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In the late 18th century in Scotland, a vagabond gained attention with a story of kidnapping, slavery, war, and immersion into native American culture. Peter Williamson became a sensation in the Briti…

In the late 18th cen…

In the late 18th century in Scotland, a vagabond gained attention with a story of kidnapping, slavery, war, and immersion into native American culture. Peter Williamson became a sensation in the British Isles, but how much of his story was true? In this episode, I explore the bizarre tale of Peter Williamson. I separate fact from fiction and reveal the unlikely aspects of his story that proved to be true. Music provided by The ConradsSound Effects from Pixabay.

Imagine one day waking up and being told to forget everything you had learned in school. Discovering that key industries in the Economy had been eliminated. Learning that culture and history had been …

Imagine one day waki…

Imagine one day waking up and being told to forget everything you had learned in school. Discovering that key industries in the economy had been eliminated. Learning that culture and history had been reset to year zero. And, worst of all learning that you and your friends and Family were to be killed or sent to concentration camps. This is the horrific reality Dr. Sara Pol-Lim was faced with as a young girl in 1970s Cambodia. The regime of the time -- a Marxist inspired junta named the Khmer Rouge created what they viewed as a utopia but the civilized world recognized as a dystopia. What follo…

On the eve of launching a genocidal conflict in 1939, Adolf Hitler is reported to have asked "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" The event he was referring to was the…

On the eve of launch…

On the eve of launching a genocidal conflict in 1939, Adolf Hitler is reported to have asked "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" The event he was referring to was the near decade long systematic destruction of the ethnic Armenian community living in the Ottoman Empire or today's Turkiye.  Hitler was alluding to the old adage 'History is written by the victors.' In essence, you can do the most terrible things but if you come out on top and control the narrative then no one knows or seemingly cares.   A century later, the Armenian genocide hasn't been forgott…

Terminator, rogue chat bots, Artificial Intelligence replacing human workers ... over the last few years we have all seen numerous headlines about the existential threat posed to humanity by AI. But a…

Terminator, rogue ch…

Terminator, rogue chat bots, artificial intelligence replacing human workers ... over the last few years we have all seen numerous headlines about the existential threat posed to humanity by AI. But are these fears legitimate? Where do the fears come from? Are we really in danger from AI or something else?  In this episode I speak with returning guest Prof. Margaret Schwartz of Fordham University. We discuss the cultural and societal impact of AI, but delve deeper than the media headlines as we try to understand how this new Technology can actually impact us -- for better or worse. Music and …

At the end of ww1, the vast but ailing Russian empire collapsed. What followed was regicide, civil war and famine. But just a generation later, the world had changed. Russia, now part of the Soviet Un…

At the end of ww1, t…

At the end of ww1, the vast but ailing Russian empire collapsed. What followed was regicide, civil war and famine. But just a generation later, the world had changed. Russia, now part of the Soviet Union found itself uniquely positioned to itself on the global scene in a way it had done before. In this episode I speak with Russian born historian Sergey Rachenko, he Wilson E. Schmidt Distinguished Professor at the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs about his groundbreaking book To Run the World: The Kremlin's Cold War Bid for Global Power. We discuss the motivations and aspirations of…

Climate change has accelerated efforts by some theorists to develop mechanisms for controlling Earth's weather patterns and even the biosphere. But human attempts to control our these elements are not…

Climate change has a…

Climate change has accelerated efforts by some theorists to develop mechanisms for controlling Earth's weather patterns and even the biosphere. But human attempts to control our these elements are nothing new. In fact, our ancestors aspired to do the same in antiquity. But what attempts have been made already to alter the weather? Were they successful? What did we learn from these efforts? Is this fantasy? madness? or something we can achieve?  In this episode I speak with science and technology historian Prof. Jim Fleming (Ph.D. history, Princeton University) who is the Charles A. Dana Profe…

WARNING: This episode includes eye witness accounts of a violent murder and subsequent execution. Catherine Hayes was born into an unexceptional working class family at the end of the 17th century in …

WARNING: This episod…

WARNING: This episode includes eye witness accounts of a violent murder and subsequent execution. Catherine Hayes was born into an unexceptional working class family at the end of the 17th century in Birmingham, England. Like so many of that era, and most of us today, she led a life that ordinarily wouldn't warrant mention in a history book. But one event caused her name to become synonymous with infamy: the murder of her husband.  She claimed innocence up until her last breath but she was executed as a result of the crime. Was she the killer? Was she even morally responsible for the crime? A…

In recent years El Paso, Buffalo, Charleston, and Overland Park have joined the list of cities where right wing extremists have committed mass killings. Racial hate and fascism are not new. From slave…

In recent years El P…

In recent years El Paso, Buffalo, Charleston, and Overland Park have joined the list of cities where right wing extremists have committed mass killings. Racial hate and fascism are not new. From slavery, into the civil war, Jim Crow, the civil rights era, onto the Oklahoma City bombing, Charlottesville and so on, right wing extremists have posed a threat to US society. But, what happens when a violent far right extremist decides to turn their back on the movement? Many of these people engage with Life after Hate an organization dedicated to helping people break free from hate and live compassi…

By the mid Nineteenth century Europeans had conquered or explored all of the Americas, Asia and even remote Pacific outposts that we know today as Australia, New Zealand, and Tahiti. But bizarrely one…

By the mid Nineteent…

By the mid Nineteenth century Europeans had conquered or explored all of the Americas, Asia and even remote Pacific outposts that we know today as Australia, New Zealand, and Tahiti. But bizarrely one area remained largely unexplored and it was right on Europe's doorstep: Sub Saharan Africa.  As you might expect, explorers, missionaries and of course colonialists soon made their way down South. They encountered new languages, customs, ethnic groups and evidence of previously unknown (to Europeans) civilizations. But more surprisingly, they also encountered a group of people who identified as …

Originally aired 2022.   In 1990, astronaut Steven Hawley deployed the Hubble telescope in space as part of the crew of the space shuttle Discovery. Kansas-born Hawley was among the civilians selecte…

Originally aired 202…

Originally aired 2022.   In 1990, astronaut Steven Hawley deployed the Hubble telescope in space as part of the crew of the space shuttle Discovery. Kansas-born Hawley was among the civilians selected to be part of the space program on the basis of his expertise in a specific area: astronomy. One of his subsequent trips into space involved completing maintenance on HST. More recently, he has used it at ground level during his research work. In this episode, I talk to Professor Hawley about Hubble, his time as an astronaut, and the impact of HST. Featuring: Professor Steven Hawley Music: Pixab…

Explore the captivating story of the Romanian revolution of 1989, a pivotal moment shaped by the country's rich history of resisting and embracing external influences. This intricate tapestry of event…

Explore the captivat…

Explore the captivating story of the Romanian revolution of 1989, a pivotal moment shaped by the country's rich history of resisting and embracing external influences. This intricate tapestry of events traces back to the second century AD when the Roman Emperor Trajan conquered the region, leaving an indelible mark in the form of plundered gold. Subsequent waves of invaders, including Goths, Huns, Bulgars, Magyars, and Ottomans, were met with fierce resistance, led by legendary figures like Vlad The Impaler. Each conqueror left behind a lasting Legacy, contributing to Romania's unique heteroge…

Mata Hari -- publicly portrayed as a mysterious Javan princess who became famous for her exotic dance routines and high profile affairs -- has become the poster child for twentieth century female espi…

Mata Hari -- publicl…

Mata Hari -- publicly portrayed as a mysterious Javan princess who became famous for her exotic dance routines and high profile affairs -- has become the poster child for twentieth century female espionage. The bombshell sex symbol who can seduce any man. The cunning and ruthless individual who will betray anyone to enrich herself as a double agent. She is model for the Bond femme fatales that have become a cinematic trope. But, is any of this true? In this episode I speak with historian Professor Tammy Proctor of Utah State University. During her research which has among other things yielded …