Episodes

  • The News Roundup For February 21, 2025

    The News Roundup For February 21, 2025
    Feb 21 2025
    Following the firings of a slew of employees at federal agencies responsible for things like fighting pandemics and taking care of nuclear weapons, the Trump administration is scrambling to rehire key positions.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune says that he and his Republican colleagues are moving forward with their plans for a budget, despite Trump endorsing a competing plan put forward by the House.

    Meanwhile, European leaders gathered in Paris this week to discuss what the Trump administration's future relationship with the continent looks like.

    And following weeks of a shaky ceasefire, Hamas has offered to return all of its hostages to Israel in return for a permanent truce.

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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • Celebrating The Legacy Of David Lynch

    Celebrating The Legacy Of David Lynch
    Feb 20 2025
    David Lynch, an icon of American cinema, died last month at 78 years old.

    As a filmmaker, he was known for his eccentric and dark depictions of American life – as illustrated in his 1986 film "Blue Velvet."

    And in "Twin Peaks." His small-town mystery series aired for two seasons beginning in 1990 leading to a film and a 2017 reboot.

    Of course, his imagination wasn't limited to small towns and suburbia. His films included an adaptation of Frank Herbert's "Dune," and he showed off his love for Los Angeles in films like "Mulholland Drive."

    We look back at David Lynch's life and career.

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    36 mins
  • ICYMI: Trump Fired And Unfired The Employees That Manage Our Nuclear Stockpile

    ICYMI: Trump Fired And Unfired The Employees That Manage Our Nuclear Stockpile
    Feb 19 2025
    It was an abrupt about-face. Last Thursday, federal employees at the agency that manages the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons were suddenly let go by the Trump administration, with some employees receiving the news late Thursday night.

    Then, as early as the next morning, some of those firings were reversed, with employees being told they should come back to work.

    The White House has struggled to reach some of the employees it fired to tell them that they still have their jobs.

    We discuss what's happening at the Department of Energy's agency for our nuclear stockpile and what this latest firing of federal employees could mean for our security.

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    8 mins
  • Game Mode: The New American Board Game Craze

    Game Mode: The New American Board Game Craze
    Feb 19 2025
    We all know the classics: Monopoly, Backgammon, Checkers, and many more.

    For some, board games are relegated to the dregs of American entertainment, to be broken out at bad parties and played by candlelight on nights where the power's out.

    But for many, a new wave of board game production and enthusiasm has them clearing calendars and pulling up a chair.

    We discuss what's driving the tabletop gaming surge and what it means for an industry that's primarily analog.

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    30 mins
  • 'If You Can Keep It': The Future Of The Democratic Party

    'If You Can Keep It': The Future Of The Democratic Party
    Feb 18 2025
    A November 2024 Pew Research survey found that nearly-half of Democrats are pessimistic about the party's future, compared to only 13 percent of Republicans.

    The 2024 election was a rude awakening for leaders on the left, many of whom are grappling with how to shift the public perception of the party.

    In this latest edition of "If You Can Keep It," we get at the heart of this political moment and ask the questions that really matter about the state of our democracy.

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    31 mins
  • The Lingering Effects Of Wildfire Smoke

    The Lingering Effects Of Wildfire Smoke
    Feb 18 2025
    The effects of climate change are being felt more than ever. We've seen the devastation caused by storms and floods.

    Most recently, we watched the West Coast go up in flames flames, displacing thousands and destroying homes.

    But what about what lingers behind? What stays in the air that we breathe?

    Smoke can have a real impact on our health. As more of our forests start to burn due to increased temperatures, more smoke is going to be floating around our country and world.

    We discuss the effects of fire smoke in the short and long term.

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    38 mins
  • The Story Behind Executive Orders

    The Story Behind Executive Orders
    Feb 17 2025
    We've heard about a lot of them the last few weeks.

    They're one powerful tool in a commander-in-chief's arsenal to enact their agenda.

    Donald Trump has made heavy use of the executive order in the past few weeks, but so have his predecessors. Both Joe Biden and Barack Obama issued many Executive Orders during their times in office.

    We discuss the practice and boundaries of Executive Orders.

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    34 mins
  • The News Roundup For February 14, 2025

    The News Roundup For February 14, 2025
    Feb 14 2025
    The White House is moving ahead with its plan to significantly reduce the federal workforce.

    Also this week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr was confirmed as the Secretary for Health and Human Services in a 52-48 vote, even after several senators raised concerns about his record of an anti-vaccine activism.

    And in global news, Donald Trump spent time on the phone with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and hopes negotiations to end the war will begin immediately.

    The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas came under strain this week as Hamas announced that it would delay the release of three hostages in Gaza on Saturday in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners being held in Israel.

    We discuss all this and more during the News Roundup.

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    1 hr and 21 mins