It has been roughly 300 years since our last podcast and for that we apologize. Summer has been working in Paris, Jonathan has a new child, and Jesse has been taking a long nap. This is an apology and explanation episode, for our die-hard listeners and friends. Consider it an indefinite break...but not forever!

This week your hosts ask existential questions about the 451's purpose in a broad media landscape (spoiler: not a breaking news podcast!). They also discuss infighting on the left, how to pronounce covfefe (it's cuv-feffay, trust us), redistricting North Carolina, "theory" vs. "conspiracy theory", policing the Internet, and Jonathan reveals his cartoon voices for conservatives and liberals.

This week your hosts marvel at the sheer enormity of news and information we're all contending with right now. They dive into climate, Chaffetz, Comey, our dwindling ability to process new information, and...lobsters. Plus Jonathan gives us some hopeful things to focus on!

The 451 is back! And it feels so good. This week -- with the help of new producer Hank -- your hosts discuss new babies, whether there is such a thing as the ~Final Trump Straw~, Handmaid's Tale, our 100 days of tears, Macron's election, Medicare for all, and so much more.

In this special short episode, Jesse interviews James Thompson, a civil rights attorney and decorated war veteran. Thompson is the Democratic candidate running for Congress in a special election on Tuesday, April 11th, in Kansas. Thompson once seemed like a long shot (his district went for Trump by 27 points) but the race has been closing in recent weeks. In this interview, Thompson discusses his platform, the nasty campaigning of his opponent, and how you can help his campaign in the 11th hour (visit votejamesthompson.com!)

This week our hosts talk about the monster Mike Cernovich, flipping Congressional districts, finding ways to channel our scattered political energies, and Summer's exciting book project. They also want everyone to know that Jonathan's soon-to-arrive baby will likely put the podcast on a hiatus (updates on Twitter).

Climate change. Have you thought about it today? How about yesterday? How about tomorrow? Not to put too fine a point on it, but what's your plan? This week, your hosts discuss climate change stories in the news (and more importantly, the lack of them), Summer's Twitter polling, Jesse's adventures with science fiction meat substitution products, wondering if we need to be vegan, the dead-for-the-moment AHCA bill (bye!), one host's possible impending trip to Russia (yes really), and finally, Jonathan's awesome and catchy ode to Flippin' Flynn.

This week, it's just your folksy, friendly hosts, sitting around and talking the talk. Summer, Jonathan and Jesse got together during the snowstorm to record their thoughts about affordable health care, the welfare state, the Overton window, and switching Trump and Clinton's genders. A special shout-out to cosplay wizard Ginny McQueen, who sent us all some resistance t-shirts!

This week on The 451, your hosts aren't ashamed that they skipped out on the Congressional Address. That speech is still a good lead-in to talking about punditry, the old Malaysian Airlines 24/7 news cycle, Twitter conspiracies and uh, Russia. Their guest is the estimable Janai Nelson, associate director-general of the NAACP LDF, who has been down in Texas (with a broken leg!) fighting a court battle over some ugly voter ID laws.

This week on The 451, your hosts mull over how happy they should feel about Flynn's departure, panicking about rumors, enacting change on the micro level, and Trump's gastrointestinal health. Their guest is conservative professor, author and expert on Russia/nuclear proliferation, Tom Nichols. Check out Adam Gopnik's Talk of the Town from last week, looking at Trump's radical anti-Americanism. Find out if there is a Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ) chapter in your area (or start one if there isn't). And check out the latest book from this week's guest, The Death of Expertise (couldn't be more relevant!)