Feel that itch, that strange rash that seems to be pulsing in weird ways? Don't worry, it's just the new flesh finding fertile soil. By the end of this journey we'll all be beautiful flesh flowers. We're doing a Cronenjourney, starting with Videodrome and the philosophy of Marshall Mcluhan.
PHPUgly streams the recording of this podcast live. Typically every Thursday night around 9 PM PT. Come and join us, and subscribe to our Youtube Channel, Twitch, or Periscope. Also, be sure to check out our Patreon Page.
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What does the US's disgusting history of war crimes teach us about international law? We look at the story of how the US screwed over Nicaragua and what the UN did about it. Also, we break down Gov. Abbott's gross attack on trans people. It's despicable, but what will the real life consequences be? Find out. Before that, some good news and very bad news in the efforts to hold Trump accountable for his uncountable crimes.
One of the video games that Short Wave's Scientist in Residence has been playing a lot in the pandemic is Animal Crossing, in which bits of stars fall along the beach. It got Regina thinking — what ARE shooting stars? For answers on all things asteroid, meteoroid and comet, she turns to planetary scientist Melissa Rice.
Haven't had any luck Googling to learning more about a cool phenomenon? Shoot us an email shortwave@npr.org, and we'll dig up some answers.
In interviews with the authors of The Black Agenda and Solitary, the issue of criminal justice reform is central. First, writer Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman talks about an essay collection from Black writers that tackles issues the U.S. faces today – that stem from racism and racist policies. She told NPR's Leila Fadel the book is arguing for the humanity of Black people. The second interview is with Alfred Woodfox, who served 43 years in prison – most of those in solitary confinement — for a crime he says he didn't commit. Woodfox told NPR's Scott Simon he struggles with claustrophobia even now.
We’re joined by Phil Neel, a communist economic geographer, to dig deep into different theories of crisis in capitalism. While theorizing crisis is a core part of the Marxist analysis of capitalism, we focus on understanding how major approaches in mainstream economics try (and fail) to explain the features, causes, and solutions for crisis. Bonus: we learn how economics is a disproven cosmology maintained by bourgeois ideology—like astrology for the ruling class. Double bonus: we end the episode with an explanation and critique of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT).
Check out some of Phil’s work:
••• Global China, Global Crisis: Falling Profitability, Rising Capital Exports and the Formation of New Territorial Industrial Complexes | Phillip Neel https://drive.google.com/file/d/1krt15Qx0lPizv7SPR8b0GhsmGK61k1TP/view
••• Hinterland: America’s New Landscape of Class and Conflict | Phil Neel https://www.akpress.org/hinterland.html
••• Phil Neel at Brooklyn Rail | https://brooklynrail.org/contributor/phil-a-neel
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Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (twitter.com/jathansadowski) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (twitter.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (twitter.com/braunestahl)
Sen. Josh Hawley accused President Joe Biden of “haphazard, feckless foreign policy” Thursday, insisting that “we do not need American soldiers fighting in Europe.”
The Missouri Republican discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a Thursday interview with The Daily Signal's Mary Margaret Olohan at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, where he repeatedly emphasized that Biden’s “weakness” has led to the escalating situation in Ukraine.
“We need to be really clear that what the Russians are doing is absolutely wrong, that it is a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, and now we need a policy,” Hawley said. “Joe Biden hasn’t had any policy.”
“We should shut down Russia’s energy production and open ours,” he added. “We are the greatest energy-producing nation in the world. Joe Biden has shut down our energy production, that’s sent a message of weakness, it’s sent a message of dependence, that made us more dependent on foreign adversaries.”
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NLW explores 15 key economic questions including:
1. Why isn’t the world going even bigger on sanctions?
2. How is Russia’s economy tied to the rest of the world?
3. Why isn’t Russia scared of sanctions?
4. Will Russia retaliate by cutting off the world from its exports?
5. Will we see SWIFT sanctions?
6. Is there concern in the U.S. that SWIFT sanctions could threaten the U.S. dollar’s status as a global reserve?
7. What alternatives to SWIFT exist?
8. Does this put Bitcoin in the spotlight and shed new light on Russia’s legalization/regulation?
9. Does this situation risk the politicization of Bitcoin?
10. How does this change the discussion of CBDCs and stablecoins?
11. Why did the price of BTC drop and will we see the other side?
12. How does this change the Fed’s calculus about quantitative tightening?
13. Does this change the discussion around green energy?
14. What about China and Taiwan?
15. Is there any possibility of sanctions actually working?
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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with today’s editing by Rob Mitchell and Adrian Blust, research by Scott Hill and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Vision” by OBOY. Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images News, modified by CoinDesk. Join the discussion at discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8.
