In this episode of the podcast we are joined by urban explorer Brad Garrett.  Brad is an LA native and qualified and worked as an archaelogist before discovering urban exploration or Urbex as it's more commonly known.

When Brad turned 16 and got his driving licence he took the opposite direction to many of his friends by exploring the Mojave desert while they sought the excitement of downtown LA.  His shunning of cities thankfully didn't stick because it is Brad's work as an ethnographer of London's Urbex community that first caught my attention.

During his time with the London Consolidation Crew Brad found himself exploring areas off limits to the public.  He went as high as the top of the London Shard as it neared completion and as low as Winston Churchill's WWII bunker in London's underground.

Brad has never lost the childlike state of curiosity and still views NO TRESPASSING signs as a challenge rather than a deterrent.  This activity led to Brad's being arrested and charged with what he calls 'thought crimes' as well as having his front door put in by the London Transport Police.

Brad is currently working at the University of Southampton.

Enjoy the show

For more info on Brad, including links, videos, and more info on his book check out

www.inspirelandpodcast.com

In this episode I spoke to John Perkins, Economic Hitman.  I have been chasing John since I first started the podcast and was delighted to have him for 40 mins.

During the show we discuss John's childhood, his heroes as a student of Economics, and his subsequent vetting by the NSA prior to his becoming an Economic Hit Man.  During his time as an EHM John was charged with burdening third world countries with massive debt which they would inevitably default on.  Once they defaulted the countries were pillaged of their resources for the benefits of the few.  On the occasions that John failed to convince a leader to take up his offer of 'aid' the traditional Hitmen were never far behind.

Having spent 7 years as an EHM John had a series of awakenings that have since led him all over the globe.  It is John's mission to expose predatory capitalism as a failure and attempt to create a more sustainable and just world.  John has lectured all over the world, and has founded several non-profit organisations, including DreamChange.

John is currently working on his next book but if you want to read him now check out his 3 best known works so far:

1. Confessions of An Economic Hitman
2. The Secret History of the American Empire
3. Hoodwinked.

John also appears prominently in several documentaries, most notably Zeitgeist: Addemdum.

Enjoy the show, leave a rating on iTunes, follow me on Twitter @InspirePod,

Dave.

Check out all my other episodes at www.inspirelandpodcast.com