Earobics – aerobics for the brain: the 72 podcasts shown below present the best ideas, information and stories from a larger group of 216 for the week for your ears while your hands and eyes are busy. Double or ctrl-click individual titles to get single podcasts and explore the source, although it’s easier to get all the files in zip format here for the next four months. A collection of over 12,000 similar podcasts, listed alphabetically, can be downloaded piecemeal or in groups here. You’ll be limited to a 4GB maximum per download, so at least twelve group downloads will be needed to get all files, which total over 45GB and may take awhile. The first entry of this collection is a text file listing all the titles for quicker reference. An alphabetized collection of all 10,000 abstracts is available at this link and it’s updated quarterly. Even more diversity is possible using a podcast aggregator loaded with this opml file of 340 sources, so even the discarded podcasts can be found and downloaded. Exercise your ears and let everything else relax.
AI Possibilities 31 mins – “Okay, you asked for it, and I finally did it. Today’s episode is about conscious artificial intelligence. Which is a HUGE topic! So we only took a small bite out of all the things we could possibly talk about.” At the link find the title, “Rude Bot Rises, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files rudebotrises.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Alzheimers Caregiver 27 mins – “Meet a young caregiver who her life on hold to help her mother with early-onset Alzheimer`s.” At the link find the title, “Still Kathryn,” right-click “Download Still Kathryn” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
American Apparel T-shirts 45 mins – “Season 4 of StartUp continues with the story of a well-known entrepreneur [Dov Charney] who built a widely recognized business, lost it all, and is now starting over—from scratch. Over the next several episodes, we’ll hear as this founder makes his second attempt at success, and creates an entirely new company in the shadow of his controversial past.” Atthe link findthe title, “Part 1: Labels (Season 4, Episode 4),” right-click “Media files GLT4763721113.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Antibiotic Resistance Future 15 mins – “Over the past 85 years, antibiotics have been miracle drugs. They’ve kept infections at bay and opened up a world of medical possibilities: organ transplants, heart surgery, chemotherapy. But they’re not going to work forever. The age antibiotic resistance is coming. So what does a world without these drugs look like?” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Astronaut Story 41 mins – “Like many kids, Mike Massimino dreamed of becoming an astronaut. Against all odds, he turned that dream into reality. This is his storyStepping out onto the surface of the moon on 20th July 1969, Neil Armstrong boldly went where no man had gone before. In doing so, he inspired a whole generation of eager, space-dreaming, future astronauts. One of these was Mike Massimino, who joins Hannah Devlin in the studio this week to reflect on the unlikely tale that took him from the streets of New York to the Hubble Telescope and back.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bad Science 60 mins – “This week we’re talking about what bad science looks like, why good scientists with good intentions often use techniques of bad science in their work, and how we may be unintentionally selecting for bad science over good science in our culture. We speak with Michael Inzlicht, Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, about the replication crisis currently underway in the field of social psychology. And we talk with Paul Smaldino, Assistant Professor of Cognitive and Information Sciences at the University of California, Merced, about his recent paper “The Natural Selection of Bad Science” and how the incentives built into our science culture may also be creating an environment where bad science thrives.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As”from the pop-up menu.
Bank Loan History 52 mins – “In a new book, legal scholar Mehrsa Baradaran argues that America has two systems for personal banking. The rich have personal bank accounts at brick-and-mortar businesses, while the poor either don’t bank at all or rely on payday lenders and check cashers that charge exorbitant rates and fees. The result, Baradaran says, is a sadly ironic situation where “the less money you have, the more you pay to use it.” She joins us Tuesday to explain how we got into this mess, and how we might get out of it. Mehrsa Baradaran is an Associate Professor at the University of Georgia School of Law. Her new book is called How the Other Half Banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and the Threat to Democracy” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link as” from the pop-up menu.
Barbara Boxer Biography 66 mins – “Barbara Boxer, U.S. Senator (D-California); Author, The Art of Tough: Fearlessly Facing Politics and Life; Twitter @SenatorBoxer Holly Kernan, Executive Editor, News, KQED—Moderator This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. “One goal of this memoir is to inspire people to fight for change. It takes what I call the Art of Tough and I’ve had to do it all my life.” —Senator Barbara Boxer Barbara Boxer has made her mark, combining compassionate advocacy with scrappiness in a political career spanning more than three decades. Now, retiring from the Senate, she continues the work to which she’s dedicated 30 years in Congress. Her memoir, The Art of Tough, shares her provocative and touching recollections of service, and cements her commitment to the fight for women, families, quality, and environmental protection—all in a peaceful world. Sometimes lauded, sometimes vilified, but always standing tough, Boxer has fought for her values even when her personal convictions conflicted with her party or the majority rule.” At the link right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Big Thing Production 74 mins – “Chris and Dave discuss Pro Bono engineering work, manufacturing big things in high volume, buying stuff from Shenzhen, attacking IoT devices, crazy VC fundraising and quickly copying kickstarters.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Birth Control 41 mins – “This episode we’re talking birth control: what happens when everybody has 100% control over when they do or don’t have babies? To find out I called up a bunch of people who know all about the past, present and future of baby making. Aaron Hamlin explains why male birth control has been so elusive. Haylin Belay explains what is keeping women from gaining access to birth control today. Alexis Madrigal talks about a future in which conception is perfected in the lab. And Elaine Tyler May talks about what we can learn about this future from the history of the birth control pill in America.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Brain Injuries 42 mins – “There’s a lot of misinformation about traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). One extreme example: people who go see their doctors about a possible concussion after a regular bump to the head, like hitting their heads on a low ceiling. The good news, according to Dr. Kathleen Bell, Professor and Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Texas, is that the majority of people who suffer mild TBIs will recover. Episode 152 is a real treat, with not one, but two experts. Dr. Martin Monti, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at UCLA, and Dr. Bell talk to us about the nature of traumatic brain injuries, when it’s a “no brainer” to go see a doctor, and how to create a brain resilient to injury.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Broadband in North Carolina 28 mins – “Pinetops, a town of about 1,300 outside Wilson, North Carolina, is suffering a double calamity as Hurricane Matthew has left floods and incredible damage in its wake. Less natural but no less frustrating is the unforced error by the North Carolina Legislature in effectively prohibiting municipal broadband networks. This week, we have a doubleheader interview with Will Aycock, the General Manager of Wilson’s fiber-optic Greenlight service, and Suzanne Coker Craig, a local business owner and town council member. They talk discuss the devastation from the hurricane and the threat from the town’s only broadband provider being forced to leave town by an ill-conceived state statute. We often talk about how important modern Internet networks are, but the Pinetops reaction to this storm is a stirring reminder of how true that is. Whether it was as the hurricane approached, hit, or left town, local leadership had to continue fighting to retain Wilson’s Internet service because it is that important to them. Fortunately, Wilson has announced that it will not cut off Pinetops as expected. Instead, it will offer free service, which is not prohibited by current law. Wilson is generously giving the state six months to fix the law so Pinetops is not economically harmed by losing high quality Internet access.> At the link right-click “…download this mp3…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Calais Jungle Ends 27 mins – “Gavin Lee documents the final days of France’s notorious migrant camp, meeting inhabitants from as far afield as Gambia and Afghanistan to ask what the future holds for them now.” At the link find the title, “The last days of the Calais Jungle, Nov, 2016,” right-click “Media files p04dz7kf.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Civility Declines 47 mins – “A recent survey of likely voters finds that 76 percent say civility has declined over the last decade, to the point where most Americans believe the lack of civility in politics is a “crisis.” In that same survey, twice as many voters blame Republican candidate Donald Trump for the rising incivility. He has called his opponent in this race “the devil,” “a liar” and “a nasty woman.” Some say what we are seeing in this election reflects a change in the culture of manners and decorum, including a blurring of the lines between private and public talk. Guest host Derek McGinty and guests discuss the decline of civility, a divisive presidential election and what it could mean for the democratic process.” (4guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Click-Together App and Pepe the Frog 35 mins – “One man tries to unite America. One Frog [Matt Furie] threatens to tear it apart.” At the link find the title, “#81 In the Tall Grass,” right-click “Media files GLT7149920831.mp3”and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Container ships 26 mins– “Cheap clothes, electronics, food — all of it travels the globe by ship. And the true cost of shipping is higher than you may think. The Current looks into an eye-opening investigation into the murky world of shipping with the director of Freightened.” At the link find the title, “Documentary unveils murky world of shipping, Oct, 2016,” right-click “Media files current 20161028_12460.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Craft Beer History 35 mins – “In 1984, Jim Koch felt suffocated by his cushy but boring corporate job. So he left, dusted off an old family beer recipe, started Sam Adams, and helped kickstart the craft beer movement in America.” At the link find the title, “Samuel Adams: Jim Koch, Oct, 2016,” right-click “Media files 20161025_hibt_samadams.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Crime Control Policy 30 mins – “In the early 1980s, a couple of researchers wrote an article in The Atlantic that would have far reaching consequences. The article introduced a new idea about crime and policing. It was called Broken Windows. The idea was simple: A broken window is a sign of a neglected community, and a neglected community is a place where crime can thrive. The researchers said, if police fixed the small problems that created visible signs of disorder, the big ones would disappear. Today, we explore how ideas sometimes get away from those who invented them.. And then are taken to places that were never intended.” At the link find the title, “Episode 50: Broken Windows, Nov, 26,” right-click “Media files 20161031_hiddenbrain_50.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dakota Pipeline Protest 5 mins – “It started last April with two people from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota praying in a teepee for others to come and help fight an oil pipeline they believed would threaten their land and water. And come they did — climate activists, social justice groups, Black Lives Matter, Native people from around the world and just down the road. Today the flags of nearly 300 tribes fly over a protest camp called Seven Council Fires, the epicenter of the growing fight over the Dakota Access oil pipeline. …Their collective target is a nearly $4 billion pipeline that would carry oil from North Dakota’s Bakken fields to Illinois, with a capacity to transport as much as 570,000 barrels of oil a day. All that oil could have a big impact on the climate — “it would increase emissions by the equivalent of 29.5 new coal-fired power plants,” said Kandi Mossett of the Indigenous Environmental Network — but for Native people here the fight is mainly about protecting sacred sites and the water of the Missouri River….“You have a blockade across a state highway,” Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney told protesters gathered at the site along State Highway 1806 on Oct. 26. “You’ve occupied private land. You’re forcing our hand.”… More than 50 protesters were treated for injuries and the arrested had numbers written on their arms. Most were held in Bismarck for hours, barefoot, in chain-link cages resembling dog kennels. … Meanwhile, construction on the pipeline continues. Drone footage taken by opponents this week shows it has nearly reached the Missouri River. And backers say there’s no reason to hold it up….They got a break recently when the US Army Corps of Engineers put a hold on the key Missouri River crossing next to the reservation.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dakota Pipeline Protest 20 mins – “Indigenous activists in Canada and the U.S. are urging the Lakota Sioux to stand their ground in the Dakota Access pipeline dispute that they say has implications for Native lands. The company behind the pipeline says it’s safe but the standoff continues.” At the link find the title, “No end in sight for Standing Rock protest against Dakota Access pipeline, Oct, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20161101_13523.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Direct Democracy 29 mins – “Today we travel to a future where America has converted to a direct democracy. Everybody votes on everything!” At the link find the title, “Swipe Right For Democracy, Apr, 2016,” right-click “Media files swiperightfordemocracy.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Drought in California 53 mins – “Noah Diffenbaugh, Professor, Stanford University Peter Gleick, President, The Pacific Institute Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture This program was generously underwritten by the S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation. California storms and droughts are getting more extreme, according to new research from Stanford examining recent rainfall patterns. The result is a new normal, with fewer average years and more dry times and also more wet times. Other forecasters warn that California might be entering an extended period of drought known as a megadrought. Uncertainty about changing rainfall is a challenge for the state’s water system built on the predictable arrival of snow and rain. What is California doing to prepare for bigger storms and droughts? How can an average person use water more efficiently and think about the water embedded in their food? Join us for a conversation about California’s water future in strangely wet and dry times driven in part by the high-pressure system hanging off the coast called the “ridiculously resilient ridge.” At the link right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Educating the Poor 14 mins – “Why should a good education be exclusive to rich kids? Schools in low-income neighborhoods across the US, specifically in communities of color, lack resources that are standard at wealthier schools — things like musical instruments, new books, healthy school lunches and soccer fields — and this has a real impact on the potential of students. Kandice Sumner sees the disparity every day in her classroom in Boston. In this inspiring talk, she asks us to face facts — and change them.” At the link click “Download,” right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Energy Security 59 mins – “Deputy Secretary Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall provides her perspective on the changing definition of energy security and the role of innovation in ensuring America’s energy future.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
FBI Politics 16 mins – “Last Friday, FBI Directory James Comey informed Congress of a potential link between a device owned by disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The disclosure effectively reopened the investigation into Clinton’s private server and email activity during her time as Secretary of State. It also set off a firestorm of protests from both sides of the aisle. Just what is the role of the FBI when investigating politicians and did Comey cross a line with a move that many are interpreting as interfering with a presidential election within two weeks of Americans voting? In this BackStory short take, the Guys talk to Yale historian Beverly Gage about the history of the FBI’s involvement in U.S. elections.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Federal Agency Improvement 42 mins – “A tiny behavioral-sciences startup is trying to improve the way federal agencies do their work. Considering the size (and habits) of most federal agencies, this isn’t so simple. But after a series of early victories — and a helpful executive order from President Obama — they are well on their way.” At the link click the circle with three dots, right-click “Download this audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Food Delivery Engineering 11 mins – “Your company might have donated money to help solve humanitarian issues, but you could have something even more useful to offer: your data. Mallory Soldner shows us how private sector companies can help make real progress on big problems — from the refugee crisis to world hunger — by donating untapped data and decision scientists. What might your company be able to contribute?” At the link click “Download,” right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Food Revolution and Catastrophes 60 mins – “Michael Brownlee is the author of “The Local Food Revolution: How Humanity Will Feed Itself in Uncertain Times”. We glean tips and directions from his ten year struggle in Colorado localization. Robert Muir-Wood is a top adviser to governments, insurance, and business on preparing for natural disasters. Learn the real risks and how we all can do better. Not everything is climate change. A little later we’ll talk with one of the world’s top disaster experts, Robert Muir-Wood about his new book “The Cure for Catastrophe: How We Can Stop Manufacturing Natural Disasters.” By the way, my newest song “Wholly Nature” can be heard in this program, and downloaded at the bottom of this blog.” At the link right-click “Download… Lo-Fi…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Food Supply Concerns 60 mins – “Michael Brownlee is the author of “The Local Food Revolution: How Humanity Will Feed Itself in Uncertain Times”. We glean tips and directions from his ten year struggle in Colorado localization. Robert Muir-Wood is a top adviser to governments, insurance, and business on preparing for natural disasters. Learn the real risks and how we all can do better. Not everything is climate change. A little later we’ll talk with one of the world’s top disaster experts, Robert Muir-Wood about his new book “The Cure for Catastrophe: How We Can Stop Manufacturing Natural Disasters.” At the link right-click “ Download this program in Lo-Fi…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Free Trade Globally 59 mins – “Good morning. Welcome to today’s Council on Foreign Relations breakfast. I see many familiar faces. It’s a pleasure to have you all join this morning. I’m Zoe Baird, for those of you who don’t know me. I’m CEO and president of the Markle Foundation, and founder of SKILLFUL, which is an effort to build a skills-based labor market nationally to create many more opportunities for good jobs for those who don’t have a college diploma. We are very fortunate this morning to have Greg Hayes, the chairman and CEO of United Technologies to speak with us, and then to take a few questions from me and then questions from our members as well. So I will now turn over the microphone to Greg for a few opening remarks, and then we’ll have our question and answer session. Thank you….”At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ghost Stories 51 mins – “Monday, we’re taking a haunted tour of America with writer Colin Dickey. Don’t worry though, we won’t try to convince you that ghosts or the paranormal are necessarily real. Dickey’s new book explores the bigger cultural questions behind these tales. Traveling to haunted mansions, brothels, industrial ruins, parks, and more, he asks why we tell these stories and how they help us make sense of our world. Dickey joins us to talk about what he calls “an American history in haunted places.” Colin Dickey is a cultural historian and writer. His work has appeared in The Paris Review and The New Inquiry among many others. His book is called Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link as” from the pop-up menu.
Health Care in US 21 mins – “Discussion of the US election, and of the importance of underlying social determinants of health for the US health policy environment.” At the link find the title, “US Election: The Lancet: November 4, 2016,” right-click “Media files 04november-uselection.MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Hurricane Matthew Response 30 mins – “In part two of this special disaster response segment for the Disaster Podcast is a visit with Dr. Joe Holley, we chat with him about his deployment with the federal response to Hurricane Matthew’s hit on the east coast of the U.S. Hosts Jamie Davis, the Podmedic and Sam Bradley are joined again by Kevin Reiter from WildSafety.com and BJ Schneider from XiphosBooks.net to join our discussion. In this second half of the episode, Joe and the others discuss the operational concerns of the response after covering the preparations and logistical concerns last week on the show. If you haven’t checked out the first part of this podcast episode, check it out here – Hurricane Matthew USAR Response – Part 1.” At the link right-click Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Immigrant Story 13 mins – “Trying to adjust to her life in the U.S., Reyna Grande turned to books. Her memoir, adapted for young readers, gives kids a window into the immigrant experience.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Intelligence Operations 47 mins – “Sept. 11 was a turning point in America in innumerable ways. Foremost: For our national security, U.S. intelligence, military and law enforcement agencies had to find a way to work together. It was imperative that they put aside age-old competition for the good of the nation. In a new book, a veteran national security reporter tells how these agencies created a sophisticated, global security network spawned by 9/11. He argues that the nature of warfare has been forever changed. Diane talks with journalist and author James Kitfield about how a new style of U.S. security operations offers the best hope for defending the nation in an age of asymmetric warfare.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Internet of Things Security 46 mins – About the 23 min mark starts “…the second of my two security interviews, Brian Knopf, who is the director of security research at Neustar. Knopf has a deep history in working security for connected devices have worked at Belkin and Wink. We talk a bit about the challenges exposed by the Mirai botnet and what consumers should look for in connected devices.” The first part deals with products connected via the internet. At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Jiu-Jitsu Coach 123 mins – “Dave Camarillo (@DaveCamarillo) was my long-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) coach (see him kicking my ass repeatedly here). Put simply, he is a machine. On the Mat once said: “It’s funny that everybody in Judo is scared of David’s ne waza and everybody in Jiu-Jitsu is scared of his stand up. (We) guess people, in general, are just scared of him.” Dave is a very technical coach and an elite-level Jiu-Jitsu competitor. He dominated the lightweight and open weight classes at the 1998 Rickson Gracie American Jiu-Jitsu Association tournament; the legendary Rickson Gracie himself bestowed the honor of Most Technical American Jiu-Jitsu Fighter upon him. He has worked not only with people on the ground game, but many recognizable MMA (mixed martial arts) figures as a coach and as a corner man.” At the link find the title, “#196: Meet the Machine, Dave Camarillo,” right-click “Media files The Tim Ferriss Show – Dave Camarillo.mp3” and select “Save link As” from the pop-up menu.
Journalism Trends 42 mins – “Flagrantly unsubstantiated “facts”, misrepresented news, and deliberately false memes whooped up by the partisan fringes have been fast and furious this election… And thanks to Facebook’s algorithm, fake news stories continue to trend. Today, if you yell at the Facebook echo chamber to stop, does it only get louder? Then, in a contentious election season full of bombshells, boasts, and social media driving the outrage, how do newsrooms determine what deserves attention what doesn’t?….” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select ‘Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
LGBT Laws 52 mins – “Late last week, the LGBT activist group Equality Utah filed a lawsuit against the Utah State Board of Education and others over what it calls “anti-gay school laws.” The law explicitly prohibits “the advocacy of homosexuality.” Opponents say it limits free speech, denies equal protection to LGBT students, and puts them in harm’s way. Others say there shouldn’t be any discussion of sex in public schools. Wednesday, we’re talking about the lawsuit and the effects of so-called “no promo homo” laws.” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link as” from the pop-up menu.
Marijuana for Vets 26 mins – “Rob Martin is a retired Canadian soldier who’s using pot to treat his PTSD. He’s one of a growing number of former soldiers turning to medical marijuana, but some researchers say there’s not enough evidence that it’s an effective treatment for PTSD.” At the link find the title, “Veterans say medical marijuana helps treat PTSD, Nov, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20161103_60273.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Meat Allergies 33 mins – “Tuck your napkin under your chin. We’re about to serve up a tale of love, loss, and lamb chops. For as long as she can remember, Amy Pearl has loved meat in all its glorious cuts and marbled flavors. And then one day, for seemingly no reason, her body wouldn’t tolerate it. No steaks. No brisket. No weenies. It made no sense to her or to her doctor: why couldn’t she eat something that she had routinely enjoyed for decades? Something our evolutionary forebears have eaten since time immemorial? The answer involves mysterious maps, interpretive dance, and a collision of three different species. Produced by Annie McEwen & Matt Kielty with reporting help from Latif Nasser” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Meat Impact Debate 62 mins – “…As polemical author and commentator George Monbiot will argue in this debate, livestock farming has a massive impact on the planet, producing around 14% of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions according to the UN. That’s roughly the same as the total amount of global transport emissions. Animals are extremely inefficient processors of the maize and soya that farmers grow to feed them. If we ate those crops ourselves instead of feeding them to livestock, we could free up hundreds of millions of hectares of rainforests, savannahs and wetlands where wild animals could flourish instead. And then there are the arguments about animal welfare. Recent scientific research indicates what many of us feel we already know – that animals have complex emotional lives not dissimilar to our own. Intensive farming – the kind that confines hens, pigs and cattle to squalid indoor pens – thwarts their instincts to move around freely and build social bonds with their group. Tens of billions of animals exist in this way, and that’s before their short lives are ended in the horror house of the abattoir. As for those who say a vegan diet isn’t healthy, elite athletes who have made the switch, including world tennis No 1 Novak Djokovic, prove you don’t need animal protein to excel at the highest levels in sport. On the other side of the argument, making the case for the meat munchers, will be sharp-tongued Sunday Times food critic AA Gill. The fact is, he will say, we developed as omnivores and every human culture has its culinary traditions, based on the taste and aesthetics of meat and dairy. Do we really want to live in a world where there is no beef Wellington or cheese soufflé? As for the environmentalist arguments, omnivores now have some serious eco-credentials behind them. A study at Cornell University shows that a diet that includes a few small portions of grass-fed meat a week may actually be greener than eating no animal products at all. And when it comes to animal welfare, rather than abandoning animal products altogether, couldn’t we do more good by pressing for genuinely transparent labelling of our meat and dairy? If consumers really know what they are getting, fewer people might be willing to buy the £3 chicken produced in the barbaric conditions of the agricultural industry. As for a vegan diet being healthier, we should stop giving airtime to self-appointed health experts and lifestyle bloggers. Some dieticians argue that there are nutrients we need that we just can’t get from plants alone. Yes, we can get calcium from kale and iron from beans, but the quantity, quality and bio-availability of such elements are far better when we get them from animal rather than plant sources.” At the link find the title, “Let Them Eat Meat: There is Nothing Wrong With Rearing and Killing Animals for Human Consumption, Nov, 2016,” right-click “Media files media.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Men Without Work 47 mins – “The unemployment rate today sits at 5 percent. That’s half of what it was at the height of the Great Recession. But some say that number hides darker truths about the American workforce, namely, a jobless epidemic among men. Last year, 20 million men of prime working age in the U.S. did not have paid employment. And seven million men between the ages of 25 and 55 are no longer looking for work. Though this trend has been growing for nearly half a century, many argue it hasn’t gotten anywhere near the attention it deserves. A look at why millions of men have left the workforce, and what can be done to bring them back.” (3 guests) At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archive.
Microbiome 26 mins – “Today we travel to a future where your microbiome becomes a key part of your identity. From health to your child’s kindergarten, here are all the ways knowing about your microbiome might impact your life. Let’s start with a definition: what is the microbiome? Simply put, the microbiome is the collection of microbes (mostly bacteria) that live in and on your body. It’s hard to say exactly how many microbes make up the human microbiome, but researchers estimate that somewhere between 500 and 1,000 different species of bacteria live in the human gut. And that’s just the gut, there are microbial communities in our mouths, on our skin, in the vagina, all over the place. To put things in another perspective, the average human body is made up of 30 trillion cells. And on top of those 30 trillion cells, the average human also carries around in and on it, 40 trillion bacteria. 40 Trillion! To learn how those 40 trillion cells might be leveraged in the future, we talked to Ed Yong, the author of the upcoming book I Contain Multitudes; Rachel Feltman, a science blogger at the Washington Post; and Jessica Richman, the cofounder and CEO of uBiome, a personal microbiome company. The three of them walk us through the pros, cons and surprising ways the microbiome might be used in the future….” At the link find the title, “Micro But Mighty, Mar, 2016,” right-click “Media files microbutmighty.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Microbiome Futures 26 mins – “Today we travel to a future where your microbiome becomes a key part of your identity. From health to your child’s kindergarten, here are all the ways knowing about your microbiome might impact your life.” At the link find the title, “Micro But Mighty, Mar, 2016,” right-click “Media files microbutmighty.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Moral Duty 83 mins – “Mark, Wes, Seth, and Dylan discuss our interview with Peter Singer. Does Singer’s asserting such a heavy moral burden on us successfully condemn us to changing our priorities and/or feeling perpetually guilty, or is there something wrong with the argument? Even if we admit the moral demand is legitimate, can we soften Singer’s position by seeking to balance the obligation to help the poor with numerous other obligations, even though the latter don’t rise to the level of life and death? And how is the evolutionary basis of morality relevant to deciding what counts as a legitimate moral obligation?” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mosquito Eradication Issues 25 mins – “Today we travel to a future where humans have decided to eradicate the most dangerous animal on the planet: mosquitos. How would we do it? Is it even possible? And what are the consequences?” At the link find the title, “The Ultimate Swatting, Feb, 2016,” right-click “Media files theultimateswatting.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Norman Conquest of England 101 mins – “In 1066, the course of English history was dramatically altered, as the realm was conquered by Normans from across the Channel.” At the link right-click “Download” and select”Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Nuclear Dumps and Biohacking VR 27 mins – “Taking a nuclear dump on Australia by Ian Woolf Brennan Hatton talks about biohacking augmented reality” At the link right-click “download MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Nuclear Power Future 30 mins – “Our nuclear power stations are being pushed to run well past their planned life-span. Matthew Hill asks if this is putting us all in danger.” At the link right-click “Download MP3” and select ‘Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Oklahoma City Bombing 58 mins – “In April 1995 a devastating bomb ripped through the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City and 168 people died and many more were injured. Emma Barnett travels to Oklahoma City to find out what happened afterwards. She hears stories of resilience, defiance and success against the odds as the city came together to support and help those who suffered.” At the link find the title, “Oklahoma City After the Bomb, Oct, 2016,” right-click “Media files p04dgv05.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Origami Applications 62 mins – “Roberg Lang, Origami Artist; Physicist Origami is the centuries-old Japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes and figures. Lang, a world-renowned origami artist, has taken this traditional art form one step further. Lang is one of the pioneers of cross-disciplinary origami that combines mathematics, science, technology, engineering and design with origami. His applications have been used on medical devices, air bag designs and expandable space telescopes. With 50 patents awarded and pending on semiconductor lasers, optics and integrated optoelectronics, Lang has more than 500 designs catalogued and diagrammed and his artwork has been shown around the world in exhibits at the MoMA in New York, Carrousel du Louvre in Paris and the Nippon Museum of Origami in Japan. Hear more about the blending of art and technology what drives him to create such inspirational masterpieces.” At the link right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Patagonia Founder 61 mins – “Chouinard is a legendary climber, surfer and environmentalist. He is also the reluctant entrepreneur who founded Patagonia, Inc., one of the most respected eco- and socially conscious companies in the world. To celebrate the re-release of his best selling memoir, Chouinard recounts his early days of selling climbing equipment out of his car and explains how that led to accidentally creating a multi-million dollar sporting goods company committed to environmentally responsible design and production. Through Patagonia he has led the way with innovations in organic cotton, sustainable wool and traceable down. However, Chouinard has not been limited by textiles. He has also created a venture fund called 20 million & Change and spun out Patagonia Provisions, reflecting his belief that food and agriculture will help solve our biggest environmental challenges. As companies and consumers seek a more sustainable economy, Chouinard will discuss how entrepreneurs can create greatness and achieve net positive social impact at a point where doing less-bad is no longer good enough.” At the link right-click “Play Now” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pedestrian Deaths Increase 20 mins – “There are moments when content on a smartphone can make you oblivious to your surrounding and at imminent risk. It’s called “distracted walking” and the push to criminalize it, or at least outlaw it, has begun in Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto. Heads up!” At the link find the title, “Would a ‘distracted walking’ ban make streets safer? Oct, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20161031_41892.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Plastics in Oceans 27 mins – “Our oceans are choking from plastic water bottles washing up on the beach to tiny microplastic fibres beneath the sea. It’s not clear what the long-term effects will be. The Current explores the efforts to haul tons of plastic off Vancouver’s west coast.” At the link find the title, “Oceans ‘absolutely choked’ by plastic bottles and microplastic fibres, Oct, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20161031_39601.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Prolotherapy 47 mins – “Our guest this week is Dr. Chad Edwards. Dr. Edwards holds a B.S. in Exercise Science & Sport Medicine from Oklahoma Baptist University, and attended Medical School at Oklahoma State University College for Health Sciences. He is board certified in Family Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine, he was a Flight Surgeon and a Dive Medical Officer in the US Army, and served 5 years with Special Forces as an enlisted soldier. He also served as the Special Operations Task Force-North surgeon in Iraq. He is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Bo-Ju-Tae Karate, and the founder and Medical Director of Revolution Health and Wellness. Listen in as we discuss his medical practice, healing inflammation and tendon damage with prolotherapy, functional medicine, diet and health, diabetes, testosterone, the US health and insurance system, and much more.” At the link right-click “Download Episode Here(MP3)” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Quantified Man 35 mins – “Today we travel to a future full of spreadsheet approved lives. A future where everything we do is tracked and quantified: calories, air quality, sleep, heart rate, microbes, brain waves, finances, happiness, sadness, menstrual cycles, poops, hopes and dreams. Everything. This episode is longer than our usual 20 minute jaunts to the future, because the future of quantified self is so huge. We cover everything from biased algorithms, to microbiomes (again), to the future of the calorie, and more….” At the link find the title, “My Everything Pal, Mar, 2016,” right-click “Media files myeverythingpal.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Russian Politics 36 mins – “Is Russia’s recent military foray into the Middle East a permanent move, and what if anything can the 45th president of the United States do to limit Moscow’s mischief in the region without risking open confrontation and war between the world’s leading nuclear powers? Russia expert Anna Borshchevskaya shares a studied look into Vladimir Putin’s motives and objectives and offers concrete advice for how the next American administration can disrupt Russia’s disruptive Middle East adventurism.” At the link find the title, “Middle East 2017: Challenges and Choices – Russia with Anna Borshchevskaya, Nov, 2016,” right-click “Media files PolicyCast11POTUS45Borshchevskaya.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sex Bots 22 mins – “Right now there’s a whole lot of buzz about sex robots. Some people are really excited about them, and think we’ll be marrying robots by 2050. Other people are really worried about them, and are organizing whole campaigns against sex robots. This week, we travel to a future where sex robots are realized, and talk about everything from warranties to ethics. [A note: if you listen to our show with or near young kids be aware that today’s episodes discusses the future of sex, and goes into some detail about sex toys, sex work and other sexy time things. If your kiddos are ready for a calm, reasonable discussion of sex and the sex industry, carry on! If you’re not there yet, that’s cool, but maybe skip this one.]” At the link find the title, “Love At First Bot, Feb, 2016,” right-click “Media files loveatfirstbot.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Silicon Valley History 26 mins – “It was a meeting of two American masters: Robert Noyce, who, in inventing the integrated computer chip and founding Intel, willed Silicon Valley into being, and Tom Wolfe, who, in holding a magnifying glass over the social and class currents that shape America, rewrote the laws of what it meant to be a journalist. Their resulting Esquire story from 1983, “The Tinkerings of Robert Noyce,” remains one of the most revealing and entertaining portraits of early Silicon Valley and the personalities, imagination, and freewheeling moxie that triggered and continue to power the computer revolution. Kara Swisher, who spent two decades covering digital issues for The Wall Street Journal before cofounding the influential technology site Re/code, joins host David Brancaccio to discuss what both Noyce and Wolfe wrought, and how the influence of each—in computers and nonfiction writing, respectively—remains as powerful and mesmerizing as ever.” At the link find the title, “The Tinkerings of Robert Noyce, by Tom Wolfe, Oct, 2016,” right-click “Media files The-Tinkerings-of-Robert-Noyce-by-Tom-Wolfe.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Soil Spectroscopy 4 mins – “…specialized forms of spectroscopy are being used to analyze soil. While it’s possible to do chemical analysis, spectroscopy is faster and cheaper. This opens up new worlds of analysis by making more data available. Rather than teach a group of farmers in a region how to treat soil in general, each farmer can receive individualized information. Spectroscopy can also be used to evaluate fertilizer, making sure it contains what it should. Adulteration is unfortunately all too common in impoverished regions. Spectroscopy provides a potential means for screening carcinogens produced by molds that find their way into grain. It’s a very real problem in tropical regions where virtually all of certain grains can become contaminated. Yet while the potential benefits are clear, soil spectroscopy faces hurdles. It’s relatively new, so researchers are focusing on both what to look for in soil, and the best spectrographic means by which to recognize what they’re looking for. The technology could really take off if lab equipment could be replaced by hand-held devices – a prospect that looks likely in the coming years. And what can we learn from the mountains of data that could be generated?….” At the link right-click “Click here for audio…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sound Effects 17 mins – “Sound design is built on deception — when you watch a movie or TV show, nearly all of the sounds you hear are fake. In this audio-rich talk, Tasos Frantzolas explores the role of sound in storytelling and demonstrates just how easily our brains are fooled by what we hear.” At the link click “Download,” right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Surveillance of Journalists 9 mins – “This week several journalists learned police were tracking their phone calls and texts in response to a complaint from a former union boss. The Current looks into the implications this kind of surveillance has for press freedom across the country.” At the link find the title “Surveillance of journalists sparks concern over Canada’s freedom of press, Nov, 2016,” right-click “Media files current_20161103_89654.mp3“ and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sustainability 29 mins – “What does it mean for a university to have sustainability practices? At New Mexico State University and the University of Texas at El Paso, efforts are underway to reduce energy costs and they are already showing significant results. We’ll visit with Joni Newcomer, Communications & Sustainability Manager at NMSU; and Luis G. Perez, Manager of Campus Sustainability and Energy Conservation at UTEP. They’ll discuss the successes at their respective campuses, and what they hope to achieve in the future.” At the link right-click “Download’ and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Swearing 52 mins – “Benjamin Bergen is a cognitive scientist and he loves swearing. He actually studies it for a living. In a fascinating new book, Bergen examines why we use swear words, why they’re so powerful, and how they work in our language and on our minds. Swearing, he says, can be useful, funny, and cathartic. It also helps us express the strongest human emotions. Doug spoke with Bergen earlier this week, and Thursday we’re airing that conversation. But don’t worry: we’ve bleeped all the swear words. Benjamin Bergen is a professor of cognitive science at the University of California, San Diego, where he directs the Language and Cognition Laboratory. His new book is called What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves” At the link right-click the play button beside “Listen” and select “Save Link as” from the pop-up menu.
Tim Ferris Q and A 110 mins – “By request, we have another drunk dialing episode (the most recent one can be found here, and the original can be found here).This one is a little different as it’s a Ladies Night edition. Some of you may have noticed that ladies were absent from the last drunk dialing fiasco. Why? It’s just math. Looking at the results of a recent poll of 11,463 respondents, my audience is 84.04% male, 15.83% female, and .13% other. The people who sign up first get called first. The last time, three out of the 20, which is exactly 15%, were female. Unfortunately, those women (and several guys) did not pick up. This time around, I decided to try the “ladies night” format.” At the link find the title, “ #197: Drunk Dialing — Ladies Night Edition!” right-click “Media files The Tim Ferriss Show – Drunk Dial Ladies Night.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Translations and Interpreters 35 mins – “We start this episode with Barry Slaughter Olsen, who’s the co-president of Interpret America. Barry tells us all about what interpreting and translation actually is, and why it will be really hard to replace human translation with machines. Then we talked to Julie Sedivy, a writer and language scientist based in Calgary. She helps us think about what these kinds of devices might do for language loss and cultural assimilation of immigrants. Do people still learn English when they move to America or Canada? Last we talked to Erin McKean, the editor of Wordnik, the world’s largest English Language dictionary. She walks us through a ton of fun future possibilities like branded Taylor Swift language plugins and online translation truthers.” At the link find the title, “Omnibot May, 2016,” right-click “Media files omnibot.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Tweet and Retweet 35 mins – “What happens, when today’s teens start running for office? When their entire internet history is there, searchable, for us to read? What if these teens Tweet something at 15 that they might regret at 45? Do we learn to accept that their opinions have changed? Or do we go through every candidate’s entire social media history to find dirt on them? Does that tactic still work in the future? Or do we all just throw up our hands and admit that teens have bad opinions and that hopefully those opinions have changed?…” At the link find the title, “Revenge of the Retweet, Jul, 2016,” right-click “Media files revengeoftheretweet.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
UFOs and Aliens 51 mins – “Seth Shostak, SETI Institute Senior Astronomer, discovers what it’s like to host StarTalk All-Stars when he welcomes skeptic Ben Radford and new comic co-host Ray Ellin to discuss UFOs, aliens, government cover-ups, Roswell, and space-faring dinosaurs.” At the link find the title, “UFOs and Possible Aliens, with Seth Shostak – StarTalk All-Stars, Oct, 2016,” right-click “Media files 290844868-startalk-ufos-and-possible-aliens-with-seth-shostak-startalk-all-stars.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
US Voting History 52 mins – “If the record TV viewership of the Clinton-Trump presidential debates is any guide, voter turnout for the November election could reach levels not seen since the Gilded Age. It’s easy to be nostalgic for the consistently high voter turnout in the late 19th century, until you consider all the people who weren’t eligible to vote back then. In this episode of BackStory, the History Guys look at voting trends – from the changing mechanisms of voting to how the electoral college system maintained racial hierarchies in the South.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
US Voting Issues 45 mins– “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Shelby County v Holder, many states made changes to their voting laws that may disproportionately harm minorities. This week, lawyers in Ohio filed an emergency motion with the Supreme Court requesting a suspension of voting restrictions in their state. One of those lawyers, Subodh Chandra, joins us to explain why. We also speak with Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, about the potential impact of Donald Trump’s recent warnings about vote-rigging. She explains why long-term neglect of our voting infrastructure is a much bigger threat than either vote tampering or self-styled poll watchers.” At the link find the title, “Intimidation Nation, Oct, 2016,” right-click “Media files SM1191970108.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Venezuela Options 75 mins – “Experts discuss U.S. policy options toward Venezuela in response to food and medicine shortages, soaring crime rates, declining oil production, and a government crackdown on the opposition. The Home Box Office What to Do About…series highlights a specific issue and features experts who will put forward competing analyses and policy prescriptions in a mock high-level U.S. government meeting.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Virus Control and Research 72 mins – “Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Paul Duprex Guests: Ralph Baric, Felix Drexler, Marion Koopmans, and Stacey Schultz-Cherry From the EIDA2Z [Infectious Diseases from A to Z] conference at Boston University, Vincent, Alan and Paul meet up with Ralph Baric, Felix Drexler, Marion Koopmans, and Stacey Schultz-Cherry to talk about discovering, understanding, protecting, and collaborating on emerging infectious diseases.” Reference is made to the Catch Box Microphone during the discussion. At the link right-click “Download TWIV 413” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
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Media Mining Digest 