Call It Like I See It

Can Creatine Use Backfire? Basketball Star's Recent Revelation Raises Concerns

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 13 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the dietary supplement creatine and its growing use by not just athletes but all people, particularly in light of a recent claim by Darryn Peterson, a college basketball star and top NBA draft prospect who suggested that taking creatine caused him major physical issues this past college season.

Darryn Peterson says high doses of creatine led to cramping (ESPN)

Darryn Peterson says he's finally figured out the reason for his cramping issues at Kansas (Yahoo! Sports)

Why everyone’s talking about creatine (UCLA Health)

Everything You Should Know About Creatine and Muscle Growth (Men's Health)

The History of Supplements: Ancient Remedies to Modern Nutrition (Canyonside Labs)

“Beyond Belief” and the Magic that Lies Between Facts and Faith - Culture Series

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 06 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Nir Eyal’s “Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Breakthrough Results,” the 2026 book that deep dives into the concept of beliefs, including how they affect how we see and move through the world and how one can use them to better their life. The guys specifically consider how Eyal defined beliefs, extent to which so much of each of our individual realities and experiences are really derived from our beliefs, and how the placebo effect illustrates the extent beliefs can direct affect our well-being.

Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Breakthrough Results (bookshop.org)

Beyond Belief (nirandfar.com)

Will Prediction Markets Turn Everything, Including Military Ops, into a Bet; Also, How the Phases of Brain Aging Align With, and Divert from, Modern Cultural Practices

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the story of the US soldier that is being charged for using confidential insider information to win bets about the capture of Maduro on the prediction market platform Polymarket and consider the risks that society faces as prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi seem to be turning the whole world into a casino. The guys then react to recent research on extent to which our brains progress through stages like childhood, adolescence (which lasts surprising long!), adult, and old age, and consider how society should use this type of information.

Soldier Charged After Using Classified Intel On Maduro Raid To Win $400,000 On Polymarket (Forbes)

Kalshi CEO outlines the difference between prediction markets and sportsbooks (ProFootballTalk)

U.S. CFTC adds New York to string of states its suing to stop prediction market pushback (Coindesk)

Brazil blocks prediction platforms, tightens rules to curb 'bet-like' products (Reuters)

Billionaire Investor Warns Sports Prediction Markets Harm Men (Yahoo! Finance)

The key phases your brain changes – and how to protect it (The Telegraph) (Apple News Link)

“Inside the Manosphere” Reveals the Image Young Men Are Looking For, and How That is Exploited

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana continue their Streaming Between the Lines series and take a look at Louis Theroux’s “Inside the Manosphere,” the 2026 documentary that is available to stream on Netflix. The guys discuss Theroux’s presentation of the manosphere, including the over the top characters that are featured in the documentary, and consider what drives the substantial appetite that there clearly is for this type of content and these types of characters.

This podcast contains spoilers.

Louis Theroux Goes Inside the Manosphere in His Latest Documentary (Tudum - Netflix)

Watch Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere (Netflix)

Artemis II Mission Shows We Still Have What It Takes to Reach for the Stars

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the recent Artemis II mission, consider its important from a scientific and a psychological standpoint, and consider whether the US really has the money to be spending money on projects like Artemis II and the upcoming Artemis missions. The guys then react to recent research involving the repeated cloning of a mouse over tens of generations leading a catastrophic end result, and discuss what went wrong, what went right, and how society should be handling this type of scientific advancement.

Artemis II’s record-breaking journey around the moon ends with dramatic splashdown (AP)

Artemis II Multimedia (NASA.gov)

Why Has It Been 50 Years Since Humans Went to the Moon? (National Air and Space Museum)

NASA redirects Artemis moon mission program, postponing a planned astronaut landing (NPR)

How much does Artemis II cost—and who pays for it? (MSN)

Scientists Cloned a Mouse for 58 Generations. The Results Were Catastrophic. (Popular Mechanics)

All the celebrities who have cloned their dogs — from Tom Brady to Barbra Streisand (Hello Magazine)

Unpacking Albert Einstein's Bold Take on Race in America; Also, the Surprising Connection between Africa and Judaism

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at Albert Einstein’s 1946 essay “The Negro Question” and discuss how Einstein saw race affecting American society as well as Einstein’s perspective on an issue like that. The guys then react to a piece from the Christian Century magazine about both longstanding and recent connections between Africa and Judaism which refute many people’s modern conceptions of the Jewish religion and people.

Einstein's Civil Rights Activism (PBS)

The Negro Question, by Albert Einstein (Sigma Xi)

Judaism’s deep roots and new offshoots in Africa (The Christian Century)

Millennials and Gen Z Were in Trouble Once Baby Boomers Decided Greed Was Good

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the shocking statistics on how little spending power Gen Z has compared to what baby boomers had in their twenties, the reason American society was set up for baby boomers to succeed, and the way it has been reconfigured since the baby boomers in ways that made it harder for subsequent generations to get ahead.

Gen Z has 86% less purchasing power than baby boomers did in their 20s (Fast Company)

Baby boomers have now ‘gobbled up’ nearly one-third of America’s wealth share, and they’re leaving Gen Z and millennials behind (Fortune)

Why College Graduates Feel Betrayed (NY Times)

AI Hype vs. Reality: Why Haven't Billion-Dollar Investments Driven GDP Growth?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Rob Richardson take a look at a recent claim from Goldman Sachs that the ongoing AI boom we are living through, with the hundreds of billions of dollars of investment and endless hype from media and corporate interests, did not actually produce GDP growth in the US in 2025. The guys also consider whether there is any truth to the narrative that AU development is being held back by too much regulation in the US.

You’ll Snort-Laugh When You Learn How Much AI Actually Added to the US Economy Last Year (Futurism)

Goldman finds ‘no meaningful relationship between AI and productivity at the economy-wide level,’ but a 30% boost for 2 specific use cases (Fortune)

Is AI already driving U.S. growth? (JP Morgan Asset Management)

‘Things are going to get much, much worse’: Andrew Yang says AI could eliminate millions of jobs and split the US economy — how to stay ahead (Moneywise)

Uber CEO says other execs are lying about AI: 'They say it'll be fine' publicly but privately admit millions of jobs are gone (Moneywise)

Why the Trump Administration’s Latest Approach to AI Deregulation is Dangerous (NYU Stern Center for Business & Human Rights)

Willpower is Cool, but the Real Trick Is To Not Need It; Also, What Makes Building Muscle Over 40 Possible?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss willpower and its limitations, and consider whether the common effort by parents to help kids strengthen their willpower in order to prepare their kids to make good choices in life may be misguided or if it actually is just setting one up for failure. The guys then discuss the continuing importance of strength training as one ages and take a look at how strength training must evolve to as the body changes.

Kids' willpower is no match for fast food and screens. Try this instead (NPR)

How to Take On Your Workouts After 40 to Keep Building Muscle and Strength (Men's Health)

American People Were Sold Out, While Toxic Chemical Industry Was Given Free Reign

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the ongoing efforts in the US government to allow for more toxic chemicals including glyphosate, the ingredient in herbicides like Roundup, and forever chemical based pesticides, to be introduced into people’s food and water and consider whether all the talk about making America healthy was just a scam.

Trump angering MAHA with glyphosate order gives Democrats an opening (CNBC)

Trump officials set to approve ‘forever chemical’ as pesticide ingredient (The Guardian)

Trump EPA Approves Its First ‘Forever Chemical’ Pesticide (Center for Biological Diversity)

Republican House bill guts laws protecting US consumers from toxic chemicals (The Guardian)

Former Staff Show How Trump Acted to Upend EPA’s Mission and “Make America Sicker” (Mother Jones)

Chayka’s “Filterworld” and What We Lose When the Algorithms Dictate What We See and Hear

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Kyle Chayka’s “Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture,” the 2024 book that looks at where the recommendation algorithms that control what we consume on services like Instagram, TikTok, Netflx and Spotify came from, how they work to change us and the trajectory of our culture, what we may be losing from a personal and cultural standpoint as we continue to hand over so much of our decision making on what we see to them.

Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture (Penguin Random House)

Immigrants Have Been Vital to Making America Great, Recent Study Confirms

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to a surprising study from the Cato Institute, the well-known libertarian think tank, which demonstrates that over the last 30 years, immigrants (counting both legal and illegal) have contributed trillions more in taxes to federal, state, and local governments than they received back in benefits. The guys also discuss how immigrants have been and remain an effective way to continually infuse youth into a society grow economic output and avoid economic contraction due to population aging.

Cato Study: Immigrants Reduced Deficits by $14.5 Trillion Since 1994 (Cato Institute)

Europe’s population crisis could shave 4% off its GDP by 2040, Morgan Stanley warns, and the options to solve it aren’t good (Fortune)

Paul Robeson: the World Famous, Trailblazing Icon They Tried to Erase

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana continue their Streaming Between the Lines series and discuss “Paul Robeson: Here I Stand,” the 1999 documentary that was directed by St. Clair Bourne for the PBS series American Masters and is currently streaming on many platforms. The guys marvel at Robeson’s ability to rise to the top in so many distinct fields, including sports, law, concert artist, Broadway performer, movie star, and activist, consider how his life shaped, and was shaped by, some of the most significant events and circumstances in the 20th century, and reflect on how Robeson could be one of the most famous men in the world in the first half of the 20th century and also be largely unknown now.

Paul Robeson: Here I Stand Documentary (YouTube)

'The most famous black person in America': How the 1950s 'Red Scare' erased a US icon (BBC)

‘The most dangerous man in America’: how Paul Robeson went from Hollywood to blacklist (The Guardian)

Paul Robeson: Here I Stand Interviews (PBS)

Did Science Just Prove Humans Are Telepathic? Also, Men's Obsession with "Size" May Be Evolutionary

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to a piece from Emma Frederickson at Popular Mechanics that asserts that humans are naturally telepathic based on the observation of how some people’s brainwaves may synchronize during communication or collaboration. The guys then discuss an article by Andrew Paul in Popular Science that takes a look at recent research into the role size may play in a man’s appeal to women and makes a surprising contention that the size of a man’s “manhood,” so to speak, is typically something that men pay more attention to than women do.

Your Brai Penis size may matter more to men than women (Popular Science)n Is Naturally Telepathic, Research Suggests—Meaning Our Minds Are All Connected (Popular Mechanics)

College Sports in Chaos: Did Billion Dollar TV Contracts, or Teenagers, Kill Amateurism?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the new era that has emerged in college sports with players getting paid, particularly in sports like men’s basketball where marginal professionals are already now flooding in seeking to reestablish eligibility. The guys also consider what brought about the fall of amateurism and the old order in the revenue sports like football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball, and how this change affects the nature of the competition in college sports and participants on a personal level.

What to know about Charles Bediako, more men's college basketball eligibility cases (ESPN)

Some Pro Basketball Players Get a “Do-Over” in College (Yahoo! Sports)

The NCAA and the Myth of Amateurism (NY Times)

Amari Bailey, with 10 games in NBA, seeks college eligibility (ESPN)

Miami linebacker Mohamed Toure plans to return for his eighth year in college football (Pro Football Talk)

Why Business Leaders Appear Afraid to Explicitly Condemn ICE for Killing the Innocent

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana question to motives and objectives of the Minnesota business leaders in their issueing of a statement that calls for a deescalation of tensions and deftly tip toes around any direct condemnation of President Trump’s paramilitary force for killing another American citizen for protesting.

Alex Pretti killing: Minnesota CEOs, including UnitedHealth, Target, call for ‘immediate deescalation’ (CNBC)

Trump officials stick "terrorist" label on Americans killed by DHS (Axios)

Videos of deadly Minneapolis shooting of Alex Pretti contradict Trump administration statements (PBS)

Hidden Cameras in Airbnb Rentals: Real Concern or Just Hype; Also, Are People Starting to Speak Like Chatbots?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to reports of voyeur cameras in AirBnB home rentals, discuss whether the problem is a widespread as it may seem, and consider the extent to which technology advancements have hidden cameras have made privacy a thing of the past. The guys then take a look at some recent research that suggests that people may be beginning to speak more like an AI chatbot.

Don't Let Airbnb Owners Spy on You. Here's How to Spot Hidden Cameras in Your Rental (CNET)

Help! We Found a Hidden Camera in the Bathroom of Our Airbnb. (NY Times)

Guest allegedly finds hidden cameras inside bathroom outlets of Airbnb, police say (WEAU.com)

Evidence That Humans Now Speak in a Chatbot-Influenced Dialect Is Getting Stronger (Gizmodo)

“Selma” shows MLK’s Blueprint for Beating Back Oppressive Government Officials

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana continue their streaming between the lines series and discuss “Selma,” the 2014 movie that was directed by Ava DuVernay and is currently streaming on many platforms. The guys consider movie’s depiction Civil Rights Movement leaders, most notably Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the nonviolent demonstrations they led in Selma, Alabama in an effort to speak to the morality of the American people through the media and outmaneuver oppressive state and local officials to force an end to the rampant voter suppression of the time.

Selma (2014) (JustWatch.com)

Nutrition Myths that Persist and Lead Astray; Also, Do Wearables Make People Workout More?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to a piece from Harvard trained oncologist Ezekiel Emanuel on the most common misconceptions about nutrition and health and discuss how many of these “lies” are a result of unforeseen consequences of prior health initiatives or efforts to simplify health advice. The guys also take a look at some recent findings that suggest that wearable fitness trackers like a Fitbit or smartwatches like the Apple Watch may make it more likely for people to stick to their workouts.

I’m a Harvard-trained oncologist: Don’t believe these 6 biggest nutrition lies—the ‘answer to a longer life is so simple’ (CNBC)

Wearable fitness trackers can make you seven times more likely to stick to your workouts – new research (The Conversation)

The Insect Apocalypse: Are We Making the Earth Less Friendly to Life? Also, the Fungus that Eats Radiation for Breakfast

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the so called “insect apocalypse,” and try to make sense of the fact that bugs are disappearing all over the planet at an alarming rate (1:01). The guys then react to a recent discovery of a black mold near Chernobyl that appears to have evolved to be feeding off ionizing radiation. (23:15).

A looming 'insect apocalypse' could endanger global food supplies. Can we stop it before it's too late? (Live Science)

The insect apocalypse: ‘Our world will grind to a halt without them’ (The Guardian)

The Great Insect Apocalypse: Why Are Bugs Vanishing? (SciTechDaily)

‘Half the tree of life’: ecologists’ horror as nature reserves are emptied of insects (The Guardian)

The Insect Apocalypse Is Here (NY Times)

The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation (BBC)

MacKenzie Scott's Philanthropy Reveals Her Good Heart and Our Economic System's Rot

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, and the staggering amounts she has donated to charitable causes not just in 2025 but also since 2019, consider whether this level of philanthropy is needed now with how much wealth disparity has grown, and discuss how the pillars in the American system that brought about the largest middle class in the history of the world were intentionally taken apart to rig the system to promote ever increasing wealth accumulation.

MacKenzie Scott announced another $7.1 billion in 2025 charitable donations—she’s now given away $26.3 billion since 2019 (CNBC)

GoFundMe CEO says the economy is so bad that more of his customers are crowdfunding just to pay for their groceries (Yahoo! Finance)

The Ultrarich Are Spending a Fortune to Live in Extreme Privacy (WSJ)

College Sports, Private Equity, and Betting on the TV Money Bubble; Also, Viewing Sherrone Moore’s Fall From Many Angles

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the ongoing professionalization of college sports in light of the recently announced deal between University of Utah and the private equity firm Otro Capital of New York that is reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The guys also discuss how the fall of former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore illustrates how one can set up their own downfall and sealed their own fate by ignoring the rules of the game.

CNBC Sport: Utah breaks the private equity seal with historic $500 million investment (CNBC)

Wetzel: Beware, college sports, private equity has arrived (ESPN)

What does private equity mean for the future of college sports? (Deseret News)

Sherrone Moore charged with stalking, home invasion after being fired as Michigan football coach (AP News)

Nick Saban says he would only cheat on his wife with Hillary Clinton (Sporting News)

“Sean Combs: The Reckoning” - Key Takeaways from the Eye Opening Documentary

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Note: This Podcast Contains SPOILERS. James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the recent Netflix documentary “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” which was directed by Alex Stapleton and has been promoted extensively by longtime Diddy antagonist 50 Cent. The guys break down a few themes that were emphasized in the documentary and consider the extent to which Diddy was treated fairly in it.

Sean Combs: The Reckoning (Netflix)

Netflix’s Hit Diddy Documentary Makes Some Outrageous Insinuations. Here’s What You Need to Know. (Slate)

Shocking Discovery: Plastics Are Polluting Our Brains; Also, How Lying to Kids Shapes Them into Selfish, Manipulative Adults

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at a recent discovery that suggests that plastics microplastics and nano plastics are being detected in human brains (0:56). The guys then react to a study that suggested that kids remember being lied to, and lied to kids tend to become lying, ill adjust adults (20:35).

Psychiatrist sounds alarm after disturbing discovery made inside human brains: 'I spent three years changing my own habits' (Yahoo! News)

Lied-to children more likely to grow up as lying, ill-adjusted adults (ZME Science)

Ken Burns, His "The American Revolution" Documentary, and How Human Nature Binds Us with the Past

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to a recent interview of Ken Burns by Lex Pryor of the Ringer which discussed Burns' new documentary, “the American Revolution,” and gave some interesting insight into how Burns was able to avoid being a prisoner of the political moment when making this documentary over the last decade, and also how Burns was able to provide more context and depth to the origin story of the United States as well as the heroes and villains of the story.

The Stories We Tell Ourselves About the American Revolution (The Ringer)

The American Revolution (PBS)

Is Facebook Making Big Money From Scam Ads? Also, ChatGPT and the Upsurge in AI Psychosis

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at recent reporting which raises the alarm about scam ads on Facebook and how selling ad space to scammers appears to be substantial boost to the company’s bottom line (1:22). The guys then consider whether ChatGPT is making people crazy, or at least crazier, in light of recent revelations about people ending up hospitalized, divorced, or dead following intense interactions with it (20:19).

Meta is earning a fortune on a deluge of fraudulent ads, documents show (Reuters)

Here’s How Many Billions Meta Earned From Ads That Are Trying to Scam You (Inc)

Rohingya sue Facebook for £150bn over Myanmar genocide (The Guardian)

OpenAI Says Hundreds of Thousands of ChatGPT Users May Show Signs of Manic or Psychotic Crisis Every Week (Wired)

Mamdani’s NYC Victory Brings Old Fears and New Energy to the Center Stage

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the extreme reactions seen following Zoran Mamdani’s New York City mayor election victory, including how many in the media and politics (including Republicans and even some Democrats) have been freaking out, and consider what factors may be driving it. The guys also take a look at the enthusiasm from Mamdani’s supporters and how Mamdani will need to navigate the heightened expectations and potential for disappointment that they bring over the course of his term.

Zohran Mamdani took on the entire political establishment — and won (Salon)

Why the media (not just MAGA) is freaked out over Mamdani (Margaret Sullivan Substack)

'Holy S**t!': Jordan Klepper Totally Delights Over Right-Wing Mamdani Freak-Out (Huff Post)

Is the U.S. Economic System Set Up to Prey on Working Americans?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at Pope Leo XIV’s recent criticism of economies that have the wealthy live in “bubble of comfort and luxury” while marginalizing the poor and discuss some of the predatory aspects of the American economic system as well as how many of America’s most common economic measures may cover up how difficult things are for working people.

Pope Leo condemns economies that marginalize the poor while the wealthy live in a bubble of luxury (AP News)

More Americans are financing groceries with buy now, pay later loans — and more are paying those bills late, survey says (CNBC)

GoFundMe CEO says the economy is so bad that more of his customers are crowdfunding just to pay for their groceries (Yahoo! Finance)

As billionaire wealth soars $33 trillion, Mark Cuban says it’s time for workers to receive a cut of their employers’ success in the form of stocks (Yahoo! Finance)

Ray Dalio says America is developing a ‘dependency’ on the top 1% of workers, while the bottom 60% are struggling and unproductive (Fortune)

The “No Kings” Protests Revealed a Serious Disconnect Between the American People and Some Elites

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to how widespread the recent No Kings Protests were and discuss how they reflect something deep inside the Americans psyche. The guys also consider why some Americans in power and in places of influence, like Rep Mike Johnson or comedian Joe Rogan were apparently so bothered by these peaceful demonstrations that reflected Americans’ longstanding disdain for unchecked and concentrated power.

From Texas to Tennessee, Even Trump Country Is Marching Against Trump (Mother Jones)

Joe Rogan: Protesters are all ‘losers’ funded by Dems and ‘FBI agents’ (NJ.com)

Joe Rogan Falls Hard For A Trump Hoax In Rant At 'No Kings' Protesters (Yahoo! News)

3 takeaways from Saturday's No Kings nationwide protests (NPR)

Republicans mostly silent as millions of Americans protest Trump on No Kings day (The Guardian)

Understanding “The Psychology of Money” and How Greed and Pessimism Betray Us From Within

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss a couple of sections that stood out in Morgan Housel’s 2020 book, “The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness.”

The Psychology of Money (Bookshop.org)

Is it Out of Control Debt and Wealth Disparity That’s Driving America to the Brink?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to recent comments from billionaire investor Ray Dalio, who suggests that a new civil war that is developing in the US and that economic issues such as out of control public debt and the massive wealth gap are key drivers of it. The guys also consider the extent to which these very economic issues indicate that the culture war disputes may just misdirecting attention from actual class warfare.

Billionaire investor Ray Dalio warns of ‘civil war’ amid spiraling US debt, global turmoil and wealth inequality (The Independent - UK)

Marc Benioff Says Trump Should Send Guard Troops to San Francisco (NY Times)

Musk calls for federal troops in San Francisco even as Benioff softens stance (CNBC)

Shocking Trend in Canada: Why Is Demand for Legalized Euthanasia in Canada Growing?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde take a look at the growing trend in Canada which is seeing more and more people take advantage of the country’s expansive euthanasia and medical assistance in dying policies to end their life on their own terms, so to speak, and consider ways this seems to impact family dynamics as well as the medical system and legal system in Canada.

Canada is Killing Itself (The Atlantic) (Apple News Link)

Are MLK's Bold Observations on Racism In America Outdated, or Clarifying?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss a section from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s fourth and final book, "Where Do We Go From Here, Chaos or Community," which was published in 1967. The guys focus on a few of King's observations in the book's third chapter, "Racism and the White Backlash," and consider how well these observations hold up in light of the course of events in the U.S. over the past 15 year or so.

Where Do We Go from Here - Chaos or Community? (bookshop.org)

Megyn Kelly blames Obama for America’s divisions in reaction to Charlie Kirk’s murder (Yahoo! News)

A Warning from the Past: How McCarthyism was Built on, and Sustained by Fear

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the 2020 PBS documentary “McCarthy - Power Feeds on Fear,” which tells the story of US Senator Joe McCarthy and his anti-communism demagoguery in the 1950s. The guys also discuss the things in that society that allowed it to happen or even promoted it and what characteristics can make societies more susceptible to a demagogue takeover.

"McCarthy - Power Feeds on Fear" (PBS)

Medicare’s Controversial Move: Rewarding AI Companies for Helping to Reject More Health Claims

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde react to recent reports that Medicare will start paying AI companies what could be considered a bounty for every health coverage claim their AI software rejects, discuss how this kind of incentive will play out in the real world, and consider why the US has such a hard time addressing problems in its health care system even though there are so many working examples around the globe.

Medicare Will Start Paying AI Companies a Share of Any Claims They Automatically Reject (Futurism)

Report: U.S. spends the most on health but outcomes are among the worst (Association of Health Care Journalists)

Success of Gavin Newsom’s New Social Media Approach Shows a Trend, Not a Coincidence

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Gavin Newsom’s new social media approach, why it has gotten such a positive and negative reaction from both the public and political and media elites, and what it means, if anything, for political communications in the US moving forward.

How Gavin Newsom trolled his way to the top of social media (Politico)

Gavin Newsom is expertly trolling Fox News stars by mimicking Trump online — right down to the nicknames (The Independent)

The Problematic Link Between Common Chemical Exposure and Chronic Disease

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss a recent effort by neurologists and researchers Ray Dorsey, MD, and Michael Okun, MD to warn people that Parkinson’s disease may be driven by modern pollution and chemical exposure, discuss how many other chronic diseases may actually not be merely bad luck occurrences but things arise in large part by chemicals we voluntarily use or surround ourselves with, and consider why it matters.

These Doctors Have a Bold Plan to Eradicate Parkinson’s Disease—and It Starts in Your Home (Oprah Daily)

Living by a golf course could double your risk Parkinson's risk. Here's why (BBC Science Focus Mag - Apple News Link)

Chronic Disease in the United States: A Worsening Health and Economic Crisis (American Action Forum)

Poor health reduces global GDP by 15% each year (McKinsey)

Unpacking the New Netflix Doc “America’s Team: the Gambler and His Cowboys”

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss what stood out in the new Netflix documentary “America’s Team: the Gambler and His Cowboys,” which focuses on the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, their dynastic run in the mid-1990s, and the wild cast of characters that defined the organization at that time.

America’s Team: the Gambler and His Cowboys (Netflix)

Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty (JeffPearlman.com)

The 100 Most-Watched Telecasts of 2024: NFL, Paris Olympics, Presidential Debate, Lots of ‘Tracker’ and the ‘Young Sheldon’ Finale (Variety)

Football Retains Dominant Position as Favorite U.S. Sport (Gallup)

Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams (USA Today)

What’s Behind the Exploding Prices of Pro Sports Franchises? (The Ringer)

Revisiting "The 48 Laws of Power:" Do Robert Greene's Lessons Still Apply in Today's Society?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss a couple of the laws from Robert Greene’s bestselling book “The 48 Laws of Power,” particularly looking at the extent to which the laws hold up as society has evolved in the nearly 3 decades since the book was published.

The 48 Laws of Power (Bookshop.org)

Sydney Sweeney's Jeans Ads & America's Outrage Machine: Many Have a Part to Play, Few Benefit

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the public reaction to the American Eagle jeans advertising campaign which features Sydney Sweeney and makes a direct play on the word jeans and the idea of genetics, culminating in quote “Sydney Sweeney has great genes.” The guys also consider what it means for the public discourse that stirring up controversy and creating outrage is a very reliable path to money and power in the attention economy, particularly with how certain groups seem to be easily set up to play the same roles in these controversies over and over again.

The ad campaign that launched a thousand critiques: Sydney Sweeney's jeans (NPR)

The Sydney Sweeney Jeans Ad "Backlash" Is Mostly Fake (The Present Age)

American Eagle Scores Big Win Amid Sydney Sweeney Ad Backlash (Newsweek)

From Gutenberg to Google: How Today’s Boom in Conspiracy Theories Mirrors the Post Printing Press Era

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana reflect on an interesting point made in Yuval Noah Harari’s book “Nexus,” about the witch hunting era in Europe following the spread of the printing press and how that time shared many of the characteristics we see in our modern, post Internet society. The guys also discuss whether, in light of how things turned out in the witch hunting era, we should be more worried about where the information environment in this post Internet era may take us.

Nexus (ynharari.com)

Is Requiring Clergy to Report Child Abuse They Learn About Anti-Catholic?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the Washington state law that would require that clergy from any religion to report to authorities any child abuse, including sex abuse or pedophilia, that they learn about, even if they learn about it during a confessional, and discuss the Trump administration’s effort to fight the law in court based on the First Amendment to the Constitution and in the court of public opinion by calling it an “anti-Catholic” law.

Trump and the Catholic Church Fight a Law Requiring Clergy to Report Child Abuse (Rolling Stone)

Catholic Church sex abuse cases in the United States (Wikipedia)

How Hulk Hogan’s Story Reflects the Culture’s Progression from Monoculture to Polarization

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the reaction to the death of Hulk Hogan, particularly in light of how popular he was at his height of fame and how he remained in the public eye even after his popularity waned. The guys also consider how the evolution of American culture can be seen through his public life and whether the kind of popularity Hogan had in the 1980s is even possible anymore.

The Mortal Hulk Hogan (The Ringer)

Hulk Hogan’s legacy isn’t complicated (Andscape)

Is Gossip the Unsung Hero in Human Societies? Exploring Harari’s “Sapiens” and the Effect of Modern Media

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the theory that human languages evolved in order to facilitate gossiping, which was raised in the book, Sapiens, by Yuval Noah Harari, and consider the ways our modern societies may illustrate this theory and also how recent trends may work to undermine how humans have traditionally used gossip to their advantage.

Sapiens (Yuval Noah Harari)

Jury Duty Is Power to the People - So Why Do Many Americans Dread It?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 01:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss jury duty, how it fits into American civic life, and consider why so many Americans seem to dread serving on juries, even though jurors are granted so much power.

Jury duty is rare, but most Americans see it as part of good citizenship (Pew Research Center)

Selected for jury duty? Here’s why this civic service is important (LaHood Law Group)

What Trump’s Gaslighting on the Epstein Files Reveals About Him and His MAGA Followers

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 03:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider what the Trump Administration’s efforts to gaslight the public on the Jeffrey Epstein files says about both Donald Trump and his MAGA followers, and discuss why Trump so far is having such a hard time getting his followers to fall in line on this issue.

Pam Bondi’s botched handling of the Epstein files (CNN)

Republicans block effort to force release of Epstein files in Congress (The Independent)

Bongino still in limbo as Trump fumes and JD Vance seeks to play mediator, sources say (CNN)

'Weaklings': Trump lashes out at supporters over 'Jeffrey Epstein hoax' (USAToday)

What Trump Has Said About Jeffrey Epstein Over the Years (Rolling Stone)

Trump begins openly embracing and amplifying false fringe QAnon conspiracy theory (PBS)

Is Marijuana Safe? Shocking Links Between Cannabis Use and Heart Risks

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 02:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at some recent research that suggests marijuana use may be connected to some serious health problems, including life threatening cardiovascular issues, and consider whether this means that legalization efforts have been misguided or counterproductive.

Smoking weed and consuming THC-laced edibles linked to early heart disease, study finds (CNN)

Cannabis Use Is Linked to Epigenetic Changes, Scientists Discover (Science Alert)

Should Serious People Take Elon Musk’s Talk of Starting a New Political Party Seriously?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 02:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to Elon Musk’s talk of starting a new political party, the America Party, and consider the reasons why Musk cannot be taken seriously with something like this, and the reasons why Musk has to be taken seriously with something like this. The guys also discuss how third parties have played a key role in many elections in American history and how extreme polarization in modern American politics may be setting the stage for a third party to go beyond a spoiler and actually be able to exert considerable control.

Elon Musk's New Party: Who Has Declared Interest? (Newsweek)

Elon Musk's new US political party faces steep challenges (Reuters)

The Civil War That Never Ended (NY Times)

Offended By Kindness? Superman Director James Gunn Has Some Choice Words for You

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 03:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the recent comments from Superman director James Gunn about how he expects that his Superman movie will be offensive to some because it’s about kindness, particularly in light of the way many studios and creatives have kowtowed to criticism when it was received from certain sectors of the public.

James Gunn: Some people will take offence at my new Superman (The Times)

Superman vs. the KKK! Yes, Really. (Book Riot)

Unpacking Zohran Mamdani's NYC Primary Win, the Loud Reaction to it, and the Socialist Label

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 01:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to Zohran Mamdani's win in the Democratic Party’s New York City mayoral primary and the political frenzy that it sparked, which included attacks coming not just from members of the Republican Party but also members of Mamdani’s own Democratic Party. The guys also discuss how Mamdani calling himself a Democratic Socialist may affect how he will be as much as his Islamic religion, his immigrant background, and his non-white ethnicity.

Zohran Mamdani declares victory in NYC’s Democratic mayoral primary as Cuomo concedes (AP News)

Mamdani's stunning upset carries risks, rewards for national Democrats (Reuters)

The socialist takeover of the Democratic Party (Washington Times)

Attacks on Muslims flood mainstream after Mamdani win (Axios)

A roadmap to beat Trump? How rise of Zohran Mamdani is dividing Democrats (The Guardian)

MAGA right attacks Zohran Mamdani’s religion following his win (Politico)

Zohran Mamdani: 10 things about Uganda‑born Democratic nominee for New York City mayor (The Africa Report)

Private Equity’s Rise Supports a Few American’s Dreams, But Not Necessarily the American Dream

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 03:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the increasing dominance of private equity in the US economy and what may be contributing to it, and also consider how some approaches that have commonly been favored by private equity, when deployed in more and more areas in the economy, may end up working against the interests of most stakeholders.

“We’ve Been Sold a Story That Isn’t Remotely True”: How Private-Equity Billionaires Killed the American Dream (Vanity Fair)

The Secretive Industry Devouring the U.S. Economy (The Atlantic)

The profit-obsessed monster destroying American emergency rooms (Vox)

Private equity's positive impact on the US economy highlighted in new report (InvestmentNews.com)

Getting Perspective From Time Spent in Israel During Missile Strikes

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 03:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Tunde’s recent business trip to Israel which had him on the ground in Israel when Israel and Iran began exchanging missile attacks. The guys go through what it was like to be in a place when missiles can be seen and felt flying overhead and the perspective on life that you can get when you go to bed knowing missiles will be coming and you wake up on some days to reports of casualties.

Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear sites and kills top generals. Iran retaliates with missile barrages (AP News)

The math behind the war: Can Israel's air defense keep up against Iranian attacks? (NPR)

Can Disney and Universal Slow the Generative AI Takeover?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 03:35:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to Disney and Universal, two of the biggest players in Hollywood, going after the generative AI company Midjourney for copyright infringement and consider why they may be taking action now as well as how this move could influence the extent to which generative AI will be held to existing legal standards for copyright and beyond.

How the Disney-Midjourney Lawsuit Could Reshape the Battle Over AI and Copyright (Time)

Disney and Universal Sue A.I. Firm for Copyright Infringement (NY Times)

Disney and Universal sue AI firm Midjourney over images (BBC)

OpenAI declares AI race “over” if training on copyrighted works isn’t fair use (Arstechnica)

Reddit Lawsuit Comes Amid Anthropic’s New AI Models For U.S. National Security Customers (TechDogs)

Is the Trans Women in Women's Sports Debate About Gender Equality or Fairness (or Something Else)?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 01:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the debate about trans women participating in women’s sports that seems to pop up fairly regularly, and consider whether there are really two good faith sides to the debate and whether it is likely, or possible, that a consensus among reasonable people can be reached at some point in the future.

World Boxing Apologizes to Imane Khelif After Announcing New Sex-Testing Policy (Time)

Trans athlete wins two girls events at California track and field finals (NBC News)

“The Alchemist” Teaches Timeless Life Lessons to Those Who Come With an Empty Cup

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 03:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at some of the more insightful life lessons illustrated by the boy, the Englishman, and the Alchemist himself, in Paulo Coelho’s international bestselling book, “The Alchemist.”

"The Alchemist" (paulocoelho.com)

The President’s Big “Bloated” Bill Is Seemingly Stretching the Limits of Republican’s Fealty

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider why President Trump has seemingly met some resistance coming from the right, and even from former allies like Elon Musk, in getting his so called “Big Beautiful Bill” through the Republican controlled Congress, especially since the Republican party has for a long time displayed an almost complete fealty to the President.

What is the Big Beautiful Bill and why are Elon Musk and Donald Trump fighting over it? (ABC News Australia)

Thune’s first big test as Senate leader has arrived with Trump’s tax bill (AP News)

The fine print: 5 things that even some Republicans didn't realize were buried in Trump's 'big, beautiful' budget bill (Yahoo! News)

Republicans Admit They Didn’t Even Read Their Big Beautiful Bill (Intelligencer)

Looking at the Present, Through the Lens of “Back to the Future”

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 03:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the how the “future” was envisioned in the Back to the Future” movie trilogy, specifically “Back to the Future 2,”and discuss how present times match up with what was imagined in the 1989.

Are we living in Back to the Future? Scientists reveal what the cult film got right… and wrong (Daily Mail)

One of the Most Iconic Sci-Fi Trilogies Began 40 Years Ago This Summer (MovieWeb)

Nancy Mace's Bot Armies and Burners: Digital Manipulation or Politics as Usual?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 01:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to reports about the extent to which South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace and her staff have been using things like bot armies, burner accounts and other social media techniques to boost her public profile and perception (and not just while campaigning but also while she has been in office), and consider whether her alleged approach is business as usual, an outlier, or a natural progression as far as politician behavior.

Nancy Mace ran bot army, had staff run fake accounts to boost profile, report claims: ‘It’s what she does for fun’ (The Independent)

Google’s New AI Video Generator Blurs the Line Between Real and Fake

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 01:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the super realistic Veo 3 AI video generator that was recently released by Google, and consider whether it’s time to start worrying about the capabilities of AI - and about what it may do to us. The guys also discuss whether the nature of our culture will compel us to continue down this path, even if we know it will lead to ruin.

Google's Veo 3 AI video generator is unlike anything you've ever seen. The world isn't ready. (Mashable)

NBA's Youth Revolution: Why Veterans Can't Keep Up Anymore

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 29 May 2025 02:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at recent trends in how NBA basketball is being played and consider the concepts like “pace and space” are giving younger teams a leg up on older teams, particularly because the NBA has historically been dominated by veteran teams, not young ones. The guys also consider whether the NBA’s television broadcasts do a good enough job explaining the new things that are going on on the court.

Step aside, millennial NBA stars: Gen Z is taking over — and winning a title could be a young man’s game now (Yahoo! Sports)

Warriors coach Steve Kerr thinks an 82-game NBA regular season is too much (The Athletic)

LeBron James Had Bummed Out Line About How Older Players Hurt the Game He Loves (Sports Illustrated)

What’s Behind Tesla’s Alarming Fatality Rates?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 28 May 2025 03:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at a recent analysis from ISeeCars that suggests Tesla’s are the deadliest cars on the road based on the fatalities per mile driven, particularly in light of Gilbert Arenas’s claim that it was a steering wheel malfunction led to his son Alijah’s accident that resulted in Alijah being in a coma for days.

Gilbert Arenas Blames Son’s Car Accident On Tesla Cybertruck Malfunction (Vibe)

The Deadliest Car Brand in America Is … (Motortrend)

Discussing Russia’s War on Democracies and His New Book “The Folly of Realism” with Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman (Ret.)

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 22 May 2025 01:00:00 +0000

Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman joins James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana to discuss his new book, “The Folly of Realism: How the West Deceived Itself About Russia and Betrayed Ukraine” and how over the past few decades, a short term transactional approach to international relationships as opposed to a long term values based approach, has really sold American interests short.

Why It Matters (Alexander Vindman Substack)

The Folly of Realism (Hatchette Book Group)

Here, Right Matters (HarpersCollins)

VoteVets (votevets.org)

Here Right Matters Foundation (hererightmattersfoundation.org)

What is Driving the Manosphere and the Caricature of Masculinity it Presents?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 21 May 2025 01:00:00 +0000

In this special crossover event with Call It Like I See It podcast and the Disruption Now podcast, Rob Richardson joins James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana to take a look at what’s going on with the manosphere and consider why there is so much focus on masculinity in our culture.

The ‘Manosphere’? It’s Planet Earth. (New York Times)

What is the Manosphere? A Parent’s Guide to Online Misogyny (Bright Canary)

The manosphere isn’t just about economic power – it’s about gender power (Monash Univeristy)

We Underestimate the Manosphere at Our Peril (New York Times)

The “Die With Zero” Rule for Retirement Promises More Fulfillment, but May Be a Bridge to Far for Some

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 15 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the “Die With Zero” rule from hedge fund manager and best-selling author Bill Perkins, which has picked up some steam recently in wealth management and retirement circles, and consider why its goal idea of maximizing experiences lived requires some to overcome not just psychological hurdles but also evolutionary hurdles.

The 'Die With Zero' Rule of Retirement (Kiplinger)

GLP-1 Drugs Give Many People a Fighting Chance in a Secret War with a Predatory Food Industry

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 14 May 2025 03:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider whether American society needs GLP-1 drugs because of the way they work on people’s brains to help them eat less, particularly because the food industry in America apparently has gotten so good at formulating foods that work on people’s brains to make them eat more. The guys also consider why so many people feel the need to hide their use of the drugs in light of how popular they are.

In a World of Addictive Foods, We Need GLP-1s (New York Times)

‘I lost so much weight, my husband thought I was terminally ill’: why do people lie about taking Ozempic? (The Guardian)

Questioning the Use Sunscreen is Fair, but Ditching it Altogether Requires Extraordinary Proof

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 08 May 2025 01:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the recent trend that has some people abandoning the use of sunscreen based on claims that it is not necessary or actually could be bad for your health.

Most Sunscreen Isn't Bad For You and Using it Will Help Prevent Skin Cancer (Discover Magazine)

Does Chaos and Conflict in Society Explain Some Americans’ Turn to a Political Strongman?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 07 May 2025 02:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at a recent quote from Charles Koch and consider whether in the current moment, we are witnessing a shift in Americans values on things like free markets, and whether the chaos and conflict in our society may be the cause. The guys illustrate the point through at a recent story about a potential executive order aimed at limiting name image and likeness (NIL) payments to athletes.

In DC Speech, Charles Koch Speaks of ‘the Mess’ He Sees the Country In (Time)

Report: President Trump considers executive order limiting NIL payments (ProFootballTalk)

Are US Sports League Drafts Anti American Values?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Thu, 01 May 2025 01:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider why so many Americans so say the care about freedom and free markets embrace sports league drafts, which operate to take away players freedom to choose where to live and work and to negotiate a salary.

Is the NFL Draft Illegal? (Sports Lawyers Association)

Culture Series: “How Capitalism Works and How it Fails,” aka "Talking to My Daughter about the Economy: A Brief History of Capitalism" a Book by Yanis Varoufakis

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 03:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at some of the more intriguing topics in Yanis Varoufakis’ book “Talking to My daughter About the Economy - A Brief History of Capitalism,” which is alternatively titled “How Capitalism Works and How it Fails.” This book, which was first published in 2013, details the rise of market societies and how things like money and the profit motive came to be, and also discusses the mechanics behind the rise of capitalism and how those mechanics have supercharged societies in some good ways and also some risky or unsustainable ways.

Talking to My Daughter about the Economy: A Brief History of Capitalism (yanisvaroufakis.eu)

What’s Driving the American System Off a Cliff; also, the Spiky Age Curve for Adult Humans

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 03:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider the extent to which the framework of the United States government, as expressed in the Constitution, is falling, and how a failure to heed George Washington’s warning is driving it off the cliff (01:52). The guys also react to the new research that suggests that adult humans don’t age linearly but rather have aging bursts in their mid-40s and early 60s (33:41).

The Constitutional Crisis Is Here (The Atlantic)

Trump says he would "love to" send American "homegrown criminals" to foreign prisons (CBS News)

US Supreme Court halts deportation of detained Venezuelans (BBC)

A quick break from football, for something more important (ProFootballTalk)

Over 150 US university presidents sign letter decrying Trump administration (The Guardian)

George Washington Farewell Address (National Constitution Center)

U.S. attorney demands scientific journal explain how it ensures 'viewpoint diversity' (NBC News)

Trump’s playbook is Viktor Orbán’s (Robert Reich Substack)

Humans Age Rapidly at 44 and 60. Follow These Tips to Delay the Burst (Mens Health - Apple News Link)

Why Aging Comes in Dramatic Waves in Our 40s and 60s (Scientific American)

Chapters

(00:01:52) - Part 1
(00:33:41) - Part 2

Could Spending at Brothels Predict When a Recession is Coming? also, the New Old Diet Trick that Can Save Your Metabolism

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 02:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider whether nontraditional economic measures like the brothels spending or beer sales may be able to tell us more about where the economy is going than the stock market (01:02). The guys also look at some new research into a small diet tweak that could match the health and weight loss benefits of intermittent fasting (33:06).

Sex Workers Already Predicted There's A Recession Coming — Here's How They Know (Huff Post)

Simple diet hack is more effective than intermittent fasting diet, study claims (BBC Science Focus)

Common artificial sweetener makes you three times hungrier than sugar (New Scientist)

Chapters

(00:01:02) - Could Spending at Brothels Predict When a Recession is Coming?
(00:33:06) - The New Old Diet Trick that Can Save Your Metabolism

In the Face of a Measles Outbreak, will RFK Jr.’s Flip Flop on the Vaccine Help? also, Caffeine Consumption May Be Reaching Alarming, and Potentially Deadly, Levels

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 01:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the ongoing measles outbreak in the southwest United States and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s apparent about face on the importance of the measles vaccine (01:22). The guys also consider whether the rise in caffeine consumption, whether through energy drinks or coffee and tea products, and the deaths that seem to be arising out of that, is something that society needs to take a closer look at (29:21).

Health secretary RFK Jr. endorses the MMR vaccine — stoking fury among his supporters (NPR)

Trump begins mass layoffs at FDA, CDC, other US health agencies (Reuters)

Colorado sues HHS, RFK Jr. over funding cuts as measles case hits (Axios)

All That Caffeine You’re Drinking May Be Doing More Harm Than Good — Men’s Health (Apple News)

'Workout Queen,' 28, Who Loved ‘the Buzz’ from Caffeinated Energy Drinks Has Heart Attack, Suffers Fatal Brain Damage (People)

Chapters

(00:01:22) - In the Face of a Measles Outbreak, will RFK Jr.’s Flip Flop on the Vaccine Help?
(00:29:14) - Caffeine Consumption May Be Reaching Alarming, and Potentially Deadly, Levels

Culture Series: “The Revolt of the Public and the Crisis of Authority in the New Millennium,” a Book by Martin Gurri

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 02:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss a few things that stood out in Martin Gurri’s 2014 book “The Revolt of the Public and the Crisis of Authority in the New Millennium,” which looks at how digital technology has ushered into a new era of information access altered the power balance between the public and elite institutions in societies around the world. The guys also consider the extent to which the perspective it offers still holds true over 10 years after its initial publication.

The Revolt of the Public and the Crisis of Authority in the New Millennium (Stripe Press)

What’s Behind the Trend of Young Men Struggling with Romantic Relationships? also, Hitler Apologist Attitudes Popping Up on the Political Right

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the numbers that suggest that young men are having a tough time holding down romantic relationships, at least relative to historic trends (01:16). The guys also try to make sense of the rise in what look like apologist attitudes and conversations about Hitler and the Nazi’s we have seen recently coming from figures on the political right. (29:22).

Why are young men so hopeless at dating? (Vox)

Teens Are Forgoing a Classic Rite of Passage (The Atlantic)

Antisemitism Rears Its Head on the Right, Too (WSJ)

Yes, Musk repost misleadingly claimed 'Stalin, Mao and Hitler didn't murder millions of people' (Snopes)

Elon Musk’s daughter says father’s rally gesture was ‘definitely a Nazi salute’ (The Guardian)

This Has Got to Be the Most Hitler-Curious Administration in U.S. History (Slate)

The Idea that Covid-19 Originated in a Lab Continues to Gain Credibility; also, Why Firing Low Performing Workers Fails to Boost Productivity

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 03:35:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the growing consensus that appears to be forming that the Covid-19 virus originated from scientific research and was accidentally released from a lab in Wuhan, China (01:25). The guys also break down the overwhelming evidence that firing employees deemed as low performing doesn’t work boost overall productivity in workplaces, particularly in light of talk now in corporate America and in government about cutting workers and growing efficiency (26:24).

German spy agency concluded COVID virus likely leaked from lab, papers say (Reuters)

The surprising truth about low performers (Business Insider)

As Competition Picks Up in the Global AI Development Race, Is the US Positioned to Continue to Lead?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 02:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the ongoing global AI development race and consider in light of its recent development technologies like DeepSeek and Manus, whether China may be poised to overwhelm the US from a capability standpoint.

New Chinese AI agent draws DeepSeek comparison (Axios)

The west is already losing the AI arms race (The Guardian)

Billionaire investor Ray Dalio warns the U.S. won’t ‘be competitive in manufacturing with China in our lifetime’ (Yahoo! Finance)

With the Rich Increasingly Propping Up the US Economy, the Path to Prosperity Narrows; also, News Fatigue is Society’s IRL Frankenstein Monster

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 01:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider what it means that the US economy continues to become more and more reliant on spending by the top 10% of earners, and discuss how this is the exact opposite of how the US built to largest middle class in the history of the world in the 20^th century (01:15). The guys also take a look at the concept of news fatigue, and discuss why so many in our modern society feel overwhelmed by the news and what can be done about it (29:51).

The U.S. Economy Depends More Than Ever on Rich People (Wall Street Journal) (Apple News Link)

Why the News Feels Overwhelming—And How to Cope (Scientific American) (Apple News Link)

Are Weight Loss Drugs also Economy Boosting Drugs? also, Dropping Diversity Initiatives for Cronyism Serves a Hidden Agenda

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 04:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to some recent studies into how Ozempic and other GLP-1 type weight loss drugs may be changing not just people’s bodies but also our economy and boosting the GDP (01:21). The guys also consider what the move by the Trump administration to replace Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, someone who is unqualified for the position by the letter of the law says about the administration’s stated concern about diversity initiatives and the hiring of allegedly unqualified people (26:08).

Weight-loss drugs aren't just slimming waists. They're shifting the economy (WaPo)

Obesity drugs are among health breakthroughs forecast to boost GDP (Goldman Sachs)

Oprah Winfrey says taking Ozempic made her come to realisation about ‘thin people’ (The Independent)

Trump fires chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and two other military officers (AP News)

Pete Hegseth Snaps at Reporter Asking About ‘Underqualified’ Military Chief (Daily Beast)

Trump signs order to claim power over independent agencies (Politico)

Hegseth: Trump Will Install New Military Attorneys Who Won’t Be ‘Roadblocks to Anything’ (Rolling Stone)

The Great Migration in Many Ways Embodied the American Spirit; also, Can Pro All-Star Games be Saved from Modernity?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 02:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the Great Migration, the factors that drove it and how this mass redistribution of Black Americans already in the US played such a huge role in the evolution of the country we see it today (01:26). The guys also consider whether pro sports all-star games like the NBA All Star Game and the NFL Pro Bowl have outlived their usefulness in today’s world where there is already so much exposure of the stars in the media (26:52).

The Great Migration (1910-1970) (National Archives)

The Long-Lasting Legacy of the Great Migration (Smithsonian Magazine)

Great Migrations: A People on The Move (PBS)

Great Migrations with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. | Full Episode 1 (YouTube)

NBA All-Star 2025: New format draws mixed reviews -- what's next? (ESPN)

Richard Jefferson blames ‘BS’ All-Star Game format on Hall of Famers who ‘decided to stop playing hard’ (Cavaliers Nation)

Why the NFL changed Pro Bowl to new flag football game format in 2023 (The Sporting News)

Kevin Durant derides NBA All-Star criticism: 'It's more fun to complain about the NBA than to actually watch it' (Yahoo! Sports)

How a New Propaganda Model Pressure Washes Your Brain; also, Does the US Need a Black National Anthem and a National Anthem?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 02:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the Firehose of Falsehood propaganda model that was developed by Russia and discuss how over the last decade, it has influenced many forms of communication and become ubiquitous in social media feeds (01:15). The guys also react to the controversy over the signing of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” alongside the National Anthem at the Super Bowl brings out the tendency many Americans have to see the worst in each other (35:05).

The Russian "Firehose of Falsehood" Propaganda Model (Rand Corporation)

Why some are lashing out at the Super Bowl’s pregame ceremony (NBC News)

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion (Penguin Random House)

NFL Touts the Benefits of its Diversity Practices, While Others Use DEI as a Scapegoat for Any Problem; also, How Heavy or How Tall is Too Much for a Ride Share?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 03:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the NFL’s position that its diversity efforts in hiring make the league better, and put this against the backdrop of the current public hostility seen towards DEI policies (01:20). The guys also react to the lawsuit filed by a Detroit woman who claims a Lyft driver refused to give her the ride she because she weighed too much (31:04).

Roger Goodell says NFL 'better' because of diversity efforts (ESPN)

Trump blames DEI for weakening FAA in aftermath of Reagan National plane crash (The Hill)

Manifest Destiny: Trump is now planning to bring back a concept last used in the 1800s (The Economic Times)

From Delta Air Lines to Costco, some companies say they'll stick with DEI (NBC News)

Trump’s gutting of federal DEI programs will hit rural poor communities (CNN)

Detroit rapper Dank Demoss sues Lyft, alleges she was denied a ride over her weight (NBC News)

Immediate Extension of TikTok Ban Reveals the Game that Really Being Played; also, the Simple Reason Many Believe NFL Games Are Rigged

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 04:10:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana break down what is happening with the TikTok ban and immediate reinstatement in the US and take a closer look at the direction things seem to be heading in now. (01:20). The guys also discuss the sentiment that seems to be held by a large segment of the sports watching public that that the National Football League is rigging playoff games for the Kansas City Chief and Patrick Mahomes (31:04).

Trump's 75-day extension of TikTok ban falls into 'gray area,' experts say. What to know (USA Today)

Instagram and Facebook Blocked and Hid Abortion Pill Providers’ Posts (NY Times)

TikTok users allege censorship, altered algorithms after Trump saved platform (Yahoo! News)

No — repeat, no! — the NFL is not fixing games in the Chiefs' favor (Yahoo! Sports)

Dave Portnoy explodes over ‘rigged’ Chiefs v Bills game after losing $1 million bet (The Independent)

Chiefs LB Drue Tranquill: “Take all that ‘ref’ talk and kick rocks” (Profootballtalk)

Anger at Rap Stars for Performing During Trump Inauguration Feels Good but Looks Bad; also, Training for Optimism While Surrounded by Pessimism

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 03:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the criticism artists like Nelly and Snoop Dogg have received for performing at events connected to the Inauguration of President Trump and discuss what people who may not have voted for Trump in November should be expected to do now (01:09). The guys also consider whether you can in fact train yourself to be more optimistic and discuss why that could be very impactful to one’s life (26:50).

Snoop Dogg and others face heat for performing at Trump's pre-inauguration ball (NPR)

Nelly dismisses backlash over Trump inauguration ball performance: 'It is an honor for me' (USA Today)

Eight years ago, stars avoided Trump’s inauguration. This time it’s different (AP News)

Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross & Soulja Boy Perform At Pro-Trump ‘Crypto Ball’ Celebration In D.C. (Hip Hop DX)

You Can Train Your Brain To Be Less Pessimistic. Here's Exactly How. (Women’s Health - Apple News Link)

Netflix’s Jerry Springer Doc Shows We Are All Springer Guests Now; also, Why Europe Stands Up to Big Business While the US Lays Down

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 02:50:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the wild Netflix documentary “Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action” and consider how it may have been just a precursor to what society has become (01:31). The guys also discuss some of the recent efforts by European officials to reign in the Big Tech titans like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, and consider why Europeans appear to be apt to stand up to big business than Americans (24:33).

Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action (Netflix)

Macron accuses Musk of ‘directly intervening’ in elections (The Telegraph)

We do not censor social media, EU says in response to Meta (Reuters)

Big Tech giving European consumers what they deny Americans (Brookings)

On protecting consumers from toxics in cosmetics, U.S. lags at least 80 countries (EWG)

Apparently Your IPhone and Your Tesla Snitch on You, and Those Around You

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the recent settlement related to alleged violations of user’s privacy by Apple’s Siri assistant, as well as the revelation that the Elon Musk shared a massive amount of data collected by the Telsa Cybertruck that exploded on New Years Day and discuss the jarring extend to which our own tech devices are spying on us and whether there is any limit to it.

Apple to pay $95 million to settle Siri privacy lawsuit (Reuters)

'You're always being tracked': How the Vegas Cybertruck investigation reveals a lack of privacy (KOAA News Local NBC)

Is your car spying on you? What it means that Tesla shared data in the Las Vegas explosion (LA Times)

America Has Become a 'Surveillance Prison' - Our Devices and Our Government Are Spying on Us (CBN)

‘People have no idea’: How smart devices spy on us and reveal information about our homes (El Pais)

A Current US Congresswoman Living in an Assisted Living Facility Continues a Disturbing Trend; Can Negativity Online Change How You Remember Experiences? also, Making Sense of the Decline in NBA Ratings

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the revelation that Texas Republican Kay Granger, a member of Congress, has been absent from her job and living in an assisted living facility for dementia patients for the past few months (01:48). The guys also consider the power of online negativity has, which may even extend to being able to reshape our perceptions of things we experienced firsthand (25:20) and weigh in on all the hand wringing about the nba ratings declines and what may be driving it (44:31).

Kay Granger is residing in assisted-living facility, her son tells Dallas publication (Politico)

Report of 'Missing' GOP Congresswoman in Senior Facility Sparks Backlash (Newsweek)

What Is Negativity Bias and How Can It Be Overcome? (Positive Psychology)

Negative expressions are shared more on Twitter for public figures than for ordinary users (NIH.gov)

We’ve Misunderstood Human Nature for 100 Years (NY Times)

NBA ratings are down. Three-pointers are up. And the discourse is everywhere (WaPo)

NBA Ratings Tank While The NFL Jumps. What’s Behind The Viewership Contrast? (Daily Wire)

Where does the NBA stand in the ratings? (Sports Media Watch)

Kevin Durant ‘locked in’ to solve ratings dilemma as he admits ‘rough patch’ for the NBA (Awful Announcing)

Drake’s Accusations and Shifting a Rap Beef to Court; Ultra Processed Food, Meat Substitutes, and the Lack of Clear Answers; also, Trinity Rodman Stands Up to Her Father by Blood Only

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 23:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to Drake’s accusations that Universal Music Group and Spotify conspired to illegally boost Kendrick Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us,” and consider the implication of his claims from a Technofeudalism perspective. (01:29). The guys also consider whether the label “ultra processed” is being used too generally in reference to foods like meat substitutes like Impossible Burgers and Beyond Burgers (19:48) and weigh in on the controversy involving Trinity Rodman and her father “by blood but nothing else,” Dennis Rodman (37:30).

Drake Is Taking His Kendrick Lamar Beef to Court (Vulture)

You’re being lied to about “ultra-processed” foods (Vox)

Dennis Rodman’s Daughter, Trinity, Says NBA Star Is Her Dad “By Blood, But Nothing Else” (Vibe)

Trinity Rodman Calls Her Father Dennis Rodman's Apology 'a Joke': 'I'm Done' (People)

Sinking Buildings in Miami Will Bring Challenges; Adderall as the Steroids for Certain Industries; also, Rape Accusations Against Jay-Z Brought to the Court of Public Opinion

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 01:50:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the reports that high rises along the Miami coastline are sinking (01:39). The guys also discuss the widespread use and abuse of ADHD drugs like Adderall in educational and work settings (14:25) and weigh in on the bombshell rape accusations against rapper jay-z and his aggressive response to them (34:45).

Dozens of luxury condos, hotels in Miami sinking at ‘unexpected’ rates, new study reveals (Yahoo! News)

The World’s Fastest-Sinking Megacity Has One Last Chance to Save Itself (Bloomberg)

Is Venice sinking? Yes, but there’s more to the story (Go Ahead Tours)

The Drugs Young Bankers Use to Get Through the Day—and Night (Wall Street Journal)

Breaking Down Jay-Z’s Addition to a Diddy Case (Vulture)

Jay-Z’s Lawyers File Motion Claiming Accuser’s Attorney Pressured a Client to Link Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to Unrelated Case (Variety)

Who is Tony Buzbee, the lawyer suing Jay-Z as part of civil cases against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs? (AP News)

A timeline from accusation to admission: Crystal Mangum says she lied about Duke rape, turning a 2006 scandal on its head (CNN)

Shooting of Health Insurance CEO Misses the Mark for Instigating Systemic Change; also New Golf Gender Policy Protects Competition, but Creates a Concerning Incentive

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 03:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the public reaction to the shooting of the United Healthcare CEO and break down why this will not hinder the parasitic healthcare insurers (01:22). The guys also weigh in on the new gender policy that has been adopted by the LPGA and the USGA and the hidden downside it presents (36:16).

A timeline of the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and search for his killer (AP)

New York prosecutors charge suspect with murder in death of UnitedHealthcare CEO (NPR)

CEO killing latest: Luigi Mangione's writings revealed (MSN)

In 2021, 72% of UnitedHealth’s $222.9 billion health plan revenue came from taxpayers.

How Often Do Health Insurers Say No to Patients? No One Knows. (ProPublica)

Murdered health insurance boss Brian Thompson backed 'malicious' AI that denied 90% of patient coverage (Daily Mail)

LPGA, USGA gender policy updates include female-at-birth clause (ESPN)

Pentagon in a Secret Alien Tech Arms Race - Congressional Inquiry Allegation or Hollywood Movie Pitch? also, Is LL Cool J the Most Important Rapper?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 03:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to claims made in a recent congressional hearing that multiple countries are leveraging alien technology as a part of a decades long secret arms race (01:29). The guys also weigh in on LL Cool J’s recent claim that he is the most important rapper of all time (27:46).

Alien Technology Is Driving a ‘Multidecade, Secretive Arms Race,’ Former Pentagon Official Claims (Popular Mechanics)

LL Cool J Greatest, Most Important Rapper Is ... ME!!! Does He Have a Point? (TMZ)

“Join or Die” Reveals How Vital Participating on Community Organizations is to Our Democratic Society - Streaming Between the Lines

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 02:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the 2023 documentary “Join or Die,” currently airing on Netflix, and weigh in on the case it made about that importance of people to participating in clubs and groups to maintaining a democratic society and on why the decline of community engagement in the US should have us all concerned (and ready to act).

Join or Die (Netflix)

Politics Are About Manipulation, but not All Manipulation is Equal; Reacting to the Twitter/X Exodos; the Effects of Bullying Run Deep

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 01:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider some recent comments on modern American politics by Denzel Washington on how we are all slaves to information and being manipulated by both sides (01:15). The guys also weigh in on the recent exodus from Twitter/X (17:19) and up by reacting to some recent studies on how being bullied may change one’s brain (36:35).

Denzel Washington Says People ‘Better Realize’ They’re ‘Being Manipulated’ by Both Political Sides: ‘We’re All Slaves to Information Now’ (Yahoo! Entertainment)

X sees largest user exodus since Elon Musk takeover (NBC News)

What is Bluesky, the fast-growing social platform welcoming fleeing X users? (AP News)

We're starting to understand what being bullied does to the brain (New Scientist)

Questioning the Safety of Chatbots After a Teen’s Suicide; Also, Did the Election Show an Embrace of Trump, or a Rejection Harris’ Message?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 02:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider whether chatbots are safe in light of the recent story about the 14 year old boy that killed himself allegedly to get closer to a chatbot he believed he had gotten close to. (01:31). The guys also discuss whether Kamala Harris’ election loss is more about a Rejection of Harris and the Democratic Party, or an embrace of Donald Trump and the Republican Party (25:31).

A 14-Year-Old Boy Killed Himself to Get Closer to a Chatbot. He Thought They Were In Love. (Wall Street Journal)

US election briefing: Trump on track to win popular vote as millions of Biden voters desert Harris (The Guardian)

Bernie Sanders Stands by His Criticism of Democrats, Shrugging Off Nancy Pelosi: ‘Working People Are Extremely Angry’ (Yahoo News)

Kamala Harris is just the latest victim of global trend to oust incumbents (The Guardian)

Culture Series: “Nexus,” a Book by Yuval Noah Harari

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 03:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss a few things that stood out in Yuval Noah Harari’s new book “Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI,” which looks at the role information and information networks have played in how human society has developed, and how the introduction of AI may be more revolutionary than we can imagine.

Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI. (ynharari.com)

Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI. (Penguin Random House)

Kamala Harris Faces a Double Standard, but That’s Because Trump is Not Held to Any Standard; Also, the Case of the Disappearing Sex Scenes in American Movies

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 01:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the claims that there is a double standard at play in the way some in the media and some voters treat Kamala Harris relative to Donald Trump (01:20). The guys also consider what the decline in sex in movies says about our culture (33:41).

Michelle Obama Decries a ‘Double Standard’ in Treatment of Trump and Harris (NY Times)

The double standard for Harris and Trump has reached a breaking point (WaPo)

The Sexless State of Cinema, by the Numbers (The Ringer)

In “Saving Capitalism,” Former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich Breaks Down the Need to Reconfigure Our Economic System

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 01:30:00 +0000

Continuing their “Streaming Between the Lines” series, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the 2017 documentary film “Saving Capitalism,” which follows professor and former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich as he explains how the capitalist system in the US has been intentionally configured in recent times to primarily benefit the few, and how that imperils the continued operation of a democratic system.

Saving Capitalism (Netflix)

Have Sports Gambling Apps Gone Too Far in Exploiting Vulnerable Gamblers? Also, Is the Goal of FEMA Disinformation Isolation and Division?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 00:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider whether sports gambling, particularly with mobile apps, may be going too far in light of a recent lawsuit against FanDuel filed by former employee of the Jacksonville Jaguars Amit Patel who is currently serving a 6 ½ sentence in federal prison for conduct related to his gambling (01:30). The guys also react to the misinformation explosion surround FEMA hurricane relief, which coincidentally or not followed 100+ Republicans in congress voting against FEMA funding (24:23).

Ex-Jaguars employee Amit Patel sues FanDuel for $250 million (ESPN)

Florida Republicans Who Voted Against Funding FEMA Are Now Facing Disaster (Rolling Stone)

Suspect arrested after reports of threats toward FEMA operations in North Carolina (CNN)

Hurricanes Milton and Helene are a wake-up call for the stakes of this election (MSNBC)

FEMA Scrambles to Confront Two Storms—and Misinformation (WSJ) (Apple News Link)

Marjorie Taylor Greene Is Now Adding Lasers to Her Hurricane Helene Conspiracy (The Daily Beast)

DeSantis misses post-hurricane meeting with Biden — again (Politico)

Toxic Fandom Undermines Content Like Star Wars and the Little Mermaid, Not “Woke” Casting; Also, Culture War Fights Lead Many to Accepting or Even Embracing Unethical Politicians

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 01:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the controversies and hate campaigns that are being seen more and more with entertainment properties like Star Wars, Snow White, Gladiator, and the Little Mermaid, and consider whether complaints about “forced diversity” and “woke” agendas in entertainment and fantasy have any merit (01:26). The guys also consider whether the latest revelations by Jack Smith about Donald Trump’s conduct following his 2020 election loss further demonstrate that at least for some parts of the American public, unethical or bad behavior is no longer a significant concern (25:12).

‘The Acolyte’ Has Caused Star Wars Fandom To Plunge Into Civil War (Forbes)

How the culture war ruined ‘Star Wars’ (Medium)

Rachel Zegler says her ‘Snow White’ movie gives the princess’ name a new origin story (Los Angeles Times)

The Only Winner Of The Star Wars Culture War Is Disney (Giant Freakin Robot)

Star Wars: Daisy Ridley Has Some Thoughts On The Hate Rey Gets From Fans (GameRant)

11 damning details in Jack Smith’s new brief in the Trump election case (Politico)

Tina Peters, former Colorado county clerk, sentenced to 9 years over voting systems breach (Nebraska Examiner)

Can AI Chatbots Rescue People From Conspiracy Theory Silos? Also, Argentina’s Economic Shock Therapy Delivers More Poverty Because it Ignores the Lessons of the 20th Century

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 22:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the AI chatbot that seems to be able to pull people away from conspiracy theories and the viability of using of technology to address problems created by technology (01:11). The guys also take a look at what is happening with Argentina’s economy with the shock therapy that the new libertarian president has implemented (25:39).

This Chatbot Pulls People Away From Conspiracy Theories (NY Times)

Argentina’s poverty rate spikes in first 6 months of President Milei’s shock therapy (AP News)

Percentage distribution of wealth in Argentina in 2021, by wealth percentile (Statista)

Streaming Between the Lines - “Shirley” Captures the “Unbought and Unbossed” Energy of Shirley Chisholm

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 23:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the 2024 movie “Shirley,” directed by John Ridley and currently airing on Netflix, which tells the story of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress, and her trailblazing run in the 1972 democratic presidential primary.

Shirley (Netflix)

Regina King Inspires as Presidential Candidate Shirley Chisholm in a New Biopic (Tudum by Netflix)

Trump Again Tests the Limits of Leveraging Deception for Political Gain With Lies About Haitian Immigrants; Also, OnlyFans Staggering Success is Built on Empowering Creators, but Will the Honeymoon Last?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 01:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the use of debunked claims by the Trump campaign about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio eating pets for political gain (01:09). The guys also react to the revelation that Onlyfans has become one of the most popular and profitable websites (32:12).

Trump and Vance Are Harming the People They Claim to Care About (The Atlantic)

Calls for J.D. Vance to resign after he admits that he created pet-eating story about immigrants (NJ.com)

Haitian immigrants helped revive a struggling Ohio town. Then neo-Nazis turned up (The Guardian)

Two Springfield, Ohio, hospitals locked down as more bomb threats rock city amid migrant crisis tensions (NY Post)

Stochastic terrorism (Wikipedia)

OnlyFans figured out the best porn business on the internet (Business Insider) (Apple News Link)

If School Shootings Are “a Fact of Life,” More Ideas Are Need to Create Change; Russian Propagandist Target Right Wingers as America’s Weak Links; Is Weed Getting Too Strong for Casual Use?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 20:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia and what it really means if one believes that stuff like this is now just “a fact of life” (1:16). The guys also consider why Russian propagandists seem to be so keen on secretly amplifying right wing voices in America (22:29) and react to the question of whether marijuana has become too strong since big business has now gotten in the business of growing and selling it (34:59).

'Great' dad. 'Caring' brother. Families mourn Georgia high school shooting victims. (USA Today)

JD Vance says he laments that school shootings are a ‘fact of life’ and calls for better security (AP News)

Illinois law banning concealed carry on public transit is unconstitutional, judge rules (AP News)

How Russian operatives covertly hired U.S. influencers to create viral videos (NPR)

Right-wing US influencers say they were victims of alleged Russian plot (BBC)

What to know about Tenet Media, Tennessee company linked to Russian propagandists (The Tennesseean)

Marijuana Is Too Strong Now (The Atlantic) (Apple News Link)

Decline Border Crossings Exposes Those Who Are Incentivized to Avoid Solutions; Also, Brazil Takes on Twitter’s Globalist Ambitions and Refuting Dolphin Slander

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 22:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the sharp decline in encounters at the southern border with people wanting to come to the US and why some who oppose immigration are not thrilled about the development (1:14). The guys also react to the banning of Twitter/X in Brazil (28:14) and consider if dolphins really are evil (55:43).

July Immigrant Border Arrests Lower Than Trump’s Last Month In Office (Forbes)

GOP senator reveals threat he received working on border bill (CNN)

Senate Republicans block bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package following months of negotiations (CNN)

Fentanyl scanners that were sitting idle for lack of federal funds can now be installed at the border to catch smugglers (NBC News)

X goes offline in Brazil after Elon Musk’s refusal to comply with local laws (The Guardian)

Social media loves to villainize dolphins. Here's why it's wrong. (National Geographic) (Apple News Link)

Much Like Humans, Dolphin Pods Have Complex Social Structures (Discover Magazine)

Is Taxing Millionaires and the “Buffett Rule” a Solution the Runaway US National Debt? Also Remembering the Past Failures of Race Pseudoscience as it Tries to Sneak Back In

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 22:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to some recent comments by JP Morgan Chase CEO Jaime Dimon about the looming national debt crisis and whether the rich need to pay more taxes (1:14). The guys also weigh in on what many have said is a recent uptick of people in right wing circles trying to mainstream race pseudoscience (33:24).

Jamie Dimon wants to hit millionaires with the ‘Buffett Rule’ to tackle national debt - Fortune (Yahoo! Finance)

What is the national debt? (Treasury.gov)

U.S. Debt by President: Dollar and Percentage (Investopedia)

Reaganomics (Wikipedia)

The Far Right Is Becoming Obsessed With Race and IQ (The Atlantic) (Apple News Link)

How we fail black patients in pain (Association of American Medical Colleges)

Streaming Between the Lines – “The Eugenics Crusade” - Call It Like I See It (Apple Podcasts)

Netflix's "Behind the Curve" and the Belief in a Flat Earth - Call It Like I See It (Apple Podcasts)

Culture Series: “It Was All a Lie,” a Book by Stuart Stevens

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 23:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss “It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump,” the 2020 New York Times Bestseller written by longtime Republican political consultant and strategist Stuart Stevens which looks the lies the modern Republican Party built itself on and how that led to the party’s complete submission to former president Trump.

It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump (Penguin Random House)

Is Elon Musk’s X Corp. Weaponizing the Government Against Advertisers Who Left Twitter? Also Reconciling NWA Nostalgia with Ice Cube’s Move Away From His Signature Demeanor

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 00:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss X Corp.’s recently filed lawsuit against advertisers for what it calls an illegal boycott relative to what its owner, Elon Musk, says he’s about (1:04). The guys also discuss Ice Cube’s flirtation with figures like Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson, particularly in light of his particular legacy in hip hop music and culture (21:37).

Scoop: X sues major brands, ad industry group for antitrust (Axios)

Elon Musk’s X sues advertisers over alleged ‘massive advertiser boycott’ after Twitter takeover (AP)

Musk’s Twitter ‘Boycott’ Lawsuit Is a ‘Hideous Joke’: Former FTC Official (Rolling Stone)

What Happened to Ice Cube? (Slate)

Project 2025 Reveals the Radicals in Conservatives’ Clothing; Reaction to Olympic Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif Exposes Society’s Gender Classification Confusion; and Checking In on the Latest Scientific Efforts to Make it Rain

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 20:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at Project 2025, what it represents, and why Republican nominee Donald Trump has started distancing himself from it (1:15). The guys also react to the gender controversy involving Algerian boxer Imane Khelif at the Olympics (32:04) and discuss a recent story on technological advancements in cloud seeding and making it rain on demand (48:02).

Project 2025: The myths and the facts (Vox)

Project 2025 - Mandate for Leadership (PDF from Project2025.org)

Project 2025 (Wikipedia)

Project 2025: A wish list for a Trump presidency, explained (BBC)

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif clinches medal at Olympics after outcry fueled by gender misconceptions (AP)

Imane Khelif is just the latest case of female athletes being questioned over their sex (NPR)

Fact check on Algerian fighter Imane Khelif, DSDs, biology and Olympic boxing (USA Today)

The New Gods of Weather Can Make Rain on Demand—or So They Want You to Believe (Wired) (Apple News Link)

California’s $20 Minimum Wage May Not Be the End of The World - Murder of Sonya Massey Reveals the Disconnect in Police Hiring - Living Life in a Black Hole

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 20:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss California’s move to raise the minimum wage to $20/hour for workers at large fast food chains and the hollow predictions of doom and gloom (1:17). The guys also discuss the lack of negative incentives in police hiring in America in light of the murder of Sonya Massey (20:20) and react to the theory that has been making the rounds that our known universe may be a black hole in some larger universe or multiverse (41:38).

California put up its fast-food wage to $20. Its governor is adamant it's not causing employment to fall. (Business Insider)

Southern California fast food jobs hit record high despite minimum wage hike (Orange County Register)

The Unintended Consequences Of California’s $20 Minimum Wage For Fast-Food Workers (Forbes)

What Are the Pros and Cons of Raising the Minimum Wage? (Investopedia)

Body camera video focused national attention on an Illinois deputy’s fatal shooting of Sonya Massey (AP News)

Deputy who killed Sonya Massey was removed from the Army, had DUIs and needed ‘high stress decision’ classes, records show (CNN)

Deputy who killed Sonya Massey drew concerns over his aggression and integrity issues in previous jobs (NBC News)

DeSantis’s $13.5m police program lures officers with violent records to Florida (The Guardian)

We're all living in a black hole: The bold theory scientists can't disprove - BBC Science Focus (Apple News Link)

Why NASA Think We Might Live Inside a Black Hole - Bright Side Universe (YouTube)

Culture Series: “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” a Book by Neil Postman

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 21:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business,” the 1985 book that looks at how various mediums of communication used by societies influence the messages people receive in the society and details the way television, which presents all content as entertainment, handicaps our ability to engage in serious matters like self-governance.

Amusing Ourselves to Death (Penguin Random House)

Trump Assassination Attempt Leads to Conspiracy Theory Bonanza; Also, AT&T Data Breaches Illustrate the Death of Privacy and Heat Domes Showing Our Desensitization

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 21:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider the rush to conspiracy theories following the assassination attempt of Donald Trump (1:34). The guys also discuss the death of privacy and whether companies should be allowed to keep archives of so much data about us after a second huge data breach from AT&T (27:55) and react to the record breaking heat being seen across the US (43:59).

At the Trump rally, it was evening sun, songs and blue sky. Then came bullets, screams and blood (AP News)

The Trump Shooting Conspiracies Outpaced Reality (The Atlantic)

Trump Shooting Conspiracies Are Coming From Every Direction (Wired)

After assassination attempt, Trump and Biden seek calm, unity (Reuters)

The Russian "Firehose of Falsehood" Propaganda Model (RAND)

AT&T says criminals stole phone records of ‘nearly all’ customers in new data breach (Tech Crunch)

Nearly all AT&T cell customers’ call and text records exposed in a massive breach (CNN)

AT&T's Major Data Breach Sparks Another Class-Action Lawsuit (PC Mag)

Millions face extreme temperatures as heat dome covers US midwest and east (The Guardian)

The Climate Is the Economy (Slate)

New study calculates climate change’s economic bite will hit about $38 trillion a year by 2049 (AP News)

For Joe Biden the Presidential Candidate, Age is More Than Just a Number; Also, What’s Behind the Effort to Claim the Civil War was Not About Slavery and the Overreaction to Bronny James NBA Draft Position

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 20:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana weigh in on the age issue surrounding President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign and whether he is being selfish, or selfless, in refusing to drop out of the race (1:34). The guys also consider what is behind the effort to convince people the Civil War was about things other than slavery (25:24) and the problem many have expressed with Bronny James, the son of LeBron James, being drafted into the NBA despite his limited college track record (41:45).

To Serve His Country, President Biden Should Leave the Race (NY Times)

Debate proved neither Biden nor Trump is a good candidate. But one of them is far worse. (USA Today)

Biden faced a low bar in his first post-debate interview. It’s not certain he cleared it (AP News)

Nate Silver calls for Biden to resign after ‘incoherent’ comments in ABC interview (Yahoo! News)

Defiant Biden tells donors: 'We're done talking about the debate' (Politico)

Was the Civil War About Slavery? - PragerU (YouTube)

Next time someone says the Civil War wasn’t about slavery, show them this (Vox)

Cornerstone Speech (American Battlefield Trust)

The famous 1861 'Cornerstone Speech' that aimed for hard truths about the Confederate battle flag (Christian Science Monitor)

Why Bronny James getting a 4-year, $7.9M contract from the Lakers is no big deal (SBNation)

55th Overall Draft Picks in NBA (StatMuse)

Trash or Treasure? An Analysis of NBA Second Round Picks (Sports Analytics Group Berkeley)

Lakers Rumors: Bronny James Expected To Spend Majority Of Rookie Season In G League (Lakers Nation)

The US Supreme Court Decides Against the Supremacy of the Law; Also, Why Diversity in Leadership Can Correlate to Increased Profits and the Concern of Falling Birth Rates

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 21:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana a recent decision from the U.S. Supreme Court which places presidents above the law and other decisions which reshape American society in important ways (1:36). The guys also react to recent criticism of a McKinsey study from 2015 which showed an association between companies with diverse leadership and profits (28:09) and the concern that some experts are expressing over falling birth rates around the world (50:11).

Takeaways from the Supreme Court’s historic decision granting Donald Trump immunity (CNN)

The Supreme Court Gives a Free Pass to Trump and Future Presidents (NY Times)

The Supreme Court’s disastrous Trump immunity decision, explained (Vox)

The Supreme Court gives the right a huge victory over expertise (WaPo)

Diversity Was Supposed to Make Us Rich. Not So Much. (WSJ)

Falling fertility rates pose major challenges for the global economy, report finds (CNBC)

Suddenly There Aren’t Enough Babies. The Whole World Is Alarmed. (WSJ)

Social Media Platforms May Already Be Too Powerful for Warning Labels to Matter; Also, Louisiana Starts Another Ten Commandments Fight and Willie Mays and the Legacy of Baseball Integration

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the U.S. Surgeon General’s recent push to get warning labels on social media platforms and the chances that it has any legs (2:03). The guys also react to Louisiana’s new effort to require the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms despite similar efforts being deemed unconstitutional in the past (21:29) and remember Willie Mays and consider how future generations will remember the pre and post segregation eras of America’s pastime (36:45).

Tobacco-like warning label for social media sought by US surgeon general who asks Congress to act (AP)

How Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Failed Children on Safety, States Say (NY Times)

Louisiana will require the 10 Commandments displayed in every public school classroom (NPR)

Willie Mays Was the Greatest Baseball Player Who Ever Lived (The Ringer)

How Negro Leagues stats change MLB record books: Jackie Robinson and more notable names get updated numbers (CBS Sports)

Negro-League Players Don’t Belong in the MLB Record Books (The Atlantic)

"Wouldn’t wish it on anyone": MLB icon Reggie Jackson details racism he faced (Axios)

Is Tesla's Billion-dollar Pay Package For Elon Musk a Sign Of Success Or Trouble Ahead? Also, Texas School Board Fights and the Missing Indoctrination and the New Research that Says Alcohol is Not Good for You

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 03:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider whether Tesla's shareholders voting to reinstate a pay package presently worth over $40+ billion to Elon Musk is indicative of things are going right, or wrong at Tesla, and in our society in general (1:41). The guys also react to the story of the Texas republican who won a school board seat to fight indoctrination that she later found out didn’t exist (28:22) and take a look at new research that suggests that alcohol in any amount is bad for you (43:30).

Elon Musk’s multi-billion paycheck just got approved by stockholders. That could be a fraction of what’s coming (CNN)

How Elon Musk’s $44.9B Tesla pay package compares with the most generous plans for other U.S. CEOs (AP)

Elon Musk and the Decline of Tesla (The American Prospect)

Expert insight: Does Elon Musk deserve his $56 billion pay package? (Audacy)

Elon Musk cannot keep Tesla pay package worth more than $55 billion, judge rules

A GOP Texas school board member campaigned against schools indoctrinating kids. Then she read the curriculum. (Texas Tribune)

Is That Drink Worth It to You? (NY Times)

Culture Series: “Technofeudalism,” a Book by Yanis Varoufakis

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 22:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Yanis Varoufakis’s 2023 book “Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism,” a book that lays out the evolution of capitalism over the 20th century and how following the Great Financial Crisis, factors like the monetary policy of major central banks and the enclosure of the Internet and information technology has led to the decline of capitalism and markets the rise of a new economic system which looks a lot like feudalism.

Technofeudalism, By Yanis Varoufakis (Penguin Random House)

The Court of Law Remains an Obstacle in Donald Trump’s Effort to Bend Reality to His Will; Also, Debating Seinfeld’s Call Back to an “Agreed-Upon Hierarchy” and Whether Misogyny Enlivens Rap Music or Makes it Harder to Enjoy

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 20:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss how quickly followers of Donald Trump were to attack the pillars of the American system like courts and a jury following Trump’s conviction and the almost religious manner in which Trump defines reality for his followers (1:24). The guys also consider Jerry Seinfeld’s “agreed-upon hierarchy” comments and whether too much was being made of them (26:22) and how the extensive misogyny in rap music can affect one’s behavior and/or enjoyment of the music, particular as one ages (46:00).

Trump Was Convicted by a Jury, Not by His Political Enemies (Wall Street Journal)

Republicans are sticking by Trump, the felon — even in battleground states (Politico)

The Texas GOP Has Made Its Bed With Trump—Conviction Be Damned (Texas Monthly)

Trump supporters call for riots and violent retribution after verdict (Reuters)

Trump supporters try to dox jurors and post violent threats after his conviction (NBC News)

Trump allies signal they’re declaring war against Republican Senate candidate (The Independent)

Jerry Seinfeld Says He’s Nostalgic for “Agreed-Upon Hierarchy” and Misses “Dominant Masculinity” (Yahoo!)

Jerry Seinfeld on the Rules of Comedy—and Life | Honestly with Bari Weiss (YouTube)

Inside My Complicated Relationship With Rap Music (Esquire)

Justice Alito’s Flag Display Turns Supreme Court Legitimacy Upside Down; Also, NCAA Revenue Sharing, Evidence We Live in a Simulation, and Finding Addiction Everywhere We Look

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 28 May 2024 22:42:35 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider the extent to which Justice Samuel Alito’s flag flying controversy undermines the Supreme Court as an institution and whether that may be the point (1:16). The guys also discuss the NCAA’s history settlement that will result in revenue sharing with college sports players (16:00), react to the claim from one scientist that he can prove we live in a simulation (32:31), and consider whether humans are in fact addicted to addiction (43:42).

Dems Call for Alito to Recuse Himself From Jan. 6 Cases Over Upside-Down Flag (Rolling Stone)

A Christian Nationalist Battle Flag Flew at Justice Alito’s Vacation Home (Rolling Stone)

NCAA settlement a historic day for paying college athletes. What comes next? (ESPN)

A Scientist Says He Has the Evidence That We Live in a Simulation (Popular Mechanics)

Food, sex, drugs and more – are we addicted to addiction? (New Scientist) (Apple News Link)

America’s Persistent Culture of Illiberalism and the Blind Eye Many Turn to It; Also, Fluoride in Tap Water a Danger to Fetuses & Protesting Imperialism in New Caledonia

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 21 May 2024 21:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss illiberalism, which is the opposite of the liberalism ideal that forms the philosophical basis of the American constitutional setup, and some recent articles that suggest that home grown illiberalism has been a central feature and not a periodic diversion in American culture (1:31). The guys also take a look at recent studies on how fluoride consumption may be bad for fetuses (35:17) and the protests in New Caledonia over the mining of nickel for EVs and batteries (46:16).

The Deep, Tangled Roots of American Illiberalism (NY Times)

The Illiberalism at America’s Core (The New Republic)

Pregnant? Researchers want you to know something about fluoride (LA Times)

Behind New Caledonia’s Riots, a Fight Over Vast Reserves of Nickel (Wall Street Journal) (Apple News Link)

Lauren Southern's “Tradwife” Reversal and the Difficulty of Living Out Ideological Abstractions; Also, Appreciating Freedom of Speech in Light of Iranian Rapper’s (Literal) Death Sentence

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 14 May 2024 20:50:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the story of Lauren Southern, the right wing influencer whose life experiences now have her publicly questioning the “tradwife” mindset she once was a big promoter of (1:25). The guys also react to the death sentence given to Iranian hip hop hero Toomaj Salehi for his music and criticism of Iran’s controlling regime (39:45).

Lauren Southern: how my tradlife turned toxic (Unherd.com)

Iran’s hip-hop hero refused to be silenced. Now he’s been sentenced to death (The Times) (Apple News Link)

Trump’s Effort to Bend America’s Legal and Electoral System to His Will; Also, Is Entropy Responsible for Human Consciousness

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 07 May 2024 20:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss what appears to be a transparent and ongoing attempt by former president Donald Trump to exert dominion over American legal and electoral system (1:19). The guys also consider whether human consciousness may be a byproduct of entropy (40:27).

Judge Cites Trump for Contempt, and Says He Is Attacking the Rule of Law (NY Times)

Trump says he will only accept 2024 election results ‘if everything’s honest’ (CNN)

As Trump airs his election doubts, many supporters say they won't accept a Biden win in 2024 (NBC News)

Human Consciousness Could Be a Side Effect of Entropy, Study Suggests (Science Direct)

Discussing “The Joy Strategist” with Author Grace Harry; Also, Is Seinfeld Right to Blame the “Extreme Left” for TV Comedy Failings?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 20:25:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana are joined by Grace Harry, author of the 2023 book “The Joy Strategist,” and discuss notable items from the book and what’s next for her (1:39). The James, Tunde, and Grace also react to Jerry Seinfeld’s recent assertions that the “extreme left” and PC crap” are responsible for the demise of TV comedy sitcoms (34:09).

The Joy Strategist: Your Path To Inner Change (Andscape Books)

Jerry Seinfeld Causes Uproar With Comments About 'Extreme Left and P.C. Crap' Ruining Comedy (Huffpost)

Campus Anti War Protests Illustrate Both American Values and Perils of Painting with a Broad Brush; Also, Caitlin Clark’s WNBA Salary is Unfair, but Not Sexist

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 20:50:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at what's going on at Columbia University and other college campuses where so called peaceful protests on campuses over Israel’s actions in Gaza are creating quite a stir on campus (1:22). The guys also weigh in on whether the slotted salary for former Iowa Hawkeye star and recent #1 draft pick Caitlin Clark is unfair compared to men’s sports or more generally (39:53).

Columbia cancels in-person classes; protesters arrested at Yale and NYU: Updates (USA Today)

Columbia University main campus classes will be hybrid until semester ends; NYU students, faculty arrested during protests (CNN)

Columbia, Free Speech and the Coddling of the American Right (NY Times)

Why Anti-Israel Protesters Won’t Stop Harassing Jews (Intelligencer)

Who’s Behind the Anti-Israel Protests (WSJ)

Caitlin Clark salary criticism a ‘false narrative,’ says WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert (CNBC)

Shaquille O'Neal Says ‘It’s Up to the People to Support’ Caitlin Clark and WNBA in Salary Uproar (People)

The WNBA’s Future Can Be Seen in the NBA’s Past (Global Sport Matters)

Scientists’ Fear of Backlash Chills the Study of Transgender Medicine; Also, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and the Lost High Profile Rap Beef

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 20:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the “culture of fear” that many scientists are saying has developed around gender medicine research (1:32). The guys also react to the rap beef involving Drake, Kendrick Lamar and other heavyweights that recently exploded and consider why it seems we do not see high profile rap beefs like in the past (31:51).

‘This isn’t how good scientific debate happens’: academics on culture of fear in gender medicine research (The Guardian)

Anti-Trans Bills Disregard the Science on Sex and Gender (The Progressive Magazine)

American College of Pediatricians: No Benefits From ‘Gender-Affirming’ Interventions (Daily Citizen, from Focus on the Family)

19 Burning Questions About Rap’s Civil War (The Ringer)

NBA Slam Dunk Contest: Stars Say Risk Not Worth The Reward (Sportico)

The Explosion of Sports Gambling Will Force Society to Adapt; Also, Ultra Processed Foods Work by Changing Our Brains

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 20:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the explosion of sports gambling in society and how it has changed both the business of and culture around sports (1:16). The guys also react to recent revelations on how ultra processed food changes the way our brains work (34:41).

America Made a Huge Bet on Sports Gambling. The Backlash Is Here. (The Wall Street Journal)

In the wake of the Shohei Ohtani scandal, can sports and legal gambling coexist? (Yahoo! News)

Cavs head coach says he received threats from sports gamblers (Axios)

Will the politics of sports gambling make it the next national ‘addiction’ crisis? (The Hill)

Gambling addiction hotlines say volume is up and callers are younger as online sports betting booms (NBC News)

The New Science on What Ultra-Processed Food Does to Your Brain (The Wall Street Journal)

From anxiety to cancer, the evidence against ultra-processed food piles up (NPR)

Does the Threat to Kids Posed by Social Media Justify Florida’s Heavy Handed Ban? Also, What the Outrage over Trans Visibility Day Says About Our Leadership

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at Florida’s recent law which, among other things, operates to ban kids under 14 from social media, and in light of the dangers posed by social media, react to the criticism that has called the ban unconstitutional and/or hypocritical (1:16). The guys also weigh in on President Biden’s issuance of a statement recognizing Trans Visibility Day, which generated a lot of controversy because the day fell on Easter this year (33:12).

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill that bans children under 14 from having social media accounts (NBC News)

DeSantis signs ban on kids using social media (Tampa Bay Times)

Florida’s DeSantis signs one of the country’s most restrictive social media bans for minors (AP News)

Florida Has Banned Kids Using Social Media, but It Won’t Be That Simple (NY Times)

DeSantis lauds 'free state' of Florida. He should let parents decide kids' social media use. (USA Today)

Trump and Republicans unite in fury at Biden after Trans Visibility Day falls on Easter Sunday by chance (The Independent)

Posts misrepresent White House Easter egg contest, Day of Transgender Visibility proclamation (AP News)

American Egg Board forced to respond to Republican conspiracy theory about White House Easter event (The Independent)

The Apple Antitrust Lawsuit May Signal that Regulators are Starting to Catch Up with Big Tech; Also, the (Astrophysics) Revolution Will Be Seen Through the James Webb Space Telescope

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 21:15:00 +0000

Following the recent antitrust lawsuit filed against Apple in the US, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider the ongoing efforts in the US and in Europe to attack several of Apple’s business practices in in today’s view of the historical context of antitrust enforcement (1:21). The guys also explain why it is a good thing that some of the findings from the new James Webb Space Telescope are knocking holes many of our current theories on how the universe works (40:41).

Apple sued by Biden administration over alleged iPhone 'monopoly power' (NBC News)

Green bubbles, Apple Pay and other reasons why America says Apple is breaking the law (CNN)

Apple to put USB-C connectors in iPhones to comply with EU rules (The Guardian)

EU investigating Apple, Google and Meta's suspected violations of new Digital Markets Act (CBS News)

US Regulators Urge Congress to Look Into Grocery Profits (VOA News)

Author Thom Hartmann says average family pays $5K ‘monopoly tax’ to large companies (The Hill)

James Webb telescope confirms there is something seriously wrong with our understanding of the universe (Live Science)

Physicist Claims Universe Has No Dark Matter And Is 27 Billion Years Old (Science Alert)

Did the James Webb telescope ‘break the universe’? Maybe not (Science News)

What are the true colors of images from the James Webb Space Telescope? (Space.com)

Kate Middleton Family Photo Reaction Previews a World Where You Can’t Trust Your Eyes; Also, Are Dating Apps Just Trying to Get you Hooked on Them?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 20:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider the extent to which the various reactions of people to the release of the manipulated Kate Middleton photo demonstrates what it may look like to live in a world where reality and synthetic realities may be impossible to distinguish (1:24). The guys also discuss the evolution of dating apps in light of the recently filed lawsuit that contends that dating apps are now designed more to keep people coming back, not help people connect (37:35).

Kate Middleton and the End of Shared Reality (The Atlantic)

Countering Truth Decay (RAND Corporation)

How to Tackle Truth Decay (The Atlantic)

Tinder, other Match dating apps encourage compulsive use, lawsuit claims (Reuters)

It’s Not You: Dating Apps Are Getting Worse (NY Times)

A TikTok Ban Still Leaves Americans Open to Manipulation and Exploitation; Also, Sheryl Swoopes, Caitlin Clark and Getting Defensive Off the Court

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look the potential ban of TikTok that is working through the US Congress and consider whether this is more about data privacy and algorithmic manipulation or playing on American’s fear of China (1:07). The guys also discuss the controversy over Sheryl Swoopes comments about Caitlin Clark and also Swoopes’ thoughts about whether she could be being racist (33:36).

TikTok is a "national security issue," Sens. Mark Warner and Marco Rubio say (CBS News)

Is the new push to ban TikTok for real? (Vox)

Federal judge blocks Montana's TikTok ban before it takes effect (NPR)

EU warns Elon Musk after Twitter found to have highest rate of disinformation (The Guardian)

Trump to block U.S. downloads of TikTok, WeChat on Sunday- officials (Reuters)

Trump’s ‘key money’ request complicates Microsoft-TikTok deal (PC World)

Sheryl Swoopes walks back controversial Caitlin Clark comments: ‘I made a mistake’ (Today)

Opinion: Sheryl Swoopes is right: Black people can’t be racist (LA Times)

Oh Lord, Sheryl Swoopes Says 'Black People Can't Be Racist' And Conservatives Lose Their Minds (The Root)

The Supreme Court Confirms the U.S. is Presently a Nation of Men, Not Laws; Also, Overcoming a Brain Wired to Avoid Exercise

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 19:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss some key takeaways from the U.S Supreme Court’s decision to forbid states from taking Donald Trump, or any other “oathbreaking insurrectionist,” off the ballot under the disqualification clause of the 14th amendment (1:08). The guys also consider the idea that human brains are wired to avoid exercise and what can be done to overcome this (44:04).

Trump v Anderson (pdf)(supremecourt.gov)

Supreme Court says Trump can appear on 2024 ballot, overturning Colorado ruling (CBS News)

The Supreme Court’s “Unanimous” Trump Ballot Ruling Is Actually a 5–4 Disaster (Slate)

After Trump wins at the Supreme Court, some warn it may be harder for Congress to boot 'oathbreaking insurrectionists' (NBC News)

The Supreme Court Once Again Reveals the Fraud of Originalism (The Atlantic) (Apple News Link)

Your Brain is Built to Avoid Exercise. Here's Why (BBC Science Focus)

Exploding Dynastic Wealth is a Threat to America’s Economic and Governmental System; Also, Understanding and Appreciating Free Speech Following Navalny’s Demise in Russia

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 21:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider the extent to which America’s extreme and increasingly sticky concentration of wealth in its billionaire class may put its market economy and representative democracy in peril (1:23). The guys also discuss the concept of freedom of speech in the US in light of the tragic story of Alexei Navalny in Russia (42:04).

Where do billionaires come from? Mom and Dad. (Vox)

The Estate Tax is Irrelevant to More Than 99 Percent of Americans (ITEP.org)

What is the national deficit? (Treasury.gov)

What is the national debt? (Treasury.gov)

Putin foe Alexei Navalny dies in jail, West holds Russia responsible (Reuters)

Nerve agents, poison and window falls. Kremlin foes have been attacked or killed over the years (AP News)

Trump Calls Himself ‘Political Dissident’ At CPAC Speech After Navalny Comparison (Forbes)

First Amendment - Constitution of the United States (Congress.gov)

Is Russia’s Psyop to Divide Americans Paying Off? Also, Concerns Over Making Victimhood Too Central to Black Americans’ Identity

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 18:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider whether Russia’s goals in dividing and undermining the US have been achieved in light of what appears to be an increasing one way love affair with Russia coming out of at least a part of America’s political right (1:19). The guys also take a look at whether society tends to overemphasize messages of victimhood to Black Americans in a way that is detrimental to Black Americans (45:59).

Russia’s objective in the U.S. has already largely been achieved (WaPo)

Putin has made clear Russia is our civilizational enemy (NY Post)

Tuberville: Putin open to peace but ‘DC warmongers’ want to prolong Ukraine conflict (AL.com)

Tucker Carlson gets roasted for praising decades-old shopping cart tech in Russia (Business Insider)

Putin Unlikely To Stop In Russia And Ukraine (Forbes)

Give Black Americans hope and support, not messages of victimhood (Miami Herald)

Viewing James Baldwin and the U.S. Through “I Am Not Your Negro;” Also, the Devaluing of Stay At Home Parents

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 21:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at Raoul Peck’s 2016 documentary “I Am Not Your Negro,” which features the commentary and work of one of America’s intellectual giants, James Baldwin (1:24). The guys also discuss how stay at home parenting is devalued by America’s institutions even though many often suggesting it is good for society (44:39).

I Am Not Your Negro (PBS)

I Am Not Your Negro (YouTube)

The Paradox of Stay-at-Home Parents (The Atlantic) (Apple News Link)

The Taylor Swift Psyop Is Making the Normal Seem Sinister; Also, Habits Do a Body Good

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 20:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider what the suggestion that Taylor Swift and her relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce is a psyop really says about our political and media culture (1:17). The guys also discuss hobbies and why science thinks they are good for us (43:02).

Taylor Swift Conspiracy Theorists Get Psyops All Wrong (Wired)

Psychological operations (United States) (Wikipedia)

Trump Allies Pledge ‘Holy War’ Against Taylor Swift (Rolling Stone)

Hannity: Taylor Swift should ‘think twice’ about Biden endorsement (The Hill)

The Psychology of Conspiracy Theorists: More Than Just Paranoia (Neuroscience News)

Why Having a Little Hobby Is So Good for You, According to Science (Self)

Reacting to the Recent Tariff Talk on the Campaign Trail; Also, Is Polyamory Having a Moment?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 20:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the use of tariffs in light of recent campaign talk and consider whether in a modern context, they can be an answer to boosting the prospects of American workers (1:21). The guys also discuss polyamory and the way it seems to be having a bit of a moment in the culture (39:03).

How do tariffs work? | CNBC Explains (YouTube)

Donald Trump is preparing for a massive new trade war with China (WaPo)

Donald Trump wants to impose a 10% tariff. Here's what happened when Nixon tried the same thing. (Yahoo! Finance)

Haley hits Trump on tariffs ahead of her Wall Street fundraisers (CNBC)

Tariff in United States history (Wikipedia)

Historical Aspects of US Trade Policy (National Bureau of Economic Research)

Polyamory: Lots of Sex, Even More Scheduling (Wall Street Journal) (Apple News Link)

Is “God Made Trump” a Deification or Politics as Usual (or Both)? Also, Plastic Rocks Are Now a Thing

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 19:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the “God Made Trump” video and the trend of comparing Donald Trump to Jesus or other biblical figures ,and consider whether what we are seeing is normal politics, a religious movement, or something else altogether (1:31). The guys also discuss plastistones, the newly discovered sedimentary rock that is being seen around the world and is based in part on our plastic waste (45:15).

Trump shares bizarre biblical video saying God made him to be America’s ‘caretaker’ (The Independent)

The Deification of Donald Trump Poses Some Interesting Questions (NY Times)

Experts alarmed after Trump demands immunity to do “infinite crimes” in 2 am Truth Social rant (Salon)

A New Study Shows Us the Single Biggest Motivation for the Jan. 6 Rioters | Amanpour and Company (YouTube)

Republican senator says 'democracy isn't the objective' of US system (The Guardian)

A Strange Plastic Rock Has Ominously Invaded 5 Continents (Popular Mechanics)

The Falling Crime Rate and Americans’ Disconnect from Reality; Also, Tipping is as American as Apple Pie

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 21:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the stats on the crime rate in the U.S., which by the numbers seems to be falling, and consider what it means that the vast majority of Americans perceive that crime is increasing (1:28). The guys also discuss tipping, how it seems to be becoming more widespread with the use of technology, and whether expectations on tipping could ever go so far to create a real backlash (40:20).

Most people think the U.S. crime rate is rising. They're wrong. (NBC News)

Has Gratuity Culture Reached a Tipping Point? (The New Yorker) (Apple News Link)

Streaming Between the Lines - Seeing Oppenheimer Through Both a Documentary and a Summer Blockbuster

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 19:30:00 +0000

(SPOLIER ALERT) James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to Christopher Nolan’s 2023 blockbuster film, “Oppenheimer” and David Grubin’s 2009 PBS documentary film “The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer,” and take a look at how each delved into the life of Oppenheimer and highlighted both his leading of the team which developed the first atomic bomb in the 1940s and his subsequent fall from grace due to alleged ties to communism during what is called the second Red Scare period in American History.

The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer (2009) (PBS)

The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer (YouTube)

Oppenheimer (2023) (Oppenheimermovie.com)

Trump Disqualification Decisions Pit the Constitution Against Your Feelings or Fears; Also, 2023 the Warmest on Record

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 20:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider how the recent rulings out of Colorado and Maine that Donald Trump is ineligible to be president put their desires and/or ideals in conflict with what the Constitution dictates (1:42). The guys also discuss whether 2023 being the warmest year on record will create more urgency or apathy as far as taking action to deal with the climate (45:20).

Colorado Supreme Court declares Donald Trump is ineligible for the White House (AP News)

Maine's secretary of state tells NPR why she disqualified Trump from the ballot (NPR)

Will Trump’s disqualification case be Bush v. Gore for 2024? (The Hill)

The Colorado Ruling Changed My Mind (The Atlantic) (Apple News link)

The Sweep and Force of Section Three (UPenn Law Review)

It's over: 2023 was Earth's hottest year, experts say. (USA Today)

2023 was Earth’s warmest on record. Will this year be even hotter? (WaPo)

The Politics of Star Wars as a Warning to Democratic Societies; Also, is Human Immortality in Reach?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 17:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to an excellent video from Arken the Amerikan entitled “How Liberty Dies: The Politics of Star Wars” and discuss how the politics of Star Wars contain real world lessons for democratic societies (1:29). The guys also take a look at some of the efforts being taken by some billionaire to achieve immortality, and the science that seemingly stands in their way (50:41).

How Liberty Dies: The Politics of Star Wars, by Arken the Amerikan (YouTube)

Why You'll (Probably) Never Live Forever (Popular Mechanics) (Apple News Link)

Hip Hop’s Evolution over 50 Years Reflects and Drives Culture; Also, Rap Lyrics as Evidence in Court

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 19:00:00 +0000

As hip hop turns 50, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss how culture and technology have influenced both its founding and its development over the years and react to the documentary “Hip Hop at 50: Rhythms, Rhymes & Reflections,” which is currently airing on Hulu (1:35). The guys also take a look at the ongoing effort by prosecutors in the RICO case against Young Thugs to use his lyrics against him in court and consider the pro wrestling nature of some rapper’s lyrics and personas (46:12).

Hip-hop 50: The party that started hip-hop (BBC)

Hip Hop at 50: Rhythms, Rhymes & Reflections (Hulu)

Fat Joe Says 'I've Lied in Almost 95 Percent of My Songs,' Defends Young Thug Amid Lyrics Being Used In RICO Trial (Complex)

Israel’s Role in The Propping Up of Hamas Financially in Gaza; Also, Richest 1% Driving Climate Change

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 18:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the recent reporting coming out of the Middle East that for years now, Israel’s government had played a role in the propping up of Hamas’ government in Gaza through its backing of millions in funds from Qatar (1:51). The guys also react to the report that the riches 1% of people in the world are putting as much climate change driving carbon in the atmosphere as the poorest 2/3 of people in the world (42:47).

‘Buying Quiet’: Inside the Israeli Plan That Propped Up Hamas (NY Times)

Qatar sent millions to Gaza for years – with Israel’s backing. Here’s what we know about the controversial deal (CNN)

Freeing hostages, hosting Hamas: Qatar's influence in Israel-Gaza war, explained (NPR)

The United States and Qatar: Strategic Partners Advancing Peace and Security (US Dept. of State)

What Trump's Qatar Tweets Revealed (The Atlantic)

World's richest 1% emitting enough carbon to cause heat-related deaths for 1.3 million people, report finds (CBS)

George Santos Leaps Over the Line for Lying in Politics; Also, the Muslim American Push to Abandon Biden

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the expulsion of George Santos from the U.S. House of Representatives and consider the extent to which people tolerate, or even embrace, lying from politicians (1:37). The guys also take a look at what some may call a quixotic push by some us Muslim Americans to abandon Joe Biden in 2024 because of his stance on the Israeli - Hamas war (42:02).

House votes to expel indicted Rep. George Santos from Congress (NBC News)

Santos, now booted from the House, got elected as a master of duplicity – here’s how it worked (The Conversation)

Pathological Lying in Politics (Psychology Today)

These Republicans Are Furious an Indicted Serial Liar Is No Longer in Congress (Rolling Stone)

Why people tolerate politicians’ lies. (Fortinberry Murray)

Republican congressman says George Santos defrauded him and his mother (NBC News)

John Fetterman Pays George Santos to Troll Bob Menendez (Daily Beast)

Swing-state Muslim leaders launch campaign to ‘abandon’ Biden in 2024 (Politico)

Muslim Americans in swing states launch anti-Biden campaign (Axios)

The OpenAI Turmoil Exposes the Conflict Between Its Mission and Its Practice; Also, Is Eye Contact Rare?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 20:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the turmoil that took place recently with OpenAI and its leadership, including key things that seemed to set the stage for it and the path things seem to be on in its aftermath, and consider whether the exercise of caution in the development of AI is even possible (1:34). The guys also discuss eye contact and take a look at a recent study which suggests that people rarely make direct eye contact when conversing with strangers (48:51).

OpenAI Tried to Fire Sam Altman. It Only Made Him More Powerful. (The Ringer)

OpenAI’s board might have been dysfunctional–but they made the right choice. Their defeat shows that in the battle between AI profits and ethics, it’s no contest (Fortune)

Sam Altman Returns as OpenAI CEO. Here’s How It Happened (Time)

The Unsettling Lesson of the OpenAI Mess (NY Times)

Unpacking the hype around OpenAI’s rumored new Q* model (MIT Technology Review)

Businesses, tech groups warn EU against over-regulating AI foundation models (Reuters)

Making Eye Contact With Someone Has a Surprisingly Powerful Hidden Effect (Science Alert)

Making Sense of an Economy That Looks Pretty Good but Doesn't Feel So Good; Also, Vikings Sailed the Ocean Blue Before 1492

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 19:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the apparent disconnect between what the numbers are telling us about the economy, which is that it is doing pretty well, and the negative view of the economy that is reflected in recent polling and just general sentiment (1:57). The guys also react to new evidence that confirms that the Vikings were traveling back and forth to North America up to 500 years before Columbus (45:54).

Economic Viewpoints: Retail Sales Dip, But Consumers Keep Spending (US Chamber of Commerce)

CNN Poll: Half of Americans think the economy is getting worse, despite months of stronger economic news (CNN)

The Share of Americans Who Are Mortgage-Free Is at an All-Time High (Bloomberg)

Never Mind the 1%. Mini-Millionaires Are Where Wealth Is Growing Fastest (WSJ) (Apple News Link)

How the American middle class has changed in the past five decades (Pew Research Center)

Javier Milei, a Self-Described Anarcho-Capitalist, Is Elected President of Argentina (WSJ) (Apple News Link)

A Stunning Discovery Proves That Vikings Reached the Americas Before Columbus (Popular Mechanics)

Tuberville’s Block of Military Promotions Shows Contempt for U.S. Values; Also, Is a Little Walking Like Viagra for Men?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 20:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss ongoing blockade of the confirmation of military promotions by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and how his “my way or the highway” approach is so antithetical to the principle of compromise that is baked into the U.S. system by the Constitution (1:10). The guys also react to a recent study which suggests that walking can be as good as Viagra for men (44:32).

Why a single senator is blocking US military promotions and what it means for the Pentagon (AP)

Military families and retired service members lobby to end Tuberville's blockade (CBS News)

Tommy Tuberville Has Taken Another Breathtakingly Bad Stance on Diversity (Vanity Fair)

Sen. Tuberville criticized for remarks on white nationalists: ‘I call them Americans’ (AP)

Senate Republicans erupt in anger over Tuberville’s military freeze (WaPo)

'Lying to America': GOP lawmaker blasts his fellow Republicans, vows he won't seek reelection (USA Today)

There's a Free, Low-Risk Alternative to Viagra, Study Shows (Science Alert)

Streaming Between the Lines - “The Gilded Age”

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 18:30:00 +0000

Sarah Colt’s “The Gilded Age” takes a look at the rapid industrialization and growth, as well as the exploding wealth gap between the capital class and the working class which defined the late nineteenth century in the United States, and James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss their takeaways from documentary, which originally aired in 2018 on PBS, including what drove the mass accumulations of wealth, how such wealth can warp society and politics, and how this period may mirror what is happening in the U.S. today.

The Gilded Age (PBS)

The Gilded Age Documentary (Amazon)

The Gilded Age Documentary (iTunes)

The Gilded Age Documentary (YouTube)

End of Emergency Child Care Funding Creates Direct and Downstream Issues; Also, the Perpetual Threat to Masculinity

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 19:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the tens of billions in federal child care funds that recently expired and what the role of government should be for something like child care (1:28). The guys also consider why it always seems like masculinity is under attack (32:29).

Federal childcare funding is about to expire–and it could be terrible for the U.S. economy (Forbes)

Opinion: Federal funding for child care is about to fall off a cliff. Why that’s a disaster (LA Times)

End of federal program funding childcare centers could impact local economy (CBS News Miami)

Column: U.S. policy basically discourages having kids. Now our economy is paying the price (LA Times)

Are We Not Men? (Esquire)

Side Taking in the Israel-Hamas is Pushing People to the Extremes; Also, Is Free Will an Imagined Construct?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 18:45:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the way many have seemed to want to take sides in an all or nothing way when viewing and discussing the Israel and Hamas war, and how several factors in our society seem to be involved in promoting this approach (1:37). The guys also react to Robert Sapolsky’s premise in his new book “Determined” that humans actually have no free will (45:29).

Harvard Student Groups Face Intense Backlash for Statement Calling Israel ‘Entirely Responsible’ for Hamas Attack (The Harvard Crimson)

‘Stunned and sickened.’ Wexner Foundation cuts ties with Harvard over ‘tiptoeing’ on Hamas (CNN)

The Anguished Fallout from a Pro-Palestinian Letter at Harvard (The New Yorker)

Top law firm rescinds job offers to Ivy League students over Israel letters (NBC News)

York University threatens to revoke student unions' status over Israel-Hamas statements (CTV News Toronto)

Disinformation surge threatens to fuel Israel-Hamas conflict (Reuters)

The Israel-Hamas War Is Drowning X in Disinformation (Wired)

What happens when a group of Fox News viewers watch CNN for a month? (The Guardian)

Stanford scientist, after decades of study, concludes: We don’t have free will (LA Times)

The GOP Controls the House, but Who Controls the GOP? Also, US Latinos’ Staggering Level of Economic Output

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 18:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the dysfunction in the US House of Representatives following the ouster of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House that some Republicans seem to be intentionally driving and consider what may be the source of it (1:31). The guys also react to some recent economic data which shows that Latinos in the us now have an economic output that exceeds that of the nation of India (40:22).

House Republicans are fighting over their next leader. Here’s what you need to know. (Vox)

The GOP Won't Introduce A New Party Platform For 2020. So What Does It Stand For? (NPR - WBUR)

Chaos in Congress points to failures in the U.S. system (WaPo)

Conservative media whips speaker votes for Rep. Jim Jordan (Axios)

Hannity Lashes Out at ‘Snowflake’ Republicans Annoyed By His Aggressive Lobbying For Jim Jordan: ‘I Offer No Apologies For Doing My Job’ (Mediaite)

U.S. Latinos' economic output closing in on Germany (Axios)

Viewing the Israeli-Hamas Conflict with a “What’s Past is Prologue” Lens; Also, What Was Happening in the Americas in 1491?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 19:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the historical context of the current conflict between Israel and Hamas and consider whether after 75+ years of conflict, there is any pathway to an end to this cycle of violence (1:13). The guys also discuss some recent research into what was happening in the Americas right before Columbus landed (48:44).

Hamas surprise attack out of Gaza stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation (AP News)

Israel pulverises Gaza after Hamas attack as it collects its dead (Reuters)

How Hamas staged Israel lightning assault no-one thought possible (BBC)

The Entire Israeli-Palestine Conflict Explained | Secret Wars Uncovered | War Stories (YouTube)

History of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict (Wikipedia)

What Do You Know About 1491? (The Atlantic) (Apple News Link)

What Causes People to be Angrier than Ever, and What Happens as a Result? Also, All Eyez on the Arrest for Tupac’s Murder

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 17:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider how anger affects one’s ability to think, the types of actors in a society that have an interest in using anger to manipulate others for their own benefit, and whether people could be angrier now than in years past (1:19). The guys also react to the recent arrest of a suspect for the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur and take a look at the circumstances of the arrest, especially considering how long ago the murder was (44:58).

Anger overwhelms our thinking brain. Here’s how to bring it back online. (WaPo) (Apple News Link)

The age of rage: are we really living in angrier times? (The Guardian)

Anger (Wikipedia)

The Media Needs to Keep You Angry. Don't Feed Into It (Foundation for Economic Education)

Angry Americans: How political rage helps campaigns but hurts democracy (The Conversation)

Why Social Media Makes Us Angrier—and More Extreme (Psychology Today)

The man charged in Tupac Shakur’s 1996 shooting death has long put himself at the crime scene. Here’s what we know about him (CNN)

Why it took 27 years for an arrest in Tupac Shakur’s Las Vegas killing (LA Times)

Assessing the Risk of Illegal and Legal Corruption Following Senator Menendez’s Indictment; Also, Are Two Parents a Privilege?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 18:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the corruption allegations against Senator Bob Menendez and discuss whether the type of movie villain style corruption is more of a risk than the legal corruption that is omnipresent in our political system (1:51). The guys also comment on some recent publications that investigate how a two-parent household can be beneficial for kids (42:03).

Here are the charges Sen. Bob Menendez is facing (The Hill)

Sen. Bob Menendez and wife indicted on bribery charges; DOJ seizes gold bars and $500,000 (CNN)

The Menendez Scandal Reflects The World That SCOTUS Built (The Lever)

How the Gilded Age’s Top 1 Percent Thrived on Corruption (History Channel)

Sheldon Whitehouse Just Laid Out the Scheme to Control the Federal Courts (Esquire)

Who are the Biggest Donors? (Open Secrets)

Is Single Parenthood the Problem? (The Atlantic) (Apple News Link)

Labor Strikes in Detroit and Hollywood May Signal a Resurgence of Union Activity That Will Benefit Us All; Also, Why Assisted or Isolating Exercises Can Create Risk

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 17:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the United Auto Workers’ strike and consider whether it, either alone or in the context of the ongoing Hollywood strikes, represent a needed resurgence in union activity (1:15). The guys also discuss the recent expert recommendations on which exercises and/or equipment in the gym that one should avoid (39:59).

UAW boss says workers shouldn’t accept lower wages so ‘greedy people like Elon Musk can build more rocket ships’ (Yahoo! Finance)

The UAW’s big asks, unusual strike strategy, and what this all means for you (Vox)

Strike Is a High-Stakes Gamble for Autoworkers and the Labor Movement (NY Times)

Aggregated CEO-to-worker compensation ratio for the 350 largest publicly owned companies in the United States from 1965 to 2021 (Statista)

CEO pay has skyrocketed 1,460% since 1978 (Economic Policy Institute)

Writers union will resume strike negotiations with studios this week (CNBC)

Beyond Labor Day: 3 Ways Unions Have Helped American Workers (Time)

Why You Should Skip the Hip Abduction Machine — and These 5 Other Moves (Shape)

The Iran Contra Scandal and the Perspective it Provides for the Issues of Today

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 17:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look back at the Iran Contra scandal, which despite not seeming to have the notoriety of Watergate or the sizzle of Clinton-Lewinsky, was a pretty big deal and one that illustrated both how the U.S. governmental system can be exploited and the mechanisms in the system that allows it to fight back when lines are crossed (01:13).

The Iran-Contra Affair (PBS)

Iran-Contra Explained: The Wall of Crazy Scandal (YouTube)

Is the Christian Church Prioritizing Politics Over Christ? Also, the Remembering the March of Washington Will Take Work

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 17:30:28 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana are joined by special guest Warren Smith III from the Contemporary Commentary YouTube show, and they react to recent comments by former church official Russell Moore about the crisis in the American Evangelical Church and comments from the Pope about the American Catholic Church and discuss whether politics and political ideology have become too centered in Christian churches (01:31). The guys also consider the legacy of the March on Washington with the recent passing of its 60th anniversary (48:46).

The American Evangelical Church Is in Crisis. There’s Only One Way Out. (The Atlantic)

Evangelicals Are Now Rejecting 'Liberal' Teachings of Jesus (Newsweek)

Pope says some ‘backward’ conservatives in US Catholic Church have replaced faith with ideology (AP News)

Thousands convene for March on Washington’s 60th anniversary demonstration (Politico)

The March on Washington's core ideas resonate 60 years later (NBC News)

When Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, he was less popular than Donald Trump is today (USA Today)

Are Trigger Warnings Counterproductive for Both Individuals and for Communities? Also, Reacting to India’s Unprecedented Moon Landing

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 18:00:00 +0000

With more research being done on the actual effects of trigger warnings, setting aside their intent, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana weigh in on the debate over trigger warnings, whether they are helpful, and whether they can cause unintended consequences (01:45). The guys also discuss India recently becoming the first country to land near the south pole of the Moon (43:45).

I Was Wrong About Trigger Warnings (The Atlantic) (Apple News Link)

What if Trigger Warnings Don’t Work? (The New Yorker)

Growth after trauma (American Psychological Association)

India’s Chandrayaan-3 landed on the south pole of the Moon − a space policy expert explains what this means for India and the global race to the Moon (The Conversation)

What's next for India's Chandrayaan-3 mission on the moon? (Space.com)

What Does Fascism Really Look Like, and How Does it Arise? Also, Why Ozempic is Changing the Overweight and How We See Being Overweight

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 20:15:00 +0000

Fascism is a label that gets thrown around more often than is warranted, so James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss what Fascism really is, how a society get slip into it, and the extent to which aspects of it can be seen today in the American system (01:36). The guys also take a look at Ozempic, its seemingly miracle results, and how it may kill the mentality that a lack of willpower is at the root of being overweight (44:08).

What is Fascism (Council on Foreign Relations)

Fascism (Wikipedia)

Trump Voters Trust Ex-President More Than Their Family and Friends: Poll (Newsweek)

DeSantis vows to ‘start slitting throats on day one’ (The Hill)

Ozempic Settles the Obesity Debate: It’s Biology Over Willpower (WSJ)

America’s Obsession With Weight-Loss Drugs Is Affecting the Economy of Denmark (WSJ)

Hawaiian Fires, Hot Tub Oceans, and the Question of Whether Environmental Progress is Fast Enough; Also, Do Some Psychopathic Characteristics Offer an Upside?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 22:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider whether the fires in Maui and the hot tub like ocean temperatures off the Florida coast change the big picture concern about climate change and discuss whether we are seeing enough progress in sustainability to protect our habitat (01:38). The guys discuss recent research which views psychopathy along a spectrum, with some characteristics which may offer some potential benefits (41:02).

Hawaii wildfires: How did the Maui fires start and are they still burning? (Reuters)

Maui wildfire crews continue to fight "flare-ups" in Lahaina and inland, as death toll rises past 90 (CBS News)

The Clean Energy Future Is Arriving Faster Than You Think (NY Times)

Florida ocean records ‘unprecedented’ temperatures similar to a hot tub (The Guardian)

Ocean heat record smashed amid ‘hot tub’ temperatures: ‘The water feels like a bath’ (The Independent)

Can Psychopathic Tendencies Help You Achieve Success? (Smithsonian Magazine)

Trump Fell into the Authoritarian Trap Laid by the Founding Fathers; Also, Feeling Down May Not Always Be a Sign of Mental Illness

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 21:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to a piece in the Wall Street Journal which asserts that the founding fathers anticipated a government takeover attempt like Donald Trump’s and discuss how what comes next will be a test of the American people as much as a test of the American system (01:47). The guys consider the difficulty in finding the line between common and normal negative feelings and signs of mental illness (42:16).

The Founders Anticipated the Threat of Trump (WSJ) (Apple News Link)

New charges against Trump focus on lies. Scholars see an authoritarian playbook (NPR)

'I'm coming after you:' Donald Trump threatens rivals; prosecutor seeks protective order (USA Today)

'Complete garbage': Kinzinger reacts to McCarthy's criticism of Trump charges | CNN (YouTube)

Fox News Brainwashing EXPOSED | The Kyle Kulinski Show (YouTube)

Being Anxious or Sad Does Not Make You Mentally Ill (The Atlantic) (Apple News Link)

UFOs, UAPs and the Perpetual Temptation to Center Ourselves in the Universe; Also, a Power Grab in Israel is Met with Serious and Persistent Protest

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Following a Congressional hearing which saw some interesting claims about alien space craft and “nonhuman biologics,” James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider how much legitimacy should be given to the revelations and whether a high level of scrutiny on the self-proclaimed whistleblower David Grusch is appropriate or if that is just shooting the messenger (01:20). The guys also take a look at the judicial reform efforts happening in Israel and how what many are describing as a parliamentary power grab really seems to have alarmed a large segment of the Israeli population (31:56).

Here are the 5 most memorable moments from Congress’ UFO hearing (NBC News)

What We Know—and Don't Know—About UFOs After the Congressional Hearing (Time)

The truth is out there. But this UFO ‘whistleblower’ likely doesn’t have it. (MSNBC)

Here's why Israelis are protesting Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan (ABC News)

Israel Has Already Lost (The Atlantic)

Potential Saudi-Israel normalization could see Palestinians thrown under the bus (The Times of Israel)

Israeli protesters keep pressure on Netanyahu over judicial overhaul (Al Jazeera)

The Resemblance Between Florida’s New History Teaching Standards the Lost Cause of the Confederacy is Telling; Also, Can Regulating Social Media Save the Children?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 19:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to Florida’s newly approved standards for teaching african american history and consider how they may compare to other efforts to rewrite history, such as The Lost Cause of the Confederacy mythology (01:31). The guys also discuss the ongoing bipartisan effort to regulate social media companies and the algorithms they use to present content to users, particularly to minors (36:14).

New Florida teaching standards say African Americans received some ‘personal benefit’ from slavery (Politico)

Lost Cause of the Confederacy (Wikipedia)

Understanding the Lost Cause Myth (YouTube)

Algorithms Are Making Kids Desperately Unhappy (NY Times)

Murphy Op-Ed for the New York Times: Big Tech Algorithms Are Killing Kids' Sense of Discovery (Senator Chris Murphy)

Northwestern’s Quick Reversal Illustrates the Media’s Role in Holding the Powerful Accountable; Also, Will Old Transmission Lines Telecom’s be Lead Balloon?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 17:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the role of news media in holding powerful people and organizations accountable in light of Northwestern University’s recent firing of its head football coach, Pat Fitzgerald, following media reports which detailed the nature of the hazing allegedly taking place in the football program (01:48). The guys also take a look at how the discovery of lead in telecom transmission lines has affected the stock prices of several large tech companies and consider who should be responsible for the costs for removing the lead (36:40).

Northwestern caught in a mess of its own making (Yahoo! Sports)

Former NU football player details hazing allegations after coach suspension (The Daily Northwestern)

Pat Fitzgerald ponders litigation over his firing by Northwestern (ProFootballTalk)

Former Northwestern football players hire civil rights attorney to investigate hazing (AP News)

Why a Free Press Is Actually Good for the Economy (The Heritage Foundation)

AT&T Falls to 29-Year Low Amid Concerns of Cleanup Costs (Yahoo! Finance)

Telecom stocks are shedding billions in market value. Here’s what’s happening (Fast Company)

Have America’s New Cultural Norms Turned the Democratic Party a Conservative Party? Also, the Danger of Plastics Being In Us and Everywhere Around Us

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 21:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to a recent piece from The Atlantic which asserts that the way America’s modern cultural landscape has evolved has caused the Democratic Party to largely become the party of the status quo (01:16). The guys also consider how deep of a hole we are digging with our (over)use of plastics and if there is any way out (37:35).

The Democrats Are Now America’s Conservative Party (The Atlantic) (Apple News link)

How Plastics Are Poisoning Us (The New Yorker) (Apple News link)

The US Supreme Court’s Removal Societal Guardrails; Also, Handling All the Smoke from Canadian Wildfires

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 18:30:00 +0000

With recent US Supreme Court decisions operating to remove societal guardrails put in place by previous generations, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss why the guardrails were in place and whether the guardrails are still necessary in the US (01:42). The guys also react to the smoke coming from Canadian wildfires that keeps coming to US cites and consider the interconnectivity of certain environmental conditions (39:33).

Supreme Court effectively ends affirmative action at colleges in landmark ruling (ABC News)

Supreme Court says 1st Amendment entitles web designer to refuse same-sex wedding work (NPR)

Sonia Sotomayor Pens Stunning Rebuke of Supreme Court's Discrimination Ruling: 'Today, the Court Shrinks' (People)

Why there won’t be a backlash against the Supreme Court this time (CNN)

Smoke will keep pouring into the US as long as fires are burning in Canada. Here’s why they aren’t being put out (CNN)

The Coming Boom in US Manufacturing and What it Means; Also, Can the F.I.R.E. Lifestyle Deliver on Security or Happiness

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 20:50:45 +0000

Seeing reports of a huge year over year increase in investment in building factories in the US, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at what may be driving this spike and what a boom in manufacturing would mean in the 21st century (01:31). The guys also discuss the financial independence, retire early lifestyle and why it may be inherently unable to deliver on its promise (32:46).

Factory Boom Sweeps US With Construction at Record $190 Billion (Bloomberg)

The US is building factories at a wildly fast rate (Insider)

A couple who retired early with $4.3 million say the FIRE lifestyle is wearing thin: ‘We don’t want to just keep throwing money on the pile and keep being cheap’ (Fortune)

Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) Explained: How It Works (Investopedia)

In a Liberal System, Where Do the Bounds of Individual Liberty Come From? Also, Is It Woke to Discuss Juneteenth?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:00:00 +0000

After checking out David Brooks’ thought provoking piece in the Atlantic on the outer limits of liberalism, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss liberalism as an ideology focused on individual liberty, where the bounds of individual liberty should be, and how the extremes of any ideology can lead to a difficult place (01:31). The guys also acknowledge Juneteenth and consider whether any honest telling of Black history would be considered woke by some (39:16).

The Outer Limits of Liberalism (The Atlantic)

Liberalism: where did it come from and are its days numbered? (The Economist - YouTube)

Ahead Of Juneteenth, Ron DeSantis Slashes Funding For Black History Programs In Florida (NewsOne)

U.S. v Trump is Quite Literally the Rule of Law v the Rule of Man; Also, Is there a Sex Recession in America?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 17:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss what stood out in the federal indictment of Donald Trump and consider how this represents another instance where Trump demands that his supporters abandon their claimed principles when those principles do not serve him (01:29). The guys also react to the premise of a recent article in Esquire Magazine that asks whether the US is in a sex recession (39:23).

Indictment takeaways: Trump’s alleged schemes and lies to keep secret papers (AP News)

Former President Donald Trump's second indictment, annotated (CNN)

Donald Trump’s Documents Defense Appears to Be Unraveling: “This Is Secret Information. Look.” (Vanity Fair)

Why Trump was charged on secret documents and Clinton, Pence were not (WaPo)

James Comey criticizes William Barr, says Trump 'eats your soul in small bites' (USA Today)

We're Living Through a Sex Recession (Esquire Magazine - Apple Link) (Magzter Link)

Gen Z is having a sex recession — here are the depressing reasons why (NY Post)

Raging Over Chick-fil-A’s Inclusivity and Demanding the Exclusion of Others; Also, Is Boredom the Key to Creativity and Sanity?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 17:00:00 +0000

Seeing the firestorm surrounding Chick-fil-A over its employment of an executive for diversity, equity and inclusion, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss what appears to be a rising tide where the power of the pocketbook is used to pressure actors to be more exclusionary towards certain segments of society (01:31). The guys also consider whether boredom, which modern technology has seemingly eliminated, actually can be something that benefits us greatly (37:15).

Not Even Chick-fil-A Is Safe From Anti-‘Woke’ Right Wingers (Rolling Stone)

Conservative boycotts against Target and Bud Light are working thanks to a 'perfect storm' of social media and culture wars, experts say (Insider)

Why are Christians calling for boycotts of Chick-fil-A and “The Chosen”? (Denison Forum)

Fox covered Target’s Pride Month displays for hours and the allegations of abuse in the Illinois Catholic Church for less than a minute (Media Matters)

The Secret Power of Boredom (Good Housekeeping)

NAACP’s Florida Travel Advisory – Targeted Power Play or General Retreat? Also, Does Ending the Pandemic Emergency Leave Long Covid Sufferers in Limbo?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 30 May 2023 17:30:22 +0000

With the NAACP issuing a travel advisory relating to Florida in response its belief that Florida is openly hostile to Blacks and other minority groups, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the half measure nature of the travel advisory tactic and whether it can be an effective way to exert political influence (01:32). The guys also consider how the formal ending of the Covid pandemic emergency by organizations like the WHO and CDC will affect sufferers of long Covid (39:09).

NAACP Issues Travel Advisory in Florida (NAACP.org)

NAACP president explains why the group issued Florida travel advisory (Politico)

Florida is No. 2 in number of Black-owned businesses (Florida Politics)

‘The power of the Black dollar.’ NAACP travel advisory in Florida a reminder of ’90s boycott (Miami Herald)

‘Stop playing games:’ Florida officials push back against NAACP travel advisory (Click Orlando)

For Covid Long-Haulers, the Pandemic is Far From Over (WaPo) (Apple Link)

Separating the “Guns in Society” Conversation from the Ja Morant Controversy; Also, Honoring Jim Brown as a Man Instead of as an Idol

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 23 May 2023 19:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the suspension of NBA star Ja Morant following the posting of another social media video showing him brandishing a gun and take a look at the more general “guns in society” that many seem to want to have when looking at the Morant controversy (01:22). The guys also take a look at the life of Jim Brown and consider how our society goes about remembering men who have done great things but whose legacy is not without any blemishes (39:37).

Ja Morant suspended from Memphis Grizzlies after flashing apparent gun in second video (Commercial Appeal)

Ja Morant Can't Quit His Gun Habit. Neither Can His Country (WaPo)

Nike app no longer listing Ja Morant's upcoming 'Hunger' sneakers after Grizzlies star's latest gun incident (CBS Sports)

Gun deaths among U.S. children and teens rose 50% in two years (Pew Research Center)

Minnesota governor signs gun safety bills into law: ‘It’s about keeping our kids safe’ (The Hill)

Political TV Ads Referencing Guns Increased Eightfold Over Four Election Cycles (Johns Hopkins)

Guns and Political Violence Play Central Role in MAGA Republican Campaign Ads (Center for American Progress)

Jim Brown, Football Great and Civil Rights Champion, Dies at 87 (NY Times)

Jim Brown Lived a Remarkable Life Like Few Other Athletes (Sports Illustrated)

America’s Perpetual Dissonance on Immigration; Also, the Nick Cannon and Elon Musk Approach to Fatherhood

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 16 May 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Following the expiration of the Title 42 pandemic emergency rules for migrants, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the current crisis at the border and discuss America’s long time reliance on and hostility toward immigration (01:27). The guys consider the more is merrier approach to fatherhood apparently taken by people such as Nick Cannon and Elon Musk in light of current society norms and historical precedent (42:41).

Fear and confusion, but not chaos, along the southern border after Title 42 ends (NPR)

What’s happening at the U.S.-Mexico border in 7 charts (Pew Research Center)

History of immigration to the United States (Wikipedia)

Mexico faces humanitarian crisis as Biden migration policy kicks in (WaPo)

Migrant crossings drop at U.S.-Mexico border after Title 42 expires (Reuters)

While growing family makes headlines, Nick Cannon quietly makes '$100 million a year' (Yahoo! News)

Did you know Elon Musk has 10 kids? Here's everything you need to know about Elon Musk’s family (Pinkvilla.com)

Are the New Diversity Standards for the Oscars Oppressive to Artists? Also, Can Workism Bring Salvation?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 09 May 2023 20:00:00 +0000

With the new diversity and inclusion standards for Oscar eligibility kicking in, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the standards and the purpose of efforts like this while also reacting to some of the hostility being directed at the standards (01:53). The guys discuss a recent piece in The Atlantic from Derek Thompson on the concept of workism and the idea that for many, their job is where they look for fulfillment (33:09).

Richard Dreyfuss Slams New Diversity Requirements for Oscar Contention: ‘They Make Me Vomit’ (Variety)

Why Americans Care About Work So Much (The Atlantic)(Apple News Link)

Weaponization (of the Government) is as Weaponization Does; Also, Are Americans Moving Away from Close Emotional Relationships?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 02 May 2023 22:15:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider what weaponizing of the government means, and also what it does not mean, and also discuss Rep. Jim Jordan’s Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government and Disney’s new lawsuit against Ron Desantis and other Florida officials (01:27). The guys also take a look at recent studies which suggest that Americans are becoming increasingly less trusting and more isolated in their relationships (38:27).

The weaponization of the federal government has a long history (The Conversation)

Republicans Are All About Weaponizing the Government (Vanity Fair)

Richard Dreyfuss: Americans’ ignorance of Constitution, disrespect for opposition has damaged our country (Fox News)

‘Weaponizing its power’: Disney accuses DeSantis of retaliation in federal lawsuit (Politico)

DeSantis' tough words may come back to haunt him in Disney lawsuit, experts say (Reuters)

America Is in Its Insecure-Attachment Era (The Atlantic) (Apple News Link)

Clarence Thomas and Diane Feinstein Are Manifesting Selfishness in Different Ways; Also, Turning CO2 into Useful Materials

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 20:00:24 +0000

Seeing that the America system needs its public officials to restrain their selfish impulses to work well, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss how the recently revealed conduct of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the circumstances surrounding California Senator Diane Feinstein look more like public servants putting themselves first (01:49). The guys also take a look at research that is underway that is aiming to further develop an enzyme that can pull carbon dioxide in the atmosphere out of the air and turn it into useful products (38:53).

Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire (ProPublica)

Durbin invites Chief Justice John Roberts to testify on Supreme Court ethics before a Senate committee (CNN)

Justice Thomas gifts scandal highlights 'double standard' for ethics in government (NPR)

Sen. Wyden asks billionaire Harlan Crow for list of gifts to Supreme Court Justice Thomas (CNBC)

Justice Thomas Says He was Advised Lavish Gifts Didn’t Need to be Reported (NY Times)

Dianne Feinstein: Why some Democrats want one of their own to resign (BBC)

It’s Time for Dianne Feinstein to Resign (Vanity Fair)

Crafting a Superstar Enzyme that turns CO2 Emissions into Useful Products (USC.edu)

Culture Series: “Sapiens,” a Book by Yuval Noah Harari

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 18:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Yuval Harari’s bestseller “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind,” a book that tracks the growth and development of human societies and cultures from the Stone Age through the modern day, and presents several key revolutions as being what changed everything over time and put humans on a path to in large part master the world around them in a way that no other animal could dream of.

“Sapiens” (Yuval Noah Harari)

Using AI to Replace Humans is Coming, but is it Progress? Also, What to do About All the Lead Pipes the EPA Found in Drinking Water Systems

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 17:30:00 +0000

With Levi’s announcing that it will begin using AI generated models on its website and app, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider whether using artificial intelligence to replace people is the kind of “progress” we can expect moving forward and discuss how the rapid growth and implementation of AI has some tech leaders calling for a 6 month pause on the training of AI systems (01:30). The guys also react to the recent EPA survey which found more than 9 million lead pipes are being used to supply drinking water in the US (36:39).

Levi's Will “Supplement Human Models” With AI Generated Ones (HypeBeast.com)

Computer-generated inclusivity: fashion turns to ‘diverse’ AI models (The Guardian)

Deep Agency shows the perils of applying AI to the fashion industry (Tech Crunch)

The Aliens Have Landed, and We Created Them (Bloomberg)

The peril and promise of artificial intelligence (The Globe and Mail) (Apple Link)

EPA finds more than 9 million lead pipes supplying drinking water throughout the U.S. (CBS News)

With Rule of Law, an Indictment of a Former President was Inevitable; Also, Banning Minors from using Social Media

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 17:30:00 +0000

Following the history making indictment of former President Donald Trump, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the historic nature of the indictment and compare the situation to what has been happening in Israel following the indictment of its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (01:30). The guys also take a look at Utah’s move to ban minors from accessing social media without parental consent (37:27).

Highlights: Trump expected to turn himself in Tuesday after indictment by NY grand jury (NBC News)

Trump's indictment is sending shockwaves across the political landscape (BBC)

Why did a grand jury vote to indict Trump and what does it mean for him? (The Guardian)

Trump faces 4 investigations. Here’s where they stand (PBS)

Israeli protests over judicial overhaul continue despite Netanyahu's pause (Reuters)

A threat to democracy or much-needed reform? Israel’s judicial overhaul explained (CNN)

Trial of Benjamin Netanyahu (Wikipedia)

Former AG: Netanyahu seeking to use judicial reform to bring trial to improper end (The Times of Israel)

Utah bans under-18s from using social media unless parents consent (The Guardian)

Maintaining Trust in the Financial System Following SVB’s Sudden Collapse; Also, Energy Budgets to Prevent Burnout

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Following the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank earlier this month, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the nature of what apparently went wrong and the role the government has and should play in both managing and preventing these types of situations (01:30). The guys also consider a popular technique many having been using to prevent burnout and be happier (41:11).

Why almost everyone failed to predict Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse (CNN)

Column: Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse may be a blessing in disguise (LA Times)

A Big Question for the Fed: What Went Wrong With Bank Oversight? (NY Times)

Silicon Valley’s Favorite Bank Was Its Single Point of Failure (Bloomberg)

Why First Citizens got a $16.5 billion discount for taking over Silicon Valley Bank (Yahoo! Finance)

Psychologist shares the No. 1 exercise highly successful people use to be happier (CNBC)

The Iraq War and the Domino Effect it Had on the Post 9/11 Era; Also, Your Actual Age Versus How Old You Feel

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 19:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at back at the Iraq War, which began 20 years ago this month with the invasion Iraq by the US and its allies and with all that has followed, consider whether it was one of the most consequential geopolitical moves in the 21st century (01:23). The guys also discuss the disconnect many experience between their actual age and how old they think of themselves as (34:18).

On the 20th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, these photos tell the story of the war (USA Today)

A bloody delusion: how Iraq war led to catastrophic aftermath in Middle East (Guardian)

The Lessons Not Learned From Iraq (foreignpolicy.com)

The Architects Of The Iraq War: Where Are They Now? (The Intercept)

The Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are and How Old You Think You Are (The Atlantic)(Apple News Link)

What it Takes to Maintain a Partisan Narrative Universe; Also, Harriet Beecher Stowe as One of the Most Influential Americans in History

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 18:00:34 +0000

Seeing the revelations that have come out so far in Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit against Fox News, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the most concerning aspects and what the state of mind of the major players reveals about the market for fake news (01:24). The guys also take a look at Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, in observance of Women’s History Month (46:01).

Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch rejected election conspiracy theories, Dominion lawsuit documents show (CNN)

Ex-Trump aide at Fox wrestled with election lies, network’s interests (WaPo)

Tucker Carlson said in private messages that he actually hates Trump 'passionately:' 'I can't handle much more of this' (Business Insider)

As Fox News panicked in 2020, leaders warned of featuring Buttigieg, Coons (WaPo)

Trump 2020 lawyer admits misrepresenting stolen election claims (Politico)

Why Fox News was created (The Week)

Trump, McCarthy and Fox run out a new truth-defying playbook (CNN)

Harriet Beecher Stowe (Britannica)

Harriet Beecher Stowe (Wikipedia)

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center

The Divide Amongst Experts on the Origins Covid-19 is Breeding Certainty; Also, Do Ultra Processed Foods Undermine Health?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 19:30:00 +0000

Following a couple of U.S. agencies coming out with at least lukewarm support of Covid-19 originating from a lab leak, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the ongoing debate/investigation/analysis into the origin of Covid-19 and the certainty many express despite how much remains unknown (01:58). The guys also discuss the emerging debate in the nutrition field over whether processed foods, independent of their nutritional profile, drive negative health outcomes (40:05).

China scoffs at FBI claim that Wuhan lab leak likely caused COVID pandemic (Reuters)

WHO calls on US to share information on Covid-19 origins after China lab claims (The Guardian)

Nowhere is the lab-leak debate more personal than among the experts investigating the origins of COVID. (Intelligencer)

The Lab Leak Will Haunt Us Forever (The Atlantic)

The Seven Deadly Sins of Biomedical Research (Georgetown Journal of International Affairs)

Virologists Object To Any New Restrictions On Dangerous Gain-Of-Function Research (Forbes)

Congress Quietly Left The Door Open To Funneling More Tax Dollars To EcoHealth Research In China For ‘National Security’

Fat, Sugar, Salt … You’ve Been Thinking About Food All Wrong (Wired)

The Russo-Ukrainian War Features Battles for Land, and to Shape Perception; Also, Are HBCUs Only for Blacks?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 20:00:00 +0000

With the conflict between Russia and Ukraine passing the one year mark, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the back and forth on the battlefield and take a look at the efforts by differing parties to shape how the war is seen by their people and the people in other countries (01:29). The guys also weigh in on the online backlash that has been seen over a Latina being crowned Miss Coppin State University in light of Coppin State’s status as a historically black university (43:48).

As Ukraine marks year of war, leader vows to secure victory (AP News)

Ukraine war: 'The resolve of people is incredible' (BBC)

Most G20 nations condemn Russia for war, China silent (Reuters)

Putin rages against West in speech decried as absurd propaganda (Al Jazeera)

Inside the Kremlin's Year of Ukraine Propaganda (Time)

A year later, China blames U.S. 'hegemony' - not Russia - for war in Ukraine (WaPo)

The first Latina queen at a historically Black university drew online backlash. But she didn't back down. (NBC News)

Is Jihad More Exciting than Governing? Also, Black Americans in America’s Early History

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 20:30:26 +0000

Following reporting on how many Taliban members in Afghanistan have come to miss the days of jihad, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the nature of this sentiment and consider how it is not uncommon dissatisfied groups because making something work is often harder than blowing it up (01:53). The guys also take a look at some interesting facts about the participation of Black Americans in the first half of American’s history and consider why learning about American history from more angles benefits the nation (26:04).

Taliban Bureaucrats Hate Working Online All Day, ‘Miss the Days of Jihad’ (Vice)

African Americans in the Revolutionary War (National Park Service)

10 Facts: Black Patriots in the American Revolution (American Battlefield Trust)

Black Soldiers in the Revolutionary War (US Army)

Buffalo Soldiers (National Park Service)

Black Leaders During Reconstruction (History.com)

The Legacy of the Reconstruction Era’s Black Political Leaders (Time)

High-Altitude Balloons and the Need to Play the Espionage Game Right; Also, Fascia’s Huge Role in Our Bodies

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 19:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the still ongoing trend involving all of these high-altitude flying objects that are getting detected and shot down (01:38). The guys also take a look at fascia, which despite being a tissue we have all over our bodies, is something that we know much less about compared to things like muscle and bone (43:21).

Here is what we know about the unidentified objects shot down over North America (CNN)

New unidentified 'cylindrical' object shot down over Canada (WaPo)

‘Significant’ debris from China spy balloon retrieved, says US military (The Guardian)

U.S. military says it recovers key sensors from downed Chinese spy balloon (Reuters)

China accuses U.S. of flying spy balloons into Chinese airspace more than 10 times (NPR)

Your Fascia Is The Most Important Part of the Body You're Ignoring (Prevention Magazine - Apple News Link)(Lite Mind Body Clinic Link)

10 Ways to Keep Your Fascia Healthy so Your Body Moves Pain-Free (Healthline)

Muscle Pain: It May Actually Be Your Fascia (Johns Hopkins Medicine)

Black History Month and Using History to as a Political Tool; Also, Is ChatGPT a Better Communicator than You?

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 19:30:00 +0000

With the start of February, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Black History Month, whether its observation as a momentary point of emphasis is helpful to society or not, and how picking fights over what history is taught, and how it is taught, can be a potent political tool (01:34). The guys also take a look at OpenAI’s artificial intelligence chatbot system ChatGPT and consider the implications of a system like this being able to communicate as well as humans in some respects (32:17).

Black History Month (History.com)

The Real Reason Florida Wants to Ban AP African-American Studies, According to an Architect of the Course (Time)

New rules are limiting how teachers can teach Black History Month (Axios)

Why the ChatGPT AI Chatbot Is Blowing Everyone's Mind (CNET)

Who Owns Your ChatGPT Output? (Hint: Probably Not You) (Intellectual Property Pulse)

The Murder of Tyre Nichols is Both Different From, and Similar To, Other Cases of Police Brutality; Also, Putting Friendship Over Facts

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 23:00:00 +0000

Looking at the senseless murder of Tyree Nichols, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss whether anything can be taken from the relative speed in which the process of holding the responsible officers accountable has begun and consider what can be taken away from the fact that both the victim and the offending officers in this case were Black (02:02). The guys also discuss an interesting article by James Clear, author of the New York Times bestselling book Atomic Habits, which goes into why facts do not usually change people’s minds (31:11).

After Tyre Nichols Death, Officials’ Moves Reflect a Shift in Handling Police Violence (NY Times)

A timeline of the investigations into Tyre Nichols’ death after a traffic stop and arrest by Memphis police (CNN)

Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds (JamesClear.com)

Are State Run Lotteries Bad Government and Anti-American? Also, Why Pessimism on Americas Future is Misguided

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 19:30:00 +0000

Historian Jonathan D. Cohen has recently been making the rounds asking some important questions about whether operating a lottery is a proper thing for governments to do, and James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at Cohen’s rationale for questioning lotteries and discuss why so many in the land of free enterprise have seemingly accepted the idea of having the state-run lotteries as an alternative to taxation (01:11). The guys also discuss a recent piece in the Atlantic which makes the case that the overwhelming pessimism Americans seem to have on the future of the country is misguided (28:33).

A single winning ticket for Friday’s $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot drawing was sold in Maine (CNN)

What We’ve Lost Playing the Lottery (The New Yorker)

Here's who really wins and loses in American lotteries (NPR)

What the Lottery Reveals About the American Dream (Apple News)

Despite Everything You Think You Know, America Is on the Right Track (The Atlantic)

Keeping Up with the Konfidentials; Also, Why the Labor Market Seems Bulletproof

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 22:00:00 +0000

With presidents being caught with confidential documents that they should no longer have now apparently being a trend, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana compare how President Biden and former President Trump responded to their respective document controversy, consider what is triggering the media in these controversies, and discuss how this is what rule of law looks like (01:20). The guys also react to the recent job numbers which indicate that the labor market is relatively strong despite conditions like high inflation and rising interest rates (37:12).

Biden’s Classified Documents: A Timeline of What We Know So Far (Time)

Five unanswered questions about Biden’s classified documents (The Hill)

Recession? “Nobody Told the Labor Market” (South Florida Business & Wealth)

Powell defends Fed taking 'measures that are not popular' to rein in inflation (Yahoo! Finance)

Inflation is easing, even if it may not feel that way (NPR)

Running the Same Play from Anti-Democracy Playbook in Brazil; Also, Extending Education Beyond the “Three Rs”

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 19:30:00 +0000

Seeing the attack on the presidential palace, Supreme Court, and Congress in Brazil by supporters of their former President Bolsenaro James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss how this attack mirrored the 2021 insurrection in the U.S. and consider whether seeing this happen twice now signals a trend (01:41). The guys also weigh in on the addition of financial and information literacy courses being mandated by states and the benefits and concerns with expanding education beyond basic subjects (34:02).

Bolsonaro backers ransack Brazil presidential palace, Congress, Supreme Court (Reuters)

Brazil protests: Lula vows to punish ‘neo-fascists’ after Bolsonaro supporters storm congress (The Guardian)

How Trump's allies stoked Brazil Congress attack (BBC)

Steve Bannon's Connection to Brazil Insurrection by Bolsonaro Supporters (Newsweek)

Michigan officially becomes 14th state to mandate personal finance education before high school graduation (CNBC)

New Jersey becomes first state to mandate K-12 students learn information literacy (Politico)

Students in Michigan and Florida are required to take financial literacy course to graduate high school (Sandra Rose)

‘Positively dystopian’: judge blocks key parts of Florida’s ‘Stop-Woke’ law (The Guardian)

Streaming Between the Lines - “The Eugenics Crusade”

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Michelle Ferrari’s “The Eugenics Crusade,” which originally aired in 2018 on PBS, tells the story of the rise and fall of eugenics in American scientific, social and political spheres, and. James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss what stood out most in the film and how many themes in the story echo what we still see today.

The Eugenics Crusade (PBS)

The Eugenics Crusade (Amazon Prime)

The Eugenics Crusade (Apple TV)

Is the US to Blame for the Education Ban on Women in Afghanistan? Also, the Illusion of Time and the Merits of a Dry January

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 20:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the Taliban’s recent move to ban college education for women in Afghanistan and consider whether the US bears any responsibility for this development (01:35). The guys also weigh in on the ongoing debate over whether time from a scientific standpoint is an illusion (22:07) and discuss the merits of a Dry January (34:00).

'The Taliban took our last hope': College education is banned for women in Afghanistan (NPR)

Researchers say time is an illusion. So why are we all obsessed with it? (NPR)

Physicist Says the Laws of Physics Don't Actually Exist (The Byte)

Dry January: 10 Benefits of Taking a 30-Day Break From Alcohol (Men's Journal)

Is Behaving Respectably Overrated in the 21st Century? Also, the Fusion Power Breakthrough and the Possibility of Endless Energy

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 19:30:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana weigh in on the idea that the tech revolution has resulted in leaders in business or public life means no longer feeling the need to behave in a respectable manner (01:26). The guys also react to the recently announced fusion power breakthrough and consider whether the achievement is being over hyped (42:07).

The Rise and Fall of Respectability (Wall Street Journal)(Apple Link)

Anonymous criticism helped make America great (WaPo)

Social Media and Histrionic Personality Disorder (Psychology Today)

The Curious Case of Bryan Colangelo and the Secret Twitter Account (The Ringer)

Respectability politics (Wikipedia)

Nuclear fusion breakthrough: Scientists generate more power than used to create reaction (CNBC)

Despite the hype, we shouldn’t bank on nuclear fusion to save the world from climate catastrophe (The Guardian)

When Will Nuclear Fusion Put Oil And Gas Out Of Business (Forbes)

Neil deGrasse Tyson shares why fusion discovery could change the future of energy (YouTube)

Why the Midterm Elections Diverged from Expectations; Also, the Mentality Underlying Indonesia’s Sex Ban

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 19:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look back at the 2022 midterm election now that things have pretty much shaken and consider why the results from a big picture standpoint were both divergent from historical norms and unexpected in light of many contemporaneous indicators. (01:34). The guys also discuss the mentality underlying Indonesia’s ban of sex outside of marriage and break down how this kind of approach managing societies is more common in historic and modern societies than it may seem (36:31).

The midterms didn't produce a wave. Here's what that's meant historically (NPR)

House of Representatives Results: GOP wins the majority (CNN)

The US House Was Biased Toward Democrats in 2022: Why Republicans Are Developing a Geography Problem (Decision Desk HQ)

The Midterms Are About Rigged Maps and Republican Judges (Slate)

Indonesia bans sex outside marriage as parliament passes sweeping new criminal code (CNN)

Official says Iran shutting down morality police after 2 months of protests (CBS News)

Legitimate Anger Over Biden’s Justifiable Move to Undercut Railway Unions; Also, Michelle Obama’s “Controversial” Insight on Marriage

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the issues surrounding, and the anger resulting from, the move by President Joe Biden, the self proclaimed “most pro union president,” to use a nearly 100 year old law to undercut railway unions in order to avert a national rail strike as the holidays approach. (01:42). The guys also react to some recent comments made by Michelle Obama about marriage, including what comes along with making one work, and consider why some seemed thrown off by some of her insight (39:09).

Senate votes to avert national rail strike by forcing agreement between unions, employers (ABC News)

How an arcane 96-year-old law stopped the rail strike (CNN)

Walsh helped avoid a rail strike, but now must mend Biden administration relations with angry unions (MSN - Boston Globe)

After forcing rail deal, Biden works to smooth over labor relations (WaPo)

Contagion Nation 2020: United States Still the Only Wealthy Nation without Paid Sick Leave (CEPR)

What other countries offer workers that the US just doesn't (Today)

Michelle Obama Said There Is "Discomfort" In Marriage And Threw The Internet Into A Frenzy (Yahoo)

The High Stakes of the Protests in China; Also, Spontaneous Memories and Ruminating on the Past

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 20:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the uncharacteristic protests going on in China, how China’s past illustrates the substantial risk of public demonstrations like this, these stakes, and how the Chinese government appears to have backed itself into a corner with its zero-covid policy (01:30). The guys also to consider how people can spontaneously remember things we would rather not remember and how this can temporarily bring back the bad feelings from those memories (34:22).

Protests erupt across China in unprecedented challenge to Xi Jinping’s zero-Covid policy (CNN)

Rare protests against China’s ‘zero covid’ policy erupt across country (WaPo)

Fauci on Covid lab leak theory: ‘I have a completely open mind’ (Politico)

Apple has a huge problem with an iPhone factory in China (CNN Business)

Why do I remember embarrassing things I’ve said or done in the past and feel ashamed all over again? (The Conversation)

The Old Lessons Being Learned Again Through FTX’s Collapse; Also, Taylor Swift Reveals Ticketmaster’s True Nature

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana react to the FTX collapse and consider how what led to this point may have been less about crypto and currency and more about humans and currency (01:29). The guys also to discuss this Live Nation/Ticketmaster anti-trust controversy that has apparently been brought to a head by people being upset at the failed roll out of Taylor Swift tour tickets (36:06).

Exclusive: At least $1 billion of client funds missing at failed crypto firm FTX (Reuters)

How Sam Bankman-Fried’s Crypto Empire Collapsed (NY Times)

Collapsed FTX owes nearly $3.1 billion to top 50 creditors (CNN)

Before his epic fall, Sam Bankman-Fried was hailed as a crypto genius. Some clients saw smoke and mirrors. (NBC News)

FTX investors fear they lost everything, and wonder if there's anything they can do (NPR)

Taylor Swift’s Ticketmaster meltdown: What happened? Who’s to blame? (WaPo)

Swifties know: the Ticketmaster fiasco shows America has a monopoly problem (The Guardian)

Justice Department Opens Investigation Into Live Nation Over Monopoly Concerns (Rolling Stone)

The Role Economics and Culture Play in Exploiting America’s Slavery Loophole; Also, Injecting Hormones to Grow Taller Children

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 19:00:00 +0000

As more states move to remove the criminal punishment exception to the prohibition of slavery, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss how economics and culture have led to this exception being exploited over the years (01:44). The guys also take a look at the growing trend in China to use of “height boosting shots” in healthy children and consider how societies should handle voluntary and/or cosmetic procedures in children (30:35).

The ‘Exception’: Five US States to Vote on Vestige of Slavery (Bloomberg)

Four states voted to abolish slavery, but not Louisiana. Here's why (BBC)

13TH (Netflix)

Convict Leasing (Wikipedia)

Rise of growth hormone use on children in China alarms health experts (Yahoo! News)

Two Florida medical boards advance ban on gender-affirming care for minors (NBC News)

Real History has been Hidden, but not Everything You Find Is Real; Also, Keeping Up With Our Evolving Selves

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:00:59 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the difficulty in, and importance of, distinguishing between what is real and what is not when it is known history has been hidden in the context of the antisemitic documentary promoted by Kyrie Irving, the experience of Black Americans, and human societies in general (01:59). The guys also discuss the tendency for people to perceive themself as the same person as they were in the past even though they may have changed (48:04).

What Does Kyrie Irving See in Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories? (The Atlantic)

Kanye, Kyrie, and Me (Rolling Stone)

See the Enduring Power of King Tut as Never Before (Nat Geo)(Apple News Link)

You're Not the Same Person You Used to Be - Here's Why That Matters (Prevention)(Apple News Link)

The Need to Keep Antisemitism Out of Decent Society; Also, Preventing AI From Destroying Humanity

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 21:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the recent antisemitic comments by Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and consider whether the way mainstream society reacted was appropriate in light of his position and his status in society (01:41). The guys also take a look at recent research aimed at preventing AI from destroying humanity (42:04).

Adidas ends Ye deal over hate speech, costing rapper his billionaire status (Reuters)

Kanye West antisemitism controversy: What rapper said and how people have reacted (Sky News)

What Kanye West did: Antisemitic remarks, criticism and repercussions (Independent)

Kanye West may have finally reached the point of no return (WaPo)

Kyrie Irving Boosts Antisemitic Movie Peddling ‘Jewish Slave Ships’ (Rolling Stone)

Nets' Kyrie Irving defends his post about antisemitic movie (ESPN)

There’s a Damn Good Chance AI Will Destroy Humanity, Researchers Say in a New Study (Popular Mechanics)

Does the Approach of Some Environmentalists Hold Back Environmental Progress? Also, Technology Growing Faster Than Our Perception

James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 17:00:00 +0000

James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider the premise that is argued from time to time that the mindset of, and approach taken by, some environmentalists may be counterproductive as far as doing better on the environment (01:29). The guys also discuss the increasing pace of scientific discovery and why people’s view of modern times typically shortchanges what is coming in the future (42:22).

The energy historian who says rapid decarbonization is a fantasy (LA Times)

Not Everyone Should Have a Say (The Atlantic)

Neil deGrasse Tyson: If You Think We Live in Special Times, You’re Wrong (Popular Mechanics)