP56 Climate Emergency, Covid, Censorship and Globalism - John Malafronte Part 2

    John J. Malafronte is an American actor and director that grew up in New York City in the classic era of musicals and plays on Broadway and has directed plays on both sides of the Atlantic.  He recently started Classic Stage, a professional theatre company that presents live and virtual productions of the work of the great 19th and 20th century English-language playwrights in Prague in the Czech Republic


    John also spent 30 years working at Harvard University hospital as a therapist helping people dealing with eating disorders.

     
    On this second part of our two episode talk we discuss, Climate Emergency, Censorship, the Covid response and Globalism.  
     
    John has very strong opinions and is unafraid of voicing them as he feels he has nothing to lose.
     
    On part one which is out already as well, we discussed his catholic upbringing, how it was coming out as gay in the 70's, the abuse he suffered from both family and others and how he see's American politics.  
     
    https://classicstageprague.com/

    https://www.facebook.com/ClassicStagePrague
    1 hr 32 min
  • EP55 Catholicism, Abuse, Gay life in the 70’s & American Politics - John Malafronte Part 1

    John J. Malafronte is an American actor and director that grew up in New York City in the classic era of musicals and plays on Broadway and has directed plays on both sides of the Atlantic.  He recently started Classic Stage, a professional theatre company that presents live and virtual productions of the work of the great 19th and 20th century English-language playwrights in Prague in the Czech Republic


    John also spent 30 years working at Harvard University hospital as a therapist helping people dealing with eating disorders.

    On this part one of our talk we discussed his catholic upbringing, how it was coming out as gay in the 70's, the abuse he suffered from both family and others and how he see's American politics.  

    John has strong opinions and is not afraid of expressing them and is regularly punished on social media for sharing his views.

    In part two we discuss climate change, covid, censoring and globalism.  

    https://classicstageprague.com/

    https://www.facebook.com/ClassicStagePrague/

    1 hr 22 min
  • EP54 Covid Collateral Damage, Corporate Grooming and ADHD - Amanda Mataija
    Living away from your home country can be amazing but also can come with challenges, such as language barriers, limited social life, understanding of the public system as well as being met with xenophobic attitudes.  The Czech Republic has a very large number of foreigners living there but the society is not set to integrate these people so they feel welcome and valued. 
     

    Amanda is from Croatia and she is the founder of Prague Integration.  Her idea at the start was to volunteer to support expats that are relocating to the city, helping them find their ways in the system as well as support their social life.  

     
    Then Covid came with its draconian measures of lock downs, isolating expats who were already on the fringes of society even more.  When you keep humans scared, isolated, tell them not to go out, make them order fast food home and not breathe clean air then that is probably a recipe for disaster and Amanda saw that first hand, people needed help, substance abuse, domestic violence, anxiety, depression etc. all reached unseen levels.
     
    So her business went from being a small little volunteer thingy to over 20 consultants in a matter of months which enabled her to leave the corporate world behind and focus only on what she likes.  
     
    Amanda has ADHD and explained to me how she has learned to live with that condition that has often caused her trouble but seems to also give her energy and strength to get her business off the ground...
     
    http://pragueintegration.cz/
    https://www.facebook.com/pragueintegration
    https://www.instagram.com/pragueintegration/
    1 hr 23 min
  • EP53 Football Ultras, Hooliganism and Balkan Philology - David Stránský
    David Stránský is a system administrator in an IT company in Prague in the Czech Republic.
    His passion is football, he is part of the Slavia Ultras, Tribuna Sever (North stand) which are the die hard(est) fans of that club.  He has also established an Ultras group for SS Ostra a 6th tier football club where he and his friends show up with fireworks, megaphones, drums and sing and chant at games. Something that is unknown at football matches at that level.  They travel with the team and sleep on the floors of some of the shittiest hostels around.  Dedication I guess...
    We talked about what it is to be a football fan, are all Ultras hooligans? Why do people become hooligans, is it a special type of person?  Why do we have hooligans in rich and highly educated countries (looking at you Netherlands and Denmark). And football clubs as a business vs Ultras, can they coexist?
    1 hr 39 min
  • EP52 Church, Blues and Pepper Spray - Juwana Jenkins

    Juwana Jenkins is one of Philadelphia’s finest exports, singer, songwriter & performer. She is renowned for her rich delivery and fiery presence as a headliner at international events and music festivals.


    But Juwana also works as a mentor, coach and facilitator, guiding with humour and warmth, for transformational insights and development.  She collaborates with international Companies and top level managers and helps them to find those golden "Aha!" moments.

    Juwana was a University professor in South Korea and her plan was always to go back home to the US, but she ended up in Prague in the Czech Republic and is still there 23 years later.

    We talked about her childhood, how she went to Church every Sunday despite not being religious, how her father decided to shelter her and her sisters from racism, how her mom gave her a pepper spray when she had to go around her rough neighbourhood and where her love for music came from.

    And as usual, a LOT more.

     
    You can hear some of Juwana's music on the episode and on her webpage you can find details of her tour that starts in February 2022
     
    https://www.juwanajenkins.com/
    https://open.spotify.com/artist/3L9LVWXODopcuddvfunmOK
    https://www.instagram.com/juwanajenkins/
    https://www.facebook.com/JuwanaJenkins
    https://www.youtube.com/user/juwanajenkins
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwanajenkins/
    1 hr 49 min
  • EP51 India’s caste system, humour, fat shaming and limousines - Karan Veer Khurana
    Did you know that in India there is this caste system where people are divided into groups creating a hierarchy that allocates you a certain role in society, the ones at the bottom are more often than not treated like shit.
    Karan Veer Khurana is an Indian film maker, comedian and an actor. He visited my Bla Bla Bunker to explain me the caste system, what is being done about it, how it is portrayed in pop culture, comedy and society in general. And where he is in that system and what effect it has had on his life.
    We also talked about his relentless desire to be on stage and how he overcame stage fright.  What inspires his comedy, what he would never make fun of and why and then we somehow ended up talking about fat shaming!
    And we discussed India’s role in the world and rapidly developing from being a provider of cheaper labour, the impact of green policies and the hypocrisy of the Western world when it comes to the environment.
    1 hr 36 min
  • EP50 From breastfeeding at Harvard to future-feeding business leaders -Radka Dohnalová

    Radka Dohnalová is the founder and CEO of ATAIRU, a purpose-driven international education company, top 10 leadership development company in Europe, and no. 1 in the Czech Republic.  Atairu prepares leaders and organisations for the future by activating their authenticity and adaptability

     
    Born just before the end of Communism in Europe, Radka saw nothing but opportunities and she was very focused on becoming something, building things and having a purpose.  
     
    We discussed her path that led her to the UN food program in Rome, her time in McKinsey&Company which seems to give their people an amazing foundation for future business endeavours.
     
    Radka told me how she broke the glass ceiling by being the first woman breastfeeding two children while at Harvard during her MBA studies. And as if that wasn't enough work then she also co-authored "The Authentic and Integrated Leadership Model" while at Harvard!
     
    And of course we discussed what are the main challenges for businesses and leaders currently with Covid and multiple social and cultural changes that call for more diversity and inclusion.
     
    And a bit more...
     
    https://www.atairu.com/en
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/radka-dohnalova-26398a14/
    https://www.instagram.com/weareatairu/
    https://www.facebook.com/AtairuAuthenticLeadership
     
    The Bla Bla Bunker
    https://www.facebook.com/Blablabunker
    https://www.instagram.com/midlifecrisiswarrior/
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/almar-hilmarsson-060bb22/
    1 hr 52 min
  • EP49 A Chinese Comedian in (the middle of nowhere) Europe - Joanna Sio

    Joanna Sio is a linguist, a mother and a stand-up comedian from Hong Kong, China. She always wanted to leave Hong Kong and life took her to the cosmopolitan cities of Vancouver, Amsterdam, Singapore, Melbourne and eventually Olomouc! a city of 100.000 inhabitants in the east of the Czech Republic.

     
    She visited my bunker and told me her story, how life was in Hong Kong while it was a colony of the UK, the class separation of foreigners vs locals and how Hong Kong has changed since China took control of it. We also discussed the Chinese mindset of thinking long term, Chinese Capitalism and if Chinese people are busy arguing about Pronouns as Westerners do nowadays.
     
    And of course we discussed the comedy, what inspires her Chinese humour, what is off limits, how it is to be a woman in stand up and who gives more critical feedback on her stuff, women or men.
     
    And a lot more...a lot
     
    https://www.facebook.com/joannasiocomedian
    https://www.instagram.com/joanna_sio/
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYzAIGxQLg0
    1 hr 45 min

About The Bla Bla Bunker

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Welcome to The Bla Bla Bunker, a podcast featuring interviews with regular people who have extraordinary stories to tell.