Podcasts about Lowdown

A core role of the US Department of Justice is to protect people from abusees by giant corporations.But DOJ's present inhabitants have twisted that mission bassackwards – using the agency to protect corporate abusers from people seeking justice. For example: Big Oil. This massive polluter is insisting that government authorities must save it from its own transgressions. For decades, multibillion-dollar behemoths like Exxon have known that their fossil fuel emissions are increasing climate change, causing catastrophic destruction and deaths from intensified fires, floods, etc. Numerous lawsuits have now been filed demanding that the profiteers behind these horrific losses pay a fair share of the damage they've done.“Noooo,” whined the petro-perpetrators, scampering to Washington and to Republican statehouses to lobby for retroactive blanket immunity from all responsibility. Sure enough, top GOP officials are racing to bail out this murderous industry, which – by the way – finances the political campaigns of those oily officials.But wait… there's much more:* Our so-called “Justice Department” has sued Hawaii and Michigan to deny a “state's right” to sue energy corporations that cause climate change.* A GOP group of state attorneys general are proposing a nationwide “liability shield” that would preemptively excuse oil, gas, and coal polluters from any responsibility for climate damages.* The same group wants the federal government to cut funding to any state or city that sues energy corporations.* And King Donald has decreed that the justice department stop all laws, policies, and suits that “threaten” fossil fuel production.This is blantantly corrupt plutocracy… not to mention stupid! To help stop it, go to Center for Climate Integrity. ClimateIntegrity.orgJim 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

When Chicago blues pianist, singer and songwriter Johnny Iguana (The Claudettes) discovered bands like Minutemen and Husker Du as a teen in Philadelphia, it opened up a world of musical possibilities he's STILL unpacking. He eventually came into possession of The Roxy London WC2 - a live album of recordings taken from various punk bands that played at The Roxy club in Covent Garden, London between January and April 1977 - and the raw, unfettered performances of bands like Wire, Buzzcocks and X-Ray Spex captivated him like nothing else at the time.  Turn this episode UP! Songs discussed in this episode: (Stage patter, The Roxy London 1977) - Johnny Moped (Paul Halford); Touch You Back - The Claudettes; Oh Bondage Up Yours! (Live at The Roxy London 1977) - X-Ray Spex; I Love Living In The City (Live from The Decline of Western Civilization) - Fear; I'm On Fire (Live from Urgh! A Music War) - Chelsea; Tom Sawyer (Piano version) - Ian Hanson Piano; Viet Nam - Minutemen; Big Boss Man - Jimmy Reed; Show Me The Way (Live) - Peter Frampton; Turn The Page - The Streets; Runaway (Live at The Roxy London 1977) - Slaughter & the Dogs; Action - Oh My God; Boston Babies - GBH; Boston Babies - UK Subs; Boston Babies (Live at The Roxy London 1977) - Slaughter & the Dogs; Freedom (Live at The Roxy London 1977) - The Unwanted; Dot Dash, Lowdown, 1.2.X.U. (Live at The Roxy London 1977) - Wire; Gary Gilmore's Eyes, Bored Teenagers (Live at The Roxy London 1977) - The Adverts; Hard Loving Man (Live at The Roxy London 1977) - Johnny Moped; Don't Need It, Waiting For The Man (Velvet Underground Cover), 15 (Live at The Roxy London 1977) - Eater; Oh Bondage Up Yours! (Live at The Roxy London 1977) - X-Ray Spex; Dreaming - Poly Styrene; Everybody's Happy Nowadays, Breakdown, Love Battery (Live at The Roxy London 1977), Why Can't I Touch It? - Buzzcocks; Evidently Chickentown, Health Fanatic (Live from Urgh! A Music War) - John Cooper Clarke; (You Are My) Whole World - The Claudettes

Has your family consumed its lump of coal today?One of the most perverse presidential moves ever is Trump's Big Government decree to force feed “King Coal” to Americans. Proclaiming an “energy emergency,” he unilaterally ordered five electric utilities to re-open their old, coal-burning power plants.These are toxic bombs, that continuously spew mercury, carbon dioxide, and a mix of other killer pollutants into our air, water, and bodies. Mercury emissions are especially vicious, causing early death in adults and permanent IQ damages to fetuses and children. Even the president's own health secretary has excoriated mercury pollution from coal-fired utilities as “the most powerful neurotoxin we know of in the universe.”That's why We the People have rebelled against the greed of coal barons in past years, finally replacing their deadly fuel with wind power, solar, and other renewable energy sources – which also lowers consumers' electric bills.So why push to re-impose a horrific corporate poison that the people have already rejected – and that progressive utilities have moved beyond?Crass corruption. By hailing dirty coal as “beautiful,” while demonizing and defunding clean energy, Trump has been showered with millions of dollars from old-line coal profiteers. And never underestimate vanity – he even got a custom bronze trophy from the polluters, hailing him as the “Undisputed Champion of Beautiful Clean Coal.”After America began replacing coal with clean energy, mercury pollution plummeted. But by restarting coal-fired utilities last year, Trump has already increased mercury emissions by 9 percent. Since he tries to merchandize everything, though, you might be able to buy an autographed lump of coal from him.Do something!* The Sierra Club's “Beyond Coal” campaign is a great place to find all kinds of resources for taking action, making local change, and more.* Money in politics remains the thorn in our collective sides, so you can also check out End Citizens United to get involved on that front.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

REMINDER! Join us TONIGHT at 6pm CT for happy hour live with Cory Haala, author of “When Democrats Won the Heartland.”Other than the fact that they are such blood-sucking greedheads, why have today's multibillionaires, high-tech barons of AI become so despised by so many grassroots Americans?By “so many,” I mean they've sparked a hell-raising mass revolt, originating in farm country, spreading through working-class suburbs, into community colleges, and other centers of Middle America – now including environmental, religious, and democracy movements.This is a genuine populist rebellion of workaday families against the corporate oligarchy of Musk, Zuckerberg, Altman, Bezos, and other “geniuses” of artificial intelligence. The billionaires are racing to install millions of supersmart A.I. robots in nearly every workplace, from manufacturing to health care, farming to finance.Amazingly, the tech elites consider themselves to be “humanitarians,” for they say turning work over to A.I. would free humans to… well, do what? Geniuses can't bothered with such mundane details, so they're not interested of soon-to-be displaced masses of people who'll be “made redundant.”So – hello – people are revolting (in the very best sense of that term). Interestingly, some of the strongest backlash is coming from a huge group generally assumed to be politically apathetic or enthusiastic about all technology: Young people. Columnist Michelle Goldberg reports that several tech honchos who've given college commencement speeches this month were startled when they launched into gushing praise for the glorious future promised by A.I. They were practically driven off-stage by roaring cascades of boos from the students!The pain that A.I. profiteers are imposing is one thing, but an even greater cause of this spreading revolt is the imperious arrogance and stupidity of royal elites who think ordinary people don't matter. Did these oligarchs never hear about the revolution of 1776?Do something!To stay on top of the rapid development of AI and its impact on the public interest, check out the work of the AI Now Institute, ainowinstitute.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

Greg and Ryan take a trip to Tulsa to scope out the new Sterlin Harjo series, THE LOWDOWN. Could it be the coolest show of the past year? Let us know what's your favorite crime mystery show by emailing us at poppingcollarspodcast@gmail.com or send us a recommendation on socials Find us on the web at poppingcollarspodcast.com Don't forget to pick up some awesome merch Check out our Youtube offerings Read Greg's ramblings about movies at Letterboxd

Is instability the new normal with the UK's broken polticis.In this week's Lowdown podcast, Nick Cohen talks to author and historian Robert Saunders about Britain's transition from decades of political stability to having six prime ministers in ten years and how this reflects deep systemic pressures rather than just poor individual leadership. Robert explains that modern leaders have faced an unprecedented convergence of global crises—including Brexit, COVID-19, and soaring public debt—with very little governance experience. He views Brexit as both a symptom of long-term political decline and an amplifier that polarized the electorate into rigid identities and normalised political dishonesty.Unlike the unstable 1920s, which maintained experienced leadership and defended democratic norms against extremism, today's crisis is unprecedented because both major parties have lost their traditional social roots, resulting in a highly volatile electorate. This instability is compounded by massive public debt, which severely constrains government action. Rather than addressing these constraints honestly, modern politicians have largely abandoned their "educative" role, choosing to hide difficult economic trade-offs from the public.This systemic decay is further accelerated by a plutocratic assault on democracy, led by billionaire-controlled platforms and populist media that actively promote anti-establishment sentiment. Robert argues that mainstream politicians must stop legitimising this "anti-politics" rhetoric and instead actively defend democratic institutions by highlighting their tangible successes. Ultimately, he warns that universal suffrage is less than a century old, and citizens must stop acting as complacent "vandals" of a highly fragile democratic ecosystem.Read all about it! Robert Saunders - @redhistorian - author and academic. Author of "Yes to Europe! The 1975 Referendum & Seventies Britain". "A jaw-dislocating page turner"(Andrew Marr). Co-director the Mile End Institute @MileEndInst , Reader Queen Mary's @QMHistoryNick 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.

The Lowdown Ep. 26 with Lowdown Show: The Lowdown Artist: Low Audi0 Air Date: 22 May 2026 Genre: House / Minimal / Deep Tech / Bass House / Tech House Low Audi0 takes over the airwaves for an hour to plug you with his favorite house and techno tracks from the month. You can expect to hear newly released tracks from artists we know paired with carefully selected tunes from upcoming producers you might not have heard of. Take a load off and lock in w/ Low Audi0 on the Lowdown Tracklist: 1. Va Va Voom — Joey London Style 2. Face Bass — East End Dubs, Di Chiara Brothers 3. DEE2 - Dance All Night 4. FREE YOUR MIND (Max Maldon Remix) - Prospa, Cloonee 5. Let Me See Ya (Work It) — nate band 6. My Own Thang (To The Beat) — Walker & Royce, Alok, Sophiegrophy 7. Pipe Down — TOBEHONEST 8. Buttons — The Pussycat Dolls, Gudfella 9. Elevator — Discip 10. Function — SIDEPIECE 11. The Ceiling — Westend 12. Activate — OMRI., Adam Sellouk, Nevve 13. Savage — Jonathan 14. Get Busy — Richard Vission & Avilo 15. Zone — MK x Poppy Baskcomb 16. Spins — Mac Miller, EOS / Chris Grooves x POPS Edit Originally broadcast on Data Transmission Radio. Listen live and explore the archive: https://radio.datatransmission.co

In this day of AI smart tools, it's easy to forget that we humans once relied on “dumb” hand tools like saws, drills, screwdrivers, and wrenches.For decades, a major maker of these trusty instruments has been a company in New Britain, Connecticut, appropriately named The Stanley Works.Today, having taken over other big brands like Craftsman and Black & Decker, Stanley is a $15-billion-a-year conglomerate, and many former-workers are asking, “Stanley works for whom?” That's because corporate top executives have quietly orchestrated a decades-long move of Stanley factories out of our country, abandoning the skilled machinists who literally made the brand successful.The final blow comes this week, when Stanley will shut down the last of its redbrick factories in New Britain. An odd move, since workers there produced one of Stanley's most iconic products: The “PowerLock” tape measure. It is enormously popular – indeed, I have two of them. Yet, corporate bosses claim that cheaper, foreign-made tape measures now dominate the market, so – Poof! – goodbye 300 American jobs.But wait, Stanley didn't eliminate the jobs, it just moved them. To Thailand, where labor is paid 75% less than in Connecticut. Indeed, the major foreign competitor to Stanley turns out to be… Stanley! It has been building modernized production factories in Thailand, even as it divested in US factories and increased shipments of its foreign-made tape measures to the US.Stanley's CEO was paid $7.6 million last year. Nice, but now, the paychecks of 300 more workers can be reallocated to global shareholders… and give another hike in the chief's pay. And that's how the Inequality Merry-Go-Round keeps spinning… round and round and round.Do something!To fight for good jobs and an economy that benefits everyone, check out and support the work of Jobs with Justice, jwj.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

The hidden logic of "lowkey." Plus, where did all those terms of venery come from? A flamboyance of flamingos? Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios Production. Episode 299: "The Lowdown on Lowkey." With John McWhorter. Edited and produced by Mike Vuolo. Produced by Livia Bloom Ingram. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Hour 1 we were joined by Allan Mitchell from The Lowdown with Lowetide. 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' coaching search and the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In America's frontier days, anyone diverting a town's creek water to their private, profiteering purpose was not merely considered wrong, but guilty of Biblical-level immorality.That was BBE, however – “Before Billionaire Ethics.” Today, a cohort of über-rich hucksters – including Bezos, Altman, Musk, and Zuckerberg – have unilaterally decreed that they are above such moral fussiness, entitled to exploit the scarce water resources of millions of Americans, especially in rural areas.They're not irrigating crops, but continuously spritzing hundreds of thousands of the super-computers they're “planting” in the hyperscale AI data centers being built across the country. These are “computer ranches,” digesting and constantly spewing out electronic data to run artificial intelligence bots that the tech billionaires are creating to replace us human workers.Jobs aside, each of these concrete complexes is a massive water hog. Amazon, Meta, and the rest use millions of gallons a day of fresh, unrecycled water, just to keep their computers cool. Hello – states like Texas face recurring drought, yet billionaires insist on draining our aquifers and rivers to water their computers! In Texas alone, more than 400 of these sprawling data centers have already been built or are under construction.Meanwhile, a grassroots “What The Hell” movement is spreading across the country. But don't expect billionaires to show even an iota of respect for the Common Good. Indeed, they're now funding an all-out PR blitz and political campaign to demonize these local rebellions. Worse, they are doubling down on their plutocratic power grab, demanding that Congress pre-emptively outlaw state and local officials from regulating, much less barring, these invasive schemes.To help battle these profiteering b******s, go to www.mediajustice.org/tools.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 get the expert view on SC Freiburg, who Aston Villa take on the Europa League final on Wednesday in Istanbul.FOLLOW US AND SUBSCRIBE ONLINE!WEBSITEwww.allvillanofiller.comGET IN TOUCHYouTube: Search All Villa No FillerTwitter: @VillaNoFillerInstagram: @allvillanofillerFacebook: All Villa No FillerEmail: allvillanofiller@gmail.comHOSTS: George Zielinski (@ZielinskiGeorge) / Frankie Maguire (@FrankieMaguire)PRODUCTION: Frankie Maguire#avfc #utv #astonvilla #football #villapark #soccer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kathy and Ross did their darndest to stump Fletcher in last week's spelling quiz, to moderate success. How will things go this week? The thrilling conclusion...

On the milestone fiftieth episode of NWA Crock and Roll we pause our June 1986 launch for one of those “very special episodes” (No, no one died unbelievably), as Shawn and Scott breakdown their in person trip to Nashville for GCW, Summerslam, Starrcast, Flairs Last Match and more! Bars, Beer, Brides, Food, meeting Ron Garvin, pictures with the Horseman & Baby Doll and most important important of all, an all time wrestling trip with great friends!

Years ago, when America was mired in the horror of the Vietnam war, Pete Seeger wrote a lament about the stupidity and vanity of leaders who keep plunging us into such mindless disasters. It was a song about the Big Muddy:“The captain told us to ford a river,That's how it all begun.We were knee deep in the Big MuddyBut the big fool said to push on.“It'll be a little soggy, but just keep sloggingWe'll soon be on dry ground.We were waist deep in the Big Muddy,And the big fool said to push on.“All we need is a little determination.Men, follow me, I'll lead.We were neck deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool said to push on.”Unfortunately, the big fool is back, this time miring our nation in another of those witless wars of choice that he had ridiculed when running for President. But, doing the bidding of Israel's corrupt government, Trump attacked Iran. He blustered that the “skirmish” would be over in days, Iran would surrender everything, our gasoline prices would go down, peace would blossom throughout the Middle East, and world leaders would rally ‘round America.None of that happened. Instead, Trump has splurged 25 billion of our dollars on this foray (so far), Iran's leadership has outwitted Trump's feckless Pentagon chief, and they now control the global price of oil.To divert attention from the embarrassment of his needless war, our huckster-in-chief is now doing PR events touting the “grandeur” of that billion-dollar luxury ballroom he wants to tack onto our White House – a rich-boy add-on that only the billionaire class will go into.Of all the things America actually needs, he is focused on a sparkly ballroom. And the big fool says to push on.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

Washington's Democratic Party establishment keeps demanding that progressive members tone down their criticism of billionaire oligarchs and corporate autocrats. Why? Because the insiders want to rebrand the party as ideologically moderate. “Time to get serious,” they bark.Two things: First, on the ideology question, I'm with Woody Guthrie: “Right-wing, left-wing, chicken wing,” he said. I think Woody meant that most workaday people don't put 10-cents worth of faith in doctrinaire promises of political ideologues. Rather, they're looking for honest answers to the old labor song: “which side are you on” – the bosses, bankers, and billionaires, or the rest of us?Second, on the matter of seriousness, I find that both the Democratic party and the larger progressive movement have gotten way too serious. They've become lost in their latest 21-point plan, email “outreach” strategies, hourly fundraising targets, zoom meet-ups, and other digitalized corporate metrics of how-to-manipulate politics.But wait ­– what is “politics?” My dictionary says it's “The science and art of forming a community effort to seek and exercise power in public affairs.” Why would we try to make such a spirited, unifying, social pursuit into a rote, tedious, manipulative “game”? Instead, what if Democrats actually brought people together, not to recite pre-cut positions, but around community interests? And let's create events that people (especially newcomers) might want to go to – mix the politics and issues with a little food, beer, and wine, live music, and… well, fun.When I first ran for office, my lifelong co-conspirator, Susan DeMarco, came up with the perfect expression for such politicking. She said, “Let's put the party back in politics!”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

GREEN ROOM (2015) Director: Jeremy Saulnier Cast: Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Patrick StewartA punk band walks into a Nazi bar. No, that's not the setup for a joke — it's the setup for one of the most suffocating, nerve-shredding thrillers of the last decade. This week on Dewey Pod Monster, Sean and John dig deep into Jeremy Saulnier's 2015 siege film Green Room, where a broke touring punk band witnesses a murder backstage and suddenly finds itself trapped in a standoff with a very organized, very murderous gang of neo-Nazi skinheads. Spoiler: the dogs are not friendly.In this episode, we discuss:Captain Picard's Cold-Blooded Era — Patrick Stewart plays Darcy, the calculating Nazi ringleader, with such chilling charisma that both hosts can't stop talking about it. He's warm, persuasive, and absolutely terrifying — and apparently has been acting since the 1760s, so he's had time to practice.Would a Real Punk Band Actually Do This? — John goes full music nerd and calls out the movie's two biggest logical leaps: why any self-respecting anti-Nazi punk band would knowingly play a neo-Nazi club, and how they survived long enough to open with Nazi Punks Fuck Off without getting murdered on stage. Sean defends the film. John is unconvinced.The Art of Doing More With Less — Shot on a $5 million budget with basically three sets, Green Room delivers a masterclass in compressed, claustrophobic tension. The hosts debate whether it's a horror film, a thriller, or just a really unpleasant Tuesday night — and explore how Saulnier's visual style echoes David Fincher's color palette and controlled camera work.One-Handed Shotgun Detour — The conversation takes a brief detour to John's other watch this week, The Rip (Netflix), starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in a cop drama that almost holds together — right up until Affleck fires a shotgun with one hand out a moving SUV window. John has thoughts.We Also Talked About:Long Shot (1981) (Internet Archive) — A Leif Garrett teen heartthrob vehicle about a high school soccer star who plans to fund his European football dreams by winning a foosball tournament. It is exactly as good as that sounds.Long Gone (1987) (Youtube) — An HBO baseball film set in 1957 following the fictional Tampico Stogies minor league team, starring William Petersen and Dermot Mulroney. A discovered gem to some; "it was fine" to Sean.The Lowdown (2025) (Amazon) — An FX series starring Ethan Hawke as a truth-chasing freelance journalist in Tulsa investigating what may or may not be a murder. Coen Brothers vibes, from the director of Reservation Dogs. Sean's wife kept interrupting him.Disco Lunch by The Boy Detective (Youtube) — A southeastern Michigan ska-horror-punk album that John is furious he didn't listen to sooner. Available on streaming and in vinyl variants at Pinkerton Records.Unlocked (Netflix) — A real-jail social experiment show where prisoners are allowed to semi-govern themselves. John watched Season 2 and found himself unable to sympathize with a single person in it.Blue Ruin (2013) — Saulnier's previous film and the first entry in his loose "revenge trilogy." Essential viewing if Green Room is your entry point.Rebel Ridge (2024) — The unofficial third film in Saulnier's spiritual trilogy. Mentioned as context for why Sean has been tracking this director for years.New episodes of the Dewey Pod Monster podcast drop every week. We're proud members of the YouRun Podcast Network.

(May 12, 2026) It may still be a week before lawmakers in Albany settle on a final state budget. Our Capitol reporter Jimmy Vielkind breaks down exactly what's at stake, what's the holdup, and what a late budget actually means for you.

Tuesday, May 12: The NHL Low Down by FiredUp Network

Lowdown election special with Rafael Behr of The GuardianBrexit Britons away with the fairies- and believing in at least 6 impossible things before Breakfast! In the local - and national elections, British voters voted for parties in Wales & Scotland that want to destroy the United Kingdom and for Nigel Farage and his fellow Reform con artists who conned 17.4 million people into voting for Brexit and geo-political isolation and economic impoverishment! WTF planet do these people inhabit?In his latest Lowdown podcast, Nick Cohen talks to Rafael Behr - the distinguished Guardian columnist - about the political crisis facing Britain and the Labour Party following recent election defeats across Scotland, Wales, London, and English local government. The two political commentators discuss Labour's leadership challenges, with Sir Keir Starmer facing significant unpopularity, and examine potential successors including Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, and Andy Burnham. They discuss how the Labour Party lacks a clear identity or heartland support, while also addressing the rise of the Green Party and Reform Party as electoral forces. Nick and Raf conclude with analysis of Britain's broader political fragmentation, including the dominance of pro-independence parties across Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and the challenges facing centrist politics in the current political environment.Read all about it!Rafael's recent book Politics: A Survivor's Guide: How to stay engaged without getting enraged is published by W.F.Howes Ltd and available at Amazon and in all good bookshops.Support the show You can also read his wonderful columns in the Guardian. His X handle is @rafaelbehrNick 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.

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 Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Oilers' offseason. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us Fan MailA three-pound glow-in-the-dark skull from Disneyland sounds like a joke until you realize it was real, widely sold, and now weirdly hard to find. We're talking about Randotti skulls: handmade chalkware souvenirs that once hung from hot rod mirrors, lit up under Haunted Mansion blacklights, and gave Adventureland and Pirates of the Caribbean shops a darker edge than you'd ever expect from a theme park aisle. If you love Disneyland history, vintage theme park souvenirs, Adventureland tiki culture, or Disney nostalgia collecting, hit play, then subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave us a review so more park nerds can find us.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 .

Kathy and Ross pull out all the stops to try to trick Fletcher with a new spelling quiz. Fletcher does his best to upset them.

ReferencesGuerra, DJ. 2026. Unpublished Lectures.Fogerty, John 1970. Run Through the Jungle. CCRhttps://open.spotify.com/track/6J0AjzrYsPZrQtw6IjErhy?si=70f7f297e2ef4397Jaeger/Richards. 1966. Paint it Black. Roling Stoneshttps://open.spotify.com/track/63T7DJ1AFDD6Bn8VzG6JE8?si=c820099339724a3bCetera/Seraphine 1971. Lowdown. Chicagohttps://open.spotify.com/track/5h24XVIsohtANfjhkL8fKB?si=ab6fa245e3e84e17

Friday, May 8: The NHL Low Down by FiredUp Network

CGB stands for the Cult of Goofy Billionaires, and they are way, way, waaay goofier than you might imagine.I'm talking about prestigious, frontline, brand-name billionaires: Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Peter Thiel, and other Silicon Valley Royals who perceive themselves as otherworldly geniuses. As such, they feel entitled to redesign your, my, and humanity's future – whether we want them to or not.So, for months, these techno-oligarchs have been furtively imposing a multitrillion-dollar network of invasive data centers all across America. Why? To power a whole new mechanomorphic species they call “generative AI chatbots.” Musk gushes that the super-intelligent bots will be “more human than humans” able to reproduce themselves, evolve, and displace us primitives in nearly every workplace.Which raises the question: Could this gaggle of billionaire megalomaniacs get any goofier?Gosh, yes! Musk, Thiel, and others have become disciples of a Swedish “philosopher” named Bostrom. He idealizes a “post-human future” in which us biological earthlings literally merge into the digital machine race. Indeed, Judd Legum investigative Substack, Oligarch Watch, reports that Musk has already launched a venture to produce implants to fuse human brains with computers.Meanwhile, Thiel, the PayPal/Palantir billionaire, says policymakers should stop worrying about little problems like world wars and climate change, for “transhumanism” technology will create a digital species that is immortal. He also warns ominously that anyone who tries to regulate AI is doing the bidding of “The Antichrist.”Then there's Google's goofy billionaire, Larry Page, who blithely says “if we let digital minds be free… the outcome is almost certain to be good.” Almost certain? Sure, Larry, unbridled tech never goes bad, right?Do something!The Electronic Frontier Foundation has been at the forefront of the fight to protect humans from and with tech advances for decades, and their work on the impact of AI is vital. Dive in here to join up with them.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, May 6: THE NHL LOW DOWN 2ND ROUND PLAOFFS PREVIEW by FiredUp Network

Years ago, Ray Charles sang: “Them that's got is them that gets, and I ain't got nothin' yet.”Millions of workaday Americans today are wailing that blues refrain, thanks to price increases caused by Donald Trump's slap-happy tariff policy. He gloated that by imposing import levies of $166 billion on foreign companies, they would be forced to lower the prices they charge us. But, Professor Trump, nearly all tariffs are passed along to us consumers, so you're raising our prices! Indeed, on average, his tariffs have jacked up costs for every American household by about $1,500 a year!But the Supreme Court has now decreed Trump's tariffs illegal, so those who paid them are entitled to refunds. Great! Walmart rushed to the front of the line, demanding a $10 billion refund, while other giants are demanding paybacks of more than a billion each.But wait. What about you? Those corporations had paid Trump's tariffs with money they got by raising prices on you and me. In short, WE THE CONSUMERS paid about 90 percent of that $166 billion out of our pockets. So where's our refund?So far, only Costco has publicly pledged to pass the refund back to its customers, while other corporate giants just wink and pocket the cash. For example, a Walmart executive simply announced that “[We will] certainly avail ourselves” of any refund process.Economists have a technical word for that process: “Stealing.” The Walmarts jack up their prices to pay for Trump's tariff scam, then grab the refunds that workaday consumers are owed. As Ray Charles sang in another blues number: “Why you treat me so mean?”Do somethingTired of corporations stealing from you? Our friends at Public Citizen have a whole catalog of resources dedicated to tariffs—get involved here.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

Katey is joined by The Ringer's Joanna Robinson to catch up on a lot of Emmy contenders that premiered earlier in the season, from smash hits like Pluribus and Task to the smaller shows we're still rooting for. Then, Christopher Rosen catches up with Industry's dynamic duo about what might be next for Harper and Yasmin, and how the London-set tech show keeps throwing out new surprises. 00:00 Intro 01:12 New Oscar Rules! 02:06 International Feature Rule Change 03:53 Crediting the Director 05:13 Double Acting Nominations 06:48 Double Acting Examples 08:57 AI Rules 11:44 How to Process This Much TV 13:02 The Gamble of What to Pick to Cover 15:13 Covering Widows Bay 17:51 Task and Tom Pelphrey 18:42 Building Non-IP Cornerstones 22:57 The Lowdown & FX's Identity 27:00 The Comedy Actor Race 28:08 Overdue Emmy Narratives 29:58 Rhea Seehorn in Pluribus 32:05 The Scale of Pluribus 34:02 Lead Actress in The Pitt 34:41 Zendaya's Euphoria Future 38:24 All Her Fault & Limited Series 39:12 The Diplomat 41:07 Next: Marisa Abela & Myha'la 41:37 Marisa Abela & Myha'la 42:37 Approaching the Finale Breakup 44:26 Harper's Complete Depletion 47:31 Evolving After Four Seasons 48:49 Yasmin's Voicemail Scene 52:24 Filling in the Subtext 56:33 Yasmin's Volcanic Temper 58:35 Harper's Hollow Success 01:01:53 Saying Goodbye to Eric 01:05:49 Fan Expectations ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to Prestige Junkie After Party bonus episodes for just $5 a month. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to the Prestige Junkie newsletter.  Follow Katey on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow The Ankler. 

15 competitors, four judges, four mentors, seven brands, three winners – that's the global final of SIP Supernova in numbers; in words, the stats are just as impressive. In the true ethos of Share, Inspire, Pioneer, aka SIP, the global advocacy platform powered by Pernod Ricard, SIP Supernova is about celebrating and empowering hospitality professionals at every level, be they wait staff, managers or bartenders. The only stipulation is that they've been working in the industry for less than 6 years.Over four days, from May 9th to 13th, the 15 finalists from around the world will be in Tokyo and Kyoto where they'll be tested across a variety of disciplines. In this bonus episode we hear from from Cloé Auger, Global Trade Advocacy Leader at Pernod Ricard; Hedda Bruce, one of the judges and Danil Nevsky one of the mentors to hear more about SIP Supernova from their unique perspectives.Follow SIP at join-sip.comFind out more about SIP Supernova here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trumps disastrous foreign policy on Iran and Ukraine isolates the U.S and the UK!In this latest Lowdown podcast, Nick Cohen talks to distinguished defence expert, Phillips O'Brien from St. Andrews University, about military developments in Ukraine and Iran, focusing on how drone technology is changing the nature of warfare. Phillips explains how Ukraine's use of cheap, mass-produced drones has transformed battlefield dynamics, making traditional heavy armour systems obsolete and causing significant Russian casualties. Phillips and Nick discuss Trump's Iran strategy, with Phillips analysing Trump's psychological dependence on Putin and his desire for a quick military victory that hasn't materialised. They also examine the declining U.S.-Israel relationship in American politics and discussed Britain's post-Brexit foreign policy challenges, particularly regarding the special relationship with the United States and potential rejoining of the European Union.The so-called Special Relationship" is dead - The UK's sucking up to the U.S. will achieve nothing!Phillips says, "King's Charles' visit, sadly, might've unfortunately turned the clock back to make people believe that the special relationship still exists when it doesn't. That, Britain's future security wise and political wise is in Europe and the Europeans now are far more down that road."The Germans now are, are understanding that the United States is not reliable, not trustworthy, and Europeans have to look after themselves. States like the Baltics, the Nordics, all of them are farther down this road. The British might have been going down this road."I'm not sure they will now after the the Charles visit, but hopefully they, they do, because that is something Britain has to admit. Brexit was a disaster. It was stupid. It weakened Britain. It's put it outside of the tent. For now. Britain has to try and get inside the European tent because that's where its future is."Read all about it!Read Phillips' own regular Substack column - Phillips's Newsletter. Phillips is also professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews.Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 regular Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond is another must-read. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During Hour 1 Allan Mitchell from The Lowdown with Lowetide joined the show breaking down the Oilers' end-of-season media availabilities and offseason plans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Mingy” is a useful word. It merges stingy with mean, pretty well summing up the prevailing ethic of today's corporate bosses.Take mingy CEOs of multibillion-dollar powerhouses like Amazon and 7-Eleven. They've been refusing to accommodate even the simplest needs of – get this – their pregnant employees.As the New York Times reports, women who're heavy with child can suffer acute health crises if they're on their feet too long. For example, a pregnant Amazon warehouse worker in upstate New York became breathless and lightheaded, so her doctor told her to work sitting down periodically. She got a chair and felt better. But uh-uh, an Amazon manager took her chair away and insisted she stand! This caused her to be hospitalized several times. Then, Amazon fired her for having too many medical absences.Or take the 27-year-old pregnant check-out clerk at Speedway, the gas station chain owned by 7-Eleven. To ease the strain of standing for hours, she was allowed to sit on some milk crates as she worked the counter. No, barked higher-ups, who took her crates away. She soon had a pregnancy emergency, and her doctor told her not to work for several days. So, Speedway put her on “involuntary unpaid leave.” But, technically she wasn't fired, so the corporate giant prevented her from getting unemployment pay.This is corporate assault, targeting women in low-wage jobs. It's so common that Congress had to pass a law, the “Pregnant Workers Fairness Act,” to say: Stop it! But it hasn't stopped, for Trump officials are not eager to punish multimillion-dollar corporate bosses. But that raises the fundamental ethical question: Why don't bosses stop themselves?Have I mentioned that “boss,” spelled backwards, is double-S-O-B?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 towns in Texas named New Deal, Fair Play, Progresso, Utopia—and even Buck Naked!But what you won't find is any town called “Moderate, Texas.” I offer this curiosity to the monied powers and milquetoast party leaders who keep insisting that Democrats must moderate their progressive policies, abandon their egalitarian commitments, and become more… well, more corporate.Hello – today's majority hates the everyday arrogance, avarice, and abuse that corporate supremacy has unleashed on workers, consumers, local businesses, family farmers, the poor, the sick, the “different,” our environment… and democracy itself.The time when “captains of industry” were admired is long-gone. Today's billionaire prigs – such as Bezos, Musk, and Zuckerberg – are clownishly greedy and foolish, becoming so reviled that they can't go out in public. As journalist Perry Bacon points out in New Republic, even moderate Democrats aren't moderate anymore: “Around 70 percent” of them, he reports, bemoan the fact that Party leaders are “too timid in taxing the rich, taxing corporations, and cracking down on companies that break the law.”Polls aside, you can find out how moderates (and even conservatives) feel about moving the Party of the People to the middle of the road by visiting rural areas in Virginia, Illinois, Texas, or other states being invaded by autocratic corporate billionaires trying to usurp vast amounts of land water and energy for their AI data centers. Locals are furious at this plutocratic power grab and wondering if anyone will stand with them in full-force populist rebellion against the profiteers.We're in a 1932 moment. Far from becoming a corporate kiss-up party, people want and need Democrats to be the kick-ass party!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

On the last Tuesday of the month, solicitor Miriam McGillycuddy answers your questions. Email kerrytoday@radiokerry.ie in confidence with your query.

• It's Podmasters' 10th birthday! Get an extra 10% off a year's Patreon backing.  Our original podcast is back for one week only! Bigmouth AKA The Culture Bunker, the pop culture chatpod that birthed The Bunker, Oh God, What Now? and more, returns for our tenth birthday. On the agenda: Kneecap's new album ‘Fenian', Apple TV's Margo's Got Money Troubles, hot new tunes from the panel… and all the stuff we missed when we were off air, including Project Hail Mary and The Lowdown. With regulars Andrew Harrison and Siân Pattenden plus returning guests, The Guardian's Jude Rogers (who was on the very first Bigmouth on 24 April 2016) and writer and music tech guru Michael Moran… who reveals an astonishing secret. • Hear the tunes we talk about today on the Bigmouth rolling playlist… still going!  • Hear Boots On The Ground by Massive Attack & Tom Waits, which isn't on streaming. • And neither are The Shashashanimals.  www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Andrew Harrison and Siân Pattenden. Audio production: Tom Taylor. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Artwork by James Parrett. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Congress keeps churning out laws that the great majority of us have explicitly, consistently, and loudly said we do not want! Are those lawmakers deaf?No, their ears are stuffed with ever-increasing wads of political cash from corporations and the superrich, so our words can't reach their eardrums. Take Tim Sheehy, a Montana Republican elected two years ago to the US Senate. He quickly proved to be a tail-wagging fetcher of more plutocratic tax-giveaways and most anything else the billionaire class desires.Why? Money. His campaign was launched and supercharged by such barons of Wall Street and Silicon Valley as Steve Schwarzman. Honcho of a private equity powerhouse, Schwarzman greased Sheehy's political skids with an $8 million check. A New York Times analysis later found that at least 63 other billionaire families bought a piece of the fledgling Montana senator that year.He's not their only purchase, of course. The Times' tally found 300 billionaire families invested more than $3 billion in federal candidates in 2024.Meanwhile, not only does Congress do what We the People don't want, they also refuse to do what we do want. Most emphatically, that includes a huge, bipartisan majority who want all corporate money out of political races and solid limits on donations by the rich.Big Money is a stark threat to America, says Marc Raciot, Montana's former Republican governor. It's turning our democratic republic into a place where a few wealthy people can legally spend millions to direct how the government runs. “Does any reasonable person on the planet think that's appropriate,” he asks?To help assert a people's democracy over corporate plutocracy, go to EndCitizensUnited.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

This episode, Kalid and Joe are joined by director, actor, writer, producer, comedian, and visual artist, Andre Hyland, to chat about the 1990 cult classic Temors, from director Ron Underwood. Follow Andre on Instagram here!​​*Thank you to Jim Hall for the music! Check out more of his music⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and if you like what you hear, please consider donating to support his work⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!*Thank you to Jim Tandberg for the Frankenstein's Podcast artwork!*Shoutout to our Patreon Producer(s), Luke Johnson, Andy Groth, Jake Kohl & Joe Mischo!⁠⁠⁠Support us on Patreon!⁠Featured Guest:Andre Hyland is a multi hyphenate director, actor, writer, producer, comedian, and visual artist.Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a graduate of The college of DAAP at the University of Cincinnati, Andre is a four-time Sundance Film Festival writer/director. His Sundance films include the Eric Andre produced 2022 Indie Episodic offering Culture Beat. Paste Magazine called their pilot “The Best Six Minutes of Sundance 2022”. His other Sundance films include his feature film debut, THE 4TH, which has streamed on Peacock, Showtime, and others. Hyland also wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed, Bob Odenkirk produced, short film Funnel which Rolling Stone named one of the “12 Must-See Sundance Successes”. His TV work behind the camera includes directing season 2 of Tru TV's Jon Glaser Loves Gear, and co-head writing Adult Swim's Mostly For Millennials. He's directed and written for numerous projects at FOX, Comedy Central, FuelTV, Funny or Die, and MTV.As an actor Hyland can currently be seen on the new Ethan Hawke led FX/HULU series The Lowdown.  Can also see Andre on the recent Peacock comedy series LAID with Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet.  In 2024 he was nominated for SAG's "Best Comedic Ensemble" for his work on HBO's Barry. Prior to that he was a series regular alongside Kate Beckinsale on the Paramount+ series Guilty Party. He also starred in the A24 Daniel Scheinert directed feature film, The Death of Dick Long.In the 00s, Hyland's fine artwork was mainly seen on the streets via graffiti and street art under the name Buddy Lembek which lead to his work being included in exhibitions at the London Institute of Contemporary Art, MASS MoCA, and Publico's Good World in association with Cincinnati CAC's Beautiful Losers. His work has also been featured in publications such as  Graffiti World and Scribble Magazine.References:Kate Hutton: 'That Earthquake Lady' - AdvocateSubterranean Terror — Tremors - Monster LegacyTask (HBO)Bad Man (Amazon Prime)Star Trek: Deviations - Threads of Destiny by Stephanie WilliamsDTF St. Louis (HBO)The Town (podcast) with Matthew BelloniNirvana the Band the Show the MoviePatriot (Amazon Prime)Mermaid

Even in this ugly era of political divisiveness under “King Donald,” some things remain bigger than partisan politics.For example, travel deep into Southwest Texas to the Mexican border, and you'll witness two powerful forces of political harmony in Big Bend National Park. First is the true majesty of nature – 1,200 square miles of high desert beauty, spectacular canyons, the Chisos Mounains' “sky islands,” black bears and jaguars, ancient artifacts of native peoples, etc.But you could also experience the marvelous rebellious spirit of today's Big Bend people who are battling the White House's ideological extremists. At issue is “The Wall,” the xenophobic piece of nastiness pushed by Stephen Miller, the Trump government's tyrannical, anti-immigrant chief. Build a multi-billion-dollar, 30-foot-high steel wall atop the Rio Grande's fragile, thousand-foot high cliffs, Miller maniacally commanded!Hello – such a monstrous wall would destroy the cliffs, devastate the economic, cultural, and other essential cross-border relationships that Big Bend communities rely on – and do nothing to stop desperate refugees. So, in a grassroots, non-partisan rebellion against such ideological bullstuff, a majority coalition of ranchers, environmentalists, local sheriffs, native Americans, and just folks have momentarily stalled the scheme. As a longtime Republican resident puts it: “Those advocating for this insane project should… acknowledge their nonsensical, aesthetically, and environmentally quixotic conduct, so their names may be indelibly placed on that border wall and remembered forever in infamy.”This is Jim Hightower saying… Trump is expected to push ahead, but the feisty grassroots champions are not intimidated. “We will be civil,” says one leader, “but we don't have to be polite.” Stay connected to them at nobigbendwall.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

“Stand back,” shout Silicon Valley's tech billionaires, “geniuses at work!”They refer to themselves, of course, demanding that public officials, farmers, towns, environmentalists, and all others get out of their way as they impose their massive AI data centers over rural America. “Our Big Money and Big Brains,” they exclaim, “will remake nature and produce phenomenal wealth.”Haven't we heard this before? Yes… and from these same über-rich zealots. Just a decade ago, they declared they intended to replace farmland agriculture with a techno-marvel they called “vertical farms.” Yes, instead of relying on messy, natural stuff like soil, food would henceforth be produced on sanitary plastic strays stacked to the ceilings of windowless factory warehouses controlled by computer networks. Big Tech investors like Jeff Bezos, Walmart, and Japan's SoftBank plowed hundreds of billions of dollars into their “reinvention” of agriculture.But what the geniuses actually produced was a bumper crop of bankruptcies, for the tech bros knew nothing about farming. Sure, displacing nature meant saving money to till the soil and feed the hogs, but those costs are nothing compared to the piles of capital required to pay for the ever-rising costs of corporate infrastructure, computers, utilities, executive salaries, administrative overhead… and capital itself.Worse, the clueless corporatizers were surprised to discover that consumers are not actually motivated to buy a head of lettuce just because it was “vertically farmed.” So, with exorbitant costs and zero market appeal, the tech geniuses' ag revolution fizzled.Let us all recall this as Bezos and his billionaire coterie now insist we must follow them into their Brave New World of artificial intelligence.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's a clique of plutocratic, high-tech billionaires who think they're entitled to turn America's farmlands and rural communities into their personal domain of predatory AI “data centers.” But a little bookstore in Tulsa, Oklahoma, recently hit those puffed-up elites where they're most vulnerable: The funny bone.Magic City Books put up a sign that rocketed through the Internet, mocking the fatuous potentates:SUPPORT THESE DATA CENTERSSchoolsLibrariesBookstoresArrogantly, though, the likes of Amazon, Google, and Meta are frontloading trillions of dollars into creating a new social order managed by super-intelligent bots. This scheme, however, requires them to divert vast amounts of rural land, water, and energy to build and run their Orwellian empires. Yet, breathing the fumes of their own egos, the billionaires actually assumed that locals would welcome this dazzling bot wonderworld.Bad assumption. Even in bastions of rural Republican rule, majorities are saying, “Uh… Hell No!” Indeed, at least 48 data centers were stopped last year by coordinated local opposition, and public fury has largely driven data center developers out of Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, and Wisconsin. In Texas, corrupt governor Greg Abbott openly takes AI cash to push data centers, yet rural counties are rejecting them – and the state's far-right Republican Party has now voted to oppose building more of them.Even Wall Street money managers are blinking, for there's growing doubt that investors can get their money back. What's happening is that the billionaire hucksters have run head-first into the rock-solid political belief that The People get to decide our common destiny, not a handful of techno-scammers.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

Here they come again. Every couple of decades another infestation of smiling, winking, fast-talking, corporate hucksters descends on rural America.The scammers have varied from Big Oil's notorious land men to peddlers of private prisons. But this one is the biggest, most important flimflam yet, with Silicon Valley billionaires and Wall Street speculators rushing through the countryside buying up vast tracts of land.Why? Because Amazon, Google, Meta, and dozens of other tech profiteers are converting their corporations into Artificial Intelligence robotic empires, and each AI facility is absolutely humongous, requiring airport-size swaths of land.Acreage is the least of it though, for the data centers consume Niagara Falls-levels of water. So local families, farms, factories, and businesses suddenly find their essential water supply being raided by faraway corporate water suckers.Also, local utility bills skyrocket as profiteers drain enormous amounts of electric power from the area's grid. Worse, corporate lobbyists squeeze local officials to subsidize this thievery! For example, a private equity predator named Apollo Global Management recently fleeced a New York county for $1.4 billion in “job-creation” subsidies for a sprawling data center that will – get this – employ only 125 people. Yes, that's $11 million per job – with actual workers only getting a pittance of it.You don't need a big schnoz to smell this stink. The good news is that county officials across the country are beginning to say “NO” to AI's money grab. Also, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have proposed a national moratorium on this corporate frenzy to impose an AI future that We the People do not want. For more information and action, go to foodandwaterwatch.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

Given the increasing dominance of right-wing politics by arrogant, super-rich Tech Bros, here's a question about wealth inequality for you barroom philosophers to ponder: Does one have to be born a jackass to become a billionaire, or does becoming a billionaire cause jackassim?Either way, they do seem to go together – as in Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, and so forth, ad nauseum. Oddly, the richer they get, the whinier they become, devolving into over-privileged crybabies.Consider the appalling example of that California clique of Thiel, Zuck, and other Silicon super-richies. They've been caterwauling that if voters approve a proposed wealth tax on billionaires, By Gollies, they'll just up and abandon the state. So? Do they not know that voters know that nearly all tax subsidies have long profited undeserving vainglorious elites like them at everyone else's expense? So excuse us if we don't join their pity party. In fact, most of us commoners would gladly trade that whole pack of pompous plutocrats for a dozen good kindergarten teachers.Besides, it's possible to be both very rich and a decent human being! I've known such people. For example, Texas businessman, Bernard Rapoport, who devoted millions to advancing labor, women, and our state's progressive movement. Or my friends, Ben & Jerry, who've spent their lifetimes and fortunes delivering financial help – and even ice cream! – to grassroots democracy fighters. Then there's the example of heirs to the Pillsbury family fortune – calling themselves the “Pillsbury Doughboys,” then later, “Doughgirls.” They have donated their inheritances to progressive causes benefitting the Common Good.As an East Texas farmer pointed out to me years ago: “Money is like manure. You can't just pile it up. It only works if you spread it across the grassroots.”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

Most people believe the American economy is being rigged by and for bankers, CEOs, and other superrich elites, because… well, because it is!With their hired armies of lawmakers, lobbyists, lawyers, and the like, they fix the economic rules so even-more of society's money and power flows uphill to them. Take corporate CEOs. While the economy somewhere between a downer and devastating for most people, the CEO class made out like bandits, with each of the three top paid corporate honchos pocketing as much as a billion dollars in personal pay!Are they geniuses, or what? What. All three of their corporations ended with big financial losses and declining value. So how can such mediocrity produce such lavish rewards? Simple – rig the pay machine.Today's corporate system of setting compensation for top executives is a flimflam disguised as a model of management rectitude. On its face, it sounds good – “Pay for performance,” it's called, meaning the CEO does well if the company does well.But who defines “doing well?” The scam at most major corporations is that the standard of corporate performance that the chief must meet to quality for a huge payday is set by each corporation's board of directors. Guess who they are? Commonly, board members are the CEO's handpicked brothers-in-law, golfing buddies, and corporate cronies. So, they set the bar for winning multimillion-dollar executive paychecks so low that a sack of concrete could jump over it.This is Jim Hightower saying, well, can't corporate shareholders just vote no on any executive excess? Yes, but corporate rules decree that votes by shareholders are merely advisory, meaning top executives can ignore them, grab the money, and run. The system is fixed and we need to break it!Do something!There's a growing movement to crack down on excessive CEO pay that has us pretty excited— check out this resource guide from Inequality.org to join up!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

Amanda Batula and West Wilson confirmed that they are together and we dive DEEP into this trifling mess!!⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ACCESS AD-FREE, BONUS AND VIDEO EPISODES BY BECOMING A PATRON HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Taria on⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, listen to her⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and check out her⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!! Follow me on⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Support the show!⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The bomb has dropped. This is just the beginning. Kaya, Kendrick and Taylor Crumpton talk about every aspect of the Ciara, Amanda and West saga. Download and rate I Ken Not: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-ken-not-with-kendrick-tucker/id1525311067Follow Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/taylorcrumpton/Keep up with her latest pieces: https://www.taylorcrumpton.com/LOVE YOU CIARA.Also, y'all I got you with a code for ro.co for a GLP1! Baby you can get it in pill form now!Join Ro Body: ro.co/BRAVOBLACKWant to contribute to Black creatives during Black History Month: https://buymeacoffee.com/bravowhileblackFOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM HERESUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON HEREOH YEAH WE ON THREADS HEREWHAT? YOU WANT OUR FACEBOOK? I GOT YOU RIGHT HERE

Amanda Batula and West Wilson confirmed that they are together and we dive DEEP into this trifling mess!!⁠ ACCESS AD-FREE, BONUS AND VIDEO EPISODES BY BECOMING A PATRON HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Taria on⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, listen to her⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and check out her⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!! Follow me on⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All My Relations, sits down with Oglala Lakota artist Mato Wayuhi for a conversation that moves through sound and story.Mato is known for composing the music behind the award-winning series Reservation Dogs and stepping into a new acting role in The Lowdown, Mato breaks down how he builds story across mediums, from studio to the screen. Mato being selected for the Forbes 30 Under 30 marks his growing impact on Indigenous representation in film and music.Matika and Temryss get into Mato's musical evolution from early projects like Stone Cold Lover and Indians in the Cupboard to Stankface and the Rez Dogs Theme, Mato takes us through the journey of his sound. He shares insight into his latest album Bygoner and its lead single “Leftovers” (2025), along with his work on the Free Leonard Peltier soundtrack (2025), grounding his artistry in both personal expression and political commitment.Throughout the episode, Mato speaks on his creative process, the responsibility he carries as a Lakota artist, and the intention behind every beat, score, and performance. Featuring compositions from Mato's growing discography and deep conversation, come with us into Mato's world—where sound becomes expression, resistance, and connection.+++++++A/V Production/Video Edit by Francisco “Pancho” Sánchez @videosdelsanchoMusic by Mato Wayuhi @matowayuhiProduced by Matika Wilbur @matikawilburEpisode Artwork by Kitana Marie @creatortwahnaSocial Media by Mandy Yeahpau @dontguacblocText us your thoughts!Support the showFollow us on Instagram @amrpodcast, or support our work on Patreon.  Show notes are published on our website, Allmyrelationspodcast.com. Matika's book Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America is available now!  T'igwicid and Hyshqe for being on this journey with us.