So here's the deal... there were some recording issues with this episode and it's not the best we've ever recorded, so cut us some slack on this one, will you? Plus, we moved to the two stories per person a week format and still managed to be over an hour. How does this even happen? We talk about sex education, ApocalyPs3, marriage, divorce, and the stock exchange. Oh... that's how it went so long.

Episode 9

Number 2 Stories: 

• Playstation Network melts down on Sunday/Monday, locking PS3 owners out of their PS3's: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10461364-1.html?tag=mncol;txt
• School’s Shake-Up Is Embraced by the President: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/education/07educ.html?em
• Your marriage is FINE;
  http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/personal/03/03/o.good.enough.marriage/index.html

 Number 1 Stories:

• The New Era of Music Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w
• Hollywood Stock Exchange is Becoming a Real Money Exchange in April: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/23/AR2010022303330.html
• Talking to your children about Sex is not helping(?);
• http://www.guttmacher.org/media/nr/2010/03/02/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Guttmacher+%28New+from+the+Guttmacher+Institute%29

Feedback:

• Regarding the discussion about the woman tweeting about her abortion. I do understand where she would want to try to share that it is a process and there was thought put into her decision, but knowing the controversy behind the topic and the feedback she would get, why not protect herself and tighten her privacy at the same time. I feel that people leave themselves open for social destruction. Was she looking for this kind of response or what actually goes into the decision to share this kind of experience... -Alicia
• Hey all, I think Jim's reaction from the podcast last week shows us why people will never be able to talk about abortion. It's because people take it too personally that the discussion can never be "fair." I understand Tone's want for open discussion, but how can you have open discussion when you can't put your feelings aside? I don't have an answer, but it's what I'm thinking. -Travis
• Greetings, You didn't talk about extensively, but I really enjoyed the IQ article from last week. As an atheist, it gives me a little bit of pride to see a study like this released. Flying Spaghetti Power! -Anonymous

You are going to die. Seriously. If science tells us anything, it is that any number of natural disasters can kill you at any moment. The one that scientists happen to be up in arms about this week is solar flares. But it's not all gloom and doom. We discuss chick flicks, Facebook, Sea World, Google and the internet. We also talk a lot about scientific methods and a recent study that shows liberals are "smarter" than conservatives. Also, we find out why killer whales are called killer whales. Let's admit it. Orca doesn't sound as threatening as killer whale.

Episode 8

Number 3 Stories:

• Chick flicks are successful as guys game more: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/23/as-dudes-embrace-games-chick-flicks-flourish/
• Liberal vs conservative and IQ: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/26/liberals.atheists.sex.intelligence/index.html
• Facebook "Personality" is true to life: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/no-lie-your-facebook-profile-is-the-real-you/

Number 2 Stories:

• Is the Internet making us smarter: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10457411-93.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
• More evidence that Google will control us: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/02/25/duluth-google/
• Show reopens after Orca attack in Seaworld: http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-seaworld-death27-2010feb27,0,1414311.story

Number 1 Stories:

• Internet goes crazy over real-time abortion: http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-im-live-tweeting-my-abortion-on-twitter/
• Solar Flares: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124125001&ps=cprs
• Minneapolis Business raided in Ponzi scheme investigation: http://www.startribune.com/local/85054067.html 

Feedback:

If you're prone to being easily offended, then you should probably just skip this one. We talk about a lot of serious issues like who is responsible for rape, conservative PR, women's rights in the workplace, and music distribution. It's all good. But we also talk about condoms, bondage, and sex. None of the conversation is too off the wall, but consider this your warning. Plus we discuss overweight policies on airlines, Twitter, and penis insecurity. See? You know it's going to be good.

Episode 7

Play Predict the Oscars With Us!

Number 3 Stories:

• Man flies plane into IRS building: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/19/us/19crash.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
• Conservatives use video games and rap to bring in younger people: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/conservatives-hoping-to-attract-younger-supporters-with-video-ga/
• Man facing jail time for bringing his daughter to church: 
  http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/divorce-battle-dad-faces-jail-time-taking-daughter/story?id=9845919&page=2

 Number 2 Stories:

• DirecTV caves to pressure from Twitter users and helps stroke victim: http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/02/directv_contract_problems.php
• Kevin Smith "too big to fly": http://consumerist.com/2010/02/director-kevin-smith-kicked-off-southwest-flight-for-being-too-fat.html
• Are Women the New Men?: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ella-l-j-edmondson-bell-phd/the-21st-century-workplac_b_462903.html

Number 1 Stories:

• Some women think rape victims should take responsibility: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8515592.stm
• OkGo's lead singer weighs in on the music industry in a digital age: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/20/opinion/20kulash.html
• Men don't want to buy tiny condoms: http://jezebel.com/5473075/dick-insecurity-should-women-have-sympathy

Feedback:

• I miss the static :(... I think the idea of liking sugar being linked to depression is completely bogus. Also, I agree that it totally sounds like child abuse to see how longs kinds can keep their hands in cold water. - VA from the blog
• Thanks for your thoughtful discussion on international debt and loans. You make some very good points, but I can't help but point out that debt does exist for a reason. If we were to abolish all debt from developing countries, what would stop us from abolishing the debt from every country? Eliminating debt teaches people that they can spend whatever they want without consequence. Debt reinforces responsible spending... most of the time (certainly didn't help the U.S.). I agree it's a complex issue and really love listening to the conversation! -Krista

It's not what you think. This week we tackle Haiti's debt, talk a lot about Google, and domestic abuse. We also spend a lot of time arguing about the proper terminology behind prostitution and a clarification on last week's discussion on home schooling. Also, did you know kids that like sweet things will be depressed? Science doesn't lie folks. Even when you force them to keep their hands submerged in cold water.

Episode 6

Number Three Stories:

• Sweet toothed children are more likely to be depressed in the future: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8506758.stm
• National Organization of Women accuse Tebow ad of promoting violence against women: http://dailycaller.com/2010/02/08/the-national-organization-for-women-now-claims-domestic-violence-the-real-issue-with-tebows-super-bowl-ad/
• Superbowl most watched event in television history: http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/02/super-bowl-xliv-ratings-.html

Number Two Stories:

• The buzz on Google Buzz: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8506148.stm
• Sarah Palin defends Rush Limbaugh's use of the word "retarded:"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/07/palin-considering-2012-ru_n_452602.html
• The first rule of fight church is: you must evangelize about fight church:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/us/02fight.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Number One Stories: 

• Olympics start this week: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic_games/vancouver_2010/8503531.stm
• The U.S. cancels Haiti's debt:  http://blog.sojo.net/2010/02/08/victory-for-haiti-debt-cancellation/ 
• Every time an engineer joins Google, a startup dies: http://www.businessinsider.com/every-time-an-engineer-joins-google-a-startup-dies-2010-2

Feedback: 

• It makes sense to legalize prostitution, broadly, but I don't think the stigma will be entirely eradicated. But yeah... Inara from Firefly, anyone? The question is... when will infidelity not be a problem? As an atheist, I would never say "moral crime", since that... implies "sin". I think prostitution could become more broadly legal, and it probably would benefit the economy, too... like, say, legalizing marijuana...     -Natalie 


• I heard quite a few biased and uninformed comments regarding homeschooling and the quality of a homeschool education.  If you do your research, you'll see that homeschoolers significantly outperform public school kids on standardized tests.  They are also often a year or two ahead of their fellow age group in public school.  It seems your bias toward homeschoolers expressed as "Lazy and uneducated" was in fact, lazy and uneducated of you. -Jordan


• Does prayer work? I feel this is a seriously misguided question. It’s as though we are looking for a consumer report on the subject, which no two will be the same or perhaps even accurate. 
  Credibly the question should be why do we pray? The motives of prayer vary as widely as those who do the praying. I believe that those motives are important to keep in mind when asking about prayer. For me, prayer is a form of humility. It is an admission that I am incapable of handling something on my own, and a plea for help. Prayer is a moment that we can stop and remember that our blessings are not completely self-gained. -Lisa