The following audio files come from a larger group of 167 for the week. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted links, below, to get single podcasts. A zip file of all 46 podcasts converted to 1.5x speed will download here for four months. Older groups of podcasts are discussed at the end of this episode.
Agriculture and Soil 27 mins – “Unhealthy soil prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa; Climate defence plans at a stand-still in developing countries; Wetlands are in decline across China; Important mangrove forests in need of conservation.” At the link find the title, “Scia: African Soil Report; Climate Defence Plans; China’s Wetlands; Mangrove Conservation,” right-click “scia_20141204-2030a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Animal Weapons 23 mins – “We talk with biologist Douglas Emlen, who says that the evolution of animal weapons, in everything from dung beetles to saber tooth tigers, has him very worried about our HUMAN weapons (starts 4:20).” At the link right-click “Download” and select ”Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Assisted Death Appeal 31 mins – “Dr. Brian Goldman’s full conversation with physician assistant Maureen Taylor, the widow of Dr. Donald Low.” At the link find the title, ”White Coat Mini Podcast – Maureen Taylor full interview,” right-click “Download White Coat Mini Podcast – Maureen Taylor full interview” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Blood Transfusion Problems 18 mins – “Blood transfusions have been identified as one of the most overused therapies both in the United States and the UK. In this podcast Lawrence Tim Goodnough, from Stanford University Medical Center’s Transfusion Service, and Michael Murphy, from NHS Blood and Transplant, explain the physiological reasons why liberal blood transfusion will not be beneficial.” At the link find the title, “Too much blood: when transfusions do more harm than good,” right-click “Media files 180113553-bmjgroup-too-much-blood.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cancer Drugs 12 mins – “Your medicine cabinet might be full of cancer-fighting drugs.” Reference is made to the ReDO Project: “The Repurposing Drugs in Oncology (ReDO)Project seeks to repurpose well-known and well-characterised non-cancer drugs for new uses in oncology.” At the link find the title, “White Coat Mini Podcast – Cancer Fighters,” right-click “Download White Coat Mini Podcast – Cancer Fighters” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Colbert’s Job 38 mins – “On Ep. 1 of Working, Slate’s David Plotz talks with Stephen Colbert on how he puts his show together and turns himself from Stephen Colbert into the character “Stephen Colbert.” At the link right-click beside “Direct Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Conflicts of Interest 10 mins – “The BMJ has a new policy on competing interestings – from 2015 we will have zero tolerance for them in authors who write education articles or editorials. Cath Brizzell and Mabel Chew explain what that policy is about, and why we think it’s important.” At the link find the title, “Zero tolerance for competing interests,” right-click “Media files 179962481-bmjgroup-zero-tolerence-for-competing.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Denialism 17 mins – “A growing mistrust of science has brought with it whooping cough epidemics and GMO bans, stalling society’s progress, argues Michael Specter, author of “Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms the Planet, and Threatens Our Lives.“At the link find the title, “The Fight Against Science – and Why it’s Dangerous” right-click “IHUB-120614-D.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
End of Life 27 mins – “Two big, important issues: Palliative care and assisted death. Should one really come before the other or do they go hand in hand towards helping Canadians achieve a so-called “good death?” Reference to an Australian book, “The Pill” may refer to “The Peaceful Pill”. At the link find the title, “WCBA – Palliative Care vs Assisted Suicide: The False Dichotomy,” right-click “Download WCBA – Palliative Care vs Assisted Suicide: The False Dichotomy” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Englishness 24 mins – “…so recently we’ve chatted about some cultural matters and I’ve also given you a broad overview of the failed dynastic politics of Northumbria and where this is all headed. But we really didn’t cover too much of what was going on elsewhere. We hinted at it, but I’m sure you’re curious about the other heavy hitter in England. Mercia. As Northumbria lost steam faster than a boy band approaching its 30’s… Were the Mercians going through a similar collapse?….” But, before that discussion there’s some talk about what makes the English the way they are. At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Food Shortages 48mins – “The World Food Program came out with a troubling announcement this week: it lacks the funding to continue delivering needed food aid for up to 1.7 million Syrian refugees. No more trucks or vouchers. No assurances when or if the program will restart or if the food will come. Vulnerable refugees left to face the cold winter season. Their fourth since fleeing Syria. And the crisis is exploding .There’s not enough funding—not enough food– for refugees around the world. This hour, On Point: the global food aid crisis and what the world needs to do, now. “ At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Fowl Stories 57 mins – “We bring you our sort-of-annual holiday tradition: The Poultry Slam! Stories of what happens when humans and fowl collide, including the tale of one notorious turkey who unleashed a long reign of terror on an unsuspecting neighborhood.” At the link you can listen and purchase the podcast; also, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Fracking Impact 3 mins – “Hydraulic fracking linked to higher levels of groundwater pollution.” At the link find the title, “Episode 444 – December 03 2014,” right-click “Media files ScienceElements Dec3_2014.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Germans in Texas 4 mins – “…Olmsted was the founding father of American landscape architecture, but his travel narratives of the south were an important contribution to the debate on slavery, which raged before the Civil War… A group of German noblemen had organized immigration to Texas in the 1840s, initially with catastrophic results. The death toll among the first wave of settlers was appalling, due to poor timing and provisioning, and unrealistic expectations. But the Germans quickly recovered and built thriving centers at New Braunfels and Fredericksburg—both named for noblemen who were a part of the immigration scheme. According to Olmsted’s figures, Germans comprised nearly a third of the population in towns like San Antonio; they were the dominant group in many counties in the Hill Country….” At the link right-click “Click here for audio…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Good Guide 30 mins – “When you’re perusing the shelves, be they virtual or actual, what matters to you? Beyond price, quality and value what about knowing how the company that made this product treats its workers, the extent to which production depletes natural resources, and what impact this product has on the environment? Many of us care about these things in the abstract, but it would be awfully arduous to research all of that while we are out there trying to get our shopping done. If only there were an app. But there is! Our guest this week is Dara O’Rourke, UC Berkeley professor and co-creator of Good Guide, a website and smart phone app that consumers can use to make informed decisions on what they’re buying. Just scan the barcode and get a product’s score on topics ranging from social justice to greenhouse gas emissions.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Graffiti Pioneers 27 mins – “In 1974, New York City became the canvas for a new generation of Graffiti pioneers. Who were the teens behind the ‘tags’ – now the veterans of the scene? Why did they create this movement? We meet some of those who defied the law (and their parents) and diced with death to chase fame and acceptance of their peers.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Graffiti: Kings on a Mission,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20141203-0232b.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Guatemala Mental Hospital 27 mins – “ For Assignment, Chris Rogers goes undercover to reveal the hidden shame of Guatemala’s hospital for the mentally ill.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: The World’s Most Dangerous Hospital,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20141204-0230a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Iceland Jubilee 19 mins – “There’s an idea that dates back at least to biblical times. There should be a moment when debts are forgiven. Its called a jubilee. The jubilee has not gotten a lot of traction in the modern world. You may remember after the financial crisis, some of the Occupy Wall Street protesters were calling for a jubilee. But it basically ended there. Today on the show: the story about a country that is actually trying a jubilee. Iceland.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Immigration Plan 62 mins – “While public attention surrounding President Obama’s November 20 announcement of executive action on immigration has focused on the estimated 5.2 million unauthorized immigrants potentially eligible for deferred action, the president also announced a number of additional reforms that touch on other facets of the U.S. immigration system. In this webinar, Migration Policy Institute (MPI) experts discuss the impact of less-noted aspects of the president’s plan, including in the areas of immigration enforcement, changes to the legal immigration system, and efforts to promote immigrant integration by creating a White House Task Force on New Americans.” At the link left-click “Download,” then right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” fromt he pop-up menu.
Inflatable Men 17 mins – “…The tube guy origin story begins with celebrated artist and “mas man” Peter Minshall. He made a name for himself in Trinidad & Tobago (and beyond) for his Carnival bands, featuring larger than life puppets which dance through the street to the beat of Calypso music. In the early 1990s, Peter Minshall had gained fans among members of the planning committee for the Olympics and in 1995, he found himself in a stadium in Los Angeles working with a bunch of different artists, trying out different ideas for the opening ceremonies for the Atlanta Games the following year. As Minshall tells it, he was was trying to do something using inflatable tubes, but it wasn’t working. And then Minshall realized that if they were made to look like people, they would dance just like people did back home in Trinidad & Tobago—limpid, loose, and gracefully….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Investment Returns 20 mins – “Experts conclude that over 90% of long term investment returns come from your choice of asset classes. In this podcast Paul discusses 8 separate decades of asset class returns so that you realize that the next 10 years may look a lot different from the expected long term return. This information will hopefully help investors understand the unpredictability of short term returns and allow them stay the course after a period of disappointing returns. Decade Returns from 1930 through 2009 for the S&P 500, Total Stock Market, Large Cap Value, Small Cap Blend and Small Cap Value Indexes” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mars Rover Engineer 86 mins -”Mars Rover Curiosity’s chief engineer Rob Manning talks about his firsthand account of the trials and tribulations of engineering one of the most complex pieces of space technology and what future Mars missions might bring. “ At the link right-click the blue arrow beside “Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Michael Brown Death 51 mins – “President Barack Obama met with civil rights leaders and law enforcement officials yesterday to talk about ways to build trust between the local police and residents in African American communities. That trust has been especially strained since last when a grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri voted against indicting a police officer who had shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager. Many welcome the president’s focus on the issue, but hope that much more can be done to improve race relations, police procedures and economic opportunity in America’s disadvantaged neighborhoods. Please join us [5 guests] to talk about prospects for change.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is in the blog archive.
Midlife Crisis 46 mins – “When you’re young, you probably think that by the time you turn 40, you’ll have it all figured out. A good job, perhaps marriage, children, hopefully some cash in the bank. But more and more research shows that your 40s are often a time of emotional upheaval, re-evaluation and dissatisfaction. A mid-life crisis? Perhaps. Our guest today says your happiness might be in a holding pattern. Wait until your 50s—even beyond, to find lasting happiness.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mindfulness 51 mins – “Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer is known as the “mother of mindfulness.” Her research focuses on the many benefits of purposefully paying attention,and in contrast,the psychological and professional costs of thought patterns that limit awareness. Ellen Langer describes what it takes to become more mindful and why it can have such profound effects on our health, ability to learn and overall well-being. Please join us for a conversation with Ellen Langer on harnessing the power of thought.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is in the blog archive.
Nuisance Flooding 27 mins – ““Nuisance flooding” is a term for minor flooding that is not catastrophic or life-threatening, but which causes various problems for cities and towns, including overflowing storm water management systems, roads that must be closed to traffic, and deterioration of infrastructure not designed to be under water and in contact with salt-water. Much has been written in recent years about climate-related sea level rise, but a study released this July by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, focuses on the impacts of sea level rise as manifested in increasing frequency and magnitude of nuisance tidal flooding – and the findings are dramatic….” At the link under that title right-click “Listen to this episode now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Oil Prices 51 mins – “Global oil prices have fallen by nearly 40 percent since the summer. A surge in U.S. production combined with low demand in Asia and the Eurozone are behind the decline. OPEC met last week and decided not to cut production. Some say the cartel is engaging in a price war with U.S. oil producers. Here in the U.S., gas prices have fallen below $2.88, putting more money in consumers’ pockets. But in Russia, Iran and Nigeria, falling oil prices are devastating the economy. Diane and [3] guests discuss falling global oil prices and what it means for U.S. consumers, the environment and geopolitics.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is in the blog archive.
Osteopathic Doctor 40 mins – “In this episode, Ryan interviews Dr. Anita Showalter, the Assistant Dean of Clinical Education at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, an osteopathic medical school in the State of Washington. Dr. Showalter also teaches Women’s Health, Obstetrics & Gynecology. Today, we’re going to talk about her path to medicine, including some push back from her parents, starting undergrad on a nursing track, and taking a detour to having four children, and ultimately deciding to go back and accomplish her dream of becoming a physician with the support of her husband. We will tackle things about osteopathic philosophy and some myths associated with DO’s and so much more.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pablo Escobar 27 mins “Two decades after the death of notorious drug baron Pablo Escobar in 1993, he still looms large in the Colombian psyche. In some quarters, there is an ambivalence towards this ruthless killer, an admiration for the man who made an estimated US $20 billion and built homes for the poor. But many reject the Robin Hood image, and see his legacy as deeply corrosive. Linda Pressly meets victims, a cartel-insider, and Pablo Escobar’s sister as she finds out how the story of this most notorious drug baron still resonates in the city of Medellin.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: The Cult of Pablo Escobar,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20141202-0315a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Peter Buffett 58 mins – “Peter Buffett – What’s it like to be the son of the richest man on Earth? This week we interview Peter Buffett, youngest son of the “Oracle of Omaha” and once dubbed “richest man on Earth”, Warren Buffett. In this interview we ask Peter what it was like to have a household name as a father, what advice did his dad pass along to him, how did the shadow of his last name affect his childhood, and what went on behind the scenes at the Buffett family dinners. This unique upbringing and lessons learned are the foundation for his New York Times Bestselling book, Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment. Additionally, we discuss his esteemed music career which includes winning an Emmy Award and composing the most famous scene in the film Dances with Wolves.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pregnant Workers 51 mins – “In 2006 a pregnant woman named Peggy Young was advised not to lift anything heavier than 20 pounds. Her employer – United Parcel Service – refused to put her on temporary light duty. She was placed on unpaid leave instead, causing her to lose her health benefits, pension and months in wages. She filed a lawsuit, alleging discrimination. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court hears her case. Business groups have sided with UPS, saying the company acted within the law. President Barack Obama, many members of Congress and employees’ rights groups disagree. Join us as we [3 guests] discuss Young v. UPS and its broader implications.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is in the blog archive.
Ray Rice 47 mins – “Ray Rice has been reinstated to the NFL on appeal. Now Rice and his wife Janay are appealing to the public to give him a second chance. It was the “only time he ever hit me, “ says Janay. “My wife is an angel. I take full responsibility for my actions,” says Ray. The elevator incident in Atlantic City sparked a national conversation about domestic violence in the NFL and beyond. Deep conversations about why men hit. And why women stay.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Rewilding 15 mins – “Wolves were once native to the US’ Yellowstone National Park — until hunting wiped them out. But when, in 1995, the wolves began to come back (thanks to an aggressive management program), something interesting happened: the rest of the park began to find a new, more healthful balance. In a bold thought experiment, George Monbiot imagines a wilder world in which humans work to restore the complex, lost natural food chains that once surrounded us.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Rewilding 51 mins – “Diane talks with environmentalist and journalist George Monbiot about “rewilding” nature. It’s the process of freeing ecosystems from human intervention and allowing them — in some cases for the first time in millennia — to resume their natural ecological processes. Monbiot makes the case that returning ecosystems to the wild will not only benefit nature, but humans as well.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in the blog archive.
Sharing Economy 54 mins – “Anne Wright-Howard examines how the sharing economy challenges 20th century notions of ownership, commerce, government regulation, wealth and personal identity.” At the link find the title, “The Sharing Economy,” right-click “Download The Sharing Economy” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Single Sex Education 47 mins – “More and more schools are looking at single-sex education as a fix to boost student performance. The Department of Education just issued new guidelines this week. Those in favor say that if Eric learns differently from Erica, let’s structure classrooms around their different learning styles. But the ACLU says “no”. That separating children by sex is comparable to separating children by race. We’ll hear from the head of a single-sex school and from a principal of a school that abandoned single-sex education.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Slow Motion Apocalypse 54 mins – “This week we feature a panel discussion presented by the Center for the Study of Europe in collaboration with the Latin American Studies Program. Our speakers are: Kostis Kornetis, Assistant Professor at the Center for European and Mediterranean Studies at New York University; and Alex Khasnabish, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Tonight’s discussion is titled “Social Resistance in Times of Austerity.’”
Superintelligence 69 mins – “Nick Bostrom of the University of Oxford talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about his book, Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies. Bostrom argues that when machines exist which dwarf human intelligence they will threaten human existence unless steps are taken now to reduce the risk. The conversation covers the likelihood of the worst scenarios, strategies that might be used to reduce the risk and the implications for labor markets, and human flourishing in a world of superintelligent machines.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Survival Medicine 60 mins – “This week, we’re learning about the limits of the human body, and the essential science of survival. We’ll talk to Dr. James Hubbard, creator of TheSurvivalDoctor.com, about emergency measures to take when a disaster has cut off your access to medical care. And Dr. Rob Tarzwell of One Minute Medical School returns to explain what to do – and not do – when you’re stranded in the wilderness.” At the link right-click “Listen Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Texas Climate Crisis 15 mins (3 parts) – “…Texas is the nation’s top greenhouse gas polluter — bringing the state closer to a potential environmental and economic catastrophe. And Texas’s leaders are largely in denial about the problem, saying they remain unconvinced by the overwhelming scientific consensus that human pollution is changing the climate. …“If Texas were more proactive in dealing with climate change, that would send a signal more broadly,” says Michael Levi, a senior fellow for energy and environment at the Council on Foreign Relations. “The states have a direct impact on emissions,” Levi says. “The more states are doing to reduce emissions, the easier it is for the federal government to accomplish broader goals.” …But in some respects, says Larry Soward, a former state environmental regulator “we’re already too late” to contain the risks to Texas…. “ At the link are three sound bars. Right-click on the down-pointing arrow of each and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menus.
Tuberculosis 29 mins – “Keith is on location once again at the Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, to talk with Janice Endsley of the Department of Microbiology/Immunology. Endsley studies coinfections, in particular, the common coinfection of HIV with tuberculosis. About 30% of the world’s population have latent TB and show no symptoms. However, if they are infected with HIV, the latent TB has a very good chance of being activated.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Vasopressor Basics 31 mins – “There is a ton to speak about regarding vasopressors, but before we get to the edge cases, we need to set-up a foundation. Types of Shock: Obstructive, Hypovolemic, Cardiogenic, Distributive… When we put someone on a vasopressor, what are we hoping to accomplish? Critical Perfusion Pressures (Heart will get better, but may look worse); Increase Venous Return; Avoid Gut Ischemia and Flow Reduction… Why Not Dopamine? Vasopressin, Phenylephrine, Epinephrine….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
War on Terror 60 mins – “James Risen talked about his book Pay Any Price: Greed, Power and Endless War, in which he explores some of the hidden costs of the war on terror since September 11, 2001, both around the world and in the U.S. He spoke about billions of dollars disappearing in Iraq, and abuses of power involving monetary fraud by Americans in the warzones of Iraq and Afghanistan. He also talked about civil liberties issues and the National Security Agency’s (NSA) domestic surveillance program.” At the link find the title, “Q&A: James Risen,” right-click “Media files program.374093.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
White Supremacy 23 mins – “In the wake of decisions by grand juries in both Missouri and New York’s Staten Island not to indict white police officers in the deaths of unarmed African-Americans, this week we present an encore broadcast of Bill’s conversation earlier this year with journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates. First telecast in May 2014, Coates had just written a cover story in The Atlantic magazine, provocatively titled “The Case for Reparations.” It urged that we begin a national dialogue on whether the United States should compensate African-Americans not only as recognition of slavery’s “ancient brutality” — as President Lyndon Johnson called it – but also as acknowledgement of all the prejudice and discrimination that have followed in a direct line from this, our original sin….” At the link find the title, “Full Show: The United States of Ferguson,” right-click “Media files Moyers and Company, 348_Podcast.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Zen and Motorcycles 54 mins – “Robert Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance has been called the most widely read book of philosophy ever written. Forty years after its publication, Tim Wilson revisits an extraordinary interview he did with its author.” At the link find the title, “The Motorcycle is Yourself, right-click “Download The Motorcycle is Yourself” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
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ARCHIVE
An alphabetic encyclopedia of 4800 of these hyperlinked descriptions is here and updated quarterly. A file of the podcasts is here , updated weekly, and can be downloaded as a 21+ GB zipped file, or individually. A separate folder of C-Span, Diane Rehm, et. al. files that aren’t available at their sites is here, too, and can also be downloaded as a zip file or individually. Over 210 feeds used to prepare this blog are harvested with Feedreader3 and Juice. The feeds are available in this opml file which Feedreader and Juice can import. A list of the feeds is here. Free Commander is used to compare old with new downloads and remove duplicates. MP3 Speed Changer is used on batches of new files to boost playback speed 150%. A speed listening background article is here. Please comment on any problems with the links and downloads.
Media Mining Digest 