Virtually Speaking artwork

Virtually Speaking

651 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 7 years ago - ★★★★ - 14 ratings

Informal & informed conversations about politics, policy, economics, media, science and more. Sundays feature a panel of prominent members of the liberal blogosphere. Tuesdays, Jay Ackroyd talks public affairs, mostly with authors, mostly about progressive issues

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Episodes

Richard Mayhew: Health Care Policy Prognosis

February 15, 2017 02:00 - 1 hour - 55.8 MB

Richard, a health policy wonk's wonk,  joins us to discuss some gory details of the GOP HCR process.  RIchard has  spent most of his career in the health insurance industry managiing rate structures,  For several years now he has shared his knowledge of health care policy and elements of the PPACA with readers of the Balloon Juice blog. And in January he tossed aside his super hero  grab to reveal himself as David Anderson, Research Associate at Duke's Margolis Center for Health  Policy

Marcy Wheeler: Fake News is Nothing New

February 08, 2017 02:00 - 1 hour - 56 MB

There is no fact/fiction lobe, no area in the cerebral cortex that holds true facts.  We're not wired for truth---but we are deeply wired for stories. In fact, compelling stories trump true facts as often as not, and our world view is defined by the fake world of 24 or suitcase nukes than they are by cold reality. We're been looking for this program for a decade, someone who can talk clearly about the nuance of narrative, the  power of stories and the resilience of myth.  Tried twice before,...

Ian Welsh: Dark Ages

January 13, 2017 02:00 - 1 hour - 63.1 MB

Ian Welsh  has been blogging since 2003.  He was the Managing Editor of FireDogLake and the Agonist. His work has also appeared at Huffington Post, Alternet, and Truthout, as well as the now defunct Blogging of the President (BOPNews) He is an editor, writer and social media consultant who currently lives in Toronto. In this episode we discuss Ian''s review of Jane Jacobs' Dark Age Ahead. Note: Some profanity. With good reason.

Arthur Lupia: Uninformed

November 20, 2016 21:00 - 1 hour - 54.4 MB

Research polls, media interviews, and everyday conversations reveal an unsettling truth: citizens, while well-meaning and even passionate about current affairs, appear to know very little about politics. Hundreds of surveys document vast numbers of citizens answering even basic questions about government incorrectly. Given this unfortunate state of affairs, it is not surprising that more knowledgeable people often deride the public for its ignorance. Some experts even think that less informed...

Democracy's Missing Arsenal: Bloodshed Universal-Slavery Triumphant

October 16, 2016 15:00 - 46 minutes - 41.4 MB

This is the world of Democracy's Missing Arsenal, an alternate history thought experiment that chronicles world events in the century following a Confederate victory in the Civil War. In Volume One--A Nation Sundered-A World Engulfed--authors Michael King and John Bredehoft described how the success of Robert E. Lee's September 1862 invasion of the North and the aftermath.  Volume Two--Bloodshed Universal-Slavery Triumphant--King and Bredehoft chronicle an alternate "Great War of 1914-1918...

Thomas Levenson: The Hunt for Vulcan

October 07, 2016 01:00 - 56 minutes - 51.1 MB

Thomas Levenson is a professor at MIT and head of its science writing program. He is the author of several books, including Einstein in Berlin and Newton and the Counterfeiter: The Unknown Detective Career of the World’s Greatest Scientist. About The Hunt for Vulcan, can't  top AMNH Director Neil deGrasse Tyson “Levenson tells us where Vulcan came from, how it vanished, and why its spirit lurks today. Along the way, we learn more than a bit of just how science works—when it succeeds as well ...

Catherine Fletcher: The Black Prince of Florence

September 30, 2016 01:00 - 48 minutes - 43.4 MB

Born to a dark-skinned maid, fatherhood acknowledged by Lorenzo II de Medici, Alessandro de' Medici rose to the Dukedom of Florence. Catherine Fletcher discusses the world of Renaissance Florence, the Holy Roman Empire ruled by Charles V and Papal Rome ruled by the de' Medici Pontiff Clement the 7th in the context of her book The Black Prince of Florence

Cathy O'Neil On Weapons of Math Destruction

September 23, 2016 01:00 - 59 minutes - 53.5 MB

We live in the age of the algorithm. Increasingly, the decisions that affect our lives—where we go to school, whether we get a car loan, how much we pay for health insurance—are being made not by humans, but by mathematical models. In theory, this should lead to greater fairness: Everyone is judged according to the same rules, and bias is eliminated. But as mathemetician and former quant Cathy O’Neil reveals in Weapons of Math Destruction, the opposite is true. The models being used today ar...

Gaius Publius: Two Intertwined Crises--Climate Change and Wealth Inequality

September 16, 2016 01:00 - 58 minutes - 52.9 MB

Gaius Publius writes about a variety of issues at Digby's Hullaballoo and Howie Klein's Down  with Tyranny.among other places. You can find his work summarized on his tumblr page. He explores the political and  scientific issues surrounding climate change and the interrelationship of climate change, wealth inequality and neo liberal policy.  The time window is closing rapidly.  Will we be able to  mobilize the effort needed? Background reading: Becky Bond rule. Progressive Clinton supporte...

Virtually Speaking with Richard Eskow

September 02, 2016 01:00 - 58 minutes - 52.9 MB

Richard Eskow is a freelance writer, Senior Fellow with Campaign for America's Fujture.  Host of the Zero Hour at We Act Radio; former Wall Street executive and advisor to US State Department, World Bank, foundations and private corporations on social policy, particularly in Central and Eastern European countries re healthcare, social welfare, and technology during their emergence from Communism. Adviser to the Sanders campaign, he discusses elements of that insurgent movement, and how the D...

Culture Of Truth: Sacrifice

August 02, 2016 01:00 - 9 minutes - 7.93 MB

Culture of Truth provides his weekly Most Ridiculous Thing That Happened This Sunday, identifying the unintentional hilarity of the morning gasbag "interviews." Ths week's episode is called "Sacrifice."

Fran Hawthorne: Ethical Chic

June 13, 2016 01:00 - 1 hour - 56.5 MB

In Ethical Chic,  award-winning author Fran Hawthorne uses her business-investigative skills to analyze six favorites: Apple, Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, American Apparel, Timberland, and Tom’s of Maine.  She and Jay discuss the complex questions that face people who want to consume both fashionably and responsibly. Fran is a prize-winning author and journalist with over 20 years of experience specializing in health care, retirement issues, and the nexus between business and public policy. S...

David Dayen: Chain of Title

June 03, 2016 01:00 - 1 hour - 57 MB

Crack investigative reporter David Dayen has been on the mortgage fraud beat from the late oughts. His book, Chain  of Title, recounts the experience of three citizens who pursued their foreclosure cases through the obfuscation and lies that the banks introduced into the American cadastral system. In the process of circumventing the centuries-old system of real estate ownership and transfer of ownership.

Culture of Truth: Teflon

May 30, 2016 11:21 - 9 minutes - 7.53 MB

Culture of Truth provides his weekly Most Ridiculous Thing That Happened This Sunday, identifying the unintentional hilarity of the morning gasbag "interviews." Ths week's episode is called "Teflon."

Virtually Speaking with Bill Black: The Decline and Fall of Economics

May 27, 2016 01:00 - 1 hour - 57.6 MB

William Black,Professor of  Economics  & Law at the University of Missouri Kansas City is an American lawyer, academic, author, and a former bank regulator. Black's expertise is in white-collar crime, public finance, regulation, and other topics in law and economic.  He's the author of The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One  We discuss Bill's recent Naked Capitalism post,  Mankiw’s Mythical Ten Commandments of Theoclassical Economics, where the Economists's Emperor's Neo Classical Clothe...

Marcy Wheeler and Avedon Carol: Virtually Speaking Sundays

May 16, 2016 00:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MB

Marcy Wheeler is one of the country's most effective investigative journalists working on civil liberties and domestic surveillance, blogging at Empty Wheel and tweeting @emptywheel. Avedon Carol is anAmerican ex-pat living in London  writes about American politics, captured media, captured gov't, censorship and health care.  She hosts the Sideshow  the best blog curation on the internet. Follow @Avedon_Says We discuss the policy direction we can expect from a Clinton administration.

Fed Power: How Finance Wins

May 13, 2016 01:30 - 1 hour - 54.6 MB

Lawrence R. Jacobs is Walter F. and Joan Mondale Chair for Political Studies at the Humphrey School for Public Affairs, the University of Minnesota, and co-author of both Health Care Reform and American Politics (Oxford) and Class War? (Chicago).  The US Federal Reserve is one of the most powerful institutions in the world, unfettered by institutional or political checks.  Captive to the finance industry, it has become a source of inequality and financial uncertainty. Professor Jacobs descr...

Sara Robinson and Culture of Truth Virtually Speaking Sundays

May 08, 2016 23:00 - 1 hour - 55.5 MB

Sara Robinson is a Seattle-based futurist and veteran blogger on culture, politics, and religion.  She's a consulting futurist and on the national board of NARAL. Find her recently launched blog — Future Imperfect — at sararobinson.net Culture of Truth is a political satirist, posting his weekly Bobblespeak Translations for those who have missed the Sunday Morning Talk Shows.  @bobblespeak Moonshinepatriot.blogspot.com Tonight is Trump Night at VSS.  

Michael Brooks Virtually Speaking with Jay Ackroyd

May 06, 2016 01:00 - 1 hour - 54.7 MB

Michael Brooks is a contributing host for the four time award winning independent political talk show, The Majority Report. He appears regularly as a political and cultural analyst on outlets including Huffpost Live, SirusXM, AlJazeera English, CCTV and France 24. His writing has appeared in Al Monitor, Al Jazeera, snd the Washington Post. Michael also partners with Philip Mackenzie at 2 Dope Boys and a Podcast Michael and Jay discuss the presumptive Presidential nominees, and the disruption...

Gaius Publius Virtually Speaking Sundays

May 01, 2016 20:00 - 57 minutes - 51.5 MB

Gaius Publius — Professional writer of stories, poems, and books on education & technology. Currently writes for Digby's Hullaballoo, Down with Tyranny, Crooks and Liars and  Naked Capitalism Follow @Gaius_Publius and his tumblr page, GaiusPublius   See A Look Ahead: Coming to the Philadelphia Crossroads and The Rebellion Won't Go Away    

Marcy Wheeler Virtually Speaking with Jay Ackroyd

April 29, 2016 01:00 - 1 hour - 54.7 MB

Marcy Wheeler is one of the country's most effective investigative journalists working on civil liberties and domestic surveillance.

Culture of Truth: Identity Politics

April 25, 2016 13:00 - 5 minutes - 4.37 MB

Culture of Truth provides his weekly Most Ridiculous Thing That Happened This Sunday, identifying the unintentional hilarity of the morning gasbags.Ths weeks episode is called "Identity Politics."  

Joan McCarter and Isaiah Poole Virtually Speaking Sundays

April 24, 2016 20:00 - 1 hour - 58.2 MB

Joan McCarter is Senior Political Writer and regular front page contributor to Daily Kos. Joan writes about national legislative developments.  Follow @joanmccarter http://www.dailykos.com/blog/Joan%20McCarter Veteran journalist, editor, and progressive activist Isaiah Poole has been the editor of OurFuture.org since 2007, over 25 years, Isaiah worked for Congressional Quarterly, where he covered congressional leadership and tracked major bills through Congress. . He also served as a foundin...

Kelly Bulkeley Big Dreams: The Science of Dreaming

April 22, 2016 01:00 - 1 hour - 55.2 MB

Big dreams are rare but highly memorable dream experiences that make a strong and lasting impact on the dreamer's waking awareness. Moving far beyond "I forgot to study and the finals are today" and other common scenarios, such dreams can include vivid imagery, intense emotions, fantastic characters, and an uncanny sense of being connected to forces beyond one's ordinary dreaming mind. In Big Dreams, Kelly Bulkeley provides the first full-scale cognitive scientific analysis of such dreams, p...

Culture of Truth: United

April 18, 2016 16:00 - 6 minutes - 4.65 MB

Culture of Truth provides his weekly Most Ridiculous Thing That Happened This Sunday, identifying the unintentional hilarity of the morning gasbags.

Culture of Truth: Virtually Speaking Sundays

April 18, 2016 01:00 - 57 minutes - 52.1 MB

Political satirist Culture of Truth, author of the Bobblespeak Translations and a political activist joins Jay Ackroyd to discuss the possibilities in both the Democratic and Republican primary contests.

Culture of Truth: Vitriol

April 11, 2016 14:00 - 7 minutes - 6.05 MB

Every Sunday Culture of Truth watches the talk shows and reads the transcripts of the Sunday Morning Gasbags so you don't have, picking out the Most Ridiculous Thing that Happened This Sunday.  This weeks episode is Vitriol

Sara Robinson and Michael Brooks

April 10, 2016 22:00 - 1 hour - 54 MB

A social futurist, gun owner, and progressive, Sara Robinson writes about  finding common ground with conservatives and how people change their minds about deeply held beliefs and perspectives on guns, climate and what it means to be an American.  She serves on the national board of NARAL, and  writes the Future Imperfect blog. Follow @SaraRobinson   Michael Brooks is a contributing host for the four time award winning independent political talk show The Majority Report. He appears regularly...

Culture of Truth: Madman

April 04, 2016 04:00 - 7 minutes - 5.69 MB

Culture of Truth distills the essence of the Sunday Morning Talk shows at The Bobblespeak Translations.  Then he interprets them for us. This weeks segment is entitled Madman.

Ian Welsh and Marcy Wheeler Virtually Speaking Sundays

April 03, 2016 23:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MB

Marcy WHeeler is one of the nation's pre-eminent investigative journalists, writing primarily on national security and civil liberties issues, Marcy regularly breaks stories related to use of illegal detention and interrogation by the US Government.  Anatomy of Deceit: How the Bush Administration Used the Media to Sell the Iraq War and Out a Spy is the definitive work on the Scooter Libby trial.   • Follow @emptywheel or visit emptywheel.net  He was the Managing Editor of Fire Dog Lake  and ...

Avedon Carol Virtually Speaking with Jay Ackroyd

April 02, 2016 16:00 - 1 hour - 56.1 MB

Avedon Carol — an American ex-pat living in London, three time Hugo nominee writes about American politics, captured media, captured gov't, censorship and health care.  She also curates the liberal blogosphere at  http://avedoncarol.blogspot.com Follow her on Twitter at @Avedon_Says We discuss the Sanders campaign, the declining state of American society and what is to be done.

Culture of Truth: The Conversation

March 28, 2016 17:35 - 6 minutes

Political satirist Culture of Truth bases The Bobblespeak Translations on Meet the Press and/or This Week with George Stephanopoulos and/or Face the Nation. Using show transcripts, he creates the 'most ridiculous moment' for Virtually Speaking. This segment is drawn from Bobblespeak Translations of March 27, 2016 Follow @Bobblespeak

Culture of Truth: Demagogue II

March 21, 2016 17:32 - 6 minutes - 5.44 MB

He doesn't make this stuff up. Culture of Truth: Demagogue. Political satirist Culture of Truth bases The Bobblespeak Translations on Meet the Press and/or This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Using show transcripts, he creates the 'most ridiculous moment' for Virtually Speaking Sundays. This segment drawn from Bobblespeak Translations of March 20, 2016 Follow @Bobblespeak

Dave Johnson and Cliff Schecter Virtually Speaking Sundays

March 20, 2016 20:00 - 1 hour - 54.1 MB

Virtually Speaking Sundays is a counterpoint to the weekly gasbags who air on Sundays.  This week we talk about SCOTUS and the Real Donald Trump. Dave Johnson — Senior Fellow with Campaign for America's Future. Read Dave at Seeing the Forest,  Campaign for America's Future, Huffington Post and other outlets. With more than 20 years of technology industry experience, Dave’s earlier career included technical positions, including video game design at Atari and Imagic. He was a pioneer in desig...

Culture of Truth: Demagogue I

March 14, 2016 03:32 - 6 minutes - 5.16 MB

Political satirist Culture of Truth bases The Bobblespeak Translations on Meet the Press and/or This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Using show transcripts, he creates the 'most ridiculous moment' for Virtually Speaking Sundays. This segment drawn from Bobblespeak Translations of March 13, 2016 Follow @Bobblespeak

Gaius Publius and Isaiah Poole: Virtually Speaking Sundays

March 13, 2016 20:00 - 1 hour - 57.5 MB

Virtually Speaking Sundays is a counterpoint to the weekly gasbags who air on Sundays.  This week we talk about the Democratic primaries, HIllary Clinton's bad messaging week and the escalation of fascist themes in the Trump campaign Gaius Publius — A writer of stories, poems, and books on education & technology. Gaius posts at Down with Tyranny, digby's Hullabaloo and Naked Capitalism. Occasional guest on Ring of Fire Radio, The Thom Hartmann Show, The Nicole Sandler Show and other venues....

Culture of Truth: Civil War

March 07, 2016 03:10 - 6 minutes - 5.11 MB

Culture of Truth: Civil War. Political satirist Culture of Truth bases The Bobblespeak Translations on Meet the Press and/or This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Using show transcripts, he creates the 'most ridiculous moment' for Virtually Speaking Sundays. This segment, was created and aired on March 6, 2016 Follow @Bobblespeak

digby & Joan McCarter: Clown Car Chronicles. THE END

March 05, 2016 01:00 - 1 hour - 58.6 MB

Joan McCarter and Digby join me for the last episode of the Clown Car Chronicles. The roster is down to four, with Mittens trying to crawl into the trunk, and they went at it hammer and tongs last night. So getting out at the top, where the hilarity is unmatched, we thank everyone who has joined us on this escapade.  Unique is not the word. @digby56 and @joanmccarter    

KagroX and Culture of Truth Virtually Speaking Sundays

February 28, 2016 22:00 - 1 hour - 56.7 MB

Virtually Speaking Sundays is a counterpoint to the weekly gasbags who air on Sundays.  This week we talk about the SC primary, Republicans in disarray, The Senate and the Scalia seat. And that shot by Stephen Curry. Culture of Truth  Political satirist, author of The Bobblespeak Translations http://moonshinepatriot.blogspot.com/  Follow @BobbleSpeak David Waldman A former Capitol Hill aide and Hotline staff writer, David is a non-practicing attorney scrutinizing the US Congress. He hosts ...

Digby: Clown Car Chronicles Episode 22

February 25, 2016 01:00 - 1 hour - 58.4 MB

Digby discusses the GOP presidential race with Jay Ackroyd. Trump consolidates his position as the presumptive nominee with an overwhelming win in Nevada. What does this mean for the future of the Republican Party? And SCOTUS!  How can the GOP simultaneously worship and shred the Constitution?

Avedon Carol & Stuart Zechman • Virtually Speaking Sundays

February 23, 2016 05:02 - 1 hour - 76.9 MB

Avedon and Stuart begin with her Feb 3 post and discuss Iowa, New Hampshire,taking to task both Dem presidential primary campaigns and esablishment gatekeeping. Lightly edited from Feb 7 webcast.. 1hr 24 min. Follow @Avedon_Says @Stuart_Zechman The 2016 Virtually Speaking Media Panel: Avedon Carol, Cliff Schecter, Culture of Truth, David Dayen, Dave Johnson, David Waldman, digby, Gaius Publius, Isaiah Poole, Joan McCarter, Marcy Wheeler,Sara Robinson,Susie Madrak, Spocko, Stuart Zechman

Culture of Truth: Win

February 22, 2016 23:39 - 5 minutes - 4.41 MB

Title: Culture of Truth: Win Political satirist Culture of Truth bases The Bobblespeak Translations on Meet the Press and/or This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Using show transcripts, he creates the 'most ridiculous moment' for Virtually Speaking Sundays. This segment, Win, drawn from the Bobblespeak Translations was created and aired on Feb 21, 2016 Follow @Bobblespeak

Sara Robinson and Marcy Wheeler Virtually Speaking Sundays

February 22, 2016 01:00 - 1 hour - 58.2 MB

Sara Robinson Sara Robinson is a Seattle-based futurist and veteran blogger on culture, politics, and religion. Since 2006, her work (gathered in the Archive section of this blog) regularly appeared at Orcinus, Our Future, Group News Blog, and Alternet. She's also written for Salon, Huffington Post, Grist, the New Republic, New York Magazine, Firedoglake, and many other sites. Find her recently launched blog — Future Imperfect — at sararobinson.net She currently serves on the national boa...

Digby Clown Car Chronicles Episode 21

February 16, 2016 02:00 - 1 hour - 56 MB

This week: Scalia's effect on the race; debate insanity dials it up to 11; Sam Wang says Trump can seal the deal by mid March; W? Really? Digby —  American political writer and founder of the liberal blog Hullabaloo and a daily columnist  for Salon. Each week we toss around the recent hijinks and hilarity of the GOP primary process; exploring the explicable and inexplicable fortunes of the establishment and insurgent factions and elements of the GOP.  Follow @digby56 @jayackroyd

Culture of Truth: Precedent

February 15, 2016 02:26 - 6 minutes - 5.27 MB

Political satirist Culture of Truth bases The Bobblespeak Translations on Meet the Press and/or This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Using show transcripts, he creates the 'most ridiculous moment' for Virtually Speaking Sundays. This segment, Precedent, drawn from the Bobblespeak Translations was created and aired on Feb 14, 201

Dave Johnson Virtually Speaking Sundays

February 15, 2016 01:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MB

Your alternative to the Sunday morning talking heads. This week: Scalia, the Democratic pie fights and a plea for progressive unity in the face of policy and constitutional crisis.. Dave Johnson is Senior Fellow with Campaign for America's Future. Read Dave at Seeing the Forest,  Campaign for America's Future, Huffington Post and other outlets. With more than 20 years of technology industry experience, Dave’s earlier career included technical positions, including video game design at Atari ...

Digby & Joan McCarter • Clown Car Chronicles Episode 20

February 10, 2016 23:00 - 1 hour - 54.1 MB

This week: Is Trump the big winner, did Rubio drive himself over a cliff,did anyone climb out of the pile-up in the establishment lane? Who's left in the clown car going into South Carolina? Scary clown land: unexpected consequences of GOP strategy. Joan McCarter — Senior Political Writer and regular front page contributor to Daily Kos joins Hillman Award-winning blogger Digby —  American political writer and founder of the liberal blog Hullabaloo and a daily columnist  for Salon. Each week...

Culture of Truth: Evil

February 08, 2016 05:19 - 5 minutes - 4.18 MB

Political satirist Culture of Truth bases The Bobblespeak Translations on Meet the Press and/or This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Using show transcripts, he creates the 'most ridiculous moment' for Virtually Speaking Sundays. This segment, Evil, was created and aired on Feb 7, 2016. Text here. Follow @Bobblespeak

Michael Brooks on BernieBros and Other Campaign Distractions

February 05, 2016 01:00 - 59 minutes - 54 MB

Multi media star Michael Brooks discusses current events in policy and politics

Culture of Truth: Unpredictable

February 03, 2016 02:42 - 8 minutes - 6.9 MB

Political satirist Culture of Truth bases The Bobblespeak Translations on Meet the Press and/or This Week with George Stephanopoulos or Face the Nation. Using show transcripts, he creates the 'most ridiculous moment' for Virtually Speaking Sundays. This segment incredible, drawn from this edition of the Bobblespeak Translations is called "Unpredictable."

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Cathy O'Neil
1 Episode

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Decline and Fall
1 Episode

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@aaronsw 2 Episodes
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