The news today is engineered to provoke us, to keep us angry, anxious, and divided. Vet the News is a podcast about slowing down, getting past the rage-bait, and understanding our reactions so we can find our way back to meaningful conversation.
We live in an era of 24-hour breaking news cycles and algorithms designed to trigger our "fight or flight" response. This show offers a much-needed pause to examine the information we consume and, more importantly, how it consumes us. Instead of just dismissing the "other side," we look deeper into the experiences and motivations that make certain arguments resonate so deeply.
On Vet the News, we explore:
▸ The "Why" Behind the Rage: Investigating the underlying fears and values that make reactive arguments feel like common sense to those who hold them.
▸ Deconstructing the Programming: Understanding how our backgrounds, environments, and media diets shape our worldviews and emotional triggers.
▸ Validation Without Agreement: Learning how to validate the human emotion behind a perspective without necessarily agreeing with the conclusion.
▸ Meaningful Reconnection: Practical ways to bridge the gap and talk to the person, not the "talking point."
If you are feeling "news burnout" or are tired of the constant noise, join us as we navigate the headlines with curiosity instead of contempt. It’s time to stop just reacting to the news and start vetting it.
Episode Summary
In this episode, I discuss how online trolling and "Schadenfreude" are driving us deeper into ideological bubbles, using a viral Reddit post about a fake ICE tip hotline as a case study. I explore why mocking others' reasoning, even when we find it harmful, often backfires by destroying the trust necessary for genuine persuasion. Should we really celebrate when leopards eat faces?
Episode Page
https://rss.com/podcasts/vet-the-news/2548177/ (https://rss.com/podcasts/vet-the-news/2548177/)
Links
Fake Ice Call-in - Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/BlackPeopleofReddit/comments/1qux50a/teacher_tries_to_have_kindergartener_deported/)
Original Leopards Ate My Face - Twitter (X) (https://x.com/Cavalorn/status/654934442549620736)
Leopards Ate My Face - Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/LeapordsAteMyFace/)
Right Whale Calving Season - Environment America (https://environmentamerica.org/updates/returning-right-whale-mothers-giving-us-hope-this-calving-season/)
Ropeless Fishing Gear - NOAA (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/science-data/protected-species-gear-research)
Passive Whale Monitoring - NOAA (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/endangered-species-conservation/passive-acoustic-research-northeast)
Contact the Show
Email: podcast@newsvet.net (mailto:podcast@newsvet.net) | Bluesky: @newsvet.bsky.social (http://bsky.app/profile/newsvet.bsky.social)
Credits
SFX: Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org) | Music: Pixabay.com (http://Pixabay.com) (P. Krasnoshchok, V. Krotov, I. Poltavskyi)
3 Feb 2026
DHS Funding: The Long Game of Rebuilding Trust
Episode Summary
I'll be honest, the escalating situation in Minnesota is weighing heavy on me, it's really feeling like a big moment in history like the Civil Rights protests of history. But today I want to look past the immediate headlines to the political firestorm happening in D.C. with the DHS funding bill and the backlash against the Democratic "defectors" who signed onto it. I explore how representatives like Marie Glusenkamp Perez might vote the way they do, and why the "name and shame" culture might actually be making our problems harder to solve. Join me as I try to find commonality in a time when it feels like we’re being pushed into a "house on fire" moment of constant outrage.
Episode Page
https://rss.com/podcasts/vet-the-news/2516095/ (https://rss.com/podcasts/vet-the-news/2516095/)
Links
Alex Pretti Fact Check - Minnesota Star Tribune (https://www.startribune.com/fact-check-federal-officials-claims-about-fatal-minneapolis-shooting/601570444)
Alex Pretti Witness Testimony - The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/24/alex-pretti-killing-witness-testimony)
ICE Support Resolution - Newsweek (https://www.newsweek.com/75-democrats-house-antisemitism-resolution-ice-gratitude-2083177)
DHS Funding - The Hill (https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5702347-house-democrats-homeland-security-funding/)
Gluesenkamp Perez Press Release - House.gov (https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/gluesenkamp-perez-releases-statement-on-her-vote-to-keep-the-government-open)
Podcast Listening Club - NY Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/style/podcast-listening-club-right-wing.html)
Artemis 2 Launch - Nasa (https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/01/30/nasa-updates-artemis-ii-wet-dress-rehearsal-launch-opportunities/)
Andrew McCarthy (@cosmic_background) - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/p/DOyZai9EfQj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==)
https://cosmicbackground.io/ (https://cosmicbackground.io/)
Contact the Show
Email: podcast@newsvet.net (mailto:podcast@newsvet.net) | Bluesky: @newsvet.bsky.social (http://bsky.app/profile/newsvet.bsky.social)
Credits
SFX: Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org) | Music: Pixabay.com (http://Pixabay.com) (P. Krasnoshchok, V. Krotov, I. Poltavskyi)
26 Jan 2026
Charlie Kirk: A Case Study in Better Conversations
Episode Summary
This episode, I explore an event that served as the catalyst for this show: the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the media firestorm that followed. What I learned in conversations following that event can be used as a case study in how we can break the outrage cycle we're all trapped in. Through a personal story about a conversation I had with my neighbor, a Kirk supporter, I relate how we can move past trying to prove each other wrong to find genuine shared values.
Episode Page
https://rss.com/podcasts/vet-the-news/2492035/ (https://rss.com/podcasts/vet-the-news/2492035/)
Links
Charlie Kirk Views - NY Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/us/charlie-kirk-views-guns-gender-climate.html)
Jimmy Kimmel Monologue - Youtube (https://youtu.be/-j3YdxNSzTk)
Brenden Carr Response and Clarification - Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx1fJJN0R4A)
Children Living with Dads - National Fatherhood Initiative (https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/proportion-of-children-living-with-resident-dads-at-34-year-high)
Motivational Race - Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vR3Oovhi1Q)
Domestication of Raccoons - Scientific American (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/raccoons-are-showing-early-signs-of-domestication/)
Contact the Show
Email: podcast@newsvet.net (mailto:podcast@newsvet.net) | Bluesky: @newsvet.bsky.social (http://bsky.app/profile/newsvet.bsky.social)
Credits
SFX: Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org) | Music: Pixabay.com (http://Pixabay.com) (P. Krasnoshchok, V. Krotov, I. Poltavskyi)
17 Jan 2026
Renee Good & Maduro Raid: Why Can't We Agree on What We See?
Episode Summary
In this episode, we dive into the polarizing media coverage surrounding two major recent events: the ICE shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis and the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. I explore how our individual media bubbles dictate not just our opinions, but how we perceive objective facts. By examining rhetoric from figures like JD Vance, Kristi Noem, and the Mayor of Minneapolis, we look past the rage bait to understand the underlying psychology of our reactions. This is a case study in finding shared values, like community safety and government accountability, even when we can’t agree on what we see with our own eyes.
Episode Page
https://rss.com/podcasts/vet-the-news/2464936/ (https://rss.com/podcasts/vet-the-news/2464936/)
Links
Video Analysis of ICE Shooting
New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000010631041/minneapolis-ice-shooting-video.html)
BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/ceqzj9932wjo)
Mayor Statements - Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M3GtZ_sqYI)
Vance Statements - Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn1hGKQnCiM)
Noem Statements - PBS (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-noem-holds-news-conference-in-minneapolis-after-fatal-ice-shooting-of-woman)
Father in Law Interview - Fox (https://www.foxnews.com/media/renee-goods-former-father-in-law-says-i-dont-blame-ice-deadly-shooting)
Maduro Capture Timeline - PBS (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-we-know-about-a-u-s-strike-that-captured-venezuelas-maduro)
Maduro Capture - AP News (https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-presidential-palace-blowtorches-7969152ae48510003fe9cbde92f3c102)
Pete Hegseth CBS Interview - Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JwBOHIi41o)
Parading Maduro Through NY - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTGdu0jk9vS/)
Final Penny Minting - Business Insider (https://www.businessinsider.com/last-penny-history-photos-2025-11)
1943 D Bronze Penny - Coin Week (https://coinweek.com/1943-d-lincoln-copper-cent-a-collectors-guide/)
Contact the Show
Email: podcast@newsvet.net (mailto:podcast@newsvet.net) | Bluesky: @newsvet.bsky.social (http://bsky.app/profile/newsvet.bsky.social)
Credits
SFX: Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org) | Music: Pixabay.com (http://Pixabay.com) (P. Krasnoshchok, V. Krotov, I. Poltavskyi)
11 Jan 2026
Introducing Vet the News
Episode Summary
Welcome to the very first episode of Vet the News.
Like a lot of you, I’ve felt frustrated by the constant cycles of outrage and the superficial arguments that dominate our social media feeds. I'd like to create a space where we can try to move past the soundbites and actually understand the reactions to the news we consume. This episode lays out why I want to start this show, the philosophy for the podcast, and how we might start to find a better way to talk about the world together.
Episode Page
https://rss.com/podcasts/vet-the-news/2453126 (https://rss.com/podcasts/vet-the-news/2453126)
Links
Polarization Visualization - Vox (https://www.vox.com/2015/4/23/8485443/polarization-congress-visualization)
Polarization Roots - Pew Research (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/03/10/the-polarization-in-todays-congress-has-roots-that-go-back-decades/)
Social Media & News - Pew Research (https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/)
Republican No Kings - Common Dreams (https://www.commondreams.org/news/no-kings-republicans)
Hamtramck Flag Ban - The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/17/hamtramck-michigan-muslim-council-lgbtq-pride-flags-banned)
Last Day as an Accomplice of the Republican Party - The Bulwark (https://www.thebulwark.com/p/my-last-day-as-an-accomplice-of-the-republican-party-miles-bruner)
Christian Picciolini - TED (https://www.ted.com/speakers/christian_picciolini)
Nano Artists - BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2kgjxy5y2yo)
David Lindon - Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/davidalindon/)
Mini Lisa - Wiki (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_Lisa)
Learn Something New - XKCD (https://xkcd.com/1053/)
Contact the Show
Email: podcast@newsvet.net (mailto:podcast@newsvet.net) | Bluesky: @newsvet.bsky.social (http://bsky.app/profile/newsvet.bsky.social)
Credits
SFX: Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org) | Music: Pixabay.com (http://Pixabay.com) (P. Krasnoshchok, V. Krotov, I. Poltavskyi)
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
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