The Nicole Sandler Show

The holidays are always better when you can spend them with family. If you can't be with your family this year (thanks again, Covid), we've got you covered. Last year, during the first year of the pandemic, humans found lots of diversions to occupy our time. Some went down very strange rabbit holes, others embraced the time and got creative. Of course, I started painting, and offer custom pet portraits and faux stained glass creations. A lovely family in Kent UK embraced their time together and became the planet's hottest singing sensations. We met the Marsh Family in person when they joined me for a charming interview back in March (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I295KfdDcJE&t=5s). Today, they're back for another sit-down with me. We'll compare pandemic notes, and play some of their videos that went viral for very good reasons. And thanks to the lyrics that they considerately show on the screen, we can have a Christmas Eve Sing along with the Marsh Family. I promise, it'll be one of the more joyous family gatherings possible.

A bit of what's news for now

Today is Festivus, also known as Christmas Eve Eve. But more than either of those, it's Thursday, so Howie Klein is here. I'm sure Howie has some grievances to share, like in his latest post in which he goes off on the worst Wall Street types who've been bribing members of Congress, but now want to be members of Congress. Greed-- it's the perfect story for Christmas week. When does one have enough? We'll begin the show with a visit from John M. Barry, the Tulane professor who wrote the book, "The Great Influenza" about the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. Now that Omacron is the dominant variant in the US, I want to know if it could eventually just kill off Delta and earlier versions of the virus. Good to know I'm not too far off base!

A bit of what's news, for now

Pagan that I am, I tend to celebrate the more off-beat than traditional holidays. That's why I'm an ordained minister in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (that's really true). I could officiate at a wedding, though I'd have to obtain some other credential from my county, but I digress... Since Festivus this year falls on a Thursday (and that's when we have Howie Klein here), I decided to make an executive decision to celebrate Festivus on it's Eve-- today. So here's the deal... We have a Zoom room set up. Just go to tinyurl.com/festivuszoom to join in. Be prepared to share your grievances or to show off some feats of strength. Let the festivities begin!

A bit of what's news for now

We are in the final days of another shitty year. Really, we all agreed that 2020 was the worst year ever... until 2021 came along. So the idea of 2022 on the horizon is intriguing, knowing it could be a better year ahead but realizing what's stacked against us and coming back to reality. To quote David Byrne, "My God, how did I get here?" My calls to West Virginia yesterday did turn up a progressive; I'll fill you on at the top of the show. And we'll check in with Jeff Hauser of the Revolving Door Project to see how Biden did this year by way of the people he surrounded himself with.

A bit of what's news for now

Joe Manchin had reportedly been negotiating with the Democrats over the Build Back Better bill, Joe Biden's signature legislation to help the people who've been left behind here for decades. Yesterday, the senator from West Virginia went behind enemy lines to fire a death blow to his president's agenda. Really. Manchin went on Fox NOT News to stick the last nail in the Build Back Better coffin and dance on its grave. Nice Christmas gift for your president, party, constituents and the American people, Joe. Now we've got a little something for you today too...

A bit of what's news for now