Best Ely Progressives Podcasts (2025)

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#475 - Two Pint Problems, Yaris Rats and Carry On Loving Britain 1:12:14

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3d ago1:12:14

1:12:14

It’s a huge episode for loving Britain, but more importantly it’s a huge episode for cagoules. This is the UK’s number 1 cagoule podcast, and a very special guest has got Elis barking like a waterproof dog in heat. If you’re anti-outer layers then this is not the place to be. It’s slightly lighter ground on the anecdote front as John has just writt…

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What's the fuss about ULA? 57:26

4d ago57:26

57:26

What is the fuss about ULA, the measure Los Angeles city voters approved in 2022? The debate over its impact may be more hotly contested today than it was when it was on the ballot. Measure ULA, dubbed “the mansion tax" by supporters, imposes a transfer tax on property sales above approximately $5 million. Funds go toward affordable housing product…

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#474 - The Shusher, Donning Donnington and Content: The Movie 58:00

6d ago58:00

58:00

In a life full of achievements John may have finally topped the lot. In his 5 year battle with the word game that most people stopped playing a few years ago, John has finally come out victorious. Yes, he’s Wordled in one. It’s a big day. But the main question is, did it make him happy? There’s another chapter of Elis and John’s Road To Nowhere, in…

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#473 - James Acaster, The Sad Van and Anne Tuna 56:40

10d ago56:40

56:40

473 episodes in and there is still room to excavate the vast intricacies that make up the Pompeii dig of John Robins’ mind. Grab your JCB because there’s a dump truck’s worth to uncover off the back of the latest adventures from the Sad Van. And it all boils down to one thing, as the hotels John’s willing to stay in simply say so much about the man…

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A Bob Dylan Beginner's Guide, with Matt Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell 1:54:17

10d ago1:54:17

1:54:17

With so many dozens of albums over so many wildly disparate eras, it can take a lifetime to truly get your arms around Bob Dylan. On this episode, Kirk is joined by two guests who have spent their lifetimes doing exactly that. Matt Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell, in addition to co-hosting the terrific political history podcast Know Your Enemy, are both …

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#472 - 47 Kisses, #NoPowerUps and The More Money than Sense Boys 1:01:58

13d ago1:01:58

1:01:58

Move over Oxford Union, debating has a new home! As Elis and John towers has turned into a hotbed of discourse and deliberation. The big topics are given the respect they deserve and the order of service for today is as follows: What’s the saddest song ever written? Hotels: budget or bespoke? And finally, are baths rubbish? Aside from heated argume…

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#471 - John’s Critical Path, Elis’s 0.0% Curry and Dave’s Not So Silent Alarm 1:05:18

17d ago1:05:18

1:05:18

What starts off as a huge day for John (book deadline day) turns into a massive (massive it is) day for poor old Dave. As the saying goes: ‘The best laid plans of podcast producers often go awry’, and Dave’s idea for the team to record remotely gets derailed quite spectacularly by a faulty alarm system. Brace yourselves for the most stressed you wi…

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#470 - Old Man Bum, A Dream A Dream of Beef and Lust: 12 Bodies That Changed My Life 1:16:28

20d ago1:16:28

1:16:28

The boys have been busy bees recently and the show’s in danger of turning into a Michael Palin travelogue. Elis has returned from France and regales us with stories of visits to ex-military factories, intense chats with German families and Isy’s attempts at speaking French. Then it’s time for the first instalment of Elis and John’s Road to Nowhere,…

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#469 - The New Beans, In John’s Time and Eating Margaret Mountford’s Hair 48:53

24d ago48:53

48:53

The boys are fresh from driving around the country for charity with Ian Botham, which of course means Elis is exhausted and tour newbie Dave is absolutely fine. And there’s more bad news for Mr James as the Elis vote is being split in the Listeners’ Choice vote at the British Podcast Awards. He’s going to get pilloried by one co-host or maybe both.…

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Singing and Songwriting, with The Wailin' Jennys 1:11:03

24d ago1:11:03

1:11:03

The Wailin' Jennys have been singing together for more than two decades - recording albums, touring the world, and filling venues large and small. After all these years, the trio—Ruth Moody, Heather Masse, and Nicky Mehta—have reached both a plateau and an inflection point. What's it like for a musical group that's been together for that long; for …

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#468 - Noble John, Sugar Me Twice and Good Old Gent 54:50

27d ago54:50

54:50

The ripples of last week’s Elis James mega-rant are still being felt right across the BBC, and despite vowing to ignore the call to pen John’s obituary, Elis has rowed back and done just that. Brace yourself for some emotional heft and candid commentary on John’s propensity for darts at university. But John’s made of sterner stuff these days and re…

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Union Town: LA's Labor History 55:19

29d ago55:19

55:19

Los Angeles may be home to a powerful labor movement today, but it was not always that way. Los Angeles was once known as one of the most anti-union cities in the country. On this Labor Day weekend, we re-air Mike's 2024 interview with Kent Wong of the UCLA Labor Center. Kent walks us through the ups and downs of the history of organized labor in L…

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#467 - Chiles Miltree, Toddler Watson and King of the Nerds 59:36

1M ago59:36

59:36

There’s a surprise in the offing for John. Not that that’s a surprise to him. Nothing gets past old Sherlock Robins. Especially Producer Dave positioning a phone on a table at a very slight angle. But said surprise leads to some incredible finds about Johnny JR which leave Elis and Dave’s jaws on the floor. This was not what had been intended. Else…

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#466 - The UK’s Dumb Plums, The McFlurry Route and The Menutality Monster 1:11:08

1M ago1:11:08

1:11:08

Today’s episode is filled with the big questions of our age. These are the things that government top brass are pouring over day in, day out: Is Martin Lewis up there with Galileo and Mozart? Can you put goodwill on your shelf? And most divisively, is wee ever fine in a paddling pool? It’s a show that asks questions rather than answers them, and yo…

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#465 - Mr Headinhands, Kirsty’s USP and The Stomach Microbiome of My Instagram 50:24

1M ago50:24

50:24

Elis made a bad decision the other day. And if you had a million guesses as to what that decision was then you won’t even get close, even when given the clue "Welsh culture". He's insistent it isn’t the outcome he wanted but John and Dave aren’t sure they believe him. Quite frankly it’s one of the most baffling conversations ever had on this show. …

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Talkin' Tower of Power, with Adam Maness and Peter Martin [You'll Hear It] 1:12:30

1M ago1:12:30

1:12:30

Back in May, Kirk joined pianists Adam Maness and Peter Martin of the You'll Hear It podcast to talk about what makes Tower of Power great. It was a very fun conversation, so he asked if he could run their episode in the Strong Songs feed. And here we are! Listen to You'll Hear It anywhere you find podcasts, and find both Adam and Peter (and many o…

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#464 - Aloof Disinterest, Raised By Rats and A Sixth Form State of Mind 1:02:19

1M ago1:02:19

1:02:19

Memory lane is today's destination of choice, as John dons his rose-tinted glasses to reminisce about the time 'an arrangement was made' for him to return to his secondary school to assist in its production of Guys and Dolls. Was he officially invited back? Did John simply turn up because he had nothing else on? We're still not entirely sure, but t…

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#463 - The Trifecta of Value, Celya AB and A Bin Bag of Marmite 1:02:17

1M ago1:02:17

1:02:17

There’s huge news in the rural Bucks area as the Trifecta of Value begins to take shape - pending planning application rulings. It’s one of many wins for John, but the spectre of the biggest loss in many a year hangs over him. But he is unwilling to reveal it in his losses column. Someone should have cottoned on to this sly behaviour by now. Away f…

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#462 - Burger, Sell Me Your Suitcase and Topless Dave In Front of An Olive 1:12:29

2M ago1:12:29

1:12:29

John’s been chained to a typewriter diarising his life experiences, and he's so confident about his memoir that he’s written “this is a good book” in Bic on its cover. Something all the great authors do, and he clearly has confidence in his witty emotionally hefty prose. But anyway, in this chapter of the Elis James and John Robins show we’re whisk…

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#461 - Elis, Man City’s Back Four and Will The Drummer From Coldplay 1:01:42

2M ago1:01:42

1:01:42

We start in the anecdote Wild West. Specifically it was wild [north] west London for Elis as he’s been to Oasis in credibility damaging seats. The best seats in the house, surrounded by some of the most famous people in the country. He *could* have asked for General Admission. But he didn’t and that suggestion is shoved up the tunnel of anguish. Ci…

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A Song For My Father 39:33

2M ago39:33

39:33

THE APOCALYPSE WERE: Tony Capuano - Guitar, Lead Vocals John Shorb - Alto Sax Gene Meros - Tenor Sax Greg Novik - Bass, Backing Vocals (guitar on Stormy Monday) Oggie Hamilton - Drums, Backing Vocals Featuring The Apocalypse playing: “Good Good Lovin’” and “Try Me” by James Brown “Hi-Heel Sneakers" by Tommy Tucker “The Shadow of Your Smile” by Mand…

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The Queer Erasure of Wallis Annenberg (with Karen Ocamb) 39:41

2M ago39:41

39:41

Wallis Annenberg was a titan in the world of philanthropy. An heir to the Anneneberg family fortune, she served as chairman and president of the Annenberg Foundation since 2009, giving away more than $3 billion in charitable grants to a variety of causes, including the arts, wildlife, seniors, and inner-city youth. But the obituaries celebrating he…

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#460 - John’s 50 Kids, Nish Kumar and The Cobbles Sing Their Plaintive Lament 1:01:03

2M ago1:01:03

1:01:03

It’s a lament time of year. It’s an Edinburgh time of year. A time when John yearns for the crippling comedic examination which is the Edinburgh Festival. For he cannot experience that emotional rollercoaster this year. He can’t sit on a stage and call himself a C*** after someone shouts “have you had a ploughman’s” during the most emotionally heft…

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#459 - Josie Long , Verge Christ and Mammary Glands In The Runner Beans 53:47

2M ago53:47

53:47

Elis has secured a last minute Oasis ticket, but the big question is… what *does* he wear??? Will Liam stop during Champagne Supernova and pick him out specifically? Meanwhile, John has had two prawn vindaloos and there’s been ‘interest’ down below. This is all amidst the great wildflower debate which continues apace, and Elis is on the end of a lo…

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#458 - Simon Davies’ Uncle, #CigsNotPigs and The Protective Wall of Human Community 59:53

2M ago59:53

59:53

It’s a big show for Elis’s confidence. After failing to clinch the first quint-connection last week, he was already on the ropes. But throw in a Made Up Game question harking back to school maths, and another tense outing of the Cymru Connection, and he may (does) turn into a man on the edge. And for said Made Up Game we have a very special guest i…

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#457 - Becoming Compost, Squire Dave and #SenseTheSoil 1:03:20

2M ago1:03:20

1:03:20

Elis and John vibes in the areoh! Producer Dave has been to see Oasis and talks the boys through the various ‘ingredients’ that made it a night to remember. He also recounts a living nightmare he’s just experienced including missing equipment, an excitable crowd in Oxford, and a cat that can’t stop weeing. Elsewhere there’s all the accoutrements th…

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#456 - Mad Foxes, Papa Podium and 40 Rhodris 57:52

2M ago57:52

57:52

Elis is on the precipice of glory. Just two things stand between him and immortality. First up is the chance to be crowned the fastest dad in all of key stage 1 at his son’s sports day. We know he plays football a lot and we know he cycles to Brighton sometimes, but can Elis do it on an overcast Thursday in South London? Secondly, our very own son …

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#455 - Badly Well, Warm Panic and A Defence of Yodelling 43:26

2M ago43:26

43:26

It's a very smell heavy show today but the aromas aren't good as listeners inform Elis and John of a quite literal VW barrel of eggs and a queasy French exchange tale. Meanwhile Maisie Adam is very very hungover after England’s dramatic quarter final win, and Dave gets sacked twice in the first 10 minutes after his lads trip to Mallorca. Of course …

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#454 - Swiss Arrogance, All Cars are the Same and One of the UK’s SUVs 52:05

3M ago52:05

52:05

Elis needs a new car. But how can John advise him on his next whip when shackled by the understandable constraints of undue product prominence? Well John has been on a special course, the Balance BBc (Hons) at a local uni, in order to undertake this difficult task and be What Car?* for the impartial content generation. Can he navigate such tricky w…

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#453 - Decking or Necking, Dad of the Year and Too Handsome to Focus 50:44

3M ago50:44

50:44

Elis is back from Euros Trip No. 1 and he’s Dad of the Year. A far more prestigious award than the 2008 accolade of the same name won by Peter Andre and sponsored by “Daddies Sauce”. Yes, his daughter not only experienced an unforgettable time watching the Welsh women, but she also saw her two favourite artists in eight days. Could Elis now become …

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"Lean On Me" by Bill Withers 58:45

3M ago58:45

58:45

For the Season Seven finale, Kirk takes a look at Bill Withers' enduring hit "Lean On Me." In the process, he takes a broader look at a bunch of Withers' other most famous songs to better understand how this plainspoken, seemingly ordinary guy managed to write so many extraordinary songs. Written by: Bill Withers Album: Still Bill, 1972 Listen/Buy …

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#452 - Here Lies The Volkswagen Barrel of Eggs 58:09

3M ago58:09

58:09

After many moons of service the mobile terrarium / paint dump / dodgem, the VW Barrel of Eggs, is no more. And today’s show is in tribute to that trusty steed. Currently lying in state, when it makes its final journey on the back of a low loader to the scrapheap make sure to line the streets of South London and doff your cap. Yes this is the only p…

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#451 - OG Guffer, Rodders (A) and The Man Is Your Husband 1:18:52

3M ago1:18:52

1:18:52

John’s annoyed because Elis and Dave have used all their material before the mics came on. Chin wagging like old ladies at the salon. But as is often the case we are saved by delving into the depths of insignificance. Some people think that the mines of inconsequentiality had run dry on this show. That the pick axes couldn’t uncover anything more m…

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Abundance and the Democrats, with Jonathan Chait 57:32

3M ago57:32

57:32

On this episode of The Permanent Problem podcast, host Brink Lindsey welcomes Jonathan Chait of The Atlantic to discuss the abundance movement and the future of the Democratic Party. Chait sees a major role for abundance-based ideas in challenging the agenda-setting power of "the groups," or progressive activists, and pulling the party back toward …

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#450 - Backing Framed Content, Backing the Compliance Form and Backing the Riff 1:12:16

3M ago1:12:16

1:12:16

The time has come to pick a side: are you pro-riff or anti-riff? Do you think that caution kills the riff? Would you wilfully step into the riff matrix and do your damnedest to see it through to the bitter end? In short, do you back the riff? This is what Producer Dave must decide. But he’s not the only one facing tough questions this week. Elis is…

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Can We Fix a Broken Los Angeles (with Rick Cole) 48:00

3M ago48:00

48:00

Is Los Angeles broken? And what will it take to fix it? We discuss that with Rick Cole on this episode of WNLA. Cole knows local government. He was elected to the Pasadena City Council in 1983, and served for 12 years, including two as Mayor. He served as City Manager of Azusa, Ventura and Santa Monica. He has served several times for the City of L…

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#449 - Rodmas Day, Magnificent Lions and Every. Journey. Counts. 1:05:55

3M ago1:05:55

1:05:55

It’s a strange old time for Elis James. On the one hand he’s being called a thirst trap on the carra (the Instagram carousel, for those not in the know); people can’t seem to get enough of his floppy hair, his jawline, and his interesting t-shirts. On the other hand, he’s getting hammered for slagging off Belgium, and having some harsh words direct…

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Bluegrass, Blue Prince, and the Blues 59:33

3M ago59:33

59:33

Kirk answers a bunch of listener questions on topics like bluegrass guitar, the music of Blue Prince, good apps for training theory skills, Robert Fripp's "Frippertronics," a mysterious sound on a Gene Clark song, different types of music notation, and the legacy of the blues. All that, and a trio of terrific singer/songwriters stops by the studio …

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Caro De Robertis | So Many Stars 52:28

3M ago52:28

52:28

The Author Events Series presents Caro De Robertis | So Many Stars REGISTER In Conversation with Dr. Michelle Taylor So Many Stars knits together the voices of trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, and two-spirit elders of color as they share authentic, intimate accounts of how they created space for themselves and their communities in the world. This sin…

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Jake Tapper & Alex Thompson | Original Sin 1:01:54

3M ago1:01:54

1:01:54

The Author Events Series presents Jake Tapper & Alex Thompson | Original Sin Tickets to the Montgomery Auditorium are now sold out, but you can still get tickets for the simulcast live screening in Room 108. REGISTER In Conversation with Tamala Edwards In Greek tragedy, the protagonist's effort to avoid his fate is what seals his fate. In 2024, Ame…

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Senator Ron Wyden | It Takes Chutzpah: How to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change 51:12

3M ago51:12

51:12

The Author Events Series presents Senator Ron Wyden | It Takes Chutzpah: How to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change REGISTER In Conversation with Michael Solomonov Endowed Lecture: Pine Tree Foundation It Takes Chutzpah is an inspirational call to action by a senior U.S. politician, describing how Americans of all age groups, persuasions, and o…

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Jonathan Capehart | Yet Here I Am: Lessons from a Black Man's Search for Home 59:30

3M ago59:30

59:30

The Author Events Series presents Jonathan Capehart | Yet Here I Am: Lessons from a Black Man's Search for Home Tickets to the Montgomery Auditorium are now sold out, but you can still get tickets for the simulcast live screening in Room 108. REGISTER In Conversation with David Brooks Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, editor, and TV host Jonathan Cape…

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Paul Muldoon | Joy in Service on Rue Tagore: Poems 1:00:51

3M ago1:00:51

1:00:51

The Author Events Series presents Paul Muldoon | Joy in Service on Rue Tagore: Poems REGISTER In Conversation with Daisy Fried Since his 1973 debut, New Weather, Paul Muldoon has created some of the most original and memorable poetry of the past half century. Joy in Service on Rue Tagore sees him writing with the same verve and distinction that hav…

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Dr. Judith Joseph | High Functioning 54:11

3M ago54:11

54:11

The Author Events Series presents Dr. Judith Joseph | High Functioning REGISTER In Conversation with Hannah Williams Emcee - Dr. Dalesa Rueda The first book to unmask the hidden face of depression. If you look fine on the outside but don't feel fine on the inside, learn five tools to break the cycle of High Functioning Depression and experience mor…

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Elie Mystal | Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America 56:49

3M ago56:49

56:49

The Author Events Series presents Elie Mystal | Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America REGISTER In Conversation with Cherri Gregg In Bad Law, the New York Times bestselling author of Allow Me To Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution brings his trademark legal acumen and passionate snark to a brilliant takedown of ten of what h…

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Mike Sielski | Magic in the Air 58:40

3M ago58:40

58:40

The Author Events Series presents Mike Sielski | Magic in the Air REGISTER In Conversation with Buzz Bissinger The evolution of basketball, and much of the social and cultural change in America, can be traced through one powerful act on the court: the slam dunk. The dunk's history is the story of a sport and a country changed by the most dominant a…

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Rhodri Lewis | Shakespeare's Tragic Art 59:13

3M ago59:13

59:13

The Author Events Series presents Rhodri Lewis | Shakespeare's Tragic Art REGISTER In Conversation with Emily Wilson In Shakespeare's Tragic Art, Rhodri Lewis offers a powerfully original reassessment of tragedy as Shakespeare wrote it-of what drew him toward tragic drama, what makes his tragedies distinctive, and why they matter. After reconstruct…

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Rebecca Romney | Jane Austen's Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend 57:24

3M ago57:24

57:24

The Author Events Series presents Rebecca Romney | Jane Austen's Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend REGISTER In Conversation with Allie Alvis Jane Austen's Bookshelf investigates the disappearance of Austen's heroes--women writers who were erased from the Western canon--to reveal who they were, wh…

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#447 - Davie vs Horse, Bin Gear and The Gulag of Truth 56:02

3M ago56:02

56:02

There’s some good upstanding British gear flying around today. Bin chat. Which bins? What goes in what? What blooming colours have you got? Show us your bins on [email protected] or WhatsApp on 07974 293 022. In less disposable content, there’s a right to reply from one of Colin’s holiday companions and he may have to be sent to prison for tell…

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Being a Dissident in the United States 49:54

3M ago49:54

49:54

In this new age of repression, are you a dissident? What does that mean? What does it require? And how dangerous is it? In this episode, we talk with Ami Fields-Meyer, co-author of “So You Want to Be A Dissident?” in the New Yorker. Ami also recently hosted a conversation titled “Concentration Camps and the Machinery of Repression: Lessons for Savi…