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I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Episode 38: Cynics at the trough

September 6, 2008

| Sure politics is a lot of theatre and some of it has been great recently, but the profoundly cynical appointment of Palin and other such joys has us in a tizzy. Plus the IMF, and bad border news

34:04 minutes (31.2 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Episode 40: Counting Chickens

October 14, 2008

| There may not be a chicken in every pot, but the Democrats are thinking new deal, and the Republicans are running around like chicks with their heads off, and Keith says Obama supporters better not

34:15 minutes (31.36 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Ruling From The Grave

November 26, 2008

| Bush tries to ram through right wing regulations, Obama looks backward for change and the Liberals follow suit. It's enough to make your head spin.

33:44 minutes (30.89 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

At the end of the day

December 18, 2008

| At the end of the year we look again at Harper's stunning deception on democracy and at the disturbing recent appointment by Obama, but we also look for a few good signs.

32:33 minutes (29.8 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Bushed

January 23, 2009

| We're Bushed. And look what happened to our standards. You get a smart guy that believes in science and the rule of law and we get all giddy.

29:06 minutes (26.65 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

The right wing thing

June 11, 2009

| What's with the right wing thing? The EU elections have some real right wingers, England has a neo-nazi and right wing domestic terrorists in the U.S are shooting people.

32:46 minutes (30 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Will Get Fooled Again: Iran, public health care and family values hypocrisy

June 25, 2009

| How many times can people fall for the same thing? We hear that the U.S most be more bold in Iran, (that's worked so well), that public health care brings evil and that family values pols are pure.

27:55 minutes (25.56 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

We Can't Quit You: Palintology, the climate crises and Sotomayor

July 15, 2009

| Palin quits (again) but the GOP and media just can't quit her, the G8 just can't quit screwing up on the climate crises, & the hypocritical attacks on judge Sotomayor won't quit.

33:17 minutes (30.48 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Public Nuisance: On Gates, Blue Dog dems, car subsidies and other troubles.

August 3, 2009

| If your looking for a public nuisance, legally it sure wasn't Professor Gates, but we can make an argument that it might be the Blue Dog Democrats marking their territory on health care and maybe even

33:51 minutes (30.99 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Health care 'debate' in the U.S is sickening

August 14, 2009

| When a U.S. Senator invokes "Death Panels" and a white man brings a loaded gun to an Obama health care rally, and when "town hall meetings" are organized shoutdowns it's enough to make you sick.

24:06 minutes (22.06 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Things Fall Apart: Senate democracy, stories of secession, and U.S. health care

September 1, 2009

| Canadian and U.S. Senates are pretty light on the democracy front, Texans talks of secession but missed some history and can Kennedy rule from the grave on health care?

30:56 minutes (28.32 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Mad Hatter's Tea Party: protest, protocol and prejudice in the U.S.

September 18, 2009

| The tea partiers lied about their numbers and seem to make up a bunch of things, but they could be a force to reckon with, ramping up the hate, anger, and racism with help from Fox.

34:09 minutes (31.27 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Not As They Appear: Iran, Olympics and some news you might have missed

October 6, 2009

| The neocons seems to want to double-down on Iraq playing on a bunch of myths, plus they gloat over an Obama "failure" to get the Olympics. Chicago should thank their lucky stars.

29:58 minutes (27.44 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Nobel prizes, war criminals, fox news, zombies oh my

October 22, 2009

| Smorgasboard from Obama, to Fox, to the racist British National Party, to Joe Leiberman, plus zombies. It all kind of fits into one big dish.

33:26 minutes (30.61 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Electile Dysfunction: GOP election delusions and the health care betrayal of women

November 9, 2009

| The mighty righty members of the GOP are kidding themselves, lucky for them they have Democrats (and one annoying independent) to push things to the right, especially on abortion and health care.

31:34 minutes (28.91 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Seal of Disapproval: 2009 reflections on Obama

November 30, 2009

| Sure no one expected some new progressive presidency, but how do we think Obama has performed so far despite our reduced expectations?

36:17 minutes (33.22 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Invasion of the body scanners: Going prorogue

January 15, 2010

| Having self-prorogued IRTN is back looking at Harper's continued revolution, the importance of the upcoming Massachusetts Senate race on U.S. health care and the invasion of the body scanners.

35:51 minutes (32.82 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Critical Mass: fallout from yesterday's election

January 20, 2010

| Yes "surrender" is the battle cry of the Democrats but is it all over for health care and the Dems? We are not so sure.

27:59 minutes (25.63 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Courting Disaster: Fear of a democratic planet

February 6, 2010

| A U.S senator claims the Constitution only protects citizens, and corporations have new election powers, and people protest due process then you know it is fear of a democratic planet.

34:26 minutes (31.52 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

We Reach for the Silver Lining (and fail) - CPAC, Olympics and Corporate Rights

February 21, 2010

| We promised some good news you might have missed and we deliver but then when you look at the U.S gathering of conservatives and the Olympics, well things can get ugly.

34:53 minutes (31.95 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Civilization costs money: U.S. healthcare, Harper budgets and more

March 9, 2010

| Who counts? In Harper's budget world it isn't women, the environment or indigenous issues. But he counts deficits. And plenty is being counted for the U.S. health care bill but not what matters.

35:25 minutes (40.54 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Me or your lying eyes -- the tea party, the Pope and the pursuit of truth

April 23, 2010

| Sure the Tea Party folks are upset, but should progressives care? And in Europe the Catholic church sex-abuse scandal is making some interesting waves. Plus news you might have missed!

29:55 minutes (34.24 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Lost in the desert: Bad laws and poor politics

April 30, 2010

| The crazy is coming out in Arizona, but this likely unconstitutional immigration law might really be about something else, plus other political news and views.

34:58 minutes (32.01 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Shrill baby shrill: Right wing rhetoric rising

May 17, 2010

| The Maine Republican party goes Tea Party, a Senator calls for guilty until proven innocent, another TP group wants U.S. senators to be appointed, but democracy might be breaking out in Britain.

32:10 minutes (29.45 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Oily pols and oily water: Fake lake mistake, weak oil drilling regulations and other calamities

June 11, 2010

| Something ugly is sticking to things, some of it is mud on the face of Harper for his billion dollar security tab, plus BP, shockingly, doesn't seem to be getting out the full story, and more.

35:50 minutes (32.8 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Don't hold your breath: Debate on Israel, the war(s) on drug use and entrenched political parties

June 18, 2010

| An honest debate on Israel? A reasonable drug policy? A breakdown of the two party system? Can any of this happen? It's like baseball, one out three maybe.

41:17 minutes (37.8 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Docudrama: The Canadian census, 91,000 document leaks and the challenges of democracy

July 29, 2010

| Hypocrisy reigns as a government that hates the long form on the census invades Toronto with the G20 (and tells women what to do with their bodies), plus what does it mean to leak war documents?

36:10 minutes (33.12 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Zero grounds to complain: Destroying freedom to save it?

August 11, 2010

| The so-called "ground zero mosque" is neither, but that doesn't matter. What matters, to freedom loving people, is freedom of religion and right of assembly not racism disguised as caring.

33:53 minutes (31.03 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Off the deep end: Elections, pot and crime

October 13, 2010

| The right shows some election might, all won't be good if California goes to pot, and news you might have missed.

31:27 minutes (28.8 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Doubting Thomases: Judges, polls and politics

October 22, 2010

| U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thomas might be married to a conflict of interest (tough luck for us), plus we look at the politics of polls and news you might have missed.

32:31 minutes (29.77 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Circling the drain: A certain mayor, elections in general and our general attitude

November 1, 2010

| As the folks in Toronto can tell you the The Angry Voter ™ is not just for tea-parties anymore, the rally for sanity shows that irony is not quite dead, plus the media yawns at Wikileaks news.

38:19 minutes (35.08 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Groping for the truth: Election hangover and the TSA

November 24, 2010

| Yes the airport procedures seem like theatre and may have little to do security but aren't there other civil liberty issues that might be a bit more pressing? Plus politics and Palin.

36:42 minutes (33.6 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Ducks and Leaks: A departing Congress, an important website and more

December 23, 2010

| Media and politicians are putting out a lot of misinformation on Wikileaks and the UN investigates the U.S. on the prison conditions for the alleged leaker, plus a lame duck Congress gets it done.

36:56 minutes (33.82 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Unabridged edition: The almost free association show

January 7, 2011

| Political hypocrisy, constitutional troubles, Harper's new policeman, Obama's new friend, G8 accountability and a bit of good news.

36:24 minutes (33.33 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Below the fold: News you might have missed in 2010

December 31, 2010

| Killer whales, mine fires, terminator seeds, birthers, Chuck Norris, oil spills not in the gulf, a problematic museum of tolerance and more highlights from 2010.

38:47 minutes (35.52 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Bad deal: Nasty trade agreements and nasty arguments

January 21, 2011

| In this episode we talk abut the bad trade deal that most haven't heard of (CETA), why things are so nasty in Arizona and elsewhere, plus news on volcanos, India, state bankruptcy and more.

36:48 minutes (33.7 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Hypocrisy on democracy: Fear of a free Egypt and other mindbenders

February 3, 2011

| Democracy is all well and good unless it happens elsewhere, then it can be a threat to 'freedom-loving people,' or something like that.

32:05 minutes (29.38 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Below the fold: News you might have missed, Valentine's edition

February 17, 2011

| We have a love for the news but this week is a doozy. We have Superbowl champs supporting unionized workers, corporations going after a journalist, a disturbing abortion bill, silent justice and more.

35:49 minutes (32.8 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Labour pains and DOMA doom

February 25, 2011

| The assault on unions ramps up even more in the U.S. but this time labour and friends break out a can of democracy and Obama defends human rights by attacking the Defence of Marriage Act.

34:11 minutes (31.3 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Political and energy overreach

March 18, 2011

| It turns out that maybe you can reach too far over that political cliff, as the 2011 season of politicians doing the overreach shows. Plus, assessing nuclear power and news you might have missed.

40:35 minutes (37.16 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Got good government? Not here

April 8, 2011

| With an historical contempt finding, the Canadian government isn't looking so great and the election could mean things only get worse. And worse it gets in the U.S. as the government faces shutdown.

37:49 minutes (34.62 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Can the orange crush the blue wave? Elections, polls, pols and politics

May 1, 2011

| OK we didn't see this coming, and what is worse it might not come at all; yes Donald Trump for president. No, we did see that coming; it's the dramatic rise of the NDP that we missed (but so did you).

40:51 minutes (37.45 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Death throes of democracy: On elections and the rule of law

May 12, 2011

| The elections are a great reminder that Canada has a serious democratic deficit and the killing of Bin Laden raises questions about democracy and the rule of law.

36:12 minutes (33.14 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

The hatetriots act: From bad laws to strange primaries to bi-partisan problems

May 26, 2011

| An IRTN report from Russia, the art project known as the GOP primaries, and how the politics of hate seem to bring politicians together.

39:06 minutes (35.8 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Delivering the mail and the crazy: The attack on unions and the attack on sense

June 15, 2011

| Canadian postal workers go on strike for the first time in fifteen years and you would think they were burning flags. The attack on labour is crazy as is what passes for electoral politics in the U.S.

43:12 minutes (39.56 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Class dismissed: Justices against justice

June 29, 2011

| Class action lawsuits have been taking a beating by SCOTUS, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas continues with some ethically challenging practices, Obama ignores the War Powers Act, plus divorce!

39:47 minutes (36.42 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

How low can we go: Ceilings and floors of public policy

August 1, 2011

| From Toronto to the U.S. Congress and White House, the talk is cuts, cuts, cuts. How is the general welfare of the public served by this worship of downsizing, of austerity? How low do we go?

39:47 minutes (36.42 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Are the kids all riot?

August 16, 2011

| David Cameron, the British PM, is wagging his finger at parents and kids but, of course, the idea of simple thuggery doesn't cut it. Plus straw polls, political hypocrisy and other joys.

39:47 minutes (36.42 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Fear and loathing, eh? Canadian PM brings the hate, where's the security?

September 27, 2011

| The PM goes all in with the hate, but where is the love for building communities and actually protecting people? Plus, the Koch brothers rear their ugly plans, and civil disobedience goes old school.

30:55 minutes (28.3 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Democracy on the run: The Occupiers are told they can't, the U.S. 'supercommittee' isn't

November 22, 2011

| Challenges for the Occupy movement, the" supercommittee" isn't and technocratic governments start popping up. Plus climate crises news and other extremes.

38:45 minutes (35.48 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Official suckatude: Canada and the U.S. destroy the world

December 16, 2011

| It's official. The Harper government works to make the climate crisis worse. The U.S. government is officially giving itself the right to arrest and indefinitely detain its citizens.

36:01 minutes (32.98 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Below the fold: News you might have missed in 2011

December 21, 2011

| Our top choices from our feature Below The Fold where we seek out news that highlights the crazy, the frustrating and even the hopeful. Plus, bonus predictions for 2012.

46:13 minutes (42.31 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Organized sports and Gingrich on the moon

January 27, 2012

| The players' association for the NFL in the U.S. comes out swinging against so-called "right to work" anti-union legislation and we talk labour and sports. Gingrich is over the moon for colonization.

33:04 minutes (30.27 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Does God hate vaginas? The religious right's attack on women's health

February 17, 2012

| Attempts to re-ignite the abortion debate in Canada, an all-male Congressional contraception hearing, the jaw-dropping remarks of Rick Santorum; women's health isn't on the right-wing God's agenda.

37:37 minutes (34.44 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Below the belt: Politics and dirty tricks

March 20, 2012

| The robocall scandal to suppress the vote in Canada still has legs but Canadians aren't quite yet in the pro-league when it comes to vote suppression. Plus, mind-numbing attacks on women's rights.

38:03 minutes (34.84 MB)

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Austerity fever

April 9, 2012

| Austerity fever is catching, and it isn't a pleasant disease. Symptoms include unemployment, growing wealth gaps, crumbling infrastructure and more. We diagnose it and give some health tips.

38:26 minutes (35.19 MB)

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