The following audio files come from a larger group of 272 for the week. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted links, below, to get single podcasts. A zip file of all 56 podcasts converted to 1.5x speed will download here for four months. Older groups of podcasts are discussed at the end of this episode.
401(k) Plans 18 mins – “The 401(k) is the backbone of most retirements, yet millions of people are investing in 401(k) plans with mediocre offerings. To help make the most of your retirement investment, Paul Merriman offers recommendations for more than 100 Top U.S. company plans and the U.S. Government TSP at his website In this podcast he explains why and how to use them.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Acoustic History 27 mins – “King George VI spoke to the world about the declaration of war on Germany in 1939. Listen to the story of how it was broadcast around the world 75 years ago.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Delivering the King’s Speech 2 Sept 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20140902-0905a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Airbnb 56 mins – “At issue is the so-called sharing economy, a range of services that facilitate peer-to-peer transactions through the Internet. Companies like Airbnb, Uber, and Lyft have seen rapid growth and eye-popping valuations, but as they expand around the world, they are increasingly butting heads with government regulators….” At the link find the title, “Regulate This!,” right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Airbnb 59 mins – “Nathan Blecharczyk, co-founder and chief technology officer of Airbnb, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about Airbnb, one of the earliest companies to use technology to allow individuals to share underused resources, and in the case of Airbnb, housing. Blecharczyk and Roberts discuss how a design conference and the Democratic National Convention got Airbnb started, how the company aligns incentives to overcome the trust problem of house-sharing, and the rise of technology and online social networks to make a new business model possible. Along the way, Blecharczyk gives his take on the role of luck vs. skill in entrepreneurial success and how Airbnb plans to expand its product offerings in the future.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
America Defined 120 mins – “Author and documentary director Dinesh D’Souza and activist and author Bill Ayers participated in a debate titled, “What’s so Great About America?” Following their opening remarks, they asked questions of each other for ten minutes arguing such topics as Israel, weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the Second Amendment, and religious freedom. They then responded to questions from audience members and made closing statements.” At the link you can buy the file for $.99. An audio file is included in the blog archive.
Ata Kak Musician 27 mins – “Giving Africa’s obscure musical gems a new lease of life – meet the fans of rediscovered sounds. Among them is ethnomusicologist Brian Shimkovitz who’s trying to track down musician Ata Kak.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Ata Kak and the Crate Diggers 3 Sept 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20140903-1253a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bit Coin Impact 31 mins – “Can a digitally encrypted currency uproot the world’s financial institutions. On this episode, Jimmy Homma talks about bit coins, its mysterious and tumultuous history, and what it means for us.” At the link right-click “Listen to episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Book Prices in Europe 16 mins – “As Hachette and Amazon continue to battle over e-book pricing, the case is sometimes made that “books are different” than cars or soap. In the US, of course, books are treated no differently than any other good when it comes to sales and marketing. Across Europe, though, many nations have laws that control pricing, restrict e-commerce, or otherwise protect publishers and authors from unchecked free market forces….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
California Climate Change 29 mins – “As Californians continue to look beseechingly to the skies for signs of any kind of rainfall, the effects of this drought are indeed far-reaching. The policies that emerge from this disastrously dry year may ultimately alter what foods we eat, where we build new homes and even what sports we play. Earlier this year, we heard from the President of the Pacific Institute, Peter Gleick, as he told us of the critical nature of this drought, even in its early stages. This week on Sea Change Radio, host Alex Wise speaks again to Dr. Gleick for an update and to get a glimpse into the future of what a permanently drier California might mean for us all.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Charlie Rangel 60 mins – “Representatives Charles Rangel (D-NY) talked about his more than 40 years in the House, as well as his life before entering public office. … Rangel had recently won the Democratic party primary in his New York City district, but decided that if he were to win re-election in November 2014, it would be his last term in Congress. Representative Rangel was elected to the House in 1970, unseating Representative Adam Clayton Powell (D-NY).” At the link find the title,“Q&A: Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY),” right-click “Media files program.357454.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Chikungunya 10 mins – “In 2008, we noted that the global reemergence of dengue fever threatened U.S. residents. An outbreak of locally acquired dengue subsequently occurred in Florida, and the risk of U.S. dengue outbreaks will probably continue indefinitely. We now face a new threat posed by the unrelated chikungunya virus, which causes a disease clinically similar to dengue in a similar epidemiologic pattern, which is transmitted by the same mosquito vectors, and for which we also lack vaccines and specific treatments….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Church of the Almighty God 27 mins – “The BBC’s China Editor investigates an elusive cult at the centre of a grisly murder that has shocked the nation.” At the link find the title, “ Docs: Chasing China’s Doomsday Cult – 14 Aug 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20140814-0330a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Circuit Courts 59 mins – “Robert Katzmann, chief judge of the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals, discusses his book [Judging Statutes], on his views about how federal judges should interpret laws passed by Congress and his belief in deciphering the intent of the law.” At the link find the title, “Q&A: Robert KatzmannSunday, August 31, 2014,” right-click “Media files program.362316.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Civil War Women 46 mins – “True stories of daring women during the Civil War. Best-selling author Karen Abbott shares their exploits in a new book: “Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Climate Change and Human Rights 129 mins – “This MPI event, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), discusses the critical issue of climate-related displacement in the Asia-Pacific region, explored in depth in the joint MPI and IOM brief Human Rights, Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and Migration: A New Paradigm. Climate change and environmental degradation are predicted to displace millions of people in the coming years, either directly or indirectly. While today’s international legal framework provides a degree of protection to those displaced by environmental factors and climatic events, there is no global consensus on a definition for such a group. In the absence of this, gaps in the legal system, and in implementation, how can recognition of the vulnerability of environmental migrants be facilitated and their protection ensured? This discussion explores how to protect climate change-induced migrants, particularly in the highly vulnerable Asia-Pacific region.” At the link click “download,” then right-click “Download” in the next window, and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Coding Concepts 38 mins – “ Join Father Robert Ballecer and Shannon Morse on Coding 101, a weekly instructional, project-oriented programming show with appeal for beginning to intermediate programmers. Using a combination of classroom-style teaching, guest programmers, and special interest segments, Coding 101 will offer beginner, intermediate and “applied” programming topics within several interchangeable modules. Learn programming languages such as Java, C++, Visual Basic, and more!” This episode is a review that emphasizes concepts. At the link right-click “Audio” beside the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
College Stories 60 mins – “Students all over are starting college this month, and some of them still have a nagging question: what, exactly, got me in? An admissions officer tells us the most wrongheaded things applicants try. And Michael Lewis has the incredible story of how a stolen library book got one man — Emir Kamenica — into his dream school.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Communications Breakdown 51 mins – “A revolution in technology has connected us online more than ever before: Nearly 60 percent of Americans now have a Facebook account. Digital connections have replaced informal interaction with neighbors and acquaintances. And a quarter of Americans say they have no best friend to confide in. Some caution the decline in face-to-face interactions has led to polarization and congressional gridlock, while others argue that digital connections provide invaluable connections with far-flung family and friends. Diane and [3] guests discuss how virtual relationships affect real life connections and building community.” At the link you can only listen, but a copy of the audio file is included in the archive blog.
Computer Repair Concept 68 mins – “Jeff Halash from TechNutPC.com Talks To Computer Technician Services.” about a repair system of use to small business operators. At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Deportation Dilemma 84 mins – “This Migration Policy Institute panel discussion examines the U.S. deportation system with analysis on migrant apprehensions, removals, returns, and criminal prosecutions, and launches the report, The Deportation Dilemma: Reconciling Tough and Humane Enforcement. Report authors Doris Meissner, MPI Director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program, and Marc Rosenblum, MPI Deputy Director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program, as well as commentators David V. Aguilar and Hiroshi Motomura and moderator Muzaffar Chishti, discuss the findings of the report, including the main drivers of deportation policy and how the system has changed over the past two decades….” At the link click “download,” then right-click “Download” in the next window, and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Desalination 56 mins – “For California, 2013 was the driest calendar year ever recorded across virtually the entire state. On January 17, 2014, Governor Jerry Brown proclaimed the drought to be a State of Emergency, directed state officials to take all necessary actions to assist the hardest hit communities, and called for all Californians to pitch in to reduce water use by 20 percent. While CA agencies and experts have clearly identified those actions best suited to provide relief, some observers wonder whether the long-term answer to California’s drought lies in the ocean through the promotion of seawater desalination. On today’s episode, we’ll explore an overview of the science and policy related to seawater desalination and demonstrates why this option is generally the least promising option for drought relief.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Design Trends 51 mins – “Innovation Hub is all about design – and redesign. Sasha Frere-Jones, pop critic for The New Yorker, talks about how technology has made it easier than ever to produce music…and why the results can be surprising. Then we have a discussion about the maker movement with Chris Anderson, author of Makers: The New Industrial Revolution, and Limor Fried, an electrical engineer and owner of electronics hobbyist company AdaFruit. Plus, John Maeda, design partner at Kleiner Perkins and former president of RISD, explores the merging of design and technology and scientist Sean Davies explains how good bacteria may help us reshape our bodies.” At the link find the title, “9.6.14 – The Whole Design Show,” right-click “IHUB-090614-FullShow.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Diet of Fat 52 mins – “Since the 1950s, a war has been waged in America against an accused dietary culprit: fat. Avoid fat, we were told, and you’ll live longer and healthier. However, as the investigative journalist Nina Teicholz discovered, there isn’t solid evidence of the benefits of a low-fat diet nor of the dangers of fat. In a new book, Teicholz reviews the science and history of the war on fat and she joins us Thursday to explain how America’s nutrition was derailed by personal ambition, bad science, and politics. Nina Teicholz has written for Gourmet, The New Yorker, The Economist, and The New York Times. Her new book is called The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat & Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet” At the link right-click “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Diet on What 47 mins – “The constant train of diet advice and counter-study proof in the medical and nutrition fields can seem overwhelming at times. Often, you might wonder if the food you’re eating today was a better idea last week than it is this week. Our hour today on a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggesting low-carb diets lead to greater weight loss than low fat meals. “The low-carb group lost an average of 7.7 pounds more than the low-fat group,” our guest and study co-author Dr. Lydia Bazzano told us today.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dow Jones 4 mins – “…The Dow is up. The Dow is down. Chances are that part of you rises and falls a little right along with it. That’s okay — very few fluctuations in life are so comfortingly black and white — I mean — red. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has been around since 1896, and the first thing to know is that it’s two names, not one: Charles Henry Dow and Edward Davis Jones….” At the link right-click “Click here for audio…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Drug Policy 30 mins – “Keith talks with Carl Hart, Associate Professor of Psychology at Columbia University, and author of “High Price: A Neuroscientist’s Journey of Self-Discovery that Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society.” And, indeed, Hart’s views on drug use challenge much of what were are brought up to believe – that drugs are bad. Are drugs really as destructive as we think? Hart believes that most people who use hard drugs like cocaine and heroin are not addicts or drug abusers, but instead know how to use those drugs responsibly…within limits. Hart, who believes in the decriminalization of drugs, does not discount, however, the destructive nature of these drugs for some users. http://www.drcarlhart.com/.” At the link right-click beside “Listen Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Electricity 4 mins – “…America “discovered” electricity in the 1880s. An 1889 volume of Scribners Magazine makes that very clear. The telegraph had been around for decades by then. Otherwise, our electric world was just coming to life. Commercial telephones, less than a decade old, were still feeling their way. Electric lighting systems were brand new — arc lamps, and then light bulbs….” At the link right-click “Click here for audio…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Engineering MBA 75 mins – “Michael Lachman, who started his career as an aerospace engineer, leads us through the pros and cons of following up an engineering degree with an MBA.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Farm Animal Antibiotics 5 mins – “The emergence of diseases resistanct to antibiotics is a growing and alarming global problem, but a new court decision means that American agriculture may keep contributing to the spread of resistance….” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the right side of the sound bar and selecting “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Immigrant Students 63 mins – “This Migration Policy Institute (MPI) webinar discusses the report Immigrant Parents and Early Childhood Programs: Addressing Barriers of Literacy, Culture, and Systems Knowledge from MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy (NCIIP). Presenters include report authors NCIIP Director Margie McHugh and NCIIP Policy Analyst and Program Coordinator Maki Park, as well as Miriam Calderon, Senior Partner for School Readiness Consulting and former Senior Policy Advisor for Early Learning with the White House’s Domestic Policy Council, and Eliza Leighton, Director of Promise Neighborhood Langley Park Program with CASA de Maryland. The report seeks to better understand the experiences and challenges faced by early childhood programs and immigrant and refugee parents as they connect with one another by identifying the unique needs of newcomer parents and recommendations for addressing them. MPI partnered with leading organizations in California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington state to conduct field work for the study, which spans the range of early childhood parent skill, engagement, and leadership programs. The webinar includes a preview of new state-level sociodemographic data on foreign-born parents of young children compiled by MPI. Presenters discuss the top-line data and findings from the report, barriers facing immigrant parents, and challenges and opportunities facing policymakers in this arena.” At the link click “download,” then right-click “Download” in the next window, and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
ISIS Social Media 47 mins – “…ISIS has rampaged across the desert, taking turf, claiming a “caliphate,” slaughtering. It has also rampaged across social media. Using the platforms that lifted pro-democracy forces in Egypt’s Tahrir Square, this time to raise a reign of terror. This hour On Point: the ISIS onslaught, and the use of social media in its bloody grab for power.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Law Defined 65 mins – “Barry Weingast, professor of political science at Stanford University and senior fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the nature of law. Weingast takes issue with some of the standard views of law, and proposes a better way to understand law. The two discuss the fundamental principles of law, how it can emerge in a decentralized way to resolve disputes over property and other commercial and social interactions. Examples include Iceland, Ancient Greece, and California during the gold rush. Also considered are how laws coordinate expectations and the way that social pressure can be used to enforce law in a decentralized fashion.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Lawyers Wear Technology 26 mins – “Wearable technology like the smartwatch is the next in a long line of new technological advancements that are embraced by some, but viewed skeptically by most lawyers. Judges already discourage smart phones in court and many clients worry about a decrease in information security. But if used properly, a smartwatch can actually increase the productivity, availability, and even safety of any lawyer’s practice with fewer disruptions. What are the best practices for using wearable technology to benefit your practice?” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the right end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As: from the pop-up menu.
London Immigrants 27 mins – “Presenter Nihal Arthanayake visits UK immigration lawyer Harjap Singh Bhangal who gives advice to migrants seeking visas to work and live in Britain.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: A Day in the Life of an Immigration Lawyer 12 Aug 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20140812-0806a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Maya Angelou on Facing Evil 23 mins – “In this second of two programs celebrating the life and work of the late Maya Angelou, Bill Moyers revisits a 1988 documentary in which he and Angelou attended a conference on “Facing Evil,” held in the Hill Country of central Texas. Evil was a topic about which Angelou, the victim of childhood rape and virulent racism, had a lot to say….” At the link find the title, “Full Show: Maya Angelou on Facing Evil,” right-click “Media files Moyers and Company_332 Podcast.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Medical Military Program 42 mins – “For our episode today, we are joined by Dr. Chad Hendrickson, a practicing Dermatologist and a former Army Medical Officer. Dr. Hendrickson shares with us his journey through medical school [Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences], the decisions and choices he made which brought him there, and the amazing experiences that he had gone through during his years of service. If you are thinking of taking the same route, he gives us insights on what you need to expect and prepare as well as the great training opportunities in store for you.
Mentally Ill 51 mins – “When Liza Long heard about the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School two years ago, her first thought was: What if my son does that someday? Her 13-year-old son had just been hospitalized in a mental facility for violent behavior. Two days after Adam Lanza killed his mother, 20 children, six teachers, and then himself, Long posted an emotional response on her blog titled: “I am Adam Lanza’s mother.” Her article went viral. Her essay became a rallying cry for better access to treatment for mentally-ill children. Guest host Tom Gjelten talks with Liza Long about her new book on raising a son with a mental illness.” At the link you can only listen, but a copy of the audio file is included in the archive blog.
Migrant Brain Drain 74 mins – “This Migration Policy Institute (MPI) webinar focuses on data compiled by MPI on brain waste among foreign-trained nurses, engineers, and teachers, and updates on three state-level initiatives—in Illinois, Washington, and Massachusetts—that are working to analyze and address challenges faced by immigrants and refugees with degrees and training in these fields. Dr. Jeanne Batalova presents MPI’s data on brain waste at the national and state levels and representatives from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, OneAmerica, and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition discuss their analysis and efforts on these issues. The discussion is moderated by Margie McHugh, Director of MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy.” At the link click “download,” then right-click “Download” in the next window, and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Migrant Labor Management 163 mins (2 parts) – “This Migration Policy Institute Europe event, organized with the Bertelsmann Stiftung, entitled “Effective Labour Migration Management: Creating Checks and Balances while Searching for Talent” brought together experts, policymakers, and social partners involved in the management of labor migration to discuss the various options available to policymakers when trying to design an ‘optimally balanced’ labor migration policy….” At the link click “download,” then right-click “Download” in the next window, and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu. Do the same for Part 2.
Migrant Minors 66 mins – “This Migration Policy Institute (MPI) telebriefing discusses factors behind the recent surge in flows of unaccompanied children from Mexico and Central America to the United States as well as short- and longer-term policy options for improving how the U.S. immigration system interacts with this population with distinct needs. Speakers include Doris Meissner, Director of MPI’s U.S. Immigration Policy Program, and Marc Rosenblum, Deputy Director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program. The call previews a policy brief on unaccompanied minors that MPI will release in July.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Migrant Schooling in Georgia State 79 mins – “…Georgia has experienced one of the fastest rates of growth from immigration in the United States over the past two decades, and today one in five Georgia youth is foreign born or is the child of parents who are immigrants or refugees. The educational outcomes of the state’s first- and second- generation young adults (ages 16-26) are cause for concern, however. Many are English Language Learners (ELLs), and they lag considerably behind their nonimmigrant peers in terms of high school graduation, college access, and postsecondary degree completion. They often face extra hurdles as they seek to develop academic English-language skills, complete high school course requirements, navigate the transition to college and careers, and finance postsecondary education—often while juggling work and family responsibilities. Educators in districts such as Gwinnett County—which enrolls one-fifth of the state’s ELL students—are on the front lines of efforts to address these challenges.” At the link click “download,” then right-click “Download” in the next window, and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Noise Pollution 51 mins – “Noise is defined as unwanted sound. And we encounter it almost every day, no matter where we live. Cars and taxis honking on city streets. Jet planes taking off from the nation’s runways. Tractors and combines on farms. Air conditioners, generators, factories. Of course, people have varied reactions to the sounds they hear. What’s annoying to one person might be barely noticeable to another. But a growing body of research shows we have reason to be concerned. Excessive noise is putting millions of Americans at risk, not just for hearing loss but for heart attacks and strokes. For this month’s Environmental Outlook, a discussion on the dangers of noise pollution.” (3 guests) At the link you can only listen, but a copy of the audio file is included in the archive blog.
Numbers 4 mins – “…What do the following words have in common: natural, imaginary, real, irrational, and transcendental. If you guessed “states of mind,” you’re probably not alone. But the better answer is they’re types of numbers. We take numbers for granted. One, two, three. These are the natural, or whole numbers. What could be simpler? Fractions are no trouble. Half a cup of sugar, a quarter teaspoon of salt. These’re called rational numbers because they can be written as the ratio of two whole numbers. But many numbers aren’t rational. We call them irrational….” At the link right-click “Click here for audio…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ocean Sanctuaries 5 mins – “In 2006, filmmaker Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of the explorer Jacques Cousteau, screened his documentary, Voyage to Kure, about the waters northwest of Hawaii. The theater was the White House and his audience was President George W. Bush. Bush was apparently moved by the images of rare sea turtles, sharks and coral, so moved in fact that within months he used his executive authority to protect a patch of ocean, called Papahānaumokuākea. It’s an area almost the size of Montana and, at the time, was the world’s largest fully protected marine reserve. “It’s an area like a national park, it’s an area that’s closed off to commercial extraction and fishing,” said Matt Rand, who directs the Global Ocean Legacy Project with the Pew Charitable Trusts. “And it’s an opportunity for that area to recover and become a healthy ecosystem.” In the past decade, Rand’s group has helped the US and other governments protect almost a million square miles of ocean. The United Kingdom currently manages the world’s largest fully protected marine reserve in the Indian Ocean, around the Chagos Islands, an area roughly the size of France. Earlier this summer, the Obama administration announced that it would create the largest reserve yet — in US waters in the south Pacific….” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the right end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Phenol History 6 mins – “Nowadays the whole business of personal hygiene is a gentle affair, a pleasant pampering with soothing creams and dermatologically tested soap substitutes. But go back a hundred years or so and keeping yourself clean and germ free was a rough, harsh world, typified by one hardboiled term. Carbolic. Phenol, the proper name of carbolic acid, is one of the simplest aromatic compounds – a benzene ring with a single hydrogen replaced by a hydroxyl group – yet it has proved of continuing value as new uses have been found for it, resulting in modern production levels in the millions of tonnes per year….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
PSA Critique 29 mins – “Hello. I am Dr. Gerald Chodak for Medscape. This week, I want to talk about an interview between Dr. Eric Topol and Dr. Richard Ablin that was published on Medscape. Dr. Ablin is credited with helping to discover the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) protein that ultimately led to the PSA test. He has recently written a book called The Great Prostate Hoax, [1] in which he raises several concerns about what has occurred as a result of routine PSA screening. Dr. Ablin believes that the PSA test never should have been approved for screening, because the data were inadequate to demonstrate whether it was truly helping people. He is also concerned that although men are now given a choice about whether they want to be screened for prostate cancer, it is based on 2 studies that both have flaws, so the information being used is less than ideal….” At the link you can read and listen, but not download; however, a copy of the audio file is included in the blog archive.
Small Arms Statistics 9 mins – “Around 875 million firearms are in circulation worldwide, with three-quarters of these in civilian hands, according to Small Arms Survey estimates. These widely-cited calculations are the result of an ongoing programme on inventories and stockpiles—started over a decade ago—to gather comprehensive data on the distribution of small arms and light weapons around the world. The programme has developed an ever larger pool of information that was initially scarce and unsystematic, but now can provide increasingly accurate and up-to-date knowledge of small arms and light weapon holdings. In this podcast, Senior Consultant Aaron Karp and Researcher Hannah Dönges discuss the challenges, achievements, and future directions of this initiative.” At the link find the title, “Step by Step: Researching the global distribution of small arms,” right-click “Media files SAS-Podcast-24-Step-by-Step-Researching-the-global-distribution-of-small-arms.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Spanish Coal Miners 27 mins – “Natalio Cosoy meets the miners of northern Spain who sing to their patron saint, Santa Bárbara Bendita, in the hope that she will watch over them in the uncertain times ahead.” At the link find the title, “Docs: A Song for Spanish Miners – 4 September 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20140904-0330a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Steadfast 19 mins – “Around 2005, a Seattle neighborhood called Ballard started to see unprecedented growth. Condominiums and apartment buildings were sprouting up all over the community which had once been mostly single family homes and small businesses. Around this time, developers offered a woman named Edith Macefield $750,000 dollars for her small house, which was appraised at around $120,000. They wanted to build a shopping mall on the block where Macefield had lived for the last 50 years. Macefield turned down the money. Developers went forward with the shopping mall anyway. The mall enveloped her house on three sides. The architects designed the building in such a way that if Mrs. Macefield ever decided to move, they could easily incorporate the space where her had been into the building. The developers eventually increased their offer to one million dollars, plus they offered to find her a similar home somewhere else, and pay for a home health-care work for Macefield who was elderly and in poor health. Again, Edit Macefield turned them down….” At the link are related photos and you can right-click “Download,” then select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu to get the podcast.
Syrian Refugees 104 mins – “This MPI panel discussion, in partnership with the Middle East Institute and the Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM), examines the status of Syrian refugees abroad and the effect of the ongoing Syrian crisis on Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq. Panelists Oytun Orhan, ORSAM Project Coordinator and Researcher, Peri-Khan Aqrawi-Whitcomb, Middle East Research Institute Junior Research Fellow, Faysal Itani, Resident Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, and Saban Kardas, ORSAM President discuss the experiences of each country as outlined in ORSAM’s report. The project team visited each country and after six months of boots-on-the-ground research, found that women and children account for more than 75 percent of the refugees, making education in particular a devastating issue for the next generation of Syrians. In addition, Syrian emigrants settle not only in camps but also in cities, raising prices and lowering wages all along the Syrian borders….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Technology Trends 52 mins – “ENCORE Hi ho, hi ho … it’s out with work we go! As you relax this holiday weekend, step into our labor-atory and imagine a world with no work allowed. Soft robots help us with tasks at home and at the office, while driverless cars allow us to catch ZZZZs in the front seat. Plus, the Internet of Everything interconnects all your devices, from your toaster to your roaster to … you. So there’s no need to ever get off the couch. But is a machine-ruled world a true utopia? And, the invention that got us into our 24/7 rat race: Edison’s electric light.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “ Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Trans Atlantic Flights 50 mins – “Air traffic controllers have guided trans-Atlantic flights since 1919. As Creative archaeologist Christine Finn discovers, datalink – effectively text messaging – is increasingly being used, so that voice communication is on the wane.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Atlantic Crossing 30 Aug 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20140830-0905a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
TWIV 300 93 mins – “Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler. Recording together for the first time, the TWiV team celebrates their 300th podcast at the American Society for Microbiology headquarters in Washington, DC, where Vincent speaks with Dickson, Alan, Rich, and Kathy about their careers in science.” At the link right-click “TWIV 300” beside “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
War of 1812 52 mins – “Two hundred years ago, the United States was engulfed in a war that had seen Washington, D.C. attacked and burned, and the nation’s independence seriously threatened. Today, few people remember who we were even fighting in that conflict — the War of 1812 — much less what we were fighting for. But despite its forgotten status, the War of 1812 was hugely influential in shaping the nation we live in today.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the right end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As’ from the pop-up menu.
Weather Forecasting 47 mins – “We look at what’s at stake for the future of weather forecasting when our aging weather satellites die.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Wilderness Act 31 mins – “Today is the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Wilderness Act of 1964. The act drew protective lines around millions of acres and their wildlife. To mark the anniversary, humans and nature from two angles today. One, that my guest Ruth DeFries calls the Big Rachet – the human pattern of pushing nature to its limits, paying a price, then recovering – even more dominant – with human ingenuity. Will we do that this time? Then nature writer Jordan Fisher Smith joins us to look at the health of our wilderness itself. This hour On Point: nature and the wild in a time of planetary climate change.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
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An alphabetic encyclopedia of 3500 of these hyperlinked descriptions is here and updated quarterly. A file of the podcasts is here , updated weekly, and can be downloaded as a 20+ 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 200 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.
Thank you for visiting.
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