Michael Rank's Blog, page 8
March 21, 2016
HFM 137 | Leaders in Times of Crisis, Part 7 – Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938)
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk — the victor at the Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey’s first president, and a reformer so zealous that he replaced six centuries of Ottoman Islamic legal and cultural custom with Western practices in the space of 15 years — lost his father at the age of 7, was neglected by his family, and lacked most formal education.
Learn how he overcame these challenges to become the beloved national hero of millions of Turkish citizens.
WANT FREE ACCESS TO AN ONLINE COURSE ABOUT WINSTON CHURCHILL? READ BELOW
This episode is brought to you by Hillsdale College. They would like to invite you to learn more about the incredible life of this fascinating man — one of the greatest leaders and statesmen of our time: Winston Churchill.
You can get exclusive access to this new free online course studying the life of Churchill by going to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and signing up today.
Almost a million people have taken Hillsdale’s renowned courses like Constitution 101, American Heritage. As a history fan, you won’t want to miss this one.
Get exclusive access to Hillsdale College’s new course on Winston Churchill right now. Go to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and sign up today.
March 14, 2016
HFM 136 | Leaders in Times of Crisis, Part 6 – Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
Recognized by most historians and much of the public as one of our country’s greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln is known for his impressive accomplishments, including preserving the union during the Civil War and signing The Emancipation Proclamation. But he is less known for his ability to overcome a significant obstacle in his life—clinical depression.
He also failed at every upward step in his career – losing multiple elections, denounced by his opponents, and described by his colleagues as suicidal.
But it is because of these failures that he became such a towering figure, not in spite of them. Learn more about the trials and tribulations of Abraham Lincoln in this podcast episode.
WANT FREE ACCESS TO AN ONLINE COURSE ABOUT WINSTON CHURCHILL? READ BELOW
This episode is brought to you by Hillsdale College. They would like to invite you to learn more about the incredible life of this fascinating man — one of the greatest leaders and statesmen of our time: Winston Churchill.
You can get exclusive access to this new free online course studying the life of Churchill by going to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and signing up today.
Almost a million people have taken Hillsdale’s renowned courses like Constitution 101, American Heritage. As a history fan, you won’t want to miss this one.
Get exclusive access to Hillsdale College’s new course on Winston Churchill right now. Go to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and sign up today.
March 6, 2016
HFM 134 | Leaders in Times of Crisis, Part 5 – Andrew Jackson (1767-1845)
Perhaps nobody transformed American politics in the first half of the 1800s more than Andrew Jackson. He spoke on behalf of common people, settlers, and farmers instead of earlier presidents who represented the East Coast establishment. Jackson broke open opportunities for non-elite Americans in political life.
Jackson was born on the frontier between North and South Carolina. The son of Irish immigrants, he had little formal schooling and taught himself law in his late teens and earned entry to the North Carolina bar in 1787. Jackson became a lawyer, then a militia officer, then a U.S. Representative, then a contested White House candidate. In each of his careers Jackson fought as tenaciously as if he were on the frontier in a shoot-out with a band of mountain brigands. When he won the presidency, Jackson brought the same tenacity to the White House.
Learn more about the incredible difficulties Jackson overcame in this podcast episode.
WANT FREE ACCESS TO AN ONLINE COURSE ABOUT WINSTON CHURCHILL? READ BELOW
This episode is brought to you by Hillsdale College. They would like to invite you to learn more about the incredible life of this fascinating man — one of the greatest leaders and statesmen of our time: Winston Churchill.
You can get exclusive access to this new free online course studying the life of Churchill by going to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and signing up today.
Almost a million people have taken Hillsdale’s renowned courses like Constitution 101, American Heritage. As a history fan, you won’t want to miss this one.
Get exclusive access to Hillsdale College’s new course on Winston Churchill right now. Go to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and sign up today.
February 29, 2016
HFM 133 | Leaders in Times of Crisis, Part 4 – Peter the Great (1672-1725)
No institution went untouched by Peter the Great. In the early 1700s he took the Russian Empire — considered by Europeans to be a backward Asiatic monster stuck in the Middle Ages — and forced it into the modern era. He accomplished despite being the unwanted 14th child of his father, exiled as a boy.
Things became no easier when he ascended the throne. Everyone opposed his reforms, included his boyars, state ministers, religious clergy, and peasants. How did he stand against his own people and win? Find out in this episode.
WANT FREE ACCESS TO AN ONLINE COURSE ABOUT WINSTON CHURCHILL? READ BELOW
This episode is brought to you by Hillsdale College. They would like to invite you to learn more about the incredible life of this fascinating man — one of the greatest leaders and statesmen of our time: Winston Churchill.
You can get exclusive access to this new free online course studying the life of Churchill by going to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and signing up today.
Almost a million people have taken Hillsdale’s renowned courses like Constitution 101, American Heritage. As a history fan, you won’t want to miss this one.
Get exclusive access to Hillsdale College’s new course on Winston Churchill right now. Go to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and sign up today.
February 21, 2016
HFM 132 | Leaders in Times of Crisis, Part 3 – Genghis Khan (1162-1227)
“Do not scorn a weak cub; he may become a brutal tiger.”
— Mongolian proverb.
Genghis Khan is the greatest conqueror in history. His descendants triggered 40 million deaths. His conquest covered 22 percent of the earth.
But his origins are incredibly humble.
His father was killed and the family left to die in the harsh Mongolian winter. Genghis claimed his father’s position as chieftain of the tribe, but the tribe rejected him and his family, leaving them isolated and without protection. For the next several years, he lived in abject poverty, surviving on wild fruits, ox carcasses, and marmots. Temperatures in the winter plummeted to minus 20 degrees. To make things worse, he was then captured and enslaved by his father’s former allies
In this episode, learn how he overcame adversity to become the greatest conqueror in history.
WANT FREE ACCESS TO AN ONLINE COURSE ABOUT WINSTON CHURCHILL? READ BELOW
This episode is brought to you by Hillsdale College. They would like to invite you to learn more about the incredible life of this fascinating man — one of the greatest leaders and statesmen of our time: Winston Churchill.
You can get exclusive access to this new free online course studying the life of Churchill by going to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and signing up today.
Almost a million people have taken Hillsdale’s renowned courses like Constitution 101, American Heritage. As a history fan, you won’t want to miss this one.
Get exclusive access to Hillsdale College’s new course on Winston Churchill right now. Go to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and sign up today.
February 14, 2016
HFM 131 | Leaders in Times of Crisis, Part 2 – William the Conqueror (1028-1087)
William of Normandy, also known as William the Conqueror, had to overcome challenges not faced by most royalty. We know this because his other moniker was William the Bastard. He was born in 1028 to Robert I, the sixth Duke of Normandy. His mother was Herleva the humble daughter of a Tanner. They were unmarried, hence William’s sobriquet. Despite this humble upbringing he became a formidable Norman ruler and one of England’s most influential kings.
Here’s my question when I researched the life of William. He was a bastard offspring. In some contexts this would disqualify one from receiving his father’s office, especially a Duke. But it didn’t appear to be a problem for William. How did the illegitimate offspring of a tanner’s daughter become king of England? Find out in this podcast episode.
WANT FREE ACCESS TO AN ONLINE COURSE ABOUT WINSTON CHURCHILL? READ BELOW
This episode is brought to you by Hillsdale College. They would like to invite you to learn more about the incredible life of this fascinating man — one of the greatest leaders and statesmen of our time: Winston Churchill.
You can get exclusive access to this new free online course studying the life of Churchill by going to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and signing up today.
Almost a million people have taken Hillsdale’s renowned courses like Constitution 101, American Heritage. As a history fan, you won’t want to miss this one.
Get exclusive access to Hillsdale College’s new course on Winston Churchill right now. Go to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and sign up today.
February 8, 2016
HFM 130 | Leaders in Times of Crisis, Part 1 – Empress Theodora (500-548)
We are launching a new series, looking at leaders in history who overcame significant adversity. History has demonstrated time and again that effective leaders emerge in times of great stress, change and uncertainty. The first person in this series is Empress Theodora, the co-ruler of the Byzantine Empire at the height of its power in the 6th century.
Learn how she rose from prostitute to mistress of a provincial governor to the co-ruler of Byzantine Empire, the defacto world’s most powerful woman. She stopped the Nika Revolts, kept Constantinople from falling to mob rule, commissioned dozens of churches and monasteries, and open up charitable institutions across the Eastern Mediterranean.
WANT FREE ACCESS TO AN ONLINE COURSE ABOUT WINSTON CHURCHILL? READ BELOW
This episode is brought to you by Hillsdale College. They would like to invite you to learn more about the incredible life of this fascinating man — one of the greatest leaders and statesmen of our time: Winston Churchill.
You can get exclusive access to this new free online course studying the life of Churchill by going to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and signing up today.
Almost a million people have taken Hillsdale’s renowned courses like Constitution 101, American Heritage. As a history fan, you won’t want to miss this one.
Get exclusive access to Hillsdale College’s new course on Winston Churchill right now. Go to Hillsdale.edu/h5m and sign up today.
November 16, 2015
HFM 129 | The Step-by-Step Guide to Building a 13th-Century French Castle
In a remote forest clearing in Burgundy, France, a 13th-century castle is slowly being constructed using only the tools, techniques, and materials that would have been available to the builders of the day. It’s archaeology in reverse.
What started out as an eccentric pipe dream is now an established enterprise, drawing in tens of thousands of visitors from around Europe every year.
Learn what it took to build a castle in 13th-century France in this podcast episode. If you want to learn first-hand, go to Burgundy and check it out!
This podcast is brought to you by Harry’s. Harry’s is an awesome and wonderfully disruptive razor company. It was started by two guys who wanted to create the most debonair shaving experience possible but at the best price. They bough a blade factory in German that has crafted some of the world’s highest quality blades for nearly a century. They cut out the middle man and offer an amazing shave and meticulous craftsmanship at less than half the price of a pack of Gillettes.
I can personally vouch that using it is amazing. When using it, I feel like I am about to put on a tux and go gambling in Monte Carlo. Go to harrys.com, where you can get a starter set for only $15. That includes the razor, 3 blades and your choice of Harry’s shave cream or foam shaving gel. If you use my coupon code h5m, you will get another $5 off. That’s a month of a premium shave experience for $10, thanks to their free shipping policy.
Like this podcast?
November 2, 2015
HFM 128 | Europeans in the Far East Before Marco Polo
Marco Polo is the most famous European explorer to the Far East, but he definitely wasn’t the first. His father and uncle came there years before. And they found a small colony of Europeans who lived permanently in China.
Perhaps the most famous pre-Polo European in the Far East is William of Rubruck. This plucky monk did his best to convert the Great Khan to Christianity. He made his effort by debating Muslims and Buddhists as to which religion was the true one. See how that turns out in this week’s episode.
This podcast is brought to you by Harry’s. Harry’s is an awesome and wonderfully disruptive razor company. It was started by two guys who wanted to create the most debonair shaving experience possible but at the best price. They bough a blade factory in German that has crafted some of the world’s highest quality blades for nearly a century. They cut out the middle man and offer an amazing shave and meticulous craftsmanship at less than half the price of a pack of Gillettes.
I can personally vouch that using it is amazing. When using it, I feel like I am about to put on a tux and go gambling in Monte Carlo. Go to harrys.com, where you can get a starter set for only $15. That includes the razor, 3 blades and your choice of Harry’s shave cream or foam shaving gel. If you use my coupon code h5m, you will get another $5 off. That’s a month of a premium shave experience for $10, thanks to their free shipping policy.
Like this podcast?
October 26, 2015
HFM 127 | Damascus Steel: The Medieval Blade That We Still Can’t Top Today
Damascus swords, which were generally made in the Middle East anywhere from 540 A.D. to 1800 A.D., were sharper, more flexible and harder/stronger than other contemporary blades. According to legend, the blades can cut a piece of silk in half as it falls to the ground and maintain their edge after cleaving through stone, metal, or even other swords.
However nobody knew exactly how it had been produced, and the last Damascus Steel had been produced in the early 1800s. How was the technology lost?
This podcast is brought to you by Harry’s. Harry’s is an awesome and wonderfully disruptive razor company. It was started by two guys who wanted to create the most debonair shaving experience possible but at the best price. They bough a blade factory in German that has crafted some of the world’s highest quality blades for nearly a century. They cut out the middle man and offer an amazing shave and meticulous craftsmanship at less than half the price of a pack of Gillettes.
I can personally vouch that using it is amazing. When using it, I feel like I am about to put on a tux and go gambling in Monte Carlo. Go to harrys.com, where you can get a starter set for only $15. That includes the razor, 3 blades and your choice of Harry’s shave cream or foam shaving gel. If you use my coupon code h5m, you will get another $5 off. That’s a month of a premium shave experience for $10, thanks to their free shipping policy.
Like this podcast?
