Podcast
Mad Mad World
Hosted by Lacer Media · EN
Pop culture, current events, social issues, and everything in between—Los and Bertram tackle the topics that make this planet we live on such a Mad Mad World.
New episodes weekly.
Follow us on Instagram (@madmadworldpod)
Visit our subreddit (r/madmadworldpod)
Email us to say hi, say bye, and ask why: hello@madmadworldpod.com
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
A Potential Education Scam: Is A Master's Degree Worth It?
Jun 13, 202201:00:25Tap to summarizeLos (aka Geppetto, pulling the strings) and Bertram (aka The World's Oldest Millennial) break down the exorbitant prices of the graduate school programs in the United States. Taking a look at the data, they wonder: Is it still worth it to get a master's degree?Thank you for listening. Please leave a rating and review wherever you're listening to this pod. Follow us on social media: Instagram: @madmadworldpodReddit: r/madmadworldpodEmail us: hello@madmadworldpod.comSources from this week's episode:Average Graduate Student Loan Debt | Education DataFull ROI Table (Graduate) | FlourishPodcast: Student Loan Debt | Mad Mad WorldBehold, the new starting salary for some graduates is $100,000 | rushhourtimes.com (via WSJ)Chris Rock - Neighborhood | YouTubeReturns on Investment for 14,000 graduate degreesMaster's Degrees Are the Biggest Scam in Higher Education | Business InsiderMaster’s degrees are the second biggest scam in higher education | SlateDon’t waste money on a master’s degree during the pandemic | CNBCIs a master’s degree worth it? | CNBC
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ADHD & All The Craze Around Adderall
Jun 6, 202200:59:36Tap to summarize1 in 10 children are diagnosed with ADHD and adult on-set ADHD is increasing. What is going on here?Your friendly neighborhood Los and the world's oldest millennial, Bertram, break down what ADHD is, what is on in the ADHD brain, what people can do about it, and the pros and cons surrounding the drug Adderall.Thank you for listening. Please leave a rating and review wherever you're listening to this pod. Follow us on social media: Instagram: @madmadworldpodReddit: r/madmadworldpodEmail us: hello@madmadworldpod.comSources from this week's episode:Adderall vs. Methamphetamine: Why They're Similar, and Why They're Not | WebMDWhy Change Blindness Happens to Us | Very Well MindKnow Your Brain: Default Mode Network | Neuroscientifically ChallengedWeak Task Synchronization of Default Mode Network in Task Based ParadigmsExecutive Function and ADHD: Symptoms and Deficits | Very Well HealthImaging study shows dopamine dysfunction is not the main cause of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) | University of CambridgeWhy Does Attentional Blink Happen? | Very Well MindADHD and Dopamine: What’s the Connection? | HealthlineStartups Prescribing A.D.H.D Drugs on TikTok Raise Diagnosis Concerns | The New York TimesHow to ADHD - YouTubeStartups Make It Easier to Get ADHD Drugs. That Made Some Workers Anxious. | News Azi (via The Wall Street Journal)How Do I Know if I Have Adult A.D.H.D.? | The New York TimesUnderstanding ADHD for Adults - Overview | Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)Executive Function and ADHD: Symptoms and Deficits | Very Well HealthExecutive Functioning | Advantages Learning CenterThings People With ADHD Wish You KnewWhat is ADHD? | CDCKnow Your Brain: Default Mode Network | Neuroscientifically ChallengedADHD & How Anyone Can Improve Their Focus | Huberman Lab Podcast #37Mad Mad World Episode 37: Drugs
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Uvalde School Shooting: What to Actually Do About the Gun Violence?
May 30, 202200:59:37Tap to summarizeLos and Bertram break down the horrific shooting in Uvalde, Texas — what happened, and what we can (and should) do about this from a policy perspective.If you are interested in more data on guns and a (relatively) unbiased way to deal with them, take a look at our MMW guns episode:Episode 31: America's Gun Problem: The Causes and Possible SolutionsThank you for listening. Please leave a rating and review wherever you're listening to this pod. Follow us on social media: Instagram: @madmadworldpodReddit: r/madmadworldpodEmail us: hello@madmadworldpod.comSources from this week's episode:Talking to kids about school shootings: Advice to ease their anxiety | NPROp-Ed: Why our response to school shootings is all wrong | Los Angeles Times3 lessons Washington can learn from how Arizona helps people in mental health crisis | Seattle TimesDepression, suicidal thoughts prevalent in high school students during pandemic | ReutersA recent report put Texas last among states and DC in mental health care access | PolitiFactGun Violence Archive213 mass shootings in 2022 already, including the Buffalo and Uvalde attacks | NPRTimeline of events in Texas school shooting | ReutersGuns have become the top injury-related cause of death for U.S. kids | AxiosThe Uvalde, Texas, school district had an extensive safety plan. 19 children were killed anyway. | NBCnews'Children don't carry IDs': Texas official faced horror of identifying bodies of those he knew | ReutersWhat we know about the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas | NPRAP FACT CHECK: NRA Speakers Distort Gun and Crime Statistics | US News and World ReportOnlookers urged police to charge into Texas school | APnews
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Elon Musk Buys Twitter: A Win for Free Speech or Something More Sinister?
May 2, 202201:00:42Tap to summarizeElon Musk agreed to buy Twitter for $44 billion dollars. Los and Bertram debate if this is a triumph for free speech, or if something far more sinister is at play.Thank you for listening. We love you! Please leave a rating and review wherever you're listening to this pod. Don't forget—it's a Mad Mad World!Follow us on social media: Instagram: @madmadworldpodReddit: r/madmadworldpodEmail us: hello@madmadworldpod.comSources for this episode: Elon Musk is buying Twitter. Now what? | VoxEven Elon Musk doesn’t know what he means by free speech | VoxHow Elon Musk Plans to Change Twitter | WSJ - YouTubeA one-time appeal to billionaires to help fight famine | World Food ProgrammeHow billionaire Elon Musk’s fortune could end world hunger | World Economic ForumElon Musk talks Twitter, Tesla and how his brain works — live at TED2022 - YouTube (Twitter talk starts at 11:48)Elon Musk Is Right That Twitter Should Follow the First Amendment | The AtlanticNAACP's Message to Elon Musk | NAACPElon Musk’s Twitter ‘free speech’ mirage | The HillTesla’s Ambitions in India Will Test Elon Musk’s Commitment to 'Free Speech' | TIMEWhat Does Free Speech Mean? | US Courts
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Greenwashing: Corporations Fake-Caring About Climate Change
Apr 25, 202201:01:48Tap to summarizeIn honor of Earth Day last Friday, Los and Bertram look at greenwashing, which Investopedia defines as "the process of conveying a false impression or providing misleading information about how a company's products are more environmentally sound." Greenwashing is considered an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company's products are environmentally friendly"Thank you for listening. We love you! Please leave a rating and review wherever you're listening to this pod. Don't forget—it's a Mad Mad World!Follow us on social media: Instagram: @madmadworldpodReddit: r/madmadworldpodEmail us: hello@madmadworldpod.comSources for this episode: The History of Earth Day | Earth Day OrganizationEarth Day Is Even More Relevant Now. But It Needs a Rebrand | AdWeekEarth Day 2022: Companies Accused of Greenwashing | Truth in AdvertisingMan Behind Earth Day Says There's Too Much Greenwashing - 99 NEWS (via The Wall Street Journal)Climate change: Seven ways to spot businesses greenwashing | BBCThe Plastic Pandemic | ReutersThe Recycling Myth | Reuters11 Ways to Avoid Greenwashed ProductsHow You Can Support Sustainable Product Design?Can Greenwashing Ever Be Good?The troubling evolution of corporate greenwashing | The GuardianWhat is Greenwashing? | Conserve Energy FutureTop Green Investing Opportunities | InvestopediaGreenwashing Definition | Investopedia
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Solving America's Crime Problem: A Public Safety Epidemic
Apr 18, 202200:57:57Tap to summarizeAmerica is having a real problem with public safety after a string of shootings. Do we need a change in policy? What's the real fix here? Can technology support us here?Join our friends, Los and Bertram, as they break down the recent subway shooting in New York City and reference problems going on around the country.Thank you for listening. We love you! Please leave a rating and review wherever you're listening to this pod. Don't forget—it's a Mad Mad World!Follow us on social media: Instagram: @madmadworldpodReddit: r/madmadworldpodEmail us: hello@madmadworldpod.comSources for this episode: CrimeMapping.com - Helping You Build a Safer CommunityHow is a ‘mass shooting’ defined? | PolitiFact America Is Having a Violence Wave, Not a Crime Wave | The AtlanticCrime Rates Rise And Fall. The Police Mostly Have Nothing To Do With It. | The Garrison ProjectGangs are following and robbing L.A.'s wealthiest, LAPD says | Los Angeles TimesIncarceration in Real Numbers - Interactive GraphCrime in the United States: Statistics & Facts | StatistaAmericans’ support for more police spending in their area is growing | Pew Research Center'It's just crazy': 12 major cities hit all-time homicide records - ABC NewsCrime Data Explorer | FBI Nine Mass Shootings | NYTimesBefore Charges in a Subway Attack, Decades of Disputes and Petty Offenses | NYTimesSan Francisco mayor pledges more police, safety measures | APNewsAs murders surge, Democrats find a new message: Fund the police | ReutersAt the Super Bowl and beyond: Tackling human trafficking every day | ReutersThe technology helping keep women safe on the streets | BBCSafe cities: Using smart tech for public security | BBCNew York's public safety mayor faces subway attack while in Covid quarantine | PoliticoIncreasing police presence on the subway didn't prevent Brooklyn mass shooting | InsiderPublic safety a top concern as Marathon Monday approaches after NYC subway attack, theft of Boston police uniforms | WHDH BostonPolice search for motive in Brooklyn subway suspect’s videos | WHDH Boston
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"Not In My Backyard!" Both Sides of the NIMBYism Debate
Apr 11, 202201:09:03Tap to summarizeNIMBY (standing for "Not in My Backyard") is a phenomenon (and group of people) Los cannot stop talking about. Whether it's Dave Chappelle or his neighbors in California—if you ask Los, NIMBYs are a huge reason why the housing crisis seems to be getting worse and worse. But are NIMBYs really THAT bad? Is there a legitimate case for their opposition to the new development in their communities? Los and Bertram roll up their sleeves to debate the cases for and against NIMBYism. Don't let all the talk about zoning and housing fool you—you don't want to miss this one. You might find out you're a NIMBY after listening to this episode 🤷 or maybe not. Thank you for listening. We love you! Please leave a rating and review wherever you're listening to this pod. Don't forget—it's a Mad Mad World!Follow us on social media: Instagram: @madmadworldpodReddit: r/madmadworldpodEmail us: hello@madmadworldpod.comSources for this episode: Cities Start to Question an American Ideal: A House With a Yard on Every Lot | The New York TimesResearch and Statistics | National Association of RealtorsMissing Middle Housing: Diverse choices for walkable neighborhood living‘Missing middle’ is key to housing America | CNUWhat just happened with single-family zoning in California? | Los Angeles TimesTo Fix California's Housing Crisis, Look to New Jersey | BloombergLos Angeles is a microcosm of California's housing crisis | CalMattersCalifornia’s Housing Crisis | UCLAThere's a shortage of homes in the U.S. Here's why | NPR Liberal Hypocrisy is Fueling American Inequality. Here’s How. | NYT Opinion - YouTubeMore Articles from Strong TownsNIMBYs are Right, Development is Terrible | Strong TownsWhy more NIMBYism might be good for neighborhoods | IndyStarWhat Are NIMBYs Getting Wrong? | We Are Apartments | We Are Apartments | MediumThe Bipartisan Cry of ‘Not in My Backyard’ | The New York TimesSingle-Family Zoning | InvestopediaDave Chappelle Speaks Against Affordable Housing Plan in Ohio Village | Storyful (via YouTube)Why Was Dave Chappelle at a Village Council Meeting in Ohio? | The New York TimesIs NIMBY a Bad Word? | The AtlanticAre NIMBYs Selfish? | City Beautiful - YouTubeNot in My Backyard Phenomenon | Britannica
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Scammers, Swindlers, and Frauds (and Imposters too)
Apr 4, 202200:58:02Tap to summarizeIt's our 75th episode! Recently released TV shows such as Inventing Anna, The Tinder Swinder, and Bad Vegan on Netflix, as well as The Dropout on Hulu, brought a renewed interest in the lives of scammers, con artists, frauds, and swindlers. This week, Los and Bertram go on a deep dive into Mad Mad World of scams—including why we get scammed, how we get scammed, and how to protect yourself from getting scammed. Thank you for listening. We love you! Don't forget—it's a Mad Mad World!Follow us on social media: Instagram: @madmadworldpodReddit: r/madmadworldpodEmail us: hello@madmadworldpod.comOur treasure chest of links and resources mentioned in this episode:The Psychology of Con Artists, and How to Avoid Them | Maria Konnikova | Big Think - YouTubeHow to outsmart a scam: Strategies from a legendary con man | Frank W. Abagnale | Big Think - YouTubeThe Dropout Podcast - ABC AudioHot Startup Theranos Has Struggled With Its Blood-Test Technology | Original WSJ Report (PDF) Watch "The Dropout" | Hulu Sarma Melngailis, Netflix’s “Bad Vegan,” Stares Down Her Past—And Future | Vanity FairBad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. | Netflix The Tinder Swindler (Original Report) | VGHow Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People | New York MagazineInventing Anna | NetflixThe Tinder Swindler | Netflix Every scam has one of these red flags: Ex-con man Frank Abagnale | CNBC - YouTubeThe Perfect Man Who Wasn't | The AtlanticScam Tracker | Better Business BureauHow To Trick an Online Scammer Into Carving a Computer Out of Wood | The AtlanticThe conman who pulled off history’s most audacious scam | BBCHow Scams Worked In The 1800s | NPRScams starting on social media proliferate in early 2020 | FTCWho scams the scammers? Meet the scambaiters | The GuardianT-Mobile's Scam Shield app will cut down on those 'scam likely' calls.BBB Tips: 10 Steps to Avoid Scams | Better Business BureauMassachusetts town loses $100,000 in phishing scam | APnewsCoronavirus scams: guard against fraud cures and other cons | APnewsFive psychological reasons why people fall for scams | The ConversationScams and Frauds | USA.gov
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The Anti-Work Movement
Mar 28, 202201:01:36Tap to summarizeCheck out these past episodes for more on jobs and money:4-Day Work WeekBillionaires: They're Not Just Like UsThe Way Things Were vs. The New NormalAmerica's Current Labor MarketRaising the Minimum WageWage TheftResources from this episode:Antiwork (Subreddit): Unemployment for all, not just the rich! - RedditHating Your Job Is Cool. But Is It a Labor Movement? - The New York TimesInside the rise of 'antiwork,' a worker's strike that wants to turn the labor shortage into a new American Dream | Business InsiderThe rise of the anti-work movement | BBCThe ‘Anti-Work’ Movement Is A Sign Something’s Rotten In The Workplace | ForbesTaft–Hartley Act | BrittanicaTaft-Hartley Act | InvestopediaDemocrats can't pass the PRO Act, so it's buried in the reconciliation bill | The HillIs This The End of Work As We Know It? | 34th StreetWhy you don't see large-scale teacher strikes in Indiana | WRTVFollow us on social media: Instagram: @madmadworldpodReddit: r/madmadworldpodEmail us: hello@madmadworldpod.com
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Stoicism: Is It the Answer in These Strange Times?
Mar 21, 202200:58:21Tap to summarizeDuring these dark, strange times, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. Many people have turned to a practice popularized in Ancient Greece: stoicism. Is this disciplined, focused practice a great philosophy to abide by in the modern era? Or is it more trouble than it's worth? How do we find balance? Los and Bertram discuss these things. Thank you for listening, and don't forget—it's a Mad, Mad World!Follow us on social media: Instagram: @madmadworldpodReddit: r/madmadworldpodEmail us: hello@madmadworldpod.comCheck out our sources for this episode:Will Santino "No. More. Lemons." | InstagramMeditations by Marcus AureliusEpictetus - How To Be A Stoic (Stoicism) | YouTubeThere Are Two Kinds of Happy People | The AtlanticStoicism in a time of pandemic: how Marcus Aurelius can help | The GuardianPreparing Your Mind for Uncertain Times | The AtlanticWhat would Seneca say? Six Stoic tips for surviving lockdown | The ConversationOpinion: If You’re Reading Stoicism for Life Hacks, You’re Missing the Point | New York TimesStoicism, Feminism and Autonomy - Scott Aikin & Emily McGill-Rutherford (Read full the full paper via PDF HERE)When life gives you lemons … 4 Stoic tips for getting through lockdown from Epictetus | The Conversation9 ways to stay calm during the coronavirus crisis by using stoic philosophy | BBC RadioQuotes from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius | Goodreads
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