Soundtrack of the Week
Ty is out this week, but the show must go on, so Jay and Meredith take the helm and bring in special guest Chad (). It's June, so the gang discusses Pride Month, including some of the many challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. This time, someone with direct knowledge and experience speaks about the main topic. (0:00:00) - Intro (Ty is dead, SOTW welcomes Chad, Meredith and Chad are prepping for protests) (0:17:20) - Sounds of the Week: Me Too is back! ICE protest in Los Angeles (0:38:58) - Pride and other monthly observances Songs: "Ever Fallen in Love" by...
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It's Memorial Day Weekend! Like other summer holidays, people are hitting the roads and the skies to enjoy the three-day weekend away from home. Other people, like Meredith, are afraid to travel and staying home. This week, the gang discusses their traveling fears, including money, stressful itineraries, and dying. Air traffic controllers getting DOGEed isn't helping. (0:00:00) - Intro (news update, Meredith totally doesn't have COVID, in memoriam car window decals, Tesla is the new BMW) (0:26:29) - Sounds of the Week: (0:41:09) - Traveling Songs: "The...
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Third places are neutral public spaces outside the home (first place) and work (second place) where people can gather and interact, e.g. churches, coffee shops, bars, parks, malls, movie theaters, clubs, etc. Since at least the 1990s, third places have been disappearing, leaving people nowhere to go. This week, the gang explores why third spaces are going away, what the consequences are and what can be done to get back to a world where people just simply hang out. (0:00:00) - Intro (Jay's mouth got probed, to go or not to go to the doctor, news update) (0:26:00) - Sounds of the Week: ...
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Keeping good on his promise to purge the country of dangerous, illegal immigrants, President Donald Trump has executed a massive deportation campaign. However, Trump's immigration crusade may have gone too far, resulting in a constitutional crisis that has put potentially thousands of innocent people in the crosshairs, many of whom are U.S. citizens. This week, the gang breaks down the federal government's immigration crackdown and why every American should be concerned. (0:00:00) - Intro (Artificial intelligence in Little League baseball, the workplace and Soundtrack of the Week) ...
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Democracy is on the line, so the left is doing the only thing they know to do: Protest! From the recent "Hands Off" movement to people demonstrating outside Tesla dealerships (and some setting Cybertrucks on fire), people are hitting the streets to express their disapproval of the current president. But are they affecting change? This week, the gang discusses the merits of protesting in the United States and what needs to be done to see action on Capitol Hill Intro (white people love casserole, Metallica road trip, Jay's dentophobia, news update) Sounds of the Week: ...
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Jay and Ty recently discovered they have a half brother that no one knew about for more than 30 years. How did they find out? Ty submitted a 23&Me. Ty sees nothing wrong with obtaining this information, Jay is vehemently against a corporation collecting DNA data and flipping families upside down, and Meredith tries to rein the two in. This week, the gang discusses the topic of data privacy, including how much data they are willing to give up and at what price. 0:00:00 - Intro (Harlem Globetrotters, Ukrainian ballet, Ty finally took time off work, super spicy food is dumb,...
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The gang is taking a break this week. Instead of leaving you hanging, Ty reached deep into the archives and resurrected an episode of the first edition of SOTW. Listen to Episode 147, where Ty, Jay and Meredith talk about the state of the nation ... in 2013! Needless to say, a few things have changed since then. Strap in for this one. The gang recorded for more than three hours every week back in the day! 0:00:00 - Intro 0:03:34 - Episode 147: You Say You Want a Revolution (Part I) 1:31:03 - Episode 147: You Say You Want a Revolution (Part II) Songs: "Sunday Bloody Sunday"...
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Heaven's Gate. The Branch Davidians. Children of God. The Republican party? Liberals and conservatives have been accusing each other of being in a cult since forever, but neither has exhibited all of the classic characteristics and traits ... until now. This week, the gang discusses the idea that Republicans are beginning to cross the line from party cohesiveness and loyalty to straight-up cult status. 0:00:00 - Intro (Meredith and Jay can't deal with winter, 23&Me disrupted Ty and Jay's family) 0:25:15 - Sounds of the Week: 0:51:17 - Cults Songs: "Hypnotize"...
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Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies are under attack by the federal government in an attempt to restore meritocracy in both the public and private sectors. There's only one problem: Meritocracy is a myth. This week, the gang discusses how the lack of a merit-based system renders policies like DEI necessary to ensure everyone is on a level playing field by circumventing our implicit biases. (0:00:00) - Intro (Super Bowl halftime show, Democratic party implosion continues) (0:24:30) - Sounds of the Week: UFC fighter Bryce Mitchell's pro-Hitler hot take (0:40:33) -...
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In a special edition of the show, Ty, Jay and Meredith are joined by Geoff Gerling, a Missouri Democratic party officer and former SOTW co-host. Geoff returns to the show to discuss where Democrats went wrong heading into Election Day and how the party can bounce back. The gang gets deep into the weeds, including political messaging, who will lead the Democratic party and why the show "The West Wing" led to second term for Donald Trump. 0:00:00 - Short intro and straight into what happened with the Dems 0:27:58 - Role of communications/messaging in politics and the Democratic party...
info_outlineFormer President Donald Trump was centimeters away from death after a failed assassination attempt during his campaign rally in Butler, Pa. In the immediate aftermath, there were calls for unity and to turn the down the temperature in the political environment ... that never happened. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden appears to have little chance in winning the election and refuses to end his bid for a second term despite growing support from voters and Democrat leaders to do so. Needless to say, the 2024 presidential campaign is a clusterf***. The gang discusses how the assassination attempt may reshape the election and comes up with a winning solution for the Democratic party.
0:00:00 - Intro (a call for unity with the National Anthem, Jay is unemployed)
0:16:14 - Attempted assassination of Donald Trump
0:46:10 - President Joe Biden's bid for reelection
Songs:
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar
"Hey Man Nice Shot" by Filter
"Bullet in the Head" by Rage Against the Machine
Notes:
- Ingrid Andress sings the National Anthem at the MLB All-Star Game (0:03:50)
- Ingrid Andress claims she was drunk (0:06:10)
- Fergie's 2020 NBA All-Star Game National Anthem (0:07:00)
- Carl Lewis sings the National Anthem (0:07:30)
- Gunman’s Phone Had Details About Both Trump and Biden, F.B.I. Officials Say (0:19:40)
- What we know about would-be Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks (0:20:40)
- Did the Trump gunman make a donation to Democrats? Here's what the records show. (0:21:00)
- Jay claims the vast majority of Americans do not fall in line with Republican policies. Data on that claim are mixed. A 2018 poll (from a progressive think tank) revealed broad support for certain progressive policies. A 2019 CNBC poll revealed wide support for certain progressive programs. Ten years ago, two researchers published a paper suggesting that although Democrat policies are more popular, Republican ideology is more unified. However, a more recent Gallup poll conducted last October revealed that certain Republican policies are winning. There is no data supporting claims that a supermajority of Americans support Democrat policies (in general) over Republican policies.
- A great article about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump and conspiracy theories in general (0:28:30)
- Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., tweet blaming Joe Biden for assassination attempt, followed by another tweet blaming the media. (0:32:30)
- Rep. Marjorie Taylore Greene, R-Ga., tweets conspiracy theory blaming the left.
- Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla, tweets claim extra security was denied by Departmet of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (0:32:30)
- Shortly after the podcast was record, The Washington Post published a story about the Secret Service denying requests for more security at Trump events in the two years leading up to the assassination attempt.
- Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, and Republican vice president nominee tweet directly links President Joe Biden's campaign to assassination attempt.
- Widow of man killed at Trump rally in Pennsylvania says she declined to speak with Biden (0:34:35)
- Elon Musk endorses Donald Trump for president (0:37:00)
- Trump’s classified documents case dismissed over Jack Smith appointment (0:37:50)
- Justice Clarence Thomas sets the stage to dismiss Trump's classified documents case in Georgia in his 9-page concurring statement in the Supreme Court's presidential immunity case (0:38:30)
- Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to withdraw, new AP-NORC poll finds (0:48:55)
- FiveThirtyEight 2024 national presidential polls (1:01:53)
- 2024 presidential election polls by state (1:02:30)