Episodes
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Is There a Labor Shortage or Does No One Want to Work Your Terrible Jobs?
If you check social media lately you'll see that businesses have been posting signs saying that no one has been showing up for their shifts at different restaurants and no one wants to work anymore. Republican governors have been cutting extra unemployment benefits because they want to…
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History of Conspiracy Theory as Political Tool or They're Coming for Your Hamburgers!
If you haven't heard, the radical left is coming for you and your way of life. They want to cancel your children's books, they want to take away your guns, and worst of all, limit your red meat intake to 4 pounds a year. Where is this threat coming from exactly? Great question! Can I see the data...
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Voter Suppression Bills or Block the Vote the Sequel
You would think as we are still fighting the pandemic and dealing with the fallout from quarantine, that state governments would be focusing on education, employment, or healthcare. There is so much need and healing in this country you would hardly know where to start but republican legislatures...
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A Brief History of Mass Shootings and Gun Violence
If you were wondering why there are more mass shootings in the US than any other country, we'll let you in on a little secret, with only 4.4% of the world's population, we account for 46% of civilian held firearms. That's a lot of guns. And it's hard to talk about an issue with a lot of angry...
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The Origin Story of Cancel Culture or Cancel Culture Club
A year into the pandemic, with over a half a million lives lost, economic stress, kids missing out on school, we all know that despite all this loss the most important issue facing us all is the threat of being cancelled, or at least you would believe that based on the amount of coverage it...
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History of The Religious Right or They're Neither Moral Nor the Majority, Discuss
The religious right, has several names and is comprised of several groups but didn't really coalesce and show their real influence until the mid to late 70s. Surprisingly, it was not the election of the first Southern Evangelical, Jimmy Carter, that offered a cause for Southern Evangelicals and...
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The Minimum Wage or The Very Least You Could Do
There has been talk recently of finally raising the minimum wage to 15.00 dollars an hour. The last time it was raised was in 2007 to 7..25 and it has remained there despite a raise in prices, rents, and other costs of living. It wasn't until 1938 that any legislation was passed mandating a…
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A Brief History of American Coups or Qwhite Riots
January 6th 2021 was not the first time in American History that a group of people, unhappy with the outcome of an election resorted to violence. In fact, on November 10, 1898, in what became known as the Wilmington massacre, a group of white supremacists murdered up to an estimated 300 people…
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Socialism in America or Oh no I know a Dirty Word
In recent polling, Socialism is very unpopular in America and yet programs like social security and Medicare are extremely popular. How did it happen that socialist programs remain popular for decades and the mention of socialism or democratic socialist candidates consistently polls anywhere...
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Vax of Pod or A Brief History of Vaccines
For as long as we've had infectious disease, we've had attempts at inoculations. And from the very first instances of inoculations, there have been people who have been resistant. Considering that these usually consisted of smearing the contents of pustules over newly torn skin, it's…
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The Origin Story of Fox News or When You Just Don't Give A Fox About Facts
When two dreamers met, a megalomaniacal media mogul, and a behind the scenes conservative wizard behind Nixon, Reagan and George W. Bush's campaign, who could have imagined what would have blossomed? Now in every airport, hospital lobby, military base, and probably your meemaw's house, you can…
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The Electoral College: It's Time to Dropout
What makes our democracy unique? Is it because we're the best? It's because we employ electors to vote on our behalf, rather than have a one vote one voice policy or a direct democracy which most of the world with democracies have embraced. Again, we are the only country in the world who uses…
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Women during the Pandemic or This Woman's Work
How are women holding up during the pandemic? With women dominated professions being deemed essential work, and the demands of domestic labor increasing, women are facing burn out. Increasingly, women are taking on both childcare and schooling responsibilities while also feeling increased…
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Cults of Personality or They Call You Mr. Personality Because You're So Ugly
Welcome to easily one of the least fun cults available, you may never even know you've joined and the perks are lackluster at best. After the age of God Kings, how can you impress your friends and really let the world know that you're in it for the long haul, and you're something special? You…
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A Brief History of Presidential Tax Returns or I'll Show You Mine if You Show Me Yours
You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and then you have the tax of life. On this very special episode of Tax of Pod, we tackle the revelations of President Trump's Tax returns and link it back to the first time Presidential Tax returns made news (hint: Nixon). But beyond why…
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Law and Order Campaigns: What are They and Who's the Biggest Dick Wolf about Using Them?
Although we seem to be at the let's throw everything at the wall and see what sticks part of the Trump presidential reelection campaign, one strategy that has been utilized is the classic republican golden oldie the Law and Order platform. In this episode, we cover both the superficial and the…
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An Intro to Qanon or 4Qanon Blondes, What's going on?
What began as a post on 4chan has become one of the fastest growing movements in politics. It's an all encompassing conspiracy theory that builds on past classic fears such as Satan worship, secret cabals, harvesting the young for their life prolonging vitality, and of course they've added their...
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Cointelpro: When The FBI Infiltrated the Civil Rights Movement or Fun Party Who Invited the Feds?
Between the years the 1956 and 1971 the FBI ran a covert intelligence operation headed by Hoover himself that infiltrated everything from the Socialist Workers Party to the Black Panthers under the auspices of gathering information at first and dismantling civil rights organizations later on.…
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Mt. Rushmore and Stone Mountain or If you have Something to Say, Say it To My HUGE FACE
In the middle of a huge pandemic, we've also seen a large coordinated civil rights campaign that has had global participation. During this time, there has also been renewed focus on statues and monuments and what they represent, who they are glorifying and at what cost? In this episode we talk...
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Corona Conspiracies or A Man with A Plandemic
On this week's episode of Acts of Pod we cover several conspiracy theories that have been spreading around the social media platforms. Everything from "Plandemic" to 5g technology's dark side, Bill Gates and his years' long crusade to introduce a virus only to cure it - at a price! Of course…
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56 - Covideo Killed the Radio Star or Astroturf is for Jerks
This week finds us deep in our isolation pods here at Acts of Pod. While it is true that we cover the term Astroturfing, we also dive into the psychological depths of the quarantine, examine both positive and negative coping mechanisms, and share some of our personal triumphs and horrors in hopes...
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55 - Corona Capitalism or With You Right Here I'm A Profiteer
Reporting from our self isolation chambers, we've been reading the news so you don't have to and can continue with those projects you've been meaning to finish. During these trying times some have risen to the occasion while others have tried to take advantage of our vulnerabilities. We here at...
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54 - A Brief History of Quarantines or Pandemic At the Disco!
In today's episode, we give a brief primer on how quarantines have worked since the Plague of Justinian, through all manner of fevers, viruses, flues you name it. We'll walk you through the information being disseminated now, what we know about the psychological impact of social distancing and…
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53 - Banana Republics OR This Sh!t is Bananas
You may have heard this present administration described as a banana republic, maybe by us. Well, you may not know what that means exactly. Does it involve a sham democracy? Does it involve corporate interests taking over a country and slowly eroding at the rights of working people? Could you…
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52 - Mad Kings and the Toadies that Loved Them
Is there ever a purer love than that between a Mad King and his devoted followers? History is littered with examples of these unions from Ivan the Terrible to George III. We are certainly not the type of people to mock anyone for their neurodiversity, but when is it appropriate to intervene when...
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51 - Projection in Politics or I Know You Are But What Am I?
This week we talk about how projection when used consciously in politics can be used to vilify or scapegoat vulnerable groups of people, manipulate the fears of a population and distract from larger problems and shift responsibility. But projection can be unconscious as well, and when someone is...
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50 - A Brief History of Mass Hysteria or Let's Go Crazy
Well it's the holidays and what a rare treat for a troubled, stressful nation. If you feel like you're living in a world gone mad, don't fret, it wouldn't be the first time. This week on Acts of Pod we go through Mass Hysteria events that took place during tense growth stages in world history....
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49 - Gaslighting or Would I Lie to You?
This week on the pod we cover the term Gaslighting. It is used in psychological terms to describe how narcissists or abusers keep you in their control but more recently, it has been shown to be a particular handy technique in political psychological warfare. We help you recognize the signs so you...
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48 - Minority Rule or When Minority Rulez, Democracy Droolz
This week we cover the term Minority Rule and how it has manifested itself from the original intentions of the founders, to the gerrymandered districts we find ourselves in today. In order for a powerful minority to retain power, they use tools that we have covered in past episodes like voter...
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47 - Acts of The Pod People - The Halloween Special
In this episode we visit haunted historical stories that highlight the never ending stories we find ourselves in. Like hawks flying through dimensions, we take a look at our own haunted histories to see how they have impacted our present. So join us on our dark night of the soul as we work our…
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46 - A Brief History of the term Politically Correct or Correct Yourself Before you Wreck Yourself
What does it mean to be politically correct? Well it depends on who you ask. In this episode we trace the journey of the word from the interior of the Communist Party, to workshops in Conservative thinktanks. Like so many terms, it's meaning is really determined by who uses it and who is its...
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45 - The Business Roundtable of 1972: The CEOs that Spun us Right Round
Recently, some of the world's most famous CEOs released a statement sharing their intent to change their focus from their shareholders to their stakeholders and lucky you, you're one! If you happened to notice wage stagnation and growing income inequality trending for the past 40 years, you're…
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44 - Global Wealth Tax of Pod
On today's episode we have our first interview with Scott Solomon who presents his idea on how to initiate and incentivize a global wealth tax. Considering the kind of capital that will be needed to combat climate change, workable solutions for raising that kind of capital could not come at a...
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43 - Church Rock Uranium Mill Spill
There was nuclear disaster worse than 3 Mile Island and if you haven't heard of it, no one would blame you. It happened it New Mexico on Navajo lands and 40 years on the clean up is still in process. How could a disaster of this scale go so unnoticed? Why would any community be kept in the dark…
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42- Redlining: Something Like a Phenomenon
Imagine if you will, a nation in crisis. A map of every major American city spread across the desk, committees assembled to ascertain the desirability of every neighborhood in every, major, American city. What could possibly go right? Today's episode is a primer on "redlining" or the practice of...
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41 - The War On Women. What is it good for? Absolutely....um, well, the war on women. Duh.
This week on Acts of Pod, Anne and I discuss the term "The War on Women." During campaign season, a lot of terms get bandied about and here at Acts of Pod we hope to provide a bit more context to help understand not only what they are meant to signify, but the real impact they have when it comes…
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40 - The Legacy of the Bath School Massacre of 1927
In the small town of Bath, Michigan, an unthinkable tragedy challenged the beliefs of an entire nation, for two days until Lindbergh successfully completed his first transatlantic flight and the story began to disappear from the news. Sadly, it would not be the last time in American History where...
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39 - Mayday. Come in May Day. An ancient holiday comes to symbolize workers' rights
Grab your flower garlands and pass out the ribbons because it's May Day and you know what that means? Labor coalesces into a powerful union and demands the dignity they deserve from a cannibalistic and faceless unknown, like the growth of Spring blossoming from the decay of winter. If you've…
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38 - The Violence Against Women Act or There Oughta be a Law
Recently, the Violence Against Women Act has been in the news because it has not received bilateral support. While one would be tempted to think this would be a no brainer, there has been a long, troubled history concerning how to codify domestic violence, how should law enforcement be involved,...
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37 - Women and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
In the face of impossible odds, a group of women helped to organize a boycott that would launch one of the most successful civil rights campaigns in American history. From printing pamphlets, organizing transportation, feeding fellow protestors or keeping hope alive, it was the vital efforts of...
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36 - Smedley Butler Saves the Day or The Business Plot Thickens
Imagine if you will, a great nation of promise filled with anxiety about its future. The world is erupting in chaos and corporate interests are balking at the thought of implementing huge social programs to relieve the strain on average citizens. Impossible! Well, of all the unlikely characters…
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35 - Tax of Pod: Overview of the Tax Proposals by the Democratic Candidates
Do you have a firm understanding of the differences between a wealth tax and a marginal tax? Could you let us know? This week, we diligently try to plow through the different tax solutions brought forth by the democratic candidates and compare it to the solutions that are in place currently. We...
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34 - A Brief History of Child Support or How to Beat the Retreat of a Deadbeat
This week on the pod we take it all the way back to the 1500s to provide an overview on how the legislation of child support developed here in the States and offer a comparison to how other countries addressed similar issues.
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33 - A Brief History of Women in Tech and Decoding Discrimination
We're taking it back to Lovelace and Babbage to try and trace the history of women in technology. From human computers, to ENIAC programmers, women have been around since the infancy of the technology. Their relative sparseness now in the industry could have several perfectly rational…
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32 - Nixon's Creeps and their Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
If it wasn't so evil it might be hilarious. Right around the time Nixon was affirming that he was not a crook, a small cabal of Nixon loyalists were busy sabotaging Democratic campaigns. In this episode, we cover the dirty tricks employed by Nixon against his competitors and trace the lineage of...
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31 - The Scopes Trial or the Same Old Monkey Business
This week we cover the Tennessee trial of John Scopes who was indicted for teaching evolution in the classroom in 1925. We trace the beginnings of the long feud between fundamental religious belief straining against oncoming modernity and how those trends continue in the present day.
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30 - A Brief History of Voter Suppression or Block the Vote
In this week's episode we give a brief history of voter suppression techniques used in American history from the exclusive original requirements for voting, to voter ID laws. While the 15th amendment provided the legal protection for voters, those protections were not enforced until the Voting...
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29 - The Southern Strategy: Dog Whistlin' Dixie
The Southeastern voting block, or the solid South, was not always republican. Around the 1950s, right about the time Brown V Board of Education was decided, the republicans began to woo back the Southern vote. In this episode, we'll map out the seduction of the Southern voter and point out some...
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28 - The Salem Witch Trials or Who You Calling a Witch?
On this very special Halloween episode of Acts of Pod, we cover the Salem Witch Trials. We take a deep dive into the economic and political conditions that made this possible and how this story has been used in political discourse over the years. Could we make the devil more boring? You shall…
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27 - The UN Climate Change Report or Don't They Know It's The End of the World
Have you read the UN report on climate change? Well, you're gonna want to sit down. Or better yet, why don't you just get the news from your buddies at Acts of Pod who are handling the news with grace. Totally unrelated, does anyone have access to a bomb shelter and/or a fresh water source? Hit…
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