Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Science Refutes God
On the fundamental question--evolution or creation?--Americans are on the fence. According to one survey, while 61% of Americans believe we have evolved over time, 22% believe this evolution was guided by a higher power, with another 31% on the side of creationism. For some, modern science debunks many of religion's core beliefs, but for others, questions like "Why are we here?" and "How did it all come about?" can only be answered through a belief in the existence of God. Can science and religion co-exist?
Monday, November 26, 2012
Legalize Drugs
It was 1971 when President Richard Nixon declared a "war on drugs." $2.5 trillion dollars later, drug use is half of what it was 30 years ago, and thousands of offenders are successfully diverted to treatment instead of jail. And yet, 22 million Americans-9% of the population-still uses illegal drugs, and with the highest incarceration rate in the world, we continue to fill our prisons with drug offenders. Decimated families and communities are left in the wake. Is it time to legalize drugs or is this a war that we're winning?
Friday, November 9, 2012
The Rich Are Taxed Enough
How do we fix the economy? The U.S. government's budget deficit is nearing a trillion dollars for the fourth straight year and unemployment remains high. With the Bush-era tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of 2012, what is the best move for continued economic recovery? President Obama says we should raise taxes on those making more than $250,000 to reduce the deficit. Others say that the richest 1% already pay more than a quarter of all federal taxes and higher taxes for job creators would slow economic growth. Are the nation's wealthiest not paying their "fair share," or should tax breaks be extended for everyone in the name of job creation?
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
The woman who changed her brain
Barbara Arrowsmith is “the woman who changed her brain.” That’s the name of her new book. And to say that she changed her brain is no exaggeration. That’s because when Barbara Arrowsmith was growing up in the 1950s and 60s, she had such a range of unusual, severe, learning disabilities there was no treatment for her. Hers was a struggle between despair and determination. Determination won. CNN’s Michael Schulder finds out why.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
George R.R. Martin at Worldcon
At Worldcon on Saturday, George R.R. Martin fielded several questions in a panel led by Maureen Ryan and Peter Sagal. The 70-minute long panel was recorded and a podcast of the discussion is now online. (An iTunes version is also available.) Maureen Ryan has an article at the Huffington Post detailing the podcast and providing additional info.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Dan Savage vs. Brian Brown: The Dinner Table Debate
Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, and Dan Savage, writer of the Savage Love column, met at Savage's home in Seattle for dinner and a debate over same-sex marriage and the Bible.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
THE INTERVIEW ROOM: Zoe Chace
Weekend Edition intern Andrew Fishman recently brought Planet Money’s newest reporter, Zoe Chace, into the Interview Room. During their talk, she shares an embarrassing moment from her humble beginnings as a Weekend Edition intern and the secrets behind her meteoric rise at NPR.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Quinn Cummings: "The Year of Learning Dangerously"
Quinn Cummings: "The Year of Learning Dangerously":
In the early 1990s, courts declared homeschooling legal in all fifty states. In the years that followed, homeschooling was mostly the province of conservative Christians. But today, bankrupt state budgets and mandated testing requirements have led some parents to seek alternatives to traditional schools. More than two million students in the U.S. are now homeschooled and a growing number of these do not cite religious reasons. Diane talks to author and former child actor Quinn Cummings about her new memoir on the challenges of educating her daughter at home.
In the early 1990s, courts declared homeschooling legal in all fifty states. In the years that followed, homeschooling was mostly the province of conservative Christians. But today, bankrupt state budgets and mandated testing requirements have led some parents to seek alternatives to traditional schools. More than two million students in the U.S. are now homeschooled and a growing number of these do not cite religious reasons. Diane talks to author and former child actor Quinn Cummings about her new memoir on the challenges of educating her daughter at home.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
What's Wrong With Cash for Grades?
What's Wrong With Cash for Grades?:
If we want our kids to thrive in school, maybe we should just pay them.
If we want our kids to thrive in school, maybe we should just pay them.
SciFri: Relishing the Science of the BBQ
SciFri: Relishing the Science of the BBQ: Mayo myth-busters, a ketchup jar that never jams, and a salute to the pickle.
SciFri: What's Your IQ on SPF?
SciFri: What's Your IQ on SPF?: A look at the science of sunscreen: how it intercepts the sun's rays, whether it blocks vitamin D production, and what SPF really means.
Allowance, Taxes And Potty Training
It's really, really hard to create the right kind of economic incentives — even if you're a professional economist, and all you're trying to do is teach your kids to use the toilet.
On today's Planet Money, we talk to economist Joshua Gans and his 11-year-old daughter.
On today's Planet Money, we talk to economist Joshua Gans and his 11-year-old daughter.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
LEGO Gets Leg Up On Toy Competitors
May 24, 2010
The Danish toy company LEGO sailed through the recession. The company that makes those brightly colored snap-together plastic bricks, announced its profits last year jumped more than 60 percent. LEGO's success is all the more remarkable when you consider that just a few years ago, the toy company was falling apart.
The Danish toy company LEGO sailed through the recession. The company that makes those brightly colored snap-together plastic bricks, announced its profits last year jumped more than 60 percent. LEGO's success is all the more remarkable when you consider that just a few years ago, the toy company was falling apart.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Neil Marshall on Game Of Thrones
Neil Marshall has, in his time, directed the likes of Centurion, Dog Soldiers and The Descent. Now, he's also directed an episode of HBO's Game Of Thrones, namely Blackwater - the ninth installment of the second season.
In this special spoilery Empire podcast, you'll get to hear us nattering away with the man himself about how he got the job on the critically-acclaimed show, the best way of making green flame and a few bits and bobs about what he's got coming up next.
In other words, if you call yourself a Game Of Thrones fan - and you should, by the way, because it's really rather good - then you'll definitely get a big kick out of this.
In this special spoilery Empire podcast, you'll get to hear us nattering away with the man himself about how he got the job on the critically-acclaimed show, the best way of making green flame and a few bits and bobs about what he's got coming up next.
In other words, if you call yourself a Game Of Thrones fan - and you should, by the way, because it's really rather good - then you'll definitely get a big kick out of this.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
In Conversation With GRRM Part 3
The #1 New York Times bestselling author discusses his epic saga A Song of Ice and Fire and its adaptation to the small screen as HBO Canada's hit series Game of Thrones.
C
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In Conversation With GRRM Part 2
The #1 New York Times bestselling author discusses his epic saga A Song of Ice and Fire and its adaptation to the small screen as HBO Canada's hit series Game of Thrones.
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In Conversation With GRRM Part 1
The #1 New York Times bestselling author discusses his epic saga A Song of Ice and Fire and its adaptation to the small screen as HBO Canada's hit series Game of Thrones.
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Wednesday, March 14, 2012
GRRM Interview on Strombo
Author George R.R. Martin visits to talk about his choice to be a 'conscientious objector' to the Vietnam War, and why - as a writer - he's determined to show the two sides of war: the gruesome and the glorious.
This is the complete, extended interview with author George R.R. Martin - the edited interview that aired on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 can be found here:
http://youtu.be/b3Guf-T3U1U
For more George visit: http://www.strombo.com
This is the complete, extended interview with author George R.R. Martin - the edited interview that aired on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 can be found here:
http://youtu.be/b3Guf-T3U1U
For more George visit: http://www.strombo.com
Friday, March 2, 2012
The Piano Guys - Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Jon Schmidt and Steven Sharp Nelson were booked for a Piano Guys show in Hawaii. How could we resist filming our next video in the land of Aloha -- beautiful beaches, green mountains, and fresh pineapple?? We went to our Founders and Facebook fans to ask what song they wanted us to play there. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was the nearly-unanimous response. But you know how we are ... we couldn't "just" do this tune by itself...so in the studio we found a made-in-heaven matchup in the timeless melody from the Shaker Hymn "Simple Gifts" written in the 1800's (also used by Aaron Copland in his Ballet "Appalachian Spring"). We feel it's an especially appropriate mash-up because of our profound love and respect for the Hawaiian culture -- a people who are so good at finding happiness in simplicity. As you probably could hear we borrowed a lot of ideas from Iz's version which has become the stuff of legend. This arrangement is, in part, a tribute to him.
Getting a piano onto a sandy beach and then onto a big hill in a famous ranch within the SAME day (we only had 8 hours to film) was no small feat. The only thing harder would be to be predict Hawaiian weather, which ended up being our biggest challenge.
"We had a little extra help on this one. My mother, Lynne Sanders Nelson -- a main source of my inspiration for pursuing music -- passed away early in life from the effects of a brain tumor. She was an incredibly-gifted musician and me to play music passionately rather than just playing "notes" on a page. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was one of her favorite songs. We finished this arrangement on what would have been her 70th birthday. I know that somehow she helped. We could all feel that she was there with us as we filmed. I love you Mom!"
-Steven Sharp Nelson
Getting a piano onto a sandy beach and then onto a big hill in a famous ranch within the SAME day (we only had 8 hours to film) was no small feat. The only thing harder would be to be predict Hawaiian weather, which ended up being our biggest challenge.
"We had a little extra help on this one. My mother, Lynne Sanders Nelson -- a main source of my inspiration for pursuing music -- passed away early in life from the effects of a brain tumor. She was an incredibly-gifted musician and me to play music passionately rather than just playing "notes" on a page. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was one of her favorite songs. We finished this arrangement on what would have been her 70th birthday. I know that somehow she helped. We could all feel that she was there with us as we filmed. I love you Mom!"
-Steven Sharp Nelson
God: Rendered Irrelevant?
God: Rendered Irrelevant? An Oxford Professor Discusses Science and Faith
John Lennox
Duke University 2012
John Lennox
Duke University 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Ann's IPO Interview
Facebook IPO possible today
DePaul University's Ann Sherman talks to Mike Hosking about the possible Facebook IPO today
DePaul University's Ann Sherman talks to Mike Hosking about the possible Facebook IPO today
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