Disney briefly pulled Jimmy Kimmel off the air last week for comments he made about Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer, after FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened action against Disney and ABC. But this is not the first time the government has tried to censor the media: Maria walks us through a brief history of presidents trying to limit what the press says. Then, Nate and Maria discuss whether cancel culture led us to this particular moment.
Mia talks with unionized abortion care worker Crystal about RFK Jr.’s new announcement that Tylenol in pregnant people can cause autism and the real reproductive healthcare crises in the US.
Donald Trump said he believed Ukraine was in a position to “win” its territory “back in its original form”, and that Russia had been “fighting aimlessly”.
In their heyday of the 1970s and 1980s, there were more than 200 - possibly more than 400 - feminist restaurants and coffee shops in the USA and Canada. These places were aiming to change ways of working, and upend the hierarchies of restaurants; to provide food that was ethically sourced and affordable to customers, while providing staff with a decent wage; to signal to particular kinds of people that a space was specifically for them. They didn't always succeed, and often they didn't last for more than a couple of years. But they sure did try things. Dr Alex Ketchum, author of Ingredients for Revolution, a History of American Feminist Restaurants, Cafes, and Coffeehouses, explains the ups and downs of how these places used words.
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Support the show at theallusionist.org/donate and as well as keeping this independent podcast going, you also get behind-the-scenes info about every episode; livestreams with me, Martin and my ever-growing collection of dictionaries, and the charming and nurturing Allusioverse Discord community, where we're watching the current season of Great British Bake Off, and donors are learning that apparently it is a surprisingly productive source of writing inspiration for me.
This episode was produced by me, Helen Zaltzman, on the unceded ancestral and traditional territory of xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. The music is by Martin Austwick. Download his own songs at palebirdmusic.com and on Bandcamp, and listen to his podcasts Song By Song and Neutrino Watch.
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Jury deliberates just two hours before delivering a guilty verdict for the man accused of trying to assassinate then-candidate Trump on a Florida golf course last year. President Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly, railing against the body and other countries. Trump calls off meeting with Democratic leaders that would have discussed the looming government shutdown.
CBS News Correspondent Jennifer Keiper with tonight's World news Roundup.
We chat about the growing genre of personal literary essays about AI where the literati at places like the New Yorker pen long essays laying out their thoughts, worries, and ultimate embrace of AI. But as with most personal essays, we end up learning more about the foibles and anxieties of the authors than anything material about the thing they are writing about. Big shout out to the excellent piece in N+1 we discuss in this episode, which turns the sights of literary criticism on this genre of “AI-and-I” essays.
••• What’s Up With Peter Thiel’s Obsession With the Antichrist? https://newrepublic.com/article/200471/peter-thiel-obsession-antichrist-religion
••• Large Language Muddle https://www.nplusonemag.com/issue-51/the-intellectual-situation/large-language-muddle/#rf3-55362
••• Two Days Talking to People Looking for Jobs at ICE https://www.nplusonemag.com/issue-51/politics/yanis-two-days-talking-to-people-looking-for-jobs-at-ice-2/
Standing Plugs:
••• Order Jathan’s new book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite
••• Subscribe to Ed’s substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble
••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills
Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)
President Trump announced an extraordinary shift in policy on Ukraine. He has previously suggested Ukraine would have to give up territory to make peace, but today he said it could win back areas occupied or annexed by Russia since 2014. Trump made the announcement as he delivered the first speech to the United Nations of his second term. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
President Trump mangles acetaminophen and issues a sweeping “don’t take Tylenol” decree. Are some people truly more attractive to mosquitoes than others? Sadie Dingfelder joins to walk through decades of mosquito studies, from Gambian huts filled with human volunteers to modern lab assays with paraffin membranes, and explains why carbon dioxide, sweat, and even bananas can make one person a mosquito buffet while another goes unbitten. She answers the question “Is It Bullshit?” Also: a spiel on Tom Homan, a $50,000 bribe, and a bright yellow Cava bag that says as much about government indifference as it does about corruption. Produced by Corey Wara
The Trump administration moved forward today with its overhaul of H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers. The president is proposing a $100,000 fee for anyone applying for the visa. The plan is sparking concern as employees and companies that rely on the workers race to understand the consequences. William Brangham has two perspectives on the plan from Justin Wolfers and Ronil Hira. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Jimmy Kimmel returns to late-night less than a week after ABC suspended his show following his comments on the killing of Charlie Kirk. But two of the largest station ownership groups, Sinclair and Nexstar, say they won’t carry the program on their ABC affiliates. Kimmel’s suspension sparked protests and concerns about free speech. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Dylan Byers of Puck. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
