Lost Debate

Latest Episodes:

Ep 134 | Title 42 Ends, Khan Academy’s New AI Tool, House Prices Falling May 11, 2023

Show notes

Ravi and Rikki kick off today’s episode by talking about Rep. George Santos facing federal fraud charges on the same day that Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation. Then they take a deep dive into the end of Title 42, the controversial pandemic-era immigration measure. Will this lead to a massive influx of migrants, and what, if anything, can the Biden administration do? The hosts then turn to the debate surrounding Khanmigo, Khan Academy’s new AI technology that some believe could disrupt the traditional teaching model and change how students will learn in the future. Finally, housing prices are dropping in more places in America than at any time in recent memory, but it’s confined to a few key geographies. Ravi and Rikki discuss the reasons behind it, the winners and losers of this new housing market, and what the government can do to support current and aspiring homeowners.

[01:00] - Breaking News

[06:20] - Title 42 Ends

[30:01] - Khan Academy’s New AI Tool

[49:22] - House Prices Falling

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Show notes: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/

Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF

Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/

Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia

Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmedia

The Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/

The Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debate

iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Is Unbiased News Possible? May 09, 2023

Show notes

Ravi is joined by Tangle’s Isaac Saul and Ground News’ Harleen Kaur for a conversation about media bias and polarization. From coverage of the Kyle Rittenhouse case to the Pizzagate conspiracy, they discuss how different wings of mainstream and alternative media radicalize each other – and how each of their organizations has worked to stay as objective as possible while keeping their audiences engaged. They also provide tips and tools for listeners interested in broadening their media diets and seeking alternative perspectives.

Isaac is the founder of Tangle, the widely regarded non-partisan newsletter that summarizes the best arguments from the left and right on the news of the day.

Harleen is the co-founder and chief executive of Ground News, a news comparison platform that presents how various media outlets report on the same stories across the political spectrum.

[03:50] - Interview

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Show notes: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/

Subscribe to our feed on Apple: https://apple.co/3NRtSy8

Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF

Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/

Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia

Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmedia

The Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/

The Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debate

iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Ep 133 | Writers Strike, Randi Weingarten, Loneliness Epidemic May 04, 2023

Show notes

Ravi and Rikki start today’s episode by talking about the writers strike. Picketing for better wages, AI regulation, fully-staffed writers’ rooms, and more. How long will the walkout last? We talk through all the possible outcomes. Then we turn to another story about unions causing a ruckus. Randi Weingarten, the President of the American Federation of Teachers, pushed back against conservative criticism on Capitol Hill last week after facing accusations that the teachers union kept schools closed longer than necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic. Is Weingarten trying to rewrite history? Finally, our hosts look at a new report from U.S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declaring America’s newest epidemic: Loneliness. Who is most at risk? And, what should Americans do to foster social connection?

[00:58] - Writers Strike

[20:52] - Randi Weingarten

[38:23] - Loneliness Epidemic

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF

Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/

Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia

Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmedia

The Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/

The Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debate

iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Ep 132 | Participation Trophies, Harvard’s Council on Academic Freedom, Why Is Dying So Expensive? May 02, 2023

Show notes

Ravi and Rikki start today’s episode with a healthy debate on participation trophies. Are these pointless plastic keepsakes ruining our childrens’ hopes of ever knowing what it truly means to be a winner? Three Republican state senators from North Carolina seem to think so, introducing a bill in the legislature to ban participation trophies in youth sports. Then, the duo sits down with Harvard philosophy professor Ned Hall to talk about the university’s new Council on Academic Freedom – an attempt from more than 100 faculty members to promote free speech and academic freedom on campus. Will this trigger other colleges to promote free expression? Finally, in an Apropos fashion, we end our episode talking about well… the end – death. Even when it’s all said and done, why is dying in the United States so expensive?

[02:34] - Participation Trophies

[21:02] - Harvard’s Council on Academic Freedom

[53:44] - Why Is Dying So Expensive?

[01:06:26] - Voicemails

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Show notes: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/

Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF

Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranch.media/

Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia

Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmedia

The Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/

The Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debate

iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Invisible Kids: America's Journey from Orphanages to Foster Care Apr 27, 2023

Show notes

Ravi and Rikki dive into the deep end of the programs that are meant to care for the country’s most vulnerable children: the child-welfare system. First, Ravi interviews journalist and author Dr. Christine Kenneally. Her new book "Ghosts of the Orphanage: A Story of Mysterious Deaths, a Conspiracy of Silence, and a Search for Justice” tells survivors’ traumatic stories of abuse from inside a Catholic orphanage in Vermont. Then, Rikki interviews Dr. Sarah Font, an Associate Professor of Sociology and Public Policy at Penn State who specializes her research on child abuse and neglect, foster care, and state intervention. Rikki and Sarah get to the bottom of the good, bad, and ugly of our current foster care system and what we can do to care for children who have nowhere else to go.

[03:15] - Dr. Christine Kenneally

[47:56] - Dr. Sarah Font

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Show notes: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/

Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF

Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranch.media/

Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia

Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmedia

The Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/

The Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debate

iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Ep 131 | #TrendyTuesday: Community College Enrollment Decline, Gen Z Travel, Remote Jobs Disappearing, TikTok is Changing the Music Industry Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

Ravi, Rikki, and newcomer Micky jump into #TrendyTuesday, looking at four trends shaping our world. First, the trio talk about community college enrollment, which has been plummeting over the past decade. What’s behind the drop? And should we invest in reversing it? Then the group pivots to our podcast’s most talked about generation: GenZ. Zoomers are traveling in record numbers compared to their peer generations, and many are swiping their credit cards to do it. Are these travel experiences worth the debt? Then we answer a pressing question about the future of remote jobs, which were all the rage during the pandemic (for obvious reasons). But are they still viable for businesses? We figure out the answers (remotely). Finally, we take on the music industry, which has already gone through so many disruptions over the past two decades. Will TikTok be the music distributor’s final boss?

[05:14] - Community College Enrollment Decline

[16:20] - GenZ Travel

[25:35] - Remote Jobs Disappearing

[36:17] - TikTok is Changing the Music Industry

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Show notes: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/

Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF

Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranch.media/

Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia

Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmedia

The Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/

The Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debate

iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Ep 130 | Shoplifting, Broke Millennial Myth, Should We Regulate AI? Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe look at new reporting from the New York Times, which found that a small number of repeat offenders accounted for almost one third of all shoplifting arrests in New York City last year. How did we get here? And is this part of a larger, national issue? We talk with local bodega owners to see what they’re experiencing. Then we pivot to a discussion about the unluckiest generation: Millennials. But are they really so unlucky? We speak to psychology professor Jean Twenge who argued in The Atlantic earlier this week that Millennials are doing just fine. Finally, we discuss regulating the burgeoning industry of artificial intelligence. Is it the right time? Will it ever be the right time? We speak with Professor David Gunkel and Reason’s science correspondent Ronald Bailey to get to the bottom of it.

[01:35] - Shoplifting

[21:37] - Broke Millennial Myth

[40:46] - Should We Regulate AI?

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Show notes: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/ep-130/

Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF

Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranch.media/

Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia

Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmedia

The Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/

The Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debate

iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Ep 129 | Twitter Roundup, Recovery High Schools, Are Abortion Pills Safe? Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe talk through their updated takes on the chaos that is Twitter. From classifying National Public Radio as “state-affiliated media,” to getting into a feisty exchange with a BBC reporter during an interview last week, the trio ask the question on everyone’s mind: what’s up with this Elon guy? Then the gang jumps into a conversation about recovery High Schools, specialized educational facilities that help students with substance use disorders maintain sobriety while also getting a quality education. We speak with two leaders from these schools to find out how to help America’s teens fight addiction. Finally, we talk about the abortion pill Mifepristone. Unlike all the other media outlets, we aren’t delving deep into the legal conundrum surrounding the drug, instead we speak with two board-certified OB-GYNs to delve into the safety of the pill that’s been causing a big ruckus.

[02:03] - Twitter Roundup

[26:50] - Recovery High Schools

[45:04] - Are Abortion Pills Safe?

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Show Notes: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/ep-129/

Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF

Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/

Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia

Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmedia

The Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/

The Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debate

iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Ep 128 | Clarence Thomas Ethics Scandal, After School Satan Club, Andrew Tate and Toxic Masculinity Apr 14, 2023

Show notes

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe talk about the latest scandal to hit the United States Supreme Court: Associate Justice Clarence Thomas accepting lavish travel itineraries from a wealthy Republican donor (and friend) without including it on his public financial disclosures. Unethical? Or illegal? We try to get to the bottom of it. Then, just for the hell of it, the trio talk about the ACLU’s newest legal fight to allow an After School Satan Club to meet in an East Pennsylvania school district. Finally, the group caps off the episode with a discussion about toxic masculinity and why self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate has captured the attention of so many young men.

[03:35] - Clarence Thomas Ethics Scandal

[19:49] - After School Satan Club

[29:33] - Andrew Tate and Toxic Masculinity

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Show notes: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/ep-128/

Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF

Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/

Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia

Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmedia

The Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/

The Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785

Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-lost-debate

iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Ep 127 | Trump Indictment, Effective Altruism, Moving From Blue States to Red States Apr 14, 2023

Show notes

Ravi and guest host Bradley Tusk — a venture capitalist, writer, and political strategist — jump straight into the facts of the Trump indictment and whether they believe Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s charges against former President Donald Trump will hold water. Then the duo switch to the multiple interpretations and definitions of effective altruism and how humankind can build a better world. Finally, they dissect the trend of people from “Blue states” like California and New York, migrating to “Red states” like Florida and Texas, and if this exodus could be politically motivated.

[02:23] - Trump Indictment

[24:47] - Effective Altruism

[41:27] - Moving From Blue States to Red States

Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570

Show Notes: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/trump-indictment-effective-altruism-moving-from-blue-states-to-red-states/

Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3Gs5YTF

Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/

Follow Lost Debate on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lostdebate/

Follow Lost Debate on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lostdebate

Follow Lost Debate on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/thelostdebate

The Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: