The Daily Dive

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Biden Releasing 50 Million Barrels of Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve Hoping to Bring Down Gas Prices Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

President Biden is tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to release 50 million barrel of oil in hopes that it will bring down the price of gas. This is an effort done in coordination with 6 other countries to bring down prices which is a big contributor to inflation. The only snag is that it still may take some time before we see the effects or if it works at all. Tim Puko, energy policy reporter at the WSJ, joins us for what to know.

Next, the Bay Area and Los Angeles have been hit with a spat of flash-mob style robberies targeting luxury retail stores, jewelry stores, and even marijuana dispensaries. In coordinated efforts large groups of people rush a store, grab as much as they can, and then retreat to cars waiting outside. It underscores the huge challenge that law enforcement has and many also point to Prop 47 which reduced some property crimes to misdemeanors. Rachel Swan, reporter at the SF Chronicle, joins us for more.

Finally, the Democratic Party is going through an identity crisis. Recent polls and focus groups of voters who supported President Biden are hard pressed to know what they currently stand for. Even passing the infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better plan in the House isn’t fixing the issue as voters don’t feel Biden is getting it done. David Siders, national political reporter at Politico, joins us for how the Democratic brand is broken.

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Michigan Woman Going to Prison After Trying Contract a Killer by Going to RentaHitman.com Nov 23, 2021

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A Michigan woman named Wendy Wein is going to prison after trying to hire a hitman to kill her ex-husband. She didn’t want to kill him herself and didn’t trust the people she knew, so she went online and landed at RentaHitman.com. She went as far as meeting someone and paying a $200 down payment. The problem was that that it is a fake website. Jonathan Edwards, reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for more.

Next, booster shots have been approved for anyone over 18 that has already been fully vaccinated. Protection from getting infected starts to wane after about 6 months especially for those that are older or immunocompromised. But what should you do if you are healthy and not at risk? Does getting a booster shot take away someone’s opportunity to get their first shot? Kelsey Piper, staff writer at Vox, joins us for what to know about boosters.

Finally, you might think that marijuana and parenting don’t mix, but there is a growing movement of ‘cannamoms’ who say that consuming weed helps them to calm down, reduce anxieties and be more present in their kids’ lives. They want to fight the stigma around it and also make clear that they aren’t getting blazingly high and consider it low risk, just like a glass of wine. Jesse Staniforth, contributor to the BBC, joins us for more on ‘cannamoms.’

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House Passes Build Back Better Plan and Pfizer Fights to Keep Their Vaccine Recipe Secret Nov 22, 2021

Show notes

The House has passed President Biden's $1.7 trillion Build Back Better plan and it will now move on to the Senate where it will most likely undergo some changes before it gets voted on. The Senate is aiming for a vote before Christmas. While it was passed along party lines, everyone came out with a win as progressives will get to expand the social safety net, moderates got the CBO score they wanted, and even House minority leader Kevin McCarthy drew the praise of Donald Trump for his 8 hour speech delaying the vote. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for this and how the U.S. is spending billions on Covid treatments other than vaccines.

Next, Pfizer recently struck a licensing deal with the Medical Patents Pool which in turn can strike deals with other manufacturers to make generic versions of its Covid antiviral pill for poorer countries, but when it comes to its mRNA vaccine, Pfizer has not been so willing to share the recipe. They stand to make $36 billion in revenue this year and have said that they will increase their shipments to poor countries at adjusted prices. Stephanie Baker, senior writer at Bloomberg News, joins us for the fight over profits and the lopsided global supply of vaccines.

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WEEKEND EDITION- Thanksgiving Travel Could Be a Mess, 9 Different Political Ideologies in America Nov 21, 2021

Show notes

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

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WEEKEND EDITION- Staples Center Renamed to Crypto.com Arena, Poll Shows Americans Think Biden Mentally Unfit, Esperanza Patient Possibly Cured Her HIV Nov 20, 2021

Show notes

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

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Schools Use COVID Tests to Keep Students in Classroom Nov 19, 2021

Show notes

Covid disruptions to classrooms continue to happen across the country, but many schools are turning to testing over quarantine to keep kids in class. Test-to-stay programs are screening students regularly after exposure to known cases rather than sending them straight home. This allows them to remain in class while they continue to test negative. Sabrina Siddiqui, White House reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how schools are finding ways to keep kids in the classroom.

Next, the iconic Staples Center in Los Angeles will have a new name come Christmas day. In a branding deal worth $700 million, it will now be known as Crypto.com Arena. Crypto.com allows people to trade in popular cryptocurrencies and boasts over 10 million users. Anna Hirtenstein, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for the larger play… the crypto industry’s latest move to get mainstream recognition.

Finally, CVS said it will be closing 900 stores over the next three years as it shifts its strategy to focus on digital sales and more healthcare services. They will be spinning off into three different kinds of stores. One will be their traditional retail locations, one will offer primary care services, and the last will be HealthHubs that offer mental health services and other wellness features. Melissa Repko, retail reporter at CNBC, joins us for more.

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Thanksgiving Travel Could Be a Mess, Will the TSA Be Ready? Nov 18, 2021

Show notes

Millions of American are expected to travel for Thanksgiving and if you are heading out, you should expect delays. One of the biggest mysteries is how many TSA agents will be in compliance with vaccine mandates for federal workers set for Nov. 22nd. The government doesn’t think there will be any delays, but long wait times are inevitable as TSA employees are leaving for other reasons too. Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, staff writer at Forbes, joins us for how holiday travel could be a mess.

Next, President Biden has been on the wrong side of the polls recently amid missteps and verbal flubs. According to a Politico/Morning Consult poll, just 44% of voters approve of his job performance and worse yet, 48% say he is not mentally fit. Beyond that, voters didn’t find him to be a clear communicator or a strong leader. Marc Caputo, national political reporter at Politico, joins us for more bad poll numbers for Biden.

Finally, everyone has done it at some point, but it might be wise to stop sucking in your stomach all the time, it could be bad for your health. We’re not talking about the occasional time when taking a picture or trying to fit into an outfit, but prolonged stomach gripping can affect your pelvic floor muscles, make it harder to take deep breaths, or cause soreness and stiffness in you lower back. Allyson Chiu, wellness reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for more.

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Known as the “Esperanza Patient,” Woman’s Own Immune System Cured Her of HIV Nov 17, 2021

Show notes

A woman in Argentina known as the “Esperanza patient” has become only the second documented person whose own immune system possibly cured her of HIV. She is what’s known as a so-called elite controller of HIV. This happens in an estimated 1 in 200 people and their immune systems are able to suppress the virus from replicating to very low levels without using antiretroviral treatments. While still unknown how this occurs, it does provide hope for the 38 million people living with the virus. Benjamin Ryan, contributor to NBCNews.com, joins us for what to know about the “Esperanza patient.”

Next, where have all the public bathrooms gone? Going through the pandemic and seeing the closures of bars, restaurants and other public spaces, it laid bare how very few places there are for a person to relieve themselves. It was a trend that was definitely happening before the pandemic with many places being closed or just neglected which also gave public restrooms bad reputations. According to a “Public Toilet Index,” the U.S. only has eight toilets per 100,000 people overall. Elizabeth Yuko, contributor to Bloomberg CityLab, joins us for what to know about the lack of public bathrooms.

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Beto O’Rourke Throws Is Hat in the Ring Again, This Time for Texas Governor Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

Former congressman from El Paso and Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke, has thrown his hat in the ring again… this time into the Texas governor’s race. He has an uphill battle in a solidly red state that hasn’t chosen a Democratic governor since 1991 and there is also a wild card factor if actor Matthew McConaughey chooses to run. David Siders, national political reporter at Politico, joins us O’Rourke’s announcement.

Next, President Biden and his administration have had a messaging problem when it comes to inflation, coronavirus and Afghanistan. It is causing Democrats to worry whether his is underestimating the scale of the challenges we face in the country. Constant re-branding of legislative priorities have also made it tough to gain traction all while approval ratings keep dropping. Tyler Pager, White House reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for what to know.

Finally, phone notifications are driving people crazy. The constant pings and chirps are causing distractions as our communication has become more fragmented. Work and personal messages are blurring together for a non-stop flow of distractions and when we lose out focus, it can take an average of 25 minutes to get back on track. Rachel Feintzeig, work and life columnist at the WSJ, joins us for how it can be hard to get anything done.

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Inflation Continues to Be a Concern for the Biden Administration and Beyond Red vs. Blue - The Nine Distinct Political Groups Nov 15, 2021

Show notes

Inflation is the latest issue that Biden and his administration need to get under control. Everything is more expensive right now and supply chain issues continue to affect the economy. While Democrats try to bring prices down, there is also more urgency to pass Biden's Build Back Better plan, with some notable holdouts like Sen. Joe Manchin who is concerned with how it could impact inflation. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for this, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stepping into the spotlight, and Steve Bannon being indicted for contempt of Congress.

Next, every wonder why you feel like you might not fit into a particular political party? Americans are divided for sure, but it goes beyond a left or right thing. Even within each party there are deep divides. Pew Research sorted American ideologies into nine distinct categories, four that lean left, four that lean right, and stressed sideliners in the middle. And for those that do fit into the center, they often hold little common ground. Baxter Oliphant, senior researcher at the Pew Research Center, joins us for the wide spectrum of political beliefs.

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