Curious Worldview Podcast

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Follow me on Instagram - @ryanfhogg

Watch on Youtube - https://youtu.be/ZzsFPOUzlHg

Micheal Hilliard is a geopolitical analyst host and creator of 'The Red Line Podcast'… and! a fellow Aussie coming to us today from Australia’s glorious West coast capital, Perth.

Micheal and his team with the 'Red Line' take a deep fortnightly dive into a eclectic mix of narrow geopolitical topics … everything from the second hand market for nuclear weapons to the growth of Chinese private military groups...

And so therefore, and needless to say, the 'Red Line' is brilliant and if you have anything geopolitical populating your new episodes feed you'd be smart to too add the red line to your subscriptions.

This is michael’s second appearance on the pod… in his first appearance he hinted a time in his life when he was living in Kazakstan ghostwriting geopolitical analysis and this tidbit has been on my mind ever since.

Therefore this pod we do Michael Hilliard…
Touring as a bass player in a rock n roll bandTid bits on TurkmenistanTop to bottom the world of geopolitics ghostwritingIndonesia from Australia’s perspectiveSerendipity… and much more

• 00:00 – Who Is Michael Hilliard
• 03:15 – Michael's Early Story (Touring As A Base Player)
• 17:05 – Turning Geopolitical
• 19:15 – Turkmenistan Is Worse Than North Korea
• 29:31 – Transitioning From Rock n Roll To Journalism
• 32:35 – Geopolitical Ghostwriting (Top To Bottom)
• 47:05 – 'The Red Line Podcast'
• 1:00:32 – Indonesia's Geopolitics
• 1:16:06 – Who Are The Journalist's You Most Admire
• 1:19:59 - The Business Of The Red Line
• 1:23:55 - Podcasting Landscape In Australia
• 1:30:45 – Final 3 Questions… Serendipity, Fictional Character, Country Bullish On

Curious Things Mentioned During The Episode

• Geopolitics Starter Pack
• Michael Hilliard First Appearance

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Link to example of clip I am looking for - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibLyjkpYY_E

Link to example of infographic I am looking for (halfway down) - https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/p/update-1

Write to me at [email protected]

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https://atlasgeographica.com/ernest-scheyder/

Ernest Scheyder runs directly towards the impossible trade-offs of mining in the ‘War Below’...

The electrification of the economy is on the one hand very good. It means we can move away from consuming the carbon rich oil into our atmosphere… but it also means that we are going to need way more other stuff from the under the ground than we currently even know about. It will require mining 100’s of more sacred sites and 100’s of more beautiful vistas.

Copper, lithium, cobalt and literally 100’s of other rare earths are all necessary components of batteries, electric cars, trucks, boats, even leaf-blowers… and this for a scale for 8 billion, soon to be 9 billion people…

If a sacred religious sight is built atop enough copper to secure your domestic supply… should you mine it?

If thousands of tonnes of lithium is built under a unique flower, almost certain to go extinct if you extract… should you do it?

And if you decide to play by environmental rules while everyone doesn’t… are you doing what’s right in the short term at the cost of whats best in the long?

These questions consume the book, and as well, this conversation.

So here is a veteran energy journalist for Rueters, and author of the War Below… Ernest Scheyder.

War Below – Ernest Scheyder

• 00:00 – Understanding Ernest Scheyder’s ‘War Below’
• 02:54 – Daniel Yergin & Geothermal Energy
• 05:21 – It’s Trade-Off’s All The Way Down (Mining, Policy Hypocrisy)
• 28:08 – Ernest’s Hesitation To Offer His Opinion
• 36:10 – Waste, Death & Bi-Products Of Mining
• 54:19 – Greenwashing & Child Labour
• 1:06:16 – Appreciation For The Miners
• 1:08:58 – Economic Protectionism
• 1:11:18 – Robert Friedland
• 1:12:36 – Final 3 Questions… Serendipity, Fictional Character, Country Bullish On

Curious Things Mentioned During The Episode

• Geothermal Starter Pack
• Erik Townsend – Energy Transition
• Investigative Journalist Starter Pack

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https://atlasgeographica.com/jon-lee-anderson/

I once responded to a question in a grant application that the people I admired most were great adventurers, great writers and great journalists… the kicker naturally being, that the best was a combination of all three!

Well, in Jon Lee Anderson we have an exemplar for all three of those labels.

Listens past 10 minutes and you will see the adventurer, listen to the details of how he put together Che’s biography and you will understand the journalist but then to top it all off, read anything Jon Lee’s written and you will understand the great writer.

This was a mighty moment for the podcast. I managed to hide my nerves behind a facade of professionalism… but Jon and I ended up spending more than 4 hours together as we inhabited a closed, cold, empty drinkers club on a January London morning.

Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker Staff Writer

Che: A Revolutionary Life

• 00:00 – Who Is Jon Lee Anderson
• 02:20 – On The Same Stage Julian Assange Launched Wikileaks.
• 05:50 – 13 Year Old Runaway Vagabond In East Africa.
• 22:15 – Is Risk Necessary For It To Be An Adventure?
• 26:03 – Discovering A Part Of The World For The First Time.
• 32:44 – Serendipity & Jon Lee On Religion & Evil.
• 40:20 – First Bi-Line At The Lima Times.
• 47:37 – Jon Lee Reflects On His Upbringing & How He Thinks About Being A Father.
• 53:54 – Che Guevara.
• 1:24:00 – There’s No More Revolutionaries, Only Narcos…
• 1:32:45 – Haiti.
• 1:35:48 – What Does Jon Lee Admire Most & Least About Che Guevara?
• 1:45:48 – What Doors Do The New Yorker Open?
• 1:46:47 – Christopher Hitchens.
• 1:51:50 – Next Generation Of Journalists & Media Landscape They Inherit.
• 1:58:07 – Jon Lee Anderson Autobiography.
• 2:00:24 – Country Jon Lee Is Bullish On.

Curious Things Mentioned During The Episode

• Journalist Starter Pack – All Journalists Who Have Appeared On The Podcast
• Explorers Starter Pack – All Explorers Who Have Appeared On The Podcast
• David Grann – Lost City Of Z, New Yorker

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https://atlasgeographica.com/patrick-watts/

The following is with Patrick Watts who is one hell of an interesting fella, this was a really fun episode to record!

The podcast is about the themes from his debut book, The End Of The American Empire.

The End Of The American Empire – UK Amazon

The End Of The American Empire – US Amazon

It’s just come out in US and UK markets, so don’t hesitate a second to go and get it. Amazon link is in the description… this is a self published book from Patrick, so my hope is that the curious worldview audience will really make a difference in moving the needle here.

• 00:00 – Who Is Patrick Watts
• 01:23 – US Politics (Biden, Culture & Trump)
• 11:23 – Theory Of Rhetoric
• 13:49 – Patrick Watts… Self Confessed Americanophile
• 17:54 – Distinction Between An Empire & State
• 21:33 – Behind The Scenes Self Publishing
• 47:58 – John Perkins & Confessions Of An Economic Hitman
• 54:25 – Why Empires Have Fallen Throughout History
• 1:16:49 – 50% Of Pregnancies In The US Are Unplanned
• 1:19:13 – US Is The Most Mediciated Citizenry On Earth
• 1:20:13 – What Does A Collapse Of The American Empire Look Like?
• 1:33:30 – Serendipity In Patrick’s Life
• 1:45:35 – Favourite Fictional Character & Country Particularly Bullish On

Curious Things Mentioned During The Episode

• Geopolitics Starter Pack
• John Perkins & Confessions Of An Economic Hitman

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https://atlasgeographica.com/bill-browder-russia/

Bill Browder is back for his #2 appearance on the pod!

This was recorded in his London offices, and builds upon the themes from our first conversation.

Bill discusses the very real threat of assassination by both Putin and China. He lays out his Rouges Gallery of both nations and individuals and offers what is a rather desolate and grim picture of the Russian culture and economy.

Bill Browder is the author of Red Notice & Freezing Order.

Red Notice is one of my favourite autobiographies. It is an incredible story from how Bill went from the descendent of one of America’s most famous communists to becoming one of the most famous capitalists in Russia. At Hermitage Capital’s peak (Bill’s investment firm) he was the largest source of Western Capital in Post-Soviet Russia… his experiences around the voucher system alone make the book a must read. Or podcast a must listen ;)

• 00:00 - Safety & Threat Of Assassination
• 08:00 - Long Term Impact On Russian Culture
• 17:22 - Current State Of The Russian Economy?
• 21:46 - The Global Magnitzky Act
• 26:46 - Bill Browder's Rouges Gallery & Anti Rouges Gallery
• 34:44 - Bill's Public Profile
• 38:24 - What Is The Function Of Hermitage Capital
• 40:18 - Bills Son & Entrepreneurship
• 45:29 - Country Bill Is Most Bullish On

Curious Things Mentioned During The Episode

• Jim Henry – Blood Bankers
• Desmond Shum - Red Roulette
• John Perkins – Confessions Of An Economic Hitman
• Nic Shaxson – The Tools Of The Offshore Accountant
• Bradley Hope – Jho Low & 1MDB Financial Fraud
• Nathan Lynch – Money Laundering In Australia
• Oliver Bullough – Moneyland
• Podcast Starter Pack – Offshore Finance

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https://atlasgeographica.com/brian-klaas/

Brian Klaas is an associate professor in global politics at University College London, author of several books, host of a really good podcast, creator of a huge substack and someone who has created a life for himself for which I wish to emulate many parts…

We recorded this in person!… Brian and I sat down together in his Winchester kitchen and spoke about randomness, chance, Nassim Taleb, Flukes and why all these things are worth thinking about…

If you like Taleb, then Brian’s new book, Fluke which just came out… is right up your alley. Brian’s research is wonderful.

• 00:00 – Who Is Brian Klaas?
• 01:00 – Life Can Be Understood Backwards, But It Must Be Lived Forwards.
• 11:55 – Does Brian Feel Like He Has More Or Less Agency?
• 20:51 – Taleb’s Blindfold Metaphor & The Problems Of Prediction.
• 35:20 – How Nassim Taleb Effected Brian’s Worldview.
• 44:55 – Why Experimentation Is Wise.
• 50:55 – Why The Minority Rule Is Relevant To Politics.
• 53:20 – Extremistan V Mediocristan
• 1:03:00 – The Idea Of Lock-In.
• 1:07:30 – Serendipity In Brian’s Life & The Media Landscape In The Next 20 Years.
• 1:22:00 – Brian’s Favourite Authors.
• 1:24:30 – An Ode To Madagascar & Explanation OF Geographical Determinism.

Curious Things Mentioned During The Episode

• Scott Patterson – Chaos Kings
• Russ Roberts – Reflecting on 15 Years Of EconTalk
• Luca Dellana – Ergodicity
• Me Being Interviewed For The Profile On Nassim Taleb
• Nassim Taleb Incerto Podcast
• Nassim Taleb Incerto Book Reviews

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Christopher Neijd is a police lieutenant for Southern Stockholm, he’s been in the force for more than 14 years, and is a close mates of Rhino who was episode #146 as a member of Sweden’s SWAT force, called Piketen.

This is an interview about Christopher's experiences on the police force, how Sweden has or hasn’t changed over time, a microscope on the events of the Easter Riots of 2022 plus plenty more of course…

• 00:00 - Who Is Cristopher Neijd
• 01:05 - Early Life & Formative Experiences
• 21:45 - Why People Want To Join Police & What Policing Is Like These Days
• 31:25 - Shootings In Stockholm
• 41:21 - 2022 Easter Riots
• 1:05:45 - How Crime Has Gotten More Violent In Sweden
• 1:21:05 - Why Being Police Is A Great Job

Curious Things Mentioned During The Episode

• 46: Arne Andersson | Three Tours In Afghanistan Through The Eyes Of The Swedish Military
• 146: The Life & Lessons Of An Elite Swedish 'Piketen' Police Officer
• 113: Diamant Salihu | Gang Violence, Drugs, Immigration & Integration In Sweden

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🎙️: https://atlasgeographica.com/mike-salbro-aboriginal-in-sweden/

Originally uploaded July 2021, episode #31 of the pod! Today, over 130 episodes later, I am re-uploading this ep to bring it the top of the feed!

Mike’s story is full of twists, turns, tragedies and inspiration.

He was adopted at just a few months old from a lovely Swedish woman and shortly after moved to Stockholm. Mike, alongside his brother (also Aboriginal and adopted in Brisbane) then grew up in Sweden coming through Swedish schools and the entire Swedish system.

Mike has now returned to Australia. Brisbane specifically and now works as a social worker after going through his journey in the social system supporting young indigenous people of Australia.

This chat meant a lot to me. Big Mike is a legend. I hope you enjoy it the same. Spread it far and wide and leave positive reviews.

• 00:00 - New Year's Message
• 01:30 – Introduction
• 03:05 – Mike’s Journey Begins
• 16:35 – Mike Being Taken From His Mother
• 25:59 – Adoption & Life In The Foster Home
• 42:25 – Horrible Anecdote About Macquarie
• 48:05 – On Being The Only Black Boy Around
• 1:03:05 – Mike’s Troubles With Alcohol & The Law
• 1:08:05 – Mike Returning To Australia
• 1:31:05 – Mike Ask’s Me What I Am Doing In Sweden
• 1:34:25 – What Big Mike Is Up To Now
• 1:51:45 – What Is Something Sweden Can Use From Australia & Vice Versa?

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The podcast's year in review!

Check out stats of the podcast, reflection on best. episodes of the year, dreams and ambitions for the future.

Pump the good juice! And see you next year mate ;)