Episodes
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
Brian and I talk about transport
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
In this episode Brian and I attempt to cover the vast subject of transport. Our conversation ranges from British Rail privatisation to robot cars via fares, Coase’s theorem, Selfridges and the amazing Chuo Shinkansen.
Saturday Oct 27, 2018
Brian and I talk about the importance of being number three
Saturday Oct 27, 2018
Saturday Oct 27, 2018
By about 1900 it was becoming clear that Britain was going to be overtaken by both the United States and Germany and that one of them would emerge as top dog. It is Brian’s contention that Britain chose America.
So we talk about that and Roosevelt’s desire to get America into the Second World War and his dislike of the British empire. After that we digress - as is our wont - and talk about such subjects as Anti-Americanism, the rise of the English language, Trump’s taste in art, the half-hearted nature of the War of the Roses before speculating on Russia acting as number three between the US and China.
One correction. China, of course, did invent a few things. Rather important things. Just a long time ago.
Also, Towton was even bloodier than I had thought. Worse, indeed than the first day of the Somme.
Monday Sep 03, 2018
Brian and I chat about Trump
Monday Sep 03, 2018
Monday Sep 03, 2018
In this podcast Brian and I talk about Trump. Eventually. I thought our pre-formal proceedings chit chat was interesting enough to include.
We begin by asking how it was that Trump won. In doing so the financial crisis comes up as - bizarrely - do the Empire Loyalists. We agree that his tweeting was hugely important. That and apple pie.
We go on to discuss the delusions of the global elite, the Rat Pack and Kanye West before returning to the subject of Trump’s tweets.
Wednesday Apr 04, 2018
Brian and I chat about Diversity
Wednesday Apr 04, 2018
Wednesday Apr 04, 2018
Diversity + proximity = war. That is the proposition under discussion. I start off with Northern Ireland, Bosnia and a hundred other places. Brian counters with London and its many little communities.
On our way we consider the libertarian approach to the Red Army, terrorism and - inevitably - Islam.
Eventually, we manage to get off that particular subject and end up talking about Brexit, the greatest Briton and the secret Jews in Shakespeare’s time.
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
Brian and I chat about Television (Part VII)
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
In this last part we talk about history. David Starkey, Michael Portillo and K. G. B. Taylor all rate a mention.
By the way, Brian sent me a link which explains a bit more about our Gary Halliday mystery. After a bit more Googling I discovered that it was Gary Halliday that made way for Doctor Who.
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
Brian and I chat about Television (Part VI)
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
This time we get back to talking about sport and then talk about the wisdom of Boris Becker aged 17; David Beckham “I don’t regard thinking about an answer before you give it is evidence of stupidity” and why Big Internet is biased towards the left.
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
Brian and I chat about Television (Part V)
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
In this part (recorded a week after Part IV) we begin with a bit of re-capitulation and talk about the A-Team; “fatuously enjoyable” is Brian’s verdict. After that we start flying off on tangents discussing such things as cultural assumptions and the importance of rationality. On the way we do manage to mention in passing Doctor Who, Wheeler Dealers and Monty Python. “[John Cleese] stopped being funny ever since he started seeing a psychiatrist.” as Brian says.
Tuesday Dec 12, 2017
Brian and I chat about Television (Part IV)
Tuesday Dec 12, 2017
Tuesday Dec 12, 2017
Can TV be a force for freedom? Surely not! But Brian makes the case that it was one of the factors that led to victory in the Cold War.
Tuesday Dec 12, 2017
Brian and I chat about Television (Part III)
Tuesday Dec 12, 2017
Tuesday Dec 12, 2017
“[Sport] sucks all the fascism out of real life and stuffs it into a football stadium where it belongs.”
Yup, we’re talking about sport on TV. This may be where I explain how it’s a great alternative to mogadon. But it might not be.
And after sport we talk about the Doctor Who missing episodes and missing episodes generally before (somehow) getting on to the subject of Jane Austen and violence.
Monday Dec 11, 2017
Brian and I chat about Television (Part II)
Monday Dec 11, 2017
Monday Dec 11, 2017
In this part we mainly discuss the impact TV had on crime. Brian thinks it had quite a lot.
Also the Gary Halliday mystery gets a little less mysterious. OK, so we don’t know who he was, what he did or where he came from, we do get to find out that he had a rag.
In the previous post I may have suggested that this podcast will end up having 5 parts. I was wrong. It looks like we're going to end up with 7.
Monday Nov 27, 2017
Brian and I chat about Television (Part I)
Monday Nov 27, 2017
Monday Nov 27, 2017
This podcast has had something of a troubled beginning. First of all, we ran out of space on the SD card meaning that 10 minutes of the greatest conversation in history is now lost for ever. It was mainly about cricket.
Then, we found that although Brian had plenty to say I had few questions to ask which rather put the damper on things. At that point we decided to abandon and come back another day. Which we did. The second session was much better and much longer. In fact we gabbled on for so long we had to have the odd break.
The upshot is that we have ended up with 5 parts. In Part I Brian states that he likes TV and that "proper" TV involves implausibly good-looking people doing implausible things. Sadly we never do get to find out who Gary Halliday is.
Other parts will be posted up as they become available i.e. when I get round to editing them.
Monday Sep 04, 2017
Brian Micklethwait and I chat about the First World War
Monday Sep 04, 2017
Monday Sep 04, 2017
Usually it's me doing the interviewing but since I am the resident expert on the First World War for once I am the interviewee. But don't worry Micklethwait fans, Brian does plenty if not a majority of the speechifying.
We start off by talking about why Britain went to war.
Thursday Feb 07, 2013
Cobden Centre Radio: Detlev Schlichter on Where's my monetary collapse?
Thursday Feb 07, 2013
Thursday Feb 07, 2013
Most Cobden Centre supporters will be thoroughly familiar with Detlev Schlichter through his book Paper Money Collapse and his blog The Schlichter Files. In this podcast I ask how it is that the collapse he predicted in the book has been averted. Detlev explains how western governments have propped up their banks, how we have seen a massive change in the money creation process and how inflation expectations will act as the trigger for the final collapse.
Sunday Nov 18, 2012
Sunday Nov 18, 2012
Are democracy and sound money incompatible? Many people think they are but Douglas Carswell, MP for Clacton, begs to differ. Indeed, he has begged so much that he's produced a book: The End of Politics and the Birth of iDemocracy.
In this podcast we discuss how debts are undermining Western civilisation, the significance of unequal taxation and how iDemocracy most definitely does not mean voting by computer. And, oh yeah, what is the difference between a metaphor and a simile?
Wednesday Sep 05, 2012
Cobden Centre Radio: Brian Micklethwait on Propaganda
Wednesday Sep 05, 2012
Wednesday Sep 05, 2012
In this podcast, Brian and I discuss the difficulties in making the case for Austrian economics, the difficulties in reading the case for Austrian economics, the importance of the term "Austrianism", how things are going and how best to deal with socialists (answer: agree on the problem: disagree on the solution). We also manage to get into a bit of a pickle over whether TARP and the Stimulus were Keynesian or Monetarist. If there are members of the commentariat who could enlighten us we would be grateful. Here is a link to Brian's piece on the importance of being Number Two
Wednesday May 30, 2012
Thursday Jul 07, 2011
Antoine Clarke and I talk about the occupation of the Ruhr
Thursday Jul 07, 2011
Thursday Jul 07, 2011
At least, that's how it starts. But soon enough we're talking about the Battle of Jena and all points between, which include the Franco-Prussian War, the siege(s) of Paris and the Dreyfus Affair.
Friday Jul 01, 2011
Watching TV in bars and cafes abroad
Friday Jul 01, 2011
Friday Jul 01, 2011
In this edition Michael Jennings and I talk about what you can learn from watching TV in bars and cafes abroad. Quite a lot, as it turns out, though not, sadly, in the case of that enigma wrapped up in a mystery that is Australia.
Friday Jun 24, 2011
Paul and I talk about everything
Friday Jun 24, 2011
Friday Jun 24, 2011
"Everything" to include unemployment, the Fairness Doctrine, liberation theology, Guatamalan novelists and banking - a subject that prompted Paul to remark: "If you consider it and think about it too long, you go mad."
Wednesday Jun 15, 2011
Brian and I talk about the IPL
Wednesday Jun 15, 2011
Wednesday Jun 15, 2011
It's new and it's roots are shallow but the Indian Premier League (IPL) looks set to stay. Brian and I talk about why I like it and what is says about India and cricket in general. Some swearing.
Thursday Jan 20, 2011
Patrick and Brian talk about the rise of Austrian Economics
Thursday Jan 20, 2011
Thursday Jan 20, 2011
Why it is rising, the strength of western democracy, the 1970s and the failure behind greenery.