Welcome to the '70s | Gerald Ashley

On this episode of Brigadoon Radio, Gerald Ashley and Marc Ross discuss the year-end and the year ahead with a focus on inflation, union strikes in the UK, the Federal Reserve, a resurgence of infrastructure and manufacturing, the end of FTX, the trench warfare of Ukraine, developments in Turkey, the Germany coup plot, the fusion breakthrough, Japan a country to watch, no 2023 Taiwan invasion, supply chains and friend-shoring, and what they are reading and watching.

Reading and watching recommendations from this Brigadoon Radio episode:

As strikes expand, Britain faces a new ‘winter of discontent’: In the 1970s, Margaret Thatcher accused the Labour government of losing control. Now, the same charge is being leveled by Labour against the Conservatives. NYT

Why trench warfare still persists in 2022: Going underground in the Ukraine conflict is still as vital tactically as in the First World War. The Times

‘Hell. Just hell’: Ukraine and Russia’s war of attrition over Bakhmut: Soldiers say fighting in and around eastern Donetsk city is reminiscent of first world war-style trench conflict. FT

War in Ukraine: Macron's lone ranger diplomacy Le Monde

Turkey bars potential challenger to President Erdogan from politics: NYT reports the mayor of Istanbul, a possible rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2023 elections, was convicted of insulting public officials.

Germany coup plot: Far-right cell targeted many senior officials including Scholz: According to investigators, the commando group dismantled last week was not only planning to seize the Bundestag. Le Monde

Japan to buy Tomahawk missiles in defense buildup amid fears of war WP

+ The missile buy would boost Japan’s long-range strike capability and mark a stunning break with a long tradition of eschewing offensive weapons.

+ Japan will move forward on the Tomahawk decision as a part of the rollout of its new national security and defense strategies this month, along with a major hike in Japan’s defense budget.

Japan to upgrade cyber defense, allowing preemptive measures: A revised National Security Strategy to open doors for a proactive response. Nikkei

Japan ruling parties call China 'challenge' in defense strategy: Nikkei reports upgraded documents to seek 'counterstrike capability' in a shift in postwar approach.

The Power of Geography: Ten Maps That Reveal the Future of Our World - Tim Marshall

The global microchip race: Europe’s bid to catch up: The region still has hidden strengths in the equipment used in chipmaking but faces a shortage of skilled labor. FT

The Ascent of Man - Jacob Bronowski

Tokyo Vice is an American crime drama television series created by JT Rogers and based on the 2009 book of the same title by Jake Adelstein.

The Optimist's Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age - Bina Venkataraman

The Well-Tempered City: What Modern Science, Ancient Civilizations, and Human Nature Teach Us About the Future of Urban Life - Jonathan FP Rose

GOTV | Gerald Ashley

On this episode of Brigadoon Radio, Gerald Ashley and Marc Ross discuss US Election 2022 and what's next in American politics, dealing with global inflation challenges and slowing economies, why NFTs and the Skyscraper Index matter, North Korea says missile tests were practice to attack South Korea and the United States, Ukraine as a testbed for weapons and future conflict, expectations of the G20, and what they are reading and watching.

Reading and watching recommendations from this Brigadoon Radio episode:

Trailer: All Quiet on the Western Front Netflix

Trailer: Das Boot YT

Trailer: Count Me In YT

The Calendar: The 5000 Year Struggle to Align the Clock and the Heavens and What Happened to the Missing Ten Days - David Ewing Duncan Amazon

Asia's Reckoning: China, Japan, and the Fate of US Power in the Pacific Century - Richard McGregor Amazon

Detroit: An American Autopsy - Charlie LeDuff Amazon

Trailer: Write Around the World With Richard E. Grant BBC

Political Pantomime | Gerald Ashley

On this episode of Brigadoon Radio, Gerald Ashley and Marc Ross discuss PM Liz Truss, the politics of London, what happens next in the House of Commons, masters of the universe and bond vigilantes, Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party, Japan and Australia's new security deal, the first-ever Taiwan Expo USA held in Washington DC, and what they are reading and watching.

Show notes for this episode of Brigadoon Radio:

Liz Truss quits as UK prime minister: Politico reports Britain to get new leader next week after crisis-hit Truss resigns after just 44 days.

UK's direction in doubt after Truss resigns: WP reports her move, after six weeks in office, sets up vote for a new leader of bitterly divided Conservative Party.

Bloomberg: UK premier may be decided Monday as Tories set contest rules

Succession battle begins after Liz Truss quits as UK prime minister: Conservative party sets high threshold for race to become new premier as Sunak emerges as the early frontrunner. FT

Boris Johnson considering running again to be PM, say allies: Guardian reports the threshold to reach ballot is support of 100 Tory MPs, however, and there are doubts he has sufficient backing.

Former UK Treasury Chief Rishi Sunak leads prime minister race: WSJ reports other competitors include cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt, and possibly former leader Boris Johnson.

Whoever follows Liz Truss, fiscal conservatism will rule Britain: While the market reaction to Ms. Truss’s unsound fiscal plans was over-egged, it could tie the hands of her successors for years. WSJ

US is gripped by failure of British populism: The tragedy of Liz of the 44 Days has been watched with fascination and alarm by politicians, strategists, and financiers. Gerard Baker

Xi Jinping offers an ominous warning of what’s to come David Ignatius

The pomp, pageantry, and paranoia of China’s Communist Party Congress WP

Xi Jinping: China’s everlasting emperor awaits his third term: The president has sidelined rivals and abandoned collective leadership to reign alone and unchallenged. Tom Mitchell

Analysis: Xi's coronation ceremony opens on date of China's first atom bomb: Reaffirming Taiwan unification, leader makes his third term play amid economic downturn. Nikkei

Containing China is Biden’s explicit goal: US efforts to isolate Beijing’s high-tech sector may accelerate Xi Jinping’s bid to take control of Taiwan. Edward Luce

The world according to Xi: security, socialism, and soldiers: Congress speech 'less about dreams and more about potential dangers ahead.' Nikkei

‘Moving backward’: In Xi’s China, some see an era of total control: A decade ago, many prominent Chinese hoped that Xi Jinping would usher in openness and reform. Today, some of them believe he has created a totalitarian state. NYT

How Xi Jinping became “Chairman of Everything”: China’s leader came to power determined to ensure prosperity, but he may yet turn out to be his country’s greatest threat. New Statesman

Analysis: China's power struggles were ferocious in 1972 and remain so today: Normalization with Japan was risky for all the players involved. Nikkei

The Current War Trailer

The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence - Benoit Mandelbrot + Richard L. Hudson Amazon

On the Future: Prospects for Humanity - Lord Martin Rees Amazon

Asia's Reckoning: China, Japan, and the Fate of US Power in the Pacific Century - Richard McGregor Amazon

The Party: The Secret World of China's Communist Rulers - Richard McGregor Amazon

All Quiet on the Western Front - Trailer

Bad Sisters - Trailer

Channeling Castro | Gerald Ashley

On this episode of Brigadoon Radio, Gerald Ashley and Marc Ross discuss inflation, supply chain challenges, central banks moving too slowly, mortgage rates, depressed discretionary spending, how alcohol lost its cool, moves by OPEC+, the need for nuclear energy, the political plays by Team Truss, Biden suggesting Putin is ready for Armageddon, how does NATO respond to a chemical attack, the psyops of the Russo-Ukrainian War, and what they are reading and watching.

Show notes for this episode of Brigadoon Radio:

IMF to lower global growth forecast: WSJ reports the head of the IMF said policymakers must do more to reduce inflation, noting that raising interest rates and other measures are needed despite the short-term pain they could cause.

The Times: Global recovery setback could wipe out $4trn, warns IMF chief

WTO sees sharp slowdown in global trade, pointing to possible recession: High inflation, borrowing costs, and supply disruptions are weakening global demand for exports and imports. WSJ

Ford hikes price of electric F-150 pickup again on rising supply costs: Bloomberg reports the F-150 Lightning Pro now starts at $51,974, up 30% from the original price in May.

Bloomberg: US mortgage rates rise for seventh week to highest in 16 years

How alcohol lost its cool: A third of pub visits are now alcohol-free, but drinking has been losing its cred in pop culture for a while now. Daisy Jones

OPEC, allies move to slash oil production, eliciting blistering White House response: WP reports White House officials reacted after the OPEC Plus coalition moved to curb production in response to falling prices.

White House accuses OPEC+ of aligning with Russia: FT reports oil production cuts prompt backlash from Washington amid soaring energy inflation.

US to ease Venezuela sanctions, enabling Chevron to pump oil: WSJ reports the proposed deal would require Caracas to open talks with political opponents, with the aim of free elections in 2024.

The Trussonomics warning: The UK government's disastrous rollout of its "mini-budget" is a cautionary tale for policymakers around the world as they pursue measures to help households deal with rising energy prices and inflation. When an economy is already operating near capacity, one group's benefit is another group's cost. Jason Furman

‘Seeking hope’: MPs reflect on Liz Truss’s calamitous Tory conference: Some Conservatives fear the party is heading for defeat at the next election as the new PM reels from setbacks. FT

A chaotic conference fractures Liz Truss’s young premiership: Twelve years in power catch up with the Conservatives. Economist

Night of the hurried U-turn: How Truss and Kwarteng dumped their tax cut: Even as Liz Truss was being toasted for her tax-cutting resolve, PM and chancellor were bowing to clamor to reverse course. Guardian

UK Leader Liz Truss faces political backlash after sparking market turmoil: The new prime minister came to office promising Thatcher-esque economic revival, but skepticism has mounted among investors, and her own lawmakers. WSJ

Tory MPs aren’t happy — and neither is Liz Truss The Times

Labour are ‘very clearly the favorites’ to win the next UK election, pollster Sir John Curtice said.

Putin at 70: Isolated, irrational, and fearing for his health: There seems little for the president to celebrate on Friday as Russia’s elite dares to ask: is he losing control? The Times

An unhinged Putin is a warning to China and Xi: As he turns 70, Vladimir Putin won’t be reflecting on how his longevity at the top has resulted in a rotten state structure and disaster abroad. Xi Jinping, who is 69 and counting, should. Clara Ferreira Marques

Putin’s apocalyptic end game in Ukraine: Annexation and mobilization make nuclear war more likely. Tatiana Stanovaya

WP: Russians flee by boat to Alaska after Putin’s military mobilization

CCP convenes to prepare for 20th National Congress: On Sunday, the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party will hold its seventh and final plenum in Beijing, bringing its five-year term to an end. Led by General Secretary Xi Jinping, the plenum is expected to fix the agenda for the national party congress, which starts on October 16 and ushers in the party's new leaders.

Skandal! Bringing Down Wirecard Netflix

Rogue Male - Geoffrey Household Amazon

38 at the Garden: HBO documentary 38 At The Garden recognizes a pivotal moment in time for Lin and celebrates a phenomenon that was bigger than basketball for the world. Trailer

Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction - Philip E. Tetlock + Dan Gardner Amazon

Magic and Loss: The Internet as Art - Virginia Heffernan Amazon

'London Bridge is down' | Gerald Ashley

On this episode of Brigadoon Radio, Gerald Ashley and Marc Ross discuss being back from summer break and hip surgery, a new PM, a new King, the US Midterm Elections, the role of central banks in the global economy, Mikhail Gorbachev influencing Xi Jinping, Boris Johnson making a comeback, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and what they are reading and watching.

Show notes for this episode of Brigadoon Radio:

Obituary: Queen Elizabeth II BBC

Queen Elizabeth II, 1926 - 2022: Britain’s longest-serving monarch whose reign was defined by an unwavering sense of commitment to her people and her country. The Times

The end of an era: The death of Elizabeth II: It deprives Britain of a thread that wove the nation together, and linked it to its past. Economist

Queen Elizabeth II, longest-reigning British monarch, dies: Her seven decades on the throne spanned the dismantling of an empire and a shrinking of the UK’s role in the world. WSJ

Bloomberg: GOP bickers, plays defense as dream of Congress ‘red wave’ fades

+ Democrats have more than double the money in the bank than Republican
+ House Minority Leader McCarthy to unveil GOP platform on September 19

Dems erase GOP’s Senate advantage: Four factors, including a better political environment for Democrats and some struggling GOP candidates, have turned the Senate battle into a coin flip. Politico

The Democrats are likely to lose the House but keep the Senate: Meet our election-forecasting model for America’s 2022 midterms. Economist

Liz Truss vows energy crisis action ahead of first day as PM: BBC reports Liz Truss has promised to deal with surging energy costs and to cut taxes after winning the Tory leadership contest to become the next PM. She will succeed Boris Johnson after being formally appointed by the Queen at Balmoral Castle on Tuesday.

Liz Truss’s inheritance: A UK economy on its knees: The new prime minister faces record inflation, a faltering pound, spiraling energy costs, and an ill-timed labor shortage. WSJ

Gorbachev’s reputation rests on the world’s amnesia George F. Will

The Party congress that will change the world begins on October 16: China has set the start date for the 20th National Congress, the nation’s high-level meeting where Xi is expected to consolidate his power. Nadya Yeh

How China’s party congress actually works: Unpacking the institution of the National Party Congress – its essential concepts and some common misunderstandings. Ling Li

Summoned by Bells - John Betjeman Amazon

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels IMDb

The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts Will Rule the Digital World - Scott Hartley Amazon

Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century - PW Singer Amazon

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA): The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Web

Brigadoon Monthly Call | September

Title: Communicating innovation

Speaker: Suzanne Zurn | Head of Strategic Communications @ National Security Innovation Network

RSVP