Topic: Registry

In World Cup news, Japan's victory over Germany was highlighted not just for the upset, but for the Japanese fans' tradition of cleaning up the stadium after the match. The episode concluded with a report on the "Do Not Call Registry," which now contains 246 million numbers. While the list helps block legal telemarketers, it remains largely ineffective against illegal robo-calls and "spam" text messages targeting mobile users.

Eighty Republicans joined Democrats in the House of Representatives to pass a bill creating a national vaccine registry. The move is criticized as a shift from the traditional "question authority" stance of the past toward a mandate for obedience.

David Barnett, CEO of PopSockets, testified at an anti-trust hearing about Amazon's practice of allowing counterfeit products to compete with authentic brands. Barnett alleged that Amazon required $1.8 million in marketing funds before taking action against illegal imitations of his patented phone accessory. The discussion characterizes Amazon as an "evil corp" that uses its marketplace dominance to extract advertising fees from its own suppliers.

Beto O'Rourke proposed a mandatory gun buyback program and a national gun registry, labeling semi-automatic rifles as "weapons of war." The hosts debate the technical definitions of the AR-15 and AK-47, questioning the legality and availability of fully automatic versions in the United States. The segment highlights O'Rourke's use of emotive language, such as "instruments of terror" and "wounds of war," to describe the impact of high-velocity rounds.

Canada's Bill C-76 requires online platforms to maintain a registry of all political and partisan advertisements, leading some tech companies to consider banning such ads entirely before the election. The feasibility of enforcing a ban on "indirect" political content is questioned, as it could impact search results and links. The legislation is expected to create a messy environment for digital campaigning and native advertising.

The "thoughts and prayers" phrase has become a target of online mockery and memes following the Parkland shooting. However, the hosts point out the hypocrisy of the media criticizing the phrase while simultaneously broadcasting religious vigils and prayer circles in Florida. They also discuss the dangers of creating "mental health lists" for gun ownership, which could lead to a system similar to sex offender registries.

Governor Jerry Brown is expected to sign the California Values Act, making California a sanctuary state by limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. Additionally, the state approved reforms to the sex offender registry, allowing some low-risk offenders to petition for removal after 10 to 20 years.

The Intercept reports that IBM CEO Ginni Rometty offered the company's services to the Trump administration, sparking fears of a potential Muslim registry. The discussion references Edwin Black's research into IBM's historical involvement with the Nazi regime during World War II, specifically the use of Hollerith punch card machines to track populations.

A producer shares a tip for expecting parents: keeping the baby's gender a secret from friends and family ensures that people buy "big ticket" items from the registry rather than just buying gender-specific clothing. The hosts discuss this as a practical strategy for modern parents.

Donations from listeners LQZ and Edgar Rothermisch prompt a discussion on the Canadian long gun registry and the productivity of Greek workers. A producer promotes his new manual for Apple's Logic Pro X software and thanks the show's jingle creators.

The United Nations Small Arms Transfer Treaty, discussed in New York in July 2012, is identified as a potential beneficiary of the Aurora shooting narrative. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's support for international arms transfer controls is framed as a move toward a global registry and the eventual disarmament of private citizens. The timing of the treaty discussions relative to the shooting is highlighted as significant.

The Barack Obama campaign has introduced an "event registry" allowing supporters to ask for campaign donations in lieu of gifts for weddings, birthdays, or bar mitzvahs. The hosts criticize this tactic as intrusive and socially awkward, suggesting it "steals" the idea of direct listener support used by independent media.

New legislation requires online pharmacies to be domiciled in the U.S. and mandates face-to-face meetings between patients and providers. The hosts argue this is a move by behemoths like Pfizer to consolidate the market and force the use of expensive brand-name drugs over generics.

A March 1st deadline is identified for pharmacies and doctors to integrate into a federal database tracking patient prescriptions. This system is framed as a solution to "doctor shopping," using the Whitney Houston toxicology investigation as a public catalyst for the rollout.

In Las Gatos, California, Sarah Cole was found not guilty of felony unlawful sex with a minor but was convicted of a misdemeanor for "annoying or molesting a minor." This conviction requires her to register as a sex offender for life, leading the hosts to criticize the broad application of sex offender laws.

A clip from the television show The Good Guys prompts a discussion about the legal classification of streakers and public urination as sex offenses. The hosts argue that over-populating sex offender registries with minor offenders allows actual predators in high levels of government to hide in plain sight.

Middle school students in Valparaiso are facing felony child pornography charges for "sexting" nude photos of themselves. The hosts argue that applying adult sex offender laws to teenagers is a dangerous overreach that waters down the registry for actual predators.

A technical discussion ensues regarding the difficulty of configuring port forwarding on AT&T routers for Skype. One host mentions a potential solution involving a Windows registry patch but expresses hesitation about implementing it before a live show.

A provision in the proposed healthcare bill for a "National Medical Device Registry" is scrutinized for its potential to track implantable devices. The hosts speculate on the implications of collecting "outcomes data" for Class 2 and Class 3 devices like pacemakers. They jokingly refer to the registry as a precursor to the "mark of the beast" or widespread human chipping.

A passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight was arrested after stripping naked and punching a woman. This leads to a discussion on "Go Topless Day" and the 14th Amendment rights of women. The hosts compare American attitudes toward nudity and public urination with the more liberal approach in the Netherlands, specifically mentioning Amsterdam's open-air urinals.