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Writer & Geek

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We are the leading independent documentary podcast in India. We talk History, Science, Technology and everything in between; well most of the things.
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116: Kotagiri & Kothas

116: Kotagiri & Kothas

2023-05-0124:35

In this episode, we explore the town of Kothagiri and the indigenous communities that inhabit the Nilgiri Hills in South India. Kothagiri is home to a number of natural attractions such as Catherine Falls, Kodanad View Point, and Elk Falls. The region is also home to several indigenous tribes, including the Todas, Irulas, Kurumbas, Paniyas, Yeravas, and Kothas, who are known for their unique cultures and traditions. We delve into the history of the region, particularly the role played by John Sullivan, the first British Governor of the Presidency of Coimbatore, in transforming the region into a thriving agricultural centre. We also explore the history, culture, and way of life of the Kothas, including their traditional handicrafts, oral traditions, and connection with nature. Join us as we discover the wonders of Kothagiri and the rich cultural heritage of the indigenous communities that call the Nilgiri Hills home. [cover art AI generated by Dall-e] You can follow us and leave us feedback on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @eplogmedia, For partnerships/queries send you can send us an email at bonjour@eplog.media   DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on all the shows produced and distributed by Ep.Log Media are personal to the host and the guest of the shows respectively and with no intention to harm the sentiments of any individual/organization.The said content is not obscene or blasphemous or defamatory of any event and/or person deceased or alive or in contempt of court or breach of contract or breach of privilege, or in violation of any provisions of the statute, nor hurt the sentiments of any religious groups/ person/government/non-government authorities and/or breach or be against any declared public policy of any nation or state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
“In this episode, we trace the origins of money as a medium of exchange “ [cover art AI generated by Dall-e] You can follow us and leave us feedback on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @eplogmedia, For partnerships/queries send you can send us an email at bonjour@eplog.media   DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on all the shows produced and distributed by Ep.Log Media are personal to the host and the guest of the shows respectively and with no intention to harm the sentiments of any individual/organization.The said content is not obscene or blasphemous or defamatory of any event and/or person deceased or alive or in contempt of court or breach of contract or breach of privilege, or in violation of any provisions of the statute, nor hurt the sentiments of any religious groups/ person/government/non-government authorities and/or breach or be against any declared public policy of any nation or state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode from the series "Ways we could go", we discuss the threat of asteroids to life on earth and what we can do if one decides to come our way. "Ways we could go" is a series where we discuss events that can pose threat to life on earth. [cover art AI generated by Dall-e] You can follow us and leave us feedback on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @eplogmedia, For partnerships/queries send you can send us an email at bonjour@eplog.media   DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on all the shows produced and distributed by Ep.Log Media are personal to the host and the guest of the shows respectively and with no intention to harm the sentiments of any individual/organization.The said content is not obscene or blasphemous or defamatory of any event and/or person deceased or alive or in contempt of court or breach of contract or breach of privilege, or in violation of any provisions of the statute, nor hurt the sentiments of any religious groups/ person/government/non-government authorities and/or breach or be against any declared public policy of any nation or state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Lynching is a brutal act of violence that has been a part of human history for centuries. It is a form of extrajudicial murder committed by mobs, usually against minorities, used as a tool of terror to maintain white supremacy and control over minority communities. In recent times, there have been numerous cases of lynching in India, particularly targeting minority communities.But it dates back centuries. In this episode, we will explore the history of lynching, its prevalence across the world, the role of racism and white supremacy in lynching, efforts to combat and document it, and its legacy and continued relevance today. [cover art AI generated by Dall-e] You can follow us and leave us feedback on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @eplogmedia, For partnerships/queries send you can send us an email at bonjour@eplog.media   DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on all the shows produced and distributed by Ep.Log Media are personal to the host and the guest of the shows respectively and with no intention to harm the sentiments of any individual/organization.The said content is not obscene or blasphemous or defamatory of any event and/or person deceased or alive or in contempt of court or breach of contract or breach of privilege, or in violation of any provisions of the statute, nor hurt the sentiments of any religious groups/ person/government/non-government authorities and/or breach or be against any declared public policy of any nation or state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
“In this special episode for the National Science day, we remember Indian scientists who have contributed to moving the world forward” You can follow us and leave us feedback on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @eplogmedia, For partnerships/queries send you can send us an email at bonjour@eplog.media   DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on all the shows produced and distributed by Ep.Log Media are personal to the host and the guest of the shows respectively and with no intention to harm the sentiments of any individual/organization.The said content is not obscene or blasphemous or defamatory of any event and/or person deceased or alive or in contempt of court or breach of contract or breach of privilege, or in violation of any provisions of the statute, nor hurt the sentiments of any religious groups/ person/government/non-government authorities and/or breach or be against any declared public policy of any nation or state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this week's episode of the Writer & Geek Show, we're exploring the mysterious and often deadly Cordyceps fungi.  Known to take over the bodies of ants and turn them into its host, but could this same fungi pose a threat to humans in the future? We'll be examining the science behind the Cordyceps fungi, and how it has the ability to manipulate the behaviour of its host. We'll also be discussing the potential dangers of these fungi to humans, especially with the changing climate and the possibility of new strains emerging. And, we can't talk about Cordyceps without mentioning the hit video game, "The Last of Us", which has brought the Cordyceps fungi into popular culture. You can follow us and leave us feedback on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @eplogmedia, For partnerships/queries send you can send us an email at bonjour@eplog.media   DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on all the shows produced and distributed by Ep.Log Media are personal to the host and the guest of the shows respectively and with no intention to harm the sentiments of any individual/organization.The said content is not obscene or blasphemous or defamatory of any event and/or person deceased or alive or in contempt of court or breach of contract or breach of privilege, or in violation of any provisions of the statute, nor hurt the sentiments of any religious groups/ person/government/non-government authorities and/or breach or be against any declared public policy of any nation or state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This is a podcast episode about the James Webb Telescope The internet recently celebrated images from far-off areas of the universe from the latest eye in the sky - James Webb Space Telescope. JWST isn’t the first time astronomers pointed a space telescope at various heavenly bodies. Years ago, Hubble Space Telescope was launched and brought back the first images of deep space, something that humans have never been able to see before. But the history of space exploration started many centuries before JWST lifted off from the earth’s surface to bring back the images of the cosmos that broke the internet. From the time human beings started walking on the face of the earth, we have always looked up with wonder at the sky. Heavenly bodies fascinated us in many ways and became an integral part of cultures across the world. But before we dwell into JWST’s existence and the story behind it, let us rewind some time in the past. Actually, a long time in the past, to the big daddy of all bangs - the Big Bang! The Big Bang theory describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. It is the prevailing cosmological model explaining the evolution of the observable universe from the earliest known periods through its subsequent large-scale form. The model offers a comprehensive explanation for a broad range of observed phenomena, including the abundance of light elements, the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, and large-scale structure. Big Bang theory is supported by Hubble-Lemarite law which states that further, an object is in the universe, the faster it is moving away from earth. Extrapolating this cosmic expansion backwards in time using the known laws of physics, the theory describes an increasingly concentrated cosmos preceded by a singularity in which space and time lose meaning. Detailed measurements of the expansion rate of the universe place the Big Bang singularity at around 13.8 billion years ago, which is thus considered the age of the universe. After its initial expansion, an event that is by itself often called "the Big Bang", the universe cooled sufficiently to allow the formation of subatomic particles, and later atoms. Giant clouds of these primordial elements—mostly hydrogen, with some helium and lithium—later coalesced through gravity, forming early stars and galaxies, the descendants of which are visible today. Besides these primordial building materials, astronomers observe the gravitational effects of an unknown dark matter surrounding galaxies. Georges Lemaître first noted in 1927 that an expanding universe could be traced back in time to an originating single point, which he called the "primeval atom". Edwin Hubble confirmed through analysis of galactic redshifts in 1929 that galaxies are indeed drifting apart; this is important observational evidence for an expanding universe.  For several decades, the scientific community was divided between supporters of the Big Bang and the rival steady-state model which both offered explanations for the observed expansion, but the steady-state model stipulated an eternal universe in contrast to the Big Bang's finite age. In 1964, the CMB was discovered, which convinced many cosmologists that the steady-state theory was falsified, since, unlike the steady-state theory, the hot Big Bang predicted uniform background radiation throughout the universe caused by the high temperatures and densities in the distant past. One of the most important factors supporting the Big Bang Theory is the expansion of the universe. Contrary to popular belief, Big Bang is not an explosion of matter that moves outward to fill the empty space, it is the expansion of the space itself with time, resulting in each point moving away. It is an expansion of space and not an explosion in space. The need for James Webb came in because it turned out that Hubble wasn’t enough for more deep space investigation. To study about the universe as it existed during its formation, it was essential to be able to see deeper into space. JWST uses infrared cameras instead of visible light that enables it to look deeper into space. Infrared light travels through the gas clouds and dust in space and enables JWST to see further and detect fainter objects than a regular visible light spectrum camera. Since James Webb uses infrared cameras, it is important to maintain the temperature of the telescope as low as possible to avoid the images being tainted. For this reason, Webb orbits much further away from earth to avoid contamination of the images being captured. Any amount of heat would result in the contamination of images since anything that emits heat radiates infrared radiation. As a result of this distance from earth, JWST is not serviceable like the Hubble telescope. Hubble had issues with its mirrors when it was launched and then had to be serviced to add a corrective “lens” to ensure that the images were not blurred. Also, unlike the Hubble telescope, James Webb couldn’t be assembled in the orbit but had to b launched in one piece which would unwrap itself. This was a complicated process with many points of failure. JWST is parked in an orbit around a point about a million kilometres from the earth where the effects of the gravitational force of the Sun and Earth act with equal force. James Webb was NASA’s second administrator. He lead the Apollo Moon missions Projected cost was $1bn which was surpassed in 2007 and crossed $10bn in 2021.  Launched Dec 25th, 2021 During its inception and early years, it was called Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) Cold telescope in space is required for capturing the infrared radiations coming from far away objects. An expected lifetime of 10 years, but may last more than that Since Webb orbits around 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, assembly in space and servicing is impossible The primary mirror in Webb is about 6.5 metres in diameter with about 6 times larger area than Hubble Mirrors are Beryllium mirrors and are lighter than Hubble’s mirrors although bigger in size Five laters of sun shield with vacuum in between acting as insulator Located in the second Lagrange point where it is shielded from the Sun and the moon at all the times Webb operates at 50K which is 50 degrees above absolute zero (-223 degree C) You can follow us and leave us feedback on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @eplogmedia, For partnerships/queries send you can send us an email at bonjour@eplog.media   DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on all the shows produced and distributed by Ep.Log Media are personal to the host and the guest of the shows respectively and with no intention to harm the sentiments of any individual/organization.The said content is not obscene or blasphemous or defamatory of any event and/or person deceased or alive or in contempt of court or breach of contract or breach of privilege, or in violation of any provisions of the statute, nor hurt the sentiments of any religious groups/ person/government/non-government authorities and/or breach or be against any declared public policy of any nation or state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This is a podcast episode about the James Webb Telescope The internet recently celebrated images from far-off areas of the universe from the latest eye in the sky - James Webb Space Telescope. JWST isn’t the first time astronomers pointed a space telescope at various heavenly bodies. Years ago, Hubble Space Telescope was launched and brought back the first images of deep space, something that humans have never been able to see before. But the history of space exploration started many centuries before JWST lifted off from the earth’s surface to bring back the images of the cosmos that broke the internet. From the time human beings started walking on the face of the earth, we have always looked up with wonder at the sky. Heavenly bodies fascinated us in many ways and became an integral part of cultures across the world. But before we dwell into JWST’s existence and the story behind it, let us rewind some time in the past. Actually, a long time in the past, to the big daddy of all bangs - the Big Bang! The Big Bang theory describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. It is the prevailing cosmological model explaining the evolution of the observable universe from the earliest known periods through its subsequent large-scale form. The model offers a comprehensive explanation for a broad range of observed phenomena, including the abundance of light elements, the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, and large-scale structure. Big Bang theory is supported by Hubble-Lemarite law which states that further, an object is in the universe, the faster it is moving away from earth. Extrapolating this cosmic expansion backwards in time using the known laws of physics, the theory describes an increasingly concentrated cosmos preceded by a singularity in which space and time lose meaning. Detailed measurements of the expansion rate of the universe place the Big Bang singularity at around 13.8 billion years ago, which is thus considered the age of the universe. After its initial expansion, an event that is by itself often called "the Big Bang", the universe cooled sufficiently to allow the formation of subatomic particles, and later atoms. Giant clouds of these primordial elements—mostly hydrogen, with some helium and lithium—later coalesced through gravity, forming early stars and galaxies, the descendants of which are visible today. Besides these primordial building materials, astronomers observe the gravitational effects of an unknown dark matter surrounding galaxies. Georges Lemaître first noted in 1927 that an expanding universe could be traced back in time to an originating single point, which he called the "primeval atom". Edwin Hubble confirmed through analysis of galactic redshifts in 1929 that galaxies are indeed drifting apart; this is important observational evidence for an expanding universe.  For several decades, the scientific community was divided between supporters of the Big Bang and the rival steady-state model which both offered explanations for the observed expansion, but the steady-state model stipulated an eternal universe in contrast to the Big Bang's finite age. In 1964, the CMB was discovered, which convinced many cosmologists that the steady-state theory was falsified, since, unlike the steady-state theory, the hot Big Bang predicted uniform background radiation throughout the universe caused by the high temperatures and densities in the distant past. One of the most important factors supporting the Big Bang Theory is the expansion of the universe. Contrary to popular belief, Big Bang is not an explosion of matter that moves outward to fill the empty space, it is the expansion of the space itself with time, resulting in each point moving away. It is an expansion of space and not an explosion in space. The need for James Webb came in because it turned out that Hubble wasn’t enough for more deep space investigation. To study about the universe as it existed during its formation, it was essential to be able to see deeper into space. JWST uses infrared cameras instead of visible light that enables it to look deeper into space. Infrared light travels through the gas clouds and dust in space and enables JWST to see further and detect fainter objects than a regular visible light spectrum camera. Since James Webb uses infrared cameras, it is important to maintain the temperature of the telescope as low as possible to avoid the images being tainted. For this reason, Webb orbits much further away from earth to avoid contamination of the images being captured. Any amount of heat would result in the contamination of images since anything that emits heat radiates infrared radiation. As a result of this distance from earth, JWST is not serviceable like the Hubble telescope. Hubble had issues with its mirrors when it was launched and then had to be serviced to add a corrective “lens” to ensure that the images were not blurred. Also, unlike the Hubble telescope, James Webb couldn’t be assembled in the orbit but had to b launched in one piece which would unwrap itself. This was a complicated process with many points of failure. JWST is parked in an orbit around a point about a million kilometres from the earth where the effects of the gravitational force of the Sun and Earth act with equal force. James Webb was NASA’s second administrator. He lead the Apollo Moon missions Projected cost was $1bn which was surpassed in 2007 and crossed $10bn in 2021.  Launched Dec 25th, 2021 During its inception and early years, it was called Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) Cold telescope in space is required for capturing the infrared radiations coming from far away objects. An expected lifetime of 10 years, but may last more than that Since Webb orbits around 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, assembly in space and servicing is impossible The primary mirror in Webb is about 6.5 metres in diameter with about 6 times larger area than Hubble Mirrors are Beryllium mirrors and are lighter than Hubble’s mirrors although bigger in size Five laters of sun shield with vacuum in between acting as insulator Located in the second Lagrange point where it is shielded from the Sun and the moon at all the times Webb operates at 50K which is 50 degrees above absolute zero (-223 degree C) You can follow us and leave us feedback on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @eplogmedia, For partnerships/queries send you can send us an email at bonjour@eplog.media   DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on all the shows produced and distributed by Ep.Log Media are personal to the host and the guest of the shows respectively and with no intention to harm the sentiments of any individual/organization.The said content is not obscene or blasphemous or defamatory of any event and/or person deceased or alive or in contempt of court or breach of contract or breach of privilege, or in violation of any provisions of the statute, nor hurt the sentiments of any religious groups/ person/government/non-government authorities and/or breach or be against any declared public policy of any nation or state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Writer & Geek is Back!

Writer & Geek is Back!

2023-01-1301:18

We are back after a short break of 2years! and We are back to make Writer & Geek bigger as we join hands with Ep.Log Media Network! If you are a #factjunkie we are here to care of your curiosity with some of the most exciting events from the field of history, society, science and even true crime!From ancient civilisations to modern day mysteries, we hv got you covered! So, subscribe to the Writer & Geek on Ep.Log Media website or your preferred audio streaming apps. New episodes are out every Friday fortnightly from 13.01.2023  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Operation Overlord was launched on 6 June 1944 and is to date the largest amphibious assault in the history of warfare. Nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel on 6 June, and more than two million Allied troops were in France by the end of August. It led to the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. Links to our essentials: Find the affiliate links to the equipment and resources we use to make this podcast here. Find Writer & Geek's guide to podcasting here. Image MIckStephenson at English Wikipedia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
107: Pyramids

107: Pyramids

2021-05-0927:23

The Pyramids are one of the ancient wonders of the world. It is one of the most mysterious structures ever built. In this episode, we try to uncover some of the mysteries. Links to our essentials: Find the affiliate links to the equipment and resources we use to make this podcast here. Find Writer & Geek's guide to podcasting here. Image by Soupy Squirrel from PixabaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Indian Revolutionary Movement The first signs of the revolutionary movement can be traced back to 1847 when 5000 peasants rose against the British East India Company (EIC) in Kurnool district (Andra Pradesh) under the leadership of Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy. They were protesting against the changes made to the traditional agrarian system. Jugantar Party The revolutionary movement was not organised till the 20th Century. The first signs of its organisation can be noticed in 1905, during the partition of Bengal. The Jugantar party was formed in April 1906 by Aurobindo Ghosh, Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Bhupendranath Datta, Lal Bal Pal, Subodh Chandra Mullick. They collected and manufactured bombs. The Jugantars sent some of their members for training abroad, too. But the attempted murder of a district judge in Muzaffarpur resulted in the arrest of many of them. They planned to revolt against the British during the First World War with the help of Indians living abroad. It relied on the clandestine landing of German arms and ammunitions in the Indian coast, which never materialised. They supported Mahatma Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement while conducting revolutionary activities. Hindustan Socialist Republican Association It was established in October 1924 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh by revolutionaries like Ramprasad Bismil, Jogesh Chatterjee, Chandrashekhar Azad, Yogendra Shukla and Sachindranath Sanyal. They aimed to throw out the British and establish the Federal Republic of the United States of India. The Kakori train robbery is one of the notable mutinies by the group. It led to the hanging of Ashfaqullah Khan, Ramprasad Bismil, Roshan Singh, Rajendra Lahiri. The group reorganised under Chandrashekhar Azad with new members of the likes of Bhagat Singh, Bhagwati Charan Vohra and Sukhdev and renamed themselves the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). They killed Saunders, a police officer involved in the lathi-charge that killed Lala Lajpat Rai. Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru threw a bomb inside the Central Legislative Assembly. It was followed by their trial and hanging on 23 March 1931. Abhinav Bharat Secret Society It was a secret society started by VD Savarkar and GD Savarkar in 1904. It was involved in many revolutionary activities until its disbandment in 1952. One of the popular deeds of the society was the assassination of Lt. Col. William Curzon-Wyllie on 1 July 1909. After the existence of the society was unearthed, Savarkar was transported to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands in 1910. Kotwal Dasta It was formed by Veer Bhai Kotwal with around 50 members during the Quit India Movement. They cut down electric pylons to cripple the industries and railways. Around 11 pylons were cut from September to November 1942. Previous episode mentioned in this episode: 074: Oh beer, oh beer! Find the affiliate links to the equipment and resources we use to make this podcast here. Find Writer & Geek's guide to podcasting here. Image by Rueben lysSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, we talk about the Boeing 737 Max accidents and the reason behind it. Boeing’s 737 is one of the most widely used aircraft. But two crashes of its new 737 Max 8 model and the following investigation, led to some dark details about how a software system overpowered the pilots and plunged everyone on board to a horrific end. Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System, abbreviated as MCAS is a software designed to save an aeroplane from a potential stall due to a high angle of attack. The angle of attack is the angle between the aircraft direction of mention forward and the wing. Aircraft usually have a slight positive angle of attack to create more lift at slower speeds. But if the angle of attack becomes too high, added drag is created and there is a danger of a stall where aircraft falls out of the sky uncontrollably. MCAS was designed to lower the airplane’s nose when the angle of attack becomes too high and thus preventing a stall. But in two of Boeing’s 737 Max 8 aircraft, these systems erroneously pushed the planes into nosedive resulting in catastrophic accidents. The worst part of this disaster was that the pilots of 737 were not informed of this particular software and wasn’t even mentioned in any training documents. In this episode, we delve a little deeper into the background of these tragedies and learn how competition between two aircraft manufacturers resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives. Previous episode mentioned in the episode: 048: Jet Engines Find the affiliate links to the equipment and resources we use to make this podcast here. Find Writer & Geek's guide to podcasting here. Image by nickyhardinguk from PixabaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Rodney Alcala is a notorious serial killer who spread terror in the United States from 1968 to 1979. Name: Rodrigo Jacques Alcala Buquor Birth: 23 August 1943 Convictions: Battery, kidnapping, murder, probation violation, rape, providing cannabis to a minor Victims: 8 to 130 Span: 1968 to 1979 Crime penalty: Death Aliases: The Dating Game Killer, John Berger, John Burger, Rod Alcala During his appearance in The Dating Game in 1978, the host, Jim Lange introduced him as a "successful photographer who got his start when his father found him in the darkroom at the age of 13, fully developed. Between takes, you might find him skydiving or motorcycling." Alcala won the competition (a date with Cheryl Bradshaw) with his charm. But Bradshaw later declined the date because Alcala started acting creepy. The fellow bachelors in the show described Alcala to be very strange and have bizarre opinions. It is believed that the rejection led Alcala on a killing spree where he killed at least three women. Find the affiliate links to the equipment and resources we use to make this podcast here. Find Writer & Geek's guide to podcasting here. Source: Rodney Alcala Biography Rodney Alcala Murderpedia The Dating Game Wikipedia Rodney Alcala Wikipedia Image from LA WeeklySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mahatma Gandhi was the primary leader of India’s independence movement and also the architect of a form of non-violent civil disobedience that would influence the world. Until Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, his life and teachings inspired activists including Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.Name: Mohandas Karamchand GandhiBorn: 2 October 1869 (Porbandar, Gujarat)Known for: Being the father of the nation, political activism leading to Indian independence, nonviolence (ahimsa)Occupation: Lawyer, activist, writer, politicianDied: 30 January 1948Cause of death: Assassination through gunshot by Nathuram GodseIntroductionHe was the youngest son from his father, Karamchand Gandhi’s fourth marriage to Putlibai Gandhi.Karamchand Gandhi did not have much elementary education but was capable to be the dewan of Porbandar.He went on to become the dewan of Rajkot later on.Mohandas Gandhi was a mediocre student who won the occasional prizes and scholarships who was - “good at English, fair in Arithmetic and weak in Geography; conduct very good, bad handwriting.”He got married at the age of thirteen to Kasturba Makhanji Kapadia.They went on to have four children - Harilal, Manilal, Ramdas, Devdas.EducationHe liked to be a doctor but coming from a background of Vaishnava faith, they were against vivisection.To attain a good post in the high posts in one of the states in Gujarat, he had to be a barrister.He went to England and joined the Inner Temple which is one of the four London law colleges.He struggled with more issues than academic problems, especially vegetarianism became a major struggle for him.He came under constant pressure from his friends about how vegetarianism is going to wreck his studies and health.But then he found a vegetarian restaurant and a book reasoning the goodness of vegetarianism.He became a member of the executive committee of the London Vegetarian Society, contributing articles to its journal and attending its conferences.Early CareerHe had a lot of issues practising law.His fear of public speaking took a toll on him as he could not get any prestigious barrister jobs back in India.This led to him moving to South Africa and taking a job there.South Africa taught him a lot about the disparities between the white and the coloured.India (1915-1947)Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)It began because of the Rowlatt Act and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.Ended with the Chauri Chaura incident of 1922.It led to the arrest of Gandhi and many other prominent leaders.Civil Disobedience Movement(1930)Dandi March (12th March - 6th April 1930)Time Man of the Year 1930Gandhi and 78 trusted volunteers marched from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi (384 km) in 25 days.Resulted in the Government of India Act 1935 which granted large measures of autonomy to the provinces of British India.Quit Indian Movement (1942)It was opposed by Hindu Mahasabha, All India Muslim League, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Communist Party of India, and the Princely States.Quotes mentioned in the podcasts from Britannica:“Gandhi had critics in his own country and indeed in his own party. The liberal leaders protested that he was going too fast; the young radicals complained that he was not going fast enough; left-wing politicians alleged that he was not serious about evicting the British or liquidating such vested Indian interests as princes and landlords; the leaders of the untouchables doubted his good faith as a social reformer; and Muslim leaders accused him of partiality to his own community.”“Scholars have continued to judge Gandhi’s place in history. He was the catalyst if not the initiator of three of the major revolutions of the 20th century: the movements against colonialism, racism, and violence.”Book mentioned in the episode:The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi: Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle Edition | MP3 CD | Audio CassetteFinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dear Listeners,We are taking a month long break to come back with some more amazing content for you. Till then we will be recasting four of our favourite episodes from the past. Hope you enjoy it! :)This week, we recast the episode where we talked about Dyatlov Pass Incident.To the east of the Ural mountains, in Yekaterinburg city cemetery, there is a group grave of 9 members from a hiking group who died mysteriously.TimelineArrived by train at Ivdel a town at the centre of the northern province of Sverdlovsk Oblast on 25th January 1959.Took a truck ride to Vizhai (last settlement towards the north).Hikers purchased and had loaves of bread when they were in Vizhai to keep energy high.Started trek towards Otorten from Vizhai on 27th January.Yuri Yudin returned on 28th due to health issues.On 31st, the hikers arrived at a highland area and started preparing for their climb. They saved surplus food in a wooded area for their return hike.Snowstorms resulted in hikers being deviated from their intended path and ended up on the slopes of Kholat Syakhl (Dead Mountain).Group decided to camp on the slopes of Kholat Syakhl instead of hiking all the way back into the wooded area about 1.5 km away. It is speculated that the group wanted to practice camping on a mountain slope.Dyatlov had told his sports club that he would send a telegram from Vizhai no later than 12th February and that it might take even longer.It was not until 20th that the relatives of the hikers demanded a search be conducted for the missing hikers.The search party was mobilised and the military also took part in the search. On 26th of February, the search party found the tent that was used by the hikers.The tent was torn from inside and the hikers were missing. All the belongings including warm clothing and shoes were left behind.A set of footprints could be found heading away from the tent towards the woods, but after 500m, the tracks disappeared in the snow.At the edge of the forest, under a Siberian Pine tree, there was a visible sign of a fire that was lit.The first two bodies, Krivonischenko and Doroshenko were found shoeless near the fire site wearing only their underwears.The tree also had visible marks of someone having climbed it, with branches up to 5 metres broken. Someone seems to have climbed the tree to either escape from something or to look at something in distance.Further search in the snow between the camp and the pine tree revealed the bodies of Dyatlov, Kolmogorova and Slobodin. Their poses suggested that they were trying to return to the campsite perhaps for food and warm clothing. They were found at a distance of 300, 480 and 630 metres from the tree respectively.The four remaining hikers were not found until 4th of May under 4 metres of snow around 75 metres away from the pine tree towards the woods. These four happened to be better dressed than others and the ones who died later were wearing the clothes of the ones who had died earlier. A hastily constructed den was found near the bodies.Something happened on the night of 31st - 1st which lead to the death of all the hikers.InquiryAn inquiry was started into the matter after the first five bodies were found. It was concluded that hypothermia was the reason for the deaths.The finding of the four bodies later presented puzzling details which changed the course of the inquest.Three of the four hikers had serious fatal injuries to the head and chest area.Doctors concluded that the force required to cause a similar injury would be something similar to that of a car hitting a person.Except for Dubinina who was missing her tongue, eyes, parts of lips and a part of the skull, no major external wounds were found on the bodies. It was later claimed that these injuries were a result of her being face down on the water.TheoriesThe inquest concluded that all the hikers had died of a compelling natural force. The inquiry was stopped in May and allSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dear Listeners,We are taking a month long break to come back with some more amazing content for you. Till then we will be recasting four of our favourite episodes from the past. Hope you enjoy it! :)This week, we recast the episode where we talked about time measurement in Hindu culture.Resources:Find the affiliate links to the equipment and resources we use to make this podcast here.Find Writer & Geek's guide to podcasting here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dear Listeners,We are taking a month long break to come back with some more amazing content for you. Till then we will be recasting four of our favourite episodes from the past. Hope you enjoy it! :)This week, we recast our conversation about the history of smoking.HistoryThe origin of tobacco can be traced back to 6000 BC, in the American continent. It was considered medicinal and used as a painkiller.Smoking cannabis can be traced back to 2000 BC, India. It is also mentioned in Atharvaveda.Cannabis smoking in the middle east was common, especially Hookah. Even women took part in it privately.Christopher Columbus played a big part in getting it to the European continent1531 - first tobacco cultivation in Europe.By 1600, tobacco became an integral part of the society as a good section started smoking.In 1560, Jean Nicot took tobacco with him to Spain from FranceIn 1571, a Spanish doctor named Nicolas Monardes, apparently “found out” tobacco could cure 36 health problems (what a joke!)In 1588, Thomas Harriet, a Virginian, said that smoking gives the daily dose of tobacco. Not surprisingly, he died of nose cancer.English King James I was one of the first to speak against smokingTobacco used as an exchange during these time. The barter system did rely on tobacco.Africa was introduced to tobacco by Arab traders in the 13th century, It was popularised by French merchants in 1600 by bringing tobacco to Senegal & Gambia.The 17th century saw Japanese use a device called Kiseru. It was a long-stemmed device.In 1760, Pierre Lorillard set up the Lorillard Tobacco Company in NYC. it is the oldest tobacco company in the US.Nicotine was discovered in 1826 and found to be harmful to humans.1836, Samuel Green mentioned that tobacco is an insecticide, a poison which can kill.Chinese got into the habit of smoking opium due to colonialism. The British got them addicted to opium and it resulted in the Opium Wars.Chewing tobacco became popular amongst cowboys in the 19th century. It was more popular than smoking.By 1901, smoking was catching up with 6 billion cigars and 3 billion cigarettes sold.In 1902, Britisher, Philip Morris set up Marlboro brand1913, R. J. Reynolds set up the Camel brand of cigarettes.World Wars saw a tremendous increase in smoking. It was called soldier’s smoke and was included in the soldier’s ration.By 1923, Camel took over 45% of the market in the US.Which led to Marlboro marketing it as women’s cigarette in 1924. They called it Mild as May. The number of women smokers tripled over the next few years.Nazi Germany has one of the most powerful anti-smoking movement.During the 1950s evidence of smoking leading to lung cancer began popping up.In 1952, Kent Brand developed Micronite, a cigarette which contains asbestos. It was shelved shortly afterwards.In 1953, Dr Ernst L. Wynders found that cigarette tar causes a tumour in miceIn 1956, first menthol cigarette was released by RJ Reynolds called Salem.In 1964, regulations in cigarette advertisements were placed after the finding on Smoking and Health report made it clear that smoking causes lung cancer.In 1965, Britain takes cigarette commercials off televisionIn 1966, health warnings started popping up on packetsIn 1968, Bravo, a non-tobacco cigarette brand made of lettuce. Mega Failure!The US takes off cigarette advertisements in 1971the first national Great American Smokeout takes place in 1977. It is an annual event which takes place on the third Thursday of every November.In 1982, it is found out that second-hand smoking also leads to lung cancerIn 1985, lung cancer overtakes breast cancer as the number one cause of women’s death.India and SmokingThe first act to add a statutory warning on packets came into existence in 1975Public smoking banned in Kerala in 1999. The first state in India to do that.On September 8, 2000, the complete ban on tobacco and smoking advertisements came intoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dear Listeners,We are taking a month long break to come back with some more amazing content for you. Till then we will be recasting four of our favourite episodes from the past. Hope you enjoy it! :)This week, we recall our conversation about Cyanide Mohan. A serial killer from South India.Mohan Kumar, infamously known as Cyanide Mohan is a serial killer who targeted women by offering them marriage.Details:DOB: 1963Place: MangaloreMarital status: Married thriceSpan of crime: 2005-2009Number of victims: 20Date of apprehension: October 2009Crime HistoryCyanide Mohan worked as a primary school teacher from 1980 to 2003.He was fired from his job for allegedly pushing a woman off the Nethravathi when she refused his marriage proposal.The motive of the murders were to satisfy his sexual needs and to extort the valuables from his victims.He used cyanide laced pills to kill his victims.Convicted for 5 murders of the 20 murders.He is his own attorney and successful appealed to convert one death penalty into a life sentence.He is also found to have committed bank frauds and forgeriesCurrently serving two death penalties and two life sentences.Resources:Find the affiliate links to the equipment and resources we use to make this podcast here.Find Writer & Geek's guide to podcasting here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dear Listeners,We are taking a month long break to come back with some more amazing content for you. Till then we will be recasting four of our favourite episodes from the past. Hope you enjoy it! :)This week, we recast the episode we did with our dear friend, Nikesh Murali. He is a writer and voice actor and also hosts the critically acclaimed horror podcast, Indian Noir.Find Nikesh online:Indian NoirNikesh’s websiteResources:Find the affiliate links to the equipment and resources we use to make this podcast here.Find Writer & Geek's guide to podcasting here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Comments (29)

Sarath Pavithran

A very informative podcast for those who is noobie at listening podcasts

Apr 27th
Reply

Venksh

Shankar and Vishnu congrats on ur milestone episode.. well researched and very informative .. many may know the mathematical formula but not the history behind it.. thank you for letting know so much in-depth details.. good luck to achieve more milestone episodes..

Oct 22nd
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Venksh

the best ever personal finance explanation that you could get.. also gives you insight of how to save and invest it rather spend it at first..

Sep 26th
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Venksh

very well researched and recorded episode on aircraft Carriers .. Bike made out of INS Vikrant is Bajaj V15. best part is giving reference of TaleSpin for sea plane, I guess only 90 kids would get it. @Vishnu: Vikrant means Powerful.

Sep 22nd
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Venksh

@Vishnu agree with that Snowpiercer isn't that great series, but give it try bcos later episodes are bit good. I think there will be season 2 of Snowpiercer and as u said the story is almost similar to the movie Snowpiercer..

Sep 20th
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Venksh

Thank you Vishnu and Shankar for the Shout-out. means a lot to me.. Thanks, Venkatesh

Sep 20th
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Venksh

History of Internet.. Very informative..

Sep 19th
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Venksh

thank you Shankar n Vishnu for this episode.. am from Karaikal. could relate all the things you guys discussed.. Yes French govt still gives pension to some ppl, those are French citizens living in India. My grandma also was getting pension as she was French citizen.. half of my family holds French citizenship, bcos they were born during French ruling period. Also the govt increased price of liquor n petrol during this lockdown period. Big thanks to Writer And Geek show. #WriterAndGeekShow

Aug 30th
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Venksh

History of Marriage..

Jun 21st
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Venksh

very informative about Malayalam film industry..

May 31st
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Vachana Hr

brilliant 👌👌👌

Apr 23rd
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Riya Chauhan

That Domino's chocolate pizza tasts horrible. don't try it.

Jun 19th
Reply (1)

Sangram keshari Sahu

It's been a long time. But it's always good to hear you guys.

Mar 10th
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Bhaskar N H

The serial killers who operated in TN, Bangalore didn't manage to scale up their operations like the Bombay underworld. Or did they ? And somehow that didn't get noticed much or they were not documented properly? So, I am glad that you managed to do a bit of research on gems like Auto Shankar. The other day I was reading an article on the underworld that operated out of Bangalore in the 70s and 80s but sadly not many are aware of these. There aren't many documents or press articles on them..

Dec 30th
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Arjun Singh

👏👏👏👏

Nov 13th
Reply (1)

Usman T

Good work

Oct 21st
Reply (1)

Saurabh Dani

It's cody's lab

Oct 15th
Reply (1)
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