S8 Ep161: European Space Agency Increases Budget and Shifts Toward Commercial Model — Bob Zimmerman — The European Space Agency approved record budget allocations, increasing funding by approximately one-third to facilitate systematic transition toward commercial s
European Space Agency Increases Budget and Shifts Toward Commercial Model — Bob Zimmerman — The European Space Agency approved record budget allocations, increasing funding by approximately one-third to facilitate systematic transition toward commercial space operations. Zimmerman documents that the ESA has established a "launcher challenge" incentivizing startup rocket companies, and transferred operational control of the Vega C rocket from centralized Arianespace to manufacturer Avio, enabling independent launch commercialization while the global commercial space sector expands with new entrants including Australianstartup At Space successfully conducting suborbital test flights.
1963
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S8 Ep161: Space Sector Crisis: Roscosmos Launch Pad Destruction and Starlink Exploitation — Bob Zimmerman — Zimmerman details a catastrophic setback for Roscosmos whereby destruction of their primary Soyuz launch pad halts crewed missions to the International Space
Space Sector Crisis: Roscosmos Launch Pad Destruction and Starlink Exploitation — Bob Zimmerman — Zimmerman details a catastrophic setback for Roscosmos whereby destruction of their primary Soyuz launch pad halts crewed missions to the International Space Station, potentially stranding the current crew for extended periods. Zimmerman documents Russian military exploitation of black-market Starlink terminals attached to reconnaissance and attack drones throughout the Ukraine conflict, while SpaceX booster reusability records approach Space Shuttlehistorical benchmarks, and Chinese officials confirm space debris damaged their space station docking module window. 1953
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S8 Ep161: UK Labor Government Faces Backlash Over Broken Promises — Simon Constable — The UK Labour Party, despite commanding a substantial parliamentary supermajority, faces uniform public rejection of its fall budget that systematically violates campaign pledges
UK Labor Government Faces Backlash Over Broken Promises — Simon Constable — The UK Labour Party, despite commanding a substantial parliamentary supermajority, faces uniform public rejection of its fall budget that systematically violates campaign pledges regarding middle-class taxation. Constable documents that Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces accusations of exaggerating past achievements on her curriculum vitae, specifically claiming a "Britishgirls under 14" chess championship subsequently challenged and disputed. Constable notes OECD warnings that the new budget framework will negate economic growth, signaling severe economic deterioration for Britain.
1940 LONDON BLITZ
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S8 Ep161: Economic Signals from Europe: Falling Energy, Rising Copper, Data Center Demand — Simon Constable — Constable reports from southern France that global economic indicators remain mixed: European energy prices have declined due to weak industrial demand sig
Economic Signals from Europe: Falling Energy, Rising Copper, Data Center Demand — Simon Constable — Constable reports from southern France that global economic indicators remain mixed: European energy prices have declined due to weak industrial demand signaling economic sluggishness, while copper prices surge driven by "green transition" infrastructure development and energy-intensive AI data center construction. Constable documents that copper demand is projected to increase sixfold by 2050, creating critical supply gaps and incentivizing dangerous copper wire theft from derelict properties, while China controls limited domestic production but maintains substantial contract claims on South American reserves rendering supply chains geopolitically vulnerable.
1954
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S8 Ep161: Supply-Side Progressivism and the High Cost of Green Energy Regulation — Steven Hayward — Haywardexamines the emerging "supply-side progressivism" movement championed by Ezra Klein, which belatedly acknowledges that excessive regulatory frameworks systema
Supply-Side Progressivism and the High Cost of Green Energy Regulation — Steven Hayward — Haywardexamines the emerging "supply-side progressivism" movement championed by Ezra Klein, which belatedly acknowledges that excessive regulatory frameworks systematically damage economic competitiveness and living standards. Hayward criticizes these progressive intellectuals for acting as though they discovered this reality, ignoring forty years of conservative scholarship documenting regulatory deadweight losses. Hayward highlights California'ssoaring gasoline prices—approaching $7 per gallon in certain jurisdictions—resulting from regulatory destruction of refinery capacity while mandating electric vehicle transition by 2035, creating structural energy price inflation.
1932
The John Batchelor Show is a hard news-analysis radio program on current events, world history, global politics and natural sciences. Based in New York City for two decades, the show has travelled widely to report, from the Middle East to the South Caucasus to the Arabian Peninsula and East Asia.
Ireland