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AI Episode fMRI mind reading Minnesota Progressive Policy Science SCOTUS Student Debt Relief WSUM

TMI 05/05/2023 – SCOTUS Goes Against Own Policy of Standing if it Blocks Student Debt Cancellation, Minnesota is a Laboratory for Progressive Policy, AI Has Learned to Literally Read People’s Minds

Since taking the reins of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Roberts has had an unflinching policy of denying access to the hallowed halls of SCOTUS to most cases proposed to them. The issue has always been if the case is being brought by someone with “standing” – in other words, if the case is being put forward by a person or entity that is being harmed by not having the Supreme Court take the case up for review. Time and again, the Roberts’ Court has turned away cases where it was possible that harm was being done – “possible” wasn’t good enough, it had to be solid. So, in even considering overturning Biden’s miniscule student loan relief plan, the Roberts’ Court is flying in the facing of its own policy of standing; we examine how.

Then, we dive into some good news for a change, examining how the Minnesota state government is putting a large number of progressive proposals into state law, allowing us all to see how they can be implemented to do the good they are intended to do. Finally: you may recall renowned physicist Stephen Hawking had a paralyzing disorder that forced him to communicate through a speech-generating device initially through use of a handheld switch, and eventually by using a single cheek muscle. Communicating this way was a long and painstaking process for Professor Hawking – imagine the difference that could be made if someone like him had their fMRI readings directly interpreted into words. That’s exactly the breakthrough we discuss, as scientists have trained a generative pretrained transformer (GPT) AI to use fMRI scanning technology to literally read the subject’s mind! Exciting (and maybe a bit frightening), this application of GPT AI shows how much the world is set to change from the advent of current-gen AI. All this and more on TMI for Friday, May 5, 2023 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

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Big Oil Book Review Capitalism Clara Mattei Climate Climate Lawsuits Economics Episode Exxon Fascism Fracking History Israel Palestine Political Language SCOTUS Terrorism War WSUM

TMI 04/28/2023 – The Capital Order with Clara Mattei, SCOTUS Clears Big Oil for Accountability, Israelis and Palestinians Jointly Denounce Violence

When you hear the term “Class War”, it’s typically being thrown at you by those who STARTED the war in the first place – the Capital Class. Want proof? Just talk to Assoc. Professor Clara Mattei: her new book, “⁠The Capital Order: How Economists Invented Austerity and Paved the Way to Fascism⁠” lays out all the evidence of how Austerity was carefully crafted to be a weapon to use against those not fortunate enough to have been born super-rich… that’s (almost certainly) you. And it has its origins over a hundred years ago! Watch now so you know exactly what tricks are still being used to this day by those in power to keep the rest of us from improving things for EVERYONE, not just them.

Check out the book here:
https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo181707138.html

But first, we talk about how SCOTUS has cleared the way for state and local courts to hear climate change lawsuits against Big Oil. Then later, We talk about the big event in Israel that drew both Israelis and Palestinians in support of denouncing the violence against both people. All this and more on TMI for Friday, April 28, 2023 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

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Election Integrity Episode Equality Homelessness House of Representatives SCOTUS Sociology White Supremacy WSUM

TMI 05/07/2021 – How Madison Can Cross the “Finnish” Line with the Homeless, How White Male Supreme Court Clerks Make a Less Representational Justice System, and How The House of Reps Needs More Reps

Madison, like many cities, struggles with how to solve its homelessness problem. Especially in the brutal Wisconsin winters, we don’t want people to freeze to death, but we need to be able to afford the solution. Finland knows a thing or two about Winter AND about homelessness, and their solution: make giving the homeless housing the FIRST thing you do, not third or fourth step down the line. While not cheap, it is far more affordable than any other approach, and actually STOPS homelessness.

Next, we look at the hoops one has to jump through to be a Clerk at the Supreme Court of the United States. These obstacles are making it more difficult for women and minorities to achieve this goal, and thus making the high court Judges and Justices that are often chosen from these clerkships more white and male. Finally, with the 2020 Census fully tabulated, we have the decennial struggle for which states will lose or gain seats in the House – but no one should be losing any, given that there’s no Constitutional reason to have the number of Representatives frozen. All that and more on TMI for Friday, May 7th, 2021! Listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

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Climate Donald Trump Election Integrity Episode Fascism Joe Biden Mental Health Presidential Politics Psilocybin Science SCOTUS Steve Horn WSUM

TMI 11/13/2020 – Steve Horn on Biden’s Climate, Shrooms Curing Depression, and Trump’s Dangerous Path Forward

On this episode of TMI, friend of the program Steve Horn joins us to discuss what President-elect Joe Biden’s history with climate related issues, and what to watch for as we focus on forcing his hand to help the planet. Then, we discuss how studies are showing that single doses of Psilocybin (“shrooms”) have an immediate and lasting effect on changing the brains of people who suffer from depression. Finally, we find Trump painted into a corner electorally, which means his only options left to retain power are pretty ugly. All that and more on TMI for Friday, November 13th 2020 – listen in for your Cure for the Common Media!

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Amazon Antitrust Apple Artificial Intelligence Billionaires Carl Gibson Court Packing Election Integrity Episode Facebook Google Media Political Language Presidential Politics Science SCOTUS WSUM

TMI 10/24/2020 – Carl Gibson Packs the Courts, Same Words – Different Meaning, and Hey Google, What’s Antitrust?

On this episode of TMI:

Friend of the program Carl Gibson has a new piece out at the Independent called “The most democratic thing Joe Biden could do is pack the courts” – he joins us to discuss why this vilified idea is a good one.

Then, we talk about how the very same words often seem to have two completely different meanings depending on your political viewpoint – could Artificial Intelligence allow computers to help undo this language gridlock?

Finally, we break down the antitrust case being brought down on Google, and examine how other online giants like Amazon, Facebook and others may not be far behind. All this and more on TMI’s special Saturday edition for October 24, 2020 – listen in for YOUR Cure for the Common Media!

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Abortion Big Oil Bitumen Episode Karen Middleton KeystoneXL NARAL Personhood Pro-choice SCOTUS Steve Horn Tar Sands Women's Rights WSUM

TMI 10/11/2014 – No KXL Required with Steve Horn, Colorado’s Push for “Personhood” with Karen Middleton, and SCOTUS Interruptus!

Usually, I prefer a relaxed attitude about things: no jacket required, open mic nights, etc. In the case of big oil, however, I make an exception: they want to bring Alberta tar sands bitumen to market, no Keystone XL required… and it looks like they’ve managed it. Steve Horn joins us to discuss how this came to be while we were focused on KXL.

Then, have you heard of “Personhood”? It’s the concept that a fertilized egg has the same rights as a full human being. It comes up every few years, but this time it’s been reframed in an insidious new way that tricked former opponents into backing it. Karen Middleton, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado, joins us to help sort it out and pin down where in America is facing this new threat to women’s rights.

Finally, the Supreme Court is issuing rulings left and right, some good, some bad, and many confusing. We’ll go over some of what’s going on with the nation’s highest court. Catch all that and more on TMI for Saturday, October 11, 2014, airing live at noon Central on WSUM FM 91.7 and streaming live everywhere on http://wsum.org/ – get your dose of the Cure for the Common Media!