Vox Quick Hits

Student debt in America now totals some $1.7 trillion, and the debate about what to do that debt is part of the mainstream political conversation. Pressure is growing on President Joe Biden and Democrats to try to do something about it — including canceling some or even all student loan debt altogether. Fenaba Addo, an associate professor of public policy at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, talks about the burden student debt represents for borrowers and what it would mean for that debt to be forgiven. This is the first of a two-part series from Tell Me More on student debt cancellation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This one goes out to all the dog lovers out there. This weekend, Alissa and Emily recommend Stray, a documentary that follows a trio of (very good) dogs who live on the streets of Istanbul as they explore the city and interact with humans. Even if you're not a dog person, it's still a fascinating look at the city's culture and people. Up for a double-feature? Check out Kedi, which follows the stray cats of Istanbul. Stray is available to rent on digital platforms including Amazon Prime, YouTube and Google Play. Hosts: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie) and Emily VanDerWerff (@emilyvdw) Enjoyed this episode? Rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Want to get in touch? Email our producer: [email protected] Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear next week's episode by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People want to move on from Covid-19, but that doesn’t mean forgetting its victims. Vox reporter Alissa Wilkinson explain why a memorial could help us all heal and find accountability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack, Jenn, and Alex discuss the raft of problems stymying Europe’s vaccine rollout, which has been slower and messier than expected, given some of the earlier successes the continent had controlling infection rates. They talk about why some countries decided to pause administering the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and how the EU’s decision to negotiate for vaccines as a bloc, rather than as individual countries, slowed down the rollout and exacerbated tensions between some of the wealthier and less-wealthy countries in the bloc. They also discuss what all of this turmoil might mean for the future of the EU as a political institution. References: Politico Europe has a great piece on how the EU fell behind on vaccines. Here’s the survey showing Europe is the most vaccine-skeptical region of the world. The New York Times reported politics may have played a bigger role in the AstraZeneca vaccine freeze than science. The Washington Post reported that Europe may be headed into a third coronavirus wave. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eight people were killed in shootings at three Atlanta-area spas. Most of the victims were women. Six were Asian American. Georgia state Sen. Michelle Au explains how her community is coping Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Covid-19 vaccine rollout continues, finding an appointment is competitive. Very competitive. So the federal government is working with national pharmacy chains like Walgreens and CVS to help distribute more vaccines. But to make an appointment, you may need to share some of your personal data. Recode's Sara Morrison explains. References: Read Sara's story here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vox's Sigal Samuel talks with the author of Wintering, Katherine May, about the lessons we can learn during life's darkest seasons. They talk about our long collective pandemic winter, about how times of retreat can allow for personal and political transformation, and about how we might carry new wisdom with us as we emerge into spring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A growing number of unaccompanied minors at the US-Mexico border is highlighting President Biden’s struggle to fulfill his campaign promises on immigration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A caller from Florida asks for help finding books that explore social class with humor and are not set in New York City. Vox’s book critic Constance Grady recommends: Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld Ask a Book Critic is an exclusive series from Vox Quick Hits. New episodes every other Wednesday and you can read the column here. If you’d like Constance to recommend a book for you, email [email protected] with the subject line “Ask a Book Critic.” The more specific your mood, the better! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vox's Ian Millhiser joins Matt Yglesias and Dara Lind to discuss whether or not the Biden administration has followed through on a campaign promise to reverse Trump's immigration policies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a question the US has struggled with since its founding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Believe it or not, scientists still don’t know exactly how the sense of smell works. But they’re looking at how powerful it is — dogs can actually sniff out cancer and many other diseases — and they’re trying to figure out how to reverse engineer it. In fact, one MIT scientist may have built a robot nose without completely understanding how his invention works. Sign up for our newsletter: http://vox.com/unexplainable-newsletter Show transcript and articles: vox.com/unexplainable Email us! [email protected] Article on the quantum nose theory: https://bit.ly/3clurfs We read every email. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now that the Covid-19 vaccine is here, a lot of people want it as soon as possible. The problem is, there aren’t enough shots to go around. A lot of emotions stem from that, including a new trend — vaccine shaming — where people pile on those who got vaccines, wondering how they qualified and feeling like the system is unfair. Vox senior correspondent Alex Abad-Santos explains why people feel compelled to shame others in the pandemic, whether it’s an effective tactic, and who’s really to blame. References: Read Alex’s piece on vaccine shaming here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden says all adults will be eligible for a vaccine by May 1. But for the world to truly return to normal, young people will need shots, too. ProPublica’s Caroline Chen explains how, and when, that might happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The hit series on Disney+ may be over, but new possibilities for superhero movies are just getting started.Vox culture writer Alex Abad-Santos nerds out with Rebecca Jennings and explain why WandaVision changed the action hero genre and why the show resonated with so many of us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The filibuster, a Senate rule that was put in place by accident in the 19th century, is standing in the way of much of President Joe Biden’s agenda. A growing chorus of Democrats are calling for the Senate to scrap the filibuster, arguing that it’s the only way the party can act on issues such as voting rights, gun control, and climate. Not everyone is in agreement — including, importantly, Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. Vox’s Andrew Prokop explains what’s going on. References: Read Andrew’s filibuster explainer here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Early in the pandemic, California Governor Gavin Newsom got credit for keeping Covid-19 cases low in his state. Now, over a million Californians want him recalled. The Los Angeles Times’ Melanie Mason explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on What to Watch critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff recommends the Apple TV+ space series For All Mankind. ` Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack, Jenn, and Alex discuss the huge news out of Brazil this week, where a judge annulled the corruption conviction of the country’s former leftist president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, opening the door for him to possibly run for president in 2022. References: Here’s Lula’s recent interview with The Ink where he discusses his, uh, vigor. Voice of America offered a good rundown of the case against Lula. Reuters covered Lula’s “stump speech” that has many speculating about his 2022 plans. Bolsonaro’s messaging on Covid-19 has been disastrous, BBC News reported. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden’s American Rescue Plan has been signed into law. Vox's Dylan Matthews explains why it’s a revolution in American welfare disguised as stimulus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katherine Oung’s mother says “I love you” with plates of cut fruit. She say it with cups of coffee. The Best Money I Ever Spent is a personal essay series from The Goods about the purchases that changed our lives in ways big and small, and it's a Vox Quick Hits exclusive audio series. This episode was produced by Schuyler Swenson, edited by Alanna Okun and mixed by Paul Mounsey. You can read Katherine's essay here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A preview of Vox's Sean Illing's discussion with the author of The Sum of Us, Heather McGhee, about the costs of racism in America — for everyone. They discuss what we all lose by buying into the zero-sum paradigm that progress for some has to come at the expense of others, and why the left needs to reframe the country's race problem and persuade the other side with a more compelling story. Hear the entire conversation at: www.vox.com/vox-conversations-podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden’s American Rescue Plan has been approved by Congress. It’s a revolution in American welfare disguised as stimulus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been harder to buy things online this past year. Some of that has to do with the pandemic causing supply chain holdups but there’s another reason why so many hard-to-find items are ever harder to find lately. Casey Taylor is a contributor for Vox who tracked down the origin story from sneakers to The Nugget Couch in the online reselling market. One Good Answer is a Vox Quick Hits exclusive series hosted by co-deputy editor of The Goods, Meredith Haggerty, produced by Schuyler Swenson and mixed by Paul Mounsey. New episodes every other Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scientists all over the world are searching for dark matter: an invisible, untouchable substance that holds our universe together. But they haven’t found it. Are they chasing a ghost? Sign up for our newsletter: http://vox.com/unexplainable-newsletter Show transcript and articles (including one about why we made this show now): vox.com/unexplainable Email us! [email protected] read every email. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vox's Ian Millhiser joins Matt and Dara to talk about the most effective way for Congress to safeguard the right to vote. Bonus episodes of The Weeds are available only on Vox Quick Hits. New episodes every Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New guidelines from the CDC for fully vaccinated people suggest it’s finally time to hug your grandparents. Dr. Kavita Patel explains the do’s and don’ts as we inch back towards “normal” life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Current and former employees told Recode's Jason Del Ray the e-commerce giant has a culture of bias, disrespect, and demotions. Black Amazon employees are promoted less frequently and are rated more harshly than non-Black peers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden is known for his love of Amtrak — and now, many young Americans are hoping that might translate to a push for public transit, maybe even high-speed rail, from the federal government. A meme has taken off among Gen Z and millennials of an imagined high-speed rail system that would connect many of the biggest cities in the country. Vox policy and politics intern Gabby Birenbaum discusses how a meme about trains took off among young people, and how their aspirations go beyond the internet. They want a better, more equitable transit system, and they hope Biden can deliver. Read Gabby's story here. Tell Me More is a Vox Quick Hits exclusive series hosted by politics and business reporter Emily Stewart and produced by Sofi LaLonde. New episodes on Mondays and Tuesdays. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darryl Richardson, a worker at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, explains why he helped initiate a unionization effort that now has President Biden’s support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier in the pandemic, a feud between Gen Z and millennials started, largely on TikTok. And recently there’s been a resurgence of Gen Z dragging their elders to filth online. Vox reporter Terry Nguyen (a Gen Zer) explains to Rebecca Jennings (a millennial) why there’s a war and why we should care. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Americans now have three Covid-19 vaccines available to them — Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Pfizer/BioNTech. People shouldn’t worry about which vaccine they get, what matters is they get one. All of the Covid-19 vaccines available in the US right now are more effective than the flu shot. Vox senior correspondent Dylan Scott lays out what’s going on with the Covid-19 vaccines and answers questions about efficacy rates, vaccine hesitancy, and whether there’s finally some room for optimism about the end of the US outbreak. References: Read Dylan’s Covid-19 vaccine breakdown here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beset by controversy, The Bachelor’s latest season is winding down with an identity crisis. It’s a rare case of reality TV reflecting our cultural reality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What to Watch is now taking your requests! What kind of movie or show are you in the mood for? This week, Vox film critic Alissa Wilkinson and critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff help Stephen (aka "Cheese") find a psychological thriller that will leave him guessing and on the edge of his seat. Alissa recommends Sunshine from 2007, written by Alex Garland and directed by Danny Boyle. Emily recommends Bates Motel from A&E and Servant on Apple TV Plus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jenn interviews Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) about his proposed strategy for a new US approach to the Persian Gulf. References: Read Sen. Murphy’s Foreign Affairs piece on a new Middle East strategy Read Alex’s profile about Sen. Murphy’s foreign policy views. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vox's Li Zhou explains how Asian-American communities in the US are responding to a rise in violent attacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vox book critic Constance Grady talks with Vox gender identities reporter and novelist Anna North about Anna's new book Outlawed. They discuss creating an alternative history, reimagining the Western, and having fun with the usually fraught topics of gender and identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Biden won the presidency, but it’s Joe Manchin from West Virginia who seems to be the decider. The Charleston Gazette-Mail’s Joe Severino shadowed Senator Joe in the spotlight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A caller in her early 20s is in the middle of a messy breakup and seeking books to help her move forward. Vox’s book critic Constance Grady recommends: Normal People by Sally Rooney Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith The Idiot by Elif Batuman Ask a Book Critic is an exclusive series from Vox Quick Hits. New episodes every other Wednesday and you can read the column here. If you’d like Constance to recommend a book for you, email [email protected] with the subject line “Ask a Book Critic.” The more specific your mood, the better Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vox's Jerusalem Demsas joins Matt and Dara to share policy ideas for achieving more housing equity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington’s hottest policy fight is over raising the minimum wage to $15. Emily Stewart explains the Democrats’ effort to get it through Congress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conspiracy theories have always existed, but the internet has made it easier for them to spread faster and mutate more. Before, someone could float a strange theory to a neighbor. Now, it’s to all their friends on Facebook. Vox culture reporter Aja Romano discusses the history of conspiracy theories, how the internet has accelerated the anti-vaccination movement and QAnon, and what can be done to help get people out of the rabbit holes they’ve fallen into. References: Read Aja’s explainer on conspiracy theories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thirty years ago, Eugene, Oregon, figured out an alternative to the police. They called it CAHOOTS. Seriously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this month, the internet was in a frenzy over a hair crisis, involving Gorilla Glue. But the situation is a little more complicated than just an extremely bad hair day. What happens to everyday people who become famous overnight? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Biden is the type of guy who can tell which way the political winds are blowing — and right now, that means taking a big, bold swing at boosting the economy. Democrats are pushing a nearly $2 trillion stimulus package through Congress, arguing that the real risk is doing too little, not too much, to help steer the country through the Covid-19 crisis. It’s quite a shift from deficit concerns of the past. Vox’s Ella Nilsen discusses the Democratic Party’s more progressive turn on the economy and whether it will last. References: Emily and Ella wrote about Biden’s big economic plans And Emily also wrote about what’s in the stimulus plan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vaccinations have been accelerating in the US, and cases are down. But we’re still a long way away from herd immunity. Vox’s German Lopez explains the reasons why as many as 30% of Americans may not want to get the vaccine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vox film critic Alissa Wilkinson and critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff recommend two movies and two TV shows that are up for a Golden Globe this weekend: The Great on Hulu, Sound of Metal on Amazon, Perry Mason on HBO, and Another Round on digital rental platforms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zack, Jenn, and Alex break down why the Biden administration hasn’t yet reentered the Iran nuclear deal. They explain that the process of rejoining is more complicated than it might seem, but that it’s still likely the deal will come back eventually. They then debate the pros and cons of rejoining the accord and how well the Obama foreign policy team — many of whom have joined the Biden administration — handled the pact. One point of agreement: The Trump administration’s Iran policy failed. References: Alex wrote about the impending US-Iran talks over the nuclear deal. Vox has a great visual explainer on the Iran deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vox’s German Lopez explains why he feels optimistic about the end of the pandemic even though 500,000 Americans have died, the virus is mutating, and it’s going to take a long time to vaccinate the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nabil Ayers wasn’t looking for trouble; he just wanted to drive around the country with his bandmates making music. They had other ideas, though, which came to a head when they were busted by cops for carrying an entire tour’s worth of weed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices