Best Amalgam Podcasts (2024)

1
#282 Has the Scrutiny Reached a Fever Pitch? Taking the Temperature of Private Equity in Healthcare 28:32

3h ago28:32

28:32

Private equity and health care are important aspects of the U.S. economy. Why are antitrust enforcers focused on the intersection of these two areas? Carla Hine, an antitrust attorney well-versed in both industries, joins Jaclyn Phillips and Jeny Maier to discuss the role PE plays in health care transactions and what antitrust enforcers' recent foc…

1
Ants Performing Surgery, Why We're Addicted to Games and Goodbye Crunchyroll Comments 52:49

30m ago52:49

52:49

A species of carpenter ants will perform surgery on their wounded comrades. These gory scenes take place after vicious battles with other ant colonies. This is the first time that surgery has been observed in non-human animals. Much has been made of video game addiction, which is a real and scary thing. But not every case is medical addiction, and …

1
If I Were Preaching Tomorrow, July 14, 2024 7:54

20h ago7:54

7:54

Well, I had not originally planned on adding more episodes to The Amalgamation Podcast until it was fully ready to go. Sometimes, the world requires us to respond outside of our plans. So here's a little preview of what I will be doing in the Fall, to offer some ideas about those of you who are preaching on any given Sunday. With the shooting and p…

1
E70 The End of an Era 6:58

1d ago6:58

6:58

It seems only fitting to end on a nice round number with Episode 70 of BRC and Friends. Those who have been hanging out with me for the past decades have been through a few manifestations of this space, including its very beginning as a VodCast that began 10 years ago with my very first guest, . [Watch Episode 1] Special thanks to Co-Hosts, Laura M…

1
Happy Whales, Eve Open Source & Hollywood Exodus 38:55

4d ago38:55

38:55

Scientist have found that whales are happier when humans are not around, and this was during the first year of the COVID-19 Pandemic, when human activity on the ocean was limited. Which begs the question do whales really hate humans? Eve Online's creator CCP Games have decided to go open source...will this make the game immortal? Only time will tel…

1
#281 What Are the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Plans for Enforcement? Breaking It Down From A To Triple C 29:39

6d ago29:39

29:39

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's enforcement and policy priorities for 2024-2025 reflect a focus on a wide range of conduct in many industries. What does this mean for practitioners, market participants, and consumers in Australia? Peta Stevenson, a competition attorney with more than two decades of experience, joins Jaclyn Phil…

1
UnSocial Multiplayer, The Curse of Geoengineering & GTA the Movie 48:21

11d ago48:21

48:21

A classic MMO designer thinks modern MMOs aren't giving players enough ways to play together. MMOs have changed over the last 20 years, and are no longer the only way to play with your friends. So what's really behind the changes? A new study suggests geoengineering might actually just move the issue from one place to another. Who will bear the con…

1
#280 Does the FTC Ban Get It Right or Go Too Far? Economists Debate the FTC Non-Compete Rule 1:00:05

13d ago1:00:05

1:00:05

The Federal Trade Commission's non-compete ban has stirred vigorous discussion in the antitrust bar and beyond. What do economic theory and empirical analysis tell us about the effects of non-competes, and whether a ban is justified? Economists Evan Starr and Brian Albrecht join co-hosts Sergei Zaslavsky and Anora Wang to debate the state of econom…

1
#279 How Does U.S. Law Promote Competition in Agricultural Markets? 28:33

20d ago28:33

28:33

The preservation of competition in agricultural markets has been identified as as one of the Biden Administration's highest enforcement priorities. In this episode, co-hosts Alicia Downey and Barry Nigro talk to Professor Kelly Nuckolls of the University of Arkansas School of Law about recent enforcement actions and rulemaking efforts targeting ant…

1
Vidisode 4: Help the Watfa Family Evacuate Gaza 1:30

24d ago1:30

1:30

A few weeks ago, we were connected with the Gaza Solidarity Network to get matched with someone in Gaza who is trying to raise funds to evacuate. This is obviously not the ideal solution (ceasefire and rebuilding are), and it is unfair that some families will get paired while others will not. Occupation and genocide are also not fair, so we do what…

1
Save TF2, Save The Crow and Save Arctic Foxes 36:15

25d ago36:15

36:15

Team Fortress 2 has been overrun by bots. A new campaign to save this game from the hackers and cheaters who are ruining it begs Valve to make a difference. We discuss how this relates to the Stop Killing Games campaign and the various ways Valve and the community can save the game. By all accounts, The Crow's reboot will not be any good. Can it be…

1
#278 Who Is Krisztian Katona? Meet an International Competition Lawyer 33:46

1M ago33:46

33:46

Not many antitrust lawyers have a front row seat to competition law and policy around the globe. But have you met Krisztian Katona? Krisztian Katona, an international competition lawyer, speaks with Anora Wang and Jaclyn Phillips about the trajectory of his career, insights about competition law and trends, and how the ABA provides opportunities fo…

1
Vidisode 3: What will it take? 1:17

1M ago1:17

1:17

In what seems like a lifetime ago, I posted this a few weeks back after my return from my second delegation to Palestine. Even with all of the most recent acts of terror inflicted upon the people of Gaza and the accelerated violence in the occupied West Bank, I am still left with the same question as I have been posing since last year, “What will i…

1
#277 Still Going Strong at 20? A Conversation With the Architect of the EU Merger Regulation 2004 41:26

1M ago41:26

41:26

The EU's merger control law--the Merger Regulation--was revised in 2004, and 2024 is therefore the 20th anniversary of the changes. What prompted those changes? Sir Philip Lowe, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Competition from 2002-2010, joins Matthew Reynolds and Matthew Hall to discuss the background to the c…

1
Paid Mods, Microsoft Recall and GRRM's Rants 1:17:26

1M ago1:17:26

1:17:26

Sorry about the audio quality on this one. The people responsible have been fired out of a cannon into the sun. The problem has been fixed and we'll be back to our usual quality next week. Should we pay modders for their work? After hundreds of hours playing modded games, and even designing some mods himself, Professor's got some thoughts on this. …

1
#276 Does a Year Make a Difference? The Regulation of Influencers Under the 2023 Revised FTC Endorsement Guides 28:06

2M ago28:06

28:06

An important component of U.S. consumer protection law includes the regulation of endorsements, a form of advertising where someone other than the seller of a product or service—such as an athlete, a celebrity, or an influencer—is compensated to promote that product or service. In this episode, co-hosts Alicia Downey and Matt Reynolds talk to consu…

1
Why Gamers Smurf, The End of Anime, Adults Only Social Media and Poo Pills for Parkinsons 59:12

2M ago59:12

59:12

According to surveys, most gamers Smurf - that is high level players using a low level account to stomp noobs. So why do you do it, and is it as bad as it sounds? The end of anime's Golden Age may be upon us. Miyazaki says so, but he's just won an award for anime. So is it self-deprecating humour or bragging? The Australian government has suggested…

1
Vidisode 2: New York, I'm Headed Your Way 1:06

2M ago1:06

1:06

It’s actually this week (What is time?) but anyhoo, we are headed your way New York, and we cannot wait. It's been too long since we've visited your lovely city! First things first: We already have show tickets, but help us fill out our week! Where should we eat, and what should we see? But you are also invited . . . SUNDAY, JUNE 2The Riverside Chu…

1
#275 What's Happening in New Zealand, Israel, and Norway? Catching Up With International Enforcers at the 2024 Spring Meeting 29:27

2M ago29:27

29:27

While on site at the ABA Antitrust Law Section's Annual Spring Meeting in April 2024, the Our Curious Amalgam team sat down with competition regulators from around the world to talk about their current and future enforcement priorities. We also got to know them a little better as people. In this episode, Alicia Downey finds out what's happening in …

1
Stop Killing Games Update, Isekais Are Off the Rails and Pig Butchering Scams 1:05:23

2M ago1:05:23

1:05:23

The UK has issued a response to the Stop Killing Games campaign with a possible angle of attack. Remember to keep signing your local petitions to help make a change. The creator of Ghost in the Shell Arise thinks Isekais are off the rails and that the real world doesn't suck that much. Has he been outside recently? AI deepfakes are being used in a …

1
#274 What's Happening in Hong Kong and Japan? Catching Up With International Enforcers at the 2024 Spring Meeting 31:34

2M ago31:34

31:34

In April 2024, the Our Curious Amalgam team interviewed international competition law regulators while on site at the ABA Antitrust Law Section's Annual Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C. In this episode, Anora Wang talks to Samuel Chan, Chairman of the Hong Kong Competition Commission, and Commissioner Reiko Aoki of the Japan Fair Trade Commission…

1
Victory Over Sony, The Hunt for Gollum, and Rise of The Plastic Eating Nanobots 49:18

2M ago49:18

49:18

Helldivers 2 players have achieved a major victory over Sony, leading to the PSN account requirement being retracted. Good work troops. WBD are planning some more Lord of the Rings movies, starting with The Hunt for Gollum. The Nerds discuss why they've picked such an overdone part of the story to cover. Plastic eating nanobots may be coming to a w…

1
#273 What’s Happening in France, Portugal, and Poland? Catching Up With International Enforcers at the 2024 Spring Meeting 42:49

2M ago42:49

42:49

The 2024 edition of the ABA Antitrust Law Section’s Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., offered the Our Curious Amalgam team a chance to speak with competition law regulators from around the world. While on site at the meeting, we sat down with several of them to discuss their enforcement priorities and other issues, while also getting to know them…

1
TikTok Ban Vs Game Developers, Cryonic Brains and Why Marvel Movies Suck 1:05:20

2M ago1:05:20

1:05:20

The USA's TikTok ban coming into effect could affect game developers too. We'll break it down and go over the possible effects. If you want to preserve your body for the future, you might turn to cryonics. If you can't afford a full body, you can just preserve your brain and hope someone grows you a new body in the future. Marvel movies suck. Every…

1
#272 What’s Happening in the EU? A Conversation With DG COMP Director-General Olivier Guersent at the 2024 Spring Meeting 46:51

2M ago46:51

46:51

The 2024 Spring Meeting of the ABA Antitrust Law Section offered the Our Curious Amalgam team a chance to speak with competition law enforcers from around the world. In this episode, host Matthew Hall asks Olivier Guersent, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission (DG COMP), about what’s been happening …

1
Fixing Voyager 1, The battle for Videogame Libraries, and Rotten Tomatoes Resumes 52:16

2M ago52:16

52:16

The Australian Stop Killing Games Petition is now active. Sign it here: e-petitions – Parliament of Australia How does NASA repair a spacecraft nearly a light day from Earth? NASA engineers have spent the last few months working on a solution to a faulty RAM chip, and we'll discuss the changes they had to make to save the stricken craft. The Entert…

1
#271 What Does the UN Do For Consumers? UNCTAD’s Role in Promoting Competition and Consumer Protection 33:24

3M ago33:24

33:24

The UN General Assembly has entrusted UNCTAD (now rebranded as UN Trade and Development) to be the focal point within the UN on competition and consumer protection issues. How does UN Trade and Development implement this role? Teresa Moreira, Head of the Competition and Consumer Policies Branch (CCPB) at UN Trade and Development, joins Alicia Downe…

1
Game Devs Are Worried About Live Service Games, Binge Vs Weekly Releases and Gaming for Science 50:57

3M ago50:57

50:57

The Australian Stop Killing Games Petition is now active. Sign it here: https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN6080 Live service games seem like the future of gaming, but the tide seems to be changing. A survey of game developers says that the majority are concerned about the future of live service games and their sustainability. Do you pref…

1
#270 Want To Be an Antitrust Scholar? Meet the ABA’s International Scholar-in-Residence 25:40

3M ago25:40

25:40

Many practitioners wonder what it would be like to be an academic, diving deeply into the leading international legal and policy issues at the forefront of antitrust and competition law. But what does an academic researcher do all day? Natalia Moreno Belloso, one of the ABA Antitrust Law Section's International Scholars-in-Residence, joins Jeny Mai…

1
#269 What’s New in Antitrust and Tech? Unpacking United States v. Apple 30:21

3M ago30:21

30:21

On March 21, 2024, the United States Department of Justice and sixteen Attorneys General sued Apple, alleging that “Apple undermines apps, products, and services that would otherwise make users less reliant on the iPhone, promote interoperability, and lower costs for consumers and developers.” In other words, many of the DOJ and AGs’ allegations bo…

1
#268 Bringing Big Tech to Heel? Compliance Day Under the EU Digital Markets Act 41:14

3M ago41:14

41:14

The EU Digital Markets Act introduces a radical change to regulation of the digital sector in the EU. But what does it require and what have the designated "gatekeepers" been doing to ensure compliance? Aleksandra Zuchowska, Competition Policy Manager at CCIA in Brussels, appearing in her personal capacity, joins Matthew Reynolds and Matthew Hall t…

1
Stop Killing Games, The Case of the Missing Anime and The New Lunar Time Zone 48:00

3M ago48:00

48:00

Ross Scott's Campaign to save games has kicked off, and we're sharing his battle plans. This is something we can all do to help prevent games from being destroyed. With the death of Funimation, anime is also at risk of being taken away from you. Paid products aren't showing up on CrunchyRoll's site. They claim everything will eventually be availabl…

1
#267 Dial L for Liability? Evolving Restrictions on Telemarketing to Consumers 27:39

4M ago27:39

27:39

Anyone with a phone number understands how annoying it is to receive unsolicited promotional voice calls and text messages. For that reason, telemarketing and telephone sales practices in the U.S. are regulated by decades-old federal and state consumer protection laws, which permit private rights of action by consumers for minimum statutory damages…

1
A Nerds Amalgamated 200th Episode Special - An Interview with Worthy Chaos Comics Creator : Corissa Grant 58:14

3M ago58:14

58:14

For our 200th episode, we've interviewed Corissa Grant from Worthy Chaos Comics to talk about their series Redemption, a comic about love, a war involving the ancient Egyptian and Celtic pantheons, demon hunters, and a whole lot of gore. Corissa tells us about how she got into writing comics, how she found an artist, the challenges of managing a co…

1
#266 Is It Time To Burst the Bubble? Antitrust Law in the Age of the Polycrisis 43:30

4M ago43:30

43:30

The antitrust law bubble, particularly in the U.S., has in recent years focussed on the mantra of promoting efficiency above all else. In the age of the global polycrisis and increasing corporate concentration and power in numerous sectors, should this bubble be popped? Dr Cristina Caffarra, leading competition economist, joins Barry Nigro and Matt…

1
Don't Reboot The Crow, Neuralink Success, and Pokemon Law 1:02:41

4M ago1:02:41

1:02:41

The Crow is one of BPM's favourite movies, as well as a Brandan Lee's final film role. There's talks about rebooting it with a new storyline and BPM, along with the original director, are not very happy about it. Neuralink has begun human trials, beset with animal testing issues and beaten to market by over a decade. The Nerds discuss the sci-fi fu…

1
#265 Can I Avoid Targeted Ads? The EU Rules on Pay or OK 44:09

4M ago44:09

44:09

Many companies already use or are introducing "pay or OK" models for targeted ads on the Internet. What legal issues does this raise in the EU? Frithjof Michaelsen, Digital Policy Officer at UFC-Que Choisir, the French Federation of Consumer Associations, joins Matthew Reynolds and Matthew Hall to discuss Meta's introduction of pay or OK, otherwise…

1
WB Kills Another Company, The Oscars and Razzies, and How Stress Makes You Dumber 1:01:21

4M ago1:01:21

1:01:21

Warner Bros seem to be intent on killing everything they own. The latest casualty is Adult Swim's Games library. Professor reminisces about some of his favourite games from this publisher that will no longer be available to customers. The Oscars and Razzies happened again this week, so the Nerds discuss the impact the winners might have on the dire…

1
#264 What’s Wrong With Having Lots of Patents? Patent Thickets and Antitrust Law 28:14

4M ago28:14

28:14

It's often said that patent protection rewards innovation and benefits consumers. But are there competition law issues with having "too many" patents? Kate Swisher, an antitrust litigator at White & Case, joins co-hosts Alicia Downey and Lijun Zhang to discuss the tension between patent law and antitrust law in the context of so-called "patent thic…

1
Yuzu and The Crew Updates, Executive Meddling and Teaching Children to Talk 49:47

4M ago49:47

49:47

This week we bring you the latest updates in the Nintendo vs Yuzu case, the first shots in the war to save games from deletion, and the push towards even more live service games. Executives are ruining movies. We discuss the reasons and the solutions to escape executive meddling. Finally, we put on our boomer hats to complain about how kids these d…

1
#263 What’s the Role of a Magistrate Judge? Conversation With Judge Lindsey Vaala 33:09

5M ago33:09

33:09

The U.S. federal district courts have magistrate judges who are appointed to assist the district court judges and generally oversee first appearances of criminal defendants, set bail, and conduct other administrative duties. But is the role of a magistrate judge different across districts? In a district like Eastern District of Virginia where the t…

1
Nintendo Vs Yuzu, Marvel's Future, and The Benefits of Green Space 53:00

5M ago53:00

53:00

Nintendo are suing a Fruit company. The Yuzu emulator is under attack. The Professor has some thoughts on how this affects the future of games preservation. Marvel are trying to recover from a few big failures recently. The DJ ponders their future projects and what they need to do to bring the audience back. Going outside is really, REALLY good for…

1
#262 What’s Up With U.S. Merger Remedies? 28:57

5M ago28:57

28:57

The US antitrust agencies' approach to merger remedies has undergone a significant change under the Biden administration. Remedies are increasingly disfavored. In this episode, Dan Ducore, former Assistant Director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Competition Compliance Division, joins Barry Nigro and Jeny Maier to discuss the growing sk…

1
The Future of Games Consoles, Tyler Perry and Sora AI, and Gaming For Your Health 51:26

5M ago51:26

51:26

Rumours are flying about the next generation of games consoles. The Nerds discuss the future and where we might be going next, whether that's a mid generation Pro release, a full new generation, or the PC master race. Sora AI has scared Tyler Perry away from an $800m investment. Perry thinks the future is all AI, all the time, but we think there's …

1
#261 Can Demanding Price Parity Harm Competition? The MFN Paradox 22:13

5M ago22:13

22:13

When are MFNs good and when are they bad? A "most favored nation" (MFN) price requirement ensures that a buyer receives the lowest price that a seller is offering to other buyers. Under U.S. antitrust law, such MFNs are typically viewed as a procompetitive outcome of price bargaining between parties. But recently, the use of MFNs by Amazon's intern…

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