The following audio files come from a larger group of 188 for the week. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted links, below, to get single podcasts. A zip file of all 63 podcasts converted to 1.5x speed will download here for four months. Older groups of podcasts are discussed at the end of this episode.
Aid Program Comparisons 43 mins – “A team of economists has been running the numbers on the U.N.’s development goals. They have a different view of how those billions of dollars should be spent.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
ALEC Impact 51mins – “In recent weeks, a number of corporations have decided to end their membership in ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Many have attributed their departure to ALEC’s position on climate change issues. The organization, which drafts model state-level legislation, maintains it takes no position on climate. But ALEC policies on energy and the environment have drawn criticism. And many remain concerned that the organization represents a troubling trend of big money in politics. But others point to ALEC’s usefulness as a tool for getting legislation through to states, given Washington’s ongoing gridlock. A conversation about ALEC: how it works, who’s behind it, and why some worry about its role in shaping American politics.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the program is included in the blog archive.
Antibiotics 14 mins – “Drug-resistant bacteria and fewer new antibiotics could set us up for a return to the Dark Ages, when minor infections were fatal.” At the link find the title, “Life After Antibiotics,” right-click “IHUB-100414-A.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Apple Cider 47 mins – “All about hard cider. It’s all over these days. And sweet, fresh apple cider, too. We’ll look at the history and comeback.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Application Building 51 mins – “We’re Building an App! We want to create a Tasks app that can take pictures of things we want to remember, tag location data to specific tasks, allow us to share OR KEEP PRIVATE that task list, and do it all across all of our devices. The first thing we want to do when we’re developing an app is to break down its functions….” At the link right-click “Audio” beside the blue down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Architectural Innovation 18 mins – “Straight lines form the core of our built environment. Building in straight lines makes predicting costs and calculating structural loads easier, since building materials come in linear units. Straight lines might be logical, predictable, and efficient, but they are also completely “godless”—at least according to Austrian artist and designer Tausendsassa Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser (which translates to “Multi-Talented Peace-Filled Rainy Day Dark-Colored Hundred Waters” in German). Hundertwasser made a name for himself, so to speak, with his psychedelic, whimsical paintings and his public speaking engagements that he would sometimes deliver completely naked….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Aristotle 47 mins – “How Aristotle invented science. The great ancient Greek, and life on Earth.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Automation Concerns 46 mins – “Nicholas Carr says automation, all over, is turning us into zombies. Out of touch with the world. He’s with us.” At the link right-click “Listen to this story” and select “Save this link as” from the pop-up menu.
Baldness 34 mins – “Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we’ve tried to fix people. This week: We fix that cueball of yours.” At the link right-click “Sawbones18Baldness.mp3” beside “Direct download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bees-Bird-Pesticides 24 mins – “We look into the controversy over Neonicotinoid pesticides and their impact on pollinators and other wildlife. One of the biggest news stories in science this past summer was about the birds and the bees … and the pesticides. Studies flooded into the academic journals all summer long, with new findings about the effects of neonicotinoids, or neonics. They’re the most common class of insecticide in the world, used on crops all over the planet. And those studies raised alarming questions about the impact of neonicotinoids on both the birds and the bees. We sent freelance science writer, and Quirks contributor, Alanna Mitchell, to investigate.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Biodiversity 25 mins – “Vincent Horn and Buddhist Geeks (4:42): On October 16th the Buddhist Geek Conference comes to boulder. Founder Vincent Horn speaks to us about how mindfulness, compassion and contemplative practice can be integrated into the technical world. Future Earth(12:58): On our second feature, CSU Professor Dennis Ojima talks to Susan Moran about the Future Earth Initiative. A lofty project which aims to connect scientists, policy makers and the business sector to design activities to tackle global environmental change at local and regional levels.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save link as” from the pop-up menu.
Bloodletting 30 mins – “Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we’ve tried to fix people. This week: We put a leech on you and Justin loses a finger.” At the link right-click “Sawbones3Bloodletting.mp3” beside “Direct download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Broadband in Minnesota 19 mins – “Calls for “dig once” policies have resonated for years. The general idea is that we can more fiber and conduit in the ground at lower prices if we coordinate to include them in various projects that already disturb the ground. In the south Twin Cities metro in Minnesota, Dakota County has been tweaking its dig once approach for more than a decade. This week, Network Collaboration Engineer David Asp and .Net Systems Analyst Rosalee McCready join us to discuss their approach to maximizing all opportunities to get fiber and conduit in the ground. They work in a county that ranges from rural farms in the south to urban cities in the north, offering lessons for any local government.” At the link right-click “…download this Mp3…” and select ”Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Carbon Shock 28 mins – “We hear a lot about putting a price on carbon but what does it really mean? This week’s guest on Sea Change Radio, Mark Schapiro, an investigative journalist and the author of Carbon Shock, helps us understand the bustling carbon market that already exists and explains the carbon taxes that all of us are already paying – whether we know it or not. Listen now as Schapiro and host Alex Wise explore the fundamental question of who should bear the burden of an overheated planet that has resulted from the burning of cheap fossil fuels over the past century and a half.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Climate Challenge 19 mins – “…recent negotiations have not produced much in the way of significant commitments by the major producers – the US, China, India and Russia, and global emissions continue to rise. Dr. Mark Jaccard specializes in sustainable energy and climate policy in the School of Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University. He thinks chances of a major international agreement to control emissions in the near term are not great. On the other hand, he suggests that there are some very promising initiatives happening at the local and regional level, some within Canada, that demonstrate that regulation, appropriate economic policies, and sustainable technologies can have an impact on emissions. He suggests that this has removed some of the familiar excuses for inaction, including the notion that emissions reductions are not practical and will have dire economic consequences.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Climate Science in School 27 mins -“ Season eight of of Lab Out Loud starts with our thoughts turning towards climate science. As Programs and Policy Director for the National Center for Science Education, Mark McCaffrey boasts an impressive resume in climate and environmental science. Mark helped lead the development of the Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) and has testified before the House Subcommittee on Research about climate and environmental education. As the author of the recently published book “Climate Smart & Energy Wise” (Corwin Press), Mark argues how humanity’s greatest challenge is missing from American science classrooms. Listen to Lab Out Loud to learn about Mark’s work and how all educators might infuse climate science into their classes.” At the link right-click “Download” by the sound bar and select ”Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
CO2 Satellite 8 mins – “Earlier this summer, NASA successfully launched the Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO-2 satellite. The satellite is designed to build a much more detailed picture of where CO2 is emitted – both from natural and man-made sources – and absorbed. While ground-based monitoring of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere has great precision, it doesn’t tell us much about where CO2 is coming from, and especially going to. We know oceans and forests take up large amounts of CO2, but there are vast gaps in our knowledge of just where this is taking place on a regional scale. According to Dr. David Crisp, the Science Team Leader for OCO-2 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, the satellite will be able to build a detailed global map of CO2 sources and sinks.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
CPR Device 4 mins – “J.D. Dhein speaks to Peggy Russo about the CPR RsQAssist Device. A device to help deliver pre-AED chest compressions. It delivers directions and improves your ability to deliver effective compressions.” A battery is incorporated, lasts ten years, and sounds an alarm when it gets weak. At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu, but the video there is more useful. The device costs $80 or with a wall cabinet, $122.
Crazy Mail 20 mins – “As an editor at Scientific American John Rennie delighted in the weird correspondence they received, but then one letter crossed a line. John Rennie is a science writer, editor, and lecturer based in New York. Viewers of The Weather Channel know him as the host of the original series Hacking The Planet and co-host of the hit special The Truth About Twisters. He is also the editorial director of science for McGraw-Hill Education, overseeing its highly respected AccessScience online reference and the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology. Rennie served as editor in chief of Scientific American (including the monthly magazine, Scientific American Mind, ScientificAmerican.com and other publications) between 1994 and 2009.” At the link click “Download,” right-click “Download” then select “Save File” from the pop-up menu.
Danish Hotdogs 27 mins – “ Neal Razzell goes to work with Copenhagen’s hot dog vendors who tell how the humble sausage is a barometer for changing attitudes to class, identity and immigration.” At the link find the title, “Docs: Man Bites Dog in Denmark – 02 Oct 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20141002-0330a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Digital Revolution 11 mins – A brief discussion about the disruptive impact of digital trends on labor. Reference is made to a report which can only be obtained by subscribing to “The Economist” for $160/yr. At the link note the reverse order of time and find the title, “Special report: The world economy,” towards the bottom of the page, right-click “Media files 20141001_sr_author.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Disabled College Students 56 mins – “Joyce welcomes Gayle Oliver-Plath, President /Founder of CareerEco, Timothy Luzader, Director Purdue University Center for Career Opportunities and Annie Kollar, Recruiter Bender Consulting Services, Inc. to the show. Discussed on the show will be career opportunities for students with disabilities and Bender’s Virtual Career Fair on November 13, 2014.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Disaster Fund Raising 15 mins – “Medical workers in Monrovia, Liberia, put on their protective suits before treating Ebola patients. Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images The response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti was massive: Billions of dollars in donations poured in. “It had everything,” says Joel Charny, who works with InterAction, a group that coordinates disaster relief. “It had this element of being an act of God in one of the poorest countries on the planet that’s very close to the United States. … And the global public just mobilized tremendously.” People haven’t responded to the Ebola outbreak in the same way; it just hasn’t led to that kind of philanthropic response….” At the link find the title, “#571: Why Raising Money For Ebola Is Hard,” right-click “npr_351851565.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Drug Abuse 60 mins – “This week we’re looking at the science and policy of treating drug addiction. We’re joined by psychology professor and researcher Carl Hart to talk about his book “High Price: A Neuroscientist’s Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society.” And we’ll speak to Donald MacPherson, Director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, about harm reduction strategies to reduce the negative consequences of drug use.” At the link right-click “Listen Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ebola Issues, Etc 98 mins – “The TWiV [This Week In Virology] team consults an epidemiologist to forecast the future scope of the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. This episode of TWiV is brought to you by the Department of Microbiology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Composed of over 20 virology labs, all centralized in one building in the heart of New York City, this department is a perfect fit for anyone with an interest in pursuing virus research. The Department is presently looking to recruit any prospective graduate students to apply to our program by the December 1st deadline. Interested postdocs are also encouraged to contact faculty of interest. For more information about the Department, please visit www.mssm.edu/MIC.” At the link right-click “Download TWiV 304” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Economics Philosophy 69 mins – “Martha Nussbaum of the University of Chicago and author of Creating Capabilities talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about an alternative to GDP for measuring economic performance at the national level. She is a proponent of the capabilities approach that emphasizes how easily individuals can acquire skills and use them, as well as the capability to live long and enjoy life. Nussbaum argues that government policy should focus on creating capabilities rather than allowing them to emerge through individual choices and civil society..” At the ink right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Engineer Education Upgrade 80 mins – “In a lively discussion of how to best prepare today’s engineering students for tomorrow’s engineering challenges, we talk with Dave Goldberg and Catherine Whitney about their new book, A Whole New Engineer.” The link provides reference documents in addition to the podcast. At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu to get the audio file.
Facebook Tutorial 69 mins – “Robert Scoble shows Leo Laporte how to make Facebook’s News Feed work better for you.” At the link right-click “Audio” beside the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Female Genital Cutting 43 mins – “Across Africa, some 92 million women and girls have undergone female genital cutting. It comes with serious health risks like bleeding, infections, and even death. Women’s rights activist Molly Melching says it’s understandable to be outraged, but you can’t simply tell people to abandon a deeply embedded cultural practice. Melching is founder of a non-profit called Tostan, which doesn’t “fight” FCG, but educates a community about what’s happening to their girls. Melching is in Utah, and joins Doug to discuss the crucial role of empathy in effecting change.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Fertility Research 18 mins – “Discussion of a Series on fertility preservation, Listen to The Lancet: 03 October and an interview with Glenda Gray, new President of South Africa’s Medical Research Council.” At the link find the title, “Listen to The Lancet: 03 October,” right-click “Media files 03october.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Financial System Control 51 mins – “Martin Wolf’s column in the Financial Times has been called “required reading for the international financial elite.” The former World Bank economist has a new book about the global financial crisis. Wolf criticizes the policies that caused it as well the responses to it. He calls for abandoning the orthodox thinking that led policymakers to completely miss the signs of the oncoming meltdown. He talks with Diane about why the global financial system remains so fragile and what can be done to strengthen it.” At the link you can only listen, but a copy of the podcast is in the blog archive.
Hallucinogenic Therapy 51 mins – “Millions of Americans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, including hundreds of thousands of veterans. Yet standard drug and therapy treatments have mixed success rates. Some cases of PTSD are considered untreatable. But researchers are seeing dramatic results from therapy that uses psychedelic drugs to treat PTSD, depression and addiction. Therapy involving substances like Psilocybin and MDMA, better known as ecstasy, show 80 percent success rates years after treatment. Diane and a panel of [4] guests discuss new research on drugs that have long been considered dangerous and illicit.” At the link you can only listen, but a copy of the podcast is in the blog archive.
Higher Education History 57 mins – “Last year, President Obama proposed sweeping changes to the way government helps to finance students’ higher education, and an unprecedented system of collegiate rankings – all in the name of greater access and better value for the “consumer.” But others object to a consumerist mentality in the realm of higher education, and the application of “business” models to its institutions. So in this episode of BackStory, Peter, Ed, and Brian take on the history of higher ed – exploring earlier battles over the nature and purpose of the collegiate enterprise, and what they mean 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.
Ideas 55 mins – “ideacity is a three-day gathering of minds held each June in Toronto, produced and presented by Moses Znaimer. In this episode: humanity shares a complex world with other species. Speakers ponder how we can see ourselves as part of that larger context” At the link find the title, “Moses Znaimer’s ideacity Conference – Beyond Ourselves,” right-click “Download Moses Znaimer’s ideacity Conference – Beyond Ourselves” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Identities Online 72 mins – “Do you have a name? More than one? Does it matter to you who knows it? As digital systems become more integrated into our lives, these questions are becoming very important. We’re in the midst of a literal identity crisis where your identity is quickly becoming, rather than something you define, a social construct that is granted to you. aestetix, after being suspended twice by Google Plus for violating their “Real Names” policy, helped found NymRights, which has consulted on President Obama’s National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC). In this talk he guides an exploration of the philosophy of names and identity, the digital systems we’ve created over the past decades, and the challenges that arise when the systems come into conflict with individual safety and freedom.” At the link right-click “MP3” beside “Download the…” and select ”Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Indian Women Scientists 30 mins – “Two days ago, India celebrated the success of its first Mars mission. Since then, the country and the world have been celebrating something else: the role of the women behind this mission.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save ink As” from the pop-up menu.
Innovation History 20 mins – “If you don’t think sewers are as impressive as iPads, think again. Author Steven Johnson explores some innovations with unintended consequences.” At the link find the title, “Unexpected Innovations That Shape Our World,” right-click “IHUB-100414-B.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
ISIS attack on Kobani 47 mins – “ISIS and the battle for control of the Syrian town of Kobani. The Kurds have it. ISIS wants it. The US is bombing. We’ll look at the lessons of the battle for Kobani.” At the link right-click “Download to this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Latino America 46 mins – “Latino America. It is very large and growing very fast. How will it move the country?” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Leprosy 34 mins – “Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we’ve tried to fix people. This week: We get biblical on leprosy.” At the link right-click “Sawbones28Leprosy.mp3” beside “Direct download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Lizard Thinking 54 mins – “University of British Columbia student David Moscrop argues that modern democracy just isn’t built right for our brains, and that it dooms us into dumb thinking. He’s got an idea for fixing that.” At the link find the title, “Ideas from the Trenches – Too Dumb for Democracy,” right-click “Download Ideas from the Trenches – Too Dumb for Democracy” from the pop-up menu.
Machiavelli 55 mins – “Niccolo Machiavelli’s name is synonymous with treachery. His book, The Prince, has inspired political leaders around the world. Yet some scholars believe that it’s a brilliant satire. Nicola Luksic explores the case for both sides.” At the link find the title, “Machiavelli: The Prince of Paradox,” right-click “Download Machiavelli: The Prince of Paradox” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Marshmallow Test 51 mins – “In the late 1960s, Walter Mischel conducted a series of experiments with preschoolers at a Stanford University nursery school. Popularly known as “The Marshmallow Test,” 4 and 5-year-olds were presented with a difficult choice: they could eat one treat immediately or wait several minutes longer to be rewarded with two. Years later, Mischel followed up with children in his original study and discovered a surprising link: The kids who had waited for two treats had higher SAT scores, greater workplace success and a lower body mass index later in life. A leading expert on self-control discusses his famous “Marshmallow Test,” the nature of willpower and implications for public policy.“ At the link you can only listen, but a copy of the podcast is in the blog archive.
Microbiology Research 51 mins – “Host: Michele Swanson speaks with Guests: Thomas Brock, Timothy Donohue, Katrina Forest, and Richard Gourse. members of the Department of Bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, on the occasion of its designation as a Milestones in Microbiology site, where they discuss how the department has advanced the science and teaching of microbiology.” At the link right-click “TWiM #88” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Microfluidics 20 mins – “Keith talks with Shuichi Takayama, a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Macromolecular Science & Engineering at the University of Michigan. Shuichi studies microfluidics, which is a way of manipulating small volumes of fluids in useful ways. Microfluidics can save research dollars, emulate cell function, and find the fastest, healthiest sperm that will produce healthier embryos. Shuichi has a talent for metaphor – find out how baking a cake and tiny ants washing their hands fit in to how he describes his research!” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mooshimeter 85 mins – “Eric VanWyk, cofounder of the Mooshimeter and adjunct professor at Olin College of Engineering stops by to talk (sociopathic) compliance testing, manufacturing, crowd funding, LEGO and more!” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
O’Hare Snow Removal 24 mins – “In the Midwestern United States, the winter of 2013-2014 was one of the most severe in recorded weather history. In Chicago, every type of transportation was affected by waves of Arctic cold and 80 inches of snowfall. At O’Hare International Airport, in suburban Chicago, the challenge of removing snow and ice from 14 miles of runways, 45 miles of taxiways, and 20 million square feet of gate areas during this period of extreme weather was immense – this for the second busiest airport in the U.S., handling more than 194,000 flight operations for the first 3 months of 2014. Yet O’Hare did such a good job that it won a top aviation industry award for excellence in snow and ice control – the coveted Balchen/Post Award issued annually by the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives – O’Hare was this year’s winner in the large commercial airports category. Professor Schofer discusses the snow removal challenges at O’Hare Airport and how they are met with George Lyman, Managing Deputy Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation, Airport Airfield Operations and Vehicle Services Sections.” At the link right-click “Listen to this episode now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Perovskite Solar Cell 4 mins – “Hydrogen is regarded as an excellent candidate future fuel on the grounds that it is relatively easy to store and it burns cleanly to produce only heat and water. But present methods of production involve fossil fuels and are energy intensive, offsetting any benefits of the hydrogen. Instead, scientists would like to use electricity from renewable sources to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, with solar power being one obvious choice. Unfortunately, current silicon-based cells cannot produce a sufficiently high output voltage individually, meaning that several of them need to be linked together in series. But, this week, a new generation of solar cells has been unveiled. They’re made from a lead-based material called Perovskite, which is more up to the job, as science writer Mark Peplow explains…” At the link right-cock “Download mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Plastic Microsphere Pollution 9 mins – “Microplastic beads have been found in St. Lawrence River sediments for the first time. Microplastic pollution had been a problem in the oceans for many years. This can be plastic broken down into tiny fragments over time, or it can be in the form of microbeads, which are tiny, often colourful, pellets of plastic used in many cosmetics and household cleaners. They are commonly found floating in the surface water, and can number in the thousands per litre. But recently, Dr. Anthony Ricciardi, an Associate Professor and Invasive Species Biologist at McGill University in Montreal, was shocked to find them in the sediment at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River, in similar quantities as those found in oceans. The beads sink to the bottom as they acquire micro-organisms, which absorb toxins, such as PCBs. Further research is required to determine if the harmful microbeads will make their way into the food chain.” At the link right “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Podcast Network 45 mins – “For 15 years, the journalist Alex Blumberg enjoyed a pretty respectable career in public radio. He was an executive producer on This American Life, and he co-hosted NPR’s Planet Money podcast. Given that success, why did he quit his day job, ditch public radio, and go it alone as a business entrepreneur? Don’t worry, Blumberg hasn’t gone too far afield. His new pursuit: it’s a podcast company. He joins us Tuesday to explain his career change and to share his story of getting a startup off the ground. Alex Blumberg served as an executive producer of This American Life since 1999. He co-hosted NPR’s Planet Money podcast. His new podcast is about the challenges of starting a for-profit podcast. It’s called StartUp.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Podcast Startup 27 mins – “A series about what happens when someone who knows nothing about business starts one. With Alex Blumberg from This American Life & Planet Money.” At the link find the title, “ #4 Startups are a Risky Business,” right-click “Media files 169954282-hearstartup-4-startups-are-a-risky-business.mp3” and select “Save Link As’ from the pop-up menu.
Police Shootings 47 mins – “Police shootings, cop culture, body cameras. And the big debate over how to protect the public and the police.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Queuing Theory 4 mins – “It’s happened to all of us. We call with a question about a bill or to get help with a new purchase, and we’re shunted to a world of unfamiliar music and a voice that intermittently tells us: “All operators are busy. Please stay on the line and your call will be answered by the next available agent.” Why can’t companies simply hire enough people to answer our questions? In 1908 a young man by the name of Agner Erlang was faced with a similar question. A student of mathematics, Erlang was persuaded to join the Copenhagen Telephone Company as head of its newly established technical laboratory. The lab faced an important question: how many switchboards and operators should the phone company provide? ” At the link right-click “Click here for audio of Episode 2972” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Radiation Therapy 37 mins – “Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we’ve tried to fix people. This week: We’re radioactive.” At the link right-click “Sawbones13Radium.mp3” beside “Direct download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Renewable Power Trend 12 mins – “Reports that China will stop importing brown coal from Australia didn’t surprise Peter Newman. He says figures from Bloomberg New Energy Finance show that investment in fossil fuel infrastructure such as coal fired power stations peaked in 2008. Emerging economies are now choosing renewable energy, with China showing the way and setting the agenda. New coal fired power stations are banned in the European Union and the US. The World Bank won’t finance them. China is closing coal fired stations around Beijing because the air quality is so bad. Peter Newman says the green economy is taking off faster than expected and new investments in coal will likely become stranded assets. It means the much hoped for 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 now looks possible.
Single Parenthood 51 mins – “Over half of all births to young adults in the United States now occur outside of marriage, and many of those are unplanned. Too often, the result is increased poverty for many children. Some argue for a return to traditional marriage. Others say we need more social support for unmarried parents. Family policy expert Isabel Sawhill offers a third option which involves what she calls childbearing by design, not by default. Diane and her [3] guests discuss the impact of family structure on child well-being.” At the link you can only listen, but a copy of the podcast is in the blog archive.
Smartphone Security 51 mins – “Tech giants Apple and Google recently announced that operating systems for their newest phones will be encrypted with a complex code. The move would make photos, videos and personal contacts accessible only by the owner of the phone. Privacy advocates hailed the decision as a welcome response to what they say is massive data collection by intelligence agencies. But law enforcement officials warn smartphone encryption will hinder criminal investigations and jeopardize public safety. And a Swedish company could gain control over the nation’s phone routing system. Diane and [4[ guests discuss new concerns over phones, intelligence gathering and national security.” At the link you can only listen, but a copy of the podcast is in the blog archive.
Solar Cell Upgrade 4 mins – “Hydrogen is regarded as an excellent candidate future fuel on the grounds that it is relatively easy to store and it burns cleanly to produce only heat and water. But present methods of production involve fossil fuels and are energy intensive, offsetting any benefits of the hydrogen. Instead, scientists would like to use electricity from renewable sources to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, with solar power being one obvious choice. Unfortunately, current silicon-based cells cannot produce a sufficiently high output voltage individually, meaning that several of them need to be linked together in series. But, this week, a new generation of solar cells has been unveiled. They’re made from a lead-based material called Perovskite, which is more up to the job, as science writer Mark Peplow explains…” At the link right-click “Download” and elect “Save Link As’ from the pop-up menu.
Tobacco 34 mins – “Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we’ve tried to fix people. This week: We take a big drag off of wellness.” At the link right-click “Sawbones14Tobacco.mp3” beside “Direct download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Transgender Stories 50 mins – “It’s estimated that there are nearly 1.5 million people in the U.S. who identify themselves as transgender. That’s more than a million people with families, communities and stories we are only just starting to hear from. When someone transitions, the impact of that decision ripples beyond them to the people often closest to them: their families. In this hour of radio, we tell stories of trans people and their families at many different moments of life, from childhood to adulthood to elders, as parents, as spouses and as kids, themselves.” At the link find the title, “Trans Families,” right-click “Media files TransFamilies_Podcast.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ultrasound Use in Emergency Room 28 mins – “Episode 22 is a response to an article on KevinMD from April 2014, “Forget Ultrasound, Do a Proper History and Physical Instead.” In this article, written by a radiologist, Dr. Saurabh Jha (@roguerad – follow him. I do, very interesting thoughts and perspective), the argument is made that POC US [Point Of Care Ultra Sound] is being done indiscriminately, instead of a good H/P. Amongst other things, the article concludes that POC US is bad for patients, costing taxpayer money and leading to over testing and over diagnosis. POC US has been similarly accused recently in regards to leading to over testing (see this thought provoking post from EM Nerd). Dr. Jha’s article was originally written in response to this article from NEJM, which sang praises for POC US, but did have some mischaracterizations. Admittedly, we may have overall overreacted a bit to this article as can be seen in the comments (the title alone is inflammatory, but frankly KevinMD often is recently). Dr. Jha made the following clarification in the comment section: “I’m advocating against indiscriminate use of ultrasound, as routine, as a substitute or extension of H & P (see NEJM article), not against selective use of imaging within clinical context.” At the link find the title, “Episode 22: Do an H/P, But Don’t Forget US,” right-click “US_or_physical_exam.m4a” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Urine 35 mins – “Welcome to Sawbones, where Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy take you on a whimsical tour of the dumb ways in which we’ve tried to fix people. This week: We keep your pee pee in a cup.” At the link right-click “Sawbones12Urine.mp3” beside Direct download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Zodiac Killer 56 mins – A story, or perhaps two, about a man who may be the son of the unidentified Zodiac Killer. 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.
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An alphabetic encyclopedia of 4200 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.
Thank you for visiting.
Media Mining Digest 