Month: March 2018

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CrowdScience - Why Do We Follow the Crowd?

Are you the master of your own decisions? Independent-minded? A free spirit? Like it or not, the answer is probably no - as we are profoundly influenced by the people around us. But why do humans follow the crowd? CrowdScience listener Cath Danes wants to know and this week we are going to be giving her answers at the BBC’s Free Thinking Festival in Gateshead.

Marnie Chesterton is joined by a crack team of neuroscientists and psychologists, who reveal the secrets behind our inner sheep. We also run an experiment to find out whether you should trust the wisdom of the crowds with life’s big decisions.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Anna Lacey

(Photo: A flock of sheep being herded in a pasture. Credit: Getty Images)

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More or Less: Behind the Stats - Factchecking Trump on Trade

Whenever Donald Trump talks about trade he brings up one statistic again and again, the US trade balance. This is the relationship between the goods and services the US imports from other countries and what it exports ? if America buys more from a country than that country buys from America there?s a deficit, and Trump claims America has a trade deficit with almost every country in the world.

Is he right?

We unpick whether President Trump is quoting the correct numbers on trade, hear how trade figures can vary widely between countries and ask if it?s the right approach to focus trade deal negotiations on reducing the US deficit.

(Photo: President Donald Trump participates in a meeting with leaders of the steel industry at the White House, Washington, DC. Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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Stuff They Don't Want You To Know - A Digital Cult? The Strange Story of Bentinho Massaro

One person's cult is another person's inarguable truth, and over millenia many spiritual or cultural belief systems have been called cults. Typically organizations called cults have a few commonal traits, one of the chief of which is isolation. So can cults continue to exist in the digital age, where the average smartphone user is only a few clicks away from learning almost anything they desire? What do these movements look like in the era of instantaneous communication? Join the guys as they delve into the strange concept of digital cults.

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The NewsWorthy - Bridge Collapse, Cigarette Changes & St. Patrick’s Day – Friday, March 16th, 2018

All the news you need to know for Friday, March 16th, 2018!

Today, we're talking about a tragic bridge collapse in Miami and the new sanctions imposed on some Russians.

Plus: the FDA's plan for less nicotine in cigarettes, Lyft's monthly subscription model and St. Paddy's Day this weekend.

All that and much more in less than 10 minutes!

Award-winning broadcast journalist and former TV news reporter Erica Mandy breaks it all down for you. 

For links to all the stories referenced in today's episode, visit https://www.theNewsWorthy.com and click Episodes.

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Opening Arguments - OA156: Conor Lamb & Pennsylvania Recounts

In this rapid-response episode, Thomas and Andrew discuss Congressman-elect Conor Lamb's victory in Tuesday's PA-18 special election and whether the Republicans will be able to recount the results. After that, Andrew walks through the history of prior restraint under the First Amendment in light of a recent Nevada decision denying the request of the family of one of the Las Vegas massacre victims to suppress his autopsy report... and what that might mean for friend of the show Stormy Daniels. That segues into another Q&A segment where we tackle Yet More Of Your Stormy Questions; this time relating to (1) choice of law and (2) whether Stormy can simply buy back the settlement for $130,000. Finally, we end with an all-new TTTBE #67 about a gang party where the boss just wanted to "send a message."  Remember that you can play along with #TTTBE by retweeting our episode on Twitter or sharing it on Facebook along with your guess.  We'll release the answer on next Tuesday's episode along with our favorite entry! Recent Appearances None!  Have us on your show! Show Notes & Links
  1. Thomas discussed the political implications of the Lamb election on Episode 128 of Serious Inquiries Only.
  2. We discussed con artist Jill Stein's "recounts" way back in Episode 25 of this show, and the Pennsylvania order denying standing is here.  You can also read up on Pennsylvania's Election law, Title 25, Chapter 14.; we specifically discussed §§ 3154(g) (mandatory recounts); 3261-63 (voluntary recounts); and 3459 (bonding requirement).
  3. The key case for prior restraint is New York Times v. U.S., 403 U.S. 713 (1971); you can also read the Nevada Supreme Court opinion.
  4. Please also check out David Michael's new podcast, The Quorum!
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The Gist - Hot or Not: Presidents’ Edition

On The Gist, the Trump administration walks back a line about U.S. trade with Canada.

And which American president was the studliest? Kate and J.D. Dobson are out with a book that considers Ulysses S. Grant’s quiet charisma, Franklin Pierce’s youthful charm, and the distinguished eyebrows of a certain Warren G. Harding. The Dobsons are the authors of Hottest Heads of State, Volume 1: The American Presidents.

In the Spiel, the world’s greatest toy store goes down. 

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