Exercise your ears: the 49 podcasts shown below present the best ideas, information and stories from a larger group of 601 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 27,350 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.
Adam Smith 53 mins – “Revered as the ‘father of economics’ the name Adam Smith carries a lot of weight. Since the 18th century, he’s been quoted, misquoted, celebrated and blamed for capitalism’s excesses. Few people have actually read his books all the way through to understand what he was really trying to say, according to Glory Liu, a post-doctoral teaching fellow at the Political Theory Project at Brown University. “I was recently giving a talk and an economist came up to me and was like ‘isn’t the most common thing about Adam Smith that nobody reads him and everybody just quotes him?’ And I said ‘yeah’, and actually there’s a big story behind that,” Liu told IDEAS Adam Smith was a professor of moral philosophy. He saw himself primarily as a philosopher, not an economist. Yet his most famous book, The Wealth of Nations published in 1776, laid the foundations for the modern study of economics. In a 1988 address about Free Trade, then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan referred to The Wealth of Nations as revolutionary, saying it “exposed for all time the folly of protectionism.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however a copy of the podcast is included in this blog archive.
Bioethics 54 mins – “‘Shouldn’t there be a law against that?’: Facing our fear of genetic innovation –Professor Bartha Knoppers is the 2019 recipient of the Henry G. Friesen International Prize for excellence in health research. Once a scholar of surrealist poetry, she has now become a world-renowned voice and a prolific researcher in the field of medical ethics. Her Friesen lecture is called: “Scientific Breakthroughs: The Prohibition Reflex.” At the link right-click “Download ‘Shouldn’t there be a law against that?’: Facing our fear of genetic innovation” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Boomers Impact 54 mins – Debate| Do baby boomers owe millennials an apology? British sociologist Jennie Bristow debates U.S. author Bruce Cannon Gibney over the baby boom generation and its legacy for the world. Should boomers be held responsible for high house prices, the climate crisis, national debts, insolvent pension funds, and the woes of millennials?” At the link right-click “Download Debate| Do baby boomers owe millennials an apology?” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Broadway Musicals 54 mins – “Lessons off Broadway: Princeton professor dissects zeitgeist in musicals – The Broadway musical is an art form both beloved and maligned. Whether you love it or hate it, the Broadway musical has the power to tap into the zeitgeist, capturing and propelling social change. Princeton musical theatre scholar Stacy Wolf takes host Nahlah Ayed on a tour of the hidden power of musicals from the 1950s to today.” At the link right-click “Download Lessons off Broadway: Princeton professor dissects zeitgeist in musicals” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Burning Man 72 mins – “Marian Goodell, CEO of the Burning Man Project, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about Burning Man, the 8-day art and music festival in the Nevada Desert. Goodell explains how Burning Man has evolved over the years, the principles and rules that govern the experience today, and plans for expanding the Burning Man experience around the world.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Cloud Technology 33 mins – “Tim Beyers, lead analyst from The Motley Fool’s cloud technology service, hops on the show to talk about the various elements of the cloud value chain: components and connectivity, data centers, infrastructure as a service, platform as a service, and software as a service. We break down how they all come together to form the cloud as we know it and some of the most interesting ways to play cloud technology.
Covid-19 Healthcare Workers 13 mins – “Our panel of podcast hosts from a variety of practice settings discuss the logistical and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers and discuss strategies to mitigate the stress associated with the pandemic. Featuring: Solomon Behar, MD, Neda Frtingayha, MD, Mike Weinstock, MD, and Matthieu DeClerck, MD” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select ‘OK” from the pop-up menu.
Covid-19 in NYC 6 mins – “An emergency room doctor in Elmhurst, Queens, gives a rare look inside a hospital at the center of the coronavirus pandemic. “We don’t have the tools that we need.” At the link you can watch/listen, but not download; however, a copy of the audio file is included in this blog archive.
Covid-19 Resident Dr Viewpoint 13 mins – “Dr. Matt Young is a first-year resident in obstetrics and gynecology in suburban Delaware. Between the day I invited him to be interviewed and the interview itself (a 36-hour span) things had changed a lot for him. Anxiety levels are up among his colleagues, and everyone in his hospital must wear a mask all the time. A ground-level view of an incipient epidemic is what we offer.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Covid-19 Response 16 mins – “How Mayo Clinic created and disseminated an enterprise-wide Covid-19 care delivery plan through existing resources and real-time updates and adaptations. By Namita Seth Mohta, MD & Priya Sampathkumar, MD – Trust, teamwork, effective communication, and transparency are among the success factors that enabled Mayo Clinic to develop Covid-19 care delivery processes and procedures for its hospitals and care settings. Priya Sampathkumar, MD, a specialist in infectious diseases, discusses the roles of executive leadership and frontline clinicians in building, deploying, and maintaining best practices for the fast-moving, ever-changing novel coronavirus pandemic. …Dr. Sampathkumar and I will talk about generalizable themes and learnings from Mayo’s expertise and scaling a coordinated and comprehensive plan during emergency situations, using Covid-19 as a real-time example. The goal will be to have you — our audience of health care executive, clinical leaders, and clinicians — leave with some enduring insights and lessons that you could apply not only to Covid-19, but also to your care redesign efforts long after we collectively have successfully addressed this current pandemic.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in this blog archive.
Covid-19 Treatment Options 16 mins – “The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus that emerged in late 2019, and the resulting Covid-19 disease has been labeled a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization. What physicians need to know about transmission, diagnosis, and treatment is the subject of ongoing updates from infectious disease experts at the Journal. In this audio interview conducted on March 18, 2020, the editors look beyond supportive care to evaluate possible treatments for the disease.
Cybersecurity 33 mins – “In the inaugural show of HackerNinjaScissors, Bret Padres interviews Robert M Lee. Robert M. Lee is the CEO and Founder of the critical infrastructure cyber security company Dragos where he has a passion for control system traffic analysis, digital forensics, and threat intelligence research. He is also a non-resident National Cybersecurity Fellow at New America focusing on policy issues relating to the cyber security of critical infrastructure. For his research and focus areas, Robert was named one of Passcode’s Influencers, awarded EnergySec’s Cyber Security Professional of the Year (2015), and inducted into Forbes’ 30 under 30 for Enterprise Technology (2016).” At the link right-click “Direct download: HNS_Podcast_1_Final.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Democracy Declines 88 mins – “Jonah Goldberg of National Review talks about his latest book, Suicide of the West, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Goldberg argues that both capitalism and democracy are at risk in the current contentious political environment. He argues that we take for granted what he calls “the miracle”–the transformation of the standard of living in the democracies with market economies. Goldberg argues that unless we actively work to preserve our political and economic systems, the forces of populism, nationalism, and tribalism will work steadily to destroy them.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
E-Discovery 24 mins – “Joe Looby recently released his documentary The Decade of Discovery about the United States versus Philip Morris tobacco lawsuit in the early 2000s and email e-discovery issues. The film also discusses the emergence of the Sedona Conference as a think tank and forum for discussion about cooperation in e-discovery. Many prominent federal judges were interviewed about the issues with open government and record keeping. Also in the documentary, Jason R. Baron, Esq. talks about open government, record keeping at the White House, and how the e-discovery issues played out in the lawsuit. We are beginning to wonder, in this world of big data, how are we dealing with information governance, specifically within issues of open government and data security?” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow and select “OK” to download the podcast.
Earnings Accuracy 70 mins – “As investors, we depend on financial statements to understand how the businesses we own are performing. Therefore, we also depend on auditors to make sure those financial statements are accurate. Financial journalist Francine McKenna joins the show this week to discuss auditing and accounting issues including conflicts of interest between auditors and shareholders, the role of auditing in catching fraud, accounting issues at companies like Disney and Square, what we lose as non-Gaap accounting becomes more and more commonplace, how companies will decide to disclose coronavirus impacts on their business, and more.
Explosives Detection and Neutralization 4 mins – “Scientists today described development and successful initial tests of a spray-on material that both detects and renders harmless the genre of terrorist explosives responsible for government restrictions on liquids that can be carried onboard airliners. They reported on the new ink-like explosive detector/neutralizer at the 241st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), being held here this week. “This stuff is going to be used anywhere terrorist explosives are used, including battlefields, airports, and subways,” said study leader Allen Apblett, Ph.D. “It’s going to save lives.” At the link find the title, “Promoting Personal Safety and national Security: New nanomaterial detects and neutralizes explosive,” right-click “Plan Now” and select “Save target as” from the pop-up menu to download the podcast.
Forensic Myths 30 mins – “We wanted to address the so-called “CSI Effect,” caused by the simplification of forensic science in popular culture. CSIand like-minded TV shows–with their heroic investigators solving crimes in mere minutes–mislead viewers and affect real court cases. The reality of investigation is much slower and more complex, but no less fascinating. Hosts Michal Meyer and Robert Kenworthy speak with experts Anna Dhody, a physical and forensic anthropologist, and Lisa Rosner, a historian. They discuss the early days of solving crime and the on-going chemistry of the human body throughout life and death.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow at the sound bar and select “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Freud Impact 54 mins – “Wishful dreaming: Freud and the discovery of our inner life –Sigmund Freud had many radical ideas about our inner life and how mental illness or trauma might be treated. Perhaps his most radical idea was that the patient should be listened to. This episode features a panel discussion at the Stratford Festival about the current state of Freud’s legacy on self-knowledge.” At the link right-click “Download Wishful dreaming: Freud and the discovery of our inner life” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Gawker Lawsuit 52 mins – “Author Ryan Holiday discusses his book, Conspiracy, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. This is a crazy episode about a crazy book about a crazy set of events–the Hulk Hogan lawsuit against the website Gawker, a lawsuit that was secretly funded by Peter Thiel. Holiday explains how this happened and the lessons for all of us related to conspiracies, patience, strategy, and revenge. Along the way, Holiday discusses his techniques for reading and lessons for how to grab someone’s attention when looking for a job or opportunity.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Governments Dark Data 16 mins – “Joe Looby recently released his documentary The Decade of Discovery about the United States versus Philip Morris tobacco lawsuit in the early 2000s and email e-discovery issues. The film also discusses the emergence of the Sedona Conference as a think tank and forum for discussion about cooperation in e-discovery. Many prominent federal judges were interviewed about the issues with open government and record keeping. Also in the documentary, Jason R. Baron, Esq. talks about open government, record keeping at the White House, and how the e-discovery issues played out in the lawsuit. We are beginning to wonder, in this world of big data, how are we dealing with information governance, specifically within issues of open government and data security?” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the audio is included in this blog archive.
Green Roofs 3 mins – “The American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society, today took another major step in transforming its headquarters into one of the most energy-efficient and sustainable structures possible with existing technology by starting construction of a meadow on the roof ― a “green roof” for its headquarters building. Only 1 in 10 office buildings in the Washington, D.C., area have these innovative surfaces, according to Joanna Brosnan, director of ACS’s Facilities Department, who initiated the project. Green roofs use green plants growing on a specially engineered surface to absorb carbon dioxide from the air, save energy on heating and cooling, promote cleaner air, and reduce stormwater runoff that can overburden city sewers. When completed in the autumn, the ACS’ Clifford & Kathryn Hach Building, 1155 16th Street NW, will sprout a garden consisting of a specialized mix of plants that thrive in the harsh, dry, hot conditions that exist at roof level. Employees will be able to enjoy lunch or breaks in an observation area and enjoy the wildflowers, grasses, and water-storing, drought-resistant flowering sedums in the meadow-on-the-roof.” “We are delighted to be able to transform our headquarters building into an even-more environmentally friendly and sustainable structure,” said Madeleine Jacobs, ACS Executive Director and CEO. “This project is consistent with the core values of ACS, the world’s largest scientific society ― to work for a more sustainable city, country, and world.” At the link right-click “Website episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
High Fructose Sugar Kills Bees 3 mins – “In the United States, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has become a sucrose replacement for honey bees and has widespread use as a sweetener in many processed foods and beverages for human consumption. It is utilized by commercial beekeepers as a food for honey bees for several reasons: to promote brood production, after bees have been moved for commercial pollination, and when field-gathered nectar sources are scarce. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a heat-formed contaminant and is the most noted toxin to honey bees. Currently, there are no rapid field tests that would alert beekeepers of dangerous levels of HMF in HFCS or honey….” At the link right-click “Website episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Hillary Clinton Emails 29 mins – “’It is very difficult to conceive of a scenario — short of nuclear winter — where an agency would be justified in allowing its cabinet-level head officer to solely use a private email communications channel for the conduct of government business.’ – Jason R. Baron to the New York Times On March 2nd, 2015, The New York Times published a breaking story about Hillary Clinton, who used a private email account to conduct government business. Due to The Freedom of Information Act, many people questioned whether Clinton acted inconsistently with her federally mandated record keeping obligations. Furthermore, is this a wakeup call for companies and governmental entities who are not controlling shadow IT, the practice of employees using private devices and softwares at work? In this episode of Digital Detectives, Sharon Nelson and John Simek interview Jason R. Baron, of counsel to Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP and co-chair of The Information Governance Initiative, about the Hillary Clinton controversy and the future of Shadow IT, BYOD, and information governance.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the audio file is included in this blog archive.
Human Rights Discussion 54 mins – “If you support human rights you’re obliged to be an anti-colonialist, argues scholar – Author of Insurgent Empire, Priyamvada Gopal on why everyone should be an ‘anti-colonialist’ — and what that means for Canadians.” At the link right-click “Download If you support human rights you’re obliged to be an anti-colonialist, argues scholar” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Hunting Warhead 36 mins – “This episode explores the existence of the deep web and dark web, and how these non-indexed sites occupy more space on the internet than anything else. (Sarah Claydon) Einar Stangvik is a white-hat hacker — an internet security expert with an expertise in cracking the most secure and disturbing parts of the web. He discovers a troubling phenomenon online and joins forces with journalist Håkon Høydal. It leads them to Australia, to confront two men who are running the largest child abuse site on the dark net.” At the link find the title, “Episode 1: Hacker vs. Hacker,” where you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in this blog archive.
Irrationality 36 mins – “Why too much logic leads to irrationality: Justin E. H. Smith – The Parisian-American philosopher Justin E. H. Smith argues that attempts to impose the victory of reason always lead to explosions of irrationality, whether in our individual lives or at the level of society. His book is called Irrationality: a History of the Dark Side of Reason.” At the link right-click “Download Why too much logic leads to irrationality: Justin E. H. Smith” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Jamaican Author 36 mins – “Olive Senior delivers prestigious 2019 Margaret Laurence Lecture: A Writer’s Life – With wit and heart, Olive Senior delivered the 2019 Margaret Lawrence Lecture to a packed audience. Born in Jamaica in 1941, the seventh of 10 children, she went on to become one of Canada’s most acclaimed writers. Hear excerpts from her lecture, readings from her work and a conversation with IDEAS producer Mary Lynk.” At the link right-click “Download Olive Senior delivers prestigious 2019 Margaret Laurence Lecture: A Writer’s Life” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Killer Spices 4 mins – “Mention rosemary, thyme, clove, and mint and most people think of a delicious meal. Think bigger…acres bigger. These well-known spices are now becoming organic agriculture’s key weapons against insect pests as the industry tries to satisfy demands for fruits and veggies among the growing portion of consumers who want food produced in more natural ways. In a study presented here today at the American Chemical Society’s 238th National Meeting, scientists in Canada are reporting exciting new research on these so-called “essential oil pesticides” or “killer spices.” These substances represent a relatively new class of natural insecticides that show promise as an environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional pesticides while also posing less risk to human and animal health, the researcher says. “We are exploring the potential use of natural pesticides based on plant essential oils — commonly used in foods and beverages as flavorings,” says study presenter Murray Isman, Ph.D., of the University of British Columbia. These new pesticides are generally a mixture of tiny amounts of two to four different spices diluted in water. Some kill insects outright, while others repel them….” At the link right-click “Website episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Leonardo da Vinci 36 mins – “Monster buff Leonardo da Vinci would have loved Halloween – Leonardo da Vinci would have loved Halloween. The renaissance artist and engineer was also a monster buff. Writer and historian Ross King unveils da Vinci’s sketches and stories of monsters, beasts, giants and dragons, and explains how the artist’s views on fantasy were in contrast to an increasingly rational age.” At the link right-click “Download Monster buff Leonardo da Vinci would have loved Halloween” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Liquid Metal Batteries 63 mins – “On 29 November 2018 Energy Futures Lab and the Dyson School of Design Engineering hosted Professor Donald Sadoway of MIT to discuss the impact the liquid metal battery could have on the future of gridscale energy storage. Abstract: Massive-scale electricity storage would offer huge benefits to today’s grid, reducing price volatility, improving stability against loss of power, increasing utilization of generation assets by enabling us to design towards average demand instead of peak demand, and deferring the costs of upgrading existing transmission lines. When it comes to tomorrow’s grid, storage is key to widespread integration of renewables, i.e., solar and wind, which due to their inherent intermittency present challenges for contribution to base load. Comprising two liquid metal electrodes and a molten salt electrolyte, the liquid metal battery offers colossal current capability and long service lifetime at very low cost, i.e., the price point of the electricity market. The round-trip efficiency of these batteries is greater than 80% under daily 4 h discharge (C/4). Fade rates of 0.00009%/cycle have been measured which means retention of of more tahn 99% of initial capacity after 10 years of daily cycling at full depth of discharge. There is much to be learned from the innovative process that led to the discovery of disruptive battery technology.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however an audio copy of the presentation is available at this blog.
Malware Analyst 24 mins – “Today we talk with Lauren Pearce – a member of the IR team and a malware analyst for Los Alamos National Labs. Lauren shares with us her journey to become a malware analyst and talks about the importance of flailing and mentorship.” At the link right-click “Direct download: HNS_Podcast_2_Final.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Manufacturing in US 51 mins – “Economist Susan Houseman of the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research talks about the manufacturing sector with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Houseman argues that the data surrounding both manufacturing output and employment have been misunderstood and misinterpreted. In particular, she argues that conclusions about the growth of manufacturing are driven overwhelmingly by computer production while the rest of manufacturing has been stagnant. She also argues that productivity has a small role in reducing manufacturing employment. Trade has been the main cause of employment reductions. These claims go against the standard narratives most economists have been telling for the last 20 years.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save target as” from the pop-up menu.
Margaret Lawrence 37 mins – “The celebrated Jamaican-Canadian author shared a soulful, witty and tender exploration of becoming a writer in her recent Margaret Laurence Lecture. Since 1987, the Writers’ Trust of Canada has selected a prominent Canadian author to deliver a lecture on the topic: “A Writer’s Life.” Born in 1941, Olive Senior was the seventh of ten children, raised in rural Jamaica. After graduating high school, Senior came briefly to Canada as a Commonwealth Scholar to attend Carleton University in Ottawa. But it wasn’t until the early 1990s that the prolific writer settled in Toronto full-time. Senior has published 18 books of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and children’s literature, including Summer Lightning and Other Stories, Over the Roofs of the World, and The Pain Tree. Her work has been translated into several languages worldwide and has won many awards for her work, including the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature and F.J. Bressani Literary Prize.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in this blog archive.
Measles Vaccine Powder 3 mins – “The first dry powder inhalable vaccine for measles is moving toward clinical trials next year in India, where the disease still sickens millions of infants and children and kills almost 200,000 annually, according to a report presented here today at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Robert Sievers, Ph.D., who leads the team that developed the dry-powder vaccine, said it’s a perfect fit for use in back-roads areas of developing countries. Those areas often lack the electricity for refrigeration, clean water and sterile needles needed to administer traditional liquid vaccines.” At the link right-click “Website episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Mental Illness History 36 mins – “Anne Harrington puts it plainly: “We don’t understand any major mental disorder biologically.” The Harvard historian of science takes no pleasure in relating this surprising fact. She knows that people with depression, schizophrenia and bipolar conditions want better treatments for their symptoms. She also acknowledges that psychiatrists and researchers ARE “working hard to change that situation.” But her book, Mind Fixers: Psychiatry’s Troubled Search for the Biology of Mental Illness, surveys a flawed medical field that has been unable to come to any clear consensus around the causes of — or cures for — mental illness.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in this blog archive.
Nationalism Value 55 mins – “Yoram Hazony discusses his book, The Virtue of Nationalism, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Hazony argues that nationalism, for all its flaws, is a better system than a global system of governance. He argues that while the competition between nationalist states can lead to violence, the opportunity for each nation to pursue its own policies creates the benefits that trial-and-error innovation create in the marketplace. He also points out the dangers of global government systems and argues that U.S. military dominance and various international institutions such as European Union and the International Criminal Court have been growing in power.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Orientalism37 mins – “Forty years on, Edward Said’s ‘Orientalism’ still groundbreaking – Edward Said’s seminal book, Orientalism (1978), proposed one of the most influential and enduring analyses of the relationship between the West and the Middle East. In many ways, his ideas seem uncontroversial, perhaps even obvious today. But four decades ago, what Said proposed was radical. It still is.” At the link right-click “Download Forty years on, Edward Said’s ‘Orientalism’ still groundbreaking” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Pandemic Discussion 95 mins – “How to identify a pandemic.” Here are three video sessions made in 2018 discussing how to identify an epidemic, how to gather data, then how to innovate during the pandemic. The videos are provided via the New England Journal of Medicine. The audio part of each video is provided in this blog archive.
Pandemic Innovation 51 mins – “Innovation for Pandemics” Here are three video sessions made in 2018 discussing how to identify an epidemic, how to gather data, then how to innovate during the pandemic. The videos are provided via the New England Journal of Medicine. The audio part of each video is provided in this blog archive.
Pandemic Knowledge 78 mins – “Acquiring knowledge while saving lives.” Here are three video sessions made in 2018 discussing how to identify an epidemic, how to gather data, then how to innovate during the pandemic. The videos are provided via the New England Journal of Medicine. The audio part of each video is provided in this blog archive.
Placebo Effect 62 miins – “Author and psychotherapist Gary Greenberg talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the placebo effect. Is it real? How does the placebo effect influence drug testing? If it’s real, what is the underlying mechanism of why it works and how might it be harnessed to improve health care? The conversation concludes with a discussion of how knowledge of the placebo effect has influenced Greenberg’s psychotherapy practice.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Precognition 54 mins – “In 2011, an American psychologist named Daryl Bem proved the impossible. He showed that precognition — the ability to sense the future — is real. His study was explosive, and shook the very foundations of psychology. “This would probably be the most important research paper I would say ever published in any field, if it were true,” said Jeff Galak, psychologist at Carnegie Mellon University. “If this paper were true, our understanding of the entire world, the universe, physics, [and] psychology, for sure, would be completely different,” Galak said. “We would no longer see time as this linear thing that we move through, but instead something that can go forwards and backwards. And we could reach into the future and pull information from that — if it were true. And ‘if ‘is a big part of that statement.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy is included in this blog archive.
Ricin Detection 5 mins – “Ricin is a highly toxic protein largely existing in castor beans, which could be used as a warfare agent due to its unique properties. As a deadenylase, inactivation of ricin means a loss of its toxic threat. Therefore, developing simple, accurate, and sensitive on-site detection of biologically active ricin in wide types of complex matrices is most valuable…. Compared with previously proposed methods, this on-site detection strategy offered an easy to handle on-site test for trace amounts of active ricin in a wide range of complex matrices.” At the link right-click “Website episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Techification of Defense 27 mins – “Energy: The Techification of Defense – Per a listener request on Twitter, we’re diving into the defense industry with Industry Focus contributor Lou Whiteman. On the first half of the show, we take a look at the winners and losers from the most recently proposed defense budget. On the back half of the show, we discuss Leidos (NYSE:LDOS), the biggest IT business in the defense industry and an interesting way to play increased “techification” of the defense industry.
Time Use 63 mins – “Economist and author Daniel Hamermesh of Barnard College and the Institute for the Study of Labor talks about his latest book, Spending Time, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Hamermesh explores how we treat time relative to money, how much we work and how that has changed over time, and the ways economists look at time, work, and leisure.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Trumpism Globally 54 mins – “‘Global Trumpism’: Bailouts, Brexit and battling climate change – With panache, humour, and a dash of outrage, political economist Mark Blyth explains how the 2008 bank bailouts led to Trump, Brexit, and a whole new era of populism. He also sheds light on how a tiny percentage of the 1% got even richer after a decade of austerity — and yet he remains hopeful about combating climate change.” At the link right-click “Download ‘Global Trumpism’: Bailouts, Brexit and battling climate change” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Universal Basic Income 66 mins – “Why are fewer men working over the last few decades? Is a universal basic income a good policy for coping with the loss of employment? Economist Edward Glaeser of Harvard University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about what Glaeser calls the war on work–the policy changes that have reduced employment among prime-aged men. Glaeser does not see the universal basic income as a viable solution to the decrease in work especially if technology ends up reducing employment opportunities more dramatically in the future. The conversation also includes a discussion of the role of cities and the reduction in geographic mobility in the United States.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Vineyards 46 mins – “Richard Hoff is the Director of Viticulture of Mercer Ranches. Mercer Ranches is a grape farm that produces high-quality wine through strict quality control and precise technology. Richard is considered an expert in wine tasting, wine manufacturing, and general viticulture. He obtained his Master’s Degree in Viticulture from Washington State University and his Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Richard joins me today to discuss in great detail how the production of wine works – from the grape to the bottle. He describes the vineyards Mercer owns, the grapes they produce, their different yields, and their farming practices. He explains some of the details involved in processing such as pruning and de-leafing, as well as the technologies they use. Richard also shares some of the problems he looks forward to being solved by technology in the future.” At the link left-click the down-pointing arrow at the sound bar and select “OK” from the pop-up menu.
Thanks for stopping by.
Media Mining Digest 