The best 104 podcasts from a larger group of 228 for the week are shown below. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted titles to get single podcasts and explore the source, although it’s easier to get all of them as a zip file here for the next four months. A collection of over 9000 similar podcasts grouped by topic can be downloaded here, but you will be limited to a 4GB maximum per download, so twelve of those will be needed to get all files, which total over 45GB and will take awhile. The first entry of that collection is a text file listing all the titles for quick searches and researching. All these abstracts have also been assembled alphabetically in three free large volumes at this link and are updated quarterly. Even more diversity is possible using a podcast aggregator loaded with this opml file of 280 sources so even the discarded podcasts can be downloaded.
Aboriginal Imprisonment in Australia 58 mins – “Prominent Indigenous leader and Australian Labor Senate nominee Pat Dodson addresses the National Press Club.” At the link find the title, “National Press Club: Pat Dodson, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files NPCc_PatDodson_1304_512k.mp4” and select “Save Link As’ from the pop-up menu.
Afro-Mexicans 45 mins – “Many black people in Mexico’s remote Costa Chica area near the Pacific ocean feel ignored and neglected by the state. A lot of Mexicans don’t even know the Afro-Mexicans exist. Outside their towns, they often get stopped by police who don’t believe they can be Mexican. Some have even been deported, despite having Mexican ID papers. So who are the black Mexicans? Lucy Duran meets members of this ethnic community that is struggling for identity and recognition. They use their culture, such as the characteristic Dance of the Devils or Chilena music, to assert their identity and fight for their rights. Activists want the state to accept black people as a separate ethnic minority, distinct from indigenous people, but with the same rights. It is not only about being able to hold your head high. It’s also about money. Those fighting for official recognition say that they’re not eligible for the special kind of financial support that similarly isolated indigenous communities get. They blame their poverty on this lack of funding. Dr Lucy Duran meets black Mexicans ranging from a cowboy to a singer-songwriter and explores how they identify themselves, why even those who do not obviously look as though they are of African descent describe themselves as black, and why their identity has become a political issue. Producer: Arlene Gregorius Consultant and translator: Dr Sergio Navarrete Pellicer.” At the link find the title, “The Afro-Mexicans, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03qg56f.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Alzheimers Caregivers 44 mins – “An estimated 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. Caring for patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia is estimated to cost the nation as much as $215 billion. According to a new national survey, a third of family members and friends caring for a loved one with the disease reduced their work hours or quit. And 28% of caregivers eat less or go hungry. The report was released right before an Alzheimer’s conference that begins here in Washington today. Diane Rehm and a panel of guests discuss why Alzheimer’s is one of the most costly diseases for families and the nation.” (5 guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
American Commerce 59 mins – “Penny Pritzker, secretary of commerce, joins Richard N. Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss the United States’ global commercial approach as it relates to exerting influence on world markets and trading partners. Delving into the domestic effects of globalization and digitization, Pritzker discusses how a growing wave of public antagonism toward free trade and new trade agreements can be addressed and mitigated.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow on the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
American Turbulance 42 mins – “Republican presidential candidates are calling for Washington to get tougher on an assertive China and reduce the size of the U.S. government. In a media call, contributors to the upcoming May/June issue of Foreign Affairs make the opposite case, calling for patience with China and a significant public role in boosting the domestic economy.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow on the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Art Market Today 60 mins – “Today’s global art market is reminiscent of a roller coaster – even as it rotates and retrenches – the ride continues to propel, excite and surprise. With a tenfold increase in buyers over the last decade, unprecedented numbers of influencers are playing a part in work being made, seen and sold. Art has inextricably become dominated by the market. Private collectors on museum boards have become the new curators, driving acquisitions and dictating exhibition content. Advisors and dealers are conditioning the next “hot” artists, who in turn, capitulate to the feeding frenzy, churning out works only to be dropped when the next fad takes hold. Galleries priorities and promote sales of commercial-friendly paintings.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Asylum Conditions in Europe 72 mins – “The pressure brought by the recent mass influx of migrants and refugees to Europe has drawn attention to the need for systems to receive and house new arrivals that can adapt to unpredictable numbers, remain cost-efficient, and meet national and EU standards. But what does it take to set up and manage a reception system that can simultaneously meet the demands of flexibility, quality, and efficiency? Michael Kegels, Fedasil Belgium’s Director of Operational Services and author of the recent MPI Europe report, Getting the Balance Right: Strengthening Asylum Reception Capacity at National and EU Levels, discusses how to devise a more responsive asylum reception system at national and EU levels that upholds common standards. He is joined by representatives from the Austrian Ministry of Interior and EASO to reflect on the practical challenges of meeting asylum-seeker reception demand, the prospects of greater cooperation, and the place of asylum reception policy at the heart of the Common European Asylum System.” At the link right-click “Download” nd select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Battery Hazard 3 mins – “Batteries in electric cars could lead to unforeseen environmental problems.” At the link find the title, “Episode 623 – April 11 2016,” right-click “Media files ScienceElements_April11_2016.mp3 “ and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bayes Theorem 91 mins – “We don’t treat all of our beliefs equally. For some, we see them as either true or false, correct or incorrect. For others, we see them as probabilities, chances, odds. In one world, certainty, in the other, uncertainty. In this episode you will learn from two experts in reasoning how to apply a rule from the 1700s that makes it possible to see all of your beliefs as being in “grayscale,” as neither black nor white, neither 0 nor 100 percent, but always somewhere in between, as a shade of gray reflecting your confidence in just how wrong you might be…given the evidence at hand.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bicycle Advocate 46 mins – “Making it easy for people to get from Point A to Point B is a big concern in urban areas. Here in Utah most people simply drive. Urban designer Mikael Colville-Andersen wants that to change. He wants more people to bike and walk, not for their health, but because they’re the easiest ways to get around. They aren’t, yet, but Colville-Andersen wants to change that, too. He joins us Wednesday to discuss how better designed cities can make it effortless for people to get from here to there without driving. Mikael Colville-Andersen is an urban designer and an urban-mobility expert. He’s the CEO and founder of the Copenhagenize Design Co. Team, which consults with cities on bicycle culture, planning, traffic, and communications. He blogs at Copenhagenize.com. He was in Salt Lake City this week as a guest of Bike Utah.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Black Voters 38 mins – “Has Donald Trump forever crushed the Republican party’s hopes of wooing the Black electorate? This week on the Remix host Dr. James Peterson speaks with Republican analyst Joe Watkins about the GOP strategy to reach out to the black voters. Joe Watkins is the Pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Philadelphia. He was a White House aide under President George W. Bush, and ran as the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in 2009. He has appeared as a political commentator on MSNBC, CNBC, and Al Jazeera, and is the Senior Vice President of External Affairs for the social media platform ElectedFace.com. You can hear James Peterson and Joe Watkins discuss the Wisconsin primaries on WHYY’s Radio Times with host Marty Moss-Coane.” At the link find the title, “Joe Watkins on Black voters and the Republican party, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files watkins-web.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Blind Navigation 20 mins – “Hull has just introduced a charter which spells out how the city is easier for blind people to get around. We go and find out if it’s working. And we speak to the journalist and crime novelist, Susie Steiner, about her eye condition, retinitis pigmentosa. Is her failing sight fuelling her creativity or just frustrating to manage?” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the poop-up menu.
Boko Haram Abductions 9 mins – “Two years ago, 276 Nigerian girls were abducted by Boko Haram from a secondary school in Chibok, Nigeria. Over 200 schoolgirls are still missing. #BringBackOurGirls founder says the international community has not followed up on their promise to help.” At the link find the title, “Failing them is failing humanity,’ says #BringBackOurGirls founder,” right-click “Download ‘Failing them is failing humanity,’ says #BringBackOurGirls founder – April 14, 2016” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Brain Mapping 25 mins – “Take a three year-old to the zoo, and she intuitively knows that the long-necked creature nibbling leaves is the same thing as the giraffe in her picture book. That superficially easy feat is in reality quite sophisticated. The cartoon drawing is a frozen silhouette of simple lines, while the living animal is awash in color, texture, movement and light. It can contort into different shapes and looks different from every angle. Humans excel at this kind of task. We can effortlessly grasp the most important features of an object from just a few examples and apply those features to the unfamiliar. Computers, on the other hand, typically need to sort through a whole database of giraffes, shown in many settings and from different perspectives, to learn to accurately recognize the animal.” At the link find the title, “Mapping the Brain to Build Better Machines,” right-click “Media files Episode33.mp3”
Breast Cancer Doctor 40 mins – “Dr Liz O’Riordan is a Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon in the UK. In 2015 she was diagnosed with the very illness she has spent her life treating and has chosen to chronicle her experiences in her truly wonderful blog liz.oriordan.co.uk. This episode is a truly special one as it touches on so many of the issues that we fear as physicians; seeing yourself as a patient with the disease you know so much about to the challenges of choosing your own doctor, when almost all of them are your friends of colleagues.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Broadband Issues 32 mins – “Matt Polka, president of the American Cable Association, and Robert Gessner, chairman of the association’s board, discuss the future of the cable industry, the potential for “skinny bundle” packages, and the set-top box market.” At the link find the title, “Communicators with Matt Polka and Robert Gessner, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files program.436170.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Broadband Point to Point Radio 27 mins – “San Franciso is one of the rare cities that has multiple high quality ISPs competing for market share, though the vast majority of people still seem to be stuck choosing only between Comcast and AT&T. This week, we talk to a rising ISP, Webpass, about their success and challenges in expanding their model. Charles Barr is the President of Webpass and Lauren Saine is a policy advisor – both join us for episode 197 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast.” At the link right-click “…download this mp3 file…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Climate Agreement Measures 64 mins – “In Professor Michael Finus’ inaugural lecture he highlights how economic theory, in particular game theory, can be used to analyze international agreements to tackle climate change.” At the link right-click ‘Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Climate Politics 57 mins – Frederic C. Rich – one of the world’s leading corporate lawyers who is at the same time a prominent environmental leader – has written a book which diagnoses why the American environmental movement has stalled. He argues that in order to move forward, Republicans must reclaim their forgotten pro-environment heritage and Green must learn to again appeal to conservatives. Tune in as we talk to Mr. Rich about how his ideas could play out, given the unique Presidential primary season we are experiencing.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Computer Programer 84 mins – “James Gosling is a Canadian computer scientist known as the father of Java programming language. Gosling was with Sun Microsystems from 1984 to 2010. He also worked at Oracle, Google, and Liquid Robotics and is currently an adviser at Scala.” At the link click “Download options,” right-click “audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Corporate Income Tax 5 mins – “Corporate Income Tax, Apr, 2016 – Audio interview by GAO staff with Jessica Lucas-Judy, Director, Strategic Issues” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Corporate Inversions 45 mins – “The U.S. Treasury Department issued new rules this week [Alpr 2016] designed to discourage corporate inversions. These are deals in which U.S. companies move their legal headquarters to a foreign country to reduce their tax burden. This is often achieved by merging with a smaller foreign firm. President Obama has called the practice unpatriotic. In what was viewed as a victory for the president, yesterday the U.S. drug maker Pzifer abandoned a multibillion-dollar foreign merger. But critics of the new tax rules say companies will find ways around them as long as the U.S. corporate tax rate remains one of the highest in the world.” (3 guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
Credit Card History 18 mins – “Credit cards with chips in them have been around for four decades. So why is America only getting them now? And now that they are here, why are so few places using them?” At the link find the title, “#695: Put A Chip On It, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files 20160413_pmoney podcast041316.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
DAPA Program Issues 71 mins – “On April 18, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in U.S. v. Texas, the Obama administration’s appeal of a lower federal court order suspending DAPA implementation. How the court rules in this legal challenge filed by 26 states will have both economic and social impacts on the population of eligible parents, their families, and the communities in which they reside. MPI experts explore who makes up the affected population, analyzing the legal arguments presented to the court, and examining the potential immediate and long-term implications of this case.” At the link right-click “Download” nd select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Doctor-Assisted Dying 27 mins – “…Over the last five years, someone has died at a rail crossing every other day. But the list of 500 most dangerous crossings in Canada has not been shared with the cities where they are. Dave Seglins shares the results from CBC’s investigation.” At the link right-click “CBC investigation uncovers Canada’s most dangerous railway crossings,” right-click “Download CBC investigation uncovers Canada’s most dangerous railway crossings – April 13, 2016” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dones in New Hampshire 2016 57 mins – “New Hampshire is among many states attempting to navigate the brave new world of these unmanned flying machines, addressing privacy and safety concerns. Meanwhile, the federal government could swoop in and make all these measures moot as lawmakers on Capitol Hill consider legislation that would allow the FAA to trump state laws.” (5 guests) At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dunning – Kruger Effect 65 mins – “In this episode, we explore why we are unaware that we lack the skill to tell how unskilled and unaware we are. The evidence gathered so far by psychologists and neuroscientists seems to suggest that each one of us has a relationship with our own ignorance, a dishonest, complicated relationship, and that dishonesty keeps us sane, happy, and willing to get out of bed in the morning. Part of that ignorance is a blind spot we each possess that obscures both our competence and incompetence called the Dunning-Kruger Effect. It’s a psychological phenomenon that arises sometimes in your life because you are generally very bad at self-assessment. If you have ever been confronted with the fact that you were in over your head, or that you had no idea what you were doing, or that you thought you were more skilled at something than you actually were – then you may have experienced this effect. It is very easy to be both unskilled and unaware of it, and in this episode we explore why that is with professor David Dunning, one of the researchers who coined the term and a scientist who continues to add to our understanding of the phenomenon.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Blind Echolocation 21 mins – “The blind man leading the blind to see – how echolocation is redefining our understanding of vision. Daniel Kish is blind but his ability to “see using sound” is remarkable. His use of echolocation to effortlessly get around using mouth clicks has earned him the nickname “Batman”. Now researchers are getting a clearer picture on the way his brain turns sounds into images and it’s redefining our understanding of vision. ” At the link right-click “mp4” beside “download video” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Education Goals 20 mins – “What’s the purpose of schooling? Reading, writing and ‘rithmetic, right? Well, our guest today begs to differ. Zoe Weil, author and the founder of the Institute for Humane Education, argues that the obligation of education is to cultivate a generation of “solutionaries” – kind, just, and socially conscious people who will protect the environment and promote human rights. We talk about her new book, The World Becomes What We Teach, and touch upon educational equity issues like implicit bias, summer learning loss, the resurgence of school segregation, and how Common Core fits into her vision for meaningful change.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Electric Cars in Canada 27 mins – “Consumers are getting all charged up over a new generation of electric cars. But Canada’s infrastructure may be lagging behind drivers’ enthusiasm. The Current takes the on-ramp towards the future for electric cars, stopping at speed bumps along the way.” At the link find the title, “Future looks bright for electric cars but Canada’s infrastructure is lacking,” right-click “Download Future looks bright for electric cars but Canada’s infrastructure is lacking – April 12, 2016” and and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Environmental Justice 61 mins – “Sally G. Bingham, president and founder of Interfaith Power and Light, discusses the role of faith communities in promoting environmental justice, as part of CFR’s Religion and Foreign Policy Conference Call series.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow on the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ethiopian Drought 20 mins – “Hundreds-of-thousands of children in Ethiopia are malnourished as famine and a drought grip the country’s eastern rim. And as the government appeals for help, there are questions about why after devastating famines in past decades this is happening again.” At the link find the title, “Ethiopia government under fire for slow response to worst drought in 50 years,” right-click “Media files current_20160414_63408.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
European Concerns 53 mins – “This week we feature a discussion presented by the Boston University Center for the Study of Europe, titled “Bad Neighborhoods: Europe’s Crisis and the Challenges of its Peripheries.” Our speakers are College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium Visiting Professor, Jacques Rupnik, and Yale University Visiting Professor of Political Science, Jolyon Howorth.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Female Judge 24 mins – “For all the power they wield in the justice system, we don’t often hear frank talk from judges, in part because they seldom step down from their prestigious posts. But judge Marie Corbett retired early and is opening up about the life she left behind.” At the link find the title, “Retired judge Marie Corbett reflects on feeling ‘powerless over crime’,” right-click “Download Retired judge Marie Corbett reflects on feeling ‘powerless over crime’ “ and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Flight Test Engineer 81 mins – “ …Our guest for this episode is aerospace engineer Eric Becker, a flight test engineer for the Naval Air Warfare Center in Patuxent River, Maryland. We refer once more to cartoon character Dilbert having “The Knack.” Eric’s first helicopter ride was on a Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion. Carmen offers the helpful insight that spaghetti bridges work best when the pasta remains uncooked. One of our guest’s early engineering classes was a course in descriptive geometry. According to Eric, a flight test engineer does “anything and everything to get data showing the aircraft is meeting is requirements.” A flight card is used to specify each aircraft maneuver and its associated setup conditions. Brian and Eric discuss the misery of writing software to meet the DO-178B standard. Eric mentions a prior episode, Career Planning, in which we with talked with Patrick Riordan about working with Designated Engineering Representatives (DERs). Our guest worked an an operations engineer on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). A brief discussion breaks out concerning the differences between scientists and engineers. Risks are future events with an occurrence probability and a potential for loss. A risk matrix can be useful in evaluating potential operational problems. …A recent best-selling book, The Checklist Manifesto, is referenced by Eric. Our guest’s advice to individuals not following the typical engineering career path is “if you want it, just do it.” Eric can be reached via email: eric -=+ at +=- internal dot org. Also, feel free to follow Eric on Twitter as @ericnbecker.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Food Health 68 mins – “This program is underwritten by The California Wellness Foundation. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 48.1 million people in America are food insecure: they do not have access to fresh, affordable, healthy food. This is the result of many interconnected factors: lack of access to grocery stores in rural communities; an abundance of fast food chains and convenience stores in inner-city communities; and a culture that subsidizes high-calorie, low-nutrient leisure foods instead of produce. As our health suffers as a national community, we are witnessing obesity, heart disease, diabetes become the public health epidemics of this generation. How can we create communities where healthy food is accessible, appealing and affordable? Join our panel of experts as they discuss the current state of the American food system, its impact on our health and on our most vulnerable populations.” At the link right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Food Waste Restaurant 5 mins – “Head to the far side of the 19th arrondissement in Paris, on metro line 7. Walk across a large, grimy square and look for a tall set of metal doors under the highway overpass. When you see the bright green painted pony, you’ll know you’ve arrived at the Freegan Pony restaurant. It’s clearly not your usual Parisian dining locale. In fact, it’s an illegal squat, set in a cavernous dark space. It’s as urban-gritty as it gets, furnished with long wooden tables, sofas and cushions, dimmed lights and occasional loud music….” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
GMO Crops 5 mins – “Genetically Engineered Crops, Apr, 2016 – Audio interview by GAO staff with Steve Morris, Director, Natural Resources and Environment” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Graphene 27 mins – “Materials scientists are researching fascinating materials that can revolutionize technology. Matteo Pasquali, Professor of Chemistry and Biomolecular Engineering & Chemistry at Rice University, tells us about graphene – a single layer of carbon atoms that can conduct electricity faster than most metals, and it is thin enough that it can even be sewn into clothing as a fiber to create wearable tech! Graphene can also be “painted” on surfaces, and may eventually help repair damaged tissue with no risk of scarring or rejection.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As’ from the pop-up menu.
Hair Business 27 mins – “Justine Lang embarks on a journey to find out why women in India sacrifice their natural hair and why an increasing number of South African women want to buy it.” At the link find the title, “Trading Hair,Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03qvsyl.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Hair Salons 46 mins – “Everything is up for discussion in the salon, where intimate and frank conversations take place between a woman and her hairstylist. Whether you view a haircut as a luxury or a necessity, a hair salon is at the frontline of how we think about female identity. Six journalists from around the world pay visits to salons across the world, from Tokyo to Johannesburg to Beirut and back. We’ll hear how women view issues of race, class, wealth, sexuality and beauty through the hair on their heads. Step inside the salon, where every haircut tells a story.” At the link find the title, “The Salon, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03qh0rs.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ham Nation 85 mins – “Hosted by Bob Heil, Gordon West, George Thomas, Don Wilbanks, Valerie Hotzfeld, Amanda Alden Val, Ray and Tim are in studio with Leo, Gordo shows how to build a loop antenna, this weeks solar forecast, George shows how to solder a PL259, Bob clears up RFI, CTU Contest University and more!” (Lots of visual aids in the video version.) At the link click “Download options,” then right-click “audio” or one of the video downloads.
Hollerith Cards 3 mins – “…Weaving a pattern into cloth is no easy matter. Different shuttles, carrying the weft strands, have to be threaded through the warp strands in a precise order to give the weave its pattern. In 1805 a French engineer named Jacquard invented means for automating that process. He passed a chain of cards, with holes punched in them, in front of a mechanism. The mechanism reached through wherever a hole let it, and picked up a thread. We’ve used the Jacquard loom principle in textile mills ever since. Five years later, in 1810, the young Englishman Charles Babbage went to Cambridge to study math and mechanics. In 1816, when he was only 25, he was made a fellow of the Royal Society for his work on calculating-machines and methods. In 1834 he conceived a machine that could be told how to carry out a sequence of calculations. He conceived of programmable computation. He never completed this “analytical engine,” as he called it, but he set down all the essential principles of today’s digital computers. Now, back to Jacquard’s loom. The key to operating any computer lies in transmitting sequences of on-off commands. Babbage used Jacquard-style punched cards. The presence or absence of a hole communicated a simple on-off command to the machine. But Babbage’s idea went fallow for a long time. Meanwhile, another bright young man, Herman Hollerith, joined the Census Office — a world of endless copying and tallying. Suppose someone asked, “What percent of our population are Irish immigrants?” How do you get an answer from millions of data sheets?….” At the link right-click “Click here for audio…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Home Theater History 80 mins – “Guests Leo Laporte, and Dick DeBartolo join Scott for a great recap of the past 6 years in home theater. They discuss the past, present, and future of home theater.” At the link click “Download options,” then right-click “audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Immigrant Organizer 69 mins – “Gabriel Thompson, Steinbeck Fellow in Creative Writing, San Jose State University; Author, America’s Social Arsonist This program is part of the Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. Gabriel Thompson’s is the first biography of Fred Ross, who believed a good labor organizer should fade into the crowd. But the mentor of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta is hard to forget. In America’s Social Arsonist, Thompson provides a full picture of this complicated and driven man. Raised by conservative parents, Fred Ross disappointed them by becoming a very influential community organizer. His activism began alongside Dust Bowl migrants when he managed the same labor camp that was fictionalized in The Grapes of Wrath. During World War II, Ross worked for the release of interned Japanese Americans, and after the war he dedicated his life to building the political power of Latinos across California, which succeeded after Ross knocked on the door of a young Cesar Chavez and encouraged him to become an organizer.” At the link right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Indian Planned Parenthood 20 mins – “A new study shows the practice of sex selection with a preference for boys in the Indo-Canadian community. In a country where abortion is legal, how can those who believe in the right to choose confront those who use sex selection to abort females?” At the link find the title, “Indo-Canadian couples choosing sons over daughters: study – April 13, 2016,” right-click “Download Indo-Canadian couples choosing sons over daughters: study” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Investment Diversification 37 mins – “In this audio version from Chapter 6 from Paul’s book, “Financial Fitness Forever,” he discusses the long-term impact of diversifying beyond large cap companies to include both U.S. and International small cap and value asset classes, as well as REITs and emerging markets. While he makes no promises about the future, the evidence from over 40 years of performance suggests the possibilities of doubling the long-term return for you and your heirs.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Lucky Breaks 72 mins – “This week, EconTalk host Russ Roberts sat down with Cornell’s Robert Frank to discuss his new book, Success and Luck: Good Fortune and the Myth of Meritocracy. As in past episodes with Frank as a guest, it was a spirited conversation, with several good-natured points of disagreement. So where do you stand? Is luck responsible for a larger share of our success than we’re willing to admit? Or is luck, as Branch Rickey said, merely “the residue of design” of the result of good old-fashioned effort?” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Marijuana Risks 33 mins – “What has convinced some researchers that the risks of heavy cannabis use now warrant public health campaigns to warn people of potential harm? .How real is the risk of psychosis among vulnerable users of the drug? And why has the number of young people receiving treatment for cannabis-related problems seemingly been on the rise in the UK? Ian Sample is joined by Sir Robin Murray, professor of psychiatric research at King’s College London, Suzi Gage, senior research associate in the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at Bristol University and Ian Hamilton, a mental health lecturer at the University of York.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Migraines 44 mins – “Severe, throbbing head pain, sensitivity to light, nausea…these are just some of the symptoms the 36 million migraine sufferers in the U.S. regularly endure. The WHO still ranks migraine among the most debilitating conditions worldwide. And yet it has remained difficult to treat. Patients have long relied on medication meant for other illnesses to manage migraine headaches, sometimes with limited success. But that could be changing: New drugs are being tested that target a chemical involved with the brain’s pain signaling during migraines. And while questions remain, the drugs show promise. Why some experts say it’s a new era for our understanding of migraine and how to treat it.” (3 guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
Minimum Wages 44 mins – “Yesterday, the governors of California and New York signed laws that would gradually raise the minimum wage in those states to $15 an hour. The new laws were cheered by labor unions and other advocates for low-wage earners. They say the increase is necessary for workers trying to pay the high cost of living expenses. But business groups warn that higher minimum wages will cost thousands of jobs and lead to higher prices for consumers. Diane and a panel of guests discuss the debate over raising minimum wages in the states and what it could mean for consumers, businesses and the 2016 presidential race. (4 guests)
Myanmar 61 mins – “Priscilla A. Clapp, senior advisor to the United States Institute for Peace, discusses Myanmar’s newly elected government and offers recommendations for how the United States and other international actors can support its democratic transition, as part of CFR’s Academic Conference Call series.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow on the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Neutrons 40 mins – “Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the neutron, one of the particles found in an atom’s nucleus. Building on the work of Ernest Rutherford, the British physicist James Chadwick won the Nobel Prize for Physics for his discovery of the neutron in 1932. Neutrons play a fundamental role in the universe and their discovery was at the heart of developments in nuclear physics in the first half of the 20th century. With Val Gibson Professor of High Energy Physics at the University of Cambridge and fellow of Trinity College Andrew Harrison Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Light Source and Professor in Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh And Frank Close Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Oxford.” At the link find the title, “The Neutron, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files p03r0gbr.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Octopus Book 25 mins – “Inky the octopus made news this week for escaping a New Zealand aquarium through a drain pipe to freedom. The Current explores the mind of the octopus and asks why it is that we’re consistently wowed by stories of animal intelligence. Aquarium manager Rob Yarrall says the lid to the octopus’ tank was left slightly ajar after maintenance one night. He found this rather tempting, climbed out,” Yarrall says, “and he managed to make his way to one of the drain holes that go back to the ocean, and off he went, and didn’t even leave us a message, just off and went!” At the link find the title, “Inky the octopus’s tenacious escape reveals intelligent, soulful creature,” right-click “Download Inky the octopus’s tenacious escape reveals intelligent, soulful creature – April 15, 2016,” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Octopus Escapes 3 mins – “A well-loved octopus named Inky escaped recently from the National Aquarium in New Zealand. This story is based on a radio interview. Listen to the full interview.
Opiate Use 57 mins – “State lawmakers, doctors, and others in the medical profession have been hammering out new guidelines for prescribing these drugs to tackle the issue of over-use and alleviate the addiction crisis. We’ll get the latest on this discussion and also find out how New Hampshire’s approach compares with other states.” (4 guests) At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Palliative Care 115 mins – “At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? And how can knowing this help you live better lives now? BJ Miller, MD (@zenhospice) knows. BJ is a palliative care physician at Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco, where he thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients. He is an expert in death, but he’s also learned how we can dramatically improve our own lives, often with very small changes. When you consider that he has guided or been involved with ~1,000 deaths, it’s not surprising that he’s spotted patterns we can all learn from. BJ is also a triple amputee, and his 2015 TED Talk, “Not Whether But How,” is a moving reflection on his vision to make empathic end-of-life care available to all, ranked among the top-15 most viewed TED talks of the year. If you want to know what being around death can teach you about living, you’ll want to listen to this.I LOVED this conversation, and I hope you do as well. Enjoy.” At the link find the title, “The Man Who Studied 1,000 Deaths to Learn How to Live, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files Tim Ferriss Show, BJ Miller.mp3” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Perceptions 40 mins – “The older and wiser we get, the more bewildering our past decisions can seem. This week, people revisit those decisions — and we revisit a story we aired a year ago with new, fascinating updates about a groundbreaking study that turned out to be false. A year ago, we did a story about a study that found that a simple 20-minute conversation could change someone’s mind about controversial issues like gay marriage and abortion. But a few weeks after we aired the story, the study was discredited. A couple of researchers decided to redo the experiment the right way, and released their results this week. (3 minutes) The story from the prologue continues, with the researchers re-doing the canvassing experiment. And the results are even more surprising this time around. (27 minutes) Comedian Chris Gethard has a new podcast called Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, where people can call in to talk to him about anything for an hour. Our editor, Joel Lovell, tells us about his favorite episode thus far — featuring a man who calls in desperately seeking Chris’ guidance. (15 minutes) Senior Producer Brian Reed tells Ira about a book entitled “Now I Know Better,” where children write cautionary tales recounting horrific accidents they’ve endured. He also interviews one of the book’s contributors about his childhood mishap. (9 1/2 minutes)” At the link right-click “Download’ and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Podcast Evolution 40 mins – “Kelly McEvers, co-host of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” talks about hosting the award-winning afternoon newsmagazine and her past work covering hot spots around the globe. She will also talk about her new podcast “Embedded” which takes stories from the news and takes you to where they are happening.” At the link find the title, “NPR’s Kelly McEvers on Covering Global Conflict, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files IM_20160402.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Population Control 60 mins – “With what we know about climate change, should anyone add another child into that future? We’ll get two points of view from women who write about it: Madeline Ostrander and Alisha Graves. Then we hear recent science from Dr. Marcus Donat proving extreme rainfall events, and extreme drought will continue and get worse as the planet warms. I’m Alex Smith. Buckle up, and off we go, in this week’s Radio Ecoshock.” At the link right-click “Lo-Fi” in “Download or listen to this Radio Ecoshock show in CD Quality (56 MB) or Lo-Fi (14 MB)” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Property Brothers 63 mins – “Jonathan and Drew Scott have taken HGTV by storm with their four hit shows, “Property Brothers,” “Property Brothers at Home,” “Buying & Selling,” and “Brother vs. Brother.” The talented duo share the ins and outs of buying, selling, and renovating your home and offer helpful tips to stay on time and on budget.” At the link right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Publishing for Smart Phones 15 mins – “”In Thailand, according to the latest available figures for the first quarter of 2014, mobile telephone subscriptions outnumbered landlines by more than 15 to 1. Among 18-24 year olds, daily Internet access is now nearly a universal habit, and Thais make up the third largest population of Facebook users in the world. A more digital nation is difficult to find. Yet when it comes to digital publishing in the national language, Thailand confronts a challenge over one thousand years old: Thai has a unique written script, with 44 consonant letters and 15 vowel symbols. Unlike for languages that have adopted the Roman alphabet, the move from print to digital can be daunting. “For Thailand, because we have our own alphabet, it’s very complicated,” explains Trasvin Jittidecharak, founder of Silkworm Books, based in her hometown of Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. “For Vietnamese or Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Malay that use the Roman alphabet, to transform into digital books, it’s easier. This [difficulty] also applies for the Myanmar (Burmese) language, Cambodian, and Laotian.” Around the globe, and especially in developing economies, the explosion of smartphone technology has led to the rise of self-publishing as a do-it-yourself distribution channel for self-expression and information. Jittidecharak currently sits on the Executive Committee of the International Publishers Association (IPA), where her experience adds an important measure of perspective….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Railway Crossing Accidents 21 mins – “Over the last five years, someone has died at a rail crossing every other day. But the list of 500 most dangerous crossings in Canada has not been shared with the cities where they are. Dave Seglins shares the results from CBC’s investigation. After reviewing accident records of the Transportation Safety Board, a CBC investigation discovered that over the past five years, there are on average 179 rail crossing accidents every year: One every two days. There have been at least 463 people killed at railway crossings since 2000. And most of 16,000 railway crossings in Canada don’t have automated arms. The list of 500 most dangerous crossings in the Canada has not been shared with the cities, or jurisdictions, where they’re located.” At the link find the title, “CBC investigation uncovers Canada’s most dangerous railway crossings,” right-click “Download CBC investigation uncovers Canada’s most dangerous railway crossings – April 13, 2016” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Refugee Children in Sweden 54 mins – “ In a collaboration with The Bureau of Investigative Journalism in the United Kingdom and KQED in California, this episode of Reveal tells the stories of children crossing borders alone. You’ll hear about the wars they’re fleeing, where they’re trying to go and what happens to them when they get there. We followed migrants who traveled from Afghanistan to Sweden to London, from El Salvador and Mexico to California, and we found that kids seeking safe harbor in Europe and the U.S. often confront years of uncertainty and insecurity when they arrive.” At the link find the title, “Kids crossing borders – alone, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files Kids-crossing-borders-alone podcast master.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Rust Belt Innovation 45 mins – “For decades Americans have watched as blue-collar workers lost their jobs in droves to cheap labor overseas. The nation’s once-thriving industrial heartland became known as the Rust Belt, marked by abandoned factories, population decline and urban decay. But a new book points to a renaissance occurring in some Rust-Belt cities like Akron, Ohio, and Albany, N.Y. The authors – an economist and a journalist – argue that by focusing on how to make things in ways that are smarter, instead of cheaper, some former Rust Belt areas are becoming “Brain Belts.” Join Diane and her guests to learn about some new and unlikely hotspots of global innovation. bilitating conditions worldwide. And yet it has remained difficult to treat. Patients have long relied on medication meant for other illnesses to manage migraine headaches, sometimes with limited success. But that could be changing: New drugs are being tested that target a chemical involved with the brain’s pain signaling during migraines. And while questions remain, the drugs show promise. Why some experts say it’s a new era for our understanding of migraine and how to treat it.” (2 guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
School Improvement Project 45 mins – “This year some of the largest school districts in California will begin testing students on these and other so-called social-emotional skills – and incorporate the results into school assessments. Educators around the country are paying close attention. A recent update to federal law requires states to include at least one nonacademic measure in evaluating school performance. And they are looking to these districts as a potential model. But even advocates of teaching these skills warn the tests are unreliable, and the skills themselves need further definition.” (4 guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
Science Games 21 mins – “From NOVA Education, we welcome outreach coordinator Ralph Bouquet to showcase NOVA Labs – a free digital platform featuring games that foster authentic scientific exploration. With engaging interactives and informative videos, NOVA Labs allows students to participate in an area of active research where they can analyze and play with the same data that scientists use. Listen to the show to see how your students can participate in science by tracking cloud movements, designing biomolecules, or defending against sophisticated cyber attacks.” At the link right-click “download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sex Assault Response 6 mins – “Sexual Assault Response, Apr, 2016 – Audio interview by GAO staff with Katherine Iritani, Director, Health Care.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Simple Card Bank 60 mins – “The International Edition – On this episode of Slate Money, hosts Cathy O’Neil of mathbabe.org, Felix Salmon of Fusion, and Slate Moneybox columnist Jordan Weissmann discuss money going global with Simple CEO Josh Reich. Topics discussed on today’s show include: Josh’s story of how he started a mobile banking company. Can the financial tech industry save banking? The bigger story behind the Panama Papers.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow on the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Suicides in Canada 21 mins – “Attawapiskat is a community in crisis. Aboriginal youth in northern Ontario take their own lives at a rate 50 times the national average. Those trying to save them are begging for help, calling for national action to deal with the mental health emergency.” At the link find the title, “Dying from hopelessness’: Attawapiskat desperate to stop suicide pandemic,” right-click “Download ‘Dying from hopelessness’: Attawapiskat desperate to stop suicide pandemic – April 12, 2016” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Tax Avoidance 12 mins – “The leak of the Panama Papers shows a link between the sums siphoned out of developing nations into tax havens and away from basic public services for citizens. It adds up to an estimated $200 billion U.S. a year. The Current connects the dots.” At the link find the title, “Panama Papers expose human costs of global tax avoidance,” right-click “Download Panama Papers expose human costs of global tax avoidance – April 11, 2016” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Teaching Profession 26 mins – “Can Technology Save the Teaching Profession? – There are few people who know teachers and the art of teaching as well as Barnett Berry. He’s the founder and CEO of the Center for Teaching Quality, a national nonprofit that advances a high-quality public education system for all students, driven by the bold ideas and expert practices of teachers. Barnett’s two books, Teaching 2030 and Teacherpreneurs, frame his bold vision for the teaching profession’s future. But is it too bold? Perhaps downright impossible? A few weeks ago, The Center for Teaching Quality put out a new paper commissioned by the Ford Foundation, all about the concept of “deeper learning.” Barnett stopped by EdSurge to share some of the papers’ findings, but we wanted more. Barnett and his team make the argument in the paper that if we want to achieve deeper learning in the classroom, we need to do a better job developing teacher leaders. But does that mean they have to leave the classroom to become administrators? And where does technology play a role in all of this?” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Terrorist Survivors 44 mins – “Terror attacks always grab the headlines when they happen, but after days or weeks the world’s attention moves on. The Current speaks with survivors of three terror attacks – in Paris, Kenya, and Oklahoma City – about their experiences and how they cope.” At the link find the title, “‘I don’t know why I survived’: Survivors reflect on coping after a terror attack,” right-click “Download ‘I don’t know why I survived’: Survivors reflect on coping after a terror attack – April 11, 2016” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Voice Science 25 mins – “…The Voder was invented by an engineer and speech scientist named Homer Dudley, who worked at Bell Labs, a research facility owned by AT&T. During the 1920s and 1930s, Bell Labs was doing all kinds of research into the human voice, exploring how to synthesize, digitize, and compress speech for long-distance transmission. The Voder was a novelty off-shoot connected to Dudley’s broader research, but it’s closely connected to a number of Bell Labs inventions that continue to shape our world today. Their influence can be seen in the realm of digital media, but also in the workings of the internet more fundamentally. And on top of all that, Dudley’s inventions helped win a war…..” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow under the title, “Vox Ex Machina” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Voting Fraud .60 mins – “Former U.S. Civil Rights Commission Chair Mary Frances Berry talks about illegal voting practices. She is interviewed by Spencer Overton, president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.” At the link find the title, “After Words with Mary Frances Berry, Apr, 2016, right-click “Media files program.432379.MP3-STD.mp3” and select “Save Link as” from the pop-up menu.
W Kamu Bell 49 mins – “Comic W. Kamau Bell is taking his political and social satire to CNN, where he’s hosting a new docu-series called ‘United Shades of America.’ He describes himself as having made a living finding humor in the parts of America he doesn’t understand. Kevin Whitehead reviews jazz guitarist Julian Lage’s album ‘Arclight.’ Comics Nadia Manzoor and Radhika Vaz play Muslim immigrants dealing with speed dating, cat calls and other aspects of life in secular New York in their sketch-comedy series ‘Shugs & Fats.’ “ At the link find the title, “Apr 2016 Best Of: W. Kamau Bell / ‘Shugs & Fats’,” click the circle with three dots, right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Water in Colorado 25 mins – “Host Beth Bennett interviews Bob Crifasi, author of A Land Made of Water (starts at 4’55”). Bob works in water management and planning and is an environmental scientist with over 25yr experience. He was the Water Resources Administrator for the city of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Dept. He has served on board of directors of 11 ditch companies and as the president of several, supervising all aspects of ditch operation.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu. We discuss the Webpass model, which uses fixed wireless and fiber to serve high density apartment buildings where they are allowed in by the landlord. Unfortunately, they have been locked out of many of these buildings and are looking to the city of San Francisco to adopt better policies to ensure a single provider like AT&T cannot monopolize the building. Though the FCC has made exclusive arrangement unenforceable, the big providers are still finding ways to lock out competition. e also talk a little about the role of fiber and fixed wireless technologies, chokepoints more generally, and why Webpass is so sure it could succeed if residents were all able to to choose the ISP they wanted. At the link right-click “…download this mp3 fiel…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Zika Impact 44 mins – Laurie Garrett, CFR’s senior fellow for global health, discusses the domestic and international ramifications of the Zika virus outbreak, as part of CFR’s Religion and Foreign Policy and State and Local Officials Conference Call series.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow on the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
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Media Mining Digest 