NBN Book of the Day - Eran Ortal, “Battle Before the War: The Inside Story of the IDF’s Transformation” (Dado Center, 2023)

A critical challenge for militaries is preparing for future, not past, wars. History shows that success often depends on accurately interpreting and harnessing technological and societal changes. In the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), this transformation process has been ongoing, with Brigadier General Eran Ortal as a key advocate for a new paradigm. Many ideas developed by Ortal and his colleagues have recently shaped the IDF's force-building programs. 

The Battle Before the War: The Inside Story of the IDF's Transformation (Dado Center, 2023) compiles a decade of critical intellectual work produced during active service, uniquely combining theoretical discussions on military innovation with insider insights into IDF deliberations. It offers an essential perspective for understanding the IDF's internal debates and current development. Moreover, the book serves as a mirror to the ongoing conflicts between Israel and Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, providing valuable context for understanding the military strategies and challenges in these contemporary engagements.

Eran Ortal is an Israeli brigadier-general (Res) and renowned military theorist who has made significant contributions to strategic thinking in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Ortal's military career spans over three decades, during which he served in various critical roles, including combat intelligence and operational planning. His academic background in history, political science, and security studies complements his practical military experience. Ortal is perhaps best known for his tenure as the commander of The Dado Center for Interdisciplinary Military Studies, where he fostered innovative military thought and strategy. He is also the founder and editor of "Bein Ha-ktavim" (Between the Poles), an influential journal published by the Dado Center. Since retiring from the IDF in 2023, Ortal has continued to shape military and technological strategy through his work with prestigious think tanks and as an educator at Reichman University. His unique blend of military experience, academic rigor, and strategic insight makes him a valuable voice in discussions on modern warfare and defense strategy.

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Everything Everywhere Daily - The Solar Cycle

Approximately every eleven years, our sun experiences a cycle in which its magnetic poles flip. During this cycle, solar flares and sunspot activity increase, and then the sun returns to a state of relative calm. 

These solar cycles have been tracked for over two hundred years and are among the best-recorded aspects of solar astronomy.

These extremes, known as the solar maximum and solar minimum, affect the sun and can have implications for the Earth. 

Learn more about the solar cycle and the ebbing and flowing of the sun on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.


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Pod Save America - Can Dems Sweep the 2024 Elections?

Dan is joined by Amy Walter, Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report, to break down Democrats' chances of winning the White House, Senate, and House. They dive into key battleground polling trends, the fight for control of the Senate, and whether Dems can flip the House. Then, Dan answers questions from subscribers.
 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

 

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Up First from NPR - The Art of Being Single

For generations, we've been sold a singular story of happiness: find "the one," live happily ever after. But what if there is no "one?" What if you're alone? When Meghan Keane, the creator of NPR's Life Kit, found the dating process miserable, she set off to find fulfillment in being single. Her new book Party of One, illustrated by LA Johnson, follows her voyage beyond the traditional path. With insights from marriage historians and rumination researchers, the ideas she gathers ease the relationship pressure on anyone – coupled, single, or somewhere in between.

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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - TBD | How Secure Is Our Election?

America’s head of cybersecurity isn’t worried about the election being hacked or the results being tampered with. But this election cycle does have her worried for our democracy.


Guest: Jen Easterly, Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency 


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It Could Happen Here - CZM Book Club: “The Damned Thing” by Ambrose Bierce

Margaret reads you the story she figures probably inspired Predator.

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The Gist - BEST OF THE GIST: Nobel Prize Edition

Each weekend on Best Of The Gist, we listen back to an archival Gist segment from the past, then we replay something from the past week. This weekend, we listen back to an extended cut of Mike’s 2023 interview with Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson, who were then the recent authors of the new book Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity, and who won the 2024 Nobel Prize for Economics this past week. Then we replay Mike’s recent treatise on when journalism achieves the goals of art, but doesn't quite tell the accurate story. 

 

Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara 

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