5: DC's Decline and the Search for a New Imperial Capital. Gaius and Germanicus debate where the new capital of the American Empire should be located, noting that Washington, D.C., is losing its usefulness. This parallels the Roman abandonment of Rome when i

5: The Oligarchic Motives Behind the "No Kings" Protest. Gaius and Germanicus, speaking from Londinium, discuss the contemporary "No Kings" protest occurring across the American Empire, noting the young people involved are protesting the outcome and subseque

5: LONDINIUM 91 AD. Carthage, Gaza, and the Risk of Unhealable Imperial Wounds. Gaius and Germanicus open by reviewing recent international news, including a major ceasefire signing hosted by Mr. Trump and proposals for US-Russia talks in Budapest, mode

4: V 8. The West's 2014 Appeasement: The Failure to Respond to Crimean Annexation. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) focuses on the annexation of Crimea in 2014 via "brute force" and the Western response. Professor Plokhy

4: 7. Bucharest 2008 and the Failed Bid to Prevent Russian Aggression. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) discusses how Vladimir Putin's powerful presidency, rooted in a manipulated super-presidential constitution, enabled h

4: 6. The Dictatorial Power of Putin and the Unification of Ukraine Post-2014. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) focuses on the unilateral nature of decision-making in the Kremlin regarding the 2014 invasion. The decision t

4: 5. Western Appeasement of 2014: Crimea Annexation and the Flawed Minsk Accords. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) examines the Western reaction to the annexation of Crimea in February 2014, following the appearance of "l

4: 4. The 2014 Kremlin Decision and Ukrainian Unity Against Russian Imperialism. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) discusses the all-night Kremlin meeting on February 23–24, 2014, where Vladimir Putin and his state security

4: 3. US Intelligence Successes vs. Policy Failures Leading to the 2022 Invasion. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) details the period leading to the February 2022 invasion, where Russia positioned troops along the border,

4: 2. The Colossal Misjudgment: Underestimating Ukraine and Putin's Imperial Ambitions. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) covers the lead-up to the 2022 full-scale invasion, noting Russia's military buildup in 2021 while Pr

4: 1. The Roots of the Russo-Ukrainian War: Putin's Power and the Failure of the 2008 NATO Summit. Serhii Plokhy (Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University) analyzes the origins of the Russo-Ukrainian War, highlighting Vladimir Putin's authority,

3: 8. The Misreading of Russia: Ideology and the Insufficiency of Alliances The debate over whether Ukraine should join the EU or NATO fundamentally misses the core issue: Russia's unwavering ideological belief that it must dominate and control Ukraine. If R

3: 7. The Brutality of Control: From Stalin's Cynicism to Putin's War The cruelty demonstrated by Russian forces stems from a historical Russian/Soviet brutality where human life is regarded as cheap. Stalin exemplified this cynicism, as shown in a 1932 lett

3: 6. Volodymyr Zelenskyy: The Evolution of Ukrainian National Identity Volodymyr Zelenskyy, born in 1978, represents a modern, non-ethnic definition of Ukrainian identity. Zelenskyy is a Jewish, native Russian-speaking former comedian and successful media e

3: 5. Putin's 2021 Essay and the Road to Annexation: Myths Versus Reality Isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vladimir Putin read history and published an essay in 2021 that was revelatory of his expansionist, revisionist thinking. This document, based on

3: 4. Khrushchev, Putin's Perceptions, and the Soviet Golden Age in Ukraine The Soviet period saw Ukraine rise to crucial importance; leaders like Khrushchev and Brezhnev spent large parts of their careers in the Ukrainian Communist Party apparatus. In 1954,

3: 3. Post-Revolution Collapse, Failed Statehood, and the Holodomor Following the collapse of the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires after World War I, Ukrainians sought independence. The Ukrainian People's Republic emerged from the Russian collapse as a d

3: 2. Galicia, World War I, and the Finkel Family's Soviet Incorporation This segment explores Western Ukraine (Galicia), distinct from the Russian Empire until relatively late. While Russia used forced assimilation and violence against Ukrainians, Galicia u

3: 1. Khmelnytsky and the Russian Imperial Project The discussion begins with the 1888 statue of Bohdan Khmelnytsky in Kyiv, symbolizing the 200-year quest to dominate Ukraine. Khmelnytsky, a 17th-century Orthodox nobleman, led a rebellion against the Polish

2: Cockatoos Wreak Havoc: Avian Vandals Attack Roofing Bolts Jeremy Zakis The discussion focuses on the intense destructive power of cockatoos in New South Wales, described as "gang members" who work in packs. Jeremy Zakis reports that eight to ten cockatoos