When the Vaccine Skeptic Is Your Dad
Gustavo Arellano’s father is what he would call a ‘pandejo’ - someone who doesn't take COVID safety seriously. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Gustavo has been fighting the uphill battle to dissuade him of his skepticism. And two weeks ago, his father finally got vaccinated. We all know a ‘pandejo.’ What can we learn from Gustavo’s relationship with his father? Guest: Gustavo Arellano, columnist for the LA Times Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
16 Feb 202125min
TBD | How Clubhouse Cracked China’s Firewall
For most of the last year, Clubhouse—the audio-only social media app—has been dominated by conversations about business, branding, and Elon Musk. But as users picked up the app around the globe, something extraordinary happened. Censors in mainland China overlooked it. And for two weeks in February, it hosted a series of unusual, unfiltered conversations. Han Chinese, Hong Kongers, Taiwanese, and Uighurs all flooded to the app to speak freely about authoritarianism, democracy, and propaganda. Here’s what happened when the censors looked the other way. Guest: Melissa Chan, journalist with the Global Reporting Centre Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12 Feb 202124min
The Fight to Unionize an Amazon Warehouse
On Tuesday, workers in an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama started voting on whether or not to form a union. Amazon has been fighting the vote on multiple fronts. A “yes” vote could possibly spark unionization drives in warehouses all across the country. Guests: Jay Greene, tech reporter for the Washington Post Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
11 Feb 202124min
The Most Powerful Man in Washington?
As soon as the Democrats won a slim 50-50 majority in the senate, the jokes about President Joe Manchin started flying. The Senate's self described “conservative Democrat” from West Virginia is in a key position to influence legislation during the Biden administration. How will he wield that power? Guests: Jim Newell, senior politics reporter for Slate Ken Ward Jr., co-founder of Mountain State Spotlight and distinguished reporting fellow for Pro-Publica Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10 Feb 202125min
Trump on Trial — Again
After the insurrection at the nation's capitol on January 6th, the House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump for a second time. The only article charges him with high crimes and misdemeanors for inciting a riot. There's no shortage of evidence backing up that claim, but the politics make it an open question if the senate will convict. Guest: Dahlia Lithwick, host of Slate’s Amicus podcast Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
9 Feb 202128min
Philly’s Vaccine Distribution Mess
The COVID-19 vaccine roll-out has been a mess across the country, but the failure has been particularly egregious in Philadelphia. The city entrusted a large part of its vaccine distribution to a start-up company run by a 22-year-old with zero medical experience. It wound up with a shuttered clinic and stolen vaccine doses. Guest: Nina Feldman, health reporter for WHYY. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8 Feb 202129min
TBD | India Turns Off the Internet
Last week, in response to protests by farmers outside New Delhi, India, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi restricted access to the mobile web in areas where the protests were unfolding. The move is the latest in the Indian government’s long history of throttling internet access and censoring speech online. Why is the Modi government increasingly shutting down the internet and stifling digital dissent? And what does the party’s history of internet shutdowns tell us about India’s future? Guest: Pranav Dixit, correspondent for Buzzfeed News Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
5 Feb 202120min
A Sexist Recession
The pandemic has hit many of us in different ways. But women in particular find themselves at the intersection of multiple crises. Across the economy, jobs in female-dominated industries are disappearing. Inside the home, moms are often shouldering the brunt of the extra childcare burden that comes with school closures. How are women getting by right now? And will the setbacks they’re experiencing be permanent? Guest: Jess Calarco, professor of sociology at Indiana University. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 Feb 202126min
