Seeing China’s recent declaration that it has eliminated extreme poverty, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the feasibility of eliminating poverty through central government action (01:28) and the challenges modern societies face in building sustainable systems as our technological and social environments continue to evolve (22:17).China fulfills a dream to end poverty. Not all poor people are feeling better off (LA Times)
Recognizing the role scientific advancement can play in making our world a better place, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss Boris Johnson’s bold plan to outlaw gasoline vehicles in the U.K. by 2030 as part of a “green industrial revolution” (01:27) and take a look at some implications from recent advancements in producing lab created diamonds (20:22). The guys also weigh in on the age-old debate on whether scientific advancement could ever render religion obsolete (32:08).UK to ban gasoline car sales by 2030 as part of green plan (ABC News)Scientists create diamonds at room temperature in minutes (CNN)Why Religion Is Not Going Away and Science Will Not Destroy It (Pocket)
Seeing the ongoing, unsubstantiated attacks on selective aspects of the 2020 election as a threat to the democratic process, James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss how democratic systems can only function if the vast majority of a populace is willing to buy into democratic norms (02:00) and consider what responsibility elected leaders and news media have in the presence of misinformation and unsubstantiated claims about elections (15:08). The guys also take a look at a recent study into how sleep affects is needed to perform (48:22) Poll: 70 percent of Republicans don’t think the election was free and fair (Politico)What Trump’s Refusal To Concede Says About American Democracy (538)Federal prosecutors assigned to monitor election malfeasance tell Barr they see no evidence of substantial irregularities (WaPo)Ga. secretary of state says fellow Republicans are pressuring him to find ways to exclude ballots (WaPo)Lindsey Graham Says Republicans Lose Elections Because Democrats ‘Cheat’ (Newsweek)Trump voters are flocking to a TV channel that claims Biden is not president-elect (CNN)Why Six Hours Of Sleep Is As Bad As None At All (Pocket)
The 2020 U.S. Election included record levels of participation and a collective decision to make a change at the top, and James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana, and Rick Ellsley discuss what the election results reveal about the mindset of Americans, the messiness of democratic elections, and what circumstances or trends we need to keep our eyes on moving forward. Biden defeats Trump in an election he made about character of the nation and the President (CNN)Kamala Harris makes history as first woman of color elected US vice-president (The Guardian)Voter Turnout Hits Historic Levels With States Still Counting Votes (Bloomberg)
COVID-19 rates are spiking across the globe, and James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana consider whether our societies have misjudged how pervasive the pandemic would be (01:13) and discuss comments from a conservative party leader in the UK about Boris Johnson “giving in to scientific advisers” with his lockdown measures (09:14). The guys also take a look at the apparent availability of cloned pets and some implications of technology’s advance on that front (33:56).U.S. reports world record of more than 100,000 COVID-19 cases in single day (Reuters)Boris Johnson accused of ‘giving in to scientific advisers’ as England heads for lockdown (CNN)Iowa Woman Has Her ‘Wonderful’ Cat Cloned After His Death (People)
Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat Subsequent Moviefilm reveals a lot about our society’s values, or its lack thereof, and James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana, and Rob Richardson take a look at various causes and effects of what we see (01:10) and consider what would be needed to get things on track (28:40).Material discussed:Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Prime)Republican and Democrat running against each other for Utah governor unite for joint ad (CBS News)
The story surrounding Ice Cube’s Contract with Black America was hijacked by politicians, so James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana take a look at the Cube’s approach to getting it on the table and the public fallout, reasons why this type of action continues to be necessary, and the extent to which Black Americans may be taken for granted by America’s main political parties.Contract with Black AmericaThe Platinum Plan (pdf)The inside story of how Ice Cube joined forces with Donald Trump (Politico)From N.W.A. to MAGA: Ice Cube takes some heat for working with the Trump administration (CNN)To understand why some Black men support Trump, start with Ice Cube (LA Times)Ice Cube and Trump team up on jobs – Why are the left and right getting this story so wrong? (FoxNews)New survey of 30,000 black voters finds that black communities feel ignored by Democrats (Vox)
The lifeblood of our system of government is voting, so James Keys, Tunde Ogunlana, and friend of the program Rick Ellsley discuss why voting matters in our governmental system (01:35), what they make of the aversion many Americans have to everyone (including themselves) voting (11:23), the specific challenges being faced in 2020 (27:18), and what it would take for more Americans to come together as far as wanting everyone (including themselves) to vote (44:56).How, Where, and When to Vote (USA.gov)Republican senator says ‘democracy isn’t the objective’ of US system (The Guardian)National General Election VEP Turnout Rates (electionproject.org)U.S. trails most developed countries in voter turnout (Pew)Participation in Presidential Elections by Sex Since 1980 (census.gov)The 100 Million Project (the100million.org)Trump’s encouragement of GOP poll watchers echoes an old tactic of voter intimidation (The Conversation)Paul Weyrich – “I don’t want everybody to vote” (Youtube)Georgetown created fact sheets on illegal militias at the polls and what to do if you spot them (CNN)A federal court just struck down North Carolina’s voter ID laws, citing racial discrimination (Vox)Coronavirus update: New England Journal of Medicine says Trump should be voted out over pandemic management as U.S. death toll tops 212,000 (Market Watch)Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Ask Americans to Get Out and Vote: “You Deserve to Be Heard” (Yahoo)
Paulo Coelho’s international bestselling book, “The Alchemist,” is a timeless story about self discovery, destiny, travel and treasure, and James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss their impressions of and takeaways from some of the major themes in the story. Note that this podcast does contain spoilers.The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho
The financial settlements paid by cities following police misconduct are undoubtedly a red flag, so James Keys and Tunde Ogunlana discuss the implications of the $12 million settlement paid by Louisville to the family of Breonna Taylor (01:05). The guys also compare discuss the commonality between America’s original conspiracy theory and conspiracy theories floating around today (26:56) and the disturbing story about mass hysterectomies being performed in ICE facilities (34:50).Police Settlements: How The Cost Of Misconduct Impacts Cities And TaxpayersAn Illuminati Conspiracy Theory Captured American Imaginations in the Nation’s Earliest Days—And Offers a Lesson for NowAn ICE Nurse Revealed That A Georgia Detention Center Is Performing Mass Hysterectomies
