The Point Blank Show

Dr Masud Husain on what the brain reveals about us

Sat, 09 May 2026 13:24:56 GMT

The human brain has fascinated and confounded us for centuries. Few dedicate their lives to studying and understanding its inner workings. Fewer still can make those complexities accessible to the ordinary reader. Dr. Masud Husain, a neurologist who teaches neurology and cognitive neuroscience at the university of Oxford, has done exactly that.

His book, "Our Brains, Our Selves" is a fascinating account of what he has learned over decades of treating patients. Through these stories, he helps us better understand not just neurological conditions, but also the very nature of memory, attention, motivation and identity itself.

In this conversation, Dr. Husain shares his thoughts on why we behave the way we do and what that reveals about the brain. He talks about why listening and attentiveness are among the greatest tools a doctor can have, what multitasking and social media are doing to our minds, the role of dopamine in shaping motivation, whether humour has a neurological basis and what all of us can do to keep ourselves mentally healthy.

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Tim Wigmore: The history of Test cricket

Fri, 01 May 2026 04:56:41 GMT

Tim Wigmore's "Test Cricket: A History" is a definitive account of the game's longest and the most demanding format. In this podcast Tim covers a lot of ground, talking about the greats like Ranjitsinhji, Bradman, Sachin, Lara and Pataudi. Who are the best all rounders of the game? What makes a good captain? What is the history of The Ashes? What is it like to face an orb being hurled at 150km an hour? How has Test cricket evolved and does it still endure the game's ultimate test?

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Samanth Subramanian on the undersea cables that run the world

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:17:07 GMT

How do undersea cables work and what is their significance in our daily lives? Samanth Subramanian, an award-winning journalist tells us about "fragile cables that connect our world" in his brilliant new book, "The Web Beneath the Waves". They operate behind the scenes and on the sea bed. Over 600 of them carry around 95% of the world's intercontinental traffic. Unlike satellites which get a lot of press, submarine cables are largely unsung until something goes wrong. Take Ghana's stock exchange which, in 2024, had to shut down an hour earlier than scheduled after seismic activity severed some cables. In 2024 Houtis, a rebel group in Yemen, bombed a cargo ship, whose anchor was said to have damaged three cables. And then there's the occasional shark bite too. With barely 69 or so repair ships out there, the entire process of fixing these cables "is delightfully Victorian", says Samanth. We live in an era that this piece of technology holds enormous geopolitical clout too. His research, for his slim book, took him to some of the most unexpected places. The Economist named it as among the best books of 2025.

Photo credit: Chinky Shukla

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Adam Weymouth: What wolves tell us about Europe

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 17:36:46 GMT

In this podcast Adam Weymouth, one of the most compelling young writers in the UK, talks about his latest book, "Lone Wolf: Walking the Faultlines of Europe". It's an immersive reportage that follows the journey of a wolf across Europe. Through encounters with farmers, hunters and rural communities, Adam examines how wolves have become a proxy for deeper anxieties about migration, economic decline, and political control. What is a wolf? How does it think? What are some of the myths and realities of this beautiful animal? Adam takes us through what he learned in his peripatetic excursion to the sticks, which was as physically demanding as it was revealing.

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Philip Coggan on trade wars, globalisation and economic Common Sense

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 06:35:18 GMT

Cricket, globalisation, Trump's tariff tantrums, quirks of the English language, jargons and philosophy. This podcast covers some ground as award winning journalist Philip Coggan joins us to talk about his book, "The Economic Consequences of Mr Trump". He explains why tariffs are essentially taxes on imports that often raise costs for domestic producers, fail to meaningfully reduce trade deficits and can even slow growth and job creation. We live in an increasingly connected world. Our laptops and phones have components from various countries which makes these things efficient and affordable. The conversation also veers into the English language itself where it can do away with financial jargons or tautologies like "safe haven". Philip also talks about the art of storytelling and why he enjoys writing.

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Kieran Mulvaney on the battle for power at the top of the world

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 10:44:57 GMT

How does it feel to stay in a cabin in Alaska? How does one keep their wits about oneself in places like the Arctic when the sun doesn't rise for 65-70 days during polar nights? And before you know it, daylight is back for 24 hours. Kieran Mulvaney has traveled to these lands for over 25 years. His latest book, "Arctic Passages: Ice, Exploration, and the Battle for Power at the Top of the World" is a personal account flush with rich reporting from frigid climes. In this podcast he talks about his experiences of visiting these remote lands, some of the crucial geopolitical implications of melting ice, why global warming is real and how the glacial pace at which we are responding isn't doing us any favours. The Economist has named Kieran's book as among the best non-fiction reads of 2025.

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Sir John Kay: Why Almost Everything We Are Told About Business Is Wrong

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 09:30:13 GMT

In this podcast Sir John Kay, one of the most original economic thinkers of our time, talks about what companies often get wrong. Drawing from his latest book, The Corporation in the Twenty-First Century: Why (Almost) Everything We Are Told About Business Is Wrong, Sir John argues that chasing money instead of meaning is the first folly of modern corporations. Often times they focus far more than is necessary on quarterly numbers. Buzzwords like "maximising shareholder value" look great on power point slides. "No one has an epitaph on their grave that said he maximized shareholder value", he says. He shares many examples where behemoths disappeared gradually and then suddenly after shifting their purpose to maximising shareholder value.

The conversation also turns to ethics. He quotes Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mocking Bird - "I can't behave one way at home and another in town" addressing that the company and the individual shouldn't have different moral codes. "There isn't a separation in my mind between ethics and morality as applied to business and ethics and morality as applied to life. They're one and the same".

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Edward Fishman on sanctions, chokepoints and the art of economic pressure

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 08:34:37 GMT

Turning jargons and complex spaghetti-like subjects into simple language is an art that few authors can pull off. Edward Fishman is one of them. His book, "Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare", a New York Times Bestseller, explains something that we often read in the newspapers but rarely understand.

For instance, we read that Iran has been "sanctioned" because it hasn't stopped its ambitions to enrich uranium which can be used to build a nuclear weapon. But what exactly are sanctions? How do they work? What kind of work goes on behind the scenes? How can a country be isolated from the global financial system? Why it can't be a one-size-fits-all?

Eddie has worked at the US Treasury, the State Department, and the Pentagon and played a key role in designing sanctions on Iran and Russia. In this podcast he talks about the evolution of economic warfare and how states can throttle economies without firing a shot. What work and what backfires? And what have policymakers learned so far?

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Jason Burke on the extremists who hijacked the 1970s

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 07:43:45 GMT

Jason Burke has spent decades reporting from conflict zones around the world. In this episode he speaks about his latest book, "The Revolutionists: The Story of the Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970s".

Jason explains how Palestinian factions turned aircraft hijacking into a coordinated political strategy, who the key figures were and how these operations were planned and carried out. He also describes the intelligence world that operated alongside this violence, what the day-to-day life of a spy looked like in the 1970s and how states quietly cooperated across borders. He also goes on to examine the wider consequences of this period, including Israel’s response and the international coordination that made operations such as the Entebbe rescue possible, an audacious raid possible as much by politics as by military planning.

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Danny Bate: Stories behind the English letters we use every day

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 07:15:42 GMT

Danny Bate joins us to talk about the history of the English alphabet, letter by letter. From the ancient Egyptian origins of A to the comeback of K, Danny talks about how writing systems travelled across civilisations and shaped modern English. We discuss silent letters, spelling quirks, phonics, Scrabble and standup comedy. Drawing on his work as a linguist, Bate explains how sound, history, and habit come together in the way we read and write today. His latest book "Why Q Needs U" was shortlisted among the best books of 2025 by The Economist and is a brilliant read.

Danny also runs his own podcast. Check it out on https://dannybate.com/podcast

Picture credit: http://dannybate.com/

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Marc Dunkelman on Why Nothing Works

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 09:09:08 GMT

Marc J. Dunkelman is a political scientist and author of Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress and How to Bring It Back. Drawing on examples from infrastructure, public policy and everyday bureaucracy, Marc explains why institutions that once delivered big projects now struggle to get even simple things done. He brings to fore the cultural shifts since the 1970s, America’s “vitocracy” and why good ideas get stuck between competing interests. It's a clear, grounded look at how systems break and what it would take to fix them and is as relevant for those living outside the US.

Picture credit: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/

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Patrick McGee on Apple in China

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 14:49:54 GMT

Patrick McGee, the Financial Times’ San Francisco correspondent, covers Apple and the U.S. technology industry. His book, Apple in China: The Capture of the World's Greatest Company is a brilliant read. In this podcast he explains how Apple became deeply tied to China’s factories, workers and politics and why that relationship still defines the company today. He also discusses the roles of Steve Jobs, Jony Ive, Tim Cook and others in shaping Apple’s culture while revealing how design, operations and manufacturing came together to create some of the most influential products of our time.

Photograph by Cayce Clifford

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Stephen Witt on the cult of Nvidia and its charismatic founder, Jensen Huang

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 08:16:55 GMT

Few people have had more access to Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s charismatic founder, than Stephen Witt. In his book The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip, Witt traces the company’s three-decade journey under the leadership of a man he describes as sometimes “neurotic”, a founder who, despite being at the top of his game, constantly fears going out of business.

And yet, his team remains fiercely loyal. He rarely fires those who face his ire. So how does he lead a company in an industry where every few years the technology is upended and replaced by something entirely new? And how does he stay grounded while working relentless hours? Stephen spoke to hundreds of people to find the answers, many of which he shares in his book and in this podcast.

Image source: https://stephenwitt.info/

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Richard Overy on why humans go to war

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 15:54:55 GMT

Why do humans go to war? Is peace ever truly possible? In this podcast historian of the Second World War and expert on totalitarian regimes and military conflict joins us to talk about his latest book, "Why War?". Drawing on decades of research, Prof Overy talks about organized violence from prehistoric times to modern state conflicts. He explains how war has evolved and what drives it and how leaders can use provocative language to brainwash their people before invading another country. What we can learn from nations, including India, that have managed to avert a full-scale war despite decades of conflicts with their neighbouring countries? Despite all the grim violence around us in Gaza and Ukraine, Prof Overy remains hopeful and says that fears of a third world war may be overblown.

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Charlie English on the CIA's quietest operation

Sat, 31 May 2025 13:52:50 GMT

Charlie English is the author of "The CIA Book Club: The Best Kept Secret of the Cold War". In this episode he talks about a little-known chapter in Cold War history where the CIA smuggled banned books into the Eastern Bloc in an effort to challenge communist ideology. Charlie shares how the CIA ran this literary operation for over three decades, why even detective novels had political weight in Soviet-ruled countries and what it meant to grow up under state censorship so tight you needed permission to buy a sheet of paper.

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Carl Zimmer breaks down what’s really in the air

Sun, 18 May 2025 12:18:24 GMT

Carl Zimmer, acclaimed science writer and author of "Airborne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe", joins the show to explore the unseen world within the air around us. He talks about what most of us never think about: the air we breathe. He explains how scientists slowly uncovered the truth about airborne diseases, why it took decades for basic facts to gain acceptance, and what history, both recent and ancient, tells us about the hidden life in the atmosphere.

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Beyond Silicon Valley: Ludwig Siegele on China’s quiet AI revolution

Sun, 11 May 2025 16:31:26 GMT

Ludwig Siegele, senior editor AI Initiatives at The Economist talks about how Chinese AI companies like DeepSeek and Alibaba are disrupting the status quo. They are building high-performing models at lower costs and releasing some of them as open source. How did they manage to pull this off and what does this mean for the global AI race? Ludwig joined The Economist as a US technology correspondent in 1998 and has covered the Silicon Valley since the Internet, as we know it, was born. He joins us again for a second time in two years.

Image source: https://www.stiftung-mercator.de/en/fellows/ludwig-siegele/

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Mike Brearley: On cricket, captaincy, character and the mind

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 15:18:06 GMT

In this episode, legendary cricketer and former England captain, Mike Brearley talks about his rich childhood memories, early influences, the art of leadership and the life of a cricketer. With wisdom, humor and trademark humility, Mike reflects on Test cricket's timeless charm, the spirit of the game, his experience as a psychoanalyst and life lessons from his latest book "Turning Over the Pebbles: A Life in Cricket and in the Mind".

Image source: Sports Gazette

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Clive Oppenheimer on volcanoes and a life at the crater's edge

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 08:51:44 GMT

Volcanologist, author and filmmaker Clive Oppenheimer's career has taken him to the edge. From dodging lava bombs at Stromboli to facing AK-47s in the Danakil Depression, Clive shares gripping stories from his fieldwork and the unexpected human side of volcanoes. We explore his acclaimed book, "Mountains of Fire: The Secret Lives of Volcanoes" and discover how volcanic eruptions can alter climate, tell us a lot about our planet's past. In his typical self-deprecating humour Clive instills an infectious sense of wonder, something he credits to his mother.

Get "Mountains of Fire" on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/CliveOppenheimer

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Charles Piller on the broken science behind Alzheimer’s research

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 05:43:33 GMT

Investigative journalist Charles Piller unravels one of the biggest scientific scandals in recent history. Drawing from his book "Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer's", Charles reveals how falsified data propped up a dominant theory in Alzheimer’s research, diverting billions in funding and delaying real progress. With over 30 million people affected worldwide, Charles talks about the human toll of the disease, the scientific misconduct that shook the field and the faint but growing signs of hope.

Image source: https://www.science.org/content/author/charles-piller

Get "Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer's" on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/CharlesPiller

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John Dykes unplugged: mastering the art of storytelling and performance

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 07:29:51 GMT

John Dykes has worn many hats: from features writer to one of the world’s most sought-after sports presenters. In this podcast, he shares insights and anecdotes from his three-decade career, helping individuals and organisations to master storytelling, craft compelling pitches, create high-performance teams and manage crises in his new innings as a solopreneur. Reflecting on iconic moments, from covering cricket, football, tennis, Formula 1, MotoGP and golf to interviewing legends like Thierry Henry and Serena Williams, John emphasises the power of preparation over “winging it”. He also explores the value of embracing discomfort for long-term growth, a mindset he embodies at 60, while busting many myths about aging.

Picture credit: https://www.johndykes.co/

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Simon Parkin on the siege of Leningrad and the scientists who refused to give in

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 16:45:30 GMT

In this episode, Simon Parkin unravels an extraordinary tale of courage and sacrifice during World War II. His latest book, The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad: A True Story of Science and Sacrifice in a City Under Siege, chronicles the heroic botanists who risked, and in some cases, gave their lives to safeguard a priceless seed collection during the longest blockade in recorded history. They chose starvation over consuming the very seeds that could prevent future famines. Simon shares the story of visionary scientist Nikolai Vavilov and his dedicated team, who preserved the world’s first seed bank under unimaginable conditions.

Image source: https://www.simonparkin.com/about

Get "The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad" on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/SimonParkin

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Tits Up! Sarah Thornton on Breasts: their history, power, and perception

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 10:35:31 GMT

Sarah Thornton is a sociologist known for her writing on art, design, and society. Sarah’s latest book, Tits Up: What Our Beliefs About Breasts Reveal About Life, Love, Sex, and Society, is a fascinating account of the cultural, social and personal significance of breasts, an organ we think we understand but actually know surprisingly little about.

In this podcast Sarah takes us on a fascinating journey from the neon-lit stages of strip clubs to the quiet halls of milk banks, from plastic surgery operating rooms to the boardrooms of lingerie designers. Along the way, Sarah unpacks the role of breasts in feminism, religion, fashion and media, revealing how they have been shaped and reshaped by history and society, debunking an age-old lopsided view.

Picture credit: https://www.sarah-thornton.com/

Get Sarah’s book on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/SarahThornton1

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Inside the human mind with Guy Leschziner

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 11:37:34 GMT

Why do we behave the way we do? What’s going on in our brains when we take certain decisions? How hard-wired are we and what are the odds that we can change our core behaviour for the better? In this podcast neurologist Dr Guy Leschziner tries to answer some of these questions. His latest book, “Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human” explores the complex interplay between our brain, biology, and the behaviors we often attribute to morality, choice, or personality.

Picture credit: https://www.guyleschziner.com/

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Marcel Dirsus on how tyrants fall

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 15:57:26 GMT

Ever wondered how a dictator survives for decades? If you think he does so without a care in the world, as I did, you are in for a surprise. Tyrants are probably amongst the most paranoid people in the world. Their single-minded determination to stay in power makes them do crazy things. They need to manage those who are close to them, bodyguards and palace elites included. Citizens can go to hell. But that doesn’t make their job any easier, says Dr Marcel Dirsus, the author of his latest book, “How Tyrants Fall: And How Nations Survive”.

Some like Saddam Hussein and Yasser Arafat were known to micromanage and were often more worried about internal coups than external foes. How can adversaries deal with them? How can data and analytics help countries to deal with madmen? Marcel himself had a scare when he worked in a brewery in Congo where he decided to entrench himself in the subject. In this podcast he talks about the fascinating, if depressing world of these dictators, and what can be done about it.

Picture courtesy: https://www.marceldirsus.com/

Get “How Tyrants Fall” on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/MarcelDirsus

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Sunitha Krishnan on her memoir, “I am what I am”

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 05:51:48 GMT

Sunitha Krishnan has dedicated her life to rescuing and rehabilitating victims of human trafficking. Since 1996, her outfit, Prajwala, Asia’s largest institution combating sex trafficking and sex crime, has made a difference to the lives of over 30,100 survivors. Sunitha’s book, ‘I am what I am’ is an outstanding account of her life. In this podcast she talks about moments that shaped her mission, including her experiences when she was jailed as an activist and her time spent in a Hyderabad slum, living “like a queen”. In 2016 Sunitha was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award.

Buy Sunitha Krishnan’s book, “I Am What I Am” on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/SunithaKrishnanBook

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Julie Sedivy on how languages shape us

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 17:12:13 GMT

In this podcast, Julie Sedivy’s passion for language shines through. As a linguist and polyglot, she delves into the science behind how we communicate. More crucially, she advises us not to be too hung up when people take liberties with grammar. Language, much like any other living organism, evolves over time. Julie’s most recent book, “Linguaphile: A Life of Language Love” is a beautiful read and was named among the best books of 2024 by The New Yorker.

Picture credit: University of Calgary

Buy “Linguaphile” on Amazon.in: https://tinyurl.com/JulieSedivy

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Arik Kershenbaum on why animals talk

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 15:05:48 GMT

Do animals speak and if so why do they do so? What do they say? From the evolutionary standpoint what exactly is happening there? Dr Arik Kershenbaum is a zoologist who teaches at the University of Cambridge. His most recent book, “Why Animals Talk: The New Science of Animal Communication” addresses these questions. In this podcast Dr Arik talks about his experience of studying animal sounds in their live habitats to tell us why and what they are trying to say.

Image credit: Courtesy NIMBios

Get "Why Animals Talk" on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/ArikKershenbaum

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Tabitha Stanmore on magic and witchcraft

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 14:58:09 GMT

Dr Tabitha Stanmore is a historian and an expert in medieval and early modern English magic and witchcraft. Her book, “Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic” busts myths on the subject and focuses on the cultural impact of cunning folk, who would use magic to help people find items such as a spoon or help fix their love lives.

Picture credit: https://www.tabithastanmore.co.uk/

Get Tabitha’s book on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/TabithaStanmore

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Sam Leith on childhood reading

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 15:53:28 GMT

Children’s world is by default a trippy one and books are rich fodder for the uninhibited mind. In “The Haunted Wood: A History of Childhood Reading”, Sam Leith, the literary editor of The Spectator takes us through the memory lane of authors who have defined the genre of children's books. The nature of childhood itself has changed over centuries and the books, too, were a reflection of those eras.

In this podcast Sam, himself a father of two kids, has read a gazillion children’s books as part of his research for his tome. And upon each rereading, he finds new gems that were undiscovered when he had first read them as a kid. His work was also rated by The Economist as among the top five non-fiction books of 2024.

Get Sam Leith's book here: https://tinyurl.com/SamLeith

Picture credit: The Booker Prizes

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Alison Taylor on doing the right thing

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 13:24:42 GMT

Alison Taylor is a clinical professor at NYU Stern School of Business. Her book, “Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World” is a result of decades of research and experience where she has consulted many multinational companies. She argues that maximising shareholder value can no longer be the sole purpose of an organisation’s existence. The new generation employed at various outfits have started demanding explanations if the bosses stray from their path. Doing the right thing is hard, admits Prof Taylor but those who take the path of the straight and narrow will serve well in the long run.

Picture credit: https://www.alisontaylor.co/

Buy Prof Taylor's book on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/AlisonTaylor

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Rooted in History: Unearthing the Stories of Twelve Trees with Daniel Lewis

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 08:38:37 GMT

There are around 3trn trees on Earth, 400 for every living person. And yet arguably the arboreal world is not talked about in as much detail as the animal kingdom. Dr Daniel Lewis, a historian at the Huntington Library takes a crack at the subject. His latest book, “Twelve Trees: And What They Tell Us About Our Past, Present and Future” chronicles stories of twelve trees and their history dating back to centuries.

Picture credit: https://huntington.org/staff/daniel-lewis

Get Daniel Lewis' book on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/TwelveTreesDanielLewis

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Sir David Spiegelhalter on the art of uncertainty

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 13:18:18 GMT

How did Barack Obama, former American president know for sure whether Osama Bin Laden was in that compound in Abbottabad? Are football matches largely determined by luck? How can you measure coincidences? Sir David Spiegelhalter, the emeritus professor of statistics at the University of Cambridge explains it all. His new book, “The Art of Uncertainty: How to Navigate Chance, Ignorance, Risk and Luck” is a fascinating read even for those without any background in statistics and mathematics. Among many other things, the book is also a lesson in how to make complicated subjects interesting.

Get Sir David's book on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/SirDavidSpiegelhalter

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Rollo Romig on Gauri Lankesh and the fight for free speech in India

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 03:17:09 GMT

Rollo Romig talks about his book "I'm on the Hit List: A Journalist's Murder and the Rise of Autocracy in India". It releases in India today, January 6th 2025. The book focuses on the life and murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh and its impact on journalism and free speech in India. Whereas Gauri spoke her mind she also lived up to the maxim, "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." She invited folks who disagreed with her to contribute in her paper, Gauri Lankesh Patrike. She never celebrated any opponents' demise and even defended them if she saw someone's critique of them to be unfair. In this podcast, Rollo unearths her life story, his experiences researching the story, his connection to Bangalore and the challenges of uncovering the truth behind Gauri’s life and work.

Picture credit: https://www.rolloromig.com/

Update: The book's release in India has been postponed to January 13th 2025.

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Charles Dallara on EuroShock: the tough negotiations that shaped Greece’s future

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 14:53:16 GMT

Charles Dallara is the author of "EuroShock: How the Largest Debt Restructuring in History Helped Save Greece and Preserve the Eurozone". The former managing director of the Institute of International Finance, a think tank, reflects on the largest debt restructuring in history and its role in saving Greece and preserving the Eurozone.

Charles shares his experiences as a US Navy midshipman, lessons in leadership and the intense negotiations that shaped the Greek crisis resolution. He represented the creditors and negotiated with the likes of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy. He explains how politics, economics and culture shaped the challenges and strategies behind this historic financial crisis while batting for the urgent need for higher standards in sovereign debt management.

Picture credit: World Bank

Get Charles' book on Amazon India: https://tinyurl.com/CharlesDallara

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Timothy C. Winegard on how horses shaped human civilisation

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 11:30:13 GMT

Human history is also the history of the horse, says Dr Timothy C. Winegard in his superb book, “The Horse: A Galloping History of Humanity”. He charts the story of the four-legged human companion like no one has before. Horses have had an outsized cultural and practical contribution, including their influence on language, clothing and transportation. From the evolution of horses 60 million years ago to their pivotal role in shaping civilizations through trade, warfare, and culture, this podcast delves deep into the influence of these majestic creatures.

Chosen as one of the best books of 2024 by The Economist, Timothy's tome is a gripping read.

Picture credit: Becky Winegard

Get Timothy's book here on Amazon India: https://tinyurl.com/TimWinegard

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Ben Yagoda on the British invasion of American English

Sat, 21 Dec 2024 18:56:30 GMT

Ben Yagoda is the emeritus professor of English at the University of Delaware. Relying on his rich experience of having lived both in the US and the UK, Ben's new book, "Gobsmacked! The British Invasion of American English" talks about how language can travel across the two countries. Many words and phrases that originated in the UK have made themselves more at home in America. What is their history? Ben's blog https://notoneoffbritishisms.com/ which covers many of these topics is a super-hit.

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Truth and lies with Alex Edmans

Sat, 07 Dec 2024 12:16:40 GMT

In his book “May Contain Lies: How stories, statistics and studies exploit our biases - and what we can do about it”, Dr Alex Edmans urges us to pause and reflect before we trust any article or a “fact” stated in a book or in a newspaper. It doesn’t matter who wrote it. And it isn’t such a tedious process to work it out.

In this podcast Alex shares his views on confirmation bias, what is wrong with our interpretation of the 10,000 hour rule (among others), how social media is playing an outsized role in disseminating information, how JFK possibly averted the third world war during the Cuban missle crisis and why some leaders encourage their teams to challenge authority and are better off for it.

Picture credit: https://alexedmans.com/about/

Get the book on Amazon.in: https://tinyurl.com/MayContainLies

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Dr Duvvuri Subbarao, former RBI governor on his life and career

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 12:13:31 GMT

In “Just a Mercenary? Notes from My Life and Career”, Dr Subbarao describes his eventful journey as a kid from Sainik School in Korukonda, some 50 km from Visakhapatnam to becoming the 22nd governor of the Reserve Bank of India.

Armed with awareness, discipline, commitment and a quirky sense of humour, Dr Subbarao worked relentlessly within and outside the country across various postings. In 2008 he took office at the RBI amidst the global financial meltdown. For five years he led by example and enjoyed the pressure that came with the job. Today, he teaches at Yale. His post-retirement interests include learning how to Salsa. “That’s still on my bucket list. I hope I’ll get to do it sometime”.

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Gray Matters: Exploring the Brain with Dr. Theodore Schwartz

Sat, 23 Nov 2024 13:13:52 GMT

The human brain is a marvel of mysteries, holding answers that we are still uncovering. Dr Theodore Schwartz's book “Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery” is filled with anecdotes to help us relate to the organ that sits silently in a dark cell inside our skull. Dr Schwartz has performed over 10,000 operations working in an area as small as a one rupee coin. He reflects on the meditative state he gets into during surgery, the role of empathy in connecting with patients and the exhilarating breakthroughs that makes it all worthwhile. It is said that it takes 20 years to become an overnight success. Dr Schwartz recounts his punishing schedule when he was a student and the physical endurance coupled with mental fortitude needed to operate for hours on end. It's a life of sacrifice, brilliance and endless curiosity.

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Lawrence Booth on Bazball

Sat, 23 Nov 2024 09:54:36 GMT

Bazball is a term that describes England cricket team’s aggressive brand of Test cricket championed by Brendon “Baz” McCullum. Lawrence Booth who writes for the Daily Mail has co-authored a brilliant account of this new phenomenon in “Bazball: The Inside Story of a Test Cricket Revolution” with Nick Hoult.

In this podcast Lawrence clarifies that Bazball is not mindless slogging or fast scoring. It’s also about absorbing pressure. Whereas the team cares about winning, if they can entertain the crowds along the way and put more seats in the stadiums, all the better. Lawrence is also the youngest editor of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack in over seven decades. He talks about what it takes to put out a massive edition year after year and also explains the thrill of filing match reports at the end of last-minute twists.

Image source: Bloomsbury

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Paul Seabright on religion, wealth and economics

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 16:41:22 GMT

What is religion? How is it intertwined with economics? Why do people who are below the poverty line feel the need to contribute some portion of their meagre income to temples or churches? What is in it for them? How big is the industry? Paul Seabright, a British economist and professor at the University of Toulouse in France, joins us to talk about his book “The Divine Economy: How religions compete for wealth, power and people”. His opinions, backed by data and research over many years, seek to answer some of these fascinating questions.

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Marcia Bjornerud on how rocks share secrets of our planet’s past

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 15:22:03 GMT

In “Turning to Stone: Discovering The subtle wisdom of rocks”, Dr Marcia Bjornerud brings us the fascinating story of how rocks and stones “speak” to us if we’re willing to listen. Rocks are alert, responsive and communicative, writes Dr Bjornerud. They tell us about our own past and how the Earth has evolved over centuries and millenia. What can a single crystal tell us about ancient tectonic shifts? Why are earthquakes so hard to predict? How is a day in the life of a geologist who is on the field? Do they have fun? How is technology changing geology? Tune in to know more.

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Andrew Leigh on economics and why it matters

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:30:54 GMT

In this podcast Andrew Leigh talks about economics to someone unfamiliar with the subject, all drawn from his book, "How Economics Explains the World: A Short History of Humanity".

Andrew touches upon the impact of the industrial revolution, the balance between Keynesian and Hayekian ideas, why interest rates are important, where the gender gap came from and much much more. He also covers how technology drives societal change, the role of government in managing economic stability and the importance of storytelling in making complex ideas accessible given that he has managed to do exactly that.

When he isn't writing or working as a member of the Australian Parliament, Andrew is a keen ultra-marathoner and an Ironman triathlete.

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The future of our oceans with Helen Scales

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 10:04:03 GMT

What mysteries do the world underwater hold for us? Dr Helen Scales, a marine biologist, has dedicated her life to find out. Her most recent book “What the Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World's Ocean” is an ode to life underwater and what we can do to preserve it. Dive in to listen to Helen talk about what got her interested in the subject, why sea creatures are smarter than we think and what we can do to scale back climate change, a scourge for both land and water.

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Jean-Martin Bauer on world hunger and what we can do about it

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 05:20:08 GMT

Jean-Martin Bauer is the author of "The New Breadline: Hunger and Hope in the 21st Century". It’s a brilliant account of why hunger is ravaging the world and what we can do about it.

In this podcast Jean-Martin talks about his career at the World Food Programme, starting from his first field experience right out of college to confronting heartbreaking stories like a mother in Mauritania cooking imaginary meals for her children. He delves into the staggering global hunger crisis, the complexities of humanitarian work, role of technology in recent times and the challenges of fighting food insecurity in war-torn countries.

For someone who works on the frontline, JM is hopeful that we can all make a difference in our own way to help the cause.

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Nicola Twilley on how refrigeration has changed the world

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 14:33:35 GMT

Among the many things that we take for granted in the age of indulgence is refrigeration. In “Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves”, Nicola Twilley brings us the history of what is arguably among the top three inventions of the century. She went far down many rabbit holes including orange juice tank farms, meat lockers, banana ripening rooms and frigid warehouses to uncover the different layers of refrigeration. What is the story behind tunas being transported in coffins? What is fridge dating? And why didn’t Abraham Lincoln ever have a banana? Tune in for many such anecdotes both amusing and revealing in equal measure.

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Untold stories of unsung Maths legends with Kate Kitagawa and Timothy Revell

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 14:33:35 GMT

What are the human stories behind mathematics? How did mathematicians collaborate over centuries to further its cause? “The Secret Lives of Numbers: A Global History of Mathematics & its Unsung Trailblazers” co-authored by Kate Kitagawa and Timothy Revell tells us just that. Kate and Tim dig into rabbit holes from across eras to unearth fascinating stories of geniuses from ancient civilisations who questioned the status quo. How far does modern mathematics date back to? What is the story behind calculus? How did zero change the game and why did it take a while for folks to warm up to the concept? How did women take on the establishment to make their way into history books? In this podcast the authors bring us many such anecdotes and speak passionately about a subject that is close to their heart.

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Nobel Laureate Thomas R. Cech on why Ribonucleic Acid rocks

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 14:33:35 GMT

Dr Thomas R. Cech shared the nobel prize in chemistry with Sidney Altman in 1989. Their work showed that RNA is not only a molecule that carries genetic information but can also act as a catalyst in biochemical reactions, a role that was previously thought to be exclusive to proteins. His book titled “The Catalyst: RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life's Deepest Secrets”, released in June, is a brilliant read. RNA has helped us understand the mysteries of the origins of life during the big bang and saved millions of lives by concocting life-saving vaccines during the pandemic. It does more, of course. In this podcast Tom also talks about his first lab, how he helps students to deal with failures in their experiments, how to write without using jargons and his experience of winning the Nobel Prize.

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Carl Öhman on what happens to our data after we die

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 14:33:35 GMT

In his short and punchy book, "The Afterlife of Data", Carl Öhman writes about "What Happens to Your Information When You Die and Why You Should Care". After crunching lots of numbers, he found that in the next few decades the dead on Facebook will outnumber the living. The power around what to do with "digital remains" lies with a handful firms like Meta and Alphabet. Dr Öhman opines that we can't solve the privacy of the living unless we solve privacy of the dead. The dead, by the way, have no privacy rights. And now Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we grieve. What does this mean for all of us and what can we do about it?

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Geoff White on digital transformation of money laundering

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 14:33:35 GMT

Geoff White is an investigative journalist who has covered financial crime for over two decades. His latest book is titled "Rinsed - From Cartels to Crypto: How the Tech Industry Washes Money for the World's Deadliest Crooks". In this podcast Geoff talks about money laundering 101 and how it has changed over the years. How has technology and social media influenced the industry? What are regulators doing about it? How can organisations safeguard themselves from cyber attacks? What can we learn from the recent Crowdstrike experience? And much more including how investigative journalism works and why fact-checking is important than ever before.

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Dr Erica Thompson on how mathematical models can lead us astray and what we can do about it

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 14:33:35 GMT

We live in a world that is increasingly being dictated by data. But the models that govern different outcomes need a lot of work. Dr Erica Thompson's fascinating book, "Escape from Model Land: How mathematical models can lead us astray and what we can do about it" is all about it. For all their vaunted prowess, models can often mislead. In this podcast Dr Thompson offers her thoughts on the head scratcher of a subject.

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Tamal Bandyopadhyay's roller coaster affair with banking

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 14:33:35 GMT

Tamal Bandyopadhyay is a prolific journalist who has covered the world of finance for many decades. He has authored several books. In this podcast he gives us a glimpse into his latest book, "Roller Coaster: An Affair with Banking" which is an absolute joy to read. The book as well as this conversation is peppered with anecdotes that are both amusing and intriguing in equal measure. It’s less about monetary and fiscal policy or inflation and more about the quirks of the banking industry and his experience as a journalist.

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Kelly Clancy on her book, “Playing with Reality: How Games Have Shaped Our World”

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 14:33:35 GMT

Games have shaped humanity for thousands of years. The premise of Kelly Clancy's book is that games play us. In this podcast Dr Clancy, a neuroscientist talks about games people or companies play to our benefit and detriment. How have games shaped geopolitics? Why do gamblers continue to bet despite losing? How does uncertainty trigger dopamine even while playing board games with kids? And much much more.

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Cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf on what reading does to the brain

Sat, 22 Jun 2024 14:33:35 GMT

Maryanne Wolf is a cognitive neuroscientist who conducts research on “what the brain does when it reads and why some children and adults have greater difficulty learning how to read than others”. She has written some fascinating books including “Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain” and “Reader come home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World”. In this podcast Prof Wolf speaks passionately on reading and why, among other things, it needs to be introduced to kids early in their lives. And as adults, what can we do to rewire our brain circuits that may have been frayed with the advent of digital media.

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Gregory Zuckerman on his book "The Man Who solved the market: How Jim Simons Launched The Quant Revolution"

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 14:33:35 GMT

Gregory Zukerman writes for the Wall Street Journal. Over the last few decades he has written several books. In 2019 he wrote "The Man Who solved the market: How Jim Simons Launched The Quant Revolution" which became a runaway hit. It tells the story of a genius mathematician who used modern quantitative techniques to make money for himself and his investors. Since 1988 one of the fund’s operated by Mr Simons generated average annual returns of 66%. Legendary investors like Warren Buffet, George Soros and Peter Lynch, too, cannot claim to have made these outsized profits with such consistency. How did Mr Simons go about his business? How did he manage a stellar team while keeping them movitated? How did he use machine learning, artificial intelligence, data and analytics in an era when these terms were unheard of in the industry? Gregory Zukerman explains it all in this podcast.

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Alex Duff on his book, "Smart Money: The Fall and Rise of Brentford FC"

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 14:33:35 GMT

Alex Duff talks about how Brentford football club used data and analytics to improve and retain its spot in the English Premier League. His book, "Smart Money: The Fall and Rise of Brentford" is a fascinating account of how the club instilled new values and respected number crunching to make key decisions on deciding plays on the field and in the transfer market.

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Ananyo Bhattacharya on his book The Man from the Future: The Visionary Life of John Von Neumann

Wed, 01 May 2024 14:33:35 GMT

Ananyo Bhattacharya's "The Man from the Future: The Visionary Life of John Von Neumann" is a fascinating book about the Hungarian-American mathematician. It's a shame that most of us know little about the man. Dr Bhattacharya digs deep into the mathematician's early days and how he went on to have a lasting impact in different fields including nanotechnology, game theory, artificial intelligence and quantum physics.

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Dennis Yi Tenen on his book Literary Theory of Robots: How Computers Learned to Write

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 14:33:35 GMT

In this podcast Prof Dennis Yi Tenen, a software engineer turned literary scholar, leans on history of computer programming to tell modern tales of Artificial Intelligence. How did robots learn to write so quickly? Is it a good thing? Do technologies like ChatGPT make us lazy? Not quite, says Prof Tenen. He argues that such advances do not diminish our capacity to think. It may just make us better writers, on an average. Previously machines learned from human outputs but now they learn from machine outputs. What does this mean for us? He believes AI is neither Jesus nor a Terminator-like force as long as both the makers and users use it responsibly.

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Tom Wainwright on Facebook turning 20

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 14:33:35 GMT

In February this year Facebook celebrated its 20th birthday. Tom Wainwright, tech and media editor of The Economist has written a brilliant cover story on the company's evolution since it began in a dorm room at Harvard. With a market capitalisation of $1.2trn and 3bn users, Facebook operates in a new social media order. Tom writes that "public posting is increasingly migrating to closed groups, rather like email. What Mr Zuckerberg calls the digital “town square” is being rebuilt—and posing problems." How is the outfit grappling with these changes? Over the years it has mastered the art (and science by relying on data) of cloning features and sometimes copying competition while managing to stay relevant. What does the future hold for the behemoth? How is Artificial Intelligence changing the industry? Tom covers a lot of ground in the podcast.

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David Bodanis on his book, “The Art of Fairness:The Power of Decency in a World Turned Mean”

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 14:33:35 GMT

Do nice guys finish last? Not quite. David Bodani’s brilliant book, “The Art of Fairness:The Power of Decency in a World Turned Mean” is filled with anecdotes of leaders from various fields who may have been fair and firm to get the job done but never mean or condescending. In this podcast David shares some of his thoughts on why it might be worth emulating the Satya Nadellas of the world instead of the Steve Ballmers. Drawing from examples on the sports ground to battlefields, David makes a convincing argument that you can indeed succeed without being a jerk.

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Zeke Faux on his book, “Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall”

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 14:33:35 GMT

The cryptosphere is, well, cryptic. Even the best of the best find it hard to explain the whole thing without fumbling. Zeke Faux has managed to put it all together in his fascinating book, "Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall". Zeke planted himself within the crypto-mad community to learn more about the trade. He has interviewed Sam Bankman-Fried, among others, to understand what the biggies were up to. Incidentally, "Number Go Up" was referenced a few times during the former crypto king's recent trial where he was charged with multiple counts of fraud. To research the wider consequences, Zeke visited Cambodia to uncover the underbelly of the industry where people are being held captive or trafficked. We are yet to see a solid application of the technology that powers cryto. When that will be is anybody's guess. Until then, if there is one book that you should read to understand where we stand so far, read this one.

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Kenneth Miller on his book, “Mapping the Darkness: The Visionary Scientists Who Unlocked the Mysteries of Sleep”

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 14:33:35 GMT

We spend almost a third of our lives sleeping. Give or take. And yet until fifty years ago, scientists didn’t know much about sleep. Kenneth Miller shines a spotlight on the subject in his fabulous book, Mapping the Darkness: The Visionary Scientists Who Unlocked the Mysteries of Sleep. Why do we sleep and why is it important that we get enough of it? What happens when we don’t? Who are those scientists whom we owe some amount of gratitude for helping us understand something that can literally be a matter of life and death? In this podcast Mr Miller, relying on years of research, takes a crack at explaining what was an esoteric topic not too long ago.

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Daniel Knowles on his book, “How Cars Make Life Worse and What to Do About It”

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 14:33:35 GMT

In this podcast, Daniel Knowles reflects upon a world with fewer cars. The use of a car becomes less effective once everyone has got one. Anyone who has been stuck for hours in Mumbai or New York traffic should know. Are electric cars a solution? What can we learn from places like Singapore, Tokyo, Amsterdam and London? It is reassuring that most of these cities made amends over the course of many decades. Today, the younger folk in some Western countries prefer taking the public transport wherever possible. But there is still a long way to go.

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Kiran Verma, on a 21,000 km walk to raise awareness on blood donation

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 14:33:35 GMT

Kiran Verma has pledged to walk a staggering 21,000 km across India to raise awareness around blood donation in the country. His NGO, Simply Blood, world's first virtual blood donation platform, connects donors and seekers in real time. In this podcast Kiran talks about what got him to quit his day job and pursue his cause. "Nobody should die waiting for blood", he says. Many believed him to be crazy at first. Today, with over 15,300 km across 16 states, his walk has prompted officials to change things on ground. Thus far 26,252 people have donated blood to support his walk at 123 blood donation camps. "You have to be a little crazy if you wish to change the world".

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Dr Anna Lembke on her book, "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence"

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 14:33:35 GMT

Dr Anna Lembke is a psychiatrist and the chief of the Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford University School of Medicine. She has treated patients with addiction of all kinds including alcoholism and drug use. And behavioural ones such as smartphone and the internet. Her book Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the age of Indulgence is a brilliant read. It brings to life real stories of her patients and how they struggled through addiction and broke it. In this podcast Dr Lembke recommends steps to avoid the trap of falling for our immediate impulses. How does the pleasure and pain balance work in our brains? When is it the best time to introduce technology to kids? Why dopamine is important and how we can make it work for us? And lots more.

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Gavin Jackson on his book, "Money In One Lesson"

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 14:33:35 GMT

You don't need to be an economics buff to enjoy Gavin Jackson's "Money In One Lesson". The fascinating book breaks down money and charts its history in a user-friendly manner. In this podcast Gavin talks about stuff like this: What's common between most of the monetary system, including banks, and the hawala system? How has it inspired entrepreneurs to enable peer-to-peer lending? How cryptocurrency takes a few lessons from the centuries-old diamond trade in Surat where angadias or young couriers in Gujarat transfer millions of dollars worth of diamonds everyday to rank strangers solely on trust. What did we learn from the 2008 financial crisis? It's almost always better, he says, to be faster at cleaning up the aftermath than to let banks live in their mess as a punishment. More recently, why did the Silicon Valley Bank implode despite all those learnings? In Dante's Inferno, sodomites and money lenders occupy the same circle of hell. Why does money get a bad rep? And a lot more.

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Ludwig Siegele, The Economist's top tech guru on ChatGPT

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 14:33:35 GMT

Ludwig Siegele, considered among the top tech gurus at The Economist, has covered the global tech industry since 1995. He sees the same excitement and chatter around ChatGPT in the Silicon valley as there was when the internet was born. In this podcast, Ludwig shares his views on the new sensation, which can do itself some good if it can slow itself down a bit. Also, is the future in a hybrid open model which will only dig into text from verified research reports and news articles before responding to the user's questions? Should Google be worried? And can the whole thing be monetised?

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Annie Lowrey on her book, "Give People Money: How a Universal Basic Income Would End Poverty, Revolutionize Work, and Remake the World"

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 14:33:35 GMT

Annie Lowrey's "Give People Money: How a Universal Basic Income Would End Poverty, Revolutionize Work, and Remake the World" is a richly reported book which brings to light some personal and often harrowing accounts of folks who could benefit instantly through cash transfers. Annie travelled to the boondocks in India and villages in Kenya where it was considered too rude to eat in the open, given the lack of food going around. Her trips to the sticks in South Korea and America gave her a peek into the life of ordinary citizens grappling to get by while battling a thicket of regulations and bureaucracy. In this podcast Annie offers compelling reasons why a UBI is a simple but effective solution to address deep poverty. She cites examples of countries and cities that have successfully experimented with such programmes and saw a perceptible rise in standard of living and dignity. Indeed it cannot replace all welfare schemes or subsidies but officials around the world could do well to give UBI a decent shot.

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Philip Coggan on his book, "Surviving the Daily Grind: Bartleby's Guide to Work"

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 14:33:35 GMT

Philip Coggan's "Surviving the Daily Grind: Bartleby's Guide to Work" is an amusing account on corporate world's oddities. For instance, "Why so many managers pollute their utterances with so much inane jargon?" If we had a rupee for each time someone uses the word, "holistic" or recommends others to step outside their "comfort zone", we would all be rich. In this podcast, Philip talks about the merits of using normal English while citing examples of how it can help the bottom line. How has email changed our communication? What are some wacky ways of hiring people? What is the point of all those lenghtly meetings? Why lack of "empathy" from managers who rule with an iron hand can have dire consequences? And finally, what makes a good manager?

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Tom Standage on his book, "A Brief History of Motion"

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 14:33:35 GMT

Tom Standage has authored seven history books. His most recent one charts the history of the wheel to self-driving cars and everything in between. Whereas the wheel remains among the most important inventions of mankind, it took thousands of years before we found mass applications for it. In this podcast Tom motors along different eras while describing the invention's bumpy ride and how it has shaped our society. Today, how have smartphones inherited the legacy of the car? Why are these pocket-sized gadgets an "internet of motion" and "a ticket to mobility"? How is the "Netflix for cars" model working out for startups? Back in the day how did McDonald's learn from Ford? And why spending more money on a mattress may be more expedient than on a car? Listen to this and more from the deputy editor of The Economist who also plays the drums in his band, Sebastopol when he isn't writing.

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Point Blank with RB Ramesh, India's chess grandmaster-turned-coach

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 14:33:35 GMT

RB Ramesh started coaching when he was just 22 years old. His training institute "Chess Gurukul" has spawned champions who have brought over 100 medals for India in various competitions. Just last year his student, Praggnanandhaa or Pragg became the youngest player to defeat Magnus Carlsen, a giant of the game. In this podcast RB Ramesh talks about his experience of teaching folks from across different generations. What separates world beaters from the rest? How much of it all is psychological? How does he help his students deal with stress during big competitions? Did he have any superstitions during his playing career? And lots more.

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A conversation with Edward Carr, Foreign editor of The Economist on US foreign policy

Sat, 04 Jan 2014 12:30:35 GMT

Edward Carr, Foreign editor of The Economist takes us through his brilliant special report on US foreign policy. He argues that inspite of a dreadful decade abroad, Americans are unduly pessimistic about their place in the world. The rise of China as a formidable player in world affairs is undisputed, but its economic heft does not yet qualify it to be a geopolitical influence that America wields. In this podcast he talks about some of important keywords that have bothered US in the last few months. Syria, spying, counter insurgency and what are some of the alternatives, if any, to an American dominated international world order. And he does incredibly well in the rapid fire round, right at the end, which is reserved for our friends at The Economist.

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Jon Fasman of The Economist on his experience of covering the US presidential elections

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:30:35 GMT

In this podcast, Jon Fasman of The Economist talks about his on ground experience of covering the US presidential elections. Over the past few months Jon travelled across the country, attended rallies, conducted interviews, met strangers, filed articles, wrote online, did live blogging, recorded podcasts and met crazy deadlines. To report the greatest political event on the planet, a little bit of insomnia came in handy too. Given a chance, would he do it again. In a heartbeat, he says.

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A Conversation with Paul Markillie of The Economist on Digital Manufacturing

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 12:30:35 GMT

Paul Markillie, the Innovation Editor at The Economist joins us to talk about the magical world of digital manufacturing, the subject of his special report which was published earlier this year. In this 20 minute chat Paul shares his experiences which took him to some interesting places across the world. This third revolution has already taken off. For instance, in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics, 23 of the 25 world records in swimming were broken not just because the players trained hard, but they wore body suits which mimicked shark skin making them more hydro-dynamic. It had a lot to do with the new-age manufacturing process which has sprung up new kinds of materials. They help make groundbreaking products cheaply. Although the concept of 3D printing is relatively new, Paul reckons that we may soon see service engineers not having to scratch their heads for that elusive spare part which can fix your washing machine. They could just print that piece of plastic or metal to the exact specifications and get your machine up and running in a jiffy. From making high end jewellery to popping small food filaments for icing your cake, digital manufacturing is an exciting new domain.

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A Conversation with Simon Wright of The Economist on Natural Gas

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 12:30:35 GMT

The Economists deputy news editor, Simon Wright is so good at dismembering jargons that you might even start to care about knowing a little something about natural gas, the subject of his special report that was published this month. In this podcast, Simon gives us a crash course in Shale gas and explains why is it a big deal that America has started to mine more of it in the last few years. He reckons that it may still take a while for developing countries to get their hands on it, but this discovery could lead to some interesting political repercussions in world economy.

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A Conversation with Jon Fasman of The Economist on American Economy, Drugs and Journalism

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:30:35 GMT

Jon Fasman knows what it takes to be a New York Times best selling author. His book, Geographer's Library published in 2005 has been released into more than a dozen languages and his more recent novel, The Unpossessed City is a major hit. At The Economist, he covers a diverse range of subjects like food, music, chopsticks, politics, Tiger Woods, Dominique Strauss Kahn, global warming and a lot more. In this podcast, talks about American politics, drugs and Atlanta. Incidentally, Jon was working in a building close to the twin towers on September 11, 2001 and he shares his thoughts about where USA stands today, in the midst of very high unemployment rates and terror strikes. For the ones interested to know more about drugs, skip to the 12th minute to hear this father of two young kids having a refreshingly liberal attitude towards solving the problem of drug abuse which plagues not just America, but many other nations.

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Philip Coggan on his Special Report on Pensions

Tue, 03 May 2011 12:30:35 GMT

Philip Coggan, the Capital Markets Editor of The Economist joins us to talk about his special report on Pensions. Things have changed quite a bit since the first pension scheme was introduced by Otto Von Bismarck back in the 19th century. As people in developed countries are living longer, the pressure on the working population is mounting steadily to support the greying economies. In this podcast, Philip suggests different ways to tackle this problem by citing examples of governments which are doing it right and a few others which aren't.

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Lane Greene of The Economist on his book, You are What You Speak

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:30:35 GMT

Robert Lane Greene, the International Correspondent of The Economist has released his first book titled, You Are What You Speak. In this podcast, Lane clearly distinguishes the sticklers from the linguists. While he supports those who strive to write and talk by making use of correct grammar, he is against the mindless infatuation with the subject. He also tells us a bit about the process of writing his book while juggling between a day job and learning new languages while at it.

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Point Blank with Nitin Chandrakant Desai

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:30:35 GMT

In our film industry, what Amitabh Bachchan or Dilip Kumar is to acting, Nitin Chandrakant Desai is to art direction. The winner of four national awards and many successful movies such as Lagaan, Devdas, Jodha Akbar, Hum Dil Dechuke Sanam, Munnabhai, etc talks about his craft and the challenges of his everyday job. He takes us through his experiece of working with directors like Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansai, Danny Boyle and Ashutosh Gowarikar. His job demands him to think on his feet and deliver results in open sets where temperature can soar up to 45 degrees.This podcast charts the journey of the man who once lived in a 10X10 Worli chawl and today is Indias most respected Art Director who still maintains the modesty of a newcomer.

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Kenneth Cukier from The Economist on the Japan crisis from Ground Zero

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:30:35 GMT

Kenneth Cukier is Japan Business and Finance correspondent of The Economist, but in the last couple of weeks, Kenn has stared at one of the most grueling assignments of his career. He is covering Japans largest earthquake, visiting disaster zones and making sense of the mayhem. In this podcast, Kenneth who is at ground zero salutes the spirit of the Japanese who are ploughing through the crisis with aplomb. He does not mince words while criticizing the Tokyo Electric Power Company which is at the core of the nuclear reactor crisis.

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Point Blank with Andrew Palmer, Finance Editor at The Economist

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:30:35 GMT

Andrew Palmer, the Finance Editor of The Economist joins us to talk about his recently published Special Report on Property. In this podcast, he talks about the importance accorded to property as an asset class and the reasons for its mercurial valuation especially in countries like USA, Spain, Ireland, etc which are currently in a housing soup.

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Point Blank with Kranthi Vistakula

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:30:35 GMT

Kranthi Vastikula, an MIT alumnus created an all weather jacket which ensures that you don't sweat in the Mumbai Summer and do not freeze to death if you were at the base camp of Mount Everest. In this podcast, he talks about his innovation and the challenges of commercialising it. He talks proudly about his closely knit 15 member team at Hyderabad who have been handpicked from engineering and MBA colleges, the National Institute of Design and the college from which he graduated. With The Indian Army as their Beta customers and the backing of his VCs, he plans to take his products to the masses.

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Prof Kanu Doshi on the Union Budget 2011

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:30:35 GMT

Prof Kanu Doshi and his quintessential humour join us by branding this years Union budget as an Accountants budget which is neither beneficial for the khaas aadmi nor the aam aadmi. Kanu bhai takes us through the different benefits that the common man can enjoy until the Direct Tax Code is introduced in the coming year. This podcast decodes jargons like AMT, LLP, DDT and many more. The Finance Minister lay special thrust on infrastructure by alloting more than Rs. 2000 crore for development of roadways, etc. Inviting foreign companies to invest in the infrastructure bonds by increasing the ceiling limit from 5 billion USD to 25 billion USD is one of the highlights of this year's budget and Kanu bhai tells us why.

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Point Blank with Viren Rasquinha

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:30:35 GMT

Its hard to believe that a fearless competitor who would charge at lightning speed towards his opponents to tackle a ball which can sometimes fly at 150 miles per hour can be so modest and down to earth with his words. Viren Rasquinha talks about his experience as Indian hockey team captain, the challenges plaguing Indian hockey and the demands of playing an international sport. As a merit ranker in school and an international level sportsman, Viren had the pick of jobs at the Indian School of Business, where he was pursuing his MBA. Instead, he chose to roll up his sleeves and get down to resolving the issues challenging Indian sports players by joining Olympic Gold Quest as COO. Olympic Gold Quest is an organization founded by Geet Seethi and Prakash Padukone that supports top-notch Indian players with the most potential of winning an Olympic Gold medal for India. 1 billion people in India and only 1 individual Olympic gold - Olympic Gold Quest aims to change this. Support Olympic Gold Quest at http://www.olympicgoldquest.in

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Point Blank with Swanand Kirkire

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:30:35 GMT

It was a big surprise when I found out that the lyricist for 3 Idiots and Lage Raho Munnbhai was the same person. Now, in the list of the above two movies, add Parineeta, Khoya Khoya Chand, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and the reason to have Swanand Kirkire on Point Blank is obvious. His abilities are not restricted to song writing. He has been an Assistant director, dialogue writer, music director, and an accomplished singer (think Baanwara Mann). I got a chance to spend some time and record a very candid podcast with Swanand at a farm house. That will explain the occasional buffalo moos, crows cawing and a train passing by.

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Point Blank with Rajdeep Sardesai

Mon, 17 May 2010 12:30:35 GMT

In this podcast, Rajdeep Sardesai takes us back to his school days and talks passionately about his cricket, table tennis and quizzing before drifting into journalism after studying Law at Oxford University. His dad, Dilip Sardesai, comes to life in the conversation when Rajdeep talks fondly about the values that he grew up on. Rajdeep started his career at a time when Television was yet to make its debut and in his words, Journalism was not as glamourous as it is today. There was a lot of drudgery involved. Rajdeep reasons out why the quality of modern journalism has been in decadence. Yet he is hopeful that this only presents an opportunity for some interesting stories to be told. He believes that news channels will soon be judged on their credibility and integrity and not on how much noise they can make. He also uses strong words against the Quick Fix journalism that Indian media indulges in under the veil of investigative journalism. Like an experienced test match opening batsman, Rajdeep Sardesai plays it safe in the V until the 9th minute and then cuts lose without mincing words in the slog overs right until the last minute.

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Point Blank with Anand Patwardhan, Documentary Film maker and more

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:30:35 GMT

Anand Patwardhan has spent three decades making documentaries on important political and social issues. Raam Ke Naam, made a year before the Mumbai riots informed the people of the brewing animosity prior to the riots and motivations of political parties that ultimately led to the drastic actions of the Hindu militants. His documentary Father, Son and the Holy War explores in two parts the possibility that the psychology of violence against the other may lie in male insecurity, itself an inevitable product of the very construction of manhood. spite of winning National and International awards for his documentaries, Anand has battled severe censorship for virtually all of his films through decade long battles with the government to ensure his documentaries be aired on National Television. From patriotism to matriarchy to Gandhi, his activism through his chosen medium of documentaries, Anand speaks about this and a lot more.

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Point Blank with Santosh Ostwal Farmer, Engineer, Inventor, Life Saver

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:30:35 GMT

Santosh Ostwal is a maverick engineer who made it possible for the Indian farmer to trigger his irrigation pump with the help of a mobile phone. Do not rub your eyes. You read it right. As an adolescent, Santosh watched his 82 year old grandfather toil hard during the day and then make multiple rounds to the farm with a walking stick in the middle of the night to switch on the electric pump. This entailed facing the grave risk of being mugged or being attacked by snakes and other wild life among a host of other threats. All this to ensure that the crops are well watered. After this incident, Santosh made up his mind to use his engineering knowledge to make a difference for thousands of farmers who lived the same story.

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Point Blank with Tom Standage on the iPad

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:30:35 GMT

The Economists Business Affairs Editor joined us to talk about his cover story on the iPad. In this podcast, Tom makes some interesting observations on how the device will be more acceptable by the grandmothers and the members of the non geek world. He also shares his opinions on how the iPad will affect the online publishing and the newspaper industry. Tom is known for speaking his mind on the subject that he loves Apple and Technology and thats exactly what he does in this podcast too.

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Point Blank with Neville Roach

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 12:30:35 GMT

Born in India, having spent a major part of his life in Australia, and having worked on building Indo-Australian ties both on the government and business level, We can think of no one better than Mr. Neville Roach to shed light on the current state of affairs between India and Australia. The latest and a significant addition to the already enviable bio is Nevilles recent appointment to the Indian Prime Ministers Global Advisory Council of Overseas Indians.

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Point Blank with Brendan Greeley

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 12:30:35 GMT

From reinsurance to journalism, it has been a pretty exciting career path for Brendan Greeley who has served as the Multimedia Editor of The Economist for two years and has moved into a new role now. In this podcast, Brendan talks passionately about the role of the journalist from the investigative journalism days in the 1970s to the information glut age of the web. He gets candid about why News networks are not able to figure out how to make money on the internet. True to The Economists style, he decodes jargons like Lean Back and Lean forward in media publishing and shares his personal views on the future of journalism on the web.

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Point Blank with Pritish Nandy

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:30:35 GMT

A poet, a journalist, a sportsman, a publishing editor of Indias premier newspaper, a photographer, a traveler, a film maker, all in one lifetime and still going strong. If this were a quiz question, one neednt require any options to choose from. The name that comes at the top of ones mind is that of Pritish Nandy. In this point blank chat with Aditya, Nandy gets candid on his colourful career so far right from his schooling days where his poems would get him plaudits from accomplished writers and female fans to his stint as a successful producer of cult films like Hazaron Khwaishein aaise

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Point Blank with Dr. Shashi Tharoor - Indian Minister of State, External Affairs

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:30:35 GMT

Shashi Tharoor Jeetega Zaroor was the campaign slogan that his supporters chanted when a precocious Tharoor was running for the president of his college union. He won then and three decades later, in 2009, Dr Shashi tharoor won again, this time as the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and a member of the Indian Parliament from the Trivandrum constituency in Kerala. In this podcast, Dr Tharoor talks about his experience as a diplomat at the UN and the eventful transition to Indian politics. In his beautiful and typical story telling style, he shares anecdotes about how he not only connected to the masses on the Internet but more importantly went the extra mile to win the hearts and minds of the labour class. He also shares his views on the unintended controversy that Twitter gave birth to.

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Point Blank with Gautam Rajadhyaksha

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:30:35 GMT

I hate to introduce Gautam Rajadhyaksh as a "celebrity photographer". He is much more and you would realize that you you hear hiim talk about his experiences from photo shoots with film personalities, singer, musicians and even businessmen, infact, He earned his trademark while a photoshoot with one of the greatest businessman India has ever seen. We spend time talking about his all things that he is passionate about. I had to wrap up the interview at the 40 min mark and yet we had to leave a lot out! May be I will go back for a sequel but for now enjoy this point blank with Gautam Rajadhyaksh

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Point Blank with Devdutt Pattnaik

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:30:35 GMT

Devdutt Pattnaik probably has one of the most unique designations that one might come across. He is the Chief Belief Officer at Future Group of Big Bazaar and Pantaloon fame. Devdutt, a student of mythology, has several books to his name and writes several mythology related columns in newspapers. In this point blank, we talk about mythology, its relevance and what one can learn from it. Devdutt presents some very interesting thoughts about mythology that I grew up believing to be true, about preserving heritage structures and how to interpret mythology.

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Point Blank with Sanjay Manjrekar

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:30:35 GMT

Indicast got a chance to catch up with Sanjay Manjrekar, a technically sound batsmen who doesnt believe in the significance to technique in cricket. We start the conversation talking about about the on field energy during the 1996 India-Pakistan World Cup match and then move on to other topics like why Indians struggled in fielding, his career as a commentator and then his passion for singing. He also talked about his grossly misunderstood article about Sachin Tendulkar, his thoughts about Azharuddin getting into politics as well as the match fixing scandal.

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Point Blank with Andreas Kluth on Hannibal, Success, Failure

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:30:35 GMT

Its a tough gig... to work for one of the most acclaimed publications of the century during the day time, work everyday independently towards writing a book in a half lotus position, research like hell so as to get all the facts and the perspectives right, update a book blog almost daily, then come home late at night to crash on the bed! Andreas Kluth, the humble tech correspondent from The Economist joins us to talk about Hannibal, the Carthaginian general from about 200 BC who marched with an army of elephants over the Alps, defeated the Romans over and over again, but his life ended with an anti-climax; he lost everything and committed suicide! In his book, Andreas intends to draw parallels between Hannibals life and that of our contemperories like Steve Jobs, Al Gore,and may be even Heath Ledger! No, you wont find it in the Self Help aisle of your book store. In this podcast Andreas shares all his views on this very eventful journey of writing his first book which is slate to come out sometime in 2009.

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Point Blank with Kanu Doshi on Taxation

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:30:35 GMT

Any fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction. Prof Kanu Doshi is back. This time he fires away on Indias convoluted tax structure in a user friendly manner that makes a technical subject like taxation lnteresting and entertaining. All our finance ministers from Chanakya to Chidambaram have steered India through a very eventful journey in the field of taxation and Kanu bhai pulls out fascinating anecdotes from his hat to take us through this ride. Hope you enjoy it!

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Point Blank with Economics Editor of The Economist

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:30:35 GMT

It is said that having a good conversation is one of the great joys of being human. When Zanny Minton Beddoes, the Economics Editor of The Economist ruthlessly dismembers jargons like foreclosures, sub prime crisis, inter bank rates, etc, all I can say is that I enjoyed every bit of it. Economics is a fascinating field and Zanny makes it palatable for all of us who do not have a background in the subject. In the first few minutes, she lays a solid foundation giving us the whole build up to the current situation in the US followed by where she thinks it will all culminate into. All this and much more in these 30 minutes that Zanny squeezed in from her busy day which she attributes to America facing pretty interesting times. Presenting to you, economics for the common man.

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Point Blank with the Capital Markets Editor of The Economist

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:30:35 GMT

It has been a roller coaster ride for the equity markets over the last few months. From being one of the best investment options, the global markets have fallen to new lows. Recession fears in the US have knocked down stock prices from their high pedestal. But how does one define a recession, and what is its impact on the common man? Can the genesis of this slow down be attributed to a particular event? And more importantly where is all this leading to? Philip Coggan, the Capital Markets editor at The Economist unravels the answers to these questions in this episode of the Point Blank series.

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Point Blank with the Executive Editor of The Economist

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:30:35 GMT

Daniel Franklin is The Economists Executive Editor and the Editor-in-Chief of economist.com. He completes quarter of a century in the organisation this year! He wouldnt be too happy if I say that modesty is his middle name, because he is a man who despises tired metaphors and insipid language. This podcast is a lesson in humility as much as it is on What makes the Economist have a cult following?

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Point Blank with Kanu Doshi on Union Budget 2008

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:30:35 GMT

A lot has been said about the Union Budget 2008 already. The experts have fashionably shunted this as a shamelessly populist and a cloyingly sweet Budget. So, do we need another voice adding to the noise? Yes, if the voice is that of Prof Kanu H Doshi who is reputed to create music in all the cacophony. In this Podcast, he does not play the proverbial Economist with one hand. He is point blank and opinionated in all matters from the Rs. 60,000 tax waiver awarded to the farmers and the sops extended to the working middle class. And he is a brilliant story teller and explains certain economic jargons like the multiplier effect and Retained Earnings in a simple manner! He unleashes his witty remarks at the fag end of the podcast which will have you in splits. Heard about a finance whizard with a sense of humor? Well, thats Kanu H Doshi for you or like his friends call him, Kanu bhai!

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Point Blank with Adam Roberts, News Editor of Economist

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:30:35 GMT

Adam Roberts, the News Editor of economist.com is fresh from having penned a brilliant Special Report (published at least once a month) on Migration and its impact on the lives of billions from across the planet. His report estimates that there are around 200 million migrants across the world which make up 3 per cent of the population. This number will only grow and so will the xenophobia surrounding it. Adam opens up 4 minutes into his candid talk and we end up talking about the lighter side of Migration as well - Its called Chicken Tikka Masala! Listen to know what we mean!

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Point Blank With Harsha Bhogle

Sat, 10 Nov 2007 12:30:35 GMT

Harsha Bhogle is a man with multiple personalities. When he is not in the commentary box, he contributes as a columnst in The Indian Express and writes on espnstar. While he has an art to draw opinions from the experts in the commentary box, he is forthright and calls spade a spade in his writings. Its a 30 MB download but worth it.

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Point Blank with Brendan Greeley

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:30:35 GMT

Brendan Greeley is the Web 2.0 Guy of The Economist. Currently, a week old in the organisation (at the time of the conversation) literally this one man army is spending his time to help The Economist embrace the nuances of the new media! He has shuffled many roles over the past few years and had also served as the Blogger in Chief of the public radio show, Open Source of which he was the founding member. In this candid conversation, Brendan and his sense of humor reign throughout!

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Point Blank with Gurucharan Das

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:30:35 GMT

The beatific smile of Gurcharan Das is a function of myriad personalities that live within him. In this podcast, he is his modest self, describing his early life and his time as a the VP and MD of PG Worldwide and more. An unabashed supporter of capitalism, he believes that the business of the Government is not to be in business. However, he maintains throughout that healthy competition is a result of strong governance and enlightened regulation. He says, Our economy grows at night when theGovernment is asleep. Unlike china, where the success is induced by the state, ours is a success despite the state.

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Point Blank with Ann Wroe the obituaries writer

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:30:35 GMT

Anns work is akin to intense method acting which actors like Robert De Niro and Al Pacino use to get under the skin of the character that they play. While the two actors do that once or twice a year for a role and a few million dollars, Ann has mastered the art week after week by writing about anyone who is merely famous (read: Anna Nicole Smith) or unexpectedly facinating like Inder Jit Rikhye, the peacemaker from India.

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Point Blank with Tom Standage on mesmerizing technologies

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:30:35 GMT

In this talk about telecom convergence and the mesmerising magical world of mobile telephony, broadband, and Internet TV, Tom orchestrates a perfect symphony by explaining in a jargon free language that the distinctions between these technologies are blurring. He believes utility and substance coupled with stlye and grace in products such as iPhone makes them a beautiful combination. And then, the talk reaches a crescendo when he responds to my diffident accusation that technology is overwhelming us and that we are growing too fast for our own comfort.

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Point Blank with James Astill on Terrorism and Militant Islamism

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:30:35 GMT

This week, we chat up with James Astill from The Economist, the recepient of the annual Gerald R. Ford prize for distinguished reporting in National Defence. James business card a few months ago read, Defence and Terrorism Correspondent. Meeting terrorists or fairly rough characters as he likes to call them is an occupational hazard for someone who bears the tag of a Defence Correspondent. Over the past decade, hes visited Cuba, Sudan, Congo, Afghanistan and many more places including a 6 year stint with Islamabad. In this 20 min talk, James gives us his hands on insights on Pakistan. James feels that Indias sometimes friendly neighbour is changing and that it is Indias turn to extend its hand for peace.

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Point Blank with Andreas Kluth on rise of new media

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 12:30:35 GMT

This week, listen to us chat up with Andreas Kluth , the award winning journalist from The E onomist, who has been lauded for his contribution in Media reporting. His survey on New Media is reader friendly, crisp and interspersed with humor. Go read the series of articles here . They are a gold mine of information for anyone wanting to know about the new media!

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Point Blank with Avnish Bajaj of Matrix Partners

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:30:35 GMT

Avnish Bajaj, co-founder of Baazee.com and now with Matrix Partners. He agreed to have an informal conversation about enterpreneurship, VC funding and about his journey as an entrepreneur to a VC. The interview is a bit long (40 mins) but contains a lot of experiential thoughts.

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