The following audio files come from a larger group of 186 for the week. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted links, below, to get single podcasts. A zip file of all 52 podcasts converted to 1.5x speed will download here for four months. Older groups of podcasts are discussed at the end of this episode.
Abortion History 51mins – “One in three American women will terminate a pregnancy by age 45. Yet, few issues remain as contentious as abortion. Even those who support it qualify their position by saying it’s “a bad thing” or “an agonizing decision.” In a new book, feminist writer Katha Pollitt argues it doesn’t have to be this way. “Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights,” is an impassioned attempt to re-frame the debate. She claims that abortion opponents have gained ground in part because the “pro-choice” movement has failed to make its case. She calls abortion a “moral right” and a “social good,” saying it should be seen as a normal part of a woman’s reproductive life…Related Item – Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Aging and Dying 51 mins – “Modern medicine has advanced dramatically in the past century: Average life expectancy has increased from the mid-40s to the mid-70s today. But as medicine has advanced and people are living longer, children are more likely to live far away from aging parents. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are popular destinations, but often focus on safety and routines at the expense of quality of life and human interaction. Harvard physician and author Atul Gawande argues that making mortality a medical experience is failing society. And he says end-of-life treatments often end up shortening lives instead of extending them. A Harvard doctor on a smarter approach to aging and dying.” His related book, “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End”. At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Authors As Team Players 14 mins – “Novelists and others who have made the trip to Hollywood know too well the challenge – they must accommodate their imaginations to the exciting yet confining realities of a studio back lot. In 2014, writers have app developers and not movie moguls to wrestle with, yet the problem is the same: How is an author to remain true to her tale? From Melbourne, Australia, fantasy novelist J.J. Gadd reminds CCC’s Chris Kenneally that content collaboration has a long and rich history.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Automated Aircraft 120 mins – The crash of Air France Flight 447 that killed hundreds is discussed, in depth, in Vanity Fair which focuses on pilot skills being affected by automation. Episodes One and Eleven of The Airline Pilot Guy – the 120 mins — include segments that discuss the flight and related automation issue from the pilot side. The topic link is to the Vanity Fair article. At links “One” and “Eleven” right-click “Download” and select ”Save Link As” from the pop-up menus
Automation and Employment 69 mins – “David Autor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the future of work and the role that automation and smart machines might play in the workforce. Autor stresses the importance of Michael Polanyi’s insight that many of the things we know and understand cannot be easily written down or communicated. Those kinds of tacit knowledge will be difficult for smart machines to access and use. In addition, Autor argues that fundamentally, the gains from machine productivity will accrue to humans. The conversation closes with a discussion of the distributional implications of a world with a vastly larger role for smart machines.” Reference is also made to Moravec’s Paradox and both are instructive. At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-menu.
Brain’s GPS 55 mins – “…Ian Sample and Nicola Davis meet the winners of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: May-Britt Moser and Edvard Moser from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, and John O’Keefe from University College London. Their work spanned four decades and revealed the existence of the nerve cells in the brain that build up a map of the space around us and track our progress as we move around.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bronx City Alliance 28 mins – “By inviting the public to enjoy the Bronx River, the Bronx River Alliance is creating sustainability enthusiasts and improving the local ecosystem for both humans and wildlife.” At the link find the title, “Bronx River Alliance: Restoring Nature in the City,” right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Child Displacements 59 mins – “Stories about the surge in unaccompanied minors crossing the U.S.-Mexico border filled news pages this summer. It’s often been referred to as an immigration “crisis.” But American history is replete with stories of children leaving their families to start new lives in America. On this week’s episode, BackStory delves into some of these, including first-hand accounts of European children sent to America during World War Two, and of New York orphans who were put on trains out West a generation earlier. And the American History Guys consider the complexities of “humanitarian” efforts to save children from communism during the Cold War, as well as from their own Native American culture.” 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.
College Unbound 15 mins – “College majors may artificially divide students, instead of fostering a real world, interdisciplinary approach. Jeff Selingo, author of “College (Un)Bound,” says we should scrap the major.” At the link find the title, “Banishing the College Major,” right-click “IHUB-101114-A.mp3” and select ”Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Creating in the Moment 13 mins – ““Remember before the internet?” asks Joi Ito. “Remember when people used to try to predict the future?” In this engaging talk, the head of the MIT Media Lab skips the future predictions and instead shares a new approach to creating in the moment: building quickly and improving constantly, without waiting for permission or for proof that you have the right idea. This kind of bottom-up innovation is seen in the most fascinating, futuristic projects emerging today, and it starts, he says, with being open and alert to what’s going on around you right now. Don’t be a futurist, he suggests: be a now-ist.” At the click “Download” then right-click “Download Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Danish Sperm Donations 27 mins – “In recent years, sperm has been shipped out of Denmark at an astonishing rate, producing thousands of babies worldwide – many in the UK. In 2006, the UK was not importing any Danish sperm, but by 2010 Denmark was supplying around a third of our total imports. Why are Danish donors in such demand? Kate Brian investigates.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: The New Vikings,” right-click “Media files docarchive_20141008-0332a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Debt Collection 18 mins – “Today’s show is the story of a guy who tried to make something of himself by getting into a rough business: debt collection. It’s also the story of the low-level, semi-legal debt-collection economy that sprung up in Buffalo, New York. And, in a small way, it’s the story of the last 20 or so years in global finance, a time when the world went wild for debt. For more on Buffalo and the debt underworld, see the book Bad Paper and related articles in the New Yorker and the New York Times Magazine.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Differences Between Us 51 mins – “We make split second decisions about others – someone is male or female, black or white, us or them. But sometimes the degrees of separation are incredibly few. A mere handful of genes determine skin color, for example. Find out why race is almost non-existent from a biological perspective, and how the snippet of DNA that is the Y chromosome came to separate male from female. Plus, why we’re wired to categorize. And, a groundbreaking court case proposes to erase the dividing line between species: lawyers argue to grant personhood status to our chimpanzee cousins.” At the link right-click “Download File” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Disability Rights Network 54 mins – “Joyce welcomes Christine M. Griffin, executive director of the Disability Law Center Inc. (DLC), of Massachusetts. The DLC is a private, non-profit organization responsible for providing protection and advocacy for the rights of Massachusetts residents with disabilities. Ms. Griffin will discuss the services of the DLC in depth, and also talk about her background as a life-long advocate for people with disabilities.”(and the Disability Rights Network) At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Drone Law 115 mins – “Hollywood and drone regulation [first 30 minutes], the FCC tries to ban “Redskins”, can social network Ello overtake Facebook? And more!” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow beside “Audio” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ebola Discussion 93 mins – In episode 305 of This Week in Virology “Vincent, Alan, and Kathy continue their coverage of the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, with a discussion of case fatality ratio, reproductive index, a conspiracy theory, and spread of the virus to the United States.” At the link right-click “Download TWIV 305” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ebola Preparedness 47 mins – “Ebola reports every day now, from West Africa and well beyond. The Spanish nurse in trouble. An American cameraman being treated in Nebraska. The first case that walked into an American hospital, Thomas Duncan, dead today, in that hospital in Dallas. Is America ready for Ebola? The CDC says we’ll stop it in its tracks. But 80 percent of American nurses surveyed last week said their hospitals have not taught them about it. This hour On Point: America and Ebola. Are we ready?
Energy Future 59 mins – “For years we have relied on fossil fuels to produce the light, heat and energy we need to live and work. But these supplies are diminishing, and polluting our environment. So can renewable resources step into the breach and produce enough energy to power the world? In this special Naked Scientists show, live from the Cambridge Science Centre, we talk to some of the researchers trying to do just that, as well as conducting some energy-related experiments of our own…” At the link right-click “Download the mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Fiber Taps 63 mins – This mix of topics includes “The semi-DIY computer named “Kano”, Fiber Tapping, Hybrid HD vs SSD, basic Linux terminal commands, and aircraft basics.” The six-minute fiber tap segment starts at 12:00. The thirteen minute segment on Linux starts at 35:00. Both includes visual aids that are helpful. The segment on disks is also useful. At the link right-click “Audio” beside the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Fracking in China 58 mins (2 parts) – “Last week on Sea Change Radio, we learned about the new shale gas boom in China. This week, in the second part of my discussion with Jaeah Lee and James West of Mother Jones, we examine the larger questions that surround this shift in Chinese energy policy. Can natural gas be a bridge fuel as the industrial giant weans itself off coal? Will there be enough water to extract China’s significant shale deposits? Will shale gas exploration further divide urban and rural China, or could it help to close the country’s income gap?” At the link (Part 1) right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu. Do the same for Part 2.
Good Countries 18 mins – “It’s an unexpected side effect of globalization: problems that once would have stayed local—say, a bank lending out too much money—now have consequences worldwide. But still, countries operate independently, as if alone on the planet. Policy advisor Simon Anholt has dreamed up an unusual scale to get governments thinking outwardly: The Good Country Index. In a riveting and funny talk, he answers the question, “Which country does the most good?” The answer may surprise you (especially if you live in the US or China).” At the link click “Download” then right-click “Download Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Green Energy Future 12 mins – “Driving a Prius may help psychologically, but to really be effective, renewable energy solutions need to happen on a national level. Dan Nocera, a leader in clean energy research, talks about big-picture solutions.” At the link find the title, “The Real Future of Green Energy,“ right-click “HUB-101114-Bmp3“” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Gut Microbiome 38 mins – “…This week’s show looks at the vast community of microbes living inside us – the microbiome. As a new public study examines the effects of diet and lifestyle on these microbial hitchhikers, we consider new research that links childhood obesity to antibiotics. In the studio with Guardian science editor Ian Sample are Professor Nick Finer, a consultant endocrinologist from University College Hospital in London, and Nicola Davis, commissioning editor of Observer Tech Monthly. Joining us down the line from Barcelona is Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London. The team also tackles other stories in the news this week, including the origin of the HIV pandemic; the UK’s plans for a space weather forecasting centre; and lab-grown penises for men with congenital abnormalities, or who have undergone surgery or suffered traumatic injury.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Hospital Credentialing 16 mins – Dr Gil Porat discusses his experience with the hospital group responsible for selecting, hiring, background-checking, controlling and discharging the physicians it employs and allows access to its facilities. Dr Porat is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine with a Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine. At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Islamic Extremism 27 mins – “Linda Pressly travels to Kosovo and meets the sister of ISIS’ first suicide-bomber from the Balkans. How could Europe’s most pro-American state have fostered such extremism?” At the link find the title, K”Docs: Kosovo’s Jihadis – 9 Oct 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20141009-0330a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Leadership Ideas 55 mins – “Author and leadership educator Liz Wiseman shares why cultivating a “rookie mindset” is an advantage in a rapidly changing world. Wiseman presents insights from her books, Rookie Smarts and Multipliers, including frameworks and techniques for how entrepreneurs, leaders and employees can embrace a life of constant learning and build a passion for multiplying the genius of those around them.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download MP3 audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Leadership Ideas 58 mins – “Chris Roebuck – Everyone, everywhere is under pressure to work harder. Many of us work to survive and get paid. Bored and trapped, performance is low, family relationships suffer and organizational performance deteriorates. To deliver real success, people must be inspired to be their best. Whether you’re an individual leader, a boss, a manager, an HR professional or a CEO, you must know how to transform both your own and your employees’ performances. So I guess it’s a good thing that this week we are interviewing the guy who wrote the book (literally) on leadership.”
Lost Innocence P1 55 mins – “A rebroadcast of the highly-acclaimed award-winning CBC Radio series commemorating the outbreak of World War II. In this hour we hear the remarkable testimony of courageous children who fought against the Nazis in occupied Europe.” At the link find the title, “Lost Innocence, Part 1 – Little Fighters: Children in the Resistance,” right-click “Download Lost Innocence, Part1 -…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mayors Discuss America 47 mins – “We talk with mayors from across the country on going local to find the future. Plus: Jack Beatty on Boston’s own Mayor Menino.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Melanoma Advances 6 mins – “It has been another great conference for melanoma advances. We have heard exciting new data. The conference had to open an extra plenary session just dedicated to melanoma. I will talk about the three presentations in that plenary session, which was very well attended and well regarded. The first study is a phase 3 randomized trial[1] of nivolumab vs investigator’s choice of chemotherapy in patients who had previously received and progressed on ipilimumab. The findings were presented by Dr Jeffery Weber from the Moffitt Cancer Center.”At the link you can listen and read the results, but not download the audio file; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Mental Focus 69mins – “We talk first to microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles about the Ebola virus—what the risks really are, and why many people might be overreacting. [Then at the 25 min mark] …we talk to cognitive psychologist, neuroscientist, musician, and writer Daniel Levitin about his new book The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload..” At the link find the title,”55 Daniel Levitin – The Organized Mind,” right-click “Media files 171461281-inquiringminds-55-daniel-levitin-the-organized-mind.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Military Mental Illness 51 mins – “Suicides in the military have skyrocketed since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The military’s suicide rate jumped more than 80 percent between 2002 and 2009. One military family is trying to change that. The Grahams lost two sons: one in combat in Iraq and one to suicide. But the Grahams were astonished by the different reactions their deaths received from the Army. The one killed in combat was lauded as a hero, while the other’s death was met with silence. In a new book, Yochi Dreazen, the managing editor of Foreign Policy, shows how this family channeled their grief into working to transform the military’s approach to soldiers with mental illness. Related Links – Yochi Dreazen: Stop Pretending Drone Warfare Is Casualty-Free for America; Yochi Dreazen: Suicide Mission” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Misconceptions 19 mins – “How much do you know about the world? Hans Rosling, with his famous charts of global population, health and income data (and an extra-extra-long pointer), demonstrates that you have a high statistical chance of being quite wrong about what you think you know. Play along with his audience quiz — then, from Hans’ son Ola, learn 4 ways to quickly get less ignorant.” At the link click “Download” then right-click “Download Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
MS Discussion 25 mins – “With Nice announcing its latest guidelines on drugs and clinical care, the Guardian’s health editor is joined by an expert panel to discuss the implications for those who suffer from MS. Sarah is joined in studio by Professor Mark Baker, director of the centre for clinical practice at Nice, Dr Paul Cooper, chair of the MS guidelines committee, Dr Nick Rijke, executive director of policy and research at the MS Society, and Amy Bowen, director of service development at the MS Trust.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mt Tambora Eruption 35 mins – “If you think Mount Pinatubo or Krakatoa was the largest recorded volcanic eruption, then you’re missing an important event in global history. Almost 200 years ago in 1815, the eruption of Mount Tambora precipitated three years of dramatic global events that are only now being traced to the eruption. On this episode, Dr. Gillen D’Arcy Wood discussed the famines, epidemics, and extreme weather that characterized the early 19th century and how it all started with the periodic rumblings of a little island’s long dormant volcano.” At the link right-click “Listen to episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Oil Price Decline 46 mins – “Despite the Middle East crisis and Russian tensions, world oil prices are plummeting. We’ll look at why and what it means for rising clean energy.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Physical Exams 35 mins – “In today’s episode, Ryan is joined by the lovely Allison who is celebrating her birthday today, as they get touchy-feely, talking about physical exams. In their search to figure out the topic for this week, Allison came across a great, beautiful piece featured on The New York Times written by Dr. Danielle Ofri, an associate professor at New York University. The most recent article she wrote, The Physical Exam as a Refuge, raises a number of great points that speak not only to physicians but to medical students as well. In this episode, the powerful duo will try to dissect these points for the listeners as well as share their insights so students will walk away with better understanding about this topic. So how do you view your physical exams going from medical student to doctor?” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pinball Machines 15 mins – “Everyone has tried it at some point. The authorities started turning a blind eye years ago, but it wasn’t officially legalized until the summer of 2014. Finally, after more than 80 years of illegitimacy, the City of Oakland has legalized…pinball machines. Pinball’s design history can help explain why it was illegal for so long. The game used to be a bit more like billiards–you’d shoot the ball onto the play field with a pool stick. In the 1860s, the pool cue turned into a spring-loaded plunger, that you’d pull and release to launch the ball. The game was made small, to fit on top of a counter at a bar or drugstore, and it looked like a simple wooden box, with no electricity, flashy art, or bright colors….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Prince’s Music 49 mins – “Musical icon Prince is back. With two new albums. We look at the life and music of the Purple One.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Restoring America 23mins – “Reporter Bob Herbert on his new book, Losing Our Way, an intimate and heartrending portrait of America in economic despair.” At the link find the title, “Full Show: Restoring an America That Has Lost Its Way,” right-click “Media files Moyers_and_Company_340_Podcast.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Shell Shock Bug 78 mins – At twenty-three minutes starts a 55 min discussion of the Shell Shock Bug. Some of the visual aids are helpful towards the end. The beginning part: “Windows 10 on the way, AMD making a 64bit ARM Processor, Verizon decides to not throttle customers, Incapsula reports 1 Billion attacks in four days,…” At the link right-click “Audio” beside the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Solar Study 29 mins – “Keith travels to Sunspot, New Mexico, to visit with Steven Kyle, the retired director of the National Solar Observatory. Kyle talks about the amazing discoveries made by the NSO during his directorship. Kyle also explains how solar activity does and does NOT impact on our climate. Learn more about the NSO at http://www.nso.edu/.” At the link right-click the Play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” and from the pop-up menu.
Sotomayor Impact 47 mins – “…The nine justices of the high court can change your life with the twitch of an eyebrow. Right in the middle of those nine, Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Sharp. Spirited. Up from a Bronx tenement. The first Latina Supreme court justice. Sotomayor has shared her own life in print. Now Supreme Court correspondent Joan Biskupic picks up where the Justice left off. The rest of the story – personal and professional….” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Text Book Costs 15 mins – “Prices of new textbooks have been going up like crazy. Faster than clothing, food, cars, and even healthcare. Listeners have been asking for years why textbooks are getting so expensive. On today’s show, we actually find an answer. College textbooks are expensive. You probably already know this. A new biology or economics book can cost $300. And prices have been soaring, doubling over the past decade, growing faster than the price of housing, cars, even healthcare. But, surprisingly, the amount students actually spend on textbooks has not been rising. In fact the best data we could find on this shows students have been spending a bit less over time.” At the link find the title, “# 573: Why Textbook Prices Keep Climbing,” right-click “npr_353579292.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
The Force Is Strong 47 mins – “A long time ago in a galaxy called George Lucas, “Star Wars” was born. We look at how “Star Wars” conquered the cultural universe.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Truckers 55 mins – “IDEAS host Paul Kennedy continues to report on a coast-to-coast study about how travelling affects almost everything else in our lives, with a look at the lives of several truckers from Prince Edward Island.” At the link find the title, “On The Move with Truckers ,” right-click “Down On The Move with Truckers” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
War Powers Act 48 mins – “…When Thomas Jefferson went after the Barbary pirates, he at least asked for a declaration of war from Congress. With Barack Obama going after ISIS, never mind that. He just cites an “authority” going back to 2001 against Al Qaeda. ISIS and Al Qaeda are not the same. They’re rivals. Should the president formally go to Congress for a declaration of war on the Islamic State? Some hot voices are saying yes, it’s right there in the Constitution. And others no, we’re past that. Are we? Should we be? When we’re talking a campaign of years? This hour, On Point: ISIS, the President and War Powers.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Web Typography Book 31 mins – “Jason Santa Maria of Vox Media & A Book Apart discusses his new book, On Web Typography, with host Jeffrey Zeldman. The two designers discuss writing on trains, placing objects and playing with type, the new web designer, designing the Typekit logo, editorial design and Vox Media, three years and two editors, heavenly italics, type classification systems, Dieter Rams and “touch-ability,” design as strategy, hitting it with the pretty stick, and more.” At the link right-click “MP3 Audio” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Women in Public 55 mins – “Public spaces have a huge impact on millions of women around the world. Megan Williams explores how the conception and design of public space profoundly affects the lives of women.” At the link find the title, “Claiming Space,” right-click “Download Claiming Space” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Young Worker Attitude 13 mins – “A new generation of workers has a new generation of values – which can mean walking away from raises and promotions.” At the link find the title, “What the New Workforce Wants From Jobs,” right-click “IHUB-101114-C.mp3” 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 