The John Batchelor Show

1937
Deceptive Cheating Methods Exposed in Cricket
John Batchelor and Jeremy Zakis analyze athletic dishonesty in cricket, detailing a scandal in which a player used subtle finger clicks to mimic bat contact, deceiving umpires into calling batters out. They also examine ball tampering, match-fixing tactics, and how modern broadcasting technology inevitably exposes hidden misconduct. (3)

Venomous Snake Booms Threaten Australian Pets
John Batchelor and Jeremy Zakis highlight pet risks during an unprecedented boom in venomous eastern brown snakes following erratic spring weather. Authorities advise clearing dark mulch, tall grass, and lavender bushes where sluggish reptiles hide. The conversation also notes local cockatoo behavior, friendly magpie encounters, and airport lounge safety. (3)

1927 QUEENSLAND
El Niño Triggers Unpredictable Australian Weather
John Batchelor and Jeremy Zakis discuss Australia’s chaotic springtime weather, driven by intensifying El Niñopatterns. Antarctic cold blasts bring freezing temperatures, severe winds, and mountain snow to New South Wales. Simultaneously, heatwaves scorch the western deserts while Queensland endures severe supercells, damaging hail, and infrastructure-overwhelming floods. ()1

1920  MASADA
Decade of Israeli Security and Politics
Peter Berkowitz, author of Explaining Israel: The Jewish State, the Middle East, and America, analyzes Israeli policy, national security, and domestic political shifts from 2014 through 2024. He evaluates Israel’s defense response following the October 7 attacks, the strategic significance of the Abraham Accords, controversial judicial reforms, Supreme Court activism, and key arguments countering modern anti-Semitism and anti-Israel protests. (4)

Backroom Deals Secure Authoritarian Power Seizure — Part Two
Timothy Ryback, author of Takeover: Hitler’s Final Rise to Power, reveals the backroom intrigues of January 1933, as Franz von Papen and Alfred Hugenberg negotiated a coalition with Hitler. Despite Nazi Party debt and factional rifts with Gregor Strasser, President Hindenburg reluctantly appointed Hitler chancellor on January 30, marking the tragic collapse of the Weimar Republic. (6)