The McKay Interview

In this episode we discuss:

-How to repair the badly damaged biosphere

-Who will pay for it

Insights into the evolution of the Geneva Observatory and its long history; what use Astronomy serves; and Geneva's contribution to the science of Astronomy in the larger frame of research worldwide.

In this episode we discuss:

-In a world of bewildering acronyms, what do XRIM, GAIA and EUCLID mean?

-I ask Professor Pepe if it is difficult to attract young people to study Astronomy.

-The war in Ukraine

-His view that Russia has lost the war already, strategically

-Whether NATO wants Ukraine to "win" but does not want Russia to "lose"

-His lament on the dearth of statesmen and the death of "grand strategy".

Avivah and I discuss the implications of living longer and working longer; what it means for pensions, for younger colleagues in the workplace and for families.

We cover the following topic:

-Isn't Longevity just a first-world problem? You might be surprised by Avivah's answer. And how will younger people adjust to having work colleagues around them the age of their grandparents!

A radio conversation about Switzerland's relationship and role at the U.N. especially now that it is a Non-permanent Member of the Security Council.

In this episode we discuss:

-If there is the remotest chance that the Security Council can reform itself.

-We touch on the extent to which the Swiss population takes an interest in the U.N. and whether or not that is important.

-We talk about Swiss neutrality and what it really means these days.

-I ask him about his duties and obligations as head of the host country's delegation to the U.N. in Geneva.

Selma explains, among other things, the changes in shopping retail since the end of Covid lockdown a couple of years ago.

In this episode we discuss:

-What she thinks will be the next big thing around the corner for the retail shopping business

-To what extent do women dress in order to be attractive to men

-What men do when they go into her Etam shops to buy twice a year!

Jared Bibler, an American, arrived in Iceland a few years before the financial meltdown which started in 2008. He worked in the financial services sector and then, when it was all over, the investigator. He tells me his compelling personal story during that extraordinary period.

Some of the topics we cover:

-What sort of odd things he noticed in the practices of bank in which he was working

-How his peers and superiors reacted when he asked perfectly proper questions about some of the unusual practices that he noticed

-What the consequences of the malpractices were

-Could the same thing happen elsewhere, like for example Switzerland.

A radio conversation from a prominent, Conservative MP who has been very close to the centre of British politics in the Tory Party for over ten years.

In this episode we discuss:

-His opinion on whether or not the Conservative Party has run out of steam after 13 years in power

-The strength of opposition to or difficulties for the Conservative Party

-How politicians can regain the lost trust of the electorate

-Why are so many political leaders of questionable character so popular with voters.

In this episode, Professor Matt Goodwin explains what the data show about current changing political and social attitudes in the U.K.

Some of the topics we cover:

-Britain, as viewed from abroad, does not seem to be doing so well these days. Why?

-The immigration debate in Britain seems poisonous. Is the UK still a welcoming place?

-How did the National Health Service come to be elevated to something approaching a national deity?

We cover some of the following topics:

-Why Kirsten was motivated to make such a huge sea voyage alone.

-How she prepared for her journey. How she navigated?

-Why men seem to dominate the Golden Globe Race?

-Whether she had time for spiritual reflection during 235 days alone at sea. And what she will do next?