The Boring Talks - Jigsaws

It started with 'regency wedding scene' puzzle purchased for £2 in a charity shop.

Now Anya Driscoll is a jigsaw junkie.

In this edition of The Boring Talks, she discussions her obsession, and pieces together the history of jigsaws, the art of jigsaws and whether or not they could save your life (spoiler - they can't really).

James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting... maybe.

Byzantium And The Crusades - The Fall Of Byzantium Episode 4 “Alexios Komnenos And The Call To The West”

This podcast series tells the story of the Crusades from the Byzantine angle. It is based on the book "The Byzantine World War" by Nick Holmes. In this episode, we follow the desperate attempts by the remarkable Byzantine Emperor, Alexios Komnenos, to save Byzantium from the host of enemies surrounding it, from Normans to Pechenegs and Turks. This would eventually lead to a plea for help to the West. This plea was the basis for one of the most extraordinary events in history: the First Crusade.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

The Nod - On the Record: Black Women and Hip Hop

On the heels of the bombshell documentary “On the Record,” which details the reported sexual abuse of Black women at the hands of Russell Simmons, two of his accusers, Sherri Sher and Drew Dixon, join The Nod to share their personal stories. The conversation continues around the documentary as activist and accuser, Sil Lai Abrams, and author and journalist Dr. Joan Morgan discuss the allegations against Russell Simmons and the practice of silencing of women in hip hop.

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Brought to you by... - 49: Making Nathan’s Famous

Nathan’s Famous turned the hot dog into a symbol of July 4th. But the story of how that happened says a lot more about America than just its love of a good BBQ. It’s immigrants striving for the American dream, hucksters spinning tall tales, underdogs fighting against the odds. The good, the bad, and the ugly of the US stuffed through a meat grinder, bigger and better than Nathan’s ever dreamed. 

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Land of the Giants - Who really killed Blockbuster Video?

Netflix killed our trips to the video store and ushered in the streaming era. But when Netflix started out, it was a fraction of the size of Blockbuster. It should have been crushed, and almost was. What went wrong?


Hosts: Peter Kafka & Rani Molla

This podcast is a production of Recode by Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network. This episode was produced by Zach Mack, Bridget Armstrong. Our editor is Charlie Herman. Gautam Srikishan engineered and scored this episode. Nishat Kurwa is the Executive Producer.

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Byzantium And The Crusades - The Fall Of Byzantium Episode 3 “What Is The Truth About Romanos Diogenes?”

This podcast series tells how Byzantium was central to the Crusades. It is based on the book "The Byzantine World War" by Nick Holmes. In this episode, we ask the question why do historians even today tend to write off Romanos Diogenes' attempts to save Byzantium? The answer takes us on a journey through the writings of the main Byzantine chroniclers of the time. We learn how the true story was purposefully hidden by Romanos' enemies and is still confusing historians today.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

Brought to you by... - 48: The Fight for the McDonald’s Franchise

In 1969, Cleveland’s Black residents boycotted McDonald’s. For weeks, the company’s leadership had been locked in a stalemate with Black activists over who should own and operate the local franchises. It was all part of a bigger movement, whose goal was to build economic power in Black communities through Black-owned businesses. But 50 years later, how are the Black franchisees at McDonald’s faring? Were the golden arches a golden ticket to economic equality?

Listen to the reporter roundtable: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-american-businesses-can-do-more-fight-racial-injustice-2020-6 

Read more of Kate Taylor's reporting about McDonald's and subscribe to Business Insider: businessinsider.com/btyb

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