Best F Factor Podcasts (2025)

1
Business Wars Presents: The AOL-Time Warner Disaster 7:08

29d ago7:08

7:08

Think business is boring? What about when your streaming bill goes up, or your favorite restaurant files for bankruptcy? Do you ever wonder what’s going on behind the scenes? Business Wars gives you a front row seat to the biggest moments in business, to explain how they shape our world. In the latest season, they explore the AOL Time Warner merger…

1
Why Drones Can’t Replace Traditional Firepower 48:38

1M ago48:38

48:38

Dmitri Alperovitch talks to air power expert Justin Bronk about why it's a bad idea for Western militaries to follow Ukraine's lead and overly invest in production of small drones like FPVs and other loitering munitions. They also dive into best counter-drone strategies, as well as the implications of Ukraine's Operation SpiderWeb and Israel's forw…

1
Why America's Nuclear Deterrence Strategy Needs to Change 46:22

2M ago46:22

46:22

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Vipin Narang, a former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, a portfolio which includes U.S nuclear weapons employment strategy, about why we are now entering the New Nuclear Age and the urgent changes that the United States has to make to its nuclear deterrence posture and strategy. They also debate …

1
Assessing the Damage to Iran’s Nuclear Program 37:23

3M ago37:23

37:23

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear nonproliferation expert, to assess the damage that has been inflicted upon the Iranian nuclear program over the course of the past 11 days and potential for reconstitution. 00:00 Introduction 00:49 Assessment of Damage to Each Part of the Iranian Nuclear Program 07:34 What is the Level of D…

1
The Israel-Iran War: Possibilities and the Dangers of Overreach 28:21

3M ago28:21

28:21

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Israeli Gen Amos Yadlin (Ret.), perhaps the world's only person who has participated in the destruction of three Middle Eastern nuclear weapons programs: first, as an F-16 pilot in 1981 against Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak, as Head of Military Intelligence in 2007 against Syrian nuclear reactor Al Kibar, and in vari…

1
Why North Korea Is Planning a Second Korean War and How to Stop It 1:20:21

7M ago1:20:21

1:20:21

Dmitri Alperovitch sits down with Andrei Lankov, one of the west’s foremost experts on North Korea, and Sergey Radchenko, a leading Cold War historian, for a deep dive into North Korea. They discuss the threats posed by North Korea's nuclear program and possibility of a new war, the chances of a Trump-brokered peace deal with Kim Jong Un, and the n…

1
The One Factor That Could Crash the Russian Economy 1:02:17

8M ago1:02:17

1:02:17

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Russian economy expert Chris Weafer about the state of the Russian economy in 2025. They talk about inflation and its impact on people and business, why the ruble is collapsing, which sanctions have been the most impactful, and the one thing that could potentially trigger a crash and give Ukraine leverage to negotiate …

1
Putin’s Nuclear Meltdown 43:28

10M ago43:28

43:28

Dmitri Alperovitch talks all things nukes with Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, an expert in arms control and nuclear and missile nonproliferation, currently a professor at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and director of the CNS East Asia Nonproliferation Program. They discuss…

1
Inside the Drone War Arms Race in Ukraine 1:03:30

11M ago1:03:30

1:03:30

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Andrey Liscovich (UkraineDefenseFund.org) about the latest updates in the evolution of drone warfare on the battlefields in Ukraine. They discuss: - How Ground Unmanned Vehicles (GUVs) are being used in battle - 3rd Generation FPV drones - Quadcopter bombers - Mass-market EW systems - Fiber optics C2 - EW recon units -…

1
Ukraine Invades Russia: What’s Next? Interview with Ukrainian Combat Vet 45:01

1y ago45:01

45:01

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Constantine Kalinovskiy (@Teoyaomiquu), a Ukrainian combat vet with friends currently in battle, about how the Ukrainian Armed Forces were able to achieve tactical surprise with their August 6th offensive into Russian Kursk oblast, the achievable objectives of this operation and the risks that it brings. They discussed…

1
Ukraine Finally Has F-16s. What Now? 56:37

1y ago56:37

56:37

After many months long wait, F-16s have finally arrived in Ukraine. How are the Ukrainians likely to use them and what are the challenges and opportunities presented by the introduction of this new weapons platform? Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Justin Bronk, Senior Research Fellow for Airpower and Technology at RUSI and and the editor of a just re…

1
Your Per "Mission", Should You Choose To Accept It... 13:14

1y ago13:14

13:14

In this episode we're making it our mission to give ourselves permission as recovering people pleasers to live life on our own terms. Permission to assert ourselves when needed, permission to take risks even when it feels scary, and permission to simply play this game of life in accordance with our inner desires. It may sound like mission impossibl…

1
How China Might Invade Taiwan: A World on the Brink Scenario 58:36

1+ y ago58:36

58:36

Dmitri Alperovitch and his co-author Garrett Graff discuss their upcoming book “World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century” and include an exclusive audiobook excerpt from the book that lays out in great detail how China is likely to go about its invasion of Taiwan. In addition, Dmitri and Garrett discus…

1
New Secrets From the Cold War and Lessons for Cold War II With China 52:13

1+ y ago52:13

52:13

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Sergey Radchenko, one of the Cold War's preeminent historians, about the untold secrets of that period based on Sergey's unique access to recently declassified Soviet and Chinese archives. They discussed China's role in causing Khrushchev to initiate the Cuban Missile Crisis, a huge Soviet intelligence failure that cau…

1
How the US Planned to Respond to Russia Using a Nuke in Ukraine 44:16

1+ y ago44:16

44:16

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Bill Hennigan, a New York Times opinion writer currently publishing a series of articles called "At the Brink," focused on nuclear threats and the challenges our world faces in combating proliferation. They discussed the fears that the US intelligence community had in the fall of 2022 that the probability of Russia usi…

1
A Pleasureless Prison 27:34

1+ y ago27:34

27:34

In this episode we're penetrating the topic of the birds and the bees, the P's and the V's, and everything else found while weaving the awkward labyrinth of sex, sensuality, and pleasure. Anthony gets into his own tumultuous journey around sex through the eyes of a recovering people-pleaser and discusses ways for us all to allow for a more fully ex…

1
The Trinity Revolution in Warfare: Precision, Sensors and Comms 51:52

1+ y ago51:52

51:52

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Shashank Joshi, Defense Editor for The Economist, about the changing nature of warfare and the impact of proliferation and affordability of precision munitions, sensor ubiquity and digital communications like Starlink. They discuss the still crucial importance of infantry mass and artillery ammunition in this revolutio…

1
Why North Korea is Probably Not Planning a War 55:33

1+ y ago55:33

55:33

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, an expert in arms control and nuclear and missile nonproliferation, currently a professor at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and director of the CNS East Asia Nonproliferation Program. They discuss whether the near…

1
Why China Can’t Blockade Taiwan 53:50

1+ y ago53:50

53:50

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Ivan Kanapathy, a former US military attache to Taiwan, about the looming threat of Chinese invasion and why a Chinese blockade or quarantine of Taiwan is unlikely to succeed. They discuss the implications of the recent Taiwan elections on the island's military readiness and the future of US-Taiwan relations, the chall…

1
Where to find Episodes 2-7 of Fed Up 0:48

1+ y ago0:48

0:48

In the first episode of Fed Up, you heard about the humble beginnings of a bitter feud that grew so contentious, it eventually made national headlines. But it all started during a fateful brunch at an upscale New York City restaurant. Who knew that a chance encounter between two influencers, and a discussion about fiber, would lead to lawsuits, med…

1
Battle of Wills: Ukraine’s Path to Victory 40:36

1+ y ago40:36

40:36

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Yaroslav Trofimov, a Ukrainian-born Wall Street Journal’s chief foreign-affairs correspondent, about his new book "Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine's War of Independence." They discussed why the Russians lost any chance of capturing Kyiv in the first day of the war by failing to take Hostomel a…

1
The Drone Wars: How Consumer Tech Is Shaping the Ukraine War 1:07:29

1+ y ago1:07:29

1:07:29

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Michael Kofman (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), Rob Lee (Foreign Policy Research Institute) and Andrey Liscovich (UkraineDefenseFund.org) how the proliferation of FPV drones and countermeasures to them are changing the nature of warfare in Ukraine. They discuss: - Advantages and disadvantages of these new …

1
All Things AI: An Interview With White House AI Guru Ben Buchanan 46:22

2y ago46:22

46:22

Dmitri Alperovitch comes to the White House to interview Dr. Ben Buchanan, the White House Special Advisor on AI, about: - The risks and benefits of AI - What the US government is trying to achieve with the President's Executive Order on AI - Why Terminator AIs are not coming to kill us but evil people using AI just might - What the requirements to…

1
Why Chinese Economy Is Heading For Stagnation, Not Collapse 51:34

2y ago51:34

51:34

Dmitri Alperovitch and guest co-host Patrick Gray interview Alicia García-Herrero, a Spanish-born economist based in the indo-Pacific and who specializes on China. They discussed why China has exhausted its growth potential and is now facing structured deceleration, which will be a major global deflationary trend. Other topics covered: why the real…

1
It's All My Vault 12:02

2y ago12:02

12:02

In this episode we're hacking our way into the laser-laden chamber of the mind that represents our "Vault of Self Worth." Anthony shares his own past propensities to see his inner vault as an empty and echoing Scrooge McDuck money bin. He then details how we recovering people-pleasers must learn to 10x our gold coin deposits of internal positive se…

1
Why Quantum Computing May be Overhyped but AI isn’t: Interview with the NSA 56:02

2y ago56:02

56:02

Dmitri Alperovitch interviews Gilbert Herrera, Director of Research at the National Security Agency (NSA) and a member of the U.S. National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee. They discussed the current state of quantum computing, why its current applications outside of breaking certain types of public key cryptography are highly limited, why we…

1
Arnold Palmer Pyramid Schemes 20:06

2y ago20:06

20:06

In this episode we're sifting through the murky waters of our convoluted nature versus nurture pie chart, as well as the hierarchical complexities of our value structures. Anthony breaks down the fixed versus growth mindset, and highlights some of his own limiting value sets that have historically dictated his actions as a people-pleaser.…

1
How Ukraine Can Benefit From ATACMS Missiles 36:54

2y ago36:54

36:54

ATACMS episode: - What variants of the missile exist - What unique advantages they offer over already provided Storm Shadows / SCALP-EGs from UK and France - How many missiles may exist in the US inventory and why some can be provided to Ukraine without jeopardizing US military readiness - Why the German Taurus missile is also a much needed munitio…

1
Starlink in Ukraine: Why the Story Is Not So Simple 39:04

2y ago39:04

39:04

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Patrick Gray, host of Risky Business podcast, about why the Starlink-Elon saga is much more complicated than it might seem at first glance. Blaming Elon for his Crimea action is probably unfair, but he does deserve both praise and criticism for his contributions to Ukrainian battlefield successes and challenges. And so…

1
Embrace Your Inner "IT" Factor 16:35

2y ago16:35

16:35

In this episode we're sifting through our presentational facade and getting to the core of why we struggle showcasing our authentic selves in relationships. Whether it's with friends, family, coworkers and aquaintances, or simply a back-and-forth with the local barista, how we present ourselves to the world as people-pleasers is yet another way we …

1
Why 702 is America’s most valuable intelligence program: Interview with the FBI 52:09

2y ago52:09

52:09

Dmitri Alperovitch sits down with Bryan Vorndran, Assistant Director of FBI's Cyber Division, to discuss why FISA Section 702 is by far the most valuable intelligence program in the US government's arsenal and is responsible for the majority of the most valuable intelligence the country collects. In this episode, Vorndran provides some examples of …

1
What the Death of Prigozhin Means for Wagner, Russia and Ukraine 1:04:52

2y ago1:04:52

1:04:52

Dmitri Alperovitch talks to Russian military analyst Rob Lee and Wagner Group expert Jack Margolin about the implications of reports of Prigozhin's fiery death in a plane crash in Russia. Where does Wagner go from here? What happens to Russian ambitions in Africa? Does this event help restore Surovikin, Russia's most competent commander of this war…

1
How Russian Intelligence operatives have attacked Ukraine in cyberspace: Interview with Ukrainian Security Service 52:17

2y ago52:17

52:17

In this joint Geopolitics Decanted and Risky Business feature interview, Dmitri Alperovitch and Patrick Gray talk to Illia Vitiuk, the Head of the Department of Cyber and Information Security of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) about the cyber dimension to Russia's invasion. From turning off Ukraine's power grid with a cyber attack in 2015, to…

1
Why Reports of the US Dollar’s Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated 38:45

2y ago38:45

38:45

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with geoeconomist Douglas Rediker (Senior Fellow at Brookings and formerly with the IMF Executive Board) about the enduring dominance of the U.S. dollar and why it won't change any time soon. Why the dollar continues to have no realistic alternatives and why Chinese renminbi is not a viable replacement. Also, what are the p…

1
Victimhood - King of Thieves 17:36

2y ago17:36

17:36

In this episode we're tackling the tricky and sticky tripwire topic of the victimhood mentality/victim mindset. Anthony does his best to explain and differentiate this self-debilitating mental complex as it pertains to people-pleasing, as well as acknowledging the all too real and pervasive reality of victims/victimization found throughout our soci…

1
Why Europe’s Dependence on the US Military Will Not Change 33:26

2y ago33:26

33:26

On the train ride to Kyiv, Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Franz Stefan Gady, one of the premier European military analysts, about why American military involvement in Europe is unlikely to be significantly reduced in the coming years and the dangers that a US conflict with China may present to European security. They discuss the slow pace of Europea…

1
How Drones Are Changing the Nature of Warfare in Ukraine 56:28

2y ago56:28

56:28

On the train ride back to Poland from Kyiv, Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Andrey Liscovich (President of Ukraine Defense Fund, a charity that provides non-lethal aid to the Ukrainian military) about how various types of drones are used for artillery correction, target identification and strike missions in Ukraine. They discuss why Chinese drones su…

1
A Fight Club of One 20:29

2y ago20:29

20:29

In this episode we're pulling out all the punches when it comes to healthfully managing our feelings around anger. Whether it's perpetual conflict avoidance, the desire to self-soothe, or our inability to see being mad as an acceptable emotion, it's time to come out of our bruised and bloodied internal Fight Club of One basements.…

1
Trip Report: What I Learned in Kyiv and Conversation with Mike Kofman and Rob Lee about Counteroffensive and Wagner 1:05:43

2y ago1:05:43

1:05:43

Guest host Patrick Gray interviews Dmitri Alperovitch about his recent trip to Kyiv and what he learned from his meetings with senior military and intelligence leadership there. Dmitri also interviews Mike Kofman and Rob Lee during their train ride to Kyiv about the current state of the Ukrainian counteroffensive and their thinking on the fallout f…

1
Patience, Patience, Patience 12:00

2y ago12:00

12:00

In this episode we're talking about patience and the importance of allowing ourselves to take a moment...for ourselves. Tony discusses how western society and culture has made us increasingly averse to practicing patience and lays out a few ways we can slow down a bit and be more intentional with our time.…

1
Mutiny in Russia: Who Won, Who Lost and What Caused It 48:29

2y ago48:29

48:29

In this edition of Geopolitics Decanted guest host Patrick Gray interviews Dmitri Alperovitch about Evgeny Prigozhin's so-called "March for Justice". What was it all about? Did it fail or succeed? What does Putin's reaction tell us about what will happen next in Russia? Music: Battle Hymn of PMC Wagner (https://rutube.ru/video/3152ef2154f8d3bd9aa0a…

1
Ukraine’s Offensive Has Begun: Analysis With Michael Kofman and Rob Lee 48:53

2+ y ago48:53

48:53

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with military analysts Michael Kofman and Rob Lee about this week's launch of Ukraine's counteroffensive: what are its objectives, how can we determine when it's successful, and what is likely to come next. Also covered: Why Kakhovka dam destruction is unlikely to have an impact on the counteroffensive, Prigozhin's trap for…

1
Infidelity Cheat Code 13:55

2+ y ago13:55

13:55

In this episode we're talking all about the oh-so-fun topic of cheating in relationships. Tony wades through the hard won wisdom gained through infidelity and how people-pleasing within his marriage led him to "caring in all the wrong ways" with his now ex-wife.By Tony Hume

1
Lifestyle Pruning & Sleep Management 10:22

2+ y ago10:22

10:22

In this episode we're looking at the growth-fostering process of pruning the areas of our lives that are no longer serving us. Tony gets into his own hedge-hacking journey and discusses the imperativeness of effective sleep hygiene.By Tony Hume

1
The Lone Wolf Lie 16:01

2+ y ago16:01

16:01

In this epsiode we look at the people-pleasing impulse of denying our needs through the potentially alluring lens of the lone wolf. We'll try and hack down the door of our isolated cranial cabins and finally let our needs be known.By Tony Hume

1
Is Our Suffering A Choice? 15:32

2+ y ago15:32

15:32

In this episode we try and swallow the tough pill of seeing our suffering as a choice. Tony gets into his own expanding relationship around the topic and discusses how the inner-narratives we create are keeping us shackled to suffering in unnecessary ways.By Tony Hume

1
How AI Will Transform Future Militaries (And Societies) 58:00

2+ y ago58:00

58:00

Dmitri Alperovitch discusses the evolution of AI with Teddy Collins (former Assistant Director for Technology Strategy at the White House, Research Scientist at Google’s DeepMind and co-author of "Teams of Teams" with General Stan McChrystal): - The AI triad of Talent/Algorithms, Data and Compute which has driven so much improvement in the last 5 y…

1
Your Own Personal Pleasus 19:32

2+ y ago19:32

19:32

In this episode we're talking all about people-pleasing the bearded boss upstairs in the clouds. Tony recalls his early experiences in the Christian church and how the unholy trinity of fear, shame, and guilt led him to pleasing Jesus and God.By Tony Hume

1
How China Plans to Win the Chip War 39:25

2+ y ago39:25

39:25

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Chris Miller, author of the recent New York Times bestseller Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology, about one of the central elements of the US-China confrontation: semiconductors. Topics discussed include: - Which chips are more critical: advanced or foundational (aka mature) - The history of ho…

1
A School's Errand 18:19

2+ y ago18:19

18:19

In this episode we weave our way through the mazes of high school, college, and career paths as people-pleasers. Tony discusses his own struggles in these areas and how "The Industrial Education Complex" has served as an exacerbation vehicle for people-pleasing behaviors.By Tony Hume

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