Exercise your ears: the 33 podcasts shown below present the best ideas, information and stories from a larger group of 477 for the week, to hear while your hands and eyes are busy. Get all the files as a group here, or double (ctrl-click) individual titles to get single podcasts and explore the source. A collection of 27,030 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 170GB 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.
AI Advancement 43 mins – “Today’s guest stands at the forefront of artificial intelligence advancement. Steve Guggenheimer has been with Microsoft for 26 years and has been heavily involved in the company’s AI ventures. This week on Killer Innovations, Steve Guggenheimer joins us to discuss the progress of AI, the transition into “the cloud,” and what he and his team at Microsoft are doing to advance technology. The Growth of AI –Will AI transform from hype to reality? AI, as Steve says, is in the “grind it out” phase, and is being crafted for real-world application. While it hasn’t had a “Ta-Dah” moment yet, it will be another year of progress for AI as it builds upon itself. Transitioning into the Cloud – With the recent transition of big things into “the cloud,” the focus has become all about accessibility. Whether it’s AI or the cloud, it’s about being smart with the technology in creating solutions. It’s about having adaptable services and experiences. Into Rural America – Around 14-15% of homes in America don’t have broadband. The lack of subscriptions is not only due to internet connectivity but also from the lack of a connection shared by the people and tech companies due to culture and livelihood. How do we, as the tech community, help these rural areas? It takes individual efforts that eventually expand. At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in this blog archive.
Brain Science Limitations 62 mins – “BSP 83 is an interview with Dr. William R. Uttal, author of Mind and Brain: A Critical Appraisal of Cognitive Neuroscience. It is a discussion of the problems and limitations of functional brain imaging.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy if included in this blog archive.
Climate Change Economics 47 mins – “All the economic and social policy that we discuss on this podcast won’t matter if we don’t address climate change. Governor Jay Inslee and Professor Fadhel Kaboub join Nick and Goldy to explain that if we don’t get climate right… well, the pitchforks are coming. Jay Inslee is the Governor of Washington state. In March of this year, he announced he is running for president on a platform of combating climate change.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Constipation Treatment 37 mins – “In this episode, we provide an overview of chronic idiopathic constipation and discuss available treatment options with a particular focus on lubiprostone, linaclotide, plecanatide, and prucalopride. Proper assessment and evaluation is the key for a patient with complaints about constipation. Ask questions to ensure there are no red flags (such as blood in stool, severe pain, or fever). Most patients with chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) have had symptoms for many years before seeking treatment from a medical provider. The most important non-pharmacologic treatment for constipation is fiber. In general, few Americans consume the recommended amount of fiber (20 to 30 grams per day) in their diet. Be sure to increase dietary fiber slowly to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort. Currently there are four prescription medications indicated for CIC that offer three distinct mechanisms. For the secretagogues (lubiprostone, linaclotide, plecanatide), proper hydration (and avoidance of dehydration) is extremely important as these medications increase excretion of water into the GI tract.” At the link you can listen but not download: however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Coyotes 45 mins – “Legends don’t come close to capturing the incredible story of the coyote In the face of centuries of campaigns of annihilation employing gases, helicopters, and engineered epidemics, coyotes didn’t just survive, they thrived, expanding across the continent from Alaska to New York. In the war between humans and coyotes, coyotes have won, hands-down. Coyote America is the illuminating five-million-year biography of this extraordinary animal, from its origins to its apotheosis. It is one of the great epics of our time.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included int his blog archive.
Deregulation 38 mins – “Deregulation for the powerful is a central tenet of the trickle-down myth, embraced by Democrats and Republican alike. Government regulations, we’re told, are costly and inefficient intrusions that slow grow and kill jobs. But Robert Reich explains that when thoughtfully applied, regulations are absolutely essential to growing a safe, secure, and broadly prosperous economy.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Drug High Prices 50 mins – “The American pharmaceutical industry is rigged to make a handful people fabulously wealthy while everyone else gets screwed over. Because of intricate patent laws, we pay double what people in 29 other rich countries pay. Experts and change-makers Priti Krishtel and John Arnold join Nick and Jasmin to explain how we got into this mess (Monopolies! Patent law!), and what we can do about it. Priti Krishtel is the Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of I-MAK, a global organization that works to increase access to lifesaving medicine. A 15-year veteran of the global access to medicines movement, she helped lead the movement to a pivotal moment in treatment access history with the passage of a health-friendly patent law.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
E-Discovery Academy 30 mins – “In this episode of the Digital Detectives, board certified trial lawyer Craig Ball talks with Sharon Nelson and John Simek about information technology competency and the 2016 Georgetown Ediscovery Training Academy. Craig explains that the bootcamp is six days of extensive work and requires a great deal of effort on the part of the attendees for weeks before they arrive….” At the link you can listen but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in the blog archive.
Economic Growth Source 46 mins – “Is economic growth all about money, trade, and GDP, or are healthy economies built on a different foundation? In this episode, economist W. Brian Arthur and MIT physicist Cesar Hidalgo explain why human knowledge, knowhow, and innovation are the best measures of rising prosperity and future economic growth. Guest Bios – W. Brian Arthur: Economist credited with developing the modern approach to increasing returns, and one of the pioneers of the science of complexity. Author of three books including The Nature of Technology: What it Is and How it Evolves. External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. Cesar Hidalgo: Physicist, writer, and entrepreneur. Associate Professor at MIT, and Director of the Collective Learning group at the MIT Media Lab. Co-founder of Datawheel, a company that specializes in digital transformation solutions for governments and large companies. Author of Why Information Grows and co-author of The Atlas of Economic Complexity.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Economic Measurement 36 mins – “Pop quiz: What does “GDP” stand for? And now, quickly: what the hell does “gross domestic product” even mean? It turns out, the way we measure the economy changes the way we manage the economy, so if we want to broadly improve the lives of all Americans we need to measure the things that really matterDiane Coyle: Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. Former advisor to the UK treasury. Author of numerous books, most recently GDP: A Brief But Affectionate History, The Economics of Enough, and The Soulful Science. Founder of the consultancy Enlightenment Economics, specializing in the economics of new technologies.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Economic Terms 12 mins – “Ever been in the middle of a Pitchfork Economics pod ep and thought, “WTF are they talking about?” If so, this might help – we define some complex terms that get thrown around a lot (neoclassical, neoliberal, heterodoxy, monopoly, monopsony, and stock buybacks) because we want this to be a fun and informative pod, not, like, a painful and confusing pod.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Educationism 46 mins – “Like many rich Americans, Nick used to think that focusing their philanthropic efforts in the country’s education system could heal many of our biggest problems. But in The Atlantic last month, he admitted he was wrong—better schools won’t fix America unless we fix inequality first. He’s joined this week by Diane Ravitch, a giant in the education policy world who also changed her mind about what works and what doesn’t. Can these two converts from the theory of educationism find a new way to expand educational opportunity in America while also combating runaway income inequality? Diane Ravitch is a Research Professor of Education at New York University and a historian of education. She is the Founder and President of the Network for Public Education. From 1991 to 1993, she was Assistant Secretary of Education under President George H.W. Bush, where she led the federal effort to promote the creation of voluntary state and national academic standards. In her book ‘The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education’, Ravitch examines her career in education reform and repudiates positions that she once staunchly advocated.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
FDIC Operations 110 mins – “How we handle the failure of large, complex financial institutions has changed since the Great Recession. New systems and safeguards aim to protect, but what happens when they’re put to the test? Shifting the focus away from a small number of global and systemic financial institutions, are the comparatively smaller, yet still quite large, national and regional financial institutions ready for what comes next? Are financial regulators prepared or have they forgotten the lessons learned already? On Wednesday, October 16, the Center on Regulation and Markets at Brookings explored these questions and more as we heard from FDIC Board Member and former Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg. Following the keynote, Victoria Guida of Politico moderated a panel of experts featuring Sir Paul Tucker, chair of the Systemic Risk Council and former deputy governor of the Bank of England; Jim Wigand, former managing director at Millstein & Co.; and Kieran Fallon, senior deputy general counsel at the PNC Financial Services Group.” At the link right-click “Audio Only” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Financial Regulation 58 mins – “On Thursday, October 17, the Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE) at Brookings hosted Ireland’s Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe. Minister Donohoe outlined the challenges and opportunities for Ireland presented by the uncertainty of Brexit, set against the backdrop of a larger debate around the future of globalization. Following these remarks, CUSE Director Thomas Wright joined him for a conversation. Questions from the audience followed the discussion. This event is part of the Brookings – Robert Bosch Foundation Transatlantic Initiative, which aims to build up and expand resilient networks and trans-Atlantic activities to analyze and work on issues concerning trans-Atlantic relations and social cohesion in Europe and the United States.” At the link right-click “Download the Audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
GDP Uses 36 mins – “Pop quiz: What does “GDP” stand for? And now, quickly: what the hell does “gross domestic product” even mean? It turns out, the way we measure the economy changes the way we manage the economy, so if we want to broadly improve the lives of all Americans we need to measure the things that really matter. Diane Coyle: Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. Former advisor to the UK treasury. Author of numerous books, most recently GDP: A Brief But Affectionate History, The Economics of Enough, and The Soulful Science. Founder of the consultancy Enlightenment Economics, specializing in the economics of new technologies.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Gov Jay Inslee Interview 40 mins – “In March of this year, Washington state Governor Jay Inslee announced he is running for president on a platform of combating climate change. He has already succeeded in centering the political conversation around this central crisis of our time. We spoke with the governor for our April episode about the economics of climate change; here is our full unedited conversation. Jay Inslee first got into public service to fight for a new public high school in his community. He then went on to serve in the state legislature and in 1992 was elected to represent the 4th Congressional District in rural Eastern Washington. He later moved back to the Seattle area and was elected to Congress in 1998 where he served until 2012. In 2012 he was elected Washington’s 23rd governor and is currently serving in his second term.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Insect Value 34 mins – “We talk to professor of conservation biology Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson about her new book Buzz, Sting, Bite: Why We Need Insects.” At the link find the title, “Why We Need Insects,” which you can hear, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Middle Class Shrinking 43 mins – “The American middle class is shrinking and, contrary to popular belief, globalization and automation are not to blame. Far from inevitable, skyrocketing inequality is a choice. In this episode, we look at the policy choices that have relentlessly undermined the middle class, and why we desperately need to choose a better future.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Monetary Policy in Europe 64 mins – “The European Central Bank (ECB) is facing significant challenges that are testing the potency of monetary policy. Confronting a slowing economy and an inflation rate persistently below its target of “close to but below 2 percent,” the ECB, over the objections of some of its top policymakers, recently cut a key interest rate to -0.5 percent and restarted its quantitative easing (QE) program of bond buying. Is monetary policy running out of ammunition in Europe? Is Europe heading for a recession? What will it take to get the Eurozone economy growing sustainably? What have we learned about the impact of negative interest rates and prolonged QE? How does the ECB respond to complaints from Germany about the impact of low rates on savers? What are the implications of Brexit for the Eurozone? On October 16, Philip Lane, a member of the ECB’s Executive Board and its chief economist, discussed these and other questions at a Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy event at Brookings. Before joining the ECB’s Executive Board in June 2019, Lane served four years as governor of the central bank of Ireland. A Ph.D. in economics from Harvard, he was previously on the faculty at Trinity College, Dublin.” At the link right-click “audio only” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Neuroscience Career 64 mins – “BS 148 is the interview with pioneering neuroscientist Dr. Eve Marder, which I originally recorded back in 2009. I am reposting it now as a follow-up to last month’s review of Charlotte Nassim’s excellent biography Lessons from the Lobster: Eve Marder’s Work in Neuroscience. The topics discussed in this interview are just as relevant as they were back then. A highlight of this interview is Dr. Marder’s insights into what it was like to be part of the first large cohort of women entering science back in the sixties and seventies.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy if included in this blog archive.
Oculus Rift and Facebook 48 mins – “We talk to Blake J. Harris about his new book The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality. Over the course of three years (and with unprecedented access from Oculus and Facebook), Harris conducted hundreds of interviews with key players in the VR revolution—including Palmer Luckey, his partners, and their cult of dreamers—to weave together a rich, cinematic narrative that captures the breakthroughs, breakdowns, and human drama of trying to change the world.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in this blog archive.
Pharmcogenomics 43 mins – “In this episode, we are excited to have a special guest with us. Dr. Dyson Wake is Senior Clinical Specialist in Pharmacogenomics at NorthShore University HealthSystem’s Center for Molecular Medicine here in Chicagoland and is here to explain the current and future applications of pharmacogenomics to the area of personalized medicine, as well as expose some misconceptions.” At the link you can listen but not download: however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Poverty Escape 43 mins – “Here are two phrases that should be oxymorons, but aren’t: ‘working poor’ and ‘poverty-level jobs.’ Writer and anti-poverty advocate Hanna Brooks Olsen joins Nick and Goldy to explore how the intense burdens of poverty make it nearly impossible to even think about climbing the economic ladder. Felicia Wong is the President and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute, a think tank that seeks to re-imagine the social and economic policies of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt for the 21st century.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Quantum Physics 41 mins – “We talk to theoretical physicist Sean Carroll about his new book Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime.” At the link find the title, “Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime,” which you can hear, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Reading Skills 76 mins – “In Brain Science 136 we discuss “Language at the Speed of Sight: How We Read, Why So Many Can’t, and What Can Be Done About It” by Mark Seidenberg. We consider the disturbing gap between our scientific knowledge of reading and current education practices in the US. This episode will provide the listener with some important basics about how reading changes our brains and what is known about how children learn to read. Learning to read is not as automatic as learning to talk and when problems arise, early intervention is essential. We also consider some of the fascinating differences between written languages and how they reflect underlying differences between spoken languages. Plus—- Why speed reading is as myth!” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog.
Robots Are Coming 63 mins – “With every technological advancement since the dawn of time, conventional wisdom has warned that technology and automation kills jobs. But robots aren’t the root cause of our problems. Although technology has always changed the nature of work, this week’s guests Heidi Shierholz and Daron Acemoglu argue that there is no evidence that it has led or will lead to overall increased joblessness, unemployment, or wage stagnation. Heidi Shierholz is a Senior Economist and the Director of Policy at the Economic Policy Institute. She was a Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor under President Obama from 2014 to 2017. Her research and insights on labor and employment policy, the effects of automation on the labor market, wage stagnation, inequality, and many other topics routinely shape policy proposals and inform economic news coverage.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Rural America Salvage 56 mins – “It’s not just economic inequality, the gap between rich and poor people, that’s growing wider in America. Spatial inequality, the gap between rich and poor places, is growing too. The most obvious example of spatial inequality is the decline of rural areas and the rise of cities. Can rural America be saved? And is urban America obligated to do the saving? Journalist Eduardo Porter and author Sarah Smarsh weigh in. Eduardo Porter is an economics reporter for the business section of The New York Times, where he was the Economic Scene columnist from 2012 to 2018. He is the author of ‘The Price of Everything’ and is working on an upcoming book called ‘American Poison’.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Science Quality Control 31 mins – “We talk to celebrated science journalist Richard Harris about the “reproducibility crisis” in science and his book Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Sharks 46 mins – “We talk to ocean conservationist William McKeever about his new book Emperors of the Deep: Sharks–The Ocean’s Most Mysterious, Most Misunderstood, and Most Important Guardians.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Trader Joe Operation 49 mins – “This week, we are replaying one of our most popular episodes from last year. It’s called “Should America Be Run by … Trader Joe’s?” Among the many things that make Trader Joe’s an unusual company is that they turn down pretty much all media requests. As you’ll hear in this episode, we never did get to interview any current Trader Joe’s personnel. But after the episode ran, we did get a letter from the firm’s C.E.O., Dan Bane. “In your latest Freakonomics Radio podcast,” he wrote, “you pose the question — ‘Should America Be Run by… Trader Joe’s?’ We are pretty sure such work would likely require a coat and tie. We like Hawaiian shirts … so we will pass, thanks.” So you won’t hear from any current Trader Joe’s personnel in this rebroadcast, either. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Universal Basic Income 49 mins – “You can’t throw a rock without hitting a wandering conversation about Universal Basic Income these days—but in our office, we’re still skeptical. For the first in a two-episode series exploring guaranteed income and its sister idea, guaranteed jobs, UBI expert Scott Santens and Sukhi Samra, the executive director of a real-life UBI experiment in California, join Nick and Paul to make the case for a universal basic income. Scott Santens is a prominent UBI advocate with a crowdfunded income via Patreon. As a writer and blogger, his pieces advocating for basic income have appeared in The Huffington Post, The Boston Globe, TechCrunch, Vox, the World Economic Forum, and Politico. He is on the board of directors of the U.S. Basic Income Guarantee Network, a founding member of the Economic Security Project, an advisor to the Universal Income Project, a founding committee member of Basic Income Action, and founder of the BIG Patreon Creator Pledge.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “Save File” and “OK” from the pop-up menu.
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Media Mining Digest 