Talking about the presidents, learning about the development of US political structures, institutes and principles, gives an obvious and equally oft forgotten insight into where US politics is today. We have gone way back, right to the beginning, and are working our way through the list of US leaders.

We have inadvertently decided not to follow the usual deference and romanticism that figures so prominently in discussions on the founding fathers, the big hitters of US political history. We cannot separate their influence on US politics from their lack of intervention in the slave trade, from their barbaric approach to the First Nations, and the way they considered the white man to be above all.

We pay them the compliments they are due on the basis of attributes not related to the horrors of their domestic, superior policies.Madison was supremely intelligent, he was extremely hardworking and he was dedicated to the ideals of a republic.

What follows, is our assessment of James Madison, the man, the president, and the budding of what would become a global superpower within 200 years.

Thanks, Aydan, for your comeback, you have been missed.

Enjoy!

I welcome opinions of every kind so please come and find me on social media at:

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Should I really have to ask? 😉 If you like the developing story of this social journey unfurling in my series of podcasts, feel more than free, feel partially responsible for spreading the word by subscribing and sharing and where possible, liking. It is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Oh, and if there is a possibility to do some rating, that would be nice as well. Thank you.

PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content.

In this episode, Caragh and Mikey recount some of the activities they have been up to since we last spoke. In addition to the amazing work of further establishing neurodiversity in the minds of the mainstream and solidifying the platform from which to generate debate, innovation and change, the Neurodiversity in Sport blog has revealed some amazing stories.

For those who have not previously had the chance, please check out the page and follow Caragh wherever they prefer to engage in social media. Home | Neurodiverse Sport

Mikey talks a bit more himself and Gravel Racing, which has really exploded in the last couple of years. I actually found this article written about Mikey too which is well worth a read. Mikey Mottram - Looking Back at the Gravel Worlds • VeloVeritas

Thank you both for your time.

Enjoy!

I welcome opinions of every kind so please come and find me on social media at:

Instagram: TwoandaMic

Twitter: TwoandaMic1

Should I really have to ask? 😉 If you like the developing story of this social journey unfurling in my series of podcasts, feel more than free, feel partially responsible for spreading the word by subscribing and sharing and where possible, liking. It is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Oh, and if there is a possibility to do some rating, that would be nice as well. Thank you.

PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content.

I have always found people whose primary work-ethic has revolved around people to be most interesting. I love hearing that people form the core and biggest asset of an organisation. However, assets are normally owned, people are employed. I am sure there are distinctions in these words.

I am joined by Helga, a HR manager of many years experience, to talk about some of the main issues that currently entertain HR specialists. We talk about topics such as empathy, AI, machines, anticipating trends and as Helga puts it how to “read your reality”.It’s always a pleasure for me to speak with Helga and to listen to her thoughts on a number of people-related subject areas. I am thankful to her for taking time out on her weekend to speak with me and I look forward to our next session too.

Thanks Helga!

Enjoy

I welcome opinions of every kind so please come and find me on social media at:

Instagram: TwoandaMic

Twitter: TwoandaMic1

Should I really have to ask? 😉 If you like the developing story of this social journey unfurling in my series of podcasts, feel more than free, feel partially responsible for spreading the word by subscribing and sharing and where possible, liking. It is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Oh, and if there is a possibility to do some rating, that would be nice as well. Thank you.

PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content.

Jack London (1876-1916) was born John Griffith Chaney. Famous for a number of classics today he is by some considered best represented by his many short stories, the historian Dale L. Walker wrote of him: “London's true métier was the short story ... London's true genius lay in the short form…”Having read some of his shorter works I agree that they are extremely good, however I cannot discount his longer works, White Fang and Martin Eden are two full length novels and both are fantastically well written.London had a style that reflected a number of his non-conformist views. He wrote on behalf of those whose voices were seldom heard, or understood. His early years, indeed his birth were difficult affairs. His parents were perhaps unmarried, his father, who disclaimed any responsibility for him, wanted him to have been aborted. His mother then shot herself and though she did not die, was unable to raise a baby, and so little London was sent off to stay with an African American wet-nurse, Jennie Prentiss. He later referred to Prentiss as his primary source of love and affection.His mother was a spiritualist and claimed to be able to channel the spirit of a Sauk chief called Black Hawk (Wikipedia). It is with these elements in his armoury perhaps that Jack London was so drawn to the stories and lifestyles and beliefs that he either wrote about or enjoyed.He and his first wife Bessie Maddern were perhaps not so well suited. He criticised her for her purity. No doubt she had a number of reasons to criticise him too. His second marriage was to a woman who was more in tune with his passions. It is said that Charmian Kittredge was very different to Bessie, and her aunt, a disciple of Victoria Woodhull, had “raised her without prudishness.” (Wikipedia).London was a war journalist and a socialist and had strange thoughts on eugenics I could never ascribe to, and yet he wrote with such grace of the plight of those who suffered greatly in his times.I hope you enjoy the story…

I welcome opinions of every kind so please come and find me on social media at:

Instagram: TwoandaMic

Twitter: TwoandaMic1

Should I really have to ask? 😉 If you like the developing story of this social journey unfurling in my series of podcasts, feel more than free, feel partially responsible for spreading the word by subscribing and sharing and where possible, liking. It is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Oh, and if there is a possibility to do some rating, that would be nice as well. Thank you.

PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content.

Today I talk with Benni from the Spirit of Football. Benni introduces the organisation I had the immense pleasure of meeting recently for an eye-opening and fun workshop about how the world of football can take a sporting lead into sustainability.Benni talks about the history and the present and in part the future of Spirit of Football, Future Ball, the new project and some of the principles behind what they do, their workshop methods and the people they work with.You can follow them using the following links: Spirit of Football | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Thank you, Benni, for your time.

Enjoy!

I welcome opinions of every kind so please come and find me on social media at:

Instagram: TwoandaMic

Twitter: TwoandaMic1

Should I really have to ask? 😉 If you like the developing story of this social journey unfurling in my series of podcasts, feel more than free, feel partially responsible for spreading the word by subscribing and sharing and where possible, liking. It is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Oh, and if there is a possibility to do some rating, that would be nice as well. Thank you.

PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content.

This is my second reading of a Maya Angelou poem. It will not be the last. I commented last time as to the depth and mystery of her poetry, and I won’t repeat commonly held sentiments. She was a unique poet, philosopher, civil rights activist, and an example for many others.The release date of this episode coincides with Maya’s birthday. She was born on April 4th, 1928. She would have been 95 today.Though she has passed, her spirit lives on in her works, the ferocity of her message thrives in her words.

Enjoy!

I welcome opinions of every kind so please come and find me on social media at:

Instagram: TwoandaMic

Twitter: TwoandaMic1

Should I really have to ask? 😉 If you like the developing story of this social journey unfurling in my series of podcasts, feel more than free, feel partially responsible for spreading the word by subscribing and sharing and where possible, liking. It is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Oh, and if there is a possibility to do some rating, that would be nice as well. Thank you.

The Sniper is a short story set during the Irish Civil War and based on the on the Battle of Dublin. It was published while the war was still ongoing, in January 1923.It is a tale simply told. It remains a popular tale even a hundred years after its initial publication. Unfortunately as war continues to be ever-present in human reality, the relevance and tragedy of The Sniper will go unnoticed by those who can influence events, but it will be suffered by those most affected.

There is an interesting summary and analysis here of the story: The Sniper Summary & Analysis | LitCharts

I welcome opinions of every kind so please come and find me on social media at:

Instagram: TwoandaMic

Twitter: TwoandaMic1

Should I really have to ask? 😉 If you like the developing story of this social journey unfurling in my series of podcasts, feel more than free, feel partially responsible for spreading the word by subscribing and sharing and where possible, liking. It is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Oh, and if there is a possibility to do some rating, that would be nice as well. Thank you.

PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content...!

An American writer and poet and considered as one of America’s greatest authors from the American Renaissance period. Though his great fame came much after his death he remains an ever present on the list of classic authors among such greats as Jack London, Emily Dickinson, Tennessee Williams, and Nathaniel Hawthorne to name just a few.He was born to staunchly Christian parents and both his grandfathers were heroes of the American Revolutionary War, a point of pride in the family.They were not affluent, and his father was unsuccessful in making the money of his own family and that of his wife’s family go far in his business undertakings. For this reason the family moved to smaller lodgings and when even “the tiny tuition fee seemed too much to pay” Melville stopped attending the Albany Academy. He worked as a clerk, a schoolteacher and then at sea from where he picked up adventure upon adventure. He dove into storytelling and between 1845-1850 he proved successful as a writer. The years after were not so.He died on September 28th, 1891.

I welcome opinions of every kind so please come and find me on social media at:

Instagram: TwoandaMic

Twitter: TwoandaMic1

Should I really have to ask? 😉 If you like the developing story of this social journey unfurling in my series of podcasts, feel more than free, feel partially responsible for spreading the word by subscribing and sharing and where possible, liking. It is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content.

What a difference a day makes. Well imagine what kind of difference a year or two can make. In periods of quick change such as ours, every decision can have significant impact on our lives for many years to come. We are all experiencing this in a variety of ways today.

It is for this reason that people should be given choice. To make better choices they should be informed. To be well-informed, we should have easy access to reliable and accurate information. So many of these things are lacking in society, on social media, on TV, in politics. We need to have, simply put, better politicians. We need to see people who we can actually look at and say “even if I don’t agree with her, I am sure she genuinely cares about the country and state of its inhabitants.” But we are not there, nowhere near in fact.

We exist at a time when populist, divisive and aggressive politics rule supreme in Westminster and elsewhere. We have hate rolling off the lips of our leaders, not wisdom, restraint and respect. If we look out across a river of hate, what kind of ferryman should we expect to find?

Yet if we open our eyes and take a positive view of things, see the world in a warmer light and consider the possibility that difference is not an angry foe, then that river of hate will be washed away by a joyful torrent of possibility.

That is why the Breakthrough Party, with all their amazing policies of positivity and possibility, are a political charm to the hateful landscape. There is a real sense of energy and enthusiasm to do well for others, to help and enhance communities and lift the UK out of its temporal nightmare. I invite you all to listen to Alex as he presents the Breakthrough Party and I invite you to look at their website, read their manifesto and make your own decisions.

Thank you Alex for your time.

Enjoy!

Breakthrough Party #HopeHasANewHome

I welcome opinions of every kind so please come and find me on social media at:

Instagram: TwoandaMic

Twitter: TwoandaMic1

Should I really have to ask? 😉 If you like the developing story of this social journey unfurling in my series of podcasts, feel more than free, feel partially responsible for spreading the word by subscribing and sharing and where possible, liking. It is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content.

Parastu recently wrote an article about her interview with Shole Pakravan, whose daughter Reyhaneh Jabbari was executed in 2014. In this episode Parastu talks about Shole, her daughter’s innocence and fight for justice, and her own experience of meeting this wonderful, dedicated and loving woman whose life mission is to ensure her daughter’s tale is never forgotten.

It is a very emotional episode which Parastu thankfully illuminates with occasional laughter.

The links below relate to the story, Shole’s book, Reyhaneh’s sacrifice and the docufilm.

Thank you very much Parastu for your time.

Reyhaneh's case/Amnesty urgent action: https://www.amnesty.de/urgent-action/ua-085-2014-2/reyhaneh-jabbari-hingerichtet

The movie about Reyhaneh that was premiered at the Berlinale last week: https://www.berlinale.de/de/2023/programm/202302785.html

Shole's book: "Wie man zum Schmetterling wird" (the book seems to only be available in German so far and was originally publisher by Berlin Verlag) Wie man ein Schmetterling wird von Steffi Niederzoll und Shole Pakravan | PIPER

Amnesty Journal: https://www.amnesty.de/amnesty-journal-das-magazin-fuer-die-menschenrechte

On the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, 20 Iranian trade unions and organisations released a joint charter with demands. I forgot to mention that but I find it very important especially as most news outlets are covering the so-called diapsora "opposition" led by Reza Pahlavi, Masih Alinejad, Golshifteh Farahani, Nazanin Boniadi and Shirin Ebadi: https://iranwire.com/en/politics/113866-iranian-trade-unions-civic-groups-issue-charter-of-minimum-demands/

I welcome opinions of every kind so please come and find me on social media at:

Instagram: TwoandaMic

Twitter: TwoandaMic1

Should I really have to ask? 😉 If you like the developing story of this social journey unfurling in my series of podcasts, feel more than free, feel partially responsible for spreading the word by subscribing and sharing and where possible, liking. It is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

PS. The transcript has been generated automatically and does not always reflect what has been said with 100% accuracy. I hope however that it will still provide some clarity on the content.