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Biden and Democrats Could Finally Be In for Some Wins in Congress Jul 27, 2022

Show notes

With much of President Biden’s legislative agenda stalled recently he is finally poised for some big wins in Congress. The first major prescription drug legislation in nearly 20 years and a $50 billion bill to subsidize semiconductor chip manufacturing are two bills that have bipartisan support and appear to be on their way to passing. Mike DeBonis, congressional reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for how Democrats hope these bills have big political payoffs.

Next, as inflation continues to push prices higher for everyone, businesses are looking to offset their increased costs by making products slightly smaller but keeping the same price. It’s called shrinkflation, and if you don’t pay close enough attention, you could be missing out. Laura Daily, contributor to The Washington Post, joins us for how to combat shrinkflation by looking at unit pricing and keeping an eye on tricky labeling.

Finally, the sober-curious movement is making its way into dating and more people are opting to go out without the drinks. Social norms around drinking on dates have changed and people looking for more authentic connections. They are also making sure to mention it on their online dating profiles. Rachel Wolfe, consumer trends reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how younger adults are looking for more creative dates without the booze.

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WHO Declares Monkeypox a Global Health Emergency Jul 26, 2022

Show notes

The WHO has now declared monkeypox a “public health emergency of international concern.” Cases have continued to rise worldwide and has not necessarily grown out of control, but it has the potential to do so. Part of this is to also raise awareness for people to know symptoms, warning signs, and look out for guidelines. Keren Landman, epidemiologist and senior health reporter at Vox, joins us for what to know.

Next, many experts may have been wrong about the Great Resignation. While workers have been quitting and switching jobs to get more power, money and benefits, the big gains have only benefited a select group. Fears that a recession could be coming also have the potential to make it worse. Juliana Kaplan, labor and inequality reporter at Business Insider, joins us for more.

Finally, the exclusive club of people who have not had Covid continues to shrink. However, some experts say that most people have been infected even if you didn’t realize it as some 40% of confirmed cases are asymptomatic. Immunologists are looking into whether exposure to other pathogens or coronaviruses could trigger immune responses before Covid spreads. Julie Wernau, health and medicine reporter at the WSJ, joins us for those that think they have remained Covid-free.

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Biden’s Covid Symptoms Improve Significantly and Beyond Meat’s Pepperoni Problem Jul 25, 2022

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President Biden is still recovering from Covid-19 as his doctors have said he has improved significantly but still has a sore throat while other symptoms have diminished. They also said that it is likely that he has the BA.5 Omicron subvariant. Julia Manchester, national political reporter at The Hill, joins us for a quick health update and what we learned from dueling Trump and Pence rallies in Arizona. The Republican base still loves the former President as he gears up to run again.

Next, Beyond Meat has a pepperoni problem. It currently has a deal to bring its alt-meat to KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, but more than a year into its partnership it is struggling to deliver on the new products. When it comes to the pepperoni, only a small test has been done at select Pizza Hut locations because they kept hitting speed bumps along the way. The fake pepperoni links are formed in Pennsylvania, flown to Europe to be cooked and sliced, then flown back to the states. There were even disagreements over the order of cooking and slicing. Deena Shanker, food reporter at Bloomberg News, joins us for Beyond Meat’s struggles.

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WEEKEND EDITION- Netflix Loses More Subscribers, Costco Rotisserie Chicken, Uvalde Police Failures Jul 24, 2022

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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WEEKEND EDITION- President Biden Test Positive, Gap in Student Abilities, What It’s Like to Have Monkeypox Jul 23, 2022

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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President Biden Test Positive for Covid-19 as BA.5 Variant Takes Hold of the Country Jul 22, 2022

Show notes

President Biden has tested positive for Covid-19 despite being vaccinated and double boosted and is experiencing mild symptoms. The current wave of infections we are seeing are mostly the BA.5 Omicron subvariant and it could be what the Covid normal looks like. Katherine Wu, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins us for how the endless churn of variants will keep infecting people even if you’re vaccinated or had prior infection.

Next, the impact of the pandemic on children has been so uneven that in classrooms across the country we are seeing a wider range of student abilities and it could be harder for those lagging behind to catch up. A recent study shows that students in grades three to eight showed a larger spread in achievement levels this year compared to 2019. The gap was 4-8% in reading and 5-10% in math. Erin Einhorn, national education reporter at NBC News Digital, joins us for what to know.

Finally, Costco has two recession-proof items at their stores… the $1.50 hot dog combo and their $4.99 rotisserie chickens. When it comes to the chicken, Costco has built out its own chicken business contracting with famers to raise their birds, building a feed mill, a hatchery, and slaughter plant. Kenny Torrella, reporter at Vox, joins us for how the rotisserie chickens are considered a “loss leader” just to get you in the door to buy more stuff.

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Netflix Loses Almost One Million Subscribers, Still Bad but Better Than Predicted Jul 21, 2022

Show notes

Many in the entertainment industry had been waiting on numbers from Netflix on how many subscribers they lost in the last quarter. They lost just under one million subscribers instead of the two million they had predicted. That still leaves a lot of questions on what they can do to stop people from leaving in droves. Peter Kafka, senior correspondent at Recode, joins us for the big question, is this a Netflix-specific issue or does the entire streaming business have a problem?

Next, while the Jan. 6 committee hearings have not made a huge splash in changing peoples minds about former President Trump and his actions around that time, we may be seeing some signs that they are wounding his reputation after all. The constant drip of negative coverage is causing some Republicans on the margins to reconsider their support for 2024 according to some polls and focus groups. David Siders, national political correspondent at Politico, joins us for more.

Finally, as more companies are resuming normal operations, work conferences are also making a comeback and these professional gatherings are acting as mini vacations for parents who spent the pandemic taking care of their kids while they were out of school. Alina Dizik, contributor to the WSJ, joins us for how parents are escaping their families by going on work trips.

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Omicron Subvariant BA.5 Continues to Evade Immunity and Cause More Infections Jul 20, 2022

Show notes

The Omicron subvariant BA.5 is proving that the pandemic is still not over. It continues to evade immunity, even from previous omicron infections. The good news is that death rates are down and hospitals aren’t overwhelmed like before, but the virus is spreading fast again and the small fraction of people getting seriously ill can add up. Umair Irfan, senior reporter at Vox, joins us for how virus mutations are keeping Omicron in play.

Next, all signs point to President Biden running again in 2024, but the one person who weighs most heavily on his decision is former President Trump. It has set up an almost codependent relationship between the two for the next election. Rumors are that Trump could declare in September and Biden in April, but there are plenty of considerations yet to be made. Matt Viser, White House reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for how we could be in store for a presidential rematch.

Finally, we’ll tell you how the Brazilian butt lift became one of the deadliest cosmetic surgeries and inadequate regulations make it hard for patients to tell if they are getting a good doctor or not. One of the things to consider, there is a difference between plastic surgeons, which require years of specialized training and cosmetic surgeons which doctors can call themselves after a few months of training. Fiona Rutherford, healthcare reporter at Bloomberg News, joins us for what to know.

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Failures at All Levels in Response to Uvalde Shooting and What It’s Really Like to Have Monkeypox Jul 19, 2022

Show notes

A committee of the Texas House of Representatives released a preliminary report over the weekend of all the failings in the response to the shooting in Uvalde that led to the death of 19 children and 2 teachers. The report was all bad news and found problems at every level. Despite there being almost 400 officers from various agencies, no one took command of the situation, the school itself also didn’t follow safety protocols, and those that knew the shooter missed several warning signs. Alicia Caldwell, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how a lack of leadership and communication delayed a confrontation with the gunman.

Next, we’ll talk to a man that has gone public with his battle with monkeypox. He will detail his illness from being notified by phone that he was exposed to the flu-like symptoms and the painful lesions that appeared all over his body. One of the toughest parts of recovery was the isolation he had to be in while waiting to get better. His decision to go public about his experience led to a lot of reaction online, most of which was supportive. Matt Ford, actor, writer and video producer, joins us for what it’s really like to experience monkeypox.

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Biden Wraps up First Trip to the Middle East With Few Deliverables on Increased Oil Production Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

President Biden wrapped up his first presidential trip to the Middle East over the weekend with few concrete deliverables on increased oil production from Saudi Arabia and no progress on an Israeli and Palestinian resolution. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us this, Biden’s meeting with the Saudi crowned prince, another round of bad poll numbers, and Sen. Joe Manchin refusing to support the president’s agenda.

Next, some restaurants are facing an extortion racket and it’s all playing out on Google. Emails are being sent to dozens of restaurants threatening bad, one-star reviews unless owners pay up with $75 Google Play gift cards. These reviews are critical in attracting business and some restaurants are complaining of inaction on the part of Google in policing these negative comments. Christina Morales, food reporter at the NY Times, joins us for how restaurants are responding.

Finally, the battle for the future of American passenger rail is currently being played out. Amtrak is trying to expand with 39 new routes to reach dozens more cities and towns and it has the money to do so, but it doesn’t have the railroad tracks. Amtrak contracts with private rail owners because it doesn’t own its own, but the fight to keep freight and the supply chain moving, is taking precedent. Luz Lazo, reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for what to know in a decision that could come by the end of summer.

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