Sobre este podcast
A calm, non-shouty, non-polemical, weekly news analysis podcast for folks of all stripes and leanings who want to know more about what's happening in the world around them. Hosted by analytic journalist Colin Wright since 2016.
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Episodios
Los 50 episodios más recientes de 545
- 2026 Blue Wave · 17 minThis week we talk about the US midterm elections, the unusually broad Democratic victory, and what a change in congressional control means for the remainder of President Trump’s…
- Urban Fire Smoke · 13 minThis week we talk about urban fires, wildland fires, and AQI. We also discuss PM2.5, chemicals, and plumes. Recommended Book: Biological War by Annie Jacobsen Transcript On…
- 2026 French Protests · 18 minThis week we talk about schools, riots, and police violence. We also discuss Le Pen, Macron, and international reporting. Recommended Book: This Is for Everyone by Tim…
- Software Clones · 19 minThis week we talk about Adobe, Call of Duty, and Microsoft. We also discuss compilation, machine code, and AI agents. Recommended Book: The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After…
- Measles Resurgence · 21 minThis week we talk about polio, malaria, and smallpox. We also discuss vaccines, the CDC, and the HHS. Recommended Book: Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon Transcript In 2000…
- Ethiopia’s Fraying Peace · 19 minThis week we talk about Egypt, Eritrea, and Sudan. We also discuss the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, ports, and journalism. Recommended Book: The Infinity Machine by Sebastian…
- Canada and Europe · 14 minThis week we talk about EU membership, trade deals, and association. We also discuss Australia, Ursula von der Leyen, and Brussels. Recommended Book: Being You by Anil Seth…
- Clean Energy Super PAC · 19 minThis week we talk about lobbying, renewables, and the NRA. We also discuss implied threats, midterm elections, and political action committees. Recommended Book: Sunward by…
- AI Cyber Insurance · 21 minThis week we talk about AI agents, cyberattacks, and insurance claims. We also discuss OpenAI, Hugging Face, and policy language. Recommended Book: The Stars My Destination by…
- US Treasury Twist · 20 minThis week we talk about money policies, yield curves, and government bonds. We also discuss the Fed, the Treasury Department, and a WWII accord between them. Recommended Book…
- Virtual Power Plants · 18 minThis week we talk about peaker plants, blackouts, and at-home battery backups. We also discuss energy resiliency, solar panels, and hydro. Recommended Book: The Tainted Cup by…
- US-Canada Tariffs · 16 minThis week we talk about borders, trade wars, and belligerence. We also discuss Trump’s tariffs, inflation, and nationalism. Recommended Book: Vulture Capitalism by Grace Blakeley…
- English Hepatitis C Progress · 16 minThis week we talk about the liver, viral infections, and the NHS. We also discuss blood scandals, needle usage, and Nobel Prizes. Recommended Book: A World Appears by Michael…
- AI-Designed Viruses · 14 minThis week we talk about Evo 2, bacteriophages, and antibiotics. We also discuss AI models, medical innovations, and the Red Army. Recommended Book: The Design of Everyday Things…
- Ceuta Migrant Wave · 16 minThis week we talk about Melilla, hybrid warfare, and migration. We also discuss Morocco, civil conflict, and immigration politics. Recommended Book: Playground by Richard Powers…
- Hugging Face Hack · 15 minThis week we talk about Fable, sandboxes, and the Jacobian conjecture. We also discuss counterexamples, X, and ChatGPT. Recommended Book: After the Fall by Edward Ashton…
- Cyclosporiasis · 17 minThis week we talk about cyclospora, FoodNet, and Taylor Farms. We also discuss iceberg lettuce, Taco Bell, and foodborne pathogens. Recommended Book: Babel by R.F. Kuang…
- NATO Summit 2026 · 15 minThis week we talk about Russia, Ukraine, and the Warsaw Pact. We also discuss Patriot interceptors, Hungary, and Article 5. Recommended Book: The Alternative by Nick Romeo…
- Digital Gaming · 19 minThis week we talk about Sony, Nintendo, and the Playstation. We also discuss Grand Theft Auto, the 3DO, and digital dark ages. Recommended Book: 3 Days, 9 Months, 27 Years by…
- 2026 European Heat Wave · 17 minThis week we talk about air conditioners, pressure systems, and heat stress. We also discuss weather memes, climate change, and dirty grids. Recommended Book: Battle of the…
- Balcony Solar · 14 minThis week we talk about plug-in power, renewables, and Germany. We also discuss inverters, solar arrays, and microgrids. Recommended Book: Consider This by Chuck Palahnuik…
- Cholesterol Therapies · 14 minThis week we talk about LDL, HDL, and cardiovascular issues. We also discuss one-time therapies, statins, and pharmaceutical economics. Recommended Book: Blood by Dr. Jen Gunter…
- SpaceX IPO · 19 minThis week we talk about initial public offerings, Anthropic, and investment flywheels. We also discuss AI, financial entanglements, and backstops. Recommended Book…
- Jones Act Waiver · 20 minThis week we talk about the Merchant Marine Act, trade routes, and incentives. We also discuss Wesley Jones, foreign competition, and artificial monopolies. Recommended Book: The…
- 2026 DRC Ebola Outbreak · 15 minThis week we talk about the Democratic Republic of the Congo, malaria, and healthcare infrastructure. We also discuss militants, Uganda, and the Bundibugyo virus. Recommended…
- Super El Niño · 14 minThis week we talk about oceanic surface temperatures, trade winds, and global climate change. We also discuss the Polar Jet Stream, hurricanes, and climate models. Recommended…
- 2026 UK Local Elections · 14 minThis week we talk about Keir Starmer, Labour, and the Reform UK party. We also discuss Tories, the Lib Dems, and two-party systems. Recommended Book: Peak by K. Anders Ericsson…
- Child Mortality · 15 minThis week we talk about industrialization, antibiotics, and child mortality rates. We also discuss corruption, instability, and progress. Recommended Book: Empire of Silence by…
- Iran War Costs · 12 minThis week we talk about the Strait of Hormuz, oil, and Russia. We also discuss Patriot missiles, expensive weapons, and peer rivals. Recommended Book: Tiny Experiments by…
- 2026 Hungarian Election · 16 minThis week we talk about Orbán, Hungary, and reformers. We also discuss Fidesz, Tisza, and illiberalism. Recommended Book: I’m Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by…
- Mythos · 16 minThis week we talk about Project Glasswing, Anthropic, and Q Day. We also discuss exploit markets, vulnerabilities, and zero days. Recommended Book: The Culture Map by Erin Meyer…
- US Router Ban · 13 minThis week we talk about modems, WiFi, and kinda sorta bribes. We also discuss Huawei, government subsidies, and the FCC. Recommended Book: Replaceable You by Mary Roach…
- Ukraine and Iran · 12 minThis week we talk about cheap drones, energy resources, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We also discuss the Strait of Hormuz, the war in Iran, and economic asymmetry…
- Cuban Oil Blockade · 15 minThis week we talk about the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and decapitation attacks. We also discuss Venezuela, Iran, and the Platt Amendment. Recommended Book: The Will of…
- Better Batteries · 16 minThis week we talk about BYD, Tesla, and the Blade Battery 2.0. We also discuss EVs, internal-combustion engines, and autonomous vehicles. Recommended Book: Blank Space by W…
- 2026 Iran War · 17 minThis week we talk about Khamenei, Trump, and Netanyahu. We also discuss Venezuela, Cuba, and cartels. Recommended Book: Plagues upon the Earth by Kyle Harper Transcript Ali…
- Killer Robots and Mass Surveillance · 16 minThis week we talk about Anthropic, the Department of Defense, and OpenAI. We also discuss red lines, contracts, and lethal autonomous systems. Recommended Book: Empire of AI by…
- Tariff Ruling · 13 minThis week we talk about Trump’s tariffs, the Supreme Court, and negotiating leverage. We also discuss trade wars, Greenland, and the IEEPA. Recommended Book: Smoke and Ashes by…
- Ring and Flock · 17 minThis week we talk about mass surveillance, smart doorbells, and the Patriot Stack. We also discuss Amazon, Alexa, and the Super Bowl. Recommended Book: Red Moon by Benjamin Percy…
- Grok's Scandals · 16 minThis week we talk about OpenAI, nudify apps, and CSAM. We also discuss Elon Musk, SpaceX, and humanistic technology. Recommended Book: Who’s Afraid of Gender? by Judith Butler…
- Mother of All Deals · 15 minThis week we talk about the European Union, India, and tariffs. We also discuss trade barriers, free trade, and dumping. Recommended Book: The Kill Chain by Christian Brose…
- TikTok Deal · 14 minThis week we talk about social networks, propaganda, and Oracle. We also discuss foreign adversaries, ByteDance, and X. Recommended Book: Rewiring Democracy by Bruce Schneier and…
- Iranian Protests · 16 minThis week we talk about war, inflation, and currency devaluation. We also discuss tyrants, police violence, and social media threats. Recommended Book: Post-Growth Living by Kate…
- Operation Absolute Resolve · 14 minThis week we talk about Venezuela, Maduro, and international law. We also discuss sour crude, extrajudicial killings, and Greenland. Recommended Book: The Keep by F. Paul Wilson…
- Sports Betting · 16 minThis week we talk about prediction markets, incentives, and gambling addiction. We also discuss insider trading, spot-fixing, and Gatorade. Recommended Book: The Kingdom, the…
- Data Center Politics · 17 minThis week we talk about energy consumption, pollution, and bipartisan issues. We also discuss local politics, data center costs, and the Magnificent 7 tech companies. Recommended…
- Chip Exports · 14 minThis week we talk about NVIDIA, AI companies, and the US economy. We also discuss the US-China chip-gap, mixed-use technologies, and export bans. Recommended Book…
- Digital Asset Markets · 14 minThis week we talk about in-game skins, investment portfolios, and Counter-Strike 2. We also discuss ebooks, Steam, and digital licenses. Recommended Book: Apple in China by…
- Climate Risk · 16 minThis week we talk about floods, wildfires, and reinsurance companies. We also discuss the COP meetings, government capture, and air pollution. Recommended Book: If Anyone Builds…
- Thorium Reactors · 13 minThis week we talk about radioactive waste, neutrons, and burn while breeding cycles. We also discuss dry casks, radioactive decay, and uranium. Recommended Book: Breakneck by Dan…
