Dr. Alberto Montero shares a reading of his essay Rounds, recently published at Journal of the Plague Year. After that, Lee Pacchia speaks with Dan Alpert, Managing Partner at Westwood Capital, about emerging signs of economic malaise as America tries to find a way out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Finally, writer Luke O'Neil talks about his project Welcome to Hell World, an ongoing series of conversations with Americans struggling through the economic downturn.

Novelist Steve Erickson shares a reading of On Fear, recently published at Journal of the Plague Year. After that, Lee Pacchia talks with Jason Koebler, Editor In Chief at  Motherboard, about his story examining thousands of reported incidents of Americans receiving unsolicited packages of seeds from China. Finally, attorney Elizabeth Savage talks about the wildfires in Oregon.

Eric Holthaus, meteorologist and writer for The Correspondent, talks with Lee Pacchia about how unusual weather activity in 2020 demonstrates worsening effects from climate change and some of the ways the United States can start to respond to the growing threat. Eric's book The Future Earth: A Radical Vision for What's Possible in the Age of Warming is out now. Also, Lee speaks with Bryn Stole, investigative journalist for the New Orleans-based The Times-Pic | The Advocate. Bryn was on the ground near Lake Charles, LA when Hurricane Laura passed through and was able to report on the storm's aftermath.

Lyz Lenz, author and columnist at The Cedar Rapids Gazette, talks with Lee Pacchia about the severe thunderstorms that brought 120 mph winds through much of Iowa last week. The storms inflicted severe damage, leaving many homeless and in need of basic services. Lyz talks about the damage and some of the reasons why it took so long for local, state and federal government officials to even realize there was a problem in Cedar Rapids. Also, Sam Thielman, writer and host of the Young Adult Movie Ministry podcast talks with Lee about his recent article in CJR on QAnon and how the viral conspiracy movement resembles certain strains of American Christian Evangelists.

David Roth, writer and podcast host, talks with Lee Pacchia about resigning with his colleagues from Deadspin and plans to start a new website and podcast under the name Defector. They also talk about the challenges facing professional sports in America in the era of coronavirus. Also, Eric Feigl-Ding, Senior Fellow at the Federation of American Scientists, talks about a spate of new studies on Covid-19 and how the press and government are communicating new information to the public. 

Susan Zakin talks with Lee Pacchia about her recent article in The Baffler discussing the concept of failed states and how the United States is starting to show early warning signs of joining such an ignominious club. Later, Lee speaks with Nandini Jammi co-founder of Sleeping Giants about her time with the online activist group organizing campaigns to force brands and organizations to take a critical look at where their ad dollars are being spent.

Ken Klippenstein, DC Correspondent at The Nation, talks about his recent scoop detailing how members of the US Customs and Border Protection Agency are behind a recent spate of previously unidentified agents detaining protestors. Later, Miles Klee, writer at Mel Magazine, wades into the debate surrounding the so-called Cancel Culture phenomenon. Co-owner and business manager, Aleksander Chan, talks to us about the launch of The Discourse Blog, a new digital media publication owned and operated by former staffers of Gizmodo Media Group's Splinter Blog.

Eric Feigl-Ding, the epidemiologist and health economist who first sounded the alarm on the pandemic in January of 2020, talks with Lee Pacchia about recent indications that the Covid-19 virus might be airborne and the challenges facing the US government and media in communicating updates and recommendations relating to the disease. Also, George Shea co-owner of Major League Eating talks about running the 2020 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest amidst the global pandemic.

Unicorn Riot is a non-profit, alternative news organization that specializes in covering protests from community members' perspective. Niko Georgiades talks with Lee Pacchia about Unicorn Riot's growth over the last five years, his work covering the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis and plans for the future. Lee also speaks with NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen about how groups like Unicorn Riot fit into the broader media landscape.