Sirens: A Bombshell production
Sirens starts the school year bright eyed in It's a Drill, highlighting new Deputy Secretary of Defense powers in requirements, the new Chief Design Officer at the White House, and whether those trade taxes are legal. In Dumpster Fires, we explore the redistricting arms race set off by Texas and how it fits into the evolution of democracy in the US, along with how it feels to own 10% of Intel (any takers for a share of State Capitalism?). In Warning Signs, we are delighted (horrified) to welcome Dr. Lindsay Cohn to dig into when and how state governors resist federal deployments of the...
info_outlineSirens: A Bombshell production
Sirens gives you a mini-episode close to our hearts: what are the do's and, very importantly, don'ts of running a great hiring process as a hiring manager. There's horror stories, yes, but also great advice for new leaders and old hands.
info_outlineSirens: A Bombshell production
Sirens returns with an action packed episode. Loren, Erin, and Radha cover China's foray into green tech (plus grantmaking politcization and Pentagon reorganizations) in it's a drill. Closer to home, the ladies discuss how DC is (not) welcoming national guardsmen from a variety of states and talk the history and context of DC Home Rule, plus what is up with the new report from the Department of Energy on climate change. In warning signs, Dr. Elizabeth Saunders joins to share in the bafflement over the blitz of Russia, Ukraine and everyone else summits this week. The ladies close out...
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In this mini-episode, join Radha and Erin's full interview with amazing guest and expert Emily Bensen on all things tariffs (aka trade taxes). They talk through the theory of the case for setting these tariffs, review the successful and not-so-successful negotiations, and look at where the economy and the American people likely to see the impact of these tariffs in the weeks and months ahead
info_outlineSirens: A Bombshell production
There's just too much going on in our sixty second It's a Drill exercise, but Radha, Erin, and Loren manage to highlight Taiwan dithering, NIH funding shenanigans, and small set of AI Action Plan details. In bigger, can't miss Dumpster Fires, they dive into what drove the shift in public reactions to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and what it may mean, as well as what happens when a president fires the BLS commissioner on jobs day. Radha and Erin welcome our second guest, Emily Benson, for a long Warning Signs exploration of our favorite repeat topic, trade taxes, and the Trump...
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The ladies bring you a mini-episode answering a question you never thought to ask: what makes for a good political appointee? They discuss why we have political appointees, how they can be useful (or not), and how they can work with career personnell. Listen to hear the good, the bad, and the not so ugly.
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In this mini-episode of Sirens, Radha and Loren continue the conversation with (first! special!) guest Cristin Dorgelo, former senior advisor at the Office of Management and budget, detailing the longer tail of of impacts the American people and the federal workforce can anticipate from the current chaos of RIFs, and how this might be a chance to reimagine the federal talent management process.
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Sirens is back with episode four, and we’ve added our first guest and a virtual gong! Erin, Radha and Loren race through a drill on the NDAA, TSA security theatrics, the Fed Chair, and air conditioning (?!), followed by a true dumpster fire (the new Schedule G) and more of a dumpster framework (abundance: what is it actually?). Our first guest, former OMB senior advisor Cristin Dorgelo, goes deep on the context, process and consequences of Reductions in Force. And we disclose our favorite TikToks/Reels moments!
info_outlineSirens: A Bombshell production
Sirens is back with a mini-episode dissecting the Defense Department's budget request. Listen as Radha and Erin review the process and substance of DoD's behemoth budget - what's new, what's not, and what we're watching! And of course, because it's our valentine - how does this process compare to what usually happens.
info_outlineSirens: A Bombshell production
Sirens is back with episode 3! On the cocktail circuit, the Erin, Radha and Loren chat the on and off again relationship with Ukraine munitions, Social Security Performance Data, and the ever-revolving door. Bigger picture in Warning Signs, they dive deep into the death of USAID (long live USAID?) and the crazy competition for AI talent. And Erin gives us an incredible lesson on the history and efficacy of political protest. The Gong Show closes with 4th of July traditions.
info_outlineThis week Erin and Radha regroup while Loren takes a much-deserved vacation. They do a quick review on COVID-19 with the good (100 days no new cases in New Zealand), the bad (cases in Brazil, India, and the United States continue to grow), and the ugly (long-term economic consequences in the United States, India, and Brazil). They also dig into the recent explosion and protests in Lebanon and then go deep on the recent executive order impacting TikTok and WeChat. After reminding us that Afghanistan is still a thing, they talk about the lack of accurate and comprehensive briefings for POTUS and the mayhem that ensues, including quotes (and misquotes) by Robert O'brien (yes, he's the national security advisor!). To calm us all down, they then talk about pop culture from baseball movies (The Rookie, Bull Durham) to Arthurian legend-ish TV shows (Cursed).
Links
- Abbie Cheeseman, “Protesters in Beirut, Still Reeling from Massive Explosion, Cash with Police,” NBC News, August 09, 2020
- Elian Peltier, “How to Help Lebanon After Beirut Explosion,” New York Times, August 05, 2020
- Dennis Wagner and George Petras, “Massive Explosion Rocks Beirut: Before and After Images Show Extensive Damage,” USA Today, August 06, 2020
- Nick Perry, “New Zealand Marks 100th Day with No New Reported Cases of Coronavirus,” ABC7NY, August 09, 2020
- Derek Hawkins, Marisa Iati, and Jacqueline Dupree, “US Coronavirus Infections Surpass 5 Million,” Washington Post, August 09, 2020
- “Coronavirus: Brazil Passes 100,000 Deaths as Outbreak Shows No Sign of Easing,” BBC, August 09, 2020
- “Record 64,399 New Covid-19 Cases; 861 Deaths in India,” Times of India, August 09, 2020
- Elaine Chen, “Drugmakers Race to Build Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Chains,” Wall Street Journal, July 30, 2020
- Michael Crescione, “Europe Sees Rise in Covid-19 After Reopening,” Healthline, August 06, 2020
- Swati Bhat, “India to Halt 101 Military Imports in Push for Defense Self-Reliance: Minister,” Reuters, August 09, 2020
- Ryan Browne and Jamie Crawford, “Esper Says US Troop Levels in Afghanistan to Go Below 5,000 by End of November,” CNN, August 09, 2020
- Brad Heath, “Esper: US Will Cut Troop Levels in Afghanistan to Less Than 5,000,” Reuters, August 08, 2020
- Jim Sciutto, “Trump Advisers Hesitated to Give Military Options and Warned Adversaries Over Fears He Might Start a War,” CNN, August 06, 2020
- Justine Coleman, “Trump Advisers Were Wary of Talking Military Options Over Fears He’d Accidentally Start War,” The Hill, August 06, 2020
- Philip Bump, “Trump Actually Doesn’t Appear to Understand How Bad the Pandemic Is,” Washington Post, August 04, 2020
- Geoffrey Gertz, “Why is the Trump Administration Banning TikTok and WeChat?” Brookings, August 07, 2020
- Robert Chesney, “Banning TikTok and WeChat: Another Primer,” Lawfare, August 07, 2020
- Chaim Gartenberg, “Apple’s Chinese Business Could be Devastated by Trump’s WeChat Ban,” The Verge, August 08, 2020
- “Trump Targets WeChat and TikTok, in Sharp Escalation with China,” New York Times, August 06, 2020