Topic: 1970s

Mimi Smith-Dvorak recounts her time working the graveyard shift at MasterCharge (now MasterCard) in the 1970s. She describes working the fraud desk where she would flirt with suspects over the phone to keep them on the line while her partner alerted local police to make an arrest. She frequently testified in court against these individuals as part of her duties.

The discussion shifts to influencer Jeffree Star's yak ranch in Casper, Wyoming, as a potential business model. This leads to a nostalgic look at 1970s fashion trends, specifically the potential for a commercial comeback of tube tops and bell-bottoms.

The hosts discuss the role of Hollywood and television scripts in pushing environmental agendas. They reference a Nightline segment featuring Michael Mann and contrast the views of academic climatologists with those of practical meteorologists. The segment concludes by recalling the 1970s "global cooling" scare, noting that the rhetoric used then was nearly identical to modern warming warnings.

Dutch farmers are staging massive protests against government mandates to cut nitrogen emissions, which could force 50% of farms to close. Farmers have used tractors to block police stations and highways, leading to confrontations in The Hague. The hosts transition into a tangent about 1970s fashion, specifically the potential return of "tube tops" as an exit strategy from modern cultural tensions.

The history of Uber and Lyft is traced back to the concept of ride-sharing and 1970s carpooling during gas shortages. Speculation is offered that high fuel costs may lead to the development of new apps focused on true carpooling rather than commercial ride-hailing. A brief linguistic tangent occurs regarding the German pronunciation of the word "Uber."

A trivia segment tested knowledge of 1960s and 1970s slang terms, including "threads" for clothes, "boss" for something fine, and "the boob tube" for television. Other terms discussed included "wigged out," "square," and "kicks." The segment highlighted how many of these phrases have either disappeared or changed meanings in modern English.

A donor note warns investors to move holdings out of large BlackRock index funds that prioritize ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) scores. The current market is compared to the 1970s, suggesting that passive managers have become active political shareholders, influencing corporate policy at companies like Exxon.

"Dvorak's Law" posits that as the economy worsens, sex workers become more attractive and less expensive due to increased supply. This is contrasted with a recent viral claim from strippers that a recession is imminent because clubs are empty, which contradicts the historical 1970s boom in topless bars during economic downturns.

Trevor Noah hosted the White House Correspondents Dinner, where he joked about modern conspiracy theories and the political divide. The hosts transition into a comparison between current events and the 1970s, debating the origins of various slang terms like "cats" and "neato." They suggest that the current political and economic climate closely mirrors the instability of the Nixon and Carter eras.

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open Episode 1446 from Texas and Northern Silicon Valley. Dvorak initiates a "70s Flashback" challenge, planning to integrate ten specific slang terms from the 1970s into the conversation to see if Curry can identify them. The hosts briefly touch upon the public's demand for their opinion regarding Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter.

The Department of Homeland Security has established a new "Disinformation Governance Board" headed by Nina Jankowicz to combat "fake news" regarding immigration and Russia. The hosts mock the board as a "censorship bureau" before concluding the show. John C. Dvorak reveals which 1970s slang terms Adam Curry missed, and the episode ends with a custom music mix featuring themes of Elon Musk and government mandates.

The Rockefeller Center ice rink's transition to a roller skating venue for the summer marks a resurgence of 1970s culture. The segment references the original Flippers Roller Boogie Palace in Los Angeles and the modern "less scroll, more roll" movement as an alternative to digital consumption.

The hosts discuss the return of large-scale graffiti on New York City subways, comparing the current state of the city to the 1970s. Dvorak explains the terminology of the subculture, distinguishing between "tags," "toss-ups," and "burners." He shares an anecdote about owning a jacket custom-painted by a graffiti writer that allegedly provided safe passage through Hell's Kitchen.

A new gas pump scheme in Sacramento involves suspects swapping nozzles between pumps so that unsuspecting customers pay for the thieves' fuel. This trend is compared to the 1970s fuel crisis when siphoning gas was common, leading to the widespread adoption of locking gas caps. The complexity and impracticality of the modern nozzle-swapping scam are debated.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized the Russian political system while in Algiers, as European nations began reviving 1970s-style energy austerity measures. The Economist suggests Europe should rediscover the "spirit of the 1970s" by implementing lower speed limits, pedestrian days, and lower indoor temperatures to reduce reliance on Russian energy.

A comparison of 1970s cultural phenomena to modern equivalents includes the transition from CB radios to Slack and the return of the moon launch program with Artemis. Other 70s staples discussed include streetwalking prostitution, pet rocks, and the spoon-bending performances of Uri Geller.

A discussion on the return of 1970s aesthetics, including platform shoes and bell-bottoms, leads to an analysis of the 1968 film *Candy*. The movie, featuring Richard Burton and Ringo Starr, is described as a trippy satire of Hollywood hypocrisy and the "guru" culture of the era.

Vice President Kamala Harris is mocked for a repetitive speech delivered in Louisiana regarding the "significance of the passage of time." The repetitive nature of the remarks leads to speculation that she was either experiencing a teleprompter failure or was under the influence of substances. The hosts compare the current political climate to the 1970s, suggesting a "Great Recycle" of historical events is underway.

The New York Times reports a resurgence in the use of psychedelic toad toxins, mirroring 1970s "toad licking" myths. Other cultural throwbacks discussed include the 1970s anti-littering campaigns featuring the "Crying Indian" and the new HBO series *Minx*, which focuses on a 1970s erotic magazine for women. The hosts suggest that fashion trends like bell bottoms and mini-skirts are poised for a return as part of a broader cultural cycle.

As gas prices reach record highs, media outlets are profiling "hyper-milers" who use extreme driving techniques to achieve over 80 miles per gallon. Techniques include driving at 55 mph, coasting in neutral, and drafting behind trucks. The hosts recall similar behaviors from the 1970s oil crisis and predict that the federal government may eventually move to reinstate lower national speed limits to destroy fuel demand.