The gang dives into the unrest in Los Angeles following aggressive ICE raids and Trump’s decision to deploy thousands of National Guard troops and Marines without state approval. With tensions escalating between local officials and the federal government, they debate the constitutional lines around immigration enforcement, protest rights, and the use of military force on American streets. Then, they tackle how generative AI is gutting internet traffic for news publishers, as AI-generated answers from companies like Google and OpenAI displace traditional search. As usual, it's raising questions about the future of journalism in a post-search world.

Chapters

00:00:00 - Intro

00:14:44 - LA Protests and Riots

00:52:24 - AI and the Publishing Industry

01:03:14 - Emails

01:22:44 - Wrap-up

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The gang digs into Elon Musk’s public denunciation of the GOP’s sprawling domestic policy bill, which he called a “disgusting abomination,” prompting pushback from Republican leadership and delight from Democrats. Then they take on the ethics of gene-editing mosquitoes out of existence to fight deadly diseases like malaria. Is it worth tampering with nature to save lives, or are we playing God with an ecosystem we barely understand?

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:02:34 - January 6th Pipe Bombs

00:24:10 - Elon Musk and the Big Beautiful Bill

00:58:01 - Mosquitos

01:16:35 - Emails

01:37:08 - Wrap-up

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justin, Jen, and Heaton unpack the revised U.S.–Nippon Steel deal, which walks back a full foreign buyout in favor of a limited partnership aimed at easing national security and labor concerns. The crew also dives into the FDA’s shift toward a more targeted COVID booster policy, based on individual risk and prior infection. It's a move that has drawn both praise for scientific rigor and criticism for potentially weakening public trust, and it remains to be seen whether these compromises are strategic or shortsighted.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:07:37 - US-Nippon Steel Deal

00:28:15 - COVID Booster Recommendations

00:59:04 - Emails

01:18:16 - Wrap-up

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.