Topic: Periods

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb discussed the Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, noting a two-to-six-week incubation period. He disagreed with other experts by suggesting a longer window of observation is needed to determine if additional cases will emerge from the initial exposure.

Eric Sankmeyer is officially knighted as "Sir Eric of Ye Olde Forge" for his cumulative contributions of $1,000 or more. Additionally, Baron Sir Economic Hitman is upgraded to the rank of Viscount. The ceremony includes the traditional reading of the "hookers and blow" list and a reminder about the availability of No Agenda rings for knights and dames.

Boston Children's Hospital has faced scrutiny for videos discussing gender-related surgeries for 17-year-olds. In international news, Scotland became the first country to provide free period products by law, though the appointment of a man to lead the program sparked backlash. Comedian Dave Chappelle is noted for refusing to wear a dress for Hollywood roles.

News reports from 2015 and 2019 highlight record-breaking global temperatures and atmospheric carbon levels reaching 415 parts per million, a level not seen since the Pliocene period. One report details a Penn State study suggesting aliens might attack Earth due to greenhouse gas emissions, while others link the polar vortex to melting Arctic ice. George Soros argues that investing in green technology and a "new world order" is necessary to replace the American consumer as the motor of the world economy.

A geologist argues that climate has always changed, citing the Medieval Warm Period (1000 AD) as a time of prosperity that was later "erased" by Michael Mann's hockey stick graph. The speaker claims he was denied an NPR interview because he refused to attribute warming to human activity. He asserts that the current "irrational hysteria" in the media ignores 100 previous studies confirming that historical warming was global and natural.

The hosts highlight two instances of corporate "virtue signaling" gone wrong. First, a tweet from Tampax claiming "not all people with periods are women" is mocked. Second, David Barrett, the CEO of Expensify, sent an email to 10 million customers urging them to vote for Joe Biden, claiming a vote for Trump is a vote for "anarchy." The hosts describe this as a massive "noodle gun" (backfire) that offended customers on both sides of the aisle.

Dr. Anthony Fauci discusses the challenges of testing for the coronavirus, noting that detectable virus levels can fluctuate in hospitalized patients. He clarifies that current CDC tests are not being used as release criteria for the 195 Americans in quarantine. The hosts interpret his statements as an indication that the 14-day quarantine period may be extended.

President Xi Jinping warns of an accelerating spread of the virus as the death toll rises and 48 million people face travel bans. Technical aspects of the virus are discussed, specifically the R-naught (R0) value being over two, indicating high virality. While the incubation period is estimated at two weeks, the primary cause of death is identified as pneumonia resulting from the virus, particularly in elderly patients.

In a featured audio clip, Dr. Tim Ball explains his defense against Michael Mann's lawsuit, alleging that Mann "rewrote climate history" by removing the Medieval Warm Period from his models. Ball claims Mann grafted modern instrumental temperature records onto cherry-picked tree ring data to create the illusion of unprecedented warming. The segment criticizes the UN IPCC for using the hockey stick graph as a primary tool for climate policy.

Specific mobile applications, including a King James Bible app and various period trackers, are identified as sharing granular user data with Facebook. The Bible app reportedly tracks specific verses read by the user, while other apps transmit hardware data such as battery percentage and accelerometer positions.

The Brexit agreement establishes a 21-month transition period during which the UK will remain an EU member until July 2020. Key unresolved issues include the Northern Ireland border, fishing rights in UK waters, and the status of British territories like Gibraltar and Cyprus. The hosts describe the document as a "nothing burger" consisting mostly of agreements to make future agreements.

A 2006 congressional testimony from a geophysicist challenges the "hockey stick" temperature graph, arguing that the Medieval Warm Period was a real, global phenomenon that modern climate scientists have tried to erase. The witness describes being pressured by NPR to attribute warming to human activity and warns of an "irrational hysteria" in the media regarding natural climate cycles.

A comparison between the Canadian and British parliamentary systems reveals that the UK's "Prime Minister's Questions" is largely a staged performance. Unlike in Canada, where questions are unscripted, the British Prime Minister receives 48 hours' notice of questions and can select which ones to answer. This revelation suggests the televised debates on C-SPAN are a "charade" rather than true accountability.

Adam and John read through a list of donors and producers, discussing the "hat trick" of donation tiers. They highlight a specific app called "Period Plus" mentioned by a donor, leading to a discussion on the utility of menstruation trackers for men in relationships. The hosts reiterate their "value-for-value" model, explaining why the show remains commercial-free and listener-supported.

Cynicism toward the Obama administration is increasing in international press as the initial "honeymoon period" concludes. With political figures like Sarah Palin no longer dominating the news cycle, media attention has shifted toward scrutinizing the new administration's economic plans and personnel.