The following audio files come from a larger group of 190 for the week. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted links, below, to get single podcasts. A zip file of all 72 podcasts converted to 1.5x speed will download here for four months. Older groups of podcasts are discussed at the end of this episode.
Advertising History 60 mins – “…on this episode, the Guys tackle the history of advertising in the United States. When did the industry come into being? What makes a great commercial jingle? And how do you sell America on the idea of lunar exploration? We have stories that answer these questions and more. Plus, a special treat — ads for BackStory in bygone styles, suggested by our faithful listeners….” 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.
AI Threat 10 mins – “…We’ve all seen science fiction movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Matrix, where the villain is an artificial intelligence program that has gone rogue. These killer AI scenarios have provided entertainment at the cinema for decades, but some scientists are now warning that we need to take the AI threat very seriously. There’s a new book out by the Oxford University philosopher Nick Bostrom that explores this threat in great detail. Bostrom directs Oxford’s Future of Humanity Institute, and he studies all the ways the human species could be wiped off the planet. In his book, called Superintelligence, he explains how a supersmart AI could arise and destroy us. Now, the book’s a bit dense—Bostrom is a philosopher, after all….” At the link right-click “Download podcast” and select “Save Link As: from the pop-up menu.
Australian Economics 62 mins – “Prime Minister Tony Abbott addresses the National Press Club in Canberra on the Federal Government’s policies.” At the link find the title, “National Press Club: Prime Minister Tony Abbott,” right-click “NPCc_TonyAbbott_0202_512k.mp4” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Big Burn 1910 52 mins – “In the summer of 1910, hundreds of wildfires raged across the Northern Rockies. By the time it was all over, more than three million acres had burned and at least 78 firefighters were dead. “The Big Burn” was the largest fire in American history, and it changed fundamentally how the country managed its public lands. PBS is showing a new documentary Tuesday night about the history and ramifications of the Great Fire of 1910, and director Stephen Ives and writer Timothy Egan will join us to talk about it….” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Big Data Impact 57 mins – “I’m pleased to post the first show of the winter quarter, Show # 227, January 14, 2015, my interview with Solon Barocas, Postdoctoral Research Associate at Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Policy, co-author of the article Big Data’s Disparate Impact (with Andrew D. Selbst). Algorithmic computing and decision-making have entered our world much faster than our understanding of it. In Solon’s article, he takes a close look at the massively under-explored impact of algorithms on traditional forms of employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (think discrimination on the basis of race or gender). Identifying both the technical and legal issues involved is a challenge, but this article does a wonderful job exposing the risks of algorithms in this space, which often (although not exclusively) includes embedding human prejudices in the code itself. We examined these and other ramifications of algorithmic computing and civil rights discrimination in our discussion.” At the link right-click “Show #227…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bipolar Insights 51 mins – “From a young age, Actress Glenn Close and her sister Jessie led different lives. In the 1950s, their parents joined a religious cult and the family splintered apart. While Glenn pursued acting in New York, Jessie started hearing voices and ended up in Montana on a path of self-destruction. The sisters grew distant. But after Jessie’s son became suicidal, Jessie reached out to Glenn for help. Join Diane for a discussion with Glenn and Jessie Close about their family’s struggle with mental illness and their work to end the stigma surrounding psychological disorders.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Cancer Test 11 mins – “Along with a crew of technologists and scientists, Jorge Soto is developing a simple, noninvasive, open-source test that looks for early signs of multiple forms of cancer. Onstage at TEDGlobal 2014, he demonstrates a working prototype of the mobile platform for the first time.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cash to Poor 7 mins – “Technology allows us to give cash directly to the poorest people on the planet. Should we do it? In this thought-provoking talk, veteran aid worker Joy Sun explores two ways to help the poor.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cocoa Trees 18 mins – “The world is running out of chocolate. Cocoa is in short supply. Demand is way up, thanks to China and India developing a taste for the sweet stuff. Producing more cocoa isn’t so easy. Cocoa is a fussy plant. It doesn’t grow in very many places and it gets diseases really easily. Today on the show, we learn about one man in Ecuador who came up with an answer to the global cocoa shortage. A warning here; if you’re a die-hard chocolate lover, you might not like it.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Columbia Guerrillas 14 mins – “In my lifetime, I have never lived one day of peace in my country,” says Jose Miguel Sokoloff. This ad executive from Colombia saw a chance to help guerrilla fighters choose to come home — with smart marketing. He shares how some creative, welcoming messages have helped thousands of guerrillas decide to put down their weapons — and the key insights behind these surprising tactics.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Corruption Control 83 mins – “Zephyr Teachout, author of Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin’s Snuff Box to Citizens United, and Janine Wedel, author of Unaccountable: How Elite Power Brokers Corrupt our Finances, Freedom, and Security, talked about curbing corruption. They spoke at the New America Foundation in New York City.” At the link you can listen and buy a copy, but not download it; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Crop Insurance 27 mins – “In this second part of an interview with James Robinson of the Rural Advancement Foundation International, Frank and James discuss the importance of crop insurance to the farmer, both as a risk management tool and as a mechanism for gaining greater access to credit. James then explains how changes to the 2014 Farm Bill provide for innovative insurance products that have the potential to improve the attractiveness of crop insurance for the sustainable, diversified producer. The products, moreover, provide incentives for further crop diversification, and may pave the way to incentivize other sustainable production techniques like cover crops, no-till, and green manures. Please take the time to educate yourself about this most critical topic.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cuban Medical School 17 mins – “Big problems need big solutions, sparked by big ideas, imagination and audacity. In this talk, journalist Gail Reed profiles one big solution worth noting: Havana’s Latin American Medical School, which trains global physicians to serve the local communities that need them most.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Data Flood 11 mins – “…It’s easy to get lost in the Internet. Just ask anyone who went to Wikipedia to quickly determine how many years Putin has been in power and then found themselves, three hours later, staring bleary eyed at a biography of Momofuko Ando, the inventor of instant noodles. (Just to clarify, the ‘anyone’ in that scenario is me). This avalanche of online content can be a problem, especially for news organizations trying to do their primary job — namely, informing their (increasingly busy and distracted) audience. Listicles are one solution, but they don’t solve the whole ‘I never get to the last paragraph of a really good article’ thing…..” At the link find the title, “More Easily Digestible Media,” right-click “IHUB-020715-A.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Death P3 55 mins – “Mary O’Connell concludes her three-part series with a look at the burgeoning green burial movement and its message of de-corporatizing death.” At the link find the title, “Death Becomes Us, Part 3,” right-click “Media files ideas_20150205_93276.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Deforestation Control 15 mins – “”Save the rainforest” is an environmental slogan as old as time — but Tasso Azevedo catches us up on how the fight is actually going these days. Spurred by the jaw-dropping losses of the 1990s, new laws (and transparent data) are helping slow the rate of deforestation in Brazil. Is it enough? Not yet. He has five ideas about what we should do next. And he asks if the lessons learned in Brazil could be applied to an even bigger problem: global climate change.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Drug War Failure 17 mins – “Is the War on Drugs doing more harm than good? In a bold talk, drug policy reformist Ethan Nadelmann makes an impassioned plea to end the “backward, heartless, disastrous” movement to stamp out the drug trade. He gives two big reasons we should focus on intelligent regulation instead.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dying Needs 6 mins – “Matthew O’Reilly is a veteran emergency medical technician on Long Island, New York. In this talk, O’Reilly describes what happens next when a gravely hurt patient asks him: “Am I going to die?” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ebola Finances 15 mins – “Karen Grépin, assistant professor of global health policy at New York University, has been examining the pledges made by the international community to help fight the ebola virus outbreak – was it really too little, too late? Read her full analysis.” At the link find the title, “International donations to the Ebola virus outbreak: too little, too late?” right-click “Media files 189431002-bmjgroup-ebola-donations-too-little-too-late.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Electronet 11 mins – “Hi, I’m Jean Kumagai, and welcome to IEEE Spectrum’s “Techwise Conversations.” What will the power grid look like 50 years from now? More importantly, what do we want it to look like, and how will we supply reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to a global population that may reach 10 billion by midcentury? IEEE Spectrum considered those important questions as part of its recent special report “The Future We Deserve.” Clark Gellings is one of the world’s leading experts on the electricity system. He’s a Fellow of the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, California, and also a Life Fellow of the IEEE. During the course of his 46-year career, his ideas, his writing, and his testimony have really helped propel the electricity industry toward greater energy efficiency, more widespread adoption of the smart grid, and more integration of renewable energy and other clean technologies.” At the link right-click “Download Podcast” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Environmental Economist 33 mins – “We discuss Levinson’s new working paper “How Much Energy Do Building Energy Codes Really Save? Evidence From California” (and a related Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization paper, called “California Energy Efficiency: Lessons for the Rest of the World, or Not?). The evidence from California may surprise you: “There is no evidence,” Levinson writes, “that homes constructed since California instituted its building energy codes use less electricity today than homes built before the codes came into effect.” At the link find the title, “How Efficient Is Energy Efficiency?” right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
ER Momentum Breakers 24 mins – “In Part 2, Joseph Cruz (@CruzaderJC)presents his top 5 on shift momentum breakers for EM residents. Think about them ahead of time, so you can be ready when they show up on shift! “ At the link right-click beside “Direct Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-menu.
Evil P1 14 mins – “Plotinus, who lived in the 3rd Century A.D., was the founder of neo-platonism. In this episode of Philosophy Bites Peter Adamson explains what Plotinus had to say about evil.” At the link right-click “Listen to Peter Adamson on Plotinus on Evil” and select “Save link As” from thepop-up menu.
Evil P2 14 mins – “What is evil? Is it consistent with the existence of a benevolent God? In this interview Stephen Law gives an original take on this traditional philosophical problem.” At the link right-click “Listen to Stephen Law on The Problem of Evil” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Evil P3 14 mins – “The Problem of Evil is usually presented as a problem for believers. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Marilyn McCord Adams suggests that it is a problem for optimistic non-believers.” At the link find right-click “Listen to Marilyn McCord Adams on Evil“ and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Financial Performance 40 mins – “What are the most important things investors should know about the performance of their investments? This is the first in a series of podcasts about performance to give investors an in-depth knowledge of the asset classes Paul encourages investors to hold in their portfolios. This podcast covers many of the misleading aspects of performance including one Paul calls “the big fat lie.’” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the poop-up menu.
Financial Sector Value 62 mins – “Luigi Zingales of the University of Chicago talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts on whether the financial sector is good for society and about the gap between how banks and bankers are perceived by the public vs. finance professors. Zingales discusses the costs and benefits of financial innovation, compares the finance sector to the health sector, and suggests how business education should talk about finance to create better behavior.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Flying Cameras 6 mins – “Let’s admit it: aerial photo drones and UAVs are a little creepy, and they come with big regulatory and safety problems. But aerial photos can be a powerful way of telling the truth about the world: the size of a protest, the spread of an oil spill, the wildlife hidden in a delta. Sergei Lupashin demos Fotokite, a nifty new way to see the world from on high, safely and under control.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Frugal Innovation 16 mins – “Navi Radjou has spent years studying “jugaad,” also known as frugal innovation. Pioneered by entrepreneurs in emerging markets who figured out how to get spectacular value from limited resources, the practice has now caught on globally. Peppering his talk with a wealth of examples of human ingenuity at work, Radjou also shares three principles for how we can all do more with less. “ Reference is made during this talk to M-Kopa, Be-Bound, Quelle Banque, and Megaffic solutions. At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ham College 66 mins – “Ham College, the new show for those new to the hobby and those wishing to get into Amateur Radio. In episode 1 we bring you some news, discuss what an ‘Elmer’ is, talk about early radio history, build a spark gap transmitter, present 10 more questions and answers from the Technical class question pool, and more.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Human Waste 12 mins – “In rural India, the lack of toilets creates a big, stinking problem. It leads to poor quality water, one of the leading causes of disease in India, and has a disproportionately negative effect on women. Joe Madiath introduces a program to help villagers help themselves, by building clean, protected water and sanitation systems and requiring everyone in the village to collaborate — with significant benefits that ripple across health, education and even government.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Independent Media 14 mins – “In 2011, journalist Bruno Torturra covered a protest in São Paulo which turned ugly. His experience of being teargassed had a profound effect on the way he thought about his work, and he quit his job to focus on broadcasting raw, unedited experiences online. In this fascinating talk, he shares some of the ways in which he’s experimented with livestreaming on the web, and how in the process he has helped to create a very modern media network.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Infrastructure 47 mins – “American roads, rails and bridges are in need of massive repair. President Obama wants to tax American companies’ overseas profits to pay the bill. Is that the way to go?” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Innovation Renaissance 10 mins – “The Sistine Chapel, Galileo’s scientific discoveries, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, and Machiavelli’s political writings were all great achievements of the Renaissance. But what were the essential ingredients of that famous era of art and innovation? And can Italy recreate its winning recipe today? …Kick-starting a 21st century Renaissance may require a primal model. “You have to be inspired by evolution. Nature never had any separation among disciplines like physics, chemistry, biology. I think the interdisciplinarity of science at the moment is the key factor for success in innovation,” says Roberto Cingolani, the scientific director at the Italian Institute of Technology. Finding that delicate balance is the key if there’s any hope for a Renaissance reboot.” AT the link find the title, “Can the Renaissance Be Recreated?” right-click “IHUB-020715-D.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
ISIS Control 51 mins – “Jordan carried out airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria early this morning, following the group’s gruesome killing of a Jordanian pilot. Jordan’s King Abdullah has vowed “relentless war” against the so-called Islamic State. The leader took swift initial action in retaliation for the pilot’s death, hanging two Iraqi prisoners with ties to ISIS. Now, he is weighing what would be a major escalation in Jordan’s involvement with the U.S.-led coalition against the terror group. This raises questions about the future of a coalition many fear is too weak to meet its goals of defeating the Islamic State. We look at Jordan’s role in the fight against ISIS, reaction from the Muslim world and what’s next for the U.S.-led coalition.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Machiavelli 26 mins – “In this episode of the podcast Philosophy Bites Quentin Skinner discusses Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince, one of the most notorious works of political philosophy. Skinner sets the book in its historical context and explains its key themes.” At the link right-click “Listen to Quentin Skinner on Machiavelli’s The Prince” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.”
McDonald’s 48 mins – “Mighty McDonald’s is in big trouble. Sales are plummeting. We look at the future of a fast food legend, and what Americans eat.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Measles 52 mins – “Fifteen years ago, the U.S. was declared measles-free thanks to a vaccine developed in the 1960s. But last year, there were more than 600 new measles cases, the highest number in a quarter century. And a measles outbreak that began in Disneyland last month has now infected more than 80 people in seven states. Health officials say most of those who got sick were not vaccinated. Parents opting out of vaccines for their children say they are afraid of harmful side effects, especially autism. But most doctors continue to stress that the vaccines are completely safe. Diane and guests discuss a surge in measles cases, the anti-vaccine movement and implications for public health nationwide.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Mechanical Turk 23 mins – “They are hundreds of thousands of people out there doing stuff to your internet that you probably think is automatic. They aren’t computer programmers, they’re just regular people working from their offices, homes and bedrooms. They are the people of Amazon Mechanical Turk. Amazon Mechanical Turk is an online marketplace for work. Businesses use it to farm out tiny little tasks like counting the number of people in a photo, and people around the world race to perform those tasks, sometimes for pennies. Today on the show, we sneak into the land of Mechanical Turk to meet the people inside.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Medical Students 44 mins – “This week I am bringing back Richard Levy. He is the Executive Director of the National Society for Non Traditional Premedical and Medical Students, better known as OldPremeds.org. Rich is the go-to guy for nontraditional students, for which I know comprise a large majority of you listening right now. In this episode, he talks about what’s going in the non-traditional world and healthcare in general. He shares with us his pieces of advice to those who might want to pursue the medical path as a non-traditional student, how to start, where to start, and where to find advisers.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mengele Twins 26 mins – “The testimonies of twins who survived the brutal medical experiments of Dr Josef Mengele during the second world war in Auschwitz.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: The Mengele Twins 31 Jan 15,” right-click “Media files docarchive_20150131-1700a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Micro Robots 6 mins – “By studying the movement and bodies of insects such as ants, Sarah Bergbreiter and her team build incredibly robust, super teeny, mechanical versions of creepy crawlies … and then they add rockets. See their jaw-dropping developments in micro-robotics, and hear about three ways we might use these little helpers in the future.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Microbiology Breakthroughs 74 mins – “Hosts Vincent Racaniello, Michael Schmidt, Elio Schaechter and Michele Swanson …reveal how bacteria in a shipworm’s gills help digest wood in the gut, and an approach that identifies a new antibiotic from the soil.” At the link right-click “download TWiM#97” and select “Save ink As” from the pop-up menu.
Microbiome Parts 25 mins – “Do you consider yourself human? We hate to break it to you, but your human cells are considerably outnumbered by the millions of microbes living in you and on you. They’re what are known as our microbiome, and recently researchers have started to realise that these multitudes may be having an effect on our health, weight and even mood. To learn more about these microbial friends, how they get there and what they’re doing, Kat Arney spoke to science writer Ed Yong to get the basics…” At the link right-click the parts of interest then select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menus.
Nicaragua Canal 47 mins – “Nicaragua breaks ground on a massive new Atlantic-to-Pacific canal. Big Chinese money – and big environmental concerns – in Central America.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Online Ethics 74 mins – “Fresh from a party, a teen posts a photo on Facebook of a friend drinking a beer. A college student repurposes an article from Wikipedia for a paper. A group of players in a multiplayer online game routinely cheat new players by selling them worthless virtual accessories for high prices. How do youth, and the adults in their lives, think about the moral and ethical dimensions of their participation in online communities? In this talk Carrie James — Lecturer on Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of “Disconnected: Youth, New Media, and the Ethics Gap” — explores how young people approach questionable situations online as well as more dramatic ethical dilemmas that arise in digital contexts.” At the link right-click MP3 audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Open Access 41 mins – “For scholarly and scientific publishing, business models are shifting and changing dramatically. Research funding organizations primarily in the UK and US, but elsewhere in Europe and Asia as well, increasingly require unfettered access for the public to the research they have funded in academic laboratories. Failure to comply with such mandates puts future funding at risk. Yet without a flexible and friction-free infrastructure to collect article processing charges – so-called APCs – and deliver detailed reporting on those, authors and publishers face significant challenges.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
P.J. O’Rourke 35 mins – “Author P.J. O’Rourke reflects on life in the sixties to today with nostalgia and humor.” At the link find the title, “Author P.J. O’Rourke…” right-click “Media files 20150204.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
PEDOT 6 mins – “Thankfully for everyone’s sanity, poly 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene is also known as PEDOT, which I gather means ‘beasts’, ‘brutes’ or ‘ogres’ in Finnish. In reality, the molecule that is repeated to make up this long chain looks rather more like two confused mating beetles, with a linked pair of shapes, each consisting of a benzene ring with two of the carbons replaced by oxygen, and a pentagonal ring featuring a sulfur atom. What sets PEDOT apart from many other polymers (and for that matter many other substances) is that it is both a conductor and transparent. The free electrons that make, for instance, metals good conductors tend also to make for easy absorption of photons, so by far the majority of conductors are opaque. But PEDOT lets the light through, making it ideal for applications that bring light and electrical circuitry together, notably light emitting diodes, or LEDs, and solar cells.” At the link right-click “Download: CIIE_Pedot.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pesticide Resistance 51 mins – “The cycle is ongoing: We develop ways to control pests and weeds, they adapt accordingly. Resistance to pesticides is an urgent concern for agriculture, and experts are divided on the way forward. Some say chemicals are still the best solution. The EPA this fall approved “Enlist Duo,” a new combination of herbicides meant to fight chemical-resistant “super weeds.” But the NRDC and other groups filed suit to block it, citing risks to the environment and human health and concerns that we are on a dangerous path toward increased chemical use. For this month’s Environmental Outlook, what’s at stake and what’s ahead in the race against pests and weeds.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Precision Medicine 48 mins – “Precision medicine, tailored to your genes. President Obama announces a big push. We’ll take a look at the track record and potential. Plus: we’ll look at the growing measles outbreak around the United States.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Privacy Issues 21 mins – “Glenn Greenwald was one of the first reporters to see — and write about — the Edward Snowden files, with their revelations about the United States’ extensive surveillance of private citizens. In this searing talk, Greenwald makes the case for why you need to care about privacy, even if you’re “not doing anything you need to hide.” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Publishing E-Formats 21 mins – “In books and across all media, mobile matters. Yet for many publishers and authors, mobile is something of a foreign country inhabited by unfathomable digital natives and littered with devices and technologies. Published by F+W Media and released in conjunction with this year’s Digital Book World Conference, Mobile Strategies for Digital Publishing offers a snapshot of the fast developing mobile landscape and the range of mobile strategies for book publishers, both print and digital. “Mobile is no longer an add-on to a desktop computer. Publishers may think they don’t have to prioritize it, but the statistics show repeatedly that the universe is no longer desktop-to-mobile. Mobile is the universe,” says Thad McIlroy, the report author and an electronic publishing analyst based in San Francisco. “And this realization means it’s not business as usual anymore….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ransom Policy 51 mins – “The U.S., Japan and other nations strongly condemned the apparent beheading of a Japanese journalist by the extremist group known as the Islamic State or ISIS. ISIS had demanded millions of dollars for his release. Japan and Jordan were trying to arrange a prisoner swap to secure the journalist’s freedom. The murder was announced by ISIS in a video over the weekend. Recent kidnappings underscore the dilemma faced by nations whose citizens are captured by extremists. The U.S. policy is that it does not pay ransom. But other nations do, usually through intermediaries. Diane and her guests discuss hostage policy.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Raspberry Pi 64 mins – “Welcome Matt Richardson, the first US member of the Raspberry Pi Foundation! The foundation has about 15 people in various roles (hardware, admin, education, outreach). There are now approximately 4.5 million Raspberry Pi’s in the world! Dave was curious how many were orphaned but Matt says “they don’t expire”. The official add-on boards are called HATs. Adafruit coined the term “Plates” for a similar concept. The Model B+ moved from a smaller connector to a 40 pin connector, with much more pin fanout from the chip. Each HAT has an EEPROM onboard to tell the Broadcom chip how to configure the pins. Matt has published a wide range of projects on his portfolio site. Some of the best known are the awesome button and the enough already projects….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Reforestation With Drones 34 mins – “Lauren Fletcher discusses using drones to precisely drop seeds to aid reforestation; Patrick Thevoz talks about rescue drones that can bump into people without hurting them; A report on the risks of identifying people through credit card transactions; Sylvia Smith reports on the technology allowing for virtual bell ringing.” At the link find the title, “DigitalP: Drones for Good Part 1; Drones for Good Part 2; Credit Cards Anonymous; Virtual Bell Ringing” aright-click “Media files digitalp_20150203-2030a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Second Machine Age 8 mins – “Historically, technological innovation has been the most reliable foundation of improved standards of living around the world. Despite dismal beginnings, the Industrial Revolution ultimately created a huge rise in the income of workers, which in turn permitted huge improvements in nutrition, sanitation, health care, and education. Electrification then accelerated these industrial trends, allowing for safer and cleaner factories and homes. My guest today, director of the MIT Center for Digital Business, Erik Brynjolfsson, and his coauthor, Andrew McAfee, also at the MIT Center for Digital Business, refer to the automation of physical labor begun by steam power as the first machine age. Their latest book, The Second Machine Age, explores the impacts of the recent acceleration in the automation of mental labor due to digital technology, and how we might avoid having technology, for the first time, lead to long-term reductions in the quality of life for a significant portion of the population.” At the link right-click “Download podcast” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Silk Road Trial 121 mins – Hosts Leo Laporte, Nick Bilton, and Baratunde Thurston talk about the Silk Road trial in the first twenty minutes of this show. At the link right-click “Audio” beside the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Social Media Medicine 36 mins – “So Brent Thoma and I made a video as an introduction to Social Media and FOAM. Emergency Medicine Australasia was kind enough to publish it (Thank you Geof and Anthony!!). Here is the official published version.” Excellent talk about how and why professionals need to use social media. At the link you can see the video and notes and/or right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu to download the program.
Soup 48 mins – “Is it soup yet? Grab your big spoons. Bone broth and more. We have the latest in hot soups for a cold winter.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Stevens Johnson Syndrome 52 mins – “Joyce welcomes Julie McCawley founder of SJS Kids Support group, a branch of the Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Foundation. She is presently a junior at Metropolitan State University of Denver where she is majoring in human development and minoring in education. During the show, Julie will explain the mission of the Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Foundation, share why she has become a strong advocate for the organization, update everyone on her advocacy efforts against bullying and share her insight as to what students who face bullying today can do to overcome it.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sustainable Materials 29 mins – “Keith & Russ welcome Michelle Dolgos of the Oregon State University Department of Chemistry. She discusses her research into creating materials that contribute to the sustainability of the planet. Her lab uses nontoxic starting materials and low-energy inputs in their research. She also the interesting features of the piezoelectric effect, which can create materials that act as either actuators or sensors. We can find many of these materials in our own phones or in our car’s brake systems. http://dolgosgroup.chem.oregonstate.edu/” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Tata Industry 27 mins – “Tata is the biggest industrial employer in the UK, owning Jaguar, Land Rover & Tetley. Now, the Tata family no longer controls the companies which bear its name. Can this powerful organisation hold onto its historic values in a world of the ruthless multinationals?” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Tata: India’s Global Giant,” right-click “Media files docarchive_20150203-0255a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Teenage Brain 59 mins – “Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Jensen talks about her book [The Teenage Brain], the most recent work in the study of the human brain, adolescent development, and the issues of alcohol and drug abuse among teens.” At the link find the title, “Q&A: Dr. Frances Jensen,” right-click “Media files program.385988.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
The Martian 65 mins – “On the show this week we talk to author Andy Weir about The Martian, his hit science fiction novel about a man stranded on Mars—which is now being made into a film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon. The Martian is not only packed full of science, it’s packed full of science that makes sense.“ At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Trans-Pacific Partnership 51 mins – “Negotiators from 12 countries have been meeting for more than a decade on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Trade experts say the deal could boost U.S. exports by more than $100 billion dollars annually and add 600,000 jobs. As the meetings near the end, key sticking points remain on intellectual property and food imports. Critics of the TPP say the process is too secretive and favors big businesses. Supporters argue the deal would even the playing field for American manufacturers by eliminating most tariffs. Diane and guests discuss debate over the Trans-Pacific Partnership and what it could mean for the U.S. economy and American workers.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Trolly Problems 17 mins – “Is it ever morally acceptable to kill one person to save many? Most people agree that in some extreme circumstances this, though psychologically difficult, can be the right action to take. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast, Nigel Warburton interviews David Edmonds (co-creator of the Philosophy Bites podcast) about the life and death thought experiments known as Trolley Problems. David Edmonds book about Trolley Problems Would You Kill the Fat Man? will be published in Autumn 2013 by Princeton University Press.” At the link right-click beside “Direct download: “ and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Troubled Shores 58 mins – [2 parts] “With so much focus on the BP oil spill and the havoc it has wrought on the Gulf Coast, it’s easy to overlook the broader, more long-term environmental dilemma that serves as the backdrop for that catastrophe: Louisiana’s coastline is shrinking at an alarming rate. This week on Sea Change Radio, we welcome Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Bob Marshall of the New Orleans-based The Lens. In conjunction with Pro Publica, The Lens recently published Marshall’s in-depth piece on Louisiana’s imperiled shores. In the first part of our two-part discussion, Marshall recounts the history of the region’s struggle to keep dry, and delves into the reasons why human efforts to harness Mother Nature so often have gone awry…[In Part 2]…we focus on the massive undertaking of reversing a century and a half of policies that have left the Mississippi River Delta region battered.Marshall will tell us about the struggle to raise funds and political will in a part of the country where oil and gas are king. Then, from the deep South we go “Down East” to talk with former Maine State Representative Seth Berry about his state’s coastal problems — ocean acidifcation and rising sea temperatures are putting much of Maine’s fishing economy at risk. Like Louisiana, Maine has a Republican Governor, who has been throwing up obstacles for environmental groups who are trying to address the issue. Berry discusses what it will take to win the battle against the governor Politico dubbed, “America’s Craziest.” At the link right-click “Download” for Part 1 and here for Part 2, then select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Vatican Bank 51 mins – “For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church relied mostly on taxes and donations to finance operations. But during World War II, Pope Pius created The Institute for the Works of Religion. Commonly known as the Vatican Bank, it now holds billions of dollars in assets. For decades, the Bank has been plagued by a series of scandals, including bribery and money laundering. And the author of a new book says the Bank collaborated with the Nazis and tried to hide that fact for years. Pope Francis has enacted a series of reforms to end the scandals and increase transparency. Diane and guests discuss the history of the Vatican Bank and the current pope’s efforts to make lasting changes.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Vietnam 27 mins – “A Vietnamese woman’s perspective of the Vietnam War. Her memoirs have inspired film director Oliver Stone and given an essential insight into the conflict between Vietnam and the US.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: Heaven and Earth: Le Ly Hayslip,” right-click “Media files docarchive_20150204-0300b.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
William Burroughs 61 mins – “This American Life host Ira Glass was never into William Burroughs. Didn’t get why people love his writing so much. Then he heard this radio story that changed all that, partly because it wasn’t very reverential about Burroughs. For Burroughs 101st birthday, we hear that story.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Wound Sealant 5 mins – “Forget stitches — there’s a better way to close wounds. In this talk, TED Fellow Joe Landolina talks about his invention — a medical gel that can instantly stop traumatic bleeding without the need to apply pressure. (Contains medical images.)” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Wound Patch 5 mins – “Forget stitches — there’s a better way to close wounds. In this talk, TED Fellow Joe Landolina talks about his invention — a medical gel that can instantly stop traumatic bleeding without the need to apply pressure. (Contains medical images.)” At the link click “Download,” then right-click “Download audio” (or video) and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
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ARCHIVE
An alphabetic encyclopedia of 5000 of these hyperlinked descriptions is here and updated quarterly. A file of the podcasts is here , updated weekly, and can be downloaded as a 30+ 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 a podcast aggregator. The feeds are available in this opml file which most aggregators can import. A list of the feeds is here. 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.
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Media Mining Digest 