Nicholas Linke uses Mario Bros. 3 to argue that science is less about absolute Truth and more about usefulness. With an analogy of Raccoon Tails and Frog Suits, he draws a parallel between the pragmatics that science provides when politics prescribes behaviors that utilize our power-ups of vaccines and masks to beat this Delta variant.

Chat with Angie Dunlap of League of Women VotersChat with Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, MO 78th Dist. (took over for Bruce Franks, JR.)Talkin' Politics with Rachel Parker and Adam Sommer on Missouri COVID/Public health and Anti-trust issuesAdditional Required Readings: https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/win/https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine-trackerhttps://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-announces-donald-g-kauerauf-lead-missouri-department-healthhttps://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article252922753.htmlhttps://techcrunch.com/2021/07/20/biden-jonathan-kanter-doj/https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/astrophysicist-neil-degrasse-tyson-breaks-down-how-rich-jeff-bezos-is-on-twitter-9827671.htmlhttps://www.inc.com/jason-aten/googles-ceo-sundar-pichai-is-facing-intense-criticism-for-his-leadership-his-response-is-pure-emotional-intelligence.html

COVID special report

Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law. https://law.justia.com/constitution/missouri/article-iii/section-51/https://abc17news.b-cdn.net/abc17news.com/2021/07/Opinion_SC99185.pdf

Drought and Agriculture. Flooding and Environmental Justice. Drinking-water and Epigenetics.Sean and Nicholas discuss the upcoming Deep Dive Series of episodes focused on the role of Water in the Heartland.

Talkin’ PoliticsAuthoritarian regimes are spying on journalists, human rights activists, and politicians Pegasus is a malware that infects iPhones and Android devices to enable operators of the tool to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/18/revealed-leak-uncovers-global-abuse-of-cyber-surveillance-weapon-nso-group-pegasusCOVID - the unavoidable topicAnti-vax messaging continues to filter from Fox https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/13/us/fox-news-hosts-smear-covid-shots-despite-outbreaks-among-the-unvaccinated.htmlhttps://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-cases-deaths-rising-u-s-cdc-warns-pandemic-unvaccinated-n1274161Media/Digital content filtering and literacy - talk about where the information came fromWe’ve been talking about combating the misinformation and alternatives to calling a Trump supporter or fox news watcher a moron or shouting them downhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/15/theres-a-new-tactic-for-exposing-you-to-radical-content-online-the-slow-red-pill$3.5 Trillion budget reconciliation measurehttps://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/14/democrats-3point5-trillion-budget-package-funds-family-programs-clean-energy-medicare-expansion.htmlBut progressives, who strongly support the budget resolution, want the exact opposite: proof that their ambitious budget bill can pass before they agree to join centrist Democrats and Republicans in approving the watered-down infrastructure planJay Nixon running for senate in Missouri? https://missouriindependent.com/2021/07/12/jay-nixon-plans-to-headline-clay-county-democrat-event-fueling-senate-speculation/Our very scientific poll shows that the twitter followers of heartland POD are pretty well split on if it’s a good thing or notBasically 53% positive 47% not positiveNotably 33% answered “Nah that aint it”Last Call - George W. Bush has some thoughts about the President’s job, again - after a strange 4 year silence https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/breaks-my-heart-former-president-bush-says-afghanistan-troop-withdrawal-n1273904

Heartland Headlines$300 Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments Should Be Made Permanent, says Treasury Secretary Janet YellenArkansas Attracting Large-Scale Lithium MinerMissouri County Threatened by CAFO OperatorMajority Leader Chuck Schumer Wants Federal Marijuana LegalizationLightning Round5. MO GOP Sen Blunt Says Everybody Should Get Vaccinated6. Frito Lay Workers on Strike7. Katy Trail Complete after 34 Years8. Huge, Invasive Goldfish Muck Up Minnesota Lakes

Adam Sommer takes to the mic solo to discuss some of the communication breakdowns and ways that the political discourse has failed, and how the left can embrace pragmatism and pluralism in favor of the vitriol spewed at the right.

Talkin’ Politics Covid numbers in red states are spiking again - 7 day average in MO is back to over 1,400, looks similar to last Sept. when the biggest spike in MO startedRemember always about 10 days to 2 weeks behind on the stats, so a trend up like this is likely to mean a continued spike upMissouri still WAY behind in vaccine rate - still under 40% for fully vaccinatedhttps://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine-trackerFailures in leadership To be clear Parson ASKED for Help from the Federal Gov., THEN said that Federal workers going door to door would not be welcomehttps://www.kmbc.com/article/federal-officials-push-back-after-gov-mike-parson-says-missouri-doesnt-want-door-to-door-covid-19-vaccine-help/36972185#EARLIEST I can find of Parson urging folks get the vaccine was JUNE 30 of 2021, so like 2 weeks ago, not even 2 weekshttps://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-coronavirus-pandemic-health-6fbc3d85f5305ffdb048f62ff7d94e19Poor messaging by Biden admin?Class warfare extends to medicine Talking like University liberals about the science and the virus doesn’t sell to folks who don’t trust the messengerWHY THE FAUCI OBSESSION Why is gop so interested in their core voter group NOT getting vaccinated? Seems counterproductive Noam Chomsky’s message to dems - Dems MUST stop abandoning the working classhttps://truthout.org/articles/noam-chomsky-to-retain-power-democrats-must-stop-abandoning-the-working-class/The Dem Party Country ClubificationGoes along with the Covid issue, working class has bought the GOP culture How can dems make comeback hereThe JD Vance block of the GOPEducated, doing well, but play acting

COVID variants run wild among unvaccinatedIRS Backlog affecting millions of refundsGOP Voter Suppression efforts impacting grassroots voter registration drivesNew IA Beef Company seeks to serve small farmersIL has its first vaccine lottery winnersCongresswoman Cori Bush, STL Mayor Tishaura Jones and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock are reimagining public safetyMO Gov Parson Peddles Hysterical bullshitTX Rep Roy Wants 18 Months of ChaosMcConnell wants to have his stimulus and eat it too.