The Drain

This is a preview of a premium installment of The Drain. To listen to the whole episode, subscribe at patreon.com/thedrain .  We're covering lots of ground with this one, discussing the lore behind Palma's deportation from Spain, Alec Baldwin's interest in a friend of the show, and attorneys who tickle defendants with walrus-like mustaches when whispering advice in the court room. Don't forget to...

A few days back a great and terrifying piece came out in Rolling Stone exploring how an overly effusive new version of ChatGPT learned language model is convincing people all over the world that they are messiahs and prophets . It is both stunning and unsurprising to learn how close to psychosis we all are. Soap in our food? Sure. AI models convincing us we were almost murdered by our babysitters...

Did you know that California recently passed Japan as the fourth largest economy in the world ? It's true. Even within the US, our state is a powerhouse, comprising 1/7 of the US economy. In fact, California put $83 billion more into the country in taxes in 2022 than we received in programs and benefits. That's what we call a donor state. Add all of that to Washington, D.C. spiraling deeper into f...

Yes, this is generally a California podcast. But we've got an expert on El Salvador here in Sweet Palma, so this week we're kicking back and listening as he dives in on President Nayib Bukele, his " tropical gulag ," and the history of this small but incredibly durable Central American nation. Oh, and did you know the libs are ready to "k*ll" the baddies? We take a look at a Substack post from lib...

Hey y'all, Sorry for the late release of this one -- Palma and Kempa have been hella busy! This week we're discussing the race that will determine the next governor of California.  You might not know it, but the fight to be Kempa's next neighbor in the Governor's Mansion involves an incredibly deep field already , with nine Democrats, six Republicans, one Green and one No Party Preference guy/real...

We're joined by the iconic Hesse Deni, cohost of Seeking Derangements and Movie Mindset, the latter of which she runs with Will Menaker of Chapo Trap House . We're discussing a classic so-bad-it's-good California film in THE TWO JAKES, starring and directed by Jack Nicholson. Folks, this one has it all: grenade confusion, oil intrigue, and Jack Nicholson literally exploding. Join us as we relive t...

Today we're joined by Marke B, cofounder and arts editor at 48 Hills, co-owner of The Stud, DJ, and author of Queer: the Ultimate LGBTQ Guide for Teens, and Into the Streets: a Young Person’s Visual Guide to the History of Protest in the US Marke is a San Franciscan with a deep history in the culture, starting at Citysearch and Gay.com, and then getting a front-row seat to the corporate takeover o...

Kempa and Palma give an update on the developing story of university administrators endangering their own students  to appease the Trump administration, before diving into the magical realm of microblogging sites and social media in 2025. Did you know that  58 of 60 California Assembly Democrats  are leaving X-The-Everything-App? A number of them-- 39 of the state's 120 legislators in total --have...

In part two of our talk with Kat, we discuss the UC's austerity measures against students as a response to the Trump administration's pressure, the heightened risk students face if they want to support Palestine, and the evolving tactics demonstrators on California campuses are employing in response to the universities'/Trump administration's draconian responses. Listen to the full episode at: pat...

Palma and Kempa are joined by Kat to discuss the serious dangers facing students--particularly international students--in the University of California system. The UC had already been harassing students who supported Palestine liberation during the Biden administration: loading them onto buses, putting bags over their heads, and sending riot police to violently break up their camps. Kat takes us th...

Today we're discussing an article by the Sacramento Bee's Jenavieve Hatch , in which she explores why there is no #Resistance in 2025 like there was after Donald Trump's first presidential win in 2017. Where are the pussy hats? The clever signs? The teeming masses in Capital Mall? It's a fun story (and not just because Kempa is quoted in it), and it ties in with our last discussion on Governor Gav...

That's right, folks. We sat through Gavin Newsom's abhorrent podcast so you don't have to. Today we're examining California Governor Gavin Newsom's new podcast, "This is Gavin Newsom," and his first episode titled, " And, This is Charlie Kirk ." You probably saw the viral clips in which Kirk forces Newsom to turn his back on trans athletes. But, oh, listener, there is so, so much more to this show...

Greetings, babies, and welcome to the first ever episode of The Drain. This is a podcast covering California news and culture. Hosted by journalist Dave Kempa (founding editor of VOICES: River City ) and Max (a.k.a. Sweet Palma, producer of the violently famous Seeking Derangements ), we discuss the liberal California hegemony through a leftist lens, just steps from the state Capitol. Free episode...