For 'something a little different' I turned to Col. John B. Alexander , Ph.D. (U.S. Army, Ret.), to talk about UFOs. John has had a unique experience looking into the UFO question from a government insider's point of view and has a lot of extremely helpful, and extremely thoughtful, things to say — both about the reality of the phenomena and about our ignorance regarding what's happening. I highly recommend his latest book, UFOs: Myths, Conspiracies, and Realities (St. Martin's, 2011). Thanks, John! Total runtime fifty minutes. Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt .

By any reasonable reckoning idiocy in America has reached alarming proportions. Or, in the words of former U.S. Poet Laureate Charles Simic , "[t]he ideal citizen of a politically corrupt state, such as the one we now have, is a gullible dolt unable to tell truth from bullshit." That's clear enough. Apt. And yet, and yet... I asked Charles please to elaborate. Total runtime fifty two minutes. Dum spiro, spero .

Here's an extra, in-between show, in-between our regular Friday shows. Two reasons for this: it's a very short conversation and the sound quality is less than optimal (from a cell phone on the street). Still, it's an extremely important subject, one we should all be aware of and well worth pondering. Dr. Chensheng "Alex" Lu has found an explanation , a controversial explanation, for honeybee colony collapse disorder — not surprisingly, perhaps, CCD is linked to a common pesticide. I hope I can revisit this subject at greater length with Alex later this year. Total runtime seventeen minutes. Nātūrae dēbitum reddidērunt .

According to Dr. Ha-Joon Chang , modern economics emulates the spirit and purpose of medieval scholasticism in upholding — above all else — the status quo. Nowhere is this more apparent, or more required, than in the ridiculous nostrum of "free trade," though if you look closely most elements of mainstream economics are riddled with conceptual error. Because human beings are human beings, not calculating machines. Kudos to Ha-Joon for taking on the system from within! And, btw, if you haven't yet read it, please buy or borrow Ha-Joon's most recent — exceptionally outstanding — book, 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism (Bloomsbury, 2011). Total runtime thirty six minutes. Sub speciē aeternitātis .

It's a vicious circle. Financialization. Profit maximization. Offshoring. Political dysfunction. To start with the offshoring part, the American economy will wither and die without good industrial jobs. The numbers don't add up otherwise and the numbers don't lie. But thanks to money, corporations prefer things the way they are, as do politicians. Making matters worse, academicians who study such things mostly haven't got a clue. It's refreshing, then, to get the full, unvarnished truth from an insider's insider. Dr. Ralph E. Gomory was the head of research for many years at IBM and is President Emeritus of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Currently he's a research professor at NYU. To cut to the chase, Ralph believes that protectionism would be good for America. And he goes much further, to say that the banner of (non-violent) class warfare should be proudly unfurled. I agree! Total runtime forty nine minutes. Cantābit vacuus cōram latrōne viātor .

Human beings start domesticating crops only 12,000 or so years ago. Written history begins about 5,000 years ago. The modern era dates from — when? — maybe 100-200 years ago. Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that we have some difficulty internalizing the idea that our burning carbon has, already, set into motion dramatic changes to the entire planet's environment, changes that will persist for 100,000 years, or more. One of these is ocean acidification. Dr. Bärbel Hönisch and her co-authors of the paper "The Geological Record of Ocean Acidification," Science (2 March, 2012), show that the rate of change of ocean acidification is greater today, by at least an order of magnitude, than it has ever been during any period over the past 300,000,000 years. Rate of change , not absolute pH level, being what matters. The deep past includes, notably, a couple of rapid ocean acidification/mass extinction events. This therefore, not unreasonably, should be of concern. Thanks, Bärbel! Total runtime fifty minutes. Potius sērō quam nunquam .

It isn't every day that someone has a second look at enshrined history and finds it upside down. Then, to tell people what's wrong is even more remarkable . It takes a combination of (possibly naïve) philosophical idealism, hearty persistence and guts. Dr. Timothy Messer-Kruse reexamined the trial resulting from the 1886 Haymarket Affair — a supposedly monstrous miscarriage of justice that we commemorate with International Workers' Day on May 1st — and discovered that the trial was, in fact, reasonably fair. Can Labor now obtain a clean slate? To me, the lesson is that violence doesn't pay. Total runtime forty two minutes. Dē omnī rē scībilī et quibusdam aliīs.

Listening to Ed Asner I'm reminded of Michael Polanyi's observation (to paraphrase) that we believe more than we can prove and know more than we can say. Polanyi also talked about "growing points" in science, which I hope has an analogue in a free society where personal connections become more important, particularly when rethinking the past. Why not, after all, have an idealistic Socialist vision of what we want or a gimlet-eyed Socialist appraisal of what's gone wrong? This is the stuff of which optimists are made. Thanks, Ed!! Total runtime thirty four minutes. Credo ut intelligam .

No charges were ever filed. Nothing was ever proved. But the FBI tried, over the course of several criminal investigations, to ascertain whether, in fact, certain suspect individuals had diverted hundreds of pounds of highly enriched uranium from a plant in Pennsylvania to Israel, for use in making Israel's first few nuclear bombs. Indeed, at one point Attorney General Ed Levi wanted the criminal investigation broadened to include possible collusion by U.S. Government officials. Unfortunately, each investigation was nipped in the bud. And, naturally, political protection always was blind to party. To tell this twisted, thorny story I turned to Grant F. Smith , founder of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy , whose latest book, Divert (with an epilogue by Col. Pat Lang), should keep people thinking. Total runtime forty four minutes. Ecce signum!

When it comes to its spending priorities America seems congenitally unable to focus on reality. Obfuscation being more highly prized than clarity. Nevertheless, we should recognize that as a percentage of GDP this country spends four to five times the money for military purposes as do other industrial states. In absolute terms we spend about one trillion dollars per year, dwarfing the competition. Recently, the Pentagon released its 2013 budget proposal, an undercounted proposal designed to misinform. To walk us through what's in it — and what's not but should be — I turned once again to Winslow Wheeler , one of the top experts on Pentagon budget numbers. Great job, Winslow! Total runtime forty minutes. Nīl igitur mors est ad nōs neque pertinet hīlum .

In the middle of the 19th century a civil war in China killed at least twenty million people. The war totally changed the course of Chinese history, of Asian history and, indeed, of world history. Just think: if the Taipings had won and followed through with their modernization program, and China had modernized before Japan, what else might have happened differently? One critical arc of this story has to do, moreover, with the unintended consequences of Western intervention. Then, as now, it's easier to demolish a foreign government than to replace it. Dr. Stephen R. Platt has written a magnificent book about all this, entitled Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom (Knopf, 2012). Also, a remarkably nuanced recent New York Times Op-ed . Thanks very much, Steve, for talking with me. Total runtime forty one minutes. Bella! Horrida bella!

In theory, churches should be more active than they are these days in pursuing Justice and Peace. So why aren't they? Where were they on Iraq? Where are they now, on Iran? What do churches have to say about universal health care? Or income and wealth inequality? Or, for that matter, out of control military spending? To my surprise we actually get to a pretty good answer to such questions, an answer that emerges from the logic of Dr. Dan McKanan 's book, Prophetic Encounters: Religion and the American Radical Tradition (Beacon, 2011). In short, prophetic witness seems to require a supporting cast, a host of believers. Which begs the question: where is today's host??? (What, indeed, is left to believe in?) I see practical political implications worth pondering further. Thanks, Dan! Total runtime fifty five minutes. Sāncta simplicitās .

The best way to fix fundamental political problems — sometimes the only way — is first to talk about them. In other words, to act like human beings instead of lab rats. Of course it isn't easy to wrap our minds around our problems, let alone articulate them, but that's what struggles are for... To talk about what's happening I turned to the award-winning, veteran journalist Terence F. Smith . You see, even from the heart of the media establishment there's genuine concern. Total runtime forty three minutes. Quem deus perdere vult, prius dēmentat .

We use money all the time. We talk about money a lot. Some people even love money — some so much they seem to think, like the Egyptian Pharaohs, that they'll be able to take it with them. But does anyone really understand what money is? If we actually did understand it, then, in theory, we should be able to figure out how to harness money as a fundamental public good. To explore the subject I turned to Christine Desan , who is doing important and original work. Thanks Chris!! Total runtime forty seven minutes. Quantum meruit .

Like some predatory colonial power of the not-so-distant past the U.S. seems to think that war might solve our problems with Iran. But it couldn't. Instead, we need the imagination, and courage, to find a compromise. To help us make our way we're extraordinarily lucky then to have Ambassador Peter Jenkins, a British diplomat for thirty three years and, in his last posting from 2001-2006, Britain's Permanent Representative to the IAEA. Peter thus knows about as much regarding Iran's nuclear programs as anyone currently outside government could. And he says there is a deal to be had; indeed, that back in 2005 the Iranians had already offered it to us. Peter cuts through technical complications and policy conundrums to ask sensible questions about our larger purpose. Those same questions our governments should be asking themselves. Total runtime forty two minutes. Flectī, nōn frangī .    [Transcript available, here .]

The North Koreans aren't stupid. Nor are they brainwashed ideological zombies. Their main problem is that for the past sixty some years they've been at war with the U.S., a war the U.S. either doesn't want or know how to end. But might a changing of the guard in North Korea lead to an improvement? To check, I turned once again to Dr. Bruce Cumings , who knows more about Korea than most. A wonderfully patient man. Thanks, Bruce, for your clear insights! Total runtime thirty five minutes. Mors omnibus commūnis .

Few people know more about nuclear power than a former Commissioner of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, especially the one who had the lead in responding to Three Mile Island. So when Dr. Victor Gilinsky suggests that it would be reasonable for the U.S. to phase out nuclear power, people should pay attention. After all, our concern is not about private profits. And apart from the safety of the reactors Victor makes an excellent point: If you think you want to try to cut down on greenhouse gases by using nuclear power you'll need thousands more nuclear power plants, all over the world. That will lead, almost inexorably, to a lot more countries having the bomb, at some point making the use of some of those bombs likely. A simple, powerful insight. Thanks, Victor! Total runtime forty minutes. Graviōra manent.

As is typical of situations involving post-WWII imperial over-reach, U.S. distress with Iran is largely our own fault. If the CIA had not overthrown Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953 — Operation Ajax — and if afterward the U.S. had not incessantly sought to get the Iranians to do what we wanted with their oil, relations today might even have been normal, but certainly would be far less fraught than they have become. Unless we sit down to talk through our differences this Cold War will go on and on, or maybe turn hot. Unsure of each other, both sides are capable of making extremely grave mistakes. It's all quite senseless. To get a helpful perspective from a former top State Department expert on Iran I turned to Ambassador John W. Limbert , who shares many of my concerns. Total runtime fifty minutes. Vāde mēcum .

John Maynard Keynes understood that economics describes human beings, a fact that modern mainstream economics — the applied theory of "rational expectations" — effectively assumes away. Keynes' biographer, Lord Robert Skidelsky , reminds us that our economic priorities should extend beyond our logical models to address real human concerns, that we should not assume we know complicated things that we don't, and that there is merit in asking very basic questions about commonplace things we take for granted. It was a great pleasure and an honor to talk with Robert and his insights have sharpened my thinking immeasurably. Buy his most recent book, Keynes: The Return of the Master , and thank me later. Total runtime thirty two minutes. Dum vīvimus, vīvāmus .

When a retired four star Admiral provides support for nuclear arms control and a few other commendable things, the proper interrogatory is "yes." Or "yes, Sir." A gentleman with a friendly disposition and a cautious but lightning fast mind, Admiral Bobby Ray Inman (Ret.) reasonably assesses the risks. Other political issues can wait for a rainy day... It was gracious of the Admiral to talk with me and to allow me a chance to keep up. Total runtime thirty eight minutes. Lupum auribus tenēre .

In celebration of Veterans Day, here's a question: What if the U.S. had lost the battle of Midway? Mercifully, we'll never know. But the U.S. victory could not have happened without the codebreaking skill and the unflinching courage — a relentless determination to be heard — of Joe Rochefort, then head of "Station Hypo" at Pearl Harbor. Elliot Carlson tells the story of this complex, extraordinary man in Joe Rochefort's War . WWII may now seem like ancient history but there's still a lot we can learn from it. Thanks, Elliot! Total runtime forty five minutes. Bis peccāre in bellō nōn licet.

Since elected officials don't seem so interested, around the country local groups are organizing to promote the reindustrialization of America. One of these is SFMade . Robin McRoskey Azevedo is on the board of SFMade and is also President and owner of the McRoskey Mattress Company of San Francisco (established in 1899). It was very kind of Robin to take time to explain some of what goes into making things in America — and, incidentally, I'm sure that having a high quality mattress is much more important than most people think. Total runtime forty minutes. Enjoy!

Let's take the long view. We're unconsciously mired in unexamined 18th century beliefs that color our perceptions in unexpected — and exceedingly harmful — ways. Take one, for example: as Dr. Bernard Harcourt suggests, our notion of a "free market" is the direct intellectual descendant of a despotic belief in the natural order of things. The flip side is that those who challenge the supremacy of the "free market" are, by common consent, left to face the tender mercy of the criminal justice system. Thus we discover the logic of 18th century economists precisely replicated in modern form. Bernard's book, The Illusion of Free Markets: Punishment and the Myth of Natural Order (Harvard, 2011), explores a brilliant insight destined to become a fundamental metric for American reform. Thanks very much! Total runtime forty nine minutes. Aureo hamo piscari .

John Stewart, voted the most influential environmental activist in Britain in 2008, who led the successful movement to block a third runway at London's Heathrow airport, was scheduled to be on a speaking tour around America just about now. U.S. immigration authorities, however, had other plans . On September 29th he was denied entry at New York City's JFK. What is the U.S. national security state so afraid of? It was kind of John to take time to explain about effective non-violent civil disobedience, and a real pleasure to talk with him. Total runtime thirty two minutes. Longum iter est per precepta, breve et efficāx per exempla .

If you want to understand the Zeitgeist you could do worse than to read a mystery novel. But not all mystery novels are the same. A few being extraordinarily carefully crafted — every word, seemingly, playing its intended role. Every missing word a puzzle. A joy to read! Such are the international best-selling Inspector Chen novels by Dr. Xiaolong Qiu . It was a great pleasure to talk with Xiaolong and exceptionally generous of him to agree. Total runtime fifty one minutes. Verbum sat sapientī .