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The Gist

The Science Of Covid Misdirection

Aug 15, 2023
Donald G. McNeil Jr., former NY Times science reporter specializing in plagues, discusses the lab leak theory of COVID-19 origins. He shares his disappointment in scientists dismissing his inquiries. The podcast also covers the controversy surrounding the US Women's National Soccer Team and their social justice stances.
39:42

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Quick takeaways

  • Scientists involved in a paper on the origin of COVID-19 concealed their doubts about a lab-based origin, raising questions about transparency and the need for further investigation.
  • Critiques of the US women's national team's performance should focus on their mindset and on-field factors, rather than solely attributing their failure to their political beliefs or questioning their relevance.

Deep dives

The US women's national team's failure: A reflection on politics, mindset, and relevance

The US women's national team's disappointing performance in the women's world cup has sparked debates regarding their politics, mindset, and relevance. Critics argue that the team's social justice stances and behavior have made them unlikable to a portion of America. Former US soccer star and commentator Alexi Lalas voiced concerns about the team's showboating without delivering results on the field. These criticisms were not rooted in political ideologies but rather in expectations of excellence and a desire for the team to back up their image with tangible success. While it is essential not to dismiss valid critiques, attributing the team's failure solely to their political beliefs or questioning their relevance based on defeat is overly simplistic and fails to consider factors such as injuries, coaching decisions, and team composition.

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