Picks of the week
Spy Affair
Another characteristically slick, ripped-from-the-headlines series from market leaders Wondery introduces us to Russian gun activist Maria Butina, who – as one does – fell in love with her father’s shotguns as a child and subsequently became an arms lobbyist. In 2015, she started travelling to the US, improving inter-country relations and entering in to a relationship with a conservative activist – but was later arrested for spying. What was the truth about her life in America, and the relationships she forged? Hannah J Davies
The Doodler
The 1970s had no shortage of widely-reported serial killers and The Doodler – who stalked the gay bars of San Francisco – is one of the lesser-known criminals. He would sketch his potential victims on napkins before making his move and striking them down. Reporter Kevin Fagan is determined to find answers in a case that went cold nearly 50 years ago, as he invites listeners to call in with tips on a killer who the police believe is still alive today. It’s true crime with a purpose, painting a picture of a glamorous scene that was terrorised by a string of murders.
Hannah Verdier
Producer pick: Current Affairs
Chosen by Madeleine Finlay
Amazon’s founder and CEO Jeff Bezos increased his net worth last year by $70bn. With that windfall, he could give every single one of his employees $70,000 and remain one of the Top 10 richest people in the world. He might even still make the top five.
Unfortunately, Bezos hasn’t chosen to do that. Instead, Amazon workers continue their long shifts. Breaks (termed by Amazon, “time off task”) are short, especially when considering the toilet might be a 10-minute walk across a vast warehouse. In Alabama, Amazon workers are now challenging these working conditions, and have been organising a vote to form a union.
To get to grips with what has been happening at the Bessemer warehouse in Alabama, I recently listened to a special episode by Current Affairs, a podcast from the magazine of the same name. Featuring Michael Foster, a union organiser at Bessemer, the episode gets behind the scenes to discuss working conditions, how Amazon has been opposing the efforts to unionise, and what a union could mean for employees. It’s a fascinating insight in to what really goes in to getting packages delivered to our doorsteps.
At the time of writing, the vote for unionisation is being counted, and I hope the podcast does a follow-up whatever the outcome. If not, I heartily recommend the rest of Current Affairs’ feed if you fancy a deep dive in to American politics and culture from a socialist (and occasionally anarchist) standpoint - another recent highlight was their special on medical debt in the US.
Talking points
Never listened to a podcast episode called Horny German Werewolves? Now’s your chance! This week, the Guardian interviewed the co-founder of Hell Bent For Metal, a show for LGBTQ rock devotees using “humour, optimism and positivity” to shine a light on an underrepresented group of fans and tackle homophobia.
Why not try: Cursed Objects | Zombiemum | Songs To Live By
