Public memorials honouring those lost in war will be quite different this year, with many opting to pay their respects virtually, rather than in person. With that in mind, Christine and JJ describe the memorials where national ceremonies are held in Canada, England, Australia, and the U.S.  Then, they shift their focus to instantly iconic images of VP-elect Kamala Harris, and perhaps the most bizarre press conference of 2020: Rudy Giuliani at Four Seasons Total Landscaping 

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In this companion episode to our coverage of pre-election visuals, Christine and JJ discuss images of voters casting their ballots, neighbourhood polling stations, and the dedicated election staff and volunteers working in extraordinary conditions. Then they scan the morning papers to see how last night's front page news was covered in the English-speaking world.

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This has been an unprecedented U.S. election campaign rife with political and social drama. In this special election-day episode, recorded at 9am on Tuesday November 3rd,  Christine and JJ discuss the visuals of the final days and hours of the campaign, including courthouse clashes in North Carolina, Trump Trains in Texas, fences surrounding the White House, and long lines of voters determined to do their part. 

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Has your neighbour's lawn become a graveyard overnight? Do wispy green ghosts float in nearby bedroom windows? Is the little old lady down the block dressed like a creepy, silent serial killer? It must be Halloween! From barfing jack-o-lanterns, to Zoom meeting costumes, and gory DIY illusions using iPads and projectors, Christine and JJ delight in the visuals of Halloween, and share some blood-curdling laughs while they're at it! 

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Editorial cartoons have a long history of stirring up emotions by distilling complex societal problems and complaints for the masses. But are today's cartoonists adding to important political conversations, or just preaching to the converted? In this episode, JJ and Christine describe and discuss recent political and editorial cartoons, and discover that neither end of the political spectrum corners the market on hard-hitting, cringe-worthy, dark humour.

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For many of us, Zoom has become a feature of daily life, and can sometimes be a lifeline to the outside world. In this episode, Christine and JJ explore the visuals of the platform, from the Touch Up tool to custom backgrounds, and share uproarious laughs over scandalous scenes captured by Zoom's cameras. Then JJ takes us on a virtual tour of fall colours around the world. 

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Many important political and social justice issues have come to a head in 2020, dominating the news cycle and shifting focus from another problem with global ramifications - the climate crisis. In this episode Christine and JJ examine photos and videos of the natural world in distress, and discuss the visualization tools that help us understand and appreciate the scientific data and satellite imagery. Plus witty and empowering protest signs from student climate strikes!

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"Never get into a TikTok battle with the teenage daughter you've just infected with Covid" might not be a common political proverb, but this is 2020! In this short bonus episode we wade into the recent TikTok drama between Claudia Conway and her mother - Trump insider Kellyanne Conway.  

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All around the world, kids, parents, and teachers are wading into the school year, figuring it out as it goes. In this episode, Christine and JJ tug at the old heart strings as they discuss the visuals of back to school resourcefulness and resilience. From socially distanced kids in schoolyard lines, to re-imagined desks and forest schools, we look at learning in the COVID present, and dig up photos of education during earlier pandemics and outbreaks to see how they did it “back in the day.”

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“In politics, appearance matters more than truth,” writes American author Robin Hobb. In advance of the upcoming debates, Christine and JJ consider each of the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates in the 2020 U.S. election, and discuss their looks, expressions, styles, and mannerisms. It's all about the visuals of political personas in this extended episode of Talk Description to Me.

For links to articles and videos discussed in this episode, check out our latest blog post. 

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