Two and a Mic - The Social Podcast

Edgar Allan Poe, a great of his age, brought so much to literature, inspiring new forms and styles and genres. Of course I have questions about the character, and I do not know enough about him to lay down definitive thoughts on the subject. I have read that at the age of 26 he married his 13-year-old cousin. What can I think of this? I cannot judge the past by the morals of today, true, but I can...

I met Lanna Idriss when she was the head of Amnesty International in Germany. Amnesty International is an exceptional organisation to work with for so many reasons. The work they do is immeasurably important and the people who do that work are dedicated and resilient. Every single one I have had the pleasure to meet has left an impression upon me and I am forever grateful for the opportunity of wo...

In this second episode of reliving the joys of what entertained us, Greg, a rubber duck and I express our worldly views on the importance of comedy and how the timeless classic that is Blackadder, starring so many wonderful actors, in many ways shaped our humour. Ben Elton, Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie, Steven Fry, Rowan Atkinson, Miranda Richardson, and Patsy Byrne were all brilliant. That must sur...

Tatiana is actively involved in the world of sustainability, working towards climate neutrality and trying to introduce ways in which society can pen many future chapters, even though I must confess to my negativity in the matter. I am lucky to know many people involved in NGOs, working on city/local level projects and trying to network to bring together innovations that improve not only the clima...

We fly through some topics today as this podcast, recorded a couple of weeks ago, takes us through work-life balance, democracy and back to the island saga. Vladi is an expert in political science and an experienced Human Resources manager and company culture organiser. His instinct for understanding and analysing human natural responses in real-life situations is beyond sensitive. He just gets pe...

Ale’s start-up Briskby is sleek and dynamic and moving in all sorts of directions. Here we talk about the sharing economy in more depth, the effects of the pandemic in different ways and how, by opening our minds to new possibilities, we see that this is a natural continuation of social movements that began decades ago. Briskby is the platform that provides the opportunities people need to take up...

Super Vlad, cape-clad and opinionated as ever, wonderfully colourful, practical, analytical, and objective. We cover topics from the fall-out of French politics (this podcast was recorded before the election round 2 head-to-head) to dealing with tax-avoidance and poverty. We are of course continuing the island-state political system debate and one of my points is under the microscope today: Indivi...

The discussion with Vlad continues, the political analysis is on point and our plan to create, eventually the perfect system, is well under way…or is it? Vladi clearly has a different approach to me and though we agree on principles, the methods can greatly alter the results. In this session we discuss legacy, culture, foreign policy through the eyes of domestic interests and the need for mutual a...

Doing podcasts for me has always been about giving other people an opportunity to tell their stories, communicate their messages and pass on their wisdom, advice or to just talk about their experiences. On this occasion I also have the pleasure of learning about a social movement aiming to protect and unite. It is a new start-up movement with an important fusion of services that seeks to aid and b...

Traci and Amber are two finely balanced magnets that spin in perpetuity, exchanging observations, analysis, comedy and drama in their chosen topic of preference. They have a podcast channel that looks at the amazing world of the Wheel of Time created by Robert Jordan, which has also expanded into a YouTube channel with the various alternative considerations that such a platform requires. Amber and...

“That was the sort of fight that I could get to enjoy,” Vespasian replied. His round face was flushed with excitement and blood. “If that is how a newly trained cohort fights then we may well have the gods on our side.” Vespasian by Robert Fabbri Where else could we start than with one of the world’s greatest ever empires? Roman history was such a part of our childhood, either for the epics that w...

Vladi: What should I do with my vote if I have nothing to eat? I love this statement from Vladi. I am not sure if I have heard a more powerful question recently. There are just so many different dynamics that this question brings to mind. What would you do to feed your family? Why would society decide that feeding me or my family was not a state responsibility? Should I as a poor and hungry person...

Today starts with a typically robust attack from Vlad on my primarily impregnable concept of Star Trekkie proportions. In a conflict of society versus the individual, surely society must win out, right? That’s not always the right approach says Vlad. There are some middle roads where, left to itself, society allows for individuals to develop and create, which also allows society to develop and ben...

What is democracy? Why is it important to you? Why do you defend it? Is it necessary to live in a democracy? On top of these imperative questions, Vladi puts forward an additional consideration: Is not the concept of human dignity more important than democracy? In this primary episode where Vlad presents his first building blocks and I counter with my own, we talk about what would be necessary for...

Vlad has studied politics and through his studies has focused on the concept of democracy. When someone studies a topic they have a deep passion for, regardless of how long they study, that passion and interest remains with them. So it is for Vladi and I. Politics, democracy, social organisation, equality and social equilibrium are issues that have required constant focus, reassessment in light of...

Kristine takes us on a little journey into her business life. The effort it takes to prepare a website, the various roles required for the preparation and the characters that can be involved are not to be underestimated. We talk about mentoring and how invigorating it is for Kristine to be in a position to support someone so directly in this way. You can hear Kristine jump with pleasure at the tho...

The Wheel of Time TV Show season 1 was a huge success. As this is the first podcast with Drab since the conclusion, we talk about some of the best bits, what we really enjoyed the most individually and then also one or two bits that perhaps caused pause for thought. I am a very social, social media user. I don’t have tactics, I don’t chase followers and I don’t know why some tweets of mine are lik...

With Tanja we have to start with SensualTalk and so we do. There’s something deep and meaningful in every SensualTalk and hearing a little more is uplifting and energising. Yet we have so many great topics today and there is simply nothing for me to do but sit back and listen and learn. Tanja has such wonderful insight and a real feeling for humanity. She has some simple practices that benefit her...

Claudia is a highly educated professional, a parent and a partner. She has found a way to navigate the problems of the pandemic and she has done so admirably. Speaking in her third language, Claudia exhibits her courage and willingness to share her thoughts with the hope they may be of benefit to others. Her observations have definitely given me food for thought. We talk about simplicity, children...

Listening to Alberto is fun, educational and very much a sporting experience. Alberto is a football commentator with an eye for the game, a passion for its intensity, a feel for the tactics playing out on the pitch and a true sense of the impact of history on the game. Alberto lives football and he manages to channel that passion into a thrilling retelling of the magic, live and exclusive… From fa...

Maya Angelou remains ever present. She represents beauty and pain, pleasure and fight, freedom and suffering. No heart that beats could fail to beat along to the rhythms set by her artistry. For a lover of longer poetry it is not often easy for me to attain fulfilment from shorter poetry forms, yet Maya Angelou’s words had so much depth that I found my thoughts drifting for long periods, demasking...

Tanja’s energy remains undiminished, and her radiant ideas shine through every passionate word she expresses. The very depths of her thoughts resonate with each sound uttered. Reflecting on 2021 and making tentative hopes known for 2022, Tanja discusses SensualTalk, some notable recent experiences and where she is still holding on to dreams from previous years to be realised in the future. We talk...

Raphael is an educator with a mission. It is his primary goal to provide the best socialised and supportive form of education to as many kids as he can. He is vocal, active and reflective. Working at a school in Berlin which follows the methods of Maria Montessori, Raphael has found a place where he can work among diverse children and bring to their lives the kind of experimental openness that all...

Mitja is a historian by education, passionate about technology in various forms and has been a student of change, culture and society throughout his life. It is possible when studying specific disciplines to lose oneself within the material of that subject and often rewardingly so. In Mitja’s case he combined hard work with raising his head above the parapet, observing and reflecting on changing m...

From Berlin to Bavaria to South Africa, Benny pursued his passion, his creativity and his needs. In this, our first podcast together, Benny talks about his motivations and inspirations and how he sought independence in a kitchen in Rosenheim before finding a more artistic edge behind the camera. Taught his early steps with a camera by his mum, he delayed his photography education by spending a yea...