Topic: Handshaking

Former RNC Chairman Michael Steele praised Kamala Harris for a "power move" when she initiated a handshake with Donald Trump at the start of the debate. However, the interaction is also viewed through the lens of gambling, as "will they shake hands" was a popular prop bet on sports wagering sites. The move is framed as a calculated effort to secure a win for those betting on the interaction.

An encounter with Roseanne Barr at the Comedy Mothership in Austin leads to confusion regarding her residency in Fredericksburg, Texas, as previously claimed by Alex Jones. Barr's physical stature and unique "wrist-shaking" greeting style are noted, with speculation that she may suffer from a painful palm ailment common among politicians. A comparison is drawn between Barr's distinctive laugh during the comedy sets and a past experience with a boisterous Liza Minnelli on the Concorde.

The hosts discuss "Handshake," a decentralized naming protocol that uses a blockchain to manage top-level domains. Adam Curry describes receiving emails offering "gifted" domains like .curry or .noagenda, which he identifies as a potential pump-and-dump scheme for the HNS altcoin. They compare it to failed alternative DNS projects from the past and question the involvement of venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz.

NPR featured a multi-part series on the "etiquette" of hugging and handshaking during the pandemic. The segments suggest "shimmying" to gauge comfort levels and asking for vaccination status before physical contact. The hosts ridicule the advice as "psychotic" and "exasperating," arguing it fuels unnecessary social anxiety and germaphobia.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte holds a press conference to announce a ban on handshaking to prevent virus transmission, only to immediately shake a colleague's hand after the announcement. The segment explores the history of handshaking and suggests adopting bowing as a more hygienic alternative.

The FDA warned that six companies manufacturing pet medications could face supply disruptions due to a reliance on active ingredients from China. In response to the virus, public figures have begun adopting alternatives to handshakes, such as "fist bumps," "knee bumps," or "foot bumps." These anecdotal shifts in social behavior reflect the escalating "fear factor" in the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shared a high-profile, enthusiastic handshake at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires. Media outlets analyzed the interaction as a signal of defiance against Western criticism regarding the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. Claims are made that a viral photo of Donald Trump looking longingly at the pair was a misleading still frame taken out of context.

Andrew Sullivan appeared on the Tavis Smiley Show to claim President Trump is "psychologically unwell" and "clinically delusional." He cited Trump's supposed refusal to shake German Chancellor Angela Merkel's hand as evidence of "childish" behavior. The hosts debunk this narrative, noting that Trump shook Merkel's hand multiple times during the visit and that the media focused on a single awkward moment.

Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the White House for talks with President Donald Trump regarding NATO spending, terrorism, and trade. Media coverage focused heavily on a perceived "handshake snub" in the Oval Office, which the hosts argue was a manufactured controversy by reporters. Trump reiterated his stance that Germany must increase its defense spending and clarified that he is a "fair trader" rather than an isolationist.

President Obama is criticized for his behavior during a Q&A with young African leaders where he explicitly refused to take selfies, claiming it would take too long. He also corrected himself after saying he would shake "everybody's" hand, clarifying that he could not literally shake thousands of hands. The hosts compare this to his "if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor" rhetoric.

Multiple states, including New York, are seeing lawsuits filed against Ted Cruz regarding his eligibility for the presidency due to his Canadian birth. Meanwhile, the Cruz campaign faces backlash for using a photoshopped image of Marco Rubio shaking hands with President Obama to imply a secret alliance. The discussion devolves into a tangent about "lefty handshakes" and cultural norms regarding the use of the left hand in Asian countries versus Western hygiene practices.

An anecdote describes an encounter with Planned Parenthood canvassers on 2nd Street in Austin. The host details a "social engineering" tactic used by the canvassers involving an introductory handshake to stop pedestrians. To counter this, the host suggests a "psych" maneuver where one pulls their hand away at the last second to maintain momentum while walking.

John C. Dvorak presents a theory that modern American hugging culture originated with President Bill Clinton. Dvorak argues that Clinton's frequent public hugging set a new cultural and moral tone for the nation, a practice continued by George W. Bush and modified into a "hip-hop hug" by Barack Obama. The discussion links presidential behavior to shifts in national social greetings and physical contact norms.

The hosts play a clip of Dr. Eileen Marty from the World Health Organization discussing the "Bluetooth handshake"—a non-contact fist bump used in Africa to prevent the spread of disease. Marty explains that touching forearms or elbows is a safer alternative to traditional handshakes. Curry and Dvorak mock the idea of the "Bluetooth" greeting becoming a trend in the United States.

An anonymous photographer working for mainstream media reports frustration among colleagues who secretly listen to No Agenda. During a Tea Party event in Boston, the photographer used the "In The Morning" greeting as a secret handshake with attendees carrying "Atlas Shrugged" signs, receiving positive responses.