In this week's episode, we talk about the lasting impact of Zoom on our retinas. Then we make break for it, like Richard Hannay in Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps." Did people really used to sleep in cabinets? And is a helicopter more menacing than a biplane? The truth is, we all need to be nicer to the milkman. And finally we get into "Ship of Fools," Katherine Anne Porter's allegory for the world before World War II. What can we learn from the displaced sugarcane workers in steerage? Maybe we can learn how to be kind around the old captain's table. But remember, the only thing we can count on in this world is ourselves and this podcast, so give it a listen!

In this episode, we discuss the renaissance of New York, which is being led primarily by decadent rats and a return of primates scaling the city's tallest buildings. Then we move onto Allen Drury's 1959 novel Advise and Consent, which focuses on a difficult confirmation hearing for an aspiring Secretary of State. This novel shows how the sausage is made in the Senate and explores the dirty tricks and betrayals that can accompany a confirmation hearing. Is this the greatest Washington novel of all time? Don't disappointment the anti-appeasement crowd and give it a listen!

In this episode we recap the summer. Who had it best? Was it the microbes struggling for survival on the surface of Venus, or was it the genetic code of the woolly mammoth which might unlock the secrets of hair loss? Then we wade into the murky pools of modern pharmaceuticals. Why do Americans love to get their medical advice during the commercial breaks on morning news? The answer lies in production values. Then we get onto LeCarre's foray into the perils of modern medicine in The Constant Gardener. Does this murky pool run deep? Give it a listen and find out.

In this episode I discuss what it must've been like to be a youth when the world was new and George Lucas decided to give the world a space opera. Then I move onto this week's choice Monimbo by Robert Moss and Arnaud de Borchgrave. In Monimbo, Castro is up to no good and so is the CIA. Finally, we review the wild life of Arnaud de Borchgrave, who helped shape the conservative media. Is that a paper airplane? No it's an Arnaudgram that says you should listen to the podcast.

In this episode, I recap my cross-country journey with some reflections on the plains, mask-wearing, and what separates a rest area from a truck stop. Then I talk a bit about Tommy Lee Jones and his propensity to be dismissive of local policing. And finally, I talk about Single and Single, LeCarre's foray into the world of post-Soviet money laundering. What sort of scruples would you be willing to sacrifice in order to gain admission to the Swiss Air Admiral's Club? Clean your money, clean your mind, and give this episode a listen.

In this episode, we talk about The Farmer's Market and how what starts on the farm doesn't always make it to the table. Then we discuss the Icarus Agenda, a book that makes you want to throw it all away and move to Colorado's Western Slope. It makes a person wonder: what does the Vice President do and why would anyone be so worried about it? And finally we talk about Robert Ludlum's legacy of conspiracies and blockbusters. Maybe there's more to life than giant condos in Naples, but then again maybe not. Give it a listen. It's what the Inver Brass would want you to do.

In this episode, we discuss how the carbonated water business got package size so wrong. Twelve cans? Gone by noon and then I'm off to Giant Eagle to make deals with the wholesaler in the parking lot. Then we get into the nitty gritty of the Panama Canal. How much does a canal cost? What kind of sovereignty can America expect on the shores of the canal? And just how much customer service can I expect from my offshore accounts? Finally, we talk about LeCarre's book about the swinging 1990's. The Tailor of Panama is an homage to Our Man in Havana, with nods and hat tips towards John Buchan and Erskine Childers. Give the podcast a listen, and never settle for a ill-fitting Armani suit or a "Brass Plate Podcast."

In this episode, we discuss a trip to the shoe store, where I might've told some lies and picked up some speedy slippers. Then we get into the famous Hitchcock classic Rear Window, where Jimmy Stewart spends a whole lot of time behind a pair of binoculars. Did the neighbor do it? Of course he did, but I really want to know if the composer made Hamilton happen. And finally, we talk about Michael Crichton's 1996 hit Airframe, where the plane goes up and down like a porpoise and the pages fly by like an airplane. Did the union do it? Did the journalists get it wrong? No, of course not. It was bring your kids to work day! Give the pod a listen and don't let the union boys run you over with a forklift.

In this episode, we start off by talking about the 1968 Steve McQueen classic Bullitt, which invented the modern car chase and flaunted the lax airport security policies at the time. Rubbing is car chasing, as they say. Next, we talk about John LeCarre's 1995 novel Our Game, which focuses on the Caucuses and what it means to be a person of action. What will it cost man, what will it cost? Great question, because this book was a cudgel used to break the Net Book Agreement in the United Kingdom. You might've found this book in the produce aisle. Buy a head of broccoli and get the book half off! Give it a listen and find your calling in the mountains.

In this episode, we celebrate the official start of summer for all the almanac junkies out there. Then we move on to the reasons why Russian troll farms have, thus far, failed to identify and amplify this podcast. Are they intimidated by the cutting humor, or perhaps they respect it too much to toy with it? Like the rising tides and the actual votes on Survivor, we may never know the truth. Then we kick on, diving into The Craft of Intelligence by spy chieftain and real-life Risk enthusiast Allen Dulles. Have you ever wondered why you can't trust walk-ins? The barber knows, and so does Allen Dulles. Learn why one of Allen's protege's described his era in the following way: "We went all over the world and we did what we wanted." Do what you want, and give it a listen.