The following audio files come from a larger group of 210 for the week. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted links, below, to get single podcasts. A zip file of all 55 podcasts converted to 1.5x speed will download here for four months. Older groups of podcasts are discussed at the end of this episode.
Analog Computers 111 mins – “This episode is about analog computers, which are computers that compute using a physical model of a real system, often using analog electronic devices. Our guest is Bernd Ulmann who runs the Analog Computer Museum near Wiesbaden, Germany. In the episode we talk about what analog computers are (mechanical, electronic, digital), how they are programmed, what they are used for and why they should (and will?) be used in modern computing as well. We close the episode with a short discussion of the VAX and the AN/FSQ-7, both computer systems near and dear to Bernd.” At the link find the title, “59 – Analog Computers,” right-click “Media files omegatau-159-analogComputers.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Antibiotic Issues 13 mins – “Antibiotics put Canadians at risk because of two potentially serious side effects. Researchers from Australia did a review of studies that looked at the risks and benefits of prescribing of the amoxicillin alone or in combination with clavulinic acid or clavulin in adults and children. Amoxicillin with clavulin is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics for respiratory infections. The researchers found twenty-five studies that included close to 11,000 patients – a little more than half getting antibiotics and a little less than half getting placebo. The results: compared to placebo, the patients who got amoxicillin were twice as likely to have diarrhea and those who got amoxicillin and clavulin were three times as likely to get diarrhea….” At the link find the title, “White Coat Mini Podcast – Antibiotics,” right-click “Download White Coat Mini Podcast – Antibiotics” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Berlin Wall (3 parts) 163 mins – “On the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, former East German citizens Ralph Kabisch and Toralf Pilz talk about their incredible journeys out of East Germany.” At the link find the title, “Escaping East Germany,” right-click “Media files IM_20141115.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu. Then “Barrie Dunsmore, who covered foreign affairs for ABC News for 30 years, recounts his live coverage from Berlin on the night the Berlin Wall fell. During his career at ABC, Dunsmore focused on events in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union as the Iron Curtain began to disintegrate.” At the link find the title, “Eyewitness to History: Former ABC Reporter Barrie Dunsmore,” right-click “Media files IM_20141108_02.mp3,” etc. Finally, “Author Mary Elise Sarotte talks about her new book, “The Collapse: The Accidental Opening of the Berlin Wall,” which reveals how a perfect storm of decisions by underground revolutionaries, disgruntled Stasi officers and dictatorial party bosses sparked an unexpected series of events culminating in the fall of the wall.” At the link and the title, “The Collapse of the Wall,” right-click “Media files IM_20141108_01.mp3,” etc.
Bob Marley 48 mins – “It’s Bob Marley’s most famous lyric — “Let’s get together and feel all right.” The song was called “One Love.” But the world Marley lived in was anything but peaceful. Jamaica in the 1970s was filled with gangs, drugs, unspeakable violence. With Bob Marley in the middle of it all — tugged and claimed by both sides of political upheaval. Jamaican writer Marlon James imagines how it all went down in a breathless new novel. A re-telling of the story from the perspectives of gang members, a CIA-operative, a journalist, and more. This hour, On Point: power, corruption and the story of Bob Marley.” At the link right-click “Download this episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Car Dealership 77 mins – “We spend a month at a Jeep dealership on Long Island as they try to make their monthly sales goal: 129 cars. If they make it, they’ll get a huge bonus from the manufacturer, possibly as high as $85,000 — enough to put them in the black for the month. If they don’t make it, it’ll be the second month in a row. So they pull out all the stops.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Carbon Capture 30 mins – “Did you know that the production of cement is responsible for 5% of the carbon dioxide emissions on the planet? Our guest today on Sea Change Radio is geologist, biomineralization expert, and entrepreneur, Brent Constantz. His start-up company, Blue Planet Ltd., hopes to use biomimicry to transform carbon dioxide to a calcium carbonate base that can be used to build, pave and even roof.”At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cattle Cop 19 mins – “On September 9th, BJ Holloway’s life savings were stolen. His 6 cows were taken in the dead of the night from his land in Spencer, Oklahoma. BJ looked everywhere for his stolen cattle. He asked his neighbors. He filed a police report. But out in Oklahoma, when cows are stolen, it’s hard to find the thief. The cows all look alike, and the evidence disappears when they’re turned into steaks. Luckily for BJ, there’s a cattle cop on his case, Jerry Flowers. Flowers is a special agent in charge of the law enforcement section for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, and he’s determined to find the outlaws who took BJ’s cattle.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Civilized Inequities 60 mins – “Karen Armstrong talks about her book, [Fields of Blood], in which she examines the intertwined relationship of faith and violence by walking through the history of every major religion, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism and Daoism.” At the link find the title, “After Words: Karen Armstrong,” right-click “Media files program.374970.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Climate Change Solutions 47 mins – “This year’s Sense About Science lecture considered a dramatically different approach to our biggest challenge as a species: anthropogenic climate change. Guardian science editor Ian Sample and environment site editor Adam Vaughan spoke to this year’s lecturer, Professor Steve Rayner of Oxford University about his radical proposal. Also, in the final 7 minutes of the show we review the past week’s hottest science news, including The US & China reaching a landmark climate deal; Jean-Claude Juncker axing the role of European chief scientific adviser; and the future of the Philae lander on Comet 67P.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cuba Embargo 51 mins – “It’s been more than 50 years since the U.S. cut ties with Cuba. The longstanding trade embargo and travel ban have increasingly been called relics of the cold war: no longer relevant in the modern day. According to some, now is the time for change, with recent economic reforms out of Havana pointing to the possibility of a more hopeful future and a productive relationship with the United States. But others say these changes do not go far enough, and that lifting the embargo would reward a regime that has caused decades of suffering. We look at the debate over lifting the U.S. embargo on Cuba, and prospects for the future of U.S.-Cuban relations.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
Cystic Fibrosis 51 mins – “The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation raises about $130 million a year in its ongoing effort to help people who suffer with the deadly disease, but that amount seems small change in comparison with the $3.3 billion it just received related to an investment it made years ago in small drug development company. For a health-related nonprofit, $3.3 billion is a jaw dropping amount. It gives the foundation the means to explore all kinds of new ways to help patients and to look for a cure, but the projected per patient cost of this drug, $373,000 per year, raises concerns. Please join us to discuss new questions about venture philanthropy.” (4 guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
Daily Satellite Images 8 mins – “Satellite imaging has revolutionized our knowledge of the Earth, with detailed images of nearly every street corner readily available online. But Planet Labs’ Will Marshall says we can do better and go faster — by getting smaller. He introduces his tiny satellites — no bigger than 10 by 10 by 30 centimeters — that, when launched in a cluster, provide high-res images of the entire planet, updated daily.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download Audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Data Center Energy mins – “Computers use energy. So much energy, it’s becoming a problem. A big problem. A desktop computer uses about as much energy as fifty fluorescent light bulbs. The problem’s magnified in data centers….” At the link right-click “Click here for audio…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Data Law 63 mins – “One of the enduring issues in cyberspace is which laws apply to online activities. We see this most clearly today in the reaction to revelations about government surveillance: on one hand, individuals are increasingly seeking assurances that their content is protected from government overreach, while governments want to ensure they have access to information to enforce their laws, even if that content is stored outside their borders. We see this same tension in debates over privacy protection for data placed on line by consumers. Brad Smith — Microsoft’s general counsel and executive vice president of Legal and Corporate Affairs — and Jonathan Zittrain — Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and co-founder of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society — explore the role of law in protecting our rights in the physical world online, the complementary roles of law and technology in achieving this protection, and the need for governments to come together so that companies (and customers) don’t face conflicting legal obligations.” At the link “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Drone Photography 61 mins – “This week we talk with Robert Rodriquez, the founder of the Society of Aerial Cinematography (AKA SOAC), for a discussion about the use of Multirotors and helicopters in the the motion picture industry. Also discussed in this show are some cool new multirotor products and upcoming flying events.” At the link right-click “Direct Download: 290_Robert_Rodriguez.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ebola Stories 50 mins – “How Ebola is affecting not just health services in West Africa, but tourism, agriculture and investment across the entire continent. Paul Moss travels to Ghana and Senegal to assess the wider impact of Ebola in Africa.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Ebola – The Impact on Africa 21 Nov 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20141121-1154a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Education in NYC 51 mins – “In 2002, Mayor Michael Bloomberg won control over New York City’s public school system. In a controversial move, he appointed Joel Klein as its leader. A career lawyer, Klein found himself at the helm of what many considered a sinking ship. Over the next eight years, he implemented an aggressive series of changes aimed at increasing accountability and improving performance. He clashed with the teachers union as he took on the issues of evaluation and tenure. He closed down scores of failing schools, opened more than 100 charter schools and championed a data-driven approach to reform that spread to cities throughout the country. Joel Klein joins us to talk about what it takes to improve public education in the United States.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
ENCODE Project 19 mins – “A decade ago, the Human Genome Project revealed that only 1% of our DNA codes for the proteins that make our bodies. The rest of the genome, it was said, was junk, in other words with no function. But in September another massive international project, called ENCODE, announced that the junk DNA is useful after all. Adam Rutherford reports on the significance of this major discovery. He visits the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute outside Cambridge where the vast amount of data about our genome is produced and analysed. And he finds out how this new information is beginning to give insights into the origin and treatment of diseases, such as cancer. Adam also discovers that the study of genomes has changed dramatically since he finished his PhD: it’s now all done in machines and not at the lab bench.” At the link find the title, “Encode Project, Mon, 21 Jan 13,” right-click “Download 9MB” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
ENCODE Project Impact 30 mins – Starting at the 7 min mark “Dr. Leonard Lipovich’s determination to prove genetic matter once deemed “junk” has a place in clinical medicine is bringing the Wayne State University School of Medicine to the forefront of a burgeoning field occupying genome enthusiasts in the United States, Asia and Europe. The work, on long non-coding ribonucleic acids, or lncRNAs, could lead to new therapeutics for cancer and other diseases.” Here he discussed how his work involves ENCODE and the implications. At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Energy Conversion 93 mins – “We delve into energy conversion efficiencies of solar photovoltaics, fuel cells, the Hydrogen Economy, steam and hydro-turbines and ways you can conserve energy in your home.” This is Episode 46 and reference is made to Episode 2 (135 mins), about batteries. At both link right-click “Download AAC” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Energy Storage 86 mins – “The Age of Intelligent Storage: Distributed Systems, Smart Software and Control Systems:This discussion is a featured event of Solar One and NYC ACRE’s cleantech panel discussion series, Clean Energy Connections.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the audio file is in the blog archive.
Evidenced Based Medicine Is Crap 16 mins – “While making Episode 24, we had a little aside talking about the pitfalls of evidence based medicine. It did not really fit in with the full episode, so here it is in all its half episode glory. Dr. Kaminstein makes his feelings known, and we talk about those feelings. Some great points are raised and debated regarding the art and practice of our specialty, and how EBM fits in. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.” At the link find the title, “Episode 24.5: “EBM is Crap” right-click “EBM_is_CRAP.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Evolution Update 52 mins – “In the century and a half since Charles Darwin wrote his seminal On the Origin of the Species, our understanding of evolution has changed quite a bit. For one, we have not only identified the inheritance molecule DNA, but have determined its sequence in many animals and plants. Evolution has evolved, and we take a look at some of the recent developments. A biologist describes the escalating horn-to-horn and tusk-to-tusk arms race between animals, and a paleoanthropologist explains why the lineage from chimp to human is no longer thought to be a straight line but, instead, a bush. Also, New York Times science writer Carl Zimmer on the diversity of bacteria living on you, and which evolutionary concepts he finds the trickiest to explain to the public.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Favela Art 11 mins – “Artists Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn create community art by painting entire neighborhoods, and involving those who live there — from the favelas of Rio to the streets of North Philadelphia. What’s made their projects succeed? In this funny and inspiring talk, the artists explain their art-first approach — and the importance of a neighborhood barbecue.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download Audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Film Production 45 mins – “It’s a century-old pursuit: Book authors hoping to make it big in the movie business. The explosion of video on the Web now lets authors introduce books and concepts to agents, producers and directors more quickly and easily than ever before. Newly-formed Bookstofilm.tv knows what Hollywood wants because it lives there. As company founder Rocky Lang explains, “in today’s post-MTV generation, people are looking for immediate gratification, [something] that stimulates their fantasies of the characters and the development of the project.”
Gridlock History 52 mins – “On this episode of BackStory, Brian, Ed, and Peter take an in-depth look at stalemate in American history. Are there other times when the system has so routinely ground to a halt? Is compromise the main way of ending legislative standoffs, or does accommodation just tend to kick the day of reckoning further down the road? And if deadlocks are endemic to national politics, could they actually have a silver lining?” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the right end of the soundbar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Immigrant Work in Europe (3 parts) 268 mins – “…The event concludes an MPI-ILO research project, funded by the European Commission, that examines employment prospects of foreign-born workers and the effectiveness of integration and workforce development policies in helping foreign-born workers overcome barriers and move up into middle-skilled positions in six case study countries: the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Read reports from the series here.” At the link right-click “Download” for each part and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Infographics 53 mins – Leo Laporte interviews Gareth Cook, a Pulitzer Prize-winning magazine journalist, a contributor to NewYorker.com, and the series editor of “The Best American Infographics.” At the link right-click “Audio” beside the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Journal of Visualized Experiments 4 mins – “…For the most part, scientists are hard-working, ethical people. They come to science to solve big problems. What is happening there is the deficiency of the medium,” Pritsker said. “And text doesn’t work for effective knowledge transfer. It doesn’t even work for cooking, right?” Pritsker thinks of it this way: Someone asks you to write down the step-by-step recipe for a dish you’ve made a million times. It’s second nature to you, and so chances are you might forget a pinch of this or dash of that. It’s pretty much the same for a scientist who may have been working on an experiment for years. When it comes time to write it all down, he might forget, or misinterpret a few steps. So Pritsker, now out of Princeton, thought of a way to make sure those second nature details don’t get lost: He started the “Journal of Visualized Experiments,” or JOVE, a peer-reviewed video journal.” 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.
Keystone Pipeline 51 mins – “It’s been six years since TransCanada Corp. applied for a permit to build the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport oil from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf States. So far, President Barack Obama has not approved the pipeline, citing environmental concerns. But following the recent midterm elections, the pipeline is back in the spotlight. Last week, the House of Representatives voted again to approve Keystone. And last night, the Senate came within one vote of passing a similar bill offered by embattled Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu. Diane and [3] guests discuss the political showdown over the Keystone XL pipeline and where it goes from here.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
Like a Glove 1 min – “A product launched at the Demo Conference in Silicon Valley consists of snug fitting garments with sensors that precisely measure your body to help you get the right size clothes when you shop on-line.” It’s called Like A Glove. At the link you can download the file, dated 20 Nov 2014, but the content is the same.
London Mayor on Churchill 28 mins – “What is Boris Johnson? A better question might be: what isn’t Boris Johnson? He is, inter alia, the Mayor of London; a prolific author, journalist and, as of this month, a biographer of Winston Churchill; a once and possibly future Member of Parliament; a potential future Prime Minister himself despite being a “self-styled joke” who occasionally gets stuck on a zip-line; an American by birth (and U.S. passport holder)….” At the link find the title, “The Man Who Would Be Everything,” right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mass Movements 15 mins – “We can see the power of distributed, crowd-sourced business models every day — witness Uber, Kickstarter, Airbnb. But veteran online activist Jeremy Heimans asks: When does that kind of “new power” start to work in politics? His surprising answer: Sooner than you think. It’s a bold argument about the future of politics and power; watch [or listen]and see if you agree.” At the link clidk “Download,” then right-click “Download Audio”9or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Medical BS 28 mins – “Accurate jargon is a staple on medical dramas like The Night Shift because it gives a sense of gripping realism. But it can also come across as earnest and boring. While he might be a medical malpractice suit waiting to happen, Dr. Nick Riviera of The Simpsons can’t be accused of being dull or earnest. That take on medicine is funny because like all satire, there a kernel of truth in it. And the truth about medical culture is that doctors don’t always have all the answers. Just like their fake TV counterparts, sometimes they serve up what can only be called “doctor BS.” This week on White Coat, Black Art, a crash course on ‘BS’ — hospital-style. Much of the bluff and bluster from doctors is self-serving but does it serve a greater purpose? Two of our favourite guests, Dr. Zubin Damania aka ZDoggMD and Dr. Erin Sullivan talk about how the patients who always expect an answer might end up getting a shot of BS.” At the link find the title, “Doctor BS Podcast,” right-click “Download Doctor BS Podcast” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Medical Literature 21 mins – “In Episode 24, EM Res vets Drs. Kaminstein and Kochert return with Dr. Becker to talk about how residents should approach reading medical research articles. Do you need to read everything? What should you read? How do you do it? All this and more in the first of a series on reading original research for residents.” At the link find the title, “Episode 24: What do I read, and how do I do it?” right-click “Journal_reading_podcast_final.m4a” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Menieres Disease 17 mins – “A clinical review on the bmj.com looks at Meniere’s disease. Corine from The Netherlands discusses her experience of having the disease and explains how the symptoms of vertigo and tinnitus have affected her everyday life. She also offers her top tips on coping with the disease to others with the condition. “Menieres disease – a patient perspective,” right-click “Media files 176708033-bmjgroup-menieres-disease-patient.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mission Pilot 87 mins – “When we watch movies and television the life of a bush pilot seems glorious. I envision a bush pilot swooping down from the heavens above to provide emergency medical supplies to a sick child. Later that day we slowly climb above the bright green canopy of trees to a burnt orange sunset smiling from ear to ear as we glide towards our next adventure. Well I am sure there are many days like these flying as a mission pilot in the bush but there are also many challenges. Today I have with me someone who can help us understand what it is really like to be a bush pilot because he lives it every day. Brian Pottinger is a mission pilot flying in the mountains and jungles of Papua, Indonesia. Today he will give us the real story behind being a bush flying as a mission pilot.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mushroom Poisoning 50 mins – “In this episode we talk about the spectrum of mushroom po isoning from Amanita to magic mushrooms. Contributors include Matthew Zuckerman and the UMass Toxicology team Kavita Babu, Katie Boyle, Lynn Farrugia, Stephanie Carreiro, Peter Chai, and Viral Patel along with Mark Neavyn. Mushroom pictures are available here [a pdf].” Audio quality is poor, but content useful. At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Net Neutrality Wiki 29 mins – “Law Professor Tim Wu, who coined the phrase “net neutrality,” talks about technology issues and the debate over how to manage the internet. He also discusses his views on President Obama’s recent call for Title II regulation of the internet.” At the link find the title, “The Communicators: Tim Wu,” right-click “Media files program.375757.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Nonie Darwish 60 mins – “Author and activist Nonie Darwish, founder and president of Former Muslims United and Arabs for Israel, discusses growing up in Egypt and Gaza, her father’s death at the hands of Israelis, life under Sharia law, and why she’s broken with Islam.” At the link find the title, “Q&A: Nonie Darwish,” right-click “Media files program.372075.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Obama Foreign Policy 55 mins – “Is American foreign policy making the world a more dangerous place? That’s the question participants discuss in the most recent Munk Debates. On the “yes” side: Bret Step hens and Robert Kagan. On the “no” side: Fareed Zakaria and Anne-Marie Slaughter.” At the link find the title, “The Munk Debates: A More Dangerous Place?” right-click “Download The Munk Debates: A More Dangerous Place?” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Open Access Journals 59 mins – “While Open Access is helping mission-driven publishing societies to disseminate knowledge, it is also causing them to re-evaluate their financial business models. On Tuesday, October 21, Deni Auclair, Vice President & Lead Analyst, Outsell Inc.; Esmeralda Galán Buchanan, Journals Director, American Cancer Society; Rachel Burley, Vice President & Director of Open Access, John Wiley & Sons; Philip Wright, Chief Executive, The Physiological Society offered an audience of society publishers and editorial staff their “real world” case studies for launching successful Open Access journals. The program was co-sponsored by CCC and Wiley. With CCC’s Chris Kenneally moderating, the panel shared insights, challenges and solutions for Open Access across a spectrum of society publishing programs.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pirates of West Africa 50 mins – “There are now more pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea than off the coast of Somalia – once considered the global ‘piracy hotspot’. The BBC’s Mary Harper travels to Lagos, one of the busiest ports in Africa, to explore the highly complex world of piracy.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Chasing West Africa’s Pirates,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20141115-1905a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Productivity 51 mins – “Advice on how to increase personal productivity is everywhere. We can download apps with algorithms to help with time management, read articles about how to avoid distractions at the office, and watch YouTube videos on the most efficient way to organize email. The latest trends come from pressure to get more done with less time and from a modern management theory that gives workers more control over how they do their jobs. While many Americans think of productivity as a virtue, others question its increasing dominance in our personal and professional lives. Diane and her [3] guests discuss the pressure to be productive.” t the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
Psilocybin and Mescaline 8 mins – “Simon Cotton explores our hallucinogenic horizons with psilocybin and mescaline.” At the link find the title, “Psilocybin & Mescaline: Chemistry in its element,” right-click “CIIE_Psilocybin.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Responsive City 15 mins – “Susan Crawford, author of Captive Audience and now co-author of The Responsive City: Engaging Communities Through Data-Smart Governance joins us for Community Broadband Bits #125. We discuss the idea of a Responsive City. Susan contrasts her visions of a Responsive City with more traditional notions of a “smart” city and notes that having fiber throughout a community is a necessary base. We discuss a few of the examples from the book that discuss how local governments are being transformed and how we would like to see them continue to transform in coming decades….” At the link right-click “…download this Mp3 directly…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Secret Service Hearing 102 mins – “Joseph Clancy, the acting director of the U.S. Secret Service, testifies before the House Judiciary Committee as it holds a hearing focused on oversight of the agency responsible for security of the president.” At the link find the title, “Hearing on Secret Service Oversight,” right-click “Media files program.376447.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sneakers 16 mins – “Nike is a smart multi-billion dollar company, but some sneaker fans have figured out how they can get a better price for Nike sneakers than Nike can. Some pairs trade like stocks — selling for double, quadruple, 12 times their retail price after they leave the store. Even used sneakers. Josh Luber, of sneakerhead data company, estimates that Nike let resellers walk away with 230 million dollars in profits last year — that’s money that did not go to Nike. Today on the show, why would a multi-billion dollar company give up its profits to some scrappy guys on the street?” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Taliban Hunting in Pakistan 28 mins – “Mobeen Azhar is in Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city, where police are fighting an increasingly desperate war against the Taliban. Every day an officer is killed in the struggle.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Hunting The Taliban – 20 Nov 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive_20141120-0230a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Virunga 46 mins – “’Virunga’ is an astonishing new documentary about corruption, compassion, and the imperiled gorillas and people of the Congo. The film is named after a national park in the Congo, where some of the world’s last mountain gorillas live. It’s the story of an oil company and local rebels trying to control their land and fearless Congolese park rangers, an intrepid investigative journalist and soft-spoken Belgian warden fighting to protect it. This hour on point, “Virunga” and the gorillas of the Congo.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Windmills 4 mins – “The problem of pointing windmills into the wind is a century old. Medieval mills had a long strut that let millers turn the whole fan structure on a central post as the wind shifted. Mid-18th-century British engineers invented a secondary fan blade, rather like the control propeller on a helicopter tail. It was set perpendicular to the main fan. When it turned it drove a mechanism that turned the mill until it faced straight into the wind….” At the link right-click “Click here for audio…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
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ARCHIVE
An alphabetic encyclopedia of 4700 of these hyperlinked descriptions is here and updated quarterly. A file of the podcasts is here , updated weekly, and can be downloaded as a 21+ GB zipped file, or individually. A separate folder of C-Span, Diane Rehm, et. al. files that aren’t available at their sites is here, too, and can also be downloaded as a zip file or individually. Over 210 feeds used to prepare this blog are harvested with Feedreader3 and Juice. The feeds are available in this opml file which Feedreader and Juice can import. A list of the feeds is here. Free Commander is used to compare old with new downloads and remove duplicates. MP3 Speed Changer is used on batches of new files to boost playback speed 150%. A speed listening background article is here. Please comment on any problems with the links and downloads.
Media Mining Digest 