The Endless Summer
As the summer weeks go by, and the virus rages on, the big question remains: How to go back to school in the fall.Trump caused a minor crisis by criticizing the CDC’s recommendations on school reopenings and threatening to cut federal funding for schools that don’t reopen in person. The Supreme Court announced a ruling yesterday that will exempt businesses from covering birth control for employees if they have religious or moral objections. More SCOTUS decisions will come through later today. And in headlines: the Justice Department is moving forward with plan so to resume federal executions, Japanese theme parks ask riders not to scream, and some updates on the senior citizen Bachelor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
9 Jul 202015min
Operation Warp Speed Ahead
The Trump administration officially started the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization. “Operation Warp Speed,” the government’s program to fast-track Covid-19 vaccine development, signed its largest deal so far, allocating $1.6 billion to the pharmaceutical company Novavax. Plus, an update on testing issues in hotspots across the country.Brazilian President and prominent virus skeptic Jair Bolsanaro has Covid-19. In Israel, the health minister stepped down because officials weren’t heeding her advice. And in headlines: the Movement For Black Lives proposes legislation to transform the criminal justice system, Russia and China discourage marmot hunting, and Mike Pompeo wants the teens to get off TikTok. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
8 Jul 202016min
Aid In America
Emergency unemployment benefits included in the CARES Act are set to expire at the end of the month. With that deadline looming, and the health crisis raging, we look at what the next potential aid package might include.Some colleges and universities have announced their back-to-Zoom plans for classes in the fall. The faculty at Georgia Tech are currently pushing back against a plan to resume in-person classes, while Harvard will make all classes remote while charging full-price for tuition, and hosting some freshmen on campus.And in headlines: the Dakota Access Pipeline must be shut down during review, Uber eats Postmates, and Amy Cooper could be charged in New York. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
7 Jul 202016min
Captain America: Culture War
Scientists worldwide want the World Health Organization to take a stronger stance on airborne transmission of COVID-19. In the US, records were set last week for the highest number of daily cases, with hotspots that led some governors to halt re-openings or begin re-closings. Trump gave some hall-of-fame dumb speeches this week, stoking division by focusing on “cancel culture”, then adding to the confusion around coronavirus by downplaying the disease’s severity. And in headlines: new opinions to come from SCOTUS, sports teams consider name changes, and some fish eggs that don’t give a duck. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
6 Jul 202016min
Your Antibody Is A Wonderland
New antibody data from the CDC indicates that only 1 in 10 COVID-19 cases in the country have been identified. That still means more than 90 percent of the country hasn’t had the virus. Incidences of police brutality continue to be reported around the country. Three officers resigned and the police chief offered his resignation in Tucson, where Carlos Ingram-Lopez died in police custody. In New York, an NYPD officer was charged with using an illegal chokehold. And in headlines: the Supreme Court says asylum seekers can’t challenge their deportations in court, the Democratic Republic of the Congo ends its Ebola outbreak, and The Dixie Chicks reinvent themselves. We’re taking a weeklong summer hiatus! We’ll be back on Monday, July 6th. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
26 Jun 202016min
It Takes Two Bills To Make Reform Go Right
Democrats in the Senate blocked a Republican police reform bill yesterday, and Democrats in the House are expected to bring their police reform bill to the floor today. In Colorado, millions are calling for a new investigation into the death of Elijah McClain, who was killed in police custody last year. The country hit its single-day high in new confirmed coronavirus cases yesterday. A new trend is emerging of local jurisdictions making their own calls in the absence of state and federal leadership. And in headlines: early results from Tuesday’s primaries, GNC goes bankrupt, and Roundup pays out 10 billion to settle cancer suits. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
25 Jun 202016min
Meat The Packers
An estimated 25,000 cases of COVID-19 are tied to U.S. meatpacking plants, where employees work in close quarters and enclosed spaces. We speak with a Smithfield Foods employee out of South Dakota about what it's been like at her facility. Dr. Fauci says the US is experiencing a “disturbing surge” of infections after states reopened too quickly. But he’s cautiously optimistic about a vaccine, suggesting that one could be available as soon as the end of this year. And in headlines: federal prosecutors will testify against Bill Barr, Seattle’s CHAZ to be dismantled, and celebrities continue to say sorry for doing blackface. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
24 Jun 202016min
Visas Banned in DC
Trump signed a new executive order yesterday temporarily barring new foreign workers from coming to the US until the end of the year. The tech industry has warned that this order hinders their ability to recruit top talent. In Minneapolis, a city council pledge to dismantle the police department could be harder to implement than expected. And one county jail is facing criticism for allegedly blocking non-white correctional officers from guarding former police officer Derek Chauvin. And in headlines: CARES Act stimulus checks prevented poverty, four authors quit JK Rowling’s agency, and the FDA advises against nine brands of hand sanitizer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
23 Jun 202016min
