What We’re Talking About 2019-04-05

Here are the shows we posted this week!

Click on the titles to go to the episode.

Today we start a short series on THE ANTIVAX MOVEMENT. On the first episode we have a discussion about why people believe what they believe. Where do we get our knowledge? What sources do we trust? In other words, it’s all about epistemology and heuristics.

Finally, on Oct 7, 1947, the French made their offensive into the Viet Bac region: Operation Léa – aka Princess Leia. So-called because it was a smart, feisty, brave diplomat and warrior of a plan. But because he had less troops than he wanted, Valluy scaled down his plans. General Raoul Salan, the guy in charge of the operation, predicted it would all be over in three weeks. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED AGAIN. The Vietminh faded quietly into the jungle. Meanwhile Bao Dai talks to the French about forming an alternative government.

Florence’s war with Lucca was like the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. It set off a string of conflicts across northern Italy. When Cosimo gets back to the city, he finds it in chaos and broke. So he bails it out. And then he gets arrested.

Tony reflects and expands on a couple of ideas that came out on last week’s show with Steve Sammartino.