Have you ever felt like escaping to your own desert island?

Jane Gaskin did exactly that, trading in the family home to begin a new life in the

tropics.

But she soon discovers that Paradise has its secrets.

I'm Alice Levine, and this is the price of Paradise,

the island dream that ends in kidnap, corruption, and murder. Wish you were here. Follow the price of Paradise Now wherever

you listen to podcasts. This is John Bachelor. Who is Andre Belusov, the new appointed defense minister in the Russian Federation?

An economist, why?

I speak to Katrina Vanenhovel, my colleague, she's the editorial director

of the nation magazine, very well informed of Russian matters, traveled back and forth in Russia

for many decades.

And my Kremlinologist, who is Andre Belousev.

Much more important is what was his role

as an economist before moving into the defense post in the cabinet in Russia.

And what does this mean about Russia going forward?

It's everything for the front motto these last years, building weapon systems and using the

defense industry to balance out the losses in the economy. Also demand for labor. Everybody needs workers in Russia, shortages everywhere, labor

prices, labor costs, very high, and they need more and more labor. So Andre Belusif, what is his portfolio mean?

The economy, yes, but what about it?

Katrina Vandenova, editorial director of the nation, reflecting on changes in the

Kremlin. Once upon a time, this was called Kremlinology. Now it's just news releases and follow

the bouncing ball.

...