Episodes
Summary
Jason Barlow (X; Biography) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the iconic James Bond vehicles. Jason is the longstanding editor-at-large at Top Gear.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
How the “Bond car” phenomenon came to be
Ian Fleming’s love for cars
The different “nationalities” of Bond cars
What it’s like to be behind the wheel of some of these iconic cars
Reflections
The making of pop culture
The “personality” of cars
And much, much more …
Quotes of the...
Published 06/25/24
Summary
Laura Hicken (LinkedIn) and Lauren vonBechmann (LinkedIn) join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the collection of the International Spy Museum. SPY’s collection consists of 10,000 espionage-related artifacts.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The ins and outs of getting into the museum field
Why Museums?
SPYs largest, smallest, and coolest artifacts
The challenges of being a “spy” museum
Reflections
Following your passions
A dedication to lifelong learning and teaching
And...
Published 06/18/24
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Published 06/17/24
Summary
Dennis Eger (LinkedIn) and Shawn Nilius (LinkedIn) join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss open-source intelligence. Combined, the two have over six decades of service to the U.S. Army.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
What is Open-Source Intelligence
How the US Army utilizes and collects OSINT
OSINT across the Intelligence Community
How OSINT has impacted the War in Ukraine
Reflections
The power of information and how you use it
Cyber ethics
And much, much more …
Quotes of...
Published 06/11/24
Summary
Andrew Hodges (Website, Wikipedia) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the life and work of Alan Turing. Andrew is an emeritus senior research fellow of mathematics at the University of Oxford.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
Turing’s early foundations for artificial intelligence
Interwar cryptanalysis
Bletchley Park, Hut 8, and British Naval Intelligence
The mechanics of the Bombe machine
Reflections
Legacy changing alongside social history
The weight and pressure of...
Published 06/04/24
Summary
Simon Shuster (X, Website) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine. Simon is a senior correspondent at TIME.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
Zelenskyy’s career pre-Presidency
Reactions to the 2022 Russian invasion
Ukrainian public opinion of Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy’s relationship with Ukrainian intelligence
Reflections
Contagious courage
Leadership styles, techniques, and unique skills
And much, much more …
Quotes of the Week
“In...
Published 05/28/24
Summary
Nicholas Shakespeare (X; Website) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the life and legacy of Ian Fleming. Nicholas is an award-winning novelist and biographer.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
Fleming’s family and upbringing
Debunking misconceptions about Fleming’s character
Fleming’s career in intelligence
British Naval Intelligence operations during WWII
Reflections
Life influencing literature
The lasting impact of storytelling
And much, much more …
Quotes of the...
Published 05/21/24
Summary
John Blaxland (X, LinkedIn) and Clare Birgin (Wikipedia, LinkedIn) join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss Australian codebreaking. John and Clare are coauthors of the new book Revealing Secrets.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The importance of SIGINT
Codebreaking in Australian intelligence
Australia’s role in WWII and the Cold War
The advent and evolution of cyber
Reflections
Strategic defense and offense
The power, and danger, of communication
And much, much more …
Quotes...
Published 05/14/24
Summary
Diane Foley (Website, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the legacy of her son, James Foley. James was held hostage and murdered by ISIS in 2014.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The enduring legacy of James’ murder
James’ time in captivity in Libya
A mother’s experience communicating with her son’s captors
How hostage recovery efforts have evolved since 2014
Reflections
Grief turned into action
Forgiveness, empathy, and resilience
And much, much more …
Quotes...
Published 05/07/24
Summary
Avi Loeb (Harvard Biography, Wikipedia) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence in outer space. He is a Professor in the Department of Astronomy at Harvard University.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The Galileo Project & its goals
The Intelligence Community and Outer Space
Government positions on the existence of extraterrestrial life
Connections between intelligence and astrophysics
Reflections
The enormity of our universe
Evidence over opinion or...
Published 04/30/24
Summary
Angie Gad (LinkedIn, Website) joined Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss her career in intelligence analysis. Angie is a first-generation Egyptian-American.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The role of state fusion centers to national intelligence
How counterterrorism analysis evolved after 9/11
The connections between ISIS and Far Right Extremists
The mental health implications of counterterrorism
Reflections
The importance of diversity of thought and experience
Personal...
Published 04/23/24
Summary
Mark Stout (X; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his new book, World War I and the Foundations of American Intelligence. Mark Stout is a former intelligence analyst and former SPY Historian.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The first American intelligence “agencies”
Codebreaking during WWI
The American Protective League and spy paranoia
WWI’s effect on American culture and politics
Reflections
Challenging common historical thought
Studying the “forgotten”...
Published 04/16/24
Summary
Andrew Hampton joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence in New Zealand. Andrew is the Director General of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The New Zealand Intelligence Community
How geography effects national security
The lasting impact of the Christchurch Mosque attacks
New Zealand’s relationship with China
Reflections
The power of community organization
The nuanced nature of global politics
And much, much more...
Published 04/09/24
Summary
David Oranchak (X, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his work helping to solve the 340 Zodiac cipher. Dave is a software developer and avid puzzle solver.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The difference between codes and ciphers
The cryptological methods used by the Zodiac killer
The history of cryptography and its importance to intelligence
How Dave and his team cracked the 340 Cipher
Reflections
Persistence and dedication
Average citizens as avid...
Published 04/02/24
Summary
Mark Edlitz (X, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss how James Bond lived on in literature after the death of Ian Fleming. Mark is an author and pop culture expert.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The original Fleming novels
Intellectual property and author’s rights to iconic characters
The evolution of Bond as a literary character
The relationship between the Bond books and the Bond movies
Reflections
Can icons ever truly die?
Just how malleable are our favorite...
Published 03/26/24
Summary
Mark Zaid (X, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss American intelligence and the law. You’ve heard of a “lawyer to the stars,” Mark is the “lawyer to the spies”
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The quirks of being a lawyer in this space
How the Espionage Act works in practice
The trial of the Rosenbergs
The origins of FOIA and its purpose
The Legal foundations underpinning espionage and intelligence
Reflections
Challenging authority
The delicate balance of...
Published 03/19/24
Summary
Dr. Sara Castro (LinkedIn, Bio) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the history of US-China diplomacy. Sara is an Associate Professor of History at the United States Air Force Academy.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
The Dixie Mission
The history of US-China relations dating back to the Opium Wars
China’s involvement with the OSS during WWII
How Mao Zedong & Chiang Kai-shek built modern China
Reflections
Understanding and empathy
Knowledge is power
And much, much...
Published 03/12/24
Summary
Mike VanBlaricum (X; LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his journey as a James Bond fanatic and collector. Mike is the President of the Ian Fleming Foundation.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
How Mike became an obsessive James Bond collector with 10,000 artifacts
Mike’s favorite Bond cars, movies, and books
How From Russia with Love was one of John F Kennedy’s favorite books
Mike’s tips on the best place to start if you want to read the Bond novels
Reflections
The...
Published 03/05/24
Summary
Dr. Ursula Wilder (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the intersections between psychology and intelligence. Ursula is a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working at the Central Intelligence Agency.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
How psychology can be useful to national security
Historical examples of leadership analysis
Leadership personality assessments & the Cuban Missile Crisis
Psychoanalytic theory and...
Published 02/27/24
Summary
Dr. Ursula Wilder (LinkedIn) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss the intersections between psychology and intelligence. Ursula is a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working at the Central Intelligence Agency.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
How psychology can be useful to national security
Historical examples of leadership analysis
Leadership personality assessments & the Cuban Missile Crisis
Psychoanalytic theory and...
Published 02/20/24
Summary
Leon Panetta (Panetta Institute) joins Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss his lifetime of American public service. Secretary Panetta was the 2023 recipient of SPY’s William H. Webster Award.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
Directing the Central Intelligence Agency
Intelligence & the Abbottabad Raid
Working within the Clinton Administration
A life’s dedication to the safety of the American public
Reflections
The power of patience and the ability to listen
Handing immense...
Published 02/13/24
Summary
Rory Cormac (X) and Richard Aldrich join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence and the British Monarchy. The links between the royals and espionage prove the Crown to be far more than just a figurehead.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
Prince William’s internship with British Intelligence
How Elizabeth II knew perhaps more secrets that anyone else in history
King Charles' love of intelligence
Queen Victoria as Spymaster
MI5, MI6, and the Diana...
Published 02/06/24
Summary
Curators Alexis (LinkedIn) and Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) use James Bond artifacts in SPY’s collection to discuss all things 007. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
Bond vs. Real Life Spies
The birth of James Bond
Ian Fleming’s intelligence past
Bond and MI6
Reflections
What makes a character timeless?
Pop culture mirroring real life
And much, much more …
*FULL SHOWNOTES & FULL TRANSCRIPT...
Published 01/30/24
Summary
John Blaxland (Twitter, LinkedIn) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss intelligence in Australia and Oceania. John is a widely recognized as a leading expert in this area.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
-Australia’s Intelligence Community
-SIGINT in Australia during WWII
-Australia’s relationship with South Asia
-The Pine Gap facility
Reflections
-The implications of geography
-The power of collaboration
And much, much more …
Quotes of the Week
“The shift from the analog...
Published 01/23/24
Summary
James Crossland (Twitter) joins Andrew (Twitter; LinkedIn) to discuss the origins of modern terrorism. James is an expert on terrorism, intelligence, and propaganda.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
-The origins of modern terrorism
-19th century spymasters
-Covert action and assassinations
-Intelligence as a weapon
Reflections
-Philosophy and ideology’s effect on history
-The power of fear
And much, much more …
Quotes of the Week
“These waves of repression that feed into discontent...
Published 01/16/24