Exercise your ears: the 43 podcasts shown below present the best ideas, information and stories from a larger group of 522 for the week, to hear while your hands and eyes are busy. Get all the files as a group for the next four months here, or double (ctrl-click) individual titles to get single podcasts and explore the source. A collection of (25,815) podcasts, listed alphabetically and grouped by topic, can be downloaded piecemeal, with files A-E at this link, and the remainder here. You’ll be limited to a 4GB maximum per download at the last place, so multiple group downloads will be needed to get all files, totaling over 160GB and may take a few hours. The first entry in the collection is a text file with just titles for quicker reference. A collection of abstracts for all the podcasts is available at this link and updated quarterly. Get the discarded material, too, using a podcast aggregator loaded with this opml file of the 503 sources. And try PodcastRE from the University of Wisconsin with over 150,000 titles. Exercise your ears and relax the rest.
Abolition and Pro Slavery 52 mins – “University of Alabama professor Joshua Rothman teaches a class on abolition and pro-slavery movements in the early 1800s” At the link find the title, “Early 1800s Abolition & Pro-Slavery Movements – Mar, 2019, “ right-click it and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu. )
Abortion History in U.S. 73 mins – “Tulane University professor Karissa Haugeberg teaches a class about the legal history of abortion in the United States from the 1840s through 2016.” At the link find the title, “Legal History of Abortion in the U.S., right-click it and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu to download the podcast.
Alpha Males 16 mins – “In this fascinating look at the “alpha male,” primatologist Frans de Waal explores the privileges and costs of power while drawing surprising parallels between how humans and primates choose their leaders. His research reveals some of the unexpected capacities of alpha males — generosity, empathy, even peacekeeping — and sheds light on the power struggles of human politicians. “Someone who is big and strong and intimidates and insults everyone is not necessarily an alpha male,” de Waal says.” At the link right-click “Share” and right-click the “download” to get the podcast.
American Segregation 50 mins – “After World War II, Germany and the Allied powers took pains to make sure that its citizens would never forget the country’s dark history. But in America, much of our past remains hidden or rewritten. This week, Brooke visits Montgomery, Alabama, home to The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a new museum and memorial created by the Equal Justice Initiative that aim to bring America’s history of segregation and racial terror to the forefront.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Barbara Bush 49 mins – “The country knew Barbara Bush as the wife of one president, the mother of another. During her time as first lady, she became an unwavering advocate for literacy, and, for many years, was seen as the grand dame of the Republican Party. With her pearls and shock of white hair, she was dubbed “everyone’s grandmother,” and often kept silent on political issues, deferring publicly to her husband, George H.W. Bush. In a new book, Susan Page of USA Today peels back this public persona to reveal a complicated woman — and argues Barbara Bush’s influence on the country was far greater than anyone acknowledged. Diane talked to Susan about her book, “The Matriarch,” at a live event at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington D.C.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Bioanalytics 28 mins – “Susan M. Lunte, of the University of Kansas Department of Chemistry, visits with us and discusses her area of expertise and recent studies. Lunte’s research group focuses on microanalytical methods and microchip-based diagnostics for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.” At the link right-click “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Brexit Problems 39 mins – “On April 12th, Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union. But right now, there is no plan in place for the departure. Parliament has rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s proposal – three times. And attempts to address Brexit with other options have also been shot down by lawmakers. How did Britain get to this place and why can’t the country can’t get out?” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Campaign Technology 47 mins – “Political campaigns are using your phone and TV to gather data and send you targeted messages. We look at the rise of campaign tech.” At the link you can listen, but not download this item; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Cancer Cure Question 9 mins – “Despite steadily declining rates of cancer deaths over the past two decades, cancer remains responsible for 1 in every 6 deaths worldwide. It’s a scourge. So when, this week, an Israeli company called Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies captured the news cycle with promises of a complete cure for cancer within the year, the story caught fire. The company’s technology is called “MuTaTo” — that’s multi-target toxin. …A couple days into the fanfare, the skeptics started coming out: for one thing, as oncologist David Gorski points out in his blog “Respectful Insolence,” the claims are based on experiments with mice: no human trials have yet started. For another, they haven’t been sufficiently peer reviewed. In fact, the company won’t share its research, claiming it can’t afford the expense. The too-good-to-be-true story appears to be just that, built on PR puffery. But who can resist a good cancer cure? With Mutato in mind, for this week’s podcast extra, we revisit our Breaking News Consumer’s Handbook: Health News edition, with Gary Schwitzer, publisher & founder of HealthNewsReview.org.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Chief Justice John Roberts Biography 59 mins – “Supreme Court reporter Joan Biskupic discusses her biography of Chief Justice John Roberts.” At the link find the title, “Joan Buskupic – Mar, 2019, right-click it and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu
Childhood Poverty 15 mins – “What does it take to build a national movement? In a captivating conversation with TEDWomen curator Pat Mitchell, Marian Wright Edelman reflects on her path to founding the Children’s Defense Fund in 1973 — from the early influence of growing up in the segregated American South to her activism with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — and shares how growing older has only made her more radical.” At the link left-click the up-pointing arrow by “Share”, then right-click “download” to get the podcast.
Climate Change Crisis 42 mins – “This is the debut episode of a new Rev Left Radio sub-series called Red Hot Takes, where Breht breaks down and analyzes current events, new works, or breaking news in a monologue format. In this episode, Breht analyzes the popular new book on Climate Change by journalist David Wallace-Wells entitled “The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming” from a Marxist perspective.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
College Tuition Cost Reduction 47 mins – “Some private college are slashing tuition. We’ll look behind the numbers and add up the risks and rewards.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Congressional Activities 30 mins – “It’s been three months since Democrats took control of the House. In that time, there has been an historic government shutdown, explosive congressional testimony, multiplying investigations, and even some new legislation. Now, as talk of impeachment buzzes through the Capitol, both Democrats and Republicans seem to be struggling to maintain unity. To help understand what all this means for priorities in Congress and the balance of power in Washington, Diane talks to Sheryl Gay Stolberg, congressional correspondent for the New York Times.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Crony Capitalism 69 mins – “Michael Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about whether real capitalism is unstable and leads inevitably to crony capitalism. They also discuss ways to prevent the descent into cronyism and speculate on their own blind spots.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Female Engagement Team 59 mins – “U.S. Army veteran Eileen Rivers talks about her book “Beyond the Call: Three Women on the Front Lines in Afghanistan.” At the link find the title, “Eileen Rivers – March 3, 2019, right-click it and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Fox News 30 mins – “The most watched cable channel is having its own bad news week. First came a report in the New Yorker outlining in new detail the cozy relationship between Fox and President Trump. Then two Fox hosts, Tucker Carlson and Jeanine Pirro, came under fire for anti-Muslim and misogynistic comments. It’s putting the channel on the defensive and forcing advertisers to decide whether to pull out. Fox News is certainly no stranger to controversy, but is this time any different?” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Green New Deal 49 mins – “At Tuesday’s State of the Union, President Trump continued to call for a wall at the southern border. Meanwhile, some Democrats point to the real crisis: climate change. A look at the messaging of urgency and hope around the Green New Deal. And, a former mentor to Mark Zuckerberg lays out his deep criticisms of Facebook. Then, a Facebook employee makes the case for one potential solution. Plus, a new documentary about Pete Hamill and Jimmy Breslin, two New York City reporters, who helped turn column writing into an art form.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
HR 1 47 mins – “The House votes on a sweeping anti-corruption proposal this week. It could have major implications for campaign finance, voting rights and ethics.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
ISIS Fighter Repatriation 47 mins – “An American woman joined the Islamic State, went to Syria, married three ISIS fighters and called for attacks on Americans. But now, she says she was brainwashed, is rejecting extremism and wants to come back — with her child. She says she’s willing to face justice here in the U.S., but should she be allowed to come home?” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
James Fallows Observations 39 mins – “James Fallows is no doubt a Washington insider. He worked for Jimmy Carter’s administration and has long covered politics as a journalist. He’s also found it increasingly important to get out of D.C. His travels around the country with his wife, Deborah Fallows, have revealed an America less divided — and more functional — than the picture we often see in the headlines. This week, as Democrats demand release of the full Mueller report – and President Trump lashes out at critics – Fallows offers some perspective from inside – and outside – the Beltway.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Martin Luther King Day 19 mins – “When he was still in his twenties, Martin Luther King Jr. was, among other things, an advice columnist for Ebony magazine. Writer Mychal Denzel Smith studied those columns for an article this week in The Atlantic, and he found that readers asked the civil rights leader about everything from race relations to marriage problems. In some instances Dr. King was surprisingly unorthodox — the preacher’s thoughts on birth control are particularly eloquent — and in others, his advice was less than sage. When one reader complained about her philandering husband, he told her to self-reflect: “Are you careful with your grooming? Do you nag? Do you make him feel important?” When another described her husband as a “complete tyrant,” self-reflection on the part of the woman was, again, the answer….” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Moon Race Project 58 mins – “Historian Douglas Brinkley talks about his book, “American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race.” At the link find the title, “Doug Brinkley – April 7, 2019, right-click it and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mueller Report and Barr 30 mins – “It’s been two days since Attorney General William Barr submitted a four-page summary of Robert Mueller’s findings to Congress. Now, Washington seems to be left with as many questions as answers. Democrats are demanding the release of the full report by April 2. Meanwhile, President Trump and Republican lawmakers have gone on the offensive, calling for an investigation into why the special counsel was created in the first place. Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne joins Diane to discuss his takeaways.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Mueller Report Translation 12 mins – “Attorney General Bill Barr announced on Wednesday, April 10, that the Mueller report will be released next week. While we wait for the release, Quinta Jurecic and Benjamin Wittes have written a “Memo to the Press: How Not to Screw Up on the Mueller Report.” Jurecic and Wittes argue that the press got lost in the confusion of Barr’s letter to Congress announcing the special counsel’s top-line conclusions, and they offer nine principles for how to “[do] better the second time.” You can listen to Quinta Jurecic read that article in the latest edition of the Lawfare Podcast Shorts.” At the link right-click “Direct download: Memo to the Press podcast mixdown.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Neil Gaiman 109 mins – “Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) is the bestselling author and creator of books, graphic novels, short stories, film and television for all ages, including Neverwhere, Coraline, The Graveyard Book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, The View from the Cheap Seats and the Sandman series of graphic novels. His fiction has received Newbery and Carnegie Medals, and Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Bram Stoker, and Will Eisner Awards, among many other awards and honors. His novelistic retelling of Norse myths, Norse Mythology, has been a phenomenon, and an international bestseller, and won Gaiman his ninth Audie Award (for Best Narration by the Author). Recently Gaiman wrote all six episodes of, and has been the full-time showrunner, for the forthcoming BBC/Amazon Prime mini-series adaptation of Good Omens, based on the beloved 1990 book he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett. Many of Gaiman’s books and comics have been adapted for film and television including Stardust (starring Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer), Coraline (an Academy Award nominee and the BAFTA winner for Best Animated Film), and How to Talk to Girls at Parties, a movie based on Gaiman’s short story. The television series Lucifer is based on characters created by Gaiman in Sandman. His 2001 novel, American Gods, is a critically acclaimed, Emmy-nominated TV series, now entering its second season.” At the link and soundbar right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Nitric Oxide 28 mins – “Roberto Cao, professor of science at the University of Havana, was this week’s guest and discussed how he got his start in science as well, as well as what led him to his particular interest in nitric oxide.” At the link right-click “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Platinum Antitumor Chemistry 29 mins – “Dr. Pannell Speaks with Professor Nick Farrell of VCU about new treatments in cancer research. In platinum antitumor chemistry our objective is to design and develop complexes acting by new discrete mechanisms of action. Platinum-based drugs are an important part of the anticancer drug armamentarium.” At the link right-click “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Prochlorococcus 17 mins – “Oceanographer Penny Chisholm introduces us to an amazing little being: Prochlorococcus, the most abundant photosynthetic species on the planet. A marine microbe that has existed for millions of years, Prochlorococcus wasn’t discovered until the mid-1980s — but its ancient genetic code may hold clues to how we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.” At the link right-click “Share” and right-click the “download” to get the podcast.
Procrastination 15 mins – “…we designed some experiments. We asked people to generate new business ideas, and then we get independent readers to evaluate how creative and useful they are. And some of them are asked to do the task right away. Others we randomly assign to procrastinate by dangling Minesweeper in front of them for either five or 10 minutes. And sure enough, the moderate procrastinators are 16 percent more creative than the other two groups. Now, Minesweeper is awesome, but it’s not the driver of the effect, because if you play the game first before you learn about the task, there’s no creativity boost. It’s only when you’re told that you’re going to be working on this problem, and then you start procrastinating, but the task is still active in the back of your mind, that you start to incubate. Procrastination gives you time to consider divergent ideas, to think in nonlinear ways, to make unexpected leaps.” At the link right-click “Share” and right-click the “download” to get the podcast.
Putin’s World 47 mins – “Are we all in a paranoid and polarized world of Vladimir Putin’s making? A longtime Russia analyst chronicles how Moscow has become the world’s most disruptive superpower.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Ray Kurzweil Interview 38 mins – “Join head of TED Chris Anderson for a very special conversation with legendary inventor and computer scientist Ray Kurzweil, recorded live onstage at TED2018. Listen in to hear what the man who makes a living from predicting the future arc of technology thinks is coming our way next — including a specific prediction of when he thinks technology will finally gain human levels of language understanding.” At the link left-click the up-pointing arrow, then right-click “download” to get the podcast.
Safi Bahcall146 mins – “… (@SafiBahcall) is the author of Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas that Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries. Loonshots describes what an idea from physics tells us about the behavior of groups and how teams, companies, and nations can use that to innovate faster and better. It has been selected for The Washington Post‘s 10 Leadership Books to Watch for in 2019, Inc.‘s 10 Business Books You Need to Read in 2019, and Business Insider‘s 14 Books Everyone Will Be Reading in 2019. Safi received his PhD in physics from Stanford and his undergrad degree from Harvard. After working as a consultant for McKinsey, Safi co-founded a biotechnology company specializing in developing new drugs for cancer. He led its IPO and served as its CEO for 13 years. In 2008, Safi was named Ernst and Young’s New England Biotechnology Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2011, he worked with President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology on the future of national research.” At the link and soundbar right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Sandra Day O’Connor 33 mins – “Last year retired Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O’Connor announced she had Alzheimer’s disease. For many, this became a moment to pause and remember a woman who broke glass ceiling after glass ceiling. A woman who, for decades, was considered the most powerful justice on the nation’s highest court. Now, author Evan Thomas has written a intimate portrait of O’Connor’s life titled “First.” It chronicles the trails she blazed and the way she shaped American rule of law.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Senate Youth Program 58 mins – “High school students from the U.S. Senate Youth Program talk about their week in Washington and what they’ve learned from the experience.” At the link find the title, “Q&A with Senate Youth Program – Apr, 2019,right-click it and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
State of the Union Addresses 69 mins – “Stonehill College professor Peter Ubertaccio taught a class on the history of State of the Union addresses. He described George Washington’s first address — delivered in person — but explained that many presidents who followed simply elected to send Congress a written statement until Woodrow Wilson in 1913. He explored how, since then, State of the Union speeches have evolved along with new technology and, in modern times, have been used to bolster political platforms.” At the link you can listen but must pay for a download; however, a copy of the audio podcast is included in this blog archive.
Supreme Court Appointments 76 mins – “Brooklyn College Professor KC Johnson taught a class on Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon’s Supreme Court nominations. He described Johnson’s plan to fill the bench with liberal justices and the difficulties he ran into getting them confirmed. He outlined the resistance from conservative senators in the confirmation hearings and concluded with background on some of Nixon’s nominations to the court.” At the link you can listen but must pay for a download; however, a copy of the audio podcast is included in this blog archive.
Swiss Lifestyle Changes 63 mins – “When Nancy Holten was 8 years old her mom put her in a moving van. She fell asleep, woke up in Switzerland, and she’s been there ever since. Nancy is big into animal rights, crystals, and various forms of natural and holistic healing. She’s also a viral sensation: the Dutch woman apparently so annoying, her Swiss town denied her citizenship. In this episode we go to the little village of Gipf-Oberfrick to meet Nancy, talk with the town, and ask the question: what does it mean and what does it take to belong to a place?At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Trump Finances 30 mins – “With Democrats in control of the House, predictions of further scrutiny into President Trump’s finances are becoming a reality. Several different House committees have opened up probes into various aspects of the President’s business dealings, from questions about how the Trump charity operates to the long simmering debate over releasing his tax returns. And then there’s state and federal level investigations. It’s a lot and it’s confusing, but the Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold has it covered.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
U.S. and Soviet Relations Under Reagan 77 mins – “George Washington University Professor Chris Tudda taught a class about foreign relations between the United States and the Soviet Union during President Ronald Reagan’s administration. He began with the Iran-Contra affair but then examined the impact of changes in Soviet leadership during the 1980s on Cold War policies in both countries.” At the link you can listen but must pay for a download; however, a copy of the audio podcast is included in this blog archive.
Ulysses S. Grant Memoirs 59 mins – “West Point English professor Elizabeth Samet discusses her annotated edition of Ulysses S. Grant’s memoirs.” At the link find the title, “Elizabeth Samet – Feb 24, 2019, right-click it and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Victimhood 49 mins – “On Thursday in the Wall Street Journal, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh acknowledged his sharp tone in recent hearings. This week, we examine the anger and resentment driving the #MeToo backlash. Plus, a deep dive into into our flawed narratives about Native American history, and a close look at the role problematic fantasies about indigenous people play in German culture.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Vietnam War Lessons 61 mins – “Triton College professor Edward White teaches a class on lessons learned from the Vietnam War.” At the link find the title, “Vietnam War Lessons Learned – Mar, 2019, right-click it and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Vulcanologist 29 mins – “Dr. Teresa Ubide at the University of Queensland. Dr. Ubide is a volcanologist with a passion for understanding why, how and when volcanic eruptions start. She studies a wide range of active and past volcanic systems in different tectonic settings around the world, and her current research focuses on minerals hosted in volcanic rocks, as they provide a detailed record of the processes leading to eruptions.” At the link right-click “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
White Nationalism Leader 26 mins – “Most Americans are not familiar with the name Madison Grant. But in the early 20th century he was one of the most well-known members of an elite group of intellectuals and policy makers who promoted ideas of racial purity and white nationalism. He influenced restrictive immigration policy making in this country, and from his 1916 book “The Passing of the Great Race,” Grant’s views spread around the globe. In fact, Hitler considered the text as his “bible.” So who is Madison Grant and why don’t we know about him today? And what can this history teach us about the resurgence in white nationalism? Adam Serwer’s recent profile of Madison Grant looks into these questions.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
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Media Mining Digest 