PLAY PODCASTS
The John Batchelor Show

The John Batchelor Show

3,155 episodes — Page 5 of 64

S8 Ep1193: David Daoud: A recent drone attack on an IDF vehicle near the Ali Taher Ridge highlights the fragility of the current ceasefire in Lebanon. The IDF maintains control over the ridge's surface, yet Hezbollah continues to operate within a vast underground tu

Aug 4, 202618 min

S8 Ep1193: Andrew Collier and Gordon Chang: China's banking system faces a time bomb with an estimated $7.7 trillion in unreported bad loans, largely due to government-backed entities rolling over debt to mask insolvency. The property market remains a crater, and wh

Aug 4, 20268 min

S8 Ep1191: General Blaine Holt and Gordon Chang: Concerns are rising regarding the flow of Chinese and Russian aid to Iran, which includes potential shipments of anti-aircraft missiles. While some interpret President Trump's reserved stance as weakness, General Holt

Aug 4, 202610 min

S8 Ep1191: Malcolm Hoenlein: Recent reports reveal the existence of Iranian-backed assassination cells such as the Foxtrot group, which recruits European criminals to target Jewish and Israeli figures. In the Levant, the IDF continues to discover unprecedented tunne

Aug 4, 202616 min

S8 Ep1192: Ernesto Araújo and Alejandro Peña Esclusa: The inauguration of Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella marks a pivotal shift toward the "Shield of the Americas" initiative to combat drug trafficking and organized crime. Unlike his predecessor, Gustav

Aug 4, 202619 min

S8 Ep1191: Husain Haqqani: Iran is openly boasting that it uses diplomatic pauses to reconstitute its military arsenal for future attacks on energy infrastructure. Ambassador Haqqani critiques the current US approach as a haphazard war lacking a clear end-state or g

Aug 4, 202617 min

S8 Ep1190: Gaius and Germanicus: Gaius opens by detailing the "emperor's" use of artificial intelligence to project heroic imagery—such as appearing as George Washington or a revolutionary leader—despite polling lower than Richard Nixon during his resignation. Germa

Aug 3, 20268 min

S8 Ep1190: Gaius and Germanicus: Gaius invokes the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, highlighting how the Kennedy brothers used caution and trusted advisors to avoid nuclear war. He asks how a modern crisis can be resolved when the "emperor's" word is no longer trusted. Ge

Aug 3, 202615 min

S8 Ep1190: In The Londinium Chronicles, Gaius (John Batchelor) and Germanicus (Michael Vlahos) explore the intersections of Roman history and modern geopolitics. Gaius and Germanicus: Gaius opens by detailing the "emperor's" use of artificial intelligence to project

Aug 3, 202622 min

S8 Ep1189: Isaac Stone Fish, author of America Second: How America's Elites Are Making China Stronger, investigates how American political, corporate, and cultural elites have become deeply entangled with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since the 1970s. He identif

Aug 3, 202639 min

S8 Ep1189: Gaia Vince, author of Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World, presents a stark look at the inevitable mass migration caused by a changing climate, which she argues will force billions to move from the tropics to the habitable north th

Aug 3, 202639 min

S8 Ep1189: David Grantham, author of Consequences: An Intelligence Officer's War, provides a memoir of his time as an Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) agent, detailing the high-stakes world of counter-intelligence during the Global War on Terror. His

Aug 3, 202639 min

S8 Ep1189: Charles Gasparino, author of Go Woke, Go Broke: The Inside Story of the Radicalization of Corporate America, explores the radicalization of corporate America by tracing the rise of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and DEI (Diversity, Equity, an

Aug 3, 202637 min

S8 Ep1189: John Tamny, author of The Money Confusion: How a Literacy About Currencies and Inflation Sets the Stage for the Crypto Revolution, provides an unconventional analysis of money, arguing that its only purpose is to circulate consumable goods as a product of

Aug 3, 202639 min

S8 Ep1189: Jonathan D.T. Ward, author of The Decisive Decade: American Grand Strategy for Triumph Over China, defines the 2020s as a "decisive decade" during which the United States must execute a new grand strategy to defeat the Russia-China axis. He characterizes

Aug 3, 202637 min

S8 Ep1189: Mark Clifford, author of Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow the World: What China's Crackdown Reveals About Its Plans to End Freedom Everywhere, documents the collapse of freedom in Hong Kong, describing the CCP's strategy as an "anaconda in the chandelier" that e

Aug 3, 202639 min

1192: **David Davenport** provides a historical overview of how the concept of equality of opportunity has evolved from the American founding to the modern era. The discussion explains that while the Founders initially focused on dismantling European systems of

Aug 2, 202618 min

1191: In this interview, author **Stephen Harrigan** discusses his historical novel, *The Leopard is Loose*, which centers on a real-life animal escape in **1950s Oklahoma City**. The narrative follows young **Grady McCarty** and his family as they navigate the

Aug 2, 202618 min

1190: **Peter Stansky**, Professor of History, Emeritus at **Stanford University** and author of *The Socialist Patriot: George Orwell and War*, explores the life and political evolution of **George Orwell** (born **Eric Blair**). Born in **India** in 1903 to a

Aug 2, 202637 min

1189: **Beppe Severgnini**, author of *Italian Lessons: 50 Things We Know About Life Now*, reflects on **Italy**'s experience as the first Western nation struck by the COVID-19 pandemic. Centered in his hometown of **Crema**, the narrative begins with a symboli

Aug 2, 20261 min

S8 Ep1188: Jim Robbins, author of The Man Who Planted Trees: A Story of Lost Groves, the Science of Trees, and a Plan to Save the Planet, discusses the life's work of David Milarch, a man who, following a transformative near-death experience, embarked on a mission t

Aug 2, 202639 min

S8 Ep1187: Mark Piesing, author of N-4 Down: The Hunt for the Arctic Airship Italia, recounts a secret meeting in Norway in July 1925 that brought together legendary explorer Roald Amundsen and Italian engineer Umberto Nobile to plan the first airship flight over th

Aug 2, 202639 min

S8 Ep1186: Terry Anderson, editor of Adapt and Be Adept: Market Responses to Climate Change, presents a collection of economic and social essays arguing that market-based adaptation is the most practical and effective response to a changing climate. Using Pascal

Aug 2, 202639 min

S8 Ep1186: Russell Shorto, author of Smalltime: A Story of My Family and the Mob, provides a historical and personal exploration of organized crime in the small industrial town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, framing the American Mafia as a "mirror of American capitalis

Aug 2, 202639 min

S8 Ep1186: Holly Fretwell, author of Fix America's Forests: Reforms to Restore National Forests and Tackle the Wildfire Crisis, examines the escalating wildfire crisis in the United States, arguing that current forest conditions are the result of over a century of m

Aug 2, 202639 min

S8 Ep1185: SCHEDULE FOR THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 7-31-2026 1790 SOUTH HOLLAND Jeff Bliss reports a refrigeration fire in Boyle Heights has released a toxic stench and caused an explosion in local rat and insect populations.

Aug 1, 20268 min

S8 Ep1184: TREAMING MAKING JBS, JEFF BLISS, MICHAEL VLAHOS. 7-31-26 1900 LA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE This podcast transcript features a dialogue between John Batchelor and Jeff Bliss regarding a series of escalating global and domestic crises.

Aug 1, 202656 min

S8 Ep1183: Bob Zimmerman notes China continues the dangerous practice of dropping uncontrolled rocket debris on its citizens, forcing them to hide in tunnels. In the commercial sector, the startup Catalyst attempted a high-speed satellite rescue mission, demonstr

Aug 1, 20265 min

S8 Ep1183: Bob Zimmerman reports SpaceX's Starship successfully floated for a week after splashdown, providing invaluable data for rapid reusability. The company further cemented its market dominance with a $1.6 billion Space Force contract, while competitors remain

Aug 1, 202614 min

S8 Ep1183: Lorenzo Fiori reports a historic heatwave has pushed the Po River to record lows, devastating Italy's agricultural heartland and water supplies for power stations. The ecological crisis includes an invasion of blue crabs, which are destroying clam populat

Aug 1, 20269 min

S8 Ep1183: Veronique de Rugy warns new administration rules replace flexible status for foreign students with fixed four-year periods, targeting the "best educated people on Earth." De Rugy warns this policy dissuades future scientists and innovators from choosing t

Aug 1, 20268 min

S8 Ep1182: Gene Marks compares public protests against data centers to the 19th-century opposition to railroads. While critics worry about land and water usage, Marks argues these facilities are imperative infrastructure for the information age and the AI revolution

Aug 1, 20268 min

S8 Ep1182: Gene Marks compares public protests against data centers to the 19th-century opposition to railroads. While critics worry about land and water usage, Marks argues these facilities are imperative infrastructure for the information age and the AI revolution

Aug 1, 20265 min

S8 Ep1181: Henry Sokolski notes Senator John Kennedy has emerged as a dogged opponent of granting Saudi Arabia enrichment authority, labeling it a "bad idea." The agreement will automatically go into force within 90 legislative days unless Congress passes a veto-pro

Aug 1, 20265 min

S8 Ep1181: Henry Sokolski reports a proposed nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia is causing alarm due to potential uranium enrichment capabilities. Sokolski warns that nuclear fuel-making brings a nation dangerously close to developing a bomb. Saudi Arabia's refusal

Aug 1, 202612 min

S8 Ep1181: Peter Huessy warns the U.S. now faces a tri-polar nuclear threat from Russia and China, both of which are modernizing their arsenals "gangbusters." Meanwhile, U.S. systems haven't been updated in 40 years, leaving the deterrent "fragile." Allied nations i

Aug 1, 20269 min

S8 Ep1181: Peter Huessy explains the foundation of U.S. nuclear strategy is the triad, ensuring launch capabilities from land, sea, and air. Developed after the 1957 Sputnik launch, this framework replaced "massive retaliation" with "flexible response." Huessy expla

Aug 1, 202610 min

S8 Ep1181: Jim McTague reports that in Lancaster County, Republican representatives are introducing legislation that adds red tape and taxes to data centers, contradicting traditional pro-growth principles. While the Democratic-led Lancaster City has embraced a lucr

Aug 1, 20267 min

S8 Ep1181: Jim McTague takes a road trip through Owensboro, Kentucky, revealing a "K-shaped" economy where retail business is "dead" for blue-collar residents relying on federal aid. Conversely, Jeffersonville, Ohio, is experiencing a "gold rush" as Amazon and Honda

Aug 1, 20269 min

S8 Ep1181: Richard Epstein turns to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, under fire for signing a document that allegedly exempts the President from IRS scrutiny regarding past and future taxes. Epstein characterizes this as a "scandalous" misuse of public trust an

Aug 1, 20265 min

S8 Ep1181: Richard Epstein examines New York City's proposed "pied-à-terre tax," which targets non-primary residences but threatens middle-class and working homeowners. Epstein argues the tax is unfairly structured, hitting condominiums at five times the rate of hou

Aug 1, 202614 min

S8 Ep1181: Jeff Bliss notes Governor Gavin Newsom is preparing for a 2028 presidential run, but past controversies are resurfacing. A Vanity Fair article by Ruby Rippey-Tourk, his former mistress and the wife of his then-campaign manager, accuses Newsom of being "ca

Aug 1, 20264 min

S8 Ep1181: Jeff Bliss reports a refrigeration fire in Boyle Heights has released a toxic stench and caused an explosion in local rat and insect populations. Residents remain displaced due to overpowering toxic aftereffects. Simultaneously, a massive heat dome and hu

Aug 1, 202613 min

S8 Ep1180: SCHEDULE FOR THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 7-30-2026 1800 CINCINNATI John Batchelor discusses with Simon Constable and Jim McTague the extreme weather conditions caused by a "super El Niño" year, leading to devastating wildfires in Canada and Europe.

Jul 31, 20268 min

S8 Ep1179: STREAMING MAKING JBS, SIMON CONSTABLE AND JIM MC TAGUE, 7-30--26 1903 ST. LAWRENCE BASIN This broadcast transcript explores the escalating Iran war and the controversial expansion of data centers in rural America.

Jul 31, 202653 min

S8 Ep1179: Arthur Herman credits Vannevar Bush's "The Endless Frontier" manifesto with persuading FDR to fund basic scientific research through universities, laying the groundwork for Silicon Valley. This federal support enabled discoveries in information theory and

Jul 31, 202611 min

S8 Ep1179: Arthur Herman presents Martin Luther King Jr. as a founder who refounded the American experiment by taking risks to fulfill the promise of equality. The segment explores the eternal conflict between the bold "founder mindset" and the cautious "manager ins

Jul 31, 20267 min

S8 Ep1179: Arthur Herman contrasts Woodrow Wilson's attempt to centrally manage industry during World War I, which resulted in logistical chaos and failure, with FDR's embrace of the private sector for World War II, appointing GM's Bill Knudsen to lead mobilization.

Jul 31, 202610 min

S8 Ep1179: Arthur Herman reframes the Gilded Age not as an era of greed, but as a period of unprecedented opportunity and connectivity driven by the railroad. James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway fostered regional prosperity and negotiated fairly with Native Ameri

Jul 31, 20268 min

S8 Ep1179: Arthur Herman characterizes Abraham Lincoln as a founder for his vision of an America without slavery and his willingness to risk the Union to fulfill the Declaration of Independence. His administration's legacy includes the Homestead Act and the Transcon

Jul 31, 202610 min