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Grief, Comedy, and COVID Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

Last week, comedian Laurie Kilmartin took to Twitter to talk jokingly about something that wasn’t funny –– her mom was dying. JoAnn Kilmartin, Laurie’s mother, had contracted the coronavirus in her nursing home and was on her deathbed only a few miles from Laurie’s home in southern California. The experience put in striking display her grief and anger, but also her wits and charm.

With the death toll in the United States passing 120,000 people this week, Laurie’s experience is resonating with those who have lost loved ones to the virus.

Guest: Laurie Kilmartin, comedian and author of Dead People Suck: A Guide for Survivors of the Newly Departed.

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

Is Bill Barr Winning? Jun 23, 2020

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This past weekend, Geoffrey Berman was suddenly removed from his office as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. The removal itself began with Barr announcing on Friday night that Berman was resigning. That was a lie. Berman issued his own statement saying as much. This whole confusing two-day episode ultimately came to a close with Berman stepping down after ensuring his successor. So what do the events of this weekend tell us about Bill Barr’s justice department? And what could this mean for cases the SDNY was investigating that reached into Trump’s inner circle?

Guest: Jeremy Stahl, senior editor at Slate.

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Why Remote Learning Failed Jun 19, 2020

Show notes

In March, when schools across the country shut down, few people could have guessed that students wouldn’t return until the fall. Schools weren’t equipped to deploy remote-learning curricula, technology was in short supply, and most parents weren’t free to guide their children through lessons during the day.

Three months later, little has changed. And all that time out of the classroom has taken a toll on students. Can they recover in time for the fall?

Guest: Dana Goldstein, national correspondent at the New York Times

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

TBD | Why Remote Learning Failed Jun 19, 2020

Show notes

Three months later, little has changed. And all that time out of the classroom has taken a toll on students. Can they recover in time for the fall?

Guest: Dana Goldstein, national correspondent at the New York Times

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

The Belated National Embrace of Juneteenth Jun 18, 2020

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Companies from Nike to the New York Times have announced that Juneteenth will be a paid day off this year. What does wider observance of the holiday say about the progress we’re making as a country?

Guest: Adam Serwer, staff writer for The Atlantic

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

A Politician's Brush with NYPD Abuse Jun 17, 2020

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Police reform is not a new cause in New York. The same proposals have been discussed for years. But when people took to the streets in late May, they handed politicians a mandate. This is the story of how the protesters got their first big win.

Guest: Zellnor Myrie, New York state senator serving in Brooklyn.

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

A Victory for LGBTQ Americans Jun 16, 2020

Show notes

On Monday, the conservative Supreme Court extended civil rights protections to transgender and gay Americans. The ruling is not controversial -- supermajorities of polled citizens say discrimination against LGBTQ people should be illegal. But Monday’s decision comes ahead of a flurry of rulings on other closely-watched cases involving the president’s financial records, the DACA program, abortion rights, and more. Does this win for the left clear a path for the court to hand down some bitter pills in the next few weeks?

Guest: Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern.

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Is the Military Turning Its Back on Trump? Jun 15, 2020

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In the past couple of weeks, multiple high ranking military members, active and retired, have spoken out against the Trump administration's use of force in Lafayette Square. Usually, military officers prefer to stay silent on political matters. Does this mark a sea change in the way the military deals with President Trump?

Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s War Stories Correspondent and the author of The Bomb.

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

Is This the End of Facial Recognition? Jun 12, 2020

Show notes

This week, three of the leading developers of facial-recognition technology announced they would stop, or at least pause, selling this technology to police. The decision stems from evidence of racial bias inherent in these tools. For the researchers who first uncovered the deep-seated issues with these tools, it’s a watershed moment. Will facial-recognition technology continue to grow unchecked? Or will this week’s announcements result in lasting change?

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Guest: Deb Raji, technology fellow at the AI Now Institute.

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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

TBD | Is This the End of Facial Recognition? Jun 12, 2020

Show notes

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.

Guest: Deb Raji, technology fellow at the AI Now Institute.

Host

Lizzie O’Leary

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