Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin discusses the latest tech with Simon Rose. LG improve their bendable LED screens so they can now stretch too. Scientists improve the chances of sterilising mosquitoes. Glasses for the deaf will project text onto the lenses. AI headphones can make it easier to hear in restaurants. Virgin & O2 have invented an AI granny to waste scam callers' time. Dyson have filed a patent for a robo-dog to vacuum, mow, water plants & mop. There's an eScooter which is solar powered and a hand pump to desalinate water. There's also a spurious tech limerick.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University discusses how the government wants to turn the UK into an EU-style higher-spending social democracy, not realising that the European model is falling off a cliff. With Germany in economic meltdown, he reveals that directors of German's biggest car manufacturers are considering moving the businesses abroad. He discusses the role of Physician Associates in the NHS and the problems caused by medical monopolies opposing supply-side reforms. And he assesses the Tractor Tax. While it might have the whiff of class warfare, he cannot see Labour retreating while the right is so disunited.
Guests: Professor Tim Evans
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Political commentator Mike Indian discusses the aftermath of Trump's unexpectedly complete election victory. He has the consent of the people, but what will happen in 4 years' time if he doesn't deliver. Elon Musk is in charge of delivering government efficiency but can the two men – similar in many respects – get along long term? If they can, it could have a transformative effect upon the USA. At home, Kemi Badenoch has had a strong start as Tory leader and could be good at keeping Keir Starmer on his toes. But she needs to be wary of being too spiky with people, particularly given the fractiousness of the remaining Conservative MPs.
Guests: Mike Indian
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Neil Shah of Edison Group says that since the Trump victory, Tesla's shares have added $300 billion. The market is betting that US policy will be supportive of Elon Musk and his company, which could benefit from a more protectionist approach. Although the fundamentals are challenging (the PE is 90-100), it relatively cheap compared to some AI stocks. In the UK, shares in Dowlais Group (spun out of GKN) rose on their trading update. As well as metallurgy, they are in the automotive components business and benefit from EVs as well as old-style vehicles. The forward PE is only 5 or so and the company should come increasingly into focus.
Guests: Neil Shah
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson looks at the UK box office chart, with takings up 53% thanks to 2 films. #1 is Paddington in Peru but the third in the series suffers from inane dialogue, an obvious plot and little basis in reality. James was no more impressed by #2 Red One with Dwayne Johnson in a movie about Father Christmas being kidnapped. It's nonsensical, silly and cynical. Simon caught Steve McQueen's Blitz, an impressive recreation of life on the home front during nightly bombings, starring Saoirse Ronan, which he recommends. And James caught up with Demi Moore in The Substance, an astonishly original and very stylish horror film about an actress's attempt to stay young.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Warners are making driveable Batmobiles, says Steve Caplin, though they aren't street legal. In California, there's a beautifully-designed solar-powered car. A picture painted by a robot has just sold at auction for over $1m. A Mattel doll from the Wicked movie had an unfortunate mistake on the packaging. A student has invented a repairable kettle. There's a crowdfunded thermal-imaging dashcam available now. A new retro eBike comes with a sidecar. And in Kenya, they're using drones to keep track of zebras, using their stripes as barcodes.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that the emphatic victory of Donald Trump will have huge consequences for the US and the world geopolitically. He will be helped by having done the job before, will go for energy dominance, try to slim the federal government, impose tariffs, cut illegal immigration and be radical on culture too. What might it mean for the country's relationship with the UK, whose government is going in a very different direction? He also discusses why he felt, from the moment she entered Parliament, that Kemi Badenoch was a fascinating politician and why a British-African leader of a major party is to be celebrated. But can she unite her party and make the Tories electorally significant again?
Guests: Professor Tim Evans
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson says box office is up 12%, with Heretic at #3 a horror film starring Hugh Grant. While the first half is a blast in the vein of Sleuth, it then descends into full-out nasty horror. Although #6 Anora, starring Mike Madison, won the Palme D'Or, and has a great central performance, James was disappointed, perhaps because expectations were so high. He found #10 Clint Eastwood's 40th film as director, Juror #2, with Nicholas Hoult, totally gripping. It's a great story with multi-layered characters. James also celebrated a 75th anniversary restoration of The Third Man, one of the UK's greatest movies. The Blu-Ray and 4K disc of this riveting noir classic is also packed with great extras.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin dives into the world of gadgets. Rolls-Royce have produced a one-off car to celebrate 60 years of Goldfinger. An Australian app can detect if milk is off, while mathematicians there have proved that monkeys couldn't write the works of Shakespeare. The biggest Dutch publisher is using AI to translate books into English. The UK has the 49th worst mobile internet speed, behind Azerbaijan and Kosovo. If you're caught short, there's now an inflatable toilet. And Steve explains why your air fryer might be spying for China.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Russ Mould of A J Bell explains that US markets are strong in the wake of Trump's victory from a sense of relief that Harris didn't win. Trump wants to boost American growth, perhaps using tariffs, while at the same time wanting a weaker dollar. As the world's reserve currency, the strength of the dollar is of massive important. Russ discusses the Triffin Dilemma, which explains why the world needs a weak dollar and a continuing US trade deficit. Gold, he says, weaker on the stronger dollar, will be the ultimate tell.
Guests: Russ Mould
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