[tomtom]

That A55 road works is good for something!

Got some sneaky beta for you if you’re keen. For Friday/ w ends especially. Knocked 30 min off from y day and more traffic today

That snide blue light you picked up? 😃

[TobyD]

Talking to Strangers on BBC sounds at the moment,  author Malcolm Gladwell reads from his book.

As Others See Us also on BBC sounds. 

[TobyD]

Don't tell me the score
A recent good episode with Matthew Syed.

[moose]

This podcast is pretty good. The Science of Sport

https://open.spotify.com/show/3g71AuFYy6FnYHEI1GO9A0

https://player.fm/series/the-real-science-of-sport-podcast

It's Ross Tucker's show - he's a South African sports scientist.  He was one of consultants for the decisions by the IOC etc re decisions on the participation of Caster Semenya and Oscar Pistorius (iirc his advice was ignored though).  He also seems to be involved in either drafting or assessing the affect of the new tackling rules in Rugby.

The Running Shoe episode is interesting.  The How to Cheat at Sport one is fun (lots of annecdotes and barely veiled digs at Team Sky and Chris Froome).  The Talent Development ones are probably the best though - thought provoking - and absolutely tear apart the whole Malcolm Gladwell championed 10,000 hours paradigm.

[Will Hunt]

Margaret Atwood's new sequel to The Handmaid's Tale is currently being serialised on the BBC and is available as a podcast on the Sounds app. Ten (15 min) episodes in and I'm really enjoying it.

I can't remember for sure but I think it builds on some plot elements from the TV show (baby Nichole wasn't in the book was she?), but not in a way that you'd have to have seen the show. Though the writers might have to do some serious head scratching if they want the TV stuff to sync with the new book!

[andy popp]

I can't remember for sure but I think it builds on some plot elements from the TV show

Its a sequel to the book more than anything, and is set 15 years after the book's ending.

[r-man]

Happened on this not so long ago. David Baddiel exploring why we don’t have a written constitution and why, up to now at least, that has been perceived as advantageous. It was made in 2017, but it seems pretty relevant at the moment. A brief 15min dip into the subject...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b096j4m2

[TobyD]

why we don’t have a written constitution and why, up to now at least, that has been perceived as advantageous.

I listened to that at the time, good series. Pedantry alert, I believe, I think, that we do have a written constitution already, but it isn't codified like the US for example. Ours is written in a variety of different places.

[Fultonius]

Having seen a few people saying the Bellingcat podcast was good, I had a look as the name seemed familiar. Is he not pretty widely discredited as being pretty unreliable? Pushing official narratives? I.e. believing the whit helmets etc.?

I have no idea the veracity of the following link.... (but I've seen plenty well informed bloggers etc. dismantling many Bellingcat stories)

https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Bellingcat

Anyway, on a more positive note. There was a brilliant BBC series called Intrigue: The Ratline: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04sj2pt  I'm not normally that into war history, but this is so well written and presented. Fascinating.

Echt Gebeurt is pretty funny if your Dutch is good enough (mine's not quite, but the easier ones are worth a listen).

The War on Cars: only listened to two episodes: one about SuperBlocks in Barcelona and the into one. Very interesting perspective on car free cities, local democracy (and it's drawbacks...) etc. Good challenging stuff.

[teestub]

I have no idea the veracity of the following link.... (but I've seen plenty well informed bloggers etc. dismantling many Bellingcat stories)

https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Bellingcat

I don’t know anything about Bellingcat, but did you read that link before posting it? It appears to be a conspiracy theory site, and the few passages I read were full of full on foil hat brigade red flags!

[Will Hunt]

I.e. believing the whit helmets etc.?

Wait, what? I thought that NOT believing the white helmets was a conspiracy theory put about by the Russians?

[tommytwotone]

The latest "How To Fail", with Alain De Botton as guest is really very good.

[Fultonius]

I have no idea the veracity of the following link.... (but I've seen plenty well informed bloggers etc. dismantling many Bellingcat stories)

https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Bellingcat

I don’t know anything about Bellingcat, but did you read that link before posting it? It appears to be a conspiracy theory site, and the few passages I read were full of full on foil hat brigade red flags!

Ok, ok...should not post links pre-coffee in rush. I guessI first doubted Bellingcat through Craig Murray's blog. https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/09/boshirov-is-probably-not-chepiga-but-he-is-also-not-boshirov/

I'm never quite sure about Murray - he is very anti-establishment, and sometimes makes wild claims - but he usually tries to back it up with hard fact. I'm so sceptical of "official narratives" that I need to be careful not to stray into conspiracy ground.

You don't have to be "pro-Russia" (which I vehemently am not) do have doubts about the white helmet's narratives.

[teestub]

You don't have to be "pro-Russia" (which I vehemently am not) do have doubts about the white helmet's narratives.

Who are the white helmets?

[TobyD]

The latest "How To Fail", with Alain De Botton as guest is really very good.

He must be trying to flog a book, he was on beyond today recently as well. I agree that hes very engaging however. 

[andy popp]

You don't have to be "pro-Russia" (which I vehemently am not) do have doubts about the white helmet's narratives.

Who are the white helmets?

They're a Syrian search and rescue NGO. They claim to be neutral. They've often been accused of working with or being a front for Al Qaeda, ISIS and other terrorist groups. They've also been accused of staging rescues etc. However, as I understand it these accusations are widely viewed as being part of a propaganda/misinformation campaign run by Russia and the Syrian regime. There'a a very good documentary called "The Last Men in Aleppo." I'm probably now going to be accused of being a sheeple who has fallen for the fake news about Russia/Syria. Who knows?

[Steve R]

There was a brilliant BBC series called Intrigue: The Ratline: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04sj2pt  I'm not normally that into war history, but this is so well written and presented. Fascinating.

Really enjoyed this over last couple of days at work, thanks for posting.

Been working through a lot of episodes of Sean Carroll's podcast recently: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/
About 50% are on Physics, Cosmology, QM but good range of other topics too.  He sounds a bit like a young Principal Skinner which is also good.

[TobyD]

The Missing Cryptoqueen

Brilliant series about cryptocurrency scam.

[slab_happy]

Currently binge-listening to The Magnus Archives while doing a lot of boring physio. Top-notch fictional horror (if I recall correctly, the creator's original pitch was something like "a cross between M.R. James and creepypasta").

Initially looks like an anthology format with each ep being a standalone story; rapidly turns out to have recurring elements and emerging narrative arcs.

[duncan]

. There was a brilliant BBC series called Intrigue: The Ratline https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04sj2pt  I'm not normally that into war history, but this is so well written and presented. Fascinating.

I really enjoyed this. Articles in The Atlantic and the FT about the background.

[tommytwotone]

Thanks to Yoss for the shout on Hip Hop Saved My Life.


Listened to the Louis Theroux episode over the weekend which is absolutely brilliant - only fault would be I would have like more of them talking about hip hop, as Louis (and Romesh obviously) really knows his stuff.


I'm still struggling to square Louis' on-screen persona with hearing him busting out The Ying Yang Twins...

[Steve R]

Since the Ratline was so good, gave the first series of BBC's  'Intrigue' a spin Today.  'Murder in the Lucky Holiday Hotel'  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04t3tnp.
Also really good.  Some great/interesting/appalling characters.  Found it alarming how little I know about modern China.  eg. only really heard of Chongqing as a place that holds the odd climbing comp but sounds like some real world version of Gotham City! And has 30 million people...
New Intrigue series 'Tunnel 29' sounds good as well (stories from divided Berlin era and setting reliably great)   - starts next monday so will be on with that when available.   

[Will Hunt]

Another shout for the Ratline. Brilliant. Now starting on the Chinese murder one and looking forward to Tunnel 29.

[Paul B]

Listened to the Factor 2 podcasts with Patch Hammond and Leo back to back stuck in traffic yesterday. Really good, such a legendary tale that El Niño ascent.

I've done a lot of driving over the past few days and I've finally caught up on these and thought were were very good. I really appreciated the sound quality in general, although the effects less so! Patch's commentary on 'yer gunna die' had me in stitches.

It'd be good to hear Bransby on the same subject.

[Will Hunt]

Tunnel 29 (part of the Intrigue podcast on BBC Sounds) was fantastic. Edge of your seat stuff at times.