HUMORLESS QUEERS

Wall Street has started traded water futures. What are they? And: Kade explains why Trump is (irrationally) mad about Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act The post Financializing Water: Wall Street’s latest bad idea (e84) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Election week is finally here, and if you’re like us, you’re probably freaking out. We have all already been stressed, experiencing a sort of collective trauma as the nation has lost 220,000 people and counting to the pandemic. This episode, Alexis talks to social worker and researcher Leah Goldstein (her sister) about what the pandemic … Continue reading Coping with stress during the election and the pandemic (e83) → The post Coping with stress during the election and the pandemic (e83) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We speak to Tracey Corder, a Campaign Coordinator for Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE), organizer and political strategist, about the ongoing work to defund the police. We also talk to Tracey about ACRE’s police brutality bonds report, and discuss the power of protest and lessons from the 2020 primary. And Kade highlights … Continue reading Defund the Police with Tracey Corder (e82) → The post Defund the Police with Tracey Corder (e82) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We talk with Dr. Arati Kreibich who is running in NJ-5th’s Democratic primary on July 7th. She supports Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, and against the influence of corporate money on government. She critiques some of inequities inherent in our response to the pandemic thus far, from bailing out corporate actors but only … Continue reading Fighting Inequality with Dr. Arati Kreibich (e81) → The post Fighting Inequality with Dr. Arati Kreibich (e81) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We explain how oil prices went negative. Along the way, we explain what a commodity is, how futures work, and why Russia may have started a price war in order to bankrupt U.S. oil producers. The specifics of futures for light sweet crude oil led to the dramatic price collapse, as those holding the futures contract for delivery of crude oil in May became increasingly desperate to sell it. The post What’s up with oil? (e80) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Existing health and economic disparities are crushing. The virus is making things a million times worse. Also: a call to action to free people from cages during the pandemic. The post FREE THEM ALL (e79) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We discuss the McConnell 3.0 corporate bailout bonanza bill that failed in the Senate thanks to Democratic opposition. We talk about what happens next on the COVID19 response in the House. And we look at the way support for Cancelling Student Debt as an economic stimulus has been quickly gaining steam. The post WTF just happened with the Senate COVID19 vote? (E78) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Support independent, queer media! Become a subscriber on Patreon for bonus content and to support the show.The markets are crashing. The Federal Reserve is giving loans to big banks and big companies--what about small and medium business? Why cancelling student debt would boost the economy. Surveillance proposals in the coronavirus pandemic, including facial surveillance ripe for abuse. Righteous anger from Senator Sherrod Brown. And good stimulus proposals from Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Maxine Waters. The post Cancel Student Debt, Stimulate the Economy (e77) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Coronavirus, Trump's malfeasance, the market crash, Trump's Europe travel ban, and what a REAL response to COVID-19 would look like The post Humorless Panic (e76) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Subscribe at www.patreon.com/humorlessqueers to get bonus content. Benjamin Dixon joins Alexis to discuss the audio he discovered of Michael Bloomberg saying "you can just Xerox (copy)” the description of male, minorities 16-25 and hand to cops. Dixon posted the audio in it went viral, but led to at least one CNN correspondent, Cristina Alesci, tried to downplay his discovery by saying he is "very anti-Bloomberg," rather than engaging with the substance of Bloomberg's remarks. We discuss Bloomberg's wealth and how it is seen by some as a strength, despite the danger it poses to Democracy. The post Benajmin Dixon on Michael Bloomberg (e75) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Get the full episode at patreon.com/HumorlessQueers. We discuss former Mayor Pete's horrific record in South Bend, how he's decided to stop reading LGBTQIA media entirely because it criticized him, and what it means for someone to know they're queer, but stay in the closet in order to pursue political power. The post Teaser – Mayor Pete sacrificed himself; he will sacrifice anyone (e74) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Kade breaks down the news about the shady, alt-right connected and Peter Thiel funded Clearview AI, which has been amassing a giant database of our faces by scraping social media. We talk about the chaos of the Iowa Caucus and Alexis makes a pitch for the places where Warren is to the left of Sanders, such as on abolishing the filibuster and adding Supreme Court Justices, both of which Sanders opposes. And we preview a TedX talk Kade did on facial surveillance. The post Debating the Dem Primary, Clearview AI Spying (e73) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We discuss Trump's utter insanity and recklessness in his actions in Iraq and towards Iran. We discuss what's next in the Senate trial now that Trump has been impeached. Kade went to a fundraiser with Rep. Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley, and is excited to read a new book on the Boston Marathon bombing. And Alexis challenges herself to read 40 books this year - what should we all be reading?  The post No War With Iran (e72) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Support independent, queer media! Become a subscriber on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. For the last episode of the year we review some of the good things the house did, talk about Obama national security advisor and speechwriter Ben Rhodes’ memoir, celebrate some 2019 victories, and make wishes for 2020. Here’s to lots … Continue reading Ben Rhodes’ Book and 2019 in Review (E71) → The post Ben Rhodes’ Book and 2019 in Review (E71) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Support independent, queer media! Become a subscriber on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. We discuss Facebook, Amazon, Ring doorbell, and facial surveillance. Bloomberg buying our elections with Bezos cheering him on as he controls more and more of our world. Fighting corruption and why it’s important for our future, including what’s at stake … Continue reading Don’t use Ring Doorbell (e70) → The post Don’t use Ring Doorbell (e70) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Moira Donegan joins as a guest host to discuss de-stigmatizating abortion, and how abortion rights are one of several areas where our laws and public opinion are moving in opposite directions. We also discuss impeachment week 2 -- what we know, what pressures Trump is facing, and what we'll be watching for. The post De-stigmatizing Abortion, with Moira Donegan (e69) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We cover the breaking reports of the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the latest on impeachment. We also cover the latest on the #PressPause campaign against facial surveillance, Zuckerberg's disastrous Facebook hearing in Washington, and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos being held in contempt of court and fined. The post Mark Zuckerberg Doesn’t Know (e67) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Trump got caught, and he confessed.  We discuss the latest in the impeachment inquiry: texts from diplomats Sondland and Taylor, what happens if the subpoenas keep being defied, and what we think the Republicans’ calculus is, and what we’ll be watching to evaluate where they’re at.  We also review a host of horrifying new anti-immigrant … Continue reading Impeachment Pressure, Immigration Policy Horrors (e66) → The post Impeachment Pressure, Immigration Policy Horrors (e66) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We reflect on the day Speaker Pelosi announced the House would formally open an impeachment investigation. MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Timeline: Trump, Giuliani, Biden, and Ukrainegate (Just Security) The Impeachment Process, Explained (NYT) PUT IT ON YOUR PLAYLIST Impeach the President – The Honey Drippers (1972) Impeach the President – The Sun Fire Soul Ensemble … Continue reading Impeachment Begins (e65) → The post Impeachment Begins (e65) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Bolton and Pompeo’s desperate and transparent attempts to go to war with Iran aren’t fooling anyone.  Wall Street feels left out of the student debt crisis, so is shopping around a form of debt called Indentured Servitude Agreements (er, we mean “Income Share Agreements”).  We stan Elizabeth Warren’s “Break Up Big Tech” billboards, debate beating … Continue reading War in Soccer, Not with Iran (e64) → The post War in Soccer, Not with Iran (e64) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

The ACLU of Mass found that a company called “Suspect Technologies” tried to convince police to hand over a database of driver license photos. Kade’s tireless work fighting for privacy is validated by a cop who warns the surveillance capitalist that they’ll be “run out of town by privacy zealots!” We also discuss Elizabeth Warren’s … Continue reading Kade vs. Surveillance Capitalists (E63) → The post Kade vs. Surveillance Capitalists (E63) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We speak with David Oks, campaign manager for Mike Gravel. Mike Gravel is a former Senator from Alaska who’s running what is arguably the farthest left campaign of the 2020 Democratic primary. And we discuss Abolish ICE, housing, education, prison abolition, war, shifting the overton window, reparations, direct democracy, a tribunal for climate crimes, a … Continue reading Pushing Left with Mike Gravel (e62) → The post Pushing Left with Mike Gravel (e62) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We discuss the latest on big tech companies spying on our faces, from a NYT experiment with a feed in Bryant park, to some scary face surveillance of a Muslim population in China. We also hit on state-level efforts to fight this “plutonium of AI.” We also break down Trump’s incitement against Rep. Ilhan Omar … Continue reading Fight Face Surveillance (e61) → The post Fight Face Surveillance (e61) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We speak to Vanessa A. Bee, writer and editor at Current Affairs, about Joe Biden, bodily autonomy, consent, power, Biden’s defenders, floating Stacey Abrams’ name without asking, being a hugger, how easy it is to ask first and change your own behavior. Listen at iTunes, Patreon, or below. Support the show on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. You’ll … Continue reading Biden, Autonomy, and Consent (E60) → The post Biden, Autonomy, and Consent (E60) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We speak to journalist Kate Aronoff about the details and the politics around the Green New Deal, and how avoiding climate crisis requires an ecosocialist reformation. Listen at iTunes, Patreon, or below. Support the show on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. You’ll get access to bonus content each month and help us keep the show … Continue reading How to Stop the Climate Crisis (E59) → The post How to Stop the Climate Crisis (E59) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Writer, brave human, and opinion columnist for the Guardian Moira Donegan joins Alexis and Kade to discuss the 2020 Democratic primary — in a calm, thoughtful, policy-filled way! We discuss the candidates on housing, healthcare, financial policy, taxation, education, child care, drug policy, reparations, climate, foreign policy, immigration, and decriminalizing sex work (oh my!) Listen … Continue reading Calmly Discussing 2020 (E58) → The post Calmly Discussing 2020 (E58) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Why immigrant rights groups are trashing the government funding deal because it will increase immigrant detention. An update on the fight against facial surveillance. How payday lenders bought off Trump. And why Jeff Bezos should Quit his Job. Listen at iTunes, Patreon, or below. Support the show on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. … Continue reading #not1dollar for immigrant detention (E57) → The post #not1dollar for immigrant detention (E57) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We discuss the end of the Trump/McConnell shutdown, and how it was a victory by workers AND by Pelosi. Alexis discusses her piece Don’t Build the Wall, Build Affordable Housing and makes a pitch to ABOLISH the Clinton-era Faircloth Limit. We delight in AOC owning the right-wing, and Kade updates us on the ACLU’s campaign … Continue reading You Can’t Leave your Face at Home (E56) → The post You Can’t Leave your Face at Home (E56) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Kade and Alexis discuss midterm wins, including ballot initiatives, why Chuck Schumer needs to go, the latest Facebook scandal, and a call to action for the new Congress. The post Facebook is actually bad (E55) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

We discuss the MIDTERMs, debrief on the hearing with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and the uprising in support of her, what happens if the Dems Retake the House, and encourage y’all to kick in some money to help Moira Donegan, who created the Shitty Media Men list: https://www.gofundme.com/hz8sxq The post How to Subpoena Jared Kushner (E54) appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.

Betsy DeVos has a massive loss in court. Mass police get caught spying on left activists. The Trump administration is keeping 13,000 children in cages. We discuss the loses and wins in the NY primary, and implore listeners to call their Senators to oppose Kavanaugh and the Handmaid’s Tale future he wants to build. The post Betsy DeVos Takes a Loss appeared first on HUMORLESS QUEERS.