The Troubadour Podcast

YouTube engineer turned war volunteer, Dan Hackney, shares his extraordinary journey into the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. From finding a live grenade while building a drone to defying curfew for a taste of Ukraine's vibrant nightlife, Dan's experiences paint a chilling picture of war. The podcast discusses the wider implications of the conflict, parallels between Putin and Hitler, and the lasting impact on Ukraine's identity. Tune in to hear about Dan's personal growth, his encounters with a startup creating military drones, and his perspective on life, war, and freedom.

Explore the captivating world of romantic love through John Keats' poem 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci'. Delve into the paradox of love, the blissful yet despairing journey of a knight, and the symbolism and passion revealed in the encounter with a mysterious lady. Discover the power and pitfalls of obsessive romantic love as we analyze the imagery and themes in the poem.

Send us a textIn this episode of 'Surprised by Art', embark on a journey that intimately intertwines the worlds of art, poetry, passion, and pleasure. Discover how the subtle innuendos of a mysterious painting and evocative verse can profoundly amplify your appreciation of life's sensuous delights. Explore how flirting, foreplay, and secret desires are masterfully embodied in art, creating a rich tapestry of emotion and intrigue that deepens our understanding of desire, and ultimately, enhances our enjoyment of life and love. Dive in, and allow art to guide your senses to new heights of pleasure.For more see Luc Travers' upcoming four week course "Romantic Relationships in Art" at https://www.touchingtheart.com/

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Send us a textThis is a talk I gave at an event in Austin with a group of Ayn Rand Fans. I first read Homer when I was 9 years old. I understood none of it. After re-reading it many times, and later creating The Literary Canon Club, I have come to the conclusion that everyone should read Homer. In this talk I'll explain why and give you some insights from an amateur on how to approach the two epic poems of Homer. "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey."

Send us a textWith the call from some "futurists" like Elon Musk to pause development of AI, I explore two poems. One written by an Artificial Intelligence app, and another written by Robert Frost. The hypothesis: The chasm between Artificial Intelligence and the miraculous Human Consciousness is infinitely deep and unsurpassable. This does not diminish AI, but rather puts it in it's place as a tool of the human mind.Experiment: take three abstract human emotions "isolation, sorrow, despair" and implement the most basic universal English poetic forms "Sonnet Iambic Pentameter" and explore both poems as a poetry critic.

Send us a textA discussion of the Poem:Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour. July 13, 1798By William Wordsworth

Send us a textOn this episode of Ted Lasso Luc Travers and Kirk Barbera are joined by Ted Lasso expert and creator of the biggest Ted Lasso fan group on Facebook, Joel Marquez.We discussed the show Ted Lasso and its relation to today's topics "Infectious Optimism" or "Infectious Benevolence." Luc then surprised both Kirk and Joel with a fascinating painting and Kirk surprised Luc and Joel with an inspiring poem. You won't want to miss the episode!Joel's facebook group is called "Ted Lasso Talk." If you have an optimists attitude, or you'd like one, join up!Joel's wife, Deanna, runs an etsy shop called Dlifeful, where she sells Ted Lasso inspired mugs, tshirts and more!

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