#diplomatic-protocol
40 episodes
#5310: Who's Actually Allowed Into North Korea?
North Korea keeps no public visitor statistics — so who actually gets in, and why have the diplomats who lived there said almost nothing?
#5308: Can You Legally Call Yourself "The Most Noble"?
Diplomats assume "Excellency." So why can't anyone claim "The Most Noble"—and would Amazon deliveries make it stick?
#5248: Why HF Radio Beats Fiber When Governments Pull the Plug
HF loss doesn't scale with distance — it scales with ionospheric hops. And that changes everything about embassy comms.
#4936: The 4,000-Year History of International Law
From a stone treaty in Mesopotamia to the UN. How did promises between states become law?
#4892: The Art of the Personality Dossier
How foreign ministries build personality profiles on world leaders — and what we can learn from the practice.
#4891: Decoding Diplomatic Language: What "Frank" Really Means
What does "frank" actually mean in a diplomatic readout? We decode the secret language of chairs' summaries.
#4888: Action Minutes: The Meeting Tool That Forces Clarity
How a diplomatic note-taking technique eliminates vague language and forces real commitments in meetings.
#4887: How to Throw a State Dinner Prank for Your Friends
A deep dive into real diplomatic protocol and how to parody it for an unforgettable dinner party.
#4882: How to Run a Diplomatic Summit at a Bar
Importing the full diplomatic apparatus into a casual drink with a friend — agenda, run of show, briefing books, and all.
#4622: Embassy Registration and Travel Prep for Risky Regions
How to layer diplomatic contacts, STEP registration, and paper backups into a pre-travel protocol that works when networks fail.
#4556: How Embassies Decide When to Say "Leave Now
Travel advisories aren't just warnings—they're diplomatic signals, legal triggers, and operational plans. Here's what happens before you see them.
#3552: Jerusalem Luxury Tower Math: Sell, Rent, or Airbnb?
A developer with 20 empty luxury units in Jerusalem faces four paths. Which one wins?
#3537: What an MOU Actually Means in Diplomacy
MOUs are non-binding but powerful. Here’s how they work in diplomacy, from Iran talks to inter-agency deals.
#3415: What a UN Security Council Seat Actually Buys You
No army, no police — so why do countries spend billions for a seat at the table?
#3397: Is the UN One Voice or a Maze of Agencies for Israel?
How Israeli professionals can navigate the UN’s conflicting political statements and technical partnerships.
#3396: Why Israel Can't Be Kicked Out of the UN
The UN can't expel Israel — and the design flaw hiding in plain sight explains why.
#3181: When Lawyers Speak for Nations: The Fiction of One Voice
How do lawyers claim to speak for millions who disagree? The strange fiction behind international law.
#2945: How a World Leader Phone Call Actually Works
A president doesn't just dial. The real process involves SCIFs, encrypted terminals, switchboard operators, and at least six listeners.
#2769: The Legal Limbo of Partially Recognized States
North Korea has 46 embassies. Palestine has 80. Neither is fully recognized. How does their diplomacy actually work?
#2765: What a Diplomatic Passport Actually Gets You
Diplomatic passports don't grant immunity. Here's what they actually do and don't do at borders.
#2642: Who Takes Notes in the Situation Room?
The invisible people scribbling behind world leaders — and why their records shape history.
#2636: Take Notes Like a Diplomat
What WikiLeaks cables teach us about capturing meetings: judgment over transcription, context over completeness.
#2614: Who Gets to Vote from Abroad?
How the U.S. and Israel handle military and diplomatic ballots — and whether expats should vote at all.
#2385: Decoding Travel Advisories as Diplomatic Signals
How governments use travel advisories to broadcast coded messages—and what their structures reveal about hidden intelligence assessments.