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Down and Out in Dogpatch, Pt2
Sunday, September 25, 2011 - Listen
In part 1, below, I talked to sociologist and writer Teresa Gowan about her years among the homeless recyclers of San Francisco's Dogpatch district. As we walked through the neighborhood, Teresa described how much it's changed. Most of the homeless have been pushed out, and therein hangs a tale of societal attitudes--toward poverty, property and rootlessness--going back hundreds of years. In this second and final part of the series, we found out where some of Dogpatch's remaining homeless are holing up and how they're hanging on. You can download the MP3 here.
Becoming a Jazzman: Donny McCaslin
Sunday, September 18, 2011 - Listen
Donny McCaslin grew up in Santa Cruz and got his musical start here. Today he's a widely-known, much-admired tenor sax player based in New York. Donny returned to our area recently to play at the 2011 Monterey Jazz Festival. We talked about his formative years (playing with his dad's band on the streets of Santa Cruz), rapid success (he joined Gary Burton's quintet right out of college) and ongoing musical evolution. You can download the MP3 here.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
No show this week. Program pre-empted by NPR's special 9/11 10th anniversary coverage.
Down and Out in Dogpatch, Pt1
Sunday, September 4, 2011 - Listen
The sociologist Teresa Gowan spent years getting to know a community of homeless recyclers in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood. Now the neighborhood is gentrifying, and many of the homeless have been driven out. Teresa and I revisited Dogpatch to talk about her work there, to see how things have changed and to find out what's happened to the homeless. Part 1 of 2. You can download the MP3 here.
After Recession, What?
Sunday, August 28, 2011 - Listen
What happens when America recovers from the current economic crisis? Do things go back to normal? Not necessarily, and certainly not for everybody, says Don Peck, features editor of The Atlantic. In his new book, Pinched, he cites evidence that deep recessions leave lasting scars, and that we need to take immediate action to limit the damage. Economist Stephen Rose is less worried about America's long-term prospects, but he too says government needs to do more to revive the economy. You can download the MP3 here.
The Harvard Psychedelic Club (Rebroadcast)
Sunday, August 21, 2011 - Listen
From 2010: Fifty years ago, a group of Harvard faculty began experimenting with psychoactive drugs and helped turn on a generation. Robert looks back on a defining cultural moment with Don Lattin, author of The Harvard Psychedelic Club, and with Harvard alumnus Paul Lee, who took part in the experiments. You can download the MP3 here.
Guitarist/Composer D.J. Sparr
Sunday, August 14, 2011 - Listen
In town to perform Michael Daugherty's electric guitar concerto Gee's Bend with the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, D.J. Sparr stopped by our studio with instrument in hand. We talked about his wide-ranging career (rock, country, classical...) and listened to some of his performances and original compositions. D.J. also demonstrated some wicked picking and finger-tapping. You can download the MP3 here.
The Psychology of Pleasure
Sunday, August 7, 2011 - Listen
Rebroadcast from June 2011. Yale psychologist Paul Bloom investigates the nature of human pleasure, from sex and food to art, music and fantasy. He says that what we like depends on what we think, and there may be no such thing as purely physical pleasure. His latest book is How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like. You can download the show MP3 here.
Two From Cabrillo
Sunday, July 31 - Listen .
Two composers coming to this year's Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music talk about their wide-ranging musical influences as we listen to some examples. Russian-born Elena Kats-Chernin discusses her love of musical styles from modernism to ragtime and pop, and her orchestral piece, Re-collecting ASTORoids, dedicated to Argentinian tango composer Astor Piazzolla. Iranian-born Behzad Ranjbaran describes the traces of Persian folk music in his Concerto for Piano, written for virtuouso Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Both ASTORoids and the concerto will be performed at Cabrillo on Aug 6. You can download the MP3 here.
John Waters and Philip Glass
Sunday, July 24 - Listen .
Filmmaker John Waters and composer Philip Glass are both performing (separately) in our area this summer, which gave me an opportunity to talk to them about their lives and work. John discussed his journey from troublemaker to beloved elder, his own role models and his fascination with cults and brainwashing. Philip talked about the new Days and Nights performing arts festival he's launching in Big Sur and vicinity, about writing music for film and the dialogue between modernity and tradition in classical music. You can download the MP3 here.
The Machinery of Life
Sunday, July 17 - Listen .
Molecular biologist Harry Noller has helped map some of the fundamental processes on which life depends. He speaks about his fascinating work, his meetings with remarkable scientists, his brush with Nobel laureate-hood and the dizzying intricacies of his pet research subjects, the microscopic mechanisms known as ribosomes. You can download the MP3 here.
All About Fado
Sunday, July 10 - Listen .
Rebroadcast of our Nov, 2009 show about Portuguese Fado music (all references to Mariza's "upcoming" performance are historical). See below for more details. You can download the MP3 here.
Celebrating In(ter)dependence Day
Sunday, July 3 - Listen .
Stories about becoming American. Pt1: KUSP's Sean Rameswaram joins Team America and swears some oaths. Pt2: filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi attends naturalization ceremonies in all 50 states, meeting new citizens. Pt 3: KUSP's Mwende Hahesy visits her mother's homeland and reflects on being an American with family abroad. You can download the MP3 here.
Jennifer Ouellette and The Calculus Diaries
Sunday, June 26 - Listen .
Science writer Jennifer Ouellette made a living writing about subjects like physics while avoiding the mathematics. Finally, she decided to confront her fears and learn calculus. We talked about her reconciliation with math, the history and uses of calculus, the sources of math anxiety and techniques for getting over it. You can download the MP3 here.
Peter Kenez: Growing up under Nazism and Communism
Sunday, June 19 - Listen .
Historian Peter Kenez has wrtten about some of the pivotal events of the the 20th century, and he's lived some of those events, too. We talk about his very interesting life: growing up Jewish in Nazi- and Soviet-controlled Hungary, fleeing the Hungarian revolution of 1956 and coming to America. We also discussed his new book on the Holocaust. You can download the MP3 here.
Carl Zimmer: Planet of Viruses
Sunday, June 12 - Listen .
Science writer Carl Zimmer, last heard on the show talking about E Coli, moves further down the biological yardstick to reveal the richness of life on the smallest scales. We discuss his new book A Planet of Viruses. You can download the MP3 here.
Brooke Gladstone and the Influencing Machine
Sunday, May 29 - Listen .
Brooke Gladstone has been keeping tabs on the news media for the past decade and a half, first as NPR's media correspondent and then with On the Media, the nationally distrubuted radio show she co-hosts with the redoubtable Bob Garfield. Her new illustrated history, The Influencing Machine, traces the rise (and failings) of modern journalism. You can download the MP3 here.
North African Music with Fattah Abbou and Mohamed Aoualou
Sunday, May 22 - Listen .
We take a musical journey to North Africa with Fattah Abbou and Mohamed Aoualou of the band Aza. The versatile singer/instrumentalists are from Morocco and play a variety of styles, with special emphasis on their own Imazighen (Berber) roots. They visited our studio to perform some lovely tunes and talk about their music and culture. You can download the MP3 here.
"Trimpin" and Unfinished History
Sunday, May 15 - Listen .
The celebrated "sound sculptor" Trimpin has long been haunted by the story of the Gurs prison camp in southern France, where thousands of Jews were held during World War II. Now he's commemorating this little-known chapter of the Holocaust with a major new multimedia performance. We discussed the Gurs Cycle with Trimpin, director Rinde Eckert, Gurs survivor Manfred Wildman, and Victor Rosenberg, whose family letters are used in the performance. You can download the MP3 here.
Bateson on Bateson; One Actress, 30 Characters
Sunday, May 8 - Listen .
The late philosopher, anthropologist and environmentalist Gregory Bateson wanted to change the way we think, focusing less on things themselves and more on the relationships between them. We hear from his daughter Nora Bateson, whose new documentary "An Ecology of Mind" offers her take on her father's work. Then: how stories and characters get in the heads of authors and actors. We're joined by Rivera Sun Cook, who plays all 30 roles n her new dramatic trilogy "A Star Called Love." You can download the MP3 here.
The Science of Happiness
Sunday, May 1 - Listen .
Thirty years ago, human happiness seemed like a pretty unserious subject for scientific study. Now positive psychology--as happiness research is known--is booming. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Roko Belic (Genghis Bues) explores the science of contentment in his new documentary Happy. Belic travelled to five continents, talking to experts, comparing the state of happiness in different countries and meeting some very jolly people. You can download the MP3 here.
Out of the Ashes
Sunday, April 24 - Listen .
The documentary film maker David Hoffman lost nearly everything he owned in the fire that destroyed his Santa Cruz Mountains home in 2008. But he was determined to wrest something meaningful from disaster. A new documentary, Everything Which is Yes, shows what he lost and what he found. We spoke with Davd Hoffman and the film's director, John Vincent Barrett. You can download the MP3 here.
The Dark Universe
Sunday, April 17 - Listen .
Roughly 96 percent of the universe is made of something other than ordinary matter--namely, "dark matter" and "dark energy." Astrophysicist Rocky Kolb explains what we know and don't know about these mysterious substances, and science writer Richard Panek describes the sometimes bumby road to their discovery. You can download the MP3 here.
Unlearning Violence: Stories from the RSVP Program
Sunday, April 10 - Listen .
From 2009: An innovative program in the San Francisco jails aims to reform violent felons. We spoke to program founder Sunny Schwartz and to former inmate-participant Ramon Garcia. You can download the MP3 here.
The View from the Cockpit
Sunday, April 3 - Listen .
Lieutenant Colonel Jason Armagost fired some of the opening salvos of the Iraq War, as he piloted his B2 bomber over Baghdad. We talked about the choices he's made, the choices made for him and how he comes to terms with it all, with the help of some great books. You can download the MP3 here.
Re-Creating the Creation
Sunday, March 27 - Listen .
Rebroadcast from 2009. Biochemist and astrobiologist David Deamer on the hypothetical origins of life. You can download the MP3 here.
No Regrets: The Life and Music of Edith Piaf
Sunday, March 20 - Listen .
The writer Carolyn Burke joins us to pay tribute to France's quintessential songstress. Carolyn's new biography No Regrets: The Life of Edith Piaf, sheds new light on the artist and her art. Carolyn and I discussed the Piaf while playing some of her classic songs. You can download the MP3 here.
The Good Daughter: Jasmin Darznik
Sunday, March 13 - Listen .
Jasmin Darznik immigrated to the US from Iran when she was three, and grew up knowing little about her Iranian family history. After her father's death, her mother started talking. She dictated a series of cassette tapes for Jasmin, narrating her own extraordinary life and opening a window on the lives of many Iranian women over the last half-century. You can download the MP3 here.
Pledge Drive Show
Sunday, March 6
For KUSP's spring 2011 pledge drive, we featured excerpts from a number of shows aired over the past year (and which you can find below). Thanks to all who contributed during the drive.
Not Totally Insane: The New Cosmology
Sunday, February 27 - Listen .
Our universe may be bigger, older and far stranger than previously thought. In fact, it maybe be just a small part of a larger multiverse. Cosmologist Anthony Aguirre describes the new picture of the universe that's emerged in the latest theories. You can download the MP3 here.
Kinan and Luis Valdez: The Past Isn't Even Past
Sunday, February 20 - Listen .
Luis Valdez--famed playwright and founder of El Teatro Campesino--and his son Kinan discuss Luis's play Mummifed Deer, being directed by Kinan at UC Santa Cruz. We talk about family secrets, forgotten wars, the perils of identity and the theater of rascuachismo. You can download the MP3 here.
Radio Gets Real(istic)
Sunday, February 13 - Listen .
We explore the changing sound of radio documentaries--from the work of Norman Corwin in the 1940s to This American Life and Radiolab in the present--with John Biewen of Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies. He's the editor of Reality Radio, a book of essays by great radio producers. You can download the MP3 here.
Kumail Nanjiani: Life and Laughs in Pakistan and America
Sunday, February 6 - Listen .
Talk about a quick study: Kumail Nanjiani hadn't even seen stand-up comedy before he came to the US from Pakistan at the age of 18, and he didn't think of doing it himself until he took his turn at open mic a few years later. Today he's garnering enthusiastic reviews and a growing fan base. You can download the MP3 here.
Comedy Confidential: Marc Maron's WTF Podcast
Sunday, January 30 - Listen .
Marc Maron's raw and revelatory interviews with fellow comedians have made his "WTF" show one of the most listened-to podcasts on the web. We talked about the impact of this second act in his life, his sometimes uneasy relationships with other comics, and the differences between broadcasting and podcasting. You can download the MP3 here.
The Real Vocal String Quartet
Sunday, January 23 - Listen .
The four women of the Berkeley-based Real Vocal String Quartet make gorgeous music blending classical, jazz, folk, pop and myriad other influences. Quartet members Irene Sazer and Dina Maccabee discuss the group's sound and aesthetic as we listen to tracks from their recently-released CD. Then, all four RVSQ-ers come together for a live performance of new, unrecorded pieces. You can download the MP3 here.
Shows for Jan 9 and 16
Your faithful producer has been on the road and otherwise consumed the past two weeks, so we've re-aired two previously broadcast shows. On Jan 9 it was Rebecca Goldstein on 36 Arguments for the Existence of God, and on Jan 16 it was Spoon Jackson and Judith Tannenbaum talking about their prison- and poetry-based friendship (the subject of their memoir By Heart). You can find more info and audio links below.
Comedy from the Inside: Paul Provenza
Sunday, January 2 - Listen .
Comedian and humor honcho Paul Provenza returns to the show to discuss the state of his art and his new Showtime series The Green Room. It's a comedy round table in which comics mix it up in no-holds-barred (and very funny) conversation. You can download the MP3 here.
Voices from Juvenile Hall
Sunday, December 26 - Listen .
A rebroadcast of a show we recorded at Christmastime last year, about a writing program and publication for incarcerated youths called The Beat Within. We talked to kids in Santa Cruz Juvenile Hall who participate in the program, and to Beat Within workshop leaders Dennis Morton and Jill Wolfson. You can download the MP3 here.
Crafting with Amy Sedaris
Sunday, December 19 - Listen .
Comedian and author Amy Sedaris stopped by to show off her latest book of demented domesticity, Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People. Plus an excerpt from our Christmas 2005 interview with filmmaker John Waters. You can download the MP3 here.
Toward an Ultimate Theory of Time
Sunday, December 12 - Listen .
Cal Tech theoretical physicist and Cosmic Variance blogger Sean Carroll considers various theories of time, including Newton's, Einstein's and Sean's own. Sean's latest book is From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time. You can download the MP3 here.
Saving Animals, Cell By Cell
Sunday, December 5 - Listen .
San Diego's "Frozen Zoo" is one of the world's largest collections of living animal tissue, collected from hundreds of species for research, conservation and even cloning. We talked to geneticist Oliver Ryder, one of the scientists who manage the Frozen Zoo. Also, a conversation with David Haussler, coordinator of the Genome 10K Project. The G10K Project is using samples from the Frozen Zoo and other sources to map the genomes of 10,000 species. You can download the MP3 here.
Two Nations Under God?
Sunday, November 28 - Listen .
Historian and cultural critic Todd Gitlin examines the special relationship between the U.S. and Israel and says it's more than political--it has to do with a shared sense of divine purpose. Gitlin discusses his new book The Chosen Peoples: America, Israel and the Ordeals of Divine Election, cowritten by Liel Leibovitz. You can download the MP3 here. Language Ain't What it Used to Be
Sunday, November 21 - Listen .
Linguist Guy Deutscher discusses our restless, ever-changing language. Have languages gotten more complex or simpler over the centuries? Does improper usage threaten the integrity of language? How does language evolve? Are language skills innate or learned? You can download the MP3 here.
Particle Physics 101 (Pt. 2 of 2)
Sunday, November 14 - Listen .
We continue our primer on particle physics with Bruce Schumm (physicist and author of Deep Down Things: The Breathtaking Beauty of Particle Physics). In this episode, finding order amidst complexity, filling holes in the Standard Model, and contemplating a "theory of everything." You can download the MP3 here.
Particle Physics 101 (Pt. 1 of 2)
Sunday, November 7 - Listen < href="http://www.centralcoastpublicradio.org/ondemand/get/rpollie-2010-11-07.m3u">.
A tour of the subatomic world with particle physicist Bruce Schumm. In this first of a two-part series, we'll learn about some of the basic indredients of the so-called Standard Model of particle physics, including particles, fields and forces. You can download the MP3 here.
Journalistic Ethics Under the Microscope
Sunday, October 31 - Listen .
In the wake of NPR's firing of news analyst Juan Williams, we take a look at the ethical principles involved. What standards did Williams violate? Is it time to loosen the rules on journalists, or should news organizations tighten the reins? We talk to NPR Ombudsman Alicia Shepard and experts in journalistic ethics, including UC Berkeley journalism prof Tom Goldstein and Kevin Smith of the Society of Professional Journalists. You can download the MP3 here.
Musicality and Evolution
Sunday, October 24 - Listen .
Originally broadcast Dec., 2008: Neuroscientist/musician Daniel Levitin discusses his most recent book, The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature. You can download the MP3 here.
The Poetic Justice Project: From Prison to the Stage
Sunday, October 17 - Listen .
The Poetic Justice Project is a theater company for the formerly incarcerated, presenting stories of prison and jail by people who've been there. Members of the project discuss their lives behind bars and after parole, the impact of prison arts programs and their performances in a new musical drama, Off the Hook, that's been touring California. You can download the MP3 here.
Scandals and Why We Love Them
Sunday, October 10 - Listen .
The ever-trenchant social critic Laura Kipnis schools us on scandal and explains what public humiliations, meltdowns and flameouts tell us about their participants and the rest of us. Laura's new book is How to Become a Scandal: Adventures in Bad Behavior. You can download the MP3 here.
NPR's Michele Norris; Phil Austin and Phil Proctor of the Firesign Theatre
Sunday, October 3 -
Listen to part 1: Michele Norris .
Listen to part 2: Firesign Theatre.
On this, our fall pledge drive show, we featured portions of two new interviews, and we're posting the full-length versions here. In part 1, NPR's Michele Norris discusses her new memoir The Grace of Silence, about race in America by way of her own family history. In part 2, Phil Austin and Phil Proctor of the Firesign Theatre talk about Firesign past, present and future, including the troupe's upcoming performance in Monterey. You can download the MP3s here and here.
The Nicer Side of Primates
Sunday, September 26 - Listen .
Scientific studies that highlight the softer side of humans and our primate relatives. In part 1 of the show, developmental psychologist Felix Warneken looks for and finds evidence of instinctive altruism in young children and chimps. In part 2, neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky discovers that even bad-boy baboons can change their ways and get along. You can download the show MP3 here.
Mark Levine and the Art of Latin Jazz
Sunday, September 19 - Listen .
Pianist Mark Levine jumped into Latin jazz almost by accident 40 years ago. It became a lifelong pursuit, and Mark became a leading exponent of the music. While getting ready for his gig at the 2010 Moneterey Jazz Festival, Mark talked about his beginnings in Latin jazz, explained some fundamentals of the music and discussed his latest Latin Grammy-nominated CD. You can download the show MP3 here.
Rudresh Mahanthappa's Indo-American Jazz
Sunday, September 12 - Listen .
The son of Indian immigrants explores his musical heritage and adds a new page to jazz history. Acclaimed saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa describes the identity crisis that led to his study of Indian music, his continuing quest for a sound that's cerebral and swings, and his upcoming performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival. You can download the show MP3 here.
Thinking Outside the Brain
Sunday, September 5 - Listen .
Philosopher Alva Noë says neuroscientists trying to understand consciousness are looking in the wrong place. It's not in the brain. Noë gives us a piece of his mind. Originally broadcast, May 2009. You can download the show MP3 here.
What's In A Face
Sunday, August 29 - Listen.
Three people who've had their faces altered by illness or injury talk about self-image, the judgments of others and the meaning of beauty, inner and outer. David Roche is an inspirational speaker and humorist. Gina Butchin works to raise awareness of facial difference. Louise Ashby is an actress and writer. Originally broadcast, Oct. 2009. You can download the show MP3 here.
22 Years of Walking, 17 Years of Silence
Sunday, August 22 - Listen . Originally broadcast August, 2009: For two decades, environmental activist John Francis travelled America on foot while keeping a vow of silence. Along the way, he got to know a side of himself and this country that few experience. You can download the show MP3 here.
Science, Space and Song: They Might Be Giants and One Ring Zero
Sunday, August 15, 2010 - Listen
John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants discusses the delights and challenges of writing educational songs for kids, as we listen to TMBG's new CD/DVD Here Comes Science. And Michael Hearst of the band One Ring Zero talks about their new CD Planets, which offers a fanciful tour on the solar system. You can download the show MP3 here.
Post-Classical: David Harrington & Matt Albert
Sunday, August 8, 2010 - Listen
We talk to members of two ensembles who’ve helped change the sound of “classical” music: violinist David Harrington, founder of the Kronos Quartet, and Matt Albert, violinist and violist with the eighth blackbird sextet. Both Kronos and eighth blackbird are performing at this year’s Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. David and Matt joined us to share their passion for music, reflect on their work and talk about their Cabrillo Festival performances. You can download the show MP3 here.
Kevin Puts and Colin Currie at the Cabrillo Festival
Sunday, August 1, 2010 - Listen
As the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music begins its 2010 season, we speak to two of this year's featured artists about their upcoming performances. Kevin Puts, best known for his composing, talks about the challenges of performing his own piano concerto Night for the first time. In part 2, percussion virtuoso Colin Currie describes his performance of Jennifer Higdon's spectacular Percussion Concerto. You can download the show MP3 here.
And Death Shall Have No Dominion
Sunday, July 25, 2010 - Listen
A new documentary film looks atlife and afterlife in Lily Dale, New York, where many of the residents are spirit mediums and where thousands of visitors go, seeking contact with deceased loved ones. We talk to the director of No One Dies in Lily Dale, Steven Cantor, as well as three people depicted in the film. You can download the show MP3 here.
Autobiography and Art : Harvey Pekar and Jonathan Ames
Sunday, July 18, 2010 - Listen
Interviews with two writers whose work draws heavily on
their own lives. In part 1, Harvey Pekar, who died on July 12. In this 2006 interview, he discussed his autobiographical comics, the movie American Splendor, based on his life and his brushes with celebrity. In part 2, Jonathan Ames discusses his own semi-autobiographical comic The Alcoholic, the movie The Extra Man (based on his novel) and his HBO comedy series Bored to Death. You can download the show MP3 here.
Suffering for Science
Sunday, July 11, 2010 - Listen
Historian Rebecca Herzig describes a time in turn-of-the-century America when scientists were expected to lay down life and limb for their profession. Many did, but was it necessary? Then, writer and comedian Sandra Tsing Loh plays up the fun of science, but knows a thing or two about suffering for it, too. You can download the show MP3 here.
Stories For Independence Day
Sunday, July 04, 2010 - Listen
Two stories for the 4th of July: In part 1, "Lift Every voice and Sing," also known as the black national anthem. We'll hear performances of the song as historian Imani Perry discusses its meaning and importance to the civil rights struggle. In part 2, Frank Kameny recalls the early days of the gay rights movement. Kameny, now 85, led some of the first public demonstrations for gay equality, picketing the White House and staging 4th of July protests in the mid-1960s. You can download the show MP3 here.
To Err is Human
Sunday, June 27, 2010 - Listen
To err is human. Writer Kathryn Schulz and host Robert Pollie consider what it means to be wrong, how we feel about it and how we deal with it. In her new book "On Being Wrong," Schulz examines the sources of human error, and says that rather than try to perfect ourselves, we need to embrace our fallibility. You can download the show MP3 here.
Computers as Creators
Sunday, June 20, 2010 - Listen
Composer David Cope discusses his 30-year investigation into the nature of musical creativity. Cope's computer programs generate new musical works in the style of historical composers, as well as original modernist compositions, delighting and/or enraging lovers of classical music. We listen to some of his old and new compositions, and consider what they reveal about art, originality and human intelligence. You can download the show MP3 here.
The Psychology of Pleasure
Sunday, June 13, 2010 - Listen
Yale psychologist Paul Bloom investigates the nature of human pleasure, from sex and food to art, music and fantasy. He says that what we like depends on what we think, and there may be no such thing as purely physical pleasure. His latest book is How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like. You can download the show MP3 here.
One Name, Two Fates
Sunday, June 6, 2010 - Listen
Wes Moore was a Rhodes Scholar on his way to a successful career when he learned of another Wes Moore, wanted by police for murder. He discovered surprising parallels in their two lives, despite their divergent paths. Wes Moore discusses his book The Other Wes Moore. You can download the show MP3 here.
Satiristas and the Art of Comedy
Sunday, May 30, 2010 - Listen
Comic and actor Paul Provenza (director of The Aristocrats) and photographer Dan Dion take a searching look at contemporary comedy in their book Satiristas, featuring conversations with and photos of many of today's leading satirical artists. Paul and Dan discuss the craft of comedy and the issues confronting contemporary comics. You can download the show MP3 here.
The Moral Life of Babies
Sunday, May 23, 2010 - Listen
Psychologist Paul Bloom describes recent research on infant morality. He says babies may not be saints, but they've got a much more developed sense of right and wrong than previously thought. Then, is youth wasted on the young? A new study indicates that people get happier as they age, especially after 50. We talk to the study's lead author, psychologist Arthur Stone.
You can download the show MP3 here.
Witness to Extinction
Sunday, May 16, 2010 - Listen
A headline-grabbing new study led by UC Santa Cruz biologist Barry Sinervo has discovered that lizards around the world are dying off, and the culprit appears to be global warming. The finding suggests that an era of climate-driven mass extinctions may already have begun, sooner than scientists anticipated. Sinervo and fellow biologists Donald Miles and Raymond Huey discuss the implications--for reptiles and the rest of us. You can download the show MP3 here.
All the Babies are Above Average
Sunday, May 9, 2010 - Listen
For Mother's Day, an interview with developmental psychologist Alison Gopnik, originally broadcast August, 2009. She's spent decades studying the minds of infants and young children and concludes that babies are smarter, more aware and more caring than scientists previously realized. Also, inventor Joshua Klein on the surprising intelligence of crows.
Reality Doesn't Bite; The New Wealth Gap
Sunday, May 2, 2010 - Listen
Political scientist Brendan Nyhan studies the impact of facts on political views, and finds that often, information doesn't change minds. Journalist Robert Frank reports on the rich for the Wall Street Journal. He says that despite fears that they'd lose their fortunes during the financial crisis, many of the highly affluent are doing better than ever, and the gap between rich and poor has only grown.
By Heart: Prison. Poetry. Two Lives.
Sunday, April 25, 2010 - Listen
Judtih Tannenbaum was a teacher working in San Quentin. Spoon Jackson was an inmate serving a life sentence. On this edition of the show, they talk about how they met, discovered a mutual love of poetry and formed a lasting friendship.
Black Hole Physics
Sunday, April 18, 2010 - Listen
Theoretical physicist Leonard Susskind on the time-, space- and mind-warping properties of black holes, their implications for our understanding of reality and his long-running "Black Hole War" with Stephen Hawking. (A slightly different version of this interview aired previously, in 2009.)
Man Meets Bug
Sunday, April 11, 2010 - Listen
Anthropologist Hugh Raffles ruminates on human-insect interactions around the world in his new book Insectopedia. Learn about Japanese insect boys, Chinese cricket fighting, crush freaks, insect minds and more.
What's So Special About the Tango?
Sunday, April 4, 2010 - Listen
Repeat of last year's show on tango music, dance, history and culture. Guests include tango historians Donald Cohen and Christine Denniston, and members of the Santa Cruz tango community.
The Year of Working Strenuously
Sunday, March 28, 2010 - Listen
Writer Gabriel Thompson went undercover to learn first-hand about the tough low-wage jobs done mostly by immigrants in America. He harvested lettuce in Arizona, toiled in a slaughterhouse in Alabama and did low-end restaurant jobs in Manhattan. He talks about his book, "Working in the Shadows: A Year of Doing the Jobs (Most) Americans Won't Do," and what he learned about immigrant labor.
The Edge of Physics
Sunday, March 21, 2010 - Listen
In recent years, physics theory has gotten way ahead of the evidence. Now, researchers are going to extremes to figure out what’s true and what isn’t. They’ve launched a set of ambitious experiments in some of the most remote places on Earth. Anil Ananthaswamy travelled to these far-flung laboratories and tells us what he saw.
The Musical Brain
Sunday, March 14, 2010 - Listen
A tune-filled conversation with neuroscientist, musician and record producer Daniel Levitin, author of "This is Your Brain on Music." (Originally broadcast in 2007.)
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Show pre-empted by KUSP pledge drive.
Adventures in Lizardland
Sunday, February 28, 2010 - Listen
What Jane Goodall has been to chimps, biologist Barry Sinervo is to lizards. He's spent the last 20 years studying lizards in the wild, gaining extraordinary insights into the workings of evolution, social behavior and cooperation. He shares his discoveries, along with some very funny lizard stories.
Richard Mayhew: A Life in Art
Sunday, February 21, 2010 - Listen
Noted landscape painter Richard Mayhew discusses his life and work, including his childhood in a mixed African American and Native American community, joining the New York art scene at the height of the abstract expressionist movement, his second career as a jazz singer and helping to organize African-American artists in the 1960s.
Lost Illusions
Sunday, February 14, 2010 - Listen
Terry Castle takes on her own and others' self-deceptions in her latest collection of hilarious, brutally honest essays, "The Professor and Other Writings." Targets include sex, romance and youthful infatuations. She and Robert do their best to burst as many bubbles as possible.
The Dawn of the Psychedelic Age
Sunday, February 7, 2010 - Listen
Fifty years ago, a group of Harvard faculty began experimenting with psychoactive drugs and helped turn on a generation. Robert looks back on a defining cultural moment with Don Lattin, author of "The Harvard Psychedelic Club," and with Harvard alumnus Paul Lee, who took part in the experiments.
36 Arguments for the Existence of God
Sunday, January 31, 2010 - Listen
Philosopher/novelist Rebecca Goldstein and Robert examine the case for and against religion and put the issue to rest. Or maybe not.
Partners In Health Brings Medical Care to Haiti
Sunday, January 24, 2010 - Listen
In the aftermath of the Port-Au-Prince earthquake, the medical organization Partners in Health has played a key role bringing emergency aid to Haiti. On this edition of the show, Robert's 2003 interview with writer Tracy Kidder, discussing Partners in Health, its work in Haiti and its founder, Dr. Paul Farmer. Farmer was the subject of Kidder's best-selling book "Mountains Beyond Mountains."
Cartoonist/War Correspondent Joe Sacco
Sunday, January 17, 2010 - Listen
Joe Sacco has helped invent a new genre: comic-book journalism. He's reported from Sarajevo during the Bosnian War and from the Palestinian Territories during the two Intifadas. His latest book explores the roots of conflict in Gaza.
The Real Mark Twain
Sunday, January 10, 2010 - Listen
From 2008: What Mark Twain's writing tells us about him and about America. Twain scholar Forrest Robinson looks behind the mask of America's favorite humorist and finds a troubled conscience, haunted by history.
The Kids in the Hall
Sunday, January 3, 2010 - Listen
"The Beat Within" is a weekly magazine that collects writings by teens in California juvenile halls. Robert talks to kids in Santa Cruz Juvenile Hall who participate in the program, and to Beat Within workshop leaders Jill Wolfson and Dennis Morton.
Armenian Lullabies and Songs of Longing
Sunday, December 27 - Listen
In this end-of-the-year musical special, we put 2009 to bed with some exquisite, ethereal lullabies from the famed Armenian singer Hasmik Harutyunyan and the Kitka women's vocal ensemble. Along with the music, Hasmik and Shira Cion of Kitka discuss the tragic history and haunting music of Armenia.
After Exoneration
Sunday, December 20 - Listen
Bay Area resident Rick Walker spent a dozen years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. In the second of a 2-part series, Walker talks about his life after prison. Then a pair of Santa Cruz film makers discuss their new documentary about Walker's fight to get restitution for the years he lost.
Doing Hard Time for Another Man's Crime
Sunday, December 13 - Listen
Bay Area resident Rick Walker spent 12 years in California prisons for a murder he didn't commit. In part I of a multipart series he talks about his conviction, his years behind bars and his release.
Private Wars: Tracy Kidder and Andrew Sean Greer
Sunday, December 6 - Listen
Part I: Non-fiction writer Tracy Kidder discusses his 2006 memoir, "My Detachment," about the year he spent as a young army lieutenant in Vietnam. Part II: Novelist Andrew Sean Greer from 2008, on his most recent work: "The Story of A Marriage."
The Stuff the Universe is Made Of
Sunday, November 29 - Listen
Nobel Prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek talks to Robert about the fundamental ingredients of physical reality. Where mass comes from, why empty space isn't, and other marvels of modern physics explained. (Originally broadcast Nov, 2008)
Building the Genome Zoo
Sunday, November 22 - Listen
In the most ambitious effort of its type ever attempted, scientists are hoping to map the genes of 10,000 different animals. Proponents say the "Genome 10K project" will provide vast new insights into the biology, evolution and preservation of species. Robert talks to project coordinator David Haussler of UC Santa Cruz.
All About Fado
Sunday, November 15 - Listen on computer.
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Robert talks to musicologist Don Cohen about fados, the soul-stirring songs of the Portuguese. Featuring music by fado singers Mariza, Amalia Rodrigues, Carlos Do Carmo, Caminé and others.
Medicine At The Extremes
Sunday, November 8 - Listen on computer.
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Physician and human rights activist Ashis Brahma of the Phoenix Global Health Foundation talks about practicing medicine in conflict zones and refugee camps. Brahma has spent his career bringing care to challenging environments in Africa and beyond.
Life By The Numbers
Sunday, November 1 - Listen on computer.
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A theoretical physicist searches for the universal laws of life. Geoffrey West explains some simple mathematical rules that he says may explain everything from the length of our lives to the health of our cities.
Art Spiegelman Redux
Sunday, October 25 - Listen on computer.
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A rebroadcast of Robert's 2008 interview with Art Spiegelman. Spiegelman discusses "Breakdowns," the recent book collecting his work from the 1970's, and looks back on his life in cartooning and comics, from skin mags and Garbage Pail Kids to Maus and the New Yorker.
After Disaster
Sunday, October 18 - Listen on computer.
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How people cope with calamity. Pulitzer prizewinner Tracy Kidder discusses his new book, "Strength in What Remains," about an African refugee fleeing ethnic violence. And social critic Rebecca Solnit talks about the response of ordinary people to the Loma Prieta earthquake, hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters.
Doing the Math
Sunday, October 11 - Listen on computer.
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In this live KUSP pledge drive edition of the show, Robert and NPR "Math Guy" Keith Devlin discuss some of the world's most difficult math problems, as well as the basic arithmetic of listener-supported public radio. Also, comedienne and radio commentator recalls her former life as a math geek and Cal Tech physics major, and Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Kidder talks about his latest book, "Strength in What Remains."
What's In A Face
Sunday, October 4 - Listen on computer.
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Three people who've had their faces altered by illness or injury talk about self-image, the judgments of others and the meaning of beauty, inner and outer. David Roche is an inspirational speaker and humorist. Gina Butchin works to raise awareness of facial difference. Louise Ashby is an actress and writer.
Passing Strange
Sunday, September 27 - Listen on computer.
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Art, authenticity, race and identity: the music of the acclaimed singer-songwriter known as Stew.
Sunday, September 20
This weeks program was pre-empted by KUSP's coverage of the Monterey Jazz Festival.
Re-creating the Creation
Sunday, September 13 - Listen on computer.
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How life may have begun on Earth, with a little help from outer space. Biochemist and astrobiologist Dave Deamer talks to Robert. Also, attempts to conjure life in the lab, and music from DNA.
One Fast Move or I'm Gone
Sunday, September 6 - Listen on computer.
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In 1960, Jack Kerouac spent six weeks in Big Sur and produced what some consider his most powerful novel. Film maker Curt Worden discusses an new documentary about the book and Kerouac's time on the central coast. Also, hitting the highway with Robert Sullivan, author of "Cross Country."
The Philosophical Baby
Sunday, August 30 - Listen on computer.
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Developmental psychologist Alison Gopnik has spent decades studying the minds of infants and young children. Her conclusion: babies are smarter, more aware and more caring than scientists previously realized. Then, inventor Joshua Klein on the surprising intelligence of crows.
Born Rich, Wondering Why
Sunday, August 23 - Listen on computer.
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Robert speaks to two American heirs who grew up wealthy and now advocate greater economic equality. Jamie Johnson is heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune and a documentary film maker; Chuck Collins is great-grandson of wiener mogul Oscar Meyer. They discuss their own experiences of wealth and their concerns about growing income disparities in the US.
The Pilgrimage of John Francis
Sunday, August 16 - Listen on computer.
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For two decades, environmental activist John Francis travelled America on foot while keeping a vow of silence. Along the way, he got to know a side of himself and this country that few experience.
Wealth – The Limits of Materialism
Sunday, August 9 - Listen on computer.
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In his ongoing look at wealth in America, Robert Pollie gets an alternative view from Zen abbot Steve Stückey and humanitarian doctor Patch Adams.
Percussion in the Spotlight
Sunday, August 2 - Listen on computer.
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Orchestral percussionist Galen Lemmon shares some of the sounds of this year's Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. Featuring marimba, vibes, steel drums, timpani, even a tuned anvil. Then, sacred drums: a visit with Afro-Cuban Batá drummer Michael Spiro.
Against Reductionism
Sunday, July 26 - Listen on computer.
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Nobel prizewinning physicist Robert Laughlin says nature can't always be reduced to its individual components and that some of his fellow physicists can't see the forest for the trees. Plus, Maestra Marin Alsop discusses the art and craft of the orchestra conductor.
Unlearning violence: Stories from the RSVP Program
Sunday, July 19 - Listen on computer.
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An innovative program in the San Francisco jails aims to reform violent felons. Robert talks to program founder Sunny Schwartz and to former inmate-participant Ramon Garcia.
What is Wealth: One Economist's Perspective
Sunday, July 12 - Listen on computer.
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Robert talks to economist Russ Roberts about the nature of wealth, how it's created and destroyed, and whether economics really is a science.
The Other "Rumble In The Jungle"
Sunday,
July 5 - Listen on computer.
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A new film commemorates a legendary 1974 concert that brought together many of the greats in African, Latin and African-American music in Kinshasa, Zaire. Robert talks to filmmaker Geoffrey Levy-Hinte about his concert and the film, called "Soul Power." Plus, "Masanga": the story of a song.
Evolution, from Fish to You
Sunday,
June 28 - Listen on computer.
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Paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Neil Shubin, author of "Your Inner Fish," describes how scientists are reconstructing the history of life from fossils and DNA.
Iran, Then and Now
Sunday,
June 22 - Listen on computer.
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Iranian film maker Nahid Sarvestani compares on the current protests in Iran to the Iranian revolution 30 years ago, when she was a student activist and she discusses her latest documentary, "The Queen and I," about the former Empress of Iran, Farah Pahlavi. Then, Iranian-American student Naveed Mansouri talks about the attitudes of Iranian students today and the role of social networking technologies in the so-called "Green Revolution."
Going Incognegro; Yiddishkeit 2.0
Sunday,
June 14 - Listen on computer.
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Writer Mat Johnson talks about growing up as a black boy who looked white. Then, Yiddish makes a comeback in the punk klezmer songs of Daniel Kahn and the Painted Bird.
The Double Life is Twice As Good
Sunday,
June 7 - Listen on computer.
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Writer, performer and adventurer Jonathan Ames talks about his graphic novel, "The Alcoholic," his upcoming HBO comedy series and his double life as public and private figure. Plus: Short and Sweet: the Big Sur International Short Film Series.
Wealth Ain't What it Used to Be
Sunday,
May 31 - Listen on computer.
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Robert Pollie talks to "Wealth Report" writer Robert Frank of the Wall Street Journal, about the impact of the economic crisis on the upper upper crust. Also: where to stash your gold bullion. Robert speaks with Lynel Berryhill of Brown Safe Manufacturing, purveyor of luxury vaults and safes.
Ask a Linguist
Sunday,
May 24 - Listen on computer.
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Robert talks to Geoffrey Pullum, linguist and author of "The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language." They discuss the grammar wars, common misconceptions about English and whether we really can talk to the animals.
Thinking Outside the Brain
Sunday,
May 17 - Listen on computer.
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Philosopher Alva Noë says neuroscientists trying to understand consciousness are looking in the wrong place. It's not in the brain. Noë gives a piece of his mind to KUSP's Robert Pollie.
Mother's Day Confidential
Sunday,
May 10 - Listen on computer.
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On this live edition of the 7th Avenue Project, Robert Pollie and guests talk about what it means to have a mom, what it means to be one and the unspoken truths of motherhood.
Profiles in Conviction
Sunday,
May 3 - Listen on computer.
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Two new documentary films screening at the Santa Cruz Film Festival take a look at people who put principle before popularity. "Salute" tells the story of Australian sprinter Peter Norman, who faced public censure after supporting the raised fist protest at the 1968 Olympics. "I Bring What I Love" is a portrait of Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour and his effort to create an album of Islamic music, widely criticized by traditionalists in his home country. Guests include the film makers and Olympic bronze medalist John Carlos.
Mathematics in Music and in Motion
Sunday,
April 26 - Listen < href="http://www.centralcoastpublicradio.org/ondemand/get/rpollie-2009-04-26.m3u"> on computer.
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Robert Pollie hosts this look at an upcoming Santa Cruz performance merging math, music and dance. We'll hear from mathematician Keith Devlin, discussing his collaboration with Santa Cruz choral group Zambra, and from dancer/mathematician Karl Schaffer. Plus, the most important math discovery you've never heard of.
Our Parasites, Ourselves
Sunday,
April 19 - Listen on computer.
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They're on us, they're in us, they shape our biology and maybe even our minds. Robert Pollie talks to evolutionary biologist and parasite maven Marlene Zuk. Plus, parasite music with singer Daniel Kahn.
Ry Cooder's California
Sunday,
April 12 - Listen on computer.
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Robert takes a holiday and airs his 2008 interview with Ry Cooder. Ry discusses his "California Trilogy" - three CDs re-imagining California history in fable and song--and talks about his musical career.
What's So Special About the Tango?
Sunday,
April 5 - Listen < href="http://www.centralcoastpublicradio.org/ondemand/get/rpollie-2009-04-05.m3u"> on computer.
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We consider the music and dance that captured the hearts of millions. Guests include tango historians Donald Cohen and Christine Denniston, and members of the Santa Cruz tango community.
Remembering John Hope Franklin
Sunday,
March 29 - Listen on computer.
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A tribute to the pioneering African-American historian, who died this week. Included is Robert Pollie's 2006 interview with Franklin, and a discussion of his life and impact with historian David Anthony.
Saluting the Birds and the Bugs
Sunday,
March 22 - Listen on computer.
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Saxophonist and nature writer David Rothenberg studies bird song by playing music with birds. Then science writer Carl Zimmer sings the praises of his favorite bacterium, E.Coli. If you think you're so superior to a lowly microbe, think again.
A Wealth of Notions
Sunday,
March 15 - Listen on computer.
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In this KUSP pledge drive show, host Robert Pollie explores differing ideas of wealth, from Wall Street to Pacific Avenue. Plus: accounting irregularities of cosmic proportions. Robert talks to astrophysicist Rocky Kolb about dark matter and dark energy.
Slurs, Slanders and Slagging Off
Sunday,
March 8 - Listen on computer.
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Host Robert Pollie talks to philosopher Jerome Neu about insults - why we dish 'em out, why we can't take 'em and what they reveal about the human condition. Then, "Heckler": a documentary film that explores the tortured relationship between performers and those who taunt them. Robert speaks to the film's director, Michael Addis.
A Farewell to Arms?
Sunday,
March 1 - Listen on computer.
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Host Robert Pollie talks to nuclear weapons expert George Perkovich about his efforts to stop proliferation and promote disarmament. Perkovich is a vice president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former speechwriter to Vice President Joe Biden.
Physics for Future Presidents--and Informed Citizens
Sunday,
February 22 - Listen on computer.
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Robert Pollie talks to physicist Richard Mulller about alternative energy, nuclear power, global warming and other matters of vital importance to world leaders and the rest of us.
The Post-Valentine's Day Massacre
Sunday,
February 15 - Listen on computer.
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The day after Valentine's day, we'll take a skeptical look at love. Featuring Hannah Holmes, Laura Kipnis, Jonathan Ames and Glenn Kurtz.
Sound Unbound
Sunday,
February 8 - Listen on computer.
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Two musical innovators discuss their boundary-breaking work. Remix artist Paul Miller, aka DJ Spooky, talks to Robert Pollie about the disappearing borders between musical genres. Then Robert speaks to Serbian bandleader Dragan Ristich, who combines traditional Roma music with contemporary dance beats.
How Art Beat Science to the Punch
Sunday,
February 1 - Listen on computer.
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Science writer Jonah Lehrer, author of Proust Was a Neuroscientist, discusses how writers, artists, poets and cooks have anticipated scientific breakthroughs with their work - sometimes by decades.
Being Good Neighbors in the Global Village
Sunday,
January 25 - Listen on computer.
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Robert asks philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah what it takes to coexist in this age of clashing cultures and warring ideologies.
Sunday,
January 25
Today's 7th Avenue Project is pre-empted by NPR's broadcast of the festivities preceding the presidential inauguration.
The Black Hole Wars
Sunday,
January 11 - Listen on computer.
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In this second of a two-part part series on one of nature's weirdest phenomena, Robert talks to physicist Leonard Susskind about his two-decade argument with Stephen Hawking. At stake: the structure of black holes and our basic understanding of reality.
Black Holes: Even Weirder Than You Think
Sunday,
January 4 - Listen on computer.
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Physicist and master explainer Brian Greene talks to Robert about one of nature's craziest creations. Part one of a two-part series on black holes and how they're changing our view of the universe.
A Mirror Held Up To Spiegelman
Sunday,
December 21- Listen on computer.
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Robert Pollie interviews the comic artist Art Spiegelman about his life and work. Spiegelman's Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novel Maus gives only an inkling of the depth of his work.
How Music Shaped Human Nature
Sunday,
December 14 - Listen on computer.
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Dan Levitin--record producer, neuroscientist and author of "This is Your Brain on Music"--discusses his latest book, "The World in Six Songs," with KUSP's Robert Pollie. Levitin says music isn't just a product of evolution, but a driving force IN our evolution.
The Financial Crisis, Continued
Sunday,
December 7 - Listen on computer.
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Robert talks to economist Michael Hutchison about the threat of deflation, the total cost of bailouts and the effectiveness of government stimulus programs. Then Robert talks to economic historian Price Fishback about FDR's New Deal, its impact and comparisons to Barack Obama's economic proposals.
Believing You're Right Even When You're Wrong
Sunday,
November 30 - Listen on computer.
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Neuroscientist Robert Burton discusses our brain's often-unjustified sense of certainty.
The Bottom of Things
Sunday,
November 23 - Listen on computer.
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Nobel Prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek talks to Robert about the basic ingredients of physical reality. Where mass comes from, why empty space isn't, and other mysteries of modern physics explained.
A Happy Story about Brain Injury
Sunday,
November 16 - Listen on computer.
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Neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor says a massive stroke she survived in 1996 was one of the great blessings of her life. She talks to KUSP's Robert Pollie. Plus, an appreciation of the late South African singer Miriam Makeba.
The Election in Black and White
Sunday,
November 9 - Listen on computer.
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Robert Pollie and guests consider the Obama victory in light of America's racial past. Participants include historian David Anthony and Peggy Wallace Kennedy, daughter of the late George Wallace.
Watching the Polling Places, and the Opinion Polls
Sunday,
November 2 - Listen on computer.
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Allen Raymond, author of "How to Rig an Election," talks about his career as a Republican operative and sometime dirty trickster. Then, how one local group monitors polling places to prevent tampering and errors Finally, political scientist Alan Abromowitz on the latest presidential polls.
Poll Dancing
Sunday,
October 26 - Listen on computer.
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Political polls: how they work and whether they work. Robert talks to polling experts Sheldon Kamenieki of UC Santa Cruz and Alan Abromowitz of Emory University.
Masculinity in the USA
Sunday,
October 19 - Listen on computer.
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"Participatory journalist" and Pulitzer Prizewinner Charlie LeDuff discusses the state of men in America and his adventures in various male subcultures. LeDuff also talks about his move from New York Times to the Detroit News, and hard times in Motor City.
Going for Broke
Sunday,
October 12 - Listen on computer.
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An update on the evolving financial crisis with economist Michael Hutchison. Then, "Iron Ladies of Liberia": a documentary film about Africa's first female head of state and her efforts to save a bankrupt nation. Robert talks to the film's producer, Jonathan Stack.
Bailouts and Black Swans
Sunday,
October 5 - Listen on computer.
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Economist Michael Hutchison discusses the recently-passed government bailout package. Then Naseem Taleb, author of "The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable," critiques the forecasters and risk managers who failed to plan for a financial implosion.
Witness to a Meltdown
Sunday,
September 28 - Listen on computer.
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Economist Michael Hutchison on the origins of the current crisis and the prospects for a government bailout.
Sunday,
September 21
Show partially pre-empted by Monterey Jazz Festival.
Longevity and Its Limits
Sunday,
September 14 - Listen on computer.
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Robert Pollie investigates the science of life extension and the dream of immortality. Guests include anti-aging activist Aubrey DeGrey, gerontologist Richard Miller, physician Sherwin Nuland and undertaker/poet Thomas Lynch.
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