In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the life and legacy of U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, the rising trend of homelessness, and a new documentary about a dangerous New Jersey amusement park.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings has died. Niki referenced this Atlantic article about Cummings’ reluctant partisanship.
• Homelessness is on the rise, especially visible in Los Angeles. Natalia referred to this Washington Post article about the rise of “business improvement districts” and to the scholarship and teaching of historian Albert M. Camarillo.
• A new documentary highlights the cultural importance of the New Jersey amusement park, “Action Park.” Listener and historian Claire Potter suggested this segment based on this New York Times article. Natalia referred to this New York Times review, by historian Jackson Lears, of historian David Nasaw’s book on amusement in the United States.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed historian Michael Zakim’s new book, Accounting for Capitalism: The World the Clerk Made.
• Neil shared David Yaffe-Bellany’s New York Times article, “Want Fries With That? McDonald’s Already Knows the Answer.”
• Niki recommended Dan Nosowitz’s Vox article, “Pumpkin Spice Has Taken Over Trader Joe’s. Here’s Why” and referred to our own Episode 103 about pumpkin spice.

In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the anxiety over automation, new treatments for male baldness, and the controversial Trump spiritual advisor Paula White.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Automation and its effect on American jobs was a core theme at this month’s Democratic debate. Natalia referred to Rick Wartzman’s book The End of Loyalty: The Rise and Fall of Good Jobs in America, excerpted in POLITICO. Natalia also referenced this timeline chronicling fears of automation, at
• A raft of new products has emerged to fight an old problem: baldness. Natalia recommended Danielle Friedman’s InStyle article about the rebranding of baldness remedies by the wellness industry.
• Trump spiritual advisor Paula White has written a new book, endorsed by several evangelical leaders who once distanced themselves from her. Niki drew on Kelsey McKinney’s Buzzfeed article about televangelist Jim Bakker. In Episode 24, we discussed “Trump’s Evangelicals.”

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia recommended a podcast on which she appears at a comedy club, “Nevertheless, She Existed.”
• Neil discussed Joseph Berger’s New York Times article, “How Amazon Has Transformed the Hasidic Economy.”
• Niki shared Austin Grossman’s Atlantic article, “Monocles Were Never Cool.”

In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss Rudy Giuliani’s political career, the climate activist Greta Thunberg, and the controversy over vaping.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Rudy Giuliani is most prominent today as a Trump surrogate, but after 9/11 he was known as “America’s Mayor.” Natalia recommended Ken Frydman’s New York Times op-ed about working for Giuliani and Matthew Yglesias’ Vox piece about his disregard for the rule of law.
• Scandinavian climate activist Greta Thunberg is inspiring a fierce response across the political spectrum. Natalia recommended Rebecca Onion’s piece at Slate on Thunberg’s appeal.
• Vaping has existed for less than five years, but is at the center of intense controversy over its potential health consequences. Niki recommended historian Sarah Milov’s new book, The Cigarette: A Political History, and her articles about vaping at Made by History and at Time.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed the history of women being dismissed from teaching for visible pregnancy in light of Elizabeth Warren’s career.
• Neil talked about the New York Times article, “Samuel Little is Most Prolific Serial Killer in U.S. History, F.B.I. Says.”
• Niki shared Moises Velasquez-Manoff’s New York Times article, “As Sea Levels Rise, So Do Ghost Forests.”

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the role of whistleblowers in American politics, the recent string of church arsons, and the trend of co-working spaces.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• An intelligence officer has filed a complaint regarding Donald Trump’s interactions with the president of Ukraine. We discussed the history of whistleblowing and Niki noted the role of Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon papers in shaping contemporary ideas about whistleblowing. Natalia referenced the founding fathers’ attention to protecting whistleblowers.
• The FBI is currently investigating a string of church arsons in El Paso, Texas. Natalia noted that the racist motivations behind many church arsons are often questioned by conservatives, such as Michelle Malkin.
• The co-working company WeWork may be going under. Natalia mentioned a New York Times Magazine profile of WeWork that detailed how work and socialization go hand in hand in these co-working spaces.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed her recent CNN piece, “Why It’s So Scary When Trump Tweets about Civil War.”
• Neil shared the New York Times article, “Labradoodle Creator Says the Breed Is His Life’s Regret.”
• Niki talked about Lorelei Lee’s n+1 essay, “Cash/Consent.”

In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss Ukraine’s connection to the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump, the declining bird population of North America, and the high price of parking spaces in New York City.

Support Past Present on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pastpresentpodcast

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: 

• Ukraine is at the center of the impeachment probe against the president. Niki referred to Peter Schweizer’s book Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich and to Zack Beauchamp’s Vox piece about how the Ukraine scandal changed his mind on impeachment. Neil also took on this topic in his column at The Week.
• The bird population is disappearing at an alarming rate. Natalia recommended Philip Dray’s book The Fair Chase: The Epic Story of Hunting in America and Niki referred to Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring.
• Parking lots are the latest aspect of New York City life to become a luxury commodity. Neil referenced this National Council on Public History post on the historical importance of preserving parking lots.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Natalia discussed an episode of the podcast Welcome to LA, “The Recruiter.”
• Neil recommended Matthew Avery Sutton’s book, Double Crossed: The Missionaries Who Spied for the United States During the Second World War.
• Niki talked about the ABC podcast “The Dropout.”