Dragons, Dictators and the Struggle to Improve Society Somewhat

Pavel Coruț was a member of a counter-espionage unit. Then, after the fall of the communist regime in Romania, he started writing spy novels, blurring the line between fact and fiction and introducing a series of conspiracy theories into the public discourse regarding the country's recent past. At the same time, Romanians' appetite for all things religious, spiritual and esoteric was growing at a steady pace. Sensing an opportunity, other former secret service members re-branded themselves as spiritual healers and conspiracy peddlers, becoming key players within the emerging conspirituality movement. 𝕊𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕔𝕖𝕤: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/15/russia-kgb-psychic-oleg-kashin https://www.nytimes.com/1977/06/19/archives/emigre-tells-of-research-in-soviet-in-parapsychology-for-military.html https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09668130802630870 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/nationalistic-spy-novels-strike-chord-in-romania-1506123.html Use a translation tool for the following Romanian-language sources: https://www.scena9.ro/article/niste-bubuli https://www.scena9.ro/article/pavel-corut-conspiratie-biografie https://www.scena9.ro/article/pavel-corut-conspiratii-securitate-carti 𝕄𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕔: Music: Rainy Dusk Groove [Full version] by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/11861-rainy-dusk-groove-full-version Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Inspiring Noir Piano Waltz by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8785-inspiring-noir-piano-waltz Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: The Big Adventure by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/431-the-big-adventure Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Music: Foreign Worlds by Frank Schroeter Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10862-foreign-worlds Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

What is conservation financing? And do rich people really care about the environment? We'll explore the story of James Goldsmith, hostile takeover baron who was among the first promoters of the idea of debt-for-nature swaps. Would the face-eating leopard play nice outside the world of business or is nature just business as usual? Watch it on Youtube: https://youtu.be/L4LlmtQuWXcShoot us an email at [email protected] Twitter: https://twitter.com/TUnrelated Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/totally_unrelated_pod/𝕄𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕔: The following music was used for this media project: Music: Hard Boiled by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3857-hard-boiled License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license The following music was used for this media project: Music: Backbay Lounge by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3408-backbay-lounge License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license The following music was used for this media project: Music: An Evil Wynd by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9830-an-evil-wynd License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license The following music was used for this media project: Music: Secret of Tiki Island by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4331-secret-of-tiki-island License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Late Night Radio by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7613-late-night-radio License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Nicolae Malaxa was the quintessential Romanian robber baron: building his fortune by securing lucrative deals with the state, schmoozing with royalty and fascists alike. Heck, he even took his chance for a few years behind the Iron Curtain, bribing Romanian Communist Party officials. And then, he went to America!Diana and Eliza discuss all the man's shenanigans and how he has benefited from a significant reputation laundering within the current discourse in Romania. Music:Lo-Fi Hip-Hop 03 by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/7848-lo-fi-hip-hop-03License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The news continues to be bad and so, Diana and Irina revisit an old favorite to help them ward off cynicism, hopelessness and a general sense of doom about the future. Re-reading Terry Pratchett's Guards!Guards!, they talk about the horrors we let enter our world, the terrible people we allow into power and how we need to still hope that despite all that, we can still improve society (somewhat).Illustrations by Paul Kidby and David Wyatt (Discworld Emporium)Music:Lo-Fi Hip-Hop 03 by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/7848-lo-fi-hip-hop-03License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseThe following music was used for this media project:Music: Anguish by Kevin MacLeodFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3373-anguishLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist website: https://incompetech.comThe following music was used for this media project:Music: A Night In The Suburbs by MusicLFilesFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8209-a-night-in-the-suburbsLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist website: https://cemmusicproject.wixsite.com/musiclibraryfilesThe following music was used for this media project:Music: Dark Forces March by Sascha EndeFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/536-dark-forces-marchLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist website: https://www.sascha-ende.de

The gap in our knowledge about nutrition might surprise many, especially those who think that their 'common sense' intuitions or prejudices are enough evidence to base their judgements on. Irina and Diana discuss misconceptions regarding weight loss, what it means to be healthy and the difficulties in conducting research into nutritional science.MusicLo-Fi Hip-Hop 03 by WinnieTheMoog Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7848-lo-fi-hip-hop-03 License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Diana and Irina have a bit of a venting session regarding people who can't seem to mind their own business. Also, those that are unable to understand the different impact of bad takes 'it's just my opinion, man!' in private versus in the public sphere. A critique of body-shaming, fake feminism and general shitty behavior. As always, with a Romanian twist. MusicLo-Fi Hip-Hop 03 by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/7848-lo-fi-hip-hop-03License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

From the construction site, into the kitchen and on to other gig work - listen to David recount his journey so far. Going back and forth between Romania and the United States, getting into trouble, making friends and grabbing any opportunity to make a tough life slightly better.Music:Lo-Fi Hip-Hop 03 by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/7848-lo-fi-hip-hop-03License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

National flag carriers have been known to struggle and sometimes even succumb - Malev, Swissair, Sabena - and it seems like the Romanian airlines (TAROM) are going through a three decade-long circling of the drain. And all this even before the pandemic hit!In this episode, Diana and Ioana discuss some of the 'interesting characters' behind the rocky trajectory of TAROM- from Eastern Europe's second largest airline, to a hotbed of nepotism, corruption and debt. === Avtiation enthusiasts can also follow this episode on Youtube where samples from a local plane spotter's collection are included in the video ===Photo credits go to ClujSpottingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/clujspotting/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cluj.spotting/MusicLo-Fi Hip-Hop 03 by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/7848-lo-fi-hip-hop-03License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Hustle culture is back at it. Some might say it never went away. From being permanently on your grind - whatever that means - to cranking up your productivity, Diana and Larisa discuss all the dubious work and career-related 'advice' that gurus have on offer (for a fee, of course). Is is actually a good thing to be productive all the time and is procrastination always the enemy? Who are you being productive for? And how do you know when your facing an important decision in your life? MusicLo-Fi Hip-Hop 03 by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/7848-lo-fi-hip-hop-03License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Communism in Romania, Ceausescu, food shortages, blackouts and general austerity. This is the story we all know and many of those who lived during the last days of the regime experienced. But what led up to this mess? And why are there still Communist nostalgics out there? Was the West just trolling Ceausescu when they called him the 'good communist'? Diana and Ira discuss both stories they've heard from everyday people about the regime, as well as the analysis of the era by political economist Cornel Ban.Sources:Cornel Ban - Sovereign Debt, Austerity, and Regime Change : The Case of Nicolae Ceausescu’s Romania, East European Politics and Societies, Volume 20, No. 10, pp. 1-34Cornel Ban - What brought Romania into a sovereign debt crisis in 1981? (blog post)Cornel Ban - Romania’s neo-Stalinist developmentalism (1965-1989) (blog post)Music:Lo-Fi Hip-Hop 03 by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/7848-lo-fi-hip-hop-03License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseOur Story Begins by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4181-our-story-beginsLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license