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Cognitive Dissonance Podcast
Cognitive Dissonance Podcast

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Episode 773: Alito Secret Recordings, Alex Jones Bankruptcy Dismissed

Tom and I recorded this episode the day we found out about the lead story on Modest Needs. Forgive us for talking about it at length, it was still pretty raw.

Charity Founder Embezzled Millions and Spent on Lavish Meals, U.S. Says

Trump Demands Biden Remove Ad of Him Calling Dead Soldiers ‘Suckers’ and ‘Losers’
President Joe Biden says he will not pardon his son Hunter Biden if he's convicted on gun-related charges

Donald Trump admits he still has a gun, despite felony convictions | Salon.com

In Secret Recordings, Alito Endorses Nation of 'Godliness.' Roberts Talks of Pluralism.

Alito’s Wife Caught on Tape Spewing Venom at Everyone | The New Republic

Clarence Thomas has accepted $4M in gifts during career: Watchdog

Gay Republican candidate melts down when he figured out that his party is homophobic - LGBTQ Nation

Colorado GOP calls for burning of Pride flags

Phony 'news' portals surpass US newspaper sites, researchers say

Alex Jones agrees to liquidate his assets to pay Sandy Hook families, in move that would end his ownership of Infowars | CNN Business

Alex Jones’ personal assets to be sold but company bankruptcy dismissed | AP News

Comments

I agree. Sad news, if true, about Keith. It's not anyone's fault except who embezzled the funds. If it helps with the news, my wife knows people that Modest Needs really helped.

Dave Pierson

💔 ❤️‍🩹💔 heartbreaking news about Modest Needs. This community and you guys did some great work there. I hope that at some point we can continue to contribute as a group. Someone above mentioned “Doctors without Borders” and I can wholeheartedly get behind that. My donation dollars go to them and “World Central Kitchen” because of the specific work that they do and because of the trust they have built. Mostly though, I want you guys to let yourselves off the hook. You could not have known. It is just terribly sad to learn but does not erase the good that was accomplished. Onward and upward!

Cheryl McCoy

Any chance of a link going out before the live stream?

GrassyknollMan

It's about trust gentleman. I'd trust both of you with anything, because I've been lucky enough to hear you every week for longer than any of us would like to put a number on! Trusting someone who lets you down isn't a fault yours or our part. Empathy is great but it can be a pain in the arse when people like yourselves put yourselves out there for us, and try to make the world a wee bit better in the best way you can, and sometimes bad actors take advantage of that. Move on guys, easy to say, hard to do I know, but please try to not knock yourselves too hard about this. Love to you both and yours.

Kenny Letham

Assuming the charges against Keith Taylor are upheld, is there any chance Modest Needs can be salvaged - obviously under new and scrupulous leadership. I love the concept of this charity and am unaware of others doing similar work.

Gregory Young

Agree that there's no fault to be found with Cecil's choice of Modest Needs, but it makes it harder for me to give to charity. To Tom's point, I still feel good (about 60% as good, to be fair) about the donations I made, and I wouldn't have made them without the prompting and (reasonable) vetting.

Pete Grebus

"Originalist interpretation" is bullshit. 1. Obvious as it might seem, they are dead. Society has changed. We need to stop living dead people's ideology, or we need to roll society back to 1789, drop every amendment after 10, legalize slavery, remove women's voting rights, and legalize child labor and beating - sorry, correcting - women and children. That's what was "original." 2. Interpretation is up to interpretation. The 2nd has a clause about a well regulated militia, which SCOTUS has dropped. Then WTF is the National Guard for? 3. Interpretation is selective. It's cherry-picking which parts of the Constitution apply and in which way, subject to whim. The Constitution shouldn't just be adjusted willy-nilly, but, as this court has demonstrated, precedence doesn't mean shit either. Originalism is "What I think they meant in support of what I want?"

Asymetra

It really sucks the way Biden weaponized the justice department against his own son. Conservatives should be storming the capital over this.

Asymetra

You absolutely are not to blame for Keith’s actions. You did your research and I did mine too. I still believe Modest Needs fills an important gap. Hopefully they will find better leadership and rebrand to continue doing good. I am proud to have donated for years and think you should be proud of how you rallied a community to help those in need. Don’t let this asshole ruin it entirely.

Zachary Siegel

Damned shame about Modest Needs. Don’t fault you guys at all for promoting them, sounds like you did your due diligence. Don’t regret my donation either, the work you guys have done shows how this community can rally to help those in need. Might be something like Doctors Without Borders could be a good fallback for the next Vulgarity for Charity if Modest Needs can’t sort themselves out.

I’mNotSayingThat

I absolutely do not blame you guys for Modest Needs. The blame lies with Keith and in no way reflects on any of you.

Michele Wickham

This is absolutely not your fault. Keith Taylor came on this podcast and openly lied about the work he was doing. Cecil is not responsible for the shitty actions of Keith Taylor stealing from vulnerable people.

Lime Green Morpheus

You're going to hear this from so many people, but I want to echo it again. This was not your fault. Modest Needs speaks to a real issue many face and we ALL wanted to help. It's just unfortunate that kindness is seen as weakness by grifters. You two are some of the most upstanding moral dudes out there. I appreciate that you fight the good fight and try to make it fun. You have helped in quiet ways before too, when there was no razzle dazzle. Those of us who've seen it will always remember you for it.

Glenda D Kenyon

Wishing Cecil and Sarah a happy anniversary too!

Victoria

NOTHING is your fault! If true, it is all on him. Thank you for reminding us to retain our pride in the intention and enthusiasm. Don’t beat yourself up. You gents are wonderful! You let me feel like decent people are still out there! We all were fooled. None of us are to blame. Keep us the good work! I love your insightful and entertaining treatment of the increasingly terrifying news. Very warm wishes Rachel Kane

Rachel Kane

I just wanna pop in and say don’t feel bad, you do what you can with the info you had at the time Personally I’ll still donate to what ever charity you guys find for your next adventure, much love Wifey says I have to add Jenna and Scott

stiney45255 .

This is not your fault. Please don't beat yourself up over this. My company also vetted Modest Needs for it's matching giving program. Because, I don't have a lot to give at one time, I donated through Vulgarity for Charity and then had my company make a matching donation. The concept of Modest Needs is great. I hope that something can be worked out to keep their work going.

Penelope Deotte

I can appreciate your pain, but you had only good intentions trying to do the right thing. It would be worse if this stops the good work and intentions you have done over the years. You should have pride in your intentions.

Midnight Skeptic

On a personal note, I was also very proud of my small donation. And it's a recurring theme in my life that hurts. Trying to do the right thing, sacrificing my body, my time, my money, my pride, my dignity. Only to have it used for people and causes that turn out to be false. Parents who did not love me. A country that would allow me to be raped, and forced me to murder for something as vulgar as money for rich people, relationships for people who hurt me, causes that steal.

Jessica Oudbier

You are not at fault. You did proper vetting. You did your due diligence. We did ours. A con man played our good intentions and used that against us. I am hurt and sad and outraged, but not at you. Do NOT take the blame for the actions of some asshole. You are better than that.

Jessica Oudbier

I just recently had to research and vet a charity for an accounting class and I picked Modest Needs. Their financials didn't even hint at all this mess. My teacher THANKED ME for sharing the charity with the class because no one had heard of them and they had such an impeccable reputation. NOT CECIL'S fault!! And whatever future charity you choose, I'll still donate to! You Fuckin' Rock

LisaLisa

Data Altercation should be the synonym version for you.

Steven Bickel

You, Cecil, are not at fault. This guy seems to have been a con-man. You are a victim. We do not victim blame. We are all proud to have helped out, it is not our fault either. We are good people. Not this guy.

Mary Ballard-Johansson

OMG! Who turned Tom into a Smurf!

Jon Herrin


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