Grifty

The Grifty crew was joined by Dr. Nini Munoz to talk about all things grifty. Dr. Nini is an electrical engineer and data scientist specializing in sensor design and integration. Her expertise ranges from inertial navigation systems to biosensors, and she integrates AI for pattern recognition and systems risk analysis. She completed her doctorate at Cornell University, where her research at the intersection of electrical engineering and microbiology focused on designing neural interfaces. Nini is passionate about teaching and science communication. She has built a social media platform, @niniandthebrain, to make complex topics more accessible and understandable for a broad audience. Nini offers a data-driven approach. She teaches people how to critically appraise data by examining flawed studies, providing datasets, and demonstrating how data can be analyzed and manipulated to fit a predetermined conclusion, often going as far as replicating study findings. Given the amount of health misinformation out there, Nini also hones on tackling some aspects of pseudoscience in the wellness world, particularly those pertaining to the use of technology to add legitimacy and credibility to their claims. You can find her on social platforms by visiting @niniandthebrain or by visiting https://www.niniandthebrain.com  

GENERAL ELECTION–STATE OF PLAY The 2024 presidential debates have been unveiled  “The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday that the three 2024 presidential debates will be held next year on Sept. 16, Oct. 1 and Oct. 9. “(https://www.axios.com/2023/11/20/2024-election-debates-biden-trump-republicans ) Swing states that are expected to decide the 2024 presidential election “The titanic Biden-Trump election likely will be decided by roughly 6% of voters in just six states, top strategists in both parties tell us.” (https://www.axios.com/2024/05/06/biden-trump-election-swing-states ) POTUS CANDIDATE: BIDEN Biden's historic marijuana shift is his latest election year move for young voters PHOENIX (AP) — President Joe Biden may eventually ban TikTok, but he's moving to give something back to the young people who dominate the popular social media app — a looser federal grip on marijuana.” (https://apnews.com/article/biden-young-voters-marijuana-reclassification-dea-193e97fc2dd7b32b7d7ad50b4ea80aa0 ) Biden touts new $3.3 billion Microsoft data center at failed Foxconn site Trump backed “U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday unveiled plans by Microsoft Corp to build a $3.3 billion data center in southeastern Wisconsin, drawing a sharp contrast to his Republican predecessor who had backed a previous $10 billion project at the same site that was significantly scaled back.” (https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-unveil-33-billion-microsoft-ai-investment-battleground-wisconsin-2024-05-08/ ) Axios Poll of College Voters - Next Gen America  (https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.axios.com/2024/05/07/poll-students-israel-hamas-protests&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1715304228880446&usg=AOvVaw2gVrmRZ0q-sgs2JekbcTPA )   POTUS CANDIDATE: TRUMP  Trump reportedly solicited $1 billion from oil executives to support his campaign, offering them concessions related to climate policies in return. This development underscores the high stakes of the upcoming 2024 election, particularly in the realm of climate policy. While President Biden has implemented numerous regulations aimed at addressing climate change, Trump, who has a history of rolling back such regulations and dismissing climate change as a hoax, presents a starkly different approach. The intersection of Trump's skepticism towards climate science and penchant for corruption poses a significant challenge and opportunity for the Biden campaign. This recent revelation highlights the critical importance of the election in shaping the future direction of environmental policy. Recent polls indicate that a significant portion of voters lack awareness of President Biden's major domestic accomplishments, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, which featured substantial climate investments and green incentives for both businesses and individuals. Furthermore, there is a lack of understanding among voters regarding Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan, with some mistakenly attributing similar achievements to former President Trump, despite his failure to deliver on infrastructure promises during his tenure. This highlights the urgent need for the Biden campaign to educate the public on how his policies positively impact their communities. In contrast, Trump's apparent willingness to prioritize personal gain by making promises to oil companies further underscores the contrasting approaches of the two leaders on critical issues like climate and infrastructure. How Far Trump Would Go “Donald Trump thinks he's identified a crucial mistake of his first term: He was too nice.” (https://time.com/6972021/donald-trump-2024-election-interview/ ) Every Awful Thing Trump Has Promised to Do in a Second Term The former president has pushed a slew of terrifying proposals, both publicly and privately, that he plans to unleash on America should he take down Biden” (https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-second-term-plans-wildest-proposals-1234947327/)) R.F.K. Jr. Says Doctors Found a Dead Worm in His Brain “The presidential candidate has faced previously undisclosed health issues, including a parasite that he said ate part of his brain.” (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/rfk-jr-brain-health-memory-loss.html ) Here's Who's On Trump's Most Likely VP Shortlist—And What He's Saying About The Contenders “Former President Donald Trump spoke highly of nearly a dozen potential running mate picks over the weekend as they gathered at donor event at Mar-a-Lago for what was widely viewed as a pseudo-tryout, as Trump has reportedly begun to narrow down his list.” (https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/05/06/heres-whos-on-trumps-most-likely-vp-shortlist-and-what-hes-saying-about-the-contenders/?sh=60cf1d11c3a8 ) Barron Trump makes political debut as Florida delegate for GOP convention “Donald Trump's son Barron, 18 and about to graduate high school, was named as a delegate at large for the GOP national convention in Milwaukee. “ (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/09/barron-trump-florida-delegate-gop-convention/ )   TRUMP'S TRIALS Trump threatened with jail after violating hush money gag order again “A New York judge on Monday threatened to jail former President Trump after his latest violation of the gag order in his hush money criminal case.” (https://www.axios.com/2024/05/06/trump-fined-gag-order-hush-money-trial ) Trump's N.Y. criminal trial: Who has testified and who hasn't “Former President Trump's first criminal trial in New York has so far featured witness testimony from a former top White House aide, a veteran tabloid publisher, a former longtime Trump assistant and a former director at a bank.” (https://www.axios.com/2024/04/30/trump-trial-hush-money-witnesses-testimony-updates)    CONGRESS Mike Johnson signals House power play in 2025 “Ahead of a potential motion to vacate vote this week, Speaker Mike Johnson is tipping his hand for how he or a successor should rebuild the power of the House speakership.” (https://www.axios.com/2024/05/06/mike-johnson-house-rules-republicans-congress-2025 ) Bernie Sanders will run for re-election “Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the 82-year-old progressive icon, announced on Monday that he will run for re-election.” (https://www.axios.com/2024/05/06/bernie-sanders-re-election-us-senator-vermont ) Money isn't enough to smooth the path for Republican candidates hoping to retake the Senate WASHINGTON (AP) — Frustrated by the seemingly endless cash flowing to Democrats, Republicans aiming to retake the Senate have rallied around candidates with plenty of their own money. (https://apnews.com/article/gop-campaign-rich-candidates-senate-majority-68a8eb884c96ec53f13e1472d225cb21 ) MISCELLANEOUS executive about agencies view soq Recent data from the Association of American Medical Colleges indicates that medical school graduates are increasingly opting to avoid states with abortion bans or newly imposed restrictions following the Dobbs case when selecting their residency programs. In states with near-total abortion bans, the number of new residencies has declined by 4.2%, a significant contrast to the overall decrease of 0.6% across all states. This trend is even more pronounced among graduates entering OB/GYN residencies, suggesting a notable impact on specialty choices as a result of these restrictive regulations. Section 241 of Title 18 is MAGA Law's New Shiny Object  “The Project 2025 plan for the Department of Justice recommends using 18 U.S.C. § 241, an 1870 civil rights law, to prosecute state officials (maybe even judges) if DOJ disagrees with how they apply state election law.” (https://randomlysecured.substack.com/p/section-241-of-title-18-is-maga-laws?utm_medium=ios )

On this episode, the gang is joined by the one and only Dr. Inna Kanevsky to discuss all types of grifty misinformation floating around online about pop psychology and science. Dr. Inna Kanevsky has over 1.1m followers on TikTok (@dr_inna) and her videos have garnered over 36 million views, which according to some estimates places her in the 99.75% percentile of U.S. Tiktokers. When she's not being a social media influencer, Dr. Inna is a Psychology Professor at San Diego Mesa College with her doctorate in experimental psychology.  Be sure to follow Dr. Inna on TikTok @dr_inna and on Instagram @_dr_inna.  

GENERAL ELECTION–STATE OF PLAY   States where abortion is on the ballot in the 2024 election “Voters in about a dozen states could decide the fate of abortion rights in November with constitutional amendments on the ballot in a pivotal election year — including in several battleground states that will be key to deciding the presidential race and which party controls Congress.” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/abortion-ballot-measures/ ) RFK Jr. rules out Libertarian presidential run “Independent presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Saturday ruled out running as a Libertarian.” (https://apple.news/AOtthZk48RtOWffIxyUgfLg ) THE RFK JR. STRATEGY CLICKS INTO FOCUS As the race between Trump and Biden gets uglier, Kennedy is focusing on ballot access. (https://apple.news/A0Fa-JwuMSnKaKTtMZ8_qPA )   SCOTUS   The Supreme Court effectively abolishes the right to mass protest in three US states “It is no longer safe to organize a protest in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas.” (https://apple.news/AgbB_Hz0_SZSvZeRPJdMzOw ) Supreme Court Takes Up Jan. 6 Case That Could Affect Hundreds of Prosecutions “Justices to decide whether Enron-era obstruction law applies to rioters' disruption of Congress” (https://apple.news/APSrlh_7GSJ-Z5fQigCaUXQ ) CONGRESS   'I am not resigning': Johnson at risk as he forges ahead on Ukraine, Israel aid Another GOP lawmaker said Tuesday they'd join a motion to remove Johnson. (https://apple.news/A_qwNqRUCQcS5BWEL_vyXTw ) House Republicans Ridiculed into Dropping “Appliance Week” “Republican representatives hastily scrapped plans for bills opposing regulations on household appliances.” (https://newrepublic.com/post/180697/republicans-woke-appliances-israel-iran )   POTUS CANDIDATE: BIDEN       POTUS CANDIDATE: TRUMP    TRUMP'S PRESIDENTIAL-IMMUNITY THEORY IS A THREAT TO THE CHAIN OF COMMAND “Subordinates need to know that the commander in chief is bound by the same laws as everyone else.” (https://apple.news/AT8wtGOezQySmUvJqdCe3fA ) Trump Media shares tank after company reveals plan to sell more stock “Shares of Truth Social parent company have fallen 60% since March market debut as ex-president under financial pressure.” (https://apple.news/A450bN4_3QHOAgrxmAWZtuw )   TRUMP'S TRIALS   Defendant is not above the law": N.Y. prosecutors urge judge to hold Trump in contempt “Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a motion Tuesday seeking to hold former President Trump in contempt for alleged violations of his partial gag order in the New York criminal case” (https://apple.news/A6i4MtqOJQB2v8BBw5QCCVg ) cvfd   MISCELLANEOUS What Liberals Get Wrong About ‘White Rural Rage' — Almost Everything “The ‘White Rural Rage' narrative gets the research wrong. I know, because some of it is mine.” https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/05/white-rural-rage-myth-00150395 ) An Honest Assessment of Rural White Resentment Is Long Overdue  “We say very clearly that rural America is hurting. But we refuse to justify attitudes that some scholars try to underplay.” (https://newrepublic.com/article/180570/trump-rural-white-resentment-honest-assessment )

She's just a girl, a girl in the world. Join Azi as she has a fun two part chat with Caroline Calloway about everything and nothing. Tune in for the second part of this interview next week.  Find us on all social media platforms @griftypod or visit www.grifty.org for more 

KING CAUCUS - On this episode of the Grifty Tribune, Azi, Sari and Taryn discuss the outcome of the Iowa Caucus where Trump won (with a lower turnout than previous years), reviewed the tick tock of Trump's busy 2024 trial schedule, and discussed how they'd characterize the 2024 electorate.and what exactly will motivate them to vote and save our democracy from the man who wants to be King. History behind Caucus System  History Behind the Iowa Caucus The Caucus System in the U.S. Presidential Nominating Process Trump's big Iowa win included some signs of trouble with moderates, younger voters Polling of Republicans at Iowa Caucus Trump also continued his pattern of racist dog whistles against Nikki Haley (who is slightly gaining on him in the polls), referring to her by her first name, Nimarata, in a Truth Social post.  A judge in Maine decided to hold off on ruling on the case of Trump's ballot eligibility until the Supreme Court issues a decision on the Colorado case.  DeSantis's super PAC, Never Back Down, began laying off staff and it looks like he's going to drop out.  TRUMP LEGAL ISSUES Rundown: The Trump legal cases to watch in 2024 Trump's lawyer argues that a president can order SEAL Team Six to assassinate his political rival if Congress is cool with it:  https://www.threads.net/@esqueer_/post/C17WNW0uSoc/    

Episode 1 of Season 2 features Taylor Lorenz discussing influencers and  Taylor Lorenz is a prominent journalist who has made a name for herself covering topics related to technology, internet culture, and social media. She has worked for major publications such as The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Her work covers the intersection of technology and society. Lorenz is known for her in-depth reporting on issues such as online harassment, influencer culture, and the impact of social media on various aspects of society, including politics, mental health, and interpersonal relationships. Her work often delves into the ways in which technology shapes contemporary life and the challenges and opportunities that come with it.    Amanda, Sari Beth & Kea sat down with Taylor Lorenz author of Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet to discuss the grifty origin story of the World Wide Web and discussed how it forever shapes our daily lives today.   Follow us on all social media platforms @griftypod and visit us at www.grifty.org           

Episode 9 Grifty Tribune: The Grifty Old Party On this episode of Grifty,  we are kicking off our new ongoing series- The Grifty Tribune. In ancient Rome, the Tribune was a person who upheld or defended the rights of the people. And we plan to do the same with this ongoing series.  In this edition of the Grifty Tribune, Azi and Sari break down the latest in American politics with a focus on how the GOP got so darn grifty - from Sarah Palins's $150,000 wardrobe back in 2008 to the Obama Birther Conspiracy to the Trump Mug Shot of 2023. Azi and Sari even go back to the Roman Empire - yes, the Roman Empire - and try to figure out how we got to this place in America, once founded on lofty principles of republican virtue, to one where Trump is able to galvanize and grift off of an anti-intellectual, conspiracy theory obsessed,  and bigoted voting bloc.   IN THIS EPISODE Bidens impressive record $150,000 Wardrobe for Palin May Alter Tailor-Made Image Who the hell is Orly Taitz The Mug Shot Is a Warning How Conspiracy Theorists Have Tapped Into Race and Racism to Further Their Message That didn't stop the smear from gaining traction, in an effort fueled by people including hard-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones of InfoWars — and by future president Donald Trump himself, who fanned the “birther” flames in 2011 as he advanced in the political arena. According to Trump's longtime associate Roger Stone, it was an effective strategy: “Trump understands among Republicans there's a very substantial majority who have questions about Obama's origins and how he just pops up out of nowhere to become a national figure and whether he was, in fact, eligible to serve as president,” Stone told FRONTLINE in 2016. The Genesis of the Birther Rumor: Partisanship, Racial Attitudes, and Political Knowledge  There's actually only one conspiracy theory: Democrats are evil  How the Republican Party came to embrace conspiracy theories and denialism Tucker Carlson, who is scrounging for attention in an increasingly fractured and competitive right-wing media ecosystem while seeking funders for his new media venture The Weaponization of Loneliness: To defend America against those who would exploit our social disconnection, we need to rebuild our communities By Hillary Rodham Clinton The History of Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories, from the Rothschilds to George Soros  

Grifty Pod Episode 8: Boys Don't Cry Boy's don't cry, and that is precisely the problem. On this episode of Grifty, all the gang is back in town for our back-to-school episode of exploring the Manosphere – an interconnected echo chamber of men and boys where the themes of toxic masculinity, misogyny, and homophobia are platformed and normalized in online forums, podcasts, and articles all over the web. A large part of the appeal of the manosphere is that it acknowledge the increasing rates of depression, suicide, and incarceration among men. However,  they take this sliver of truth and leverage it into a fear-mongering grift where they make the false link that these issues plaguing our boys and men are the result of some global conspiracy. Find us on all social media platforms @griftypod Learn more www.grifty.org   IN THIS EPISODE  On the History of the Manosphere: “The Evolution of the Manosphere Across the Web,” Proceedings of the Fifteenth International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM 2021) The Evolution of the Manosphere across the Web “To Learn About the Far Right, Start With the ‘Manosphere',” The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2019/08/anti-feminism-gateway-far-right/595642/ On the Ideology and Content of the Manosphere: “Glitz, Glam & Violent Misogyny: The Toxic Ideology of the Manosphere,” International Socialist Alternative https://internationalsocialist.net/en/2023/05/socialist-feminism “Jordan Peterson and the Return of the Men's Rights Movement,” The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/07/24/before-jordan-peterson-there-were-mens-rights-activists/  “The Liver King and the Problematic rise of Primal Manhood,” Huck Magazine  https://www.huckmag.com/article/liver-king-and-the-problematic-rise-of-primal-manhood   On the Radicalization of men and boys caused by the Manosphere: “The “Manosphere” Is Getting More Toxic As Angry Men Join the Incels,” MIT Technology Review  https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/02/07/349052/the-manosphere-is-getting-more-toxic-as-angry-men-join-the-incels/ “The Misogynist Incel Movement is Spreading. Should it be Classified as a Terror Threat?,” The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/mar/03/incel-movement-terror-threat-canada “ Mass Violence and Terrorism since Santa Barbara,” New America https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/reports/misogynist-incels-and-male-supremacism/mass-violence-and-terrorism-since-santa-barbara “Elliot Rodger: How misogynist killer became 'incel hero',” BBC.com https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43892189 “Plymouth Shooter Fascinated By Serial Killers and ‘Incel' Culture, Inquest Hears,” The Guardian  https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/18/plymouth-shooter-jake-davison-fascinated-by-mass-shootings-and-incel-culture-inquest-hears On the grifts, scams, and charlatans of the Manosphere: “Andrew Tate Wants Everyone To Get In On the Grift,” Jacobin https://jacobin.com/2023/03/andrew-tate-capitalism-scam-misogyny-alienation-hustle  “Generation Tate: How can we stop losing vulnerable men to the ‘manosphere'?,” The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/andrew-tate-manosphere-influencers-b2261515.html?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=Independent%2Fmagazine%2FLife+%26+Style   The manosphere consists of 5 main groups: Men's rights activists (MRAs) advocate political changes that will benefit men. However, much of their activism consists of harassment and abuse towards feminists and other female public figures. (example: Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan)   Men going their own way (MGTOW) argue that women are so toxic that men should avoid them altogether. Some MGTOW will date women but avoid anything serious like getting married, while others won't even be friends with women. (example: youtube channels like Hooman TV and Fresh & Fit Clips that aim to portray woman as selfish gold diggers that ‘use' men for their wealth)   Pick-up artists (PUAs) teach men seduction strategies so that they can be more successful in attracting women. Many of these techniques involve mistreating women, such as insulting them (“negging”) or disregarding consent.   (example: Andrew Tate and his ‘hustler university' scam)   Involuntary celibates (incels) believe they are entitled to a relationship with a woman, but are incapable of finding a partner. Multiple acts of extreme violence and even murder have been attributed to this group. (example: Elliot Rodger 2014 Isla Vista shooting, Jake Davidson Plymouth Shooter 2021)   Primal Manhood Alphas These masculinity influencers champion a hyper-masculine version of self actualization that seeks to revert to an ‘ancestral' lifestyle with their diet and workouts as well as reverting to a time when women were confined to the home and subservient to men.  (example: Liver King) The history of the manosphere dates back to the Men's Liberation movement that began in the 1960s and went on through the 80s.  Existed within the context of the Vietnam war and it was essentially a critique of traditional male gender roles. These were the hippies that were raised by their WW2 veteran fathers and homemaker mothers who pushed a very traditional binary for gender roles which these men within the liberation movement saw as toxic. They rejected the notion that the main role for men is to produce money and this essentially anti-capitalist view was tied together with second-wave feminism. Pretty reasonable in those early years. but this honeymoon if you will ended by the mid 70s. As inflation and gas prices went up and employment and faith in politicians went down, a new group branched off from the Men's Liberation movement called Men's Rights advocates. They placed blame the problems of the time on feminism and women's liberation. They focused on what they felt were men's issues like divorce and custody issues,  health problems, etc.   They went from a sympathetic tone of this whole system is fucked up and we support the empowerment of both women and men. But then capitalism stops working and with less money and opportunities they're like “umm actually we think giving women rights and power is actually the problem so we'd like to take that back, please” But some would say that even before the 1960s, the seed was planted for the manosphere by pop culture trends that  broke away from traditional male gender roles. The launch of Playboy Magazine in the early 1950s created this window into an aspirational world for men who sought a life more liberating than the college-job-wife-suburbs-kids pipeline. Playboy provided young men of the post war era an alternative view of masculinity. You can be a complete person without having a family and being the bread winner. This is a good thing. But what was suggested to essentially fill that spot was stuff – a nice place full of cool furniture, a stocked bar to bring over the ladies that you also treat like an object. He essentially invented and popularized the concept of the bachelor pad. Ironically, this alternative vision was still a fully capitalistic one, just changing the rewards from a family in the suburbs to the bachelor pad in the city   1950s culture was toxic so it's not that unreasonable to want to break from it; but as we all know Hugh took this to an extreme that became even more toxic than the culture it was critiquing. He took the same tactic that we are seeing today with the manosphere – instead of saying hey we don't have to live up to these toxic gender roles that are making you feel detached and frustrated. No, instead he blames women for those troubles. The very first issue of Playboy included an article warning men on “money hungry, gold-digging women” and went on to talk about the magazine's love for “long legged big breasted women” and their hate for wives    

Gather 'round as we delve into the world of life coaching. Apparently in these modern times, for the average person, craving a new life implies seeking the assistance of a so-called life coach. These self-proclaimed saviors promise to guide you towards a life of success, wealth, and popularity. But let's not be fooled for beneath their veneer of expertise there may be nothing more than a shameless grift. In the tumultuous landscape of late-stage capitalism, where the weight of societal pressures and economic inequalities bears down on individuals, the quest for a new and improved life has taken on a peculiar form. Enter life coaching, the beacon of hope for those yearning to optimize themselves and strive towards the elusive next level. Join us on this episode as we navigate through the treacherous terrain of personal transformation in an unforgiving system. We dissect the woven web at the intersection of life coaching, new age spirituality, and the so-called wellness industry. As people grapple with the challenges imposed by late-stage capitalism, life coaching has emerged as a glimmer of possibility—a path to reinvention and advancement. How does this ethereal landscape intersect with the quest for personal transformation? And what happens when individuals willingly part with their hard-earned money, entrusting their hopes and aspirations to unlicensed professionals promising to guide them towards higher levels of optimization? As we delve deeper, we confront the pressing question of legitimacy. Does it truly matter that these life coaches lack professional licenses? Are they equipped with the necessary skills and expertise to navigate the intricate complexities of personal growth and transformation? Or are they merely capitalizing on the vulnerability of individuals, all while society at large remains blissfully unaware? During this episode, Thomas and Azi are joined by new friends of the pod, Ash Riley, a journalist and business consultant well-versed in ethical and trauma-informed approaches, and Marguerite Dautan, a visionary social change innovator and digital creator, we delve deep into the motivations and repercussions of this transformative pursuit. As we navigate the intricacies of personal growth and societal pressures, we'll explore the intricate dance between ambition and exploitation, as individuals invest their hopes, dreams, and hard-earned dollars into the promise of a better tomorrow.  Prepare to challenge the prevailing narratives as we shine a light on the profound impact of new age inpsired life coaching. What repercussions does it have on our collective well-being? Does it empower individuals to break free from the chains of socioeconomic capitalism, or does it inadvertently perpetuate the very system it claims to transcend? So, fellow skeptics and seekers of progress, prepare to have your illusions shattered and your wallets guarded as we unravel the tangled web of life coaching within the context of late-stage capitalism. Together, we'll confront the challenges, celebrate the triumphs, seek a deeper understanding, analyze, and question whether this pursuit of optimization truly offers liberation or merely perpetuates the status quo. Find us on on all social media platforms including Threads @griftypod and at griftypod.org Find this weeks friends of the pod by visiting their social media Margarit Davtian: @Seekwithser Ash Riley: @ashrising  

Indictment Day: Part Deux Donald John Trump has been indicted and arraigned for a second time in three months, with at least two possible ones to come. (Insert clip of Kimberly Guilfoyle bellowing out “The Best is Yet To Come!”). Although Trump invited all of his fans to the Miami Federal Courthouse on his Arraignment Day aka Flag Day aka his 77th Birthday, there was reportedly more press than MAGAs in attendance. Where's the QAnon Shaman when you need him? Oh, right, freshly out of prison. Azi and Sari speak with a very special guest, Little Miss Marxist to discuss Indictment Day Part Deux as well as the current state of the GOP. Only time will tell who will be the Republican candidate up against incumbent Joe Biden, but we know that every Trump indictment - and arraignment - is the gift that keeps giving for the Grand Old Party. Don't forget to follow @Littlemissmarxist, @saribethrose, @the.wellness.therapist, and @griftypod on all social media platforms. 

Do you believe in magic? On this episode of Grifty, friends of the pod explore America's mass shooting problem thru the lens of the magical thinking that fuels both gun and wellness cultures, as well as discuss the latest news about GOP grifters Donald Trump and George Santos. The market for Toxic forms of wellness exists because people are feeling disempowered with their health and lack trust in the medical community in the same way that the consumer market for military-grade weapons exists because people are feeling disempowered with their safety and lack trust in the government. Gun and wellness cultures center YOU in the discussion, as both the main contributor and detractor of your safety and well-being.  It's giving main character energy in the worst way possible. These dogmatic views and binary solutions towards self-sufficiency and empowerment have led to extremism not just by predatory grifters but also by other well-meaning but misinformed individuals, especially in this chronically online era where anyone can become a platform for spreading false information as they can work the algorithm.   FRIENDS ON THIS EPISODE Azadeh “Azi” Ghafari, Sari Beth Rosenberg, Dr. Thomas Oden MD, Baktaash "BT" Sorkhabi  IN THIS EPISODE On Trump's Sexual Assault Case Politico – A stunning Result in Trump's Sexual Assault Trial PBS - Breaking down the verdict as jury finds Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation   On George Santos' Fraud charges United States Department of Justice: Congressman George Santos Charged with Fraud, Money Laundering, Theft of Public Funds, and False Statements Fortune - Serial liar George Santos' lesser-known fraud may have been collecting $24,000 in COVID unemployment benefits while working a $120,000 job   On America's mass shooting problem Huff Post - Texas Mall Shooting Victims Include Young Child And His Parents Huff Post - The Texas Shooter Reportedly Wore A Patch Popular With Far-Right Groups Daily Beast - Why Young Men of Color Are Joining White-Supremacist Groups Harvard School of Public Health - Do guns make us safer? Science suggests no Harvard School of Public Health – Scientists Agree: Guns don't make society safer Newsweek – Republicans are blaming Mental Health School Shootings After Refusing to Fund It Washington Post – Why Haven't GOP Politicians Matched  Funding to their Rhetoric? Pew Research Center – What the Data says about gun deaths in the U.S.   On The Wellness to Alt Right Pipeline Huff Post - Gun Culture And Wellness Culture Come From the Same Place Conspirtuality – Guns, Germs, & Fears PBS - Disinformation abounds in the wellness community. How one anti-vax influencer broke free McGill Office for Science and Society – Granola and Guns: The Rise of Conspirtuality Mother Jones - Wellness Influencers Are Spreading QAnon Conspiracies About the Coronavirus Food Psych – Rethinking Wellness: The Problems with “Natural” Wellness with Alan Levinovitz  

The 2024 Presidential election is officially underway. Joe Biden Part 2 is in full effect. Dude is old, get over it. Ron DeSantis went and got himself sued by Disney and is running 30 points behind Trump. Tucker Carlson got himself fired from Fox News and now has to report from his basement bunker. RFK Jr. and Marianne Williamson bringing old-school wellness grifts back into politics. Azi and Sari share their own conspiracy theories about the REAL reason why RFK Jr. is running, and Larry David is to blame. 

On this episode, Friends of the Pod discuss the pseudoscience that can be chiropracty wacky backy quacky, which is the perfect place to trap gullible people looking for some relief.  Of course, like many wellness practices chiropractice care lives in the in-between of therapeutic health modalities that can be effective and can also become iffy when mixed with pseudoscience. At times the field has been about ignoring evidence-based medicine.  Various systematic reviews of controlled clinical studies of treatments used by some chiropractors has also found no evidence that all of the work that they do is effective, with the possible exception of treatment for specific kinds of back pain. Very little reproducible evidence exists to indicate that maintenance chiropractic care adequately prevents anything. While some chiropractors limit their practice to short-term treatment of muscle conditions, many falsely claim that they ARE able to treat a myriad of other conditions, including mental and spiritual health. Final nugget: D. D. Palmer founded chiropractic in the 1890s, after saying he received knowledge about it from "the other world" and connected with the father of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard. 

In this Episode, We are joined by our first guest, Sari Beth Rosenberg. Sari teaches U.S. History and A.P. U.S. history at a New York City Public high school, named The High School of Environmental Studies, with over 20 years of experience. In this episode, we talk about the historical aspect of how history and ideas are presented to us and where being biased plays a role in how it's told. We discuss Howard Zinn, an American historian, playwright, and social activist. Zinn is best known for his book "A People's History of the United States", which offers a different perspective on American history, focusing on the struggles of ordinary people such as enslaved peoples, workers, women, and Native Americans. We share how this book contributes to the school system of teaching history. Listen, Share, and Subscribe  Useful Resources: Howard Zinn's book - A People's History of the United States Sari Beth Rosenberg's website - https://saribeth.com Listen to our previous episodes at www.grifty.org Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter @griftypod

Take off them fabricated streams and them microwave memes, it's a real world outside. Welcome to the first episode of Grifty: a late-stage capitalism audio newsletter by and about false idols. Our conversations will be a little snarky, a little intellectual, a bit historical, a lot political, and ultimately  about how to survive late stage capitalism, take care of one's mental health, and engage in community building.  With Azadeh Ghafari, Baktaash Sorkhabi, Amanda Motell, and Dr. Thomas Oden. www.grifty.org