If you could change a single moment in history, what would you choose to change and why? This question has inspired an entire genre of fiction that explores worlds in which significant historical events had a dramatically different outcome. In this episode of Warming Up to the Cold War, we're discussing the merits of alternate history and using the Apple TV+ series For All Mankind as a case study. I compare and contrast the real timeline with the alternate timeline beginning with a Soviet moon landing and analyze how the arc of For All Mankind parallels the real Space Race and all of the pros and cons that come with this kind of alternate history story. 

Welcome back to Warming Up to the Cold War! This episode is all about the pyramid schemes that took over Albania in the mid-1990s and whose collapse resulted in anarchy throughout the nation. While pyramid schemes became a trend across the post-Communist bloc, they were able to reach full saturation in Albania due to the lack of trust in the federal government and the branding of the schemes as the new form of entrepreneurship. My good friend Sarah Turek of The Bad Idea Corner is back to help me discuss the distinctions between multi-level marketing companies, pyramid schemes, and Ponzi schemes as well as the huge impact the collapse had on Albanian citizens.

How many ships does it take to block the Suez Canal? The answer depends on the year and the size of the ship. The Ever Given recently captured the world's attention when it hit the bank of the Canal in March 2021 and completely blocked the width of the waterway for a week. However, in 1956, it took 51 ships and boats for the Egyptians to make the Suez Canal impassable. In this episode, we explore the history of the Suez Canal and the context of its closures as well as the anticipated impacts of Ever Given on global shipping and the international economy.