In our last episode of Season 2 (or ever?), we discuss the power of words and language to reinforce systems and to subvert them. Also, Vana is not here to get a degree in linguistics, Teresa finds more sponsorship opportunities for us, and Simmy forgets the name of the pod, but finally remembers our Twitter handle!

**Explicit language warning: We use stronger language than usual this episode.**

Content note: We mention some distressing news stories. This guide provides some suggestions for how to cope with traumatic news events.

If you’re viewing this in an app, see full show notes here.

 

In the news

Australia had the country’s hottest day on record on December 18th, with average temperatures across the entire continent reaching 41.9C (107.4F). 

The Brazilian space research institute INPE has released pictures showing deforestation of the Amazon forest is at record levels. 

Somalia is experiencing the worst desert locust plague in 25 years.

Dr Margaret Lawrence, pioneering doctor of psychiatry, died last week.

The Italian Serie A football league created an anti-racism campaign that contained images of face-painted chimpanzees.

The charter of Fudan University, a top university in China, has had a phrase referring to “freedom of thought” removed and a phrase pledging obedience to the Communist party added.

Donald Trump has become the third US President to be impeached by the US House of Representatives.

Former Education Minister Hassan Diab has been nominated to become Lebanon’s prime minister, sparking further protests against the government.

People are protesting in many countries around the world currently, including:

* In France, doctors are protesting cuts to healthcare and there are ongoing protests about pension reforms.

In the Czech Republic, protesters are calling for the prime minister to resign after prosecutors reopened a case into alleged subsidy fraud against him.

In Poland, protesters are opposing new laws that would give the government power to control and fire judges.

In Spain, Catalan protesters continue to demand independence, and there were protests outside the UN climate forum calling for greater action on climate change.

In Chile,

We discuss the power and influence wielded by three media moguls: William Randolph Hearst, Rupert Murdoch, and Jack Dorsey. Also, Simmy ponders if she could be friends with Rupert (and his bust of Lenin), Vana thinks not spreading misinformation is a good life rule, and Teresa learned about echidna feet. 

If you’re viewing this in an app, see full show notes here.

 

In the news

This week Sanna Marin was sworn in as the new Finnish Prime Minister. 

Bougainville has voted for independence from Papua New Guinea in a landslide victory with 97% of voters in favor of autonomy. 

India’s parliament passed a new citizenship bill that would allow undocumented migrants living in the country to apply for a passport, however, it specifically excludes Muslims.

Algeria’s controversial Presidential election was held this week.

The International Criminal Court has heard a case against the Myanmar military who have been accused of the attempted genocide of the Rohingya people. 

Islamist militants attacked an army camp in the city of Inates in western Niger, killing at least 70 soldiers.

Emergency and aid workers in Uganda have been working to recover bodies and assist displaced peoples after extreme rain caused extensive flooding (in part due to this weather phenomenon in the Indian Ocean that has also contributed to the early start of the Australian bushfire season).

On Wednesday a US federal judge ruled that Trump cannot divert funds from other causes to build a border wall with Mexico. 

Nepal has made its first ever menstruation hut arrest, after 21 year old Parbati Buda Rawat died from suffocation in a hut. 

This week a tentative settlement has been reached in the case of dozens of victims who have sued Harvey Weinstein. We discuss how men who have been accused or convicted of sexual assault apologize and repent. What are, and what should be, the ramifications for their behavior? We mention apologies by Mario Batali (not a good example) and Dan Harmon (a better example). 

 

Making sense of systems: Media Mogul Manfluencers

We discuss how distance makes it harder for people in rural areas to access health care services, and some programs different countries have introduced to try and address this issue. Also, Teresa might share her Disney+ login if you’re nice, Simmy is keen to start a travelling healthcare truck business, and Vana is predictably reclaiming her time with a show that explores the theme of friendship.

Content note: We mention some distressing news stories. This guide provides some suggestions for how to cope with traumatic news events.

If you’re viewing this in an app, see full show notes here.

In the news

The US Congress is proceeding with impeachment of the President.

Malta’s Prime minister, Joseph Muscat, has announced he will resign following allegations his former chief of staff was involved in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017.

Video and stories are slowly emerging of Iran’s brutal crackdown against protestors, with estimates of over 200 people dying.

In response to demands from pro-democracy activists, Sudan’s transitional government has dissolved the former ruling party and repealed a number of laws used to regulate women’s behaviour. 

Massive strikes in France began Thursday to protest Macron’s proposed changes to the retirement system. 

A measles outbreak in Samoa has led to 62 deaths, 54 of those were children under the age of four.

The Australian government has repealed Medevac laws designed to give doctors more say in medical transfers of refugees in off-shore detention centers to the Australian mainland for treatment. 

India has erupted in protests this week after a veterinarian was gang-raped on her way home from work in Hyderabad. India is still one of the most dangerous places in the world for women and girls.

The US labor department has launched a suit against tech giant Oracle, claiming the company underpaid women and minority workers by 401 million dollars over 4 years. 

Appalling rates of workplace inclusion are evident in many occupations including...

We discuss TV shows, books, and movies we do NOT recommend you reclaim your time with, aka unpopular pop culture opinions. Vana would prefer if this episode were called ‘Things that are not for me, but you feel free to enjoy,’ Teresa likes her tension in real life only, and Simmy is two ciders in and not here for the problematic Joker movie. 

 

For more Cider & Sensitivity follow us on Twitter, @ciderandsense. 

Logo and artwork by Kelsey Perrykkad

Music “Funky Feelgood” by Christopher Gerard Bernard (BMI), Lynne Publishing

We discuss historical and current discrimination in housing based on race (often referred to in the US as ‘redlining’). Also, Simmy won’t stop sneaking in TV recommendations, Vana does her best impression of the Tardis, and Teresa proposes we start a DVD lending service for our listeners.

Content note: We mention some distressing news stories. This guide provides some suggestions for how to cope with traumatic news events.

If you’re viewing this in an app, see full show notes here.

In the news

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was indicted on corruption and bribery charges this week.

There has been growing violence toward protesters after a week of confrontations in Iran. The government has shut down the internet to stop protestors sharing video and stories about the violence. 

A further 38 Colombian municipalities were declared free of landmines, bringing the total number of areas certified as mine free to 391 of 700 municipalities.

Sri Lanka has voted in Gotabaya Rajapaksa as their new president. 

Flooding in late October in Somalia has led to a high risk of famine, with an NGO group estimating that around 6.3 million people in the country have insufficient food supplies.

Despite being granted bail, a prominent journalist and former Nigerian presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore is still being detained by the country’s intelligence agency after his arrest in August.

Last week protesters occupied Polytechnic University in Hong Kong as the months-long demonstrations continue.

Scientists have reported positive outcomes from a clinical trial of gene editing to alleviate the symptoms of sickle cell disease.

US fast food chain Chick-fil-a has changed its charitable donation policies and now many charities they previously donated to will not be receiving donations this year, including two charities that have been criticized for being anti-LGBTQ. We discuss if this change should be attributed to boycotts against the company, and when boycotts are more or less effective.

 

Making sense of systems: Housing Bias: Seeing Red

Redlining is a generic term used in the US to indicate discrimination in housing ...

We discuss the challenges the Shona, the Rohingya, and the Uyghur communities face as stateless peoples and the systems that created their statelessness. Also, Teresa tries to throw a wrench into Vana and Simmy’s friendship, Simmy defies our episode structure by reclaiming her time during a mini do-better in the news section, and Vana is leaning in to her #WarmHug brand. 

Content notes: 

We mention some distressing news stories. This guide provides some suggestions for how to cope with traumatic news events.

We advise any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners that in the news section we mention the name of a person who has died.

In our Making Sense of Systems segment we discuss topics that may be distressing to some listeners, including human rights abuses and sexual assault.

If you’re viewing this in an app, see full show notes here.

In the news

For the second time this year, national elections in Spain have returned a deadlocked result. 

Two people in Beijing have been diagnosed with pneumonic plague, which is even deadlier than the infamous bubonic plague. 

A whistleblower has revealed that Google now has access to identifiable medical information of up to 50 million people as part of a data sharing deal with US health care provider Ascension.

Roula Khalaf will become the first woman to edit the Financial Times in its 131-year history when the current editor steps down early next year. 

A lawsuit has been filed a former employees of McDonald’s against the fast food giant for allegedly creating and sustaining a culture of systemic sexual harassment. 

The Zimbabwean government has fired more than 200 doctors who have been striking since early September. 

A 22-year old political science student set himself on fire outside the student aid building in Lyon this week to protest poverty among university students in France. 

Last week the police in the Northern Territory, Australia shot and killed Kumanjayi Walker in the town of Yuendumu. There have been protests across the country and a police officer has now been charged with murder. 

A new Ebola vaccine has been approved in Europe and has an effective protection rate of 97.5%.

There have been recent devastating wildfires in California, USA and bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland,

We’re baaaaaaaaaaack! We talk about the perils of automated debt collection and how job ad algorithms may be good at getting clicks but can also excel at teaching themselves to perpetuate systemic inequity. Also, Vana is well caffeinated, Teresa is sick, and Simmy would like to welcome you to her Arrow TED talk.

Content note:

We mention some distressing news stories. This guide provides some suggestions for how to cope with traumatic news events.

If you’re viewing this in an app, see full show notes here.

In the news

Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, Congolese discoverer of Ebola, is finally getting credit for his discovery, made in 1976.

The price of an antibiotic that stops latent Tuberculosis from becoming active has been reduced by 66%. 

New Zealand passed a Carbon bill that commits the government and (future government) to limit warming to 1.5C.

Germany’s health minister has submitted a bill to ban so-called conversion “therapy”.

Italian footballer Mario Balotelli has again experienced racist chants from some Italian football fans. 

During drug searches, Police officers in the Australian state of NSW have been strip searching girls as young as 12. 

People in Bolivia have been protesting for several weeks after a disputed election saw Evo Morales returned as president in late October. 

Virginia’s state legislature is now Democrat and will likely pass the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution.

Protesters in Hong Kong have been demanding broad democratic reform since April. There has been a steady escalation of violence, triads have attacked protestors, and both protestors and police officers have been doxxed. Concerningly, a large proportion of people recently arrested for protesting have been under the age of 18.

 

Making Sense of Systems: Don’t automate me!

Algorithms can be accurate on some tasks such as diagnosing certain cancers from medical images. 

Centrelink robodebt refers to an aut...

Guess who’s back, back again! Check out our trailer for season 2 and look for the first episode soon! Coming up in season 2, we’ll discuss the power of words, media moguls, automation, and more.

 

For more Cider & Sensitivity follow us on Twitter, @ciderandsense.

Logo and artwork by Kelsey Perrykkad

Music “Funky Feelgood” by Christopher Gerard Bernard (BMI), Lynne Publishing

In the last episode of season 1 we discuss intersectional design, examples of poor design, and how the design process can become more inclusive. Also, Vana’s drink choice is finally found to be acceptable, Simmy manages to bring up peeing again (on topic for once), and Teresa is not here for your GoT tweets.

Content note:

We mention some distressing news stories. This guide provides some suggestions for how to cope with traumatic news events.

 

In the news [03:00]

The Liberal/National Party coalition have retained power after the Australian federal election.

The Alabama Governor has signed into law a bill that bans all abortions unless the woman’s health is at serious risk, making performing an abortion a felony offense.

Australian Rugby has fired Israel Folau after he was found in breach of the rugby code of conduct for posting homophobic statements and memes and refusing to take them down.

Taiwan has become the first country in Asia to legalize same sex marriage.

North Korea is currently experiencing its worst drought since 2001 and the UN is concerned there will be severe food shortages.

The 2019 graduating class at West Point Military Academy has 34 black women and 19 Hispanic women – the highest ever graduating numbers for both groups.

An Israeli webcast of the first Eurovision semi-final was interrupted by a fake warning of a missile attack.

At the “Christchurch call” summit in Paris seventeen countries, the European commission and eight technology companies have agreed to eliminate violent and extremist content on social media platforms.

Earlier this month a redacted version of Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller’s summary report into Russian interference in the 2016 US election was released.

 

News to look out for

News from Venezuela – talks have begun in Norway between representatives for the president and the opposition leader, but there are now reports of fuel shortages in Caracas.

Abortion bans and the US Supreme court: There are now 7 US states with abortion bans on the books, despite the procedure being legal at the federal level.

There are a lot of elections happening worldwide this year and there is a lot of racism, sexism and xenophobia being used to separate communities. If there is an election where you live don’t forget to get out and vote...

We discuss incarceration rates for Indigenous people in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, and the underlying systemic oppression these countries need to address to create less discriminatory justice systems. Also, another pop culture reference goes over Teresa’s head, we realize Dickensian debtors prisons never went out of style, and we urge people not to pee on their phones.

 

Content note:

We mention some distressing news stories. This guide provides some suggestions for how to cope with traumatic news events.

 

In the news

An Aeroflot passenger plane caught fire after making an emergency landing in Moscow, killing 41 people.

The High Court of Australia is hearing two cases involving Aboriginal men who were born overseas and who are now facing deportation due to the “character test” provisions in the migrant act.

Two Reuters journalists were released from prison in Myanmar this week, after spending over 500 days in jail for reporting on the attempted genocide of the Rohingya people.

The state of Alabama in the US is set to pass a law that would jail doctors who perform abortions and this week the state of Georgia passed a law that will ban abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected (approximately the sixth week of pregnancy).

On May 7th there was a school shooting in a small school in Colorado, US in which one student was killed and a handful of others were wounded.

This week the UN’s intergovernmental science policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services released a summary of an upcoming report that found that almost one million species are at risk of extinction.

Sort of maybe kinda good news: the UK met its power needs for a week without using coal.

A recent Court of Arbitration for Sport decision upheld an International Association of Athletics Federation policy to exclude women with differences of sex development from participating in some events if their natural levels of testosterone are too high. Not only is the policy based on some dubious science, but also many feel it is targeting South African runner Caster Semenya. We discuss who is allowed to have “advantage” and who gets the qualifier “unfair” advantage.

 

Making Sense of Systems: Incarceration rates in Indigenous populations in New Zealand, Canada, and Australia

The World Prison Brief has data on incarceration rates across...