The Daily Dive

Is it illegal for businesses to require proof of vaccination? Short answer is no. In some states such as Texas, Florida, Utah and others, they have banned vaccine passports, but that does not apply to private businesses. Misinformation is floating around on the internet citing protection from Fourth Amendment, but the reality is, a business can ask you to voluntarily disclose your vaccination status and you can refuse, but that business also has the right to refuse you entry. Sasha Hupka, reporter at CapRadio.org, joins us for some fact checking.

Next, it was August 1, 1981 when MTV was launched playing the first ever music video on television. That video was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. To celebrate the importance of MTV as a cultural and musical force, there is a new exhibit at the Grammy Museum in Mississippi. The exhibit is called MTV Turns 40: I Still Want My MTV and is open to the public now. It spotlights pivotal moments in their history… everything from its inception to Yo! MTV Raps!, MTV Unplugged, Beavis and Butthead, and even the Jersey Shore. Bob Santelli, founding Executive Director of the Grammy Museum and curator of the MTV exhibit, joins us for what MTV meant for music and popular culture.

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President Biden continues to promote his infrastructure plan across the country, but behind the scenes negotiations continue with not much progress. Senate Republicans offered a counter proposal that was just under $1 trillion with money for more traditional projects and paid for in part by using Covid relief funds. There is also still debate on the exact definition of infrastructure. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for infrastructure talks, immigration, and Biden calling for a Covid probe.

Next, the coronavirus lab leak theory got extra attention last week as we found out that three researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology got sick in November of 2019 and sought treatment at a hospital. Their symptoms were consistent with Covid and common seasonal illnesses. Also being talk about was an abandoned Chinese mine where people got sick after clearing bat guano. Scientists from the Wuhan institute took samples and found several new coronaviruses in 2012. Ken Dilanian national security correspondent at NBC News, joins us for why calls to investigate the coronavirus origins have intensified.  

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Washington is swirling with UFO chatter right now as many eagerly await an intelligence report due sometime next month. Top senators, pentagon insiders, and former CIA directors have been weighing in on the subject, but that hasn’t always been the case. UFO talk usually got you in trouble or got you strange looks. Michael Rosenwald, reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for how UFO sightings went from jokes to national security concern.

Next, for all those that are out traveling this Memorial Day weekend, get ready for high costs and lots of people. As the economy continues to rebound from the pandemic, we are seeing vacations get more expensive with rising airfare and hotel rates. The price of gas is even making road trips more expensive too. Leslie Josephs, airline reporter at CNBC, joins us for why costs are quickly going up.

Finally, a new treatment known as optogenetic therapy has given a blind man some of his vision back. Light- activated proteins were inserted into eye nerve cells and paired with specials goggles that emit flashes of amber-hued light. This combination allowed the man with a degenerative eye disease to see and count objects, when he could previously just detect some light. Tina Hesman Saey, senior writer at Science News, joins us for more.

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There has been a lot of volatility with cryptocurrency lately, especially for bitcoin. China has been one of the key factors in the ups and downs. China recently took some actions that will likely ban all bitcoin mining there soon. About 75% of all bitcoin mining currently happens in China. Last week they also warned financial institutions not to participate in crypto transactions. Tim De Chant, tech policy reporter at Ars Technica, joins us for what is happening in the crypto market.

Next, the pandemic has changed how we shop and some things like wider aisles and curbside pickup will be sticking around, while companies that don’t adapt may continue to close. Retailers are expecting a spending boom, but business will have to give consumers reasons to get out, like new concept stores and in-store experiences. Hillary George-Parkin, contributor to Vox, joins us for what to expect from post-pandemic shopping.

Finally, the Army is getting some upgrades. New night vision goggles are being rolled out that look like the stuff out of video games. We all know the green-washed look of the traditional night vision equipment, but the new goggles offer more contrast with soldiers, objects, and locations outlined in white. It also offers augmented reality capabilities. Dalvin Brown, innovations reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for the new night vision tech.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week signed a ‘Big Tech’ bill aimed at cracking down on social media giants like Facebook and Twitter for deplatforming conservatives. The bill makes it illegal to remove candidates for office from their social media in the lead up to an election. It also makes it easier for the Florida attorney general and individuals to sue big tech. Ana Ceballos, reporter at the Miami Herald, joins us for this new law that will most certainly be challenged in court.

Next, another important piece of the vaccine puzzle has come into play. Moderna says that its vaccine has been found to be 100% effective in kids ages 12-17, two week after their second dose. Moderna will seek for FDA authorization early in June offering more choices for families over summer vacation and before the new school year begins. Elizabeth Weise, national correspondent at USA Today, joins us for how this will help bring us closer to herd immunity.

Finally, the recent unionization effort at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama failed, but the fight continues. In a hearing before the National Labor Relations Board, the union is arguing that a mailbox installed on the grounds by the Post Office interfered with how workers may have voted. Amazon wanted workers to use the mailbox to cast their ballots. Sara Morrison, reporter at Vox’s Recode, joins us for why the decision to overturn the votes may come down to this mailbox.

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Who is out there driving in-person economic spending as the country recovers from the pandemic? Right now, vaccinated consumers have been less likely to go out to restaurants and entertainment venues than those who don’t plan to get the vaccine. Early data shows that the vaccinated are still cautious and avoiding large crowds. Many states that have higher vaccination rates have had a slower rebounds of in-person spending and experts say that spending among vaccinated people will most likely be at full force by summer. Sarah Chaney Cambon, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for more.

Next, an interesting story about a man named Robert McDaniel who was put on Chicago PD’s Heat List. Chicago’s predictive policing program said he would be involved with a shooting, but didn’t specify what side he would be on. After an algorithm decided he would be on the list, police increased their surveillance of McDaniel and he also became a pariah in his own community… the increased scrutiny made people think he could have been a police informant. In the end, McDaniel was a victim who was shot twice on separate occasions. Matt Stroud, contributor to the Verge, joins us for Robert McDaniel’s life on the “heat list.”

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There's been a lot of buzz about UFOs in the news lately. Some new video from 2019 was recently leaked showing an object flying by a Navy ship and disappearing into the water. Former President Obama was also recently asked about what he knew about these strange objects. This is all leading up to an upcoming report to be delivered to Congress that will supposedly detail what the Pentagon knows about unidentified aerial phenomena. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for UFOs, Georgia and Arizona still looking into election results and the vote to create a Jan.6 commission moves to the Senate.

Next, President Trump and many of his allies continue to push the claim that there was mass fraud during the last election causing him to lose. Multiple lawsuits have been thrown out in court as there is no evidence to the claims. Arizona is currently going through an audit looking for irregularities. While many of these allegations have been pushed out for some time, where did they originate? Many of the key elements of the story saying the election was stolen from Trump were formed by a man named Russell Ramsland Jr. who was delivering presentations about fraud and voting machines as early as 2018. Jon Swaine, investigative reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for how the stolen election myth was made.

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.