The following audio files were selected from a larger group of 116 for the last week. The link to each podcast is at the highlighted topic and reached by double-clicking or ctrl-clicking it. All 19 podcasts converted to 1.5x speed can also be downloaded as a 167 MB zip file here for four months.
Raspberry Pi Big Start 55 mins – The Raspberry Pi is a $35 credit-card sized computer that plugs into your TV, keyboard, and more, conceived six years ago and recently made available. Leo Laporte interviews founder Eben Upton and learns that despite a production rate of 4,000 units a day, the company is barely keeping up with the demand. The device comes case-less which has caused development of interesting cases, and a camera module is in the works after the Pi equipped with a camera sent wireless photos from a balloon from an altitude of 40,000 feet. Download the podcast at the link by right-clicking “Audio” at the left side of the site and selecting “Save Link As”.
Advice to Young Scientists 12 mins – “The world needs you, badly,” begins celebrated biologist E.O. Wilson in his letter to a young scientist. Previewing his upcoming book, he gives advice collected from a lifetime of experience — reminding us that wonder and creativity are the center of the scientific life. (Filmed at TEDMED.)” Download the file at the link by clicking the download button, right-clicking “Download to Desktop,” and selecting “Save Link As.”
Violence Against Women 52 mins – “The brutal execution by the Afghan Taliban of a married woman falsely accused of adultery has sparked international outrage. The killing of the 22-year-old also heightened concern for Afghan women after the U.S. ends its combat mission. Some women’s advocates were encouraged by protests this week in Kabul against the execution, calling the reaction evidence of progress. But the reality is that physical, sexual and psychological abuse of women occurs across the globe. In many places it exists in epidemic proportions. Diane and her guests talk about efforts to empower women and change cultural attitudes among men and boys.” The link will allow online listening, only, but the program is included in the zipped file of podcasts noted in the header for this edition.
Lie Detection 52mins – Two former CIA agents, Philip Houston and Michael Floyd, explain how the techniques they used to catch terrorists and spies can be applied in our daily lives; how to spot a lie and get people to tell you the truth. They co-authored a book on the subject, “Spy the Lie...” The link only allows online listening, but the program is included in the zipped file of podcasts noted in the header for this edition.
Oblique Imagery and GIS 10 mins – Brian Beha, director of business development for Pictometry, explains why ArcGIS (Geographic Information System) is the ideal platform for working with Pictometry’s aerial oblique imagery data. “Photogrammetry” is mentioned and commonly used in the GIS world as a tool to determine dimensions from images. The link only allows online listening, but the program is included in the zipped file of podcasts noted in the header for this edition.
Libor Scandal Comments 52 mins – What the scandal may mean on both sides of the Atlantic is discussed by Simon Johnson, professor of entrepreneurship at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, Joshua Gallu reporter for Bloomberg News, and David Enrich reporter for The Wall Street Journal. They also responded to questions from callers. The link will allow online listening, only, but the program is included in the zipped file of podcasts noted in the header for this edition.
H-1B Workers Debate 157 mins – “This year it took only ten weeks for employers to reach the nation’s overall cap on the H-1B visas they need to hire immigrant workers in specialty occupations—three times faster than last year. Yet debates over the program suffer from a lack of information about where demand for H-1B workers is highest, and the role that the program plays in addressing local labor market needs. On July 18, the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings hosted a forum presenting a regional analysis of the H-1B visa program, highlighting how foreign-born skilled immigrants in the United States contribute to the country’s metropolitan economies. Panelists from the public and private sectors discussed the report’s findings and their potential impact on current economic and immigration debates. After the two discussions, panelists took audience questions.” The first half of this long podcast is political and tedious for the first sixty percent and spirited for the rest. A second session after a 30 second dead span is done by businesses, educators and a NGO with excellent discussion about efforts to fix the job shortage. Download the podcast at the link by right-clicking “Download” and selecting “SaveLink As.” This link to a 38 page pdf contains the report with graphs, charts and analysis for the Metropolitan Policy Program used as a basis for the podcast discussion.
World Bank President 64 mins – “On July 18, Global Economy and Development at Brookings hosted World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim for a conversation about supporting international development in a highly vulnerable global economy. Dr. Kim discussed the priorities for the World Bank under his new leadership, including the immediate priority to help developing countries maintain growth and progress against poverty in these volatile economic times. A physician and anthropologist, Dr. Kim has dedicated himself to international development for more than two decades, helping to improve the lives of underserved populations worldwide….” A positive note during the conversation is the continued improvement of developing countries. Download the podcast at the link by right-clicking “Download” and selecting “Save Link As.”
Distance Learning 81 mins – “Education technology tools offer students improved access to resources, digital materials and a dynamic, personalized learning experience. Distance learning connects geographically-disadvantaged students with instructors, fellow classmates, course offerings, and educational experiences not accessible in their nearby brick-and-mortar schools. On July 17, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a forum on the growing use and influence of distance learning in transforming American education. A panel of experts discussed the challenges and positive outcomes of integrating education technologies and distance learning techniques into academic instruction, as well as how these tools are transforming the definition of the American classroom.” A Senator from Alaska starts the discussion with a focus on that state. It expands after that to include thirteen states with STEM programs connected via STEM-X. Go to the link, right click “Download” and select “Save Link As.”
STM Books Forecast 23 mins – “Across all of book publishing, the journey from print to digital is about much more than form factor. In the professionally-focused STM sector, publishers of scientific, technical and medical texts face are reckoning with seismic shifts in the way their content is commissioned, created, and stored. And as digital sales become integral to their businesses, these publishers face existential challenges for their survival in a post-print world… according to Outsell market analyst Laura Ricci, co-author with colleague Mark Ware of the firm’s recent report, STM E-Books: 2012 Market Size, Share, and Forecast….” a 23 page document for $895.
South America 124 mins – “Latin America and the Caribbean have made substantial progress in advancing democratic freedoms and enhancing economic opportunities. However, hemispheric cooperation and integration remain key challenges. During last April’s Sixth Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, leaders reached consensus on social inclusion and other difficult challenges facing the region but disagreements on other topics, such as Cuba and drug policy, dominated the agenda…..” Brazil and Argentina were accused of efforts to dominate the region and the U.S. has become ineffective, but regional electrification is being promoted. Download the podcast at the link by right-clicking “Download” and selecting “Save Link As.”
Internet Paradigms 86 mins – “On July 17, the 21st Century Defense Initiative at Brookings hosted technologist and Wired editor at large Ben Hammersley. One of the world’s most original thinkers on technology trends, Hammersley’s work has crossed war correspondence and technological innovation, reporting from war zones that range from Afghanistan to Mindanao, while also writing on key technology developments, including first coining the term “podcasting.” Hammersly discussed the security implications that new online technologies pose as well as offered his thoughts on the role of government in countering extremism in the digital age.” Download the podcast at the link by right-clicking “Download” and selecting “Save Link As.”
Post Office History 53 min – “These days, what we find in the mailbox tends to fall into one of two categories: junk mail or quaint hand-written reminders of times past. While the mail may now vacillate between irritating or antiquated, for the more than two hundred years the U.S. Post Office played a central role in American life. It was not only the institution that allowed us to communicate with each other across state lines and beyond, but it played a vital part in our country’s political organization and hierarchies. The History Guys explore the rise – and fall – of our postal system…. ” To download the podcast go to the link, right click “Download” and select “Save Link As.”
Nanotech Ownership 29 mins – David Koepsell discusses his book Innovation and Nanotechnology: Converging Technologies and the End of Intellectual Property. Koepsell is an author, philosopher, attorney, and educator who teaches at the Delft University of Technology. He is also author Who Owns You? The Corporate Gold Rush to Patent Your Genes. Go to the link, locate the title “Nanotechnology and the End of Intellectual Property,” right click “Media files 20120227koepsell.mp3” and select “Save Link As” to download the file.
Interviewing Basics 61 mins – NIH Graduate and Professional School Fair presented a talk about the interview process from the perspective of both those doing the interviewing, and the applicant. The discussion covers what to expect, how to prepare, what kinds of questions can be asked, and appropriate interview behavior.” Download the file at the link in the lower left-hand corner under “Audio Podcasts”. Right click the “Play” button and select “Save Link As”.
Chinese Internet 24 min twice – “In the first of a two-part series, Duncan Hewitt investigates the impact of microblogging in China, where Sina’s Weibo now has a greater membership than Twitter. He meets animal rights activists and mothers promoting breastfeeding as he finds out how social media is fostering a new civil society in China.” Then “Shanghai-based journalist Duncan Hewitt concludes his look at the burgeoning microblogging trend in China and the profound effect it is having on society and culture.” Download both at the link by going to the titles, “DocArchive: It Started With a Tweet – Part 1” and “DocArchive: It Started With a Tweet – Part 2,” right clicking “Media files docarchive_20120710-0905b.mp3” or “Media files docarchive_20120717-0905a.mp3” and selecting “Save Link As”.
Why We Get Fat 80 mins – “Gary Taubes, author of Why We Get Fat, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about why we get fat and the nature of evidence in a complex system. The current mainstream view is that we get fat because we eat too much and don’t exercise enough. Taubes challenges this seemingly uncontroversial argument with a number of empirical observations, arguing instead that excessive carbohydrate consumption causes obesity. In this conversation he explains how your body reacts to carbohydrates and explains why the mainstream argument of “calories in/calories out” is inadequate for explaining obesity. He also discusses the history of the idea of carbohydrates’ importance tracing it back to German and Austrian nutritionists whose work was ignored after WWII. Roberts ties the discussion to other emergent, complex phenomena such as the economy. The conversation closes with a discussion of the risks of confirmation bias and cherry-picking data to suit one’s pet hypotheses.” Download at the link by finding the title, “Taubes on Why We Get Fat,” right-clicking on “Media files Taubeswhy.mp3” and selecting “Save Link As”.
Drought Impact 52 mins – “The U.S. is experiencing its most widespread drought in more than fifty years. In its monthly report, the National Climatic Data Center reported more than half the country was in moderate to extreme drought at the end of June. Farmers are losing crops and pastures at alarming rates, especially in the nation’s corn and soybean belt. The Department of Agriculture declared a thousand counties in twenty-six states as natural disaster areas. Many fear the drought will get worse before it gets better. What this could mean for food costs, the nation’s water supplies and weather patterns across the globe.” Five guests from the press, Government and academia discuss the problem and answer questions from callers. The link will allow online listening, only, but the program is included in the zipped file of podcasts noted in the header for this edition.
The 95 feeds used to prepare this weekly blog are gathered using Feedreader3 and are available as an opm file at Google Docs. A PDF of feeds is also available there. Free Commander is used to compare old and new downloads to remove duplicates. MP3SpeedChanger is used to change playback speed of multiple files as a batch. A speed listening background article here. Sixty-four podcasts for 2010 and earlier at 1.5x are listed alphabetically in this PDF and can be downloaded in two sections as zip files: Part 1 and Part 2 each holding about 350 MB. For 2011 this alphabetical PDF list of 184 podcasts at 1.5x is available, and the actual files can be downloaded in five segments: Part 1 to 5 (Part 1 – 276 MB; P2 – 291 MB; P3 – 284; P4 – 153 MB, and P5 – 256 MB). Please leave a comment if you have problems with the links and downloads. A similar list and downloads for 362 podcasts for Jan-Jun 2012 is here. Those podcasts are grouped into eight zipped files for easier downloading. Multiple parts are used due to a 300MB limit on file size uploads.
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Media Mining Digest 