Artificial Intelligence has too much hype. In this podcast, linguist Emily M. Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna break down the AI hype, separate fact from fiction, and science from bloviation. They're joined by special guests and talk about everything, from machine consciousness to science fiction, to political economy to art made by machines.
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Silicon Valley wants to shape our future, but why should we let it? Every Thursday, Paris Marx is joined by a new guest to critically examine the tech industry, its big promises, and the people behind them. Tech Won’t Save Us challenges the notion that tech alone can drive our world forward by showing that separating tech from politics has consequences for us all, especially the most vulnerable. It’s not your usual tech podcast.
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Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.
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In an uncertain world where AI technology is disconnecting us more and more each day, we are dreaming of a world where technology connects us. The premise of this podcast of simple: let's talk to people and imagine the most hopeful and idealistic futures for technologies that connect and do good in the world.
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Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the science of language.
Daniel Midgley, Ben Ainslie, and Hedvig Skirgård
A podcast about linguistics, the science of language.
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A show from WFMU about our shift to a digital future. Mark Hurst interviews creators and thinkers about technology, community, videogames, and whatever else is next.
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Designing for Virtual Reality. Oral history podcast featuring the pioneering artists, storytellers, and technologists driving the resurgence of virtual & augmented reality. Learn about the patterns of immersive storytelling, experiential design, ethical frameworks, & the ultimate potential of XR.
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A Fresh Face in Hell with Jonathan Evison is an hour long, conversation based, format. Guests include writers, musicians, athletes, actors, philosophers, scientists, and an array of experts across a variety of disciplines. Subjects will be treated with a mix of humor and thoughtful exploration.
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Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna, authors, "The AI Con" Tomaš Dvořák - "Gameboy Tune" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna" [0:02:55] - "Mark's comments" [0:44:42] XTC - "Real By Reel" [0:54:37]https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/152572By Mark Hurst and WFMU
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#1563: Deconstructing AI Hype with “The AI Con” Authors Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna
1:13:18
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1:13:18We are in the middle of a hype cycle peak around AI as there are a lot of hyperbolic claims being made about the capabilities and performance of large-language models (LLMs). Computational Linguist Emily M. Bender and Sociologist Alex Hanna have been writing academic papers about the limitations of LLMs, as well as some of the more pernicious aspec…
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Generative AI is Not Inevitable w/ Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna | Tech Won't Save Us
53:13
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53:13On this episode of Tech Won't Save Us, Paris Marx is joined by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna to discuss some of the harms caused by generative AI, address the industry's ploys to keep the public invested while companies flounder under the weight of unmet promises, and what folks can do to push back. Emily M. Bender is a Professor in the Department…
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Generative AI is Not Inevitable w/ Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna
53:13
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53:13Paris Marx is joined by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna to discuss the harms of generative AI, how the industry keeps the public invested while companies flounder under the weight of unmet promises, and what people can do to push back. Emily M. Bender is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at University of Washington. Alex Hanna is Director…
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Israel-Iran War, Russia Strikes Kyiv, Trump Expands Travel Ban | American Prestige
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47:37No ChatGPT here—our em dashes are organic. This week: in the Iran-Israel war, an update on the casualties and targets (1:52), US involvement remains in question (7:45), Ayatollah Khamenei refuses to surrender (14:47), and US and Israeli intelligence agencies disagree over “evidence” of Iran pursuing a nuclear weapon (18:14); Trump quits the G7 summ…
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"Like Magic Intelligence in the Cloud", 2025.05.26
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59:50Because Sam Altman hates opening his laptop, OpenAI is merging with iPhone guy Jony Ive's design firm in the name of some mysterious new ChatGPT-enabled consumer products: Alex and Emily go full Mystery Science Theater and dissect the announcement video. Plus how tech billionaires like Sam Altman mythologize San Francisco while their money makes it…
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Brazil's Battle to Rein In Big Tech | Tech Won't Save Us
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57:52On this episode of Tech Won't Save Us, Paris Marx is joined by Laís Martins to discuss the recent enforcement measures against tech companies like X and Rumble in Brazil, how the country is grappling with the overreach of US tech companies, and the wider discussion about tech policy in Brazil. Laís Martins is a technology reporter at The Intercept …
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Brazil's Battle to Rein In Big Tech w/ Laís Martins
57:52
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57:52Paris Marx is joined by Laís Martins to discuss the recent enforcement measures against tech companies like X and Rumble in Brazil, how the country is grappling with the overreach of US tech companies, and the wider discussion about tech policy in Brazil. Laís Martins is a technology reporter at The Intercept Brasil. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a cri…
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Peter Blackstock - No Depression: Roots Music & Culture
1:04:34
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1:04:34Today I talk with famed music journalist Peter Blackstock about his time discovering and reviewing bands in Austin, Nashville, North Carolina, and Seattle. Together with his partner Grant Alden, Peter launched the roots music magazine, No Depression. What started as an AOL discussion group on "Alternative Country," No Depression (named after an Unc…
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Lessons of "No Kings"—Plus, Stopping the Medicaid Cuts | Start Making Sense
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37:40Saturday’s ‘No Kings’ protests, with 5 million people at 2100 events, was the largest single day of protest in American history. Leah Greenberg of Indivisible will talk about how the event was organized, and what comes next. Also: The Medicaid cuts provide a lifetime opportunity for us to reach the 70 million people who did not vote and the 60 per …
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Welcome to the Crusades, Episode 1: Rome, 1095 | American Prestige
1:16:06
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1:16:06And now for something a little different: American Prestige has released the first two episodes of their standalone miniseries with the crew from We're Not So Different. Get the rest of the episodes here. Our journey through the First Crusade starts where the Crusaders themselves did: in western Europe with Pope Urban II and the Council of Cl…
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Lethal Autonomous Weapons 101: What You Need to Know with Atay Kozlovski and Ayca Ariyoruk
32:35
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32:35How is AI changing the state of war? In this educational episode we sit down with Atay Kozlovski and Ayca Ariyoruk to discuss what autonomous weapons are, how they are being used, and what we should think about it.By Dylan Thomas Doyle
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Unveiling our new theme song by Kirk Pearson, and Big Tech alternatives Tomaš Dvořák - "Gameboy Tune" - "Mark's intro" - "Kirk Pearson unveils the new Techtonic theme song" [0:09:35] - "Mark's comments" [0:36:14] Kirk Pearson - "The Self Driving Car's Gonna Repossess Itself" [0:56:15]https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/153129…
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How Cargo Ships Explain the World | The Nation Podcast
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26:38A hotel for Thatcher’s fallen soldiers in the Falkland Islands. A hospital for Rikers inmates. A home for workers in the offshore fossil fuel industry. These are just a few of the past lives of “Jascon 27” – a Scandinavian ship that is the subject of writer Ian Kumekawa’s new book, Empty Vessel: The Story of the Global Economy in One Barge. The Ves…
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Elon Musk and Silicon Valley Drug Culture | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
42:42
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42:42Both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal have reported that Elon Musk, currently trying to mend a feud with his quondam political ally Donald Trump, is a heavy user of mind alternating substances ranging from Ketamine to LSD to mushrooms to cocaine. While this story has been treated as one about the foibles of one increasingly erratic po…
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BONUS EPISODE: Kickin' it with David Ryan Polgar and All Tech is Human at the Shared Futures AI Forum
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28:00In this bonus ep, Dylan and David talk about DC thai food. But also our shared AI futures. Recorded live at the Shared Futures AI Forum sponsored by Aspen Digital and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. To be clear, the podcast is not sponsored. Dylan just wanted to talk about DC thai food and AI and David happened to be there.…
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Tensions Rise with Iran, Sudan-Libya Border Clashes, Trump Creating Office of Remigration | American Prestige
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37:43NOTE: This episode was recorded before Israel's attack on Iran. Danny and Derek are everyday people who still believe in you. This week: the AUKUS security partnership is under review at the Pentagon (1:47); the IAEA rebukes Iran, nuclear negotiations are going nowhere, and Trump is evacuating nonessential personnel from the Middle East (5:14); in …
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We All Suffer from OpenAI’s Pursuit of Scale | Tech Won't Save Us
51:18
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51:18Paris Marx is joined by Karen Hao to discuss how Sam Altman’s goal of scale at all costs has spawned a new empire founded on exploitation of people and the environment, resulting in not only the loss of valuable research into more inventive AI systems, but also exacerbated data privacy issues, intellectual property erosion, and the perpetuation of …
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We All Suffer from OpenAI’s Pursuit of Scale w/ Karen Hao
51:18
51:18
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51:18Paris Marx is joined by Karen Hao to discuss how Sam Altman’s goal of scale at all costs has spawned a new empire founded on exploitation of people and the environment, resulting in not only the loss of valuable research into more inventive AI systems, but also exacerbated data privacy issues, intellectual property erosion, and the perpetuation of …
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Turns out the idea of nature vs. nurture is an overly simplistic way of describing how our genes correlate with our environments. For 150 years, scientists, sociologists, theologians, politicians, and philosophers have argued over this binary idea of determinism. My guest today, Professor Dalton Conley, writes that the answer is more like nature & …
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Saturday’s "No Kings" Day of Defiance, plus Report from LA | Start Making Sense
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38:17With tanks rolling down the street in DC on Saturday and troops being deployed to LA, it’s never been more important to come together in nonviolent action to exercise our First Amendment right to peaceful protest. That’s what the organization Indivisible says about Saturday’s National Day of Defiance – the nationwide “No Kings” protests. Ezra Levin…
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Liberty, Justice, and the Pursuit of Robots with Tom Williams
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1:00:14We talk with Tom Williams about his upcoming book Degrees of Freedom: on Robotics and Social Justice. In the episode we discuss robotics ethics, liberty, and the history of robot racism.By Dylan Thomas Doyle
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120: Gesture! ✨👐✨ (with Lauren Gawne)
1:54:22
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1:54:22Gesture is everywhere. We wave our hands when we talk, even if we're alone. Signed languages are, of course, full languages that use gesture. And it could even be argued that emoji are the online equivalent of gesture. It's inescapable. And why would we want to do without it, when it's so useful? So we're talking about gesture and language with Dr …
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How the Low Culture of 1999 Predicted Modern America | American Prestige
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54:21In this week’s episode, Danny speaks with journalist Ross Benes about his book 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times. They discuss the connection between the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and “trash culture”, what makes the instantiation of reality TV in 1999 unique and how early reality shows foreshadowed …
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By Mark Hurst and WFMU
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Will New Jersey and Virginia Send Trump a Message? | The Nation Podcast
39:30
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39:30Across the country, Democratic leaders and voters are beginning to push back against Trump’s cruelty and chaos. Some are cautiously optimistic that a few key state races could serve as a crucial odd-year referendum—with major implications for voters, donors, and even Republican politicians who may reconsider their allegiances after significant MAGA…
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Ukraine Drone Attack, Gaza Aid Center Massacres, IAEA Suggests “Secret Nuclear Activities” in Iran | American Prestige
44:08
44:08
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44:08We’re sorry to say that we’re professionals, and Danny and Derek’s falling out will be behind closed doors. In this week’s news: in Russia-Ukraine, Ukraine launches a massive drone strike and bombs several bridges (0:41), peace talks in Istanbul make little progress (5:43), and Donald Trump speaks to Vladimir Putin (7:51); in Israel-Palestine, more…
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The New Military-Industrial Complex | Tech Won't Save Us
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57:06Paris Marx is joined by Sam Biddle to discuss how Silicon Valley is shamelessly courting government military contracts, using tactics to silence employee dissent and normalize the situation to the public, and what it all means for the future of military geopolitics. Sam Biddle is a senior technology reporter at The Intercept. Advertising Inquiries:…
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The New Military Industry Complex w/ Sam Biddle
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57:06Paris Marx is joined by Sam Biddle to discuss how Silicon Valley is shamelessly courting government military contracts, using tactics to silence employee dissent and normalize the situation to the public, and what it all means for the future of military geopolitics. Sam Biddle is a senior technology reporter at The Intercept. Tech Won’t Save Us off…
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#1568: A Process-Relational Philosophy View on AI, Intelligence, & Consciousness with Matt Segall
1:23:34
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1:23:34I've spoken to Whitehead scholar Matt Segall a couple of times before, and I was really keen to catch up with him to hear his process-relational and process philosophical takes on AI, intelligence and consciousness. I was responding to a piece he recently wrote titled " The Philosophical Implications of Artificial Intelligence" (full citation below…
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#1567: Tribeca Immersive Curators on the 2025 Selection of Impact Projects Curated by Onassis ONX, Agog, & Tribeca
51:56
51:56
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51:56I spoke with the curators of Tribeca Immersive 2025 Jazia Hammoudi and Casey Baltes to unpack the 11 impact project that are being feature in this year's selection. We also talk about Tribeca's new collaboration with Onassis ONX and Agog, how the selection process has changed over the years.This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of…
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#1566: Raindance Immersive Curators on the 2025 Selection of Immersive Art on Social VR Platforms
1:53:49
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1:53:49I spoke with Raindance Immersive curators Mária Rakušanová, Joe Hunting, Fangs about the 2025 selection of projects across 8 different categories. Tune in to get all of the latest tips from this year's selection that is mostly happening on social VR platforms including VRChat, Resonite, and Orion Drift.This is a listener-supported podcast through t…
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#1565: “D-Day: The Camera Soldier” by Targo Stories Pushes Immersive Documentary Innovations on Apple Vision Pro
52:48
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52:48I spoke with producer Victor Agulhon of Targo Stories about their collaboration with TIME Studios to produce D-Day: The Camera Soldier, which he calls the most technologically advance immersive documentary produced up to this point. They took footage from D-Day and spatialized it in a number of different ways, and really pushed the frontiers of inn…
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Today I talk with an old friend from the halcyon days of grunge, photographer Charles Peterson. Charles is known for capturing some of the most iconic B&W shots of that era, many of which were used by Sub Pop for album cover art including, Soundgarden's Screaming Life EP and Ultramega OK as well as Mudhoney's Superfuzz Bigmuff. Charles was also ins…
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The 2025 Vote the Dems Must Win—Plus, New York in the 1960s | Start Making Sense
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36:39Forget the midterms next year, at least for now. The fight against Trump runs through the elections this November—starting with Virginia and New Jersey. The Nation's national affairs correspondent John Nichols explains. Also: J. Hoberman, the long-time film critic for The Village Voice, talks about the happenings, the underground movies, and the ra…
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Digital Immortality and the Rise of the Deadbots with Tomasz Hollanek
1:00:49
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1:00:49What's up with all of these chatbots impersonating our dead loved ones? In this conversation, we talk with Tomasz Hollanek discusses the concept of digital immortality, exploring its implications in the context of grief, technology, and ethics. He highlights the paradox of seeking to escape our material existence through digital means while acknowl…
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The History of the US War on Prostitution | American Prestige
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53:23Danny and Derek welcome to the program author Eva Payne to talk about her book Empire of Purity: The History of Americans’ Global War on Prostitution. They discuss American sexual exceptionalism, the legal definition of “prostitution” vs modern conceptions of sex work, the late 19th century new abolition movement and racial hierarchies therein, how…
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Trump’s Immigration Facade | The Nation Podcast
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32:15On this episode of The Nation Podcast, editor D.D. Guttenplan talks to veteran journalist and broadcaster Ray Suarez about the gap between Donald Trump’s maximalist immigration rhetoric and his actual enforcement policy. Ray's article appears in our June issue. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle…
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Michael Ledeen and Trumpian Fascism | The Time of Monsters
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45:44Michael Ledeen, who died on May 17 at age 83, was a prominent figure on the American right since the 1970s. He is most famous, or notorious, as one of the instigators of the Iran/Contra scandal, helping to connect the Reagan administration with an Iranian arms dealer. Beyond that, he was active not just as a writer but also as an activists who ofte…
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#1564: Adding Participatory & Community Elements to the Cinematic Tradition with PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater
1:17:48
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1:17:48The Portland Art Museum Center for an Untold Tomorrow (PAM CUT) has acquired the Tomorrow Theater in South East Portland, and is curating 25 unique events a month and over 250 unique events a year. Most of the experiences are grounded within the cinematic tradition, but there are usually ways that they are adding more levels of participation, commu…
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Gaza Aid Disaster, Russia Offers New Peace Talks, Trump Freezes Student Visas | American Prestige
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53:18In this week’s American Prestige news roundup: US-Iran negotiations might be making progress (1:02); in Israel-Palestine, a new aid program implemented gets people killed (6:30), the US proposes framework for a new peace deal* (11:01), and Israel creates 22 new West Bank settlements (15:54); cases of cholera are spiking in Sudan (17:35); Libya’s ea…
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The Case for a Digital Detox w/ Casey Johnston | Tech Won't Save Us
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55:18On this episode of Tech Won't Save Us, Paris Marx is joined by Casey Johnston to discuss why she pared back on social media, made her smartphone much dumber, and what she learned about how bodies are treated online through her fitness journey. Casey Johnston is the creator of the She’s A Beast newsletter and author of A Physical Education: How I Es…
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The Case for a Digital Detox w/ Casey Johnston
55:18
55:18
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55:18Paris Marx is joined by Casey Johnston to discuss why she pared back on social media, made her smartphone much dumber, and what she learned about how bodies are treated online through her fitness journey. Casey Johnston is the creator of the She’s A Beast newsletter and author of A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power…
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Today I open the X-Files with author Marc Hartzman. We dive into all things extraterrestrial, from outer space to the outer limits. We discuss shaved monkeys, frozen brains, and interdimensional beings. We explore the idea of visitations to ancient Egypt, as well as the possibility of an alien Atlantis. We discuss remote viewing (ESP) and my dream …
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The "AI"-Enabled Immigration Panopticon (with Petra Molnar), 2025.05.05
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1:01:58This week, Alex and Emily talk with anthropologist and immigration lawyer Petra Molnar about the dehumanizing hype of border-enforcement tech. From hoovering up data to hunt anyone of ambiguous citizenship status, to running surveillance of physical borders themselves, "AI" tech is everywhere in the enforcement of national borders. And as companies…
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Winning Rural Voters, plus J. Edgar Hoover | Start Making Sense
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48:36Rural America is Trump country. Last November Trump carried 93 percent of rural counties.. How can Democrats change that? Anthony Flaccavento and Erica Etelson, co-founders of the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative, have a strategy to accomplish that. Also: 20 minutes without Trump: We know a lot about the bad things J. Edgar Hoover did, but it turns ou…
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South Sudan’s Failed Peace Deal w/ Joshua Craze | American Prestige
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50:24On this episode of American Prestige, Writer and researcher Joshua Craze returns to the program to talk about the situation in South Sudan. They cover the collapsed 2018 “peace deal,” the elite forces vying for power, the Nuer White Army, figures like Salva Kiir Mayardit and Riek Machar, how South Sudan’s troubles have been impacted by the war in…
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Defunding DEI & AI Education: What Does the Future Hold? with Casey Fiesler
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59:28In this conversation, Casey Fiesler discusses the recent cancellation of her NSF grant focused on AI education, exploring the implications for students and the broader academic community. The discussion delves into the challenges of securing funding for research, the ideological battles surrounding misinformation, and the impact of government polic…
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