Podcasts about Lowdown

Novelist Howard Jacobson discusses his new comic novel exploring post-October 7th anti-SemitismIn this weeks The Lowdown podcast, Nick Cohen and Howard Jacobson, discuss Howard's latest novel "hoWL" which explores antisemitism and Jewish fear in the world following the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. Howard and Nick discuss whether the recent rise in anti-Jewish sentiment in Britain represents a new wave of anti-Semitism or a reemergence of historical hatred that had been suppressed since the Holocaust.Howard Jacobson argues that the attacks provided "permission" for anti-Semitic views to surface openly, particularly among university students and left-wing activists who - he claims - were celebrating Jewish deaths. The discussion also touched on the complex political situation in Israel and Palestine, with Howard defending his decision to use comedy in his novel rather than taking a more polemical approach, while acknowledging the difficult position many Jewish people now find themselves in when discussing Israeli policy. Howard explains a novel is not a protest march, but more of a song or a poem, and describes how comedy can be a brilliant tool for writers plumbing the darker themes of life.Read all about it!Howard Jacobson has written 20 books, including 17 novels, and is a former winner of the Booker Prize. His latest novel is hoWL and is available now. Howard also writes his own Substack column, Streetwalking with Howard JacobsonNick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris and Andy talk about Tommy Lee Jones joining the cast of ‘The Lowdown' for Season 2 (9:39), ‘Better Call Saul' cocreator Peter Gould's new show with FX (11:30), and Kate Winslet as the lead of the next ‘Lord of the Rings' film (15:04). Then they discuss ‘The Pitt' Season 2, Episodes 9 and 10 and whether or not this season might be Dr. Robby's last (22:54). Later, they check in on ‘Paradise' Season 2 (49:36), before revisiting their ‘Industry' mailbag (59:37). Drivers wanted. Learn more athttp://vw.com Subscribe to the Ringer TV YouTube channel here for full episodes of The Watch and so much more! Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Producers: Kaya McMullen and Kai Grady Additional Video Supervision: Sarah Reddy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greetings, Lowdowners—Deanna here!In January, paid subscribers got 45 minutes of unfiltered Hightower at our Happy Hour Q&A. If you missed it—or if you're a free subscriber wondering what these gatherings are like—here's a taste.We asked readers to bring questions, stories, anything. What we got was one of the best evenings we've had: Hightower on organizing in red states, the horror of what's happening with ICE, why the Democrats need big ideas, and—because it's Hightower—some absolutely wild stories from campaigning across Texas in small planes held together with duct tape and optimism. The clip above is one of my favorite all-time stories: the famous beer run with Melvin Lowry out in West Texas. When you're a broke statewide candidate in Texas, you get where you're going however you can. In Hightower's case, that meant farmers with planes, county roads as landing strips, and pit stops for six-packs. "The secret to the high wire is never look at the high wire. You just land."If you thought the beer run was something, wait until you hear about the plane where Hightower's passenger seat was a kitchen chair with a seatbelt—and the only way to get airborne was for two guys to hold up the tail and run down the runway. “I am a serious candidate for statewide office in the state of Texas.”One last gem from that night covers while the Populist movement of the late 1800s was so successful: they knew that politics couldn't be just a bunch of committee meetings. They created fun. Here, Hightower shares an insight that Pete Seeger once told him about how he discovered politics through the Chautauqua movement.These are the kinds of evenings paid subscribers get—stories you won't hear anywhere else, and a chance to actually ask Hightower what's on your mind.The full 45-minute video, including Hightower on why organizing together beats just calling your red state Senator, how Democratic leadership is responding to our grassroots pressure, and the vision for getting money out of politics, is is available to paid subscribers here.If last week's C-SPAN video was a window into Hightower's world, this is a seat at the table. More on that next week.Happy Friday, everyone.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

Matt and Eric dig into the news about the KING CONAN movie (with Arnold returning), the STEWIE spinoff series, a big Hollywood grump joining THE LOWDOWN Season 2, Bradley Cooper directing and starring in Margot Robbie's OCEANS 11 prequel, and more...

Bribery of a lawmaker used to be a straightforward retail transaction between the special interest briber and a specific bribee. But the Silicon Valley billionaires now invading rural America with hundreds of their exploitative AI data centers are out to buy state lawmakers in bulk.Instead of slipping cash-filled envelopes to individual politicos, tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI, are putting up hundreds of millions of dollars in this spring's midterm elections to pay for the campaigns of candidates who pledge to back their intrusive, water-sucking, energy-wasting, AI schemes. For example, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has two super-PACs doling out $65 million to state and local politicians who will oppose any regulation of sprawling data centers he wants to impose on rural Texas and Illinois.Why such a barrage of corporate money in local legislative races? Because the countryside is aflame with fury that arrogant, avaricious AI profiteers think they're entitled to walk over local communities – so these locals are demanding that their legislators regulate or even ban AI data centers.Unable (or unwilling) to win political support honestly, the corporate giants intend to overpower the democratic will of the people by effectively bribing submissive legislators with campaign cash – or by funding opponents for lawmakers who refuse to be bought.Of course, bribers and bribees alike will piously pretend that the corporate ruse of buying government policy by buying legislative seats is technically not a bribe. But hello – rigging the system so billionaire donors can crush local democracy is not a “technicality.” If it looks, smells, and has the impact of a bribe… it is one.Do something!* To follow fights around the country and learn more about AI data centers, subscriber to Data Center Watch Briefing: datacenterwatch.substack.com* MediaJustice has developed a toolkit to understand and fight data centers, and were key in forcing a major setback to a planned data center in West Texas.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

Cabin Chronicles 4 is in the books, and it was our best one yet. Sean started us off this year with the 1994…err…classic, A Low Down Dirty Shame. Opinions were varied, and hopefully no feelings were hurt, but it was still a good way to kick off the weekend. Enjoy!

We focus on Hearts asking if they are going to win the Premiership, where the club are now and can they build for next season? With Charlotte Cohen, Ryan Stevenson and This Is Our Story podcaster, Liam Corbett.

The Democratic Party establishment is rolling out its arsenal of big funders and political consultants, trying to defeat… Democrats.Huh? Yes, led by Sen. Chuck “Don't-Rock-the-Corporate-Boat” Schumer, the party's Washington hierarchy has been working to eliminate upstart Democratic contenders who are unabashedly progressive and popular! These candidates are generating new grassroots energy and hope for the party by bluntly challenging Washington's meek, business-as-usual politics that Schumer embodies.Pundits say Democrats need to find candidates who can appeal to workers. Well, here's one who is full-blooded working class: Graham Platner. A 41-year old military combat veteran, Platner is a plain-spoken oyster farmer who's running right at “the oligarchy – the billionaires who pay for it and the politicians who sell us out.” Platner's fiery populist spirit has sparked statewide grassroots support, volunteers, funding, and enthusiasm that Maine Democrats have not had in years.But, uninvited, here came Chuck – lugging his ponderous wet blanket of high-dollar corporate politics to the state. Trying to stop a real democrat from being the party's nominee, Schumer recruited Maine's lame-duck, milquetoast governor to run against Platner, knowing she would not challenge the corporate order. He raised truckloads of corporate cash for her, hoping to suffocate the oysterman's populist uprising.But by assaulting Platner with a barrage of out-of-state of corporate money, Schumer and his hand-picked candidate are actually assaulting the “little-d,” working-class democrats who've rallied to the maverick. Attacking your own constituents is an odd strategy, and sure enough, it doesn't seem to be selling in Maine – a recent poll of likely Democratic voters shows Platner with a 38-point lead over Schumer's choice to be Maine's senator.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

In Hour 1 we were joined by Allan Mitchell from The Lowdown with Lowetide and our Monday co-host, former CFLer Eddie Steele. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During Hour 1 Allan Mitchell from The Lowdown with Lowetide joined the show discussing the Oilers' win in Las Vegas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Betalytic's Rachel Kryshak joins us discussing the oilers post-trade deadline and looking around the league. Join Allan, Declan, and our great list of guests for all your Sports needs! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this hour of the show we were joined by Jason Gregor and Mamma MMA segment. Join Allan, Declan, and our great list of guests for all your Sports needs! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Gregor joins us discussing Oilers and more!Join Allan, Declan, and our great list of guests for all your Sports needs! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this hour of the show we broke down the Oilers win over the Knights, Rumors segment and were joined by Rachel Kryshak. Join Allan, Declan, and our great list of guests for all your Sports needs! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saturday, March 7: The NHL Low Down Trade Deadline by FiredUp Network

Greetings, Lowdowners—Deanna here.This spring, we're doing something a little different. Over the next few weeks, we're opening the gates a bit — giving free subscribers a taste of some of the exclusive stories, video, and behind-the-scenes Hightower that paid subscribers get regularly. If you've been on the fence about upgrading, consider this your invitation to see what you've been missing.And we're kicking it off with a doozy.Reader Elliot K. shared with us this video from C-SPAN that we didn't know existed—and it's a rollicking time capsule that you don't want to miss. Hightower hosts a storytelling evening over beers with friends Molly Ivins, Ed Wendler, Ty Fain, Buck Wood, and more, plus a surprise visit (and great story) from State Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos. Scholz Garten in Austin, the setting for this gathering, is historic for a number of reasons, but it's long been a watering hole for politicos of all stripes. As Buck Wood, then the director of Common Cause Texas, explains:Some of [the legislative bills] were literally hammered out right down here in the beer garden. There's been some great political fights here, there's been some pretty good fist fights here for years. Usually over political matters.There are too many stories in here nail the spirit of Texas politics, but my favorite is a spicy one from heroine Molly Ivins that I'd never heard before:One of great ongoing literary attractions of Scholz Beer Garden is the graffiti in the restrooms. And I myself have never frequented the men's room here, no matter how serious the cause. I do remember an exchange. This was back when Frank Erwin, he was chairman of the UT Board of Regents, he was Lyndon Johnson's man, and he really was in many ways a miserable sumbitch. I went to the ladies room one night and there was a note on the wall saying, “Do a good deed today, give Frank Erwin the clap.” Underneath which somebody else had written, “Give it to him? Hell, charge him for it!”Happy Friday everyone—let us know your favorite parts in the comments. PS—If you haven't seen the documentary “Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins,” get thee to a streaming service immediately!Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

For Episode 100 of the Lowdown Radio Show, frequent guest Michael Uhlarik joins us to share his backstory on how a kid born in a remote northern mining town ends up working as a designer for, among others, Yamaha and Aprilia. Michael is a favorite of Lowdown listeners and here's your chance to learn more about the man who's as tuned-into the pulse of the motorcycle biz as anyone. And, to kick off the next 100 episodes, ADVRider editor Zac Kurylyk pops by with info on how you can get even more out of ADVRider while supporting our editorial content at the same time. Win-win, as they say

Friday, March 6: The NHL Low Down Scores by FiredUp Network

To see how the game of “Rig the System” is played, consider the shameful corporate gaming of the horror of California wildfires that have been devouring lives and entire communities.Many of the worst fires have been ignited by the faulty wires, transformers, and other poorly functioning equipment of such profiteering electric utilities as Southern California Edison. The safety failures of this multibillion-dollar giant have been so awful that state lawmakers and regulators have rushed out fire-protection laws – not for the people, but for the corporate owners! A 2019 law literally protects utilities from paying for fire damages they cause, instead passing the costs to state taxpayers.Wait, says Edison, if our annual safety record is poor, our top executives are punished with a cut in their annual bonuses. Ouch! Well, not really – the reduction is capped at 5 percent.Take last year's fire that destroyed nearly every home and building in the town of Altadena, killing 19 people. “It's just a tragedy,” lamented Edison's CEO, though he admits it was sparked by an Edison transmission line. Sure enough, the chief “suffered” a 5-percent bonus hickey. Hold your pity, though, for that means he still collected 95 percent of his 2025 performance bonus, plus pocketing his extravagant salary, stock options, and benefits. In all, the man-in-charge of this corporate-made “tragedy” walked away with nearly $14 million in personal pay.Meanwhile, Edison went to the Public Utility Commission, demanding that its customers be forced to pay 10 percent more on their electric bills. To keep score on utilities rigging the system, go to TURN, The Utility Reform Network: turn.org.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

Wednesday, March 4: The NHL Low Down Trades by FiredUp Network

Wednesday, March 4: The NHL Low Down by FiredUp Network

America's present president is like those egos who feel entitled to carve their name into every park bench they sit on, apparently to “make their mark” and shout to the world, “I wuz here!”Indeed, Trump has demanded that our government patch his “Donald J. Trump” onto such public facilities as the Kennedy Center, the Institute of Peace, Dulles Airport, Penn Station, the Hudson Tunnel – and he might as well add the US Capitol since he treats Congress like his personal possession.Insecurity is what's driving his egomaniacal rebranding frenzy. As Trump candidly explains, “You've got to put your name on stuff or no one will remember you.”Oh, Donald, like the demagogic Joe McCarthy and other narcissistic politicos, you're destined to be long remembered… and mocked! Moreover, those vainglorious, gold-plated Trump nameplates you're tacking onto every public space will soon be unceremoniously stripped off and dumped into the trash bin of history.My friend, Fred Harris, a great populist senator from Oklahoma, told about the fickle nature of political fame. It was a true story about a governor who backed a boondoggle construction project after lobbyists promised to name the structure after him. They did, but as soon as the governor left office, his name was removed. Fred said if anyone ever dedicated a bridge or building to him, he wanted his name built into the structure itself, so if they later tried to remove his name, “the damned thing would fall down.”So don't despair that this president seems omnipresent. This too, will pass. Keep whacking at the autocratic, plutocratic structure of Trumpism – it's not built to withstand the winds time, much less the winds of democratic rebellion.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

America may take back control from Trump's cold, dead hands!In his latest Lowdown podcast episode, recorded before US strikes against Iran, Nick Cohen talks to Washington-based British journalist and commentator, Ben Cohen, about the terrible state of the American and politics, particularly focusing on Donald Trump's disastrous presidency and the challenges faced by the Democratic Party. Ben is convinced that - Dracula-like - Donald Trump will keep manipulating events to stay in power however low he sinks in the opinion polls.Nick and Ben discuss Trump's declining popularity but noted his ability to survive scandals and maintain support through his base. Ben highlights how the Democratic Party's partially "Woke" agenda and lack of self-criticism had made them unpopular, while Trump's rampant corruption and lack of accountability currently remains unchecked. They explore potential future candidates for the Democratic nomination and agree that a new, populist figure would be needed to challenge Trump in 2028. They also discuss the broader implications for international relations and the urgent need for Britain to recognise its only Brexit-induced isolation and the threat to its own security and realign its foreign policy away from the United States.Read all about it!Read Ben Cohen @thedailybanter The Banter Substack here and listen to his podcasts here.Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During Hour 1 Allan Mitchell from The Lowdown with Lowetide joined the show recapping the Oilers' California road trip and discussing trade deadline plans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Hour 1 we were joined by Allan Mitchell from The Lowdown with Lowetide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saturday, February 28: The NHL Low Down by FiredUp Network

Start with a finish-line smile and a hand-built castle. We open by honoring Jeff Galloway—the Olympian and Run-Walk-Run mentor whose you can do it turned marathons into memories for everyday runners—then spend most of this short episode saluting another architect of joy: Roger Tofte, the craftsman behind Oregon's Enchanted Forest.Roger was a draftsman, sign maker, and watch repairer who saw a quiet forest near Salem and imagined a fairy tale carved into concrete and trees. He bought twenty acres on a shoestring, spent seven years shaping Storybook Lane by hand, and opened with a butcher-paper sign.We celebrate Roger's life at ninety-six and the ongoing stewardship of his family, who still run the park with the same hands-on care. If you're mapping an Oregon road trip, looking for family-friendly attractions near Salem, or chasing the charm of indie amusement parks, this story is your guide to what handmade wonder looks like—and why it endures. Press play, then share this with someone who loves small, magical places.Two great men have passed. We were so lucky to share the planet with them.Thanks for listening!We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful. And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about! We'd love to tell them on the air.Come visit us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, or whatever social media you like. Just look up Lowdown on the Plus-Up and you'll probably find us. Or drop us a note to comments@lowdown-plus-up.com and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up! We are a Boardwalk Times production.Boardwalk Times, https://boardwalktimes.net/Boardwalk Times store, https://boardwalktimes.store .

Here's something we don't get to say very often: “Way to go Mississippi!”This state has long been ranked dead last in important measurements like healthcare, workers' wages, and rural opportunities. In recent years, though, Mississippi has steadily been advancing to the top in one vital category: Best places for a poor child to get a good education. What a miracle!No. It's the product of ordinary citizens who got fed up with plutocratic state rule that lavishes taxpayer funds on corporate elites, while shortchanging the basic needs of workaday people. In the past decade, savvy grassroots coalitions like Mississppi United have arisen and spread, gaining local political punch in county after county that could not be ignored by legislators.Early on they achieved major state investments in pre-K education, producing remarkable advances, especially by low-income children in many of the state's poverty-stricken, rural counties.This year, building on that success, the movement scored two huge educational victories. First, they produced a unanimous senate vote to defeat a school privatization scheme pushed by the right-wing governor, the corporate establishment, out-of-state school profiteers… and Donald Trump! Then, to emphasize and expand on the state's commitment to quality public education, the legislature passed a $5,000 teacher pay raise.As a legislative leader from Starkville said after the senate vote: “Our public schools are the cornerstone of every community in this state, and this unanimous rejection sends a clear message: Mississippi will not abandon the students and families who depend on quality public education – no matter how much out-of-state money tries to buy our legislators.”To learn more about the uplifting “Mississippi Miracle” go to ACLU-MS.org.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

OB424: The Lowdown on the Up-Down Released to show supporters on 2/11/2026 Public release scheduled for 2/25/2026 Have a great week, and thanks for listening to Opposing Bases Air Traffic Talk! ✈️ Real pilots. Real controllers. Real talk.

In 1988, I was one of only two white elected Democratic officials in all of America to endorse Jesse Jackson to be our party's nominee for President. (The other was Bernie Sanders, then the mayor of Burlington Vermont).As a Texas politico, my endorsement of the fiery Black leader was both derided as political suicide and hailed as gutsy. But it was neither – it was just the right thing to do. As I had learned from an old-time Texas Democrat, “Every now and then, a politician ought to do something just because it's right.”In the 1970s and 80s, I had gotten to know and work with Jackson. A renown orator, he was an even more effective thinker and uniter. For example, he was able to link white, conservative dirt farmers in common cause with impoverished farmworkers and inner-city families battling chain-store profiteers.So, when he ran for president, I had to ask myself: If this guy (1) is standing for the progressive populist values I believe in, (2) is standing with the grassroots families I'm fighting for, and (3) has the populist grit to stand up to the moneyed elites – why am I not standing with him?Millions of us responded to his deliberate campaign trying to forge a multi-racial populist movement, and it's up to us to carry that historic mission forward. But Jackson's “Rainbow” vision was not one of fluffy hope however, but one of profound “intentionality.” That means doing the grunt-level political work of strategizing, organizing, and mobilizing to make good things happen. Especially in these dark Trumpian times, emphasizing Jesse's deliberate determination is the best way to honor this true champion of democracy.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

Vic Verchereau welcomes Sharon Fanto, who is an author, speaker, Executive Coach and Luxury Property Specialist. Meet author, speaker, Executive Coach and Luxury Property Specialist, Sharon Fanto. A busy leader with a lot to say! Michigan Business Network catches up with this busy leader to discuss her latest book, Stronger Than The Storm, 4 Frameworks For Resilient Leaders. In this edition of the Leadership Lowdown, host Vic Verchereeau jumps deep into this helpful and exciting leader's world to gather some real gems of knowledge and guidance. This is a show you won't want to miss! Head on over to the Leadership Lowdown! It's time to face the storm! » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

Fifty years on from the death of painter LS Lowry, the BBC has made a documentary featuring recently discovered recordings made in the last years of his life. Recorded by Lowry fan Angela Barratt over a period of four years, the tapes have been lip-synced for the documentary, with Ian McKellen playing Lowry and Annabel Smith as Barratt. Art historian Verity Babbs and curator of the Lowry Collection, Claire Stewart, join Samira Ahmed to discuss the painter's life and legacy. Actress Neve Campbell shot to fame playing the lead role of Sidney Prescott in Scream in 1996. She went on to appear in five of the six sequels - and now returns for another battle with the Ghostface killer in Scream 7. Francis Spufford is the award-winning author of Golden Hill and Light Perpetual. His new novel, Nonesuch, tells the story of a young woman who must thwart an occult plot by time-traveling fascists during the chaos of the London Blitz.And Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw reacts to last night's BAFTAs, as well as the winner of the Berlin Film Festival's coveted Golden Bear Award. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Tim Bano

France is heading for a far right take overIn this latest Lowdown podcast Nick Cohen talks in-depth to with Financial Times journalist Victor Mallet, a former F.T Paris correspondent about his book "Far-Right France: Le Pen, Bardella, and the Future of Europe." Mallett explores how the French far-right, led by Marine Le Pen and her protege Jordan Bardella, has become a mainstream political force after decades of gradual growth since the 1950s. Nick and Victor discuss how the far-right has capitalised on immigration concerns, economic grievances, and media influence to gain power, while the traditional left and centre-right parties have struggled to maintain relevance.Victor Mallet explains how the far-right's seemingly more pragmatic approach and media support have helped them transform from a fringe party to a dominant force in French politics, with significant implications for the European Union's future and the broader European project, and possibly the hard-won peace of Europe.The Far Right is on the march across EuropeNick and Victor discuss how the far right is across the march across Europe, aided and supported by Trump's White House and Putin's Kremlin.They discuss the rise of far-right and nationalist populist parties across Europe and the United States, noting that countries with histories of fascist rule, like Germany and Italy, are now seeing significant support for these parties. They attribute this phenomenon to factors such as immigration, economic challenges, and the "Fox Newsification" of media, which fuels a culture war. Nick suggests that governments' currently tough stances on immigration, mirrored by leaders like Sir Keir Starmer in Britain and Friedrich Mertz in Germany, fail to resonate positively with voters, highlighting the stubborn complexity of addressing anti-immigrant sentiment at the ballot box.Read all about it!Victor Mallet FT @VJMallet is a journalist, and was formerly the paper's Paris correspondent in the last of three stints in France for the FT. He is also an author, most recently of Far-right France: Le Pen, Bardella and the Future of Europe (Published by Hurst, and available now.) Victor is currently still based in Europe.Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During Hour 1 Allan Mitchell from The Lowdown with Lowetide joined the show recapping the Canada-US gold medal game and discussing the Oilers' return to action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Hour 1 we were joined by Allan Mitchell from The Lowdown with Lowetide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it okay to watch a violent movie next to a stranger's kid on a plane? Should you abandon your airline loyalty card? And wait—is March actually the real start of the new year? On this episode of Unpacked, host Aislyn Greene is joined by Afar editorial director Billy Cohen and deputy editor Michelle Baron for a wide-ranging conversation tied to Afar's annual Plan Your Travel Year package on afar.com. Together they break down what travelers actually need to know heading into 2026—from the shifting airline loyalty landscape and the true cost of travel credit cards to the events, destinations, and flight routes worth planning around this year. Plus: Michelle debuts a very special musical interlude. You'll want to stay for that. On this episode you'll learn: Why February (or maybe March?) is the real time to start planning your travel year How the airline loyalty and travel credit card game has changed—and what to do about it Which destinations are worth getting to before they blow up (Malta and Panama are calling) What events—from the World Cup to America's 250th—are shaping travel in 2026 Tips for stretching your PTO using federal holidays strategically Don't miss these moments: [01:45] The lightning round: TSA PreCheck, window vs. aisle, and travel credit cards in one word (or two) [09:45] Why the airline loyalty game "isn't so loyal anymore" [16:00] The Chase Sapphire Reserve breakup, and what it means for your points strategy [25:20] Biometrics, face scanning, and how close we really are to a passport-free airport [30:00] The lounge wars—and the case for a family-friendly soundproof play area [33:30] America 250: Tall ships in New York, a new Roosevelt Presidential Library, and a reexamination of the Battle of Little Bighorn [38:00] World Cup 2026: How to get tickets, where to stay, and why Providence might be smarter than Boston [44:30] How to stretch your PTO using federal holidays—and why Terry Ward changed Michelle's mind [48:30] Places to go before they get popular: Panama, Malta, Warsaw, and more [54:00] Revisiting the lightning round—and Billy's unexpected in-flight encounter with a Mad Men star's dad Resources: Explore Afar's complete ⁠Plan Your Travel Year⁠ package on afar.com. Read our story about whether or not airline loyalty is still worth it. Read Terry Ward's story on ⁠how to maximize your PTO⁠ in 2026. Read Afar's guide to ⁠12 places to visit before they get popular⁠. Explore Afar's ⁠Where to Go in 2026⁠ list. Stay up to date with Afar's ⁠travel news coverage⁠, including airline routes, loyalty programs, and credit card updates. Use ⁠points.me⁠ or ⁠Points Path⁠ to help maximize your miles and points redemptions. Be sure to subscribe to the show and sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠Behind the Mic⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, ⁠Travel Tales⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us, and View From Afar, where we spotlight the people and ideas shaping the future of travel. Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠Airwave Media⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How are monopolistic corporations able to gain their economic dominance? They get politicians to give it to them.Consider the old robber barons. They weren't brilliant investors or managers, they were ruthless exploiters of government giveaways, and they routinely bribed lawmakers and other officials to permit their monopolistic thievery.Likewise, today's monopoly players have captured local, state, and national markets – not through honest competition, but by getting public officials to subsidize their expansion and to rig the rules against small competitors. Monopolizers buy this favoritism with the legalized bribes of dark-money campaign donations they lavish on compliant lawmakers.Investigative digger Stacy Mitchell recently documented how this corrupt political favoritism has allowed massive retail chains like Walmart, Kroger, and Dollar Store to crush thousands of local grocers. This has left millions of Americans living in “food deserts” – worker class, poor, and rural communities with no food store.What happened? As grocery chains spread from local to regional to national, they demanded that food manufacturers give them big discounts – a dramatic monopoly pricing advantage over independent rivals, so hometown grocers began hemorrhaging customers. This raw, anti-competitive, price discrimination was a flagrant violation of America's anti-monopoly law – but here came Big Money to protect the monopolists.In 1980, as Ronald Reagan was railing against “silly” consumer protection laws, supermarket lobbyists poured campaign cash into top officials of both parties. What they bought was bipartisan agreement to simply stop enforcing that “rusty” old antitrust law that had protected a competitive grocery economy for nearly 50 years.But good news! That useful, highly-effective law is still on the books, so let's build a long-term grassroots campaign to rejuvenate it and re-outlaw monopolization, redlining, and price gouging by food giants. For more information, go to ilsr.org.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

Except for Zorro and Batman, people who put on masks to hide their identity when going to work are rarely up to any good.And as Americans learned decades ago when Ku Klux Klanners covered themselves from head to toe, the bigger the mask, the greater the evil hiding behind it. Which brings us full circle to “Operation Metro Surge.”OMS is the muy macho PR slogan for the Republican Party's militaristic invasions of Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and other American cities they hate. Deploying ICE and other bastions of authoritarian power, thousands of massively armed federal belligerents in full assault gear have been rampaging through peaceful neighborhoods in violent and murderous mass sweeps.This is an un-American attack by America's own government on America's founding ideals of liberty and openness. The defining symbol of this government repression is that its forces are all hiding behind full-face masks.Of course, if I was doing some of the stuff ICE commandos are doing, I'd want to cover my face, too. But, like the Klan, masking up the oppressors is not merely about cloaking their personal shame — it's an added ploy by the perpetrators to terrify anyone who might dare to stand up to them.As usual, though, the authoritarian powers misunderstood America and underestimated the deeply rebellious nature of our gutsy, grassroots people. Some 30,000 volunteers in Minneapolis, for example, have become trained “constitutional observers” to police the police, and a citywide “whistle brigade” rushes like Paul Revere to alert neighbors when ICE agents invade their neighborhoods.Their ethic of neighbors-helping-neighbors recognizes their power to “do what's right.” It's the best of America standing up to confront the worst.Do something!Our friends at the Working Families Party are leading the charge to pressure Democrats to vote NO on any DHS bill that does not work to stop ICE's reckless attacks. You can text “ICE OUT” to 30403 or dial 833-636-3260 to call your Senators. Need a sample script? Here you go:When you connect, say your name and where you live to show that you're a constituent. Then, you could say something like:“ICE's reckless and illegal attacks on our communities must be stopped. But instead of ending and investigating ICE's abuses, the DHS spending bill would empower this rogue agency to terrorize and kill even more of our neighbors. As your constituent, I urge you to vote against the DHS funding bill and stand up to ICE.”Here's a whole set of actions they've compiled to help direct your energy.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

Vic Verchereau welcomes Josh Williams, who is CEO at Limitless Innovation. An interesting Journey that allows us to rethink our expectations. Josh Williams, the CEO of Limitless Innovation explains: "I became the one they never expected. At 16 my math teacher told me to drop out, and buy a leather jacket because I was never going to amount to anything. My English teacher told me I didn't deserve to take his class because I could barely read. My freshman year in college, I dropped out. 1.4 GPA. That should have been the end. Go find a job and just accept mediocracy. But here's what no one tells you... Those moments don't define your ceiling, they reveal your edge. They force a decision: accept the story you're given or build one of your own." Leadership Lowdown host, Vic Verchereau gets Josh to share his thoughts on a variety of meaningful leadership topics with this unique pacesetter. Grab a notepad and get ready! This is gonna be fun! » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

English nationalism will destroy the UKNick Cohen talks with Lowdown regular, author and historian James Hawes, about the on-going damage wrought on the UK by English nationalists and their failed Brexit project. Now current polls indicate that the same nationalist charlatans look likely to take power at the next general election. James said a Whitehall mandarin's prediction of the future break-up of the UK after the next election is looking increasingly likely: Labour has failed to solve the insoluble shitshow of Brexit - making it ever more likely that a radical right party reform UK led by Nigel Farage - will take power at the next election. This new resurgence of extreme English nationalism along with its loony unworkable policies will be rejected by the people of Northern Ireland and Scotland - and possibly even Wales - and calls for secession from the UK by constituent nations could soon become deafening.Northern Ireland will be the first to leave a failing United Kingdom to escape Farage & coBoth Nick and James agree - Brexit has become like the mad relative squirrelled away in the attic by the embarrassed Victorian family. James predicts Northern Ireland/Ulster will want soon want to unite with the now much richer Republic of Ireland rather than face an increasingly impoverished and culture war-wracked future at the hands of incompetent English and divisive nationalists. Scotland will likely follow suit- dumping Labour for the Scottish nationalists. The future of the United Kingdom has never looked so bleak.Read all about it! James Hawes @jameshawes2 Renaissance man, historian, writer and novelist. James, the author of The Shortest History of England and The Shortest History of Germany. His latest in the series, The Shortest History of Ireland, is out next month.Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Visit: www.salty.com.au The LOWDOWN is loaded. We kick off with Kirk Fletcher and Eric Johanson laying down serious intent. Then we roll through local heat — Shane Pacey, Kara Grainger, Stefan Hauk, The McNaMarr Project, Suzannah Espie — proper homegrown soul in the mix. There's grit from Walter Trout, class from John Mayall, texture from Yasmin Williams, and two late-night postcards from Tom Waits before Tom Petty eases us out the back door. Powered by Salty Dog Blues N Roots www.salty.com.au #Podcast #SaltyDogBluesNRoots #bluesmusicvictoria #BluesPodcast #RootsMusic #AustralianBlues ARTIST / TRACK / ALBUM / LABEL / YEAR ** Australia 01. Kirk Fletcher / Keep On Pushing / Keep On Pushing / Vizztone Label Group / 2025 02. Eric Johanson / Just Like New / The Deep And The Dirty / Ruf Records / 2023 03. ** Greg Numan N The General Jacksons / Silent Running / Reds To Blues / Independent / 2024 04. Robbin Kapsalis / Up The Line / The Blues Is In The House / Vizztone Label Group / 2023 05. ** Shane Pacey / Living Cut Throat / Cross Of The Heart / Independent / 2026 06. Handsome Jack / Blue Falls Motel / Barnburners / Alive Naturalsound Records / 2018 07. ** Icecream Hands / Tambourine Mountain / Giant Fox Pineapple Tree / Rubber Records / 1995 08. ** Kara Grainger / Mama Said / That's How I Got To Memphis / Cracked Pepper Records / 2023 09. Boz Scaggs / The Feeling Is Gone / Out Of The Blues / Concord Records / 2018 10. ** Brothers / Winter In The City / Introducing Vintage Sounds In Modern Blues / Independent / 2026 11. ** Stefan Hauk / Right N Wrong / Before The Dawn / Independent / 2023 12. ** The McNaMarr Project / You're The Fighter / Single Release / Independent / 2026 13. Walter Trout Band / Cold Cold Feeling / Life In The Jungle / Alligator Records / 1990 14. Kyle Rowland / Complete This Order / Not Holding Back / Independent / 2023 15. ** Kaliopi N The Blues Messengers / How The Caged Bird Sings / Single Release / Independent / 2025 16. John Mayall / Blues For The Lost Days / Blues For The Lost Days / Silvertone Records / 1997 17. ** Suzannah Espie / Other Side Of The Mountain / Sea Of Lights / Independent / 2023 18. Yasmin Williams / New Beginnings / Unwind / Spinster Records / 2019 19. Sophie Gault / Merlot Dodge Dart / Unhinged / Independent / 2024 20. Tom Waits / Hold On / Mule Variations / Anti- Records / 1999 21. Tom Waits / $29.00 / Blue Valentine / Asylum Records / 1978 22. Tom Petty / You Don't Know How It Feels / Wildflowers / Warner Bros. Records / 1994

George Orwell spoke bluntly about the nefarious nature of advertising, calling it “the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.”Even Orwell, though, would've been astonished by the cacophony of swill bucket advertising currently being blasted at us by Amazon, Google, Meta, and other profiteering tech giants. What are they trying to sell?Pure hogwash. Having spent billions to develop artificial intelligence so humanoid robots can displace workers, the tech geniuses are now rushing to build thousands of vast computer data centers necessary to power their Brave New AI World. Each center wills suck up local water supplies, drastically raise people's utility bills, create monstrous industrial blight and pollution, and enthrone such autocratic thugs as Bezos, Musk, and Zuckerberg as absentee bosses with domineering power over each locality.But the billionaires forgot something: You and me. “We the People” are in open rebellion against this Orwellian future, with officials in multiple states and localities “Just Saying Hell No” to the profiteers' invasive scams.Thus, the billionaire hucksters are frantically rattling their swill sticks. For example, Mark Zuckerberg – whose Meta goliath already operates 26 massive data centers and is now spending $600 billion to plop more of them in our communities – has launched a multimillion-dollar offensive to beat back local opponents. It's running BS television ads in state capitol cities, financing political candidates to hype the data centers, deploying untold numbers of lobbyists to rig the rules against opponents, and hiring an army of “community affairs” agents to spread AI propaganda.The swill bucket brigade has the fat cats, but a groundswell of us alley cats that has them on the run. To get involved, go to mediajustice.org/tools.Do something!The Center for Media Justice has been leading the way in fighting data centers in lots of communities around the country— here's how they beat back one in Amarillo, TX, for example. Get involved at mediajustice.org!Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

We are joined by music supervisor, LA punk scenester, singer, songwriter and all around music lover, Tiffany Anders. Most recently you may have heard some tunes Tiffany likes on the soundtracks of hit shows like "The Lowdown" and "Reservation Dogs", but today she helps us trace the histories of American Indie Rock from SST to Sub Pop to...wherever we are now. 

About the Guest(s):Meaghan Dowd is a seasoned insurance expert with a deep passion for risk management and proactive financial protection. She began her career in the insurance brokerage industry, focusing primarily on high-end coverage solutions before transitioning to HolistaPlan, where she plays a pivotal role in advancing insurance analysis software. Meaghan's career is distinguished by her commitment to elevating advisors' capabilities in insurance planning, having successfully leveraged her expertise to help advisors integrate comprehensive insurance reviews into their client service models.Episode Summary:Join Amy Irvine, CEO and founder of Rooted Planning Group, as she welcomes insurance specialist Meaghan Dowd to the Money Roots podcast for an enlightening discussion on the often-overlooked aspects of financial planning: protection products. In this episode, Amy and Meaghan explore the crucial role that home, auto, and liability insurance play in safeguarding one's assets and income. Meaghan shares her journey into the insurance industry, emphasizing the proactiveness of risk management and how crucial it is to have the right insurance policies in place to prevent financial disasters.As the conversation unfolds, the focus shifts to the intricacies of insurance policies, from understanding the difference between replacement and actual cash value to recognizing the importance of stress-testing your insurance coverage. Meaghan outlines common oversights, such as disregarding liabilities attached to lifestyle choices, including pool installations, board memberships, and motorized vehicle ownership. The episode underscores how vital it is to maintain regular communication with your insurance agent and how choosing the right insurance partner can drastically affect the claims process and overall satisfaction. These insights promise to offer listeners practical guidance on ensuring they are adequately prepared for the unexpected.Key Takeaways:Understanding the need for the right type of insurance coverage is essential for transferring risk and protecting both assets and income.Differences between replacement cost and actual cash value can significantly impact claim payouts and should be carefully considered in policy selection.Regularly reviewing and adjusting insurance policies to reflect lifestyle changes and potential liabilities can prevent inadequate coverage.The choice of insurance company plays a crucial role in the claims experience and can ultimately influence both financial and emotional outcomes.Engaging with your insurance agent annually can help align your coverage with any changes in your situation, providing peace of mind.Notable Quotes:"Insurance is really planning ahead, where attorneys kind of wait for worst-case scenarios to happen.""It's not just can the insurance write the check for us, but it's can they support me mentally?""You outgrow your coverages, and it might not be because you moved into a new home or bought a new car.""Insurance is not a maintenance program. It is here for those losses that would financially devastate you.""If...

Years ago, when I announced that I was leaving my job as editor of The Texas Observer to run for political office, I had to admit that into politics is the only downward career move one can make from journalism!But being a both a journalist and a politician does hone in one's ability to detect the smell of BS – and we Americans are presently getting a noxious blast of that stench from our warmongering Department of Defense.The vast, trillion-dollar Pentagon is the ultimate Big Brother bureaucracy, literally empowered to compel thousands of Americans to die in foolish military misadventures cooked up by political partisans and profiteering corporate contractors. That's why it's so alarming that Trump's “Project 2025” autocrats are now rushing to slam an iron door of censorship on reporters trying to inform us commoners about the militaristic schemes and corporate fraud that come from inside this government fortress.In the name of defending freedom, Trump's palace guards are banning media outlets that displease his royal highness. Also, “Pretty Boy Pete Hegseth,” Trump's made-for-TV Pentagon honcho, has even decreed that reporters must be tightly monitored by military escorts while doing interviews, reviewing documents, and otherwise exorcising the essential Constitutional rights of our nation's free press.The good news is that rather than kowtowing to the autocrats, dozens of media organizations have told Pete to stuff it, choosing to do old-school outsider digging into this insider war machine.Meanwhile, the “Project 2025” authoritarians hail their clamp down on free press rights by touting their “fresh relationship” with what they call their “new Pentagon press corps.” Right – it's their partisan press corps, not ours.Do something!Our friends over at Free Press have launched a newsletter, “Pressing Issues,” to cover the future of media—and advocate for the freedoms we need in journalism. Check it out at pressingissues.org.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

EPISODE 126 -  “THE WESTMORE DYNASTY: MAKE-UP TO THE STARS AND BEYOND” - 2/09/2026  Hollywood loves dynasties—acting families, directing families, producing families—but one of the most powerful dynasties in film history didn't appear on screen at all. And it's one of the rare family dynasties that began in silent films and continues working in film and TV to this very day: THE WESTMORE FAMILY.   The Westmores were the architects of illusion and the sculptors of stardom. From the pioneering vision of GEORGE WESTMORE who laid the foundations of cinematic makeup, to the extraordinary careers of his six sons, this family transformed faces into movie stars and shifted the culture of how women thought of and accepted the use of makeup in every day life.  Their techniques, philosophies, and innovations continue to influence how we see characters on screen today—often without even realizing it.  Join us as we spend time with The Westmore Dynasty: Hollywood's ‘First Family' of makeup. SHOW NOTES:  Sources: Makeup Man: From Rocky to Star Trek The Amazing Creations of Hollywood's Michael Westmore (2017), by Michael Westmore and Jake Page; The Westmores of Hollywood (1976), by Frank Westmore and Murial Davidson; “Putting on a Face for Hollywood,” April 12, 1991, by Carie J. Delmar, Los Angeles Times; “Low-Down on Hollywood Make-up:  Five Brothers and Their Father, Ex-Clevelanders All, Have Film Stars Beating a Path to Their Door,” April 7, 1940, by Inez Wallace, Cleveland Plain Dealer; www.westmoreland.com Wikipedia.com; TCM.com; IBDB.com; IMDBPro.com; Movies Mentioned: In the Sultan's Power (1909); The Three Musketeers (1921); The Sheik (1921); The Sea Beast (1926); The King of Kings (1927); It (1927); Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931); Cimarron (1931); Scarface (1932); Lady by Choice (1934); Mutiny on the Bounty (1935); Anthony Adverse (1936); Rhythm on the Range (1936); The Life of Emile Zola (1937); Elephant Boy (1937); Jezebel (1938); The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938); Professor Beware (1938); Gone with the Wind (1939); Intermezzo (1939); The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939); The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939); Rebecca (1940); The Strawberry Blonde (1941); Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948); Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954); The Ten Commandments (1956); The Mountain (1956); My Geisha (1962); Two for the Seesaw (1962); Irma la Douce (1963); Sweet Charity (1969); Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970); There Was a Crooked Man (1970); Soylent Green (1973); The Towering Inferno (1974); Rocky (1976); Being There (1979); Raging Bull (1980); Mask (1985); --------------------------------- http://www.airwavemedia.com Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the production of my Lowdown commentaries is high-tech, I confess that I'm antiquated.I still write each piece in longhand, applying my ballpoint to paper. This has caused bewildered glances from some who see me scribbling away in local coffeeshops and bars. Recently, one fellow sidled up and whispered: “Watch out! If they see you doin' this, they'll haul you off to the Smithsonian.”But we handwriters might not be as obsolete as the key-tappers assume. A fast-spreading grassroots movement is calling for schools to reemphasize the value of writing and printing by hand, instead of being wholly-dependent on machines. Already, 24 states – as varied as Mississippi and California– now require public schools to teach cursive handwriting in third-through fifth grades.This squares with new understanding of how brains absorb information. While keyboards are faster, the slower, more tactile act of handwriting creates longer lasing comprehension of letters – and better retention of the thoughts they convey. Neuroscientists find that rote keystrokes on a computer require little mental engagement, while physically drawing out words and ideas takes coordination of multiple areas of the brain to focus memory, eyes, and fingers on creating a written product.Just writing this piece conjured up a fond remembrance of my early childhood: Sitting on the floor of our home learning to draw the ABCs, both print and cursive, on those lined practice pads. It was both an artistic exercise and the development of a foundational tool for a life of learning.This is Jim Hightower saying… Yes, computer literacy is an indispensable element of today's childhood curriculum --- but so is the richer development of human thinking through putting pen to paper. So let's teach both!PS—Here's a post we did a couple years ago about how Hightower's work goes from handwritten on paper to whooshing through the ether into your inboxes:Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

There are industries that occasionally do something rotten. And there are industries like Big Oil, Big Pharma, and Big Tobacco – that persistently do rotten things.Then there is the nursing home industry – where rottenness has become a core business principle. The end-of-life “experience” can be rotten enough on its own, with an assortment of natural indignities bedeviling us, and good nursing homes help gentle this time. In the past couple of decades, though, an entirely unnatural force has come to dominate the delivery of aged care: Profiteering corporate chains and Wall Street speculators.The very fact that this essential and sensitive social function, which ought to be the domain of health professionals and charitable enterprises, is now called an “industry” reflects a total perversion of its purpose. Some 70 percent of nursing homes are now corporate operations run by absentee executives who have no experience in nursing homes and who're guided by the market imperative of maximizing investor profits. They constantly demand “efficiencies” from their facilities, which invariably means reducing the number of nurses, which invariably reduces care, which means more injuries, illness… and deaths. As one nursing expert rightly says, “It's criminal.”But it's not against the law, since the industry's lobbying front – a major donor to congressional campaigns – effectively writes the laws, which allows corporate hustlers to provide only one nurse on duty, no matter how many patients are in the facility. A humane nurse-staffing requirement has been proposed, but the profiteering “industry” furiously opposes it… and Congress is dutifully bowing to industry profits. After all, granny doesn't make campaign donations.To help push for sanity and humanity, contact TheConsumerVoice.org.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe