inspireland podcast (Society & Culture)

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Syndication

In this episode we are joined by Sunny Hundal.  Sunny is a blogger, columnist, author, lecturer and TEDx-er.  He is best known for founding the left-wing political blog, Liberal Conspiracy.

Sunny, of Sikh heritage, spend much of his early childhood in India before settling in London from the age of 12.  He has spent much of his life campaigning to bring a youthful voice to the jaded, repetitive, race-relations narrative in the UK.  

He is at his most passionate when speaking about the culture of sexual violence that exists in India and the causes of that culture.  During the interview he tells us how India has 60m less women than it should have.  This is largely due, he believes, to the sorwy system and the abortion culture that it spawned.

Sunny seamlessly made the leap from blogger to mainstream journalist and his appointment at Kingston University is testament to the new media age, a topic close to his heart.

Check out further details about this interview, as well as episode notes, at

www.inspirelandpodcast.com

Enjoy

Direct download: E9_Sunny_Liberal_Conspiracy_Hundal.mp3
Category:Society & Culture -- posted at: 12:30am EDT

And now for something completely different

In this, the first of our inbetween-isodes, David Shields and Caleb Powell read excerpts from their forthcoming book I Think You're Totally Wrong, A Quarrel.

It's a dazzlingly original and captivating idea for a novel, charting as it does, the discussions of two adult males in their natural habitat.  The topics covered are wide ranging and include but are not limited to:

  1. The perils of homoerotic male friendships,
  2. The difference between listening and hearing,
  3. What happens when you're male, but with a high-pitched voice, and ring reception,
  4. Having a second child to save your marriage, only to discover that it actually works,
  5. Basketball, miscarriage, and middle aged race relations,
  6. What women really mean when they tell you to make up your own mind.

It's a brilliant recording and has been uploaded unedited so non of their charm is lost.  Listen, be moved, enjoy.

 

 

 

Direct download: inbetween1.mp3
Category:Society & Culture -- posted at: 10:04am EDT

In this episode of the Inspireland podcast i was joined by world renowned particle physicist, Jon Butterworth.

Jon is a professor at University College London but is probably best known for his work on the discovery of the Higgs Bosun particle at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.

Jon discusses his entry into the physics field, how becoming a Father changed the direction of his work, what it was like to discover the 'God particle,' and what's next for him now that the Higgs Bosun's existence has been proven.

Jon writes for the Guardian, has an excellent blog, makes numerous TV and documentary appearances, and recently wrote a surprisingly readable particle physics book, Smashing Physics, which describes his time and work at CERN.

Links to all of the above can be found at inspirelandpodcast.com

Enjoy the episode.

Direct download: E8_Jon_Smashing_Physicist_Butterworth.m4a
Category:Society & Culture -- posted at: 5:39am EDT

In this episode of the Inspireland podcast we speak to Australian born investor, philanthropist, and global citizen, Bill Liao.

I initially approached Bill to speak to one of the co-founders of the Irish based CoderDojo project, a rapidly growing, volunteer led, free, coding movement aimed at children.

Bill agreed immediately and we set a date.  Only when I began my research did I begin to realise that Bill was about much more than just the CoderDojo project.

My interview with Bill was one of the most enjoyable so far as Bill spoke with sincerity about his negative experience of the education system and the scars this left him, the racial intolerance he suffered as a child, his long search for truth, his conversion to sales, the importance of listening, and his hope to reverse climate change in his lifetime.

Bill is a force of nature.  His positivity and optimism drives his personal and business success but it is his commitment to his passion projects, WeForest, CoderDojo, and The Hunger Project that he hopes will be his legacy.

Enjoy the episode.

Direct download: E7_Bill_Ethical_Businessman_Liao.mp3
Category:Society & Culture -- posted at: 4:59am EDT

In this episode Irish political blogger Jason O' Mahony talks to us about what sparked his interest in politics, his experience as a candidate, and his fear that we may eventually be ruled by a wealthy and exceptionally good looking elite!

Last year Jason won the award for Best Irish Political Blog, an honour for which he didn't even know he had been nominated.  It is a blog that I found last year and have frequently returned to since for two reasons.  First, it informs as well as entertains, a winning combination.  Second, there is a healthy dose of cynicism but this sits comfortably alongside Jason's optimistic humour.

Jason describes himself on his site as a 'Bloke with a beard poking politics and stuff with a pointy stick.'  He is that, but he's also much more.  He has written satirical political articles for magazines and newspapers on both sides of the atlantic.  His satirical take on politicians is refreshing and you get the sense that while he enjoys poking them with his stick he also has a bit of sympathy for the difficulties of the job they have chosen.  Enjoy

 

Direct download: Inspire_mixdown.mp3
Category:Society & Culture -- posted at: 4:01pm EDT

In this episode we speak to Dublin born, and Meteor Choice Award nominee Ronan Hession.  Ronan is known artistically as Mumblin Deaf Ro and made for a fascinating interview.

The interview is the longest yet but Ronan was as fascinating a guest as he is beautiful a singer.  His singing talents are put to the test when he sings two songs live in the acoustic graveyard that is the kitchen at Inspireland towers.

Ronan discusses his process, success, inspiration, honesty, Buddhism, and curse!  This episode is released on international Buddha day and I'm sure if he was still around the Buddha would be proud of Ronan.

Much of Ronan's latest album, Dictionary Crimes, focuses on the challenges of early middle age, a subject often neglected by mainstream pop.  His searing honesty on the album can't but move the listener as he describes losing a child to miscarriage, caring for his late Mother through her illness, and becoming a Father to two young boys.

It's a long one but a good one, like a bank holiday weekend. Enjoy

Direct download: Episode_5_-_Mumblin_Deaf_Ro.mp3
Category:Society & Culture -- posted at: 6:47pm EDT

In the latest episode of the Inspireland podcast we have the pleasure of speaking to author, martial artist, college lecturer and savage philosopher, Danieli Bolelli.

Bolelli is best know for his brilliant book Create Your Own Religion and inspiring podcast, The Drunken Taoist.

We discuss how education is a good idea often poorly executed, how enthusiasm always trumps cynicism, how fear can make you a shadow of your true self, how certainty is rarely to be trusted, why empathy can change the world, and why you should question everything you believe.

Bolelli discusses all these things in his inimitable style and with the coolest accent imaginable. Enjoy

Direct download: E4_Daniele_Savage_Philosopher_Bolelli.mp3
Category:Society & Culture -- posted at: 7:16pm EDT

In our latest episode we are joined from LA by author Sam Sheridan who explains how he got himself apocalypse ready, just in case.

Sam has been a wildland firefighter, he has worked construction in the antarctic, trained and fought Muay Thai in Thailand, and crossed the world as a sailor.

In the interview Sam details his writing process, talks at length about his latest book The Disaster Diaries. tells us how becoming a Father has changed him, stresses the importance of being ready in case a natural disaster hits, the impact Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is having on US Army veterans, and describes how you should probably trust your intuition.

He was a great guest and a gentleman.  He was also our first guest to swear! Enjoy.

Direct download: Episode_3_-_Sam_Sheridan.mp3
Category:Society & Culture -- posted at: 8:00am EDT

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