The following audio files come from a larger group of 208 for the week. Double or ctrl-click individual highlighted links, below, to get single podcasts. A zip file of all 41 podcasts converted to 1.5x speed will download here for four months. Older groups of podcasts are discussed at the end of this episode.
Al Jazeera Journalists 11 mins – “A judge sentenced three Al Jazeera journalists to prison on charges of reporting false news. Two Egyptian journalists explain the challenges of reporting in a tense political environment.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Asteroid Hazard 27 mins – ” With the power of nuclear weapons and the potential to wipe out life on Earth, asteroids hit Earth more frequently than you’d think. Meet the volunteers monitoring the skies.” At the link find the title, “DocArchive: The Great Space Hunt 25 Jun 2014,” right-click “Media files docarchive 20140625-1100a.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Bank Regulation 23 mins – “…Wall Street banks are lobbying to defang sections of the law related to derivatives — the complex financial contracts at the core of the meltdown. One deregulation bill, the “London Whale Loophole Act,” would allow American banks to skip Dodd-Frank’s trading rules on derivatives if they are traded in countries that have similar regulatory structures. “It keeps being weakened and weakened,” economist Anat Admati, co-author of the book, The Bankers’ New Clothes, says of the Dodd-Frank legislation. “We have some tweaks. We have messy, unfocused efforts. But we haven’t really gotten to the heart of the matter and really managed to control this system effectively,” she tells Bill….” At the link find the title, “Full Show: Too Big to Fail and Getting Bigger,” right-click “Media files Moyers_and_Company_323_Podcast.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Blue Collar Conservatives 58 mins – “Former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) talked about his book, Blue Collar Conservatives: Recommitting to an America That Works, in which he argues that the working class in the U.S. has been abandoned by both parties and that solutions to its problems are largely conservative in nature. He spoke with the Daily Caller’s Tucker Carlson.” At the link you can watch a video, but downloads cost $.99; however, a copy of the file is included in the blog archive.
Brain Stimulation 26 mins – “Learn a new language faster than ever! Leave doubt in the dust! Be a better sniper! Could you do all that and more with just a zap to the noggin? Maybe… with something called trans-cranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Brazil Issues 23 mins – “…When it comes to income inequality, Brazil is in the bottom ten percent, ranking 121st out of 133 countries, and the South American nation holds a similar low standing when it comes to corruption, wealth distribution and quality of infrastructure. So as the World Cup has begun, demonstrations and strikes have continued. Eyewitness to the events occurring right now is past Moyers & Company guest Dave Zirin, sports editor of The Nation magazine, commentator and author whose latest book is Brazil’s Dance with the Devil: The World Cup, the Olympics, and the Fight for Democracy. He spoke with us from Rio.” At the link find the title, “A World Cup for the Wealthy, Not the People
Wednesday, June 18, 2014,” right-click “Media files zirin_full-MP3-for-Audio-Podcasting.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Central Park Five 10 mins – “New York City reached a $40 million settlement with the “Central Park Five,” men who were wrongfully convicted of a brutal rape in 1990. Sarah Burns, who wrote a book about the case, offers an update.” At the link right-click Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Colorado River Delta 6 mins – “About 150 miles east of San Diego, Morelos Dam stops the Colorado River in its tracks right at the US-Mexico border. Here, the last stretch of the once-mighty river is diverted from its natural path into an irrigation canal, bound for Mexican farms. It’s been this way for most of the last half century. But then, for a few weeks this spring, it suddenly wasn’t. What happened this spring was a “magical experience,” said river activist Yamilett Carrillo, “because we got to see a river coming back to life.'” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow at the right-end of the sound bar.
Corporation History 53 mins – “The Supreme Court will soon rule on whether Hobby Lobby, a chain of craft stores, can be exempted from parts of the Affordable Care Act on account of the corporation’s religious beliefs. Raising questions about “corporate personhood,” and coming just a few years after the Court’s still-controversial Citizens United ruling, the case has further fueled the debate over corporate power today. But how did corporations become such powerful institutions in American life? And how did Americans in the past view their role and influence?…” At the link right-click the down-pointing arrow on the right-end of the sound bar and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dark Matter Explained 37 mins – “Hundreds of years ago, Galileo told us that the earth is not the center of the universe. Now, physicists are telling us that the normal matter you and I are made of isn’t even the majority of the matter that exists. On this episode, Dr. Katherine Freese, a theoretical astrophysicist at the University of Michigan and author of the Cosmic Cocktail, joins us to talk about the composition of the cosmos and the mysterious nature of dark matter and dark energy.” At the link right-click “Listen to episode” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Dark Pools on Wall St 46 mins – “Dark pools – private stock trading platforms not available to the public – are under investigation by the SEC. We look at inequities in the stock market and what they mean for public investors.
Deportee Protection 57 mins – “This Migration Policy Institute (MPI) panel discussion, in partnership with the Women’s Refugee Commission, focuses on a new toolkit by the Women’s Refugee Commission to provide detained and deported immigrants as well as unauthorized mothers and fathers with crucial information to protect and maintain their parental rights and make well-informed, critical decisions regarding the care and welfare of their children. In addition, speakers discuss the broader policy points surrounding detention and child protection issues and the implications for the immigration enforcement and child welfare systems.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
End of Life 52 mins – “After her father suffered a debilitating stroke, the journalist Katy Butler [Knocking On Heaven’s Door] became his caretaker. Doctors gave him a pacemaker and other medical devices meant to keep him alive, but past a certain point, they were only sustaining his suffering. At the end of life as he wanted to live it, his doctor’s refused to turn off the gadgets and let him die “naturally.” Butler is in town this week and she joins us Tuesday to share her family’s struggle and to talk about what it means to die a “good death” today. ” At the link right-click “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
First World War Impact 54 mins – “From the Stratford Festival, General John de Chastelain and historian Nick Terpstra discuss the social consequences of war: when there is no longer a centre to hold, what happens to both communities and individuals?” At the link find the title, “Madness and the Prolonged War,” right-click “Download Madness and the Prolonged War” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
First World War Origins 54 mins – “Margaret MacMillan is one of the world’s leading scholars on World War One. She talks with Paul Kennedy about the origins of the war and what we’ve learned — and failed to learn — from it.” At the link find the title, “Margaret MacMillan and World War One ,” right-click (here or there) “Download Margaret MacMillan and World War One” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Folklore Online 51 mins – “There’s a lot of hand wringing over what the digital age may be doing to us and society as a whole. And though you may not think LOLCats and auto-tuned politicians are high art, Friday’s guests contend the internet is a vibrant platform for human expression. Lynn McNeill and Trevor Blank are folklorists and they say people have been telling stupid jokes and complaining about government long before the web. They join Doug to talk about digital culture and what we can learn about ourselves from it.” At the link right-click “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Foreign Policy 23 mins – “…We have been engaged in the Islamic world at least since 1980, in a military project based on the assumption that the adroit use of American hard power can somehow pacify or fix this part of the world. We can now examine more than three decades of this effort….” At the link find the title, “Full Show: Chaos in Iraq,” right-click “Media files Moyers_and_Company_324_Podcast.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Fracking History 62 mins – “Gregory Zuckerman of the Wall Street Journal and author of The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters, talks to EconTalk host Russ Roberts about his new book, the rise of hydraulic fracturing (fracking), how this technology developed, and the vibrant personalities that pioneered the energy revolution. Topics discussed along the way include the history and future of fracking, environmental concerns about the process, and how the story of fracking is the classic tale of the successes and failures of determined risk-takers. The role of market forces in driving that success and failure runs through the entire conversation. ” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Futurist Daniel Burrus 43 mins – “Our guest this week is considered one of the World’s Leading Futurists on Global Trends and Innovation.The New York Times has referred to him as one of the top three business gurus in the highest demand as a speaker. He is a strategic advisor to executives from Fortune 500 companies helping them to develop game-changing strategies based on his proven methodologies for capitalizing on technology innovations and their future impact. He is the author of six books, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal best seller Flash Foresight: How to See the Invisible and Do the Impossible.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Gay Marriage 51 mins – “In 2008, voters in California approved Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment restricting marriage to a man and a woman. Proponents of the law argued it was necessary to protect traditional marriage, while critics believed it violated the civil rights of gay and lesbian people. The legal battle to overturn Proposition 8 was waged by an unlikely pairing: David Boies and Ted Olson, on opposite sides in the Bush v. Gore case, came together in the fight for marriage equality. A behind-the-scenes look at the legal struggle to overturn Proposition 8 and what that victory has meant for same-sex marriage laws around the country.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is included in the blog archive.
Glacier Riverbeds 4 mins – “…In 1923, J Harlen Bretz rocked the slow-grinding geological establishment. Bretz had been studying the Columbia River Plateau, a vast area covering large parts of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, when he noticed something strange. The deep gorges carved into the landscape weren’t typical of slow erosion. Instead, they showed signs of catastrophic flooding — signs that torrential waters had ravaged the land…” At the link right-click “Click here for audio…” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Heart Valves 18 mins – “Regenerative Medicine Today welcomes Frederick Schoen, MD, PhD. Dr. Schoenis a Senior Pathologist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Professor of Pathology and Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School; and Executive Vice Chairman, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Schoen discusses his research in the tissue engineering of heart valves.
Hospice Issues 46 mins – “When the end comes – and it comes for us all – we want it to be peaceful. Dignified. We want to be in calm and knowing hands. Increasingly for Americans, that means turning, when death is near, to hospice care. A generation ago, hospice was almost unknown. A few non-profits here and there. Today, hospice care has exploded into a huge, multi-billion dollar business. With lots of distinctly, aggressively for-profit players. Drawing billions from Medicare. And charges of fraud and mistreatment. This hour On Point: what’s happened with American hospice care.” At the link right-click “Download this story” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Journalist Career 59 mins – “Sharyl Attkisson talked about her career, the state of the media, and her future plans. Ms. Attkisson left CBS News in March 2014 after more than 20 years at the network. She talked about her reasons for leaving CBS, the evolution of network news, her work for the Heritage Foundation’s media outlet, The Daily Signal, as well as her book Stonewalled: My Fight for Truth Against the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama’s Washington.” At the link you can watch the video, but an audio download costs $.99; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
Koch Dynasty 51 mins – “Along with the Rockefellers and Kennedys, the Kochs are among America’s most influential dynasties. Fred Koch built a business empire and helped create the ultraconservative John Birch Society. When he died in 1967, his four sons waged war over their inheritance. But that legacy allowed controversial brothers Charles and David to become two of the world’s wealthiest men and a powerful force in American politics. Thursday, biographer Daniel Schulman [Sons of Wichita] joins Doug to talk about the dynamics that created the Koch family.” At the link right-click “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Lifestyles 39 mins – “Episode 55 of Books and Ideas is an interview with Dr. John Ratey, co-author of “Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization.” There is considerable evidence that our hunter-gatherer ancestors were generally suprisingly healthy, so the purpose of this book and our conversation was to explore the scientific evidence supporting a return to a healthier lifestyle. We touch on diet, exercise, the role of sleep and even meditation. We also explore the importance of our relationship with nature and each other.” At the link right-click (here or there) “Direct download: 55-books-Ratey.mp3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Medical Apps 51 mins – “More than 100,000 health and medical apps are now on the market. Many of these connect to high-tech wireless devices that are worn, or even ingested, by consumers and patients. Apple, for example, announced this month the creation of an app that will allow users to track their vital signs and interact with their doctors’ offices. Another app wirelessly connects to a microchip that is swallowed with pills so patients and their doctors can monitor if medicine is taken correctly. Susan Page and a panel of [5] guests discuss the benefits and risks of new wireless health technology.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is included in the blog archive.
Migrant Children 66 mins – “This Migration Policy Institute (MPI) telebriefing discusses factors behind the recent surge in flows of unaccompanied children from Mexico and Central America to the United States as well as short- and longer-term policy options for improving how the U.S. immigration system interacts with this population with distinct needs. Speakers include Doris Meissner, Director of MPI’s U.S. Immigration Policy Program, and Marc Rosenblum, Deputy Director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program. The call previews a policy brief on unaccompanied minors that MPI will release in July.” At the link right-click “Download” from the pop-up menu.
Paperboys 3 mins – “Today, the invention of the paperboy. The Honors College at the University of Houston presents this program about the machines that make our civilization run, and the people whose ingenuity created them….” At the link right-click “Click here for audio….” and select “Save Link As” from the poop-up menu.
Political Reform 51 mins – “Political gridlock has doubled since the 1950s, and a recent poll shows public approval of Congress is just 16%–an all-time low for a midterm year. This week, a bipartisan commission made up of former state and federal officials, business and academic leaders is out with more than sixty recommendations for how to fix the political process. The commission calls for holding one national primary, instituting a five-day workweek for Congress and appointing independent redistricting commissions to prevent gerrymandering. But critics say the recommendations don’t go far enough to address serious, campaign finance problems. Guest host Susan Page and a panel [of 4] discuss new bipartisan efforts to reduce government gridlock and the influence of big donors.” At the link you can listen, but not download; however, a copy of the file is in the blog archive.
Power Plant Emissions 51 mins – “Proponents of the EPA’s role in regulating heat trapping gasses associated with climate change are calling it a win. Others are not so sure. Yesterday, the Supreme Curt ruled the EPA has the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The ruling only applies to plants already required to limit other kinds of air pollutants. It’s the first time since 2007 that the Supreme Court has weighed in on the EPA’s greenhouse gas regulatory authority. A new private funded bipartisan report estimates climate change will cost billions of dollars over the next two decades. Please join us to discuss the Supreme Court, the EPA and climate change.” At the link you can listen but not download; however, a copy is included in the blog archives.
Propaganda 54 mins – “Ira Basen explores how the first global war gave rise to what we’d now call public relations.” At the link find the title, “World War One and The Birth of Public Relations,” right-click (here or there) “Download World War One and The Birth of Public Relations” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Publishing R and D 66 mins – “Noah Feehan of the NYTimes R&D Lab talks about his experience researching new ways to receive information from our technology and how that will change us all.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Skyjacking 17 mins – “The term “Hijacking” goes back to prohibition days, when gangsters would rob moonshine trucks saying “hold your hands high, Jack!” However, in the early days of commercial air travel, the idea that someone would hijack a plane was scarcely even considered. When the government started to oversee aviation in 1958, hijacking wasn’t technically a crime and the early design of airport terminals reflected this. Airports were once more like train stations, where you walk through the terminal and onto the tarmac, and sometimes straight onto the plane itself, without flashing a ticket or showing anyone your identification. Then in 1961, an epidemic of hijackings began.” At the link right-click “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Software Maintenance 63 mins – “We now wander in Best Buy, Lowes and on Amazon and buy all sorts of devices from thermostats, hi-fi gear, tablets, phones, and laptops or desktops as well as home routers to build our home networks. Most of these we plug in and forget about. But should we? In this talk Jim Gettys — American computer programmer and former Vice President of Software at the One Laptop per Child project — discusses the immediate actions individuals can take, as well as the changes that must be made in the market, to make the “Internet of Things” more secure.” At the link right-click “MP3” beside “Download” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Solar Panel Improvement 5 mins – “Using a cheap chemical used normally to make tofu stick together, scientists at the University of Liverpool have stumbled upon a much more environmentally-friendly and cheaper way to manufacture very light-weight solar panels called thin film photovoltaics. Science writer Mark Peplow explains the significance of the find to Chris Smith…” At the link right-click “Download as MP3” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
South Sudan (2 parts) 21 mins – “The Small Arms Survey’s Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) for Sudan and South Sudan has documented armed conflict dynamics in the two countries since 2006. In a May 2014 interview, HSBA consultant Joshua Craze, author of several HSBA reports, describes recent developments in South Sudan’s political and humanitarian crisis, which has continued to evolve since December 2013. The second part of this two-part podcast, based on a May 2014 interview with HSBA consultant Joshua Craze, describes the current military situation in South Sudan and outlines possible scenarios for South Sudan’s future.” At the link find the titles, ” The Crisis in South Sudan, Part One: Understanding the impasse,” and “…Part Two No Easy Solution,” right-click “Media files SAS-Podcast-21-The-Crisis-in-South-Sudan-Part-One-Understanding-the-Impasse.mp3, and “SAS-Podcast-22-The-Crisis-in-South-Sudan-Part-Two-No-easy-solution.mp3” select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Space Dust 29 mins – “In a rebroadcast from May 23, 2010, Keith and guest host Tom Gill of the UTEP Geological Sciences Department interview Franco Marcantonio from the Texas A&M Department of Geology and Geophysics about dust. Helium from our solar wind gets implanted in dust particles from outer space…up to 40,000 tones every year! The dust that accumulates in ocean sediment conserves the helium isotope and can help determine the earth’s early climate.” At the link right-click “Listen” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
Tastemakers 46mins – “You may think you’re immune to food trends, but odds are you’re not. Compare your diet today to ten years ago. If there’s not some new Greek yogurt or blueberries or different greens or dishes in there, you’re tough. And then there are the blazing meteors of kale and chia seed, Korean tacos and cronuts and the mad fad of cupcakes everywhere. Who launches food trends? Who whips them up and rolls them out and shapes the way we eat, the cravings we embrace, the shopping list we carry? This hour On Point: the tastemakers and the boiling world of food trends.” At the link right-click “Download this story”
Teen Drivers 54 mins – “The number of young drivers killed on the roads is double what we’d expect. Despite clever advertising campaigns, psychologist Bridie Scott-Parker says there hasn’t even been a way of measuring young driver behaviour. Progress has not been made in road safety for young drivers. Bridie Scott-Parker has taken the first step by bringing together information about the drivers, their behaviour and the environment as they all affect each other. At the Australian Academy of Science in Canberra, Bridie Scott-Parker describes her new approach to addressing safety amongst young novice drivers.” At the link right-click “Download audio” and select “Save Link As” from the pop-up menu.
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An alphabetic encyclopedia of 3600 of these hyperlinked descriptions is here and updated quarterly. A file of the podcasts is here , added to weekly, and can be downloaded as a 20+ GB zipped file or individually. A separate folder of C-Span, Diane Rehm, et. al. files that aren’t available at their sites is there too, and can also be downloaded as a zip file or individually. Over 180 feeds used to prepare this blog are harvested with Feedreader3 and Juice. The feeds are available in this opml file which Feedreader and Juice can import. A list of the feeds is here. Free Commander is used to compare old with new downloads and remove duplicates. MP3 Speed Changer is used on batches of new files to boost playback speed 150%. A speed listening background article is here. Please comment on any problems with the links and downloads.
Thank you for visiting.
Media Mining Digest 