Links1. "Service Squadron Ten and the Great Western Base," by LCDR Ryan Hilger, CIMSEC, April 15, 2021.

Links1. "Cost-Effectiveness of Offense as a Ship Self-Defense Tactic," by ENS Kara Dowling, USNI Proceedings, April 2021.2. "A Multiagent Stochastic Control Model for Adversarial Planning in Naval Operations: Cost Effectiveness of the Offense as a Ship Self-Defense Tactic," ENS Kara Dowling, Phalanx 53, no. 3 (2020): 34-39.

Links1. Sea State Newsletter

Links1. The Ship by C.S. Forester, reprint of the ed. published by Sun Dial Press in 1944.2. Sea Control 247 - 2034 with Admiral James Stavridis and Elliot Ackerman3. Ghost Fleet, by Peter W. Singer and August Cole, Eamon Dolan Books, 2016. 4. Burn In, by P.W. Singer and August Cole, 2020. 5. An Eye for a Storm: Imagining the Future of Professional Military Education and Its Effect on the ADF of Tomorrow, by August Cole and PW Singer, The Forge. 6. Zero Day Code: A novel of the End of Days: a cyberwar apocalypse, by John Birmingham, Gigantic Bombs Corporation, 2021.

Links1. "Embrace Cognitive Diversity," by LCDR Rachel Foote, USNI Proceedings, December 2020.2. "Teams Solve Problems Faster When They're Cognitively Diverse," by Alison Reynolds and David Lewis, Harvard Business Review, March 30, 2017. 3. The War Room, U.S. Army War College podcast.

Links1. “Fish Farming is Feeding the Globe. What’s the Cost for Locals?” by Ian Urbina, The New Yorker, March 1, 2021.2. The Outlaw Ocean Project website.3. Sea Control 225: IUU Fishing and the Evolution of the Sea Shepherd with Dr. Claude Berube, CIMSEC, January 31, 2021.4. Sea Control 218: Coastal Insecurity, Ansar Al-Sunnah, and Women in Maritime Security with Kelly Moss and Lexie van Buskirk, CIMSEC, December 20, 2020.5. Sea Control 219: USCG Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz, CIMSEC, December 27, 2020.6. The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, Ian Urbina, Penguin Books, 2020. 

Links1. “Littoral Access Companies,” by Zach Ota, Marine Corps Gazette, February 2021.2. “Tentative Manual for Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations,” by USMC, 2020.3. “Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment,” USMC, 2017.4. Solomon Islanders in World War II: An Indigenous Perspective, Anna Annie Kwai, Australian National University Press, 2017.5. “Sleeper Cell Logistics,” by Michael Sweeny, Marine Corps Gazette, January 2021.6. Civil Affairs: Soldiers Became Governors, by Albert Weinberg and Harry Coles, Center of Military History, 1986. 

Links"Redefine Readiness or Lose," by Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and Gen. David H. Berger, War on the Rocks, March 15, 2021.

Links:1. How High? The Future of European Naval Power and the High-End Challenge, by Dr. Jeremy Stöhs, February 12, 2021.2. Centre for Military Studies - University of Copenhagen

Links1. "Bordering on Crisis: Overcoming Multiagency Crisis Coordination Challenges," by Brian Wilson and Nora Johnson, New York University Press, 2021.2. The Jump3. "The Defection of Simas Kudirka," by Tom Dunlop, Martha's Vineyard Magazine, December 1, 2005.4. "China explosions: what we know about what happened in Tianjin," BBC, August 17, 2015. 5. MV Sun Sea6. "Lemons Caught in a Squeeze," by Paul Blustein and Brian rnes, The Washington Post, September 10, 2004. 

Links:1. Protecting hidden infrastructure: The security politics of the global submarine data cable network, by Dr. Christian Bueger and Dr. Tobias Liebetrau, Contemporary Security Policy, 29 March, 2021.2. www.safeseas.net

Links1. The War for Muddy Waters: Pirates, Terrorists, Traffickers and Maritime Insecurity, by Joshua Tallis, Naval Institute Press, 2019.2. Sea Control 197: Naval Great Power Competition with Dr. Joshua Tallis and Hunter Stires, by Jared Samuelson, CIMSEC, August 30, 2020.3. “Focusing the Military Services’ Arctic Strategies,” by Joshua Tallis, War on the Rocks, January 20, 2021.4. Sea Control 219: USCG Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz, by Walker Mills CIMSEC, December 27, 2020.5. Sea Control 230: Coast Guard Unmanned Systems with Scott Craig and Bert Macesker, by Walker Mills, CIMSEC, March 7, 2021.6. “Advantage at Sea,” The U.S. Marine Corps, Department of the Navy, and U.S. Coast Guard, December 2020.7. “How Good Order at Sea is Central to Winning Strategic Competition,” by Joshua Tallis, CIMSEC, August 12, 2020.8. “For a Biden Arctic Agenda, Look to Governance,” by Joshua Tallis, Foreign Policy, February 18, 2021.9. The Strife Blog series on Caribbean Maritime Security will run through June 2021.

Links1. "Navy Release Latest Round of USS Thresher Documents," USNI News, February 4, 2021.

Links1. "The Russian Baltic Fleet, Organisation and role within the Armed Forces in 2020,"by Jonas Kjellén, FOI, February 2021.2. Russian Electronic Warfare the role of Electronic Warfare within the Armed Forces, by Jonas Kjellén, FOI, September 2018.

Links1. War in 2034: A Novel of the Next War, by James Stavridis and Elliot Ackerman, Penguin Press, 2021.2. Partnership for the Americas: Western Hemisphere Strategy and U.S. Southern Command, by James Stavridis, National Defense University Press, 2010.3. The Bedford Incident, by Mark Raskovich, Thunderchild Publishing (reprint, 2016).4. Destined for War: Can America and China Escape the Thucydides Trap? by Graham Allison, Mariner Books (reprint, 2017).5. Winds of War, by Herman Wouk, Hodder & Stoughton, 2013.6. Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card, Tor Books (reprint, 2017).7. Man’s Fate, by Andre Malraux, Vintage, 1990.8. Red Storm Rising, by Tom Clancy and Larry Bond, Berkeley (reprint, 2009).9. Admiral James Stavridis Official Website10. Elliot Ackerman Official Website

Links1. "Beyond static spatial management: Scientific and legal considerations for dynamic management in the high seas," by Guillermo Ortuño Crespo et al, Marine Policy, Vol. 122, December 2020.2. "An ocean of surprises - Trends in human use, unexpected dynamics and governance and challenges in areas beyond national jurisdiction," by Andrew Merrie et al, Global Environmental Change, Vol 27, July 2014.

Links1. "Command and Control in U.S. Naval Competition with China," by Kimberly Jackson, Andrew Scobell, Stephen Webber, and Logan Ma, RAND, 2020.

Links1. "Establishing an Arctic Security Institution," by Troy Bouffard and Elizabeth Buchanan, The Strategy Bridge March 3, 2020.  

Links1. "Charting a Course Through Stormy Waters: The EU as a Maritime Security Actor," by Tania Latici, Branislav Stanicek, and Eric Pichon; European Parliamentary Research Service, February 2021.

Links1. Selling Seapower: Public Relations and the U.S. Navy 1917-1941, by Dr. Ryan Wadle, OU Press, 2019.2.Testing American Sea Power: U.S. Navy Strategic Exercises, 1923-1940, by Craig C. Felker, Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History, 2013. 3. To Train the Fleet for War: The U.S. Navy Fleet Problems, 1923-1940, by Albert Nofi, Naval War College Press, 2010.

John Kroger joins host Andrea Howard to discuss his time as the Navy's first Chief Learning Officer and what he sees as the future of Navy & Marine Corps education.

Links1. Dr. Sal Mercogliano's Youtube Series on Ever Given2. "Adrift: COVID-19 and the Safety of Seafarers", by Joshua Tallis, Cornell Overfield, Kevin Inks & Cherie Rosenblum, Center for Naval Analyses, October 2020.3. "CSCL Indian Ocean finally refloated after running aground in the Elbe," by Mike Wackett, The Loadstar, September 2, 2016. 

Links1. 21st Century Mahan: Sound Conclusions for the Modern Era, by BJ Armstrong, Naval Institute Press, 2013.2. 21st Century Sims: Innovation, Education and Leadership for the Modern Era, by BJ Armstrong, Naval Institute Press, 2015.3. Small Boats and Daring Men: Maritime Raiding, Irregular Warfare, and the Early American Navy, by BJ Armstrong, Oklahoma University Press, 2019.4. “Things Done By Halves: Observations from America’s First Great Power Competition,” by BJ Armstrong, Naval War College Review, Vol. 73, No. 4, 2020.5. “Summary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy,” Department of Defense, 2018.6. Six Frigates: The Epic Story of the Founding of the U.S. Navy, by Ian Toll, W.W. Norton & Company, 2008.7. Stoddert’s War: Naval Operations During the  Quasi-War with France, 1798-1801, by Michael Palmer, Naval Institute Press, 2000.8. On the Wide Seas: The US Navy in the Jacksonian Era, by Claude Berube, University of Alabama Press, 2021 (forthcoming).9. Shaping a Maritime Empire: The Commercial and Diplomatic Role of the American Navy, 1829-1861, by John Schroeder, Praeger, 1985.10. “A Hero,”by BJ Armstrong, Naval History Magazine, February 2021.

Links1. "Equipping the 21st Century Marine Corps: Alternative Equipping Strategies for Task Organized Units," by Joslyn Fleming, Dr. Jonathan Wong, et al, RAND, 2021.

Links:China Maritime Report No. 12: Sansha City in China's South China Sea Strategy: Building a System of Administrative Control, by Zachary Haver, CMSI  China Maritime Reports, China Maritime Studies Institute, January 2021.KetianZhang.com

Links (In this instance, simply a list of Sea Shanties I enjoy):1. Bully in the Alley2. Santiana3. The Wellerman (featuring Promise & Frank Uzuwolu)4. Go to Sea No More5. Row Me Bully Boys6. Barrett's Privateers7. The Longest Johns Play Sea of Thieves8. FiddleCraig.com

Links1. "Canada and the Fourth Battle of the Atlantic," by Cdr Peter Sproule, Canadian Naval Review, Vol 16, Number 3, 2021.

Links1. Maritime Sri Lanka: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives, by Chulanee Attanayake (editor), World Scientific Publishing Company, January 29, 2021.

Links1. "Neither Fish Nor Fowl Nor Yet Good Red Herring" - Joint Institutions, Single-Service Priorities, and Amphibious Capabilities in Postwar Britain, Dr. Ian Speller, U.S. Naval War College Review, 2020 Vol. 73, Nr. 4 (7).2. Sea Control 189 - Amphibious Operations in the French & Indian War with Dr. TJ Linzy.3.The Ambassadors: America's Diplomats on the Front Lines, by Ed Salo and Paul Richter, U.S. Naval War College Review, 2021 Vol 74, Nr. 1 (18).4. Understanding Naval Warfare, Ian Speller, Routledge, 2019.

Links1. “The Free and Open Indo-Pacific versus the Belt and Road: Spheres of Influence and Sino-Japanese Relations," by Giulio Pugliese, Aurelio Insisa, Pacific Review, December 23, 2020.2. “Sino-Japanese Power Politics: Might, Money and Minds,” by Giulio Pugliese, Aurelio Insisa, Palgrave MacMillan, 2018.3. “Commitment by Presence: Naval diplomacy and Japanese defense engagement in Southeast Asia,” by Alessio Patalano, in Japan's Foreign Relations in Asia, Routledge, 2017.4. “America’s Naval Presence Problem," by Jerry Hendrix, War On The Rocks, January 26, 2016.5. “Naval drills in the Indian Ocean give bite to the anti-China Quad," The Economist, November 17, 2020.6. “Sri Lanka revives port deal with India, Japan amid China concerns," AFP, Al Jazeera News, January 14, 2021.7. “The Sri Lankan Civil War,” by Kallie Szczepanski, ThoughtCo July 8, 2019.8. “Sri Lanka says to conduct investigation into war crimes allegations,” AFP Yahoo News, January 22, 2021.9. “UN rights chief sends critical report on Sri Lanka to Government," by Easwaran Rutnam, columbogazette.com, January 21, 2021.

Links:1. "Not So Disruptive After All: The 4IR, Navies and the Search for Sea Control," Dr. Ian Bowers and Dr. Sarah Kirchberger, Nov. 25, 20202. "Advancing Autonomous Systems: An Analysis of Current and Future Technology for Unmanned Maritime Vehicles," Bradley Martin, Danielle Tarraf, Thomas Whitmore, Jacob DeWeese, Cedric Kenney, Jon Schmid, and Paul DeLuca, 2019.

Links“Leveraging Unmanned Systems for Coast Guard Missions: A Strategic Imperative,” by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine -  Transportation Research Board, (2020). “Coast Guard Begins At-Sea Testing of Unmanned Surface Vehicles to Tackle Illegal Fishing, Crime,” by Megan Eckstein, USNI News (October 15, 2020). “Indonesian fisher finds drone submarine on possible covert mission,” by Helen Davidson, The Guardian (December 31, 2020). “The Coast Guard Needs to Listen – Acoustically,” by Thomas V. Caero, USNI Proceedings (August 2020).

Links1. Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy, Ian W. Toll, W. W. Norton & Company, 2008.2. Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941–1942, Ian W. Toll, W. W. Norton & Company, 2012.3. The Conquering Tide: War in the Pacific Islands, 1942–1944, Ian W. Toll, W. W. Norton & Company, 2016.4. Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945, Ian W. Toll, W. W. Norton & Company, 2020.5. Rampage: MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manila, James Scott, W. W. Norton & Company, 2019.

Links:1. To Provide & Maintain a Navy by Henry J. Hendrix, Dec. 19, 2020.2. Buy Fords Not Ferraris, by Commander Jerry Hendrix, Proceedings, April 2009. 3. Seapower States: Maritime Culture, Continental Empires, and the Conflict that Made the Modern World, by Prof. Andrew Lambert, Nov 27, 2018.4. At What Cost a Carrier, by Jerry Hendrix, CNAS, March 11, 2013.5. Retreat From Range - The Rise and Fall of Carrier Aviation, by Jerry Hendrix, CNAS, October 19, 2015.6. Aircraft Carriers & Maritime History, Jerry Hendrix & Bryan McGrath, C-SPAN3, January 9, 2015.rof. Andrew Lambert, Nov 27, 2018.

The Last Turtlemen of the Caribbean: Waterscapes of Labor, Conservation and Boundary Making, by Sharika Crawford, University of North Carolina Press (2020). Sea Control 206: The Cod Wars with Will Reynolds and Walker Mills, CIMSEC (October 11, 2020) “The Cod Wars Today: Lessons from an Almost War,” by Walker Mills, CIMSEC (July 28, 2020). Sea Control 219: USCG Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz, CIMSEC (December 27, 2020). A Thousand Thirsty Beaches: Smuggling Alcohol from Cuba to the South During Prohibition, Lisa Lindquist Dorr, University of North Carolina Press (2021). To Master the Boundless Sea: The U.S. Navy, the Marine Environment, and the Cartography of Empire, by Jason Smith, University of North Carolina Press (2018). Home Squadron: The U.S. Navy and the North Atlantic, by James Rentfrow, Naval Institute Press (2014). Rogue Revolutionaries: The Fight for Legitimacy in the Greater Caribbean, by Vanessa Mongey, University of Pennsylvania Press (2020).Tides of Revolution: Information, Insurgencies, and the Crisis of Colonial Rule in Venezuela, by Cristina Soriano, University of New Mexico Press (2019). The Smuggler’s World: Illicit Trade and Atlantic Communities in Eighteenth Century Venezuela, by Jesse Cromwell, University of North Carolina Press (2018).

Links: 1. Phase Line Atilla, The Amphibious Campaign for Cyprus, 1974, by Edward J. Erickson & Mesut Uyar, Marine Corps University Press, 2020. 2. Ericksonmilitaryhistory.com

Links1. “Sea Control 153 – USS Constitution with Angry Staff Officer and Dr. Claude Berube,” Claude Berube, Angry Staff Officer with Jared Samuelson, CIMSEC (2020).2. “Sea Control 156 – Sink the Montana!,” Claude Berube with Jared Samuelson, CIMSEC (2020).3. The Preble Hall Podcast by the USNA Museum.4. Maritime Private Security: Market Responses to Piracy, Terrorism and Waterborne Security Risks in the 21st Century, edited by Claude Berube and Patrick Cullen, Routledge (2012).5. “Blackwaters for the Blue Waters: The Promise of Private Naval Companies,” by Claude Berube, Orbis (2007).6. “Standup a Joint Interagency Task Force to Fight Illegal Fishing,” by Claude Berube, CIMSEC (2020).7. Taste of War: World War II and the Battle for Food, by Lizzie Collingham, Penguin Books, (2013).8. “Sea Shepherd: The Evolution of an Eco-Vigilante to Legitimized Maritime Capacity Builder,” by Claude Berube, U.S. Naval War College (2020).9. “Leveraging NGOs and Volunteerism for Maritime Surveillance Against IUU Fishing,” by Walker Mills, Dylan Philips-Levine and Trevor Philips-Levine, CIMSEC (2020).10. “Advantage At Sea,” U.S. Tri-Service Maritime Strategy (2020).11. “Competition Continuum,” U.S. Department of Defense (2020).12. “Thunder Road: Outsourcing the Fight Against Illegal Fishing,” by Claude Berube, War on the Rocks, (2015).13. “Trump’s Gunboats: Achieving the Goal of 350 or 355 Ships will be Challenging,” by Claude Berube, The National Interest (2016).14. “Online Event: Strategic Perspectives on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing,” panel discussion with Craig Faller and Karl Schultz, Center for Strategic & International Studies (2020).  15. “The Maritime Story Missing in “Civilian Warriors,” Claude Berube interview with Erik Prince, CIMSEC (2013).16. The Aden Effect: A Connor Stark Novel, Claude Berube, Naval Institute Press (2012).17. Syren’s Song: A Connor Stark Novel, Claude Berube, Naval Institute Press (2015). 

1. Mitchell, Sara McLaughlin. 2020. “Clashes at Sea: Explaining the Onset, Militarization, and Resolutionof Diplomatic Maritime Claims.” Security Studies 29(4): 637-670.2. Security Studies Vol 29, Issue 4

Links1. Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Andrea Pitzer, Scribner, 2021.2. One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps by Andrea Pitzer, Little, Brown and Company, 2017.3. Longitude by Dava Sobel, Bloomsbury USA, 2010.4. “Polar bears and Arctic isolation: A Russian opposition activist describes military service as ‘political exile,’” by Robyn Dixon, The Washington Post, January 2, 2021.5. “Sailors found alive at sea after 13ft wave smashes into boat in -30C weather,” by Will Stuart and Milo Boyd, The Mirror, December 28, 2020.6. Barents expedition art by Sergey Nekrasov at the Rijksmuseum.7. Arctic Strategic Outlook, United States Coast Guard, 2019.8. “In the Arctic, Look to the Coast Guard,” by Walker Mills, USNI Proceedings, August 2020.

Links:1. TOPGUN'S TOP 10: Leadership Lessons from the Cockpit, by Guy Snodgrass, Sep 15, 2020.2. "Take a Seat at the Campfire: TOPGUN's Top Leadership Lessons from the Cockpit," by Graham Scarbro, CIMSEC, January 10, 2021. 

Links1. "Force Structure Perspectives: Congresswoman Elaine Luria on Getting Congress Involved," CIMSEC, Oct 30, 2020.2. "Bringing Congress to the (Wargaming) Table for a Bigger and Better Navy," by Rep. Mike Gallagher, War on the Rocks, Oct. 19, 2020.3. "To Deter China, the Naval Forces Must Integrate," War on the Rocks, Rep. Mike Gallagher Feb 4, 2020.

Links:1. On Contested Shores: The Evolving Role of Amphibious Operations in the History of Warfare, edited by Tim Heck and B.A. Friedman, Marine Corps University Press, 2020.2. 21st Century Ellis: Operational Art and Strategic Prophecy for the Modern Era, by B.A. Friedman, Naval Institute Press, 2015.3. Tactics: A Theory of Victory in Battle, by B.A. Friedman, Naval Institute Press, 2017.4. From the Cold War to ISIL: One Marine’s Journey, by Jason Q. Bohm, Naval Institute Press, 2019.

By Walker MillsSea Control 219. Commandant of the United States Coast Guard Admiral Karl Schultz joins Sea Control’s Walker Mills to talk about the recent Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Strategic Fishing Strategic Outlook and the 2019 Arctic Strategic Outlook. Admiral Schultz discusses the balancing the Coast Guard’s missions and resources, innovation in the force and the Coast Guard’s role in great power competition.Download Sea Control 219 - USCG Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz Links1. “Arctic Strategic Outlook,” United States Coast Guard, April 2019.2. “Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Strategic Outlook,” United States Coast Guard, September 2020.3. “White Ships for the Gray Zone,” by Capt. Walker Mills, USNI Proceedings, February 2020.4. “In the Arctic, Look to the Coast Guard,” by Capt. Walker Mills, USNI Proceedings, August 2020.5. “The Coast Guard Needs to Listen – Acoustically,” by LTJG Thomas Caero, USNI Proceedings, August 2020.6. “Bring Back Coast Guard Sub Hunters,” by David Van Dyk, USNI Proceedings, September 2020.7. “The U.S. Coast Guard Should Guard the U.S. Coasts,” by LCDR Brian Hayes, USNI Blog, September 21, 2020.Walker Mills is Co-Host of the Sea Control Podcast. Contact the Sea Control team at [email protected].

Links:1. “Crippled Capacity: How Weak Maritime Enforcement Emboldened Ansar Al-Sunna,” by Kelly Moss, CIMSEC, October 2, 2020.2. “A Hop, Skip and A Jump: Ansar Al-Sunna’s Island-Hopping” by Kelly Moss, Stable Seas, October 13, 2020.3. “Soft Targets & Black Markets: Terrorist Activities in the Maritime Domain,” by Meghan Curran, Stable Seas, May 23, 2019.4. “Violence at Sea: How Terrorists, Insurgents and Other Extremists Exploit the Maritime Domain,” by Meghan Curran, Christopher Faulkner, Curtis Bell, Tyler Lycan, Michael Van Ginkel and Jay Benson, August 11, 2020.5. “Charting a New Course: Women, Peace and Security, and the Maritime Domain,” by Lexie Van Buskirk, Sahana Dharmapuri, Pamela Tansey, Our Secure Future, August 12, 2020. 

Link:Time to Launch a Combined Maritime Task Force for the Pacific, Eric Sayers, War on the Rocks, 1 June 2018. 

Links1. America’s Sergeant Majorby Michael Burke2. "Crowdfunded," by Michael Burke and Nick Nethery3. “Prepare to Fight in Megacities,” by Nick Nethery4. “Preparing to Fight and Win Underground,” by Walker Mills5. Starship Troopersby Robert Heinlein6. Armor by John Steakely7. Legacy of Aldenata by John Ringo8. Automated Valor by August Cole9. Burn-In by PW Singer and August Cole10. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu11. Death Traps by Belton Cooper12. Starfist Seriesby Dan Cragg and David Sherman13. The Veteran Wargamer podcast14. Old Man’s War by John Scalzi15. “9 Simple Rules for Owning the Zombie Apocalypse,” by Nick Nethery16. “‘The Walking Dead’ is Full of Useless Idiots, Says a USMC Sgt. Maj.,” by Michael Burke17. CIMSEC Fiction Contest Week

Links:1. Creating a Global Accelerator Network to Launch the Digital Ocean, Julie Angus and Michael Brasseur, CIMSEC, November 3, 2020.2. The ‘Digital Ocean’ as the Model for Innovation in the Perfect Storm, Keit Pentus-Rosimannus and Michael Brasseur, Atlantic Council, August 19, 2020.

You wanted naval integration? How about a new team of Sea Control hosts from all three sea services? In this episode, listeners will meet the newest hosts of Sea Control: Andrea Howard, Jon Frerichs, Walker Mills & Anna McNeil! Learn about their backgrounds and where they plan to take their respective versions of the podcast.