Quintus Curtius

The Italian astronomer Galileo was examined by the Inquisition for heresy in 1633. At issue was his advocacy of the heliocentric (sun-centered) view of the solar system. What was the significance of the trial, and what were the motivations of the participants?

Is there any truth to the proposition that paranormal phenomena are real? If so, in what way? Is there more to this world than just physical material? And does science have all the answers? We discuss these issues.

This podcast accompanies my most recent article. In it, we explore two additional dimensions of the "plutocratic conspiracy": the techno-palaces of the global elite, and the creeping confiscation of public lands by private actors. The end result of these two trends is to accelerate already destabilizing wealth imbalances.

In this podcast, we discuss the legal merits of Michelle Carter's appeal of her involuntary manslaughter conviction in the notorious "texting suicide" trial. What were the relevant issues in the case? Was the conviction proper? What is the likelihood of the conviction surviving appellate review?

Our society seems to be producing more dirtbags than ever before. They're everywhere, and they love to seek out people to take advantage of. We discuss how to spot a dirtbag, and how to deal with the common games (the "dirtbag shuffle") that dirtbags love to play. The only person who cares about you is you, and knowing a few key points will help you protect yourself from their games.

When you are faced with a serious problem or issue, you need to spring into action to deal with it. Anyone who "sleeps on his rights," and thinks the problem will go away by ignoring it, is in for a rude awakening. The "dirtbag shuffle" never works in the real world. Legal rights, once constructively waived, can be very difficult to reassert later. This is the basis of the legal theory of laches.

As individuals and as a society, we are steadily losing our long-term memories. Endless stimulation and "choices" have nearly turned us into the protagonist in the film "Memento," whose memory-loss condition puts him at the mercy of others' manipulations. Rote memorization--unfairly maligned by modern educators--has its merits and deserves a reconsideration.

One big frustration we can experience in life is having unrealistic expectations. We can want people to behave in ways that are just not within their desires or capabilities. What is the best way to deal with this? We use the example of the humanist Petrarch's strained relationship with his son.

This podcast is a reading and commentary on Julius Caesar's speech found in Sallust's "Conspiracy of Catiline." Caesar's address to the senate made important points about the value of precedent, leniency, and how abuses of power can follow from seemingly good intentions.

We deal with two reader questions in this podcast. The first one is about mentors and mentorships. The second question concerns career advice for someone who's feeling a bit down about his current situation.

A recent news article talks about how young, unemployed urban Greeks are leaving the city to return to agricultural work in the countryside. It's part of a wider economic trend that has a lot of positive features.

I tell the story of how I was robbed in Rio last month. You take your hits, and you keep moving. Suck it up.

My book "Sallust: The Conspiracy Of Catiline and The War Of Jugurtha" is now available for purchase. In this podcast, I read the book's foreword.

A reader who is a teacher is troubled by the fact that one of his teenage students firmly believes in in fascist government. The teacher seeks advice on how to deal with this situation. He relates this situation to similar experiences he had as a soldier in Afghanistan when he was dealing with local villagers.

A former NKVD agent describes a meeting with Joseph Stalin and the special assignment he was given. We reflect on the fact that power and glory are fleeting, and that they can vanish faster than most people believe.