These Books Will Help You Get Through the Cold, Cold Winter
Release Date: 11/27/2024
Cute Body Horror
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We’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we’re talking to Cirocco Dunlap, the showrunner of The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, easily one of our favorite shows right now. Season 2 just came out, and we talk to Dunlap about cute body horror, dealing with mental illness, and interspecies romance. Then contributing host Maggie Tokuda-Hall brings us some bad news. She talks to Kelly Jensen, who runs the newsletter Well Sourced, bringing us up to date on all the latest developments in book bans and library censorship in the United States. Show notes:...
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Public Health Is a Utopian Vision (with Naseem Jamnia and Natasha O'Brown)
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Public health is a vital part of keeping all of us safe — but what does it mean, and where did the concept come from? Special guest host Naseem Jamnia breaks it down for us, and tells us about some fantasy stories that show why public health is a collective concern. Plus we talk to scientist Natsaha O'Brown at Rutgers University about all the discoveries we've made lately about the blood-brain barrier.
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Simulating Earth and Politicizing Science
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It's the end of science as we know it in America. As the U.S. government dismantles science agencies and slashes budgets for health and environmental research, we talk about what it means to politicize science. How is that different from the time-honored tradition of analyzing the politics of science? Then we are joined by contributing host Maddie Stone, an environmental journalist, who tells us about the forgotten history of the videogame SimEarth, where you help an entire planet's ecosystems evolve. Yep, before The Sims, there was SimEarth. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect/shownotes
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The Power of Protest (w/ andré carrington)
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It's time to rise up. That's why we’re talking about the power of protest, in real life but also in fiction. Indeed, the act of writing science fiction can itself be a protest, and sometimes it’s just as powerful as marching in the street. Later in the episode, we're joined by andré carrington, who is the editor of a new anthology of Black speculative fiction called The Black Fantastic. He tells us why fascists are so terrified of books and the pleasures of reading. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes
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Too Bad About the Internet (with Anil Dash)
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Where did the Internet go wrong, and how do we fix it? To find out more, we talk to entrepreneur and activist Anil Dash about the alternate history of technology. But first, we talk about why Doctor Who is better than ever, and why we're loving the current season — but where is this venerable TV show headed next? We explore our hopes, dreams and anxieties about our favorite Time Lord.
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Some really weird shit you didn't know about taxes
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Why are taxes the secret weapon in so many science fiction and fantasy stories? And why the heck do archaeologists measure the complexity of ancient civilizations partly by looking at their taxation policies? We talk about all this and more, as we recover from tax season. Plus, later in the episode, contributing host Alan Henry will tell us how to survive the harsh new workplace conditions of 2025, particularly if you are a marginalized person. Shownotes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes
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Severance and the New Hellscape (w/ Carl Zimmer)
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Welcome to the new dystopian era. The series Severance, which just finished its second season, is perhaps the best-known of a fresh crop of dark, absurdist stories that tackle the horrors of high-tech oligarchy. We discuss why the imaginary future is mutating before our eyes. Then we are joined by celebrated science journalist Carl Zimmer, author of the new book Airborne. He tells us about the discovery of airborne diseases and toxins, and tells us what's coming next. Don't freak out! It's not all bad. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes
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Hip Hop x Cyberpunk (with clipping.)
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Hip hop group clipping. has just released a brilliant new cyberpunk-inspired album, Dead Channel Sky, and we're talking to the members about how hip hop and cyberpunk have inspired each other from the beginning. Hope you've got your mirrorshades! Meanwhile, contributing host Bethany Brookshire takes us on a deep dive into medieval history and shares the startling tale of how three thousand hats ended a war.
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"Interior Chinatown" Just Became a Very Weird TV Show (with Charles Yu)
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In his award-winning novel Interior Chinatown, Charles Yu took a scalpel to television's tropes and stereotypes. Now he explains to us how he managed to turn that book into a brilliant, challenging TV show. Also, contributing host Nivair Gabriel tells us about science in children's books, and what it's like to push for accurate depictions of space in children's publishing. Plus she recommends great books to share with the kids in your life!
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Forced Feminization and Cute Robots
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We're catching you up on all the movies we've been watching recently, from The Substance to The Wild Robot, and a few themes emerged. One is that there are an awful lot of feminists who are mad about being forced to be and act feminine. And the other is that cute robots might eventually destroy you. Enjoy! Show notes, as always, are here: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes
info_outlineThe holidays are here once again, and that means one thing: time to stock up on books to help you get cozy and distract yourself from the cold weather (and the state of the world.) Here's our annual roundup of some of our favorite reads — both fiction and non-fiction. Happy reading!