Back for solo episode 7. I dive into techniques on how to improve your memory—sharing tips that have helped me to remember names and lists.
I also give my take on the recent election, with a bit of humor and a bot of speculation. Plus, there’s a story from my trip to Vietnam, where I had eye-opening experiences. For example, I was told the “American War” is not to be talked about in North Vietnam.
In the last episode, I touched on the origins of heroin. Here I mention the article I wrote about how the Nazis used methamphetamine to fuel their wartime aggression—a shocking discovery from Norman Ohler’s Blitzed, which is a must-read for anyone curious about World War II’s lesser-known history.
Here are other topics covered in this episode:
- Origin of the phrase “stabbed in the back” from Nazi Germany
- The “Memory Palace” technique as a mnemonic device to improve memory
- Using familiar locations to remember lists of items
- Why I had to change my name when I moved from Louisiana to Texas
- Trump’s high betting odds on election night
- Why I’m convinced Tim Walz and Doug Emhoff are gay
- Comparison of Obama and Trump’s perceived Christianity
- Close election monitoring by Republicans to prevent fraud
- Spreculation about potential plans to prevent Trump from taking office
- Comparing Trump to Hitler, and the motivated moral reasoning of those opposing him
- Commentary on leftists’ self-image & ideologies
- Biden’s statements about peaceful transition of power
- Democrats’ attempt to persuade voters using celebrities like Jennifer Lopez & Alanis Morisette
- Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (X) as a milestone for free speech
- Free speech being taken for granted
- Value of sharing honest opinions even if it alienates some people
- Bad HR interviewer when I considered returning to the tech world
- Trusting people who trust you
- Visit to the War Remnants Museum in Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City
- The Vietnam War is called the “American War” in Vietnam
- My homestay experience in North Vietnam
- Vietnamese locals avoid discussing war and government
- Ho Chi Minh shrines in Vietnamese homes
- Limitations on free speech in Vietnam and Russia
- How I got my daughter to sing a Barenaked Ladies song
Books mentioned
- Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich by Norman Ohler
Listen here:
