Author, and host of the Dismantling Doctrine podcast Clint Heacock returns to the pod to talk about how effectively the Project 2025 playbook is working, why it's terrifying, and how authoritarianism fits into it. We discuss the origins of our national motto "In God We Trust," adding "under God" to the pledge of allegiance, and the war Christian Nationalists are waging on civil liberty.
NOT SO SHINY NOT SO HAPPY PEOPLE (THE BOOK)
DISMANTLING DOCTRINE PODCAST
Our returning champion, former Federal Prosecutor for the district of Oregon, Amanda Marshall stops by to talk to us about the Comey indictment, national guard troops in her home town, due process, weaponization of the DOJ, mass resignation of career DOJ attorneys, selective prosecution, and why prosecutorial discretion matters.
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Friend of the Pod, Chief Warrant Officer Jon Molik, All-Source Intelligence Analyst for the Army National Guard, former All-Source Intelligence Technician for the National Guard, former Counterdrug Criminal Analyst for the DEA, former Director of Intelligence and Security for the National Guard, former Organized Crime Investigator for the New York State Attorney General’s Organized Crime division, and current host of the podcast Headlines and History with Jon Molik, stops by to explain why we should care about who controls TikTok, Charlie Kirk, US troop presence in US cities, free speech, peaceable assembly, SCOTUS, domestic extremism, foreign terrorists, government overreach, and more! HEADLINES AND HISTORY: THE TIKTOK THREAT
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Our friend, Melissa Chureau, former state prosecutor, purpose and mindset coach, mindfulness teacher, practicing lawyer, and the host of The Fully Mindful podcast brings her 25 years of personal mindfulness practice, her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law, and her a B.A. in English Literature from U.C. Berkeley to explain that we aren't great at breathing. *She's not wrong* We talk about staying sane in a challenging political climate. And, how to maintain health and serenity, while remaining engaged and politically active.
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Friend of the pod, Alyssa Ann Beall, co-founder of the People Too Alliance, and out trans woman, talks about her experience coming to her age of awareness, transitioning, and some of the barriers and hate she's encountered.
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Author, and host of the Dismantling Doctrine podcast Clint Heacock returns to the pod to talk about his book "Not So Shiny Not So Happy People, How Bill Gothard, Church, and Family Taught Me Christianity Doesn't Work." Clint talks about turning away from a lifetime of studying and sharing the gospel in favor of an atheistic ideology. After earning a PhD in theology, becoming an elder in the church, teaching at a bible college, being a respected pastor, Clint ultimately came to find the belief system he had been propagating irreconcilable with reality. He deconstructed and reconstructed. He shares some of the revelations of the damage the church wrought on his young psyche and how he got out.
NOT SO SHINY NOT SO HAPPY PEOPLE (THE BOOK)
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Former US Attorney, Amanda Marshall returns to the pod to try and make sense of the presidential immunity ruling handed down by the US Supreme Court. She tells a great story about Kamala Harris going to the mat to protect the people she serves. And, she walks us through what led to the reversal of Oregon's drug decriminalization efforts (Measure 110).
US SUPREME COURT DECISION (Presidential Immunity)
ACLU STATEMENT ON IMMUNITY RULING
NPR ON OREGON'S DECRIMINALIZATION RESULTS
MARSHALL ADVOCACY CENTER (CONTACT AMANDA)
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THE MEDIOCRE OBSERVER RANTS AND RAMBLINGS
Elyse Maloni, leader in AI Operations at PanasonicWELL, stops by the pod to lament the end of human creativity! We discuss likely job disruptions and displacements caused by AI but soothe ourselves, remembering that militarized superintelligence will be the death of us all, anyhow!
THE NEURON (newsletter)
THE IMPACT OF THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION ON THE BRAIN & BEHVIOR (NIH article)
HOW GENERATIVE AI CAN AUGMENT HUMAN CREATIVITY (HBR article)
ANDREW NG'S COURSERA OPTIONS (mostly free & approachable for anyone who wants to learn how to use & apply AI)
CONCERNING AI (podcast)
Links to popular AI models for people to experiment with (if so inclined):
OPENAI (ChatGPT)
GEMINI (Google)
COPILOT (Microsoft)
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Intelligence Officer, Former Narcotics Investigator, and Host of the podcast Headlines and History, Jon Molik taps into our Zoom call to share some historical context on the Israeli Palestinian conflict. After reciting my Google search history, he puts us at ease about government surveillance of US Citizens and explains the FISA warrant process. We discuss Putin and the differences in dealing with rational vs non-rational heads of state. As a Senior Intelligence Warrant Officer in the New York Army National Guard and former Organized Crime Investigator in the New York State Attorney General’s Office, he sheds light on the inner workings of our intelligence and criminal investigatory bodies. Grab your security clearance badge and meet us in the SCIF for a great talk!
HEADLINES AND HISTORY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
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Lewis and Clark College grad (History major) turned Baltimore Maryland City Planner turned US Department of Energy Sustainability Expert, and former high school student Steve Bruno stops by the pod for an illuminating discussion of all things energy policy. We walk through our divided political climate, disinformation, advances in sustainable energy, and we're left slightly more optimistic about the future of mankind. Slightly.
OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
GLOBAL MONITORING LABAROTORY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
GLOBAL MONITORING LABORATORY BASICS OF THE CARBON CYCLE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND SINKS
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CLIMATE CHANGE INDICATORS
US ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION GREENHOUSE GASSES AND THE CLIMATE
US ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT EXPLAINED
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Former Pastor and church Elder Clint Heacock stops by the pod to talk about how his lifelong pursuit, study, and practice of his faith ultimately led him to abandon it. We talk about the damage religion is doing to our planet and the people on it. He shoots a couple holes in Noah's ark and explains why I probably shouldn't own Hebrew slaves (even if the bible tells me I can). Clint holds a PhD in Theology from the University of Chester, hosts The Mindshift Podcast, and is currently writing a book called Baptism, Third Time’s a Charm (My Story of Deconversion from Christianity).
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America is OPEN FOR BUSINESS (no gays, no blacks, no Jews)! I am joined by Attorney Amanda Bruss who offers her insights and concerns about the US Supreme Court's decision allowing a Colorado web designer to refuse services to gay couples. We discuss the the 303 Creative Case, the trajectory of the court, and the role religion plays in politics.
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In this bite-sized pod, we examine how texting might contribute to the devolution of communication in America. We discuss why Americans are demanding reductive communications. We try to decide what the best emoji is to convey, "I'm terrified to have an actual conversation." Chat and text can be useful but are their overuse driving us apart?
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Cover photo by Asterfolio, courtesy of Unsplash
I am joined by a member of "the lifestyle" to talk about ethical non-monogamy. We explore the risks and rewards of opening up your relationship. We talk about cucking, sucking, and f**king. We talk insecurity, jealousy, and the pleasure to be found in watching your partner pleasure (or get pleasured by) someone else.
OPENING UP: A GUIDE TO CREATING AND SUSTAINING OPEN RELATIONSHIPS BY TAORMIND
THE ETHICAL SLUT BY HARDY/EASTON
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Cover photo by Annie Spratt, courtesy of Unsplash
I am joined by Dr. Andrea Liner (the Breakup Doc), Clinical Psychologist, to talk about what's wrong with America's brain! We spitball on critical thinking among our electorate and how it manifests in dating and relationships. We talk about the dumbing down of America, the role of religion in critical thinking, and common errors in thinking and how to avoid them.
BREAKUP, DATING, AND RELATIONSHIP COACHING WITH DR. ANDREA LINER
APPLY FOR COACHING OR THERAPY WITH DR. ANDREA LINER
FOLLOW DR. ANDREA LINER ON INSTAGRAM
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT WITH DR. ANDREA LINER
SCHEDULE FREE CONSULTATION WITH DR. ANDREA LINER
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I am joined by Jenn Culbert, my insightful, funny, thoughtful friend, to talk about dating in America in the digital age. We talk about being catfished, how awful texting is, people that don't know how calendars work, and misleading profiles. We discuss the fire hose of humanity that is online dating - how the inability of so many to think critically plays into imagined concerns about giving out phone numbers and so much more.
BLOCKED - HOW YOU BECAME DISPOSABLE
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Photo by Mindy Sabiston courtesy of Unsplash
I am joined once again by Amanda Marshall, former Oregon Department of Justice Prosecutor, Obama appointed US Attorney for the District of Oregon, currently in private practice offering criminal defense and civil litigation services. We talk about the push for police abolition and the validity of the movement, the violent nature of policing, and the violence it perpetrates and perpetuates.
THE BOOK NO MORE POLICE A CASE FOR ABOLITION
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MARSHALL ADVOCACY CENTER (CONTACT AMANDA)
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER (CIVIL RIGHTS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ADVOCATES)
Cover photo by Sean Lee courtesy of Unsplash
I am joined today by Amanda Marshall, former Oregon Department of Justice Prosecutor, Obama appointed US Attorney for the District of Oregon, and currently in private practice offering criminal defense and civil litigation services. We talk about the origins of America's fake and failed war on drugs. We riff on mass incarceration. We talk about the efficacy of treating drug addiction with handcuffs. We talk decriminalization. And she shares with me what her favorite drug is and why she appreciates the creative criminal exploits of meth addicts.
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MARSHALL ADVOCACY CENTER (CONTACT AMANDA)
OREGON'S DRUG ADDICTION AND TREATMENT RECOVERY ACT (MEASURE 110) INFO
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER (CIVIL RIGHTS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ADVOCATES)
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS
EHRLICHMAN ON WAR ON DRUGS CNN
I am joined today by Claire Doré, Author, Writer, Entrepreneur, and Coach. She talks with us about her upcoming book about her own sexual liberation and what she's learned and observed in the process. We talk about kinks, boundaries, communication, finding your voice, asking for what you want, learning your body, and enjoying the tremendous pleasure found in shaking loose the restrictions we adopt through religion, society, relationships, or our own old ideas.
Wild Soul Business Facebook Group
I am joined today by Ashley Carlotta, Founder, Owner, and Health Coach at Better Health by Accountability. Ashley talks about body image issues and how we develop them. We talk about the culture shift towards celebrating people for being comfortable with bodies they shouldn't be comfortable with. I try to get attention for running a half marathon. We address many of the factors contributing to America's obesity problem. And she talks about how to get started. Learn more about Ashley Carlotta or schedule a consult at the link below. And you can always contact The Mediocre Observer with questions or input. We are happy to help.
BETTER HEALTH BY ACCOUNTABILITY
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