What A Day

In July of 2014, Iranian-American journalist Jason Rezaian and his wife were accused of being spies by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and were arrested. Jason was held captive for 544 days, and he’s the host of Crooked Media’s podcast, “544 Days.” He joins us to discuss his experience in captivity. 

And in headlines: Merck asked the FDA for emergency use authorization of its experimental COVID-19 pill, Southwest Airlines cancelled thousands of flights since last weekend, and DC Comics announced that the new Superman is bisexual.

Show Notes:

Listen to “544 Days,” only on Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3v2QX5r

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Guns were involved in three out of every four homicides in 2020, and 2021 is shaping up to be deadly, too. According to the Gun Violence Archive, from January 1st to September 15th of this year, more than 14,000 people died from gun violence in the U.S. Moms Demand Action founder, Shannon Watts, joined us to discuss Demand a Seat. It's a program that recruits gun violence survivors and activists to run for elected office and become more engaged in our politics.

And in headlines: Texas’s restrictive anti-abortion law is back in effect, Iraqis voted in parliamentary elections, and Moderna has been supplying their shots almost exclusively to the world’s wealthiest countries.

Show Notes:

Moms Demand Action: Demand A Seat – https://www.everytown.org/demand-a-seat/

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Players across the National Women’s Soccer League have recently gone public with stories of verbal, emotional, and sexual abuse and harassment. Following these reports of abuse, the league cancelled all five games scheduled for last weekend. And when games resumed on Wednesday, the saga culminated with dramatic moments of silent protests at all league matches. Meg Linehan, who covers the world of women’s soccer for The Athletic, joins us to discuss the developing story. 

And in headlines: the Senate voted to raise the country’s debt ceiling for now, Pfizer-BioNTech asked the FDA to authorize its vaccine for emergency use in kids 5-11, and Biden signs an executive order today to protect national monuments shrunk in size by Trump.

Show Notes:

The Athletic: “‘This guy has a pattern’: Amid institutional failure, former NWSL players accuse prominent coach of sexual coercion” – https://bit.ly/3oJ5TVs

The Athletic’s Meg Linehan – https://twitter.com/itsmeglinehan

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The Biden administration announced it will overhaul the student loan forgiveness program for public service employees. It was supposed to forgive certain federal loans of people who worked in the public sector or at non-profit jobs for at least 10 years, but about 98 percent of those who applied were denied. The change will help over a half-million borrowers.

Work at all of the Kellogg Company’s U.S. cereal plants came to a halt. As of Tuesday, 1,400 workers across the country went on strike. Workers want better health care, holiday and vacation pay, and more. Before you panic shop, it is not immediately clear how much the supply of Frosted Flakes will be disrupted.

And in headlines: a federal judge blocked the enforcement of Texas’s restrictive anti-abortion law, Mitch McConnell offered to suspend the country’s debt ceiling through December, and the New York Public Library announced no more late fees for overdue material.

Show Notes:

NY Times: “A Guide to Big Changes for Public Service Loan Forgiveness” – https://nyti.ms/3BeWyrI

Vice: “‘People Work 100 Days Straight’: Kellogg’s Workers Shut Down Cereal Factories” – https://bit.ly/3uOA2Ue

The Guardian: “Wave of US labor unrest could see tens of thousands on strike within weeks” – https://bit.ly/3AnCdPz

Jonah Furman from Labor Notes – https://whogetsthebird.substack.com/p/weekly40

Ernest Johnson was executed in Missouri, yesterday. Johnson had been on death row for over 25 years after being convicted of the 1994 murder of three people. However, pleas for clemency from his supporters, including Pope Francis, intensified recently, saying Johnson’s intellectual disabilities made the execution unconstitutional and immoral.

The FDA’s advisory committee will be considering more booster shots, next week, as well as Pfizer vaccines for young children. Also, the drug company Merck said that its pill to treat COVID-19 reduced the risk of hospitalization among high risk people by 50 percent in a clinical trial. 

And in headlines: a report found the French Catholic Church abused more than 200,000 minors over the last 70 years, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before the Senate, and a Russian film crew arrived at the International Space Station to make history.

Show Notes:

NY Times: “Missouri Executes Death Row Prisoner Despite Pleas From Pope and Others” – https://nyti.ms/3msq0nV

Bloomberg: “Everything You Need to Know About Merck’s Game-Changing Covid Pill” – https://bloom.bg/3mvGADg

NY Times: “Who Is the Bad Art Friend?” – https://nyti.ms/2WJQ6tM

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram were offline for six hours yesterday in what’s been called the most sustained and the largest outage for the company in recent memory. It came a day after CBS aired an interview with a Facebook whistleblower, and on the same day the company filed a dismissal in an anti-trust lawsuit by the federal government.

The latest Supreme Court term began, yesterday, and there is a lot to keep our eyes on with the current 6-3 conservative majority. The court is going to hear arguably the most important 2nd Amendment case since at least 2008, possibly the most impactful reproductive health ruling in decades, and more.

And in headlines: union members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees voted to authorize a strike, Senate Republicans vow to not raise the country’s debt ceiling, and Clint Eastwood won a $6.1 million lawsuit against a CBD company.

Show Notes:

Washington Post: “Facebook apps coming back online after widespread outage” – https://wapo.st/3BcQ3Wu

Wall Street Journal: “​​The Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen, Says She Wants to Fix the Company, Not Harm It” – https://on.wsj.com/3AcO8zE

Balls and Strikes – https://ballsandstrikes.org/

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Wisconsin's 34-year-old Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes is one of the many Democrats running to beat Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson. Johnson's seat has been seen as one of the most likely to flip to Democratic hands next year. We interviewed Barnes about entering the primary with statewide name recognition and his overt effort to be the staunch progressive in next year's race.

And in headlines: a 126,000 gallon oil spill hits the Southern California shores, a historically Black beach in L.A. is returned to its founders' descendants, and Ozy Media is shutting down.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Congress approved a short-term spending bill to keep the government open until early December, but Democrats are still scrambling to strike deals on social policies and infrastructure.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the union representing thousands of workers in the entertainment industry, has been at a months-long impasse in contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers over issues like more time for rest and better wages. Today, union members begin to vote on strike authorization.

And in headlines: the Department of Homeland Security issued new guidelines regarding immigrants who are undocumented, Facebook’s head of safety testified at a Senate hearing, and Shakira and her son were overrun by two wild hogs.

Show Notes:

KTVO: “UAW members gear up for strike amid contract negotiations with John Deere” – https://bit.ly/3utpMjV

Vote in Fat Bear Week – https://explore.org/fat-bear-week

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Britney Spears' father has been suspended as conservator of her estate. Her lawyer requested that a separate hearing be set in 30 to 45 days, and #FreeBritney activists hope Spears will be free by her 40th birthday.

Members of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the union that represents all kinds of people behind the scenes on TV and movie sets, will begin voting on a strike authorization tomorrow. The union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have been negotiating a new contract for the last four months. 

And in headlines: YouTube cracks down on the spread of vaccine misinformation, the U.S. government declared 22 animals and one plant extinct, and the NBA says players who miss games for not complying with vaccine mandates will not be paid for missed time.

Show Notes:

LA Times: “Hollywood union calls for strike authorization vote by crew workers” – https://lat.ms/3m5wLMi

Statement: IATSE President Calls on Members to Authorize Strike – https://bit.ly/3ojVdfN

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

After Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would have funded the government and raised the debt ceiling, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Congress it would be catastrophic if lawmakers didn’t raise that ceiling. Additionally, the House is supposed to vote on the infrastructure package tomorrow. Crooked Media’s Editor-in-Chief Brian Beutler joins us to break down all of the Congressional news. 

And in headlines: U.S. defense officials testified before the Senate, Alabama state lawmakers plan to use the state’s COVID relief funds to build new prisons, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is under scrutiny for her nepotism.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday